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March 31, 2006

New 2006 Polling

Zogby has their full slate of election numbers online again. I am not sure how much faith I put in the results, as it is internet polling and the book is still out the methodology. That said, I consider the results to be somewhere in between credible and nothing more than a "Friday Fun Tyme!" poll. Regardless of any information gleaned from these results or others, simply allowing the Republican Party to implode from the inside and self-destruct isn't going to get the job done. That's why it's so important that you participate in the 50 State Canvass April 29th, to help spread the Democratic message in 2006. That said, here a are a few of the more interesting results:

OH-Sen: Sherrod Brown 45.9% (D) vs. Mike DeWine (R) 37%
PA-Sen: Casey Jr. 47.4% (D) vs. Santorum (R) 39.4%
AZ-Sen: Kyl 47.1% (R) vs. Pederson (D) 42.1%
MN-Sen: Klobuchar 49.2% (D) vs. Kennedy (R) 41.4%
OH-Gov: Strickland 46.6% (D) vs. Blackwell (R) 40.6%
CO-Gov: Beauprez 39.9% (R) vs. Ritter (D) 38.1%
MN-Gov: Pawlenty 43.5% (R) vs. Hatch (D) 42.6%
MD-Gov: O'Malley 48.1% (D) vs. Erlich (R) 42.9%

Full results can be found here.

Open Thread

Have at it. Happy Friday.

March 30, 2006

Open Thread

Anyone else get a real sweet deal on a house lately?

IA-Gov: State Ethics Board to Investigate Nussle

From an Iowa Democratic Party press release:

The Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board voted today to investigate gubernatorial candidate Jim Nussle's campaign for potentially violating state campaign finance compliance laws.

"We applaud the Ethics Board's decision to investigate the campaign filings of Jim Nussle. The board has confirmed our belief that the Nussle campaign engaged in potentially unscrupulous financial activities that misled Iowans. Iowa's campaign finance reporting laws were established to shine a light on the financial activities of candidates for public office, and this investigation will do just that," said Iowa Democratic Party Executive Director Mike Milligan.

Last month, the Iowa Democratic Party filed a formal ethics complaint against the Nussle campaign with the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board. There are three areas of concern that warrant an investigation into ethics violations:

1) Mr. Nussle’s state finance report fails to show any in-kind donations from the federal "Nussle for Congress Committee," while six individuals were simultaneously paid out of both accounts.

2) The development costs of Nussle's gubernatorial campaign website may have been paid for by the congressional campaign account, with no record of an in-kind donation to the gubernatorial campaign account.

3) Three congressional campaign expenditures, totaling $33,839.69 for media-production, were made to McCarthy Marcus Hennings in 2005. The official announcement tour of his bid for Governor was accompanied by a video. However, in the gubernatorial campaign state report there is no report of video or media production expenses to McCarthy Marcus Hennings until two months after his announcement.

The most recent Rasmussen Reports polling on the race shows Nussle trailing Chet Culver (D) but in a close contest with other potential Democratic nominees.

Arizona Dems Launch New Website

Wanted to make sure that everyone (and specifically those in Arizona) saw the new web initiative launched by the Arizona Democratic Party. Just click on the image below to visit.

Unprecedented Fifty-State Canvass

Governor Dean sent this message to Democrats across the country this morning.

Dear Fellow Democrat,

Are you ready to make history?

Thanks to the overwhelming support from thousands of Democrats, who donated to get the literature for the canvass printed and shipped, we're on schedule and gearing up for the unprecedented Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day on April 29th.

On that Saturday, thousands of volunteers will recruit hundreds of thousands more Americans committed to changing the status quo this year during door-knocking events in communities across America.

Democrats have a clear vision for America, and we're going to get the word out by making personal contact with our neighbors. And along the way we will build new relationships among volunteers on the ground, a network that will have an impact beyond a single day.

Whether you've never volunteered or you're a seasoned door-knocking veteran, it is crucial that you take part in this historic organizing push.

Please RSVP for an event near you:

http://www.democrats.org/50statecanvass/find

In many states, Democratic Party staff on the ground have already put together staging areas for massive voter contact events on the 29th. Thanks to donations from people like you, hundreds of thousands of pieces of literature are being printed and shipping in bulk to those locations right now.

If there isn't an event near you, don't worry. Some state parties will have canvassing events on alternate dates, or have other important events that planned for that weekend.

You can still plan your own canvass in your community. Our online tool makes the planning process easy, and if you create your event before April 10th, we will get doorhangers to you in time for your canvass on the 29th.

You can create your own event here:

http://www.democrats.org/50statecanvass/create

Whether you're attending an event or hosting your own, we have also put together materials on the web to help you make your canvass as effective as possible.

The online package includes tips on canvassing, a suggested script for when you get to the door, and the doorhanger itself in various formats for you to print extras on your own.

Here is the online resource center:

http://www.democrats.org/50statecanvass

Two-thirds of Americans reject this president and the Republican leadership -- and they are waiting to hear from us.

We are all members of one American community and it's up to us to make sure that our country has a government as good as its people.

Democrats have a big task in November. We will only win if every one of us takes responsibility for the outcome of the election now -- while there is still time to build our operation.

Thank you for being a part of this extraordinary grassroots push.

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

Thursday Morning Open Thread

Happy Morning.

March 29, 2006

Open Thread

How could I have forgotten this candidate George Allen gem earlier today?

"When I observed her on videotapes, clearly [she] is conscious and has the ability to feel," Allen concurred, although he has no medical background.

Must be something about Republican presidential candidates that makes them think they can diagnose people hundreds of miles away over video tape. Either that, or he stayed at a Holiday Inn Express the night before.

"Tired Concepts"

That's what the RNC thinks of...

- Eliminating Osama bin Laden

- Providing our troops with the necessary armor in Iraq

- Implementing the 9/11 Commission Recommendations

- Transitioning full sovereignty in Iraq to the Iraqi people

- Inspecting 100% of inbound cargo

- Energy Independence

- Securing loose nukes

That's the big difference between the Republican and Democratic parties. On the other side of the aisle, these are "tired concepts" that are only important when promised during a campaign cycle. No need to actually implement them when they control the executive and legislative branches of government ... claiming you we'll get Osama bin Laden "dead or alive" is only good for a boost in approval ratings. When it comes time to govern, priorities quickly shift to providing no-bid contracts to friends of the adminstration, building a wall on our southern border, and securing a place or residence in the bedrooms of families across the country.

These aren't tired concepts. These are goals that that a responsible party in power during a "post 9/11 world" would be striving to accomplish. Fact is, the current adminstration and its rubber stamp Republican controlled congress has presided over a spectacular weakening of national security -- quick to sell our safety down the river to the highest bidder. Osama bin Laden is still on the loose, the Middle East threatens to become a mass of instability, North Korea's nuclear ambitions remain a serious threat to our safety, and our pourous borders remain vulnerable to terrorist and WMD infiltration. And the list goes on. And on. And on and on and on and on and on and on.

If there is an executive branch willing to take security seriously instead of playing politics at every turn, this is what we will accomplish with a Democratic congress in 2006. Real Security.

A Real Security Agenda

Five Years &10 Months

For Jack Abramoff.

Real Security

The American people have a choice in 2006. They can stick with the status quo of "stay the course" put forth by a Republican controlled rubber stamp congress led by President Bush. Or we can change the course and provide Real Security, a plan put forth by the Democratic Party.

We've repeatedly seen what "stay the course" gets us: An Iraq teetering on the brink of civil war -- A proposal to allow foreign, state owned corporations with ties to Al Qaeda and the Taliban the ability to control security at six of our nations largest ports -- Five percent of incoming cargo inspected at our ports -- Scathing rebukes and failing grades from the 9/11 Commission (.pdf) in regards to the implementation of their proposals to keep America safe in a "post 9/11 world." -- Osama bin Laden still on the loose and producing enough videos to start his own cable network. -- Instability in the Middle East including, but obviously not limited to, the prospect of a nuclear Iran. -- Government sponsored domestic spying -- And secret energy commission meetings, oft repeated empty slogans about oil addiction, and a president who was only kidding in the State of the Union about his promise to make us energy Independent.

We can stay that course ... or Americans can opt for Real Security this November and beyond.

Real Security will immediately implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission that includes securig our borders, ports, airports, and mass transit systems.

Real Security will screen 100% of containers and cargo bound for the U.S.

Real Security will prevent outsourcing of critical components of our national security infrastructure -- such as ports, airports, and mass transit.

Real Security will provide our first responders the technology they need.

Real Security will protect America from bio terrorism and pandemics, including the Avian Flu.

Real Security will ensure that 2006 is a year of transition to full Iraqi sovereignty in Iraq.

And Real Security will eliminate Osama bin Laden.

Your call. But that's just the beginning of the Democratic plan to provide Real Security for all Americans in 2006, 2007, and beyond. You can read the full plan, here.

More George Allen -- Greatest Misses

Watching Senator Allen on CNN this morning reminded me of two recent quotes (and a bonus third just found today) that I felt needed redistribution at a time like this. First, the Senator on Ben Bernanke to replace Alan Greenspan:

Senator George Allen of Virginia, who is considering a bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2008, said when asked his opinion of the Bernanke nomination.

"For what?"

Told that Mr. Bernanke was up for the Fed chairman's job, Mr. Allen hedged a little, said he had not been focused on it, and wondered aloud when the hearings would be. Told that the Senate Banking Committee hearings had concluded in November, the senator responded: "You mean I missed them all? I paid no attention to them."

The second is comes from candidate for re-election to the U.S. Senate in Virginia, George Allen:

George Allen makes little secret that he is bored with life in the Senate.

"I made more decisions in half a day as governor than you can make in a whole week in the Senate," Senator Allen said earlier this month as he dashed into a recent Republican fund-raiser in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Over eggs and hash browns with a Republican crowd in Davenport, he lamented about being in the Senate, "It's too slow for me."

And TODAY, the DSCC finds a nice little video clip of candidate for re-election to the U.S. Senate in Virginia, George Allen, publicly wishing he was born in Iowa. At this point, why even run for re-election to the U.S. Senate if you are George Allen? He has absolutely no interest in holding on to his seat, it bores him, and only his presidential ambitions seem to keep him motivated.

Quote of the Day

Senator/Presidential Candidate George Allen:

I think if you reward illegal behavior, you'll get more illegal behavior," said Sen. George Allen, a Virginia Republican.

Flashback: Senator Allen defending the president's domestic spying program in December of 2005.

Open Thread

Happy Wednesday.

March 28, 2006

Insufferable

Ladies and gentlemen, meet the very serious, and dangerous, Republican candidate for President of the United States, Tom Tancredo.

Photo Credit: Colorado Political News

For Tancredo's money, anyone that arrived in the United States more than 48 hours after his final relative, America is full. And not only is it full, but anyone found helping an illegal immigrant in any way, even a church ministering aid, could literally be convicted of a crime. He wants to separate millions of children, American citzens, from their parents who might be illegal immigrants -- either that, or just ship those legal citizens from where their parents came. There is no humanity in Tancredo's proposals, let alone anything that resembles a realistic plan for the future. Tancredo is busy playing a game of checkers while serious legislators are contemplating the next move in a very serious chess match.

In case you need more evidence of just how unhinged Tancredo is, in a symbol of America's commitment to freedom, liberty, and tolerance, he wants to build a wall along the US/Mexican border. I was telling one of my friends about this the other night, and she thought I was kidding. "A wall?" "Yup, a giant wall along the border." "You're not serious," she asked. "Dead serious, they think that's the answer, a wall."

There was a pretty good op-ed in the Chicago Tribune this morning by Jesse Jackson. The thesis, and title, of the piece was it's time to wage war on povery, not immigrants ... and that war takes place on both sides of our borders. Until we get serious about that, the McCain-Kennedy Act is a good first step. The act "provides for meaningful comprehensive reform through measures to strengthen border security, crack down on businesses that hire undocumented workers, provide a path for undocumented immigrants in the U.S. to move out of the shadows and earn citizenship, and provide additional work visas for those seeking to enter the U.S."

Who Knew?

Yes, who knew you too could "celebrate spring" for the small price of $1,000? And while most of us do know the price of coffee is getting a bit extreme, but 1k to take a break and have a cup with Heather Wilson? It's time for another journey into the soul sucking site that is the National Republican Congressional Commitee webpage.

Celebrate Spring with Congressman Jeff Miller

The Madison House, 201 C Street SE, Washington DC
Suggested Contribution: $1000

Take a coffee break with Congresswoman Heather Wilson

Starbucks Coffee 237 Pennsylvania Ave, SE Upper Level Washington, DC
Suggested Contribution $1,000

Congressman Todd Tiahrt Invites You to Join Him for the 2nd Annual Todd Tiahrt European Driven Pheasant Hunt

The Flint Oak Hunting Resort in Kansas
$2,500 per PAC/Individual benefiting HEART PAC

No word yet on whether or not the vice president will attend Congressman Tiahrt event. And for the most shameless invitation of the lot, the award goes to... Congressman Scott Garrett!

Please Join CONGRESSMAN SCOTT GARRETT, Republican, Fifth Congressional District of New Jersey; Member, House Financial Services Committee, For A Fundraising Reception With Very Special Guest HON. RODNEY FRELINGHUYSEN, Senior Member of the House Appropriations Committee; Vice-Chairman, Subcommittee on Defense; Member, Subcommittee on Energy & Water Development

Look at all the committee access one fundraiser can get you! What a bargain. [puke]

Karl and Josh, Sitting in a Tree

So the "shakeup at top levels" of the Bush Adminstration finally happened. This morning, President Bush accepted the resignation of Chief of Staff Andrew Card and appointed Josh Bolten. This replacement, friends, a shakeup does not make. What's the difference? I suppose they are hoping to send the country sprialing down the wrong track with greater efficiency now. Either way, you know Karl Rove is pleased ... he apparently has a bit of a man-crush on Josh Bolten (.pdf).

"He's soft-spoken but very clear thinking," said Karl Rove, Bush's chief political adviser. "I love him in an entirely appropriate way."

Aside from the obvious humor that is Karl Rove feeling he has to provide a disclaimer while expressing his admiration for Bolten, the truth is that this appointment is meaningless. And if you are a fan of absolute secrecy and business-as-usual in the White House, than Josh Bolten is your man:

"Bolten operates with two guiding principles: absolute loyalty to the boss and absolutely no attention to himself. Indeed, his penchant for secrecy befits the son of a career CIA officer. One White House colleague notes that Bolten for months had a sign on his desk declaring: 'Who else needs to know?'"

This is not the hiring of an "adult" willing to question the president and his failed policies ... this is another man willing to sit back and aid the president in his quest to stay the course.

FL-Sen: Congrats Katherine Harris Loses ANOTHER Staffer

I was about to congratulate Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Florida Katherine Harris for going several days in a row without one of her senior staffers leaving the campaign, but then I read the Sarasota Herald Tribune this morning:

Katherine Harris' Senate campaign has been losing key campaign workers for months.

But when Tampa-based political consultant Adam Goodman announced he had left her staff on Monday, she lost more than just another hired gun trying to help her win a seat in the Senate.

Harris lost a piece of her history, someone who started working for her on her first campaign in 1994.

Even the most loyal supporters are jumping ship. I guess the realization that you can't fund a serious campaign by pawning posessions on Ebay is hitting close to home.

John McCain [Hearts] Jerry Falwell

The two-faces of candidate McCain:

U.S. Sen. John McCain - a likely 2008 presidential candidate who once labeled the Rev. Jerry Falwell an "agent of intolerance" - will be Liberty University’s graduation speaker on May 13.

"I was in Washington with him about three months ago," Falwell said. "We dealt with every difference we have. There are no deal breakers now.

That's cute, they solved every difference they have. Does this mean candidate McCain identifies Falwell's belief that femininsts, the ACLU, gays and lesbians were responsible for September 11th?

PAT ROBERTSON: Jerry, that's my feeling. I think we've just seen the antechamber to terror. We haven't even begun to see what they can do to the major population.

JERRY FALWELL: The ACLU's got to take a lot of blame for this.

PAT ROBERTSON: Well, yes.

JERRY FALWELL: And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way - all of them who have tried to secularize America - I point the finger in their face and say "you
helped this happen."

Hey, if Tim Russert can ask Senator Obama about something Harry Belafonte said from another country, is this not a fair question to ask a man actively and publicly courting the support of Jerry Falwell in his presidential campaign?

