The Arkansas Project

Mike Beebe, He Is Your Sun God

By David Kinkade - August 27, 2009 10:43 am

After several days of brutal polling results for Arkansas Democrats, Public Policy Polling comes through with bright and happy news for Gov. Mike Beebe, who is the most popular and beloved politician who has ever existed on earth.

Sixty-three percent of Arkansans polled give Beebe a thumbs-up, including 50 percent of Republicans, according to the Democratic polling firm. (And don’t forget that Roby Brock at Talk Business recently polled your Beebe-love and came out with even higher numbers, showing 78 percent of you approving of the governor’s performance.)

Now go sacrifice a goat in his honor, lest he turn his mighty gubernatorial wrath upon you and lay waste to all you hold dear.

PPP’s approval ratings for Sen. Blanche Lincoln, released yesterday, were less cheery.

Goodness, What A Slow Friday

By David Kinkade - April 10, 2009 10:32 am

Is anyone out there? Do you guys all get Good Friday off? Just curious, because I’ve tried to call some people today at the office and I get voicemails telling me no one’s around till Monday. Well, I’M working anyway, losers.

But unless something interesting happens politically, I’m not going to be blogging much today. You can go read the coverage of all that terrible tornado business over in Mena, but that’s not really my bag.

Or there’s this Arkansas Democrat-Gazette story headlined “Beebe, Assembly Applaud Session.” Ugh. Am I the only one who finds that kind of unseemly and stomach-churning, this business of elected officials giving each other these public hand jobs about what great work they’re all doing, how marvelous they all are? No? Just me? All right. Maybe I’m just cranky. But I really do wish we lived in a world where these politicians had the good grace to be properly ashamed of themselves for being what they are.

Maybe more later. In the meantime, enjoy these lovely photos of Gisele Bundchen sent by a reader who loves both hot chicks and reading Vanity Fair, which seems like it would be a contradiction in terms but there you go.

Stuff From Around Arkansas, April 9

By David Kinkade - April 9, 2009 12:37 pm

Moneybags: Sen. Blanche Lincoln, bolstered by big money fundraiser with Vice President Joe Biden in March, raises $1.7 million in first quarter of 2009. She’s got $2.3 million cash on hand. If you were wondering, those are formidable numbers. (AP)

The End: Legislative session comes to a close. Quick, Arkansas pundits! Start penning your embarrassingly sycophantic encomia to the holy wonder that is Gov. Mike Beebe and our state of blessedness in living under his enlightened rule! (AP)

Meet the New Boss: Capitol warlord Sen. Paul Bookout, a Jonesboro Democrat, vanquishes all challengers in race to command the Arkansas Senate chamber in the next legislative session. All hail the mighty Bookout! May his reign be just! (Arkansas Times)

Fight Night: Blogger at Fayetteville Flyer profiles local rockers A Good Fight, an enduring Arkansas Project favorite. (Fayetteville Flyer)

Road to Recovery: UA economist says expect “slow and sustainable” recovery in 2010. Hooray! (Arkansas Business)

I Hardly Know ‘Er: Arkansas Supreme Court says Fayetteville Sam’s Club can sell liquor. I’ll celebrate by running down to Sam’s to buy a 55-gallon drum of Kahlua. (Arkansas News Bureau)

‘Pizza Guy’ Is Milk Tax Hero

By David Kinkade - April 3, 2009 9:28 am

Pizza guy Rolf Wilkin

Meet Rolf Wilkin, a Fayetteville-based pizza merchant (he owns Eureka Pizza). In this story from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Seth Blomeley, Wilkin is credited  with putting a stop to all this damn milk tax nonsense by rallying his customers to contact Gov. Mike Beebe and express their displeasure.

And they did so, hundreds of them! Beebe’s spokesman Matt Decample says, in typical understated fashion, that “there is some truth” to the claim, as the governor’s office received 734 calls, precisely.

As a result, Beebe wrote “no thank you” at the top of the legislation and sent it back to lawmakers, and went and found some other money to give to dairy farmers, which is still kind of stupid but at least there’s not a new tax on milk (for now).

So three cheers for Rolf Wilkin, and I command all Arkansas Project readers with Eureka locations in your vicinity to order a Eureka Pizza in his honor, right now, as soon as you finish reading this.

Whaaaaaaaa….?

