The Gadfly: Birds Of A Feather

The Gadfly:

Birds Of A

Feather

By Mike McCarville

It was a phone call from Leroy Bridges that spurred this column.

Leroy, a friend since the mid-1960s, just got out of the hospital after an extended stay. Reports he is on the mend and back at work at OU where he continues his work as a political guru and historian.

That reminded me of my friend Delmas Ford, with whom I go back to 1955, when his younger brother John and I became buddies. Delmas also is a recent hospital dischargee and is on the mend. Delmas has been just about everything in state government.

These connections, the hospital stays and our long friendships, likely says more about age than anything else. Leroy and Delmas are both my seniors, but not by much. And after my recent open heart surgery and subsequent maladies, I sometimes feel older than my 71 years.

The bright side is that we three birds of a feather, having shared hospital stays and faced our mortality head-on, are still around.

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The Gadfly On His Perch

Third Generation: Pictured here next to her Papa Mike is granddaughter Courtney Anderson, the latest of the clan to graduate high school, and the third generation in our family to graduate from Del City High School. Next to Courtney is her sister Faye, also a DCHS grad, and next to Faye is Ann McCarville.

Sine Die: The Legislature ended the 2011 session last week, but this Friday is officially sine die day. Governor Fallin's agenda, for the most part, was enacted. She and legislative leaders declared the session a good one. Democrats disagree; one liberal described the session as a disaster.

The Cartel: Americans For Prosperity is sponsoring a viewing of The Cartel in Tulsa tomorrow. The movie is about shortcomings in what we call the "education system." For details, click on the advertisement on the right side of this page.

Meltdown: Wow. The Thunder blew a 15-point fourth quarter lead over Dallas to lose game four 112-105 in overtime. Russell Westbrook missed two free throws that likely would have given the Thunder the win in regulation time. The inexplicable meltdown came during the Thunder's largest television ratings ever. Dallas now has the upper hand, 3-1 in games, with the next two (we hope) on their home court.

Petty: Tuesday's tornado outbreak was covered in extraordinary fashion by Oklahoma City's television meteorologists. Channel 4's David Payne was on the long track tornado (estimated 50-70 miles on the ground!) from its inception to its end, and narrowly escaped being caught up in it twice. Payne's sometimes-excited coverage almost certainly was the target of a petty remark by KWTV's Gary England, who remarked that his station's coverage was not marked by excited reports from storm trackers. KFOR's Mike Morgan then felt compelled, later in his station's coverage, to come to Payne's defense and note his dedication to accurate storm reporting. If viewers didn't know of England's petty and irrelevant remarks during the deadly tornado outbreak, they likely were somewhat baffled by Morgan's defense of his fellow meterologist. Seriously doubt viewers were concerned by Payne's raised voice during some of his reports; his reportage, bottom line, was far superior to that of Channel 9. And it is being featured and replayed this morning by The Weather Channel.

Note To Channel 5's News Director: The proper way to address the Governor is as "Governor." Not as "Mary." Tell your anchors. ~ Mike McCarville

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The Gadfly On The Wall

Black Eye: Tulsa continues to deal with the acrimony at City Hall. Mayor Dewey Bartlett and the Council bicker and bite daily. The business community says the constant turmoil is taking its toll and some are banding together to seek Council candidates.

The Gadfly On The Wall

By Mike McCarville

Rolling In It: Retired legislators are living the good life thanks to their retirement pay. Patrick McGuigan at www.capitolbeatok.com has a story that outlines the pay 16 former public officials receive; some of the sums they are paid may surprise you.

Where Do I Sign? Fortunate are those in the employ of Hobby Lobby. David Green, for the third year running, has voluntarily given his employees hourly pay raises. The per-average hour is now at about $12. So much for minimum wage. Green's immense business success is due, in no small part, to the quality and dedication of his employees. With a boss like this, a lot of folks likely are asking where they can sign up.

Remembering Yesterday: From The Log Cabin Democrat, Conway, Arkansas, September 25th,1947 ~ In a lovely ceremony at St. Joseph Church, Miss Helen Louise McCarville became the bride of Charles Raymond Dayer. Father Anthony Lachowsky read the service. The bride wore a Victorian gown of white moire taffeta with a gored skirt that swirled into a full-length train. Miss Kathryn McCarville was maid of honor, and Miss Donna McCarville was bridesmaid. Michael McCarville and George Dayer served as honorary escorts to the altar. Peter Dayer was the best man and Joe Dayer Jr. was groomsman. Ushers were James Daugherty and Ted Lesniak. After a short wedding trip the couple were at home in Conway.

Thunder Fever: Not surprising that TV ratings for Thunder broadcasts are up. The team has taken a large part of the population with them on their 2010-2011 season, now marked by a 2-0 playoff run against the Denver Nuggets. Update: Make that a 3-0 playoff run!

The King's Speech: Flawed, petulant, humble, arrogant and indecisive, England's King Edward VI and his speech defect (stuttering) is the focus of this tremendous film. It's all about his relationship with an un-degreed speech teacher who helps him face his demons. The film drags in places, sometimes typical of movies about intense personal relationships, but redeems itself with performances by a host of actors and actresses, British stage veterans for the most part. Comedic segments include the soon-to-be-king trying to break his stuttering by inserting vulgarities into his practice speeches. History buffs will find the portrayal of England in the late 1930s interesting.

Rain, Dammit: Enough said.

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The Gadfly Thunders Along

Gadfly McCarville

Just Sayin': Love the Thunder. Watch every game on television that I can. Those pre-game interviews with radio guy Matt Pinto and Coach Scott Brooks...uncomfortable. I'm surprised, with Dan Mahoney in charge, that the duo appear in a static, listless setting. There's the coach, sitting there looking more like a gym rat than a coach and there's Pinto, usually dressed to the nines. Both face the camera; it's like they are miles apart. Pinto, barely facing his interviewee, asks a question. Coach responds, staring at the camera without a glance at his interviewer. Uh, guys...that camera is the observer, not the interviewer or the interviewee. Look at each other. You are, after all, having a conversation. Just sayin'.

