Content by bellpe
Posted at 11:43pm on Jul. 2, 2007 Fred Thompson Podcasts
By bellpe
If you're a fan of Fred Thompson, you'll want to listen to these podcasts, and get the widget for your own site.
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Posted at 12:02am on Nov. 1, 2006 SEN-WA: Cantwell Suppresses Student Vote
By bellpe
"Suppression of dissent in Maria Kantwell's Amerikkka: The Video"
It's true the ACLU, yes that ACLU, is backing a group of Bellevue Community College students shut out of a recent Cantwell event on their campus with Sen. Barack Obama. By my count, this is the second "Obama-rama" that has sparked controversy and negative press for Cantwell. See 1:49 into this video for a similar scene at the Obama-rama at an elementary school with Cantwell in April. The YouTube video above is making its way around the internet, and has potential to become a hit with student voters at MySpace and Facebook.
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Posted at 11:08pm on Oct. 25, 2006 SEN-WA: Cantwell Falls In Power Rankings, To 99 of 100
By bellpe
Congress.org's "power rankings" for both houses of Congress are out this week. Senator Maria Cantwell was previously ranked 93 out of 100--not a very impressive placement. But in the new rankings just out, she fell back even further to 99 out of 100.
That should give her GOP challenger, Mike McGavick, some ammunition on the campaign trail, because it backs up his claim that she has only been working on the "periphery" of the issues that keep voters up at night. Washington deserves better representation in the U.S. Senate, and it's time for a change.
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Posted at 2:10pm on Oct. 22, 2006 SEN-WA: Ad & Endorsement Watch
By bellpe
While attention may have diverted elsewhere in the the bid for control of Congress, the race for Washington's Senate seat is still RED HOT in this state: the region's largest paper, The Seattle Times, has endorsed Mike McGavick. Another key endorsement for McGavick came this week from the Yakima Herald.
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Posted at 8:27am on Oct. 2, 2006 SEN-WA: This Race Just Keeps Getting More Interesting!
By bellpe
Eric at Sound Politics points to a report by David Postman that Libertarian candidate Bruce Guthrie, is loaning his campaign more than $1 million, mortgaging everything he has--and dumping his life savings into the race. Guthrie, a former college instructor, is running on several liberal positions to the political left of Cantwell (i.e. same sex marriage, out of Iraq now, etc). While others may be speechless on this development, allow me to expound on a few thoughts.
As I pointed out here, Green candidate Aaron Dixon couldn't be coaxed out of the race. But little attention has been given to Guthrie. I met Guthrie's campaign manager (Travis Wright) at a political field school last fall. Travis is a sharp guy, and the last time I saw him--mid-August I believe--he was excitedly talking into a cell phone outside a gas-station in Northgate. Wearing a name-tag, and gassing up his car full of campaign stuff, Travis had just come from a networking event for Guthrie, and appeared very excited about his candidate's prospects. If time allows, I may try to post a short profile of Guthrie soon--and I'm sure Travis will have some interesting perspective to share on the state of the race.
Read on . . .
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Posted at 1:20am on Sep. 25, 2006 SEN-WA: McGavick's Back!!!
By bellpe
A few quick notes in the U.S. Senate race between Mike McGavick and Maria Cantwell:
1) Via Eric at Sound Politics, McGavick's back in the polls--see the latest numbers at RealClearPolitics--Rasmussen on 9/20: McGavick 42, Cantwell 48, a 6% spread! If you're into horse race politics, keep an eye on the cool table at RCP that shows a running average of the polls. Watch for McGavick to surge closer as he reaches out to more voters with his positive, issues-centered, message. And if you haven't seen McGavick's latest TV ad, "Change", you can watch it here.
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Posted at 7:04pm on Sep. 10, 2006 SEN-WA: McGavick Is A Trailblazer
By bellpe
From the LA Times, more indication that what I earlier dubbed here at Red State, the "McGavick Model", holds the key to changing the business of "politics as usual" in Washington, D.C.
McGavick has developed a sophisticated critique of the way Washington works — or doesn't. The intensifying pressure for party unity, he argues, makes it impossible for Congress to resolve difficult problems. Republican unwillingness to compromise, he maintains, is preventing action on immigration, just as the Democratic refusal to negotiate doomed any possibility of restructuring the Social Security system.
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Posted at 12:21am on Aug. 25, 2006 WA-SEN: McGavick Now On MySpace, Admits Shortcomings
By bellpe
First, U.S. Senate candidate, Mike McGavick, is now on MySpace! Clicke here to go to his profile and make sure to add him as a friend, and send him a message or leave a comment.
Second, in a moving display of humility, Mike posted a blog today describing what he views as the biggest mistakes in his personal life. To be sure, it's a risky move--especially the discouraging news that Mike received a DUI in the early 90s--but I don't think any of the disclosures he made will be an election buster.
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Posted at 1:32am on Aug. 18, 2006 WA-08: Reichert's Challenge
By bellpe
Is The Sheriff in Trouble?
Aside from disseminating cleverly worded DCCC press releases and asking liberal Seattleites to open their checkbooks, Congressman Dave Reichert’s challenger, Darcy Burner, is mainly banking on anti-Bush sentiment to secure victory for her party at the ballot box. The way local bloggers and media tell it, Reichert is as vulnerable as they come. But if you buy into the Democrats version reality, you will be disappointed come November. To arrive at the true political realities of 2006, one needs look no further than the electorate and their admiration of a popular incumbent Congressman.
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Posted at 9:07am on Jul. 24, 2006 A Republican Renewal in Washington State
By bellpe
From the diaries . . .
In the mid-1960s and 70s, Republicans like Dan Evans and Slade Gorton introduced a moderate conservatism that took the state by storm. Both men were elected to the State's highest offices: Governor and Attorney General--and later went on to represent Washington in the U.S. Senate. But in recent memory, Republicans have faced a tougher challenge at the ballot box. Candidates like Ellen Craswell, Linda Smith, and John Carlson electrified the right wing of the GOP but proved unsuccessful.
In 2006, if the candidates were still Craswell and Carlson--perhaps Republicans would yet again face electoral defeat. But the state GOP has returned to a moderate-friendly message and recruited a competitive crop of candidates to deliver it.
At least three Republicans are working to change the firebrand mold, and a fourth has picked up the torch. They are: Dino Rossi, Rob McKenna, Dave Reichert, and now Mike McGavick. Remember their names, because they represent not only the best hope of electoral success for the GOP, but also a return to an enchanting conservatism in the Evergreen state. This dynamic foursome shares a common strategy of re-inventing the conservative image, taking the edge off what many moderates and independents viewed as an agenda that was too far-right. Rather than throwing lightening rods, the new slate of Republican candidates are returning to the trail blazed by Evans and Gorton, working above all to craft a moderate message that makes successful inroads to the voting public.