Jamie Radtke piles up the debt…and blames George Allen
By Michael Fletcher | Friday, July 22nd, 2011 | PoliticsJamie Radtke has been talking a lot about the mess in Washington. She thinks she can fix it.
But her latest FEC reports shows that she’s $84,000 in debt, but only has $46,000 in the bank.
Raising money, in this economy and when there are multiple candidates is a difficult thing. It’s especially difficult when you’re not really registering in the polls.
But, who does Radtke blame?
From The Washington Post: “Here are the facts: When this campaign is over, Jamie’s debt will be paid and gone,” said Radtke spokesman Chuck Hansen. “Meanwhile, the $3.1 trillion in debt George Allen voted for while senator is still on our books.”
We’ve made the point time and time again. Radtke isn’t going to gain any traction if all she has is “Allen bad. Me good.”
Jamie Radtke has to get over the notion that George Allen is responsible for Original Sin.
All she’s really doing is pointing out that she doesn’t understand how Congress and the Federal Budget work.
Which is not surprising since she doesn’t seem to have a grasp on her own campaign budget.
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Michael Fletcher works as a freelance writer and consultant in Richmond, Virginia. He blogs regularly at http://www.thewritesideofmybrain.com, http://www.richmondvabusiness.com and http://365thingsibelieve.wordpress.com
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40 Responses to "Jamie Radtke piles up the debt…and blames George Allen"
This is exactly how I have felt about her. For all the average voter may know, she could have the potential to be the best candidate in this race. But her focus is in the wrong place. One of George Allen’s strengths is being very optimistic, knowing he can improve our commonwealth and our nation. I’m not saying that Jamie Radtke should ignore the weaknesses she sees in the former Governor, but she’s a broken record, and showing not only a recognition in her opponent’s flaws (never mind that she is ignoring her likely general election opponent), but also a recognition in her own strengths and in the things she believes she can bring Virginia is how success is bred.
At the same time though, she is succeeding in one way. Her name is still getting thrown around, despite not really having much to show for in the polls or the bank. If she can figure out how to capitalize on her own abilities, who knows, maybe she’ll actually figure out how to make this a race.
A few nights ago I mentioned this fact on a national blog to her Office Manager/volunteer/galpal who came back with:
What do you care? You’re not paying the bills?
I care because Radtke is reckless in her ‘blonde ambition’ to become a Senator and politically relevant. Next time, it could be my tax dollars.
Clearly you people read a lot but do not attend meet n greets. Really sad to see a patriot activist pile on with half truths.. Laura.
Right hook , left hook, jab. Repeat. Ok. Allen has the name recognition, he’s been Governor for crying out loud. Jamie Radtke has a long way to go for any recognition. They both have their own soundbites. Allen has the money to get around more and Radtke will have the “woman” thing working against her because let’s face it, are even the women of America ready to back a woman in this country? I’ve seen too many claws.
Hard to argue with: “Here are the facts: When this campaign is over, Jamie’s debt will be paid and gone,” said Radtke spokesman Chuck Hansen. “Meanwhile, the $3.1 trillion in debt George Allen voted for while senator is still on our books.”
It is a free country and she deserves the right to run. Seems to me you all a piling on just to make Allen’s effort look better. She should continue to express her views and run her race as she chooses. Welcome to American politics!
Radtke has every right to run for whatever office she chooses. I could have enthusiastically supported her for say, state senate.
Her problem is that she’s built her entire campaign on not being George Allen. His record is fair game. But she would have been better off to have focused on telling us why to vote FOR her rather than not for Allen.
We’ve been pretty consistent about saying that from the beginning.
Jamie Radtke = sinking ship
The problem Michael is that mean green keeps average American Citizen representatives out of office. Your trashing Mrs. Radtke for exposing the establishment Rino heir apparent that voted for every debt increase put in front of him.. 3,100,000,000,000.00 Look at all the zeros Mr.. You are helping to put a proven rino back in office Michael, thanks are due to you from the Allen campaign.. You are just being a good little republican by helping the establishment.. and you are going to get us rolled again by your “common sense (ha!) conservative”.
