Kicking Off Election Season - Primary News Liveblog - Didier/Akers Townhall telecon

I am sitting here, five minutes before a supposedly large announcement from the Didier and Akers for US Senate campaigns. The two campaigns announced a joint e-townhall conference, dial-in. There is some confusion on the phone - nothing more than a minor technical hiccup. However, while we are waiting for the announcement and townhall to begin, I want to say that this meeting is being held on the day that the first ballots for Washington State's all mail primary are able to be mailed into the county elections office. If we are going to bear witness to a withdrawl and endorsement, today is cutting it close.

This live blog is intended to provide my opinion on the Candidates and the subject matter at hand.

For full disclosure, I have already cast my vote for Clint Didier, as a conservative Tea Party candidate. Didier has won the endorsement of Former AK Gov. Sarah Palin, and has recently polled ahead of incumbent Sen. Patty Murray, 48% - 45%. Didier is leading the GOP candidates, second only to establishment supported 'Go-To' candidate Dino Rossi in fundraising.

At this time the campaign staff and moderators are late to start the call, though I can hear them on the phone. The start of the conference was delayed by 45 minutes due to a complete system phone crash, cutting off the candidates from the online media and teleconference.

The online broadcast and the phone lines are now going. The show is a go.

They are doing some preliminary interviews about the races. The candidates are waiting online for the announcement. They have been introduced as two of the strongest grassroots candidates. Discussion is ongoing about how the grassroots candidates are REAL candidates, and the reason for groundswell for this type of candidate, as opposed to establishment candidates. Of course, we all know that the reason that we support candidates of this type is, in fact, that they represent THE people - our frustrations, our passion, our candor. They are unpolished, rough, and raw... and they are angry at what this country has become.

Didier is now on. He says that his entrance into this race as a dark horse candidate was due to the political atmosphere and the call to duty required out of true blue patriots. He is now talking about the importance of military ballots to be counted from overseas - talking about the MOVE act, and Eric Holders direction to states by the DOJ to circumvent military votes. Didier said this act by the DOJ is treason. The Move act requires that ballots be shipped 60 days in advance for soldiers in war zones... the DOJ is trying to overturn this legislation, and interfere with the ability of warfighters to cast ballots in time to be counted.

Paul Akers has finally arrived. He has been given the floor. Will he drop out? No? He is explaining the relationship between he and Didier sending a joint message against the establishment.

Didier is making an announcement of joining together in a common message - first, a warning against the MSM's coverage of the campaign. Secondly, they are going to combine their advertising message and put out joint radio ads to vote for either one of them. It is unprecedented. But they feel so strongly that the establishment candidates and the established party has been picked by special interest, and is conducting a whisper campaign against the grassroots candidates.

Didier has a message to the establishment: Back Off!

The delay in the call going through has eaten up the online time, so the call is ended. However, the point that was being made is that across the nation the establishment is hand picking candidates that represent 'no change' in the current system, and running them on the wave of the Tea Party movement. They are not representative of the movement, or of true grassroots conservatism. We saw this with Jane Norton in Colorado, and how the COGOP pushed out good Grassroots candidates in favor of their hand-picked establishment candidate on the same old talking line of "They can actually win". No more, we say... no more. From here on out, WE vett our candidates.

I would rather lose on principles than win by surrender.

The 2010 election is about the people... to hell with the establishment of both parties. Vote grassroots. Stay active, stay sharp, and pick a winner from the crowd, not the display case!