Joel Connelly has finally admitted to consorting with known terrorists. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer columnist writes today that, along with his late dog, S'Murphy Brown, he made a cup of tea and a toasted bagel for Weatherman Bill Ayers, the 1960s anti-Vietnam War radical who targeted the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol in a series of bombings. GOP operatives have been trying desperately to link Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama to Ayers — the two are not close, but have met several times over the years and served on a charitable board together — in an effort to curb Obama's sizable lead in the polls and turn the focus of the campaign away from the economy. So far, the plan hasn't been a success. Connelly, meanwhile, is ashamed:
Still, my life is stained by that pot of tea. S'Murphy Brown is no longer with us, but I half-expect to hear some mouth on Fox News describe her as a "notorious terrorist bitch."Storm's a-comin': Seattle Times columnist Danny Westneat heads to the suburbs of Issaquah and discovers "Gov. Chris Gregoire's worst nightmare," Obama-Rossi voters. ...
Rain on her parade: Eric Earling at Sound Politics says Democratic Gov. Chris Gregoire is stretching the truth in her ads by claiming Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi supports lowering the minimum wage. Earling says the Rossi sound bite was taken out of context, as he was asked about a training wage for employees under 18. ...
Cold front: Jeff Mapes at The Oregonian has a fascinating interview with Craig Robinson, the Oregon State University basketball coach who also happens to be Michelle Obama's brother. Robinson talks about the first time he met Obama, when he reportedly asked, "So what are you going to be doing with my sister?" ...
Warm front: Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden will be in town Oct. 19 for a $1,000 per person reception at the Seattle Sheraton. If you want to attend the evening's dinner event, however, you'll have to fork over $10,000 to the Obama Victory Fund. ...
Mixed system: The editorial board at The Seattle Times is recommending voters reject Initiative 1029, a proposal that would require extra training and state licensing for long-term-care workers, saying it's a specialized and complex issue better suited for the Legislature. The paper has also rolled out its recommendation to approve King County Charter Amendment 8, a measure that would make county offices nonpartisan. ...
Slippery when wet: Idaho Gov. Butch Otter has a new idea for funding road repairs: taxing drivers for the number of miles they drive each year. ...
Evaporation: Seattle P-I political reporter Chris McGann reports Gov. Chris Gregoire could cut the state's projected $3.2 billion deficit in half if she spent the current budget surplus and the $442 million currently stored in the state's "rainy day" fund. ...