Kaine, the well funded liberal jacka$$ he is, will run towards the center and disown Obama if and when needed for traction among minorities and disaffected independents who are easily turned off by his favorite honky, Felix Macacavich.
There will also be a lot of women protesting Allen for not challenging the Tea Party guy at debates.. and that guy is a woman.
Well James, before you get too high handed, you may want to concede that the majority in the House of Representatives apparently will not agree to pay obligations of the federal government which Presidents and Congressman of their Party voted. The establishment of default as a policy option by the renegades, if done by a businessman or a homeowner, could result in civil judgement and incarceration; instead, we pay these spendthrifts a salary and a pension so they can take the week end off as a signal of their dedication to the crisis looming ahead of us.
Michael, you seem like a man of your own convictions.. How about we pretend to be Allen and Radtke on here..
When you speak start off by calling Allen HQ and asking how to respond. I’ll do the same for Radtke HQ.
I’ll start by calling Radtke HQ (804)451-5985.. “The debt ceiling does not need to be raised in order to prevent default.” – Radtke Staff
What say you Michael? Call Allen HQ (804)726-2012 and ask how to respond. Ask George if he would raise the debt ceiling (again) and post the quote.
Mike, those obligations need to be terminated in many cases. Corporate welfare is not an obligation voters chose, their turncoat representatives simply know how to harvest pork. The interest gets paid first and some of those obligations need to go push up daisys. Same with Obamacare and other as yet additional obligations proposed by your party and mine.
The article title is misleading, she is not blaming George Allen for her campaign debt.
Kathy,
You’re absolutely right. The main reason that Radtke can’t get traction in the polls is the “woman” thing. It is high time that we had a woman elected to the U. S. Senate!
What? How many? Oh. Never mind.
Make all the calls you want Turbo, George Allen can and does speak for himself.
I have nothing against Jamie Radtke or her views. But I do think she’s made some campaign mistakes.
Taking on debt for a contest against an establishment machine candidate with ties that come with being a former senator is hardly the same thing as the US debt that Allen helped to build. Sure, George Allen refused to help reign in Freddie & Fannie when Sen. Hagel – R asked him too. Not the same as borrowing for a campaign.
“Contrasting Message”, people. She has taken stands other than highlighting the ways George Allen betrayed Virginia. Like saying Freddie & Fannie should be privatized and government needs to stay out of the mortgage business. The Democrats proved how well that works and Allen helped them.
She said she opposes raising the debt limit. You don’t have to chase her down and demand an opinion. She will tell you her view on things. Btw, it isn’t default if you stop spending more and make necessary cuts.
She says she wants to eliminate the department of education and dept of energy. Both proven failures.
She favors the REINS act, balanced budget, term limits. She is against excessive regulations that stifle business, against tax subsidies, against assaults on property rights including Agenda 21.
Yea, you SAY she says nothing but bash Allen. It isn’t true. You just ignore and spin. All this criticism? George Allen EARNED IT!
The fact of the matter is that Radtke has absolutely no chance at beating Allen in the primary or Kaine in the general election. Nothing to do with policy or likability, everything to do with money. Sure, there are a few examples of not-so-well-funded candidates stealing a primary or even winning a general election; however, they are few and far between.
Campaign dollars are what win elections and Radtke hasn’t got any. When individuals, PACs, and corporations are allowed to buy elections, candidates like Radtke have no chance at even getting their name on a ballot in November. We’ve got to pass stringent campaign finance laws or go with publicly financed campaigns.
I disagree ToR. She does stand a chance of winning both. I am more worried about her beating Allen, though.
When Republicans see that Jamie Radtke is doing them a favor by pointing to the obvious and what the Democrats will nail Allen on, things will change. Allen can not beat Kaine. Macaca and other gaffes aside, Allen will suffer badly for a couple of reasons.
1) Virginia ………VIRGINIA……fired Republican George Allen. Being fired is damaging in it’s own right. Especially in favor of a Democrat.
2) just wait until George Allen tries to blame the Democrats or Kaine for not being fiscally sensible. Kaine will smack him upside the head with the hypocrite card so fast it won’t be pretty.
