As most of you know, I have been heavily involved since late 2005 with Jim Webb for Senate - first as a "draft" movement, then as one of the Webb campaign's most vocal supporters. Now, it appears that I will be further ramping up my involvement with Webb for Senate, in large part as a paid consultant on "netroots" fundraising. Our goal, of course, is to raise as much money as possible over the internet, just as other "netroots" candidates - Paul Hackett, Howard Dean, Wes Clark - have done in the past. Obviously, given the current campaign system, Jim Webb will need to spend significant amounts of his time on traditional fundraising, but online fundraising allows for thousands, or tens of thousands, of relatively small donations. That saves the candidate precious time to focus on the issues and on talking to voters, while ensuring that he or she is not beholden to any particular special interest groups. It's called "Democracy," and I'm excited to be a part of it.
As I move towards an enhanced, more formal relationship with the Webb campaign, I just wanted to take a moment to clarify my status with Raising Kaine. Give the "bottom up," grassroots nature of the Webb campaign, I have been strongly encouraged by the campaign to continue blogging on issues I care about. However, I personally feel that it's appropriate to issue a brief disclaimer that will apply to all my writings beginning today and lasting through Election Day in November. Namely, "The views expressed by Lowell Feld are his own and do not necessarily represent official positions of the Webb for Senate campaign."
Of course, the fact is that I agree with Jim Webb about 90% of the time (about as much as - or more than - I agree with myself; ha), so this shouldn't be a major problem for me. Still, I think it's important to clarify where things stand as I move from into a more formal relationship with the Webb campaign.
Thanks for your contined support and readership of Raising Kaine. Together, we have made this blog a thriving commmunity of Progressives in Virginia and beyond, and I plan to see that it continues to grow into the indefinite future. Oh, and one last thing I must emphasize: Go Jim Webb! :)
1) I wasn't "professing" independence previously, and your implication that I was lying is highly offensive. Almost libelous. Time to consult the lawyers?
2) I've been working on this effort for 6 months without receiving a penny. Now, I'm going to be trying to raise large sums of money for Webb. Why on earth would I not get reimbursed for my efforts, especially since I quit my job back in March? Are you advocating poverty for bloggers?
3) Why on earth would I listen to someone who won't reveal their own name, and has always been super critical of everything we do here at RK? Short answer: I wouldn't.
4) This is between the Webb campaign, me, and RK readers. So far, I've gotten almost 100% encouragement privately and publicly. If you don't like it or feel like you can't "trust" me anymore, you can always go read another blog.
Don't be so defensive about your new role. And your threat to "consult the lawyers" is laughable. You are now a public figure and there is a very high threshhold for libel. Besides, I didn't call you a liar, you did it yourself.
You can be proud of the role you played for Webb up until now. But your role has now changed. This is not an attack. This is how it is when you go from volunteer to campaign worker.
To the substance of the matter, any way you cut it you are now paid campaign staff. You are one of those people that so many volunteers on this blog, NLS, and others have condemned in the past months as mercenaries and party elitists.
More importantly, while yor supporters on this site may still believe you, love you, defend you, and sing your praises on high, the fact is that anything you now say on this blog will be viewed by most voters and media as official statements from a Webb campaign staffer, no matter how many disclaimers you put on the blog.
You should know by now that perception is nine-tenths of reality. By being paid, the perception is that you are speaking for the Webb campaign, whether you are or you aren't.
No longer can you suggest that you are speaking for yourself. Most people believe that volunteers support a candidate because they want to, while paid consultants and staffers support a candidate because they are paid to do so.
Unless you announce that you are bi-polar, very few people are going to believe anything you write is not orchestrated by the Webb campaign since you are now part of it. This is not bad. You just have to understand your position has changed. Ask any of the other political pros in the paid fraternity you have just joined.
You lose credibility by trying to suggest that you will still remain independent even though you are being paid by the campaign. So, just suck it up and write your blog from the perspective of a paid campaign staffer. If you do that, no one will criticize you because then you will be providing full disclosure.
And stop sounding like Steve Chapman threatening to sue Not Velvet Bruce Lee...
The truth is that Lowell is one of the few that not only recognized Jim Webb's incredible potential as a candidate, but was also instrumental in bringing what was once a fantasy into reality.
