If this is your first time visiting The Western Word (TWW), the “Caught My Eye” column is posted every Friday morning right here!  Here is where I take a quick look at some of the stories I did not have time to write or comment about during the week – and I often throw in a touch of sarcasm just to make you smile – so get ready to slide into your weekend armed with knowledge and a smile!

Today I talk about C-130s, Olympic rings, write-in candidacy, unemployment numbers, Romney’s taxes, NBC, On This Date, and I crack open my political inbox and share!  There’s a lot more so read on…

C-130s Staying in Texas:

The Associated Press is reporting “A Senate panel voted Thursday to keep eight Texas Air National Guard cargo transport planes on the Gulf Coast for post-hurricane evacuations until at least 2014.”  They were supposed to be moved in Montana.

Meanwhile, two-thirds of Montana’s Congressional Delegation was campaigning and unable to stop the process in the senate…

Although it’s not a done deal yet, it is not looking too good for Montana in the C-130 department…

Olympic Rings:

The Montana Republican Party fired off a press release saying that “Embattled liberal Senator Raymond Jon Tester was caught using the Olympic Rings in partisan attacks against his opponent, an apparent violation of trademark law” and that they were telling the International Olympic Committee.

The Tester campaign has been telling folks that Rehberg is a former gymnast and that he “knows how to flip, flop, somersault and straddle.”  You can read about it HERE.

Really boys and girls, REALLY?

Write-In Fails:

Lee Newspapers is reporting, “Bowen Greenwood failed to get enough write-in votes in the June primary election to appear on the November ballot as the Republican nominee for clerk of the Montana Supreme Court.”

I salute Greenwood for trying.  Getting on the ballot as a write-in candidate in Montana is about as high a mountain to climb as trying to run as an independent candidate.  It should not be that hard to participate in the democracy…

Unemployment Rises:

This morning (August 3) the U.S. Department of Labor reports “Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 163,000 in July, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 8.3 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.”

The unemployment rate for June was 8.2%.

The Republicans can scream about the rate rising from 8.2% to 8.3% and the Democrats can applaud the fact that 163,000 jobs were added.  The winner will be which party can sell (spin) it best.

Jack’s Political Inbox:

Every week I receive e-mails from candidates, elected officials, and/or groups (from all political parties) promoting a cause, many just hoping they get mentioned (in a kind and gentle way) on The Western Word website!  I select a few each week that “Caught My Eye” and share them with my readers.  I picked four that I think you will enjoy…

-The Rick Hill for Montana Governor Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Get excited” in which they say, “July was an absolutely huge month for our campaign” and they tout several areas where they did well in July.

And I thought Hill and his campaign took a few weeks off…

-The Pam Bucy for Montana Attorney General Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Montana Sportsmen Alliance Endorses Pam Bucy” saying, “I’m thrilled to share the news that we just received the endorsement of the Montana Sportsmen Alliance!  This bipartisan group shares my belief that hunting, fishing and wildlife management issues are too important to get caught up in political games.”

I wonder if the Montana Sportsmen Alliance will run some third party ads for Bucy…

-The Obama for America Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Say you’re with me” in which the President writes, “I have one question for you: If you’re with me in this election, will you say it right now?  Every day I’m reminded of how much more there is to do, and how hard we have to fight if we want to finish the job we started four years ago.”

I think Obama will beat Romney because Obama is cooler…

-The Friends of Max Baucus Campaign sent an e-mail with the subject, “Reminder: Join us August 11th at Sieben Ranch” in which he writes, “U.S. Senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester Attorney General Steve Bullock | House Candidate Kim Gillan Invite you to join them for the 2012 Sieben Ranch Barbecue & Hoedown”

Wow…I bet Republican Steve Daines is thinking, “This is the largest event ever in the history of Montana politics.”

Reid v. Romney:

Although these two guys are about as exciting to watch as watching paint dry, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) was able to get a response out of Mitt Romney (R) over Reid’s remarks that he had heard Romney did not pay taxes.

It was a simple shot across the bow from Reid and Romney was dumb enough to respond.  With it, Reid raised more speculation and brought the tax issue to the forefront again.

All this could be settled if Romney released as many years of his taxes as his daddy did (12 years) when he ran for President…

On This Date:

-On this day in 1492 Columbus started sailing the ocean blue…

-On this day in 1943, General George S. Patton slapped a private at an army hospital in Sicily, accusing him of cowardice.

-Today is one of my favorite President’s birthdays: Actor Martin Sheen (“The West Wing”) turns 72.

-On This Date information courtesy of the Associated Press’ Today in History.

Olympics:

I am disappointed with NBC and their Olympic coverage on several fronts.  One is their decision to delay the airing of some events until primetime.  Another problem is with the local NBC station not having a HD signal yet – plus the signal they do have is poor quality video and audio.

I like to know the results as soon as possible and I think NBC could use primetime to do a highlight show of the day’s best events.  I did watch a streaming video of the 200-meter individual medley race on Thursday between Phelps and Lochte, but most of the time I find out the results via Twitter.

Some folks are trying their best to not find out the results until primetime.  Read about that HERE.

One More Thing:

Don’t forget to stretch…

Today I write about a split ticket, Christie in Missoula, the plane mystery, meds, love for Clinton, the issues, Romney’s overseas trip, and much more…

Split Ticket:

The Great Falls Tribune published a story about the Senate race between U.S. Senator Jon Tester and Congressman Denny Rehberg.  The headline was “Tester may need split ticket to hold seat.”  The Tribune reporter asked several out-of-state experts to comment about the race and found, “National political analysts seem to agree that Tester began his re-election campaign with a tough hill to climb, but so far the incumbent is holding his ground against a savvy and experienced political rival.”

Yawn.  It was nice to bring in the big dogs to comment.  Last September I had Tester ranked as the third most vulnerable senator up for re-election in 2012.  Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) was number two and Ben Nelson (D-Nebraska) was number one.  Nelson decided not to run for re-election.  The initial list which was compiled and posted by me on November 4, 2010, has been picked up by several newspapers and has been read by thousands.

I actually feel better about Tester and McCaskill’s chances now than I did back then…

Christie in Missoula:

The Missoulian is reporting, “The fiery Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey is headed to Missoula to help fellow Republican Rick Hill grab hold of the governor’s office in this state.”

The event is Friday, August 10 at 1:30 p.m. at the Hilton Garden Inn.  According to the story, a reception ticket is $150.  A photo opportunity is $630 a person, or $1,000 a couple.

Christie is a (surprisingly) good catch to help the quiet and reserved Rick Hill in his quest to become Montana Governor, but he seems a better fit for Butte America…

I wonder if Steve Daines is thinking, “This is the largest event ever in the history of Montana politics.”

The Plane:

Yesterday I asked readers if they had a photo of a plane flying over Great Falls with a Rehberg banner.  A reader responded and said the banner reads, “Rehberg is bad news for hunters” and here is a photo:

That’s a good way to get attention.  Another way would be to have a city bus painted with the candidate’s logo and name…

AP Correction:

I talked about the Associated Press (AP) story yesterday where I wrote, “The Montana GOP does not think it is fair that the Montana Democratic Party is paying the salaries of the spokesmen for Governor Candidate Steve Bullock and Attorney General Candidate Pam Bucy.  They believe the respective campaigns should pay the salaries.”

