Re: Caprio Switching
As a general rule of thumb, I find explanations built on political maneuvering to be more plausible than grand conspiracies. So, today we hear on the Dan Yorke show, of a Caprio supporter suggesting to a Laffey supporter that the treasurer might entertain the possibility of switching to the Republican Party to further his campaign for governor, and the rumor mill runneth wild.
The first thought in my head was that this particular rumor is hardly new. Almost exactly a year ago, when Anchor Rising sat down with Treasurer Caprio, I asked his thoughts on the strategy of Republicans running as Democrats. His unprompted response was: “Why not the reverse?” He also referred to the untapped structure of the Republican Party. (Summary and audio here.)
Does that indicate that this is a strategy that he’s long kept up his sleeve? Perhaps, but his first move (more politically savvy) would probably be to run this idea periodically through the aforementioned rumor mill so that Republicans maintain a sense that he’s somehow one of them even as he hugs liberal Democrats during the primaries. Don’t fall for it. The last thing the RIGOP needs is to recover from the successful battle to purge the Linc Chafee camp by bringing in a Caprio camp, especially a Caprio camp that never actually switches over.
The second thought is that things have been looking, well, sticky for Attorney General Patrick Lynch. Apart from the general tremors that the Scott Brown victory caused in the state next door, Lynch has gotten all mucked up in the Charles Moreau scandal. This is relevant because anybody interested in an eventual Laffey candidacy — whether with the candidate’s encouragement or otherwise — clearly has an interest in keeping Lynch in the race at least through the primaries. Promoting the notion that he’s got Caprio so nervous about the primaries that he’s considering switching parties would be a tricky way to encourage the attorney general to stick with the race.
In other words, this little tempest could simply be the dust kicked up when folks devote some air to spinning the news cycle — all with their own agendas, but all with conflicting interests in the lesson that the public takes from it all.
The real story here is not about Caprio, or his floating, flirting, toying, or whatever about a party switch. The real story is still unfolding – and that is about who, in the State GOP is working behind the scenes to help Caprio. There is a lot more to this story that has yet to come out. Thus far some people are not willing, or perhaps ready, to name names. When that happens, the dots will begin to connect themselves.
George is absolutely right about that point. There was a significant part to the story related on the air today that was omitted … had John been able to talk longer, it probably would have made it out. The overtures regarding Caprio weren’t coming solely from the Caprio campaign folks. It’s not a one way street. There have been fairly high up folks actively courting Caprio for the GOP, including just within the last several weeks.
Will, Dan Yorke gave Michael Lepizzera’s dining snitch plenty of time to talk. Was quite amused Dan wasn’t going to buy into your drama queen snitching and blew you off. Interesting that once callers began to tell Dan how the snitches and their friends have been bragging as early as last night about how they were going to blow up on the Dan Yorke show today Dan finally began to connect some dots of his own about the real motivation behind the snitch crew dropping him a dime over the weekend.
Drama queens and chaos = the Laffey world
“Tim”, John only spoke for about 1/2 hour to Dan today. There’s quite a lot more material left, esp. regarding “Republican” collusion with the Caprio folks to ensure that this scenario came to pass. George knows what I’m referring to. We’ll probably just wait until the 9th for that. Dan has cut me short almost every time I’ve called, which is not all that frequently. I listen to the show often enough not to be offended or to take it personally, since he does it a lot, regardless as to whether he agrees with the caller. His point of contention with me was actually correct. I wasn’t going to reveal the source of something on the air which was told to me in confidence. In hindsight, I should have put that towards the end of my material. Dan knows more than he’s letting on, too. There was quite a lot discussed off the air on Sunday and today. I and some others have known about this since late Sunday afternoon that this was likely going to come up today. Dodenhoff called Dan Yorke at about 3pm yesterday, and let us know he’d called afterwards, although we didn’t find out for certain that he would be on the show until only a few hours before the show began. The “real” motivation is quite simple. Some of us do not want to see Caprio as the “Republican” nominee, regardless of how much money or how many legislators he would come along with. We are up against a fixed deadline, because the only scheduled meeting of the RIGOP before Caprio would have to make that decision (between March 15 and 31) takes place next Tuesday, February 9th. It was brought to our attention that the big reveal regarding Caprio might actually be dumped… Read more »
Oooooooo ….you’re going to wait for the “9th” to air it all out. lol (for those not scoring at home the 9th is a meeting of the Repubs statewide committee)
Well now that is what this little exercise has been all about now hasn’t it “Will”? This is just the latest chapter in the “Get Gio because he won’t change the rules for our boy” campaign orchestrated by Laffey’s crowd.
