Wow, what a cyber dust-up! The managing editor of one of the most respected newspapers in the U.S. takes on a guy who writes for an alternative weekly that runs personal ads for barely legal services. Only in America, as my grandmother would have said.
One of our regular commenters flattered me by asking my opinion on all this (it’s the fifth comment, if anyone is interested). But that’s probably not the most important thing about the Rodrigue-Schutze cage match. I wonder: Does Jim know the sleeper hold? If not, that’s what the guy is using in the photo.
Seriously, though: That this is happening at all is not good news for the Vote No! side. (Here comes some more free campaign advice, by the way.)
Its strategy, as near as I can tell, is to demonize Angela Hunt, who led the push to get the anti-toll road referendum on the ballot. The minute Rodrigue took on Schutze, he changed the focus of the campaign from Hunt to Schutze. This is not helpful, if only because most voters don’t know who Jim is and don’t care. Why should they? You might be able to get them worked up about an "ambitious" politician with a "hidden" agenda for "new" taxes, but I don’t think they care one way or the another about a cranky newspaperman like Jim. Plus, as the always astute Rick Wamre noted when we discussed this, calling attention to Jim means people who have not read his stuff may read it. And then they may learn something that gets them to vote yes to keep the Belo Parkway from being built.
Early voting starts Monday. I’ll stop by Samuell-Grand first thing and report back on how things are going.
