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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Has the DCCC Written Callahan Off?

Gee, I'm confused.

On Monday, I was told the Congressional race between LV Congressman Charlie Dent and challenger John Callahan was over. You see, the DCCC paid for a poll by Grove Insight between September 27 and 29, and the two candidates are neck and neck. Never mind that pollster Lisa Grove created her company "because she was tired of seeing progressive candidates and causes stuck with outdated research methods, unintelligible reports and a one-size-fits-all approach to polling." Or that Grove fails to make the cut of pollsters who are actually rated at The New York Time's FiveThirtyEight. Or that Callahan waited two weeks to proclaim this "Good news!"

So if victory is in Callahan's grasp, why is the DCCC cutting his air time? According to he Washington Post, they are cutting back on the ads they're buying for him in the Philly market. Shouldn't they be pouring money in to his coffers to help his supposedly surging candidacy?

TV watchers tell me they are seeing fewer and fewer Callahan ads, and more and more Dent ads.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

It is funny, as a I read this a new Callahan commercial aired on the 69 news--the veterans against Dent ad. I have been watching the news for 30 minutes. No Dent commercials and 2 Callahan commercials. Also, saw a Horton commercial, a NRA ad against Sestak, a Sestak ad and a Corbett ad.

Bernie O'Hare said...

I would not know bc I don't watch TV.

Anonymous said...

What do you mean by Philly? Does that include stations such as 69? It would seem to me to make more sense to make tv buys on the two cable companies serving the valley. That way commercials air on Fox cable and Msnbc cable etc. I don't understand why they would want to spend money in the Phila market. It seems to be a waste.

Anonymous said...

Lol.....your funny Bernie.....first you say the mayor is a DCCC pawn....then you say the DCCC poll they released is bunk...then you extrapolate that they would drop a race that they just announced is one of their silver linings.....listen to yourself.....

Can't wait to see tonights debate!

Anonymous said...

In answer to the original question, yes.

Anonymous said...

Bernie did you watch the debate tonight? Callahan sounded like a whiny child. He kept interrupting the moderator, Dent, and even TOWNE! No wonder Democrats are writing him off.

Anonymous said...

Callahan interrupted when Dent lied, which happens to be most times he opened his mouth.....no more running and hiding, accountability 1.04 million dollars in salary and two post offices named.....can I not only vote him out of office, but get a refund....

Anonymous said...

"Callahan interrupted when Dent lied, which happens to be most times he opened his mouth"

Callahan interrupted EVERYONE. He was like a three year old flailing about on the floor. It must be tough to be arrogant and losing.

Anonymous said...

Arogant and closing. Incumbent that can't get over 50% v. a well funded challenger who is just started to get the message out to the masses.

I wonder how Congressman Dents home life is going. Oh or is his family off limits, sorry.

Anonymous said...

"well funded challenger who is just started to get the message out"

Right, it really helps to get your message out when the DCCC is writing the candidate off as a lost cause.

Anonymous said...

Oh they are not writing him off, quite the opposite.

Anonymous said...

Adds and polling aside, I find it very troubling that the Supreme Court ruling embraced by the GOP permits unlimited contributions to special interest organizations without disclosure.

How hard would it be for a foreign country to pour money into US elections knowing the source of the money and amount does not have to be disclosed?

How is not a national security issue?

A complete reversal of any attempts of campaign finance reform.

Anonymous said...

@10:35 - Mayday Mayday, your 'candidate' is going down. Call in help. Tell them to stop pulling money out of the Philly market.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1035, I assume you feel the same way about union spending (including international dues) and organizations like MoveOn, funded by George Soros - convicted of insider trading and market manipulation?

Bernie O'Hare said...

"I wonder how Congressman Dents home life is going. Oh or is his family off limits, sorry."

If I were you, I'd be very careful asking about the home life of these candidates. You might not like the answers.

Anonymous said...

I think the Dems would rather allocate funds to more competitive races. They probably see Dent as beatable without spending so much money. An empty suit, a follower, out of touch with the middle class.

Bernie O'Hare said...

"Bernie did you watch the debate tonight? Callahan sounded like a whiny child. He kept interrupting the moderator, Dent, and even TOWNE! No wonder Democrats are writing him off."

