Steve Benen points out that today Sen. Chuck Schumer, (D-N.Y.), chairman of the DSCC, told reporters: ...Schumer and the Democrats have added other previous-cycle crimson states to their target list: Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi and Republican Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's seat in Kentucky. He went so far as to call Georgia and Kentucky "even-steven races." The … [Read more...] about Georgia in Play; Illegally Purging Voters?
The Anchorage Press on Palin’s Email Exploits
We've all heard of the infamous “Frank, This not the Governor’s personal account” email written by a Palin aide to someone who accidentally used the governor's official state email address. At the time, the governor was under fire because when she had the opportunity to nominate three appointees to the seven-member Board of Game, there were no Alaska Natives amongst her … [Read more...] about The Anchorage Press on Palin’s Email Exploits
Does “Phone Sex” Make One a Terrorist?
I personally would not call "phone sex" one of the most wholesome activities. But, then again, "it's a free country." Or is it? According to an ABC investigative report published today: Despite pledges by President George W. Bush and American intelligence officials to the contrary, hundreds of US citizens overseas have been eavesdropped on as they called friends and … [Read more...] about Does “Phone Sex” Make One a Terrorist?
Brooks on Palin: “A Fatal Cancer to the Republican Party”
Far be it from me, your humble blogger, to disagree with the great David Brooks, distinguished New York Times columnist and leading conservative intellectual. On Monday, at an event celebrating the redesign of The Atlantic magazine, Brooks said this, among other things: [Sarah Palin] represents a fatal cancer to the Republican party. When I first started in journalism, I … [Read more...] about Brooks on Palin: “A Fatal Cancer to the Republican Party”
Netflix: Paving the Way to Online Movies
Saul Hansell says that Netflix -- "a company whose success began with a knack for efficiently mailing a lot of envelopes" -- may be the bridge we all use to move to the online distribution of movies and television: What I’m paying attention to is the company’s still-small incursion into delivering video over the Internet. Until now, Netflix had a collection of about 10,000 … [Read more...] about Netflix: Paving the Way to Online Movies
Civil Rights Roundup: 10/09/08
Your daily dose of civil rights and related news It's election time, and you know what that means: illegally keeping eligible voters off the rolls! Polling places may not have the resources to handle the expected crush of voters this election. The Supreme Court is examining whether employees who cooperate in discrimination and harassment cases, but are not the … [Read more...] about Civil Rights Roundup: 10/09/08
Gallup Poll: Pluses May Slightly Outweigh Minuses In Obama Race Issue Impact
A new Gallup poll suggests that the "race" issue may be a double-edged sword for Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama -- one that could actually turn out to be a plus in terms of votes: While 6% of voters say they are less likely to vote for Barack Obama because of his race, 9% say they are more likely to vote for him, making the impact of his race a neutral … [Read more...] about Gallup Poll: Pluses May Slightly Outweigh Minuses In Obama Race Issue Impact
A Dead Campaign Beats A Dead Horse
With even many sycophants in the right-of-center punditocracy saying that the McCain-Palin ticket is toast, it was with more than the usual amount of interest that I waited for what the campaign promised would be a major announcement this morning. The major announcement: A 90-second Internet commercial beating the Bill Ayers-Barack Obama dead horse a few more … [Read more...] about A Dead Campaign Beats A Dead Horse
McCain Campaign Leaks On Resuming The High Road Prove False: Ayers Issue Extensively Used
Late yesterday there was much new and old media buzz about rumblings that the McCain campaign supposedly was planning to resume the high road, drop it's emerging push on using the Ayers story and get back other substantive matters -- such as talking about the economy plus other issues that polls indicate worried voters' care about. Yours truly got an email from a co-blogger … [Read more...] about McCain Campaign Leaks On Resuming The High Road Prove False: Ayers Issue Extensively Used
Obama’s Ceiling
Following up on a recent Gallup tracking poll that has Obama ahead of McCain by 11 points -- I want to pick up on a question posed by Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight: What is Obama's ceiling? Basically, Nate says, "[i]f Obama is ahead by something like 7-8 points ahead nationally, that means that he has persuaded just about all of the persuadables." In other words, he's … [Read more...] about Obama’s Ceiling
McCain’s “No Hablo Español”
Remember our invasion of Iraq without the moral or military support of our allies? Remember the Bush administration's snubbing and insulting our allies---one of them, Spain---because they would not kowtow to its dictates? Remember Bush's uncompromising, macho "you’re with us or against us."? Remember Rumsfeld's "Old Europe" insult? Remember, as a result of this … [Read more...] about McCain’s “No Hablo Español”
A Civics Experiment
Regular readers here know that I'm frustrated by the profligate waste and fiscal irresponsibility our Washington leadership has demonstrated. After many posts and comments (and a great deal of anguish), I decided to bring my concerns directly to the people running for office in my area. Call it a civics experiment. To that end, I spent the vast majority of last weekend … [Read more...] about A Civics Experiment
Unclog the Cash Pipe – Anyone Know a Good Plumber?
