KC Buzz Blog

MO Dems have new party leader

   John Temporiti is the new chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party.

   A St. Louis lawyer who's helped St. Louis County executive Charlie Dooley win election in 2004 and re-election last year, Temporiti is said to be well-versed in the high-tech ways of politics that include micro-targeting of voters.

   The new vice-chair is Yolanda Wheat, a lawyer and wife of the former Kansas City congressman.

   Temporiti succeeds outgoing chair Roger Wilson.

   Western Missouri Dems were glowing in their early reviews of Temporiti.

   "What John brings to the party is phenomenal organizational skills, fund-raising skills and a real ability to work with all parts of the state at a time when we really need that looking forward to the 2008 elections," said Jackson County executive Mike Sanders.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Funny guy Al Franken signs up for U.S. Senate

   Comedian Al Franken announced today that he's running for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican Norm Coleman.

   Franken did not say, as his SNL character Stuart Smalley once did, "I'm good enough. I'm smart enough. And gosh darn it, people like me."

   But Franken probably will at least once during the campaign.

  Go here for an early story.

   And a couple of questions: Can a comedian like Franken be taken seriously enough to win a U.S. Senate seat? And can he win in Minnesota, a state that has elected a conservative, Coleman, and a lib, Paul Wellstone, in recent years?

   Blast away.

Posted by Steve Kraske

New Demo leaders named to take back MO House

   The task of retaking the Missouri House for the Democrats will be led by a St. Louis lawmaker who will be assisted by several from the KC area.

   State Rep. Rachel Storch of St. Louis this week was appointed chair of the House Democratic Campaign Committee.

   Also on the committee are several KC-area lawmakers: Paul LeVota, Beth Low, Trent Skaggs and Mike Talboy.

   The five seats gained by House Democrats in November was their best showing since 1978. And it was the first election since 1986 where Democrats actually gained seats in the House.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Tickets for Clinton available on V's Day

   If you want to see President Clinton next month when he speaks to the Kansas Democratic Party, get your track shoes on.

   Tickets for the March 2 speech go on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday, (Valentine's Day, don't you know), and they are expected to go fast.

   The cost: $125 each.

   You can get them online at www.ksdp.org or by calling (785) 234-0425.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Pioneer Harriett Woods dead

   Harriett Woods, the first woman elected to statewide office in Missouri, has died.

    She was 79.

   Woods died about 10 p.m. Thursday of leukemia, the Associated Press said. She was surrounded by family, her son said.

   “She will be remembered most as a loving mother and grandmother, but we are also incredibly proud of her life devoted to public service and her passionate and determined efforts to aid society's most vulnerable — the elderly, minorities and the homeless, to obtain equal opportunities for women, and mentor future generations of leaders,” the family said in a statement.

   Woods, a Democrat, served one four-year term as the state's No. 2 executive. Before that, she served eight years in the state Senate, two years on the state transportation commission and eight years on the University City Council. She also made two unsuccessful bids for the U.S. Senate in the 1980s against Republicans Kit Bond and Jack Danforth.

   But the closeness of those races heralded a new day in Missouri politics, and that was that women could be significant players on the statewide scene.

   "I tried it twice. I gave it a shot and moved on. No regrets," she once said of those races.

   Woods was diagnosed with leukemia in March while teaching political and community involvement courses at two New York colleges. She also has taught at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and served as a commentator for KWMU radio in St. Louis.

   Woods will also be recalled for her devotion to electing women political candidates. She served as president of the National Women's Political Caucus.

Posted by Steve Kraske 

Gov. Holden to teach at Dole Institute

   Former Missouri Gov. Bob Holden will lead a study group at the Dole Institute of Politics at KU.

   The seminar's working title: "You Be the Governor: Challenges and Solutions in State Government." To be featured are "real-life examples of problems and decisions governors face."

   The institute also is presenting its Presidential Lecture Series in February at the institute. The lineup:

• "Remembering President Gerald R. Ford" featuring Richard Norton Smith, former director of the Ford Presidential Library and founding director of the Dole Institute. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8.
• "Blog to the Chief: The Impact of Political Blogs on the 2008 Election" with five prominent political bloggers. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13.
• "America's Foremost Political Prognosticator" with Charlie Cook, publisher of the Cook Political Report. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21.
• "Winning the Nomination" with David Yepsen, reporter with the Des Moines Register, and others. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28.

   For more info, call the institute at (785) 864-4900.

   One more thing: A salute to Dole last week in Washington drew a crowd of 700 and raised more than $2 million for the institute.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Jeff City stunner: Wilson out as Demo state chair

   Former Missouri Gov. Roger Wilson stunned a crowd of party activists Saturday by announcing that he was stepping down as chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party, the AP is reporting. 

   Wilson, 58, of Columbia, had served as party chair since August 2004. Claire McCaskill had selected him after she defeated Gov. Bob Holden in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.

   Wilson had recently announced that he would seek another term. He'll stay on while a  seven-member committee he appoints looks for a new chairman. The pick will have to be elected by the state committee.

 Wilson had been traveling to political meetings and fundraisers about a couple times a week, a state party spokesman said.

   "He didn't think he could devote the same time and energy he had over the next (few) years," party spokesman Jack Cardetti said.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Gates to go for three-peat

   Larry Gates, the most successful Kansas Democratic Party chairman in a loooonnnng time, said today he'll seek a third term.

