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June 30, 2008
Evening Open Thread
- A great new video from the Ohio Democratic Party, giving Ohioans a voice and allowing them to respond to McCain's views on jobs. Check it out.
- It must be web video day here at the Democratic Party, because we've got another one for you. This one holds McCain accountable for pushing Bush's failed Social Security scheme. He might not call it privatization anymore, now that it's an election year, but that wasn't always the case.
- And faced with bad polling, the White House invents their own way to judge public opinion.
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Barack Obama Launches Second Television Ad
Senator Barack Obama launched his second television advertisement of the general election entitled, "Dignity."
The ad will air in eighteen states: Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Virginia.
McCain vs. McCain
I suppose the upside to McCain's non-stop flip-flopping on immigration is that it makes for good web videos. He almost makes it too easy:
McConnell: GOP Recapturing Senate "Impossible"
In an appearance on CNN Late Edition yesterday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) admitted that "the numbers make it impossible" for Republicans to recapture the Senate this November.
"Leader McConnell was voicing his opinion about the upcoming Senate races," NRSC spokesman John Randall told Election Central via e-mail. "He was not admitting defeat but explaining the current situation."
Mitch McConnell explained that Republicans cannot win -- but it is not admitting defeat! According to the NRSC, the 2008 elections are in a netherworld between a word and it's antonym.
New Record Highs
The price of a barrel of oil isn't the only thing that's at record high prices:
The national average price for a gallon of gasoline climbed to $4.086, according to a daily survey by motorist group AAA. That was up 0.7 cent from $4.079 the previous day, and eclipsed the previous mark of $4.08 set June 16.Gas prices have risen 2.9% in the last month and are almost 38% higher than where they were a year ago.
[...]
Last week, AAA reported that it expects the number of Americans traveling during the Fourth of July holiday travel period to decline 1.3% to 40.45 million drivers versus 41 million last year.
Yet John McCain seems more outraged over being asked a tough question from a voter about high gas prices than the cost itself.
Morning Open Thread
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June 29, 2008
Sunday Evening Open Thread
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June 27, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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Taking Credit For GI Bill He Opposed
Wow, really? The bill he fought so hard to stop in its tracks?
NRCC: "There are no safe Republican seats" in 2008
You know things are not looking so hot for House Republicans when the communications director for the entity responsible for getting them elected says this:
"This is a challenging environment," she said. "Any Republican running for office has to run basically on an independent platform, localize the race and not take anything for granted. There are no safe Republican seats in this election."
Ouch. That is quite the admission: the Republican platform is too weak to run on because the planks have been rotted out.
The Honeymoon's Over
Schwarzenegger refuses to jump on board McCain’s offshore drilling proposal:
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger made a veiled swipe at Republican presidential hopeful John McCain on Thursday when he said at a climate conference here that anyone suggesting offshore oil drilling could bring down gas prices was "blowing smoke."The remark was also a dig at his host, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who riled environmentalists, tourism promoters and the state's political leaders on both sides of the aisle last week when he voiced support for McCain's proposal to lift bans on exploring for oil off the coasts of California, Florida and the Eastern Seaboard.
Unity!
You can watch the Unity rally with Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton below. Enjoy!
Another Day, Another New Oil Record
As the Associated Press reports, oil climbed to a new record -- above $142 a barrel -- "on expectations that the weakening dollar, a major factor in crude's stratospheric rise, will extend its decline and add to oil's appeal."
Retail gas prices inched lower overnight, but are likely to resume their own trek into record territory now that oil futures have broken out of the trading range where they had been for nearly 3 weeks. [...] Meanwhile, traders were coming around to the belief that the dollar, whose long decline has contributed greatly to oil's dramatic advance this year, will continue to weaken.
More Work Ahead at the DOJ
TPM Muckraker has the story:
Committee chairman John Conyers (D-MI) has been requesting a range of documents from DOJ for a long time. Some of the issues date back as far as Election Day 2002, when Republicans in New Hampshire jammed the phone lines for a Democratic get-out-the-vote call bank, an effort one GOP operative said was modeled on the U.S. Marines tactic of jamming the enemies communications.Now Conyers has the authority to subpoena that stack of records after the subcommittee on commercial and administrative law took a vote today and gave him the formal go-ahead.
They're looking for records of interviews from the DOJ investigation into who leaked the identify of CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson, documents that may shed light on allegations of selective prosecution, and the details behind the replacement of Minnesota's U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose.
Morning Open Thread
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June 26, 2008
Evening Open Thread
Forty-five years ago today...
"Ich Bin Ein Berliner"
June 26, 1963
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NIMBY: Not In McCain's Back Yard
After calling criticism of Yucca Mountain as a "NIBMY" problem that "we've gotta have the guts and the courage" to get over, there's now video of McCain saying he would not be comfortable "with nuclear waste coming through Arizona" on the way to Yucca Mountain:
McCain Still Not Connecting With Voters
We've got a new memo out, which you can view below the fold in the extended entry, about John McCain's failure to connect with voters in the four months since he wrapped up the Republican nomination. You should read the whole thing, but my favorite is this chart (see the memo for details):
Keep reading "McCain Still Not Connecting With Voters"
Justice Politicized
We covered the Justice Department report on one of the scandals at the Justice Department over its politicization. This first report was about a program for law students that turned down applicants (and approved others) based on their political affiliations.
Over at TPM, they've got an interesting piece you can watch below about what this might mean for the other scandals at the DOJ.
Morning Open Thread
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June 25, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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Dusting Off Bush's 2004 Re-Election Message
Charlie Black, top adviser to John McCain, told Forbes that a terrorist strike would be a "big advantage" to the presumptive GOP nominee. John McCain later disavowed the comments and called them "untrue" and "inappropriate."
But John McCain said just as much after Osama bin Laden released a tape in 2004.
But as McCain greets two breakfast-eating business partners, one from Stamford and the other from Bridgeport, the topic turns to the presidential race. The two men tell the senator they support President George W. Bush, and to that end, McCain says, "(Osama) Bin Laden may have just given us a little boost. Amazing, huh?"....Black connected the war on terrorism to his boss' success after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan in December 2007.The two men, who requested anonymity, nod their heads in agreement.
Later, while riding with Shays on an RV to a rally at the Stamford Government Center, McCain further explains, "(The video) is helpful to President Bush because it puts the focus on the war on terrorism."
Black is also quoted as saying the "unfortunate event" of the assassination of former Pakistani leader Benazir Bhutto in December 2007 "helped us."In 2007, John McCain argued the Bhutto assassination helped him.
Here is the quote in print -- just in case:
In an interview with reporters after the event, McCain said, "I would hate for this tragedy to affect anyone's campaign." But he was quick to add that "my theme throughout this campaign has been that I'm the one with the experience, the knowledge, and the judgment. Perhaps it may serve to enhance those credentials."
