Here’s MSNBC’s Morning Joe having some fun with Sen. Mark Begich’s strategy to distance himself from President Obama, highlighted in a not completely flattering Washington Post article:
From the Washington Post piece:
Begich, 52, is a first-term senator known for being pro-gun and pro-oil. But he is not actually that well known for anything. In the Senate, Begich is a junior figure, moving through the chamber’s power structure at the speed of a mastodon trapped in a glacier. Over five years, just one of his bills has been passed into law. It renamed a courthouse in Anchorage…. But now, thanks to the midterm elections, Begich is temporarily one of the most important politicians in the country.
Heather Zichal, a former Obama administration staffer who worked on Alaskan oil issues… said Begich was relentless in calling and prodding federal officials toward his point of view, which “helped make the difference between yes and no.” Still, for those who know Alaska politics, the scale of these arguments makes them a little bit tragic. Used to be, Alaska politicians did not go to Washington to poke at power. They were the power.
The Post did highlight Begich’s success in helping to keep the F-16 fighter jets in Fairbanks.
Contact Amanda Coyne at amandamcoyne@yahoo.com
Oh my… with friends like this!
What is your favorite quote from the MSNBC clip? How about Ron Fournier at 1:15- 1:30 “… When the President is unpopular ….his party wants to distance themselves from the President … The problem is YOU CAN’T. Begich is a Democrat & if you are really going to make this campaign about being a thorn in the side of President Obama.. the problem is the best person to be that is the Republican….”
Begich leaves a lot to be desired on most every level. Alaska needs a leader. Right now, we gave Harry Reid a lap dog in Mark Begich. Sad thing is that Harry Reid doesn’t even say thank you. Instead he screws Alaska every chance he gets.
Finally. This blog posting, the Washington Post and Morning Joe fairly and accurately reflects the ineffectiveness and regard for Sen. Begich in Washington. Not to be unkind, but, he’s an intellectual midget compared to his colleagues in the senate. I would say the same if you were comparing him to any of the GOP or Libertarian senate candidates. Personally, its his lack of candor, transparency and constant political garble that I find difficult to embrace. Alaska just needs someone who is honest, straightforward and will fight for us. After five-plus years, I can safely say that Begich has failed this standard.
With a state population (700,000) about equal to that of Memphis Tennessee, all we can do is replace one “junior mastodon” with another one of perhaps a different color. We have two votes in the Senate now, just like Rhode Island. If you are a new US Senator you might be allowed to speak and even showboat but mostly you will sit down, shut up, and do what you are told to do for at least the next decade.
In the days of Ted Stevens we were the “glacier” holding back the mastodons; not any longer.
“Used to be, Alaska politicians did not go to Washington to poke at power. They were the power.” – Washington Post
Alaska needs to send a fighter to our nation’s capitol lilke Dan Sullivan.
“Begich is a junior figure, moving through the chamber’s power structure at the speed of a mastodon trapped in a glacier” – Washington Post.
This says it all.
The WP reporter saw right thru Mr. Begich. His usual slight of hand, spins and double talk doesn’t work on experienced political reporters. I would encourage my fellow readers to take time to watch the television news clip posted here showing the national media poking fun and laughing at our junior senator. The facts and the reality of Mr. Begich’s term is catching up to him. He is not a leader, enjoys minimal respect and “IS” a supporter of President Obama. We need a new senator. If you agree, vote for Dan Sullivan. A vote for anyone other than Sullivan is a vote for Begich.
Lolz, best quote from the WP article:
“On the campaign trail, Begich likes to point things out and exclaim “Only in Alaska!” — even when that’s probably not true. Campaigning in Fairbanks, for instance, Begich saw two people standing under a tree to escape the summer sun. “Only in Alaska!” Begich said. The same day, Begich told a story about a snowstorm in the District of Columbia — he wound up walking through the Capitol carrying a snow shovel.
“Only in Alaska!” Begich said about that, too.”