5/31/2006
Richards Endorses Tester
by Matt Singer on 8:36 pm.
Intelligent Discontent got the story first: Paul Richards has announced his endorsement of Jon Tester and urges his supporters to move their votes. His reasoning?
My votes could make a difference,” Richards said. “I couldn’t be comfortable sitting on the votes that I have if John Morrison is the nominee.“I simply don’t believe Morrison can defeat Burns. I think the Democrats’ nominating Morrison would be a bad mistake. We have to consider the national implications of Montana’s Senate seat.”
[...]
Richards said he believes Tester is a man of integrity who can defeat Burns.
“This is the year for the U.S. Senate to go Democratic, and this is the time for Jon Tester to become part of that majority,” he said. “I don’t see him caving in to the political action committees and the special interests in Washington. I see John Morrison doing that.”
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Drinking Liberally – Missoula
by Matt Singer on 5:30 pm.
Come raise your spirits as you raise a pint as America’s network of progressive drinking clubs arrives in Missoula. Drinking Liberally is an informal, non-programmatic gathering of like-minded left-leaners, an opportunity to share you ideas while you share a pitcher. You don’t need to be a seasoned activist or policy wonk to join us in meeting new friends, reconnecting with old ones, and enjoying a stiff mix of socializing with a dash of politics. There will be a competition for best bumper-sticker slogan for which I will personally award a free drink to the winner, so bring your creativity!
Drinking Liberally has become a fast-growing phenomenon, now offering social space for progressive pint-pourers in 147 locations across America.
America was born in the taverns…and now we’re returning to promote democracy one pint a time.
The Revolution begins at Happy Hour.
MISSOULA DRINKING LIBERALLY
Wednesday, May 31st @ 5:30 pm
The MO Club
http://drinkingliberally.org/
Got questions? missoula@drinkingliberally.org
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We Get More Letters
by Matt Singer on 4:26 pm.
Apparently from today’s Havre Daily News:
Ex-employees support former boss’opponentAs former employees of the state Auditor’s Office, we worked with Jon Tester when he served in the Montana Senate. We also worked closely with John Morrison as members of his appointed staff.
When deciding whom to support in the U.S. Senate race, to us, the choice is clear. Jon Tester is a true public servant with respect for the average Montanan. Jon Tester is motivated by a desire to make sure future generations of Montanans can enjoy making a living and raising their families in this state. Jon Tester is the one candidate who can defeat Conrad Burns and make all Montanans proud of their senators again.
Jon Tester is our choice and we hope he will be yours too. Please support Jon Tester on June 6 (or when you vote early at your courthouse).
Jill Gerdrum, former deputy state auditor, Missoula
Betsy Griffing, former chief legal counsel to state auditor, Missoula
Wendy Raney, former state auditor public information officer, Wolf Creek
Hmm….
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A GOP E-Brief Worth Reading
by Gerik on 12:53 pm.
Shocking I know but there are some issues that we agree on and campaigns we can support together. In my inbox…
The Montana Meth Project’s prevention campaign is sponsoring a statewide anti-Meth art competition, Paint the State. The contest calls on teens to take action in the fight against Meth abuse by creating highly visible public art that illustrates the dangers of methamphetamine, the state’s leading drug problem. This first-of-its-kind public art competition and large-scale community action program offers 13- to 18-year olds a way to get involved and compete for $6,000 in cash awards in each of the 56 counties, and a statewide grand prize of $10,000. Prizes total more than $300,000.
The rules of the contest are simple. Teens are asked to use the “Meth: Not Even Once” logo, tagline, or other anti-Meth theme, a little inspiration, and a lot of imagination to create a work of art—any style, any medium—that’s clearly visible by the general public
This strikes me as a great idea. I am all about challenging and supporting young’ns to speak up and get involved. Much credit to Montana Meth Project.
| Comments (2) | Permanent Link | Categories: gop e-brief watch |
The “Buzz” Reaches D.C.
by Matt Singer on 12:48 pm.
