Indicted Senator Wins G.O.P. Primary

[telcoman]

Outstanding!

Well at least this one wasn't playing footsie in a airport mens room

August 28, 2008Indicted Senator Wins G.O.P. Primary By WILLIAM YARDLEYSenator Ted Stevens of Alaska won the Republican primary in his home state on Tuesday, soundly defeating six Republican challengers less than a month after he was indicted by a federal grand jury for concealing more than $250,000 in gifts from an oil services company.

The victory for Mr. Stevens, 84, means he now moves to a tough general election campaign against Mayor Mark Begich of Anchorage, who easily won the Democratic primary on Tuesday and leads the senator in polls. Mr. Stevens enters the general election also having to prepare for his trial, which is scheduled to begin in late September.

Mr. Stevens, who has been in office for 40 years and is revered for bringing home billions of dollars in federal spending, received more than 63 percent of the vote.

"People have been voting for Ted for 40 years and their inclination is to keep doing it," Dave Cuddy, a former state lawmaker who finished a distant second to Mr. Stevens, said in a phone interview several hours before the polls closed.

Representative Don Young, the state's lone House member and a 35-year incumbent, was locked in a close primary race with Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell early Wednesday. With nearly 98 percent of precincts reporting, Mr. Young led by fewer than 150 votes out of more than 85,000 cast.

Like Mr. Stevens, Mr. Young is under federal investigation for his ties to VECO, a former oil services company, but he also faces scrutiny on other matters, including a controversial $10 million earmark he pushed through for a Florida road project. Mr. Young has spent more than $1 million of his campaign funds on legal fees.

Mr. Parnell was endorsed by the state's popular Republican governor, Sarah Palin, and he had led Mr. Young in polls conducted earlier this year. But his lead began to slip as Mr. Young engaged in the race more aggressively this summer, casting Mr. Parnell as an "incompetent" puppet of outside interests, primary the fiscally conservative Club for Growth. That group, which was linked to more than $330,000 in campaign donations to Mr. Parnell, has long attacked Mr. Young for the earmarks he has supported for his home state, including a proposed $200 million bridge to a small island in Southeast Alaska. The bridge, known as the "bridge to nowhere," became a symbol of earmark excess. It has not been built.

As the primary neared, Mr. Young mocked Mr. Parnell's mild manner and lackluster performances in debates, calling him "Captain Zero" in one interview. Mr. Parnell said the taunts simply confirmed the need for a Republican who would restore dignity and ethics to Alaska's congressional delegation.

Whoever wins will have little time to celebrate. Ethan Berkowitz, a former minority leader of the state House, easily won the Democratic primary in the House race on Tuesday, and both he and Mr. Begich are being aggressively supported by national Democratic groups.

Mr. Berkowitz said in a phone interview after his victory that he intended to court the supporters of whoever loses in the race between Mr. Young and Mr. Parnell.

"The people that want a fight, I've got something for them," he said, referring to Mr. Young's supporters, "and the people that want to change Alaska's reputation, I've got something for them, too."

In another closely fought Alaska race, a petition initiative intended to increase protections for clean water and streams where salmon live was easily defeated. Known as Ballot Measure 4, the initiative was largely aimed at fighting the development of the proposed Pebble Mine, a vast deposit of copper and gold that is near the headwaters of Bristol Bay, one of the Pacific Ocean's most productive runs of salmon.

The Measure 4 campaign became one of the most expensive in state history, with more than $10 million spent overall. Opponents, led by the mining industry, had raised more than twice as much as supporters in the final week of the campaign. The measure was defeated, with 57 percent of ballots cast in opposition and 43 percent in favor. The defeat of the measure does not ensure that the mine will be developed. It still must receive multiple state permits.

I predict a democrat win here.

Telcoman

[AZhitman]

Well at least this one wasn't playing footsie in a airport mens room

What's the matter, Howie?

Do you hate homosexuals?

Are you the only liberal in the world who won't stand up for a man's right to be with another man?

Why do you hate people who are different than you?

Are you saying he shouldn't be elected to public office because he's accused of acting on his innate evolutionary urges?

Now you can no longer vote for a Black man who admitted to possession of cocaine.

[ishkabibble]

Maybe he supports "family values" and "the sanctity of marriage".

[telcoman]

What's the matter, Howie?

Do you hate homosexuals?

Are you the only liberal in the world who won't stand up for a man's right to be with another man?

Why do you hate people who are different than you?

Are you saying he shouldn't be elected to public office because he's accused of acting on his innate evolutionary urges?

Now you can no longer vote for a Black man who admitted to possession of cocaine.

