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Jr Senator 
Mon Oct 30, 2006 at 12:37:47 PM EST
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(From the diaries - promoted by matt)
Cross-posted on Pohlitics.
Through an anonymous tipster, I was able to obtain
some photos from Mike Bouchard's campaign scrapbook.
Enjoy!
The Super Sheriff and The Decider: together at last.
"George... you complete me."
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Sun Oct 29, 2006 at 14:49:00 PM EST
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NOTE: I'm posting this on behalf of my old friend, Peter Eckstein. For those of you who don't know Peter, he's a retired research director for the AFL-CIO, holds a PhD in Economics from Harvard, and gave some very-well received remarks earlier this year at a legislative hearing on the Ten Commandments (read them here).
When Michael Bouchard filed a financial statement as part of his candidacy for the US Senate, it revealed a glaring fact. Not only had he received some $127,000 in 2005 from Oakland County for serving as its full-time sheriff, but he also received an additional 50%--a whopping $60,000--from the Jackson National Life Insurance Company of Lansing.
Challenged by Keith Butler in their primary debate, Bouchard claimed that he was “hired by the policyholders as their watchdog because of my business background, because of my law enforcement background.” He failed to remind his audience, however, that his business experience was confined to owning a small private detective agency, a small risk-management firm, and a yogurt shop.
(More below the fold...)
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Wed Oct 25, 2006 at 11:53:25 AM EDT
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UPDATE by Matt: More sunshine polling news. This new Lake Research Partners poll shows Sen. Stabenow up by 18!
The blogfather-in-chief himself says we may be witnessing (in Amway Guy) "the most spectacular collapse of a candidate this cycle!"
Read Kos' post here.
As if you needed any reminder: this does in no way mean you can now sluff off. Remember who we're dealing with. Remember how much MONEY they have.
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Tue Oct 24, 2006 at 13:41:20 PM EDT
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(bumping for the links to the official Rasmussen release - promoted by wizardkitten)
UPDATE 2: Rasmussen Gov poll breakdown. Also this just in - Stabenow 55 - Bouchard 39. Senate poll breakdown.
UPDATE by Matt: Thanks to Francishsu, we have slightly more info from RealClearPolitics.com. Note that they show it as 53-42. Apparently, that's without factoring in leaners.
Hat tip to michmark for the keen eye. Pollster.com (look in the "Most Recent Polls" ticker) shows Governor Granholm with an 11-point Rasmussen lead. Presumably the full poll will be released soon. The last Rasmussen showed the Governor with a 7-point lead.
No doubt about it. The momentum is still going strong. But there's no time to rest. Don't forget who we're dealing with. And there'll be plenty of time for sleep two weeks from today!
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Mon Oct 23, 2006 at 14:52:12 PM EDT
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(More details added... - promoted by matt)
Update: Details as per Freep: 5:35 p.m. Thursday at the Mabry Banquet and Convention Center, 23397 Mound Road in Warren.
...because he's oh-so-popular in our state right now. From the AP:
President Bush will stop in Michigan this week to help raise money for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Bouchard, the White House has confirmed.
Bush will visit Warren on Bouchard's behalf Thursday. The president will headline a $1,000-per-person fundraiser, according to an invitation obtained by the Associated Press.
The president also had a fundraiser for Bouchard in Michigan last month, raising more than $1 million.
C'mon Amway Guy! George is your buddy! You said at the last debate that you like being compared to the President of the United States. Go give him a hug! I'll bring the camera.
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Thu Oct 19, 2006 at 14:16:42 PM EDT
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Cross-posted on Pohlitics.
For those who don't remember, Zogby uses the
highly-questionable online polling method to gather its
data, so take these with the appropriate grain
of salt:
MI-GOV
Granholm: 51%
DeVos: 44%
MI-SEN
Stabenow: 48%
Bouchard: 44%
Looking at the trends from other polling firms, Zogby's
numbers on the gubernatorial race seem to be on par
with what everyone else has been putting out.
