Matthew Doheny, in a bold and decisive move, sent this statement over to newzjunky.com today in response to Assemblyman Will Barclay's campaign announcement. It appears as if Doheny is making an early move to parlay his economic background into an organized campaign focused primarily on job creation and standing up against special interests in Washington. Here is his statement:
With the nation attempting to rebound from the worst recession in generations, unemployment which continues to rise nationally and in New York, and a federal government that is running of trillions of dollars in red ink, the time for bold ideas and bold leadership is now.
Republicans in the 23rd District should have a wide range of candidates in which to choose who will represent them in next November's Congressional elections. When all is said and done, I believe that they will choose the candidate who best understands the economy, knows how to create jobs and will stand up to the special interests in Washington to stop the red ink.
It sounds like there are two very committed candidates solidly in the race for NY-23. Newzjunky.com describes the response as: "Matt Doheny Fires Back..." but it may be a wise move to turn the spotlight away from the candidate of the day. Will others formally join the fold soon?
The Watertown paper may not be very quick to catch the news, but Doheny is. He sees an opportunity and he takes it. Just like he will for the North Country.
ReplyDeleteTo put out a statement like that on the day of your primary opponents announcement is just poor form. I wouldn't call it negative, but it's an attempt to start a fight and all of those negative comments in posts below about Barclay are clearly coming from the Doheny campaign which is organized to tear down Barclay before he even gets started. At least Congressman Owens has the respect to wait for the media to take the story to print before he inserts himself into a candidates introduction.
ReplyDeleteIt really is like cutting someone off in mid-sentence. My point is that Doheny gives me a bad vibe already.
January 8, 2010 4:56 PM,
ReplyDeleteI'm not from the Doheny campaign and have never met him. Yet no one answered a question I asked in a previous post which is what what has Barclay accomplished as a state lawmaker?
If Barclay isn't able to answer that question then his campaign is in trouble.
4:56 - well said.
ReplyDelete508 - Will Barclay is a successful legislator in Oswego County and, speaking as one of his constituents has helped me out on a number of state related issues - mostly constituent service. His office is very effective and knowledgeable. Constituent service is the most important part of an elected officials job and I know Will Barclay understands that.
ReplyDeleteI too believe that Doheny looks a little desperate rushing out that two paragraph statement shortly after Will announced his own intentions. I'm not sure that Matt has even officially announced that he's running - how about doing that first before going negative against an opponent?
Matt Doheny is a good guy who should also be considered for the race. You can find out more about him here at his campaign website - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matt-Doheny/112778473244
ReplyDeleteWhatever. His statement says nothing about health care, earmarks, climate change, or unions. You have to wonder who's interests he is really looking out for? Wall Streets? His own? Or are those two things synonymous? What stocks and corporate interests does this guy have investments in? That will determine how he votes!
ReplyDeleteAnd if Doheny is talking about fixing the deficit which programs is he willing to cut? Education, Transporation, Social Services, Social Security??? Don't speak up if you don't have a plan. It just shows you want the media spotlight and you are jealous of Barclay.
I know both Matt Doheny and Will Barclay. I support Matt Doheny. Unlike Dede, he will not be in the pocket of special interests like the local unions, and will fight for the individual voters. He has a track record of success in the private sector and not just years of collecting a paychekc in Albany.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNot in the pocket of special interests? Ouch...
ReplyDeleteDoheny's base is Wall Street financial tycoons ... check his FEC.gov site and see where his money comes from and then get back to me.
"Create jobs?" So, how many jobs has Mr. Doheny created, I wonder?
And, as far as Mr. Barclay: I don't blame him for wanting to get as far away as possible from Albany ... he's in the minority down there, so being in the minority in Congress would be just fine... I guess? (smile)
Paul Spadko - not in the pocket of special interests? Matt Doheny...really...
ReplyDeleteWhere has his money came from? That's his biggest selling point to people that he's a successful and WEALTHY stockbroker. Well guess what, making the money off other people's backs because you were willing to bet on a long shot does not garuntee that I'll give you my vote.
Will Barclay is a well respected person and I think someone that should be considered to be our next Congressman. For anyone to challenge that I think is being foolish. He's got the chops and he's got the know-how.
I'm sorry Matt, but you don't. This is a two horse race now between Doug Hoffman and Will Barclay in my mind.
still no one can say what barclay has accomplished as a state legislator other than "constituent service" which all lawamkers (or more often than not their staffs) do.
ReplyDeleteI'm not saying constituent service isn't important just that Barclay needs to have substantative accomplishments.
1248 - last time I checked the NYS Assembly was fairly packed with Democrats. I think the Republican minority is under 45 members. Take that into consideration when you ask what has Barclay accomplished. Do you really think that Shelly Silver would allow a Republican to trumpet anything substantive? Most of what the Assembly Minority is able to do is stand against the actions of the majority - example - voting against the Gay Marriage bill in the Assembly which Will Barclay did.
ReplyDelete10:46,
ReplyDeleteWell he'll likely be in the minority in the House as well so he'll have to know how to work across party lines.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteLast comment what does that have to do with anything? None of these people have brains as far as I am concerned.
