Alaska will soon have a Democratic Governor again...

[snowbear]

Because Tony Knowles (former mayor of Anchorage, former 2-term Governor) is going to WIN big time!!




BTW.. Local rumor is that even "Brinkley the Dog" who is also running for Governor, is higher in the polls than current governor, Frank Murkowski!


Go Brinkley! http://www.nbc6.net/pets/9492683/detail.html

[NJ Democrats]

1. Frank Murkowski is pathetic

An incumbent Gov who only gets 20% in his own party's primary. (BTW ,what has he done so bad other than appointing his daughter to his Senate seat?)

[whalerider55]

2. really now...

calling Frankie the Murk a nepotist is an insult to all nepotists.

whalerider

[snowbear]

4. The list is tooooooo long.. but take "Frank's jet" for instance..

He purchased an incredibly expensive private jet with state funds despite an enormous outcry from EVERY resident in the state of Alaska. You couldn't find one person in the state, regardless of party affiliation, that agreed with the purchasing of that jet.

Yet his arrogance still went through with it..

The jet (now nicknamed "The Bald EGO") he claimed, was to be used for homeland security purposes, prisoner transports, and official state business.

Our local paper reported that he and his wife are using the jet for personal junket's to various vacation spots, flying to his 53' boat in Puget Sound, visits to family down in Salt Lake City, and for campaigning for re-election all over the state.

Basically Frank is a pathological LIAR. There's only a very small segment of voters (mostly those affiliated with the major oil companies( here who support him.

If he miracously pulls out a primary win next month, you can guaran-damn-tee that it was brought to us courtesy of Diebold.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. You took the words right out of my fingers, Larissa...

The list is much, much too long. He has alienated EVERYBODY in this state. It's pretty bad when an incumbent loses the support of even his own party, but somehow Frank's managed to do just that. His arrogance knows no bounds.

[babylonsister]

30. "The Bald Ego" -

[Skink]

3. Wo hoo!

:woohoo:

[zbdent]

5. That $250 million only bought, like

50 votes, right???

[Bandit]

6. I doubt that very much

Murkowski will "win" once again. Alaska has proved time and time again it is not capable of real honest to goodness thought process. That is why the legislature is a veto proof legislature and why Murkowski won in the first place. Fran Ulmer was by far the best candidate and won hands down in their debates but guess who won. The same thing will happen again so don't get your hopes up. The "fix" is in.....or Murkowski would never even have thrown his hat in the ring again. According to the polls no one likes him or thinks he is good for Alaska but Murkowski has guarunteed all Alaska he will win.:shrug:

[Blue_In_AK]

8. Sarah Palin is extremely popular...

that very rare commodity, a seemingly ethical Republican. I will be surprised indeed if she doesn't win the Republican primary. As Larissa says, if she doesn't, we have Diebold to thank.

[Awsi Dooger]

9. It's hardly an easy race if Palin is their nominee

I saw one poll indicating Palin slightly ahead of Knowles, if that matchup occurs.

Based on that picture, she's certainly better looking than either Murkowski and that can't hurt her chances.

[Blue_In_AK]

11. Yes, she is...

I'm not going to vote for her, of course, but I kind of like her spunk. She has had no problem over the past few years standing up to Frank and his henchmen over the many, many ethical violations in his administration and in the Republican party here in general. She's a feisty one.

[Blue_In_AK]

13. The only reason Fran Ulmer lost

was because she stated what was, at the time, obvious - that Alaska might have to start raising some income taxes or something to pay for state government and services. That, of course, was before the oil companies started making so much extra money, which has trickled down to Alaska's economy. No one could have known in 2002 that the state would be rolling in so many extra petro dollars once the Iraq war started. People here go all apoplectic whenever anyone mentions the word "taxes," especially as it applies to individuals, so poor Fran was doomed. I cried when she lost the election.

[LynneSin]

10. Well Murkowski has to be grateful for Bob Taft of Ohio

http://www.surveyusa.com/50State2006/50StateGovernor060720Net.htm

At least Frank doesn't have the title of the most disgusting governor reviled by everyone in his/her state yet. Taft of Ohio still owns that

[Hippo_Tron]

12. Knowles somehow managed to lose the senate race

But I wish him the best of luck. I just wish that we had him as Senator to add to our numbers.

[Blue_In_AK]

14. Knowles lost the Senate race

because Ted Stevens came out at the last minute with a bunch of scare ads saying that if Tony were elected, he would have to be aligned with Daschle (who?), Kerry and -- oh, scary :scared: -- Hillary against drilling in ANWR. (This despite the fact that Tony and everybody else who wants to win elections here is pro-drilling, sadly.) It was what Republicans do best - a fear campaign. Elect Tony, and Alaska's economy goes down the tubes.

[Hippo_Tron]

15. Our of curiosity why are Alaskans so pro drilling?

I know that in Florida they don't want drilling off the coast. Why do they want it in Alaska?

[Blue_In_AK]

17. Money...

The more oil that's drilled out of here, the more money the state makes by way of taxes on the oil companies, and the bigger our permanent fund checks get. Also it will create or continue jobs. It's pure greed.

Of course, not everybody here is in favor of drilling. I was visited a few nights ago by a dem candidate for the state house from our district who is adamantly opposed to drilling in ANWR. He is the executive director of Trustees for Alaska and will be getting my vote. We're not all knuckle-draggers up here. :)

[snowbear]

19. Hippo Tron.... that one is EASY to answer !!!!!

It's called the "Alaska Permanent Dividend Fund" $$$$$$



Every October, every resident of the state of Alaska --EVERY SINGLE RESIDENT-- receives a fat check from oil profits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Permanent_Fund

You start handing out a "good deal" like this.. you're going to have a whole lotta fans of drilling.

