Surrogate Asses

Politicians are generally pretty good at making asses of themselves. Some more than others. Take a look around, if there was a magazine that came out with a list of cities with elected officials that regularly make asses of themselves, I an assure you, we'd top that one too.

Sure there are big cities with their fair share of douche-bag electeds, but seriously, if making an ass out of one's self were an Olympic Sport, we'd crank'em out they way Pennsylvania was cranking out quarterbacks at one time...

The bottom line is, elected officials and candidates don't need anyone to help them make asses of themselves. But there is a freakin' legion of idiots out in internet-land that think they are being helpful but all they are doing is turning people off.

I know what you are thinking, this as to be a piece about some of Reyes' supporters. Hell, if I wasn't the vato writing this, I would think so to. Trust me, some of the Reyes supports have turning off voters down to a freakin' science.

But oddly enough, this time its not about one of the Reyes supporters.

Its time to dish a little toward the other major candidate. This time its one of Beto O'Rourke's supporters that really has one-upped the Congressman's people.

The person who administers the website www.ReyesWorks.com, which is essentially a website geared at negative information about Congressman Reyes, made a statement that has really upset some people.

I have to admit, I didn't see the comment until Sunday night when someone mentioned it to me. I'd been to the website once before but forgot to check back. In a piece in which the author, whom I'm told is a friend of O'Rourke, was grading the performances of the candidates, the author makes the following statement about Jerome Tilghman:

"...I don't think his Samuel Jackson-esk (sic) tone will play well with most people."

I've spent a lot of time analyzing JT speak. JT is a friend and colleague. Hell, I've made fun of the way JT speaks on multiple occasions. JT sounds nothing like Samuel L. Jackson. I've seen JT's wallet. It doesn't say "Bad Muthafucka". JT doesn't have a purple lightsaber either (to my knowledge).

The point is, Jerome Tilghman doesn't sound or act anything like Samuel L. Jackson. They have nothing in common.

Except that they are both black.

Several African-Americans I know are not too happy about the remarks on the site.

Apparently the Reyes campaign hasn't cornered the market on over-zealous supporters that turn off voters. This is one of those instances were they dodged a bullet. It was a stupid thing to write, but it could've been much worse.

The question, for both Reyes and O'Rourke, is what happens if their over-zealous supporters go too far next time?

Do you think you are really helping out the candidate of your choice?

Which brings me to my last point. As I mentioned earlier today, I am wondering how the Reyes supporters will react to a negative commercial from O'Rourke.

Now I wonder how O'Rourke's supporters will react if the Reyes' decided to create an entire website aimed at negative information about O'Rourke?

Candidates have a hard enough time managing their schedules and the campaigns. They don't have time to babysit every over-zealous supporter.

But that doesn't mean they have to tolerate it.

Things are going to spin out of control in this race.

Mark my words.