Open Thread

One of the esteemed members of the "Filthy Four" gets sentenced today, take a guess which one:

Bill Frist
Vice President Cheney
Jack Abramoff
Bob Ney

If you guessed Jack Abramoff, you're right! I gotta be honest with everyone, and the same thing happened for me when I watched Duke Cunningham's tear-soaked speech a few weeks ago ... today, I feel sorry for Abramoff's family, and even a bit for the man himself. Jack Abramoff is essentially broke, and now his wife and large family are left behind to fend for themselves. And while I am sure that is something Abramoff can consider will paying his penance in the penitentiary, you really can't help but feel for his wife and children. As the sentence is read, it also really saddens me that we live in a country where many of our leaders are guided not by a passion for progress, but power. That's what makes the existence of people like Jack Abramoff and the role he played in the Republican culture of corruption possible.

March 27, 2006

Open Thread

For the night...

OH-Gov: Republican Primary Heats Up

The Columbus Dispatch released a poll over the weekend showing J. Kenneth Blackwell on his way towards taking on Ted Strickland this November in Ohio's gubernatorial contest.

Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell holds a double-digit lead in Ohio’s GOP gubernatorial primary race in the first Dispatch Poll before the May 2 election.

While Attorney General Jim Petro trails by 11 points, nearly a third of Republican voters remain undecided.

In other news relevant to the race, Ken Blackwell has decided against debating Jim Petro during the primary. Next, the Cleveland Plain Dealer argued that Ken Blackwell is the most "political secretary of state in Ohio history - perhaps American history." And finally, Jim Petro had the audacity to release a new campaign ad titled, "Integrity." In the ad, he looks point blank into the camera and says, "I've tried in every sense to have that reputation that is so important to me, of absolute integrity." Meanwhile, the FBI is investigating whether or not Attorney General Petro participating in acts of retribution against lawyers/firms refusing to contribute to his 2002 campaign. Quite a choice for Republican primary voters this May.

The Filthy Four

After a weekend of buzzer beaters, blowouts, heartbreak, and euphoria, the "Unsweet Sixteen" has been whittled down to the "Filthy Four." There are no feel good cindarella stories in the field, just a collection of the corrupt. Here are the finalists and how they got there.

For a refresher, here are the original brackets. You can also find the pre-game analysis here and here.

The Bush Adminstration Bracket
Because these games were played in secret location and without oversight of any kind, it's very difficult to report on how Vice President Dick Cheney emerged from the high-powered field. Cheney's the kind of player that won't give up even when the world is telling him he just can't go on. His early training at Halliburton--a company that did business with Iraq when he was CEO and was investigated for their ties to Iran in 2004--created the take-no-prisoners attitude that's made him such an asset to the Bush Administration. And after a series of failed predictions that would have stopped more seasoned players in their tracks, Cheney just keeps moving forward. He led his teammates in a pre-war game plan that was breathtaking in its brazenness, but fell apart when it came time to implement it. He said Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction--when he didn't. He said that Al Qaeda was linked to Iraq--when they weren't. Just nine months after he said the Iraqi insurgents were "in their last throes" the country teeters on the brink of civil war. And now, even though the Iraqi police have been infiltrated by the very insurgent forces they are trying to control, Cheney continues to see victory within his grasp.

The House Bracket
Just as Josh and I predicted, Bob Ney came out of Ohio to upset some bigger names in the House bracket, including Tom DeLay and Duke Cunningham. Ney was known as the "Mayor of Capitol Hill," until he was forced to step down after being identified as Representative #1 in Jack Abramoff's Federal plea bargain. Ney is comfortable playing on the road as well--he to play his first round game in a federal prison to accomodate the Duke-Stir's travel "limitations," and he's traveled to Scotland with Jack Abramoff and sent his staff to the Marianas Islands. Whether he's granting federal contracts to the clients of his political patrons or using the congressional floor as a commercial for Jack Abramoff's casino cruise line, Ney is well recognized as a power player who relentlessly uses his position to box out the competition. The fact that Ney has been able to keep it together and is even running for reelection despite the steadily closing net of a Federal investigation has shocked political insiders.

Senate Bracket
Don't let his cool demeanor fool you, Bill Frist is a serious competitor whose killer instincts were honed during his early days in medical school, when he repeatedly adopted cats from local animal shelters, pretended to give them homes, and then used them to practice his surgical skills. But there's no question that despite the ice water in his veins, Frist has repeatedly choked when it counted as Senate Majority Leader. He failed to get the job done for Bush on the Dubai Ports World deal; he failed to pass asbestos reform after declaring it to be the Senate's "top priority"; he couldn't block the extension of the Patriot Act, open up ANWR to drilling, or get Harriet Miers confirmed; and his efforts to ensure he could limit debate on judicial nominations were thwarted by members of his own party. Of course, his recent failure to focus on his long game may be because he's distracted by the ballooning investigation into his recent sale of $10 to $30 million of HCA stock--a sale of stock that he didn't know he had to prevent a conflict of interest he previously said didn't exist.

Pioneers and Rangers Bracket
The early favorite of the corruption tournament, Jack Abramoff, is a strong inside player (with at least a few Republican Members of Congress, and a certain President) who uses his domination of the paint to get what he wants for his lobbying clients--after keeping a bit for himself, of course. Abramoff has spent 20 years working in Republican politics preparing for this tournament--though some whisper behind closed doors that he paid his way into the tournament, much like he paid his way into the White House. Abramoff might be a bit distracted since he is busy cooperating with the FBI, but since he just got his sentencing postponed in his Florida fraud case, so there's no reason he shouldn't be fresh for the tournament. With the $20 million he bilked from Indian tribes, the $3.41 million he invested in campaign contributions for Republican Congressman and Senators, the quality time he spent on overseas trips with Congressmen and their staff, and the clandestine White House meetings with President Bush and Karl Rove, there's no question that Abramoff can dominate this tournament. If Abramoff brings his A game, everyone else might be playing for second place.

GA-Gov: Democrats Making Gains on the Back of Ralph Reed

Rasmussen. 500 Likely Voters. March 15, 2006. MoE +/- 4.5%

Sonny Perdue (R): 49%
Cathy Cox (D): 41%

Sonny Perdue (R): 51%
Mark Taylor (D): 41%

These numbers are in stark contrast to the last time Rasmussen put a poll in the field for this race early February. Back then, Perdue led both challengers by twenty percentage points. Much as the president is dragging down the national Republican Party, it could very well be the poor press and air of corruption surrounding GOP "Golden Boy," candidate for Lt. Governor, and Jack Abramoff BFF, Ralph Reed, dragging down the incumbent governor in Georgia. Reed is quick to point the finger at the "radical left" and the liberal media for his woes ... wahhhhh! We've never heard that stale excuse before. Unfortunately for him, it's pretty tough to run from this record:

"Former Christian Coalition director Ralph Reed claimed in a 2001 e-mail to [Jack Abramoff] that he choreographed John Cornyn's efforts as Texas attorney general to shut down an East Texas Indian tribe’s casino." Reed, "an avowed foe of gambling," was "paid $4.2 million by Abramoff and Scanlon for his work opposing several tribal casinos in southern states from 2001 to 2003, government sources said."

Hopefully Reed stays on the ticket through November. An Atlanta Journal Constitution poll showed a plurality of Georgians would be LESS likely to vote for Sonny Perdue should the "Golden Boy" stick around.

New Numbers

A few interesting notes from Time Magazine's most recent profile of the 2006 midterm election landscape. First, there are the numbers:

Time. 1,003 Adult Americans. March 22-23, 2006. MoE +/- 3%

Which party would do a better job of rebuilding New Orleans and the Gulf Coast?

Democrats: 48%
Republicans: 21%

Standing up to special interests?

Democrats: 40%
Republicans: 22%

Managing government spending?
Democrats: 46%
Republicans: 31%

Dealing with corruption?
Democrats: 39%
Republicans: 25%

Protecting the rights of Americans:
Democrats: 48%
Republicans: 35%

Contrary to conventional wisdom, the poll also shows that a majority of Americans believe the Republican Party does not have a clear set of policies for the country. Of course, the Democratic Party does have a clear plan:

1. American jobs that will stay in America, using energy independence to generate those jobs.

2. A strong national defense based on telling the truth to our citizens, our soldiers and our allies.

3. Honesty and integrity to be restored to government.

4. A health care system that works for everybody just like they have in 36 other countries.

5. A strong public education system so we can have optimism and opportunity back in America.

The article also talks about something we discussed late last week, Republicans fleeing from the adminstration on it's course, but quickly embracing the president for his ability to raise cash. Not much new here, just a few funny quotes:

Considering that Vice President Dick Cheney had come a long way to help Florida Congressman Ric Keller raise $250,000 last week, the reception he got in the Sunshine State could have been a bit warmer. After extolling Cheney as "one of the most effective Vice Presidents in the history of the U.S.," Keller launched into all the times he had recently opposed the Bush Administration, including the deal to allow a Dubai company to manage operations at several U.S. ports. And then Keller went right for the punch line: "'Don't be too hasty,'" he claimed the Vice President had pleaded with him. "'Let's go hunting. We'll talk about it.'"

The Vice President might have no business on American Idol, but maybe an evening at the Improv would suit him better.

Open Thread

Start talking.

March 26, 2006

Legislative Branch Need Not Apply

Why even elect them?

When President Bush signed the reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act this month, he included an addendum saying that he did not feel obliged to obey requirements that he inform Congress about how the FBI was using the act's expanded police powers. The bill contained several oversight provisions intended to make sure the FBI did not abuse the special terrorism-related powers to search homes and secretly seize papers.

This is why it's so important to elect a Democratic Congress in 2006. This is why all calls for oversight before the passage of the Patriot Act were meaningless. It's why you can't trust President Bush in a speech when he says:

Congress also oversees the application of the Patriot Act. Congress has recently created a federal board to ensure that the Patriot Act and other laws respect privacy and civil liberties. And I'll soon name five talented Americans to serve on that board. Attorney General Gonzales delivers regular reports on the Patriot Act to the House and the Senate, and the Department of Justice has answered hundreds of questions from members of Congress.

This adminstration, aided and abetted by a Republican controlled congress, has little regard for the system of checks-and-balances so important in the face of an executive branch drunk with power.

March 25, 2006

Open Thread

Lo Siento, was out all day. And if you happen to be a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in New York, watch out for the helicopters flying over your home.

March 24, 2006

FL-Sen: Another Harris Staffer Calls it Quits

The St. Petersburg Times Blog:

It seems like Buzz writes this one once a week. Here we go again...

Another high-level staffer is leaving Rep. Katherine Harris' House office. Deputy Chief of Staff Peggy Evans' last day is Friday. Evans is one of Harris' longest serving staffers, working for her for about two years.

We used to keep a running tab on the exact number of employees that have come and gone from Harris' congressional and U.S. Senate campaign offices but we've lost count. Let's just say dozens.

It is most often the rule, not the exception, that campaign staffers are willing to stick around in difficult situations because they either believe in the candidate or their message. It says an awful lot that such a large number of defectors from the Harris campaign were not "willing to risk it all" for that "pearl of great price."

Gimme the Loot

More of the dance.

As he stood surrounded by supporters at his Green Tree campaign office yesterday, Mr. Santorum predicted that the event would add more than $500,000 to the war chest he brings to his anticipated challenge from Democratic Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. The cash will be a welcome boost to what is expected to be one of the most expensive Senate races in the country this year. [...]

Mr. Santorum said of the president, that rather than standing side-by-side at more public rallies, "the best use of his time for me is to help us raise money."

Gotta Love the Principle

With the president and vice president's approval ratings in the tank all across the United States, Republican candidates across the country find themselves in a delicate dance distancing their campaigns from the course, but not the cash. Mike DeWine's (R-OH) Senate campaign is one of the best, most recent examples of the trend.

When a president's popularity plummets as Bush's has, other politicians often avoid public appearances with them. Prominent Ohio Republicans including Sen. Mike DeWine, Sen. George Voinovich and Rep. Steve LaTourette say they're skipping Bush's speech because of prior commitments.

Of course, DeWine welcomed him to Cincinnati weeks earlier.

President Bush was on the ground in Cincinnati less than three hours Thursday, but his presence at a fundraiser in an Indian Hill home put $1.1 million in the campaign account of Sen. Mike DeWine.

You can use the script above to re-write Tom Kean Jr. and the Vice President in New Jersey, although Kean didn't even attend the fundraiser held on his behalf. ABC has the national scoop.

Many worried Republicans on the ballot in November have been pushing away from the White House, not wanting to be dragged under by President Bush's sinking approval ratings and growing anxiety over Iraq. That doesn't mean they're also fleeing his cash offerings, however.

Despite approval ratings in the mid-to-upper 30s, Bush remains the nation's most successful fundraiser. Vice President Dick Cheney, whose poll numbers are even lower than Bush's, is not far behind. Both have raised tens of millions of dollars for GOP congressional and gubernatorial candidates running in this year's midterm elections.

Even as some Republicans are becoming increasingly defiant on a range of issues, they're still lining up dutifully for the president's campaign dollars.

Fact is, these visits cannot be separated from the loyal support of the president by candidates like DeWine. It was indeed Senator DeWine first in line offering to rewrite the law making President Bush's domestic spying program legal.

Open Thread

A pair of unbelievable finishes in the last college basketball games yesterday. Can't help but feel sad when someone who has had the career of Adam Morisson walks around the court on the brink of tears with two seconds left on the clock. Four more tonight, and we all know Pam B. is excited to watch her Huskies of UConn take on the, well, the Huskies of Washington.

March 23, 2006

Open Thread

Who are you cheering for tonight?

The 2006 Unsweet 16 ... Continued

UPDATE: To vote in the 2007 Unsweet Sixteen
click right here

College basketball's Sweet Sixteen begins tonight, and despite my poor advice in round one, I'll try again tonight. Personally, I'm pulling for Bradley over the one-seed Memphis (Go Missouri Valley Conference) and UCLA in one of the two late games. But while the sweet sixteen gets widdled down to the final four by the end of the weekend, the "Unsweet Sixteen" has raged on for about five years now. Unfortunately for all Americans, we'll have to wait until November to start knocking competitors out of the tournament (or they end up in jail, whatever happens first). Josh and I reviewed half of the brackets last week, and will run down another one right now ... the House bracket.

Tim: We'll start in the House bracket, where Mitchell Wade has a serious rooting interest in both of the matchups. One of the GOP's favorite congresswomen from Florida, Katherine Harris, is taking on Tom "the exterminator" DeLay.

Josh: How corrupt do you have to be to get awarded a higher seed than Duke Cunningham in this bracket?

Tim: I think this bracket is probably the toughest of the lot, you really gotta be something special to make your way into the final four among this group.

Josh: I disagree, totally. I mean, look over at the "Pioneers and Rangers" bracket... Two of the four have either been convicted/confessed to crimes and/or awaiting their prison sentences. And the third, Tom Noe, is facing fifty-three felony counts that could carry up to 175 years in prison. That's to take nothing away from the astonishing level of corruption among the group in the House bracket... it's just, they are like "futures stars" to a group of Hall of Famers in the Pioneer bracket.

Tim: Alright, back to the games. DeLay vs. Harris

Josh: DeLay, in a rout. Tough to beat "48 visits to golf clubs and resorts with lush fairways; 100 flights aboard company planes; 200 stays at hotels, many world-class; and 500 meals at restaurants, some averaging nearly $200 for a dinner for two."

Tim: That is tough to beat. Harris is trying her best though, vowing to sell off all of her earthly posessions to fund a Senate bid in Florida, and then comparing herself to various characters in the Bible.

Josh: Yeah, but that's not corrupt, that's just ridiculous.

Tim: Well, I didn't mention the fact that she received illegal campaign contributions from Mitchell Wade and then attempted to get him earmarks while a member of the House.

Josh: But still, it's no Tom DeLay.

Tim: Indeed. DeLay moves on.

Tim: The second matchup pits the Duke Cunningham against Ohio's Bob Ney. This game was originally scheduled to be played at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse but had to be moved to the Metropolitan Correctional Center in San Diego California, outdoor court #3, in order to accomodate Cunningham.

Josh: I thought you said that if you were in jail, that was the end of your tournament run?

Tim: Well, I guess the selection committee thought Duke's corruption is so prolific, they let him in as a legacy ... almost like a lifetime achievement award.