Credit is based on a cycling of cash. Banks lend and sell the loan. Sallie Mae buys it, bundles it and sells it to investment banks. They rate them, package them and sell them to investors. Investors trade them at the monthly auctions - - SCCREECH – wait the auctions are gone. “Hold one now, Mr. Columnist Guy. Are you telling me that I can sell my fake Gucci on eBay to … [Read more...] about Unclog the Cash Pipe – Anyone Know a Good Plumber?
Riding Google Trends to the Top
Michael Arrington says some sites are using Google Trends to guide editorials. Google Trends gives you a snapshot of what queries are hot right now. Arrington says he's hearing that more and more blogs, mainstream media sites, and others are tailoring their stories to the Google Trends daily summary to build traffic. Here's how it works: Let’s say I run a popular … [Read more...] about Riding Google Trends to the Top
You are Now Disqualified
Rumors were swirling mid-afternoon yesterday. The word was that the McCain camp would stop its slimy innuendo-izing against Obama. Those rumors now appear to have been little more than wishful thinking -- which prompted me to consider all of the people that might be disqualified from running for president, if the McCain forces get their way. Here's the list I've compiled so … [Read more...] about You are Now Disqualified
From Tiny ACORNs Grow… Rot?
Let me preface this post by saying that I still believe 100% in Get Out The Vote (GOTV) efforts. The more informed voters we have out there considering the issues and casting their votes, the better off we are. We, as a country, may make mistakes now and again, but hopefully we learn from them and move on more the wiser. But there is one group - specifically the Association of … [Read more...] about From Tiny ACORNs Grow… Rot?
Indictment in Hacking of Palin’s E-Mail
The indictment was handed down Tuesday and charges that Kernell reset the password on Palin's e-mail account to obtain access to it, then posted the password in a web forum. Wired: At least one other person successfully used that password to gain unauthorized access to Palin's account. The indictment does not identify that individual. The indictment says that once … [Read more...] about Indictment in Hacking of Palin’s E-Mail
Florida Registration Obstacles
The state's swinging toward Obama. Facing South points to some problems: Polls show that out of the three big Southern swing states -- Florida, North Carolina and Virginia -- Florida is the one that has most decisively turned in Obama's favor in the last three weeks. The state's 27 Electoral College votes also make it an especially coveted prize. But chronic problems with … [Read more...] about Florida Registration Obstacles
When The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game
There is little question that the presidential race will tighten as Election Day approaches. It always does. But absent an apocalyptic event, Barack Obama will cruise across the finish line ahead of John McCain in the most important election since Franklin Roosevelt beat Herbert Hoover in the depths of the Great Depression. I do not make that cross-generational comparison … [Read more...] about When The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game
Will Kim Jong-il Offer McCain an Election Gift?: Novosti of Russia
While the financial crisis has unfolded and the U.S. election had pummeled ahead, North Korea has broken the seals on some of its nuclear enrichment facilities and six-party talks have broken down. According to this sardonic op-ed article By Dmitry Kosirev of Russia's Novosti News Service, the regime of Kim Jong-il is up to its old tricks of manipulating the audience to best … [Read more...] about Will Kim Jong-il Offer McCain an Election Gift?: Novosti of Russia