Friday, June 11, 2010

What if? Governor Osborne...

On this Day of Days in the college football world (for those of you who dwell beneath boulders, looks like Nebraska will move to the Big Ten today/tomorrow - and upset the whole college football universe in the process), we look back to the Spring of 2006.

Remember when Congressman Tom Osborne was thought to be anointed the next Governor of Nebraska?

What if, eh?

What if Dave Heineman hadn't stepped up his game and snatched that office away from Osborne?

Well, (unfortunately for you haters) we're not looking on the Gov side right now.

Instead, think if TO wasn't there to be driving this wagon train as Athletic Director. Would the Huskers be making this bold move?

The answer could likely be "no", right? Osborne has bristled and fought against the Texas centric Big XII since its inception. TO is the kind of guy who can make a grand decision like this, and everyone in the state pretty much follows his lead. (Mainly, because they trust him and know that this is something that is firmly in his wheelhouse. Who would be better prepared for such a decision?)

And again, for you haters, there is something to be said for the guy in charge having the job in his blood. Heineman = government and politics. Osborne = Football and athletics.

Osborne has the gumption, clout and incentive to pull this off.

Nebraska football, athletics and the University and state as a whole should be thankful that Heineman won four years ago.

***

And it's funny how many quotes we've seen from the state Congressional delegation, the Governor and other states' elected reps on the question of Nebraska going to the Big Ten and in turn the rest of the Big XII blowing up, moving to the Pac 10 and elsewhere.

We're not sure what it means that the reflex reaction is to run to Congress to try to fix the woes of college football and other sports.

Then again, in the nanny state that has been created -- where we are told that the village is supposed to raise your child, that the government creates jobs and where the President talks about how wealth should be distributed -- maybe we shouldn't be surprised.

And we still won't be surprised if this all ends up in the courts.

***

FYI, Omahans (and non-Omahans) who have seen the proposition of the wheel-tax being increased: know that the question of whether you would accept the increased tax -- instead of, as presented, laying off police and firemen and having chuck holes go unfilled-- has been thoroughly polled lately (by Mayor Suttle's office?).

But apparently the Wheel Tax was a relatively minor point in the polling. The main questions involved increasing sales taxes and implementing occupation taxes.

You've been warned.

***

Oh, and Tom White is out in the field polling as well. He is apparently pushing the issue that he has fought for lower taxes while in the legislature.

So, know that any poll results you see or hear from his camp have been heavily pushed to get the results he wants.

And also remember that he would be a supporter of the President's and Nancy Pelosi's schemes in Congress. (Just a small detail, that.)

***

And finally, the guys at KLIN have put together a little ditty on the whole state Senator Kent Rogert flap, and his boat.

We got a chuckle.

Enjoy. Enjoy your weekend. And enjoy (hopefully) the Big Ten!

97 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where has tradition gone?

Anonymous said...

If that tradition comment was meant to pine for the "tradition" of the Big 12, it died with the Big 8 when we bailed out Texas trash to detriment of ourselves.

NE Voter said...

I've never been a huge Osborne fan. Never bought the hype.

I actually believe that Osborne is largely responsible for the "lost decade" of football at NU.

Here's why. Osborne should never have been allowed to choose his successor as head coach. When that die was cast, Bill Byrne bolted. And who could blame him? An AD that was not going to be allowed to make the marquee hire, but instead have to be the garbageman if the new hire didn't work out? Uh-uh.

Osborne was too big on "loyalty," thus delivering the job to a faithful deputy. I've got nothing against Frank Solich, in fact, if here was a Hall of Fame for assistance coaches, Solich would be in it.

The decline was the result of a combination of factors of which Solich was but one. But his hire was the first domino.

Taken further, Osborne's HC decision that drove Dollar Bill away takes us directly to Sneaky Pete Steve Pedersen and Bill Callahan. And we all know how that worked out.