There was an error in the AP story.  You can read the correct story HERE.

Meds:

Dr. Dan Gold writes a column that appears in the Great Falls Tribune called, “Healer’s Corner.”  Today he talks about the price of colchicine (medication for gout) going “from nine cents per pill to nearly $5, thanks to the efforts of the federal Food and Drug Administration.”

I recently had a very severe cough that over-the-counter medication could not stop.  I went to a local doctor and was prescribed Avelox (400mg) which is an antibiotic.  The cost?  10 pills cost $186.32 and that was with insurance.  I did not even get a kiss from the pharmacist…

In 2013 maybe our elected officials in Washington can work on the high cost of prescription drugs…

Clinton Love:

A new poll from Gallup says, “Two-thirds of Americans — 66% — have a favorable opinion of former U.S. President Bill Clinton, tying his record-high favorability rating recorded at the time of his inauguration in January 1993.  Clinton nearly returned to this level of popularity at two points in his second term, but has generally seen lower ratings, averaging 56% since 1993.”

That’s an impressive favorable rating considering all he’s been through…

Campaign Plan:

A new poll from Gallup gives candidates a blueprint on what to talk about during this campaign season.  Gallup reports, “Creating good jobs, reducing corruption in the federal government, and reducing the federal budget deficit score highest when Americans rate 12 issues as priorities for the next president to address.”

Just talk about the top three or four issues and what you will do about them and you’re well on your way to being elected…

More Romney Problems:

If Mitt Romney spends much more time overseas, Barack Obama may beat him by a landslide in November.  Romney has had several problems in the foreign relations department on this trip.  You can read the latest one HERE.

Romney does not seem ready to lead this country…

Follow Jack on Twitter @TheWesternWord…

Today I talk about the 33rd vote, veterans’ claims, waffles, Missing in America Project, fundraising, compromise, poll results, and much more!

33rd Vote:

Today we find the U.S. House of Representatives preparing to take its 33rd vote to repeal all or part of the Affordable Care Act.  Of course they won’t repeal it because the U.S. House is run by Republicans and the U.S. Senate and the White House are controlled by the Democrats.

It’s a purely political show today and frankly it’s getting old and ridiculous.  Where do we get leaders, like Majority Leader Eric Cantor and House Speaker John Boehner, who can’t lead and don’t seem to compromise?  It’s too bad the sides cannot get together and make the Affordable Care Act stronger and better for all Americans. 

If I were a Republican in the U.S. House I would be a little nervous that the voters back home are getting a little tired of the same tune.  There are much more important things – like veterans issues, jobs, and paying down the debt, that should take most of their attention – not scoring political points…

If I were a Democrat in the House, I’d talk about the issues our country needs to address…

565,000:

That’s a number that our federally-elected officials (Senator Max Baucus, Senator Jon Tester, and Congressman Denny Rehberg) should be ashamed of.

CBS News reported yesterday that the Department of Veterans Affairs has a backlog of 565,000 claims and it does not look like it’s going to get better anytime soon.

Instead of wasting time on repealing ObamaCare, maybe the U.S. House should devote time to ensuring the VA has the resources in place to take care of this backlog.  A veteran should never have to wait more than 60 days to receive a decision from the VA.  Never.

Yes.  No.  Maybe.

Today’s headline on the Helena Independent Record website was not too kind to Senator Jon Tester, “Taxing the wealthy: Baucus agrees; Rehberg opposes; Tester waffles.”  You can read the story HERE.

And with the line, “And Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, who’s being challenged by Rehberg in this year’s election, said Tuesday he’s still thinking about it, and will discuss the issue with fellow senators before making a decision,” I can see a campaign ad or two in the future.

The Tester folks can spin it saying that Tester is an independent thinker and does not always jump on the political party’s bandwagon…

Missing in America Project:

A big salute to the folks involved in the Missing in America Project.  According to the Associated Press, “volunteers in the state recently identified the remains after visiting funeral homes, taking inventory of unclaimed remains and authenticating death certificates with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs records.”  They identified seven Montana veterans.

On Friday these veterans will be buried in the Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison.  Salute.

Bullock/Hill Fundraising:

According to a story by the Associated Press, Republican Rick Hill and Democrat Steve Bullock “hauled in a little more than $50,000 in a short fundraising period that covered about two weeks.”

Bullock still has an enormous lead in the “cash on hand” category with about $800,000 in the bank.  Hill has about $150,000.

Montana HD 63:

Former Congressional candidate Franke Wilmer says she was selected by the local Democratic committee to replace the party’s candidate for the rural Bozeman House District 63 seat.  Read the story HERE.

My favorite part of the story was, “Wilmer says she hopes to win the swing district as Democrats try to even things with Republicans in the state House.  She says a more closely divided House forces good compromise.”

I’d really like to see some “good compromise” in Helena – instead of being left to think it’s a big circus with several clowns pulling stunts for attention…

Campaign Ad Poll:

Yesterday on The Western Word, I conducted a “nonscientific” poll regarding which campaign ad, Jon Tester’s Ad: “Fighting for Veterans: Jon & Tomy,” or the “Denny Rehberg Ad: “”Palden,” was liked the most.

The winner is Jon Tester’s Ad: “Fighting for Veterans: Jon & Tomy,” with 56% of the vote.

Follow Jack on Twitter @TheWesternWord.

Oh yes…it is now JULY!

If this is your first time dropping by, “Monday Morning Politics” is where I put together several of the political stories from the past weekend all in one place for your reading pleasure.  I also offer some commentary about these stories sometimes laced with just a little snarkiness…

Today I talk about a big freaking fundraiser, The Outhouse, Medicaid and Obamacare, healthcare facts, healthcare polls, healthcare politics, jobless veterans, Malmstrom AFB, F-15s, and much more!

Romney Fundraiser in Montana:

On Friday, KTVQ in Billings reported that Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney will be in Montana for a fundraiser on July 11 at the Daly Mansion in Hamilton.  It will cost “$25,000 to meet and get a picture with him.  Meanwhile the dinner with Romney costs $50,000 per couple and is limited to just 30 couples.”

This story gives credence to people believing that Romney is so rich that he is out of touch with regular people…

Obama Outhouse:

Just when you thought it was quietly fading away, the Obama Outhouse story is in the news again – you know the one that showed up at the Montana GOP Convention a couple weeks ago in Missoula.

This time Ed Kemmick writes about it in his “City Lights” column for the Billings Gazette.  You can read it HERE.  He closes his column with the perfect question, “Can the adults around here please grow up and stop embarrassing our children?”

It’s the story that keeps on giving…

Medicaid & Obamacare:

Mike Dennison of Lee Newspapers writes about “Medicaid part of health care ruling not a win for Obama” in a column on Sunday.

Dennison interviewed the Montana Governor candidates about the possibility of expanding Medicaid.  Republican Rick Hill said, “I’m not going to support the Medicaid expansion if it puts Montana taxpayers at risk and increases the cost of health care in Montana.”  As for Democrat Steve Bullock, Dennison wrote, “Bullock basically ducked the question, declining to say whether he supports or opposes the Medicaid expansion for Montana.”

