Today's Washington Times has an interesting article about how the two candidates running for Virginia Governor are turning to "Twitter" to get their message out to their followers. It also explains how Creigh Deeds the Democratic party candidate uses his air-time to update his supporters on which Springsteen song he is listening to: " "I pretty much listen to music all the time," he said, so his updates often read like the contents of his iPod. "Been on a Springsteen binge last 24 hours."
Maybe this is why the Republican candidate Bob McDonnell has an impressive lead already in those following him on Twitter and other media avenues: "By the numbers, Mr. McDonnell's new-media campaign is out in front of the Deeds campaign. On Wednesday, Mr. Deeds had 2,170 followers on Twitter, while Mr. McDonnell had 4,046 followers."
"Facebook numbers were in Mr. McDonnell's favor, too. Mr. Deeds had 8,867, and Mr. McDonnell had 14,174 supporters, people who have signed on to the page where they can read updates and post thoughts."
Maybe its the contents of the messages being sent that is the reason why there is such a great discrepancy in numbers of followers between the candidates? With all that is going on in Washington with the new administration, the economy, and whatever $ million+ deficit we face her in Virginia the people are looking for a candidate with solutions instead of "Playlists"...
Now being a "Jersey Boy" myself for most of my early years, I too appreciate the work of Bruce Springsteen and have seen him several times. Like Deeds I favor the early stuff that Springsteen wrote and songs describing places that I know personally are all the better. The first Springsteen concert that I saw was in the old Spectrum arena in Philliy and Springsteen spoke about growing up in Freehold and hanging out in the park next to the old cannon which many of us know from being there also. Springsteen also did some great work in his early years when he went to cities to perform and would often donate to the local Food bank operations. This is when he did not have the millions he does now for back then I remember him coming into the gas station I worked at during college and he was always in a beat up Chevy and usually headed back to the Jersey shore after playing in Philadelphia or the likes. He was a good guy and never looked for attention but was glad to talk with those who recognized him... With all of those who hit it big and move to the "Left coast", Springsteen too has changed. I don't see the same man as I saw before when working the gas station in Hightstown NJ when I now seeing him preaching politics during his concerts and the songs he writes now. Not like the early stuff Creigh, Springsteen tickets for the upcoming Hartford CT concert starts at $65 and goes all the way up to $860+ a piece...
The article also states that Deeds has used the "Tweet" option for other than playlist updates and in fact: "In a more serious Tweet on June 1, he wrote, "my heart goes out to all the workers - and their families - of the GM Spotsylvania County plant which will close it doors."
This reminds me of the same concert above where Springsteen also spoke about the closing of the Rug Mill in Freehold and the many people that he knew who got laid off and had no work to support their families. Many times I remember seeing the closed down rug mill and the emptiness to the local economy because that and other businesses had left town. Its good to "Tweet" your sadness in the loss of a business but the people are looking for a Governor with solutions to problems like this instead of one with a "Top 40" songlist...
Updated information regarding the rug-mill in Freehold...
In fact a local Virginia blogger writes about how it is reported that our present Governor of Virginia, Tim Kaine (D) also happens to be the Chairman of the Democratic National Committee at the same time and with that spends a third of his time dealing with DNC problems instead of the issues regarding Virginia. Does that mean the Democratic Governor of Virginia only takes a 2/3 paycheck from the citizens of Virginia that he represents? And since he is a "Lame-Duck" Governor due to term limits, where is his priorities and is this what the citizens of Virginia deserve?
To quote a Springsteen song from one of his better albums "The River":
"Is a dream a lie if it dont come true, or is it something worse"
