Friday Tidbits

Louisiana: GOP Rep. Richard Baker appears to have taken his name out of consideration for the Republican nomination to challenge Senator Mary Landrieu in 2008. Baker joins GOP Reps. Charles Boustany and Jim McCrery in that regard. Meanwhile, currently-Democratic state Treasurer John N. Kennedy announced that he will seek re-election this year to the Treasurer's office rather than run for state Attorney General. His running for re-election to Treasurer this year may not impact a decision about a Party switch and/or Senate run next year, though it should hopefully invite questions to that end from the local media, especially considering Baker's withdrawal from consideration. However, it is being reported that Kennedy has also ruled out a 2008 Senate challenge to Senator Landrieu. I'll be looking to confirm this.

Alaska: The Anchorage Daily News reports that Ted Stevens says he paid $130,000 for the renovations to his home - only, the article outlines how there is no way that the extensive renovations could have been performed for only $130,000. Something quite clearly doesn't add up. Also, the New York Times gives Stevens & Son the spotlight treatment for their ongoing investigations.

Oregon: The clamor over Gordon Smith's SalmonGate is getting louder. Not only does Smith have "no regrets" over his role in the decimation of fishing businesses in Oregon and the die-off of 77,000 salmon, but it appears that he is now lying about what he knew regarding the events leading up to the salmon die-off. Back in 2001, Smith touted (and even ran TV ads on) his coordination with Dick Cheney and the White House over the planning; but now Smith has the gall to deny knowledge of Cheney's plans. This appears to be a blatant lie, and the story is only going to get worse for Smith.

South Dakota: Tom Daschle has Tim Johnson's back. Meanwhile, Stu Rothenberg wrongly suggests that the Johnson camp wasn't fully transparent about Johnson's condition. Absurd. The Johnson camp never hid anything and regularly gave progress reports on Johnson's rehabilitation. Compare that with the Bush Administration failing to disclose for nearly a year that George W. Bush was being treated for Lyme Disease, which WebMD notes: "In addition to causing arthritis, Lyme disease can also cause heart, brain and nerve problems." I'm not saying that Lyme Disease is as serious as Johnson's condition. I am saying that Johnson's camp was entirely forthright while Bush's camp did not disclose a potentially serious condition.

Texas: One of the "top Hispanic Republicans in the nation," Houston businessman Massey Villarreal, will be defecting from the John Cornyn camp and heading over to the Rick Noriega camp for the 2008 Senate race, saying that Cornyn doesn't "hear" his community. With an approval at 42% and a disapproval at 43%, I imagine that Cornyn doesn't "hear" many communities.

Kentucky: In a case of the right wing shooting itself in the foot, a pro-war group is running ads in Kentucky thanking Mitch McConnell for his support of Bush's Iraq War. Only, a majority of Kentuckians want us out of Iraq! Keep those ads a'runnin'! Also, a local news station is running an online poll regarding the 2008 Senate race. Currently, McConnell (the only Republican choice) is at 43.6%, while the five Democratic choices add up to 49.7%, and None of the Above is at 6.7%. Any online poll like this isn't scientific, but it is interesting food for thought. In other news, to quote Cliff Schecter, "Jim Bunning is insane."

Colorado: In another case of the right wing shooting itself in the foot, it appears that "Backwards" Bob Schaffer's camp's over-the-top reactions to the allegations of wrongdoing in the case of Schaffer not disclosing existing relationships with and campaign funds raised from financial beneficiaries of Schaffer's votes on the Colorado state Board of Education is keeping the story alive and putting the story in the pages of the major daily papers.

Minnesota: Norm Coleman has no idea what "alternative energy" means. Oh, and don't forget, Coleman's benefactor, George W. Bush, is coming soon to Minnesota to throw Coleman a bone.

New Jersey: Conservative assemblyman Michael Doherty will not run for the Republican Senate nomination in 2008. Rather, he is supporting assemblyman Joe Pennacchio for the GOP nomination over candidate Anne Evans Estabrook, though, at this point, Pennacchio has not yet committed to running.

Nebraska: After visiting 87 of Nebraska's 93 counties, Hal Daub is still undecided as to whether or not he'll run for Senate in 2008.

The Republican National Committee demonstrates once again that they are a collection of deceptive dirtbags. (Stuff like this genuinely sickens me.)