Month: July 2008

Poll: Obama Leads McCain by 24 Points in California – And By a Whopping 46 Points among Independents

Jon Ponder

Polling before Labor Day in the presidential race is all but useless, still — this is amazing:
These numbers bode well for the defeat of Proposition 8, the homophobe lobby’s attempt to amend the California Constitution to revoke the right to marry for gay couples.

The latest statewide poll, conducted by the Field organization, shows Democrat Barack Obama extending his lead in the state and now trouncing Republican John McCain by 24 points, 54 percent to 30percent. In May, Obama’s lead was a smaller 17 points, and in January, an even slighter 7 points.

The Field poll, conducted July 8-14, also demonstrated an enthusiasm gap in California: 51 percent of Obama’s supporters said they were very enthusiastic about him, whereas only 17 percent of McCain’s made the same claim…

[Among] the nonpartisan voters highly coveted by candidates, Obama led 64 percent to 18 percent.

That last number, Obama’s 46 point lead among independents, is significant. This is just a guess but much of the antipathy among independents toward McCain, the self-described “maverick,” likely can be traced to his position in favor of drilling off the coast.

Drilling for oil along the coast may not be the third rail in California politics but it is certainly, you’ll pardon the mangling of metaphors, one of them. There are already dozens of rigs visible along some of the state’s awe-inspiring coastal vistas, especially around Santa Barbara, where there was a catastrophic spill in January 1969.

One reason polling at this early stage is useless is because polls usually tighten closer to elections. But elections in California are decided by independents these days, and McCain’s 46 point deficit will be — I’ll say it — impossible to make up, barring some sort of “macaca” moment for Obama that hobbles his campaign.

If subsequent polls continue to show this sort of disparity in favor of Obama, it will save both campaigns tens of millions of dollars in costs of television advertising in California.

It also bodes well for the defeat of Proposition 8, the homophobe lobby’s attempt to amend the California Constitution to revoke the right to marry for gay couples.

Speaking of Obama, the fact that “only” 51 percent of Dems are enthusiastic about voting for him is interesting. This could be interpreted to mean that, although they plan to vote for him, as many as 49 percent of California Democrats wish the nominee were someone else.

Nine House Republicans Vote for Impeachment Hearings

Jon Ponder

Passes 238-180, 10 Republicans Abstain

An unidentified government official of a U.S. ally wants to participate if and when Kucinich makes his case to impeach President Bush before the House Judiciary Committee.There will be a hearing related to Rep. Dennis Kucinich’s Article of Impeachment against George Bush in the House Judiciary Committee. That was assured by a vote of 238 to 180 on Tuesday.

But, according to Keith Olbermann on MSNBC’s “Countdown” Wednesday night, Speaker Nancy Pelosi has mandated that questioning in the hearing be relegated to Bush’s abuses of power, not his criminal wrongdoing.

“There’s never been one [hearing] that accumulated all the things that constitute an imperial presidency,” said Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, according to CQ Politics. He indicated topics covered in the hearing would include the firing of U.S. attorneys for political reasons, the betrayal of CIA agent Valerie Plame and Bush’s alleged lying to Congress about the reasons for invading Iraq.

Kucinich’s single Article of Impeachment only deals with Bush’s lies to Congress.

[…]

Dr. Ron Paul’s Campaign Manager Dies Uninsured, $400,000 in Debt

Jon Ponder

As the campaign manager for the presidential bid of Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), Kent Snyder received a lot of credit for raising $35 million from grassroots supporters, a phenomenal accomplishment for an insurgent campaign.

But, like 48 million other Americans, Snyder had no health insurance, and when he died from pneumonia on June 26 after a two-month hospital stay, he left medical bills totaling over $400,000.

It is emblematic of our age that Snyder’s boss, Rep. Paul, is a physician.