Josh: If anyone deserves it, it's Duke. Credit where credit is due for his "bribery menu."

Tim: Tough draw though for the convicted criminal, he gets Bob Ney, AKA "Representative #1."

Josh: And maybe Ney can conjure up the same kind of luck he had in a London casino when he turned $100 into $34,000 during two hands of a "three card game of chance."

Tim: What are the odds of that actually happening?

Josh: At best, about 550 to 1. Ironically, that's about the likelihood of his story being true.

Tim: You know, despite the heavy odds against Ney and home court advantage for Cunningham, I am kind of leaning towards Reprsentative #1 in this game.

Josh: Me too, I'm not convinced that Cunningham will be emotionally ready to take the floor tonight after watching all his goodies auctioned off by the government yesterday.

Tim: And again, who can forget Ney's golf trips to Scottland.

Josh: Yeah, but he says he was "duped" by Abramoff.

Tim: Again, about as likely as him winning $34,000 in two hands. Besides, how can you not rally behind a congressman celebrated in an email from Jack Abramoff to Mike Scanlon that read, "Just met with Ney!!! We're f'ing gold!!!! He's going to do Tigua."

Josh: I can't believe I am about to say this, but yea for Ney. I think he'll advance.

Tim: I'm with you. Plus that alleviates the headache of having to host two rounds in a federal prison.

Tim: Alright, one more bracket to go, but those games are played tomorrow night. We'll have the rundown before then.

Talking Straight But Acting Crooked

Who knew the mythical "Straight Talk Express" was powered by a bunch of hot air from the candidate himself? Republican presidential contender John McCain found himself confronted with the tough questions regarding his recent hire of "strategist" Terry Nelson (that, inexplicably, no one had asked yet) on The John Carlson Show in Seattle.

CALLER: For a reformer, I'm kind of curious why he would hire a guy like Terry Nelson as a senior advisor.

Here's a guy who was actually in the indictment of DeLay on his money laundering charges. When he was at the RNC, he agreed to take the corporate contributions from DeLay's PAC and then recycle them back into the Republican congressional races.

And he was also, this guy Nelson was also the supervisor of James Tobin, who was the guy convicted last year for helping jam the Democratic get-out-the-vote lines in New England a couple years ago.

So I'm curious why would you hire someone with such a shady background?

MCCAIN: None of those charges are true.

CALLER: You don't believe what was actually written in the indictment from Texas?

MCCAIN: No.

CARLSON: All right.

MCCAIN: I will check it out. But I've never heard of such a thing. I know that he was a grassroots organizer for President Bush year 2000 and 2004, and had a very important job in the Bush campaign as late as 2004, but the other charges I will go and look and see if any of them are true, but I've never heard of them before.

Here's the audio (and transcript) courtesy of Talking Points Memo.

Governor Dean on CNN This Morning

Governor Dean appeared on CNN's "American Morning" earlier today and discussed President Bush's permanent commitment to a failed strategy in Iraq and the Democratic Party's agenda going into the 2006 elections.

On President Bush's Failed Iraq Policies:
"We don't believe as the President said that we ought to leave this to the next president. The President got us into this. He needs to plan to get us out of it. We do believe that we can't withdraw immediately. That's not going to stabilize this dreadful situation, which the President has caused by his brash actions and because he did not listen to the military when we went in.

"Our plan is clear. The United States Senate has adopted our plan, which is: 2006 has to be a transition year. That the Iraqis have to take responsibility now for what's going on. We were the ones that suggested, which is now being adopted by Republicans, that the Iraqis be required to have unity government based on this election. They need to take responsibility for this. We need over the next couple of years to bring our folks home. ...

"We need to deal with Iraq right now, in a thoughtful and sensible way. and we need to listen to the military, not just talk about listening to the military, which is what the President's doing."

On The 2006 Midterm Elections:
"Do you want more of the same or a real change? We're going to give you a real change. We'll bring honesty and openness back to our government again, and create American jobs that will stay in America. We want a health care system that works for everybody. Look what the President did. The President didn't tell us the truth about Medicare Part D, this ridiculous drug program he has for Medicare, which is driving seniors crazy. We need a President who just tells us the truth."

Where's the Compassionate Conservatism?

(The following entry was submitted by Christy Agner, Director of the Women's Vote Center at the DNC. It's also important to note that since Governor Rounds signed the anti-choice bill into law, his approval ratings in South Dakota have plummeted -- Tim)

Now that South Dakota Republican Governor Mike Rounds has signed legislation to prevent women from making their own decisions about their reproduction health, America's women are wondering what's next? If a challenge to this legislation were to make it to the Supreme Court, as many observers suggest, the likely timing would place the debate squarely before the next Presidential election in 2008.

South Dakota is not the only state to debate prohibition of virtually all abortions, ignoring dangers to women's health or pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. And if the Supreme Court reverses or modifies Roe v. Wade, states could have even more latitude to regulate the private decisions of Americans.

Democrats know this debate stirs strong feelings for our members: We are the Party that stands not only for a woman's right to privacy and choice in reproductive health care, but also the Party that fights for programs and policies that will prevent unwanted pregnancies, in turn reducing abortions; that fights to increase economic and educational opportunities for women and girls; and that fights to make sure every child has access to the building blocks needed to secure bright and prosperous futures.

On the other hand, the approach followed in South Dakota and advocated by many who oppose women's freedom to make their own health care decisions is anti-family and anti-child. According to the South Dakota affiliate of Planned Parenthood, at the same time the state imposed extreme restrictions on women's rights to make decisions about their reproductive health, the legislature allowed bills that could have helped men and women PREVENT unwanted pregnancies to dwindle and die in committee. These included measures requiring hospitals to make women aware that emergency contraception is available, insurance companies to cover contraceptive drugs if they cover other prescription drugs, and school districts to offer sex education.

So women - and men - who lack access to safe and affordable contraception, or who have no medically accurate sexual education information, or who are not informed of available emergency contraception even in the case of rape or incest are left to ponder... Just where is the compassionate conservatism?

Humane Approach to Immigration Reform

(The following entry was sumbitted by Albert Morales of the American Majority Project. Albert also runs the DNC's Blog/Foro Latino, "No Room at the Inn." -- Tim)

This week a group of Evangelical Hispanic Clergy traveled to Washington DC to press for a comprehensive and humane approach to immigration reform. The clergy are dismayed and disappointed with the President's endorsement of the Sensenbrenner immigration reform bill (HR 4437). One provision of the bill would require fines or imprisonment of anyone, including clergy, for up to five years if they provide spiritual counsel or humanitarian aid--or possibly, even communion--to undocumented immigrants.

The clergy joined Gov. Dean and DNC staff for breakfast this morning. Gov. Dean has just delivered a message of hope and faith that working together, people of good will can defeat any legislation that seeks to undermine and criminalize acts of charity by people of faith. As Cardinal Mahony wrote in the New York Times yesterday, "current law does not require social service agencies to obtain evidence of legal status before rendering aid, nor should it. Denying aid to a fellow human being violates a law with a higher authority than Congress - the law of God." (You can view Cardinal Mahony's commentary at http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/22/opinion/22mahony.html?hp)

Democrats are united in opposing attempts by the far-right to criminalize the good works of men and women, like the ministers who have traveled to Washington from all across America to make the case for compassionate and comprehensive reform. We have to protect our borders, but scapegoating immigrants is not the way to do it. It is time for the president to call off the dogs...

Your Fifty State Strategy Stories

Of course, the flip-side to the fifty state strategy is the Democracy Bonds Community. On that end, it's you getting the job done. In order to put organizers on the ground in every state and build a permanent party infrastructure where there hasn't been one for decades, it takes sound financial planning and a sustained commitment of resources. We can't afford to have a boom-and-bust operation that pops up every two or four years in a few key states. We have to build a permanent presence everywhere, and Democracy Bonds make that possible. Start your own personal fundraising page today.

Princeton, New Jersey
The Democratic party in Princeton, NJ has been revived. We used to have a very undemocratic election process that kept people from participating. We bucked that system by actually running a challenger (for the first time in recent memory). Turnout was HUGE - several hundred people turned out for the election - way more than expected and we ran out of chairs for people - and the result was a landslide in favor of an open democratic party.

Miami County, Ohio
Excellent turnout for the Miami County "Spring Fling" dinner a few Saturdays back. Guessing about 120 or so. Usually about a dozen people at the monthly meetings at the libe. Was delighted to see so many Dems gathered.

Speakers included Sherrod Brown, Tom Roberts, state senator, Dave Fisher, state rep candidate, Mort Meier, U.S. Congressional candidate, plus other state and local candidates. Thrilling that they would travel to our neck of the woods where the voting is 70R/30D. Hope this is a sign of good things to come.

Bouler County, Colorado
Here in royal blue Boulder County, we have several contested primary races for the first time I can recall, including one for the incumbent County Clerk. All these feature solid Democrats running against solid Democrats. So, yes, I'm seeing increased participation -- at least at the candidate level.

As a side note, our precinct caucuses are next week, and a typical venue will host 8-10 precincts. I was looking over the list of the chairs to run the multi-caucus meetings, and it was like a who's who of the 2003/4 Dean campaign. Sure, a lot of folks who attended the meetups have drifted off, back to their less-involved lives, but the core group is still hard at work. And I'm proud to work with them.

Kentucky
We have no less than three of the fighting dems running in 2006:

KY-01: Eric Streit
KY-02: Mike Weaver
KY-03: Andrew Horne
*****************************
We just had a 'special state" election in one district, one House Dem ran and won Senate chair, one Democratic Louisville City Council member ran and won the House vacated seat, another Democratic city council member ran and replaced the .... We're having a March 18 Peace Demostration here this weekend--moving on!

Wake County, North Carolina
After 5 years in Wake County NC, and every one of them as a registered Democrat, only last month did I get a telephone invitation to a precinct meeting. I couldn't go, but they scheduled a makeup day the following Saturday afternoon, and I had plans for that day (Medical appointment) too. Arrgh!

The point is, nobody ever invited me to a precinct meeting until Howard Dean got involved. I now keep up with my party's county organization through its regularly updated web site, which rapidly posted the results of the precinct meetings.

Pennsylvania
A few of us had dinner last month with Don Morabito and I asked him straight out about this. He said they have hired three grassroots organizers for the state via the DNC. This is great progress.

Hillsborough and Pasco, FL
Many of our DFA members have joined our local Democratic Executive Committee and become Precinctmen and women. After a few of our members attended a DFA training in Gainesville last October, our local Dem district leaders asked us to put together a training program for precinct workers in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties. We have hosted several house parties and are busy getting people in place for every precinct in our two counties and our training program is almost ready to go.

We put together our program using materials we gathered from the 50 State Strategy PowerPoint, DFA Training, our local Democratic Party, Camp Wellstone, Southwest Florida Democratic training program, and a great website called GROWDems.

We're working together with other local Dem clubs and organizations (GLBT, Black Caucus, etc.) and have had great visibility at the Florida State Fair and local Chamber of Commerce events. Our State Party has shown amazing change under the leadership of Karen Thurman and is bringing in more money than they have for years.

This probably sounds disjointed, but things are moving forward on many fronts and it's hard to keep track of them all. Thanks to you and everyone else at the DNC (especially my hero Howard Dean) for getting this ball rolling, and for being responsive when we call Washington for help and support.

Kansas
Here in Kansas the 50 state strategy has put a full time organizer in each congressional district. These organizers have been focused on building the voter file and organizing volunteers.

This will pay dividends for regional and statewide candidates.

In the future, they will be our Congresspersons and Senators. They will be elected Governor or Attorney General. They are our farm team, and thanks to the DNC they now have the resources they need to win.

Open Thread

No snowflake in an avalanche ever feels responsible.

March 22, 2006

Speaking of Auctions

Segue ... Speaking of auctions held by people who received contributions from Mitchell Wade and susequently attempted to win defense contracts for MZM Incorporated, there's another firesale of personal property taking place today.

Silver-plated candelabras. A cedar-lined lingerie cabinet. Persian rugs. An oak hutch carved with lions' heads, tree limbs and acorns.

The spoils from former Rep. Randy ''Duke'' Cunningham's bribery scheme -- a household of valuable antiques, rugs and home furnishings -- will be auctioned off by the government Thursday to help cover the back taxes and restitution he owes.

The public was given a preview Tuesday of the loot, which was laid out in orderly rows in a warehouse near Los Angeles.

Cunningham, who was sentenced earlier this month to more than eight years in prison for taking $2.4 million in bribes, received the items from defense contractors in exchange for helping them win government contracts.

I had no idea, but a candelabra is apparently another name for a candlestick and a hutch is a "cupboard with drawers for storage and usually open shelves on top, often used for dishes." For some reason I don't think many of our candelabras or hutches quite measure up to the Duke-Stir's though. One person who perused the inventory described it as "lavish." These folks who immerse themselves in the Republican culture of corruption really do know how to extract a nice return in exchange for selling our democracy up the river. There's Bob Ney's Golf trips to Scottland. Tom DeLay's "48 visits to golf clubs and resorts with lush fairways; 100 flights aboard company planes; 200 stays at hotels, many world-class; and 500 meals at restaurants, some averaging nearly $200 for a dinner for two." And who can forget Conrad Burns' trip to the Super Bowl on a luxurious corporate jet?

FL-Sen: Might I Suggest Ebay?

Katherine Harris:

U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris continued her attempt to take her campaign to national television and to add religious overtones to her quest for a U.S. Senate seat with an appearance on ABC News "Nightline" Tuesday. Harris told John Donvan, of "Nightline," that she intends to sell all her personal assets to fund the race. "My husband has real estate, but I will not own anything." [...]

"I am willing to take this widow's mite, this pearl of great price, and put everything on the line," she told Donvan. "No matter how much you have, are you willing to take what you have and sell it all for a great price?"

Not exactly a model of fiscal responsibility, but alright. And if all else fails, she could tour the country visiting her possesions and write about a book about it... but that's already been done. As for the "widows mite" and "pearl of great price" quotes, the article also notes that those are biblical references to individuals who gave much, or everything they owned, for the church. Quite a comparsison, especially when you consider her current husband is no pauper; together, their wealth is measured up to $36.9 million.

OH-18: Who Knew?

The Hill burries the lead:

The Ohio Republican Party tried and failed to find a credible candidate to challenge Ney by the Feb. 16 filing deadline.

There was certainly contention between GOP State Party Chair Bob Bennett and Bob Ney, but I had no idea there was an active effort afoot to recruit a viable Republican primary opponent to Ney.

Ohio Republican Chairman Bob Bennett said Thursday that he'd ask Rep. Bob Ney to resign from Congress if he were indicted on felony charges. [...]

Asked if Ney planned to step down if Bennett urged him to do so, Ney said: "I would say if he asked me to step down that he'd better look in the mirror because glass houses break easily."

Either way, Ney has landed what many consider to be a less than viable opponent this May, but a creative on none the less.

Democratic Law Students Get Their Act Together

(The following is a post submitted by Eric Haren, VP of the Harvard Law School Dems, about the launch of the National Democratic Law Students Council -- Tim)

This past weekend, from March 17-19, 2006, Democratic law students from across the country convened at Harvard Law School to kickoff a new association of Democratic law students, the National Democratic Law Students Council (NDLSC). Headlined by the DNC Chairman, Gov. Howard Dean, the convention brought together 140 students from 33 schools with a common purpose: to forge a new organization devoted to promoting the work that law school Democrats and Democratic groups do on campus while connecting them with the voter protection and other efforts of Democratic lawyers.

Delegates of varied backgrounds from as far away as Kentucky, Oklahoma, Texas, and California came together at this inaugural event, attending a series of panels, talks, and trainings relating to the intersection between law and politics, and electing national officers to move the new organization into the next year. David Burd and Russell Anello, third-year and second-year students at Harvard Law School, respectively, led the organizational effort.

The founding of the NDLSC can trace its origins to two trends. First, law students have historically fallen within the College Democrats of America, but though the College Democrats have thrived in recent years, its focus on college students has often left Democratic law student groups somewhat on their own from year to year, ebbing and flowing in strength based on the election cycle. Also, the need for an organization like this became increasingly clear in the wake of the 2000 and 2004 elections, as voter protection work has taken on a new importance.

