First Lie, Now Cheat. What's next? Steal?

Guardian editor, Michael Tomasky calls John McCain, "The biggest liar in modern political history."  The numerous lies that John McCain has told in this campaign are beginning to catch up with him. In one month, McCain has lied over and over again about Obama's tax proposals, and McCain's appalling claim that Obama supported comprehensive sex education for five year olds made us all wonder just how sick someone has to be to actually say, "..and I approved this message." 

Palin quickly fell in line with her, "I told Congress, 'Thanks but no thanks' on that Bridge To Nowhere...," and then, there was the fib about selling the state plane on Ebay.

 

The McCain campaign doesn't appear to be lying much these days.  Sadly, their reasons for shutting down the lie factory have very little to do with morality and everything to do with getting caught. McCain's fellow Republicans are even taking notice. Now when Karl Rove thinks your lies have gone too far, you know you've got a very evil heart.

So when lying won't get you elected.  Try legal loopholes cheating.

From the Washington Post:

"Senator Obama's [fundraising] advantage is not emerging as people thought," said Lawrence M. Noble, a former Federal Election Commission general counsel and an Obama supporter.

The reason has less to do with Obama's fundraising -- he has now raised $440 million, more than any presidential candidate in history -- than it does with McCain's ability to maneuver within the confines of the Watergate-era funding program, Noble said.

With backing from the Republican National Committee, McCain has taken advantage of loopholes such as "hybrid" television advertisements and joint fundraising committees that may keep him close to financial parity with Obama.

and from the New York Times yesterday...

“There are very, very few lawyers in the country that are better at exploiting campaign finance loopholes than Trevor Potter,” said Bradley A. Smith, a former Republican chairman of the Federal Election Commission. “Of course, that’s one of the odd things about the McCain campaign: ‘Here’s the rules we want, but we’ll play by the rules that are here.’ ”

But now, as Mr. McCain’s top legal adviser, Mr. Potter, a former F.E.C. chairman, and his team have been helping the campaign finesse the strict spending limits it faces under public financing. Although Mr. McCain is supposed to be out of the business of private fund-raising after he received his $84 million infusion from the Treasury this month, it is sometimes difficult to tell.

This month, the McCain campaign began running banner Web advertisements asking for donations to the McCain-Palin Compliance Fund, a fund-raising vehicle rooted in a 1980s F.E.C. ruling that candidates who accept public financing can still collect private donations for legal and accounting costs for complying with campaign finance laws.

Only a careful observer, however, would have noticed the advertisements’ fine print, which said donations to the fund would be used to pay for “a portion of the cost of broadcast advertising,” as well as other expenses.

The McCain campaign declined to make Mr. Potter available for an interview.

Six years after McCain's bipartisan achievement in campaign finance reform, he's already looking for ways to beat the system. The law that bears his name is now one in which he's making a mockery of.

"We Are All Socialists Now"

The title of this blog is a quote from Jonathan Alter, Senior Editor at Newsweek, during his appearance last night on MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show. He was referring, of course, to the reality of the so-called bailout plan for the US financial industry being crafted by the Bush government.

As I sat watching the television, Alter's words almost took my breath away. Socialists? How can that be? How could the actions of a very conservative, hard-right Republican administration make us all socialists? Has the planet turned upside down?

The answer, in a word, is yes. In many ways, the political landscape of America has been turned on its head by the unparalleled failures and stupefying incompetence of the current Republican regime in Washington. The list of this administration's calamities is all too long and far too familiar to require repeating them here. Now, on top of everything else, comes the failure of our financial industry and the imperative to bail it out lest there be even more dire consequences.

When the fine points are finally put on the federal bailout of the financial industry, it will be the largest peaceful nationalization of any private sector industry in the history of mankind. The socialization of various industries (coal, steel, rail, etc.) in 20th century Europe by numerous left-leaning, democratically elected governments pales into insignificance when compared to this trillion dollar event. Only the forcible government seizure of the entire private sector as the result of revolution (or foreign occupation), as happened in Russia, China and eastern Europe in the last century, is on a par with this nationalization scheme.