Ouch…

Healthcare, Healthcare, Healthcare, Healthcare:

I don’t feel any differently since the healthcare law was mostly upheld last Thursday, how about you?  I still have the same aches and pains I had on Wednesday…

The Associated Press takes a look at some of the statements made about healthcare from Barack Obama and Mitt Romney and lets us know if they are factual or not!  It can also be used to check what other candidates are saying.  Check it out HERE.

On the Sunday talk shows there were several discussions about whether the mandate in the healthcare law is a “penalty” or a “tax.”  The GOP wants to say it’s a tax because it sells better with voters and also because in the Senate it would be easier to overturn the law (with only 51 votes instead of 60).

If you want to check for yourself to get an idea what the U.S. Supreme Court actually said, go to the opinion from the Supreme Court and search for the word “Tax” and the word “Penalty.”

Gallup conducted a poll after the ruling and found, “Americans are sharply divided over Thursday’s Supreme Court decision on the 2010 healthcare law, with 46% agreeing and 46% disagreeing with the high court’s ruling that the law is constitutional.  Democrats widely hail the ruling, most Republicans pan it, and independents are closely divided.”

Since many races will be decided by the independents, candidates will need to pay particular attention to those voters.  In this poll they agreed with the ruling 45% to 42%. 

The Associated Press reported, “The U.S. Health and Human Services Department says about 25,000 Montana residents will receive an average rebate from insurance companies of $194 by Aug. 1 due to the health reform law.”

U.S. Senator Max Baucus said, “This is cold hard cash in the hands of working Montanans, and it’s just the tip of the iceberg,” which in one way is saying, “Vote for the Democrat” and we’ll keep the checks coming…

On Friday, Congressman (and U.S. Senate Candidate) Denny Rehberg posted a one minute and 31 second video on YouTube called, “Promises” which shows Jon Tester and Barack Obama talking about the healthcare law.  You can watch the video HERE.

Jobless Veterans:

USA Today reported, “The cost of unemployment compensation for troops leaving the military without jobs approached a billion dollars last year…”

There are also millions of people (including veterans) who are not counted because they have stopped looking for work and no longer receive unemployment benefits…

Malmstrom AFB:

The Great Falls Tribune reported that one of the roads leading to Malmstrom AFB (near Great Falls) will be getting a major facelift this summer.

October 2012 will mark the 50th Anniversary of the Cuban missile crisis and the first missile going online at Malmstrom – the “ace in the hole.”

This “facelift” is much-needed so I applaud the move.  The County Commissioners should also ensure the area leading to the base does not fall back into an eyesore once the celebration ends.  Since Malmstrom does not have an active runway, VIPS arrive through the front gate.  As they say, you never get a second chance to make a first impression…

Schweitzer & F-15s:

The Great Falls Tribune reported, “Gov. Brian Schweitzer has asked a federal court to delay his lawsuit against the federal government to see if the Defense Department and Congress follow through on pledges to block the shift of flying units for the next 15 months, including the F-15 jets at the Montana Air National Guard in Great Falls.”

I hope the next Governor continues to fight for the F-15s (and other jets) and does not roll over for the Department of Defense…

NOTICE:

If you are traveling this week, please be careful on the roads and don’t drink and drive!

Follow me on Twitter @TheWesternWord…

If this is your first time visiting The Western Word (TWW), the “Caught My Eye” column is posted every Friday morning right here!  Here is where I take a quick look at some of the stories I did not have time to write or comment about during the week – and I often throw in a touch of sarcasm just to make you smile…

NOTICE: Before proceeding please understand that everyone and everything is fair game…

Today I write about the U.S. Supreme Court, the healthcare law, the Montana delegation’s response, the blown media coverage, Cantor’s scheduled vote, the Holder vote and the circus, I share e-mails from my political inbox, PTSD, the independent thinker, the Stolen Valor Act, changing names, and much more…SCOTUS on Healthcare:

As with most people I was surprised by the U.S. Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) 5-4 ruling that upheld the healthcare law (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act).  It was also surprising that Chief Justice John Roberts (Bush appointee) sided with the liberal side of the court and gave them the victory.  You really never know what you’ll get with a Justice on any given day – they are indebted to no one – unlike members of Congress.  It was a historical decision.

Republican Congressman (and Senate candidate) Denny Rehberg issued a statement saying, “This fight is a long way from over because the Constitution gives final authority to We the People on election day.  Despite this ruling made possible with the help of two freshly confirmed Obama appointees, this law has got to go.”

This decision may actually help Rehberg and Romney have an issue…get ready to hear the word “taxes” a lot over the next few months….

Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Tester (who is running against Rehberg) issued a statement: “I’m pleased the Supreme Court has validated Congress’ work to ensure access to health care for all Montanans.”  He went on to add, “Today’s ruling doesn’t mean this responsible, constitutional law can’t be improved.”

Now he must defend his votes by telling Montanans why it’s good for them…

Montana’s senior U.S. Senator, Democrat Max Baucus said in a statement, “Thousands of Montana families, grandparents, young adults and kids can breathe a little easier today knowing they get to keep the cost savings and protections they have because of the health care law.  Our veterans and workers are now assured they’ll be able to see a doctor when they need to.  Today is a victory for the people of Montana.”

Baucus had little to lose – now he can claim success…

In my opinion, it would be nice if Congress would work together to make this law stronger – but they are more concerned about winning their next reelection and getting control of the Congress and the White House.  Many are millionaires and don’t face the struggles the rest of us do.

Lee Newspapers takes a look at what this decision means to Montana.  Click HERE.  Hint:  The sky is not falling…

The Associated Press has listed who they think the winners and losers are in the health care issue HERE.

Blown SCOTUS Coverage:

Imagine you are CNN or FOX News and you prep for this big historical day and it comes.  You then give your viewers the wrong information.  CNN and FOX News crashed and burned.  Big time.

One organization that got it right was a BLOG.  Yes, a BLOG.  The SCOTUSBlog stood tall among the major news organizations.

Move over major news organizations – Blogs are here and we are relevant!

If CNN and/or FOX would like to hire a communications specialist, e-mail me.  I am available for hire…

Cantor Vote:

Right after being slapped across the face with the ruling, U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor issued a statement saying he has “scheduled a total repeal of ObamaCare to occur on Wednesday, July 11.”

So Cantor gets the stupid statement of the day award.  How did that repeal work out last time, Rep. Cantor?  This vote is nothing but political – no wonder Congress’ favorable ratings are in the toilet.

Cantor is the type of fellow who couldn’t pour water out of a boot with instructions on the heel…

U.S. House Sideshow:

Thursday afternoon the U.S. House of Representatives cited Attorney General Eric Holder for contempt of Congress.  It was a political circus – a soap opera.  Many Democrats walked out during the vote.

This vote set back finding out what really happened during Fast and Furious by months if not years and once again we see people in Congress, like Rep. Darrell Issa (R), playing politics.  Wednesday night one of Issa’s henchmen, Rep. John Mica (R), showed very poor statesmanship during his appearance on CNN and MSNBC.

