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POPS A Reform Ticket Bear in mind that Mr. Murkowski had already served as junior U.S. Senator from Alaska for 22 years. Mr. Murkowski was junior senator for so long because Senator Ted Stevens (who was recently indicted for corruption) had lifetime tenure in the senior post. Shortly after joining the oil and gas commission, Mrs. Palin commenced an ethics probe of the state's Republican party chairman, Randy Ruedrich, involving conflicts of interest with oil companies. The probe resulted in a $12,000 fine for the party chair. She crossed party lines in 2004 to join a Democratic representative's ethics complaint over an international trade deal against the Republican Attorney General Gregg Renkes, who had ties to the Murkowski machine. Mr. Renkes resigned. In late 2005, Mrs. Palin announced her run for Governor before then-Governor Murkowski had announced his intention to stand for re-election. In a three-way primary, Mrs. Palin got 51% to Mr. Murkowski's 19%.
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POPSTale of the Tape: Palin vs. Obama Energy: Palin- Believes energy independence is a matter of national security; For drilling in ANWR, which is in her state Obama- Says Americans should "get tune-ups" and "check tire pressure"; Says "we can't expect the world to be okay with" our use of heating and air conditioning Theme: Palin- Change and Clean Government Obama- Hope and Change; "Bringing Change from Outside Washington" What they've done to live that theme: Palin- Replaced entire Board of Agriculture and Conservation because of conflict of interest; Resigned from position of Ethics Commissioner of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in order to expose corruption among members of own party Obama- Selected 36-year incumbent Senator as running mate Family Affairs: Palin- May have removed State Public Safety Commissioner as part of effort to protect sister in messy divorce and child custody battle Obama- Often says, "I am my brother's keeper"; Brother lives in a hut in
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POPSMSNBC's Network Chief Down Plays The Personal Bickering The sudden death this summer of NBC News Washington bureau chief Tim Russert, who made frequent appearances on MSNBC, removed a political and temperamental rudder for the network. Mr. Griffin has tried to fill the power vacuum since, struggling to shepherd the network's big personalities through a period of transition. The network drew 2.15 million viewers on its first night of convention coverage, 88% more than tuned in for the first night of the 2004 Democratic convention, according to Nielsen Media Research. MSNBC also beat Fox News among younger viewers that night. Fox News is owned by News Corp., which also owns Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal.network's chief played down the
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POPSWind, Solar and Clean Coal Blow Into Denver for communications at the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, which uses scrubbers and other technologies to limit coal’s environmental effect. Lucas said the coal industry decided to spend $1.7 million on a multipronged advertising campaign in Denver and the Twin Cities, where the Republican convention will be held next week. Like the wind industry, clean coal had virtually no presence in 2004, Lucas said. The solar industry has also radically increased its coverage of the convention. In Minneapolis-St. Paul, the SEIA contributed to the host committee through its membership in the Republican Governors Association. (Solar Energy Industries Association) It is also hosting a party in Denver and jointly hosting a party with the wind association in Minneapolis.
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POPSBack to The Future * In 1979, he shared Carter's starry-eyed belief that the fall of the shah in Iran and the advent of the ayatollahs represented progress for human rights. Throughout the hostage crisis, as US diplomats were daily paraded blindfolded in front of television cameras and threatened with execution, he opposed strong action against the terrorist mullahs and preached dialogue. * Biden opposed President Ronald Reagan's proactive policy against the Soviet Union. Biden was all for détente - which, in practice, meant Western subsidies that would have enabled the moribund USSR to cling to life and continue doing mischief. Had Biden had his way, "the Evil Empire" would still be around and Saddam Hussein still in power. The US would still be begging the mullahs of Tehran for forgiveness of unspecified "past sins" - and more American hostages would be seized in the Middle East while the mullahs celebrate their first atomic bombs.
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POPSObama and Iowa In this week's National Journal, the magazine's regular "Insider's Poll" asks Democratic and Republican luminaries (pollsters, strategists, and so on) which state is Obama's top pickup opportunity. Iowa ranks at the top for both groups. In the clip, James Barnes fleshes out a bit why. Note the importance of ethanol.
