About the blog: The race to become Alaska's next governor is on and it's about to get muddy. Grab your boots and follow the Daily News along the winding campaign trail.
Contact: thetrail@adn.com
Blog : Alaska Politics
Happy trails - 11/8/2006 8:05 pm
Forty-two - 11/8/2006 8:01 pm
Election hangover - 11/8/2006 10:25 am
Tonight (updated) - 11/7/2006 12:18 pm
Full Moon - 11/6/2006 7:11 pm
Fishy photos? - 11/6/2006 12:08 pm
Smelly deal? - 11/5/2006 3:31 pm
Sunday best (part two) - 11/5/2006 3:18 pm
'It's going to be madness' - 11/4/2006 8:33 pm
Final push - 11/4/2006 8:26 pm
Ivan Moore - 11/4/2006 1:45 pm
Furrowed brow - 11/3/2006 2:20 pm
New poll (updated) - 11/3/2006 2:00 pm
Berkowitz - 11/3/2006 10:29 am
Predict the future - 11/2/2006 10:53 pm
Live debate (updated 9:37 p.m.) - 11/2/2006 8:19 pm
More on the e-mails - 11/2/2006 7:14 pm
Channel 7 debate (updated) - 11/2/2006 7:12 pm
Round two - 11/2/2006 4:20 pm
Read the e-mails - 11/1/2006 9:45 pm
TV debate tonight (updated) - 11/1/2006 11:02 am
Anchorage Rotary debate - 10/31/2006 4:58 pm
Posted by thetrail
Posted: October 5, 2006 - 4:33 pm
The Palin campaign has released the results of the recent David Dittman poll, citing it as evidence that Palin is ahead and has no reason to go negative against Knowles.
Since the Palin camp paid for the poll, it raises the question of whether to report the numbers. I think it’s fair to post them here, provided we’re clear about what we know and don’t know.
Dittman says the poll was conducted between Sept. 23 and Sept. 27 with a sample size of 507 people. The first question asked was:
“The general election for Governor of Alaska is now a little more than a month away. If the election were held today, who would you most likely vote for between …”
People then heard a list of the candidate’s names - Halcro, Knowles and Palin - though the order was rotated so no one candidate was always mentioned first, Dittman said.
Other questions followed, but Dittman didn’t release those publicly.
The results were:
Palin - 49 percent
Knowles - 37 percent
Halcro - 4 percent
Unsure - 10 percent
Patty Ginsburg, at the Knowles campaign, said Palin is not 12 points up on Knowles.
“Unless you are confident that a poll has come from somebody who doesn’t have an interest in the results, then you really need to take it with a grain of salt,” she said.
So how does she know the race is closer?
The campaign believes other poll numbers they’ve heard about and seen, she said, though the Knowles campaign has declined to release it’s own numbers.
That new Republican Governors Association ad? The one with Tony Knowles walking backward in slow motion while a grandfatherly voice says Knowles fumbled the economy as governor?
The Knowles campaign is blasting it today and Palin is disavowing it too. (Campaign Ad)
The Palin camp sent out a press release last night denouncing the ad, while Palin said today that “It is a shame … that they had to put this ad on towards the end. It wasn’t us, it’s out of character.”
Knowles spokeswoman Patty Ginsburg replied that “talk is cheap” and challenged Palin to call Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, who Palin had planned to meet with earlier this year and who plays a leadership role at the RGA, and demand the group stop airing the ad.
Campaigns aren’t allowed to coordinate ads with outside political groups like the RGA, and the Palin and Knowles camps disagree over whether such a call to Blunt would constitute “coordination.” Basically, Palin says there’s nothing she can do to stop the ad, while Ginsburg says Palin hasn’t tried.
The RGA’s lawyer, Charlie Spies, wouldn’t say whether or not it’ll stop airing the ads now that Palin is speaking out against them -- or how much it’s spending in Alaska.
“We are running our ads independent of her campaign, and in response to Tony Knowles’ negative attacks on her,” he said.
Meantime, the Alaska Public Offices Commission won’t be holding an expedited hearing for the Alaska Democratic Party’s complaint about the RGA ads - though director Brooke Miles said today that she just sent letters to the RGA and Palin campaign notifying them that the complaint’s being investigated.
No hearing date’s been scheduled yet, and Miles said she rejected the Democrats’ request for a quick hearing because of a lack of evidence.
