Monday, August 07, 2006
THE WAIVER WIRE WON'T WORK
Gordon Edes could be in the know, but I find it unlikely that the Sox will acquire any pitcher and certainly not a pitcher of any significance this season. The Sox will not get a crack at anyone from the NL. The Mets will claim each and every decent pitcher put through waivers, if they aren't beat to the punch by another NL contender. With their new Regional Sports Network, the Mets are going for it all this season. And to a lesser extent, the same can be said of the Rangers. I can't see Texass letting Mark Redman or LaTroy Hawkins flow down to the Sox.
***
WARNING NON-BASEBALL RELATED!!!
Many think that New Hampshire has far too much political muscle, as the first Presidential primary, when it is not a representative sample of the country as a whole. But tomorrow the quasi-member state of Red Sox Nation will be the FIRST battle for the soul of the Democratic Party.
It is ironically sad that a multi-millionaire, descendant of Brahmin Republicans is representing the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. (Hey, that sounds a lot like my former Governor, Howard Dean, minus the wicked rich part. The Deans don't live that far away from the El Guapo's Ghost compound.) Regardless, Ned Lamont has to win this primary or my party will continue to move towards the right and follow President Clinton's outdated triangulation strategy.
With the better organized, get out every vote, conservative flank of the Republican Party being a fact of political life, it makes the middle of the road, swing voters less critical than a decade ago. For example, say the country is split with 20% up for grabs. The Rs get 90% of their 40% to the polls versus the Ds 80%. This equates to 36% Rs to 32% Ds meaning the Dems would need to garner 61% of the independent vote to win the election.
The Clinton triangulation play now requires the Dems to win a vast majority of independent votes, which necessitates the party moving more and more towards the right. Not only does this strategy require the party to go to confession before receiving communion at the campaign stop in a South Philly church, but it also makes it more difficult to sell the leader trait when the candidate’s message can be spun down to "I'm not as extreme as the Republicans."
If Ned Lamont wins tomorrow and takes out the three-term Senator from the quasi-member state of Red Sox Nation and near Vice President, will, at the very least, get the DC insiders to rethink and listen to the Ds outside of the beltway. But without a win in November, the Democratic Leadership Council and party insiders will continue with this risky strategy. A win tomorrow is only the first step.
Gordon Edes could be in the know, but I find it unlikely that the Sox will acquire any pitcher and certainly not a pitcher of any significance this season. The Sox will not get a crack at anyone from the NL. The Mets will claim each and every decent pitcher put through waivers, if they aren't beat to the punch by another NL contender. With their new Regional Sports Network, the Mets are going for it all this season. And to a lesser extent, the same can be said of the Rangers. I can't see Texass letting Mark Redman or LaTroy Hawkins flow down to the Sox.
***
WARNING NON-BASEBALL RELATED!!!
Many think that New Hampshire has far too much political muscle, as the first Presidential primary, when it is not a representative sample of the country as a whole. But tomorrow the quasi-member state of Red Sox Nation will be the FIRST battle for the soul of the Democratic Party.
It is ironically sad that a multi-millionaire, descendant of Brahmin Republicans is representing the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. (Hey, that sounds a lot like my former Governor, Howard Dean, minus the wicked rich part. The Deans don't live that far away from the El Guapo's Ghost compound.) Regardless, Ned Lamont has to win this primary or my party will continue to move towards the right and follow President Clinton's outdated triangulation strategy.
With the better organized, get out every vote, conservative flank of the Republican Party being a fact of political life, it makes the middle of the road, swing voters less critical than a decade ago. For example, say the country is split with 20% up for grabs. The Rs get 90% of their 40% to the polls versus the Ds 80%. This equates to 36% Rs to 32% Ds meaning the Dems would need to garner 61% of the independent vote to win the election.
The Clinton triangulation play now requires the Dems to win a vast majority of independent votes, which necessitates the party moving more and more towards the right. Not only does this strategy require the party to go to confession before receiving communion at the campaign stop in a South Philly church, but it also makes it more difficult to sell the leader trait when the candidate’s message can be spun down to "I'm not as extreme as the Republicans."
If Ned Lamont wins tomorrow and takes out the three-term Senator from the quasi-member state of Red Sox Nation and near Vice President, will, at the very least, get the DC insiders to rethink and listen to the Ds outside of the beltway. But without a win in November, the Democratic Leadership Council and party insiders will continue with this risky strategy. A win tomorrow is only the first step.