Featured Stories
Romney’s European Vacation detours through Israel for more gaffes
July 30, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
After being run out of Great Britain by the Fleet Street media for insulting everyone in the country, Willard "Mittens" Romney made a brief layover in Switzerland to visit his money before flying on to Israel.
Keep in mind that Romney's visit to Israel really had little to do with Israel. This was for consumption by the FAUX News Fraudcasting audience back home who are the "end times" Dominionists and Christian Reconstructionists whose interest in Israel only goes so deep as bringing about Armageddon — the Dome of the Rock (Islam) that currently occupies the Temple Mount would have to be destroyed and replaced by the Third Temple (Jewish) on the Temple Mount in this prophesy — and only select Christians would be raptured into heaven; the Jews all perish in hell, of course. You know how it is. With friends like these, who needs enemies?
Romney was also in Israel for a campaign fundraiser hosted by his billionaire Super PAC benefactor, Sheldon Adelson. Steve Benen reports, Still shambling, from London to Jerusalem:
Perhaps the Republican presidential hopeful would have more luck in Israel? Not really.
Initially, Romney's team said it would bar U.S. reporters from covering an Israeli fundraiser, but in the face of criticism, the campaign reversed course. Worse, Romney's top foreign policy aide, Dan Senor, suggested to reporters that Romney is prepared to support a unilateral Israeli military strike on Iran, and the campaign spent the next few hours scrambling, trying to carefully "clarify" Senor's comments, without actually rejecting his underlying point.
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Perhaps the most notable embarrassment came shortly before Romney arrived. The Republican has spent months boasting about his close, personal friendship with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, only to have Vanity Fair publish this item over the weekend:
"I remember him for sure, but I don't think we had any particular connections," [Netanyahu] tells me. "I knew him and he knew me, I suppose."
Making matters slightly worse, Romney scheduled a meeting with the leaders of Israel's Labor Party, only to make a "last-minute cancellation."
Well did Romney at least get out of the country without offending someone this time? What do you think.
Oracle School Board candidate makes Comedy Central, in a good way
July 30, 2012
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by David Safier Linda Thomas of Saddlebrooke is running for the Oro Valley School Board. Somehow, she got on the Comedy Central radar, which usually isn't a good thing, but in this case, it is. The joke is on Arizona, not Thomas. The premise is, "Hey, she makes sense, how did she end up in … Read more
NRA’s “bark is a lot more annoying than their bite.”
July 30, 2012
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by David Safier I've been hearing from groups wanting more regulation on gun purchases that the NRA isn't nearly as powerful politically as it claims, that its endorsement doesn't guarantee a win and its condemnation doesn't mean a loss. An article on the McClatchy site, NRA clout rooted more in its tactics than its election … Read more
Dr. Richard Carmona Veterans Town Halls this week
July 30, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Announcement from the Richard Carmona for U.S. Senate Campaign: Carmona to hold veterans town halls throughout Arizona Rich Carmona continues his statewide veterans town hall tour in Yuma on Tuesday, where he will meet with veterans and supporters. This will be the third stop in a series of six veterans town halls. … Read more
Douglas Democrats in Action – office grand opening August 25
July 30, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
Thanks to Elsa & Jesus Obregon, Ginny Jordan and Susan Bickel, wh are the leaders of this effort, and the dedication of a number of local activists, they have started a group called “Douglas Democrats in Action” (DDIA) with the purpose of opening a Democratic office in Douglas, AZ for voter outreach and voter registration. Their dedication and effort are paying off.
From the Douglas Dispatch (h/t Pat Fleming):
Local Democrats are opening a local office at 1015 G. Avenue, Douglas, AZ. [The address is not yet on the building, across from the Gadsden hotel, parking available behind the new county building. Office is between Backdrop Photography and Ortega Stores.]
Douglas Votes! is the theme of our Grand Opening scheduled for August 25th. Featured speakers include Cesar Blanco, field director for Obama for Arizona, Randy Parraz, noted for spearheading the successful Russell Pearce recall effort and Lillia Alvarez, an Arizona women’s advocate. Local candidates will attend and will be available to talk to the public.
Matt Heinz, candidate for CD2 House of Representatives will be visiting the office for a meet and greet town hall event at 6 PM, Tuesday, August 7th. Everyone is invited to meet him and hear his views on issues affecting our area.
We invite everyone to stop by and visit. Office staff will be available to assist with voter registration, provide information about local, state and national candidates, and to provide information about referendums proposed by the state legislature.
