Newspaper Endorsment's Roll In--And Very Blue They Are

Across the country many Daily Newspapers released their endorsment's of various candidates. There where quite a few surprises
there. The New York Times has gone for Ned Lamont over Joe Lieberman,which we can hope will give Lamont a much needed push in the last few days. At least two major Virginia papers have come out for Jim Webb and the Montana press is for Tester over Burns. No joy for Ricky
Santorum either. The full list,with links to all the articles in question is
below.
Newspapers Across Country Support Dem Candidates... The Huffington
Post








Katherine Harris did not fare well in Florida--22 daily papers--- and not a single endorsement. 0 and 22. Looking forward to the spin on that.

The Money Shifts

It's well known that the RNC has opted to write off some races and pretty much limit or kill the amount of resources devoted to certain races in an
effort to salvage some others. The so called firewall. The one in danger of
burning down. (Many of the races in question involve the Senate,with the GOP trying to hold onto just a couple like Virginia---reference the latest ad
bilge out of there) But there is another money shift going on
and this one does not bode well for the Republicans. It seems the Corporate donation stream has changed course,with a lot
of last minute money going to the Democratic Party. At the
expense of the GOP of course. NY Times has a good story
here.
Big Corp is most upset with the GOP


Democrats Get Late Donations From Business - New York Times



Coming to a District near you on November 8th

Jim Webb--Reluctant Politician, A Needed Voice


As we expected,to no surprise to anyone,the GOP campaign in various
areas has gotten a little nasty. Losing sucks and these guys
know they are on the short end of the loser stick. That they
would go to pond scum level is absolutly no surprise to
anyone who has followed their recent past under Slimemaster in Chief Karl Rove,one of whose proteges was responsible for the bile surfacing in Tennesee. That being said ,this is not about Karl Rove or his mini legions of Gollums ready to wallow in bile. This about Jim Webb. And the most recent attack launched.He's been featured here before as the race he is running to unseat
George Allen is one of the vital ones. Webbs already won one victory for the Democratic
Party. After this campaign Allens Presidential hopes have all but disappeared. He does ,however
Defiant Iraq War Foe Defined by Vietnam - washingtonpost.com
remain a threat to win re-election. The washingtonpost.com has a story about Webb that came out today. It reveals,to no ones surprise,that he has taken some controversial stands and hurt a few peoples feelings along the way. And he has. What he has also done is learn from mistakes and realize that things change as times change. For example,Webb at one time took a stand on women in combat that I,both as an NCO who has trained and led women soldiers and as someone married to an NCO who has served in operations as a soldier-not a female soldier,am quite opposed to. I recognize,partly as someone whose service has bridged this issue,that the views were rooted in a service mindset that was very much a response to it's times,and slow to adapt. Those who rail against Webb on this matter forget it was the military that most adapted and led the way towards integration. And that from a background that was rife with odious racism. But they got their marching orders and they changed.And they led. Webb changed on his views on women in the military. Because the military changed. His military. He may not have worn the uniform since his wounds in Viet Nam cut short the career he set forth on but Jim Webb is a Marine. Always and forever.

That was one career. It is another that has been raised by the trolls in windowless offices that toil for Rove. That is his work as a novelist. Webb has written many books. Some of them very good. Read a few myself. As a serviceman I saw stories that were written by someone with the experiance of the world. Those of the cloistered,gated communities of Republicantown seem to think there is something untoward in his stories,the product of a deviant mind,unfit for office. Sad. In some countries they revere writers.Some even elect them,not only to office,but to the leadership of the nation. Remember Vaclav Havel? I guess it comes down to the Republican't fear of the written word and the power it contains. and the fear that those who are practitioners of the written word are somehow unclean.

Jim Webb is not a candidates candidate. He's not slick. He's not glib. He was a combat Marine.( George Allen was a mediocre football player. I don't know what his exuse for never putting a uniform on is but I will go out on a limb and say it was probably self serving ) He's going to hurt some feelings from time to time.
He is not a natural politician. He is a reluctant one.The best kind. But he knows he is a needed one. And his time is now. He is ready to serve again. And with a lot of hard work he will be the next Senator from Virginia.

