Oh, that Mike Huckabee. Such a kidder. First it was fart jokes and yukking it up about financing his campaign with convenience store stick-ups. Then today, while speaking before a gathering of the National Rifle Association in Louisville, Kentucky,  Huck finally got around to riffing on the laff-riot subject of political assassination.

During a speech before the National Rifle Association convention Friday afternoon in Louisville, Kentucky, former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee — who has endorsed presumptive GOP nominee John McCain — joked that an unexpected offstage noise was Democrat Barack Obama looking to avoid a gunman.

“That was Barack Obama, he just tripped off a chair, he's getting ready to speak,” said the former Arkansas governor, to audience laughter. “Somebody aimed a gun at him and he dove for the floor.”

Max here: The governor's loose lips just shot him in the butt. This is the kind of thing with long legs. Here's the video. Dead silence followed the second sentence. Even the wild and wacky gunmen of the NRA were stunned. Perhaps Tim Russert can play the clip this Sunday on Meet the Press. Huckabee is a guest.

Posted by David Koon | Permalink | Comments ( 16 )

More rumblings today in the matter of Circuit Judge Willard Proctor, whose operation of the Cycle Breakers probation program has been the subject of a critical state audit. It figures, according to sources, in an ongoing investigation of Proctor's court by the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission. Multiple sources have told of testimony by couthouse workers to the commission. The commission does not comment on incomplete investigations.

My source said the matter is also the subject of a rare sealed proceeding before the Arkansas Supreme Court. Supreme Court Clerk Leslie Steen confirmed for me today that there had been a proceeding of an unspecified nature filed at the Court and a subsequent court response had also been filed under seal. He said he could give no other information, including the date of the filings. He did not confirm that it related to Proctor.

My source, however, said Proctor received a communication from the court today and that he was heard to express happiness about it.

I asked Proctor's lawyer, Blake Hendrix, whether Proctor was the subject of the sealed proceedings and whether he'd comment on that or the reports of a Judicial Commission investigation. After conferring with the judge, Hendrix said he'd have no comment.

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 2 )

Posted by David Koon | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )

Slow day. I think I'm going to play hooky and catch the 4 p.m. Little Rock Film Festival showing of "Silhouette City," the documentary on religious extremism that features people and places of Arkansas interest, including the Covenant, Sword and Arm of the Lord encampment and the leader of that Christian militia group, Kerry Noble, who went to prison after a raid of the CSA's North Arkansas compound in 1985. Mike Huckabee makes an appearance in the movie, too. Noble will participate in a panel on the movie at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Chamber of Commerce following a 5 p.m. screening.

This weekend, look for an essay on-line on the topic by Michael Wilson, (I had his name wrong in the original post) a Little Rock Central and Hendrix graduate, who wrote and edited the film and who also will be on Sunday's panel.

If you haven't been doing it already, you'll want to turn to Lindsey Millar's Rock Candy blog for this and other continuing coverage of the Film Festival. Heckuva turnout Thursday night for "War Eagle, Arkansas."

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )

Virgin Galactic, which is promising to be the first commercial carrier of travelers into space, will be in Little Rock Sunday for a program at 3 p.m.  at the Aerospace Education Center planetarium. "Space Agent" Tony Poe of Poe Travel is arranging the event. More on the jump.

NOTE: A deposit to make one of the flights is $20,000. The flight will cost $200,000. Save your pennies.

Continue reading " So you want to be an astronaut? " »

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 0 )

He said he'd debate them anytime, anywhere on foreign policy and that he would win. "George Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for."

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 9 )

Surprised the D-G didn't make way in the LR edition for this story from Bentonville.

The former high school teacher (pictured) charged with having sex with a student on his 18th birthday -- and also supplying a minor with alcohol -- intends to challenge the constitutionality of the Arkansas law that makes it a crime for a teacher to have sex with a student younger than 21.  It was not otherwise illegal for the 32-year-old math teacher to bed an 18-year-old. She was arrested after blabbing, via text message, to a fellow teacher.

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 17 )

An environmental watchdog passes along word of the Corps of Engineers' approval of a plan by Chesapeake Energy to draw water from the Little Red River (the picture is from one stretch of the river) for use in gas exploration. Our tipster isn't happy. Game and Fish and U.S. Fish and Wildlife say it's OK with them. And, hey, if it's OK with the Corps, you KNOW it has to be environmentally sound.

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 8 )

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 3 )

A Morning News article on petition canvassing at polling places prompts a couple of observations:

1) As a voter, the easiest course is to wave off anyone who approaches you at the polls. The immigrant-bashing and gay-bashing measures are undeserving. The lottery seems likely to reach the ballot regardless of what you do anyway, given signature work already done, so why make yourself a magnet for other loitering canvassers by signing anything?

2) The light election slate will make signature gathering harder than is customary.

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 5 )

Surging black voter numbers and dispirited Republican voters -- as evidenced in primary voting this year: Do they signal an end to Republican dominance of the South? Maybe, the NY Times suggests. Just don't expect miracles in Mississippi for a black candidate.

