So not only has The Columbian endorsed Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire in her re-election bid, but in Vancouver’s 17th Legislative District, traditionally a swing-to-leans-Republican district, all three Democrats have drawn the endorsement of the newspaper as well.
None of the endorsements are especially surprising, but perhaps the one that will draw the most notice elsewhere is the ringing endorsement of political novice David Carrier over long-time Republican state senator Don Benton.
David Carrier for state senator — You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who provides a greater contrast to blustery incumbent Don Benton than Democrat David Carrier, a soft-spoken political newcomer, avid outdoorsman and holder of a doctoral degree in economics from Notre Dame. Carrier is working tirelessly in the campaign. It paid off in the primary when he won 45.6 percent of the votes, a surprising showing against Benton, a 14-year legislator with three terms as state senator.
Voters, though, must have been familiar with those 14 years. He once missed 17 consecutive meetings as a member of the Higher Education Committee. Benton’s bellicose collisions with colleagues raised eyebrows as far back as 2000 when Republican leaders demanded his resignation as state chair. Through the years, he’s become an inveterate “Dr. No,” opposing sensible ideas that draw popular support, such as all-mail voting and abolishing the supermajority for school levies. He is even opposed to the proposal for replacing the decrepit and dangerous Interstate 5 Bridge.
Ouch. It’s kind of too bad the Washington State Labor Council has endorsed Don Benton for state senate in this, of all years. It’s not as if a bridge project would provide prevailing wage jobs or anything.
In the race to replace Rep. Jim Dunn, R-Vancouver, who was defeated in the primary by Joseph James, it’s also no contest, according to The Columbian. Democrat Tim Probst may never have held office, but the newspaper notes his far superior experience.
Few rookies are better prepared for elected office than Tim Probst. He currently works as leader of a statewide work force training group and has solid experience as state policy analyst, legislative liaison and assistant to Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar in the 1990s. Bolstered by 48.2 percent of the primary votes, Probst has the momentum and the expertise to help 17th district voters forget about Dunn.
And last but not least, incumbent Deb Wallace justifiably garners the endorsement over culture warrior Micheline Doan.
You have to be realistic, of course, about newspaper endorsements. They don’t count at the ballot box, and Republicans never, ever give up, but it’s a sign of the times that Republicans have fielded such poor candidates in a swing suburban district, while Democrats have come up with much better candidates. If the landslide really does happen, it’s going to be very tough sledding for Republicans everywhere.
Hm… Is Micheline Doan at all related to Laurita Doan? Has anyone heard Micheline invoke the hortatory subjunctive tense recently?
Country first?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnvQ_4G8l4w
Snort!
From the MANITOBA HERALD, Canada (a very underground paper): The flood
of American liberals sneaking across the border into Canada has
intensified in the past week, sparking calls for increased patrols to
stop the illegal immigration.
The possibility of a McCain/Palin election is prompting the exodus
among left-leaning citizens who fear they’ll soon be required to hunt,
pray, and agree with Bill O’Reilly.
Canadian border farmers say it’s not uncommon to see dozens of sociology
professors, animal rights activists and Unitarians crossing their fields
at night.
I went out to milk the cows the other day, and there was a Hollywood
producer huddled in the barn,’ said Manitoba farmer Red Greenfield,
whose acreage borders North Dakota .
The producer was cold, exhausted and hungry. ‘He asked me if I could
spare a latte and some free-range chicken.
When I said I didn’t have any, he left. Didn’t even get a chance to show
him my screenplay, eh?’
In an effort to stop the illegal aliens, Greenfield erected higher
fences, but the liberals scaled them. So he tried installing speakers
that blare Rush Limbaugh across the fields. ‘Not real effective,’ he
said. ‘The liberals still got through, and Rush annoyed the cows so much
they wouldn’t give milk.’
Officials are particularly concerned about smugglers who meet liberals
near the Canadian border, pack them into Volvo station wagons, drive
them across the border and leave them to fend for themselves.
‘A lot of these people are not prepared for rugged conditions,’ an
Ontario border patrolman said. ‘I found one carload without a drop of
drinking water. ‘They did have a nice little Napa Valley cabernet,
though.’
When liberals are caught, they’re sent back across the border, often
wailing loudly that they fear retribution from conservatives. Rumors
have been circulating about the McCain administration establishing
re-education camps in which liberals will be forced to shoot wolves from
airplanes, deny evolution, and act out drills preparing them for the
Rapture.
In recent days, liberals have turned to sometimes-ingenious ways of
crossing the border. Some have taken to posing as senior citizens on bus
trips to buy cheap Canadian prescription drugs. After catching a
half-dozen young vegans disguised in powdered wigs, Canadian immigration
authorities began stopping buses and quizzing the supposed
senior-citizen passengers on Perry Como and Rosemary Clooney hits to
prove they were alive in the ’50s.
‘If they can’t identify the accordion player on The Lawrence Welk Show,
we get suspicious about their age,’ an official said.
Canadian citizens have complained that the illegal immigrants are
creating an organic-broccoli shortage and renting all the good Susan
Sarandon movies.
‘I feel sorry for American liberals, but the Canadian economy just can’t
support them,’ an Ottawa resident said. ‘How many art-history and
English majors does one country need?’
I hope this election drives a stake through the hearts of rightwing culture warriors. For America’s sake. Even for their sake. Those who want to incite Civil War II don’t understand what they’re doing not only to us but also to themselves.
Steve @ # 3 – Okay, that was a pretty good one.
Yay!
Steve the idiot @3
The Manitoba Herald is so far underground it doesn’t exist. It is instead from one of those viral emails that wingnuts like you think are the truth.
http://run4chocolate.wordpress.....he-rounds/
Ekim @7
Are you kidding? Where’s your sense of humor?