Skip to main content

election

From the D&C: Fun Election Coverage

By Philip Anselmo

Rochester's Democrat & Chronicle has put together a nice package for Election Day. They're running a live blog throughout the day, allowing reporters—and readers—to file photographs, video and narrative sippets from the field. Here's some of what I found by digging around the site this morning:

Obama has edge among Buffalo Bills players... Yep, that's right. A reporter in the Bills locker room polled the players on their pick for president. This article is quite funny. After a lengthy quote from Bills quarterback Trent Edwards—in which he declaims the need for, you got it, "serious change"—the reporter, whose name is not amended to the article, writes:

Edwards appears to be in the majority, according to my totally unscientific, random poll of 15 Bills players. Obama received about 60 percent of the vote to 27 percent for Republican John McCain with 13 percent undecided. Our poll's margin for error? Huge.

"I don't know if we're exactly representative of the general public," Edwards said, smiling. "I wouldn't draw many conclusions from what you discover from us."

The president of the Bills offense is right to caution us against making any projections from these findings. After all, this is an NFL locker room populated mostly by millionaires. You won't find any Joe Sixpacks or Joe the Plumbers on the 53-man Bills roster.

Really, a fun article worth checking out.


One of the live bloggers picked up a story from the Associated Press about a tiny town in New Hampshire that has long maintained a tradition of being the first in the nation to tally its ballots. Sen. Barack Obama won the day there.

With 115 residents between them, Dixville Notch and Hart's Location get every eligible voter to the polls beginning at midnight on Election Day. Between them, the towns have been enjoying their first-vote status since 1948.

Being first means something to residents of the Granite State, home of the nation's earliest presidential primary and the central focus - however briefly - of the vote-watching nation's attention every four years.

Town Clerk Rick Erwin said Dixville Notch is proud of its tradition, but added, "The most important thing is that we exemplify a 100 percent vote."

They've even got the token quote in this one about this "historic" election.


Another live blogger got up this interesting bit of info:

Susan B. Anthony, portrayed by Rochesterian Barbara Blaisdell, will lead a group of women at 11:30 a.m. today from the Susan B. Anthony House, 17 Madison St., to the site on West Main Street where Anthony and a group of women voted in the 1872 presidential election, according to the Susan B. Anthony House.

Two weeks after the 1872 election, Anthony was arrested for voting. 

Visitors from Nigeria and  Sudan, who are guests of the  state department  and are in the United States to observe the national election process, are expected to attend the event.


We're hoping to get up some great coverage ourselves here at The Batavian today. I know I will be out among the polls, talking with voters, getting the numbers. But that doesn't mean you have to wait for me. Please, feel free and be encouraged to get up your own Election Day story. If you've got a camera, take a picture. If you've got a video camera, make a video. We'll get your story right up to the homepage for everyone to share.

Batavia Daily News for Monday: Fervent or inured? Why do you vote?

By Philip Anselmo

Today's Daily News is understandably devoted to election coverage. Four stories on the front page, plus another handful sprinkled through the rest of the paper take up everything from the musings of local voters to the specifics of some of the area's contested races—including the the 59th and 62nd State Senate districts, along with Town Board races in Le Roy and Albion. Heck, there's even an article on the uncontested race of state Assemblyman Steve Hawley.

Oddly, aside from a blurb in a wire story tucked into the bottom of page eight, there's no mention of the 61st Senate District race between Democrat Joe Mesi and Republican Mike Ranzenhofer. The 61st district includes Batavia and Genesee County. News of the 26th Congressional District race—aside from a brief mention of the ballot change on page two—was also relegated to page eight, and only as part of a larger wire story about national trends. Yet, again, that's the district that includes Batavia and Genesee County. Instead, the three race-specific front page stories take up contests in Orleans and Erie counties, as well as a piece on Hawley that amounts to little more than a pat on the back for the unopposed Assemblyman.