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POPSAlcee Hastings - Senile ? Or Just Too Old ? Doctors say one of the first signs of an elderly person going senile is when an old person starts to repeat themselves over n' over again, about the same thing. In 2004 (right before election time as usual) Alcee Hastings, just like this week in August 2008, warned government officals to be on the lookout for “official misconduct, deliberate fraud and an attempt to suppress voter turnout by unlawful means”, said Congressman Alcee Hastings. The same old “Boy Who Cried Wolf” routine from 71 year old Alcee. But in this election, the same ole scare tactic isn’t going to pass muster or work out very well for Hastings in 2008. I'm on to you Hastings, so I say, "Let's look into lobbying Congress for monies to fund the construction of a retirement home for old and washed-up politicians"
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POPSHastings has lost touch, U.S. House rival Sanchez says Isn't that the way Hastings' election game is always played? He shows up every few years in town to try and get people's votes. The rest of the time he's a ghost somewhere across the sea eating caviar and lobster. Psssst ! Alcee - I don't think its going to work this time as your clock is ticking ! Yep, soon you'll be looking for a new gig in the private sector. Might I suggest applying to Liars n' Cheats Anonymous ! Or going to work for Congressman "My house and family is in Maryland but my primary residence is in some 55 years and up Florida retirement communiy that I stay at once a month, maybe" ROBERT WEXLER, your buddie ! Can you say "RETIREMENT" ?
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POPSMcCain VP Talk Turns To 2 Female Conservatives "She's got it all, and is a remarkable leader who brings a number of good qualities to the table," said Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America. Mrs. Palin is "a mother of five, is a genuine Alaskan, is a hunter, is a dog sledder, is very much for drilling for oil, has a great reform reputation, took on big oil on behalf of the people of Alaska," Mr. Gingrich said. "I think she would bring a level of excitement and uniqueness that people would have to stop and say, 'Boy, this is kind of intriguing.'"
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POPS Free Lunch, and how Bush made his money
"What happened is, an oil man named Eddie Chiles wanted to sell his money-losing Texas Rangers baseball team. They played in a little stadium, smaller than the one we have here in Rochester, New York, and of course couldn’t make any money. So George Bush put together a group of very wealthy investors to buy the team. He put up himself $600,000 of borrowed money. The partners then gave him a 10 percent stake as the managing partner. That’s a very common arrangement in business. Then they held a special election in January of the year in question to increase the sales tax in the town of Arlington, Texas, by one half-cent. That money was used to build a new baseball stadium. It’s an incredibly nice baseball stadium. Then the power of government to seize land by eminent domain—and I go back to what was talked about in Kenya, the leader there can give you land, he can presumably therefore also take it away—the government used its power of eminent domain to seize land from people, not for
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POPSMAKING IT: How Chicago Shaped Obama. There was also a more general belief that, after Obama won the 2004 United States Senate primary, he ignored his South Side base. Preckwinkle said, “My view is you have to bring your constituency along with you. Granted, you have to make some tough decisions. Granted, sometimes you have to make decisions that people won’t understand or like. But it’s your obligation to explain yourself and try to do your supporters the courtesy of treating them with respect.” Ivory Mitchell, who for twenty years has been the chairman of the local ward organization in Obama’s neighborhood—considered the most important Democratic organization on the South Side—was one of Obama’s earliest backers. Today, he says, “All the work we did to help him get where he finally ended up, he didn’t seem too appreciative.” A year ago, Mitchell became a delegate for Hillary Clinton. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/21/080721fa_fact_lizza?printable=true
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POPSWill homosexual marriage save the Repubs? Since Obama is running to the right/center, and Democreeps are kissing King George's butt and trashing the Constitution, the Rethugs could actually win! Amazing, and sick, 'Murrikan politics at it's best (worst)
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POPSCalifornia Republicans Cool to Youth-Voting Bills This is a wonderful idea as it educates towards understanding that the vote is a right and important. If the Republicans are against it then they know their policies need changing to attract voters. ( This article indicates to me that the GOP people are not willing to make a forward step, let alone cater for younger voters.)
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POPSMcCain's "Truth Squad" John McCain, Bud Day and Paul Galanti are all war heroes. As is General Clark who returned from Vietnam after receiving four bullet wounds. The difference is that while General Clark reasonably questioned a political candidates ability to lead a nation, John McCain welcomed into his flock two dishonest, deplorable political operatives who he previously described as "dishonorable" Day, and the swifties, opened themselves up to not only criticism but also the complete loss of face, i.e. hero worship and that Honored Discription of others, Hero, by their Blatant Lying with nothing to back up their charges against a Sailor doing an Extremely Dangerous Job On The Ground, i.e. in small boats on the rivers of, Vietnam! And not only one Sailor but those serving with him directly, those serving on the other boats from that base, All Navy Personal Serving In-Country
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POPSGOV NOT PREPARED FOR TRANSITION OF POWER "For a first-ever presidential transition in an era of terrorism,..." "the first presidential transition for U.S. counterterrorism agencies formed after the 2001 terrorist attacks,..." HUH? WAS TRANSITION OF POWER NOT AN OPTION IN 2004? EVIDENTLY NOT...
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