Waiter, There is a Moose in My Chowder

Okay,

This business of chowder and Knowles is becoming very hysterical. This idea of Outside interests influencing Alaska politics in a federal election needs to be cut, diced and then cooked to a slow simmer.

The Daily News once again talks about Outside influences as if a federal Senator is their own island and has no impact on other states?

The Daily News states:

Yes, there is. The original ad is technically accurate and also deliberately misleading. It lumps Mr. Knowles, who has supported ANWR exploration for 20 years, with Democratic Sens. Ted Kennedy and John Kerry of Massachusetts, both opponents of ANWR drilling. It is just as misleading and dishonest as would be an ad lumping Sen. Murkowski with Republican Sens. Lincoln Chaffee of Rhode Island or Norm Coleman of Minnesota, who also voted against ANWR drilling last year. The ad is a clear case of Outside money trying to mislead Alaska voters.

The idea that Chaffee and Coleman are representative of the majority of Republicans just ain't so. But the majority of Democrats are represented by Kennedy and Kerry who are against drilling in ANWR. So if the majority in the Senate switch to Democrats, then where will that leave Tony and ANWR?

For Tony Knowles to think that he will influence and change the minds of the majority of Democrats on ANWR, he is sadly mistaken or in serious need of a reality check in politics. A Jimmy Stewart he ain't. The Daily News goes on with its diatrabe.

The baloney in the air about who said what about whom is beside the point. It's self-serving, manipulative campaign half-truths. What voters need in ads and other campaign information is material that appeals to their integrity, intelligence and values. On those grounds, the ANWR ad and Sen. Murkowski's response could do a lot better for Alaskans.

What voters need is a candidate who complains less about Outside interests and can really come up with an honest answer to how are you, a minority voice in your own party going to change the majority of minds in your own party?

There is nothing self serving in attacking a candidate on the facts of how the Senate is run. And how are they, who say they are independent (meaning Tony won't tow the line with Democrats) going to change the hearts and minds of the majority in their own party.

When it comes to odds in changing minds, Lisa Murkowskis has fewer minds to change in the Republican party. Those are odds that when most Alaskans look at, they will take.

It is time for a reality check for the Tony Knowles Campaign. Crying about a moose in his clam chowder is getting old.