Friday, October 31, 2008
The Final Four Days...
One final task...
You know all about phone-banking and canvassing and visibility and hosting out-of-state volunteers. Hopefully you're doing, and have done, as many of these wonderful things as you can.
But here's something that needs to be done, yet is probably a little too warm-and-fuzzy for Obama's website to come right out and ask for:
If you're not one of the troops during these final four days...then FEED 'EM.
They're working very hard, it's getting cold out there throughout much of the country, and there's only so much pizza you can eat in a weekend. Besides, many canvassers and other volunteers are cash-strapped college students, some of whom come from out of state and spent their limited funds to get here.
Please make up a crock of chili or stew and put it in a Tupperware container (that you're not terribly attached to. You can put your name on it and try to get it back, but don't bank on it). Add a batch of brownies or a bag of apples. Pack up some paper plates or bowls, some napkins, and picnic flatware too, if you can.
Take the homemade nosh over to your nearest Obama HQ, and...watch the faces light up!!!
CNN Quick vote
Do you agree with Obama's policies as laid out in the 30-minute ad this week?
Scroll down, on the right.
Maybe I was the only one...
...who missed this when it originally aired. But here it is again: the 30-minute infomercial!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Inspiration...
...to keep your energy up for these final days of work! Here's a shot from the DNC convention in Denver a few months ago:
Many, many more similarly wonderful photos can be found here on Daily Kos.
Many, many more similarly wonderful photos can be found here on Daily Kos.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Republican Shipwreck
Just another day in the Kabuki theatre that the GOP's unravelling has become...(at left, Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens).
Gary Kamiya writes in Salon.com on "The Republican Shipwreck". An excerpt:
...But the problem isn't Bush, it's American conservatism itself -- or at least the debased, intellectually bankrupt and utterly failed thing that American conservatism has become. For McCain to truly renounce Bush, he'd have to renounce the tax-cut ideologues who have bankrupted the country. He'd have to renounce the neoconservatives who led us into a catastrophic war. He'd have to renounce the culture-war attack dogs like Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin who have coarsened conservatism's soul.
In short, he'd have to renounce the Republican Party -- and himself.
Yes, there's some part of McCain that stands apart from the disaster that his party has become. In the past, he has courageously taken principled stands on issues ranging from taxes to immigration to torture. He has some laudable independent instincts. His barely concealed rage and frustration, as he watches himself being pulled under by the enormous suction of the sinking GOP ship, bears witness to this. But his occasional maverick stands cannot change the fact that on the key issues, McCain is a faithful supporter of George W. Bush's policies. As Obama ads incessantly remind voters, McCain himself boasted that he voted with Bush 90 percent of the time. It's too late for him now to suddenly pretend that he represents anything other than more of the same.
On a personal note, I can vouch for the fact that it used to be different for McCain.
In 2000, I worked for New Jersey senator Bill Bradley's presidential campaign here in New Hampshire. At the time, Sen. McCain was riding the crest of his "maverick" wave and really WAS bucking the GOP quite a bit (rather than more or less just giving lip service to the "maverick" ideal, as he's done lately). He wasn't cozied up to the religious right (which is one of the reasons why he did well here in the NH primary, but lost to W in South Carolina).
I'd be out and about with Bradley volunteers, canvassing, and we'd occasionally see a group of McCain volunteers. We'd give them the thumbs up! The gesture was happily returned. There was even talk, only partially in jest, of a joint ticket between Bradley and McCain --- perhaps the two most centrist figures running in their respective parties that year.
Boy, that seems like a very long, long time ago...
Monday, October 27, 2008
Al the Shoe Salesman...gets a tax cut
Let McCain continue to obsess about Joe the Hedge Fund Manager --- I mean, Plumber. We've got Al the Shoe Salesman (oh, and me, the music teacher; my husband, the letter carrier; my neighbor, THE PLUMBER; and my brother, the attorney).
