NEWS AND OPINION:
When President Obama takes off for the great state of Alaska on Monday for a three-day visit, he’ll have an extra passenger aboard Air Force One: Alaska Gov. Bill Walker himself.
Amazingly enough, Mr. Walker made the seven hour flight from Anchorage to the nation’s capital Sunday, his sole purpose to ride back to the 49th state again with Mr. Obama — which could yield significant face time with the president. The governor has his talking points ready.
“I certainly will be spending it by, first, thanking him for coming to Alaska as a destination point,” Mr. Walker told the Alaska Dispatch News, along with the state’s economic challenges, falling oil prices and the job creation potential of a proposed $65 billion liquefied gas project.
“I’ll talk to him about the military base drawdown in Alaska, and the impact that would have, and the concern we have, based on the buildup of military force in Russia in the Arctic,” Mr. Walker says, adding that he doesn’t anticipate any White House “surprises” — like the sudden designation of a new monument or national park. But of course, Mr. Obama, has already approved a major alteration for the state. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell signed an order Sunday to officially change the name of Mount McKinley to Mount Denali.
Rep. Don Young is leery of the political theater. The Alaskan Republican has his own message for the White House.
“We are not just a fancy photo on a postcard or a green screen backdrop for the anti-resource development agenda; we are a unique and diverse people that rely upon our lands and our resources to survive. If this visit is simply a platform for the ’we know best’ environmental agenda, I suggest the President save the manpower, taxpayer resources, and countless gallons of jet fuel, and give that stump speech somewhere else,” Mr. Young advised in a message to local voters.
A WORD ABOUT THE OTHER WALKER
Donald Trump may show up to his campaign events in his own 757 aircraft emblazoned with a personal logo. But Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker may trump Mr. Trump for the flashiest ride over Labor Day. Mr. Walker plans a bodacious motorcycle ride through New Hampshire. “Mark the date on your calendar! Governor Scott Walker will be riding a Harley through all 10 counties,” his campaign advises.
The candidate, a veteran Harley rider, makes quite an impression on two wheels. Harley Davidson is, after all, headquartered in Wisconsin. Two years ago, Mr. Walker himself donned black leather and aviator glasses and personally escorted a selection of the fabulous bikes to China, roaring into Shanghai before a delighted crowd. The governor made the sale; China now has its first big Harley shop.
Earlier this year, Mr. Walker joined forces with Sen. Joni Ernst for a Harley ride through the Iowa countryside, followed by a pig roast. Both press and public were charmed. This may be something that even the master showman Mr. Trump can’t duplicate. But then again, one never knows.
YES, THEY FOLLOW THE ’EMAIL SCANDAL’
Some Democratic strategists wonder whether Americans are paying attention to Hillary Rodham Clinton’s use of a private email system as Secretary of State. They are. Over two thirds of the public follow the news about the matter says a new Investor’s Business Daily survey.
“The poll found that 68 percent of the public is following the Clinton email scandal closely, including large majorities in every demographic and ideological group,” says John Merline, a political analyst for the publication. Sixty six percent overall fear the emails likely compromised national security.
“While there is a deep partisan divide on the perceived risks her home-brew email account posed, nearly a third (30 percent) of Democrats following the story think she may have harmed national security, and 72 percent of independents feel that way,” he notes.
Nine-out-of-10 Republicans agree while 68 percent overall also want the Justice Department to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the matter.
ON THE RADAR
Judicial Watch has organized the very first “Leadership Summit on Washington Corruption and the Transparency Crisis,” appropriately staged at a hotel two blocks from the U.S. Capitol in mid-September.
On hand for the day-long event Sept. 14: the organization’s president Tom Fitton, Fox News analyst Andy McCarthy, Rep. Louie Gohmert, former federal prosecutor Joe diGenova, Brietbart News chairman Stephen Bannon, attorney Cleta Mitchell and National Review editor John Fund, among others.
Among the topics: “The Obama IRS attack on conservatives and churchgoers,” Hillary Clinton’s “corruption scandals,” the nation’s “deadly illegal immigration crisis” and the organization’s ongoing effort, they say, “to stop the Left from stealing our elections.” Find it all at JudicialWatch.org
IRONY OF THE DAY
Things change. Matt Welch, editor-in-chief of Reason magazine, recently revisited the official 1996 Democratic Party platform and cited the party’s immigration policy at the time, Here is a portion:
“We must remain a nation of laws. We cannot tolerate illegal immigration and we must stop it,” the lengthy document states, noting, “Criminal immigrants, deported after committing crimes in America, return the very next day to commit crimes again.”
The document later continues, “Democrats want to protect American jobs by increasing criminal and civil sanctions against employers who hire illegal workers We continue to firmly oppose welfare benefits for illegal immigrants. We believe family members who sponsor immigrants into this country should take financial responsibility for them, and be held legally responsible for supporting them.”
POLL DU JOUR
• 70 percent of Americans say falling oil and gas prices are a “good thing” for their family; 78 percent of Republicans, 68 percent of independents and 66 percent of Democrats agree.
• 58 percent overall say the falling prices are a good thing for the economy; 66 percent of Republicans, 54 percent of independents and 59 percent of Democrats agree.
• 55 percent oppose a gas tax increase to pay for future road projects; 67 percent of Republicans, 53 percent of independents and 48 percent of Democrats agree
• 34 percent overall say the price of gas has been a “serious” problem for them in the past; 39 percent of Republicans, 34 percent of independents and 27 percent of Democrats agree.
• 25 percent overall say falling prices are a “good thing” for the environment; 32 percent of Republicans, 21 percent of independents and 28 percent of Democrats agree.
Source: A YouGov poll of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted Aug. 20-23.
• Murmurs and asides to jharper@washingtontimes.com.
• Jennifer Harper can be reached at jharper@washingtontimes.com.
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