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McInnis Freaks Out Over "Pledge" on Friendly Talk Show

by: Colorado Pols

Thu Aug 13, 2009 at 07:44:51 AM MDT


You really have to listen to this to believe it, folks. Yesterday afternoon, gubernatorial candidate Scott McInnis appeared on the Caplis and Silverman show on KHOW talk radio. The subject of the day was, of course, yesterday's Denver Post story about McInnis' 2004 promise to donate his leftover federal campaign funds to charity--as you know that didn't happen, the money was instead used mostly to fund Republican candidates and McInnis' own "shadow" gubernatorial campaign. Caplis and Silverman tried to ask a few simple questions about it, and here's what happened:


Can't see the audio player? Click here.

Before you draw any conclusions, it's important to remind people who Craig Silverman and Dan Caplis are. Nominally a conservative/liberal debate program, "liberal" Silverman is known locally as the Alan Colmes of Denver talk radio to Caplis' very lifelike Sean Hannity. Silverman is about as far from a 'hard-hitting' liberal host as you can get, a pretty deferential guy overall, and Caplis makes no secret of his indefatigable support for all things GOP.

Remember that when Caplis says to McInnis near the end of the interview, "This is beneath you. And it's beneath the office you're running for." Caplis and Silverman have had many less notable guests on their program, facing much tougher questions. McInnis, by comparison, sounds paranoid, combative, and decidedly--we'll say it--un-gubernatorial. It's pretty shocking stuff.

Based on this performance, if it was ever McInnis' intention to sell himself as a polished statesman who can "stay cool under fire," he's going to need to, ah, rethink that strategy.
Colorado Pols :: McInnis Freaks Out Over "Pledge" on Friendly Talk Show
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McInnis Freaks Out Over "Pledge" on Friendly Talk Show | 58 comments
Wow. I wonder HOW McInnis thought that approach was gonna help him!
You really have to listen to the full clip - bad from start to finish.  And talk about softball questions - McInnis wasn't even remotely being given a hard time.  It was actually a "gift" - here's a story coming up in the Denver Post, how would you like to respond.  And even Silverman's follow up questions are nothing questions.  Instead of taking it as an opportunity he acts as if he's being attacked - by conservative radio!  
Talk about shitting the bed!

I'm about half-way through, when McInnis starts mocking Craig for attacking hospice, and going after him for "quoting Huttner" when the old boy is just trying to read the Post story to set McInnis up to knock it down. Bizarre!

McInnis has clearly lost his mind. What would this guy do in a real interview?

I've been saying for a while that McInnis is long in the tooth when it comes to competitive campaigning, and that ranking him as an automatically strong statewide candidate vastly overestimates his abilities. Listening to this guy strangle himself with his own shoelaces just reinforces my opinion.  

"It is hard enough to remember my opinions, without also remembering my reasons for them!" - Nietzsche  

[ Parent ]
Did you catch him at the very beginning
saying he loves to give to charity and then equating a donation to a GOP candidate to giving to charitable causes?

Start to finish, this is 8 minutes of hostile, assholish behavior and Caplis said it all--it's beneath Scott to behave so badly, particularly when running for the state's highest office.

If he isn't utterly embarrassed by his defensive, tough guy stance, then he is even more clueless than he appears during this interview.

--From a "real dick."
by: JO

[ Parent ]
Whatever happened to the fancy car that Scooter purchased with campaign funds?
This is the kind of story that just keeps on giving.  Scooter has turned a one day story into a week or more of stories.  The next shoe to drop will be the fancy car they purchased with campaign funds and were still using after Scooter left office.  
[ Parent ]
Man, oh man.
His campaign reminds me, more and more, of Shaffer's and that's not a good thing.

--From a "real dick."
by: JO
[ Parent ]
Yeah
Hilarious. He's so defensive he seems clueless that he's just digging the hole deeper.

Fact: In the 2008 cycle, Western Way spent nearly a quarter of million dollars -- and $0 of that went to another candidate committee.

But that he would mentally equate political influence peddling with charitable giving is hysterical.  

"It is hard enough to remember my opinions, without also remembering my reasons for them!" - Nietzsche  

[ Parent ]
and then equating a donation to a GOP candidate to giving to charitable causes?
   That reminds me of when Mitt Romney was asked last year about the fact that none of his 5 sons ever served in Iraq or Afghanistan, and his response was that they were working on his presidential campaign which is the same thing!
[ Parent ]
Hahaha!
I forget about that. Oh yeah, that was one of the better lines of bullshit I've heard in ages.  

