Senator McMahon?

Adiboo

What would you do with $50 million? Would you spend it on a campaign for the U.S. Senate?

That’s what Republican Senate Candidate, Linda McMahon, says she’s willing to do to get to Washington. She’s been campaigning in Connecticut and has said she’s willing to spend her own money - $50 million bucks – on her campaign if necessary.

We tried to interview Linda McMahon for our story on AC360° tonight, but her campaign staff repeatedly told us she was too busy. So, last night, we went to her in Hartford, CT.

She was debating her two primary opponents, who aren’t exactly hurting, but have considerably less than money than she does.

Candidate Rob Simmons has raised about $3 million dollars, and Peter Schiff earned about $17 million just last year, but even that may not be enough to compete with McMahon.

If you recognize her name, you must be a fan of wrestling. McMahon and her husband, Vince McMahon, co-founded Worldwide Wrestling Entertainment. As she tells it, they were bankrupt all those years ago and then turned that bankruptcy into a billion dollar business.


Maybe you’ve seen Linda McMahon on stage in the midst of a “smackdown” with her daughter and some of the wrestlers. It’s certainly entertaining to watch, but critics say it hasn’t exactly prepared her for public office and she’s using her money to “buy the senate seat.” She gave up a salary of nearly $900,000 to run for office.

McMahon has been fielding questions about her money for months. Last night, at the debate in Hartford, Connecticut, she told reporters “you can’t buy an election, you need the voters.”

But her opponent, Rob Simmons, told me “you can’t compete with someone who has tons of money.” He likes to tell voters, “I don’t need 40 or 50 million dollars, I need people and voters.”

Political experts are predicting that this could be the most expensive midterm election in history. The Center for Responsive Politics expects about $3.7 billion dollars will be spent in November this year. One expert told me, “there is no recession in politics.”

McMahon certainly has an advantage in her case. She doesn’t have to spend time fundraising because she’s so wealthy. She can spend as much as she wants on advertising on TV, newspapers, and radio. She can also afford to pay for a quality staff. Her campaign director, I’m told, is earning nearly $300,000 a year. She has already spent about $1 million on mailings and literature.

In Connecticut, where 37,000 families are facing foreclosure, McMahon’s critics say she’s out of touch. She just bought a $4 million condo last month, and she owns an $8 million home in one of the most expensive communities in the country, Greenwich, CT. She also has two other condos in Las Vegas and Boca Raton, Florida.

She calls herself a fiscal conservative and says that’s what Washington needs. The question is what’s it going to cost her to get there? What is her “cost of entry?”

Do you think you have to be rich to win? You may not have to be, but the experts say, it certainly helps!

http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/03/cost-of-entry-50-million-bucks/?hpt=T2

Sounds very shady and crooked to me. What do you think her chances are?

Super-Rush

Its doomed to fail, and entirely because she is Vinces wife. The "Genetic Jackhammer" is looked at by many in the US as nothing more than a jumped up circus ring master. Also Vince's failure to sort out the drug problem in the WWE will be the final nail in the coffin for her aspiring politial career.

Lindas political activities are the main reason that the WWE has become so PC in the last year or so. You never see blood on tv(if someone is cut open they are treated immediately in the ring) the divas have become toned down, bad language has disappeared etc. This was a move designed to keep the WWE and Linda as far away from each other as possible.

The only thing this campaign will achieve is more main stream publicity for Vince, because thats what Linda will be known as, Vince McMahons wife.

jonnybadd

Well hopefully if it fails, we will get more blood/divas/better content by the company. If not we have to live in this PG hell for a lot longer

Super-Rush

jonnybadd wrote: »

Well hopefully if it fails, we will get more blood/divas/better content by the company. If not we have to live in this PG hell for a lot longer

The funny thing is that most of, if not all of the Attitude era had a PG rating by the networks.

geeky

Unfortunately (because I'm a lefty, not because I have much animus for Linda McMahon) I think she's got a good chance. Money and name recognition is hugely important in primaries, and she isn't running against anyone who can trump her on either count. Even with Vince McMahon's seedier side (which has been brought up by opponents, but not really run with by the media much) she should be able to get the nomination.

It's still unclear who the Democrat will be putting up. The sitting Democratic senator, Chris Dodd, has pulled out. On the one hand, this is a knock to her hopes - he was not popular in the state, and on course to lose his seat, before he announced his retirement - but it also means that the dem won't have the incumbency advantage. With the anti-Obama backlash, Connecticut is one of those states that I can see turning red.

