The Rise of the Sports Mass Media Industrial Complex Oligolopoly

In Boston, the owner of the Red Sox threw some petty cash around and bought one of the town's major metropolitan dailies.

In Morgantown, disputes over Tier 3 broadcasting rights threw the old college town into a tizzy, hammered a wedge between two state Republican Party titans, and smashed a decades old relationship between the university and a media company.

ESPN long ago absorbed a traditional television network and an entertainment company.  Then it ran its bull through college sports' china shop, smashing conferences and forcing decisions on what defined a college sports program as "viable."  The American free market has sent two St. Georges, Fox Sports and NBC, to slay the dragon.

But that story is still developing.

These developments lead observers to ask, is the current fast inflation of the sports industry and its media handmaidens economically or ethically good for either?

Columbia Journalism Review analyzed the sharp rise in the value of sports franchises, as well as the coincidental correlation with the decline of traditional media, especially print.  It posed the question, can a hometown media outlet report fairly on a sports issue if it is linked with the franchise?

CJR answers the question by pointing out how poorly ESPN has covered stories in which it plays a central role.

Media tend to perform poorly when interests collide.  CJR speculates that the Boston Globe will have a harder time covering the team honestly when its parent company owns the Red Sox.  But this is hardly a unique situation.  When owned by General Electric, NBC tread very carefully when covering stories about its parent company.  Media outlets often face important decisions and criticism when dealing with stories involving critical advertisers.

Another problem with the sports mass media blobonomy is that there has to be a saturation point.  There are only so many sports fans.  There can be only so much interest here and abroad. Rules changes done for safety or (more often) public relations transform the games, frustrating traditional fans.

Rising prices have created an impact as well.  The cost of tickets and merchandise either now, or soon will, exceed the value of the product.  Players' and owners drives to profit as much as possible rely on a steep willingness of the market to pay.  What is the cost to the sport's profitability if children have less and less opportunity to see the games in person?

Franchises and media increasingly aim at sports followers instead of fans.  Serious differences separate the devoted latter from the fickle former.

A warning comes from the fate of American boxing.  Once one of the most popular sports in the nation, it died because the sports' foremost figures decided that it could thrive by forcing anyone interested in watching premiere events to pay through the nose.  Boxing still makes money, but how many Americans can name the heavyweight champion right now, let alone any contenders?

Anyone who thinks that bad decisions by the major sports could not reduce any of them in a generation to the status of boxing is delusional.

Sports teams' value comes entirely from the perception by their markets that an experience involving them has value.  No one needs to consume the product to survive. No one needs the product to help them understand the world better. That is why the notion of franchises worth over a billion is troubling.  At the end of the day, they don't make anything of substance.  How long can the market sustain them, especially given a seemingly never ending economic slump?

In other words, the sports media industry displays many of the classic features of an economic bubble, except for the availability of too easily obtained credit.  Nothing grows this fast forever and leisure spending is fickle.

And this is not meant to be a hand wringing, what-is-to-be-done, kind of commentary.  Making money honestly is no sin.  But, like any other industry, those invested and involved need to understand that no sure fire never fail model has ever existed.  What goes up tends to come down. And if mass media outlets tie themselves too securely to the sports industry ship, they may sink with it should market priorities change.

Election Thoughts

First thought. Congratulations to the Mineral County Republican Executive Committee, Potomac Highlands Patriots Tea Party, volunteers, and candidates. This was a huge amount of effort that resulted in a conservative sweep in Mineral County. Great job, folks!

Mineral County's closest race was between Gary Howell and Charles Messick. Howell won by about ten percentage points. Richard "Doc" Lechliter defeated Wayne Spiggle for county commission by about twelve points. The other Mineral County numbers and percentages were much, much higher.

Thank you Lauren Ellifritz, Mineral County Clerk. Last night we saw that there was a very heavy turnout. Her staff, helped by Rose Ann Maine, Mary Margaret Rinehart, Janice LaRue, Cindy Pyles, and others made the election night go very, very smoothly. Thanks again, Lauren and everyone else!

Thank you to all the volunteers who got almost all the signs up last night. Some people do not mind them, but to other citizens they are an imposition that they tolerate becauseof the season. Getting the signs up quickly ensures that we retain their goodwill.

The narrow John Raese defeat, if seen from August, should be considered a Republican victory of sorts. Joe Manchin successfully deflected the message of the race away from his pro Obama statements and towards Raese himself and the Republican campaign. That is why he ultimately won. That all being said, who would have predicted that this race would have gotten this close three months ago?

