The Season for Apologies

Two very endangered Republican Congressmen, Tom Reynolds (NY-26) and Don Sherwood (PA-10) -- both of whose races the Cook Political Report downgraded to "toss-up" status yesterday -- have come out with ads apologizing for letting down their constituents.

It's an interesting strategy, partially owning up to part of a scandal to help deflect attention away from the remainder of the scandal (in the case of Sherwood the abuse allegations, in the case of Reynolds the allegation that he didn't do enough to confront Mark Foley with the information he had months ago). And while it's far from certain that these ads will produce their desired effects -- it could be that they seem too little, too late and actually end up reminding voters why they are unhappy with their Congressman -- given the fact that both Reynolds and Sherwood are currently trailing in the polls, it could be that they have no other option outside of admitting some guilt and hoping that voters will be in a forgiving mood.

Update [2006-10-7 19:13:17 by Jonathan Singer]: Apparently, Reynolds will holding a fundraiser for Sherwood this Thursday night. Nice.



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Re: The Season for Apologies (none / 0)

Did I hear Reynolds wrong, or did he admit to not actually READING THE EMAILS?


by Adam B on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 04:14:40 PM EST

Re: The Season for Apologies (none / 0)

This may may help Reynolds but it throws everyone else under the Bus.


by Democraticavenger on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 04:38:17 PM EST

Re: The Season for Apologies (none / 0)

They can happily throw each other under the bus for now and if they survive regroup after the elections. Like the old strategy where each spouse blames the other for something that they don't want to do. I'd love to go to your party, but my wife isn't feeling well.


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Ohio 2nd Blog
by ignatzmouse on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 05:00:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Season for Apologies (none / 0)

Reynolds' spot is quite good I think - he puts a very nice shade of lipstick on a very ugly pig. Hopefully the public's negative reaction to Reynolds' role in the scandal and his infamous press conference, where he surrounded himself with children to talk about his role in the Foley matter, will be too much for him to overcome in the upcoming election.


by CMike on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 05:04:25 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Season for Apologies (none / 0)

The sherwood ad was useless - kinda like robert shimel's old joke about the animal necropheliac trying to put spin on his crime: your honor, i didn't know the cat was dead when i was f*ing it...

But the reynolds ad was well done.  For people following things closely, it clearly conflicts with other people's stories, but probably many of the poeple who this is aimed at aren't going to be trying to nitpick.  He comes across as sincere, remorseful, and truthful.  (I'm not saying he actually is these things - i'd bet a huge amount of cash that he's in it up to his eyeballs, but many  politician are good actors/liars...)
The test will be to see if his freefall in the polls ends - if so, i would guess this ad had something to do with it.  If not, the cause is probably lost.


by DanD on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 08:04:16 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Season for Apologies (none / 0)

I was about to post the same thing.  Sherwood just hammered a nail in his coffin.  Reynold's opponent (can't remember off the top of my head and don't feel like googling it) needs to come out with an ad focusing on the lies in his ad.  For instance, the easiest one is that he forced Foley to resign.  Based on everything we know, and what Republicans said earlier, Foley found out about the emails from ABC and offered his resignation. republicans are on tape saying they were surprised by the resignation, so how could they have forced it?

End with something about Reynolds is lying again.  It's time to put an end to the Immorality and Lies of the Republican Party, it's time to vote Democratic.


BlueNC - Progressive NC Politics
by Robert P on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 08:19:11 AM EST
[ Parent ]

They mistake Oversight with Overlook! (3.00 / 1)

Although they are asking for forgiveness, they don't really apologize.  Is this the new Republican tactic, crying....?


No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.
by momoaizo on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 04:44:34 PM EST

Re: The Season for Apologies (none / 0)

There's a big difference between being truly sorry and putting on an act in the hope that it might get you re-elected; sorry guys but I think it was pretty clear on which side you fall.  

Reynolds says sorry as just about the last word of his advert which is way too late. Given his current standing in the polls I think he had to do a lot more than this. Had this been a news conference it might have come across better.

