Lisa Goes Rogue
I made my way into the Dena’ina Convention Center in downtown Anchorage where Lisa Murkowski was scheduled to make a “big announcement”. Earlier in the day her cousin leaked the information on her Facebook page that the announcement was going to be the launch of her write-in candidacy for U.S. Senate. I was hoping that she would change her mind at the last minute. She’s apparently been changing her mind at the last minute for some time now.
There were a few hundred people packed into the upstairs lobby and they were all beaming. The energy was high and they were passing out Lisa Murkowski buttons and yard signs. And then there came Lisa herself, dressed in blue – an interesting choice, I thought. She’s never been one like Sarah Palin who showed up at everything in a Republican red blazer, but I wondered if this wasn’t a symbolic reach out to Democrats.
Signs reading “Let’s Make History” bedecked the hall, interspersed with giant photos of Lisa Murkowski and the late Ted Stevens. And then there were giant photos of Ted Stevens all by himself… Her father Frank Murkowski may have given her his senate seat, but “Uncle Ted” renewed it for a full six year term when he came out with a last minute endorsement of Lisa’s flagging senate bid, and entreated Alaskans to put Lisa in the seat. He needed her on his team to continue bringing back federal money to Alaska, he told us. It worked.
But Murkowski didn’t have Uncle Ted this time. His recent death caused her not to run campaign commercials featuring her and Stevens. She spoke at Ted’s funeral, and didn’t run the spots “out of respect” she said.
She made her way through the crowd, hugging everyone in sight and smiling from ear to ear – a Miss America smile. There were chants of “Run Lisa, Run” and a series of speakers who gushed about how Alaska needed her, including an ethics-challenged Democratic Legislator who also happens to work for a Native Corporation that Murkowski has been cozy with, and someone who started the Facebook page encouraging her to do a write-in candidacy.
Senator Al Kookesh (D)
Finally, Lisa took the podium and thanked the audience for “making her heart whole again.” It took only two minutes to invoke Ted Stevens. And just in case you needed the image pounded into your eyeballs, there was a prop guy who stood for minutes, holding aloft one of the pictures of Lisa and Uncle Ted.
“He never never gave up on us. He fought for us every day. That is the standard that I have set to achieve.” And then finally the postumous endorsement – “You’re the best partner I could have in the United States Senate,” said Ted from the Great Beyond. She went on to say “He wrote a statement that said ‘she’s a fighter who stands up for what is right. I trust her commitment to do what is best for Alaska.'” From the never-played commercial perhaps.
Everything changed after election night, she said. People stopped her in airports and diners, and she’s gotten lots of emails and she’s overwhelmed. So now it’s different and she wishes she hadn’t said that she would trust the democratic process and not challenge the Republican if she didn’t win.
“As of last night I was still wrestling with this, still uncertain as to whether or not I could continue this race, but I looked into my heart and I said “where is my heart?” And my heart is Alaska. And I cannot leave you. I cannot stop what we have started, what Ted and so many others have built, and that we have been advancing. And so I listened. And I listened to Alaskans who said “Lisa, please please give us that choice. because they told me We cannot accept the extremist views of Joe Miller (uproarious cheers) Will not. We can’t . We can’t accept those views and equally we cannot accept the inexperience of Mr. McAdams. (silence)”
(Um… you mean eight years in locally elected positions, and sitting mayor of Sitka? Joe Miller was only elected to… nothing.)
The crowd was absolutely livid at Joe Miller. One heckler, who was about two feet from my ear kept yelling, “No more Miller!” and “Go to Hell Joe Miller!” But when it came to McAdams there was no booing, no vitriol, no anger. I saw quite a few McAdams supporters in the crowd, lurking off to the side, who were there just to see what was going on.
The big cheer of the night, except the declaration of candidacy, was this one – talking about the folks back in D.C. “Well perhaps it’s time they met one Republican woman who won’t quit on Alaska.”
(OK, that was a good line. Although, Murkowski was actually fired, but still…)
The second-biggest applause line of the night came when she said she regretted not educating Alaska about the extremist views of Joe Miller, and that “this time the gloves are off.” A couple more invocations of Ted Stevens, and the fun was over.
Get your rain ponchos boys and girls, the bloodbath is about to begin. Democrats can now sit back with the Jiffy-Pop and watch the GOP start to cannibalize itself like a snake eating its own tail.
Just as Lisa waited for the 6:00 news to make her statement so she could be on live TV, Joe Miller waited until the 10:00 news. He babbled on about “Obamacare”, power elites, Constitution Day, the federal dollar, transfer of the federal government to the states, not enslaving our children, bla bla bla. And yes, he quoted Ted Stevens. And then he quoted Ted Stevens… AGAIN. “I do hope that we can avoid electing people who would destroy another Republican in order to bring about personal success.”
Zing. Live by the Ted, die by the Ted.
Reaction to the Murkowski candidacy was extremely positive in the lobby of the Dena’ina Center, and pretty much nowhere else. Even Karl Rove has weighed in calling her write-in attempt “sad and sorry.”
Alaska GOP chairman Randy Ruedrich said this:
“I want to make perfectly clear to Senator Murkowski and all of Alaska’s Republicans that she will receive no support of any kind from the Alaska Republican Party,” Ruedrich went on to say. “Lisa has chosen to run against the Republican Party and its primary voters. We will treat her candidacy as we would anyone who chooses to oppose our party’s nominees.”