Across the state, we saw some legislative setbacks. Craig Blair, a well known GOP figure, may have lost in his bid to jump from the House of Delegates to the State Senate in the Eastern Panhandle. The race is still statistically 50-50 with the mercurial John Unger leading by a few hundred votes. Mitch Carmichael's delegate race was much closer than it ought to have been in a district that is mostly Jackson County, but at this point he looks to have won. Former delegate Debbie Stevens was unable to regain the 46th from incumbent Stan Shaver. Republicans also failed to do well in the 57th and 58th districts in Jefferson County. Republicans certainly did better across the state in areas where they have not enjoyed success for some time. Over the next two years, the party needs to focus on local committees and get them up to the fight in every single county. Gary Howell's brief tenure as Mineral County chair demonstrated what can be done on the local level. Thousands of voter guides were distributed on foot and through the newspapers. Door to door walks were done on behalf of several candidates. The committee organized sign distribution and pick ups in a systematic fashion. Unopposed candidates, such as Krista Dixon and Lauren Ellifritz, remained involved throughout the fall with party functions. This is evidence of what can be done by the committees across the state.

Also do not forget the Tea Party. They held dinners and had some of the largest Tea Party rallies in the entire state. They participated in candidate walks. They raised money and paid for billboards in Keyser and the northern part of the county. Their activity was an essential part of victory last night for Republicans in this county. It could not have been done without their work and support. When Tea Parties and Republicans get behind good candidates instead of sniping at each other, they can do great things. The Tea Party brought people into politics who might otherwise have not been involved. Republicans need to recognize how essential the Tea Party movement has been and follow through on promises made to fight for smaller government and the expansion of freedom.

David McKinley, barring any surprise in any recount, seems to have won a slender victory over Mike Oliverio. This was a seat held by Democrats for a very long time. It reflects frustration with federal anti-mining and industrial policies combined with the growing affluence of Morgantown and Fairmont. McKinley is the star of the moment and the biggest success of this election, so long as Democratic lawyers don't find a way to steal the victory from him.

So both locally and across the state, we have a lot of work to do. Election day may be closer than we think. There is a chance of having a special gubernatorial election early next year. In any event, 2012 is closer than we think.

Who Is "Public Policy Polling?"

Not every pollster can be believed.

In nearly every poll of the West Virginia race for United States Senator in the past few weeks, John Raese enjoys anywhere from a five to nine point lead.

The only holdout is Public Policy Polling who has Manchin ahead by six points in its most recent evaluation.

Say what? Who is Public Policy Polling?

PPP is an outfit out of North Carolina that Real Clear Politics always denotes with a (D) when publishing its numbers. And D don't mean "Dallas."

PPP has a track record in this election of bucking the numbers of polls that show light to moderate leads for Republicans by indicating ties or Democratic leads. Their effect is to bring down the average reported Republican poll leads every week. If you want any further proof of their bias, they show that John McCain has a moderate 13 point lead over his opponent, while the non partisan Rocky Mountain Poll has McCain up by 34 points.

More proof needed of their bias? Oftentimes their polls are funded by the radical left wing Daily Kos website. No motivation for bias there, right?

Unfortunately for those behind these bizarre results, these polls will have the opposite effect. An energized Republican base will grow even more motivated to bring out the voters if the polls look close. If you only care about the John Raese race, you will be more likely to come out and vote if the numbers look closer. Of course Raese voters will tend to vote Republican on the rest of the ticket, so trying to make the Raese/Manchin contest look closer than it actually is should only help the West Virginia Republican Get Out the Vote efforts.

Tom Stark's Letter to the Editor About Lies In the U. S. Senate Race

This is a heart felt letter from Tom Stark, former candidate for Congress.

This election cycle produced some of the most blatantly false political advertisements I have ever experienced. Of particular concern is the venom almost palpable in the Manchin and DSCC ads attacking John Raese. Keep in mind that John’s ads have said nothing worse about Manchin than his “rubber stamp” reference which is clearly documented as factual based on Manchin’s own words and actions. Not one word from Joe on his own accomplishments or lack thereof. Let's take them one at a time: -

Raese “lives” in Florida where he bought/built a home to avoid WV taxes.

