This time, with sound!

 Above the fray.  That apparently is Gov. Mitch Daniels’ campaign strategy.  While he does plan to debate Democrat Jill Long Thompson three times this fall, it looks as though he plans on minimizing all other discussion of her or her programs.  When Long Thompson holds a news conference to unveil a program or proposal, the only time you can get a sound bite directly from the governor is if he has a public event on another topic.

  Generally his campaign produces a spokesperson to do the reply.  But in the past week or so, even that has gotten difficult.  The campaign is now shifting reporters to Republican Party people for on-camera responses, putting another layer between Daniels and his challenger.

  It’s all reminiscent of a 1980 campaign episode involving Republican Bob Orr and Democrat John Hillenbrand.  Having debates wasn’t universally expected then as it is now.  But the Bloomington Public TV station invited both to a candidates’ night, along with about a dozen legislative candidates.  Orr didn’t come, but Hillenbrand did.  And, amazingly, he went on the air anyway, along with the people running for the House and Senate, sitting in the back row.  Talk about minimizing yourself in front of the voters!

  Long Thompson certaintly isn’t doing anything like that.  But it just shows how the person holding the upper hand can marginalize the challenger just by keeping a certain distance.  So unless Long Thompson says something that really makes the governor mad (think Pat Bauer and the infamous car-bombing remark), don’t expect him to directly say much, if anything to any of her proposals this fall.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jill Long Thompson says she won’t break the $3.8 billion lease of the Indiana Toll Road, but she says she will try to renegotiate it if she can.

Thompson made her comments by announcing she would take a second look at all of the state’s privatization contracts.  She says Lt. Governor Candidate Dennie Oxley would spearhead the effort.

JLT says the Toll Road lease as well as the privatization/modernization of FSSA intake and eligibility were bad deals for the taxpayers and that she would try to cancel or renegotiate them.  She said everything was on the table and she would make the best decision based on what was most cost effective.

JLT did not say all privatization was bad and said she could support privatization for some services and equipment manufacturing, but she would not privatize the administration of state programs.

JLT said after 20 years the Toll Road consortium will make a profit and that money should be going to the state.  She downplayed the fact that consortium would also assume the costs and maintenance of the Toll Road.

A spokesperson for the Governor’s Office said the Toll Road lease has brought in hundreds of millions of dollars for state transportation projects and the consortium is investing more than $400 million in making improvements.

Frankly, absent some major breach of the agreement or serious meeting of the minds by the two parties,  I don’t see how the Toll Road lease can be renegotiated.   And if it were, I hope someone can find  the $51 million they’ll have to pay back for every year the lease is shortened.

The Guv has been traipsing across Indiana these past two weeks talking about expansions and making other economic development announcements. Perhaps he knew this news was coming today (emphasis added):

Between June 2008 and July 2008 nonfarm payroll employment increased
in 14 states and the District of Columbia, and decreased in 36 states.
The largest employment increases were recorded in Texas (+17,700), Ken-
tucky (+11,300), Kansas (+8,800), the District of Columbia (+6,700),
and Tennessee (+5,700). The District of Columbia posted the largest
over-the-month percentage increase in employment (+1.0 percent), fol-
lowed by South Dakota (+0.9 percent), Kansas and Kentucky (+0.6 percent
each), and North Dakota (+0.3 percent). The largest employment decreases
occurred in Florida (-21,400), Georgia (-18,900), Indiana (-16,500),
California (-14,900), and Arizona (-14,100). Alaska experienced the
largest over-the-month percentage decline in employment (-0.7 percent),
followed by Indiana (-0.6 percent), and Arizona, Georgia, Hawaii, and
Utah (-0.5 percent each).

Yeah, our economy’s really heading in the right direction.

For those of you playing along at home, here are a few additional fun facts:

• Between July 2007 and July 2008, Indiana’s unemployment rate jumped from 4.4% to 6.3%, an increase of 1.9%

• According to figures released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Indiana was 44th in the nation last year in terms of GDP growth. [BEA, 2007 GDP Report]

• Between February 2005 and July 2008, Mitch Daniels has created only 20,500 jobs for the state of Indiana.

• Under the leadership of Gov. Joe Kernan - between September, 2003 and January, 2005 - Indiana gained 52,500 jobs.