   Gates had quite a 2006. Kathleen Sebelius won re-election. So did Congressman Dennis Moore. Add to that the elections of two other Democrats: Attorney General Paul Morrison and 2nd District Congresswoman Nancy Boyda.

   Finally, Democrats in the state House picked up a handful of seats.

   The election for chairman takes place March 3.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Why your favorite politicos were yawning today

  Apparently quite a few folks were up into the wee hours of the morning listening to that riveting filibuster in the Missouri Senate as Sen. Matt Bartle objected to the nomination of Warren Erdman to the MU Board of Curators. Among them were former U.S. Attorney Todd Graves, who listened until 2:30 a.m.

   "It was fascinating to listen to it take place," he said.

   Graves said the personality of Bartle, his law partner, really came through. The two first met when they were undergraduate students at Mizzou two decades ago.

   "He is a loyal and kind and good person," Graves said. "I've heard filibusters before but I've never heard someone's personality come through so strongly."

   He said it was a complete "Matt Bartleism" that Bartle listed every single state representative and senator and said something complimentary about each of them. (colleague Kit Wagar said Bartle also lauded members of their staffs). Graves joked when is the last time anyone had something good to say about every single member of the Missouri General Assembly.

   (One could also argue that the personality of fellow filibusterer Sen. Victor Callahan also came through this morning, from the rough-and-tumble side in remarks about former JaCo exec and now mayoral contender Katheryn Shields to the softer teddy bear side with the heartfelt comments about his father.)

   About 1 a.m., Graves said he talked to big brother, Sam. The congressman noted that during a filibuster he conducted when he was a state senator -- in 1998 against the KC school deseg settlement -- no one came to his aid by speaking to him.

Posted by DeAnn Smith 

Rocky Mountain high

  Looks like the Democrats are headed to Denver for their 2008 presidential convention.

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Some muscle for Pelosi?

    The New York Times' Ryan Lizza notes the the new Congress marks the "another milestone in gender politics: the return of the Alpha Male Democrat.
   "The members of this new faction, which helped the Democrats expand into majority status, stand out not for their ideology or racial background but for their carefully cultivated masculinity.
  "As much as the policy positions is the background and character of these Democrats," says John Lapp, the former executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee who helped recruit this new breed of candidate. “So we went to C.I.A. agents, F.B.I. agents, N.F.L. quarterbacks, sheriffs, Iraq war vets. These are red-blooded Americans who are tough.”
  Lapp even coined a term to describe these manly — and they are all men — pols: "the Macho Dems."

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Jean Carnahan would now vote no

   Knowing what they know now, 28 of the 77 senators who voted for the war in Iraq would vote differently today.

   One of the 28: former Democratic Missouri Sen. Jean Carnahan.

   ABC News did the story.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Maxwell once again says no-can-do

   Former Missouri Lt. Gov. Joe Maxwell told The Star today he'll pass on a run for governor or attorney general in 2008.

   The Democrat said he would back Jay Nixon for governor.

   The primary reason is the health of Maxwell's wife, Sarah. For several years, she has suffered from a nerve and bone condition. Her condition has improved and is stable, Joe Maxwell said.

   But not to the point that he feels comfortable running for statewide office.

   The couple has two daughters, ages 16 and 11.

   Maxwell's decision removes a big obstacle for Nixon, who now faces only a potential challenge from Secretary of State Robin Carnahan for the Democratic nomination for governor.

   And some insiders doubt Carnahan will run.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Federal "hanging" judge Dean Whipple taking senior status

   Who is going to be the next Johnson County or Jackson County prosecutor is so yesterday's news. The legal community now is buzzing about who will get the really plum gig: a federal judgeship. 

  KC Buzz Blog heard through the grapevine that Federal Judge Dean Whipple had taken senior status and was trying to confirm it. And lo and behold having lunch today at see-and-be-seen Pierpont's was KC NAACP President Anita Russell and U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan Jr.

   And Gaitan kindly confirmed that, yes, Whipple's last "full-time" day is April 30 and that he will no longer be chief judge as of Jan. 22. What Gaitan modestly did not mention is that he will be the next chief judge.

   Taking senior status is not the same as retiring. Whipple will still have an office and staff. He can keep any existing cases that he chooses, but will have more say over which new cases he takes. There are already two senior judges and both carry heavy caseloads.

   Whipple is best known as the final judge in the 26-year, $2 billion Kansas City School District desegregation case. He often railed about patronage and micromanagement in the district and when he ended the case he said the district had a long ways to go before becoming a public school system that KC residents could be proud of. He also oversaw the Kansas City Housing Authority case and often provided wry and punchy quotes from the bench in a variety of cases.

   Whipple came to the bench in 1987 through an appointment by President Ronald Reagan. He had served 13 years as a state court judge in the Lake of the Ozarks area. He had previously served as a county prosecutor. 

    Colleague Dan Margolies says Whipple obtained a reputation as a "hanging judge" while on the state court bench, which Whipple confirmed in one of his earliest cases. In December 1988, he sentenced a real estate developer to 10 years in prison for bank fraud charges. In handing down the sentence, Whipple said he wanted to "send a message" to white-collar criminals, says Margolies who covered the sentencing.

