Rep. Walberg challenger airs first TV ad
Democrat Mark Schauer of Battle Creek, who is trying to oust freshman Republican Rep. Tim Walberg from Michigan's south-central 7th Congressional District, announced Friday he's putting up his first TV ad focusing on the specific number of jobs he says he's created and saved.
The ad flashes a picture of Walberg along with "for sale" foreclosure and gas price signs as the narrator says that "While Michigan's economy gets ignored in Washington," Schauer is working on the economy back home.
Walberg started off with a warm and fuzzy ad, but then put up a hard-hitting TV ad.
Justin Roebuck, Walberg's campaign manager, said of the ad, "Sen. Mark Schauer has both incredible audacity, and the job-killing, tax-hiking record of Jennifer Granholm, and that is why Michigan families are suffering."
Rep. Walberg puts up tough new TV ad
Forget the green energy-loving congressman who loves his pickup and Harley. The latest TV ad by freshman Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, slams his Democratic challenger as a tax raiser.
The "Jobs" ad comes as an EPIC-MRA poll shows the race between Walberg and state Sen. Mark Schauer is neck and neck.
The ad uses small businessman Mike Shirkey to criticize Schauer as the "deciding vote" to raise taxes in Michigan.
Schauer campaign manager B.J. Neidhardt, who said their first ad will go up "very soon," blasted the Walberg ad.
"This ad is a lie. Mr. Shirkey's company is part of renaissance zone that frees him from virtually all state and local taxes. For him to claim that taxes are driving him out of business is offensive," Neidhardt said.
White House Briefing Quiet
So it's the day after Labor Day weekend, and your correspondent headed to the White House for the daily press briefing. The seats were about half full -- maybe even less for spokeswoman Dana Perino's regular briefing. A reporter with a thick Russian accent asked several questions, while two reporters joked about wearing the same color.
It had the feeling of a lecture hall before finals when lots of students opted to skip class. Many reporters are in St. Paul to cover the GOP convention, while others are on vacation -- on a week that President Bush was initially supposed to be in Camp David after his now scrapped appearance at the Republican presidential convention. (Bush will instead appear tonight by satellite and is heading to Louisiana tomorrow). Congress doesn't return until next week.
Walking into the White House, the Secret Service agent at the gate eyed my Detroit News press credential and asked me if Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick had resigned yet today -- a sign of the interest that story has everywhere.
Knollenberg challenger puts up TV ads
Democrat Gary Peters, who is trying to oust Rep. Joe Knollenberg in Oakland County's 9th Congressional District, puts up his first TV ads tonight.
Both ads highlight Peters' career, and one focuses more on his family -- the married father of three -- and his deep roots in Oakland County, where his family has lived for five generations.
Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills, has yet to put up ads in what is expected to be one of the costliest House races in Michigan history."
The ads start Monday night in the 7 to 12 block. They'll be on a range of channels, including CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News, said Peters' campaign.
Marquee Michigan events at GOP convention
So The List is out -- for Michigan parties that is at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. The convention officially lasts from Sept. 1 through 4 but in reality gets under way the weekend before.
Three folks considered possibilities to run for governor -- Attorney General Mike Cox, Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land and Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard -- are hosting receptions or being honored at them.
Cox holds two reception: one on Sunday, with Gordie "Mr. Hockey" Howe, and another "afterglow" party at 11 pm Thursday at the end of the convention.
Land will be honored at a Michigan breakfast Tuesday, where "special guest" Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, a former Republican National Committee chairman, will appear.
Bouchard's reception will be co-hosted with state Sen. Mike Bishop, the term-limited Senate majority leader from Rochester.
Having your name on a marquee event sends a signal to grass-roots activists and donors about your political ambitions. And simultaneously it gives activists and donors a chance to size politicians up.
State Sens. Jason Allen of Traverse City and Alan Cropsey of DeWitt hosts a reception Tuesday. Other Michigan events include a jazz brunch Sunday and a reception by solar and wind energy associations.
Also, the Arab American National Museum of Dearborn is co-hosting "Mezza in Minneapolis." The museum, which opened in 2005, is hosting a Arab American comedy night in Denver at the Democrats' convention.
"We want to spread awareness about the museum because it's so new," says museum spokeswoman Kim Silarski. "We're thrilled to have even a small piece of the attention of delegates."
No veteran left behind
At the national level, Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama today battled for the country's veterans, a diverse group of voters who tend to vote Republican.
But it's also playing out at the congressional level. For example, Democrat Gary Peters, who's trying to oust Rep. Joe Knollenberg in Oakland's 9th Congressional District, has been wooing the vet vote. A veteran himself, Peters has been endorsed by Veterans and Military Families for Progress, Votevets.org and Veterans Alliance for Security and Democracy.
Julie Petrick, Peters' campaign manager, says in the next few weeks Peters will have a rountable with a range of veterans, most likely at his home.
"We're currently organizing a veterans roundtable where veterans can discuss the issues they are facing," Petrick said. "The veteran vote is very important to this race."
Peters was a lieutenant commander in the Navy Reserve who went to the Persian Gulf, while Knollenberg, who is also doing outreach to veterans, served in the Army from 1955-57.
