BTC spent the weekend with a visitor from Ireland, and so is way behind, way late, and also feeling the effects of too much drink, as they'd say.
Washington has a new primary system that forces you to vote for one party or the other. Here are the answers to your many questions.
Summary: Pick a party, and be done with it.
Seattle Times reporter Jim Brunner reported yesterday on Rep. George Nethercutt, R-Spokane, who's challenging Sen. Patty Murray this year. Nethercutt has backed the Bush administration on 90 percent of his votes, living up to the charge of "rubber stamper" leveled at him by Murray and her supporters. On one issue, however, he's been defiant: trade with Cuba.
"In 2000, over the objections of top Republicans, Nethercutt shepherded through Congress a historic loosening of the Cuba embargo that has allowed U.S. farmers to sell more than $565 million worth of food to the island nation, including peas and apples from Washington state. Along the way, Nethercutt allied himself with liberal Democrats, scrapped with House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and dined with Fidel Castro in Havana. 'I'd come to Congress with the impression that the only way to change Castro was to freeze him out,' Nethercutt says. 'But I came to the realization that unilateral sanctions only hurt America.'"
David Postman, also of The Times, reported Saturday on egg now oozing down state Republican face, as their candidate for state Auditor, Will Baker, has a bit of a criminal history. The News Tribune in Tacoma, his local paper, calls him a "a roadside flower salesman with a history of annoying elected officials."
Here, Postman gets a description about Baker from Tacoma City Councilman Kevin Phelps: "Baker is a former exotic dancer, an ardent conspiracy theorist and an intelligent person 'who has the ability to put a train of thoughts together - they're just not real factual.'"
"Baker could not be reached yesterday, but his Web site says he is a follower of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Gandhi and 'an international man of diplomacy.'"
Yeah Baby!
State Attorney General Christine Gregoire, a candidate for governor, went east of the Cascades to campaign. The Times Ralph Thomas paints a fairly grim picture for Democrats hoping to grab votes yonder way:
"RITZVILLE, Adams County - Terry Grimmesey Janzen, head of the Adams County Democratic Party, seemed almost apologetic as Christine Gregoire stepped off her bus for a brief campaign appearance at the city park. 'We don't have too many Democrats here,' Janzen said to Gregoire, gesturing toward 20 or so supporters mingling about the picnic tables. John Mellencamp's 'Small Town' blared over the loudspeaker."
'Small Town' is Sen. John Edwards' song, and, frankly, one wonders if it really works for Gregoire.
Candidates in the 8th Congressional District debated Friday.
BTC wasn't there, but Warren Cornwall was:
He offers a good summary of the candidates and their priorities.
Noted: "King County Sheriff Dave Reichert focused on homeland security. Reichert said he wanted local agencies to get the money, training and equipment they need. Reichert, who recently returned from New York City, said he saw police officers on virtually every corner. 'Those are cities that understand where this country is right now,' he said, referring to New York and Washington, D.C. 'This country is at war.'"
And finally, Alan Keyes will take on Barack Obama for the Illinois Senate seat. BTC has a thing for Keyes, like some people have a thing for gardening, so you'll be hearing a blow-by-blow of this race.
Here's Keyes, who lives in Maryland but is running in Illinois, in 2000:
"I deeply resent the destruction of federalism represented by Hillary
Clinton's willingness to go into a state she doesn't even live in and
pretend to represent people there. So I certainly wouldn't imitate it."
Ouch.
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