Monday, February 23, 2009

Talking 2010?

To start your week out right, here's a little Separated at Birth for you:

State Senator Tom White and hipster-doofus, Cosmo Kramer!


***

So is it too early to talk about the 2010 Governor's race?
Well, don't ask Tom White that question.

White is gung-ho in challenging Governor Dave Heineman whenever he gets the chance. He is the go-to guy for press criticism of the Guv, and has even started his own PAC, with associated campaign website -- JoinTomWhite.com.

White has been in the Legislature since all the way back in 2006 and obviously has plans to take on DH.

Or would White cool his heels if Heineman looks too strong?

Heineman, West Point grad and former Army Airborne Ranger, isn't the kind of guy who rests on his laurels. As an OWH article pointed out  not too long ago, he's up with the sun every day working on all things Nebraska (and don't think that doesn't include campaigning). This is the guy who took down Tom freaking Osborne in Nebraska. His popularity in Nebraska is still way up there, and he is occasionally making waves on the national scene as well. 

Would White challenge Heineman if it looks clear that he would become another Dave Hahn?
We'll probably know in a few months. But White wouldn't be the first guy to underestimate Heineman

Or the first guy that the Guv has body-slammed...

***

The kids over at the NNN cracked us up with a video someone YouTubed up the other day.



It features Senator Mike Johanns saying "No, No, No" repeatedly -- six times by our count.

Now we want to give them props just for being able to dig out that kind of data. Very funny.

Of course the irony of all this is that the vid is meant to "slam" Johanns. (Ooh! Here are his PHONE numbers! CALL him!)

But Johanns's vote against the nomination of the tax-cheat Treasury Secretary whose recent non-plan for the economy sent the stock plummeting?

Thanks Senator!

Johann's vote against Clinton's pardon-master Eric Holder, who just told you (reader) that you're a coward because (during Black History Month) you don't talk about race enough

Thanks Senator!

Johanns's vote against expanding SCHIP waaay beyond it's original intended purpose?

Thank you Senator!

Voting against the Porkulous, non-stimulatory bill?

Thaaaaaaank you MJ!

(Hey, I might just use those phone numbers to let him know I'm happy with his job...)

***

And since we just can't resist talking about the Omaha Mayor's race, note that with Jim Vokal's filing today, all three of the major candidates -- Hal Daub, Jim Vokal and Jim Suttle will have filed. 

(The deadline is March 6th, so keep your eyes peeled for the final Joe Jordan Democrat.)

The Suttle forces have recently informed their supporters that Councilman Suttle is in the cat-bird's seat for the race. In a 1,300 word e-mail (we counted 'em), they explain that ALL the Obama volunteers have now moved over to Jim Suttle for Mayor campaign! (You hear that Obama vols? What, you weren't aware of that?)

It's an interesting message, noting that Daub and Vokal are both no-good scoundrels who will lose because they've lost before (or some such). 

And why will you and everyone else support Jim Suttle?

Well...um...er...well he's not Hal Daub or Jim Vokal, that's why! 

And that is 100% Suttle's strategy. It worked for Mike Fahey in 2001, but then, he was running against an incumbent and had no record of his own. This isn't 2001...


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28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gov. Dave Heineman is all things Nebraska, except for the Beatrice Development Center. How's that working out for Nebraska? How is the doing taking care of those who need it the most? The most vulnerable?

Anonymous said...

Another rumor making the rounds (at least in Omaha Democratic circles, which probably isn't Street Sweeper's social network) is that White is actually looking at taking on Lee Terry. That would explain things like his recent all-out assault to reform the property tax system to help homeowners. Fairly or not, it's seen as an urban/rural wedge issue.

Street Sweeper said...

We hear more Lathrop for CD-2, than White (we'll discuss more later).

But, like we said, things can change in these fluid times...

Anonymous said...

So that is what the lovely Lisa Hannah has done with all that footage she got by stalking Mike with a camera all last fall! She should have gotten a real job.

Anonymous said...

We elected Johanns to vote against idiotic legislation. The fact that he voted against a tax cheat and the guy who walked the Marc Rich and FALN terrorist pardons through to his boss makes me very happy that we elected someone who doesn't like business as usual in Washington. Meanwhile, Senator Nelson is as happy as a pig in slop with business as usual.

