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DEF is a non-partisan, independent political blog based in the
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VIDEO: Roberts Brothers, Wayman Smith added to Missouri Walk of Fame
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Saturday, September 09, 2006 at 4:23 PM
PUB DEF is reporting this week from Washington D.C. where we are attending the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 36th Annual Legislative Conference.
St. Louis entrepreneurs Mike and Steve Roberts and Anheuser-Busch VP Wayman Smith were among the names added to the Missouri Walk of Fame in Washington, D.C. on Friday.
At a reception in the beautiful headquarters of the National Association of Realtors, Congressmen Lacy Clay (St. Louis) and Emanuel Cleaver II (Kansas City) welcomed the Roberts Brothers, Smith, Kansas City natives Dr. Gayle Holliday, Rev. Dr. Nelson "Fuzzy" Thompson, and Freedom Inc. founder Fred Curls into the two-year-old Walk.
Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean stopped by to show his support. Retired Congressman Bill Clay, Sr. was on hand for the evening with his family. From the Missouri House of Representatives, State Rep. Melba Curls (Fred's granddaughter) and State Rep. Juanita Walton (with husband Elbert) also attended.
U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill has received strong criticism from Republican leaders for comments she made about Pres. George W. Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina that were first reported on this blog.
Earlier this week, McCaskill told a group of local elected officials, which included white and black Democrats, that she would remind people over the course of her campaign against Republican Sen. Jim Talent that "George Bush let people die on rooftops in New Orleans because they were poor and because they were black."
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) and Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) both called on McCaskill to retract her words yesterday (who knew they read PUB DEF?). Frist even went so far as to say her criticisms were in some way aimed at the "under-staffed, under-equipped medical personnel making heroic efforts to save lives" in New Orleans.
To her credit, McCaskill didn't deny her words or backtrack on their meaning. She said she was just voicing "what many people felt about the tragedy of the response to Katrina."
Congressman Emanuel Cleaver is one of those many people. Yesterday in Washington, Cleaver told a group of several hundred people at a Congressional Black Caucus event that Hezbollah did a better job responding to the needs of their people in Lebanon after the recent war than America did after Katrina (see our exclusive video).
In a related matter... PUB DEF is more than a little irritated at our town's daily newspaper today. After picking up on our story and running with it throughout the day yesterday on their website, they completely left out the name of our website and even the name of this reporter in the print edition of the story in today's paper. We believe the snub was deliberate and find it completely unprofessional. It seems the paper's senior political reporter is "hating the player" because we are constantly beating her in the game.
VIDEO: Cleaver on Katrina: Hezbollah did a better job than U.S. Gov't
By Antonio D. French
PUB DEF is reporting this week from Washington D.C. where we are attending the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 36th Annual Legislative Conference.
This afternoon, Kansas City Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II hosted a session on "The Evolution of the Black Church and the African-American Political Experience". Cleaver's co-panelists included former Congressman Rev. Dr. Floyd Flake from New York; Rev. James T. Meeks, a state senator from Illinois; and the very popular Bishop T.D. Jakes, whose non-denominational Dallas church boasts a membership of greater than 28,000.
Cleaver stressed what he said is the need for black politicians and religious leaders to work together. He told a room of several hundred -- mostly black -- people that no matter what their religious, economic, or other demographic differences, they all face a common foe in racism.
He told a story of a rabbit who was walking along when suddenly he was shot at. The bullet narrowly missed him and he darted into the first hole he saw. Inside the hole was another rabbit. That rabbit asked the first, "What's wrong?"
"Someone's shooting at me!" he answered.
"Why?" asked the second rabbit.
"I have no idea."
"Well, I'll go have a talk with him. Wait here." And the second rabbit calmly stepped out of the hole and walked towards the hunter. "Sir, why are you shooting at my..." Boom!!! The hunter's rifle sounded off, again barely missing its target. The rabbit darted back in the hole.
"That guy's crazy!" he said. "First he shot at you and now he's shooting at me!"
"I don't think you get it," said the first rabbit. "He's not shooting at me or you. He's just shooting at 'rabbit'."