And from the Tea Party Express:
Lisa Murkowski just doesn’t get it. Part of the voter frustration with her was the sense of entitlement she has had for the Senate seat gifted to her by her father. Apparently Lisa Murkowski is not done playing with the toy her daddy gifted to her in 2002. The problem is, this isn’t a toy that a father gives to his daughter. It’s a U.S. Senate seat that belongs to ’We The People’ and the people have spoken and already rejected Murkowski’s candidacy in 2010.”
Her Republican colleagues in the senate were no less severe, and turned on her in short order. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (who, incidentally also spoke at Ted Stevens’ funeral) said that Murkowski “no longer has my support for serving in any leadership roles, and I have accepted her letter of resignation from Senate leadership.”
Ex-half-governor, and current whole-Twitterer Sarah Palin had this to say in 140 characters or less:
“Primary voters spoke Listen to the people, respect their will; w/a 40-pt incumbent lead & $2.8 million war chest, voters chose Joe instead.”
The blog RedState has an article about how to beat “selfish” and “disloyal” Murkowski at her own game, and how easy it will be to disrupt the entire process of a write-in candidacy. They urge anyone who is a Miller supporter whose name happens to be Lisa M______, to sign up as a candidate, at the cutoff date of five days before the election, throwing the whole system into chaos.
If there are two Lisa M’s on the ballot, the voter would HAVE to spell the name right so that the election board knew with 100% certainty who they had voted for. From what I have read in the Alaska Constitution, the person who wants to be a write-in candidate needs to file a declaration five days before the election. I read the rules for a write-in candidate here.
Because Murkowski can’t distribute stickers to use on the ballot, she must educate her voters on how to spell her name and the fact that they have to write out her name on the line AND fill in the little bubble next to it.
It’s time to think outside the box, folks. We have to remember that politics is a “game” and use every option that we have. Miller’s campaign should be ready to mount a legal challenge to disqualify any ballot that doesn’t have her full name spelled accurately or have the “bubble” filled in next to the name.
Here are some possible Lisa’s to recruit to be a write-in candidate: Lisa Moleski, Lisa Malusky, Lisa Morrissey, Lisa Merkey…
Nothing like a protracted recount and legal challenges on the day after the election.
And finally, what does Democratic candidate Mayor Scott McAdams of Sitka think of all this?
McAdams, the mayor of Sitka, says his campaign has seen an influx of volunteers and activity since Murkowski’s announcement Friday. He says he’s confident voters will shy away from both conservative candidates and choose him.
According to McAdams, it’s in Alaska’s best interest to develop its resources like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He says he can find a bipartisan way to get his message out.
“Alaska is 300 small towns, including Anchorage,” McAdams said. “For our campaign, it’s not about a national set of talking points, it’s not a legacy or a family feud, it’s about Alaska — it’s about Alaskan towns, and I think I bring a lot of experience. I bring eight years as a local leader to this campaign, and I’ll bring that experience to Washington, D.C.”
There are two elephants at this three ring circus – one whose arrogance, dirty tactics, outside money and extremist views called enough followers to the primary to actually pull it off – one whose sense of entitlement and self-delusion is matched only by the wasted enthusiasm of those who actually convinced her she could win a write-in race, and then… the adult with a clear, uncomplicated message.
What will happen in November? Whatever happens, it will be an interesting journey.
Oops… Almost forgot. The Fabulous Footwear Award goes to Lisa’s husband, Vern Martell. Red Double-Dare Naughty Monkey pumps those are NOT.
I’m not clear on the seeming overuse of the term “inexperience” WRT Scott McAdams.
– 8 years ago, wasn’t Murkowski herself “inexperienced” as a Senator in D.C.?
– 2 years ago, wasn’t Begich “inexperienced” as a Senator in D.C.?
Both appear to have functioned just fine back there. Actually, I would think McAdams’ experience WRT education and school boards might give him MUCH NEEDED skills in dealing with the childish duffases holding temper tantrums in the present day Senate.
Perhaps Murkowski’s biggest fear is that McAdams DOESN’T have “experience” in dealing with her obvious Corporate Masters? When I saw her standing in the Senate – blocking the lifting of the oil spill damage cap for the Gulf devastation, it was very clear to me “this lady is OWNED”.
McAdams doesn’t have that corporate owned experience. I hope/expect he will keep campaigning on the high road. Alaska could use a couple of adult Senators that are most focused on Alaskan needs, rather than their own war chests.
By the way, I believe that at Senator Ted Steven’s funeral, Joe Biden (gasp! a Democrat!) acknowledged that when he was a fledgling new Senator, it was Uncle Ted that not only helped provide family dinners – but a fair amount of MENTORING from across the aisle.
Scott McAdams will find no shortage of people willing to help him hit the ‘ground running’ and providing mentoring. I think Lisa’s argument just doesn’t wash – even while she’s wearing a blue oxywashed shirt!
I watched the DWTS tonight, and sadly, BP’s effort was pathetic. She is so heavyset again, makes me think the rumors are true.
Just speculating — what if the Millerites do as the Red State blog suggested, and run a “Lisa Mulaskey” as a last minute write-in candidate to confuse the voters. If Murkowski thought that “Mulaskey” would probably get, say, 5% of the vote that should have gone to her and deny her victory, might that prompt her to ask her supporters to vote for McAdams?
Even in a 3 way race and LM getting say 25% of the vote, can McAdams really win? I’m not an Alaskan. I live in Eastern WA State. On the WA’s westside Democrats carry the majority. In Eastern WA they are rare. A Dem. would have zero chance here regardless of how may times the Repub. vote were split. I sure would like to see McAdams win, as Crazy Joe seems… crazy. Then again, Oklahoma keeps electing Inhofe.
By the way, just looking at some of the pictures of Lisa Murkowski, it’s fair to say she is pi**ed off to the nth degree, and I don’t blame her. Fighting back is a good thing, I think, in this case.
