9.11.01

Innocence lost.

"I'm not just an entertainer. I'm an influence, a wielder of opinion, a force... a force!"

National Blog Links To Busplunge, Long Stories Generate Lots of Traffic Also

Think Progress did a post on Friday (09.10.2010) titled "Blunt Releases Ad Attacking ‘Failed Stimulus,’ But Took Credit For Many Successful Local Stimulus Programs"

The money quote (as far as I am concerned):

– Blunt attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a new Ozone Disinfection System in the City of Springfield made possible by a $16 million combination low-interest loan and direct grant from the stimulus. As local blogger Jim Lee notes, Blunt’s ceremony unveiling the funding coincided with the one year anniversary of the stimulus. When approached about his opposition to the stimulus, Blunt simply smiled and said “no comment.”

Another post on this blog chronicled how Blunt's "no comment" reply evolved in this post: Roy Can Dance, Especially Around the Question: The Evolution of an Answer.
This blog has had over 2,000 visitors this past week, a week in which almost all the posts were about 7th District Republican Candidate Billy Long.

This indicates to me there is a lot of interest about the Long / Eckersley campaign, at least among people with computers. (Two other blogs also closely follow the 7th race Long Is Wrong and The Fuse Joplin.)

Thanks Billy, for riding the bus, thanks for answering my questions and thanks for being accessible.

Are you up for a another bus ride?

I've got some more questions.

Guess Who Was A Classmate Of That Crazy Preacher Who Wants To Burn The Koran Tomorrow!

Rush LimbaughUSED to be Cape Girardeau’s most prominent export. One of his classmates from the Central High School Class of 1969 is dominating the news right now: Terry Jones, the Gainesville, FL, preacher who is threatening to hold an “International Burn a Koran Day” on September 11.

Long Reneges On 10 Debate Agreement; Issues Counter Offer

The Springfield News-Leader's Cory De Vera reports on a Billy Long for Congress news release:

Republican Seventh District congressional nominee Billy Long has agreed to three debates/forums before the general election, his campaign announced in a news release

Ah, jeez, not this sh*t again.

Tonight, the Long campaign issued a press release saying that Long has agreed to three more debates/forums.* Which is a different tale from last August when he agreed to 10 courthouse debates.

A Long spokesperson said the reason the 10 courthouse debates at high noon won't work is because "People are working, taking care of their families, in school."

That's why all the debates need to be televised so voters can TIVO them and watch them when they aren't at work, or taking care of their families or in school. And there needs to be more than three, at neutral venues. Televised debates would also provide closed captioning for deaf voters.

Now, remember that when Long and I talked on Monday we had this exchange:

BL: Whatever I do won’t satisfy you because if I do one you’ll say that wasn’t really a debate, so…
JL: Ok, all right.
BL: We can agree to disagree.

Well Billy, I ain't satisfied.

You agreed to three debates on three dates at three venues. Who did you agree with? Saying you agreed implies that someone ---other than your campaign-- pro-offered those dates and venues and you accepted their offer. Who did you agree with?

Who decided KWTO? Who decided KSNF? and who decided the "Young Conservatives"?

From what I read, it seems like Long's campaign made those decisions. Reding told KOLR 10:

"The Eckersley campaign asked us to present our suggestions*** for the debates and that's what we've done here," says Royce Reding, Long's campaign manager. "Scott has told the media that he's willing to debate anywhere, anytime, so we just found venues that we thought provided the best venue for the voters of the seventh district."***

Ah, jeez, not this sh*t again. "Anywhere, anytime." Long said it, I heard it. Eckersley said it, Reding told us he did.****

What part of "anywhere anytime" don't these guys understand?

Remember when Long was on that radio station talking about making 'the deal'? I do. He said:

because I’ve been in sales, I’ve been in negotiations my whole life, OK, I’ve negotiated a million real estate deals, contracts, and, you have to have people that are dealing in good faith. When one is and one isn’t, you can’t get a deal put together...I’m not going to let Scott Eckersley cram things down my throat.

Long also said in this radio interview that Eckersley wanted the debates "it’s kinda like my way or the highway." He used the same phrase with me on Monday: "oh no, it’s that or nothing, my way or the highway, you know."

Now it seems like Long, though Royce Reding, is telling Eckersley that it's "my way or the highway." I guess a good saw cuts both ways?

I do not underestimate Billy Long. Anyone who plays poker for the kind of money he plays for has got to know how to bluff ---I can tell you I ain't never gonna play poker with him.

Billy is a salesman, a dang good one. He's a good auctioneer. He knows how to play a crowd, he knows how to work a deal. By his own admission he's negotiated a million deals and contracts.
Anyone who has ever bought a house or a car from a dealer knows how the game is played.

Offer
counter-offer
counter to the counter
counter to the counter to the counter
etc, etc, etc

Until finally both parties agree and a deal is consummated or you walk away.

Two major components of negotiating (remember, Long is experienced at this-- a million times experienced): Never accept the first offer and Never give concessions without getting one in return. Trust me on these two components, I know. Billy knows too.

Right now it looks like Long is counter offering Eckersley's offer. Which is to be expected from a seasoned real estate salesman like Long. You never accept their first offer. Make'em sweat, make'em sweeten the deal.

This is interesting political theater but we're running out of time Billy and Scott.

Come on guys, this ain't rasslin', this is serious business.

*On a blog posted Monday, frequent bus riders will recall that Billy Long suggested that "we can agree to disagree" on the difference between a debate and a forum.

