¿Jeb? Bush was the featured speaker at the Scott County Republican Ronald Reagan fund raising dinner last night. Why him and not one of the other candidates?
It’s the “transparency thing” that makes people wonder,
Kenye West rushed stage at Scott County Republican Party event
The lead question came up again the other day. We had no definitive answer, only a “purely” imagined scenario of how things might work in the high echelons of county politics if I were a political consultant with influence to peddle.
Basically — it is about filling the perceived void.
The given, the starting point in this: nobody wants the task of raising money, not executive committees or most anybody else. In this purely imagined scenario unlike anything that is actually the state of affairs in Scott County, with not a bit of resemblance to what transpired or is an ongoing situation, I the “political consultant/ influence peddler/”volunteer” finance director” appear and suggest: “Hold fund raising dinners built around memberships in a donor club. I’ll set it up and even take care of the speakers. Here are your tasks . . .”
It is not like it is brain surgery, a decent list to start of local Republican haut monde; check around a bit regarding a decent venue for the size of event desired (a sit down affair rather than buffet is required), check on catering prices, or maybe the venue lords handle it (hotels do) or they will give you the names of satisfactory ones, oh, and figure out a speaker of some interest.
The event can be ginned up with a silent auction which, after the first couple of run-throughs becomes not effortless but not traumatic either for the organization. You go back to the same folks.
It is a standard formula for numerous events that go on every year in this community. A twist here or there might be attempted for interest but after a very few events the whole process becomes straight forward and imitable, just as the original was also an imitation. The venue manager, the mail house / printer, the caterer are all on speed-dial and eager to help. That leaves only the speaker decision, did I mention that?
Wow, Scott County being the third largest county, and the second largest media market, in a state that leads the nation in presidential politics, who could they possibly get? Hmmmm. Would anybody actually be interested in speaking before political activists in the first in the nation caucus state? Any political figures at all? Anybody?
Would anybody not?
Enter me again, the political consultant white knight:
Not to worry your pretty little heads. I’ll take care of the logistics of sending out invitations and picking the speaker. What? You want some input on picking the speaker? Sure give me your list I’ll give it and any criterion you have every consideration. But keep in mind it is terribly complicated and if I am going to do all this work myself (did I mention I have sub-contractor expenses to turn in and I will need you to handle some menial stuff) I can’t be second guessed or have people looking over my shoulder.
Now the response of the illustrious executive overseers:
Did you say menial, heck that’s our middle name. The stuff you do is way too sophisticated for us. Of course we will give you whatever authority you desire. Lick stamps, rubber stamp, its all good. Whatever or whoever you are trying to grease is no business of ours. A speaker is a speaker. It does not matter, we like your picks and know better than to question the process. Anyway, the people want an event. They don’t care who speaks. It is all about getting together , and the food. Fifty bucks is a trifle. Transparency? No one cares. If we thought they did we might set up a committee from the Central Committee, give a few of them something to do. It could be as objective as the 2012 District Convention delegate nominating committee, entirely like us, but that is beside the point. The results will be the same. Afterwards you can can come up with another really neat criterion thing for “nominating” like you did back then. Sure fooled a lot of people. We have every confidence in you, cuz you are doing ALL the work.
In the mean time, if anybody asks we will tell them it is very complicated arranging for someone to come to Iowa prior to the caucuses. The likely speakers do not know where Iowa is and we imagine you have to do a lot of begging to get them to be featured speaker at an event.
What’s that you say . . . you have someone in mind for the big event . . . wonderful! We are glad you are around to decide who gets a push in the state.
This publication talked to three key state operatives from Republican presidential campaigns other than Jeb Bush’s. None was aware of an inquiry as to availability to have their candidate be the featured speaker. We suspect the availability for such an event by any of the 16 at the time would have been . . . why yes we can make that work.
Of course you can get away from the suspicions by excluding announced candidates or requiring a more open process. While there is free media available from such events, that media when the speaker is an announced candidate inures to them, not Scott County Republicans.
As far as the money thing . . . one would think the local party could net as much with a precinct by precinct organized phone-a-thon or door knock campaign seeking pledges of just $20 for local activities. The response rate would be enough and fulfillment rate would be high enough. Just starting with the 480 that attended the Scott County Executive Committee organized Jeb Bush for President event last night we suspect might net the same as the costly dress-up night. Just sixty precinct leaders in the county getting an average of only twenty people in their precinct to pledge $20 we suspect would net more than the event last night.
The process might more honestly reveal what rank and file Republicans think of the performance of the party and its attention to critical issues . . . and respond accordingly. Then again, people might pledge or hand over a twenty just to get someone off the porch. And so it goes.
R Mall
