Tag Archives: 2008 election

California

This Week With Barack Obama, November 11-17, 2007

cross-posted @ One Million Strong & Daily Kos

 
  barack in cedar rapids, ia this morning

December 1, 2007 – Des Moines, IA, Brown & Black Forum
December 1, 2007 – Des Moines, IA, Heartland Presidential Forum
December 4, 2007 – Des Moines, IA, NPR News/Iowa Public Radio Debate
December 10, 2007 – Los Angeles, California, CBS
December 13, 2007 – Johnston, Iowa, Des Moines Register Democratic Debate
January 15, 2008 – Las Vegas, Nevada
January 31, 2008 – California

 
  obama, jefferson jackson dinner, des moines, ia

Obama Goes for the Capillaries
Hillary Clinton Suddenly Vulnerable as Bruises Start to Show

Obama Stands Out in Night of Speeches

In the space of an hour this weekend, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, using some of their most pointed and forceful rhetoric of the campaign, framed the choice for Democrats deciding their party’s presidential nomination.

Clinton gave a strong speech at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner late Saturday. But Obama, criticized for occasional lackluster performances, delivered one of his most focused and powerful addresses.

In the view of many watching, he emerged as the oratorical winner at the biggest Democratic political event in Iowa before the state’s January caucuses.

His candidacy, Obama said, could produce a new Democratic majority capable of breaking the gridlock and polarization that have plagued Washington for a decade or more.

“The same old Washington textbook campaigns just won’t do it in this election,” he said.  Seattle Times

 
  las vegas debate, november 15th

Obama Apperances and Campaign Events

November 19, 2007 – Meet the Candidate, Barack Obama, Clarion, IA
November 19, 2007 – Town Hall Meeting with Barack, Fort Dodge, IA
November 20, 2007 – Meet the Candidate, Barack Obama, Alton, NH
November 20, 2007 – Meet the Candidate, Barack Obama, Conway, NH
November 20, 2007 – Meet the Candidate, Barack Obama, Laconia, NH
November 20, 2007 – Michelle Obama, Orangeburg, SC
November 20, 2007 – Michelle Obama, Columbia, SC
November 30, 2007 – Barack Obama and Former Sec of Navy, Richard Danzig, Washington, D.C.
December 2, 2007 – Countdown to Change, Boston, MA

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?  Why It’s Barack Obama
Obama Shows Off Organizational Strength at JJ Dinner
Transcript of Obama Apperance on Meet the Press

 
  obama on meet the press with tim russert, november 11, 2007, des moines, ia

Audio/Video

Obama on Meet the Press; Get to Know Barack; Las Vegas Democratic Debate, here; Audio Analysis Here; Michelle Obama on Morning Joe

In Iowa, Party Rivals Sharpen Jabs at Clinton
It is all about Iowa

 
  google interview, pt 1

 
  google interview, pt 2

Obama as the Red-Blue Uniter
Obama Stirs Up San Francisco Crowd
Republicans Crossin’ Over
Lessig Endorses Obama: Why You Should Care by AdamB
Obama Sister Hit the Campaign Trail

Obama:  Tax More Income for Social Security

Democrat Barack Obama said Sunday that if elected he will push to increase the amount of income that is taxed to provide monthly Social Security benefits.

Obama and other Democratic presidential candidates previously have signaled support for this idea.

But during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Obama said subjecting more of a person’s income to the payroll tax is the option he would push for if elected president.

He objected to benefit cuts or a higher retirement age.

“I think the best way to approach this is to adjust the cap on the payroll tax so that people like myself are paying a little bit more and people who are in need are protected,” the Illinois senator said.

“That is the option that I will be pushing forward.”

Currently, only the first $97,500 of a person’s annual income is taxed. The amount is scheduled to rise to $102,000 next year.  more

Democratic Caucus Goers Pick Obama, Edwards as JJ Winners

Iowa Democratic Party Chairman Scott Brennan called it “the most successful Jefferson Jackson Dinner in history,” but it was more successful for some candidates than for others.

After discussions with party insiders and people in attendance, the early consensus seemed to be that the candidates who have generally polled in the top three — Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama — all did well, with Edwards and Obama excelling in particular. Among the other three candidates — Joe Biden, Chris Dodd and Bill Richardson — the crowd seemed to be moved the most by Dodd and Biden, but not enough to significantly affect their chances in January, interviews Saturday night suggested. Candace Opstvedt of Story City was an undecided caucus-goer, but not any longer.

“I am definitely leaning toward Barack after tonight,” she said after the long night of speeches and Democratic fundraising, including an auction. Undecided caucus-goer Jordan Oster, a Drake University student and a Des Moines native, thought Obama and Edwards made a definite impression on the crowd.

“It is yet to be seen if tonight can be considered a moment of shakeup, but I think it really goes to show that Edwards and Obama cemented their importance in the race,” he said. “Neither made direct reference to Senator Clinton, but without mistake many references were aimed her way.”

