FLASHBACK: NY-23: NRCC Attacks Hoffman; Lacks "Cross Party Appeal"

by: robert.harding

Sat Oct 31, 2009 at 17:53:01 PM EDT

Here is part of the statement (H/T to TPM):

"With Assemblywoman Scozzafava suspending her campaign, we urge voters to support Doug Hoffman's candidacy in New York's 23rd Congressional District.

"He is the only active candidate in the race who supports lower taxes, fiscal responsibility and opposes Nancy Pelosi's agenda of government-run healthcare, more government and less jobs.

"We look forward to welcoming Doug Hoffman into the House Republican Conference as we work together for the good of our nation."

But this is a different tune that the Republicans are singing. It wasn't long ago that they were defending Scozzafava and attacking Hoffman, saying he lacked "integrity" and "cross party appeal" to win.

Here are some quotes from the NRCC giving their assessment of Hoffman:

"Fortunately, the local Republican county chairs had the foresight to see that Doug Hoffman lacked the integrity and qualities needed to be elected to anything - let alone Congress," Lindsay added. [The Hill, 9/28/09]

The national GOP acknowledges Hoffman and his moneyed supporters make their job harder, but they emphasize Scozzafava is still the favorite.

Paul Lindsay, a spokesman for the NRCC, said Hoffman's political calculus doesn't add up.

"We're pleased that the Republican county chairs in New York had the foresight to not even consider Hoffman among the final three candidates, and the Washington-based endorsements and misleading political ads that are meant for his benefit will ultimately backfire on his futile sour-grapes campaign," Lindsay said. [The Hill, 10/03/09]

The National Republican Congressional Committee bristles at Mr. Hoffman's campaign, with a spokesman arguing that he's "running a smoke-and-mirrors campaign that has absolutely no path to victory and is based entirely on Washington-based endorsements that carry no weight among voters in central and northern New York."

NRCC spokesman Paul Lindsay said Mr. Hoffman doesn't even technically live in the district and also said Mr. Hoffman had promised to back the Republican candidate before withdrawing that support and deciding to run.

"At the end of the day, we could not be more pleased that Dede is the only candidate who possesses the principles and cross-party appeal that is needed to win in this swing district," Mr. Lindsay added. [Washington Times, 10/06/09]

"There is still a path to victory, and we will continue to support [Scozzafava]," NRCC spokesman Paul Lindsay said. [The Hill, 10/26/09]

Some conservatives support Scozzafava, insisting that a one-size-fits-all strategy isn't a good approach to districts such as New York 23.

"Outside endorsements will not change the fact that she's the only candidate with the cross party appeal that can win this swing district," said Paul Lindsay, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. McClatchy, 10/30/09

Amazing what one day will do to the NRCC's approach. One day they are backing their candidate saying she can still win while standing by their past opinions of Hoffman and the next day, they are already welcoming Hoffman to the House GOP conference.

NY-23: Scozzafava Leads In Siena Poll By Seven

by: robert.harding

Thu Oct 01, 2009 at 12:00:26 PM EDT

Scozzafava comes in at 35 percent with Owens behind her at 28 percent. Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, who has been trying to tout himself as the conservative option to Scozzafava, stands at 16 percent.

Some of the other highlights of the poll include:

- The poll asked respondents who would be the best candidate on six different issues: The economy, health care, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, education, homeland security and bringing federal dollars to the district. Owens won or is tied with Scozzafava on five of the six issues. The only issue Owens lost to Scozzafava was the economy (25 percent to 23 percent, according to the poll). Those surveyed said that Owens would be best to address health care, the wars abroad and homeland security, while he tied with Scozzafava on education and bringing money to the district.

- An endorsement from former Congressman John McHugh might be helpful in the eyes of some voters. Of those surveyed, 40 percent said an endorsement from McHugh would make them more likely to support a candidate. Only seven percent said McHugh's endorsement would make them less likely to support a candidate.

Here are some other details from the press release:

Scozzafava leads Owens 53-23 percent, with 10 percent for Hoffman in the western North Country counties (Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence). Owens's largest lead is in the Central New York counties of Madison, Oneida and Oswego, 30 percent to 20 percent each for Scozzafava and Hoffman. The Democrat and Republican are virtually tied in the five counties of the eastern North Country (Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, and Hamilton), 32 percent for Owens, 31 percent for Scozzafava and 18 percent for Hoffman.

