Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Amanda Coyne's Audition to Be Joe Miller's Press Secretary? - Updated

I have immense respect for Amanda Coyne. She's been more than fair to me in her writing. The last time she was over at our house, I defended her as she sought to be able to write a great story, but then honored one of the other guest's request for Amanda not to write an article I could see the latter was itching to create.

I've been critical of the direction the Alaska Dispatch appears to be taking on a few occasions. Watching their coverage of Joe Miller's campaign is fascinating. I've actually had friends in the know check to see what relations there might be between the billionaire Koch Brothers who made the vital difference in Miller's primary campaign, and David Rubinstein, the founder of the Carlyle Group and spouse of Alice Rogoff, the publisher and sugar mommy who subsidizes the Alaska Dispatch. They came up with nothing. But Coyne's and her husband Tony Hopfinger's Dispatch wouldn't exist without the largesse of the billionaire Rubinsteins, just as Joe Miller would be road kill without the largesse of the billionaire Kochs.

Amanda and Tony appear almost weekly on Dan Fagan's KFQD AM talk radio program. Today they were hosted by Dan for an extended look at the state of politics in Alaska and elsewhere, in light of yesterday's primaries down below, and the questions still remaining about who might be running against whom here in November.

During hour two of Fagan's program, Joe Miller and Lisa Murkowski were discussed much of the time. Although many disparaging words were made by Amanda, Tony and Dan about Sen. Murkowski (about most of which I agreed), Joe Miller, was fluffed and fluffed. And fluffed even more.

There are so many important questions about Miller that remain unasked by the Dispatch. None were asked on KFQD today.

I dare Amanda to sit down with Joe and ask him these:

1). Are you a Young Earth creationist, or a different breed?

2). Do you believe that the story of creation in Genesis is factually true?

3). At the Alaska State Fair, on September 4th, Phil Munger claims you stated you are a disabled Veteran. Is that the case? If so, what is your disability for? If so, has that disability assisted you in gaining past employment or benefits outside your VA disability itself?

4). May I see your DD 214?

5). Could you be quite specific abut how our relation ship with the Federal Government in regard to lands is a violation of the Federal Constitution or the Alaksa Constitution?

6). Why did you claim that your citation for an accident last month in Fairbanks may have been related to your political activities?


You can download hour two of Fagan's September 15th program with Amanda and Tony here.

Amanda will not ask any hardball questions of Joe the Teabagger. She may be auditioning for a job on his staff.

So far, she's definitely on the short list.

Updated: Andrew Halcro is showing the ability to reach deep into some of the questions about Miller's qualifications that Coyne and the Dispatch should be asking, but won't. Yes, I know Andrew is enamored with Murkowski, but what he writes about Miller is true. And Halcro is critical of the Miller's hypocritical changes in stances since his primary victory:

Gone is the fiery primary rhetoric of immediately slashing federal funds to avert a sovereign debt crisis and he's replaced it with such qualifiers as easing off federal support when the Feds give us back our lands.

So how long until that happens? Meanwhile what happens to averting that sovereign debt crisis he made so much about during his fear mongering primary campaign?

The fact is, the serious problems America faces are not going to be solved by Joe Miller and his backwoods country supporters.

They are not going to be solved with people wearing NOBAMA tee shirts at a patriots rally or by machine gun toting gorillas at family events.

No. The problems that America faces are going to be solved by the rational voices of moderation and compromise; that immediately excludes Mr. Miller.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm thinking it readily obvious that Mr Miller should be cited for running a campaign under-the-influence of $$.
When the Tea Party Express dollars were in his system he spouted off every which way, now that mainstream Republican dollars fill his cup he's morphed into a merely-conservative values chap.
I have been confused by the Dispatch/Coyne coverage of Mr Miller so far... will be watching/listening differently now.
alaskapi

Philip Munger said...

alaskapi,

At first I was not sure what the Dispatch was about on the Senate race. Listening to Coyne and Hopfinger on Fagan's show yesterday, I was shocked at how one-sided their presentation of how Miller has gotten to where he now is was.

I'm sure Amanda is capable of redeeming her credibility as a journalist. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen.

Anonymous said...

Philip,

When you write, "Joe Miller would be road kill without the largesse of the billionaire Kochs." could you elaborate?

Thanks,
Dan Fagan

Philip Munger said...

Sure, Dan.

Joe won by about 2,000 votes. The Tea Party Express and the Koch contributions spent a lot to topple Lisa. This allowed the Miller campaign more maneuverability to shift their funds away from areas already covered by the anti-Lisa 527 infusion. That was the primary critical ingredient to Miller's victory.

I suppose the second critical ingredient was Murkowski's inaction and hubris.

What do you think? Didn't the 527 money have as much impact as I suspect?