The Beltway, where John Morrison runs strongest, is hedging bets. Chuck Todd:
We’ve been tempted to move this race up for months, but the state’s overall GOP tendencies have held us back. But not anymore, not when one of the more respected polls we’ve seen from the state (Mason-Dixon) shows both Democrats topping Burns. We used to be in the camp that said Morrison was Burns’ toughest foe. But we’re no longer so sure of that, as Tester has shown surprising strength and put to rest rumors questioning his campaign trail discipline.
Jennifer Duffy with the Cook Political Report has given noticeably more credence to the Morrison scandal than Chuck Todd has at Hotline. This may have something to do with a gender gap on cheating. Maybe men see cheating on their wives as less of a big deal than women do.
What’s that about Hell’s fury?
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A Nasty Race
by Matt Singer on 11:37 am.
I’ve written a number of times that the Republican strategy in the general is going to be tarring-and-feathering. A few Morrison supporters say that Burns for some reason can’t go negative on ethics because he’s got his own problems.
Right. And if Morrison’s the nominee, we won’t hear Abramoff’s name again.
No matter who the nominee is. Here’s the GOP playbook: fight like mad to portray the Dem as unethical. Then in late September try to move the discussion to Burns’ approps seat and national security.
Don’t believe me? How about Jennifer Duffy of the Cook Political Report? From Gwen Florio’s article in today’s USA Today:
Burns will do well to husband his strength, Duffy said.Once the primary is over, “count on rough,” she said, especially if Morrison is the Democratic nominee. “Burns can’t win a pretty race.”
They’re going to be flinging a lot of poo.
The other meme they’ll be pushing pretty hard is that the Dem is a liberal. This is the same GOP line used against every Democrat. Hell, they’d probably attack Zell Miller for being a liberal if given the chance. But it’s also the reasoning behind this talking point. Portray the Democrat as a tool of coastal elites. Meanwhile, Conrad Burns is hosting wine tour fundraisers in the Napa Valley.
What a crock. Still, if our team doesn’t push back, the media will just keep printing lies as long as they’re surrounded by quotation marks.
And, as Jennifer Duffy notes, the Repubs will use Morrison’s scandal. They’re going to beat him over the head with it, repeatedly. That’s why it’s a big deal.
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Flat Tops Everywhere
by Matt Singer on 8:50 am.
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We Get Letters
by Matt Singer on 8:42 am.
In the Gazette this morning:
Come next November, Democrats need a candidate who can take full advantage of Burn’s sleazy corruption, his arrogant indifference to the needs of Montanans and his incompetence. Jon Tester is that candidate. Whether deserved or not, John Morrison has an ethical cloud hanging over his conduct in office that will prevent him from pressing these issues home.Wade Sikorski
Baker
| Comments (1) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06, Front Page, democrats |
5/30/2006
Jon Tester Fundraiser – Helena
by Matt Singer on 5:00 pm.
DATE: Tuesday, May 30, 2006
TIME: 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
LOCATION: 428 South Cooke
Helena, MT
Please bring your checkbook to sponsor a spot on the air!
30 sec. television ad: $300
15 sec. of a television ad: $150
10 sec. of a television ad: $100
Two radio spots: $50
Your own radio spot: $25
Hosted by:
Lisa Cordingley
Mike and Dee Ann Cooney
Tony Jewett
Cindy Lewis
Aidan Myhre and John Alke
John and Renee Kowalski
Janet Harper
Gordon Bennett and Norma Tirrell
Shawn and Lynn Bubb
Ken Carpenter, M.D.
Ray Flaherty and Lisa Larsen
Dan and Shawn Whyte
Deb and Mike Hiel
| Comments (0) | Permanent Link | Categories: Events, Front Page |
Jon Tester = Awesome
by V on 2:42 pm.
It’s nice to know that at least one of the candidates is listening to primary voters’ concerns:
Tester Says Montana Voters Deserve to Hear Directly from Candidates
May 30, 2006
(Big Sandy, MT) — Democratic Senate candidate Jon Tester today challenged opponent John Morrison to debate one last time so voters can hear the differences between the two candidates.
