Friday, October 31, 2008

Financial Crisis?

You bet.  This means that, if many homeowners sell right now, they're going to have to write a check to somebody.  Just to sell.  That's wrong.

18% of homes 'underwater' on mortgages in U.S.

First American CoreLogic, a data supplier, says that in the July-September period, 18% of all properties with a mortgage were underwater - that is, worth less than the outstanding debt. The company's data includes over 80% of all mortgages. Here are some points from the press release: [...]

McCain Disses Palin

Watch the end of this new TV ad.

"Freedom"

John McCain closes with a biographical ad that mention his service to country and time as a POW."Don't hope for a stronger America," McCain says in a voiceover, "vote for one."** Note that at the end of the 30-second spot, running in key states, the narrator says [...]

 

Good News From the New York Times

Well, not really. Seems we're not really starting to dig out of our economic problems yet.

Specter of Deflation Lurks as Economic Pain Grows

Consumer cutbacks could lead to falling prices, suffocating fresh investment and worsening joblessness for months or even years, economists say [...]

Just don't say I didn't warn you. It ain't pretty.

The Day in 100 Seconds

TPMtv does this on a daily basis.  I'm not good at always snagging them, but they are ALL worth the few seconds to watch.  Well-edited, they do show the soundbites of the day.  Here, is what the fine folks at TPM put together for today.

Good Golly, Ms. Palin!

I know she wants to be out there, on her own, saying what she wants to say - but this is getting ridiculous.  How much distance can the McCain camp put between him and the lady who speaks before thinking.
Sarah Palin speaks on the First Amendment 
Somehow, in Sarah Palin's brain, it's a threat to the First Amendment when newspapers criticize her negative attacks on Barack Obama.  This is actually so dumb that it hurts: [...]

Olbermann's On A Roll

In case you haven't been following closely (and most of you, I realize, don't really care all that much), Countdown with Keith Olbermann has topped Bill O'Reilly's ratings seven of the past 13 nights and the past five in a row.  That's quite spectacular.  Bill-O says something's wrong with the ratings system. Keith's been busy cranking out a series of "Campaign Comments".  Are they the reason for the string of wins?  Might be..

Oh, by the way, Rachel Maddow (who follows Olbermann) has been running first or second with her new show. Nice work!

An Angry Judge

You're darn tootin'!  He should be angry. VERY angry.

Court Says Colorado's Katherine Harris Is Violating Federal Law With Voter Purges

Remember last week when I warned that 2008's version of Katherine Harris - Colorado Secretary of State Mike Coffman - was using his power to try to throw the election here in this swing state? Four days before the election, he's gone into overdrive. According to a breaking news story just off the wire, he has been violating federal law with his voter purges, which [...]

Going Obama's Way

It's tough to find anyone, outside of the McCain camp, who thinks he has a realistic chance of winning Tuesday. Unless, of course, he gets darn near EVERY voter currently undecided. In the back of my mind, I still fear some underhanded action that flips enough votes...but, that's just my tinfoil hat controlling my thoughts.
Let's check out what the gang over at fivethirtyeight dot com has to say:

McCain's Mountain of a Problem

Our model does not make any specific adjustments for early voting, but it is presenting a major problem for John McCain in three states in the Mountain West region, where Barack Obama has a huge fraction of his vote locked in. In the wee hours of this morning, Public Policy Polling released data from Colorado New Mexico. The toplines are [...]

Surprise Statement

Ouch.  This didn't go the way the McCain camp expected.  Not at all.

Eagleburger Blisters Palin: "Of Course" She's Not Ready

A former Republican Secretary of State and one of John McCain's most prominent supporters offered a stunningly frank and remarkably bleak assessment of Sarah Palin's capacity to handle the presidency should such a scenario arise.Lawrence Eagleburger, who served as Secretary of State under George H.W. Bush and whose endorsement is often trumpeted by McCain, said on Thursday that the Alaska governor is not only unprepared to [...]
UPDATE: Can you say "backpeddle"?

Larry Eagleburger eats crow

Former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger dissed Sarah Palin on NPR yesterday: “I can’t say that she would be a genius in the job, but I think she would be enough to get us through a four-year — well, I hope not. [...] Read the rest »  [...]


 

Thursday, October 30, 2008

The Transition

I think this is still a bit early, but the comparison to Clinton is valid.

Obama Transition Seeks to Avoid Clinton Mistakes

"The best-kept secret in Washington is that Barack Obama has the largest and most disciplined presidential transition team anyone can recall," the Financial Times reports.  "Transition insiders, who are under strict orders from the Obama campaign not to talk to the media to avoid giving the impression Mr Obama thinks he has won already, contrast it [...]

Mr. McCain...Reign Her In!

Sarah Palin is becoming a true train wreck. Did she not know to whom she was talking?

Sarah Palin Speaking To Workers At Solar Energy Plant: DRILL BABY DRILL!!

Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin has been a treasure trove of highlights. Charges of Socialism, Communism and terrorism on the campaign trail have transformed her into the walking, talking poster child for failed Republican policies and talking points -- not to mention one of the biggest jokes in [...]

Election Prediction

I'm not saying that anything's a lock right now, but this prediction is from one of the best.

Is This The Obama McCain Electoral Vote Map For Election Day?

The University of Virginia’s Larry Sabato, who had an excellent record of predicting the past several elections and issues solid predictions in general, has now released a map showing his electoral college prediction for campaign 2008. Is this the map we’ll see after the early and election day votes are all counted? Given Sabato’s track record, it is worth a close look: [...]

 

Right On Schedule

Time for the highly-anticipated return of bin Laden...

(ABC News) Exclusive: U.S. Expects Bin Laden Message Near Election

Multiple senior government officials tell ABC News the intelligence community is anticipating a message from Osama bin Laden before or just after the presidential election. As we race toward [...]

Lesson For Journalists

Rick Sanchez, teacher.  Topic: How to conduct an interview.  Just simple, persistent, questions.