I don't hate anyone.

Gays should have the same rights as every other citizen.

What I find upsetting is the neocon right wing attempting to push their Guns, Abortion, anti gay, bible thumping agenda on the rest of Americans.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not surprised at this coming from Arkansas!

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.comMeasure aimed at banning gays from adopting kids is cleared for Arkansas ballot

Some family council bunch they are.

I relate closer to Michelle and Barack Obama's family values than those in Arkansas.

What a bunch of hicks

Telcoman

[AZhitman]

What I find upsetting is the neocon right wing attempting to push their Guns, Abortion, anti gay, bible thumping agenda on the rest of Americans.

What a bunch of hicks

You're a backpedaling hypocrite.

In one post, you bash a guy for being gay.

Then you come back and call people "hicks" for being opposed to gay adoption.

YOU'RE anti-gay, as evidenced by your smartass comment at the top of this thread.

Find a side and stick to it. Flip-flops are for the beach.

Or, backpedal some more and claim you meant something else.

[srellim234]

I somehow thought the United States had a principal of "innocent until proven guilty." Indictment is not conviction. Your attempt at Republican bashing is nowhere close to being based on anything that warrants such.

[OriginalWheelman]

What I find upsetting is the neocon right wing attempting to push their Guns, Abortion, anti gay, bible thumping agenda on the rest of Americans.

And I find it offensive that the Dems can accept everyone right to their own views except the Republicans. Besides the Dems don't want real freedom of choice. If your daughter wanted to be a prostitute, would you be for it? It is her decision after all...

I somehow thought the United States had a principal of "innocent until proven guilty." Indictment is not conviction. Your attempt at Republican bashing is nowhere close to being based on anything that warrants such.

Agreed. Accused does not equate guilty. All that it means is there was enough evidence to warrant a trial. Trials are the detailed analysis of the evidence, before an impartial panel. As humans we sometimes want to see things that are not really there. Trials are to ensure that what the police though happened, is the most likely scenario.

I don't hate anyone.

What a bunch of hicks

Sounds like hate to me. You don't need to be an activist to hate people. There are a lot of racists, and not a lot of people in the KKK.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com Measure aimed at banning gays from adopting kids is cleared for Arkansas ballot

Cleared for the ballot means there was enough support for them to have it brought to an official vote. It is unlikely that the resolution will pass IMO, but so what if it does. The people of Arkansas have a right to govern themselves. If the majority of the people in Arkansas want this to pass it will. We live in a majority rules society, not a fair for everyone society. Fairness for everyone is a pipe dream. For all the "progress" we've made away form the religious right, people are a lot less nice to each other than they were 50 years ago. Isn't this evidence that this doesn't work? If you try to force someone to do something, they resent it, and will most likely rebel against it, even if it is for their own good.

[ishkabibble]

We live in a majority rules society, not a fair for everyone society.

Not quite correct. There are lots of elements in place in America to protect the minority, and that's the way it should be.

[audtatious]

To Telcoman, anyone from a red state does not have the right to make any decisions at all and need the likes of him to tell us how to live our lives. First he will remove all religion and outlaw the bible because it creates bible thumpers. Then he will remove all voting rights to those states becase they are too stupid as they vote differently than he does. Then he will punish them for having the odacity to have an opinion which he will remove from Constitutional protection. Then he will ensure that guns are removed from everyone except for criminals themselves. All because he deems we need it for our own protection.

We have no rights in his eyes. Those on the fringe and those who take or force their views on others have all the rights because some of us are keeping those minority groups for being able to do anything they desire. Shame on us. We need people like Telcoman to institute the new United Socialist States of America (USSA).

We will all thank him later for being a hypocrit and a socialist after we have been brainwashed to accept his viewpoints.

[AZhitman]

Remember, this is the guy who said, "...at least this one wasn't playing footsie in a airport mens room".

Which, roughly translated, means: "this guy got indicted for a crime, but at least he's not gay".

Hypocritical flip-floppage.

Gay-bashing from the left?

Hell truly HAS frozen over.

[smockers83]

So I guess this would be 8/27/08 #2, right?

[OriginalWheelman]

Not quite correct. There are lots of elements in place in America to protect the minority, and that's the way it should be.

Becuase the Majority wanted it that way.

[ishkabibble]

Touche.

[HashiriyaS14]

Now you can no longer vote for a Black man who admitted to possession of cocaine.

Versus the current President and his past cocaine issues? Issues that, unlike Obama's, occurred in adulthood and not during high school?

