UPDATE: Here's the original source.
11 Ağustos 2008 Pazartesi
No Congressional Candidates File in Second Week
No Congressional Candidates File in Second Week
With only a week to go before Friday's filing deadline, Iowa's U.S. Senate race and five congressional contests remain two-way races. Announced independent candidates in the 2nd and 4th districts have not yet filed.
The big news in the second week of filing with the Secretary of State was Ralph Nader's fourth consecutive appearance on the Iowa ballot. Nader joined a half dozen state legislative candidates filing last week:
Democrat Deb Ballalatak of rural Albia, a full-time mom, was nominated in Senate District 36 against Paul McKinley.
Ken Vaske of Algona filed in Senate District 4 on the "Grassroots for Life" ticket against Senate president Jack Kibbie.
In House District 49, based in Ft. Dodge, Republicans nominated Michael Littzen to take on incumbent Democrat Helen Miller. An independent has announced, but not yet filed, in this race as well. Miller has been unopposed the last couple cycles.
In House District 63 in West Des Moines and Urbandale, Republican Rep. Scott Raecker has drawn a Democratic opponent, Nita Garvin. Raecker was unopposed in 2006 and a two to one winner in 2004.
Democrats switched candidates in House District 50 after Kristin Roberts dropped out following the primary. 2006 nominee Lynne Gentry will now make a second run against Republican incumbent David Tjepkes, who won with 56% last time.
Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, who represents Ed Fallon's old House District 66 in central Des Moines, is being opposed by Green candidate Chris Moeller.
Last week's filing leaves 31 legislative races still officially uncontested.
Independent and third parties need 50 signatures to file for a House seat and 100 for a Senate seat. Democrats and Republicans need to hold conventions to nominate late candidates. Time is running out for such conventions, and with Democratic party rules requiring a week's notice, it may already be too late.
Candidates nominated by convention are rarely successful, but there are exceptions. Democrats had to nominate by convention in the 2nd Congressional District in 2006 after their nominee fell short on signatures to get on the primary ballot. That failure was just one more reason a lot of observers wrote off that candidate -- but that race turned out OK for Dave Loebsack.
With only a week to go before Friday's filing deadline, Iowa's U.S. Senate race and five congressional contests remain two-way races. Announced independent candidates in the 2nd and 4th districts have not yet filed.
The big news in the second week of filing with the Secretary of State was Ralph Nader's fourth consecutive appearance on the Iowa ballot. Nader joined a half dozen state legislative candidates filing last week:
Last week's filing leaves 31 legislative races still officially uncontested.
Independent and third parties need 50 signatures to file for a House seat and 100 for a Senate seat. Democrats and Republicans need to hold conventions to nominate late candidates. Time is running out for such conventions, and with Democratic party rules requiring a week's notice, it may already be too late.
Candidates nominated by convention are rarely successful, but there are exceptions. Democrats had to nominate by convention in the 2nd Congressional District in 2006 after their nominee fell short on signatures to get on the primary ballot. That failure was just one more reason a lot of observers wrote off that candidate -- but that race turned out OK for Dave Loebsack.
10 Ağustos 2008 Pazar
A Full Bag's Harvest on the Smallest Farm
A Full Bag's Harvest on the Smallest Farm
We picked us a Big Bag O' Produce today on the Smallest Farm and the colors mixed very nicely.
E is for Ethan and for eggplant, Hayden has a perfect tomato. The perfect ones are slicers, the less perfect ones are salsa. Two varieties: Daddy's Dangerous Salsa and Mama's Mild Salsa. (It's not truly dangerous yet: the habanero peppers aren't ready.)
Ethan helps me illustrate just how tall the sunflowers are; Hayden took the picture.
Ethan took this artsy extreme tomato close up.
A perfect classic eggplant.
A jar of refrigerator pickles. The one that looks like my cat Xavier is napping.
We met a couple friends today:
Mr. Toad managed to escape from the boys in one piece, thanks to his excellent camouflage.
Mothra here was hungrier for chives than for her usual lunch, downtown Tokyo.
We picked us a Big Bag O' Produce today on the Smallest Farm and the colors mixed very nicely.
E is for Ethan and for eggplant, Hayden has a perfect tomato. The perfect ones are slicers, the less perfect ones are salsa. Two varieties: Daddy's Dangerous Salsa and Mama's Mild Salsa. (It's not truly dangerous yet: the habanero peppers aren't ready.)
Ethan helps me illustrate just how tall the sunflowers are; Hayden took the picture.
Ethan took this artsy extreme tomato close up.
A perfect classic eggplant.
A jar of refrigerator pickles. The one that looks like my cat Xavier is napping.
We met a couple friends today:
Mr. Toad managed to escape from the boys in one piece, thanks to his excellent camouflage.
Mothra here was hungrier for chives than for her usual lunch, downtown Tokyo.
Caucus Ban Not In Dem Platform
Caucus Ban Not In Dem Platform
Caucuses won't be banned for 2012 -- at least not in the Democratic Party platform. Last-ditch Hillary Clinton supporters tried to get anti-caucus language into the platform this weekend at a platform committee meeting in Pittsburgh, but failed.
