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AL-05: Shepard says allegations are politically motivated, "we're in the lead & intend to win"

by: mooncat

Wed May 26, 2010 at 15:33:34 PM CDT


5th District Congressional candidate Taze Shepard held a press conference this morning to "set the record straight concerning politically motivated allegations" about his work with the US Space and Rocket Center over 10 years ago.  In response to a question on the state of the Democratic primary, Shepard said polling indicates, "we are in the lead and intend to win."

More, including video, below the fold.

mooncat :: AL-05: Shepard says allegations are politically motivated, "we're in the lead & intend to win"

This ad from fellow Democrat Steve Raby says Shepard was "asked to leave" the Space and Rocket Center after they "lost $7.5 million."

Shepard reiterated that he was one of the board members who voted to fire former CEO Mike Wing after Wing attempted to sell the Center to out of state investors and that he stayed on the board and put in hundreds of volunteer hours to help get the center back on track.  He said he was never asked to resign from the board, that he eventually resigned because he needed to devote more time to his business and suggested that other board members do the same so the Governor could appoint an all new board for a clean start moving forward.

Shepard took Raby to task for dragging the Space Center and Space Camp into this political fight and said Raby owed the Space Center an apology.  He also indicated that while Steve Raby's background as a lobbyist and his facilitation of PAC to PAC money transfers should not disqualify him from office, that is the kind of information the public needs to take into account when deciding what kind of Congressman Raby would be.

Shepard said polling indicates his campaign is "in the lead" and they intend to win the Democratic primary on June 1.  Voter turnout for the primary is a complete wild card because the election is the day after Memorial Day.  Adding to the confusion, many voters in Madison County will be voting at new polling places for the first time.  Every campaign I've spoken with has expressed concern that many voters will have trouble finding the correct polling place next Tuesday.

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Polling (0.00 / 0)
that Shepard paid for. Three weeks ago. That also showed 58% were undecided.

How do you know which poll this statement refers to? (0.00 / 0)
Most candidates (who can afford it) will conduct more than one poll. Especially in the last week of the campaign. I bet this statement refers to poll conducted post Shepard's attack ad or post Raby's response ad.

[ Parent ]
He's talking about a more recent poll, after the ad frenzy started (0.00 / 0)
And the undecideds are fewer in the latest poll, but Shepard is maintaining a lead.

Work harder and work smarter!

[ Parent ]
Recent Polling (4.00 / 1)
has Shepard with a 6% lead over Raby with I believe 24% undecided.

[ Parent ]
Thanks for that tidbit! (0.00 / 0)
Even fewer undecideds than I thought.

Work harder and work smarter!

[ Parent ]
My source (0.00 / 0)
Is conversations with Shepard and his campaign staff.  Recent conversations.

Work harder and work smarter!

[ Parent ]
IF the numbers are so great (0.00 / 0)
Why doesn't the campaign release them?

[ Parent ]
They aren't going to share with their opponents (0.00 / 0)
No campaign wants to do that.  The numbers are moving in their direction right now, where does it benefit them to release a poll?

Work harder and work smarter!

[ Parent ]
If the horse race numbers (0.00 / 0)

from their poll show them leading, it absolutely benefits them. That's why every campaign releases them when they are good for that campaign. Anyone who has worked in politics knows this. This is media strategy 101 stuff. What is the point of paying for a poll when you can't use it to affect the narrative?

I don't know though, maybe the Shepard campaign is too busy going $270,000 in debt to make Dave Driscoll rich to plan an effective media strategy.



[ Parent ]
Well, they got the "we're leading" part out there pretty well, didn't they? (0.00 / 0)
I mean, tossing it out at a press conference kind of does the trick.  But campaigns don't typically release results of internal polls in the last week of a campaign.  They shape their strategy, they may characterize them for the media, but they aren't going to open the book and show their hand.  Raby isn't releasing his, either.  Nor are the gubernatorial campaigns, although they have them, and I doubt the Howie campaign has the resources to conduct polling.

Work harder and work smarter!

[ Parent ]
Clearly afraid (0.00 / 0)
This is a classic response to a campaign in trouble. This was discussed in detail among several heavy hitters in Huntsville. He got fired/he quit-same difference. He was directly responsible for the loss of about 170 jobs of hard working Alabamians. He was a board member so he is responsible. Do we really want a congressman that can't be responsible for his actions? It really depends on which of Taze's internal paid that you use to verify his numbers. Last look - Shepard was sinking further into the realm of frivolity. people still want to know where Taze has been for the last ten years?

The whole board resigned (0.00 / 0)

They actually took responsibility.  They blocked Mike Wing's plan to privatize the Space and Rocket Center, fired his ass, stopped the bleeding and then got the hell out of the way so Don Seigelman could appoint a fresh group of folks.  That's pretty damned responsible, seems to me. Of course, you can fault them for being taken in by Wing in the first place, but he was apparently an extremely talented con artist who took people in three states for millions.  The AG in Arizona cut a deal and didn't convict him of a crime or he might not have been able to get the job here in the first place.

Who are these heavy hitters and when did they discuss this?



Work harder and work smarter!

[ Parent ]
Another strange story where Taze escapes (0.00 / 0)
As a board member you are responsible for the CEO. It's strange that he didn't admit to mismanaging as was the case in this situation.it seems as if his family ties allowed him to escape again. This is very bothersome to common average people such as myself.

Skeptical (0.00 / 0)

The Space and Rocket Center stuff is fairly ancient history, it was thoroughly hashed out in the news at the time, Wing was obviously a crook who pulled the wool over the eyes of many, many people around the country and I don't think common average people such as myself care very much about it these days. Who else served on that board anyway?  Anyone else who's name we would recognize?

 



Work harder and work smarter!

[ Parent ]
question of support (0.00 / 0)
Mooncat: All of your postings (and tone) indicate that you are supporting Shepard. what are your reasons for supporting Shepard?

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