Wake-Up Call: Thursday, August 7, 2008

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.

AFL-CIO: Anti-EFCA ad with Sopranos star a smokescreen

In a new ad, the mob boss from the Sopranos makes a guest appearance with cardboard cutouts of Sen. Susan Collins (R-Bangor) and U.S. Rep. Tom Allen (D-Portland), who is challenging Collins.

The ad is part of a campaign opposing candidates who support the Employee Free Choice Act, legislation intended to make it easier for workers to organize by eliminating the requirement of the private ballot. (PolitickerME.com, Jessica Alaimo)

Link: http://www.politickerme.com/jessicaalaimo/2127/afl-cio-anti-efca-ad-sopr...

Maine Senate hopeful eyes federal review

AUGUSTA—The campaign organization of independent U.S. Senate hopeful Herbert Hoffman said Wednesday the would-be candidate is seeking to delay the effect of a Maine supreme court decision that would keep him off state ballots this fall. (Boston Globe, AP)

Link: http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/08/06/maine_senate_...

Baldacci weighs special session to heating aid

Gov. John Baldacci is considering whether to call the Legislature into special session to add state funds to a federal program that provides heating oil assistance for low-income Maine households, a spokesman said Wednesday. (Portland Press Herald, Matt Wickenheiser)

Link: http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=203483&ac=PHnws

Michaud returning from trip to Iraq

PORTLAND - Rep. Michael Michaud and five other lawmakers are returning home after visiting U.S. military health care facilities in Iraq, Kuwait and Germany.

The Maine Democrat said Wednesday he organized the trip to get a firsthand look at the quality of health care provided to U.S. military personnel. (Maine Today, AP)

Link: http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/031210.html

Veterans step up for Obama, McCain

BANGOR - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama hasn't been shy about courting war veterans, a group of voters that historically has aligned strongly with his opponent, Sen. John McCain, a longtime veteran and former prisoner of war. (Bangor Daily News, Eric Russell)

Link: http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=168103&zoneid=500

Snowe vows to wage battle for fuel funds

BANGOR- Though the first snowflakes for the coming heating season are months away, Mainers already are jittery, if not frantic, about how they are going to pay for home heating fuel. (Bangor Daily News, Dawn Gagnon)

Link: http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=168112&zoneid=500

Press Herald announces job cuts, changes

The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram announced today that several employees have been laid off and that there will be changes to the layout of the paper in an effort to cut costs. (Maine Today, Noel Gallagher)

Link: http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/031203.html

30,000 in Maine haven't claimed payouts

More than 30,000 Maine residents who qualify for economic stimulus checks from the federal government have yet to claim their payments.

If the 30,819 low-income, veteran and disabled residents who are eligible claim their piece of the $150 billion economic stimulus package Congress passed last winter, the intake would total more than $9 million. (Maine Today, Matthew Stone)

Link: http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/031201.html

Three days in Kennebunkport for President Bush

KENNEBUNKPORT — Deemed perhaps his last visit to Walker's Point while in office, President George W. Bush's three-day respite at his parent's oceanfront home July 31 to Aug. 3 caused little stir compared with two visits he made last summer.

About 75 people joined a protest march Saturday, making the two-mile trek from the Kennebunk Consolidated School to a checkpoint on Ocean Avenue near the Walker's Point compound, home of former President George H.W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush. (Seacoast Online, Steve Bodnar)

Link: http://www.seacoastonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080807/NEWS/8...

Theye to step down in Ward 1

BELFAST-- Ward 1 councilor Larry Theye announced Tuesday, Aug 5 that he will not seek re-election in November. Theye is finishing out a single term that began in 2006 when he picked up the Ward 1 seat vacated by Denis Howard II. (Village Soup, Ethan Andrews)

Link: http://www.waldo.villagesoup.com/Government/story.cfm?storyID=123724

Groups press Collins on chemical security

Several health and environmental groups are urging U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine to support federal legislation that the organizations claim will help close a dangerous hole in U.S. anti-terrorism policies. (Bangor Daily News, Kevin Miller)

Link: http://bangornews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=168104&zoneid=500

Further comments on the EFCA

Note: PolitickerME received further information and comments from several sources after Wednesday’s story was posted about an ad campaign opposing candidates who support the Employee Free Choice Act.

While Sen. Susan Collins agrees with the message in several ads that attack opponent and U.S. Rep. Tom Allen for his support of the Employee Free Choice Act, she doesn’t believe such ads have a place in Maine politics, a spokesman for her campaign said Wednesday. (PolitickerME.com, Jessica Alaimo)

Link: http://www.politickerme.com/jessicaalaimo/2131/further-comments-efca

With the PolitickerME.com Wake-Up Call e-mailed to your inbox, phone, Blackberry or PDA first thing in the morning, you can get a rundown of Maine's top political headlines. Sign up to get the Wake-Up Call delivered every morning.