Sock Puppets, Potato Blossoms and Cheerful Candidates

posted by Josh Goodman

Spam has accumulated once again in my inbox since my post a couple of weeks ago, so it's time for the latest tidbits from the nation's gubernatorial campaigns:

* Democratic Governor John Baldacci recently campaigned at Maine's 59th Annual Potato Blossom Festival. I consider myself a potato connoisseur, but never knew potatoes had blossoms. Baldacci is lucky because, if he was from Arkansas, he'd have to eat raccoon.

* Pennsylvania Republican Lynn Swann seems to disagree with members of his party in the legislature who are trying to make English the state's official language. He was quoted in the Morning Call of Allentown saying, "We talk about how government ought to be more like a business. When was the last time that you bought a piece of equipment and it didn't have instructions in four or five different languages?"

* South Dakota Democrat Jack Billion has a MySpace profile with 98 friends. The profile also includes a blog that lists his current mood as "cheerful."

More delicious spam after the jump!

Photo via Flickr, from Tall Scientist.

* Unhappy with school funding rulings, Republican Jim Barnett wants to require Kansas Supreme Court justices to be confirmed by the state senate. Currently, the governor chooses from among candidates submitted by a nominating commission. 

* Wondering why Oklahoma Republican Bob Sullivan lost Tuesday's primary to Ernest Istook? This scary ad and this one might have had something to do with it. Also, Nevada Republican Bob Beers asked supporters whether or not his campaign should run an ad featuring a sock puppet posing as his Republican rival, Jim Gibbons. Since it accuses Gibbons of corruption, Democrats then launched a campaign to encourage Beers to run the ad. Here's Gibbons' response.

* Ohio Democrat Ted Strickland is ripping his Republican opponent, Ken Blackwell, for a proposal to privatize the Ohio Turnpike.

* New York Republican John Faso beat Eliot Spitzer...in a 5k race. Also, Iowa Republican Jim Nussle biked 54 miles in one day.

Comments

[Greg Meyer]

In regards to Lynn Swann speaking about making english the primary language in Penn. He said "When was the last time that you bought a piece of equipment and it didn't have instructions in four or five different languages?"
My question to him is When was the last time those instruction made any sense, were easy to follow, or had any in-depth information in them? I think businesses spend their entire instruction book budget on translating the title and general overview of their product leaving no funds for putting in anything of substance.

[Josh]

I think that folks on all sides of the language debate can agree that instructions are rarely written in anything remotely resembling English.

[ivan swift]

regarding potato blossoms, they are purplish-white. when they dry up, and the plant shrivels, you know it's time to dig the potatoes up. just about every fruit and vegetable starts with a bloom. eggplant blooms are dark purple, field peas are blue-white, melons are yellow, as are cukes. So far as coon political suppers, kentucky democrats used to (may still do)hold a "varmint supper" once a year at the Old Stagg Distillery, in Frankfort. Kegs of Wiedemann (sp?) beer were also in ample supply. among the "varmints" served were coon, possum, rabbit and squirrel. also available were fish and venison. food was plentiful and exhortatory speeches, fueld by old stagg bourbon washed down with Wiedemann's beer, were ample. ivan

[Jim]

Josh: How can you consider yourself a potato connoisseur if you've never been to the Potato Blossom Festival? If, in fact, you didn't even know they had blossoms? The festival is a great event in, here's a bit of trivia for you, the largest potato growing county in the U.S. - Aroostook County, ME.

[Josh]

Jim, you've exposed my complete ignorance of potato plants and potato cultivation. I guess I'm more of an aficionado than a connoisseur. I like baked potatoes, twice-baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato wedges, french fries, home fries, hash browns, potatoes o'brien, potato chips, tater tots, tater rounds, potato pancakes, potato bread and potato salad (assuming it doesn't have too much mayo). In a pinch, I'll eat sweet potatoes, especially if they have brown sugar or marshmallows on them. Perhaps sometime I'll make it up to Maine for the festival because it does sound like fun.