Ben and Jerry's: vote 'n' scoop
Ben and Jerry's is offering a free scoop of their world-class ice cream for voters on November 4th. As if you needed another reason to vote!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Obama pulls a crowd of 100,000+ in Colorado
Early voting was a particular focus. Find out more about whether early voting is allowed in your district here. Then, if you have any free time on election day, volunteer with your local Obama office to help drive voters who need a ride to the polls.
Keep up the good energy...the polls look very stable (for whatever that's worth!). This graph of an average of polls comes from FiveThirtyEight.com:
But ignore the polls. The only poll that matters is the one that takes place on November 4th.
Keep up the good energy...the polls look very stable (for whatever that's worth!). This graph of an average of polls comes from FiveThirtyEight.com:
But ignore the polls. The only poll that matters is the one that takes place on November 4th.
West Texas for Obama...
The San Angelo Standard-Times, a paper in normally arch-conservative West Texas, endorses Obama:
IN OUR OPINION: Nation yearning for significant change
Sunday, October 26, 2008
IN OUR OPINION: Nation yearning for significant change
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Presidential campaigns are, in a sense, auditions for the highest public office. Candidates not only tell voters what they intend to do if elected, but they also give a sense of the kind of leader they would be.
Over the past year - especially in recent months - Barack Obama has presented a compelling message and presence, and the Standard-Times editorial board believes he is the right choice for president.
This was not an easy decision.
John McCain has a long and distinguished record, and we do not doubt that he could serve ably in the White House. However, he has run a disappointing campaign - his audition for the presidency - most notably at the start of the financial meltdown. His Democratic opponents did not exaggerate in labeling his actions as "erratic" and "lurching."
Equally confounding was McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate. While the Alaska governor may develop into one of the Republican Party's leaders, so many Americans doubt her readiness to step into the presidency if necessary that McCain's judgment has come into question.
Even though Palin has done what McCain couldn't - energize the Republican base - that does not mean she is ready to lead the nation as president.
Critics point to Obama's relative lack of experience as a disqualifier for the highest office, and that is a legitimate argument. However, during three debates, voters saw a candidate who not only had an exceptional command of the issues but also one who demonstrated the steadiness and temperament that Americans want to see in the Oval Office.
Those are the attributes that led Colin Powell, one of the most respected people in the country, to endorse Obama's candidacy. Obama also has endured months of rumors and scurrilous attacks on everything from his race and religion to his patriotism and family history.
From the beginning, Obama's campaign has been about change. That's an easy position to take when things aren't going well, yet Obama gives reason to believe he truly understands what's needed - a new tone in Washington and leadership that will seek common ground and dramatic change.
The next president faces enormous challenges - including frightening economic conditions, overseeing two wars and ensuring the nation's security.
Even if Obama were inclined to spend as liberally as his opponents warn, the reality of a staggering $10 trillion federal debt will require extraordinary budget discipline no matter who wins on Nov. 4.
Each of those issues and many others can't be adequately addressed without a bipartisan approach that rejects Washington's tendencies to divide politicians and the people they represent for cynical purposes.
Of the two candidates, Obama has shown himself to be the most committed to more inclusive governance. His message has been especially inspirational to young people, whom he has drawn to the political process in phenomenal numbers.
The historical significance of Obama's candidacy - a black person seeking the presidency of the nation that only a few years ago allowed much of the country to effectively exclude blacks from public life - can't be denied. Yet the stakes are so high this year that the racial implications are nearly incidental.
Obama's vision for the future of the United States is the right one. We believe he has the commitment and political skills to make it a reality.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
The Scare Card
Another great evening for Rachel Maddow:
Salon.com has an interesting article on the secret behind Maddow's ratings success. She is indeed a breath of fresh air.
Seems that Maddow's theory is quite true, judging by the RNC's newest mailing. If they're trotting out this kind of bile, the McCain campaign must know that things look pretty dire for them...
Salon.com has an interesting article on the secret behind Maddow's ratings success. She is indeed a breath of fresh air.
