Swine, Lip Gloss and Catnip

Here is Senator Barack Obama, speaking in Virginia this morning:

I, for one, am delighted that Obama is not backing down from his 'lipstick on a pig' metaphor. We Democrats have done too much -- way too much -- backing down in the past eight years. It is time  for us to stand up and push back hard against the schoolyard-bully tactics of the Republicans.

Obama was absolutely right to liken the staggering failures and breathtaking incompetence of the Republican Bush-McCain government of the past eight years to a pig. With an economy in disarray and losing jobs every month, with energy and health care costs out of control, with a housing market in crisis and a foreign policy run amok, the pig metaphor might, in fact, be a bit of an understatement. It certainly is a little unfair to pigs. It is, however, a fair assessment of our country's current situation. No matter how much Republican McCain and Republican Palin try to spin the truth, nothing can change the fact that their policies are an utter and dismal failure. No amount of lipstick can pretty-up that pig.

The false outrage and feigned indignation by the Republican campaign machine at the alleged 'sexism' in Obama's metaphor is beyond pathetic. It is proof positive that the Republicans cannot stand on, or even defend, their appalling record. We could hardly expect otherwise. What else can they do? They have a record of failure and corruption and little else to show for the past eight years. They are well accustomed to lying and spinning and trying to change the topic. This is 'situation normal' for them.

What is very disappointing here is the way in which the mainstream media have hyped the so-called story and sympathized with the crocodile tears coming from the  Republican camp. Every journalist worthy of the name is well acquainted with the metaphor Obama used and the context in which he used it. They also know, if they've done any research, that Republican McCain has used the same well-known metaphor himself -- once in connection to Hillary Clinton's health care plan.  Still, most of the chattering classes in the media are seduced by the Republican spin. So they make pigs and lipstick the lead political story for the better part of two news cycles. Catnip for the media? Barack nailed it.

In the past day or two, we have finally begun to hear a few courageous journalists chastise their sycophantic journalistic colleagues and to stand up to the Republican lies. Cheers to Mark Halperin, Joe Klein, Taylor Marsh, Glenn Greenwald and others for calling out their too numerous colleagues who have allowed the Fourth Estate to sink to its current depths. 

Mitch McConnell: One of Washington's 20 Most Corrupt Politicians

The non-partisan watchdog group, Citizens for Reform and Ethics in Washington (CREW), has named Republican Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky as one of the twenty most corrupt politicians in the current Congress.  Republican McConnell is one of only three sitting Senators to make CREW's list of shame in 2008. 

Republican McConnell, who is also Senate Minority Leader, is being challenged by Democrat Bruce Lunsford in this year's KY Senate race. ElectBlue strongly supports Lunsford. We urge our readers to help Lunsford win this important Senate seat for the people of Kentucky. 

In releasing its report, CREW spokesperson Melanie Sloan issued the following statement:

With soaring gas prices, a housing market in crisis, rising unemployment, and a nation at war, elected officials should be prioritizing their constituents’ needs over their own self-interests. Unfortunately, the members of Congress listed in CREW’s Most Corrupt report have decided that their personal needs are paramount to those they represent. This report holds them accountable for those choices.

McMemory. Liddy Can't Remember Either

John McCain doesn't know how many houses he owns.  And Republican Liddy Dole can't remember the name of her own business.  The Rocky Mount Telegram details an interview with news reporters on Monday.

Dole (while laughing): I think (Hagan) has indicated many times that I’m from Kansas. But my roots are very deep in North Carolina. Very deep. Here, I grew up in Salisbury, went to the public schools, spent 11 years on the Duke board after I graduated from Duke, own a home there. I own a business in North Carolina, for goodness sake. My family roots go way, way back.

Reporters: What business do you own?

Dole: We had a family farm, which was turned into a real estate development. And it’s just outside of Salisbury. It’s just a beautiful development.

Reporters: What’s the name of the development?

Dole: [10-second Pause followed by nervous laughter] Well…

[Another pause]

Reporters: It’s fine if you …

Dole: I have to stop and think for a moment.

[Brief pause]

Reporters: If you can’t think of it, it’s fine.

