What are the Key Factors for Victory in the 2008 Presidential Election?

[Janus]

The voter fraud can only occur when someone, who is ineligible to vote, votes. Presumably the poll workers check the registration roles and government issue identification.

In my state, Oregon, false registrations can actually swing a vote. We have a "double majority" requirement for votes on property taxes. Even if the tax passes by a majority vote, it fails if less than 50% of registered voters voted on it. IOW, registered voters who don't vote get countede as "no" votes (this includes people who have moved out of state or died and haven't had their names removed from the list of registered voters yet.)

There is a measure on the ballot this year to repeal this requirement.

 

[Gokul43201]

The two campaigns have finally ("finally" because it took the McCain campaign a little longer to get to it) named their White House transition teams.

Obama's team will be headed by former WH Chief of Staff, John Podesta.

Podesta spent most of his early years in Chicago. In 1971 he became a graduate of Knox College. Afterwards he attended and graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1976. Podesta worked as a trial attorney in the Department of Justice's Honors Program in the Land and Natural Resources Division (1976-1977), and as a Special Assistant to the Director of ACTION, the federal volunteer agency, (1978-1979).

He then held a number of positions on Capitol Hill including: Counselor to Democratic Leader Senator Thomas Daschle (1995-1996); Chief Counsel for the Senate Agriculture Committee (1987-1988); Chief Minority Counsel for the Senate Judiciary Subcommittees on Patents, Copyrights, and Trademarks; Security and Terrorism; and Regulatory Reform; and Counsel on the Majority Staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee (1979-1981). In addition, in 1988, Podesta founded with his brother Tony, Podesta Associates, Inc., a Washington, D.C. government relations and public affairs firm. He also served as a member of the Council of the Administrative Conference of the United States, and the United States Commission on Protecting and Reducing Government Secrecy.

Podesta served as both an Assistant to the President and as Deputy Chief of Staff. Earlier, from January 1993 to 1995, he was Assistant to the President, Staff Secretary and a senior policy adviser on government information, privacy, telecommunications security and regulatory policy. In 1998 he became President Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff in the second Clinton Administration and executed the position until the end of the President's time in office in January 2001.

John Podesta became an Honorary Patron of the prestigious University Philosophical Society in March 2006. Podesta founded and is currently President of the Center for American Progress, a progressive think tank in Washington, D.C. In addition to his work at American Progress, Podesta is currently a Visiting Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, where he has taught classes on Congressional investigations and technology law and policy. He is also a member of the Constitution Project's bipartisan Liberty and Security Committee.
...
He is also heading up the Barack Obama transition team.

John McCain has named veteran lobbyist and Republican consultant, William Timmons to head up his transition team.

William E. Timmons is a lobbyist in Washington, D.C. who has worked for all of the Republican presidents since Richard M. Nixon. He is part of the John McCain presidential campaign, 2008, and the lead of the presidential transition team.

He was a senior adviser to Vice President George Bush in 1988 and Senator Bob Dole in 1996 and is the founder and chairman emeritus of lobbying firm Timmons and Company, which he founded in 1975 after leaving the administration of President Gerald Ford.

He has lobbied for Freddie Mac, as well as for Saddam Hussein, having been in contact with Samir Vincent and Tongsun Park, who was convicted in 2006 for violation of the Foreign Agent Registration Act.

After the demise of his employer, he is now working for Republican Presidential candidate John McCain as his transition chief.

 

[Evo]

Okeedokee. No comparison there.

 

[LowlyPion]

On the one side, we have a group or groups trying to register voters, and on the other side, we have a group or groups trying to eliminate voters, which apparently includes legitimate voters. (One approach is inclusive, the other exclusive. One approach guarantees rights, the other denies rights.) Which would be worse or more of a threat to democracy?

The voter fraud can only occur when someone, who is ineligible to vote, votes. Presumably the poll workers check the registration roles and government issue identification.

Years ago the poll tax was used to discourage voter participation among the poor. It led to the 24th Amendment. For a time it served exactly that purpose, however.

I find it discouraging that after the election that brought us the travesty of the last 8 years, an election that hung for a moment on chads that either were partially attached or barely clinging, that the electoral process has not been streamlined and made fool proof and wholly accountable.

Look at the trillions down the chute, that could have been saved perhaps if the actual will of the people had been fully included and completely recorded.

