Kilgore's e-mail real snafu or planned?

[rogue emissary]

Kilgore release includes e-mails
Messages mistakenly included in material sent to news media
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031784215451
An oops moment for Jerry W. Kilgore's gubernatorial campaign is providing a rare glimpse of its inner workings.

Kilgore press secretary Tim Murtaugh sent reporters by e-mail an article about Richmond in the latest issue of The New Republic, a well-known political journal, to support GOP claims that Democrat Timothy M. Kaine did a bad job as the city's mayor.

But the e-mail inadvertently included copies of confidential electronic messages between Kilgore and deputy spokesman J. Tucker Martin on how the story might be used against Kaine, who is neck and neck with the Republican in the latest published poll.

The candidate and staff member used words and phrases usually heard only behind the scenes: "ammo," "get us on offense."

In an interview, Murtaugh said he typically "would clean up any other traffic at the bottom of the e-mail," but wanted to get the story out quickly.

"It was not deliberate," said Murtaugh. "Fact is, Jerry is heavily involved in daily decision making. This issue -- Tim Kaine's record as a mediocre mayor -- is something we plan to talk about."

Kaine and the independent candidate for governor, state Sen. H. Russell Potts Jr., R-Winchester, greeted the Kilgore campaign miscue with chuckles rather than criticism.

Kilgore proposes Wilder quote to `get us on offense' against Kaine
http://www.wric.com/Global/story.asp?S=3674362
Kilgore's campaign suggested to reporters that Mayor Douglas Wilder criticized Kaine, a fellow Democrat and former mayor, in a magazine article.

In a story in the upcoming edition of The New Republic, Wilder rails against decades of corruption, dysfunction and inefficiency in the Richmond government he was elected last fall to reform, but says he was not referring to Kaine.

Wilder, Virginia's governor from 1990 to 1994 and the only black elected governor in U-S history said he was "not slamming any individual or any personality.

[Catchawave]

1. Oh Kilgore is so bad.....

this isn't the first time this has happened. So I believe you're on to something rogue.

A few months ago, and not sure of the details, I think a Kaine bashing press release went out *as a joke*, but Kilgore's staff said it was an accident :shrug:

[rogue emissary]

2. This whole mistake just smelled like something out of Rove's play book.

It doesn't help that I recently watched Bush's Brain. :) So I wasn't sure if anyone else would see it as ploy by Kilgore.

This story doesn't really hurt Kilgore as much as it possibly could hurt Kaine. He was smart not to come out forcefully to defend himself against the story. The media would be talking about Kilgore's mistake. While the idea of Kaine is an incompetent mayor would seep into the public perception.

His staff continues to impress me by their proficiency. Hopefully with a Kaine victory, his campaign staff will go to work on challenging Warner or Allen.