Just when you think you have heard everything . . . . -- Political advertising
Do you remember the name Eldrin Bell, former Atlanta police chief under the late Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson? I know you folks in the metro area do, and you also are aware that Mr. Bell ran a successful campaign this summer for Clayton County Commission chairman.
I met Mr. Bell this summer, and had the pleasure and, more accurately, the experience of hearing him deliver one of his tell it like it is speeches. He is a live wire and dynamic public speaker, and I feel confidant will serve Clayton County well.
Just when you think you have heard everything, here comes one to top all.
In an article in the 9-16-04 ajc we learn that Mr. Bell's Republican opponent for Chairman of the Clayton County Commission has filed a lawsuit accusing Mr. Bell of violating state election laws and seeking a court order that his signs be taken down forthwith.
The problem -- I hope you love this as much as I do -- the signs only say "Eldrin Bell, Clayton County Commission Chairman."
"People seeing these billboard advertisings would think that Eldrin Bell is chairman and that the final race for the County Commission chairman's position is over," the complaint reads.
In 1962 Carl Sanders defeated Marvin Griffin for governor in the last of the great campaigns in which candidates held large rallies and barbecues. After the election Griffin said, "Everybody that ate my barbecue I don't believe voted for me."
Just as feeding the most voters at barbecue rallies doesn't assure victory on election day, neither does identifying oneself as the office holder in campaign material, billboard signs or otherwise. Trust me. I've been there and done that.
This summer Mr. Bell and I exchanged business and campaign cards. My campaign card has the name of my website on it. The name -- SenatorSidCottingham.com
The business card I gave Mr. Bell has my address on it. I am expecting a subpoena any day now as a witness in his upcoming hearing.
End of post other than for those who might have missed how I came about such an optimistic name for my website. The story is from page one of my website:
"ONE U.S. SENATE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE HAS MORE MONEY THAN MANNERS
Sid Cottingham learned a couple of days after qualifying that one of his opponents in the July 20 primary apparently has more money than manners.
Upon qualifying Sid acknowledged that while his was not a household name, he pledged to wage a very effective campaign, become a household name during the months of June and July, and win the Democratic nomination on July 20.
He immediately proceeded to go about setting up a website using what one is supposed to use as a domain name, that is, one’s name.
Imagine his surprise upon learning that not only were the domain names SidCottingham.com and SidCottingham.org not available, but that these names had been taken on April 30, 2004, the day after he qualified to run for the United States Senate for the seat being vacated by Senator Zell Miller.
Thinking this smacked of dirty tricks directed at Democrats during the Watergate era days of GOP President Nixon, further imagine his surprise to learn that it was not a Republican after all but rather a Democratic opponent who had confiscated his identity.
This opponent defended his actions to Cottingham by saying that “no name is ‘your name’“ and that “people have no rights in their personal names” anymore that anyone else.
After unsuccessfully trying to barter with his opponent to get use of his own name for his website without legal action, Sid settled for the one you are now visiting which he hopes will be prove to be an even better and perhaps prescient one, SenatorSidCottingham.com.
Thanks for visiting us here."
I met Mr. Bell this summer, and had the pleasure and, more accurately, the experience of hearing him deliver one of his tell it like it is speeches. He is a live wire and dynamic public speaker, and I feel confidant will serve Clayton County well.
Just when you think you have heard everything, here comes one to top all.
In an article in the 9-16-04 ajc we learn that Mr. Bell's Republican opponent for Chairman of the Clayton County Commission has filed a lawsuit accusing Mr. Bell of violating state election laws and seeking a court order that his signs be taken down forthwith.
The problem -- I hope you love this as much as I do -- the signs only say "Eldrin Bell, Clayton County Commission Chairman."
"People seeing these billboard advertisings would think that Eldrin Bell is chairman and that the final race for the County Commission chairman's position is over," the complaint reads.
In 1962 Carl Sanders defeated Marvin Griffin for governor in the last of the great campaigns in which candidates held large rallies and barbecues. After the election Griffin said, "Everybody that ate my barbecue I don't believe voted for me."
Just as feeding the most voters at barbecue rallies doesn't assure victory on election day, neither does identifying oneself as the office holder in campaign material, billboard signs or otherwise. Trust me. I've been there and done that.
This summer Mr. Bell and I exchanged business and campaign cards. My campaign card has the name of my website on it. The name -- SenatorSidCottingham.com
The business card I gave Mr. Bell has my address on it. I am expecting a subpoena any day now as a witness in his upcoming hearing.
End of post other than for those who might have missed how I came about such an optimistic name for my website. The story is from page one of my website:
"ONE U.S. SENATE DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE HAS MORE MONEY THAN MANNERS
Sid Cottingham learned a couple of days after qualifying that one of his opponents in the July 20 primary apparently has more money than manners.
Upon qualifying Sid acknowledged that while his was not a household name, he pledged to wage a very effective campaign, become a household name during the months of June and July, and win the Democratic nomination on July 20.
He immediately proceeded to go about setting up a website using what one is supposed to use as a domain name, that is, one’s name.
Imagine his surprise upon learning that not only were the domain names SidCottingham.com and SidCottingham.org not available, but that these names had been taken on April 30, 2004, the day after he qualified to run for the United States Senate for the seat being vacated by Senator Zell Miller.
Thinking this smacked of dirty tricks directed at Democrats during the Watergate era days of GOP President Nixon, further imagine his surprise to learn that it was not a Republican after all but rather a Democratic opponent who had confiscated his identity.
This opponent defended his actions to Cottingham by saying that “no name is ‘your name’“ and that “people have no rights in their personal names” anymore that anyone else.
After unsuccessfully trying to barter with his opponent to get use of his own name for his website without legal action, Sid settled for the one you are now visiting which he hopes will be prove to be an even better and perhaps prescient one, SenatorSidCottingham.com.
Thanks for visiting us here."
posted by Sid Cottingham | 6:14 AM
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