Live Morning Coverage of GOP Convention Begins

Tampa Convention Center

News New Mexico begins its morning coverage each day of the Republican Convention in Tampa, Florida tomorrow. We have three NewsNM contributors: Aaron Henry Diaz, Marita Noon, and Jamie Estrada scheduled to provide updates on what is going on behind the scenes. We will also be speaking with prominent GOP elected officials from New Mexico as well as spokespersons from the Romney organization. 

Live Morning Coverage of GOP Convention Begins

Yes, Romney Can; No, Obama Can't

Marita Noon

Townhall - President Obama’s energy policies have kept investment and jobs out of America; Romney’s energy plan can bring money and jobs back. Analysts are picking apart Romney’s 21-page energy plan that was introduced in Hobbs, New Mexico, on Thursday. Is energy independence by 2020 possible, or is it, as the Financial Times posited, “an act of hubris?” More important than whether or not his energy play is realistic is the international implications of his “independence” assertion and how he plans to get there.

As the news coverage reminds us, “Every US president since Richard Nixon has set an objective of reducing the country’s reliance on foreign oil, and most of them have failed.”
President Obama’s approach has been to “end the age of oil.” To that end, he has poured billions of dollars into green energy projects—many of which were risky investments that have now failed or are headed for failure. His approach has done nothing to reduce our reliance on foreign oil—though we are importing less due to the bad economy and high prices, and the new oil boom presently centered on North Dakota. To companies looking to invest in any kind of extractive endeavor, his policies have screamed “You can’t!” Read full story here: News New Mexico

Yes, Romney Can; No, Obama Can't

In House Critic Calls New York Times Out for Bias

Politico - The executive editor of the New York Times is disputing an accusation of liberal bias made by her very own public editor, Arthur Brisbane.

In his final column for the Times, Brisbane wrote that his fellow staffers "share a kind of political and cultural progressivism" that "virtually bleeds through the fabric of The Times." Brisbane even argued that Times reporters approached some liberal issues, like gay marriage and the Occupy movement, "more like causes than news subjects." But Times executive editor Jill Abramson says she disagrees with Brisbane's "sweeping conclusions." Read full story here: News New Mexico

In House Critic Calls New York Times Out for Bias

NMSU Rolls in Opening Tourney at NIU

The New Mexico State volleyball team earned its third consecutive victory defeating Northern Illinois 3-1 (14-25, 25-19, 25-16, 25-10) to win the NUI Invitational on Victor E. Court, Saturday, Aug. 25. NM State returns home with a 3-0 record as the Aggies look forward to hosting a tournament in the Pan American Center next weekend.

NMSU Volleyball Coach Mike Jordan

NM State played tough team defense in the final three sets of the match to bring home the hardware. Sophomore Meredith Hays, who was named tournament MVP, ended her evening with 18 kills. Junior Preslie Alexander put up eight kills, two service aces and a block assist, while being named to the all-tournament team along with junior Desiree Scott. Scott finished the tournament with 18 kills and 16 total blocks in the tournament to help the Aggies to three wins.

The Aggies struggled in set one falling 25-14 to NIU. NM State jumped out to an early 4-0 lead but couldn't hold on as the Huskies tied the set at nine. NM State bounced back and took set two 25-19. Had four total team blocks through two sets with three coming in the second. The Aggies held NIU to a .026 hitting percentage in the second set before heading to set three where they jumped out to a 10-point lead at 19-9 and rounded out the tournament winning the final set in dominant fashion, 25-10.
The NM State defense showed up against the Huskies as it posted 19 total team blocks and held it's opponent to a -.014 hitting percentage in the match.

NMSU Rolls in Opening Tourney at NIU

Re-Shuffle Puts Martinez in Primetime on Wednesday

Susana Martinez

New Mexico Watchdog - New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez will now precede Paul Ryan on the speaker’s list on Wednesday night as officials rejiggered the format of the Republican National Convention in Tampa as tropical storm Isaac begins to lash the Gulf Coast.
Gov. Martinez originally was going to be the second-to-last speaker on Tuesday night in prime time but with Isaac expected to hit landfall early Monday, GOP officials decided to cancel Monday’s scheduled opening of the convention and plan to start on Tuesday (Aug. 28).
Under the revised schedule, Martinez will still receive a plumb assignment — being the penultimate speaker on Wednesday night, following former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and coming right before Vice Presidential candidate Ryan concludes the day’s events — guaranteeing her a national audience.
Officials lumped Rice, Martinez and Ryan together in a listing slated to start at 10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Re-Shuffle Puts Martinez in Primetime on Wednesday

More Deficit Spending, Bingaman Brags About Pork

Jeff Bingaman

He is at it again, trumpeting dubious spending that will come back to New Mexico. With the federal government running a trillion dollar plus deficit for the fourth year in a row New Mexico Senator Jeff Bingaman seems oblivious. Last week Bingaman announced that the federal government is borrowing more money to fund nine New Mexico groups with "federal grants aimed at fighting drugs."

