There were more allegations by the Joe Miller campaign of ballot-counting monkey business on Saturday as the absentees continue to pour into the Alaska Division of Elections. State elections officials now say there are 23,472 ballots to process, with more coming, and the first count set for Tuesday.

The most obsequious of Palin shrines, C4P, headlined another fawning article on the quitter today, "August 29th: Sarah Palin Day."

I've already labelled July 3rd, the anniversary of Palin's 2009 resignation announcement "Quitterday." To me, that day seems more appropriate as "Sarah Palin Day" than the one on which John McCain doomed his 2008 campaign.

Here's PA's poll:

Which day should be known as Palin Day?:

The day she told us she quit - July 3

The day she doomed McCain - August 29

SWINGING IN THE WIND ... Is it unusually quiet out there, folks? That's the sound of the whole state holding its breath. Has anyone ever picked up 1,600 votes from the post-election day pile of challenged and absentees (except Mark Begich, of course)? Has anyone ever lost after ending up 1,600 votes ahead with all the regular votes counted (except Ted Stevens, of course)?

Alaska Republican U.S. Senate candidate Joe Miller, who's awaiting the outcome of three counts of absentee ballots to take place on August 31st, September 3rd, and September 8th to determine if he has officially prevailed over Senator Lisa Murkowski, appeared on the CBS program Face The Nation on August 29th, 2010. Miller appeared well-prepared and was able to respond thoughtfully and intelligently to Bob Schieffer's questions. Full CBS video (6:24) embedded below:



Summary:

-- Joe Miller led off by crediting endorsements rendered by Sarah Palin, Loren Leman, and Mike Huckabee, as well as local talk show hosts Glen Biegel and Dan Fagan, as instrumental in his success. By crediting Fagan, Miller shows he doesn't hold political grudges; until his last-minute switcheroo, Fagan was a severe critic of Miller.

-- Miller then discussed the proposed reduction in Federal funding in greater detail. He once again reiterated his suggestion that America's $13 trillion national debt renders the nation effectively bankrupt, and believes that the entire country, including Alaska, needs to share the sacrifice of correcting this problem. But Miller actually proposes a swap; in exchange for decreased Federal funding, Miller wants a transfer of more power back to the states. If Alaska received more power over its land and resources, Alaska could not only pay its own way more effectively, but even extend greater benefit to the country as a whole.

Of course, this would presume we Alaskans would use that power wisely; in his latest column entitled "Choosing status quo won't fill up the pipeline", Paul Jenkins points out that we need to extract new oil; specifically, the additional five billion barrels estimated to be still pooled beneath the North Slope. At present, that oil is off-limits partially because of the refusal of the Feds to open up ANWR and also because some of it is economically unfeasible to recover due to the confiscatory taxation policy of ACES (Alaska's Clear and Equitable Share).

-- Finally, Miller addressed the two "third rails" of American entitlements, Medicare and Social Security. Miller emphasized that he has no plans to "gut" either program, contrary to the distorted picture painted by the progressives at Think Progress. Instead, he wants to reform both so that they can better pay existing obligations. But because both Medicare and SS are headed for the rocks financially, Miller believes it's important to place ALL prospective solutions on the table, to include the possibility of privatization.

Hat tip to Bob Schieffer for asking tough but fair questions. Unlike hatchetwoman Katie Couric, who deliberately ambushed Sarah Palin in 2008, Schieffer is a throwback to the days when CBS practiced real journalism. In contrast, Katie Couric practices what I call "upskirt journalism", in reference to female journalists who minimize exposure of their professional deficiencies by showing their legs to maximum advantage on their programs.

Alaska candidate for the U.S. Senate Joe Miller is scheduled to appear on CBS' "Face the Nation" program Sunday.

The state's Democratic nominee for governor said Friday he wants to give Alaskans a chance to invest in a proposed pipeline that could ship natural gas to the Lower 48.

Beck is quite loony. But we already knew that.

