Vince has put together a Best and Worst of 2006 survey that’s worth checking out. I just finished filling in my responses – click on the More link to see what I entered., or click here to see PDiddie’s.
1. Texas’ candidates this year had a lot to say. What was your favorite “soundbite?” (A soundbite is something a candidate repeated frequently or something a candidate said only once that you felt was particularly memorable).
I don’t have a favorite, so I’ll go for memorableness. I hate to say this, and I know Muse is going to kill me, but the “Vote Twice For Shelley” jingle was extremely effective as an earworm. If you can’t forget something no matter how hard you try, it qualifies as memorable to me.
2. What Texas candidate do you believe had the best website this election cycle?
Chris Bell
3. Of all the political commercials that ran in Texas this cycle, which one do you believe was the best commercial that exhibited a candidate or campaign in a positive light?
4. What do you think was the best negative political advertisement of the 2006 election cycle?
The whole “Real Men of Genius” thing is getting overworked in the way that the MasterCard “Priceless” thing has been, but Rick Perry’s use of it was still pretty good.
5. What do you believe was the worst TV or radio commercial by any candidate this election cycle?
Martha Wong’s “Ellen Cohen Is Canadian!” ad was, hands down, the worst political ad I’ve ever seen.
6. From Chris Bell’s use of the governor’s mansion electric bill to Fred Head’s use of Susan Comb’s steamy romance novel, candidates up and down the ballot had some unique attention getting techniques this cycle. Which one was your favorite?
Shelley Sekula Gibbs’ flagrant abuse of the color pink.
7. What race do you believe represented the biggest upset of 2006? (Primary or General election).
Joe Heflin’s holding HD85 for the Democrats. Pete Laney said he’d do it, Carolyn Boyle said he’d do it, and I just couldn’t bring myself to believe it. Well, I believe it now.
8. What do you think was the best political news story of 2006?
ParentPAC’s emergence on the scene and their amazing success right out of the gate.
9. What do you believe was the worst gaffe by a political candidate this election cycle?
Gene Seamon blaming CondoGate on his wife.
10. What, during the course of 2006, do you believe was the most overrated thing when it came to Texas politics? (It can be a candidate, a group, a story, anything!)
“Only Carole Keeton Strayhorn can beat Rick Perry!”
11. If you had the chance to name one Texas politician the “Biggest Political Prostitute Of 2006,” what candidate would you give that title to?
Tom DeLay (Lifetime Achievement Award)
12. Of all the political news and events of 2006, what (or who) do you believe was the biggest political ‘bomb’ of the year?
Kinky Friedman. Much ado about nothing.
13. What’s the dumbest statement a politician uttered this election cycle?
“This fellow here, over here with the yellow shirt, macaca, or whatever his name is. He’s with my opponent. He’s following us around everywhere. And it’s just great,” Allen said, as his supporters began to laugh. After saying that Webb was raising money in California with a “bunch of Hollywood movie moguls,” Allen said, “Let’s give a welcome to macaca, here. Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia.” Allen then began talking about the “war on terror.”
I know this is supposed to be about Texas, but that was dumber than anything said here.
14. What Texas newspaper, reporter, television station, etc., do you believe had the best overall political news coverage in 2006?
15. What Mainstream Media Outlet do you believe had the worst political news coverage for 2006?
No selection
16. What Texas blog do you believe is the best Texas Politics blog on the web? (Note: you cannot vote for Capitol Annex).
I have too many favorites, so I’ll pass on this.
17. What Texas politics blog covering a specific region (i.e. San Antonio, Fort Bend County, Harris County, etc.) was the ‘best’ in 2006?
Here I’ll give props to the Fort Bend crowd – Muse, Hal, Juanita, Bryan, Fred, and Mark.
18. Don’t lie: you know you read Texas Republican blogs, too…just to know what the other side is saying. Which Texas right-wing Republican blog is your favorite?