Two New Ads

This morning I recorded two new ads. These will air across the state.

If you like these ads, please help us to get as many on the air as possible. There is still time available in most areas- even in the 3rd Congressional District! Click here to support. On average $10=1 ad!

As soon as the producer sends the files, we'll post them here. In the meantime, you can feast your eyes on the scripts:

New Ad #1

Each year, Hoosier politicians wring their hands in public about dismal voter turnout.

We know why people stay home election after election.

Republicans fail to deliver lower taxes and smaller government. Democrats fail to deliver protections of your personal freedoms.

Let me offer you an alternative. Vote Libertarian. Vote for me, Mike Kole for Secretary of State.

Libertarians will deliver on smaller government, lower taxes, and personal freedom.

As your Secretary of State, I’ll work to increase turnout.

I’ll work to put an end to gerrymandered districts that make the election a foregone conclusion in most parts of our state.

I’ll work to promote voter verifiable paper audit trails with our voting equipment – so votes are correctly counted.

I’ll cut the Secretary of State's budget by at least 1% in my first year.

Elect Libertarians. We will deliver.

Libertarians are passionate about smaller government and lower taxes. Republicans are passionate about holding power.

Send a message. Vote Libertarian.Vote for Libertarian Mike Kole.

Paid for and authorized by the Committee to Elect Mike Kole, Ken Johnson Treasurer.

New Ad #2

Everyday, we make choices. We love having choices.

What would the world be like if we only had two types of cars to choose from?

Two TV stations?

Two web sites?

Americans love choices. Choices in the marketplace allow you to get the things you really like.

Why should our elections be any different? Especially if two choices don’t represent you?

This election, keep choice an option on Indiana's ballots for the next four years.

A vote for Mike Kole, Libertarian for Secretary of State, is a vote to keep the Libertarian Party on the ballot for four more years.

It's a vote to keep a voice of smaller government and personal freedoms alive in the public debate.

It's a vote to ensure some competition in a political landscape equally split up by the republicans and democrats.

Keep choice in Indiana. Vote Libertarian. Vote for Mike Kole for Secretary of State.

Paid for and authorized by the Committee to Elect Mike Kole, Ken Johnson Treasurer.

Wasted Vote Syndrome Ad

With Rex Bell polling in the 30s, and in a close second, we know that now more than ever, a vote for a Libertarian is not a wasted vote.

Here is a link to Sendspace, where you can download the 60-second ad.

If you want to hear this effective, convincing message across Indiana and on your local radio station, click here to donate.

Two Sides of The Star

Looking at the Indy Star online today was bittersweet. Dan Carpenter included me in his list of honorable mentions for seven candidates who were not endorsed, but left very favorable impressions.

Then I looked at their "Voters Guide". It left me off their slick mock ballot. The Democrat & Republican were given headshot photos, bios, and a position statement. This Libertarian was given nothing- not even the journalistic minimum of "Libertarian Mike Kole is also on the ballot". (There is no dirct link for the Guide. It is a pop-up feature on the Star's main page.)

In fact, no Libertarian is included. No Eric Schansberg in District 9, no Steve Osborn for US Senate, nothing. There are nice elephant and donkey graphics for the Ds & Rs.

Maybe Matt Tully would just say I'm whining here, but this is an outrage!

Is this a paid advertisement for Ds & Rs, or is this a Voters Guide?
Is this malicious omission, or just shoddy journalism?

I respectfully call on the Star to remove this Voters Guide until such time as all ballotted candidates appear on it.

The Star is plainly free to publish whatever it chooses, just please don't call it journalism, and certainly don't call it a Voters Guide, because it's nothing of the sort.

This snub just illustrates why the purcase of radio ads is so important. We can't count on certain outlets to include us in the free publicity they heap on the other two, so in the grand Western tradition, we have to buy our message to compete. Please- click here to support our purchase of radio ads statewide. $10 = 1 minute, on average.

