This and That stuff

Just some stuff found in random searches. Not enough for a thread on there on, but interesting little things anyway.

SEN. KERRY ISSUES STATEMENT REGARDING REP. EVANS RETIREMENT FROM UNITED STATES CONGRESS


03/28/2006

WASHINGTON, March 28 -- The office of Sen. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., issued the following press release:

Below is a statement by Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) on the announcement of Rep. Lane Evans (D-Ill.) not to seek reelection due to his battle with Parkinson's disease:

"Lane Evans battled great physical challenge to continue serving the constituents and the veterans who meant the world to him, and we should all salute his courage and conviction as he continues to wage his fight against Parkinson's disease. Service to country has been a way of life for this man who served his country nobly during the Vietnam War and then devoted his life to protecting the rights of his fellow veterans. Whether he was working to compensate the victims of Agent Orange, defending against cuts to veterans' healthcare or fighting for increased benefits for military families, Lane has been a champion for all who wear the uniform of our country. Now Lane continues in a different kind of battle, one I know he fights with the same grace and courage he's shown in the Marine Corps and in the United States Congress. Teresa and I will be thinking of Lane during this difficult time."

Good article: Not much snark, instead they concentrate on what to do next time in Ohio to get more Dem votes.

Herding Democrats in Southeast Ohio
They're there. Chris Redfern thinks he can find them
By Steve Hoffman, Beacon Journal editorial writer
One of the most fascinating anecdotes I heard about the 2004 presidential race in Ohio came from a Summit County government employee with a long background working on political campaigns. The employee, a Democrat, happened to be driving through Southeast Ohio just before Election Day.

Because of the hilly terrain, each small town has its own radio station. As she clicked from one station to the next, this political pro's ears were tuned not to the news, sports and weather, but to the political ads. In each town, she said, the messages seemed to be microtargeted to the Bush campaign's advantage, whether it was guns, God or gays.

The strategy, assisted by a get-out-the-vote drive that reached into the countryside, helped George W. Bush beat John Kerry in Ohio, giving the Republican president the electoral votes he needed for a second term.

The story came to mind during Chris Redfern's recent speech to the Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics at the University of Akron. The institute stresses the nuts and bolts of political organization, and that was the crux of the new Ohio Democratic Party chairman's remarks. Bliss, who chaired the Summit County, Ohio and national Republican parties, was said to have counted bathrooms at convention halls before booking.

more at.... http://www.ohio.com/mld/beaconjournal/14220788.htm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/29/AR2006032900885.html

Outfitter of Rock Legends, Regular Joes
Guitar Lover Has Turned a Cluttered Shop Into a Washington Institution

By Allan Lengel
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 30, 2006; Page VA09

When the rock band Crosby, Stills and Nash came to Washington for a White House gig celebrating President Clinton's birthday in 1994, they had one small problem: Their guitars had not arrived.

They solved that crisis by running up 28 worn, wooden steps to the Guitar Shop on Connecticut Avenue in downtown Washington, where they'd shopped before. Owner Stephen Spellman, a longtime friend, lent them three acoustic-electric guitars, and the trio invited him along to play on the White House lawn.

"I had a great time," despite a gentle scolding over protocol by Clinton's chief of staff, Spellman recalled.

SNIP

Over the years, students have included Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), who has bought guitars and accessories at the shop. "I love the Guitar Shop. I love poking around there," Kerry said.

Spellman returned the compliment, saying, "John Kerry is a fine classical guitarist who studied here before he decided to be president."

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Gee, that's nice.