For the second time in a week, a respected former Republican Kansas attorney general has cast a vote of “no confidence” in Attorney General Phill Kline.
Carla Stovall Steckline, who said she came forward to endorse a Democrat because “I care about the reputation of the office,” praised Democrat Paul Morrison’s “stellar record” of criminal convictions and said that especially in the attorney general’s office, “the person is more important than the party.”
A visibly angry Stovall then proceeded to blast Kline on everything from his hiring of his legally challenged nephew as chauffeur (she said that neither she nor her predecessor, Bob Stephan, felt they were “important enough” to need drivers) to Kline’s fishing expeditions of abortion records (showing his willingness to “violate privacy rights of Kansans to pursue a narrow personal agenda”) to Kline’s labeling of Senate Bill 323 as “Paul’s policy” (“absolutely untrue”) to the use of out-of-state attack ads (“despicable”).
This one’s going to be hard for even Phill Kline to spin.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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61 Comments
I voted for Stovall when she ran.
Looks like there are still a few good ones left from BB (before Bush).
Another nail in Kline’s coffin.
Ah, yes, but spin, he will! I wish him luck. Not good luck, though. TEE HEE
This guy’s done, though I don’t really care what any of his incompetent predecessors think of him.
Carla, you’ve shown the decency and spirit that should come from all political parties. Thank you for rejecting Mr. Kline.Kline always irritated me, just looking at him did it.I always got that same uneasy feeling from him that I get from seeing other bad apples, like those Normal Rockwellian pics of the Ks Board of Education ladies, or Fred Phelps. I think to myself – where did we get these people? How did they slip by the average common sense voters. Since when did we elect people because there are just hard-core Christians and aren’t hard-core Christians by definition unsuitable for high office? They cannot be expected to have good sound judgment….they only know one way to do something.And isn’t it about time that the Kansans who helped make this state such a wonderful place stand up and be counted. How did the Terry Fox’s, Jim Wright’s, Fred Phelps’ and other easily defined religiuous freaks hi-jack our state and our live and let live culture. Sending Kline down the river with the board of education nuts is the first step in the right direction.Bob Dole never brought his personal religious beliefs into office. Nancy Landen-Kassebaum? She was a good politician too.Getting rid of Phil Kline, Bob Knight, the Board of Ed., are fine examples of the beginning of a move back to center for this state.Larry Steckline….you deserve a pat on the back.
Jim G.There you go again spouting common sense. Good for you.
Common sense is against God’s will in this state.
At least lately it would seem so. I have lived in this state all of my life and am firm in my belief that eventually the moderate middle wakes up to clean up the mess the extremists have made.
Interesting that Stovall will endores Morrison while former Democratic Attorney General Vern Miller will not. Now, who really has an agenda?
Interesting. I had not seen that Rick. Of course, not being an attorney I only see the higher-profile stuff.
(By the way, long time no see!)
Now this really sucks. As Ben wrote earlier, this is another nail in Philllllll’s coffin. I will change my prediction from-Kline wins 53% to 47% toKline wins 51% to 49%.Could we have the election today?
Jim G you make some good points but using Terry Fox in the same context as Fred Phelps exposes you for what you are. A Liberal, a moron, and idiot. I suspose you hate all religious people. Although some so called religious people are wacko i do not think Fox is one of them. Go crawl under a rock and see if one ou you relatives is down there evolving. Check your history and see how this country was founded.
Hi Rick! Say hello to Deborah from Roxann.
where did she come from? I thought she went underground after bilking Kansas out of millions of dollars in the tobacco settlement which went instead to her law firm. Afterall, that’s why she didn’t run for re-election
Both Bob Stephan and Carla Stovall carried out major and successful litigation on behalf of the State of Kansas. I don’t recall that much with Miller.