The RGA argues that all its ads are issues ads, including the latest spot, which talks about Palin’s resume and says she’s tough on taxes, then changes up the music as images of Knowles appear.
“Tony Knowles? We’ve been there before. The highest unemployment in the nation, and even a push for an income tax. Why would we ever go back?” the announcer says as footage of Knowles walking plays in reverse.
Miles, the APOC director, has said that the RGA’s first ad appeared to be meet the definition of an issues ad. Asked if the latest ad also meets that definition, she said it’s either an issues ad or an “express communication” and that it’ll be up to the commission to decide which.
If it’s an express communication it’s against the rules. Even if it’s an issues ad, it can only run until midnight on Sunday. That’s when we hit the 30-day mark before the campaign.
Here’s the text of the commercial:
“Sarah Palin. As mayor, she moved her city forward. She cut property taxes, eliminated personal property taxes, and repealed the business inventory tax. That will move Alaska forward.
Tony Knowles? We’ve been there before. The highest unemployment in the nation, and even a push for an income tax. Why would we ever go back?
Tell Sarah Palin to support ideas to move Alaska forward.”
I asked the RGA for sources on the statements they make about Knowles in the ad. They sent this document in reply.
You'll see one of the pages is a list of unemployment numbers. That's from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Click here for a link to 2002 state comparisons.)
October 6, 2006 - 2:19pm | marty2
to try to tie Palin to Jack Abramoff. I don't think that will fly with Alaskans...they know better.
October 6, 2006 - 10:19pm | alaskastraightalker
Palin and Abramoff are tied at the waist
If you are interested in the facts, all you have to do is check out who donates to the RGA, and you will find that the RGA’s largest contributors include: (1) Jack Abramoff front organizations like Capitol Campaign Strategies;
(2) Jack Abramoff/Ralph Reed casino clients like the Louisiana Coushattas and the Mississippi Choctaws. These groups were also bilked out of millions of dollars by the Abramoff/Reed group. Some of this dough went to line the lobbyists’ pockets and some was donated...to the RGA;
(3) The nation’s largest pharmaceutical companies.
Money donated to the RGA is essentially put into one big pot in DC by Mitt Romney and cohorts at RGA, and- in this case, with the help of Randy Ruedrich- then funneled to support the campaign of Sarah Palin.
The RGA is a 527 organization which can raise unlimited "soft money” and whose mission statement says they “assist in the election of Republican gubernatorial candidates.” Despite their denials and those of the Palin campaign, that is of course the purpose of the Palin ads they are running in Alaska.
Why is Palin allowing her campaign to be corrupted by money from an organization that has accepted millions from indicted DC lobbyists, scoundrels like Ralph Reed (who just lost his own election in Georgia when his role in the Abramoff corruption scandal was exposed), and companies who make billions by buying politicians who assure that seniors and other citizens pay exorbitant costs for prescription drugs and other medical treatment? Why is she now silent about Randy Ruedrich?
October 21, 2006 - 3:16pm | bushwacker
Full of beans here too. Palin probably only heard of Jack in the news. What are you thinking. Maybe blogging isn't for me. I thought people had to at least make sense here.
October 7, 2006 - 5:36pm | truthseeker
and its really horrible. If this works, Abramoff will convince sarah to make Alaska Natives surrender to the Cousashattas and the Choctaws, and force all of our Alaska natives to work in Casinos. And then the pharmaceutical companies will get her to agree to make all Alaskan children take ritalin at school in the morning and valium in the afternoon so they can fatten their profits from Alaska! The NERVE!!!!!!
Its going to be really bad and I don't think I could live here anymore if that happened. I would have to move to detroit or Oakland or someplace better like that.
The worst part is that the conspiracy probably runs alot deeper than this but we just don't know how. I'm really really worried about that but just can't seem to put my finger on what it is. REALLY worried...............
October 7, 2006 - 6:45pm | alaskastraightalker
Voters know "More of the Same" when they see it
In November voters throughout the country will show they are tired of Tom Delay, Jack Abramoff, Ralph Reed, Mark Foley and his Republican cover-uppers, Randy Ruedrich- and the whole Republican culture of corruption. You may think it's ok for Palin to accept money from the Abramoff-funded RGA and run negative ads- most people see right through it.
It's interesting that of all the cities in the US you selected Oakland and Detroit, two cities with large African-American populations. I trust your racism doesn't represent the official Palin campaign position.