 

[turbo]

More detail on Timmons' lobbying activities:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aQIOOr9klOnE&refer=home

 

[turbo]

We have a politically-motivated investigation into Acorn by the FBI. The GOP has turned Acorn into a voter-fraud bogeyman, giving cover to the FBI for this probe. The funny thing is that voter fraud is perpetrated only when a voter with a fraudulent registration shows up to vote. Registering voters is not a crime, and it appears that Acorn is diligent about sorting out forms that appear to have erroneous or missing information before turning them into the registrar. The GOP is accusing Acorn of turning in fraudulent registration forms, conveniently ignoring the fact that Acorn inspects the forms, flags the ones with problems and turns them in separately, and are generally forbidden by law to discard the registration forms, even if they have are problematic.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/V/VOTER_FRAUD_FBI?SITE=ORROS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

 

[BobG]

With respect to the Health Care issue.

Here are some statistics on Children who are Insured/on Medicaid/Uninsured care of the Kaiser Family Foundation
http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparecat.jsp?cat=3
http://www.statehealthfacts.kff.org/comparetable.jsp?ind=127&cat=3&sub=39&yr=85&typ=2&o=d&sort=162

Texas leads the nation in % of children on Medicaid or uinsured.

Rank  State           Employer   Indiv    Medicaid   Other    Uninsured
                                                     Public  
      United States    55.30%    4.40%     27.60%    1.40%     11.30%
----------------------------------------------------------------------
1     Texas            45.10%    3.80%     27.30%    2.00%     21.80%
2     Florida          50.70%    5.20%     23.30%    1.30%     19.50%
3     Nevada           63.30%    4.70%     14.50%    NSD       16.80%
4     New Mexico       40.60%    NSD       36.70%    NSD       16.60%
5     Mississippi      41.20%    4.50%     36.70%    NSD       16.20%
6     Arizona          48.90%    3.30%     31.10%    NSD       15.90%
7     Louisiana        45.20%    5.10%     34.80%    NSD       14.50%
8     Montana          49.50%    7.20%     28.10%    NSD       13.80%
9     Colorado         61.50%    6.70%     15.50%    2.50%     13.80%
10    New Jersey       66.40%    3.50%     16.40%    NSD       13.30%
11    Oklahoma         46.50%    4.20%     32.40%    3.60%     13.30%
12    North Carolina   49.60%    5.00%     29.70%    2.40%     13.30%
13    South Carolina   52.70%    3.90%     28.90%    NSD       13.10%
14    Utah             61.20%    7.10%     18.00%    NSD       13.10%
15    Oregon           55.40%    7.60%     23.30%    NSD       12.80%
16    Georgia          52.60%    2.70%     29.30%    2.90%     12.50%
17    California       49.70%    6.10%     30.70%    1.20%     12.30%
18    Idaho            56.40%    6.20%     23.70%    NSD       12.20%
19    Alaska           54.10%    3.50%     23.60%    7.60%     11.20%
20    Virginia         61.10%    3.60%     19.10%    5.50%     10.70%
21    Nebraska         62.50%    5.90%     19.30%    NSD       10.40%
22    Maryland         65.40%    4.10%     19.00%    NSD       10.40%
23    Delaware         63.70%    2.70%     22.00%    NSD       10.00%
24    Missouri         53.80%    6.00%     29.70%    NSD        9.80%
25    Kentucky         53.60%    4.40%     31.30%    NSD        9.40%
26    Wyoming          59.00%    6.70%     22.30%    NSD        9.20%
27    North Dakota     60.10%    8.00%     20.70%    NSD        9.10%
28    New York         55.90%    2.70%     32.30%    NSD        9.00%
29    South Dakota     57.20%    7.40%     24.20%    2.50%      8.80%
30    Vermont          51.60%    NSD       36.00%    NSD        8.50%
31    Arkansas         42.60%    4.20%     43.80%    NSD        8.40%
32    Illinois         61.80%    3.60%     25.50%    NSD        8.30%
33    Tennessee        51.80%    5.00%     31.70%    3.40%      8.10%
34    Pennsylvania     62.40%    4.40%     25.30%    NSD        7.70%
35    Alabama          60.50%    NSD       28.00%    NSD        7.70%
36    Kansas           55.90%    6.30%     28.00%    NSD        7.70%
37    WashingtonDC     45.60%    NSD       44.00%    NSD        7.60%
38    Ohio             60.30%    3.80%     27.90%    NSD        7.50%
39    Minnesota        67.20%    5.20%     20.00%    NSD        7.20%
40    New Hampshire    71.50%    4.20%     16.60%    NSD        7.10%
41    Washington       60.90%    4.40%     24.80%    2.70%      7.10%
42    Indiana          64.00%    3.50%     25.50%    NSD        6.70%
43    West Virginia    52.70%    NSD       38.20%    NSD        6.60%
44    Rhode Island     60.10%    2.90%     29.10%    NSD        6.60%
45    Connecticut      66.80%    3.20%     23.00%    NSD        6.30%
46    Michigan         61.60%    4.20%     27.70%    NSD        5.90%
47    Hawaii           62.50%    2.60%     23.30%    5.70%      5.80%
48    Maine            57.20%    4.40%     31.40%    NSD        5.60%
49    Iowa             62.10%    5.90%     26.00%    NSD        5.50%
50    Wisconsin        64.60%    4.10%     25.30%    NSD        5.20%
51    Massachusetts    67.30%    3.30%     24.10%    NSD        5.10%