**suggestions? But, but your press release said Long agreed to do three debates. Now you say these are just suggestions?

***Remember the two key components of negotiations: Never accept the first offer and never give a concession without getting one.

****In my conversation with Long, he stated, when the subject of debates arose, that "I’m not afraid of anybody. Anywhere, anytime, you know."

personal to Scott: recommended reading

Personal to Billy: "I mean these people are serial news releasers." LOL! Do you remember saying that to Nick Reed about Eckersley's campaign staff? I do. Pot. Kettle. Black. Especially since the first Eckersley heard of your counter offer was through a news release.

In fairness to you, you did foreshadow your counter offer while riding the bus.

Long On Debates: Give Me Til The End Of The Week, We're Working On It, We Should Have A Schedule Announced.

At the end of the Billy Long Business Tour on September 7, 2010, the three members of the community present had an opportunity to speak with Billy Long, unscripted.

This portion, joined in progress, was free-wheeling with lots of overtalking and laughter. Billy and I set aside the laughter and did get serious when talking about the debates.

Jim Lee (JL): Billy, I will say this, and I am going to compliment you on this, is that

Billy Long (BL):: What!

JL: No, wait, this is, this was on private property

BL: I’m gonna sit down, wait a minute.

JL: This was on private property and I know that, that Roy Blunt and the Chamber of Commerce wouldn’t let some people into a meeting he had and, and you did.

BL: Oh, I

JL: I’m not being facetious either.

BL. No, I appreciate that, I know you guys are not on my side, I’m not afraid of anybody. Anywhere, anytime, you know

Female: But you know what, I don’t know

BL: I mean, Mike’s known me for years, I mean, I just visit with people.

JL: I bought a home from you fer gawd’s sake.

BL: Yeah.

Female: I’m just hoping you’ll think about these issues and not be bought off by big oil.

BL: If I wanted, you know and I hope you know, are you still recording this?

Female: No, I’m taking your picture though. (overtalking)

JL: Well, uh, I (overtalking)

BL: I hope you got a wide angle. (overtalking)

JL: Can I take a picture of you, it’ll probably be on my blog. (overtalking)

BL: No, let’s don’t take a picture. I’d hate to be on your blog. (overtalking)

Female: You look nice. (general laughter)

JL: All right, I will say that you were accessible.

Female: And we’re impressed.

JL: You were accessible.

BL: No, but uh, I can’t think of what I was gonna tell you right now. What was I gonna tell you?

Female: You were talking about how you were accessible, you knew that they might not be for you, but you…

Billy Long (BL): Yeah, you know, I’m, I’m

Female: You’re not afraid.

BL: I mean, you know, the other people can say whatever they want about me, you know, I won’t debate, I won’t do this, I won’t do that. I mean, to me, that’s goofy, you know. I mean when you come in and say we’re gonna do ten courthouse debates at high noon and we said ok, we’ll debate, let’s sit down and talk about the details. We walk in, he shoved a paper at us and said these are the dates and we say, no, we’re not gonna do that but let’s talk about, oh no, it’s that or nothing, my way or the highway, you know.

Jim Lee (JL): You know, that’s an old story, that’s yesterday’s news. Today’s news is you gotta

BL: Give me until the end of the week, we’re working on it,

JL: You gotta debate him.

BL: We should have a schedule announced.

To see other posts relating to the Long / Eckersley debates, click here.

What The Chuck? More On Long's Contribution To Roy Blunt's PAC

I am continually struck at the incongruity of 7th District Republican Congressional Candidates Billy Long's campaign rhetoric.

Long's campaign slogan, "Fed Up", focused on his distaste and dislike of career politicians. While never mentioning Blunt by name during the campaign(to my knowledge), Long railed against career politicians. Roy Blunt is unarguably a career politician. Yet, on November 23, 2009, Long made a significant contribution ($1,000.00) to one of Roy Blunt's PACs --Friends of Roy Blunt.

Yesterday, I asked Long about this contribution and why he didn't give that thousand dollars to Chuck Purgason of Caufield. (Billy Long's explanation on why he gave Blunt's PAC $1,000) The discussion got sidetracked and I never pressed the issue. (I am working on improving my follow up questioning skills. I'm also working on the stuttering.)

The internet is a great memory booster for old farts like me, with just a kernel of memory, I can search and find the whole kielbasa, like these two posts from the KY3 Political Blog, dated November 14 and November 18, 2009, just days before Long made his $1,000 donation to Blunt.

The posts note that Purgason seems to be gaining on Blunt and that Purgason might be a better match up against Robin Carnahan (at the time the presumed Democrat candidate).

From November 14, 2009: What The Chuck?:

From the Twitterboard: "Interesting finding on our Mo. poll so far- Blunt struggling to crack 50 against little known primary opponent," wrote Tom Jensen.

From November 18, 2009: Purgason Encouraged By Poll:

Longshot U.S. Senate candidate Chuck Purgason said he's encouraged by a new Public Policy Polling survey that shows his support in double-digits and noted that Congressman Roy Blunt's high unfavorable numbers in the Ozarks exemplify the problems of the Republican Party's frontrunner.

Two reports from a highly read, critically acclaimed political blog report that Chuck Purgason is making inroads against Roy Blunt. A week after these reports appear on the internet, the FEC reports Billy Long made a $1,000 donation to Roy Blunt's campaign. The donation showed up on paper on November 23, 2009. What we don't know is what the date is on the check.

Draw your own conclusions but it looks to me like Long sold the tea party candidate down the river and bet on the career politician.