Take Me To Your Banker: Lawyer Mike Morgan must have loved his time in the Senate and his years as president pro tem. Regardless of whether he's violated any laws, as alleged, he banked lots of cash during those years from "clients."

Getting A Grip: Schools Superintendent Janet Barresi seems to be getting a grip on her agency with the replacement of Democrat obstructionist Tim Gilpin on the Board of Education and legislation that will give her more authority drawing attention.

Glad It's Not Me: Governor Fallin continues to try to explain the acceptance of $54 million tied to Obamacare. Glad I'm not in her shoes. Tough sell.

What's Next? Insurance Commissioner John Doak and some of his top lieutenants live in Tulsa. So they are moving their offices to Tulsa. Maybe this indicates the decentralization of state government. Let's see: We can move all the other offices to cities where the office-holders live and eliminate their commutes as well.

Made In America: I'm watching an infomercial for Henry repeating rifles. Henry makes a western-style, nifty .22 caliber rifle with an old-style octagon barrel. These little lever-action beauties are made in America only with U. S.-made parts and it's the company's big promotional push these days. The rifle was chosen as the Boy Scouts of America's "franchise" firearm. Henry also makes a nifty youth rifle, a single-shot .22, that weighs under three pounds and is a hot seller for use by beginning shooters. Another Henry favorite: The survival rifle, a .22 AR-7 that breaks down into a package the size of the short stock. Every home should have one; it's obviously not a hefty caliber, but any caliber is better than none when you need protection.

Not Exactly PC: This is an exchange between Seton Motley, writer, television and radio commentator, political and policy strategist, lecturer, debater, website editor and activist, and Mike McCarville, writer, television and radio commentator, website editor and political analyst, on NRANews.com and Sirius/XM Satellite radio Friday night, when Motley said one of President Obama's czars had purchased antiques from Motley's father: Motley: "Everyone in the antiques business, except my Dad, is gay." McCarville: "I knew there was a good reason I got out of the antiques business."

Made In America II: With my interest and background in antique vehicles and sports cars, I always pay attention to the fit and finish of my own vehicles. Since I own only pre-owned cars, wear and tear is to be expected. In our stable at the moment are a Chevrolet Impala, 2006, and a Honda Accord, 1997. Plus four other Hondas and a Toyota I help maintain for family members. The Impala's a well-made, comfortable car with good fit and finish. Time will tell how well it holds up. The Accord is a made-in-America version of the Japanese maker's wildly popular vehicle. At 152,000 miles, it drives like it is new. The door and trunk seals remain pliable...unlike some found on "American" cars of recent years. The dash, even after years of explosure to the Oklahoma sun, is uncracked and again, could pass for new. Ditto our other Hondas, mileage ranging from 122,000 to 235,000. Granddaughter's 1995 Toyota Corolla has 261,000 miles. The upholstery could pass for near-new. The dash and instruments ditto. The engine purrs. We've replaced tie rod ends and done a few other things that have exposed us to the car's construction. First-rate. Made in a California plant alongside the identical-except-for-branding Chevrolet Prizm in the 90s, this particular car, with continued care, will last for years and thousands more miles. Pretty impressive for an "economy" car.

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The Gadfly's End Of The Week Musings

Dirty Business: The lawn care guys just left; 38 large bags of leaves retrieved from the confines of Casa McCarville. Tell me again why I love trees....

The Gadfly's
End Of The Week
Musings
By Mike McCarville

Color Me Green: On Saturday, March 19th, I'll join my radio pal Dink Bernardy to once again (my 14th year) announce the annual St. Patrick's Day parade in downtown Oklahoma City.

Be Forewarned: “Members of Congress have access to all of the e-mail within an office, and I would advise staffers to use their own personal e-mail in order to send things that were not official business because they should know that the e-mail can be seen by the member or the chief of staff." ~ Daniel Bennett, chief technology officer at the eCitizen Foundation.

Tea Party Sympathizer: I find that my support is not about the color of Barack Obama's skin, but the color of money...mine, that I'd like to keep.

Connected: We're all wired into Facebook and Twitter today. Follow us at either, or both, by clicking on the icons on the right side of the page.

Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time: Tax adviser Sue Rogers advises that if I hadn't sold the Prudential stock last year that I bought in 1974-75, I wouldn't owe any federal taxes. Looks like Uncle may make more on the deal than I did. Damnation.

Condolences: Friend Reid Mullins of KTOK lost his father this week; Mr. Mullins was an exceptional person, a pillar of his church and community, admired by family and friends, me included. Rest in peace, sir.

Unseemly: The prude in me recoils at the thought of Unwed Pregnancy-Begets-Stardom as in the case of Bristol Palin who, with her mother, will be in Oklahoma City soon to speak at meetings of faith-based organizations. What, other than becoming pregnant out of wedlock, elevates this young person to the status of worth listening to? Celebrity built on immoral behavior leaves me cold.

Life Could Be Better: Cracker Barrel could be closer than I-35 and Northeast 122nd or on I-40 in Shawnee.

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The Gadfly On The Wall

Author Gean B. Atkinson

Caught Up: Esteemed colleague Gean B. Atkinson, former House member, author and longtime OKC advertising agency owner, and I had lunch at Ray's Cafe the other day for the first time in eons. We spent most of our time recalling the fun days of years gone by. Gean officed adjacent to those of us with Cogman & Associates in the late 1970s and early 1980s in northwest Oklahoma City. Gean had one of the first computers I ever saw, one of those Radio Shack word processors. Some of those we discussed: Our late friends Jack Edens, Herb Johnson and Butch Choate; Rick and Susan Neal, Rick Shelby, Marshall Snipes, Mickey Edwards, Ralph Thompson, Neva Hill, Marc Nuttle, Joe Allbaugh, Don Cogman, Freckles LIttle, Paul Thornbrugh, Jim Inhofe...all Republican warhorses back in the days when the Oklahoma Republican Party was just beginning to stir and all of us could have a statewide GOP meeting sitting at a table in the Split-T restaurant.

The Gadfly On The Wall
By Mike McCarville

So Far, So Good: The freshman class of Congress, including Oklahoma City's James Lankford, is sticking to its guns on reducing the federal budget. The House passed a budget that's way leaner than President Obama's budget; now we'll see what the Senate does.

