Tuesday’s primaries were something of a hullabaloo, I suppose. The media narrative began with the establishment losing again, even though incumbents won virtually all of the races. It then evolved into a storyline of victory for women candidates when producers and anchors realized that five or six names had come out of the day favorably.

My favorite headline of the vote is definitely “Mama Grizzlies Roar,” in reference to many of Sarah Palin’s anointed picks advancing their chances of holding office. (She has an 8-3 record this midterm cycle: did someone say playoffs?) To be sure, this year’s crop of Republican women is raising eyebrows.

Former HP CEO Carly Fiorina won her primary fight, earning the right to face off against Democrat Barbara Boxer for the latter’s California Senate seat. Fiorina actually went on-air this week to apologize to Sean Hannity for calling him a “tough interviewer.” Since when is that an insult? If it is, Tim Russert (rest his soul) would have been accepting mea culpa calls on a daily basis.

It’s been a long time since I’ve written about one of the most unique Congressmen in the House: former admiral Joe Sestak, the highest ranking military man to ever serve in the legislative branch. Sestak’s been running a balls-out campaign for the Democratic nomination for Senate in Pennsylvania against a White House-backed career pol in the form of Arlen Specter. Specter is a dogged campaigner. He’s also a stubborn man who plows his own course. Case-in-point: his twice changing parties, most recently last year.

Suddenly, the primary is a day away. And Sestak has finally closed the gap and taken a lead on Specter in recent polls. So, Admiral Joe’s long shot bid to move into the upper house of Congress is seeming closer and closer to a “Sure Shot.” (I knew I could get a Beastie Boys reference on this site if I worked at it hard enough.)

This isn’t Rudy running against McCain. These two guys do not like each other. After their contentious debate 15 days ago, the moderator, John Baer, heard Specter mutter something about “fisticuffs” to Sestak on his way off the stage. First of all, Arlen, we call them dukes these days (as we have for the last half-century). Second of all, you’re 80 years old. Sestak is still seven years away from even qualifying for Medicare: he’d wipe the floor with you. Did I mention he was in the Navy for 30 years? I’m sure he met a few SEALS during that time who taught him a takedown or two. Read the rest of this entry »

Amid the relaxed post-work clientele at the Empire Room, Roger Stone and I kept on trucking. Well, I mostly just chilled out in the passenger seat while he took us down a runaway truck ramp.

In the second half of our discussion, I one-up his tattoo of Nixon with some requisite tomfoolery (that’s where the “Antics” part of “Insight. Antics.” comes in handy) and we delve through his uncommon political pedigree, not to mention a slew of observations and predictions. (Check out Part 1 if you missed it.)

His love of Richard Nixon is offputting, but understandable in context. As is his out-of-character casting of the ballot for Jimmy Carter. Some of these things just don’t happen today, like being 15 and writing a former Vice President only to have him reply personally and then find you again two years later.

There’s nothing more apolitical than his mourning the height of sophisticated men’s fashion. There’s nothing more political than regrets of his role in the 2000 Recount. There’s nothing more awesome than someone calling George H. W. Bush “everybody’s first husband.”

Alright, game on…

Brief Wit: When you were very young you supported Kennedy?

Roger Stone: My parents were Catholics. By the time I was 18, I was a Nixon Republican already.

BW: What brought you there?

Read the rest of this entry »

My man date with Roger Stone was an affair to remember.

Indeed, in the wake of his response to my piece on Kristin Davis, political strategist Roger Stone and I met. You’ve seen Frost/Nixon? Well this was Wit/Stone.

He suggested the Empire Room, a new, pleasant lounge in the Empire State Building. The nominal consistency was inspiring. The blackberry soda was sublime.

I arrived before him and bided my time at the bar.  Soon, he walked in, so dapperly garbed in a dark suit with white pinstripes that the hostess complimented him before the revolving doors stopped spinning. And I must say, I’ve never seen anyone look so good in Richard Nixon cufflinks.

He’s ruffled (or plucked) a few feathers along the way and been involved in some controversial dust-ups to be sure, and perhaps I’m being overly generous, but I found Stone to be amiable, if not colorful.

Maybe that’s because we are not political adversaries. And hopefully we won’t be by the end of this piece.

I’m sure I’m not the first to call him a character. I wouldn’t say he has a chip on his shoulder, but I would say he is riled up about some things. And once you get him started, as after a good tug to a pull-cord on a leaf-blower, he keeps going.

Nonetheless, he’s not a stereotype. He’s not some Republican talking point regurgitator. Half of his preferences are anathema to conservatives and half of them are ambrosia to liberals, and vice versa. Politics aside, he also has a compelling personal story.