Oster said he thought Biden, Dodd and Richardson did well, but didn’t stand out.  Iowapolitics.com

Can Obama Rock the Nomination?
What kind of question is THIS???  One word, yes.  He showed it last Saturday night, at the JJ Dinner.  The debate performance is now past and will forever be plagued with innuendo.  He is stronger than ever in Iowa.  And if people are fed UP, with partisian politics, gridlock, the same old thing.  Then you know for sure, what time it is.  It is change time.

 
  youtube interview

Will Obama Turn Out Young Voters in Iowa
All Tied Up in Iowa
Obama Photo Blog Lebanon, NH
Obama on Net Neutrality

UAW Region 4, Endorses Obama

UAW Region 4 Delegates Throw Support to Obama’s Campaign for PresidentDUBUQUE – Delegates of United Auto Workers Region 4, which includes 30,000 members and retirees in Iowa, voted today to support Senator Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. The group announced its overwhelming support at the close of a weeklong conference where seven of the major Democratic presidential candidates addressed the group earlier this week.

“There are many talented Democrats in the presidential field this year, but Barack Obama is the leader who will bring the kind of change to Washington that America’s working men and women can believe in,” said UAW Local 442 (Webster City, IA) President Paul Erickson. “For the last two decades, working families have been able to count on Barack Obama to stand up for us and our values. We are supporting him, because we know he’ll do the same thing in the White House.”  Time, DemDog

kos, on Obama’s Plan for Open Government
Stoller Leaning Obama
Chris Bowers, Ok, it is Still a Close Campaign
Barack Obama and the Illinois Death Penalty by AdamB

 
  obama @ google

Blogs and Websites

One Million Strong; This Week With Barack Obama; Washington State; Obama Dallas; NYC4OBAMA; NewYork4Obama; Texans for Obama; Republicans for Obama; Vermont for Obama; Independents for Obama; Seattle for Obama; Idaho for Obama; Asians for Obama; Bay Area for Obama; Sacramento for Obama; Families for Obama; Irish Americans for Obama; D.C. for Obama; Obama NH; Obama L.A.; Obama News Vine; Black Women for Obama; Obama Santa Cruz; Think on These Things; Iowa Republicans for Obama; Another Democratic Woman for Obama; RENObama!; Go Barack Obama

Clinton Camp, Sure Do Not Care About Nor Believe in the Youth Vote
Yep.  The Clinton Campaign has to be one of the more out of touch campaigns running.  For the Clinton Campaign to tout the inevitability meme, this campaign does not understand what drives the youth.  And to totally dis’ them as unimportant is even more laughable.  I am sure no dissin’ will be going on in an Iowa barn on January 3rd, if these Facebook Caucus Goers decide to show up.  Respect the youth.  Respect the ones who are disenfranchised.  Respect the lost Democratic Voters who want in again.  Just respect the voters.  Ok?

 
  obama in austin, tx

Obama to Clinton, Don’t ‘swift boat’ Me”
Clinton Must Spend More Time in Iowa
Obama, Durbin Targets VA Care

shoutouts:  food prices up, by bink; i am starting to detest hillary clinton, the british observer; read, dengre; why an edwards fan thinks obama took jefferson-jackson; dl’s take on democrats preferring dems on iran; update on marlboro marine; foreclosures record high

icebergslim’s last word:  obama and his supporters advocates.

‘It will only serve to steel our resolve’.

That describes us.

This week has been, ummm, quirky.

It has.

Barack came from the Iowa JJ Dinner, with a speech that people are still talking about.

Then the debate.

Well, it was a sham.  My opinion, as I do not speak or write for Obama Supporters Advocates.  But, it was.  Then we got the blistering report from an Obama supporter advocate who called them all out in her diary, no stone unturned, not off the beaten path, but blunt and precise.  LV Pol Girl’s diary of the events surrounding the debate was simply titled, Las Vegas Disgrace.  Was it Pulitzer Prize writing?  No.  Rhetorical Rhetoric?  No.  It was four simple paragraphs with an ending sentence that summed it all up what happened in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the CNN Debate.  So, simple, that everyone has read this diary, passed it on, shaking their heads.  And those that did not want it out had to sit, squirm, and take it.

Then Bob Johnson, comes on the scene.  You really don’t know what to expect with him, but he ripped Steny Hoyer a new one with this diary, Hey, Steny… Butt out.  I don’t know who Bob supports, but he was absolutely correct in this assessment of Hoyer going after Obama:

Oh, no. Steny thought it best to single out a candidate who he felt was bashing the current frontrunner:

“I’ve been disappointed,” Hoyer, 68, said in an interview on Bloomberg television’s “Political Capital with Al Hunt,” scheduled to air tonight. “I think it will hurt the party.”

He took particular exception to Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s assertion in a Las Vegas debate yesterday that Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton hadn’t given “straight answers” on “a host of issues.” Hoyer said that comment is “likely to get used by Republicans” in the general election.

