Merrick Alpert's announcement speech

His focus on 'moving' to Iowa is an attack on real family values. (0.00 / 0)

not the pompous preaching from the right mind you, but the values of a real father and his family.

From The Des Moines Register, 11/29/07 (I still have the print version, you can find it online at: http://www.usatoday.com/news/p...

But from Jackie's perspective, the decision was as much about being a good mom as a good campaigner.

"That's a hard transition, but this was our opportunity to keep our family together and meet more Iowans," she said. "When I was there for six and eight hours in airports and traveling back and forth, you're not meeting as many people as you can meet when you're here. And we can have a home base."

Her mind was made up to move after one exceptionally long day spent in airports and airplanes - an 11-hour-trip between Connecticut and Elkader.

"We were going to be here for Halloween, but I found out (many Iowans) celebrate Halloween on the 30th and that was the Philadelphia debate, and I wasn't going to have the girls miss Halloween," Jackie said.

This move was about being able to see his kids, his wife, to be a family, while undergoing the demanding campaign for the Presidency through the Iowa Caucuses.  Anyone who spent any time in the house in question would very quickly recognize this had little to do with politics and much to do with being a family.

Dodd's time in Iowa didn't diminish his ability to serve Connecticut, he continued to stand strong in the US Senate, on Iraq, on FISA, Infrastructure, Foreclosures, he was working hard in a deadlocked Senate with few allies.  Mr. Alpert can try to lay the blame on him as "chairman of the banking committee in the time of crisis" but the reality is he did not have a majority on the committee nor much, or any support outside the committee.  The damage was done under the chairmanship of Senator Phil Gramm for the most part.

The key thing I'm taking away from these speeches of Mr. Alpert's thus far is that he does not wish to be a Senator from Connecticut, he wishes to be Governor of Connecticut.

---

by: mpiscatella @ Tue May 19, 2009 at 13:26:21 PM CDT

Hry Merrick, a few questions (0.00 / 0)

 Since You've been "all over the state" did you have the sense to get yourself invited to any DTC meetings?

Have you met with any Dem Town Chairman and can you give us a couple of names who said they also feel so "disappointed" in our Senior Senator that they'll consider supporting someone like you who has never held elective or appointed office to run for the US Senate?

Has your "Barber for 25 years" traveled with you or did you just have him flown to Texas,Oklahoma and Fla when you resided there?

And finally,Did you return the jacket you borrowed from your gardener for your introductory video?

---

by: ctkeith @ Tue May 19, 2009 at 14:44:56 PM CDT

. (0.00 / 0)

Have you met with any Dem Town Chairman and can you give us a couple of names who said they also feel so "disappointed" in our Senior Senator that they'll consider supporting someone like you who has never held elective or appointed office to run for the US Senate?

I know of a couple of these.

–7.25 / –7.28

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/tw...

---

by: mattw @ Tue May 19, 2009 at 16:16:49 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Next! That was really disappointing... (0.00 / 0)

Who the hell is advising Merry Alpert, because that announcement "speech" was a loser.

However, and unfortunately, the polls of even Dem primary voters will probably have a generic, unknown Democrat like Alpert polling somewhere within 15-25 points of Dodd, (50-30% ??)

And in head-to-head match-ups against Simmons and Caligiuri Alpert might even do better, as at the moment many voters don't want a Republican Senator, but do want a Dodd replacement..

So my guess is that Alpert will be a flash-in-the pan, (and someone who will be quickly tossed aside), -- yet I also predict that on the heels of Ned Lamont's near-succes, there will be more opportunistic Dem challengers in the months to come.

---

by: AndersonScooper @ Tue May 19, 2009 at 17:15:55 PM CDT