Just 8 days remain in the roughest Indiana Senate primary in modern history and the candidates were busy today.  Richard Mourdock got more outside help while Dick Lugar hit the road.  Mourdock is happy to make it a referendum on Dick Lugar while Lugar is trying to change the subject.

Mourdock received his latest endorsement form a national group, this one from a political action committee in support of term limits.  Lugar’s pursuit of a 7th term makes him an easy target for them.  “It’s a class issue,” says Philip Blumel of the Term Limits America PAC.  “It’s an issue of people versus power.”

It adds to a long list of outside endorsements for Mourdock including one from Sarah Palin.  “I think it’s fascinating that we have John McCain on one side and Sarah Palin on the other,” he says.  “It really does define this as being that fight for the heart and soul of the Republican Party.”

Lugar, meantime was in South Bend sticking to the issues.  In this case, his call for construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.  “Because there’s a shortage of oil in this country,” said Lugar.  “We don’t produce enough in this country.  Canada is a friendly country offering us 20,000 new jobs, a $7 billion investment, 500 million barrels a day.  Of course it’s something we need to have.”

Lugar argues that Hoosiers will decide this race and his biggest endorsement is from Mitch Daniels, who appears in a second Lugar TV ad.  “We’re lucky to have Dick Lugar,” he says in the ad, “and we need to keep him.”

Mitch Daniels is not about to condemn Mourdock, however.  “They’re two good people,” he said today, “friends and allies both.”  Daniels says he will support the winner of the primary whether it’s Lugar or Mourdock.

Sarah Palin has endorsed Republican Jackie Walorski’s bid to upset Democrat Joe Donnelly in the 2nd District. 

Here’s the link:

http://www.facebook.com/notes/sarah-palin/proud-to-support-more-women-leaders-on-the-90th-anniversary-of-womens-suffrage/420211583434.

If you missed getting an autographed book from Sarah Palin and still desire one, the ARC of Indiana has a proposition for you. 

A Palin signed book is up for auction at www.arcind.org where an Obama signed book went for $700 last year.  Sally Morris of ARC would love to see a competition for the highest bid.  While in Noblesville, meantime, Palin met with an ARC board member and his family.

Thoughts I felt I should share based on recent and upcoming news events: 

-The recent firing of two Republican ward chairs supports my theory that GOP leaders  worry about the conservative direction of the party at a time where is opportunity for growth in the middle of the political spectrum.

-Rep. Henry Waxman’s (D-California) planned subcommittee hearing in New Albany tomorrow points up that Rep. Baron Hill (D-9th District) really does have clout in the health care debate.  Will the hearing convince Hill to support President Barack Obama, or give him political cover to vote against him?

-Sarah Palin’s exit from office causes Mitch Daniels national profile to rise even more.

I just watched the CBS Evening News and saw stories about two troubled governors. 

Sarah Palin of Alaska announced she is stepping down.  She gave no good reason but the speculation includes talk that her move is a reaction to public criticism like that recently made by Late Night comedian David Letterman.

Mark Sanford of South Carolina continues to battle calls for his resignation.  The Lt. Governor of South Carolina cited Letterman jokes as a reason why the governor should step down.

There is no local version of Letterman but former Democratic running mate Dennie Oxley should know that his recent legal trouble is the source of much Statehouse humor. 

The future is bleak whenever a politician becomes a punchline.

There is much hoopla over Sarah Palin’s planned visit to the Vanderburgh County Right-to-Life dinner in Evansville on April 16th.  But new GOP National Chairman Michael Steele is also a scheduled speaker that night and his visit could be the one that generates the most news.

Already under the threat of a recall election for his handling of Rush Limbaugh and other issues, Steele recently gave GQ an interview in which he indicated that he is pro-choice on abortion, or, at the very least, considers it a state’s rights issue.

I traded several e-mails this week with an Evansville Republican who is thrilled about Governor Palin coming to her hometown but, she says, she won’t buy a ticket to the dinner because she is pro-choice.  Will the pro-lifers who buy tickets give Steele a warmer reception?

President George W. Bush pardons a turkey today in an announcement delayed by the Barack Obama news conference (first delay.)  

Meantime, the annual donation of turkey and other frozen poultry products given to the Indiana governor and lieutenant governor by the Indiana Poultry Association takes place next Tuesday (second delay.)

No, Sarah Palin’s public execution of a turkey didn’t force a change in routine.  Lt. Governor Becky Skillman is on vacation and the Thanksgiving week tradition requires her attendance.

My e-mails are another reminder of the partisanship in the United States, right now.  The critics are quick to infer media bias in stories where none exists.  If we report something those critics find objectionable, it’s likely to reflect the critics’ bias more than anything else.

Voters definitely take sides when the subject is Sarah Palin.  The Brookings Institution presented a survey about press coverage of the presidential campaign.  The poll concluded that people generally believe “the press has been fair to John McCain, Barack Obama and Joe Biden.  But fewer than four-in- ten (38%) say the press has been fair to Sarah Palin.  Many more believe the press has been too tough on Palin (38%) than say it has been too easy (21%).”

It’s no surprise that 63% of Republicans questioned feel that Palin has been treated unfairly.  But,  the poll shows many independents, 41%, feel “the press has been too hard on Palin.”

The subject came up during a C-SPAN interview of Bob Schieffer.  The moderator of “Face the Nation” on CBS said, “I don’t buy that.”  He said Governor Palin made “a wonderful first impression.”  But, he disagrees with the idea that she’s been subjected to too much scrutiny.

“It seems to me,” Schieffer said, “that the American people need to know as much as we can find out about the people who may be even a heartbeat away.”   So, he said we cannot take her biography on faith.  It’s something “we deserve to know.”

Indiana Delegate to the Republican National Convention Fred Mills reports that he put his Sarah Palin “Hoosiers for the Hot Chick” lapel pin on EBay over the weekend and got a bid of $50 for it.

I just did an EBay search and found four “Hoosiers for the Hot Chick” pins up for the auction now.

The highest bid is $8.50.

A large number of Indiana delegates are in a private box provided by the Republican National Committee here in St. Paul this evening.  Its a great place to watch the Republican National Convention and a better place to people watch.

At one point a stir went through the crowd when Carl Brizzi spotted a woman in the next box checking her Blackberry who looks like Governor Sarah Palin.  Was it her?

No one seemed to know for sure.  She had the same hairdo but different glasses. 

Maybe after she spends a week or so on the national stage it will be easier to tell.