--From a "real dick."
by: JO
[ Parent ]
McInnis is right about one thing
Micheal Sluttner is the perfect example of what is WRONG with politics today!  That hack makes his money off dividing people and playing the lowest form of politics!

If we could curb the influence of political "consultants" who push for agressive political ads (so they can get their cut), or try to "handle" candidates so they don't actually answer questions, or play cheap, crap political hitman games, we would ALL be much better off as an electorate!

"...Somewhere between left and right is the middle..."

[ Parent ]
What?
So Progress Now should just disappear and let all the Republican groups continue to do what they did in this state for years--attack Democrats with fabrications or distortions--without any organization to counteract it?

From what I can tell from your posts on health care, I assume you're a progressive Democrat. Well, I can guarantee you that without Mike Huttner, this would probably still be a red state, and my handle would actually make sense.

I guess that, for you, it's OK to relish in the successes that Huttner has rbought about, but then turn around and call him a slut. If you don't like how the sausage gets made, I'd suggest refraining from eating it.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

"This site is filled simpletons..." -- JO

[ Parent ]
perfect example of what is WRONG with politics today!
That is rich. All Huttner's done is help level the playing field, or did you forget who invented the whole "dividing people and playing the lowest form of politics" thing?
[ Parent ]
If I call you a douchebag
would that be an example of what is WRONG with politics today? Oh wait, the high-horsed one is not above dickheaded namecalling.

Go sell your sob story somewhere else.

What a maroon.  

"It is hard enough to remember my opinions, without also remembering my reasons for them!" - Nietzsche  

[ Parent ]
Um, yeah.
We have plenty of Huttners.  

"Kevin and I will keep them out somehow -- even if we have to redefine what the peer-review literature is!"  
[ Parent ]
If we could curb the influence of political "consultants" who push for agressive political ads
You would throw Dick Wadhams out of work?
[ Parent ]
you bet!
I would want ALL political consultants, from all parts of the political spectrum, to go get REAL jobs!

They are the scum between our political toes!!!



"...Somewhere between left and right is the middle..."

[ Parent ]
Combative from the start
I tuned into this about 1/4 of the way through the interview yesterday and thought that Silverman must have said something about McInnis' mother the way he was answering those questions.  Not good for him Hannity Jr. calls you "Downright Goofy" in front of your core constituancy.  I think Penry gets bumped up a few notches in the Big Line from this.
Sheesh.
That was embarrassing.  And weird.  Penry 1 McInnis 0.

"Kevin and I will keep them out somehow -- even if we have to redefine what the peer-review literature is!"  
Yeah but it was Penry
who said we should teach creationism in the science curriculum.

Doe he lose a point for that?

[ Parent ]
Nope that gains him 6000 points extra points with his base
one for every year since the Earth was created
[ Parent ]
rrright
But I thought we found out in 2006 (Ritter) and 2008 (Obama) that the R base can't win Colorado all by itself.
[ Parent ]
We've known that forever
But statewide Republican candidates used to have a veneer of moderation or good ol' country vet affability. The question is whether an unrepentant Creationist and Trickle Up tax-cutter can sway enough unaffiliated voters.
[ Parent ]
well, shoot
If he thinks O&G fracing recipes ought to be secret, and the gubmint can't be trusted to store mercury and creationism is a kind of science- wall, that otta be enough for any mod-rat.

Any chance we could get him say something stoopid about the Colorado River Compact?
It ought to be re-done, we need more dams, the Governor who signed it was the greatest guv CO ever had, you know- almost anything.

[ Parent ]
Wow
Just... wow.

This guy wants to be governor of our state? Jeez.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

"This site is filled simpletons..." -- JO

That was exactly my thought.
As soon as this concluded, my first thought was "clearly not ready for primetime, not this boy."

--From a "real dick."
by: JO
[ Parent ]
Meltdown
Wow, I gotta admit I'm shocked at how badly he handled that. He seems both paranoid and rattled. After years of experience in this business, I guess it's time to declare he wants to spend more time with the grandkids and accept the gold watch.  
McInnis is falling apart
Amateur hour.

I predict he will drop out before January 1.

