The 5th Birthday Party for Gone Mild

I've finally figured out the elaborate, secretive plans by the local politicos to observe Gone Mild's 5th year.

Tonight, the CCP is holding its general membership meeting at Screenland to finally make its real endorsements. At least that's the cover story.

In fact, what I think is going to happen is that, rather than going through lengthy balloting, etc., the membership will simply accept the fine work of the CCP selection committees. Those committees were composed of neutral CCP members who conducted rigorous screenings of the candidates, and they came up with the following list of recommended endorsements:

Treasurer: Clint Zweifel
44th State House: Jason Kander
Sheriff: John Bullard

Add on to those wise, informed choices the races that had been left to the Executive Committee (Nixon for Governor, Sam Page for Lieutenant Governor, Jeff Harris for AG and Jim Kanatzer for Prosecutor), and the voting ought to be completed in 3 minutes. Just in time for someone to bring in a huge birthday cake for Gone Mild, and time for someone to sing a breathy version of "Happy Birthday", just like Marilyn Monroe did for JFK. I'm not sure who will do the singing, but I hope it's not Bough . . .

Should I Be Feeling Guilty? Because I'm Not Feeling it . . .

This morning, I did a post about an email that my friend Beth Gottstein sent to the Executive Committee of the CCP to urge that committee to reject the findings of its own selection committee, and endorse Amy Coffman for the 44th District instead of Jason Kander.

It appears that my post may have upset Ms. Gottstein.

I just read over the post again, and I'm kind of at a loss. Nothing in my post is inaccurate. Nothing in my post is slanderous. Nothing in my post criticizes Amy Coffman (whom I genuinely like) or Beth. I did say she was trying to hijack the process, but it's obviously accurate that she was trying to change the result at the last minute. Maybe hijack was a strong word, but not as strong as the words I've had directed at me this evening . . .

Now, that said, I do feel a little sheepish that I asked whether the Executive Committee would "follow Beth's endorsement, or support the work of its own screening committee". I should have mentioned that the third possibility is that they could vote their own opinions, which was the flamingly obvious course they in fact chose. It turns out that Amy Coffman won the support of a majority of the Executive Committee. (I did not arrive at the meeting in time to vote.)

The real CCP endorsements come after the entire membership votes in June. The CCP has a solid process - I look forward to seeing how this all works out.

Will the CCP Executive Committee Do Beth's Bidding?

Here's an interesting little micro-drama that will run its course today.

In the wee hours of this morning, Beth Gottstein wrote an email to the Executive Committee of the CCP, expressing her opinion that it should ignore the work of its own candidate screening committee. That committee, composed of volunteers without ties to any candidate, chose to endorse Jason Kander for the 44th District. As readers here know, Jason is a great Democrat with a long history of Democratic involvement in the Kansas City community, and I support him enthusiastically.

Beth offers no real reason to ignore the work of the screening committee, other than noting that she met Amy Coffman when Amy moved to Kansas City from Alaska. Beth alludes to the fact that Amy is a woman, but fails to explain why those who prefer to avoid Y chromosomes should not support Mary Spence.

It's a confusing little note, and the fact that it got sent out in the wee hours of this morning suggests it is a sort of last-minute hail-mary attempt to hijack the process without allowing adequate time for a response. Beth's fellow councilwoman, Jan Marcason, is supporting Jason Kander, but apparently isn't choosing to campaign for him at 3 in the morning.

The CCP Executive Committee gets to decide this evening if it will follow Beth's endorsement, or support the work of its own screening committee.

Which will it be?

The AG Debate Transcript

The wonderful people at Show Me Progress have produced a transcript of last week's debate among the Democratic Primary candidates for Missouri Attorney General, hosted by the CCP.

I was unable to attend, so I greatly appreciate the work they did.

Don't Forget the AG Debate Tomorrow!

Tomorrow night, the Committee for County Progress is hosting a debate for all four Democratic candidates in the Missouri Attorney General Primary. The doors will be open at White Recital Hall in the UMKC Performing Arts Center at 5:30, and the debate will start at 6:00. It's free.

Even though it's obvious to anyone who has met all the candidates that Jeff Harris is the best candidate, the event will hold some suspense for even the most savvy observers.