The best critical review of this bizarre rant so far is by David Neiwert at Crooks & Liars:

Glenn Beck promised there wouldn't "be a dry eye in the house" after his big speech today at the Lincoln Memorial for his "Restoring Honor" rally -- because, you know, it was going to be "so stirring."

Riiiiight. Well, Glenn Beck's eyes certainly weren't dry. He started weeping while telling the crowd that somewhere out there was "the next George Washington".

Dunno about you, but when I saw pan shots of the crowd -- which was one of the whitest crowds in D.C. in recent memory -- I mostly thought I saw "the next Timothy McVeigh." But your mileage may vary.

As for the speech itself: Lunesta in verbal form. I'm having to pick my head up from my desk just to write something about it.

Shannyn Moore posted this video yesterday:



I. This guy, Sydney Hill, has been around the Mat-Su Valley with his Lyndon LaRouche paraphernalia for some time. He usually stands on one of the corners at the intersection of the Glenn and Palmer-Wasilla Highways, with his truck, signs and picture of Obama with Hitler moustache.

I suppose Hill's image was here and there on the internet before the youtube of the Thursday state fair incident got posted. Early last winter, Wasilla photographer and blogger, Bill Hess, posted an image of him, taken at the book signing of Going Rogue at the Wasilla sports center:Here's how Bill Hess described his encounter with this LaRouche bag:

And then this disciple of Lyndon LaRouche came along, moving up the line towards me, telling people that Obama's health care plan was identical to Adolph Hitler's in the 1930's, that Obama was taking us to the same place of annihilation and death that Hitler took the Nazis.

To be certain, this was a pretty conservative crowd, but most of those in line ahead of me ignored him - some recoiled when he approached - but not all.

Although I had pledged to myself that I would be the dispassionate observer this day, my blood boiled when I saw the picture of Obama with the Photoshopped Hitler mustache, when I heard the hateful and false words that the man spoke.

He must have sensed this, because he approached everyone in line ahead of me, but very deliberately stepped around me to the next person behind, the one that he shows his literature to here.

This man listened, looked and accepted his literature. After the follower of Lyndon LaRouche moved on, the man behind me held the picture of Obama up in front of the lady who appeared to be his girlfriend.

"This is classic!" he said. "This is a real classic!"

This was at the same December 22, 2009 book signing at the sports complex from which one of Alaska's preeminent political bloggers, Jessie Griffin, was ejected by the Wasilla police:

There were a few calls of "Sarah, Sarah" before the line started to wind its way up the stairs to have their audience with Queen Ester of the North. I thought "We better hurry if we are going to find a good place to set up our camera."


My first hint that something may be wrong down in Who-ville was when I was asked for my ID, not once, but twice. Then as Dennis and I were about to sign in, and the lady behind the desk took our picture with a little digital camera! WTF? I have never had anybody do that before at any other event that I attended as a media representative. I wondered why there was such tight security, unaware that my question was only seconds from being answered.


Almost as soon as I had my picture taken I felt a hand on my shoulder.


I turned around and came face to face with a local police officer who quickly apologized and then informed me that I was on the "banned list".


"I am on the WHAT list?" I asked.


"The banned list sir, I am going to have to escort you off of the property. This is a private event."


I looked over and saw Dennis talking to somebody else, and clearly receiving the same information.


On my way toward the door I stopped to wait for Dennis so that we could leave together, however the police officer again placed his hand on my shoulder and insisted that I continue on toward the exit. They clearly were under orders to get me off of the premises as quickly as possible.


Outside Dennis joined me and told me that he had learned that both he and I were on the banned list, along with Shannyn Moore, and that they even had pictures of us to reference for quick identification.


Another reporter headed toward the entrance overheard us and asked us if there were REALLY a "banned list". "Yes there is, and we are on it" was our reply. "I have never heard of that!" she said. Welcome to Sarah Palin's Wasilla.

So, in Sarah Palin land this LaRouche kook, who most likely was as armed at the book signing as he was at the fair, is allowed to spew his racist bile, but Jesse Griffin, who would do pretty much anything to help anybody in need, is thrown out of the building.