What unites us is the belief that by participating in the political process, we can be successful in preserving what is good and lasting in our country. We want to change those things that are keeping our country from being the best it can be. We encourage everyone to take an active interest in finding common sense solutions for Douglas area residents.
We care about our local economy. We care about public education from K-12, the community college level and the university level. We care about health care, Social Security and the environment. We care about the future of our middle class. Visit us to find out how you can become a part of the solution!
“Douglas Democrats in Action” (DDIA) is asking you to donate office equipment and supplies (list below the fold). Please email Susan Bickel at susanbickel@hotmail.com or Elsa Obregon at indianflower@hotmail.com, or Virginia Jordan jordan@theriver.com.
Canvassing and phone banking are already up and running out of the new office. Bilingual speakers are needed. Please RSVP to Jeremey Lasher (520) 609-7641 or jaylasher82@gmail.com.
Newsweek: Diary of a Wimpy Mitt
July 30, 2012
Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
In all fairness, does anyone still subscribe to Newsweek? Aren't they on the verge of ceasing publication and going online only? I'm sure I read that somewhere.
In any event, Newsweek has managed to gain itself some media attention over the weekend with its penchant for controversial covers to attract such media attention. The controversial cover this time? "The wimp factor" Newsweek once (in)famously applied to George H.W. Bush has been revived. In a lengthy exposé report by Michael Tomasky, he examines "Mitt Romney's Wimp Factor," A Mouse in the White House? (excerpts):
Mitt Romney managed to alienate just about every living Briton. He didn’t merely criticize the organizers or bureaucrats—he questioned the people of Britain themselves: “Do [the people] come together and celebrate the Olympic moment?” He wasn’t sure. The Sun even went so far as to dub him “Mitt the Twit.”
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The episode highlights what’s really wrong with Romney. He’s kind of lame, and he’s really … annoying. He keeps saying these … things, these incredibly off-key things. Then he apologizes immediately—with all the sincerity of a hostage. Or maybe he doesn’t: sometimes he whines about the subsequent attacks on him. But the one thing he never does? Man up, double down, take his lumps.
In 1987, this magazine created a famous hubbub by labeling George H.W. Bush a “wimp” on its cover. “The Wimp Factor.” Huge stir. And not entirely fair—the guy had been an aviator in the war, the big war, the good war, and he was even shot down out over the Pacific, cockpit drenched in smoke and fumes, at an age (20) when in most states he couldn’t even legally drink a beer. In hindsight, Poppy looks like Dirty Harry Callahan compared with Romney, who spent his war (Vietnam) in—ready?—Paris. Where he learned … French. Up to his eyeballs in deferments. Where Reagan saddled up a horse with the masculine name of El Alamein, Mitt saddles up something called Rafalca—except that he doesn’t even really do that, his wife does (dressage). And speaking of Ann—did you notice that she was the one driving the Jet Ski on their recent vacation, while Mitt rode on the back, hanging on, as Paul Begala put it to me last week, “like a helpless papoose”?
Maricopa hullabaloo: Can the Dems beat Arpaio?
July 30, 2012
by Pamela Powers Hannley
Maricopa County Democrats smell blood in the water. The notorious Sheriff Joe Arpaio is facing multiple legal battles– finally— and the Dems think that maybe… just maybe… they can oust him from the office he has held for decades.
There are two Democrats running in the primary: John Rowan and Paul Penzone. There is a lot of verbal wrangling amongst Maricopa Dems regarding who is the best candidate. (Hey, it's politics.) Rowan, who has come out strongly as anti-SB1070 and pro-reform– is seen as the more progressive choice. Labeled a "party darling" by activists, Penzone is much better funded than Rowan– but not anywhere near as well-funded as Arpaio, who has millions on hand to trounce a challenger.
Is Maricopa County ready to clean up the sheriff's office?
Watch videos of both candidates after the jump.
It should be an active third party expenditure year
July 29, 2012
By Craig McDermott, cross-posted from Random Musings (most of my recent posts have been Maricopa-centric or have been covered by the other writers here, but this one covers material that they haven't covered, plus it features everybody's favorite Baja bully, Frank Antenori, hence the cross-post :)) )…
Note: there is July 30 update below the fold…
…I don't mean that the Libertarians, Greens, or some other party will experience significant electoral success, but that there will be a *lot* of "third party" spending to influence elections (meaning spending from non-candidate and non-political party groups). And not just at the federal level, either (which is what this post is about).
There have been a large number of new state-level committees formed this year to serve as conduits for election-influencing money. A sampling, with filer ID number (for now, I'm only looking at committees with filer IDs issued in 2012, and leaning toward those that have reported accepting/expending money, though there will be exceptions to that) –
