Dear Sir,
I'm not some DU operative looking to help Lieberman or worse, Lamont into office, but I think it's time you end your candidacy for the US Senate. You have become an embarrassment to Republicans everywhere, please withdrawal. Using a fictitious name at the casinos while an elected official shows, at the very, very least, highly
questionable judgement. How can we trust you to represent the interests of our state when you can barely see to your own?
Thank You
Note the use of "withdrawal" instead of "withdraw". Nothing is quite so embarrassing as demonstrating poor grammar, ignorance or poor typing skills when you're trying to zing somebody. In response to this email I received this:
David, Only one question sir, are you kidding? Schlesinger US Senate
To which I replied:
No. One question for you, do you think that I'm the only Republican who feels this way? Bluster and denial can get you only so far, and you've reached that point. If I were a betting man, which I'm not, but apparently you are, I'd bet a year's salary that you will lose in ignominy and do harm to the CT GOP. Further I bet that Wampumgate is but the first of many peccadilloes that will swarm about your candidacy.
Connecticut just got rid of one embarrassing Republican, we do not need another.
Thanks for answering my email, best of luck in the private sector.
To which the Schlesinger campaign replied:
David, Do you have the intestinal fortitude to talk to Alan directly? Because he is currently in the office and would like to speak to you. Please feel free to call. (203)xxx-xxxx Schlesinger US Senate
So I called the Schlesinger campaign, identified myself and asked to speak with Alan. Mary put me right through. Alan answered the phone "So you do have the intestinal fortitude to call"? I said why not I have nothing to lose. I won't go over in excruciating detail every tidbit of the conversation, but Schlesinger told me that this Wampumgate business was nothing more than a tempest in tea pot, (my words not his), and has been blown way out of proportion. While legally gambling at the casino, he was repeatedly asked to sign up for a wampum card and did so under a fictitious name because he wanted to maintain his anonymity. Primarily because he favored state run casinos as opposed to The Tribes collecting all the lucre and he didn't want his political adversaries making hay of his presence in the Pequots casino. Fair enough. According to Schlesinger this is all there is to the story. I asked him why some prominent Connecticut Republicans tossed him so thoroughly under the bus, he said he has his theories but would prefer to give these political luminaries the opportunity to explain themselves, which he expected them to do in the next month or so. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
We spoke further about my perception of this imbroglio. I said that as a Connecticut Republican nothing pisses me off more than the Rowlands, Santopietros and Giordanos of the Route 8 corridor. He bristled at the mere mention of that disgraced trio, as well he should. I told him that from my view in dog patch, this thing didn't bode well for the GOP and that I thought it could have been handled better. He assured me that there was nothing to it, he's no Rowland, and that this was just a politics as usual. Schlesinger is in this to stay, he thinks he can win, and despite my former scribblings I think he may have a chance.
4 comments:
Maybe this is a tempest in a teapot. I don't know. Even if it is, Schlesinger still has a pretty big problem. He has about zero name recognition and he's being introduced to the public as just another scandal-ridden Republican. Unfair? Probably, but it doesn't matter what is or isn't fair. That's his situation.
If he truly thinks he can win, that says to me he's hoping Lamont does the heavy lifting for him. He's hoping Ned will beat Lieberman in the Democratic primary and Joe then runs as an independent. That way Schlesinger won't need a majority to become Connecticut's junior Senator - just a plurality... That's one way things could play out but I wouldn't bet on it.
I remember the last time Lieberman ran for re-election, Rowland played around with the idea of giving Joe a cross-endorsment from the state's GOP. But once Gore called Joe up to the big leagues, that idea was dropped. Remember also when Lieberman was first elected, William F Buckley's BuckPac was very influential in securing Lierman's victory (and more importantly to WFB, Lowell Weicker's defeat). My point is that Lieberman has long been on friendly terms with the GOP... Of course, that's one of the reasons why he's in so much hot water with his own party.
I didn't quite finish that last thought: Rell's attack on Schlesinger can be seen as part of that history Lieberman has had with Connecticut's GOP.
It was impressive that he didn't dismiss you out of hand as crank.
He doesn't know me as well as you do.
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