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Paul Musgrave was one of the first if not the very first (as my colleague Josh Claybourn claims) bloggers in Indiana. On Saturday, he bode farewell to blogging with his last post at PaulMusgrave.Com.
I've always enjoyed Paul's blogging and am proud and humbled to have been his co-blogger on two group blogs. Every blogger could benefit from some sober contemplation of his thoughts on the medium.
Voting for Privatizing the Toll Road and supporting (or at least not
impeding) Daylight Saving Time appears to have been very lucrative for northern Indiana Republicans. The campaign finance reports are coming in, and they make for some interesting –to a geek such as myself– reading.
Abdul takes an exciting look at the plot for Indy Works, Part III.
Craig @R&F reviews the Souder-Hayhurst debate.
Bil Browning takes on Brian Bosma taking on gay marriage.
Meanwhile, Chris Douglas peers a little closer:
It would be a mistake to interpret the Governor's carefully worded statement as support for this sweeping amendment, and instead it is appropriate to understand the Governor's statement as support for the traditional definition of marriage and concern for the use of that definition as an excuse for discrimination.
Advance Indiana, "Taxpayers should be absolutely outraged by the fiscal practices of the city on the RCA Dome, but the city has no qualms about what it's doing."
Mark Rutherford posts some exciting news:
Results of last night's poll commissioned by the Libertarian Party of Indiana on Libertarian Rex Bell's Indiana House District 54 race:
Among Decided Voters
Saunders (R) (I) : 35.4%
Bell (L) : 33.1%
Sadler (D) 31.3%
Wow.
Scott Fluhr comments on Bush's visit to help out Mike Sodrel and the situation in the 9th District.
He also looks at recent polling and the spoiler effect of Shansberg.
And finally, a review of Hill and Sodrel's appearance on WTHR's "Indiana Insiders."
Jen Wagner posts some documents that shed new light on the Hamilton Avenue massacre:
Two weeks later, after it became apparent that a high-risk criminal had slipped through the cracks and helped commit the city's worst homicidal attack in history, Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi undertook a bizarre combination of back-pedaling, grandstanding and rewriting history.
The Marion County Prosecutor's race makes me chuckle -- or rather, Matt Tulley did.
First, "After all those TV commercials, it will be nice to see Brizzi without the smoke billowing around him."
Second, "One glaring problem with Kennedy's analysis is that her campaign included as a 'loss' cases in which suspects were convicted of much more serious charges -- such as attempted murder -- instead of domestic violence."
Frugal Hoosiers spreads some of the smelly stuff:
A rumor has been circulating in political circles the last day or so regarding two unnamed democrat candidates for the statehouse. Apparently pornographic e-mails were circulated on the school computers of the candidate(s) and those e-mails are now in the possession of the Indiana Family Institute, specifically in the hands of a man named Curt Smith.
Ahh, I'm so glad to be back on standard time. For the past six months, every time I looked at a clock, I thought about how stupid DST is.
Dave Haxton has a roundup of links and notes:
It might be my imagination, but I seem to have noticed a decided upswing in bitching by even national commentators this year, with The Onion even running a sarcastic blurb on the "national daylight surplus".
Doug Masson consoles himself, "If a couple of folks who voted for DST get bounced out in the upcoming election, I’ll fee marginally better on November 7. "
stAllio! found a video clip of a vintage anti-DST advertisement. It's nice to know not everyone was an idiot in the 60's. And the persistence of anti-DST sentiment gives me hope that one day this nation will throw off this oppressive measure. It is my greater hope that Indiana will lead the way.
Congratulations to Ellen Andersen:
I have a new book out and I'll be doing a reading and signing this Saturday at OutWord Bound Books, starting at 2pm. Out of the Closets and into the Courts explores the promise and limits of litigation as a tactic for advancing gay rights . . .
Out of the Closets is an academic book with a gazillion footnotes, but I wrote it to be accessible to the general public and I'm really pleased that OutWord Bound is supporting it.
Mike Kole cries foul over the Indianapolis Star's "Voters Guide."
Advance Indiana calls Nuvo's election coverage disappointing.
He also notes candidates who struggle to get noticed and how blogs can expand their reach.
Abdul has a juicy rumor in Marion County:
My sources tell me Council Member Patrice Abdullah (District 15) and Angela Mansfield (District 2) are both in their party's sights. Because the two stood up against the bar at 300 East as well as the Savoy on west 86th Street, I'm told they probably won't get slated in next year's municipal elections.
First Republicans Forum is seeking organizers and volunteers.
RiShawn Biddle has more than a few questions, and they are excellent.