Scozzafava is viewed favorably by 33 percent of voters and unfavorably by 20 percent, with 47 percent not having an opinion. Owens has a 23-12 percent favorable rating, with 64 percent of voters undecided, while Hoffman has a 16-13 percent favorable rating, with 71 percent of voters undecided.

The good news for Owens is that he is still in this. He also has a good showing when it is broken up into issues. Being able to be trusted on certain issues is key and when voters trust you more than the Republican on most issues, that says a lot (even though he still trails in the overall poll).

Keep in mind that Owens has stayed out of the limelight for most of this. He has a few TV ads out, but he's let Scozzafava and Hoffman duke it out. That has its advantages. But he will need to get this party going if he plans on winning next month.

NY-23: Hoffman Offered Support To Scozzafava Before Opposing Her

by: robert.harding

Tue Sep 29, 2009 at 09:02:07 AM EDT

Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava's campaign passed along an e-mail to the Watertown Daily Times and in that e-mail was a message from Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman offering his support.

Jude Seymour from the Watertown Daily Times has the story:

Doug Hoffman pledged to help Dede Scozzafava in an e-mail sent two days after the Republican Party passed over the Lake Placid accountant for the nomination.

The e-mail, sent from Mr. Hoffman's business account on July 24 and provided by the Scozzafava campaign, states in full: "Hi Dede, Congratulations and the best of luck in your candidacy. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help. Doug."

...

I asked Mr. Hoffman today - through his spokesman - to explain why he told Ms. Scozzafava one thing and me another.

Here's the response I got from Rob Ryan, Mr. Hoffman's spokesman: "Like most Republicans, Doug Hoffman had no idea how liberal Dede Scozzafava is. The fact that Scozzafava has voted for higher taxes, increased spending and gay marriage proves she is way to liberal for the voters of upstate New York."

So Hoffman is one of two things: Either he is an opportunist who first promised support only to get backing from the Conservative Party in a run for Congress OR he really didn't know what Scozzafava was all about.

If it is the former, that wouldn't be surprising. It wouldn't be the first time a candidate saw an opening and realized that with the Conservative Party's help, he could run to the right of all candidates and try and rally the base for an upset victory.

But if it is the latter, it should raise questions about how just informed Hoffman is. He says he didn't realize just how "liberal" Scozzafava was and yet, she voted for the marriage equality bill in the Assembly back in 2007. Since Scozzafava has been labeled as "liberal" for only being pro-choice and pro-marriage equality, you would think that would have been a wake-up call for Hoffman. That's a vote everyone knows about, especially in political circles. He could have looked it up or he could have already know about it.

This whole battle has been all about ideology and nothing else. Hoffman, a fellow Republican, has gone after Scozzafava and labeled her as a liberal even though she isn't a full-blown liberal. Being left-of-center on two issues doesn't make her a liberal. Being left-of-center on ALL or MOST issues does.

NY-23: Republican Scozzafava Attacked For Siding With "Radical Left"

by: robert.harding

Wed Sep 16, 2009 at 17:40:06 PM EDT

From Liz:

Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party's candidate, was first out of the box with a press release that seeks to capitalize on the ACORN scandal by calling on his Republican opponent, Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, to "explain her relationship with the radical left."

   "Dede Scozzafava claims to be a Republican, yet, time and again, she has run as a candidate of the radical left Working Families Party," Hoffman said.

   "The WFP is an organization that detests almost every principle the GOP stands for and with its sister organization, ACORN, has worked to radicalize the New York political scene."

   "I am calling Dede Scozzafava to disavow her relationship with the WFP, condemn ACORN for its actions and come clean on her and her husband's dealings with the two entities."

The release goes on to note that Scozzafava's husband, Ron McDougall, is an organizer for "Big Labor" (he's a union official).

Hoffman's campaign spokesman, Rob Ryan, helpfully forwarded over a list of contributions McDougall has made to the WFP - 64 of them since 2002, all but one of which are for $10. The one is for $50, bringing his grand total to: $690.

