http://www.newwest.net/topic/main/C70/L37/ New West Network: The Voice of the Rocky Mountains en info@newwest.net Copyright 2008 Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:03:01 MDT Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:03:01 MDT http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/inconvenient_truth_director_making_film_about_dems_in_the_west/C70/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/inconvenient_truth_director_making_film_about_dems_in_the_west/C70/L37/ Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:32:27 MDT As Barack Obama grilled burgers and hot dogs in Butte, Mont. this Fourth of July, Davis Guggenheim, the director of An Inconvenient Truth and his film crew were tailing the presidential candidate, filming for a project about Obama and Democrats in the West. Jeff Zeleny has the tidbit on The New York Times The Caucus blog, reporting that the filming happened all day, at the picnic in front of the World Mining Museum and during Obama's trip to the "richest hill on earth." The film will be shown in August at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/poll_shows_obama_beating_mccain_in_montana/C70/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/poll_shows_obama_beating_mccain_in_montana/C70/L37/ Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:45:00 MDT Sen. Barack Obama is leading Sen. John McCain by five percentage points, gaining ground with younger voters in Montana, according to a new poll from Rasmussen Reports. Forty-eight percent of voters polled by telephone said they would vote for Obama while 43 percent said they would vote for McCain. The last time Rasmussen polled Montana voters, in April, it was just the opposite. McCain was leading with 48 percent to Obama's 43 percent. The poll shows Obama is most popular with voters under the age of 30, where he has a 27-point lead. McCain was more popular than Obama with voters older than 50. Party loyalty is strong for both candidates, with 89 percent of Democrats going for Obama and 85 percent of Republicans going for McCain. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/nra_to_unload_40m_to_down_obama/C70/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/nra_to_unload_40m_to_down_obama/C70/L37/ Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:26:00 MDT The National Rifle Association plans to spend about $40 million on this year's presidential campaign, with $15 million of that devoted to portraying Barack Obama as a threat to the Second Amendment rights upheld last week by the Supreme Court, Jonathan Martin at Politico.com reports. "Our members understand that if Barack Obama is elected president, and he has support in the Senate to confirm anti-gun Supreme Court nominees, [the District of Columbia v. Heller decision] could be taken away from us in the future,” Chris Cox, head of the NRA’s political arm, told Politico. Ben Smith, a Politico.com blogger, says the consequences might be "tougher going in some of those long-shot states, notably Montana and Alaska, where gun rights are big but where Obama may out-organize McCain." http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/obama_to_be_in_buttes_4th_of_july_parade/C70/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/obama_to_be_in_buttes_4th_of_july_parade/C70/L37/ Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:26:00 MDT Barack Obama will be in Butte's Fourth of July parade Friday, the Montana Standard reports. “He’ll be up front, marching with the Democratic Party,” Mollie Kirk, Butte Celebrations organizer, told the Standard, and it is believed that Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer will accompany Obama. The parade route is about 1.5 miles, from the Butte Civic Center to Elizabeth Warren Avenue, starting at 10 a.m. Friday. We'll have more details as they become available. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/baucus_plum_creek_conservation_groups_announce_massive_land_deal/C70/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/baucus_plum_creek_conservation_groups_announce_massive_land_deal/C70/L37/ Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:02:00 MDT Standing just below the summit of Kalispell’s Lone Pine State Park, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., today announced the purchase of 320,000 acres of Plum Creek Timber Company-owned land by two conservation groups, calling the deal, “the largest land purchase, for conservation purposes, in American history.” Dubbed, “The Montana Legacy Project,” The Nature Conservancy and The Trust for Public Land are buying the acreage for $510 million, and will finance payments on the land over the next three years through private and public sources, with the federal government paying for about half the cost through a forestry conservation bond mechanism Baucus inserted into the recently passed Farm Bill. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/guns_does_obama_have_a_shot_in_montana/C70/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/guns_does_obama_have_a_shot_in_montana/C70/L37/ Mon, 30 Jun 2008 17:11:01 MDT In a Denver Post article all about the importance of political candidates being gun-friendly in Montana -- "where 'opening day' refers to the beginning of hunting season rather than baseball" -- Karen E. Crummy reports that although Obama has received an F rating from the NRA, and although he has spoken about "common-sense" gun control, it doesn't mean that John McCain will automatically win the state. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/montana_gov_schweitzer_to_chat_energy_on_larry_king/C70/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/montana_gov_schweitzer_to_chat_energy_on_larry_king/C70/L37/ Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:31:01 MDT Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer will be on the Larry King show on CNN tonight. According to a release from the Gov's office, Schweitzer will be talking up his favorite issue, energy. Chevron's Chairman and CEO Dave O'Reilly and other guests will join Schweitzer, who will be on during the second half of the show, at about 7:35 p.m. MST. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/guest_column_split_state_status_is_wrong_for_montanas_cattle_industry/C70/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/guest_column_split_state_status_is_wrong_for_montanas_cattle_industry/C70/L37/ Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:24:00 MDT In light of Montana’s recent loss of brucellosis Class Free status, the Montana Stockgrowers Association (MSGA) would like to reiterate its opposition to split-state status as means for managing brucellosis in Montana. Aside from our practical concerns about the implementation, maintenance and enforcement of two classification areas in MT, philosophically, we do not support geographically isolating ranchers according to problems they experience. We believe that the industry’s integrity and future depends on uniting producers against common threats. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/city_residents_can_vote_on_county_issues/C70/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/city_residents_can_vote_on_county_issues/C70/L37/ Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:42:00 MDT Montana's Attorney General issued an opinion this week that gives voters living in incorporated communities a vote on any countywide referendum, initiative or ordinance – specifically zoning ordinances. Mike McGrath made the call in a case over who should have been able to vote in 2006 on two controversial Ravalli County zoning ordinances. According to some, this decision could have far-reaching implications for county residents across the state, because it gives voters living in cities a voice in county land-use regulations. Other say county land-use regulations affect city residents too, so every voter in the county should be able to have a say. http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/ron_paul_speaks_at_the_gop_convention/C70/L37/ http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/ron_paul_speaks_at_the_gop_convention/C70/L37/ Sat, 21 Jun 2008 06:32:00 MDT Enthusiastic Ron Paul supporters waited through a $45 a plate dinner, multiple GOP speakers and an auction conducted by Conrad Burns to hear their candidate speak Friday night at the 2008 State Convention Banquet. They say it was worth it. “He was fantastic,” said Elena Gagliano, a retired Philipsburg Mont. resident. “He believes in freedom and I’m sick and tired of infringement on my life.” Paul, a tenacious, long-shot former Republican presidential candidate who has found considerable support in Montana with his message of small government and constitutionalism, received a warm welcome from the large crowd at the Hilton Garden Inn in Missoula. Montana GOP chairman Erik Iverson said nearly 470 people were in attendance—a record for the summer convention.