As a committed Liberal, I believe in rationally-regulated, well-managed, free-market capitalism kept on track by competent government oversight. The Republican Bush-Cheney administration, aided and abetted by mostly Republican Congresses, has - in the space of only eight years - nearly destroyed that concept. They have turned the American government into little more than an unregulated, out-of-control instrument of Wall Street greed and Washington corruption. 

Now, faced with certain ruin, these self-proclaimed proponents of free markets and small government have had to betray everything they said they believed. Incredibly, it is a Republican administration leading the charge for the largest intrusion of government power into the private sector in our history. Note, however, that their plan is very careful to assign all the risk of the free market to US taxpayers while whatever reward there was has already been given to their corporate buddies. So much for Country First.

In fact, Bush-Cheney and recent Republican Congresses have served no one but themselves and their corrupt friends. Their only hope now is that Republican John McCain can somehow save them, their rotting Party, their perverse and bankrupt ideology and their billionaire friends. They have some reason to be optimistic. In the past few months, John McCain has proven that he will say anything and do anything to get elected. And why not? After all, it is a formula that has worked for Republicans for many years.

These are indeed worrisome and dangerous times economically. These are also sad days for those of us who still believe in the political ideals of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson.  I cannot imagine what those remaining real conservatives and traditional Republicans must be thinking.  I have almost always disagreed with them on every major issue, but they have consistently argued from a position of intellectual honesty and deep personal conviction.  George W. Bush and John Sidney McCain III have now denied them even that.

Lest We Forget

While the dire economy has rightfully dominated recent conversation, I humbly submit the following lest we forget the second tragic aspect of the Bush legacy.

International aid organizations estimate that 4 to 5 million Iraqis have fled their country due to the violence since 2003. Add those killed in the war, occupation and by sectarian violence and this number climbs to between 5 and 6 million. This is approximately 1/5 of the pre-war population of Iraq. http://www.refugeesinternational.org/content/article/detail/9679

On a percentage basis, this is equivalent to almost 60 million people being removed from the U.S., a number roughly equal to the combined populations of our 28 smallest states. http://www.census.gov/population/projections/PressTab1.xls

Just imagine totally emptying Alabama, South Carolina, Louisiana, Kentucky, Oregon, Oklahoma, Connecticut, Iowa, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kansas, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, West Virginia, Nebraska, Idaho, Maine, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Montana, Delaware, South Dakota, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming.

Kind of makes you think.

Video: Blueprint For Change - Economy

For those who've always believed that his message was not specific enough, here's Obama's Economic Blueprint For Change.

We'll post John McCain's economic proposals just as soon as he is finished disagreeing with himself on which direction to take this fundamentally strong economy.

Quote of the Day

Republican John McCain, writing in the Sept/Oct 2008 issue of Contingencies magazine, gives us his plan for solving America's health care crisis:

"Opening up the health insurance market to more vigorous nationwide competition, as we have done over the last decade in banking, would provide more choices of innovative products less burdened by the worst excesses of state-based regulation."

So, the Arizona Senator wants to do to the health care industry what he and his Party have done to the financial industry.  Nice.

Hat Tip: Paul Krugman of The New York Times 

 

Electoral Update - Obama Catches Momentum

If your head hurts from analyzing so many polls over the past week, you're not alone. By our count there have been 99 polls released since last Friday.  American Research Group, in the last two days, has released 30 of their own including perhaps the only D.C. poll we'll ever see between now and election day (Obama 82 McCain 13). Why bother, right?

In nine weeks, we've noticed essentially no movement up or down for Obama, almost as if there's an unbreakable ceiling around the 268-273 mark. Blame Florida which has been leaning McCain since the beginning of August. Obama's also had a tough time gaining momentum in Ohio. With Ohio, Florida, and a handful of traditionally red states now leaning toward McCain, it's easy to see why the Arizona Senator has surged over the last few weeks.

Here's a look at the electoral movement over the past seven days. 

Obama 273 (+5)

• Gain:  New Mexico (5) where the last four polls show Obama with significant leads, two of which show a 7 point margin.

McCain 232 (-8)

• Gain:  Nevada (5) where he's led in every poll since the end of the Republican convention.
  
• Loss:  McCain loses Virginia (13) to tossup.