By David Kinkade - March 30, 2009 7:38 pm

Beebe

AP’s Jill Zeman reports that Gov. Mike Beebe has put the brakes on the terrible, terrible milk tax, which for reasons unbeknownst even to me has been one of my top issues to harp on these last several weeks, and has found an alternative funding stream that won’t require a new tax on dairy products. He says he won’t veto the bill but will stamp it “return to sender” while he digs more coins out of the Governor’s Mansion couch cushions to make it happen.

Could we say that this is a clear demonstration of the power and influence of The Arkansas Project? I think it’s pretty clear, my friends, that the answer is a resounding “no.” In fact, that would be a totally stupid thing to say. I don’t know what’s wrong with you sometimes.

More from Arkansas News Bureau’s John Lyon.

Stuff From Around Arkansas, March 26

By David Kinkade - March 26, 2009 4:21 pm

Smoked Out: Upset by $14 million revenue shortfall in tobacco tax projections, lawmakers feel confused and betrayed by Gov. Mike Beebe. Will they ever learn to love again? (Arkansas News Bureau)

Unconcealed: Beebe says he’d rather keep concealed carry listings public. Will lawmakers defy the wishes of their sun god? (AP)

Just Stop: Kinkade prediction! In, oh, let’s say three years or so, all this breathless enthusiasm for Twitter is going to seem very very very embarrassing to everyone involved. (KARK)

Toy Story: House committee OKs restrictions on toy guns. But they can never take away my laser pistol! Pew pew pew pew pew! (AP)

Pyle On: Rep. Beverly Pyle moves to crack down on “improper conduct” between massage therapists and clients. In a related story, Rep. Beverly Pyle just became my least favorite legislator ever. (Capsearch Insider)

Stuff From Around Arkansas, March 23

By David Kinkade - March 23, 2009 4:17 pm

At Last: Lottery bill will finally go to Gov. Mike Beebe for his signature, hooray! Now let us not speak of it again until the inevitable graft and corruption stories spring up, which should be sometime within the next, what, six months or so? (AP)

Globetrotters: Why, look at all these state legislators who had to amend their financial reports to reflect all these sweet trips they got to take last year! (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

CSI: Greenberg: Here’s Rep. Dan Greenberg talking about his effort to make criminal background info on public officials more readily available. It’s in some Louisiana newspaper; I have no idea why. (The Town Talk)

The Name Rings a Bell: Sen. Blanche Lincoln: “Barack who? Sorry, never met him.” (AP)

Newsbabes: The Buzz’s David Bazzell launches his local news-babes bracket, and you can vote for your favorite Central Arkansas media lovelies at the Buzz home page. This is just terribly sexist, objectifying these professional women like that, and of course I’m absolutely furious that I didn’t think of it first. (The Buzz 103.7 FM)

Poll: How Big a Disaster Area is Arkansas ‘Recovery’ Site?

By David Kinkade - March 9, 2009 7:13 pm

The horror. The horror.

Gov. Mike Beebe introduced his “Recovery” website on Monday with a great flourish as a resource for tracking federal economic stimulus spending in Arkansas, and let me tell you, if someone set out to design the ugliest damn site they could possibly create, then they have succeeded like you would not believe.

Because this thing is uuuuuuug-ly. (Particularly when compared with the Obama administration’s rather elegant Recovery.gov site.)

I asked my web designer friend Rob to offer an expert critique of the site, but after he took a look at the hideous riot of typefaces and textual alignments that comprised the homepage, he just dissolved in tears and fled the building. I’ll give him a call later and see how he’s holding up.

Anyway, we haven’t done an Arkansas Project poll in a while, so I figured I’d go ahead and throw one up for kicks. The question, for your consideration:

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Beebe’s Bargain

By David Kinkade - January 31, 2009 6:40 pm

The AP’s Andrew Demillo joins The Great Pay Raise Debate of ‘09 in this sharp analysis piece. Last week, lawmakers passed a 3.85 percent pay raise for state officials, which Gov. Mike Beebe duly signed into law before cleverly—and sanctimoniously—announcing that he would forego his raise. What a guy!

I said here and here that it was a politically savvy move, and argued that Republican lawmakers should have turned the issue to their advantage.

And hey, look at that, if you read down into Demillo’s piece a bit, you come across this:

And there’s little likelihood voters are going to grumble about Beebe’s action, said David Kinkade, who was communications director for Asa Hutchinson, Beebe’s Republican rival in the 2006 gubernatorial campaign. Kinkade said Beebe’s decision may have been a stunt and may have been empty, but it was still good politics.

