The Flake Factor
Can anyone out there explain to me why so many GOP candidates this cycle seem to be afflicted with the "flake" factor -- oddball statements, financial irregularities, campaign blunders, and so on? I'm thinking here not only of Christine O'Donnell and Sharron Angle, but also of Ron Paul, with his politically bone-headed remarks about the Civil Rights Act, of Ken Buck, with his comments about "high-heels," of Mark Kirk (no tea party favorite), who published inaccurate claims about his military service until they were outed, and God knows how many more.
It's not just "media bias." The media certainly don't like O'Donnell, Angle, Paul, & company, and may amplify some of these things, but they're all real. And the media have no love for Marco Rubio, Pat Toomey, and a host of others, but they've never succeeded in painting them as "flakes" in any way.
There's some truth, of course, to the argument that Democrats have plenty of flakes of their own. Richard Blumenthal in Connecticut has been as factually inaccurate about his military service as Kirk in Illinois, and "financial irregularities" could be Charlie Rangel's middle names. But somehow the Democrat "flakes" all seem to come from dark blue states and districts, while the Republican "flakes" seem disproportionately -- and annoyingly -- to be showing up in purple states and competitive, potentially winnable races. Why is his?
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Comments :
May '10
Re: The Flake Factor
I think you meant Rand Paul, but no biggie. Ron Paul's feet and his mouth are well acquainted, too.
May '10
Re: The Flake Factor
OK, Steve. Let me ask you the questions, "Would you want to run? And if not, why not?"
Don't want to go through the degrading process of opposition research? The media anal exam that goes with being a Republican? You value your family?
We hold some truths to be self evident...
May '10
Re: The Flake Factor
With the exception of Kirk, they're new to the national stage. Their pasts have never been vetted, and they say odd things in front of live mikes. This is why Sharron Angle is in a secret location, hoping the voters hate Reid enough to vote her in. The wave of energy that the Tea Party brings carries a price tag. Well worth the trade, but there is some downside.
Jul '10
Re: The Flake Factor
Let's reflect on this for a moment.
The gaffes by the liberal establishment are in deep blue states.
The gaffes by the GOP challengers tend to be in competitive states.
Does someone have a perception problem or does a bias exist in the established media against GOP candidates in competitive races?
Aug '10
Re: The Flake Factor
Many of these people are regular folks - not professional politicians. They carry the same foibles as your average Joe or Jane. Now, you can argue - and I have - that they don't represent the best&brightest among us but these are the folks who are willing to run.
Having said that, I do believe we have several sharp people runnning in this current cycle, which is very encouraging.
May '10
Re: The Flake Factor
I'd wager this is the main issue. Imagine being asked an off-the-wall question, whether by an ally or an enemy, and having to answer it on camera. Now imagine if this happened daily for months. I shudder to think the of the stupid things I'd say, and I'm only moderately un-PC. If you're an underdog whose appeal lies in shooting from the hip, the danger is amplified.
Plus, grinding the potentially offensive edges from conservative statements is one of the few things GOP bigwigs do well, so naturally conservative Tea Party upstarts would suffer from a lack of coaching.
Finally, it can't help being up against the DNC and the GOP!
Jun '10
Re: The Flake Factor
Haven't we all listened to the professional politicians glibly running sound bites and talking points ad nauseum. Or the president on his teleprompter. The art of the professional politician is never to speak an untested statement, an unambigous statement, or a politically incorrect statement. A "gaffe" is famously defined as accidently speaking the truth. Maybe flakiness is just authenticity..
Aug '10
Re: The Flake Factor
Kennedy Smith: "Their pasts have never been vetted, and they say odd things in front of live mikes." Jason Hart: "I'd wager this is the main issue. Imagine being asked an off-the-wall question, whether by an ally or an enemy, and having to answer it on camera. Now imagine if this happened daily for months. I shudder to think the of the stupid things I'd say, and I'm only moderately un-PC. If you're an underdog whose appeal lies in shooting from the hip, the danger is amplified." Me too. In person I'm Idiotic Remarks Incorprated, and I can't imagine what would pop out if I had to keep talking and talking day after day after day. I call the stupid remarks that result from talking too much "Sportscaster's Syndrome", because my husband is always asking me, "Why did that sporstcaster make such an idiotic remark?" and I always reply, "Well, how do you think you'd sound if your job were to keep talking and talking, no matter what?"
