Antenori’s Amateurish Election Pitch Spreadsheet

March 19, 2012

By Michael Bryan An interesting little info-graphic from Frank Antenori's CD8/2 campaign: What pops out for me is the absolutey amateurish way this was put together. It's clearly just a spreadsheet. And just as clearly the person who threw it together has no concept of style or design, or even basic typographical competence. The font … Read more

Ron Barber to run for CD 2 congressional seat

March 19, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

I'll put in my two cents to what David Safier posted.

I had more than one Democratic candidate tell me that Ron Barber would not run for the CD 2 congressional seat this November. Their plans to run for Congress were premised, at least in part, on the belief that Ron Barber would not be a candidate for CD 2.

I can't say that promises were made and broken. I think there were a lot of assumptions made that turned out to be wrong.

The Arizona Daily Star reports Barber to seek permanent seat in Congress:

In somewhat of a surprise announcement, Democrat Ron Barber said Monday he will run for office in the newly drawn Congressional District 2 later this year.

Barber, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ long time district director, is already running to complete his former boss’ term in the Congressional District 8 special election. He is running unopposed in the Democratic primary and will face one of four Republicans vying for that party’s spot in the June 12 special election.

When Barber, 66, announced on Feb. 9 he would run in the special election, he didn’t close the door on competing in the CD2 election. But it was widely speculated that Barber, who has never run for public office, would choose only to complete Giffords’ term and then return to his career behind the scenes.

After five weeks on the campaign trail, however, Barber came to the conclusion he wanted to become a full time U.S. congressman.

The question now becomes if the four other Democrats who have already committed to running in CD2 will stay in the race: state Rep. Steve Farley; state Sen. Paula Aboud; state Rep. Matt Heinz; and Nomiki Konst, a former University of Arizona student.

The candidate announcement from Nan Stockholm Walden expected last week also did not occur.

Barber running for CD-2 seat in November

March 19, 2012

by David Safier I just heard it from a political friend and had it confirmed on The Range: Ron Barber is planning to run for U.S. Rep in the newly formed Congressional District 2 after, hopefully, winning the CD-8 seat to finish out Gabby's term. Dominos are going to be falling all over the place. … Read more

Tea-Publicans to renege on budget deal, take America hostage again

March 19, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie: Remember back to last August when a budget deal was agreed to after Tea-Publicans threatened to default on the federal debt ceiling? The parties agreed to a bipartisan "supercommittee" that had until November to come up with a budget deal, or there would be automatic "triggers," cuts to domestic and defense spending. … Read more

Our ‘cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs’ Governor has a conspiracy theory

March 19, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Nicole Wallace, who was tasked with the impossible job of turning Sarah Palin into someone who looked like she had a clue, wrote a novel inspired by what she calls a woman who is "cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs" making it to the White House. Subtle, Nicole.

It's no wonder Governor Jan Brewer and the halfling Governor of Alaska, the Quitta from Wasilla, are the "bestest" of friends. Our governor is equally "cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs." Don't believe it? Check out this report from the Arizona Capitol Times (subscription required) Brewer calls contraception debate a ‘Democrat ploy’ – Arizona Capitol Times:

Gov. Jan Brewer said she’s uncomfortable with a bill that would require some women to prove they’re using birth control for non-contraceptive reasons, but said the debate raging at both the state and national level is just election-year politics by Democrats who are hoping to drive women from the GOP.

“From what it appears, it might be an issue that has gained fire by our opposing party. I think that it’s a Democrat ploy to kind of put a wedge, if you will, between Republicans and women,” Brewer told reporters today.

‘If it’s Sunday, it’s John McCain’

March 19, 2012

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

"If it's Sunday, it's John McCain." I am derisively mocking the introduction to Meet The Press Gregory. David Gregory is the worst of the worst among the D.C. media villagers. He is an embarrassment to watch.

UPDATE: Meet the Press Admits Its Irrelevance, Lack of Creativity with Go-To Guest John McCain | Crooks and Liars: "John McCain [has] surpassed Bob Dole with his 64th appearance on the show. Since the beginning of this year (a total of twelve weeks), McCain has been booked eight times, far and away more than any other person, including the actual GOP presidential candidates."

Another man who is embarrassing to watch is Gregory's perpetual guest, Sen. John McCain. Last week, McCain voted for the "Blunt Amendment," the “tell your boss why you’re on the pill bill” that would allow employers to demand proof that their employees are not using birth control for contraceptive purposes before their insurance will cover the pills. (h/t Daily Kos).

The "Blunt Amendment" failed, but the Tea-Publican Arizona legislature took up the "Baby Blunt Amendment" that doubled-down on the crazy, permitting employers to terminate contraception users on "religious or moral objections" to their private life Arizona Senate Committee Endorses 'Tell Your Boss Why You're On The Pill' Bill.  A panel of the Arizona legislature also voted to defund Planned Parenthood, which for many women is the only health care provider for breast cancer screening, cervical cancer screening, etc., available in their community. Republican-Controlled Arizona Legislature On Cusp Of Defunding Planned Parenthood. This got lots of bad national press last week.

In his interview on Meet The Press Gregory, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) slammed this assault on working women, and even urged his fellow Republicans to finally end their lengthy war on women’s reproductive health. Think Progress reports After Backing Anti-Birth Control Blunt Amendment, McCain Now Says GOP Needs To 'Get Off' War On Women:

GREGORY: Are you concerned at all to see the focus, with certain elements of the Republican Party, on social issues? In your own state of Arizona, there’s this contraception bill that even the governor has said would put women in the uncomfortable position where they had to say to their employers why they wanted contraception, and why it should be covered — is that a bad road?

McCAIN: I am confident that that legislation will not reach the governor’s desk and if it did it would be vetoed. . . . It certainly does not reflect, in my view, the majority view of the people of Arizona.

GREGORY: Do you think that there is something of a war on women among Republicans?

McCAIN: I think we have to fix that. I think that there is a perception out there because of how this whole contraception issue played out — ah, we need to get off of that issue, in my view. I think we ought to respect the right of women to make choices in their lives and make that clear, and get back onto what the American people really care about.

* * *

McCain’s concern for “the right of women to make choices” is touching, but it is also a very new development. Just this month, McCain backed the Blunt Amendment, a key prong in the GOP war on women that would have allowed employers to veto women’s access to contraception through their health plans.