Nice piece by a very tanned LT. Clean, clear, good visuals. Talking right to the camera. Name and office. This is a solid, text-book ad.
Your thoughts?
***
In his Monday morning LJS column (which you should ALWAYS read), Don Walton shared this nugget:
New 2nd District Democratic poll shows Barack Obama and John McCain virtually even in measurements of approval and disapproval.
The figures for Bush tip substantially toward disapproval.
That seems to point toward an effort to tie McCain securely to Bush as Obama seeks a presidential electoral vote in the metropolitan Omaha congressional district.
Jim Esch trailed Lee Terry by a single digit in the poll.
We received further clarification on this. First, note that it is a Dem poll. We don't know who took the poll or the sample size.
We do know that there were at least five negative "push" statements against Terry and five positive push statements for Esch.
Also, a "single digit" does not (necessarily) mean 1%. The info received is that the Dem poll found Terry ahead of Esch somewhere between 0% and 10% -- hence a single digit.
If this info were better, we have a feeling there would be muuuch more crowing going on than a leak to a reporter in the 1st Congressional District...
***
We will get into the whole business about the lying "Nebraska Matters" group soon, but in the mean time take a look at the New Yorker article about that certain "Hot Ranch Hand".
Kleeb has a fundraiser at a loft in the Chelsea section of New York City, hosted by ActBlue.
Now, if that's not Kleeb in his element, we don't know what is.
But then the cheese just starts dripping like someone overturned the fondue pot.
First, the reporter (who obviously reads Leavenworth Street) describes Kleeb thusly:
Kleeb stood off to the side, his thumbs hooked in the front pockets of his Wranglers. He had on a striped cowboy shirt and dusty boots.Gee, did he also have a piece of straw in the corner of his mouth and a cowchip in his pocket?
And where did the dust on his boots come from ? The New York subway?
But then get a load of cowchips he's shoveling to these dewey eyed Manhattanites:
A cowboy is somebody who’s concerned with things in the world in which he lives. The creak of leather as you’re riding a horse. The shadows as the sun sets. Dew on a cow’s back. The smell of rain. The smell of cut hay....as he spit some chewin' tobaccy into a bottle of Perrier. And then the New Yorkers just opened up their checkbooks for Louis L'Amour as their knees buckled a little.
A-freaking-mazing...
Posts
133 comments:
I know Don mentioned leavenworthstreet in his column, Sweeper, and backs need to be scratched in a mutual fashion, but how did you decide that Walton is a must-read? Walton is about the most unashamedly partisan 'journalist' in this state. Any piece he writes about a Dem. can be guaranteed to be a prose love-poem.
Worse yet, he's a Yankees fan.
Let me add a word on drilling.
Pelosi's reversal is proof that the pressure the House Republicans brought through the informational House sessions worked.
The following is from yesterday's New York Times:
"The decision came after growing anxiety among Democrats that Republicans were scoring politically with their call for a vote on offshore drilling. Though Congress is on its August break, a rotating group of House Republicans has rallied daily on the House floor, demanding that Ms. Pelosi call lawmakers back for a vote to allow oil companies to pursue offshore resources."
This is a classic case of the pressure worked. And, one of the people involved with the effort was Rep. Terry.
RWP:
Walton writes one of the few pure-politics columns in the state. He gets occasional scoops, and is generally fair. The best way to tell that is that both sides tend to bitch about him.
And even if you find him partisan, at least it's a column and you know it's being delivered as opinion and not pure "news" -- unlike another major paper here in Nebraska.
And no scratching of backs. He doesn't need it, and neither do we.
Though, I will agree with you: there is absolutely no excuse for Walton's pro-Yankee-ness...
Esch is down 7-8 before any messaging. These numbers confirm Lee Terry numbers that have been circulating for a month or so. Any independent outsider would say that it feels like Esch is down 7-10%.
Don't act like the messaging is something new that is designed to give Esch a leg-up. Everyone tests postivies and negatives, but those numbers are never released.
I heard the sample size was 600 with a margin of error of 4%.
McCain up 4% in the 2nd CD.
Anony,
You seem to have "heard" quite a bit.
See if you can forward those "heard" crosstabs to us...
Not sure what you mean by "solid" ad buy, and then take a swipe at you know who. I've seen the ads on TV regularly since opening night of the Olympics, probably because I watch them regularly.
SS, why don't you and your followers once and for all just admit you are hypocrits. You have to find something personal, and plain petty, to take a swipe at Democratic candidates all the time, no matter the hypocricy. If you'd just come right out and say all Democratic candidates need to just die in a car fire, you'd at least finally be honest about where you really come from rather than pretending to be some great orater of knowledge. I really hate extreme partisans that hate for the sake of hating. It's childish.
Hey anony, we're all about the L-U-V. There's no hating here. Just hard-nosed political observations.
Sorry the kitchens's too hot for you...
Dew on a cow's back??!!?
Please .... It's pretty clear to me that this guy wouldn't know a cowboy from a three-shouldered pole-dancer.
November 4 just cannot come quickly enough. One more glowing "Riders of the Purple Stage" metaphor and I swear I'll hurl ....