Taxes are higher there than here. Many West Virginians own homes in FL. John owns the home in FL to provide a place for his wife and daughters to live while the kids attend a special school known to be the best at accommodating the disability one of his daughters has. I’d say that was admirable, not a bad thing at all. -

Liz Raese cannot vote for her husband because she lives in FL. John’s wife resides there during the school year to take care of her children, and he visits during the school year when he is able. She qualifies to vote in FL because she lives there more than she lives here and would be unable to come back to WV to vote with any consistency. It is unfortunate that she cannot vote for her husband, but her civic responsibility is also to be admired. I doubt they enjoy the separation, but do it for their children. -
Greer Industries has a bad safety record.
At least one of Greer’s safety awards (among many they have received) was presented to them by Joe Manchin. In fact, the mine pictured in the background of Manchin’s ad criticizing Greer’s record has a far worse safety record than any of the Greer facilities. -

Raese is not “in touch” with the people of WV because he’s rich.
The Democrat brand of politics relies heavily on “class warfare” and “class envy.” Divide and Conquer. Truth be known, if most people who resent and hate the wealthy people in this world spent as much energy and time in productive pursuits rather than resentment and hate, perhaps God would reward their spirit and shower them with blessings as well. The Raeses are both good people who have been fortunate, but that is no reason to claim they are out of touch. Liz and John Raese have done many good things for their community in WV. The Raeses and the Greers have contributed to the health of the WV economy for over a century, and providing jobs for thousands heads the list. What scares Democrats about John Raese is that he is not a career politician. He is committed to his beliefs in the Constitution and freedom. That threatens the control that Congress and the administration are determined to force on the American people.
John needs our help on November 2 to stop them.
Vote.
Tom Stark

Manchin Tries to Sidestep Subpoenas

Why is Governor Manchin so eager to talk about one of John Raese's commercials?

Probably because the issues keep bringing him down, especially in the polls.

Why won't Joe Manchin talk to Fox News or WSAZ about the federal investigation of his administration and Democratic Party chair Larry Puccio?

Why doesn't Joe Manchin want to talk about his adoption of a state version of cap and trade that will force layoffs of coal miners and raise our electric bills?

Why won't he talk about long term and steadfast opposition to the Obama policies that are killing our state? He just started opposing them when John Raese went up by six points in the polls.

Joe Manchin wants to talk about thirty seconds of tape. John Raese wants to talk about jobs and honesty in government.

Shelley Moore Capito Blasts Congressional Leadership

Last week, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito released a statement blasting the Nancy Pelosi led Congress for its abject failures.

It failed to extend the Bush era tax cuts.

It failed to cap and end bailouts.

It failed to even grant tax relief to small businesses in a time of double digit unemployment.

It failed to address "our unsustainable national debt."

In other words, Congress failed the American people yet again. It is time to get Congress on the right track by returning incumbents that fight for us, like Shelley Moore Capito, getting rid of Obama's rubber stamps, like Nick Joe Rahall, and sending dedicated free market defenders like John Raese and David McKinley.

West Virginia's Red Lean In the U. S. Senate Race

From the John Raese for U. S. Senate website.


