GOP Convention Notes

McCain Promises Change When Accepting GOP Nomination

Sen. John McCain just gave his acceptance speech in St. Paul, focusing his address on change -- taking back Washington and telling his fellow Republicans that the party had "lost the trust of the American people."

One of his more powerful quotes:
“Let me offer an advance warning to the old, big-spending, do-nothing, me-first-country-second Washington crowd: Change is coming.”

The theme of McCain's speech, as was the theme of the entire convention, was that of dedication and selfless work for the country and he punctuated that sentiment by telling the story of his capture and time spent imprisoned in Vietnam.

As to Western issues, the Arizona Senator touched on energy, calling for immediate off-shore drilling, but also saying, "... we'll build more nuclear power plants. We'll develop clean-coal technology. We'll increase the use of wind, tide, solar, and natural gas. We'll encourage the development and use of flex-fuel, hybrid and electric automobiles.We must use all resources and develop all technologies necessary to rescue our economy from the damage caused by rising oil prices and restore the health of our planet."

Missoula City News

Stop Bias, says Missoula Police with New Campaign

With a Web site, posters, radio spots and billboards the Missoula Police Department and community partners are campaigning to stop bias, and report it when it occurs.

The effort has its roots in the work of a Missoula Police officer who reached out to the lesbian, gay and bisexual community in Missoula after some gays -- and young men and women perceived to be gay -- were savagely beaten in unprovoked attacks. The officer drew up a form for reporting hate crimes and bias, said Missoula Police Chief Mark Muir.

Guest Column

In the Prism of the Farm Bill, Obama Looks Right

U.S. agriculture provides the safest and most abundant food supplies at the lowest prices in the world. As consumers, we are all affected by the farm bills passed by the U.S. Congress every three to five years and signed by the president. They set the policies for production, health, safety, and distribution -- including exports -- of the nation's food supplies.

Farm bills do not just happen. Each takes months of study, discussion, debate and compromise. For the complicated, tiring passage of a farm bill, there are grandstanders like Sen. John McCain and farm policy advocates like Sen. Barack Obama.

letter from the Editor

Question to NewWest.Net Readers: Required Registration For Comments?

We've been thick in the discussion of how to offer readers and commenters a better experience when interacting on our site and have batted about the idea of requiring users to register to comment.

It's not a move we take lightly, and it's one we've actually tried to avoid for a long time. But because we continue to have issues with keeping a handle on the trolls, on spam, sock puppets and the other unsavory things that comment sections can attract, we'd like to give required registration a shot -- but only if it won't deter the meaningful comment threads we've been able to foster here.

So, tell us dear readers and commenters, how would you feel about having to register, or log in, to comment? (Keep in mind that once logged in, you won't have to log back in unless you've logged out or are on another computer.)

Thoughts? Questions? Fire away.

Newsroom Cuts Continue in Lee Newspapers in Montana

Cutbacks at Lee Enterprises newspapers in Montana continue today with six newsroom layoffs at the Ravalli Republic in Hamilton.

The layoffs amounted to three full-time and three part-time positions, although the paper also added a position, hiring John Cramer, a seasoned reporter laid off by the Missoulian last week. In a story on the newspaper's Web site, publisher Kristen Bounds said she intends to make another hire for the newsroom in the coming weeks.

Real Estate and Development in the Northern Rockies

New West Conference: Discount Registration Ends Friday

Our third annual Real Estate and Development in the Northern Rockies conference, Oct. 23-24 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula, is shaping up to be our biggest and best yet. Economist Christopher Thornberg of Beacon Economics will again be giving his highly entertaining (and exceptionally accurate) take on trends in the regional real estate market, and this year for the first time he'll be joined by three other eminent economists: Tony Madden of the Federal Reserve Bank, Larry Swanson of the Center for the Rocky Mountain West, and David Eacret, the North Idaho Real Estate economist. Rick Holley, CEO of Plum Creek Timber, will also be joining us for a keynote talk. And that's just for starters: you can see the full lineup at www.newwest.net/realestate08.

We also have a much-expanded pre-conference seminar program this year, with continuing education credit for real estate agents, planners, attorneys, and architects.

You can save more than 20% off the regular ticket price if you register by Friday, Sept. 5. Click here for all the details on the event, and as always give us a call at 406-829-1725 if you have any questions.

The Republican National Convention

Sarah Palin Showcases Wit, Makes Play for Small-Town Voters at RNC

Vice Presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin brought her wit, her solidarity with small-town America and plenty of barbs for Sen. Barack Obama when she took the stage tonight at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

Palin, who herself has been absent from the public eye since John McCain first announced her as his running mate, came out swinging, taking shots at the media, her critics and most of all, Obama, while touting her work on reform and energy in Alaska and stumping for McCain. But, as the New York Times' David Brooks said on the PBS broadcast, she did it "in a cheer way."

One part of her speech that played well with the group was her response to criticisms about her lack of experience, particularly those aimed at her time as the mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, pop. 10,000.

"Since our opponents in this election seem to look down on that experience, let me explain to them what the job involves..." she said, turning it into a dig at Obama. "I guess a small-town mayor is kind of like a community organizer, except you have actual responsibilities."

Peggy Noonan: "It's over."

Republican Strategists Caught on Live Microphone

A YouTube video widely circulating on the internet today shows Republican campaign strategists Mike Murphy and Peggy Noonan talking with Chuck Todd, NBC News political director, on MSNBC, broadcast from the Republican National Convention in St. Paul.

Thinking the microphone was off, Murphy, who was chief strategist for Mitt Romney and has advised many Republicans including John McCain, and Peggy Noonan, longtime conservative speechwriter and commentator, discussed McCain's choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate, and it's clear they're not happy about it. (Transcript follows the video.)

Convention Coverage: St. Paul

Washington Post Says Palin Not Vetted Until Day Before Announcement

The Washington Post's Dan Balz writes that John McCain knew next to nothing about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin before choosing her to be his running mate, despite the McCain campaign's claims to the contrary.

ST. PAUL, Minn., Sept. 2 -- Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was not subjected to a lengthy in-person background interview with the head of Sen. John McCain's vice presidential vetting team until last Wednesday in Arizona, the day before McCain asked her to be his running mate, and she did not disclose the fact that her 17-year-old daughter was pregnant until that meeting, two knowledgeable McCain officials acknowledged Tuesday.

So according to Balz, Palin was not subjected to a background check request or personal interview till Wednesday (the day before he chose her).

Before Balz' report was published, ABC's Jan Crawford Greenburg had written that McCain knew almost nothing about Palin until he finally rejected his top three choices and decided on Palin after Sen. Obama's acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. The campaign announced his choice the next morning, Aug. 29.