There once was a man named TillerTo liberals this man is a pillarIs it a baby or notI don’t give a rotJust cut up the tot till we killer
Ict sux,
I checked our history and couldn’t find God anywhere in the constitution. So, if we were founded on god don’t you think it would be there? I did find some things though…In God We Trust wasn’t added to our money until the Civil War and One Nation Under God wasn’t added to the pledge of alligence until the McCarthy histeria in 1954. In 1797 our government concluded a “Treaty of Peace and Friendship between the United States of America and the Bey and Subjects of Tripoli, or Barbary,” now known simply as the Treaty of Tripoli. Article 11 of the treaty contains these words:
As the Government of the United States…is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion–as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquillity of Musselmen–and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation, it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries.This document was endorsed by Secretary of State Timothy Pickering and President John Adams. It was then sent to the Senate for ratification; the vote was unanimous. It is worth pointing out that although this was the 339th time a recorded vote had been required by the Senate, it was only the third unanimous vote in the Senate’s history. There is no record of debate or dissent. The text of the treaty was printed in full in the Philadelphia Gazette and in two New York papers, but there were no screams of outrage, as one might expect today.So it looks like we really were not founded on Christian beliefs. I might also point out that Republicans seem to be the only ones making fun of Christians. You can see for your self here. http://www.politicalheartland.blogspot.com
Needless to say I am voting for Morrison
There once was an AG named KlineA man of all mouth and no mind.He went to the churchesTo empty their pursesAnd stole from the stupid and blind.
there once was a man dickhis head was just to freaking thickCommon sense bounced off his brain and finally drove him insaneHe stands over there smashing his self with a brick
There once was a man named PhilHe opposed a womans right to killBut Tiller said abortLets cut this life shortNow go home and i’ll send you the bill
.morg,
So are you saying your going insane? I don’t get your poem?
There once was a poster named dickwho thought he was more than a hickHe fancied himself coolbut was only a foolAnd everyone knew he was a prick
There once was a man named Randall TerryHe started Operation Rescue, full of those who are scaryHe solicited donations in the hundreds of thousandsThen used the money to build his great mansion
He left his wife for a twenty something girlAnd wouldn’t pay child support, even though he’s pro-childHe was censured at church for his many affairsAnd his followers babble on crying crocodile tears.
http://www.republicansforchoice.com/
Jason u can do better than that.
No .morg,
I really don’t get it.? I’m trying to figure it out though.
I’m so proud to see the Moderate Republicans finally speaking out. The problem is that it’s a little too late. Before it got popular is when they should have been standing their ground.
But I’ll be glad when everyone puts their heads back on.
Terry Fox does belong in the same category as Phelps. He’s just as hateful, he just doesn’t carry signs to do it.
There’s more the office of Attorney General than experience as a Prosecuting Attorney. KBI is also under the Attorney General as are Civil Cases. Perhaps Stovall and Morrison have concerns more about control of power than qualifications? Hmmmm?
Is it possible that maybe we are seeing the beginnings of a “pendulum swing” away from the rabid religious zealots?
Terry Fox is out of his church, looks like Kline is going down. Connie Morris lost. Now, if Jan Beemer and her southwind nutcase cult would go away, life could be much nicer!
I think it is safe now to put a fork in Phill as I believe he is done!
“…Jim G you make some good points but using Terry Fox in the same context as Fred Phelps exposes you for what you are. A Liberal, a moron, and idiot. “Posted by: ict sux | October 20, 2006 at 02:35 PM
LOL. Where’s the rimshot?
I feel like Corey Haim’s character in the movie “The Burbs”: I LOVE this place!
This is why reading this website is like going to a small town Kansas carnival and riding Their Scariest Ride.
The distance between ict sux’s praise and, exactly one sentence later, utter damnation is so comically short as to induce a sense of vertigo, kinda like that really cheesy carnie ride that owes as much of its scariness to obviously poor maintainance as it does to its exploitation of gravity.
Total cheese, but fun because it’s so direct in its hokiness: ict sux, this describes your writing, too!