[ Parent ]
Any Word
on a Penry/McInnis appearance at the Obama Town Hall in GJ on Saturday?  

After that meltdown I would think McInnis will be invisible for the next week or so.

I don't think Josh will show up at Central High
But he might. I bet you $$ that he shows up at the "deathers" demonstration at Lincoln Park on Saturday morning and gets himself interviewed for TV.

Fair and balanced, you know.  Penry, the President, Penry, the President.  Josh is just as important.  Maybe more.  Just ask him.

When I use lots of words, they always form an analysis (and, while producing high volume, also produce high information-density).
--Steve Harvey, 2009

[ Parent ]
Great Press Opportunity
If he does make it on Nat'l media with Deathers (hell even birthers), you could pretty much say goodbye to McInnis in the primary.  The general election is another story though.
[ Parent ]
I don't either
The Lincoln Park demonstration is a great opportunity for Penry to score major tv time and appeal to the furthest right of the red base. Primary voters.

The press will be there and if Penry is the headliner at Lincoln Park, he can get the big Luntz by way of clusterfox red herrings into the conversation.

socialism
redistribution
stimulus
death panels
abortion
bith certificate
"gummint" takeover
gays
guns
God

The goobers showing up at Lincoln Park won't be looking for any counter arguments to the health reform legislation being attempted by the President.

His crowd at the park will be fired up, pissed off, scared that something will be taken from them, and just plain terrified of change. They'll want invective. Hate. And forcasts of doom.

Some will be there because their beloved country is in the throes of an administration led by a black man. That rage will be manifested in their posters of the President as "joker", with a Hitler mustasche, and probably some new outrageous charicatures we haven't seen yet.

This is the red base. This block votes. These goobers are young josh's neighbors.

He'll give 'em plenty of reasons to fear. That's what republican candidates do.

The only thing he won't say is what he'd try in contrast, because that isn't what reds do.

And the base will eat it up.

And we thought Palin was a joke. As young Josh says, "wait'll ya get a load of me".

 

[ Parent ]
I've also heard
He's doing a noon rally at the old Courthouse.

He's not going to chase President Obama off the front page, but he'll get his piece of it.

When I use lots of words, they always form an analysis (and, while producing high volume, also produce high information-density).
--Steve Harvey, 2009

[ Parent ]
Is that actually Silverman's voice?
Sounds like Alan Colmes could kick his ass six ways to Sunday.

"You need to move past Fourier transforms and start thinking quantum mechanics!" --The Transformers
I think the same thing everytime I hear him
Well maybe not that Alan Colmes could kick his ass...but how do you end up on radio with a voice like that?  That is like Gary Coleman being in the NBA
[ Parent ]
Great Introduction of McInnis to CO Voters
Combative, paranoid, illogical - yeah that's what I want in a governor.
Good grief
I don't know which of these idiots, Penry or McInnis, have a bigger ego or more transparent weasel abilities. Going to be a lot of train wrecks these next few months. I might have to travel to all their debates just to watch them shit all over themselves.  
prediction: at the first debate, ..
.
both will drop out and endorse the Constitution Party candidate.
.
[ Parent ]
We can only hope, eh? n/t

[ Parent ]
This is a joke made in bad taste.
McGinnis was handed a pretty softball toss here and could have handled it like a man, a professional, a serious candidate, could even have made it into a positive; instead he went off in a situation he could have easily made good from. This dude is a petulant child being led around by two ineffectual questioners; one is intimidated by him and the other wants to be his bud. McGinnis is just not a serious candidate intellectually or emotionally. He can raise the dough, but he sure as heck isn't a threat to anyone in any other capacity. Just a matter of time before he implodes completely.  
Yep
A candidate who doesn't have their talking points ready to hit one out of the park on the underhand toss from Silverman couldn't possibly hack it in the general election campaign.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

"This site is filled simpletons..." -- JO

[ Parent ]
'You know who Michael Hutton is'
McInnis gets so rattled he forgets Michael Huttner's scary name by the end of the interview.

You know what would be fun? If the Republican candidates for statewide office would stop embarrassing themselves and get some real campaigns going.

When Michael Hutton talks, people listen. n/t


"You need to move past Fourier transforms and start thinking quantum mechanics!" --The Transformers
[ Parent ]
Also
Mike Hutton apparently writes the talking points upon which Denver Post reporters base their articles. I had no idea PNow was so tight with Dean Singleton.

