As I write this post, I await the righteous indignation of Missouri Republicans, who will feign outrage that I dared to strike a low blow at U. S. Senate candidate Roy Blunt, a man who has devoted his adult life to defending what he describes as “Missouri values.”
The post in question, which I put on The Turner Report late Wednesday night, has fewer words than probably any I have ever published.
The words didn’t really matter. The story was in the pictures.
After trying to maintain the high road in a 22-year journalism career and continuing to do so in my decade as a blogger by keeping politicians’ personal lives out of my stories, I decided it was time to break away from that lofty, but misguided rule.
As Roy Blunt tries to sell himself to Missouri Tea Party enthusiasts as a man who has fought the establishment during his 14 years in Congress and has never succumbed to the temptations of the Beltway, the two pictures tell a much different story.
The first picture came from a Christmas card, Congressman Blunt sent me during his early years in Washington. It is one of those family photos that politicians (and many others) like to send during the holiday season. It features Blunt with his wife at the time, Rosann, sons Matt (the future Missouri governor at that point) and Andrew and daughter Amy.
The second picture features a dressed to the nines Roy Blunt with his much younger second wife, Abigail Perlman, who is wearing an off-the-shoulder formal as they attend a Washington party.
Blunt’s second marriage to Ms. Perlman would normally not be enough to push me into breaking my long-standing rule. Though it’s a sad commentary, many men of Blunt’s age feel the need to trade in the loyal wives who stuck with them as they climbed the political ladder for younger models.
This situation, however, is more than just a repeat of that pathetic model. Ms. Perlman, despite her beauty, is not just some bubbleheaded babe who distracts a powerful politician from his impending mortality. She is also the lobbyist for Altria, a company that has poured hundreds of thousands into the Blunt campaign chest, into his Rely on Your Beliefs PAC, and into the Missouri campaigns of Blunt’s son, Matt.
And in 2002, as it has been well documented, including during his U.S. Senate race with Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, Blunt, at the time the newly minted Minority Whip, attempted to slip into the Homeland Security Bill legislation that would benefit the tobacco company Ms. Perlman represents.
It has been written many times over the years that Blunt inserted the wording to the bill to help “his girlfriend” or “the woman he was dating.”
And while those assertions have never been questioned (Blunt has continued to insist the pro-tobacco legislation would have helped improve U. S. security), one fact has been conveniently left out of the reporting- at the time Roy Blunt, the bastion of Missouri values, was helping his lobbyist girlfriend, he was still married to another woman.
Court records show that Blunt and his first wife were not divorced until April 24, 2003. Blunt filed for divorce Aug. 8, 2002, during the time the legislation was being considered by the House. The Homeland Security Bill passed in November. Online court documents show that a legal separation was granted for the Blunts on Dec. 19, 2002, because the court found there was “a reasonable likelihood that the marriage can be preserved and it is not irretrievably broken.”
It obviously doesn’t help the preservation of your marriage when you are dating a younger woman, a lobbyist at that, and secretly inserting last minute amendments that would have done nothing to aid a country engaged in a war on terrorism, but would have done much to improve the bottom line of the company your girlfriend represents.
So when it came down to it, the decision process was not a difficult one. I could write two thousand words saying the same thing, but all it takes is two pictures to tell Missourians that Roy Blunt has succumbed to the sweet siren song of Washington, D. C.
He may speak Missouri values, but the evidence indicates those are just a memory.
Being proud of the people that represent you, I think is the one of the strongest reasons I continue to be actively involved in the political process. Having leaders that reflect my values and my beliefs is important to me, and this election is a sterling example of why “character counts”. The distinction between the 2 candidates for Senate in Missouri could not be more clear. On one hand you have a person of impeccable character and a reputation of fighting for Missourians, and on the other you have Roy Blunt.
Last night at the primary watch party, Congressman Cleaver reminded everyone that while primaries can leave people within the party bruised, bloodied, and irritated that we needed to “de-irritate” and focus on the tough but important races we have November.
It was worth repeating.
In the next couple of weeks, we will outline the competitive general races in Jackson County and how you can get involved.
On 45th Anniversary of Medicare, Coats, Vitter, Johnson, Boozman, Blunt, Norton, Buck, Angle, Paul All Want To End Medicare For Seniors In Their States
As Americans across the country celebrate the 45th anniversary of Medicare being signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is attacking nine Republican Senate candidates who want to take Medicare away from their would-be constituents. Medicare, which provides quality health insurance to those 65 and over, has been one of the most successful and popular government programs in American history. While Democrats will fight to preserve Medicare, these nine Republicans candidates will fight tooth and nail to abolish it should they win this November.