I don’t think spelling Lisa Murkowski’s name will be a problem. Obviously voters who plan to vote for her will make sure they know how to spell her name before leaving home for the polls.
Seems kind of like material for a Monty Python skit if people were to actually come to the polls all befuddled about spelling her name correctly.
Lisa, do what is right for Alaska! Anyone with a brain will never vote for
JOE THE PLUMBER! Oh excuse me, JOE THE FARMER! Joe’s SISTER
$ARAH sold Alaska a “cheap” fraud when she promised the citizens of
Alaska, I WILL BE YOUR GOVERNOR! YOU BETCHA! $arah QUIT
when making BIG MONEY became her focus. (The door her God opened!)
flip flops!! wow, that’s cracking me up!
man… i am casual to the core, but even i would know better than that!
to quote a comment person on ADN..this person said Lisa was with the party of no. Miller is
the party of undue everything..McAdams is the we can make America better…vote McAdams.
What do you think, Alaskans? Do you think she’ll be successful against Miller? Are AK’s rallying around the Dem choice or supporting Lisa?
Polling data is very tricky here, since you have the impact of the write-in exercise. (In short, you are estimating the ability of Alaskans to spell “Murkowski” and take the effort to do so.) Preliminary numbers have Murkowski about even in the mid-30%s with McAdams 10-15 points behind. Essentlally, Murkowski doesn’t take any Miller votes. Her 30+% is made up of formerly uncommitted votes plus a good chunk of McAdams’ Democratic moderates. Welcome to the paradigm of Democratic politics in Alaska for the last 20 years – the assumption that we aren’t good enough so we’ll just have to settle for the lesser of evils. Read this comment stream and you’ll see it appear a half-dozen times. Still, they say, if we have to vote for a Republican, better it be a nice, polite lady who is educated, articulate and probably drinks a nice variety of white wine. She’ll still vote against health care, environmental protection, consumer advocacy, but she’ll be nice about it.
Oops – obviously, I meant that preliminary polling shows Murkowski even with Miller with each in the mid 30’s and McAdams behind by 15 points or so. Sorry
Moose Pucky predicts:
Miller 30%
Murkowski 25%
McAdams 40% (or better)
It’s so Republican of RedState to come up with strategies to disqualify legitimate votes on technicalities….anything to win. But Lisa herself plays at these games too. What to do, what to do….
I sincerely hope that Murky and Miller cancel each other out.
Yup.
I’m glad I don’t have to make a choice in this one. From outside, it seems like McAdams doesn’t have a prayer, and that it would be better to have Murkowski than Miller. Way better, and if she wins, she won’t have to kowtow the way she did previously to McConnell. But then she and Young were a solid party of NO for the last 2 years, so maybe it’s voting against Palin, that would be the only justification. Open to having my mind changed, but since I can’t vote anyway it won’t help.
Also, if Murkowski wins, then she won’t be challenging Begish in the next go around.
I think it’s time to make one of those charts with the pros and cons.
I think if McAdams runs a flawless campaign he could actually be a player with the support of I’s and U’s. I think Murky will split the Republican vote with Miller, and McAdams getting a majority of D’s and a good portion of I’s and U’s. If that’s the case I could see it shaking out in favor of McAdams. It will be tight, for sure. And we will have to be incredibly lucky. But I think it could happen.
For McAdams to be competitive, three things (at least) must happen. First, McAdams has to run a strong campaign, absolutely sticking to the high road. The fewer times he mentions Miller/Murkowski/Palin, the better. Second, Murkowski and Miller have to go at it like dogs and cats – spitting, clawing, mud-throwing. so they turn people off. Third, Democrats have to get off this “Lisa isn’t so bad – at least she isn’t Miller” whine. You play to win, you might. You play to lose and you will.
Hubby and I discussed this and decided that we know everything. We decided that for Lisa, doing the write-in campaign is a win / win for her. Not for us, or anyone else, but for her. If she runs, she doesn’t have to endorse Miller which would give her some, but not much, begrudging support later from her party. If she runs, she doesn’t have to endorse McAdams, which would really throw a monkey wrench into her political schema. She can’t not run, and not endorse someone – it would make her too vulnerable to remain silent.
So she has to run, and if she wins, she wins her old seat again minus a whole bunch of stuff which is still fine. If she loses, she still wins because she didn’t have to endorse either Miller or a Democrat, and nothing lost that wasn’t already gone. She can run again and say she was a “Fighter for Alaska!” next time around. Like I said, we know everything!
Wow, nice analysis MUYS & hubby! I will say though that I think if Murky loses her career is finished. Maybe because this is Alaska that somehow won’t be the case, but I think this is her last shot.
I don’t know if I have the stomach for this. Miller is clearly not an option, I don’t see myself voting for Murkowski, but McAdams hasn’t convinced me yet. I understand the seniority issue, but someone leaving a comment here brought up the interesting point of the advantage of having both Senators in the same party. The thing that’s bothering me most right now is this possibility of the mystery “Lisa M-fill-in-some-other-letters” being talked into running at the last second. If someone wants to run, fine, run, but not for the sole purpose of depriving voters of their ability to cast a vote for the candidate they choose. Every person who votes, whether it be for Miller, Murkowski, or McAdams has a right to cast that vote and have it be counted. Purposefully tossing in a candidate to deny anyone that right is just despicable.
Her running does not deprive you of your right to vote for the candidate you want. People are actually autonomous in their vote and should vote for the candidate that they think will best fill the seat. To vote for Miller because having both Senators in the same party might be good is absurd. Vote for the person, not the math.