In recent days, national polling has revealed a significant shift back in favor of Barack Obama. This comes as no surprise given the this week's bad news on Wallstreet. However, the shift in state-to-state polling shows less movement. This may be because several of the state polls were conducted during or prior to the market meltdown. For example, the Big 10 Battleground Pennsylvania poll showing the race as tied, was conducted 9/14 - 9/17. It's not possible to know how many voters were sampled prior to the bad market news.

Last week, we asked three important questions, two of which were related to Palin's impact.

1.  Can John McCain sustain his current numbers?

At this point, it appears the answer is no.  And the reasons why are plenty.  The slipping economy, convention bounce falls back to earth, Palin's newness wearing off, regulation/deregulation flip-flops, and more McCain gaffes.  Is McCain in big trouble? As McCain does damage control over the weekend, he'll also try to regain momentum. But what strategies does he have left?  The negative ads he ran just days ago seem to have backfired, so that option may be off the table. Running on the issues will be tough given the Republican brand. Palin's shiny new appeal is wearing off, not to mention he can't let her speak for fear of her assuming she's at the top of the ticket! Don't be surprised if McCain tries to shift the focus to foreign policy and Iraq again.

2. Can Obama hang on to the Kerry states?

While there has been plenty of good news lately to rejoice about in the Obama camp, they have also noticed some slippage in places where losing would be disastrous.  Moderate leads in PA, MI, MN, and WI have slipped to razor thin margins (1-3 points) according to a couple of recent polls.  Two polls in PA show the race tied and one in MN reveals similar results. It will be interesting to see if state polling catches up to the latest round of national polls.

3.  Is there a page two of the Palin story?

The love affair is over, and Palin's favorable numbers have fallen like a rock. With each passing day, there's another news story about Palin.  And the news is not good [see more]. Page 3? Page 4? The number gurus at Fivethirtyeight.com answer this question thoroughly.

McCain's other problem is that Sarah Palin may no longer be an asset to the ticket; in fact, she may be a liability. Averaging the candidates' favorability scores across four recent polls -- as one should always try and do when looking at favorability numbers since they can vary greatly depending on question wording -- Palin now has the worst net scores among the four principals in the race:


Palin's average favorability score is now a +7 -- about 10 points behind Joe Biden's numbers. Perhaps more importantly, these numbers are 10-15 points behind where Palin's numbers were just a week or so ago. If voters come in not knowing very much about a candidate -- and the more they see of the candidate, the less they like of the candidate -- this is a major concern.

Battleground States

Several projection models around the country this week show large numbers of tossup states. Our model is based on an analysis of several polls as opposed to a knee-jerk reaction to just one or two. For example, we've decided to keep Minnesota in the Obama column for the moment because of national movement favoring him. Even more, McCain has never led in Minnesota. New Hampshire follows the same pattern where just two polls have been conducted since the close of the RNC. One recent poll shows McCain leading by three; however, that is his first lead in NH since May. If trends develop, we'll make adjustments.

What's happening in Pennyslvania?

Two polls in PA since last week show the race as dead even: Rasmussen and Big 10 Battleground. This flies in the face of recent national polling. This may be the result of both polls being conducted before the Wallstreet Crisis. Obama may need to call in Bill and Hillary to help bring "lunch bucket Democrats" into the fold. Biden, from PA, also plays a role in securing PA's 21 electoral votes.  We'll move PA to tossup if any other polling suggests the race as tied or McCain leading.

Rockin' Pollin' Ohio

Unless something breaks for one side or the other, we may just keep Ohio in the tossup column until our last projection. Both sides have reasons to be cautiously optimistic.  For McCain, there have been eight polls conducted in the last three days, six of which he's leading.  Obama is hoping for some traction after two consecutive polls show him leading here.  Neither candidate has been able to break the race wide open, and it's unlikely either will.  More polls have been conducted in Ohio than any other state since the party conventions ended (13 since September 9th).  Obama can claim the White House simply by winning Ohio and hanging on to the Kerry states.

Meet Virginia Tossup

All year long, polling has suggested a tight race in Virginia.  All the sudden, we have numbers all over the place. In the past week, the race has been shown to be anywhere from Obama leading by two to McCain leading by nine. Two polls show the race as tied.

