24thState

Proof McCaskill Is Telling The Truth About Obama Fundraiser

The Beacon has a second story out today, this one covering the McCaskill/Obama fundraiser scheduled for tomorrow.  As fans and detractors of this blog know, I broke the story back on February 12th, and the story was confirmed on February 15th when McCaskill was asked about it on a call concerning Afghanistan.

My narrative also shaped the agenda, as McCaskill was forced to make some weak claim the fundraiser was both for her and for Robin Carnahan.  Obama has been to St Louis three times since Carnahan announced for US Senate, but he has made no attempt to help her with fundraising.  A fundraiser for McCaskill, who isn't running until 2012, is a slap in the face of Robin (and Russ), and attempts to say that DSCC funds raised in addition to the $4800 per person McCaskill limit is a joke.

What makes it even better is McCaskill was forced to repeat her fabrication at Democrat Days, and now we find out that Robin Carnahan isn't even going to be in town.

So we're supposed to believe:

The DSCC cares a whit about where McCaskill will urge "extra" money to go.

McCaskill felt the best way to raise money for Carnahan was to run it through the national committee.

Carnahan is supposed to be a beneficiary, but McCaskill's people and the White House didn't even bother to check Carnahan's calendar, seeing as she's out of town.

The DSCC, worried about losing as many as ten incumbent Senators, has the funds to hand to Carnahan, whose polls and fundraising have been on a steady decline for at least four months. 

My only regret is that the event wasn't held at the Chaifetz arena, as I was originally told.  I wonder if that venue was cancelled because they didn't think they could fill it, or if they were more worried about a strong Tea Party presence like his 100 days trip to Arnold.  I sure would like to check the phone records for Chaifetz.  I wonder if someone already has? {evil grin}

Some people have said that I've been too harsh on Claire.  For me to say she's lying about the fundraiser is a pretty big charge.  A Senator lying?  Can the Republic long survive?  In the interest of fairness, I've put together this handy-dandy chart of a possible way that Obama's visit to St Louis could benefit Robin Carnahan.

Don't every say we don't admit when we're wrong here at 24thstate.

 

McDreams: Obama Is Coming To Town For McCaskill

I coudn't adequately express my feeling about the McCaskill/Obama fundraiser in words, so I decided to put my thoughts to song.

Claire McCaskill is a big fan of Obama, but I bet you didn't know how big a fan. Try to see how many times she has put aside her pretenses of being a moderate Democrat to do Obama's bidding.  I'm sure I missed a few.

FiredUp Lets McCaskill Know That Wind Farms Are Important To The Family

Why I'd never thought I'd see the day.  FiredUp Missouri, (known around these parts as the Carnahan family blog), publishes a video from VoteVets taking a slap at Claire McCaskill.

The video, which continues the disgusting insinuation that not voting for the Enron-trading-inspired Cap-and-Trade bill is killing American soldiers, is a particularly nasty attack against a fellow Democrat.  Why would FiredUp post this video?  And if they posted it, why didn't they mention the ad was attacking Claire McCaskill?

It's pretty simple.  Claire McCaskill has been backing away from Cap-and-Trade, seeing as she comes from a coal-powered state, and with the 41st Republican vote leading to a likely filibuster, it makes no sense for Claire to go out on a limb and risk her 2012 election.  She'll vote for Cap-and-Trade if she's the 60th vote and if Barack Obama asks her to, but she's going to play the moderate until she's needed.  That's always been her game.

But to the Carnahans, Cap-and-Trade is their holy grail.  Healthcare can go kick rocks, but cap-and-trade is how they're going to turn into green billionaires.  It worked for Al Gore, and by God it's going to work for them.  With the stimulus funds in place (voted for by Russ and supported by Robin), all the Carnahan family business interests need to strike it big is cap-and-trade made into law.  That is their golden goose should their political fortunes go south.

But Claire is throwing a wrench into their plans.  Her recent moves back to the center and away from the climate legislation aren't helpful.  They give cover for Republicans and other perceived moderates to back away and focus on other issues.

Keep in mind that VoteVets is one of the groups that has been pouring attack ads into Missouri at the behest of America Votes.  The Missouri state political director for America Votes is a former Carnahan staffer.  So when we see a VoteVet ad aimed at Claire McCaskill, and we see that video put up on FiredUp, we know damn well that the Carnahans are sending a message to Claire McCaskill.

Heck, even the folks at ShowMeProgress understand that message.  They say what FiredUp was hinting at:

They're not going after Claire like they went after Roy. The ad mainly makes their case that getting off of oil is a national security issue. Oh yeah, it makes that case vividly. Then it mildly urges McCaskill to lead on this issue. Picture the sumo wrestler straddling her torso. He isn't sitting down yet. Or bouncing. But he could.

Get that Claire?  The VoteVets ad is a warning, and if you don't come around, ShowMeProgress will write a harshly worded letter to you.  More important, the Carnahans and their far left progressive allies will be gunning at you.  Actually, that's not that scary.  Robin Carnahan can't even get Obama in town for a fundraiser in the race that was once considered the best shot at a Democratic pickup.