Here's the deal: This should be a clear example of how conservatives are different from Republicans. Do they go hand-in-hand most of the time? Yes. But this is a clear instance where the Republicans put up a fairly moderate candidate (Scozzafava is liberal on social issues, but other than that, I can't say she's progressive) and she gets attacked by the conservative (and Conservative Party) candidate in the race for being a member of the "radical left." Conservatives are using the same hate tactics Democrats have seen over and over again on Scozzafava.

Democratic candidate Bill Owens got some good news today when he was endorsed by Senator Darrel Aubertine. Aubertine's endorsement could be seen as a big one, considering his stature in the district. He was being talked about as the front-runner for the race should he run. He passed on the race, which opened the door for other candidates like Owens.

NY-23: Hoffman Internal Poll Has Scozzafava In Lead

by: robert.harding

Wed Sep 09, 2009 at 19:37:15 PM EDT

The results of the poll showed that Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, the Republican nominee, leads with 26 percent. The Democratic candidate, Bill Owens, netted 17 percent while Hoffman came in at 16 percent. When "lean" votes are factored in, Scozzafava gets 30 percent, Owens 20 percent and Hoffman 19 percent.

The poll also has a large group of undecideds at 31 percent. It covered 300 likely general election voters and had a margin of error of 5.7 percent.

This poll makes for a good NY-23 post, but nothing more. Based on some other information in the poll, you can tell what the goal was: To portray Hoffman as the conservative option to the "liberals" Owens and Scozzafava.

Here is an example:

All things being equal, based on the following descriptions for whom are you more likely to vote for U.S. Congress? If you will decide your vote on other issues just say so. A Democratic candidate who is pro-abortion and is supported by Nancy Pelosi, who supports gay marriage. A liberal Republican who is pro abortion and pro gay marriage, OR, A Conservative Republican who is running on the Conservative Party line, who is pro-life and pro traditional marriage.

The results of that question had 48 percent saying they supported the "Conservative Republican" choice (which is Hoffman without the question saying as much).

The intent of this poll was to do what Hoffman has been trying to do since being given the opportunity to run on the Conservative Party line. He is running as the conservative alternative to Scozzafava (and Owens, if that's possible). He has labeled his two opponents as "liberals", which is an interesting approach. He labels Owens as a supporter of gay marriage even though he does not support gay marriage (he supports civil unions, but does not support full marriage equality due to religious reasons) and tries to separate himself from Scozzafava on the same social issues.

Obviously, this poll is nothing more than a way for Hoffman to get more support. It's not something I would take too seriously.  

NY-23: Early Look At Race For 23rd Congressional District Seat

by: robert.harding

Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 21:18:37 PM EDT

On the Democratic side, Bill Owens is an independent who was selected by the 11 county Democratic chairs to run for the seat that will be vacated by Rep. John McHugh, who is leaving to become the Secretary of the Army in President Barack Obama's administration.

The Republicans picked Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, a pro-choice and pro-marriage equality candidate who is known as a bit of a maverick in Republican circles.

In response to the Republicans' choice, the Conservative Party has nominated Doug Hoffman to run on their line as the conservative candidate in the race. The Conservative Party, which is known for putting social issues at the forefront of their selection process, decided against endorsing Scozzafava because of her social liberal views.

There are those who are wondering why the Democrats picked a moderate independent to run. The reason is that you aren't going to win NY-23 with someone who is a staunch progressive. Scozzafava, while being a social liberal, isn't liberal on too much else. She, like the man she wants to succeed, is fairly moderate and will vote with the Republicans most of the time. Owens, the Democratic choice, makes it known that he is a moderate and doesn't deviate from that.