More criticism for Evan Bayh's stinginess from Jerame Davis.
Advance Indiana has his weekly "Indiana Week in Review" review.
Back to Central Indiana, where two items about Melina Kennedy made me laugh out loud.
First, from Indy Undercover:
A couple days ago, some of our fellow LEOs made an arrest in the 4400 black of North Winthrop. Not only did the convicted felon have several outstanding warrants and was drving a stolen car, but in the back of his stolen Cadillac were Kennedy for Prosecutor signs. He was reportedly driving around, in a stolen car, putting up Kennedy for Prosecutor signs.
Second, from Jim Shella:
That ad from Democrat prosecutor candidate Melina Kennedy that accuses Republican Carl Brizzi of driving a "gas-guzzling" SUV recently underwent some changes. Video of an America-made SUV was replaced by a cartoon depiction of an SUV.
There were complaints from the UAW.
Mike Kole reports that his Bean Dinner was a success!
At 7:30 a.m. this morning my three year old boy yelled from his bed, “Daddy, I’m awake!” as a way to summon me to his room. When I got there, he asked, “is it morning time?” I allowed as how it was. Not that you’d know it from the darkness outside the window.
And via TDW, we have a wonderful song recorded by blogger Charlie Averill about Indiana's daylight woes called, "Losing Track of Time."
Advance Indiana does some unusual sports reporting on the Rose-Hulman vs. Franklin College football game this past Saturday.
Did you know Dane Fife has a blog? It's true.
Let's take a quick break from central Indiana and look elsewhere for some bloggage.
The always provactive Prof. Eisenstein has some news from Northwest Indiana:
So far there have been over 30 local Democrats indicted and convicted of public fraud. In addition, there are seven more awaiting trail and certain conviction. Not a single one has said they are sorry nor had a reasonable explanation for how they got into the theft culture of NWI . . . not a single NWI Democratic Politician at any level has ever, not ever, called for the resignation of anyone responsible.
As previously reported, Bil Browning of bilerico put together a forum for progressive bloggers to meet local candidates last Friday. Here are the reactions:
More to come! -- Maybe?
That poll also put Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi at a commanding lead over Democratc challenger Melina Kennedy 51-35%.
Indiana On Message comments:
But is anyone really surprised by the numbers? Kennedy's television presence has been miserable, and the ads have been an insult to the donors that have shelled out millions expecting that Kennedy, as a talented Deputy Mayor, could capitalize on rising crime, a heavily Democratic environment, and a trending-Democratic county. Thus far, even with so many strategic and structural advantages, she's failed. This poll data should only further discourage Kennedy's fundraising base, and worsen the already-growing disparity in television points...
Chris Douglas sums up why Brizzi is the candidate to vote for:
I believe that current Prosecutor Carl Brizzi is an individual whose successful re-election would, in a year of Republican defeat, send a powerful message to the Republican Party on behalf of the GLBT community of Indianapolis.
Chris Douglas looks at the nascent dirt on Eric Dickerson:
So we have a clear dichotomy... between the intimations of more embarrassment flowing from someone very closely associated with Carson, and the outright denial coming from Eric Dickerson, who also has said that he refuses to be drawn further into this web . . .
So which is it? Truth or bluff? Words in the service of the public which shed unfavorable light on the honor of Dickerson's candidacy? or words of partisan slander which shed unfavorable light on the honor of Carson's candidacy?
Advance Indiana deflects the smear that Dickerson is a failed businessman and returns the serve with a wicked backhand.
An interesting code to the 7th District race is Steph Mineart's novel gossip/ rumor/ accusation/ lie/ suggestion/ ? that Eric Dickerson's campaign has been surreptitiously passing mud along to his party organs:
I'm sorry -- Dickerson is slinging more than any candidate I've ever seen, but it's not mud he's slinging -- it's s---, plain and simple.
He's feeding libelous allegations and smear tactics to the IndyUndercover site . . . and to Gary Welsh of Advance Indiana.
Indy Undercover gives a jovial but firm denial. Advance Indiana calls it a lie.
WTHR, the local NBC affiliate in Indianapolis, commissioned a recent poll showing Republican challenger Eric Dickerson with a 45-42% lead over Rep. Julia Carson. And there was much sputtering in the Hoosier Blogosphere:
This must be an interesting day over at county Democratic headquarters. With that party preparing for historic wins across the nation and the state, Democrats face big trouble in the two biggest races here in Marion County -- at least for now. Perhaps this is a sign that the Marion County Democratic Party should start getting serious,
If the poll turns out to be less flawed than most, it would reflect what I've been thinking for a while: The race between Dickerson and Carson is narrower than most people think.
