Yo Tony, False Equivalence is probably in the Stylebook, right?

Wonder why it’s taken so long for a bill to grab any traction making it illegal for lawmakers to work as political consultants?

Because former House Speaker Rod Jetton wasn’t the only one doing it.

The article in question mentions Jeff Roorda’s work for Sam Page (if that was the only work for a legislator, Jetton still leads $234K to $20K)

The Speaker of the Missouri House is the most powerful person in the Missouri House. The Minority Whip is probably near the bottom of the top 25 depending on how many permanent committees are in existence at this time.

In other words, the Majority Whip is in the top 5 of power in the 163 member house most of the time. And I’d need to do more digging to decide on if the Democratic Whip is powerful enough to be near the top 20% of the Legislature in power and influence.

That being said. Legislators still shouldn’t be paid political consultants and Reporters will unleash false equivalence beyond all reason. This changes nothing.

As far as the races in Missouri, Terrence Jones echoed this blog’s disappointment with the Dem showing in state legislative contests (only three seats gained in the House and three seats lost in the Senate). Then he commented on the statewide candidates who won (including his answer to the question in the title of this posting):

Asked why Sam Page lost, Jones had this analysis:

My next posting on Jones’ speech to the West County Dems will feature two brief clips: one on redistricting, the other on what we can do to improve our performance in state legislative races in 2010.  

As far as the races in Missouri, Terrence Jones echoed this blogsite’s disappointment with the Dem showing in legislative contests (only three seats gained in the House and three seats lost in the Senate). Then he commented on the statewide candidates who won. (You’ll find his answer to the question in the title of this posting):

Asked why Sam Page lost, Jones had this analysis:

My next posting on Jones’ speech to the West County Dems will feature two brief clips: one on redistricting, the other on what we can do to improve our performance in state legislative races in 2010.  

Sam Page’s loss is Missouri’s loss. You can get a sense of what kind of public servant we just lost from this letter Sam sent to his supporters:

“Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan.”

That quote is from Tacitus, a Senator in first century Rome. JFK quoted him following the Bay of Pigs, reflecting on its failure, but before that, he was quoted by Count Ciano, wartime pilot and Mussolini’s son-in-law, objecting to so many sharing in his success.

I find myself in the interesting position of having failed in my race for the Lt. Governor’s office, but my failure did not leave me an orphan. So many have reached me with support and with expressions of regret, that it gives a lie to this old saying.

Our campaign revealed so many friends, reaching to all four borders of our state that I feel an obligation to you — one that I can never satisfy in my mind and heart.

My well-wishers ask what are my plans. At this point, the answer is simple. Spend time with my family, catch up on the movies, read for pleasure again and date Jenny like the old days. It will be strange at first to get up in the morning and not have a long list of meetings and phones calls for the day. All this freedom will be disconcerting at first, but we all adapt quickly.

I want to thank you for standing with me. I want to thank you for asking your friends to support me. I want to thank you for participating in the Democratic process.

Winning is great — but winning is not everything.

Having good friends — that is everything.

Josh Marshall uses a term “riding the tire swing” to describe journalists who get too cozy with politicians (the term comes from descriptions of major media figures eating BBQ and riding the tire swing at John McCain’s ranch.) Was PubDef’s Antonio French riding Peter Kinder’s tire swing today?

French had a rather long post today recapping Kinder’s outreach to the African-American community in Saint Louis, topped off with a release of new endorsements from black leaders, and ending with a note about Kinder’s “angry response” to Sam Page’s negative ads and an embedded video of that “angry response.”

For the record, it wasn’t just an angry response. Kinder went ballistic and compared Sam Page to Goebbels and Hitler. Even if Sam Page weren’t a kind man who went down to the Gulf region to volunteer his time and expertise to help Katrina victims, you don’t compare your opponents to genocidal maniacs just because you think their negative ads are mean. And if Peter Kinder were comfortable with his lead, you’d think he’d be able to tone it down a little bit.

Watch the video:

And of course, Kinder’s rant about anonymous bloggers (I think Fired Up got under his skin, too) and “unsourced claims” by Page are meritless. Put on your reading glasses, Peter, the sourcing is right there on the screen.

Getting back to Antonio, why put a gauzy post about African-American support for Kinder front and center while burying an outrageous historical analogy at the bottom of the post and framing it as a legitimate response to negative ads? Tire swing?

The enablers of Peter Kinder (r – “mr. personality”), the incumbent in the Lieutenant Governor race, are certainly relentless when it comes to producing robocalls attacking Sam Page (D).

