Halter

Gearing Up: Now Lt. Gov. Bill Halter is busy raising money for his 2010 re-election, though his ‘06 campaign owes him several hundred thousand dollars. But will he be able to withstand the TYLER DENTON JUGGERNAUT? (AP)

Salaryman: Arkansas GOP chair Doyle Webb will get $60K per year for his troubles. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)

Carrying On: Interesting perspective piece on availability of concealed carry weapon permits, from a concealed carry instructor. (The City Wire)

FroshPit: CapSearch offers video interviews summing up the ‘09 legislative session from freshman legislators. (CapSearch)

Kid Stuff: Blogger Jason Tolbert posts family photos of the new lil baby boy that arrived last week. (The Tolbert Report)

Do NOT Listen To This Man: Blogger Lance Turner lists his picks for “10 Arkansans Who Should Be Blogging,” which is a terrible idea, because at least seven of those listed almost certainly should NOT be blogging, under any circumstances whatsoever. C’mon people, we don’t want another Dustin McDaniel situation on our hands. (This Is My Blog By Lance Turner)

Parasitic: Blogger Blake Rutherford takes apart the latest sad sad reflection on the sad death of newspapers from sad columnist Gene Lyons, who is very very saddened by these latest sad developments in his sad industry, and oh yeah he laments the emergence of all these smug young “bloggers,” too. In other news, I’m taking up a collection to compensate Blake for the agony of having to read a Gene Lyons column, something I hope to never have to experience. Please give. (Blake’s Think Tank)

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This blog has never been known for its good taste, but I may be pushing my luck with this one.

Inside the Hollowed, Weathered Cabinet: OK, everyone raise your hand if you believe, as does John Brummett, that a cabalistic Clintonite machine in Arkansas is advancing young Democratic candidates to challenge the damnable apostate Lt. Gov. Bill Halter. Yeah, that’s what I thought. Me, neither. (Blake’s Think Tank)

The Hard Stuff: Proposal to hike taxes on “alcopop” drinks beloved by girls and, I don’t know, John Brummett, probably, fails in committee. Blogger Zack Stovall’s got some questions. (Unfamous First Words)

Annals of Gun Nuttery Update: Blogger John Anderson at the Arkansas Concealed Carry Association gives thumbs up to Democratic Rep. Mike Ross for work in opposing federal ‘assault weapons’ ban. (ARCCA Blog)

Baker Watch: Roby Brock gets reaction from Sen. Gilbert Baker to the “Draft Gilbert Baker for Senate” boomlet. (Political Buzz blog)

Mother’s Milk: Good news, moms!: Arkansas Senate OKs breastfeeding bill. Bad news: They’ll probably try to tax that milk, too. Zing! (AP)

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Pfft. I’m not even convinced this guy is real. “Tyler Denton.” It’s like he’s just stringing together names of random towns in Texas. Hey, I can do it, too: “Dallas Lubbock” is planning a run for attorney general! “Austin San Antonio” is thinking about running for Congress! Whatever.

UPDATE: Actually, now that I think about it, I wish my name was “Austin San Antonio.” There’s just no way a guy with a name like that wouldn’t be getting laid all the time.

UPDATE: Oh my God, it’s true!

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Photo credit: New York Times

This has only the most tangential relationship to Arkansas politics, but will interest some Arkansas Project readers. Bud Jackson, a Virginia-based political operative known around these parts for counseling Lt. Gov. Bill Halter’s campaigns, is in the news big today for distancing himself from an even higher profile client: U.S. Sen. Roland Burris of Illinois.

Burris is, of course, the Chicago Democratic politico appointed to the Senate by disgraced former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagoevich. Burris finds himself in hot water because he was something less than forthcoming about his dealings with the shady governor—and Jackson is now declaring himself distanced from the whole stinking mess.

Chicago Sun-Times reporter/blogger Lynn Sweet has all the scoop over here, featuring a memo from Jackson explaining that he no longer has anything to do with this band of hacks and poltroons. (Hat tip to the inimitable Wonkette.com)

The Arkansas Project connected some dots between Jackson and Burris a few weeks back.