Toast: The Board of Education, as it has been constituted for years, is about to have its wings clipped. Sentiment in the Legislature remains to strip the board of its power to run the department and ignore the elected superintendent and her electoral mandate for change in our public schools. The board's blatant political attack on Republican Superintendent Janet Barresi made the change an easy one to sell.

Not The End Of The Story: We've not heard the last about those missing Department of Education emails...the ones from and to former Superintendent Sandy Garrett. A worker says Garrett ordered her official emails erased before she left office; she says it isn't so. Whatever the case, they can't be found and a lot of inquiring minds now want to know why that is.

Facebook Us: We're now all into Facebook and you can follow our stories via that network by using the click-on-this link in the NetworkedBlogs widget on the bottom of the right column.

Wait(er) A Minute: Jason at Charleston's gets a fat tip from me. Young man a few months back recognized my voice (and I've not done a radio talk show for five years!) and laid a few plaudits on me, for which I am grateful. At my age, I need all the encouragement I can get.

Number 49: Ann and I mark 49 years together on Tuesday. Our family is intact and healthy (well, most of us), "retirement" continues to be a marvelous experience and the Social Security checks continue to arrive as scheduled. Life is good.

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The Gadfly's Personal Notes
By Mike McCarville

Ties That Bind: Grandson Mike and his fiancee, the lovely Brandi, tie the knot today. Nothing fancy. Family, with Brandi's grandfather, a minister, officiating. The house they are building in eastern Oklahoma County on five acres will be done in  60 days or so. Both are gainfully employed. Mike is filing to adopt Brandi's 6-year-old daughter, with whom he has established a solid relationship. Funny how spending time together on the banks of a fishing pond and taking in a movie now and then builds trust and love. We've gained a granddaughter-in-law and our first great grandchild. Life is good.

Pinky: This photo shows a female who claims to be my oldest daughter with Jack True, senior deacon of her church, doing her best to sell a program for ladies. Where "Pinky" came from, I have no idea, but Shelli does a right fine impersonation of that Southern Belle (and dare I add "wearing trailer trash hair" to that?).

Tough Bug: The pneumonia I was fighting two weeks ago vanished under assault from an antibiotic. Or so we thought. Five days after coming off the antibiotic, it was back with a vengeance. Yet another trip to the doctor. Back on the antibiotic. The pneumonia vaccine (had my injection last fall) does not, Good Doctor says, prevent "CAP," or "community acquired pneumonia." That means I came in contact with a bug somewhere and, being susceptible (this is my third go-around with double pneumonia) to respiratory infections, I fell prey. Let me light up again while I ponder the significance of 55 years of smoking.

Trained: Resident Papijack Shadow has now been a member of the family for five or six weeks, and is making great progress. He can catch his little animal, "Porky," in mid-air and loves to play catch and fetch with it. He will give me a nose-to-nose "kiss" on command and, best of all, does his outdoors business on command. As he's settled in, he's become a bit more aggressive (a far cry from the cowed dog you see here on his first trip to the vet); for three weeks, he barked not once. Not so anymore, but it's not become a sore point. The more I watch this animal, the more Jack Russell Terrier I see in him. The Papillion half of him is kicked back, loves being scratched and patted. The JRT part of him goes after the mole in the backyard, chases birds and squirrels, loves to drag items out of the bedrooms into the living room and deposit them at my feet, tends to get underfoot and turns into a hyper whirlwind when someone comes to visit. We're working on that behavior. Ann says I have spoiled the dog; not so. It is pure happenstance that I hit PetSmart twice a week now.

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Small World: Those of you who, like me, have been around a while may remember former Senator Jim Howell, Midwest City attorney. Went years without seeing Jim (who makes about three of me) and then, in the space of 8 days, ran into him and son David at City Cafe, Golden Corral and Golden Palace. We can't figure out which of us is following the other.

The Gadfly Climbing His Wall
By Mike McCarville

Non-Believer: My neighbor says he does not believe the world will end in 2012; he believes the world as we perceive it ended in 1965.

Getaway: Everybody needs one, right? The place to get away from it all. No phones. No TV. No electricity. Outdoor privy. (Uh...perhaps this is taking it too far.) So here's the McCarville Canadian getaway in all its ancient glory.

Bass-LeSure: The evidence seems overwhelming. And she's still getting paid child support while the two children are still in the home of another? What's with that, DHS?

Chilling: Recently, I recounted the circumstances of a murder by gunfire about six blocks from my house. This week, a woman was shot and killed about that same distance from my house in another direction in a downscale neighborhood, far different than the one in which I live. She apparently made the mistake of arguing with someone at the 7-11 near Northeast 10th and Air Depot. She drove to her nearby home and apparently the person she argued with followed her. When she parked with her 5-year-old daughter strapped in the back seat, the driver of the other car yelled at her and she turned toward the car. Three shots were fired. She died at the scene. She had been arrested earlier this month in a drug sting as an alleged drug dealer. Crime knows no boundaries and gun control isn't the answer. I control the Smith & Wesson 442 on my hip; being prepared is better than being a victim.

Proof In The Pudding: Republicans now totally in charge of state government face a challenge that begins soon when the Legislature convenes. Can they keep all the campaign promises? Can they keep the rudder amidships as the state faces this fiscal crisis? Here's a prediction: There will be controversy in the Departments of Insurance and Education (for far different reasons) and Governor Mary Fallin will face a series of immediate, tough decisions. (I wrote this line early in the week before the Board of Education tried to slam dunk our new superintendent and instead set off a firestorm that likely will trim their sails as soon as the Legislature goes into session).

Pitiful: The sea change that occurred last November with a Republican sweep of every office will become evident as the Legislature deals with the pitiful performance of the Board of Education this week. Tim Gilpin, an activist, partisan, devoted Democrat with a long history of donations to (mostly) liberals and former Senator Herb Rozell, a throw-back to Democratic dominance of all things in state government, made asses of themselves.