Finally, although Callahan couldn't rebuild the defense fast enough (though his offenses were scoring machines), I believe NU and the OW-H did him dirty on the way out the door.

When Callahan arrived, the OW-H and other Nebraska media couldn't print/broadcast enough hosannahs. When the rose wilted, they acted like he never should have been hired. Now, his name and image have been striken from the obelisks and palace walls.

The OW-H, in particular, should be ashamed of its coverage of the Callahan years. At the time of his firing, it was "suddenly" discovered that the entire Athletic department was a dysfunctional mess. Facts that the paper's reporters/columnists certainly knew for years, but were not allowed to report/opine on due to the sacred cow nature of coddling the football program.

But, as they say, living well is the best revenge. Just ask Bill Callahan (2010 NFL Assistant Coach of the Year) and Barry Collier (Butler Final 4).

Could the lost decade have been shortened if there had been honest reportage? Who knows, but that journalistc malpractice tells you everything you "Need to Know" (LOL) about how the Omaha World-Herald regards its remaining readers (rubes).

I'm not an NU alum, so I don't really have a personal stake, but TO was a HUGE part of the mess of the last 10 years.

Hmmm, the OW-H hasn't seem to had it in them to report that, either.

nefan said...

This interesting politics-football analysis comes with a photo that shows a defeated Tom, a happy Dave, and a dominating Chuck.

While most would agree Dave is a hard charging, able politician, and that Tom is the pivotal element in destroying the Texas Nexus (Big XXII), Dave's support from Hagel was evident at the time. Indeed, some saw Hagel's weight as swinging the momentum off Tom. If that's the case, then Nebraska football has Hagel to thank, at least in part, for this change in football.

The Big XXII is like a Texas BBQ where Nebraska is invited to chew on gristle. If Osborne manages to kill the Texas Nexus, that's more than sweet revenge. It is better football. And if Dave or Chuck obliquely helped make that happen, that’s good too.

Anonymous said...

This expansion/explosion talk has been nothing but political manuevering. Back room deals, planting of stories in the media, false statements...heck, the only thing we haven't had is a sex scandal.

Anonymous said...

Leavenworth Street - the talk of Nebraska SPORTS?

Street Sweeper said...

whatever works for ya...

Anonymous said...

And it becomes clearer and clearer who Street Sweeper is in real life....if anyone had any doubt, that is.

Right Wing Professor said...

I had half a mind to line up 10 or 12 buds and each take advantage of our right to address the Regents for five minutes on any relevant issue. The fun in watching a room filled with national and local media listen impatiently to us droning on about the state of the sidewalks on East Campus, the future of extension in Clay County, etc. etc. would have been almost too much to bear.

Great pranks that never happened.

Street Sweeper said...

Chuckle.

1:39om

Well, since you're just dyyyyyyying to say it, let me spell out, once again, for you. (We've said the same thing from Day 1.):

I do NOT work for a present (or past) office holder.

I do NOT work for a party.

I do NOT work for any campaign.

And neither does anyone else who is, or ever has been, involved, in any way, with Leavenworth Street.

Hope that clears that up for you.

- Street Sweeper

Anonymous said...

Perhaps you just hold elective office and are an attorney...kinda?

Street Sweeper said...

Sorry, the guessing game's over.

Try reading the post and talking politics. Sort of the point here.

Dorothy Kilgallen said...

Are you bigger than a breadbox?

macdaddy said...

While mildly clever, Jack and John are no Weird Al Yankovitch.

Anonymous said...

Forget the lite weights. It's time to bring in Kitty Carlisle and Peggy Cass with rubber hoses and whips.

Anonymous said...

"The Big 12 asked for a commitment from NU through at least 2016. Nebraska, in turn, asked for a commitment from the University of Texas that it would assign all athletic broadcast rights to the conference and thus not begin its own network. Texas declined, he said."

TEXAS BROKE UP THE BIG 12!!!!

Anonymous said...