Just wait until the Dems get to blame food prices on George Allen’s vote for ethanol subsidies. Just wait until they blame all of the foreclosures on George Allen blocking for Freddie & Fannie. Just wait until somebody brings out the allegations of racism and good ‘ol boy deal making accusations.
*accidently hit the submmit button on my phone*
Jamie Radtke doesn’t have the national resources that Allen does, but she’s steadily building them. It is another advantage that she has over the other non-Allen challengers. When the Radtke campaign gets up to speed, shows she’s a contender, the GOP realizes that Allen equals defeat(just like last time), people won’t want to waste their money or resources. Furthermore, when Allen fades away the money and people will start showing up like crazy.
George Allen is not a choice. He was too much a part of the problem and fired for a reason.
Britt,
Jamie Radtke pulls off a primary upset and then goes on to crush her Democratic opponent? Really? What color is the sky in the world that you live in?
Have you ever heard of Sharon Angle, Christine O’Donnell, or Joe Miller? The only thing that Tea Party candidates accomplish is to elect Democrats and RINO’s.
I am so sick of hearing that Jamie cannot win because she is female. That is just an excuse and just as bad as falling back into the race issue that Democrats like to use. Jamie, I believe, has bitten off more than she an chew. Jamie would have better served her future had she decided to run for State Delegate or Senator. Not only would this have given her time to build name recognition but it would have taught her to run against the opposite Party opponent and not against another Republican. From the beginning she has thrown daggers at Allen perhaps forgetting that should she, by some stroke of luck, win the primary she will need Allen’s supporters to run against Kaine.
@ Britt Howard. Virginia didn’t fire Allen. The Washington Post strung Allen up for 18 days and made a mountain out of a molehill. Allen’s record stands for itself and he is still counted as one of Virginia’s best Governors. Today’s environment is so different from when Allen last ran for office and I believe we are seeing a man who can and should be our next Virginia Senator.
“Allen’s record stands for itself and he is still counted as one of Virginia’s best Governors.” Yes Carole he was a good governor.. One of the best damn governors we ever had.
Pplicy proposals and positions Jamie Radtke has issued during the campaign. For more information, go to radtkeforsenate.com or call the HQ at (804)451-5985:
Reduce the Size of Government:
· Abolish Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
· Eliminate the Department of Education
· Eliminate the Department of Energy after moving necessary responsibilities of the Office of the Under Secretary for National Security (as well as any other programs dealing with nuclear energy) to the Department of Defense
· Abolish MWAA and give Virginia the option to run Dulles and Reagan airports, the Dulles Airport Access Highway, Dulles Metrorail Project and Dulles Toll Road.
· Reform the wasteful federal HUD Section 8 Housing Voucher Program
Fiscal Policy:
· Do not support the Mitch McConnell-Reid-Pelosi “Cut, Run & Hide Plan” to allow President Obama to raise the debt ceiling.
· Pass “Cut, Cap & Balance.”
· Cut trillions, not billions. The GOP plan to roll spending “all the way back” to 2008 spending levels is not courageous leadership.
· Do not raise the debt ceiling. We’re in a $14 trillion hole – stop digging!:
· Support the Ryan Plan for Prosperity, including Medicare approach, but accelerate spending cuts
· Reform entitlements
· Lower corporate taxes and create a simpler, fairer tax system
· Cut taxes for job creators: corporations
· Do not support the “Washington Budget Deal”
· Do not support bailouts for Amtrak
Defending the Family:
· Do not use taxpayer funds to subsidize elective abortion
· Oppose abortion, stem-cell research and euthanasia
· Vigorously uphold the Defense of Marriage Act, and if the Obama administration won’t carry out its Constitutional duties, Congress should hire its own legal team to defend the act and reduce the Department of Justice budget by the amount of money needed to provide the defense
Defend the Constitution and the Rule of Law:
· Repeal and defund the 2010 health care legislation
· Support the Repeal Amendment (Woman Behind Repeal Amendment Running for Senate)
· Congress must take forceful action to reestablish its Constitutional Authority on Libya
· Audit the Fed
· Eliminate unfunded and unconstitutional mandates on states
· Overhaul TSA Screening Procedures to more closely resemble Israeli system.