Unless things turn seriously nasty (bitter older wrestlers coming out of the woodwork and getting a platform, for example) I think she's got to be the favourite at this point.

Gerard.C

super-rush wrote: »

Its doomed to fail, and entirely because she is Vinces husband. The "Genetic Jackhammer" is looked at by many in the US as nothing more than a jumped up circus ring master. Also Vince's failure to sort out the drug problem in the WWE will be the final nail in the coffin for her aspiring politial career.

Lindas political activities are the main reason that the WWE has become so PC in the last year or so. You never see blood on tv(if someone is cut open they are treated immediately in the ring) the divas have become toned down, bad language has disappeared etc. This was a move designed to keep the WWE and Linda as far away from each other as possible.

The only thing this campaign will achieve is more main stream publicity for Vince, because thats what Linda will be known as, Vince McMahons wife.

:pac:

jaykhunter

$50 million?! I thought Vince had ear-marked $30 million for this catastrophe! This is a futile venture that is doomed to fail. It seems every time WWE make a bit of cash, they find something really expensive to blow it on - the WBF, WWF New York/The World, XFL...and now this. As I've heard, Vince is spending company money on this campaign as a thank-you to Linda for not divorcing him after all these years.

Super-Rush is right. This senate campaign is doomed to fail on the biggest fact that she is Vince McMahon's wife. If politicians have skeletons in their closet, Vince (and the WWF/E, and so Linda) have graveyards.

The steroid scandal circa 1993, the countless disgraceful storylines (Katie Vick springs to mind - in which he son-in-law took part in) and stereotypical tactless characters (Eugene, which has already been brought up, how about everyone from Shiek to Muhammed Hassan to the dancing black stereotypes) and horrible, horrible body count, headlined by the steroid-infused, concussion-affected Chris Benoit.

'Her' wellness policy will come under close scrutiny, and it won't be hard for opposition to lay out that it is a crock - Benoit having passed their wellness test.

Easy targets like her 'frivolous' spending and her 8 mansions (that she doesn't even use) will not look well for her in the eyes of the voters.

Since WWE are the biggest wrestling company in the world, every unnatural death of a wrestler who was once under contract in WWE will become a point of contention. That leads into the biggest point of all, the treatment of her employees - or should I say Independent Contractors - who (unless they are main-stay maineventers) are denied basic health coverage, gas milage and lodgings, despite having to work an agreed number of dates and places. There is no pension as well, unless you work for corporate WWE and are not on-air talent. They're basically machines on a factory belt. They keep getting used until they break down and are thrown out and replaced by another.

It doesn't help that she has a personality of a tongue depressor.

Anyway what I'm saying is that Vince is throwing 30 (now 50) million dollars at Linda's hobby to keep her happy. If I can put together a coherent argument about why this woman, with so many glaring professional accountabilities, should be kept out of office, than a dirt-slinging politician will have no mercy, and Linda will not stand a chance.

I also loved hearing how she spent 1 million dollars promoting herself in Conneticut even though they have no voting power in her election. (If I find a link I'll post it)

I hope I'm not proved wrong, as I wouldn't trust a McMahon with respect to looking after the worries and concerns of people. If I were a stockholder, I'd also be worried....WWE is about to be $50,000,000 poorer.

===========

Apologies if my post was deeply cynical. The biggest thing that gets me is that for $30,000,000, (now $50million) Vince could buy out TNA and ROH, and have enough money to get Austin, Rock and Lesnar to return for a few PPVs and still have enough left over for a comfortable pay rise for all the jobbers and mid-carders. It's a gigantic waste of money that could do so much good for the fans, attendance, buyrates and profits.

Super-Rush

Gerard.C wrote: »

:pac:

ooopsy. Thanks for that.

flahavaj

LOVE the way her main opponent's name is Rob Simmons. SO close to being absolutely epic.

DAYUUUM.

Gerard.C

super-rush wrote: »

ooopsy. Thanks for that.

You might be right though, we dont know who wears the pants in that relationship!

davrho

super-rush wrote: »

Lindas political activities are the main reason that the WWE has become so PC in the last year or so. You never see blood on tv(if someone is cut open they are treated immediately in the ring) the divas have become toned down, bad language has disappeared etc. This was a move designed to keep the WWE and Linda as far away from each other as possible.