RWP, this time you've gone to faar.

macdaddy said...

The Big 12 admin broke up the Big 12. They did a very poor job negotiating TV contracts and,in general, promoting the Big 12. I was blown away by how much further along the Big 10 was. Today is a good day for the Huskers. I look forward to watching the Blackshirts upset the hopes and dreams of a whole new group of fans.

Anonymous said...

Football is the opiate of the masses. It mesmerizes, numbs people with hot dogs and nachos, and keeps them riveted so that they don't realize they are slaves to the bureaucrats in Washington.

Still, its better than no football.

Anonymous said...

It always amazes me when political observers - people who should know better - try to pretend that a message-testing poll is a push poll.

They ask the matchup question first. Then they ask the questions about negative/positive messaging. It tells them what they should put in their television ads. Republicans and Democrats both do it all the time. And it works.

A push poll is usually a robocall that is *very* short and goes out to a *much* wider audience than a normal poll does, because it doesn't care about things like random sampling or scientific data. Heck, a push poll doesn't even care about responses. It's a negative robocall disguised as a poll.

I know you know the difference between these things, Sweeper. Don't pretend that Lee Terry isn't testing negative messages against Tom White (or positive messages about himself). Or that testing those messages is wrong. There's a reason campaigns poll. And there's a reason major campaigns that don't poll almost always lose.

Jamie said...

I have narrowed down the possible candidates to who Sweeps actually is:

-W. Mark Felt, or
-Billy Dee Williams.

Anonymous said...

To 2:25PM yesterday...Hey shy one, it's hard to talk politics when it's all about foootball.

NE Voter said...

My take on the politics of university conference realignment.

NU is now athletically and academicley joined at the hip with many of the bluest states in the nation. NU fans and students will now be deeply exposed on a regular basis to very liberal media markets.

Not to mention research universities with far more "liberal" research programs. In the area of embryonic stem cell research, NU's new peer universities are far more flexible in the usage policies. It won't be long before the Nebraska regents will be pressured to expand NU's research capabilities in order to keep up with its peers.

One could argue that, over time, probably 20-30 years, the next generations of younger Nebraskans will gradually become more liberal, or at least less knee-jerk conservative.

No wonder Tinyman wanted no part of the Big X (until it was inevitable, of course).

These types of demographic reorientations do have long term political consequences.

Color me intrigued.

Anonymous said...

NE voter is saying some good stuff. Without the negative spin of the Right wing OWH out west. That message is not being pushed in the western part of the state. In the east there is the LJS. More and more people get their news and information from the open minded internet. Most of the new comers to Nebraska are of Latin America roots. They have no reason to trust Republican and bad ideas thought up by Tea Party nut bags and other super right wingers like Rush and company. The old Bob Dylan song "Times are a Changing" will come about in a generation or less. Young people today will not let them selfs fall into the more you lie about something Republican matria the more likely some one will belive it. The old democratic song 'Happy Days are here again" will be played again in the future. I am sure the Republicans who read this will not agree. But it is interesting to think that sports could bring Nebraska into the 21st Progressive century

Macdaddy said...

NE Voter and Anon 8:27: Thank you for tolerating us Nebraskans even though we're poor ignorant Rubes. I'm sure us Nebraskans will now see the light Hallelujah! once we travel to Ann Arbor.

NE Voter said...

Um, MacD, it's the World-Herald that considers its readers to be rubes, not NE Voter. I paint with a brush, but it's not very broad.

macdaddy said...

"NU fans and students will now be deeply exposed on a regular basis to very liberal media markets."

Because none of us have TV or the Internet now? Because Husker fans don't already travel to those same liberal media markets already for bowl games and vacations? Because the only possible way we could vote the way we do is because we haven't been exposed to the truth? Your post was pretty condescending, not to mention paint-by-numbers. But keep dreaming. I'm sure somebody will put it on the refrigerator.

Anonymous said...

