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.
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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: November 5, 2006 - 3:18 pm
The Anchorage Baptist Temple held its candidates’ day today – a tradition at the church, where most everybody who is running for anything shows up to listen to Pastor Jerry Prevo and then meet the congregation in the lobby on the Sunday before an election.
Senate candidate Earl Mayo’s campaign gave away tiny 1.2 ounce jars of mayonnaise that read: “Life is better with Mayo” on the lid. Don Young’s camp set up a booth with a 3-by-2 foot drawing of Young’s face, and buttons that say: “I’m a Young woman” or “I’m a Young man.”
Last time, it was Aug. 20 and Tony Knowles and Sarah Palin sat next to each other in the pews, chatting. Now, after going on to clobber their opponents in the Aug. 22 primary elections, they were back, alongside U.S. House candidates Young and Diane Benson, and a cluster of state house and senate hopefuls.
One candidate who was missing was Andrew Halcro. Halcro said yesterday that he planned to attend Mass today, but when it came to the ABT event he said: “The whole thought of showing up at church and politicking to me is… it’s not something I subscribe to.”
Knowles, who said he also went to Shiloh Baptist Church earlier in the morning, said a candidate should go everywhere he is welcome.
“When you’re going to be governor, you’re going to be governor of all of the state,” he said.
Palin said she was on her way to ChangePoint church right after the ABT service, but said: “I don’t church hop during campaign season at all.” Prevo invited all the candidates and she was honored to attend she said.
What about ChangePoint? She said one of her staff is a member and invited her.
Later today, Palin planned to go to a Lisa Murkowski fund-raiser for the American Red Cross at Chilkoot Charlie’s, while Knowles said he was headed to Valdez for a rally with former Lt. Gov. Stephen McAlpine and Mike Gallagher of the laborers union Local 341.
Here’s a few highlights from candidates day at the Baptist Temple:
-- Today was also “Everyday Heroes Sunday” day – everyday heroes as in soldiers and firefighters, cops and nurses -- and Mayor Mark Begich talked to the congregation: “I know we all join in prayer for our brave men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan …”
A pediatrician spoke. Firefighters and police joined Prevo and city officials on the stage.
“God bless each of you, and God bless America,” said Anchorage Fire Chief Craig Goodrich.
-- Soon, it was time for Prevo to allow the candidates to introduce themselves. They’re basically limited to saying who they are and what they’re running for, though a few throw in ad libs now and then.
Prevo introduced Young first, saying “he stops in here every once in awhile and visits with us.”
Young said he was here to pay his respects to heroes. Diane Benson, Young’s Democratic challenger, was next.
“I want to thank everyone who prayed for my son when he was wounded in Iraq last year, and thank you to all who serve,” she said.
Palin followed, then Knowles. Each drew applause.
A few candidates, including Palin, mentioned they were Republican or conservative. District 31 incumbent Bob Lynn told the group he’s pro-life. No one said they were a Democrat.
“You’ll know I’ll be a frugal governor because I shop at Value Village. And it’s a gubernatorial race, but please don’t call me guber,” David Massie, the Green Party candidate for governor, told the congregation.
-- After the service a man introduced Palin (red jacket, Alaska pin, whale-shaped earings) to an infant in a green sweater. The baby squeezed Palin’s finger. As Knowles (dark jacket, dark tie dotted with American flags) talked about his plans to travel to Fairbanks and Juneau Monday, a woman wished him the best – “Hi Tony. Got you covered.”
Republican party chairman Randy Ruedrich talked with Assemblyman Dan Coffey, as they both stood next to an Anchorage Police Department recruiter booth. (Ruedrich said he predicts a 4 percentage point Palin victory after all the votes are counted.)
Theresa Obermeyer filed through he crowd. Massie took photos with his digital camera.
November 6, 2006 - 2:31pm | Black3
about Tony Knowles, but unless you can produce a judgement and positively link it to the Tony Knowles who is a candidate for Governor, this is one you'd best retract.
And if you didn't make reasonable efforts to ascertain the truth of what you asserted, you've made that charge with a reckless disregard for the truth, which comes perilously close to libel even of a public figure.
November 6, 2006 - 1:30pm | thetrail
Please stay away from criminal allegations about any of the candidates, especially this late in the game.
-- Kyle
November 6, 2006 - 1:40pm | leslie
From the bloggers here for permission to Kyle to remove criminal allegations on this blog.
November 6, 2006 - 2:35pm | Black3
Leslie, either you can produce
an ADL # or a reason there isn't one or he (I guess its a he) can produce a judgement as I suggested upthread. Pretty simple stuff. Kyle, of course, can do as he pleases, he runs the board.
FWIW, I don't believe the allegation.
