The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

PA12: Tim Burns vs. Murthanomics

From my latest column at The American Spectator: Murtha’s ghost looms large over the 12th District, which sprawls in a bizarre gerrymander over a predominantly rural area stretching from the southwestern corner of the state up to Ebensburg in Cambria County, a three-hour drive away. The crab-like geographical outlines of the erstwhile dominion of Murthadom, however, […]

PA12: Timing Is Everything; UPDATE: Video of Democrat’s ‘Apology’ Added

With 19 days until the May 18 special election in Jack Murtha’s former district, the GOP’s Tim Burns gains momentum: It’s been a very good week for Burns, who was featured Tuesday on Sean Hannity’s Fox News show and got a big push Wednesday from Newt Gingrich. Polls have shown the PA-12 contest “neck-and-neck,” as Burns campaign manager […]

PA12: Palin Picks a Winner

What do you do when you’re a Republican in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and you’ve just stomped Nancy Pelosi’s handpicked Democrat into smithereens in a public debate for the congressional seat formerly held by the late Jack Murtha? Tim Burns headed straight to Coney Island Lunch for the world-famous “Sundowner” burger: The Johnston Tribune-Democrat story about the debate is so […]

Bitter Clingers for Tim Burns?

Newt Gingrich has a column today calling Tim Burns “the next Scott Brown” and, in linking Gingrich at The American Spectator, I explained: Another Pennsylvania GOP source told me last night that many voters in the 12th District “are Democrats because their grandfather survived the Great Depression” and feel “obligated to . . . the old Democratic Party.” However, […]

Just Got Off the Phone With a Staffer for Tim Burns’ PA12 Congressional Campaign

The staffer promised to call back with a schedule of the candidate’s events for Thursday and Friday. Burns is the Republican who’s running in the special election for Jack Murtha’s seat. Here’s video of Burns on Sean Hannity’s show last night: The primary is three weeks from today and the Burns campaign HQ is in Washington, Pennsylvania, […]

‘Say, Do You Know a Guy . . .’

“. . . named Ali Akbar?” asked Don Strong, toward the end of a long phone call tonight. I had been driving east on I-40 in Tennessee when I pulled over to spend an hour talking to Rick Moran on his Blog Talk Radio program. Afterwards, I went to gas up the car and grab a […]

Fireworks in AL-5 GOP Candidate Forum; What Was Mo Brooks Trying to Say?

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Candidates in the three-way GOP primary in Alabama’s 5th District traded sharp jabs Monday night in a candidate forum at the University of Alabama-Huntsville, with ex-Democrat Rep. Parker Griffith trying to establish his conservative bona fides against Mo Brooks and Les Phillip. At one point, Griffith offered a “unity” pledge that he asked the other […]

My Emergency Evacuation: Good-Bye to the Big Easy; Hello, Sweet Home Alabama

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — I’m blogging from the studios of WTKI 1490 AM, where today I was a guest on the Film Ladd radio show, a fantastic multimedia experience — radio, chatroom, live video camera. The host, Ladd Ehlinger, is a brilliant independent film director and all-around virtuoso. Ladd called me Sunday morning while I was on […]

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