   Politicos and attorneys are also curious to see how partisan of a replacement appointment does President Bush make with the Senate now controlled by Democrats. But several attorneys and politicos said today that Sen. Kit Bond, a Missouri Republican, is good about making sure the president nominates a well-qualified candidate.

  Of course, incoming Sen. Claire McCaskill can have her say and put a hold on anyone she objects to (remember Ronnie White?). Which brings to mind an election-eve comment from Bond about how important a Jim Talent win was to him: "I've tried it with my vote being canceled on every important issue I've worked on."

   Look for a story from reporter Mark Morris in Thursday's Star about Whipple.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

A good holiday time was had by all

   Ebullient Democrats squeezed into the Uptown Theater Thursday night for some holiday merriment and post-election celebration. Missouri House Democrats hosted the event but a few JoCo license plates were in the parking lot. And all Democrats were in agreement. On their top 10 of requests to Santa were: Pleeaaaaaaaaasseee have Johnson County Republicans name Phill Kline as prosecutor.

   More City Council candidates than you could shake a stick at were among those glad-handing.  Mayoral contenders spotted by the KC Buzz Blog were City Councilwoman Becky Nace, businessman Henry Klein, Jackson County Executive Katheryn Shields and Mayor Pro Tem Alvin Brooks.

   Missouri Rep.-elect Mike Talboy gets the award for the most hugging and kissing politician. Kansas City School board member Ingrid Burnett (who was unsuccessful in her bid for state Senate) was showing off a softer, lovelier do and a trimmer figure. The winner of that Senate race, Jolie Justus, drew a crowd wherever she was in the room. Which does raise a question: What is Jason Klumb doing these days?

Posted by DeAnn Smith

A new eye on intelligence

    House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi has chosen a Border Patrol agent-turned-congressman to lead the House Intelligence Committee, ending weeks of Democratic debate about who will oversee the nation's spy agencies. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, a Texas Democrat, takes over the key post next year, as his party tries to intensify oversight of the intelligence community. Critics say Republicans failed to do that, leading to faulty prewar intelligence on Iraq and other stumbles.

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Iowa Gov. Vilsack rev any engines out there?

   He's a centrist, was orphaned at birth and overcame it all to become the only Democratic governor Iowa has had since 1968.

   Anybody excited about Tom Vilsack running for president?

Posted by Steve Kraske

A Kansan defends Howard Dean

  The Washington Times reports that Democratic state party chairs, "decrying post-election bickering," are claiming that the party's gains "were in large part a result" of DNC Chair Howard Dean's 50-State Strategy, "which helped make deep inroads" into GOP territory.

  The state chairs, angered by the criticism of Dean by Democratic strategists James Carville and Stan Greenberg, "credited the Dean strategy for their victories."

   Kansas Chaiman Lawrence Gates: "Those folks who are criticizing him do not understand this is not a two-year strategy, but a 10-year or longer strategy to reclaim voters in the Midwest, West, and South."

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Democrats chose leaders, still battle over Murtha

   Still awaiting word on the Murtha-Hoyer contest.

   But, AP reports that Democrats this morning formall chose Nancy Pelosi as the party’s nominee for speaker when the new Congress convenes Jan. 4. She will be breaking one glass ceiling for women with only one or two more above it yet to be shatterd, U.S. president and vice president. A self-confident leader and power broker, Pelosi, 66, has demanded party loyalty on key Democratic issues such as health care and education. As speaker, the liberal Democrat from San Francisco has said she will work to curb the power of lobbyists and to roll back GOP tax cuts for higher-income Americans.

  The new House majority whip will be James Clyburn of South Carolina, who will be the highest ranking black member of the new Congress. He also is reaching the highest office in Congress ever held by a black. Former Oklahoma quarterback J.C. Watts Jr. previously held the title, serving as House Republicans’ conference chairman from 1998 until to his retirement in 2002. Clyburn was elected in 1992 as the first black congressman from South Carolina since Reconstruction. In 1998 he served as the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. His leadership roles have made him a power broker for Democratic presidential candidates seeking black support in South Carolina’s early primaries. Clyburn, 66, helped organize a nonprofit group to help those who fled from the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

   The Democratic caucus chairman will be Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, one of the key engineers behind the Democratic House takeover. As chairman on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Emanuel, 46, helped raise record amounts of money and leaned on safe incumbents to share their wealth with needier candidates. He also actively recruited military veterans to run for office. Before running for public office, Emanuel was a senior adviser to President Bill Clinton on issues including NAFTA and gun control. He also considered running for party whip, but was promised a bigger role in steering the party’s communications and outreach operations as caucus chairman.

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Abramoff fingering Reid?

    As convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff reported to federal prison today, a source close to the investigation surrounding his activities told ABC News that Sen. Harry Reid was one of the members of Congress Abramoff had allegedly implicated in his cooperation with federal prosecutors.

  A spokesperson for Reid, elected yesterday as the Senate Majority Leader, said the senator had done nothing illegal or unethical.

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Tell us what you really think of reform Jack Murtha

   Somehow doubt Nancy Pelosi wanted to spend her afternoon fielding calls about this. But she will.

  As Roll Call reports, Jack Murtha just called the ethics and lobbying reform bill his party is pushing "total crap."

   Posted by DeAnn Smith

Senate Dems settle on leadership

   Senate Democrats picked two women for senior posts Tuesday, and their choice as majority leader, Sen. Harry Reid, said a top priority is getting a new secretary of defense confirmed.