No, Lisa’s running doesn’t deprive anyone of anything. It’s this idea that someone else named Lisa M could get put on the ballot at the last second. If that were to happen, then the spelling rule would come back into place and any votes for Lisa Murkowski that were spelled incorrectly would be void. That would be a deliberate act of denying people the votes they cast. Lisa Murkowski can do whatever she wants, I think she wants the seat and believes she is doing her job there. But putting another candidate in with a similar name just to muck up the process is a sabotage. Does that make more sense?
Makes perfect sense to me. If someone were to do that (run with the sole intention to alter an election and not to win) it would seem an awful lot like election fraud/conspiracy.
I know they said Lisa cannot distribute stickers to place on the actual ballot, but why can’t she give away stickers that show the bubble filled in and her name printed next to it that people can affix to their hand and take into the voting booth so they can copy it on the ballot? It’s a variation of $P’s teleprompter. Wouldn’t this help ward off any random Lisa M effort? Not that I’m encouraging this; I do want McAdams to win.
I don’t think I follow your logic, either. Can you expand on what you are saying?
I agree you should vote for the person. However, if party affiliation is an issue with you, you should note that Alaska had two senators of the same party for twenty years and did pretty well with that. If, on the other hand, you sympathize at all with any progressive issues, you should note that the Republicans have already pledged to obstruct any and all progressive measures brought forth by President Obama. If the Republicans take control of the Senate, we will have total gridlock, something that Lisa Murkowski has already established a record of supporting. Goodbye health care reforms. Goodbye consumer advocacy. Goodbye extensions of unemployment. Goodbye environmental protection. Hello to the Party of No.
I was one of the McAdams lurkers watching the frivolity from the sidelines, though I got a hug as she worked her way through the crowd. Since Lisa kicked in for an open bar, my partner and I felt it was our duty to help her drain her campaign coffers via as many Alaskan Ambers as we could put down. Holding a beer does make it hard to clap.
While I will…offer no actual comment upon the reasons for the ..’non-clapping’..I must say that there is a photo of my youngest son..in the Juneau plant which..bottles-said-brew. Once upon a time..he ran the MOST filled kegs through..as a 1 man operation on his night shift..before the days of ..automated..came along. Here’s to Alaskan Amber!!
Open bar? Oh sure, NOW you tell me . . .
One other observation which should be noted:
To date, I think Lisa Murkowski has been the only candidate defeated in a Republican primary by a Tea Party/KOch Brothers-financed campaign to challenge the Tea Party candidate. While there may be any number of reasons for her to have done so, it’s nice to see someone in the GOP call bs.
I doubt anyone can name a single bill she has sponsored that passed and helped Alaska. She is dead wood.
Being in the Party of No has consequences.
My own experience with Senator Murkowski’s office has been positive when needing help in our town or small business concerns. She has an excellent staff of professionals, and seems very accessible to constituents.
I cannot vouch for the following, but it was just announced: http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=4da810d3-a609-4c49-8c5d-9b6406649c01&ContentType_id=b94acc28-404a-4fc6-b143-a9e15bf92da4&Group_id=c01df158-d935-4d7a-895d-f694ddf41624&MonthDisplay=9&YearDisplay=2010
Notice those in attendance speaking for the Corporate Monied had the most to gain by Lisa’s Penmanship class. We have the Seaak folks ready to high grade or cull their ” resource grab.” Next we have a union that endorses a Rep? Sad they really must have a problematic membership. Last I remember the Rethugs were great at union busting. Monied for Murkowski has a nice ring!
If Lisa were to win, what would be her position in the republican party?
Why would she back them if they turned on her like this? And really, what kind of power would she have as a republican?
Lisa will have to negotiate for any position if she wins and even then she won’t have the power she once did. The R’s have cast her out and if she does flip D then she is at the bottom of the barrel. It’s a no win for her.
I wonder if she is motivated by telling Palin (stink off?) Makes you wonder?????
Not necessarily. Didn’t Spector get some committeeships upon switching to the dems?
If Lisa wins, I think she will be to the Repubs what Lieberman is to the Dems. She will caucus with the Reps. and be given her old committee assignments again. They will need her and will kowtow to her and all will be forgiven on both sides.
I hope more Republicans will join in and rebuke Palin and her crew. While I would love the Dems to have an easy walk. I think it is important that level minded individuals prevail. The problem with the surge of all these Tea Party candidates is that in 2012 ( they have to pick a TP candidate who will run for President) the Repubs will be boxed in on a Palin like candidate. Can she be elected? Sadly, if the economy is bad, people may be desperate. They think she is a puppet and that they control her. So, why wouldn’t they take that chance? They are not giving their party room to find someone who might actually have a clue.
While I clearly think our President should be handed a re-election in 2012, I hardly see how some of these candidates will work with the current administration. I don’t buy the political rhetoric, because cooler heads have to prevail ulimately. And they will simply find out that they have to tame their silly little acts of getting attention.
I don’t think Palin will become President, but the very fact that the Tea Party is getting as many candidates, it should scare some people. There is simply a different ideology. They are making a huge mistake. Could work to get them in 2012, but will ultimately mess their party up. And if we are in a two party type system, then we will see our problems unsolved for a long time. And how exactly did the party of no flip it to be the economy savers when they helped get us in this mess? Don’t think they will flip the Palin? Watch. I would encourage the moderates to (take their party back)!!! And hope for President Obama to swing hard.
