SE on the 2010 Utah races……

Here’s a rundown of how I think the UT races will go:

Governor: Incumbent GOP Governor Gary Herbert is running for re-election. The GOP has unified behind Herbert. The Democrats have unified behind Salt Lake City Mayor Peter Corroon. Herbert will defeat Corroon 61-39. GOP HOLD.

Lieutenant Governor: Incumbent GOP Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell is running for re-election. The GOP has unified behind Ball. The Democrats have no announced or potential candidates. GOP HOLD.

US Senator: Incumbent GOP US Senator Bob Bennett is running for re-election. On the GOP side, Bennett, Business Consultant Tim Bridgewater, Businesswoman and Conservative Activist Cherilyn Eager, Attorney Mike Lee, and Businessman James Williams are in the running. The Democrats have unified behind State Alcohol Beverage Control Commissioner Sam Granato. I expect Eager to teabag Bennett to death at the convention. Eager will defeat Granato 62-38. GOP HOLD.

UT-01: Incumbent GOP Congressman Rob Bishop is running for re-election. The GOP has unified behind Bishop. The Democrats have no announced or potential candidates. GOP HOLD.

UT-02: Incumbent Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson is running for re-election. The Democrats have unified behind Matheson. On the GOP side, PHD Candidate Casey Anderson and former State Representative and State GOP Vice Chair Morgan Philpot are in the running. On the Independent side, Businessman Dave Glissmeyer and Medical Technologist Ryan Kelly are in the running. I expect Philpot to emerge from the Primary. Philpot will defeat Matheson 52-48. GOP GAIN.

UT-03: Incumbent GOP Congressman Jason Chaffetz is running for re-election. The GOP has unified behind Chaffetz. The Democrats have no announced or potential candidates. GOP HOLD.

SE

The Dog see’s that Mike Lee also has support for the GOP US Senate seat…..We’ll see how this developes…..

Conan O'Brien departs NBC……

O’Brien started his final show by continuing the NBC jokes that have spurred both sympathy and high ratings for the last two weeks.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, “we have exactly one hour to steal every single item in this studio.”

But at the end of the broadcast O’Brien, who is being paid $45million by NBC to leave the show and the network because NBC wants Jay Leno back as “Tonight” host, turned serious.

“There has been a lot of speculation in the press about what I legally can and can’t say about NBC,” he said.

“Tonight I am allowed to say anything I want. And what I want to say is this: Between my time at ‘Saturday Night Live,’ ‘The Late Night Show’ and my brief run here on ‘The Tonight Show,’ I have worked with NBC for over 20 years.

“Yes, we have our differences right now and, yes, we’re going to go our separate ways. But this company has been my home for most of my adult life. I am enormously proud of the work we have done together, and I want to thank NBC for making it all possible.”
Take the money…..Conan….NBC screwed you….. and messed up…….take the money…….

And you rock……because in the end ….you  leave sounding like a class act……

Conan O’Brien departs NBC……

O’Brien started his final show by continuing the NBC jokes that have spurred both sympathy and high ratings for the last two weeks.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, “we have exactly one hour to steal every single item in this studio.”

But at the end of the broadcast O’Brien, who is being paid $45million by NBC to leave the show and the network because NBC wants Jay Leno back as “Tonight” host, turned serious.

“There has been a lot of speculation in the press about what I legally can and can’t say about NBC,” he said.

“Tonight I am allowed to say anything I want. And what I want to say is this: Between my time at ‘Saturday Night Live,’ ‘The Late Night Show’ and my brief run here on ‘The Tonight Show,’ I have worked with NBC for over 20 years.

“Yes, we have our differences right now and, yes, we’re going to go our separate ways. But this company has been my home for most of my adult life. I am enormously proud of the work we have done together, and I want to thank NBC for making it all possible.”
Take the money…..Conan….NBC screwed you….. and messed up…….take the money…….

And you rock……because in the end ….you  leave sounding like a class act……

The Rescue Mission in Haiti is over……It is now a Recovery Mission….and a Mission to feed, house and care for the countries people…

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – Haiti mourned its dead on Saturday and hundreds gathered in the ruins of a wrecked Catholic cathedral to honor an archbishop and other victims killed in last week’s earthquake as the government ended search-and-rescue operations.

With international efforts now concentrating on helping hundreds of thousands of hungry, injured and homeless quake victims camped out in the streets, the Haitian government decided on Friday to halt the hunt for survivors under rubble.

“Hope is vanishing now, though we could still have miracles,” Elisabeth Byrs, spokeswoman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said in Geneva.