In an article by Roger Muehlig on page one, some area voters have their say on the imminent elections. I was especially intrigued by the comments from Jim McNally of Batavia who told Muehlig:

...he plans to vote, but probably won't decide who gets his vote until he's in the voting booth.

"I don't think much of this because I don't like anybody who's running," he said.

McNally, 45, said he wasn't just referring to the presidential candidates.

"Any of them."

So many news outlets have been billing this election as "historic"—an amorphous, often meaningless designation—and have frequently made stories out of record voter registration across the country and the ineluctable enthusiasm of the populace. Yet we still have folks out there who are completely uninspired by the slate of candidates from top to bottom. Such people—and I sometimes count myself among their ranks, depending on my mood—don't at all exhibit the sense of urgency that we've been made to believe reigns supreme.

Muehlig's article is a perfect example of this. It's a well-crafted piece of journalism that fulfills its simple promise of man-on-the-street news reporting. Yet the title—Fervor mounts as vote nears—seems directly contradicted by the content. Sure, there are a couple people in the article who could... maybe... be categorized as fervent about the upcoming election. But for the most part, the tenor is more dispassionate than zealous.

In addition to McNally, who flat out admits his dissatisfaction with all of the candidates, Muehlig chats up local business owner Steve Mullen, who says: "he'll be glad when the election is over." Then there's Doug Boatfield of Le Roy, who says that he plans to vote for Sen. John McCain, but does not say why he likes McCain, but why he dislikes Sen. Barack Obama.

Then, at the very end of the article, in a brilliant move on the author's part, Muehlig writes:

Back at the City Centre, one man said he couldn't vote because he is a felon. Another said he's not voting and never has.

Why? "Laziness," he said.

And there it ends! I'll say it again, Muehlig's article is brilliant and totally misrepresented by the headline, which seems to give in fully to the national trend of playing up the election hype. A better editor would have recognized th gem Muehlig produced and given it a better designation, but that's neither here nor there, in the end.

Now, all analysis aside... what is the real issue here? There are certainly people out there who are very worked up about the election—and I sometimes count myself among their ranks, depending on my mood. Did Muehlig, then, just happen to run into the unenthusiastic? What have you seen? Are people fervent or are they dispassionate?

Obviously, there are both sides out there. But we would like to hear to which camp you belong, and why.

We encourage you to pick up a copy of the Daily News at your local newsstand. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.

Open Thread: Who are you voting for and why?

By Howard B. Owens

The Batavian is not endorsing candidates in any race, but there's no reason you can't take a moment to post your own personal endorsements.

Use the comment space on this post to tell us who you're voting for and why. Try to polish up your best argument in favor of your preferred candidate.

You can write about just one race, or all of the races from the President on down to county coroner.

Make your case well enough and maybe you'll change another voter's mind.

Try to avoid criticizing or questioning another voter's endorsements -- let's make this thread about who will vote for and why, not about debating with other posters the merits of their picks.

Could the 26th go Blue?

By Philip Anselmo

One of our readers this morning turned our attention to an article from the Washington Post, which claims that nationwide "struggles" faced by Sen. John McCain are causing problems for Republicans in Congressional races around the country.

Particularly difficult for Republican prospects is that McCain appears to be trailing badly in several moderate suburban districts across the Midwest and New England, while he is doing worse than President Bush did in rural conservative districts.

[...] 

Democrats hold a 51 to 49 edge in the Senate when the two independents who caucus with them are factored in, and a 236 to 199 House majority. Rothenberg predicted that Democrats will pick up 27 to 33 House seats, and make gains of six to nine seats in the Senate. The Cook Political Report, another independent political forecaster, suggests that Democrats will net 23 to 28 House seats, and pick up seven to nine Republican-held Senate seats.

Normally, this would be a topic for our Nation & World section, but this article calls out our very own 26th District as a potential upset in a region that many would have considered a GOP stronghold.

In New York's 26th District, internal GOP polls show McCain trailing (Sen. Barack) Obama by a narrow margin, sources said. Bush won the Buffalo-based district by 12 percentage points in 2004. The race to replace retiring Rep. Thomas M. Reynolds (R-N.Y.) is considered a tossup.