November 6, 2006 - 3:16pm | rfn
Personally I don't care whether any of the candidates have an ADL or even know how to drive. In fact, I think I might feel a little more safe if I knew for certain that none of the current crop drive anything larger than a tricycle.
However, I can see where NOT having a driver's license might be a very strong positive for members of organizations like Greenpeace, The Sierra Club, Friends of The Earth, etc. Of course to not have a license to please them and win their support, well, THAT would be pandering.
Might explain some things about "roadless wilderness" and timber industry unemployment and, even someday, why ANWR stays locked up just a little longer....
November 6, 2006 - 2:48pm | mike_l
another Palin campaign blunder
posting false information on a blog due to their inept campaign stooges that can't figure out the correct middle initial of a former 2-term governor.
And these are the same stooges that would follow her to Juneau.
Thank you for demonstrating my point.
November 6, 2006 - 2:44pm | leslie
Anthony R Knowles on the court website. He's the bad driver. Anthony C Knowles is the good citizen and gubernatorial candidate. Research 101. 'Nuff said. I'm leaving it now and will assume everyone can believe what they will believe.
November 6, 2006 - 3:13pm | Black3
I didn't believe the allegation and was inviting the accuser to pony up. I accept your explanation.
November 6, 2006 - 2:33pm | mike_l
it's just that hypo-manic person gone wild again. She posts crazy stuff about a number of people.
If you're going to make stuff up at least make it interesting.
November 6, 2006 - 7:19am | leslie
And a bad researcher or a liar. Tony Knowles, candidate for Governor, doesn't have a dwi and he does have a license. I can't speak for the other Anthony Knowles in Alaska.
November 6, 2006 - 2:15am | alasscan
The same one that got sued profoundly for whispering obscene words to his producer? The ones on recorded phone lines?
That Mr Squeeky Clean purveyor of truth?
4 November 5, 2006 - 8:58pm | steve15
Religion OR Politics - Pick one Knowles and Palin.
Another reason Halcro has won my vote:
(Excerpt from Kyle's story above)
One candidate who was missing was Andrew Halcro. Halcro said yesterday that he planned to attend Mass today, but that when it came to the ABT event he said: “The whole thought of showing up at church and politicking to me is… it’s not something I subscribe to.”
November 6, 2006 - 10:37am | khbalaska
Whatever happened to "separation of Church and State"? Why are politicians campaigning IN churches? Thank you, Andrew Halcro.
November 6, 2006 - 10:40am | alaskandomer
The phrase "Separation of church and state" appears nowhere in the US Constitution.
November 6, 2006 - 10:45am | khbalaska
I never said it did. The separation of church and state is a political doctrine which states that the institutions of the state or national government should be kept separate from those of religious institutions.
Emphasis on 'should be'.
November 6, 2006 - 10:44am | bmcdaniel9
What does "No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" mean to you?
Wouldn't you really like it if the U.S. were to establish Christianity as its national religion?
November 6, 2006 - 11:10am | alaskandomer
Actually, it's "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."What it means, is that the Founding Fathers didn't want to see an established church in America. Many of the early colonists came to America, specifically to be able to freely practice their own faiths, which though mostly Chrisitan, differed from the Church of England. Liberals tend to bring up (and misinaterpret) the Establishment Clause when people of faith state their political views, often conveniently forgetting the second half of the clause.
Your second comment is simply ignorant and predjudiced, to say nothing of ill-informed. Because someone disagrees with you, you feel obliged to paint them as religious zealots. Though your rant really doesn't deserve a response, I'll do so anyway. No, I do not want to see Christianity, or any of its sects, established as a national religion. Neither do I want to see their free exercise prohibited. I am a strict constructionist when it comes to our Constitution.
November 6, 2006 - 11:58am | bmcdaniel9
I was looking at my Alaska Constitution!
I'm aware there are those who read the law narrowly. But I respect judges who are legal realists, who are not afraid to delve into the gray areas and decide on behalf of the common good. In Kohlberg's theory, they would be at the postconventional reasoning level.
Who cares if people express their religious views? I define religious zealots as people who want their religious choices to be the law of the land, their religious icons labeling our public buildings, and their unprovable beliefs taught in our public schools. How do you know these aren't the writer's goals? What's the harm in asking?
November 6, 2006 - 11:09am | Black3
The establishment clause specifically and
explicitly prohibits the US from establishing a state religion. It has no bearing on the right of "the people and the states" to do so, and at the Founding, several states did have state established "official" religions. The famous, and infamously misinterpreted, Jefferson letter that established the "wall of separation" was to a group of Baptists in Connecticut seeking his support as President in their efforts to secure their right to practice the Baptist faith in a state that had officially established the Congregationalist Church and used State revenue in support of that Church.