And They Are Outmatched: Gilpin and Rozell may fancy themselves the top dogs in this fight, but I have a message for them; they are outmatched by Janet Barresi and Jennifer Carter. Either one of them is intellectually superior to both Gilpin and Rozell put together. And having chosen to do political battle with Carter, they'd best get their athletic protectors on. (Photo courtesy Ron Black)

Larry Derryberry: Had lunch at Jamil's with my friend of four decades-plus earlier this week. Larry, a tad older than I, remains an active attorney and advocate of issues he embraces. The former attorney general and candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor had, as usual, a big smile on his face and an idea he wanted to discuss, more about which later.

Worth Reading: Two blogs with regular posts offer food for thought. Political Realities is LD Jackson's fine looking blog with lots of national political and governmental news and some local, and Reporter 37 is Michael Clements' blog with regular observations on state government.

Family Ties: Herewith, view four of our talented, witty, intelligent and lovely/handsome grandchildren; from the left, Michael, Faye, Courtney, Colby. Mother Cheryl took the photo.

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What's Not To Like? My Own Firing Range!



Son-in-law Howard (orange vest) and grandson Colby,
the Iraq-Afghanistan Navy veteran, at the range..

 What's Not To Like? Daughter Shelli and husband Howard live on a rural acreage in northern Cleveland County. It's a place where acres separate homes and gunfire can occasionally be heard. So, Howard and son Kevin, being sport shooters and NRA pistol instructors, decided to construct a firing range on their property, where Howard conducts SDA classes for folks wanting to obtain concealed carry licenses. They scooped out a hillside, erected plank barriers (which also hold back the sandy soil) on the sides, constructed a firing position platform and erected targets. Obviously, Howard's father-in-law (that's me) has anytime-you-want-to-shoot privileges. What's not to like about this? Our own firing range! Oh, when it's cold or wet, I drive over to H&H Gun Range to practice. But anytime the weather cooperates, my mind turns to that free firing range just sitting there. Life is good.

The Gadfly On The Fly
By Mike McCarville

Go Figure: So this is a website that specializes in political and governmental news 24/7, right? So your writer gets a wild hair and decides, after seeing a photo of Susie and Brandon Dutcher's adorable Charlie dog (presented to Susie as a Christmas present and promptly the star of the entire Dutcher Clan), that other readers have dogs and why not do a  short photo essay on them? Well...that short photo essay keeps growing as readers send in their photos and the post has drawn as much, or more, comment as anything we've posted here in the five years we've been online.

Lesson Learned: While I have a license to carry a concealed weapon and often do, there are times when I don't. When I'm going to an office building or doctors' offices with those "not allowed" signs. And sometimes, when I'm going to lunch a few blocks from the house, I don't strap on my semi-auto. This week, I went to lunch and left the pistol at home. Four hours later, across the street from that restaurant, a nutcase involved in a running domestic dispute with his former girlfriend and the mother of his child, shot her multiple times and then shot himself. Both died. Could an armed citizen have saved that woman's life? I don't know. The circumstances would have to have been happenstance for that to happen. But a murder/suicide less than six blocks from my home? Henceforth, I go nowhere without my sidearm.

Idiocy: A 7-year-old Mid-Del School District student suspended from school for making a gun with his fingers. A 9-year-old suspended for bringing a one-inch long rubber pistol look-alike to school in his backpack. In our schools, students routinely shoot the finger, use the foulest of language, disrespect teachers and others, and what happens? Most of the time, nothing near as we can tell. It is political correctness gone beserk administered by school officials following those often-ridiculous "zero tolerance" policies that eliminate common sense from public school discipline. No wonder home-schooling and charter schools continue to grow like topsy.  

The Wonder: Grandson Mike is building himself a home (the second he's built) in eastern Oklahoma County on five acres for which he paid cash (he sold the first home he built for a handsome profit). Last Sunday, Mike drove me out to take a look since it had been a while since I was at the house site. The house is taking shape. But what caught my eye was the deer tracks all over the dirt road going into the property and on the dirt around the house. Mike tells me he, his betrothed Brandi and her daughter have spotted numerous deer roaming the property, including a multi-point buck. I'm looking forward to sitting on Mike's front porch early some morning and watching the deer walk by, no thoughts of hunting in my head. Nope, now's the time to appreciate nature's wonder.

The Discomfort: For the third time, I have double pneumonia. I'm still upright and walking and talking, no doubt due in part to the anti-pneumonia vaccine I got last fall and the prescribed steroid I take. The pneumonia was discovered by an xray taken prior to an arteriorgram last week. The good news: heart muscle strong, arteries clear. The bad news: a birth defect, missing valve in the aorta of my heart, is causing some problems we'll have to deal with down the road.

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McCarville The Gadfly: Election Day Predictions

Election Day: Will it be a GOP sweep in Oklahoma and across the nation? All the signs indicate that will be the case. Here in Oklahoma, the newest Oklahoma Poll has all Republicans, with the exception of insurance commissioner candidate John Doak, leading their Democratic opponents. Herewith, the Gadfly's experienced (almost 50 years in Oklahoma politics) estimation (guesstimation is more accurate) of what's about to happen:

GOVERNOR - We elect a woman whose winning percentage is in the mid 50s. Her name is Mary Fallin. Her election caps a 20-year political career that began with a House race in 1990.

LT. GOVERNOR - Welcome Todd Lamb to higher office. Kenneth Corn's attack commercials backfired.

ATTORNEY GENERAL - Scott Pruitt's name will be on the door; Democratic law firms will be shut out of involvement in profitable state lawsuits. He'll have to be careful in dealing with the poultry industry, having taken their donations for his campaign.

INSURANCE COMMISSIONER - Democrat Kim Holland escapes the Republican sweep with a razor-close win over Doak.

SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION - Janet Barresi sends Susan Paddack packing and will put her stamp on Oklahoma's public education program despite constant criticism from the education lobby.

AUDITOR & INSPECTOR - After two losses, Gary Jones gets his chance to perform after a narrow win despite being outspent 6-to-1; he will seek to change the entire culture of the office after years of Democrat control, and that means many personnel changes.

LABOR COMMISSIONER - Mark Costello's tenure will be marked by controversy as he tries to shake the office of the union influence of the past four years; his selection of top aides may be questioned. Costello's likely to defeat incumbent Democrat Lloyd Fields by the largest margin any Republican will see on Tuesday.

