A long long time ago
I can still remember
How that music used to make me smile…

Today is “the day the music died” – and The Western Word honors that day, so read on!

Welcome to the 80th edition of “Caught My Eye!”  Caught My Eye is posted almost every Friday morning right here!  This is the column where I take a look at some of the stories I did not have time to comment about during the week (and often with just a touch of sarcasm).

Today I talk about planes in Great Falls, the Political Practices soap opera, a birthday, unemployment, Komen/Planned Parenthood, I share the e-mails from my political inbox and I close it out with American Pie.  Enjoy the read and enjoy your Friday…

Planes.  The Planes. 

The Great Falls Tribune is reporting this morning that Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer and Montana Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. John Walsh “believe they will receive notification of the new flying mission this morning from the director of the Air National Guard.”

The new flying mission will supposedly consist of eight C-130 cargo planes.  They will replace the F-15 fighter jets.

In other news, I “believe” I will win the lottery this weekend…

Update:  The Great Falls Tribune reports that the Montana Air National Guard “will get a new unit of eight large C-130 cargo/transport planes to replace its current F-15 fighter jet mission.”

I am sure glad they are the “large” C-130s…

There Are Four:

The leaders of the Montana Legislature sent four names to Governor Brian Schweitzer to fill the Commissioner of Political Practices slot.  He can pick someone else.

This whole process reminds me of a soap opera…

Birthday:

I have a birthday coming up next Friday and this year I am requesting large bills (tens and twenties) to help me celebrate.  Please do not send bills that I owe…

I am getting close to being older than dirt; I’ll let you know when that happens…

Unemployment:

The new rate is 8.3% down from 8.5% last month.  That is good positive news, but the fact is that thousands of people are not counted because they have exhausted their benefits and given up.

It’s also very good news for the Obama Campaign and every Democrat running for re-election as they can say they are making slow and steady growth.

Susan G. Komen/Planned Parenthood:

If you missed it, the Komen folks “decided to cut breast screening grants” to Planned Parenthood.  The Associated Press reports that those grants totaled $680,000 last year.

We can all have our differences on abortion, but these were “breast screening grants” and should not have ended.  Hopefully Planned Parenthood can obtain other grants and donations to continue breast screening. 

Update:  About an hour after posting this story, the Associated Press reported, “The Susan G. Komen for the Cure breast-cancer charity on Friday abandoned plans to eliminate grants to Planned Parenthood.”

That is a good thing…

Jack’s Political Inbox:

Almost every week I share some of the e-mails I received from elected officials, candidates, and groups.  This week there were five that caught my eye.  Enjoy!

-The Montana Democrats sent an e-mail with the subject “Grassroots 2012: See You Soon” where they talk about the upcoming workshop in Bozeman February 3 & 4.   They also say, “We’ll have great speakers like Senator Jon Tester and Congressman Pat Williams at the event, and you’ll have a chance to learn about organizing, messaging and more.”

Hopefully Tester will bring a suitcase full of beef for the dinner…

-The Rick Hill for Governor Campaign sent an e-mail with the subject, “And our 2000th Contributor is?” where they write, “This week we’ll achieve yet another milestone in our race for governor: the 2000th contributor to our campaign.  If you contribute today, it could be you.”

I was happy to receive this e-mail and not another one about a Great Falls fundraiser for Hill “In the back room of Jakers Grill.” 

-The Steve Bullock for Governor Campaign sent an e-mail with the subject, “The Biggest Threat to Citizens United” where they write, “The biggest threat to Citizens United.  That’s what a national political reporter called Steve Bullock.”

I think Jon Tester is the “biggest threat to Citizens United” because he outweighs Steve Bullock…

-The Stutz for Congress Campaign sent a press release with the subject, “Stutz Highlights His Stand Against Special Interests in Video” where they write about the campaign releasing a biography video of Stutz.  The video was done in Montana by Montanans.  You can view it HERE.

I like the part about him not being a millionaire (I’m not either).

–Rehberg for Senate Campaign Manager, Erik Iverson, sent an e-mail with the subject, “Get ready…” where he writes, “Get ready — because Senator Tester’s special-interest, negative attack squad is preparing to let loose a torrent of desperate, misleading attacks against Denny.”

I. Am. Ready.

Romney Speaks:

Mitt Romney is scaring the GOP folks because when he opens his mouth nobody knows which voting group he will offend next.  And now the GOP “Gods” are worried.  Read the story HERE.

The latest is when he said he was “not concerned about the very poor” because they have an “ample safety net.”

Let me clarify what I think Romney really means:  I am not concerned about the very poor because I am very rich.

Deputy Dayna (Update):

Readers may remember that on Wednesday I wrote about receiving an e-mail from Jon Tester’s new Deputy Campaign Manager, Dayna Swanson, and although she was the “new” Deputy Campaign Manager she was also listed on Tester’s Senate official (taxpayer-funded) staff as “Senior Advisor & Montana Staff Director.”

I’m happy to report that team Tester corrected that minor detail. Good job!

Now if they would just finish those yearly ethics reviews that were promised…

AP Highlight in History:

On Feb. 3, 2009, Eric Holder was sworn in as attorney general, becoming the first African-American to hold the post.

Now the Republicans are after him big time over “Fast and Furious.”

No matter whom the AG is, the other political party goes after them…

On This Date (Feb. 3) in 1959:

Rock ‘n’ roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson died in a plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa.

And with that, it’s time for American Pie:

Two More Things:

Follow me on Twitter @TheWesternWord and…Don’t forget to stretch…