Seems that Maddow's theory is quite true, judging by the RNC's newest mailing. If they're trotting out this kind of bile, the McCain campaign must know that things look pretty dire for them...
Palin: VP is "in charge of the Senate"
The VP's not merely a tie-breaker in the Senate, it seems. She's IN CHARGE --- and helps the Senators make new policies! WHIZ-BANG!
If her engaging tone (completely appropriate when answering the question of an elementary school student, as was the case here) seems familiar, that's because it's only slightly different from the tone she uses when speaking to Americans adults (see the VP debate).
If her engaging tone (completely appropriate when answering the question of an elementary school student, as was the case here) seems familiar, that's because it's only slightly different from the tone she uses when speaking to Americans adults (see the VP debate).
Obama goes to Hawaii to visit his ill grandmother
WEST PALM BEACH, Florida (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama will leave the presidential campaign trail to visit his ailing 85-year-old grandmother in Hawaii, whose health has deteriorated in recent weeks, an aide said on Monday.
With two weeks left in an intense battle for the White House, Obama will hold a campaign event in Indianapolis on Thursday and then fly to Hawaii to see his grandmother before returning to campaigning on Saturday, aide Robert Gibbs said.
"Senator Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has always been one of the most important people in his life," Gibbs said in a statement. "Along with his mother and his grandfather, she raised him in Hawaii from the time he was born until the moment he left for college."
Read the rest here, from Reuters.
Please take a moment today to keep Mrs. Dunham and Sen. Obama in your thoughts.
With two weeks left in an intense battle for the White House, Obama will hold a campaign event in Indianapolis on Thursday and then fly to Hawaii to see his grandmother before returning to campaigning on Saturday, aide Robert Gibbs said.
"Senator Obama's grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has always been one of the most important people in his life," Gibbs said in a statement. "Along with his mother and his grandfather, she raised him in Hawaii from the time he was born until the moment he left for college."
Read the rest here, from Reuters.
Please take a moment today to keep Mrs. Dunham and Sen. Obama in your thoughts.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Powell's endorsement
Gen. Colin Powell gives Obama the first big endorsement in quite awhile...Hendrick Hertzberg has a good article in the New Yorker about it.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Michelle speaks to Women for Obama gathering
She *is* another Jackie O. --- except a bit more easy-going and eloquent!
Palin as President simulator
Click on the objects around the oval office and find the "easter eggs". Updated daily, apparently!
Palin as President
Palin as President
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Obama in 30 Seconds
Award-winning short ads at Obama in 30 Seconds... These are extraordinarily compelling short films!
Starting with the overall winner (please forward this to people who seem to think that McCain has somehow cornered the market on patriotism and an appeal to members of the military...
Starting with the overall winner (please forward this to people who seem to think that McCain has somehow cornered the market on patriotism and an appeal to members of the military...
The Name Game
Play The Name Game...be the first on your block!
Please forward this to your friends...the smear e-mails will be multiplying like crazy in the coming weeks, and this is a funny way to counter them!
Please forward this to your friends...the smear e-mails will be multiplying like crazy in the coming weeks, and this is a funny way to counter them!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Bill Maher's Real Time panel on keeping terrorism in perspective
Do any GOP pols watch this show, much less the McCain gang?
Roseanne Cash: why she'd be a better VP than Palin
Ranging from the serious:
I also believe that a teenager's pregnancy is a "private family matter." In fact, I believe that every woman's pregnancy is a "private, family matter."
to the comical:
Like the Governor, I now also believe that my will is perfectly aligned with God's will. When Governor Palin said that it was God's will for the Alaska pipeline to be built and asked for people to pray for that to happen, I was really inspired by her confidence in the absolute, seamless integration of her will and God's will. I have begun practicing this kind of supreme confidence on a smaller scale, but I am sure that I can quickly move to national issues. Starting with the sartorial, I know that it is God's will that I have the entire Chanel collection for the fall season, including those adorable high-heeled booties that were all over the runway shows.
