Q the Eye/05.22.12

Dear LakeCountyEye,

I've been tarred with a reputation for crushing the opposition like a bug. While I admit I know how to win, I fear my negatives may cost me the next election. What do I need to do to win in November?

The Great Successor

Dear Kim Jong-un,

Operatives are always advised that if their candidate has a problem, then hang a lantern on it. (Or a bug zapper as the case may be.)

You could do worse than one enterprising Lake County Congressman. The Congressman, who will go unnamed, owns, along with his family, Rose Pest Solutions. Being in the business of eliminating other people's undesirable organisms may not be the optimal way to endear oneself with the voters. And this Congressman's re-election team worries about losing what are known as the suburban ICK-squared voters -- as in ...

ICK, ICK, I'm not voting for an exterminator!

Their clever solution is to rebrand their pesticide candidate into an environmental candidate. The opening salvo may have been this unsigned News-Sun story ...

Dold keeping close eye on environment

The story is a cornucopia of feelgood lines like ...

Dold agreed. "It is absolutely critical that we protect our environment and conserve it for generations to come," he said.

And ...

It gives me good vibes to hear about all the Lake Michigan shoreline conservation work that is being done.

Variously described as an "unretouched virgin press release" and a "fat journalistic wetkiss", the story has Lake County's liberal blogosphere crying foul. But your LakeCountyEye knows better & recognizes the story for what it is: An example of what needs to be done when you need to change those low negatives into some high positives.

A tip of the LakeCountyEye green eyeshade goes out to some anonymous (and nodoubt low-paid) PR guy for one Lake County Congressman.

If you are an elected official, or a previously elected official, or just a private citizen under indictment, send your political questions to Q the Eye c/o ... LakeCountyEye@gMail.com