Does Anyone Care?

The Quinnipiac poll today says it all. http://www.scribd.com/doc/34984372/072810-NY-GOV-BP  People are not paying attention to the primary in NY. Anything can happen. It's going to come down to organization even in statewide contests.

This poll reminds me of a funny incident I had a few weeks back with an elected official who was very concerned about going out in public. He asked if my national television appearances had led to people approaching me. I told him that the only people who know I have done the spots are people who know me already and I told I was on. The total benefit of 6 national and local tv appearances and 16 stints on the Strategy Room over the last three months is I got extra chocolate chips on my gelato at the shop I have been going to every week for 2 years. (they knew I was on because I told them).

I told the official that he needed to get over himself. No one knows him. No one knows AG candidates running state wide and spending millions of dollars. People outside of politics don't care as much about it as those of us junkies who live and breathe it. I advised the pol that chances are you can go out and grab a drink without worry that the paparazzi will publish a picture of you enjoying a draft. I believe he is looking for fake mustaches as we speak.

I was in the green room at Fox with John Kasich, the GOP candidate for Governor in Ohio. I am a political junkie but I did not know him by face. I introduced myself to him, he assumed I knew who he was and did not introduce himself. After all we are at Fox News Channel and Ohio is a swing state. It lead to an awkward moment thats all I will say about that encounter. John I don't usually give advice to GOP candidates but here's some. Introduce yourself to everyone you meet when you're running for office. Maybe it was a New York thing but we talked for 10 minutes and I didn't realize he was running for Governor until I saw his spot on the air.  I was a little embarrassed.

Point is this poll is not unusual.  There are few politicians who achieve the status as being known by the public at large.  They may know their names but not much else.  The Ag's race in NY is going to come down to organization and who can get out the vote.