Not only has John McCain adopted George W. Bush's policies, he's even dusted off his re-election message to win his third term.
Lobbyists For Veep!!
McCain main man Tom Ridge skirts foreign lobbying rules after work for Albania:
For almost two years former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge failed to register a nearly half-million-dollar lobbying contract that he had with the government of Albania.Ridge filed a registration statement on behalf of the country earlier this month after being contacted by the Department of Justice.
[...]
Ridge, the former Pennsylvania governor, represented Albania from October 2006 through the end of August 2007 on issues ranging from homeland security to NATO membership.
More New Lows for Bush
The downward trend continues, this time with a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll. The survey shows Bush's job approve to be at an incredibly low 23-percent -- with 73-percent disapproving.
Yet it's not stopping McCain from sounding more like Bush every day.
White House Refuses to Open Pollutants Email
If an email is sent in an office, and nobody is around to see it, does it still determine that greenhouse gases are pollutants that must be controlled? According to the White House, no... it does not:
The White House in December refused to accept the Environmental Protection Agency’s conclusion that greenhouse gases are pollutants that must be controlled, telling agency officials that an e-mail message containing the document would not be opened, senior E.P.A. officials said last week. [...] The document, which ended up in e-mail limbo, without official status, was the E.P.A.’s answer to a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that required it to determine whether greenhouse gases represent a danger to health or the environment, the officials said.This week, more than six months later, the E.P.A. is set to respond to that order by releasing a watered-down version of the original proposal that offers no conclusion.
Morning Open Thread
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June 24, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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Consumer Confidence At 16-Year Low
The economy continues to struggle:
U.S. consumer sentiment slid to a 16-year low in June while house prices suffered record annual drops in April, according to data on Tuesday that suggested a retrenchment in spending that will keep squelching economic growth. [...] The index has now dropped by more than half since 111.90 last July, before the housing market troubles triggered the most severe credit crisis in at least a decade."To put it in perspective, that's a bigger decline than what we saw after the September 11 attack and Hurricane Katrina," said Dana Saporta, economist at Dresdner Kleinwort Securities.
Do you really want this group trying to come to the rescue? Or someone who repeatedly admits he doesn't understand the economy?
FEC Should Investigate McCain For Illegal Use of Taxpayer Dollars
Today the Democratic Party is filing a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in to compel the Federal Election Commission to investigate McCain's decision to unilaterally withdraw from the matching funds program -- after he had used the promise of public funds to help secure a loan, and also to get on the ballot in some states. In addition, for a candidate to get out of the agreement, a request would need to be granted by the FEC.
You can view a copy of the lawsuit below (or download here):
More Politicization of the Justice Department - UPDATED
It never ends.
Today the Justice Department's Inspector General is expected to release a report showing that "young conservative law students were favored hires in stocking the DOJ's prestigious -- and heretofore non-partisan -- Honors Program."
More, from the WaPo:
Critics in the department had argued that hundreds of high-quality applicants had been rejected because of their ties to left-leaning nonprofit groups or clerkships with Democratic judges and lawmakers, according to correspondence at the time. One Harvard Law School graduate said that when he applied for the honors program a few years ago he was warned by professors and fellow students to remove any liberal affiliations from his résumé.
We already know about the Department of Justice staff crossing the legal line in their hiring practices for career and political jobs, but apparently this kind of politics was aimed at students, too.
UPDATE: The report is now available. Lots more at Fire Dog Lake, including documents that were "destroyed" prior to the investigation.
Morning Open Thread
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June 23, 2008
Evening Open Thread
- Quote of the day by McCain aide Mark Soohoo: "John McCain is aware of the Internet."
- Considering issuing a subpoena for Feith?
- Score one more for the lefties.
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Enthusiasm Gap Continues
A new poll confirms exactly what we've seen at every point this election cycle -- that there's a giant "Enthusiasm Gap" that promises to prove helpful to a victory in November. We saw it earlier this year with record turnout that nobody had ever seen before. We saw it in the debates. And we've even seen it in the dwindling numbers for Republican party identification.
The latest polling from USA Today shows that 61-percent of Democrats "said they were more enthusiastic than usual about voting in this year's election, while just 35% of Republicans said that." Barack Obama is proving that he can inspire the country to embrace his message of change not just in blue states, but also in red states that also saw record turnout for Democrats.
With Advisors Like These...
There's a good article in the Houston Chronicle today about McCain's economic advisor (and general campaign co-chairman) Phil Gramm. If you're wondering who is responsible for the mortgage crisis, Gramm would be one person you'd want to start with.
You should read the entire thing, but here's a sample:
Gramm's coterie of critics say his actions as a Texas senator contributed to today's mortgage meltdown and energy price speculation that has driven up oil prices. [...] Democrats also say that Gramm's post-Senate lobbying activities conflict with McCain's promise to steer clear of lobbyists in his presidential campaign.
We've also got a website on McCainpedia dedicated not only to Phil Gramm, but also to his other economic advisors -- Carly Fiorina and Doug Holtz-Eakin. There's a ton of information about all three of them there. As McCain admitted repeatedly, he doesn't really understand the economy, so these knowing who advises him on those matters becomes even more crucial.
California Drilling, er, Dreaming
McCain proves he would be no friend to the environment:
Maybe McCain doesn't mind lending his name to the oil industry's cynical efforts to scrap a wise policy, using sky-high gas prices as an excuse. Or maybe he really thinks more offshore drilling - which would take a decade to yield even modest amounts of oil - will bring prices down right now. Either way, McCain is disturbingly willing to sell out the marine environment to preserve an oil-guzzling status quo.There's too little oil off the US coast to have much effect on the world market. As the earth's climate warms, the federal government should be promoting conservation and identifying alternatives to fossil fuels - not just because rising demand from China and India makes oil ever more expensive, but because the welfare of the planet depends on it.
As others have pointed out, McCain's "trying to have it both ways:"
Morning Open Thread
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June 21, 2008
Morning Open Thread
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June 20, 2008
Evening Open Thread
- Not exactly Mr. Popular.
- McClellan: Cheney should testify.
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Democratic Party Filing FOIA Request
It's the latest ethics scandal for Team McCain.
Basically, we're filing a FOIA request looking for information about possible violations of the Hatch Act connected to McCain's events in Ottawa today. Reportedly, the McCain campaign requested assistance in arranging the $100-a-plate luncheon.
A Canadian newspaper reported Thursday that Friday's scheduled $100-a-plate luncheon speech by Sen. John McCain in Ottowa was organized in part by U.S. Ambassador David Wilkins, a former South Carolina lawmaker whom President Bush appointed in 2005.Democrats pointed out the article late Thursday night, and alleged that Wilkins's actions could be construed as a violation of the Hatch Act, which prohibits many kinds of political activities by government employees.
[...]
According to the Sun: "Wilkins had been contacted by the McCain campaign about a Canadian visit, and the ambassador wanted to know if some of d'Aquino's group of corporate chief executives might be interested in meeting the Republican presidential candidate..."