“Montana voters deserve to hear from both of us as much as they can so they can elect the best Democrat to take on Senator Conrad Burns this fall,” said Tester, who is running neck and neck with Morrison in the latest Lee Newspapers poll. “Voters want to hear from us directly. That’s the way our democracy works best.”
Tester said he hopes Morrison will take him up on his offer to debate one last time.
“We need to talk about improving access to health care, creating energy independence and electing a candidate with the honesty and integrity to challenge Conrad Burns on his ethical problems,” Tester said.
The Democratic candidates participated in a handful of debates earlier this spring.
And Tester, Burns and Democratic Senate candidate Paul Richards all took part in KEMC-FM’s radio call-in show with veteran journalists and hosts Jackie Yamanaka of Yellowstone Public Radio and Jim Gransberry of the Billings Gazette.
The journalists asked questions of the candidates, and allowed callers from across Montana to grill the candidates with tough questions.
Morrison canceled his appearance on the radio call-in show.
“I’d be happy to go on Yellowstone Public Radio again and allow listeners to ask both of us questions,” Tester said. “That’s good for the voters.”
I wonder if Morrison will have the stones to answer this call.
| Comments (14) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06, Front Page, democrats, elections |
The Honest Gentleman from Nevada
by Matt Singer on 1:36 pm.
One of the folks at Who’s Confused in Montana recently asked for a defense of Harry Reid’s recent actions that have something to do with boxing (I’m at a wireless location that blocks blogspot so
This is somehow similar to the situation in Conrad Burns’ office where staff illegally accepted gifts before helping the giver.
Um, yeah. Inanity.
And that’s not even because I think the Democratic Party as a whole is pure as the driven snow. But man, if you’re going to accuse someone of corruption, shouldn’t you have some evidence of illegality or corruption?
Update: The link should take you all the way now. -V
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Wha…
by V on 10:58 am.
…invisibility cloaks are not that far off?
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The Final Week of the Campaign
by Matt Singer on 9:56 am.
My thoughts are up at dKos.
| Comments (10) | Permanent Link | Categories: Front Page |
Scrapping Retirement Security
by Matt Singer on 9:23 am.
Here’s a crazy prediction: pensions will be a major debate in the state this fall and next year. Republicans will try to claim that we “have” to gut pensions for state employees and that it is only right because most workers don’t have pensions anyways.
The reasonable response, of course, is to simply fix the pension system. The mere fact that most workers get screwed these days is no good reason to screw over the rest of ‘em.
These changes are most likely to affect my generation and to have a net decrease on our retirement security. I look forward to hearing about how the changes in the economy have produced a more “dynamic” workforce.
Dynamic seems to be a positive word to describe the state of my peers — monstrous college debt, stagnating wages, no health insurance, and poor retirement options, even if they do manage to save.
I’m trying to get to the root of which Senator in Montana is declaring war on retirement security. Whether liquidating Social Security or pensions, the GOP really can’t get enough of making later years just a little more nerve-racking.
| Comments (5) | Permanent Link | Categories: Front Page, economic |
5/29/2006
Signgeist
by Matt Singer on 3:44 pm.
MontDem has a nice little tale:
I was driving down South Ave. in Missoula when I saw a guy standing in his yard. This yard also happened to have a John Morrison sign. The guy walked out to his sign and pulled it up. He promptly put up a Tester for Senate sign and tossed his Morrison sign in his open garage.
Ya gotta believe.
| Comments (8) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06, Front Page, democrats, political |
Memorial Day
by Matt Singer on 9:57 am.
Thank you.
| Comments (22) | Permanent Link | Categories: Front Page |
5/28/2006
The Tester-Morrison Difference
by Matt Singer on 8:11 pm.
Chuck Johnson’s Horse Sense column this week attempts to tease out the difference between Jon Tester and John Morrison. While he captures the stylistic difference well (Tester is a third-generation farmer; Morrison is a third-generation politician), he claims that the two “differ little on the major issues.” A statement that is flat out untrue.