Evidence of this can be seen in the dramatic event that has turned this race into the nastiness that it is . . .
Then there is another factor that few actually consider in any of this: That the Black vote on which Carson's success has been based no longer consist of Center Township's poor African-Americans. Now that the district consists of middle-class Blacks in Pike, Lawrence and Washington townships -- many of whom are college-educated professionals and homeowners whose interests are often more aligned with White middle-class voters -- its harder for Carson to simply play on racial bigotry, especially when voters are thinking about that good old green . . .
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.
Given the cash disparities, I do not think that Dickerson can survive a last-minute push by Carson's campaign. I also do not think that the undecideds will break for him given the decidedly anti-Republican character of this election year, meaning that his being ahead is probably misleading.
The character of the year is the crux of Dickerson's problem, I think. If this were a neutral or Republican year, he would have a much better chance. But this is not, and the Republicans . . . have more pressing races to focus upon . . .Dickerson does not have the turnout operation in place that Carson does, and that is important in urban and heavily-Democratic (and minority) areas of Indianapolis.
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 . . .
Cute animal pictures from Jason Bourneman and Torpor Indy.
Advance Indiana reports from the "Mapleton-Fall Creek neighborhood association met tonight to discuss the proposed 'private club/bar' known as 300 East in the Julia Carson Government Center, and many of those who attended tonight's meeting don't want it according to WISH-TV's Daniel Miller."
The headline is an example of something that eastern Allen County residents think is a long-standing, unconscious rule at Fort Wayne Newspapers. It is this: generally, if something good or commendable happens to a resident, business or institution in New Haven, Hoagland, Monroeville, or Woodburn, then the newspaper is to refer to that person, business or institution as being in Fort Wayne.
If something negative happens, that person, business or institution is located in one of the aforementioned cities or towns.
Here's what I learned talking to and listening to Brad Ellsworth, Joe Donnelly, and Baron Hill yesterday. The three great hopes for Indiana Democrats seem to be in very different moods heading into the final three weeks of the campaign.
I'm proud to announce that I've put together a small blogger forum with some local progressive candidates on Friday. I've booked a small meeting space and four candidates have agreed to come and talk to the assembled bloggers and let them ask questions. No topic is off limits and audio and video recording will be allowed . . .
Be sure to check out your favorite local blogs on Friday afternoon to see and read what happens at the event.
Advance Indiana comments on Robert Turner's endorsement of Carl Brizzi for Marion County Prosecutor.
Indy Undercover uncovers the surprise twist, "he was approached about running for the job by the Mayor's people before [Kennedy] was."
Scott Fluhr summarizes the race for Harrison County Council.
RiShawn Biddle gives Indianpolis' proposed Second Chance Ordinance a post-mortem.
"Fort Wayne Observed spoke with Kate Bedingfield of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) about the possible significance of a listing on the 'Emerging Races' list may mean for a candidate [such as Tom Hayhurst]. "
Advance Indiana puts the shame on the InGOP for anti-gay flyers in House District 26.
Chris Douglas would like a copy of the flyer, if anyone has it.
Fred McCarthy, on the economics of Indy's sports teams:
Professional sports franchises are competing for local dollars available for voluntary spending options of the consumer, including other sports operations. They are shifting economic activity. They are not making a huge addition to that activity.
Ruth Holladay relates some difficulties in getting the Indianapolis Star to cover Indiana's 4th Congressional district race.
Mike Sylvester reports from the Fort Wayne front of the War on Drugs.
Advance Indiana says Kennedy's latest attack ad is a new low, containing nothing "informative or truthful." Presumably, this is lower than another low he'd spotted earlier.
Jim Shella relates an amusing footnote:
Some Kennedy staffers got an unexpected surprise while on assignment to shoot those [advertisement] photos. Because the building also houses a federal agency, their activities aroused suspicion and they were detained until they could convince authorities they are not terrorists.
Jerame Davis comes down on the Marion County Prosecutor's race:
But let's be clear, it has been on Brizzi's watch that the recent crime wave has taken hold and I can't help but be compelled by the Kennedy campaign's slogan, "Results matter."
Jason Bourneman says that Evan Bayh should demonstrate his party loyalty by ponying up more than $100k to help take back the Senate.
via Doug Masson, we see that the Great All-Knowing Kos agrees.
Mike Kole has a guest post over at bilerico.
He also posts audio of his appearance on "Abdul in the Morning" with Jim Hurst.
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has released its congressional scorecard for 2006. Indiana's congressional delegation fared poorly overall.
Advance Indiana analyzes a recent study on the demography of gays and lesbians in the U.S. and Indiana.