Colorado & New Mexico (Obama's Backup)

The best news of the week for Obama may be that he's still protecting his lead in Colorado and expanding his lead in New Mexico. In Colorado, voters have been surveyed seven times since the close of the RNC, and Obama has led in five of those polls by an average of four points. He's also led in the last two consecutive polls, one by ten points. In New Mexico, Obama has led in three consecutive polls by seven or eight points.

45 Days...

We are at another turning point in the campaign where Obama has an opportunity to extend his lead. McCain's gaffes and flipflops could be catching up to him.  Palin's plunge isn't helping either. If national numbers continue to hold up for Obama, will the battlegrounds show equal movement? 

While it's clear there's been a momentum shift back in Obama's favor, one week is a lifetime in American politics.  The last time McCain needed a jolt to his campaign, he shocked everyone with Palin. If at some point, the campaign begins to slip away, he may just pull another fast one. 

Looking to next week, John McCain probably can't wait until the first debate, which will focus on foreign policy and national security. He's proven, thus far, to be a better speaker than many thought he'd be in the forums we've seen so far. The expectations won't be high for McCain so even a mediocre performance is sure to get high marks from his surrogates (Ditto Palin). 

Next Friday's debate between Obama and McCain, moderated by Jim Lehrer, begins at 9:00 pm EST and can be watched on most major networks.  Third party candidates will not be included as none have reached a 15% minimum polling requirement (in five polls) as mandated by the Commission on Presidential Debates.

Quote of the Day

At a campaign rally in Espanola, NM, today, Senator Barack Obama chided Republican John McCain for his daily flip-flops on how to deal with the nation's worsening economy:

"John McCain can’t decide whether he’s Barry Goldwater or Dennis Kucinich."

Interview With Anti-War Activist Adam Kokesh

Earlier this week, ElectBlue obtained an exclusive interview with anti-war activist and ex-Marine, Adam Kokesh. Although Mr. Kokesh has been a an outspoken member of Iraq Veterans Against The War for some time, he recently gained increased national prominence by staging a very visible protest at the Republican National Convention in St Paul. During the live, prime time broadcast of John McCain's acceptance speech, Kokesh unfurled banners opposing the Iraq war and attacking McCain's record
on veterans' issues. As viewers will recall, he was quickly removed from the Xcel Center by security personnel.

Although ElectBlue disagrees with many of Mr. Kokesh's political views, he is clearly a man with a deep sense of patriotism and a true love of liberty. His devotion to a cause he feels is just has inspired many anti-war activists around the country.

Our interview:

ElectBlue: Tell us a little about your background.

Kokesh: I grew up in California, but consider New Mexico to be my home state. Actually, I was born in San Francisco.

ElectBlue: Did you grow up in a military family??

Kokesh: None of my immediate family was in the military.

ElectBlue: We're you always interested in joining the military or did you consider other career opportunities? 

Kokesh:  No. I was pretty set on being a Marine. I went to Junior Boot Camp when I was 14, and I fell in love with the idea there. I didn’t feel comfortable being an adult male without serving in the military. That was the first thing for me.  That, and putting my life on the line for something I believe in.

ElectBlue:  We understand that you graduated from a Native American preparatory school in New Mexico. Are you Native American?

Kokesh:  Nope. I’m the only white student to ever have attended.

ElectBlue: We know that you consider yourself a Libertarian now.  Did you become a Libertarian while serving in Iraq or were you a Libertarian before that?

Kokesh: I was a Libertarian before going to Iraq, but when I came home I purchased a lifetime membership because I could finally afford it.

ElectBlue:  Did you attend the 2008 Libertarian Convention?

Kokesh: I didn’t attend the Libertarian convention. I listened to most of it on the radio.

ElectBlue: Who are you supporting in this presidential election?

Kokesh:  I don’t know. I have a lot of respect for the other third party candidates. I think what’s important this year is that we show the establishment that there are people who care enough to vote but won’t vote for someone who has the corporate sponsorship.  I’ll say right now that I’m writing in Ron Paul’s name.

