Archive for the ‘Congress’ Category

Recorded the night of May 6th from Congressman Dan Burton’s victory party. First Congressman Burton addresses the crowd then sits down with Josh and Adam for a short interview.

The remaining segments of Hoosier Access Radio, including the infamous Weird Pro Blogger Hour episodes are going onto iTunes. We apologize in advance for some of the audio quality - we thought we found a perfect place that was quieter for recording. That turned out not to be the case. On top of that we found cellular laptop cards don’t work there. “Internet - Lost!” to paraphrase an at&t wireless commercial.

UPDATE: A couple segments of the recent Saturday podcast recorded at the Ft. Harrison VFW are now posted to iTunes.

 

 Congressman Dan Burton [15:09m]: Play Now | Play in Popup

Assuming, of course, that he can get reelected.

After all, he needs them to do volunteer work for his reelection campaign.

It would be too much for them to ask for Baron to do anything about the environment until after they have gotten him reelected (at which point, he won’t be able to do it then either because he’ll need to be reelected in another two years; catch-22).

They must do Baron’s bidding first; then he’ll figure out how to avoid doing what they elected him to do.

It’s his usual modus operandi.

From the News & Tribune:

Hill sits on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which he said has plans to move forward with environmental issues after the November election.

“We’re probably not going to do anything this year on global warming. After the next Congress is elected, starting in January, we’re going to work on a bill addressing the issue of global warming,” Hill said.

Yet Sitko feels each day that passes is a loss that impacts the environment, therefore the organization went ahead with the three billboards, two of which are along Interstate 65.

One is located between Jeffersonville and Clarksville near Interstate 265 and the other between Seymour and Columbus on I-65. There is also a billboard along Ind. 50 near North Vernon.

“We need to protect Hoosier farmers and families right now,” Sitko said. “Indiana is already effected by global warming with longer and more intense heat waves and droughts that are causing Hoosier farmers millions in expensive irrigation.”

And you can’t help but wonder about this particular bit:

“The time has come for Southern Indiana to take a strong look at Rep. Hill’s record,” Sitko said. “While the public is calling for action on global warming, Hill is bucking his party’s leadership and siding with those in Congress that are intent on denying the inevitable.”

Hill said he finds Greenpeace’s stance “puzzling,” saying it was his understanding the organization was satisfied with the final passage of the fuel economy target bill last year.

Hill added he is on the cusp of securing endorsements from several economic organizations in his bid to return to Congress in November, including the League of Conservation and the Sierra Club.

That sort of feigned ignorance on the part of Baron sounds an awful lot like his denial of ever having promised his own party’s county chairmen that he wouldn’t make a superdelegate endorsement until after the primary.

You know the one; the time when he called the Democratic county chairman of his own county a liar for merely quoting Baron’s promise.

That’s the thing about telling lies and breaking promises.

Sooner or later, they catch up with you.

It looks like this is another set of lies and broken promises that is catching up with Baron Hill.

Also, I think it’s a bit of a stretch to call the League of Conservation Voters and the Sierra Club “economic organizations,” but it is the News & Tribune.
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Jonathan Martin of Politico.com is reporting some interesting political news to Hoosiers:

Another entrant for 2012/2016?

Here’s a new one: Rep. Mike Pence (IN).

Upside: Evangelical, fiscal conservative, good with the media (he’s a former talk show host)
Downside: He’s a fairly junior member of the House and is virtually unknown beyond conservative circles in DC and voters in his eastern Indiana district.

But he seems at least curious about the national stage. Why else would he keynote the South Carolina GOP’s Silver Elephant fundraising gala later this month?

If he does eventually make a run, he’ll already have a toehold in the Palmetto State. Tim Cameron notes that his direct mail consultant is South Carolina-based Starboard Communications.

Congressman Pence would certainly make an interesting choice. His name has even been tossed around during this presidential cycle as potential Veep pick.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Mike Pence not too long after Hoosier Access first launched last August at the Midwest Republican Leadership Conference. Knowing the “Hoosier Hysteria” would be hog wild for a Pence candidacy, I prodded him about any potential higher political endeavors he might pursue. Check it out after the leap. (more…)

I found the analysis below of the 5th CD race quite interesting:

The Crossover voting hurt Dan Burton more than John McGoff. Internal polling showed a 20-25 point victory on Election Day (also verified by polling done by a third part- Howey). Voter ID calls in the last 4 days showed undecideds going 60-40 for Burton. So what happened? Conservative primary voters who would have voted for Dan Burton instead participated in Operation Chaos. They won’t do that in 2010.

McGoff didn’t eat into Burton’s victories outside of Indy metro. Dan delivered 3 to 1 margins outside of Marion and Hamilton counties. This has always been Burton’s base (he lost Marion County in his last major challenge). He’s always performed well in the traditional Republican areas in the other 9 counties in the district. McGoff didn’t budge numbers there despite considerable effort (and some nasty mail in the last week).

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Posted in Congress, Elections, Indiana Politics | No Comments » | Read more..

Baron Hill carried less than 70% of the votes cast in the 9th District Democratic primary, a record low for him. He carried only 60% of the vote in Bloomington.

These figures exclude undervotes, where people left the ballot blank rather than vote for Baron or any of his challengers. In Harrison County, there over a thousand Democrat undervotes in the Congressional race.

In all, more than one Democratic primary voter in three voted against Baron Hill, or at least declined via undervote to vote for him (in terms of undervotes). The bedrock of the Democratic Party in the 9th District has been betrayed. Baron’s base may be in Bloomington now, but the rest of the district has gone in a different direction from him.

