Oc-TORY-Fest Danke

Ottawa West-Nepean provincial Tories held their first annual Oct-TORY-Fest last Thursday at Biagio's Italian Restaurant.

Okay, so the venue was a thematic contradiction but the food was still German, the room very accommodating and the atmosphere quite Bavarian in nature and, most of all, everyone had a good time and we raised money for the riding association.

It's the first of many fun events planned between now and the next election to help fill our war chest.

Big thanks to the membership and guests who showed up to support the cause. We're asking those who attended to go and spread the word that Ottawa West-Nepean Ontario PC's are back in a big way and are serious about winning while intent on putting the fun back into fundraising in our riding.

Many thanks to Ottawa West-Nepean MP, Hon. John Baird for attending and giving us great encouragement.

Also thanks to former Ottawa South federal candidate and sponsorship scandal whistleblower Allan Cutler for his presence.

More to come from Ottawa West-Nepean!

Larry O'Brien Campaign Website Impresses

Ottawa Mayoral candidate Larry O'Brien's campaign website has turned some heads over the past couple of weeks. Transforming from a static traditional site standard to a 2.0 version, very much a blog format (a popular look today), O'Brien's content looks constantly fresh.

The site is also receiving media praise, both MSM and new media.

From Ottawa Start Blog:
Out of the three main mayoral candidates, O'Brien is clearly in the lead when it comes to embracing internet technology. He has a blog, he posts his campaign ads on YouTube, and he's even using Google Adwords to advertise online.

From The Ottawa Citizen's Curbs And Gutters by Dave Reevely:

O'Brien's entries read like the first-draft thoughts of a pretty smart guy who's spending a lot of time thinking about municipal politics, which, when you think about it, is exactly what you'd want to read from a candidate for mayor.

Compare Bob Chiarelli's "blog," which is more or less a list of the places he campaigned each day and some breathless observations about what a truly excellent place Ottawa is. "What a city and people to be proud of!" the mayor muses for Oct. 14 and 15, reflecting on a fundraiser for defibrillators in schools. The next day, he campaigned in Westboro: "This city from end to end is an amazing place, and I am looking forward to the opportunity, that this campaign gives, to address every corner and community in Ottawa to express my vision for what Ottawa is and should be." I'm not sure which is scarier: that Bob Chiarelli thinks his interests are best served by having us believe his insights into the city he's led for nine years are that shallow or that they actually might be.

Not that a website alone can win an election. But it does demonstrate that O'Brien is in touch with today and is using the blog format as one method of getting his message out. And these days, it's a very effective one for web users.

Larry O'Brien More Impressive Each Time Out

As the Ottawa mayoral race tightens up, Larry O'Brien continues to gain ground and grow in his role as a candidate. His lustre increases every day with this growing confidence with the issues.

His relationship with the media is comfortable now. He doesn't shy from the tough questions and the mettle he displays as a first-time candidate is the same stuff that made him a successful businessman; and it's all self-made.

Yesterday, the Ottawa Sun published a lengthy profile on O'Brien. Written by Susan Sherring, it provides a closer look at the man voters are still getting to know. Click the link below.

O'Brien never far from roots - October 23/06

Last Night, A-Channel Ottawa held a 45 minute debate in which O'Brien became the focus for both rivals. The sample clip below wraps it all up quite neatly.

Campaign A-La-BAMpaign

From AP yesterday:
Alabama candidate campaigns on cleavage

Libertarian Loretta Nall seems to be pulling out all stops, so to speak, in her Alabama gubernatorial bid.

She has two websites plus a blog site. This poster was found after a long scroll down the blog this morning (It's since been placed at the top). Her fundraising also includes merch sales.

Seems to be a lot of activity on her sites. I checked out nallforgovernor.com earlier this morning and determined it may have been first site before shifting over to lorettanall.com. Quick check a few minutes ago and the first one was down. Either way, her web presence is being felt thanks to the exposure from the media.

Her slogan on the Nallforgovernor site reads: Vote Nall Y'all!!

Spliffy, I say.

She's definitely puttin' the BAM back in Alabama.