Steph Mineart at a Commonplace Book thinks that I'm behind IndyUndercover. Of course, she saw me today at the blogger's forum and the professional thing to do would have been to ask me to my face if I was a part of the IndyUndercover blog site. Instead, she posts an outright false assertion stating that Ike Randolph and I have teamed up to do this blogsite. Anyone who knows either of us would know we wouldn't be teaming up together on any project, let alone a political blogsite. I have to say this is the absolute lowest thing any blogger could do to another blogger, but having observed her style for the past year, I have to say I'm not the least bit surprised.
UPDATE: Click here for IndyUndercover's reaction to Steph's comical post.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Amos Brown Cracks Up Over Carson-Dickerson Poll
On my way to the blogger's forum this afternoon with several Democratic legislative candidates, I did something I've never done before and will never make the mistake of doing again: I listened to Amos Brown's radio talk show on WTLC-AM. During the short time I listened to Brown's rantings, he was having a complete crack up over WTHR-TV's poll showing Republican Eric Dickerson edging Rep. Julia Carson (D) by a 45%-42% margin. It seems, according to Brown, WTHR conspired with Republicans to fix the poll's outcome by deliberately under-representing African-Americans and over-representing Republicans.
Now, it is always fair to question the methodology of a poll. They are not always reliable, and they offer a mere snapshot of what voters are thinking during an election. I would observe that Brown or none of the other Democrats complained when WISH-TV released an incredible poll last month showing Melina Kennedy with a lead over Brizzi, and another poll showing Carson with a 20-point lead over Dickerson. That latter poll showed Carson capturing 55% of the vote, a feat she hasn't accomplished in any recent elections. There was reason to believe that poll's methodology was suspect, but you didn't hear Dickerson, Brizzi or other Republicans jumping up and down screaming foul.
As he and some of his callers ranted about the poll, I was taken aback by the degree of the hatred he and some of his listeners seem to direct at Dickerson for daring as a black man to challenge apparently the only person qualified to represent black people in the district, Rep. Carson. While claiming that the poll was rigged, Brown expressed concern that the 7th District would send the only African-American Republican to Congress this year as a member of the minority party, assured that Democrats will recapture control of the House this election. He thinks that would be a big waste because Carson is sure to have lots of influence if Democrats regain control of the House. Carson is currently ranked dead last in influence among Indiana's current congressional delegation, even among those with lesser seniority. It is hard to see that change any in the new Congress, particularly with the challenges she faces from her declining health.
The hypocritical Brown recently raised questions about Dickerson's outreach efforts to black ministers for support. He accused Dickerson of buying access to black churches. Interestingly, he makes no mention of the fact that Carson is shown by local television stations entering black churches to campaign every election year--a clear violation of federal nonprofit laws which prohibit churches from engaging in partisan politics. Brown also recently tried to tamp down concerns that Sen. Barack Obama came into town to raise money for three white Democratic candidates but not Carson. Quoting Obama, Brown said: “Julia, she is so far ahead, that she really doesn’t have an opponent. I just love Congresswoman Carson.” “(But) our focus really has to be on those marginal races that are really going to put Congress over the top,” Obama continued.
If Brown's tirade this afternoon is any indication, Dickerson better be prepared for the worst two weeks of his life. It is clear that Carson and friends like Brown will do everything conceivable over the next two weeks to personally destroy him, not that they haven't already been doing their darned best to do just this. Carson and Brown are very threatened by any emerging African-American leaders who don't kowtow to their thought of what makes an acceptable black leader. It is unfortunate that a successful member of the Indianapolis black community has to be disrespected so much by the likes of Brown and Carson just because of the political party they identify themselves with--the party I might add that freed the slaves, gave us the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, integrated the U.S. military, initiated the first school desegregation efforts and made possible the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Now, it is always fair to question the methodology of a poll. They are not always reliable, and they offer a mere snapshot of what voters are thinking during an election. I would observe that Brown or none of the other Democrats complained when WISH-TV released an incredible poll last month showing Melina Kennedy with a lead over Brizzi, and another poll showing Carson with a 20-point lead over Dickerson. That latter poll showed Carson capturing 55% of the vote, a feat she hasn't accomplished in any recent elections. There was reason to believe that poll's methodology was suspect, but you didn't hear Dickerson, Brizzi or other Republicans jumping up and down screaming foul.
