Have at it.
Celebrate a Hog win with visions of even better in 2010. Schedule announced today. Tenn. Tech., Louisiana-Monroe and U Texas El Paso are what the late Kim Brazzel called the "chitlins" of the schedule. Monroe and LSU in Little Rock.
[...]ABOVE: Cancer patient with an abscessed tooth and no health insurance.
MORE FROM CLINIC: The Times' Leslie Newell Peacock captured this video.
PATIENT TO POLITICIANS: 'Stand in these lines. Talk to these people.'
A doctor friend, who served a stint in today's clinic, writes:
What type of event in downtown LR do you carry your' [...]
As predicted Sen. Blanche Lincoln won't kill health reform legislation yet. She'll vote to open debate on legislation. Here's her speech. She indicated, however, that she WILL vote to filibuster a bill that includes a government-administered health option. I hope she gets that chance. And I hope she pays if her' [...]
Lobby of Convention Center. Photo by Brian Chilson.
Just a half hour after the noon opening of the C.A.R.E. free clinic at the Statehouse Convention Center, 200 patients have signed in and more are lined up outside the door. Entering patients are being greeted with loud cheers and applause from [...]
Over the next two weeks, we here at Arkansas Tonight are on the lookout for the best local news bloopers. They can be old, new, during news or sports or weather. With any luck, they are on a high-rated station, not Fox [...]
From Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson, a moderate Democrat, on his decision to vote in favor of beginning debate on the health insurance reform bill in the Senate:
“It is only to begin debate and an opportunity to make improvements. If you don’t like a bill, why block your own opportunity [...]
Has it peaked? Maybe. But some are still predicting a third wave. The South specifically mentioned.
[...]
Some 1,500 uninsured people are expected to seek medical attention at a free mass clinic at the Statehouse Convention center from noon to 7 p.m. today.
It might be that, sometime during the clinic, Sen. Blanche Lincoln will cast a deciding vote on whether to let the Senate [...]
I forgot to open the line.
I went to a party for former Bill Clinton staffers tonight. Saw, among many blog readers, Charles Eddie Smith.
Drove past teabaggers (40 or so?) with candles outside Blanche Lincoln's office. As a Democratic employee of a.g. McDaniel noted about the day, you've got Republicans fighting like' [...]
Well this is surprising: former President Bill Clinton thinks that Keith Olbermann is politicizing the free health clinic in Little Rock tomorrow. Eve Gittelson, a reporter for FireDogLake.com, ran into Clinton in the gift shop of his presidential library yesterday and asked [...]
You remember earlier this week when I showed video of West Fork fifth grader Will Phillip being interviewed on CNN regarding his story of not standing up to do the pledge of allegiance until gays and lesbians have equal rights? Do you [...]
I don't know how many of you were deeply affected by the death of Tim Russert, but I can tell you that for me, it was a huge loss. Russert was the one journalist who really got me interested in politics and' [...]
Bill Clinton told FDL’s Eve Gittelson that it would be problematic for him to attend a free medical clinic being held in Little Rock, Arkansas tomorrow because MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann had “politicized” the event.” He indicated that some were turning the event into a primary kickoff against Arkansas [...]
North Little Rock Alderman Cary Gaines, who represents Ward 3, has resigned from the City Council. He confirmed to me last week that he faced federal investigation related to the indictment of an accused Cabot bookmaker and drug dealer who was also accused of trying to influence Gaines to steer city business [...]
Columnist Joe Conason, in Little Rock this week to follow Bill Clinton for a coming book, dipped into senatorial politics and found an incumbent U.S. Senator, Blanche Lincoln, looking weak rather than thoughtful. He found pressure from Lt. Gov. Bill Halter and a free health clinic and a not-thinly-veiled [...]
Rock Candy, our entertainment blog, has details on cancellation of Billy Joel/Elton John concert at Verizon Arena.
Says here that FBI is taking a look at a cop's Tasering of an Ozark girl, 10, who refused to take a shower.
Jordan Johnson tweets and twitpics that students at the Clinton School' [...]
State Supreme Court Justice Annabelle Clinton Imber has announced her retirement, creating a position for Gov. Mike Beebe to fill by appointment for a year until an election in 2010.
How's this for an intriguing candidate for that appointment -- Bill Bowen, retired lawyer, banker, gubernatorial chief of staff, UALR law school namesake?' [...]
Not all doctors are on the Republican bandwagon. One writes to me:
All the anti-reform 'no gub-mint' in health care Docs had ALL of their salary during their residency paid for by the Feds. If they hate the govenment so much, how 'bout they repay all that, with interest?
FYI,' [...]
Surprise. The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce does not want debate to open on health care legislation in the Senate. It wants it killed dead, now. It is rallying troops to pressure Sens. Pryor and Lincoln to filibuster what is traditionally a routine procedure to open debate.