Bring On The Kids

Okay, this probably isn't as big a deal as they're making it out to be. I'm pretty sure the school kids would have been there anyway. I doubt it was a last-minute, emergency, recruiting effort.  Still, the fact that there were so FEW supporters there speaks volumes.

McCain Camp Buses In School Kids To Fill Crowd

...But that rally featured another embarrassing moment, one that illustrates a far more troubling dynamic for the Republican ticket. The McCain campaign actually had to bus in school kids from the surrounding area in order to fill the event. As reported by MSNBC: "A local school district official confirmed[...]

Techie Election Night

Election night should be entertaining, considering CNN is going use holographic technology to "beam" reporters from remote locations into the CNN Newsroom, where it will appear they're standing right there, along with the "Best Political Team on Television". And the other nets have things up their high tech sleeves, too!

Networks Prep New Technology For Election Night

Broacasting & Cable's Glen Dickson previews the new technology being used by CNN for Election Night, including a system to "teleport" correspondents from around the country into the CNN newsroom. Another change will be with exit polling. "The states are [...]

Vote-Flipping Continues

Here's today's installment from The Brad Blog:

Election Official Finally Removes, Quarantines Vote-Flipping Diebold Voting Machine in CO!

A county clerk in Colorado has finally done the right thing for the voters by removing a touch-screen voting machine from service, and quarantining it, after it was discvoered to be flipping votes from one candidate to another. The failed machine in this case was a Diebold Accu-Vote, a frequent [...]

The Final Push

There's still that little thing called the "electoral college" to deal with, so raw numbers don't tell the whole story. The chess game continues. One other thing to consider (and I don't think this gets mentioned often enough): pollsters don't call cell phones.  Most young people don't have a landline phone.  They operate exclusively through their cell phones. If they're leaning heavily democratic...well...

FOX POLL: RACE TIGHTENING

Time/CNN polls show Obama leads in Ohio, Nevada, North Carolina and Pennsylvania

Allstate/National Journal Battleground Poll

Tracking Poll Update: McCain Still Can't Top 45 Percent

Gallup Daily: Obama Lead Among Likely Voters 5 to 7 Points - Now up 50% to 45% in traditional model

Another day, same result

How Fox Misleads

CBS News/NYT: Obama +11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Major Smackdown

Sometimes these things come from way out of left field.  It's worth noting when Fox Business News goes after John McCain and delivers a major-league smackdown.

Neil Cavuto on John McCain: 'On economic matters, you have no convictions'

On FBC's Cavuto show, Neil Cavuto lambasted John McCain over his economic policies, or lack thereof. It's a searing commentary on McCain's nonsensical approach and the shifting positions he has taken during his campaign."Cavuto: Frankly, neither of your numbers adds up. But [...]

 

Heads Will Roll

I'm betting a campaign staffer's going to take the hit for not getting the right information to McCain today.  He did seem a bit more tenuous than he has in other speeches.  Maybe it was the cold weather.  But he did get thrown off course a bit when he tried to introduce Joe the Plumber.  It was a pretty good recovery, though.

McCain forgets that Joe the Plumber isn’t at his rally: ‘Where is Joe?’

At a rally today in Ohio, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) accused Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) of wanting to “spread the wealth.” McCain then summoned Joe the Plumber, who wasn’t even in the audience: McCAIN: That’s only because Joe the Plumber asked [Obama] the right questions right here in Ohio. … Joe’s with us today. [...]

One To Watch

I'm late to put this site in front of you, but it's worth bookmarking in the final days before the election. It's for those of you who enjoy keeping track of the electoral college predictions.  Here's a link to today's EC map, via electoral-vote.com.

Why?

I ran into two people yesterday who believed the "Obama is a Muslim" line.  Sadly, both said they "got an email" and swallowed it, hook, line, and sinker. I just want all the candidates treated equally.  Please, if you get email with "information" about any candidate, do some research.  Don't just forward it on, believing blindly.

Poll: Nearly a quarter of Texans erroneously believe that Obama is a Muslim.

A new poll from the University of Texas and the Texas Politics Project finds that nearly a quarter of Texans erroneously believe that Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is a Muslim: When asked to identify Obama’s religion, 45 percent of respondents accurately identified him as Protestant, however 23 percent erroneously identified him as Muslim. Another 28 percent [...]

Hey, Neighbor!!

This is not the story I want to see as I'm on my first cup of coffee.  Right next door, in Texas, there's a big project underway. I can hardly wait for the next Cat 5 hurricane to pick up stuff down there and move it north.

Bush builds huge federal Ebola lab, with horrendously deadly bugs, in path of hurricane

You want pork, let's talk pork. This is John McCain's good buddy, George Bush's pork. And it's sickening.Much of the University of Texas medical school on this island suffered flood damage during Hurricane Ike, except for one gleaming new building, a national biological defense laboratory that will soon house some of the most deadly diseases in the world. How a laboratory where [...]

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Counting The Days

All of this is beginning to wear me down. It's not even 7 pm and I'm whippped from trying to follow "he says, she says" all day long. But the "gotcha" game is quite fun to watch!

Tucker Bounds: When Palin Shares The Wealth, It Isn’t Socialism — It’s ‘Unique’

The McCain campaign has spent the last weeks of the campaign repeatedly accusing Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) of being an advocate of “socialism.” But the New Yorker’s Philip Gourevitch revealed this week that Palin said earlier this year that her state’s oil tax was a mechanism “so we share in the wealth when the development [...]

Not A Pretty Scene

And I'm not sure that the McCain campaign is doing enough to make sure incidents like this one don't happen. I know there's only so much they can do to calm anxious supporters, but outright violence isn't going to help their cause one bit.