Cook Political Reports
September 30, 2010
http://www.cookpolitical.com/node/8561
This special election to fill the remainder of the late Sen. Robert Byrd’s term was supposed to be a walk in the park for Democratic Gov. Joe Manchin. The Democratic-controlled state legislature set the table for him with an advantageous schedule of filing deadlines, primaries and special election dates. But, recent polling indicates that this will be anything but an easy race.
A Rasmussen (IVR) poll (September 27 of 750 likely voters) gave Republican businessman John Raese a two-point lead over Manchin, 48 percent to 46 percent. A Public Policy Polling (IVR) survey taken a week earlier (September 18-19 of 1,397 likely voters) had Raese ahead, 46 percent to 43 percent. Among all general election ballot tests taken in the contest, Raese now leads Manchin by three points, 49 percent to 46 percent, according to the HuffPollster.com trend line.
Although Manchin remains popular – his job approval rating in a September 19 Rasmussen survey was 69 percent – he must make the transition from being the state’s chief executive to being a federal candidate in a hostile climate for his party. A case in point is President Obama whose approval ratings in West Virginia are some of his lowest nationally. According to the PPP survey, Obama’s job ratings were 30-percent approve to 64-percent disapprove. At the same time, Manchin is getting help from some unlikely sources. It’s not surprising that he’s been endorsed by the major labor unions, but he’s also gotten the endorsement of the Chamber of Commerce. Even more surprising is today’s endorsement from the West Virginia Coal Association, which is a very direct slap at Raese, who is in the coal business.
This race has gotten very competitive very fast. Republicans weren’t sure that they could make in-roads here, given Manchin’s popularity, and hadn’t planned to invest in the race. Raese is a wealthy businessman who can self-fund the race. He owns companies in the mining and media industries; he is the CEO of a newspaper publishing company and owns a network of radio stations. Like Manchin, national Democrats believed that the contest would not get close. Manchin has seemingly been preparing for a Senate bid for years and was just waiting for the opportunity to run. All that has now changed and both parties are playing here.
Like many races, the narrative of this contest is perhaps best told through the ads. If nothing else, the back and forth on television and radio attest to the fact that this has become a very close contest.
In one of his first attacks on Manchin, Raese invokes coal and national Democrats’ cap and trade proposal. In the spot, an announcer says, “We generate electricity through coal. But Joe Manchin passed a law that eliminates 25% of coal usage in our power plants. It’s Obama’s cap and trade bill, West Virginia style.”
RAESE: “Joe Manchin should know better. Cutting coal usage will cost West Virginia jobs. Joe Manchin has thrown us under the bus. So imagine the damage he’ll do in Washington with his friend, Barack Obama. I’m John Raese and I approve of this message because I won’t be a rubberstamp for Obama’s cap and trade bill. I’ll fight for you.”
Manchin has also brought up mining in his attacks on Raese. According to the script, Manchin says, “I’m Joe Manchin and I approve this message because I’ll always do what’s best for West Virginia.”
ROBERTS: “I’m Cecil Roberts. My job is to protect these miners. Joe Manchin worked with us to pass historic mine safety laws. He’s always been there for us.”
ANNOUNCER: “But John Raese is bad for mine workers. Almost $100,000 in fines, over 600 safety violations.”
ROBERTS: “John Raese puts profits before people and I don’t trust him to look after these miners. And neither should you.”
Both party committees are now heavily involved in the race. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee went up this week with a spot that hits Raese’s record as a businessman. In the spot, an announcer says, “John Raese. He wants to eliminate the minimum wage. Failed to pay workers compensation for on the job injuries. But one thing John Raese does support? A pledge that protected tax breaks for corporations who ship our jobs overseas. It’s true. Protecting tax breaks that reward corporations for sending our jobs overseas. West Virginia working families, we can do better. And we have to.”
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is on the air with both television and radio ads, and have bought time in the expensive Washington, DC media market that reaches 12 percent of West Virginia voters. Both ads portray Manchin as another rubberstamp for President Obama’s agenda. The radio ad seeks to differentiate Manchin, the popular Governor, from Manchin, a potential Democratic U.S. Senator. According to the script:
MAN 1: “Hey did you hear about those folks getting laid off?”
MAN 2: “Oh yeah, federal government’s making it real hard to make a living these days, and it’s killing our economy.”
MAN 1: “Joe Manchin supports all that big Washington government.”
MAN 2: “Oh yeah, it’s like he’s a different person when it comes to Washington.”
MAN 1: “I know, I know…it’s like, there’s West Virginia Joe, who’s not bad as governor, then he becomes Washington Joe, a “yes man” for Barack Obama and the Washington liberals.”
MAN 2: “Yeah, Washington Joe supported Obama’s failed stimulus bill.”
MAN 1: “Yeah, and unemployment went up again last month.”
MAN 2: “ Yup. Washington Joe also supported Obama’s government takeover of health care that cut Medicare and increased costs.”
MAN 1: “You know, we better keep Joe Manchin in West Virginia and don’t let him near Washington.”
MAN 2: “Oh, that’s for sure.”
Judging by the polls, voters already seem to be making the distinction between Gov. Manchin and the Senator he might be. And, like voters nationally, they might be disgusted enough with the Democratic-controlled Congress not to want to add another Democrat to their ranks.
Raese makes no bones about the importance of this race, often referring to it as the 10th seat – the seat that would hand a majority to Senate Republicans. That might have been true before Christine O’Donnell became the GOP Senate nominee in Delaware, making it much more difficult for Republicans to win that race and gain the 10 seats they need. Still, winning this race would be a major coup for Republicans. West Virginia hasn’t had a Republican U.S. Senator since 1958.
The race that wasn’t supposed to be competitive is now the contest that is too close to call today. It moves to the Toss Up column.
Disclaimer: The National Republican Senatorial Committee provided the above article as a service to its employees and other selected individuals. Any opinions expressed therein are those of the article’s author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the NRSC.

Races Tightening In West Virginia

According to some polls, John Raese has pulled ahead of Governor Manchin for the U. S. Senate special election. David McKinley is also gaining momentum in his race to win the West Virginia First Congressional District. He has a fifteen point lead among those most concerned with that particular race.

Below is a message from David McKinley to his supporters.




With less than 60 days until the election, the race is in a dead heat!