Problem is when people call up Dan’s show and tell him that folks in your cabal (not those going on the air to tell the story) are bragging on Sunday about the splash they’re going to make with Yorke on Monday the “orchestration” element in all this comes out loud and clear. This isn’t just some guy with a story to tell. This is a planned exercise among Laffey’s crowd. You guys smell really bad. Why would anyone have a private conversation with any of you at this point?? Much like your hero you minions can’t be trusted.
Btw “Will”, why would I be bitter about ’06?? Seems to me it’s you guys who’ve never gotten over it. So much so that you’ve tried/are still trying to change the rules that govern primaries DURING an election year.
Who’s bitter “Will”?? lol
Wow, that was definitely at least a 10-8 round for Tim. Maybe even 10-7.
The liars in the governor’s office, and formerly in the governor’s office, have no shame, or smarts. Carcieri is another behind this entire plan. Robitaille is nothing but a ruse.
Do they forget this is Rhode Island?
My, how stupid they are!
Tim, That would be a great post if it were even remotely true. It’s just all too easy to just blame Laffey. It makes such a tidy little package to sell. What this is about you’d not understand, need to have scruples too.
Here are my thoughts. This is just a big set up. Sometime after New Years when I heard someone say The Governor would back Caprio I thought well someone has it wrong. Then when I heard that Gio is refusing to close the primary’s and the Governor is backing him up and then not I thought well this does not make sense. Then when I see Laffey jumping in and out (not really) and showing his great plan but saying “You guys don’t want me” and also saying he likes and is a friend of Caprio I thought well that’s nice. Then when I heard that Caprio might switch party’s it all made sense to me and I got to tell you it’s an outrage. This posturing and these political games is just the thing RI does not need. This is taking an election right out of the hands of the voters the machine will choose the Governor and all the people are being directed. Will the Laffey support be tossed over to Caprio.I think the voters have been duped and its tragic and if I hear one more person say “that’s RI politics” I am moving to NH and I will watch This state turn into Detroit as Laffey says from there. I thought people wanted to change the way things are done around here. Oh well that’s just my opinion I could be wrong
What’s up with the “quotations” when referring to “Will”?
At least people in the RIGOP know who Will is. He’s providing a link to his website for god’s sake, and by that is taking a rather public stand.
I don’t think the same can be said for first name only “Tim”
Me? I don’t post my last name because my boss wouldn’t like it if she saw that I was posting online during work hours. But that said, I commend Will for his frequent and transparent public discourse.
Ben, it’s because Tim and Will know each other and Will quoted Tim’s name. In the past, Tim hasn’t really made it a secret as to where he is employed either.
“This is relevant because anybody interested in an eventual Laffey candidacy — whether with the candidate’s encouragement or otherwise — clearly has an interest in keeping Lynch in the race at least through the primaries.”
Isn’t this relevant no matter who the Republican nominee? Doesn’t ANY Republican, even John Robetaille, have a better chance the further to the left the Democrat nominee is?
This is just another reason for my suspicions. Why is Gio so obsessed with hammering Chafee with these press releases? Isn’t a three-way race against two far-left nut-bags, Lynch and Chafee, a dream for any Republican in November? Why isn’t Gio hammering Caprio? Maybe because he’s helping him!
I have a fairly decent idea of who “Tim” is. I put Tim’s name in quotes, because I know with a fairly great degree of certainty that his real name is not Tim.
For the record, my nickname here is Will, short for William, which is my actual name. I don’t mean to be overly presumptuous, but I’ve always assumed when posting on here that pretty much everyone who frequents this blog knows who I am, or is an actual real world friend of mine. I know who are behind most of a pseudonyms on here. You’re welcome to keep on using them.
PS As to George’s point, any Republican candidate, including (and especially) John Robitaille, has an interest in there being a competitive Democratic primary, if they are to have the best chance of coming out of a Republican primary intact. As for the strategy, I believe that they believe that by treating Lynch as the “front-runner” (which I actually concede he is at present, in so far as the liklihood of winning the Dem primary), and treating Chafee as if he’s viable and/or relevant, that they will be able to get Caprio to move further to the left than he ordinarily would, in order to appease the Dem primary voting crowd, and to make him more toxic in the general election. Of course that particular strategy only would work if Caprio actually plans on competing in the Democratic primary, right?