October 8, 2006 - 12:18am | truthseeker
still can't imagine what jack abramoff and mark foley want from an alaskan governor. perhaps you could fill us all in. We are dying to know.
The real corruption in Alaska is between the knowles and murkowski administrations and VECO and the oil companies. I used to work as a state employee in the resource regulatory field and I saw this first hand. Would you like to hear about it?
October 9, 2006 - 9:19am | dubya
Palin is simply the front man for a small group of crooked powerful republicans that hope to make a ton of money by moving the state capital to Wasilla.
October 9, 2006 - 10:52am | heman
All they have to say is move the capitol and return to the income tax and you have my vote.
October 7, 2006 - 10:12pm | tlamb99503
Detroit Tigers and Oakland "A"s
Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees, a 200 million dollar team. There has to be a "sign" in there somewhere.
Some say it's the Hillary curse........
Unfortunately for Yankee fans, there are too many Mets fans to break the curse.
13 October 6, 2006 - 12:21pm | hanson_noah
I have not seen one intelligent comment on this matter! You all are playing party politics. Why dont you spend more time focusing on the issues (what Tony Couldnt Do, what he did do / What Sarah did, what she cant do) and back it up with facts instead of speculations!
Gain some intelligence!
12 October 6, 2006 - 11:39am | ilovelucy
How about if everyone went to the Anchorage Press's and the Alaska Journal of Commerce's websites and read the recent interviews. They report on both her in-person interviews and written answers. Both interviews underscore the fact that Palin is grossly unprepared to be governor. On the questions she couldn't answer or dodge, she just refused to answer. The answers she did give, with a couple of minor exceptions, were completely vague or general.
There are way too many instances where she didn't have an answer.
I hope everybody will put aside their partisanship for a minute and just read those two publications. And if you're still not convinced, you'll at least be able to listen to the upcoming debates with more of an awareness of what's going on.
October 7, 2006 - 3:09pm | salmonshark
["My view was, in 1968 and '69, 'It'll only be five years before the oil industry controls the government in Alaska.' I was dead wrong. It took them 25 years to do it." -Charlie Cole, Former Alaska Attorney General, 1997]
[After a period of gradually declining production, Alaska's North Slope oil fields are in the midst of a rapid expansion, fueled by the pro-development policies of the Democratic administrations of Alaska Governor Tony Knowled President Bill Clinton. Already, Prudhoe Bay and the other 14 producing fields on the North Slope sprawl over 800 square miles.]
Read more here about Knowles hypocritical enviro-flippy-floppy, and sweet-heart deals that rob Alaskans of their tax base.
Not like we don't need the Oil economy, but these corporate gangster people shouldn't tell the Government what to do, or what they don't have to do. Pigging the pipe never happened during the Knowles Administration is what I hear.
http://archive.greenpeace.org/climate/arctic99/reports/nslope2.html
October 6, 2006 - 3:42pm | etolin
Wait a second.... experience at doing what?
Look, we've had eight years of Tony Knowles (as if that was a plus for this state). Eight more years of TK to see if he can correct his years of no-growth outside of the retail sector, (actually a dramatic loss of annual average income for Alaskans), no thanks.
Tony Knowle's record speaks volumes of what he's couldn't accomplish and the damage done to the state's economy during his tenure as governor.
Even if one accepts your premise (I don't) that Knowles has more of a grasp of issues than Palin - so what? Our experience with Knowles has been one of seeing him drive down the economy of Alaska Not the kind "expertise" I want leading my state.
I'd prefer to have someone in office (Sarah) at least attempting to move the state forward instead of in reverse - gosh that sounds familiar? Why does it come to mind in picture form?
Keep up the good fight, but let's be clear on his economic record - it was terrible.
October 7, 2006 - 10:54pm | ilovelucy
What credit to you give to the Republicans
For the state of the economy for the last 12 years? There was a Republican take-over nationally and in Alaska. They have had, for the past 6 years, a perfect storm - President, House & Senate. The economy is tubing. The treasury has been emptied to fill the pockets of corporations.
In Alaska the same thing happened. The House & Senate have had an unstoppable Republican majority for years, and then "don't worry, be happy" Frank Murkowski got elected, giving the R's all the power and all the blame.
Tony Knowles did a great job, despite having to deal with a steady influx of corrupt and idiotic Republicans. Think Tom Anderson & Ben Stevens, just to name a notable two. They did what their brethren like DeLay & Co. did on a national scale - cozy up to lobbyists and reap the benefits.