"Friends, what's happening is happening to all of us," said Cleaver.
He pointed to the images of blacks starving and begging for water in front of the Superdome in New Orleans as evidence of African-Americans being in the same second-class boat.
"One day after Hezbollah discontinued bombing Israel, Hezbollah was passing out $12,000 checks in Lebanon," said Cleaver. "[And] we couldn't do it in New Orleans."
To some, the Congression Black Caucus Weekend is as much about play as it is about work -- Well, actually, depending on who you talk to, those work sessions are just excuses for "partying and hooking up" afterwards -- much like the Democratic and Republican Conventions every four years. Since this reporter is happily hitched, there won't be any hooking up. But my first night in D.C. did see plenty of parties.
We started off at the Hotel Monoco where the IMPACT Group hosted a CBC party in a beautiful outdoor courtyard filled with live music and upper class black people. There we bumped into Congressman Lacy Clay and his wife. We also rubbed elbows with Cousin Jeff from BET.
We then moved over to the exclusive ticket-only Fannie Mae party at Union Station. Crossing the street on our way to the shin-dig, we passed Senator John McCain in the crosswalk, just walking alone like any other guy. In the party we ran into Clay's aide, Darryl Piggee, and his wife.
From there we headed to the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, which we were told is the second largest government building in D.C. (the Pentagon is the first). With VIP tags hanging around our neck (hey, we know people), we rubbed elbows with NAACP President Bruce Gordon and lobbyists and executives from just about every kind of corporation you can think of. We left before Ashford and Simpson took the stage for a concert sponsored by Southern Company.
Then we hit California Congresswoman Maxine Waters' invitation only party at the Fairmont Hotel (she didn't invite me, but again, I know people -- don't hate). Also in attendance were Congress members Barbara Lee, Al Green and William Jefferson (whose legal woes have made news recently). Lee Brown, former Mayor of Houston, and Mayor Johnnie Ford from Tuskegee, Alabama were also spotted. After snapping a couple of pictures of Waters (a St. Louis native whose sister was my 8th grade teacher) and Jefferson doing the Electric Slide, we split.
But before heading back to our hotel room to do a little writing, we stopped by one last party at the Hyatt Conference Hotel (sponsored by Remy Martin, no ticket necessary) and made a quick pass through Butler's Cigar Bar. On our way out, we bumped into Congressman Emanuel Cleaver from Kansas City and Congressman William Jefferson again.
And as I write this, in my pocket is a coveted ticket to one of the most exclusive parties of the week, The Black Party at D.C. hot spot, H2O Restaraunt and Lounge. But too little sleep and too many drinks mean this ticket won't get used and will instead become just another momento of one memorable night.
A Circuit Court judge today ruled against the group seeking to recall 3rd Ward Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr. The judge ruled that the St. Louis City Board of Elections does have the right to allow signers of the petition to have their names removed from the petition by way of a signed affidavit.
Bosley and his supporters succeeded in getting hundreds of signers to opt to have their names removed -- enough, in fact, to leave the petition well short of the required number of valid signatures.
The eagle has landed. Check back later for video and maybe an interview or two from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 36th Annual Legislative Conference.
McCaskill Rallies Democrats, Aide Kicks Jeff Smith Out of Meeting
By Antonio D. French
Filed
Wednesday, September 06, 2006 at 7:15 PM
PUB DEF EXCLUSIVE
U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill met yesterday with several St. Louis area Democratic elected officials to emphasize the importance of the upcoming statewide elections and to heal whatever wounds may remain from last month's Primary fights.
Mayor Francis Slay, Comptroller Darlene Green, State Senator Maida Coleman, State Reps. John Bowman, Robin Wright-Jones, Yaphett El-Amin, Connie Johnson, soon-to-be State Rep. Jamilah Nasheed, City Democratic Committee Chair Brian Wahby and most of the committee members were at the meeting at McCaskill's city headquarters in the St. Louis Marketplace on Manchester. But one recently elected city Democrat did not attend -- and not for lack of trying.