“If you think about the way that people are going to process the information, what they’re going to see is a headline that the Legislature passed raises for state officers and the governor declined his,” Kinkade said. “That’s about as far as people are going to read.”

A headline that Kinkade wrote on his political blog, The Arkansas Project, sent a message that he said Republican legislators who backed the pay raises can take from the governor’s move: “Mike Beebe is One Million Times Smarter Than You.”

And that’s a bargain at any price.

A public official declining a pay raise is smart politics? Of course, that never would have occurred to anyone! Why, Kinkade, what a genius you are for explaining things that would be blindingly self-evident to an eight-year-old. You’ve done it yet again!

Anyway, that’s the best part of the article, naturally, but you should still read the whole thing.

Stuff from Around Arkansas, January 30

By David Kinkade - January 30, 2009 2:58 pm

The cigarette girl lobby is growing concerned.

My and Blake Rutherford’s appearance at the IABC lunch today went great, thanks for asking. I was incredibly awesome, of course, and Blake really, really tried, bless his little heart. On to other things:

Crossover Vote: Dems claim the cigarette tax hike enjoys bipartisan support, and they’ll unveil their new pet Republicans at a Monday news conference. Oooooh, who could it be? (The Arkansas Times)

Rara Avis: Rep. Duncan Baird: American Hero. (Political Buzz blog)

Power Trip: Much of north Arkansas is still without power after ice storms. Can you imagine, no power? Why, I’d have to blog by candlelight! (AP)

Enemies, A Love Story: Ha ha ha, Gov. Mike Beebe hates Lt. Gov. Bill Halter sooooo much. (Doug Thompson’s blog)

Party Time: If you’re interested in the race for Republican National Committee chair, you want to go check out The Tolbert Report. You also want to take a good long hard look at yourself and ask why the hell you’re interested in that stupid crap. (The Tolbert Report)

Payback: Brummett vs. Beebe on State Raises

By David Kinkade - January 27, 2009 4:34 pm

Beebe

Columnist John Brummett is trying to go all counterintuitive on us today, explaining how Gov. Mike Beebe’s sly little move of declining his gubernatorial pay raise wasn’t all that special, and that anyone who thinks otherwise is a big dummy.

Brummett is partially correct: He notes that Beebe’s move was a “hollow, grandstanding gesture,” in part because the $3,000 or so he declined will make little difference in the overall context of the state budget, and Beebe’s rich and he can afford it, so so what? That’s true enough, on substance.

But then Brummett goes on to give a pedantic lecture about Amendment 70 to the state constitution, about which nobody cares. Look, the point is, Beebe got a bunch of headlines saying “Governor Declines Pay Raise.” That’s about as far as most people are going to look into the issue, and they’ll probably approve of that gesture, in general, hollow and grandstanding though it may be.

In an earlier post, I deemed this a “politically savvy” move, and I don’t see anything in Brummett’s assessment to make me change my mind. Beebe’s move can be “politically savvy” and a “hollow grandstanding gesture” at the same time, can’t it?

(And to be clear, my earlier post on the issue was actually less about what Beebe did do and more about what a bunch of worthless Arkansas Republican legislators did NOT do, which was to find a way to use the pay raise issue to their advantage. Let’s keep our eye on the ball here, people!)

Anyway, all that said, it’s good to see Brummett calling out Beebe for being “full of himself,” because Beebe really is nothing but a pile of simpering self-regard, when it comes right down to it. So maybe on second thought, hooray for John Brummett, I guess.

P.S. Blogger Jason Tolbert, who enthusiastically stands by his declaration that Beebe did the right thing, puts his ninja-like video skills to work capturing the governor’s response to reporters’ questions on the matter (yes, I know this is a day old but I was gone yesterday and am only now getting caught up):

Stuff from Around Arkansas, January 14

By David Kinkade - January 14, 2009 7:12 am

It's relevant to the post, I swear! And why's she wearing mittens?