II. Reaction to the way Sydney Hill was dealt with at the Alaska State Fair has been mixed. Knowing that a guy this unhinged was armed is troubling. If he had a conceal-carry permit, it will now be revoked. He is probably going to face charges of trespassing, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace [see update at the bottom of this post].


Here's the official statement from the Alaska State Fair:

Regarding the incident on the Alaska State Fair Fairgrounds 26 August 2010:

Our concern is first and foremost the safety of our fairgoers, the families with their children who should be able to enjoy the fair without disturbance or potential danger.

We are in touch with the company with whom we have a contract for fair security to review what transpired. We are also in touch with the Palmer Police on this matter.

Because the fairgrounds is on private property, we reserve the right to remove someone from the premises who is creating a disruption or may pose a threat to the safety of others.

We welcome diverse viewpoints and have a structure in place at the Alaska State Fair that allows for peaceful discord and exchange at our vendor and organization booth area.

Comments at the State Fair's facebook page are fairly mixed, with a lot of people misunderstanding how the 1st and 2nd amendments - and others - pertain to a situation like this. In the comments section of the Frontiersman article on the incident, one can detect a lot of anti-Obama animosity:

The AK State Fair and their spokesman Mr. Phipps, may not understand the meaning of the First Amendment(speech), Second Amendment(firearms) and Fourth Amendment (search and seizure), but their vendors will certainly understand the meaning of less silver in their tills. Until the values of the AK State Fair management again reflect American values, I'm going to keep my money at home and not patronize the Fair. BOYCOTT THE FAIR.

and:

What if the protester had 12 people standing next to each with 1 letter on their T Shirts that spelled "Impeach Obama"? Would the security guards just ask them stand so the letters were random? This sign consisting of people in T shirts could sit on one of those park benches. I'm betting that there would be an "unwritten" rule about this too?

and this weird comment:

I heard they are planning on building a mosque where he was arrested.

Update: In the comments, Brian writes "Hey Professor, he's already been charged. He was arraigned friday with criminal trespassing 2, disorderly conduct, and assault 4."

Shannyn Moore posted this video yesterday:



I. This guy, Sydney Hill, has been around the Mat-Su Valley with his Lyndon LaRouche paraphernalia for some time. He usually stands on one of the corners at the intersection of the Glenn and Palmer-Wasilla Highways, with his truck, signs and picture of Obama with Hitler moustache.

I suppose Hill's image was here and there on the internet before the youtube of the Thursday state fair incident got posted. Early last winter, Wasilla photographer and blogger, Bill Hess, posted an image of him, taken at the book signing of Going Rogue at the Wasilla sports center:Here's how Bill Hess described his encounter with this LaRouche bag:

And then this disciple of Lyndon LaRouche came along, moving up the line towards me, telling people that Obama's health care plan was identical to Adolph Hitler's in the 1930's, that Obama was taking us to the same place of annihilation and death that Hitler took the Nazis.

To be certain, this was a pretty conservative crowd, but most of those in line ahead of me ignored him - some recoiled when he approached - but not all.

Although I had pledged to myself that I would be the dispassionate observer this day, my blood boiled when I saw the picture of Obama with the Photoshopped Hitler mustache, when I heard the hateful and false words that the man spoke.

He must have sensed this, because he approached everyone in line ahead of me, but very deliberately stepped around me to the next person behind, the one that he shows his literature to here.

This man listened, looked and accepted his literature. After the follower of Lyndon LaRouche moved on, the man behind me held the picture of Obama up in front of the lady who appeared to be his girlfriend.

"This is classic!" he said. "This is a real classic!"

This was at the same December 22, 2009 book signing at the sports complex from which one of Alaska's preeminent political bloggers, Jessie Griffin, was ejected by the Wasilla police:

There were a few calls of "Sarah, Sarah" before the line started to wind its way up the stairs to have their audience with Queen Ester of the North. I thought "We better hurry if we are going to find a good place to set up our camera."