I don't jump on every anti-Obama comment and b*tch about it like some of his supporters on here, but you can definitely do better than that. I know you can do better, lol.

At any rate, I'm not sure the "footsie in the mens room" is really supposed to be a gay-bashing comment. Regardless of how tolerant or even embracing anyone is of homosexuality, having a member of your party caught trying to have sex with *anyone*, male or female, in an AIRPORT BATHROOM is pretty embarrassing to that party. I think the point is that this guy (Ted), while he's seemingly done some embarrassing stuff for the party, isn't quite as embarrassing as soliciting sex in airport bathrooms.

Regardless, I definitely do NOT forsee a Democrat winning this seat. I DO forsee Bob Barr possibly taking as much as 8% of the Presidential vote in Alaska though, making it either very close or a potential upset Obama victory.

[AZhitman]

Versus the current President and his past cocaine issues? Issues that, unlike Obama's, occurred in adulthood and not during high school?

My understanding was that it was in college.

Even BETTER if it was high school - Tells me his poor judgement and bad decision-making began very, very early in life.

My point stands: The OP continues to spout vitriol against those who don't think as he does... yet he's clearly got some disdain for this guy's behavior and apparently places a discrete solicitation for sex FAR above criminal activity on his no-no list.

Again, just pointing out the extreme hypocrisy of someone who says one thing and does another. Creates a real credibility issue.

[audtatious]

Versus the current President and his past cocaine issues? Issues that, unlike Obama's, occurred in adulthood and not during high school?

Not just during high school. College is mentioned as well, thus he was an adult too unless the laws have changed and people who are <25 are no longer adults?

Turnabout should be fair play since the left made such a fuss about Bush being a alcoholic/cocaine addict 25+ years ago. Or is that not allowed?

[HashiriyaS14]

My understanding was that it was in college.

Even BETTER if it was high school - Tells me his poor judgement and bad decision-making began very, very early in life.

My point stands: The OP continues to spout vitriol against those who don't think as he does... yet he's clearly got some disdain for this guy's behavior and apparently places a discrete solicitation for sex FAR above criminal activity on his no-no list.

Again, just pointing out the extreme hypocrisy of someone who says one thing and does another. Creates a real credibility issue.

Ok, whatever, but MY points still stand:

We've both got guys who did some blow. Do we really want to fight about the particulars? Why bring that up?

I don't think telco was gay-bashing, I think he was just making a joke that given how much embarassment the GOP has suffered in the last couple years, this Ted guy is a drop in the bucket, which is absolutely true.

It's not like the Dems never suffer embarassment either (Edwards), but seriously, after Mark Foley and Larry Craig, the GOP has taken it on the chin pretty hard from a scandal/PR standpoint.

And yes, I cede the point that the OP is, generally, nuts. 90% of the people backing Obama on this board are completely bat-shxt f**king loco, whilst this label probably only covers maybe 50% of the people arguing for McCain. You've got me there bucko. Ultimately though, a candidate is not his supporters.

All I can say about that is how about you ignore their threads from now on and argue with me instead? I'm pretty confident that I (and helio) can do a better job.

[audtatious]

It's not like the Dems never suffer embarassment either (Edwards), but seriously, after Mark Foley and Larry Craig, the GOP has taken it on the chin pretty hard from a scandal/PR standpoint.

Don't forget Elliot Spritzer, Matthew Barrett and others

[OriginalWheelman]

Don't forget Elliot Spritzer, Matthew Barrett and others

Too bad about Spitzer. He was a damned good attorney general. He did a lot for the little man. I was happy to vote for him for governor and I was pissed he resigned over that bull****.

[telcoman]

I don't think telco was gay-bashing, I think he was just making a joke that given how much embarassment the GOP has suffered in the last couple years, this Ted guy is a drop in the bucket, which is absolutely true.

HashiriyaS14

At least someone understands!

Too bad about Spitzer. He was a damned good attorney general. He did a lot for the little man. I was happy to vote for him for governor and I was pissed he resigned over that bull****.

I would have voted for him if I could have.



Telcoman

[AZhitman]

You must be exhausted from all that spinning....

From a guy who espouses a party theology that allows for individual freedom of expression, no matter how counterculture, unhealthy or bizarre, it amazes me that you'd be critical of Larry Craig and not defending him.

Your last Democrat in the Oval Office had sexual relations with a woman nearly 40 years his junior (back it up a few years and it's statutory rape or child molestation), on taxpayer time, then lied about it repeatedly.

A Republican Senator gets "busted" (looked more like a setup) for soliciting a nooner and you're all up in arms (you've referenced him several times).