In that race, Democrat Alice Kryzan will square off against Republican Chris Lee, who himself has been criticized for a lack of visibility since getting the Republican nod with little effort earlier this year.

A post on the Albany Project today takes up this same issue. It turns out the Democratic Congressional Compaign Committee recently pumped $475,340 into the race for the 26th, compared with the $27,918 put up by the National Republican Congressional Committee. That same post claims that the race has now been predicted to swing to the Democrats.

What do you think? Could the GOP lose their grip on the 26th District come Tuesday? Does a lead by Obama equate to an advantage for Kryzan? What are the factors that will decide this vote one way or another Tuesday?

Kryzan and Powers tour the 26th

By Philip Anselmo

Alice Kryzan and Jon Powers stopped by the headquarters of the Genesee County Democrats this afternoon on their tour through the 26th district. The two Democrats are ramping up support for Kryzan in her bid to win the congressional seat that will be vacated by retiring incumbent Tom Reynolds. She will face Republican Chris Lee in the general election.

Although they were opponents in the primary, Powers has since come out in full support of Kryzan. Today, he proclaimed that endorsement, citing the message that has been repeated (almost ad nauseum) by Democrats, and often even by Republicans, during this campaign year: change. Voters "have a clear choice," he said, to accept "the same failed policies of the last eight years," or to vote for change. Needless to say, Powers held up Kryzan as a candidate of such change.

"I urge the voters of Western New York to vote for Alice," he said.

Genesee County Democratic Committee Chair Lorie Longhany introduced the two at a brief press conference. She spoke of Powers as "very, very dear to me" and said that his "grassroots campaign led a movement that left a mark in this community."

"His coming out ... sends a strong message across the rural community," she said.

For her part, Kryzan repeated the invocation of change, touting her devotion to "green energy" as part of that message. She called Powers "a worthy adversary" whom she is now thankful to have on her side and vowed to "fight for the 26th district" that has "not been well represented in a long time"—a jab, perhaps, at the outgoing Republican, Reynolds. She also said she wanted to "fulfill the role" of job creator.

"If you send me to Congress, I will get up every morning and ask myself with every item on my agenda: Will this benefit the 26th district? If the answer is no, I will take that item off the agenda."

We caught up with Kryzan after the press conference to ask a couple of questions. (Questions in bold. Responses in italics).

In the Democratic primary, a lot was made about the often divisive negative campaigning and your refusal to get involved in the mudslinging. We know that you can't do anything about the current negative ads being run by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee attacking your opponent Chris Lee. So what are you doing to ensure that voters know these commercials don't reflect your style?

There are two answers to that. One, when asked about it, I tell everyone that those ads are not put out by my campaign. Second, I'm trying to run a campaign with positive ads about the issues. I'm getting out and talking about the issues. ... A representative in Congress must be responsible to the voters.

The "Wall Street bailout" remains wildly unpopular with voters. Nor does much seem to be coming of the effort in the way of relief for the average American. In fact, JPMorgan Chase even admitted that it would not loosen credit and instead plans to use its recently acquired $25 billion of taxpayer money for "acquisitions." Initially, you said that you support the bailout. Do you still?

I supported the bailout, but I said that it's not a perfect bill. Its one saving grace is that Congress only released a portion of the money. A new administration can revisit the effort and make sure that taxpayer money is used to serve the interests of taxpayers, not Wall Street bankers. If we get a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress in there, we will get this right.

Powers endorses Kryzan... finally

By Philip Anselmo

This letter (below) from Jon Powers to his supporters came my way this morning. Powers has finally come out on the side of fellow Democrat Alice Kryzan for the 26th Congressional District. Kryzan will face Republican Chris Lee.

Powers had all but disappeared after losing the Democratic nod to Kryzan during the primary. His camp went silent, and all calls and messages left with his campaign spokesperson went unreturned. Not too long ago, we even heard that he moved out of the state.