Last week was incredibly positive for the McKinley for Congress campaign!
We kicked it off with an exciting rally in Parkersburg with FOX News commentator Dick Morris. Click HERE to view WTAP's coverage of the event. Thank you to the over 500 hundred people who braved the heat to come out and show us their support!
The following day, I met with leaders of the WV Chamber of Commerce at their summit conference. It was an honor to welcome Congressman Pete Sessions, the Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, to the conference. Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito also graciously co-hosted a successful fundraiser on my behalf.
Over the weekend, we received amazing news that we have made tremendous gains with the voters and are considered in a dead heat to win this election. For more details, read "McKinley Polls Shows Closing Gap with Oliverio."
This week we welcomed another nationally respected leader ("More Stumping for McKinley") to West Virginia for our campaign. Indiana Congressman Mike Pence joined us for the opening of our Wheeling headquarters.
Here are some additional political tidbits of particular interest:
Our internal polling shows that those paying the closest attention to the First District race for Congress give McKinley a 15-point edge.
A Wall Street Journal story coming into the weekend carried an analysis from the nonpartisan Cook Political Report of 76 seats in the U.S. House considered to be “at risk.” Fifty-one of those seats are “Democratic seats once considered safe” but “have gone from ‘solid’ or ‘likely’ Democratic to being competitive or favoring Republicans.” West Virginia One is among those 51 seats.
A front page Sunday’s New York Times story on “How Democrats Hope to Hold Their House Majority” included the newspaper’s own projection of “a best case scenario” under which “Democrats assume they could win eight of 16 competitive open seats currently held by Democrats.” The Times notes that Obama won eight of the 16, McCain the other eight, including W.Va. 1, which it rates as one of six “toss ups” among the 16.
So, a seat in Congress that has been in Democratic party hands for 42 years clearly seems poised to flip when internal McKinley polling showing a tightening ballot, The Wall Street Journal puts the seat “at risk” for Democrats and the New York Times rates it a “toss up.”
Keep working everyone! You are helping shape a historic election.
Sincerely,
David B. McKinley

Republicans Once Again Demonstrate Support For Coal and its Miners

Capito Rallies For Coal On Capitol Hill
Today, Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., spoke at the Pro-Coal Rally on Capitol Hill to support the coal industry and the American coal miner. The event was hosted by a coalition of pro-coal organizations from Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
“Current regulatory challenges and looming cap and trade legislation are threatening the viability of coal mining throughout Appalachia. Instead of hearing our cries to use this country’s great natural resources, we only see further regulation and the slow shutdown of the coal industry while we further increase our dependence on foreign sources of energy,” stated Capito who was the event’s MC.
Hundreds of miners and representatives from the Appalachian coal mining communities traveled to Washington to defend the economic viability of the coal industry which supports hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide. The goal of the rally was to send a clear message to Congress that coal must be included in our energy future.
“Coal is affordable and abundant and mined right here in America. It supports thousands of jobs in West Virginia and across our country that we can’t afford to lose at a time of near double digit unemployment. I am proud to stand with the miners at today’s rally to remind Congress of the vital role this reliable American energy resource plays in our economic and energy portfolios,” concluded Capito, co-founder of the Congressional Coal Caucus.
Additional photos available on Facebook and www.capito.house.gov

**************************************************************

Meanwhile, Governor Joe Manchin continues to try and serve two masters. He claims to not be an anti-coal liberal, but he says that he can work with Obama. Remember in 2008 that Joe Biden while speaking in Ohio foresaw the end of coal as an American industry. The current administration is hostile to West Virginia, yet Manchin claims that he can work with them.

You cannot serve two masters. You cannot obey Obama and represent West Virginia.

No rubber stamps.

A Tempest In a Teapot: Manchin's Desperate Ploy Against John Raese

It's all the Democrats have got at this point. Photogate.








The photo to the left was taken at the Byrd memorial service in Charleston. Predictably the Byrd family expresses howls of outrage. Of course it's only obvious that this was at the Byrd memorial because that is almost the only time that Obama has visited this state. That is part of the story that the media is conveniently missing.

Democrats cannot counter the accusations that Manchin has grown increasingly servile to a president that over 70% of this state dislikes, so they have hung their hats on photogate. I could see if there was actually a picture of Byrd involved in this, but again, it's not obvious to most people where this picture was taken.

It's a desperate ploy, completely ignoring the issues while undermining the message. Manchin's victory parade has taken an untimely detour into falling poll numbers. He wants the story to be anything except his buddying up to Obama as the election draws near. And that is a legitimate position to attack. West Virginians do not like the War on Coal, escalating debt, Obamacare, or other features of Obama policy.

If Manchin cannot distance himself from these policies that have proven destructive to West Virginia and the nation as a whole, he ought not go to the Senate.

