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Opposes: Minimum Wage, Public Education, Social Security; Supports: Lasers
The Manchin for West Virginia campaign launched its latest television ad today, in order to let voters hear directly from John Raese himself since
they have heard nothing about his policy positions in Raese's own ads.
Raese opposes the minimum wage, wants to do away with public education and privatize Social Security, but the one concrete proposal he has made is to put 1,000 lasers in the sky.
(No, seriously, 1,000 lasers in the sky at a supposed cost of $20 billion)
"John Raese is right for once when he says that West Virginians have sent him a clear message when they have rejected his candidacy three times," said Lara Ramsburg, Manchin campaign spokeswoman. "The differences between the
two candidate could not be more clear. With every word he speaks, Raese proves how out of touch he is with the needs of West Virginia working families, probably from spending too much time in his Palm Beach mansion.
His ideas are not only crazy, they're irresponsible. Joe Manchin has been an independent voice fighting for our state and is the only candidate who will always do what's right for West Virginia regardless of political
party."
Gov. Joe Manchin might be the most popular politician in the United States, according to the PPP's latest poll:
Manchin is the most popular politician PPP has polled on anywhere in the country this year, with 69% of voters approving of his job performance to only 23% disapproving. The state simultaneously gives Obama his worst reviews of any state where PPP has conducted a survey this year, with 65% of voters disapproving of him and only 31% approving.
I would argue a big part of why that is has to do with the Republican dominated media in the state which is anti-Obama all the time. They can't do that with Manchin, who is local and people can see for themselves the job he does.
Florida Republican John Raese, on the other hand, the more people get to see him for themselves, the less they like:
The other reason Manchin's looking a lot better than he did a month ago is that John Raese simply has not worn well on the campaign trail. In our first West Virginia poll his favorability was 41/35. Since then his positive number has stayed basically the same at 42%, while his negatives have risen to 47%. Republicans may have needed a more formidable candidate than Raese if they were going to defeat the incredibly formidable Manchin.
The more Raese opened his mouth, the better Manchin looked to many.
There's more than one reason why groups that know Raese best that traditionally rubberstamp endorsements for the Republican candidate did not endorse him.
Whenever I think Florida Republican John Raese can't get any lower, he finds new ways to appall and disappoint.
From an email:
Raese Reaches New Low
Campaign's Claim that Manchin Doesn't Believe in God Offensive to All West Virginians
John Raese reached a new low in his campaign to deceive West Virginians today when his campaign surrogate accused Joe Manchin of not believing in God.
Lance Schultz, the president of the West Virginia Conservative Foundation, first repeated the claim that Governor Manchin signed a version of "cap and trade" in West Virginia, a claim that has been proven false by four news organizations. Schultz then went on to say that anyone who supported the legislation "denies the existence of God, denies the truth of His work."
Schultz then introduced Raese saying, "And I'm going to invite a man up to the podium right now who I think understands everything that today means, Mr. John Raese, United States Senate candidate."
Instead of immediately apologizing for the remarks of his surrogate, Raese praised Schultz, saying, "Well I tell you, you can't have any better support than Lance Schultz. He's traveled around the state with me, he's opened doors I've never been in before, and I want to personally thank you, Lance, for all of the work that you've done for West Virginians around this country."
"John Raese has taken his campaign into the gutter," said Lara Ramsburg, Manchin campaign spokeswoman. "Everyone who knows Joe Manchin knows how much his faith in God means to him and Raese's surrogate's claims are politics at their worst. John Raese should be ashamed of himself for attacking the Governor's religion."
When a surrogate or supporter crosses a line, there is an obligation upon the part of the candidate to correct the individual. We saw John McCain do it when one of his supporters at an event in 2008 claim President Obama was a Muslim and he corrected to point out he was a Christian. That was the gentlemanly and the correct thing to do. Here though, Raese immediately praised the man who not only lied about Gov. Joe Manchin's record but then lied about Manchin's religious faith. I personally think politicians are too quick to inject their religious views into the political debate. But to then support and praise the idea that Manchin does not believe in God goes beyond the political pale.
I've never questioned Raese's religious views. His residency, his tax status, his sanity, yes, all of those are highly questionable and fair game. If Raese continues to bear false witness against others, it is incumbent upon his own Christian supporters to hold him to account.
