Comments on: Dan Debicella has my vote…

By: Brian Lockhart

Brian Lockhart — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 22:20:50 +0000

Hi Joel.
1. I contacted Dan with the question because, of the five GOP contenders for Himes’ seat, he is the only one currently serving in the state legislature, where the proposal originated.
But you’re right – it would have been better had I also contacted Russo. I did ask him the same question today while we were on the phone.
2. If Dan and Russo enjoy greater name recognition and support from party leaders (state House Minority Leader Larry Cafero today endorsed Debicella) that translates into fund raising dollars and that gives them an advantage over other Republican candidates.
Debicella was recently given a shout out by the National Republican Congressional Committee at http://www.nrcc.org/news/read.aspx?id=1265.
I am comfortable labeling Debicella and Russo as the front runners at this time.

By: Joel Gonzalez

Joel Gonzalez — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:45:53 +0000

“…and state Sen. Dan Debicella, R-Shelton, considered a frontrunner among the handful of Republicans looking to take on Himes.”

Brian what makes you think that Debicella is considered the frontrunner?
You consider him the front runner and it’s obvious by the fact that out of all the candidates you sent the question to, you linked only
state Sen. Dan Debicella, R-Shelton, and didn’t even send Rob Russo the question. The only reason Dan has raised more money, is because he is an incumbent Senator. You shouldn’t take this as an indication that the voters see Dan as a “frontrunner”.

By: Sean

Sean — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 16:27:25 +0000

Mr. Lockhart, that was your headline: “Dan Debicella Has My Vote..”

Ask yourself whether a reporter for the New York Times would ever consider putting a headline like that one on an article he writes. Would any editor at the New York Times ever permit a headline like that, whether in the print edition or on a blog? Of course not. And neither should anyone at Hearst Newspapers.

It’s wrong, and it’s unprofessional. If you don’t like your professionalism being questioned, then don’t permit unprofessional headlines like that on your publications. It’s simple.

By: Paco

Paco — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:31:40 +0000

Sean, throttle back on the caffeine

By: Armando

Armando — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:15:16 +0000

Brian thanks for your lighthearted take on the candidates. It’s a pity that some might launch into an atack before actually taking the time to read the article.

Probably the same folks who support trillion dollar congressional bills without taking the time to understand what exactly they are commiting themselves to.

By: Brian Lockhart

Brian Lockhart — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:14:31 +0000

That should have read that Himes and Debicella are tied for best hair in the race for U.S. Rep.
Blumenthal has my vote for best hair in the U.S. Senate race.

By: Brian Lockhart

Brian Lockhart — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:11:38 +0000

I said he has my vote “for most responsive candidate.”
However I’d say it’s a tie between Debicella and Himes for my vote for “best hair in the 2010 U.S. Senate race.”
Linda McMahon has my vote “for making the 2010 U.S. Senate race a particularly crazy, fun-to-cover romp filled with controversies over wrestling storylines involving necrophilia and the mentally disabled.”
And you, Sean, have my vote for being the reader who most frequently questions my professionalism.

By: Sean

Sean — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:19:02 +0000

Debicella “has your vote”? You’ve gone on record in print as saying you will vote for Debicella over Jim Himes? But you will continue to cover the congressional race, one supposes, and pretend that you’re an umbiased, objective, professional journalist, right?

Do you have any idea how blatantly unprofessional it is for a journalist to declare his support for one candidate in a race he is covering? And please don’t tell me you were just kidding. A professional simply would never think of writing what you just did. Never.