Congratulations on making it to Friday! The big news is we are now just four days from Election Day 2012. Can you believe this is the last weekend before the big election? Are you ready for it all to end?

By Monday evening the major campaigns will have their internal (rolling) poll numbers in, and they will probably have a good idea if their Tuesday night will be filled with happiness or sadness.

To prepare for the evening, you should follow me on Twitter @TheWesternWord for all the updates!

If this is your first time visiting The Western Word, the “Caught My Eye” column is posted every Friday morning right here! It’s where I take a quick look at some of the stories I did not have time to write about during the week – and I often throw in a touch of sarcasm just to make you smile. So, get ready to head into your weekend armed with knowledge and a smile.

Today I write about the Montana Governor’s poll, unemployment numbers, the Montana Statesman, American Tradition Partnership, U.S. Senate political ads, the boat crash video, Ronald Reagan, Twitter battles, plus I crack open my political inbox and share! There’s a lot more, so read on…Governor’s Poll:

According to Lee Newspapers, a new Mason-Dixon poll of 625 people this week “shows that the Montana governor’s race remains tight, with Republican Rick Hill at 49 percent to Democrat Steve Bullock at 46 percent.”

I was polled by Mason-Dixon this week for all the statewide races as well as the Presidential race. At the end they asked me if I would like to be interviewed by a reporter from Lee Newspapers about the poll. I declined. I don’t really trust Lee Newspaper reporters to accurately report what I say…

Unemployment Rate:

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 171,000 in October, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 7.9 percent, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.”

The news does not really help or hurt President Obama or Governor Romney…

Montana Statesman:

I received my “Free Issue” of the Montana Statesman newspaper which has a return address of American Tradition Partnership, P.O. Box 11894, Bozeman, Montana, 59718. Most articles were anti-democrat with Governor candidate Steve Bullock having the most negative articles written about him.

I really enjoyed the article in the “Parenting” section about “Bump on the head could be trouble” and wonder why the folks at Montana Statesman have not had their heads checked…

American Tradition Partnership:

American Tradition Partnership (ATP) has been in the news a lot lately – probably not what they want. According to the Associated Press, “A judge said Thursday that he will sanction American Tradition Partnership — at the center of several legal battles over Montana’s campaign laws — for failing to produce organizational records in a 2-year-old case where it is fighting allegations of illegal electioneering.”

We need stronger rules and laws for our elections, as it is getting out of hand…

U.S. Senate Political Ads:

Lee Newspapers takes a look at the political ads in the U.S. Senate race and the reporter gives his opinion on what is true and false.

Now we get to hear the closing arguments from the candidates in speeches and in their latest ads on television and radio.

The campaigns should post the campaign videos on-line quickly so the media can link to them (which might give them more exposure). You can also e-mail me the link at Western_Word@Yahoo.com

Ohio Political Ads:

If you think you have it bad in your state with all the political ads, read on. During a TV News broadcast in Columbus, Ohio, there were 22 consecutive political ads. They have been put in fast-forward mode for your (quick) viewing pleasure.

Watch it HERE.

Boat Crash Summary:

The Montana Democrats put together a short video about the Montana media’s coverage of the boat crash that involved former state Senator Greg Barkus and Congressman Denny Rehberg. You can watch it HERE.

Jack’s Political Inbox:

As you know if you read this blog very often, I subscribe to receive updates from candidates, elected officials, and/or groups (from all political parties). Several others just send me their info without me asking just hoping they get mentioned (in a kind and gentle way) here at The Western Word! So each week I select a few that “Caught My Eye” and share them with my readers – and sometimes poke fun at them. This week I picked seven that I think you will enjoy…

-The Rick Hill for Montana Governor Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Correcting the misinformation” in which they wrote, “We’ve seen a lot of misinformation spread about the contribution our campaign received from the Montana Republican Party. It’s important that we correct this misinformation with the facts.”

Putting on a good face when you are drinking a can of “crap cola” is good campaign strategy…

-The Steve Bullock for Montana Governor Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “BREAKING: TV Stations Pull Down Untruthful Pro-Hill Ads” in which they say, “I knew that I’d have a target on my back when I took on the so-called “American Tradition Partnership” and the rest of the out-of-state groups that wanted to put our election up for sale. But I never thought they’d attack my family.” They go on to say, “In a coordinated attack on mail, TV, radio and illegal phone calls, they are accusing me of sending contracts to my brother’s company. It’s a lie and Congressman Hill and his secretive backers should be ashamed.”

Isn’t free speech wonderful…

-The Jon Tester Campaign sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Friend, can you volunteer?” in which he says, “We’ve been through a lot in the past year. Nearly $16 million in special interest attacks from Karl Rove, the Koch brothers, and others on Montana TV. But we have fought back. Our race is as close as ever. And right now, our #1 focus has to be getting voters to the polls. Help Team Tester get out the vote! Click here today to find a time that works for you!”

Tester should hand out suitcases full of beef to a volunteer in each office. Seriously, at least once in your life you should volunteer on a political campaign. It is (mostly) fun…

-The Montana Republican Party sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Jeb Bush Endorses Sandy Welch for Montana Education Superintendent” in which, somewhat ironically, they tell me that “With five-days until Montanans go to the polls to choose their next State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Gov. Jeb Bush, who championed education reform while serving as Florida’s governor, announced his support for Sandy Welch.”

I’m thinking the Superintendent of Public Instruction race here in Montana may be closer than expected…

–Joe Biden sent me an e-mail with the subject, “Don’t brush this off, Jack” where he says, “In less than a week, Barack is heading to Chicago for Election Night. Whether he addresses the nation that night as a winner is up to you. Barack knows it. I know it, too. It’s why he wants you there with him. But tonight at midnight is your last chance to enter.

I think Biden might be able to take me in a fight…

-The Montana Republican Party sent me an e-mail with the subject, “MTGOP files FEC complaint against LCV, MCV & MT Hunters and Anglers” and they added that they were looking to file complaints against the rest of the alphabet in the coming days (just kiddin’ on that last part).

You should really follow me on Twitter (@TheWesternWord) for more fun, especially on Election Night!

–Governor Brian Schweitzer sent me an e-mail on Halloween with the subject, “Frightening” in which I figured he would show me a photo of him dressed as Uncle Sam, but he talked about Kim Gillan, who he says “is a problem solver that knows it’s small businesses that create jobs. Kim knows that by investing in education you get a trained workforce that will be able to compete with anybody — and that is what Kim and I did working together in Helena.”

When I saw the photo, I thought Schweitzer had gone Tea Party on us…

1983:

According to the Associated Press on this date in 1983, “President Ronald Reagan signed a bill establishing a federal holiday on the third Monday of January in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.”

The Republicans need another Ronald Reagan to slap them across the face and bring them back to this planet. Reagan is one of my favorite Presidents….

Take it on the Road:

During this campaign season it’s been fun reading the back and forth between the Tester and Rehberg campaign folks on Twitter, specifically Rehberg’s Chris Bond (@cjbond) and Tester’s Aaron Murphy (@amurph).

By the way, Murphy has been great in providing information to this blog during the campaign. Hopefully Tester will give him a large bonus after the election – maybe a suitcase full of beef…

I’m thinking maybe they could take their show on the road after the election and have the Montana GOP’s Chris Shipp (@CJShipp) and have Democrat Norma Duffy (@Ilikewoods) come along just for the fun of it. It would be some post-election fun!

They are Twitter warriors and fun to follow…

Three More Things:

Don’t forget to vote, don’t forget to stretch, and enjoy this Bruce Springsteen video, “We Take Care of Our Own” and one way you can do that is to vote!