Inboxes become political arenas
The fight for Washington’s U.S. Senate seat is not just waged at rallies, in debates and on the airwaves. It’s a daily e-mail battle from the two sides trying to get attention from local and national press on their key talking points of the day.
Here’s a quick look at the 22 e-mails sent out Monday by the campaigns for Dino Rossi and Patty Murray and their allies. It was a day with a few unusual events – first lady Michelle Obama was in Bellevue for Murray, and Sen. John McCain made a call for Rossi – but the volume wasn’t significantly higher than any day during the last week.
| 7:41 a.m. Reminder from Dino Rossi News. “TODAY: Sen. John McCain and Sen. Tom Coburn conference call on earmarks.” The practice of directed federal spending has become a key element of the Rossi campaign, and reporters are reminded of a 9:30 a.m. phone-in press conference with two GOP senators. |
| 9:19 a.m. Backgrounder from Dino Rossi News. “Sen. Murray’s earmark requests for clients of former staffers.” A reprint from a Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal column criticizing Murray for securing earmarks, a few minutes before the phone-in press conference. |
| 9:32 a.m. Note from state Republican Party, “ICYMI (in case you missed it) Examiner: Illegal immigrants openly working for Murray.” Reprint of a blog post linking to and commenting on an AP report in the Tacoma News Tribune about a group that had an illegal immigrant urging people in Seattle to vote. |
| 9:48 a.m. Release from Murray Campaign News. “Rossi campaigns with anti-Boeing McCain and anti-Hanford Coburn.” This rapid response to Rossi’s telephone press conference was so rapid the e-mailer didn’t know that Coburn was never connected to the call and that Rossi wasn’t on it, either, just McCain. |
| 10:27 a.m. Announcement from Dino Rossi News for new phone-in press conference with Rossi at 11:45 a.m. |
| 11:35 a.m. Release from state GOP. “Final day of Senator Murray’s D.C. Bosses tour: Who does she work for Washington state or Washington, D.C.?” Ongoing criticism of Obama and other visitors. |
| 12:12 p.m. From National Republican Senatorial Committee. “McCain charges Murray with engaging in ‘corrupt’ practice.” Reprint of Roll Call story about McCain-only press conference for Rossi. |
| 12:17 p.m. ICYMI from Rossi campaign spokeswoman. AP account of McCain press conference. |
| 12:20 p.m. ICYMI from state GOP. Another reprint of Roll Call story about McCain press conference. |
| 1:14 p.m. From Dino Rossi News. Rossi’s Tuesday schedule in Pierce County. |
| 2:40 p.m. From Murray Campaign News. Pool Report: Murray event with first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden. |
| 3:02 p.m. From Murray Campaign News. Murray’s Tuesday schedule in Longview and Olympia. |
| 3:17 p.m. From White House Media Affairs. Another copy of pool report of Obama event. |
| 3:26 p.m. From Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: Reprint of Seattle Times blog post about Rossi press conference noting he wouldn’t say where he was. |
| 4:01 p.m. From state GOP. Press release noting state Senate Republicans have new report that “Senator Murray’s new health care law” will cost the state more than expected. |
| 4:23 p.m. From state GOP. Announces Rossi and other candidates will be at the Bellevue Hilton on election night. |
| 4:49 p.m. ICYMI from Rossi spokeswoman. Reprint of National Review story on contest. |
| 5:32 p.m. ICYMI from Rossi spokeswoman. Reprint of Roll Call story on Rossi-Murray contest. |
| 5:56 p.m. ICYMI from state GOP. Reprint of Roll Call story on Rossi-Murray race. |
| 6:37 p.m. Money plea from Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Says polls tightening in Colorado and Illinois, asks for at least $10 to reach a goal of $698,221 by Thursday to help in 10 races. |
| 7:29 p.m. From Murray Campaign News. Script of a new TV commercial that features people saying nice things about Murray, with link to YouTube version of ad. |
| 8 p.m. From Murray Campaign News. Script of new TV commercial that features people saying not-so-nice things about Rossi, with link to YouTube. |