Democracy for New Mexico

SD 17: "Alligators" Uninterested in Shannon Robinson Scandals?

Longtime incumbent Dem State Senator Shannon Robinson is facing a tough primary challenge from political newcomer Tim Keller, who's campaigning hard in District 17 on issues like ethics and campaign finance reform, health care, education and local small business development. Robinson has been accused by many in the District of being out of touch with residents and neglectful of the community's needs for balanced economic development and investment. They say Robinson has been so caught up in finding less than respectable ways to fund his hobby -- the UNM Rugby Club -- and paying too much attention to serving the needs of politicos with power that he's no longer effectively serving his constituents.

The brouhaha about Robinson's (left) shortcomings and questionable practices has broken through into the media, with extensive coverage of his Rugby Club shenanigans related to funding from UNM and the Legislature, as well as his failure to report a rather long list of misdemeanor run-ins with the law in his answers to questions posed to him by the Albuquerque Journal. These scandals have also gotten their fair share of coverage in the local blogs. A good summary of the scandals -- and Robinson's history of fighting reform -- is contained in this post  by Heath Haussamen. However, one blogger has been strangely silent about the matter.

Joe Monahan and his "Alligators" have taken a "see-no-evil" stance when it comes to Robinson's transgressions. I see that this morning Joe finally mentioned Shannon Robinson's big problems with ethics and credibility, but only in passing:

Robinson has been the subject of some unfavorable newspaper pieces in recent weeks, but friends say he is off the couch and on the sidewalks to keep the seat.

Here's a blogger whose "Alligators" are frequently weighing in on political rumors and scandals -- perceived or real -- and yet they've remained mum as a slew of well documented articles have reported on the more than questionable dealings of long-time incumbent Shannon Robinson. Just for starters:

Albuquerque Journal Stories (7 Stories; 2 editorials)

• 1/13/08, Money Scrum; UNM Think Tank Cash Diverted to Rugby
• 1/18/08, VP Knew of Rugby Funding
• 1/20/08, Editorial: Complex Handoff Pays Rugby Player Tutition
• 1/21/08, Rugby Figure Revised Downward; Auditors still say Cash diversion from UNM Think Tank to team improper
• 2/7/08, More State Cash for Rugby; UNM official says school didn't ask for $150K
• 2/9/08, Editorial: Rugby Scores Again
• 2/23/08, Rugby Flap Spurs Changes at UNM; School Tightens Spending Rules
• 5/11/08 Lawmaker/Coach Calls the Shots For UNM Rugby
• 5/13/08 Veteran Lawmaker Fails to Disclose Violations

Latest Robinson Scandal
Guess what? Today's Journal reports on ANOTHER accusation of cheating on the part of Robinson, this time leveled by two local environmental groups. Seems that Robinson used the names and logos of Environment New Mexico and Conservation Voters New Mexico on his latest flyer and campaign website in a way the groups believe is meant to suggest he's received their endorsements. He hasn't. Representatives of the groups are asking Robinson to stop circulating the flyers and remove the references from his website:

Environment New Mexico sent out a letter Thursday asking Robinson to stop distributing the flier and to remove certain references to the organization on his Web site.

Robinson said Friday that he had removed Environment New Mexico references from his Web site, www.reelectshannonrobinson.com, but that he had no way to recall the fliers.

Sandy Buffett, Conservation Voters New Mexico executive director, said the flier gives the wrong impression.

"It's outrageous he would try to confuse voters with the unauthorized use of our logo and brand," Buffett said.

Why is Monhan's Silence An Issue?
Monahan didn't mention the environmental groups' complaints this morning either. He did include two offhand slaps at Keller, who is running as a strong supporter of ethics reform and the need for some house cleaning in government. Change vs. business as usual.

I guess it's really not surprising given the mockery that's been aimed at ethics and campaign finance reform efforts by Monahan and his so-called "wall leaner" insiders. Shannon Robinson has been an impediment to a number of reform measures in the Legislature, so he's apparently on the Alligator love list. He's one of them -- he plays along with the insider club -- so they no doubt have a strong inclination to band together to protect Robinson and his power base.

I think it's important that Monahan be called on his omissions and distortions given that so many seem to view him as a neutral, "journalistic" reporter on local politics. Not exactly. If you look carefully, you'll see that quite often there's a clear agenda that shades his commenting, on this and other races. Nothing wrong with that -- unless you're selling yourself as being fair and impartial. If you're an advocate, you should make that clear and quit portraying yourself as "nonpartisan" and interested only in the facts. Get it, Joe?