Dole: I’ll get it for you. I will.

Reporters: Well, I also wanted to ask you about the tone of the race and your opponent’s …

Dole: It’s Forest Glen. That’s right. Because it’s right in the forest where my dad had a little cabin and built a little pool for us as children. That’s right. Forest Glen.

After all these years, the late Ann Richards still helps us understand these kinds of Republicans [video]. Liddy can't help it. She was born with a silver foot in her mouth.  I'm certain Ann would agree.

Here's Kay Hagan's statement released just a moment ago.

"When Dole was finally able to remember the name of the business – it’s Forest Glen, by the way – it was too late. Mike Hixenbaugh from the Rocky Mount Telegram wrote, “…the first-term Republican senator did temporarily forgot the name of the business that she was using as evidence of her deep roots in North Carolina. Apparently some of those roots are so deep, it’s hard to pull ‘em up from time to time.”

“If Elizabeth Dole can’t recall the details of her own personal life in North Carolina, it does beg the question how much she’s paying attention to other peoples’ lives in the state,” said Hagan Campaign Communications Director Colleen Flanagan. “Kay is the candidate who was born here, raised a family here, lives here, and for the last decade, served the people here. The last thing North Carolinians want is another six years of an absentee, out-of-touch Senator who swoops in for photo-ops and election year events and is gone before you know it.”

As Elizabeth Dole tries to invoke “Scarlett O’Hara as she works the Tobacco Road campaign circuit,” she’s had to answer for some very real concerns folks have in the state. Elizabeth Dole left North Carolina in the 1950s and ended up in Washington, DC. Registered for 25 years as a Kansan, even running for President as a Jayhawk before she ran for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, Elizabeth Dole registered to vote here two days after Jesse Helms announced his retirement in 2001. In March, the Charlotte Observer wrote Dole “undoubtedly has her eye on November” and has stepped up visits to the Tar Heel state during this election year.

“Carolina is Kay country through and through. It’s typical of Washington politicians to breeze through here in an election year, intimating that they’ve been here the whole time,” Flanagan said. “This time, though, North Carolinians have one of their own to elect to the U.S. Senate, and they know she’s been here the whole time. If Elizabeth Dole can’t keep track of her business, how is she going to keep track of yours?"

Meanwhile, Kay wants to get our economy moving again by balancing budgets, cutting taxes, and investing in education.  That is Kay Hagan's record.  Liddy Dole?  Shameless ties to big oil and a Bush agent of policies that send American jobs overseas. Here's Kay's new ad. 

Per Diem Per Taxpayers

With each passing day, we learn something new about Sarah Palin.  Here's more information probably not known to John McCain before deciding she was qualified to be President.  

Yesteday's news from the from the Washington Post exposed how Palin charged the state of Alaska for living expenses from her own home 312 times.  She claimed the charges were not unusual because her residence also happened to be the workplace duty station.  Here's one such example.

Also pointed out was that Palin spent $43,490 in taxpayer money to foot the bill for her family's travel expenses.

Today, we learn that Sarah Palin declined to release 1100 emails at the request of one of her fellow Alaskan Republicans.  Also, Sarah frequently used Yahoo mail for conducting the state's business (gov.sarah@yahoo.com) instead of the government's more secure email account.  No joke. 

At least Palin knows how to use the internets.  She'll have the upper hand on John McCain for sure [video].

Idaho Debate Tomorrow. Watch it here.

Watch tomorrow's debate on ElectBlue between Democrat Larry LaRocco and Republican Jim Risch.  We will provide a live streaming video of the debate beginning at 5pm PT/6pm MT/7pm CT/8pm ET.

Sept. 9, 2008

BOISE, IDAHO — The second debate in Idaho’s U.S. Senate race happens tomorrow, Sept. 10, in Sandpoint.

Democratic candidate Larry LaRocco and Independent candidate Rex Rammell will hold a traditional, live debate, with a 21st century twist: this debate will be streamed live over the internet at www.laroccoforsenate.com/debate. North Idaho College Political Science Professor Tony Stewart will moderate. Questions will come mostly from internet viewers.