The story comes from the Washington Blade [that link is now inactive, here is an excerpt from the story published in the Daily Paul, a Paulestinian propaganda site – Editors, Sept. 14, 2011]:

Gay staffers from the Paul campaign, some speaking on condition that they not be identified, said they learned about Snyder’s unpaid medical bills from a web site created by his friends that calls on Paul supporters to contribute to a special fund to help Snyder’s family pay the bills, which come mostly from a two-month hospitalization. So far, the site (kentsnyder.com) has raised about $32,000.

[…]

JibJab ‘Campaignin” Video References Charges That POW ‘Songbird’ McCain Collaborated with His Captors

Jon Ponder

It never came up in the GOP primaries. The mainstream media won’t dare mention it. Even John McCain’s most liberal opponents won’t go there. But leave it to equal opportunity offenders, brothers Evan and Gregg Spiridellis and their animation team at JibJab, to introduce into the 2008 presidential campaign the allegations that John McCain cooperated with the enemy when he was a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

Not that most people will notice it. The reference comes about one minute into the group’s latest campaign video, “Time for Some Campaignin’,” when the McCain character sings that he “spent years in a rat hole in North Vietnam” over animated graphics showing him swinging in a bird cage — a reference to the fact that McCain’s accusers refer to him as “Songbird.”

A charge as heinous as collaborating with the enemy may sound like liberal revenge for the Swiftboating of John Kerry by Republicans in 2004, but the allegations against McCain come from conservatives, notably including former Rep. Bob Dornan of California and former Sen. Bob Smith of New Hampshire, both of whom are Republicans.

Those Eastern European Countries Are Too Hard for Gramps McCain to Remember

Trish

John McCain’s senior moments are starting to outnumber his good ones.

For the second time in two days, John McCain has referred to current events in “Czechoslovakia” – a country that officially ceased to exist in January of 1993.

“And I regret some of the recent behavior Russia that has exhibited, and I’ll be glad to talk about that later on including reduction in oil supplies to Czechoslovakia after they agreed with us on a missile defense system, etcetera,” said the presumptive Republican nominee at a New Mexico town hall Tuesday…

On Monday, the Arizona senator made virtually the same statement about recent Russian moves that troubled him, citing that country’s attempt to reduce “the energy supplies to Czechoslovakia.”

The children who were born in Florida the year the nation split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia are learning to drive. Barack Obama was 31 at the time. But to McCain, it must seem like only yesterday. At least he hasn’t referred to Zimbabwe as Rhodesia. Yet.

Book: After 9/11 Cheney Lost It — Traveled with Gas Mask, Space Suit, and Doctor

Trish

A new book chronicles the early days after the 9/11 attacks, when Dick Cheney was always reported to be hiding in an underground bunker or a bomb shelter or an orbiting space capsule. Turns out extreme paranoia really did take hold of the vice president.

On Oct. 18, 2001, a White House alarm went off indicating that sensors had detected dangerous levels of radioactive, chemical or biological agents. According to Mayer, anyone who had entered the White House situation room, including Cheney, had been exposed. “They thought Cheney was already lethally infected,” said a former administration officer who had kept the White House secret until now, according to the book.

…It turned out that the detection system had a malfunction and there was no hazard.

But in the days after the incident, Cheney was taking no chances. Eleven days later, Cheney insisted on leaving the White House and retreating to one of his “secure, undisclosed locations,” the book claims.

Cheney and other Cabinet members took turns hunkering down in one of several cold war era bunkers built to survive a nuclear attack. The bunkers, deep underground, were crammed with communications gear and Cheney would stay in what was dubbed the “The Commander in Chief’s Suite,” Mayer writes.

Book: “A sense of constant danger followed Cheney everywhere.”

When vice president wasn’t in the bunker, Mayer claims that “a sense of constant danger followed Cheney everywhere.” The route was altered daily during the veep’s commute to his above-ground office. On the back seat next to him would be a duffel bag stuffed with a gas mask and biochemical survival suit. And a doctor nearly always traveled with him, “The Dark Side” claims.

In case, like me, these images make you whoop with amusement, the next part will wipe away the mirth.

