Washington GOP National Committeewoman Diane Tebelius just left for Afghanistan to observe the upcoming elections. She's blogging about the experience here.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at September 14, 2005 12:05 PM | Email ThisBut regardless, I'm very glad she's doing this. Now if she could get a better blog template...
Posted by: Timothy on September 14, 2005 12:11 PM Diane has been considering a run for the
senate for quite some time now.Prior to
her leaving diane just finished a tour of
the state to determine what interest there
was out there for her to make a run.
Well I have been told it didn't go very
well at all.Without getting into specifics
each day it looks less and less likely a
run for the senate will happen.
Diane has some baggage of her own to deal
with.I'm told she may run for secretary of
state next time around.I hope she does.
Perhaps the State GOP can sell her to itinerant camel herders for a few shekels in fund raising?
Posted by: Who.... me? on September 14, 2005 03:15 PM I think I have been pretty clear about
what's going on with McGavick.I think
your talking about Afton Swift leaving
his campaign at the beginning of next
month.All I know is Afton has said he
is going to do something else.At the same
time Afton said he has nothing line up yet.
Now if you want I can guess why he is leaving
but that wouldn't be a good idea.As for
Parlette all I have heard is she has decided not
to run.As to Diane Tebelius she has a number of
problems.The biggest being people see her as
being aligned with vance.While she has tried
to distance herself it hasn't worked.
Diane also needs to explain what it was she
did on Dino Rossi's litigation team to get
paid a lump sum of just over 107,000 dollars
by the state Gop.She also needs to come clean
about the circumstances surrounding why she left
the US attorneys office.And no it was not to
run for the 8th district congressional seat as
she would have everyone believe.
The other matter regarding Diane is the 11th
commandment committee she is running for vance.
She refuses to tell other than a select few when
the meetings are.Infact other than we know this
committee exists everything has been done in
secret.If I could find most of these things
out believe me so can the democrats.
Now as to Susan Hutchison I guess your refering
to what I told Matt Rosenberg.There is a whole
other side to what went on at KVI prior to the
interview taking place.While some of this I
learned on my own,some of it also came from
Susan.I gave Susan my word that everything we
talked about is between us two for now.
When Susan decides whether she is going to
run or not this will all come out.All I can
say for now is that those of you who summarily
dismissed her chances after one interview
are going have a gigantic amount egg on your
faces when its all said and done.
Diane Tebelius has NO baggage! (You ought to be ashamed!)
Good for her to witness elections in a country where it is a new concept! Perhaps she can bring some of the election *basics* that she observes -back with her for our state!
Posted by: Deborah on September 14, 2005 05:55 PM What I said about Diane Tebelius is the truth.
Whether you believe it or not is up to you.
You need to reread the post right above yours
Everything I have said there I can back up.
So I 'm not ashamed Of what I said.You
just can't handle the truth.
Diane Tebelius left her position in the U.S. Attorney's Office for a better position running the U.S. Trustee's Office supervising bankruptcy cases in a multi-state region. I would view this as a move up. She left the U.S. Trustee position to run for Congress.
$107,000 is a lot of money however. For that same amount, the state GOP could have easily accomplished the project that Stefan is attempting to do with the King County ballots. Something I had urged everyone in the state GOP leadership team (Vance, King County folks, and the legal folks) to do back in late December.
Posted by: Richard Pope on September 15, 2005 01:35 AMI'm not anti-Susan; she always seemed nice enough on TV. Whether or not she would work out as a Senate candidate is another story altogether, and I'd need to know a lot more about her before making final judgment on that.
My point was that you have been saying something analogous to, "I win. I'm holding four aces, but I can't show you my cards." On a discussion blog, as in cards, it's important to lay your cards on the table so that everyone can see them and compare. Forgive me for using a slightly exaggerated analogy, but it's just to make a point.
As a political junkie, I'm intrigued by all of these rumors, and eagerly look forward to hearing some solid, confirmed facts. Is McGavick paring down staff? (Possibly, but he doesn't strike me as someone who is down to his last pocket change). Is Tebelius running secret meetings to weed out candidates on orders from Chris Vance? (Really doesn't sound like her, but neither one of us can prove it either way at this point). Is Parlette out? (OK, for all I know, she might be -- I confess not following that one).
But as fascinated as the political junkie in me may be in all of this rumor and speculation, the party veteran in me gets a headache thinking of all the rumors and innuendos I've heard about other Republicans every bloomin' campaign cycle. Many are completely unfounded; passed along in good faith by the unsuspecting, but unfounded nonetheless. Some are partly true, but only in the boring parts. Some are complex, and it's easy to see both sides, and hard to really condemn either. Some are scandalous, salacious, contemptible and 100% true, but those are pretty rare.
