MPW set an all-time internal record for visits in October 2008. But the reasons for this may surprise you.
It is true that two of our most popular series, MoCo’s Most Influential People and Saqib-Mania, appeared in whole or in part last month. But our most sustained increases in traffic have been driven by two completely different issues:
1. MCDCC’s Sample Ballot
Marc Korman’s guest post on the Central Committee’s sample ballot has drawn steady interest. Many people are finding it through Google and coming in directly to that entry. Other than (predictably) supporting all the Democratic candidates for office, the sample ballot outlines the party’s positions on the ballot questions. On the two county questions, the party recommends voting for repeal of legally ineffective charter provisions (Question A) and against the latest Ficker Amendment (Question B). On the two state questions, the party recommends voting for early voting (Question 1) and against slots (Question 2). The report from the party’s Ballot Questions Advisory Committee, which explains why the party adopted its positions, is here.
2. The MoCo School Board Races
MoCo voters are searching for info about the two school board races: the at-large contest between Phil Kauffman and Tommy Le, and the District 2 contest between incumbent Steve Abrams and challenger Laura Berthiaume. They are finding precious little from the mainstream media, but they have been making their way to this blog.
The three posts that have been drawing the most attention, almost always from people who have been referred by search engines, are:
Below the Radar, a guest post by Sharon Dooley in which she expresses her support for Kauffman.
What a Way to Seek an Endorsement, in which I reveal what a kook Tommy Le really is.
Time to Get Rid of Steve Abrams, in which I demonstrate how no thinking person on either the left or the right could support his return to the school board. This last post is by far the most popular of the three as it shows up first on a Google search of the terms “Steve Abrams Laura Berthiaume.”
One of the reasons why we are getting record traffic on the school board race is that the mainstream media’s coverage has been so dreadful. The Post’s new piece is decent, but it came out only six days before the election. The Gazette’s coverage of the last school board debate offers less meat than a soy-burger. Neither the Post nor the Gazette report on Abrams’ constant running for every office higher than weasel catcher. Nor do they report the biggest development of the debate: District 2 candidate Laura Berthiaume said she would not run for any other office during her four-year term and challenged Abrams to make the same commitment. Abrams, of course, declined. Ace Gazette reporter Janel Davis would have picked up on that in two seconds, but unfortunately, she was not there.
If the Gazette wants to improve its coverage, they need to do two things.
1. Breed five clones of Ms. Davis and send them to all political events. If you want something done right, assign your best worker to the job.
2. Steal Examiner reporter Kathleen Miller and pay her what she’s worth (easily six digits). Then have Ms. Davis and Ms. Miller compete for the title of “Most Dangerous Woman in Print.” And watch your classified revenues go up.
Until then, we’re happy to get the site visits!
Monday, November 03, 2008
MPW’s Record Month
Monday, October 20, 2008
Time to Get Rid of Steve Abrams (Updated)
The Gazette Editorial Board must not read the Gazette. If they did, they would never have endorsed incumbent school board member Steve Abrams’ bid for re-election.
Forget about the fact that Abrams was the sole opponent of a school board resolution calling for increased federal funding of No Child Left Behind requirements and opposition to vouchers for private schools. And forget about the fact that Abrams wrote the state legislature to oppose an assault weapons ban back when he was Chairman of MoCo’s Republican Central Committee. And – we know it is difficult to ask you to forget more – put aside the fact that he has been running non-stop for every office conceivable, from County Executive to County Council to Circuit Court Judge to House of Delegates to Rockville City Council to State Comptroller. (Everybody needs a hobby, although one wonders how he finds the time to do school board work.) Instead, let's discuss the fact that during the last two years, Abrams has been blazing a path of pathology through the Gazette that would make Robin Ficker recoil in outrage.
The latest blow-up occurred after Abrams’ ill-fated 2006 Republican primary run for State Comptroller, a race that saw him win just three of the state’s 24 counties. Unable to bear the thought of government without him in it, Abrams then announced his intention to join the Republican slate for Montgomery County Council. But the party already had a full slate, so Abrams bullied Adol T. Owen-Williams II into dropping out. Abrams’ tactics ultimately failed as he lost by more than 80,000 votes to the Democrats in the general election.
The story could have ended there, but with Steve Abrams, the story never really ends. Owen-Williams thought he had a “gentleman’s agreement” with Abrams for reimbursement of $5,000 in campaign expenses he had incurred before withdrawing. When Owen-Williams asked Abrams for the money after the general election, the “gentleman” erupted in fury. According to African-American Owen-Williams, Abrams called him “boy,” grabbed him by the throat and slammed his head against a wall. The two men filed assault charges against each other which were later dropped by prosecutors.
But once again, the story never ends with Steve Abrams! Abrams told the Gazette that county Republicans “conspired to set him up” for the assault charge because they were tired of dealing with his complaints. (We sympathize.) Abrams then became a Democrat and endorsed Barack Obama, prompting Montgomery County’s Republican Party Chairman to say, “He’s free to go where he wants to go... He had kind of made that threat before. As far as I can tell, no one on the Democrats want him either.”
Upon learning that Abrams had joined the Democratic Party, MCDCC Chairwoman Karen Britto gasped, “I’m speechless.” Well, I’m not going to be speechless and neither should you. There are plenty of sane, intelligent people who care about education in Montgomery County, one of whom is school board challenger Laura Berthiaume. There is no reason to tolerate bad behavior from our school board members that we would never tolerate from our students. It’s time to get rid of Steve Abrams.
Update: At the League of Women Voters Candidates Forum on October 27, Laura Berthiaume said she would not run for any other office during her four-year term and challenged Abrams to make the same commitment. Abrams, who constantly runs for office of every conceivable kind, declined. Folks, that says it all concerning what these two candidates care about.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Should the MoCo Dem Central Committee Be Expanded?
There is a proposal to do just that and the hearing is tonight. It is part of a series of local bills being heard by the County Affairs Committee of our MoCo Delegation. Betta you didn't know that our General Assembly folks have their own web site. Worth a look.
Back to the bill, Sen. Nancy King and Del. Charles Barkley -- both of District 39 (Montgomery Village, portions of Germantown, Derwood and unincorporated Gaithersburg) -- want to expand the MCDCC from 23 members (2 members from each of the 8 districts and 7 at large members) to 27 members. The MCDCC is opposed. Click here to learn more.
The hearing for this bill and 17 others will begin tonight at the Stella Werner Building (MoCo County Council Building) at 7:00 P.M. The public is welcome.
Other bills of interest are: Delegate Susan Lee (District 16 -- Chevy Chase, Bethesda) is submitting a bill on behalf of Councilman Phil Andrews (District 3 -- Rockville, Gaithersburg, Darnestown) to regulate campaign finance for races in MoCo. The offices that would be affected are: the MoCo Executive, State's Attorney and the nine members of the County Council. They might be more but I guess don't the details all that well. But I do know that the races for the MD GA will not be covered. Click here for more.
Finally Charles Barkley is proposing that cell phone towers at MoCo Elementary and JR High Schools be banned. Since that is a big money maker for the School Board, guess who is against it: The Superintendent of the Schools, Jerry Weast, the School Board and the MCEA. Click here for more.
