Horsey's cartoon is so on the money. The wingnuts detest McCain and once the Democrats move on to focusing on McCain, the rest of the country is going to see just how much McCain is on the wrong side of both the war and the economy. Who really thinks "tax cuts and less regulation" is the answer to the problems we face today?
Put the Texas Senate race on your radar screen, and open up your wallets (please). Democratic candidate and Afghan war vet, Rick Noriega, is already running a very strong race against the GOP incumbent, John Cornyn, who is one of the nastiest and most right wing Republicans in the Senate (think: Santorum, but dumber).
Cornyn once said that violence against judges is understandable (remember that one?) And Cornyn defended Karl Rove's role in the Valerie Plame affair. Rick Noriega, on the other hand, has a 100% rating from NARAL, is good on gay issues, and more. You can give to Noriega by clicking on the blue box (right).
But what are his chances? Rather incredible, actually.
Last week, two polls came out showing that Noriega had moved to within four points of Cornyn:
1. Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 5/5-7. Likely voters. MoE 4% (9/24-26/07 results)
Cornyn (R) 48 (51) Noriega (D) 44 (35)
That is nothing short of astounding. And lest anyone worry that it's an outlier, these numbers confirm a Rasmussen poll from earlier this week:
2. Rasmussen. 5/1. Likely voters. MoE 4% (No trend lines)
It’s time to add United States Senator John Cornyn to the list of potentially vulnerable Republican incumbents in Election 2008. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state find Cornyn leading Democratic state legislator Rick Noriega by just four percentage points, 47% to 43%.
Any incumbent who polls below 50% is considered potentially vulnerable. That is especially true when a little known challenger is so competitive in an early general election match-up.
We can help make Noriega a better known and better funded challenger.
Texas Democrats are energized this year. And, Noriega is the perfect candidate for his state. He’s a native Texan with an impressive career and commitment to public service. Rick is a veteran who has served in the U.S. Army and the Texas National Guard - including a fourteen month tour of duty in Afghanistan. Check out his website.
Rick Noriega is a candidate who can change the political landscape in Texas. Howie Klein interviewed Rick recently, and he is great on the issues you care about. Let's help him do it by clicking on the blue box, above, and donating to Rick's campaign. We've set a generous goal of raising $15,000 this week via the blog. We'll be reminding you throughout the week. And we're done with Rick, we'll hit another race, and so on. Thanks, guys. JOHN
PS By law, you can give a maximum of $2300 to Noriega. But honestly, even 25 or 50 bucks is appreciated. It all adds up.
And it wasn't even close. Time will tell how modern the "new" Tories are but for now, it's pretty clear people have had enough of (new) Labour. London Mayor Ken Livingston, despite his own bizarre rants, had remained popular but the Tories were much more successful with getting voters to the polls. Livingston lost 53%-47% to current Tory MP Boris Johnson.
Oh the irony. Sitting in my mailbox today is a note about the next event, viewing a movie about the 2004 election and voting problems in Ohio. But of course on the more pressing matter of this current election, all I hear is rubbish. When I asked how Hillary had so many delegates including the delegate from France despite a clear thrashing overseas, I received some garbled answer that boiled down to "we have a complicated system so please don't ask any more questions" or something like that. Telling me that four years ago "we were busy trying to guess who the VP nominee was going to be" is hardly the same, but hey, who needs to give a clear answer. Or even respond to my follow up question.
The much bigger problem for me and many other Democrats living abroad is why the Superdelegates abroad can't make their choices. Hell, we all voted back in February so why do the Superdelegates have the luxury of doddling and letting the party rip itself to shreds? I asked again why "our" superdelegate Chair, Christine Schon Marques and Theresa Morelli, have not yet voted, the response was that Ms. Marques would decide by 1 July. July? Are you serious? All of this reminds me of why I am sick of the party leadership who continue to fail Democrats over and over and over. As Joe mentioned yesterday, the superdelegate members are enablers and they ought to be more worried about regular Democrats than the Clintons. Keep thumbing your nose at us voters and see how many Democrats are really uncounted.
