GOP blogging machine Gary Gross from Let Freedom Ring reports on Coon Rapids’ July 4 parade (held, perversely, on July 3).
Coon Rapids is in the heart of the Third District, where longtime representative (and fellow Jamestown ND expat) Jim Ramstad is retiring. Erik Paulsen is running against DFL-endorsed Ashwin Madia for the seat.
Gross – as sotted a GOP koolaid-drinker as exists anywhere – paints a sanguine picture for Paulsen:
Team Paulsen looked picture-perfect this evening, with plenty of youngin’s sporting the uniform. By contrast, the Dems did not appear to have assembled any kids. If the Democrats are the party of Madison Avenue, it sure doesn’t show. The Paulsen contingent appears normal, family-oriented, apolitical and content. Very middle middle class. Neighborly. With the talent Team Madia has brought on board in the last few weeks, this evening’s poor showing astounds.
Erik Paulsen looked great this evening–slim, youthful, jogging comfortably from side to side, greeting parade viewers in a friendly, low-key manner. Ashwin Madia didn’t show up for today’s parade, adding to the sense of blowout. It would seem reasonable to me to view this race–today, district-wide–as a 60-40 contest, in Paulsen’s favor.
Of course, you can expect a GOP pep-talk from the likes of Gary Gross, so take the above with the appropriate-sized grain of salt.
UPDATE: Oops. The above was not written by Gary Gross, but rather by DFL-blogger and Paulsen gadfly Gavin Sullivan.
I apologize for any trouble my misunderstanding has caused.
What? No pictures of Paulsen’s house?
This would be a much better story, if GS didn’t have the political insight of paste.
Erik Paulsen looked great this evening–slim, youthful, jogging comfortably from side to side, greeting parade viewers in a friendly, low-key manner.
That is a strange way to describe a political candidate, especially one from the opposing side. Sounds like he’s secretly hot for him, like the chick who fantasized on her blog about young John McCain.
Dunno, Margaret. Seems fairly adjectival if not necessarily clinical.
I think you’re reading more into it than is there.
I was simply trying to be objective, and yes, my box score on the Coon Rapids Parade line gave a point to Paulsen. While zigging and zagging about at the CR Parade, I somehow failed to see Ashwin Madia, and issued a correction and apology for my oversight, as soon as Team Madia brought this to my attention:
http://gavinsullivan.blogspot.com/2008/07/ashwin-was-there.html
Oh, and don’t forget to check out my slide show from the Coon Rapids parade, which was good fun:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67654706@N00/sets/72157605964139456/show/
Cheers
http://www.gavinsullivan.com