On the other hand, the Senate race poll numbers just
look nuts to me (and no, that's not because I'm
biased). Every other pollster has consistently had huge
margins for Stabenow. However, looking at only
Zogby's numbers for a moment, we can see that he's been
showing a much smaller 6% gap since July:
Sept 28 Stabenow (D) 48.8%, Bouchard (R) 42.3%
Sept 11 Stabenow (D) 49.5%, Bouchard (R) 43.7%
July 24 Stabenow (D) 48%, Bouchard (R) 42%
Is it conceivable that Granholm has a bigger lead over
DeVos than Stabenow does over Bouchard? I suppose it's
not out of the realm of possibility, but I just don't
buy it. Especially now that the NRSC is pulling its resources out of
Ohio – their supposed "firewall" state
– it just seems like the well will run dry
for Mike before election day.
All of that aside, it'll be interesting to keep an eye
on the numbers other pollsters give us on these races
between now and election day.
There's only 19 days to daylight...
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Thu Oct 19, 2006 at 13:29:56 PM EDT
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(Both debates now available online here - promoted by lpackard)
(Check back soon for my famous post-debate analysis...but until then, be sure you check out the debacle that was Question #5)
Today, at the Detroit Economic Club, I was honored to see Michigan's very own Senator Debbie Stabenow sock it to Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard in their 2nd debate. A lot of people, mostly Metro-Detroit's power business elite, paid a pretty penny to see a prize fight, and Debbie didn't disappoint.
Today's event was held at the Detroit Mariott in the Renaissance Center right on Jefferson Avenue. The event was sold out, and the house was packed. I sat down at a table of 'friendlies' but had my BS meter quickly go off, as I discovered that no other than State Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis sitting directly behind me. If that wasn't enough, apparently Saul brought his All-Star line-up, including Attorney General Mike Cox a.k.a Mickey Wandering Eyes (and Hands). Amway Guy was noticably absent, hmm, perhaps he was off buying new glasses somewhere?
Supporting Debbie were her husband Tom, Anne - her mom, Rep. Sander Levin, Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, State Sen. Dennis Olshove, and assorted others. It was a good showing by Michigan Dems.
The debate was moderated by WJR's Lloyd Jackson. Questions were taken from the crowd present there and asked by a panel of journalists.
Mikey Bouchard won the coin-toss and started his off his opening in traditional fashion, Republican gloom, doom and scare tactics...here's some the unofficial transcription from your very own roving correspondent...
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Tue Oct 17, 2006 at 23:33:10 PM EDT
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Follow and comment on the live-blog as it happens on my blog, Liberal, Loud and Proud
Hmm, how many times can you attend the Detroit Economic Club before they give you an honorary membership? Not sure, but I'm gonna test it out. Back for my 3rd visit in less than 2 months, I'll be live-blogging for only the second time. The Detroit Economic Club is hosting their Senatorial Debate featuring Sen. Debbie Stabenow and her challenger, Mike Bouchard.
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Sun Oct 15, 2006 at 23:50:41 PM EDT
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(Check out the full analysis on my blog Liberal, Loud, and Proud)
After the live-blogging (thanks to everyone who's stopped by!) I've had a chance to sit back, digest, read what I wrote, think about it and get to work. So let's look back at my predictions...
1) She's gonna knock him on experience, and she should.
Yes, but not so much. Mikey did serve in the Michigan Senate, but his tenure wasn't much to brag about.
2) He's gonna knock on her for her latest votes on the so-called Torture Ban. I'm hoping she can come back strong from it.
Didn't happen, at all, no mention - at first I got excited, but then realized he would have voted the exact same way. Darn.
3) She's gonna kick butt...and he'll make a noble effort, but she's still gonna kick butt.
Yes, yes and yes.
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Sun Oct 15, 2006 at 19:30:48 PM EDT
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Following on the success of my live-blogging from the Detroit Economic Club of the gubernatorial race last Thursday, I'll be covering the Senatorial debate at my blog - Liberal, Loud and Proud. Hope you'll stop by and check it out, agree/disagree and help inform all of those who aren't able to watch it.
It should be an interesting one!
~LL
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Thu Oct 12, 2006 at 10:37:49 AM EDT
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( - promoted by lpackard)
2nd Update: Check out the post-debate wrap-up by LiberalLucy.
UPDATE: Check out the liveblogging by LiberalLucy, at her new blog here, and by Christine Barry, here.
