By Mike Saucier (@MikeTheSauce) Exclusive for RLG
It’s a tension-filled and bitterly partisan time of year but here is some heartening evidence of civility and the need for two sides to come together.
Bipartisan peaceful co-existence was on full display in Scottsdale this week. Court Rich (Court Rich@Court_Rich), Partner at Rose Law Group, live-tweeted the Deutsche Bank Leveraged Finance Conference at The Phoenician, where former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush spoke and mingled with locals. A few of Rich’s tweets:
“Do you miss the White House? Bush: ‘No!’ but “it’s irritating to stop at stop lights.”
“Do you miss the White House? Clinton: it is really dumb to spend a day of your life wishing you can do something you can’t do anymore.”
“Bush: ‘my high school teacher would have a heart attack knowing I became president.’”
Cardinals kicker Jay Feely (Jay Feely@jayfeely), who attended the event, summed it up nicely: “I wish our national discourse mirrored last nights event: ideas & answers at the forefront not party politics focused on power & control”
And this image from Feely captures the bipartisan spirit: “Cardinals @LarryFitzgerald @TheSamAcho @ARob12_Cards@jayfeely with President Bush & President Clinton twitpic.com/b34uf7”
Continuing with the peaceful co-existence theme… From the Republic’s editorial page editor Phil Boas (Phil Boas@boas_phil), who tweeted after the showdown at the Republic between Flake and Carmona: “Flake and Carmona on elevator up don’t talk. Tense. After debate, they stand together comparing Benson caricatures of themselves – laughing.”
Tim McGuire (timmcguire@timmcguire), theFrank Russell Chair for Business of Journalism at Arizona State’s Cronkite School, tweeted: “Maybe it’s my mood, but every news site I see today seems terribly focused on meanness and depravity. Can’t we all just get along?”
From politico John Glenn (JohnGlennPHX@JohnGlennPhx): “I think the James Carville/ Mary Matalin marriage that proof their is a chance for a bipartisan America.”
When Clinton came to town on Wednesday night it almost broke Twitter.
With multiple reporters live-tweeting his appearance with U.S. Senate candidate Richard Carmona—detailing everything from who was spotted in the crowd (Phoenix City Councilman Daniel Valenzuela and attorney and Antonio Bustamante, according to a local scribe) to who was backstage (Cardinals star Larry Fitzgerald, among others) to just about every word out of his mouth. Let’s be honest, it was a media love fest.
Anticipation ahead of the Clinton visit to Arizona mounted throughout the week, ranging from traffic anxiety to the validation of the national attention being bestowed on the Jeff Flake-Carmona Senate race.
Ruben Gallego (Ruben Gallego@RubenGallego), whose Twitter bio reads “Iraq War Veteran. USMC 0311/0341. Arizona State Representative District 16. Proud Democrat,” tweeted: “It just got real. Clinton is coming to town for @CarmonaForAZ”
And Mike Paranzino (Mike Paranzino@mikeparanzino) –whose bio reads “Dad; activist; lawyer by training. I like the USA, public policy, politics, tech, rock n roll. It’s time to save our country. Romney-Ryan 2012”– tweeted: “I hope an Arizona reporter asks Bill Clinton in Tempe Wednesday why he opposed @KyrstenSinema in her Democratic Primary. She too anti-jobs?”
All of Clinton’s skills were on display on Wednesday night when he spoke at a get-out-the-vote rally in Tempe for Carmona. It was all well captured by reporters and observers from before it started until after he left the stage. Republic scribe Yvonne Wingett Sanchez (YvonneWingettSanchez@yvonnewingett) led the way, tweeting about everything in sight. You felt as if you were at the event:
“Marcia Chiazza of Gilbert is here to hear #Clinton speak. She’s heard speak him before and thinks he’s a rockstar. pic.twitter.com/wa706UPi”
“#Clinton says he wants to lead AZ to become global leader of solar power. Lots of applause.”
“#Clinton: I love asu, I love being here! Came here when I was running in 92 and 96!”
“Carmona: many of us are sick of extremism. My friends who are writers for comedy shows like Colbert Rep love Az bc there’s so much material”
More tweets out of the Clinton-Carmona event:
Former Suns guard and current Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson (Kevin Johnson@KJ_MayorJohnson) tweeted: “Pres. Clinton. sees me talking to WR Larry Fitzgerald and says “u trying to recruit a team to Sac!” Grt line! pic.twitter.com/Go6D0nkz”
From Deputy Chief of Staff for Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton, Ruben Alonzo (ralonzo@ralonzo): “Coolest person at the @CarmonaForAZ rally? Apologies to @MayorStanton and Mayor Johnson, but Larry Fitzgerald close 2nd to Bill Clinton”
The Sonoran Alliance@sonoranalliance had a different take on the night: “When the nights over, the only thing attendees will remember is Bill Clinton, Jimmy Eat World & some old dude running for office. #AZSEN”
A respite from politics to recognize the fact that the Cardinals finally lost.
Steve Bitter (Steve Bitter@stevebitter) tweeted about QB Kevin Kolb: “I just don’t blame Kolb anymore. Cards O-line is complete garbage. #AZCardinals #BIRDGANG”
Former Arizona attorney general Grant Woods (Grant Woods@GrantWoods) had some kind words for former D-Backs player and announcer Mark Grace in this tweet: “Spent last couple of days golfing and hanging with Mark Grace. Great guy and good person-he will emerge from all of this stronger than ever.”
This week’s tweet endorsement goes to Cove Trattoria in Scottsdale, which has a Twitter bio that says: “Best pizza in Scottsdale.”