   Reid told The Associated Press that he supports replacing Donald Rumsfeld with former CIA Director Robert Gates by year's end, as President Bush has urged.

   The leadership line-up after Reid:

• Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois: majority whip.
• Sen. Charles Schumer of New York: He continues as campaign committee chairman, and also will assume the title of vice chairman of the Democratic caucus.
• Sen. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota will head the Policy Committee.
• Sen. Patty Murray of Washington: conference secretary.
• Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan: chairwoman of the party's steering committee.

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Three votes for Hoyer

    For the political junkies out there who follow intra-party politics, here's how the region's three Democratic congressmen line up in the fight for House majority leader when their party takes over in January: Emanuel Cleaver and Ike Skelton of Missouri, and Dennis Moore of Kansas all support Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland over Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania.

     Hoyer is currently the minority whip under Minority-soon-to-be-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California. But she has long been an ally of Murtha, who has taken a strong stand against the Iraq war, and endorsed him. Stay tuned.

Posted by David Goldstein    

Well, that didn't take long...

    A well-regarded left-leaning watchdog group took a bite out of House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi Monday.

    Her transgression: Throwing her support to Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania in the race for the No. 2 Majority Leader slot. Murtha's opponent is Democratic whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

   Murtha, hero to those against the Iraq war, also is among the most corrupt members of Congress, according to Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW to Beltway types). While not in the group's top 20 most corrupt, he is one of five "Dishonorable Mentions."

   CREW chief Melanie Sloan said in a press release: "How can Americans believe Democrats will return integrity to the House when...Pelosi has endorsed an ethically challenged member for a leadership position? Rep. Murtha is the wrong choice for this job."

Posted by Matt Stearns

Dean: Not so fast

   From a New York Times story on Democrats pressing for Iraq troop withdrawals: But "in another sign of Democratic caution, Howard Dean, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said that while the former Senator George McGovern had been invited Thursday to meet with the Congressional Progressive Caucus — a group of about 60 House members, most of them Democrats — to discuss his proposal for a full withdrawal from Iraq by June, that was “probably not the way it’s going to work.”

  "Indeed, Mr. Dean argued on “Fox News Sunday” against a withdrawal from Iraq that would leave the northern part of the country vulnerable to attack by Turkish troops pursuing the ethnic Kurdish fighters. A Turkish invasion, he said, would be the “worst thing” that could happen."

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Dean on the plank?

  Ryan Lizza blogs at The Plank that some big name Democrats want to oust DNC Chairman Howard Dean, arguing that his stubborn commitment to the 50-state strategy and his stinginess with funds for House races cost the Democrats several pickup opportunities.

   Says James Carville, one of the anti-Deaniacs, "Suppose Harold Ford became chairman of the DNC? How much more money do you think we could raise?

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Gephardt (remember him?) with some advice for Bush

    Former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri tells CNN:

   "I think George Bush had a very different situation on his hands the last six years. He had the House and the Senate under Republican control. He really didn't have to reach out to the Democrats. ... If he's going to get anything done in the last two years of his presidency, he's got to really reach out and listen and work with Democrats. He can't get everything he wants. He's got to give them some of their policy wishes. If he will do that -- and I believe he will -- then you've got -- oddly, you've got a chance to get more done in these two years than they got done in the last four years."

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Tester takes Montana

   AP just called the Montana Senate race for Democrat Jon Tester, who ousted scandal-scarred GOPer Conrad Burns. The victory boosts the Democrats to at least a 50-50 tie in the Senate.

Posted by Keith Chrostowski

Local Dems plan to party like it's NOT 1994 or 2004

   Jackson County Democrats have staked out their "victory" celebration at the downtown Mariott hotel in Kansas City. A who's who of local Democratic politicos will be there. Prosecutor Mike Sanders who is expected to win the county executive race tomorrow will be one of the keynote speakers.

  State Auditor Claire McCaskill plans to speak at 8 p.m. before jetting off to St. Louis to finish up the night there watching Senate election returns. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver will preach to the crowd at 9:15 p.m. And after that? They watch, wait and they hope party like it's 2006, not 1994 or 2004.

Posted by DeAnn Smith 

Democrats rake in cash

   A jubilant Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee announced this afternoon it raised a record $13.6 million in September, bringing its take for the year to $95 million. In the bank now for the campaign's closing days: $23 million.

   Perspective: That's more than the well-lubricated Republican National Committee raised in September. And while the National Republican Senatorial Committee has yet to release its September numbers, the DSCC has been outraising them for months.

   What it means: DSCC head Chuck Schumer told reporters Tuesday he had two great concerns before Election Day: That the GOP would outraise the Democrats and be able to pour money into close races around the country, like the Missouri Senate race; and an unexpected October surprise.

   Looks like one of those concerns is manageable.

Posted by Matt Stearns

The Rev keeps promise to Chris Moreno

   Congressman Emanuel Cleaver is headlining a fund-raiser for up-and-coming politico Chris Moreno. As reported previously on KC Buzz Blog, Cleaver's folks had promised that Cleaver would campaign for Moreno, who is running for the 48th District Missouri House seat.

