(Alaska Sen.) Stevens says he may quit if ANWR doesn't go

[kskiska]

FAIRBANKS - Sen. Ted Stevens says he may retire if his role in the gridlock over oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge helps contribute to an extended ban.

At issue is legislation the Alaska Republican accepted 25 years ago that set the stage for the stalemate.

Stevens told national reporters in Washington, D.C., on Friday that he is "clinically depressed" about the situation. He later backed off that term in talks with Alaska reporters, noting he has not been diagnosed by a psychiatrist and is not taking any medication. But he said he has asked his doctor about his doldrums, and was advised to take some time off.

Stevens also said he's wondering whether he should seek another term if he loses next week's vote on ANWR language in the budget resolution.

more…
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/031305/sta_20050313009.shtml

[mhr]

1. Boo Hoo - Sore Loser Needs To Leave Office Anyway!

eom

[DRoseDARs]

39. Somone be sure to hand him a hankey on his way out. n/t

[Archae]

2. Hahahahaha!!!

Don't let the doorknob hit you in the ass, Stevens.

[livetohike]

3. He's 81. It's time to retire

Leave ANWR alone already. He says it's a national security issue. Please.

[shanti]

57. 81????

the old fart needs to get the hell on!

[punpirate]

4. Yet another very good reason...

... not to drill in the ANWR.....

[Sporadicus]

5. 'Vote for This Legislation or the Dog Gets It!'

We already know Stevens has vested interests in trying to shove drilling in ANWR down our throats, but I hope this doesn't signal a wave of high-level histrionics in order to get pet projects passed.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. LOL

That has always been my favorite National Lampoon cover. Thanks for posting it! :)

[Sporadicus]

21. Glad to Oblige

It's also a favorite of mine. :hi:
I haven't read National Lampoon in a lot of years, but I was quite a fan back in the early '70s, which I consider its heyday - and also when it served as inspiration for a lot of comedy during that era.

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. Is it even still published?

I haven't seen it in years.

Do you remember the ads? They had one for Smarty's - the Seven Day Diaper - that still makes me laugh when I think of it.

[Sporadicus]

24. Yes, I Remember That One

From what I can determine, the magazine is no longer printed, but its dot.com incarnation is going strong.

http://www.nationallampoon.com/index.html

I had to get off there, since I could easily spend the rest of the day browsing the archives. Here's a little nugget I remember fondly: Michael O'Donoghue's 'How to Write Good'

<snip>

"My advice to the would-be-writer is that he start slowly, writing short undemanding things, things such as telegrams, flip-books, crank letters, signature scarves, spot quizzes, capsule summaries, fortune cookies and errata. Then, when he feels he's ready, move up to the more challenging items such as mandates, objective correlatives, passion plays, pointless diatribes, minor classics, manifestos, mezzotints, oxymora, exposes, broadsides, and papal bulls.
And above all, never forget that the pen is mightier than the plow-share. By this I mean that writing, all in all, is a hell of a lot more fun than farming. For one thing, writers seldom, if ever, have to get up at five o'clock in the morning and shovel manure. As far as I'm concerned, that gives them the edge right there."

http://www.nationallampoon.com/nl/02_fb/writegood/writegood.asp

[Blue_Tires]

64. when did that magazine cover run? 70s? 80s?

[IndianaGreen]

6. Ted: for clinical depression, stick your head in the toilet and flush

a few times until you see a light at the end of a tunnel.

[BigBearJohn]

28. Excellent idea. I volunteer to man the toilet handle!

[mazzarro]

7. Hey - why do we help him along

We can rally opposition to the ANWAR legislation as best as we can - thus helping him with his "depression" and decision to leave congress. And we will taking care of two problems at the same time.

[american_mutt]

8. so

when will they party be held?

[stepnw1f]

9. If I Don't Get My Way... I'm Leaving... LOL

The integral character of Republicans is just precious... ain't it?

[XOKCowboy]

10. Don't let the door hit ya...

where the good lord split ya Ted.

[Pithy Cherub]

11. Double incentive to vote NO!

The environment
The (r) senator goes of his own accord

[0007]

12. Don't know who I care less for, Stevens or Sessions of Alabama

Two little pricks!

[loro mi dicevano]

13. So Ted, ARE you clinically depressed or aren't you? Can you, perhaps,

tell the truth about an issue like that?

If he doesn't get his way: goooooood riddance.

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. Gee Ted if we had national health insurance

you could get help for that depression.

[Hoping4Change]

34. Hi there loro mi dicevano

Welcome to DU.:hi:

[hatrack]

14. Good idea, Ted! First one you've ever had, I'm sure!

Please, save time and energy - just resign now.