Yes its really pc. Having convicted rapists and promoters of soft drugs on your show is a fast track to the senate.
I can't believe people still believe that blood has been dropped because of Linda's senate run. There is a lot more to it but if you tell a lie enough it becomes the truth.

Super-rush you are correct most of the wwe shown on network tv was pg. Unless you consider damn,ass,hell etc swearing then you would hear very little swearing. Any actual swears would be beeped out. Anyone who lives in the states know you don't hear swears on network tv there.

Jayhunter to spend company money on the campaign would be illegal. They are spending their own personal monies on it aquired through the huge dividends they pay themselves on top of their wages every year. I dont think its any of our business how they spend their personal fortunes. If they blow their own monies thats their choice.

Will the American public care about steroids and scandal? Never did when Big Arnie the steroid pumping, serial sexual harraser, and enjoyer of huers did his political campaign.

Vince135792003

jaykhunter wrote: »

$50 million?! I thought Vince had ear-marked $30 million for this catastrophe! This is a futile venture that is doomed to fail. It seems every time WWE make a bit of cash, they find something really expensive to blow it on - the WBF, WWF New York/The World, XFL...and now this. As I've heard, Vince is spending company money on this campaign as a thank-you to Linda for not divorcing him after all these years.
.

As best as I can tell, she is funding it out of her own personal wealth. It won't effect the book wealth of the company at all.

jaykhunter

davrho wrote: »

Jayhunter to spend company money on the campaign would be illegal. They are spending their own personal monies on it aquired through the huge dividends they pay themselves on top of their wages every year. I dont think its any of our business how they spend their personal fortunes. If they blow their own monies thats their choice.

Vince135792003 wrote: »

As best as I can tell, she is funding it out of her own personal wealth. It won't effect the book wealth of the company at all.

That's what I thought as well! But I'm pretty sure I read in PowerSlam that WWE is footing the bill. WWE also paid for McMahon's Million Dollar Mania, it wasn't out of Vince's pocket.

I have no problem whatsoever with the McMahons blowing their own cash!

davrho

jaykhunter wrote: »

That's what I thought as well! But I'm pretty sure I read in PowerSlam that WWE is footing the bill. WWE also paid for McMahon's Million Dollar Mania, it wasn't out of Vince's pocket.

Don't think paying for the Million Dollar Mania was a federal offence:o.

Its illegal to accept donations over a certain amount from persons/organisations. I am sure there has allready been questions asked about the actual wwe campaign donation. Something about they donated too much but they tried to justified it as it came from different branches of the organisation. I will try to find the link.

geeky

jaykhunter wrote: »

That's what I thought as well! But I'm pretty sure I read in PowerSlam that WWE is footing the bill. WWE also paid for McMahon's Million Dollar Mania, it wasn't out of Vince's pocket.

I have no problem whatsoever with the McMahons blowing their own cash!

WWE rightly paid for the Million Dollar Mania - it could be written off as a business expense that promoted WWE. The same can't be said of Linda's Senate run. Linda McMahon has also explicitly said in her campaign that she's taking no donations - from the very first advert - so I'm pretty sure it's all coming out of her wallet!

I'm amazed that people are so negative about her chances. In a year where the state is almost certain to go red, any Republican with her money - even one with a spouse like Vince - stands a great chance.

Vince135792003

jaykhunter wrote: »

I have no problem whatsoever with the McMahons blowing their own cash!

The McMahons would have plenty of money to fund their campaign based soley on their personal wealth.

Vince135792003

There is a "Mother Opposing McMahon" group has been set up releasing tv ads against Linda showing some of the WWE's less than glorious story lines.

Here's one that's running on tv:

Degag

Two Words.

Arnold Schwarzenegger.

That is all.

Fitzy101

Vince135792003 wrote: »

There is a "Mother Opposing McMahon" group has been set up releasing tv ads against Linda showing some of the WWE's less than glorious story lines.

Here's one that's running on tv:

Classic moments right there :P

Vince135792003

Vince135792003 wrote: »

There is a "Mother Opposing McMahon" group has been set up releasing tv ads against Linda showing some of the WWE's less than glorious story lines.

Here's one that's running on tv:

Surely those clips are copyrighted.