As for Sherwood that was just terrible. You could see him struggling to read his lines. I don't even know the background to which he was referring and it came across as though he must have done something really bad.

I think the idea is a reasonable one if the polls look horrible for you but the execution has to be so much better than these two managed.


by kundalini on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 05:01:00 PM EST

Toast (none / 0)


The 10,000 Things
by Andrew C White on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 05:34:01 PM EST

Reynolds is blaming Hastert in this ad (none / 0)

Amazing that, in an effort to save his own skin, he is seeking to pin all the blame on Hastert.

I'm not sure if the ad will be effective, or if it will just seem to voters that he is trying to avoid any responsibility by pointing to others... but the mere fact that he is running such an ad (simultaneously contrite and blaming others) makes it clear that he knows what a hole he has dug himself into and the voters in his district are very unhappy about it.

Will be nice to see Jack Davis beat him Nov 7th


Once social change begins,it cannot be reversed. You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot oppress people who are not afraid anymore.
by terje on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 05:39:01 PM EST

Re: Sherwood (3.00 / 1)

Sherwood has already publically apologized for his behavior to his constituents not long after the affair and assault was revealed and he settled the lawsuit brought by Ms Ore out of court. That didn't help him and I doubt this will either. He's just lost the trust of constituents who thought they knew him as a someone "just like them" but were subsequently disabused of that notion. I just don't think Sherwood is going to win these folks back no matter how often he apologizes.


by phillydem on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 05:45:51 PM EST

Too funny (none / 0)

I love it when criminals break into the passive voice about their crimes, "It's regrettable the entire family was wiped out." Tom Reynolds: "More should have been done." I'll give it to Sherwood, he stood up like a man, but gotta wonder about the message, "I did NOT strangle my mistress and anyway, none of this stopped me from cutting your taxes."


by MikeB on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 06:02:08 PM EST

speaking of which (3.00 / 1)

This Carney ad is how you put your foot on a guy's throat.


by Adam B on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 06:20:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: The Season for Apologies (none / 0)

These guys are even more done than the Yankees today.


by dpinzow on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 06:06:59 PM EST

Hahahaha (none / 0)

Don Sherwood's ad is pathetic.


by delmoi on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 06:22:49 PM EST

"I forced Foley to resign"?! (3.00 / 2)

Reynolds says, "I immediately forced Foley to resign" after the overtly criminal IMs came to light.

From everything I've read, Foley resigned almost immediately--like, within the hour--after ABC told his staff they had the sexually explicit IMs. I haven't seen anything to suggest that Reynolds knew anything about Foley's resignation before it was announced.

It's an awfully stupid lie to tell, because it makes his already somewhat mealy-mouthed apology look awfully disingenuous (assuming Reynolds' opponent makes something of it). Anyone know any more about this?


by semiotix on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 06:33:34 PM EST

This could be a theme for the national party (3.00 / 2)

"Vote Republican: We're Really, Really Sorry"


by Shawn on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 07:12:50 PM EST

Re: The Season for Apologies (none / 0)

Sherwood apologizes for abuse? What abuse? to pages? Oh - I scroll down and see it was for abusing his wife? This is an ad or what? You can't tell what abuse he's talking bout. Gosh they like to cry when they get caught. No, I thought both ads were ineffective. Both men look like cry babies.


by mrobinsong on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 08:53:29 PM EST

Tis the Season for Apologies (none / 0)

Unbelievable.  Excellent post.

The thing you get from Sherwood is this "Norquist" crazy talk that cutting taxes somehow cancels out personal malfeasance.

Or, to put it another way, that you can mention "cutting taxes" and that obviates the fact that you are on the air paying for an ad to address your personal malfeasance.

That's crazy talk.  What planet is he on?


k/o: politics and local blogs
by kid oakland on Sat Oct 07, 2006 at 09:34:15 PM EST

Re: The Season for Apologies (none / 0)

SUBPOENA FOLEY !!!!

Stop the finger pointing. Go for the kill.


by APPLE314 on Sun Oct 08, 2006 at 06:13:59 AM EST


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