ElectBlue: What have you been up to since your appearance at the Republican National Convention earlier this month? Has your life changed now that you’ve been thrown into the national spotlight?

Kokesh:  This isn’t anything too new for me, I guess. It’s cool to come home and have a hundred new Facebook requests!   I’ve been a full-time activist for a year and a half. I’ve been making my presence known as much as possible. It’s been life-changing for me. Now, it’s back to the grind.

ElectBlue: You mention on your blog that you've had some difficulties with the Veterans Administration.  You also noted that after you blogged about the problems you got numerous phone calls from the VA trying to resolve them.  Do you think you’re getting more attention from the Veterans Administration because you’re such a well-known anti-war activist?

Kokesh: Definitely. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s the case.  Are they getting paid to read my blog?  I took on the Marine Corps [too]. It was a very public case last year. Everybody loves you when you take on McCain because nobody likes him. 

[McCain] really does have a bad record on veterans. My message was straightforward and right on. It’s just a fact. He votes against veterans. It’s a different perspective than what they are trying to put out.

ElectBlue: Did you plan in advance to protest during McCain’s speech at the RNC?

Kokesh:  I decided to do it the morning of. It just happened.

ElectBlue: Did you just walk into the Xcel Center with the signs you were holding?

Kokesh:  Nope. It was 20x50. I folded it up length-wise and duck-taped it to my calf. I was also there the day before for Palin’s speech. I almost disrupted her speech. But that wouldn’t have been as good.

ElectBlue:  What was your goal in making the protest at the RNC?

Kokesh:  One was to piss in McCain’s kool-aid. McCain is a disgrace to veterans.

Also, injecting my message and to challenge the perception that McCain’s a good veteran and good for veterans. Reframing the debate that we can’t win an occupation. I want to poke a hole in that perception too. A lot of patriotic Republicans don’t’ want to see us lose a war. But we’re not fighting a war. We’re in an occupation. They’re too emotionally invested to think about it objectively or think about it themselves.

ElectBlue:  How do you feel about the war in Afghanistan?

Kokesh:  It’s part of the same occupation and the same failed foreign policy. We might have had a better propaganda. We’re not at war. We’re just making a lot of defense contractors rich.

ElectBlue:  Is your position on Iraq closer to Obama's than McCain's then?

Kokesh:  I can’t in good conscious vote for a pro-war candidate. He’s advocating a surge in Afghanistan and sending troops into Pakistan. And he’s not saying anything about this Russia thing. He wants to keep 40,000 US troops in Iraq indefinitely, on permanent bases, with an increased reliance on private contractor mercenaries like Blackwater and a surge in Afghanistan. His wife is a member of CFR [Council on Foreign Relations]. If anything, Obama is more pro-war than McCain. You gotta read the fine print on Obama. It’s pretty scary.

ElectBlue: What are you long-term plans?

Kokesh:  I want to support Libertarian candidates.

ElectBlue:  Do you have any personal political ambitions?

Kokesh: Yes, I want to run for Congress in my home district in New Mexico when I move back.

I’ve decided to give my life to the cause. Right now, I’m working with the Campaign For Liberty - spreading the good word and inspiring people to take action.

ElectBlue: How do you fund your activism?

Kokesh:  I get paid to speak occasionally. I’m not motivated by money at all. I don’t have any qualms about being a broke activist.

Great Gaffe. This One's A Doozie

How many free passes does McCain get with the press.  Here's the latest, and possibly the greatest, gaffe of the campaign yet.  Now, McCain (the so-called foreign policy expert) doesn't know who the Prime Minister of Spain is. No worries, right? Palin's got his back.    

From Talking Points Memo last night. Oy!

Economic Lessons from Mount Olympus

As I've watched the economic down-spiral of recent days, I cannot help but think of the two Republican pillars that have set this decline into motion. I speak of corporate tax cuts and deregulation. Democrats may wonder why these two bedrocks of Republican ideology are treated with such unquestioning reverence. I liken it to the mythology of ancient Rome.

In the Republican worldview, corporations sit, like gods, atop their economic Mount Olympus bestowing upon us everything that is good and just. And, of course, we must sacrifice to these benefactors in the form of tax cuts. Only then can we hope that perhaps a morsel of corporate goodwill might “trickle down” to us.