Here’s how I see the policy differences:
- Jon Tester supports health care for all. Morrison prefers our current “patchwork quilt” system.
- Jon Tester opposes the bankruptcy bill, the energy bill, and CAFTA. John Morrison talks in Friedmanesque “earth is flat” platitudes about economic issues.
- Jon Tester got contraceptive equity done in Montana and has a 100% from MT NARAL the last 3 legislative sessions. John Morrison campaigned on contraceptive equity then refused to act.
- Jon Tester refused to endorse Montana’s hate amendment and instructed his legislative candidates not to submit to the politics of hate and fear. John Morrison, without so much as a heads up to Montana PRIDE, didn’t just endorse Montana’s hate amendment, he encouraged other Democrats to do likewise, and told the press that marriage belongs to straight people.
- Jon Tester has called for a withdrawal from Iraq and refocusing on the real enemy. John Morrison waffles on withdrawal and says simply that our policy should be encouraging the Iraqis to start a national oil company (a bit like having a health care policy of encouraging doctors to be nice to patients — missing the mark on what really matters by such a long-shot, it ain’t real).
Honestly, I think both of these guys have a decent shot of beating Burns this fall. But Morrison’s got a lot of skeletons and may not be able to win in November. Even if he does, we all need to consider what the addition of another Democrat opposing real progress on Iraq, trade, choice, civil rights, energy, and health care will do to our party over the long term.
That’s what this primary is about.
| Comments (19) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06, Front Page, democrats, policy, political |
John Morrison Desperation Watch
by Matt Singer on 12:36 pm.
Well, I’m sure you’ve all seen the latest poll on the Tester/Morrison primary. Jon Tester at 41. John Morrison at 42. Tester has higher favorables among Democratic primary voters and an unreal 1% unfavorable rating (Morrison’s unfavorable is 9%). That’s not the only big news, I’ve heard that big shot trial lawyer Cliff Edwards has abandoned Morrison’s campaign in the same fashion that Alexander Blewett recently did (Update: It sounds like this may be bad intel. For now, consider it false. I’ll check on it. I heard it from a couple sources, but it may be incorrect). Between trial lawyers fleeing the sinking ship, Melcher hopping on board Tester’s campaign, and a poll showing this race in a dead heat, the feeling is palpable: Jon Tester is poised to win this primary.
In fact, with the primary numbers showing what they do, John Morrison has only one believable option, try to drop Tester’s favorability rating. Now, as far as I know, there’s no real dirt on Tester except for on his hands and boots from farming outside of Big Sandy. That means that if Morrison (who is known for his temper) decides to unleash an attack, it’s likely to be false. And my guess is that it actually backfires on the campaign.
But scared critters tend to lash out. So we at LITW are declaring this the beginning of “John Morrison Desperation Watch.” If you catch wind of any Morrison-backed or anonymous attacks on Jon Tester, make sure you let us know about it. If it’s a phone call, try to write down as much of it as you can. If it’s a mail piece, save it and get it to us. If you start hearing rumors about Tester, let me know. We’ll help figure out if they’re true (honestly, I’m committed enough to integrity in government that if I hear something I consider ethically damning about Jon Tester, there’s nothing to keep my gloves on — as much as I like that man, my principles do matter more to me).
Keep your eyes peeled. Contribute to Jon Tester. Email his campaign to volunteer: info@testerforsenate.com. Spread the word: Jon Tester is poised to win this race.
Now let’s get to work.
| Comments (14) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06, Front Page, democrats, political |
Poll Open Thread
by V on 9:01 am.
If you read the real news, then you likely know already that a new poll came out. I imagine one of us will write this up in more detail later, but here is the gist:
John Morrison and Jon Tester are running neck-and-neck in their race for the June 6 Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate seat held by Republican Conrad Burns, a Gazette State Poll taken last week shows.
Thoughts?
| Comments (10) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06, Front Page, democrats, political |
5/27/2006
Howie Klein Writes Up Tester
by V on 3:17 pm.
This whole piece is really good.
| Comments (0) | Permanent Link | Categories: '06, Front Page, democrats |