ReplyDeleteJust removed a comment that was inappropriate. Please try to keep this stuff clean kiddies.
ReplyDeleteOk - for starters, I am not part of the "doheny campaign" that is trying to tear down Barclay. Nor am I part of the Barclay campaign trying to discredit doheny. I am just a well informed voter and here is my take on it (in a couple posts because I seemed to go on and on and exceeded the character limit!):
ReplyDeleteFor starters, Matt Doheny is not a stockbroker and never has been. There is a lot more to finance than that and if that is all you understand than you are misinformed. Every single article about him states that he worked in distressed finance. Meaning that he worked with companies in financial distress/bankruptcy and tried to make them solvent again. It has absolutely nothing to do with stock picking. So to answer Dan's question, I can not speak with authority, but in the process of doing his job, Doheny has likely had the opportunity to save thousands and thousands of jobs at these companies. That is a trait in Doheny I can stand behind.
Second, as for the quickly released statement by the Doheny crew, I just call that smart politics.
Third, as for Barclay not being effective. I would have to disagree with that. As the 10:46am poster stated it is hard to be effective when the other side is in control. So while I am not staying that he has had a major impact in the Assembly, he hasn't been ineffective either. That one is kind of a wash in my book.
Fourth, regarding Doheny aligned with Wall Street. That was my concern during the nomination process in 2009 and thus was my major focus when I was doing my research. I can very comfortably say that that just is not the case. He has the knowledge of someone in finance but that is where it stops. His interests seem solely for the betterment of the local community. Aside from the conversations I had with him that convinced me of that, why else would the guy leave a job where he could potentially earn millions of dollars in his lifetime to serve NY23? Certainly not to better the industry he chose to leave. There is a lot more power and money with being a wall street guru than a congressman from Northern NY and he is aiming to be a congressman.
ReplyDeleteFifth, Barclay needs to start talking. He has the misfortune of already having a lot of his dirty laundry aired and thus will need to answer for it sooner than any of the other candidates if he wants to have a chance. I know Barclay took a beating in the Aubertine election and I didn't see much of a fight on his part to defend himself. He would be smart to explain/defend the allegations, for example the allegations that his family charged fees to use the river that ran through his estate. I have never heard him say anything to prove that this is not true. I honetsly cannot imagine that that is actually true - what family with political ambitions would ever do something so foolish, thus I am hoping that it was just an Aubertine concoction, but please Will, explain this so this isn't a black cloud over you any more.
Sixth, money. You would be a fool to think that money does not play a major role in elections, so from that stand point Barclay and Doheny both have a leg up (I think Hoffman is yesterday's news - he won't be able to have the same "wow" effect as he did in 2009 and will likely disappear from the radar screen fairly quickly). There are couple big differences though that work for and against each candidate (1) Doheny earned his money and Barclay inherited it - score one for Doheny; and (2) Doheny left the District to make that money whereas Barclay has been here all along - score one for Barclay. So the question becomes, what matters more? On this one I side with Doheny - I like the fact that he started from very little and had to claw his way to the top. That shows that he gets where we, the voter, are coming from and has the vision/drive to see where we want to be. In order to really succeed in finance you have to leave NNY, it just is what it is. And because he had kept such close ties here with his family and a-bay home, I think that has kept him in touch with the area. I am certainly not going to hold Barclay's inherited wealth against him, but it doesn't say anything about him either. Aubertine played rough when he called Barclay the rich kid who was out of touch with the everyday man - that might be a little harsh, but he just doesn't have the modest upbringing that Doheny did and that matters to me.
ReplyDeleteSo, all in all, I think Doheny has the edge. That being said, I really would like to see Barclay stay in the Assembly. I would like to see republicans in both seats and that seems to be the smartest and cleanest way to do it. They are both good guys and have our community interests ay heart, I just like Doheny's story more.
That was very well said 3:55 & 3:56. Thank you for a rare intelligent blog post.
ReplyDelete356 - a very well thoughtout and intelligent post. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI have to say however that I don't share your belief that Doheny's story is any better than Barclay's. First, Will doesn't own an estate - the river ad incorrectly portrays Will's father's driveway as Will's. That's what you see in the commercial - Will and his family actually live in a smaller home than Doheny. Second, last time I checked Will's father is still alive and thus Will hasn't inherited anything yet. Do I challenge that Will is a well-off person, of course not, but I really don't think this class warfare, or class comparitive warfare is in the GOPs best interest.
I too would like Will to remain in the Assembly, but he is apparently committed to this race for NY-23. That puts the district with three high profile seats open - NY23, SD48 and 124AD. 124AD isn't near Doheny's area so he won't do that, but the 48th SD is...why couldn't Doheny save us from the Democrat Senate Majority and take out Aubertine. Then Will could run for Congress and we've got a team.
We need to buid a team folks and I think that's a good place to start.
There was another post somewhere on this site that I think said it very well: Matt's strengths (namely financial knowledge) are better suited for a Washington level issues - I would like to see him halp out with the banking regulations since he probably understands it better than most politicians; and Barclay's strengths are better suited for local politics - he had been in the game for a while and gets it. State and national issues are pretty different and I would hate to see him be another fish in the sea in Washington with no specific qualifications that would differentiate himself from the other congressmen with a track record in politics.