After the 2004 election, a group of Democratic lawyers created the National Lawyers Council (NLC), which was brought in house at the DNC in the spring of 2005. Starting late that summer and into the fall, after meeting with Anna Martinez, the Executive Director of the NLC, who was looking to engage law students more systematically in the NLC, David Burd began what became a seven month journey culminating at the Convention this weekend to create the NDLSC. As of now, the group encompasses Democratic law students and law student clubs at over 65 law schools nationwide.

The Convention itself was a great success and bodes well for the future of the NDLSC. The group held elections for national officers, who will serve from 2006-2007 and build upon the growth of this past year. Sarah Resnick, from Cardozo Law School, became the group’s first President. Matt Bailey, from Oklahoma City University School of Law, was elected Vice President of Membership and Communications. Danny Frost, of Columbia Law School, won the position of Vice President of Campaigns & Elections. Will Conroy, from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in Philadelphia, won the Vice Presidency of Campus Organizing. Andrew Bruck, of Stanford Law School, was elected the group’s treasurer. The candidates ran on innovative platforms, presenting new fundraising and structural ideas to the assembled law students. The candidates’ energy and initiative means a bright future for the NDLSC’s place within the Democratic infrastructure, as a result, for Democratic electoral prospects.

MT-Sen: First Primary Challenger for Burns Announces

One down, how many more to come? I'm not quite sure how out-of-touch you have to be to announce your campaign for U.S. Senate in Montana while out of the country on vacation, but that's exactly what former Republican State Representative and Senate President Bob Keenan did yesterday. This marks the first primary challenge for Captain Corruption Conrad Burns in Montana.

Bigfork Republican lawmaker Bob Keenan confirmed Tuesday he is challenging incumbent Sen. Conrad Burns in the GOP primary.

Keenan, out of the country on vacation, told The Associated Press in an e-mail Tuesday evening that he had decided to run and that his filing was "in the mail."

Earlier Tuesday evening, Burns' campaign released a statement saying Burns welcomed the news of Keenan's plans.

"We have many differences with all of our opponents, and we call on them to honor Montanans by making their views known," said Burns' spokesman Jason Klindt.

I don't know about the differences between Burns and Keenan, but I can assure you Jack Abramoff would never say the following about either of the Democrats competing in the primary:

"Every appropriation we wanted [from Burns's committee] we got. Our staffs were as close as they could be. They practically used Signatures as their cafeteria. I mean, it's a little difficult for him to run from that record."

Who knows if Burns is even going to stay in this race. Keenan is simply the first high-profile Republican to throw his hat into the ring, two more may very well follow shortly. Either way, Democrats mark this seat as one of the top Senate pick-up opportunities in 2006. The stink of Burns' corruption eminates from Billings to Mizzoula and Montanans are ready for a change a 2006.

Illinois: After a Night of Confusion ... Field Now Set

What a night. Democratic Governor Rod Blagojevich will officially square off against Judy Baar Topinka this November. Following a contentious gubernatorial campaign, "Got Guv" (Jim Oberweis) got stomped after a rift among conservatives allowed Topinka to slide through. Who can forget the multi-candidate debate from a few months ago?

Patience among the field of five appeared to be running thin, as evidenced by an end-of-debate exchange between Sugar Grove businessman Jim Oberweis and state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka of Riverside.

"Judy, do you really have to read a closing statement instead of speaking from your heart?" Oberweis interjected.

Replied Topinka, "Ah, I'm sick of listening to 'Oberweis dairies' and your milkmaid stories."

Topinka plans to call for party unity in the coming days and spoke directly to the issue in her acceptance speech yesterday evening. It's a call, however, that might fall on deaf ears after a primary that just got plain ugly at times. As for Oberweis, it might just be time to go back to doing what he does well ... making milk (I drink it when I am back in Chicago, its good and well packaged). The evening was also a defeat for Dennis Hastert, who was a mentor and supporter of Oberweis in race after race at the start of the milkman's career.

The other race that had the eyes of the nation yesterday evening was the primary in Illinois Sixth Congressional District. Although all the votes have not been counted yet, Tammy Duckworth appears ready to head into the general, set to face ex-Tom DeLay staffer Peter Roskam. Roskam is an intresting fella. He makes no bones about his ties to the Republican culture of corruption, it's almost as if he wears it as a badge of honor. Just last week he had Vice President Dick Cheney in town for a high-dollar fundraising event. Roskam's old boss, Tom DeLay, has also held a fundraiser for the candidate.

Early this morning Christine Cegelis spoke with Tammy Duckworth and is set to issue a statement on her website conceding defeat in last night's primary.

Despite the razor-thin results, Christine's campaign was something that all her supporters in the sixth should be very very very proud of--they were an inspiration to everyone. A group of DFAs and local activist organizations rallied behind a terrific candidate running to make a difference in her community. They knocked on doors, made phone calls, licked envelopes, talked to their friends, and did the dirty work of democracy. They did it in 2004 and came up a few percentage points short of unseating long-time incumbent Henry Hyde. And in 2006 they came up just short again. However, it's the type organization that Christine built on the ground that is going to carry us to victory in races throughout the country no one previously believed Democrats could emerge victorious. In that sense, her campaign was the essence of what the fifty state strategy is all about.

Congratulations to both Tammy Duckworth and Christine Cegelis; it was an embarassment of riches in the sixth. Tammy Duckworth's heroism in combat, extensive knowledge of the issues, and the help of an obviously strong organization on the ground is going to return this seat into Democratic hands this November.

Open Thread

Chit chat.

March 21, 2006

The Unsweet 16

We'll bring in our "bracketologists" Tim Tagaris and Josh McConaha to disect the matchups and predict the first round outcomes for two of the brackets. Join us later for the second half, and feel free to put yours in the comments:

Tim: Let's start out in the "Pioneers and Rangers Bracket" where Jack Abramoff earns the one seed.

Josh: The Tobin vs. Noe matchup in round one is one of the more intriguing of the first round.

Tim: Personally, I think Tom Noe deserved the two seed in this matchup. I mean, Coingate... come on! And that doesn't even take into account the real darkhouse in this matchup, his wife, Bernadette. She was an elections officer in Lucas County, an area that experienced extreme voting difficulties during the 2004 election. It was so bad that Ken Blackwell, of all people, asked her to resign. She's such a key player that even President Bush personally thanked her at a campaign rally in Toledo. I gotta go with Noe, and I don't even think this ones going to be close.

Josh: I think you underestimate Tobin, greatly. Of the two, he is actually a convicted criminal. And that's to say nothing of the fact that the RNC has paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars to his legal defense fund. But as an Ohio partisan, I'll go with Noe as well ... but it will be close.

Tim: Well, one game down, and our first upset. Let's move on to Abramoff vs. Ralph Reed.

Josh: Is there any question here?

Tim: Not really, but it's fun to see all that effort from GOP's Golden Boy land him a spot in the tournament.

Tim: Alright, let's move on to the Senate regional. Bill Frist vs. John McCain in the first round.

Josh: McCain's status in the tournament was in question only days before the selection committee met this weekend. I think his hiring of Terry Nelson probably put him over the top.

Tim: Terry Nelson?

Josh: Yeah. He was the guy forced to testity to a grand jury about his involvement during the money laundering scadal with Tom DeLay's TRMPAC.

Tim: You don't think that's enough to beat Frist, do you?

Josh: I'm not sure. But as we all know, the Senate Majority leader is being looked at by both the Justice Department and the SEC because of questionable stock sales and insider trading.

Tim: Well, who are you going with?

Josh: I'm not sure yet.

Tim: Up or down vote please, McConaha.

Josh: I'll go with First... but McCain is truly a rising star in the Republican culture of corruption. Remember what Abramoff said about him two weeks ago in Vanity Fair? "As best I can remember, when I met with him, he didn't have his eyes shut. I'm surprised that Senator McCain has joined the chorus of amnesiacs."

Tim: Ahhh, the "Straight Talk Express" ... derailed. But I agree, it's Frist. Now Santurm v. Conrad Burns. If ever there was a matchup that both people deserved to advance in. But there's gotta be a winner.

Josh: I like Burns in this one, who can forget the quote from Abramoff, again, in that Vanity Fair piece: "Every appropriation we wanted [from Burns's committee] we got. Our staffs were as close as they could be. They practically used Signatures as their cafeteria. I mean, it's a little difficult for him to run from that record."

Tim: Too tough to call here. We all know Conrad Burns is so deep in culture of corruption he might not even run for re-election this year, but Santorum, I mean, this guy doesn't get the name "Captain K-Street" for nothing. And so brazen too ... you hate to see that kind of chutzpah go out in the first round. The man has zero shame. None. First he denies ever even talking to Grover Norquist -- then a video shows up Santorum thanking him for all his support.

Josh: Remember that Washington Post article earlier this month?

After saying in January that he would end his regular meetings with lobbyists, Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.), the third-ranking GOP leader in the Senate, has continued to meet with many of the same lobbyists at the same time and on the same day of the week.

Tim: I like Burns. But man that was tough.

Josh: Yeah, gotta be Conrad Burns. Either way, neither of them will be in the Senate come 2007.

Tim: That's about all the time we have right now ... join us later as we disect the other half of the bracket.

Fifty State Information Project

I've been toiling over at Daily Kos for the past two days compiling a state-by-state list of RSS feeds for: campaign blogs, regular blogs, newspapers, and Google News alerts. There's still quite a long way to go, but it's the beginning steps towards one large file of feeds providing individuals across the country immediate access to information. For a brief description of what RSS is and why you should use it, click here. Here is the free reader I use. If anyone has time today to pick a state or two and grab the Google News RSS Feed for statewide candidates, please put the link in the comments (use a href tags, cause those URLs are real long). Otherwise, here is the list as it stands this afternoon:

Alabama
Alabama Blog - The World Around You (Feed)

Alaska

Arizona
Arizona Blog - Blog for Arizona (Feed)
Arizona Blog - Arizona Congress Watch (Feed)
Arizona Blog - AZ Vote Blog (Feed)
Arizona Blog - Desert Rat Democrat (Feed)

Arkansas

California
Reporter Blog - New West Notes (Feed)
Reporter Blog - California Observer (Feed)
Reporter Blog - Sacramento Bee (Feed)
Reporter Blog - KQED (Feed)
Reporter Blog - SF Gate (Feed)
California Blog - Calitics (Feed)
California Blog - Bayne of Blog (Feed)
California Blog - Gropinator (Feed)
California Blog - The Samish Shop (Feed)
California Blog - Anold Soul (Feed)
Organization Blog - Better California (Feed)
Organization Blog - Speak Out California (Feed)
Organization Blog - California Young Dems (Feed)
Organization Blog - California Governor's Race (Feed)
Organization Blog - California Progress Report (Feed)
Candidate Blog - CA-Gov: Steve Westley (Feed)
Candidate Blog - CA-50: Francine Busby (Feed)

Colorado
Colorado Blog - Colorado Luis (Feed)
Colorado Blog - Soapblog Colorado (Feed)
Colorado Blog - Progress Now Action (Feed)

Connecticut
News - Boston Globe Connecticut News (Feed)

Delaware

Florida
News Blog - St. Pete Times Blog (Feed)
Florida Blog - What's Wrong (Feed)
Florida Blog - Truman's Conscience (Feed)
Florida Blog - The Daily Pulp (Feed)
Florida Blog - Reforming Fla's DECs (Feed)
Florida Blog - Fla Public Policy (Feed)
Florida Blog - Leftist Underground (Feed)
Florida Blog - Political Pulse, Orlando Sentinel (Feed)
Florida Blog - FLA Politics (Feed)
Florida Blog - BlogWood (Feed)
Florida Blog - Bark Bark Woof Woof (Feed)
Candidate Blog - FL-Gov: Jim Davis for Governor (Feed)


Georgia
The Georgia Democratic Party Blog (Feed)

Hawaii

Idaho
Blog - Liberal Idaho (Feed)
Blog - 43rd State Blues (Feed)
Candidate Blog - IDAHO-1: Larry Grant (Feed)
Candidate Blog - IDAHO-2: Jim Hansen (Feed)


Illinois
Blog - SoapBlox Chicago (Feed)

Indiana
Iowa

Kansas
Blog - Thoughts From Kansas (Feed)
Blog - The Anti Sam Brownback Blog (Feed)

Kentucky
Kentucky Blog - Bluegrass Report (Feed)

Louisiana

Maine
News - Boston Globe Maine News (Feed)

Maryland
Maryland Democratic Party Events (Feed)

Massachusetts
Boston Globe Massachusetts News (Feed)
Massachusetts Democratic Party Blog (Feed)
Mass Blog - Hub Politics (Feed)
Mass Blog - .08 Acres (Feed)
Mass Blog - Blue Mass Group (Feed)
Mass Blog - Dem Apples/Harvard College Democrats (Feed)
Mass Blog - Left in Lowell (Feed)
News - Boston Herald Local Politics (Feed)

Michigan
Blog - Michigan Liberal (Feed)
Candidate Blog - MI-11: Tony Trupiano (Feed)
News - Media Mouse (Feed)
News - Detroit Free Press (List of Feeds)
Detroit News (Feed)
County Party Blog -Benzie County Dem. Party (Feed)
County Party - Isabella County Dem. Party (Feed)
County Party Blog - Kalamazoo County Dem. Party (Feed)
County Party Blog - Montcalm County Dem. Party (Feed)
County Party Blog - Oakland County Dem. Party (Feed)
County Party Blog - Saginaw County Dem. Party (Feed)
County Party Blog - Washtenaw County Dem. Party (Feed)
Blog - University of Michigan College Dems (Feed)
Candidate Blog - MI-4: The Real Dave Camp (Feed)
Candidate Blog - MI-8: Eric Crosley (Feed)
Candidate Blog - MI-9: Vote No Joe (Feed)
Candidate Blog - MI-9: Rhonda Ross (Feed)
Elected Official Blog MI-14: Conyers Blog (Feed)
Michigan Blog - Democracy for Metro Detroit (Feed)

Minnesota
Minnesota Blog - Broken Nails (Feed)

Mississippi

Missouri
Blog - Fired Up Missouri (Feed)

Montana
Montana Blog - Left in the West (Feed)
Montana Blog - Intelligent Discontent (Feed)
Montana Blog - 4n20 Blackbirds (Feed)
News - Billings Gazette State News (Feed)
Candidate Blog - MT-Sen: Jon Tester (Feed)

Nebraska
Nevada

New Hampshire
News - Boston Globe New Hampshire News (Feed)

New Jersey
New Jersey Blog - Blue Jersey (Feed)

New Mexico
New Mexico Blog - Democracy for New Mexico (Feed)

New York
District Blog - NY-3: Peter King Watch (Feed)
District Blog - NY-13: NY13 Blog (Feed)
District Blog - NY 13: Veto Vito (Feed)
District Blog - NY-19: Take 19 (Feed)
District Blog - NY-20: 20 True Blue (Feed)
District Blog - NY-19: Take 19 (Feed)
Blog - Blue North Carolina (Feed)

North Dakota

Ohio
Ohio Democratic Party Blog (Feed)
Ohio Republican Party Blog (Feed)
OH-Gov - Google News - Ted Strickland (Feed)
OH-Gov - Google News - Ken Blackwell (Feed)
OH-Sen - Google News - Sherrod Brown (Feed)
OH-Sen - Google News - Mike DeWine (Feed)
Ohio Blog - Plunderbund (Feed)
Ohio Blog - Buckeye State Blog (Feed)
Ohio Blog - Liberal Common Sense (Feed)
Ohio Blog - Democratic Veteran (Feed)
Ohio Blog - Ohio 2006 (Feed)
Ohio Blog - Heights Mom (Feed)
Ohio Blog - Cleveland Plain Dealer Open Mic (Feed)
Ohio Blog - Cleveland Plain Dealer Blog (Feed)
Ohio Blog - Grow Ohio (Feed)
Ohio Blog - OH-2 Blog (Feed)
Ohio Blog - Upper Arlington Proggresive Action (Feed)
Ohio Blog - Writes Like She Talks (Feed)
Candidate Blog - OH-Sen: Sherrod Brown (Feed)
Candidate Blog - OH-Gov: Ted Strickland (Feed)
Candidate Blog - OH-Gov: Ken Blackwell (Feed)


Oklahoma

Oregon
Oregon Blog - Loaded Orygun (Feed)

Pennsylvania
News - Bucks Co Courier Times (Feed)
News - Burlington County Times (Feed)
News - The Intelligencer (Feed)
News - Morning Call Local News (Feed)
News - Philadelphia Business Journal (Feed)
News - Pittsburgh Business Times (Feed)
News - Philadelphia Inquirer Local News (Feed)
News - Philadelphia Daily News City and Local News (Feed)
News - Pittsburgh Tribune Review Pittsburgh Headlines (Feed)
News - Pocono Record News (Feed)
Blog/News - Keystone Politics News (Feed)
Blog/News - Keystone Politics Press Releases (Feed)
Blog - PA for Democracy (Feed)
News/Blog - Politics PA (Feed)

Rhode Island
News - Boston Globe Rhode Island News (Feed)

South Carolina

South Dakota
Blog - South Dakota Progressive (Feed)
Blog - Clean Cut Kid (Feed)
Blog - Progressive on the Prarie (Feed)

Tennessee
Candidate Blog - Harold Ford Jr for Senate 2006 (feed)
News - Knoxville News-Sentinel State News (feed)
Blog - KnoxViews (feed)
Blog - Facing South (feed)
Blog Community - The Rocky Top Brigade (aggregated feed)

Texas
Blog - Democracy for Texas (Feed)
Candidate Blog - TX-Gov: Chris Bell for Governor (Feed)

Utah

Vermont
News - Boston Globe Vermont News (Feed)
Candidate Website - VT-Sen: Bernie Sanders (Feed)
Candidate Blog - VT-Sen: Bernie Sanders (Feed)
Candidate Blog - VT-Gov: Scudder Parker (Feed)

Virginia
Washington
West Virginia

Wisconsin
Wyoming
News - Casper Star Tribune State News (Feed)

FBI Agents Denied Email Access

The Associated Press reports (in an article which could have the worst title I've ever seen) that many FBI agents don't have e-mail accounts due to lack of funding.

