The Republican Vice Presidential candidate, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, got rid of what was known as the "Bridge to Nowhere" in her state.
It was widely considered a boondoggle and a complete waste of taxpayer dollars.
Of course we bring that up because there is STILL a Bridge to Nowhere. And now that "nowhere" would be a field in Council Bluffs. And that bridge, which cars can't use, starts in Omaha.
So whose name will apparently be plastered across this glorified Christmas lights holder?
New Yorker, Cosmic Bob Kerrey.
Now every time you see an empty Council Bluffian field (or oooh, maybe an apartment complex!), think of Kerrey. That thought will only cost you around twenty-two million dollars.
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KMTV reports that Jim Esch will not be airing TV commercials for his campaign until October. Esch also notes that he still has "a name recognition issue."
Of course, Lee Terry has been on the air since August, and presuambly will be on all September, October and until Election Day. That's quite an advantage. And it's not clear how Esch expects to raise an additional $200K for his spots.
But the campaigns have decided to have three more debates. And after the last one, that's potentially three more that we may miss...
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We hear this morning that Omaha attorney Jon Blumenthal will be running for Dan Welch's former City Council seat.
The Republican Blumenthal, who was one of the Omaha Jaycee's Ten Outstanding Young Omahans a few years ago, will be joining Millard School Board President Jean Stothert in the race for that spot.
Stothert lost her race for the Legislature by 12 votes. Blumenthal seems to be going full bore. This race will likely be a battle.
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54 comments:
clearly, she was a real reformer:
http://www.kxmc.com/News/271298.asp
wow, $300.00 per person. That is pretty good.
I see now.
Esch admits to Joe Jordan that he has a "real problem" on name ID.
Then he tells his solution: stay totally dark on TV all through September. Makes sense.
I bet Jim regrets taking back that $25,000 from the campaign in "loan repayments." If he's not committed to the race why would potential contributors be?
Hopefully, Jean will do her homework and hire an experienced campaign manager from the "git go" this time.
It is widely known and reported she was for the bridge to nowwhere before she was against it.
When Palin ran for Governor she was for the Bridge to Nowhere. However, when became Governor she was against it.
What a joke.
Palin is a reformer. Depending on which source you read, as Governor she got $300 per resident from earmarks, while the other states averages $35-$40 Of course a lot of that comes from her friend, the right honorable Mr. Stevens. As far as drilling in ANWR, why wouldn't she push for it? More jobs, more income. Most of that oil is high sulfur, and is sold on the open market, and never helps the gas shortage. But it is nice to know the oil companies will use their gazillion in profts for R&D.
For her to oppose it would be like not promoting ethanol in Nebraska. It will be interesting.
More jobs=more income. More oil revenue=more money for each Alaskan.
The Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend is a program that benefits Alaskans without a felony conviction who have resided in the state for at least one calendar year preceding the date applied for a dividend and intend to remain an Alaska resident indefinitely at the time applied for a dividend. The amount of each payment is based upon a five-year average of the Permanent Fund's performance and varies widely depending on the stock market and many other factors.
Also, they do not have an income tax in Alaska.
What's funny is you didn't see the kind of hysterical and obnoxious comments about Biden as you are now seeing from the D's about Palin.
Face it, people.
They know McCain has hit a real nerve, with a real person who connects with the middle class.
I don't blame the D's for going bonkers--but they are the ones who look like fools.
Unlike the Senator from MBNA--who was so boring even the voters didn't follow his selection.
Maybe Council Bluffs can put a cheap parking garage over there. The Kerrey Bridge will then provide good access to Fahey Field for those who don't want to pay $6 to park.
Anonynous 11:16--no, the joke is on you guys.
Palin's pick is a masterstroke. Keep attacking her, please.
You'll look even smaller than the little troll that you are.
So Max Y. is on TV but not Esch?
Maybe NE1 should be the race the D's target.
McPains people said she was fully "vetted". McPain had met her once. Did he pay the fees to E-harmony, or does the National GOP pay it? Is she taking a leave of abscence, or did she quit to go onto her next "dream job"? Is this a trend among Republican governors?
Bristol Palin must be so pleased that her mom is using her as a campaign tool. What a nice mom to thrust her 17 year old daughter into the spotlight and now is making the boyfriend be front and center at tonight's speech too.
Nice family values.
Want to see nice "family values"?
Look at the discussion over at the lib blog WWW: "Sarah Palin's Pregnancy Decision Map".
