Obama Should Go North To Alaska

Barack Obama and Howard Dean see eye-to-eye on what Democrats need in order to build the party's base all across America: a 50-state strategy. In other words, don't ignore two-thirds of the country as either "safe" states or "we'll never win" states, and instead make your case to people everywhere in America. Perhaps this won't flip "red" states for the presidential race, but it will benefit "down-ticket" Democrats struggling in states which are usually written off by the national party organization. This could bear fruit in many places this year, but I would like to suggest one previously "redder than red" state where an Obama visit could help Democratic candidates... and also conveniently back John McCain into an impossible corner. Obama needs to go north -- to Alaska.

Alaska, to the surprise of many pundits, is going to be very close this year. This stems from Republican office-holders apparently trying to take the "first in political corruption" award away from Louisiana. There are so many recent scandals involving Alaskan Republicans that it is almost impossible to keep track of them all. Bribery, corruption, graft -- apparently they were all par for the course for the GOP up north. Which is why Democrats even have a chance this year, because while most of these scandals didn't make the press down here in the "lower 48," they were splashed across the headlines in Alaska itself. And Alaskan voters have been paying attention.

The latest presidential poll from Alaska (from May 14) shows Obama behind McCain by eight points, 42 to 50. But this is already seven points higher than Kerry managed in 2004 (35 to Bush's 62) -- which in itself was a Democratic high-water mark in Alaska for the past four presidential election cycles. Meaning it is not completely out of the question for Obama to eke out a win there in November. Because (from the same poll) the Democratic challenger for Senator Ted Stevens' seat is actually running ahead of Stevens, 48 to 44. Mark Begich, mayor of Anchorage (home to something like 45 percent of the state's population), is making a solid run at one of the Senate's longest-serving incumbent members. Whether an Obama visit would help or hurt him this fall is an open question, but in my opinion it is worth the risk. Because it forces John McCain to spend money and time on a state he thought was solidly in his column.

Or maybe it wouldn't. Because the best part of Obama appearing at a rally for Begich is that Ted Stevens would be pretty hard for John McCain to support publicly. Stevens is the uncontested king of earmarks in the Senate (you may remember his "bridge to nowhere" from a few years ago -- especially the part where he stood up in the Senate and threatened to quit if his bridge to nowhere funds were redirected to Hurricane Katrina cleanup projects). And John McCain is apparently fantasizing about balancing the U.S. budget by getting rid of these pesky earmarks. So it would be inconsistent with McCain's current core campaign message ("earmarks are bad, mmm-kay?") for him to appear in support of the poster-boy for earmark abuse in the Senate.

As if that weren't a tough enough corner to paint McCain into, there is also the problem of Stevens' alleged corruption. The F.B.I. has already raided Senator Stevens' home and taken lots of photos and other evidence in an effort to make the case that Stevens received thousands of dollars of improvements to his house (they added a whole story to the structure), without having to pay for them. From an organization who has already been proven in court to have bribed just about every Republican in Alaska they could reach.

The scandal fun doesn't stop there, though, as Democrats also have a chance to unseat an 18-term Congressman in Alaska as well. Representative Don Young is also under investigation for alleged bribery and graft involving the same company implicated in the Stevens case. As well as facing a separate investigation concerning an earmark, amusingly enough. He faces a tough primary challenger, and then will likely face Democrat Ethan Berkowitz in the general election. And Berkowitz is already polling seven points ahead of Young.

Once again, one of McCain's core issues is ethics in government. So how can McCain actively support two candidates who just may be under federal indictment soon? It's a quandary for McCain -- the GOP may lose a House and a Senate seat, so it's a "battleground" state in the race for control of Congress, but McCain would have to go against two key "moral high ground" issues he has staked out (ethics and earmarks) in order to help out the Republican incumbents. Which would be risky for McCain to even attempt.