For everyone who boldly stated that the weak dollar would never have an negative impact at home ought to be eating their words about now. Sure a weak dollar can mean better exports for the US but for just about everything else, costs are going up. Republican policies including the war, the deficit, the tax cuts and a pro-business (at the expense of consumers) policy have all added up to create a headache for Americans both rich and poor. Add to this list the increasing problems due to the biofuel craze and you have a serious problem that will not be corrected by a simple action or two as both McCain and Hillary are suggesting.
Obama may not be saying the popular thing when he argues against a temporary tax cut on gas but it's the right thing. McCain and Hillary, who both supported the Iraq war, haven't explained where the money will come from for such a big tax cut nor have they or anyone else explained the financial consequences of the Wall Street bailout. (The bailout continues to be the 800 pound gorilla in the room that remains untouched by Democrats and Republicans alike.) Someone needs to start acting like a grownup instead of telling voters how easy answers are going to magically cure years of bad policy.
This is seriously bad news for McCain as he runs for a third Bush term. When the Democrats lock down their Presidential candidate, McCain is in for some rough seas. A few highlights of note:
The percentages of Democrats and independents advocating withdrawal and seeing Iraq as distinct from the U.S. terrorism fight are also at or near high marks. And three-quarters of Democrats and nearly six in 10 independents do not see significant progress in Iraq.
And...
Two-thirds of Democrats call the economy downright "poor," as do a majority of independents. But while a wide majority of Republicans rate the economy negatively, only about three in 10 describe conditions as that dire, and most have a positive take on the future. Most Democrats and independents, however, hold pessimistic views about the next 12 months.
Economic ratings are flagging across partisan lines, and overall optimism is at a new low among all Americans: Nearly six in 10 said they feel pessimistic about the economy for the coming year, a seven-point increase since early February. And those who think the situation is already in poor shape do not have high hopes for recovery anytime soon; nearly three-quarters of them have a negative view about the next 12 months.
The Republicans can write off Democrats - they can't write off independents.
Some people think so. OK, I have white wine but also red, smoked duck breast, mango smoothie, Spanish ham, organic pasta, butter with sea salt but of course, also olive oil and whatever yogurt was on sale but probably the store brand. Definitely no bourbon but surely gin. And Badoit...have to have Badoit.
IF there’s butter and white wine in your refrigerator and Fig Newtons in the cookie jar, you’re likely to vote for Hillary Clinton. Prefer olive oil, Bear Naked granola and a latte to go? You probably like Barack Obama, too.
And if you’re leaning toward John McCain, it’s all about kicking back with a bourbon and a stuffed crust pizza while you watch the Democrats fight it out next week in Pennsylvania.
It's understandable that many politicians depend on a teleprompter but c'mon, shouldn't a presidential candidate know at least something about the problem? Is it asking too much for Mr. Straight Talk to actually give straight talk? Telling us we have a problem is obvious to anyone in the country, so we're going to need more than stumbling through a Phil Gramm prepared speech. It's bad enough that on McCain's big issue - the unpopular war in Iraq - he never managed to keep a watch on taxpayer spending but the economy will be so much more critical and McCain has no idea. Maybe it's because of his connection to the Keating 5 scandal/S&L bailout but considering the importance of the credit crisis, he's shockingly out of touch. If anyone ought to remember those problems which were ALSO tied to lack of regulation, it ought to be McCain. But no, he just parrots the "let industry self regulate" rubbish until you want to scream.
Come November, Iraq is going to be important but way down on the list of important topics for America and McCain has nothing to offer on the key topic that will be on the minds of voters. What about the economy? What exactly does McCain have to offer? I'm not seeing much of anything.
Recognizing that ending the war in Iraq is critical to our nation's security and foreign policy, Darcy Burner and at least a dozen other Democratic congressional candidates have signaled their support for a comprehensive approach to foreign policy that would put us back on the right track.