I'd say they were coming out of the sewer, but that elevates them too much.
Reminds me of the old town librarian who can't wait to get on the phone and gab to her friends about the person who just checked out that "dirty" book, Catcher in the Rye.
Kudos to Julie Schmit-Albin. She's making them look like the fools they really are. Good job, Julie!
Some of the NNN libs really need counseling and help.
Hey Anon 1:08,
I just read the discussion you referenced. I don't know what you're talking about? It seems that really only one poster there thinks that Palin's daughter's pregnancy should be fair game to be criticized. Most of the other NNN posters agree with Barack Obama that families of the candidates should be left out of it.
Seems like you're trying to stir something up that just isn't true.
Regarding Sarah Palin, setting aside the family psychodrama, it boils down to one thing:
John McCain is looking you in the eye and telling you that Sarah Palin is the one person in whom he entrusts the future of the United States of America in the event something happens to him while he is president.
John McCain is asking you to believe this after meeting her on one occasion before last week, for less than one hour.
There is no avoiding the frightening fact that John McCain has spent less time with the person he chose as his running mate than a normal American would spend interviewing a babysitter for one's children.
Wake up, people!
/s NE Voter
What's the over/under on how many days before the first jumper off the CosmicBob bridge???
If name ID was Jim Esch's only problem, he'd be competitive. It isn't and he isn't.
The leftist broadcast TV media and the marxist bloggers are doing more to build support for McCain with his base and independents than any advertising the campaign could buy. If they keep it up, they're likely to put McCain-Palin over the top on 11/04/08.
In 2006, Ketchikan's Gravina Island Bridge, better known outside the state as the "Bridge to Nowhere", became an issue in the Alaska gubernatorial campaign. Palin initially expressed support for the bridge and ran on a "build-the-bridge" platform.
Palin's campaign coordinator in Ketchican, Republican Mike Elerding, remarked, "She said 'thanks but no thanks,' but they kept the money."
Anon 1:08--read it again--this time carefully. The comments your people put up there are obnoxious. The entire basis of the post is obnoxious.
"Hey, all I did is take a chart from Daily Kos ...". Cop out.
OmahaSteak--you nail it. The libs are showing their true colors to the public right now. Let's hope they keep it up.
Palin is gonna knock it out of the park tonight. And, I bet she kicks Biden's you know what in the debate.
No wonder the NNN bloggers and Esch staff are attacking her today. They're terrified.
Oh, because it's not obnoxious for a Repub voter to call all Dems "baby killers" or say that all Dems want to "abort all babies at 5 months"? Yeah, you guys sure are taking the high road.
Seems to me if my campaign was broke and not able to put anything on television until 4 weeks before the election, I wouldn't be blogging. I'd be dialing for $$$.
Of course, that becomes harder when contributors know that the candidate is taking some of the proceeds to pay himself back on loans.
Anon 2:24--are you the one w/the STD? If so, go back to NNN.
Even the crazies over at NNN like Towelhead Kyle and Hannah Montana know they've gone too far with the sleaze insults on Palin. Notice their sudden silence.
When will the NNN/Esch staffers learn?
The only downside to all of the sleaze posts at NNN is that hardly anyone goes to that site.
Look at the number of comments usually posted--it's nothing. Usually "zero."
Even liberals are bored with them.
You know what? Teenage pregnancy should be a private family matter, but so should marriage (gay and straight), abortion, and the way that Terry Schaivo died -- just to name a few.
I'm getting so sick and tired of the religious right's moral indignation over people daring to discuss Bristol Palin's pregnancy, but yet they are the same people who want to be in all the rest of our bedrooms and doctor's offices when we make decisions about our own families. Isn't President Bush and the other righties now trying to push through something that will tell people what birth control they can use??
You know what? Governor Palin made it our issue when she used her family for her campaign photo op's and when she talks about how proud she is of her daughter because she made the right "choice." Isn't it interesting that in Palin's ideal world Bristol wouldn't have any kind of choice at all.
Anonymous 2:24 and 3:00--if you would abort a five-month baby, that's your decision. Most of the people over at NNN would probably choose to do that--which is a big difference between LS and there.
You really are looking worse by the minute on your hypocritical sleaze attacks on Gov. Palin. I can't believe you are so stupid.
It actually is kind of funny to see the liberal Democrats totally disorganized and flailing around about how they should respond/address the Palin nomination.
That cracking sound you hear right now is the glass ceiling coming apart. First Hillary, and now McCain and Palin.