The part of the establishment clause that the Left prefers to overlook is the free exercise thereof piece, which at least at the federal level guarantees a citizens right to practice their religion, the exercise thereof to include the right to attempt to influence the res publica to accept one's religious or moral views.
November 6, 2006 - 11:13am | alaskandomer
I always found it interesting that almost all the original American colonies did, in fact, have established churches. If memory serves, only Maryland, the Catholic colony, expressly allowed the free exercise of any faith.
3 November 5, 2006 - 8:58pm | mike_l
Nice to see Theresa and Randy in the same building, with Massie taking more photos.
Did they mention that Palin was singing praises for Frank Murkowski just 4 years ago. It is representative of her wisdom.
2 November 5, 2006 - 8:40pm | coldstrings
ChangePoint Church appears to be hosting "The Truth Project" in December, 2006. "The Truth Project" is a program of James Dobson's "Focus on the Family" organization. See:
http://www.thetruthproject.org/events/A000000080.cfm
Anybody know what affiliation Sarah Palin has with these groups?
November 5, 2006 - 10:00pm | marty2
Sarah Palin is a Christian.
ChangePoint is a Christian church.
Focus on the Family is a Christian organization.
Because she is a Christian, she would be welcome at Changepoint. In addition it would not be unusual for Focus on the Family to cooperate with ChangePoint.
November 5, 2006 - 10:50pm | coldstrings
Sarah Palin is an extreme-right conservative Christian publicly willing to force her religious views on others by means of government.
Focus on the Family is an extreme-right conservative Christian organization politically active in trying to force its religious views on others by means of government.
I do not know what political agenda, if any, ChangePoint church has.
Given that Sarah Palin is a candidate for Governor, it is reasonable to ask what her affiliation with these organizations might be.
November 6, 2006 - 10:12am | Black3
bring religion into politics:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/05/AR2006110501272.html
Clearly, God is on their side.
November 6, 2006 - 10:27am | coldstrings
On that one, I concur. My preference is separation of religion and politics.
The only additional observation required is that Ford and Obama are not advocating government intrusion into the personal life of the family. When that kind of intrusion is threatened, families are compelled to defend their personal freedoms, and we get the worst sort of political polarization.
November 5, 2006 - 10:26pm | mike_l
is that a christian conservative had sex with a gay prostitute and purchased meth to heighten the experience.
Mark Foley is a christian conservative.
The Corrupt Bastards Club are all christian conservatives.
Dan Fagan should be proud. I hope he cranks up that red-neck music again on Monday. It makes a corn-fed white boy in the Valley feel proud. However, I got to say that Waylon, Willie, and the Man in Black would slap that boy silly if they new he was shamelessly giving out free media on behalf of Palin and her nutty followers.
November 6, 2006 - 10:59am | bmcdaniel9
You are tooooo funny, Mike. Texas, in Lawrence v. Texas made it crystal clear that Southern conservatives like sodomy just fine, they just want women to do all the submission work. And Palin and her Right-to-Life, right-wing women friends support that! Have you ever noticed feminists almost never wear lip gloss?
I felt sorry for poor Mr. Haggard. It's a good lesson about flim-flam preachers. Which ones are likely flim-flam? Follow the money.
1 November 5, 2006 - 5:20pm | coldstrings
Isn't the ChangePoint Church associated with James Dobson's 'Focus on the Family' movement, and Ted Haggard's 'New Life Church' in Colorado Springs?
November 5, 2006 - 8:22pm | marty2
No they are not associated.
At least they are not associated any more than Green Peace is associated with the Green Party or the Socialist Party.
November 5, 2006 - 6:11pm | arajack
ABT to ChangePoint to Chilkoots for sacrament? Sarah said she was honored to accept Prevo's invite. I guess she did not feel honored to attend AFN convention and other groups that she snoofed. I do have to respect Halcro for his comments about not going. A lot of church's stay clear of politics for fear of loss of tax exempt status. I was told years ago by a preacher that attending church for wrong reasons, is a sure way to go to hell.
November 6, 2006 - 12:52am | truthminer
Your Big-Boy Tony Knowles was at Changepoint last week....
I"m sure you missed that tho huh? ;)
November 5, 2006 - 6:07pm | Black3
associated with the Peoples' Committee on Ideological Purity? Or is it the Citizens Against Virtually Everything (CAVE)?
November 6, 2006 - 2:22am | alasscan
Wow,each election we hear it all differently.
Just a few years ago the Democratic Party was being disparaged by Republicans as being FOR everything. Remember.....all that Christain conservative, get back to values, because Dems are sooooo liberal.
Geez, I can't keep up with the new spin each election.I can't even keep up with who the latest Republican out of the closet is. We really do need to conserve energy though, so would the last Republican out of the closet please turn out the lights?
November 5, 2006 - 7:17pm | celtic_diva_ak
But I heard you were the founding member...
