Take a lesson from the ex-shock-jock and 'C.O.M.E.' out of your shell.

So, as anyone who has met me immediately points out, I do not 'look the part' of the sterotypical conservative talk-show host. (click for pictoral evidence) This is, as is the case with Rush, I was once a disc jockey and even a 'shock jock.' (as was Glenn Beck) It is with that experience I send the following advise to the seven GOP hopefuls and the one independant vying to unseat Congressman Tom Perriello in November of 2010; Do what Bob, Bill and Ken did and take a page from the 'shock jock' playbook. By that I mean; Don't just show up in a 5th district town and expect every one to come out and see you. You have to embark on a strategy I have always called; "C.O.M.E." Create One Media Event.

Much has been made out of the recently released F.E.C. fundraising reports and, quite honestly, it doesn't make any difference to me because no matter what, the Congressman's opponent has got to realize one thing; You are going to have much less money that Tom, no matter what. So, how can you over-C.O.M.E. that? C.O.M.E.-on, you know the answer... Create One Media Event. Now, don't panic, I'm not suggesting something outrageous. Here are some examples of what I mean...

In Middletown, NY your's truly was morning host on the now defunct WKOJ and we decided that for Secr... eh... 'Administrative Professionals Day' we were going to invite secr...eh...administrative proffessionals to the studios (in the old municipal armory building called the "KOJ Kastle") to drop whatever office equipment from the reviewing balcony two stories to the stree below and their demise. We were the lead story live on the morning TV news, and again at noon and 6, no charge. *Note: The same type of stunt had me live at noon and top of the 5 and 6pm TV news and on the front page of the newspaper in Buffalo, NY, several years later. Also gratis.

In Hyannis, MA I wanted to apply my "C.O.M.E." strategy to a coat drive for the homeless. So, during the drive I did my radio show, guest-hosted everyone else's and slept on the roof of our studios for three days in the middle of December. Not only did we collect three delivery truckloads of coats, we were in the local news all three days, on the front page of the Hyannis newspaper AND were in the Providence and Boston TV news.

How does that credit card ad go?
Build scaffolding: $300; 
Hot tea to unfreeze your throat each morning: $3;
45 minutes and 5 columns of news coverage: PRICELESS!
(Actually, reseach shows that this kind of stuff is even MORE effective, vis-a-vis valuable than 'traditional' ads because viewers/listeners tune out or tune away from ads and readers hardly ever look at them.)

The point I'm making to these "Erstwhile Eight" (and anyone else thinking of running for office and worried about $$) is not to say; "sleep on the roof" or "smash office equipment" (although Fiorello LaGuardia is still most remembered for that shot of him bashing slot machines) but think hard about making each visit to the towns up and down the 5th District AN EVENT. Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli did last year and look what they did (against someone who spent more money). Ooh, ooh, I have an even better example: I know of a relatively unknown who won a seat in Congress using this same kind of idea just a couple of years ago. His name is Tom.

Thanks for all the fish...
J.T.

PS; If you'd like to employ the "C.O.M.E." strategy in your campaign, get in touch anytime. Well, just not Saturday, April 24th because I'm challenging the Mayor, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors and some TV news people and another talkshow host to a pancake flipping contest at a charity breakfast. Watch for it on the news.

"It was one year ago today..."

I've hosted some pretty big rock concerts in my career as a rock radio promoter and I am well versed with the nervous feeling that arrives at just about one hgour before the doors open. That was the exact same feeling I was suffering exactly one year ago. (3pm, 4/15/2009) I was setting up the sound system for this little group of people that I had joined called the Jefferson-Area T.E.A. (Taxed Enough Already) Party on the stage at the Charlottesville Pavillion. I looked up at Keith Drake, whom I knew from the growth (in both number and clout) of his Albemarle Truth in Taxation Alliance, and wondered aloud; "Where did all those people come from?" There were already at least 100 people sitting in the front rows on the way to 1500 jamming into the Pavillion. The moment I will always carry with me will be the image of the staffers from Charlotteville City Hall continuing to pop in and out to marvel at what was going on. I'll be at the Bradley Arms Memorial U.S. Post office shortly to celebrate a year that has seen the movement grow beyond anyone's wildest imaginings. For the record, I never, in all those concerts I promoted, felt quite so inspired as I did at the conclusion of that first Jefferson Area T.E.A. Party.

Watching the detectives.

Cutting gas lines is horrifically dangerous, period. Also, whoever it turns out did this at the home of Congressman Perriello's brother should go to jail. They are not well.

Mark Troxell, the fight club manager from Lynchburg stepped over the line posting addresses on the web and Nigel Coleman took it up a notch when he wrote; "collateral damage" when it became clear that it was not even the CORRECT one.

That said, public persons like talk show hosts and elected representatives DO have to understand that you check a certain amount of, what other citizens expect in the way of, privacy at the door. That DOES NOT extend to their families. Immediate or otherwise.

I want any of my fellow T.E.A. Party members to understand this; I am a Constitutional Conservative who rarely ever agrees with Congressman Perriello and I work very hard to get out the information that brings the cold, hard light of fact to the metaphorical 'Emperors' new clothes'. So, I do not want my efforts and the efforts of great Central Virginians Like Dr. Charles Battig and Chris Horner (who helped derail "Cap & Trade" (hopefully for good by doing the same), to be undone because we, as a group, cannot hold on until November 2nd.

Keith Olberman-n-n-n-n doesn't need an actual story to report derogatorily on Conservatives (complete with references to his favorite rude sexual act), let's not provide him things that we cannot debunk.