The enrollment in the district shows you what we are looking at in terms of voters:

23rd Congressional District Enrollment
DEM	REP	IND	CON	WFP	GRE	LIB	SWP	BLK	TOTAL
120,887	167,272	19,619	5,561	1,482	911	77	3	76,194	392,006

The reality is that you aren't going to win NY-23 with a staunch progressive or a staunch conservative. McHugh has served the district well and is known as a moderate. That is why he was such a tough election foe. In order to serve the district, you have to be able to balance yourself.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

- People have pointed out that Owens is to the right of Scozzafava on marriage equality. That's true, but he isn't to the right on the issue. He is actually in the middle, arguing that his religious beliefs prevent him from being a supporter, but does believe that equal rights are important. The conservative in the race, Hoffman, is opposed to marriage equality altogether. If you had to pick from Owens or Hoffman, which would you rather have? Also, I would like to hear Owens on repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell and whether or not he would support other key LGBT legislation. As a friend reminded me, a certain high-profile Democrat held a very similar view of marriage equality that Owens does. We just happened to elect that Democrat our president.

- Scozzafava will be tough, especially when it comes to getting the minor party lines. She has already secured the Independence Party line and will also be in the running for the Working Families Party line. Owens might be able to secure the WFP line, but that will be up to the party to decide.

- Hoffman won't win, but he will play spoiler. The conservatives (and Conservative Party) will try and make this about social issues. With Owens and Scozzafava both pro-choice and Scozzafava pro-marriage equality, the Conservative Party will seek to steal votes that may have been headed in Scozzafava's direction.

While voter turnout for this special election might not be high for a congressional race, it's not your typical special election. If everything falls into place, the election will take place on Election Day 2009. That means down-ticket races (county legislature, town board, mayoral races, etc.) could benefit from having a high-profile race on the ballot. Voter turnout won't be at record levels, but it shouldn't be as bad as some are assuming it will be.

Is Owens a progressive candidate? No. But the Democratic chairs weren't looking for a progressive candidate. They were looking for someone who fit the district. There will be people who question why Democrats would pick an independent to run on their line. It is a good question to ask, but the decision was apparently a unanimous one and a decision that was supported by the DCCC.

There is a lot more to learn about these candidates. That I will say. There has been a lot of reactionary comments made about Scozzafava's pro-choice and pro-marriage equality stances as if those positions alone make you a progressive. That only makes her progressive on those issues.

The election is still a few months away, but it sure will have the attention of New Yorkers. A lot will be on the line. There is a lot of work to be done. So let's get to work.

NY-23: Conservative Party To Nominate Hoffman For Line

by: robert.harding

Thu Aug 06, 2009 at 07:25:38 AM EDT

But the Conservative Party decided that the Republican nominee wasn't conservative enough to be their nominee.

The Conservative Party will nominate Doug Hoffman for their ballot line, meaning that the Conservative Party won't back the Republican candidate - Dede Scozzafava - in this important special election.

Scozzafava, of course, is widely known to be pro-choice and pro-marriage equality. Those progressive views on two key social issues put her at odds with the Conservative Party philosophy, which has been said to revolve around such social issues.

From News 10 Now:

He was virtually unknown. Just one of several republicans who hoped to replace John McHugh in the 23rd Congressional District. But he was passed over when the republicans made their choice official, Dede Scozzafava.

Now, Lake Placid businessman Doug Hoffman is getting a second chance in the most unlikely of circumstances, as a conservative. The state Conservative Party will likely choose him for its line, normally given to the republican choice, because Scozzafava is not what they say conservatives represent.

"Her record is atrocious. In our rating system last year, she got a 15 out of 100. Shelly Silver got a 10," said Conservative Party Chair Mike Long.

The choice has left some republicans upset with Hoffman, whom some say broke a promise by not supporting Scozzafava.

"I never promised I would support Dede Scozzafava. I did indicate I'd be happy to support a conservative republican candidate. I did not walk away from the Republican Party. The Republican Party walked away from the values that made our party strong," Hoffman said.

"He's not just a candidate we're putting up to protest the vote. He's a candidate that I believe represents and embraces the views of a majority of people in that Congressional District," Long said.

"There's enough people that are very dismayed as to the choices they're going to have between a liberal Nancy Pelosi Democrat and a liberal, big spending, career Albany politician," Hoffman said.

Hoffman might be able to steal conservative votes away from Scozzafava, which isn't something to take lightly. The 23rd district is very rural and the district has more elected Republicans than Democrats. This district is a conservative one, so Scozzafava isn't going to have an easy time running a campaign on two issues that Republicans are usually strongly against.

