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Written on Saturday, July 21st, 2007 at 4:14pm by Alan Bedenko | 19 Comments

What's a Blogger?

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Bob McCarthy in today’s Buffalo News:

Three former county legislators — George A. Holt, Albert DeBenedetti and Timothy M. Wroblewski — are attempting political comebacks, designating petitions filed this week reveal, while a popular political blogger also seeks a seat in County Hall.

Alan J. Bedenko, an attorney and sponsor of the Buffalopundit.com blog, is a surprise candidate after filing as a Democratic challenger to incumbent Republican Michael H. Ranzenhofer in the Clarence-based 4th District.

Bedenko said his blogging commentaries have immersed him in the local political scene, and he now wants to advance to the next level.

“It has obviously gotten me more and more involved in the whole game,” he said Friday. “Now I think is a pretty good time to get in.”

Bedenko has expressed his disapproval of “fusion” tickets that allow major party candidates to run on minor party lines, so he will run only as a Democrat.

Ranzenhofer has the Independence and Conservative lines.

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19 Comments

  1. Fed-Up in WNY says:
    July 21, 2007 at 9:07 pm

    A blogger is someone who blogs ;) right? I thought the headline was a little (well maybe a lot) discrediting on the Buffalo News’ part. “An attorney” should have been enough to describe a candidate. You are one of the best bloggers I have had the pleasure of meeting, don’t hide behind that. You should be honored they used blogger because blogs (citizen journalism) is their competition! They don’t like that and besides, you’re good at what you do. We need to find you a T-shirt that says … “BLOGGER & DAMN PROUD OF IT!” ;) Don’t take it so seriously, it is the Buffalo News reporting after all.

    What pissed me off more is that they didn’t mention Rus Thompson as a blogger too. I find more (republican) political news on Albany’s Insanity that I agree with and I am about as liberal as they come. ;)

    Cheer up…. you are the altimate Buffalo Pundit and you always will be.

  2. Robert Harding says:
    July 21, 2007 at 9:18 pm

    Pundit,

    Just be glad they mentioned “blogger” in the article. I’ve met some “old school” journalists who despise the Internet and therefore, the blogosphere. The reasons, they say, are because blogs “steal” the news that they work so hard covering.

    Of course, look at BuffaloNews.com now and see what they have on their home page: blogs.

    Case closed.

    The print media is in peril. It’s rather sad, but it’s their own fault. I compare newspapers to Kodak and the digital camera craze. Kodak got in on the digital camera era late and they paid dearly for it. Newspapers practically shunned the Internet, then decided that joining in on the ‘Net and providing 24/7 news coverage was the right move.

    I’ll say this though about the exclusion of Rus Thompson being labeled as a blogger. Thompson has been a huge advocate against the Grand Island tolls and his name has been in the Buffalo-area news many times. Nothing against you Pundit, but you’ve made your name on the Internet. But I like that. I’ve read your blog for some time now and have enjoyed it. We agree on most things, that I can tell.

  3. PAuldub says:
    July 21, 2007 at 9:28 pm

    You “sponsor” a blog?
    Anyway, good start with positive publicity. Nice to get your fusion ticket issue mentioned right off the bat.
    Good luck…

  4. Fed-Up in WNY says:
    July 21, 2007 at 10:13 pm

    Rob Harding, I mentioned Rus Thompson as a blogger in a good way, hope you didn’t take it the wrong way. ;)

  5. Robert Harding says:
    July 21, 2007 at 10:18 pm

    Fed-Up,

    Oh, I know! I wasn’t referring to Rus in a bad way either. All I was saying is that his name has been tossed around in the media for awhile. You really haven’t seen Pundit’s name in there, so the media goes by what they know. Being a blogger shouldn’t have a negative connotation. People should appreciate those who care enough about the world we live in to write about it using our opinions.

  6. mike hudson says:
    July 21, 2007 at 10:44 pm

    i didn’t think they dissed you at all. of course i am an old media dinosaur withering on the vine, apparently. i would however question the characterization of your decision to run for public office as an “advance to the next level.” at the niagara falls reporter we employ two reformed politicians who believe they have a greater impact on the community as media guys than as elected officials.

  7. joey giambra says:
    July 22, 2007 at 5:12 am

    Alan. I have one sign location for you in Clarence and maybe a few more.

  8. joey giambra says:
    July 22, 2007 at 5:12 am

    Alan. I have one sign location for you in Clarence and maybe a few more.

  9. Chuck says:
    July 22, 2007 at 5:38 am

    I have another Clarence sign location for you.

  10. Buffalopundit says:
    July 22, 2007 at 7:23 am

    I didn’t think it was a diss at all. I was poking fun at News readers who never heard of a blog. Cheers from Connecticut.

  11. Howard Goldman says:
    July 22, 2007 at 10:23 am

    Alan,
    Why on earth would you shrink from your identity as a blogger? It is by far your greatest strength in a campaign. Do you really think that the general public is going to pull you out of a crowd because you’re a lawyer? Everybody knows that all politicians are lawyers. “Lawyer” is not a strength, it’s a weakness. Being a blogger is your strength because only Buffalo Pundit is WNY’s most successful blogger. BP has the Art Voice award to prove it. Nobody else on earth can make that claim. Only Buffalo Pundit can bring this new and unique marketing angle to his campaign.