The first televised Senate debate will be on Sunday night at 8pm on PBS stations across Michigan. We're hosting a special debate-watching party for bloggers, at our headquarters in East Lansing - and you're invited. Hope to see you there.
Want more info? RSVP to me by email or call me at 517-336-8500.
If you can't make it to East Lansing, there are many other debate-watching parties going on. Check out our ever-growing list.
Note: I am the Internet Communications Director for the Stabenow campaign.
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Fri Oct 06, 2006 at 19:01:18 PM EDT
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At a 17-point deficit, Mike Bouchard apparently gets a pass on having to march in lock step with all of his would-be Republican House colleagues:
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mike Bouchard said Friday that it's not enough to have a bipartisan House ethics panel look into alleged improper conduct between a lawmaker and current and former pages and who may have known about it.
The Oakland County sheriff says an independent investigation needs to be done, and it needs to go further than just looking into possible criminal behavior by former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla.
"The investigation must be taken out of the hands of politicians and put into the hands of trained investigators," Bouchard said in a statement.
It's a smart move by Bouchard - and I actually agree with him. Won't matter, though.
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Thu Oct 05, 2006 at 10:54:34 AM EDT
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UPDATE by Matt: Forgot to mention - the last Rasmussen poll showed the Governor losing by two. That's quite a remarkable shift! (Thanks to Eric B. for reminding me)
The first post-debate poll (subscription only at this point, will probably go public later), courtesy of pollster.com:
MI-Gov Rasmussen
49% Granholm-D*
42% DeVos-R
MI-Sen Rasmussen
56% Stabenow-D*
39%
Bouchard-R
BTW, Rasmussen is a Republican firm - though is generally pretty well regarded for accuracy (Kos likes them).
Nice numbers, but there's no time to rest. Much work still to be done. Onward and upward!
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Sat Sep 30, 2006 at 20:38:06 PM EDT
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(I'm disappointed as can be at Stabenow's vote. However, JTCaldwell makes some good points about deciding how to cast your vote for Senator in November. - promoted by Cordelia Lear)
I am as disgusted with Stabenow for her vote on the “Torture“ bill as anyone, and I also do not understand her ads where there is no mention of her affiliation with the Democratic party. But Democrats need her seat in the Senate.
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Sat Sep 30, 2006 at 17:23:28 PM EDT
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Karl Rove, who has been called "Bush's brain," will someday call it a career. But, according to an article by Newsweek's Richard Wolffe, there are other consultants out there who are ready and willing to carry on Rove's squalid, low-ball brand of politics. One member of the Rove junior varsity is working for Mike Bouchard's Senate campaign. His name is Scott Howell.
You've probably seen Howell's handiwork on television. He's the creator of the "boyfriend" ad in which Bouchard plops himself on the couch between his daughter and her bewildered date. (To give credit where credit is due, the ad was funny and so was Bouchard's primary-night comment that "no boyfriends were harmed in the filming of the ad.")
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Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 15:14:28 PM EDT
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From the get-go, my intent with starting Michlib was simple: to create a DailyKos for Michigan - something which, two years ago, did not exist. So it was a great day yesterday when I finally got to meet Kos himself - the grand inspiration behind all of this. He's every bit as nice, down-to-earth, and knowledgeable in person as I had imagined him to be.
Whogotthegravy has a good rundown of what transpired. I did attempt to record Kos's talk at Shaman Drum bookstore. Unfortunately, the battery in my mic preamp was on the wane, so it recorded at an extremely low level. You can listen here if you want, but it sounds like Kos is standing in the middle of a massive lake effect snow storm. Spare me your complaints, please.
Anyway, I did make a point of asking Markos his thoughts on our current U.S. Senate race and race for governor here in Michigan. He had some very useful things to say and I've included the transcription below the fold...
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Fri Sep 29, 2006 at 13:25:33 PM EDT
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Today's Washington Times features the Senate race today, and why, you'd think it was close:
The fever among voters to throw incumbents out of office -- furiously stoked by Democrats in Washington -- might backfire in this state, where Republicans are riding a surge of voter discontent.
As may be expected, the article is a showpiece for Bouchard and Republican talking points. It's not 'til the end that we get the punchline. Of course, Sen. Stabenow is up... by ten points.
