![]() Rodney Glassman got the invite.
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Komatsu Equipment Co Resident Field Mechanic Trades/Construction RANCHO RESORT MAINTANANCE POSITION Administrative & Professional Tucson Urban League CEO/President Administrative & Professional Jorgensen Brooks Group Counselor Finance and Accounting Charles E. Gillman Company Accounting Specialist Sales and Marketing Everready Glass Sales Reps Tucson RegionPolitical Notebook by Daniel Scarpinato : Oien quits MADD after its overture to GlassmanTucson, Arizona | Published: 05.03.2008
It's been six months since the contentious City Council race between Democrat Rodney Glassman and Republican Lori Oien came to a close, but there's clearly still a hangover.
The latest: Glassman, who was victorious in that election, has been invited to speak at today's candlelight vigil by Mothers Against Drunk Driving — an organization Oien has been heavily involved in for years.
The move prompted a letter to the organization from a group of local past presidents declaring: "Mr. Glassman has a strong association with the alcohol industry, restaurant association and has attended meetings of the Drinking Liberally Tucson Club (promoting democracy one pint at a time)."
If you haven't heard of them, Drinking Liberally is a pretty innocent group of locals who meet once a week at the Shanty to talk politics — there's also a group called Smoking Conservatively (inhaling democracy one puff at a time).
Anyway, Oien quickly followed up with her own letter, severing all ties with the organization. She said the invitation from MADD was in poor taste "in light of the recent Ward 2 political race where Mr. Glassman was my opponent."
"I recognize that the politics of this office will not change with my continued service, so I will continue my passion with other non-profits that support and appreciate my volunteering and my worth," she wrote.
Sour grapes?
Not so, Oien declared. She said people want to hear from law enforcement and those involved in the organization — not from her former rival.
"We don't just pick someone out of the community because they have name recognition — that's never been done," she said.
Glassman, meanwhile, says he's taken an active interest in the group since winning his council seat.
So, maybe this campaign can end now. Ya' think?
Johnny be ... in a good place
Remember how John McCain was declared dead during the Republican primary?
And after he claimed the GOP nomination, do you recall how his unpopularity among self-proclaimed conservatives was said to make him unelectable?
Well, some new polling by The Wall Street Journal suggests Dems best not take this election for granted.
Although a dismal 27 percent of voters have positive views of the Republican Party — the lowest ever for either party in the history of the paper's polling — and even though 73 percent of voters believe the country is on the wrong track, McCain is in a statistical dead heat with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
The potential decider: Can the ultimate Democratic nominee unite his or her party?
Hail, Mary
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters has taken sides in the Congressional District 8 race between Tim Bee and Gabrielle Giffords — but she doesn't appear to be taking anything personally.
The native Arizonan (and potential 2010 gubernatorial candidate) has endorsed Bee, a fellow Republican, but she still took some time to hang out with Giffords in D.C. recently.
The two avid motorcyclists teamed up for the kickoff of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
But as a real sign of bipartisanship, we'd like to see Gabrielle take Tim for a ride in the sidecar of her 1963 Vespa GS.
● Contact reporter Daniel Scarpinato at 307-4339 or dscarpinato@azstarnet.com.
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