Stovall appears to be just another of the latest hoping to grab the strings of power by switching party loyalty. Here’s a couple of more, now Democrats that were once Republican.
Paul Morrison, a career prosecutor who specializes in putting killers behind bars, has the bulletproof résumé and the rugged looks of a law-and-order Republican, which is what he was until last year. That was when he announced he would run for attorney general — as a Democrat.
Mark Parkinson, a former chairman of the Kansas Republican Party, is running as a Democrat to be Gov. Kathleen Sebelius’s lieutenant. Eight other former Republicans are running as Democrats in Kansas.
Question is, can you support someone who will for the lust of power, switch parties at the drop of a hat.
Maybe they switched because they’re disgusted with those who represent their party, some people still have priciples, afterall.I saw a great bumper sticker:”Get involved, it’s the ones that show up that are in charge of the world.”Maybe those who were apathetic about things like voting are starting to wake up after they realize the consequences of not getting involved in deciding who’s going to be in power.
I think the switch by Parkinson and Morrison was simply self promoting ,opportunistic grab for power. I doubt there was any deep idealogical ’sweat lodge’ ceremonies going onthat changed their minds.
From being the Chairman of the Republican Party for Kansas in 2003, one wonders what must have happened. He probably was convinced that without changing parties he would never get a piece of the ‘power pie.’
Now that he has bit the hands that fed him, we’ll see if he survives the wounds.
Stovall did not bring much to her office except her fanaticism for open records and open meetings. Sure those concepts are important but it was the totality of her legacy. Kline won the death penalty argument before the US Supreme Court on his oral argument.
And your point is?
Kline won a simple argument, Stovall went before the Supreme Court – I cannot recall for what?ICT SUX – there is absolutely no difference between Terry Fox and Fred Phelps, except that Phelps live in Topeka. These men believe the same thing, use their charisma to sell hate to folks like you, people scared to think, scared to understand more than what a mortal man persuades them to think.I have to wonder if in the world of Kansas republicans if there isn’t a tremendous amount of peer pressure…and when the peer pressure gets into the murky world of forcing religion down peoples throat then some of the principle players may decide the Repub. party has been hijacked. I want to believe that Morrison and the other guy jumped over to the Dem’s because the Ks Repub. leadership was hosed down with these self-righteous intelligent design ultra moral (in name only) snobs had control of the party.ICT SUX had a few wins along the way….connie morris and her herd got a brief win, Fox and Wright scared the hell out of heterosexuals to rid the state of any chance of gay marriage(wow, what a surprise).I’ve always thought to myself…if I want my child to pray in school I will teach her how to do it. Such as, “honey, before you take your test, or run your race, you can say a prayer ‘in your head’.” Or I might say, “Honey, since the beginning of TIME and before..there have been homosexuals. There is a lot of different points of view on homosexuality and you will hear others points of views. There is a chance you will become friends with someone who later on in your friendship announces they are gay. Being gay is not something you can see from the outside like someone being tall or short, hair color, or left hand or right hand. Being gay comes from the inside. I believe we should make out judgments about people based on their personality and character. If you like someone, then like them. Please do not let the various negative opinions make about gay people force you to stop liking a friend. Only you can make that decision. Your Mom and Dad have had gay friends all our lives. They are in our lives now and we cherish their friendship.”TELL ME ICT SUX – when did Terry Fox ever say something like that to his congregation? OR does he tell his congregation that gays are child molesters, gay recruiters, etc.?You know what is in your heart? I think you probably suffer from low self esteem and need to hate someone to feel like you are closer to God. What a sick way to be.
As for Paul Morrison – I could care less for his views on morality, sexuality, or phlebotomy. I just don’t want to ever hear his views either. The law exists, uphold it. That’s his job.Kline thought his job was to preach in Churches to raise fury against the moderate minded and liberal minded citizens of Kansas.I can guarantee this – if this state ever gets close to or crosses over into the leadership of people of Terry Fox’s ilk – there will be a populist uprising and some old style rearranging of points of view.ICT SUX – in America we operate under the Constitution – nothing more and nothing less.You can piss on my leg all your life – I will most likely slap you every now and then to amuse myself.Terry Fox has evil in his soul.