But if we know anything about the gods, it is that they are both unaccountable and capricious in their actions. They may act corruptly and abuse their power. They may ignore our sacrifices and rain cruelty upon us on a whim. But if they do, this can be easily remedied with yet another sacrifice, likely in the form of a taxpayer bailout.

From this peculiar perspective, it must seem that Democrats hold an insanely arrogant worldview. We sacrifice, not to the gods but to ourselves, giving tax cuts to the middle class and providing a broad safety net for those most at risk. Regulations are used to coerce the corporate “gods” into being good citizens. And economic prosperity flows not down from Mount Olympus but up from the people. What insolence!

Using this analogy, I can almost understand the “How dare you try to control the economy!” attitude of Republicans. Corporate tax cuts and deregulation are articles of faith, neither rational nor logical.

And so it is not surprising that McCain must imitate Janus, the two-faced guardian of Roman mythology, and support both sides of the regulation issue. Political expediency mandates that he endorse increased regulation while in the same breath preaching the old Republican rhetoric about getting government out of the way of the economy.

So which of McCain’s mythological mouths are we to believe?

Well, do not forget that John McCain has always bowed to his corporate gods. He was part of the Keating Five, who fought banking regulation and helped accelerate the financial collapse of 1989, costing U.S. taxpayers $125 billion. He opposed regulations proposed by Sen. Obama that might have helped control the current financial collapse. And as recently as March 26th, McCain gave a speech recommending further deregulation of the banking industry as his response to the mortgage crisis.

So when you hear John McCain bemoan the abuse and corruption of today’s business community, remember that while he may lament the inevitable results of corporate tax cuts and deregulation with his mouth, he and his Party continue to offer the same hurtful sacrifices at the altars of their corporate gods.

Kay Hagan Statement On Market Meltdown

North Carolina US Senate candidate, Kay Hagan, on recent events surrounding the crash on Wall Street. 

“This is what a Republican-run, special interest-based economy looks like. Oversight and accountability were shelved for padded profits and inflated investments. The Bush-Dole team ignored the warning signs as the housing bubble grew, refusing to establish even basic rules of the road for big financial players. The trickle-down theory of special interests first, working families second has clearly not paid off, and I would argue that it has actually backfired. We need people in Washington who understand that the time for allowing the special interests to ignore – and in some cases, write – the rules of the game is over."

Quote of the Day

Senator Barack Obama, speaking to an enthusiastic crowd in Elko, NV, earlier today:

"...and now he [John McCain] tells us that he's the one who's going to take on the old boys network. The old boys network?  In the McCain campaign that's called a staff meeting."

Oregon's Merkley: "Gordon Smith Has Been Part of the Problem"

As the meltdown on Wall Street continues and the solvency of more and more financial institutions is in doubt, Democratic candidate for the US Senate in Oregon,  Jeff Merkley, lays part of the blame on his Republican opponent, incumbent Senator Gordon Smith. 

In a statement on the nation's worsening economic crisis, issued late yesterday, Merkley blasted Smith for his role in supporting Republican Bush's economic policies.  Mr. Merkley's statement reads:

Events of recent days underscore that the Bush economy, supported by Gordon Smith, has been built as a house of cards. That house of cards has included retail mortgage practices and mortgage-backed securities that have undermined our economic security.

At the retail level, families have been devastated by subprime – and even non-subprime - mortgages. Practices including pre-payment penalties, steering payments and exploding interest rates have often turned the dream of homeownership into a nightmare for American families. Deceptive and damaging mortgages should never have been allowed.

These, in turn, provided the basis for mortgage-backed securities - built on the shaky foundations of the subprime loans. The hollow, Bush-Smith economy has been devastating for American families and now, as we’ve seen, for American banks.

The current Bush-Smith economy is stripping wealth from families, shipping jobs overseas and putting opportunity out of reach. We need an economy that builds wealth for families, creates living wage jobs here in America and restores opportunities for American families.

Gordon Smith has been part of the problem - it's time for a new direction, and it’s time to put Washington to work for working Americans.

Si se puede!