McCain Miami Rally, Getting Ugly Down Here

...After the rally, we witnessed a near-street riot involving the exiting McCain crowd and two Cuban-American Obama supporters. Tony Garcia, 63, and Raul Sorando, 31, were suddenly surrounded by an angry mob. There is a moment in a crowd when something goes from mere yelling to a feeling of danger, and that's what we witnessed. As photographers and police raced to the scene, the crowd elevated [...]

Cooperating?

Not very much so. Let's see...how many excuses can you count?

Where are Palin’s medical records?

In an interview with NBC’s Brian Williams last week, Palin said — apparently to the surprise of her staff — that she would release her full medical records soon. On Sunday, the campaign told ABC News the release would happen “early this week.” Noting that “today is Wednesday,” ABC is wondering, “What’s the hold up?” ABC [...]

I'm Speechless

Once again, Sarah Palin leaves me speechless.  And I'm not the only one. You won't believe this one.

Palin already talking about her plans for 2012: "I'm not doing this for naught"

Wow. This is pretty stunning. Sarah Palin just threw McCain under the Straight Talk Express. Palin told ABC News that she is indeed already thinking about 2012:Gov. Sarah Palin suggested that if the Republican ticket is defeated on Tuesday she expects to be [...]

UPDATE: Thursday morning: Looks like ABC might have gone a bit overboard in how it previewed this interview.

Not A Joke

Really.  It's not a joke.  It just sounds like it should be one.
Joe The Plumber Pursued For Record Deal
Move over, Sanjaya, and tell William Hung the news: Joe the Plumber is being pursued for a major record deal and could come out with a country album as early as [...]
All I can do is shake my head. I'm baffled and confused.   At least it proves the American Dream is alive and kicking, despite the economy.

Olbermann and O'Reilly

Been meaning to point this out, but kos did it up right just now: In the key demographic (the 25-54 group advertisers love) Keith beat Bill-O several recent nights.  Rachel Maddow kept the string going in the following hour.  I love it when an underdog comes through!

O'Reilly's map, and ratings

...Olbermann and Maddow have both beaten their Fox News counterparts three of the five shows this past week -- a remarkable achievement given how dominant Fox's lead once was. And don't forget that O'Reilly once had a commanding lead as the most-watched cable news host. So when [...]

What Does Joe Know?

Apparently, not very much about Middle East politics and Barack Obama. Even Fox News called him on it.

Sheppard Smith blasts Joe the Plumber for saying a vote for Obama means death to Israel

Wow, Sheppard Smith goes after Joe the Plumber for the insane statements he made at an RNC event today about Obama. Will John McCain still be using Joe the Plumber in all his new ads since he's saying Obama will destroy Israel?  [...]

Bookmark Recommendation

During this election season, there is no better blog to bookmark than The Brad Blog.  He's a fountain of information on all the problems with electronic voting machines.  Each day seems to bring a new laundry list of incidents where votes have been flipped, usually from Democrat to Republican.  Example?  Try this post from today...and try not to wonder about the results next Tuesday....

More Vote-Flipping in TX by Machines Other Than Those Made by ES&S

We've been reporting for the last week or so on the ES&S iVotronic touch-screen voting machines which are flipping votes from Democratic candidates to others in, so far, at least four states. We've showed you actual footage of it and how even after being "recalibrated" these machines still continue to [...]

And, Brad's hits just keep on comin'--

BREAKING: Federal Judge Rules in Favor of Plaintiff Demand for Emergency Paper Ballots in PA


This just in from Pennsylvania... a federal court has found in favor of the NAACP and the 866-MYVOTE1 Election Reform Network who were forced to sue the state's Democratic Secretary of the Commonwealth, Pedro A. Cortes, after his recent directive that emergency paper ballots only need to be given to [...]

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tonight's Countdown

Olbermann has been on a roll lately. His numbers, with the "Campaign Countdown" pieces, have been great. Tonight's continues the tradition.

The Arkansas Connection

We're talking about the two young creeps who conjured up some plot to kill dozens of black students and then take out Barack Obama. Guess they never figured something like that might draw the attention of the feds. Especially considering there were YouTube videos.  Yeah, real smart.  The gang at Arkansas Project blog pulls together some sources I haven't seen.

Skinhead’s Sister: Brother ‘Sorry’ for Obama Plot

Paul Schlesselman, 18, of Helena-West Helena is one of the two men arrested by federal agents as neo-nazi skinhead conspirators in an alleged (and ridiculous) plot to assassinate Barack Obama as the final act in a massive murder spree. Today, his younger sister tells the AP’s Andrew Demillo that her brother is really, really sorry: “He [...]

The Right's Big Push of the Night

I'm just not seeing these arguments as major ones, still they do raise some interesting questions.  Follow the links, see if they're explained well enough to satisfy you.  Me?  I'm not getting too worked up about this.

McCain Demands That LA Times Release Hidden Tape

The John McCain campaign is demanding that the Los Angeles Times release the videotape of Barack Obama toasting former PLO spokesman Rashid Khalidi, at a party attended by radical Palestinian activists and former Weather Underground terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn.The Los Angeles Times has pulled [...]

 

Record Early Voting Numbers

We're seeing them here in Arkansas, but the lines are long most everywhere.  That's generally seen as a good sign for democrats. In Florida, the lines have led to extended voting hours - 12 hours a day!

Crist sticks it to McCain - extends early voting hours

There are so many people voting early in Florida that Governor Charlie Crist has flip flopped and declared a state of emergency in Florida to extend voting hours. From the Miami Herald: "Declaring a state of emergency in Florida because of long voting lines, Gov. Charlie Crist on Tuesday extended early voting hours across the state to 12 hours a day. The executive order comes [...]

Awesome Photos

I am, to some degree, a decent amateur photographer.  So I can usually spot a really excellent photo. Here's a marvelous collection of some from Obama's visit to Pennsylvania yesterday.