Trail Briefs

3-minute presentations are running on cable TV systems Insight (Lafayette & Kokomo), and Comcast (Indy). We're looking for someone to record these so we can put them on You Tube for a wider audience to see. Email the campaign at mikekole@msn.com with a digital file.

I was on Richmond radio this morning, talking Libertarian ballot status and wider ballot access. This was with Chris Nolte on WKBV 1490-am.

I was not able to attend a candidate forum at IU East as planned, as I broke a bone in my right hand after a fall at home. It may require surgery, but I hope not. The doc is going to set it tomorrow. I can't wait.

We've made a great push in funraising for radio ads. If you live in Evansville, Fort Wayne, Bloomington, Kokomo, Rushville, LaPorte, Richmond, or Indy especially, and want to be sure that you and your neighbors can hear our ads, please contribute today! Even $10 buys an ad or two, depending on the market. $250 will complete our buys in some markets, such as Columbus and Kokomo. Click here to support!

District One, mark your calendars! Mike and the team will be in Lowell on Friday, November 3, at the Pizza House, at 7pm. This will be a fundraiser for Mike Kole, and a fun evening with your fellow defenders of liberty. No RSVP required.

TV Taping For Lafayette

I was in the studios of Insight cable TV this afternoon, taping my promo for the ICN candidate show, "Candidates Up Close". These will run on ICN Channel 13 in Lafayette, West Lafayette, and Attica; and on ICN Channel 3 in Kokomo on the following schedule:

Monday, 10/23, 7pm
Wednesday, 10/25, 8pm
Saturday 10/28, 5pm
Sunday, 10/29, 9am
Monday, 10/31, 7pm
Wednesday, 11/1, 8pm
Saturday 11/4, 5pm
Sunday, 11/5, 9am
Monday, 11/6, 7pm

Be sure to tune in. See if any other statewide candidate bothered to turn up and tape their own promo. Here's a shot from my taping:

I appreciate the opportunity Insight created- for all candidates to have a 5-minute message for their viewers. Thanks, Insight!

Making Strides Event

Ame, Isabel, and I participated in the American Cancer Association's annual "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer" event, doing the Indianapolis 5k walk early this morning.

The broken toe was protesting a little, but I would have done this event in a wheelchair if necessary. Too many women close to me have suffered breast cancer, and I do what I can to assist in helping to find a cure.

New Radio Ad

As soon as new money comes in, we put it to work. We raised money at last night's bean dinner, and today we cut an ad to run on Indy's WXNT 1430-am. It will run once an hour during daytime programming- Abdul in the Morning, Neal Boortz, Bill O'Reilly, and Sean Hannity.

For those who can't stand O'Reilly or Hannity, or perhaps question the wisdom of heavy advertising on clearly Republican shows, observe the script:

My name is Mike Kole. I am the Libertarian candidate for Secretary of State.

People often tell me they like a great deal of what the Libertarian Party stands for, but are concerned about wasting their votes.

Let me tell you- there are a lot of wasted votes every November.

If you voted Republican looking for lower taxes and smaller government, you have wasted your vote.

You gave your vote. Did you get your results?

You might have expected them to deliver on smaller government and lower taxes, since they have had majorities in the Indiana House and Senate, plus the governor’s office. And yet, they failed to deliver.

Elect Libertarians. We will deliver.

Libertarians are passionate about smaller government and lower taxes. Republicans on the other hand, are passionate about holding power. They’re happy to collect your vote without delivering.

Why put up with that treatment? Send a message. Vote
Libertarian.

Vote for Libertarian Mike Kole.

Paid for and authorized by the Committee to Elect Mike Kole, Ken Johnson Treasurer.

If you like this ad and want more of them to run, please contribute by clicking here.

I'm very pleased with this ad. I have wanted to tackle the wasted voted syndrome in my ads for almost two years. This is a satisfying result!

Bean Dinner a Success!

Thursday night was a glorious night, as supporters of the Kole Campaign gathered for NK Hurst 15-Bean Soup, and fellowship with defenders of property rights.

