14 Comments
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Anthony Emerson's avatar

What an interview, and what a man Arne Carlson is. Still a registered Republican but he's sure been backing a whole lot of Democrats in the last 20 or so years.

susanus's avatar

Great piece, Gabe. I really enjoyed this one.

Mary Jo Gorman's avatar

Thanks for getting a 91 y/o on record who can give insights that younger ones won’t/can’t.

ApatheticAnarchist's avatar

Add photo of Tamara Taylor

Nick W's avatar

That’s all Dems do now apparently! Let’s just get rid of primaries and pick whoever is vibing with the party a month before 🤡 psycho party

Neal Wilson's avatar

Can you make Arnie Carlson chiming in on current politics a recurring feature?

Michael A. Burke's avatar

This is one of your most interesting columns--thanks! I agree with those who want to see Arne Carlson as a recurring commentator.

Even with these examples, there's no clear template for a state party to replace a candidate gone wrong. You'd think we would have figured out how to do this by now. I think Minnesota 30 years ago is very different from Maine (and the rest of the country) now. We're far more partisan and tend to stick with deeply flawed candidates past the point of reason. I think Platner will have to drop out, and we'll just have to get used to sic more years of Susan Collins expressing 'concern" and voting with her party regardless of the merits of the issue.

One last point--will this mark the end, or the beginning of the end, or the end of the beginning of the diminishing of the Fight Agency as a force in contemporary politics?

William m Gaffney's avatar

Good piece An interesting bit of trivia. The SC used to have a crier The last one (position eliminated 1962) just died at over 100

Mary Puppé's avatar

This was fascinating, thanks

Average Jane's avatar

The 1990 voter pool is not the same. The scandal guy would have been elected by today’s gop voters. Biden lurking after the establishment coup? He was president 🙄. As far as Maine, the establishment couldn’t even put competitive candidates up for the primary, probably because they always intended on circumventing voters and sticking in their status quo candidate. Congrats everyone on ensuring Collins, whose votes have literally led to killing and incarcerating women, will likely stay in or ride or be replaced with a dem party hack that will do the same serving the power machine.

sean's avatar
Jul 8Edited

The unanswered question in the Jack Ryan matter (btw perfect for politics- gorgeous, highly intelligent former wife with whom he had a, then,8 year old kid, was a former partner with some fancy investment firm where he made millions, volunteered at a ghetto Christian High school as a full time teacher AND was named after a Tom Clancy All American hero character in "Red October”) could ever have his divorce papers released IN CALIFORNIA that showed his marvellous wife claimed he tried to pimp her out at sex clubs? The release was sought by a Ca. lawyer to the stars.

On behalf of the Chicago Tribune.

Even the wife plead the Court deny access to the files as it could screw up their 8 year old son.

( pleading that it’s a political move to embarrass the husband really doesn't work).

Most Courts would side with the child and the Mom.

But this Ca. Judge rode the 1st Amendment freedom of speech concept as about as far as it could go, as he ruled the electorate in Illinois had a Constitutional right to screw up the kid. So the Illinois electorate would be fully informed. (See why the ‘it’s a political move” argument wouldn’t work?)

And, VOILA - Ryan was toast.

And the myth of Obama was wrested from the Genie in the bottle.

What I wonder is-Did Dave Axelrod, a U of Chicago Grad, and thereafter a Chicago columnist in local rags ( Sun Times), before he became a very successful political King Maker as a Chicago political consultant, and at the time had a close business association with Barry O, have any quiet conversations with his former colleagues at The Chicago Tribune that set them off across country to plead the 1st Amendment right of the media to access dirt in a settled divorce matter contrary to the legitimate mental health concerns of an 8 year old boy?

I really don’t know. But it sounds like Dave.

Average Jane's avatar

At this point it sounds like the core pack running the party.

Margaret's avatar

Super interesting angle with Carlson, great reporting Gabe!

Michael Bower's avatar

In the age of grabbing 'em by the vag*na (not really a swear word:-), I guess this guy can hang in there and double down. Oh wait!!! He's a democrat and only the Republicanes don't mind this kind of stuff. Oh well, he should switch parties.