Voters confused as Titus fails to cut grisly path of carnage and devastation

On the heels of a report that the national Republicans are dumping money into the contest and with the candidates set to debate Thursday night (9 p.m., Channel 10), one question continues to hover over the race between incumbent Rep. Jon Porter and Democratic challenger Dina Titus in Nevada's third congressional district:

WTF?

When Titus entered the race against Porter, some people, including your lowly Gleaner, hoped that Porter was finally going to get what he so richly deserves: a multi-media whooping upside the head that would expose the lying sack for what he is:

"...driven first and foremost by his love of being a single congressman who plays in a garage band and attends D.C. cocktail parties while the country goes to hell in a handbasket ... a cynical, lazy career politician who doesn't care about his constituents and just wants to be in Congress because it's nice work if you can get it."

There was a teensy-weensy hint of that frame in this Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad:

But that somewhat production-challenged DCCC ad hasn't seen the light of day for weeks. And it was only a tease.

Porter the self-serving opportunist making an ass out of himself as an embarrassing middle-aged hep-cat wannabe in his ridiculous band while blindly supporting policies that wrecked the economy at home and American credibility abroad -- well, that narrative mysteriously is not being beamed into every living room in Southern Nevada 83 times a day. From the Titus ads, one would never know that as capitalism staggers and civilization wobbles, Jon Porter has been far more interested in pursuing his much-loved single-dork-on-the-D.C.-scene lifestyle than working for his Nevada constituents.

Again, WTF?

Admittedly, the Gleaner is not an overpaid member in good standing of the political-industrial complex privy to advanced analysis of polling results or focus group responses to messaging variables or whatever. Your lowly Gleaner is just a concerned citizen who thinks that pounding the living shit out of Porter in ads is not only the best way to beat his sorry ass, but would also make for must-see TV.

Instead, Titus and her fancy pants team of highly trained professionals appear to have decided to run a generic campaign of the sort that might be mounted against virtually any Republican member of Congress in the country: Republican congressman takes boatloads of money from fat cats, gives tax breaks to oil companies, votes against children, veterans and puppies, goes down on Bush on request, etc., etc.

And maybe that's the way to go. There is reportedly a Republican "death list," and Porter is reportedly on it. Maybe the Titus campaign has determined that with voters rightly blaming conservative Republicans for the new Great Depression, going too entertainingly negative on Porter would be counter-productive. Probably the safest thing to do is what Titus seems to be doing -- lay out some solid if uninspired cookie-cutter attacks crafted from Porter's shameful record of Bush-loving malfeasance (plenty to choose from there), air the attacks often enough to keep pace with Porter's customary biannual sleazy televised lie-a-thon, toss in a positive spot or two for good measure and let the Democratic wave take care of the rest.

Maybe it'll work. But even if it does, it still would have been more fun to see blood and tears and guts flying all over hell and gone in an onslaught of mean-spirited anti-Porter destruction. Instead, it looks like if Porter gets dropped, it won't be with a bang but with a whimper.

But if he wins, Nevada TV viewers will have been deprived of a magnificent spectacle of full-on jugular-thrashing Porter-bashing as the result of a horrible miscalculation. Plus the assclown will be back in Congress voting for transnational corporations and against hapless Nevada humans.

Comments

[Tailspinterry]

I agree totally. Why hold back? And the toxic lies are gaining traction. It makes no sense to vote for Obama and Porter as today's Sun article mentioned.

[theo]

RNCC is begging for DC Metro volunteers to call on Porter's behalf.

[KICKBOXERMOMMA]

Porter's lies need to be countered. People aren't voting for Dina because of believing Porter's ad that she is corrupt.

[Michael Green]

This is one of those questions. On the one hand, if your opponent is imploding, let him implode. On the other hand, Porter should be pounded from every direction. But I wonder--I don't know, but I wonder--whether Titus and her campaign are a little leery of having her appear too nasty by just kicking Porter all the time. It may be related to image-building, at least in concept.

[Gary Kilbride]

Titus' commercials are weak, only marginally better than her efforts against Gibbons. I mentioned that a few weeks ago when I first saw the weird one that seemed to think zooming in and out on Titus' face was landslide strategy. That twist and shout ad is the first creative one I've seen against Porter, although Hafen's spots were generally harsh and impressive. She was a victim of the national committees not getting involved until it was too late.

Anyway, I voted early today. My apologies to Ralston and others. Timed it wonderfully, 3:30 PM at the Galleria Mall, not 1 second wait and several female poll workers competing for my presence with waved hands. Unfortunately, they were typical age for that position. :)

[Just wondering]

Titus would seem to only be able to attack other Democrats, especially if they are of the less-liberal variety. A moderate Dem? She can unleash a barrage that would make anyone weak in the knees. An absolute ass-clown of a Republican? Eh - not so much. She snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against Gibbons. I would not put it past her team to do the same against Porter. Just visit with the Team Titus folks sometime - they all save their true hatred for moderate Dems. I'd never bet against them in a primary. They just don't know how to win a contested general election. If they win this time it will only be because of the Obama tide.

[temujin... khan of the yakka mongols]

...I'm watching the debate and wish someone would put a bag over Jon Porters head

[Steve]

Man this campaign has been horribly run. Where are the ads linking Porter to Bush 90% of the time? His willingness to vote against the troops? Etc. Instead we get some pretty crappy ads based on donors or something or other while I see how she's going to take my money get beamed in my house 40,000 times a day.

Terribly run campaign. Hope she wins but it certainly won't be because of her own doing.

[nick]

I'm supporting Titus %100, but it does seem like the primary purpose of her TV campaign is to let the voters know she has a very broad Southern accent, and I confess to being just a touch mystified by this strategy....

[Scorpiogal]

@ temujin,

Paper or Plastic ? ;)

[temujin... khan of the yakka mongols]

...Plastic my dear with a tight neck string ..hee..hee..hee.....

[Gleaner's photographer]

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0g1e7219NY4Un/610x.jpg

Is great at photoshop...no I'm kidding, he just uses photos from 20 years ago.