Archive - Aug 2010

For every diamond-clad money-in-politics rule, there's an exception. And this morning, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is a big, grizzly exception in the most remarkable of ways: A member of the state's most notable political family is conceding defeat to a hitherto all-but-unknown challenger -- lawyer Joe Miller -- in a partisan primary.Stuff like this just doesn't happen much, folks. An "amazing feat," as Miller himself described it, and few would disagree. So consider:Rule: Since 1982, U.S. Senate incumbents have enjoyed re-election rates of between 75 percent and 96 percent during every two-year every election cycle, the Center for Responsive Politics calculates. Murkowski exception: Not only did she lose re-election, but she never even fought for a minute in the general election, losing in her own party's primary -- a rare feat of defeat.Rule: Incumbents often raise at 10 times (or more) the money their challengers muster, and incumbents who do are all but guaranteed victory. Murkowski exception: As of Aug. 4, the most recent dates for which campaign finance information is comprehensively available, Murkowski has raised more than 12 times what Miller has raised, spent more than 10 times what he had spent and enjoyed a greater than 22-to-1 cash-on-hand advantage, the Center's research shows. And Miller edged her anyway.Rule: If you're a Senate candidate who finds himself being moose whipped in voter polls, no amount of last-minute outside help will ultimately help you -- so start preparing your concession speech. Murkowski exception: The Tea Party Express. This group, which operates the political action committee Our Country Deserves Better PAC, dumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into the race on behalf of Miller during the campaign's final days, as OpenSecrets Blog recently reported. It blanketed the airwaves like snow blankets Fairbanks and deputized the former first couple of Alaska -- a certain Sarah and Todd -- to record robo-calls on behalf of Miller and otherwise stump for him.Rule: Well-known candidates with massive support from big industries, labor unions or trade associations are effectively intractable. Murkowski exception: She lost despite people and political action committees associated with ExxonMobil, Target, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Patton Boggs, Southern Co., Constellation Energy, Duke Energy, Raytheon, Home Depot, the Nuclear Energy Institute, Occidental Petroleum and a host of others each giving her at least $10,000. Miller's top contribution through Aug. 4? A cool $5,000 from SarahPAC, the political action committee of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who endorsed Miller. SarahPAC also donated $5,000 to Murkowski, negating its Miller donation. Miller, who through early August spent more than $104,000 of his own money on the race, received much of his additional (and meager) funding from Tea Party activists' modest donations, most of which numbered in the double digits or low triple digits.Rule: Political endorsements don't typically matter all that much, no matter who they're from, short of, say, the spirits of John F. Kennedy or Ronald Regan, back from a trip to the afterlife. Murkowski exception: If you're running to represent Alaska in Washington, D.C., and you find yourself crosswise with the political phenomenon that is Palin, be prepared to instead take a long look at Russia from the comfort of your house. Miller, who wins the race by the most narrow of margins, goes on to face Democrat Scott McAdams, the mayor of Sitka, Alaska.

Source: Reuters Sept 1 (Reuters) - The Obama administration launches a new push for Middle East peace this week, hosting Israeli and Palestinian leaders as they begin their first direct negotiations in 20 months.

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The Temptations — I Can’t Get Next To You on the Andy Williams Show, 1969.

What’s on your mind?

I hate it when I’m right, mostly because my predictions are invariably dark. We’re lost, doomed, the end is near. It’s always something. And while it may be in bad taste to say “I told you so,” I did indeed tell you so back in March of 2003, when the invasion of Iraq was nigh: [...]

As President Obama gave a self-congratulatory speech about keeping his campaign promise to remove U.S. combat forces from Iraq by the end of August, he accomplished this feat by merely redefining the mission of the 50,000 combat-trained U.S. forces remaining there to “advising and assisting” Iraqi forces. Of course, this really means that we are [...]

The senator conceded after trailing by 1,630 votes.

Simon says Obama dodged essential questions.

If you’re in the Atlanta area over Labor Day weekend, come and meet Graham Hancock at Dragon*Con 2010 and Eyedrum Atlanta. (If you can’t make it, Graham will be touring North America this fall in support of his new book Entangled: The Eater of Souls.) More info is available at www.chronotrack.org and www.eyedrum.org.

Here’s the complete schedule of Atlanta-based events, please RSVP on Facebook if you can make it. Hope to see you there!

EYEDRUM ATLANTA More info at www.eyedrum.org.
Date: Friday 9/3 Time: 8 PM

Graham Hancock, bestselling author of Fingerprints of the Gods and Supernatural, will be appearing at Eyedrum on Friday, September 3 in support of his new book, Entangled. Randall Carlson from Sacred Geometry Atlanta will be the opening speaker. Admission is $5.

If you can invite fifty over more people in Atlanta over Facebook to this event over Facebook your admission is free. Please contact programs [at] disinfo.com for more info.

FOUR DRAGON*CON 2010 EVENTS!!! Full schedule at www.DragonCon.org.

Panel: Hollywood vs. History History doesn’t always translate well to the silver screen — or does it? Participants discuss films in a fast-paced, round-robin format. Panelists: K. Hinds, E. Flint, S. M. Stirling, A. J. Hartley, G. D. Falksen, G. Hancock Date/Time: Friday, 9/3 5:30 PM Location: International C – Westin

Panel: Far Be It From Me… A rousing debate on revisionist vs. ‘traditional’ history and the evolution of historical presentation.. Panelists: B. Linaweaver, E. Flint, S. M. Stirling, A. J. Hartley, G. Hancock Date/Time: Saturday, 9/4 4:00 PM Location: International C – Westin

Panel: 2012 Theories and myths surrounding 2012 from various cultures. Is there hope? Is it real? Are we doomed? Panelists: E. Donald, E. Dunin, M. B. Weston, G. Hancock, K. Brewer, G. Baddeley, R. Carlson Date/Time: Sunday, 9/5 4:00 PM Location: L508 – Marriott

Presentation: Aliens, Angels and Ayahuasca Graham Hancock will take you on a mind-trip through history showing evidence that alien encounters & UFO’s are nothing new… ? Location: International C – Westin

We will be listing more events here on disinfo.com and Facebook and look for Entangled: The Eater of Souls this fall in a book near you.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) conceded to her primary opponent, Fairbanks lawyer Joe Miller, on Tuesday night — one week after voters in Alaska went to the polls and shocked the state and national political establishment.

LOCUST, N.C. — Between meeting donors in the back room at a fancy downtown Charlotte restaurant and greeting spectators at the front gate of a local high school football game, it’s clear where Harold Johnson — the Republican challenging Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell — feels more comfortable.