Vince to be the higher power behind 'Mothers Opposing McMahon'?:P

Butch Cassidy

super-rush wrote: »

The funny thing is that most of, if not all of the Attitude era had a PG rating by the networks.

It was TV14 was it not? I'm sure I remember the majority of the 1998-2000 PPVs having the TV14 bit at the start.

davrho wrote: »

Yes its really pc. Having convicted rapists and promoters of soft drugs on your show is a fast track to the senate.
I can't believe people still believe that blood has been dropped because of Linda's senate run. There is a lot more to it but if you tell a lie enough it becomes the truth.

What are the other reasons for the shift to no sex, blood or bad language PG? I can think of the Benoit murder/suicide, competition with UFC forced WWE to concentrate on the kiddies market as well as advertising revenue from PG kiddie companies like Mattel. Linda's campaign has surely played a part though hasn't it?

When did PG start anyway? I think the last time there was blood on a PPV match was without a stoppage to clean it up was Jericho v Michaels at Great American Bash 2008 wasn't it?

jayhaitch2 wrote: »

Surely those clips are copyrighted.

Vince to be the higher power behind 'Mothers Opposing McMahon'?:P

Not only would they be copyrighted but they showed the banned WWF attitude era scratch logo. The pandas won't be happy :pac:

Butch Cassidy

Hmm, wrestling and politics.... A deadly combinaton!

People buying democracy is hardly a new thing I don't think. Whether Linda buys a seat with all her millions and millions or she's bankrolled by certain vested interests it doesn't really matter as it's all an afront to democracy. We see it here in Ireland all the time. Fine Gael taking corporate donations from property developers ffs like !

Mick Foley had a book with the subtext "And the real world is faker than pro wrestling". Looking at politics in the western capitalist world I think it's clear that representative democracy like ours and the American's leads to a wealthy elite looking out for their own and feck the little guys.

davrho

Butch Cassidy wrote: »

Linda's campaign has surely played a part though hasn't it?

Would a make believe tv show have any effect on your vote?

jaykhunter

4 months on from my initial post, I believe Linda McMahon will win. I didn't think $50,000,000 by itself could buy a senate seat but it looks like it will. But after seeing how easily she bounces away her weak-armed opponents jabs at WWE; I sadly have to say she'll win. She doesn't have to fundraise, she has more money than her competitors, and *enough* people will swallow what they're told without question. Given how badly WWE's employees are treated (like animals, used up continuously until they are broken down and discarded), I fail to see how she will do good.

It's a sad day but I guess things in McMahonland are not the only things that are crooked.

Butch Cassidy

davrho wrote: »

Would a make believe tv show have any effect on your vote?

Pretty much the whole presidential campaign Obama ran in '08 was a make believe TV show....

Butch Cassidy

jaykhunter wrote: »

4 months on from my initial post, I believe Linda McMahon will win. I didn't think $50,000,000 by itself could buy a senate seat but it looks like it will. But after seeing how easily she bounces away her weak-armed opponents jabs at WWE; I sadly have to say she'll win. She doesn't have to fundraise, she has more money than her competitors, and *enough* people will swallow what they're told without question. Given how badly WWE's employees are treated (like animals, used up continuously until they are broken down and discarded), I fail to see how she will do good.

It's a sad day but I guess things in McMahonland are not the only things that are crooked.

When's the election? Or is this an election? It's not by appointment a la Seanad is it? :Confused:

Diabhal Beag

She'll win over voters by name recognition alone ala Arny

Terry

Jessie Ventura.

Anyway, the tide has turned against the Democrats. The Republicans will most likely take control of the senate. The Republicans have made the deocrats look incompetent by voting against most of their proposals, whether they agree with them or not. They play a very dirty game. One that Flair would be proud to be associated with.

Will Linda be elected?
I don't doubt it.
Never underestimate the irrationality of the American voters. After all, these people stood by a dodgy election, and then voted Bush into office for a second term.

You also have to factor in their electoral system.
They choose one of two parties, and then give their vote to whoever that party chooses to run for office. It doesn't matter if that person is competent enough. It's the fact that they only have two choices.

steelcityblues

The best candidate IMHO - Peter Schiff - looks to be out of it!

I'm sure enough people will vote for Linda, because they like 'wrasslin'. Sad, but true!

P_1

It looks like she's going to get the Republican nomination so I'd imagine she's a shoe in at this stage. The Democrats look like they will get a kicking in the next US election.