There’s been a lot going on, and we’ve been on a bit of a hiatus. But something grabbed out attention today: an analysis of the election by Baker’s campaign guru posted online. It a blow-by-blow version of Baker’s side of the story, told in the same cynical sort of way you might expect a DC consultant to tell his friends how he won the Cherokee Nation election.
There are a few telling quotes from the self-proclaimed mastermind of Baker’s victory, Dane Strother. He said that Baker was very obedient to the strategy handed down from DC: “…he proved to be one of the few clients I’ve had in my 25 years who completely placed the strategy in the hands of his consultants. He did not second guess us once.”
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| Dane Strother and Baker confidant/consultant Kayln Free |
Which makes us wonder which consultants are handling the strategy of the Cherokee Nation now?
Anyway, Strother walks us through his version of the Cherforce One issue, which he acknowledges was a side issue that they used to distract from Smith’s track record.
Basically the article is the winner’s version of events, and a way for Strother to gloat about how good a job he did making Baker our Chief. And he’s entitled to brag, because the results speak for themselves.
But as Cherokees, we have to wonder if this is a direction we are comfortable choosing. Strother uses lots of patronizing phrases to talk about how he brought Cherokee campaigns into the modern era. Thanks for bringing Facebook to the 14 counties, Dane!
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| Facebook founder thanks Strother for bringing FB to the Cherokees |
To us, you are even bigger than Mark Zuckerberg!
The article is interesting reading, keeping in mind that it is the Baker/Strother version of events, especially when he gets into the freedmen issue later on. And it’s telling that Baker/Strother still can’t let go of the idea that the Supreme Court screwing Baker (Smith probably has more of a grudge to hold).
The story is written to glorify all the obstacles, real and imagined, that the great Dane Strother was able to overcome to guide his non-strategic candidate to victory. Like any such story, it’s mostly illuminating for the perception Strother and Baker have of Cherokees (people who can be convinced with modern day smoke and mirrors) and how much of a hero Strother thinks he is for handing Baker a victory.