Still, it has to sting a little getting called out by a fellow Democrat. For McCaskill, what this really means is she'll get to say that she's attacked from both sides, which she'll claim proves she's a moderate.  but now you know it means she's made the oldest mistake in American politics.  Never get between a Democrat and their meal ticket.  

Speaking of that - we should point out this interesting Washington Post story about four Democratic Senators trying to block stimulus funds from going to companies who outsource the jobs and money to other countries.  Maybe that $90 million in stimulus funds to Tom Carnahan won't get spent after all.

24thstate Scoop Alters McCaskill's Fundraising Plans

Remember that scoop about Obama coming to town for a McCaskill fundraiser?  My newshounds gathered the info to publish several days before it appeared in the Post Dispatch, but that's not even the best part.

The only reason the news was reported in the Post Dispatch was because reporters on a conference call with McCaskill asked about Obama coming to town, and McCaskill was forced to admit it.  The call was about her trip to Afghanistan - the fundraiser was a non sequiter, and it's clear that this blog's reporting drove the story.

But something is not cleared up.  I wasn't on the call, and notes for it don't appear on line, but there are hints.  According to Jake Wagman of the Post Dispatch, McCaskill said Obama is coming to raise funds both for McCaskill and for Robin Carnahan.  Now there are joint fundraising committees between Senators, but this isn't one of them.  This is a joint fundraising for McCaskill and the DSCC. 

The first $4,800 of each donation will go to the campaign of Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill, who is up for election in 2012, said event organizer Matt Teter. The rest of the money will go to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Teter said.

The $4800 is the primary and general fund maximum donations.  The only way to get more then that is to write a big check to the DSCC, which may or may not give more money to Robin Carnahan over the campaign.   The "Show Me State Victory Fund" is the vehicle for this, and it was created specifically for the event, but an no point is any of this money going to Robin Carnahan specifically. 

In fact, if you wanted money to go to Robin Carnahan, the worst way you could give it would be giving it through this McCaskill fundraiser, because $4800 (per person) would have to go Claire, and the other money would be doled out to close races.  Should Robin continue to fall in the polls, she won't get any more from the DSCC (which already clocks in at $10,000 a month when the race was tied).

It defies logic to say Obama is coming to town to raise money for Carnahan.  She's mentioned nowhere in the official documents, and outside of Jake's tweet and most recent blog post, there is no mention of her.

Which of course means just one thing.  My original analysis stands.  Obama is in town for Claire, and Claire alone.  As the max is $4800, additional donations will spill over to the DSCC, but this fundraiser is and always has been for McCaskill.

And that means her comments on the conference call - the ones that Jake reported, were driven by this tiny little political blog. 

What's that?  Yes, it does taste delicious.

Obama Coming To St Louis For A Fundraiser, For McCaskill?

If you're quoting the story, don't forget to add, "As first reported by 24thstate.com."

It helps to have friends in low places, and it doesn't get lower than the bars where Democrats hang out crying in their frozen vodka drinks.  It's a good place to pick up an occasional story, like:

President Obama is coming to St Louis March 10th for a fundraiser for Claire McCaskill.  It's going to be at the Chaifetz Arena at Saint Louis University. 

I didn't believe it at first.  Why would Obama come to St Louis for a fundraiser for a Senator not up for reelection until 2012? Why give the money to Claire, when Robin needs it so desperately, and when Russ is scrambling at the last second to bring in cash in the last day of the quarter (or later). And then I remembered that McCaskill was an early Obama supporter (despite the lie she told about her daughter finally convincing her), and carries water for the Obama administration, and...

Oh, yeah - Obama isn't exactly the right draw for any candidate these days.  Bringing in Obama to help Russ and Robin would be like bringing saltwater to a thirsty castaway.  It's just mean.

So Obama comes in - gets some nice press from the fawning local media, and no one associates him with either of the Carnahans.

I guess that's why Robin pulled that picture of the two of them.*see below*

March 10th.  St Louis University. You heard it here first.

McCaskill Calls Out Icet - Forgets About Google

Claire McCaskill is in the news calling out Missouri state legislators for daring to say the stimulus was a failure.  In what could be considered an excellent political jab, McCaskill wants to know what Republicans would like to cut if stimulus dollars were actually not made available for this year's budget.

It's McCaskill's way of trying to appear financially sound and put the Republicans into a Catch-22.   If they name programs, the Democrats will whine about the draconian budget cuts in a time of crisis. If the Republicans can't come up with specific cuts, then they sound like they hypocrites.

Icet was on Mark Reardon (KMOX) this afternoon, and he pointed out that federal money did come to the states, but it was only kicking the problem down the road.  Stimulus money, which is really only borrowed or printed money, will run out.  The economy isn't getting better in terms of tax revenues, and now the budget cuts will be even more extreme.

Luckily for Icet and the Republicans, they've been saying this all along. 

