Lunsford Turns Up the Heat in KY Senate Race

Bruce Lunsford, Democratic candidate for the US Senate in Kentucky, has launched a new website exposing the truth about incumbent Republican Senator Mitch McConnell's record. 

ElectBlue encourages our readers to visit the site . We urge you to contribute in whatever way you can to help Lunsford win this important seat for the people of Kentucky and to increase the Senate Democratic majority.

Global Warming Proved: Alaska Spawns Its First Hurricane

While Gustav ravages the Gulf Coast and Hanna poses a late-week threat to the south Atlantic states, a totally unprecedented weather phenomenon is assaulting the lower forty-eight from the arctic waters of Alaska. Hurricane Sarah developed suddenly and unexpectedly late last week, confounding professional prognosticators and pundits alike. 

Within an astonishingly short time, this arctic cyclone has strengthened to category 5 and now threatens the presidential campaign of John McCain with utter destruction. Her hard-right winds have turned off centrist voters, just as the obvious pandering of her creation has infuriated women across the country. Sarah's powerful gusts have unleashed scandal after scandal, with promises of more to come. Her unbelievably low barometric pressure is raising serious doubts about the GOP presidential nominee's judgement.

Now comes the incredible news that Sarah's storm surge is about to over-top the Country First levee surrounding McCain World.  Once thought to be unbreachable, the Country First levee is reported to be giving way after being hit by the revelation that Sarah once belonged to the extremist Alaska Independence Party whose motto is Alaska First, Alaska Always. The secessionist group seeks independence for the 49th state and aims to reclaim all (US) federal lands in Alaska. Honest.

As recently as 1994, Sarah was a delegate to the AIP state convention and reportedly did not officially cut ties with the fringe group until 1996. Even as recently this year (2008), Sarah addressed the AIP in a video taped message in which she urges the AIP faithful to "keep up the good work".  McCain volunteers have been seen frantically stacking sandbags in a desperate effort to keep their campaign from being swept away by Sarah's onslaught. At this hour, observers are unsure if they will succeed.

You can read more about the latest blast from Hurricane Sarah in this blog by Jake Tapper, ABC News Senior Correspondent. The video linked in Tapper's blog is the one Sarah sent to the AIP earlier this year. Videre, credere.

Where Were You On August 29, 2005?

I'm not at all surprised that John McCain is already politicizing the events surrounding Hurricane Gustav.  In an effort to make Americans believe he's putting country first, McCain has cancelled all political speeches for today.  After all, it would look pretty bad if Republicans were having a party while a major hurricane was hitting New Orleans, right?

Oh, but wait...

The McCain spirit to party hearty was in perfect order the first time.  On August 29, 2005, the day Katrina hit, McCain and Bush stood shoulder to shoulder in front of McCain's 69th birthday party cake.  No joke.  While Americans in New Orleans were watching their lives wash away before their very eyes, John McCain and George Bush were having a grand time.  Most important to them at that moment was a birthday party, not New Orleans. 

Why not party this time?  Let the 2008 convention speeches roll and the balloons fall Senator! Have another piece of birthday cake even.  At least it wouldn't be as disingenuous as this sham of an idea to cancel to the show today.  Where was your reverence in 2005? (Here's the official news release from the White House from that day).

Believe it or not, it gets better.  My favorite part.  

A few months ago, John McCain, the straight talking maverick remember, stood firm and shook his fist in front of reporters as he bashed Bush for his mismanagement of FEMA's response. According to McCain, this is what he himself would have done.

"I would've landed my airplane at the nearest Air Force base and come over personally."

Actually Senator, you were already at an airforce base the moment Katrina was ravaging the coast of New Orleans. You were celebrating your birthday with President Bush at Luke Airforce Base in Arizona, remember? 

McCain's Voting Record.  You're On Your Own New Orleans.

On Sunday August 28, 2005, McCain was interviewed by Bob Schieffer on Face The Nation (transcript in pdf). Just three days after Katrina devastated New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region, McCain made no mention of the damage or the victims left behind.  

Although the leading discussion was framed around his support for war in Iraq, one would think McCain would have at least made a slight mention of the exploding humanitarian crisis.