I was at the WVU Homecoming Parade tonight. There was Joe Manchin walking along with his wife, shaking hands and waving at people. Later came a group of Raese supporters. I asked them where Raese was and they responded "back there". A bit later along came the Fire Pelosi bus. I could see someone inside waving but could not make out if it was Raese or not. I find it interesting that he would not even emerge from the bus to walk among us, wave, or shake hands. I guess the privileged doesn't mix with the unwashed masses.
Well, yeah. We're a bunch of hicky people to John Raese. I am surprised he wasn't in one of his limousines. Considering he's blown off the other parts of the bus tour, I wonder if Raese was even on the bus.
JOE MANCHIN IS ON OUR SIDE
Joe Manchin has been on the side of working families as governor and will continue
as U.S. senator. He respected and defended working West Virginians when a campaign
ad for John Raese was filmed out of state with actors told to look "hicky."
• With Manchin as governor, 23,000 new jobs have been created in West Virginia and
billions of dollars have been invested by business to keep our economy growing.
(Charleston Daily Mail, 1/20/09)
• Manchin signed legislation to increase the minimum wage, giving working families
a much-needed raise. (The State Journal, 4/4/06; H.B. 4023, 2006)
• Manchin believes in improving workplace safety. He says, "While our work to make
our mines safer continues, we must also carry those lessons to the rest of our
manufacturing industries, to help make all our industrial workplaces safer." (State
of the State address, 2/11/09)
WE CAN'T AFFORD JOHN RAESE
John Raese wants to put decisions about the minimum wage and workplace safety in the
hands of corporations. He has not apologized for the campaign ad that was shot out
of state with actors told to look "hicky."
• Raese opposed the Recovery Act that created 3,565 new jobs in our state and
helped avert layoffs of public employees. (www.recovery.gov, accessed 9/22/10;
Charleston Daily Mail, 9/20/10)
• Raese has called for ending the minimum wage, calling it "an archaic system that
frankly has not worked." (Charleston Daily Mail, 9/20/10)
• Raese says he wants to "unshackle" management at coal mines from safety
regulations. (Candidate website, accessed 9/22/10)
Check the facts on the candidates for U.S. Senate. Then you decide. And whatever you
decide, make solid plans to vote and forward this message to at least five friends
to make sure they vote, too.
Florida Republican John Raese had promised to Time Magazine to release his tax records to settle the question of where claims to live.
It's the kind of information senators have to disclose anyway when they're elected so it's not like he can say he doesn't want his privacy violated. But he still has not turned them over, raising questions of is he hiding his residency and has he claimed he's a Florida resident on his taxes to dodge paying them in West Virginia as he has claimed?
Despite promising to do so earlier this month, Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Raese has not provided personal tax documents that could clarify whether Raese's primary residence is in West Virginia or Florida.
snip
McLaughlin again declined to answer how much the Raeses pay in West Virginia taxes, as opposed to Florida taxes. He also would not say if the Raeses use their Florida residence to avoid paying West Virginia income taxes.
Raese said he was going to turn the tax documents over and he hasn't. Is this how Raese keeps all of his promises?
Derek Scarbro asks a very good question. From an email:
Where is John Raese?
Raese's controversial positions on minimum wage, public education, and Social Security force difficult questions for Republican bus tour
Despite pledging to participate in the West Virginia GOP's farcical bus tour, John Raese has yet to set foot on the bus. A number of groups yesterday demanded answers from the other participants on the tour regarding their opinions on Raese's out-of-touch positions on eliminating the minimum wage, halting all environmental protections, closing public schools, and privatizing Social Security. Could it be that Raese is sitting this one out to avoid these questions?
"If I were David McKinley, Shelley Moore Capito, or Spike Maynard, I certainly would not want to have to explain to West Virginia voters why I am riding on a bus with a guy who wants to eliminate the minimum wage," said WV Democratic Party Executive Director Derek Scarbro. "Raese is so out-of-touch, it appears that even his Republican buddies don't want to be seen with him."
After skipping the first 10 events on the tour, it is no surprise he was a no-show at event at Shelly Moore Capito's headquarters in Martinsburg today.
WVGOP Press Release: As GOP Party Chairman Mike Stuart said, "We'll have Shelley Moore Capito. We'll have John Raese. We'll have Spike Maynard. We'll have David McKinley and a whole host of local candidates that are running on the ballot."
My guesses are Raese is campaigning in Pennsylvania where Sarah Palin endorsed him for the U.S. Senate or he went home to Florida to clean up a spill on his pink "peach" marble driveway. Hey, that driveway cost more than the average West Virginia home and someone has to supervise the help when they polish it.
So here is a contest for West Virginia Blue readers with the winner getting his or her name listed on a front page post. Where do you think John Raese is since he's not on the GOP's bus?