Texas leads the nation on the number of children uninsured and second (behind California) on children covered by Medicaid. So much for prosperity.

                Employer   Individual   Medicaid  Other Pub  Uninsured    Total   
                                              
United States  43,504,800  3,457,590  21,711,120  1,099,620  8,872,090  78,645,220
                                              
Texas           3,150,660    264,380   1,905,180    142,120  1,526,180   6,988,520 
California      4,990,690    607,900   3,085,040    119,840  1,232,220  10,035,690
Florida         2,197,740    225,130   1,007,970     57,660    843,010   4,331,500 
New York        2,651,390    129,030   1,530,560        NSD    424,800   4,744,490 
Georgia         1,369,940     69,970     761,880     75,750    326,060   2,603,590 
North Carolina  1,161,560    116,680     694,590     56,840    310,670   2,340,350 
New Jersey      1,466,590     76,970     361,890        NSD    293,790   2,208,700 
Arizona           866,050     58,620     550,500        NSD    282,000   1,769,470 
Illinois        2,078,220    120,980     858,650        NSD    279,570   3,362,350 
Pennsylvania    1,819,800    129,300     737,860        NSD    223,590   2,916,950 
Ohio            1,776,470    110,640     823,740        NSD    220,040   2,947,690 
Virginia        1,184,710     69,730     370,100    107,070    207,780   1,939,390 
Colorado          774,640     84,610     195,240     31,840    173,980   1,260,310 
Louisiana         519,320     58,550     400,200        NSD    166,340   1,148,860 
Maryland          953,240     60,310     277,270        NSD    152,080   1,456,790 
Michigan        1,588,150    108,420     713,650        NSD    150,970   2,579,250 
Missouri          801,450     89,700     443,400        NSD    146,150   1,490,980 
South Carolina    583,770     43,350     320,770        NSD    144,640   1,108,200 
Mississippi       339,610     37,120     302,150        NSD    133,780     823,490 
Oklahoma          451,480     40,440     315,060     34,930    129,420     971,330 
Tennessee         804,090     77,590     492,130     53,160    126,190   1,553,150 
Oregon            507,350     69,420     213,000        NSD    117,430     915,920 
Washington        987,500     72,120     402,550     44,600    115,960   1,622,730 
Nevada            436,080     32,090     100,070        NSD    115,620     689,420 
Utah              526,250     61,270     154,650        NSD    113,150     860,570 
Indiana         1,078,600     58,890     430,050        NSD    113,580   1,685,900 
Kentucky          572,330     46,880     334,010        NSD     99,970   1,067,920 
Minnesota         891,730     69,230     266,000        NSD     95,850   1,327,490 
Alabama           717,610        NSD     332,060        NSD     90,870   1,186,630 
New Mexico        218,600        NSD     197,720        NSD     89,670     538,570 
Massachusetts   1,042,620     51,500     372,930        NSD     78,260   1,549,310 
Wisconsin         899,410     57,020     352,960        NSD     72,670   1,392,630 
Arkansas          315,970     31,230     325,010        NSD     62,650     742,180 
Kansas            415,210     46,780     208,080        NSD     57,510     742,380 
Connecticut       582,920     27,500     200,430        NSD     54,610     872,310 
Idaho             244,160     26,770     102,410        NSD     52,760     432,970 
Nebraska          295,050     27,600      91,160        NSD     48,980     471,690 
Iowa              465,660     44,030     195,030        NSD     41,360     749,660 
Montana           114,140     16,580      64,760        NSD     31,870     230,790 
West Virginia     222,510        NSD     161,320        NSD     28,090     422,470 
New Hampshire     226,790     13,230      52,680        NSD     22,670     317,320 
Alaska            104,050      6,670      45,340     14,690     21,500     192,250 
Delaware          140,280      5,920      48,430        NSD     21,950     220,110 
South Dakota      118,270     15,210      49,920      5,190     18,100     206,690 
Hawaii            192,140      7,920      71,780     17,580     17,980     307,390 
Maine             172,080     13,280      94,490        NSD     16,770     300,960 
Rhode Island      151,550      7,350      73,250        NSD     16,750     252,000 
North Dakota       93,990     12,570      32,350        NSD     14,310     156,460 
Wyoming            78,060      8,910      29,470        NSD     12,180     132,360 
Vermont            71,130        NSD      49,650        NSD     11,700     137,750 
Washington DC      54,270        NSD      52,400        NSD      9,090     119,070