No More Turning Points--Now It's Benchmarks

Ever since President Bush declared victory and the situation began
to deteriorate in Iraq we have heard much mention of turning points.
This has been common talk given that there have been many turning
points. It seems there has been one every few weeks. One can be forgiven
for thinking that with so many turning points progress has been circular.
Having stayed the course untill the steering
broke Bush has now decided that progress will henceforth be measured in benchmarks. I am sure the definition of a benchmark will prove to be as elusive as any tangeble progress shown from multiple turning points. So far the only ones displayed are pretty negative.
Nonetheless,one can suppose that we have indeed reached a turning point.
With his vague speech today Bush showed for all he has no plan end his war,
and that even he can't stay the course. Not that he ever said that of course

Fortunatly,there was someone ready to help out,
once again demonstrating the depth of the Republican Party. Conrad Burns was able to find a plan. Sure it's three years old and he hasn't read it.
But it's still good isn't it? It's more than Bush has,it seems. Something to hold on to for the press untill
they can find one of those benchmark things. When they do I suspect that it will turn out a benchmark will be smaller than a turning point.

A Poll And A Link



On the right we have a new poll showing some good numbers. Just to caution,they are not great numbers,
merely good. There are a lot of tight races that will come
down to getting the vote out. You can follow some of the
races by going to the link below.
Congressional Countdown (washingtonpost.com)

New Wa-Po Poll. More Grim Numbers For The GOP



Bad news for the GOP came in the form of a new poll from the
Wsahington Post. Alarm bells have to be going off at the news that it seems that the Independant vote has gone solidly and in large
numbers over to the Democratic Party. One of the questions posed
prompted that up to 75% of Independants feel the country is just not
on the right track. 50% said they intended to vote Democratic in their district as a direct vote against the Republican candidate. 22% planned
Independents Favor Democrats Over Republicans - washingtonpost.com
Full details of poll here.
to enthusiasticly vote for the Democratic choice. Very barren ground for the GOP to try and harvest some sort of electoral success,especially considering that it seems the Republicans are losing not only the Independants,but a great deal of the so-called 'Reagan Democrats'. If current trends continue it may

Coming soon to a district near you.
well be that the Republican's will be reduced to fighting for their base.And little more.

Burns-Tester Update




The Montana Senate race is not looking good for the GOP as the campaign enters it's final two weeks. It seems the grim numbers the Burns people
are looking at has got the Republican brain trust convinced that this ones
going to the Blue column. Tester has run a good campaign with funds raised through strong NetRoots support. A very good example of the growing power of the 'blog network' and the effect it has, and will continue to have in future campaigns. In the face of Testers strong run the Republicans have decided to cut and run and not spend money on what they perceive as a lost cause. Their firewall is starting to be erected to protect a few places they just can't afford to lose. Places they are in trouble and shouldn't be under normal circumstances. But these are not normal circumstances and the GOP is looking at a severe power shift. If that happens and Democrats take control of the Senate that success will be in no small part due to the campaign run in Montana. The one that will shortly replace Conrad Burns in the Senate with a candidate and new Senator that will start to get the right stuff done and help to end the Republican't ethical morass.
Missoulian: Commentary: National GOP denies abandoning Burns re-election bid This link will give a more detailed,local view

Tester and Burns

Illinois 06---Tammy Duckworth Looks Strong



Meanwhile over in Ill 06 the race
is heating up. Tammy Duckworth is
leading her opponent,Republican't Roskom,who can't quite figure out,like many a Republican,that the electorate is severly pissed. Roskom has shown he deserves to trail in the race for Congress with some very ill conceived remarks that have received strong criticism from local media. Duckworth is getting out to poeple and working hard for victory in a district that was held for many years by Henry Hyde and has been favorable to the GOP for many a year. Like many areas though, some factors come into play. Changing demographics,coupled with extreme concern for shifting economic trends (and how they impact the average person--an issue completly ignored by the GOP) as well as a perception that the ossified Republican't majority is unable to grasp that

Tammy Duckworth for Congress Link here for more info

people are nervous. Not about terrorism,something they are,of course concerned with,but about what immediatly concerns them. such as their standard of living. Whether their kids will have the same opportunities. Their jobs. They are nervous and the GOP doesn't seem to offer a whole lot to ease their concerns. When candidates like Roskom use the Fear and Smear in the districts they wish to represent it falls on an increasingly unreceptive electorate. One that seems willing to reward the hard work and sacrifice of Major Duckworth with an opportunity for more hard work and sacrifice as the Representative for the Congressional District of Illinois 06. To make that happen will take lot of hard work as the calender moves closer to E-Day. If you're in the area I'm sure the Duckworth campaign would welcome your help.

