Anti-abortion D.A. loses big in Kansas primary contest

[Robbien]

Source: McClatchy

Steve Howe defeated incumbent Phill Kline Tuesday night for the Republican nomination for district attorney in Johnson County, Kansas.

Howe collected 60 percent of the vote to Kline's 40 percent, according to complete but unofficial returns. He'll face Democrat Rick Guinn in November.

Kline made his reputation seeking to prosecute abortion providers in Kansas as the state's attorney general. He lost his bid for re-election in 2006 after the Kansas Supreme Court overturned his subpoenas for abortion records.

The Republican Party then appointed him to finish out a term as district attorney in Johnson County, a well-off Kansas City suburb, where he sought to prosecute the local office of Planned Parenthood.

Howe campaigned as pro-life, but he stressed during his campaign that routine law and order issues, not abortion, would be the centerpiece of his tenure, were he to be elected.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/46556.html

[beyurslf]

1. Kline is crazy and will certainly be back for more in politics.

He keeps the wing nut base all riled up all the time.

[ElectricGrid]

3. get a clue

you know nothing about kansas politics

[Robbien]

5. Your posting style

leaves much to be desired

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

6. With what part of that statement

above do you disagree?

And what makes you think that poster "knows nothing about Kansas politics?"

I am curious how much you know about Kansas politics, especially Kansas GOP politics.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. I know a lot about Kansas politics

and I agree Phill is not gone.

[leftyladyfrommo]

23. I agree with you. Phil Kline just keeps coming back .

Its kind of like all of those militant right wingers in Kansas - they just keep comning back in one form or another.

Weren't you glad to see Kline get beaten by so much? I really expected that would happen but its nice to see that most Kansas people really don't care much for the guy.

[donco6]

18. I was raised there, and Beyurslf is right.

Do you have something to offer?

[Mabus]

21. Having been involved with Kansas politics since 1979

until last year when I moved to Maryland, I can say, without a doubt, that beyurslf hit the nail on the head. Double L Phill's whole life revolves around two things: running for office and the adoration of the wingnut fundamentalists.

[beyurslf]

31. I have lived in KS and been a die hard liberal all of my life.

The KS R's always go in cycles with the moderates fighting the crazies. The crazies hated Graves and took over the party in the 90's. Kline personifies the crazy base and they love him. Their internal battle is not over. Kline is not done. He may well have trouble winning elections or even primaries, but he is not going away. And honestly, as long as he out there crusading for their righteous cause, it makes our job easier. I would rather he be the R nominee in 2010 for Gov than SOS Thornburg who appeals to the moderates and will be tough to beat.

So, in conclusion, you get a clue or post your thoughts as to why I am so far off the mark.

[Judi Lynn]

15. His life would have even less meaning without the hope he could fool people into electing him!

Welcome to D.U.

[Mabus]

20. You're right. Good ole Double "L" will be back

he doesn't know what else to do and for some reason that wingnut base loves him.

[MuseRider]

2. Sometimes good things

happen even here in Kansas. I was thrilled to see him get his ass kicked.

[ElectricGrid]

4. kansas has been a leader on many politcal trends....

see this article. kansas has been sold short alot lately.

http://blogs.wsj.com/politicalperceptions/2008/08/05/wh...

[MuseRider]

11. I really think we deserve

the rep we have had lately. That does not mean we have not done good things and that we are always going to be so solidly red. It is changing here.

Pssst. I would never sell Kansas short, I love her. Welcome to DU and if you are a Kansan as well then welcome fellow Jayhawker.

[donco6]

19. I agree MuseRider.

I've seen a lot of movement there recently. It's been fun to watch.

[MuseRider]

28. If it were not so frustrating

I would say it was fun to be a part of. Slowly we go in fits and starts but eventually I think we will at least get closer to making things even. Even would be a good thing for Kansas.

[Warpy]

7. I've noticed Kansas waking up for some time now

It seems familiarity with these "pro life" lunatics in action has bred a great deal of contempt there and Kline is just the latest of many to get booted squarely in the ass and launched toward the unemployment line.