  Obviously, the Democrats are smelling blood in Moreno's bid against Republican Rep. Will Kraus. That's because virtually every major Democratic politico is locking hands in this event, including seven state lawmakers, four county lawmakers and several Democrats unopposed on the November ballot. The Hispanic political leadership is also stepping up for Moreno.

  And making another Kansas City appearance will be Attorney General Jay Nixon, who along with Jackson County Prosecutor Mike Sanders is joining Cleaver in hosting the event at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at a Lee's Summit banquet hall.Tickets start at $25 and go up to $325.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Cigars all around! JacCo GOPers get to run a meeting

   Republicans across the nation may be worried about what the Congressional Quarterly calls the coming Donkey Stampede in November.

   But two Republicans were riding herd this afternoon over the traditionally Democratic Jackson County Legislature.

  Because of a business emergency, Legislative chairman Henry Rizzo skipped the meeting. So for the first time ever, a Democrat didn't run the meeting. Vice chairman Bob Spence, a Republican, took the reins.

  Only to get thrown when he wanted to object to spending $25,000 in county road/bridge/sheriff's office funds. According to the rules, legislative dean Fred Arbanas adroitly pointed out, by objecting, Spence would have to temporarily step down.

Many chuckles and ribbing all around. All eyes turned to Dan Tarwater, but county counselor Ed Rucker explained that Spence still got to choose his own replacement. And he wasn't about to give up his barely warm gavel to a Democrat. He chose the legislature's only other Republican, Rhonda Shoemaker, to temporarily step in.

  "Wow, this is a first," Tarwater said. Scott Burnett, joked that he smelled a conspiracy.

  Spence and Shoemaker just grinned and accomplished their tasks with a little parliamentarian assistance from Arbanas.

    Posted by DeAnn Smith

Dems' rock star brunching for Claire

    Democratic politicos say they're getting invites for eggs and pancakes with Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who is headlining a Senate campaign fund raiser for Claire McCaskill.

   The event is at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 7 at the Muehlebach Hotel in downtown Kansas City. Tickets range from $250 to $2,100. Uh, at that top-end price ya gotta hope that the senator is breaking the eggs for your omelettes!

   Obama stumped for McCaskill earlier this year in the eastern part of the state.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

McInerney says nope to prosecutor gig and other Torch tidbits

   Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Pat McInerney was the early front-runner to be the next Jackson County prosecutor to replace Mike Sanders, who is expected beat in November less-financed foes. McInerney had the backing of important folks on the courthouse's second floor and even had the endorsement of at least one district court judge. He had the necessary telegenic presence, the experience and the Democratic connections. The Buzz was that Chief Deputy Jim Kanatzar would get the consolation gig of county counselor, where he could ably continue keeping Sanders out of hot water. Now, Kanatzar is the No. 1 possibility with a bullet.

   Torch Dinner hostest-with-the-mostest Beth Gottstein saw fit to place KC Buzz Blog next to McInerney. And the obvious question had to be asked. And the Blackwell Sanders partner forthrightly admitted without any Hillary Clinton puss-footing around that he was content at his current gig (read: ka-ching!) and has no interesting in moving his shingle to the courthouse again. So McInerney is out as a prosecutor candidate, but like most everyone else he wonders who will wind up on the blue-ribbon selection committee.

  Buzz Blog even moseyed over to the Sanders table to try and get a scoop from Women's Caucus VP Georgia Sanders while her hubby was off kibitzing with KC Councilman Terry Riley and others. She swore no decision on the prosector has been made (Mike would die if he knew what she did confide!).

  But other decisions were made last night before, after and during the Westin gathering. Expect to see Congressman Emanuel Cleaver politicking on behalf of Missouri House candidate Chris Moreno in his race against Republican incumbent Will Kraus.

   Cleaver got stuck in DC but sent his ever gracious and lovely wife Dianne to speak in person on his behalf. (He also sent taped comments that talked about the influence in his life of strong women and a precocious granddaughter as well as funny comments about how mean his three sisters were to him as a child.)

   Missouri Auditor Claire McCaskill got the first standing ovation last night. A late-arriving from Wichita Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius also was well received, particularly when she offered up as an unexpected auction item dinner for six with her and the First Dude at the Governor's Mansion. Speaking of auction items, this is what happens when former Jackson County employee/former KC school board member Sandy Mayer allows hubby Bob to go to the Torch Dinner by himself. He successfully bid $1,000 for lunch with Her Honor, Mayor Kay Barnes.

   Barnes was wearing a lovely cream and apricot jacket (sans flower! and she wasn't one of the many people wearing stickers promoting the stem-cell initiative). The outgoing mayor (in perhaps her swan song?) spoke about past leaders, future leaders and being assured that the future is in good hands. Which all in all could have been the theme of a night where progressives partied like it was 1999 and certainly hope it will be again come the morning of Nov. 8.

Posted by DeAnn Smith   

Progressives belly up to Bar Natasha

   The cool after-party for the coolest Torch kids was at trendy downtown establishment Bar Natasha. Some progressives partied until after 1 a.m. today (yawn!).

   After working their skinny tushes off, 15th annual Torch Dinner of the Greater Kansas City Women's Political Caucus organizers Beth Gottstein, Tamara Morris and Jennifer Danemore had earned a relaxing drinkie (or two or....oh heck who was counting?!). Belting out songs and serving up drinks was Bar Natasha co-owner Missy Koonce (sporting her usual fabulous 'do thanks to Amber at the nearby IMIJ Salon).