What:                  U.S. Senate Debate in Sandpoint
When:                 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. MT, Sept. 10
Where:                Sandpoint Center Community Room, 414 Church Street, Sandpoint, ID

Republican candidate Jim Risch was invited to the debate, and has yet to respond. He did not respond to an invitation to the first debate either. When Rammell and LaRocco proposed this series of debates to be held in major cities across Idaho, a spokesman for Republican candidate Jim Risch responded by disparaging this public discourse.

New Obama Ad Slams Republicans' Maverick Claim

The Obama campaign will begin airing this ad today in all of the key battleground states. I think it's a very effective ad aimed at totally debunking the absurd notion that Republican McCain and Republican Palin are maverick reformers. Enjoy!

US Rep. Jim Cooper Speaks to TN Delegates in Denver

ElectBlue is pleased to publish the following speech given by Congressman Jim Cooper to the Tennessee delegation at a luncheon during the recent Democratic National Convention in Denver. 

Cooper currently represents Tennessee's 5th Congressional District which includes much of metropolitan Nashville as well as some surrounding suburban areas. He was elected to Congress from the 5th District in 2002, having previously served twelve years (1983-1995) in the Congress from Tennessee's 4th District. 

Cooper was an early backer of Barack Obama, having endorsed the Illinois Senator in May 2007. Congressman Cooper is also a strong supporter of Bob Tuke, Democratic candidate for the US Senate from Tennessee, who is challenging incumbent Republican Senator Lamar Alexander.  

After brief introductory remarks thanking various members of the Tennessee Democratic party and convention delegation, Rep. Cooper addressed the Volunteer State delegates about the 2008 election:

We have two big jobs to do: unify the Party and carry Tennessee in November.

You probably heard on the talk shows this Sunday that Barack Obama would already be 12 points ahead if the Democratic Party were unified but, sadly, we are not, so the race is dead even.  Polls indicate that 28% of Hillary Clinton’s delegates have not come home, which is actually up from 16% this summer.  We should not pressure Hillary delegates, but show them the love and respect that they deserve so that each one, in their own way, and in their own time, fully supports our nominee in November.  We must be sensitive and caring.  I thought last night was just about perfect with Ted Kennedy’s legacy speech and Michelle Obama’s focus on the future, but Pat reminded me that the evening could have been even better if the Kennedy video had also highlighted Hillary’s role as a champion of health care reform.  She made an excellent point.  Hillary is a marvelous Senator from the State of New York and her role in national politics is far from over.

We cannot play into Republican hands by letting them divide us because that is their only weapon.  They have no ideas of their own; they just want to cut us up.  Did you see the Washington Post cartoon today of an elephant sitting behind Hillary as she was preparing her speech tonight.  The elephant whispers, “Hillary… Hillary,” and then says, “Obama would have picked you as his Vice President if he loved you half as much… as I hate you.”

We also need to carry Tennessee.  Let’s be honest: we have slipped considerably from having failed to carry Tennessee for our own Al Gore in 2000 to not even being on the national radar screen today for Obama.  We must not be bullied by the pundits.  A long time ago, they said Harry Truman could not win.  Today they are trying to turn Obama’s strengths into weaknesses.  He is the most exciting candidate in modern times, and they deride his celebrity.  He is one of the greatest speakers ever, and they say he is not specific enough.  It reminds me of the story of Barack boating with the Pope.  They are in the middle of a lake in a small boat and the wind picks up.  The Pope’s hat blows off onto the water and Barack calmly gets up out of the boat, walks across the water, and picks up the hat, returning it to the Pope.  Even the Pope is impressed.  But the photographers with their telephoto lenses look at what happened and the headlines read the next day, “Obama Can’t Swim.”

Many of you have asked about my mother who is 89-years-old and a great Democrat.  But she gets worried about Barack.  She asks me questions like, “What kind of name is Barack Obama?”  Even Michelle Obama asked that question on one of their first dates.  My mother asks, “Who was Obama’s mother?”  “Who were her people?”  These are questions that the older generations asks and they deserve good answers.  Fortunately, there are great answers.  Barack Obama is not risky; he is solid as a rock.   He is the living embodiment of the American Dream.  It would be so sad if the rest of the world understood that, but we did not.

