Union Backing
August 7, 2008 – 4:55 pmJill Long Thompson touted a new endorsement today from the AFL-CIO but while this adds to a list of union labels for the Democratic candidate for governor, there is one big one missing.
Where is the UAW?
Scenes from Elkhart
August 6, 2008 – 5:48 pmLeftover thoughts from Barack Obama’s appearance at Concord High School:
-This morning’s event started almost a half hour late. Was it held on Evan Bayh time?
-Obama first mispronounced the name of Mike Montagano (the Democrat challenging Congressman Mark Souder) before getting it right. Its something Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry did at an earlier event and something I did on Indiana Week in Review. Its mon-TAG-a-no.
-State Democratic Chairman Dan Parker and House Speaker Pat Bauer didn’t get acknowledged by Obama.
-House Speaker Pat Bauer had a new shorter haircut.
-Just two Chicago television stations made the trip to Elkhart and two from Indianapolis.
-A t-shirt and cap vendor outside said it was a bad day. He blamed it on a small house (1600) and too many vendors.
Lineup Change
August 5, 2008 – 10:00 amMitch Daniels plans a major policy speech before the Indianapolis Rotary Club this afternoon. The choice of venue is pure Daniels. It will be a friendly, but not partisan, audience.
And the choice was the governor’s, not the Rotary’s. Originally, Matt Pierce, the spokesman for the Indiana Toll Road was lined up to speak. The governor’s office made the switch and then informed the Rotary of the governor’s desire for a platform.
Do you think Matt Pierce’s opportunity will come after the election?
Draw Your Own Conclusion
August 4, 2008 – 10:10 amIndiana Senator Evan Bayh originally had no plans to be in Elkhart with Barack Obama on Wednesday. A Bayh advisor says Bayh didn’t want to interfere with the energy message Obama intends to deliver by prompting new running mate speculation. New plans call for Sen. Bayh to introduce Obama at the town hall event.
Should that fuel speculation that Bayh will be named winner of the veepstakes?
A spokesman for Bayh says the Senator will be acting as a supporter and the head of the Democratic Party in Indiana. He says there is nothing more to it.
Then again, if there was, he wouldn’t leak it today.
Obama Alert
August 1, 2008 – 4:20 pmLook for yet another candidate visit by the Democrat next week.
Think mid-week in northern Indiana.
Airport Opening Delay Discussed
August 1, 2008 – 2:14 pmThe scheduled grand opening of the new Indianapolis International Airport may wait until after Election day.
The Airport Authority board this morning discussed moving the October 28th event to November 11th. The reasons are not clear.
If the move is made, will they reset the countdown clock in the old terminal, or just unplug it for a few days?
Unity Message
August 1, 2008 – 10:43 amIndiana Democrats gather in French Lick this weekend for the first time since 2005 as the Indiana Democratic Editorial Association returns to its traditional meeting site.
The weekend full of events is always capped by a Saturday night keynote address and this year it will come from Joe Hogsett. Hogsett was a co-chair of the Hillary Clinton campaign in Indiana but will represent the Barack Obama campaign on Saturday night.
Imitation, flattery, and accuracy
July 31, 2008 – 1:56 pmEd Treacy used the term “Accidental Mayor” in reference to Mayor Greg Ballard 9 times in the speech he gave upon his return as Marion County Democratic Chairman. Now there is some sputtering on the Internet about the origin of the phrase “Accidental Mayor” and its accuracy.
Pride forces me to claim credit.
On Election night 2007 I made the case that Ballard won a primary without support from the party organization and then ran a campaign with party support that consisted mostly of a desk and a phone. Meantime, Democrat Bart Peterson raised income taxes in the face of a property tax crisis and the protest vote fell to Ballard.
“In some ways he is the Accidental Mayor,” I said.
Whether the events constitute an accident, you can decide. But the line is mine.
It was later picked up by a Democrat who ran a website by that title for a time. I’m OK with that. Just give credit (or blame) where it is due.
Long Thompson/Oxley trivia
July 30, 2008 – 3:27 pmWith all the flap about Barack Obama wearing a flag pin or not wearing a flag pin on his lapel, Jill Long Thompson sports a lapel pin that needs some explanation.
It reads WOS which is short for Women of Steel. It comes from the Steelworkers Union, one of her biggest support groups. Long Thompson says she draws inspiration from it and believes all women are women of steel.
Meantime, while Republican blogs accuse her running mate, Dennie Oxley, of being unemployed, Oxley reports that he has a new part-time job. Its a public relations position with Certified Engineering.
Carson for Daniels
July 28, 2008 – 5:34 pmSam Carson, son of the late Congresswoman Julia Carson, is a volunteer for the Mitch Daniels re-election campaign.
Carson is a Democrat who came to the Republican campaign telling staffers that he admires the governor. He also had an idea to place boxes in African American barber and beauty shops with forms so that customers can leave a question for the governor to answer.
The campaign delivered 300 boxes today with Carson’s help.
