A little free advice for our two-fisted Attorney General: Make some calls. Pay a few visits. Send some flowers, maybe a nice note. Kiss up.
Bill Sorrell has a big problem. It’s not any one thing; it’s not failing to get the endorsement of the state committee, it’s not failing to use a union print shop (he used one with family connections, his supporters note), it’s not failing to make courtesy calls to state committee members, it’s not not showing up for the meeting or the Hamburger Summit. It’s not not knowing about the meeting until the day before. It’s not anything specific about his record as AG.
It’s all of those things. It’s the appearance that he’s lost a step, he’s lost his edge, and he’s taking his position for granted. Fair or not, this is the narrative that’s taking over the race, and may well force Sorrell into an unwanted retirement. And his reaction to the state committee indicates that he doesn’t get it. VTDigger:
“The minority chose not to determine that I’m a credible, legitimate Democratic candidate and I think that’s unfortunate,” Sorrell said.
“I’ve been elected seven times as a Democrat,” Sorrell said. “If I’m not being partisan enough for some, then I’m sorry, I don’t think that’s consistent with what my oath of office is. The administration of justice in an even handed way is important to me, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do. I’m looking forward to the last five weeks of the primary campaign. I have every expectation of being the Democratic nominee for attorney general in the November General Election.”
No, Bill. That’s not going to help matters, not at all. You still sound like you’re taking it for granted — the office, the party, the voters. This probably wouldn’t matter in a general election, but it matters a whole hell of a lot in the Democratic primary.
This isn’t about right or wrong, or the dignity of your office, or the deference you seem to think you are due. This is a simple matter of basic politics. If you want the support of your party and the voters, you have to care about gaining their support — or at least act like you care.
There’s a little more than a month until primary day. You are in the race of your life. You’d best fire up the speed dial, get out your walking shoes, and try to mend a few fences.
Sorrell is doing the exact same things that Martha Coakley did in her effort to lose to Scott Brown: Insult the leaders of the process, ignore the Democratic voters, assume the election will go his way, among other things.
I wish Sorrell had something better on his resume than “Jumped on tobacco bandwagon 15 years ago.” I know I would love to see, “Brought lying Entergy execs to justice”, instead of “Let corporate criminals go scott-free because prosecuting them would be too hard.”