· Do not support judges who make outcome-based decisions – instead support judges who will apply the law as written, including our paramount law, the Constitution
· Ensure Civil Liberties are respected in the Patriot Act
· Defend Second Amendment Rights
· Stop MWAA’s wasting of Virginians’ money and making the MWAA more accountable to the citizens and governments of the region
· Fight illegal immigration by securing the border, enforcing immigration laws, opposing amnesty and clarifying the 14th Amendment
Foreign Policy:
· The United States has no business intervening in Libya
· Support Israel, including its territorial integrity
· Do not support President Obama’s START Treaty
Energy Policy:
· Pass the SECURE Act (H.R. 840), which would allow more than thirty previously approved drilling projects to begin producing oil immediately
· Ethanol subsidies must be ended immediately
· No Climate Tax
· Permanently kill cap-and-trade legislation
What say you Allen on Michaels behalf? Call Allen HQ at (804)726-2012 and ask then post it here.
@Carole: “Virginia didn’t fire Allen. The Washington Post strung Allen up for 18 days and made a mountain out of a molehill.”
Allen strung up himself… And we fired him.
@ HisRoc, I did not say “crush”. You did. I did not mean to imply that a race vs. Kaine would be easy at all. I am simply more concerned about the ability of many Republicans to wear blinders and ignore George Allen’s dismal performance and betrayal of conservatism.
Carole, Virginia abosolutely did fire him! The Washington Post is not read by everyone and you give them WAY too much credit. More rationalizing for wearing your blinders. And for what? Your team win or lose? This isn’t football. This is real life. Allens votes on spending, subsidies, earmarks, and his blind eye to Fannie & Freddie were all to real. Sure, he looked like a distatsefull bully when he called that guy Macaca, but fiscal conservative were already looking to stay home after the his performance.
When you look at George Bush’s 2nd term, George Allen horrible Senate performance, and the fact we were offered John McCain…….how can a conservative not feel demoralized?
Allen was a darn good governor. I’m not here to lie to you or bs. However, YOU GUYS are the ones on another planet, because as senator, George Allen sucked!
Some of you people think WaPo fired Allen – like that is even possible. THE VOTERS DID!
Some of you think he was a good senator. His record does speak for itself. He was horrible. The fact he was a good governor DOES NOT change that.
Some of you say that Jamie Radtke only talks about how bad Allen is and never talks about her self or what she plans to do to help fix this mess we’re in. CLEARLY, she has. Turbo and I enumerated as best we could things she has put out. You can find this stuff on her website, her press releases, her youtube videos, and her lit. It is those of you drinking the establishment kool-aid that only see her pointing to George Allen’s obvious flaws. She does criticize his performance and rightly so. It is just some of you hope to hide under a rock and hope the Democrats won’t “crush” Allen with such obvious ammo.
I am not the one that is deluding themselves. I admire the loyalty, but you need to leave Allen before he loses to the Democrats………AGAIN!
All this is a difficult process, but a healthy one. It gives us a chance to put a check on human corruptability. Don’t reward Allen’s bad performanced for the sake of blind loyalty. Go with Radtke. She is a fiscal conservative at the core. She believes in it and will fight for it, and fight for you.
Anyone that denies the result of today’s national debt and economic catastrophe is not attributed to poor legislation, lack of securities enforcement, and free-wielding derivative Consolidated Debt Obligations (CDO) is unrealistic. While we speak of blame on the bandages placed to resolve these injuries, let us not forget the cause and who was at the helm. Until employment, housing market, and pension funds are restored, all this cut, cap, and balance is noble, but a bunch of crapolla.
Virginia Gentleman? Jeffersonian Conservative? I cannot imagine our congressman or senator talking in public like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsXaVUVA9n8&NR=1 Southern gentleman huh?