TREASURER - Republican Ken Miller ascends, defeating no-name Stephen Covert, with a solid win. Miller's likely to join Costello with the largest victory margin.

STATE SENATE - Change from domination by rural Democrats to Republicans continues with the election of one or two Republicans from rural areas. The GOP adds two to four seats, solidifying control and continuing the remarkable transformation of the upper house that began 10 years ago.

Changing Face Of The Senate
2008 Election *
D = 22  R = 26
* First GOP Majority
2006 Election *
D = 24  R = 24
* Historic Tied Senate
2004 Election
D = 26  R = 22
2002 Election
D = 28  R = 20
2000 Election
D = 30  R = 18
1998 Election
D = 33 R = 15

STATE HOUSE - GOP pickups (+4) ensure Kris Steele is the next speaker in fact.

CONGRESS 2nd DISTRICT - Swimming upstream in this GOP year, Democratic Congressman Dan Boren coasts to victory, impervious to Republican attempts to paint him as a liberal linked to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

CONGRESS 5th DISTRICT - Republican James Lankford caps his remarkable underdog campaign with a solid win. Mr. Lankford Goes To Washington. ~ Mike McCarville, aka The Gadfly

10/31/10

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Startled: Startled to see in a poll that a huge majority apparently favor State Question 744. I'll be voting no.

Just A Damned Minute: Black ministers say DA David Prater is a racist for forcing the removal of a black judge from the Ersland murder case. The ministers appear to be saying the judge's ethics and conduct don't matter, just support her because of the color of her skin. That is racism personified.

Final Address: Mrs. McCarville and I have just completed our Final Plans. Our final address will be Level 2 in the Crypt at Arlington Memory Gardens. I'll be the one in the urn with the label, "What's Left Of Mike McCarville."

The Gadfly On The Wall

By Mike McCarville

Social Power: Read our polls on the races with an eye on what's going on rather than the actual results. I say this because what our polls really demonstrate is not so much the relative popularity of the candidates but the power of the campaigns to motivate supporters to vote via email, Twitter and Facebook. As was obvious in the primaries (and especially the 5th District primary and runoff), the power to call supporters to action via the social networks has become a new and all-important factor in campaigns. Look over the candidate websites; those that don't use the social networks are behind the 8-Ball.

Bristol & Levi: Proof positive that children should not have children. And proof that those determined to embarrass themselves will do so.

Ersland: Another delay. Will this case ever be resolved?

Hail Hell: The hail storm last May continues to boost the economy. I know, because I just wrote the check for replacement of the roof on a second property in as many weeks and will write yet another one soon. Insurance covered the costs. First insurance claims I've ever filed. State Farm may not be paying stock dividends this year.

Leavenworth 10: Friends Scott and Vicki Behenna led a procession of supporters this weekend outside Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, to show support for their son, Army Lt. Michael Behenna, and nine other military personnel imprisoned for alleged crimes against Iraqis. I don't know about the other nine, but I do know about Michael's case, and it is an outrageous miscarriage of justice; military prosecutors withheld evidence favorable to him but the "system" has yet to afford him a new trial.

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From The Email Que:

The Gadfly Answers Questions

By Mike McCarville

Who'll win this 5th District runoff?
James Lankford.

How did Askins beat Edmondson?
Smart overall campaign. Ground game. That tv commercial promising equal pay for women. Low turnout for Edmondson in Tulsa and northeastern counties.

What questions would you ask Fallin and Askins?
Do you support Obamacare?
Do you support Arizona's immigration law?
Do you favor cutting the budget, or increasing fees and taxes?
Do you believe we need to spend more on public education?
Do you support Governor Henry's highway "spy" camera proposal?

I see you're touting this Muskogee Politico (blog). Are you connected in some way?
Nope. Never met Jamison Faught, but hope to one day. His posts generally are responsible, respectful, informative and spot-on. He puts his name right there with everything he posts; no hiding behind anonymity for him. He also has the youthful enthusiasm that those of us with barnacles can hardly remember.

How much longer do you plan to do TMRO?
I'm only 70. Another 20 or so years, perhaps?

How do you get all this stuff before others do?
Longtime contacts. Lots of folks who give me tips, or hard facts. Constant monitoring of the Internet. Political gut. And getting up early, paying attention.

The other media sometimes uses your stories days or weeks after you do. What's up with that?
Nature of the beast. I jokingly refer to TMRO as a "tip service."

You're a jerk.
Thank you for reminding me of my on-air interview with Jesse Jackson a few years back; he didn't appreciate it when I asked what he does for a living.

Is this going to be a good year for Republicans in Oklahoma?
Yes.

Why did you quit consulting campaigns?
Too many 23-hour days, too many empty motel/hotel rooms, too many bars, too many miles. Crawled off a jet at Will Rogers late in 1990 and haven't been on a plane since. Don't miss it, either.

Why did you quit radio?
Got tired of hearing myself. Disagreed with management over an issue. 'Nuff said.

Not A Question, But A Kind Comment From Steve:
Just wanted to tell you how much I've appreciated your views, writings, voice and just plain ol' common sense approach in what you communicate. I continue to follow your writings. I just wish I had a Mike McCarville to listen to on KTOK (again). You have been and will continue to be a voice to be respected. Well done and keep it up!

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Today is the one I've dreaded for years. 70.

The Gadfly's

Dreaded Day Arrives

By Mike McCarville

That is just not possible, for in my mind, I'm still 35 or so. Then I look in the mirror and realize the road behind is wider than the road ahead.

July 21st, 1940, St. Mary's Enid Springs Hospital, Enid, Oklahoma.

Great Grandfather McCarville lived to be a month short of 100. Grandpa Simmons lived to 91. Uncles Clarence, John and Gene made it into their 90s. Aunt Margaret made it into her 90s, as did Aunt Florence. Mother McCarville made it to 98, a month and a day.

Salute!

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My neighbor is a diehard Tea Party guy. He's also got a Mary Fallin bumper sticker on his car and a Mary Fallin sign in his yard.