Anonymous 11:18--did Jim's poll include all his 100+ family members and people he met in Kabul?
Lee's ad was supposed to be funny, right? Right?
I especially love how he rails against "special interests." Um, how much money did he take from "special interests" just this year alone??
I also laughed out loud when he talks about Congress not doing anything with the big ol' red line through the Capitol building. Again, um, HE'S part of the Congress he's talking about.
Wow. Thanks for the laugh you guys! I needed the chuckle.
My heart is distraught. Early on when Scooter was running against Smith in the 3rd there were biographical reports of Kleeb working on his mothers family spread in Colorado. There he worked as a sheep tender.
Scott, sheep herding might not seem as glamorous and riding bulls and castrating beef calves like you did ALL the time in Nebraska but it is a very honorable vocation.
Why are you, SCOTT trying to rewrite history by omiting important parts of your past. Be proud of your past. Never be ashamed of your roots!!!!!!! SHAME ON YOU!!!! WHAT WOULD YO MAMA SAY?????
Not a bad ad spot by Lee Terry, delivered very cleanly and straight forward.
The 2nd is probably in single digits, this is whithout any major ad buying by either candidate. Very few large papers are worth reading for, the New Yorker just proved that point.
Is Jim gonna have the $$$ to go on their air ever? Or has it been depleted with 'loan repayments' to himself?
McCain up by only 4% in the CD2? Didn't Bush win this district by 18% in 2004? Did they poll Iowans by mistake?
Barack Obama is not John Kerry and John McCain is not George Bush.
It's going to be tough to sell conservation if his first priority is to lower gas prices. Only high gas prices will encourage conservation or serious development in petro-alternative fuels. Sorry, Hummer drivers. :(
Anon 1:56. That's very observant of you. Kerry was a much better candidate for the CD2. Obama, following Jim Esch's lead, is calling National Right-to-Life a bunch of liars, when, in fact, he was the one who lied. My point in bringing up past election results is that this is a very strongly Republican district. But, hey, if Obama thinks he has a chance at the CD2's electoral vote, well...good luck with that.
"Kleeb stood off to the side, his thumbs hooked in the front pockets of his Wranglers. He had on a striped cowboy shirt and dusty boots."
Sounds like a Harloquin Romance novel to me. Scott you had me a "thumbs hooked"...lol
Maybe Street Sweeper is right about the Terry-Esch poll and it's not as close as 1%.
But maybe the poll is right. Lee Terry's got to be a little bit nervous right now. I love it!
If Esch's poll is so good . . . then I'm sure he'll make it public, right?
Let's see it Jim.
Maybe Jim will do that--and also make the full D.U.I. file public too!
The only time you don't produce the poll is when you can't stand behind your claim.
If the poll showed him within 5%, then the DCCC would not have ignored him in last week's Red to Blue update. This poll was done about 3 weeks ago and we are just hearing second hand about it now?
I have a feeling Esch would have preferred the poll was never discussed-especially since it did not motivate the DCCC to help him.
He is still at 9% after 2 years of working hard to change his image and prove what a capable hard working "man" he is? I would have to say that he hasn't been very successful. Perhaps he could go work for match.com and set more of his old friends up with young(er) girls.
Evidently the Terry people have failed to learn that talking out loud is his Achilles' Heel.
If Esch had a good lead over Terry he would be shouting it from the rooftops. So it must not be that great. The Terry ad is straightforward and good, and Lee doesn't bash his opponent which is the only thing Esch is doing these days.
Anonymous 5:57--good points. Plus, the ad references Hill-Terry very directly.
Again, H/T is the major law on conservation that Congress has passed in years, and Terry coauthored it.
Every voter in NE2 will know about this when we're done.
Meanwhile, remember one thing: at the same time that Terry is getting major legislation through Congress in 2007, what was Jim Esch doing? Getting fired from Creighton Prep after one month on the job.
Terry looks and sounds like a doofus.
I bet Esch's cash on hand is under $100,000.
People aren't going to give to a candidate who is going to pocket the money under the guise of 'loan repayments.' Man, what a confidence builder!
Terry looks great in the ad.
Very congressional.
The type of person who gets major legislation passed. (Hill-Terry.)
Great message--totally accurate.
The doofus? Esch.
The last time I saw Jim Esch on TV (KPTM interview) he was a blathering idiot (Uh, ummm, duh, ummm, uhhh, ummm).
No wonder his campaign is hiding him from the media.
When's dad holding another newser?
Here's what one lib troll said about Esch over at NNN today: "Esch hasn't done a lot of campaigning yet" . . . to spin a secret poll no one believes.
That's one time I agree with the trolls.
Esch hasn't done much in this campaign--just as he hasn't done much in his life.
Congratulations, Congressman Terry!
You played a major role in the House Republican sessions this month--a tactic the MSM gives credit for playing a major role in Pelosi's cave.
What did Esch do other than waste fuel flying back and forth to Kabul?
Want a real laugh?
Read Esch's energy 'plan' on his web page. It says nothing.
Where are all the lib trolls who used to whine about the House sessions?
Their silence is deafening.
Good job, Terry!
Anony 6:19-6:42..why so hateful toward Esch? Your continuing,distasteful attitude goes beyond the campaign. What gives?