Actually, Texas leads the nation in percentage uninsured. Right off the bat, I can see Mississippi and New Mexico have a higher combined total of Medicaid/Uninsured. Mexico and New Mexico are also the only two states that have a higher ratio than Alaska between federal tax dollars received and federal tax dollars received (New Mexico and Mississippi receive about $2 for every tax dollar paid, while Alaska gets a little over $1.84 for every tax dollar paid). The percent covered by Medicaid is a pretty good measure of the percentage of low income residents in a state. New Mexico and Mississippi receive a high ratio of federal dollars spent to federal tax paid because they're poor. Alaska has a high ratio because they do a good job lobbying for pork.

Texas is also second in the nation in the number of children, so being in the top two for number of children covered by medicaid/uninsured shouldn't be much of a surprise. The percentages are more relevant.

 

[LowlyPion]

More detail on Timmons' lobbying activities:

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=aQIOOr9klOnE&refer=home

Here is another mention of Timmons being friends with Tongsun Park.

Park Sentenced to 5 Years in U.N. Oil-for-Food Bribery Scandal
South Korean Businessman Had Promised to Get Sanctions Eased for Hussein's Government

...Park, 71, admitted taking more than $2.5 million from Saddam Hussein's government to bribe senior U.N. officials ...

During that era, Park was a fixture in Washington political circles, hosting parties at his historic George Town Club. ... and William E. Timmons, an influential Republican lobbyist who once joined forces with Park in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the U.S. ouster of Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriega.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/22/AR2007022201650.html

And McCain has the nerve to mention Obama serving on a board with Bill Ayers promoting inner city education?

 

[Astronuc]

John McCain has named veteran lobbyist and Republican consultant, William Timmons to head up his transition team.

Ummmm -

According to the wikipedia article - He [Timmons] has lobbied for Freddie Mac, as well as for Saddam Hussein, having been in contact with Samir Vincent and Tongsun Park, who was convicted in 2006 for violation of the Foreign Agent Registration Act.

McCain Taps Lobbyist for Transition
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1840722,00.html

A prominent Washington lobbyist who has worked for every Republican President since Richard Nixon has been tapped by the McCain campaign to conduct a study in preparation for the presidential transition should John McCain win the election, according to sources familiar with the process.

William E. Timmons Sr. is a Washington institution, having worked in the Nixon and Ford administrations as an aide for congressional relations and having assisted the transition teams of both Ronald Reagan in 1980 and George W. Bush in 2000. He was also a senior adviser to both Vice President George Bush in 1988 and Senator Bob Dole in 1996.

Timmons is the chairman emeritus of Timmons and Company, a small but influential lobbying firm he founded in 1975 shortly after leaving the White House. According to Senate records, he registered to lobby in 2008 for a wide range of companies and trade groups, including the American Petroleum Institute, the American Medical Association, Chrysler, Freddie Mac, Visa USA and Anheuser-Busch.

His registrations include work on a number of issues that have become flashpoints in the presidential campaign. He has registered to work on bills that deal with the regulations of troubled mortgage lenders Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, a bill to provide farm subsidies and bills that regulate domestic oil-drilling.

OK?

By tapping Timmons, McCain has turned to one of Washington's steadiest and most senior inside players to guide him in the event of a victory — but also to someone who represents the antithesis of the kind of outside-of-Washington change he has recently been promising.

Umm - what seems to wrong with this picture

One Republican familiar with the process said the decision to involve Timmons could become a political liability for the campaign's reformist image, . . .

Ya, think?


John! What are you thinking?!

First Sarah Palin, and now Timmons.

