Continue Reading August 16th, 2006
THURSDAY NEWS UPDATE.
P2008: A PREVIEW OF A POSSIBLE McCAIN PRESIDENCY.
Campaigning in Iowa, a resident asked US Senator John McCain (R-AZ) to define his priorities if elected to the White House. According to the Mason City Globe Gazette, here was McCain’s response: “I start by vetoing spending bills. There is just too much pork-barrel spending and we must become fiscally responsible. I would work more closely with our military allies. We need their support in the struggle that is ahead. I would speak every two weeks to the American people. You need to know what is happening — about the war and the many serious issues we face. I would make sure we don’t torture prisoners. I would close Guantanamo Bay.” And, here are some points to McCain for political courage, he went on to share some unpopular views with the Iowa crowd: “I don’t like [farm] subsidies. I am a free-trader, and I believe subsidies do damage, especially to undeveloped countries. And while I support ethanol for its greenhouse effects, I do not support ethanol subsidies.”
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.17.06
BY THE NUMBERS: LATEST INDEPENDENT NUMBERS.
CALIFORNIA - CONGRESS - CD-26: Congressman Dave Dreier (R) - 48%, environmental consultant Cynthia Matthews (D) - 35%. (KABC-TV/SurveyUSA).
COLORADO - CONGRESS - CD-4: Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave (R) - 46%, State Representative Angie Paccione (D) - 42%, former Reagan Administration EPA official Eric Eidsness (Reform) - 8%. (KUSA-TV/SurveyUSA).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.17.06
TEXAS: GOP DISUNITY TURNS CD-22 WRITE-IN EFFORT INTO POLITICAL WRITE-OFF.
According to the New York Times, no write-in candidate has every won office before in Texas history. Thus, Texas Republican leaders understand their only was of having any chance of holding former Congressman Tom DeLay’s vacant US House seat is unifying behind a single candidate. “Candidates need to set aside personal agendas and do what is best for the Republican family,” said State GOP Chairwoman Tina Benkiser. That’s where the agreement ends. State GOP leaders have called a meeting, saying the party must decide in a single candidate against former Congressman Nick Lampson (D). Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace (R) already announced his write-in candidacy, as did Houston City Councilwoman Shelley Sekula-Gibbs (R) and GOP State Committeeman Tim Turner (R). State Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson and former Congressman Bob Barr (R-GA) both openly suggested the GOP unify behind electrical engineer Bob Smither (Libertarian), as he has ballot status and pledged to caucus with the Republicans if he wins. Both view a successful write-in effort as a near impossibility. The GOP write-in hopefuls are further complicating the race. One candidate — Wallace — is balking at any plans to unify behind a single candidate if the single candidate is not himself. Wallace said Texas “is not Moscow” and he cannot be forced out of the race. Wallace said he will continue his write-in candidacy no matter what party leaders decide. “It would be a great disappointment if Mayor Wallace choose to put himself ahead of the Republicans in this district. That would be an unfortunate event and won’t be forgotten,” responded Turner. None of this likely matters, as a leading Texas GOP consultant told the Times that Lampson has raised millions and is now guaranteed of winning the House seat this year. Instead, the consultant explained, the 2006 race is just about forcing Lampson to spend enough of his money so he won’t start his 2008 re-election race with $3 million in the bank.
Writer: David McAvoy -08.17.06
VIRGINIA: SENATOR ALLEN SPINNING FURTHER INTO DEEP MACACA.
