I am curious: Signage...continued
I noted on Saturday my curiosity that the road outside the Burke Centre Fall Festival was full of signs for Tom Davis (GOP candidate-Va 11) and Jim Webb (Dem candidate, Va Senate), but none for Andrew Hurst (Dem Candidate-Va 11) or George Allen (GOP Candidate-Va Senate).
On Sunday AM I did my shifts with my Toastmaster club, then went back in the PM with She Who Must be Obeyed and the WMD. The sign situation on the road outside remained the same. Just inside the gates there was a well manned GOP booth which was covered with Tom Davis signs, but nothing readily visible for George Allen. Next to them was a slot occupied by only a table. It turns out this was area reserved for the Democrats booth.
Now, I understand the difficulties of getting bodies in place to man booths at fairs and festivals. I have had to do so over the years for Boy Scouts, Chess Clubs, Jaycees, and miscellaneous non-profits, and it is never easy. It is especially difficult to get coverage on a Sunday morning.
However, this is a festival going on in the midst of some of the more competitive precincts in Northern Virginia. My precinct, Burke Commons, went for Bush and Davis in 2004 to the tune of about a 2% margin, and for Warner in 2001 by fairly narrow margin. The exception is the blowout margin for Tim Kaine in 2005. One would think this is the kind of event that would warrant greater participation by all the candidates, and greater joint candidate promotion by all the parties. If it is competitve, then everyone needs to be there. If the 2005 election results are now considered the norm, and it is not competitive, then you would think the Democrats would be there to whip up enthusiasm to help drive up the margins.
However, this really didn't happen.
What gives?
On Sunday AM I did my shifts with my Toastmaster club, then went back in the PM with She Who Must be Obeyed and the WMD. The sign situation on the road outside remained the same. Just inside the gates there was a well manned GOP booth which was covered with Tom Davis signs, but nothing readily visible for George Allen. Next to them was a slot occupied by only a table. It turns out this was area reserved for the Democrats booth.
Now, I understand the difficulties of getting bodies in place to man booths at fairs and festivals. I have had to do so over the years for Boy Scouts, Chess Clubs, Jaycees, and miscellaneous non-profits, and it is never easy. It is especially difficult to get coverage on a Sunday morning.
However, this is a festival going on in the midst of some of the more competitive precincts in Northern Virginia. My precinct, Burke Commons, went for Bush and Davis in 2004 to the tune of about a 2% margin, and for Warner in 2001 by fairly narrow margin. The exception is the blowout margin for Tim Kaine in 2005. One would think this is the kind of event that would warrant greater participation by all the candidates, and greater joint candidate promotion by all the parties. If it is competitve, then everyone needs to be there. If the 2005 election results are now considered the norm, and it is not competitive, then you would think the Democrats would be there to whip up enthusiasm to help drive up the margins.
However, this really didn't happen.
What gives?
posted by Bwana | 7:33 AM
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