From a policy standpoint, it is clear, comprehensive, and reality-based. Implementing this platform would do a great deal to improve our nation's security, as well as its military and intelligence structures. It also has plenty of endorsements (and input) from credible military and foreign policy professionals.
The plan, which is impressively detailed, boils down to a handful of major points:
- End US Military Action in Iraq - Use US diplomatic power - Address humanitarian concerns - Restore our Constitution - Restore our military - Create a new, US-centered energy policy
All vital, and all elements that are being dangerously overlooked by most Republicans this cycle. Do go check it out in full, it's excellent, and I'd encourage anybody who lives in a competitive district this cycle to ask your candidate(s) to support the plan.
On a more personal note, I had the opportunity to talk with Ms. Burner extensively late last month, and she's one of the more impressive individuals I've ever met. She knows her stuff on a variety of issues, has incredible intellectual curiosity, and she struck me as having a tremendous combination of toughness and warmth. I'm certainly looking forward to having her in Congress, and it's to her great credit that she's been instrumental in getting the Responsible Plan up and running.
Globally (outside of the US) Obama won 65.6% compared to Hillary's 32.7%. In France Obama rolled with 71.8%. Read more here and see the full results (PDF) here. This makes 11 straight victories for Obama.
In Paris, there are roughly 70,000 Americans and of that group around 85% are Democrats. Roughly six million Americans live outside of the US. In the past many were not registered to vote because it's not an easy process, especially considering what happens to ballots sent from overseas. The 2004 election was possibly a turning point as many Americans living overseas became involved thanks to the poor policies by the Bush administration. Without the same biased media coverage, Americans abroad had a very different view of what was going on both in America and to our reputation abroad. When Bush had a 90% approval rating, most American expats were in the 10% category and wondering why the rest were fawning over his actions. More expat voting, after the jump.
I hope the Democrats Abroad continue the process of bringing democracy to Americans overseas. Everyone was talking about it and expats actually felt like we were part of the process. Now if only they could move beyond being a 'boomers and beyond' clique that aren't very welcoming to newcomers. Sheesh, just like old time French politics where leadership never changes.
Obama supporters everywhere but no sign of Hillary people. I don't know how that happened but it was during peak voting hours in the evening. And a link to Democrats Abroad voting in Madrid and the party afterwards.
UPDATE: 5:45AM EST - Obama has grown his lead from around 70 votes to over 500 votes over Hillary with 85% counted.
UPDATE: 4:50 AM EST - Obama 49%, Hillary 48% in New Mexico with 80% reporting.
At 3:59 AM EST, the count is only 54% with the lead going to Hillary (48%) over Obama (46%). Here in Paris, lots of smiling faces as American Democrats living here had the opportunity to vote in the primaries, in person. People talking about 'making history' in the room and a steady flow in the evening. The Obama voters seemed to out number Hillary voters and surprise that Hillary supporters were MIA while the Obama team had customized posters and real people. It was odd not to see a single person promoting Hillary, with only a basic hillaryclinton.com poster taped to a wall.
As much as it pains me to give credit to the Democrats Abroad, at least the Paris group, this is pretty cool. The initial information that was sent out did not make it clear that this vote would actually count. We have to wait until the main election to send our ballots by registered mail or FedEx at our own expense and then have our votes shoved in to a remote closet, never to be viewed again. (Thanks to everyone in Washington for helping the millions of Americans abroad feel like we're part of the process.)
Americans living outside of the US will be able to either vote online or in person and the votes will count at the convention in August. Click here to register with the Democrats Abroad or you can do it in person at your location between 5-12 February. Here is the list of where you can vote in person.
The worldwide election results will determine the 14 delegates who will join eight DNC members in Democrats Abroad’s delegation of 22 to the Democratic National Convention. These delegates will be elected at a combination of regional and global meetings held during early 2008. These meetings also provide an opportunity for Americans abroad to shape the party's election platform.