I pass on his letter in its entirety. Do you think Powers makes a strong case for Kryzan? Against Lee? Does his endorsement even mean anything to a district that he seems to have abandoned?

Friends,

Over the last 18 months, together, we have worked to call attention to the many challenges Western New Yorkers face. I listened to families struggling because of our weakened economy, soldiers fighting in a war without the necessary equipment and returning without health care they have earned -- there is no question that our country is hurting because of Washington’s failed leadership. With just 18 days until Election Day, I write to urge you to vote for change. We have a chance to elect a new Member of Congress to represent the working men and women of Western New York and I hope you will join me in supporting Alice Kryzan for Congress.

Families in Western New York have a clear choice. As our youth are moving out of state to find jobs, do we want a representative who will continue to send our jobs overseas? Or do we want someone who will fight to grow good paying Green-collar and Green-tech jobs that will move Western New York into the 21st Century.

Do we want someone who will continue to fail our veterans and military families or someone who will work to restore honor to our fighting forces?

Do we want someone in Washington to continue the failed economic policies of the Bush Administration or do we want someone who will work toward relieving the tax burden on the Middle Class?

The choice between the two candidates campaigning for the 26th Congressional District is clear for Western New Yorkers, and that is why I am endorsing Alice Kryzan.

Alice will fight for the middle class and work to bring a new generation of jobs back to Western New York. She has signed on to the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq and will take care of our returning veterans.

Chris Lee talks about a new direction, but clearly supports the status quo. His website fails to even mention veterans or our brave men and women currently fighting in two wars. That, I believe, is proof of his lack of compassion he has for those who are defending our nation.

The choice between Alice Kryzan and Chris Lee could not be clearer for the working families of Western New York. Western New York deserves a representative in Congress who will fight for us.

You can learn more about Alice’s vision for our country at her website http://www.kryzanforcongress.com/

Please volunteer, spread the word, and help us bring real change to Washington by voting for Alice on November 4th.

Sincerely,
Jon

Ask the candidates (61st Senate District): Mesi and Ranzenhofer

By Philip Anselmo

The Batavian will be welcoming Republican-Independent Mike Ranzenhofer and Democrat Joe Mesi to Batavia next week to answer a few questions in anticipation of the upcoming election. We've got a few we know we would like to ask... but we want to know what you think.

What do you want your candidate to answer?

What are you expecting of the other guy?

If you've got a question you've been itching to ask these candidates, post it here for consideration. We will add the best to our list. Ranzenhofer will be by Monday. Mesi will be in town on Wednesday. Look for the interviews those afternoons.

Three Questions: Mike Ranzenhofer

By Philip Anselmo

A few of you may remember our efforts to get all of the local candidates running for state Senate and Congress to answer three questions about Genesee County. That was well over a month ago now. We had previously heard back from Chris Lee and Alice Kryzan. We were still waiting on Joe Mesi and Mike Ranzenhofer. In all fairness, however, we were late on getting out the questions to Ranzenhofer, who only received them a few weeks ago.

Well, today Ranzenhofer got us his responses. Here they are:

What is your favorite thing to do in Genesee County?

Play golf at Terry Hills or meet friends for dinner at Bones or Red Osier.

When you meet a person who has never been to Western New York, what is the first thing you tell him or her about the region?

We have the nicest summers on earth.

What is your favorite book about Western New York?

Water For Elephants, by Sara Gruen.

Other responses to the three questions:

Liberalism has changed to Socialism

By Guy Gabbey Jr

 

"From each, according  to his ability; to each, according to his need"

"I think  when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

One  of these quotes I heard this morning, and immediatly thought of  the  other. The problem with them is that its straight from the  Karl Marx book of  Socialism.

So many times in this campaign  for president, Obama has said things much to  this effect and has  not been called out on it in any main stream media outlet.  Handing  the reins of this country to him would send America into a tailspin  of  which we may not be able to recover from.