Intro: House Republicans are saying the governor's budget proposal relies too heavily on a federal government bailout. Brian Jarvis has more from Jefferson City.>

Republicans agree with Governor Jay Nixon's budget proposal because it doesn't raise taxes. But that's where the agreement ends. 

House Budget Chair Allen Icet of St. Louis County says Nixon is counting on an 800 million dollar bailout from the federal government to balance the books.

Icet calls that is "bad budgeting."

The stimulus has failed miserably in creating jobs, but it did allow states to coast for another year or two without making necessary cuts in their spending.  States can't borrow the same way the government can, so the stimulus was used to pay for things like the Missouri Blue Book.  That's right.  US Taxpayer funds went to create a book that talks about what great people work in our state government.

This is the problem with federal spending.  When the money does come, you have to take it.  A state would be stupid to cut off all pork while everyone else is at the trough.  But let's not pretend that somehow Claire McCaskill is above this. She voted for the stimulus bill.  If she had not voted for it, it wouldn't have passed.  At this point, she's just looking for ways to divert attention from the healthcare fiasco.

McCaskill is out trying to claim the jobs picture is better, but with news that the jobs numbers were off by 880,000 at the last revision, it's dishonest to pretend we know the situation now.  The economy was always slated to recover some in third and fourth quarter, without the stimulus.  Obama told us that unemployment would stop at 8% with the stimulus. She's out on Twitter posting this link to a jobs chart.

If she were honest, she'd be talking about this one, since it relates to the stimulus.

Or better yet, she'd take a graph and show what happened to jobs and the economy since the Democrats took both houses of Congress and were sworn in January 2007.  Here's a little ol' position piece from Claire in 2006.

Take on sacred cows that gave us $8 trillion debt

As Missouri’s state auditor, Claire has won high praise for her tough approach to wasteful spending. She has cracked down on government waste by targeting no-bid contracts, frivolous spending, and bureaucratic incompetence. Claire pledges to take on the sacred cows in DC and force them to take deficit reduction seriously. Our national debt is now at a staggering $9 trillion. In Washington, Claire will fight to restore pay-as-you-go funding so that Washington is forced to put its fiscal house in order.

 

Since taking office, the US National Debt has soared from $9 trillion to $12 trillion, and we're looking at trillion dollar deficits for the next decade.  And that's with pay-go. 

Claire has been part of that problem.  Maybe she should speak to her fellow Senators, instead of trying to create a political story about Missouri state legislators.

I Gotta Get This Song

Verum Serum lays the smack down on healthcare reform.

But it's not over.  They're still trying to pass it with a perverted version of reconciliation.  McCaskill has to know that voting to bring this monstrosity to Obama's desk will end her career in 2012.  

No Quarter. 

Video Response To Claire McCaskill On Healthcare

MOPNS points us to a silly Claire McCaskill video where she "answers the phones" on healthcare.  She posted it to her YouTube channel, so I posted a video response. It's doubtful they will approve my video, So I'm posting it here.

Her video.

My video.

These pols are going to have to realize social media isn't all it's cooked up to be.  It's not a propaganda channel. 

Signs To Bring To McCaskill Protest Tomorrow

Despair.com reads like a manual on our current Senate Democrats.

This one seems to be about Claire McCaskill, but it probably makes more sense for Robin, Russ, and Tom Carnahan. 

Anybody want to order a desktopper for our least favorite sellouts?

Let me ask you this - is it possible to become a Democratic Senator from Missouri without having family members who get rich off government subsidies?  Is that some line you have to fill out to get Lindell fundraisers?

Claire McCaskill Votes To Pay The DaneGeld

If you're the kind of family that likes to discuss politics, Claire McCaskill and the Senate Democrats have dropped a bunkerbuster on your Christmas meal.

With Ben Nelson taking the Medicaid payoff to be the 60th cloture vote, all pretenses of good government or integrity have been swept away, and the Democratic Party exposed for what they are - an elitist bunch driven only by a grasping desire for power, willing to sell off any and all principles for partisan politics.

There is no defense of the Medicaid buyout.  To win 60 votes, Senate Democrats had to exempt an entire state from paying its share of Medicaid taxes.

In Missouri, Governor Matt Blunt was viciously attacked for cutting Medicaid to save the state budget. In voting for cloture, Senator McCaskill has voted to have Missourians pay both for our poor, and those of Nebraska. 

There is no defense. The Congress now maintains that bribery to drive legislation on a purely partisan vote is acceptable.  The Democrats will regret this.  In addition to sweeping a number of their rotten ilk out of office, they will find that every legislative decision from here on out comes at a price.  What Senator in the Democratic Caucus can now afford to vote their conscience, where there is taxpayer money to be had?

Harry Reid, I've some Kipling verses for you.  

And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we’ve proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.

The mask is off.  McCaskill voted for a bill that taxes us for years before giving benefits, and then counts that as deficit neutral.  She voted for a plan that doesn't cover Congress.  And she voted to give North Dakota your money because their senator would bribe us.

Is there anyone willing to defend her?  Of course not.  What she has done is to betray us all.  No quarter.  2012 can't come soon enough.