McCain had tough words against Obama's plans for ending the Iraq war at the convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Meanwhile, Obama, who speaks there tomorrow, announced the "Next Generation Veterans for Obama," a group of supporters who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. In making the announcement, the Obama campaign pointed to a study by the Center for Responsive Politics that showed deployed service personnel have donated six times more to Obama than McCain.
But a national poll of veterans by Strategic Vision in April found 57 percent identify as Republican, versus 29 percent as Democratic.
Reps. Miller, Hoekstra push for oil drilling
Reps. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, and Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, this morning blasted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for not calling the House back into session to deal with the nation's high gas prices. They support the American Energy Act, which would expand drilling, build more nuclear plants and develop more green technologies.
"It's very, very important that we come back," said Miller, who went on to talk about how high gas prices are adding to the burden Michigan residents already face due to the state's rocky economic times.
"It is incredible the stress and strains it is putting on America's working families," Miller said, adding that Democrats in her district are "embarrassed and outraged and frustrated" that Pelosi hasn't called a special session.
Hoekstra, also appearing at a Republican news conference in Washington, said, "We are willing to work on it as long as it takes to get it done.... This is causing economic hardship."
The Wall Street Journal reports today that Republicans are skeptical about Pelosi's Saturday radio address in which she signaled openness to expanding offshore oil drilling as part of a new Democratic energy proposal.
But Pelosi had flaming arrows for Republicans as well in her address.
"During the past eight years, our energy policy has been directed by the two oil men in the White House. Their failed policy has increased our dependence on foreign oil, damaged our economy, and left consumers paying record prices at the pump."
QUESTION FOR BLOG READERS: Should the U.S. drill more? Should Congress return to Washington to work on what to do about high gas prices?Stupak challenger gets help from Rep. Hoekstra
Tom Casperson, the Republican trying to oust Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Menominee, from Michigan's huge 1st Congressional District, is in the middle of three days of campaigning with U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, and fellow state Rep. Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland.
Huizenga reports their travels, once done, will include Grayling, Gaylord, Cheboygan, St. Ignance, Escanaba, Iron Mountain and Alpena. They've visited editorial boards and factories, with Hoekstra talking about how he could use Casperson's help in Washington and Huizenga explaining the work Casperson did in the legislature.
"This is a go-get-it-done, grassroots campaign," said Huizenga.
Stupak, who chairs a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, has raised $1 million to defend his seat, his most recent campaign documents through July 16 show. He has $550,957 in cash on hand.
Casperson has now raised $88,655 and has $41,439 in cash on hand.
Hoekstra's travels through the Republican voter-filled 1st Congressional District will surely add to speculation he's leaning toward running for governor.
Rep. Walberg endorsed by U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Tipton, announced today that he's been endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Thomas Donohue, the Chamber's president, wrote in a letter released by the campaign that Walberg's re-election "will help produce sustained economic growth and promote America's competitiveness in world markets."
The Chamber endorsement follows Walberg's endorsement last Friday by the Michigan Farm Bureau Political Action Committee (AgriPAC). Walberg is Michigan's only member on the House Agriculture Committee.
Walberg, a freshman, is facing a tough challenge by Democrat Mark Schauer. Walberg represents the south-central Michigan 7th Congressional District.
DCCC fans Rep. Knollenberg's misreported home value
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee still sees potential in a mistake made by Rep. Joe Knollenberg, R-Bloomfield Hills, in his personal financial disclosure forms.
The story begins with Knollenberg underreporting the value of his Washington, D.C., townhouse, a mistake that his aides said was due to a misreading of the House rules by his accountant. When the mistake was disclosed in a newspaper article, Knollenberg quickly amended his report to fix the error.
But today, the DCCC -- which helps elect Democrats to the House -- emailed out a letter by Tom Krent, a Troy graphics designer and self-described independent voter, asking the House ethics committee to look into whether Knollenberg violated House rules by underreporting the value of his Washington, D.C., home.
I caught up with Krent about why he sent the letter.
"My concern is he's done this (underreported him home value) over many years," said Krent, adding he would have sent the letter if the lawmaker had been a Democrat. "When anybody in politics does something that doesn't sound right, citizens have to stand up and follow through."
Krent acknowledges contributing last year about $25 to Knollenberg's Democratic challenger, Gary Peters. He sent his letter out to news media outlets and the national party organizations. He said he plans to vote for Peters, but says he never discussed sending the letter to the House ethics committee with Peters or his campaign.
Knollenberg press secretary Nate Bailey said "there's nothing new here. This is all about the DCCC trying to get fodder to run attack ads in the fall. They are trying to make a political issue out of nothing."
In its email with Krent's letter, the DCCC connects Knollenberg to indicted Sen. Ted Stevens. "In a week when Sen. Ted Stevens was indicted for issues relating to underreporting on financial disclosure forms, this was not a good story for Rep. Knollenberg -- and there are still open questions as to whether his excuse -- 'a typo'- explains all of the irregularities. With housing values in Washington, D.C. climbing, perhaps Rep. Knollenberg wanted to keep his financial disclores in line with property values in his home state of Michigan."
