Just a little bit of good news from Alaska...

[Blue_In_AK]

According to two recent polls here that were reported on our local evening news, Obama is only trailing McCain in Alaska by four points, within the margin of error. According to the report, Obama is planning a campaign stop here, McCain isn't. I think this bodes well for November.

[cbc5g]

1. Nice! Maybe he'll be able to do all 50 states

Only behind 4 points in Alaska is looking good for Obama.

[blondeatlast]

4. I'd love to see him here in AZ--Kerry drew a crowd of 50K in 2004;

Obama can draw more, I'd almost bet.

And wouldn't that just throw the McSame camp and the m$m for a loop?

[blondeatlast]

2. Wonderful--it's great that he's planning on going there, too! nt

[AllentownJake]

3. Good news for the Senate

If Obama is polling that close that Senate seat is very much in play.

That would be embarrassing for McCain. Even Dole carried Alaska.

[Adelante]

19. Mark Begich?

Wes Clark endorsed him yesterday. I'm not really familiar with him, but he was the Mayor of Anchorage. Is he a popular Dem up there?

Edit: Never mind. I see him discussed down thread.

[Cha]

5. Good to hear! Hasn't there been

a lot of disappointments in republicons, as of late, in Alaska?

[snowbear]

6. Ah ratz... I wasn't polled!

I keep getting all kinds of calls regarding the U.S. Senate and U.S. House races, the vote on Pebble Mine, and the vote on aerial wolf hunting.. but not a single one regarding the presidential race.

If it was Dittman Research who conducted either poll, Obama could be up 20 points and they'd lie about the results. David Dittman is involved in the Ted Stevens FBI investigation, so it boggles my mind they still let him conduct polls..

If Ivan Moore did any of the polling, it's valid..

(Why am I telling you all this? You already know all this crap! )

I'm out at Fort Richardson Army Base 5 days a week, and all I see on the vehicles on base are Obama bumperstickers. LOTS and LOTS of Obama stickers.

Blue.. did you see the military section at the Democratic caucus? ...It was ****PACKED**** with military personnel switching their registrations over so they could vote for Obama.

[Blue_In_AK]

18. Larissa, it was Dittman and Rasmussen

The link is here http://www.ktuu.com/global/story.asp?s=8572434 if you missed it.

[MarjorieG]

7. How about Diane Benson?

[snowbear]

8. Diane...

Blue will literally kick my ass for saying this..

me --> <-- Blue

...but I'd wager anything that Ethan Berkowitz will win the nomination for the House race. Diane is awesome.. but she's up against another very popular, very experienced, very well financed Democrat in Ethan..

Diane Benson:



On the bright side, we're lucky to have two such great Democrats running! Ethan (like Dianne) is awesome too!


Ethan and his daughter Hannah

[MarjorieG]

11. Darn. I heard she did well at the Convention. Here in NY, we love her!

Edited to say that Mark Begich was here and very impressive. Savvy and solid. Like his wind power idea.

[Blue_In_AK]

14. Diane kicked ass at the convention.

I know my good friend Larissa will disagree with me, but the way I see it, Ethan is the candidate of the DLC-Rahm Emanuel types -- the Democratic Party functionaries, as it were -- while Diane is the candidate of the Alaskan people. We shall see what happens.

Like I said above, I have no real significant problems with Ethan -- I just think Diane is far more in touch with the ordinary citizens of this fair state.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. Oh, I'm not going to kick your ass, Larissa,

I just think the race will be closer than many expect. I think we would be well-served by either of these two, I just think Diane's best.

ed. I love that photo of Diane and Latseen, but here's a more recent one, just in case lurking DUers think we're talking about some 20-year-old truckdriver running against this suave and urbane young lawyer.



Oh, look! Here's a photo of Mayor Mark right next to her in my PhotoBucket account.



And as long as I'm here, here's one of ALL the House candidates -- except for Don Young who had something else to do that night. Probably conferring with his lawyers.

[Blue_In_AK]

15. I know you will kick my ass for saying this,

but it's the "well financed" part about Ethan that bothers me the most. As Alaskans especially, we should be wary of the "well financed" candidate after all these years of Stevens, Young and Murkowski, don't you think?

[Moloch]

9. Hows Begich doing?

nt

[snowbear]

13. Our awesome mayor will easily win the Democratic nomination..

In with the new ---> <--- Out with the old!!!

Right now, Mayor Begich is ahead slightly in the polls.. but considering Ted Stevens FBI investigation, as well as his son's ongoing corruption probes, you'd think he'd be skyrocketing in them.

After the primary when Begich debates Stevens, it should be a shocking thing to witness.. Ted Stevens is having a hard time structuring sentences lately and is sputtering badly when he tries to talk..

Our local media says that if the FBI investigation (which is ongoing) picks up again before the election (which is very likely) Ted is TOAST.

p.s.. I just looked at Mayor Mark Begich's website after you asked about him, and on the front page .. it mentions that General Wes Clark endorsed him TODAY. Kewl.. http://www.begich.com/home

[Blue_In_AK]

16. Mark just needs to find a way to put to rest

all the background talk about his business dealings. I read the Daily News blogs -- there's some nasty rumors floating around out there, which I'm sure have no basis in fact, but I can see them causing him problems. Rather ironic, given Ted's PROVEN business shenanigans.

[JI7]

10. any chance we can get rid of that idiot Stevens

[Blue_In_AK]

17. See posts above.

It's looking good, but tight, unless there's some further action on the investigations before the election. Alaskans have a hard time giving up old habits, but enough people are pissed off about the EXXON VALDEZ Supreme Court decision yesterday that it may just flip a bunch of independents our way. I think it's finally starting to dawn on people that Republicans don't have our best interests at heart.