How come there aren't any comments about the 'wasteful' or 'childish' House sessions?
Because they worked?
How many 'volunteers' are going to show for Jim's appreciation night at Rosenblatt on Thursday?
Maybe they don't 'appreciate' that Jim hasn't really campaigned much this summer--that according to a liberal blogger over at NNN today.
Are they pissed at him?
Lawsuit Funder--you want to talk 'distasteful' comments? Read the ones that attack Terry. Justify those.
Ya,Anony: what's up with all the nasty towards Esch?
I received the Esch push poll at my home in Gretna.
The questions were, would you vote for Lee Terry if you knew...
1. Lee voted for the largest budget in history
2. Lee votes with the Republican leadership and is a rubber stamp
3. Lee voted to cut the student loan program
4. Lee voted to spend every penny of the social security trust fund and privatize social security
5. Lee has done nothing to end our dependence on foreign oil
6. Lee voted against a $1500 pay raise for our troops in Iraq but voted to give himself a pay raise
Would you vote for Esch if you knew...
1. Jim supports Pell Grants
2. Jim will fight to bring our troops home by the end of 2009
3. Jim is an economic development expert (my personal favorite) and will bring more jobs to Nebraska
4. Jim will bring alternative energy proposals
5. Jim will give the middle class tax cuts.
Of course, as a voter in Gretna, I don't even live in the second congressional district...but I appreciate that Jim Esch thinks so much of us in Western Sarpy County to ask our opinions about a race we can't vote for.
Let me get this straight...Esch not only did a push poll, but doesn't even know the boundaries of the district he is running for?!?
No wonder they are not releasing the poll. How stupid can you get.
That ad is pathetic. More right wing fear mongering. Either L.T. doesn't know where the U.S. gets its oil from, or he is race baiting, using pictures of Arab Muslims to try and scare us into voting for him. The U.S. gets most of its oil from Canada. The second biggest supplier of oil to the United States is Mexico. Why isn't Lee showing a picture of a Canadian or a Mexican? And can someone explain how letting big oil companies drill for more oil will help the situation? Refining capacity is at its limits. If we can't refine more oil, having more oil won't do much to increase the supply of gas now will it? Plus, the man really does seem to have some sort of speech impediment.
What I can't figure out is what side of the energy debate Lee is on? Big Oil or Big Agriculture?
The Oil Barons want to demonize Ethanol as the reason as gas prices go up.
Agriculture wants to demonize the Oil Industry for the cost of gas prices going up.
Lee says he's fighting against the special interests. Yet, he is subsidized by them.
What about the Enron Loophole?
What about speculators?
Who owns the most oil in the world? Not ExxonMobil or Chevron. MORGAN STANLEY!
What has Lee done about speculators and the Enron loophole?
Nothing that I have been able to find as usual.
Good point. For example, Minnesota gets about 80% of its oil from Canada.
Did you also know, the U.S. sends Canada about 1 million barrels of oil a month and it gets sent back refined as gasoline.
Must be nice to be able to build refineries. When was the last one we built? Oh yeah, the 1970's.
Lee can talk about exploration all he wants, we need somewhere to refine it also.
How about talking about refineries too!
iwantmysuv --- if you are correct about Morgan-Stanley the big owner of oil ---------- you better put SCOOTER as the benefactor of BIG OIL. Check FEC and you will see a big foot print of Morgan-Stanley all over his donor list. Hmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!!
ALSO ----- when SCOOTER wants to change CONGRESS so drastically he is slamming my favorite DIM ---- Ben Nelson.
Kleeb is too big for his own britches talking bad about a great moderate that campaigned for him last go round.
The sheep herder from Colorado should really go back there --- he fits better in Buff land than Nebraska
Good point about lack of refinery capacity. Now who could be standing in the way of building new refineries?
Who's standing in the way of new refineries? Why, it's the oil companies. They're the ones that shut a lot of them down to make drive up demand and profits. Why did they do that? And, no, it has nothing to do with environmental standards. They haven't asked to build new ones recently, and nothing is stoping them from upgrading the ones they shut down in the 90's.
While they're getting those up and running, they need to tell us when they're going to start ordering and building new ships to transport the oil. They're at capacity now and couldn't transport any more without those new ships.
NIMBY is to blame for the lack of oil refineries in America. That is a very good point about the lack of refining capacity, I believe that it is tapped in the entire world, not just the USA. The "Gorilla Project" is SD wasnt exactly welcomed with open arms by those residents in the area, even with the hundreds of (well paying) jobs to be brought.
It is not just NIMBY'ism. There are thousands of federal regulations that make it so hard to get permits and licenses for any refinery.
They just go north of the border and then proceed to pipe it down from Canada.
I find the whole drilling argument to be a joke. There have been more than 1 news report that oil copanies have stated they do not have enough people wanting to work offshore to be able to drill what they have now.
Oil copanies need bodies, however, its pretty difficult when you are gone 4-6 weeks at a time.
The regulations should be there. The potential for pollution and all the safety factors are big things to worry about. These things are big and dirty and there aroma does not exactly remind you of roses...
Being gone 4 to 6 weeks at a time must be what is holding up Military recruiting, too.