I agree, except that the people pulling the levers behind the scenes will find a “Tea Party” candidate other than Palin for 2012. Surely they have learned by now that they can’t control her, she doesn’t understand the ideology and her modest intelligence is not up to overcoming her ignorance about almost everything. If Miller wins this one, he might be the nominee in 2012, God forbid. Don’t forget that Obama was a junior senator.
There is something more at stake here with Andrew Halcro backing Lisa while thumbing their noses at the state Republican Party. Halcro is more reasonable, sensible, knowledgeable and passionate (yes, he is passionate!) than all of the state party Republicans combined times 100.
There is a side power struggle going between with the established party, and those who do not agree with the leadership and representation of said Alaskan Republican Party. I find that part most interesting. I hope Andrew comes out on top – the rest are obsolete. I hope he knocks all of their apples off shaking their weak branches. They don’t like Sarah, but did nothing to stop her or censure her. They are a complete wasteland of creative ideas, just for starters. Halcro is definitely going to continue to piss them off!
Meanwhile Dung Young went hunting and fishing.
Face it, the tea party in Alaska doesn’t like federal spending in RURAL Alaska.
Federal highway dollars they do like. As evidenced by their endorsement of Dung.
I withhold opinion on Alaska Native land transfers. It is complicated scenario. In a nutshell, untill the Federal BLM and the state DNR get off their colonial arses and work together towards completing said land transfers, I might further my opinion on SeaAlaska’s desired land transfer.
Will Lisa pull a sucessful write in? I don’t know. I do ponder the rural vote and how will it play out? In the past, the urdan registered voters and their voting record surpass rural numbers almost every single time. With that said, I feel a vote for Lisa is a vote for Joe.
Bloodbath? Oh yeah. 100%. That is how Sowah behaves.
Would Miller have won without the almost $600,000 from Tea Party Express/Our Country Deserves better (Sal Russo, Repub fundraiser) and Club for Growth/Koch Brothers? He can talk all he wants about being for Alaskans, but his campaign was bought and paid for by corporations.
I keep searching for joe’s “what is good for Alaska” speak.
He sure speaks for his funding base.
And Lisa votes for her funding base.
I await Joe’s approach to campaigning in rural Alaska. Once again the tallimat household is in full betting mode, on Joe’s rural campaign approach. The stakes are high this time. The winner gets all expenses paid trip to a Alaskan hot springs.
The sweetie says Joe won’t bother to show his live face off the road system, but will place ads on the airwaves and in the local paper.
I say Joe will show his live face in rural Alaska, but it will be on Graham’s private jet and will only meet with the rural bible beaters. No matter how Joe gets to rural Alaska, it could be soon so the Miller campaign will get their rural photo opportunity.
I’m looking for a senator that considers “working with both sides of the political spectrum” as a benefit.
Scott agree’s Lisa’s actions are good for him so yay!!!
Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Scott McAdams says he welcomes the challenge of Sen. Lisa Murkowski running as a write-in candidate.
McAdams, the mayor of Sitka, says his campaign has seen an influx of volunteers and activity since Murkowski’s announcement Friday. He says he’s confident voters will shy away from both conservative candidates and choose him.
According to McAdams, it’s in Alaska’s best interest to develop its resources like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He says he can find a bipartisan way to get his message out.
“Alaska is 300 small towns, including Anchorage,” McAdams said. “For our campaign, it’s not about a national set of talking points, it’s not a legacy or a family feud, it’s about Alaska — it’s about Alaskan towns, and I think I bring a lot of experience. I bring eight years as a local leader to this campaign, and I’ll bring that experience to Washington, D.C.”
McAdams says it would benefit Alaskans to have two Democratic senators.
Having 2 Democratic Senators will benefit AK because they will both belong to the Majority. That makes it easier to get AK specific items into bills.
If either Republican wins they just join the Party of No to Everything. Even if Lisa wanted to get something done she will be limited in having any vehicle to use. The R’s seem to be vowing to shut down government so that is what a vote for Lisa/Miller gets you. A shutdown of the Federal government, not good for AK.
Of course Scott said he welcomed Murkowski to the race. First, that is Scott’s personality. Second, he knows that his best chance is to stay on the high road and hope that Miller and Murkowski scratch each other’s eyes out and turn everyone off. Of course Scott is for development of ANWR. North Slope petrodollars essentially finance the entire state. Any politician who talks about preserving ANWR might as well pack up and go home. That is an unpleasant but absolute truth up here. Finally, Miller and Murkowski are not going to “split the Republican vote”. Alaskans don’t vote that way. Witness Hickel’s last successful run for Governor. When a moderate Republican he didn’t like (Arless Sturgulewski) took the nomination, Hickel rented the Alaska Independence Party slot and won the election, beating the Sturgulewski/Campbell (R) and Knowles/Hensley (D) tickets. I mean, he ran on a party’s ticket whose central tenet is that Alaska should secede from the United States. Political parties don’t mean much up here. Over 52% of voters are either undeclared or Independent. Only 25% are registered Republican. Early polls show that Murkowski doesn’t really take any Miller voters. She takes moderate voters away from Scott. So, the irony here is that Murkowski is jumping back in to “get” Miller/Palin. What she is actually doing is helping Miller win. So, it is true – a vote for Murkowski is a vote for Miller.
What you conclude is true. If Murkowski was not running I would vote for Scott but not for him as much as against Miller. I simply do not feel Scott has the posturing to be in Washington…yet.
May I without being flammed ask has the national Dem party finaically backed Scott yet?
Excellent post, AKM. Murky Murkowski is all about Murky Murkowski.
Tough one. I have been swayed by the fact Lisa felt she was guaranteed Republican vote so she did not campaign much to save the funds for general elcetion. I would almost agree or was convinced she should accept her campagins defeat however…Palin set the tone with her petty, vindictive nature.