Sense is breaking out all over but it's really apparent in Kansas.

[MuseRider]

8. We are trying very hard here.

It is partly because they got so extreme that even their own party started to fracture away and partly it is because we have worked very hard for this. For my part I have to say we have done very well on equality work, very well and many times it is because of the moderate Republicans. It looks like we got rid of one Democrat that constantly voted very RW, consulted with his priest before each vote . We still have a long way to go. You are exactly right, we have seen how bad it can get and frankly most Republican citizens here recognize that it is not a good thing to be so extreme.

[Mabus]

25. There's another way to look at all of this

I love Kansas. I'm proud to be from Kansas and can't wait to move back. Kansas is a much more interesting state politically than people most realize. It was just a few generations ago that Kansas was suddenly populated by immigrants from the east coast, the south and Europe. There are still a number of towns whose populations are primarily Mennonite or Catholic. There are still German, Swedish and Czech towns. Mix in the American Indian communities that lived in the area, the ones that were relocated and then early immigrants from Mexico/Central America and you've got quite a mishmash of political and social interests.

Not to mention that we had more than our share of bloody battles over everything from what cattle were allowed to be driven through the state to pre-Civil War skirmishes, some involving John Brown. Yep, there was that compromise that said Kansas would be a free state and Missouri a slave one (which brings up a other story about the origins of our states' sports rivalry and the lingering bad feelings that Kansans and Missourians have toward each other). These political battles manifested themselves in a lot forms over the years from Carrie Nation's hatchet attacks on alcohol to the SCOTUS case of Brown v. The Topeka Board of Education.

I lived in Lawrence most of my life. The first house my family built in that town was in an integrated neighborhood directly north of the University of Kansas. My grandfather's older brother's playmate was a kid named Langston Hughes who lived across the street with his grandmother. It is an even more racially mixed neighborhood today.

On top of the multi-ethnicity of the state, there was also a wide diversity of business interests that are represented. From farmers and ranchers to the airplane industry, Kansas has quite a variety of industries within her borders. We've also got the infamous USP Leavenworth, Ft. Leavenworth military prison and the Big Red One out of Ft. Riley.

Amelia Earhardt was a Kansan. Chrysler was a Kansan. Lou Montulli (who wrote code for a lot of the software we use on the internet today) was a Kansan. What can I say? We're an adventuresome and inventive people. Iconic American actors are from Kansas, from Easy Rider's Dennis Hopper to Beaver Cleaver's dad, Hugh Beaumont. We're a complicated state.

And why was Kansas a hot bed for Operation Rescue? It was because Kansas' abortion law is written such that it allows for late-term abortions. Although Kansas restricts abortions after 22 weeks it also provides for exceptions based on the health of the mother. As a result, Dr. Tiller, in Wichita, was one of the few doctors who would perform late-term abortions and Kansas became a magnet for protesters in the 90's. In other words, Kansas became known for anti-abortion protesters because our law was more liberally construed than other parts of the country. We were hit with protests because we were liberal. We were progressive in our thinking rather than having the regressive thinking that people have associated with us.

I guess what I'm trying say is, there has been a lot of negative attention given to Kansas without the opposite perspective. Our battles have been defined by the media through the eyes of the GOP. Because they struck first they were allowed to determine the frame that the press would use. They were the ones who issued the press releases, they were the ones who courted the press and they were the ones that gave our state a bad impression in the minds of others. No, Kansas wasn't cast as a state that had liberal abortion laws. Instead we were viewed as a place where those wackos protest which led to the conclusion by many elsewhere that Kansas was full of backward thinking hicks.

[MuseRider]

29. Brava!

I am bookmarking this thread for your post. Miss you!

[CadenBlaker]

9. Woohoo!

As a Kansan, I can honestly say, I hated Phil Kline and I hope he fades away eventually.

[Fovea]

10. Like a dipper of cool water

on a hot, dusty day.

[MuseRider]

12. :)

Well said!

[Judi Lynn]

14. Seeing Kline's yard signs was enough to make me ill. We haven't seen the last of him, unfortunately.

He's just trying to fool people by implying he's hanging it up.