I have a head start in knowing Barack because we went to the same law school.  It is a snake pit with lots of tough, sometimes nasty people.  One student in my class proudly announced on the first day of class that he had already read every book for the year before the first day of class.  I hate people like that.  Other people kept their light on all night so that we would think they were studying, and they usually were working round-the-clock.  But in the snake pit, Barack was a snake charmer.  He is absolutely brilliant; I wish that I had done as well at law school as Barack.  He is smarter than Bill Clinton, and more disciplined.

And when it comes to carrying Tennessee for Barack, remember that McCain came in third in the Tennessee primary, behind Huckabee and Romney.  McCain may have even finished after “None of the Above.”  Tennessee Republicans aren’t really fired up about McCain.  He’s what was left over after everyone else dropped out.

Norm Coleman Made Me Laugh Today

"What do you think about the last eight years of George Bush?"

Coleman's answer, or lack thereof, is a classic.  Have fun watching Al!

Hate Crime In Tennessee

For anyone who believes that racial hatred is a thing of the past. From Williamson County, Tennessee.

The Face of Experience

Here's a shot of Republican Sarah Palin, posing at a recent photo-op.  

In the meetings which preceded this photo, Republican Palin used her extensive foreign policy experience to negotiate a reciprocal moose-hunting agreement with a group of fearsome looking Vikings. 

...and you doubted she had foreign policy experience? Oh ye of little faith!  Seeing is believing.

In a related story, Republican John McCain was overheard asking a member of his staff, "you mean there are still Vikings around? Do they really have their own country... you know, like the Czechoslovakians do?"

Television Worth Watching

Rachel Maddow will debut her new television program tonight on MSNBC at 9pm ET, 8pm CT. Over the course of the 2008 election cycle, Maddow has parlayed numerous guest appearances on MSNBC into a one hour, five-days-a-week, broadcast of her own. She will continue to host the Rachel Maddow Show on Air America Radio.

Her unabashedly progressive views, coupled with a fearless 'tell it like it is' attitude, have made Maddow one of the brightest new stars among left-leaning political analysts. Her program will immediately follow MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann every evening. Now that should be two hours of really great political TV.  

The Nation recently published an interesting and insightful biography of Maddow which is well worth reading. The article gives some excellent background on the 26 year-old Rhodes Scholar for those not yet familiar with her career. 

ElectBlue encourages our readers to support progressive TV political analysis by making Maddow's show part of your 'must see TV'.

McBailout

President Bush reminds all of us once again why Republicans should not be trusted with the economy.  As if we needed more reasons. 

"Americans should be confident that the actions taken today will strengthen our ability to weather the housing correction and are critical to returning the economy to stronger sustained growth."

Return to stronger sustained growth? Correcting? Forgive me for being pessimistic of Bush's ability to return us to a stronger anything.  

He's right about one thing though. Americans should be confident. But we're not. Given the Bush-McCain track record of the last eight years, it's a little hard to trust so easily.  The consequences of deregulating the lending industry are developing before our eyes. 

Pardon the expression, but the chickens are coming home to roost.  More may be on the way. Many are afraid this is just the beginning. For now, we'll begin with a few handouts, fully funded by the American taxpayer. $100 billion for Fannie Mae and $100 billion for Freddie Mac.  That's only $200,000,000,000.  If you're jaw hasn't dropped yet, consider staring at the eleven zeros in that number.  Then, ponder the possibility of a few more banks going belly-up. What then?

Palin echos why we should trust Republicans all the sudden.

"The McCain-Palin administration will make them smaller and smarter and more effective for homeowners who need help."

And exactly how do they plan on accomplishing any of that?  Promises, promises.  Sound familiar?

Now, McCain wants to govern with the same economic philosophies. Bushonomics. Adding on to the billions in bailouts...84,000 jobs lost last month alone.  An exploding national debt. Stagnant wages. Declining value of the dollar. Rising food costs.  Unaffordable healthcare, and a fading hope of going to college.

