Archive for the ‘2008 elections’ Category

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Palin’s Glow Lingers

Friday, September 5th, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Maryland Republicans were still buzzing Thursday morning over Sarah Palin’s convention speech from the previous night, when the Alaska governor energized a packed stadium in accepting her party’s vice-presidential nomination. “I’m so proud I can’t see straight,” said Delegate Larry Helminiak, as he refilled a cup of coffee in the Embassy Suites hotel.

Maryland’s 71-member delegation, gathered here for the Republican National Convention, has met for breakfast each day this week, and most mornings have been devoid of intense political conversation. However, on Thursday the group excitedly discussed Palin’s strengths and repeated their favorite lines from her speech.

“I get really infuriated when people say things like, ‘Can she successfully be both a vice president and a mother?’ ” said Alternate Delegate Crystal Zorbaugh, a single working mom. “Just look at how incredibly well she handled last night.”

Delegation Chairman Don Murphy offered the group a weighty prediction about Palin’s career as the breakfast adjourned.

“Speaking for those of us who were working for John McCain in the primary, I just want to say one thing. I sure am glad that Sarah Palin was not running in this primary, because she was fantastic,” said Murphy. “That woman is going to be the president of the United States one day. You mark my words.”

–By Capital News Service’s Jenn Bogdan

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Huckabee Says Palin Terrifies Biden

Friday, September 5th, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee stirred up the already-enthused Maryland delegation Thursday with high praise for Gov. Sarah Palin’s vice-presidential acceptance speech as well as a handful of zingers about her Democratic opposition.

“I saw (Delaware Sen.) Joe Biden being interviewed on television, and he was really a good sport about everything. But you could just see the terror in his eyes,” said Huckabee. “All the wind in Joe Biden’s body is not going to be able to blow her (Palin) away.”

Biden, the Democrats’ vice presidential nominee, will debate Palin Oct. 2 at Washington University in St. Louis.

While a handful of Marylanders at the GOP convention formerly backed Huckabee, all said they now support McCain. Still they were honored to have the former governor address their delegation. Huckabee is the most notable personality the delegation scheduled to speak during this week’s convention.

Before exiting the floor, Huckabee made sure to leave a final warning of Palin’s triple-threat status.

“She (Palin) looks like Tina Fey, has the accent of Marge Gunderson and kicks tail like Chuck Norris,” he said.

–By Capital News Service’s Jenn Bogdan

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Delegation Chiefs Need Moms, Too

Friday, September 5th, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Maryland delegation Chairman Don Murphy and two guests of the delegation set out for a pre-dawn excursion to a taping of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” at St. Paul’s Key’s Cafe, where they giddily brushed elbows with Republican Party bigwigs and saw themselves on TV.

Yet Murphy quickly realized he couldn’t let his 15 minutes of fame go to his head. Within minutes of being seen on the show his mother phoned and said, “You’re indoors. Take off your hat.”

–By Capital News Service’s Jenn Bogdan and Lauren Williams

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Md. Delegation Chair Chases Pawlenty Down for Breakfast

Thursday, September 4th, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Maryland GOP Delegation Chairman Don Murphy faced a day without a breakfast speaker Wednesday, so he chased one down.

With the delegation hotel just down the street from St. Paul’s Keys Robert Street Cafe, where MSNBC host Joe Scarborough is broadcasting his “Morning Joe” program, Murphy heard opportunity knocking. He seized Scarborough’s guest, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, just as his appearance concluded.

But without further action, his nabbing the “A-list speaker” could have gone for naught. Murphy then rushed back to the Embassy Suites and banged on doors, to roust the sleeping delegates who thought there was no reason to come down.

Pawlenty told the 70-some sleepy folks that Maryland and Minnesota Republicans are “kindred spirits” — that only select states “know what it’s like to go uphill and be a conservative in a (local) liberal culture.”