What is this you ask?  It is what politicians refer to as, “calling your chits in.”  The old, “I helped you, raised money for you, now you need to help me.”  In other words, the Clinton Camp needs to dirty up Barack Obama.  The Clinton Camp need to reinforce that Obama is inexperienced, not ready.  Obama should not challenge, nor question anything on Hillary Clinton.  The GOP could use this against her.  As if “girlfriend” has already been anointed and appointed.

Then your keepin it real voice of icebergslim, rolls into a Saturday with an aw, hell naw diary on our best friends at CNN.  I don’t like to write on the weekends because I am usually compiling ‘This Week’, but when you get articles from NYT and L.A. Times sent to you about the debate, but more importantly how it is all connected up?  What are you to do?  I had to do what I do best.  Clinton News Network = CNN.

Of course, Obama Supporters Advocates then had to read insinuations of a whisper campaign, against our candidate.  Remember, it is all about making him dirty.  But, we took solace to what Barack said in his statement.

“The item did not identify these ‘agents,’ nor did it reveal the nature of the charge. It was devoid of facts, but heavy on innuendo and insinuation of the sort to which we’ve become all too accustomed in our politics these past two decades. If the purpose of this shameless item was to daunt or discourage me or supporters of our campaign from challenging and changing the politics of Washington, it will fail. In fact, it will only serve to steel our resolve.

That paragraph, for me, said it all about Barack Obama.

It will only serve to steel our resolve.

That is what the other campaigns don’t get.  But they will, starting in Iowa.

Yes, we are supporters of Barack Obama, but you are correct in your assessment, we are his ADVOCATES, first.

 
  michelle in dewitt, ia

If you appreciate the weekly Obama Roundup, then Tip My Obama Jar!!  Minimum five dollars.  This contribution goes directly to the Obama Campaign.  We are in the last stretch of fundraising, Quarter 4, it ends December 31st.  Remember to make your contribution.

::

Lastly, a magnificent diary by femlaw titled, “Obama’s Field of Dreams (California & Iowa Edition)”  This is a must read for all.  If you don’t understand strategy and Obama’s passion for building from ground up, peep this.  After the read, you will get it.

 
well, barack was in austin, texas telling them to get ready for change.  and i am here to ask you, are you ready for it?  always, remember to focus on obama, and not the drama….

::

contact me @ [email protected]
This Week With Barack Obama

Uncategorized

Dear, Progressives: We Need Your Vote Tonight!

The DFA Presidential Pulse Poll ends tonight at Midnight Eastern/9:00 PM Pacific Standard Time, which only gives us a few hours to cast our votes. So far, over 130,000 votes have been cast, making it the largest presidential poll of progressive activists this year. I am genuinely proud to write that Dennis Kucinich currently leads with over 30% of the vote.

However, as positive as a Kucinich victory is, simply finishing first is less important than our sending a clear message to America that, as Progressives, we have made a committment to pushing progressive values into the mainstream and elevating the voices that best represent those values. We must push Dennis Kucinich higher, we must cast our votes, for we know that he is the candidate that best represents these values. He proves it to us through his platform, at each debate, in every speech, and vote after vote in Congress.

Who is the only Democratic presidential candidate who campaigned against and voted against the war authorization resolution in 2002 and every supplemental appropriation since? Who is the only Democratic presidential candidate to vote against the unconstitutional and illegal U.S.A Patriot Act?

Who is the only candidate to come to terms with the Occupation of Iraq and speak out about the unjust privatization of Iraq’s national oil wealth?

Who is the only candidate to provide leadership and consistently speak out against agressive military action in Iran? Who is the only candidate willing to stand up to this Administration and its abuses by pursuing Impeachment?

Who is the only only Presidential candidate willing to challenge the private insurance and pharmaceuitcal companies with a truly universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care system to cover all Americans?

Who is the only candidate willing to address the causes of our massive trade deficit, millions of outsourced jobs, worker and human rights abuses, and environmental abuses? What other candidate is willing to look at these problems and take the action that needs to be done: withdrawing the U.S. from NAFTA/WTO?

Who is the only candidate to offer true equal rights to all Americans, supporting full marriage equality?

Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate willing to take a clear stand for progressive values and he is pushing this whole party through his leadership. It is Dennis Kucinich that opened the dialogue on the U.S. presence in Iraq that other candidates have moved to. It is Dennis Kucinich that introduced the power of the purse and Congress’ ability to end the war now, which we have heard other candidates begin to consider. It is Dennis Kucinich that first talked about diarmament and cutting the Pentagon budget, putting the money into domestic needs like education and infrastructure. Now other candidates are talking about the same things.

Dennis Kucinich is the candidate that is making our voices heard. Now it is up to us to make that voice stronger and more resonant. Please support the progressive candidate and cast your vote for Dennis Kucinich in the DFA poll here. 

Thank you.