A Roll of Honor --Of Sorts--That Kneecaps The GOP


There has been a lot of speculation as to where and when the much feared Karl Rove 'October Surprise' will land. I am becoming of the view
the October Surprise is that there is no surprise. Not that the Rovian
minions wouldn't (some have on small,local scales) if they they thought
they could.I still think that in desperation something may bubble up to the top of their septic tank view of the political world. But it is hard,very hard to sling
any serious slime when your own party is single
handedly contributing to prison over crowding,
all by itself. A number of Republican Congressmen have found themselves not only
Sex scandals dominate midterm elections - Yahoo! News GOP pride
mugshotted and fingerprinted,in some cases they actually went to jail. Randy Cunningham is currently

serving a prison sentence in a particularly sad story of a fall from grace. Bob Ney is about to enter prison in a plea bargain,yet still clings to his office in a stubborn refusal to do the decent thing. He says he will be vindicated. Exactly how you can be vindicated when you have pleaded guilty escapes me but I guess thats Republican't delusion And of course can we forget Tom Delay? Whose seat is going to the Democrats pretty much by default because of Delays own resignation shenanigans. Pity really. It denied Nick Lampson the chance to open a can whup ass on Delay and beat him at the polls. Oh well. Instead we see a steady parade of Delay infected individuals resigning or going to jail such as his freind and fellow gang member Jack Abromoff,while we wait for Bugmans own turn in front of a judge.

There are other Republicans in trouble with the law,Curt Weldon for one,and many with some pretty dubious stuff behind them as evidenced by the link above,but these three are special. They epitimomize the culture of greed and self agrandizement that has flourished under the carefull stewardship of many in the GOP. And they got caught. Three pretty good reasons why the 'October Surprise' can't get out of the gate.

Swift Boating Ahoy




As we get into the crucial end weeks of this years midterms it isn't hard
to figure out that Democrats stand to make gains. The amount could be anywhere from not just breaking the 12 year hold of the GOP in the House but also the Senate. Its obvious that the Democrats stand to lose no ground and can only gain.Amounts to be determined. However we

also know that Karl Rove has about a hundred million
dollars to spend as the campaign winds down. It doesn't
take a rocket scientist to figure out that money will go
into typical GOP Swift Boat attacks. Last time around the Democratic response to the nautical pond scum was rather as pictured to the right. Quiet and adrift. This
time around things have to,and may well be different.
Swiftboat assaults have been launched at a few of the
candidates running such as Eric Massa in NY 26,
Patrick Murphy Penn 08 and Joe Sestak in Penn 07.
The response has been to hit back hard,as it should be
in the face of Yellow Elephant campaign smears,attacks on
those that have served from those that did all they could to avoid service.

Wes Clark has been out helping these and others so I am sure some special slime torpedoe is being prepared by the Rovian minions for him at the appropriate time.

The attacks are a sign of desperation and while not unexepected seem to not be having an effect this time around as Massa's numbers,for one are solid( Majority Watch poll--Massa 52, Kuhl 40). Hitting back hard against these attacks is vital. When one of these oxygen thieves lurches out of the swamp with their smarmy allegations they should learn to expect a Swift Boot in the ass. Lessons learned----one would hope.