You can view our FOIA request here (PDF).
Right Now: McClellan Testifies
You can watch his testimony right now on C-Span 3 online. He's in front of the House Judiciary Committee, and being asked about the Plame leak.
His opening remarks can be found here.
UPDATE: They committee will continue the questions later in the day, after some votes.
Friday Five
Here are five of the events in PartyBuilder for the coming week. You can add your own event or find one near you.
- McHenry County Dems Canvassing (Lake in the Hills, IL) - Canvassing in McHenry County District 5 with local, state, and Congressional candidates.
- BBQ to celebrate our party's unity (Orange, CA) - The primaries are over and now we're off to VICTORY IN NOVEMBER! Come and join the Democratic Party of Orange County, Orange County Labor Federation and OC for Obama Grassroots activists for a BBQ to celebrate our party's unity and our determination to win!
- Obama Picnic (Fort Worth, TX) - Family Event, Bouncers for the Kids, BBQ, Hot Dogs, Drinks, Voter Registration Booth, Various Booths. Come out and Enjoy Meeting Fellow Blue People.
- Bowl-O-bama (Austin, TX) - At Bowl-O-bama bowlers will be able to: - Get outta the sun and have some fun! - Award certificates will be given out for most strikes, most gutter balls, and other categories. - Strengthen our local community by connecting with fellow Austinites!
- Precinct Captain Training (Pocatello, ID) - Precinct Captain Training - June 23rd ,2-3 p.m. or 6-7 p.m. Headquarters Are you a precinct captain or deputy? Would you like to be one?
Morning Open Thread
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June 19, 2008
Return of the Fred
John McCain's folks have a real penchant for sending out all the wrong surrogates. Rudy Giuliani recently attacked Senator Barack Obama's national security credentials despite the fact that John McCain claimed in 2007 that Giuliani doesn't have any national security experience.
In a conference call this morning, the McCain campaign awoke Fred Thompson from his post-campaign slumber to join Giuliani in attacking the presumptive Democratic nominee on Osama bin Laden.
Fred Thompson may be forgetting the positions he took during his failed presidential bid last year:
THOMPSON 2007: Osama bin Laden Is Merely A Symbol. Thompson said that Osama bin Laden is “more symbolism than anything else.” [AP, 9/7/07]THOMPSON 2007: Osama bin Laden Should Get “Due Process.” Thompson said that Osama bin Laden “should get due process if he’s caught.” Thompson also said that catching bin Laden would do little to lessen the threats to the U.S. “You know, that top-dog in Iraq that we killed a while back, you know, that was a great big deal, too. But how much changed after that?” Thompson posited. [AP, 9/10/07]
THOMPSON: Killing Key Figures Doesn’t Change Anything. “Thompson also told reporters during his first presidential campaign swing through this early voting state that removing bin Laden would not end threats to the U.S. Bin Laden ''needs to be located and killed. But we also need to understand that there will be people who can replace him. You know, that top-dog in Iraq that we killed a while back, you know, that was a great big deal, too. But how much changed after that?'' said Thompson, a former Tennessee senator, lawyer and actor. Thompson on Friday told an Iowa crowd that bin Laden ''ought to be caught and killed,'' but on Monday said he wasn't saying those things should happen right after the other. ''No, no, no, we've got due process to go through'' depending on the circumstances, he said. ''I'm not suggesting those things happen simultaneously.''” [AP, 9/10/07]
Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee on Juneteenth
Flip-Flop: McCain "More Than Happy" To Consider ANWR Drilling
He's already flip-flopped on coastal drilling in Florida and other states, from just a few weeks ago, just like President Bush. But he's not done flip-flopping yet, as a townhall yesterday proved. Asked about it, drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), McCain said that he would be "more than happy to examine it again."
See Think Progress for his past positions that he's been throwing out the window left and right.
Morning Open Thread
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June 18, 2008
Evening Open Thread
- Just an error?
- House Republicans paying tribute to Bush's record. "Seriously."
- Republican insiders are worried about what a Bush insider has to say.
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Bit Off More Than He Can Drill?
McCain’s windfall profits tax doubletalk:
McCain's bid to chart a middle course on a major issue hit a bump, though, when he criticized Obama for proposing a windfall profits tax, despite saying last month he would consider the same proposal. [...] Instead, McCain said Obama "wants a windfall profits tax on oil, to go along with the new taxes he also plans for coal and natural gas. If the plan sounds familiar, it's because that was President Jimmy Carter's big idea too — and a lot of good it did us."Despite his criticism, on May 5, while campaigning in North Carolina, McCain said he was willing to consider the same proposal.
"I don't like obscene profits being made anywhere. I'd be glad to look not just at the windfall profits tax, that's not what bothers me, but we should look at any incentives that we are giving to people — or industries or corporations — that are distorting the markets," he said.
Afternoon Open Thread
- Senator Barack Obama announced the formation of his Senior Working Group on National Security.
- Republicans blocked unemployment benefits legislation put forth by Democrats (and some Republicans).
- Check out a 360 degree view of the Al Gore endorsement rally in Detroit, Michigan earlier this week.
- The latest Quinnpiac poll shows Senator Obama leading John McCain in Ohio (+6%), Pennsylvania (+12%) and Florida (+4%). Senator Obama is narrowing the gap in North Carolina and Virginia is up for grabs this November so get involved!
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The Law -- A Far Greater Weapon Than Violence
John McCain and his campaign, apparently, do not have much faith in the American justice system, nor believe our Constitution can handle the national security challenges of this century.
McCain supporter and surrogate, Rudy Giuliani, revived the "noun, a verb and 9/11" routine to attack Senator Barack Obama on comments the presumptive Democratic nominee made to Jake Tapper on Nightline about cracking down on terrorism threats "within the constraints of the Constitution."
Greg Sargent, however, writes that, in service to John McCain, Giuliani apparently shifted his rhetoric since 1994:
Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani declared that the verdict "demonstrates that New Yorkers won't meet violence with violence, but with a far greater weapon -- the law."
Rudy Giuliani -- willing to take one for the team and flip-flop for John McCain.
Update: Senator Joe Biden knocks around Rudy Giuliani -- just like old times:
It’s no surprise that it takes a man with zero national security and foreign policy experience to defend the policies of John McCain and President Bush.The facts are that the policies President Bush has pursued and Senator McCain would continue, have not made us safer. We’re bogged down in Iraq with no end in sight and Al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan – the people who actually attacked us on 9/11 – have regrouped and are plotting new attacks. In fact, terrorist attacks around the world have increased since 9-11.
Update II: This is rich. Last year, John McCain said Rudy Giuliani had no national security experience.
But he went on to say: "I don't think [Giuliani's experiences on 9/11] translates, necessarily, into foreign policy or national security expertise. I know of nothing in his background that indicates that he has any experience in it, with him or Romney."