Uncategorized

John Nichols Nails It On Iran and Kucinich

John Nichols, writing for “The Nation”, has just written a kind of intellectual “call to arms” regarding, what is quite possibly, the most important issue facing the United States right now: Iran.

Those echoes that Americans are hearing in the noisy-and-getting-noisier debate about Iran are from 2002 and 2003, when members of the current administration were busy spinning the fantasy that the United States needed to attack Iraq.

George “Uranium From Africa” Bush sure sounds like he wants to attack Iran. Just last week, the president said, “I’ve told people that if you’re interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them (Iran) from (obtaining) the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.”

Dick “Greeted As Liberators” Cheney sure sounds like he wants to attack Iran. This week, the vice president declared: “Our country, and the entire international community, cannot stand by as a terror-supporting state fulfills its grandest ambitions.”

Secretary of State Condoleezza “Mushroom Clouds” Rice sure sounds like she wants to attack Iran. “Unfortunately the Iranian government continues to spurn our offer of open negotiations, instead threatening peace and security by pursuing nuclear technologies that can lead to a nuclear weapon…” Rice said on Thursday, as she announced drastic new sanctions against the country that serious analysts say poses little threat to its neighbors and no real threat to the U.S.

Astutely pointing out the similarities to the pre-war spin on Iraq, to his credit, Nichols has the integrity to go further and point us towards the one and only Democratic candidate possessing both credibility and leadership on Iraq and Iran:

And, as in 2002 and early 2003, the most rational response is coming from Congressman Dennis Kucinich, the Ohio Democrat who says, “After the lies and deception used to lead us to war in Iraq, the belligerent Bush Administration cannot be given leeway with statements that suggest a preemptive attack on Iran is necessary,” says Kucinich, a candidate for the Democratic presidential nod who deserves a much better hearing that he has been afforded so far by the media and Democratic power brokers. “We are systematically destroying every available route to restoring peace and security in the Middle East,” he adds.

As Kucinich is the only candidate to oppose the invasion from the beginning and consistently oppose the occupation in its entirety, and further been willing to lead on Iran throughout his campaign, Nichols assesment is dead on.

“He’s right”, Nichols states, only to follow with sad lamentation and ominous warning:

But being right is not always enough in tenuous times.

Being heard is what matters.

And so, to his credit, Nichols is doing his part in enabling Kucinich’s voice of clarity to be heard. Will we listen?

If the prospect of a further aggressive action without legitimacy isn’t enough, consider Nichols’ fundamental argument in the closing of his short essay:

The point here is not a political one… This is about the most fundamental question in a democracy: At a time when talk of war is growing louder, will we hear a real debate or merely the exaggerated echoes of those who have never gotten anything right?

The answer could well be measured by the extent to which Dennis Kucinich and those who stood with him in 2002 and 2003 are afforded the forums that their record of having been able to cut through the spin of the past should afford them in the present.

Nichols is not soliciting votes, supporting Kucinich’s Campaign or endorsing him for our highest office, however, he has managed to isolate the essential basis for all three. Kucinich’s candidacy is nothing less than our opportunity to reclaim our Country and its Democratic Principles in total. Will we accept?

California

Outlook for the California State Legislature in 2008

17 Comments

(wanted to make sure this didn’t get lost. excellent tables! – promoted by Robert in Monterey)

Many in the California Democratic Party circles may not know this, but in 2008 there is a real possibility of gaining 2/3 majorities in the State Senate and State Assembly. The fact that a two-thirds vote in both houses is required to pass the annual budget and to override gubernatorial vetoes could serve as a compelling reason to vote against the term-limits initiative.

Using my extraordinary math, statistics, and HTML skills, below I included with each list of incumbents are the margins that each district voted in the 2002 Governor’s race (2002G: Davis vs. Simon), 2004 Presidential race (2004P: Kerry vs. Bush), 2004 Senate race (2004S: Boxer vs. Jones), and 2006 Senate race (2006S: Feinstein vs. Mountjoy) and the average of these and the registration margins, which I will call the Partisan Factor (PF).

Check out the discussion here.

Numbers are below the flip:

ASSEMBLY

23 Assemblymembers are term-limited in 2008, 12 Republicans and 11 Democrats. Here are the districts which will be open, the term-limited incumbent (for reference) and the registration statistics.

