Public Eye - Sunday, May 11, 2008

By SCOTT SMITH and KEN de la BASTIDE
Tribune columnists

May 10, 2008 11:51 pm

— Hi, Mom
The Public Eye extends Happy Mother’s Day wishes to all mothers.
Fence sitting
Prior to the Indiana primary, Congressman Joe Donnelly, a super delegate to the Democratic Party’s national convention, indicated he wouldn’t decide on who to cast his vote for president.
Donnelly said he would wait until after the primary to announce his endorsement of either Hillary Clinton or Barrack Obama and base a part of his decision on the outcome of the 2nd District vote.
According to USA Today, the Second District popular vote was won by Clinton, who won 75,554 votes to Obama’s 69,747.
“I have not yet endorsed either candidate who is seeking the Democratic nomination,” Donnelly said Wednesday. “I do not know on what date I will endorse, but when I do, I will back the candidate I think would make the best president.”
No caucus date set
A date has not yet been set among Republican Party precinct committeemen to elect someone to complete Jim Buck’s term in the Indiana House from District 38.
Buck was selected in a GOP caucus to complete the final two years of Jeff Drozda’s term in the Indiana Senate.
Republicans have 30 days to fill the position, and the clock is ticking. Buck’s date of resignation from the House was April 26.
Craig Dunn, chairman of the Howard County Republican Party, said the caucus was first scheduled for May 24 in Frankfort but had to be changed because of high school graduations and the availability of space.
“The final date is to be determined,” Dunn said. “A decision should be made early next week.”
Potential candidates include Kokomo businessman Heath VanNatter and three people from Clinton County: Jacque Clement, the current county auditor; former Frankfort Mayor Don Stock; and Dr. Stephen Stark.
Looking for a candidate
Dunn said there are a couple of potential candidates for the House District 30 seat currently occupied by Democrat Ron Herrell.
Herrell is currently in the first term in office, defeating incumbent Republican John Smith. Smith defeated Herrell in the 2004 election cycle.
He said the two potential candidates will be meeting with representatives from the House Republican Campaign Committee in the near future. Both potential candidates are well known in local GOP circles.
City still looking for callers
Kokomo city officials were puzzled last week after going an entire day with no calls to their “annexation hotline,” (765) 456-7401.
Residents with questions on the city’s proposed 14.2-square mile annexation can also e-mail in questions at annex@cityofkokomo.org and can review a list of frequently asked questions and find an annexation map at www.cityofkokomo.org/annexation.
The big meeting is 7 p.m. Monday in council chambers at City Hall. City officials will be at the Kokomo Common Council meeting to answer questions about the proposal. The public is encouraged to attend.
Drama from Obama’s camp
If Howard County Clerk Mona Myers didn’t have enough to do Tuesday, with Democratic ballots running low at various precincts, she also had to deal a possible campaign law issue.
According to Myers, a Barack Obama volunteer had set up voter’s rights literature inside the polling place at Memorial Gym, along with a sign urging voters to ask questions.
Indiana law, however, forbids poll watchers or members of the media from talking to voters inside polling places (and 50 feet outside the door).
Myers’ initial attempt to convince the woman of that particular law didn’t go well, however, and finally police were called to the scene. More arguing ensued, Myers said, before the officer on hand declared the debate over. The volunteer was told to either stop speaking to voters “inside the chute,” and put her literature away, or further action would be taken.
No further incidents were reported.