Oh you mean the Ms. Stovall who said, “I think I’ll run for governor, oh no I think I won’t. I just don’t know, hee hee. I think I’ll get married instead” Thanks but no thanks. I don’t give a damn what she thinks!
That’s the Stovall I remember, rog. Her too cute way of not practicing law wears thin. I too say “I don’t give a damn what she thinks!”
Jim,No, there is a difference between Fox and Phelps. Phelps knows he’s a joke; Fox doesn’t.
“Stovall appears to be just another of the latest hoping to grab the strings of power by switching party loyalty. Here’s a couple of more, now Democrats that were once Republican.”
What a dumb comment. Stovall retired as Attorney General to marry Steckline, and would probably still be in office if it wasn’t for that. The idea that she opposes Kline as a bid for power is therefore just plain goofy. She gave UP the power that Kline now has, but hopefully won’t for long.
You don’t seem to get it. The Republican Party in Kansas has largeley been taken over by extreme Christian Rightists who engender broader opposition than simply Democrats. A large proportion of Democrats in Kansas, at least until recently, were actually more conservative than the traditional moderate Republicans they competed with (e.g., the late Joan Finney and Vern Miller). As the Kansas Republicans have moved to the social left and ruthlessly attempted to purge the moderates from positions of influence in the party, they themselves have created the opportunity for crossover candidates.
My comment:
” As the Kansas Republicans have moved to the social left and ruthlessly attempted to purge the moderates from positions of influence in the party, they themselves have created the opportunity for crossover candidates.”
I, of course, meant to write that the Kansas Republicans moved to the social RIGHT.
Just a note about larry stecklein: He once reported on a huge disaster in a Japanese milling town. Many were killed, the property damage was huge:
“I don’t know whether that was a good thing or a bad thing,” he said.
Of course he was thinking from the perspective of an ag reporter.
So I forgive him.
I blew coffee all over myself when I heard it.
He owes me a pair of pants.
BTW: You mean I should vote for Morrison?
Just to follow the tangent for a second.
Larry Steckline’s ag. reports i.e. pro agribusiness editorials used to drive me nuts. However, as a fellow widower I would not want to deny him happiness.
I think Bob Stephan and Carla Stovall were both good AG’s, especially in the advice they provided to governors and legislators during their terms. They more often than not focused on their honest understanding of the law regardless of whether it benefited their ideology or not. Kline is a single issue ideologue who has used the office of AG to promote his ideology. There is a reason why Stephan will not endorse Kline and Stovall is endorsing Morrison, while the biggest flake to hold the office of AG until the election of Kline, Vern Miller, backs Kline. And the reasons not JM’s laughable claim of a powergrab because once again, if Stovall had not decided to marry Steckline and retire, we wouldn’t be having a different election because Stovall would already have the power Kline has and she supposedly covets.
The reason for Stovall’s endorsement of Morrison and Stephan’s non-endorsement of Kline is that they both believe Kline is unworthy of the job. I agree.
Former AG Stovall should stay out of the current AG race … she will lose a lot more votes for Morrison than her “support” might gain.
JWink, why should Stovall-Steckline stay out of the race? Is this because of Kline’s rapidly sinking ship? Deal with it, Morrison is pulling ahead.
She should stay out of the race because she is an idiot. Read above, “A visibly angry Stovall.” What does she have to be angry about? That she didn’t have a driver when she was A.G.? She is an emotional basket case.
The real heart of the matter is the fact that Governor Sebelius is the Devil’s bride.She takes blood money from abortionist James Tiller and in turn allows Tiller to kill babies up to the ninth month of pregnancy. Yes, deliver the baby feet first, insert a steel forceps into the back of the baby’s skull, suck out the baby’s brain, and then pull the baby out.