Many, many thanks to great friend Jim Hurst, who put the event together and provided the excellent food. Also, thanks for his remarks in introducing me. Public speaking isn't everyone's idea of fun, and I appreciate that Jim got up and spoke because of his support for me. I appreciate that very much!

Many, many thanks to Rob Place and Dan Drexler, who managed many of the events' details.

Big thanks to Mark Rutherford for his exuberant fundraising pitch, and to Kyle McDonald for his dignified introductions.

Thanks of course to all who attended and contributed. Your support is the fuel I need for the stretch run!

We raised over $5,000 on this evening, and it will go a long way towards covering the state with radio ads.

Photo gallery:

Jim Hurst & Mike. Jim said, "OK. I want one of those toothy grinned politician handshake pictures". How can I turn this man down?

Alongside Jim Hurst, I'm listening to Fred McCarthy, Indianapolis budgetary watchdog and author of the great Indy Tax Dollars blog.

More Bean Dinner Photo Gallery

The Marrott's Ballroom was fabulous!

Supporters dig in to the NK Hurst 15-Bean Soup and their Pasta Fagioli.

Chatting with supporters.

Marion County Chair Greg Dixon presents me with a check on behalf of the Marion County LP.

Isabel: "Vote for my Daddy!"

Bean Dinner, Featuring NK Hurst Beans!

The Kole Campaign is proud to announce a Bean Dinner Fundraiser, featuring NK Hurst's 15-bean soup.

When: Thursday, October 19th, 7-9pm
Where: Marrott Ballroom, Fall Creek & Meridian, Indianapolis
Cost: $15/person
Menu: NK Hurst's 15-Bean Soup, jalapeno and regular corn bread, Coke products, plus cash bar. Vegetarian options available- just ask.
Speaking: Libertarian state chair Mark Rutherford, and candidate for Secretary of State Mike Kole

I was proud to speak before a joint session of the legislature defending the right of all Hoosiers to their property, and to just compensation in an eminent domain cases. This included the NK Hurst family, who fought the state's attempt to take their land for extra limo parking at the new stadium site. I was proud to write editorials praising their commitment to the city and criticizing the injustice of taking their land as 'thanks'. I am humbled that the Hursts have given me their support in this way.

Mark your calendars. Email your RSVP. This is a big event you will want to attend.

Forum Report

I was pleased to appear at the Greenbriar Elementary School last night at a candidate forum featuring those on the ballot in Washington Township. I appreciated the invitation and the opportunity, as this community is very in-tune with issues.

The organizers framed this as a job interview, with the citizens as the boss. I like these metaphors. They work.

I gave my standard stump speech on my platform items of increasing voter turnout, promoting and end to gerrymandering of districts, and the adaptation of voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) voting machines. I capped off in the spirit of the Woody Allen Rule, which is, "90% of success is showing up".

Oh, look! Empty seats surround me yet again. The statewide ballot is loaded with paper candidates.

I pointed out that once again, I was the only statewide candidate, for any statewide office, from any party to show up, and that this happens very routinely. I asked, "would you hire a prospect who failed to turn up for the job interview"? This was well received, and I found myself with pledges of support and votes.

Update: There is an amusing story in the Indy Star about the Republican candidates for statewide office, touring the state in a bus... today. From the Star report:

Three Republicans running for office, including Secretary of State Todd Rokita, set off today on a one-day bus tour to promote their campaigns.

On the bus with Rokita: Tim Berry, the current state treasurer and now candidate for state auditor, and Evansville businessman Richard Mourdock, who is running to replace Berry.

The three left Indianapolis this morning and planned to stop in five cities before returning tonight.

Wow. Five cities. Tra-la-la! I've made over 200 campaign events this year, and have been actively running a real campaign for over two years. These guys get on the bus for one little day. It's such sad commentary that they will get so many votes for bringing so little to the table.

Rokita brags on visiting all 92 counties as SOS. Guess what? That's his job. There's nothing extraordinary in that.

