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Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr speaks at the National Press Club in Washington, Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari) |
Today on the presidential campaign trail
By
The Associated Press
September 6, 2008
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IN THE HEADLINES
Pennsylvania Republicans want Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr off presidential ballot ... Lawmakers putting Troopergate investigation on fast track, issuing subpoenas ... Obama, still raising money, gets help from rocker Bon Jovi ...
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GOP challenges Libertarian Party in court
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The Libertarian Party's presidential candidate should be taken off the Pennsylvania ballot because the party tricked voters and broke state election law when it gathered the signatures for its nominating ballots, an attorney argued Friday in Commonwealth Court.
At issue is the legality of gathering 35,000 signatures using ballot petitions that listed Rochelle Etzel, of Clarion County, as the Libertarian presidential nominee. The petitions were circulated from February until the deadline in August -- months after the national party tapped Bob Barr at its convention in late May.
"Election laws are necessary and have to be strictly followed. They're not mere technicalities," said Ronald Hicks of Pittsburgh. He represents Cumberland County GOP chairman Victor Stabile, who filed court papers last month aimed at getting Barr removed from the November election ballot.
Sam Stretton, Barr's attorney in Pennsylvania, said the state Libertarian Party has been similarly substituting presidential candidates since at least 1996 and the practice is not prohibited under state election code. Etzel knew from the outset that she would withdraw her name after the national candidate was chosen and nothing was underhanded about it, he said.
"I don't see this as a fraud in any way shape or form," Stretton said. "I see this as established process."
Judge Johnny J. Butler did not indicate when he would issue a ruling but said he would do so "expeditiously."
Barr, a fiery former Republican congressman from Georgia, gained national prominence for his relentless pursuit of President Clinton's impeachment. Some Republicans fear he could siphon off enough votes from GOP nominee John McCain to tilt the outcome in a close election.
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Subpoenas to be issued for Troopergate probe
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- The Alaska Legislature is hastening its ethics investigation into Gov. Sarah Palin's firing of her public safety commissioner, making it far more likely it will be completed before November's election.
State Sen. Hollis French said Friday that seven witnesses told the Legislature's investigator they will refuse depositions and canceled their meetings. French, who is overseeing the investigation into whether Palin abused her power, said the Legislature will subpoena these witnesses, who do not include the governor.
Lawmakers say they have put the investigation on a fast track now that Palin is Republican John McCain's running mate. The investigation previously was expected to end on Oct. 31. French said the new target date for investigator Stephen Branchflower to complete the report is Oct. 10.
"It's just basic fairness to the governor," said French, an Anchorage Democrat who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee. "We started to focus on Oct. 31 because that's the end of Mr. Branchflower's contract, but our motion says prepare a report in a timely manner."
In July, a state oversight committee approved $100,000 for an investigation into whether Palin fired public safety commissioner Walt Monegan because he would not dismiss a trooper, Mike Wooten, who went through a messy divorce with her sister before Palin's election as governor.
"I would like to put this behind me and move on with my life," Wooten said in an interview with The
Wooten said he was proud he had once been part of the Palin family, but he contradicted Palin's statement that she overheard him in 2005 threaten her father during an argument with Palin's younger sister, Molly McCann, Wooten's wife at the time. Wooten noted that an internal investigation failed to sustain the death-threat allegation.
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Rocker Bon Jovi hosts Obama fundraiser
MIDDLETOWN, N.J. (AP) -- Unlike his Republican opponent, Democrat Barack Obama is still raising money for his presidential campaign, and he turned Friday to rock legend Jon Bon Jovi for help.
Bon Jovi and his wife, Dorothea, hosted more than 100 people for dinner on their mansion lawn by the Navesink River in Middletown, N.J. The price was $30,800 a person, to be divided between the Obama campaign and the Democratic National Committee.
"When I look at Barack, I see an old man," Bon Jovi said in introducing his guest. Obama is 47, Bon Jovi is 46.
Obama spoke for about eight minutes before greeting guests individually. He vowed to fight Republican attacks on his character and background more fiercely than John Kerry did in his losing campaign four years ago.
"We're not going to be bullied, we're not going to be smeared, we're not going to be lied about," Obama said. "I don't believe in coming in second."
Earlier in the evening, Obama attended a $2,300-per-person reception at the nearby home of veteran party fundraiser Phil Murphy. About 200 people, including the Bon Jovis and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, attended.
Republican nominee John McCain can raise no more campaign money because he accepted about $84 million in public funding and the restrictions that go with it. Obama turned down the public funding, figuring he can raise and spend more on his own.
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THE DEMOCRATS
Barack Obama holds rally at the Walbash Valley Fairgrounds in Terre Haute, Ind.
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THE REPUBLICANS
John McCain addresses the AARP and later McCain and Sarah Palin appear at a rallies in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Albuquerque, N.M.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"We're not going to be bullied, we're not going to be smeared, we're not going to be lied about. I don't believe in coming in second." -- Barack Obama.
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STAT OF THE DAY:
An estimated 21.5 million people watched the second night of the GOP convention between 10 and 11 p.m. The same night for the Democrats had just under 26 million viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.
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Compiled by Ann Sanner and Ronald Powers.
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