2018 Presidential Election
- Thread starter Marky Bunny
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BBC.CO.UK/News
Thursday February 14th 2019
Samuels becomes second longest serving Prime-Minister of the post Thatcher era
Prime-Minister Richard Samuels today becomes the longest serving Conservative Prime-Minister since Margret Thatcher left office in March 1993. He is the second longest serving PM after Ricky Meyer who served from May 1996 to June 2004.
Samuels overtakes his predecessor Andrew Carter today with 1,431 days in office. Meyer served 2,962 days. Samuels will celebrate four years in office next month. He has already indicated that he will not fight the next general election which is due by September 2023.
Thursday February 14th 2019
Samuels becomes second longest serving Prime-Minister of the post Thatcher era
Prime-Minister Richard Samuels today becomes the longest serving Conservative Prime-Minister since Margret Thatcher left office in March 1993. He is the second longest serving PM after Ricky Meyer who served from May 1996 to June 2004.
Samuels overtakes his predecessor Andrew Carter today with 1,431 days in office. Meyer served 2,962 days. Samuels will celebrate four years in office next month. He has already indicated that he will not fight the next general election which is due by September 2023.
Atlantis Cable News
BREAKING NEWS
Drama continues on Day Two of Bartlet Confirmation Hearings
Washington D.C.- The second day of confirmation hearings for Dr. Abigail Bartlet has concluded and it most certainly lived up to the hype. The second day saw a number of committee's Democrats come to Dr. Bartlet's defense. Led by William Wiley (D-WA), the Democrats attacked the Republican narrative that Dr. Bartlet's treatment of her husband's MS was disqualifying. Senators Sarah O'Brien & Marietta Nerlinger, both of Vermont, openly accused Committee Chairman Jim Simons (R-SD) of sexism; arguing that no one would have questioned a male doctor treating his ill wife. On the other side of the aisle, Kent Harris (R-WY) accused the Bartlet Family of "continuing to defraud the American Public".
When Chairman Simon gavel the end of proceedings today, it is very unclear what ground, if any was made.
Tomorrow, Dr. Bartlet will continue her testimony, this time before the Senate Financial committee, whom also has a say over the Department of Health & Human Services.
Atlantis Cable News
Breaking News
Bartlet testimony postponed as White House; Democratic Leadership scramble for control
Washington D.C.- Just minutes ago, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Randall Thomas (R-MI) announced that Dr. Abigail Bartlet's confirmation hearing before the committee will be pushed back until 10am Tuesday, following two days of dramatic testimony before the Senate HELP Committee. Senator Thomas confirmed in a statement that the hearing was postponed at the request of ranking member Ryan Lyndell (D-MA). "It is our hope that after these days of unnecessary drama, President Seaborn will see the err of his ways and withdraw this ridiculous nominee".
At this hour, Senate Minority Leader Jimmy Fitzsimmons, Minority Whip Sarah O'Brien, and HELP Committee Ranking Member Nicole Kershaw (who also sits on Senate Finance) are reportedly heading to the White House for an emergency meeting with the President and his staff. While nothing has officially been announced, there is no question what will be on the agenda: Whether or not to withdraw Dr. Bartlet's nomination.
Friday February 15, 2019
Former governor, pro wrestler Harry Kimble dead of apparent heart attack
BY PAT HARPER
"Scary" Harry Kimble, the colorful former governor of Minnesota and professional wrestler, has been pronounced dead in his Brooklyn Park home after suffering what authorities say was a massive heart attack. He was 68 years old.
Emergency services were called to the Kimble residence in Brooklyn Park at 11:06 AM today when Kimble collapsed while shoveling in front of his door. His wife Marcia reportedly attempted CPR until paramedics arrived around 11:15, but Kimble was pronounced dead at the scene. He is survived by Marcia, the couple's two children and four grandchildren.
Governor Jarrod Daniels said he was saddened by the sudden loss of one of his predecessors. "Harry was a truly American original. In the ring and on stage, he was a flamboyant, theatrical performer and speaker. But whenever you talked to him off-stage, so to speak, he was one of the kindest, most genuine politicians I've ever met." Similar condolences were issued by senators Lara Mansfield and Peggy Jones, former governor Michael Jack and Vice President Jack Hunter.
Kimble was born in Las Vegas, New Mexico, but moved to Brooklyn Park with his family in 1966 when he was 15. After attending community college, Kimble worked a series of odd jobs (including, famously, as an archaeologist's assistant) before joining the professional wrestling circuit. With his distinctive deep and raspy voice, and theatrical persona, Kimble quickly became a fan favorite. He was under contract with World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) from 1985 to 1994 and then World Championship Wrestling from 1994 until he retired in 2000. After his retirement, Kimble used his name recognition to get the gubernatorial nomination of the Independence Party for the 2000 election. Bringing a unique presence to the campaign trail, Kimble named his 30 year-old daughter Beth to be his running mate, regularly used his wrestling catchphrases in stump speeches at large rallies, and championed outsider ideas such as switching to a unicameral state legislature, rebating sales tax to each resident when the state ran a surplus, and funding infrastructure investment with taxes from state-run marijuana dispensaries.