Budget constraints are forcing some FBI agents to operate without e-mail accounts, according to the agency's top official in New York.

"As ridiculous as this might sound, we have real money issues right now, and the government is reluctant to give all agents and analysts dot-gov accounts," Mark Mershon said when asked about the gap at a New York Daily News editorial board meeting.

"We just don't have the money, and that is an endless stream of complaints that come from the field," he said.

One would think that federal law enforcement officials could share information with technology that's been in widespread use for nearly 20 years, but who knows with this Administration anymore. "Reluctant to give all agents and analysts dot-gov accounts"? Well, here's a tip for Attorney General Gonzales.

Primary Day Open Thread

Get your vote on in Illinois.

March 20, 2006

Prior Commitments

Cleveland Plain Dealer:

When a president's popularity plummets as Bush's has, other politicians often avoid public appearances with them. Prominent Ohio Republicans including Sen. Mike DeWine, Sen. George Voinovich and Rep. Steve LaTourette say they're skipping Bush's speech because of prior commitments.

Ouch. Not even criminally convicted Republican Governor Bob Taft attended the speech today.

Open Thread

You don't have to waive your rights with your flag.

The President's Speech

Like many others, I sat through the president's speech in Cleveland, Ohio earlier today. Same old tired talking points, packaged with new "buzzwords" and billed a major speech. Zzzzzzz

Two things did make me sit up in my chair, however, and Think Progress caught them both:

After getting frustrated at the length of the Q&A session of his speech in Cleveland today, Bush blurted out, "Anybody work here in this town?"

Bush inadvertantly hit upon a subject he otherwise ignored - unemployment in Cleveland. Economic conditions in the city have worsened considerably during Bush’s presidency. Some facts:

- 5.8 percent: Cleveland unemployment rate, Jan. 2006
- 4.5 percent: Cleveland unemployment rate, Jan. 2001

- 5.3 percent: Ohio unemployment rate, Jan. 2006
- 4.0 percent: Ohio unemployment rate, Jan. 2001

- 31.3 percent: Cleveland poverty rate, 2003
- 24.3 percent: Cleveland poverty rate, 2001

Having lived just outside of Cleveland, I knew it the second I had heard it. You could hardly go a week without reading an article in the Plain Dealer about the poverty rate the city. And even when the city finally did shed it status as having the highest poverty rate in the nation, the Mayor celebrated ... despite the fact it remained in the top five.

But there was another moment that caught my attention from the speech...

Bush, this afternoon:

"First, just if I might correct a misperception, I don’t think we ever said – at least I know I didn’t say that there was a direct connection between September the 11th and Saddam Hussein."

In fact, Bush justified the war against Iraq by directly linking it to 9/11:

"The use of armed forces against Iraq is consistent with the United States and other countries continuing to take the necessary actions against international terrorists and terrorist organizations, including those nations, organizations or person who planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001." [Bush’s Letter to Congress, 3/21/03]

Fill Your RSS Readers & Bookmarks

A fifty state strategy for information gathering.

Republicans Have No Message

Stay the course is not a message, and it certainly isn't a solution. With President Bush's approval ratings dropping like a Aaron Sele curveball, GOPers up for election in 2006 are distancing themselves from an increasingly unpopular president and fighting over the party's lack of a message. The Washington Post reports:

Republican efforts to craft a policy and political agenda to carry the party into the midterm elections have stumbled repeatedly as GOP leaders face widespread disaffection and disagreement within the ranks.

Anxiety over President Bush's Iraq policy, internal clashes over such divisive issues as immigration, and rising complaints that the party has abandoned conservative principles on spending restraint have all hobbled the effort to devise an election-year message, said several lawmakers involved in the effort.

While it is a Republican refrain that Democrats criticize Bush but have no positive vision, for now the governing party also has no national platform around which lawmakers are prepared to rally.

Of course, the Democratic Party has a message:

1. American jobs that will stay in America, using energy independence to generate those jobs.

2. A strong national defense based on telling the truth to our citizens, our soldiers and our allies.

3. Honesty and integrity to be restored to government.

4. A health care system that works for everybody just like they have in 36 other countries.

5. A strong public education system so we can have optimism and opportunity back in America.

Republicans are left with little besides "stay the course" and accusing those who question the president as siding with Al-Qaeda. Their constant refrains of focus group tested boilerplate slogans designed to divide Americans are growing old and tired. It's time to change the course.

An Unpopular President -- State by State

Survey USA has the new state-by-state numbers. In only four states total do a majority of Americans "approve" of the job President Bush is doing. Truly, we have an unpopular president with policies even more disapproved of than he is. All the while backed a rubber stamp Republican controlled congress ramming legislation through against the wishes of the American people.

Three Years Later and the PR Plan for Success Continues

Today's ABC News article says it all:

Progress is the buzzword at the White House as Bush headlines a campaign tied to the war's anniversary to buck up public support of the mission.

The president continues yet another series of speeches on Iraq there have been several similar blitzes in the last year Monday at the City Club of Cleveland.

Buzzwords, photo-ops, high-profile speeches, glossy documents passed off as some sort of plan, the Pentagon reaching out to bloggers, the president claims we found the "weapons of mass destruction", "mission accomplished," "catastrophic success," "last throes," and the list goes on.

Almost nothing this administration has predicted during the justification for war and claimed during its prosecution has been accurate ... nothing. It's been one massive public relations campaign aimed at getting the American public to buy into some type of non-existent "progress" as Iraq sinks into civil war. What a sad anniversary, indeed. The shelf life for credibility of a Commander in Chief wrong time after time after time has been measured ... and it lasts about three years.

Open Thread

Be sure to check out the Iraq timeline Think Progress put together.

March 19, 2006

March Madness Open Thread

Illinois losing to Washington earlier today busted my brackets. How about yours? How is your school doing? My squad, the Southern Illinois Salukis, went out in round one to West Virginia and it ruined my weekend. And by the way, since not many people seem to know what a Saluki is, I will share it with you... It's an Egyptian hunting dog.

Another Day ... Another All-Time Low

A new poll, another all-time low for President Bush -- this time it's Newsweek registering a paltry 36% approval rating for the president and 44% on his handling of terrorism and homeland security. This, of course, is nothing new; by now everyone knows that president and the policies he peddles across the country are terribly unpopular with the American people. More results:

On censure:

Four in 10 (42 percent) of the adults in the general public say they would support Congressional censure of the president, while half (50 percent) say they would not.

Domestic issues:

His approval ratings for the handling of energy policy (28 percent) and health care (28 percent) were new lows, while approval on the economy (36 percent) mirrored his overall rating.

An unpopular president and his unpopular policies. Just imagine if the Senate Intelligence Committee led by Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) did its job providing even the slightest amount of oversight of the executive branch.

March 17, 2006

Open Thread.

For your communicating pleasure.

March 16, 2006

Open Thread

Whoa...sorry about that. Here's a new one.

March 15, 2006

Open Thread

Last night to fill out your brackets. Friendly advice, pick Southern Illinois in rounds one & two then brag to your friends about it on Sunday night.

White House in Turmoil

According to CNN, quite a few Republicans believe the White House needs to "bring in at least one adult" to help troubleshoot problems, past and present.

According to sources involved in the discussions, some veteran Republicans have been quietly trying to convince White House chief of staff Andy Card to bring in at least one "adult," like a former senator or another "experienced hand," to help him reach out to congressional leaders, troubleshoot and, in the words of one source, "just be in the loop and give advice."

Scott McClellan defended the White House during today's presser, insisting that there is nothing wrong with the current situation on Pennsylvania Avenue, and that they will stay the course:

President Bush's spokesman defended the White House staff Wednesday as "a smart, capable and experienced team" despite rising complaints from Republicans about administration mistakes and GOP calls for a shakeup.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said he was "tired of some of the questions" about whether Bush is going to replace some of his senior advisers. "The president has a great team and he appreciates the job that they're doing," McClellan said.

The Republican revolt against President Bush continues. Unfortunately for them, bringing in "an adult" won't change much by way of the failed policies this adminstration has peddled for five years ... we'll just have to elect "adults" this November to provide the meaningful oversight the Constitution demands and the current congress has abdicated responsibility for.

'Russ Feingold is a Traitor'

That's what Republicans want you to think.

They are so scared of having a legitimate debate about Iraq or national security that they have only one reaction to news of their failures or calls for accountability.

On Monday, Democratic Senator Russ Feingold introduced legislation to censure the President for breaking the law by creating a secret domestic spying program. Agree or disagree with his proposal, as a Senator -- and as an American -- he has the right to speak his mind and express his views without Republican Senators questioning his patriotism.

But that's exactly what happened. This week Republican Senator Wayne Allard of Colorado, in an interview with Fox News radio, said in response to Feingold's action that he has "time and time again [sided] with the terrorists".

Send a message to Senator Allard: shame on him for questioning the patriotism of another Senator. Sign this petition and it will be delivered to Allard:

http://www.democrats.org/stopattackingruss

Agree or disagree with Russ Feingold's censure resolution, it is completely out of bounds to suggest that anyone demanding accountability is siding with terrorists. It is simply un-American to question the patriotism and loyalty of a Senator who wants the Congress to live up to its responsibility.

We've heard this cowardly nonsense from Republican leaders before. They attacked decorated Veteran and Democratic Rep. Jack Murtha for getting real on Iraq. They attacked Democratic Leader Harry Reid for shutting down the Senate to demand answers about manipulated pre-war intelligence.

They have ended the careers of generals who questioned Bush Administration talking points, and they even attack their own when respectable Republicans speak out on the disaster this administration has created in Iraq and its failure to close the gaps in our security here at home.

And time and again, the Republican controlled congress has consistently failed to conduct real oversight of the Administration, choosing instead to protect the Administration.

But polls show that nearly 70% of Americans reject this president and the Republican Congress that has failed to hold him accountable. And together we will hold Republicans accountable at the ballot box this year.

That's why the Democratic Party is putting the infrastructure on the ground now to fight in all 50 states. People everywhere are saying "enough is enough" -- and we will be ready to organize and fight everywhere with your help.

Please contribute whatever you can to make it happen:

http://www.democrats.org/accountability

The sick behavior of desperate Republicans will only stop when we fight back, and 2006 is the time to do it.

Thank you,

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

PA-Gov & Sen: Again

Strategic Vision (R). 1200 Likely Voters in Pennsylvania. March 10-12, 2006. MoE +/- 3%

If the election for Governor was held today, and the choice was between Ed Rendell, the Democrat and Lynn Swann, the Republican, whom would you vote for?

Ed Rendell: 44%
Lynn Swann: 44%
Other: 2%
Undecided: 10%

If the election for United States Senate were held today, and the choice was between Robert Casey, Jr., the Democrat and Rick Santorum, the Republican, whom would you vote for?

Robert Casey: 52%
Rick Santorum: 38%
Other: 2%
Undecided: 8%

The poll did not include information on Democrats Chuck Pennacchio and Alan Sandals in the U.S. Senate race.

Open Thread

Have at it.

March 14, 2006

Open Thread

Irresponsible, disgraceful, and shameful Senator Wayne Allard:

Yesterday, in an interview for Fox News Radio, you accused Senator Russ Feingold (D - WI) of "[siding] with terrorists" by introducing a resolution to censure George Bush.

Whether you agree or disagree with this particular remendy, a censure resolution would trigger a much-needed investigation into President Bush's domestic spying program. Lord knows you can't count on Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Cover-up Committee Pat Roberts to do his, you know ... job.

55%

CNN/USA Today/Gallup:

"Thinking for a moment about the elections for Congress next year [sic] -- If the elections for Congress were being held today, which party's candidate would you vote for in your congressional district: the Democratic Party's candidate or the Republican Party's candidate?" If unsure: "As of today, do you lean more toward the Democratic Party's candidate or the Republican Party's candidate?"

Republican: 39%
Democrat: 55%
Other/Unsure: 7%

An Unpopular President & An Unpopular War

As the president attempts, once again, to pass a public relations campaign as strategy for success in Iraq, the American people aren't buying. In fact, poll after poll shows a Republican Party completely out-of-touch with both the American people, and frankly, reality.

CBS News (.pdf)

PRESIDENT BUSH'S JOB APPROVAL:
Approve: 34%
Disapprove: 57%

PRESIDENT BUSH DESCRIBES THINGS IN IRAQ:
Better than they are: 66%
Worse than they are: 6%
Accurately: 23%

HOW ARE THINGS IN IRAQ GOING FOR U.S.?
Well: 40%
Badly: 57%

IS THE GOV’T GIVING U.S. TROOPS ENOUGH RESOURCES TO SUCCEED?
Yes: 37%
No: 50%

U.S. TROOP LEVELS IN IRAQ SHOULD BE:
Increased/Kept Same: 35%
Decreased/Remove All: 63%

HAS THE WAR BEEN WORTH THE COSTS?
Yes: 25%
No: 70%

WHY DID BUSH DECIDE TO GO TO WAR?
Free the Iraqis/promote democracy: 3%

BUSH'S HANDLING OF THE WAR ON TERROR
Approve: 45%
Disapprove: 47%

DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY:
Right Direction: 28%
Wrong Track: 66%

Importance of Fifty State Strategy Becomes Conventional Wisdom

Governor Dean knew it was a good idea. The grassroots and non-traditional media infrastructure of the party bought in immediately. State Party Chairs were singing its praises and discussing the impact of the program during the one year anniversary celebration of Governor Dean's chairmanship. And despite the always-anonymous detractors, the importance of the fifty state strategy is quickly becoming conventional wisdom in the traditional media. Three successive articles over the course of the past seven days highlight the usefulness of the undertaking.

First was captain conventional wisdom himself, Charlie Cook:

The primary responsibility of the DNC is not to win House, Senate, gubernatorial, or state legislative races, but to build and sustain a national party and to oversee the presidential conventions and nomination process. The same is true of the Republican National Committee. No other entities within the two major parties are charged with those missions.

In January, while giving a speech at Mississippi State University, I happened to meet a DNC staffer, a former executive director of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, who was assigned full-time to party-building in Mississippi. In the 33 years that I have been involved in politics, I have never heard of the national Democratic Party assigning a full-time staff member to organizational efforts in Mississippi.

Then the Boston Globe:

'When we first met Howard Dean, we thought he'd be a nut," said Nick Casey, West Virginia's party chairman. ''But that's not the guy who's been delivering the goods, and he has been delivering to us."

Casey's state party has doubled its number of precinct chairmen and is halfway to its goal of having one in each of West Virginia's more than 1,900 voting precincts. The three new staff members sent by the DNC have given the state party more than twice its previous manpower.

