POLITICS

Hotline Extra

by John Mercurio

Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008


No Go for Dole

Don't plan on rubbing shoulders with Elizabeth Dole at the Republican National Convention next month. Dole spokeswoman Katie Hallaway confirmed on Monday that Dole, who is running for a second term, will be a no-show at her party's big bash in Minnesota.

"She's got a busy week scheduled in North Carolina," Hallaway said. "When there are breaks in the Senate schedule, she spends as much time as possible in North Carolina."

Hallaway said that nothing should be inferred from Dole's skipping the convention--either about her support for presumptive GOP presidential nominee John McCain or about the competitiveness of her own contest.

Dole is being challenged by Democratic state Sen. Kay Hagan. The incumbent is something of a rock star within the GOP, the type of speaker who can rally the faithful. She had a prime-time TV speaking role at the 2004 GOP convention, where she praised President Bush, traditional marriage, freedom of religion, and the sanctity of life.

A spokeswoman for Hagan said that the candidate has not decided whether to attend the Democratic National Convention later this month in Denver. (News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C., 7/29)

Even Stevens

Even before Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, was indicted on Tuesday on several felony counts, lawyer Vic Vickers was spending big-time money on TV ads in his GOP primary challenge to the longtime incumbent. Vickers said he has purchased $410,000 worth of statewide network airtime to blast Stevens in an ad campaign that will open on July 30 and run through the primary. "I bought everything that was available," he said.

The first of the challenger's five ads shows Vickers standing in front of Stevens's Girdwood home and declaring: "I am Vic Vickers, and I am running against Ted Stevens to stop corruption. The FBI and the IRS raided his home as part of a criminal investigation. I will not take a single penny from any oil company or any special interest, and that includes all special interests, lobbyists, law firms."

Vickers said he plans to spend $100,000 on radio ads in addition to the $190,000 he has already lent his campaign, according to fundraising records. He added that he expects to pump at least $700,000 of his own money into the race before the primary, and Vickers insisted that he won't solicit campaign contributions from "special interests." (Roll Call, 7/28)

Meanwhile, Stevens apparently won't be headed to the GOP's national convention, his spokesman, Aaron Saunders, said. About nine of the 12 Republicans in tough Senate races will skip the September gathering, including Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and ex-Rep. Bob Schaffer of Colorado.

Saunders said that unlike his rivals in Alaska, "Senator Stevens doesn't get to travel around the state and hold fundraisers [while Congress is in session]." The spokesman added that Stevens prefers to use the August recess to "travel around the state and meet with constituents." (Anchorage Daily News, Alaska, 7/29)

Who Goes There?

Michigan state Rep. Jack Hoogendyk has time to ponder the long, difficult road ahead as he drives around the state trying to build support for his challenge to Democratic Sen. Carl Levin. The Republican legislator is hardly a household name: Eighty-seven percent of Michigan voters said they don't know him. He is an underdog in his quest for cash but remains optimistic.

"No one said it would be easy," Hoogendyk said. "I'm not expecting it to be easy. But I'm relishing the challenge."

Levin's campaign manager, Jason Ellenburg, said that the incumbent won't hit the trail until Labor Day weekend or shortly afterward. "Levin isn't complacent about anything he does," Ellenburg added. "He'll have a very energetic campaign this fall."

Hoogendyk has a record of consistently opposing tax increases and spending proposals that he finds superfluous. And he is so conservative that he is occasionally out of step with the majority of his own state House caucus. Hoogendyk has proposed measures that would shorten the legislative session, cut lawmakers' pay, and make English the state's official language. He has also called for amending the U.S. Constitution so that only legal citizens are counted for purposes of congressional reapportionment.

Hoogendyk said he hopes to capitalize on voter dissatisfaction with incumbents during the economic downturn. (Associated Press, 7/24)

Clearing the Way

Landscape contractor J. Jacques Boudreaux's withdrawal from Louisiana's Senate race means that fellow Republican John Kennedy, the state's treasurer, is assured of a spot on the November ballot.

In explaining his decision to drop out, Boudreaux said: "Realistically, I didn't have a chance of winning. But other than that, the short time I did it, it was a great experience." He said he felt as though he "spent more time talking about Kennedy and the Republican Party" than he did about himself as a candidate in the race. (Advocate, Baton Rouge, La., 7/23)

When he filed to run, Boudreaux had called Kennedy and Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu career politicians who have become isolated from the needs of "regular folks." (Times-Picayune, New Orleans, 7/23)

Down to the Wire

With just days to go before the Democratic runoff in Georgia's Senate primary, DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones and former state Rep. Jim Martin sparred at a televised debate. They argued over an issue that's been a popular topic for both campaigns lately: Who voted for whom? Martin's camp repeatedly has noted that Jones twice voted for George W. Bush. Jones has been unapologetic, considering himself a conservative Democrat. He took a shot at Martin by telling the media he had evidence that Martin didn't vote for Barack Obama in the state's presidential primary.

Martin initially said his vote was a private matter, but then acknowledged having voted for former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina even though Edwards had dropped out by then.

Commenting on the presidential contest, Jones said, "One of the reasons I voted for Senator Barack Obama is because of his commitment to health care. As a former state legislator, I worked hard with others to pass the Peachcare Act to provide health care to Georgia's children.

"My opponent, Jim Martin, voted against Barack Obama and worked for a Republican governor as [Department of Human Resources] commissioner," Jones added. (Macon Telegraph, Ga. 7/25)

Quotables

"It sure is nice having a little more time on my hands, and I'd love to spend some of it with you. Would you like to join me for dinner?" --Hillary Rodham Clinton, in a fundraising letter (7/29)

"Now I'm 'too black.' " --Barack Obama, (Late Edition, CNN, 7/27)

"[Obama] said it's a pretty good timetable based on conditions on the ground. I think it's a pretty good timetable." --John McCain, on U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq (Situation Room, CNN, 7/27)

"I didn't use the word 'timetable.' " --John McCain (This Week, ABC News, 7/27)

"People were cheering him, holding up signs, blowing him kisses. And that was just the American media covering the story." --comedian Jay Leno, on Obama's overseas trip (Tonight Show, NBC, 7/28)