US Senator George Allen (R) has found a way to keep the “macaca” story in the news for yet another day. First, his campaign manager said no apology was owed and Allen’s “macaca” comments were only referring to the mohawk hairstyle of a Democratic campaign worker stalking and filming Allen’s every public move. Note: While some claim college senior S.R. Sidarth has a mullet, not a mohawk, I side with those classifying Sidarth’s ‘do as an extra-wide mohawk. On Tuesday, Allen reversed course and publicly apologized — explaining he made up the word “macaca” and that it was not based upon Siddarth’s hair or ethnic heritage. He strongly denied he meant the word — apparently used in French as an insult towards dark-skinned people of African descent — in any racial way. On Wednesday, Allen kept explaining the incident. Here’s the latest version, according to The Hotline: The word macaca — pronounced “mocaca” — was a composite bantered about by his campaign aides: mo was short for mohawk, “and ‘caca,’ [is] Spanish slang for excrement or shit.” Allen’s press secretary said Wednesday that he didn’t believe the Senator “would ever try to publicly embarrass or demean a young person even if that person was working on an opposing campaign. The Senator has apologized sincerely and repeatedly over the last two days to the young man and to the public in general.” Responded the challenger Jim Webb (D) campaign’s spokeswoman: “I don’t know what’s worse: calling this innocent 20-year-old a ’shit head’ or a racist slur that was debatable that it wasn’t.” Allen may be moving towards a run for President in 2008, but this inept follow-up shows Allen is clearly not ready yet for the big leagues.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.17.06
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
Our quote of the day comes from embattled US Senator Conrad Burns (R-MT), who candidly talked to the Billings Gazette about his frequent ability to say things that land him in political trouble: “And just like I say, I’m the only guy in the world [who could] probably [be] getting beat running unopposed. But I can self-destruct in one sentence. Sometimes in one word.”
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.17.06
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Here’s my open offer for every campaign (and campaign supporter): send me a button or pin from the Governor, US Senate, Congressional, Statewide Office, etc., campaign you are involved in — feel free to add a sticker and brochure — and I’ll place a link to official campaign site here on our homepage in a daily “thank you” note. My address: Ron Gunzburger, 409 NE 17 Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301.
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Continue Reading August 16th, 2006
WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE.
NEVADA: GIBBONS, TITUS WIN GOV PRIMARIES, HELLER WINS CD-2 GOP PRIMARY.
US Senator John Ensign (R) and businessman Jack Carter (D) will face-off in November, as both easily won landslide victories in their respective primaries. While Carter is running an effective campaign, Ensign still is strong and polls continue to give the incumbent an advantage in November. In the open gubernatorial race, both parties saw bitter primary contests. Congressman Jim Gibbons won the GOP nomination with 48%, defeating his nearest opponent State Senator Bob Beers by 19 points. During the primary campaign, Beers attacked Gibbons as a liar, a coward and an extortionist. Still, Beers endorsed Gibbons Tuesday night, explaining that “politics is often the case of having to choose between two less-than-perfect candidates.” On the Dem side, State Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus scored a surprisingly easy win over well-financed Henderson Mayor Jim Gibson by a 54% to 36% vote. Gibson was still angry Tuesday night, saying that he didn’t like the negative “for sale” TV spots Titus had run against him. The November contest — which also features environmental activist Craig Bergland (Green) and Religious Right activist Christopher Hansen (Independent American) — is expected to be competitive. In the hot race for Gibbons’ open US House, Secretary of State Dean Heller — a GOP centrist — narrowly edged out State Assemblywoman Sharron Angle by a 36% to 35% vote, a difference of just 428 votes. State Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons, the early frontrunner and wife of the current incumbent, was third with 25%. The Club for Growth spent roughly a million dollars on the race to support of Angle, running a sustained barrage of attacks labeling Gibbons and Heller as a pro-tax “liberals.” Factoring in the CFG money, Angle outspent her opponents by better than 4-to-1. In the end, Heller probably won the close vote by using an inexpensive tool: he personally called every absentee voter in Washoe County, Angle’s homebase, to help improve his numbers there. Heller will face State University System Regent Jill Derby (D) and three others in November. GOP voters in the race for State Treasurer decided against nominating the late State Auditor Kathy Augustine — perhaps deciding her lack of aspiration was a negative — and instead nominated financial consultant Mark DeStefano. Still, Augustine finished second with 20%. Click here to view all of the Nevada nominees.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.16.06
BY THE NUMBERS: LATEST INDEPENDENT NUMBERS.
ALASKA - GOVERNOR - GOP PRIMARY: Former Wasilla Mayor Sarah Palin - 40%, former State Senator John Binkley - 29%, Governor Frank Murkowski - 17%. (Anchorage Daily News).
COLORADO - CONGRESS - CD-3: Congressman John Salazar (D) - 53%, pottery company owner Scott Tipton (R) - 42%, mechanical engineer Bob Sargent (Libertarian) - 4%. (KUSA-TV/SurveyUSA).