My first hint that something may be wrong down in Who-ville was when I was asked for my ID, not once, but twice. Then as Dennis and I were about to sign in, and the lady behind the desk took our picture with a little digital camera! WTF? I have never had anybody do that before at any other event that I attended as a media representative. I wondered why there was such tight security, unaware that my question was only seconds from being answered.


Almost as soon as I had my picture taken I felt a hand on my shoulder.


I turned around and came face to face with a local police officer who quickly apologized and then informed me that I was on the "banned list".


"I am on the WHAT list?" I asked.


"The banned list sir, I am going to have to escort you off of the property. This is a private event."


I looked over and saw Dennis talking to somebody else, and clearly receiving the same information.


On my way toward the door I stopped to wait for Dennis so that we could leave together, however the police officer again placed his hand on my shoulder and insisted that I continue on toward the exit. They clearly were under orders to get me off of the premises as quickly as possible.


Outside Dennis joined me and told me that he had learned that both he and I were on the banned list, along with Shannyn Moore, and that they even had pictures of us to reference for quick identification.


Another reporter headed toward the entrance overheard us and asked us if there were REALLY a "banned list". "Yes there is, and we are on it" was our reply. "I have never heard of that!" she said. Welcome to Sarah Palin's Wasilla.

So, in Sarah Palin land this LaRouche kook, who most likely was as armed at the book signing as he was at the fair, is allowed to spew his racist bile, but Jesse Griffin, who would do pretty much anything to help anybody in need, is thrown out of the building.


II. Reaction to the way Sydney Hill was dealt with at the Alaska State Fair has been mixed. Knowing that a guy this unhinged was armed is troubling. If he had a conceal-carry permit, it will now be revoked. He is probably going to face charges of trespassing, resisting arrest and disturbing the peace.


Here's the official statement from the Alaska State Fair:

Regarding the incident on the Alaska State Fair Fairgrounds 26 August 2010:

Our concern is first and foremost the safety of our fairgoers, the families with their children who should be able to enjoy the fair without disturbance or potential danger.

We are in touch with the company with whom we have a contract for fair security to review what transpired. We are also in touch with the Palmer Police on this matter.

Because the fairgrounds is on private property, we reserve the right to remove someone from the premises who is creating a disruption or may pose a threat to the safety of others.

We welcome diverse viewpoints and have a structure in place at the Alaska State Fair that allows for peaceful discord and exchange at our vendor and organization booth area.

Comments at the State Fair's facebook page are fairly mixed, with a lot of people misunderstanding how the 1st and 2nd amendments - and others - pertain to a situation like this. In the comments section of the Frontiersman article on the incident, one can detect a lot of anti-Obama animosity:

The AK State Fair and their spokesman Mr. Phipps, may not understand the meaning of the First Amendment(speech), Second Amendment(firearms) and Fourth Amendment (search and seizure), but their vendors will certainly understand the meaning of less silver in their tills. Until the values of the AK State Fair management again reflect American values, I'm going to keep my money at home and not patronize the Fair. BOYCOTT THE FAIR.

and:

What if the protester had 12 people standing next to each with 1 letter on their T Shirts that spelled "Impeach Obama"? Would the security guards just ask them stand so the letters were random? This sign consisting of people in T shirts could sit on one of those park benches. I'm betting that there would be an "unwritten" rule about this too?

and this weird comment:

I heard they are planning on building a mosque where he was arrested.

Ten minutes of mayhem Thursday at the Alaska State Fair -- caught on video and posted on YouTube -- jump-started an Internet debate on free speech this week and landed a familiar roadside activist in jail.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, criticized for not hitting back harder at her primary opponent before Tuesday's election, lashed out on Friday at fellow Republican Joe Miller as "paranoid" for suggesting her campaign's lawyers wanted to skew the results of the election.

To spike speculation about the possibility of Lisa Murkowski buying her way into the Alaska Libertarian Party and continuing her Senate campaign under libertarian auspices, both the Murkowski campaign and Libertarian Party Chairman Scott Kohlhaas cleared the record on August 27th, 2010.