NY-20: Tedisco Allies File Suit Challenging Libertarian Candidate In Dutchess County

by: phillip anderson

Tue Mar 17, 2009 at 17:07:13 PM EDT

It's pretty obvious that Sundwall is going to hurt Tedisco more than Murphy and now the GOP machine is mobilizing to neutralize that threat. The hearing will be March 25th and I've uploaded the entire complaint (pdf) here.

SD-61: Erie County Conservative Party Recommends Mesi

by: robert.harding

Thu Jun 05, 2008 at 22:44:35 PM EDT

Erie County Conservative Party Chairman, Ralph C. Lorigo said the party decided to recommend Mesi after meeting with him Thursday night. "He understands that the taxpayers in Erie County have been hit hard by this economy, and wants to help them get back on their feet by bringing fiscal restraint to the Capital," Lorgio said.

"I am grateful for Conservative Party's support," said Mesi. "This year, we face difficult economic times, and yet Albany voted to increase spending in our State Budget. Having run my own business, I know it's important not to spend more than you take in and I think the politicians in Albany have forgotten this rule. I will work hard to bring fiscal responsibility to our State Legislature."

I must preface my remarks here by saying that I really like Joe Mesi as a candidate. I was very impressed with him following my interview with him and he has been working hard in the district.

Only one Democratic senator (oddly enough, it's a Buffalo-area senator - Sen. William Stachowski) has received and won with the Conservative line.

The problem with the New York State Conservative Party are their "legislative priorities", which don't necessarily fit into the Democratic platform.

Just some tidbits from their priorities:

- We are opposed to taxpayer financing of political campaigns.

- We staunchly reject any effort to reinforce current abortion laws.  We support parental notification and/or consent prior to the performance of an abortion on an unmarried minor and we support New York passing a ban on the procedure known as Partial Birth Abortion, the elimination of Medicaid funding of abortions and support Informed Consent.

- The Conservative Party staunchly believes that all human cloning must be banned and that stem-cell research specifically prohibits the use of progenitor cells and/or pluripotent cells and is limited to adult stem cells and fetal cord blood research.

- We support a constitutional amendment that will define marriage as a union between one man and one woman.  We also believe that any attempt to amend the Human Rights Law to include "transgender" language as a special class of citizens should be rejected.

Again, I like Mesi. But I do not know why Democrats would want to associate themselves with that full platform. That is pretty troubling, to say the least.

There are 3,967 Conservative Party voters in the 61st Senate District. Mesi has also received the Working Families Party endorsement.  

NY-26: Lee Backed By Republicans; Lewis Backed By Conservatives

by: robert.harding

Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 11:40:09 AM EDT

Erie County businessman Christopher Lee was endorsed by all seven counties on the Republican side and another businessman, Rick Lewis, has received backing from Conservative Party leaders which could set off a big primary between at least two candidates plus David Bellavia, an Iraq war veteran.

Out of the three, Bellavia is by far the most conservative. His stances are, at times, far right and neo-conservative. He is a passionate supporter of the war and believes that the Surge is working.

Lee and Lewis bring that business-style to the race, which is fine, but not everyone is a millionaire businessman from Erie County or from this district for that matter.

I can see a battle brewing between these three. Unless something changes, we will see a primary on the Republican side too.  

NY-26: Lee Is The GOP Frontrunner; Lewis, Bellavia Still In The Hunt

by: robert.harding

Wed Apr 23, 2008 at 14:06:04 PM EDT

David Bellavia is already declared, but has not enjoyed support like some of the other candidates. Christopher Lee, a Buffalo area businessman, is the current frontrunner but he may also face a tough fight for the nomination, according to the Buffalo News:

Talking Phone Book President Rick Lewis offers the main opposition to Lee in an effort strongly backed by County Executive Chris Collins. Lewis said Tuesday he has the support of Erie County Republican Chairman James P. Domagalski and his Niagara County counterpart, Henry F. Wojtaszek.

And in what could loom as a major development, Erie County Conservative Party Chairman Ralph C. Lorigo said late Tuesday he is "moving toward" supporting Lewis.