Then, the McCain campaign sends out Giuliani to attack Senator Obama on .... national security. Simply hilarious..
John McCain is Breaking the Law
From an email by Governor Dean:
I wrote to you in late February asking that you sign on in support of a complaint we made to the Federal Election Commission regarding John McCain.The complaint was fairly simple. John McCain decided to break a promise he made to the American people -- he said that he would accept federal matching funds for his primary campaign, but then backed out of the pledge after he started receiving staggering amounts of lobbyist and special interest money. We asked the FEC to enforce the agreement he had made.
When they didn't act on our complaint -- one that thousands of Americans signed on to support -- we sued them. Recently, a federal judge said that we had to give the FEC at least 120 days to act.
Their time runs out in one week, on June 24.
You can put pressure on John McCain to honor his agreement with the FEC by signing your support -- we need 100,000 Americans to stand up and demand that he keep the promise that he made the American people. If we're ever going to have truly clean campaigns, it's going to take all of us fighting for them.
Click the link to add your name:
http://www.democrats.org/FECcomplaint
I know that lawsuits, FEC rulings, and the intricacies of campaign finance law can be a little dry.
But consider this: while both Senator Obama's campaign and the DNC have unilaterally rejected lobbyist and special interest money, John McCain's campaign is blatantly breaking campaign finance law to raise as much of it as they can.
John McCain -- the self-branded "maverick reformer" -- is the exactly the same kind of Republican we've seen for decades. He breaks the rules to fit his own interests, and he does it at the expense of the American people and the integrity of the electoral process.
He knew exactly what he was doing when he signed the pledge with the FEC, because that used the money he was promised in return as collateral on a loan.
Be one of the 100,000 people to send a message to John McCain -- the law matters, and we're not going to let McCain and his lobbyist supporters ignore it.
Click the link to add your name:
http://www.democrats.org/FECcomplaint
My February email is below. It explains in detail why we're taking this action.
It's time to put an end to this, and I hope you'll help.
Howard Dean
You can add your name here.
One Million
Senator Barack Obama surpassed one million supporters on Facebook late last night and still going. The total number, as of this post, stands at 1,002,277.
Join the growing movement online and show your support for Barack, Governor Dean and the Democratic Party.
Morning Open Thread
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June 17, 2008
Evening Open Thread
- "Big Oil fuels Straight Talk Express."
- Curveball speaks out.
- A new trial for a former Bush official.
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GOP Senator: Cuba-China Oil Drilling Pact "Akin to Urban Legend"
Republican leaders are known for trafficking in myths and alternate realities: "Climate change is a hoax. Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden were classmates and best friends in the 3rd grade. John McCain would make a good president." The usual stuff.
But with John McCain flip-flopping on the off-shore drilling moratorium, Vice President Dick Cheney and a slew of House Republicans decided to add yet another myth to their bag of tricks.
What do the following Republicans have in common?Vice President Dick Cheney
Representative Michele Bachmann (MN-06)
Candidate Brian Davis (MN-01)
Candidate John Gard (WI-08)
Representative Sam Graves (MO-06)
Candidate Melissa Hart (PA-04)
Candidate Luke Puckett (IN-02)
Representative Jean Schmidt (OH-02)
Representative Tim Walberg (MI-07)They're all making the same false claim that China is drilling for oil off the coast of Florida in Cuban waters.
It is silly, I know, but that is the latest talking point Republicans are pushing. Even former Republican National Committee chair and sitting Florida Republican Senator Mel Martinez knows just how silly that claim is:
The renewed efforts prompted Florida Sen. Mel Martinez, who opposes drilling off Florida's coast, to take to the Senate floor Wednesday to -- as his office put it -- ''debunk the myth'' of China drilling in Cuban waters.''Reports to the contrary are simply false,'' Martinez said, his remarks delivered just before Cheney spoke. "They are akin to urban legends. China drilling off the coast of Cuba only 60 miles from the Keys, that is not taking place. . . Any talk of using some fabricated Cuba-China connection as an argument to change U.S. policy has no merit.''
Mc-Flip Flop on the Windfall Profits Tax
On May 5th McCain was asked whether he would support a windfall profits tax. McCain responded by talking about the oil companies obscene profits and expressing that he would look at a windfall profits tax.
“I don’t like obscene profits being made anywhere–and I’d be glad to look not just at the windfall profits tax–that’s not what bothers me–but we should look at any incentives that we are giving to people, that or industries or corporations that are distorting the market."
Just over one month later, McCain is going before the oil industry in Texas to attack Barack Obama's energy program, including a proposal for a windfall profits tax.
“So what does Senator Obama support in energy policy? Well, for starters he supported the energy bill of 2005 - a grab-bag of corporate favors that I opposed. And now he supports new taxes on energy producers. He wants a windfall profits tax on oil, to go along with the new taxes he also plans for coal and natural gas. If the plan sounds familiar, it’s because that was President Jimmy Carter’s big idea too - and a lot of good it did us. Now as then, all a windfall profits tax will accomplish is to increase our dependence on foreign oil, and hinder exactly the kind of domestic exploration and production we need. I’m all for recycling - but it’s better applied to paper and plastic than to the failed policies of the 1970’s.”
Don't expect any straight talk from John McCain.
John McCain Adds Two More Flip-Flops to the Collection
In addition to the flip-flop on the offshore drilling moratorium, John McCain added two other flip-flops on energy and the environment.
McCain made a major shift in his global warming agenda on cap and trade and redefining the word "mandatory." In a press conference yesterday morning, John McCain said, "I believe in the cap-and-trade system, as you know. I would not at this time make those -- impose a mandatory cap at this time." Gristmill finds this at odds with his own emissions plan.
Which is, of course, completely out of line with his own proposal for a cap-and-trade scheme, both the plan he proposed with Joe Lieberman last year and his own presidential plan, released last month. They both would, by nature, be mandatory -- hence the "cap" in the name. This isn't the first time McCain has misunderstood his own policy on cap-and-trade. In the Republican debate in Florida in January, he also denied that his cap-and-trade program included a mandatory cap on carbon.He also appeared confused about the definition of cap-and-trade in an interview with Greenwire ($ub req'd):
It's not quote mandatory caps. It's cap-and-trade, OK. It's not mandatory caps to start with. It's cap-and-trade. That's very different. OK, because that's a gradual reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions. So please portray it as cap-and-trade. That's the way I call it.
John McCain also attacked Senator Barack Obama on the windfall profits tax this morning.
He wants a windfall profits tax on oil, to go along with the new taxes he also plans for coal and natural gas. If the plan sounds familiar, it's because that was President Jimmy Carter's big idea too - and a lot of good it did us. Now as then, all a windfall profits tax will accomplish is to increase our dependence on foreign oil, and hinder exactly the kind of domestic exploration and production we need.
