but it wasn't so complimentary.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi...019D19.DTL

I was in MT last week and read the interview with Tester in the Star and he came across as a typical politician that is just gonna spew a bunch of crap about "common sense" and recite talking points and bash the opposition no matter what question you ask him, but it's starting to sound like Conrad's past his prime, or maybe he was a long time ago. On top of that there is so much out of state money on this campaign you have to wonder who the guy that does finally get elected is really gonna be loyal to.

Anyhow, I'm just another out of stater now but....politics.

Burns' political campaign has much more out-of-state money than Tester's does. Of course we all know who Burns is in bed with...lobbyists.

How absolutely embarassing to even say he's our senator!

Republican Sen. Conrad Burns, whose recent comments have stirred controversy, says the United States is up against a faceless enemy of terrorists who "drive taxi cabs in the daytime and kill at night."
During a fundraiser Wednesday with first lady Laura Bush, the three-term Montana senator talked about terrorism, tax cuts and the money he has brought to his state. Burns is one of the more vulnerable Senate incumbents, facing a tough challenge from Democrat Jon Tester.
He has drawn criticism in recent weeks for calling his house painter a "nice little Guatemalan man" during a June speech. Burns, whose re-election campaign is pressing for tighter immigration controls, also suggested that the man might be an illegal immigrant. The campaign later said the worker is legal.
Burns, 71, also had to apologize after confronting members of a firefighting team at the Billings airport and telling them they had done a "piss-poor job," according to a state report. In July, the Hotshot crew had traveled 2,000 miles from Staunton, Va., to help dig fire lines for about a week around a 143-square-mile wildfire east of Billings.
At the campaign event with Bush, Burns talked about the war on terrorism, saying a "faceless enemy" of terrorists "drive taxi cabs in the daytime and kill at night."
The campaign said Thursday that the senator was simply pointing out terrorists can be anywhere.
"The point is there are terrorists that live amongst us. Not only here, but in Britain and the entire world," said spokesman Jason Klindt. "Whether they are taxi drivers or investment bankers, the fact remains that this is a new type of enemy."
Responding to Democratic complaints about Burns' verbal gaffes, Republicans argued that a Tester comment earlier this week was derogatory toward American Indians.
In an interview with The Seattle Times, Tester talked about the faith he has in his staff, and said, "Nobody has done anything to make me think they're trying to tomahawk me."
Brock Lowrance, spokesman for the Montana Republican Party, said American Indians have long found "tomahawk" a derogatory term. American Indians are the state's largest minority group.
At the fundraiser, Bush described Burns as a strong advocate for Montana farmers and families.
"In Washington, Senator Burns is a respected voice on the issues facing rural communities in Montana and across the nation," Bush said.

I guess Conrad is so busy focusing on terrroristic taxi cab drivers in D.C., it's just hard for him to keep up with what's happening in Montana.

"Burns' Fire Request Comes Late - Senator Asks For State Of Emergency OK'd Weeks Before"
By Jennifer McKee
LEE STATE BUREAU
September 1, 2006
http://www.billingsgazett...urns_z.txt

"Burns Says Terrorists Drive Taxis by Day"
By Matt Gouras, Associated Press
CBS NEWS
August 31, 2006
http://www.cbsnews.com/st...A3O0.shtml
http://news.google.com/ne...d+burns%22
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Maybe he needs to keep in contact with a trusted advisor here in Montana, so he won't be blindsided by these things . . . OOPS . . . that might not work out so well for him either.

"Davison Is Accused Of Securities Violations"
By Jan Falstad, Gazette Staff, and Chuck Johnson, Lee State Bureau
BILLINGS GAZETTE
August 26, 2006
http://www.billingsgazett...ison_x.txt
http://www.missoulian.com...s/br26.txt
http://www.billingsgazett...ison_z.txt
http://www.billingsgazett...-probe.txt
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Vice-President Cheney tells us that Conrad is a key player in the Administration's war efforts in Iraq . . . hmmm . . . perhaps that explains why things are going SO WELL in Iraq?

"Cheney: Burns Needed To Help Back Bush Priorities"
By The Associated Press
BILLINGS GAZETTE
August 17, 2006
http://www.billingsgazett...cheney.txt
http://www.billingsgazett...cheney.txt
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I've said it before and I'll say it again - perhaps it's time for Conrad to retire from the Senate and focus on his other career options.
http://www.geocities.com/...lywood.gif
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What gripes me is that even if Burns retired, he would still collect his senators pay for life and plenty of other perks.

Does he go hunting with Cheney?

You see, he didn't mean to insinuate the relationship between taxi drivers and people of Middle Eastern descent. He should have said they work in gas stations during the day and murder at night, which would still be news to me - you think we've had heard more about the deaths of our elderly, women, and children that these cabbies kill without remorse.

Of course, in Miles City, those murderous taxi drivers are only killing our alcoholics.

Is the issue really that Senator Burns speaking in "controversial manner" or are we all a little hypersensitive. While he could use a little tact... there is some truth in his comments. Especially with the "hot shot" crew. These kind of situations are never reported in context.

It is probably time for Burns (he should have never gotten the nomination) to go, but I am not convinced that Tester will be that much different.

You're absolutely right. What Montana needs in these trying times is the most politically correct candidate it can get its hands on.

A man not afraid to play both sides of every issue.

A positive image is what we need. One that doesn't worry about trivial things like what the issues are or how anyone would vote on those issues. These things are pointless to dredge up.

