Commercials...New Meanings?

Have you seen the most recent Tennessee Lottery Commercials? The first one has the two country "sangers" male and female twanging out a song. I guess this is a parody on what is perceived to be the typical country music performers.The other commercial is a female who recites a bit of verbiage with a lone guitarist in the background and breaks into a clogging dance. Both commercials end with an announcer who promotes the Tennessee Lottery.

These two spots have had the reverse effect most notably on me..not that I am going to go out and buy a lottery ticket anyway. It probably keeps me from buying a ticket for sure.

I would really like to slap all parties who participate in these spots...especially knowing that they are getting paid for doing that. Some people have no shame. Hey did you know the Lottery director makes nearly $900,000 a year? Also, did you know that Governor Bredesen took around $90 Million dollars out of the lottery fund to pay for his Pre-K program? One of my campaign points...was to quit funding this Pre-K program and put the money back into College Education where it belongs. Guess how many HS graduates we could help send to College with $90 Million Dollars. Our quickest and best return on our Education dollars would be on the College Students and not those Pre-kindergartners. The State's own reports indicate that it is a program that does not get the results that it hoped to have. Hope newly elected Governor Haslam will truely become a good steward of the Tennessee Dollar and see the error.

And then there was Carnival Kia's New Spot
I know most of you folks who live in the Middle Tennessee area have seen the Carnival Kia commercials. Many of the spots have included owner/operator Chris Bostick and his wife Dessie and their kids. Their two sons have appeared in many of these promotions. Some of which would consider hokey but yet entertaining. It gets you to remember the name of the dealership.
You might also recall that Chris ends each spot with " Please don't leave until you see me." The most recent commercial spot just features him and his wife. It is very apparent that Dessie will draw lots of attention to her participation in the ad. If I was in the market for a new car and considered a Kia...I would rather see her instead. He might have to change his slogan to.."Don't you leave until you see _ _ _ _ _!" Bravo to Chris and his Ad team! Wonder what market segment they are looking to attract?

With the economy the way it is...I'm wondering how all the dealerships are doing? Out my way, I don't know anyone who has recently bought a new vehicle. My family is driving vehicles that were purchased in 2004-2005 and we hope they are going to last a bit longer.

Bucket List Update

I am working on the next item on my Bucket List. I am preparing the way. Letter has been written and currently waiting on a response and hopeful meeting. Having to take a bold and proactive approach to this one. Will let you know if that opportunity comes around. You never know until you try.

Campaign Memory and Fopahs

I am hoping thru the Dedeacon's Tale that I will be able to share some of the more interesting things that took place on my state-wide campaign trail. The first is a fopah I made on KWAM radio in Memphis this past summer on John Hester's The Average American Show. John had asked me a question about my stance on K-12 Education. I went on to describe a point that I would like to have a contract between the schools, the students and their parents...indicating what was expected from all parties. Also noting the school's decorum on dress and punishment. I indicated that if the student did not follow the rules and had signed the contract with the a school that he or she would be subject to "capital" punishment. John quickly went to a commercial break. The studio went deafly quiet. No word from the board operator and my wife. Everyone had a puzzled look. After a minute passed..John meekly asked, "Don't you think Capital Punishment would be somewhat cruel?" I responded with a NO! I don't think so. Patricia reaches over to whisper in my ear, I think you should have used the word "corporal" instead of capital punishment. I was a bit embarrassed by the comment and we had to do a clarification when we came back on. I will say that I got more votes in Shelby County than I did in Williamson County. Guess some folks in Shelby County agreed with me.

Sharing Campaign Thoughts and Lessons Learned

I have developed a little talk on my experiences while on the campaign trail and have incorporated them into a presentation or speech per se. If you know of a school group (class), church group or a civic group that might be interested in me speaking to them please contact me. You can reach me initially thru my email at bayron.binkley@gmail.com. I spoke to 5 different high school classes while on the campaign trail. I come cheap.

I welcome your thoughts and comments to this blog. Until next time...I am The Dedeacon.

We Are Gearing It Back Up

Have You Noticed?