John McCain's sense of urgency to talk about Katrina on August 28, 2005 is reflected in his own voting record a few days later.

H.R. 2862.  Vote #234

September 15, 2005

Only a few weeks after McCain's official statement "to reach out to those affected by this tragedy," McCain voted NO to extend unemployment benefits, food relief, and tax assistance for hurricane victims.  Only one Republican, Arlen Specter, voted in favor of the bill.  Barack Obama also supported the measure. Thanks to Senator McCain and his fellow Republicans who controlled the Senate in 2005 the bill failed. You're on your own New Orleans!

H.R. 2862. Vote #229

September 14, 2005

Voting straight down party lines, Republicans blocked a measure which would have "established a congressional commission to examine the Federal, State, and local response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf Region" and made "immediate corrective measures to improve such responses in the future."  

Thanks to John McCain and his Republican colleagues who opposed the measure, the bill failed. Barack Obama voted in favor of the bill.  Senator McCain, as shown in the video below, says he "supported every investigation," which of course turns out to be untrue.   He voted against establishing a Katrina Commission not once but twice.   See also H.R. 4297. Vote #6.

S. 1932. Vote #285

November 3, 2005

Three Republicans voted in favor of this bill which would have provided five months of access to Medicaid.  John McCain wasn't one of them. Thanks to him and other compassionate conservative Republicans, the bill failed. Barack Obama voted in favor of the proposal.

Country First?

McCain claims he voted against the Katrina aid because the bills were nothing but "pork barrel projects that had nothing to do with New Orleans."  But according to a FactCheck.org study, "the Clinton amendments [that McCain voted against], however, would have provided $3 million for the investigation but no funds for anything else." 

Even more, if he were so opposed to the bills because of embedded pork, why didn't he write his own bill with all that pork removed?  Where was your compromising, bi-partisan gang then?  You can bet if this had been a bill to drill, there would have been more than one or two Republicans supporting it.  You wouldn't have heard a word about excess pork.  

Here's McCain justifying his position and stating his noble "support for the every investigation."  Memory anyone?

So, all the sudden, we're supposed to believe the compassionate, conservative, straight talking words of John McCain spoken just yesterday. "Of course this is a time when we have to do away with most of our party politics."

Right Senator.  You're asking us to believe you this time when you deliver your acceptance speech from a disaster zone via satellite?  You've come a long way in three years.  From eating your own birthday cake while victims you voted against were hanging on to dear life in 2005 to preparing your own theatre during an election year in 2008. Perhaps if you and your fellow Republicans had handled the Katrina response with any kind of urgency (and dignity), you wouldn't be running around like scalded dogs this week.

It's fair to question McCain's sudden sense of urgency for New Orleans. His record on Katrina is very clear.  Ready to lead on day one?  Absolutely not.  While it's okay to stand beside President Bush in support of a $750 billion war in Iraq, he's a penny pincher when it comes to delivering basic human services to suffering Americans during a national emergency.  Country first?

Read More on John McCain's Voting Record

A Study in Political Malpractice: JSM III Edition

John Sidney McCain III's pick of Sarah Palin to be his running mate has to make one seriously wonder if he is off of his rocker. Now, I hardly ever engage in hyper-partisan attacks and I'm not now; but it's time to recognize and talk about the fact that this is either a man who is no longer behaving in a rationale manner or a man so detached that he is letting ill-informed advisers sink his campaign. I won't presume to guess which is the case; but either should scare ordinary Americans.

His choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate is perhaps the most brash, irresponsible political move by a national candidate in over a generation. And that's not hyperbole. Objectively speaking, it appears to also be a decision that is electorally disastrous.

Now I am a strong Democrat and a strong supporter of Senator Obama since the day he announced, but lets look at the facts in an objective manner:

* Palin gives the GOP ticket little to no direct electoral or geographic help. She does probably put Alaska in the bank for McCain, but nothing else. Alaska is also so unique and small of a state cut off from the rest of the country that no other state is similar enough demographic wise to help the ticket out.

* I think she may well have a cultural problem. As Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic wrote : "The moose stew stuff and her childrens' names may be geographically and culturally appropriate, but pardon me if I surmise that some folks in the Pennsylvania T aren't going to be entranced." This goes back to my earlier point about how Alaska has such a disconnect to even the Rocky Mountain states and the Pacific Northwest.