Stepping  away from the Marxist  view of "spreading the wealth," lets look  at the tax plan for a minute.

In  his plan, only companies making $250,000 or more would  see a tax  rate. That seems great for you and me right? We make up the 95%  who  wont see a tax increase. WRONG!

Big  buisness is something that we all use everyday. Whether it be at  the gas station, or at Wal-Mart, Wendy's. When Obama's new tax  plan goes into  affect, these companies will immediatly raise their  prices. CORPORATIONS DO NOT  PAY TAXES! WE, WE PAY THEIR TAXES!  Coporations will not take a hit on their  profits. They need to  pay everyone down the line as well. So much for not seeing  an  increase.

Small business wont escape  the taxes either. First of all,  Obama's number of $250,000 is  too vague. Does that mean gross or net business  income. Does that  include the inventory that any store needs to carry?

That  not withstanding. Small companies have to buy from big companies.  Therefore, they'll be paying more. I like going to my local gun  store. Its  small, and costs a little more than the big box store,  but the tips and advice I  get make up the difference. When these  companies have to pay more for their  product, how are they going  to make up for it?

They can raise their prices. However,  that will make more people go to the  bigger stores, and forgo  the advice aspect for the deal. They could lay off  employees.  However, that will add to the unemployment numbers, and drive up  number of people having to rely more on the government.

How  about that. Even when Obama is trying not to show is socialism,  it comes  out in the end. The more people that have to rely on  the government, the more  power the government has over the people.

We've already given $700 billion to Wall St. Lets not let  socialism take over  anymore.

I'm Guy, a lifelong conservitive,  and I'll be voting against Socialism

 

Genesee County Coroner

By Nicole Brady

Greetings everyone! I'm new to running for a political position, but I am currently running for Genesee County Coroner. Thank you to many people who convinced me that I would be a great coroner and talked me into running this year!  I have a lot of background that would certainly follow along with this position and help me be most efficient at this job. My qualifications include:

Assistant to the Wyoming County Coroner for Tissue Recoveries for many years

Monroe County Medical Examiners Office Internship

BA in Biological Science from SUNY Brockport

Completed various forensic seminars and conferences

I hope that you will consider voting for me on the Conservative line in November.

Thank you!

Nicole Brady

News roundup: Voter registration up in Genesee County

By Philip Anselmo

More than 2,000 Genesee County residents have registered to vote since September 26, and nearly half (850) will be first-time voters, according to WBTA's Dan Fischer. Fischer spoke with the Democratic and Republican election commissioners for the county who attribute the surge in voter registration to the cult of personality: Barack Obama for the Dems and John Mc—oh, wait, no, not him—Sarah Palin for the GOP.

This Saturday will be the last chance to register for those have have not yet. Registration in Genesee County will be open from 1:00 to 9:00pm. Batavians can head down to the fire station on Evans Street or the Batavia Town Hall to register. Visit WBTA's Web site for a complete list of locations around the county.

Three Questions: Alice Kryzan

By Philip Anselmo

Over a month ago, The Batavian sent out three questions to candidates running for the 61st Senate and 26th Congressional District. Alice Kryzan's campaign got us her responses today. Kryzan is the Democratic nominee for the 26th District.

Here are her responses:

What is your favorite thing to do in Genesee County?

Elba Onion Festival

When you meet a person who has never been to Western New York, what is the first thing you tell him or her about the region?

It is a wonderful place to raise a family. The people are down to earth, hard-working, generous and friendly.The region is beautiful and there are many ways to enjoy it. Once we moved here, over 30 yrs ago for my husbands job, we never wanted to be someplace else.

What is your favorite book about Western New York?

Secret Places: Treasures of WNY and S Ontario, by Bruce Kershner

Answers from Republican Chris Lee were posted two weeks ago. We have not yet heard from the campaigns of Joe Mesi and Mike Ranzenhofer who will square off in the 61st Senate District.

News roundup: Political rift... at home?

