James Inhofe v. Andrew Rice

[RecycleMichael]

I saw polling today that has Senator Inhofe ahead of his democratic challenger 51% to 32%.

http://www.jiminhofe.com

http://www.andrewforoklahoma.com/

The Tulsa World has seemingly weighed in on the race with a very positive editorial in Sunday's paper about Andrew Rice...

http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/article.aspx?subjectID=214&articleID=20080608_214_G6_hRiceg600449

The green machine

By JULIE DELCOUR Associate Editor
6/8/2008
Rice gets national notice but will it help here?

Andrew Rice was a young college student the last time a Democrat garnered more than 40 percent of the vote in an Oklahoma U.S. Senate race. That's an inconvenient truth for the Democratic first-term state senator from Oklahoma City but apparently not an insurmountable one, claims Rice, 35, who's running for the seat held by Republican veteran U.S. Sen. James M. Inhofe, 74.

While Rice is not quixotic he admits that if he gets the Democratic nomination the race will be an uphill battle against a better-known opponent whose middle name is Mountain. If Rice has any hope of winning he's going to need a lean green fighting machine — lean because at this point Inhofe has a campaign war chest filled with Big Oil's largess, and Rice has a piggy bank filled mainly with $25 contributions from individuals. While Rice is proud of the more than $1 million his campaign's amassed, Inhofe has twice that amount.

"You need a certain amount but when you hit that threshold, and if you run an aggressive campaign and have an authentic message you don't have to match dollar for dollar," Rice said by phone last week from a train on the East Coast where he was fact-finding and fund-raising. He points out that in 2006 several incumbent U.S. senators lost to candidates with far less money but with a message that resonated with voters.

Recently, several national publications including the New Republic profiled Rice, and what it is like to run a "green" campaign in a red state. His stands on environmental issues are front and center in his campaign. They contrast starkly with those of Inhofe, who in a jaw-dropper five years ago proclaimed that man-made global warming was "the greatest hoax perpetrated on the American people since the separation of church and state."

Rice believes global warming — he uses the term climate change — is real with direct implications. "We trust scientists to take care of our children, to cure them when they're sick. Why doesn't Inhofe trust scientists" to tell it like it is on climate control? "Instead, he says they lie to get grant money."

State farmers and sportsmen are witnesses, Rice contends, to the impact of global warming on their crops and wildlife habitat. A National Wildlife Federation poll showed that an overwhelming majority of hunters and fishermen agree with the scientific community's consensus that global warming is accelerated by man-made carbon emissions, and that it already is eroding the U.S. quality of life, Rice said. After surviving a severe drought one year and flooding the next, an Oklahoma farmer told him: "I don't know what's going on — but something's going on."

Rice sees energy independence as an issue of national security. That security is sacred to him. He lost his older brother to terrorism on 9/11 in New York. Afterward, Rice committed himself to public service. He's also committed to Oklahoma's leadership role in producing alternative energy sources including wind (farms) and biofuels that could bring the state jobs and give people relief at the pump.

"We should have been doing this 10 years ago, but instead our leaders have been protecting the status quo. We are already seeing alternative-energy initiatives in Oklahoma. I will pursue economic incentives that will keep us at the forefront of a rapidly changing energy economy."

All Rice's stands are not green. Health care for all veterans, insurance for cancer victims involved in clinical trials, food security, fuel-efficient state vehicles and schools, are but a few of the issues he's tackled in the state Legislature. Rice maintains that he's undaunted by Inhofe's political experience.

"He has experience I don't want. He's rigid. I'm not finding a lot of people who like that. I've got policies which, if they come together, would move us forward and reshape the economy. ...He's taken us into the ditch. I think my lack of experience would be of benefit in this situation. People are tired of the bickering and pettiness. I'll walk across the aisle to be bipartisan."

A Harvard University Divinity School graduate who did missionary work in Southeast Asia, Rice is counting on support from a variety of sources including conservative evangelicals with their commitment to "creation care," the belief they have a Biblically-inspired duty to be good stewards of a world God created. Rice hopes a backlash to Inhofe's policies and pronouncements over the past 14 years will capture voters who don't care about a candidate's party as long as he or she can offer rational solutions to problems. Did I mention that Rice is an optimist?

[kylieosu]

From everything I have seen and read about this guy, I like him a lot. He has my vote. GO ANDREW RICE!