Mica seems to be missing a few buttons on his remote control…

Attorney General Eric Holder issued a statement about the vote.  You can read it HERE.  It is worth the read…

Jack’s Political Inbox:

Every week I receive e-mails from candidates, elected officials, and/or groups (from all political parties) promoting a cause, many just hoping they get mentioned (in a kind and gentle way) on The Western Word website!  I select a few each week that “Caught My Eye” and share them with my readers.  This week most of the e-mails are about the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on the health care law.  I picked five that I think you will enjoy…

-The Montana Republican Party sent me a statement with the subject, “MT GOP Statement on SCOTUS Ruling” which said, “Max Baucus helped write Obamacare, while Jon Tester cast the deciding vote for it.  This was done without listening to the overwhelming majority of Montanans who rejected Obamacare and the tax increases contained within it.  A full repeal of this job-killing, budget-busting legislation can only be achieved by electing Mitt Romney and Denny Rehberg, leaders who are committed to reforms that actually lower healthcare costs for Montana families.”

We’ll be hearing the “tax increase” line for the next few months.  To help the GOP just about every three minutes FOX News is saying your taxes will be raised…

-Melanie Brock from the Friends of Steve Bullock campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “If You’re Like Me” in which she said, “Today, Congressman Rick Hill said if he were Governor, he would “address” the cost of health care.  As an insurance executive, a lobbyist and a Congressman, Mr. Hill has had plenty of opportunities to ‘address’ health care.”

Being called an “insurance executive” and a “lobbyist” is getting downright nasty…

-The Mitt Romney for President Campaign sent me three e-mails with the subject, “Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare” saying, “Today, the Supreme Court upheld Obamacare.  But regardless of what the Court said about the constitutionality of the law, Obamacare is bad medicine, it is bad policy, and when I’m President, the bad news of Obamacare will be over.”  He then asked me to send him $10 to help out.

Romney raised about $4.2 million after the Supreme Court decision was handed down and even with his vast personal wealth and his campaign money, he still can’t buy a personality…

-The Barack Obama for President Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Say you’re with me” in which he said, “This is a good day for millions of Americans who can continue to benefit from the protections and economic security provided by the Affordable Care Act.  While the Supreme Court’s decision should put to rest the debate over health care, Mitt Romney and the Republicans in Congress just can’t take yes for an answer.”

In a perfect world, Mr. President, everyone would hug after the announcement and sing a song…

-Erik Iverson, the Campaign Manager for the Denny Rehberg Campaign, sent me an e-mail with the subject, “It’s all in your hands…” writing, “The fight is just beginning.  And victory is up to you.  The Supreme Court’s decision today on President Obama and Senator Tester’s health care law is disappointing to say the least — but it also makes it more important than ever that we elect new leadership to both the Senate and the White House.”

Rehberg seems to be having some bad days recently…which reminds me of the song, “Bad Day” and the lyrics, “Because you had a bad day, you’re taking one down…You sing a sad song just to turn it around…You say you don’t know, you tell me don’t lie…You work at a smile and you go for a ride…You had a bad day, the camera don’t lie..”

Just One Day:

As many folks read Wednesday here at The Western Word, that day was set aside as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Day (PTSD).  Karen Bohlinger, who is the wife of Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger, noted her son’s struggles with PTSD in a guest opinion that was sent to several newspapers around the state.

Ms. Bohlinger decided to use this day and space on the opinion page to attack Congressman Denny Rehberg for a vote he supposedly made in the U.S. House, while praising Montana’s senators, especially Rehberg’s opponent, Senator Jon Tester.

I guess in a perfect world we would stop the political one-upmanship for at least the day so we could raise the awareness about PTSD.  Just-one-day!  As a veteran, I know more than most that we don’t live in a “perfect world” so I was disappointed that Ms. Bohlinger used her “space” on the opinion page to bring the disgusting odor of politics into veterans’ healthcare.

I salute Karen Bohlinger’s son for his service to our country… 

Stolen Valor Act:

SCOTUS on Thursday struck down a federal law called the Stolen Valor Act.  The Act prohibits a person from falsely claiming that he/she has been awarded a military honor.

So it’s OK to lie about military awards, medals, and honors – it’s freedom of speech.

U.S. Senator Jon Tester issued a statement:

“Courageous military heroes earn awards like the Medal of Honor with their actions on the battlefield.  Lying about military service is dishonorable and an insult to the brave men and women of our armed forces.  Today’s decision demonstrates the need for an accessible awards database so we can verify and honor our true American heroes.”

Hopefully Congress will get to work and make a law that passes the freedom of speech test and makes lying about one’s military medals and awards against the law. 

Independent Thinker:

The Wall Street Journal’s Opinion page had an interesting piece on Wednesday about Congressman Denny Rehberg and the ad done by the Montana Republican Party that says Rehberg is an “independent thinker.”  They closed out the opinion saying, “What’s the point of electing Republicans like Mr. Rehberg if they’re going to vote like Democrats and block reform in the 113th Congress?  Better to let Mr. Tester keep the seat, if only for truth in advertising.”

I wonder what they say about people they don’t like…

Name Change:

Proving that some of the most highly educated people in Montana do dim-witted things, Montana State University Great Falls is changing their name to Great Falls College Montana State University (GFCMSU).  The expense of making these changes must be pretty steep.  Maybe the regents will chip in part of their salaries to pay for the changes?

The University of Great Falls (UGF) was not happy with the change and neither am I.  One ironic thing is the UGF (formerly named College of Great Falls) donated the land which MSU-Great Falls sits.  That’s classy MSU, classy.

MSU-Great Falls is what it will be called in my book – unless I call it the Vo-Tech…

Return your books:

According to this story, “A New Mexico woman was arrested and spent a night in jail for not returning the book ‘Twilight’ and two-DVD set ‘The Twilight Saga: New Moon’ back to the library on time.”

New Mexico is tough on crime…

One More Thing:

Don’t forget to stretch…

Here we are just about 24 hours from finding out from the U.S. Supreme Court about healthcare law.  Also, they will be ruling on the constitutionality of the Stolen Valor Act.  Those two things and the possibity that the U.S. House may vote to hold U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt should make for an interesting Thursday – so follow me on Twitter to keep up with the latest!

Today on The Western Word, I take a look at some polls, Charlie Rangel, Orrin Hatch, Montana Governor’s race fundraising, candidates’ debt, and much more – so read on!Dislike:

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey told us “53% Say Neither Party Represents American People.”

In other news, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon…

Charlie Charlie:

Roll Call reports “Twenty-one-term Rep. Charlie Rangel, the Democratic icon who chaired the powerful House Ways and Means Committee and was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, survived the fiercest primary challenge of his career Tuesday night.”

In case you did not know it, Charlie Rangel is a veteran of the U.S. Army.  He served in Korea where he was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.  Hero!

Orrin Orrin:

Utah Senator Orrin Hatch handily won his Republican primary Tuesday night.  He should easily win reelection to a seventh term.

The Tea Party was just beaten in Utah and that should cause you to break out in a smile (and maybe a song) on this Wednesday…

If Hatch wins his general election matchup, he says this will be his last term.  It will be nice to see if he becomes independent and bucks the party (and his weak leader, Mitch McConnell).  Since Hatch won’t have to worry about raising money, he can now vote the way he actually feels.  That would be refreshing to see for a change.

I also have a unicorn for sale…

Likeability:

A new poll from Gallup tells us that in the likability department Barack Obama comes in at 81% and Mitt Romney comes in at 64%.  In the “Shares Your Values” area, Obama leads Romney 53%-45%.

Romney has a long ways to go with his image – he comes across as very rich and out of touch with regular people…

The other night Mitt Romney’s sons visited the Conan show.  After they left, Conan O’Brien tweeted, “@MittRomney – Had your sons on #Conan tonight.  After they left, I found $20,000 in the couch cushions.”

