Land falters
Land flops
Deer in the headlights
Not ready for prime time
Land looked stiff and was reading off prepared remarks
Land spun
her wheels
her wheels
Those are the headlines and phrases employed by media
outlets across the state to describe Republican Terri Lynn Land’s disastrous
debut in the hard-scrabble world of a media hungry for answers from a Senate
candidate.
outlets across the state to describe Republican Terri Lynn Land’s disastrous
debut in the hard-scrabble world of a media hungry for answers from a Senate
candidate.
It’s been 24 hours since Land’s appearance on stage at
the Mackinac Island Policy Conference and it appears she has accumulated no
defenders of her oratorical failures on Wednesday. And, surprisingly, no one in
the GOP seems to be arguing that the media engaged in piling on.
the Mackinac Island Policy Conference and it appears she has accumulated no
defenders of her oratorical failures on Wednesday. And, surprisingly, no one in
the GOP seems to be arguing that the media engaged in piling on.
If you haven’t heard, Land repeatedly dodged questions
about whether she supported the Detroit auto bailout – as a 2011 video indicates
— and she inadvertently demonstrated that she does not understand the net
neutrality issue that could alter the entire Internet landscape.
about whether she supported the Detroit auto bailout – as a 2011 video indicates
— and she inadvertently demonstrated that she does not understand the net
neutrality issue that could alter the entire Internet landscape.
But it was the press scrum after her speech, while
surrounded by reporters, where Land stumbled badly. As
surrounded by reporters, where Land stumbled badly. As
Kathy Gray of the
Detroit Free Press reported:
Detroit Free Press reported:
“It wasn’t pretty.
“…
(she) eventually agreed to the scrum,
and the microphones, cameras and cell phone recorders emerged in her face.
(she) eventually agreed to the scrum,
and the microphones, cameras and cell phone recorders emerged in her face.
“At one point, looking slightly panicked and clearly
uncomfortable, she pushed microphones away and said, ‘I can’t do this. I talk
with my hands.’”
uncomfortable, she pushed microphones away and said, ‘I can’t do this. I talk
with my hands.’”
After just 2½ minutes, a campaign aide whisked her away.
To be fair, Land’s Democratic
opponent, Rep. Gary Peters, is certainly not a mesmerizing public speaker and
at times during his turn on the stage he gave overly long, wonkish comments.
opponent, Rep. Gary Peters, is certainly not a mesmerizing public speaker and
at times during his turn on the stage he gave overly long, wonkish comments.
But, beyond the issues and legislative skills required on
Capitol Hill, if a senator Land can’t handle a media scrum and if she can’t
provide real answers to reporters’ questions, well, the Washington press corps
will eat her alive.
Capitol Hill, if a senator Land can’t handle a media scrum and if she can’t
provide real answers to reporters’ questions, well, the Washington press corps
will eat her alive.
It’s now fairly obvious that Land’s campaign advisers, by
keeping her largely under wraps for a year, made a huge tactical error. There
are numerous public campaign stops she could have made across the state since
announcing her candidacy last June where she could have gained confidence in
talking to the media. She could have built up her comfort level and gradually
gained experience in the Big Leagues of Senate candidacies.
keeping her largely under wraps for a year, made a huge tactical error. There
are numerous public campaign stops she could have made across the state since
announcing her candidacy last June where she could have gained confidence in
talking to the media. She could have built up her comfort level and gradually
gained experience in the Big Leagues of Senate candidacies.
Clearly, her eight years as Michigan Secretary of State
did not adequately prepare her for this political arena. The issues are big and
numerous and doing your homework is a must.
did not adequately prepare her for this political arena. The issues are big and
numerous and doing your homework is a must.
Her Mackinac speech consisted of the candidate reading
from notecards,
criticizing the Affordable Care Act, delays on the Keystone pipeline, and a
climate change cap-and-trade proposal that Peters has supported in the past.
from notecards,
criticizing the Affordable Care Act, delays on the Keystone pipeline, and a
climate change cap-and-trade proposal that Peters has supported in the past.
