Biden: On message and telling it like it is...

Here is Joe channeling Harry Truman.  It's a great piece of video from a campaign rally today in Langhorne, PA.  You're gonna love this.

Kay Hagan In Her Own Words

We are very pleased to post the following blog, sent exclusively to ElectBlue, by Kay Hagan, Democratic candidate for the US Senate from North Carolina. The seat is currently held by Republican Elizabeth Dole. Ms. Hagan writes:

Thank you for giving me the chance to update all the readers at ElectBlue about our campaign. I hope you will also take this chance and visit my website at www.kayhagan.com to learn more, watch our most recent videos and television ads, and tell your friends about my campaign.

Years from now, we’ll look back on this election – the historic turnout, the enthusiasm, the involvement of people from all walks of life, all ages, all over the country – and we’ll fully understand what we were all a part of in 2008.

There’s a groundswell of optimism here in North Carolina – optimism rooted in the fact that this is finally our chance for change, driving the belief that as tough as things may appear, the momentum is finally on our side.

When somebody asks me why I’m running, I tell them it’s because Washington is broken. Gas prices are nearly $4 a gallon; the opportunity to go to college feels farther out of reach; health care costs are putting pressures on every single family; and our economy is on the brink.

And while things are out of balance because the special interests have too much power in Washington, we’ve been doing things right in North Carolina. As a state senator for the past ten years, we’ve worked to increase teacher pay, raise the minimum wage and in my five years as the Budget Committee chair, we balanced our budget every year. Now that’s a far cry from what’s been going on in Washington.

With all due respect to Elizabeth Dole and her 40 years in Washington, she’s out of touch with North Carolinians and has become a reliable rubberstamp for George Bush, having voted with him 92% of the time. As North Carolinians are struggling to make ends meet, Elizabeth Dole continues as if it’s business as usual.

It’s a way of doing business that puts special interests and their lobbyists before working families in North Carolina; gives billions in tax breaks and incentives to oil companies when we’re paying nearly $4 a gallon; rewards companies who send North Carolina jobs overseas; and that’s built an economy structured around benefitting the big corporations while working families foot the bill.

I’m running for this seat because North Carolinians deserve better than Washington’s broken system, and I know I can level the playing field for middle class families. Thank you for your support!

Speech-Less

For those of you who were left wondering why in the world John McCain would use a green backdrop again, you'll really be confused after reading this.  

Talking Points Memo today reveals for us another McCain blooper.  This one's a doozie though.   Actually, this goes beyond blooper.  This is incompetence with a capital "I." 

Another look at the green backdrop reveals a building of what was supposed to be a picture of Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington D.C. Instead, for reasons only known to GOP Convention staff/interns, the image is actually of Walter Reed Middle School, located in North Hollywood, California.  

And these are the people who want to reform our government?

First Reactions To McCain's Speech

Taegan Goddard's Political Wire highlights some first reactions to McCain's acceptance speech last night.

Walter Shapiro: "His acceptance speech Thursday night was a mirror of McCain the contradictory political figure -- sometimes unorthodox and daring, sometimes plodding and pedestrian; rich in character, light in policy substance, much stronger in its sincere tone than in its rhetorical gloss."

Joe Klein: "More a valedictory than an acceptance speech -- more the end of a career than the beginning of a presidency."

Andrew Sullivan: "Quite a deflation after the drama of last night with the sportscaster-governor. It made me realize how much I am still fond of this guy. And also clearer about why this is not his moment. The specifics were very vague, and the entire presentation based on biography, nostalgia and a kind of strained, exhausted mildness. His performance at Saddleback was much, much better. He seemed very tired to me."

Jonathan Martin: "McCain hit all his message targets, eschewing partisan red meat to cast himself as a man who will work across party lines to reform a broken capital. But his delivery, especially in the first portion when he was discussing policy issues, was uninspired and did little to captivate the audience."

Michael Crowley: "...this is a very underwhelming speech. Familiar points explained in pedestrian terms. No overarching themes--right now it's sounding like a State of the Union laundry list. Even the crowd in the hall isn't jazzed. This is the sort of reception Tom Ridge got."

David Corn: "He offered an unexciting mix of GOP orthodoxy and declarations of personal maverickness--which was capped by yet one more long and detailed recounting of his POW days of forty years ago. Enough already."

Mark Halperin: "All in all, he came across as calm, honorable, and dedicated rather than fired up and ready to go."

Poll: Hagan Still Leading Dole In NC - Obama gains

A second straight poll in North Carolina shows incumbent Liddy Dole in deep trouble.

Last week, PPP showed Hagan taking a 3 point lead.  Now, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research has released a new poll showing Kay Hagan extending her lead over Dole, 50-45 (48-43 without leaners). Survey in pdf format here.

Key findings:  

•  Just 38% of voters approve of the way Dole is handling her job as a Senator.
  
•  Only 22% of voters in North Carolina believe the nation is on the right track.

Support Kay Hagan today in her campaign to defeat Liddy Dole.  Click here to contribute.

Respondents were also asked about their choice for president.  McCain holds a razor-thin margin over Obama 47-43 (Barr 4%).  Without leaners, the race is tied 43-43.  Bush won North Carolina by 12.5% in 2004 and 13% in 2000.

Key findings:  

• 59% of respondents believe John McCain represents "more of the same."
  
• Voters believe Barack Obama would handle the economy better by a 52-38 margin.
  
• 70% of respondents believe John McCain "supports George Bush's policies."
  
• Obama leads McCain 50-41 on the issue of "building strong alliances with other countries."

Fight back against the GOP Convention lies.  Support Barack Obama today with a $10.00 contribution.

The Non-Issue Issue

So eloquently stated by Rick Davis on Tuesday, John McCain’s campaign manager.  From the Washington Post:

"This election is not about issues. This election is about a composite view of what people take away from these candidates."

