Mr. Super Ego Endorses Obama

Written by Tony Cani

Well, my sources were correct and Ed Espinoza endorsed Senator Obama today.  I think this is a good sign that the rest of what I was told is most likely accurate as well.  Looks like his 15 minutes of fame now come to an end and the publicity blitz didn't work.

One interesting note before I put this to bed.  In his self-written self-congratulatory press release, Ed mentioned that he is a "frequent guest on CNN."

Interestingly the CNN piece announcing his endorsement didn't mention his relation to the news agency.

 

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/09/dems.wrap/index.html

Obama narrows Clinton lead in superdelegates - CNN.com via kwout

Mr. Super Ego Endorses Obama
Posted by Tony Cani - 3 days ago.
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More on Mr. Super Ego

Written by Tony Cani

Ever since my post yesterday on facebook and then on this blog, I have been getting emails and calls from mutual "friends" in the facebook sense (meaning acquaintances) that are giving me info on the self promoting super delegate and his plans.

The word on the street is that Mr. Super Ego Ed Espinoza is going to announce his support for Senator Barack Obama today.

I am being told that his self run publicity blitz was designed for two purposes - first to raise his name and profile in order to get some media attention for his announcement and secondly and most importantly to plant quotes (that he wrote himself) about his amazing political talent into stories to help him get a job on the campaign ... or frankly A campaign.

I was also told that the reason Espinoza waited this long to endorse, especially since he famously has said on his blog that all super delegates are undeclared but not undecided, was because he was trying all along to turn his vote into a job.  Something neither campaign is willing to do - very rightly concerned about any appearance of quid pro quo for superdelegate votes.

Everyone who wrote me or called find Ed's self publicity blitz hilarious, but not in any way outside of their expectations for the way he typically behaves.

From friends of mine who would know on the Obama campaign, I am being told that Ed has not been offered a position with their campaign.  I suspect that Mr. Espinoza realized that no job was coming directly for his endorsement and with the media narrative turning on the state of the race - he decided to just jump in for Obama before it was too late.

As a DNC member elected from California to represent his entire state, Ed Espinoza is endorsing the candidate who was not selected by his constituents - but I am pretty sure he will not face any backlash for his decision.  Other than maybe being a little sad if the media doesn't go all gaga for him now that they have figured out he is a nobody and not the member of Congress or true party elite they were hoping for.

 

UPDATE: Seems that my sources were right.  Ed in fact DID endorse Obama today.  I can only assume the rest was dead on as well.  Looks like his 15 minutes are over.  If he sends out another press release I'll be sure to paste it here.

 

 

 

More on Mr. Super Ego
Posted by Tony Cani - 3 days ago.
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Mr. SuperEGO (dot) com

Written by Tony Cani

Today it was revealed that Ed Espinoza from California is the man behind the anonymous Democratic Super Delegate blog mrsuper.org.

Did the news uncover this?  No.  Did someone crack the case?  No.  Actually Ed Espinoza HIMSELF sent out a press release announcing his own identity, praising himself pretty heavily all along the way

I guessed it was Ed Espinoza the first minute I heard about the blog on a post on rcubued  It turns out that Ed's reputation was strong enough that others were immediately able to put two and two together as well.

Well, Ed is upset with me for mocking him on Ted's blog.  He has sent me a message on facebook accusing me of being timid and afraid for hiding behind a blog comment (yeah the anon blogger said this) and he then proceeded to contact board members of the organization I work for in an apparant attempt to quiet my mocking.

I penned a lengthy response to Ed, and being that I am not timid and afraid put it on his facebook wall.  I am pasting my response below. 

First, my comment from March that started it all:

Obviously Ed Espinoza from CA … one of the only “youthy” super delegates out there. I don’t know anyone else who is more likely to do a blog bragging about being a super delegate, but then be too timid and afraid of the consequences of doing so to be public about it , but then ask Tedski to blog about it to get more attention to it.

Tailor made Espinoza.

This seems to have bothered Ed quite a bit.

Now my response:

Ed, I am not timid and afraid as you imply in the message you just sent me on facebook. I feel like my public response to your public blog and  homemade public relations blitz to draw attention to yourself is in no way inappropriate.  As you can tell I used my name twice in commenting on how ridiculous I thought mrsuper.org is over on rcubed ... I'm not hiding.  In fact, people who aren't giving it to you right now are the timid and afraid ones, not me.

You have put yourself out as a public figure and need to be ready for a little ridicule for the hugely awkward and self promoting way you did it.