* This looks like an affirmative action pick, when running against a black guy.

* This looks desperate a la Mondale in 1984. McCain going into Denver was down about five points, not fifteen. He did not need such a gamble. The American people like steadiness and confidence, not someone who's trying a lob a Hail Mary down the field.

* It looks overtly political. Now every decision, and especially the running mate, is an explicitly political decision; however it is never good to make those decisions look at least semi-non political. No one not on RNC payroll realizes that this is some sort of effort to win over women; specifically Clinton voters. Imagine how it'd look if someone put a state wide official from Ohio or Florida (Charlie Crist not being able to pass vetting aside...) on the ticket. That's what this is, but worse.

* So much for that whole experience thing. Obama-Biden now has over a decade of more elected office experience than McCain-Palin.

* Some Republican operative friends of mine, to be fair, have stated optimism about Palin helping with GOP-leaning women independents in the suburbs. While this is possible, the potential upside is marginal compared to the risk.

* On that note, once those women in the Philly burbs find out Palin is against teaching evolution and is opposed to abortion even in cases of rape, they very well could be repelled.

* Yes, the GOP base loves her. But McCain was already polling in the upper 80s with Republicans; and while its possible she helps with turnout, it only helps him with those already voting for him.

* The one bit of caution I do have is to be careful in dealing with her. Biden especially needs to be careful not to be Rick Lazio and appear as a bully in the VP debate. I'd also refrain from asking how she can be VP and raise a down-syndrome baby. Palin isn't a threat, right now, so be aware of that fact and don't set us up for a backlash.

Overall, while there are possibilities of upside for McCain here, those are slim and marginal. He was a slight underdog in this race, now Obama is the prohibitive favorite. I don't know who ultimately made this decision, but it was irrational and brash. I would admit, as I would had Willard Mitt Romney been the pick, if McCain's running mate was a smart move; but Palin is a horrible and reason-defying choice. My friends, we just got our Christmas present early.

McCain Proves Why He's the Risky Choice. Fails First Test

In his first test to prove himself as qualified to be President, John Sidney McCain has failed. John McCain, not Barack Obama, is the riskier choice.  He's perhaps the riskiest choice in modern history.  His judgement in choosing Palin is all the proof we need.

Palin, with absolutely no foreign policy experience, an undergraduate degree in Journalism, Governor for only a year and a half, and former mayor of a tiny town is McCain's top choice for who should become President in the event of an emergency?  And he met her just once in his life before asking her to be his veep?  McCain and Palin do have one qualification in common. Palin owns a lot of homes too!  Three to be exact.   

Quite simply, any man with a resume this thin would have been passed over.  It's as if the campaign is a game to McCain, full of ploys and strategies to win. McCain is putting politics and winning an election above the security of the nation by choosing Palin. It's Bush to the core! Win at all costs.  

Here's David Gergen's take:

Paul Begala on McCain's pick: 

"For a man who is 72 years old and has had four bouts with cancer to have chosen someone so completely unqualified to become president is shockingly irresponsible. Suddenly, McCain's age and health become central issues in the campaign, as does his judgment."

Former Bush speech writer, David Frum:

"It's a wild gamble, undertaken by our oldest ever first-time candidate for president in hopes of changing the board of this election campaign. Maybe it will work. But maybe (and at least as likely) it will reinforce a theme that I'd be pounding home if I were the Obama campaign: that it's John McCain for all his white hair who represents the risky choice, while it is Barack Obama who offers cautious, steady, predictable governance."

Del Ali, President of Research 2000

"In my estimation as a pollster and analyst, while historic for the GOP in selecting their first woman on a national ticket, this choice may be the worst selection by a major party nominee for President in modern times."

The reaction of my mother who happens to be a registered Republican who's voting for Obama:

"To me this is a smoke screen McCain can hide behind. They will use her as new gift wrap around the last eight years of an old package. Would a man be picked with such a short resume? Of course not!"