What is a dissatisfied, angry liberal to do?
Typical republicans - all dems want to kill babies. Pathetic. But by posting your comments, the very claims you're making against dems (disorganized, terrifed) come right back onto you. You're clearly terrified that Palin is an extremely bad choice and that McCain just threw the election away. No...no....don't deny it. We won't believe you. We can be just like you, except we know we are being truthful whle you wallow in your lies and deciet. Your party is old and dying. Accept it.
How can Esch be out of money? He had $140,000 in the bank on June 30.
What did he spend it all on? Water and bus benches aren't that much.
Typical Democrat--hypocrisy.
You were the ones who brought up very personal issues about Gov. Palin and her family--and you are the ones who should be ashamed of your sleaze.
Backpedal all you can try--you instigated something that makes you look more vindictive and petty by the hour.
The funny part is you are probably going to have more to do with giving McCain and Palin a great bounce out of the convention than anything else.
Thanks!
Democrat trolls--all you've done (as well as your fellow bloggers in other states)is make Palin a hero to millions of women and families all over the country.
We should make an in-kind contribution to your coordinated campaign. Thanks! lol
SS,
Any chance you can make it a requirement to put a name on here instead of 'Anonymous'??? At the time of this posting 26 of the 29 comments are Anon's and it is nearly impossible to keep it all straight.
If Esch wouldn't keep throwing money away on parites for his "volunteers" (a.k.a - drinking buddies, cute undergrads, and anyone with the last name Esch) he might have some money for ads. And how about wasting money on opening a second office and, of course, throwing another party for its opening. This district is not that big, two campaign offices are a waste of money. I would love to been a fly on the wall when that DCCC guy met with Jim and they went over his finances. Notice we haven't heard anything from Jim about that triumphant meeting?
A circus clown can easily ride a tiny car across Kerrey's bridge. So it really can take auto traffic.
SS, if you don't apoligize, Bob may squirt you with his lapel flower.
Anon 4:15--with all due respect, Palin is a very smart choice--she has already captured the imagination and interest of the American people.
If she hits a homer tonight, you guys are in deep trouble. Particularly so in NE2--which I doubt will ever really be in play.
ASG:
It is not possible to allow ANYONE to comment, but make them choose a "name" (as far as I can figure out).
We continue to ask people to make up a name for themselves in the Comments section, to allow others to respond to them.
Thanks
SS
BB--nothing yet.
I don't think Esch has a prayer of getting into the "Red to Blue" program. That's the one where the DCCC puts serious money into races through independent expenditures, mainly TV and mail.
The second tier program is called "Emerging Races to Watch." What the DCCC typically does is list the inductees of this on their web site--and people are free to contribute ala an Act Blue conduit.
But, Jim's announcement that he won't have the money to go on TV until October probably doesn't help him with the DCCC. We'll see though.
Tonight is going to be a great night for the Republican party. I hope everyone has the chance to watch the speech and celebrate an outstanding woman's nomination as our Vice Presidential candidate!
Hey, where's Dick Cheney at the Republican Convention?
Oh yeah, he's here in Nebraska hunting with Lee.
Jean Stothert? Please.
Jean is a liberal and has a record to prove it. She voted twice to raise taxes on the Millard School Board and supports public financing of abortion. It will only take two hit pieces and she is done.
I'm sure her overwhelming support from the Fire Union (think lavish, unfunded pensions) will play well in Millard too.
Dick Chaney is in Nebraska? Where? You keep saying he is coming, but won't give any details. It would be an honor to hunt with Dick Chaney. Let me know when you have all the details, you are "in the know", aren't you?
BTW, we just raised your poor kid that grew up on the streets to become a Senator with a hockey mom that is gonna kick Poor Little Joey's A**!
Always and Forever, Anonymous
It is widely known and reported she was for the bridge to nowwhere before she was against it.
When Palin ran for Governor she was for the Bridge to Nowhere. However, when became Governor she was against it.
I guess, she was before it before she was against it. Eh??
When you are running for office, especially challenging an incumbent from your own Party and challenging "business as usual" from your own Party, you are not privy to all information about every subject. What looked good on paper, Palin decided was not good for her State. Kind of like our pedestrian bridge. It looked good on paper (Bob's retirement papers!), but it isn't turning out to look so good for the taxpayers of Omaha and Council Bluffs who have to pay for over half of it.
Information is a powerful tool. You should try it some time to learn more about your candidates before nominating them!