John McCain on the windfall profits tax on May 5:
I don't like obscene profits being made anywhere–and I'd be glad to look not just at the windfall profits tax–that's not what bothers me–but we should look at any incentives that we are giving to people, that or industries or corporations that are distorting the market.
McCain's Offshore Drilling Flip-Flop
McCain has now announced that he will lift the federal moratorium on drilling exploration, even though -- in the past -- he opposed drilling off the coast of Florida, North Carolina, Oregon, and Maine. Via Think Progress, the Washington Post's Dana Milbank notes:
During his last run for the presidency, in 1999, McCain supported the drilling moratorium, and he scolded the “special interests in Washington” that sought offshore drilling leases. Yesterday, he announced that those very same “moratoria should be lifted” and proposed incentives for the states “in the form of tangible financial rewards, if the states decide to lift those moratoriums.”
McCain caves, once again, to the special interest.
Al Gore Endorses Barack Obama
Last night, former Vice President Al Gore endorsed Senator Barack Obama in Detroit, Michigan. In case you missed it, check out this video of the endorsement.
Morning Open Thread
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June 16, 2008
Watch Al Gore Endorse Barack Obama In Michigan
Former Vice-President Gore is going to be endorsing Senator Obama in a few minutes. Watch the endorsement live on our blog.
Evening Open Thread
- Courage?
- Brad Schlozman (remember him?) the focus of a new investigation.
- The event that was not canceled.
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Oversight Committee Subpoenas Plame Docs
Breaking, from the Gavel:
Today, the Oversight Committee issued a subpoena to Attorney General Mukasey compelling the production of FBI interview reports of Vice President Cheney and President Bush and other documents regarding the outing of covert CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson.
They've also got clips from a committee hearing with Valerie Plame last year:
Bush's Third Term
McCain still has a YouTube problem:
The "Tubes"
McCain hasn't really caught on to this whole newfangled Internet thing:
And while Sen. John McCain may have been the first major presidential candidate to harness the power of the Internet for fundraising in 2000, the survey finds Sen. Barack Obama is winning the online political war in 2008. [...] The survey found 65 percent of wired Obama supporters said they got political news and information on the Internet this year compared with 56 percent of McCain backers.Online Democrats are outpacing wired Republicans in contributing money online, using social networking sites for political reasons, watching online video and signing up for campaign emails — largely because more tech-savvy young people are Democrats.
Morning Open Thread
Chat away...
June 13, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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Tim Russert
Very sad news this afternoon:
Tim Russert, NBC News’ Washington bureau chief and the moderator of “Meet the Press,” died Friday after being stricken at the bureau, NBC News said Friday. He was 58.Russert was recording voiceovers for Sunday’s “Meet the Press” broadcast when he collapsed, the network said.
He had recently returned from Italy, where his family was celebrating the graduation of Russert’s son, Luke, from Boston College.
[...]
In 1995, the National Father’s Day Committee named him “Father of the Year,” Parents magazine honored him as “Dream Dad” in 1998, and in 2001 the National Fatherhood Initiative also recognized him as Father of the Year.
Friday Five
Here are five of the events in PartyBuilder for the coming week. You can add your own event or find one near you.
- Picnic with a Purpose (Jacksonville, FL) - Democrats who want to work in the 2008 presidential campaign are welcome. Picnic food provided. Bring a beverage, snack or dessert.
- 2nd Annual Vet Jam (Rocky Hill, KY) - REMEMBER THOSE WHO SERVED
- Father's for Obama Bar-Q (Miramar, FL) - Father's, Men, Bar-Q to be held in Miramar on Sunday June 15,2008. The cost for the Bar-Q will be $35 this fee included One X-large Obama T-shirt,One Obama Button, One Obama Bumper-Sticker, and Food.
- Democrats of the Year Social (Gautier, MS) - Jackson County Democratic Executive Committee will recognize Tom and Edna Boone as Democrats of the year with a shrimp boil/fishfry rally for Democrats at The Old Place in Gautier, Mississippi, Sunday June 15 from 5 to 8.
- Food Drive (Corvallis, OR) - Benton County Democrats are collecting food to help replenish the pantry at Linn-Benton Food Share. The economic policies of the last 8 years have taken a terrible toll on the economy, and food banks across the country need help.
Afternoon Open Thread
- Foreclosures rose 48-percent in May.
- A "dead-end?"
- More Republican obstruction.
Chat away...
McCain Makes the Case: Third Bush Term
Earlier this month, John McCain delivered a widely criticized speech in front of a large green backdrop that critics referred to as the "Green Monster." In the speech, John McCain asserted that although Democrats would point out John McCain offers a third Bush term, it just wasn't true.
Or so he says now.
John McCain didn't seem to believe that in 2005 when he made the case that he was President Bush.
According to Congressional Quarterly, John McCain has consistently sided with President Bush, voting his position 89% in 2006, 95% in 2007 and 100% of the time this year.
Two months ago, John McCain admitted in a radio interview that "no one has supported President Bush on Iraq more than I have."
That's not leadership you can believe in. That's a third Bush term.
June 12, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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McCain Bamboozles Seniors On Social Security
Someone should tell John McCain that if you're going to misrepresent a position you've held, you should probably not have held the opposite position on video.
This afternoon at a New Hampshire townhall, John McCain was challenged on his policy to divert part of the Social Security taxes into the stock market. McCain claimed that "I'm not for quote privatizing Social Security, I never have been, I never will be." Thought, shortly after the 2004 elections McCain told a questioner that "...without privatization, I don't see how you can possibly, over time, make sure that young Americans are able to receive Social Security benefits."
You can watch both clips on YouTube. It's remarkable -- another direct contradiction on a major issue. Makes you miss Mitt Romney.
Sen. Menendez Rips McCain on Immigration
Senator Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey) ripped John McCain on the presumptive GOP nominee's evolved (read: pander to the right-wing) position on immigration.
In an interview with The Huffington Post, Sen. Robert Menendez offered a scathing rebuke of McCain, painting him as a candidate who sold his political soul to secure his party's presidential nomination."In my mind, he has dramatically shifted. He has really taken a Republican tact," said the New Jersey Democrat. "It seems to me, and it is out there in the community, that he walked away at a critical time. And when you take that view, which shows that he is not the person of principle that he would like to show himself being, and you wear the Republican mantle that is so negative and anti-immigrant... I think it is very hard for John McCain to make hay with Latinos at the end of the day."
In 2005, drawing the ire of anti-immigrant conservatives, John McCain co-sponsored legislation with Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) that, after a series of fines, back taxes and other stipulations, would put undocumented immigrants on a path towards citizenship. The legislation was defeated.
In April 2007, John McCain answered a question about "borders first" immigration reform:
WALLACE: So let's talk about some of the conservative gripes. First of all, immigration. Last year, you sponsored a bill with Ted Kennedy that included a guest worker program and a path to earned citizenship. Do you still support McCain-Kennedy?
