Our New First Couple!

George says...

Vote!

This cartoon was too good not to post...

Enjoy your election day tomorrow!

Real Americans Live Here

Thanks to the folks at Daily Kos for this map...helping to explain where the "real Americans" live. John McCain and Sarah Palin (not mention Rep. Bachmann) seem a little confused about this fact.

Daily Kos Decision-Makers?

I'm curious why the Daily Kos decided not to let its contributors blog about the John Edwards' affair, but have allowed them to blog about this story about Sarah Palin's son potentially really being her grandson. How do they decide which 'tabloid rumors' can be discussed on their site?

God and Weather

Anyone remember that idiot "praying" for God to send a big rain storm on top of Mile High Stadium during Obama's speech? Well, seems God has other thoughts...see what happens when you pray for bad things to happen to other people! God, the universe, whatever you call "it" decided instead to remind us all - during the Republican Convention - of how the Republican administration treated poor Americans during/after Katrina:

NEW ORLEANS -- Fear and foreboding gripped this still-mending city Thursday as a potential Category 3 hurricane whirled toward the Gulf Coast on the eve of Hurricane Katrina's three-year anniversary.

Tropical Storm Gustav, which was lashing Jamaica after Haitian officials said it had killed 51 people there, was still almost five days away from the Crescent City, according to the National Hurricane Center. Projections varied greatly, putting its path anywhere from the Florida panhandle to southeastern Texas by Tuesday.

Crossposted here.

President Schweitzer?

According to Kos, it's a possibility. I did like his speech last night, but he'll have to lose the bollo tie. Sorry.



UPDATE: I think Josh Marshall agrees. And more praise at Political Animal.

What are you collecting in Denver?

Someone I know (who will remain nameless) was collecting condoms at the Democratic Convention while I was on the phone with him this afternoon...and then I read this blog post about all the condoms being distributed...

I thought the most interesting part of the post was this:

Meanwhile, for all the talk of PUMAs, the most visible protesters are opposing abortion, with the mixture of fury-inducing lies and pity-inducing unhingedness that you often find in aggressive anti-abortion forces. It was pity-inducing to the point that I’m not posting video I shot, because it feels exploitive of a very sad woman – but then you hear the ridiculous claim that Barack Obama is the most pro-abortion person on, like, the entire earth, and the pity is mostly replaced by anger.

Who do you think is doing more to reduce abortion (never mind sexually transmitted diseases and general angst), the people handing out condoms or the ones screaming into bullhorns?

I know sometimes I feel (briefly) sorry for these crazy people too...

Oh Boy

David Siorta's post says it best:

Does it always - ALWAYS - have to be about the Clintons?

McCain's Mansions

In case you haven't seen this...



I'm back from a mini-vacation, but work is crazy, so I may be a little quieter for the next week or so...

Paris: If you haven't seen it yet, you must watch!

See more Paris Hilton videos at Funny or Die

For true political junkies...

Check out kos' update on the electoral race. Fascinating stuff!

For this edition, the tally is Obama 336, McCain 202.

I don't have a yard, but I do have Facebook

Every fall, I wish I had a yard so I could post a campaign yard sign (or two). If I did have a yard, I'd probably spend too much money this year buying user-designed yard signs from the My Yard Your Message site. The great thing is that they have created a Facebook application to go along with the physical signs, so I can post 'yard signs' on my FB page!

Check out the site - and if you have a yard, find your favorite and order it (for those of us who are yard-less!).

The other cool thing about this site is that it is part of Minnesota's UnConvention:

The Walker Art Center and mnartists.org will print the winning yard signs and place them in neighborhoods throughout the Twin Cities metro area, including those immediately surrounding the site of the Republican National Convention. St. Paul neighborhoods that will serve as outdoor sign galleries include Dayton’s Bluff, sponsored by the District 4 Community Council, and the West Side, sponsored by the West Side Citizens Organization. Seward, organized by the Seward Neighborhood Group, will serve as the Minneapolis gallery neighborhood.

The best little house race in Texas?

I had no idea that the Democrats in Texas only need to pick up 5 seats in November to take control of the Texas House!

This looks like a possible pick-up for Democrat Sherrie Matula. Her opponent, incumbent Republican John Davis, is getting some fundraising support from non-other-than Karl Rove (unless he's in jail) on August 12th in Houston. Wonder if more protesters than donors show up to that one?

Anyway, the latest news is that Davis spent more than $1,500 on a pair of boots - paid for illegally with campaign donations. How many people in his district could (or would!) spend that much on a pair of shoes??

If you want to support his opponent, go to Act Blue and give her a few bucks. Maybe on the 12th, in honor of inmate Rove?

I almost feel sorry for McCain...

Desperate to get into the news cycle?

Via TPM:

McCain To Be In German Restaurant While Obama Gives Berlin Speech

Not sure what to make of this. While Obama gives his historic speech in Berlin today, John McCain will be lunching in a German restaurant in Ohio.

Farah Hice, a hostess at Schmidt's Restaurant and Sausage Haus in Columbus, just confirmed to me by phone that McCain just walked into the restaurant and is staying for lunch.

I'm impressed

I've been working at the grassroots level in Democratic politics for a long time (when I was in elementary school, my mom used to take me along to work outside the polls or lick stamps for mailings)...that experience has left me frustrated as often as it's felt worthwhile. I just sat through a DNC training that left me excited. They have finally started using a national voter database (6 months ago, versus 10 years ago for the Republicans) and it is constantly being used and updated - and shared!

