It's Official

You heard it here first. According to Team Erlich, Bob Erlich is running to be the Guv again! Everybody loves the Guv! Well, not everybody, but don't listen to those disgruntled employees.

Then again, I can't resist when people talk about me, so here's what they had to say:

Darkness Rising: Joe Steffen's Rants and Raves

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

On Announcing the Announcement

You know, here I was all ready to blog a neat, fun, piece about former delegate, lobbyist, and MD Delegation Chairman to the 2008 Republican National Convention, Don Murphy, saying he was considering a run for Governor in the Maryland GOP Primary this year, and what happens? Former Governor Bob Ehrlich picks today to initiate phase two of his Bataan Death March – not to election day 2010, mind you – but to his own damned announcement. How many times do these guys plan to leak this?

Whatever, onto the Don Murphy scenario first…

As is my wont when I am in the burg, I go to the Waterfront Hotel in Fells Point to relish in the etherally charged vocals of Bonnie Leigh (Boswell). On most such occasions, I am joined in this Heavenly pursuit by one or more GOP political types. This past Monday our group, which included former National Young Republican Chair Nicolee Ambrose, former Ehrlich speechwriter Richard Cross and yours truly, was joined by the aforementioned Don Murphy.

Though he told me this morning (prior to Mr. Ehrlich announcing his intentions to announce for governor on April 7th) that it was the “Beer and bravado talking,” Murphy told me last night that a potential run for governor on his part was “in the mix.” As MD point man for the 2008 McCain Presidential campaign and Senior Advisor to MD GOP U.S. Senate candidate Dr. Eric Wargotz to go with his other credentials, Murphy undoubtedly has a set of...bona fides.

While discussing a possible gubernatorial run, Don Murphy did joke, however, that he “didn’t want to split the Murphy (primary) vote,” a reference to young GOP businessman and upstart candidate, Brian Murphy, who is already running for governor in the GOP primary.

Who knows? Maybe an actual Ehrlich run will entice Don Murphy into the campaign, concerns over splitting the Murphy vote be damned.

And that brings us to todays announcement by Bobby GrudgeMatch via a conference call with reporters that April 7th was the announcement.

Yes, tired of playing Hamlet - or of having his ear chewn off - Mr. Ehrlich is in the race, hitting it with announcements at his boyhood home in Arbutus, followed by another announcement in Montgomery County on April 7th. The train wreck then continues on a three day tour across the Free State.

Did I say “train wreck?” I sure as Hell did. Why? Well, off the top of my head consider…

1) As of the last accounting in January, Ehrlich was oh, approximately $4.9 million behind Governor O’Malley in available campaign cash. Though it’s true O’Malley is facing a stalking horse candidate in former delegate and Ehrlich cabinet Secretary George Owings, that is still one Hell of a mountain for Ehrlich to climb.

2) From: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

To: ******************

Sent: 3/30/2010 6:22:01 P.M. Eastern Daylight TimeSubj: Please Join me April 7th

Above is the header of the email the Ehrlich camp sent out to supporters (I redacted the name/email address of the recipient who forwarded this to me – many thanks!). Please note that “TeamEhrlich” misspelled “Ehrlich” in the link. What the Hell is wrong with the former governor's folks when they cannot even correctly spell his name? If you can’t get the details of the “easy stuff” right, how are you going to handle the major issues? As for Bob Ehrlich, he must feel like Rodney Dangerfield among his own staff - but he has no one but himself to blame. And, if he doesn't feel like Rodney Dangerfield...well, that's a whole different issue he's got.

3) Speaking of the staff and its issues….Those Crisis Manufacturers – Paul Schurick, Greg Massoni and Henry Fawell have allegedly already left the offices of WCSR are on campaign payroll, and are holed up in a campaign office in Annapolis. Incredibly, Mr. Ehrlich really did take those guys with him – which must simply delight the O’Malley team to no end. If there is a crisis, as they have proven with alarming regularity in the past, these guys will extrapolate it beyond believability. If there isn’t a crisis, well, just give them time. Word is, that team has been joined by former Ehrlich staffer, the incomparable Bernie Marczyk (a POD Hall of Fame Candidate, to be sure!), who is taking on the role of Political Director.

Not joining the official campaign team, however, is one-time "Sign Boy" and current Director of Americans for Prosperity, David "Sloopy" Schwartz. Amazingly, Sloopy opted to keep his AFP job and forsake any campaign-staff skinny dipping parties that may pop up this year. Actually...I don't know who wins by Sloopy not accepting the Ehrlich Team's offer - the Ehrlich Team, or Sloopy. Additionally, the Ehrlich camp has opened up a satellite campaign office in Timonium that is said to occasionally be haunted by Ehrlich Money Guy, Dick Hug.

Money guy(s) or not, allusions are already being made that this race is not about money but about issues, which is pretty much what all candidates getting creamed in the race for campaign cash always say. Regardless, on the issues, Bobby GrudgeMatch has repeatedly called out Governor O'Malley for being a big spender and for jacking up taxes in the still of the night. No doubt, but in doing so Mr. Ehrlich is de facto trying to set himself up as a fiscal conservative.

Beyond then-Governor Ehrlich's 2006 taxpayer-dollar-spending-spree-for-votes, THAT brings us back to the libertarian leaning conservative Don Murphy, who when talking about Mr. Ehrlich in the context of being conservative with the tax dollars offered this priceless observation:

"Saying Bob Ehrlich is a fiscal conservative is like saying Ocean Gallery (http://oceangallery.com/) is an art museum."

That wasn't the beer and bravado talking - but it was the best line of the night. And, hey, isn't the best humor always rooted in the truth?

Regardless, those of you who are hopelessly lost in the Cult best get out your marching boots. The Bataan Death March to The April 7th Announcement is underway...and you know what happens to those who complain or do not march as expected.

And if you're not in the Cult, come join us one Monday night at the Waterfront Hotel (email first to make sure Some of us are going). The list of attendees varies, but what the Hell? We can't all be wrong ; )

Posted by Prince of Darkness at 11:52 PM

Team Erlich doesn't approve of these observations. Bob Erlich will have more on that later...