Are you not getting what you paid for or find things and products just not the same. Two of my staples of nourishment on the campaign trail were M&M Peanuts and Cracker Jacks. With consistency..I found that with the new packaging for Cracker Jacks..most of the caramel has cracked off the kernel of popcorn and ends up with a big pile of it along with the peanuts at the bottom of the bag...while you have nothing but puff corn to eat. I'm sure it has something to do with the bag the product is put in and the shipping and handling. Its not what it used to be and I'm tired of collecting nothing but removal tattoos for prize inside. Bring back the unique little toys!! Toddlers are not eating Cracker Jacks anymore.

As for M&M Peanuts... very few have full peanuts inside the candy anymore. I found many of the candies lacked a peanut at all. Many of the ones that had something in it was usually just a broken piece of peanut. Don't ever buy a bag from a convenience store...most are now run by folks who don't care if a product has an expiration date on it. A stale M&M peanut is like eating an old dried up Krystal hamburger. (Not what we seek from the Krytal..We want the mushy steamed bun)

FAIR AND BALANCED? OH GIVE ME A BREAK!!
This was the only picture that the mainstream Nashville media posted of me and mentioned our campaign during the nearly past two years. The only other exception would be a couple of stories that Mindy Tate and the Williamson Herald ran. This picture was used in a well-written story by Bonnie Burch and appeared in the Brentwood Journal portion of the Tennessean.

You would have thought that the local guy would have generated more interest from the Nashville papers and the Television and Radio Stations. On numerous attempts we tried to get them to publish our announcement of the run, we sent several Press Releases on Campaign positions and at last resort we tried to send Letters to the Editors...But nothing!! When we tried to reach out personally with emails to columnists, they shot back comments..."we determine what we cover and who we cover!" The three major stations in Nashville, WSMV, WTVF, and WKRN all failed to cover any aspect of our campaign and what we stood for. Credit Fox 17 for giving me 12 seconds of air time back this summer. They were the only one in Nashville. I know for a fact that each station got email can calls from folks asking them to include us in the conversation, which they totally ignored. They eventually quit responding to email from us, most notably the Channel 5 News Director. I even bought ads on Channel 5 and Channel 2. No one would give us a reason why? For our campaign to have some success and to be able to springboard into other areas of the State, I needed exposure from the media in Nashville and that didn't happen. What the papers and the TV and Radio Stations were doing was no public service to the audience. They didn't care to let you know that there were other options in attracting new jobs to Tennessee or that we proposed additional ideas in Education reform. They determined that you the voter only needed 2 options. However, they were interested in selling ads to us. The two major talk radio stations in Nashville were as arrogant as well in determining what you should know as a voter. However, one morning host did invite me to call in and I did appreciate that opportunity as well..and he pitched our website as well.

You can throw into that mix, the League of Women Voters who are supposed to be a non-partisan group looking to inform the voters by hosting events including the debates. You should have heard the excuses they gave me and some of the other Independent Candidates of why they were not going to include me in the debates. The Next addition of this blog will share that information with you.

Credit the Knoxville Media, all three areas: TV, Radio, and print. They gave me and some of the other candidates more exposure than the rest of the State combined. It was surprising that it came from Governor-elect Haslam's hometown. It looks like I have picked at the Nashville market in particular...I have...its my hometown. The Memphis Paper did post a voter's guide which included me, The FreePress in Chattanooga did announce my candidacy. The Johnson City paper also included me in on a story, along with the McMinnville Standard. Other small papers had bits and pieces along the way.

There were two radio hosts that were bold enough to include me on their shows and issued their support to our campaign. Carl Boyd, Jr of WTST Radio in Nashville (major internet programming) and John Hester of the Average American show on KWAM in Memphis. Blake Farmer did a NPR/WPLN report which included us. The Hallerin Hilton Hill show on WOKI in Knoxville did a 15 minute interview with me. The News Talk station in Chattanooga also did an interview as well. I also appeared on John Gaessler's Internet Radio show in Murfreesboro and another internet show originating from Memphis.

I truly believe that the Tennessee Voters deserved a little better than what was served up to them by the media. I even had one Memphis TV station that told me to take money somewhere else when we tried to buy air time....and Shame on the League of Women Voters. Hopefully they will wake up next time.

Hope you will check back for future updates as we will deal with all kinds of stuff..not just political stuff...share this blog with your friends. We will post update notices on my Facebook page.

Until next time...I am the Dedeacon. (Its good to be back!)