An Open Letter to Mudflats from Bob Poe
12 07 2009An open letter to The Mudflats community—AKA Mudpuppies
My name is Bob Poe and as many of you know I am running for Governor of Alaska—a state I have a deep love for. I have devoted 28 years of my personal and professional life to its success–I want to do even more now when we need it most.
And I am hoping you will help me in creating a future for Alaska we can all be proud of…a future that is inclusive, full of opportunity and open to change. Over the last several months since I announced my candidacy I have been traveling the state—to many regions I have worked with previously and to many I haven’t–sharing my vision but also listening to Alaskans. I have to say not only have the road miles taught me a lot but I have learned quite a bit from “web miles”—through forums like The Mudflats.
Like many of you, I recognized immediately after last November’s election that Sarah Palin had been blinded by the spotlight of national attention and was indeed going to pursue a campaign for President. The wisdom of this strategy will be for you and millions of other voters in our country to decide in 2012, but the immediate impact for Alaska is that we need a leader now who is Governor in more than name only.
Over the last several months I have had the opportunity to get to know many of you through this outstanding forum, The Mudflats. We shared views on the cynical way in which Sarah Palin responded to residents of Emmonak, Nunam Iqua and other Western Alaska villages as they were forced to choose this winter between feeding their families and keeping them warm. When AK Muckraker was outed we vented our strong feelings about the inappropriate actions an Alaska legislator took upon himself. And yes, I have occasionally muttered the “N”arcissistic word about GINO’s rejection of federal stimulus funds.
I know I can win this race for Governor of Alaska but only with your help. So I am writing today to ask for your financial support. Alaska has some excellent, but tough, campaign laws. One of those restricts campaigns to raising money no earlier than 18 months from the general election so our fundraising did not begin until after May 2nd. I have been personally financing things since beginning my campaign in January. While I am happy to commit personal funds to such an important cause for Alaska’s future, in order to succeed I now need to ask for your financial help. We have the website infrastructure in place to begin accepting contributions on line at http://bobpoe.com.
You and I both know there are a lot more challenges to come as my campaign proceeds.
That’s why I need your financial support now to really kick the campaign into high gear. An outstanding Democrat and extremely knowledgeable political manager, Kay Brown, joined me as campaign manager this month. We are now moving into the next, more accelerated, phase of the campaign, and that takes money. I hope you will do me the great honor of becoming an early contributor to my campaign to get Alaska back on track to a bright future for us, our kids and grandkids.
With sincerest thanks,
Bob Poe
Candidate for Alaska Governor
Bob Poe For Alaska
www.bobpoe.com
info@bobpoe.com
www.facebook.com/bobpoe
July 13th, 2009 at 10:01 AM
Mr. Poe, having been to Alaska four years ago, I fell in love with it. I hope that you win the Gubernatorial election because you seems to be on top of all the issues there.
I just read where oil and gas drilling may start in Bristol Bay. That’s alarming because of all the wildlife that that will threaten. I hope that you will oppose that.
I live in Colorado with a Democratic Governor who I feel is doing a great job, and I think you would do the same in AK. Good luck!
By the way, we stopped in Eagle and what a unique small village.
July 13th, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Iknowbobpoe. I don’t see a better candidate. We will have to wait and see how the process develops but…no body has a better shot at the job than B-O-B.
Don’t screw it up Bob:) we need ya!
July 13th, 2009 at 1:11 PM
Mr. Poe:
When Hollis French announced he was running for governor, my first thought was, ” AH HA ! So THIS is why he did not censure, much less ask for impeachment proceedings against Palin after the legislative investigation found her guilty re: Troopergate. He was protecting his own best interest rather than the interest of the state of Alaska.
Apparently I am not the only one to thing so. Her is a short excerpt from an article by Don Mitchell, attorney for Andee McLeod:
“”Last March I had a conversation about that with Alaska State Senator Hollis French, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. At the conclusion of that conversation Hollis begrudgingly admitted that the Alaska Senate had a constitutional duty to investigate whether Sarah should be impeached. But neither he nor any other member of the Alaska Senate has taken any action in that regard. In March when he and I chatted, it was well-known in Alaska political circles that Hollis, a Democrat, intends to run for Governor in 2010. And it was assumed that the job he wants would be open because Sarah would not seek a second term. So Hollis had – and today continues to have – no reason to provoke the ire of the thousands of Palinistas who will be voting for someone other than Sarah for Governor next year.
Whether allowing personal political ambition to trump constitutional duty explains Senator French’s refusal to urge the Alaska Senate to initiate an impeachment investigation only Hollis knows. But I can guarantee that if Sarah had decided to stay for her full term the perjury issue would have circled back on her…”
Mr. Poe, would you put the state’s interest above your own political ambition?
I am not asking what you would have done had you been in Mr. French’s position because you were not and not all the facts are know to you–or to Alaska voters either for that matter.
But, the legislators gave NO logical rational explanation for their non-action and I believe that showed a disrespect for the people of Alaska and I feel personally offended by their nonaction and their lack of explanation.
I want to know how you feel about the legislator’s lack of action in addressing their own guilty verdict and their lack of explanation.
Thank you.
July 13th, 2009 at 1:53 PM
Mr. Poe, thank you for your comments on what you would like to accomplish as Governor and what your vision is for Alaskas future. I have lived here almost 50 years and have seen many politicians come and go..some good, not so good and recently.. some really, really bad.
A lot of what you want to accomplish is going to require a co-operative Legislature. You have your vision and they have theirs. How do you propose to merge the two, especially if the two are far apart…say a Republican legislature with a Democrat Governor?
All of us here have just gone through a” train wreck” of epic proportions and the after effects are going to be felt for a long time to come. Hopefully after the 26th of this month a period of healing will begin, but with the incoming Governor already stating that he will follow the policies of soon outgoing one, I have serious concerns. But this is just my opinion.
I am not a Republican nor a Democrat..I prefer to think for myself rather than blindly follow a party line. I wish you the best and we will have to see what the future has in store for this Great State that I proudly call home.
July 13th, 2009 at 2:42 PM
Thank you Mr. Poe. I do feel like I know Bob Poe a bit better after this conversation and I like what I am hearing.
July 13th, 2009 at 7:24 PM
Very much appreciate your comments, Mr. Poe. I’m not only impressed with your credentials and experience but also your intelligent vision for Alaska.
July 14th, 2009 at 8:42 AM
Mr. Poe, I like your response, but I still didn’t get a direct answer on Pebble Mine. This is an important issue to me, and I would appreciate your thoughts.
July 14th, 2009 at 8:38 PM
Bob Poe makes Tony Knowles look like a liberal. I like Tony, and think Bob would be better than any of the republicans rumored to be lining up.
I have had the chance to meet Mr. Poe and have conversations with him on some issues and each time I was left feeling more uneasy about his running, and I will definitely be supporting someone else in the primary.