I was at a Bethlehem ZHB meeting until 11 PM so I missed it. I will watch the archived video sometime tomorrow.

I'm not sure I can get into the Thursday night debate. I was told I have to have a ticket and they are all gone.

Anonymous said...

@12:03 - At least this part of your statement is true, "I think the Dems would rather allocate funds to more competitive races."

The truth is, Callahan is going down in flames and the DCCC doesnt waste money just to make candidates feel better. There are a lot more races where that money can be better spent. Like Lentz/Meehan.

Anonymous said...

Hurray for Bush era policy! Hip hip hooray.

Oh brother.

Anonymous said...

Hurray for Bush era policy! Hip hip hooray.

Oh brother.

Anonymous said...

"If I were you, I'd be very careful asking about the home life of these candidates. You might not like the answers."

Bernie - you may know 1st hand about Dent's personal life but you know absolutely nothing about John Callahan's family life. I am with the Callahan family all the time & he and his wife have a wonderful marriage. She is supportive and always by his side - where was Dent's wife during the debates?

Bernie O'Hare said...

If I were you, I'd be very careful asking about the home life of these candidates. You might not like the answers.

Let's keep this above the belt, shall we? Don't start casting stones because I can assure you that I am very capable of tossing them back. Is that what we want? I would much rather stick to Dent's record In Congress and Callahan's record as Mayor. Wouldn't you?

Anonymous said...

@10:37 - Talk about opening a can of worms you do not want to open. Mayor Callahan's...antics...are well known.

Anonymous said...

Name names - bet you can't come up with one.

Bernie O'Hare said...

Let's drop this.

Anonymous said...

What's the matter Bernie - afraid about what may come out about Charlie????

Anonymous said...

This is what happens when campaigns get desperate. The DCCC is cutting off Callahan and his supporters are desperate. It is pretty pathetic. What is especially pathetic is watching Callahan whine like a child during the debates. Dent cant even say one line without some whining from Callahan. Grow up.

Anonymous said...

Okay thats it- I'm not coming on this blog anymore so say whatever you want - you do anyway. John held Dent accountable at the debates for his voting history & successfully pointed out that his career of voting one way in Washington & telling the people of the Lehigh Valley something different is OVER. THE DCCC has not written off Callahan - you wish.
And finally ... the Dent campaign has been desperate from day one - going after Mafalda's brother, sister, and brother-in-law ...absolutely pathetic. I'm just drawing the line at thier marriage. Bernie, if Dent has a horribe family life, just say so and move on, but don't lump the Callahans in that group. Not that it would matter to you people, but there's a differnce b/w rumors and reality & people often get politicians with similar last names mixed up.

John has one of the best families I know & a really strong marriage ... SO FOR THE LAST TIME, I AM WITH THEM ALL THE TIME, BOTH OF THEM & IF YOU'RE NOT you have no right to comment.

Bernie O'Hare said...

What you are doing is inviting me to talk about Callahan's alleged marital infidelities and his drinking, something I have declined to do or to even investigate. I don't think it's relevant, but they've been mentioned for years at the Topix forum and elsewhere. I have discounted them as unfair attacks against someone who is young. I will not tolerate anonymous attacks like that against any of the candidates and do not believe them. If somebody wants to make that kind of allegation, he or she is going to have to identify himself or herself.

But I do think a coverup is relevant, and I saw that with not one, but two different Callahan brothers-in-law. One of these brothers-in-law had no problem telling the police his Callahan connections. It is not the Dent camp that made that attack. It was me, and I stand by it. Cronyism and nepotism are always relevant issues.

If you want to make anonymous insinuations against Dent or Callahan, I will delete unless you identify.

Anonymous said...

"SO FOR THE LAST TIME, I AM WITH THEM ALL THE TIME, BOTH OF THEM"

That sounds healthy...

Anonymous said...

could be one of thier children and so would be with them. Keep in mind they are old enough to read and comprehend this stuff.

I rarely say this, but bernie is right, keep it above the belt.

I like Dent, but he has done nothing as a Congressman to warrant another term.

Bernie O'Hare said...

That's fine. You're welcome to try and argue why Callahan is the better choice. I'm interested even though I disagree. We can do that without looking at the personal lives of either candidate.