O’BARTO-GATE

by Lucas Baumbach

LABRADOR AND F-35
Congressional candidate, Ward has become infamous for his incessant attacks on Democrat, Walter Minnick. But now Ward’s campaign manager, Ryan O’Barto, turns his guns on Republican Legislator, Raul Labrador. Taking my advice to learn local politics first, Ward is getting behind the Idaho Lockheed Martin F-35 program. I first heard of F-35 last week from a Boise Democrat, who swore he was not lobbying for the program as he handed out F-35 postcards. The program would bring more military jobs to Idaho. In a press-release O’Barto accuses Labrador of not supporting the program.

DOES WARD ABANDON IDAHO CHILDREN?
The accusation is unreasonable. O’Barto strains to portray Labrador in error, finding hardly a speck in Labrador’s eye. When was the last time Ward submitted legislation to promote jobs in Idaho? Never. Has Ward recently been to the legislature? Ward missed a key joint committee on education today, where Tom Luna unconvincingly presented his budget to the Legislature. Senator Monty Pearce pointed out that the budget failed to find cuts for $80+ million in missing revenues. Luna, Ward’s campaign chair, said he “might” instead be able to get $50 million from an obscure slush fund. What does Ward think should be done? Does his absence signal that his campaign has abandoned children? To accuse Ward of bad education policy because he didn’t attend today’s meeting is as absurd as the accusation O’Barto leveled at Labrador.

A CALL FOR DECORUM
There’s something very off-color about a press release that calls Labrador to abandon the legislature. When Labrador announced, Vaughn supporter, Mike Jorgensen called Labrador to abandon his campaign for US Congress. There is a fever-pitched tone to the rhetoric. I don’t mind using sleazy hyperbole against Democrats. Fighting fire with fire makes sense. But, a modicum of decorum should be preserved among Republicans. With a federal government that is run by a bunch of veritable chimpanzees, you’d think Republicans would save their most scathing attacks for the Geithners, Bernankes, and Emanuels of the world. Burning through the rhetoric at this rate, Ward would get to DC on empty. But, he could always call patron McCain for a gas card.

BYE BYE O’BARTO
One political insider says this press release is O’Barto’s swan song. “It’s not Vaughn’s style.” But, if O’Barto does not know Vaughn’s style after nearly a year as campaign manager, I don’t know who does. O’Barto has sent out many press releases without a glitch. If O’Barto is acting without approval from Ward, Ward should immediately condemn and retract the press release. And, Ward is ultimately responsible for the damage. But we must still question Ward’s judgement in hiring O’Barto to run the campaign. My view is that the pressure is getting to Ward and O’Barto. We need people who can lead under pressure.

PRESSURE
There have been questions swirling around Vaughn Ward’s residency. Ward is renting a home in Eagle, Idaho. He does not own a house in Idaho. The only record of ownership by Vaughn Ward is a house in Alexandria Virginia. What does this mean for the election? Idahoans will demand to know how a renter will be able to represent their interests, and Minnick will win again. A US Congressman should at least own a home in the district he wishes to represent. I was gobsmacked to learn of this glaring lack of qualification. If I were a Ward contributor, I would demand my money back. The campaign is based on a deception that Republicans can’t afford.

VAUGHN WARD for BOISE 2011
I wish Ward the best. I think he was pushed by McCain to run for this seat. The run was ill-conceived. Ward should have bought a house and sent down roots. He started off strong and has now petered out. I expect him to return to DC to work as a staffer. But, it would do him good to stay in Idaho and start a business. His kids could grow up here. He is young and has a lot of passion. We need that passion. I just hope this is not the end of the line for him locally. Boise needs a few good city councilmen and a mayor. Maybe someday soon I’ll be campaigning side-by-side with Vaughn Ward to TAKE BACK BOISE in 2011.

Leaving Idaho Alone

In the rain, January 26th, 2010 Vaughn Ward is “kicking off” his campaign on the Capitol steps with supporters Kempthorne and Luna. Not the most respected Republicans in Idaho, but okay. I am calling Ward to abandon his campaign for the 1st Congressional District. His campaign is causing rifts in the Republican Party on the magnitude of the Sali campaign in 2008.

Kempthorne is the ex-governor who put polar bears back on the endangered species list, in deference to Al Gore’s inconvenient lies. We already have two environmental extremists in Congress. Simpson voted to protect the Southern Sea Otter and expand federal lands in Oregon. Minnick wants to expand federal wilderness in northern Idaho and breach dams. We don’t need Kempthorne’s guy to bring more of the same.

Luna is almost as bad at politics as Ward. Case in point: Luna has been pushing “Race to the Top,” a hundred million dollar pilot program funded by Obama stimulus dollars. It is neither favored by fiscal conservatives, who hate pork, nor by teachers, who hate accountability standards. I could have explained these dynamics to Luna, after sitting in on a meeting a month ago. Ironic that Luna was hoping to woo teachers and more importantly the teacher’s union, and the teachers aren’t taking the bait. Luna alienates everyone. It’s lunacy.

But, let’s talk about Ward. What’s important is that the liberal Republicans are flocking to Ward. Obama supporters may shrug off guilt by association, but conservatives don’t. If you walk with the ducks and quack with the ducks, you are more duck than bronco.

Ward also says he’s a 4th-generation Idahoan. But, there is copious concern that Ward is a carpetbagger. He has not lived in Idaho for many years, recently leaving Las Vegas for Boise. It has been said that if he loses, he will move to Virginia. Virginia? His primary benefactor is McCain, and McCain is the typical Washington DC Republican. Ward would move to Virginia to be closer to his biggest patron. So, what would cause Ward to stay in Idaho?

His political career doesn’t seem to be leading him to stay local and run for state legislature. His campaign website poses him as a veritable enemy of the state legislature. This from Ward’s website: “I’ve noticed a curious trend. Boise lawmakers seem to think they will both provide the candidate from among themselves and be the sole decision makers on who wins the primary election.” What he doesn’t mention is that this legislature is the most conservative in recent history. This legislature stopped a gas tax increase in 2009, pushed by the RINO governor. This legislature wants to reduce or eliminate Idaho’s income tax. Ward would do well to get support from those type of Republicans. But, no. Attack, attack, attack. Why not learn how to make friends first, Ward?

I hear that Ward is a Christian. Will he swear a sacred oath that he would not move from Idaho, if he loses? How stable is he? How much does he really care for Idaho? Why do I even have to ask these questions? How can anyone vote for someone, who is cause for such concern?

Give me a Representative from Idaho, not a political song and dance. And, while I’m at it, can Ward get some red, white, and blue on his website? What’s conservative about that?