Republican-Held Seats (12)

District Incumbent DEM GOP Margin
2
Doug La Malfa
31.76%
47.44%
R+15.68
3
Rick Keene
33.41%
41.75%
R+8.34
10
Alan Nakanishi
37.80%
41.83%
R+3.97
15
Guy Houston
38.26%
39.51%
R+1.25
26
Greg Aghazarian
40.84%
41.99%
R+1.15
34
Bill Maze
32.89%
46.88%
R+13.99
36
Sharon Runner
36.16%
42.77%
R+6.61
64
John Benoit
33.49%
45.45%
R+7.94
71
Todd Spitzer
26.55%
52.07%
R+25.52
75
George Plescia
28.73%
43.15%
R+14.42
78
Shirley Horton
40.92%
33.99%
D+6.93
80
Bonnie Garcia
45.59%
36.97%
D+8.62

District 2002G
2004P
 2004S 2006S PF
2
R+30.0
R+34.1
R+23.7
R+16.7
R+24.0
3
R+31.5
R+14.7
R+7.3
R+0.2
R+12.4
10
R+16.6
R+14.0
R+0.7
D+6.2
R+5.8
15
R+4.5
D+0.1
D+7.8
D+22.3
D+4.9
26
R+5.7
R+15.6
D+1.0
D+6.3
R+3.0
34
R+26.1
R+33.6
R+20.9
R+12.6
R+21.4
36
R+26.0
R+21.9
R+5.7
D+5.4
R+11.0
64
R+15.3
R+16.6
R+1.6
D+0.7
R+8.1
71
R+33.6
R+30.2
R+19.4
R+14.4
R+24.6
75
R+19.8
R+12.7
R+0.2
D+5.6
R+8.3
78
D+2.4
D+3.2
D+20.4
D+24.2
D+11.4
80
D+8.6
D+5.2
D+19.3
D+22.4
D+12.8

Democratic-Held Seats (11)

District Incumbent DEM GOP Margin
1
Patty Berg
44.52%
28.05%
D+16.27
8
Lois Wolk
45.52%
29.51%
D+16.01
13
Mark Leno
56.22%
9.31%
D+46.91
14
Loni Hancock
58.70%
15.04%
D+43.66
19
Gene Mullin
50.05%
22.57%
D+27.48
22
Sally Lieber
43.40%
24.25%
D+19.15
27
John Laird
48.12%
26.40%
D+21.68
30
Nicole Parra
46.45%
38.70%
D+7.75
40
Lloyd Levine
47.78%
28.12%
D+19.66
46
Fabian Núñez
63.37%
12.78%
D+50.59
52
Mervyn Dymally
67.90%
13.00%
D+54.90

District 2002G
2004P
 2004S 2006S PF
1
D+10.3
D+22.4
D+26.5
D+32.5
D+21.6
8
D+8.8
D+12.5
D+22.8
D+28.8
D+17.8
13
D+53.3
D+72.2
D+73.5
D+72.9
D+63.8
14
D+43.9
D+62.8
D+61.7
D+65.6
D+55.5
19
D+28.4
D+39.8
D+44.8
D+54.4
D+39.0
22
D+26.4
D+36.1
D+40.7
D+48.5
D+34.2
27
D+20.4
D+35.0
D+36.0
D+43.8
D+31.4
30
R+2.6
R+14.7
D+3.8
D+12.9
D+1.4
40
D+11.6
D+21.9
D+35.3
D+33.7
D+24.3
46
D+60.8
D+62.7
D+72.3
D+72.3
D+63.7
52
D+70.0
D+73.5
D+79.4
D+79.9
D+71.5

SENATE

10 Senators are term-limited in 2008, 6 Democrats and 4 Republicans.

*Maldonado is not term-limited but may be vulnerable in his increasingly Democratic district.

Republican-Held Seats (5)

District Incumbent DEM GOP Margin
15
Abel Maldonado*
39.69%
37.14%
D+2.55
19
Tom McClintock
36.23%
40.36%
R+4.13
29
Bob Margett
32.14%
44.68%
R+12.54
33
Dick Ackerman
26.94%
50.75%
R+23.81
37
Jim Battin
34.57%
45.26%
R+10.69

District 2002G
2004P
 2004S 2006S PF
15
R+2.4
D+6.4
D+11.3
D+20.6
D+7.7
19
R+7.0
R+2.0
D+7.6
D+10.6
D+1.0
29
R+19.9
R+15.2
R+1.7
R+2.2
R+10.3
33
R+31.4
R+27.2
R+14.9
R+11.6
R+21.8
37
R+13.4
R+16.6
R+0.9
D+2.2
R+7.9

Democratic-Held Seats (6)

District Incumbent DEM GOP Margin
5
Michael Machado
45.98%
32.41%
D+13.57
7
Tom Torlakson
46.81%
30.66%
D+16.15
9
Don Perata
58.98%
13.53%
D+45.45
21
Jack Scott
45.65%
28.56%
D+17.09
23
Sheila Kuehl
50.07%
25.26%
D+24.81
25
Edward Vincent
58.87%
20.97%
D+37.90

District 2002G
2004P
 2004S 2006S PF
5
D+7.7
D+8.4
D+22.2
D+27.6
D+15.9
7
D+14.5
D+22.8
D+27.2
D+39.6
D+24.1
9
D+48.2
D+63.6
D+64.5
D+66.6
D+57.7
21
D+15.0
D+27.8
D+35.9
D+37.0
D+26.6
23
D+22.6
D+31.1
D+40.8
D+45.9
D+33.0
25
D+38.7
D+45.7
D+52.9
D+53.6
D+45.8

Now here is a list of the districts with the most competitive PF’s, ranked from highest to lowest priority.