I'd rather watch paint dry than listen to Mark Lakers or Dave Heinemann ever speak again. Roman Hruska was "Mr. Excitement" compared to both of these clowns.

NE Voter said...

MacD, defensive much? This is a blog for political analysis. If you disagree, fine. I disagree with you.

Care to share your take on the politics of university conference alignment?

Did you look at the OW-H today? The coverage went on and on about comparing the Big X universities' research firepower.

There is a political dimension at play here.

Discuss.

Brian T. Osborn said...

There is a lot more to UNL's alignment within the Big-10 than merely football, or even sports for that matter. All kinds of interactions take place within the schools of a conference. There will be cultural exchanges and shared research opportunities that will expose Nebraska's students to the more liberal attitudes found east of here.

It is already an irrefutable fact that Democrats abound in areas where institutions of higher education exist. Look at where the bastions of Liberalism in Nebraska do exist - Lincoln and Omaha. One could almost assume that there is some kind of correlation between a greater level of education (and intelligence) and being a Democrat. There are exceptions, like RWP ;-)

It may take a generation of students before the deleterious effects of hanging out with all those Texans wears off, but I believe NE Voter is on to something big here. Yes, even the Husker Nutz that road trip to all of the football games will find fewer ditto-heads to nod in agreement with as they travel east. And if they're driving, they may even be exposed to (the horror!!) radio that contains programming without Rash Limpball.

macdaddy said...

Of all the reasons the OWH listed as benefits for NU jumping to the Big 10, the research angle was easily the most questionable. You know, sometimes sports is just sports. I guess, though, that I can't fathom the level of desperation that liberals must have here in Nebraska if this is what they're reduced to arguing.

But keep telling yourselves that moving to the Big 10 will usher in a new era of liberal domination in Nebraska. Hope and change is just around the corner!

Anonymous said...

BTO wrote "One could almost assume that there is some kind of correlation between a greater level of education (and intelligence) and being a Democrat." Umm, OK, and that's why the Democrat vote is concentrated in east Omaha-- because that's where all the people with degrees live. Gotcha.

Brian T. Osborn said...

McPappy,

The thing that will usher in a new era of "liberal domination" is when people wake up from their stupor and realize that Faux News, Limbaugh, etc. have sold them a phony bill of goods. I have nothing against conservatives, the real kind that is; I don't have much use for the xenophobic, pistol packing, self-righteous Bible misquoting haters that pass themselves off as Republicans these days.

A 11:22,

I said Lincoln and Omaha. I see you fit right into the mold of the prevaricating misquoters I mentioned above.

Anonymous said...

BTO--How does not mentioning Lincoln make me a "prevaricater"? I quoted you, and pointed out the reality of who lives where and who votes where in our largest county, and it seems to put the lie to your assertion that the "educated" vote Democrat. So, it's easier to call me a "prevaricating misquoter" than deal with the fact that the data in Douglas suggest the opposite of what you assert?

Anonymous said...

Are you republicans just a bit worried about our fair state changing in a generation to a more progressive view point? You should be. Listen to the young people talk today. They are the future. Nothing stays the same forever. Vermont used to vote Republican and Nebraska used to vote democratic. It can and will happen again. I wonder how you guys will handle being a minority considering how you treat minorities now?

Anonymous said...

OWH column today...

Hope people take a look at Robert Nelson's column today in the OWH...

Will there be a Lakers sighting this week?

TexasAnnie said...

Can't read the Robert Nelson column without buying it! Did he have anything worth reading?

macdaddy said...

I'm really worried about Nebraska becoming liberal. This Big 10 move is the death of the NE GOP. Woe is me.


LMAO

Tommy da Snake said...

Lincoln urnal Star (pun intended) has an article on TW's case for the 2nd. The comments on there must be from vile kyle and his ilk.

Tom White is NOT the person Nebraska needs to send to DC. He is a big snake in our pond, and will only get bigger in the DC swamp.