The governor ended his speech by asking the delegates to join him in saying, “Put his (McCain’s) country first!” a riff on McCain’s campaign theme, at the end of every sentence in Pawlenty’s scheduled Wednesday night speech.

–By Capital News Service’s Jenn Bogdan and Lauren C. Williams

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Baltimore Restaurateur Takes Giuliani Coffee Break

Thursday, September 4th, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. – John Fiastro was sitting in a coffee shop here when the door opened, he turned to his left, and a phalanx of bodyguards entered. He then saw a mouthful of glimmering, big teeth. Seated by the door, Fiastro, a Towson resident, burst from his chair and extended his right hand to a smiling, strutting Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor of New York.

“I gotta go, I gotta go,” said Giuliani, as he brushed by without making eye contact.

Fiastro, 30, sat down, undeterred.

“I’ll get him on the way out,” he said of his fellow Italian-American. “I’ll pull out the paisan card.”

Fiastro, the manager of Aldo’s restaurant in Baltimore, was in the Keys Robert Street Cafe in downtown St. Paul Wednesday morning, blocks from the site of the Republican National Convention. Fiastro came to St. Paul as a guest of Maryland’s 71-member delegation.

Fiastro, who has thinning dark hair and a thickened midsection, was not in the cafe by happenstance: During the convention, which runs Sept. 1-4, MSNBC is holding its talk show, “Morning Joe,” there.

Giuliani, a former GOP presidential candidate, came to the cafe to appear on the show, and after his segment, walked fast to the door.

This time, Fiastro was ready.

Fiastro jumped from his chair, blocking the exit. He straightened his jacket as a friend, also a guest of Maryland’s delegation, stood by with a black digital camera.

“Mr. Mayor?” Fiastro said, then pulled the card, “Fellow Italian?”

Standing side-by-side, they smiled and waited for the flash.

–By Capital News Service’s Eli Segall

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Lusby Teen Turns Convention Insider

Thursday, September 4th, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. – There were some exciting firsts here this week for Lusby’s Alex Case.

“It’s really neat to be here, I’m really excited about it all,” said Case, 16, a junior at Patuxent High School. Case was nominated anonymously by a teacher to participate in LeadAmerica, a youth leadership program, and flew for the first time to get to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

Case is one of 46 students attending the convention, and she admits she has more of an interest in forensic psychology than in politics.

“I honestly didn’t know much about the election.  . . .  I knew that I agreed with (John) McCain more than (Barack) Obama, but it feels good now to know more about what is going on.”

Her first glimpse of the convention was Tuesday night, since she was not permitted to leave her hotel Monday because of the protesters, some of whom she said were staying in the same hotel.

“Fred Thompson was my favorite, he was funny,” Case said. “That’s how you catch my attention, he was more relatable.”

–By Capital News Service’s Lauren C. Williams

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Breakfast Brings Out the Best Lines

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. – At the delegation’s breakfast meeting Tuesday morning, Chris Cavey, chairman of Maryland for McCain, briefed the group on the security policies at the Xcel Energy Center before heading out on the rainy day.

“So just remember, everyone, you have to leave your Tasers home today along with your umbrellas.”

Convention security bans everything from knives and guns to umbrellas and sticks, the latter being a bit of a problem that Cavey said he thinks he’s surmounted for former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele’s speech scheduled Wednesday.

“We’re going to be Michael’s hometown cheering section. We’ve got 35 of these little plastic Maryland flags that we hope will make their way through security.”

The flags are on little, uh, pointy sticks.

Good health and vitality was the chief concern for Alternate Delegate Mike Pappas, who, when asked how he was doing on Tuesday morning, said, “I feel awesome! It must be from all the vitamins and stuff you get out of fried food.”

– By Capital News Service’s Jenn Bogdan and Lauren Williams

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Sometimes Peace Means Sleeping With the Enemy

Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The term “trailing spouse” has a little more meaning for Maryland Republican National Convention delegates Barbara Howard and Wilfred Bleakley. It could refer to the campaign trail, but more likely symbolizes the “burden” they’ve dragged along with them this week.