We’ve previously covered the robocalls and other attacks:

Robocalls against Sam Page (D)

Robocalls against Sam Page (D), parts 2 and 3

Fake Democrat mail targetting Sam Page (D)

Here’s another:

Sam Page has a secret. He’s accepted a large contribution from a Canadian company, breaking a Federal law in the process. In fact, Sam Page admitted it came from a Canadian address. Now, after having been caught Sam Page has all kinds of excuses. The bottom line? Sam Page doesn’t want you to know that he broke the law. Sam Page’s choices are risky for Missouri. On November 4th say “No” to Sam Page. Paid for by Citizens Taking Charge, Patrick Wilson, treasurer.

Typical old school style republican campaign tactics. I figure their “…was found to have voted with Vito Marcantonio” robocall will be out any day now.  

Sam Page (D), the candidate challenging republican incumbent Peter Kinder in the Lt. Governor race, is the target of a lot of republican campaign trash tactics. Does anybody think Peter Kinder (R) might be a little concerned about his re-election prospects?

We’ve previously written about the robocalls:

Robocalls against Sam Page (D)

Robocalls against Sam Page (D), parts 2 and 3

Now it’s a concern troll letter from a fake Democrat:

Gee, the letter is so “personal”, and yet it is unsigned.

Uh, yep. “Citizens Taking Charge”, the same entity behind the nasty robocalls.

The letter was reads like it was written by a junior high school age political operative.

“Heavy heart”? Instead, try “really scared of losing current job, eh Peter”?

What do you mean “we”, republican hacks?

The envelope was addressed to an individual who contributed money to Sam Page’s campaign – and who would have shown up in the itemized contribution portion of his campaign finance reports. There was no return address.

The envelope, please…

Permit, permit, who paid for the permit?

I have a sneaking suspicion we’re going to find out.

By the way, the grass is green everywhere this election cycle when it comes to Democratic candidates.

Okay, who is paying for all this? Well, according to a report filled with the Missouri Ethics Commission [pdf], “Citizens Taking Charge” received a contribution of $40,000.00 from the “American Democracy Alliance” on July 31, 2008.

The Missouri Secretary of State has an “American Democracy Alliance” listed in Kansas City, but it has a different address than the one listed in the campaign finance report. Could this be the same entity?

Date: 10/19/2008    Filed Documents

Business Name History

Name Name Type

American Democracy Alliance Legal

Non-Profit Corporation – Domestic – Information

Charter Number: N00832876

Status: Good Standing

Entity Creation Date: 7/30/2007

State of Business.: MO

Expiration Date: Perpetual

Last Annual Report Filed Date: 8/29/2008

Last Annual Report Filed: 2008…

“No” to seat belts on school buses? The Lt. Governor’s race between incumbent Peter Kinder (r) and Sam Page (D) has reached a point of absurdity.

On Thursday (at some point) I received a robocall. It left a message on my answering machine.

[male voice – recorded] Doctor Same Page has the wrong prescription for Missouri’s children. Sam Page supports forcing our children to wear seat belts on school buses. Despite study after study that proves school buses are safer without seat belts, Sam Page thinks he has the better answer. Sam Page wants to take another decision out of the hands of parents and local school districts and put it into the hands of state government. Sam Page’s choices are risky for Missouri. On November 4th say “No” to Sam Page. Paid for by Citizens Taking Charge, Patrick Wilson, treasurer.

In the hierarchy of wedge issues I’m wondering where this fits in. Are they telling us they’ve run out of gas on God, gays, and guns? Wow.

Where did this come from?:

A PAC [pdf] which hasn’t filed much yet.

This has really got to be a hot button issue. I wonder if our current Lt. Governor has taken the lead on keeping our kids out of seat belts?

I checked out Peter Kinder’s campaign web site to see if there was anything on the issue of seat belts on school buses.

Nope. Nothing there. Nothing about putting them in seat belts either. I called Peter Kinder’s campaign office. Apparently there was no one in on a Saturday.

Sam Page, on the other hand, appears to be concerned about the safety of children:

I think I have this straight. The republicans and their surrogates don’t want children wearing seat belts. That’s it? Is this the issue that republicans have been reduced to running on?

I called Sam Page’s campaign office today. They answered the phone. Sam Page’s campaign has released a statement about Peter Kinder’s (r) campaign tactics:

“It is shameful but not surprising that Lt. Gov. Kinder can’t find enough positive accomplishments during his term to fill a 30 second commercial,” Page said.  “He has picked up right where he left off in the primary, distorting my record because he is unable to defend his own record of slashing health services to 400,000 Missourians and siding with insurance companies instead of protecting seniors from investment fraud.

“Missouri voters won’t be fooled by the attacks of a desperate campaign.”