That perception of Mitt Romney will be hard to overcome…

Money:

The latest fundraising reports are in and according to a story by the Associated Press, Montana Governor Candidate Steve Bullock (D) “raised nearly $200,000 over the past month” and Governor Candidate Rick Hill (R) raised $55,000.

I think the supporters of Rick Hill are probably alarmed that Hill was outraised so significantly by Bullock…

Money & Debt:

Lee Newspapers takes a look at some of the fundraising for other statewide races in Montana.  One of the interesting things reported is that Attorney General Candidates Pam Bucy and Tim Fox both have a lot of debt.  “Fox reported debts of nearly $45,000″ and “Bucy reported more than $38,000 in debts” according to Lee Newspapers.

Both campaigns will be hitting the phones to raise some serious coin…

Follow me on Twitter @TheWesternWord…

In case you’re dropping by for the first time, “Monday Morning Politics” is where I put together several of the political stories from the past weekend all in one place for your reading pleasure.  I also offer some commentary about these stories sometimes laced with just a little snarkiness…

Today I talk about the F-15s staying in Great Falls, endorsements, party-line voting, still a toss-up, Pee-wee Herman and the Great Falls City Commission, and much more!

F-15s will stay in Great Falls:

U.S. Senator Jon Tester, who is up for re-election this year, scored a major public relations (PR) victory in the Great Falls (Montana) and Cascade County area with the headline, “Tester: F15s to stay.”

The newspaper headline was in the prime spot – on the front page of the Great Falls Tribune and on the top of the fold.  Later this election season, we’ll see that headline in a campaign commercial and maybe on some fliers because it is that big a deal.

On Saturday, Tester’s Senate office (the taxpayer-funded one) sent me an e-mail with the subject, “F-15s will stay in Great Falls” saying, “Yesterday I was in Great Falls to deliver good news: the F-15s are staying in Great Falls through the end of September 2013.”

U.S. Senator Max Baucus and Congressman Denny Rehberg both liked the news, but Montana Governor Schweitzer was a bit more cautious saying, “Until they write me a letter that starts in the first sentence ‘We declare uncle,’ we don’t back down.  I’ve been around this county fair long enough to know there are always a lot of rumors going around.”

Unfortunately, the F-15s are still scheduled to leave Montana, but that has now been delayed until September 2013.  Supposedly the Department of Defense (DOD) plans to replace the mission with C-130 cargo planes.  Many observers don’t believe that will happen.

The Congressional delegation (and the Governor) needs to fight to keep the F-15s well into the future.

Realistically all that happened on Friday was that the can was kicked down the road – past Election Day 2012…but it was a good day for the Tester camp with the headline.

Chamber Endorses:

The Montana Chamber of Commerce endorsed Denny Rehberg for U.S. Senate, Steve Daines for U.S. House and Rick Hill for Montana Governor – all Republicans – for the top three races in November.

To make it exciting, the Montana Chamber did stray from the GOP field by endorsing Democratic State Auditor Monica Lindeen and in the Secretary of State race they endorsed incumbent Democrat Linda McCulloch.

The Rehberg campaign sent a press release (but not to The Western Word) with the endorsement news, and the Hill campaign sent me an e-mail with the news.

I wonder if the Unions in Montana will endorse any Republicans this year…

Party Line Voting:

Politico posted a story Friday afternoon with the headline, “Rehberg’s votes: Overwhelmingly party line” in which they say that Rehberg, “votes with his fellow Republicans well north of 90 percent of the time most years.”

Back on June 15, I mentioned that in regards to “party line voting that “when you hear Rehberg and Tester saying they are ‘independent,’ it’s actually true less than 10% of the time…”

Rothenberg Political Report:

The Tester campaign folks were probably feeling a little energized when they read the “Rothenberg Political Report” on Friday.

Stuart Rothenberg wrote, “But some Republican insiders privately admit that freshman Democratic Sen. Jon Tester is running the best re-election race in the country, and they are less than optimistic about GOP Rep. Denny Rehberg’s ability to take the seat from him.  Still, the race is a tossup.”

That is probably true – one of my GOP friends told me the other day that the Rehberg campaign does not seem to be running on all cylinders and that the missteps are piling up on the Congressman…

Pee-wee’s Playhouse:

Many years ago Thomas “Tip” O’Neil the longtime Speaker of the House said, “All politics is local.”  If O’Neil was still around, I bet he would have enjoyed watching the shenanigans of the Great Falls City Commission.

Great Falls Tribune reporter Richard Ecke writes about the “deep divisions” in the commission HERE.

We have such insults as one commissioner calling another one an “idiot” and another one saying, “he thinks he’s smarter than any other human being that’s ever walked.”

Instead of the back and forth maybe the commissioners should just use a quote from the esteemed gentleman, Pee-wee Herman, and say, “I know you are but what am I.”

During some meetings the commission does resemble Pee-wee’s Playhouse…and the back and forth looks a lot like this video.

For a laugh or two and to catch breaking news – follow Jack on Twitter @TheWesternWord

Woohoo – we made it to Friday – Congratulations!  If you read one thing today, this column has to be it!  You want to slide into your weekend armed with knowledge and a smile, don’t you?

If this is your first time visiting The Western Word (TWW), the “Caught My Eye” column is posted every Friday morning right here!  Here is where I take a quick look at some of the stories I did not have time to write or comment about during the week – and I often throw in a touch of sarcasm just to make you smile…

ADVISORY: Before proceeding please understand that everyone and everything is fair game…

Today I write about the Rehberg no-show, Pearl Jam tickets, Trib v. KRTV, Independent, GOP Witch Hunt, Term Limits, FarmVille, More Outhouse, I share the contents of my political inbox, and much more!

U.S. Senate Debate:

This week the major political news has been Congressman Denny Rehberg not participating in a debate sponsored by the Montana Broadcasters Association.  So the first couple things that “Caught My Eye” mentions are Rehberg and the debate.  The debate was scheduled for Sunday.  It has been cancelled altogether.  All around the country we’ve seen several headlines like “Senate debate cancelled due to Rehberg no-show” which has caused harm to the Rehberg campaign.

To compound the problem, Rehberg’s schedule surrounding the date seemed to be a mystery.  On Tuesday I wrote, “As far as I can tell, Rehberg’s campaign has not disclosed where the Congressman will be on Sunday morning – and that adds to the mystery – and keeps it in the news and on the blogs.”

Rehberg should hire a crisis management team because the folks handling this crisis right now are not doing so well.

Free Pearl Jam Tickets:

Jon Tester picked up on my “Where’s Rehberg” column and his campaign is offering two free Pearl Jam tickets to the first person who finds out.

Apparently the Montana Television Network (MTN) will get the free tickets (shame on corporate America) as they found out that Rehberg was in the midst of fundraisers campaign events this weekend.  Rehberg is attending a fundraiser campaign event in Wyoming on Saturday and was scheduled to attend a fundraiser campaign event in St. Louis on Monday.  It appears that the St. Louis event has been cancelled.