The issue was ruled out of order for the platform and referred to the party rules committee meeting. But supporters of presumptive nominee Barack Obama aren't likely to mess with the caucuses that, starting with Iowa, treated Obama very well.
"Caucuses undermine ... core Democratic values," read the amendment offered by an Illinois Clinton delegate. "Caucuses inherently disenfranchise the elderly, disabled, shift workers, single parents, and others whose circumstance prohibits participation in caucuses." That echoed arguments Clinton herself was using even before Iowa's Jan. 3 caucuses. As polls were predicting her third place finish in Iowa, she told a New Year's Day crowd in Iowa City, "You'll be standing up for those who can't be at their caucuses," such as troops and shift workers.
The caucus vs. primary battle continued throughout the nomination process, as Obama won 12 of the 13 states with caucuses. Even in the one he lost, Nevada, he won one more delegate than Clinton due to the geographic distribution of votes.
"Caucuses are inherently unfair," said Conneaut, Pa. waitress Melissa Whitener. "I work in a restaurant. I can't take off a whole shift to go sit in a caucus," she said, though she had managed to travel to Pittsburgh for the platform committee meeting. "We need to all be on the same primary system. Why should 2,000 people (sic) in Iowa have the same say as 2 million in Pennsylvania?"
Actual Iowa caucus attendance was 220,000.
Clinton supporters did get the line, "We have put 18 million cracks in the highest glass ceiling," into the platform, a line Clinton used in her concession speech that referenced her vote total in the primaries.
Caucuses won't be banned for 2012 -- at least not in the Democratic Party platform. Last-ditch Hillary Clinton supporters tried to get anti-caucus language into the platform this weekend at a platform committee meeting in Pittsburgh, but failed.
The issue was ruled out of order for the platform and referred to the party rules committee meeting. But supporters of presumptive nominee Barack Obama aren't likely to mess with the caucuses that, starting with Iowa, treated Obama very well.
"Caucuses undermine ... core Democratic values," read the amendment offered by an Illinois Clinton delegate. "Caucuses inherently disenfranchise the elderly, disabled, shift workers, single parents, and others whose circumstance prohibits participation in caucuses." That echoed arguments Clinton herself was using even before Iowa's Jan. 3 caucuses. As polls were predicting her third place finish in Iowa, she told a New Year's Day crowd in Iowa City, "You'll be standing up for those who can't be at their caucuses," such as troops and shift workers.
The caucus vs. primary battle continued throughout the nomination process, as Obama won 12 of the 13 states with caucuses. Even in the one he lost, Nevada, he won one more delegate than Clinton due to the geographic distribution of votes.
"Caucuses are inherently unfair," said Conneaut, Pa. waitress Melissa Whitener. "I work in a restaurant. I can't take off a whole shift to go sit in a caucus," she said, though she had managed to travel to Pittsburgh for the platform committee meeting. "We need to all be on the same primary system. Why should 2,000 people (sic) in Iowa have the same say as 2 million in Pennsylvania?"
Actual Iowa caucus attendance was 220,000.
Clinton supporters did get the line, "We have put 18 million cracks in the highest glass ceiling," into the platform, a line Clinton used in her concession speech that referenced her vote total in the primaries.
Olympics: Day Two
Olympics: Day Two
June 4 1989 Tienanmen Square
June 4 1989 Tienanmen Square
June 4 1989 Tienanmen Square
June 4 1989 Tienanmen Square
June 4 1989 Tienanmen Square
June 4 1989 Tienanmen Square
9 Ağustos 2008 Cumartesi
Olympics: Day One
Olympics: Day One
Falun Gong Tibet Falun Gong Tibet Falun Gong Tibet Falun Gong Tibet. There's I'b banned for sure now.
Falun Gong Tibet Falun Gong Tibet Falun Gong Tibet Falun Gong Tibet. There's I'b banned for sure now.
8 Ağustos 2008 Cuma
Tully "disappointed" in Edwards affair
Tully "disappointed" in Edwards affair
Rob Tully, who chaired the Iowa John Edwards campaign for the 2008 caucuses, said he was "very disappointed" in Edwards’ confirmation of an extramarital affair.
Tully, a former state party chair and congressional candidate, told The Politico:
Former Michigan congressman David Bonior, Edwards' 2008 campaign manager and a University of Iowa alumnus, also said he was disappointed and angry.
"Thousands of friends of the senators and his supporters have put their faith and confidence in him and he's let them down," said Bonior. "They've been betrayed by his action. You can't lie in politics and expect to have people's confidence."
Rob Tully, who chaired the Iowa John Edwards campaign for the 2008 caucuses, said he was "very disappointed" in Edwards’ confirmation of an extramarital affair.
Tully, a former state party chair and congressional candidate, told The Politico:
“People are human, and they make mistakes. I feel bad for his family, and I feel bad for him. I’m sure this is one of those times when being human catches up with you.”
He acknowledged, however, that for “anybody looking at this, it’s going to be difficult for John in the future politically.”
Former Michigan congressman David Bonior, Edwards' 2008 campaign manager and a University of Iowa alumnus, also said he was disappointed and angry.
"Thousands of friends of the senators and his supporters have put their faith and confidence in him and he's let them down," said Bonior. "They've been betrayed by his action. You can't lie in politics and expect to have people's confidence."
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