It takes courage to say enough to this madness. Phil Kline has the courage to stand up, while the rest of Kansas turns away like cowards.
Kansan in Dallas–
Stay in Texas with the people who gave us the
Worst. President. Ever.
Any late term abortions like you describe would only be done for a monstrous birth or to save a woman’s life in grave peril.
How you can politicize a terrible choice like this is utterly despicable.
Irvin–
Maybe Stovall is “visibly angry” because she’s sick and tired of what you people have done to the once proud Republican party.
When Ann Coulter or Michele Malkin or Michael Savage rave away in a spittle flecked rage, you cheer them on.
But when a moderate like Stovall stands up in righteous indignation, she’s “emotional.”
Hey, Irvin, how’s this for emotional–what finger am I holding up?
To CapnAmerica,
Who is the monster, the innocent baby or the killer of the baby?
The brain dead baby that puts the mother’s life at risk . . . which would be the only time a procedure would ever be used.
IF it is ever is used.
How often does Tiller do the “partial birth” abortions and for what reasons?
Maybe now you will be able to answer your own question, if you could only examine the medical records. Tiller’s motivation is money only; but let the records stand up for his reason if you have any doubt. Are you scared of the truth? Phil Kline is not.
CapnAmerica, maybe you should stick to saving trees because you do not have the courage to stick up for an innocent baby.
Another true Republican leader steps forward and says Kline can’t pass the smell test. Good for her. Putting Principal ahead of Party, Something the far right has an issue with.
“Maybe now you will be able to answer your own question, if you could only examine the medical records. Tiller’s motivation is money only; but let the records stand up for his reason if you have any doubt. Are you scared of the truth? Phil Kline is not.”
Assumed knowledge of motive that you really don’t have. There are much easier ways for doctors to make money. You might very well be motivated by your concern for “babies”. Do you really fail to understand that others may be equally horrified at the notion that any woman should be forced to carry a pregnancy to term. People do not seek late term abortions for frivolous reasons (indeed, I don’t know anyone who has had an abortion who has had one for a frivolous reason) and there are (properly, IMVSO) legal restrictions on late term abortions.
Kline, on the other hand, is on a fishing expedition. You make the claim that an examination of Tiller’s records will “reveal his motives”, but that is not the reason Kline gave for wanting to look at clinic records. He claimed he was looking for evidence of child sexual abuse (so why not go to all hospitals and request records for all childbirths to underage mothers, and why not simply request records of underaged patients, rather than the clinic records in totality). You claim that Kline is not afraid of the truth. A curious claim, that, since he seems afraid to tell the truth about his motives for wanting the records.
My consciences for me and I also believe for Mr. Kline are on the side that believe Dr. Tiller has crossed the line that represents evil. When Gov. Sebelius takes contributions from Dr. Tiller, it is hard for me to not associate her with the evil that I believe many on both sides of the issue agree that Dr. Tiller has crossed over to. Taking religion, belief or disbelief in God, and looking at this question in a purely secular view; as a society, we need to come to an agreement on what we value. If everything is acceptable and justified, then there is no justice.
I hold to a value that the potential of new being as represented in the fetus, is worthy of essence. Life in all its glory or misery is still life. When I interact with a disabled person, who am I to judge that there happiness is not as fulfilling as mine? I will not allow myself to position my essence elite to others.
“My consciences for me and I also believe for Mr. Kline are on the side that believe Dr. Tiller has crossed the line that represents evil. When Gov. Sebelius takes contributions from Dr. Tiller, it is hard for me to not associate her with the evil that I believe many on both sides of the issue agree that Dr. Tiller has crossed over to.”
Based on what, his performance of late term abortions? Again, late term abortions are only done for extreme reasons. These are generally the terminations of WANTED pregnancies.