Pryor has already [...]
I’ve been out of town for the better part of two days and I’m just now reading that Arkansas Sen. Mark Pryor clearly stated that he would vote for the cloture motion which would advance the bill to debate in the Senate. Good for him.
Senator Blanche Lincoln still remains [...]
A new poll indicates that 84% of Arkansans want the Senate to debate health care reform. This comes on the eve of a cloture vote in the Senate where 60 members must vote in favor in order for the bill to proceed to the Senate floor for debate.
Arkansas Senator [...]
Law enforcement sources say two suspects are in custody following the shootout Thursday night that left a Garland County sheriff's officer wounded and a suspect dead in a raid aimed at suspects in five slayings in Garland County Nov. 12.
The basics as told to me: Information was developed that led' [...]
Copy to Sen. Lincoln:
Survey says an overwhelming majority of Arkansas voters -- regardless of feelings on the legislation itself -- want debate in the Senate on the health reform bill. AND an up or down vote on the bill.
[...]From KARK Facebook page:
A 68-year-old woman was accidentally shot in the thigh by her husband while hunting in Grant County. He thought he was shooting at a deer. She's expected to make it.
[...]There are many lies from which to choose. Joan Walsh points out one Republican lie about "breast panels."
Republicans claim bureaucrats will deny mammograms to women under 50 thanks to Obama's push for reform.
It's an enormous lie. Various government advisory panels have been trying to ratchet up the age for [...]
Former Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is regularly mentioned as a possible candidate for President in 2012, had some pretty tough words for his fellow Republicans recently. According to The Huffington Post, Huckabee had this to say regarding Republican criticism regarding President Obama's' [...]
Huffington Post takes note of a lightly covered speech by Mike Huckabee in which he termed "deplorable" and "shameful" the actions by Republicans who criticize every act by President Obama. He mentioned those who accused Obama of setting up a photo op by meeting the returning bodies of dead [...]
This video hasn't really been a hit on YouTube, but I think it should be. It gives us some great insights into the minds of teabaggers, albeit a bit exaggerated.
' [...]
The Billionaire Koch Family's snake oil show, Toe-sucking Bro. Dick Morris lead pitchman, apparently has arrived in town to peddle its anti-healthcare sermon. A note from Capitol observer:
The "we hate poor people" bus is here. Looks like about 200-250 people, age range 40-70 (plus a few kids' [...]
Might this statement mean Sen. Lincoln might actually allow debate on a health care bill?
Key sentence:
Importantly, even if the Senate decides to open debate on this measure, there will be many days and weeks of efforts to improve it and I will look forward to your comments and observations.
Maybe she [...]
Looks like Entergy Arkansas is going to be able to get out of its system agreement with Entergy operating companies in other states. The deal allowed for rate equalization among the states, generally a bad deal for Arkansas.
Here's the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission news release.
From this week's Insider: Two weeks ago we reported on the efforts of the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers to put up a winter solstice display on the grounds of the state Capitol. Their application was denied last year because the secretary of state's office said it was not [...]
Through Wednesday afternoon, more than 900 people had signed up for appointments for free medical checks at the mass free clinic to be held from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday at the Statehouse Convention Center. A spokesman said on the radio this morning that the doctors and nurses will also [...]
Business Week says Springdale is again this year the best city in Arkansas for raising kids. Criteria: School performance, number of schools, household expenditures, crime rates, air quality, job growth, family income, museums, parks, theaters, other amenities, and diversity.
Affordability, safety and school test scores were given the [...]
More kind words from John Brummett for Will Phillips of West Fork, an international symbol for his decision not to participate in Pledge of Allegiance exercises as a demonstration of support for those denied liberty and justice in these United States.
It has come to this. U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor forthrightly says he'll vote for a routine procedural motion to allow debate on health care legislation. U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln can't even decide that.
The senator said he would vote to advance the measure to debate, but he emphasized that the [...]
Also on Countdown tonight was an interesting interview with Lt. Gov. Bill Halter regarding an upcoming free health clinic in Little Rock and how and when conservative Southern Democrats might come on board with health care reform, especially now that it appears [...]
Random post, I know, but did any of you catch Countdown tonight? I just turned it on and noticed that fill-in anchor Lawrence O'Donnell is looking mighty old these days. Watching him in HD just makes it worse.
The following is the opening' [...]
Lt. Gov. Bill Halter talked on MSNBC tonight about Saturday's free medical clinic in Little Rock and the shame that a country of America's wealth leaves a half-million or more Arkansans without health coverage.
Lawrence O'Donnell, filling in for Keith Olbermann, asked if there was anything to calls from the left' [...]