Anonymous said...

Lisa Who????

Anonymous said...

Hmmm...
The White/Lathrop thing is flip flopped from what I've heard.

Do tell more!

Anonymous said...

The really dumb thing is Johanns isn't up for re-election until 2014. Anything he does this year will be long forgotten by then. I think 'I like Mike' is right; this is all about la guapa Lisa finding something useful to do with her hours of mind-numbingly boring stalking footage.

Anonymous said...

Anybody who takes on Heineman is either crazy or a pompous idiot. Luckily, White is both.

Lathrop's young enough that he should run again for the Leg. then run for Terry's seat in 2012

Anonymous said...

The last time I looked, no one has replaced Omaha's voters with smarter people. We are stuck in 2001.

Anonymous said...

Good Topic Sweeper...the NNN people are communists. I'm glad Mike Johanns said NO NO NO. Didn't the Voters say NO NO NO NO NO NO and NO to Scott Kleeb and those ideas in November????

Anonymous said...

White's too smart to run against Heineman. He's obviously one of the sharper pols on the Democratic side - too sharp to take on a popular incumbent governor with a solid rural base.

Anonymous said...

Far be it from me to second-guess the Galactic Champeen SABber, the old Sweeper hisself, but, judging from the pic of Mr. White, I think a more appropriate SAB would be White and Lyle Lovitt ... I mean, look at the hair.

Sorry to interrupt ... all you Heineman and Johanns haters, carry on ...

Street Sweeper said...

Noted and added to our quiver.
-SS

Anonymous said...

No, no, no. You've got it all wrong. White's doing his Richie Valens look to honor the 50th anniversary of the "Day the Music Died."

Anonymous said...

Maybe White's the Joe Jordan Democrat. He's a good fundraiser.

Anonymous said...

Tom White showed his hand when he introduced his property tax bill that would punish rural Nebraska in favor of urban Nebraska. Try running on that in the 3rd. White is gunning for Lee Terry's seat, but the problem is even the Ds in the Legislature say he's the most divisive D in the state. So much for Obama, touchy-feely post-partisanship.

Anonymous said...

Won't the Secretary of State's office be an open seat in 2010? Have we heard any names out there? I have heard one rumor, but he isn't a current politico, so it wouldn't be splashworthy.

Anonymous said...

All of your constitutional officers are running for re-election. Plan on it.

Anonymous said...

Correct. All of the Republican constitutional officers have publicly stated they are running for reelection.

Unless you have the bank account of John Breslow, you can't beat an incumbent Republican constitutional officer in Nebraska.

Anonymous said...

Steve Scarle just exited the race, because "over 80% of both my volunteer and paid circulators have failed to turn in their petitions." Ouch! Way to stick it to the staff and volunteers on your way out!

Anonymous said...

Tom White would present a serious challenge to Lee Terry under normal circumstances and at least he's held a real job. While Lee might again be vulnerable in 2010, he will have one big thing going for him...Obama's economic/financial policy disasters. As 2010 election day nears, the news will be about rising inflation and rising interest rates while the recession lingers. Dems are going to have a real hard time in 2010.

Anonymous said...

Lee Terry's numbers have gone done each election. Heck, he almost lost to Jim Esch in 2008! With a challenger like Tom White, or anyone like that, Lee Terry will lose his seat in 2010. Yay!

Anonymous said...

If Terry didn't lose in 2008, he won't lose in 2010.

Dems will never recreate the perfect storm they had in 2008.

BTW, any Dems gloating over Obama's performance so far should note this:Obama approval this date = 63%, Bush 43 on this same date in 2001 = 62%.

Anonymous said...

You can't compare Bush in 2001 to Obama today. Bush didn't do anything in the first month of his presidency. I'm sorry that's not true he signed legislation recognizing Reagan's birthday.

Street Sweeper said...

As has been mentioned numerous times before, this isn't the place to pimp your website.

If you have a site that you'd like us to link to, please email and we'll take a look and respond.
Thanks
-SS

Street Sweeper said...

This has been our policy from the start, and there's no reason to change now.

(And we frown on swearing...)

Anonymous said...

I heard Jason Hayes of Lincoln was thinking about a run for State Office