Anonymous said...

TA--relates to the finance report scandal--he has a few good lines:

Mentioned Lakers and his press sec. refused to return his calls... and the perception he's finished.

"It appears Mark Lakers, like Bruce Willis' character in 'The Sixth Sense,' is the only one who doesn't realize it.

"I see dead gubernatorial campaign."

Ouch....

Anonymous said...

Thank goodness the LJS has Tom White to take care of them down in Lincoln. Why is it that the only place Tom White is willing to speak publicly is in front of his Union leaders and Don Walton?

Is Ian Russell really that certain that Tommie Boy will fudge things up if he opens his mouth in the 2nd district? Is that why he talks to no one?

If Tom White is more comfortable speaking to the voters of Lincoln, then maybe he should buy a 3rd house there and run for Mayor?

I heard he got a $1,000,000 plus settlement by suing someone earlier this year?

Maybe that's why he doesn't care about transferring transaction fees from businesses to banking customers. What's a few hologram fees when you got that kind of spare change lying around.

Anonymous said...

Ian's an amateur and clearly shows himself to be if at this late point in the game he's keeping his client/candidate quiet. Unless he's got a picture of Terry in bed with the proverbial goat for the October surprise....he's running the clock on White with his incompetence.

My apologies to the goat.

Brian T. Osborn said...

A 7:01 - "Prevaricater"? (sic) You don't get to pick apart my argument by redefining the criteria it is based on, and replacing it with yours, á la Faux News.

McPappy - Nebraska won't be predominately Democratic for at least two or three generations. The offspring of the old Swedes and Germans will be run off their ground by the corporate farms, leaving the Hispanic influx in the majority. Thanks to the Tea Party politics, it will be a cold day in hell before THEY vote for another Republican.

TtS - So you believe TW WILL get to DC?

Anonymous said...

To BTO--

How exactly have I done what you allege? Which criteria have I redefined? Just because you don't like being proven wrong, doesn't mean you can be dismissive.

You said cities with Universities-- Omaha and Lincoln-- are where Democrats abound. You then say a "greater level of education" relates somehow to being a Democrat. Isn't it problematic, then, that the bulk of Dem votes don't come from areas in Omaha where the "higher educated" tend to live? How does that fit, and how is that not an honest observation?

One Out In The Third said...

Osborne's baseball "climate excuse" for moving to the Big Whatever is what sold me. So instead of playing a few games in a warm southern clime...the Huskers...probably ought to change their name to Huskies...will play all their baseball games in the cold. Did Osborne think that one up all by himself?

One Out In The Third said...

It just came to me...Osborne has been drinking from the AGW Kool-Aid Cupboard.

Brian T. Osborn said...

A 3:45 - If you don't "get" it, I can't explain it to you. I can't twist facts to fit your thinking the way Glenn Beck can. Oh, and I can be as dismissive to anonymice as I care to be - and I frequently am.

Anonymous said...

To other readers and posters who may have been inclined to give BTO the benefit of the doubt:

I hope you've all followed the exchange regarding his assertion that "educated people" tend to be Dems or some such nonsense. When confronted with facts from both voter turnout figures and the census, he simply calls me a liar, or a "faux news" watcher, or compares me to Glenn Beck. Anything but address the point (which he can't explain, you see, 'cuz I just won't understand it, he says).

What a dishonest fraud. Those who urged us to ignore him were right- he needs his own blog, his own party, and,sooner or later, his own padded cell.

Brian T. Osborn said...

A 9:31 - YOU need to get a life.

Unknown said...

Anonymous,

What is it with you and this BTO person? I think he has a point, you are obviously obsessed with him for some reason. You need help pal.

As for BTO,

Love your posts man!

Anonymous said...