[Hometown]

Lord knows I don't care for Inhofe, and I'm a life-long Democrat, but I find Rice's stand on immigration very Republican-like.  I don't like it at all.  And I plan to do what I can to help defeat Rice and look for another replacement for Inhofe.

[joiei]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

I saw polling today that has Senator Inhofe ahead of his democratic challenger 51% to 32%.

http://www.jiminhofe.com

http://www.andrewforoklahoma.com/

The Tulsa World has seemingly weighed in on the race with a very positive editorial in Sunday's paper about Andrew Rice...

http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/article.aspx?subjectID=214&articleID=20080608_214_G6_hRiceg600449

The green machine

By JULIE DELCOUR Associate Editor
6/8/2008
Rice gets national notice but will it help here?

Andrew Rice was a young college student the last time a Democrat garnered more than 40 percent of the vote in an Oklahoma U.S. Senate race. That's an inconvenient truth for the Democratic first-term state senator from Oklahoma City but apparently not an insurmountable one, claims Rice, 35, who's running for the seat held by Republican veteran U.S. Sen. James M. Inhofe, 74.

While Rice is not quixotic he admits that if he gets the Democratic nomination the race will be an uphill battle against a better-known opponent whose middle name is Mountain. If Rice has any hope of winning he's going to need a lean green fighting machine — lean because at this point Inhofe has a campaign war chest filled with Big Oil's largess, and Rice has a piggy bank filled mainly with $25 contributions from individuals. While Rice is proud of the more than $1 million his campaign's amassed, Inhofe has twice that amount.

"You need a certain amount but when you hit that threshold, and if you run an aggressive campaign and have an authentic message you don't have to match dollar for dollar," Rice said by phone last week from a train on the East Coast where he was fact-finding and fund-raising. He points out that in 2006 several incumbent U.S. senators lost to candidates with far less money but with a message that resonated with voters.

Recently, several national publications including the New Republic profiled Rice, and what it is like to run a "green" campaign in a red state. His stands on environmental issues are front and center in his campaign. They contrast starkly with those of Inhofe, who in a jaw-dropper five years ago proclaimed that man-made global warming was "the greatest hoax perpetrated on the American people since the separation of church and state."

Rice believes global warming — he uses the term climate change — is real with direct implications. "We trust scientists to take care of our children, to cure them when they're sick. Why doesn't Inhofe trust scientists" to tell it like it is on climate control? "Instead, he says they lie to get grant money."

State farmers and sportsmen are witnesses, Rice contends, to the impact of global warming on their crops and wildlife habitat. A National Wildlife Federation poll showed that an overwhelming majority of hunters and fishermen agree with the scientific community's consensus that global warming is accelerated by man-made carbon emissions, and that it already is eroding the U.S. quality of life, Rice said. After surviving a severe drought one year and flooding the next, an Oklahoma farmer told him: "I don't know what's going on — but something's going on."

Rice sees energy independence as an issue of national security. That security is sacred to him. He lost his older brother to terrorism on 9/11 in New York. Afterward, Rice committed himself to public service. He's also committed to Oklahoma's leadership role in producing alternative energy sources including wind (farms) and biofuels that could bring the state jobs and give people relief at the pump.

"We should have been doing this 10 years ago, but instead our leaders have been protecting the status quo. We are already seeing alternative-energy initiatives in Oklahoma. I will pursue economic incentives that will keep us at the forefront of a rapidly changing energy economy."

All Rice's stands are not green. Health care for all veterans, insurance for cancer victims involved in clinical trials, food security, fuel-efficient state vehicles and schools, are but a few of the issues he's tackled in the state Legislature. Rice maintains that he's undaunted by Inhofe's political experience.

"He has experience I don't want. He's rigid. I'm not finding a lot of people who like that. I've got policies which, if they come together, would move us forward and reshape the economy. ...He's taken us into the ditch. I think my lack of experience would be of benefit in this situation. People are tired of the bickering and pettiness. I'll walk across the aisle to be bipartisan."

A Harvard University Divinity School graduate who did missionary work in Southeast Asia, Rice is counting on support from a variety of sources including conservative evangelicals with their commitment to "creation care," the belief they have a Biblically-inspired duty to be good stewards of a world God created. Rice hopes a backlash to Inhofe's policies and pronouncements over the past 14 years will capture voters who don't care about a candidate's party as long as he or she can offer rational solutions to problems. Did I mention that Rice is an optimist?