As he and some of his callers ranted about the poll, I was taken aback by the degree of the hatred he and some of his listeners seem to direct at Dickerson for daring as a black man to challenge apparently the only person qualified to represent black people in the district, Rep. Carson. While claiming that the poll was rigged, Brown expressed concern that the 7th District would send the only African-American Republican to Congress this year as a member of the minority party, assured that Democrats will recapture control of the House this election. He thinks that would be a big waste because Carson is sure to have lots of influence if Democrats regain control of the House. Carson is currently ranked dead last in influence among Indiana's current congressional delegation, even among those with lesser seniority. It is hard to see that change any in the new Congress, particularly with the challenges she faces from her declining health.
The hypocritical Brown recently raised questions about Dickerson's outreach efforts to black ministers for support. He accused Dickerson of buying access to black churches. Interestingly, he makes no mention of the fact that Carson is shown by local television stations entering black churches to campaign every election year--a clear violation of federal nonprofit laws which prohibit churches from engaging in partisan politics. Brown also recently tried to tamp down concerns that Sen. Barack Obama came into town to raise money for three white Democratic candidates but not Carson. Quoting Obama, Brown said: “Julia, she is so far ahead, that she really doesn’t have an opponent. I just love Congresswoman Carson.” “(But) our focus really has to be on those marginal races that are really going to put Congress over the top,” Obama continued.
If Brown's tirade this afternoon is any indication, Dickerson better be prepared for the worst two weeks of his life. It is clear that Carson and friends like Brown will do everything conceivable over the next two weeks to personally destroy him, not that they haven't already been doing their darned best to do just this. Carson and Brown are very threatened by any emerging African-American leaders who don't kowtow to their thought of what makes an acceptable black leader. It is unfortunate that a successful member of the Indianapolis black community has to be disrespected so much by the likes of Brown and Carson just because of the political party they identify themselves with--the party I might add that freed the slaves, gave us the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments, integrated the U.S. military, initiated the first school desegregation efforts and made possible the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Legislative Candidates Meet Bloggers
Three Democratic legislative candidates in Marion County's most hotly-contested legislative races met with area bloggers this afternoon at the Pike Township Library. The forum was organized by Bilerico's Bil Browning and was attended by bloggers from Taking Down Words, StAllio's Way, A Commonplace Book, Resisting Inertia, ManfredEye and Confessions of a Hoosier Democrat, in addition to your's truly. Rep. David Orentlicher, state representative candidate John Barnes and and state senate candidate Russell Brown took time to share their views on a variety of issues. Orentlicher, Barnes and Brown are all highly-informed and well-qualified candidates. AI will share with you their views on the issues in a later post.
Star Reaction To Dickerson Lead
The Star's State House reporter Mary Beth Schneider and political columnist Matt Tulley react today to a new WTHR-TV poll showing Dickerson with a 45%-42% lead over Rep. Julia Carson (D). Schneider new's story is dismissive of Dickerson and sympathetic towards Carson. What's new here? Tully, on the other hand, is much more circumspect and offers some thoughtful analysis of why the poll might actually reflect what voters are thinking.
Schneider says Carson "shrugged off the results." She cites a couple of polls from previous races which showed Carson with a slight lead and slightly behind her Republican opponents. Carson won both of those races, finishing below 55% in both races. Schneider observes that Dickerson has run his campaign on his own with no state or national GOP support. And she does her obligatory rewarding of Carson's mudslinging by mentioning an unproven 15-year-old police report Carson dug up from the trash. Schneider helps provide cover for Carson's declining health by observing she has always had health problems, giving no hint of her worsening conditition apparent to anyone who meets her in person.