I was hoping a Team Rehberg staffer would give me the info and we could go to the concert together…

So now Team Rehberg gets to deal with headlines, like “Rehberg misses debate to attend campaign event.”  Oh the humanity…

Tribune v. KRTV:

KRTV (one of the local television stations in Great Falls, Montana) posted a story on their Facebook page about bears near Great Falls.  An employee from the Great Falls Tribune newspaper posted a comment on KRTV’s Facebook page saying, “Hey nice work on getting this from our website.  Next time could you give the paper credit at least?  Thanks!!”

Then the fun started.  Read more HERE.

Both news organizations do a tremendous job in a small-town market, and it is fun to see some of their competiveness spill out and give us a chuckle…

If only The Western Word could grow up and compete with the big boys and girls…

Under The Bus:

The headline in Politico was “Rehberg throws the party under the bus” and the story is about Congressman Denny Rehberg’s latest campaign ad which portrays Rehberg as independent.

Last Friday here at The Western Word I kind of put that myth in its place.  I wrote, “So when you hear Rehberg and Tester saying they are ‘independent,’ it’s actually true less than 10% of the time…”

More Outhouse:

The executive director of the Montana Human Rights Network, Travis McAdam, has a viewpoint in the Great Falls Tribune today regarding the Montana GOP Convention and the Obama Outhouse.  The headline is “GOP officials should be harsher on Obama-insulting outhouse” and you can read it HERE.

It’s an issue that seems to keep on giving…

“GOP witch hunt for Eric Holder…”:

I like to read Eugene Robinson’s columns and his latest, “GOP witch hunt for Eric Holder reflects bigger problem” brings up some very good points about Operation Fast and Furious.

While I don’t agree with Robinson on everything in this column, it is worth a read and will open the eyes of some and others will attack him for it.

The U.S. House investigation into Fast and Furious is more “gotcha politics” and winning in November than for finding out the facts.

Jack’s Political Inbox:

Every week I receive e-mails from candidates, elected officials, and/or groups (from all political parties) promoting a cause, many just hoping they get mentioned (in a kind and gentle way) on The Western Word website!  I select a few each week that “Caught My Eye” and share them with my readers.  This week I picked four that I think you will enjoy…

-The Montana Republican Party sent me an e-mail with the subject, Millionaire Tester: ‘I Don’t Consider Myself Poor, I Consider Myself Middle Class” in which they write, “Senator Raymond Jon Tester couldn’t be more out-of-touch or hypocritical.  Just like pretending to be a reformer while he’s the number-one recipient of lobbyist money and has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from Wall Street banks after doing their bidding in Washington, Tester now calls himself ‘middle-class’ when he’s really a documented millionaire.”

They called him Raymond again.  Nasty. 

-John Walsh, who is the Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor with Steve Bullock, sent me an e-mail on Tuesday with the subject, “Deadline Nears” writing, “Our campaign to move Montana forward as your next Governor and Lieutenant Governor is heating up, and Wednesday marks a key date.  It’s the end of the first fundraising period since the June 5 Primary.”

The Democrats have a solid lead in fundraising for the Governor’s seat – can they hold it? 

-The Rick Hill for (Montana) Governor campaign sent me an e-mail on Wednesday with the subject, “today’s deadline” writing, “This past weekend Jon and I gathered with Republicans from across the state at the annual Montana GOP convention.”  They added, “Today is the close of the first fundraising period for the general election, and we need your help.”

Is it just me or did you find it interesting that Rick Hill failed to mention the Obama Outhouse being at the GOP Convention?  Not even a photo…

-The Jon Tester for U.S. Senate Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Urgent” and as soon as I saw it I opened it (since it was urgent).  I thought he was going to say, “Jack, I am bringing a suitcase full of beef to your house and I need to know if you will be home.”  Sadly that was not why the message was urgent.

Tester said, “Looks like Karl Rove isn’t the only special interest bigwig launching attacks against me — now the Koch brothers are getting in on the act.”

OMG!! 

FarmVille:

The boys and girls in the United States Senate played FarmVille this week and passed a Farm Bill.

This farm bill is probably a heartbreaker for U.S. Senator Jon Tester because, as the Associated Press reports, “Sen. Jon Tester was not allowed to bring an amendment inserting his Sportsmen’s Act of 2012 into the bill.”

Not even the “powerful” Senator, Max Baucus, could help farmer Jon Tester get his signature piece of legislation in the bill.  The U.S. House may not pass the bill the way it is now, but if Tester’s amendment would have made it, the Farm Bill would have been dead on arrival…

Term Limits:

Here in Montana we have term limits.  There’s talk of trying to do away with term limits and some are saying we need to have the experienced legislators stay around longer.

Maybe if some brave Democrat or Republican in the Montana Legislature would introduce a bill to make it as easy for independent candidates to run for office in Montana as it is for Democrats and Republicans (they should have the same requirements) they might have an easier time getting term limits changed.

Many of us are tired of the old party lines that everyone toes each session.  Independent legislators would change that…

Miami Heat:

Last night the Miami Heat won the NBA Championship for the 2011-2012 (shortened) season four games to one over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

I have always been a Boston Celtics fan so every other team takes a backseat to the Celtics.

In my opinion LeBron James harmed basketball with his ESPN reality show to announce he was taking his talents to South Beach.  He acted like he was bigger than the game by having a television show, and then telling folks he would bring multiple titles to Miami (this is the first one for him).  It’s not that easy.

The NBA has problems they need to get under control – from the flopping of players to get a foul call to the constant complaining (whining) of players to the referees to LeBron James acting like he is bigger than the whole NBA.  All this sets a poor example for our youth.  I mostly watch the NBA when the playoffs start because of it.

Congrats to the Miami Heat.  Go Celtics…

One More Thing:

Don’t forget to stretch…

There are many things happening in the world of politics and I’ve got them covered – Today I take a look at the first bids in the governor’s race, UM and Veterans, fundraising at The Monocle, questioning your donors, approval ratings, our country is hurting, Newt to visit Montana, and much more!

First Bids Are In:

The bidding war for votes started in the Montana Governor’s race yesterday with Democratic Governor candidate Steve Bullock announcing that he would “give homeowners a one-time, $400 property tax rebate if he is elected governor.”

Republican Rick Hill countered that with a statement that was sent to some in the media saying, “Montanans and our job creators need permanent property tax relief, not a one-time gimmick that won’t do anything to stimulate the economy.”  KRTV reported, “Hill says that by using the state share of the oil and gas revenues along with the lease and royalty income from Otter Creek coal development, the state can provide approximately $200 million of tax relief per biennium on a permanent basis.”

And the winner is…Bullock.  Bullock won this little battle because he explained his plan on a level that almost everyone can understand – a $400 check for homeowners if he is elected…

University of Montana & Veterans – Follow-up:

Yesterday morning I mentioned the problem 19 veterans were having with the University of Montana (UM) covering their tuition through the Yellow Ribbon program.  I said the way they were being treated by UM was “shameful.”

Yesterday afternoon Congressman Denny Rehberg jumped on the issue and contacted the secretaries of Veterans Affairs and Education.

Today we find, through a story in the Missoulian, that “UM on Monday announced it would find a way to pay for the 19 student veterans to continue their education throughout the next academic year without interruptions or financial hardships.”

The University of Montana needs a good public relations team…

Tester’s Shindigs:

In a story from the Salt Lake City Tribune about Utah Senator Orrin Hatch’s fundraising spot in Washington, D.C., we also find that Montana Senator Jon Tester is a regular at The Monocle which is a restaurant near the U.S. Senate.  Tester reportedly has held 11 fundraisers at The Monocle since the beginning of 2011.

