Comments on Advance Indiana™: A Look At Carson And Elrod In Their Own Words

I wrote to the journalist who interviewed the cand...

2008-02-25T17:55:00.000-05:00

I wrote to the journalist who interviewed the candidates about omitting Sean Shepard. There will be an interview published with the Libertarian candidate this week.

I'm glad the Indy Star is making sure we get all the candidate's views so we can make an informed decision.

Andre's campaign is not going to rise and fall wit...

2008-02-25T08:13:00.000-05:00

Andre's campaign is not going to rise and fall with some half-baked drug accusations on a blog.

He's done quite well explaining his views.

On those explanations alone, without ridiculouos side rhetoric about Muslim this and drugs that, Andre has helped people all over the 7th make up their minds.

If he wants to win, he needs a Rose Garden strategy. But he has become intoxicated with the limelight, and in tha tlight, he doesn't shine very well.

Wilson you wouldn't know classy if it fell on you ...

2008-02-24T23:15:00.000-05:00

Wilson you wouldn't know classy if it fell on you while you were dumpster diving.

So now anonymous nobodies are trying to tie a youn...

2008-02-24T21:35:00.000-05:00

So now anonymous nobodies are trying to tie a young Democratic African-American candidate to Congress with drug dealing? Why am I not surprised at the obvious desperation of the Republicans here?

Classy blog you're running here, Gary!

It is worth noting the Andre belonged to a gang kn...

2008-02-24T20:08:00.000-05:00

It is worth noting the Andre belonged to a gang known as the Five Percenters which weren't exactly stomping out the drug trade in Dodge City so much as they were cutting the territory for themselves. The 5 Percenters tied in real heavy with the Nation of Islam and pushed gangsta rap.
Andre was no MC Hammer kind a guy and his rap wasn't kind to white people.
Folks, you all better get an idea of just what Andre Carson is before you vote for him.

Unlike Mahern, he lives in his district, anon 7:04...

2008-02-24T19:10:00.000-05:00

Unlike Mahern, he lives in his district, anon 7:04. That's another one of the lies the Democrats are manufacturing.

Thanks AI for explaining the boundaries of Andre C...

2008-02-24T19:04:00.000-05:00

Thanks AI for explaining the boundaries of Andre Carson's council district before there was some wild conspiracy theory about where he lived....speaking of which, where did Elrod live when he ran for the house of reps....??

I live in Carson's district. It extends from the d...

2008-02-24T18:08:00.000-05:00

I live in Carson's district. It extends from the downtown area, winds its way north taking in some of Fall Creek and it extends west across the White River into Haughville.

"Today, the area is part of the restored Fall Cree...

2008-02-24T17:57:00.000-05:00

"Today, the area is part of the restored Fall Creek Place neighborhood, where he lives with his wife and child."

I thought he lived on the westside in Haughville? Isn't that the City County district he is representing?

Wilson, Jon has already been elected twice in urba...

2008-02-24T17:41:00.000-05:00

Wilson, Jon has already been elected twice in urban districts, including a seat on the Center Township Advisory Board and a seat in the Indiana House of Representatives. He also serves on the board of a community development corporation. He has represented a diverse community. Why ask that question of him and not Carson if the implication isn't because of the racial make-up of the district. Carson has only been on the ballot once by appointment and without an opponent. Why not ask the same question of him? It shows a bias, implying that Jon is incapable of representing black voters while Carson is automatically presumed to be capable of representing white voters.

"Urban district" means precisely that: a large rac...

2008-02-24T17:35:00.000-05:00

"Urban district" means precisely that: a large racially and culturally diverse non-agricultural metropolitan area. Unlike Elwood, Marshal or Martinsville. Some folk from these rural backwaters see African-Americans in a city and define the entire place as "Black". That's just plain ignorance!

André's last name has been Carson since he was 9 y...

2008-02-24T14:47:00.000-05:00

André's last name has been Carson since he was 9 years old when I first met him.

Huh? This sentence makes absofriggenlutely no sense.

If his birth mother never wed his birth father, it stands to reason that Andre's last name is the maiden name of his mother, which is Carson, of course.

Someone's hitting the crack pipe again.

The teaser in the Star also indicates there will b...

2008-02-24T14:36:00.000-05:00

The teaser in the Star also indicates there will be a story on two fronts with Elrod on Tuesday: Is he Republican enough and can he represent an urban district? Where to begin, well, first, it isn't a Republican-leaning district, which means if you are far right conservtive Republican, you're never going to win an election. The second question is just down right insulting to all the white voters of the district. The "urban district" talk is just code for blacks. You won't see the Star questioning whether Carson can represent the nearly 70% whites who make up the 7th District.

I was shocked at The Star's depth and coverage. I...

2008-02-24T14:27:00.000-05:00

I was shocked at The Star's depth and coverage. It's the best political work they've done in years. And the teaser in today's paper promises more this week. But, a few things:

1. I am a lifelong Methodist and nowhere in the Discipline does the title "sextant" come up. The writers should've wandered onto The Internets and checked that one out--it's easy to do. We have decaons, Lay Leaders (please, no jokes), lay pastors, pastor-parish committees and Chairpersons, but no sextants.

