Gene Burr

Sounds like the Democrats found a legitimate candidate to take on Kasha Kelley, who decided NOT to challenge Greta Goodwin for Senate.

My guess is that Burr's education background makes him pretty sellable as a candidate and will become a focus of the differences between the two, if Burr becomes the general election candidate.

Kasha, though, has had a good year legislatively and politically with the update stalking legislation and the transparency web site being launched.

Even in a year that favors Democrats in general, she would be hard to beat

County candidate

Mark Eastman of Winfield has filed for the Republican nomination to the seat Carmelita Clarkson now holds on the County Commission. She's a democrat.

A quick check of Courier archives show Eastman's been involved in Republican Party politics and done some charity work. He was appointed Richard Township Treasurer by the county in 2006.

McCain's pastor problems

Looks like John McCain has pastor problems of his own. He rejected the endorsement, which he had actively sought, of John Hagee, a prominent Christian evangelical who promotes Israel but who once said Hitler was sent by God to force Jews back to to their homeland, that God destroyed New Orleans because of homosexual and other sins (Even though the French Quarter was untouched). He also said God will punish those who help Israel give up land to Palestinians. He also called the Catholic Church the Great Whore and compared it to Hitler's violence. I believe he apologized for that.

Here's some backgroundd at the Huffington Post, but there are many online news sources covering this story.

McCain called Hagee's Hitler statement's "crazy." I guess my question is, does McCain's pastor problem compare to Obama's? Wright said some outlandish things, but he didn't ever justify the Holocaust through biblical interpretation. (Of course McCain did not attend Hagee's church for 20 years)

I know that many evangelicals may believe these things but to those of us who do not take the Bible literally, it seems just as off the wall as suspecting the government of introducing AIDS to cities to kill black people.

He rejects another pastor's endorsement

Obama-Sebelius

Her name has surfaced as a VP candidate for Obama under the theory it would help him with women and in red states. My personal opinion is that she wouldn't be a strong VP choice, but SurveyUSA is testing her name as Obama's VP, in polls against John McCain.

Here's Here'sthe one they did for Virginia. Obama actually doesn't do so well when she is listed as his VP. Edwards, not surprisingly, does best among the VP choices they used

Doug Russell

I think this quote in today's storyfrom Mayor Mell Kuhn says it all about relations between some commissioners and their city manager.

"It's just a guess on my part," Kuhn said. "We're not a bureaucracy. We're not bobble heads for everything he wants. We scrutinize everything."


Thinking out of the box is great (wasn't that what the Lowe's deal was) but it seems that Russell hasn't been given the chance he deserves after being hired only 18 months ago. My guess is that the current majority didn't hire him and don't feel much obligation to see him succeed and do his thing.

Street tax

Any thoughts on the sales tax for street repair? It's hard to pass a tax increase in Ark City, and current economic conditions wouldn't make it easier.

On the other hand, anyone can see the street system needs help. A study two years ago laid out the work needed and a price tag.

There's some talk about cutting non-essential services such as the museum, community centers, etc.. Folks might be more willing to pay more sales tax for streets if they thought it would save those quality of life amenities.

Obama VP list

This is hilarious