I'll pass on another four years of Bushonomics.  

The days of driving a few hundred miles "home" to see dad and mom are gone.  Gas prices are too high.  Waitresses, bartenders, and bellman struggle to make ends meet, many of them still making $2.13 an hour plus $40-$50 a day in tips ($17,430 gross income). A family healthcare plan is out of the question considering the tax burden on the tips. Forget savings. And seniors living on a fixed income will struggle again this winter to cope with rising heating costs.

I'll pass.

While today's billions in big bailouts for banks is the headline, the single-mothers who struggle to work full time and raise thier children at the same time are the real stories.  How on earth can John McCain possibly perceive the economy as fundamentally strong.  That alone is enough to make me question his ability to make decisions for the working middle class.  He really doesn't get it.  He hasn't walked a day in my shoes.

Hagan Receives Key Endorsement

This press release just in from the Hagan campaign.

GREENSBORO, N.C. - State Senator and U.S. Senate Candidate Kay Hagan (D-Guilford) received the endorsement of the North Carolina Troopers’ Association (NCTA) last week. After a thorough and objective evaluation of the candidates running for U.S. Senate, the group, which works to support the criminal justice system and advance the principles of proper law enforcement, endorsed Kay. The Troopers’ Association cited Kay’s strong record of working on behalf of public safety and working families. During her time in the state Senate, Kay worked to make North Carolina safer by supporting and introducing measures that would crack down on sexual predators, increase safety standards at schools, and allocate adequate funds to control gang activity.

“I am thrilled to receive the endorsement of North Carolina Troopers’ Association,” said Kay. “This is a group of individuals who represent the best of North Carolina, and I am honored to have their vote of confidence going forward in this election. Our state’s troopers work tirelessly to protect North Carolina families and ensure that North Carolina is the safest it can be. Their bravery and dedication are a model for us all. I look forward to doing everything I can to advocate on their behalf once I am in Washington.”

In a letter to Kay, Ron Crawford, President of the NCTA, wrote that Kay is “clearly the most qualified candidate for the U.S. Senate. Your record of supporting Troopers and police officers, of supporting improvements to public safety and for more effective law and order is extraordinary. Our troopers need a strong voice in Washington to lead efforts for legislation to promote Trooper and officer safety. The evidence demonstrates that you are the most qualified candidate to serve in the U.S. Senate.”

Last month, as a part of her “Best Interests, Not the Special Interests” tour, Kay released a comprehensive plan for “Safer Streets and Schools” that presented her commonsense solutions for curbing crime and gang activity. Also in July, Kay received the endorsement of more than half of North Carolina’s Sheriffs.

Electoral Update - The Home Stretch

The conventions are finished, Labor Day has passed, and the first debate is just 18 days away.  More and more Americans with each passing day will turn their attention to the candidates and their messages.  This is the home stretch.

In our seventh Electoral Projection, John McCain has picked up two states:  Indiana and Alaska.  North Dakota falls back into the tossup column. 

The last three polls in Indiana give us reason to believe that John McCain is edging Barack Obama there.  Since June, Obama has led in just one poll, and that was by a single point. Polling in Indiana also reveals that Obama is stuck in the 43-44% range while McCain consistently polls in the upper 40's.  

Alaska appears to be a lock for McCain with Palin on the ticket.  The latest poll now shows McCain leading by 19.  

North Dakota goes back into the tossup column after a new poll reveals a three point lead for Obama. North Dakota has remained surprisingly close all year long.  The last three polls show numbers within the margin of error.

With 57 days left until election day, the race for the White House is close.  Although Obama still remains just shy of the goal-line, he has a few good reasons to be optimistic. So far, he's been perfect in protecting his lead in traditionally close states like Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and New Hampshire.  His lead in all of these states has been consistent and mostly strong.  Obama has also widened his lead in New Mexico.  To give himself the best shot at winning on November 4th, he'll need to maintain his lead in these battlegrounds.

Close races of course pose challenges. Every remaining tossup state was won by George Bush in 2004. Nevada, Colorado, Virginia and Ohio are so close, nobody knows who's leading. Florida is also on the verge of becoming a tossup again. A victory for Obama in any of these states is almost certain to put him over the top.