Joe Manchin Accuses John Raese of Trying to "Buy" Senate Seat

A certain candidate has $1.5 million in his coffers to spend over the next two months and recently sent out an e mail beating the bushes to come up with more. Looking at the title of this piece, you might think I am talking about John Raese, right?

Wrong. Governor Manchin is the candidate with $1.5 million to spend and hundreds of thousands more coming in.

In 2008, the governor did not hesitate to deploy staggering amounts of money against the poorly funded gubernatorial campaign of State Senator Russ Weeks. Now, when facing an opponent with money of his own, Manchin suddenly cries out that someone is buying the election.

No one complained on the Democratic side when John Rockefeller spent $10 million of his private funds in the mid 1980s to narrowly defeat Raese.

A self-funded campaign has certain benefits, namely that the man or woman has no special interests to consider if they win election. Who will Manchin owe after this go-round? Lots of folks ponied up and lots of folks will expect something. If John Raese's campaign remains largely self funded, he will only be beholden to those that cast ballots for him.

The money that John Raese spends will be to educate and inform people about the issues. No one "buys" a campaign unless they are illegally paying voters. That's not a crime that you generally see Republicans accused of here. Raese will spend money to inform the public that he supports the free market American economic system and that Manchin, if elected, will be increasingly beholden to Obama's plans for European style socialism.

Keep Manchin In the Mansion

It has to be admitted here. Joe Manchin has not been a bad governor of West Virginia.

Sure there is a lot to pick apart. He forced West Virginia University into a series with Marshall, entering into a field where he had no business. His daughter was discovered to have claimed an unearned degree. Manchin has not been nearly aggressive enough in defending West Virginia from an administration bent on destroying our industry.

That all being said, as far as West Virginia governors go, he has not done a bad job.

Part of Manchin's effectiveness comes from a style that irritates legislators. He has the ability to wield authority and shove through measures because of his personal popularity, which now hovers at about 75%. But what would happen to Manchin in the United States Senate, were he to win?

Probably something similar to Bob Wise when he moved from the House of Representatives to the Governor's Mansion. Wise abandoned a place of comfort and familiarity for a job that challenged him in different ways. His learning curve harmed the state at a vital time. Manchin would struggle initially in the Senate trying to recast his role. He would not be able to get things done through popularity and personality as he does in Charleston.

Now more than ever, West Virginia needs defenders in the halls of Congress. We know we have Capito, but Manchin has been coy lately, edging towards the left wing Obama line rather than standing up for us. As a popular governor, Manchin can defy Obama and Democratic leadership in the Senate (even though lately he has been less eager to do so0. Can he do the same as a United States Senator? No.

Add this to the fact that the Senate might be under Republican control in a year. Manchin would then be tossed to the back of the line for every consideration.

West Virginia is entering a tough transition economically. Manchin has had a steady hand on the wheel of the ship of state. We need change in the Senate, putting it back under Republican control. We do not need change at this point in Charleston.

Keep Manchin where he is. Send a stalwart defender of our interests to Washington. Vote for John Raese.

Rasmussen Moves West Virginia to Leaning Democratic in Senate Race

West Virginia may be able to duplicate Scott Brown's achievement. Brown won a special election to fill the seat of Democratic icon Ted Kennedy in Massachusetts. Now John Raese has scored surprisingly high poll results in the latest Rasmussen Poll. Joe Manchin leads by a relatively slender 48-42% margin.

Clearly West Virginians understand that Democratic control of Congress is potentially destructive to the state and nation at large. Manchin remains personally popular and a high percentage approve of his job as governor.

This race should attract a great deal of attention, especially since this is expected to be a high Republican turnout year. Raese's principles and business experience have helped him rise in polls and public esteem.

For Appearances Sake At Least . . .

For the record, I will say this. I like John Raese. I like his principles and I think he is a good man. This writing is meant in no way to disparage him or his campaign. I also like Metro News, seeing it as the premiere source for state political news. However, someone at Metro News, I believe, goofed in this instance.

Yesterday, Metro News ran a story called "Gas Pedal Down on Senate Campaigns." It featured only the schedule and quotations of John Raese without even mentioning his primary opposition. At the end, the story did include the disclaimer that Raese himself operates Metro News.

It would have been far more appropriate for the writer to have included at least some details from other campaigns, like say the names of the other people running. Even if you want to angle the piece in favor of Raese, a much more subtle approach would pay dividends, such as including some detail from other campaigns, but giving Raese the final quote in the piece. Simply writing about Raese and ignoring the others only leads the reader to wonder about the opposition and why they were not mentioned.