J. MCCAIN: I support many of the concepts in it. It didn't pass. The legislation didn't pass. So we've been sitting down and doing intensive negotiations with the president, with other conservative Republicans and Senator Kennedy to come up with something that will.
I think that it certainly is going to be a comprehensive proposal. And it certainly will be border enforcement as the first and foremost priority.
WALLACE: Border enforcement before the other parts of the package.
J. MCCAIN: Not before, but certainly there has to be the assurance that all necessary measures are being taken in order to secure our border. Americans deserve that.
So much for "securing the borders first." That summer, support for John McCain's campaign plummeted and the future presumptive GOP nominee was written off by pundits.
In order to keep up with the other GOP hopefuls who were trying to "out-Tancredo Tancredo," John McCain claims he "got the message" on immigration and takes a "borders first" approach to immigration reform.
In a January 2008 presidential debate at the Reagan Library in California, John McCain said he would not vote for the immigration reform he previously co-sponsored, reasserting his commitment to "borders first" reform that would "move onto the other aspects of this issue" at a later time.
Just last month, John McCain told business leaders that comprehensive immigration reform should be a "top priority" for the 44th President of the United States. Right-wing bloggers went ballistic and within 24 hours of the comments, the McCain campaign immediately set out to sooth the base, stating: "there's been no change in his stance on immigration - secure the border first, deal with other aspects of illegal immigration once the border is secure."
Straight talk? Hardly.
5-4 Decision on Habeas Rights
It just broken this morning. Here's SCOTUS Blog:
In a stunning blow to the Bush Administration in its war-on-terrorism policies, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday that foreign nationals held at Guantanamo Bay have a right to pursue habeas challenges to their detention. The Court, dividing 5-4, ruled that Congress had not validly taken away habeas rights. If Congress wishes to suspend habeas, it must do so only as the Constitution allows — when the country faces rebellion or invasion.The Court stressed that it was not ruling that the detainees are entitled to be released — that is, entitled to have writs issued to end their confinement. That issue, it said, is left to the District Court judges who will be hearing the challenges. The Court also said that “we do not address whether the President has authority to detain” individuals during the war on terrorism, and hold them at the U.S. Naval base in Cuba; that, too, it said, is to be considered first by the District judges.
The Associated Press called it the "third rebuke of the Bush administration's treatment of prisoners." And more:
It was not immediately clear whether this ruling, unlike the first two, would lead to prompt hearings for the detainees, some of whom have been held more than 6 years. Roughly 270 men remain at the island prison, classified as enemy combatants and held on suspicion of terrorism or links to al-Qaida and the Taliban.The ruling could resurrect many detainee lawsuits that federal judges in Washington put on hold pending the outcome of the high court case.
Even more at the NYT.
Details Emerge on Alleged Embezzlement at NRCC
It appears to be more than they originally thought.
The Politico is reporting that the audit by the NRCC is coming to an end, and they've got some of the details surrounding just what happened:
Christopher J. Ward, the former NRCC treasurer, improperly diverted as much as $725,000 from the committee to himself over a six-year period, according to several GOP insiders.Ward's alleged improper diversion of NRCC funds began earlier than had previously been reported, with the "unauthorized transfers" starting in 2001, when the NRCC was chaired by Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.), the sources said. NRCC officials, including Chairman Tom Cole (Okla.), has stated publicly that Ward began diverting money from the committee sometime in 2003. NRCC officials now believe the transfers started much earlier.
Morning Open Thread
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June 11, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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Cheney in McCain Administration? McCain: "Hell yeah"
Via Think Progress, from the Politico:
In an interview he gave to the Weekly Standard’s Stephen Hayes in 2006 for Hayes’s biography, “Cheney: The Untold Story of America's Most Powerful and Controversial Vice President,” McCain said: “I will strongly assert to you that he has been of enormous help to this president of the United States.”Going further, McCain even told Hayes in comments heretofore unpublished that he’d consider Cheney for an administration post.
Asked whether he’d be interested in Cheney had the vice president not already have served under Bush for two terms, McCain said: “I don’t know if I would want him as vice president. He and I have the same strengths. But to serve in other capacities? Hell, yeah.”
McCain: Bringing Troops Home "Not Too Important"
This is a pretty shocking statement for a lot of reasons. First, the story and video, from TPM Election Central:
Still, this is an awfully clumsy and inartful way to put it, and strikes us as a pretty serious gaffe. After all, one would imagine that the question of timing might have a bit of significance for the troops themselves and their families.
Senator Reid has already responded. What he said, but I'd like to add to that.
It's pretty clear that troop levels matter. It's clear not just to me, but also to military families, to the military, in general, and to Iraq.
It's a radical view that keeping troops in Iraq for 100 years doesn't matter so long as there are no casualties -- first, because the reality of the situation there is that there are casualties, and second, because of something McCain understood before but no longer does. Namely, when he used to reject the 'South Korea Model' because it simply doesn't apply to Iraq (see video): "But eventually I think because of the nature of the society in Iraq and the religious aspects of it that America eventually withdraws."
Now we get something totally different. We get a John McCain that wants the United States in Iraq for "100 years" with an unlimited number of troops regardless of situation on the ground because it's "not too important" that they come home.
Unity
Yesterday Governor Dean, Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader Reid and DGA Chairman Joe Manchin came together with other Democratic leaders to discuss our strength heading into the November election. You can watch video of the event below:
Morning Open Thread
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June 10, 2008
Evening Open Thread
- Two-thousand words.
- You know what Fox News really needs? Another right-wing hire, apparently...
- Influence
- Straight-talk?
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McCain Struggles
The McCain campaign is reportedly struggling to keep up in some states:
Even as Democrat Barack Obama kept fighting to win his party's nomination for president, his campaign was hiring staff, opening offices and registering voters for the general election in Wisconsin.Months after Republican John McCain became his party's presumptive nominee, he had no paid staff or offices open until Monday in Wisconsin, a state that barely went Democratic in 2000 and 2004 and is up for grabs this year.
But without any visible signs of a campaign for months, Wisconsin Republicans privately wondered about McCain's strategy. McCain has faced similar criticism in other states where frustrated aides and supporters questioned whether the campaign squandered its three-month head start while the Democratic primary continued.
McCain's 100 Year Pledge... of Unlimited Troops
Brian Williams asked McCain about his support for 100 years in Iraq and whether he will support "however many U.S. troops are required."
The answer? Yes, he will.
I know, I know... the RNC will be outraged that I actually am showing the video of himself articulating his position in his own words. But simply claiming there would be zero casualties over 100 years doesn't make it so, and he's clearly saying that no matter what happens, there's no limit to troop numbers in Iraq during that time he'd support.
Don’t Believe The Hype
McCain still loves the lobbyists:
And even those lobbyists out there got a thank-you.“I’m going to thank some corrupt unscrupulous lobbyists that are destroying America as we speak, everything we stand for and believe in,” McCain joked at one fundraiser.