The following statement, taken from the Tennessee Democratic Party's Munday Message today offers dramatic proof of Volunteer State Democrats' commitment to cultural diversity and inclusion.  Too often in recent years, the divisive and thinly-veiled racist attitudes of some Tennessee Republicans and their sympathizers have gotten all the national media attention. 

Remember the "Call me, Harold" ad from the 2006 Senate race of Harold ford, Jr.? Or the smears against Michele Obama twice earlier this year? Or the very recent garbage known as "Obama Waffles"?

For readers across the country, here is a view of the other Tennessee... and yes, I did say Tennessee! 

This is the statement issued today by Fabian Bedne, Chair of Middle Tennessee Hispanic Democrats:

This month, we celebrate Tennessee's proud Hispanic heritage from their military service to their cultural influence in our state's formation.  It is time to recognize our multi-cultural influence in our nation and our state.

We know the struggle as ordinary Americans hoping to grasp the American dream.  America's proudest heritage are the women and men who have worked to advocate for freedom and prosperity through hard work and a responsible government.

Join the Middle Tennessee Hispanic Democrats this month as we celebrate the work of Hispanic Democrats and our cultural heritage.

Este mes celebramos con orgullo la Historia Hispana en Tennessee, desde el servicio en las fuerzas armadas hasta la influencia cultural en la formación de nuestro estado. Es tiempo de reconocer nuestra influencia multicultural en nuestra nación.

Como americanos conocemos y entendemos lo difícil que es alcanzar el sueño Americano. La herencia Americana que más nos llena de orgullo es la de las mujeres y hombres que han trabajado para lograr libertad y prosperidad para todos por medio de arduo trabajo y un gobierno responsable.

Únete a el grupo de Hispanos Demócratas de Tennessee este mes para celebrar el trabajo de los Hispanos Demócratas y nuestra herencia cultural.

National Polling Update: Static, Static, Static!

Now that the most condensed two weeks of Presidential campaign action have passed, I think it’s worth revisiting, briefly, the state of the race.

* Obama did get a bounce from his convention. However, it was obviously shortened and truncated by the Palin announcement on Friday and the GOP convention the following week, which made some uninformed “journalists” write nonsense stories.

* McCain did get a bounce, and a good one (there is an inherent advantage to having your convention last, as both 2000 and 2004 show). There’s no denying that, but…it has receded the last few days.

* In fact, as I have stated numerous times, that race seems…well, static. McCain’s national numbers have come back to earth and are basically were they were before Senator Obama picked Joe Biden. The Rasmussen and Gallup tracks are basically where they were at three weeks ago, and the new Diageo/Hotline and R2K/Kos tracks have the race reverting back to a four point Obama advantage, and the trendline in all four polls has shown a three or four point swing to Obama in the last few days.

* While it’s too soon to tell what the impending economic crisis will mean to the campaign, Obama has shown strength in poll samples the last couple nights. But most importantly, in the Hotline tracking poll, Obama has gone from a two point advantage on the issue of the economy last Friday to an eleven point advantage today. He also now enjoys a 57-33% lead on the question of which candidate “better understands people like you?” Also in the Hotline poll is the nugget that Obama has opened up a twelve point lead on energy, up from just four a few days ago.

* Palin’s favorable rating has collapsed: Last week, Hotline’s fav/unfav rating for her was a robust 48-24%, now it’s merely a 47-36%. Whereas the R2K/Kos poll has her rating down to 45-44%, a net swing of 13% since Friday.

* John Sidney McCain III’s has too: His ridiculous and discredited attacks have brought his favorability rating from 56-43% on Friday to today’s 49-45%. Whereas Obama’s has stayed stable from a 57-41% to 54-37%. John McCain’s strengths have always relied on his character and personal “integrity;” and once that is gone, he’s just another generic Republican candidate.

Since state polling often lags behind (mostly due to the low volume of it compared to national polls) it’s still hard to tell how they have been affected. But there is some anecdotal evidence (such as Virginia going back into a tie or a small Obama lead) that Obama has bounced back in many swing states. But let there be no question, the race is where it was, and where it’s always been. A tight race but one whose fundamental dynamics and state favors Barack Obama.