Meanwhile, on the Campaign Trail with Obama…

Since I evidently can't post anything but pictures today, below are some snaps from a rally at Widener University in Chester, Pennsylvania, yesterday, which Shaker Nik E Poo mentioned in comments: "Speaking of blub—did anyone else feel tears jerking at the pics of the rally in PA yesterday? The idea of  [...]

Foot In Mouth

That would be Joe The Plumber with his foot in his mouth. Only he hasn't figured out that it's in there and, apparently, neither has the McCain campaign.  But, amazingly, Fox News got it!

Joe The Plumber Loses Fox News

You know something's screwy when Fox News is defending Barack Obama against smears by "Joe" the "plumber."At an RNC event for John McCain in Ohio earlier today, Joe "the plumber" Wurzelbacher was confronted by a man in the crowd who asserted that "a vote for Obama would be a vote for the death to Israel." Joe's response:[...]

 

Synchronized Presidential Debates

If you thought the debates were all talking points, you were RIGHT!  Talking points galore - from both sides!  It's also one of the better bits of video editing that I've seen in a long time. I can't  - for the life of me - get the embed code to be accepted by Blogger...so you'll have to CLICK HERE to watch it. Enjoy!

The Little Voting Machine That Could...

Er, make that "couldn't". Couldn't operate properly, even after being calibrated.  Not very reassuring, is it?

Today's Polls

We'll try to keep you updated on the polls coming out today.  First up, the latest PEW poll, interesting (to me) because it includes people who have already voted...
McCain Support Continues Downward Spiral

10/28 Daily Kos R2K Tracking Poll: Obama 50, McCain 43

About That Tightening

Polls Show Little Movement for McCain in Pennsylvania

LAT/Bloomberg: Obama Leads in Florida, Ohio

 

 

 

 

Good Argument

I was thinking this when I read about Lieberman's allegations, but John at AmericaBlog hit the keyboard to write about it....

Lieberman lies about McCain health outlook

Benedict Arnold Lieberman is now saying that he's "talked to doctors," and their conclusion is that John McCain will live to 85, at least. Huh? That's absurd. I've read a lot about this issue, and I've seen no one - NO ONE - willing  [...]

Just Crazy

The infighting among McCain staffers appears to be rocketing off the chart. It's probably a good thing (for them) that the election is just a week away.

McCain adviser: Palin is ‘a whack job.’

The infighting within the McCain campaign has become increasingly public, with growing frustrating directed at Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK). Last week, CNN reported that one McCain source called Palin “a diva” who “takes no advice from anyone.” Politico’s Mike Allen reports another McCain adviser’s criticism of Palin: ***In convo with Playbook, a top McCain adviser one-ups [...]

On another matter - it's COLD around here today.  What happened to fall?

Monday, October 27, 2008

Campaign Comment

Olbermann nailed another one tonight. And he didn't even have to yell or shout. Just go and watch.

Inroads

Big time.

October Ratings - MSNBC: "We Tamed the Giant of Larry King"

Brian Williams couldn't do it. Neither could Joe Scarborough, Rita Cosby, Dan Abrams, Ashleigh Banfield, Deborah Norville or Alan Keyes . But MSNBC's new 9pmET show did. The [...]

Going For the Lowest Common Denominator

This is incredible. Now, they're targeting those they think aren't smart enough to figure out this is a farce.  Let's prove them wrong! Sadly, I'm sure there will be some coffee-house discussions and an agreement that they have an extra day.  I say, "early voting"...do it now.

Phony board of elections flier tells Virginia Democrats to vote on November 5.

The Virginia Pilot reports today that a phony Virginia Board of Elections flier is being distributed in Hamption Roads, VA telling Democrats that they are now scheduled to vote on November 5. The flier falsely claims that “an emergency session of the General Assembly” adopted a new voting schedule to “ease the load” at polling [...] 

Good Golly

I hate (kind of) to pick on Fox News, but this is specatacularly stupid. Neil - get a life!

Neil Cavuto Claims Wall Street is Experiencing an "Obama Sell-Off," but a Search of FoxBusiness.com For Info Comes Up Empty

Neil Cavuto, the "managing editor of business news" at the Fox News Channel, at the Fox Business Network and presumably at FoxBusiness.com, has been pushing the notion for three or four weeks now that the stock market crash is due to fear of the economic and tax policies Barack Obama would implement if elected. Today, for example, he again showed a graphic [...]

Shaken

Fox's Megyn Kelly just about loses it during an interview with an Obama staffer this morning. This is what's wrong with TV "news" today.

Those Crazy Voting Machines

We're well into the early-voting days and, surprise!, there are "issues" with electronic voting machines.

ES&S Touch-Screens Keep Flipping in WV, Now in At Least 6 Counties

The Charleston Gazette reports still more ES&S iVotronic touch-screen vote flipping in WV, including reports now from Jackson, Putnam, Berkeley, Ohio, Monongalia, and Greenbrier Counties. Add those to the reports of vote-flipping on ES&S machines in at least four different states. We're also trying to find a moment to report on [...]

But, it's not just West Virginia.  Not at all.

Did Tom Brokaw admit to knowing that Ohio was fixed in 2004?

If so, then we know why John McCain is spending so much time and money in Pennsylvania when it would seem to be futile. In June of this year, [...]

UPDATE: Oh, by the way, BRING ON THE LAWYERS!

NAACP lawsuit alleges Virginia scrimped on preparations for huge election turnout

The Virginia NAACP sued Gov. Tim Kaine on Monday, arguing that the state failed to prepare for an unprecedented turnout of voters in next week's presidential election. The complaint, filed late Monday in U.S. District Court in Richmond, [...]

