Thursday, October 21, 2010

The Recall Starts NOW

It is 9:30 am on Thursday, October 21, 2010 and the recall of Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle has begun.

Well, it did anyway, depending on when you read this.

Though of course, that doesn’t mean Suttle will necessarily be kicked out of office.

There is a little matter of 30K signatures.
And then an election.

Interesting political times, nonetheless.

The OWH framed the matter today with an interesting point by Douglas County Election Commissioner Dave Phipps: Back when people were getting signatures for Mike Boyle’s recall, they were able to approach people right outside of the polling places.

Now, they have to be back 200 feet, where the political signs are. In other words, at many locales, voters will have to make an effort to go to the signers, as opposed to them being on the way. And if the weather sucks that day, it’s even more of an effort.

**UPDATE**
We have been informed that in the 1986-87 Boyle recall, signature gatherers DID have to stand back by the yard signs and were NOT able to stand "right outside the polling place", as stated by Phipps.


We are attempting to obtain the exact rules from back then.

We will be interested to see how this turns up and turns out.

***

Hey, speaking of the OWH, they have “officially” come out against the recall.

But did you get a load of the photos they are using of Suttle on their recall articles?

Here they are (with the one above):


Now compare that to the photo they use of Governor Dave Heineman :


We are not sure if that’s a conscience effort to make Suttle look bad, but in any case, that’s the effect. Worth a thousand words, and all that.

***

And speaking of symbols, how about the logo for “Forward Omaha” one of the anti-recall efforts. (My that’s professional looking website for a group run by a lowly law student...)


Now, tell us again why the Austin Powers “Male” necklace is being used to push Jim Suttle?



 Are we to understand that the Mayor has an awesome tuft of chest hair? (Now try to get THAT image out of your noggin...)

35 comments:

RWP said...

I think when the arrow on the Mars symbol points in, it means the wearer is gay. It's like wearing the earring in the right ear instead of the left.

By the way, is Matt Samp running this anti-recall campaign?

Macdaddy said...

Did they get the idea from MSNBC's re-branding campaign? You have to admit, it sure does fit: Lean Forward, Omaha. Just watch out for the arrow poking up at a 45 degree angle.

BTW, if the anti-recall people are going have such lame logos, I might have to change my mind about it.

Right Wing Professor said...

Isn't 'lean forward' half way to 'bend over'?

Anonymous said...

I see Hal Daub's restaurant Rick's Cafe is one of the places allowing recall petitioners to hang out. And Hal said he's not involved in the recall effort. Right, and pigs can fly...

GeosUser said...

The "Forward Omaha" people have an ad on the radio. It starts out with an unidentified female voice saying something like "I don't agree with what Mayor Suttle is doing but...". Their website is even worse with some major creative writing in listing Mayor Moron's major accomplishments including "reduced the 2011 lease cost of the Mayor's vehicle to $1". I like where they keep pushing it will cost $900k to get rid of him. If Mayor Moron is so concerned about taxpayer's money, when the more than 27,000 petition signatures are validated, he can resign at no cost to taxpayers. So can his whole team, again saving taxpayers lots of money.

Anonymous said...

That arrow was designed by Gary and Ace. Suttle is glad they are on the case.

Jamie said...

I'm not a big fan of recalls... I think generally, voters deserve what they get. but hey, let's see if it even goes anywhere. don't they need something like 1000 signatures a day for the first 30 days? ay caramba...

anyway, my big question is- if and when jim suttle is removed from office- what happens next? who replaces him? is that better or worse than what we have now?

Anonymous said...

RWP,

I never knew that about the earring thing. I guess it must be important for you ... you right leaning purveyor of pusillanimous pulchritude!

Right Wing Professor said...

Well, anon@11:58, I AM an educator.

But my prurient preference is for Palinesque rather than pusillanimous pulchritude.

Anonymous said...

Sweeper---that is hilarious creativity.

Logo? Almost as bad as the radio ad. In the words of Jerry Seinfeld....who areee these people?

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

I'll take the Forward Omaha website over the Recall Website any day.

Have you been to the Suttle Recall website?