Apparently Sarah Palin is confused by Florida Republican John Raese's residency problems too. From Talking Points Memo:
Pennsylvania voters can't afford cap and trade legislation, says Sarah Palin. And that's why they need to send Republican John Raese to the Senate.
Except that John Raese is the Republican nominee in West Virginia.
So Rush Limbaugh thinks Raese of Palm Beach, Fla., is running to be a third Florida senator and Palin thinks he's running to be Pennsylvania's senator.
Sweet!
Maybe since the Republicans outsourced their casting call for "hicky" West Virginians to Philadelphia for Raese, Palin figured he's running for Senate in Pennsylvania.
So much fail for Palin in so few characters.
Update
From an email:
Sarah Palin Not Sure Where John Raese Lives Either
Manchin gains momentum in state; John Raese's out-of-state backers can't even find West Virginia on a map
In a Tweet issued today, Sarah Palin called for Pennsylvania supporters to send John Raese to the Senate. Of course, John Raese claims to live in West Virginia although questions regarding his residency continue. Raese lives part-time in Palm Beach, Florida, where his wife is registered to vote.
"With John Raese, it is easy to get confused as to where he actually lives. He may be running for Senate in West Virginia, but he really could choose to run in any of the states in which he belongs to a country club," said Larry Puccio, Chairman of the West Virginia Democratic Party. "West Virginians can't really fault Sarah Palin for getting confused - we are too."
Man, did John Raese lay it on thick Monday night. In the only scheduled debate in West Virginia's Senate race, the GOP nominee matter of factly said he opposes the healthcare reform law because "I don't like socialism," repeatedly called global warming a "myth," reiterated his opposition to the existence of a minimum wage, and summed up his vision for the war in Afghanistan thusly: "We win, you lose."
In so doing, the 60-year-old businessman, a starchy public performer who has tried and failed to win statewide office three times before, achieved something remarkable: He made Joe Manchin a sympathetic figure to progressives watching at home.
Roughly speaking, Manchin, the second-term governor and Raese's Democratic opponent, is West Virginia's answer to Ben Nelson -- a veteran pol who labors hard to cater to his state's conservative sensibilities, often by taking positions that irk and enrage Democratic activists.
snip
Against that alarming backdrop, Manchin probably didn't look too bad to the left on Monday, if only because he represents the Democrats' best and only chance of holding off Raese, one of the more arrogant and charmless Tea Party candidates on the ballot this fall. On question after question, Raese combined the irrational hysteria that now defines the GOP base with a businessman's polish.
snip
But Manchin was also willing to embrace and defend the idea of a social safety net. Healthcare reform, he noted, is so important because working people -- unlike the poor, who have Medicaid, and unlike the elderly, who have Medicare -- are particularly "vulnerable."
"I believe that basically every time this country got in trouble every time time we hit bottom, it's the Democrats who stood up and helped people, the average person trying to make it, people trying to take care of their families," Manchin said. "I believe very strongly in that."
United they Stand???
Do GOP Candidates Agree with Raese's Radical Positions?
Charleston, W.Va. - Today Republican congressional candidates and their state chairman start a three-day bus tour with their US Senate nominee John Raese. Voters deserve to know whether congressional candidates Shelley Moore Capito, David McKinley, and Spike Maynard agree with Raese's radical positions.
"These are candidates are going to stand side-by-side John Raese for three days," noted WV Democratic Party Chairman Larry Puccio. "Voters will have to assume they agree with his radical positions unless they tell us otherwise. Do they want to abolish the minimum wage like John Raese? Are they against people with pre-existing conditions getting health care? Do they want to eliminate the Department of Education, etc., etc.?"
As GOP Party Chairman Mike Stuart said, "We'll have Shelley Moore Capito. We'll have John Raese. We'll have Spike Maynard. We'll have David McKinley and a whole host of local candidates that are running on the ballot."
A few of Raese's radical issue positions that the Republican candidates must answer for are:
1. Abolishing the minimum wage - Raese even thinks the minimum wage is unconstitutional
2. Allowing health insurance companies to deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions - Raese compared sick people to wrecked cars
3. Abolishing the Department of Education and eliminating billions in federal grants for public schools - Raese lists this as a priority
4. Ending tariffs on cheap foreign steel - Raese blames the recession on these protections for the American steel industry
The West Virginia Citizen Action Group has similar questions:
Do "Birds of a Feather" Ride Raese's Campaign Bus?