So how do we tie Abramoff to Palin, besides her connection to the RGA (funded with money laundered by Republicans Delay/Abramoff & Co.)? Easy. Just look at her key campaign staff - Lobbyist Paul Fuhs, Lobbyist John Bitney & Union-Buster Tuckerman Babcock. Talk about a Toxic Trifecta. And just what is their payoff should Palin win?
October 8, 2006 - 8:35am | etolin
Veco, big industry - we're comfortable with one of us
Veco Knowles bears the lion's share of responsibility for his economically disastrous eight year tenure. If that weren't enough, look at recent stories of the "industry regulars" who are running to raise funds for him.
Sarah Palin ran in the primary as an outsider and is yet running as the alternative to the status quo. She isn't backed by the mainstream industry republican leaders. They showed up at Bill Sheffield's home fundraising for the man who originated in the Tulsa Oklahoma "oil patch".
Clearly Sarah doesn't fit the industry paradigm - so they'll be supporting Knowles, because he is a trusted quantity to the bigwigs.
Sarah is virtually a lifelong Alaskan, brought here as an infant by parents desiring a better life. She chose to stay and married into our Alaskan culture and like many of us long timers now has roots that span countless generations.
Because of her ties to Alaska, she'll be working on economic development to sustain rural Alaska, not the temporary handouts which don't provide long term economies beyond oil.
Contrast her to Knowles who like many responded to political whims of eastern influences telling people they should go west, get elected and head east as U.S Senators. Gosh, that didn't work, but hey it can be attempted again.
Sarah Palin, like many of us disaffected Republicans, independents, Democrats, won't stand for the good old boys influence that has permeated Alaska since oil's influence came to pass. She has already demonstrated this by her stand against impropriety.
I'm sure she truly discomforts big industry, and those accustommed to feeding off big oil's cowlike golden udders, including the likes of Democrats Knowles, Sheffield and their bottom feeding synchophants.
October 8, 2006 - 1:57pm | opal
Saying something over and over
doesn't make it true. VECO and Knowles are not connected. You forget Palin received more $$ from VECO when she ran for Lt. Gov than Knowles during his run for Senate and last run for Gov. You refer to Palin as a political outsider. Why? I didn't realize outsiders could walk into plum State jobs like she did at the AOGCC. You are critical of the lack of support she has received from the business community. Maybe she hasn't given them a reason to support her. Aside from being a two term mayor what has she done--what experience does she have? She quit the AOGCC after a year. Why? She has never worked in the private sector, so why do you think she will improve economic development? Funny you refer to the good ole' boy influence that has "permeated Alaska"--do you mean good ole' boys like Hickel, Halford, Babcock and Ross?
October 8, 2006 - 5:30pm | alaskastraightalker
Etolin is an island near Wrangell, so the writer is either Robin Taylor or someone who talks like him and knows him well.
This is the same Robin Taylor who has made a mess out of our ferry system. The political mismanagement and micromanagement by politicians like Taylor in Juneau has created deficits, constantly changing schedules and ferries tied to the docks. While oil revenues have filled the state coffers with a billion dollar surplus coastal communities have worse service than twenty years ago.
This is the same Robin Taylor who left the legislature to get 3 high years in PERS, contributing to the problem. This is the same Robin Taylor who is telling people throughout Southeast Alaska that Palin has committed to keep him in charge of the ferry system.
We need a governor who will let the professionals run the system and get the interfering politicians in Juneau out of the way.
October 6, 2006 - 4:37pm | simplesimon23
How can she move the state forward when she doesn't understand the issues well enough to discuss them?
Check out the articles that ilovelucy recommends.
Also see the candidate's verbatim responses to the questions discussed in the Anchorage Press article at:
www.alaskanabroad.typepad.com/ and scroll down. Palin couldn't answer most of them.
She is a C- student at best.
October 6, 2006 - 10:17pm | justintime
It isn't that she COULDN'T answer them - it is that she didn't. I believe her advisers told her not to answer certain questions. Bad Bad Paul Fuhs.
11 October 6, 2006 - 10:35am | metanoia2k
WHY DOESN'T THE ADN PAY FOR A POLL???
Radical idea, there...spend some of the big bucks that everyone pays you and do an independent poll and quit all the speculation. Pretend you are...oh say...the New York Times, The Washington Post, The L.A. Times etcetera...You know...a NEWS-paper.