Lee, last year, voted with "his" Party 91.5% of the time. Well below the value placed on over 95% of the Democrat Conference.
OPEC owns 95% of the oil world wide. Federal and State Regulations become cost prohibitive for investors to build refineries-or do you REALLY wabt the "Big Oil" companies to own all of the refineries, also. I don't. I would rather groups of investors build them, unless you are thinking that Big Oil Companies would be easier to control through huge governmental fees and taxes if they did not do what "whining pro-environmentalist Democrats" want them to.
I seriously can't figure out if Esch is just stupid or if he is using donor dollars to campaign for a statewide race. All of his stories get leaked to the LJS first, he is polling in Gretna and appearing only where the Kleebster is? I wonder if he thinks Heineman will appoint him to Benji's seat when the old Benanator gets appointed to the Cabinet position that he is losing all the weight for. Along with everything else, Esch seems ill informed, at best!
The fact that you remind us that Lee has campaign donations from employees in both fields on the ethanol debate proves the point that Lee is not beholden to any of the big industry that is in control of the Nations gas supply, or lack there of.
Also, did Scott Packer admit that the lie about Lee Terry doing nothing about Energy for the last 8years is just a lie. Noting that he says Lee has been talking about this issue for the last 6 years (over on NNN).
Glad you are finally seeing the light, Scott Packer!
And Lee Terry ISN'T ill informed?? There have been at least 10 posts in the last 24 hours alone showing all the falsehoods in his latest ad. I guess he didn't get his talking points for the ad from gop.gov this time. Or maybe he did -- which is really sad.
If Jim "hasn't really campaigned much this summer" and the Terry camp has done basically nothing but try and smear him every chance they get -- Lee Terry should be way ahead of Jim in this race. But he's not.
Once people start paying attention more, and get a look at this racist, fear-mongering ad, more and more people will be scrambling for a choice OTHER than Lee Terry fast!
Yeah, I was talking to my parents on the phone yesterday. They are life-long Republicans, but they don't pay too close attention to politics until after Labor Day like most people. Anyway, we were talking about other things and then THEY brought up that they had seen Lee's new ad and asked if I had seen it yet. They were appalled at the message he was trying to put out there. They said, and I quote, "Hasn't he been in Congress for a long time? Isn't he part of the problem?"
Too bad those donations have come from ADM, Exxon, Chevron.
He still is attacking the special interests he is accepting $$$ from.
Once again, where was he when the Republicans were in the majority? Lined up behind Chairman Tauzin and Barton, blocking any real energy reform plans.
Oh yes, their plans more drilling in the OCS.
Last time I checked, the oil companies DO NOT have enough people who want to go offshore and be away for 4-6 weeks at a time.
Let's not get into the debate about how stupid corn ethanol is. Because Terry believes it to be part of the solution, when it is part of the problem.
Anyon 7:12AM - maybe we should send your kool-aid drinking ass to a drilling platform and see how it is to live there for 4-6 weeks at a time.
I spent time in the military and it is nothing like living on the ocean on a drilling platform for a period of time. I have friends who have done that. It sucks!
Until you know about the topic, SHUT THE HELL UP!
His ad is embarrasing and appalling.
Anon 7:48. You (or rather your parents) bring up a good point. Maybe what we need is someone green and lazy who won't do much but go on pub crawls. We have too much government. I think we need more people like Jim Esch who have better things to do than mess with our lives. Maybe that could be his new motto: Jim Esch - because he's a closet libertarian.
Anony at 8 a.m. is so testy! Perhaps you should get some coffee before blogging, or go back to bed.
Leadership fought Terry on Hill-Terry, as well as Boucher-Terry. That did not stop him though. At first chance, he and Baron Hill and Rick Boucher flipped leads on the subject, and with the blessing of Chairman John Dingell, got it passed into law. Tauzin was gone and Joe Barton bitched to the Republican Leader about it. Can you say BIPARTISAN?!
Congressman like Hill, Boucher and Lee Terry are part of the solution, someone a little closer to your glass house is part of the problem.
Earlier Anony, were those parents that you referred to, Jim Esch's parents, too?
Nope. My parents aren't Jim Esch's parents. BUT, they are Republicans in the 2nd district who aren't going to vote for Lee Terry again.
That's fine. I'll assume that they are not Railroad Retirees either. Lee, in the beginning of his service as a Congressman, fought very hard for corrections in Federal Law regarding RR Retirement Pensions. I wonder if your parents are voting for McCain or Obama? Demographics are a very interesting science. A few questions answered and you can almost predict the next 10.
Well, not that you really care, but they are leaning towards voting for McCain and Esch. They like the idea of a balanced Washington -- Republican White House and Democrat Congress. And, you're right, they're not railroad retirees. But they do have a lot of friends who talk about this stuff. And they all seem to be on the same page in their thinking.
And, just fyi. The racist ad is really insulting.
Anon 9:23 -- Oh, they care. The Terry people have to act like they don't care because that would make them look like they're nervous. But they do care if Republicans aren't voting for Lee anymore. That means they'll be out of a job.
So, Jim Esch thinks there are McCain-Esch voters out there?