Hillary Clinton carried the 9th District by better than 63%. The only county in the district that Obama carried was Monroe. Most counties in the 9th (including my own, Harrison) gave Hillary Clinton margins upward of 70%.

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Republican or Democrat, last night was an exciting time to be a politico in Indiana! “Chaos” was out in force yesterday with many Republican voters crossing over to vote in the Democrat primary. Turnout was extraordinarily high all across the state, but Republican ballots cast were way low, especially in typically red counties.

What was more interesting to watch last night wasn’t so much how the presidential race shook down between Hillary and Obama, but how Operation Chaos played it’s role in down ballot races. Incumbents and challengers alike will all claim Chaos hurt them the most. The thing is, they’re right. Everybody is going to have their particular spin. In the 5th CD, Congressman Dan Burton emerged victorious yet again (no surprise there), but with his lowest re-elect numbers ever. A good portion of his supporters are Rush Limbaugh listening conservatives who probably took Rush’s advice to switch over and cause havoc with the Democrats primary. With the intertwining history that Limbaugh and Burton have had with the Clinton’s over the years, for conservatives to cross over and pull the lever for a Clinton seems a bit absurd. But when couched with the idea that a vote for Hillary only prolongs the agony of Democrats, all of the sudden, it becomes quite a palatable choice.

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According to this article, It is.

The Democratic National Committee raised only $4.7 million in April and ended last month with a perilously low $3.7 million in the bank, a Democratic insider tells Washington Wire.

Amusing to say the least. Consider who is essentially bankrolling the campaign of 7th District Congressman Andre Carson. It’s not the locals. It’s the DNC and it’s Congressional arm the DCCC. When you have The Carson Machine sputtering, leaking oil, and blowing smoke it’s no wonder folks are not supporting the DNC. Nancy Pelosi wants her for-sure proxy vote on the house floor and she gets it with Andre Carson. Then again Dr. Myers is a millionaire version of Andre Carson. David Orentlicher had to be admonished to vote in the State House. Hoosier Access Radio guest-host Jacob Perry noted that David O is the only person who sleeps with his eyes open. Of course Mr. Perry also stated David O “has the nappiest hair of any white man I’ve ever seen” … And just to draw out the drive-by’s there’s Carolene Mays who doesn’t seem to gain much traction.

…and miss some votes in the House while busy endorsing (complete with footage) the Obamassiah:

House Roll #233
Apr 30, 2008 6:56 PM
No Vote
H.R. 5522: Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act of 2008 (On Passage)
Passed 247-165, 19 not voting

House Roll #232
Apr 30, 2008 6:48 PM
No Vote
On Motion to Recommit with Instructions: H R 5522 Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act
Failed 187-225, 19 not voting

House Roll #231
Apr 30, 2008 6:15 PM
No Vote
Amendment 2 to H.R. 5522: Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act of 2008 (On Agreeing to the Amendment)
Failed 178-237, 21 not voting

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Posted in Baron Hill, Congress, Elections, Ethics, Indiana Politics, Presidential Politics, Uncategorized | No Comments » | Read more..

I’ve made my point clear that I’m opposed to “Operation Chaos” and Republicans crossing over to vote in the Democrat primary next Tuesday. But if Republicans in Marion County were on the fence about doing so, let this recent write-up on Andre Carson in the Huffington Post knock you off that fence.

On Tuesday, May 6, voters in Indiana’s seventh congressional district will have the opportunity to make history and it’s not about Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. Now, before everyone starts the ALL CAPS yelling at me about how both of these candidates are history-making, everyone take a deep breath. Yes, yes, yes: you’ll be voting for the next President of the United States and both Senators Clinton and Obama are truly historic candidates.

But for voters in IN-07, you have another chance to make history if you vote for Congressman Andre Carson in the primary, too. Why? Because Rep. Carson is the ONLY fully pro-choice member of the entire Indiana congressional delegation. The only one. Out of two senators and eight congressional representatives.

(Emphasis added, all mine)

Read the rest here.

(H/T - Loyal HA reader Sean Shepard)

Today we see the first negative ad in the Democrats race to oust the Carson monarchy in the 7th CD and it comes from David Orentlicher.  This falls in line with Brian Howey said when he and Gauge Market Research released the results of their recent poll findings on the 7th.  While saying that Woody Myers had the greatest chance to take out Andre Carson, someone would need to go negative on Andre for that to happen.  David O. stepped up to the plate and tries to go yard in this ad, but also takes a swing at Woody Myers at the same time.

YouTube Direct 

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It came as no surprise to any reader of this blog, but Baron Hill has endorsed the Obamassiah in the Democrat civil war, err, presidential primary contest.

It was a long time in coming.

First, Baron’s wife wore an Obamassiah t-shirt on a taxpayer-funded junket to the Pacific Rim.

After that, Baron fawned about the Obamassiah in many a 9th District media interview, comparing the excitement around him to Robert Kennedy.

As I noted (also here and here), Baron took $12,500 from the Obamassiah in the 2006 cycle, but only $2,500 from Hillary Clinton; yet more proof that Baron goes where the money is.

Then Baron introduced the Obamassiah at a campaign rally in Columbus, and the real footsie began.

The Baron-Obamassiah tour continued with Hill appearing with Obama at Nick’s in Bloomington (in a YouTube video that gave away, about 3 minutes in, his intent to endorse Obama, no less).

In New Albany, last week, Baron spoke at an Obamassiah town hall event with Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois.

And now, on Wednesday, has come news that Baron Hill will indeed endorse Barack Obama for president.

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