I mean really... have you been to that website? There's a pantless orange creature on the front of it. I hope that group didn't pay for that website - if they did, they should demand a refund.

Anonymous said...

I see that the haldaub.com website is still up (properly saved, of course with today's date--in case McFailureson--or is it mcpherson-- the not so objective conservative trys to take it down). But, noooo, he has nothing to do with the recall....oh, nobody's buying that. In case you want the math, it was May, 2009 that he last lost the race for mayor. Talk about being a sore loser. 17 months.

Conscious Citizen said...

Of course it was a "conscience" effort to make Suttle look bad. The OWH says they support him because they don't want to piss him off before they are sure the recall effort will succeed. Suttle is their "frenemy," if you will. Ask your daughters what that means :)

Though I do not oppose the recall effort, I would like to point out that if it is successful, anyone that denies this is an effort to re-elect Hal Daub will be exposed as the liar and/or moron that we already know them to be.

Anonymous said...

I am one that understands that the world does not work in black or white, but rather shades of gray. That being said...the solution to all of this is that the Recallers should strike a deal with the mayor where the recall efforts would cease if Suttle pledges that we will not run for another term.

Anonymous said...

Someone must be worried if they are running a campaign to keep em! If there was no fear then they would just let the effort try to collect the signatures. But nope instead they will push the issue and bring even more attention to it. GREAT PR there!

I think it would be interesting if the Douglas County Republican Party would call for meetings and just happen to have the petition available. Why I bet they could get a bunch of signatures in Siegerson's old district alone!

Or maybe at the Police and Fire Halls?

Then Tom White can help Suttle take the citizens to court, again.

Hmmm, we shall see.......

Anonymous said...

Anon at 1:48, why in the world would you suggest that? I did as you requested and found it to be a colossal waste of time. It's a snarky blog with 3 total entries that hasn't been updated in more than two years.

The sad part is that some anonymous fool, clearly obsessed with RWP, went to the effort to set up a blog attacking a single person with whom she disagrees politically. Sadder still that you thought it was worth even mentioning. Can I suggest that you grow up a bit?

Street Sweeper said...

1:48, and any others.
The comment section of this blog isn't a place for you to pimp YOUR blog.
-Ed.

Anonymous said...

When the ship's captain is drunk at the wheel, you remove him without worrying about the cost. Suttle has shown he's unfit for the job, he's done damage while in the position, and could do further damage if not removed. There may be a cost involved in getting rid of him, but a greater cost in allowing him to stay. And, as with most Americans, I prefer action to inaction. This recall is about taking the bull by the horns and doing something that needs to be done even though doing nothing might be cheaper and easier.

Anonymous said...

Other than those few of us that spend our free time reading and commenting on blogs, most Omahans really could care less about this whole recall thing. Some of them remember what it cost to replace Boyle in 1987 and, probably for that reason, too few got excited about the attempt to recall Fahey. They aren't going to be excited about this one either.

There is a time to replace a mayor; it is called an election.

Anonymous said...

The republicans love recalls. It is called sour grapes over losing. You wait the impeachment papers are ready to go to press if the Republicans take control of the Congress. They don't care how they win. Remember Florida 2000?

Anonymous said...

I received something in the mail today from the Nebr Democratic Party about Lee Terry. I hadn't planned on sending Terry a check because according to most Terry has this race already won. But that mailer was just awful. So I sent Terry a check. It made me mad.
We don't need that kind of thing in Nebraska.

I think Democrats and Tom White make a long range mistake by taking a road this low. I mean, if White has something worth running on, they'd have mentioned that, right? So I guess White is a pus bucket of some sort.

Anonymous said...

The Nebraska Democratic party has not a clue how to build or keep its base. They take what by all rights could and should be shining stars and use them as slot fillers. They have no stable from which to draw and stay stuck in the good ole days of Bob Kerrey or Ben Nelson before he was outed.

Rather than to educate someone who has made an error in reporting campaign contributions they send some old washed up party player out to ridicule in public by scolding or scorning seemingly to pave the way for her own place on the ticket. They don't just eat their young, they do it with a sense of self righteous satisfaction as if Mother Teresa just graced us with her saintliness.