The Gadfly Offers A Contrarian View*

By Mike McCarville

But wait...doesn't "conventional wisdom" tell us that all Tea Party devotees are Randy Brogdon supporters?

It seems that way. The Associated Press writer Sean Murphy this week wrote that, "Many consider the race a referendum on whether the energy on display at tea party events across the state can translate into voter turnout," and he then quotes an Oklahoma City University "expert" on how, "It's a real measure of the tea party movement as opposed to the mainstream Republican Party."

Well, let me just say: Poppycock.

The learned professor's analysis might be valid if, indeed, Brogdon had the total support of every registered Republican who attended a Tea Party rally in Oklahoma. Clearly, he does not. The professor displays a lack of understanding of organizational politics and the strength of longtime party affiliations that often motivate primary election voters and most often transcend transitional issues.

Ergo, I conclude that the vote next Tuesday will not so much be a measure of Tea Party versus Mainstream Republican voter as Fallin Supporter versus Brogdon Supporter. Duh! And I equally conclude that it appears some political writers would like to make this a Tea Party versus GOP race when it is not. Duh! Duh!!

Fallin, by any and every account, has a sea of GOP supporters eager to cast their ballots for her. Brogdon has a lake of GOP supporters itching to vote for him. There is a huge difference and it has little to do with the Tea Party or its advocates. It does have a lot to do with the perceived political positions of the candidates, their personalities, their records, the time they've spent in the trenches.

Brogdon is perceived as to the right of the mainstream, conservative Republican; some even consider him a radical. Fallin is perceived as a moderately conservative Republican, the place in which most Republicans would place themselves. True, GOP primary voters tend to be more conservative than general election voters, but those primary voters have had ample opportunity in the past to give their opinion of Fallin, and it has been unanimously in her favor.

Fallin is a statewide winner. She's been on the ballot multiple times and has never lost. Brogdon is a district winner. To many out-state Republicans, as hard as it might be for Brogdon and his supporters to believe, he remains an unknown while Fallin is the girl next door.

Fallin appears poised to win the nomination easily over Brogdon next Tuesday and the outcome will have little to do with Tea Party support for either candidate.

*Mike McCarville has been involved in Oklahoma politics since the Republican State Convention was held in a phone booth. He's been a campaign press secretary, organizational director, adviser, manager and consultant in more than 100 campaigns, a few of which were successful. He's lectured on organizational politics and taught candidates the attributes of winning campaigns. He's written about politics for more than 45 years.

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Best Holiday: Independence Day (aka July 4th) has long been my favorite holiday. From the parades featuring World War II veterans that I witnessed as a child growing up in Conway, Arkansas to helping my Dad post the flag at our homes in Conway, Cadillac (Michigan) and Del City, it's been a day for patriotism, family, cookouts and (when they were legal) fireworks in the front yard. Back when I was on the air at KTOK, nothing gave me more pleasure than participating in the July 4th parades in Edmond, Bethany and Oklahoma City.

The Gadfly's July 4th Notebook

By Mike McCarville

Scary: For those gentle, naive souls who believe crime happens somewhere else, and criminals don't lurk nearby, the arrest of numerous drug dealers involved in a Mexican drug cartel in the metro area should give pause. The arrests make public the long reach of the illegal drug lords and their efforts to infiltrate every part of America. It's likely just a matter of time before the violence for which these Mexican gangs are known is evident here, if it's not already.

Obama's Downfall: While President Obama deals with numerous controversies and his tepid response to most, it is the Arizona immigration law confrontation that, my opinion, will prove to be his popularity downfall. Obama is against the state's tough new law and his minions are talking tough about legal challenges. In this, Obama is far out of step with mainstream America. Most of us are sick of the stories of illegal aliens flowing across our southern border, of the inability of Mexico to control its side of the border, of the claims that, somehow, we are to blame for Mexicans who want to flee their crime-ridden, often-violent country, flooding illegally into the U. S. We're sick of government programs being offered to illegals; we're sick of liberals who paint us as racists because we oppose illegal immigration while they can't understand the difference between legal and illegal immigrants. The liberals say it's all a gray area; to us, it's black and white, right vs. wrong, legal vs. illegal.

Political Interest: Interest in this year's political campaigns appears to be on the increase if blog traffic is an indication. Here's a rundown of hits for some blogs and websites for the month of June compared to June a year ago: Okie Campaigns, 2,391 (up); Muskogee Politico, 3,596 (up); BatesLine, 13,804 (down); Dustbury (sometimes touches on politics), 14,322 (up); The McCarville Report Online, 30,354 (up). There are others that cover the state's politics but don't make their stats available.

Beware: If it had a movie title, it might be Attack Of The Anonymous Bloggers. The closer we get to primary election day, the more active become blogs written by anonymous "experts" with all sorts of claims. It seems their goal most often is to use the Internet to spread rumors, half-truths and even lies about candidates and causes they disfavor. In my experience, those who hide behind anonymity feel no responsibility for their words; after all, to whom do the words attach? The answer is no one. While Christopher Arps at the long-silent Oklahoma Political News Service used his site as a poisoned pen on most, he at least put his own name on what he wrote and while his bonafides were thin, he at least had some. (One anonymous blogger explains why he's anonymous: "Well, I'll try never to connect my name to this blog. It's not that I am trying to completely erase all trace of it from the blogosphere; I rather doubt that's even possible. But I'm seeking a second source of income even now--and my current employers have been known to fire people merely for having a second job. My desire not to have potential employers be able to make definitive links to what some might see as incendiary statements accounts for my desire for relative anonymity.") Several other anonymous blogs have gone dark because, I suspect, the bloggers got tired of writing for themselves only since they attracted few readers.

Maybe It's Just Me: The thought of carrying my concealed firearm openly leaves me cold. While I understand the thought process behind the push for open carry, it's just not for me. On the other hand, perhaps the sight of the shotgun hanging off my hip might deter a bad guy....

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Budget Agreement: Now that Governor Henry and GOP legislative leaders have agreed on a new budget, there's the question of exactly how its spending goals will be met. There's mention of fee increases and some indication of revenue enhancements. Developing (as we say)....