I know that watching your Congressman (though I understand that Mr. Troxel lives in the 6th district) vote for the health care takeover and then go out on the town with Bart Stupak and a bunch of other Rep.'s for a "victory lap" is frustrating. However, given the extent that the President had to dish out pork to secure a victory as narrow as Tom's election over Virgil Goode was, we're winning these debates on facts and these dangerous, violent and incendiary stunts do nothing to advance that campaign and if it doesn't help, it hurts.

I feel very badly for Tom's family for being subjected to this. Let's go back to showing everyone why Constitutional Conservatism, as started by Jefferson, Madison and Monroe is right and right wins out in the end.

Thanks for all the fish!
JT

Is imitation the most sincere form of flattery in the case of Congressman Tom's statement?

By now you may have seen the video that has over 25k YouTube viewings since Thursday, the one where Congressman Perriello (D-VA05) tells a contingent of Jefferson-Area Tea Party Members (check the correct neme, Mr. Jaquith...) that; "If you don't tie our hands, we'll keep stealing." (click here to see it if you haven't) Tom is artful at picking up the 'vibe' of a crowd and giving them 'what they want.' But in this case, since the statement he begins by using a summation that I've been making for three years regarding the truth about the reasons the Obama administration and Congress are hell-bent to take over the healthcare system. (Because no one wants to be the one that has to admit to all those baby-boomers that these entitlement were concocted using a formula that had the average American living to 50, nt the current 74)  The sad part is, I have the interview segment with Tom (he visits my radio show monthly) where I present that and he disagreed with me! Oh, well. I guess I shouldn't quibble about HOW my point gets through, just that it does. Trouble with Tom is, I can't be sure he just wasn't saying that because he was facing a room full of TEA party patriots.

WCHV's Fifth District Friday, episode 9

So, we're 3 months from Virginia's 5th Congressional District Republican Primary and so I wanted to see how the seven candidates would approach those independant voters that voted for Tom Perriello in '08. Then I ask them about the Patriot Act and finished up with a reference to Congressman Perriello's visit to my radio show on Tuesday, when he said that Government needs act as a referee does in a sporting event when it comes to our economy and what their thoughts on that were. Enjoy the podcast...

WCHV "Fifth District Friday" episode 9 (3/05/10)

It doesn't matter why...

I've discussed the Albemarle/Charlottesville Revenue-Sharing agreement several times in this space and far more frequently on my morning radio show. Now I have a new, albeit surprising, ally in my campaign to bring the two municipalities back to the table. In recent weeks, I've had Charlottesville Mayor Dave Norris say that my concept of merging the school districts as an offer to bring them to the table (it has grown so one-sided that there really is no reason for Charlottesville to EVER want to negotiate any new agreement) and then had representatives of the Albemarle School Board (Chairman Ron Price and Vice Chair Eric Strucko) who also seemed interested in the idea. Now, Virginia Delegate David Toscano (D-57th) has launched a website/blog designed to move that conversation along. He will join me on my show on Wednesday morning (3/03/10) at 8:05 to talk with us about this in greater detail. I applaud this because this cannot only be the call from some conservative talk-show host if it's ever going to happen (Which I really want, more than the attention for the radio show. I'm number one, anyway.) so, especially given Delegate Toscano's position amongst the local Democrat party this makes the movement very powerful. Sure, after redistricting next year, his district will more than likely cover more Albemarle County voters than City of Charlottesville residents, but I'd rather not quibble about why he wants to help and just get to work on making this right and just. Anyway, I've had lots of listeners in both jurisdictions for years, so I can wholly understand his feelings. Maybe I can give David some pointers...

Suffering from attention deficit (politically)

I know that I promised you a follow up on the revenue-sharing agreement today. Well, here is my take after talking with the mayor(click the links to listen), one of the county supervisors, one of our Delegates to the General assembly and to respected government-watchdogs here in Charlottesville. I think amending the agreement to take into account the changes over the past 30 years has to be done as well as terms that address regular re-affirmations. Both municipal governments seem amennable to the idea, but I think the hangups are going to be: the County is angling to end the agreement altogether and the City will want something pretty substantial like a unified school district to consider coming to the table. However, they both agreed that it needs to happen.

Now, I'd like to address a poll that was just released by Public Policy Polling regarding the 5th District Congressional race.

According to the poll, of the 5 (of 7) candidates running for the GOP nomination, the only one that scores at best a tie with Tom Perriello is... Robert Hurt. Ken Boyd is close, too and some are within 6 and 8 points. Sounds dire, but before I get to the troubling bit, there is this; Tom himself was 30 points behid Virgil Goode at the same point two years ago. Oh, PPP also asked these voters what about Virgil running as an independant if Robert Hurt won. Virgil ties Tom 41-41 with Robert at 12%.

The troubling bit is in the first part of the poll, where they asked these voters how they viewed the candidates. The answer was a resounding; "We don't."

With the choices; Favorable; Unfavorable; and Not Sure; None of the erstwhile republicans had lower than 70% NOT SURE. That means, as I've said in this column before, these candidates need to get out there and educate the district about who they are before they face Tom. Given that a primary forces that more than a nominating convention, they might want to consider thanking the party chairs that voted for a primary. But, wait a moment.... Friday morning they release another poll, this one is just the GOP Primary. We get the results exclusively on 1260am and 94.1fm, WCHV at 6:30am so tune in and we'll find out if anyone has been getting past their "attention deficit disorder." (PS: It's also "5th District Friday" on my radio show, 6am and 8am, so we're doing our best in my part of the world to fix that.)

"Thanks for all the fish!"
JT