I wish I could say that in some of the responses below I am quoting him out of context, but it’s more that he just started speaking out of context. We definitely went off on tangents. In fact, somehow we were already on one as I clicked on my recorder…

Read the rest of this entry »

My last piece has elicited a response from self-proclaimed “GOP hitman” Roger Stone, a seasoned political operative and chief strategist behind Kristin Davis’ campaign. I did some digging and the email address appears to be legitimate. Without further ado:

Saw your piece on Kristin Davis and her campaign for governor. A few key points.

I am an a long time Libertarian republican and wrote of my support for marriage equality, legalizing marijuana and prostitution years before I ever met Kristin Davis. I am 100% in agreement of her positions and an proud to work for her.

Kristin is running on a positive program of new revenues. Pot will be legal in NY within 10 years. Prostitution a tougher sell but discussion of both is positive. Many voters are disgusted with the dems unability to pass gay marriage. All three issues are vote winners .

Kristin will not be elected Governor- but she will win 50,000 for a permanent ballot position and her party will be an advocate for these issues in future elections- and that is “winning”.

Read the rest of this entry »

So, there I was last week, about to meet my friend for a drink in Chelsea. As I approached the bar next to the one I was headed to, a taxi pulled up and a group of scantily clad, older, plastically-tampered-with women got out. I glanced to the bar they were headed into. It had a publicity event, press conference-ey background in the entryway.

I kept walking, but saw the Penthouse logo checkered across wallpaper. Funny. But whatever, “It’s New York,” I thought, and headed next door to my destination.

An hour or so later, we left and turned right, past the slight spectacle from before. Except this time, as we walked slowly past and I was able to look more closely, I was flummoxed. The Penthouse logo was offset on the wall by another design that read, “Kristin Davis for Governor.” Huh? You think you know a girl. I didn’t know that Charlotte from Sex and the City was that politically active. Or that she had ties to Penthouse. Samantha, I could see.

Miffed by this odd (public) juxtaposition of a brand synonymous with smut nudity and a campaign for high political office, I had to investigate further. I implored my friend to allow it. As a woman of class, she was not overly enthusiastic, but did acquiesce. Without much trouble, we got inside.

It was strange. A relatively trendy spot crowded with a mix of older guys in suits, young people mingling, and women in black bikinis with swirly, star-laden tattoo-style designs lovingly crafted on with Sharpie markers promoting Kristin Davis. Read the rest of this entry »

Maybe they should. Sounds counterintuitive, but hey, a little reverse psychology can be therapeutic. The riled up, right-wing libertarians with fringe (but curiously no tassel) Republican elements comprising the Tea Party are clearly able to earn media coverage. But can they get like-minded candidates to win elections? We’ll see in the next six months.

With John McCain bringing in Sarah Palin to fend off J.D. Hayworth’s Teabagging roots and Marco Rubio trying his darndest to expose Governor-turned-Senate-hopeful Charlie Crist as a Democrat in Florida, the Republican primaries are blossoming with Congress-types saying how outlandishly conservative they are, and in turn, want America to be.

Where to draw the line? “Government that governs best governs least. I’m for states’ rights! Let’s secede! Okay, let’s just threaten to!” “Health care reform is a crock and it will bankrupt us! The FDA is quashing your God-given right to try out brand new untested drugs for yourself! Only liberals use Band Aids!” “Drill baby, drill! What’s that you say, Obama gave in and we’re about to? Ummm… nuke baby, nuke! Wait, I didn’t mean it like that! Or maybe I did!”

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There’s not an election or primary ’round these parts for months yet. So imagine my surprise last weekend upon checking the mail and seeing an envelope from one of my Senators here in the Empire State, Kirsten Gillibrand (D). I had grown unused to receiving political mail, least of all from someone other than Michael Bloomberg, who strafed my mailbox last fall with so many direct mail pieces that he became the #1 cause of deforestation in all five boroughs, despite PlaNYC.

I opened the letter from the Senator. I’ve scanned it in above.  I think I was most enticed to write about this because I’ve always wanted to redact something. It was damned fun. Now I know why Dick Cheney loves it so much.

I began to read the letter. You’re welcome to do the same as I pick it apart. (I won’t go through every line.)

First of all, it’s dated late January and I received it in late February. Major lag time. Poor form, Gilly and staff. The post office isn’t as fast as email, but it’s also not as slow as a freighter shipping acrylic Banana Republic scarves from China.

Getting into the text, I was not entirely sure what the letter was in regards to. Clearly, it relates to U.S. foreign assistance, something I care about. Nonetheless it does not expressly state what prompted this response.

I deduced that it’s a response to a petition I “click-signed” in association with the ONE Campaign, Bono’s fan club. Oh, I meant to say a non-partisan organization committed to fighting extreme poverty and preventable disease like AIDS and malaria in Africa. Read the rest of this entry »