Assembly

District PF
80
D+12.8
78
D+11.4
15
D+4.9
30
D+1.4
26
R+3.0
10
R+5.8
64
R+8.1
75
R+8.3

Senate

District PF
15
D+7.7
19
D+1.0


Overall, we should target Assembly Districts 10, 15, 26, 64, 75, 78, and 80 while defending District 30, and target Senate Districts 15 and 19. If we manage to win both Senate seats, we will have 27 Senate seats, enough for a 2/3 majority. If we win the most competitive Assembly districts (10, 15, 26, 78, 80) we will have 53, just one short of 2/3. We would have to win at least one of the lesser competitive districts (64, 75) to reach 2/3 there. We will also have to defend AD-30, which may not be hard if we find a candidate less divisive than Parra.

With 2/3 in both houses, we can finally pass decent budgets without significant bickering and with sufficient funding for things like mental health facilities and public transit including high-speed rail.

San Diego

Bill Richardson: Neighbors Help Neighbors in Need

This displaced Southern Californian sends her most heartfelt gratitudes out to Governor Bill and the New Mexico firefighters for their generosity. Bill also donated $10,000 to the Red Cross to help assist in the recovery efforts. This has led me to believe that under a President Richardson administration, the National Guard will be home to support their fellow citizens in a time of natural emergency. That is just one reason why I support Richardson for president.

http://www.dailykos….

Bill Richardson ordered New Mexico firefighters today to assist in bringing the devastating fires in Southern California under control. He noted, “Neighbors should help neighbors in their time of need.”

This is another illustration of Richardson’s leadership skills in operation. Richardson’s vision of neighbors helping neighbors, however, is not limited to domestic matters. Last week Richardson gave a well received speech in Iowa on the role the U.S. can play in improving the welfare of the planet and human race.

Uncategorized

Are You Crazy?

9 Comments

(Another great post from akogun on CA-03. – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

CA-03 is a “Safe” District. It is a Republican “stronghold” and the rethugs have a unshakeable stranglehold on it. Are you crazy? Do you seriously believe that your candidate stands a chance against the “shock and awe” political juggernaut of the incumbent? That’s what they tell me.

You are crazy – aren’t you? You are a lunatic, yes you are. You must be a certifiable loco to believe that the 2006 elections would have turned out as posititvely as they did for the Democrats.

30 House Seat net gain? Did you ever think that was possible? If you did, you have more than a few screws loose. Not only that, there is thyme mixed into your bong.

6 Senate Seat net gain? I mean, seriously, that pony you are riding is a unicorn.

You must be crazy to think that the “next big thing since grated cheese”, the inimitable, imposing and everlasting honorable Macaca himself, the next annointed “shoo-in-for-the-Presidency” would lose his seat to a neophyte, a political nonentity.

Too much mushroom mixed in with your free-basing concortion led you to even entertain the possibility that Roach-Man Tom Delay, the inventor of pecuniary lubrication, the super-duper exterminator himself, will not only lose his seat, but also be impelled to ignominously relocate his domicile.

You didn’t listen to your Doctor’s advice not to mix your prescriptions, right? That led you to believe that an uppity farmer from nowhere will be replacing the “Guatemalan importer” and “Abramoffed” Conrad Burns.

That Santorum will be a past tense today?

That the highly-connected Mike Dewine will not only be disconnected, but also won’t be wining and dining with anyone not wearing orange jump-suit?

That all this will come to pass in your life time? And that all you had to do to be a witness to all this is just believe in the efficacy of your own confirmed insanity?

You must be insane. To think that you could move mountains with nothing but the power of your lonesome self. That when your very individually-insignificant self joins forces with other Lilliputians of indeterminate lucidity, you actually make things happen.

CA-03 is a safe, R+7 District, they told me. And I am crazy to think that Dr. Bill Durston – a Vietnam Veteran – can do to the incumbent what Jerry Mcnerney and his loquacious bunch of “rabid rabble rousers” did to the “unbeatable”, never-met-a-forest-I-didn’t-wanna-plunder Richard Pombo.

I am crazy. But I know that I am in the midst of more irredeemable keyboard-analysts. I am surrounded by lunatics who are more lost than I am.

And now, I ask you. Please act crazy. Help me bring some insanity to the equilibrium that dictates that CA-03 is a “safe” district where a Publican can hold sway forever, without any semblance of accountability to the constituents.

More than anything else, please tell your fellow lunaticos about this crazy movement. Have anyone on your IM, mailing list, rolodex, or buddy list in CA-03 ? Rather than Foley’ing around with them, please send them our way. More than your money, the Campaign NEEDS more Crazy and Phony dis-Believers. PLEASE VOLUNTEER

Disclaimer: I do not speak for the Durston for Congress Campaign in ANY official capacity.