DFA-Democracy for New Mexico has endorsed Tim Keller for Senate. Others that have endorsed Keller include:

• Albuquerque Teachers Federation
• National Educational Association, New Mexico
• New Mexico Professional Fire Fighters Association
• Conservation Voters New Mexico
• ACORN, New Mexico
• New Mexico Progressive Action
• Albuquerque Area Firefighters Local 244
• Sierra Club
• Albuquerque Journal

If you want to bring back honest government at the Roundhouse, please do what you can to support Keller's campaign.

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NM-Sen: Albuquerque Journal Fails to Report SUSA Poll Numbers for Udall

Now there's one more reason to question the fairness of the Albuquerque Journal. In today's Political Update section, the newspaper reported the statistical tie between Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson, the GOP primary candidates in the U.S. Senate race in New Mexico, in the recent SurveyUSA poll. However, I guess they don't think that SUSA results from the same day showing Tom Udall beating both Wilson and Pearce by about 25 points are of interest to their readers because they failed to report those numbers. Just an oversight, I'm sure.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Journal also chooses to ignore the results from a new 5/14 Rasmussen poll of likely voters that shows:

Tom Udall (D): 53 (54)
Steve Pearce (R): 37 (40)

Tom Udall (D): 57 (56)
Heather Wilson (R): 36 (36)

(4/8 Rasmussen results in parentheses)

Technorati Tags:Tom Udall, Steve Pearce, Heather Wilson, NM-Sen, New Mexico, Rasmussen, SurveyUSA, Albuquerque Journal

Saturday: KNME to Live Stream Wilson-Pearce Debate

According to the KNME blog, the PBS station's website will provide a live stream of the next big debate between GOP Senate candidates Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce to be held in Roswell this coming Saturday, May 17, 2008 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. You can watch live online here or at Ustream on Saturday.

KNME-TV will also be simulcasting the final debate between Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson on May 30th. They're one of a handful of media outlets participating in the New Mexico Broadcaster's Association debate at the Sandia Resort & Casino. The debate will be live from 7-8:00 PM, and they plan to follow up with live reaction and analysis from their studio with host Gene Grant and the rest of the LINE panelists. They'll also be live streaming that debate, on knme.org.

Technorati Tags:Steve Pearce, Heather Wilson, NM-Sen, Roswell, New Mexico, KNME, Republicans, debates

NM-01: Albuquerque Journal Endorses Heinrich

Yesterday, the Albuquerque Journal endorsed Democrat Martin Heinrich for Congress in New Mexico's First District primary race. Their editorial explaining their decision cites his success as a consensus builder on the Albuquerque City Council, as well as his talent for problem-solving that arises from top-notch listening and communication skills. The Journal also coined a new phrase -- the Heinrich Maneuver:

1st Congressional District Democrat — Heinrich: The partisan two-step is a common dance during the political season: A step toward the party regulars who often determine the primary results, a step back toward the center in time for the general election.

But Martin Heinrich established a record of putting one foot in front of the other to build consensus on the often contentious Albuquerque City Council. His liberal leanings are clear, but so is the pragmatism and respect for other points of view that endow Heinrich with the ability to listen, accommodate and move difficult initiatives forward. That would be a welcome talent in Congress.

The Heinrich Maneuver was key to navigating the controversy of the city minimum wage ordinance and producing a measure that the business community and activists could live with. It was apparent outside of City Hall when he worked with ranchers, Native Americans and outdoor recreation interests to build the bridges that helped lead to federal establishment of the Ojito Wilderness.

Issues topping Heinrich's list that are in dire need of consensus include health care reform, re-energizing the economy with investments in green technology, middle-class tax relief, securing U.S. borders and setting a realistic timeline for withdrawing from Iraq. An electrical engineer by training, he has a keen appreciation of the national labs' role in national security, research and the New Mexico economy.

The Journal endorses Martin Heinrich in the Democratic primary.

DFA-Democracy for New Mexico has endorsed Martin Heinrich for Congress. You're encouraged to donate a few hours of your time or a few bucks to his campaign as the primary election date of June 3rd nears.

Technorati Tags:Martin Heinrich, NM-01, Albuquerque Journal, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Democrats, endorsements, primaries

Tonight on NM In Focus: In-Depth Interview with Sen. Pete Domenici

This week on NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS, a rare and in-depth interview with retiring Senator Pete Domenici conducted by David Alire Garcia followed by a discussion about the Senator's impact with Gene Grant and regular panelists Margaret Montoya, UNM School of Law / UNM School of Medicine; Scott Darnell, Communication Director, Republican Party; and Jim Scarantino, Weekly Alibi Columnist.

Tonight at 7:00 PM on KNME-TV; repeats on Sunday at 6:30 AM. You'll also be able to see video of the episode here when it's uploaded.

