There are several problems with Mr. Blackshaw's letter:
1. Protocol.
The protocol is that candidates should address candidates, and
campaign officials should address campaign officials. Blackshaw's
letter should have been addressed to his counterpart at the
McLaughlin campaign. It's actually quite an insult to McLaughlin for
the opposing campaign manager to address him directly in the letter
as if he should respond.
It is curious, actually, that R.T. didn't sign the letter himself.
Other than insulting McLaughlin, there's no reason R.T. couldn't have
signed it.
2. The Law.
By law, the McLaughlin campaign cannot be involved in any independent
expenditure. Blackshaw's letter is an invitation for McLaughlin
campaign to violate the law by coordinating the message of an
independent expenditure.
3. Efficacy.
The Police Federation is going to do what the Police Federation is
going to do. Even if McLaughlin took R.T.'s request seriously, in my
opinion it would make no difference whatsoever.
4. Hypocrisy.
Why is the letter addressed to McLaughlin, and not to the Police
Federation itself? Because the Rybak campaign is more interesting in
creating a political issue than stopping the mailings. The letter is
intended to achieve an objective other than the one it states on the
surface.
That about covers it, IMHO
Greg Abbott
Linden Hills
On Oct 26, 2005, at 9:22 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Rybak Campaign Calls on Commissioner McLaughlin to Halt Negative
Attacks
In a letter hand delivered today to Commissioner McLaughlin’s campaign
office, Mayor Rybak’s campaign manager John Blackshaw called on Mr.
McLaughlin to
publicly request his top supporter, the Police Federation, to
curtail its
expected distorted attack campaign directed at Mayor Rybak.
. . .
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