Tully, to his credit, makes an effort to explain why there might be at least a little bit of truth in the WTHR poll. He begins by reminding readers of Dickerson's eternal optimism. "Every time I call Eric Dickerson, the Republican congressional candidate from Indianapolis, he says the same thing: 'Matt, we're winning.'" "Now he has a poll to back up those optimistic words." Tully thinks the controversial proposed bar in the Julia Carson Government Center and the absence of any effort on her part to stop it has tainted her name. Tully also raises the obvious: Dickerson's appeal. "While Dickerson is impressive in front of a crowd, Carson often appears one nod away from falling asleep on stage," he writes. Tully notes that Carson often appears "confused."
Tully thinks Carson's mudslinging has hurt her. "Carson took hard personal shots at Dickerson last month, but the Republican remained positive," Tully writes. Dickerson's efforts to reach out to black voters has been better received than previous white voters. And finally, Tully thinks part of it may be "cockiness" on the part of Democrats. He thinks Carson may be feeling the effects of not campaigning hard enough.
Tully thinks the poll may result in the national GOP dumping some last-minute money into Dickerson's race. "With the national GOP reportedly pulling out of some races around the nation, the party could make waves with a fairly small investment here," he writes. I don't expect that to happen, and certainly not if there are any strings attached. Dickerson has made it clear to the national GOP he will not accept any money which is tied to him supporting, for example, Dennis Hastert's re-election as Speaker.
Tully indicates that the poll will make the next 18 days of the campaign interesting, even if Democrats scoff at Dickerson beating Carson, and it's a race Republicans don't expect to win. Let's hope the Star turns over a new leaf during the next couple of weeks and starts reporting on this campaign the way it should have been reporting on it from the beginning.
Schneider says Carson "shrugged off the results." She cites a couple of polls from previous races which showed Carson with a slight lead and slightly behind her Republican opponents. Carson won both of those races, finishing below 55% in both races. Schneider observes that Dickerson has run his campaign on his own with no state or national GOP support. And she does her obligatory rewarding of Carson's mudslinging by mentioning an unproven 15-year-old police report Carson dug up from the trash. Schneider helps provide cover for Carson's declining health by observing she has always had health problems, giving no hint of her worsening conditition apparent to anyone who meets her in person.
Tully, to his credit, makes an effort to explain why there might be at least a little bit of truth in the WTHR poll. He begins by reminding readers of Dickerson's eternal optimism. "Every time I call Eric Dickerson, the Republican congressional candidate from Indianapolis, he says the same thing: 'Matt, we're winning.'" "Now he has a poll to back up those optimistic words." Tully thinks the controversial proposed bar in the Julia Carson Government Center and the absence of any effort on her part to stop it has tainted her name. Tully also raises the obvious: Dickerson's appeal. "While Dickerson is impressive in front of a crowd, Carson often appears one nod away from falling asleep on stage," he writes. Tully notes that Carson often appears "confused."
Tully thinks Carson's mudslinging has hurt her. "Carson took hard personal shots at Dickerson last month, but the Republican remained positive," Tully writes. Dickerson's efforts to reach out to black voters has been better received than previous white voters. And finally, Tully thinks part of it may be "cockiness" on the part of Democrats. He thinks Carson may be feeling the effects of not campaigning hard enough.
Tully thinks the poll may result in the national GOP dumping some last-minute money into Dickerson's race. "With the national GOP reportedly pulling out of some races around the nation, the party could make waves with a fairly small investment here," he writes. I don't expect that to happen, and certainly not if there are any strings attached. Dickerson has made it clear to the national GOP he will not accept any money which is tied to him supporting, for example, Dennis Hastert's re-election as Speaker.