Busy Day

I've been running pretty much all day and am just now catching up with the day's happenings. It looks like it's been quite a busy day, including the "breaking news" of a white supremacist plot to kill Barack Obama.  And, wouldn't you know, one of the guys busted is from - drum roll, please - right here in Arkansas. How bad is that?
ATF: Plot to Kill Obama is Foiled
A plot by two Neo-Nazi skinheads to assassinate Barack Obama and kill dozens of other African Americans has been foiled, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said Monday. Daniel Cowart, 20, of Bells, Tenn., and Paul Schlesselman, 18, of West Helena, Ark., were charged Friday with making threats against [...]
Smoking Gun has the full affidavit online:

Skinheads In Obama Assassination Plot


And, a jury nailed Alaska Senator, Ted Stevens, on ALL counts in his corruption trial.
Sen. Ted Stevens was convicted of corruption charges Monday in a trial that threatened to end the 40-year career of Alaska's political patriarch.Stevens, 84, was found guilty of all seven felony charges he faced of [...]
And, it's not even 5:00 pm yet!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Just Incredible

Here's a classic example of why some news people shouldn't be allowed to ask questions of politicians. Either she's totally one-sided or has a producer who is.  Biden does a great job..

Joe Biden shuts down GOP talking point-spewing machine

Joe Biden sat down for an interview with Florida television anchor Barbara West Thursday and got hit by a barrage of Sean Hannity's talking points, prompting him to ask at one point, "Are you joking? Is this a joke? Is that a real question?" [...]

And, from the other side..

Video: Angry Joe Biden Gets Grilled

It’s been linked elsewhere, but if you haven’t seen it yet this video is a real hoot, as Joe Biden is asked some very tough questions by WFTV reporter Barbara West—and proceeds to get angry and condescending: [...]

Worth A Read

Let's keep up with the voting news, shall we?  It's not all "thumbs up"!

'Daily Voting News' For October 26, 2008

9 days until Election Day. In a stunning admission Sequoia Voting Systems has admitted to not printing and mailing over 11,000 absentee ballots to Denver, Colorado voters. Their spokeswoman claimed they “made an unfortunate mistake”. In fact, the company had failed to notify the city of this “mistake” and [...]

The Iowa File

McCain's been campaigning in Iowa this weekend, but it wasn't enough to make the Des Moines Register happy. Not only did it officially endorse Obama, but their crack political writer penned a devastating piece on the campaigns. Listen, folks, I grew up in Iowa.  THIS is a big deal.

Yepsen on "the looming Obama-Harkin landslide" in Iowa

Another gift to McCain and Palin as they campaign in Iowa from one of that state's top political reporters, David Yepsen: "That popping sound you hear is the sound of the rural Republican base cracking under John McCain. A Center for Rural Strategies poll released last week found [...]

To The Top of the List

Man, talk about using your friends in high places. Why don't the voters usher politicians like this right out of office? Oh, yeah....welcome to Sunday.

Stevens Built $2.7M Road From His House To Favorite Restaurant

Just 0.7 miles long, Crow Creek Road isn't a road to nowhere. It runs straight to the Double Musky Inn, a Cajun bistro owned by a Bob Persons, a close friend of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens.It cost taxpayers $2.7 million to widen and pave that road, and Alaska had higher priorities. But an  [...]

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Backpeddling

And changing the story. I've talked with a number of current and former military folks and most are not too pleased with this situation, whatever the purpose.

Concerns about deployment of military on U.S. soil growing -- mainstream media silent

The following is the spin of military spokespeople in response to questions about the deployment of the First Brigade on US soil for the first time in over 200 years. The Army Times initially reported that the First Brigade would handle domestic crowd control and subduing 'unruly individuals' and that they had 'lethal and nonlethal technologies' to do so. Then it issued a correction declaring [...]

Setting Up A Fascinating Week

Looks like things could get really interesting this coming week in the McCain campaign. These stories just keep exploding this weekend.

McCain aide: Palin a "diva" who's looking more out for herself than McCain

Let the fireworks begin, baby. You betcha. "With 10 days to go until election day, long brewing tension between Sarah Palin and key aides to John McCain has become so intense, it is [...]

Back To Work

Barack Obama is back on the campaign trail today.  Hard at work in Nevada.

"McCain Has Been Throwing Everything He's Got at Us, Hoping Something Will Stick"

Obama mocks McCain for his new criticism of President Bush, bashes the candidate for going negative in his Reno, Nevada rally. "He's even called me a socialist for suggesting that we focus on tax cuts, not for corporations and the wealthy, but for the middle class." "Then, the other day, he took it to a whole new [...]

McCain's out there, pounding the pavement, too:

John McCain: 'I'm gonna test them'

"I'm gonna test them.' Republican John McCain said at a campaign rally in New Mexico this morning. "They're not gonna test me.''The comment followed McCain's warning that[...]

 

Saturday Numbers

It doesn't look like taking a couple of days off to visit his grandmother hurt the Obama campaign.

Polls: Obama Increases Margins In Colorado, Florida Ohio Swing States

Three state polls find Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama increasing his margins in swing states — the important states of Ohio, Colorado and Florida. And the economy and independent voters moving towards Obama have a lot to do with it.In Colorado, which once seemed as if it would be [...]

Tracking Poll Update: McCain Back Below 45 Percent


 

The New Math

Ah, Ma and Pa Kettle, explaining how we got into the mess we're in.  Who'd a thunk that they could see this far into the future.

Kentucky Math — or Wall Street Math?

Dave dropped a line the other day to share a video he discovered. He writes: “This little movie clip explains how 25 divided by 5 equals 14. I think it kind of sums up how we as a nation got into our current crisis.” YouTube calls this “Kentucky Math” (whatever that means), but lately it’s more [...]

How Bad Is It?

Pretty darn bad. Pretty much everywhere.

Nevada's economic woes highlight challenge for McCain

Just four weeks ago, John McCain was a good bet here. Now, in a state built on rebound and luck, he will need both to succeed. The oddsmakers would say it shouldn't be this way. Nevada has been as red politically as its [...]

Make My Day

What's wrong with this picture? If anybody is managing this big bailout, they need to do something about this. Really.  Try to enjoy your Saturday.