    And this was a two-stater group. Among those gabbing were staffers for Congressman Emanuel Cleaver and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Kansas state Rep. Paul Davis, Missouri state rep-elect Mike Talboy, Jackson County Legislator-elect Theresa Garza and newly named Jackson County Drug Court Administrator Lisa Honn. Vying for the power couple at the soiree was Missouri state Rep. Beth Low and fiance, Brett Shirk, executive director of the area ACLU. Low was sporting an exquisite sapphire engagement ring and said the wedding date is set for October 2007 in Jeff City.

   But Gottstein, who manages to pull together the strangest of Democratic bedfellows, outdid herself when she got Missouri state Sen. Victor Callahan to head over afterward for a Diet Coke. And never short of a quip, Callahan regaled the group with his viewing this week of the second-floor mural at the Jackson County Courthouse. He had everyone in stitches while describing the pictures of Presiding Judge J.D. Williamson and, of course, his BFF county official, Executive Katheryn Shields. (There was muttering from others about the hiring of a NEW YORK CITY artist instead of a local one.)

   But Callahan saved the punch line for last. A common joke at the courthouse of late has been whether likely successor Mike Sanders seek donations to paint over Shields' picture come Jan. 2, and who will contribute.

  Callahan says wonder no more. He'll contribute all the money needed to buy the gallons of white paint to do the deed so that Sanders doesn't have to walk underneath Shields every day he shows up for work. He says he doesn't want the second floor scarred for perpetuity once Shields leaves. And, on a more serious note, he says the modern-looking mural doesn't fit in with the decor of the 1930s Art Deco building.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

"With disdain," he wrote

  After years of not talking about the Valerie Plame case, Robert Novak now has more and more to say -- most recently about Richard Armitage.

  Here's the column but the short version is Armitage is a disingenious deceiver who caused intense pain for members of his party, sayeth the old Crossfire sage who also is ticked at Democrats' handling of the issue.

  Novak now says Armitage sought him out, in fact for the first time ever.

  "During his quarter of a century in Washington, I had no contact with Armitage before our fateful interview. I tried to see him in the first 2 years of the Bush administration, but he rebuffed me — summarily and with disdain, I thought."

  That might seem to run counter to what Novak wrote in in October 2003: "First, I did not receive a planned leak." In that same 2003 column he wrote, "It was an offhand revelation from this official, who is no partisan gunslinger. When I called another official for confirmation, he said: "Oh, you know about it."

  The other official, as we know, was Karl Rove, who Novak doesn't discuss in this latest column other than to say he was wronged. Rove was cleared by a special prosecutor in the case.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

A fresh look at the rise of Kansas Democrats

   Salon.com reviews the goings-on of the Kansas Democratic Party and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

   Go here to see it.

Posted by Steve Kraske

The latest from Stu: The Rs are in trouble

   Stu Rothenberg, the respected D.C. political analyst, says the Democratic wave is building.

   "...the party is poised to take control of the House of Representatives in the fall. The only question now is the size of the Novermber wave."

   Go here to read the whole thing.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Claire's '04 mistake and '06 fear

   The clear focus of the Jackson County Democratic Party's unity brunch Saturday was pushing Missouri Auditor Claire McCaskill across the victory line in her tight race against Republican Sen. Jim Talent.

   She may live in a St. Louis mansion now, but the former Jackson County legislator and prosecutor says Kansas City will always be home. So she asked for the party faithful's indulgence in that they aren't seeing her as much now and she's skipping important local events. She said she's traveling rural Missouri and having a ball.

  And she confessed she made a significant boo-boo in her 2004 campaign against Matt Blunt for the governor's seat by writing off outstate Missouri.

   "I made a big mistake, we made a big mistake assuming that people in rural Missouri don't care as much about college education tuition, health care, being able to afford a tank of gasoline. They care as much as we do," she said. "And we have not been out there listening to them....Even though the Republicans have been the ones talking to them and listening to them for the last 10 years, they fundamentally understand this is not going right, that something is terribly wrong in the direction this country is going in."

  She also 'fessed up that she's still rankled by Blunt's response to her explanation about why she didn't think a constitutional amendment was needed to ban gay marriage. According to news accounts from the October 2004 debate in Springfield, Blunt retorted, "I wouldn't talk about values either if I had hers."

  McCaskill said Blunt was insulting her family and friends. She said Democrats have values and she won't allow Republicans to use "values" issues against her as they did two years ago. She said she and other Democrats "must keep it simple" on issues and talk from the gut.

  But the low turnout in the Democratic primary does have her concerned about her prospects in November against Talent.

    "I am really worried," she said. "I saw the turnout. I'm telling you folks we've got problems. We cannot phone this in anymore. If we do not get out there and we do not start sounding the alarm right now, we will not lose this race because we don't have a strong candidate or the right message, we will lose this race because we can't get people to pay attention. So help me, help me, help me."

    And on a lighter note, McCaskill says about the hiring of an assistant prosecutor back when she was prosecutor: "Mike Sanders is so obnoxious I had to hire him to get him out of my office. I mean you talk about a jack hammer on your head. Ok, OK, leave me alone, you're hired," she said to laughter.

  Oh, and McCaskill says a bow-tieless newser George Will (who brought along his son) picked up the tab for their recent lunch at Pierpont's.