Please - come back from the Dark Side!

 

[B. Elliott]

Actually, Texas leads the nation in percentage uninsured. Right off the bat, I can see Mississippi and New Mexico have a higher combined total of Medicaid/Uninsured. Mexico and New Mexico are also the only two states that have a higher ratio than Alaska between federal tax dollars received and federal tax dollars received (New Mexico and Mississippi receive about $2 for every tax dollar paid, while Alaska gets a little over $1.84 for every tax dollar paid). The percent covered by Medicaid is a pretty good measure of the percentage of low income residents in a state. New Mexico and Mississippi receive a high ratio of federal dollars spent to federal tax paid because they're poor. Alaska has a high ratio because they do a good job lobbying for pork.

Texas is also second in the nation in the number of children, so being in the top two for number of children covered by medicaid/uninsured shouldn't be much of a surprise. The percentages are more relevant.

I wonder if this is taking into consideration illegal immigrants? I remember Texas being one of the states with the largest number of illegals.

 

[LowlyPion]

Colin Powell is scheduled to be on Meet the Press this Sunday.

There is speculation that he might endorse Obama, but no one really knows that he might not endorse McCain. (My thinking is that if he did endorse McCain after this divisive rhetoric coming from McCain-Palin that he would just keep quiet.)

 

[B. Elliott]

Just for kicks, here's the Mickey Mouse voter application. It's unclear whether Mickey was registering as a Rep or Dem.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/article852295.ece

 

[Astronuc]

Just for kicks, here's the Mickey Mouse voter application. It's unclear whether Mickey was registering as a Rep or Dem.

It looks like that registration document is incomplete. I can't read the details, but it would seem relatively easy to reject or dismiss it. Ostensibly, it can be tested for finger prints by the state or federal investigative authorities and the perpetrator prosecuted.


Meanhwile, the Washington Post endorses Obama:

Barack Obama for President
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/16/AR2008101603436.html

Friday, October 17, 2008; Page A24

THE NOMINATING process this year produced two unusually talented and qualified presidential candidates. There are few public figures we have respected more over the years than Sen. John McCain. Yet it is without ambivalence that we endorse Sen. Barack Obama for president.

The choice is made easy in part by Mr. McCain's disappointing campaign, above all his irresponsible selection of a running mate who is not ready to be president. It is made easy in larger part, though, because of our admiration for Mr. Obama and the impressive qualities he has shown during this long race. Yes, we have reservations and concerns, almost inevitably, given Mr. Obama's relatively brief experience in national politics. But we also have enormous hopes.

Mr. Obama is a man of supple intelligence, with a nuanced grasp of complex issues and evident skill at conciliation and consensus-building. At home, we believe, he would respond to the economic crisis with a healthy respect for markets tempered by justified dismay over rising inequality and an understanding of the need for focused regulation. Abroad, the best evidence suggests that he would seek to maintain U.S. leadership and engagement, continue the fight against terrorists, and wage vigorous diplomacy on behalf of U.S. values and interests. Mr. Obama has the potential to become a great president. Given the enormous problems he would confront from his first day in office, and the damage wrought over the past eight years, we would settle for very good.

. . . .

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Colin Powell is scheduled to be on Meet the Press this Sunday.

There is speculation that he might endorse Obama, but no one really knows that he might not endorse McCain. (My thinking is that if he did endorse McCain after this divisive rhetoric coming from McCain-Palin that he would just keep quiet.)

I have been very curious to see who will endorse. I expect it to be Obama, but until the volumetrically advantaged lady sings...

 

[mgb_phys]

Just for kicks, here's the Mickey Mouse voter application. It's unclear whether Mickey was registering as a Rep or Dem.

Not necessaruily fraudulent - I used to work on data cleaning software.
We had a routine that stripped out obviously fake applications - until a real Micheal Mouse started complaining.

 

[Evo]

LA Times and NYC Spanish-language paper endorse Obama

Los Angeles Times endorsed Democrat Barack Obama on Oct. 17:

El Diario/La Prensa, the largest Spanish-language daily paper in New York City, endorsed Obama on Oct. 17:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081017/ap_on_el_pr/presidential_endorsements_6

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The CNN poll of polls has tightened-up by two points.

49:43 Obama

Given the possibility of hidden racial bias, I would like to see Obama gain some ground in many of the States currently favoring him. Anything less than ten points worries me, and his lead in too many States is smaller than that.