Montana’s other Senator, Max Baucus, enjoyed using Signatures restaurant (owned by Jack Abramoff) for his fundraisers.  Signatures is now closed…

Questioning Top Donors:

According to a story I found in The Daily Agenda, “Of the 22 members on the Congressional hearing charged this week with questioning JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon over his bank’s $2 billion trading loss, 7 members, including the Chairman and a ranking member, have JPMorgan as one of their top five political contributors.”

Senator Jon Tester is a member of that committee and he received $45,000 from JPMorgan.  From the “Securities and Investment” industry he received over $360,000 according to the report.

Of course all those senators listed as receiving donations will say that the donations do not carry any weight with them and those running against them will say they are bought and paid for – it really does not matter to which political party they belong…

Approval Ratings:

A new poll from Gallup that was released yesterday told us, “Americans’ approval of Congress is at 17% in June, similar to the 15% in May, and continuing the generally low levels seen since last June.”

We just keep sending them back…

We’re Hurting:

According to a study from the Federal Reserve, “The financial crisis wiped out 18 years of gains for the median U.S. household net worth, with a 38.8 percent plunge from 2007 to 2010 that was led by the collapse in home prices.”

In other words, “Median net worth declined to $77,300 in 2010, the lowest since 1992, from $126,400 in 2007.”  That’s almost $50,000…

Of course since we have millionaires representing us and running the country, they don’t really feel the pain…

Here Comes Gingrich:

As first Tweeted by The Western Word (@TheWesternWord) former Speaker of the House (and Presidential candidate) Newt Gingrich will be in Missoula on Saturday morning to speak during the Montana GOP Convention.

The details can be found HERE.

You should really be following Jack on Twitter @TheWesternWord – you will probably smile at least one more time per day if you do…

If this is your first time visiting The Western Word (TWW), the “Caught My Eye” column is posted every Friday morning right here!  Here is where I take a quick look at some of the stories I did not have time to write or comment about during the week – and I often sprinkle them with a touch of sarcasm just to liven it up!

WARNING:  Before proceeding please understand that everyone and everything is fair game…

Today I write about Thornberry being a bum, Schweitzer writing a letter, the Government failing the troops, franking Rehberg, I share the contents of my political inbox, I talk about one Libertarian, and about the game that ended in a tie.  There’s more so read on…

Thornberry is a Bum:

Back in 2005, Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX) was contacted by Peggy Harris regarding her husband, a fighter pilot who went missing after a 1944 mission in France.  Thornberry and his staff did not offer much assistance to Ms. Harris, but she received a letter from him saying that her husband was still missing in action according to the National Archives.

He was not really missing in action.  He had been killed in action and he was buried in Normandy – that’s what a relative of Ms. Harris found out by contacting the National Archives.  Thornberry has apologized.

I think the folks in Thornberry’s Congressional District need to know that they have a lazy bum representing them in Washington.  This Congressman (and his staff) really needs to go – shame on them.

CBS News has the stories and they will bring tears to your eyes.  Read/Watch it HERE.

Schweitzer & F-15s:

Have no fear Montana military supporters – Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer is on the job fighting for an aircraft mission for Montana.  You can read the story HERE.

One of my military friends said he was glad that Schweitzer, who is approaching the end of his eight-year career as Montana Governor, finally decided to do something for the Montana military.

What did Schweitzer do?  He followed in the magnificent footsteps of the members of the congressional delegation – he wrote a letter!  He may even file a lawsuit – something like State of Montana v. United States Government – so that Montana won’t be without an aircraft mission when the F-15s leave and before the C-130s arrive (if they do arrive).

Schweitzer’s work should make the Feds happy enough that Montana will probably move to the top of list and be in line for the next squadron of paper airplanes…

Government Fails the Troops:

The Associated Press is reporting, “Suicides are surging among America’s troops, averaging nearly one a day this year – the fastest pace in the nation’s decade of war.”

This should make every American very mad – it does not have to happen.

Our government is being run by people who never served in the military, and they don’t understand anything about the military or being a veteran.  They spend more time working on their reelection than working for veterans and our military folks…

Franking Rehberg:

Political parties are good at throwing out accusations about candidates and elected officials to see if any stick – it’s called the “crap against the wall” rule (another word is used instead of crap).  The latest example is that the Montana Democrats contend that Congressman Denny Rehberg violated house franking rules.

I bet you are saying, “OMG – how could Rehberg do this!”  Then you wonder, “What are house franking rules?”  The word “franking” is a term that is used which means that Members of Congress can transmit mail under their signature without postage.  You can’t use it for political purposes – like saying “vote for me!”  If you are bored and cannot sleep, read about franking HERE.

The Montana Democrats contend that an e-mail sent by Rehberg on June 5 about voting and registration violated House franking rules because it contained his photo.  Yes, you read that correctly “because it contained his photo.”  I received the e-mail and did not think twice about it.

In today’s Great Falls Tribune, the communications director for the House Franking Commission (I bet that is an interesting job) said Rehberg’s e-mail was in compliance.  The official complaint will be answered later, but it looks like the crap stuck to the wall for about 24 hours, with the Montana Democrats getting some media coverage out of it.

Political Inbox:

Almost every day I receive e-mails from candidates, elected officials, and/or groups promoting a cause, many just hoping they get mentioned (in a kind and gentle way) on The Western Word website!  I select a few each week that “Caught My Eye” and share them with my readers.  This week I picked five that I think you will enjoy…

-U.S. Senator Patty Murray sent an e-mail through the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee with the subject, “friend, this could be you” in which she wrote, “I think everyone remembers where they were when President Obama accepted the 2008 nomination.  That speech will go down in history as nothing short of epic.  Now, imagine being there.”

All I have to do is send them $5 to be entered “for a chance to win a trip for two to see President Obama’s speech at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.”

I don’t think Charlotte is the best place (strategically) for the Democrats to hold their convention…

-The Rick Hill for Montana Governor Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject “thank you” writing, “Our success in the primary election last night is due to the hard work and commitment of dedicated volunteers and supporters like you.”

It was nothing Rick, nothing…

-The Steve Bullock for Montana Governor Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Thank You” writing, “We want to thank you for your overwhelming support, which propelled us to victory in this week’s Primary Election.”

It was nothing Steve, nothing…

-The Jon Tester for Senate Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Join the call to overturn Citizens United” writing “The Supreme Court is set to consider the Montana law on June 14th.  I’ve drafted up a Citizens’ Brief on Citizens United to show them exactly where the public stands.  Click here to sign on now.”

This is a good way to obtain names, e-mails, and zip codes to use later…

-U.S. Senator John Cornyn, the chairman of National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Finish what they started” in which he writes, “The labor union bosses and Obama’s left wing allies tried to recall Governor Walker for simply trying to reign in Wisconsin’s ballooning budget deficit.  But wouldn’t it make more sense to recall the Democrat Senate Majority leader who hasn’t even passed a budget at all in over 3 years?”

Of course, he needs a donation from me to do it.

I wonder if the NRSC has anyone employed who passed their eighth grade government class…

One Libertarian:

Lee Newspapers is reporting that Jerry McConnell, who is one of the two Libertarians running for U.S. Senate, is withdrawing from the race.  That leaves Libertarian Dan Cox, Republican Denny Rehberg, and incumbent Democratic Senator Jon Tester in the race.