Party chairmen across the nation tell similar stories. In Ohio, the five people being paid by the DNC have helped set up ''Victory Squads" -- teams of about 10 Democrats who are eager to knock on doors or set up lawn signs -- in 65 rural counties where Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kerry fared poorly in 2004.

Mississippi's Democratic Party has established an infrastructure in 10 counties where the organization had atrophied. The DNC has sent resources to hire five full-time workers -- up from just a single part-timer previously -- helping Democrats secure victories in five special legislative elections over the past year, party chairman Wayne Dowdy said.

State parties are generally used to this kind of attention from the DNC only in the six months or so before a presidential election, and then only if they're among the small group of states that are considered in play.

Locally, the Albuquerque Journal provides the third wheel of the trifecta (subs. only):

It doesn't take a political expert to figure out why the DNC's 2004 New Mexico campaign fell short: Although Democrats have long outnumbered Republicans, President Bush bested Kerry by about 6,000 votes.

The DNC early last year elected former presidential hopeful Howard Dean as the national party chairman, and Farrauto said the chairs of state Democratic Parties nationwide asked him to place more focus— and spend more national party dollars— on stat e parties in the years between presidential elections.

"It's a really critical investment," said state Democratic Party chairman John Wertheim. "There was a consensus among the state chairs that the national party needed to get involved in mid-term elections, in municipal elections, in elections at all levels— because that would lay the groundwork for winning the presidential race the next time around," Wertheim said.

There are now nine staffers in the state party's Albuquerque headquarters, including the four field directors, Farrauto said. The party has a Web site— something it didn't have at this time in 2004. And Farrauto said the office phones are ringing far more than they once did.

Of course, the flip-side to the fifty state strategy is the Democracy Bonds Community. On that end, it's you getting the job done. In order to put organizers on the ground in every state and build a permanent party infrastructure where there hasn't been one for decades, it takes sound financial planning and a sustained commitment of resources. We can't afford to have a boom-and-bust operation that pops up every two or four years in a few key states. We have to build a permanent presence everywhere, and Democracy Bonds make that possible.

What's more, by funding this unprecedented organizing strategy with small monthly donations from ordinary Americans, the Democracy Bonds community provides a sharp contrast to the insidious Republican culture of corruption that has recently begun to unravel. We saw in court filings this week how Republican leaders raise money: in exchange for putting statements in the Congressional Record, or granting federal contracts, or expensive golf trips to Scotland.

This concept scares the GOP, and they quick to paint the grassroots of the Democratic Party willing to part with small dollar contributions every month in order to fund a Democratic Party fighting in each and every one of the fifty states as "fringe," "extremist," or out-of-touch with mainstream American values. Our graphic designer, Jessica, put together a beautiful montage of Democracy Bond holders complete with photos and testimonials. These are the people the GOP thinks are the "far left wing." Clicking on the photo takes you where you need to go.

For more on the people making the fifty-state strategy not just a possibility, but a national success story, click here.

Open Thread

Lo siento for the light posting yesterday, was working on a ton of other little projects.

March 13, 2006

Getting it Done in New Mexico

On the heels of Charlie Cook's fantastic article outlining the virtues of the Fifty State Strategy, local papers are beginning to pick up the ball and tout the progress of Democrats taking the fight to states that have never seen organizers outside presidential election years. Even in "battleground states" like New Mexico, where most would believe the DNC had a perennial presence, we have not ... until now (subs. only).

With the DNC's help, state party offices around the country have boosted their permanent workforces in hopes of building a better political machine w ell in advance of the next presidential election in 2008, said New Mexico Democratic Party executive director Matt Farrauto.

Many of those new workers, like Chavez, are "field directors," traveling their states in hopes of laying groundwork and making contacts that will pay off in two years. "We're getting started early," said Chavez, who was raised in Socorro and is now one of four home-grown Democratic field directors at work across New Mexico. [...]

It doesn't take a political expert to figure out why the DNC's 2004 New Mexico campaign fell short: Although Democrats have long outnumbered Republicans, President Bush bested Kerry by about 6,000 votes.

The DNC early last year elected former presidential hopeful Howard Dean as the national party chairman, and Farrauto said the chairs of state Democratic Parties nationwide asked him to place more focus— and spend more national party dollars— on stat e parties in the years between presidential elections.

"It's a really critical investment," said state Democratic Party chairman John Wertheim. "There was a consensus among the state chairs that the national party needed to get involved in mid-term elections, in municipal elections, in elections at all levels— because that would lay the groundwork for winning the presidential race the next time around," Wertheim said.

There are now nine staffers in the state party's Albuquerque headquarters, including the four field directors, Farrauto said. The party has a Web site— something it didn't have at this time in 2004. And Farrauto said the office phones are ringing far more than they once did.

The entire article is terrific and demonstrates just how much of an impact your investment in the Democracy Bonds program has made. If we are to win Mayoral, State Legislative, and other local electi ons in off-year cycles, the Democratic Party needs a consistent organizational effort in states it hasn't been "cool" to vote for a Democrat. Because of the fifty state strategy, and because of you, we now have that presence in every state -- including New Mexico.

Open Thread

Happy Monday

March 12, 2006

Open Thread

I know it's been a busy day on the talk shows today. Unfortunately, having just dropped my father off for his flight home, I haven't had a chance to see them yet. I did, however, want to share with you a pair of photos from the Vietnam Memorial we visited yesterday afternoon. Click images to enlarge:

The second picture is a man "shading in" the name of a relative on cards provided by workers at the memorial. That is the one that really caused me to pause as I watched him and his family kneel down and remember the life of someone who was once a with them on the physical earth. It was also nice to see so many people out on a Saturday afternoon either paying their respects to those they never met or remembering fallen relatives/friends. It was equally gratifying to see all the young children learning for the first time about the Vietnam war and what the wall meant. All too often "war" is something thought of by some almost as "reality tv." The seemingly endless amount of names on the wall brought home the fact that their is a very very very real price to sending our men and women into harms way.

Use this as an open thread.

Open Thread

For the rest of the weekend

March 10, 2006

Open Thread

A few posts below you should really check out. My father is coming in town to visit for the weekend, so light posting. Here's an open thread ... try and make it last.

Bush Questions Bush Pressure on Ports Deal

This is from SusanG Daily Kos, but after seeing the seeing "Bush worried about message sent by failed port deal" as the headline on CNN.com, it needs to be here.

The excerpt on CNN.com currently reads:

President Bush says he's concerned about "the broader message" that the failed port operation deal with a United Arab Emirates company sends to other Arab allies in the U.S. war on terrorism. "In order to win the war on terror, we've got to strengthen our relationships and friendships with moderate Arab countries in the Middle East," Bush told a meeting of newspaper editors in Washington.

But an article from ABC says:

The White House asked Dubai Ports World, a company owned by the United Arab Emirates, to give up its management stake in U.S. ports, to save President Bush from the politically difficult position of vetoing a key piece of legislation to protect America's ports, ABC News has learned.

Uhh...why'd you ask them to give up management if you're worried about "the broader message"?

O'Connor Blasts Republican Party

Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor took aim at Senator Cornyn (R-TX), Tom DeLay (R-TX), and basically the entire Republican Party during a speech at Georgtown University yesterday evening.

You can listen to the NPR report, here. Here's a snippit or two:

O'Connor said that attacks on the judiciary by some Republican leaders pose a direct threat to our constitutional freedoms [...]

It gets worse she said, noting that death threats against judges are increasing. It doesn't help, she said, when a high-profile Senator suggests there might be a connection between violence against judges and decisions the Senator disagrees with. She didn't name him, but it was Texas Senator John Cornyn who made that statement after a Georgia judge was murdered in the courtroom and the family of a federal judge in Illinois murdered in the judges home.

O'Connor observed that there have been a lot of suggestions lately for so called judicial reforms. Recommendations for the massive impeachment of judges, stripping the courts of jurisdiction, and cutting judicial budgets to punish offending judges. Any of these might be debatable she said, as long as they are not retaliation for decisions political leaders disagree with. I, said O'Connor, am against judicial reforms driven by nakedly partisan reasoning.

Pointing to the experiences of developing countries and former communist countries where interference with an independent judiciary has allowed dictatorship to flourish, O'Connor said, we must be ever vigilant against those who would strong-arm the judiciary into adopting their prefered policies. It takes a lot of degeneration before a country falls into dictatorship, she said, but we should avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings.

Republicans Meet Amidst Chaos

On the weekend Republicans gather in Memphis to coronate their standard bearer for the 2008 presidential election, the GOP is coming apart at the seams. A party that once stood for respectable conservative principles has become a mere parody of itself. The party that once stood for fiscal sanity has run up the largest deficits in American history. The party that once campaigned on a strong national defense has weakened our security because of complete ineptitude in their prosecution of the war in Iraq, and was willing to hand the keys to our ports over to a foreign, state-owned company with ties to Al-Qaeda. The party that once stood for minimal government intrusion is protecting a full-scale domestic spying program and increasingly looks to take up residence in the bedrooms and doctor's offices of Americans across the country. It's no longer the Grand Ol' Party, it's become the Grand Ol' Parody.

The party once praised for its ability to keep a broad coalition together, is now marked with complete disunity and open revolt:

The Associated Press:

More and more people, particularly Republicans, disapprove of President Bush's performance, question his character and no longer consider him a strong leader against terrorism, according to an AP-Ipsos poll documenting one of the bleakest points of his presidency.

LA Times:

In a biting rebuke to President Bush, a lopsided and bipartisan majority of a major House committee voted Wednesday to nullify portions of a deal that would hand operation of U.S. port facilities to a Dubai company.

Reuters Headline: "Ports deal sparks biggest party revolt vs. Bush."

American Spectator:

Does party loyalty run both ways among Republican senators? That remains to be seen after Republican Majority for Choice (RMC), a pro-abortion caucus within the GOP, began a spirited attack on Sen. Rick Santorum this week.

RMC launched full- and quarter-page ads in nearly every major daily newspaper in Pennsylvania -- mock "Help Wanted" announcements calling for "Real Republican Candidates for Senate." The ad advocates "the Big Tent philosophy Ronald Reagan helped to build..."

The Tennessean:

Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo, a Republican and a leading advocate for tougher immigration laws, claims that he is being intentionally excluded from this weekend's big GOP gathering in Memphis. [...]

"Congressman Tancredo was snubbed by some party leaders who still refuse to confront the immigration issue head on," said Will Adams, a Tancredo spokesman. "They can keep Congressman Tancredo off the main stage, but they will not be able to do the same with the issue."

Meanwhile, the new Republican Party rallies behind people like Vernon Robinson in North Carolina's 13th Congressional District, Tom DeLay and his legal defense fund, Representative #1 (AKA Bob Ney), and Conrad Burns.

It's no wonder the American people are flocking in droves to the Democratic Party in time for the 2006 election. As this morning's AP poll showed, Americans overwhelmingly prefer a Democratic Congress to serve as a check on an executive branch running completely afoul of the Constitution. The Republican controlled congress has thoroughly laid waste to the system of checks and balances enshrined in the Constitution, led by Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Cover-up Committee.

The American people want a party that represents a message of inclusion, a united party with a plan. And they have just that in the Democratic Party:

1. American jobs that will stay in America, using energy independence to generate those jobs.

2. A strong national defense based on telling the truth to our citizens, our soldiers and our allies.

3. Honesty and integrity to be restored to government.

4. A health care system that works for everybody just like they have in 36 other countries.

5. A strong public education system so we can have optimism and opportunity back in America.

President Sinks Below 40% in AP Poll

Associated Press:

More and more people, particularly Republicans, disapprove of President Bush's performance, question his character and no longer consider him a strong leader against terrorism, according to an AP-Ipsos poll documenting one of the bleakest points of his presidency.

AP/Ipsos (pdf). 1,000 Adults. March 6-8, 2006. MoE +/- 3.1%

Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?

Right Track: 30% (35)
Wrong Track: 67% (61)
Not Sure: 3% (4)

Overall, do you approve, disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President?

Approve: 37% (40)
Disapprove: 60% (57)
Not Sure: 3% (3)

And when it comes to handling foreign policy issues and the war on
terrorism do you approve or disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling that issue?

Approve: 43% (47)
Disapprove: 55% (50)
Not Sure: 2% (3)

And when it comes to handling the situation in Iraq do you approve or disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling that issue?

Approve: 39% (38)
Disapprove: 58% (60)
Not Sure: 3% (2)

And if the election for Congress were held today, would you want to see the Republicans or Democrats win control of Congress?

Republicans: 36%
Democrats: 47%
Neither: 13%
Not Sure: 4%

How likely is it that civil war will break out in Iraq?

Likely: 77%
Not Likely: 17%

March 9, 2006

Open Thread

Humorous photo from Reuters:

Your Mobile Billboard

Democrats from Tennessee responded to DNC Executive Director Tom McMahon's call earlier this week and funded this mobile billboard set to circle the Southern Republican Leadership Conference this weekend in Memphis. Here's your billboard:

Senator Schumer on Breaking Port News

"The devil is in the details"

Let me say this: obviously this is a promising development but, of course, the devil is in the details. I think those of us who feel strongly about this issue believe that the U.S. part of the British company should have no connection to the United Arab Emirates or DP World, which is fully owned by the United Arab Emirates. So therefore, we would have to examine this proposal. The bottom line is, again, if the U.S. operations are fully independent in every way, that could indeed be promising. If on the other hand there is still ultimate control exercised by DP World, I don’t think our goals would be accomplished and obviously we’ll need to study this agreement carefully.

CNN article on the topic.

Welcome to Tennessee

(This weekend, around 1,800 Republicans are expected to swarm upon Memphis, Tennessee in order to get a first hand look at six potential GOP candidates for president in 2008. The DNC is rolling out the welcome mat out for them; the image below will circle the venue throughout the weekend on the side of a mobile billboard. Tom McMahon sent out the details yesterday. -- Tim)

I don't envy the potential 2008 Republican presidential candidates who will be in Memphis this weekend to attend the Southern Republican Leadership Conference. In their speeches in Tennessee, they will be forced to proclaim their support for George Bush's incompetent leadership while his approval rating is at 34%.

I guarantee that one issue they won't be talking about is port security. That is unacceptable. Anyone of these candidates for president in 2008 needs to stand up and answer one simple question: Why are Republicans handing over port security to a foreign government?

You can make them answer that very question -- by putting it on a roving billboard truck around Memphis while all of the 2008 Republican presidential candidates are in town. We need to raise $3,500 to fund to make it happen. Take a moment and help fund the billboard truck now:

http://www.democrats.org/memphisbillboard

The fact is that each one of these future Republican presidential candidates will have to answer for their complicity with the out of touch policies of the Bush administration. Americans have had it with George Bush, who has paid lip service to the priorities of the American people, but refused to put the money where his mouth is.

Americans are angry that the Bush Administration has failed to devote enough resources to catching or killing Osama bin Laden.

Americans are outraged that a formerly powerful Republican Congressman was just sentenced to nearly a decade in jail for taking bribes from defense contractors in exchange for wasting our defense dollars.

Americans are tired of George Bush pushing for more tax giveaways to millionaires while the Republican Congress has failed to secure our ports -- which is why Democrats are fighting for funds for port security to keep American communities safe.

Now the Republican culture of corruption has President Bush auctioning off security at our nations ports to the highest bidder -- even if that means handing it over to a foreign government-owned corporation.

Republican presidential candidates need to start answering these questions right now.

Help put this billboard on the road at their big event this weekend and they won't be able to ignore these issues.

http://www.democrats.org/memphisbillboard

Thank you,

Tom McMahon

PA-Sen: It's Time For an Intervention

Senator Santorum just can't quit his lobbyist friends. From the Washington Post:

After saying in January that he would end his regular meetings with lobbyists, Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.), the third-ranking GOP leader in the Senate, has continued to meet with many of the same lobbyists at the same time and on the same day of the week. [...]

But in the month since his announcement, Santorum has held two meetings attended by the same core group of lobbyists, and has used the sessions to appeal for campaign aid, according to participants. Both of those meetings were convened at the same time as the previous meetings -- 8:30 a.m. -- on the same day of the week -- Tuesday -- and they lasted for about as long as the earlier meetings -- one hour.

Pennsylvania's junior Senator has a problem, and it's obvious he is still going through the denial phase of recovery.

