The Great Wall Shopping Mall in south suburban Seattle, that is. At the Imperial Garden Seafood Restaurant this afternoon, Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman fired up leaders of the GOP's growing Asian base in Puget Sound. He delivered a 20-minute talk highlighting global freedom, Social Security reform, and especially, economic opportunity, education and assimilation.
RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman addresses Puget Sound Asian community leaders today in Kent.
I sat down and spoke to Mehlman briefly afterward, to ask a few questions. Mehlman believes U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) is especially vulnerable on taxes, and social issues such as partial birth abortion and parental notification of abortion by minors. (Cantwell gained attention, positive and negative, for her attack on a federal judicial nominee's interpretation of the Texas notification law). Meanwhile, Jeff Jacoby doesn't think much of Cantwell's support for gasoline price controls.
The White House and RNC are well-known behind the scenes to be encouraging the candidacy of Safeco Insurance CEO Mike McGavick to challenge Cantwell, but Mehlman adriotly sidestepped a query as to whether the RNC will exert muscle to avoid a contested primary. Up to state party leaders to handle that, he said. Former KIRO-TV anchor Susan Hutchison, who may in fact prove a very capable GOP candidate for SOME office in the future, had been considering a run, but mishandled a radio interview about issues related to her role on a King County election reform panel. Whether she decides to run against McGavick in the primary or not, if she's considering a bid for office in the future (and I hope she does), she'll need to articulate her positions on issues more impressively.
During audience Q&A today in Kent, there was a rambling, 15-minute declamation by an older Vietnamese man, who, it turns out, has done much to help the party at the grassroots level. He had very valid concerns about religious freedom in Vietnam under the Communist regime. However, as he meandered on, repeatedly saying, "my first question is..." you could see the staffers squirming. As they well knew, welcome to retail level politics. When the fellow finally ran out of breath, Mehlman cracked everyone up, by asking, "Could you repeat the question?"
Mehlman will be headlining a town hall meeting at the Bellevue Hyatt starting at 3 p.m. this afternoon, and later will attend two party fundraisers there, one for for the King County GOP, another for the state party.
Watching Mehlman in action, I'm impressed. The guy is a helluva messenger, and, as The Economist has noted, a master of grassroots campaign strategy. May the next RNC Chairman be four-fifths as capable.
UPDATE: Here are some informative day-after articles on Mehlman's visit to Puget Sound from the Tacoma News Tribune, The Seattle Times, and AP.
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at September 13, 2005 03:02 PM | Email ThisThe RNC needs to stay out of Washington. They are like kryptonite right now. In case you haven't noticed, the people of this state (and others) are becoming increasing frustrated with our republican elected officials on the national level (whether it be the President's mishandling of the Katrina response or Tom Delay's unsavory backroom dealings). What we need to win in Washington is a moderate conversative who will convince the voters of this state that he or she will stick to their conservative ideals (and avoid the unprincipled power grab we are seeing on the national level). My prediction is that any Washington candidate who appears to be allied with the current administration and/or congressional leadership is doomed to failure.
Posted by: Spent on September 13, 2005 04:04 PMTom Delay? Only the whack jobs are trying to destroy him. I haven't seen anything he has done that is so unsavory, except wielding the hammer? That is not a crime. And remember the old saying, the Democrats can indict a ham sandwich or something to that affect.
But, moderate conservative- whatever that is, sure. I am afraid that is all that would work in the Seattle area.
Posted by: swatter on September 13, 2005 04:35 PMI didn't realize Dino Rossi was a moderate.
Posted by: Mark D on September 13, 2005 04:43 PM With all do respect you don't know what
went down behind the scenes at KVI the day Susan
Hutchison was interviewed.While I'm not at
liberty to divulge that information right
now you need to be careful about making
assertions when you don't the whole story.
Mcgavick is in more trouble right now anyway
afton awift mcgavicks campaign manager
is leaving Oct 1st.That's not a good sign
for campaign trying to get started.Afton
isn't leaving because he has something else
to do.The fact of the matter is he has nothing
going on right now.
The only thing about him I didnt like was the fact that he praised Chris Vance a bit too much. Then again, Vance is technically his boss, so whatever.
Posted by: Jorge on September 13, 2005 05:20 PMPosted by: Chokai on September 13, 2005 05:58 PM
As for Mehlman's speech - he's clearly preaching only to the converted. Too bad, the Republican's need to do al ot better than that if they hope to win in this State.
Posted by: Deadwood on September 13, 2005 06:22 PMIn the interests of full disclosure and accuracy: RE John Pennington
Yesterday, there was a blog entry here that included information concerning John Pennington, Region 10 Director of FEMA.
That entry included an excerpt from a fax sent out by Valerie Pennington.
While accurate to the best of my knowledge in every respect as to the information I provided (My concerns over episodes that happened during the course of
his actions in the Legislature, how he was appointed FEMA Director for Region 10 and the excerpt of the fax) in the interests of full disclosure, information I
have received from a source I trust places enough of the news provided to me in doubt... particularly given that according to the official record, John was given
custody of their child last July... that pulling the entire post was the only fair thing to do.
That John has been given custody of their child speaks many more volumes then the fax that Valerie sent out to everyone.
I apologize to John for even mentioning the issue at all. While I may have concerns over his qualifications to run this FEMA Region, I was also concerned
that someone characterized as an individual engaging in domestic violence was in such a high position of responsibility. Clearly, I was wrong.
I regret the error. I sincerely hope that John understands that I had no desire to injure him personally, and that emails anonymously sent to those who can then
broadcast them to the world can cause a great deal of unintended harm, especially when in error.
posted by Who... Me? at 12:54 PM
Posted by: Kelly Hinton on September 13, 2005 07:04 PMThe wife provided proof of neck injury from the alleged assault.
Bothell prosecuting attourney is sitting on restraining order violations by Mr. Pennington.
The reason for the change in custody is because the mother kept the child home with an ear infection, and refused to move to Puget Sound near her alleged abuser, per court order.
The father had temporary supervised visitation, custody can change many times, it does not mean he is not guilty of what is alleged. See also CPS reports against father.
It appears politics is slowing down prosecution and further investigation of the father.
Posted by: anonymous on September 17, 2005 12:45 PMMaria Cantwell is not vulnerable this time, no matter what Ken Mehlman says. Washington Republicans cannot do anything right--their supporters continue to stoke "populist" passions and pass initiatives that jam their own interests.
Sooner or later, the Democrats on the west side of the state are going to stop sending their money east, just out of frustration. The citizens of rural Washington will then discover what self-reliance is all about.
Posted by: kate on September 29, 2005 09:58 PMMaria Cantwell is not vulnerable this time, no matter what Ken Mehlman says. Washington Republicans cannot do anything right--their supporters continue to stoke "populist" passions and pass initiatives that jam their own interests.
Sooner or later, the Democrats on the west side of the state are going to stop sending their money east, just out of frustration. The citizens of rural Washington will then discover what self-reliance is all about.
Posted by: kate on September 29, 2005 09:59 PM