Lisa Murkowski picked to be Alaska's newest senator

Anchorage Daily News ^ | Dec. 20, 2002 | The Associated Press

[JohnnyZ]

Gov. Frank Murkowski has appointed his daughter, Lisa Murkowski, to succeed him in the U.S. Senate.

Lisa Murkowski, 45, is a Republican state representative who was re-elected last month to a third term and was selected as House Majority leader.

[JohnnyZ]

Whew, I was really worried that Lisa was pro-abortion, but I'm still not sure she's very fiscally conservative. Still, an OK pick -- let's hope she can hold the seat against Tony Knowles -- or whoever -- in 2004!

[hobbes1]

So now we have Government by dynastic succession.....

[dirtboy]

IMO this blows - it absolutely reeks of nepotism and third-world politics, and will come across negatively to a lot of swing voters.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Well, as long as nepotism isn't involved.

[KantianBurke]

barf!!

[hobbes1]

Actually I was going to say, as long as their not democrats....lol

[TopQuark]

Yeh, I was always curious about this aspect of our country "of laws not men." The seat often goes to the spouse of a deceases senator. Is this the best choice for the country?

Similarly here, the probability that one's own daughter is the best choice for the country is almost nill. Shame on the governor and shame on the Republicans that condone this move.

[hobbes1]

Well, I would not go that far, she was just Elected a leader in the state house, so that makes it cool...at least IMHO.

I would have a poblem if it were the survivor with ZERO experience....this is not that.

[UofORepublican]

Exactly. He was very close to picking Jerry Hood, who is a Teamster.

[JohnnyZ]

Actually, voters have been generally very sympathetic to political families -- a lot of it is like a brand name. Look at GWB, Jeb, Chafee, Carnahan (her hubby would have lost too), Harold Ford, Jesse Jackson Jr., Chandler and Nunn in KY, and lots and lots of others.

[dirtboy]

Actually, voters have been generally very sympathetic to political families -- a lot of it is like a brand name. Look at GWB, Jeb, Chafee, Carnahan (her hubby would have lost too), Harold Ford, Jesse Jackson Jr., Chandler and Nunn in KY, and lots and lots of others.

With the exception of Carnahan, those individuals had to go win their own elections, not have daddy win and then hand them the seat. And I can see some justification for a governor appointing a widow, although the voters apparently weren't very sympathetic later.

[JimVT]

What the heck....she's got a ton more of credentials than Carnahan's widow.

If folks don't like her they can dump her in 2004.

[11th Earl of Mar]

It is good that she is pro-life. But this still stinks to high heaven.

[hchutch]

A big part was Jean Carnahan's classless treatment of Ashcroft - voting AGAINST him as AG after the way he handle his (questionable) loss in 2000.

[ClearCase_guy]

Being sympathetic to political families is one thing. Having Daddy give you a seat in the Senate as a present for being a good girl is a little different.

By the way, I hear that if Hillary decides to run for president, she's going to arrange for Chelsea to represent New York.

[OldFriend]

The way I look at it.......NY deserves to be represented by Chelsea.

[JohnnyZ]

Voters will have their chances in the 2004 primary and general election. When compared to the other candidates Murkowski was considering, Lisa had a good chance of selection even without being his daughter. Like Frank said, she shares his philosophy (let's hope so!!), and I would say that Binckley and many of the others probably do not.

Hopefully Alaskans will elect Sarah Palin when Ted Stevens decides to retire. One reason she wasn't selected was b/c of her young children, according to her.

[laconic]

Yes, it reminds me of when JFK appointed his BROTHER, who was then 34 years old, as ATTORNEY GENERAL, the LEADING law enforcement official in the US. This is really foul in my view.

[TopQuark]

I did not say she was not qualified at all: I questioned whether she is best.

You apply a rather low standard, by which you get upset only if a general cannot tell apart a plane and a tank. If he can, however, it's OK.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Being sympathetic to political families is one thing. Having Daddy give you a seat in the Senate as a present for being a good girl is a little different.

If that's what had happened I would agree, but it appears that "little Lisa" was heading towards the seat anyway, or did you not read the following statement in the article?

Lisa Murkowski, 45, is a Republican state representative who was re-elected last month to a third term and was selected as House Majority leader.

She was elected House Majority leader after only 4 years (!!!) in the state House. What does that say about how her fellow elected Republican representatives think of her? It tells me that she is very efficient, has good command of the political flow, and is very well liked.

[jigsaw]

The only relevant matters in this father-daughter appointment are, Has Lisa ever kicked a black dog, broken a yellow crayon, wrapped her head in a towel after taking a shower, burned a stick in a fire, exhaled, or been in a gasoline-powered car?

[hobbes1]

Not a low standard at all. The House Majority Leader, of a statehouse is a perfectly suitable appointee to the US Senate.

If her Last name was anything BUT Murkowski, and her qquals were the same, we would not be having this discussion, is all I am saying.

[Fred Mertz]

What does she look like?

[JohnnyZ]

By the way, I hear that if Hillary decides to run for president, she's going to arrange for Chelsea to represent New York.