Lisa is honest in wanting to protect Alaskan’s against Palin in a dress. Odd’s are AKer’s would not go crazy voting for McAdam’s who’s resume of a small town mayor is nothing that will scare the good ole boys in Washington. He may be nice, he may have a great team helping him articulate his messages but there is not one person in Alaska who honestly believes Scott would be more persuasive or affective on any level over Lisa in senate.
Could Scott have won against Miller head to head, that is a big assssss gamble. Lisa’s heart was right in taking on the challenge. Certainly her ego factors in somewhere but truth is if she did not run Miller would have won for sure. With her running the votes might be split enough to let Scott sneak in.
Lisa is owed a thakyou by Dem’s because now Miller will be tatgeting her not Scott which as we saw was nasty and low. Did Scott really want the attention by the lunatics that support or are paid to support Miller/Palin?
“My heart is Alaska” — WTF? Apparently, her ego is the size of Alaska. Perhaps she’s confused the two.
Scott will get 30% of the vote no matter what. Joe will get 40% no matter what. They have to do battle for moderates in the middle. With three candidates, the fear is that the rational vote will be split between Lisa and Scott, and Miller will win. Sometimes the conservatives have split the vote; allowing a democrat to win state-wide office in Alaska. But I’m afraid that won’t happen this time. So I am going to be doing everything I can to let people know that a vote for Lisa is a vote for Joe. Scott is a solid, experienced candidate. He will be a great Senator. Lisa had her good points too, but she lost the primary.
I agree. A vote for Lisa is a vote for Joe. Dang!
Ok, this is not a game. A lot will depend on who turns out to actually vote. I don’t think Joe will get anymore votes than he got in the primary. The Fundies got everyone to the polls and that is Joe’s base.
So the choice for AK is:
Lisa/Miller=Party of No Ideas
McAdams=Yes We Can continue to Change for a Better USA
So is AK as conservative as the MSM seems to be saying or is AK looking at our country from a healthy distance and acknowledging that we need to move forward to fix a lot of stuff?
Well Alaska is a red state. And now that we got a blue POTUS coupled with a rise in hatred for practically anything BLUE, it seems the red in Alaska is more staunch. Nevermind the politics of the queen of inciting hate being labeled Alaska’s Worst Govenor Ever. This state is red.
As far as “AK looking at our country from a healthy distance and acknowledging that we need to move forward to fix a lot of stuff”. Well in rural Alaska, moving forward to fix a lot of stuff is 100% the normal mode of operation. The scenario to fix stuff is different between rural and urban. For example how does rural Alaska get fuel? Well it ain’t from the crude pumped out of the North Slope. It’s from Korea.
Hopefully Lisa will then split the Republican vote and McAdams the best for the Alaska senate will win.
Lisa is of course far better than Miller…did you hear Miller..surprise ..on Fox news with C,Wallace?
surprise..Wallace asked Miller some important questions… Miller fumbled completely. Wallace asked
again..the same fumble from Miller. Alaska needs someone in the senate like McAdams ..someone
who represents all of Alaksa..someone with real common sense views. Did Lisa apologize or
backtrack on a vote for the needed reform healthcare? Alaska is a state that needs to do much better
by the senior citizens there that are not well heeled or that have not had a primary care doctor for 30
years that might? still accept their medicare situation. The ever increasing today..American in the poverty
level..American wanting to work and not able to find any job…is a definite …result from the Republican
party of today…their policy situations. elect regardless of your personal party McAdams.. a common
sense person who will work for all Alaskans and be a senator truly of the people…and all the American
people as well….a worthwhile seantor has to be that way. their vote on important issues of the day..
demand that type of person.
Murky Murkowski is really no bargain.
Well written AKM. I like the undercurrent of contempt elegantly laced within the narrative. Unfortunately I think Lisa might pull it off. Mcadams needs to get out there a bit more.
Also O/T;
Did I miss the Joe McGinniss interviews beyond the first part or haven’t you posted them yet?
I really enjoyed the first installment.
Coming soon! Sorry for the delay. Lots going on here lately… 🙂
Ok Thanks for responding so quickly. :0
Pretty O/T, but I saw this–one reason to like Sitka:
Sarah Palin is not the mayor.
I am so weary of people bringing up the nepotism angle, that was a very frustrating and true concern when it happened, but one of the background jokes about Frank’s appointment was to get the moderate Anchorage lawmaker daughter out of his hair in Juneau. Lisa wasn’t going to make things easy for him and his Administration.
From a rural Alaskan’s perspective, we gave up even trying to engage Frank in our legislative priorities and concerns in the decade before his ego took him to Juneau. His staff used to throw breakfast Tea Parties (pun intended) once a week and corral all the non-VIP lobbying Alaskans into that waste of time exercise. It wasn’t worth coming all the way from Alaska to do, get a few superficial minutes with the red-faced man that was as disinterested in your issues as, say, Sarah Palin.
We had a sense (and a niggling of hope) that from the work ethic and pragmatic voting record Lisa demonstrated in Juneau, perhaps it would apply to her broadened scope of responsibilities beyond her Anchorage and Party constituency in Washington. And the moment Lisa was in office, she took our meetings. We witnessed response, engagement, accountability and most importantly advocacy and results for once with our State’s junior Senator. Alaska Natives and rural areas were finally being listened to.
I have said before that I don’t appreciate her red meat rhetoric, ramped up as she scaled the leadership ladder in Washington. Watching her character parodied on SNL in a dig to the Party of No was as surreal but not as unbelieving as a know-nothing nobody like Sarah.
