Monday, February 16, 2009

What about Bob?


Its been 21 days since Bob Vander Plaats announced his campaign for Governor; and while a number of other candidates have indicated interest, Vander Plaats remains the only official candidate in the field to date. Vander Plaats was clear when he announced his campaign last month that an official announcement would come later in the year after he has tested the waters. For those of you new to politics “testing the waters” means can I raise enough money to run an actual campaign.

There is no doubt that Vander Plaats is trying to tap into Governor Mike Huckabee’s supporters from last year’s caucuses. In fact, I’m told that Vander Plaats plans to attend a HuckPAC house party in Urbandale on February 26th. While attending events like these are no brainers for Vander Plaats he also needs to expand his following outside of those groups if he wants to be successful in June of 2010.

While I know we are still more than a year from the primary, I’ve been surprised by the lack of buzz created by Vander Plaats since announcing his candidacy. First, I thought Vander Plaats would have responded directly to State Senator Mike Gronstal’s challenge about what and where to cut in the state budget. This is the advantage of being the only candidate in the race, yet Vander Plaats have been mum on the subject. Additionally he has been silent on the hullabaloo over the management of the Rebuild Iowa Office. I know the focus is on raising money, but being covered in the press does wonders for your campaign coffer.

Vander Plaats did talk to the Iowa Independent on Friday saying that the current budget crisis provides the state with an opportunity to cut spending outside of our priorities. I know I’m picky but I’d like to see him give some specifics. Heck, I’m a little disturbed that his website doesn’t have any information on any issues. I know some new candidates sometimes struggle to fill out their issue page, but Vander Plaats has been around long enough to know where he stands on most issues that voters care about.

One thing that should concern Vander Plaats is the fact that David Yepsen thinks more of his campaign’s state chair Rep. Jodi Tymeson than his own candidacy. The way I read Yepsen’s article it seemed to me that David doesn’t realize that Tymeson is Vander Plaats’ state chair. That’s a problem, and while Yepsen is known for mailing it in on occasion, Tymeson was part of Vander Plaats announcement tour.

Maybe Bob should spend a little more time talking to Yepsen at the Register, than doing an interview with Iowa Independent which is funded by Tim Gill, a gay rights activist.

35 comments:

  1. If you read Bob's interview in the Iowa Independent, you will note some inconsistencies. He lists the core priorities of government, as if to state that these priorities are the ones that should be funded. One of these priorities is roads. He then goes on to blast those who would raise the gas tax. If roads are priorities, is he suggesting that they should receive additional funding? And how else to do so but with a dedicated gas tax? Maybe I'm being picky, but I'd like to see more substance in his remarks. Haven't in the past two cycles.

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  2. I haven't heard one good word about Vander Plaats on this site. I don't think that will change. As for the "inconsitencies," I don't feel that making roads a priority and the gas tax is one. You can fix the roads without raising taxes 8 cents. Cut the CRAP out of government and use that money to fix roads. As for the issues, it is 1 year and 4 months until the primary. Before you criticize him, wait until the actual campaign starts which will probably be sometime this summer. Wait until he has his "official campaign" website up. As for the HUCKPAC party, at least Bob is someone who cares about what the grassroots has to say. He will not ignore them like candidates in the past. AND, at least he WILL NOT support the Gas tax like our good ol' Bill Northey.

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  3. What makes you think Yepsen cares what BVP has to say? Vander Plaats' campaign is DOA and Iowa Independent is about as good of a "media get" as he's going to get.

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  4. The problem is BVP is dead on arrive and about 25% f the grassroots blindly support him. The other problem is that BVP is arrogant and will not do what is good for the party or the stae and not run. Bob has serious problems, he is a candidate that is afraid to put forth the real work needed of the candidate.

    If he continues to make mistake like thinking the best idea that he has heard is selling the lottery. The real questions should be how many activist does he burn out of working for republicans.

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  5. Krusty

    Who is running the BVP effort? Are they seasoned activists or first time campaigners? Just curious.

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  6. Bob is running his campaign himself again.

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  7. Wes Enos is the campaign manager. Good guy just not very good at strategy or management and tends to be a little lazy and carless. He is smart and a good spin artist. He would be much better as a field person.
    My understanding is that almost none of BVP's former staffers support him.

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  8. Hmm..the same guy that ran Peter Teahen's campaign...Well..we saw how well that went.

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  9. Wes Enos is conscientious, smart, and a hard worker. I wouldn't blame him for a Teahen loss...I think that was coming anyway.

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  10. A great job, Wes will do! Just because somebody works for a candidate you did not support does not make them a bad person. You people need to think about the next race and how you may end up on the same team before you bash a guy like Wes.

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  11. What Yoda said. We need to focus on the democrats and not each other. Perhaps some of the above posts were from democrtic staffers attempting to stir up trouble for their own benefit. Lets not play that game.

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  12. Jodi Tymeson is Bob's state chair and apparantly Yepson doesn't know that. If Yepson thinks that Tymeson would be the GOP's best bet than why does Tymeson think Bob is the GOP's best bet?--Nuff said. Regular Iowans are not politcal junkies like everyone who reads these blogs. They get their information from commericials and flyers and how they are doing financially. If they are struggling they will opt for the candidate who is not currently in power. Bob comes accross as a good guy and family man who can relate to Iowans. That will give him an advantage in the general. Why else did Culver win last time? --He came accross as the guy you would have a beer with. Seriously, Iowans will see Bob and his family on TV and say, "That's a guy I can vote for and who isn't inside the establishment." If it was about the issues, Obama wouldn't have been president. He won because he was a friendly dude who could articulate a message. Give Bob a break. If you think three times is too many times to run for office, you should look at your voting records of the past. Did you vote for REagan?