10 October 6, 2006 - 8:33am | mike_l
The last Dittman poll had Palin up by 17 points. This one has her up by 12 points. You do the math. On top of the 5 point drop, Dittman won't release all the questions asked in his latest poll, which suggests there is more to the story. Considering his poll was paid for by the Palin camp, that suggests something favorable to Knowles.
The Palin people won't see this as a drop though. They are in la-la land, and can only see the double digit lead, and the number of undecided. I would like to see Halcro drop out and throw his support behind Knowles. 4% or 5% just doesn't make him a viable candidate this year. He should capitalize on his recent media, join forces with Knowles, and run for something else in two years -where he will have greater cross-party appeal for hooking up with Knowles.
The more debates Palin avoids and the more negative ads the RGA runs on her behalf will only make her shrinking lead decrease further -in my humble opinion. 12 points can evaporate easily in the next 4 weeks -and that is assuming the 12 point lead is even accurate.
October 8, 2006 - 11:34am | Beachwriter
Halcro ran as an independent because he wasn’t willing to sleep with the purse strings that would end up strangling him. With Halcro, Alaskans would have a Governor who makes decisions based on what is good for Alaska not what is good for those who paid to get him there. Think about it.
October 6, 2006 - 10:29am | metanoia2k
Let's See, A Poll By Dave Dittman...hmmmm...
A dedicated Republican who was part of the Murkowski team until he sniffed the wind and jumped ship--I wonder if the poll numbers HE had were different than the ones he gave his client (Murkowski).
A typical Dittman Poll Question,
"IF YOU REALLY WANT CHANGE AND A TOTALLY NEW FACE, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE, PRETTY SARAH PALIN OR EX-GOVERNOR KNOWLES?"
Yeh, A Dittman Poll...he is only slightly better than Mark Hellenthal.
October 6, 2006 - 9:03am | dubya
any idiot can see this poll is a republican lie. what fool would vote for palin over knowles? republicans are all perverted homosexuals. this has been proven by the recent foley episode and the slimey coverup by the rest of them.
9 October 5, 2006 - 10:45pm | alaskastraightalker
Palin flip flops on ethics and honesty
1. If Palin has no reason to go negative, then why is she? Palin pretends to be above negative attack ads, and then coordinates with the RGA to produce a negative attack ad. Palin says "there's nothing I can do" to stop the negative ads; yet, my recollection is that when Knowles ran for Senate and an inappropriate ad was started by an Outside group on his behalf, he requested that it be stopped- and lo and behold- it was! Without violating the law!
2. Palin released some partial poll numbers, but refused to release the other questions and answers. Could this be why she is condoning the negative ads?
3. Palin's ads are nothing but "more of the same gang" blame game. The RGA points out in one year Alaska had the highest unemployment rate in the US. Is it ok to attribute that to a Democratic Governor, when there is a Republican legislature and a Republican Congressional delegation? Then who do they blame for the fact that, in 2006, with a Republican Governor, Legislature, and delegation Alaska is still in the top three states for unemployment rates?
4. Palin is still mum on whether it is appropriate to accept ads from an organization which has received large contributions from Jack Abramoff and casino interest clients of his and Ralph Reed.
5. As to coordination, remember Kyle's August 29 blog: "Two Republican governors asked to meet with Sarah Palin today at the Anchorage airport, says Palin spokesman Curtis Smith.
The first meeting fell through - she was supposed to talk with Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, but Romney didn’t make it. A meeting with Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt is still on for later tonight, Smith said.
He said it’s unclear why the governors want to talk with Palin, but here’s why it’s worth a second look: Romney is chairman of the Republican Governors Association, which exists primarily to get Republicans elected and keep them in office.
The RGA could be an important ally for Palin -- who is now busy fund-raising -- because it’s willing to spend money."
Sure it's unclear. The meeting had one purpose: To let Palin know they were raising Outside money for ads promoting Palin and attacking Knowles. Palin should just come clean, tell the truth, and stop the negative attack ads funded with Outside money.
October 6, 2006 - 7:10am | rfn
Believe "us" and I have a bridge for sale....
By "us" I mean the vast majority of the people whose writings "appear" on this blog (or any other blog for that matter).
The very fact that we're even reading a blog - let alone contributing - concedes that we have a horse in the race; a dog in the show; or perhaps are getting a per-word check.
I find myself in a position that is all too familiar. Supporting a candidate I don't really want to support because the "other" candidate is not only desirable but to actually be feared.