Right.
Morning Open Thread
- "It's a Google."
- A poll shows McCain doing worse than the Republican Party on the issue of energy. Ouch.
- And President Bush might not "finish a complex security agreement with Iraq" before the end of his term, his administration concedes.
Chat away...
June 9, 2008
Evening Open Thread
Sen. Kennedy back at home.
Chat away...
Change That Works for You
Senator Barack Obama kicked-off a two week tour called "Change That Works for You" today in Raleigh, North Carolina to highlight his economic policies and plan to get the country back on track.
I’ll take a different approach. I will reform our tax code so that it’s simple, fair, and advances opportunity instead of distorting the market by advancing the agenda of some lobbyist or oil company. I’ll shut down the corporate loopholes and tax havens, and I’ll use the money to help pay for a middle-class tax cut that will provide $1,000 of relief to 95% of workers and their families. I’ll make oil companies like Exxon pay a tax on their windfall profits, and we’ll use the money to help families pay for their skyrocketing energy costs and other bills. We’ll also eliminate income taxes for any retiree making less than $50,000 per year, because every senior deserves to live out their life in dignity and respect. And while John McCain wants to pick up where George Bush left off by trying again to privatize Social Security, I will never waver in my commitment to protect that basic promise as President. We will not privatize Social Security, we will not raise the retirement age, and we will save Social Security for future generations by asking the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share.
Read the full prepared remarks as Senator Obama discussed the job market, the national debt, college affordability and bankruptcy laws.
John McCain, meanwhile, vows to continue the same failed economic policies of the Bush administration. In fact, Senator Lindsay Graham (R-South Carolina), a staunch McCain supporter, agrees.
Rep. Conyers Invites Scott McClellan to Testify
C-SPAN's ratings are about to jump up again real soon. Think Progress:
Today, House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI) invited former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan to testify before the Committee at a June 20th hearing about reported efforts to cover up the role of the White House in the Valerie Plame leak. “In his book, Mr. McClellan suggests that senior White House officials may have obstructed justice and engaged in a cover-up regarding the Valerie Plame leak,” Conyers said. “This alleged activity could well extend beyond the scope of the offenses for which Scooter Libby has been convicted and deserves further attention.”
Gas Prices Rise Further Above $4/Gallon
From the Associated Press:
Retail gas prices rose further above a national average of $4 Monday, and are likely to keep rising as distributors and retailers hike prices in response to last week's unprecedented oil price rally. Oil futures, meanwhile, retreated as investors sold to lock in profits from the run-up, though oil prices may be headed even higher.
They moved past $4 over the weekend, but "rose [another] 1.8 cents overnight to a record $4.023."
But that's not all:
"The numbers do have some catching up to do," Kloza said. "There's a bit of a tape delay that happens with gasoline." [...] At $150 a barrel—the Morgan Stanley price prediction that helped ignite Friday's oil rally—gas would cost about $4.40 a gallon, Kloza said.
Report Details Close Links Between Bush Administration, Abramoff
In a draft report [PDF] to be issued by the House Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles, Calif.), that details the close ties between the Bush administration and disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and associates.
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform released a "proposed" report this morning finding that Jack Abramoff did indeed have "personal contact with President Bush" and that Abramoff and cohorts were "held in high regard" by White House officials.The proposed report also finds that Abramoff and his associates "influenced some White House actions" and gave White House officials "expensive tickets and meals."
Among those who accepted gifts from Abramoff, the report finds, was Carlos Bonilla, then-Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy. He currently serves served as an economic adviser for John McCain.
On October 18, 2001, Kevin Ring sent an unknown number of tickets to an unknown event to Mr. Bonilla by courier. In addition, in response to an offer from Kevin Ring, Mr. Bonilla requested and was provided with two tickets to sit in the Abramoff suite for the November 20, 2001, Washington Wizards game.
The report also confirms the politically-motivated removal of the Alan Stayman at the behest of Abramoff's team.
One action that White House officials took at the request of Mr. Abramoff was to intervene to force the removal of a State Department official, Alan Stayman. In a previous position at the Office of Insular Affairs in the Department of the Interior, Mr. Stayman had advocated positions opposed by the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, then a client of Mr. Abramoff. Mr. Stayman was appointed to his position at the Department of State during the Clinton Administration.In a recent Committee deposition, Monica Kladakis, then-Deputy Associate Director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel (OPP), confirmed that OPP became involved in Mr. Stayman's removal after White House officials were contacted by Mr. Abramoff's team.
Also in the report: White House aides sought the "fruits" of their labor for Abramoff. "Fruits" was the code word for sports tickets or other gifts.
McCain Campaign Sputtering in Ohio
Apparently, John McCain has his work cut out for him in Ohio. Three months as the presumptive Republican nominee and John McCain's campaign is floundering in a crucial state like Ohio:
Some Republicans say they are also troubled that the McCain campaign has not been faster to build a get-out-the-vote operation in Ohio, a state that is again expected to be a key battleground. These Republicans, who have a close-up view of events, worry that McCain will be overpowered by Obama's ability to motivate activists."I'm going to be very honest with everyone in this room," said Hamilton County GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou as he threw his hands in the air during a speech last week at a Republican club dinner in suburban Cincinnati. "We are a little bit frustrated with the ability of the McCain campaign to get going."
Local conservative talk radio host Bill Cunningham says that if you tried to group all of McCain's Ohio volunteers, "you could meet in a phone booth." Ouch.
With Democratic enthusiasm off the charts this election cycle, it is doubtful Democrats will have similar problems finding volunteers. Get involved with the Democratic Party in Ohio, or find your state here. It is never too early to organize!
Morning Open Thread
- Historians will judge: "Unfortunately for the president, many historians have already reached a conclusion. In an informal survey of scholars this spring, just two out of 109 historians said Bush would be judged a success; a majority deemed him the "worst president ever.""
- Republican Senator Lindsey Graham agrees: McCain is just four more years of Bush.
- Alberto Gonzales finds another job.
Chat away...
June 8, 2008
Sunday Open Thread
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June 7, 2008
The Return of "From the Archives?"
Saturday Open Thread
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June 6, 2008
$11 in a Day
Yet another record:
The price of oil shot up nearly $11 in just one day and settled at a record $138.54 per barrel today, “capp[ing] oil’s biggest two-day gain in the history of the New York Mercantile Exchange.” The skyrocketing prices come on the heels of a disappointing U.S. jobs report — which showed the largest monthly increase in unemployment since 1986 — and a prediction from a Morgan Stanley analyst that oil could reach $150 a barrel by July 4.
And then there's this: "Bond prices surged, as investors sought safety in government debt, while the dollar tumbled versus the yen and euro."
Friday Five
Here are five of the events in PartyBuilder for the coming week. You can add your own event or find one near you.