Jeff Smith, who recently won a tough primary election for State Senate and has no opposition in the general election, was stopped at the door and asked to leave by McCaskill's political director, Brandon Davis. He told Smith the meeting was only for "elected officials."
At least two of those elected officials voiced some concerns they had with McCaskill and the direction of the state party.
Committeewoman Norma Leggette (4th Ward) told McCaskill that she wasn't sure what to tell her constituents about what the Democratic Party stood for anymore. She said she felt the there were two parties in the City -- one white, one black.
Committeeman Joe Palm (26th Ward) said that McCaskill's opponent, Sen. Jim Talent, was making strong inroads into the black community. He claimed the incumbent Republican has been making promises of financial aid to black church leaders and even some northside politicos. Palm warned McCaskill that gimmicks won't increase voter turnout.
"I know I lost, but my opponents in my [State Rep] race had a big truck with video and signs too, and the turnout was still terrible," said Palm. He said the Republicans have gimmicks too. "Talent lit the Arch up pink," he said referring to Talent's bill that authorized bathing the Gateway Arch in pink lights to bring attention to breast cancer.
McCaskill listened quietly to Palm and Leggette before taking the floor. In a spirited voice, she told them that she would do everything she could to make clear to every Democratic voter that "George Bush has no better friend than Jim Talent."
McCaskill said she would remind people that "George Bush let people die on rooftops in New Orleans because they were poor and because they were black."
"That's what I'm talking about," interrupted Palm. "Your people should be videotaping that right now!"
U.S. Senator Jim Talent today jabbed his Democratic opponent, State Auditor Claire McCaskill, on her upcoming visit by President Bill Clinton -- who his campaign refered to as "Hillary Clinton's husband."
In a fundraising email to supporters, Talent said McCaskill has already "embraced the help of John Kerry, Barbara Boxer, John Edwards and her personal 'hero' Howard Dean - but sharing the stage with Bill Clinton shows just how far she'll go to carry the banner for the Washington liberals."
Clinton will be in town Saturday for a $2,100-per-person fundraiser for McCaskill at The Chase Park Plaza and a free Democratic rally at the Pageant on Delmar earlier in the day.
There have been rumors of a battle brewing for State Sen. Maida Coleman's position as Minority Floor Leader -- possibly from fellow Democrat, State Sen. Tim Green. We asked Sen. Coleman if she's worried about losing her position.
When Coleman returns to the senate she'll have a new colleague from St. Louis -- Jeff Smith. Coleman was openly supportive of one of Smith's opponents in the August primary election. With that in mind, we asked her if she expects Smith to be an ally in Jefferson City.
Finally, we asked Coleman about her own plans for life after the senate. State term limits prohibit her from seeking re-election. Earlier this year she had expressed interest in running for state auditor and city license collector. But after little support among Democrats and a scathing article in the Post-Dispatch about her own personal financial history, she decided against campaigning this year. Coleman said those experiences left her questioning the commitment of her party to African-American candidates.
U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill sent out a media advisory moments ago saying their candidate will be on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" at 6:00 this evening. From the advisory:
Today, during MSNBC’s day-long programming dedicated to politics in America, U.S. Senate Claire McCaskill will be interviewed by Chris Matthews on Hardball. The show will profile the McCaskill-Talent race. Even after $2.5 million in G.O.P. television ads, Sunday’s St. Louis Post Dispatch/Research 2000 Poll shows McCaskill leading Talent 47-46.
Reminder: I will be co-hosting an event today called Tastes for Tunes: A Restaurant Event to Benefit KDHX Community Media. Restaurants throughout the St. Louis area will donate a percentage of their sales to benefit KDHX 88.1 FM and KDHX-TV (Channels 21 and 22 in the City).
I'll be at The Royale Food & Spirits, 3132 S. Kingshighway, and would love your help in supporting the cause. To do so, all you need to do is show up and eat! (Pretty easy, huh?)
Come between 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for good food, get your picture taken, whisper some tips in my ear, and help support independent community media in St. Louis.
UPDATE: Thanks to everyone that came by this afternoon. The event was an absolute success!