Afterward, the question from the audience about
net neutrality revealed that Land apparently thought the issue was about
offering free Internet service to all.
net neutrality revealed that Land apparently thought the issue was about
offering free Internet service to all.
“I think
the Internet should be free,” Land said, creating raised eyebrows among the
media on hand. Asked to clarify her
position, Land later explained that she was not proposing free national
broadband access. “I think it’s important that the costs don’t go up so people
can have access to the Internet,” she told reporters.
the Internet should be free,” Land said, creating raised eyebrows among the
media on hand. Asked to clarify her
position, Land later explained that she was not proposing free national
broadband access. “I think it’s important that the costs don’t go up so people
can have access to the Internet,” she told reporters.
When asked whether she believes NSA document
leaker Edward Snowden is a patriot or a traitor, she balked. “I think we have
to go through the process and if he breaks the rules, he has to pay the
price,” Land said multiple times.
leaker Edward Snowden is a patriot or a traitor, she balked. “I think we have
to go through the process and if he breaks the rules, he has to pay the
price,” Land said multiple times.
And when faced with a series of rapid-fire questions about
the auto rescue, Land kept repeating a rote answer: “I’ve always supported auto workers …”
the auto rescue, Land kept repeating a rote answer: “I’ve always supported auto workers …”
Here is
the sage Jack Lessenberry’s withering criticism of this episode:
the sage Jack Lessenberry’s withering criticism of this episode:
“Land was
absolutely dreadful. She came across like a high school student who had
memorized a speech. You had the terrible sensation that if interrupted, she
would have had to start all over from the beginning. She spoke in slogans,
seemed incapable of providing specific answers, and seemed not to understand the
current hot-button issue of ‘Internet neutrality,’ which threatens to allow
rich conglomerates to dominate cyberspace.
absolutely dreadful. She came across like a high school student who had
memorized a speech. You had the terrible sensation that if interrupted, she
would have had to start all over from the beginning. She spoke in slogans,
seemed incapable of providing specific answers, and seemed not to understand the
current hot-button issue of ‘Internet neutrality,’ which threatens to allow
rich conglomerates to dominate cyberspace.
“Worse,
when surrounded by reporters and bombarded with questions afterwards, she
clearly panicked. She was a frightened Sarah Palin in sensible shoes, and
everybody knew it.
when surrounded by reporters and bombarded with questions afterwards, she
clearly panicked. She was a frightened Sarah Palin in sensible shoes, and
everybody knew it.
“… Terri
Lynn Land was an effective and popular secretary of state, and the election is
more than five months away. She may be a quick study. But she’s clearly not
ready for prime time.”
Lynn Land was an effective and popular secretary of state, and the election is
more than five months away. She may be a quick study. But she’s clearly not
ready for prime time.”
*****
One more
item: The Detroit Regional Chamber deserves a round of boos for promoting a “square off” between Land and Peters that was,
under an odd process, not a debate at all. The candidates never appeared on
stage together, instead giving separate speeches to the crowd.
item: The Detroit Regional Chamber deserves a round of boos for promoting a “square off” between Land and Peters that was,
under an odd process, not a debate at all. The candidates never appeared on
stage together, instead giving separate speeches to the crowd.
It was the
kind of nonsense you see at “Meet The Candidates” events held in dank VFW halls
for city council candidates.
kind of nonsense you see at “Meet The Candidates” events held in dank VFW halls
for city council candidates.
GASP!!!! It almost seems like the media is leaning somewhat to the left. How can that be? We all know the media is fair and unbiased.
Hey, Chad's doing the best he can from 400 miles away, breathlessly regurgitating the reporting of others.
Guess being a blogger doesn't rate a trip to Mackinac.
"She was a frightened Sarah Palin in sensible shoes, and everybody knew it." What are you trying to say?, that Sarah Palin wasn't ready for prime time either? She was a lot more ready that the teleprompter reading Jr Senator from IL. She handed Joe Biden his ass and did it with a smile on her face during their debate. McCain, the old glue horse cost her the election.