Puff Daddy: Gov. Mike Beebe says he wants to raises cigarette taxes to $10 trillion per pack to fund a trauma center and to end all state budget shortfalls forever and ever. Now if we can just sell ONE pack. (Arkansas News Bureau)

Pantywaist: A Lonoke man arrested for stealing panties is found with exactly 188 pairs of women’s and children’s panties in his home. Judge declares he must stay 500 yards from Victoria’s Secret at all times. (KTHV)

Sub Mission: Formerly hefty Subway pitchman Jared Fogle touched down in Fayetteville to propagandize schoolchildren into eating healthy, so long as they do it at Subway. How will we stop the pernicious industry influence of Big Sandwich reaching into our schools? (Morning News of Northwest Arkansas)

Not So Sexy: Not enough translators for non-English speakers in sex offender program, and some offenders may have to be dropped from program. When he learned of this fact, former Democratic Rep. Dwayne Dobbins responded, “De veras? Lo siento, senor, pero no hablo ingles!” (KATV)

Stuff from Around Arkansas, January 10

By David Kinkade - January 10, 2009 9:50 am

What does this vintage photo of '60s sex symbol Angie Dickinson in a bikini have to do with this post? I don't know. What am I, The Answer Guy?

Economy Size: If you’re in the mood to read a long list of cliché buzzwords and vague suggestions posing as a long-term strategy, then you should read this story summarizing Gov. Mike Beebe’s economic development plan for Arkansas. (Arkansas News Bureau)

Media Watch: Newspapers are terrible. (The Iconoclast)

Is It Getting Mormon Here?: Mike Huckabee wants you to know that he loves Utah and he loves Mormons. But he still hates Mitt Romney like poison. (The Mormon Times. Yeah, that’s right. I read The Mormon Times. What of it?)

Stuff from Around Arkansas, January 8

By David Kinkade - January 8, 2009 8:13 am

A few things that catch the eye this morn:

Stock Character: Columnist Kane Webb rates Arkansas politicos: He’s high on Halter, but busts on Beebe. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

So long, suckers: KATV's Fisher chooses her news, and it's in D.C.

Disastrous: Feds declare three Arkansas counties “disaster areas.” Still awaiting disaster designations: The Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission and Republican Party of Arkansas. (Arkansas News Bureau)

Paper Chase: Hussman-owned newspaper in Chattanooga, Tenn., has snazzy and accessible website, making Hussman’s terrible web strategy in Arkansas all the more puzzling. (Lance Turner’s Unimaginatively Titled Blog)

Chosen: KATV “Choose Your News” gal Kristin Fisher decamps to Washington D.C. for new job. And after all we did for her! (Blake’s Think Tank)

Stuff from Around Arkansas, January 6

By David Kinkade - January 6, 2009 5:04 pm

Remember when smoking was glamorous? Better days.

Smokescreen: Gov. Mike Beebe to smokers: Before you get sick and die, I’ll be taking all your money. (Arkansas Business)

Tireless Tolbert: Blogger Jason Tolbert is still hounding Attorney General Dustin McDaniel on his possible conflict of interest in gay adoption defense case, but sadly he doesn’t have six hours of accompanying video. The kid is slipping. (The Tolbert Report)

BMOC: University of Arkansas Chancellor David Gearhart says students should brace themselves for a tuition hike. This is even worse than that time he tried to get the entire Delta House expelled, but we got our revenge at the big homecoming parade. (Morning News of NWA)

Horse Sense: Oaklawn Park eases ban on horses from Louisiana after an equine herpes scare. In a related story, I could have gone my entire life without knowing there was such a thing as “equine herpes” and everything would have been just fine. (AP)

Beebe on Global Warming: ‘We Didn’t Listen!’

By David Kinkade - January 2, 2009 11:48 am

Gov. Mike Beebe: Blinding me with science

To follow up on our note below about Gov. Mike Beebe’s weekly radio news thingie: According to the AP’s Andrew Demillo, Beebe said Friday that he does not believe global warming is a hoax, and in fact he believes it to be “a threat.”

But perhaps more importantly, Beebe goes on to say he doesn’t believe state-by-state action will address this threat:

Beebe, however, said he doesn’t think the problem can be solved through individual state actions and said that measures such as a so-called “carbon tax” must be looked on from a national level.

“If there’s going to be a carbon tax, if there’s anything on fuel-efficient or lack of fuel-efficient cars, it’s going to have to be on a national basis,” Beebe said. “A state-by-state approach with it is not going to solve the problem.”

That sounds as if Beebe’s prepared to reject some of the loopier recommendations coming out of the Governor’s Commission on Global Warming, which seems more newsy to me than whether or not he believes global warming is a “hoax.” I don’t care what Beebe thinks about that, because he’s not a scientist.

I, however, AM a scientist, and have won numerous awards for science stuff, so if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to slip into my white lab coat, break out my beakers and bunsen burners, and get to the bottom of this once and for all.

Update: In Charlie Frago’s Arkansas Democrat-Gazette story on this matter, he notes that Beebe said in December that Arkansas could probably afford to adopt “15 or 16″ of the commission’s recommendations.  It was in that long Q&A published on December 21, which I had completely forgotten.