I doubt that more than I doubt there are very many Obama-Terry voters in the entire 2nd District.
Tell me, what does a McCain-Esch voter look like?
Why did it take a Democratic Congress and Baron Hill to get this to the floor for a vote??
Again, if Lee was so aadamant about CAFE Standards, he would have talked about this the previous 6 years.
He stood behind Barton and Tauzin and walked the party line when they were in the majority.
DOOFUS!
What does a McCain-Esch voter look like? Simple. Republican people that realize that when we had a Republican Administration AND a Republican Congress nothing got done. These same people know that our country is way worse off than it was 8 years ago. They're not quite mad enough to vote a total Democrat ticket, but they're mad enough at Congress (9% approval rating anyone?) that they want to "throw the bums out."
Esch Trolls--Before you get too far out there with the 'racist' line, you might want to look at the ad again: we clearly reference "OPEC" in connection with the individuals pictured.
But, please keep apologizing for Saudi Arabia. We'll keep defending the U.S.
I just scrolled up the comments a bit--notice the posts on Terry that include "doofus", "racist", "speech impediment" and others.
And Esch trolls want to whine about attacks on Esch?
Anony, do you want your Congressman to be Bipartisan, or not. I am leaning toward doubting your "Bipartisan" mantra.
If a Chairman blocks a Bill, then the Bill is toast. Just like if you are a Republican and you have spent the last year and a half trying to get an up or down vote on drilling, the vote won't happen until the Democrat Leadership (title gained by seniority in case you didn't know) allows it.
Whether you like the way Congress works, or not, that is the way it works. Our Framers designed the Bill making process INTENTIONALLY long to prevent activism at the Federal level. How would it be if each and every MC could pass a law every single day that Congress was in session. It would be a nightmare and the Courts would have more business than they could ever handle in 10 lifetimes.
Honestly, doesn't anyone remember anything from 10th Grade American Government?!
I like my Congressman to work with Members from BOTH sides of the aisle to get things done. That is what Terry does now and that is what he did while on the Omaha City Council. If you don't believe me, ask PJ Morgan or Hal Daub how many times he tried to twist Terry's arm when Terry was aligned with the Democrats on the officially "nonpartisan" City Council.
The Esch people are not going to bully me into thinking that Congressman Terry is a partisan bickerer, I know him and I know better.
"Throw the bums out!"
Anony at 9:58 a.m., Sounds like last call at the BarleyCorn. You shouldn't insult all your buddies that want to vote for Esch,they might turn on you, then where would Jim be?
Anon 10:08, are you kidding me??? Everytime I hear from Lee Terry or read one of his quotes all he is doing is disparaging Nancy Pelosi and "them" on the other side of the aisle for all of our nation's problems. You can't call yourself bipartisan only when they help you get your name on some bill, but then turn around and blame them for all of our country's problems.
Ink said: "Esch Trolls--Before you get too far out there with the 'racist' line, you might want to look at the ad again: we clearly reference "OPEC" in connection with the individuals pictured."
Yeah, that's why you made the pictures of those men look so ominous. Nice way to make Lee's Omaha Muslim population feel good. I hope they complain about this ad. In a 30 second ad all people are going to take from it is their initial feeling from the pictures you flash at them.
Yeah, according to Lee Terry the only people we have to blame for the horrible mess our country is in are those evil Muslim people and Nancy Pelosi. Let's not mention that he has been on the Committee that could actually do something about this mess for what, 8 years?!?
Sorry, anonymous 10:22:
What people will--and are--getting from the ad is: 1) Terry is doing the kind of work you want from a Congressman; 2) he looks and sounds very professional; 3) Terry has a plan to bring gas prices down; and 4) he already authored major legislation on conservation (Hill-Terry).
That's what the ad does.
You want to have a public discussion with a group as to whether the ad is 'racist'? Fine with me. Let's go.
Anony 10:15, I say, why not? The Dems blamed the Republicans for more than a decade, what, you can't take it for a couple of years?
Clinton vetoed the Republican passed drilling bill. Bush upheld Daddy's Executive Order. Now that he has dropped the Exec Order, we just want a vote in Congress. Don't you want to know which Democrats will vote with the Republicans so you can throw them out of office for doing so? Come on, be an informed voter!
Ink, to answer your points:
1) Terry has been in Congress for 10 years and the country is in the worst shape it has been in 10 years.
2) That is most definitely debatable.
3) By Terry saying, "Drill!" and "Conserve more!" will do nothing to actually help us. Apparently, according to him, he's been saying that for years already and it hasn't done a darn thing to help us.
4) Again, goody for him, but my family is still suffering every month from our horrible gas prices, economy, etc., that Lee's Congress has helped create.
NNN responds to Lee Terry add with hateful language.
Mr. Michaelis apparently has a slight "racist" streak in him.
Seems this little streak is coming out in a lot of Democrats lately...
I'm a McCain/Esch supporter. I know more of us than Obama/Terry.
Anonymous 11:04--another intangible is that at the same time the Terry ad is running, people now have heard that Pelosi caved on the drilling issue. A major reason for that is the pressure applied by the House Republicans with their sessions.