[Hippo_Tron]

20. I had heard of that actually, it just slipped my memory

Yea, bribery is certainly a great way to influence policy.

[Bandit]

26. Actually it isn't completely from "oil profits"

It is like a huge bank account on which interest is made. The people running the account also invest with a portion of the account and everyone benefits from the profits. It started out as oil revenues but now it is almost entirely investment profits that the dividends are paid from. I am amazed that Alaska is the only state to manage their money in this manner but then again this is America where a third grade education is considered educated.

[Blue_In_AK]

28. It really was a very wonderful and far-sighted plan

that Jay Hammond and friends came up with.

[snowbear]

16. That was ONE reason... don't forget the Diebold dibacle & current lawsuit

The state of Alaska is being sued to release the database files from the Diebold machines.

In one District in Anchorage, they reported a 236% voter-turn out!! Explain how that can happen?

The strange thing is.... DIEBOLD IS COOPERATING!! They gave the Lt. Governor permission to release the files.

It's the current Lt. Governor who refuses to release what is supposed to be PUBLIC data.

Right now, we have no idea if Lisa Murkowski really beat Tony Knowles. If she did, it went against 12 straight months of state-wide polling results.

There's something the Lt. Governor is hiding... And a reason he opted not to run again and wants out ASAP. What is he hiding?

Hopefully the lawsuit will answer a lot of questions..

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1204&Itemid=113

According to the Division of Elections' vote reports that were produced by the state's Diebold computer system and are posted on the Division's official web site, a far larger number of votes were cast than the official totals reported in the statewide summary. In the case of President George Bush’s votes, the district-by-district totals add up to 292,267, but his official total was only 190,889, a difference of 101,378 votes. In the U.S. Senate race, Lisa Murkowski received 226,992 votes in the district-by-district totals, but her official total was only 149,446, a difference of 77,546 votes.

[Blue_In_AK]

18. Yes, there is that, too...

I'm very curious to see how that lawsuit is going to turn out. It does seem very suspicious ... like most of the 2004 election nationwide.

[Bandit]

25. Fear and Smear...... it is the Republican MO

and it apparently works so they stay with it..:shrug:

[samsingh]

21. i really hope so

winning governships is one way to neutralize theft of democracy at the polls.

[Robbins]

22. Knowles

He probally lost the senate race In 2004 because of the strong tunrout for Bush(Johnson In 64 Is the only Dem to carry Alaska) however Bush will not be a factor now.

[snowbear]

23. No way Robbins... Read my post about Diebold & the Lt. Governor..

http://www.votetrustusa.org/index.php?option=com_conten...

According to the Division of Elections' vote reports that were produced by the state's Diebold computer system and are posted on the Division's official web site, a far larger number of votes were cast than the official totals reported in the statewide summary.

In the case of President George Bush’s votes, the district-by-district totals add up to 292,267, but his official total was only 190,889, a difference of 101,378 votes.

In the U.S. Senate race, Lisa Murkowski received 226,992 votes in the district-by-district totals, but her official total was only 149,446, a difference of 77,546 votes.

-------------------------------------------------------


Bush was given over 101,378 more votes than were actually cast for him.

Look at the stats above for Lisa Murkowski!!

The heat over the stolen election is likely why the Lt. Governor (who oversee's elections) is not running for a second term.

All the stress of the lawsuits and having to try to explain the bogus numbers is stressing the idiot out..

Here's the deal though.. the Diebold debacle raised a lot of eyebrows throughout the state, even though the Lt. Governor refuses to release the files.

DIEBOLD SIDED WITH THE DEMOCRATS in this case, stating that the vote is just too screwed up to be accuarate.

They told the Lt. Governor to go ahead and release the files to the public. He WON'T do it.

But what happens next month if Frank Murkowski (hated even by 80% of his own party here) wins the primary over the ever-popular, Sarah Palin?

Republicans will revolt! They will =KNOW= that Diebold had to have played a role in stealing the election for him and for once, they'll be bitching about the system.

Trust me.. if Frank wins, it will be total mayhem up here. Even Republicans want him out!

Maybe it will be a good thing if someone as hated as he is mysteriously wins the primary?

It will definitely cast a national spotlight on how Diebold can be manipulated. Only, it will be R-thugs complaining!

[samsingh]

24. this is truly shocking

is anything going to be done to correct this injustice ?

[snowbear]

27. Murkowski beat Knowles by 6K votes... Diebold GAVE her 77,546 votes!!

So when people say "How could Tony Knowles lose!?!?"

They need to take a looked at how whacked our election was!!

The thing is.. now that Lisa has been at it for a while, residents have grown fond of her and the outrage over being "appointed by daddy" has completely disappeared. They hate her dad, but she has a fairly decent approval rating now.

They like her because she's more independent than most Rethugs. She's pro-choice, she voted against re-newing the Patriot Act, etc.. Alaskans like anyone who will buck up against their own party. (Which is why Sarah Palin is such a popular gubanutorial candidate)

Lisa Murkowski lands 63 lb. salmon - July 2006


Still. It's SAD that Tony was screwed by Lt. Governor Loren Leman who manipulated Diebold.

There's still an on-going lawsuit regarding the '04 election, but the outcome will take forever..

[Blue_In_AK]

29. I read yesterday

that even Lisa isn't completely in agreement with Frank on the oil taxes/gas pipeline issue. THAT'S how hated Frank is.