SocraticGadfly: Sean at FiveThirtyEight drinks Noriega Kool-Aid

October 12, 2008

Sean at FiveThirtyEight drinks Noriega Kool-Aid

Sean Quinn at FiveThirtyEight.com says Rick Noriega is “a credible candidate in the Lone Star State.”

Either Sean is uninformed, he’s delusional, or he’s right, in the sense that Texas Dems have a fairly low “credibility bar” for statewide office. Here’s what I told Sean:
Sean, has Noriega been selling you some cheap crack? He’s NOT that credible; he’s a bland and relatively uninspiring speaker/campaigner, he ran too hard too long on his “I’m a war veteran” shtick, has been an indifferent fundraiser (Mikal Watts and his private war chest would have been a MUCH better choice.) And, it ‘s not just Noriega; can the Texas Dems as a party not raise money?

Hell, he just barely avoided a primary runoff against a teacher (halfway legitimate opponent), a security guard and the “other” Gene Kelly.

As for “winners,” by her not acting too bat crazy, I said Libertarian Yvonne Schick won the first Senate debate. Maybe Noriega would be more likely to win if liberal 527s would back-door Schick some money, especially (and, I’m not joking) if she could get a Kinky Friedman endorsement.


Beyond that let’s not forget Noriega barely avoided a primary runoff against a halfway credible schoolteacher, a security guard and the “other” Gene Kelly.

Noriega can still "sell" me if he does a hell of a lot better in the second debate.

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