My Wife: Insists you read The Lost Ogle's post about television weather coverage. This week, she has (1) turned off the tv she was watching, (2) tossed her remote aside in disgust, and (3) suggested what Gary England, Rick Mitchell and Mike Morgan can do with their "Out in the Panhandle, there's a thunderstorm" coverage. (She has no problem with local severe weather coverage.)

Wow: Color me surprised at the endorsement of James Lankford by Mike Huckabee in the 5th District Republican primary. For Huckabee to endorse a decided underdog with no political experience making his first race is unusual. Perhaps Huckabee was encouraged by the also-surprising endorsement of Lankford earlier by Former Congressman J. C. Watts.

Book Notes: In 1970, I wrote Okie, a short book about the history of the word and then-Governor Dewey Bartlett's effort to rehabilitate it. Bartlett was my boss at the time.

The Gadfly On The Wall

By Mike McCarville

Forty years later, autographed copies are selling for about $55 online. Wow. Wish I had saved a thousand or so copies of it. And in 1983, I wrote The Write Book, an inspirational tome aimed at beginning writers. Twenty-seven years later, I learn someone in Wisconsin has 12 copies of it for sale at $20 each; not bad for an old paperback! (And where did he get 12 copies?) In the Go Figure Department, the book Ford: 1903-1984, which I co-authored in 1984, was published by Beekman as a huge, thick, hundreds-of-photos coffee-table sized high-dollar hardback and today, excellent copies can be found for a mere ten bucks or so. One explanation for the low price is the availability of copies; the doggone thing went to three languages and sold more than a million copies worldwide.

Lipstick: Arkansas Democrat Senator Blanche Lincoln, forced into a runoff with challenger Bill Halter, the liberal lieutenant governor, in their battle for the nomination for the U. S. Senate, showed up at her watch party Tuesday night wearing something she seldom does: Lipstick. Lincoln's lack of makeup had been a subject of discussion by bloggers and some in the mainstream Arkansas media. Some suggested her lack of makeup offended the southern sense of decorum.

Did You See...? The latest issue of The Sooner Survey by Cole Hargrave Snodgrass And Associates has lots talking. Two water-cooler topics: Indication 2010 could be a huge election year for state Republicans across the board and Mary Fallin's apparent dominance in the governor's race. Fallin's plus-22 over either Lt. Governor Jari Askins or Attorney General Drew Edmondson, Democrats, is pretty impressive. No matchup with her GOP opponent, Senator Randy Brogdon, was included in the poll.

Convince Me: House Bill 2998, by Speaker-designate Kris Steele of Shawnee, would encourage re-entry and diversion programs as opposed to jail time for non-violent female offenders who are the primary caregivers to minor children. Steele says the change would allow women to receive rehabilitative services while maintaining contact with their children. Oklahoma incarcerates more women—who often serve as the lone caregiver in the home (should I rant here about out-of-wedlock births and absentee fathers?)—than any other state in the nation. The incarceration rate for women is 131 per 100,000 residents, almost twice the national average of 69 per 100,000. Most women prison inmates, 68 percent, are in prison for non-violent offenses. The House obviously is convinced this will work; the bill passed the House on a vote of 90-0 and now returns to the Senate for final consideration. Hope this idea works...but I'm skeptical.

Fergettaboutit: Return to KTOK? Uh...no!

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Do You Mind? If I hear one more person describe Monday's tornado damage as "unbelievable," I will scream. Television news reporters and anchors. Survivors. Witnesses. Governor Henry. Surely our language provides alternatives: Stunning. Incredible. Awesome. Fearful. Frightening.

The Gadfly's Mind Is Not Open

By Mike McCarville

Open Mind: Senator Tom Coburn says he's keeping an open mind about Elena Kagan's nomination for the U. S. Supreme Court. He voted to confirm her as solicitor general 15 months ago. Check her record, senator.

Closed Mind: Senator Jim Inhofe, meanwhile, has closed his book on Kagan; he'll vote against confirmation, for many of the same reasons I've cited as being cause for her nomination to be denied. To Inhofe (and me) the overriding reason to oppose her is her anti-military militancy while at Harvard. She not only opposed recruiters on campus, she joined the battle against the military by those in Ivy League academe. And then there are her socialist leanings....

Minding My Ps and Qs: I have just discovered, via the Internet, that I am a criminal. What I discovered and what I now confess to you, I am certain, will be cause for PETA to file a complaint. Seems a guy up in northern Oklahoma has been arrested for shooting a neighbor's cat with a bb gun. The cat, the guy says, kept trying to get into his house. So he grabbed his non-lethal bb gun and shot the critter. He then pursued it into his yard and shot it again. The cat's owner saw this. Called the police. Now, I am not into cruelty to animals, the charge against this guy. I am, however, guilty of the same thing. I have a beautiful back yard, complete with gardens. There are a couple of neighborhood cats that befoul my gardens and try to catch all the song birds I encourage to visit by putting out seed for them. I do not like cats. I am allergic to cats. I do not want cats in my yard. I don't want stray dogs in my yard either, but isn't it funny that I've never had a stray dog...but I have had dozens of stray cats? If my neighbors don't want their cats shot with my bb gun, I suggest they do what dog owners are required to do...pen them up or keep them on leashes. That would be the neighborly thing to do. But what do I know about being neighborly? I shoot trespassing cats in their rumps with my bb gun.

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Elena Kagan is unfit and unqualified to serve as a justice on the United States Supreme Court.

The Gadfly:

Kagan Unfit To Serve
By Mike McCarville

President Obama's nominee has a record so flawed in its expressions of disdain for constitutional thought that it is unthinkable this non-jurist could add anything of merit to the highest court in the land.

While being dean of the Harvard Law School is an impressive credential, Senator Jim Inhofe said, decisions she made in that role demonstrated poor judgment. Concur.

While at Harvard, she banned the U.S. military from recruiting on campus and then joined with other law school officials in a lawsuit to overturn the Solomon amendment, which was adopted by Congress to ensure that schools could not deny military recruiters access to college campuses. Claiming the Solomon Amendment was 'immoral," she filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in Rumsfeld v. F.A.I.R opposing the Amendment. The Court unanimously ruled against her position and affirmed that the Solomon Amendment was constitutional. In other words, the Court slapped her down.