Sing along.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVYoTnuwqbk&feature=related
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMnSp4qEXNM&feature=player_embedded
See! That last video with my hero Brit Hume will be used. Of course they will edit out Barney Frank. Good to know George Allen was agreeing with Barney Frank so much, though. They will illustrate the concern with that and attach George Allen to it with the MSNBC story that has George Allen’s name all over it. I Turbo doesn’t, I will try to relink that story here on Monday. (Away from my computer, atm)
Look we aren’t even the Democrat machine. Just candidate supporters. The Dems will devastate a George Allen campaign. He can’t win! Listen to reason, before it gets too ugly and too late.
Britt Howard,
I intend to vote for Tim Kaine and it is my opinion the strongest candidate to run against him from the Republican side is George Allen. Do you really think Radtke would be a stronger candidate?
As a supporter of Tim Kaine I am just glad people like Radtke are running in the primary to keep it difficult for as long as possible for George Allen to start running pretending he is a moderate/centrist.
You know really the shame of this is Radtke and the people around her continue to make excuses and blame everyone but themselves for Jamie’s issues. Real leadership for a badly run campaign starts with the candidate. She may claim she’s a leader in the tea party but really every since she’s become a candidate she just blames everything and everyone but herself. Did she really thing this wasn’t going to be a hard race and her efforts would be a severe uphill climb? Leadership is shown when you are behind not when you are in the lead. Come on Jamie step it up if you can but you haven’t proven that to anyone so far. At some point I think Radtke will go completely liberal and blame her campaign on a bad childhood or something. Geez. Weak!
Weak? No Lee. Jamie is a dedicated Mother with Guts.
Jamie Radtke fully understands what is at stake and just how much damage her former boss Allen caused when he was our senator. In fact, there are more former Allen staff coming forward with less than glowing comments of late. What do they know?
Like how you guys blame WaPo for George Allen’s defeat and not the candidate? Like that Lee Talley? Or do you mean blame WaPo for Allen being a bully and a clod with “Macaca” in the first place? Not gaffe prone,George Allen himself?
Do you mean like how people don’t blame Allen for his Senate record, debt increases, subsidies, earmarks, and betraying everyone by blocking for Freddie/Fannie? Is that the kind of leadership and responsibilty you’re talking about?
The facts are on our side. If all you got is that, that is what is weak.
LD, we would do you a bigger favor if we kept quiet. If you guys get to face George Allen………….AGAIN………..you will beat him………AGAIN. Heck, you’d dissect him publicly in short order and conservatives would once again be left frustrated and embarrassed.
Jamie Radtke knows she has to climb uphill and fight all the way. She’s going up against an establishment connected guy backed by people wearing blinders. Of course that is a difficult undertaking.
I am confident that when things crank up and the truth becomes too obvious and embarrassing, Virginia Republicans will realize Radtke is the best choice to face Tim Kaine.
The money Allen has will be enough to finance his native California and pull a Hollywood.. His consultants will craft a message that will blow so much smoke up your skirts you’ll be blinded by BS again. Once again this is about money, not good citizen representation.. right Lee?
Britt… I’ve never blamed the WaPo for 2006. So you guys doesn’t always apply. In fact most people I know in the Allen campaign including George Allen himself don’t blame the WaPo.
Britt and Turbo… I find it disturbing you both are now breaking down this race into a have and have not scenario. Thats a stunningly liberal stance to take. Jamie’s message on how George Allen is even a greater evil to the universe than BHO seems to have gotten out. Why not the rest of her “message”? Good Citizen Representation… No she’s not good representation or she’d be collecting greater donations and getting overwhelmed with volunteers and opportunities to carry her message. Really she’s a poor candidate who doesn’t work hard and can’t fundraise for anything. Campaigning at the end of the day is about fundamentals and she ain’t doing them. Her donor network should be national and with the voter dissatisfaction so high she should be in the lead. However because she’s such a poor candidate who doesn’t execute her fundamentals worth a damn she’s not. $92,000 in one quarter is absolutely horrible and embarrassing. Either come to play hard or go home but really she couldn’t cut it in a BOS or a HOD race with the effort she’s put into her campaign. It’s time to get out Jamie and come back when you are serious.