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  13. 11:49 anon

    damn you. i just choked on my mt dew when you compared bob vander doof to ronald reagan

    get a brain

    and as for giving bob a break how about he gives us a break. a break from him running. again. and again. and again.

    how about bob finds a job and tries to make a living from somethign other than another campaign for governor.

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  14. And just because Yoda supports him...in no way makes him competent

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  15. I would not have a beer with Bob the Knob.

    I would not, could not, see him in the Job.

    He runs and runs and runs again.

    He will lose as he has done to other men.

    I do not like Bob the Knob.

    I think he is an unqualifed snob.

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  16. BVP will be linked to the old republican party of Bush. All social issues but no idea what to do about a rural struggling economy. He has no clue what to do to keep young people in this state. He has no clue how to promote investment in small business. He has no clue attract hedge fund investments to our state. All he can do is say he has a great family, he's pro-life that he's not in power. Everything else is concept and has never been put into practice. His past has always been CYA (cover your ass). As a leader he is second rate. He takes credit for things that have occurred at organizations while he was not there. Every organization that BVP has "led" has failed or gone thru major struggles after he left. Not a good trait of a leader.

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  17. A new blog up called Doctor's Notes. Check it out at www.millermeeks.com

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  18. 12:44pm anon- stop spamming this blog.

    i am not going to look at dr miller meeks blog unless she is offering a diagnosis for PCD. Perennial Candidate Disorder.

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  19. PCD? What does that make Vander Plaats? Alot of great candidates run a second time do they not? Most of the Iowa general assembly is comprised with people who won on their second try. You must be a Rathje supporter. Oh wait, he has "PCD" too right?

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  20. 1:15pm anon - yes PCD

    how old are you?

    my guess is you are young and missed the first vander doof run. it started in 1999.

    we are on #3

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  21. First they lash out against Bob, then they lash out at Dr. Miller-Meeks? Maybe Dr. Miller-Meeks should skip the skip working on the cure for PCD and start looking for the cure to DWID [Divisive Wannabe Insider Disorder. ]

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  22. Thanks for the shout out for the Huck PAC House Party in Urbandale (even though the post turned out to be anti-BVP.) I'm sorry to see this become a BVP bashing site. But you are just a select few.....

    I am looking forward to a successful event on February 26th. There is an amazing amount of passionate grassroots volunteers out there. It is exciting.

    Lori Jungling
    Huck PAC Iowa Coordinator

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  23. Stop spamming the blog, Huck dude.

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  24. O.k. like 1:46 said, I won't mention the house party 2-26-09 for Huck Pac. Many of you may not have heard that there will be a house party in Urbandale the 27th for the Huck Pac. I wasn't invited to the house party on the 27th of February for the Huck Pac. I wonder if they would let me come if I wanted to go to the house party for the Huck Pac on the 27th in Urbandale. If they invited me to the Huck Pac house party on the 27th of February I would go. Oh, but I won't mention the Huck Pac house party on the 27th of February in Urbandale. Sorry for that, but one last question, have I mentioned that there will be a house party for Huck Pac on February 27th in Urbandale.

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  25. Wow. These Huck people are obnoxious.

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  26. I checked out the Miller-Meeks blog and it doesn't have anything to do with launching another campaign. Her second post isn't even about politics!

    We need more Republicans like Mariannette willing to speak their voice about important issues in our country and state.

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  27. Tim Gills newspaper did another story on vander doof.

    http://iowaindependent.com/11592/vander-plaats-qa

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  28. Iowa Independent: This is your third run for governor. How is the 2010 campaign going to be different than your previous two?

    Bob Vander Plaats: First of all, there are a lot of things that haven’t changed. One thing that hasn’t changed is my passion and commitment to the state of Iowa and the issues that it faces.

    ALTHOUGH ONE COULD ARGUE THAT THIS IS MY THIRD ATTEMPT AT RUNNING FOR GOVERNOR, I WOULD SAY WE’RE STILL WAITING FOR THAT FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO RUN IN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

    Stuart says, "Remember Bob. You're good enough, you're smart enough, and doggone it, people like you.

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  29. After reading the Iowa Independant.. I am with Yepson the party needs to break with Bob. he inspires noone.

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  30. BVP is still waiting for that first opportunity to run in a general election.

    I am still waiting for my first opportunity to have my BUTT SUCK AIR.

    Neither will ever happen.

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  31. Iowa's very own Ranph Nader.

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  32. Miller-Meeks' blog has nothing to do with a campaign as I can see it. Her blog has one post not even related to politics or policy. Yes, she is a former candidate, but that does not prevent anyone from having the ability to intelligently impact policy from an outside way. Heck, Newt does it all the time. Sometimes it is more effective than being an actual policy maker. How do you think lobbyist in DC get what they want?


    Kudos to Miller-Meeks. Keeping a positive and honest voice in a crowd dissenters is a hard thing to do. Just ask Leach.

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  33. You watch, Bob will run for Auditor (if Vaudt run's for Gov) or will run for Sec of Ag (if Northey run's for Gov), or will run for 5th District Congress (if King run's for Gov...and if that doesn't work he will run for Sioux City dogcatcher if that's open...THE GUY WAS BORN TO RUN! and RUN and RUN and RUN and RUN.

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  34. How come no one is talking about the "deal" tha BVP made with Nussle in 2006 that funded some of BVP's "charities"?

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