By Philip Anselmo

Another great front page story in the Daily News today—I think that's three in a row, let's pop the champagne cork. This time, Roger Muehlig steps up to the plate with a tale of a house divided that nonetheless stands. The story is about Pearl Street resident Mark Clark, his three kids and their divisive political views. The two girls support Sen. Barak Obama for president. Father and son support Sen. John McCain.

The family has made a lot of fun of their opposing political views, so much so that they've run a strip of yellow tape down the outside façade of the house, capped off by the sign: "This House is Divided." Muehlig has a fine piece here. Check it out.


In other news:

  • Orleans County's Planning Board gave the "conditional" go-ahead to Albion for its proposed wind energy facilities law that will prohibit "large-scale wind energy conversion systems" in the town, but allow smaller installations no more than 120 feet tall.
  • It turns out the man arrested yesterday on charges of arson, Kevin J. Weber, previously served four years in prison on conviction of arson.

We encourage you to pick up a copy of the Daily News at your local newsstand. Or, better yet, subscribe at BataviaNews.com.

Democrats run first spot against Lee

By Philip Anselmo

This television commercial, which we were told is already running during Buffalo newscasts, is the first "negative" spot to hit the airwaves since Alice Kryzan and Chris Lee emerged with their party's endorsement following the primaries. Democrat Kryzan is not referenced in the spot that attacks Republican Lee for employing workers in China. It's endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

It's official: Davis' third try for Congress has reached its end... in court

By Philip Anselmo

Official word is coming out of the Buffalo News this morning. Three-time Congressional challenger Jack Davis will not make it on the ballot this time around. Davis lost in the Democratic primary to Alice Kryzan. He was hoping to still get on the ballot under his "Save Jobs and Farms" party, but he failed to submit the paperwork on time.

Reporter Robert J. McCarthy writes:

A State Supreme Court justice Thursday rejected congressional candidate Jack Davis’ attempt to remain on the November ballot, ending his third attempt to win the job.

[...]

Justice Richard M. Platkin of Albany disagreed with Davis’ contention that his petition to form a minor party line called Save Jobs and Farms should have been accepted even though he failed to file a certificate of acceptance on time, as required by state election law.

Davis argued that the state Board of Elections should have provided him an opportunity to submit the late application anyway and that the board acted “arbitrarily and capriciously” in not allowing him to file.

The judge ruled otherwise.

Davis has not said whether he would support Democrat Alice Kryzan's bid to defeat Republican Chris Lee in the 26th Congressional District. She would have to support Davis' "anti-free trade message," he said, but he doesn't "think she understands" it.

Will he try yet again? It doesn't sound like it. Davis told the Buffalo News that it's too bad he didn't get the opportunity to do some good: "I’m not going to get that opportunity to do it again."

Plagiarizing for your candidate?

By Philip Anselmo

Letters to the editor have long been a means of expression for the average guy or gal who doesn't have have a bullhorn loud enough to get everybody's attention otherwise. Of course, much of that has changed owing to the ostensibly even playing field of Internet publishing. Still, though, many folks opt for the more conventional route of the op-ed page of their local rag, and aside from a few snips here and there, the letter writer's voice comes through relatively unscathed, literally for better or for worse.

Leave it to the political machines then to undermine the sanctity of even this bastion of individual expression by issuing cookie-cutter templates that authors are encouraged to pretty much just sign and send in to the newspaper as his or her own letter to the editor.

Leave it  to the political machines to squelch any vestige of individuality still left us, for we can't have too much of that running rampant in an election year. Folks may actually wake up to the reality that just about none of these candidates—whose own individuality has often been subsumed by the machine—really represent them and theirs.

Here's what I read in an editorial from the Democrat & Chronicle this morning:

Some candidates and their agents on the Web are urging their supporters to use their "guides" in writing letters to the editor. The guides are really form letters in another form. The practice is dishonest and unfair. The dishonesty is obvious — the "guided" letters in no way disclose that the content is largely the product of someone other than the writer. It's unfair, too, because legitimate letter writers who produce original material may lose their space on the page to a bogus submission.