Radio Report

It was a great hour on the "Abdul in the Morning" show today, with Jim Hurst promoting my campaign. It really meant a lot to me that Jim has given me such strong support.

If you missed the show, no problem. Here are links to Sendspace, which is temporarily hosting the four 15-minute clips of the hour. They have all the commercials and promotions, so you know.

Jim Hurst & Mike, Part 1
Jim Hurst & Mike, Part 2
Jim Hurst & Mike, Part 3
Jim Hurst & Mike, Part 4

Big thanks to WXNT and Abdul Hakim-Shabazz for having us on the program this morning, and to Andrew Lee for permission to post the clips!

Comcast Candidate Show

Some time ago, I taped a 2-minute spot for Comcast cable, to be aired in the Indianapolis system. Here's the schedule:

Comcast Channel 72

Thursday, October 19th, 7-9pm
Saturday, October 21st, 7-9pm
Tuesday, October 24th, 7-9pm
Thursday, October 26th, 7-9pm
Saturday, October 28th, 7-9pm
Tuesday, October 31st, 7-9pm

If you watch it, please make a digital recording of it. I'd like to post the video to You Tube so that everyone can see it. Email the team to arrange sending a file to us! We would be most appreciative!

Bean-efit Ad

We're running ads on WXNT for the Kole Campaign's bean dinner, featuring NK Hurst Company's 15-bean soup. The ads will run once an hour Wednesday & Thursday from 6am through 3pm.

We can run more ads if the money comes in. Click Here to contribute for more ads.

Click here to listen to the ad!

Not An Endorsement, But...

The Indianapolis Star issued its endorsement for Secretary of State this morning. While they continue to seemingly give the nod to the front-runners, they did have this to say about me:

Libertarian Mike Kole is a thoughtful representative of his party. He should easily win the minimum number of votes needed to ensure a spot on the ballot for Libertarians in future elections.

32 positive words. That's major progress from a paper that was openly hostile to us in April and in years past. I am pleased that the Star's Editorial Board included this comment, and hope it is read far and wide, because they haven't held back on negative comments in their endorsements this year. They trashed the Republican and Democratic candidates for US House in District 7 because they deserved a good trashing.

The Libertarian Party of Indiana has worked hard on its credibility. This is a small result, but one that I believe helps pave the way for endorsements and better treatment in the media overall.

Radio Alert

Be sure to tune in to WXNT 1430-am on Wednesday morning at 8am. Jim Hurst & I will be guests on the "Abdul in the Morning" show to talk about the Kole Campaign "Beanefit" Bean Supper.

Those outside the Indianapolis area can listen online. Click here!

Support Needed For Radio

We need to get 420 radio ads purchased. They cost around $4,500. These 1-minute ads will be aired on 28 radio stations across Indiana. The same kind of ads were key to doubling the ballot access threshhold tied to the Secretary of State's race in 2002.

Click here to contribute. Even a $10 donation buys an ad.

Remember: Libertarian Party ballot access depends on my outcome. If I come in first or second in any given county (a distinct possibility!) Libertarians get appointments to boards and commissions like Board of Zoning Appeals.

Here's the list of stations:

Anderson WHBU-AM 1240
Aurora WXCH-FM 103.1
Aurora WSCH-FM 99.3
Bedford WBIW-AM 1340
Berne WZBD-FM 92.7
Boonville WBNL-AM 1540
French Lick WFLQ-FM 100.1
Hardinsburg WKLO-FM 96.9
Huntingburg WBDC-FM 100.9
Kendallville WAWK-AM 1140
Loogootee WRZR-FM 94.5
Madison WORX-FM 96.7
Madison WXGO-AM 1270
Michigan City WEFM-FM 95.9
Monticello WMRS-FM 107.7
Oxford WIBN-FM 98.1
Paoli WUME-FM 95.3
Portland WPGW-FM 100.9
Portland WPGW-AM 1440
Rensselaer WRIN-AM 1560
Rochester WROI-FM 92.1
Santa Claus WAXL-FM 103.3
Seymour WQKC-FM 93.7
Sullivan WNDI-AM 1550
Sullivan WNDI-FM 95.3
Wabash WKUZ-FM 95.9
Washington WAMW-AM 1580
Washington WAMW-FM 107.9

Click here to contribute. Help us spread the Libertarian message and reach our goals!

