In an open letter to blogger Steve Conn of Dissident Voices, Alaskan Independence candidate for U.S. Senate Bob Bird says, “I aggressively ran against foreign wars and adventurism, something Begich would not do, and certainly lost me some redneck votes. Pity.”
Bird, a former chairman of Alaska’s Right to Life organization, said he couldn’t get that national organization’s endorsement because he opposed their unconstituional agenda, including the Human Life Amendment and national pre-abortion ultrasound laws.
Below is the letter in its entirety:
I just read your column in “Dissident Voices” and I want to thank you for your accurate and fair characterization of my campaign, with just a small caveat: I did receive “outside money” from small contributors, and I am surprised that it did not appear in whatever online report you read. I think the biggest was about $150 or so, but I’m not sure.
You are right, I aggressively ran against foreign wars and adventurism, something Begich would not do, and certainly lost me some redneck votes. Pity. I thank you for noticing that.
I might point out that National Right to Life would not even endorse me [Alaska Right to Life certainly did, however], because I disdained openly their failed “Human Life Amendment” strategy, pre-abortion federal ultra-sound laws, and other unconstitutional ideas. I advocate a states’ rights approach to social issues, a stance that more than a few abortion supporters applauded and earned me their votes.
Yes, the press blacked me out, first and foremost the Anchorage Daily News. I gave them an interview a week before the election, after months of my supporters emailing them. I went into their conference room and was surprised to find not one but three grim-looking reporters. I felt like Errol Flynn fending off 3 in a sword fight, but I did it. I did not fit their pre-conceived ideas: the pro-gun, anti-war candidate; the prolifer who has picketed hundreds of times and been arrested in non-violent civil disobedience, but does not want a Human Life Amendment; the Alaska-lands advocate who promised never to abandon native claims to land or sovereignty; and instead of appearing as a hodge-podge of inconsistency, it all made sense when measured against the ONE element all federal office-holders are sworn to uphold: the Constitution.
Naturally, they killed the story.
Then there was the KTOO-KAKM statewide debate on October 30: my supporters melted their switchboard and inundated their emails, and I made every effort for a month to get invited. Fat chance! On YouTube you can see many of the other debates where I was invited, and measure my responses against Begich, Young or Stevens [via jumbo-screen].
In regards to the poor AIP, CNN News did such a hatchet-job against them recently that they sent a special crew to visit AIP chair & vice-chair Lynette & Dexter Clark, as a sort of apology. Their 5-minute report greatly softened (but not completely) the mad-bomber smear job of the AIP that could never sell in Alaska, but apparently did in the Lower 48.
Mr. Connor, sorry you are no longer living in Alaska. But your astute analysis is appreciated.
If you arent jived about Goldwater Jr., at least show some excitement for Sen. Johnson.
Maybe he’ll have McCain and Schwarzenazi campaign for him.
Interesting news coming out of Arizona: State Senator Karen Johnson and Former Rep. Barry Goldwater Jr. both intend to run for Governor in 2010. Both endorsed and campaigned for Ron Paul in 2008.
Goldwater Jr. had previously been rumored to be considering a run for anything from Senate to President in AZ.
Im pumped about that.
** women and children
Fascinating stuff. Chris, I think when you say non-interventionist foreign policy, you’ve used way too many syllables before you get to the word “policy.”
Try making it simple and graphic. “I want the government to stop killing women in children overseas. Don’t occupy other countries, don’t rape their women, don’t massacre their children.”
It is the kind of sound bite they can’t edit around. And they have to ask follow up questions.
Bob Bird is the best. I hope he runs again in the GOP primary, or maybe in the Dem primary (Jeffersonian Democrats!), but if he ran for president, and so did Mary Ruwart, I’d have to at least consider supporting him.
I’ll make the corrections, Mr. Conn. Thanks.
Here’s a cite- http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2008/11/bob-bird-who-and-the-crazy-fringe-party-palin-trashers-just-loved-to-hate-end-ted-stevens%E2%80%99-reign-in-alaska/
I am that “steve connor”- actually steve conn and not a newspaper columnist, but a retired professor from Alaska. Bob Bird’s experience with the press is called “political bigotry” by Ralph Nader. My piece on Bob Bird’s amazing feat is on alaskareport.com and dissidentvoice.com.
My e mail is steveconn@hotmail.com.
Thank you.
I took the same foreign policy position as Bird (online at http://www.wakelp.org/2008/08/christopher-cole-advocates-foreign.html, and he’s right about journalists not getting it. They consistently asked me if I “meant an isolationist foreign policy”. When I tried to explain the difference between isolationism and non-interventionism, they immediately changed the subject EVERY SINGLE TIME! I did get an interview with a talk-radio host who got it, but no reporters. As far as voters go, I suspect that, among those who heard or saw my position, I gained more than I turned off.
Rest assured, he will.
I suspect that whomever replaced Ted Stevens in Alaska will see Bob Bird in 6 years, likely in the Republican Primary.
I hope that Bob Bird decided to remain politically active. He is an articulate spokesman for the Constitution.