Initially written off as a publicity stunt, Kimble's campaign attracted traditional nonvoters, as well as disaffected Democrats who abandoned the party's nominee, businessman Skip Sabo, following several allegations of financial improprieties in Sabo's businesses. With a late endorsement by former Second Lady Joan Mondale, Kimble narrowly defeated Republican nominee David Weidmann with Sabo in a distant third. Within days, shirts with Kimble's picture with captions saying "My governor can beat up your governor" and "Oh yeah!" flooded the state's retailers. As the first third-party governor in Minnesota since Elmer Benson of the Farmer-Labor Party in the late 1930s, Kimble had trouble getting the state legislature, with the Senate controlled by the DFL (Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party) and the House of Representatives by the Republicans, to pass his agenda. Nevertheless, he did successfully keep light-rail funding on the legislative agenda and proudly oversaw the opening of the METRO Blue Line in 2004. His tenure also saw a decrease in the state income tax, although his push to make the cuts revenue-neutral with increases in the state sales tax was not adopted.
During the run-up to his re-election campaign, Kimble further stunned the state by announcing he would run for the DFL nomination instead of the Independence Party, saying that the Independence Party's leadership was "dysfunctional" and "shambolic". In a hotly-contested primary, Kimble narrowly triumphed over state senator Sebastian "S.B." Haake, a pupil of the legendary progressive senator Howard Stackhouse. An extremely brutal campaign against Bloomington Mayor Michael Jack followed, and in the end, Kimble was defeated by fewer than 1,100 votes.
After leaving office, Kimble largely retired from public life, although he did serve as the main surrogate for his daughter Beth in her unsuccessful 2008 gubernatorial campaign against Jack. He was enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011. His last major public appearance was an endorsement of Indiana Senator Rudi Robinson ahead of the 2018 Democratic caucus.
Funeral plans will be announced later, according to a statement issued by the Kimble family.
Kimble on vacation in Mexico, 2015. (photo credit: Randy Poffo)
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Shoveling snow in Minnesota is a big killer, after that ice. Also, we do find frozen dead people during winter and after.
Atlantis Cable News
Breaking News
Late Night Meeting draws divisions within White House; Democratic Leadership
Washington D.C.- According to sources from both sides, last night's emergency meeting in the Oval Office has only served to deepen the divide within the Democratic Party's leadership. During the meeting, Senate Minority Leader Jimmy Fitzsimmons (D-MA) repeatedly urged the President to withdraw Dr. Abigail Bartlet's nomination as Secretary of Health & Human Services, citing the already disastrous events of this week. A source within the White House is also telling ACN that this particular fight, over Dr. Bartlet's nomination, has been going on for weeks within the White House Senior Staff. According to the source, both Deputy Communications Director John Edwards and Press Secretary Cassie Tatum have been urging against the Bartlet nomination "since day one". This stance has put them in direct conflict with their boss, Communications Director Mark Sterns, who has been one of the strongest supports of Bartlet, outside of CJ Cregg. However, last night's meeting drew out another voice for the anti-Bartlet side in the form of Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs Connie Tate, who warned the President that they were already "burning too much political capital on a doomed cause".
On the Pro-Bartlet side of the equation, Senior Advisor CJ Cregg and Communications Director Mark Sterns have both been quite vocal in their support of the former First Lady. They have both, according to several sources, urged the President to press on with the nomination, believing that it will ultimately prevail when it comes to a full senate vote.
Notably absent from the meeting was White House Senior Aide Amy Gardner, herself a former Chief of Staff to Abigail Bartlet. There has been much speculation over Ms. Gardner's absence ranging from either side of this debate.
At this hour, it is unclear what will happen on Tuesday, as the White House has made no official statements.
Probably because:
- That's Stearns' job as Comms Director, not CJ's.
- Her medical knowledge and skills aren't in question. Also might not be relevant, since I'd be surprised if she's performed surgery at all since the 90s.
- The community service would quickly loop back around to the MS scandal since she wasn't licensed to practice medicine while she did the community service because of it.
Atlantis Cable News
BREAKING NEWS
Sources: Oval Office shouting match between Senior Staff over Bartlet Nomination
Washington D.C.- Several sources inside the White House are telling ACN that a large and prolonged shouting match was overheard from the Oval Office as the White House Senior Staff debated what to do about the Bartlet nomination. According to sources, the loudest voices came from Senior Advisor CJ Cregg and Deputy Communications Director John Edwards. With White House Chief of Staff Will Bailey caught in the middle playing referee, this fight could not come at a worse time for the White House. With the 10am Tuesday deadline looming, it still remains to be seen what the Seaborn Administration will do about their final cabinet spot.
Sources close to Senate Minority Leader Jimmy Fitzsimmons (D-MA) are also telling ACN that the Minority Leader's office has been lobbying the President to pull Dr. Bartlet's nomination as it has become increasingly clear that the Democrats do not have the votes to get her through the full senate.
Why hasn't anyone brought up Dr. Millicent Griffith, the former Surgeon General in the Bartlet Administrations?
In light of the circus around Dr. Bartlet, perhaps Millie would be a reasonable choice who would be acceptable by both sides of the aisle?
Just a thought for consideration.
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But you don't need a license to practice the community service she did. I think it's just a matter of whether or not Sam sees the fight to confirm her as worth it. Right now it's looking like it isn't.
She was giving injections. It’s a matter of perception.
I agree, a man who had used far too much political capital just to be elected. She was too controversial to even be nominated, especially with a republican majority on the committee and the full senate. Heads are definitely going to roll at the White House.
Though, if Seaborn opted to fire or force out Cregg and Sterns, Bartlet's biggest advocates, to lose a Senior Advisor and a Comms Director within the first two months of an administration is going to look even worse on top of losing a Cabinet nominee. And ultimately, they only advised, Seaborn was the one who chose Bartlet. If she withdraws then better to keep the departure to just that one, and move on, rather than make it a story of how the President lost two senior advisors as well and looks careless/panicked.