2. I wasn't aware Mayor Peterson paid canvassers last year. If it happened, I didn't see it reported.
And I thought I paid close attention.

3. As quoted above:

"...as a teen, he read the Talmud, ancient Jewish teachings, and the Bhagavad-Gita, the Hindu scripture."

That is an empty campaign-convenient recitation of the "truth." I've heard this young man speak several times. His speech is not that of a well-read theologian. Not even close. I've read Talmud, and it's, well, plodding. It requires stern concentration and almost commands introspection. I don't see Andre doing either very often.

4. Growing up, if any guardian of mine had charged me rent--ever--it would not have been labeled "character-building." That one comment struck me more than anything else in the Star piece.
* * * * * * * *
As for Gary's choice of adjectives and comments, well, they are formed by his experiences in life. I found them to be honest. I wouldn't have used some of them, but he could easily say the same about me or any of us.

If Andre's handlers have any sense, they'll tape his mouth shut until Mar. 12. Unless it's scripted. And do what IU should've done to Kelvin Sampson: keep him away from the phone. Lest he talk with reporters unscripted.

When it's scripted, it sounds wooden, but at least he doesn't piss people off when he uses scripts or keeps quiet.

One word keeps coming to mind: shallow.

My decision to support ABA (Anyone But Andre) is now more solid than ever.

Blog on...

Jon has hundreds of unpaid volunteers working for ...

2008-02-24T14:17:00.000-05:00

Jon has hundreds of unpaid volunteers working for him, Wilson. Carson had to pay them $50 just to show up. I'm guessing most of the handouts they were given wound up in the trash after a few blocks just like what happened with Peterson's paid canvasers.

André Carson had over 100 enthusiastic volunteers ...

2008-02-24T14:10:00.000-05:00

André Carson had over 100 enthusiastic volunteers out yesterday in 5 different townships. Besides Elrod posing for the TV cameras, does the GOP have any door-to-door teams at all helping their candidate?

By the way, those PAID VOLUNTEERS last fall helped Peterson win 54% to 44% in the 7th District. Don't knock a winning tactic!!!

News Flash: Carson is having trouble finding volun...

2008-02-24T13:52:00.000-05:00

News Flash: Carson is having trouble finding volunteers to help out with his campaign. The campaign has sent out this e-mail alert: PAID CANVASS TO HELP ANDRE CARSON WIN THE MARCH 11TH SPECIAL ELECTION! Let's see, isn't that what happened in Bart Peterson's campaign last fall?

Though living outside the 7th I don't have a say i...

2008-02-24T12:19:00.000-05:00

Though living outside the 7th I don't have a say in this race, and believing that Elrod is a quality candidate in his own right, I am still interested to know about the candidates, and it bothers me that the media excludes reporting on third party candidates (like Sean Shepard, for instance).

It did not take Carson very long to bring up Julia...

2008-02-24T12:09:00.000-05:00

It did not take Carson very long to bring up Julia's name in the Chan 13 round table with the other candidates this morning.

He can not even stand on his own two feet.

Andre's last name? Let's see. The article said ...

2008-02-24T11:36:00.000-05:00

Andre's last name? Let's see. The article said that he was born to Julia Carson's unwed daughter........CARSON......that took 2 seconds to figure out.....next subject, I guess a child growing up in a home with two loving same sex parents would be "unlucky" ????? A strange position for this blog to take.

Carson: "The most important things I can pass on t...

2008-02-24T11:32:00.000-05:00

Carson: "The most important things I can pass on to my daughter are the values that my family taught me." That she can expect to be treated like an object by men and expect to be paid less for the doing the same job. Andre is a sexist.

I agree with your comment on the bias against sing...

2008-02-24T11:25:00.000-05:00

I agree with your comment on the bias against single persons. It's not just King. You see this in political reporting every election where candidates "being married" credential is used to puff up and humanize them while an unmarried person is dealt this terse little comment--"he's single." It's why people like Joe Hogsett desparately look for a new wife each time he runs for office. It's just not worth the built-in bias political reporting has against candidates who are single.

John, I can only speak from my own experience. I g...

2008-02-24T11:09:00.000-05:00

John, I can only speak from my own experience. I grew up on a farm with two loving parents and a stay at home mom. If you want to twist that comment into something else, have at it, but I think most people understand exactly what I was saying.

André's last name has been Carson since he was 9 y...

2008-02-24T10:46:00.000-05:00

André's last name has been Carson since he was 9 years old when I first met him. If he did change his name earlier, you'll have to give the little tyke due credit for prudent, longterm planning at a youthful age!

Advance, Do you know what Carson's original last n...

2008-02-24T10:34:00.000-05:00

Advance, Do you know what Carson's original last name was? I heard Carson isn't his birth name. He had it changed later on with an eye towards running for political office.