Posted by DeAnn Smith   

A jab from the left in the Mo. Auditor's race

   The race for state auditor to replace Claire McCaskill continues to heat up.

   Earlier this week, it was Republican nominee Sandra Thomas (though she first has to survive a recount) moving to divert attention to her alleged shortcomings as Platte County's auditor over a $200,000 discrepancy by attacking her Democratic opponent Susan Montee.

   Saturday, it was Montee's turn at the Jackson County Democratic Party's unity brunch. She laughingly encouraged the Republicans to keep the recount tension going, no need for the unity thing on their side.

   Montee talked up her accomplishments as an attorney, certified public accountant and Buchanan County auditor. She said voters will be interested in knowing that their auditor "can balance their books" and said Thomas' is Gov. Matt Blunt's handpicked candidate.

  "I'm so glad to see it," Montee said, gleefully adding that Thomas' woes have been served up to her on a silver platter that she'll gladly take advantage of.

Posted by DeAnn Smith

Hey Jamaica Congressmon

   Congressman Emanuel Cleaver opened up his part-sermon, part-speech at the Jackson County Democratic Party's unity brunch Saturday morning by talking about his recent trip to Turkey.

   The former KC mayor lamented the anti-Americanism sentiment he found there. "We are hated everywhere," he said.

   How bad did it get? Well, the first four days he would proclaim he was from the United States when asked where he was from.

  "After about five days, I stopped telling people where I was from. When people would ask me where I was from, I would say, "HEY MON!"

Posted by DeAnn Smith

How do you spell Democratic unity? T-H-E H-U-G

   It was a smorgasbord of Democratic political news as the party leaders showed up Saturday morning to munch on scrambled eggs, danishes, bacon and Republicans while putting aside their primary differences.

   The expected handshake between Jackson County executive opponents Mike Sanders and Charles Wheeler occurred. As did, however, an unexpected HUG; yes, dear reader, Sanders and Jack County Ex Katheryn Shields embraced. (Read more in Sunday's Star but don't worry no Godfather kiss was involved.)

  Between the handshake and the hug came the funny, the sublime and the comical, all of which created a feast for any blogger worth her sugaah. Unfortunately, no Republicans were trailing Claire McCaskill or Emanuel Cleaver so, gosh darn, there will be apparently no YouTube.com video of their red meat tossed to the Democratic faithful.

    The morning started off with a svelte Sen. Victor Callahan pulling up his car right after Sanders and his incredibly shrinking wife Georgia (jealous thy name was every woman in the room). The three ignored each other. But Callahan who said he was all about party harmony joked outloud about whether he dared be seen at the same event as Sanders. (Though unity only goes so far, 'cause no hugs between Callahan and Shields or Callahan and Phil Cardarella). Callahan eventually sat beside state Rep. John Burnett whose absent (and we're told ailing) opponent J.J. Rizzo sought this week a recount since he's down by just 14 votes.

  Sanders is now so popular that some feathers were ruffled when people were unable to sit at his table. And with his 65 percent vote in hand, he tossed his own red meat to the crowd when he said Republican Sen. Jim Talent lacked, er, talent and didn't have Claire's "intelligence." Oh yeah, and he called Republican Gov. Matt Blunt disgraceful.

  In the spirit of Democratic unity, former judge Albert Riederer made a point of shaking the hand of Sanders' campaign manager, Calvin Williford. Riederer, of course, wrote in a Wheeler mailer, "I am so sorry to see the unfair and insensitive negative advertisement being aired by Mike Sanders. Given the opportunity, no ethical person would have approved this advertisement." (St. Louis-area Rep. Sam Page who also chided Sanders in the mailer recently sent Sanders a congratulatory note but offered no apology). Williford on Saturday accepted Riederer's handshake but his clenched smile screamed that some wounds haven't healed quite yet.

  Speaking of screaming, that can only describe KC Councilwoman Saundra McFadden-Weaver's opening and closing prayers. Because of the distortion from the microphone, one of her colleagues even mockingly covered one of his ears during her invocation. Then Cleaver in his speech, Cleaver briefly out-yelled McFadden-Weaver. That is until McFadden-Weaver's lengthy benediction, which had the microphone reverbing the entire time. One elected official complained of a splitting headache, others openly rolled their eyes or shook their heads (during the prayer!!) and one Eastern Jackson Co. committeewoman afterward demanded that rally organizers never again ask McFadden-Weaver to give a prayer.

  Now that's unity!

Posted by DeAnn Smith   

Barney Frank: Liberalism is alive and kicking

   Another day, another well-known Democrat cruising through town during the August recess.

   Friday it was Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank here for Congressman Emanuel Cleaver.

   Four questions with the liberal maverick:

   Is liberalism dead?

   "If you go on the substantive issues, the liberal position is increasingly popular: the minimum wage, Social Security, ending the war. Democratic candidates for president got more votes than Republicans in three of the last four elections.

    "I think substantively liberalism is...coming back. It's still got some associations that are problematic."

    Is liberalism soft on defense?

   Nope. Frank said the Bush tax cuts make America soft on defense.

   "How does money in my pocket stop people from smuggling things in on ships? The fact is the war against terrorism cannot be waged with money in my own pocket. It can only be done if we do it collectively." That means hiring more workers to better safeguard the country.

  You're in your 13th term in the House. How would you reform Congress?

