Like many Kossacks, I have opted to allow the advertisements to come through so that Daily Kos can enjoy the ad revenue. I recognize that Markos or his representatives don't have much choice as to what ads come through, but as a native of North Carolinia, I was particularly interested in one banner ad that keeps popping up. It's prompting us to "Stand With Richard Burr; Help Stop Reid and Pelosi"!
Now, in and of itself, this is not too great a problem for your average Kossack. Most regular visitors here would easily recognize the Senator as a "Burr" in the saddle of good government (sorry), and will of course be supporting his Democratic challenger in the upcoming election. His ad placement at the top of one of the leading blogs for electing Democrats is, in this context, somewhat humorous.
However, this same add is appearing on all sorts of places on the web where the audience is not quite as, shall we say, "savvy" as we are here. Out of curiosity, I decided to click the link to visit his campaign site, all the better to "know my enemy". Once there, I saw something that should encourage us all to be as active as we can for our local Democratic candidates.
Senator Burr's official web site is relatively well organized, with links to his voting record, his position on the issues (he likes freedom, veterans and babies, is against terrorists, etc) and all the ponies and rainbows he's bringing to NC residents. There are two things I had trouble finding, though:
1st: Whether he actively supports or opposes President Obama's initiatives.
2nd: Just what political party he represents
That's right, he somehow "forgot" to emphasize, or even mention anywhere I could find after clicking around for about a half an hour, that he's a member of the GOP.
One the one hand, this bodes well for the recent gains that Democrats have made in this state in the last election cycle; if Republicans are reluctant to self-identify, they're probably worried about their brand in this state. On the other hand, if he and other "Stealth Republicans" can hide the negative connotations associated with siding with Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and half-term governor Sarah Palin, that may increase their support among critical swing-type voters.
I'm going to work to make sure that voters in my neck of the woods know that Burr is not some neutral centrist, but a Member in Good Standing of the Party of No. I intend to help Senator Burr introduce himself properly to my fellow NC voters, and make sure he is branded with that Scarlet "R" like a modern-day Hester Prynne. I suggest everyone check out their local races, and help your Republican candidates overcome any ambiguities as to their affiliations.