In response to Davis' comments, David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager had this to say.

"We appreciate Senator McCain's campaign manager finally admitting that his campaign is not in fact about the issues the American people care about, which is exactly the kind of cynical old politics people are ready to change."

No wonder speakers have been avoiding important issues during the Republican convention. They simply don't believe issues are important.  With regard to key issues, they have no accomplishments to hang their hat on.  As I've said before:

They can't talk about the economy, because Republicans have single-handedly wrecked it.

They can’t talk about healthcare because they’ve fought tooth and nail against every Democratic measure to make it more affordable.

They can't talk about Iraq without flip-flopping on whether or not there should be a "timeline/time horizon" for withdrawing troops.

How about creating jobs in America? Whoa! Because they're more interested in giving tax breaks to corporations who ship American jobs overseas, they better avoid that one.

Accomplishments with regard to energy? You can laugh now (or keep laughing). Now, they say drill, drill, drill. As if all of a sudden Republicans have answers. Imagine a bunch of Republicans wanting to drill for oil. Surprised?

They can't talk about gas prices for obvious reasons. It's still $3.60 a gallon where I live.

They can't talk about education because too many of them are practically against it. Cut funding...lower taxes on the rich...cut funding...lower taxes on the rich.  Where's the priority?

Even the old standby moral values card is off the table. Abortions have not decreased much under Bush’s leadership (they decreased by far greater numbers under Clinton), & the “sanctity of marriage” argument is a hot potato they can’t hold onto after Craig, Vitter and Foley exposed revealed their “holy” practices.

So, there's little wonder why John McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, would rather not talk about the issues. Fortunately for him, he’s in good company. So far, not once, have I heard the word “economy” mentioned at the Republican convention. Plenty of attacks on Obama. But where’s the beef?

New Polls: Support for Key GOP Senators Collapsing

There is a new - and potentially dramatic - finding in three separate US Senate races. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has posted this report on its website:

With the Republican convention in full swing in St. Paul, three new polls from Survey USA show approval ratings for Republican Senators Norm Coleman, Gordon Smith and Mitch McConnell collapsing. In Minnesota, Norm Coleman’s approval has dropped to 44%, with 51% disapproving – an all-time high. In Oregon, Gordon Smith’s job approval has dropped to 38%, with 56% disapproving – his approval rating is at an all time low and has dropped 7 points since last surveyed in May. In Kentucky, Mitch McConnell’s approval has dropped to 44%, with 47% disapproving – his approval rating is down 13 points since SUSA last polled in May.

Historically, approval ratings below 50% have spelled disaster for incumbent candidates. That's gotta be good news for Al Franken in MN, Jeff Merkley in OR and Bruce Lunsford in KY. 

Musgrove Exposes Wicker's Big Spending Ways

One of the under-the-radar U.S. Senate races is the special election in Mississippi between appointed (by special interests..err...Governor Barbour) Senator Roger Wicker and former Governor Ronnie Musgrove to fill the final four years of Senator Trent Lott's (who resigned when he discovered being in the minority was no fun) term. Despite the state's GOP reputation, the race is very competitive in all polls; and Barack Obama's presence on the ballot will help with African-American turnout, which will only help Musgrove.

Roger Wicker served seven terms in Congress and achieved very little other than voting for irresponsible trade deals that sold out places like Mississippi, while filling his campaign war-coffers. Despite representating a strong Republican district that gave Bush over 60% of the vote, his district was always ambivalent towards him; so much so that this ruby red district elected a Democrat to replace him.

Being a creature of Washington, Roger Wicker never found a wasteful spending appropriation he didn't like. As Governor Musgrove recently said, ""We've got to stop out of control spending" and "We need to stop the partisan politics in Washington and get things moving." and that trade deals like NAFTA "just took jobs out by the droves." He added Washington (and creatures of the Beltway like Roger Wicker) has "forgotten what its business is. It's the people's business, not special interest."

If you want to help a leader like Governor Musgrove turn this country around and give Democrats a filibuster proof majority in the United States Senate, please donate today to Governor Musgrove's campaign.

Franken Ties Coleman To Big Oil. Outlines Tax Relief.

The DSCC and Al Franken both have new ads out tying incumbent Republican, Norm Coleman, to Big Oil, Ted Stevens, and President Bush. Even Billy Bass knows when something smells fishy!

Besides his new ads, Franken has just published a new economic stimulus plan of his own. This one for Minnesotans. Recognizing the thousands of children who are in desperate need of child care and the increasing numbers of retirees in the coming years, Franken outlines common sense solutions in his Kitchen Table Tax Relief.

McConnell's 2008 Blue Fate

"I’d love to tell you I’d be majority leader next year, but there is virtually no chance we will get Senate back." - Mitch McConnell, September 2, 2008

Translation:   "I won't be majority leader next year because Lunsford is a tough opponent who is more than capable of crushing me."

I've heard of lowering expectations before, but this takes the cake.  It's at least fair to say McConnell is suffering from a contagious case of severe political inadequacy.

Five New National Polls Show Obama Bounce

Five new national polls were released today. Here they are, as summarized by RealClearPolitics.com:

Gallup Tracking:    Obama 50, McCain 42                  Obama  +8

Rasmussen Tracking:    Obama 51, McCain 45          Obama  +6

USA Today/Gallup:    Obama 50, McCain 43              Obama  +7

Hotline/FD:    Obama 48, McCain 39                           Obama  +9

CBS News:    Obama 48, McCain 40                              Obama  +8

Looking good (for now).

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words... maybe more

Eight of Governor Palin's nine and a half years' of executive experience were acquired in a small office in this building:

James Carville said: "It looks like a Louisiana bait shop". I don't think I can improve on that.

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