(Read Sunday's New York Times article if you have not yet had the chance. They credit her switch in large part to the House R action.)
Nice timing!
Also, I'm not seeing any more cheap shots from you guys on the House sessions. Why the silence all of the sudden?
You've got it all wrapped up nice and neatly in your little head, don't ya Ink? I'm sure these are the things you tell Lee Terry too so he can justify paying your salary these months.
Trouble is, the American public is smarter than you give them credit for. Sure, most people want the Congress to vote on drilling. I do too. Fine. But where you lose us is that this is going to make people jump up and say, "By golly, we've got to re-elect Lee Terry! He's solving our energy crisis!"
No, people are saying, "Where has he been and what has he been doing the past 10 years? I'm tired of it. I'm broke, my family is broke, my friends are broke....we need a change in Washington."
Correction, Jim Esch is not broke. He and his siblings (probably some cousins too) get subsidy checks from the Department of Agriculture every year and now he says he'll work hard for the people of Nebraska's 2nd District to get Wind Energy subsidies passed if you elect him. Funny, did he become in favor of wind subsidies before, or after he spent 4 months dryi-I mean working on "his cousins" wind farm in Colorado? BTW, the Esch Family Farming compound is also in Colorado. Is that just a bizarre coincidence, or what?!?
Jim is less like the constituents of Nebraska's Second than the folks that he met in his hotel in Kabul.
If you want to compare apples to apples, why don't you put Lee Terry's resume` side by side with Jim Esch's resume`-when they were BOTH 29 or 30 years old.
Lee is a lot more like the average voter than Trust Fund Jim is.
If Lee Terry is the be-all, end-all expert on all things energy around here, why wasn't he invited to the hearing with Nelson and Harkin yesterday? Or, if he was invited, why didn't he go? He could have saved them all a lot of time just by sharing his infinite wisdom with them all. Right?
Because it was a Senate Party and they are Democrats. Why don't you call them and ask them why they did not invite the Senior Congressman in the region that sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Could it be that they were playing, Politics with America's energy problems?
Ooh, wow. Hit a little nerve there, huh Anon 1:43? Sorry.
Cuz Lee never plays politics with any issues, right? Yeah, uh huh. Like his pretend "outrage" over Esch's extremist comment. Too funny.
Anonymous 12:15--I appreciate you trying to get in my head as to what I tell Terry. Have fun.
I actually think the voters of NE2 are very smart and discerning. They are saying, "Lee, we know you're working hard and have done a lot of good things like Hill-Terry. And, always being available to help people with constituent issues."
I think they are also saying: "Who is this Esch guy? I don't know much about him."
You can't beat something with nothing.
All I can say is we'll see, Ink, we'll see.
It must kill you Terry people to see someone that you think is so incompetent coming so close to beating your guy. Terry shouldn't be having so much trouble, should he? Hmmm, pity.
Too bad Hill-Terry is a joke of Fuel Efficency Standard.
China has better standards. Australia has better standards. South Korea has better standards. The EU has better standards.
So on and so forth. Before you go on and say these are only the beginning.
Why did it take Lee 9 years to get this passed, if he is so concerned about Corporate Average Fuel Efficency standards.
It took a D - Baron Hill to get this passed. Let's give credit where credit is due, thank you Congressman Hill.
Prior Anon--google "Hill" and you don't find much. Google "Hill-Terry" and you hit the jackpot.
You just can't compete with that--the accomplishment is a devastating one against Esch.
And Jim's major accomplishment is ???
Good grief. You Dems have got to come up with a better line of attack than Lee Terry looks like a doofus. Maybe you should talk to your candidate about actually accomplishing something. Terry is the incumbent and the challenger has to actually challenge. Esch has been busy running off to Afghanistan for God knows why. Maybe instead he should be calling Terry out for some debates. That would at least get him some free publicity. Maybe he could tell us what he thinks of Musharraf resigning since he's now such a big Afghanistan/Pakistan expert. Shouldn't be hard to pitch that to the OWH.
In 04, Nancy Thompson's campaign spun a poll that supposedly had her down by just 2 points. Right.
Same thing in 08 w/Esch.
Big difference in "playing politics" when you are engaged in a political campaign against an opponent from another Party and "playing politics" with your constituents about a Congressional issue and not letting them hear from a Member of Congress with expertise in the area. What Committees are Nelson and Harkin on and was Grassley invited to the tea party?
In politics nothing should be taken for granted. If the Terry campaign would have done to Esch last election what they did to Shelly Keil and Nancy Thompson, then there would be no Terry v. Esch this year. Be grateful for the ignoring that you got 2 years ago and build yourself a fallout shelter. This ain't over yet and it is only going to get worse.
I have to say this Terry ad is very good. I like it and hope it runs alot.
Well, why doesn't Lee hold his own hearing? Scared nobody would come?
Dingell and Baron Hill would come, wouldn't they? I mean, they love Lee so much, right?
August 08: Terry has had a very good month. Accessible to constituents here in the district. Also played a major role in bringing pressure on Pelosi to back down on her opposition to drilling.
What did Jim do this month other than insult pro-life families and wander around Kabul?
Talk about hypocrisy over the TV ad: Kyle at NNN refers to "Towelheads".