This is NOT speculative; this is factual. Steve Wackowski, spokesman for the Murkowski campaign, told Amanda Coyne of Alaska Dispatch, "That's not true...No one on our team has talked with the Libertarian Party." And Scott Kohlhaas also said "absolutely not". He firmly denies that anyone from the Murkowski campaign has approached the Libertarians either officially or unofficially. So this should put the rumor to bed once and for all.

But while the Murkowski campaign had repeatedly said such speculation was premature, the Alaska Libertarian Party had actually been fueling such speculation. On August 26th, KTUU Channel 2 ran a story headlined "Libertarians would welcome Murkowski Senate bid". They reported that the Alaska Libertarian Party said mutual friends of the party and the Murkowski campaign have been talking about the possibility of her being the party's candidate in the November general election. Even then, Kohlhaas said there has been no direct contact as of yet, and that the ultimate decision would hinge on current Libertarian nominee David Haase voluntarily dropping out. Haase has been quoted as saying he would be open to the idea if Murkowski would condemn the Federal Reserve.

But people skipped over the phrase "mutual friends", and decided that it meant that direct talks were occurring between the Murkowski campaign and the libertarians. It reached a fever pitch when Erick Erickson wrote, "I have confirmed through multiple sources that Lisa Murkowski has already approached the Alaska Libertarian Party. In exchange for putting her on the Libertarian ticket in November, Murkowski will hand the Libertarians a sizable chunk of her +$1 million war chest."

From there it went viral, both right and left. It gained enough traction to trigger a response from Joe Miller's campaign. A Miller staffer sent out a Tweet asking, “What’s the difference between selling out your party’s values and the world’s oldest profession?” While aimed at the libertarians, Lisa Murkowski thought it was directed towards her, and Joe Miller had to intervene to smooth the roiling waters.

The prospect of some of those Lisabucks would have to be attractive to the libertarians. Scott Kohlhaas himself is running for the House District 20 seat currently occupied by Representative-for-Life Max Gruenberg (D-Anchorage), who's served there from 1985-1993 and again since 2003. There is no Republican in the race. Unlike his previous placeholder campaign in 2008, Kohlhaas intends to go all out. Imagine what just 50,000 Lisabucks could do for him -- it would instantly put him on a level playing field with Gruenberg.

But it would cost the Alaska Libertarian Party dearly in terms of credibility. Besides, other than the fact that Murkowski is pro-choice, there's hardly a libertarian bone in her body. While Murkowski opposes Obamacare, she still believes there is a role for government in health care. Libertarians generally believe there is NO ROLE for government in health care, or, for that matter, in education. So Murkowski would be a bad ideological fit. Update: On August 30th, the Alaska Libertarian Party announced that their executive committee, by a 5-0 vote, chose to reject Lisa Murkowski for their party.

The smart thing for Lisa Murkowski to do if the decision goes against her on September 8th would be to follow Bob Bennett's example and suck it up, otherwise, she risks sending the message that she considers her political career more important than Alaska's future. Alaska Voices columnist Kevin Clarkson, a respected Anchorage attorney, sums it up best in his latest column:

I will say the same thing now to Lisa that I will say to Joe Miller if need be later. If you end up losing, then just say thank you to all those people who voted for you in the primary, and then graciously bow out and throw your support behind the Republican candidate. Put the interests of your Party and the voice of the people who voted above your ego and your own selfish motivations.

August 27, 2010:  While the election is along way from over with 20,000 absentee ballots still to be counted, lets see what Alaskans have to say about the opportunity to vote for Lisa Murkowski in November. 

Apparent Alaska GOP primary U.S. Senate race winner, Teabagger Joe Miller, after being caught this morning in a bizarre tweet comparing incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski to a hooker, seems to be trying to get back into the good graces of somebody this afternoon. I've managed to get hold of this series of tweets from Joe to Sarah Palin, that were mysteriously pulled within seconds of having been sent from Miller's blackberry. Apparently, they relate to Palin's scheduled appearance on Saturday at Ground Zero of the American civil rights movement's 1960s era battles for equal rights for America's people of color.