Palin is, depending upon you listen to, a somewhat unknown quantity or a scary, indecisive woman who should be home without shoes and a plump pregnant tummy.
Y'know, I can accept the unknown quantity part.
And there's the charm.
Tony has shown he IS decisive. It's just that his decisions, proven by his 8 year history, caused more misery than Jimmy Carter ever could have imagined on his best day. Or for those who still love Billy's brother, Bush II on his worst day.
Alaskans are resilient but should that be tested at regular intervals?
The hackneyed: "Insanity is defined as doing the same thing repetitively and expecting a different result" might apply this year if disregarded as just "cute".
The statement is trite but true. Twice Alaskans unleashed Tony. OK, maybe the first 4 years were indecisive - give the boy a chance, he's still learning. So the second 4 could be excused.
Now with a firmly established record we're being told to believe that the snake has shed its skin and emerged as......
But, you see, I'm just being partisan. Like everybody else on this page. Except that I really would prefer not to vote for Palin. I'd rather have a strong candidate with sound ideas to move Alaska forward and a record to back it up. Halcro, other than his paternalistic, somewhat socialist view of the PFD, has some appeal but, get real. Distant third is the best he can hope for.
Now Tony! There's a man with ideas and a record to back them up. And what ideas! And what a painful record. Now watch the bots try to say that's half a loaf...having ideas...and half the loaf is better than none. In this case, NOT.
Yup. I'm convinced Alaska needs to risk the future on the unknowns of Palin. The alternative is a no-risk path, a dismal, path that leads back to the 1980s.
I really hate having to decide between two evils and wish it were otherwise.
It isn't.
The coming 4 years are going to be either "interesting" or downright painful!
October 6, 2006 - 6:58pm | bmcdaniel9
Exactly what decisions caused misery? I was far better off when Tony was governor, even with a creepy R legislature, than I am now with an R gov. and an R legislature.
The rubber-stamping Rs have ruined our economy and increased aggression, greed, selfishness, and hatred. Here are the top five reasons to vote for Democrats in 2006:
5. End one-party control and refusal of Rs to police themselves.
4. End the R closed caucus policy, enforce open-meetings law.
3. Restore funding Rs cut from Denali Kid Care.
2. Reduce property taxes by restoring municipal sharing cut by the Rs.
1. Restore ethics, fund APOC independently, reduce need for the FBI to step in.
October 7, 2006 - 7:42am | rfn
Glad to hear you were far better off under Tony.
Many with cushy state jobs and on the dole in one way or another strongly agree.
How are you adjusting to your new neighbors, the folks who bought in your 'hood when the previous owners had to sell out and flee to the lower 48 to find work.
Love the litany of "R"s...
Many of the things Tony should have done to bring finances back under control but wouldn't. Knew he was termed out so it was convenient to leave a steaming little box on the doorstep for the next governor to step in. Painful as were, and still are, a lot of what Frank did and as misguided as I think we agree some of them were, it was an attempt to sweep up the scat.
Now the state coffers brim over with oil revenue. So, who do we trust? Palin to restore the Murkowski-cuts to a responsible extent?
Or Tony to squander the money, institute new programs that can't be sustained when revenue dwindles?
I guess you're right. Tony IS far better at what he does than Palin is at what she does. It's just that
the demon under my bed doesn't wear an "R" or even a "D" but it has a nice tan and a golf shirt with a tasteful little "t" on the left side of the chest.
October 9, 2006 - 12:04pm | bmcdaniel9
Doesn't every Alaskan rely on government money in one way or another?
October 7, 2006 - 4:33pm | bmcdaniel9
So what specifically was in the "steaming box on the doorstep" Tony Knowles was hoping to leave for his preferred successor, the beautiful and brilliant Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer?
And, my neighbors are still very cooperative people. It's interesting how cooperative you can be when you earn more than $7.15 an hour isn't it?
BTW, I added my two cents to the Alaska Democratic Party platform and voted to approve every word. I am committed to its specific ideals. Read it at http://www.alaskademocrats.org/ht/d/sp/i/721916/pid/721916
Try getting off the fence and commit to the party ideals that suit you. Believe me, you can be a member of a party and still refuse to help and still vote for whomever you choose if that's what's discouraging you.