Chris Douglas comments further and wonders, "What percent of Indiana's population is gay?"
Congratulations to Shawn Plew, who is expecting a baby . . . and started a blog about it, of course.
Doug Masson says the race in house district 21 is one to watch:
One of the Indiana House races to watch is the one between Jackie Walorski (R-Lakeville) and Bob Kovach (D-Mishawaka) to represent District 21. In some respects, Walorski is the Representative most caught in the crossfire of Governor Daniels most controversial initiatives.
TDW posts the report of the special prosecutor on "Heather Bolejack and Kate Gullans, the disgraced former director and deputy director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute."
Advance Indiana says the report makes no sense.
Indy Undercover adds insult to injury with some gossip.
Indiana On Message posts the third quarter financing of Indiana's top three congressional races at a glance.
FWOb notes that former Fort Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke (R) has been "traveling around the country on behalf of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence to endorse candidates for the US House of Representatives. So far, the endorsed candidates are Democrats."
Advance Indiana expresses his skepticism over Howey's Political Report that John Hostettler is giving up on his campaign in the Bloody 8th. Taking Down Words also pours cold water on the idea.
FWOb works overtime to bring us more exclusive audio with Mike Pence, Dan Coats, and Don Schmidt.
Doug Masson considers upcoming calls to limit alcohol distribution at convenience stores.
Ha! Don't you just love that Libertarian Candidate for Secretary of State Mike Kole is holding a fundraiser with NK Hurst's 15-bean soup?
Thomas Kemp has a roundup of news on sustainability efforts in East Central Indiana.
Matt Tully recaps his interviews with Eric Dickerson and Julia Carson.
Advance Indiana comments extensively on the tapings here and here.
He also reports from their only appearance together at Robin Run Village and notes Star coverage here.
Chris Douglas reports on "defaced yard signs of Katherine Densborn, Republican challenger to incumbent Democrat David Orentlicher. "
Frugal Hoosiers note more fun with yard signs in the 9th.
Who's a Libertarian to vote for in Indiana's 3rd Congressional District? Mike Sylvester explains.
Fort Wayne Observed has an audio interview with State Sen. Tom Weatherwax (R-Logansport), one of three Republican senators seeking the state senate's top leadership position."
RiShawn Biddle also reflects on the race:
Amid all the horse race watching and speculating, the real question isn't -- and shouldn't -- be who gets to be king of the state senate. What really should concern both citizens and lobbyists is what role the state senate will play in fostering new ideas that will improve state government and culture. And whether the next president pro tempore can assure that the body will get along cordially with both the House -- whether or not Brian Bosma retains the speakership -- and a hard-charging governor.
Bil Browning takes a look at State Senate District 31 Candidate Russell Brown's proposal to stem Indiana's Brain Drain.
A troika of Marion Co. Democratic legislative candidates are proposing changes to end legislative perks. If they hope to be successful, they will need to find another leader for their House caucus.
Democrat Mark Warner, former Governor of Virginia, bows out of the Presidential race, and all eyes turn to Evan Bayh:
Pat Bauer, in a brilliant political move, pisses off a key Democratic constituency.
The Daily Pulse gets the read on the Indiana Battle Ground (via Doug Masson).
Chris Douglas, writing at FRF:
There are reports of a Democratic Party proposal to reserve a subtantial portion of the Toll Road lease proceeds from investment in the state's infrasture, and keep it on hand for future use.
That's a ridiculous proposal.
Advance Indiana: "House Speaker Brian Bosma confirms that his platform for a House GOP majority in Indiana is the platform of Eric Miller."
Fort Wayne Observed snags more exclusive audio, this time with Matt Kelty, a local architect who recently announced his candidacy for Mayor.
Mike Kole toots his own horn:
A recent check of the Libertarian Party's nationwide candidate tracker still shows the Kole Campaign as the second-most vigorous Libertarian campaign in the USA! Not Indiana, the entire United States.
E. Thomas Kemp comments on Child Protective Services in Indiana, the dilemma in the judiciary, and the plight of parents.
Dan Noland takes a, well, skeptical view of the new Hoosier movie Central State.
FWOb provides exclusive audio of remarks by Dan Coats on shepherding the nomination of Samuel Alito through the Senate.
RiShawn Biddle looks for the middle ground:
Carson supporters are right in complaining that the Dickerson crowd continues to link their candidate to the proposed bar at the Center Township government building, which, by the way, is named after Carson. After all, her opposition to it is on record. At the same time, for supporters to deny that the players involved are also her patrons -- and that she, along with Mayor Bart Peterson -- runs the Marion County Democratic Party under which all the Typical Ghetto Crap is occurring is to strain credulity.