Now - Why wouldn't you apply the same logic to both situations? Apparently Spitzer's behavior is OK, Clinton's behavior is OK... Why would you defend one and not the other?

I'll tell you why. Because you're a typical Libby, placing party affiliation above all else.

[rn79870]

Your last Democrat in the Oval Office had sexual relations with a woman nearly 40 years his junior (back it up a few years and it's statutory rape or child molestation), on taxpayer time, then lied about it repeatedly.

A Republican Senator gets "busted" (looked more like a setup) for soliciting a nooner and you're all up in arms (you've referenced him several times).

Now - Why wouldn't you apply the same logic to both situations? Apparently Spitzer's behavior is OK, Clinton's behavior is OK... Why would you defend one and not the other?

.

Seriously, one is in an office, the other in a public restroom. One is "normal" the other is, well, "not normal" and you want know why some people don't apply the same logic to both situations? That ain't spin, it's common sense.

[audtatious]

But you and others in the party seem to determine what normal is. Gay is normal unless you are a republican that touches another mans foot in the rest room then it's not acceptible. Having an affair is OK if you are a democrat President in office but if you are seperated from your wife and find someone else then you are an unfaithful POS (unless you are John Edwards then you just have pity for them). Doing drugs are OK if you admit you did it in college due to pressure of being black but if you are a white man and had an alcohol problem and used coke 25+ years ago you are the anti-christ.

You are on both sides of the fence and conveniently pick the side that is opposite of the Republican party regardles of your other positions.

[AZhitman]

Seriously, one is in an office, the other in a public restroom. One is "normal" the other is, well, "not normal"

Hmmmm.

Since when did libbies start criticizing behavior that's "not normal"?

Sticking a cigar in a woman's vagina is "normal"?

Aren't these the same people who told me to "get over it" when I complained about two dudes making out in the restaurant near me and my kids?

You should pull the ripcord on this one, Bob. Save yourself.

There's no defending the hypocrisy we're witnessing here from telco.

[Jimefam]

I for one find gay behavior disgusting so what I also find some heterosexual practices disgusting. I still believe that they have the same rights as I do PERIOD. I dont need to bs or be p.c. the problem I have with some fanatics on the right is they want to force there views on other people. Same with religion, you can be the biggest believer in the world I couldn't give a F**K but dont try and make me follow your views. I would also have been upset at that scene in the restaurant hitman BUT it would have also bothered me if it was a straight couple. Extreme displays of affection are better done in private regardless of who is performing them.

[Jimefam]

My understanding was that it was in college.

Even BETTER if it was high school - Tells me his poor judgement and bad decision-making began very, very early in life.

How can this be better than what bush did?? Almost every one experiences poor judgement and bad decision-making began very, very early in life. That is called maturing. G. W. Bush was a heavy drinker since hs and became a full blown alcoholic in his late twenties and he him self called his 30's "nomadic" and admits "there wasn't a day when he didn't have a drink for a whole DECADE" he also had several DUI's and admits to driving under the influence much more often even with his younger brother in the car when his brother was a minor. He got into an accident and left the scene intoxicated then challenged his father to a fist fight that same night! Yup I can see how this is much worse than teenage drug use . But I really dont see how its relevant for either man they are obviously clean now and look at what they've accomplished even with that poor judgement and bad decision-making.

[AZhitman]

Great posts.

My point was to expose and shine a bright light on the hypocrisy of the OP... I fear it pervades the entire party...

They hide their disdain for certain behavior publicly, being the party of "tolerance" and "acceptance". But the true colors bleed through when they let their guard down.

At least people like me ADMIT that we struggle to be tolerant and accepting.

[audtatious]

Hell, I complain about what Bush does and the Republican party as well. That's great to them but the minute I don't agree with their ideology I'm dismissed. The Democratic party is not the "Party for the People" it's the "party for themselves and their viewpoints only". They know better than the rest of us and that is further proven by their full support of Obama and everything he says. He has no errors in his stances, only we do for not believing in his hope and change speak.

[rn79870]

Hell, I complain about what Bush does and the Republican party as well. That's great to them but the minute I don't agree with their ideology I'm dismissed. The Democratic party is not the "Party for the People" it's the "party for themselves and their viewpoints only". They know better than the rest of us and that is further proven by their full support of Obama and everything he says. He has no errors in his stances, only we do for not believing in his hope and change speak.

That argument so fits the current discussion we've seen concerning Palin. The Republicans are defending just as if there is no questions re: her qualifications whatsoever. Interesting.

[audtatious]

I have questions and they will be answered in time.