It’s tall.  It’s straight.  It’s full of Calcium. And it’s owned by Democrats!  Breathe deep and savor the moment.  Ahhhhhhhhh. Joe Nelson, Palin’s second controversial pick to replace Senator Kim Elton who has taken a position in the Obama administration was rejected today.  Both Palin picks have been candidates who were not on the list [...]

Public testimony was heard Wednesday evening by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Governor Palin’s appointment of local attorney Wayne Anthony Ross to the position of Attorney General.  The appointment of Mr. Ross has been an all-consuming topic of conversation in Alaska political circles and the blogosphere.  Regardless of whether you like or dislike Mr. Ross, [...]

The Washington Post Blog, The Fix has named The Mudflats “Best Political Blog in Alaska”! OK, Mudflatters…everyone turn toward the nation’s capital and wave from The Mudflats!  (we all wave madly) After sifting through hundreds upon hundreds of recommendations that came in via the Fix comments section,  Twitter and email, we are finally ready to [...]

Leah Burton discusses Wayne Anthony Ross’ appointment and her explosive testimony before the Legislature. Stream it Live HERE. Tomorrow House Judiciary Committee will meet and take citizen testimony on the nomination of Wayne Anthony Ross to be our next Attorney General. Leah Burton is on with CC, sharing her testimony regarding Wayne Anthony Ross.  She [...]

  As of today, 3.7 million gallons of crude oil has been removed from the 6.2 million gallons that sat at the base of the active volcano Mt. Redoubt.   We are told that the risk is lessened and the “magnitude of a potential spill is reduced.”  And while reduction in magnitude is better than nothing, [...]

Sarah Palin’s pick for Alaska’s new Attorney General, Wayne Anthony Ross, a controversial and divisive figure in Alaska politics sat before the Senate Judiciary Committee this afternoon.  And yes, I listened to the whole thing.  There were many moments that stuck out for me, but here are two, since I didn’t have time to transcribe [...]

We have a runoff. On May 5, Alaskans will have a very clear choice for mayor between conservative candidate Dan Sullivan and progressive Eric Croft.  I almost didn’t want to go down to election central last night.  If Sullivan had managed to pull of 45% of the vote, it would have all been over right [...]

I’ve often thought of Sarah Palin and Lisa Murkowski as a pair of alpha wolves, each with their own pack.  Palin, of course, roundly defeated Murkowski’s father Frank Murkowski in the Republican gubernatorial primary in 2006.  Picture a fight in which the older alpha wolf (Frank) has migrated from the larger and more powerful pack [...]

No longer tortured by which candidate to support, moderates and progressives across Alaska are breathing a sigh of relief today.  Yesterday’s mayoral election came down like this: Dan Sullivan – 43% Eric Croft -19% Sheila Selkregg – 16% Walt Monegan -9% Matt Claman -6% Paul Honeman – 5% Lone conservative candidate Dan Sullivan walked away [...]

  If you were up all night pacing the floors, wondering if Thomas Van Flein was ever going to get paid his half million dollars (and counting) for what has to be a full time job – defending the governor from herself – you will sleep well tonight.  Put your little head right down on [...]

I’ve had two phone calls and three emails asking that question. The answer is Yes!  And the question, as anyone in Alaska will know, means we had an earthquake.  It felt pretty strong here in Anchorage.  Earthquakes have personalities, and this one was kind of an in-your-face sudden jolt, followed by just a bit of [...]

A smiling Ted Stevens surrounded by his equally smiling daughters graces the front page of the Anchorage Daily News online today.  What a long, strange trip it’s been. A federal judge today set aside a jury’s guilty verdict and the indictment against former Sen. Ted Stevens, then announced he was appointing a special prosecutor to [...]

Great minds think alike, but one of them is usually quicker.  In this case, one of them was a LOT quicker.  As I was driving around town yesterday, I grumbled to myself about all the illegally posted campaign signs.  There were signs in snowbanks on the side of the highway, posted on public areas, on [...]

  After the bipartisan Senate smack-down that resulted in the rejection of Tim Grussendorf from the Senate seat left vacant by Kim Elton, the governor briefly tried to get at least something she’d asked for – that the vote of the Democrats rejecting Grussendorf should be public, and not “behind closed doors.”  Because using the term “behind [...]

Treading on Thin Ice There’s not much to add to this one, but I’m putting it first to get the bad news out of the way. WASHINGTON – The Arctic is treading on thinner ice than ever before. Researchers say that as spring begins, more than 90 percent of the sea ice in the Arctic [...]