As with so much else on the Web, common sense is the best guide. If an anti-John McCain or Barack Obama site tells you something is a "fact," confirm it with one or two other sources. Don't forward material to your buddy list without fact-checking. If you write anything on the Web, be sure the work is your own and that fact and opinion are clearly delineated.

The campaigns should put a stop to phony letters. But the best way to end this practice is for those asked to engage in these fake-outs to say no. Better Web practice begins with millions of daily users doing the right thing.

There are a few things at work here worth some conversation.

1. How does anonymously produced generic information effect the relativity of truth and individuality? Does it further obscurity or transparency?

2. What are we to make of the ever-broadening underhandedness of the political machines that seem to outpace at every turn any sense of what it means to do the right thing? (This would be the main question posed by the editorial.)

3. What has become of individual expression if the line between the individual and the machine has become so blurred that the former acts as no more than the ratifier of the latter's mass-produced misinformation?

Finally, what may be the most important question to ask here is: How do we navigate in such a sea of misinformation? The editorial suggests that the responsibility lies with each individual—make sure your own work is your own work. But isn't this getting ahead of ourselves when the real issue is that the individual has been so comprimised by such political tactics that he or she sometimes can't even be located?

Three Questions: Chris Lee

By Philip Anselmo

Three weeks ago, we sent out three questions to the candidates running for congress and state senate in our local districts (the 26th and 61st, respectively). Our questions were simple, straightforward, and we hoped they would be enough to paint a bit more of a detailed picture of the candidates striving to represent the people of Genesee County.

Those questions went out to every candidate running in the Democratic primaries for those races, plus the Republican candidates. We forgot to send them out to the Independents, but we rectified that this morning and sent the questions out to Michael Ranzenhofer, candidate for the 61st Senate District.

One problem. No one wrote back.

We didn't get a response from a single campaign, until this weekend. It came from Republican Chris Lee who is trying to win the seat for the 26th Congressional District.

He got us these answers:

What is your favorite thing to do in Genesee County?

Taking my son Johnathan to the Genesee Country Village & Museum.

When you meet a person who has never been to Western New York, what is the first thing you tell him or her about the region?

I normally brag about what a wonderful place Western New York is to raise a family and how friendly the people and our warm winters.

What is your favorite book about Western New York?

Window on Congress: A Congressional Biography of Barber Conable. Conable was a Republican Congressman from Western New York and President of the World Bank. This book illustrates how Conable was able to bring people together to accomplish some great things for Western New York. The book served as an insight on how to be a leader in Congress who constituents trust and admire.

Questions for Jon Powers...

By Philip Anselmo

We've been trying since the results of the Democratic primary for the 26th Congressional District were announced Tuesday to get some questions answered by the campaign for Jon Powers. We have not received a response from the campaign, and no one else involved could answer our questions.

So we thought to post those questions here on the site and maybe get a response that way. Powers garnered a lot of support in Genesee County, and we thought folks would be interested to know what their candidate would do now that he lost the endorsement in this race.

Initially (Wednesday), these questions were sent to the campaign:

1. Following last night's defeat in the primary, what are Jon Powers' plans for the rest of the election season? Does he have any plans to enter any other races in the next few years? Try again for Congress? Run on another party's endorsement for this same seat?

2. What happens with all of the funds raised by the Powers campaign? Will that money go to another campaign or to the Democrats in general? If not, where does it go?

UPDATE (By Howard):  What I want to know:

1. Will Powers still campaign as  Working Families candidate (even though WF has apparently endorsed Kryzan)?

2. Will Powers endorse Kryzan?

Palin stumbles in first televised interview. Just the jitters? Or more?

By Philip Anselmo

They're saying Sarah Palin stumbled, struggled, sidestepped, misstepped and was caught off guard in an interview with ABC's Charles Gibson that was aired in part last night. It should however be noted that none of the reports failed to note her confidence and poise on camera despite what her interviewer exasperatedly called her "blizzard of words."

