As Connecticut Senate hopeful Ned Lamont began a campaign stop, yesterday, at Ted's in Meriden, CT--home of the original famous steamed burgers--the spotlight was suddenly stolen out from under him by an unruly group of Joe Lieberman supporters who had slipped into the diner incognito for just such a sneak attack.
Oh no, America! Just when we thought Ned Lamont had made it safe again for the people to participate in government, Joe Lieberman sends in---the Hamburglars!!!
That's right, folks. Joe Lieberman's latest madcapped attempt to stop the people of Connecticut from participating in politics is not to debate Ned Lamont, not to tell the people of Connecticut why he ignores them--but to hamburgle the election.
What do the Hamburglars do? They do everything they can to steal the election from the people of Connecticut and give it to the incumbent.
What can supporters of Ned Lamont do to stop the Hamburglars?
Here is a 3-step plan to quickly turn Lieberman's Hamburglars into an asset for the Lamont campaign.
From Hamburglars To 'The People' - 3 Quick Steps To Control The Ted's Incident
Here is a quick 3-step plan for the Lamont campaign so that they can reframe the Ted's incident into something that not only works against the Lieberman campaign, but actually energizes the Lamont volunteers at this crucial point point in the race.
The whole point of the Ted's incident is for Lieberman to try to distract the voters from the real, substantive principles underlying this race by hijacking the debate. Lieberman's technique is nothing more than 'emotion bombing.' He sends agitators into events to get angry and make a big mess. So, the following 3 steps are designed to control that Lieberman distraction and take the debate back to Lamont's strong points and, most importantly, to give everyone in the Lamont campaign the same tools--from Ned himself right down to the the weekend volunteers who just arrived this morning.
Step 1: Have Ned Lamont Gift Joe Lieberman A 'Hamburglar' Necktie, Shirt, Mask
The whole point of the Ted's incident is to distract the voters from the real issues. The first step to defeather this chicken is to steal the thunder from it by having Ned own the event. To do that, I suggest using humor to slap a name and a face on the necktie. This first step has two goals: to name the agitators 'hamburglars'--which will get repeated endlessly in the media, because it is funny--and to send a confident shot right back into the Lieberman camp.
Scenario: A Lamont staffer quickly locates a Hamburglar necktie, striped shirt and mask (Outlet4Toys.com sells them for $5.99). The staff announces a quick press conference back in front of Ted's in Meriden, CT. At the Press Conference, Ned Announces that he has a 'gift' for his opponent--a Hamburglar disguise. He then says that he came back to enjoy a steamed cheesburger and to listen to the voice of the people of Connecticut. Ned finishes by saying that his opponent can steal the spotlight at a diner, but he cannot prevent the people of Connecticut from participating in their government. Lots of cheers and laughter.
Step 2: Distribute A Hamburglar Mask And Talking Points To Every Volunteer
In conjunction with the Press Conference in which Lamont turns the Hamburglar incident against Lieberman, the next step is to give everyone in the campaign the same ammunition.
Scenario: A volunteer or staffer takes an hour to locate Hamburglar-style masks for everyone in the campaign. Whenever a group of volunteers goes to an event, they are to be prepped to do the following in response to a distraction: If a team of Lieberman agitators stands up, the Lamont volunteers take out their masks and say, "Oh, No!!! It's the Lieberman Hamburglars!!" They they repeating some variation of the idea that Lamont used at his press conference: Lieberman can steal the spotlight at a diner, but he can't stop the people of Connecticut from participating in their government.
Step 3: Put Out A Quick 'Hamburglar' Web Ad To Bring In The Netroots
The final step is to produce and distribute a very quick ad to be distributed through the Progressive netroots network to let activists know how the Lamont team has pivoted to take control of this incident. The ad can be very brief, showing a video clip or a photo from any incident.
Conclusion: Humor And Courage Are Big Strengths For Lamont
One of the things that Lieberman is trying to accomplish with this incident is to brand Lamont as an 'angry' candidate who represents a fringe left. Lieberman, in this scenario, tries to paint himself as the happy, humorous middle. In fact, this is not the case.
By taking control of the Ted's incident and hitting back with the 'Hamburglar' name, props and netroots PR--Lamont can turn one of Lieberman's perceived strengths on its head and reveal Lieberman as the frustrated, self-important, disconnected incumbent that he truly is.
And Ned can get back to talking about the principles of a government by and for the people that are the heart and soul of his campaign.
--Jeffrey Feldman, Frameshop
[cross posted]
Update [2006-8-4 10:21:59 by Jeffrey Feldman]:
Aldon over at MyDD did some digging and found some dirt on the Head Hamburglar who started the assault on Ned at Ted's:
The Meriden, CT paper has this article about the confrontation in Meriden CT yesterday. They say,
" "It was supposed to be a laid-back event and (they) ruined it." "We're just using our right. We're just exercising our rights to enjoy a burger," said Lieberman supporter Alex Hoffman of Boston. Supporters of each candidate debated outside on the sidewalk while many Lieberman supporters continued to badger Lamont, who acknowledged most questions. Richard Goodstein, one of the most vocal Lieberman supporters, repeatedly shouted, "Are you a Bill Clinton Democrat or an Al Sharpton Democrat?" Lamont calmly said he supported both.
So, let's see what we can find out about Richard Goodstein. I assume this picture on Flickr is of Richard Goodstein. With a little searching, I find this article about Richard. The picture sure looks the same.
So, who is Richard Goodstein? He is a Washington lobbyist. Political Money Line reveals that he contributed to Lieberman's campaign in 2004, Kerry's campaign and to Hillary's PAC.
Well, Mr. Lamont is already taking on the Washington Lobbyists, and he needs all your help. Please, come to Connecticut to stand up against corporate lobbyists who are threatening our democracy.
Robble, robble...
Update [2006-8-4 11:36:38 by Jeffrey Feldman]:
Matt Stoller over at
MyDD just put up a post on the local coverage of the incident.
Robble, robble...