In the 2006 Senate race, the Libertarian candidate received 10,377 votes.  Jon Tester won the race by 3,562 votes.

Ended in a Tie:

I had a nice chuckle when I saw a report about a news broadcast in Portland, Maine, (ABC affiliate WMTW) which was anchored by Meghan Torjussen.

Torjussen announced on the Sunday night newscast that the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics basketball game ended in the tie – yes a tie (89-89).

Watch it HERE.

Happy Birthday:

There are a lot of birthdays today (June 8) – like Barbara Bush, Julianna Margulies, Joan Rivers, Kanye West, and my wonderful wife – who is still younger than me – and for some reason still likes having me around!  Happy birthday sweetie!

One More Thing: 

Don’t forget to stretch…

This morning some candidates are waking up with nothing to do.  They are done – finished.  A few will never run in another political race again.  About all that is left for them is to make plans to attend their political party’s convention to show they are “team players.”  Other than that, their schedules are mostly clear.  It’s back to the real world for most of the losers from yesterday’s primary.

To them I say thanks for playing the game of politics – now be a sport and take down your signs.  Note: It mostly sucks to take down signs after a loss – all those volunteers (and most friends) seem to disappear (not being able to offer free pizza does that).

The winners get to move on for more fun and games!  This is actually where the rubber meets the road.  While you were one of maybe seven candidates in the primary, you are now carrying your political party’s banner for the office.  Your schedule just got a lot busier.  You may even find yourself moving toward the middle to gain more votes, which will tick off the base of your political party!

As if that was not enough, your opponent (and/or their political party or groups that support them) have already started an “opposition research” file on you – the digging has started to find something to damage you.  Will they find out about the DUI while you were on spring break 25 years ago or that you were arrested during that protest in 1984?  What about that crap your ex posted about you on Facebook?  Ouch…

I bet they find it.  It’s nothing personal – it’s just politics!

Listed below are some of the popular races coming up this November with which candidate I think has the edge today (June 6, 2012).  I also write about another race or two!  Enjoy the read and, as always, comments are welcome…

U.S. Senate:

It’s incumbent U.S. Senator Jon Tester versus current Congressman Denny Rehberg in the marquee matchup in Montana for 2012.  By the way, Libertarian candidates Dan Cox and Jerry McConnell are also on the ballot – which is very important.

Rehberg made it out of the U.S. Senate GOP primary getting about 75% of the vote.  About 32,500 GOP voters picked his opponent in the primary, Dan Teske, which should be of concern to Rehberg.

Edge:  Tester

Reason:  With two Libertarians running, Rehberg will lose votes.  Rehberg has a lot of baggage that will be publicized over the next few months – these two things might harm Rehberg enough that he loses a close race.  This race will be the nastiest (and most expensive) in Montana political history!  So far Rehberg has been running nothing but attack ads against Tester which I have heard is turning some folks against Rehberg.

Governor:

An open seat is always interesting.  Democrat Steve Bullock easily won his primary (86%) and Republican Rick Hill won his seven-way primary with about 34% of the vote.

I wonder if Corey Stapleton called Rick Hill to concede…

Libertarian Ron Vandevender will be the third candidate in the General Election which will hurt Hill’s chances.

Edge:  Bullock

Reason:  Bullock is young and energetic and Hill represents the “old” GOP and will be 66 in December.  As his opponent Corey Stapleton pointed out, Hill has a lot of baggage and the Democrats will go after him.  This race will be nasty, but not Tester/Rehberg nasty.

U.S. House:

Democratic House candidate Rob Stutz wrote a few days ago, “Remember: money does not win elections, votes do.”  Stutz finished “out of the money” last night with about 3% of the vote.

Steve Daines is the GOP nominee (he also raised the most money) but he should be concerned that over 32,000 GOP voters picked the other two Republicans in the primary.  Daines will face off against Democrat Kim Gillan, who was also the top fundraiser for Democratic House candidates.  Libertarian candidate David Kaiser will also be in the race.

Edge:  Daines

Reason:  Money (which buys/rents name recognition, gas, food, office space, staffers, etc.).  Both Daines and Gillan do not excite voters – in fact I dozed off while typing this.  This will be a boring race.

Attorney General:

This morning Democrat Pam Bucy leads Jesse Laslovich by about 800 votes with about 97% of the votes in.  If this holds up, Bucy will face Republican Tim Fox who beat Jim (beer & tomato juice) Shockley by about 18,000 votes.

Fox sent me a statement after his victory, which in part said, “It’s time Montanans had an attorney general who will tackle our state’s challenges head-on.  Montanans deserve an Attorney General who will join the lawsuit against the job-killing, budget busting federal healthcare law, protect our individual freedoms, and make our kids’ safety a top priority by cracking down on sexual offenders.”

Edge:  Bucy

Reason:  If Bucy holds on to beat Laslovich, she will be known as someone who beat a pretty well-known person in Montana politics.  Beating Fox will be easier.  Third-party groups could sway the voters in this race…

Secretary of State:

Republican Brad Johnson whipped Scott Aspenlieder, Patty Lovaas, and Drew Turiano and will face off against incumbent Democrat Linda McCulloch and Libertarian Roger Roots.  Johnson lost a close contest to McCulloch in 2008 by 5,305 votes.  A Constitution Party candidate took 11,722 votes in 2008.

Edge:  McCulloch

Reason:  Johnson has managed to pick up some baggage (a DUI) since the last election that may turn some voters off.  McCulloch is well-liked and will be tough to beat as the incumbent, plus there’s a Libertarian on the ballot that will take votes from Johnson.

State House District 18:

In the battle to see who the “most pro-gun” candidate is, Republican incumbent Jesse O’Hara disposed of Randy Pinocci 57% to 42% in the primary.

I predicted O’Hara would “cream” Pinocci back on April 10.  That prediction is now fact – O’Hara won by 14%.

Supreme Court Justice #5:

This was an interesting race to watch throughout the night.  Early in the evening, Elizabeth Best jumped out to an early lead.  As of this morning, Best sits in third place behind Ed Sheehy and Laurie McKinnon (the top two face off in November).  Best trails McKinnon by about 3000 votes with about 97% of the vote counted.

Votes:

Although votes are still being counted, here’s a look at which races received the most attention.  The top three for the GOP are:  President – almost 139,000.  Senate – 137,000.  Governor – 134,000.  The top Democratic race was U.S. House with about 80,000 votes cast.  In the Supreme Court Justice #5 race (nonpartisan), almost 195,200 votes were cast.

It’s a shame that voter turnout was so low (36.8%).

Candidates/Campaigns:

Several candidates and campaigns have included The Western Word on their media list – you should too!  Please feel free to send information to me at Western_Word@Yahoo.com

Election Coverage:

The media coverage of this Primary Election was poor.  I won’t name names but some folks should look for a different line of work.

Applause goes to Secretary of State Linda McCulloch for the “Election Center” website.  Although it seemed to bog down some, it was a great tool for keeping up with the results.

The Western Word (TWW) will be running some polls throughout the summer and into fall.  Stick with TWW for independent commentary about politics, sports, the media, and current events.  Follow me on Twitter @TheWesternWord.