No curbs on Wall Street pay despite meltdown

Despite the Wall Street meltdown, the nation's biggest banks are preparing to pay their workers as much as last year or more, including bonuses tied to personal and company performance.So far this year, nine of the largest U.S. banks, including some that have cut thousands of jobs, have seen total costs for salaries, benefits and bonuses grow by [...]

Friday, October 24, 2008

Sign Of The Times

This is becoming problematic.

Garage Sales on Rise With Economic Downturn

Garages and yards of Manteca, Calif., offer a crash course in kitchen-table economics each weekend.

This Weekend

Big articles. In BIG newspapers.  Bad news for McCain.

Wash Post: "McCain Campaign Post-Mortem"

Now there's a headline that could sink a thousand ships. These stories are devastating to McCain. To his staff. To his voters. To his donors. It's just non-stop bad news, and now "post-mortems" - that's about as bad as it can get. Here is Chris Cillizza's piece about the upcoming, or shall I say impending, New York Times story this [...]

UPDATE: Okay, it's piling on, but...

McCain Adviser Votes for Obama

A bad week for John McCain just got considerably worse: "... Fried announced that he has voted for Obama-Biden by absentee ballot. In his letter to[...]

 

Looking At The Numbers

New polls out today, including one from NPR.

NPR Poll: Obama Crushing McCain in Battleground

The latest NPR Poll shows Sen. Barack Obama holds an 11-point lead across 15 battleground states, 52% to 41%. This represents a 15-point swing since [...]

Tracking Poll Update: Obama's Lead Inches Up to 8 Points

Polls: McCain Gains Steam In Key Battlegrounds

A new set of polls from Strategic Vision (R) has some good news for John McCain, with him taking back leads in Florida and Ohio, and holding on to his lead Georgia. But all his work in Pennsylvania has only [...]

 

 

Race-Baiting?

You've heard by now that the young woman who claimed she was accosted by a black male, who allegedly carved a backwards "B" on her cheek because she had a McCain/Palin bumper sticker on her car, made the whole story up.  That's right.  A hoax.  And a Fox News exec may be biting his tonque over something he said yesterday.

FOX VP: Race-baiting hoax means McCain's quest for the presidency "is over"

NO quote.  But it's worth your time.  Click the  link. It's 30 seconds worth of reading, but you'll be talking about it!

UPDATE: CNN's Rick Sanchez went for the jugular today:

Rick Sanchez Calls Out Media That Fell For "Mutilation" Hoax

...It was a hoax. And now, some in the fourth estate are left to explain why they pushed this apparent political ploy. Those in the business who showed some prudence are calling out their competitors for taking the bait.On CNN today, anchor Rick Sanchez did just that, naming the outlets that not only reported but actively pushed the story of Ashley Todd. In addition to explaining why his station [...]

In Case You Missed It

Will Ferrell and Tina Fey, back on SNL, the Thursday edition, last night.

Dire Predictions

House Republicans are worried. REALLY worried.  Why?

Bloodbath in the House?

The Republicans themselves seem to think it’s possible: "An internal document circulating among House Republicans warns of an impending congressional bloodbath, listing 58 Republican-held House seats being at risk, and 11 already considered as good as gone. As many as 34 GOP-held seats are in serious jeopardy of swinging to Democrats, the assessment shows. What with the [...]

Okay, Who Wrote Her Speech?

Sarah Palin made a slight technical error during her first/big "policy" speech this morning.  She obviously didn't realize it, but Think Progress noticed.

Memo To Palin: Fruit Fly Research Has Led To Advances In Understanding Autism

This morning, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) gave her first policy speech urging the federal government to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), “a law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation.” In the speech, Palin cited the need to do more for children with disabilities such as autism: For many [...]

Makeup, Too

Oh, the base ain't gonna appreciate this!  If the $150,000 for clothes wasn't enough to getcha all riled up, let's throw in a little makeup.  No, let's throw in a LOT of makeup.  And a pricey person to apply it.  That's right...

That Palin makeup artist makes a lot of money (more than any other individual on the campaign in early October)

Just follow the link.  I'm not pulling a quote because the AmericaBlog gang deserves the link.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Very Telling

The candidate who's going to pass on his own election night party. For the most part.  Guess who?

McCain might skip his own election-night party

Republican John McCain is not going to make his election night remarks in the traditional style - at a podium standing in front of a sea of campaign workers jammed into a hotel ballroom. Oh, the throng of supporters will hold the usual election night party at [...]

UPDATE:

McCain concedes

That's Markos' headline, and he's right. I posted earlier about McCain announcing that he is not attending his own election night party because of "space limitations" (I guess he can't get a ticket). Markos notes, correctly, that this is basically a concession of defeat. It's also [...]

Oh, What The Heck

How about a little more campaign music? Ya' ready?  Click Away for "Sarah's Hard Rock Candy"

Thursday Night's Alright

Especially when you get a little jazz piano tossed in with your Sarah Palin. Pretty darn creative.

Henry Hey's 'Palin Song'

Before you dismiss Palin Song as a slam against the candidate, listen to it a few times to see how jazz musician Henry Hey stalks her speech with his piano [...]

Another Poll

I'm a bit behind on the latest polls.  There are, after all, a boatload of them!  Here's the new numbers from CBS:

CBS Poll: Obama Maintains Double-Digit Lead

With just twelve days left until Election Day, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama holds a 13-point lead over Republican rival John McCain, a new CBS News/New York Times poll shows. Obama now leads McCain [...]

 

Taking The Kids Along

Oh, if I lived in Alaska, this would really get me riled up! Seen from afar, I'd just say it's a weak argument from a hard-to-figure-out VP candidate.

Palin office defends charging state for children's travel

PACKAGE DEAL: They, too, represent the State of Alaska. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is allowed to charge taxpayers for her children's commercial airline tickets because they represent the state wherever they go with her, [...] 

Well, Now

Ain't this a bit of a surprise?

