This really could be a first. Putting my Pennacchio for Pennsylvania hat down for a moment, I think something is brewing that has never happened before.
With fourteen months to go before the U.S. Senate Democratic Primary in Pennsylvania, the first battles are not being fought on television, newspaper, or on the radio--the opening round is taking place in real time, online, in the blogosphere.
http://www.chuck2006.com
It's humorous to me that Casey Jr. is campaigning online, because I am constantly banging my head against the desk as I watch the State Democratic Party
deny the very existence of a Pennacchio campaign.
"It was always his goal to try to have a united front," said Penny Lee, Rendell's communication director. "We're not expecting anyone to file against Bobby" in the Senate primary, which is still 15 months away.
That quote was literally given the day after Chuck Pennacchio met with the Executive Director of the State Democratic Party.
It's not as if they don't know we exist. Just Google "Chuck Pennacchio."
About a week ago, the Casey campaign purchased a slate of Google advertisements. Among them, the key word, "Chuck Pennacchio." This was the first semi-public acknowledgement of the Pennacchio campaign--until an email they sent out last week--to bloggers.
By the way, I would urge everyone to follow the Google link above and click on Casey's ad to find out where he stands on the issues and plans on involving the grassroots in his 2006 campaign.
Back to the email.
Frankly, it is another attempt to pre-empt the Pennacchio campaign; this time online. It rationalizes a dramatic shift to the right, and is filled with missives about `electability' as the prime reason to get behind the Casey, Jr. campaign, 21 months before the General Election.
Here are some of the choice quotes:
"Several recent polls confirm that Bob Casey is the Democrat in the strongest position to defeat Rick Santorum."
"Even if we all don't agree on every issue, we must all recognize the importance of this race:"
"The bottom line: Bob Casey is the Democrat who can take down Rick Santorum. Please see data from a recent SurveyUSA election poll:"
Sincerest apologies, Team Casey Jr., but that is not the bottom line. The bottom line is that the power of grassroots organizers and the lack of filter online is causing people to stand up and take notice of a legitimate challenger in the PA Primary.
The script written by the Democratic Party bosses in Pennsylvania was that State Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. was to run unopposed for the nomination for the 2006 Senate race against incumbent Republican Senator Rick Santorum. And they are sticking to that script, even though Casey Jr. has a legitimate challenger in Chuck Pennacchio, a history professor. [...]
Unfortunately for Casey Jr., the online campaign launched by Pennacchio is making the presumptive nominee take notice. Pennacchio's campaign has a very web savvy staffer in Tim Tagaris who has done everything from purchase more than a dozen blog ads at key political weblogs to conduct conference calls with supportive bloggers. Tagaris, who is a regular contributor to the MyDD weblog, is leading Pennacchio's online efforts.
The entire piece is cool--but they got one thing wrong. I am not leading anything--it is you are taking the lead.
It is SheaBrianna who has taken the lead in organizing a huge event this Friday night in Pittsburgh.
It is Dan Ford who is organizing another event for us Saturday night at the Penn State Behrend campus in Erie.
Two events, an entire state away from SE PA, and two volunteers, from the online community, have stepped up and organized the entire thing.
It's Michael Doyle who captured the Santorum Social Security screen-shot and sent it to us.
It's Steve Mingo who put it on his blog, got it noticed by Buzzflash, Raw Story, and ultimately, Roll Call.
It's the 60+ bloggers that linked the "Hey hey ho ho Social Security has got to go video."
It's the countless bloggers who have put a Pennacchio for Pennsylvania graphic on their blogs and websites (learn how here.)
And that is what is getting people to stand up and take notice, and forcing the Casey campaign to start their public campaign...Online.
I have gotten so many offers for help--I truly cannot even keep up by myself. So move here. Think I am kidding? Just show up. We can't offer much, but if we build it, people will come.
And speaking of taking notice, Pennsylvania's largest newspaper, The Philadelphia Inquirer is set to pen a lengthy piece about Chuck on Wednesday morning.
Thank you. Each and every one of you that has given every candidate, and democracy, a chance in this race.
This is a race, and the race is on...line.
Tim