The fight for resources between the very rich and everyone else is bitter and vicious. (The wealthiest 20% hoard 84% of the resources, the other 80% of us share the leftover 16% of resources.) However, the outrageous hoarding by a minority of Americans can be changed peacefully through the political process. Yes, absolutely, politics is ALL about class war. And I encourage you to choose the side that represents your best interests and morals about distribution of resources and engage in the peaceful process of representative government.
October 7, 2006 - 5:30pm | marty2
This election, more-so than many previous is about the struggle of ideas.
Not the specific ideas about how to fund a gasline or whether to fund Denali Kid Care, but more general ideas like freedom and redistribution of wealth.
We know that a democrat will have certain basic ideals and beliefs and a republican will have different ideals and beliefs.
We don't agree about those ideals and we often try to hide them but they are there.
I voted for Palin in the primary but if she would not have won I would likely have voted for the Republican in the general. I definetely would not vote for the democrat because I do not agree with their worldview.
Each person will make their decision in government based on the way they see the world. They will appoint judges (which will be a legacy that outlasts them), appoint a cabinet and other posts based on their worldview. This will color their entire government.
That is why the specific differences between Palin and Knowles are not as important as their basic underlying values. We know that each are good representatives of the basic worldview of their parties. It is the responsibility of the voter to know generally the ideals of each party and vote accordingly.
We can each make all kinds of disparaging remarks about the other side, (I will likely get some), but it is more important to educate the public about the parties beliefs and then get out the vote.
In my younger days I was a classic Alaskan. "I voted for the person not the party". That was before I began to understand that when that person gets into office, they make most of their decisions as part of a team, not as an independent.
I haven't been crazy about a lot of the actions of my party lately. I have said on this forum that RR should resign. That is one of the reasons that I voted for Palin...I favor the ideals of the Republican Party and want a better representative of those ideals.
October 7, 2006 - 7:48pm | opal
What ideals and values are you referring to?
I always thought Republican bread and butter issues were smaller government and balanced budgets. What I've seen in my lifetime from Republicans is budget deficits and government expansion at the State and Federal level. I grew up in Alaska where Democrats in any other state would be considered Republicans. Don't you think if you're voting strictly party lines you're not really making a choice?
October 8, 2006 - 8:02pm | bmcdaniel9
Voting for one side or the other's team is definitely making a choice.
And If I don't like any of the candidates in a certain race, I leave it blank or write in someone else.
Thanks for your thoughtful response, Marty.
October 7, 2006 - 8:49pm | marty2
It's hard to always go completely on party lines. It is best to know the basic values of your candidate. Pick the one that best agrees with your own values, then determine their chances to win and make your choice.
Sometimes a minor candidate best agrees with your values, but you know they can't win, so then you take the next best choice and go for it.
October 7, 2006 - 9:20pm | opal
what "values" the candidate you are supporting represents? I dislike that term--values--its so subjective. What do you mean when you say values?
October 5, 2006 - 11:32pm | truthseeker
I have asked you this before, where is any evidence of your wild claims? your credibility is zero. Lets hear it.
I thought the black helicopter gang was on the right.
October 6, 2006 - 6:14am | alaskastraightalker
Truthseeker, judging from your posts below and of the past few days, you are losing it. I hope it's not because your candidate is being exposed for being the flip flopper that she is- the final straw being her flip flop on running a positive campaign. Your earlier posts were all about trying to defend her from any criticism (anybody who criticizes her, discusses her flip flops on the gas line, vouchers, capital move, Juneau access, etc. is "negative"), and now your posts are all about defending her own negative attacks. Your candidate must be rubbing off on you- you are now flip flopping yourself on the standards you claimed to hold.
Regarding my statements, they are on the public record.
1. Palin is accepting negative ad help from the RGA. The public record shows that, when Knowles requested that an Outside group stop such an ad in 2004, the ads ceased. Palin could do the same. Issuing a public statement urging an Outside group running inappropriate ads to stop is not considered "coordinating" despite Plain's statements to the contrary.
2. The RGA accepts money from Jack Abramoff and casino clients of his and Ralph Reed. You can find that in their reports.
3. The same source that the RGA used for 2002 statistics shows that in 2006 Alaska was in the top 3 states for unemployment. For a number of reasons, it probably is not unusual. In any case, are you saying that in 2002 we did not have a Republican legislature and Congressional delegation? Or that in 2006 they were still Republican, plus we had a Republican governor, and we still had a relatively high unemployment rate? Or is that just a wild claim?
4. As noted, Kyle is the source of the meeting Palin had with RGA representatives. Perhaps you think they were talking about the weather.
