Torrington Register Citizen Endorses Griebel, More Bouquets Likely to Follow.
Oz Griebel, the Simsbury Republican seeking his party’s nomination for governor in the August 10th primary, snagged the endorsement of the Torrington Register Citizen today. It won’t be the last. Griebel checks a lot of editorial board boxes. Familiar with government but without a trail of political controversies. Not a self-funder. The crop of plutocrats seeking high office is starting to feel anti-democratic.
Griebel can speak with authority about transportation and planning issues, which, for reasons I don’t understand, induces frissons of joy to newspaper editorial boards. Also, Griebel does not rule out tax increases to solve the state’s cavernous budget deficit, which will strike those who think big thoughts as the essence of reason. Griebel’s not a captive of government employee unions, which will be important in leading the state through the storm.
Griebel benefits from the weak Republican field. Michael Fedele has left no footprints as Governor M. Jodi Rell’s lieutenant governor. Former ambassador Tom Foley is unfamiliar to many of the editorial writers who decide endorsements. His pledge not to raise taxes will alarm those who like all alternatives on the table, no matter how damaging to the state’s economy. Foley’s proving something of a fumbler as a candidate, which undermines his claim to clear-eyed competence.
If Fedele and Foley continue to savage each other, Griebel could be in with a chance, but only if he can raise some fast cash to let Republicans know they have an alternative to the two brawlers.
21 comments
Grebal has no chance Kevin no matter how much you may think he does,
I would expect to see Griebel win the lion’s share of endorsements, followed by Fedele and then Foley.
Editorial boards won’t be swayed by campaign commercials and loads of cash (hence, Foley in third). Moreover, some of Foley’s publicly stated policy positions are just plain idiotic (see Rowland show of support, also the no wigs for cancer patients initiative). And newspapers – by mandate gluttons for information – will likely be turned off by the his failure to divulge every last detail of his arrests. Finally, there seems to be a bias toward CEP among newspapers; Foley’s lawsuits have likely not endeared him to anyone but the Rep-Am.
As far as Fedele, almost anyone with half a brain who pays attention to state politics recognizes the tragedy of squandered opportunity that has been the Rell administration. Aside from vague intimations that he was posturing for sanity behind the scenes as the lone voice of reason, only to be undercut by Lisa Moody, there is almost no evidence that Mike will be anything other than a continuation of the maintain-popularity-ratings-at-all-costs form of governance that has been the hallmark of his “partner,” her excellency M. Jodi Rell. Kevin misstates the case when he says Mike has failed to make a splash as lieutenant governor; he also had ten years as a state rep to do so. That being said, the immigrant-does-good narrative he spins about his own life has already proven attractive to many in the fourth estate, who freely called him the “embodiment of the American dream” following his declaration. The “Fievel: An American Tale” story will prove irresistible to many.
Griebel, however, offers the kind of middle the road “mavericky” politics, identified by Kevin above, that editorial boards will find most attractive. That, and his lack of political baggage, will carry the day.
Are there others who don’t give a fig who Fedele’s parents are or where they came from or what little words of wisdom his father gave him or that Fedele “created a high-tech company” that actually has employees? This campaign by biography is as tiresome (and frankly condescending to the public) as the notion that it qualifies one to be a candidate that he is rich and/or famous. Out of a state with the quality of businesses and educational institutions that Connecticut has, the group of people up for this year’s offices is the best that can be done? Even before Foley’s marital and job application “lapses” started to come out, it was manifest that he is a country club boy empty suit of the type the elder Bush seems to favor. I doubt he has a political philosophy or has thought for two minutes about political economy — or law, except for how to get around it, apparently. As for Griebel, how did not he come to no longer be with the bank? Also, his big thing, actually hobbyhorse, seems to be mass transit — trains. Why not horse and buggy or intra-City electric trolleys? This year’s campaigns and their protagonists have been a waste of oxygen, and I suspect they will only get worse in the next two weeks. Wrestlers take steroids, etc. Even though I’m a Republican, I’d give a lot to see the original John Bailey (the JFK Bailey) come back to look at what the successors to his party have made of the political process and of this state, which is wrecked. It is “unsustainable”, not from the standpoint of salamanders and wood toads, who are