Like I said, I like John Raese, and if he is the eventual primary winner I will be more than happy to do what I can to help him win the Senate seat this November. All the candidates in the field have strong principles. I believe that Raese, like Mac Warner and a few others, can bring lengthy experience and determination to the job and not be overawed by Washington. However, stories like this can only undermine somewhat John Raese's campaign and the integrity of Metro News itself.

What A Difference A Day Makes

A couple of days ago, most folks were speculating on a good and solid race between Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito and Governor Joe Manchin for the United States Senate. She, as far as I am concerned anyway, took the safe and smart decision and passed on this race, this year. Certainly she had a very strong chance of winning, but with the GOP possibly in position to take the House this year, she stands to emerge as one of the more powerful members. She publicly admits wanting the position, but is biding her time. That all being said if she lands a coveted committee position, that would be difficult to abandon with her relatively safe seat.

Yesterday we learned that former Secretary of State and congressman Ken Hechler jumped into the fray. He plans to make opposition to mountaintop removal the centerpiece of his campaign. He does not expect to win, but he is running to raise awareness of the issue.

This gives Republican contender John Raese a golden opportunity. Hechler could "steal" a large section of Manchin support. Raese was a Tea Partier before there was a Tea Party. He can also self fund to his heart's content. His staunch economic conservatism has always been seen as a liability in West Virginia, but this year the rules have changed.

You Get What You Vote For

Two years ago, West Virginia had a choice for the United States Senate. One option was a lifelong political maverick who campaigned on cheaper American made energy a year and a half before it grew into a major concern. John Raese did not blow smoke at voters, he challenged them. Raese's campaign aimed ideas at the electorate and fired continually. You never needed to worry about John Raese's stance, he would tell you very candidly.

The other option was Robert C. Byrd. In his time he served as an effective diverter of federal funds to a poor state. The Democratic Party led us to believe that if re-elected, Byrd would retain his spot on the Appropriations Committee and fight hard for his state. Republican concerns that his advanced age might form an obstacle were brushed aside as ingratitude.

Well, 2008 swept the left into power and they started cleaning house. Long serving Democrats, such as Byrd, found that these new varmints cared not a whit for seniority. What does that mean for West Virginia?

It means less federal funding because Byrd has lost most of his influence.

It means we have to rely on Jay Rockefeller to fight for coal against an apparently hostile administration. I don't think coal should be the alpha and omega of our economy, but we certainly do need it as a pillar.

Voting in John Raese in 2006 would have given us a younger and very dynamic voice defending our interests in the Senate. I mean no disrespect to Byrd because he truly fought as hard as possible for West Virginia. I disagree with his ideas on how to build an economy, but he did care. Unfortunately, like Johnny Unitas playing for the Chargers, this term is the impression he leaves, old, tired, and ineffective.

If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It, Especially For Old Fashioned Political Reasons

If only most marriages ran as smoothly as that between the Mountaineer Sports Network and West Virginia Radio Corporation.

For over sixty years West Virginia University sports have been broadcast over the network affiliates of WVRC. This arrangement has given WVU total control over its marketing and promotions while giving WVRC and Metro News high visibility and decent profits. Now outgoing president Mike Garrison wants to add disrupting this arrangement to the Magical Misery Tour of his presidency.

Garrison and others argue that bidding out the rights to broadcasts represents the wave of the future. Syracuse, Connecticut, and others do this currently. Others argue that WVU's arrangement reflects the much more profitable broadcast model that professional sports franchises utilize. One could certainly argue that this model works better for WVU, since its sports have been described as the state's "professional" teams (meaning that the audience responds to the teams in the manner that big city residents treat their professional franchises.)

What few people have said outright is that this may be nothing but hardball politics. West Virginia Radio Corporation is run by former GOP US Senate candidate John Raese. Metro News' most visible personailty besides play by play man Tony Caridi is political commentator Hoppy Kercheval. Kercheval has a daily radio program and online commentary. He grew into an outspoken critic of Garrison over the past several months.

Could this be an old fashioned Bogg Hogg type political revenge ploy? Hopefully Garrison will not be permitted to do the university any more damage before his fall departure.

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This is Bob Hertzel's column that discusses the issue. Although discussions have been in the works for some time, it is interesting that the issue has just recently come to a head.

http://www.timeswv.com/wvu_sports/local_story_188230156.html

Expenditures Public and Private

At a recent meet the candidates meeting, a question was raised about the use of a county vehicle. The questioner asked why a county employee was permitted to drive it at taxpayer's expense to and from his home in Hardy County. County Commissioner Cindy Pyles responded that it was a "smart" question. Hopefully she meant well-informed since some interpreted it negatively. Commissioner and candidate for re-election Janice LaRue promised to address the issue and get it resolved.