“On the 45th anniversary of Medicare, Republican Senate candidates are running to take it away,” said DSCC National Press Secretary Deirdre Murphy. ”Fortunately, voters will have a choice this fall, between Democrats who will fight to preserve Medicare, and Republicans who will fight to abolish it.”
NINE REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATES WHO WANT TO END MEDICARE AS WE KNOW IT
SHARRON ANGLE WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 348,168 NEVADANS
Angle On Medicare: “We Need To Phase It Out.” In October 2009, the Review-Journal reported, “As for Medicare, she (Angle) said the entitlement program popular with seniors will eventually grow too costly to maintain… ‘We need to phase it out,’ she said.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 10/21/2009]
RAND PAUL WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 752,776 KENTUCKIANS
Paul: Medicare Is Soviet Union Socialism. A Courier-Journal review of Paul’s prior statements found he had compared Medicare to Soviet socialism. “Advancing his belief that health care prices should be set by the marketplace, Paul also has attacked having government set Medicare reimbursements for doctors,” the Courier-Journal said. “The fundamental reason why Medicare is failing is why the Soviet Union failed — socialism doesn’t work,” Paul said on Kentucky Tonight on June 16, 1998. “You have … no price fluctuation.” [Courier-Journal, 6/21/2010; Kentucky Tonight 1998 archives]
DAN COATS WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 996,966 HOOSIERS
Coats: I Want To Work With Rep. Ryan On His Ideas for Entitlement Reform. In July 2010, Coats praised Rep. Paul Ryan’s ideas for entitlement reform and vowed to work with him on passing them if elected. He said, “Paul Ryan has come up with some very sensible ideas, I have talked personal with Paul I have read his materials and there are many many things in there that I agree with and want to work with him on. UUhh it basically says we are out of money and we are deeply in debt. And if we are going to have a future in this country for our children and our grandchildren and going to have jobs available and be the country of opportunity and be the country that can lead the world and the economy we have to come up with some reforms. And Paul has come up with some very constructive ideas and so have other republicans.” [Greg Garrison Show, 7/12/10]
o Ryan Plan would Eliminate Traditional Medicare. “The Ryan plan would eliminate traditional Medicare, most of Medicaid, and all of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), converting these health programs largely to vouchers that low-income households, seniors, and people with disabilities could use to help buy insurance in the private health insurance market.” [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/07/10]
DAVID VITTER WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 677,880 LOUISIANANS
Vitter Endorsed Plan to Privatize Medicare. In September 2009, Vitter endorsed a report from the conservative Pelican Institute that promoted ending the employer-based health insurance system. According to the Times-Picayune, “U.S. Sen. David Vitter has endorsed a new study from a conservative think tank that calls for scrapping the nation’s employer-based health insurance system in favor of individually owned policies and converting the Medicaid program into vouchers for private insurance.” Vitter called the report “an important contribution to the debate.” [Times-Picayune, 9/15/09]
RON JOHNSON WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 900,715 WISCONSINITES
Johnson: Rep. Ryan Has Laid Out “Common Sense Approaches” on Entitlement Reform In May 2010, Johnson praised Rep. Paul Ryan’s privatization plan. He said, “You know, in his “Roadmap for America,” [Paul Ryan] starts laying out some possibilities, I think some common-sense approaches, on you know, recognizing the fact that, I mean, when these programs were implemented, life expectancy was far shorter. You know, so, life expectancy has gone on. So I mean, you have to recognize that reality and start making adjustments to the program to figure out how you can keep these things sustainable so they’re around for people.” [Johnson Wisconsin Eye Campaign 2010 Interview, 5/26/2010]
JOHN BOOZMAN WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 527,051 ARKANSANS
Boozman Voted to Replace Medicare With a Private Program. In April 2009, Boozman voted for a GOP alternative budget by Rep. Paul ryan that called for “replacing the traditional Medicare program with subsidies to help retirees enroll in private health care plans.” [Star Tribune, 4/03/09; Vote 191, 4/02/09]
ROY BLUNT WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 992,968 MISSOURIANS
Blunt Voted to Replace Medicare With a Private Program. In April 2009, Blunt voted for a GOP alternative budget by Rep. Paul ryan that called for “replacing the traditional Medicare program with subsidies to help retirees enroll in private health care plans.” [Star Tribune, 4/03/09; Vote 191, 4/02/09]
Blunt: Government Should Never Have Gotten In The Health Care Business. During a radio appearance on The Eagle 93.9, Blunt suggested that government should never have gotten in the health care business, citing Medicare and Medicaid as examples of government intervening in the health care business “in a big way.” HOST MIKE FERGUSON: What is the proper role of government, and what are the potential impacts of the direction that we’re going right now? BLUNT: Well, you could certainly argue that government should have never have gotten in the health care business, and that might have been the best argument of all, to figure out how people could have had more access to a competitive marketplace. Government did get into the health care business in a big way in 1965 with Medicare, and later with Medicaid, and government already distorts the marketplace.” [The Eagle 93.9, 7/10/09; St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 7/10/09]