doing increasingly well, but from the standpoint of human beings. People my age are seeing their children coming of age and having to go south and west to get a sniff at a job and a future. Talk about “fractured habitats”. I’ll have to buy plane tickets to see my grandchildren, but developers have to build lighted tunnels for the salamanders to venture from their “habitat” to the little puddle in which they create their future generations. Nice. (This is not a joke.) Ever try to get permits for a building project of any size? The GOP, but more critically the state, needs someone to step up and speak plainly about where we are, how we got here, and where we are going, and then tell us (no more, “I have a plan”) what he proposes to do to change the course. And we no longer are rich enough to have the luxury of pie in the sky utopian commission blatherings about getting people’s cars away from them, or to waste time on legislative manipulations of the Catholic Church or redefinitions of institutions (e.g., marriage) that have been around a bit longer than the Judiciary Committee. You could not write a satire about the state of politics in Conn because satire has to be based on a plausible state of being. Finally, has Simmons done anything since the convention that could be called honorable or principled? I’m not sure being just on the cusp of being in/out of the game (so as to make it either a waste of money or politically unattractive for the other candidates to keep after him) would qualify as either honorable or principled. And what word would describe someone who carries his medals around to a political convention as one of your posts says he did? Maybe two words: John Kerry. I was not in the service, but it seems to me that medals are meant to be honors bestowed by the public for good and in some cases extraordinary service, and are not meant to be tokens for political rides.
Fuzzy, the bottom line is Foley is going to win the primary no matter what.
Oz Grebal can get every newspaper on the planet to endorse him and is just plain doesn’t matter. Newspapers are liberal, Grebal is liberal so for many of the reasons you pointed out, Grebal will get some newspaper endorsements. Big deal.
Newspapers don’t vote, people do.
Bill, ummm sorry Justin, errr I mean EdMfromBranford, it’s GRIEBEL. You are absolutely pathetic, Now go back to HQ and slurp on some more Kool-Aid, then fetch Tommy his Polo gear.
Oz would be dangerous- but he is out of money. Too bad.
So far, I haven’t heard on positive reason why anyone, Republican, Democrat or Independent, should vote for Tom Foley.
Sue, you’re just a stupid bitch and you’ve proven it time and time again. The same old lies from you here are nothing new, you’re pathetic.
Ken so far, I haven’t heard on positive reason why anyone, Republican, Democrat or unaffiliated should vote for Oz Grebal or Mike Fidele.
Reason 1: They have actually have put forth real ideas and plans for Connecticut. I don’t agree with all of them, but at least they are talking about ideas. The only thing that Foley has put forward is that vapid “Plan Forward for Connecticut” which is nothing more than a bunch of (probably consultant produced) rhetoric with zero substance.)
Reason 2: They aren’t Tom Foley
Reason 3. They aren’t going to drag the Republican Party to its greatest defeat in 40 years…or more. With Tom Foley at the head of the ticket we we actually loose seats in the legislature.
Ken so far, I STILL haven’t heard on positive reason why anyone, Republican, Democrat or unaffiliated should vote for Oz Grebal or Mike Fidele.
Grebal’s “ideas” are all sophomoric and liberal. Fedele is more of the same old, same old, insider continuation of the same administration that gave us public financing of campaigns and irresponsible budgets that weren’t signed or vetoed.
Your hatred of Tom Foley doesn’t allow you to be objective about him at all. His plan forward for Connecticut make sense to many more people than Grebal’s or Fidele’s and like I told you before, “Democracy ain’t so fun when it f*cks you huh?” LOL!
Foley isn’t “going to drag the Republican Party to its greatest defeat in 40 years” no believes you on that Kenny. Also, since there’s no longer a party lever, even if a horrible candidate like Grebal or Fidele were at the top of the ticket followed by Linda McMahon who will lose along with all of the Republican Congressional candidates, Republicans will most definitely gain seats in the State House and possibly the State Senate. Republicans aren’t going to win any of the statewide offices either. That has nothing to do with who’s at the “top of the ticket.” Now you’ve already proven you’re pretty stupid and ignorant but I highly doubt you’re THAT stupid. You’re just saying your reason #3 because you’ve already come to realize Tom Foley will win the primary and will be the Republican nominee for Governor and you are smart enough to know that Republicans won’t win much else (except State Rep. races) so you’re already setting up something else to blame Foley for that he has no control over.