"Nothing is final, because I need to talk to some more people," Lorigo said. "But I am moving in that direction."

If Lorigo stays on that course, observers say that could dramatically strengthen the Lewis case as Republicans strive to avoid dividing their vote among three candidates in the November general election, with Lee potentially on the GOP line, Lewis on the Conservative line and a Democrat.

"The Conservative Party, to me, could possibly have an influence in that situation," Lorigo said.

So far, Lee has received a public endorsement from Monroe County Republican chair Steve Minarik and he has the backing of Erie County Executive Chris Collins.

But Lewis says he has the support of the Erie and Niagara GOP heads (Domagalski and Wojtaszek) which would create a divide in this race. And with the Conservative Party saying they support Lewis, this could be headed to a very interesting primary.

The aforementioned Bellavia had this to say about the process thus far:

"There have been chairmen in this process who have not acted in good faith," Bellavia said Tuesday. "I have jumped through every hoop, and the bar has been moved multiple times."

I don't know who to blame more - The GOP heads or Bellavia. The GOP heads have, by all accounts, given every candidate a shot. But Bellavia has shown that he would rather introduce John McCain in Washington D.C. than focus on this district.

That said, I am glad to see that the GOP seems to be headed for a primary in September as well. That will level the playing field for our side, considering our primary situation.  

Piling On: Rudy's Worst Day Ever

by: phillip anderson

Fri Jan 11, 2008 at 15:05:19 PM EST

NY Conservative Party To Endorse Thompson, Not Un-Conservative Rudy

In an interview to air this Sunday, state Conservative Party Chairman Mike Long tells WNBC's Gabe Pressman the party is likely to give an early nod to Fred Thompson if he manages to "break through" in South Carolina.

"As a Conservative, as the chairman of the New York state Conservative Party, my favorite candidate, naturally, is Fred Thompson," Long said. "He did very well this week in the debate. Certainly, I think in South Carolina. If he does well there, if he breaks through in South Carolina, he changes the face of this Republican race again.

He becomes an important player, then on to Florida and to the Southern states. And I think he has a shot at it. And then if he does that, I believe that us, meaning the New York state Conservative Party, will move forward and make an endorsement at an early stage to try to help him catapult the rest of the country."

Yeah, because the rest of the nation sits on pins and needles awaiting the choice of the New York Conservative Party. Now that I think about it, I'm not sure who looks worse or more irrelevant here.

Take your pick.

Jim Walsh (NY-25) Loses Conservative Party Endorsements

by: phillip anderson

Thu Nov 08, 2007 at 10:56:12 AM EST

Stand on war costs Walsh

Rep. James Walsh has lost the endorsement of the Conservative Party in Monroe and Wayne counties for the 2008 election - the first major political fallout from his decision to stop supporting the war in Iraq.

If other county parties and the state party ultimately agree, Walsh stands to lose the Conservative line in the 25th Congressional District. He has run on the Conservative line each of his 10 terms in Congress.

Walsh, R-Onondaga, has always received the vast majority of his votes on the Republican line. But the 11,634 votes he received on Conservative lines last November was enough to make the difference in the closest election of his congressional career. Walsh defeated Democrat Dan Maffei, of DeWitt, in 2006 by about 3,000 votes; the  Iraq war was the dominant issue.

Thomas Cook, chairman of the Monroe County Conservative Party, said Walsh's changing position on the war was one of many reasons why the party decided Tuesday night to withhold its endorsement.

"I was shocked when I began analyzing his record," said Cook, the Monroe County chair for 28 years. "It's only when he did the anti-war thing that I began looking into it."

Cook, a Vietnam veteran, said the party's executive committee voted 29-0 to withhold its endorsement from Walsh because most believe he does not represent conservative ideals. Walsh sealed his fate in an angry letter replying to Cook's criticism of his new position on Iraq, Cook said.

...

"We've always had a cool relationship with him regarding his voting record," Quinn said. "The flip-flop on the war in Iraq was the straw that broke the camel's back."

The geniuses in the Conservative party are about to Mau Mau Walsh right out of Congress and replace him with a strong progressive, Dan Maffei.

Thanks.