What Wes Clark Is Doing



As one can see from the map on the right Wes
Clark is busy making the rounds on the electoral circuit. The blue ones are the ones Gen Clark has been
to,or going to be appearing in,working hard to get Democrats elected across the country. Recently he was
on the trail hard for Ned Lamont in his contest against
WesPAC Securing America (full details of Gen.Clarks
Campaign for Democrats here.) former Democrat Joe
Lieberman. This is a critical race in what is a blue state
where the other Republican candidate is not even on the radar screen. Wes Clark has recognized the importance of this race for a while,speaking up immediatly after the primary selected Lamont to be the Democratic standard bearer in this contest. He urged Lieberman to end his quest as a Republican leaning Independant and do the right thing by supporting the partys choice for the Senate nomination. Of course we all
know that Nomentum was to arrogant to do anything else but to continue
his stealth GOP funded campaign. Clark has also been out in support of Joe Sestak in Penn 07 whose campaign is looking good right now. When the Clark and Lamont
results are counted in November Wes Clark will be able to take a lot of credit for making Republicans feel blue.

Update From Pennsylvania 07

Things are looking up for retired Admiral
Joe Sestak in Pennsylvanias SeventhDistrict. Twenty year incumbant Curt Weldon has found
himself in a virtual tie in a poll taken even before
Federal agents began raiding several people close to him in a potential influnce peddling scandal. Of course Weldon claims no wrongdoing,but then it seems
all of the recently caught Republicant's say that. Even some of the
convicted ones do,like Bob Ney,professing his innocence and keeping his seat nonetheless. The investigation of Weldon will make it very hard for him to change the numbers in his favor,especially with Sestak clearly having the momentum. It looks like Weldons run as Representative for the Seventh is about to come to an end. The citizens
of the Seventh will not be disapointed in their new Rep. A link to his
campaign is below.
Joe Sestak for Congress in Pennsylvania's 7th U.S. Congressional District

Good Numbers From Virginia

There is a new poll out showing The Webb/Allen race is now a dead heat. With GOP numbers in a freefall lately it may be hard for Allen to turn
it around. It looks like this race will come down to who works hardest
election day to get their people to the polls. That could be an advantage
for Allen and the GOP organization,something the Democrats will have to work hard to overcome. Full story on the race below.
Allen and Webb in Virtual Tie, Post Poll Says - washingtonpost.com

Three Quick Reasons The GOP Is In Trouble

We have seen some pretty bad numbers coming out lately for the GOP which are no causing some consternation in Republican't circles. And there are some examples of the behaviour they are leadig to. In the Pennsylvania Senate race we have Rick Santorum,running a good ten points behind Bob Casey throwing his hands up during a debate and asking "What more do want of me?" Don't ask questions you might not like the answer to. Casey refuses to budge off message and it is not looking good for the incumbant. I think we expect some good wingnut behaviour to come from the Santorum camp before this over.

And in the Virginia Senate race, now in a virtual dead heat where there was to be a strong Allen lead, comes this interesting item in the Washington post .com about Allens handlers keeping him on a leash,making sure he is firmly muzzled after public appearances such as
the debate the other night. It seems in order to minimize the damage
Allen's Advisers Try Mute-Button Strategy - washingtonpost.com
the candidate does to himself he will be trotted out like an empty vessel,to speak from a script and only a script and then to stashed out of sight and out of harm. Meanwhile of course Jim Webb meets with the press and makes himself available. What a difference when you have nothing to hide.

Number three? Well,over in Illinois the embattled Speaker Denny the Hut
Hastert has done something virtually no other GOP
candidate has done.He has asked GW Bush to come in and campaign for him. The radioactive President every other Republican't goes to great lengths to avoid is a welcome figure at a Hastert rally. I guess when you are truly desperate it really doesn't matter. Hasterts halo with the neo con base has been shook,that we know. When it comes down to having to shore up that vote at perhaps the expense of all others,well,thats a good reason the GOP is in deep trouble.

Last Night In Virginia

The last in the series of four debates (there could have been more but it seems Allen and his team have gone to great lengths to avoid any more exposure than necessary) was held last and is garnering attention . As expected Allen tried to shift the topic to twenty seven year old statements made by Webb that are in made irrelevent by the facts on the ground (women in combat---a lot has changed over the years and the debate is entirly moot as women are in combat and paying the same price as the men). Webb in turn managed to completly flummox Allen on the of the Senkaku Islands of the coast of Taiwan. Given recent events one might think Allen might show a little more depth on the South East Asia file instead of hiding behind the tattered Republican't Family Values banner.
The debate got quite testy. For more in depth coverage check out the link to the Washington Post.



Donkey punch time.