Lindsay Hansen, who is a “Freelance PR pro living in AZ. Works w/ small businesses, entrepreneurs & nonprofits. Loves being a mom, working out, traveling, new restaurants & wine country!” (Lindsay Hansen@lindsayhansenPR) tweeted : “I had the best salmon salad today at @CoveTrattoria. YUM!”
Turning to the random, it’s hard not to agree with this assessment from Amanda Vega (Amanda Vega@AmandaVega): “It’s weird when people bring their own coffee into a restaurant.”
And from Go Daddy.com founder Bob Parsons (Bob Parsons@DrBobParsons), a couple of tweets about baseball: “Watching baseball game. Remember when I was a kid playing little league ball. Made it to base just once. Hit by a pitch.”
“Was so excited 2b on base took a big lead off 1st & got picked off. I was meant to be a spectator.”
Setting the stage for Halloween tweets is “3TV GMAZ Traffic Reporter, Optimist, Runner, Sun Devil, Mom and scout of fun things to do with kids” Gina Maravilla (Gina Maravilla @GinaMaravillaTV), who tweeted: “Shopping for Halloween costumes. Scariest part–dealing w/ the crazy crowds. Whah, ah, ah, ah..”
An ASU freshman, Kenzi Thielemann, sums it up for those from other, colder parts: Kenzie Thielemann@KenziThielemann
“Everyone is bitching about how it’s cold at home.. It’s 93 here. A perfect sunny day in AZ ☀”
12 News reporter William Pitts (William Pitts@william_pitts): “@LewisSports: I just saw a sign for ‘Zombie Paintball Hayrides’ in Snohomish. #IWantToGo omg how is this not in AZ???”
Copy editor Marette Mendoza (Marette Mendoza@marettemendoza) tweeted this cool image of a political corn maze in Dewey: “Mortimer Family Farms in Dewey, AZ, has an Obama/Romney corn maze: mortimerfamilyfarms.com”
Closing out the “Random” portion of TwitterZona is GOP congressional candidate Vernon Parker (Vernon B. Parker@VernonBParker), who is really, really pumped about Ayn Rand’s novel coming to the screen: “Atlas Shrugged II starts Friday!!! Who else is stoked? Part I was awesome…. And so true. #AynRand”
Poignant images from the funeral procession of slain Border Patrol agent Nick Ivie:
From Republic immigration reporter Daniel Gonzalez (Daniel Gonzalez@azdangonzalez): “Family and friends of Nick Ivie gather on sidewalk for funeral procession at 8:30 am pic.twitter.com/3of14TBc”
“Nick Ivie’s daughter and wife Christy. pic.twitter.com/XPrhaKUp”
And from KVOA-Tucson reporter Nathan O’Neal (Nathan O’Neal@nateoneal): “More than 50 Border Patrol agents on horseback line street for funeral procession of #AgentIvie @KVOA pic.twitter.com/r6a79yZz”
And this from the border later in the week from border reporter Michel Marizco (Michel Marizco@borderreporter): “Border Patrol: 11:30 pm, 2 drug smugglers drop a load on the US side, flee to Mexico when BP arrives. Throw rocks, ignore orders to stop.”
With the Clinton visit and a Flake-Carmona debate earlier in the day at the Republic, it was a busy week for local politics.
Mike Paranzino (Mike Paranzino@mikeparanzino) of the Red State blog: “WOW! Democrat criminal defense lawyer @KyrstenSinema told Fox10 News: Arizonans are better off today than 4 years ago. #newstoAZMiddleClass”
Democratic activist Lauren Kuby (Lauren Kuby@TempeDem): “Hey,@andybarr34! Today I registered a 64-yr-old man who had never voted. After 10mins at his door, what put him over the edge? Rich Carmona!”
The Republic reporter covering Scottsdale, Beth Duckett (Beth Duckett@Beth_Duckett) tweeted: “Battle lines in Scottsdale race just became more evident after election forum. Half tout businesses and others favor resident-driven govt”
Daily Star reporter Tim Steller (Tim Steller@senyorreporter) tweets about the race in the 1st Congressional District between Iraq veteran Jonathan Paton and former Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick: “The crowd reaction at #AZ01 debate shows district’s partisan split. I also detected some Dem pushback against Repub anger.”
The Republic’s national political reporter Dan Nowicki (Dan Nowicki@dannowicki): “’There’s a lot of division’ here in Arizona, @CarmonaForAZ tells @hardball_chris. #AZSEN”
Mesa Mayor Scott Smith (Mayor Scott Smith@Mayor_Smith): “Having lunch with 60 of my best friends from the @MesaChamber Love our business partners in #Mesa! pic.twitter.com/2Jryu99Y”
Kurt Davis (Kurt Davis@KurtRDavis), who really has an outstanding resume–“Partner, FirstStrategic public affairs firm and Game and Fish Commissioner. Former Reagan appointee, Deputy Chief to Governor, Arizona Regent and GOP Director”– jumped into the Big Bird fight: “Big Bird gave Obama the single feather salute today, asking him to take down his juvenile campaign ad. POTUS should be aware of angry birds”
And finally, a new, albeit obvious TwitterZona feature, Tweet of the Week. It comes from Andrei Cherny (Andrei Cherny@AndreiCherny), who lost the Democratic Party nomination for Congressional District 9 to former State Senator Kyrsten Sinema back in August. He hit the proverbial nail on the head when he tweeted: “Americans looking for leaders who stand up against both big government & big business. Are we really going to have a fight about Big Bird?”