So McCain would have to decide whether to risk the rest of the country noticing that he's supporting the king of earmarks, who is possibly ensnared in his own corruption -- or just letting Obama campaign up north unopposed, and hoping that the state will stay in the Republican column this year.

Barack Obama may not win Alaska this year in the Electoral College, but after all the state does only have three votes there, meaning it may not ultimately matter much. But Obama could help gain one more Democratic seat in the Senate and one more in the House, which would definitely be worth the trip up north.

 

Chris Weigant blogs at: ChrisWeigant.com

 

Comments

[RumiSouth]

(apologies to Johnny Horton)

Obama left Iowa in the year of '08,
With Michelle, his partner, and brother, Malik the great.
They crossed the Yukon River and found the campaign gold.
Below that old white mountain just a little south-east of Nome.

He gave majestic oratory over valleys far below,
Introduced his team of helpers as he mushed on through the snow.
With the Democrats a-running wild in the land of the midnight day,
Yes, Obama was a mighty man in the year two-oh-oh-eight.

Where the scandal's unwinding,
House vote-gains they're finding.
North to Alaska,
They're goin' North, the rush is on.

Obama turned to John, electoral gold in his hand
Said McCain, you're a-lookin' like a lonely, lonely man
I'll turn all the discontent throughout this state
To three more votes in Congress and Electoral checkmate
'Cause America needs a president who hasn't lost his mind
Remember John, to corruption they're not blind
We want our soldiers to come right on home
Because this America and not an empire like Rome

Where the scandal's unwinding,
Senate-gains they're finding.
North to Alaska,
They're goin' North, the rush is on.

[majorteddy]

Obama , Hit 'em everywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[booksnmore4you]

Very interesting....

[zizyphus]

I lived in Alaska for eight years and remember hearing about Mark Begichʻs dad, Nick. He disappeared mysteriously (with Hale Boggs) in a plane wreck as he was running against Don Young for a House seat.

As for the Bridge to Nowhere, I heard from a friend up there that one of the legislatorʻs relatives owns the land at the base of the bridge.

There are a lot of libertarian type, independent, backwoods, Texans, Oklahomans, as a result of the oil industry. There is a good sized black community. I found the people up there to be warm and helpful. They are reasonable people, and I know if Obama goes up there and speaks with them, they will be convinced he is the best candidate.

If you want to see a sensational airport, visit the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage. It has the most lavishly insane art installations, granite and marble everywhere, looks like a palace. Poorly laid out, however.

[Chris Weigant - Huffpost Blogger]

zizyphus -

I find it hilarious that the sole House member from Alaska seems to be in competition with Ted Stevens on two fronts: (1) to be the biggest earmarker in Congress, and (2) to be the most thoroughly corrupt member of their respective houses.

See my response to inmyopinion, below. I'd love to hear what Alaskans are saying and thinking these days.

As for your take on Obama's chances, I have heard similar things in states Obama lost in the primaries, such as West Virginia. It's not just Iowa and New Hampshire that sometimes requires "retail" politics instead of "wholesale." Just visiting the state counts for an awful lot sometimes.

As for the Ted Stevens International Airport, I've also heard the subways of Moscow are fantastic -- crystal chandeliers and everything. Sometimes pork gets so out of control there's just too much money to spend and people go completely bonkers... but that doesn't equal competence...

Thanks for the northern report!

-CW

[daveny]

Hey, hey -- don't diss the Soviet-era subways of the former USSR and eastern bloc -- most of them are not only positively luxurious, but marvels of engineering and efficiency. The Moscow subway alone carries more passengers per day than any other system in the world -- outstripping even Tokyo, London, or NYC.

In other words... even Stalin spent money more wisely than Old Man Stevens!

[SaltySaltillo]

Hmmm... campaigning in the oil royalty welfare state for ... how many electoral votes?