   "We would debate more. One thing that happened is the Republicans came to power with Newt Gingrich. And one of their platform planks is...nobody should want to be here for a minute. One thing they did is truncate the time we're in session.

   "We've now become a Tuesday-to-Thursday Congress. They use that as an excuse to truncate debate. An important amendment will get 20 minutes of debate, and I think the country suffers."

   Last month on the House floor you said the president is overreaching when it comes to using the powers of his office. What did you mean?

   "The American system has been...he is the single most influential person in a system of shared powers. That's not his view. His view essentially...is once you elect the president he's in charge. If you don't like what the president does, then four years later throw him out."

Posted by Steve Kraske

Harry Reid in KC: Bush "one of the worst" in history

   In Kansas City to help Claire McCaskill raise money, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid was less than charitable on the subject of George W. Bush.

   "We have a president who will go down as one of the worst in history," Reid said at the Cashew, the trendy hotspot at 20th and Grand.

   Other choice Reid-isms:

• "Connecticut was not a referendum on the war. It was a referendum on George Bush."
• The Democratic approach to Iraq -- redeploying troops around the Middle East, not pulling completely out of Iraq -- is catching on, Reid said. Bush's previous tactic of ripping Demos as soft on terror won't work again.

        "The president and Karl Rove cannot continue to use the same play every time. It's as if the Kansas City Chiefs have a play: They run up the middle and get a touchdown, they go 80 yards.

       "The next quarter, they run it again, and go 40 yards. They come back the next quarter, run it again, and get 5 yards. They come back and run it in the last quarter, they get nowhere."

•     On why terrorists haven't struck inside the U.S. since 2001: "We've been very fortunate. We know that the number of terrorists, as a result of what's going on in Iraq, they're more of them, and they're better equipped."

Posted by Steve Kraske

Poll shows Democratic president keeps U.S. safer

   There's good news and scary news for Democrats in the latest Hotline/Diageo survey out today.

   The good news concerns a poll question on terrorism, arguably the issue that kept John Kerry out of the White House in 2004.

   The survey asked this: "If a Democrat was president, would the U.S. be safer, or less safe, from terrorism than it is today?"

   The result: 29 percent said safer, 24 percent said less safe and 38 percent said things would be the same.

   Even though it's not much of an edge, the finding is noteworthy because the GOP has owned this issue since 2001.

   Now, the poll also asked the same question about a Democratic-controlled Congress.

   Just 23 percent said the country would be safer from terrorism while 29 percent said less safe and 38 percent said things would stay the same.

   For Democrats, who are eager to take over both houses of Congress, that's a concern.

   So is this: The poll asked voters how they would vote on a generic congressional ballot: Democratic or Republican. Among likely voters, the survey showed a 40-40 tie -- not the big Democratic advantage other surveys have trumpeted.

   Only among all voters (including a bunch who told the pollster they probably won't vote in November) did the result appear to favor the Ds with 40 percent favoring the Democrats and just 33 percent favoring Republicans.

   That suggests that there's a bunch of Democrats out there who probably won't vote this year despite all this Democratic anger we're hearing about.

   And that should keep Democrats awake at night.

Posted by Steve Kraske

Claire, the Rev. brunching their way to unity

    State Auditor Claire McCaskill and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver will headline Saturday morning's "unity rally" for the Jackson County Democratic Party.

   The Dynasty-like catfights during the Democratic primary for the Jackson County executive will be formally put behind the party at this breakfast, which incumbent Katheryn Shields, winner Mike Sanders and vanquished foe Charles Wheeler will attend. Other candidates up and down the ticket as well as party leaders will also be there.

  If you want to attend the event at 9:30 a.m. at the Ararat Temple in south Kansas City, call Lanna Ultican at (816) 228-9317. Tickets are $25 each and you have until 5 p.m. Thursday to make your reservation. Doors open at 9 a.m.

  Bon appetit!

Posted by DeAnn Smith  

A Gem of a night

A fascinating lesson in Kansas City politics was on full display at the Gem Theater for Thursday night's hearing called by Attorney General Jay Nixon on the future of the Black Archives of Mid-America Inc.

   A who's who of black politicos both elected and unelected were in attendance. If they have a Kansas City address and the title of Missouri senator or representative before their name, they were definitely there. Also fascinating was the many who briefly made an appearance and then left (We'll let others snitch, cough, City Manager, cough, Wayne Cauthen, who showed up late; Councilwoman Saundra McFadden-Weaver did have the handy excuse that she just got off a plane from Africa and raced from the airport to the hearing) and who showed up early and stayed until past the end (Outgoing State Rep. Sharon Sanders Brooks and mayoral candidate Alvin Brooks). Even more fascinating was those who did NOT turn out (more in a bit).

  Sanders Brooks unquestionably gave the most stirring speech of the night. It was Clinton-esque in how she simultaneously chastised black leaders for failing the archives and impassionately spoke of the archives' future.

   Sanders Brooks, who was one of the first speakers of the night, also starred in one of the night's more unintentionally comical moments. Speakers were limited to five minutes. So at the two-minute mark, the timer fellow from Nixon's office in the front row began giving Sanders Brooks the wrapup signal. A horrified Nixon on the stage conferred with a staffer at his elbow who then scurried to the timer's side to let him know in no uncertain terms, DO NOT time elected officials