So, just in case his campaign for Paul Sarbanes' Senate seat isn't pitiful enough, millionaire Josh Rales paid to bus in former drug addicts to an event to make himself look good. Yeah, I know, why pile on the guy with 1% in the polls, right? Well, when rich folks with no experience and no new ideas try to buy a seat in Congress (Rales has apparently given his campaign $1.4 million so far) Marylanders need to know what we're getting. And just because you can afford to buy volunteers and to run an expensive vanity campaign, doesn't mean you'd make a good Senator.

As a general rule, if you have a PR firm bus in people for an event to make it look better for you, that's going to turn me off. Seriously, by now, this should be in every campaign manager's playbook:

- Do Not Bus In Fake Supporters
- Do Not Hire Someone to Bus In Supporters

After swallowing a handfull of free OxyContin, even I might support a Democrat.

Is somebody taking the position that when one is receiving some kind of treatment for drug addiction, one is not supposed to work at all--just sit around and read the campaign literature financed by
Washington lobbyists? What is wrong with these people being paid to do some work? There is no hint that anyone did anything illegal at the rally or that anyone has a criminal record.
There is no indication that these people can't vote.
There is no indication that anybody took any drugs at the rally although some could have probably used some no-doze to stay awake during the talks by the career politicians.

Noble, are you taking the position that there's nothing wrong with busing a bunch of people over from a drug rehab center to play the role of supporters for a political campaign?

At least we now know who thinks Rales is a viable candidate!

There is nothing in the article, as "Noble" suggests, to indicate that the patients were paid. In fact, the last paragraph explicits states that they DID NOT receive compensation. I also wonder whether or not these patients volunteered to go. Sounds like this clinic just herded these people on a bus.

I have to say that I have met Mr. Rales several times, and though he appears to be a nice guy, frankly, as a candidate he has more credibility issues than just busing recovering addicts to cover for a lack of actual crowd support.

As recently as 2004, not only was he a Republican, but an active contributor to both the Bush campaign and the John Thune campaign (why would a Maryland resident care about the South Dakota Senate race, unless he was active in the Republican machine?). Now, I have no problem with bed-side conversations from Republican to Democrat. Hell, I hope that more of them see the light.

However, I get no sense of outrage from Rales, like I do from Jim Webb in Virginia. Rales just appears to be a rich guy who is tired of running a business and has convinced himself that being a Senator might be kinda cool. So registers as a Democrat in Maryland, and his first action as a Democrat is to file to run for the U.S. Senate.

Mr. Rales if you are really outraged at the Bush administration and the Republican party - great! Welcome to the good side of the force, but first, prove to me that you are not an imposter before asking for my vote.

And before his people come on this Board and start flaming that I am a member of one of the other Democratic candidates, I'm not. I am involved with several local races in Maryland, but have not actually decided between Cardin and Mfume (but that choice IS between Cardin and Mfume).

why is Mr. Simms, who is running for Attorney
General of Maryland posting illegal campaign signs in the median strip up and down Route 202 in P.G. County?

why is Mr. Simms, who is running for Attorney
General of Maryland posting illegal campaign signs in the median strip up and down Route 202 in P.G. County?

This Stinks-

You make a great deal of sense. First you go on an anti-Bush rant by implying that Rales was a Bush contributor, then go on to say that all of that aside, as long as he's now converted to Democrat, he must be OK. Is this the logic you and all Dems use when making your decisions at the polls?

I know full well how much you and all the other whiners out there loathe Bush and anyone who supports him but as long as they sign on the Democrat's ticket, they can take any position they like. What a great state we live in.

BG,

Thanks for completely twisting my words - why am I not surprised.

My point was exactly the opposite, but let me use small words so that you understand.

1) Rales was a Republican, and contributed to Bush. I made no anti-Bush rant (though I could). Second, it is not implied, he personally said so when addressing a group where I was in the audience.

2) Rales switched to being a Democrat and immediately filed to run for the Senate.

3) I never said that he must be OK because he switched. In fact, I said the EXACT OPPOSITE. I don't mind when Republicans switch to being Democrats. In fact, I think it is great, IF they actually believe in what they are doing.

4) I have no proof from Rales that he does believe what he is doing. Therefore, I do not trust him and his beliefs enough to vote for him (even though I personally think he is a good guy).

I know it is a stretch to ask a Republican to read something before commenting on it, but before you go on a rant yourself about how bad we Democrats are, read what we say first.

Given that so many of our "Democrat" posters seem to be commenting on some other world far to the left of reality, is it any wonder that regular folks don't want to read all the nonsense that they spew?

It seems that political "newcomer" Josh Rales may not be that new to politics afterall...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A7939-2003Sep26

Yes! That's right! Josh Rales wanted to run as a REPUBLICAN in 2004 against Sen. Mikulski!

A search of donations by Maryland donors, last name "Rales," in the 2004 cycle
http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/index.asp
reveals that Mr. and Mrs. Josh Rales gave $2,000 each to George W. Bush's campaign. They also gave $1,000 to Republican Rep. Eric Cantor, $1,000 to the Republican Federal Victory Fund, $500 to Republican Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, and $500 to Republican candidate Charles Richard Floyd.

After a pattern of Republican involvement and contributions, Josh Rales has the gall to contend for the Democratic nomination for Senate. He will not receive my support.