Wake-Up Call: Monday, August 25, 2008

With the PolitickerAZ.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Arizona's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

With the PolitickerAZ.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Arizona's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

Connerly initiative fails to make ballot

The Arizona Secretary of State's office ruled Thursday that the Arizona Civil Rights Initiative does not have enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. Over 100,000 were rejected for reasons such as missing or inaccurate information from signers, or signers who aren't registered voters in the state. (PolitickerAZ.com, Evan Brown)

Link: http://www.politickeraz.com/evanbrown/1940/connerly-initiative-fails-mak...

Complete state-by-state coverage: Obama picks Biden as VP running mate

On Saturday, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) selected U.S. Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) as his vice presidential runningmate. Here is complete coverage of the Biden announcement, state-by-state across the Politicker network. (Politicker.com, Michael Grass)

Link: http://www.politicker.com/complete-state-state-coverage-obama-picks-bide...

Phoenix mayor pushes border issues in D.C. talk

PHOENIX — Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, in a keynote address in Washington, demanded Congress to break its stalemate on immigration reform and relieve local jurisdictions of burdens caused by incoherent federal policies. (Daily Star, AP)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/254359.php

Flippers buy home where McCain lived

MESA - It's not quite Abraham Lincoln's rustic log cabin, but two men are excited that their Tempe house may one day bear the honor "President McCain slept here." (Tucson Citizen, AP)

Link: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/arizona/94704.php

Funding issues mark GOP contest

The four-way Legislative District 30 Republican primary is caught up in a squabble over provisions of the state's Clean Elections rules and campaign contributions.

Candidate Frank Antenori said rival Doug Sposito has accepted contributions from business owners and organizations who want to weaken the state's employer-sanctions law. (Daily Star, Ernesto Portillo)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/254369.php

Suit over Clean Elections law could affect '08 race

PHOENIX — A new lawsuit over campaign financing could affect the outcome of this year's elections, changing the rules even after voting for the primary has started.

A suit filed in federal court contends a key provision of the state's decade-old Clean Elections law violates the constitutional rights of candidates who opt not to use public financing. (Daily Star, Howard Fischer)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/metro/254339.php

Sponsors bring agendas to Dem, GOP political spectacles

Now that the presidential candidate is determined long before each party's national convention, the events have lost most of the drama that used to rivet the delegates.

So, convention organizers look elsewhere to provide excitement for the thousands still drawn to the quadrennial political shows. (Arizona Republic, Jerry Kammer)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/25/20080825conv-main0825....

Napolitano's convention address will add to her national standing

In 2000, then-Arizona Attorney General Janet Napolitano made arguably her first splash on the national political stage with an address to the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles.

She got three minutes on stage. (Arizona Republic, Matthew Benson)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/25/20080825conv-gov0825.h...

GOP ads show Biden, Clinton questioning Obama's skills

PHOENIX — John McCain certainly won't let Barack Obama have his Democratic convention all to himself. If Obama has a story to tell voters over the next four days, McCain is already pitching a far less flattering version from afar. (Daily Star, AP)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/politics/254341.php

McCain attends Diamondbacks-Marlins game

PHOENIX — GOP presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain attended Sunday afternoon's Arizona Diamondbacks game against the Florida Marlins at Chase Field. (Tucson Citizen, AP)

Link: http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/ss/arizona/94703.php

Political-party registration dispute upends GOP race

A dispute over political-party registration has blown up into a fight over truthfulness and personal financial responsibility in a Republican primary in far-north Phoenix.

The three-way GOP primary features a Minuteman, a former professional football player and a one-term incumbent in what, until last week, had been three candidates each running separately against each other. (Arizona Republic, Mary Jo Pitzl)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/24/20080824dist06.html

An Arizona angle to veep sweepstakes

OK, so we all know Arizona's own Gov. Janet Napolitano didn't get the VP nod from Barack Obama. But, as it turns out, there is an Arizona angle to the vice presidential sweepstakes.  (Arizona Republic, Mary Jo Pitzl)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/24/20080824insider0824.ht...

