MDR's Tom Lawrence gets Stephanie Strong on the record for her reasons for challenging Rep. Kristi Noem to a Republican primary. God made America a superpower, don't raise debt limit, Kristi gone Washington, lives torn apart by welfare...
...yadda yadda yadda. Check out the link at the bottom of the MDR story: StephanieStrongCongress.com! Whoo-hoo! Let's click...
Oh, boy! Gathering clouds and a bridge to nowhere! (Or is that the bridge to "Noem? Where?")
Seriously, Stephanie, that's the best you could do? Bill Fleming's people could have had a better placeholder up for you before you got off the phone with them. I could have had a nice free Blogger page up for you in ten minutes. I could install WordPress on your domain and have a functional template with Bio, Issues, Contact, and Donate pages up by lunch (well, not today, because we're taking our little one to the museum).
Even if you're not ringing my phone yet, here's some free advice (because we secular humanist socialist bloggers are such giving people):
- Don't announce the website until you have something on the website.
- Don't say "Tell me what's important to you" until you have a "Contact" button that will let me do that.
- Never settle for the default from GoDaddy.
- Never let your campaign be associated with clouds, grey, or a bridge not in South Dakota.
- Update 09:59 MST: As Bill mentions below, you've got enough negative Google juice; you don't need a header that could remind casual readers of the Viet Cong. Or is that King Kong reference? Either way, it's not working. div #ss-main width:600px!
- Update 10:05 MST: On the good side, I like the "Veggieburger" font. However, again, your base will go app at that association. How about "SF Minced Meat"? Or "JLR White Meat"?
Update 18:43 MST: Nine hours later, and Strong's campaign staff have still done nothing to edit the embarrassingly blank website. Ed, Gordon, if you boys want to challenge Kristi, you're going to need a sharper knife.
The Onion
‎"I'm sick of all this nanny-state liberalism. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go yell slurs at women outside Planned Parenthood."
Oh dear. This is not to mention what happens when you Google her name. Talk about starting off with a bang, Cory. Whew.
I'm guessing that her adult film star namesake is why school web filters block her site.
Looks like a no money situation.
Bill, I did the same thing.....wowzers.....I thought jeez the RepubliCONs are getting really progressive in SoDak! Then after further study I realized same name wrong person.
Back when Rep. David Minge (D-Minnesota) was running for re-election I took a guess at the domain name for his website. However, minge.com looks a lot like the website for the other Stephanie Strong. Maybe it's an Omen.
I can't help but read her tag line in the voice of Siri, and the whole image, along with the text, conveys "detached".
Yeah, our company's name has been "Hot Pink, Inc." long before everybody had the internet, and we were late to try to get the domain name. So when we finally got around to it we went "whoops!" That's why online, our company name is ImagineAgency.com. ...because basically, HotPink everything was already... um... occupied.
Bill, was that a surprise?
Yes.
Poor candidates aren't the problem. The
problem is the electorate that vote them into office.
If the electorate is to blame, may I also direct some blame at good candidates who sit on their hands and don't take action to lead the electorate toward better options?
Stephanie Strong told me Thursday morning she was working on the website. It's stated in her first quote, if you bothered to read the story before you "borrowed" the photo of her.
I'm sure she appreciates the publicity, Cory, and I don't mind.
This is not a professional politician or even an experienced semi-amateur, which Noem was all of two years ago. Strong appears to be a citizen with, well, strong beliefs who is exercising her right to run for office.
I guess that means snarky web comments come with the territory today. But give her a break on the website, since her campaign is only a few days old.
I bet she appreciates the advice, too.
As I noted in the blog I wrote accompanying this story, will the SD Republican Party remain neutral? Will anyone give this Rapid City woman, admittedly a long, long shot, a fair shot?
Tom, I borrowed the image this evening from Ed Randazzo/Gordon Howie.
Being a semi-amateur does not excuse leaving a blank URL hanging. Announcing her URL before she has any useful content, while she still has embarrassing placeholder content, shows a lack of foresight. She's obviously not working very hard on the website, since she could have had at least a functional webpage, complete with photo, slogan, and contact info, up in under an hour. Beating Noem will require hard work, foresight, and media savvy.
Strong should pay attention to my advice, since apparently she didn't get any from her Tea Party friends. Besides, her Tea Party friends sound less interested in beating Noem than I do. If she's serious about winning a primary, I may be her best friend.
I say pass the pic around and let her have her say. I wonder if any other GOPers are considering jumping in. Is there a former governor named Mike out of work and looking for a return to public life, or one of the many elected R's in Pierre? I thought Noem was the party's new favorite, but the Republican bench is so loaded with people who see themselves as governor, senator or in Congress.
I am surprised the volume of comments in favor of SS and against KN on the websites today. Either way, it adds some juice to the spring for you and me, and politically minded chattering class.
The "other" Stephanie Strong took me by surprise today. That adds a weird element to this campaign as well. There are just so many Stephanies in this mix ...
There are at least three ways to read that predominance of pro-SS comments in the comment sections:
(1) Online chatterers are all nuts. (But the blogs had plenty of pro-Kristi comments in 2010.)
(2) The chatterers are the ones paying attention, and they've seen Noem do lots of things wrong.
(3) Noem's victory in 2010 was all about Stephanie Herseth Sandlin. Without SHS to define her, Noem has little to fire up the electorate.
(4) Gordon Howie and Ed Randazzo are busy working up a lot of sockpuppet commenter IDs, just like their sockpuppet blogroll.
Tom, I hope you understand that the only thing that matters to Cory is that Tea Party candidates and supporters are to be hated, ridiculed, and treated with no respect.