Lowell has always been very pro-Webb, and probably will be 4 Ever. Now that he is being paid, Lowell is not joining some sinister fraternity, but really just being rewarded for all the hard work he has done. It is obvious that he will be a major asset to the campaign.
I think we all know Lowell's character by now and if you want to think the worst that is your own inclination. My question to you is not why shouldn't Lowell do this, which he definately should, but what are you doing to advance the Democratic cause here in Virginia? More than just foaming at the mouth into your computer I hope.
The fewer knives Democrats thrust into other Democrats back means the more that we have for our true enemies (opponents) this fall.
Please put things in perspective or go back on your medication.
A disclosure/disclaimer will allow you and every other reader to judge each of Lowell's posts with full knowledge that he is being paid by the campaign. It's the ones who don't tell that are being deceptive.
Feel free to let us know if you find a significant difference in his tone, approach, beliefs, writings or anything else that would indicate he's a shill and not speaking his own mind.
To get you started, here's a clue: he's been pro-Webb from before Webb was even in the race. So don't go screaming that it's paid propoganda whenever he says anything positive about Webb.
Kathy, I owe you a beer if we ever meet.
Campaigns work very hard to control their message to the voters.
Now that you are being paid, why would people not believe that the Webb campaign was integrating your blog into their message?
Don't live in some fantasy world. Get on with your job of raising money for Webb and getting him elected.
A lot of work needs to be done.
This is a perfect fit!
By the way, the notion that there is some sort of conflict here is a real knee slapper. PaisingKaine is partisan and has a point of view. If you were with the New York Times or the Washington Post it would be different.
All I'm saying is that he should drop the pretense of trying to be viewed as both a Webb campaign staffer and an independent blogger promoting Webb. It doesn't hold water and it will diminish Lowell's effectiveness. None of us want to see that.
Lowell, himself, says that the Webb campaign has "strongly encouraged" him to keep blogging. I presume they want him to keep blogging about Webb and Allen and not focus most of his efforts blogging about Martin O'Malley's gubernatorial race in Maryland or the Lieberman-Lamont race in Connecticut.
I, too, congratulate Lowell on his new job and I hope he raises billions of dollars for Webb on the web. God knows, the Webb campaign needs it.
Those of you who protest too much are letting the kool-aid effect your judgement. My comments are not hysterical or derogatory except to those with very narrow minds. If anything, my comments are aimed at making Lowell more effective and credible. But too many bloggers, including Lowell, can't handle constructive criticism.
Lowell is now a Webb staffer and anything he does reflects on Webb. That is the way it is. Remember, we are judged by the company we keep and the employer we work for. Lowell can be proud of both, but he needs to admit it -- always -- so his intentions are not misconstrued.
Go Jim Webb.
As far as my "independent blogging" is concerned, I plan to maintain the same level of integrity as I always have, and the campaign is well aware of that. In fact, that's one of the things they value about RK; we have always spoken about Webb from our hearts, and we will continue to do so. I also plan to continue posting about issues I care about, always keeping in mind whether or not what I have to say might help or hurt the causes and candidates I care about. If that's not enough for some people, I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say.
Fortunately, 99% of the people who've contacted me today have been very happy for me, and have expressed strong support for this move. To those people, I say "thank you!" I also say, "I need your help in doing the best job for Jim Webb that I can do." Together, we can raise the money Jim Webb needs to defeat George Allen. Let's do it!
You obviously can't say anything bad about the campaign while you work there.
So just say that up front, and everyone will understand. No one expects you to be an Independant voice and work for the campaign.
You know I support you getting this job, but trying to pretend like nothing changes is also silly.
It wouldn't hurt to also mention that the majority of RK posters are not on the Webb campaign payroll--in many cases posts are made by unpaid volunteers, or those who are simply interested in the Virginia politics and the 2006 Senate campaign.
"If you have an example of someone being treated rudely or whatever, I'd like to hear it so I can report it to campaign management. Thanks."
Posted by: Lowell | July 08, 2006 at 01:18 PM
Now, how can someone who is going to "report" issues to Webb campaign management be viewed as someone who can make independent observations?
One hopes not, but if Webb does something really dumb, will Lowell join other bloggers in pointing it out? Highly doubtful and herein lies the problem.
I like the name "Spinning Webb." It is respectful. It is catchy. It is appropriate for this site now that it is run by a Webb campaign staffer.