BREAKING: Former WH press secretary, Scott McClellan, voting for Obama

It ain't Elizabeth Hasselback (or whatever her name is) appearing with Sarah Palin, but in my corner of the universe this is news. The dams are breaking [...]

Just Not Smart

How do some of these people manage to get themselves elected? 

The Bachmann Two-Step: Tells MSM One Thing, Wingnuts Another

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) has developed an intriguing habit amid her efforts to deal with the fallout over her McCarthyesque rant on Hardball last week. In mainstream public forums, she either tries retract the things she said or denies she [...]

In the Interest of Fairness...

I have, in the past, criticized the actions of some McCain supporters. It happens on the other side, too. Keep in mind, my key point is that it should NOT be happening anywhere. Anytime. Anyhow.

Woman Attacked At ATM, Assailant Carves Letter Into Her Face

A 20-year-old woman who was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield was also maimed by her attacker, police said. Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard tells Channel 4 Action News that the victim was robbed at knifepoint on Wednesday night outside of a Citizens Bank near [...]

UPDATE:

Authorities Skeptical About Attack Claim

TMZ is reporting that Pittsburgh law enforcement officials are skeptical about the alleged attack on a McCain volunteer. [...]

UPDATE 2:  She made it all up!

Call To Action

h/t to Hotline on Call.  This is absolutely one of the most creative and funny call to action spots I've ever seen. It has a little bit of several things I love, Opie, Andy, Happy Days and, yes, The Fonz! Yes, it is one-sided, but still very good. Particularly if you have a "thing" for classic TV...

The Unhappy Candidate

Is it possible the campaign is simply wearing him out?  Shortening his already tenuous temper?

McCain On Palin's $150,000 Shopping Spree: "Nothing Surprises Me"

Presidential candidate John McCain isn't happy about having to explain why the Republican Party has had to buy running mate Sarah Palin $150,000 in clothes, hair styling and accessories.McCain was asked several questions on Thursday about the shopping spree _ and he answered each one more or less the same way: [...]

The Financial Architect Apologizes

Well, kind of apologizes. At least he admitted that he really made some bad calls. Doesn't make things any better right now, but it was interesting to hear.

Greenspan Uses The Bush Excuse: Financial Crisis Was ‘Broader Than I Could Have Imagined’

In a House Oversight Committee hearing today, former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan claimed the credit crisis is a “once in a century credit tsunami” that policy makers did not anticipate. Greenspan repeatedly distanced himself from the financial meltdown, however, saying he didn’t foresee the crisis because of a “flaw in the model.” Greenspan claimed was “shocked” [...]

It's Just Politics

I know, particularly in the waning days of the campaign, this is to be expected.  Still, it's the kind of stuff that WILL influence some voters, for all the wrong reasons.

Republican Mailer Repeats Controversial Claims About Obama and Ayers

A direct-mail advertisement sent to Virginia voters this week features a picture of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama next to this blow-up quotation from violent Vietnam-era radical William Ayers: “I don’t regret setting bombs. I feel we [...]

The Honest Voice

Well, NBC's Political guru, Chuck Todd, went out on a limb yesterday and he's still employed today.  That's gotta say something.  If you haven't seen his comment on the McCain/Palin interview, you owe it to yourself to take a moment...

Does McCain blame Palin for his swirling toilet of a campaign?

To hear Brian Williams and Chuck Todd talk, as they did last night on Hardball, you'd think things were perhaps not so peachy these days over at Camp McCain, after they spent the afternoon interviewing John McCain and Sarah Palin together: "Well, Chris, and this something that I -- I wouldn't blame Brian for not wanting to say this, but -- there was a tenseness between -- first of all, [...]

 

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

This is Just Incredible

McCain's aide tries to defend Palin's "duties of the VP" statement.  And, she fails. Miserably. I'm not a big Chris Matthews fan, but he sticks to his guns and...well, you just MUST watch.

Total Fail: McCain's Own Aides Can't Defend Palin

Chris Matthews tries to extract a coherent explanation of Sarah Palin's comment that the vice president of the United States is "in charge of the United States Senate" from McCain aide Nancy Pfotenhauer. Over an eight-minute stretch, she's totally unable to defend Palin's ill-informed claim: [...]

Oh, the Matthews hits just keep on coming.  There's video on the link.

McCain and Palin: The Thrill is Gone

Chuck Todd of NBC News interviewed Sen. John McCain and Sarah Palin today."There was a tenseness," Todd told MSNBC's Chris Matthews. "I couldn't see chemistry between John McCain and Sarah Palin. I felt as if we grabbed two people and said 'here, sit next to each other, we are going to conduct an interview.' They are not[...]

 

 

Prognostication

Some early voting estimates from Chris Bowers.  Not exactly falling in line with some of the current polls, but certainly interesting.

Early Voting Estimates In Seven States

I just whipped up my best estimates for current results in seven key states where early voting is well under way: [...]

Out On A Limb

Yet another one for Sarah Palin. Another limb.  And, there's somebody back there with a saw.

‘Energy Expert’ Palin Can’t Name Any Man-Made Causes Of Global Warming

Shortly after Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) chose Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) as his running mate, Palin said she is not one to attribute global warming to being man-made. Since then, she has walked that statement back slightly, saying that indeed, man’s activities have contributed to climate change but adding the caveat that “weather patterns are [...]

Friendly Territory

The audience is ready-made and seems to love her.

Palin talks to Dobson

Sarah Palin's support may be dropping quickly among most Americans, but she remains a favorite of the religious right movement. Palin chatted with Focus on the Family's James Dobson, and the two were clearly very much [...]

Another McCain Flub

I guess the long hours and pressures of the campaign are getting to John McCain. This example is really quite remarkable. He accidentally agrees with Murtha on Pennsylvania.

Cutting Back

The McCain/Palin TV ads are being reduced, in still-key states. Running out of money and time...