A Gentle Reminder

While it's nice to finally see overwhelming bipartisan opposition to the president's port deal, it's important to remember it was Democrats leading the charge against it starting day one. From a February 17, 2006 press release issued by Senator Menendez:

United States Senators Robert Menendez and Hilary Clinton announced today that they are introducing legislation to prohibit companies owned or controlled by foreign governments from purchasing port operations in the United States. The legislation would block such transactions as the proposed sale of operations at six major U.S. ports to Dubai Ports World, a company owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates.

“Our ports are the front lines of the war on terrorism. They are both vulnerable targets for attack and venues for smuggling and human trafficking,” Menendez said. “We wouldn’t turn the border patrol or the customs service over to a foreign government, and we can’t afford to turn our ports over to one either.”

And Senator Schmumer on February 16, 2006.

On Monday a $6.8 billion dollar deal put the operation and control of the major New York and New Jersey ports in the control of a firm in the United Arab Emirates and owned by the Government of Dubai, Dubai Ports World. Today, Senators Chuck Schumer, Tom Coburn, Frank Lautenberg, and Chris Dodd are being joined by Reps. Chris Shays, Vito Fossella and Mark Foley in sending a letter to Treasury Secretary John Snow urging him to review the deal immediately. The deal allows the UAE company to take control of most operations at six ports on the East Coast, including: New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, New Orleans, Miami and Philadelphia. [...]

“Outsourcing the operations of our largest ports to a country with a dubious record on terrorism is a homeland security and commerce accident waiting to happen,” Schumer said. “This United Arab Emirates government-owned and operated company could be perfectly qualified to operate ports around the world, but the question that needs to be answered is whether or not they can be trusted to operate our ports in this post 9-11 world. The Administration needs to take another look at this deal.”

Sure, the revolt against the current adminstration is nice to see and certainly long overdue in a Republican controlled congress, but it was only made possible because of courageous Democrats putting the country's national security interests before corporate interests immediately after details of the deal became public.

Party Unity

After reading a pair of ridiculous tales from the New York Times and Washington Post earlier this week about Democratic unity, I feel compelled to compile a few clips about a Republican controlled congress in full revolt against President Bush. A congress that "sent its first shot across President Bush's bow Wednesday" on the ports deal.

MSNBC:

After an election-year repudiation by a GOP-led House committee, President Bush hopes to avoid getting steamrolled in the Senate over a deal allowing a Dubai-owned company to take control of some U.S. port operations.

Associated Press:

The White House has spent more than three weeks trying to calm bipartisan outrage in the House and Senate over a Dubai-owned company's efforts to operate some U.S. port terminals. But opposition to DP World's plan has not just persisted - it has grown. Defying President Bush, the GOP-run House Appropriations Committee voted Wednesday to block the United Arab Emirates-based firm from holding leases or contracts at American ports.

Chicago Tribune:

In a rare slap at President Bush, a powerful Republican-controlled House committee voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to squash a deal allowing a United Arab Emirates company to take control of some operations at six U.S. major seaports.

LA Times:

In a biting rebuke to President Bush, a lopsided and bipartisan majority of a major House committee voted Wednesday to nullify portions of a deal that would hand operation of U.S. port facilities to a Dubai company.

One of the best titles of the bunch comes from Newsday: "GOP set to battle Bush on port plan." Even more appropriate to a dicussion about party unity was a Reuters headline, "Ports deal sparks biggest party revolt vs. Bush."

But back to the articles in the Post and Times filled with anonymous sources claiming some type of Democratic disunity. E.J. Dionne put it best in his column yesterday:

It is now an ingrained journalistic habit: After a period of bad news for President Bush, media outlets invariably devote time and space to "balancing" stories that all say more or less: "Yes, the Republicans are in trouble, but the Democrats have no alternatives, no plans," etc.

Bowers, Stoller, and the DLCC tag-team at MyDD. First Bowers:

So, according to Gallup, Democrats are currently in their best position ever to retake the House of Representatives. Yet, despite this, for some reason we are subjected to front-page stories from the Washington Post about how we are failing to seize the opportunity.

I have a question for Murray and Babbington: how large does our lead in the polls have to be before we are "seizing the opportunity?" 20 points? 40?

And the DLCC:

In a series of special elections at the state legislative level, Democrats across the country have exceeded projected Democratic performance. In some cases, these Democratic legislative candidates have performed almost 20 points beyond what was expected. In addition to those victories outlined below, Democrats also won special elections in Mississippi and New Hampshire in 2005. Democrats were successful in all of these contests because they emphasized their connections to their districts and localized the debate.

"Democratic candidates have surpassed expected Democratic performance in many districts, achieving major upsets in traditionally Republican seats," said Michael Davies, Executive Director of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee. "State legislatures will be a battleground in 2006."

Stoller finishes 'em off:

This includes seats in Texas, Kentucky, Missouri, Virginia, and Minnesota. As Chris already noted, Democrats have opened up a massive generic Congressional lead. What will it take to prove that Democrats are in fact doing really really well?

The Republican Party is an absolute mess right now. You have Senators skipping public appearances with President Bush, but accepting the large coin he is able to raise for them at fundraisers. You have intra-party critique on issues ranging from the administration's mismanagement of Iraq, New Orleans, the domestic spying program, budget priorities, and a whole host of other issues. And yesterday you had full-scale revolt in the Republican controlled House Appropriations Committee. But in order to achieve "balance," tales of Democratic disunity are completely blown out of proportion, or even sewn together from whole cloth and placed on the front-page of prominent national newspapers. Stoller is right, things are going "very very well" in the Democratic Party. I'm not quite sure those inside the Republican National Committee can say the same.

Thursday Morning

The thread is ... Open!

March 8, 2006

Keystone Cops Rebuild New Orleans

Ineptitude, from Reuters:

President George W. Bush accused Congress on Wednesday of shortchanging New Orleans of about $1.5 billion in funds to rebuild levees that were breached by flood waters when Hurricane Katrina struck.

"Congress heard our message about improving the levees but they shortchanged the process by about $1.5 billion dollars," Bush said in a rare attack on members of his own party as he toured the devastated city. [...]

Jenny Manley, a spokeswoman for the Senate Appropriations Committee, said that although the White House had announced in a news conference it wanted the full $3.1 billion to go to New Orleans, the official request was never sent to Congress.

"I don't think the blame can be put on Congress," she said.

Use this as an open thread.

A Little Less PR ... A Little More Action

Governor Dean on the president's trip today to the hurricane ravaged Gulf Coast:

"President Bush's public relations campaign of cover ups and photo-ops won't help rebuild the Gulf Coast. This President's empty promises, failure to produce genuine results, and the news that instead of working to fix problems with the levees his Administration is attempting to sweep mistakes under the rug are not only troubling but illustrate a pattern of deception and ineffectiveness.

"Instead of simply touring the region, President Bush should come back to Washington and demand real action from his Administration and the Republican Congress. Local residents on the ground are working hard to rebuild their homes and their lives. They are our fellow Americans, they deserve a federal government that fulfills its promises and delivers on the vital funding needed to rebuild the Gulf Coast the right way."

By now we are all aware of the GAOs finding (.pdf) that the photo-op president's adminstration spent an astronomical $1.6 billion on PR and advertising over the past two years.

Abramoff Unplugged

Can't beat this... Jack Abramoff sat down with Vanity Fair and pulled no puches. I am about to sink my teeth into the nine page pdf right now. So far, the choice quotes floating around the Internet(s) regard Conrad Burns & John McCain:

Every appropriation we wanted [from Burns's committee] we got. Our staffs were as close as they could be. They practically used Signatures as their cafeteria. I mean, it's a little difficult for him to run from that record.

Excellent, Smithers ... And "maverick" McCain:

"Mr. Abramoff flatters himself," Mark Salter, McCain's administrative assistant, tells Margolick. "Senator McCain was unaware of his existence until he read initial press accounts of Abramoff's abuses, and had never laid eyes on him until he appeared before the committee."

Abramoff says, "As best I can remember, when I met with him, he didn't have his eyes shut. I'm surprised that Senator McCain has joined the chorus of amnesiacs."

Wednesday morning required reading, indeed.

UPDATE: Abramoff on Ken Mehlman:

Ken Mehlman, who recently claimed he didn't really know Abramoff. According to documents obtained by Vanity Fair, Mehlman exchanged e-mail with Abramoff, and did him political favors (such as preventing Clinton administration alumnus Allen Stayman from keeping a State Department job), had Sabbath dinner at Abramoff's house, and offered to pick up Abramoff's tab at Signatures, Abramoff's own restaurant.

UPDATE II: Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich, whose spokesman Rick Tyler tells Margolick that "Before [Abramoff's] picture appeared on TV and in the newspapers, Newt wouldn't have known him if he fell across him. He hadn't seen him in 10 years." A rankled Abramoff says "I have more pictures of [Newt] than I have of my wife." Abramoff shows Margolick numerous photographs: "Here's Newt. Newt. Newt. Newt. More Newt. Newt with Grover [Norquist, the Washington conservative Republican Über-strategist and longtime Abramoff friend] this time. But Newt never met me. Ollie North. Newt. Can't be Newt ... he never met me. Oh, Newt! What's he doing there? Must be a Newt look-alike.... Newt again! It's sick! I thought he never met me!"

Seriously, I could update this post all day. However, I'll refrain and encourage everyone to read the piece in its entirety, linked above.

Former Senator Graham Headlines DNC Podcast

This week, the Democratic National Committee's Podcast features an interview with former U.S. Senator Bob Graham who co-chaired the Joint Inquiry into the intelligence community's failures prior to 9/11.

"In my judgement, there has been no significant improvement in port security since 9/11. The most dramatic example of that is in the searching of cargo containers. Of some 20 million of those arrive in the United States every year, less than five percent are inspected," said Senator Graham. "...We're not talking about rocket science here. We're talking about taking the best practices and applying them to U.S. ports. The administration has been unwilling to provide the resources to our ports, particularly those that are the most vulnerable to terrorist attacks."

You can listen to the entire podcast, here.

Oversight

The White House dodged a bullet yesterday. Tough talking Republican members of the Senate Intelligence Committee capitulated on a plan that would have led to an investigation of President Bush's domestic spying program.

Senate Republicans yesterday blocked an investigation into President Bush's secret domestic-spying program but agreed to expand future congressional oversight of the surveillance system.

The headline of the piece says it all: "Senate Republicans block spying probe." Glenn Greenwald reminds us of just how resolute some of the Republican members of the committee were, once upon a time.

Senator Snowe: Revelations that the U.S. government has conducted domestic electronic surveillance without express legal authority indeed warrants Congressional examination. I believe the Congress – as a coequal branch of government – must immediately and expeditiously review the use of this practice,” said Snowe.

Senator Hagel (same link): It is critical that Congress determine, as quickly as possible, exactly what collection activities were authorized, what were actually undertaken, how many names and numbers were involved over what period, and what was the asserted legal authority for such activities. In sum, we must determine the facts...

Senator Rockefeller sums up what went down:

"This committee is basically under control of the White House," Rockefeller told reporters after the two-hour meeting today in Washington. "It's an unprecedented bout of political pressure from the White House."

All the legislation in the world, even if "retroactive," doesn't change the fact that for years, the current adminstration decided it was just fine to spy on people inside the United States without a warrant. At a time the American people needed meaningful oversight -- for our system of checks and balances enshrined in the Constitution to work properly -- weak-kneed Republicans bowed to pressure from the White House. The fight is not over, Attorney General Gonzales might be forced to testify again. And while that would be nice, there was a real chance for the congress to act as a co-equal branch of government providing the oversight role they are required to carry out. Unfortunately, yesterday they failed.

Open Thread

Looks like the Republican voters of TX-22 insisted on sending Tom DeLay into the general against Nick Lampson. As the Houston Chronicle noted, change really could have started with them last night -- as such, the former Republican Majority Leader received a stay of "extermination" until November.

March 7, 2006

Open Thread

Texas primary election results, for the curious.

TX-22: Going Home From the Dance With The People Who Brought Him

Tom DeLay spending primary election evening in D.C. at a fundraiser thrown by two Washington lobbyists.

Reality TV

Governor Dean:

If Democrats do gain control, he said, Republicans should expect to be investigated: "If we get subpoena power" in congressional committees, "the corruption will come out on America's TV screens, and that scares the daylights out of the Republicans." he said.

Of course it scares them -- quite a few would find themselves voted off the island when congress starts acting like a body with the ability, and responsibility, to police itself.

Texas Primary Day Today

Can it really occur?

Tuesday Open Thread

In case you missed the AP story this morning:

--In 2003, House Republicans, on a procedural vote, agreed to kill a Democratic amendment that would have added $250 million for port security grants to a war spending package.

--Two years later, nearly all House Republicans voted against an alternative Homeland Security authorization bill offered by Democrats that called for an additional $400 million for port security.

--Senate Republicans stood together in 2003 to set aside a Democratic amendment that would have provided $120 million more for port cargo screening equipment.

--One year later, all but six Senate Republicans voted to reject a Democratic attempt to add $150 million for port security in a Homeland Security appropriations bill. [...]

House Republicans were put on record again last week on port security when Democrats tried to force a debate and vote on legislation that would require congressional approval of DP World's takeover. The effort failed. Only two Republicans voted with Democrats.

When the Democratic Party reclaims control of the congress, we are going to do everything possible to protect America's ports. In fact, we are already doing what we can from a minority position -- it's the party in power obstructing our efforts to do so.

March 6, 2006

Open Thread

Quick note of thanks. Because of you, the Institute for Politics, Democracy and the Internet nominated the DNC for two "Golden Dot" awards given out later this week. The two nominations are for:

Online Impact Moment of the Year - "Shame on You Jean Schmidt"
Best National Internet Campaign - "Democracy Bonds"

And there you have it.

Abramoff's Warning...

South Florida's Sun-Sentinel:

Abbe Lowell, Abramoff's Washington D.C.-based defense lawyer, warned Huck that he might be obligated at a sentencing hearing to reveal details of the government's pending investigations into the Capitol Hill lawmakers who did business with Abramoff.

"We will name names. We will provide the public with evidence of what is going on out there," Lowell said.

Mark the calendar ... March 29, 2006.

Domestic Wiretap Hearings Vote Tomorrow

ABC News:

Tuesday will be a day of reckoning for the politics of domestic spying. The Senate Intelligence Committee is slated to vote, in a closed session, on whether it will investigate the president's NSA warrantless domestic wiretapping program. At this point, it could go either way.

It would take one Republican defection from the group to make an investigation into the president's domestic spying program a reality. The last vote was delayed several weeks after an intesnse lobbying effort by the White House. Committee chair Pat Roberts (R-KS) has promised a vote tomorrow.

Humorously, Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH) has flirted with the idea of introducing legislation that would make the program legal, "retroactively." Bill Frist has threatened to completely change the rules of the committee should they decide to hold hearings:

Frist specifically threatened that if the Committee holds NSA hearings, he will fundamentally change the 30-year-old structure and operation of the Senate Intelligence Committee so as to make it like every other Committee, i.e., controlled and dominated by Republicans to advance and rubber-stamp the White House’s agenda rather than exercise meaningful and nonpartisan oversight.

Should Frist succeed, I think we can safely diagnose (via news accounts) checks, balances, and any meaningful congressional oversight as being in a persistent vegitative state.

CA-22: Another Republican Retires

Bill Thomas, retiring at the end of this current term (link). Thomas ran unopposed in the 2004 election cycle, and won with 73% of the vote while spending 150 times the amount of his opponent in 2002 ($1.5 million to 10k).

CA-50: Francine Busby Delivers Democratic Radio Address

This week, Francine Busby delivered the Democratic Radio Address. Busby is running in a special election this year for Duke Cunningham's vacated seat.

To listen to the audio, click here.

There's a lot of rhetoric on both sides so it's important that we talk about the facts. Here's the first important fact: the United Arab Emirates was one of only three countries that recognized the terrorist-run Taliban as a legitimate government in Afghanistan.

Another fact: the U.A.E. served as a financial staging ground for the 9/11 attacks on our nation.

Even before this port deal with the U.A.E. was announced, here are the facts about the Republican record on port security: In 2003 and again last year, Republicans in Congress voted against funding for stronger port security. Last year, Republicans in Congress voted against funding for stronger border security. This record and this new deal with the U.A.E. reflect a perilous pre-9/11 world view that we can no longer afford.

