Welcome to Costa Mesa Politics
CAUT
ION!
As we prepare to celebrate this long holiday weekend, and with the campaign season now fully launched, just a word of counsel to the newbies on the campaign trail.... Watch Your Step!
HAZARDS AHEAD
This is uncharted territory for four of them, and it's full of potential stumbling blocks, trip hazards, quicksand and other hazards. They will have to rein in that adrenalin and walk this path carefully lest they get snagged.
GULLIBILI
TY
One of the candidates has already learned this lesson the hard way. He, gentleman that he is, made the mistake of answering a telephone call from a person with a very specific agenda. He paid the price when that guy used the telephone conversation to skew his words and discredit him. It was kind of like accepting a bite from that Biblical apple.
VIPER DEN
Interestingly, reports have it that another candidate - also a naive neophyte - almost succumbed to a similar ploy and, even more interestingly, from a member of the same family of snakes.
UNBURDENED BY ETHICS
This is how it's going to go this year. Members of the improver-supported trio running for council will likely be the beneficiaries of dirty tricks as the campaign goes on. While they may not participate, some of their more rabid supporters - those unburdened by ethics - will attempt to influence public opinion by fabricating issues, distorting candidates statements and defaming those they don't support. We know this will happen because it's happened in the recent past.
FOREWARNED...
So, new candidates, when you answer that evening telephone call from someone you don't know who is eager to "help" you, proceed with caution. If you misspeak, or even answer questions straight out that can be manipulated and distorted, you may pay the price. Even if you are clever enough to avoid those pitfalls, certain elements in this city will still attempt to make you seem like Lucifer to the voters.
AGAIN - CAUTION
Welcome to the wonderful world of Costa Mesa politics. Watch Your Step!

As we prepare to celebrate this long holiday weekend, and with the campaign season now fully launched, just a word of counsel to the newbies on the campaign trail.... Watch Your Step!
HAZARDS AHEAD

This is uncharted territory for four of them, and it's full of potential stumbling blocks, trip hazards, quicksand and other hazards. They will have to rein in that adrenalin and walk this path carefully lest they get snagged.
GULLIBILI

One of the candidates has already learned this lesson the hard way. He, gentleman that he is, made the mistake of answering a telephone call from a person with a very specific agenda. He paid the price when that guy used the telephone conversation to skew his words and discredit him. It was kind of like accepting a bite from that Biblical apple.
VIPER DEN
Interestingly, reports have it that another candidate - also a naive neophyte - almost succumbed to a similar ploy and, even more interestingly, from a member of the same family of snakes.
UNBURDENED BY ETHICS
This is how it's going to go this year. Members of the improver-supported trio running for council will likely be the beneficiaries of dirty tricks as the campaign goes on. While they may not participate, some of their more rabid supporters - those unburdened by ethics - will attempt to influence public opinion by fabricating issues, distorting candidates statements and defaming those they don't support. We know this will happen because it's happened in the recent past.
FOREWARNED...

So, new candidates, when you answer that evening telephone call from someone you don't know who is eager to "help" you, proceed with caution. If you misspeak, or even answer questions straight out that can be manipulated and distorted, you may pay the price. Even if you are clever enough to avoid those pitfalls, certain elements in this city will still attempt to make you seem like Lucifer to the voters.
AGAIN - CAUTION
Welcome to the wonderful world of Costa Mesa politics. Watch Your Step!
Labels: campaign funds, Dirty Tricks, snake in the grass