(A couple things I'm still having trouble with regarding the will of God: I knew it was God's will that I win the Grammy in 2007 for my last record, but Bob Dylan won. This is clearly the work of Satan, but shouldn't my will/God's will have been strong enough to override that? And this Alaska pipeline--if it is God's will to have the pipeline built, then why isn't it built already? On a related topic, I don't own a single piece of Chanel.)
Read the rest in The Nation.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Debate #2
Aside from the normal funnies from SNL, I think the guy playing Brokaw deserves a medal...the former NBC anchor has such an odd speech pattern, and this guy nailed it!
Talk with our enemies
...says McCain's hero, General Petraeus, speaking at the conservative Heritage Foundation thinktank:
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Just another video...
...of Obama looking and sounding utterly presidential.
Please forward to your pals!
Please forward to your pals!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Just another reason...
...to give to Planned Parenthood in John McCain's name: Sarah Palin's funhouse-mirror version of feminism...
Monday, October 6, 2008
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
compulsive gamblers...
...need help. Not a promotion to the Presidency. George Will, certainly no lefty, sums it up.
Quick Wall Street Journal Poll: VP debate winner?
This is the WSJ, so it's running towards the GOP.
PLEASE VOTE!
More debate result highlights, courtesy of OneGoodMove:
CBS Debate Poll
Forty-six percent of the uncommitted voters surveyed say Democrat Joe Biden won the debate, compared to 21 percent for Republican Sarah Palin. Thirty-three percent said it was a tie.
Eighteen percent of previously uncommitted percent say they are now committed to the Obama-Biden ticket. Ten percent say they are now committed to McCain-Palin. Seventy-one percent are still uncommitted.
CNN Debate Poll
Story Highlights * 51 percent say Democratic Sen. Joe Biden wins vice presidential debate * Republican Gov. Sarah Palin exceeds expectations, 84 percent say * Palin beats Biden on likability, 54-36 * 87 percent say Biden is qualified for job, 42 percent say Palin is
PLEASE VOTE!
More debate result highlights, courtesy of OneGoodMove:
CBS Debate Poll
Forty-six percent of the uncommitted voters surveyed say Democrat Joe Biden won the debate, compared to 21 percent for Republican Sarah Palin. Thirty-three percent said it was a tie.
Eighteen percent of previously uncommitted percent say they are now committed to the Obama-Biden ticket. Ten percent say they are now committed to McCain-Palin. Seventy-one percent are still uncommitted.
CNN Debate Poll
Story Highlights * 51 percent say Democratic Sen. Joe Biden wins vice presidential debate * Republican Gov. Sarah Palin exceeds expectations, 84 percent say * Palin beats Biden on likability, 54-36 * 87 percent say Biden is qualified for job, 42 percent say Palin is
Thursday, October 2, 2008
don't vote
just...don't.
(Seriously, though: send this to anyone you think might not be registered. Anyone under 30, anyway --- they're less likely to be offended by the intermittently R-rated language!).
Need more reason to keep your energy levels up? Maybe a little renewed outrage at the NeoCons, perhaps?
OK...back to today. Now more than ever...STAY FIRED UP.
(Seriously, though: send this to anyone you think might not be registered. Anyone under 30, anyway --- they're less likely to be offended by the intermittently R-rated language!).
Need more reason to keep your energy levels up? Maybe a little renewed outrage at the NeoCons, perhaps?
OK...back to today. Now more than ever...STAY FIRED UP.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
The Schlep and the Talk
"The talk" is happening all over the country, in living rooms and kitchens everywhere.
Sometimes "the talk" also involves a schlep (caution: a blase' use of offensive language, a Sarah Silverman trademark, contained herein).
No wonder...
...it's hard for McCain to keep track of his houses. Just keeping track of the bedrooms in one of his places is difficult enough. In any event, this little bungalow is up for sale:
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