Oh, and a couple of days ago, I tried to follow Jackson’s zany misadventures on Twitter but he unkindly blocked me from following him. Can you imagine? The nerve!

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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)

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Penny Saved: Sen. Bobby Glover files bill to cut grocery tax by one penny. Good start, but keep going. (AP)

Out of Commission: Sen. Hank Wilkins proposes to cut useless and dysfunctional Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission by half. Good start, but keep going. (AP)

I didn't know Bill from Sheridan had a place in Monroe County! (Photo: Washington Post)

McCain Country: Here’s that Washington Post article that everyone is talking about detailing the lack of enthusiasm for Barack Obama in Brinkley, Ark. Now quit wasting time talking to reporters from DC and get back to finding that damn woodpecker. (Actually, you can skip the story, which is the usual “east coaster comes to flyover country and does discount sociology on the locals” thing, and just check out the photo gallery, which is pretty great.) (Washington Post)

World of Wonders: In northwest Arkansas, students learn of school closings via Facebook and text messaging. I look forward to when these modes of communication are finally used widely enough that they’re taken for granted, so that newspaper people will stop writing credulous and wide-eyed stories about them like they’ve just discovered fire. (Benton County Daily Record)

Debt Man Walking: Bill Halter’s ‘06 campaign still owes him $448,000, meaning Halter went nearly a half million dollars in debt to be lieutenant governor of Arkansas, meaning Halter is a complete and total retard. (KTHV)

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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)

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Photo credit: New York Times

Keen-eyed Arkansas political watchers will recognize Lt. Gov. Bill Halter’s political muscle man and noted charmless vulgarian Bud Jackson in the above photo from the New York Times.

BudJack’s apparently lending his skills in the dark arts to the controversial effort to place Illinois politico Roland W. Burris in Barack Obama’s Senate seat. Burris, tapped to fill the seat by toxic and indicted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, was blocked by the Senate today.

Kudos to frequent Arkansas Project commenter Br549, who has extra time on his hands since he’s taking a break from playing Tetris on his Gameboy due to a painful case of “gamer’s thumb,” for the tip.

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Lottery foes the Arkansas Family Council argue to the state Supreme Court that the lottery proposal needs to be thrown off the ballot. They say that since the measure doesn’t define what is meant by the term “state lotteries,” which the Family Council argues will pave the way for casino gaming in Arkansas. (For more on this, Max Brantley at the Arkansas Times and Ernie Dumas at the Arkansas Leader have both explained how it might all come down in recent columns.)

In response, Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, who’s pushing the lottery to fund college scholarships, and Attorney General Dustin McDaniel argue in separate briefs that the “wording of the ballot question is accurate and easy for voters to understand,” Lyon reports.

The court will hear oral arguments on Monday, October 13.

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The conservative Arkansas Family Council, which is more or less leading the anti-lottery push in the state, asked the Arkansas Supreme Court on Friday to have the lottery proposal thrown off the ballot, the AP’s Andrew Demillo reports:

In the complaint, the council argues that the proposed constitutional amendment’s title and name are “inaccurate, incomplete and misleading” because they don’t define lotteries and doesn’t warn voters of potential consequences of authorizing a state-run lottery. The proposal leaves it up to the Legislature to work out the details of the lottery and the scholarships it would fund.

Bud Jackson, who is Lt. Gov. Bill Halter’s mouthpiece on the lottery push, offers one of his typical hyperventilating responses.

“This is yet the latest example that the Family Council, a special interest organization, will do anything to impose its will upon the entire state of Arkansas and do anything to prevent Arkansans from having the right to vote on this themselves,” Jackson said.

Jackson said the lawsuit has shut the door on any possibility of debates between the lottery campaign and the Family Council.

“We’re not going to have an honest debate with an organization that isn’t interested in dealing with the pros and cons of this issue,” Jackson said.

By the way, the Arkansas Journal blog has some more on the Family Council’s efforts on other ballot initiatives. Check it out.

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