ReplyDeleteAlbany needs a financial overhaul even more than DC. Therefore, Doheny would be good in Albany.
ReplyDeleteBesides, Barclay officially got into the race first so I think Doheny should defer unless he wants to start a fight over the seat and thus allow the Democrats to keep it. If Doheny does get in now then he will either 1) play the role of the spoiler the race and let Hoffman win the nomination or 2) he will damage himself and the other candidates so badly that whoever wins will be in a weak position to take on Owens.
Doheny had his chance this summer and he couldn't convince the 11 chairs. So he must not be that good if he can't convince 11 people who all thought Scozzafava was a better choice.
Last, Doheny's style just isn't suited for DC. No one congressman (freshman at that) can change DC. You have to be incredibly naive or plain stupid to believe he could. He should be worried about getting people's expectations too high. The 23rd needs someone with experience who knows how to work a bill through committee and get it up the ranks. That person is Will Barclay in my book.
Are you serious??? So the first person to raise their hand for an election that is roughly 10 months away should get the nomination?? You can't honestly believe that. So if Josh Lynch threw his hat in the ring first you would have suggested that Barclay back off and support him? Really?
ReplyDeleteAS for you comment on the nomination last summer, that was not an election and that was a purely political decision - for whatever reason the chairs seemed to think that Dede had been passed over enough and now it was her turn. It was stupid. Besides, if you go by that theory, then shouldn't Barclay step aside since he actually lost in an ELECTION against Aubertine? That was a true election and Barclay couldn't pull it off, and by all GOP accounts, that should have been a slam dunk. Careful throwing that one around, it will bite you.
Lastly, as for a freshman politician not being able to make an impact in Washington - have you ever examined the political pedigree of our President? He had the goods to rise through the ranks faster than ever. Back then "change" was the word of the moment and Obama fit that to a tee, I think the economy is going to be center stage for a while to come and to think that that wouldn't put a least a small spotlight on Doheny that is naive. Now the big question is whether he would have the goods to run with it and make a name for himself and district the way Obama did. America is sick of the career politician so I would never count out a freshman who brings something different to the table.
I do not think it is fair at all to call Doheny's comments negative. He doesn't mention anything negative about any other candidates. Isn't that what defines a negative ad? I think the Barclay troop is still shell-shocked by the negative ads by Aubertine in the last couple weeks of the State Senate election that they now think any ad or comment by another candidate is negative. Calm down boys.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 4:17 - compliments two other Anonymouns posters (3:55 and 3:56) which are probably his/hers posts anyway? So, now they are complimenting themselves ... what's next: chewing themselves out while standing in front of the mirror?
ReplyDeleteLOL :]
Actually Dan, I provided one of the posts and it wasn't too myself. Can't you find someplace else for you baseless complaints?
ReplyDeleteIn fact, the second complimentor disagreed with parts of the original post. Dan, you are so angry at the world because no one takes you seriously (or ever compliments you). Please just go away. These posts are so pleasant without you chiming it.
ReplyDeleteDan, aren't you a registered democrat and thus couldn't even vote in a primary if one were held? You must have a LOT of free time on your hands! Perhaps you should get a hobby.
ReplyDeleteAnd, they say that GOPers are not easily upset or don't get angry all the time - do tell.
ReplyDeleteDoes honest debate that I provide really upset all you "Anonymous" posters that much? If so, why don't you come out in the sunshine and show your real colors, and then maybe we could discuss issues like we say we want people to discuss issues - in a serious and honest fashion.
Naw, that's too hard, right? Alrighty then. Scurry on.
8:03 and 8:04 - you two do know what
ReplyDelete:) or :] means right? Just wondering... or for old geezers there
:)) (two chins).
Dan? Providing honest debate? Now that's the funniest thing I have heard in a long time. Enough about Dan. So to 6:37, Barclay hasn't officially announced anything, he just said he would be exploring the idea over the next couple weeks. And Doheny had a fundraising in December but didn't officially announce his candidacy either. As far as I am concerned no one is officially in the race yet except Owens. But I agree with 6:52, the first guy should not the nominee because he said it first. It's not like calling shotgun for the front seat of a car.
ReplyDeleteAnon 6:05 - my last word on this (or probably yours) -- if you can't define or recognize honest and open debate, then my Anonymous forum-feathered friend, that's your problem; not mine.
ReplyDelete:(
Spitzer did not mince words in going after Gillibrand, telling WAMC radio that he would not have appointed Gillibrand "under any circumstance" and adding:
ReplyDelete“We need people in leadership now who know what they believe, who are willing to stand up and state what they believe and make tough decisions on critical issues relating to the economy, civil rights, issues of crime and punishment, guns, same-sex marriage. And I just think on every one of those scores, she fails.”
Read More Here
Gov. Paterson says anyone who thinks they can do a better job should run and oppose her ... thus, I surmise that the DEMS would help someone, anyone, get their name on the primary ballot to face her?
Not likely. Unless they had a ton of money. We shall see.
In what world is that statement "bold and decisive?"
ReplyDelete