Hi!
Unless Frank Caprio swiches his Democrat affilation to Republican or Unaffilated 90 days before filing his gubernatorial bid in June, which means it has to be done by next month.
Regards,
Scott
It occurs to me that this stuff about Caprio switching is typical back-door, crooked, stinking Rhode Island politics.
If Caprio is a man of principle, he will stand up to the Leftist machine and fight it out with the Lynches for control of the hearts and minds of the Democratic party.
But if the rumor is true, he puts personal ambition first and looks for an inside track to a “sure thing”.
Wow, where to begin… Posted by Mike Cappelli at February 2, 2010 9:38 AM “Carcieri is another behind this entire plan. Robitaille is nothing but a ruse.” lol Just hilarious! Even Dan Yorke is starting to comment on the level of conspiracy theory paranoia in Camp Laffey. Posted by bobc at February 2, 2010 11:15 AM “Tim, That would be a great post if it were even remotely true. It’s just all too easy to just blame Laffey. It makes such a tidy little package to sell. What this is about you’d not understand, need to have scruples too.” bobc, let’s talk about the ‘scruples’ of people who have private conversations then run to the media with “their version” of what was said as they out their dining partner by name. For you to use the word scruples with this story is highly amusing. Wow are you boys out of touch. Posted by Steve at February 2, 2010 11:45 AM “Then when I heard that Gio is refusing to close the primary’s and the Governor is backing him up and then not I thought well this does not make sense.” It makes perfect sense. The Gov has said all along he’s opposed to a closed primary. Gio has said he’ll be glad to have a REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING to discuss the issue (wasn’t this issue of closing the primary voted DOWN in committe last year “Will”?? Hello…..anyone home out there?? ….helllllllloooooo) but what Gio is not willing to do is call a “special meeting” during an actual election cycle to change the very rule the committee refused to address/change just last year simply because Laffey has his minions stimulated and highly aroused. Seems to me Gio is being a responsible party chair by refusing to let one person manipulate the… Read more »
“Tim” is right that we’ve never directly met, nor is he on the state payroll. I don’t have any reason to believe that he knows me. There’s a difference between knowing “of” someone and knowing someone. He’s the former.
Tim sounds a little like someone who got frozen out of the Laffey camp. “He” sounds a little jilted and now is willing to sell out GOP principles because of it.
Tim is just like the jilted lover. Just can’t let it go. You know, the kind of divorced witch that, 20 years later, still complains about her failed marriage, like it was yesterday. 20 years later and still keeping tabs on her ex. Tim’s panties are in a perpetual knot. What a loser!
Actually, I could have supported a Caprio is he has just stuck to his conservative principles and kept his mouth shut.
However, after Drinking Liberally and now this botched attempt at pissing in the waters to see if anyone notices a change in taste only polarized my opinion of Caprio as deserving of trust.
He has now proven to me that he’s a politician first, conservative second and a honest person last.
Unless Laffey jumps in the camp, Robitaille is now the strongest runner. Give him time.
Like Roland, even I, yes I, briefly considered voting for Caprio up until fairly recently (during the period where Rory was considering running)… when I actually thought he was a conservative alternative, or at least somehow different, and not just a chameleon. I was 90% there. Whew!
I would vote for Robitaille in a general election, if it were between him and either of the Democrats, and of course, against Chafee (barf). Robitaille is sufficiently conservative, and I’ve known him long enough that trust isn’t an issue. Whether he’s actually viable remains to be determined. That’s up to him to prove.
John will be viable if the republicans start behaving like republicans and support this guy who has announced his intentions, and stop wishing for Steve Laffey. Steve has stated enough times, he’s not going to run. Let it go. If Steve wanted to run for Gov, he probably would have announced by now, or at least stopped this conspiracy theory stuff. It’s an embarrassment.
Kathy, Laffey has not said he will NOT run for Governor, he simply stated he’s not running for Governor. Call it splitting hairs if you will but Lynch is not running for Governor and neither is Caprio. They simply have not committed yet. So what’s the difference?