Indicted Senator Ted Stevens asks that his bribery trial be moved to Alaska.

Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges he lied about accepting more than a quarter of a million dollars worth of gifts. He asked for a trial before he stands for re-election in November.

In the midst of his re-election bid, lawyers for the Senate's longest-serving Republican maintained Stevens' innocence at his afternoon arraignment in federal court in Washington.

Stevens, wearing a cream colored suit, did not speak when U.S. District Judge Emmet G. Sullivan asked for his plea. Stevens' attorney, Brendan Sullivan, answered for him.

Stevens' legal team asked the judge to move the trial to Alaska, where the senator has been a political patron since before statehood. Attorney Sullivan also asked that the trial date be speeded up to give Stevens his day in court before the Nov. 4 election.

It is no surprise that Stevens wants to get this thing over as quickly as possible. In his mind this is just another minor irritation that he needs to deal with before he can get re-elected and fly back to Washington to the office he has occupied for over four decades.

The McCain campaign has been calling Obama arrogant, but if you want to see real arrogance then you really need to spend a little time listening to Alaska's Uncle Ted Stevens. The guy simply cannot imagine that he can be beaten in a political campaign or that he has to follow the same rules as the average citizen.

And I hope this judge is too smart to allow Stevens to get the venue of the trial changed to Anchorage. That may be the only way that Stevens can beat these charges.

Do not forget that everybody in that jury pool will drive to the courthouse on roads that Ted Stevens brings money into the state to keep in good repair. They will leave a house that has items paid for with permanent fund money that Ted Stevens helped to put into their hands each year. On their way to pass judgement on him they will find themselves surrounded by reminders of how much Ted Stevens has done for Alaska over the years. Remember the Alaskan saying "he may be a crook, but he is OUR crook."

Not only that but the prosecutors, witnesses, and media types will all disembark from their planes in the Ted Stevens international airport. How is that for intimidation?

No if the judge wants to see Ted Stevens face justice he absolutely DOES NOT want to throw him into the Alaskan briar patch. Because that is exactly what Brer Ted is counting on.