Maybe so, Steve. Kinda like you referring to Gov. Daugaard and GOP leaders as fascists, which we discussed online.
It's clear there are divides and disagreements in SD politics and that is to be expected. But a more civil tone would be welcomed.
I believe I was the first-ever journalist to interview Stephanie Strong, and told her to prepare for an online and media explosion this weekend, which surprised her. She chose this by deciding to mount a campaign for federal office, but I also feel the need to acknowledge her fledgling status.
Is there a way for people across the political spectrum to treat other with basic decency and respect and drop the sharp words? As the insightful Rev. Carl Kline, a longtime SDSU fixture, told me about a forum we held 30 years ago, the point is to generate more light than heat.
Oh, and she told me while she met with Tea Party folks, she doesn't consider herself a member.
Cory is correct on all his points for the web site. I am sure one of your volunteers can help.
While this website is in no danger of showing up at http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/ It is not helping the young candidate get off to a good start.
Strong was surprised that her announcement would draw media attention? A Tea-Party-affiliated candidate spouting Tea-Party-style rhetoric announces she's going to challenge a freshman darling of the Tea party and Fox News, and she doesn't expect folks will consider that big news? If I'm generous, I read that as false humility. If I'm honest, I read that as failing to anticipate and capitalize on very predictable media attention. So far, this sounds like just another Thad Wasson candidacy, big talk unable to translate into the media savvy and organizational skills necessary to run for office.
You only get to be new once.
"Kinda like you referring to Gov. Daugaard and GOP leaders as fascists, which we discussed online."
No at all Tom. It clearly is their political ideology as demonstrated by gladly giving money to a French cheese maker. They are not hateful, but believe they are doing the right things. But they are wrong, but I don't hate them. South Dakota would be better off with several small cheese makers owned by South Dakotans. The profits would more likely stay in South Dakota, workers would have more choices for employment, and South Dakot consumers would have more choices of cheese in the marketplace.
It is time for conservatives to understand that the GOP's capitalism is not the same as a competitive free market system. Their fascist corporate socialism is just that , a form of socialism.
"Oh, and she told me while she met with Tea Party folks, she doesn’t consider herself a member."
Sounds like Bob Mercer may think she is unknowingly "manipulated" by the Tea Party financers.
How about a Sibby cheese factory?
...because what the heck do the French know about making cheese anyway, right? Sibby could do a really cool looking camembert with a Knights Templar cross on it and call it "Cheeses Crust" (tagline: simply divine).
He could make beaucoup bucks, I bet.
...serve it with a bottle of Red Ass rubarb wine from Prairie Berry winery. Mmmm... a meal to die and come back for. http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/femdEkDHCd7_MJWlxCHT0w
...for a fininshing touch add a few thinly sliced crabapples and a little handful of sour grapes.
finishing... Sorry. ...got carried away with entrepreneurial enthusiasm...
[Cory, looks like you have 5 and now 6 comments that belong in your trash bin, or do you have two sets of editorial rules, one for conservatives and one for New Age Theocrats]
Who's going to turn out the lights in the chemical toilet?
Sibby's Whine and Cheese Party featuring Stephanie Strong, All American Gal. Coming soon to a URL near you. Stay tuned.
Bill - HILARIOUS!!!
Mr. Fleming,
Quick as ever. I'm the third GOP candidate -- not yet made public but am getting sigs. Just wanted to say hi to you. Talk about a cheap run at office, I've got about $4,000 for the whole deal, not taking donations and plan to win. No website -- yet and may not after some of the above comments.
Mr. Cissell! Don't hold out on us! Announce! Send me a press release!
And don't let the tough comments here scare you away from the sensible and necessary campaign step of establishing Web presence. You can't campaign in 2012 without a website. If you are trying to keep things on the cheap, the Web is the easiest, fastest, cheapest way to reach lots of people. Just make sure you do it right; use your Web presence to show the skills at communication and organization that you can bring to bear as a candidate.
I could climb aboard with the "who cut the cheese" jokes but Sibby has a point here. The state would be better off with a bunch of artisanal cheese factories and family dairy farmers. SDSU should have classes to teach family farmers or groups of farmers how to make cheese and ice cream. The Department of Tourism could help by advertising the "Eastern SD Cheese and Apple Orchard Trail" to foodies. Lots of small family size farms would do much more for the state economy than a big factory and a giant dairy.
Amen to what Nick said---and yes our state will be much stronger with many more modest size dairies and numerous cheese/milk plants in the state than the "big is better/hispanics do the labor approach we use now.
Alright. Go for it Cissell!
Hey Willy, go here:
http://www.squarespace.com/
You'll have your website up and running in no time.
Nick, I agree with you, except there's a problem. People don't want to do it.
I left the family farm where we had milked cows for close to a century. I owned cattle for 5 years but sold them and focused on other pursuits. Thousands of dairymen and women took the same path and continue to do so, as the number of dairy farms plummets every year.
i was offered loans and assistance to operate a bigger and better barn but chose not to do so, as did most who walked away from the barn. Small, cozy, family-owned dairies sound fantastic, but there is a simple reality: most people don't want to do it.
It's hard work and it goes on 365 days a year. You're outside in all weather. It's physically demanding. And the price of milk, feed and cattle go up and down. There are good times now, but that can change quickly.
The era of the family farm is sadly over, but for more complex reasons than most realize. Although I will say, dairy cattle are gentle, smart and pleasant creatures.
Maybe you wacky kids could get together and open your own dairy. Now, who will take the 6 a.m. Sunday shift? Don't all speak up at once!
Well, I don't want to do the 6:00 am Sunday shift, Tom, but I'll design Sibby's logo and packaging and do his brand management for a piece of the action.