The fact that Rice is an Optimist only adds to my opinion of him.  

I find the new televisison ads by Inhofe to beyond offensive.

[tim huntzinger]

quote:Originally posted by joiei


I find the new televisison ads by Inhofe to beyond offensive.

?

[FOTD]

joiei
[/quote]
The fact that Rice is an Optimist only adds to my opinion of him.  

I find the new televisison ads by Inhofe to beyond offensive.
[/quote]

Here....you deserve these links for "We skipped the light fandango, turned cartwheels 'cross the floor" and a pat on the back for your assesment of Senator Mularkey.

Procol Harem:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=PbWULu5_nXI&feature=related

Annie Lenox:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByXvPU-tfJA&feature=related

Sarah Brightman:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1Crx6KbJgwE

Joe Cocker:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=cbR0kj0rYYA&feature=related

Ann McNamee's classic rendition ; )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QuRsNNTSGc

Check out King Curtis version live from the Filmore east. Blows away all versions IMHO. Total instrumental

enjoy!

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by Hometown

Lord knows I don't care for Inhofe, and I'm a life-long Democrat, but I find Rice's stand on immigration very Republican-like.  I don't like it at all.  And I plan to do what I can to help defeat Rice and look for another replacement for Inhofe.

Really? You are going to work to reelect our senior senator, who may just be the single worst member of the US Senate, who is opposed to nearly every position that you seem to stand for.

All because his challenger, who you are going to agree with 9 times out of 10, has taken a position on a single topic that you disagree with. And in working to reelect Inhofe you are going to also work to maintain Republican filibuster power in the Senate. A power that our numbskull crying while doing crossword puzzles in public hearings junior senator will use constantly to block bills and judges that you would agree with?

Have you really thought about this?

[deinstein]

Rice has my vote unless Sheila runs again.

[}:)]

[pmcalk]

HT, you don't make a lot of sense to me.  No, Rice isn't perfect.  But we live in Oklahoma, after all.  He is better--much better--and that's enough for me.  If someone better comes along later, I'll vote for him or her.  Why would you chose the greater of two evils?

[FOTD]

quote:Originally posted by pmcalk

HT, you don't make a lot of sense to me.  No, Rice isn't perfect.  But we live in Oklahoma, after all.  He is better--much better--and that's enough for me.  If someone better comes along later, I'll vote for him or her.  Why would you chose the greater of two evils?

"Choosing of the lessor of two evils is still choosing evil"...J. Garcia

Andrew Rice is not evil

[CoffeeBean]

It is difficult to imagine another state with a more embarrassing one-two punch in the U.S. Senate.

[pmcalk]

No, you are right--Andrew Rice is definitely not evil.  I like him.  But my point is that he is not perfect, and no politician will ever vote the way you want 100% of the time.  So, the question is, HT, do you vote for someone who has one opinion you don't like, or do you vote for someone who has 100 opinions you don't like?  To me, the answer is easy.

[Double A]

H.T. is one of those my 90% friend is my 10% enemy types. Good luck with finding someone else to run against Inhofe considering the filing period is now over. I doubt you could have found anyone else brave enough to challenge Dim Jim anyway. Rice is a knight in shining armor to rescue the damsel in distress named Oklahoma from the curse of the dark lord Inhofe, by slaying that wicked, sulfurous, old dragon. Hazaa, Beyotches!

[Hometown]

Rice has made a point to brag about his support of our hideous anti-immigrant law.  I could no more cast a vote for him than I could if he was a vocal supporter of Jim Crow laws.  Henry and Edmonson are fatally flawed for the same reason.  Some of these Oklahoma Democrats are as bad as Republicans.  I guess my household will abstain on that one, unless Rice changes his position on immigrants.

[Double A]

quote:Originally posted by Hometown

Rice has made a point to brag about his support of our hideous anti-immigrant law.  I could no more cast a vote for him than I could if he was a vocal supporter of Jim Crow laws.  Henry and Edmonson are fatally flawed for the same reason.  Some of these Oklahoma Democrats are as bad as Republicans.  I guess my household will abstain on that one, unless Rice changes his position on immigrants.

That just goes to show how completely out of touch with the average Oklahoman you really are judging by the voter's willingness to elect Henry, Edmondson, and Rice(all Democrats) for that matter in one of the reddest of red states. I thought you were moving, anyway?