We are entering an age when every household is looking to find ways to cut expenses. Rising costs at the gas pump and the grocery store have hit many people hard. Of course our tax bill is not getting any easier either. The county must do as the rest of us have done and look for any way to maximize the revenue they bring in. Little bills add up to big costs and if we can slice away some of the waste, we should definitely start passing those savings on to the taxpayers. Commissioner LaRue is in a difficult position as the only Republican member of a three person county commission. She holds Republican beliefs no doubt, but must also at times compromise with the majority. County Republicans need to work after this election to groom a strong candidate to give Mineral County what it deserves, a Republican county commission dedicated to providing jobs and saving the people's money.

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While the Democrats are arguing over Hillary's new found identity as the driver of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, John McCain is trying to come up with solutions to help Americans even before he is elected. McCain proposed a gas tax holiday starting on Memorial Day and ending on Labor Day. He proposes this with an eye towards the states that will suffer from the drop in tourism dollars this summer.

McCain will not handle this hot potato yet but public pressure is mounting towards responsible drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. George W. Bush proposed this years ago and warned of shortages if we failed to start drilling. The shortages have arrived. John Raese campaigned on this issue when running for the US Senate in 2006. It's amazing how we fail to listen to the warnings until the crisis is upon us.

Gas Price Protesting

I got an e mail from a family member yesterday. It was a forward that was trying to organize a gas price protest. I usually get these about once a month. They are usually pretty similar in that they target oil companies as the culprit if pricing and seek to diminish their profits by boycotting gas for a day. This one was different in that it targeted corporations instead of the whole industry.

Either way, the resentment is misplaced. Any action ought to be directed at incumbents and candidates for Congress. I sent a response to the e mail that read:

The problem is not the oil companies. The reason they jack prices up is because of supply constraints. They do profit a lot off of it, but the high prices keep demand low enough to prevent a shortage. Only one problem would be worse than high prices and that is complete supply cut off. The oil companies set prices as a response to the very complex situation that the US legal system has created. There are four things that Congress can do to get gas prices down.

First, drill in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge and reduce our dependence on foreign supplies. Jimmy Carter shut that down because they thought a few oil wells would endanger reindeer and bear populations. Coal mining has not done that here and oil wells are less intrusive.

Second, cut the red tape necessary to refine oil. We have not built a new refinery since the 1970s in the US and we have lost a few. Much of our oil is now refined in Venezuela, a country led by an anti-American madman.

Also we have a bewildering set of laws that vary from state to state on the cleanliness of gasoline. Refineries have to create a wide variety of blends to match state and local laws. They have to determine the supply and demand necessities for all those localities and that is impossible to do. Why not take the best environmental standard and make that the national standard?

Last, phase out oil fired power plants. We have resources at home that can run our power plants; we certainly do not need to keep importing oil for that purpose. West Virginia itself, between coal, natural gas, and wind, can produce a lot more power than it can possibly consume. All we have to do is construct the plants. If we are smart, we will allow them to be built here in West Virginia near the sources and export the power out.

The first two points came directly from John Raese's campaign for US Senate and they make sense both in terms of our economy and security. Combatting high gas prices while maintaining a strong economy means looking at the complex relationships between supply and demand as well as the obstacles placed in the way of oil companies who desire to meet that demand.

Rick Santorum as a Senate Candidate against Rockefeller?

With John Raese not currently on board for a 2008 Senate run against Rockefeller, and Shelley Capito concentrating on her house seat the Republican Party in WV left looking for a candidate. The name of Rick Santorum has come up as possible candidate to run against Rockefeller.

That might not be a crazy and idea as it sounds. Santorum was born in Winchester, Virginia but spent some of his early life in the Martinsburg area before his family whisk him off to Pennsylvania. That would make him much less of a carpetbagger than Rockefeller who was born in New York in 1937 and never moved to West Virginia until the mid 1960's.

Rick Santorum is a former US Senator from PA, and well known in the northern and eastern parts of West Virginia. One important thing that Santorum can bring to a Senate run against Rockefeller is the ability to fund raise. According to his 2006 FEC filings, Rick raised $24,790,468 for his senate campaign. While Rockefeller could fund his own campaign, in the last election the FEC shows him raising only $2,637,717. Byrd only raised $5,114,217 during the 2006 campaign.

Currently working for the law firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellot with offices in Pittsburgh and Washington, DC, Santorum could easily take up residency in the Wheeling or Martinsburg areas.

Rick Santorum as a candidate for US Senate from West Virginia might not be that far fetched as it would first seem.