Lisa muted her Stevens exploits and mainstream (nonpartisan) success for all of Alaska during the primary campaign to her peril while Joe Miller, an “educated know-nothing nobody” capitalized on that silence, and a fundy ballot measure.
Quit telling us that the State’s Republican Party has spoken. I know many mainstream R’s who were embarrassed for not voting, for wondering what to do with such a caustic candidate against a sane looking Dem. And quite promulgating a lingering resentment about Lisa’s inheriting the job from her father, that issue was resolved by Alaskan voters twice since that stunning maneuver. So it happens that an immature, intellectually stunted two term mayor of a road-system town was on the bottom of a very long and cynical Senatorial list, it doesn’t make Lisa’s history as beleaguered as the MSM and now the ‘establishment’ Republicans are making it out to be.
I absolutely don’t mean any disrespect for Scott McAdams, his eight years of service to the Sitka community and SE region is appreciated – and if anyone but Joe or Lisa were in this decision, he’d get our vetting and probably our vote. And if by this three-way scenario he does pull an upset, we’ll be in line to congratulate him and volunteer any information he needs or wants to know about Western Alaska.
If Joe wins, well, it’s be six long cold and dark winters again (or we’ll plan a recall for the failures this carpetbagger will demonstrate quickly) but at least we still have Begich.
I See I hope that you will give Scott a vetting before the election and let him discuss the issues of concern to Western Alaska. He seems to have the abilities needed to listen and understand the needs of others who are not just like him. He is also very creative, I think selling AK water to India is brilliant! Perhaps there are other “outside of the box” ideas that could really benefit the Villages.
On the other hand, while Lisa may be helpful for the Villages her votes on many important issues of National concern have been with the Party of No. She has consistently voted to harm our economy, weaken the social safety net and stood with the Party of No lock stock and barrel. In the big picture the harm generated by her actions hurts us all from villages all across our country to the biggest of cities.
I sincerely hope that Scott McAdams will go to Western Alaska and speak to the problems of the villages. Again, I wonder if the mudpups should buy him a plane ticket. The people in the “bush” need to be reassured that they will continue to be represented equally.
I have mentioned before..that we have a portion of the ..extended family cousins, one third in numbers..who are in and producing..in the..quiverfull ..pattern. Good people..but the males are in charge..men decently educated..but home schooling and total belief in the ‘system’ means modern news variety and wide ranging thought/informations..are all ..I say All..bent toward their one message. Kind to a fault but..spewing a religious primalisim..that is aiming for a ‘our way’ or..nothingness..period. Since they all feel they are bound for a heavenly end..they feel no need to engage..the ..real world. It is a ..tunnel mindset..and they ..emerge to travel to the places/stores, road systems as they must on a daily basis..but their hearts and minds..dwell in a deeply dark and violent ‘stalag’… played, as it is..against ..’all the rest of this world’.
Wasn’t that Papa Pilgrim’s MO? Look how that ended – his conviction for imprisoning and raping his daughter multiple times over a period of time. Horrible, horrible story.
Whoa…….I get that…I can totally understand that myself, living in an out-of-the-way place myself.. remote places attract hardy souls but also truly weird ones…
So Joe is for “not enslaving our children”? What exactly does that mean? Dismantling the public school system? After all, he has home schooled all 8 of his kids. Or does his republican mantra of “too much regulation” include child labor laws?
OK, how to say this delicately? Am I wrong in my impression that Miller keeps his wife and kids in isolation and under his control? Is this part of his Dominionist beliefs? To me what I see has the feel of those Mormon polygamist communities, with the controlling alpha male. If my impressions are baseless please say so.
I don’t know how many have any knowledge of the “Duggers” (19 kids and counting) realty show, but there is to me, is an interesting similarity between them and Miller’s family. The movement behind their extreme thoughts is called Quiverfull. Information is available on line especially at nolongerquivering.com. Interesting read.
That link to nolongerquivering.com should be required reading. Yikes! I don’t think we can make headway by pointing that out except to a narrow audience, but I think it gives everyone a real idea about what you guys are dealing with. Yikes again!
Re: #4 – Kimosabe and his replies regarding: http://nolongerquivering.com/what-is-quiverfull/
I had never heard of this particular extremely weird evangelical cult………….it reminded me of the various things heard about The Travelers in the 1990’s….the strange way they kept their women and female children…and the grand lifestyle some lived. It does explain the “Duggers” outlook–although I’ve never watched them. I did watch Joe Miller and his wife on TV, wondering what seemed so strange about the two of them in their interaction. This “quiverfull group” website appears to depict exactly what I was seeing. At first, I wasn’t sure exactly who the woman next to him was….his older sister….his younger mother…his campaign manager??? When ‘ol Joe gave her the smallest of pecks as a kiss, I then realized it was his wife. What a guy… A sadness came over me for her as what I saw was the toll of living the way I am assuming she must.
