Sunday, March 19, 2006

Ray Meier Caught Flat Footed

I'm starting to think that 2006 may be the last year of Internet amateurism in American politics. Slow, steady, and clunky seems to be the rule for Internet services offered to congressional candidates here in the 24th District.

The latest example is Republican Ray Meier. Ray Meier has been planning for weeks, nay, for months, to replace Sherwood Boehlert as the establishment Republican candidate for Congress here in the 24th District. Rumor is that Meier is going to make his big announcement speech tomorrow.

So what has Meier been doing to launch his campaign online? Not much.

It was just last Wednesday, March 15, that Ray Meier bothered to register the domain for his web site, raymeierforcongress.com. And what, pray tell, will you find if you go to RayMeierForCongress.com?

ray meier hello world

Apparently, all that Ray Meier is prepared to say to the voters of the 24th District at this time is "Hello, world."

Hm. Hello, Ray.

This is a campaign beginning that rivals Jeanine Pirro's now famous question, "Do you have page 10?” Never fear, loyal Republicans. I understand that Ray Meier plans to get some revisions onto his web site very quickly.

The new web site will offer a much more comprehensive picture of Ray Meier's thoughts on how to represent the 24th District in Congress effectively: "Hello, world. My name is Ray."

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Out of respect for Congressman Boehlert, Ray would not come out with a fact filled website until the Congressman officially steps aside (as he did Friday) and Ray officially announces his candidacy (as he is doing today). It is simply a matter of good ethics and integrity.

For you to criticize Ray for this is really off the wall.

24thIndependent said...

For me to criticize Ray Meier is off the wall?

Hardly. What any good campaign manager knows is that a web site can be designed off line in preparation for its launch. Ray Meier could easily have had a web site prepared, then put on line in a matter of moments after Sherwood Boehlert's speech.

It's just like how a good politician will write an announcement speech ahead of time, in several drafts, weeks before even being sure that the campaign will go ahead.

As an alternative, Ray Meier could have done what Sherwood Boehlert did. He had the web site Boehlert.com, which was not explicitly a campaign site, but discussed local issues and Boehlert's record. That site was ready to be switched at a moment's notice to campaign mode.

Boehlert was ready. Ray Meier was not ready.

Meier caught flat footed? I think it's a fair assessment. And you know, I'm not the only person who noticed Meier's goofy little web site.

Hello, world!

Hello, Ray!

Anonymous said...

You should then note the name of the website:

RayMeierForCongress.com

You do not put a site up like this until Congressman Boehlert steps aside out of respect and you cannot put up a website with that address until you have formally announced your candidacy.

For goodness sake, have some patience.

I will add however that in today's world of political marketing, by having that little "hello world" on that website has resulted in news coverage about it in all the papers, Internet news sites and blogs - probably as planned. You sure fell for it!

Regardless, nice blog and good luck. I just saved it to my favorites! This will be one of the most interesting campaigns to hit this area in a long time.

24thIndependent said...

Second anonymous:

You've completely missed the point that the web site did not have to be online to be prepared to go online after the announcement speech.

It's like writing a letter and not sending it - get it? You can design a web site and not put it online for others to see.

You seem to be going with the argument that any publicity is good publicity. I don't buy that argument. Jeanine's infamous "Do you have page 10?" comment is enough to disprove it.

Here is the 24th District's first impression of Ray Meier: Doofus.

That's not my fault. Not some kind of conspiracy I'm running to make Meier look like a fool. No, it seems that Ray Meier doesn't need help in that department.

Anonymous said...

Are you sure somebody else didn't buy the name to try to sell it to Meier?

Anonymous said...

right after you read "hello, world" does anybody else here circus music in their head? just wondering.