Thursday Trail Report

This was another day that was a whirlwind of travel and interviews. Dan Drexler was my driver and road strategist. The first interview was with Kevin Keith of White River Broadcasting. The interview was for WCSI, but was likely to have portions additionally aired on the three other Indiana stations in the network.

On the air with Kevin Keith, WCSI-Columbus.

This was a 15-minute interview that covered the usual topics- Libertarian Party ballot status and the Elections Division, especially gerrymandering and voter verified paper audit trail voting machines. This interview has been posted at the Kole Campaign website in three files. Listen now!

Next stop was Seymour and a visit to the offices of the Tribune. I sat down with reporter Aubrey Woods, who noted more than once that I was the only candidate of any party, of any statewide race, who stopped at their offices this election season. I've been hearing that a lot, as will be seen.

The gerrymandering issue resonated with Mr. Woods, as all of the Statehouse candidates with districts that include Jackson County are running unopposed. From Woods' Tribune article:

One of the issues Kole said he believes the secretary of state's office needs to tackle is voting machines that can be trusted.

"I want to see an auditable voter verification paper trail audit system," Kole said. That system would allow voters to review their choices before making them final."

Grocery stores and other retailers allow you to see what you are buying, on the screen and on paper," Kole said. "Why can't we do this with our votes?"

Kole said such a move would serve to eliminate some of the distrust voters have with present systems.

He would also eliminate gerrymandering of districts because they ensure the election of officials and hold down voter turnout because elections are seen as a foregone conclusion.

The last stop was in Charlestown for the Clark County Farmers Bureau candidate forum.

Mike stands alone among statewide candidates.

The event started with the top of ticket. Eric Schansberg was there, but was not given an opportunity to speak. The Farm Bureau is not a Federal PAC, so it was not giving Federal candidates such as Schansberg the floor. Funny what campaign finance "reform" is doing to quiet discourse in America. This left Secretary of State candidates as the top of ticket. I was the only one to show, which cause room-wide snickering. I found that interesting, because the room was filled with Republican and Democratic partisans.

At any rate, I had the floor to myself. Again, I presented my platform of promoting higher turnout, and end to gerrymandering, and the use of VVPAT machines.

The New Albany News & Tribune not the presence of Schansberg & Kole- and the absence of their opponents. From David Mann's report:

The one federal candidate who showed up — 9th District Libertarian congressional candidate Eric Schansberg — joked that there might have been more candidates than regular voters at the event.

But Schansberg was just there to shake hands. Others got a chance to tell those attending what they were all about.

Here’s what a few of them had to say:

Libertarian Mike Kole was the only candidate for Secretary of State to make it to the forum.

Kole said he’s been traveling around the state at such forums and has been noticing that his opponents are not showing up. “It’s a real shame,” he said. And it speaks to voter disinterest.

Being a candidate is not simply the act of putting your name on a piece of paper, he said, but it’s a duty for the candidate to get out and meet the people who might be voting for them.

I've long held The Woody Allen Rule as my personal motto: "90% of success is simply showing up." There is a long-term lesson here for Libertarian candidates. Reporters still cover the top of ticket with the greatest attention. If we show up, and they don't, we get the coverage.

It is clear that the Ds & Rs have indeed created a game that allows them to concede that certain offices will be held by one or the other, leaving them to fight over just a small handful of offices. Observe the Democrats' cynical ploy this year for Indiana- back three Congressional races and the Marion County Prosecutors race; do the minimums elsewhere and suck up votes from your base for nothing. They didn't even bother to run a candidate for US Senate!

Alongside this, candidates from both "major" parties are only cherry-picking events. They attend if it's close to home, or in Indianapolis, or a large media event. It is the norm to not see a single other statewide candidate where I appear, not the exception. I've only seen the Republican incumbent twice all year. Twice! And I've been to over 180 events this year.