Strategery

John McCain has very little time, dwindling resources, and a limited number of options in order to reach 270 electoral votes. As such, he's having to make some tough decisions. Democrats who monitor advertising spending now put at five [...]

Morning Television Worth Watching

Did you catch Morning Joe this morning?  I missed this part.  Mika admits she was wrong.  It's all about Sarah Palin's 150,000 dollar wardrobe.


 

All Over But The Counting?

The venerable Charlie Cook says it's over.  Unless....

Charlie Cook: Six Reasons This Election Is Over

One of the most unsettling aspects of this campaign is that for an election cycle so turbulent, with so many surprising twists and turns, over the last few days it suddenly has had the feel of concrete setting. Just seven or eight weeks ago, Sen. Barack Obama had a lead over Sen. John McCain, but it hardly seemed sure; we wondered, is this lead real, is it durable?But today it seems [...]
UPDATE: Zogby, too.

Reuters/C-SPAN/Zogby Poll: Obama Increases Lead Over McCain In Possible “Blowout”

Pollster John Zogby reports that Democratic Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama is now increasing his lead over Republican Sen. John McCain in what could be shaping up as what Zogby calls a “blowout.” Zogby predicts this could be a politically-transformative landslide like[...]

 UPDATE 2: AP doesn't agree:

AP presidential poll: All even in the homestretch

The presidential race tightened after the final debate, with John McCain gaining among whites and people earning less than $50,000, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll that shows McCain and Barack Obama essentially running [… ]


 

You Knew This Was Coming

Yes, indeed. No big surprise here.

AP: Al Qaida Web site Endorses McCain

Most of us know this, but hearing it from them ... Al-Qaida supporters suggested in a Web site message this week they would welcome a pre-election terror attack on the U.S. as a way to usher in a McCain presidency [...]

UPDATE: Strange McCain response:

McCain campaign rattled by al Qaeda admission

Following up on an earlier item, al Qaeda supporters reportedly stated their support for a McCain victory on a password-protected website. The group apparently prefers the candidate who'll keep pursuing Bush administration policies [...]

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Best Post of the Day

It doesn't get any more incredible than this:

Sarah Palin spent on clothes in one month what the average American household spends on clothes in 80 years.

Sarah Palin spent on clothes in one month, $150,000, what the average American household spends on clothes in 50 years 80 years. [...]

UPDATE: Republican reaction? Not so good...

Republicans Disgusted: Palin's $150,000 Shopping Spree

Consider all the McCain campaign messages this steps on: "elitist," "small-town values," "big spender," "relating to 'real' America," etc.

 

How About?

Today in 100 seconds..

Down To The Wire

It's the final two weeks and the McCain camp is throwing in the cards in several states.  Not a good sign.  Follow the bouncing ball..

McCain Abandons NM, CO, IA

...The moving trucks and plywood from the McCain campaign is out and rolling through New Mexico, Colorado, and Iowa and they are bailing out on these states. Fend for yourself, hunt and peck, [...]

Pay-Back Time

More troubles for Palin.

Governor Palin Frauded Alaska

I’m reprinting this breaking story from the AP. Having bumped elbows for almost a year with Matt Apuzzon out of Washington DC, I have a tremendous respect for his reporting. I’m working on a thank you note to John McCain for bringing the National Media to the Alaska scene. It is shocking [...]

A Night of Polls

A whole slew of new polls coming out tonight.  Enjoy.  Or weep. It's your call. We begin with the just-released NBC/WSJ poll...

Obama Widens Lead over McCain

CNN Poll of Polls: Obama leads by nine points

(Pew Poll)Growing Doubts About McCain's Judgment, Age and CampaignConduct(O 52 M 38)

Tracking Poll Update: Obama Retakes Big Gallup Lead

 

 

Difference of Opinion

I must admit, I find it hard to believe that this really is the McCain/Palin stance on bin Laden. Still, the quotes are there and they are quite damning.

McCain: I'd let Osama bin Laden go free

Wow. Probably the biggest gaffe McCain has ever made, saying that he'd refuse to catch Osama bin Laden if he had him in his sights. Specifically, McCain and Palin have said that if they knew where bin Laden was hiding in Pakistan, and the [...]

Oh, what the heck. As long as we're doing "quotable quotes", here's another one:

Palin Claims Vice President 'In Charge of the U.S. Senate'

Governor, there's this great document called the Constitution that you should really take a look at [...]

 

Monday, October 20, 2008

Just Watch

It's pretty darn good TV.

Great Reaction. Right?

This is just so tacky. So sad. Note that all of these are quotes.  From Fox.

FOX News commenters bash Obama over dying grandmother

Where is Bill O'Reilly when we need some righteous indignation over Web site comments? Oh, and I have screen captures of everything [...]

The Hits Just Keep On Comin'

They just keep making thing difficult.

Death Threats, Hack Attempts Beseige OH Sec. of State's Office

The website of the Ohio Secretary of State is being set to "static mode" following a recent series of "security breach" attempts, as well as suspicious packages and a number of death threats sent to the office, according to a press release issued late this afternoon. (Posted in full at [...]

More Bad News From the Election Trail

It's going to be a long, ugly, two weeks. Somebody had better reign in these crazy people. Really. Talk about being un-American. I know there is free speech, but this is getting really close to yelling "fire" in a crowded theatre.

McCain supporters heckle early voters.

On Sunday, the Washington Times’s Christina Bellantoni stopped by a polling place in North Carolina, where she reported that a “group of loud and angry protestors” — almost all of whom were white — were shouting and mocking voters — nearly all of whom were black. Bellatoni noted that people “were shouting about Obama’s acknowledged [...]

McCain/Palin mob: 30 cars owners find tires slashed after NC Obama rally; voters heckled

Sigh. This happened yesterday in Fayetteville yesterday. And only a couple of days before, a Greensboro reporter was kicked to the ground by another McCain/Palin patriot at a Bible Spice rally at Elon. Someone slashed the tires of [...]