Byrs said search-and-rescue teams had saved 132 people since the January 12 quake but the focus was now turning to medical assistance for survivors and finding bodies.

Increasing pictures of the country show people living in tent cities……this seems to be an improvement, in that survivors have some form of shelter…..

But….The hardest part of dealing with this natural disasters is yet to come…..

It will involve….Maintaining control of the people….providing continuing medical care…dveloping a self -sustaining food, health and shelter system…and most important…..providing security and the start of rebuilding the country’s infrastructure…..

It goes without saying that the countries governance must continue and adapt to the horrible loss of life and terrible conditions…….

The United States….in cooperation with the United Nations and the Brazilians…will play a primary role in the rebirth of the country……and it won’t be easly…..

Merlin on the Arizona Senate races……Hayworth will challange McCain…..

Hi Dog!

Some interesting Developments in Arizona these. Yesterday former Rep. J.D. Hayworth quit his Radio Show. Also, the Arizona Daily Star confirmed yesterday that Hayworth will primary 2008 Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain.

Quote from Hayworth:

“We will formally announce at a later time, but we’re moving forward to challenge John McCain,” he said. “I think we all respect John. I think his place in history is secure. But after close to a quarter-century in Washington, it’s time for him to come home.”

He said he wasn’t serious about running against McCain until a recent “outpouring of support” from Arizonans asking him to run changed his mind.

“Arizonans have a clear choice _ a clear, commonsense, consistent conservative, or they can remain with a moderate who calls himself a maverick,” Hayworth said.

A new Rasmussen Reports Poll is showing John McCain, with a big lead.

Rasmussen Survey

Arizona Senate 2010

Republican Primary

Incumbent Senator John McCain  53 %

Former Rep. J.D. Hayworth  31 %

Chris Simcox  4 %

Others  3 %

Undecided  8 %

Full Results at Rasmussen Reports.com   The Primary is August 24th.

Merlin’s Take:

Currently the Democrats haven’t put up a credible Candidate. With Haywoth’s pending Entry I’m sure the DSCC will be trying to get popular Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon into this Race. Gordon is also an Option for Rep. John Shadegg’s Seat who is retiring. It’ll be interesting to see who gets the better of this, DCCC Chair Chris Van Hollen or DSCC Bob Menendez.

Merlin

The Dog has gotten 411 on J.D. Hatworth from  I Brandon (from over at P1) and we have to post it up here……J.D. Hayworth is a bit of a character folks…..here’s his wiki info……..he, he, he…I post some of the best parts….

– In 1998, Hayworth was voted the second biggest “windbag” in Congress in Washingtonian magazine’s survey of 1,200 congressional staff members of both parties.

– Between 1999 and 2005, Hayworth received $69,000 from lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his clients, primarily from Indian tribes. $62,000 of the money went to TEAM PAC.^[10] After Abramoff was convicted of defrauding the tribes, Hayworth decided to keep the donations. His chief of staff, Joe Eule, said to the Arizona Republic, “The tribes have told us, ‘We love you. We loved you before we met Jack Abramoff, and we love you after Jack Abramoff, and we think it would be foolish of you to (give back) the money.

Read the link….there’s more……

Even I’d vote for McCain anytimee over this chump…..

The U.S. Marines are leaving Iraq……..

In a acknowledgement that things are finally moving back to some sort of normalacy…..where thew Iraqi’s have assumed  control over their country…….The U.S. Marines have turned over their mission to the U.S. Army in Baghdad and Anwar Province…and are closing their war operation in the country……Marines will still stand guard at the U.S. Embassy and diplomatic sites…but the combat forces will be gone within a few months…..

This comes on the heels of the report that there where no combat deaths of U.S. soldiers in the country in December and total of around 151 combat deaths for the 2009 year period…..

I know that a lot of people will not accept this statemenet…..but….The ‘Surge’ worked…along General Petraeus’ change in tactic’s in sending the troops back into the local neighborhoods to convince the mullahs’ by words and deeds to join in fighting the bad guys….instead of using guns and bullets.…..

The Army will begin cutting down to 50,000 troops shortly……

And has worked to bolster the Iraq Army, and its slowly rejuvenated Air Force…..

While Obama has pledged to have all combat troops out of the country by 2011 ( 6 months before the 2012 elections)…the Dog believes that…. in the end….it doesn’t matter what they call them…the United States will maintain at least  30, 000 troops, advisers or trainers in the country, for a long time after 2011, to insure things don’t slip back out of control………

Note:…..Vice President Biden is currently in Iraq…The Vice President  held talks with Iraqi leaders amid rising tensions over plans to ban election candidates because of suspected links to Saddam Hussein’s regime.