DC - MAYOR - DEM PRIMARY: City Councilman Adrian Fenty - 48%, City Council Chair Linda Cropp - 27%, former Verizon CEO Marie Johns - 7%, City Councilman Vincent Orange - 5%, attorney Michael Brown - 4%, Others - 1%. (WUSA-TV/SurveyUSA).
MICHIGAN - GOVERNOR: Governor Jennifer Granholm (D) - 47%, businessman Dick DeVos (R) - 46%. (Rasmussen Reports).
MICHIGAN - US SENATE: US Senator Debbie Stabenow (D) - 49%, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard (R) - 44%. (Rasmussen Reports).
MISSOURI - US SENATE: State Auditor Claire McCaskill (D) - 47%, US Senator Jim Talent (R) - 46%, Frank Gilmour (Libertarian) - 2%. (KCTV-TV/SurveyUSA).
PENNSYLVANIA - US SENATE: State Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. (D) - 45%, US Senator Rick Santorum (R) - 39%, railroad consultant Carl Romanelli (Green) - 5%. (Quinnipiac University).
PENNSYLVANIA - US SENATE: State Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. (D) - 47%, US Senator Rick Santorum (R) - 40%. (Quinnipiac University).
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.16.06
OHIO: SPECIAL PRIMARY SET TO REPLACE NEY IN CD-18.
One day after embattled Congressman Bob Ney (R) officially submitted paperwork withdrawing from his race for reelection, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell (R) set September 14 for a special GOP primary to select a replacement nominee. Former Taft Administration official and State Senator Joy Padgett (R) — Ney’s endorsed successor — has already announced her intention to run. Democrats plan legal action to disqualify Padgett from the contest under Ohio’s “sore loser” law, which states a candidate who lost an election cannot run for any other office in the same election. Padgett was Attorney General Jim Petro’s runningmate for Lieutenant Governor during their unsuccessful run against Blackwell in the May 2 primary. Petro — yes, the same former runningmate Petro — declared this week in his official capacity that Padgett is eligible to run for Ney’s seat. While Padgett is heavily favored for the nomination, although others could jump into the race. Filing for the primary closes this Thursday afternoon.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.16.06
VIRGINIA: SENATOR ALLEN UNDER FIRE FOR SEEMINGLY RACIST REMARKS.
US Senator George Allen (R) — a likely 2008 Presidential candidate — is under fire for making seeminly racist comments about a campaign supporter of Allen’s Democratic opponent. On Friday, college senior S.R. Sidarth, a 20-year-old Webb volunteer, was doing what he usually does: following Allen from event to event, videotaping Allen’s comments. Sidarth, born and raised in Virginia, is of Indian descent and was reportedly the only non-white person in the audience at Friday’s campaign event. During his remarks, Allen spotted Sidarth and broke from his prepared remarks. “This fellow here over here with the yellow shirt, Macaca, or whatever his name is. He’s with my opponent. He’s following us around everywhere … Lets give a welcome to Macaca, here. Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia.” You can view the brief video of the incident online. Macaca is a word which refers to a type of monkey, and has also been used to insult dark-skinned Africans. Allen’s campaign manager has said that it was meant to refer to Sidarth’s mohawk — although Sidarth’s haircut is a mullet. Sidarth said he was offended that Allen presumed him to be an immigrant because of his dark skin. Allen apologized Tuesday for the comments, saying “Macaca” was a meaningless word he “just made up.” Allen told the AP: “In no way was it meant to demean him, and I’m sorry if he was offended.” Allen has previously been accused of racial insensitivity for wearing a Confederate flag pin in his high school yearbook photo, keeping a Confederate flag in his living room, and having a noose hanging from a ficus tree in his law office — but Allen said he has “grown” since then.
Writer: David McAvoy - 08.16.06
FREE SPEECH ZONE.
The congressinal earmark process appears to be at the root of the Abramoff scandal — and subsequent similar scandals — that apparently ensnared Duke Cunningham, Bob Ney, Conrad Burns, John Doolittle, Jerry Lewis, Katherine Harris, Alan Mollohan and others purportedly the focus of ongoing federal investigations. Kudos, then, to the the Sunlight Foundation, Club for Growth and other groups across the political spectrum for launching this new Exposing Earmarks online project.
Posted by Ron Gunzburger - 08.16.06