The borrowed money will be given to the New Mexico groups to help support the fostering of citizen participation in local drug prevention efforts.

Bingaman offered no comments on the fact that the federal government has not passed a budget for more than three years.

More Deficit Spending, Bingaman Brags About Pork

Former Senate Finance Chair Aubrey Dunn Dead at 84

Aubrey Dunn

NewsNM note (Spence) After retiring from state politics Aubrey Dunn became extremely disappointed in the direction progressives took the Democratic Party in New Mexico. He was openly critical of the radical positions adopted at the state and national level. He was an old school Democrat. May he rest in peace. KRQE - Former New Mexico state senator Aubrey Dunn Sr. has died after a long battle with cancer. He was 84. Family members tell the Alamogordo Daily News that Dunn died Thursday evening in Wichita Falls, Texas, where he had been staying with family. Funeral arrangements are pending.
A native of Alamogordo, Dunn served in the Senate for 15 years before retiring in 1980. At one time, he was chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. Dunn was also a rancher and co-owner of the Daily News. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Former Senate Finance Chair Aubrey Dunn Dead at 84

Railrunner is Killing Taxpayers, But Not This Guy

KOB - One man is lucky to be alive after a rail runner train rolled right over him. The bizarre incident happened about around Saturday evening at the Santo Domingo Rail Runner station.
Rail Runner spokesperson Augusta Meyers told KOB Eyewitness News 4 the man was drunk when he decided to lie down in the space between the tracks. The train passed over the man without hitting him. Read full story here: News New Mexico

Railrunner is Killing Taxpayers, But Not This Guy

2016: Obama's America....Not Enough Theaters

The new documentary film 2016: Obama's America expanded from a limited number of theaters to a small nationwide release. It took in $6.2 million to finish at No. 8 at the box office over the weekend.
The documentary is based on a book by immigrant Dinesh D'Souza provides factual information on President Obama that was never presented to the American people in 2008 and suggests what the country will be like in four years if President Barack Obama is re-elected. The only problem the film had in its release was there still are not enough theaters showing it. The $6.3 million taken in by the No. 7 movie, Joseph Gordon-Levitt's action tale "Premium Rush," came as a resut of it playing in more than twice as many theaters as the Obama documentary.

2016: Obama's America....Not Enough Theaters

Environmental groups target New Mexico Senate race

Nope, this is not Heather Wilson no matter
what they say about her in the PAC ads

NewsNM: Swickard - as an independent I have been receiving these mailers regularly. They are nasty ads which do not seem true. From the Carlsbad Curret-Argus - By Alexandra Duszak and Reity O'Brien - U.S. Senate candidate Heather Wilson, a moderate Republican, has been on the receiving end of more than $1.4 million to date in attack ads urging voters in New Mexico not to vote for her. But it's not big-business-backed super PACs that are targeting her - it's a who's who of the nation's largest environmental groups. Meanwhile, only $250,000 has been spent urging voters to reject her opponent, Democratic Rep. Martin Heinrich, all of it by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The contest has gained national attention thanks to the retirement of highly popular, five-term Democratic incumbent Sen. Jeff Bingaman, which gives the GOP a chance to pick up a seat that was otherwise out of reach, and bring the party closer to seizing control of the Senate. It is also a race where the lines are clearly drawn: Voters have a choice between a pro-union, conservationist in Heinrich and a pro-business, pro-energy candidate in Wilson. The anti-Wilson spending seems to be helping. Polling group FM3 showed Heinrich with a 3 point lead in mid-May, a dead heat when considering the poll's 4 point margin of error. The lead stretched to 9 points in the first week of August. The ads are for "express advocacy," meaning they urge voters to support or oppose a candidate - not included are "issue ads" that mention a candidate by name, usually in a fairly nasty way, but do not urge a yes or no vote. The Federal Election Commission does not require spending on those ads to be reported until 60 days prior to the general election. Read more

Environmental groups target New Mexico Senate race

Typical: “Republican” Woman in Obama Campaign Ad is Actually a Registered Democrat

