What's the deal with the AFN?

[Ken Burch]

They wouldn't let Diane speak but they let Don speak. How whipped are these guys?

Don't they get it that Don would be in the minority and powerless if he was reelected?

[Blue_In_AK]

1. Ken, it gets worse...

Don Young was supposed to speak to the AFN tomorrow on congressional matters only (that was the reasoning behind the AFN's shutting Diane out, that Don was supposed to give a congressional report, and no campaigning was going to be happening). Instead he snuck in there today (probably surmising that Diane's supporters were going to be there tomorrow with signs and handing out literature) and campaigned hard for a full hour, and Julie Kitka got up and endorsed him in front of the entire convention. This is just sickening. Kris Pierce is livid and is taking a bunch of people down to the convention center now to at least get some pamphlets out. I also heard him on the phone talking to somebody demanding equal time for Diane since Don had broken his pledge not to campaign.

That guy (Don) is such a slime. I told Kris that we should just organize a picket line to go down there and boycott the entire convention. It's unconscionable to me that they would treat a Native candidate this way. Don has done NOTHING for the Natives. Otherwise, they wouldn't have to take gifts from Hugo Chavez.

:mad:

[Blue_In_AK]

2. An update on this...

Diane was invited to speak by an AFN member from the floor, so she did get to address the convention after all. PLUS it made Channel 2 news, which is good.

http://www.ktuu.com/cms/anmviewer.asp?a=6978&z=1

Julie Kitka definitely needs a brain tune-up.

[Blue_In_AK]

3. More on Diane and the AFN

(making lemonade out of lemons).

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/afn/story/8351665p-8247084c.html

Diane Benson, a Southeast Alaska Native and the Democratic nominee for the state's lone U.S. House seat, won speaking time at the Alaska Federation of Natives on Friday. Benson got her time before the convention after AFN officials, in the face of a surge of delegate pressure to allow her to talk, reversed an earlier decision to deny her an appearance.

<snip.

Young was asked not to campaign on stage, AFN officials had said. But he ended his speech by asking about 4,000 people to remember his name when they vote next month.

<snip>

Schedule changes are common at AFN, but delegate Mike Williams of Akiak, angry that Benson had been snubbed, stepped before the microphone in the afternoon to request a suspension of the rules so Benson could have five minutes. The crowd erupted, whooping and whistling. It was then that AFN officials agreed to let her go before the delegates. The 37-member AFN board had agreed earlier in the week to loosen its policy.

Flanked by three combat veterans from Southeast Alaska, Benson knocked Young, a riverboat captain from Fort Yukon, for failing to do enough for Native veterans. With a breaking voice, she criticized the Iraq war and mentioned her son, Latseen Benson, a soldier who lost his legs to a roadside bomb there almost a year ago. Young has also failed Alaska on getting relief for costly rural energy and, in refusing to recognize that global warming is a threat, has failed to purse alternative energy, Benson said.

"I, as a representative, will do everything I can, because I am a dog with a bone when it comes to issues for our veterans and when it comes to energy independence, when it comes to representation for the people by the people," she said. "I believe after 34 years, Alaska is too old now to keep Young."

That drew sustained clapping, whistling and hooting.

<snip>

[snowbear]

4. Thanks for the updates Blue!

I wish I could've gone over there, but I just couldn't make it..

When Diane was on KUDO radio a few days ago, she talked about the incredible amount of donations rolling into her campaign!

She said "just yesterday ---in one day ---we had over $5,000.00 dollars come in!"

And she said that they planned to launch their first television commercial next week. I've seen the ad she has running on GCI's channel 1, but an actual commercial (not just a GCI ad) even if it can only run in the final week, will be so much better!!

Not many people tune into channel 1 unless they happen to be airing a political debate or a Seawolves hockey game. Other than that, it's just used to run ads, so AWESOME that she's getting a real commercial out there!

Did you hear Aaron on KUDO tell her that she should show a photo of the old dilapidated Fort Yukon house that Don & his wife abandoned some 30 years ago that is all boarded up - - then show a picture of his DC area mansion in a photo right next to it?

Actually.. that would've been cool if she had huge photos of both side by side to place in front of her when she spoke at the AFN convention!

Like Aaron said.. this is a real David v. Goliath race.. but if unibrow doesn't screw around with the Diebolds again, I think she'll do better than anyone ever expected!

[Blue_In_AK]

5. Well, I've been drumming up some contributions

here on DU. I've seen a couple people that donated since last night, so that's a good thing. I think Diane's a really great candidate, so I have no problem going out and begging for money for her. :) Volunteering with her campaign, I've seen and listened to her quite a bit, and I'm just more impressed all the time.

As for the TV commercials, my husband and I are in one of them. She recorded several with different groups -- like veterans, young people, "seniors" (whatever that means - that's the group they put us in for some inexplicable reason), so I'll be curious which one(s) they choose to run.

I'm feeling very optimistic about her chances. Don's arrogance is going to be his downfall, I think. Every time he snubs Diane (or ADN) he creates more good publicity for her. He's such an idiot.

[Ken Burch]

6. Damn, that's great! Like something out of Frank Capra

"Ms. Benson goes to Washington"!

Dare to believe it. Dare to dream it. DARE TO MAKE IT HAPPEN!