Will Koster admit that his only experience in the AG's office was working for a Republican criminal? Will he continue to conflate the roles of Missouri Attorney General and County Prosecuting Attorney? Will he luridly describe crimes rather than explain his continued support of Republican votes?

Will Donnelly express amazement that the roads in Kansas City are paved, just like in St. Louis, the center of her universe?

Will Molly Williams make a credible and serious showing? (That's a genuine question - just to see if you're paying attention.)

Will Jeff Harris announce yet another important labor endorsement?

This debate offers you a wonderful opportunity to see the candidates and form your independent opinion that I am correct, and that Jeff Harris is the only one with Democratic values combined with high-level Attorney General experience.

CCP And Candidate Questionnaires

Despite the fact that Gone Mild exists to provide people with all the information they could possibly want about how to vote, I understand that there are a few die-hard "do-it-yourselfers" who want to form their own opinions. If you are one of those who wants to waste his or her time reading up on what candidates really have to say on important issues, instead of simply waiting for my voting directions, you might want to check out the CCP website, which has published the questionnaires submitted by candidates.

In all seriousness, these questionnaires provide valuable information about the candidates, and the CCP is doing a real public service by making them available.

Don't Take My Word For It - Come And See the AG Candidates for Yourself

Here's a rare opportunity - indeed, probably a unique opportunity on this side of the state of Missouri. On May 22, the Committee for County Progress is hosting a debate for all four Democratic candidates in the Missouri Attorney General Primary. You are invited. You will be welcomed. The doors will open at White Recital Hall in the UMKC Performing Arts Center at 5:30, and the debate will start at 6:00. There will even be a free reception afterward.

I know I've been pretty direct in my assessment of the candidates - Harris is the only one with the Democratic values combined with high-level Attorney General experience, and deserves to win the primary election and the general election. If you're content to take my word for it, then go ahead and do something else on May 22nd, but, if you want to form your own opinion, show up at UMKC.

Here are a few ways to figure out if you're in the right place. If you see Chris Koster there, talking about being a prosecutor, and avoiding all mention of his time working for a criminal Republican in the AG's office, you're in the right place. If you see Margaret Donnelly there, with her campaign staff telling her that Kansas City is St. Louis' western most suburb, you're in the right place. If you see Molly Korth Williams there, wearing a "Koster" button "because Judge Dandurand asked me to", you're in the right place. If you see Jeff Harris there, tuning up a guitar, you're in the right place.

Mark your calendar today, and come out to the Attorney General debate. See if you agree with my pick . . .

Donnelly, Harris & Koster Together

The hottest primary in the state is between Margaret Donnelly, Jeff Harris and Chris Koster. They bring different backgrounds and visions to the race. The three of them will appear together on May 22 at a debate sponsored by the Committee for County Progress, free and open to the public, at White Recital Hall on the campus of UMKC. The event is currently scheduled to start at 6, though that could change. If so, I'll post a notice here. The debate will be moderated by Steve Kraske, of The Kansas City Star, Eric Wesson, from The Call, and Mike Mahoney, from KMBC-TV9.

Here's a pdf flier for the event.

This is the only joint appearance scheduled for the Western side of the state, and it should offer a great opportunity to meet and hear the candidates for yourselves.

Tired of My Missouri Plan Posts?

I've been outspoken about the right-wing attacks on the Missouri Plan. To sum up, the attacks are misguided at best, and an example of the worst spawn of right-wing partisan hardball aimed at bringing the independent judiciary under the control of party bosses at worst.

Tomorrow evening at 6:30, the Committee for County Progress will be hosting a forum on the Missouri Plan, featuring Dale Youngs providing a history of the Plan, former Missouri Supreme Court Chief Judge Chip Robertson (appointed by Ashcroft) defending the Plan and Professor Bill Eckhardt criticizing it. It will be held at Professor Eckhardt's home court, the the courtroom at the UMKC School of Law, and admission is free.

It should be a great forum - I hope that you'll consider coming out and hearing views from somebody other than me . . .

Missouri AG Candidate Jeff Harris Plays 20 Questions

This is pretty cool. Missouri's next Attorney General, Democrat Jeff Harris, has agreed to answer questions from BlogCCP. Just go over to the entry on the topic and enter your questions. So far, there are questions about robo-calls and 3rd party campaign mailings - the CCP remains focused on electoral politics. What would you ask him if you had the chance?