Tully indicates that the poll will make the next 18 days of the campaign interesting, even if Democrats scoff at Dickerson beating Carson, and it's a race Republicans don't expect to win. Let's hope the Star turns over a new leaf during the next couple of weeks and starts reporting on this campaign the way it should have been reporting on it from the beginning.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Dickerson Tops Carson In Latest Poll
CARSON'S RE-ELECTION BID IN TROUBLESending shock waves through local and national Democratic circles, a new WTHR-TV poll shows that Republican Eric Dickerson has erased a big lead earlier polls showed for Rep. Julia Carson (D) and has taken a slight lead in the race, edging her by a 45%-42% margin. Of those surveyed, 9% were undecided while another 4% of the voters favored a third candidate. As Democrats have spent the past year focusing on Indiana's 2nd, 8th and 9th congressional districts, Eric Dickerson has been working hard in the trenches like Mike Mulligan and the little steamshovel that could.
A poll taken a little more than a month ago by WISH-TV showed Carson with a seemingly insurmountable twenty-point lead of 55%-35%. Carson stunned local political observers when she went on the offensive and publicly attacked Dickerson for a 15-year-old unproven allegation of domestic violence during a meeting with the Indianapolis Star's editorial staff. At the same time, questions have mounted in the public's mind about Carson's physical and mental health. These two issues have combined to work against Carson's bid to win a sixth term in Congress.
Particularly troubling for Carson in this latest poll is her personal approval rating. The poll found that by a 49%-42% margin, voters in the 7th District disapproved of her job performance. That's devastating for a 10-year veteran of Congress. Carson told WTHR-TV that she intended to remind voters during the remaining days of the campaign of what she had accomplished during her decade of service and what she will continue to do if she is re-elected. Dickerson, on the other hand, says the poll results are a confirmation of what he's been hearing from the voters, and that he plans to continue what he's been doing to win the 7th District race.
Although Carson's latest campaign finance reports show that she had $324,000 on hand as of October 1 compared to the $21,000 Dickerson's campaign reported, she has been nearly invisible on the local airways. Dickerson, with his limited resources, launched a modest radio ad buy to bolster his election bid, but his success to date appears to be based on the grassroots campaign he's been running for more than 10 months with virtually no support from the Republican Party. As Carson returned from the congressional recess to begin campaigning this month, her public appearances quickly raised questions about her health. During an appearance on WTHR's "Political Insiders", she raised eyebrows as her mind wandered and she began talking about a little girl who appeared and then disappeared. She asked where the little girl went. Similarly, a Star editorial reluctantly endorsing her re-election noted that her mind wandered and her answers were disjointed during her interview with the editorial staff.
It's a new day in the 7th District race. Let's see if the local media start paying attention to this race as it should have from the beginning. We've heard enough about the 2nd, 8th and 9th District races in the far reaches of the state. Let's start talking about the candidates and issues in the 7th District. Keep an eye out. The mainstream media doesn't like to be proven wrong. The Star, which has been Rep. Carson's number one enabler all these years, will most assuredly set out on a mission to set the voters straight from its warped perspective. AI will do its part to counter the onslaught which will invariably follow today's news. This election will be decided by the voters and not by the eggheads over at the Star if AI has anything to say about it.
Cover-Up Alleged To Protect Former Pike County Prosecutor
Two former Indiana State Police officers have been indicted for covering up evidence that a former Pike County prosecutor was implicated in an 18-year-old murder case. The AP's Ryan Lenz reports:
Justice delayed?
A grand jury has indicted two retired Indiana State Police investigators in an unsolved murder, saying they covered up evidence implicating a former Pike County prosecutor as a possible suspect in the 18-year-old slaying.
Former investigators James Verle and Larry Eck were free on bail Thursday after their arrests Wednesday on felony perjury charges.
The indictment says they misled investigators by removing then-prosecutor Mark Sullivan from a list of potential suspects in the June 1988 murder of Rick Deffendall at his Oakland City home. It also says they ordered a subordinate to exclude information that linked Sullivan romantically to Deffendall's ex-wife from state police files.
"This grand jury can only assume that the motivation for such cover-up is that such evidence would be damaging to Sullivan," the indictment said.