Northern Exposure

As I try to make sense of John McCain's decision to choose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate, there is just no escaping the fact that it is a desperate act of pandering to women voters. I guess McCain just does not understand that, for political pandering to work, it cannot be too obvious. Otherwise, you run the risk of insulting the very people whose votes you are trying to get. McCain's choice of Palin veritably screams pandering. Women surely must be outraged.

Does John Sidney McCain III really believe that women voters, much less former supporters of Hillary Clinton, are going to be taken in by such a blatantly cynical move? Does he think women are that shallow?  Does McCain believe women are just not interested in the real political issues that affect their lives? Or maybe he's been listening to too much Rush Limbaugh...

Sarah Palin is a hard-right conservative whose political views are anathema to everything Senator Clinton stands for. Does the Arizona Senator seriously imagine that any significant number of Independent or Democratic women will vote for him just because he has a woman on the ticket? Talk about disrespect... !

Attempting to attract women voters by putting Sarah Palin on the ticket is a bit like choosing Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) for VP in hopes of getting the gay vote. 

Sad, Senator McCain, very sad...

Press Release - National Organization for Women

Not Every Woman Supports Abortion Rights

August 29, 2008

Statement of NOW PAC Chair Kim Gandy on the Selection of Sarah Palin as John McCain's Vice Presidential Pick

Sen. John McCain's choice of Alaska governor Sarah Palin as his running mate is a cynical effort to appeal to disappointed Hillary Clinton voters and get them to vote, ultimately, against their own self-interest.

Gov. Palin may be the second woman vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket, but she is not the right woman. Sadly, she is a woman who opposes women's rights, just like John McCain.

The fact that Palin is a mother of five who has a 4-month-old baby, a woman who is juggling work and family responsibilities, will speak to many women. But will Palin speak FOR women? Based on her record and her stated positions, the answer is clearly No.

In a gubernatorial debate, Palin stated emphatically that her opposition to abortion was so great, so total, that even if her teenage daughter was impregnated by a rapist, she would "choose life" -- meaning apparently that she would not permit her daughter to have an abortion.

Palin also had to withdraw her appointment of a top public safety commissioner who had been reprimanded for sexual harassment, although Palin had been warned about his background through letters by the sexual harassment complainant.

What McCain does not understand is that women supported Hillary Clinton not just because she was a woman, but because she was a champion on their issues. They will surely not find Sarah Palin to be an advocate for women.

Sen. Joe Biden is the VP candidate who appeals to women, with his authorship and championing of landmark domestic violence legislation, support for pay equity, and advocacy for women around the world.

Finally, as the chair of NOW's Political Action Committee, I am frequently asked whether NOW supports women candidates just because they are women. This gives me an opportunity to once again answer that question with an emphatic 'No.' We recognize the importance of having women's rights supporters at every level but, like Sarah Palin, not every woman supports women's rights.

Electoral Update - Waitin' for the Bounce

If you still hold doubts about Barack Obama's toughness, you clearly missed his acceptance speech. After McCain attacked Obama's patriotism, the gloves had to come off.

After gaining on Obama throughout August, polls are now suggesting a sputter in the McCain attack strategy.

Today's tracking polls reveal a serious gain for Obama.  Gallup's tracking poll shows Obama now with an eight point lead, and Rasmussen gives him a four point favor.  This is a much different picture than where we were during the middle of August when these two flagship polls suggested the race to be much closer.

Although there are scattered indications that Obama will get a significant bounce from his selection of Biden and the Democratic Convention, there are not yet credible polls from swing states to make any changes in our projection this week.  Not enough polling data is available yet to move any of our swing states in either direction.  

A new Mason Dixon poll now shows Obama with a 1% lead in Florida. Although within the margin of error, the poll is significant because, until now, McCain had led in every poll this month. We're keeping Florida in the McCain column for now until more polling is released.

Two of the last three polls in Colorado show Obama leading again.  Suffolk puts Obama up by five while CNN shows McCain leading by one. 

PPP shows Obama now leading in Virginia by 2%, and Obama is stretching his lead in New Mexico.  The race in Ohio is still a dead heat.  Nevada is on the verge of turning blue again as Obama has led in the last two consecutive polls.

