The DCCC is running some ads for a Mississippi special election. The Republicans has been forced to drop some serious cash on this one.

Cotton Mouth thinks that it is good that they used local people in the ads. The Thorn Papers says the special election is all about GOTV.

Comment upgraded to a post as per Lambert’s request. My not-so-humble analysis of what happened to tonight with Indiana:

What happened tonight:

1. Mess with HRC’s supporters’ minds

2. Try (and fail) at some run-of-the-mill cheating

3. Delay as long as possible a call of Indiana for HRC

4. Delay contributions that normally follow a win

5. Push SDs over the fence to BO’s side

6. Up the ante on WWTSBQ

7. Major troll infestation at major HRC-supporting sites

I think my point 1 worked very well: these results were exactly what was expected after all. Actually, it’s pretty bad news for BO. His base is young voters and AAs and that’s it. Can’t win that way.

Heck, even BTD at TalkLeft took back his electability argument tonight.  Read more 

Apparently, having to show govt-issued picture ID to vote in Indiana isn’t the only obstacle or potential roadblock: Gaming Indiana: The quirky state voting law that could affect Tuesday’s primary —  Read more 

Alice Palmer and Obama’s first campaign, when he knocked out the politician who recruited and introduced him to fundraisers and others who could help him (like Ayers, etc) —

“… “She went out and recruited Barack.”

So everything seemed set. Palmer would move to Congress and Obama would take her place in the Illinois Senate.

But then Palmer lost the special congressional election. Suddenly, this well-liked community leader faced being out of office after four years in the state Legislature.

…

Palmer finally asked Obama to halt his legislative campaign so she could run for re-election.

He refused. …”  Read more 

Susie thinks that voter disenfrachisment is the most important issue. Chris Friend says that Democrats have given up the high ground. Kirk Wentzel calls for a do over. Daddy Democrat suggests that Obama would win a revote in Michigan. Will Bunch and Booman think it is important that Clinton broke her pledge not to put her name in the MI ballot.

I heard —what show, about what state, I dunno— on the teebee the other day claim that the average age of poll workers in this country is 72. Their ranks have been augmented by one in California:

On Super Tuesday, I will join thousands of other volunteers across the state and serve as an election clerk for the primary. I’ve been assigned to work at the Women’s Club of Hollywood, which is not my polling place but is close enough to home that I can ride my bike there.

Or maybe not. My bike — it has a basket. My basket — it has two bumper stickers. They read: “Peace Out Bush” and “Defend America: Fire the Republicans.” Another rule comes to mind: No electioneering within 100 feet of the polls. I will lock my bike to something that is 101 feet away.

The really sweet part is down towards the end, talking about going to Nevada in ’04 to work for Kerry. It’s late and she’s tired:  Read more 

**From a tip by alert reader bringiton: “The American People Deserve To Know Where We Stand, and What We Want to Do.” Tell ‘em, John.

I am awfully, awfully tired of politicking
I am exhausted by this contest to be King
it’s all just so damn dreary
it makes one rather weary
do we really have to hear our Freedom ring?

In years that are quite odd we’ve crushed the planet
it doesn’t matter who it was who ran it
but lest you have been sleeping
this year is one that’s leaping
it’s enough to make dear Jesus say goddamn it!  Read more 

I’m really not against hand counts and audits of electronic voting. Heck I think there should be federal laws requiring audits where hand counts are compared to electronic results. But, in this case, I think the NH recount will be used by the media as a big orange-devil-stick to silence Those-that-dare-speak-its-name. (and Bev agrees)

Candidates who lose by 3 percentage or less are entitled to a recount for a $2,000 fee. Candidates who lose by more must pay for the full cost. Kucinich’s campaign said it was sending the $2,000 fee to start the recount.

 Read more 

Nothing brings greater fear to the heart of the racist than black and brown people with experience in ’The System’ who vote.

Except, perhaps, a black man that white voters will elect to office.

I found it interesting how few of us wanted to discuss the fact that 40 years later, 33 congresscritters still opposed the Voting Rights Act, and voted so.