Flake’s ‘competition’ doesn’t amount to much

A couple of people have asked me recently why no one is paying any attention to the Democratic “contest” between the two candidates in the Sixth Congressional District for the nomination to face incumbent Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. (East Valley Tribune, Le Templar)

Link: http://whatiknow.freedomblogging.com/2008/08/24/flakes-competition-doesn...

County-attorney candidates face off on illegal immigration

Each week leading up to the Sept. 2 primary election, The Republic is posing a question to the two Democratic candidates, Tim Nelson and Gerald Richard, who are vying to face Republican incumbent Andrew Thomas in the Maricopa County attorney's race.

This week's question: Some people say that the County Attorney's Office is focusing excessively on illegal immigration. Would you take steps to change the emphasis, and if so, why? (Arizona Republic, Yvonne Wingett)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/24/20080824MCAOquestions0...

S. Arizona will have diverse delegation at Dems' national bash

When Democrats held their national convention four years ago, Chris Campas was a 16-year-old high school student in Sierra Vista.

Tonight, the 20-year-old University of Arizona student will board a plane to Denver, where he'll be one of the youngest delegates at the Democratic National Convention. (Daily Star, Daniel Scarpinato)

Link:  http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/politics/254266.php

Political Notebook by Daniel Scarpinato : Kromko's back with new beef about signs

When John Kromko launched his doomed initiative effort last year to ban "toilet-to-tap" water delivery, the city — which opposed the plan — was suddenly inspired to strictly enforce its ordinance restricting signs. (Daily Star, Daniel Scarpinato)

Link: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/politics/254236.php

Ballot initiatives attracting big money

PHOENIX -- Payday lenders have already put up close to $9 million in its bid to convince voters to keep the industry alive in Arizona. (Daily Sun, Howard Fischer)

Link: http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008/08/23/news/state/20080823_arizo_...

Political notebook: Senator says running mates unlikely to sway voters

Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., wasn't exactly caught up in the Republican and Democratic veepstakes leading up to the national conventions.

Both are rather ho-hum stories, Kyl said last week before Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama named Sen. Joe Biden as his selection for vice president. (East Valley Tribune, Paul Giblin)

Link: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/123905

2 Democrats, Libertarian try for Flake's seat

A trio of optimistic political challengers - two Democrats and a Libertarian - sense a change in the mood of East Valley voters. (East Valley Tribune, Paul Giblin)

Link: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/123924

Group, politicians encourage teens to vote

If Joy Burke were born three days earlier, she'd be able to vote in November's general election. "I'm missing it by three days - I'm really disappointed," said Burke, a senior at Tempe's Marcos de Niza High School. "I think it would really benefit the high school if a lot of kids get to go vote." (East Valley Tribune, Andrea Natekar)

Link: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/123928

Wording of Proposition 102 faces court challenge

PHOENIX -- Secretary of State Jan Brewer has gone to court to keep from having to tell Arizona voters that same-sex marriage is already illegal under state law. (Daily Star, Howard Fischer)

Link: http://www.azdailysun.com/articles/2008/08/23/news/state/20080823_arizo_...

Arizona delegates share desire for Denver

Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox has had a front-row seat to Democratic presidential politics since the 1970s.

She was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention when Jimmy Carter got the nomination and again when Walter Mondale sought the nation's highest office. She was there both times for Bill Clinton and for Al Gore and John Kerry. (Arizona Republic, Anne Ryman)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/23/20080823conv-arizonans...

Elections funding system spurs lawsuit

Six Republican legislative candidates filed suit in federal court Friday seeking an immediate injunction that would put the state's system of publicly financed campaigns on ice before the Sept. 2 primary. (Arizona Republic, Matthew Benson)

Link: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/08/23/20080823cleanelections...

With the PolitickerAZ.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Arizona's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.