‘Two of them that are missing up on that board are OKPNS as well as the McCarville Report, both good at covering what’s going on at the state capitol. That increasingly has been their role as the capital press corp has been decreasing in size – and that is a bad thing.”

Last Friday’s Your Vote Counts show with host Scott Mitchell did a segment on the Oklahoma blogosphere. Congratulations to the following blogs that were mentioned on air:

reddirtreport.com

okiepundit.com

forthardknox.com

okiefunk.com

We were especially honored to be mentioned in the same breath with the McCoffeville Report Online McCarville Report Online. Not bad for a discredited blog, huh Mike?

With President Obama’s first state of the union address scheduled for tonight, we thought we’d take you back to a “Your Vote Counts” show from May of last year discussing the president’s first 100 days. Also talked about on this episode was a controversial loan Senate Pro Tem Coffee received – from a then unnamed source – to pay his delinquent tax obligations.

Related:

ABCnews.com: President Obama Has Most Polarized Approval Ratings For 1st Year President In Recorded History

Okie Pundit dissects the Fallin/Brogdon race for the Republican nomination for governor. News 9’s Scott Mitchell gives his analysis of the overall race for governor.

After receiving positive feedback for our last examination of a race that was over before it began, we’re placing the spotlight on another primary destined to end up heavily lopsided.

Congresswoman Mary Fallin vs. State Senator Randy Brogdon for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. Fallin is serving her second term as the Congressional Representative for Oklahoma’s 5th District, prior to which she served three terms as Lieutenant Governor. Brogdon has represented the Owasso area in the State Senate since 2002.

As always, money is a very important factor in a campaign, especially on a statewide level. A successful candidate must be able to purchase enough media points to generate name identification, win supporters, and motivate them to vote. Here are the rounded fundraising figures through the last filing period in October. Read more…

Related:

Video: The Race to be Oklahoma’s Next Governor

Excerpts from this morning’s radio edition of “Your Vote Counts” on AM 1520:

VOTER ID:

“What is so wrong with proving who you are.” - Randy Renner

“Solution looking for a problem. The voter system in Oklahoma is one of the best in the country.” - Rep. Morrissette

“There’s the nonsense of this argument. How would we know if there is voter fraud since we don’t require I.D. now?” - Rep. Terrill

SEN. COFFEE:

“Should Glenn Coffee resign his position as leader of the Senate?”

“No he should not. Before this ever became a story, Glenn Coffee manned up and paid his taxes that were due.” – Rep. Terrill

“We have heard resolution after resolution to stop out of state travel by members of the state house of representatives. My friends on the right won’t hear it.” - Rep. Morrissette

UPDATE: AP: Coffee pays old traffic tickets

Excerpts from this morning’s radio edition of “Your Vote Counts” on AM 1520:

“He just took a crisis and turned it worse.” - Scott Mitchell

“It boggles my mind. No wonder so many Republicans are pushing tax cuts!” - Randy Renner

“His credibility is a little bit damaged. If he seeks the AG, I think that could be problematic.” - Rep. Randy Terrill

“Barack Obama’s recovery program is going to save the State of Oklahoma and the state Republicans from their fiscal mismanagement.” - Rep. Richard Morrissette

Read more…

There was a time when political analysts thought Republicans would win the 2008 election only when pigs fly. However in the middle of a media firestorm over lipstick, the Your Vote Counts team examines why Democrats should be on the lookout for flying swine.

The Your Vote Counts team breaks down the weeks top issues asking: How safe are we on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks? How did lipstick get Barack Obama in so much trouble? Whats the good ol Farmers Almanac say about the weather and what does that have to do with politics? Finally, how are local elections shaping up?

From the Republican National Convention to an Oklahoma lawmaker’s plan to tackle rising energy prices, the Your Vote Counts team debates the week’s hot issues.

The “Your Vote Counts” gang discusses the week in politics on the Sunrise News program with Ken Johnson & Randy Renner. YVC can be heard every Wednesday morning at 7:45.

Click here to listen to the entire show.

As predicted, the political news cycle changed remarkably in the last 72 hours as Hurricane Gustav slammed into the Gulf Coast.

Besides the potential for devastation to the Gulf Coast, the aftermath of the hurricane threatens to radically impact the presidential election, including altering the energy markets.  Undoubtedly, there will be shameless exploitation, including unjustified price run-ups (which started as early as Monday August 25th) by the energy industry, who although they fear him, appear to be doing all they can to elect Barack Obama with their tone-deaf handling of energy prices. But early indications are the energy traders are being cautious, since a huge price run-up would help Obama, but that situation will be volatile for several days, even weeks.

Looks like President Bush and the Administration put the lessons they learned from Katrina into effect. Another New Orleans disaster would have meant essentially an early inauguration for Sen Obama.

First, let’s start with Thursday’s prescient edition of News9’s Your Vote Counts, where the team predicted what would happen to the news cycle.  It’s no wonder why the show and its Internet version have become the most insightful political television in Oklahoma.  Rumors continue to swirl that the trio is headed for a full-fledged broadcast version, but in the meantime, watch how they foretold precisely what is happening right now. 

And with loss of life, damage to our economy and other tragedy looming, some wacky Democrats allowed themselves to look like idiots as Gustav bore down on the Gulf Coast.