And this, the Neighborhood Volunteer Program, looks amazing. I'm about to sign up and I encourage you all to do the same. Instead of shipping volunteers all over the country for GOTV activies, the DNC is recommending NOTV (Neighbors Organizing the Vote).

Congratulations, Obama!

On to November!

"We need to remember. REALLY remember."

I saw a link on Plunderbund to this post and also thought it was worth sharing:

Lipstick on a Pig

These are a couple of points that struck me. It's a long post, but you should read the whole thing:

Remember the '90's?

I mean, REALLY remember?

It started--and perhaps those of us who voted for him should have been paying closer attention--but it started during the Clinton campaign of '92. "Bimbo eruptions." Gennifer. Paula.

The Clintons, even then, vowed to FIGHT this Republican Attack Machine that was trying to destroy them.

Everybody likes a fighter, right?

So boy, we all joined in the brawl, didn't we? Faced off our conservative friends, flocked to the polls, all tuned in to 60 Minutes after the Super Bowl. Thought the Clintons were so cool.

Delivered them the White House.

---

We need to remember. REALLY remember.

It dragged on, and dragged on. More bimbo eruptions, and as the accusations from the right-wing grew positively Machiavellian, we knew that this wasn't about any failings of the Clintons but was about shoving a right-wing agenda down the throats of a populace easily manipulated by soundbite sloganeering.

We just knew it. We were so sure of it.

For eight years, we seethed, shouted at the TV news, argued with relatives, defended and defended and defended the Clintons against the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy,

Then came Monica.

---

We've spent seven years in hell since Bush was selected president. That miserable feeling of rage and frustration and the utter depression of feeling we have no control over events that define our lives has continued this entire time.

This political season started as one of unprecedented hope and excitement and energy for the Democratic party, raking in hundreds of millions of dollars, pulling in millions of new voters, energizing the base and bringing in Independents and moderate Republicans. All of our candidates were outstanding.

We could not lose.

Until Hillary started to.

In spite of the fact that her campaign badly misjudged the American mood with their campaign message of experience over change; in spite of the fact that they blew through money like water with unneccessary luxury spending; in spite of the fact that they had no organization on the ground in place to even consider having to go beyond Super Tuesday; in spite of a lackluster Internet organization, in spite of backbiting and infighting within the campaign--much like there was within the Clinton White House--in spite of monumental gaffes committed by the candidate herself...well, it wasn't their fault.

SEXISM!

MEDIA BIAS!

THE DNC HATES US!

And so the nasty set in. As soon as Clinton set herself up as Joan d'Fighter, then here came all the old familiar standbys: snotty surrogates making sensational claims on talk shows, enraged supporters baring their teeth at detractors, Republican opponents launching snide countersnarls, and phony issues getting whipped up by partisans into a frenzy of outrage completely unrelated to the problems at hand.

Only this time, it was the Clintons themselves egging the whole thing on.

So here we are, back again in ClintonLand.

The land of anger and misery and division and depression and anxiety. And friendships driven apart.

---

In the Florida/Michigan impasse, to Clinton and her mad-dog supporters who showed up for the meeting, there was to be no compromise. Either they got their whole way, or it was nothing.

Even after DNC lawyers released a 38-page memo stating in clear terms that, legally, only half-votes could be awarded to the delegates--that was shoved aside as though it did not exist.

Anything less was a personal attack on the Clintons and Hillary's campaign.

We've been here before.

It's all wearyingly familiar.

We need to remember. REALLY remember.

The big question all Democrats everywhere must ask themselves now is, DO WE WANT TO GO THERE AGAIN?

Because we already know what a Clinton White House would be like. We already know about the us-against-them battles, the rage of supporters, the partisan political divisions and government lockdowns and inevitable scandals.

---

Barack Obama's campaign has been streamlined, efficient, well-organized. Its message has been clear, concise, and consistent. His team is close-knit and not divided by backbiting and infighting. He's done his best to maintain his dignity against unconscionable racist attacks, some launched by Hillary's campaign.

He flat-out told his supporters not to demonstrate during the DNC meeting. Over and over again, his campaign offered scenarios for compromise, all of which were rejected by Hillary and her people.

He tries to take the high road. He tries to keep people together. He is no saint, and he's made mistakes, and he will make mistakes in the White House.

But wouldn't it be nice if we could go into a new administration with a feeing of hope, excitement, and peace of mind? A feeling of fresh change and new direction?

Of looking forward and not behind?

Hillary has made herself ugly with the nastiness of this campaign. Her supporters only reflect the bitterness she has enflamed.

Even when the Rules Committee tried to find a fair solution, one of her noisier supporters--many of whom repeatedly shouted down Committee members who were trying to do their jobs--yelled, "LIPSTICK ON A PIG."

That's what Hillary's campaign has come to resemble.

Do we really want to take this into the White House?

AGAIN?

---

What Does Hillary's Campaign Really Think about West Virginians?

Talk about elitist?!

SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV - The Hillary Clinton campaign is apologizing to a Shepherdstown woman after a campaign volunteer was captured on tape saying "West Virginians are poor."

Julie Corvo says the volunteer accidentally left the message on her answering machine after playing a taped message from Sen. Clinton.

"Hi. Hello? This is crazy," the volunteer said. "This person hung up. Maybe they think it's a bill collector. I bet it is. West Virginians are poor."

Here's the audio.

Thanks Hillary

Just a quick thanks to Hillary for reminding me to donate a little more to Barack Obama's campaign. During her odd "victory" speech last night she asked people to go to hillaryclinton.com to donate to her campaign...um, no, thanks though.

Well put!

Does Hillary know about this Clinton "law"?