The indictment does not suggest Sullivan was involved in Deffendall's death, but rather faults the investigators for failing to pursue him as a suspect. State police never interviewed Sullivan in the case, the document states.
Attempts by The Associated Press to reach Sullivan, who now lives in Terre Haute, were unsuccessful because he does not have a telephone number listed in his name . . .
The indictment also named Charity Delaney, Steven Hill and Billy Corlett, all of whom were arrested on perjury charges. Delaney remained in the Pike County Jail on Thursday, while Hill and Corlett posted $750 cash bail and were released, Pike County Sheriff Todd Meadors said.
Justice delayed?
Brizzi Takes Commanding Lead In New Poll
A new WTHR-TV poll shows incumbent Prosecutor Carl Brizzi (R) with a comfortable 16% lead over Democratic candidate Melina Kennedy. The poll shows Brizzi with a 51%-35% lead, with 12% of the voters undecided. The poll shows Kennedy having trouble attracting Democratic and women voters. Brizzi is capturing 26% of the Democratic vote, and he leads her among likely women voters by a 46%-37% margin. Brizzi is losing just 9% of the Republican vote to Kennedy.
This indicates that the harsh attacks Kennedy launched against Brizzi in recent weeks have not resonated with voters as well as ads and messages focusing attention on her lack of prosecutorial experience. This is a complete turnaround from an earlier WISH-TV poll which showed Kennedy with a slight lead over Brizzi.
The big news will come at 11:00 p.m. tonight when WTHR announces the poll results from the 7th District congressional race. WTHR is promising "surprising results." AI hears that the poll will show Dickerson with a slight lead over Carson, with 45%-42% favoring Dickerson over Carson. Look for Marion Co. Democrats to be joined by state and national Democrats in a last-ditch, desparate effort to save Carson from defeat.
This indicates that the harsh attacks Kennedy launched against Brizzi in recent weeks have not resonated with voters as well as ads and messages focusing attention on her lack of prosecutorial experience. This is a complete turnaround from an earlier WISH-TV poll which showed Kennedy with a slight lead over Brizzi.
The big news will come at 11:00 p.m. tonight when WTHR announces the poll results from the 7th District congressional race. WTHR is promising "surprising results." AI hears that the poll will show Dickerson with a slight lead over Carson, with 45%-42% favoring Dickerson over Carson. Look for Marion Co. Democrats to be joined by state and national Democrats in a last-ditch, desparate effort to save Carson from defeat.
Star Lends Credence To Questionable Lawrence Political Claim
A couple of weeks ago, Taking Down Words posted a police report filed out in Lawrence by Lawrence Township Assessor Paul Ricketts' Democratic foe, Ron Ryker, supposedly alleging that Ricketts tried to run over him with his car. Someone asked me at the time why I didn't post anything about it. I read the police report TDW posted at the time and came to the conclusion that on the bare facts contained in the report, which was based on the alleged victim's own statement, no crime had been committed. Indeed, the alleged victim tells the Star today he only filed the report for protection and had no intention of pressing charges against Ricketts. If he was so concerned by his well-being, why hasn't he bothered to file for a protective order as he freely admitted to the Star he had not bothered to do weeks after this alleged attempt on his life took place? Yet, someone went to the trouble of making sure that a copy of the police report got into the hands of the right person, who made sure it would get posted on Taking Down Words.
I have no dog in this fight, but it seems to me Ricketts may have a point when he claims this is all part of a smear to help defeat him in his re-election bid. By wading into another one of these silly Lawrence Township political disputes, the Star lends credence to a big fish story that isn't worth printing. The incident described in the report is so similar to the encounters that frequently occur in small towns after a contentious school board or city council meeting, which I remember all too well growing up in a small town. Now, could the Star please turn its attention to the issues and candidates in the 7th District congressional race, which really is one of the hottest and closest races in Indiana whether the Star wants to admit it or not?