These are a few of the reasons why I take evoting issues so seriously, in case anyone wondered. There’s no need for this kind of public drama, if one can flick a switch and magically make voting machines in minority districts not work, or not tabulate correctly.

I’m listening to the vaunted press conference of George Bush that’s going on right now, and I’m guessing this will be remembered as one of the weirdest, most arrogant and bile-filled crankfests yet to spew out of the Whiner-in-Chief in the history of his presidency. Snark, snark, appreciative/nervous laughs from the gaggle, snark. Of course there’s the mandatory fake-humility of a call to bipartisanship, couched within a “fuck-you, Dems” remark about hanging on to his principles (as if he had any). His hubris and defensive bullying really knows no bounds.

But the real news is that this Yalie brat has finally given one of the architects of our poisonous foreign policy the heave ho, “after a series of thoughtful conversations”:  Read more 

So, being culturally clueless (even before I moved to the Bubble) I missed this totally cool little ditty that’s been making the rounds on airwaves in all sorts of cheap markets (scroll down for the YouTube). It rocks! And I bet it works, really, really well. Seems like a classic case of K.I.S.S to me: catchy, adaptable, inoffensive, simple in message. And for all the ’negativity’ of the message, positive-feeling, and upbeat. Political genius.

I’ve been saying it, as have many others, and I just did today, talking to a Webb volunteer: it’s time to stop pouring money down the black hole that is the endlessly hungry maw of the campaign “professionals.” There are so many reasons for this, and honestly, if there are any Republicans out there who want to save their party from permanent dishonor, I think all the reasons apply to them as well.

The primary motivation I think the parties can share has to do with the Law of Blackmail.  Read more 

Best Halloween viewing to commemorate the deaths of 103 Americans in Iraq during October 2006?

Hands down it’s got to be Joe Dante’s zombie movie Homecoming, a primal scream at what may go down in history as America’s most hideously wanton war:

“You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see what a fucking mess we’re in,” (Dante) continues. “It’s been happening steadily for the past four years, and nobody said peep. The New York Times and all these people that abetted the lies and crap that went into making and selling this war-—now that they see the guy is a little weak, they’re kicking him with their toe to make sure he doesn’t bite back. It’s cowardly. This pitiful zombie movie, this fucking B movie, is the only thing anybody’s done about this issue that’s killed 2,000 Americans and untold numbers of Iraqis? It’s fucking sick.”

After all the whining on the Right about Hollywood’s liberal bias, you’d think we’d have seen movies like this coming out a dime a dozen, but we haven’t. Why? Because, as is the case with many Republicans, Hollywood is motivated by the profit margin, and making anti-war statements, especially in today’s political climate, is self-immolation. Dante himself recognized it:

“You can’t do theatrical political movies; people don’t go to them. You can’t do them on television, because you’ve got sponsors,” he says. “Michael Moore’s last picture made a lot of money, but he was vilified for it so much he’s practically in hiding.”

Dante hopes Homecoming functions as a wake-up call—not so much for politicians but for filmmakers. “If this spurs other people into making more and better versions, it will have done its job. I want to see more discussion,” he says. “Nobody is doing anything about what’s going on now—compared to the ’70s, when they were making movies about the issues of the day. This elephant in the room, this Iraq war story, is not being dramatized.”

The movie itself veers wildly between satire and tears; the scene in the diner between an older couple and a dead soldier they call out of the rain is unexpectedly touching. I can’t think of any movie more fitting for the day, and the election season, than one about the dire necessity of voting these bastards out of office, even if one has to come back from the dead to do it.

Let me say it again: one billion dollars.

That’s just the presidential race. Add this to what will be spent on all races across the country, and you’re talking serious money here.  Read more 

Good news for the long-suffering residents of Florida! They are in a position to save vast amounts of money, time, aggravation from being subjected to campaign ads and answering polling phone calls, and have local news airtime freed up from election coverage to focus on people fallen overboard from cruise ships, eaten by alligators, run away from weddings, and other more significant topics. They can just cancel the next gubernatorial election right now, as the winner has already been declared*:

A reverend who introduced Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist during a breakfast with other pastors Monday said the Lord came to him in a dream two years ago and told him Crist would be the state’s next governor.  Read more