Thursday, November 20, 2008

Suttle to announce Monday; Vokal to wait a week

Before we get to the news-news, first a Separated at Birth, after we saw this photo in yesterday's Washington Post:

Health and Human Services Secretary designate, former Senator Tom Daschle and talk show host Sally Jesse Raphael:



Is Daschle kidding with those specs? He reminds us of the time George Costanza picked out new frames and they turned out to be from the Gloria Vanderbilt collection.

**Update at 3pm**

We have been notified that Wonkette posted a very similar SAB late yesterday. We did not see that one before we did ours. And frankly, our is better...

***

The latest news we have on the Omaha Mayoral campaign front is that Councilman Jim Suttle will announce his candidacy this coming Monday -- moving up by a week from his previously planned date of December 1..

Not wanting to vie for press coverage on the same day (with another councilman named "Jim"), Councilman Jim Vokal's campaign will wait a week to tell us that Jimmy's going to run.

Don't think that there isn't gamesmanship going on here already. (And look for an OWH story on Sunday that discusses this very thing...)

***

In case you missed it, lame-duck Senator Chuck Hagel is taking his shots while he leaves office (and he can still make the news).

His latest attack is on frequent critic, media giant Rush Limbaugh. In a speech at Johns Hopkins, Hagel said:

Every country out there has their know-nothing party. And of course we're much educated by the great entertainers like Rush Limbaugh and others. I wish those people would run for office.

They have so much to contribute and so much leadership, and they have an answer for everything, and they'd be elected overwhelmingly if Rush would run for anything or any of those people. They love just to rip everybody else down and try to make fools of everybody, and they always have the answer.

Yesterday, Rush responded on the air to Hagel:

How embittered must he be to still be carrying around this? I mean, he's quitting, he's moving on to other things. I hear he's in line for an Obama cabinet spot.

We don't criticize and rip and run everybody down and make fools of everybody. I can't make a fool of you, Senator Hagel. Only you can do that.

I have an idea for Senator Hagel. Senator Hagel, why don't you try to become a talk show host? Let's see if you can make it in this world. Let's see if you can handle the give-and-take of talk radio, since being a Senator and having people criticize you is so difficult, let's see if you can handle this arena.

Beyond the name-calling where Hagel seems to be calling Republicans the "Know-Nothing Party", we would just like to note that Hagel has taken the road of intellectual surrender here. You've heard it before. Like the quarterback who tells the sportswriter to shut-up unless he has actually played the game. Hagel flails at the critic instead of the critique.

And this from the guy who told his colleagues to go sell shoes if they couldn't handle the pressure!

Heck, should Hagel then be prevented from criticizing the President since he never had the gumption to run for (let alone hold) that office? That's a dumb argument. And so is Hagel's.

But since the Senator is only willing to take criticism from those who have actually held office, we will re-offer this one:

Others have a consuming, burning hatred of George W. Bush as their dominant legislative priority. Those who carelessly throw out talk of "impeachment" are of the same stripe.

There is no place for blind hate, however disguised, in any legislative body.

Thank you former Congressman John Y. McCollister.

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27 comments:

Anonymous said...

Whatever between Hagel and Limbaugh. I am just happy that whatever influence we thought right wing radio had was an illusion.
They speak to their choir, and it seems like Limbaughs' congregation is getting smaller every day.

Ricky From Omaha

Anonymous said...

Now you know why I say Jim Vokal is a 2nd teir candidate. Suttle just made Jim his Bi@#h. Jim had his announcement all planned and ready to go. Suttle announces to preempt Jim and Vokal backs down. Nice job Jim!! If you want to show you have the cahonnes to play with the big boys (Daub and Suttle), don't back down. You could have made Suttle look like the CHUMP and JERK we have all come to know!!! Instead you turn allow Suttle to push you down and take your lunch money.

Anonymous said...

You're right 3rd floor, Jim Suttle just won the election with that move.

Seriously, nobody cares who announces when. Keep trying to make it mean something though. No matter, it's still Hal's race to lose anyway.

Anonymous said...

No he didn't just win the election and I agree the mayor's race is Daub's to lose. I just think if Vokal wanted shed the image he is a weak candidate he could have asserted himself and made Jim Suttle look like a jerk that plays petty politics.

Anonymous said...

"Suttles, and Vokals, and Daubs ... oh my!" Dunno about local Omaha pols, but I'll be mighty glad to be shed of Hagel ... the guy is like a case of psoriasis - just when you think you're over it, it's back ...

Anonymous said...

http://www.wonkette.com/page/2

Sweeper - how 'bout a Wonkette hat tip on that SAB?

Street Sweeper said...

Hey! Wonkette ripped US off!
I emailed my pic to them this morning!

(OK, well, I see that Wonkette posted last night, but I never saw it. And I'd say that ours is better anyway...)

No hat-tip from us!

Anonymous said...

I am just happy that Ricky from Omaha is clueless. Go Hal.

mTm

Anonymous said...