Meanwhile Dickerson supporters are correct in asserting that Carson and her campaign engaged in mudslinging when she mentioned the Republican standardbearer's 1991 arrest for alleged wifebeating. For them to argue that Dickerson's explanation of what happened 15 years ago shouldn't be up for voter consideration -- or that pointing out the faultiness of that explanation is some sort of a hit job -- is simply ignoring the reality that voters have a right to weigh all evidence in their decision about a candidate.
Then there is the match between incumbent Prosecutor Carl Brizzi and Melina Kennedy, which has become a nasty fight over the experience and management skills of each candidate. Kennedy may be right in pointing out that one need not be a longtime prosecutor to run for the top job, but she cannot outright dismiss the fact that being a prosecutor requires more than tip-top management skills. While Brizzi makes a good point that Kennedy's lack of experience in prosecuting cases should be at issue, this doesn't mean that her points about the management requirements of the job -- and whether Brizzi has those skills -- is invalid.
Chris Douglas, writing at Bilerico, offers a thoughtful (i.e., long) post on Eric Dickerson's candidacy.
He follows up with comments on Kathryn Densborn, State Rep. David Orentlicher's (D - N. Indy) challenger.
Last week, Advance Indiana asked, "Would The Star Please Start Covering The Candidates And Issues In District 7?"
Today, he notes Matt Tully's post announcing that Dickerson and Carson will appear this Sunday on Political Insiders, along with Kevin Rader:
Let's see if Tully and Rader ask tough questions of both candidates. I'm disappointed that WTHR has chosen to air the interview only once early on a Sunday morning when very few people watch TV. I guess they're not really interested in their viewers hearing what the candidates have to say.
TDW:
Reliable sources say that the Indiana State Police are currently investigating Lawrence Township Assessor Paul Ricketts for a host of reasons, including possible ghost employment and mixing political activity with public service.
Apparently, Marion County Republican Chair and State Rep. Mike Murphy has been using Ricketts' taxpayer-funded office as a base to help coordinate part of Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi's re-election campaign, and, among other documentation, he's on tape taking all sorts of Brizzi materials to the office.
There's talk that the cops have enough to nab Ricketts, but they're also looking into Murphy and Brizzi. Reportedly, the Guv has been briefed on the situation.
Update: More.
Julia Carson can walk.
FWOb asks, "Will Fort Wayne be losing its distinction in the genealogy arena?"
Matt Tully says that Democrats' criticism of Chris Chocola for not opposing Major Moves is "smart -- but wrong."
More: Doug Masson begs to differ.
Mike Kole reports from the campaign trail on policy differences:
When asked what I might possibly do differently, I took the opportunity to point to the recently released Guide For Newlyweds, which is essentially a reprint of a Kiplinger's article repackaged as a brochure. I stated that I would never authorize something like this for two reasons. One, it's fine for the Securities Division to advise the public of scams that are being perpetrated on our people, but it's the job of individuals to seek out education for financial planning on their own. Two, the brochure was produced with funds from fraud case settlements. That's just profane. The money secured in fraud case settlements should be returned to the victims of fraud!
Advance Indiana floats the idea that Fifth-Third Bank's lawsuit earlier this year against Eric Dickerson was motivated by Julia Carson's string pulling.
"Horsepucky," responds Marla Stevens.
FWOb wonders, "Ever think some journalists take themselves way too seriously?"
The Indiana Daily Student is beyond parody.
RiShawn Biddle has some sharp questions about central Indiana politics.
He also reposts a great piece on the right questions to ask about the Toll Road.
Rob Harrington's five questions for Democratic challenger for Indiana's 5th District Katherine Carr.
Advance Indiana summarizes the recent decision by US District Court Judge Richard Young to set aside an Indianapolis ordinance banning sex offenders city parks and other public places.
Kennedy, Moriarty-Adams, Mayor Peterson and every city-county councilor who voted for this ordinance should be ashamed of themselves. But they won't be. Instead, they will waste tens of thousands of dollars fighting a losing case, all to prove to voters just how much they are against sex offenders.
FWOb posts audio and commentary on Congressman Souder's recent remarks on his former colleague Mark Foley.
Mike Sylvester comments further.
Abdul looks at Indy's new dangerous dog ordinance.
Advance Indiana reports on Carl Brizzi's recent speech before the Indy Rainbow Chamber of Commerce.
Fort Wayne Observed had the scoop, "Allen County commissioner F. Nelson Peters IV has decided to run for mayor."
credo comments.
Update: FWOb also offers some personal reflections on Mayor Graham Richard.
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