Last night, local GOP political consultant Wesley Donehue shared with me some surprising news, by way of explaining why he had to cancel a breakfast we had scheduled. Well, it was sort of surprising. When he said he had a new client (Donehue Direct does web work for candidates across the country) who was going to be keeping him really busy immediately, I thought, Who? Todd Akin?
Yep. That’s right. So I’m thinking shocking is a better word than “surprising.”
But Wesley didn’t tell me much — just that a consultant working for Akin turned to him for help with fund-raising. He promised to tell me more later. I was willing to wait for a more complete story.
But tonight, Todd Kincannon tweeted this:
In fascinating news, hearing that SC’s own@wesleydonehue has been Todd Akin’s online consultant since Tuesday night.
So it’s out, so I’m telling you what I know. I’ll call Wesley tomorrow and learn more. If I can get him. Something tells me he’s going to be getting a lot of calls tomorrow. Wesley’s Twitter profile says “Named Worst Person in the World by liberal idiot Keith Olbermann.” Now that this is out, Olberman may not be alone…
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My goodness is this any different than a guilty person hiring a lawyer?
Reminds me of the punchline to the old joke: We’ve already established what you are, now we’re just negotiating the price.
Why do you hang out with people like him? I don’t get it.
If he can raise money for Akin, that would be quite an accomplishment. Maybe he’s just looking for a challenge – like people who want to climb Mt. Everest without the use of oxygen or shoes.
Or maybe he’s always wanted to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.
Doug – because it’s boring to hang out with people who agree with you all the time.
Donehue is like any other lobbyist or political consultant, he’ll do anything as long as the checks keep coming in. Like Doug said,in any other profession he’d be called something else.
Put another way, what’s the difference between Wesley Donehue and Danny Frazier… Wesley doesn’t weigh 400 pounds.
Equate this to hiring an attorney – Not. Akin is well know for his views and legislative actions by many prior to his pronouncement (Ryan think alike). He just got wider media attention for his extremist position with his pronouncement. This guy is running to be one of the 100 and even those of marginal views currently within the 100 don’t want him there. They think he’s going to lessen the chances for the Repubs gaining a majority. Poor Wes is going to be a pariah among his own if he really helps and this kook wins.
If Akin wins with his help, Wes may become a hero I’m sure he’d be able to get a secure job with the Family Research Council or with the Right Reverend Huckster.
I would imagine that success for Wesley in this instance doesn’t look like Akin winning. It looks more like actually being able to raise money for him, whether he wins or loses.
In that case, Wes good luck and hope you get a cashiers check as you don’t need a Newt note.
I guess we know who’ll be soliciting business from the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as they run riot over the earth prior to the Last Judgment.
Exactly. It’s about how much money Wes raises, win or lose. If Wes can raise solid money for Akin, it will be a feather in his cap, win or lose.
if McCaskill wanted to be super-sneaky and keep Akin from dropping out, she would get some of her folks to donate just a little money to Akin – just to keep him in the race.
J – I don’t break the law.
The difference between an attorney and a political operative is that a lawyer has an ethical obligation to represent the loathsome. A political operative does not.
What’s the going rate for a soul these days?
Wes, sorry but I don’t think I suggested that you break the law. Some of my best friends are attorneys and my commentary is political humor although some find it not. I know you’re a good guy and are skilled at the political advice and assistance you give. It’s just our future and we all are hopefully going to live in it although we differ on policy and approach. As an old friend said, “what’s truth on one side of the mountain is a lie on the other.” We have had and do have a lot of kook politicians around and, in my opinion, would be better off with one less elected one from MO & SC. Good luck in your endeavors.
Speaking of kooks, I wonder who helped Sharon Angle and Christine O’Donnell in 2010 with their media. From what I hear Michelle B may need some help now also. I presume Steve King and Louie Gohmert are safely positioned for reelection.
Why are so many ragging on a guy doing his job? We all, as voters, need a functioning candidate system.
And it does sound like a win/win situation from a back of the house perspective.
“a lawyer has an ethical obligation to represent the loathsome”
In other words, as long as the money keeps coming it we’ll believe everything our client says.
No, Steven. It’s an important ethic of the legal profession that everyone deserves representation — regardless of his character, and regardless of his ability to pay.
You know, all this moral posturing about Wesley… it’s goading me to go ahead and write what I really think about Akin, to record a realization that struck me last night. My only hesitation is that I’ll only succeed in making EVERYBODY mad. Because the greatest flaw I see in Akin is one that I see in many of his detractors as well. It’s a very human habit of trying to rationalize away the consequences of one’s political positions…
I’ll get to it…
@Mark
How often do you sell properties that you know have serious structural problems but try to minimize the problem?
This is akin to selling a house where the roof is falling in but you say “Hey, look at that view of the sky!”
Doug,
NEVER. It’s called disclosure. Doesn’t mean the sky isn’t also worth mentioning. Or that someone’s perception may not reflect reality in a more generalized sense.
How did I get tired to this anyway?!
Aside from Akin’s extreme ignorance of biology his abortion position of “no exceptions” is far more rational than making exceptions for rape. Seriously folks if you earnestly believe in the sanctity of life to the extent that you mandate the birth of that child in SOME situations you have to mandate that birth in ALL situations. (With possibly the rare exception for the life of the mother). I’ve never understood why making exceptions for rape can be defended.