As a self described person who "carries experience that is normally associated with more elder members of the Party" I didn't think you'd be upset with comments like mine.  Brush them off man ... I'm just a kid!

So why did I even say anything?  I feel that it is now undeniable that you are using your position as a young superdelegate for personal gain.  You started an anonymous blog about the life of a superdelegate, took steps to promote that anonymous blog, then after it started to get attention sent out press releases you wrote yourself which praise yourself and identify yourself.  I'm just surprised none of your friends have made the mrsuperego.org jokes to you that many people we know in common are making.

But of course, this isn't about ego and this isn't about self promotion.  I mean, your press release said so!

To review, in a press release you penned YOURSELF about YOURSELF you have the nerve to write “I put this together under the premise that it would be a public service and no personal gain to be made - there would be no advertising to earn money from and no name recognition for the author.”

Oh, and just two paragraphs before in the public press release you wrote is the following, "The site was created by Edward Espinoza, an undeclared Superdelegate and elected DNC Member from California and a former Field Director to 2008 Presidential Candidate Bill Richardson."

If there is no desire for personal gain ... why the press release and public disclosure?  Why even reveal yourself at all?

The OH JEEZ you gave me on rcubed may be pretty well applied to you as well.

I guess I just hope you don't, in your capacity as a "frequent guest on CNN" say something bad about me.

Please, don't be timid or afraid here and comment away.

UPDATE: It seems that no comments are going through.  It seems that the restrictions I set up to keep spam away are blocking ALL comments.  I'm trying to fix this.  For now please email comments to me at tonycani (a) g mail (dot) com and I will post EVERY ONE I get.

UPDATE 2: Mr.Super.org is no longer facebook friends with me.  I just got unfriended.  Still working on the comments, I just can't get it to go past preview.  Annoying.   

UPDATE 3: Here is a replacement comment tool -- FOR NOW ... I really don't know how well it works.

Mr. SuperEGO (dot) com
Posted by Tony Cani - 4 days ago.
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How embarrassing

Written by Tom-AZ

If I was a Bee supporter, I would pack up and go home. If you didn't hear, Gabby spent the most of any member in the United States on franking privilages. Part of it was because she reported more than she needed to. She reported printing. Over 100 comments, almost all negative. People are pissed and probably rightfully so.

But what does her opponent say?

 

In her first year in office, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords spent $234,000 sending full-color, multipage fliers to her home district, more than anyone else in House, according to federal disclosure statements.

But Giffords' aides blame her ranking on inconsistent reporting procedures that let many other members evade reporting all expenses associated with what's referred to as franking.
They say that if all members followed the same rules, Giffords wouldn't be the leader.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva, also a Southern Arizona Democrat, ranked last, spending nothing, according to the figures, published by the House administrative office.
Giffords said the mailings helped introduce her to her 640,000 constituents.
The cost of nearly $1 for every person who voted in the 2006 District 8 congressional race has led to criticism from Giffords' Republican opponent in this year's race, state Senate President Tim Bee.
Bee calls Giffords' use of the franking privilege "self-promotion," but he wouldn't commit to not doing the same if he is elected in her place.

 WOW. What a fucking idiot. WHAT a blown chance to really dig into her and say " I would never do that" and make a huge issue out of it. It could have been really damaging to her, more than it is now and what does he do... " Umm. yeah. I'd probably do the same thing... i think?  What was the question?"

Gabby screwed up on this one with the reporting,yes, but Bee shot himself in the foot by saying he would do the same thing. 

How embarrassing
Posted by Tom-AZ - 7 days ago.

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Knaperek Poses Greatest (But Still Very Small) Threat to Mitchell

Written by Marty Flores

The wishful thinking in Republican circles for the last several months has been that misfit congressional candidate (and second-time congressional candidate) David Schweikert is actually someone who has a real shot at defeating the increasingly-popular Harry Mitchell.

Not anymore. Time for reality to set in.

The teacher-turned-public-servant leads the man with a woman's dog 50-24 in a poll posted on PolitickerAZ.

There are rumblings that some Republicans are increasingly concerned about Schweikert's inability to raise real dough.  Schweikert got the Club for Growth endorsement, but in 9 mos. raised (from people other than himself) less money than some guy named Tim Bee in Tucson raised in just one quarter.

Did the Club for Growth choose too soon?  Seems that way.

The best hope for the GOP appears to be Laura Knaperek, the anti-woman woman from Tempe.

She may not have money, but according to PolitickerAZ Knaperek performs much better against Mitchell.  Plus, she has an army of volunteers who will do anything to get her elected.  If she had money, she'd be a tough opponent for Mitchell.