But what about Arkansas? Clinton would carry the state. Will Obama?

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 19 )

NY Times analysis describes presidential candidates of like mind on gay marriage and says McCain won't make an issue of it. Hmmm.

Interesting is the thought, among some Republicans, that the issue isn't as potent as sometimes supposed. There are undoubtedly localized exceptions to that. Still ...

There is considerable debate whether the marriage issue helped Republican candidates in 2004. And it seems questionable if voters are going to find it compelling this year, at a time when the country is facing a prolonged war, an ailing economy and skyrocketing gasoline prices, the issues that Mr. McCain and the two Democratic candidates are confronting on the campaign trail every day.

“At best, it doesn’t move voters, and at worst for Republicans, it moves them against them,” said Matthew Dowd, who was chief strategist for Mr. Bush’s campaign in 2004. “Not so much on the issue, but it becomes, ‘Why are we having a discussion on this issue when we should talking about things that matter, like the economy, or health care, or the war?’ ”

And there's this ouch-inducing quote in reaction coverage:

Ellen Pontac, who had driven to San Francisco from Davis, about 70 miles northeast, with her partner, Shelly Bailes, to witness the decision, said she was thrilled, but still not totally satisfied.

“This is what should happen, it’s so simple, so clear,” she said. “I used to say that all I want is the same rights that a 14-year-old girl in Arkansas has. We can’t have them federally. But we will.”

 

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 2 )

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 1 )

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 6 )

Well. Here you go. Change vs. more of the same.

On a conference call with conservative bloggers this afternoon, John McCain launched what may be his most direct attack yet on Barack Obama's national security credentials, saying flat out that Obama is incapable of protecting America and lacks the necessary traits to keep it secure from foreign threats.

In a reference to Obama's declared willingness to meet with the leader of Iran, McCain said:

"I think [it] is an unacceptable position, and shows that Senator Obama does not have the knowledge, the experience, the background to make the kind of judgments that are necessary to preserve this nation's security."

Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran.

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 18 )

Tuesday, Little Rock voters face a slate of judicial choices, nearly all contested by people not currently in public office.

So today comes a small hue and cry for some discussion on a couple of seats important to the city in which new judges will be elected.

One is the race for environmental court, contested by Ryan Allen, Mark Leverett, Slocum  Pickell and Gary Sullivan.

The other is the race for criminal court, contested by Hugh Finkelstein, Alice Lightle (currently completing a term on the environmental court bench by appointment) and Ernest Sanders. Lee Munson is retiring from this court.

The Coalition of Little Rock Neighborhoods arranged a broadcast forum of the candidates, which can be seen again on Comcast Channel 11 at 11 p.m. today; 9 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

The telecasts won't include Finkelstein, who suspended active campaigning after the recent death of his wife. But his friends are vigorously continuing his campaign, as the photo above, taken today, shows. And the program includes written answers to questions Finkelstein's campaign supplied. Ernest Sanders also sent written answers that were read on air. Ryan Allen didn't appear.

Comments on other judgeships are welcome, too.

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 36 )

The state lottery campaign, Lt. Gov. Bill Halter's creation, says the Bailey Family of Little Rock has contributed another $55,000 to the cause, on top of $300,000 in initial seed money. They've been essentially the sole source of support for the effort and they have declined to discuss at any length with us their interest, beyond statements that they like the idea.

If it makes the ballot, some additional money might appear -- the companies that provide goods and services for operation of the lottery. They've typically bankrolled lottery campaigns in other states.

Continue reading " Lottery bankroll " »

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 4 )

The California Supreme Court has overturned a state same-sex marriage ban. It was a 4-3 decision that said domestic partnerships didn't amount to equal treatment with marriage.

The legislature has twice passed same-sex marriage laws that were vetoed by the governor. A petition drive is underway in California to make a same-sex marriage ban part of the California constitution.

Prediction: The Republican Party will jump on this. A bankrupt man stumbles on a stack of currency. Why worry about war, the economy, health care or the price of gasoline when there's a chance that two people of the same sex who love each other might be given the legal rights that other committed couples enjoy?

But note: The California court is made up of six Republicans and one Democrat.

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 119 )

Bush has provoked a political firestorm by saying in Israel those who want to meet with "terrorists and radicals" are like those who tried to appease Nazis. He didn't name names or specifics, but the remark has been widely interpreted as a slam on Barack Obama, who reacted angrily.

Joe Biden responds appropriately.

“This is bullshit. This is malarkey. This is outrageous. Outrageous for the president of the United States to go to a foreign country, sit in the Knesset…and make this kind of ridiculous statement,” Biden said angrily in a brief interview just off the Senate floor.

“He’s the guy who’s weakened us. He’s the guy that’s increased the number of terrorists in the world. His policies have produced this vulnerability the United States has. His intelligence community pointed that out not me. The NIE has pointed that out and what are you talking about, is he going to fire Condi Rice? Condi Rice has talked about the need to sit down. So his first two appeasers are Rice and Gates. I hope he comes home and does something.”

Posted by Max Brantley | Permalink | Comments ( 41 )