[VegasWolf]

15. Yes, and the problem is? n/t

[natrat]

16. good riddance fuckhead

[sellitman]

17. This makes me so depressed!!!!!

End of Sarcasm.

[bushcrab]

20. Poor poor Stevens. Maybe a Kool-Aid popsicle will help

pull him out of the darkness.

[Hoping4Change]

36. Hey there bushcrab.

Welcome to DU. :hi:

[biscotti]

22. I busted out laughing

When I read your title. We can only wish for this to come to fruition.

[Blue to the bone]

25. I still don't see the problem with drilling in ANWAR.

The Venezuelan government has said it intends to increase daily production here from 3 million barrels today to 5 million barrels in 5 years.

The only way to do that is with increased drilling, some of that coming in sensitive ecosystems such as the Delta Amacuro which is known to hold significant reserves.

I support Chavez in his quest to increase production, though I'm afraid it will be nearly impossible to meet the timetable his government has proposed.

[TheWatcher]

30. You don't see a problem, huh?

We're all shocked at that one. Shocked I tell you.

[Blue to the bone]

60. The Watcher?

Or the cyber-stalker?

[TheWatcher]

72. Don't flatter yourself

Still as transparent as glass I see.

Pretty much reduced to little one liners these days, aren't you?

I have to admit I miss the talking points. You were so much more exciting then.

Maybe you'd care to share with us why you think drilling in ANWR is a good idea.

[arcos]

41. ANWR has enough oil for six months...

Is it worth it?
No.

[TheWatcher]

73. That would depend on what side of the issue you're on

Search through his posts in the Archives and see if you can figure out which side that is :)

To this day, out of all the one's we've had, he's the least clever one, and my personal favorite.

[Blue_Tires]

65. I'd rather we spend more $$$$ developing new technologies

so we can stop sucking the shrinking teat of petroleum...If the automakers had just a little foresight and researched alternative fueled vehicles years before it did, trying to get oil out of the ANWR and other remote places would not be an issue today...(not to mention no wars in the middle east)

[yorkiemommie1]

26. ' either we drill in the ANWR'

... or I'll hold my breath ' til I turn blue'

these Repugs... all they do is threaten, warn, pout, slime, taunt, and ridicule.

[natrat]

51. you forgot steal and murder

[JerseygirlCT]

27. Gee, that would be just awful, wouldn't it?

Sounds like a two-fer to me.

[Hailtothechimp]

29. Shouldn't he be about PROTECTING his state's treasures...

rather than insisting on having them raped and pillaged for economic gain? I guess party loyalty means more to him than the state he represents. Alaska deserves a lot better than him.

[MattP]

31. Ted = Whore

That whore will never quit, his net wealth has gone up to like 4 or 5 million since he said a couple of years ago that he needed to make some income. The L.A. times did a big article about how his whole family is a bunch of lobbyists and he makes more money off his status than anyone in congress, just look how much went to Alaska in the highway bill!

[Hoping4Change]

37. Hi MattP Welcome to DU

Glad you're here.:hi:

[worldgonekrazy]

49. Actually Alaskanks are quite supportive of drilling in ANWR

Our (Alaska's) economy is getting ready to go into the shitter in a big way. Many Alaskans think a temporary fix of opening ANWR is a quick and painless solution.

[alcibiades_mystery]

32. The down side for Dem being?

I'd guess most of us are in favor of both propositions! :-)

[roguevalley]

33. I AM ASKING YOU ON MY KNEES, HELP US GET HIM OUT!!!!!

I dream of him going. Of course, given it is Alaska, his son will get his seat. All Hail Ben Stevens! :+

[ignatius 2]

35. Don't let the door hit you in the ass, Senator. Now suck it up

girlie man and keep rolling over for the big oil guys. But remember, once they use you and your state up, then you are useless to them and all that will be left is a lot of dead land, animals, and a lousy environment.

[98geoduck]

38. Probably his Guilty Conscience causing his "clinical depression"

taking time off isn't going to do him a damn bit of good.

[AlCzervik]

40. yes Ted i'm a bit depressed too over what you and yours have

done to this country.

[hootinholler]

42. The Fallwell strategy

At least I think it was Fallwell who God was going to kill if he didn't raise enough money.

-Hoot

[Art_from_Ark]

59. That was Oral Roberts

In 1987, he whined that God was going to "call him home" if he didn't meet a fundraising goal of several million dollars

http://www.myfortress.org/OralRoberts.html

[hootinholler]

69. Sho Nuf was, Thanks I know better than to trust my memory N/T

[saltpoint]

43. Democracy would be much better off without Ted Stevens.

If it could be arranged that the bill is defeated AND we get rid of Senator Stevens, that would be ideal.

