Day: October 29, 2008

Sen. Liddy Dole Trashes Her Reputation and Long Career By Releasing Slimiest Ad of 2008 Campaign

Jon Ponder

Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., the former presidential candidate who was one of the first Republican women to serve as a cabinet secretary — she was Reagan’s transportation secretary and Bush I’s labor secretary — has tossed her long and distinguished record of public service onto history’s ash heap by releasing what is, hands-down, the sleaziest ad of the 2008 campaign season against her opponent, state Sen. Kay Hagan:

“A leader of the Godless Americans PAC recently held a secret fundraiser in Kay Hagan’s honor,” the ad begins, showing some ominously blurred footage, ostensibly of the event in question. The ad then quotes the group’s Ellen Johnson making atheist claims on two cable news shows. Summing up, the spot asks: “Godless Americans and Kay Hagan. She hid from cameras, took Godless money. What did Hagan promise in return?

And then an unidentified woman shouts, “There is no God!”

Ironically, Dole occupies the Senate seat once held by Jesse Helms, a pioneering purveyor of slimy advertising, and it’s that last line that gives Dole her permanent place in the campaign Hall of Shame beside him. Not only is the voice not identified, the video is edited so that casual viewers will assume it’s Hagan who is shouting.

It is not. Hagan is a Sunday School teacher and a Presbyterian Church elder.

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Palin’s Missing Medical Records: Depends on Your Definition of “Early”

Trish

We are all waiting for Sarah Palin’s medical records to be released, as she continues to be the only one of the candidates on a presidential ticket to have not done so.

On Sunday morning, Palin spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt told ABC News that the campaign had planned to release information on her medical history early this week.

Palin herself says there’s nothing in the records that would surprise anyone. Then again, Palin herself said an ethics investigation exonerated her of misuse of power when the opposite was true.

“So be it, if that will allow some curiosity seekers, perhaps, to have one more thing that they can either check the box off that they can find something to criticize, perhaps, or find something to rest them assured over. Fine. I’m healthy, I’m happy, had five kids. That is going to be in the medical records. Never been seriously ill or hurt. You will see that in the medical records if they’re released,” Palin told NBC’s Brian Williams.

Two things here. First, Palin made a point of saying she’s had five kids. What do you want to bet the records clearly confirm four, and then hem and haw about No. 5? Second, what was that part about “if they’re released.” I’m betting it will be a very hot day in Alaska before that actually happens.

Polls: Obama Leads McCain in California by 27 Points in Rasmussen, 23 Points in PPIC

Jon Ponder

Geez, with huge spreads like these, why would California Republicans even bother to vote? (Kidding!)

According to Rasmussen Reports from Oct. 25, Obama leads McCain 61 percent to 34 percent, giving him a 27-point lead. This poll shows only 5 percent undecided.

According to a Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) survey from Oct. 12-19, Obama has 56 percent of the vote, while McCain has 33 percent, leaving a 23-point gap. PPIC found 11 percent were undecided.

Even if all the undecideds were to break for McCain, as the McCain camp is predicting, Obama would still win California by double-digits.

Florida Governor Issues Executive Order Expanding Early Voting

Trish

NBC’s Tim Russert explains the problem on election night, 2000

Florida is trying, we really are. Even Republican Gov. Charlie Crist seems determined not to be blamed for any problems with say, national elections, this year. The governor has bowed to extreme demand and issued an edict that early voting sites will stay open longer.

Unfortunately, he didn’t order any extra sites opened.

The Republican governor’s executive order extends hours at all 267 early voting sites for four hours each weekday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Friday, and for four hours on the weekend, for a total of 12 hours over Saturday and/or Sunday…

Crist: “Watching news accounts of the long lines gave me concern for the health, safety and welfare of my fellow Floridians”

“Frankly, watching news accounts of the long lines gave me concern for the health, safety and welfare of my fellow Floridians, particularly, perhaps, senior citizens,” Crist said.

County supervisors of elections express mixed feelings about the order. Those who have their acts together, like mine, welcome the opportunity to make election day that much smoother. Those who were a mess to begin with regard increased enfranchisement as a big ol’ pain in the butt.

As of close of voting sites yesterday, one-fifth of Florida’s registered voters had already cast a ballot.

That’s an amazing figure, since we are talking about the percentage of all who could potentially vote, not of all who will. If turn-out is in line with historic levels, and if early voting continues at this pace, we should be halfway done by election day. In 2000, 70 percent of registered voters showed up; in 2004, 74 percent did.

Democrats have an advantage among voters who can walk and are physically present.

The state Democratic Party said Tuesday that 53 percent of the nearly 1.2 million early voters were Democrats compared to 30 percent who were Republicans.

Republicans claim an edge among those who cast absentee ballots, usually either because they are in nursing homes or out of the country.

Of the 1.1 million absentee ballots returned so far, Republicans have a 49 percent to 35 percent advantage over Democrats, the party said.

Splitting the difference gives Democrats a 44—39 percent lead so far.

New Obama Ad Finally Addresses Palin

Trish

I’m posting this ad as a public service, since I think it’s only going to run in “selected states,” which means toss-ups, which means Florida, Ohio, etc.

The only thing I don’t like about the ad is the third quote, in which McCain said, “I might have to rely on a vice president that I select,” and the ad writers finished with, “on economic issues.” That’s a bit of McCainy move, since Obama has also said (better, of course) that he would welcome the opinions and expertise of his vice president throughout his term.

Besides, the spin was unnecessary. Saying you’ll rely on your vice president to pass the salt is risky when your choice is Palin.

What do you guys think?

Palin the Socialist: Alaskans ‘Collectively … Share the Wealth’ from Oil Revenue

Jon Ponder

As I noted earlier, if John McCain and Sarah Palin win next Tuesday, it will be because they have convinced uninformed, undecided voters that Barack Obama is a socialist.

In reality, Palin is the governor of the most socialistic state in the Union. Earlier this year, she freely admitted that Alaskans own the state’s energy reserves “collectively”:

For her part, Sarah Palin, who has lately taken to calling Obama “Barack the Wealth Spreader,” seems to be something of a suspect character herself. She is, at the very least, a fellow-traveller of what might be called socialism with an Alaskan face.

The state that she governs has no income or sales tax. Instead, it imposes huge levies on the oil companies that lease its oil fields. The proceeds finance the government’s activities and enable it to issue a four-figure annual check to every man, woman, and child in the state.

One of the reasons Palin has been a popular governor is that she added an extra twelve hundred dollars to this year’s check, bringing the per-person total to $3,269. A few weeks before she was nominated for Vice-President, she told a visiting journalist — Philip Gourevitch, of this magazine — that “we’re set up, unlike other states in the union, where it’s collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs.”

Here’s the exact quote:

And Alaska — we’re set up, unlike other states in the union, where it’s collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs.

McCain the Redistributionist Socialist: ‘There’s Nothing Wrong with [Rich People] Paying Somewhat More’ Taxes

Jon Ponder

If John McCain wins next Tuesday, it will likely be because he and his campaign have successfully convinced the low-information, undecided voters who once again hold the fate of the world in their hands that Barack Obama is a socialist.

The false thesis underlying the McCain lie that Obama will redistribute tax revenue down to lower income citizens rather than up to McCain/Bush’s fatcat cronies — the latter system being the Republican’s twice failed “trickle down” method.

This new position is yet another policy flipflop for John McCain, however. In 2000, on MSNBC’s “Hardball,” McCain had this exchange with a young student:

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