I have no dog in this fight, but it seems to me Ricketts may have a point when he claims this is all part of a smear to help defeat him in his re-election bid. By wading into another one of these silly Lawrence Township political disputes, the Star lends credence to a big fish story that isn't worth printing. The incident described in the report is so similar to the encounters that frequently occur in small towns after a contentious school board or city council meeting, which I remember all too well growing up in a small town. Now, could the Star please turn its attention to the issues and candidates in the 7th District congressional race, which really is one of the hottest and closest races in Indiana whether the Star wants to admit it or not?
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Democrats Cracking Up Over Another Black Republican
The second highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) referred to a black Republican Senate candidate this week as "slavishly" supporting the Republican Party. The candidate he was referring to, Lt. Governor Michael Steele (R), is the first African-American to serve as a statewide officeholder in the state of Maryland. He is seeking the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D), facing off against Rep. Ben Cardin (D). Hoyer is now saying, "I should not have used those words." But this is the same man who referred to Steele as a "token" when he successfully was elected Lt. Governor four years ago.
What is that makes Democrats crack up over the thought of an African-American getting elected to public office as a Republican? Democrats were so out to get Steele earlier this year that they used his social security number to illegally obtain his credit report in search of dirt on him. If that's not bad enough, they've pelted him with Oreo cookies during a campaign appearance and called him "Uncle Tom" and "Simple Sambo." Despite the Democrats desparate attempts to keep Steele down, it's not working. A Survey USA poll released today shows Steele locked in a dead-even race with Steele, with each candidate getting the support of 46% of likely voters.
The 7th District's own Eric Dickerson (R) has been subjected to one of the dirtiest campaigns in recent Marion County history waged by Rep. Julia Carson (D). This is no accident. He poses a very serious threat to Carson's re-election in spite of what the pols and pundits are telling you. While most long-serving members of Congress typically increase their winning percentage after their first couple of races, Carson's has a hit a wall just under 55% in recent elections.
In a district that is 66% white and about 30% African-American, Carson can little afford to lose any of her base vote in the African-American community. A clear majority of white voters, at least 60%, have consistently cast their votes against Carson and for her Republican opponents in her five previous campaigns for Congress, regardless of how well they've been funded or what kind of campaigns they've run. Dickerson should match that percentage of the white vote again this year. If he can capture one-third of the African-American vote in the 7th District, he will eke out a small victory over Carson. If he can capture 65% of the white vote, he will only need to poll about 25% of the black vote to win. That's why Carson is running scared. And that's why Marion County Democrats are privately cracking up right now about his candidacy.
What is that makes Democrats crack up over the thought of an African-American getting elected to public office as a Republican? Democrats were so out to get Steele earlier this year that they used his social security number to illegally obtain his credit report in search of dirt on him. If that's not bad enough, they've pelted him with Oreo cookies during a campaign appearance and called him "Uncle Tom" and "Simple Sambo." Despite the Democrats desparate attempts to keep Steele down, it's not working. A Survey USA poll released today shows Steele locked in a dead-even race with Steele, with each candidate getting the support of 46% of likely voters.
The 7th District's own Eric Dickerson (R) has been subjected to one of the dirtiest campaigns in recent Marion County history waged by Rep. Julia Carson (D). This is no accident. He poses a very serious threat to Carson's re-election in spite of what the pols and pundits are telling you. While most long-serving members of Congress typically increase their winning percentage after their first couple of races, Carson's has a hit a wall just under 55% in recent elections.
In a district that is 66% white and about 30% African-American, Carson can little afford to lose any of her base vote in the African-American community. A clear majority of white voters, at least 60%, have consistently cast their votes against Carson and for her Republican opponents in her five previous campaigns for Congress, regardless of how well they've been funded or what kind of campaigns they've run. Dickerson should match that percentage of the white vote again this year. If he can capture one-third of the African-American vote in the 7th District, he will eke out a small victory over Carson. If he can capture 65% of the white vote, he will only need to poll about 25% of the black vote to win. That's why Carson is running scared. And that's why Marion County Democrats are privately cracking up right now about his candidacy.
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