So what makes that difference?
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Fri Sep 22, 2006 at 11:11:56 AM EDT
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(See the AP story here) Coming Monday to Michigan's furniture capital - Dick Cheney!!! I see on the schedule below that Mr. Cheney will - in addition to using our Michigan National Guard Troops as political props - be doing a fundraiser for Republican U.S. Senate candidate and burning garbage truck "hero" Mike Bouchard. Hmm...wonder where the Amway Guy will be in all of this? Will we see the two Dicks together? Considering the Amway Guy lives just outside Grand Rapids it sure wouldn't be much of a drive for him. But my guess is, unfortunately, no.
More details? Here you go...
PRESS SCHEDULE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT FOR SEPTEMBER 25, 2006
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2006
3:05 P.M. (Eastern) The Vice President arrives Gerald R. Ford International Airport-FBO
Location: Fed Ex Processing Center
6450 Air Cargo Drive
Grand Rapids, MI 49512
OPEN PRESS
(More below the fold...)
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Wed Sep 20, 2006 at 10:59:06 AM EDT
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It's that time again, when the polls start coming out faster than you can read them. But here's a quick recap of recent polls, both conducted from the 15th to the 17th, with only a bit of commentary:
Strategic Vision (R), 1200 Likely voters - phone (w/ trendlines)
Granholm: 47 (48)
DeVos: 46 (43)
Stabenow: 51 (49)
Bouchard: 44 (42)
I don't like any of the strategic vision polls because they don't ask their questions in the right order. First they ask job approval, then they ask about a series of issues (and then the vote questions): 11. Would you like to see the United States Supreme Court overturn the Roe v. Wade decision that makes abortions legal in the United States?
12. Do you expect another terrorist attack within the United States in the next six months?
13. Do you favor granting amnesty to illegal immigrants currently in the United States?
14. Do you favor building a wall along the southern border of the United States to prevent illegal immigration?
15. Do you favor immediate withdrawal of all United States armed forces from Iraq within six months?
Seem slanted? When they start asking their candidate questions first, I might start trusting them.
SurveyUSA, 749 likely voters - IVR (w/ trendlines)
Granholm: 47 (47)
DeVos: 47 (47)
Stabenow: 54 (51)
Bouchard: 41 (42)
Cox: 49
Williams: 41
Prop 2 (MCRI)
Yes: 13
No: 13
Undecided: 14
Unfamliiar: 60
It's amazing so few people have heard about MCRI, this one is going to come down to how people feel when they see it in the booth, wording and placement are everything.
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Sun Sep 17, 2006 at 16:16:17 PM EDT
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(Cross-posted from Arblogger)
 Six female Democratic U.S. senators showed up at the 12:30 (more like 1) rally on the UM-Ann Arbor "Diag" today; I didn't see all of it, since a UM film society was showing Steven Spielberg's little-seen 1968 first film, "Amblin'" (as in "Amblin Entertainment"...) at 1, but it was only a 26-minute film, hippies, hitchhiking and all. --So I went back outside and saw a number of Senators etc. speak. There was no groundbreaking news: the Democrats said to...support the Democrats in November. Senator Debbie Stabenow, as "keynote speaker", struck some nice notes, though, including not letting America slip back under the Republicans to lower wages or other ugly stuff on the false theory that we can only compete with other countries if we get rid of decent wages, health care, etc. for our own workers, in a "race to the bottom". I photographed Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana (an old favorite of mine, see my letter in the London Guardian recommending Kerry choose her for a running mate), though she appears rather small in the photo above. (Didn't photo Stabenow since the banners note it's her rally anyway...) After the event, I got to thank Landrieu for her efforts re Katrina, and asked if she could do something to make sure that, in that humanitarian vein, Louisiana could make sure to divest from Sudan. (By the way, there is a huge international "Darfur Day of Action" today.) She looked thoughtful and said that she would do something about it, since there were terrible things going on in Darfur. --Thank you Senator! Never say that politics isn't worthwhile... (Update: I believe Senator Landrieu also mentioned divestment re apartheid in South Africa, showing that she recognizes the history of divestment as a valid tool for saving lives... Thanks again Senator!)
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