Daily Archives: October 6, 2008

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A Taste Of Pensacola Politics

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Pensacola politics has been a topic of major concern for at least a dozen years. Topics of contention or debate come and go, and come and go again, and never seem to get settled. They range from soccer fields, to waterfront parks, to sewage plants, to the port, to consolidation with the county, to a commission form of government, to a weak mayor, to a strong mayor, a city manager, or not, to a theater for the arts, paid firemen or volunteer firemen, to whether or not there should be one-way streets, and a freaking statute.

Pensacola politics operates like a blender and all we get out of it is mush. The Bass-O-Matic comes to mind. It is like a ship without a rudder. I suppose that this is why I have not paid much attention as to the ‘why’ things are the way they are. Until recently.

We read in the paper nearly every day about the good old boy network and how it has to go. That’s a given. Today I found out what that means and in a very practical sense. Reading a couple local blogs concerning local politics, this statement arose that, according to the first-hand source, was said by one city councilman to another. Sam Hall did not mention any names until I flat out asked who it was that behaved like that. I’m getting interested in local politics so I want to know. Wouldn’t you? This statement was made by Ron Townsend of D-7 to ‘the newcomer’ Sam Hall of D-2.

‘It’s not that I don’t support you Sam, it’s that you came in here gangbusters and you had to be taught a lesson.’

That sort of statement screams of arrogance from someone with a very big chip on his shoulder. It also begs the question, who is Mr. Townsend beholden to? Who ‘taught’ him his lesson? And, what lesson does Mr. Townsend have to teach Mr. Hall? Are there more? And, who else on the city council needs to be taught something? Just who does Ron Townsend think he is anyway?

It gets better, or worse. Sam recounts . . .

[o]ne member got mad at me for recruiting a candidate in his district. He said, “Sam, we’re peers, we’re brothers. That ain’t right for you to do that. We’re supposed to support one another. How can you be against me like that?”

Apparently Ron Townsend is feeling a little territorial. What, no one can enter his district without his permission? In addition to a chip on his shoulder, it seems he is feeling a bit insecure.

From this experience, it is becoming apparent as to why things are the way they are in the city. Mr. Townsend could take the high road now and apologize for his crass statement and attitude, and vow to get along. Not only to Mr. Hall, but to the city residents he represents. There is no excuse for that kind of behavior from a representative of the city.

related links: Sam Hall gets a rude awakening | Sam Hall, Pensacola City Council, District 2

2008 Election, Media, Politics

'Character Attacks Emerge' Says MSM

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From the start of this presidential campaign, about the only thing the American people knew about Barack Obama were the few who watched the Democratic National Convention four years ago, where he delivered a great speech. Also from the start of this campaign, the mainstream media has been supporting Barack Obama not only in their coverage but in their ‘non-coverage.’

Outside of conservative talk radio and one cable network, the American people still do not know who Barack Obama is and where he came from, or anything about his character. The reason that is important in this election is because everyone knows who John McCain is, his character, and where he came from. Now, with less than 30 days before the election, the McCain campaign has finally come to the realization that if anyone is going to talk about Obama’s past as relates to his character, they are going to have to do it themselves. If this were not the case, then we wouldn’t be seeing headlines like this one ‘Character attacks emerge in McCain-Obama race.’

The reason it is only now emerging is because the media has circled their wagons around Barack from day one. And now that indications of his character are coming out, Obama is calling it a ‘smear.’ Today, on a nationally syndicated black talk radio show Barack said . . .

‘We don’t throw the first punch, but we’ll throw the last.’

Obama’s counter to his association with William Ayers is bringing up the ‘Keating 5’ scam. Something that McCain was absolved of that happened nearly 20 years ago. Meanwhile, Barack will have to explain his associations with people like Rev. Wright, ACORN, Tony Rezko and William Ayers, some of whom he has had ongoing relationships during the last 20 years. It is associations like these that speak to his character. All of which are, for lack of another adjective, far left extremists and America haters.

So rather than characterize Obama’s past as ‘character attacks,’ an honest characterization would be more like character revelations.

2008 Election, Media, Politics

Finally, Holding Obama To His Own 'Words, Just Words'

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Since he has not been challenged on them before, outside of talk radio and Sean Hannity, both of which are summarily dismissed by the mainstream media, this morning in Clearwater, Florida at 9:15am, vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin brought up Obama’s words regarding our military fighting in Afghanistan. Obama said that our military was air-raiding villages and killing civilians in much the same vein as Rep. John Murtha accused them of killing civilians in cold blood. That tact, although fashionable to the anti-war anti-Bush crowd, is not acceptable coming from someone wanting to be President, and that story should be told.

It is important to know more about who a candidate really is, beyond their talking points. So today Sarah Palin also brought up the name of William Ayers, and Obama associate from the far left. So far left, in fact, that that guy is an unrepentant domestic terrorist, no matter what else he may be.

The media is mute on Obama’s involvement with the far-left group ACORN as well. For the man that wants to be Commander in Chief, the people need to know more about this man than the media and the Obama campaign wants us to know. So when Barack supporters like Lanny Davis, call this as attacking Barack Obama, just remember to put this in the proper perspective. It is not attacking Obama, it is exposing Obama. So to candidate Palin I say, You Go Girl.