In the waning days prior to Election there was apparently a lot that Chuck Hagel needed to get off his chest. In this quote from the 11/3/08 New Yorker it appears that he is fixated on calling out the "Know-Nothing Party." Didn't seem to bother him when he was seeking and attaining single issue PAC endorsements over two terms:

"There was a political party in this country called the Know-Nothings...and we're getting on the fringe of that, with these one-issue voters - pro-choice or pro-life. Important issue, I know that. But, my goodness. The world is blowing up everywhere, and I just don't think that is a responsible way to see the world, on that one issue."

Anonymous said...

Sweeper, ru you leaving too many clues to your identity? Not many know about the article to run on Sunday. R U with onr of the campaigns, or just friendly with an OWH staffer?

Anonymous said...

SWEEPER IS ALL KNOWING AND ALL SEEING!!!!

Street Sweeper said...

Do we have contacts?
Yes, we have contacts.

(But we take tham out at night before going to bed.)

Anonymous said...

Earlier it was mentioned here that the rumor of Persuasive Strategies coming to town to work on a mayoral campaign was false. Well in fact, it was true. Sean Mossman was in town today. Apparently he had some meetings scheduled to talk to potential mayoral and city council clients. It seems that Jimmy (Vokal) decided to cancel his meeting. Hopefully the cancelled meeting is a sign that Jimmy will be running an above board, clean campaign- not one that attacks, trying to bring others down.

Anonymous said...

Sad news...PTG is pulling up stakes over at the Plains Feeder and Love Global Warming blogs. Two of my favorite daily stops. PTG's talents...environmental advice and political viewpoints will be missed.

On another note...I was able to hear Hagel's bashing of Limbaugh and others and the sour grapes tone in his voice was highly evident.

It's good to know that Hagel's post-secondary education in broadcasting can be used now that he is unemployed. His truth can set us free. He wouldn't last a month on radio. Maybe he can become a Fox Contributor...he and Geraldo share a lot of similarities.

Like I have said before...Don't let the door hit you in the butt Chuck.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone think Hagel knows what the people of Nebraska think of him? Or do you think they keep him in a bubble in Washington?

Anonymous said...

Jim Vokal did have a meeting scheduled with Persuasive Strategies. Maybe we need a polygrapgh here?

Anonymous said...

What I like about Daub is that he has a big vision for the city and he aggressively goes after it. What I don't like about him is that if you disagree with him, you are automatically an enemy and this is no way to run the city.

Vokal didn't really look like a leader to me. What has he done? Very plain and boring. Underneath his dullness I think there is a Newt Gingrich wannabee which is a little distrubing to me.

I don't know much about Jim Suttle. He will have to earn my vote but I am open minded.

Anonymous said...

Horrible story on the mayor's race. Any facts reported there were already on Leavenworth Street.

Anonymous said...

Hey -- SS -- Why haven't we started discussing 2010 yet? Isn't there going to be an open seat for Secretary of State? Are all of the other officers running for re-election? Let's gin up some discussion here.

Anonymous said...

Hey, good news today. According to the "Objective Conservative" blog, Mark Quandahl and Matt Miltenberger are "stepping down" from their posts.

Good! Let's get some effective adults in those posts who actually have a vision for the Nebraska GOP and not just the attitude of "how can I tear the other guy down?"

Any rumors on who might be considered for the ED job?

Anonymous said...

I hear several names on the short list.

Anonymous said...

Hey Anon 11:13, from what I hear, Gale is planning on seeking re-election.

Anonymous said...

Anon 5:10

David Bywater the ED from Douglas county? I think he would do an excellent job. At least a much better job than Matt did!

I am glad Matt is stepping down as I don't think we that effective at his job. He was unable to change with the times and unable to work effectively with local counties to get the job done.

Whatever the Republican party decides to do they have some changes to make as far as how they approach races.

Anonymous said...

I would like to nominate David Krammer to lead the local Republican Party. I'd also like to see Brad Ashford take a more significant role in Republican politics. The Repulicans are too tied to the far right wing and that's why they will continue to lose. If you are gay, a minority, a working class person you do not fit in the Republican party.

Anonymous said...

Matt Miltenberger has been a great Executive Director. He has orchestrated the largest weekend door-to-door efforts ever, done a good job raising money, had great SCC meetings, oversaw the best National Convention Nebraska Delegates have experienced, oh yea - and he helped win all the legislative races, and helped hold the 2nd District Congressional seat.

And he did it with a small staff and a lot of headaches from every politico in the state with no title who thinks they are a genius and his boss. Good luck to whoever takes the job next - Matt is a tough act to follow.

Anonymous said...

Hey Jimmy, I'm sure the media won't ask you any hard questions tonight at your coming out party, but tell us how much do you think the campaign will cost and who are your bigger supporters. Word on the street is that most in the business community (FNB, UP, Mutual) are backing Hal. I know that doesn't necessarily mean votes, but it does mean money to finance a good campaign.

Anonymous said...

Jim Vokal for mayor? If he wins it would be the end of any hope that elected officials are actually in it for the best of others. Jimmy made it extremely clear that he's been eyeing this seat for a long time. Sounds like a resume builder and that is selfish. Keep Jimmy Out!

Daub is currently the best fit for keeping Omaha ahead of the curve.

- Proud Republican