Tonight’s State of the Union speech by President Barack Obama is turning into a politician prom, with Republicans and Democrats pairing up in a symbolic show of bipartisanship.
He reports that Patty Murray will sit with Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee tried his best last year to keep Murray from sitting anywhere in the Capitol.
Maria Cantwell will sit with moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. This despite ABC …
As a believer in health and health care, the Des Moines Democrat spent the day NOT shaking hands – a tough act for a politician.
After she was sworn in and made her way back to her desk on the floor, Lt. Gov. Brad Owen explained the elbow rubs she used to accept congratulations from fellow senators as her way of halting the spread of her virus.
Unfortunately, Owen realized as he was making the announcement that he wasn’t so lucky.
“And I’m holding the pen she used to sign her certificate,” Owen said …
If you had been planning to fill out your shopping list with the Chia Obama – Special Edition, time may be running out.
A friend was in the Bremerton Rite Aid and noticed clerks removing the novelty item from a display that also include Abe Lincoln, George Washington and the Statue of Liberty. It is part of Chia’s “I’m Proud To Be An American Collection.”
When he asked why, he was told they had been recalled.
“Just the Obama Chia’s? Not LIncoln. Or Washington?”
Just Obama, they said, on orders from company headquarters.
I rushed to the Rite Aid on Pearl Street in Tacoma and scored the last box in the display. Thankfully I got the “Determined” pose, not the “Happy” pose because it is much more dignified. It says “Barack Obama 44th President USA” on the front of the pedestal and “Yes We Can” on the side.
The box includes this message: “Hail to the Ch-Ch-Ch-Chief.”
Ashley Flowers, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania-based drug store chain, said the Chia Obamas had been removed due to customer complaints.
“Some of our customers felt we were making some sort of political statement with the Obama Chia’s,” Flower said. “That was not our intention.”
Did they think it was promoting the president or was it offensive?
“That’s between our customers and the company,” Flower said.
In April of 2009, Walgreens pulled the product after receiving a few complaints. That move puzzled the guy who created the Chia Obama, a Chicago native named Joe Pedott. The marketing whiz who now lives in San Francisco also is credited with popularizing the Chia Pet and yes, The Clapper.
“I have a product everyone wants – there is tremendous demand – and they can’t get it,” Pedott told me Friday. “Why? Because the stores are afraid of offending people and I don’t understand how.” Read more »
Is is a long story that is recited in this earlier Poli Buzz post.
Let’s just say that when Tim Eyman received his second Schrammie from KOMO commentator Ken Schram he was hoping to sell it for as much as he sold his first Schrammie. But Schram, not wanting to give Eyman something of value that could be used to fund his initiative campaigns, didn’t send one of the bobblehead dolls symbolic of the anti-award.
So Eyman decided to auction off the non-existent doll. Thus was born the Invisible Schrammie. And the winner is…West Seattle’s Jim Coombes who bid …
As Councilman Jake Fey was convening a joint Tacoma City Council committee meeting Wednesday, he saw Tacoma Port Commissioner Clare Petrich signing in.
Membership has its privileges, apparently, as Fey invited “Commissioner Petrich” to join the committee members up at the front table.
“I’m not here as Commissioner Petrich,” she said. “I’m here as Clare Petrich of Petrich Marine Dock.”
Said Councilwoman Lauren Walker: “Then you can sit in the back, Clare.”
It’s a political chess match between the Initiative King and the KOMO King.
Tim Eyman was happy to have received a second Schrammie Award from KOMO commentator Ken Schram. The Schrammie is an anti-award that Schram gives to people he thinks have screwed up or done something horrible.
Eyman won last year for celebrating the demise of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. He offered it up for auction and raised $1,000 for his organization.
He planned to do the same with this new award, presented for his quick filing of initiatives to repeal the tax increases passed this week. But Schram has …
Rep. Norm Dicks stopped by the News Tribune editorial board this morning and demonstrated his mastery of a wide variety of topics: the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Medicare reimbursement rates, weapons systems updates, earmarks reform, etc. But if you really want him to light up, ask him about his latest fishing trip.
Sure, the 17-term Democrat is proud of his recent ascension to the chairmanship of the powerful Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. But he talked longer about his impressive showing in last month’s Anacortes Salmon Derby. Dicks was leading the fleet at one point after landing a 17.10 lb. …