If he EVER thinks he stands a shadow of a chance to win at ANYTHING, he'll be back, pushing, shoving, kicking, scratching, biting, backstabbing, and scraping the sub bottom of the barrel for ways to endanger laws protecting women, minorities, etc.

He's quitting politics? KANSAS quit Kline! And look how long it took to blast him outta here, once his ugly little troll Nazi friends dug in and got him wedged into Kansas government. He's been flapping around the periphery for years and years, begging for a way to get in and start doing some damage. Only circumstance alone, a fluke, like an eclipse, in the _Bush Dark Ages provided a way for his wild-eyed, drooling supporters to thrust him into place.



Won't have Phill Kline to kick around any longer, if you're lucky!

[Judi Lynn]

16. Something I just discovered which would be of interest to people from Johnson County:

This guy has been around forever. Who doesn't know who he is?



Robert Meneilly

December 18, 2006
Meneilly to switch parties

The list of Kansas Republicans bailing out of the GOP and going Democratic is growing.

Today, Dr. Bob Meneilly, pastor emeritus of Village Presbyterian Church and chairman emeritus of the moderate Mainstream Coalition, said he was joining their ranks.

Meineilly said he had been contemplating a switch for several years. Last week's election of Phill Kline as Johnson County D.A. pushed him over the edge:

"The way they did it was kind of a slap in the face to the community," he said.

Meneilly said he has the application at home and planned to mail it this week. His wife is switching, too.

Posted by Steve Kraske

http://kcbuzzblog.typepad.com/kcbuzzblog/2006/12/meinei...

[dubyaD40web]

17. I'm so proud of my county for once!

I'm sure Planned Parenthood has a nice job waiting for him. Just as long as he's no longer an elected official with my tax dollars paying him.

[LeftishBrit]

22. 'seeking to prosecute abortion providers as attorney general' - WTF????

Is all abortion illegal in Kansas, or is this bloke trying to make the laws rather than just enforcing them?

Incidentally, has it ever happened before that a Republican incumbent lost a primary to someone *less* right-wing?

[leftyladyfrommo]

24. Anti-abortion stuff is pretty much his whole agenda.

And the right wing think he is wonderful. He is backed by some pretty wealthy right wing anti abortion groups. He gives speeches. It's all really pretty weird actually. When those people lose they just regroup and come back again. Over and over and over.

[Mabus]

26. No actually Kansas has been a magnet for late-term abortions

In particular, Dr. Tiller in Wichita. That's why there is such a stink. Kansas allows for abortions until the 22nd week but it also allows for exceptions based on the woman's health and well-being.

Phill's career is catering to the religious fundamentalists and posing as a politican. He says what they want and they give him money and vote for him. He's been so busy sucking up to them that he's let his license to practice lapse several times.

During Phill's tenure as AG of Kansas, he claimed to be investigating child sexual abuse and said he needed the records from Dr. Tiller's office (and another office in the KC metro area) to see if any abortions had been performed on children. It was bullshit and everyone knew it. He was just trying to find another avenue to shut Tiller and the others down. Phill does this stuff all the time and he gets slapped down by the courts. He waits a while and tries it again. Don't worry, Phill will be back.

[proud2BlibKansan]

27. One good thing about Philllll and his crew

is that they are driving Republicans out of the GOP and into the Democratic party.

My candiate won his primary by 3 votes. (He beat Slattery's kid) At our watch party last night several Republicans were in attendance who had declared as Dems to vote for our candidate in the primary. When you talk to them they usually say their motivation is Philllll. And all we needed were 3 of them

[beyurslf]

32. The moderate vs crazy battle has waged for years in the R party here.

You can really see it in the BOE elections. The crazies take over the board, ban evolution or something else crazy, and then the moderate R's come out to support someone who isn't quite so crazy.

It does seem some of them are tiring of this and just becoming Dems now.

[rocktivity]

30. CUE THE VONAGE THEME!

And congrats to Kansas for aborting Kline!


rocknation