To Libertarian (BTO) and BTO--

Actually, it is the polar opposite of obsession. I never paid much attention to him at all til yesterday. I found the few posts of his I scanned usually too long, off topic, and very BTO-centric. I read one of the shorter ones yesterday, and the whole "there is some kind of correlation between a greater level of education (and intelligence) and being a Democrat" thing caught my eye. I pointed out that in Omaha it doesn't seem to be that way in reality.

Rather than simply ignore my point if he didn't want to address it, he accused me of "prevaricating" somehow, of "redefining criteria", and explained that he couldn't "twist facts like Glenn Beck" to fit my way of thinking. Finally, he now says I need to "get a life".

Well, OK then. If that's the best he can do, well, so be it-- but none of it challenges my initial point. I'm not sure why I expected more or better.

I guess maybe I'm just demonstrating the falseness of his original assertion, one Dem at a time.

Allen Hager said...

Let me be one of the first to say -- I enjoy BTO's posts on here. It is very interesting to hear what the bleeding heart, yellow-dog, progresive Democrats like him think.

I very rarely agree with him on anything, but from an education perspective, its good to know where the far left is headed.

Frankly, I enjoy it for the chuckles he brings to LS daily.

I for one do not want to see him just disappear from LS.


Signed,
Allen Hager
Conservative

Anonymous said...

Check it out, the Republican Congrssional Campaign Committee has announced that Lee Terry is one of 9 vulnerable congressman nationwide. Big troube for lazyman Terry!

Anonymous said...

Check it out... it's called 'tit for tat'. If the DCCC is gonna target White, then the NRCC will target Terry.

The question will be whether the DCCC really does much for White--since he (White) doesn't seem to be doing much...

Anonymous said...

9:59--you probably need to define 'lazy' better. All I know is Terry is all over the district constantly--he had another one of those coffee deals last Sat. Not really sure what White's been doing--but whatever it is has been pretty much below the radar.

Anonymous said...

Where's Lakers?

Where's White?

Both holding out in the bunker? Time to show us something guys...

Anonymous said...

I have never seen a campaign work so hard to hide their candidate from the public as Ian and the White campaign. Are they afraid that Temper Tantrum Tom might pull a Rep. Etheridge and flip out on someone??

Where is he??

macdaddy said...

Here's my prediction: White will show up right after July 4th and will immediately go to mud-slinging. In no way, shape, or form will he tell us his opinion on anything. He will not ever make a case for himself. It will be "Terry is lazy" from now until November.

My old prediction: Terry by 10. My new prediction: Terry by 15. People who were planning on contributing to White need to seriously ask themselves, "Do I really want to throw this money away?"

Macdaddy said...

I swear I didn't see this NPR poll on competitive House races before my last post. First off, Nebraska 2 is not listed in the 10 most competitive Republican House races, however, in those Republican districts, the incumbent holds a 53-37% advantage. Really bad news for Tom White.

Anonymous said...

Lee Terry beat Jim "Van Wilder" Esch by 6 points, lets see how well his do-nothing decade stands up against a respected statesman. Let's see what happens when Barack Obama campaigns here a few days before the election and turns out voters in North and South Omaha.

The Republicans are obviously worried about CD2 or they wouldn't have brought monkey-boy Karl Rove in to fundraise and campaign for Terry already.

Go reread L-street from September 2008 and recall what you all said Obama's chances of winning CD2 were.

Anonymous said...

Terry beat Esch 52-48.

Interesting to see whether Obama comes to NE2--definately he'll be here in 2012, I just bet not in 2010.

Anonymous said...

12:45--also go back and read LS for all the Oct. 08 posts where you said Esch was gonna win...

Anonymous said...

12:45--also go back and read LS for all the Oct. 08 posts where you said Esch was gonna win...

Anonymous said...

12:45
"Respected Statesman"? Did I miss something? Is Lee Terry running against Ben Franklin?

I thought he was running against a hot-head from the legislature, who no one likes (including those from his own party), and who majorly screwed up his primary piece of legislation (the child-drop off law).