Clinton Implies Working, Hard-Working Americans = White Americans

I guess in Hillary's world, where she still has a chance to win the presidential nomination, only White Americans are working Americans or hard working Americans. According to a report in USA Today:

"I have a much broader base to build a winning coalition on," she said in an interview with USA TODAY. As evidence, Clinton cited an Associated Press article "that found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."

"There's a pattern emerging here," she said.

Click to listen to her comments to a USA Today reporter.

Clinton's blunt and demeaning remarks are getting widely criticized in no uncertain terms, as such comments should be at any time in any campaign -- but especially as her sorry campaign for president slides into oblivion. For instance, Pam's Blend says Clinton is "race baiting" and deems her comments "inflammatory" and Oliver Willis writes, "Congratulations, Hillary Clinton, you win the prize for the first Democratic Bigot Eruption since I’ve been keeping track of this."

Mike Barnicle makes it even plainer by writing:

Now, faced with a mathematical mountain climb that even Stephen Hawking could not ascend, the Clintons -- and it is indeed both of them -- are just about to paste a bumper sticker on the rear of the collapsing vehicle that carries her campaign. It reads: VOTE WHITE.

Speculation has been widespread that Clinton would finish the campaign on a high note, going easy on the presumptive Dem nominee. Apparently not.

Instead, Hillary seems to be resorting to the worst kind of racial politics, basically framing African-American voters as unnecessary to her cause and lumping them all together into one homogeneous, problematic demographic viewed as The Blacks. This is something we might expect from certain Klan-friendly Republicans, but from someone who claims to represent the Democratic Party mainstream?

Hillary's comments mirror surrogate Paul Begala's gurglings during a heated exchange on TV with Donna Brazile on the evening of the Indiana and North Carolina primaries in which he stated that "we cannot win with eggheads and African-Americans." Everyone knows, of course, that there are no black- or brown-skinned eggheads. Or hard working Americans who happen to be black, brown or something in between.

Also note the implication that a majority of white working class voters support Clinton because they won't vote for an African-American candidate. I wonder how Hillary knows that all the votes she's gotten from that slice and dice are due to her being white -- and that these Dems would refuse to vote for Obama in the general election because he's not. Such framing is clearly insulting to both white and non-white voters, isn't it? It suggests that we all base our votes primarily on race, not issues or other factors. But then what do I know, I'm one of those "eggheads" I guess, not a "hard working American."

How low can the Clinton campaign go? I hope that question is on the minds of all the undecided superdelegates, as well as those who have previously endorsed Clinton. Is this the kind of campaigning we want to see among Democrats, or Americans for that matter?

What's ironic is that Hillary's husband failed to win the "white vote":

According to CNN's 1996 exit poll, Bill Clinton lost the white vote (Dole 46%, Clinton 43%, Perot 9%). He lost the white male vote by an even larger margin (Dole 49%, Clinton 38%, Perot 11%). And he lost gun owners badly (Dole 51%, Clinton 38%, Perot 10%). However, Clinton won the popular vote overall 49%-41%-8%, and he won 70% of the electoral votes.

In 2000 -- when Al Gore won the popular vote by half a million votes -- he lost white males to Bush by a whopping 60%-36%, according to CNN's exit poll. He lost men overall 53%-42%. He lost whites overall 54%-42%. He lost gun owners 61%-36%. He lost small-town voters 59%-38% and rural voters 59%-37%. He lost the Midwest overall 49%-48%.

She knows that, but at this point in her desperation she apparently doesn't care.

Technorati Tags:Hillary Clinton, race, USA Today, white voters, African-Americans, Democrats

(Updated) Tonight on NM In Focus: NM-01 Congressional Candidates

UPDATE: You can see a video of this show here (episode 135). In the first segment on the GOP candidates, Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White and State Senator Joe Carraro go at each other with the gloves off. Of special interest: Carraro challenging White's record as Secretary of the Department of Public Safety under former Gov. Gary Johnson, when 89% of state police officers supported a vote of 'no confidence' against him, and accusing White of 'bad management' practices that have resulted in violent crimes rising in the county.
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Must see TV: The race to replace Heather Wilson in the U.S. House of Representatives is the hot topic on this week’s episode of “New Mexico In Focus,” airing Friday, May 2 at 7 PM and repeating on Sunday, May 4 at 6:30 AM on KNME-TV, Channel 5.

