On behalf of the Dr. Woody Myers campaign I would like to take this opportunity to extend an apology to the bloggers involved in the threatened legal action at the end of last week initiated by our attorney Justin Leverton. There was a miscommunication between the campaign and our attorney relating to the television ad run by David Orentlicher which he was authorized to threaten legal action against the David O campaign for running.
Mr. Leverton chose to pursue the course of action against the bloggers involved on his own. When we discovered what had happened we immediately asked him to drop the matter, but by then the damage had been done with letters issued to Bil Browning, Tyrion and Sheila Kennedy. We regret this took place and would like to extend a personal apology to each of those bloggers.
I would also like to extend my own apology to any members of the Blue Indiana community who may feel slighted in any way by my recent comments here. Emotionalism got the best of me a few times and I may have said some things recently which reflected poorly on me and my candidate. For that I am very sorry and can only offer that I am guilty of zealous partisanship on behalf of my candidate, which I would hope each and every one of you who clashed with me in comments here would be honest enough to agree we are all guilty of from this cycle. I had no ill intentions going into this campaign and harbor no ill will towards any members of the Blue Indiana community at this time either.
For weeks now we have been getting phone calls with supportive messages of encouragement. Below you will find a video from Tony Edwards, a local radio DJ, and here is a link to a collection of voicemail messages left at headquarters supporting Dr. Myers set to music.
We've got a new music video exclusive for the web produced by Victoria Dillon and yours truly entitled Stop and Think. Set to the tune of the song "Stop" by Gainesville, FL based Against Me! the video is a remix of stills from our TV ads and other campaign photos from appearances Dr. Myers has made in his effort to connect with voters from the 7th District. Watch the clip below and enjoy!
The Myers 2008 campaign today is pleased to invite our friends in the GLBT community to a reception in our offices downtown with members of the GLBT community, their friends, family and supporters. Details are as follows:
What:
Dr. Woody Myers, Candidate for 7th District Congress is hosting a reception for the GLBT community at his campaign headquarters. Topics to be discussed include ENDA, Federal Marriage Amendment, Don't Ask Don't Tell and Hate Crime Legislation
When:
Wednesday April 30 7pm
Where:
Myers 2008 Headquarters
30 S. Meridian Street
Suite 250
Indianapolis, IN 46204
For more information or to RSVP call 317-687-0707 and ask to speak with Aaron Schaler. Dr. Myers will be available to speak with directly at this reception and we urge all interested parties to join us.
After a soaring performance last night in the 7th District Congressional debate which capped off a weekend of events with Jeanne White-Ginder, Dr. Woody Myers rolls into the final week of the campaign on a hot streak. The momentum is definitely building the closer we approach primary election day next Tuesday, May 6th. Check out some of the media from the last couple of days:
Job creation is Job One in the 7th Congressional District.
The four major candidates for the Democratic nomination put that issue atop their list of concerns. That's music to local business leaders who spend an inordinate amount of time trying to replace lost jobs.
The public is engaged, too. An Indianapolis Star/WTHR poll showed Hoosiers care far more about job creation than anything else. So, as the primary nears, which Democrat has the best combination of business savvy and a plan to address job woes?
From a pure business perspective, Woody Myers tops the list. The first thing that catches the eye of local businesspeople is his campaign. Even though he's a first-time candidate, the campaign is operating like a well-oiled machine.
Also, Robert King's profile of Dr. Myers ran in today's edition of the Indianapolis Star. Its a great profile of Dr. Myers from his humble beginnings on the east side of Indianapolis to his current bid for Congress.
Hey there folks, the Myers 2008 campaign is looking for a few good men and women to help us get out the vote in the days ahead of and on election day May 6th! We need help getting voters to the polls, answering and making phone calls and more. Here's our want ad:
Dr. Woody Myers Congressional primary campaign seeks hardworking, energetic individuals to help get-out-the-vote for the May 6 primary! Earn $250 working May 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th and help make history! Own transportation a plus, but not necessary. Equal opportunity employer.
For more information or to apply, please call 317-687-0707 or email jobs4woody@gmail.com today
The Myers 2008 campaign unveiled our new campaign ad featuring the endorsement of Jeanne White-Ginder, the mother of internationally known AIDS activist Ryan White who died of complications from the disease in 1990. Dr. Myers played a pivotal role in bringing international attention to the cause of Ryan White returning to his classroom after being diagnosed with the virus after a blood transfusion for his hemophilia condition in 1984. You can watch the YouTube version of our ad below.
Dr. Woody Myers today unveils a new campaign ad which will begin airing shortly featuring the personal endorsement of Jeanne White-Gender, the mother of Ryan White whose cause Dr. Myers championed in the mid to late 80s as Indiana Health Commissioner. Ryan White was prevented from attending his public school in Kokomo as a result of fear about the nature of his disease and the efforts of Dr. Myers to return him to the classroom brought international media attention to Ryan and put a human face on the HIV/AIDS crisis.