This would be funnier if she was old enough to be a senator when (not if -- ha ha!) Hillary! runs for Prez.

[JohnnyZ]

What does she look like?

Yeah, I thought the same thing when that 'towel wrapped around her head after shower' comment came out. If her towel's on her head, what's she wearing???!!! :P

[Swampmarine]

Actually, in Alaska, most swing voters will like Lisa Murkowski. As a State Representative she authored the law establishing the Joint Armed Services Committee and was slated to be the next Chair. Very popular with service men and women, important in Alaska.

[ClearCase_guy]

If her Last name was anything BUT Murkowski, and her qquals were the same, we would not be having this discussion, is all I am saying.

And if my aunt was red and had 4 wheels, she'd be a wagon. I believe Caesar's wife should be above reproach. Look at NJ, Torricelli drops out, Lautenberg slips in -- Republicans scream up and down that it's not OK. Well, the court said it was OK and the voters said it was OK. Question: do you think it was OK? I do not.

Lisa may be a fine and deserving choice. But being appointed a senator by your father is an non-standard occurence in this country and I wish it had not happened. It makes it hard (IMO) to point to the Democrats and say that they always pollute the political process.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

No idea.

[Malcolm]

If she is pro-abortion, she IS the wrong choice, by default. I knew that appointing his daughter was a gross error in judgment. Hopefully, a pro-life challenger will knock her off in 2004.....

[ClearCase_guy]

This would be funnier if she was old enough to be a senator when (not if -- ha ha!) Hillary! runs for Prez.

I talked with Hillary's people. They don't think the age thing is a problem. The Constitution is a living document and any stated age requirements that are in the document are vestiges of the 18th century. They can be finnagled. Chelsea is ready to serve at a moments notice.

[Militiaman7]

I agree with you, Fred. Let's get the important info first.

LOL!

[Militiaman7]

I agree with you, Fred. Let's get the important info first.

LOL!

[RightWhale]

I am sure she is a fine person, but nepotism in a public corporation is one of the worst things. Alaska is now a Banana Republic in fact.

[ambrose]

Couldn't daddy have bought her a pony instead?

[hobbes1]

In this case Ceasers wife IS above reproach, she is the Leader of the Majority Party in the Statehouse.

The Torch-louse comparison is a false one. The screaming was over the fact that they Broke the law to do it. Had it occured 52 days out, it would have sucked, but you can only ask that everyone play by the rules.

[HumanaeVitae]

What a way to blow a Senate race...I can just see the RAT ads now..."Send King Frank and Princess Lisa a message"...

[hobbes1]

So, the Fact that She is Majority Leader in Alaska, and a three time electee, has no sway with you ?

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Does nobody read articles before posting anymore?

Lisa Murkowski says she supports legal abortion only when a mother's life is in danger or in cases of rape or incest.

[Digger]

Example #5243 of this "Two-Party Cartel". Brings up mentioning the old saying, If you vote really counted would this oligarchy allow such.

[ambrose]

What does she look like?

Like this:

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

I doubt that:

Lisa Murkowski, 45, is a Republican state representative who was re-elected last month to a third term and was selected as House Majority leader.

would be very interested in a pony.

[Fred Mertz]

Thanks. She looks fairly tall.

[abenaki]

I don't know what Lisa looks like, but doesn't Chelsea look a lot like ole Webb Hubbell?

[ambrose]

This gives new meaning to the term "sugar daddy."

[Fred Mertz]

During the legislative session, Lisa Murkowski was a key member of a bipartisan caucus proposing new taxes and revenue measures to close the state's chronic budget shortfall and she sponsored an increase in the state's alcohol tax.

A tax and spender.

[RightWhale]

None whatsoever. The first thing Frank does, and he nails it. We'll see how things go, but he will always have this decision on his record as far as I am concerned.

[JohnnyZ]

[I like the Chelsea/Hillary 'living document' bit -- people mature earlier nowadays, no?]

A tax and spender

Yeah, that's one of the concerns about her (although it's not like Stevens and Frank are tight spenders). Anyone have more details on the budget problems, whether they're really b/c of a fall in oil revenue or are spending problems? I believe her primary challenger attacked her on tax-and-spend issues.

[ambrose]

A tax and spender.

No different from her father or soon-to-be mentor, Ted Stevens. Alaskans like lots of pork with their guns.

[YaYa123]

Well then, shame on me, cause I think it's a fabulous appointment! After I read his daughter's qualifications, education and experience, hellsbells, maybe she should have run for governor. She might have beaten her Daddy.

Of course I basically agree with you, nepotism is a bad thing...especially when it involves unqualified wives and widows, but this is different. If his daughter is as well-qualified as the other candidates, why wouldn't he select her? Sounds to me as if the people of Alaska are the big winners here, and if they don't like the appointment, she will lose next time around.

[Carry_Okie]

Hmmm... I think Murkyowsky's quote needs sum subtile remodification... thusly

'In some ways, this is probably one of the most important decisions I will make as your governor, recognizing this responsibility, I've reached out to Alaskans from all over the state and appointed my daughter,' the governor said.