Alaska's three electoral votes may be in the bag for McCain with Palin now on the ticket.  We'll wait to see as more data becomes available.  The same can be said about Pennsylvania with Biden on board.  Overall, it's too early to see how much momentum Obama will have going into next week's Republican Convention.  I suspect Obama's numbers will shift in his favor in every swing state, especially Colorado and Ohio.  Republicans will have a very hard time equaling the Democratic show we saw this week.

How do You Spell Potato?

"...what is it exactly that the VP does every day?"

                                                    -- Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK)

 August 1, 2008, in an interview on CNBC's Kudlow & Company.

Oh, J. Danforth, how we have missed you!

Barack Obama's Acceptance Speech

A moment I will never forget. For those who missed it or want to see it again.

Thank you, Sam Cooke... after all these years

Oregon State Police Association Backs Merkley

According to a published report in the Eugene (OR) Register-Guard, the Oregon State Police Officers Association has endorsed Democrat Jeff Merkley in his race for the US Senate. Merkley is challenging incumbent Republican Gordon Smith.

The head of the law enforcement group, Jeff Leighty, cited Merkley's leadership in the Oregon legislature as one of the key factors in the State Troopers' endorsement. Among other items, Merkley helped pass legislation that restored funding for some 100 trooper positions in the state.

ElectBlue congratulates Mr. Merkley on this endorsement. We urge our readers to support the Merkley campaign by visiting its website and offering whatever help you can. There is also a direct link to the Merkley campaign official website at their logo on the left side of the ElectBlue homepage.

Tuke Introduces "Real" Alexander

The US Senate race in Tennessee between Democratic challenger Bob Tuke and incumbent Republican Lamar Alexander may not yet be generating a lot of attention in the traditional media, but the battle is definitely underway on the new playing field of modern politics: the internet.

Tuke has produced a couple of videos that are sure to make Lamar squirm. The first one hammers the theme "Lamar Alexander May Not Be Who You Think," undercutting our sitting senator's rather dishonest image as a folksy, moderate, flannel-wearing populist.

Hosted on Nashvillepost's political page, the spot reminds viewers that, contrary to what he would have you believe, Alexander supports extending the war in Iraq, has voted with George W. Bush 90% of the time, and has taken more than $330,000 from big oil companies. Hardly the Euell Gibbons-type, eh? (Kids, ask your parents ....)

In the video below, Tuke tweaks Alexander for flip-flopping on his support for the flat tax, which at times Republicans have treated as a holy grail -- and at other times have treated like poison. In the spot, the 2008 Alexander heartily embraces and promotes the concept that the 1996 Alexander calls "a nutty idea."

All in all, it's good viewing to everyone whose name is not Lamar Alexander. Or Honey.

Lunsford Receives Chandler Endorsement in KY Senate Race

Bruce Lunsford has received the endorsement of Democratic U.S. Representative Ben Chandler of Kentucky's 6th Congressional District in Lunsford's bid to unseat incumbent Republican Senator Mitch McConnell.  Yesterday, the Lunsford campaign released the following statement from Denver, site of the Democratic National Convention:

Democratic Congressman Ben Chandler of Kentucky’s 6th District officially endorsed Bruce Lunsford in his race for U.S. Senate against Mitch McConnell. Chandler made the announcement this morning during a Kentucky Delegation breakfast at the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
“I am delighted that Ben has publicly expressed the support that he’s been expressing to me privately throughout the year,” said Lunsford, who attended the breakfast. “I’m thrilled to have Ben’s endorsement, and very grateful for it. Ben and I are united in the fight to put an end to the Bush-McConnell policies that have damaged Kentucky and the nation this decade.  For many years, Ben Chandler has been an important leader in Kentucky, and I know Mitch McConnell and George W. Bush realize that when Democrats are united behind a cause, it spells trouble for them.”

Rep. Chandler is the grandson of  legendary Kentucky Democrat, A. B. "Happy" Chandler. In a long and colorful career, Happy Chandler served as Governor, US Senator and Commissioner of Major League Baseball.  Rep. Chandler is also a super-delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention, supporting Barack Obama. 

ElectBlue congratulates Mr. Lunsford on this important endorsement.

Best Line Of The Night

Our order for red meat finally made it to the table.

"It makes sense that George Bush and John McCain will be together next week in the Twin Cities. Because these days they're awfully hard to tell apart."