"Nice driveby spin" -- Libertad

"This site is filled simpletons..." -- JO

[ Parent ]
everyone knows that McLobbyist has a short fuse and is prone to going ballistic
   My prediction:  there will be more eruptions.  Josh Penry's people just have to figure out how to provoke Scooter while leaving no fingerprints.
And vice-versa
n/t

When I use lots of words, they always form an analysis (and, while producing high volume, also produce high information-density).
--Steve Harvey, 2009
[ Parent ]
Yep
Watch for both of them to bring up which one spent more time in a Capitol Hill cloakroom with Larry Craig.
[ Parent ]
McInnis on KHOW Caplis & Silverman
McInnis sounds here like some kind of a broken-robot politician of the the Stepford Wives variety, side stepping, diverting and twisting a simple question in the most bizarre ways.  Zztzz ztzzz...that does not compute.  Danger, Will Robinson!  Danger!  
It helps when you're mixing your metaphors to that extent
to bold everything and add sound effects.
[ Parent ]
No Dana Perino for Scooter
I am hearing that Dana Perino said no to supporting Scooter. Also hearing that a group of former Scooter staffers are planning a press event to support Penry.  

Be careful when you get what you wish for. The Governor clearly wants to run against Penry but Penry might turn out to be the tougher opponent,  

he already is-
Never the point. The point is whether he can get it together, quick enough and while running a primary to be competitive, absent some new Ritter-scandal.
[ Parent ]
You heard it here first:
I endorse Josh Penry for governor.  That guy's a little off his rocker...

Health care "reform" will die in the Senate, and for their efforts, Democrats will be widely thrown out of office in 2010.  Don't say I didn't warn you.
RIZZO ENDORSES JOSH PENRY
He's got strong values and the will to win. This Scott McInnis character is past his prime.  
Strong values?
Penry has been on the public dole since age 18. What kind of values are those? Republican values? I think not.

[ Parent ]
Showing his true colors
This is flat out embarrassing. Not only for "Scooter", but for those that supported him. The truth of the matter is that he and his entire campaign has been nothing sort of comical. He can't seem to do anything right from announcing a Gubernatorial candidacy, to constructing a website with Colorado mountains, to answering simple questions about a Denver Post article. As Republicans are we ready to put Scooter up against Ritter? I'll tell you what, the dems sure want that scenario. I would implore everyone to put your support behind Josh Penry. Not only does he have command of the issues, but he actually has a chance to be Ritter.
the dems sure want that scenario
You really don't know what you're talking about.

As for Penry actually having a chance "to be Ritter," let's hop not, for both their sakes.

[ Parent ]
Persusavie argument
RedGreen, In having an opinion on a subject I have displayed that I "don't know what I'm talking about". I may not know as much as the wise REDGREEN on the subject, after all I am just a hard working resident of Colorado who doesn't have the time to read blogs all day long. My case and argument is derived on the fact that most of the democrats I know (perhaps influential perhaps not) are starting to believe that Penry is the better candidate. To be blunt they would rather see McInnis is the general.

I am not an activist, just someone who is tired of politicians and the baggage they usually bring. I am tired of the Scott McInnis' of the world telling his constituents one thing and doing another. Penry from all indications is someone that will at least tell you what he's going to do and has the guts to follow through.

And yes Ritter is vulnerable right now, or didn't you hear about the plummeting approval ratings? Are we really going to send Scott up there and trust him with something as important as the nomination? I for one will not.... but that's just me.  

[ Parent ]
I agree
Penry will be the tougher opponent in the General - by far.

Amazon tax? Bad Idea!
[ Parent ]
You're right
but why would Colorado benefit from an easy run against a damaged candidate like McInnis? When Ritter has a fight on his hands against someone who isn't a milquetoast version of himself, maybe he'll live up to his potential. I want a vigorous campaign with sharp choices that makes it hard for Ritter to triangulate as a slightly more competent version of McInnis.

-- and H'wood, I was poking fun at your typo, but feel free to take unction.

[ Parent ]
Mr. Penry may be but he has already stumbled
by endorsing the teaching of creationism in public school science classes. Those kind of right-wing viewd don't sell in Colorado.
[ Parent ]
McInnis Freaks Out Over "Pledge" on Friendly Talk Show | 58 comments
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