 

[phoenixy]

David Iglesias, Republican Attorney, lash out against the recent ACORN probe. He was one of the victims of the 06 justice department politicization attorney firing scandal.

Iglesias: "I'm Astounded" By DOJ's ACORN Probe
By Zachary Roth - October 16, 2008, 6:50PM

David Iglesias says he's shocked by the news, leaked today to the Associated Press, that the FBI is pursuing a voter-fraud investigation into ACORN just weeks before the election.

"I'm astounded that this issue is being trotted out again," Iglesias told TPMmuckraker. "Based on what I saw in 2004 and 2006, it's a scare tactic." In 2006, Iglesias was fired as U.S. attorney thanks partly to his reluctance to pursue voter-fraud cases as aggressively as DOJ wanted -- one of several U.S. attorneys fired for inappropriate political reasons, according to a recently released report by DOJ's Office of the Inspector General.

Iglesias, who has been the most outspoken of the fired U.S. attorneys, went on to say that the FBI's investigation seemed designed to inappropriately create a "boogeyman" out of voter fraud.

And he added that it "stands to reason" that the investigation was launched in response to GOP complaints. In recent weeks, national Republican figures -- including John McCain at last night's debate -- have sought to make an issue out of ACORN's voter-registration activities.

As we noted earlier, last year, Sen. Dianne Feinstein publicly highlighted changes made to DOJ's election crimes manual, which lowered the bar for voter-fraud prosecutions, and made it easier to bring vote-fraud cases close to the election.

Speaking today to TPMmuckraker, Iglesias called such changes "extremely problematic."

The way in which the news was revealed today -- Associated Press sourced its report to two "senior law enforcement officials" who "spoke on condition of anonymity because Justice Department regulations forbid discussing ongoing investigations particularly so close to an election" -- is also raising eyebrows.

Both Iglesias and Bud Cummins -- another of the U.S. attorneys who, according to the IG report, was also fired for political reasons -- told TPMmuckraker that DOJ guidelines do allow US attorneys to speak publicly about an investigation, even before bringing an indictment, if it's to allay public concern over an issue.

But that certainly wouldn't cover anonymous leaks. "If you can't say it with your name on it, it's fair to say you should not be saying it," Cummins told TPMmuckraker.

Earlier this afternoon, House Judiciary Chair John Conyers (D-MI) released a letter he sent to Attorney General Michael Mukasey and FBI director Robert Mueller, which connected today's news to the U.S. attorney firings, and to recent GOP efforts to stoke fears over voter fraud.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/iglesias_im_astounded_by_dojs.php

Keep in mind that Iglesias and 7 of his colleagues were fired for refusing to prosecute phony voter fraud cases on behalf of the administration. Today, the "team players" attorneys are happily engaging in activity that Iglesias refused to do.


Edit: wow, Obama camp is jumping right into this. Firework coming up.

Obama Camp Connects ACORN Probe to US Attorneys Scandal
By Zachary Roth - October 17, 2008, 3:01PM

Add the Obama campaign to the growing list of players who think that DOJ's election-eve investigation into ACORN is a repeat of the politicization of the department that we saw in the US attorney firings scandal.

"With this voter fraud [investigation], we're seeing an unholy alliance of law enforcement and the ugliest form of partisan politics," Bob Bauer, an elections lawyer with the Obama camp, said on a conference call with reporters just now. Bauer compared the decision to launch the investigation with the US attorneys scandal, in which several US attorneys were fired for their unwillingess to pursue politically charged cases, including voter fraud, with sufficient aggression to satisfy the Bush administration.

Bauer released a letter sent to Attorney General Michael Mukasey calling on him to have the issue taken on by Nora Dannehy, the prosecutor he appointed to investigate the US attorney firings.

Bauer went on to accuse John McCain of "trying to create a much greater doubt about the electoral process altogether," by alleging that ACORN voter fraud could threaten the fabric of our democracy, as McCain claimed in the debate Wednesday night.

House Judiciary chair John Conyers, as well as David Iglesias -- whose firing as US attorney was a direct result of his reluctance to pursue GOP-pushed claims of voter fraud, according to the recent OIG report -- have also connected the FBI's ACORN investigation to the kind of politicization exposed in the firings saga.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/obama_camp_connects_acorn_prob.php

 

[Astronuc]

Nation could face short Election Night
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081017/pl_politico/14660

Network news executives said they are preparing for an unusual Election Night challenge: How to be honest with the audience, and still keep them tuned in, if the race between John McCain and Barack Obama is effectively decided before most Americans have finished dinner.