There is this branch of the Nebraska Democratic party called Victory 2010 who can't see their way to the simple courtesy of returning a phone call and/or email when there is an outreach to help one of its candidates in a hotly contested race that needs all the help he can get. They blow people off like a cheap plate of beans. So much for the theory of victory.

I don't doubt they send out negative advertisements because in their retro world that's how they feel they can win.

Tom White missed the boat by ripping and shredding his opponent before letting us see his strengths. Likewise, Terry never made the case for what he did all those 12 years that should make me stand up and clap.

White defined Terry and Terry defined White. Neither told us the story of why they are leaders and should have our hearts and minds as voters.

Anonymous said...

Sweeper, here is an idea for a SAB.

Mayor Suttle and Ronny Cox with his eyes bugging out in Total Recall.

Anonymous said...

They may have had to do that, but they certainly didn't do that. I remember folks collecting petition signatures right outside the polling place.

Grundle King said...

Anon 5:52 wrote: "You wait the impeachment papers are ready to go to press if the Republicans take control of the Congress."

Doubtful...why bother? The Republicans are smart enough to know that this wave of anti-Democrat sentiment can be used to accomplish a lot more than to kick a guy out of office who will be out of there in 2 years anyway! And speaking of impeachment, wasn't it the Democrats who were demanding that Bush and Cheney be impeached? Sour grapes aren't reserved for just one political party...you're own post reeks of sour grapes lingering from the 2000 election.

Anonymous said...

Back in the day I recall some guys who had had a vasectomy would wear little lapel pins that were the "Male" symbol with a little piece cut out of the circle. I guess it was to let any interested female of the species know that they were shooting blanks, hence were OK for a quickie or two.

The fad died quickly when a few enterprising fellows figured out that they didn't need to actually have the vas performed - just buy the pin.

A little pop culture history for those tired of politics ....

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on turning Omaha into the Banana Republic. This is why voters tune out on politics, people with money purchasing government, plain and simple. Hal Daub is such a chode-smoker, you lost, get over it. Even leaders from your own party supported Vokal.

Anonymous said...

Does anyone else think the Forward Omaha logo looks like a Big "O" getting screwed? I'd think they wouldn't want to attract attention to that (And SS, I agree - it IS an awfully nice website for a lil' undergwad to cwank out aww by hewsewf).

Anonymous said...

Isn't Mello leading the Nebraska Democratic Party these days? His wife works for Suttle too. Not sure if there is anything to it but just curious.

Anonymous said...

RWP,

So, it is manly women that you like? I hear that Sarah can nail a running wolf from a swooping helicopter with her 30-06 and can castrate a moose with nothing but her teeth. Even John Wayne couldn't do that!

Anonymous said...

A 11:36,

You are mistaken about Mello. The truth is that no one is leading the Nebraska Democratic Party these days. Covalt, Rogers, even Ben Nelson have all lost their grip on the reins. Maybe that's a good thing.

NE Voter said...

Did anyone else hear the anti-recall caller this morning on Chip Maxwell's KFAB show? He destroyed Jeremy Aspen and the recall committee. Got Aspen to ADMIT that:

- Suttle deserves praise for passing 2 budgets that saved the City's AAA bond rating.

- The police union contract Suttle negotiated represents the first time in Omaha's history that a public sector union agreed to a contract that provided lesser benefits than the contract it replaced.

- Admitted that Aspen's company does business with the absentee landlords who are financially backing the recall because they don't like the aggressive code enforcement Suttle has undertaken at OHA. Caller also got Aspen to admit that the recall committee had never previously disclosed this financial relationship between Aspen's company and the absentee landlords.

- Admitted that the recall committee is trying to "take back" what they could not win fairly in May 2009.

Devastating.

Too bad there were probably only about 50 people listening to the program.

Anonymous said...

NE Voter - Were YOU that caller? You sure seem to have the whole shopping list of the points he tried to make. Well, congrats for the free air time, but I doubt if you convinced even five of the 50.

Anonymous said...

I heard the call and it was a great call. Not emotional, simply the facts well stated. I think more than 50 people were listening and the caller did the best job to date of making clear points against the recall where others have failed miserably.