From the text of some of the tweets, it seems that Miller is more aware of the historical context of Palin and Beck speaking at the Washington Monument on the 47th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" epochal oration than are either Beck or Palin. Palin left college in Hawaii because there were too many brown people. She consistently treated minorities condescendingly in Alaska during her self-aborted term as governor. She tweeted merrily away in defense of Dr. Laura's racial insults in early August. She has supported Miller, and seems to want to take credit for Miller having taken the lead in this long count election, and will no doubt send coded words during the address at this sacred ground to her devoted acolytes, worshippers and followers. Beck, just today told reporters that the fact that he and Palin are speaking at the Ground Zero Monument on this hallowed day is a mere "coincidence."

Maybe that's what pushed Joe Miller over the top. Here is the Progressive Alaska exclusive set of tweets emanating from Miller's blackberry in the cab of a totally wrecked pickup truck in Fairbanks:

Ground Zero Monument rally supporters: doesn't it stab you in the heart, as it does ours throughout the heartland? Peaceful Teabaggers, pls refudiate

this was followed moments later by:

Peaceful Teabaggers, pls refute the Ground Zero rally plan if you believe catastrophic pain caused @ Selma, Montgomery - other places - is too raw, too real

and then:

Peace-seeking Teabaggers, pls understand Ground Zero Monument rally is UNNECESSARY provocation; it stabs hearts.Pls reject in interest of healing

followed by:

Will Sarah and Glen express US lingering pain&ask Teabaggers for tolerance by discouraging 8/28 rally while they celebrate making another $million tonight?

He's getting hot. Next was:

Governor, Beckster, should you or should you not hold a rally steps away from where MLK spoke to 200,000 people? Your position?

Seconds later, Miller tweeted:

We all know that you have the right to do it, but should you? This is not above your pay grade.

next:

Governor, did you encourage Beck to accept David Duke's offer of land by a hanging tree in Louisiana or outside a motel in Nashville if you move from hallowed ground at Washington mnmt?

by this time, maybe Joe Miller was getting frustrated, with steam coming out from underneath the hood of his wrecked pickup truck:

Governor, why are you so set on marking an area w/Beck-hate from what you described, in agreement with many, as "hallowed ground"?

Then, Joe sent just one more bizarre tweet, as the police wanted to get his statement at the accident scene:

8/28 rally = act of fitna, equivalent to bldg David Duke HQ next to Medger Evars monument

Later in the day, when confronted by reporters on this flash of disappeared tweets, Miller's campaign blamed it on the stress of the accident, uh - too little sleep, uh - a junior staffer who has since resigned.

Meanwhile, Sarah Palin has retired for the night, dreaming, once again, of reloading:

A Gallup poll of 276,173 adults to determine the connection between religious affiliation and opinion about Barack Obama shows that Obama's approval rating is highest among Muslims and lowest among Mormons. It also shows that Obama's approval rating has been decreasing among adherents of all faiths. The specific numbers for the period January through July 2010:

Protestant/Other Christian: 43 percent
Catholic: 50 percent
Mormon: 24 percent
Jewish: 61 percent
Muslim: 78 percent
Other non-Christian religion: 64 percent
None/Atheist/Agnostic: 63 percent

It should also be noted that Obama's approval rating has fallen further and harder among Mormons (19 percent) during the past year than among other groups. But Politico’s Ben Smith considers the overall picture: “You can spin Gallup's latest any number of ways – He's losing the Jews! The Catholics! The Muslims! – but it strikes me as a reminder more as a reminder of how broad-based Obama's political problems are than a sign of any narrow trend. Everybody's feeling the bad economy, so he's down everywhere.”

Kirk Jowers, a Mormon and head of the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics, doesn't believe the trend among Latter-day Saints will change anytime soon. “When only one in 10 Mormons consider themselves liberal, there’s not a natural base of Obama support among Mormons,” Jowers said. “Mormons are well-known for the F’s: families, frugality and faith. Traditionally, those values have been more closely associated with conservatives and the Republican Party.”