Wednesday Trail Report, Part 2

(The original post was too big for Blogger to post all the pictures!)

Yard signs in Kokomo. Dean's property and neighbors.

We left Ned's Corner Pub for Cedar Crest Lanes. The owner here has collected over 750 signatures of their patrons in protest of Kokomo's ban.

Kokomo clearly didn't ask the patrons. Bowling alley employees hold signed petitions.

Cedar Crest even has two sets of doors to seperate their bar from the bowling area. Prior to the ban, they created special smoke-free days and times, but report that this voluntary change in policy failed to attract crowds, otherwise they may have embraced it. They know who their customers are.

Kole yard signs outside the bowling alley.

We stopped at an IHOP on US 31 that had built in a separate smoking section that had its own ventilation system and had a door to close it off from the no-smoke section. This didn't make the grade with Kokomo, so IHOP simply keeps the door shut and the lights off in this section. It is completely unused. There is a newspaper in Kokomo that is missing a major news story, I tell you.

After Kokomo, we went over to Huntington for a dinner. Guests included Felix Aguilar (candidate for Indiana House District 50), and Doug Horner, host of the Fort Wayne TV show "Libertarian Perspectives". We talked campaign strategy at first, and then it all got very philosophical. I think Felix and Doug may have hung around for several hours after Kyle & I left.
Last stop was at the Indiana Wesleyan University campus in Marion, where the IWU College Libertarians invited me to speak at their regular meeting. This was my second meeting with this group, and they are as enthusiastic and active as ever. I was very grateful to have several students sign up to work polling places on election day. Most (about 90%) are from states other than Indiana, so we spent a good deal of time talking about the LP affiliates in their home states. Enjoying the discussion in one of IWU's great sofas.

Libertarian candidate for US House, District 5 Sheri Conover Sharlow also appeared and spoke. We enjoyed the hospitality shown by the IWU CLs, and the cozy setting.

Home late for a few hours sleep, a few hours of business work, and back to the trail! Thursday would be spent in Southern Indiana.

Wednesday's Report

Now this is the campaign trail! New LPIN executive director Kyle McDonald would be with me all day. We started in Lebanon, to meet with Rod Rose of the Lebanon Reporter. The Reporter carries southern Indiana libertarian Debbie Harbeson's regular column.

Rod knew quite a lot about our ballot access issues, and we discussed those items at leangth. He asked for my take on the GOP illegal immigration plan, and then we returned to my platform of Secretary of State issues. I'll look forward to seeing what is published.

Heading out of the interview with Rod Rose. A great interview and fun to see the old front pages throughout the offices.

From Lebanon, we went to Frankfort, for a sit down with the Frankfort Times reporter Marci Wright. This interview was very in-depth on the various outcomes related to the SOS results, ranging from the ballot status to the appointments to boards and commissions at the county and municipal levels, and also my platform points.

Frankfort Times reporter Traci Wright gets the details about our non-competitive elections.

Kyle & I zipped quickly from Frankfort to Kokomo, so that we could meet with a variety of business owners who are feeling the sting of their city's recently imposed smoking ban. As usual, we learned that the city council did not seek the input of business owners, their employees, or patrons, instead relying on the lobbyists who promote such bans. The most interesting comment to come out of this, "Haven't we shuttered enough businesses in Kokomo yet?" Apparently, this predictable effect never crossed the minds of the council members who voted in favor.

With Dean, the owner of Ned's Corner Pub

Dean advised me that his business may not make it through 2007. It has been open since 1964. He said it's goofy to see, but often times there will be more people standing around in the parking lot (the "outdoor smoking section") than there are inside the bar. True to form, he echoed the too-common theme that government doesn't listen. We urged him to make them listen by replacing them. We advised that the Libertarian Party will be delighted to run candidates in 2007 that specifically target city council that vote for policy that cripples small businesses.

(See Part 2 for continuation...)