This is a blue-leaning state, which means we have enough work cut out for us as it is, without ripping each other apart over hypotheticals before we get the full story, or even before anyone officially jumps into the race. Once all the facts are on the table, it's open season. That's my point, and I hope you can appreciate it.
Posted by: TB on September 15, 2005 01:52 AM
I can appreciate what your saying.I guess
all I can add at this point is I can't divulge
my source for this information.But I will
say this My source has always been right
about everything I have been told.
So until my source is wrong I don't consider
it rumor or innuendo.I would find it very hard
to believe that McGavick would let who
probably is the best campaign manager in the
state go.Safeco is being investigated by
the feds and the state and yes its pretty
serious stuff that has been alledged.
I know for a fact the democrats already
have the goods on McGavick and safeco
there just waiting for the right time
to use it.
Richard:My apologies my source got the 2
government offices confused.My source still
says Diane didn't leave the US trustee's
office to run for the 8th congressional
district seat.True that's what she tells
everyone but that's not what happened.
Yes I know what happened but I think its for
diane to come clean and explain it.Personally
I don't care but if I could get this information
so can the democrats and don't for minute
think they won't use it.
Now a final thought about Susan Hutchison.
I spent a great deal of time getting to know her
so yeah she is a friend now.Back at the end
of july I didn't know her at all.I just had a
very strong feeling she was the right person
to support.Being a conservative that was a risky
position to take as it turns out it was
the right thing to do.
I wish I could tell all of you her positions
on the issues right now.For the time being
I have agreed not to.If you knew the answers
like I do you would see there is no other
choice.
Lets be clear that I brought these things
out the open about McGavick and Tebelius
because they are pretty serious things and most
of you were so willing to throw Susan to
the scrap heap after one stupid interview.
yet from what I have seen especially in the
case of McGavick those that support him are
willing to give him a pass on just about
everything.I don't think its right to do
that.Anyway that's all I'm going to say
about it.
Once again - you attempt to create a negative perception of certain candidates - without one piece of tangible evidence to back you up! In fact - in the post above - you completely contradict yourself with regard to your "source" credibility!
People here at SP depend on *fact*....It is usually our visiting trolls from Goldys who post such innuendo nonsense!
"My source has always been right
about everything I have been told.
So until my source is wrong I don't consider
it rumor or innuendo."
"Richard:My apologies my source got the 2
government offices confused."
So....Your source can be *confused*...but is never *wrong*?................okee dokee.....
Posted by: Deborah on September 15, 2005 02:34 PM At this point yes that's right.So until
my source is wrong I have no reason not
to believe what I hear.
I am not trying to create a negative perception of
anyone. I simply pointed out some of diane
problems.What do I have say to you and everyone
else.I point these things out that should be
a concern to you and instead I get ripped on for
doing it.All of you are so willing to give
McGavick and Diane Tebelius a pass on this
stuff and say that I'm making it up.
Yet when it comes to Susan Hutchison She
has one lousy interview and some of you want
to throw her overboard.An interview by the way
that none of you know the whole story about.
Lets just have the same standard for all the
candidates.
I do not know Diane - nor do I know Susan.
I intend to learn more about both of them over the next year. I know *of* both of them.
I do not intend to speak negatively about either until I know the facts of where they stand on important issues. McGavick turned me off with his statement against our initiative process.
I understand you support Susan Hutchinson. Please don't do so at the expense of your honesty about knowledge of other candidates...
Posted by: Deborah on September 15, 2005 08:04 PM
I wasn't lying about anything I said.look as
far as being negative is concerned the way I see it
these problems need to be dealt with now.
If they aren't now the democrats will use
these things to destroy who there about.
I really don't know what more I can say
except to reinterate that I can back everything
up I have said.I have said in the past that
neither McGavick Or Diane Tebelius will
be able to get enough support to win.They will
be unable to rally the party around them.
Lets just leave at that.
I have taken about all the cheap shots
and negative remarks that I can stand.
If none of you choose to believe what
I say that's fine I just don't need this
anymore.I certainly have better things
to do with my time then take this abuse
any longer.
So congratulations you wont here from
anymore.
1.) She believes the current Senator is not truly representing the needs and concerns of Washington citizens.
2.) She believes that a primary would help create and advance ideas which is what political parties should be all about.
3.) She holds solid, common sense conservative positions on the economy, national security, regional issues and certainly taxes- which she gained through significant experience working for the US Senate Budget committee.
4.) She ran an energetic and well organized campaign for US Congress despite having nearly no name id. She raised the most money, performed admirably in debates, and received endorsements from the 3 major newspapers for her campaign.
For these reasons, I believe she would be an excellent candidate and could bring an exciting set of skills and attributes to this race. I would hope these would be the substantive reasons that could be discussed here, not rumor and innuendo.
Thanks for listening- I enjoy all the discussion
Posted by: political junkie on September 16, 2005 08:08 AM