I have read Mr. Esch's energy plan-problem is he says "everything is on the table" but then doesn't set it. There are no specifics. A lot of Democratic voters like me will not vote for vagueness.
Oh God, most Congressmen/women are accessible the month of August especially in an election year.
Let's make a big deal about that, Oh GOD! Please give me a break!
You think Lee represents me and my friends. HELL NO! He only represents Big Oil, Big Ag, Big Finance, Big Pharma..on and on and on.
Lee is a joke. We should start calling him "Whipping Boy."
One thing is for certain, Lee will not get any of the Muslim vote in the 2nd district.
Zero, Zilch, Nada.
The reason all of those other Countries are stronger on conservation is because the people living there don't have a problem with $8-$10 a gallon gas.
AMERICANS WILL NOT TOLERATE OUTRAGEOUS GAS PRICES!!!
Have you not been paying attention lately? I mean, even Nancy Pelosi finally got it.
Can you say common sense solutions to America's problems.
Incentives toward Conservation (Energy Star designations), Alternative Energy Sources (Hydrogen Fuel Cells, Wind, Bio), Increased Production (Reopen Shale in Colorado that the Dems Closed Last December, More Drilling in New Areas that are Source Rich and Incentives to Build More Refineries). These were Lee Terry's goals before Jim Esch said "Um, Uh, Well, Ditto."
Vote Lee Terry for Congress!
Anon 4:55--it is Esch's advisor on NNN who referred to Muslim people as Towelheads. Maybe Esch should aplogize to them too in addition to pro-life families.
I just saw it. The Esch supporter tried to make up a quote from Terry. But there is no such quote--it is the Esch campaign who has now called Muslim people "Towelheads." Shame on them.
This is very bad. Who will these Esch people and the New Nebraska people slander and attack next? They must apologize today!
Its pretty sickening and disgusting how all you Pro-Terry idiots think that a little grand
standing by the house repubs somehow changed Pelosi's mind. The vast majority of people didn't even know it was going on!!! The news cycle lately has been dominated by pre-olympics, current olympics, Phelps (he deserves his own category), and the mini-war is Georgia! Barely has this little stunt been on the news! How many times has this been mentioned in the OWH? How many times have you seen it on cable news? I watch fox news quite regularly because i can always laugh at it (it should be called the Fox News Comedy Channel) and it has barely been mentioned there. MSNBC, CNN and FOX dont mention it AT ALL on there main website pages. Stop being idiots and trying to claim some deed for Terry. We all know how desperate you guys are for any sort of praise for your guy Terry, but its really at the pathetic level now.
buuuut, buuuut, buuuut, this is NEBRASKA!!!!....the whole USA, the whole world, depends on NEBRASKA!!!!...the whole USA is watching US, the whole world is watching US....we rule the USA, we rule the WORLD!!!!!! Every American is waiting to see who Nebraska chooses at the convention (Republican, of course)to see who is to rule the world next.
The beauty of the R's getting out the message on the House floor was that the thousands of tourists who go to our nation's capitol got to hear it first hand. So they will go home and tell their friends and neighbors. And the fearless leader of the Dems was trolling around the U.S. promoting her book. WOW, thanks for looking out for the American people Nancy, that is helping me a lot. I was on the House floor and it was very moving and each and every person spoke from their heart. I appreciate their efforts
I'm not sure how you somehow missed this little thing we call reality, asecurityguard, but the Republican "grandstanding," combined with polls showing 69% of the American public as well as 55% of Californians support increased off-shore drilling got Pelosi to change her mind. The MSM did their best to bury what the Republicans were doing, but thanks to the Internet, the word got out and people started calling their reps. Not everybody just bitches and moans on a blog somewhere. Some people actually pick up the phone and/or write letters. The Republicans took the lead on this. Lee Terry was part of it. Esch has been nowhere in sight. Would have been pretty simple for him to get a statement out there supporting increased drilling. Hell, even Paris Hilton gets it! Does Leavenworth Street have to do everything for the Esch campaign? Who's running things down at the bachelor pad?
It sounds like you are extrapolating what you did and just assuming that everyone else did the same. My point is that the republican grandstanding was not noticed outside of those who closely follow politics. You can thumop your chest all you want but it had no effect because no one knew it was happening. THE POLLS are what changed things, and the showboating had nothing to do with changing the polls. But i understand you guys need all the help you can get...
ASG, did you miss the quote from the New York paper (sorry it is a bit early for my old mind to think of which paper) that credited the Republican House info sessions for pushing Nancy Pelosi to the brink and forcing her to allow drilling for a vote-within a whole package which is really code for "More Taxes and Regulation".
Anyway, you cannot say that the Republican Party had nothing to do with her changing her mind. It simply isn't true. A simple thank you will suffice, though.
No, I did NOT call or write my Congressman to complain about Pelosi skipping town before allowing a vote on ways to lower gas prices. Know why? Because I didn't need to. He was already doing what I wanted him to. And I appreciate the effort.
Hey Macdaddy, how did you know that your Congressman was already representing your opinion? Could it be that you cared to be informed? Thanks for your support for our Congressman, Lee Terry.