You don't need a helicopter to find the truth. Just the plain facts.
October 6, 2006 - 7:38am | truthseeker
actually I am not losing it. I am having a great time watching the mental gyrations of knowles supporters trying to justify a campaign that was negative from day one. It is also entertaining watching you trying to justify why your candidate is getting the money from people who are used to buying and selling politicians. I know you would usually be on the other side of this issue too.
And no, I didn't flip flop to cover up my flip flop from the previous flip flop where I had to flip flop to respond to your brilliant logic. I actually flipped over your strained logic and total lack of any evidence of coordination between RGA and the palin campaign. It was your credibility that flopped.
7 October 5, 2006 - 9:05pm | AlaskaSportsFan
Will everyone stop talking about Ms. Palin - she's been exposed as a liar and serious Alaskans will no longer take her or her candidacy seriously?
Let's move this on to Halcro v Knowles. Does anyone know anything good or bad about Halcro - we seem to see a lot about Knowles?
October 5, 2006 - 11:35pm | truthseeker
Let's just ignore her. halcro will have zero impact on the election. he will spend alot of money and draw equally from both candidates, no more than 5%, and have zero impact on the outcome.
A rich preppy boys ego trip.
October 6, 2006 - 10:10pm | Beachwriter
Truthseeker is rich....in lies
Truthseeker, are you participating on this blog to stir it up? Just about everything
you say is a blatant lie or at the very least a total stretch of the truth. Anyone can read the facts, Halcro grew up in a modest home on the East side of town. He has worked at the family business since he was 12 years old. Yea, that's rich. Puuuullleeeaaassseee, give me a break.
What is it with you? Are you jealous? Is it because he's smart, knowledgeable, and just about the most adorable thing you've ever seen? Get over it, he's the one to take Alaska where it needs to go.
October 8, 2006 - 1:57pm | truthseeker
He has said in the past that he may spend up to $2 million of his own money on his campaign. Almost all of his expenditures so far have been his own money. Maybe that's not rich to you but I don't have that kind of money. Do You?
I say preppy because that's the way he comes across, and also sure he is so much smarter than everyone else. That attitude will never fly in Alaska.
At least he isn't taking the money of all the traditional back room dealers and influence peddlers like tony is. I have to give halcro credit for that.
October 10, 2006 - 4:36pm | Beachwriter
Halcro puts his money where his mouth is
Tell us all where and when Halcro stated he would spend $2 million of his own money?
But I must say Truth, it's big of you to give Halcro credit. He deserves it, and he’s the most deserving of the three candidates for the Governors office. A candidate who spends his own money has far more credibility than one who spends everyone else’s. Money never comes free, and the money Knowles and Palin spend to get elected would cost all of us. Do you really want to pay that bill? I know I don’t.
6 October 5, 2006 - 8:01pm | bmcdaniel9
How were taxes cut in Wasilla?
The reason itty-bitty Wasilla cut those itty-bitty city taxes in Palin's term and ever since is because her predecessor and campaign foe, moderate Mayor John Stein, successfully managed in his term to get Wasilla citizens to buy into and pass a very, very lucrative sales tax that has kept the City of Wasilla rolling in dough ever since.
The Wasilla city taxes are insignificant--out here the Mat-Su Borough provides the major services such as schools and emergency services and we all still pay VERY HIGH Mat-Su Borough property taxes for services the City of Anchorage provides its residents.
Any average citizen could have done Palin's job following Stein's groundwork. (But she also needed the help of an appointed shadow-mayor.) Her protege, the current and very average Wasilla Mayor Dianne Keller proves it.
5 October 5, 2006 - 5:40pm | tlamb99503
Looks like they (RGA) coordinated with Knowles.
This is all the Knowles campaign has?
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14 October 6, 2006 - 1:41pm | alaskastraightalker
Republican Culture of Corruption
Today, an aide to Karl Rove at the White House resigned as part of the burgeoning scandal involving Jack Abramoff.
This is the same Jack Abramoff, who with Ralph Reed and casino clients, donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to the RGA- which is now producing attack ads for the Palin campaign.
Just as the White House does not want to come clean about its ties to Abramoff- so that a grand jury has to ferret out the truth- the Palin campaign does not want to come clean about its use of soft money- and where the money comes from.
No wonder we don't hear from Palin about corruption chair Randy Ruedrich. He and the RGA are running the campaign finance show now.
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