Does the whole crew agree with his extreme positions?
Charleston, WV - As the Republican Campaign tour bus leaves Charleston early this morning does the whole bunch subscribe to the lead candidate's extreme views on environmental protection?*
"Do Capito, Maynard, and McKinley really believe we should repeal 'all laws regulating air quality, water pollution and minimum wages' as John Raese suggests? I think they owe it to the voters of West Virginia to answer this question at every stop of their campaign bus this week," suggested Gary Zuckett, Exec. Dir. of WV Citizen Action Group, a long time consumer and environmental protection organization.
"Raese makes no bones about his desire to eliminate hard-fought protections for clean air and water. I can't help but wonder if this is a team position or just the rantings of a candidate that can't relate to the fact that average hard-working West Virginians want their kids to breathe unpolluted air and drink water free of dangerous chemicals," Zuckett added, "Is Raese the 'canary in the mine' set there to alert voters to the toxic positions of the rest of the busses occupants?"
Zuckett encouraged all media outlets to raise these questions to all riders on the bus.
* "during a talk to 45 people at the Inter-Service Club luncheon at the Charleston Civic Center Tuesday...Raese called for an end to laws regulating air quality, water pollution and minimum wages." ["Raese Wants Government out of Education," Charleston Gazette, 03/16/06]
* "In his appearance last week before Charleston's merged civic clubs, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate said he would abolish federal pollution controls-apparently meaning that polluters could dump all the poisonous waste they want into people's drinking water and the air they breathe." ["Whiz-Bang: Raese on the Stump," editorial, Charleston Gazette, 03/20/06]
Huffington Post lists all the batshit crazy, extremist positions that Florida Republican John Raese has taken, from elimination of the minimum wage to claiming the nation needs to put 1,000 lasers in space to form a defense shield with nonexistent technology.
Being purged from the West Virginia voter rolls since she's obviously a Florida resident saves John Raese's wife from having to vote for an unqualified Republican candidate with batshit crazy ideas, according to Roll Call.
In an escalating residency controversy between West Virginia's Senate contenders, the wife of Republican businessman John Raese is being purged from the state's voter rolls because she is also registered to vote in Florida.
John Raese is running against Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin to fill the seat of the late Sen. Robert Byrd (D).
Roll Call confirmed Friday that Elizabeth Raese is registered to vote in both states but has not voted in West Virginia since 1998. But in an interview this week with Time magazine, she indicated that she would be - and has been - voting in West Virginia.
"We are West Virginians," Elizabeth Raese said, according to Time reporter Jay Newton-Small. "We live here, we vote here, people know that. We also have a home in Colorado, but we're not residents there either."
Raese campaign spokesman Kevin McLaughlin said Elizabeth Raese does not remember the conversation with the Time reporter, but he added that, "If she did say this, she obviously misspoke."
I guess when you own so many homes you forget which ones you actually live in. Hint to the Raeses: It's the one with the pink/"peach" marble driveway.
So who really called West Virginians 'hicky'? Turns out -- not surprisingly -- the Republicans have been not telling the truth.
Update
From an email, the West Virginia Democrats hit back hard:
John Raese's special interest friends lied when they blamed a casting agency for asking that actors dress "hicky" when portraying West Virginians. Today, the talent agent revealed that she had simply copied and pasted the casting call from material provided by the National Republican Senatorial Committee's chosen consulting firm.
The agent disclosed an email today that showed that the CEO and Executive Vice President of Jamestown Associates, the NRSC's firm, were well aware that Philadelphia actors with a "Hicky Blue Collar look" would be featured in the ad. This disclosure directly contradicts the Republicans' claim that their people had nothing to do with the description.
"John Raese has spent too long in Florida and simply doesn't understand West Virginia," said Derek Scarbro, Executive Director of the West Virginia Democratic Party. "Raese has already said that he sees nothing wrong with stereotyping West Virginians as 'hicks' and refused to apologize for the ad, will he now refuse to apologize for his friends' lies?"
Talent Agent Says She Is "Victim of A Political Cover-Up." Politico reported in October 2010 that, "A Philadelphia talent agent says the National Republican Senatorial Committee blamed her unfairly for controversial language about West Virginians that was used in the casting call for a political ad - and claims she has been the victim of a political cover-up." [Politico, 10/14/10]
E-Mail Shows CEO and Executive Vice President of Jamestown Associates Knew About "Hicky" Description. Link; Link; Link
Raese Claimed Ad Is "Just Politics." ABC News, 10/7/10]
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