We see a much softer electoral count for John McCain.  He's barely leading in Indiana.  And recent polls indicate Obama gaining on McCain to within three points in North Carolina. Florida remains even closer with Obama pulling ahead for the first time since July in the latest polling from Mason-Dixon.

One state is on the verge of turning blue.  The last two polls in Ohio show Obama leading McCain by small margins.  We should see more polling from Ohio this week. 

Neither candidate can seem to break the race wide open yet.  Of course, that can change if someone has a slip of the tongue or if new skeletons are found hiding in a certain someone's closet because s/he wasn't vetted properly.  

(click chart to enlarge)

AP to Neutrality and Logic: Drop Dead

The Associated Press has been a disgrace to journalism lately under the direction of their DC bureau chief Ron Fournier, who just last year was in serious talks with John McCain’s campaign as a paid advisor; and they are at it again.

Yesterday, the AP released another on a long line of many hit pieces on Senator Obama. This one proclaims that despite for all of Obama’s talk about expanding the electoral map, he is quickly adopting the “Win Ohio” strategy that John Kerry’s ill-fated campaign adopted in 2004. Their “evidence” for this is that Obama in his post-convention tour visited such traditional battlegrounds such as Ohio, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Quite obviously, this is proof that he has given up on all other states his campaign has targeted.

Let’s look at (and refute) some of the more dubious claims on the piece:

"Despite early optimism, Obama's strategists are mapping out an electoral plan similar to Democrat John Kerry's from 2004…. But don't look for the Democratic presidential nominee in, say, undeniably GOP Idaho.”

This is probably true…I do not expect to see Obama make a play in Idaho, however no one serious ever claimed he would. This is a state that George Bush (only Wyoming and Utah were more favorable to the GOP in 2004) won by nearly forty points. In other news, John Sidney McCain III isn't making a play in Vermont. Gasp!

"Obama has long looked for a way to win the White House without the 20 electoral votes of Ohio, the prototypical swing state. His top aides, including his campaign manager, once said they could lose the state and still win the election by picking off states that typically support Republicans. No more."

Really now? While Obama is still, as he always has, focusing a great deal of attention on Ohio, it is hardly his “be all and end all” of his electoral strategy. Let’s just consider this for a moment:

Michigan and New Hampshire are the only two Kerry states that McCain is even in striking distance, and in both states Obama is polling narrowly, but consistently, ahead of McCain. The Kerry states puts him at 252 electoral votes, and he now has a double digit lead in Iowa and a high single digit lead in New Mexico which would bring him to 264 electoral votes. Now Obama is not guaranteed to win the aforementioned four states, but he is clearly favored. 538’s regression model (not to mention essentially every poll) has him winning Michigan and New Hampshire by 3-4%; as well as Iowa and New Mexico by 7-9%. If these numbers hold, Obama is already at 264 electoral votes.

So where does that leave John Sidney McCain III? He would have to win states where he has a slight, though unclear polling advantages such as Missouri, North Carolina, Indiana, Florida, Montana, and North Dakota; all of which except the last two possess enough electoral votes to put Obama over 270, should he win.

Of course, there are also states like Ohio, Virginia, and Colorado where the race is essentially a deadheat (though 538’s regression gives Obama a very slight advantage in all three); that Obama can rely on to win. Even Nevada which, again, is a basic dead heat (though 538’s regression gives a very slight advantage for McCain as of this writing) would bring it in a 269-269 tie (Even if Obama loses all of the other states that I mentioned), which would probably result in his victory. While this area is murky and without a lot of precedent, most analysis confirms that Obama would likely prevail in a 269-269 tie, due to the Democratic advantage in Congress (See all of 538's regressions based on historical data and polling models here).

Needless to say, Senator Obama has plenty of electoral scenarios that don’t go through the Buckeye State. Maybe they should write a story on how Michigan is essentially a must-win for McCain (unless he wants to roll the dice and hope he runs the table among the other swing states).

Maybe the AP will consider being thoughtful and fair for once. But I'm not holding my breath.