[Chris Weigant - Huffpost Blogger]

SaltySaltillo -

I thought it was "America's experiment in socialism"?? Even "The Simpsons Movie" pointed out how Alaskan citizens get a fat check each and every year in payment for oil extracted. But most Americans in the other 49 states have never heard of this, so SHHHH!!!

Heh heh.

-CW

[Michale32086]

I have been meaning to research this. How accurate was The Simpsons Movie?? (never thought I would ask that!! :D)

"Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES are you to use this craft to travel back in time. As god as my witness, I never thought I would have to give such an order."
-General George Hammond

Anyways, I have always wanted to move to Alaska and, if this fat check is true, it might be the lever I need to convince the wife. :D

Michale.....

[altohone]

He should go just to see the state. It's beautiful.

Extra seats in Congress is a bonus.

[BigBen]

Let's not get carried away. The goal is to win the presidency not to have fun while losing

[BigBen]

By NEDRA PICKLER and PHILIP ELLIOTT, Associated Press Writers Mon Jun 16, 1:20 PM ET

Obama plans to win without Ohio and Florida.Is this the new 50 state strategy?

Plouffe in recent days has been making his pitch aggressively — part cheerleading, part sales job. Many of Clinton's supporters remain frustrated with how national Democrats resolved the issue of Michigan's delegates, agreeing to seat all of them at the nominating convention but penalizing them by half for violating the calendar, and Plouffe has tried to quell that frustration.

He wraps up the pitches by asking Democrats to imagine Obama taking the oath of office. On Friday at the Capitol City Brewery, about a block from where that would happen, Plouffe pointed toward the Capitol steps to reinforce the visual.

___

[Michale32086]

For the record, this little bit of twisting is being put forth by the Hillary DeadEnders..

To whit, the article stated that there are many roads to 270 (Electoral Votes) and some of those roads do bypass FL and OH..

So, while Obama has no plans to concede or ignore FL & OH, he IS making plans to win the election without them if it becomes necessary.

It's called CONTINGENCY PLANNING and, rather than be a strike AGAINST Obama (as the Hillary crowd is trying to make it) to me it shows a good deal of planning and foresight..

'Sides.. Obama beat Hillary, who was "unbeatable"... That surely says that he knows something about how to campaign effectively..

Michale.....

[Johnnn]

Nice catch on Alaska! It would be worth the trip for Obama just to boost the Democrat running for Stevens' Senate seat. As far as scandals go, you don't have to say a thing. It's already been said. Just emphasize change (Obama is good at that) and honesty.

[Michale32086]

The problem with raising scandals so gleefully against the GOP is that the Dem's hands are hardly as pure as the driven snow..

By going after the GOP's scandals, the Dems run the very real risk of emphasizing their OWN scandalous actions..

Scandal is a double edged sword that doesn't care who it cuts...

Michale.....

{crossposted to www.chrisweigant.com}

[Chris Weigant - Huffpost Blogger]

Michale -

Oh, I don't know about that. It worked out pretty well for the Democrats in 2006...

-CW

[inmyopinion]

Chris - good story, but one correction. Mark Begich is still mayor of Anchorage, and a very good mayor at that. Nonetheless, I'm glad you recognize that there are big changes going on up here, and it's not just about Dems versus Republicans; it seems way broader than that..
And to Michale - if you think the Alaska Dems are equally involved in the complex web of Corrupt Bastards Club scandals, you just aren't following the news up here. Unless you know the names Bill Allen, Rick Smith, Tom Anderson, Pete Kott, Vic Kohring, Bruce Weyhrauch, Jim Clark. .. need I go on?. . .I would respectfully suggest that you refrain from opining about the much-shifting state of Alaska politics.

[Michale32086]

Touche' :D

But seriously, I don't think it was "scandals" per se that caused the Dems to get their majority. It was one single issue. The Iraq war..

And look how well the Dems did in that arena, eh??

Of course, it could be correctly argued that it was the Iraq "scandal", so..... You got me there..

Michale.....