Central Valley

CA-03: This time, it’s P-E-R-S-O-N-A-L

3 Comments

(I love hearing about people working in the trenches. – promoted by David Dayen)

I do NOT officially speak for the Bill Durston For Congress Campaign.

I am only one of the multitude of constituents in the California Congressional 3rd District volunteering time and efforts to a very inspiring and grassroot-supported campaign to wrest this district from the stranglehold of an absentee representative. I also happen to be a “blogger” with a strong conviction that this District (nay, our country) deserves able representation by people of integrity, virtue and passion imbued with strong desire to lead us out of the political quagmire that has beset our country for the past several years.

CROSS-POSTED at DAILY KOS

CA-03 is one of the ostensibly “Red” and Rethuglican “Safe” districts, and the incumbent is one of the most apparently-privileged “untouchables” you find in such “safe” districts.

A little background on CA-03:
Gerrymandered%20CA%2003

A little note on the GERRYMANDERING that put people like Dan Lungren in power.
Not since CA-03 was redistricted to compensate Dan Lungren after his disastrous loss in the 1998 gubenatorial elections to Gray Davis has Dan Lungren ever faced any serious political threats to his sense of entitlement. He even represented the CA-03 for a long time without bothering to actually live in the District, and sparingly bothered to engage the constituents at all. That changed in the 2006 elections.

Although the Bill Durston For Congress campaign in ’06 did not get into serious gears until very close to the elections, the grassroot support and the efforts of so many volunteers who wanted to do everything possible to effect changes in the District ensured that the results were competitive. In the previous election, Dan Lungren won by a whopping 28% margin (62% of total votes), even without the benefit of incumbency. In 2006, however, Dan’s margin had been reduced to 22% (59% of total votes). – this in spite of the power of incumbency and the treasure chest of campaign funds he had amassed in the two years he had been in congress.

How did this happen? You may ask. It happened because of people like the ones I present to you below – the enthusiastic volunteers who crave real change, believe in the 50-state strategy, do not agree that there is a “safe” Republican district that cannot be made competitive and wrested away from the enablers, and who are will to put their time, money, feet, fingers and all they have in a movement to turn ever RED part of California BLUE this time around.

Why are we starting early this time? Well, one of the lessons learned from our last campaign is that we started late, and played catch-up all the way through, garnering momentum all the way to election night. Because we started late, the “mo” couldn’t carry us all the way.

This time around, it’s personal. Personal as in YOU. If You live in CA-03, or have the ability and capacity to reach out and help out, the campaign NEEDS YOU NOW. The campaign needs you help spread the word about our veteran candidate and to help level the monetary playing field by ACTING BLUE.

More importantly, IF you live in CA-03, the campaign NEEDS you to help do what the selfless individuals listed below are doing for the BILL DURSTON FOR CONGRESS campaign. The movement is afoot, please hop onto the train and pitch in however you can.

Now presenting……the able volunteers from BILL DURSTON FOR CONGRESS campaign’s call-a-thon held today (October 13th, 2007):


Dr. Bill Durston himself.


Diane – Bill’s wife.


Marilyn (Chief of Staff) – and David.


Ali, the magnanimous (and very passionate) host of our Call-A-Thon and several other events.


Susan – Ali’s wife, without whom many of us will probably neven have been brought together to rally around our extremely strong candidate.

The rest of the gang, in no particular order of preference:









Chow Time – did I mention that Ali is the best cook in town? Just checking 🙂


Uncategorized

No Dirty Tricks: The Movie

2 Comments

I was up half the night putting together this little video for the Courage Campaign’s effort to fight the Republican dirty trick to split California’s electoral votes and steal the Presidential election.  We got a handful of semi-famous bloggers together (Jane Hamsher from Firedoglake, John Amato from Crooks and Liars, Howie Klein from Down With Tyranny, some Kos diarists, and more) and sent a message that we can fight this thing, energize California Democrats, and make the Republicans wish they never brought it up in the first place.

The Courage Campaign is setting up a conference call featuring Bradley Whitford of The West Wing to discuss the next steps.  You can RSVP for it at the link.

Uncategorized

CA-04 : Keeping my Promise

3 Comments

(Welcome the next Representative from California’s 4th Congressional District. – promoted by David Dayen)

In the fall of 2005, Jan and I had become so frustrated at the direction of our country, the war in Iraq and the corruption in Washington, we decided it was time to take action.  I decided to run for Congress against Rep. John Doolittle – one of the most recognizable symbols of corruption and partisan politics in Washington.

When we started that campaign, we went to house parties with five and ten people in attendance to persuade them to join our effort.  We built momentum one volunteer, one house party and one neighborhood at a time, and we narrowly missed in 2006.