Ah yes, they're throwing in a few SuperDelegates to make sure we don't vote for the "wrong" person. Even when they're doing good, they're doing bad.
The opening in London, Paris and Frankfurt markets has been ugly, just like Asia. Where are the Republican presidential candidates during this collapse? They're still talking about tax cuts instead of addressing real world problems that their party created. It's incredible to even imagine that we're heading into a recession - if we're not already there - and this group is debating issues that were laid to rest a few years ago.
Outside of extreme right wing circles, people know that tax cuts do not "pay for themselves" as the right likes to say. Never have, never will. They can provide benefits but as a long term solution to the current economic problems, not at all. Giuliani may not have a chance to mingle with people outside of his million dollar plus salary circles but people in the real world are fed up with tax cuts for the elite and the middle class squeeze. Times have changed, but the GOP is still stuck in the past. Why is it so hard for them to understand that most of the country has been left behind while only the select few have profited?
The quarterly losses were hideous, setting a record low for the Wall Street bank. Considering the awful state of banks (in both the US and Europe) at the moment and the recession talk, it's only a matter of time before voters start digging deeper into the economic plans offered by presidential candidates.
Krugman had an interesting article yesterday on this that's worth investigating. The leading GOP candidate has some amazing remarks that are worth noting. McCain does not sound like someone we need during these times.
Take, for example, John McCain’s admission that economics isn’t his thing. “The issue of economics is not something I’ve understood as well as I should,” he says. “I’ve got Greenspan’s book.”
The Republicans are in such trouble if the economy continues to take over as the leading concern. Their only plan is to throw around even more tax cuts. Yes, they've worked so well for the broad majority of Americans, how could anyone not be thrilled at the prospect of more? Tax cuts for the wealthiest has only helped separate the richest from the rest at rates not seen since the Great Depression. It doesn't help the GOP that the other leading issue is Iraq, as in $1.5 trillion and counting, while the US economy falters.
Churchill summed it up nicely when he said "you can always count on Americans to do the right thing - after they've tried everything else." We've repeatedly tried tax cuts for the richest and guess what?
After the 2000 election, many Democrats were furious with Gore. How could he accept the results of the election and walk away? As time progressed, Gore started to speak out and was right. Again and again and again. He said what was unpopular but spoke with passion and Democrats found him to be the only person who dared speak the truth, no matter how many times he was smeared by the White House and the GOP. When other Democrats were trying to figure out how to stand up to Bush, Gore was doing it. He won back the party and to this day, Democrats love Gore for being the voice that was otherwise missing.
Then compare that to Kerry, who ran a painfully bad campaign in 2004 and never knew when to stop opening his big mouth and sticking his foot right in it. He alienated Democrats and then delivered one misstep after another. Every time he tried to be cute, he made himself and the party look bad. He never ignited the passion of the party faithful and never offered any new ideas. Maybe he's OK for the Senate but outside of that, meh. Just how beneficial is it that Kerry is standing on stage with Obama? His team can talk all they want about his Rolodex but I fail to see where that endorsement gives Obama much of anything other than a reminder of yet another blown election and a meek candidate who couldn't call out one of the worst presidents ever. I'm not so sure a Kerry endorsement is such a big coup and how long will it take before Kerry puts his foot in his mouth again?
Despite the changing story with the "incident" in the Strait of Hormuz, the Republican candidates are all doing their best to out-macho one another with the exception of Ron Paul, who suggested caution and further review. The others are ready to throw fire and brimstone to kill 'em all and ask questions later. Great. Just what the country is demanding after WMD in Iraq and too-many-to-count "terrorism" threats in the US conveniently announced during troubled times for the Bush administration. (Think, Miami Seven, for example.)
The Guardian picked up the faltering story today and we will probably hear an update after 4PM on Friday or over the weekend to make sure the story is as buried as possible when it contradicts the war-lust of Dear Leader. Are Americans really begging for another war in the Middle East? Do the Republican candidates honestly think that's what the people are screaming for? Out of touch and out of office.