All of New Mexico’s congressional seats are open in this November’s election. But no other race in the state will be more watched locally and nationally as the race to fill Heather Wilson’s congressional district one seat, covering the Albuquerque area. This week, the candidates for that seat, Republicans Joe Carraro and Darren White, and Democrats Michelle Lujan-Grisham, Robert Pidcock, Martin Heinrich, and Rebecca Vigil-Giron join co-hose David Alire Garcia to talk about the important issues facing New Mexico and the nation.

Then, Lonnie Talbert, former chairman of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, will join co-host Gene Grant and regular panelists Margaret Montoya from the UNM School of Law and UNM School of Medicine, Scott Darnell, Communications Director for the Republican Party of New Mexico, and Jim Scarantino, columnist for the Weekly Alibi to offer their unique brand of insight and analysis on the candidates and the race to November.

Technorati Tags:New Mexico In Focus, KNME, NM-01, New Mexico, Martin Heinrich, Michelle Lujan-Grisham, Rebecca Vigil-Giron , Robert Pidcock, Joe Carraro, Darren White

What's Wrong With Wright?

The Santa Fe Reporter just launched the beta version of their snarky new political group blog, Swing State of Mind. There's something about the pepto bismol pink along the left sidebar that delighted me as soon as I saw it. And when I started reading their first few posts I knew I'd be visiting regularly.

Maassive (better known as SFR staff writer Dave Maass) hits all the rights notes with his post, The Wright Stuff, at least from where I sit. The TV pundits and "analysts" are apoplectic about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's latest speakouts, predicting dire consequences for the Obama campaign. I, however, agree with Maass that Wright's appearance today at the National Press Club was must-see TV, riveting throughout and hilarious at times. Go read what Dave has to say about it and, if you didn't get to see it live, be sure to view the video he has all the way through to the end. (That's a photo of Wright above, at Marine Corps boot camp in 1961. He reportedly joined the Marines in response to JFK's famous inaugural line that Americans should "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.")

Rev. Wright with President Bill Clinton at White House

I also recommend that you view the Bill Moyers' interview with Wright that aired on PBS on Friday, for a more somber and serious side of the Reverend. You can view that here. I also watched his animated and rousing speech at the NAACP on Sunday and found it fascinating and provocative. You can see that here.

Obviously Wright's political views -- not to mention his style -- vary significantly from Obama's in an abundance of ways, as the two of them have unequivocably acknowledged. They are not political or theological twins by any stretch of the imagination. But I can see why Wright's intellect was appealing to Barack and why his services were usually jam packed with folks from every social and economic echelon in Chicago. I think Wright should be judged in his own right, as a complex, highly intelligent, funny, opinionated, thought-provoking, bookish and down home force of nature. I still don't get why so many are so up at arms at what he's saying, in an era when torture is being planned casually and in detail from the White House. Now THAT's shocking.

The main message he transmitted during his speech to the NAACP in Detroit -- to a crowd that numbered about 10,000 and reportedly included Michigan Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin -- was that different does not mean deficient, or less than. Absolutely mindboggling and radical, isn't it? And how anti-American too.

I hope everyone will take the time to listen to the man and what he's actually saying before jumping on the hysterical bandwagon of reproach. Truly. It's one thing to agree or disagree with things he says, but to claim that's he's a hate-filled, unpatriotic kook -- as many are doing in the traditional media -- is just more of the same revolting and simplistic reaction we've unfortunately come to expect from something that used to be call The National Press. Make up your own mind. What exactly are the ravers so upset about? That he's angry because his entire life's work -- that has been praised and honored by respected institutions and individuals at every turn -- has become fodder for the mocking, distorting media elite? Wouldn't you be?

PS: Also see marjorie's post at m-pyre on this topic.

You can read more about Dr. Wright's varied background and extensive experience here.

Technorati Tags:Jeremiah Wright, Swing State of Mind, Barack Obama, NAACP, Bill Moyers, National Press Club

Richardson to Carville: Clintons "Clinging to the Throne"

Gov. Bill Richardson and an antagonistic James Carville traded barbs in a heated discussion on Larry King last night (video above and below the fold). They tangled about the results of the Pennsyvania primary, where the race now stands and what it's doing to the chances for a Dem presidential win.

Richardson was once again highly critical of the negative campaign tactics of Hillary Clinton, and accused the Clintons of "clinging to the throne" instead of facing the realities of the contest at this point in time. You know, we're America, not Monaco," said Richardson, adding, "We've had enough of [the Bush and Clinton] famlies running the country." Carville countered that Richardson's remarks were "idiocy."