Today, as I officially announce my 2008 candidacy for Congress in CA-04, we are expecting over three hundred and fifty people (that’s just the number who RSVP’d in advance) to participate in our campaign kickoff barnstorming tour.  Our strength today is a large result of your efforts over the past two years-empowering everyday people from the grassroots to the netroots and everywhere in between. You have helped us organize, drive our message to the local and national press and helped us raise the resources needed to fuel our people powered campaign.  For that, I am eternally grateful.

Thirty-Five years ago when I joined the Air Force, I took an oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.  My allegiance to this oath has, and will always be, without hesitation or purpose of evasion.  Country comes first.

When I got in the race last cycle, I pledged to see the mission through to its completion.  I keep my promises.  And with my family at my side today, I will officially start the next phase of this mission and see it through to the end.

Simply put, I can’t do it without you.  So, I am respectfully asking for your help and support again to complete the mission we started together.

I know that we all may not agree on every issue.  But I know the difference between patriotism and partisanship.  The difference is results.  The difference is accountability.  The difference is having the courage to make the tough choices – and to solve the problems confronting America, we have a lot of tough choices to make in the years to come.

My announcement speech is linked HERE. I hope you will take a few minutes out of your day to read it and hopefully, pass it along to a few friends and enlist them to join our cause at www.charliebrownforcongress.org .

Together, we will get this country back on track.  We will reclaim our government for “we the people.”  And we’ll be seeing you soon on the campaign trail.

Keep fighting,
Charlie

Contribute Here

California

From The People Who Brought You The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth…

I mentioned this in the Quickies, but it deserves some front-page attention.  The San Jose Mercury News has delved deeper (reg. req’d) into the connections between the GOP law firm pushing the dirty trick initiative to steal the 2008 Presidential election, and past ratfucking operations of years past.  At the top of the list is the key financier from the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

Lawyers behind a California ballot proposal that could benefit the 2008 Republican presidential nominee have ties to a Texas homebuilder who financed attacks on Democrat John Kerry’s Vietnam War record in the 2004 presidential campaign.

Charles H. Bell and Thomas Hiltachk’s (Arnold’s former personal lawyer -ed.) law firm banked nearly $65,000 in fees from a California-based political committee funded almost solely by Bob J. Perry that targeted Democrats in 2006. Perry, a major Republican donor, contributed nearly $4.5 million to the group Swift Boat Veterans for Truth that made unsubstantiated but damaging attacks on Kerry three years ago.

The Perry-financed committee in California, the Economic Freedom Fund, continued to spend money this year, mostly on legal expenses tied to an ongoing legal dispute in Indiana over phone calls made to voters in 2006. It lists the Sacramento law office’s address as its home and its Web site directs contributions to the firm, Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk. In addition, Bell serves as the committee’s treasurer.

I highlighted that other bit because it’s significant that Perry also financed the major dirty trick of the 2006 election: numerous illegal robocalls to voters in swing districts, pretending to be from Democrats.  So the same law firm trying to split California’s electoral votes have taken cash from the major Republican dirty tricks operations over the last several years.

It’s unclear whether Perry has given to this current power grab.  But with his name in the rolodex, it would be absurd to think he won’t.

Here’s a little more on the law firm, Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk:

Bell, McAndrews & Hiltachk is one of the most politically involved law firms in the state. According to a news story on its Web site, Bell keeps a life-sized cardboard image of President Bush in his office. Federal records show the firm does legal work for a host of political committees, most with Republican or business ties.

“It comes across as a power grab,” said Republican analyst Allan Hoffenblum, who predicted the proposal would likely fail in the Democratic-leaning state. Even Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger offered a lukewarm assessment of the idea.

Here’s Digby on the power grab.

They really couldn’t be more obvious.

I suspect this is as much mind fuck as anything, and perhaps a simple desire to force Democrats to spend money on something they don’t want to spend it on, but you cannot take that for granted. These people have no compunction about cheating. They’ve shown that. Look what it got us in 2000. And if they succeed again, the press will just laugh and giggle about haircuts and cleavage and tell everyone to get over it. Just like last time. And the time before. And the time before that.

This is about spending money, certainly, but I do think it could backfire by energizing California and national Democrats in a way that they are rarely energized about anything. If we build a broad-based movement around first fighting this dirty trick and then making them pay, they could rue the day they ever put this out. Courage Campaign is raising money to fight this at the grassroots level, with low-dollar, broad-based donations.  They’ve already raised $7,000 from over 250 contributors within less than 24 hours.  Let’s get to 1,000.

This is something that impacts everyone around the country.  A strong people-powered movement in California will resonate everywhere, and this can be the spark that will light that movement.  Let’s not let the type of tactics we saw with the Swifties predominate.  Let’s make these thieves pay.

UPDATE: It was a blogger, our own Frank Russo of the California Progress Report who exposed Bell, McAndrews and HIltachk’s involvement with the Swiftboaters.  If you want to see more digging like this, more people-powered exposure of these dirty tricksters, give to the Courage Campaign fund to stop this power grab in its tracks.