The P-I's Joe Connelly in Wednesday's column: "McGavick Web site cleans up; foes ought to do same"
Just before leaving work last week, I punched up the volunteer-run Web site touting prospective U.S. Senate candidate Mike McGavick and read its provocative opening line: "IT IS TIME FOR A MAN TO REPRESENT WASHINGTON."Connelly fell for a prank. The home page of mikemcgavick.com currently has nothing more than an "under construction" message. But had Connelly not been in such a hurry to get out of the office last week, he might have questioned whether any serious candidate would actually adopt such a silly slogan as "IT IS TIME FOR A MAN TO REPRESENT WASHINGTON". He might also have looked a little closer and realized that mikemcgavick.com is a spoof site.The beginning of a new workweek saw a new message on mikemcgavick.com: "This site is currently under construction. Please check back in a couple weeks." The soon-to-be ex-Safeco CEO has taken charge of his political fortunes, exiling sexism.
UPDATE: Nathan Azinger reveals that the creator of the McGavick spoof site is Gerald Toompas, former technology director of the Young Democrats of Washington.
UPDATE 2: Connelly revised his column, admitting he was had.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at July 26, 2005 11:37 PM | Email ThisI relish great moments in journalism such as this.
Posted by: ERNurse on July 26, 2005 11:56 PMI saw that site when I was looking for McGavik's bio last week.....(snicker)....it took me about 2 seconds to figure out it wasn't a *McGavik sanctioned* site!
I hope Connelly feels very stupid....Maybe he will even learn something from this......?......Nah!
Posted by: Deborah on July 27, 2005 12:45 AMIt was a lot of fun while it lasted; and I don't regret not having control anymore; i cant say more.
Keep up the good reporting ;)
McGavick Spoofer
I cannot believe he actually fell for this. It took me less then a minute to figure out the site was obviously fake.
I DON'T think he fell for this. I think he did it on purpose, now that I think about it.
Posted by: Cliff Smith on July 27, 2005 01:26 AM(Also, don't be surprised if during the campaign the Cantwell camp brings this up again, followed by their own almost inaudible "apology" for the "mistake" - that, or claims that the "spoof site" was just a cover for the initial gaffe.)
Posted by: Patrick on July 27, 2005 07:23 AMConnelly needs to do a mea culpa on Sound Politics and apologize real nice.
Posted by: swatter on July 27, 2005 07:25 AMIt sure must suck to be a Liberal.
Posted by: swassociates on July 27, 2005 08:14 AMMaking Connelly look foolish........"Priceless"
Posted by: Jim L on July 27, 2005 09:52 AMCredit to Connelly? Yes, not for the mistake of course, but for the criticism he gives "Congressman-for-life" Jim McDermott farther down in the column. For instance:
"He [McDermott] lied, and he has never explained or apologized for it."
That's plain enough, I think.
Now one could say that Connelly is only doing his job, that any journalist in this area should take a crack at McDermott from time to time. But criticism of McDermott from other journalists in this area is, in fact, quite rare.
As anyone who has read my site for long knows, I often disagree with Connelly and sometimes find mistakes in his work. But I will also say that he has been pretty good on McDermott, at least since I moved back to this area.
Posted by: Jim Miller on July 27, 2005 01:07 PM