From the New York Times:

Ms. Palin was clearly caught off guard when Mr. Gibson asked, “Do you agree with the Bush doctrine?” Seeking direction, and perhaps time to formulate an answer, Ms. Palin leaned back, smiled stiffly and said, “In what respect, Charlie?”

Initially unwilling to define the doctrine, Mr. Gibson said, “What do you interpret it to be?”

Ms. Palin asked, “His world view?”

Mr. Gibson said, “No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war.”

Ms. Palin responded: “I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hell bent on destroying our nation.”

Mr. Gibson, finally defining the doctrine as “the right of anticipatory self-defense,” still struggled for a direct answer, asking twice more if she agreed with it before Ms. Palin answered: “Charlie, if there is a legitimate and enough intelligence that tells us that a strike is imminent against American people, we have every right to defend our country.”

From the Los Angeles Times:

By turns tense and combative, Palin, 44, used two interviews with ABC anchor Charles Gibson to display her grasp of issues central to the vice presidency.

She acknowledged that, other than a trip last year to see troops in Iraq, Kuwait and Germany, her only visits abroad were to Mexico and Canada. And she said that she had never met a head of state but that she did speak last week with President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia.

On the issues, Palin said that "we (as Americans) do not have to stand for" Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons, Georgia and the Ukraine should be welcomed into a NATO alliance and "man's activities certainly can be contributing to the issue of global warming."

What do you think? Was Palin a bumbling boob, a confident rock, a candidate to be proud of or one to be feared? Where do you think she will go from here?

UPDATE (by Howard): Here's the interview:

Was it a television ad that sealed the deal for Alice Kryzan in the 26th?

By Philip Anselmo

Those who knew her and those who didn't have been hearing more and more about Alice Kryzan, the unexpected victor in the Democratic primary race for the 26th Congressional District. Jack Davis had the name recognition and the spending spree. Jon Powers had the adulation of party bigwigs and union bosses. But in the end, it was the semi-unknown who won over the hearts and minds... or at least she got the most lever pulls in the voting booths.

Since that victory, dubbed a "shocking upset" by more than one news affiliate, everyone has been racing to the press, the keyboard and the tube to get in their theories of how and why it happened, what it means for Kryzan and what it means for Powers and Davis. We ran a story earlier this morning that claimed not that Kryzan won because of this or that, but that Powers lost because of this or that.

A story that ran today in the Buffalo News pins the upset victory on the effect produced by a single television ad. Here's that ad:

What do you think? Is that enough to tip the scales?

Buffalo News reporter Robert J. McCarthy conjectures that "Alice who?" was "languishing" only a few weeks prior to the primary. Then magic happened...

That’s when the candidate — also known as Alice J. Kryzan— rolled out a television spot that just about everyone credits with capturing the Democratic nomination for the Amherst environmental attorney in the 26th Congressional District.

“It did the trick of bringing attention to the campaign,” said Kryzan campaign manager Anne Robinson Wadsworth.

Rarely has one political spot — produced by Adelstein & Liston of Chicago — made such an impression on local voters. But the scene of a boyish fellow resembling the 30-year-old Powers wrestling in the park with an old man who looks like the 75-year-old Davis seems to have resonated.

It all allowed Kryzan, 60, to appear on-screen and contend that “fighting will not create jobs, fix health care or change our energy policy.” That’s when she looks back at the scuffle actually filmed in a Chicago park and adds in a now-famous aside: “Boys, take it somewhere else.”

According to several observers, Kryzan’s campaign began to pick up after voters identified her as an alternative to her better- known opponents. Former Erie County Republican Chairman Robert E. Davis, who is now a political media consultant, said it ranks among the best he has ever seen because it offered “the ‘same old/same old’ or me.”

How much of a role can a single television ad play in an election? Were you convinced by it? Do you think most folks had already made up their mind by that point?

Authentically Local