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Stuff From Around Arkansas

By David Kinkade - December 3, 2008 12:57 pm

Hey look, it’s a bunch of random stuff:

Rowr

The Lil Spark Plug That Could: Gov. Mike Beebe will name Northwest Arkansas banker and man about town Dick Trammel as the next highway commissioner, the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas’ Doug Thompson reports. Noted: Thompson’s story has two separate people referring to Trammel as a “spark plug.” “Spark plug”? What the hell is that? Is it supposed to be a compliment? Beats me.

Camera Shy: Rep. Donna Hutchinson of Bella Vista will intro a bill to toughen penalties against video voyeurs who secretly tape or photograph people and post the images online, reports the AP’s Andrew Demillo. I suggest we call it “Tina Sherman’s Law.”

Victoria’s Secrecy: If you wanted to watch CBS’s annual Victoria’s Secret lingerie show, you’re out of luck in much of Arkansas, because KTHV won’t broadcast it, the Arkansas Times reports. Memo to Max Brantley: These trashy sexy stories are supposed to be my territory, so back off. Get back to writing about the Little Rock School Board, pal.

P.S. In an earlier version of this post, I tried to include both a photo of Dick “Spark Plug” Trammel and that shot of Victoria’s Secret model Allesandra Ambrosio, but I couldn’t get them to fit together on the page, so I just went with the one photo. I sure hope I made the right choice.

Baker, Beebe Bury Hatchet

By David Kinkade - November 16, 2008 7:44 am

Baker and Beebe: Making nice

From the ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ Category: GOP Sen. Gilbert Baker and Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe, long at odds over Baker’s campaigning for Beebe’s Republican opponent in 2006, met last week to clear the air and put all this a’fussin’ and a’feudin’ behind them.

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Seth Blomelely reports on the meeting, which I have reason to believe was very gracious:

“He was very gracious,” said Baker, the expected Senate chairman of the Joint Budget Committee for the 2009 legislative session. “I think we’re going to have a good session.”

Beebe said Baker brought up the ads the Republican Party helped fund during the 2006 governor’s race trying to tie Beebe to a convicted felon. Beebe and other Democrats have said the ads were unfair, misleading and false.

Baker of Conway has said he regrets that the party funded those ads but has declined to say whether he owed Beebe an apology.

Neither would give details of what was said during their meeting.

“He was very gracious,” Beebe said. “He came up, asked for the meeting.” Baker said they met Nov. 6 in Beebe’s office for about 15 minutes. He said Beebe’s chief of staff, Morril Harriman, was also in the meeting.

Over the last few months, Beebe campaigned strenuously for Joe White, Baker’s Democratic opponent in Baker’s successful bid to keep his seat.

Beebe: Penny for Your Thoughts

By David Kinkade - November 13, 2008 7:09 pm

Pictured: Dave's attention span when discussing budgetary matters.

Gov. Mike Beebe offered up his budget proposal on Thursday, and it includes, among other things, a further one-cent reduction in the sales tax on groceries. I’ll be revising my Cheetos budget accordingly.

If you want to know more about the budget proposal, you should go read this AP report from boy reporter Andrew Demillo, which includes all the details. I started reading it, but then I got bored after I read that bit about the grocery tax, which was in the lede, because, well, come on, it’s budget stuff and it’s boring. I’m telling you, this attention deficit disorder is no laughing matter. Some days it’s like I can’t focus at all. I swear, it’s like I have the attention span of a

Video: Beebe on the Budget

By David Kinkade - November 12, 2008 8:26 pm

Blogger Jason Tolbert was at the “Clean and Green Annual Symposium” at the Little Rock Hilton today, for some reason, and he grabbed some video of Gov. Mike Beebe talking about the state budget proposal he’ll be releasing Thursday.

If you see a guy carrying one of these, run.

Why Tolbert was attending the “Clean and Green Annual Symposium” is an unfathomable mystery to me, and why he carries a video camera around with him everywhere he goes is equally inexplicable. Either this guy is the most dedicated blogger on earth or Mike Beebe needs to look into a restraining order, because my experience is that dudes who hang around hotel lobbies with handheld video cameras at the ready do not have your best interests at heart.

Anyway, I suppose I could just embed the video here, as if it were my own, like I usually do, but that’s kind of uncool, so instead, I’ll send you over to The Tolbert Report to watch the full production.