"When my son Ryan wanted to continue going to school, only one man in all of state government was brave enough to stand up for him. Ryan and I are both so grateful," said White-Gender. "With all that's wrong with our country, we need courageous people like Dr. Myers in Congress who will do what's right."
As Health Commissioner from 1985-1990, Dr. Myers championed Ryan's cause when his community turned against him. Diagnosed with HIV in 1984 from infected blood-based products, 13 year-old Ryan was told to leave his public school for the erroneous fear he would spread the virus through casual contact. At a time when HIV-AIDS was widely misunderstood, Dr. Myers boldly took on his role of Indiana's state's medical expert, educated Hoosiers on the nature of the virus and took action to bring a voice to a child who needed it most.
"I'm so honored Jeanne is helping out our campaign," said Myers. "She exemplifies the hope and courage of the people of Indianapolis. She serves as a role model in compassion and tenacity to our city and our nation."
The TV ad is debuting today and will be in rotation with our other ads on local stations. Jeanne White-Gender will be making appearances with Dr. Myers this weekend around Indianapolis. A full schedule of events this weekend will be released in advance.
Happy Earth Day from the team at Myers 2008! We hope you will do your part not just today but every day to help keep our planet healthy. So grab a biodegradable trash bag and pick up some litter in your neighborhood, or replace some lightbulbs in your home with energy efficient ones today. Keep Earth green and healthy for future generations!
Tomorrow on Saturday April 19, Dr. Woody Myers, Democratic candidate for Congress in Indiana's 7th District, will attend the Stop the Violence Benefit Concert at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church at 7pm. He will speak about crime as a public health concern.
The free concert begins at 7pm and will feature music groups 4 Given 4, Nue Breed, Majestic II Praise, Spirit of Paradise, the City Wide Youth Choir and God's Favor Rap and Dance Ministry. Dr. Myers will address the crowd mid-program.
The Stop the Violence Benefit Concert is a community event bringing citizens together in song and praise to help eliminate the violence gripping Indianapolis. Stop the Violence aims to give alternatives to youth that might otherwise turn to crime. This is the first of several free concerts to be put on by Stop the Violence.
DETAILS:
WHAT: Dr. Myers to attend the STOP THE VIOLENCE BENEFIT CONCERT featuring 4 Given 4, Nue Breed, Majestic II Praise, Spirit of Paradise, the City Wide Youth Choir and God's Favor Rap and Dance Ministry.
WHEN: Saturday, April 19
7 pm
WHERE: St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church
5325 E 30th St, Indianapolis
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Dr. Woody Myers paid a visit in studio today with Abdul Hakim Shabazz in the WXNT studios this morning, speaking with the local radio host for about 20 minutes on a wide range of topics. Subjects discussed included his health care plan just unveiled yesterday along with the impending doctor and nursing shortage, the proposal by John McCain to suspend the gas tax for the summer and other topics of interest. It was a great appearance by Dr. Myers and you can listen to it right now by clicking here!
(Note: I tried to embed the Odeo player but the software that runs Blue Indiana wouldnt let me embed the player. If you read this on Woody's blog which is linked at the top of the post you can read and listen to it at the same time.)
Dr.Woody Myers today released his health care plan which is aimed at providing both geographic and financial access to the highest quality health care system in the world. The plan also focuses on regulating the insurance industry as well and increasing funding for biomedical research.
"Almost half a million Hoosiers don't have health insurance. They need to be covered regardless of job status, income or age," Dr. Myers said. "I've had the opportunity to visit hospitals and health care facilities across the world and I know we have the highest quality system in the world, but we must make it accessible to everyone. We should be the world's example for high quality, universal care."
The plan includes the following six points:
1. Provide Universal Healthcare for all Americans.
2. Expand Access of the State Children's Health Insurance Program
3. Invest in electronic information systems to improve quality and reduce costs
4. Improve oversight of the healthcare industry
5. Enhance our investment in biomedical research
6. Create more opportunities worldwide for AIDS and Malaria care and prevention
Dr. Myers is going to spend the day today discussing his plan with doctors, nurses and patients by visiting health care facilities around Indianapolis. Dr. Myers is the first candidate to introduce his own health care proposal to the voters of the 7th District. Remember, early voting by absentee ballot has begun and you can vote early by visiting the Marion County Clerk's office in the basement of the City County Building anytime during normal business hours.
Andre Carson was speaking out about gas prices this morning when he said:
This morning Rep. André Carson said, "We can take advantage of the switchblade grass ethanol movement," while pressing for lower fuel prices.
My guess is he simply misspoke.
Misspoke? In order to have misspoken one must know the subject at hand before making a verbal gaffe of this size. My guess is his handlers thought he needed a green angle to his campaign and wanted him to repeat some things they heard Obama talk about. When they prepared him for his remarks they obviously didn't go over it with him very much or he would have been more precise with his words.
