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LIGHTNING ROUND: CRIME AND PUNISHMENT.
- Barack Obama gave his "closing argument" speech today in Canton, Ohio, summarizing and contextualizing the themes of his campaign since it began 21 months ago. This does leave up in the air what Obama plans to do with his half-hour block of paid ad time on Wednesday but, as I suggested a few weeks ago, it will probably be something more special than a slickly-produced campaign retrospective.
- A 2001 recording of Obama discussing "redistribution" in the context of a purely academic discussion of the role of the federal courts has become the latest evidence of the Democrat's socialistic tendencies, blares the Drudge Report, National Review, and the McCain campaign. Of course, if you actually listen to what Obama is arguing, he's generally dismissive of the idea of using the courts to enact a policy agenda, preferring instead to use the good old fashioned -- dare I say conservative? -- option of letting legislatures hash it out. Ben Smith passes on a similar assessment from Obama adviser Cass Sunstein, who isn't exactly what I'd call a "judicial activist."
- Speaking of the courts, a Georgia court has struck down Republican Secretary of State Karen Handel's attempts to disenfranchise voters via an illegal "eligibility" gambit. Meanwhile, despite all this, libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr thinks Obama will win the state. See also Time on the 7 things that could go wrong on Election Day.
- Count me in the camp (if it exists) that does not believe Sarah Palin will cruise to the Republican presidential nomination in 2012 -- not because the conservative base will wise up -- but because she will face competition that year from this year's more seasoned also-rans. Let's also not forget that people like Chuck Hagel are going to keep pointing out her obvious lack of qualification for the job, the fact that she can't answer questions from reporters without first memorizing talking points and screening the questions, her tendency to divide rather than unite Americans and cause intraparty rifts, and her continuing problems back home. But don't take my word for it, Newsweek found she polled third behind Romney and Huckabee [the frontrunners for my money] in a theoretical 2012 match up [PDF]. You betcha!
- Bill Clinton will make his first joint campaign appearance with Barack Obama in Orlando, FL, on Wednesday.
- Ezra remarks on Republican Congressman Frank Wolf (VA-10) turning a blind eye to thuggish tactics perpetuated by his staff, and John Aravosis shares a Norm Coleman mailer, designed like a childrens' book, that discusses jokes about pornography and rape which, the document argues, make Al Franken "completely unfit for public office."
- The Obama campaign has filed an FEC complaint against John McCain for accepting personal donations exceeding the $2,300 limit. While they're at it, they might want to look into possible copyright infringement as well.
- Better safe than sorry: Joe Biden runs an ad for his Senate re-election in the event he loses his White House bid.
--Mori Dinauer
COMMENTS (6)
With the mounting bad news for their campaign, McCain/Palin will have no choice but to go increasingly negative in their attacks. Anybody else see this leaked 527 spot?
http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/Leaked_Pro_McCain_527_Negative_Ad_Small_Town_Fear_Itself/
Posted by: Exredstater | October 27, 2008 6:41 PM
Biden does need to get re-elected to the Senate even if Obama wins the presidency. Otherwise, his Senate seat would go to the Republican candidate.
Posted by: Jim | October 27, 2008 7:37 PM
Barack, never stated that redistribution should be from tax payers to those who do not pay taxes, that is a lie, deception and a fallacy. What he is talking about is "fairness" and opportunity for all. That there should be wealth for all, not just the special few!
We desperately need Change but be wary of the touch-screen voting machines. If your district uses one, be sure to confirm that the candidate you chose on the screen is the one that is checked off and not the other candidate.
In one Republican voting place in Florida the woman who ran the place said they STRESS absentee ballots for their contsituents and she had stacks of them on a corner table which had already been filled out and sent back. I got to thinking about that. Why would she Stress these ballots instead of people voting on the machines?
Posted by: Angellight | October 28, 2008 8:28 AM
Let's also not forget that people like Chuck Hagel are going to keep pointing out her obvious lack of qualification for the job, the fact that she can't answer questions from reporters without first memorizing talking points and screening the questions, her tendency to divide rather than unite Americans and cause intraparty rifts
There are some who would claim this is a feature, not a bug (i.e., the "OMG, she's just like me!" voting bloc—or, in the vernacular, idiots).
But Palin as the GOP standardbearer in 2012? We should be so lucky.
Posted by: Ubu Imperator | October 28, 2008 10:35 AM
Can we at least wait until after the 2010 mid-terms before we even think about the 2012 election?
Posted by: Ron E. | October 28, 2008 11:42 AM
I see you all have not lost your fight :
GOOD! Because we have a lot to do. You! (the American people) are going to have to take back control of your elected government at every level, and set your government back on the right path of service to you, and the greater good of the World.
Barack Obama and the democrats are your best hope of doing that now. Tell your family, friends, and everyone you know to support them as best they can. Because the Bush McCain vote fraud, vote cheating, vote buying, vote manipulation machine is already hard at work to cheat you again. And we all know what a disaster that has been the past 8 years of Bush McCain.
Barack Obama and the democrats will need all the power you can give them at every level of government (Federal, State, County, and local City elected governments). Obama and the democrats will have an enormous mess to fix for the American people, and the rest of the World. A mess caused by the corrupt Bush McCain administration.
You see, starting back in 2000, and before 911, it was mostly the Republican governors, Republican legislatures, and county elected Republican officials that conspired with the corrupt Bush McCain administration to raise college, and university tuitions by the fastest, and highest rate increases in American history. Some state tuitions went up by as much as a WHOPPING! 30% in one year.
The reason the Bush McCain administration did this was to force struggling working class kids into the military to pay for the sudden jump in tuition. Which was forced on them by the corrupt Bush McCain administration, and their corrupt Republican Governors, and republican controlled state legislatures.
See, Bush McCain had plans to get us into all these immoral, foolish, criminal, and unnecessary wars from the start. So they could use these wars to seize power, and later to get reelected. But, for their evil plan to work they needed more volunteer soldiers struggling to pay for an education whose blood they could spill to help them seize more power. Remember Bush McCain's "MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!" theatrics.
The exploitation, and lost lives of these finest Americans is despicable, disgusting, immoral, corrupt and criminal. And it makes me SICK, and ANGRY!
You will have to vote for Obama, and the democrats in overwhelming numbers to overcome the Bush McCain vote fraud machine. Vote early if you can. Then help your fellow Americans cast their votes now, and on through election day. Vote for Obama, and the democrats like your life, and the lives of your loved ones depends on it. Because it does. You will not survive 4 more years of "Let Them Eat Cake" Bush McCain, and their republican allies.
Just look at the mess we have now.
You can fix this mess with your votes for Obama, and the democrats. And REMEMBER, no matter which of us may stumble or fall, the rest of you must continue to surge forward for Barack Obama, and the democrats, and for your-selves most of all. The children, and the World are counting on us.
It's in your hands now. And I know you will get it done.
God bless all of you.
JACK SMITH - WORKING CLASS... :-)
Posted by: jacksmith | October 28, 2008 12:53 PM