Richardson also called into question the Clintons' push to go against the DNC rules that disqualified the primaries in Michigan and Florda -- rules that all the candidates long ago pledged to uphold. "You're changing the rules and this is what I'm saying about the Clinton campaign, they're changing the rules" said Richardson. "And they're basically saying about Obama that he can't win in November when he is obviously the strongest general election candidate winning battleground states and his message with independents, and now the presidency is slipping away and they'll do anything to keep it." Richardson termed the Clinton's attempt to use the Florida and Michigan results to claim they are ahead in the popular vote as "lunacy."

Just for fun, Carville also said the people on the New York Times editorial board "don't know anything about politics" in response to yesterday's editorial that came down hard on Clinton and its use of right-wing framing and tactics to bash Obama.

Carville accused the Obama campaign of "whining" and "namby-pambyism" and then proceeded to whine about the disqualified Florida and Michigan primaries and Obama's reluctance to add two more debates to the 20 that have already been held on the Dem side. The unasked question? Why would Obama want to debate a candidate who can no longer win the nomination via pledged delegates, the popular vote, states won, money raised or any other conventional measure?

The latest twist in the Clinton spin is that more people voted for Hillary than for Obama. The problem? It's blatantly untrue. To concoct their new brag, the Clinton camp eliminates the votes Obama received in the caucus states and adds in her totals from Michigan, where she was the only candidate on the ballot, and Florida, where it's been widely reported her surrogates campaigned for her despite the agreed-to disqualification of the race. Moreover, Clinton's campaign doesn't count any of the votes in those contests that didn't go to her in the totals for Obama.

It's obvious that all the Clintons have left is the weakest of arguments about results, and the hope that the Obama campaign implodes or they can tarnish him enough with Rove-style smears to claim he's "unelectable." Then they can push for the superdelegates to overturn the will of the people.

Richardson called for the winner to be determined after the June 3rd primaries -- based on the pledged delegate count, popular vote, total states won, battleground states won and success with independents. "The worst thing we can do is continue this negativity, this backbiting, these negative ads all the way till August," said Richardson. "The ending if fairly clear, that  Senator Clinton is gonna need 70% of all future delegate votes to even come close. That's not gonna happen," said Richardson.

You can see more of the discussion in the above videos. The first includes some footage from the video at the top of this post, and then continues beyond it. The second continues from there to the end of the discussion.

Technorati Tags:Bill Richardson, James Carville, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John McCain, Pennsylvania, primaries, Democrats, Larry King, New York Times

Worst. Debate. Ever.

Greg Mitchell at Editor & Publisher pretty much about tonight's prez debate:

In perhaps the most embarrassing performance by the media in a major presidential debate in years, ABC News hosts Charles Gibson and George Stephanopolous focused mainly on trivial issues as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama faced off in Philadelphia.

Not one question was asked about:

• health care
• the worldwide economic crisis
• Darfur
• China
• Pakistan
• worldwide rioting over food
• the housing market collapse
• massive trade deficits
• inflation
• Afghanistan
• torture planned in the White House

• FISA
• collapse of the U.S. dollar
• education
• trade policy
• renewable energy
• global warming
• immigration
• job losses
• unions
• civil liberties
• government checks and balances
• infrastructure collapse
• where the trillion dollars for the Iraq occupation will come from
• Supreme Court appointments
• repairing damages to U.S. Constitution
• Guantanamo
• Geneva Convention

I could go on. But what we did learn was that pompous Charlie Gibson is incensed at any hint that capital gains taxes may rise even a smidgeon. In an odd move, the moderators abandoned playing off the results of their network's own polling. The just released ABC News/WaPo poll barely came up, probably because the numbers almost all amounted to devastating news for Hillary's campaign. Only one question on the polling, having to do with Hillary's trust numbers being bad, was broached during the two-hour "debate."

The questions were mostly trivial "gotcha" attempts that had nothing to do with the challenges that face our nation and our planet. Way too many focused on Obama and his alleged a) lack of patriotism, b) dislike of the U.S. flag, c) former pastor, d) serving on a well respected board with an ex-60s radical. Dead horses beaten some more. Nonissues raised to prominence. Near total neglect of anything that matters to ordinary people facing rising challenges from every angle.

Of course when you have the questions being asked by the former happy talk co-host of Good Morning America and one of the Clinton administration's senior advisors, you have a scene ready made for disaster. What we got was a video version of the National Enquirer. We all deserve better.

Last point: What I wanna know is why Hillary is never asked why she doesn't wear a flag pin. She has lapels just like Obama. And they're bare!

UPDATE: Apparently I'm not alone in bagging ABC's handling of this debate. Truly scathing:

• Tom Shales, Washington Post
• Will Bunch, Philadelphia Daily News

Technorati Tags:Democrats, presidential debate, ABC News, George Stephanopoulos, Charlie Gibson, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Philadelphia