The Parker for Governor campaign got an early start this cycle, and has been running a strong grassroots operation ever since.

And of course that encapsulates VDB’s patented “Big Dog” strategy: run surprisingly early, run surprisingly fast, and grow the pack while the opposition is sleeping.

We have always been of the opinion that campaigns traditionally kick-off late in Vermont: mayoral candidates allow themselves eight weeks to meet the voters, state Senate candidates try to pack a year’s worth of campaigning into three months.

Lite-gubernatorial prospect John Tracy — an otherwise savvy and winning candidate who seems content to wait until the corn comes up to campaign — is the current case in point. Late out of the gate, and half-hearted even then, Tracy has made a very difficult primary — and an even more difficult general election — nearly impossible for himself.

Not to worry with Scudder.

He’s approached his very tough match with Jim Douglas precisely the way a challenger must: with an extended campaign designed to win back Douglas’s moderate supporters over the long haul.

And VDB is glad to lend a hand.

We will shower you with all of the amenities you’ve come to expect: coffee, perhaps of more than one flavor, some with the caffeine carefully removed, cream, sugar, Sweet n’ Low — and of course stir sticks. Even, most likely, some sort of baked goods.

And those baked goods will be fresh, never day-old. You have our word.

So if you’re free, and you like coffee, or political discussion, or you’d just like to shake Parker’s hand and pepper him with questions — or you happen to be in the library anyway and you have no idea who we are or what we’re doing but you’re sort of hungry and wouldn’t mind nipping an apple tart from the table — by all means drop in and say hello.