We need a man untethered by economic principle, one who can talk about the need to cut back on gas consumption while arguing for lowering prices. A man who rails against Exxon's lack of increased production while taking big time contributions from the environmental groups litigiously choking off "big oil's" oil supply.

Everyone knows the way to deal with a Snickers Bar shortage would be to cut prices to 10 cents per bar.

We need an energy policy that perpetually promises results if we only wait for "tommorrow's technology" Who ever said tomorrow never comes?

Montana needs another vote for 3rd trimester abortion on demand.

We need a Senator that will approve judges that don't just interpret the law, but give their own life and breath to the law. Judges unafraid to tell us all when the will of the people is or isn't important.

We especially need a party during this time of war that doesn't suffer through the press falsifying, staging and photoshopping reporting in an effort to undermine them. We need a party in power that has the press' ability to distort, mislead, twist, and falsify firmly behind it.

We need a party that isn't afraid to cast their vote to go to war, then run like mice in a burning building when things aren't a cakewalk, pointing fingers on their way out the door. We need a party unafraid to capitalize on every opportunity to gain political advantage, regardless of cost to the nation.

We need a party that understands Walmart is one of the biggest threats to the world as we know it. Islamic Fascism is way off base and too harsh a term. That level of derision should be reserved only for non-union American retailers.

We need a party whose candidates refuse minor donations from Walmart while cashing checks from Jerry Springer and Howard Stern. It's ok to own Walmart stock. But it looks bad in public to take their checks.

Yes sir. John Tester is our man. Our man for US Senate.

[This message has been edited by Rick Kuchynka (edited 9/1/2006).]

Damnit Rick - you should run.

We need someone with poor taste and a worse sense of humor who is never afraid to contradict himself.

Kuchynka now!!!

Hey Richard - I never see you comment on Wyoming's Congressional delegation . . . what's your take on your representatives in the House and Senate?

Mike Enzi seems like he could be a Conrad, if given half a chance. What about Craig Thomas - what's your take on his voting record when it comes to fiscal matters?

What about Barbara Cubin in the House? If wasn't for the moustache, I'd have trouble distinguishing her from Rehberg based on their respective voting records. I've never saw her in person - just looked at her voting record and read about her in the news. Does she have that same good ol' boy / man of the people routine going that Denny does?

"I never see you comment on Wyoming's Congressional delegation . . .what's your take on your representatives in the House and Senate?

I guess I figure that since this forum was mostly about Miles City and Montana issues I wouldn't bore people with Wyoming politics.

Barbra Cubin need to go if for no other reason she promised this past term would be her last... and well, it is not.

Again, I say TERM LIMITS - four years for the house, six years for the senate and president.

Conrad Burns was never a rocket scientist. His real contribution to the Republican Party, as is Rehberg's, is blindly following Republican leadership whereever it takes us. What galls me is how the Republicans define Tester as a liberal simply because he is running on the Democratic ticket. Take the NRA for example, concluding Tester is anti-guns. Did it ever occur to anyone that the Republicans are opposed to the average Montanan access to hunting on public lands. Republicans like Keith Bales support the private land owner denying access to state and federal lands so they can use the land like their private hunting preserves. Republican hunters like Dick Cheney like to hunt on private land where whooping cranes and the like are fair game and there is no consequence if you shoot them. It's time to sink the U.S.S. (Unbelievably stupid senators) like Burns, Hilary and Lieberman and replace them with folks who are honest and resistant the corruption from being in power too long.

Richard Bonine, Jr - wrote:
>>I guess I figure that since this forum was mostly about Miles City and Montana issues I wouldn't bore people with Wyoming politics.

Ah - okay, I thought maybe you didn't have any problems with Wyoming's politicos

Re: Cubin

If I remember right, Cubin only won by 20-30,000 votes in 04` . . . how's the race shaping up this time? Does Trauner have a shot at it?

His real contribution to the Republican Party, as is Rehberg's, is blindly following Republican leadership whereever it takes us.

Come on Betty, you know what happens to Democrats who don't tow the party line. Just ask Joe Lieberman.

And how exactly are we supposed to know what John Tester stands for? He won't tell us how he'll vote. Now we're not supposed to assume anything based on the party he supports? How is anyone supposed to know what they're voting for.

For most of us, its not about how popular our Senator will be in Washington. Its about whether they truly represent Montana values in the Senate. The only way they can really do that is with their vote. The reason Tester won't commit on how he'll vote is because he knows what he plans on voting for isn't what a majority of Montanans support.

Until we hear otherwise, we'll have to assume Tester will vote like most Democrats. Why else would he run as one? He sure spent the last session in the state legislature spending money like one.

He presided over $1 billion in NEW spending during the last session. That's well over $2,500 for every Montana household. Good thing he was handed those record surpluses by the outgoing Republicans. Just wait though until the housing market cools and all that autopilot spending meets declining growth in property tax revenue.

Unfortunately Republicans don't have much room to talk about Democrats shipping government pork considering the way that spending has ballooned under the Bush administration. It's the big government democrats vs. the big government republicans these days, the only difference is who they give our money to.



[This message has been edited by Levi Forman (edited 9/13/2006).]

That criticism is fair enough.

So long as you remember that the State of Montana isn't paying for a war or any notable effort at counterterrorism.

But you're right, Republicans have still been spending too much greasing the locals with pork. Nothing quite on the scale of the Montana Democrats' recent spending spree, but still a step in the wrong direction.