Since I’m pro-choice I don’t have to make those kinds of contortions but seriously you pro-like people don’t make an exception for rape. That’s a cope-out.
Yes, it is.
Wesley, Lee Atwater didn’t do anything illegal either (at least to the best of my knowledge), but with his viciously negative (bad negative Brad, not good negative)political ads he altered political races, and not for the good.
Mark, are the the same individual who has been with EASLAN for some years? If so you and I go back to the mid 80s on a significant project that you, Tom, and Jimmy developed on S Academy.
J, negative. My significant projects at that time were of the elementary school kind.
J – my apologies. That was meant for Steven. He compared me to Danny Frazier.
Karen – I disagree. While some of his tactics could be considered nasty, the outcomes were “for the good.” I’ll take Carroll Campbell and George Bush any day.
I’ve got to disagree with Wesley regarding outcomes. The ends do not justify the means.
I had a response to Wesley that was on topic, but Brad must not have agreed with it.
Thanks Mark. I like many of your posts and thought you might be an old friend. Let’s make that ole and not old. Take care and have a good weekend.
Thanks, J.
Wes, we’ve lighted a candle to St. Jude for Steven. Have a good weekend and if you’re going to Tampa, be safe.
Wesley,
Make all the money you want. You got a right to earn a living. People make lots of money being attorneys to super rich pigs that push hookers off balcony’s.
Lets be honest we all pay a certain price to do our jobs.
Mine comes with extreme responsibility of the safety of the upper richland and fairfield county. Also a lot of tests.
Rap stars gotta duck a lot or be puff daddy. Can’t take that dude out.
Wesley is fighting for the real hard causes. Sometimes those are worth fighting.
Everyone can’t represent mother Teresa running for congress.
If Wesley does a good job on this stage the money train is going to just roll in the door.
BREAKING NEWS:
Lee Atwater has also been retained as a consultant.
Ralph, thanks for that blast from the past!
“lighted a candle”? You mean you lit a candle? I hope you didn’t spended too much time drivinged to the church.
SD II, it was humor, you know.
Will someone please get @SDII a sandwich before he consumes all the joy from this blog?
Reading the comments of Steven Davis II, one wonders what Steven Davis I is/was like.
@Michael & Cotton – Is sarcasm only allowed for Kathryn?
@Cotton – You kids get off my lawn!!! “was”, am I dead? God bless my soul.
Cotton — “Steven Davis” is one of several names this commenter has used over time.
Some time during the past year, he found it impossible to post as “Steven Davis.” I still don’t know why. But he found it worked if he added the “II.”
@Michael Rodgers: Indeed!
When Steven Davis II posts under his real name, he can be as sarcastic as those of us who do. Them’s the rules, dude.
“Steven Davis II says: August 25, 2012 at 10:45 pm
“lighted a candle”? You mean you lit a candle? I hope you didn’t spended too much time drivinged to the church.”
“drivinged”?
SD II. the main point that you may have overlooked is that St. Jude is the patron saint of hopeless cases (and desperate situations). I was expressing my perspective on your views and comments. According to “Common Errors in English Usage: The Book” (lighted/lit) “Don’t fret over the difference between these two words; they’re interchangeable.” So, Yes, both “lighted” and “lit” are acceptable as the past tense of the verb “light”.
I’m not RC but I love their perspective on many things. “Have a Happy Day Steven Davis II” and I pray that you’ll acquire a sense of humor and empathy. But, you may need a degree of self-objectivity to become aware of these positive traits.
@Kathryn – Where are these rules? The same place as Obama’s college transcripts?
@Tim – If you spended more time carefully reading you’d see what I was drivinged at.
How do we know this is the real Kathryn Fenner? I haven’t seen a birth certificate or driver’s license.
Brad set forth the rules, many, many times, as you well know, and he knows that I am who I say I am.
and you say the blog is getting boring? Maybe it’s the tiresome comments some of us are making.
The last 13 comments (14 now) are about or by @SD2.
Was Lee __________ (I forget his last name) a real person? I never saw a drivers license certified photo op.
If he was not, SDII has reincarnated his ornery-ness and COULD BE Lee _________.
The yin to y’all’s civil yang.
A “Brad’s Choir” blog gets boring.
@Mab – Atwater, Harvey Oswald, Majors, Marvin??? Maybe we could meet and start a club.
@Kathryn – “and you say the blog is getting boring? Maybe it’s the tiresome comments some of us are making.”
Well that would kind of make sense.
Lee Muller
Naw, he was different in a lot of ways. Michael P., Bill C. Now they were suspiciously similar…
Bill C. was Bill Clinton. In my mind, anyway.
Muller, Muller…
Oh wait, that was Bueller, Bueller…
What makes you think that my name isn’t Steven Davis?
Maybe I should use the porn name rule, first pet and street name you grew up on.
So I may change my name to Jody 3rd Street. Just a warning.
SD II, I think you’re making progress! Good luck as we love humor and more of it.
The fact that there were several predecessors who sounded just like you weighs against Steven Davis as your real name, but then maybe it’s a double fake out.
If you want to be made, show Brad some ID and you’re in.