“Taking religion, belief or disbelief in God, and looking at this question in a purely secular view; as a society, we need to come to an agreement on what we value. If everything is acceptable and justified, then there is no justice.”
Coming to such an agreement is extremely unlikely. I would certainly hope that we could come to an understanding. The people who are strong pro-choice activists are hardly “anything goes” types of people. They see the issue as one of providing a safe option for terminating a pregnancy, and they generally take that position for two reasons, one, because they do not think that a woman who discovers that she is pregnant should be compelled to carry that pregnancy to term and two, because history has documented that women who are pregnant who do not wish to be will often pursue desperate measures. For people who honestly identify with and therefore believe in the humanity of a fetus, even though it may be very hard for them to compromise with them, there is I think a common ground there, a concern for the welfare of persons.
“I hold to a value that the potential of new being as represented in the fetus, is worthy of essence. Life in all its glory or misery is still life. When I interact with a disabled person, who am I to judge that there happiness is not as fulfilling as mine? I will not allow myself to position my essence elite to others.”
A couple of points about people with disabilities. One, there are all sorts of disabilities, including those that are invariably painful and fatal. Bringing pregancies of the latter type into the world would be like giving birth to someone in late term terminal illness. That being said, people with severe and profound developmental disabilities can and do have high qualitlies of life from their point of view and the points of view of the people who know and love them. As a result, I myself do not agree with the decision to terminate a pregnancy due to a developmental disability. On the other hand, I have also seen the effects that having people with severe, profound, or catastrophic disabilities have had on SOME families.
One last comment. I have a lot of respect for some activists in the pro=life movement. Unlike the charicatures a number of pro-choice activists have about people who label themselves pro-life, there are a number who do live their values, adopting very tough to care for children, helping women and their through difficult pregnancies, and providing networks for the safe adoption or care of children of crisis pregnancies after they are born. These people do encourage women to carry pregnancies to term but then they are also there to deal with all of the consequences. On the other hand, there are also the jerks who stand around Tiller’s yelling murderer and otherwise harrass those who are going in there. The jerks, like Randall Terry, who appear to be exactly what they appear to be, people who believe that women should be compelled to carry pregnacies to term less because of actual concern for the fetus, but also as a “that’s what you get consequence” for getting pregnant. There are also people who are probably both concerned about the fetus and are also authoritarian moralists who believe in compelling women and girls in crisis pregnancies to carry them to term.
On the other hand, I know of very few pro-choice people (in fact, I don’t know any) who are out to actually encourage people to have abortions. They are instead people who believe that the decision to carry or terminate a pregnancy should be first and foremost the decision of the woman who is pregnant. And again, that decision is generally made very early in the pregnancy, late term abortions are generally the result of a horrific change that has effected a wanted pregnancy.
One of the biggest barriers for mutual understanding (not so much with the authoritarian moralists, but the other pro-life people who are first and foremost concerned about the embryo or fetus) is that both sides all to often subscribe to the theory of the slippery slope, where simple acknowldegement of a point of view is seen as a dangerous wedge into their unified resolve, and therefore to the resulting strategy of no compromise. That’s unfortunate.
Ksag,Save your breath- for these jokers, ANY abortion for ANY reason is evil. If a woman dies in childbirth, obviously that’s what god wants, therefore the woman should be glad to die!
“Save your breath- for these jokers, ANY abortion for ANY reason is evil. If a woman dies in childbirth, obviously that’s what god wants, therefore the woman should be glad to die!”
That was kind of my point, Jed. Not all jokers are the same. I’ve found dialogue to be possible with those people who are “pro-life” first and foremost because of their concern for or identification with the fetus (my late wife was one of those people, and we were both able to continue to live with and love one another while holding different views on abortion).
Wqnted to join the blog. I have always liked Carla Stovall, wanted her to run for Gov. – she still has alot of time to run for Gov. or Senate.
Run Carla run, in the future for Gov. or Senate. You are the best Carla – proud to claim you as a true Kansan.