There has been a lot of discussion in recent days and weeks about our primary election, and how this candidate or that candidate is taking advantage of the memory of (insert your favorite deceased politician here). Now I know all of you are immediately jumping to conclusions that this is yet another attack on Andre Carson, but this post is not entirely all about him. This is part of a wider trend in politics that I am witnessing that I would like to discuss.
We recently commemorated the 40th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination with a beautiful memorial service attended by local dignitaries and the widow of Robert F Kennedy. Ethel Kennedy came to speak on behalf of Senator Barack Obama at the site of RFK's speech to Hoosiers informing them that Dr. King had been shot and killed in Memphis on the night of April 4, 1968 during the last highly contentious Indiana primary season.
Many media reports around the 40th anniversary commented on these men and the influence they and their surviving relatives have had on our modern political processes. David Orentlicher announced his candidacy for Congress with Dr. King's nephew Dr. Derek King at his side endorsing his candidacy. Andre Carson won a special election based on sentiment for his grandmother Julia's dying wish to see "her seed" take her place upon her death. Jon Elrod's supporters conjure up the ghost of Ronald Reagan whenever they speak about him.
Everytime these stories pop up, we all immediately bow our heads and nod silently, accepting these appeals to our emotionalism about certain politicians who have passed from this mortal coil as if they have a direct bearing on whether that relative has some special insight on governance or leadership that demands we send them to whatever office they are running for. Why do we do that? I am all for memorial services, remembrance of those leaders of yesteryear who we admire and so forth (says the man with the Jefferson quote in his signature line), but why do some candidates get away with political murder and/or suicide just because they are so and so's ancestor?
Shouldn't we begin to clean the ghosts from our modern political machine? Isn't that kind of thinking so 20th century? We are millenials, we hold the reigns of power in our hands and do not have any obligation to use power like previous generations have wielded it. We fought and died for a Revolution in this country so we could throw off the yolk of hereditary ascension to public offices. To turn around and build up political dynasties is and always has been destructive for Jeffersonian democracy.
After the Star jumped into the fray this morning with their article outlining Andre Carson's Special Election campaign financing garnered entirely from individual lobbyist contributors and PACs, a friend in DC sent me some information they received inviting them to breakfast with the distinguished gentleman from Indianapolis this week:
4/15/08 9:30am
Hon. André Carson (IN-07)
Breakfast: The Podesta Group
1001 G Street NW, Suite 900 East, Washington, DC 20003
Contact: Ashly Higgins or Randy Broz at 202-479-2527 or ahiggins@politicaldg.com
Committee: André Carson for Congress, 499 S. Capitol St. SW, Ste 412, Washington, DC 20003
So let's take a look at the firms where these breakfast and meet and greet events are taking place at. From The Podesta Group website, we learn:
The Podesta Group is a DC-based bipartisan government relations and public affairs firm with a reputation for employing creative strategies to achieve results. Our dynamic and talented professionals are adept at everything from policymaking to political maneuvering, and our closely integrated team of public relations specialists and political strategists sets us apart from old-fashioned lobbying shops.
Since 1988, we have provided clients with superior strategic advice and access, combined with a creativity that is unique in Washington. We have one goal for our clients: to deliver results, and we are consistently ranked among the best for both government relations and public affairs.
Our clients come in all shapes and sizes. We represent corporations and trade associations as well as local governments and nonprofits. For some, we are their chief Washington representative. For others, we partner with outside firms to contribute our particular strengths. You have a future in Washington. We can help you seize it!
Bryan Cave Strategies LLC provides government relations and strategic counsel to corporations, trade associations and non-pro?t organizations. For clients facing a public affairs battle or difficult public policy climate, Bryan Cave Strategies designs and manages effective issue and legislative campaigns that produce winning results.
Headed by Jack Oliver and Broderick Johnson, Bryan Cave Strategies offers clients a bipartisan team that is well-prepared to address public affairs challenges before and after they happen. The team specializes in developing innovative strategic plans and managing complex, large-scale issue campaigns.
Founded in 2005, Bryan Cave Strategies works closely with Bryan Cave LLP's national network of law offices and full-service practice areas.
I removed the video that used to appear here due to its inability to be turned off automatically. I suggest you write an email to WISH TV and let them know your displeasure with their custom embeddable video players. I apologize for using this feature, it was the first and last time I will embed video from WISHTV.com not found on YouTube.
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Dr. Woody Myers today unveils a new campaign ad which will begin airing shortly featuring the personal endorsement of Jeanne White-Gender, the mother of Ryan White whose cause Dr. Myers championed in the mid to late 80s as Indiana Health Commissioner. Ryan White was prevented from attending his public school in Kokomo as a result of fear about the nature of his disease and the efforts of Dr. Myers to return him to the classroom brought international media attention to Ryan and put a human face on the HIV/AIDS crisis.
Happy Earth Day from the team at Myers 2008! We hope you will do your part not just today but every day to help keep our planet healthy. So grab a biodegradable trash bag and pick up some litter in your neighborhood, or replace some lightbulbs in your home with energy efficient ones today. Keep Earth green and healthy for future generations!