...of People Rejecting Intellectually Challenging Knowledge. (P.R.I.C.K.)
November 5, 2006 - 10:08pm | Black3
I've known liked pricks, but then not many of them were Democrats. Things getting a little tense over in the vagitarian party?
November 5, 2006 - 9:35pm | Black3
If I believed any on the Left actually had a
clue as to the intellectual bases of their "strong feelings," I might have some respect for them. As they walk blindly down the path of Nietzche, Marx, Focault, Gramsci, and Alinsky, few of them have a clue who they are, and fewer still have any idea of the philosophies and tactics they espouse.
I really miss the old-fashioned, unabashed Communists and socialists. They were rational, methodical, and logical, and you could do business with them. It is very hard to deal with people who strongly feel that "I feel strongly" is a compelling logical argument.
November 6, 2006 - 1:02pm | celtic_diva_ak
Still sowing those moldy seeds, I see.
First off, I'm a Liberal/ Progressive non-partisan voter as are most Liberals/Progressives in the State of Alaska.
Secondly, as an Alaska Liberal, I fish all summer, support hunting, love the Iditarod, eat meat with gusto, etc... I don't know many real Alaska Liberals who feel differently.
Thirdly, both Republican and Democratic philosophies are fluid. While Abraham Lincoln was a Republican, many of his views would be considered more compatible with the Democratic Party today. In many ways, George W. Bush has gone terribly astray from traditional Republican philosophies.
The only way your claim actually applies is if you pick and choose specific beliefs from various philosophers out of context and try to apply them to the Democratic platform. Use that same technique and see how many cherry-picked beliefs from controversial philosophers are reflected in the Declaration of Independence or the U.S. Constitution.
Black3, while you try to affect a learned facade, your "ideas" and accusations about Democrats and/or Liberals are just out-of-date, recycled Republican talking-points. Nothing you say is either unique or accurate. Also, most of your posts depend upon "name-dropping" but lack any actual substance.
I also find it funny that while you claim others do not provide a "compelling logical argument(s)," your entire debating strategy depends upon sarcasm and insults...again, with no actual substance.
One thing I'll give you; I do find you entertaining. I guess that's something!
November 5, 2006 - 10:32pm | mike_l
is falling on deaf ears when the majority of Dems are moderate. Even the moderate Republican's are waking up to realize the radical right has been duping them for years into thinking all D's were left and liberal.
Meanwhile their conservative brethern on the right have been busy buying meth, having extra-marital gay affairs, soliciting sex with teenage pages, enlisting in the Corrupt Bastards Club, and trying to take away their right to privacy. Amen brother!!! It's all good on Sunday.
November 6, 2006 - 11:06am | bmcdaniel9
The Republican Party has strayed so far right that Democrats now represent the middle. It is just incredible that anyone could vote for an extreme candidate like Palin. Black3, what's your excuse? Are you married to her? Did you come over to my house and break my Knowles sign last night?
November 6, 2006 - 2:12am | alasscan
Don't we all cherish those photo ops of Rummy and Cheny shaking hands with Saddam in the 80's?
Oh wait, I am supposed to believe the 'truthful' republicans instead of my lying eyes, right?
November 5, 2006 - 11:01pm | Black3
to watching your ignorant, self-rigtheous head explode on Wednesday.
November 6, 2006 - 12:46pm | hardwknman
No student shall be left behind
With all the ignorance comming to vote for reasons such as looks age or other dumb ass reasons based on ignorance. Only tells me that to many students were left behind !!!
November 6, 2006 - 11:19am | bmcdaniel9
If the worst happens, I'll do what I've done for a few years: put a sticker on my car that says, "Don't blame me I voted for Tony." There will be no explosions here. I worked hard to help the middle and working class and poor. I will continue to live comfortably and my conscience about Palin, Bush and Frank will be clear.
But I'm still hoping the Democratic platform wins.
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5 November 6, 2006 - 1:03am | truthminer
The Big D-W-I?
Can't believe that this has never come up. The officer is known. The year(s) are known. Did Tony bury the file cuz it is NOT on the orca system along with the rest of Tony's lawsuits.
This just could however be why Motznik shows Tony with NO State Driver's License...only a State ID Card.
Mike_|, Lucy, straightalker, coldstrings...
As Mr. O'Reilly would put it, "what say you?"
Oh that's right...standard response is usually..."I strongly disagree....blah blah blah". Black3 had it perfect when he said that this is the extent of your "logic".
Time to watch Star-Trek kids...cuz your candidate is about to get sucked into a black hole and never return (thank the good lord!).
What...no M.A.D.D. endorsement for Knowles? Awwwww. Don't mind that it happened, just feel he owed it to the public to come clean with it. It won't change the election results...
Halcro still won't win. :(
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