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 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...

"Steele-ing ourselves"

Like the old comic Eddie Lawrence used to ask; "What's the matter, bunky?" You say that you're not happy that the RNC Chairman didn't tell Sean Hannity that he thought the party could re-take a majority of the House of Representatives in 2010? You say that you're confused because he used to seem like a real 'go get em' kind of guy before he was elected? You say that you'd have liked to hear a little more "Mike London" and a little less "Al Groh"? (ask any UVA football fan what that means...)

Lost in this brouhaha is a qualifying statement that Michael Steele made right after the ill-fated, poorly received; "No, I don't think so." He said that he felt this way because he; "didn't know all the candidates, yet." I hate to say this to the faithful (But, I have been saying this to my radio show audience for some time before Mr. Steele's comments...); He's right. As Pete Townshend once wrote (in the Who's "Join Together"); 'It's the singer, not the song, that makes the music move along."

Can you name (without checking Wikipedia) the GOP chairman in 1979? Or the Democrat chair in 1959? Or even 1991? It was the CANDIDATE that inspired the community, not the party leadership. (BTW, the answers are; William Brock, Paul Butler and Ron Brown.) At a recent meeting, a local contractor said that he knew many young co-workers that are "prime candidates" for party membership; hunters, fishermen, Constitutional Conservatives, who showed little interest in joining the GOP. This is not an indictment of local chair Christian Schoenewald (who I count as a close friend, and a great party leader) or even Michael Steele (who I've met and thought he was much more inspiring than he's become lately), it just makes Steele's point about not knowing the candidate yet.

For example, here in my Virginia home there are 7 people, all with really interesting and diverse backgrounds, running for the GOP spot on the ballot to face Tom Perriello for the 5th District seat in the Virginia delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives. I bring them all on to my radio show every Friday to answer three questions and, more importantly I hope that their visits will inspire some of the citizens to 'join together' so I put all of their contacts out on my website so that listeners can volunteer to help.

Which one is MY favorite? Though I run the risk of being lumped together with Michael Steele, I don't have one, yet. I'm hoping that one will, by the June 8th primary, become that person that inspires Constitutional Conservatives like myself up and down the 5th District and sweep into the house with the new majority leadership. Maybe that's more like what Michael Steele should have told Sean Hannity.

For now, though, let's do what we can to help the Haitians.

"Thanks for all the Fish"
JT