As Obama's solicitor general, Kagan has been lukewarm on most key social issues, even those for which she ostensibly argued.

Kagan is an Obama liberal; that is to say she embraces the social stances of the left, pandering to the gay/lesbian/transgender crowd, the gun-grabbers, the anti-military militants. And like many of those on the left, she often displays an elitist arrogance that is unseemly and irritating.

Kagan has no judicial experience, nor has she any courtroom experience at all. She is a library lawyer, an administrative-only attorney whose normal venue is in Ivy League halls of liberal thought. It is in those halls that in the past she has espoused the tenets of Socialism. In addition, she has advocated for the president powers that go far beyond those enumerated in the Constitution.

The U. S. Senate should reject her nomination, although it appears likely she will win it; she is unfit and unqualified to serve.

Related Opinion: The Liberty Sphere

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Fearing that I am about to become the aging curmudgeon that I once assailed as being out of touch and out of tune, I have turned to the television networks to right my apparently atrophied brain.

The Aging Curmudgeon

Becomes The Social Gadfly

A Bit Of Tongue In Cheek

By Mike McCarville

Where previously I spent ALL my tv time watching the History Channel, or Discovery, or A&E to enlighten and educate myself, I now watch Housewives and the Kardashians and that late night lady (whose name I can never remember...Chelsea something?) and the midget and their guests talk nasty. I have begun reading The Lost Ogle regularly. I consciously seek out episodes of House Hunters on HGTV that feature lesbians and gay men searching for ever-better domiciles.

This habit change on my part likely has caused my wife to conclude I have slipped into progressive dementia, so startling is my transformation. Where once I could talk only about American politics and government, the Federalist Papers, the Revolution, or the Civil War, or the battle of Leyete Gulf in October 1944, or the Mayan temples in Tikal, I now speak glowingly of pool boys, month-long-engagements-turned-into-quickie-Vegas-marriages to the hot babes of the day.

I have effectively knocked 55 years off my 69. I am with it. I am cool. Eat your hearts out, curmudgeons.

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The Revolution Has Begun: Utah Republican Senator Bob Bennett is the first victim of the Revolution Of 2010. It's ironic that the first casualty of voter anger is a Republican, given that it is the policies of a Democrat president that has fueled the unrest. Bennett failed to win support from Utah Republicans meeting over the weekend and the first spot of two went to a candidate with Tea Party-backer support. When GOP leaders talk of a huge turnaround in this year's elections and taking control of the House and Senate once again, they obviously have vulnerable Democrats in mind. But Bennett's defeat proves that voter anger this year knows no political party boundries and it may provide the first real indication of the power of Tea Party participants.

The Gadfly

On The Wall

By Mike McCarville

Tight: No surprise that Governor Henry is close to old family and personal friend Terry West, the Shawnee trial lawyer with whom he goes on Brazilian fishing trips. Now comes word that Henry and West are co-owners of property along Interstate 40 in Shawnee; Henry's interest, he says, was inherited from his father. The revelation came in a story in The Oklahoman by Randy Ellis about the Oklahoma Department of Transportation preparing plans to build an interchange near the property. Highway Commission Chairman Dan Overland of Shawnee also owns abutting property.

Budget: This week will see resolution of the state budget; the governor and legislative leaders will hammer out the details. Agreement on most of it, dissention over some of it.

Solo? Will Janet Barresi fly solo through the primary season as she seeks the GOP nomination for schools superintendent? Shawn Hime's surprise withdrawal for health reasons last week left her the only GOP hopeful. Senator Susan Paddack of Ada is the lone Democrat aspirant thus far.

Behenna Case: Nothing new to report in the battle to win a new trial for Edmond's Michael Behenna, the (wrongfully) convicted Army lieutenant. He's serving 15 years at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and his appeals process seems interminable.

Behenna's parents provided this update today: "Many of you have been asking about the latest on Michael's appeal. Michael’s appellate brief was filed on December 22, 2009 and the military’s response brief was due January 21, 2010. The military asked for and was granted a three-month extension to April 21, 2010. Then sometime in early April the military filed for and received yet another three-month extension making their response brief not due until July 22, 2010! But most amazing of all was that the extension was granted without notice being provided to Michael’s attorneys to argue against it.

"From the start of this hell we have tried to put our trust in the military justice system. But time and time again this ‘justice’ system has failed this young man who defended our liberties in the face of a ruthless enemy. First it was the withholding of evidence in Michael’s trial and now this. The government will have had seven months to respond to Michael’s appellate brief when it should have taken only seven weeks. It appears to us that the Army is deliberately doing everything it can to delay Michael’s appeal process. And for what end you ask? We may never know, just as we may never know what was really behind the Army prosecuting Michael in the first place. But in the face of these delay tactics we have become even more convinced of the strength of Michael’s appeal (which the military is struggling to counter.) As Thomas Paine wrote, 'Tyranny is not easily conquered, but our consolation is that the harder the conflict, the greater the triumph.'

"Despite everything Michael is faring well. He draws strength from the many letters he receives and your continued correspondence will help him leave Leavenworth the way he arrived – with his head held high. Michael ‘celebrates’ his 27th birthday behind bars on May 18th. This will be his second birthday in Leavenworth Prison and is yet another reminder of how long he has been away from family and friends. Please consider sending Michael a birthday card to let him know he is not forgotten and to encourage him to keep the faith. You can send your cards and letters to:

Michael Behenna #87503
1300 N. Warehouse Road
Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027-2304

"Finally, good news was received this week concerning the two Navy SEALS exonerated of injuring an Al Qaeda leader. In addition, Sgt Larry Hutchins, a Marine held at Leavenworth, had his case overturned in the Navy Court of Appeals. These men are decorated heroes who have served this country honorably and deserve our support. It is our hope that the pendulum is truly swinging back in favor of our soldiers and away from a capricious and political military justice system led by people who have NEVER been in harm's way. Please continue to contact your Congressmen and Senators and let them know that our soldiers deserve our unending support, especially when they are defending themselves in a combat zone.

"Bless each of you for supporting all of our troops,

Sincerely,

Scott and Vicki Behenna"

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