On the web: Dan Maffei for Congress.

Multi-Topic Mish-Mash: Oct. 4, 2007

by: The Maven

Thu Oct 04, 2007 at 18:05:59 PM EDT

First up, following on the discussions here recently about the U.S. Supreme Court case regarding judicial selection procedures here in New York State (NY Board of Elections v. Torres), offered for your consideration are:
* Linda Greenhouse's take in the NY Times on Wednesday's oral argument;
* A fairly detailed analysis provided by the good folks over at SCOTUSblog; and, for those who like their oral arguments unvarnished,
* The official transcript of the argument before the Court (67-page PDF file).

From the look of it, we should expect the Supremes to overturn the lower court rulings by a large majority (probably at least 7-2), perpetuating for now the current party nominating system.

Next, we have Tuesday's release by Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's office of the State and Local Retirement System (i.e., Pension Fund) Annual Report (132-page PDF), along with the 118-page particularized asset listing.  I'm sure there's plenty of notable information in there, but I'm hardly the one to dig it out.  If you want to examine what sort of fiscal shape the pension fund is in, or which specific, potentially objectionable stocks the state holds a major stake in ($1.6 billion worth of Exxon Mobil might come to mind for some folks), here's your chance.

And finally, there's the tidbit that dear old great-grandpa Fred has been invited to speak at the NYS Conservative Party's annual cocktail reception Monday October 15 at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers in Manhattan.  Let's see if he manages to put Michael Long and pals to sleep with his soporific style.  Or maybe Thompson will nod off after a drink or two.  In what was described as not being a slap in the face, St. Rudy was not invited to come speak with the group.  And if anyone here is willing to pony up $500 per head, I'm sure they'll welcome you with open arms (while cashing your check, of course).

And now, I'm briefly off to a cocktail reception of my own (well, wine and cheese, actually, but that's kind of close).

Ain't No Party Like a Conservative Party

by: BrooklynRaider

Mon Feb 12, 2007 at 22:42:43 PM EST

Still, in crisis there is opportunity, and the Conservatives are trying to make the most of it. Conference attendees were treated to a speech by David Keene, president of the American Conservative Union, who complained that conservatives were being taken for granted:

When they would complain about spending, he said, they were told not to make noise about the issue because the president agreed with the Conservative position against federally funded embryonic stem cell research, for instance.
"The Republican leadership has destroyed the brand name of the party while destroying the party," said Keene. He advocated a new grassroots recruitment effort for the Conservative Party, similar to what led to its founding 45 years ago through movements on college campuses.
"It's time for us to say that a temporary victory is not a reason to give up our principles," said Keene.
"We have to go out and recruit new troops," he added. "We cannot allow us to be pushed into a corner by people who think we have no place to go."
Keene also said that no candidate for public office has a "genetic claim" to third-party support from the Conservatives.

Why Blogs Rule

by: phillip anderson

Tue Feb 06, 2007 at 18:50:55 PM EST

thanks for putting up the picture of the scary queer flyer. I was able to get Craig two more votes from it. These two people were not planning to vote cause they didnt think it was that important. But they got all riled up and now they are on their way to their polling places.

Plus, the New York Blade is pretty riled up as well.

Gay Bashing for Votes

Nassau Co. Mailer Warns: A Vote for Dem. Candidate is a Vote for Gay Marriage

But David Verchere, president of the Log Cabin Republicans-which has backed the O'Connell campaign with volunteers and a pledge of $8,000-called the mailer both "mean" and "dumb."

"These tactics are beneath the dignity of the Conservative Party of New York," Verchere said. "They remind us of people like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson who use anti-gay rhetoric to preach hatred and intolerance." He added that the mailing was not indicative of O'Connell's "strong record" on equal rights for all New Yorkers, nor did it reflect the "mainstream values" of the people of Nassau County.

Hear hear.

You Knew This Was Coming...

by: phillip anderson

Tue Feb 06, 2007 at 15:24:24 PM EST

Scary, scary queers obviously.

This flyer was sent by the Conservative Party and just brought into HQ here in Great Neck. The lady who brought it in is a member of a local Orthodox synagogue and says she's has received tons of this crap.