· Blunt: “Medicare Has Never Done Anything To Make People More Healthy.” During a July 2009 campaign event in Hannibal, Blunt said Medicare had never done anything to make people healthier. BLUNT: “We’ve had Medicare since 1965, and Medicare has never done anything to make people more healthy. If there’s any opportunity for more healthy activity, it’s going to be, again, a private, competitive industry…” [Becky Thatcher's, Hannibal MO, 7/25/10; Missouri Democratic Party; Fired Up Missouri, 7/29/09]
JANE NORTON AND KEN BUCK WANT TO END MEDICARE FOR 606,009 COLORADANS
Norton: Government Shouldn’t Be In Health Care Business. In January 2010, Norton called on supporters to sign an online petition “if you agree that the government shouldn’t be in the health care business.” “Health care needs real, common-sense reforms. A government mandated, and government controlled, health care system is not the solution… If you agree that the government shouldn’t be in the health care business, show your opposition by signing this petition today.” [www.janenorton.com, Accessed 1/5/10]
Buck Questioned Federal Government’s Role in Running Health Care Programs. As reported by Politico, “At a March forum, Buck said. ‘The idea that the federal government should be running health care or retirement or any of those programs is fundamentally against what I believe. And that is that the private sector runs programs like that far better.’” [Politico, 6/28/10]
I am not a conservative and have never pretended to be, but to pretend to have conservative credentials then get called out by the very people you claim support you????
Robin Carnahan Kicks Off “Stop the Bull” Tour as She Lays out Plan to Crack Down on Wasteful Spending
Calls “Bull” on Congressman Blunt’s 14-year record of reckless spending and challenges him to release ALL earmark requests
Columbia, MO – Today Robin Carnahan made stops in Willard, Independence, and Columbia as she kicked off her “Stop the Bull” Tour. Robin laid out a 3-point plan to put Missouri families first and crack down on wasteful spending in Washington:
Stop the pork and start cutting fat
Stop corporate giveaways and start putting middle class families first
Stop the reckless spending and start demanding fiscal responsibility
Among other things, Robin announced her support for a ban on all earmarks, no more bailouts for Big Oil or Wall Street, and enacting spending caps. Today’s stops were the first in a series of upcoming announcements that will focus on putting middle class families first and stopping the bull in Washington.
“Missourians are changing their lives, cutting back, and making sacrifices, but we have a government in Washington that’s totally out of touch… and that continues to spend recklessly, wasting tax dollars and running up our nation’s debt. Missourians know Washington is broken, and out of touch, and so do I – that’s why it’s time to stop the bull and fix what’s wrong with Washington,” said Robin Carnahan.
Robin called on Congressman Blunt to release of all the earmarks he has ever requested during his 14 years in Washington and that “Missourians shouldn’t have to beg” to see how he’s been wanting to spend our tax dollars. Carnahan also highlighted Blunt’s record of wasteful spending, which includes:
Turning a $128 billion surplus into a $1.2 trillion deficit
Pushing through the $700 Billion Wall Street Bailout
Increasing earmarks by 7 fold, costing taxpayers $225 billion and Refusing to release earmark requests during his time in Congress
While Congressman Blunt has been in Washington, DC, Robin has cut red tape and costs for small businesses and protected consumers’ money in Missouri. As Secretary of State, Robin has cut costs for small businesses by nearly $12 million and returned over $10 billion back to wronged investors.
Robin is running for the U.S. Senate Seat currently held by U.S. Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) who is retiring. She is currently in her second term as Missouri Secretary of State where she has worked across party lines to protect consumers by standing up to big institutions and getting more than $10 billion returned to wronged investors, and to cut red tape for small businesses so they can save resources and create more jobs. A breast cancer survivor with a background in business and law, Robin also still oversees her family’s cattle farm in Rolla, MO. For more information on Robin’s background and values, visit: www.RobinCarnahan.com
President Obama’s State of the Union speech last night addressed
important national issues. But in Missouri, speeches aren’t enough, and
we can’t wait for Washington to figure everything out.
In Missouri, we have strong families and communities. We know what
we go to bed worrying about every night, and we know what keeps us
going through the day. Washington doesn’t know our concerns like we do.
That’s why I want to hear directly from you: what is the most important
issue facing you and your family?
Using your cell phone, text your answer to 76246. Pick from the list below
or write your own.
It’s hard to believe we’ve been at it for almost a full year now. Whether you were with Robin Carnahan the day she launched her U. S. Senate campaign on February 3rd or joined her team in the following months, we’ve come a long way working together for Robin!
