Archive for October 11th, 2008

The full podcast is on iTunes.

Here’s a couple selected segments - Our own Josh Gillespie snagged an interview with South Carolina US Senator Lindsey Graham. Also, we have an excerpt from an update from Dr. Tony Bennett on his campaign to succeed Sue Ellen Reed as Superintendent of Public Instruction.

On iTunes we have the full podcast featuring former WXNT substitute host and Abdul in the Morning producer Chris Spangle who has accepted the formidible challenge of being the Executive Director of the Indiana Libertarian Party. Also, Josh, Squid, and myself discuss ACORN and the problem of having 105% of the population registered to vote.

 

 Sen. Lindsey Graham [17:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Dr. Tony Bennett [3:54m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

In the IndyStar:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican nominee for vice president, will hold a rally in the Indianapolis area on Friday.

Jennifer Hallowell, regional campaign manager for GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain, said Saturday that details for Palin’s “Road to Victory” rally are still being worked out. A venue has not been determined, but Hallowell said she expects doors to open at 1 p.m. and the program to begin at 3 p.m.

The visit will be Palin’s first visit to Indiana. McCain last visited Indiana on July 1, when he spoke to a convention of the nation’s sheriffs.

Meet Barney Smith, again.

Let’s review, shall we?

FACT: Barney Smith is from Fairmount, Indiana.

FACT: Barney Smith supports Barack Obama.

FACT: Barney Smith says he is a lifelong Republican.

FACT: The Obama campaign is going to run television ads in Indiana containing Barney Smith.

FACT: Barney Smith is not a lifelong Republican.

FACT: Barney Smith’s voting record shows that he has voted in only three primaries in the past twelve years.

FACT: Only one of those three primaries was a Republican primary; the other two were Democratic.

And yet, despite these facts, the myth of Barney Smith continues to be put forward by Democrats and by the Obama campaign.

Seventh Congressional District candidate Gabrielle Campo has been working her district pretty hard since she was chosen to replace Jon Elrod on the November ballot.  In what many see as an uphill battle for any Republican in the district that lies entirely in Marion County, Campo yard signs have been popping up everywhere.  Now, in addition to those yard signs, she has billboards.  The one below is near Allisonville and Binford Blvd. (picture taken by Mike Jezierski on his way to the podcast recording)

From a purely consultant perspective, this sign has its pluses and minuses.  The minus is that it mentions her opponents name.  First rule of thumb in political advertising, never mention your opponent if you don’t have to.  The pluses, however (and this is why Andre Carson’s name is in the ad in the first place) is her tag line “More than a name”.  Bam!  That hits at the heart of why Andre was elected in the first place, because of his name.  In addition, it shows voters how to scratch their ballot.

I don’t know just how many of these billboards are up around town, but after the podcast, Adam Longworth (aka Squidward) called me to say that there is also one at 10th and Mitthoeffer.

Hopefully we start seeing more around town.

(State Senator Mike Delph wrote this for Westfield Star)

So what’s the difference between the Republican and Democratic parties nationally? That’s a question I have dedicated an enormous amount of time reflecting upon over the past few weeks.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, Sen. Richard Lugar, Rep. Mark Souder, Sen. Evan Bayh, Minority Leader John Boehner, President George Bush, Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain all think the $700 billion bailout is critical to the future of our economy.

Focused on a bailout of the excesses of Wall Street, the final proposal was sweetened with 300 pages of pork to ensure support and passage in both legislative chambers. As a Republican and an elected official, I am perplexed. As a citizen, I am outraged! Taxpayers are on the hook for the recklessness of Wall Street and the ineptitude of Washington.

Somehow we have been brainwashed to believe that political courage and standing up for America is equal to big government control of our financial markets, more taxes or debt and more spending. Never mind that unprecedented power has been given to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, a man who seems sincere in his concern, but whose incestuous ties to corporate abusers give pause to what is really going on. The feds are now in the financial business. Just ask Freddie, Fannie, AIG, Bear Stearns and more.

(Read more after the leap) (more…)