Does the Congressman read all the letters coming in? Does the Energy Staffer read all the letters, NOT!
Does it pay to write or call your Congressman? NO!
What do you get in return? A little old FORM LETTER.
Do they care what the public thinks, NO!
It will take a REVOLUTION to change the way the Congress works. And that does not include Lee Terry getting re-elected.
The only thing that Congressmen/Women look at are the polls and to see how can I stay in power and get re-elected.
THROW ALL THE BUMS OUT!
McCain/Esch supporter.
McCain/Esch supporter: I can see voting for Esch since he would be new to Washington, but McCain? I'd think Obama would be the better agent of Change! Hope!
But that's not my real point. My real point is that you don't see Senator Hagel's name on any ballot anywhere and that is because people, such as myself, wrote blistering letters to him, and when his campaign Chairman wrote back, to that guy, too. These guys respond to public opinion. I just don't feel like beating on a Congressman Esch's office for the next 2 years. Life's too short.
ASG 7:19--The New York Times said in regard to Pelosi's reversal:
"The decision came after growing anxiety among Democrats that Republicans were scoring politically with their call for a vote on offshore drilling. Though Congress is on its August break, a rotating group of House Republicans has rallied daily on the House floor, demanding that Ms. Pelosi call lawmakers back for a vote to allow oil companies to pursue offshore resources."
Any questions?
It looks like the liberal person over at the the New Nebraska Network is asking people if he should apologize for calling Muslims "Towelheads".
I think he should apologize and so should Mr. Esch. Why the silence from Esch--this is highly insulting.
How would Jim Esch like it if he was called a "Towelhead"? Maybe the liberal blog person can insult him too!
Folks--two people asked if the TV ad is airing in the late afternoon time period today, and the answer is "yes". Just turn to WOW at 4:29 or KETV at 5:24 and you can see it. (It is on at other times as well.) Also, the ad can be viewed at the web site: www.leeterry.com.
So the ad is running during the two top rated news shows in Omaha. Very smart.
Is that Omar Shariff in Lawrence of Arabia behind Lee. I loved that movie!!!!...lol
Anon--yes, news shows are one area, but there are others. Two people said they wanted to see it but don't get home from work until late afternoon. That's why I listed the two times. There are others, obviously. (I guess both folks don't have internet so I just wanted to make it simple for them.)
If they don't have internet, how can they see the times that you posted here?
Question -- will Lee support McCain for president if McCain picks a pro-choice VP?
Pol Obs--is that one of the people Esch's staff person refers to as being a "Towelhead"?
Oh, and btw, you can also see the ad...AT THE TOP OF THIS POST.
On pro-life, the word really is getting around about Esch's insult. People are finding out about it and they are pissed--Esch really stepped in it this time.
Sweeper--btw--thanks for posting it there. I guess the two callers have internet at their work but want to watch it on a real TV when they get home late afternoon.
Can I ask a question--does anyone here watch KPTM News at 9? Their ratings are lower than I thought but maybe we should add a few spots there, too. Any advice?
Here's a better question: does anyone here watch ANY TV news?
I think Mr. Esch made a mistake when he left the state without clarifying or addressing his comment that pro-life people are "extremist." He'll need to do answer for this comment--I bet it comes up at the debate Friday morning.
Well, I'm pissed at Terry for calling me an environmental extremist.
I am a Republican who watches my electric, recycles when I can, watches my water usage, changed my lighting to LED and buys energy efficent applicances.
"Calvin" owes me an apology.
POR, don't mean to make you feel bad, but you are not doing anything that most of America is not already doing. When you do what most of the other people are doing, you are not an extremist and therefore, do not qualify for an apology. Sorry.
Let me know when you burn down an entire construction site to protest a developer's site plan. I will consider demanding an apology for you, right after I collect my reward for turning you in to the FBI.
I gotta go yell at my kids for leaving the lights on downstairs! Now they think I am an extremist. Maybe I should make them apologize for calling me a name? Better yet, maybe I should call my Congressman and make him apologize to me for something.
The whole charade of this debate about who is "EXTREMIST" is stupid.
He didn't specific who he was talking about when he said environmental extremist. So, I can only assume that he meant ALL environmentalists.
What hypocrisy. How easy it was to just make you look stupid.
If Lee wanted to use that card in the campaign, he should not have used the word "EXTREMIST"
People Ive talked to, people who dont follow politics, didn't know that the house repubs were in DC doing their thing. It got very little coverage, and that is the truth. There was just way more important things going on in the world that some morons acting like they matter in the capitol building. It got some press, but hardly any. Say what you want, most Americans didn't know it was happening.
ASG --- what kind of moron would call people a "moron" for being steadfast to represent the American people??? Just because there was not a camera there, thanks to Nancy, they are still heroes.
Ben, a hero wears a uniform. A hero doesn't score political points during an election season. A hero wears a uniform and fights for something, like a war that they might disagree with but sign up for anyway. A hero puts his life on the line, does not sacrifice two days during a 5 week vacation to stand in a room and make noise. A hero is a cop who keeps the streets safe and gets shot during a routine traffic stop. (And if you havent heard yet, my friend is ok). Be careful throwing around that word...
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