Merlin with a new local Illinois Governor Poll……

Hello and morning Dog!

As promised yesterday……. Here is the new Chicago Tribune / WGN-TV Illinois Primary Poll.

Note: The Tribune has only released the Numbers for the Governor Race. Poll Results for the Senate Primaries likely will come during the weekend.

Chicago Tribune / WGN-TV Survey

Illinois Governor Primaries

Democratic Primary

Incumbent Governor Pat Quinn  44 %
State Comptroller Dan Hynes 40 %
Others/Undecided  15 %

Dates Jan. 16-20 / 601 Democratic Likely Primary Voters / MOE 4.0 Percentage Points

Quite surprising that Hynes has closed this. Could be an interesting Night on February 2nd. Quinn could be the first Incumbent this Cycle who could lose his Party Nomination for November.

Republican Primary

State Party Chair Andy McKenna  19 %
Fmr. Attorney General Jim Ryan  18 %
State Senator Kirk Dillard  14 %
State Senator Bill Brady  9 %
Others/Undecided  38 %

While other Pollsters showing Jim Ryan to be the best bet in the General Election I don’t think so. I think McKenna, Dillard or Brady would be better GOP Nominees in the long run.

Full Results can be found here at http://www.chicagotribune.com or here at a later time http://www.wgntv.com

Note:.….Republican Primary Poll……for those who want the link to the WGN-TV poll…..here it is…..link..…

Dates Jan. 16-20 / 592 Likely Republican Primary Voters / MOE 4.0 Percentage Points.
Merlin

The Dog wonders……..is this Brown bump…or is this for real?

C-17 GlobeMasters are the workhorse's for Haiti supplies and personnel and civilian evacuations….

This from Aviation Week ……

Thrill Rides from Haiti

Posted by David A. Fulghum at 1/22/2010 1:24 PM CST

A lot of U.S. civiliams are getting a rare treat – a combat takeoff in a C-17.

In addition to a U.S. Air Force crisis response group bringing order to the chaos at Port au Prince airport, the service has “evacuated over 2,000 American citizens [from Haiti],” says Lt. Gen. William Lord, chief of war-fighting integration and chief information officer. “Another 600 are lined up to go.”

To accomplish that feat, C-17s are being “floor loaded,” he says. “I know from Hurricane Katrina, that it gets exciting. It’s not the normal way – in chairs and strapped in — that you evacuate people. You put 220 [people] – mostly children – about six across and the C-17 takes off under combat conditions [for a short runway takeoff and to gain altitude quickly].

“Another critical job was to set up a network web site for the Joint Forward Air Controllers so that they can handle the volume of requests for accurate slot times that allow efficient scheduling for aircraft arrivals and takeoffs. In addition, arrangements have been made with the Army and Marine Corps to police the areas where food is being air dropped, he says. The Pentagon is conducting three high level briefings daily on the latest situation in the disaster area.

When ever the Pentagon starts talking about closing down the production of these aircraft…Congress should fund five more…each time….

This is the aircraft…….

C-17 GlobeMasters are the workhorse’s for Haiti supplies and personnel and civilian evacuations….

This from Aviation Week ……

Thrill Rides from Haiti

Posted by David A. Fulghum at 1/22/2010 1:24 PM CST

A lot of U.S. civiliams are getting a rare treat – a combat takeoff in a C-17.

In addition to a U.S. Air Force crisis response group bringing order to the chaos at Port au Prince airport, the service has “evacuated over 2,000 American citizens [from Haiti],” says Lt. Gen. William Lord, chief of war-fighting integration and chief information officer. “Another 600 are lined up to go.”

To accomplish that feat, C-17s are being “floor loaded,” he says. “I know from Hurricane Katrina, that it gets exciting. It’s not the normal way – in chairs and strapped in — that you evacuate people. You put 220 [people] – mostly children – about six across and the C-17 takes off under combat conditions [for a short runway takeoff and to gain altitude quickly].

“Another critical job was to set up a network web site for the Joint Forward Air Controllers so that they can handle the volume of requests for accurate slot times that allow efficient scheduling for aircraft arrivals and takeoffs. In addition, arrangements have been made with the Army and Marine Corps to police the areas where food is being air dropped, he says. The Pentagon is conducting three high level briefings daily on the latest situation in the disaster area.

When ever the Pentagon starts talking about closing down the production of these aircraft…Congress should fund five more…each time….

This is the aircraft…….