Apparently Tom White dropped out of the race, because you can't be referring to him.

(And with White's lack of appearances, except in the 1st District, that wouldn't surprise me.)

Anonymous said...

Alright - now is the time to start the recall. Suttle is the biggest buzz kill I have ever seen...tailgaters have to leave every nite? fences surrounding the entire area? with 7 entrances?!?

I think this will be the tipping point for a good number of people to recall Cowboy Jim

Anonymous said...

Please have Obama come here before the Election. Tom White and Obama in a picture together will cause White to lose 10 points overnight.

15 minutes of fame said...

Has anyone seen Scott Kleeb? He has become even more irrelevant than Mark Lakers.

Anonymous said...

Hey 11:52...Terry has been lazy so no revelation there. What's he done for me lately?

But, you're right on White not really being out there much. Oh Ian, so much to say, so little time. What to do? What to do?

Macdaddy said...

So far in this election season, a visit by Obama has guaranteed defeat for the Democrat candidate. Obama won't come here, but even if he does, the thrill is gone. As far as our predictions from 2008, we were only off by 3400 votes.

Solomon Kleinsmith said...

"Lee Terry beat Jim "Van Wilder" Esch by 6 points, lets see how well his do-nothing decade stands up against a respected statesman. Let's see what happens when Barack Obama campaigns here a few days before the election and turns out voters in North and South Omaha."

For one... White is only a 'respected statesman' with a small segment of the Democratic super active types. Most people still don't know who the heck he is.

He probably IS a stronger candidate than Esch... Esch never seemed to figure out how to run a campaign... but this is also a year where things are swing voters are trending right. This district is already a right leaner, so unless there is a game changer, then I'd agree with someone above... Terry winning by 15 wouldn't surprise me at all.

And I'd be surprised if Obama came... but I doubt the bump would be any bigger than 5%, if that... which means White would have to get within striking distance of Terry... and how is he going to do that?

If anything, Terry has shown he doesn't make big gaffes. Without one, I don't see a way Tom White has a chance... unless they've got some genius ploy up their sleeves.

Anonymous said...

I have to say it is interesting to read the posts from Dems who trash Esch. Before the 08 election, they were saying he was the perfect candidate yada yada. He loses and everyone turns against him. Nice friends.

Anonymous said...

Obama is going to stop continental erosion in the Gulf, raise New Orleans above sea level, and dive down to the seabottom to tie a knot in the leaking pipe with his own hands. Then he will come to Nebraska where he will resurrect herds of millions of bison, make the Platte River flow wine, and turn local Democrats into something electable.

Anonymous said...

Just my take-but Obama's speech was a flop.

Not dating myself, but I still remember Carter's summer 1979'malaise' speech. Just struck me Obama's tone was similar...

Anonymous said...

Esch actually had an advantage--he could attack Terry's record but Terry couldn't reciprocate since Esch never had been elected to anything or cast any tough votes.

Not the case w/White.

Anonymous said...

Pulling a Lakers

I guess Tom White is gonna pull a Lakers this week and be totally invisible to the press and public again. Interesting way to run for Congress...

Macdaddy said...

Hey, it worked for Al Greene in South Carolina.

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.

Anonymous said...

:) MacDaddy, the prophet.

Anonymous said...

The question that voters will be asked this fall will be "Who do you trust to hold BP accountable and stand up to oil companies." I doubt the answer will be Lee Terry.

Anonymous said...

The question that voters will be asked this fall will be "Who do you trust to serve as a check against Obama and Pelosi as they try to blow trillions on programs like the 'stimulus' and healthcare 'reform'."

I doubt very much the answer will be Tom White.

Anonymous said...

Let Lee Terry run on wanting to take away health care access to 150,000 with pre-existing conditions, revoking small business tax credits for employee health care premiums, and "drill baby drill." Good luck with that.

Anonymous said...