[against all enemies]

44. How much $ do those residents of Alaska get from our oil up there?

And why? I mean screw those people, why should they get money because the US takes oil from under their state. And how much more will they get if the drilling in ANWR is allowed. Whores!! and Stevens is nothing more than an old ugly madame.

[FlyByNight]

45. And you can let the door hit you...

on the ass on the way out. Besides, we could do without the anti-constitutional sputterings about trying to regulate pay media too.

Fascist.

[Pepperbelly]

46. Jebus, he so ought to retire ... to AK residents ...

is there ANY chance of electing a Democrat in your fair state?

[worldgonekrazy]

48. Very unlikely

I don't think we'll see a Democrat elected to a national office in Alaska anytime in the near future. Tony Knowles had as good a chance as a Democrat could have possibly had in getting elected to the Senate in the last election, and yet he lost to a fairly unpopular Republican (Lisa Murkowski) whose father (Frank Murkowski) is a VERY unpopular governor. Oh yeah, Frank also appointed his daughter to that seat, which people were not too happy about. Throw in that Knowles was a popular two term governor from '94 to '02 and he should have won easily if ANY Democrat could do it.

Sadly, Alaska is solidly Republican and appears set to stay that way, despite how much the current Republican governor is screwing the state.

[0rganism]

47. Cry me a river, Ted

Ooooh, the PAIN! Oooh, the HUMANITY! how my heart bleeds for this poor, poor senator and the impoverished lobbyists in the resource extraction industry.

[HeeBGBz]

50. Get yer ass out, mofo!

Before you depress the rest of the rational ecology minded world.

[I Love Alaska]

52. Rich

Ted Stevens became rich while serving as Alaskas senator. I would love to see him and his special interest buddies go!!!!

[Toucano]

53. Is this a threat or a promise?

It's a win-win. Yeah!

[uhhuh]

54. I can see it now:

The ad opens with Sen. Stevens standing before a vast area of unspoiled wilderness. Small animals are foraging.

Caribou go bounding past. Trees are standing, thick and untouched.

A gentle bubbling of a river in the backgound is briefly shown with a large number of healthy fish.

Quick cut to close up of Sen. Stevens as a single tear rolls down his face...

[quaoar]

55. Hey Ted

Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

[NVMojo]

56. hope the door doesn't hit him in the arse on his way out!!!

[Hand]

63. I hope it DOES!

I'm the vindictive type. Besides, watching the son of a bitch go ass over teakettle down the Capital steps would be SO COOL!
:evilgrin:

[President Kerry]

58. alright Teddy, good man! think ya can take your Senate R

buddies with you?

[all.of.me]

61. god, what a baby!

an old baby at that!

[rodeodance]

62. Bush said last week that if Alaska drilling is not opened there will be

blackouts (said this in one of his town hall 'conversations). I just dropped my jaw--I still get amazed at the things that he sprouts from his slimeball mouth!!

[depakid]

66. Another poor whiney Republican

can't get his way and so he pouts.

How pathetic.

Hey Ted, you know what? I wish you threefold the suffering from the deepest darkest of depressions that YOU have brought about in others.

Since you toss the term about in such a disparaging way- may you learn what clinical depression is really all about....

[kskiska]

67. WP: Stevens Wages His Best Shot to Open Arctic Refuge

(snip)

For 24 years, Stevens has fought to open the preserve, believing that the oil under the tundra would substantially reduce the nation's dependency on foreign oil. This week, the Senate will embark on its best shot in years at winning ANWR access, by including a provision in the fiscal 2006 budget that makes the measure filibuster proof. That means it requires only a simple majority to pass -- rather than the 60 votes that have been needed in the past to surmount a filibuster by Democrats and moderate GOP opponents.

The refuge was established in 1960 and expanded in 1980, under the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which included a provision to study the potential oil and gas resources in one small slice of ANWR known as the Arctic coastal plain.

"You know, 24 years I've argued to get Congress to keep its word made to us. . . . They assured us we could explore in that area," Stevens said. Based on that compact, he had allowed Congress to withdraw 100 million acres of Alaska land from state and local use, turning it over to the federal government.

(snip)

But Stevens's dream may soon be realized, if Republicans can beat back a Democrat-led effort to strip the ANWR provision during this week's budget debate on the Senate floor.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31926-2005Mar13.html

[Emboldened Chimp]

68. All the more reason to oppose it!

Good riddance, asshole.

[Toucano]

70. This guy knows how to motivate Democrats, doesn't he?

Talk about offering incentives!

[rpannier]

71. Nah nah nah nah, hey hey hey Good-bye

[MountainKeeper]

74. Good Riddance

I have watched this man on CSPAN for a long time. It is time for him to hit the road. If he is so depressed about ANWAR, how does he think we feel about the policies that he has helped push through the Senate that has hurt the environment and the average and low income Americans.

[d_b]

75. See ya, prick.