robin hayes

My Finance Director usually asks people for money. Today he just sent a newsletter asking for a minute of your time to Take our Country Back.

Frontpaged by James. This is easy and fast. Please hit the link and vote for Larry!

We have a lot going on today in North Carolina as you all know. You can feel the excitement in the air. We aren't accustomed to our primary being so important to those outside our state and getting the attention here in North Carolina that we've been getting. Now let me say first of all that I'm pleased that I don't have an opponent in today's primary so I can relax a bit. However, I can't help thinking as I watch what is happening that it isn't nearly as important what happens today as is what happens tomorrow.

As I watch what is happening here on the ground...

As an Army wife I face many important dates alone. Dates that mean something only to me and my husband or to my family. However, this week marks the fifth year our men and women have been sent off to a war that has now destroyed our economy. We can stop the debate on why we went into Iraq but we need to discuss what that one fatal decision has done to our great nation.

We have lost many brave lives over there yet those losses really to do not compare to the fact our economy is failing. I believe we should support our troops but not at the cost of my children's future.

Somebody get Robin Hayes a change of knickers. I think he just wet himself. What has Robin Hayes flat out running scared?

It isn't what. It's who. It's Larry Kissell, that's who.

Larry Kissell, his campaign team and his enthusiastic supporters from 2006 have finally been joined by the DCCC and many Democrats throughout the district who held back their support last cycle because they didn't think Larry could win. People are scrambling to jump on the Kissell bandwagon and the only thing to say to that is, "Thank you!"

From the Dome today:

The fourth annual report by technology consulting firm Knowlegis on Congressional power was based on leadership positions, indirect influence, legislative activity and earmarks.

U.S. Sen. Richard Burr score 18.94, ranking 69th in the Senate; while Sen. Elizabeth Dole scored 13.39, ranking 93rd.

In the House, Rep. Mel Watt scored 32.75, ranking 53rd; Rep. David Price scored 30.16, ranking 67th.

The least influential were Rep. Robin Hayes, who scored 9.56 and ranked 360th; and Rep. Virginia Foxx, who scored 6.49 and ranked 399th.

Go see the Dome for links to the complete listing.

This Time/CNN story got me thinking.

There's a lot to feel down about this month: the subprime mortgage crisis, stormy, unpredictable weather, rising gas prices, presidential primary free-for-alls. So, it would be easy to believe the theory set forth by Dr. Cliff Arnall, a researcher from Cardiff University, that the third Monday of the month (Jan. 21, this year) — a day he calls Blue Monday — will be our most depressing day of the year. Arnall bases his yearly prediction on a formula he developed, which factors in the weather, consumer debt from holiday spending and failed New Year's resolutions and arrives at that conclusion that we'll hit rock bottom on Monday the 21st.

From a Democratic perspective, if this is rock bottom, imagine the view from the cheap seats in the Grand Old Party. I wholeheartedly disagree with the good Doctor's theory of today being the most depressing day of the year, and in fact draw hope from it.

Holy Mother of Pearl. I can barely catch my breath. Those of you who went through the Kissell campaign ups and downs with me last cycle know just how much I love Larry Kissell. Do you remember those days where we did our best to make something positive out of poll numbers? Those days are over. With name recognition of 78% Robin Hayes is polling 2 points below Larry Kissell in the uninformed poll question with only 1% indicating they would vote for a different candidate.

I'll be adding more in a minute with links and crosstabs and all that lovely goodness you need to rip this poll apart, but for now I'm doing a happy dance and enjoying something we only dreamt about last cycle.

More in a minute.

Much has been written about the abstinence-only debacle, including many calls to our elected leaders to turn down federally dollars for this destructive approach to education. Today, Paige Johnson, of Planned Parenthood of North Carolina, has a good wrap-up of the issue, with a clear call to Governor Easley to take both a principled and a pragmatic stand. Her column is at NC Policy Watch.

To help young adults gain access to lifesaving information that will prepare them for a healthy tomorrow, Governor Easley should reject the Federal Government’s highly restrictive Title V Abstinence Only Sex Education money and establish state support for comprehensive sex education.

Welcome back, Larry Kissell.

Most BlueNC long-timers are Larry Kissell fans. Many of us volunteered to help the Kissell campaign in 2006 and others gave money and vocal public support. We were all pretty much heartbroken when the final vote was counted.

Larry decided quickly he was in for another round. So, here we go. Welcome to my dear friend, Larry Kissell.

[original post below]
Believe it or not it has been almost two years since our first interview with Larry Kissell. Not long ago James offered John Autry, Larry's primary opponent, a live-blog opportunity and now it's Larry's turn. Please join us tomorrow evening, Thursday, January 3, 2008 from 6pm until 7pm for a chance to ask Larry about this cycle's campaign and the issues that are important to the people of the 8th District.

Following our live-blog with Larry we'll immediately jump into an Iowa Caucus open thread discussion, so have your popcorn ready. It's going to be an exciting evening.

Post your questions in the comments below.

From LKSOC (the Larry Kissell School of Original Campaigning) comes the following event, which Under The Dome already calls "the most creative political event of the year".

The Democratic Congressional candidate will host free lead screening of toys from noon to 3 p.m. this Friday in downtown Concord, the hometown of Robin Hayes.

"Not only as a candidate for Congress, but as a parent and school teacher, I'm concerned about dangerous imports and the safety of our children," says Kissell, "I don't believe you have to wait for an election to begin working on behalf of families in the 8th District."