But the disparity between Mormons and Obama may also be a reflection of the difference between the United Order and Communism. While the current LDS organizational system is a pale reflection of the United Order, Obama's socialism is a pale reflection of Communism. The difference between the two is free agency; the United Order permits it, Communism prohibits it. Nowhere in the world has Communism ever been imposed except by deception or force. Read a comparison of Communism vs. the United Order HERE.

The fact that so many Jews still support Obama even though he's tilted more towards the Palestinians in the Middle East has drawn fire from some conservatives. The following comment was posted in response to this CNN Political Ticker story:

Rickster August 27th, 2010 11:23 am ET
Sixty-one percent approval rate among Jews? Are you kidding me? Apparently the Jewish people don't really care too much about the destiny of themselves or their homeland. Conservatives are forever supporting Israel and the Jewish people against the constant assault from the democrats. Maybe we are wasting our time. If they don't care maybe we shouldn't care.

Can you really blame him? After all, it seems like every time we turn on the T.V., there's some potty-mouthed Jewish comic like Bill Maher or Sara Silverman denigrating traditional American values and standards. Then there's Abe Foxman constantly bitching about so-called "anti-Semitism" and demanding more and more Holocaust indoctrination. Only a handful of courageous Jews like Michael Savage speak out publicly and consistently on behalf of our country. At some point, it's normal for people to say "To hell with these crybabies, let them fend for themselves".

Other coverage worth a read has been published by CNSNews, the Los Angeles Times, and HotAir.

Staff

Each week, KAKM gathers commentators for a review of the week’s news, politics and public affairs in Anchorage and Alaska. Topics for this week are expected to include:

• Miller v. Murkowski primary results so far
• Gubernatorial primary
• Mead Treadwell clobbers Jay Ramras
• Alaska’s legislative races
• Palin factor?

Download Audio (MP3)

HOST: Michael Carey, Freelance editorial writer, Anchorage Daily News

GUESTS:

• Paul Jenkins, Anchorage Daily Planet
• Steve Macdonald, KTUU Channel 2

KSKA (FM 91.1) BROADCAST: Friday, August 27 at 2:30 p.m. and Saturday, August 28 at 6:00 p.m.

KAKM (Channel 7 TV) BROADCAST: Friday, August 27 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, August 28 at 5:00 p.m.

PARTICIPATE: Send e-mail to anchorageedition [at] kakm [dot] org

Just after 11:00 a.m. apparent GOP Alaska primary winner for the U.S. Senate race, Joe Miller, tweeted:

What's the difference between selling out your party's values and the oldest profession?

http://bit.ly/93kXBr#teaparty#tcot#alaska#ak

JoeWMiller

Soon afterward the tweet was deleted, but the damage to his campaign might not be so easy to erase.

The Alaska blog, The Mudflats, is headlining the tweet:

Joe Miller Calls senator Lisa Murkowski a Whore?

Justin Elliott at Salon.com headlines his story:

Miller suggests Murkowski is a prostitute

The Washington Post is headlining their article:

Joe Miller compres Murkowski third-party bid to prostitution

Democratic Party nominee for this Senate seat race, Sitka Mayor Scott McAdams, hasn't yet commented on Miller's major gaffe, but his campaign is aware that this isn't the first time a statement by Miller has raised the eyebrows of feminists. Miller is staunchly anti-choice.

Word just in that Miller is reputed to have been in a three-car wreck this morning in Fairbanks. apparently, one of the three drivers, who rear-ended another, was tweeting.

Some wrecks are easier to fix than others.

(more on the car wreck as information comes in. I heard it on Shannyn Moore's KUDO AM talk radio program)

Gryph at the Immoral Minority isn't quibbling in his headline on this:

Joe Miller refers to Lisa Murkowski as a whore! Boy that Sarah Palin sure can pick'em! Yes she can!

image - by Aaron Jansen from The Alaska Dispatch

Alaska GOP Civil War

by Shushannah Walshe