Bad Week for Novick Memes: PolitickerOR Shatters Outsider Label

After taking some body blows earlier this week for his hypocritical position on the DSCC, the bleeding doesn’t stop with new criticism from PolitickerOR on Novick’s political outsider theme:

Now, wait a minute. Isn’t Novick the guy who worked inside the D.C. beltway for years at the Department of Justice? Did he not just host a fundraiser in D.C., trying to court the same kind of political insiders that are lining up with his primary nemesis Jeff Merkley? Is he not same the guy who worked for years on several Democratic “establishment” campaigns including Governor Ted Kulongoski’s first go around? Steve Novick, an outsider to Oregon politics? Please.

The theme, an attempt to harness the change wave, creates problems in and of itself. Running against Jeff Merkley’s dynamite resume and impressive institutional support, Novick, who has never served in elected office, has simultaneously trot out his insider credentials to convince voters of his experience, and push the outsider messaging to rationalize why he has so far failed to garner significant national and state wide support from players in the race. Additionally, his outsider messaging is designed to play to those who have a insatiable hatred for anything establishment. The line Novick must walk is a thin one. His insider credentials contradict his outsider message, but both are needed for him to win voters, lest they see what lies behind the curtains.

Furthermore, the real danger that Novick faces with his outsider messaging is that if he does win the nomination, he will not be able to distance himself from his criticisms of crucial organizations. As noted elsewhere, Novick’s fundraising has been quite poor thus far. If Novick wins the nomination, he desperately needs the DSCC to bail him out to even have a chance at beating Smith. Furthermore, the DSCC’s independent expenditures for Merkley, coupled with their refusal to meet with Novick, is telling. The message the DSCC is sending is Gordon Smith is vulnerable, but we only think Merkley can beat him, and they likely have unreleased polling data to back that up. Considering the number of seats that are realistically in play, the DSCC is indicating that they will likely go elsewhere with their funds if Novick is the nominee. Getting DSCC support, if he wins the nomination, is already uphill battle for the Novick campaign and imprecise rhetoric used to attack the DSCC at every turn doesn’t help.

Blogged with Flock

Tags: SteveNovick, DSCC, Outsider, Oregon Senate, 2008 Democratic Primary, OR-Sen, Jeff Merkley, PolitickerOR