May '10
Re: The Flake Factor
Let's look back at recent gaffe's by "old pro's" like Joe Biden, or Harry Reid, or even Barack Obama...or let's not. Safe to say they've had their share.
These new folks are under the microscope, especially because of their party affiliation. (How many times have we said "imagine if George Bush had said that!" in the past two years?). They also have inexperienced staff, which can make a big difference. Savvy handlers are vital when the cameras are rolling 24/7.
Jun '10
Re: The Flake Factor
In many cases, the flake factor is just speaking too much "inside baseball" (campaign-worker-speak or libertarian-speak) where it's not appropriate--not appreciating that the mainstream audience (and especially, ignorant reporters) won't know what you're referring to.
Sep '10
Re: The Flake Factor
In the terms of the post that started this discussion, would a candidate who proposed the elimination of Medicare be considered a flake?
Jun '10
Re: The Flake Factor
Tough one, Patrick. Unless the candidate did it in a serious, book-length discussion based on realistic proposals to improve access and quality of health care for seniors using free market principals, yes he/she would be a flake, or more properly, a fool, akin to charging a machine gun nest with a baseball bat. Health care is my field and I can promise you that Medicare in everything but name IS going to be eliminated but it is not an proposal that you can discuss on Rachel Maddow
Re: The Flake Factor
Patrick -- for electoral purposes, I would say "yes," because that position alone would remove the candidate from serious consideration on the part of a large percentage of the electorate -- including many people who would otherwise consider themselves conservative. And for no practical benefit, because that's not something that is at all seriously considered, at least in the perception of the electorate as a whole. As an intellectual proposition it may be wholly defensible -- but as an electoral position in 2010, yes, I would consider it flaky.
Jul '10
Re: The Flake Factor
Steve, your comment displays the core of the question. This cycle we have a whole bunch of people who arre not even remotely connected with the halls of power. That is why they are prone to regular-folk flakiness. And hearty disdain and mocking from the ruling class.
Furthermore, there are a whole bunch of folk out there for whom that very lack of connectedness is a virtue. All of the usual calculations of what "the electorate as a whole" will stand for may not hold this year. Or it will, and the flakes will fall on their faces. But I think not.
Sep '10
Re: The Flake Factor
To you and Pilgrim, thanks. Very interesting answers.
Jul '10
Re: The Flake Factor
At least the Democrats come up with some goofier gaffes, like calling this "The Recovery Summer" , or Harry Reid referring to Mr. Coons, the Democrat senate nominee in Delaware "my pet" [why do Andy Capp and Flo come to mind, I haven't thought of them in years . . .] or the fabulous Pelosi "they're all astroturf" line.
I know I could do the same for the professional Republicans.
The bigger question is not how come the new comers to politics are so darn gaffe prone, it is how come we have stopped noticing how bad the old timers have been, are, and will be gaffe prone?
May '10
Re: The Flake Factor
All due respect but it seems with that attitude it will continue to appear flaky evermore. If serious person after serious person begins to bring it up in a clear way and not let the question-askers dictate the tone, then it WILL make a difference and get us from point A to point B a whole lot faster. Holding back and acting all sneaky about it allows the other side to scream "hidden agenda".
Aug '10
Re: The Flake Factor
I think people can recognize if someone says something clumsy merely because he's an amateur, rather than because he's an idiot. The question is whether a critical mass of voters want amateurs in office, and regard what they say as endearing rather than worrisome. Normally, I'd say no, but this year it may very well be true.
May '10
Re: The Flake Factor
Patrick Shanahan: Steve, your comment displays the core of the question. This cycle we have a whole bunch of people who arre not even remotely connected with the halls of power. That is why they are prone to regular-folk flakiness. And hearty disdain and mocking from the ruling class.
Furthermore, there are a whole bunch of folk out there for whom that very lack of connectedness is a virtue. All of the usual calculations of what "the electorate as a whole" will stand for may not hold this year. Or it will, and the flakes will fall on their faces. But I think not. · Sep 15 at 6:59pm
Certainly true, Patrick who isn't, as far as is known, in Albequerque. I like it, and I'd vote for them, as would everyone here. If something truly damaging emerges due to lack of vetting, the True Believers will ignore it as a smear. The rest of the voters won't. So it carries that danger. Could be one or two October surprises popping up.