That was a conversation, not an endorsement.
Be careful what you say to Lt. Governor Michael Fedele when he calls to talk about his candidacy for governor. Litchfield First Selectmen Leo Paul, a Republican, was surprised to learn that his name appeared on the Fedele campaign’s second cull of endorsements.
There has been some grumbling about Fedele’s broad notion of what constitutes an endorsement. Paul told me yesterday that he’d talked to Fedele twice but never endorsed him. He was without doubts on that.
Contacted today, Fedele campaign spokesman Christopher Cooper (formerly of the Rell-Moody administration) said, “The campaign did post his endorsement in error.”
There was no endorsement, so there was not an endorsement that was posted in error. Campaigns love to obfuscate. Cooper says another list of endorsements is imminent. The campaign might want to check with the Republican officials on the list before releasing it.
3 comments
Hey Kevin, Great blog. This article reminded me of a story from a Courant blog about how Rob Simmons announced an endorsement before he was endorsed. Here’s the link: http://blogs.courant.com/capitol_watch/2010/01/oops-endorsement-announcement.html. I wonder how that can happen when these people are running such a tight ship. I guess the names just get lost in the mix.
We now have two confirmed instances where Mike Fedele appears to have erroneously interpreted a general conversation with someone regarding his candidacy (first Jodi Rell, now Leo Paul) as an actual endorsement (I can almost picture a conversation going something like this: Mike “So you don’t think I’d make a bad governor, right?” Potential Endorser: “Well no, I’m don’t think you’d be a bad governor.” Mike: “OK! Great to have you on board!” *click* as Mike hangs up and rushes to tweet his latest list of endorsements). It’s good to see that you’re willing to do some actual legwork, Kevin. I wonder, however, whether any actual reporters (not bloggers like yourself) are willing to actually follow-up to confirm with the many people who Mike Fedele has claimed “endorse” him (so far, Jodi Rell endorsement saga aside, most blogs and news agencies appear complacent and simply repeat the campaign’s press releases).
Announcing “endorsements” has been an important part of the Fedele campaign’s strategy: Tom Foley spoiled his frontrunner status and he desperately wants to appear to be the natural heir and successor to Jodi Rell (although why any self respecting person would claim her as a role model for leadership is beyond me…. the Rell administration has not exactly been a chapter in Profiles in Courage). Leading in endorsements helps to create this image.
I have a feeling that Jodi Rell and Leo Paul aren’t the only people who have been unknowingly pulled on to the Fedele2010 express.
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