We've now learned how they ignored a proven threat with Hurricane Katrina - starting with the White House. On this port deal, they also ignored the concerns of the Coast Guard about the lack of information.

Full text in the extended entry ...

Keep reading "CA-50: Francine Busby Delivers Democratic Radio Address"

President's Approval Slips in "Red States"

A few interesting regional polls released today further documenting a free fall of presidential approval in traditionally "red states."

Elon University. February 20-23, 2006 & February 26 to March 2, 2006. 1,277 residents in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. MoE +/- 2.8%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?

Approve: 43%
Disapprove: 52%
Don't know: 4%

There was also this interesting nugget at the end of the summary:

When asked which party they will support in the next congressional election, 33 percent said they will support Democrats and 28 percent said they will support Republicans. Twenty-nine percent said they did not know.

"What jumps out at you here is the difference in drop-off for Democrats and Republicans," Bacot said. "The Republican drop-off is twice that of the Democrats, suggesting that Bush's problems may be trickling down to Republican members of Congress."

And there was this out of Indiana:

Selzer & Co. via the Indy Star. February 28 to March 2, 2006. 501 Indiana residents. MoE +/- 4.4%

Presidential Approval:

Approve: 37%
Disapprove: 56%

The economy:

Approve: 39%
Disapprove: 55%
Not sure 6%

Iraq:

Approve: 38%
Disapprove: 56%
Not sure 6%

An Out Of Touch Adminstration - Part ...

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, on Meet the Press with Tim Russert yesterday:

MR. RUSSERT: If you were to be asked whether things in Iraq are going well or badly, what would you say? How would you answer?

GEN. PACE: I’d say they’re going well.

Today's Washington Post:

An overwhelming majority of the public believe fighting between Sunni and Shiite Muslims in Iraq will lead to civil war and half say the U.S. should begin withdrawing its forces from that violence-torn country, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll.

The survey found that 80 percent believed that recent sectarian violence made civil war in Iraq likely, and more than a third said such a conflict was "very likely" to occur. Expectations for an all-out sectarian war in Iraq extended beyond party lines. More than seven in 10 Republicans and eight in 10 Democrats and political independents believe civil war was likely.

Congressman Jack Murtha:

Murtha expressed skepticism of assurances given by Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on NBC’s "Meet the Press" on Sunday. Pace said the war in Iraq was going "very, very well."

"Why would I believe him?" said Murtha, D-Pa. "This administration, including the president, has mischaracterized this war for the last two years ... So why would I believe the chairman of the Joint Chiefs when he says things are going well?"

Start the Week Open Thread

Kick it off.

March 3, 2006

Open Thread

Have a safe start to the weekend.

Governor Dean: Republicans Weak on Security

Governor Dean:

"After five years and two warnings from the 9/11 Commission, President Bush has failed to make our nation's ports safe and secure. We ought not to be letting foreign government-owned companies run our already porous ports, and the Bush White House certainly should not allow the port deal to go through before the 45-day review is over. But, the Republicans' collapse on security is not limited to our ports; they have also utterly failed to secure our borders, chemical plants and other key infrastructure.

"Karl Rove and the Republicans still argue that the issue of security will propel them to victory in 2006. But, the truth is Republicans are weak on security. This Administration clearly has a pre-9/11 mentality and the American people no longer think Republicans can keep them secure. This President is one of the weakest ever on security, and Republicans can't look to him and his Nixon-like approval ratings for help anymore.

"Democrats will continue to fight to close the gaps in our nation's security and will never outsource security of America's ports."

More From the Gallup Poll

E&P:

Of the 1,020 adults surveyed, 59% said President Bush can no longer manage the government effectively. An overwhelmingly number say they oppose the Dubai ports deal. Asked who they would likely vote for in November, 53% picked Democrats, 39% Republicans.

The problem extends way beyond an incompetent adminstration undermining our national security in favor of corporate interests at every turn. It's also about a Republican controlled congress unwilling to step up and say, "Hey! These are co-equal branches of government here, and we are responsible to provide a bit of oversight on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue." That's one of the many reasons the Democratic Party collects a solid majority of voters when asked about generic matchups this November.

FL-Sen: Lawyering Up

Katherine Harris, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate.

The Mendoza Line

Four polls yesterday show President Bush hitting below a 40% approval rating:

Fox News: 39%
CNN/Gallup: 38%
Quinnipiac: 36%
LA Times: 38%

The freefall continues.

TX-22: Tom DeLay -- Then and Now

Oh was it only a year ago Tom DeLay was emailing supporters blaming a "Democrat friendly press" for his ethical lapses? DeLay droned on for six pages, culminating what was undoubtedly a spittle-filled soliloquy as typed accusing Democrats and the press of ignoring the "FACTS" about him. Well, "FACTS" don't get more clear than ABC News laid them out:

The paper trail seems so obvious it makes you wonder whether anyone ever worried about getting caught. When Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and his wife flew from Houston to a golf resort in Scotland in June 2000, the first-class airfare cost $14,001, a big-ticket item for a public servant. But someone else paid.

The American Express bills of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who pleaded guilty to fraud charges in January, show he footed the bill for the tickets, in an apparent violation of House ethics rules. [...]

One aspect of Abramoff's corruption scheme was the free trips he provided to politicians to the Super Bowl, a golf resort in Scotland and to the northern Mariana Islands in the South Pacific.

An ABC News hidden camera recorded Abramoff greeting and hugging DeLay as he arrived in the northern Marianas.

Imagine DeLay's surprise when he saw Jack Abramoff after landing in the Marianas Islands! All he could do was hug the man in order to buy a few more seconds to collect his thoughts ...

Tom DeLay is a man of extremely weak character, but only a small portion of an expanding Republican cabal unable to take responsibility for their actions. It's always one excuse after another from these clowns who would drag the trust of the American people right through the mud they conduct their business in on a near-daily basis. The Democratic Party has a plan to rid congress of the scourge that is a Republican culture of corruption. Elect a Democratic Congress and within 100 days, we will pass ethics legislation eliminating the scandals and the corruption that the Republicans have brought to power. We want honest and open government in America again.

Another Open Thread

As I said, I participated on a panel discussion yesterday for the New Organizing Institute. The audience was filled with young(ish) folks from across the country either already on, or hoping to join a campaign/organization in the role of Internet Coordinator. The panel consisted of Jerome Armstrong (MyDD), Matt Stoller (MyDD), Atrios (Eschaton), Judd Legum (Think Progress), and Aldon Hynes (Ned Lamont for Senate). For almost two straight hours we were peppered with questions about our experiences and how to build online communities. I talk about this for one reason; there are so many campaigns and organizations out there that can use your help. Many of the small-ish races can be kicked up a notch on the competitiveness scale if you decided to volunteer a few hours a week with an effort that wouldn't otherwise have an Internet operation. And if you do decide to reach out and fill that void, there are a tremendous number of resources out there willing to share their past experiences and "best practices" with you ... count me among them.

March 2, 2006

Open Thread

I am about to participate in a panel discussion for the New Organizing Institute, so it'll be light posting from here on out ... take it away!

White House Responds

The White House responded quickly to the bombshell AP report that President Bush was fully briefed on the potential of the levees breaking and lied to the American people four days later during an interview with ABC News when he uttered the infamous words, "I don't think anyone could have anticipated the breach of the levees." Associated Press:

I hope people don't draw conclusions from the president getting a single briefing," Bush spokesman Trent Duffy said, citing a variety of orders and disaster declarations Bush signed before the storm made landfall. "He received multiple briefings from multiple officials, and he was completely engaged at all times.

He's right ... who knows how much more incompetence would be uncovered were the White House completely forthcoming with the information requested by the Katrina Commission in Congress. Here is what the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs had to say about the cooperation level of the executive branch:

The problems begin at the White House, where there has been a near total lack of cooperation that has made it impossible, in my opinion, for us to do the thorough investigation we have a responsibility to do.

And completely engaged? Hogwash. Unlike the Associated Press video, we didn't need to wait six months to know the president refused to cut short his vaction and return to Washington, D.C. to deal with the crisis from the White House. In fact, none of us will ever forget the photo of President Bush playing country rock star as New Orleans drowned.

This adminstration failed the American people before the storm hit, as it made landfall, through the investigation, and continues to this day. Mistakes are made, to be sure, the storm was unprecedented in its scope. However, lying to the American people in an attempt to shirk responsiblity for what ended up completely transcending minor blunders, and then refusing to cooperate with the U.S. Senate during an investigation tasked at learning the lessons necessary to prevent a sequel is completely unforgivable.

Justice Alito Thanks Radical Extremist James Dobson

That's cute ... Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito sent Focus on the Family leader James Dobson a valentine thanking him for his support during his confirmation hearings. There is nothing quite as disheartening as watching the extremist right led by people like James Dobson and his ilk (Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Rod Parsley) co-opt religion and spirituality for their own political gain. Rarely is there an attempt by these fundamentalist preachers to bring the sheep "separated from the flock" back into the heard, only heated rhetoric used to divide Americans from one another.

Here are some of the greatest hits from Samuel Alito's valentine:

-- James Dobson comparing stem cell research to human experimentation in Nazi concentration camps -- (link)

-- James Dobson explaining that SpongeBob Square Pants is pro-homosexual propaganda -- (link)

-- James Dobson comparing the men in black robes (the Supreme Court) to people who used to wear white robes (the KKK) -- (link)

-- James Dobson after the 9/11 attacks: "[W]e need to accept the truth that this nation will suffer in many ways for departing from the principles of righteousness. 'The wages of sin is death,' as it says in Romans 6, both for individuals and for entire cultures." -- (link)

-- James Dobson even wrote a treatise on how fathers can cure their children of homosexuality, including the following tips: "He can teach him to pound a square wooden peg into a square hole in a pegboard. He can even take his son with him into the shower, where the boy cannot help but notice that Dad has a penis, just like his, only bigger." (link)

Unfortunately, it's people like James Dobson that pull the strings in the Republican Party and end up getting notes of thanks from recently confirmed Supreme Court Justices.

March 1, 2006

Open Thread

As promised.

AP: Bush Knew About Levee Dangers

You can watch the video, read the Associated Press story, and forward all of it to your friends at: http://www.democrats.org/katrinavideo.

This is exactly why you can't believe anything this administration says. From news about a trivial biking accident overseas, to serious catastrophes in the Gulf Coast, Scott McClellan, Michael Chertoff, Vice President Cheney, President Bush, and whoever else trots in front of the microphone from this administration will say whatever it is they have to say in order to weather whatever situation their incompetence has landed the American people in.

The Associated Press obtained BLOCKBUSTER video footage from a briefing attended by Michael Brown, President Bush, hurricane experts, and a host of others. From the report filed by the AP.

NARRATOR: But the president just doesn't ask any questions, and just four days later, tells ABC News that no one could have predicted the scope of this storm.

PRESIDENT BUSH: There is frustration, but I want people to know there is a lot of help coming. I don't think anyone could have anticipated the breach of the levees.

NARRATOR: A seemingly direct contradiction to what is said at the briefing.

HURRICANE EXPERT IN BRIEFING: I don't think anyone can tell you with any confidence right now whether the levees will be topped or not. Uhhh, but its obviously of very very grave concern.

NARRATOR: Concern for a storm that would leave more than 1,300 dead and 2,300 people missing.

Crooks & Liars has the video.

UPDATE: Video is also here.

The Associated Press has a full article. Here is the lead:

In dramatic and sometimes agonizing terms, federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees, put lives at risk in New Orleans' Superdome and overwhelm rescuers, according to confidential video footage.

Bush didn't ask a single question during the final briefing before Katrina struck on Aug. 29, but he assured soon-to-be-battered state officials: "We are fully prepared."

Reflecting upon the horror many of us felt as we watched newscasters report live from New Orleans in the days following Katrina's landfall, the video is absolutely agonizing to watch. Politics completely aside, this administration completely and utterly failed the people of the Gulf Coast before Katrina struck, as it made landfall, and in the horrific aftermath of the storm. In fact, they continue to fail the people of the area today. And they have the gall, the nerve, to post some quip on their website about a representative who missed a Katrina vote -- they missed the entire storm and its aftermath. It's shameful.

This is exactly why congressional oversight is so important, and at the same time so disapointing that we have absolutely none in a Republican controlled congress. And it's completely indicative of why you can't trust the administration on Iraq, on domestic spying, on this ports deal, and even on some non-five-day-news-story like the Vice President shooting a man in a hunting accident. It was Ronald Reagan that coined the phrase, "trust, but verify." This administration has a total and complete understanding that the "verification" never happens in the same news cycle as the lie -- and they take advantage of that, time and time and time again.

Governor Dean on Situation Room Tonight

CNN - 7:25 P.M.

OH-18: No He Didn't

Yes he did. Flashback: "Ney's Golf Trip Fact vs. Fiction"

Hat-tip to Plunderbund, part of an ever-emerging impressive Ohio blogging community.

How Much Does Influence Cost?

Not every Republican has a literal "bribery menu," so more often than not Americans are left to wonder just how much it costs to influence their GOP legislators. Fortunately, the National Republican Campaign Committee makes it easy for you to figure out ... right on their website. Incidentally, Rasmussen ran an interesting poll showing the majority of Amerians believe the cost is somewhere at $50,000 or above.

When I find myself cynical about the future of democracy under Republican one-party rule, I often head over to the NRCC wesite and remind myself just how difficult it is for average Americans to receive representation in the current congressional climate. It has a way of re-solidifying in my mind just how important this fight is in 2006.

I'm not quite certain what kind of "casual" Monday night bowling costs the average American $2,500, but that is the current culture in Republican controlled Washington, D.C. And the only reason I pick on Simmons is because of his ridculous use of the word "casual." Spend a few minutes and visit the NRCC site, scroll from top to bottom and you'll see dozens of similar events taking place across the country within the next few weeks. The site itself undoubtedly serves as the "homepage" for countless lobbyists up and down K-Street.

Contrast that with the Democracy Bonds community: 30,000 Americans contributing an average of $22 a month to fund a strategy allowing Democrats to compete in precinct across the country. The difference could not be more clear.

The Fox Guarding Henhouse: Removed

Ahhh, it was only a few weeks ago that Rick Santorum was tasked by Majority Leader Bill Frist to spearhead Republican lobbying reform in the United States Senate. The announcement stunned observers, and one had to assume that it was the work of a Republican "old boys network" sitting around some eloquently decorated office near Capitol Hill sipping $500 bottles of scotch while discussing the most humorous possible avenue by which to present their "ethics reform case."

Then, in spectacular fashion, Will Bunch of the Philadelphia Daily News showed the country that Santorum was not so much of a leadoff man in the fight for ethics reform, but more of a clean up hitter in the ever-growing Republican culture of corruption.

What we found is that Santorum’s exurban lifestyle is financed in ways that aren’t available to the average voter back home in Pennsylvania -- namely a political action committee that lists payments for such unorthodox items as dozens of trips to the Starbucks in Leesburg, a number of stops at fast-food joints, and purchases at Target, Wal-Mart, and a Giant supermarket in northern Virginia

And it's not just charges that his political action committee funds a lifestyle of the claim-not-to-be-so-rich but certainly famous, it's questions about the financing of his home by campaign contributors, bilking Pennsylvania tax-payers out of money while his children are home-schooled in Virginia, and a charity that generously distributes 60% of its proceeds to staffers who work in the Senator's West Conshohocken campaign headquarters. As such, Frist has decided to sit Santorum on the sidelines as they pretend to work towards reform in the Senate.

Though Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., charged Sen. Rick Santorum with the task of spearheading Republican efforts to tighten rules on lawmakers' contact with lobbyists, Pennsylvania's junior senator is taking more of a backstage role as that legislation begins moving through the chamber this week.

Santorum claims it's because nothing with his name on it would pass with the background being a fierce re-election campaign, but that's a bunch of hog-wash. From day one Santorum's involvement as the point-person for Republican reform in the Senate has been a terrible political decision. First there were his ties to the K-Street project. Then there was Santorum's outrageous claim, "I had absolutely nothing to do--never met, never talked, never coordinated, never did anything -- with Grover Norquist and the -- quote -- K Street Project." That was until Crooks & Liars found video of Santorum being introduced by his good friend Norquist and thanking him for his support on many issues. The Will Bunch piece was just the final nail in the coffin.

Open Thread

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