After two elections in which the suspense went far into the evening (and, in the case of 2000, for 36 days afterward), the executives said they are contemplating how to manage their newscasts in the event of an Obama blowout — in which the Democrat’s victory would be obvious while polls are still open in most of the country.

I really wish the networks would stop projecting winners. There is no need. What happens - happens. Let the votes be counted - without the incessant prattle of the news media and infotainment.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I really wish the networks would stop projecting winners. There is no need. What happens - happens. Let the votes be counted - without the incessant prattle of the news media and infotainment.

At least they have to wait until the polls close. As a Pacific Coast voter, it was very annoying when you knew that the race was already decided before you could vote.

 

[Astronuc]

I'm on the East Coast - and it annoys me. I pretty much gave up during the last two elections because they were declaring a winner before the polls closed on the West Coast. And some times they got it wrong and changed their projections.

Then in 2000 we had the Florida issue.

And in 2004 - it was Ohio and some other states up for grabs.


In both cases, I just turned off the TV and read a book.

 

[Art]

I'm on the East Coast -

I'm surprised, seeing your avatar with the long hair and beard I'd have thought you were definitely west coast - California

A lot of countries (Ireland being one) ban polls a week before election day and on polling day do not allow any projections until the polls are closed. I think this is a good idea.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

A lot of countries (Ireland being one) ban polls a week before election day and on polling day do not allow any projections until the polls are closed. I think this is a good idea.

An entire week without polls? I shudder to think of such a thing.

 

[LowlyPion]

Obama Campaign sends letter to Justice Department seeking to expand the scope of the Special Prosecutor investigating Vote Fraud in 2004 to include current Bush and McCain Campaign efforts to disenfranchise 2008 voters.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/...ges-gop-with-partisan-plot-to-suppress-votes/

 

[mathwonk]

my children and i still remember a basketball game from the 1980's when the hawks and dominique wilkins went to the locker room at half time celebrating a 30 something lead over the mighty celtics.

yep, in the second half, bird, mc hale, and parrish ("that one"), came out and outscored them by 39 points and won the game.

this election is not over until the votes are cast and counted.

 

[Astronuc]

I'm surprised, seeing your avatar with the long hair and beard I'd have thought you were definitely west coast - California

I'm just passing through.

A lot of countries (Ireland being one) ban polls a week before election day and on polling day do not allow any projections until the polls are closed. I think this is a good idea.

the US is not so advanced in this regard.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Tonight on the McGlaughlin group, we heard the newest buzz words, from the extreme right, that will be applied to Obama until the 4th: Socialist, and Marxist. At least Buchanan specified that he didn't mean communist!

This gets right back to the bit about Ayers that I mentioned. They are trying to tap the last vestige of the Red Menace. They are targeting the highly reliable voters who remember all of this; and of course, all of those red states full of real Americans who wouldn't vote of a communist...or socialist, or whatever.

And here is the real irony: It was a Republican President and Republican policies that forced us into socialism - the bailout! Yes, as it turns out, the Republicans are the true force behind socialism! As they say, just as there are no atheists in foxholes, there are no economic ideologues in a meltdown.

They guys can look at a clear blue sky, swear that the sky is red, and then insist that Obama is responsible.

 

[Vid]

http://wvgazette.com/News/200810170676

Claims of votes being switched from Obama to McCain in early voting in West Virginia.

 

[BobG]

The one thing that could tighten up this race is how the Senate races are going. I haven't seen current poll data showing how many Republicans support McCain/Obama, but the prospect of Democrats closing in on 60 Senate seats will surely reduce the percentage of Republicans supporting Obama. Some of those Red states have to swing back towards McCain.

Even if moderate Republicans support some of the things Obama has said over the campaign, how likely is Obama to veto a tax proposal or budget passed by a Democratic Congress?

I doubt it will close the race enough, though.

This is shaping up as a major disaster for Republicans. Stevens in AK only has himself to blame, but Republicans couldn't have anticipated AK being a tough state to win. The idea of Dole trailing in North Carolina is a shocker. Al Franken seriously being considered for any elective office is an even bigger shock! Then again, Minnesota elected a former WWF wrestler as governor - it's kind of a strange state. I never would have thought Kentucky, Mississippi, and Georgia would be toss-up Senate races.

 

[LowlyPion]

http://wvgazette.com/News/200810170676

Claims of votes being switched from Obama to McCain in early voting in West Virginia.