    I say let your freak flag fly. Scream it from the highest mountain. The hell with “Alan Bedenko for Legislator”. The campaign should be, “BuffaloPundit, WNY’s Favorite Blogger For Legislator”! This has huge marketing potential. It lends itself to slogans too. The name “Buffalo Pundit” is memorable. Think about it, you can be the only politician to legitimately refer to yourself in the third person. (Why do they all do that?)

    Blogger is a strength that can carry past the campaign and into your effectiveness in your new job. Buffalo Pundit, the legislator, can maintain a unique connection to his constituents because he is the area’s #1 rated blogger. That will get people aware and involved as never before.

    Alan, you have to agree with me that if an election were held today between Alan Bedenko and Buffalo Pundit – Buffalo Pundit would kick Alan Bedenko’s ass hands down. (Pardon the imagery! lol)

    We at WNYmedia.net love Alan, but the name “Alan Bedenko” does not have value in the general marketplace. Your efforts have built “Buffalo Pundit” into a successful established brand. That is a major achievement. Use it. This is not the time to tamper with the original Coca-Cola formula.

    Buffalo Bloviator

  12. Fed-Up in WNY says:
    July 22, 2007 at 12:56 pm

    “Buffalo Pundit” probably won’t be the name people see in the 4th district voting booths though. His real name makes him the real person behind the blog. Making him a real person running an election. I like the idea of “Buffalo Pundit for Legislator” too but if voters aren’t into the internet, no one will know who he is that way. Alan “Buffalo Pundit” Bedenko sounds good to me! ;)

  13. mike hudson says:
    July 22, 2007 at 2:52 pm

    jeeze, alan’s got the artvoice award to prove it? you’re right bloviator, nobody else on earth can make that claim.

  14. Buffalo Girl says:
    July 22, 2007 at 3:19 pm

    Buffalo Pundit will mean absolutely nothing to the majority of the prime voters, in Clarence, E. Amherst and Newstead. The voters that come out in an off presidential year are over the age of 65, most have never even turned on a computer, could care less about a blog and just want their roads fixed and taxes lowered. Sorry to say but the fact that he is a blogger is only important to political news junkies, other bloggers and tech people. The only way for Alan to win is to show that he is a good, honest, stand up guy that cares for his adopted community, will work hard for them and would be a much more dynamic and engaged legislator then Ranzenhofer ever was or ever would be. The blogging thing makes him a bit different, but won’t matter to the majority of those that actually take themselves to the polls.

  15. Square Peg says:
    July 22, 2007 at 3:40 pm

    The over 65, vote straight Republican ticket almost every time, prime voters in off-presidential election years might even feel a bit intimidated by the notion of “Buffalo Pundit”.

    If good ol’ Mike even bothers to run a campaign, he could point out how safely reliable he is, etc. Probably he’ll continue to do what he’s always done – attend and shake hands at endless events, etc.

    Are you going to the dog thing next Saturday? How about walking in the parade? Of course, having met a lot of people the old-fashioned way makes parade presence more notable than a “who’s that?” presence.

  16. hank kaczmarek says:
    July 22, 2007 at 6:52 pm

    Alan-Congratulations on your decision to run. At this point just about any fresh face on the Legislature would be welcome, especially in the light of the former legislators trying for a comeback.
    If both you and Rus get elected, I’d pay for videos of the Legislature in session. I think you two could kick up considerable fuss, much to the chagrin of the Status Quo fed WNY Political machine. I’ll be watching with interest.

  17. Adam K. says:
    July 22, 2007 at 9:05 pm

    Don’t put the entire election on low turnout yet…Amherst, Clarence, and Newstead had unbelievable non-presidential turnout numbers last year; many polling locations had turnouts in the mid and high 70’s; a few went higher. That increase in votes all went to Spitzer, Clinton, Davis, Hevesi, and Cuomo – i.e. the Democrats.

    Davis’s Erie County area had similar registration numbers to Razenhofer’s district, and Davis took nearly 60% of the vote.

    If Keane and Clark spend the primary money observers think that they will spend, and Keane and Collins spend the general money observers think they will spend, expect high turnout in the 4th – which as I established, favors the Democratic candidate: Bedenko/BP.

    P.S. turnout in Erie County in 2004 was not as much higher than turnout in 2005 or 2006 as you might expect. Why? last time NY was close in a presidential election, Reagan won the state’s 41 electoral votes by less than 3% – clinching his victory by a razor thin 489-49 margin. Voters may have come to accept our irrelevance…

  18. Pauldub says:
    July 22, 2007 at 9:06 pm

    I’m over 65?

  19. Mike mike from grand island says:
    July 23, 2007 at 9:01 am

    Putting your ideas up for public scrutiny via your blog is an excellent test of the ideas themselves and of your mettle.
    I understand the principle behind not wanting the fusion voting but I’ve been burned too many times being the principled one – better to try and get working families in my estimate. Your worldview seems to support that name.

    Best of luck.
    PS: I heard two minutes of Jimmy Griffin on Mr Hartwick’s show. He’s so full of crap. He said only his police and fire commissioners had city cars. I don’t know what his definition of that is but park’s commissioner Paul Delano (remember the chlorine caper) used to drive around in a city owned dodge acting like he was la costa nostra.