Lee.. George Allen Progressive republicanism is WHY we got BHO. Bush takes most of the blams but the congress and senate were under GOP control for 6 years and conservative republicans were impeded by progressive Allen and his cronys. Yes I called him that. We need younger less experienced new leaders uncheckerd from their past misdeeds if we expect to overcome the hurdles we face now and our kids WILL have to face later. Not knocking old school guys like Allen just because of his decades of experience but he had every opportunity to fight for what was right and he chose not to. Experience DOES NOT MATTER to the younger generation looking for work.. they are looking for sensible leadership that not only listens and pays lip service but acts in their best interests when their representative knows they are not looking.
Lee, fair enough response from you on you and George Allen on WaPo. I can’t really speak for Allen on that. Like you can’t speak for Radtke. So fair enough on that point, however, my point still stands since others posted here about how Allen was undone by WaPo.
Liberal stance? Lol, empty name calling. I can refer to your stances I disagree with as liberal too.
As for the rest of your assertions, she has a LOT of supporters. Where were you whn her supporters beat Allen’s here on the BD poll. Somethin she couldn’t do in other polls. That shows momentum and a minimum picture of support. They keep coming in too. You are right about the money. Her national network is growing. Connections are being made.
Really the money will come faster as will active supporters after certain things get done sometime soon. Additionally, when the Allen campaign implodes, the money will come even faster.
Hey! Did you all forget the fundamentalist right organizations? Since their disbandment they have loosely been replaced with the “tea Party”. Allen doesn’t have the fundamentalists to turn to anymore. Also, lest we not forget that Allen confirmed Henry Paulson, former Goldman-Sachs Chairman and CEO, as Secretary of the U.S. Treasury. Interesting note, legislation was passed that required Paulson to liquidate his 410 million in GS holdings without tax liability. Nice perk. This is the same Goldman Sachs that was creating Consolidated Debt Obligations to sell to its investors (like the VA pension fund) and in turn selling the CDO short. Selling products doomed for failure, then cashing in when the dump. This is just a scratch on the surface of this collusion.
I forgot to comment on your point on message delivery. Understandable question to have. I can only give you my opinion based on what I see. She is on TV programs, running all over the state, issuing releases, but the negatives pointed at Allen do get all the attention. I understand someone questioning that.
To that I reply with the following opinions/observations:
1. Allen supporter scream “you’ re just bashing Allen.” This is an attempt to deflect from the negative point made as well as attach a negative to going negative. That is, label you as negative campaigner. The idea is not just deflection, but also to discourage the issuing of more damage. ESPECIALLY since Allen’s campaign would prefer to just ignore Radtke. As they are right to attempt, btw.
2.Allen’s name ID actually serves to boost news or releases about him. This dampens other stories. You can’t see the forest for the trees.
3. I have seen vast improvement since the beginning and hope for more, but message delivery will always need improvement. Turbo and I will certainly look to help in our own ways.
You definitely want a “contrasting message” and there is no logical reason not to use such obvious ammunition. Still, the perception you speak of is real and I know that the campaign is concerned about it.
Britt Howard,
Since you are a fan of online polls you might be interested in this one:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-user-polls/post/user-poll-which-leader-is-most-at-fault-for-the-latest-breakdown-in-debt-talks/2011/07/22/gIQAep39TI_blog.html?hpid=z2
80% blame either Cantor or Boehner for being most at fault for the latest breakdown in deficit talks with only 15% blaming Obama.
I tend to discount these types of polls, but you seem to place some value on them.
Not really LD. The poll I mentioned on BD isn’t scientific and nowhere near a reflection of voter sentiment. Even if it was, still way too much time to go.
What was of value was a show of momentum and display of active supporters. She didn’t do nearly as well last time. Overall the poll is not truly reflective and essentially worthless. It was valuble as measure of progress and an excercise for supporters.
Curiously, some conservatives will blame Boehner/Cantor for not being tough enough. Many Democrats are mad at Obama. The real question is who is blamed for getting us to this awful position and who is blamed for not doing anything to change to a better one. If REALLY POSITIVE movement is made shortly after we are all disappointed, I bet forgiveness will be more evident. As important as this was, this will not be last negotiation and likely not the most important.
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