As for Lisa, I think MUCH should be made of how Joe has milked the “system” for all the freebies, tax breaks, home schooling payments, PFD’s, government paid education, government jobs, etc. I bet we would all be simply stunned. Frankly, I can’t even comprehend he ever went to West Point. Now we learn of the groups that will be funneling money to his campaign. Come on Alaska………..we Alaskans are SO much better than to have, once again, the wool pulled over our eyes. I think ALL of these wingnuts need to have more of their “exorcisms” (Palin), “witch doctors (Palin), “first dates” w/ a witch (O’Donnell)……..”the Family” counseling with Boehner and his GOP group….etc. etc.,OUTED. Videos should be readily available at every turn. (We need to know how many of these wackos have GOD directing their thoughts and what He is telling them to do and say…Sarah leading us all to salvation, etc.) Many otherwise intelligent folks haven’t seen these videos and we know from so many past situations, Sarah tries to have things removed as soon as they pop up. Remember that ol’ blank Joe is her new puppet. United (real) Alaskans, we could go on with quite a list here. The honor and pride of the entire United States is at great risk allowing these folks to gain any kind of office….including the proverbial “dog catcher”….(apologies to the Animal Control–just making a point!)… I started first grade in Fairbanks many years ago and can’t believe what has happened to us during the past few years. Sarah fooled us and we just can’t let it happen again. If all of these cult-like videos and articles are totally legit and honest…………..let’s go forth and promote them….BIG time. These cult members just can’t be allowed to continue cramming their babble down our throats while we try to “play nice”.
Thanks to ALL for letting me vent………I am normally quite sane !!! These political Alaskan events and the awareness of how racist so many in our country are towards President Obama are, simply put, UNBELIEVABLE. I think Lisa and Scott (with help from all of us) are both in a great position to expose much of this. Go Lisa…..Go Scott. EVERYONE GET OUT AND VOTE! Goodbye Tea Party!
Your venting sounds perfectly sane to me, JeninAK, except I don’t think Joe Miller is anyone’s puppet. He has the brains to be evil on his own, and if he is being used by the rich and powerful, he knows it and likes the pay.
I didn’t even know he had eight children … now I like him even LESS.
Geez, no kidding…………….8 freeking kids. Like the world isn’t overpopulated enough already.
I’m glad Lisa decided to step up and run. Maybe she could get some of thos “Live Strong” type bracelets to hand out and people could wear them when they go to vote. Or, just tell people to write her name on their hand. 😉
Lovely smile when she flashes it, but her “resting” face seems to be a scowl or frown or grimace that is quite unpleasant. The blue does bring out her eyes.
Run, Scott, run!
Win, Scott, win!
Nice sunny morning here. Glad I don’t have to deal with this. Not happy to hear that McAdams wants to develop the ANWR – but I presume both of the other candidates do, too. The only thing good about this is to see how ready Republicans are to eat their own. Hope there’s a lot of polling over the next few weeks so it’s clear to all you folks what to do.
I agree about ANWR. I was extremely displeased to hear he was for development, however, it’s now picking the best of the worst
It’s pretty much the reality here that if you are in it to win in AK politics, you will say you are favor of developing ANWR. I’m not saying that that’s my stance as an Alaskan, but major politicians up here who want to win support ANWR. And the PFD.
Developing ANWR which is on LAND, and halting development on water is a better option for development in Alaska. Using monetary benefit from ANWR to bridge us over to renewable energy alternatives, making sure safety regulations are strict and enforced, and putting a strict time limit on development would be important for development to get my support, personally. But, I think there is a compromise that gets us out the other side.
No politician opposed to developing ANWR would get elected in Alaska. Period. It’s like 75 or 80% pro development for that particular project.
Unfortunately, McAdams also supports drilling in the ocean.
And Miller and Murkowski are working to protect this? Or sell out with really bad terms for Alaskans??
McAdams will at least ensure that if it happens, it will happen on the best of terms.
Since Alaskan politicians probably won’t fight for ANWR is why those of us in the lower 48 have to fight all the harder to make sure ANWR never ends up looking like the Louisiana coast did this summer.
I grew up and lived half my live in the oil patch of north central Texas. I have seen lots and lots of what happens to nature around a drill site. Acres of lifeless land, erosion, crusts of salt are still there around wells sites drilled in the first two decades of the 20th Century. Like Prince William Sound the healing will take centuries, if at all. Much is destroyed outright and will never heal.
Never.
There isn’t enough product in ANWR to make it economically feasible or it would have already been done.
Now if the ocean drilling in more temperate climates is cancelled, then it might be feasible from a strategic point of view, but the fact is, the amount of oil still left on the northeastern slope of Alaska is miniscule compared to what can be recovered in new Canadian operations and in the Lower 48, not to mention the aging (and not likely to be replaced) infrastructure of the Transalaska Pipeline,
Upon googling for responses to Murkowski’s announcement of a write-in campaign, I found at a blog called “Red State”, demanding she also be removed from the Senate Energy Committee. Stay tuned for Act Two!
http://www.redstate.com
‘Lisa Murkowski is going to run a write-in campaign against Joe Miller, the Republican Senate nominee, in Alaska. Murkowski, during the primary against Joe Miller, used her ranking status on the Senate Energy Committee as a key selling point.
Murkowski is no longer the Republican nominee and is running against the Republican nominee, forcing the GOP to spend money in Alaska it might otherwise not need to. The GOP leadership in Washington made a big deal out of removing Murkowski from the Senate GOP leadership, but that is all for show.
If the Republican Party is serious about supporting Joe Miller, the GOP must remove Lisa Murkowski from her ranking position on the energy committee. They must take that selling point away from her.
If the GOP does not, one can hardly blame the grassroots for thinking Senate Republicans are yet again willing to betray their base.”
The GOP has to play it both ways. That’s way she lost her caucus seniority but not her seniroity and committee assignments.
Why? Because in a 3 way race no one can predict what might happen. Palin’s brain may not understand that the Senate GOP leadership does not want a pissed-off authentic mama grizzly on its hands should Murkowski prevail after they take further steps- but McConnell and Cornyn do.
If GOP strips her of committee assignments, it will help McAdams- because Joe Miller is toast once his extremist views become known.
Prime example: He wants to assure that thousands of hard working Alaskans who have been paying into Social Security for years get no benefit when they retire- unlike his own parents.