Both are married to life-long Democrats who’ve accompanied them to the Republican National Convention.

The delegates’ spouses, James Howard and Mary Lou Bleakley, have endured the myriad of Republican speakers with weak smiles at times. But Howard is now considering voting across party lines for the first time.

“I think Mr. (Barack) Obama’s a great orator, but boy am I concerned about the substance,” said James Howard. “After this week I definitely have a great deal of respect for the ideas here, despite the ongoing rivalry we’ve had at home.”

“I’m so proud I might finally break him after all these years,” his wife added.

Wilfred Bleakley hasn’t had the same luck.

“I’ve been trying to bring this one (Mary Lou Bleakley) around for years. She’ll sit next to me, but that’s about it.”

– By Capital News Service’s Jenn Bogdan

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O’Malley Jams With Fellow Governors at DNC

Friday, August 29th, 2008


The Rev. Jesse Jackson, Gov. Tim Kaine and Gov. Martin O'Malley

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, Gov. Tim Kaine and Gov. Martin O’Malley (Photo by Laurie White)

DENVER – Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley rarely performs with his band O’Malley’s March these days, but the chance to take the stage Wednesday with two gubernatorial colleagues during the Democratic party’s biggest party brought his Irish out.

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, both of whom took turns at the Pepsi Center podium this week in support of Barack Obama, joined O’Malley on stage at his reception for the Maryland delegation at Fado Irish Pub in downtown Denver. Kaine played harmonica, Schweitzer banged on a tambourine and both provided supporting vocals as O’Malley took his usual spot as lead vocalist and guitarist.

“This is over the top,” said Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Glenn Ivey, as the governors and various companions snaked through the packed pub into the stage area.

While Maryland politicos jammed to tunes like “Redemption Song,” “Take Me Home Country Roads” and, of course, “The Irish Rover,” the Rev. Jesse Jackson stopped by for a literal minute of what O’Malley called “Afro-Celtic synergy.”

Escorted by Maryland Democratic Party Chairman Michael Cryor, Jackson took the stage with the governors long enough to shout “Obamarama!” into the microphone several times.

The crowd shouted back, “Obamarama!” an equal number of times, Jackson departed, and the governors kept the music playing.

–by Maryland Newsline’s Laurie White 

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Protesters Clash With Police Before Kickoff of Democratic Convention

Monday, August 25th, 2008

Protesters, many wearing orange and black bandanas over their faces, wound through the streets of downtown Denver Sunday afternoon,  shouting “Whose streets? Our streets!” and “This is what a police state looks like” as police with batons and tear gas guns forced them to move out of roadways. 

The protest, organized by a group called Unconventional Denver, was part of a series of events planned to protest the Democratic National Convention. 

Protesters carried signs that said “Funk the war” and “Impeach Bush” and a large banner that said “No hope in capitalism.”

Other signs criticized Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), and protesters  shouted “No more presidents, no more wars!” as they walked from 16th Street to the State Capitol Building, through a pedestrian mall packed with vendors. 

“Yep, I’m a capitalist,” one vendor called out to the crowd. “Not gonna apologize for that.” 

Some participants wore Recreate ‘68 T-shirts, representing the activist group that has a calendar of protest events planned that spans the DNC calendar. According to its Web site, the group resists “a two-party system that allows imperialism and racism to continue unrestrained.” 

Police on horseback and on foot from Denver and other Colorado precincts interrupted protesters’ attempts to block traffic as they walked back to the 16th Street Mall from the Capitol.

The protest ended with some protesters crashing through a barrier into a parking garage near the mall, while most left the area. Officers stood in line formation with tear gas, guns and batons at 16th and Stout streets, blocking a mix of protesters and downtown pedestrians from moving past. 

–By Maryland Newsline’s Laurie White

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