But then again, Knaperek may be the Republican's CD-5 version of Hillary Clinton... a tough fighter who would be her party's best chance of a general election victory, but one that may not get through her primary battle.

Knaperek Poses Greatest (But Still Very Small) Threat to Mitchell
Posted by Marty Flores - 19 days ago.

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What an A-hole

Written by Tom-AZ

I normally don't get mad at columnists, but "Bill Richardson" of the E.V Tribune did a column in which he says Meth is not a serious problem and we should focus on the other drugs.

 To this I say:

SGDKJSOERIKLESLJSKFJSLJIEJRLKWSEKKRSJV:SOER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 

His article:  

"Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, Attorney General Terry Goddard, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, Sheriff Joe Arpaio and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon were all echoing emotional testimonials on methamphetamine. They sounded like President Bush and his prewar weapons of mass destruction rant.

Same clowns, different circus."

SNIP

"It is a message that is been pushed since governments forced cold pills containing higher levels of pseudoephedrine behind the counter in 2006. Unfortunately more than 90 percent of meth is made in cartel-owned Mexican labs and it is just one product in a long menu of illegal drugs. About 700 metric tons of heroin was produced last year. Cartels make more than $100 billion dollars a year from illegal enterprises.

Meth abuse has been marketed by some to hit a special emotional button."

Let us star with FACTS rather than his "Feeling" that we are making this whole Meth problem up:

1. 68% of women and 69% of men booked into Maricopa County Jails tested positive for Meth in 2006 and 2007.

2. 65% of all Child abuse in Arizona is directly linked to meth use with another 20% related to "Drugs" in general. 

3. 78% of all property crimes in Arizona in 2007 have been linked to Meth users

4. 81% of all identity theft cases reported by the Maricopa County Attorney are linked to Meth.

5. A nationwide surveys of 500 major metro police departments found that 61% of counties in the U.S have seen a major increased in meth related problems in the last 3 years.

6. The same survey showed that 80% of all U.S counties said that Meth related problems are increasing not decreasing. Out of all the counties in the United States, 47% said Meth was their #1 problem which is more than Cocaine (21%) and Marijauna (22%) combined. 

7. 69% of all emergency room visits in 2007 were directly tied to Meth either through the use or violence.

Bill then goes onto to ridiculue the Psuedoephedrine ordinances that were passed a few years ago. He quotes the fact that most meth comes from Mexico. Yes. Yes it does. That does not change the impact Meth labs has on kids. A simple quote from a veteran police officer: 

Tyler, by Detective Tim Ahumada, Family Investigations Bureau, Phoenix Police Department (the victim's name has been changed to protect his identity)

I've been a police officer for 22 years, and for the past nine years I've investigated crimes against children. I see children that are broken, beaten and sexually abused. Children that are found in meth labs, however, are different. These children are being abused emotionally and physically. Their parents choose to neglect them by using drugs. These parents are obsessed with methamphetamine.

I remember a child named Tyler. Tyler's mother is a meth user and has been found in a couple of meth lab investigations. Tyler was four years old when I first met him. He had lively button green eyes with jet-black hair. Tyler's favorite things were cars, trucks and tractors. He loves to eat hot dogs.

In Tyler's world, his bedroom was the cleanest room in the house. It was also where his mother and her boyfriend kept their drugs. Tyler's room was three feet from the converted bathroom that became the meth lab. Tyler had been diagnosed with asthma and was given medication to treat a respiratory problem. His mother did not tell the doctor that Tyler slept next to a meth lab.

In my interview with Tyler, he described that when Mommy's friends would come over, they would sit in the living room smoking a glass pipe. Tyler was taught to take the pipe from one adult to the other.

Tyler did not attend school at the time, so his home was his world. His play area was outside the back door and consisted of a dirt track for his cars. Tyler played there most of the time. The dirt track was made up of dirt, lab chemicals and broken ceramic tiles.

During the investigation, I found Tyler's asthma medicine in the refrigerator. It was stored in the butter tray, right above the rotting hot dogs. The hot dogs had green fungus on them. Throughout the house I identified numerous hazards to a child. There were razor blades on all the counters that appeared to be used for lining out the drugs. The electrical system in the home was modified to accommodate the bathroom-based meth lab, bare electrical wires were stretched across the floor leading into the bathroom.

In this case, the mother's drug problem was so bad that her parental rights were going to be severed. However, the commissioner felt that this family needed another chance, so Tyler went back to his mother.

 

 

 

 

What an A-hole
Posted by Tom-AZ - 24 days ago.

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