Now as we approach the end of a year, it’s time to take stock and reflect upon some of our accomplishments. To that end, here are the 2009 Robin Carnahan for Senate highlights, by the numbers:
7 — the number of publicly released independent polls conducted statewide in 2009 that show Robin ahead of her likely Republican opponent, Congressman Roy Blunt, by an average of 47% to 44%.
109 — the number of counties in Missouri (out of 114 total counties) in which Robin Carnahan has received donations from grassroots supporters this year who agree with her positive message of reform, accountability, and getting things done for Missouri families!
402 — the number of volunteers who attended a House Party for Robin Carnahan last month pledging their time and effort to electing Robin Carnahan to the U.S. Senate.
732 — the number of members so far who have joined “Team 2010″ with a generous donation to Robin’s campaign. But we’ve got a long way to go.
Since we’re about halfway through this campaign, to keep on pace, we need to hit the halfway mark (which is 1,005) on our Team 2010 goal of 2,010 members. Which means we need to enlist another 273 more members of Team 2010 by midnight on December 31st — just 4 days are remaining.
Will you be our 1,005th Team 2010 donor?If you are the one, Robin Carnahan looks forward to calling you on New Year’s Day with thanks and well wishes for the new year!
Sincerely,
Emily Elbert
Finance Director, Robin Carnahan for Senate
P.S. New Year’s Eve marks our last quarterly fundraising deadline for 2009. Will you help us hit 1,005 members of our Team 2010 by midnight on December 31st? Contribute today www.RobinCarnahan.com/year-one.
Congressman Blunt is so obviously responding to a political ad from the League of Conservation voters, which would make this a political response. Chairman Craig Hosmer & the Missouri Democratic Party released a statement and held a news conference in Springfield. The statement is below.
“TAXPAYER MONEY USED BY CONGRESSMAN BLUNT TO DIRECTLY RESPOND TO CAMPAIGN QUESTIONS Filed on December 18, 2009
For Immediate Release: December 18, 2009
Contact: Ryan Hobart (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125
“TAXPAYER MONEY USED BY CONGRESSMAN BLUNT TO DIRECTLY RESPOND TO CAMPAIGN QUESTIONS
MDP to file ethics complaints; calls on Cong. Blunt to disclose cost of so-called “official” mailing and reimburse Missourians for campaign literature
Hosmer: “It was bad enough when corporate special interests and lobbyists were funding Congressman Blunt’s campaign, but now Missouri taxpayers are footing the bill.”
Springfield, MO – After many Missourians in the 7th District received a mailing from Congressman Roy Blunt’s Washington, DC Congressional office, Missouri Democratic Party Chairman, Craig Hosmer, held a news conference today calling on Congressman Blunt to reimburse Missouri taxpayers for what amounts to campaign literature being sent out by his Congressional office.
Hosmer announced that the Missouri Democratic Party plans to file complaints with the House Franking Commission, House Ethics Committee and is also looking at possible FEC violations to see if a federal investigation is necessary.
“It was bad enough when corporate special interests and lobbyists were funding Congressman Blunt’s campaign, but now Missouri taxpayers are footing the bill,” said Craig Hosmer, Chairman of the Missouri Democratic Party. “Taxpayers deserve to know how many people Congressman Blunt sent this mailer to and how much it cost Missourians. We are calling on Congressman Blunt to reimburse taxpayers for the cost of his campaign literature – his campaign should pay for this kind of political mailing, not Missouri taxpayers.”
Recently the League of Conservation Voters had put out TV and radio ads stating the fact that Congressman Blunt has taken over $1 million from big oil and energy interests [click here to view], and the Missouri Democratic Party has also put out this video news release [click here to view] to set the record straight on Congressman Blunt’s 12 year voting record with big oil companies and energy corporate special interests, making Blunt’s mailer a direct response to a campaign matter, and a clear violation of Congressional Rules.
The franking privilege may only be used for matters of public concern or public service. (39 U.S.C. § 3210(3)(a).) It may not be used to solicit votes or contributions, to send mail regarding political campaigns or political parties, or to mail autobiographical or holiday greeting materials.”
What do you think should taxpayers be forced to foot the bill for Roy Blunt’s senate campaign?
Robin Carnahan and Jackson County Committeewoman Dutch Newman
Rasmussen has new polling data out this morning which pretty much reflects what we in Jackson County have know for a long time, this is going to be a close race. This is going to be one of the most watched races in the nation. Missouri reflects the American sentiment more accurately than just about any other state, so once again the nation will be watching us. You can read about the polling data here and here.
There will be lots of opportunities to get involved in this race in 2010. Let’s make Missouri the 4th state by having 2 great women Senators that represent real Missouri common sense values.
Will you join with Team Robin today? I did, it’s worth $20.10 to me, because the worst present in the world in 2010 would be Senator Blunt.
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