Unfortunately the past years of Republican dirty tricks has conditioned people to suspect any glitch in machine human interaction to be a sinister Rove plot. For an isolated anecdotal like that, I'm not inclined to see a plot. But certainly further reports should raise a flag.

I think the best system would involve a paper element, such as each machine printing a ticket that the voter takes and reviews as a double check and puts in a ballot box as they leave. Then the machines and the ballot totals can be matched if questions arise. As quality control a certain number of randomly selected precincts can be manually recounted and if enough difference is found between tickets and machines that could trigger a broader recount to insure fairness. Anything that is wholly machine based is an open invitation to fraud.

 

[OmCheeto]

Then again, Minnesota elected a former WWF wrestler as governor - it's kind of a strange state.

I was thinking the same thing about California the other day.
What other state has elected two bad actors?

I'd forgotten about Jesse.

Not that I'm implying that the WWF is just a show or anything like that.

 

[Astronuc]

McCain draws bipartisan criticism for 'robo calls'
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081018/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_robo_calls

LAS VEGAS – Two senators in opposing political parties asked Republican presidential candidate John McCain to stop the automated phone calls that link Democratic candidate Barack Obama to a 1960s radical.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, and Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, made separate appeals to McCain on Friday. Collins faces a tough race for re-election and serves as a co-chairwoman of his Maine campaign.

"These kind of tactics have no place in Maine politics," Collins spokesman Kevin Kelley said. "Sen. Collins urges the McCain campaign to stop these calls immediately."

In Nevada, a four-page campaign flier mailed this week by the state Republican Party also focused on Obama's past relationship with former Weather Underground leader Bill Ayers, calling the college professor a "terrorist, radical, friend of Obama" and featuring several images of Obama and Ayers.

Reid told reporters at a news conference in Las Vegas that he's surprised at the "scummy" tactics employed by McCain's presidential campaign and "can't believe John McCain knows what's going on."

. . . .

Apparently the McCain campaign's robo-calls may backfire.

Claiming a relationship between Ayers and Obama, where apparently none exist is not a good indication for someone who would be president.

 

[turbo]

Obama packs 'em in - draws 100,000 at a rally in St Louis, polled with 6-point lead in Missouri - a usually red state.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/10/18/obama-rally-draws-100000-in-missouri/

 

[Evo]

Colin Powell endorses Barack Obama for president

It appears that the top Republican's abandoning McCain and endorsing Obama have all brought up Palin as a key reason. I'll bet she's going to be a recurring nightmare the rest of his life if he loses.

Another important issue is that these are all people that have known McCain for a long time and don't like what he's become, they've lost faith in his abilities and see Obama as the clear choice for President.

WASHINGTON – Colin Powell, a Republican who was President Bush's first secretary of state, endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president Sunday and criticized the tone of Republican John McCain's campaign.

Powell said both Obama and Republican John McCain are qualified to be commander in chief. But he said Obama is better suited to handle the nation's economic problems as well as help improve its standing in the world.

Powell also expressed disappointment in the negative tone of McCain's campaign, his choice of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as a running mate and McCain's and Palin's decision to focus in the closing weeks of the contest on Obama's ties to 1960s-era radical William Ayers.

He said McCain's choice of Palin raised questions about judgment.

"I don't believe she's ready to be president of the United States," Powell said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081019/ap_on_el_pr/powell

A bit of campain humor.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/215/index.html

 

[Astronuc]

Powell endorses Obama as 'transformational'
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081019/pl_politico/14714

Retired General Colin L. Powell, one of the country's most respected Republicans, stunned both parties on Sunday by strongly endorsing Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) for president on NBC's "Meet the Press" and laying out a blistering, detailed critique of the modern GOP.

Powell said the election of Obama would "electrify the world."

"I think he is a transformational figure," Powell said. "He is a new generation coming ... onto the world stage and on the American stage. And for that reason, I'll be voting for Senator Barack Obama."

As a key reason, Powell said: "I would have difficulty with two more conservative appointments to the Supreme Court, but that's what we'd be looking at in a McCain administration."

. . .

I think there are many republicans who are questioning the GOP - and the Bush/Rove approach.

Barack Obama lines up a cabinet of stars as John McCain struggles on
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4968993.ece
The Democrat may recruit some big names, including Republicans, to see America through the crisis.

Frankly I can't see Kerry as Secretary of State.

I'd like to see Chuck Hagel as SecDef. Senator Lugar would be another good choice.

The excitement builds - well for some that is.