From Townhall.com a by Dan Doherty - At first blush, this spot looks like one of those insufferable campaign ads suggesting Mitt Romney wants to roll back women’s reproductive rights, or whatever. We’ve seen that played out before, of course, except in this spot (I can’t say I’m surprised) there is a registered Democrat/left-wing activist caught red-handed playing the aggrieved ex-Republican card. Incredible: One of the women in the Obama campaign's new video of Republicans supporting the president because of GOP positions on women's rights appears not to be a Republican at all. Maria Ciano who is featured in the web video has been a registered Democrat since October 2006 according to voter registration records. "People like me and my family have realized that the Republican Party once was inline with our views, but are no longer," the Colorado resident says in the video. UPDATE - Powerline's Jake Hinderaker reports there isn't one, but two faux ex-Republicans in the ad. Wow.  Read more

Typical: “Republican” Woman in Obama Campaign Ad is Actually a Registered Democrat

The Bankrupt Leading the Bankrupt

Artist drawing of California High Speed Rail stop

Commentary by John Ransom - If the world without a strong American economy struggles, so too does an America without a strong California economy.  he Golden State, which once represented the promise of America, is mired in swampland of broken promises, graft, political stupidity and liberal fantasy. And if California represents the very best government that liberals can give us- and it likely does- then this country had better take a deep breath and step away from progressive math.  Because, it just doesn’t add up.  California has a government that is structurally unable to support its’ addiction to runaway government spending- like DC; they have “balanced” their budget based on the fantasy that the federal government will bail them out with increased taxes- like DC; they have municipalities in thrall to public sector unions- governments choosing union benefits over investor rights- like DC did in the GM bankruptcy.  “Step right up, ladies and gentleman, and buy a bond. Don’t worry. It’s safe. If we can’t pay, we’ll just declare bankruptcy. And hit you for another loan.” Which leads us to California governor Jerry Brown, who is genderless in our eyes, because really he is just an overgrown child. Hs state is facing a budget shortfall of about $16 billion.  His solution?  Raise taxes to close the gap and then spend $68 billion on a high speed train to nowhere.  The initial spur of Brown’s high-speed fantasy will go from Madera to Bakersfield, passing through Fresno, Selma and the mighty metropolis of Delano.  Yeah and if you said “Where?” you are not alone. No one outside of California’s Central Valley understands the project.  Oh, never mind that the state will likely never be able to raise the money for the entire project. Just go ahead and spend the $6 billion in initial construction costs, including $1.8 billion in pork barrel spending, and $3.2 billion in federal funds. So now Governor Brown can have a high-speed rail project in the same way that Obama supports the Keystone Pipeline. As long as neither actually goes somewhere, nor does something useful, we can leave the rest to a bailout for another day. Bankruptcy doesn’t seem to be so much of a possibility as it is a feature of California’s government, economy and public ethics.  It’s the bankrupt leading the bankrupt. Read more

The Bankrupt Leading the Bankrupt

Officers at Alamogordo Department of Public Safety allege superiors asked them to change accident report information

Emergency personnel respond to a single-vehicle accident that
 resulted in a man's death Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009 in Alamogordo.
Officers at ADPS allege that their superiors told them to change
information on the accident report from this crash. (ADNphoto)

From the Alamogordo Daily News - By Duane Barbati - It remains unclear if the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau has concluded their investigation into accusations that Alamogordo Department of Public Safety personnel tampered with public records. It is alleged that ADPS may have tampered with public records after a fatal accident Dec. 1, 2009, on the South White Sands Boulevard overpass at the Charlie T. Lee Memorial Relief Route. The accident resulted in the death of Garrett Stoll, 32, of Longmont, Colo. It is alleged that ADPS personnel were asked by administrators to change information on the crash report to indicate that the overpass was not icy at the time of the fatal accident. An email to the Daily News from NMSP spokesman Lt. Robert McDonald stated that "No we (NMSP) do not have any active investigations on ADPS." McDonald also stated in the email that "No one was charged in past cases and we are not assuming anything for ADPS." An email to the Daily News from New Mexico Department of Public Safety spokesman Tony Lynn, on behalf of NMDPS cabinet secretary Gorden E. Eden Jr., stated that "At this time we have nothing to report, but please stay in touch." The Otero County Sheriff's Office is reportedly aware of the tampering investigation, but is unaware of any conclusion or outcome of it, Sheriff Benny House said. Read more

Officers at Alamogordo Department of Public Safety allege superiors asked them to change accident report information