Besides naming himself “Commander in Chief,” Cheney showed other signs he was losing it. The book says he forced Alberto Gonzales to go along with torture for suspected terrorists, allowing a variety of punishments never used previously by Americans.

The book also reveals that a Red Cross report submitted to the CIA concluded that the treatment of 9/11 suspects, admitted mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Abu Zubaydah, amounted to torture and war crimes.

The Red Cross made its report after being granted access to the detainees when they were transferred to the prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Among the tactics the detainees said they were subjected to: kept naked in a frigid room and doused with water, kept in a small box called the “coffin” for hours at a time, arms shackled over their heads so they had to stand on tiptoes for up to eight hours straight.

Our government has been in the hands of greedy crazies, sadists, and at least one simpleton for nearly eight years. It’s a wonder we are all still here, and that there is any America left to call home.

Troy King, Allegedly Outed McCain State Chairman, Was Client of Gay GOP Consultant Killed in Double-Murder Suicide Last Year

Jon Ponder

The McCain campaign’s Alabama chairman, Attorney General Troy King, the virulent homophobe who is the subject of rumors that his wife discovered him having sex with another man, was a client of Strategum USA, the consulting firm of Ralph Gonzalez, a closeted gay GOP political operative who was killed last summer in a double murder-suicide in his home in Orlando.

Birmingham News August 27, 2007:

Consultant dead in murder-suicide did work in Alabama

The Republican political consultant who died in an apparent double murder-suicide in Florida late last week had several Alabama clients, including Attorney General Troy King.

Ralph Gonzalez, 39, president of The Strategum Group, was found dead Thursday along with his roommate, David Abrami, 36, and a friend, Robert Drake, 30, according to The Associated Press.

A motive has not been determined, and weapons and signs of a struggle were found in the house.

The Web site for Gonzalez’ firm lists among its Republican clients King, Jefferson County Commissioner Jim Carns, and four other legislative and judicial candidates from Alabama.

The Strategum Group produced a flier in a state legislative race in 2005 saying Democratic candidate Gloria Dolbare supported same-sex marriage. The flier said “Let Gloria Dolbare know God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!” and depicted two smiling men on a porch holding hands.

The Alabama Republican Legislative Committee reported paying Strategum $3,144 for the advertising on behalf of Dolbare’s opponent Nick Williams. Williams won race for House District 65.

In January, the Orlando police released their final report, which according to the Orlando Sentinel, ascribed no motive for Jason Drake’s murder of Gonzalez and Abrami or his own suicide.

On Friday, the McCain campaign quickly scrubbed all references to Troy King from its website.

One of Strategum’s highest profile clients was Rep. Tom Feeney, the scandal-plagued Florida Republican, who, as the Florida Speaker of the House played a minor but key role in helping George W. Bush steal the 2000 election, and who could probably tell the McCain campaign a thing or two about scrubbing websites.

H/t: Michelle L

Florida Democrats Can Stop Holding Their Breath; the Whole State is Turning Blue

Trish

It’s been a long time since Democrats in Florida were allowed to use the same restrooms or lunch counters as Republicans but that day appears to be returning. New voters in the state are registering donkey by a ratio of nearly 10 to 1.

Democrats have posted even greater gains statewide, up 106,508 voters from January through May, compared with 16,686 for the Republicans.

Political scientist: “New voters tend to identify with the hot party at the time”

Republicans aren’t going down quietly, however.

State Rep. Ellyn Bogdanoff, R- Fort Lauderdale, was blunt: Republicans need to do a better job.

The registration numbers “got my attention; I’ll be calling our party chairman this afternoon,” she said.

Unfortunately, already-registered elephants aren’t changing teams.

Michael Martinez, an associate professor of political science at the University of Florida, said there aren’t many people shifting from the Republicans to the Democrats. But the allegiance of first-time voters is significant.

“New voters tend to identify with the hot party at the time. In the 1980s, a lot of new voters were identifying with Reagan, because he was sort of the hot commodity,” Martinez said.