Let Tom white run in favor of cutting Medicare by $500 billion, raising small business taxes by another $300 billion--causing them to drop their employee health care coverage--and adding another $9 trillion to the nation's debt this decade.

Good luck with that.

Anonymous said...

Also, let Tom White run on his support for the $800 billion stimulus program--the one that helped create only 41,000 private sector jobs nationally in May while adding 400,000 new federal employees to the Census.

Good luck running on an economic program that is bringing us 10% unemployment this summer.

Anonymous said...

Good luck to Tom White in running on 'competence'--i.e. BP oil spill disaster on Obama's watch and management by chaos.

Macdaddy said...

Tom White has two arguments available to make: 1. Lee Terry has done nothing. 2. I will be in the majority and so I can get things done for the people of the CD2. Unfortunately for him, argument 2 reminds people about Nancy Pelosi as well as negates argument 1. Argument 1 gives Terry an opportunity to point out that he did not vote for Nancy Pelosi and he did not vote for any of the 50 irresponsible programs the Dems rammed through so his legislative ideas were blackballed. The more I think about it, the more Tom White should go with the Al Greene approach. Certainly would be cheaper.

Anonymous said...

Good to see that Tom is really making an impact:

Firedog Lake (lib web site) mentions Terry and NE2--says that Jim Esch is running again for the
3rd time.

Esch has probably been just as visible around town lately as Tom has, actually.

Anonymous said...

I would imagine that Lee Terry will be running on a Republican plan to repeal the crap-ass health care reform passed by the Democrats with no bipartisan support and creating a Bipartisan Bill that will offer not only access to health insurance for people with pre existing conditions, but one that will actually help cover medical expenses arising due to those pre existing conditions.

Access doesn't mean jack if you still have to pay out of pocket for everything.

Tom White's HealthCare Reform only allows insurance companies to charge whatever they feel like charging and still not provide coverage for pre existing conditions. The Democrats that wrote the Bill only mandated the selling of insurance, they never intended to require that insurance cover anyone's illnesses.

The Devil's in the details, apparently, Tom White didn't bother reading the Bill or its details.

Way to go Tommie Boy, I am sure this is just another case of unintended consequences-kinda like your other major piece of legislation in the Unicameral, "No Child To Old To Be Left On Nebraska's Doorstep".

Honestly, I don't know whether I am more embarrassed by Tom White's legislative accomplishments or Ben Nelson's.

Anonymous said...

That's gonna be some really good footage of White standing next to Nelson as they both defended the Cornhusker Kickback at the news conference.

Nathan said...

It appears the evil Warren Buffet is at it again, this time he is trying to get other billionaires to give there money to charity before they die too. The nerve of that guy.

Anonymous said...

I wish I were a charity. Maybe Obama could get the Federal Government designated as a "not for profit" and all the billionaires could give their money to the government.

Except that designation would interfere with his concept of Cap And Trade-since the government gets all the money made on the "trades".

Anonymous said...

Good to see Tom White at least gets name recognition and repetition from this blog along with a good deal of good luck.

Hey if you aren't doing it, then let your opponent's supporters do it for ya.

Anonymous said...

Pickup

In the Arkansas Senate race, the Repub (Boozeman) leads Lincoln 61-32...

Anonymous said...

Speaking of not doing much...what's Lakers up to this week?

Anonymous said...

Not much interest...

Something else that doesn't seem to be catching on other than Lakers et al...

Vile Kyle has posted four articles the last week at NNN. Grand total of 10 comments on all...

Street Sweeper said...

New post coming on L. St. very soon.
-SS

Anonymous said...

Yeah!!!

Unknown said...

anonymous 6:40 AM, June 15, 2010,

I've just taken up reading this blog and went back through several threads. You are obviously the same anonymous person that has been stalking BTO for weeks. Get over him man. It's bad for your karma.

Anonymous said...

I'm just one commenter here and a Republican at that--but I appreciate BTO's comments here. I urge him to keep it up.