West Hartford Republican Record and Mitt v Huck

Christmas season has been a busy one this year; which has meant less blogging and more family events, parties, and preparations. But I also see that few other friendly blogs are firing on all their pistons either.

I've been keeping tabs on all things local and national, but haven't had the time to write a great deal about them, or the inclination to get excited about politics.

The other evening I watched "West Hartford Republican Record" on WHCT. I have future blog entry in the works that breaks down what was one of the single worst performances by the West Hartford Republican GOP that I can remember. Low energy, low impact, and incredibly pathetic. And the Council meetings can just about go on without GOP representation if our elected officials are going to behave this way.

When Carl Donatelli asked the simplest of questions... "What is your New Years Resolution?" Our three Republican representatives, together, couldn't string along a coherent answer. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? You guys came off as having the personality of a small soap dish.

It's funny that these guys tell me face to face that they don't want to hear criticism or be picked on, and then they go on town-wide television and make assess of themselves.

The cardinal rule for politicians going on television is that you never go on television unless you have something to say, some message to deliver. All this low energy "I can barely answer the question" stuff is gut-wrenching.

Guys, if you don't like this post, then you'd better not tune in to the next one.

Since you couldn't come up with New Years' Resolutions, here are few for you:

Leon: Start acting like a leader. You couldn't tell who the minority leader from watching that show. This soft spoken tact is low energy dribble. Say something for Godsakes. Shout the message from the hilltops. Lead Leon, lead! You told us you were commited to change and making things happen. So when does the work begin on behalf of the taxpayers who elected you? Or are we going to see two years of you campaigning by not making any waves so you can be re-elected? You go back and look at the tape of the show and then you answer the question ... "What is appealing about the West Hartford GOP?" If you are honest with yourself, you will plainly agree that last week show stunk and you guys looked uninterested, boring, and pointless.

Adler: Start acting like a team player; bringing all this attention to yourself and empire building makes you look like a self-centered gutonness jerk. Holding your own town halls must really boost your ego. How about showing a little teamwork and collaboration through action not words. You give credibility to the negative comments that Dems and others make about you. Must you "follow up" on everyone's comment by trying to redirect attention to yourself? There is nothing worse than trying to steal the thunder of your allies. And its being noted elsewhere.

Joe: Stop acting like you were born yesterday. People elected you for your energy and activism. This duh, duh, laying back "just watching" stuff is tedious because its simply - not you. Both of those guys on either side of you don't seem to have it together. So if Leon is going to sit there, and Steven is going to boast about himself, and no one is going to talk issues, then you might as take on the de facto leadership role in absence of anything tangible. And let's focus on this job before you begin talking about the next. People IN THIS TOWN are counting on you.

UHHHGGGGHH! If I were the Democrats, I'd be beaming with opposition like this. I'd be saying - wow, looks like they drugged Joe or something... look how he sits there.

By 2020, the Royal British archives will open up the files on Rudolf Hess, and we will find out if the guy they tried (and eventually murdered in Spandau) was the real Rudolf Hess. In 2008, we'll find out if the Joe Visconti that ran for elected office in West Hartford is the real Joe Visconti who's been seen in public and on television since the election, or if its a cheap double, and somewhere in a dungeon, the real Joe Visconti is locked up or being held captive by Leon, Steve and Carl and the rest of the WH Republican Town Committee.

So far I'm beginning to believe that the one that appeared the other night is nothing more than a double. I think we need to organize a search party for the real Joe Visconti.

Back to Presidential elections (where the candidates actually want the job and care about the job and their constituents... )

This analysis by PJB is right on target.

Unless a major scandal hits the press, I believe that the stars are aligned.... Rudy is out, McCain is done, Thompson is finished, and that leaves only Mitt and Huckabee to battle it out. First stop Iowa where Huckabee appears to have a lead. But Iowa is only Iowa. And there will be more to savor from primaries where multiple states cast ballots on the same day.

My money is still on Mitt Romney. The sooner the others can clear out and shut down their lackluster campaigns, the faster we can have some one on one debates between the two front runners and separate the rhetoric from their policy positions. We are hearing plenty from the campaigns, and not enough from the nominees.

McCain, Rudy, Fred, Duncan, and the rest... thanks for playing; time to go home and go back to work.

West Hartford Republicans