- Ready, Set, CO!-Cleanup Lakewood Gulch Trail (Lakewood, CO) - Join Democrats work and B.A.D. (Babes Around Denver) as we help Denver Parks and Rec cleanup Lakewood Gulch trail in honor of National Trails Day. Volunteers will assist with graffiti removal, mulching trees, weeding and pruning along this urban trail.
- Precinct 5 Door -to-Door Canvassing (Melbourne, FL) - The main goal the Brevard County Young Democrats will be focusing on from now until November: Get Out The Youth Vote. I've selected the top 5 precincts with Democratic voters under 40 and we will be targeting them over the next few months.
- Roosevelt Club Picnic (Greenbelt, MD) - Club Picnic This Saturday, June 7th, is our annual Summer Picnic. All Club members and their families are welcome to come to Greenbelt's Schrom Hills Park Saturday 4 - 7 pm. The Club provides the hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks. Please bring a side dish, salad or dessert. A great time to BBQ, talk politics and enjoy a summer's day.
- First Friday Art Walk (Alexandria, VA) - Come walk the streets of St. Augustine with Faye Armitage. Get a chance to talk with Faye, get a glass of wine and meet other democrats in St. Johns county.
- Saloon Democrats of Chicago (Chicago, IL) - oin us as we settle the problems of the world from a democratic perspective -- over a friendly drink or two! Next Wednesday (5:30pm-8pm) at Frankie Z's (435 N. Clark).
McCain's Lobbyist Friends
John McCain says he'll take on lobbyists... but, his inner circle is full of lobbyists:
Afternoon Open Thread
- The unemployment rate jumps, with its sharpest one-month increase in 22 years. And if you remember from the primary, John McCain promised those jobs won't be coming back.
- Republicans having more trouble in NY-13. And if you remember, the NRCC said that this was going to be the first "test" for their new recruitment strategy after their recent losses.
- You can now create a pro-Obama personal fundraising page, encourage your friends and family to join you, track and display your progress for everyone to see.
Chat away...
June 5, 2008
Democratic Party Will No Longer Accept Washington Lobbyist Donations
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and the Obama for America Campaign today announced that the DNC will no longer accept Washington lobbyist donations, making the same commitment as Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president.
"The DNC and the Obama Campaign are unified and working together to elect Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. Our presumptive nominee has pledged not to take donations from Washington lobbyists and from today going forward the DNC makes that pledge as well," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean. "Senator Obama has promised to change the way things are done in Washington and this step is a sure sign of his commitment. The American people's priorities will set the agenda in an Obama Administration, not the special interests."
Time To Expunge The Record
Oh that pesky Senate record...
McCain claims he supported "every" investigative Katrina Commission, but the votes don’t lie:
But, as both the DNC and Obama campaign are quick to point out, he opposed proposals in 2005 and 2006 to create a congressional commission.
Morning Open Thread
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June 4, 2008
Evening Open Thread
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The Obstruction You Deserve?
From the Politico:
McConnell has essentially shut down the Senate floor this afternoon by forcing the Senate clerk to read aloud the entire 500 page global warming bill. So if legislative language is your thing, turn on C-SPAN and watch the Senate at its best, or worst, depending on your perspective.McConnell (R-Ky.) believes Reid (D-Nev.) has backtracked on a promise to clear a significant number of Republican judicial nominees, but Democrats are becoming more and more hesitant to give Bush judges a lifelong appointment to the federal bench in the waning months of this White House.
Veterans Groups Didn't Have That Much Input
Think Progress has the story:
Last month, the Senate passed Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) 21st Century GI Bill on a veto-proof 75-22 vote. Steve Robertson, the American Legion’s legislative affairs director, said Webb’s bill “was clearly a cooperative operation, bipartisan and with involvement with the veterans service organizations,” adding, “That’s why I think everyone’s pretty much in sync with it … it was a group effort.”Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) not only skipped the vote on Webb’s bill, but he and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) also failed to include veterans’ concerns while drafting their competing measure. Veterans groups said they were not consulted for the Graham-McCain version of the GI Bill, calling their measure “very partisan“
Wednesday Open Thread
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June 3, 2008
Rep. Waxman Wants Bush, Cheney CIA Leak FBI Interview Transcripts
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles, Calif.), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, wants the FBI transcripts from the interviews conducted with President Bush and Vice President Cheney about the CIA leak case, and is going to Attorney General Michael Mukasey to get them.
Read Rep. Waxman's letter to the Department of Justice here.(Hat tip: Jesse Lee, The Gavel)
Another One Bites The Dust
Former GOP staffer pleads guilty to Abramoff-related charges:
The chief of staff to a former senior member of the House Appropriations Committee pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiring to commit fraud, becoming the latest casualty of the scandal centered on disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff.John C. Albaugh admitted to accepting gifts -- including tickets to sporting events, concerts by groups such as the Wiggles and a Disney on Ice show -- in exchange for helping lobbyists and their clients, according to prosecutors.
Albaugh is scheduled to be sentenced in September. He faces as much as two years in prison and has agreed to become a cooperating witness under an agreement with the Justice Department.
June 2, 2008
Rasmussen: Democrats Expand Lead on GOP
Rasmussen conducts phone interviews of 15,000 Americans nationwide on a monthly basis to map out "partisan trends."
The latest report for the month of April shows that Democrats widened the spread to ten points -- the largest lead of either party.
The partisan gap now shows the Democrats with a 10.0 percentage point advantage over the Republicans. That’s the largest advantage ever recorded by either party. In fact, before these past three months, the previous high was a 6.9 point percentage point edge for the Democrats in December 2006.
The 10.0 percentage point advantage for Democrats is up from a 2.1 point advantage in December.
December 2006 was just weeks after Democrats eventually won 30 seats in the House and 6 seats in the Senate.
Americans are fleeing the Republican Party in droves after seven years of the failed Bush presidency. They will not be fooled into voting for a third Bush term filled with same stale policies printed on a different letterhead.
More Republicans and Their Lobbyist Problems
David Kurtz at Talking Points Memo wonders if the Jack Abramoff scandal -- which John McCain refused to thoroughly investigate as a Senate committee chair -- claimed another Republican crook.
A one-time chief of staff to former Rep. Ernest Istook is being charged with conspiracy to defraud the House of Representatives in a lobbying scandal.John Albaugh is accused of accepting gifts in return for official favors. The charge is outlined in a criminal information filed in federal court on Friday. Such documents are normally entered as part of a plea deal. A court hearing was set for Monday afternoon.
A former Republican congressman from Oklahoma, Istook accepted tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his associates. Istook also used the lobbyist's skybox at concerts.
Blog Status Update
Sure you're all curious... what's up?
Our tech department has done a bunch of upgrades, basically, and they're still working on getting everything up and running completely -- specifically the comments. It shouldn't be that much longer. Hopefully today, or another day at most.
Until then, I'd encourage you to use PartyBuilder, which is still going strong. You can even create an open thread to make you feel more comfortable when you "chat away..."