Still not a single positive thing to say about Tom Foley. Just attacks on everyone to disagrees with you. I wonder who’s example you are following.
Kenny, still not a single positive thing to say about Oz Grebal or Mike Fidele out of you. I don’t have to give you any reasons as to why I’m supporting Tom Foley. You sound like those Schiff wackos who just attack anyone WHOSE (yeah Kenny “whose” not “who’s” you illiterate moron) opinions are different from yours.
I know it’s hard for a whiner like you to accept that Tom Foley is going to win the primary but you’d going to have to accept it eventually.
Mike Fedele says one thing and does another. Look at his latest commercial.
He says he’ll cut state spending but yet takes millions of taxpayer dollars to run his campaign — some of it declared unconstitutional in the courts.
He complains about bloated salaries, but takes more than $100,000 for a part time job as Lt. Gov. with few if any responsibilities despite running his own business on the side and being a wealthy man. Will he also take a similar salary as Governor?
He disparages those receiving state pensions, but has not renounced his own state pension. Again, he is a wealthy man who drives a Ferrari and doesn’t need our tax dollars to support his elite lifestyle.
Mike Fedele simply is not believable.
Kenny’s an “Illiterate moron”?
It’s GRIEBEL you self righteous, arrogant, maniacal bastard.
You want to talk about not having anything positive to say? How about instead of going after other people who have commented on this blog (sue’s a stupid bitch?), you have some respect for the other people who express differing opinions than yourself, you slimy asshole.
I’m not going to go after Foley here, I still haven’t made up my mind. But at least if I did express support/disapproval of a particular candidate, I’d do it the right way. Not by acting like a 4 year old and calling other people names when they disagree with someone else.
It’s very plain to see why other commentators on this blog are attacking- you make it so very easy. And why would anyone want to offer a “positive” thing to say, when your seemingly stock response is to call them a “Stupid bitch”
Chew on that you stupid bitch.
Foley’s in the lead. He’s winning so far. That’s the only positive thing I’ve heard about him from ANYONE so far.
Griebel is doing a great job. Foley is an idiot and is ruining his chances at wining the primary as we speak. Voters need to educate themselves on the candidates and realize that Griebel is the best man for the job.
Temper temper now codeowrds, did you forget to take your lithium this morning?
Sue is a stupid bitch who deserves being called that for her repeated “attacks.” Go back and look at all of her last comments here, all you will see is her claiming that I’m some Tom Foley staffer and drink “Kool Aid.” She has yet to post a comment here other than lying about me.
Langley gets what he deserves too but of course a volatile prick like you refuses to even look at the way people like Sue and Langley behave and you only whine and complain when I criticize them for their offensive behavior.
Grebal and Fidele are so unmemorable and unimpressive it’s hard to know how to spell their names.
Ah lucky charms using the old “voters aren’t educated” tactic. That one always makes me laugh!
The bottom line is the primary voters are plenty “educated” and a majority of them are going to vote for Tom Foley and Grebal is going to come in last. I hear the same thing from the Peter Schiff supporters who claim that anyone who isn’t supporting him is “uneducated.”
Watch out Lucky, don’t call Foley and “idiot” or codewords, langley and sue will attack you for engaging in name calling. On second thought, probably not. Those losers only attack people who don’t agree with them.
Well this certainly was an entertaining disucussion.
Yes Truth Seeker, everything was going pretty well until ole Sue, Langley and codewords started in with the personal attacks. It all went downhill from there.
I wonder what other big name newspapers like the Torrington whatever will endorse Grebal? Heck, I didn’t even know Torrington had a newspaper. Maybe the Middletown Press, the Willimantic Chronicle, the Thomaston Express or the New Milford Spectrum will all endorse Grebal? Now THOSE are some heavy hitters in Connecticut news media!
ED, is there anyway to tone down the swear words. You can still make you point without them.
bhogan, go look at the profanity used by codeword47. His latest tirade is nothing compared to anything I’ve ever done here, I never crossed the line the way he did. Why aren’t you whining about him?
Until then the only logical conclusion is you’re a “slimy asshole” as codewords would say because you criticize me for calling Sue a stupid bitch (which she is) yet you don’t say one word about the codewords guy.