Still Anonymous
It wasn't until it became a national issue and embarrassing to Alaska that she came out against it.
Furthermore, what happened to the $223 million?
Probably the same thing that would have happened to our "chump change" for a "chump senator", it went into the General Fund 'cause Washington DC has a "no return policy". Assinine, isn't it!
At least Governor Palin parleyed that money into a surplus for Alaska. Fahey just managed to cost us more!
To anonymous liar. Jean Stothert does not support the public financing of abortion. Jean is a conservative republican that has been involved in the party for years. Until 2 monhs ago I never have seen Mr. Blumenthal at a party event. I do know that every Millard and Elkhorn parent knows who Baird Holm and Susie Buffet is!!! We fought hard to keep our schools independent, Mr. Blumenthal and his partners at Baird Holm worked to merge Millard and Elkhorn into OPS.
West O Republican . . . I see you don't dispute the fact that Jean Stothert voted to raise taxes twice on the Millard School Board.
JEAN STOTHERT DOES SUPPORT PUBLIC FINANCING OF ABORTION. Check the 2006 Catholic Conference Questionnaire for her legislative race:
"In reference to paying for abortion, I believe poor women should not be denied legal medical services available to the wealthy."
That is a politicians way of saying 'I support public funds for abortion'.
Also Planned Parenthood recommended her in the legislative race over Lathrop.
JEAN STOTHERT IS A LIBERAL AND A REPUBLICAN IN NAME ONLY!!
If you are refering to Millard's Voter approved bond issues that took care of the 6,000 new kids Millard added over the last 10 years, yes tax money built those schools...Just like tax money buit the roads, qwest center, and the sewers. Buddy I just want you to do your homework and see what Millard's cost per pupil is...It's the lowest in the Metro Area. The Citizens of Millard ans Elkhorn won't let BAIRD HOLM trash their schools.
To Mr. Blumenthal: When your consultant gets back from St. Paul you two need to have a meeting. There are quite a few republicans that are not happy with your boy trashing Jean Stothert. Jean was essential in stoping your firms ONE CITY, ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT fiasco. People from Elkorn and Millard are coming out of the woodwork to support and defend her since they heard your staffers comments. Jean has a lot of good will with the Party and the community and we are preppared to help her anyway we can!!!
To Anonymous Blumenthal Supporter (aka JM): I see 3 mailers against your guy. 1) A piece on BAIRD HOLM suing the taxpayers for more state aid to OPS. RAISING SALES AND INCOME TAXES ON MILLARD AND ELKHORN RESIDENTS!!!, 2) BAIRD HOLM making millions attempting to eliminate Millard and Elkhorn school districts, 3) BAIRD HOLM supporting affirmative action and going against the will of the people on the Ward Connerly Amendment.....As Matt Damon once said "How about them apples"
I'm sure that JM is still recovering from his week-long hangover, so I am working to set the record straight on that liberal Stothert.
The Millard tax levy was increased in FY 2002-03 and FY 2003-04 and Jean voted for both increases.
The last thing we need on the City Council is a Planned Parenthood backed social liberal who can't say 'no' to a levy increase.
She talks tough, but STOTHERT'S RECORD SAYS IT ALL!
I live in LD 12, Stothert lost her race for State Legislature because she was more liberal than Steve Lathrop. They spend tens of thousands calling him a 'trial lawyer', and he just beat her over the head with property tax increases, her support of abortion, and her flip-flops on the death penalty.
There is no way she is going to beat a real conservative.
Stothert does not support abortion. Twisting a few lines from a survey is a very nice Steve Lathrop trick and it does not suprise me a trial attorney would take that route.
Facts are facts. Millard is the best run and most efficient district in the Metro Area. They have the lowest per pupil cost, have seen rapid growth and expansion, and...oh, by the way, Millard had top ACT score average in the country.
Real results in the rteal world. That's getting the job done.
The Blumenthal crew is obviously worried. they have to fall back on Lathrop tactics to even get a toe hold.
Yeah those darn Lathrop tactics of getting Jean's liberal record out. It's too bad for liberal Jean that the public can see through her talking points to her record.
Why was Jean not supported by Right to Life in 06? She submitted their questionnaire and was not endorsed.
Let's see Heinemann, Hagel, Terry, and every other major republican endorded Jean. Jean is pro-life...period. Is the Blumenthal camp saying these republicans endorse pro-choice candidates??? Jean is well know in the community and her conservative record speaks for itself.
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