Allen, Webb in Slashing, Wide-Ranging Debate - washingtonpost.com

A Sorry Saga of Smarmy GOP Backstabbing



The effects of the recent Foleygrit revelations have certainly
had their effect on the GOP and it's campaign. Dennis Hastert
is under extreme fire and looking more and more like a walking
political dead man. In NY 26 Tom Reynolds behavior during this republican't debacle (surrounding himself with children
at a daycare to avoid media questions during a staged photo op followed by his wild backstabbing bleating for example)
have led to a freefall in his numbers. Be rather rich to think the guy in charge of gooper re-election could get thoroughly thumped. He comes off no better in a recent story that concerns him, Jabba the Hastert and another republican't that hasn't exactly covered himself in
Hastert backs out of Pa. fundraiser - Yahoo! News
in glory. Check the link for the whole smarmy saga.


Ever Notice how much alike Karl Rove and Tom Reynolds look alike?
Seems like they came out of the same braineating zombie plant the GOP has set up.

Latest from Virginia Senate Race


Jim Webb and George Allen meet in their final face to face debate
tonight. For those in the area you can tune in on WETA at Eight O'Clock
Eastern Time. The debate come on the heels of reports that Allen failed to disclose certain stock options in which he may have had a conflict of interest. For full details of that and tonights debate click on the link below.






AP: Allen Failed to Report Stock Options - washingtonpost.com

An Issue That Deserves Attention--and Assistance.

This is not the normal sort of issue dealt with on this site,but given that it is a public forum it is indeed the appropriate forum. Below is a link that leads to a support site for Nazinen Fatehi,a young Iranian Girl cuurently incarcerated and on trial for her life in Iran for the crime of allegedly killing one of three men who tried to rape her. Please check the link below and see what you can do. This deserves your help.
















:: Help Nazanin Fatehi ::

Friday-Just Not The GOPS Day






We often associate Fridays with the day that certain items on the political front get revealed in the hope that they will dissipate over the weekend and not have much strength by the time everyone is supposedly paying attention come Monday morning. However lately Fridays have become the day when truly awful (for the GOP) news seems to ooze out,not to be forgotten over the weekend but,in fact to gestate and fester while the media gathers it's resourcs.

This Friday we have quite a bit of activity,besides the ongoing Foley drama with it's attendant Republican't mistatements. We have seen Sen Warner, head of the Armed Services Committee return from Iraq with a grim prognosis and a suggestion that a change of course is required. Every Friday it seems that Bush gets kneecapped on the National Security front,be it the NIE or some other bad item on that agenda,so very central to their campaign hopes.

Karl Roves top aide Susan Ralston,closely identified with lobbyist Jack Abromoff (she used to work for him) resigned today,the cloud of corruption surrounding her White House activities becoming too thick.
Can't be good for the Rove team.

And of course Friday is a great day for the latest
from Katherine Harris and her futile campaign.
According to the Republican't candidate for the
Florida her opponent is not Christian enough. I can just feel the polls shift upward in her favor. All the way up to what? 30%? Nonetheles great food for thought for the weekend, which used to the time for these stories go away. Instead they have become the time for them to grow and mature. Another lousy Monday for Republican spinners.

Time To Lose Some Weight







The time as come to consider the
political health of the country. There
seems to be rampant obesity in the
political systym. Perhaps the incumbant systym is afflicted with
the same extra chin syndrom as the Speaker.

Maybe the best remedy would be to shed some wieght,or should I say deadweight? We know most people like to lose some excess poundage come the spring but the fact is the electoral cycle doesn't favor this. The vote is in November and the chance to ditch the fat is now. The opportunity to start somewhat fresh crew to cut through the moral and ethical lard of Washington has not been better in years. Time for a couple of reminders of what stale fat is out there and what fresh diet is available.

This is lard personified, Pennsylvania style.






A steady diet of ethics for Virginia or more thick nonesense from 'Macaca'?

The stuff coming out Conrad Burns's mouth in Missouri would lead one to believe he's a fathead.

A diet for him.

And in OH 02 we have Democrat Wurtin

managing to dine on the political carcass of her opponent Jean Schmidt, who is pround to announce

a break untill part 2,when more diet tips come your way.

Coming to a November near you soon.