Special thanks to the following attendees: (soon-to-be) State Senator Jeff Smith, (soon-to-be) State Rep. Talibdin El-Amin, Pam Ross and Brandyn Jones from the President of the Board's office, prolific blogger Shark Fu (aka "Angry Black Bitch"), Sal Martinez, Tim Person, Shirley Spencer, Teachers Union Pres. Mary Armstrong, my co-host Grace Woodard and her crew from the SLU student newspaper, Jessica the waitress, and Steve Smith the proprietor.
Click here to see some great photos from the event.
Last week, State Senator Maida Coleman blasted Gov. Matt Blunt and his head of the Office of Administration for politicking on the taxpayers' dime. In a press release she called Commissioner Mike Keathley a "spin doctor" and said he lacked credibility when speaking on issues other than the budget.
Coleman, who as the Minority Floor Leader in the senate is one of the highest ranking Democrats in Missouri, sat down with PUB DEF today to discuss her criticisms of Keathley and Blunt. She also discussed one of Blunt's latest hires, former St. Louis Election Board Chairman Ed Martin, who is now the Governor's new chief of staff.
Coleman said the election board under Martin had no business trying to get involved in the legal fights over the new voting requirements, which she said was really about "disenfranchising the large numbers of blacks and Democrats who vote here in the City of St. Louis."
Come back tomorrow for part two of our interview with Sen. Coleman as she discusses rumors of a fight to retain her leadership post in the state senate; her relationship with the newest senator from St. Louis, Jeff Smith; and her future plans for life after term limits.
The Associated Press is reporting that Gov. Matt Blunt will not be calling a special session for the Missouri legislature this year. From the AP:
Blunt said in July that he would call a special session if lawmakers could reach consensus on a pair of Medicaid bills - one addressing fraud by medical providers, the other restoring coverage to some disabled workers. Any special session likely would have begun next week.
But Ed Martin, Blunt's new chief of staff, said Tuesday that the governor has no intention of calling a special session.
"There doesn't seem to be consensus over what the issues should be," Martin said. Click here to read the full story.
This is how they celebrate Labor Day in St. Charles: take aim at the laborers.
Following a similar move in Valley Park, St. Charles County Councilman Joe Brazil is preparing to introduce a bill tonight that would fine employers up to $500 per day for each illegal immigrant they employ.
Valley Park's recently passed ordinance punished business owners who hire illegal immigrants by revoking their licenses and landlords that rent to illegals by fining them up to $500. Jim Shrewsbury, President of the St. Louis City Board of Aldermen, recently commented on the Valley Park legislation on his website.
"While reasonable people will agree that breaking the law is wrong, by passing its illegal immigrant ordinance Valley Park has carved out a dual reputation for itself. Some will forever see the town as a place of bigotry and intolerance. Others will see Valley Park as a model American city," said Shrewsbury.
Many Mexican-Americans, who are legal residents, believe that these new laws could lead to an increase in hiring discrimination. Brazil and supporters of his bill say local governments have to do something if the federal government won't.
It'll be interesting to see how long St. Charles' housing boom lasts after this.
PUB DEF will spend much of this week in Washington D.C. for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 36th Annual Legislative Conference. We will also be in our nation's capital for the fifth anniversary of the September 11th attacks. We hope to bring you interviews with several members of Congress and key staffers as well as video reports related to 9/11 and its continuing impact.
While away, we'll be calling upon our eyes and ears around St. Louis to keep us up on all the latest. If you'd like to be one of those eyes and/or ears, jot down this email address and this phone number:
editor@pubdef.net (email us press releases & tips) 314-518-2364 (leave tips 24 hours a day)
Also, if you've got a video camera, a steady hand (for God's sake, use a tripod), and some editing software, you are hereby deputized. Go forth and seek knowledge -- then upload it to YouTube and shoot us the link.
I'll be at The Royale Food & Spirits, 3132 S. Kingshighway, and would love your help in supporting the cause. To do so, all you need to do is show up and eat! (Pretty easy, huh?)
Come between 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for good food, get your picture taken, whisper some tips in my ear, and help support independent community media in St. Louis.
