Elections Blog

The Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate in Virginia has been a strange race, dominated by talk of endorsements. On Tuesday, there were two more. Former Reagan Republican Jim Webb kicked off the day with an endorsement from Del. Donald S. McEachin, a black lawmaker who ran unsuccessfully for attorney general a few years back. Harris Miller The endorsement was designed to respond to accusations from former lobbyist Harris Miller that Webb doesn’t support affirmative action. Several other black lawmakers have backed Miller, but McEachin insisted that Webb is totally committed to affirmative action. “It doesn’t get any better than that,” McEachin said. James Webb Miller responded later in the day with his own endorsement: Kate Michelman, the former head of NARAL. In a conference call with reporters, Michelman sang Miller’s praises. “Harris has a respect for women that goes beyond political posturing,” she said.

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It is impossible to discuss 2008 without asking two major questions:
1. Will Oprah endorse Hillary Clinton; and if so, how will that change the political landscape?
2. Will Barack Obama run?
To the first point, I just don’t know. Oprah is one of the most powerful forces in the country in terms of shaping public opinion [...]

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 Image courtesy of slick.com/images
Some Manhattan Democratic clubs are launching a backlash against Sen. Hillary Clinton amid some of her recent shifts toward the right. Once a liberal favorite, Clinton is being shunned in her reelection bid by four local Democratic groups furious over her vote in favor of the Iraq war, her antigay marriage position and her [...]

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The 'Swiftboating' of former Vice President Al Gore has begun.
Fresh on the heels of his hugely successful documentary film, An Incovenient Truth, the radical right has swung into battle mode, attempting the squash the buzz that Democrats, hungry for a viable candidate to run for president in 2008, want Gore to throw his hat into the race.
From [...]

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In his Sunday column for The New York Times, Frank Rich joined the chorus of those urging that former Vice President Al Gore run for president. Rich does not endorse him, but does suggest he is preferable to Hillary Clinton as a Democratic candidate.
The main reason: Unlike Hillary ("a weak candidate") he has shown leadership and [...]

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Virginia’s lackluster Senate Democratic primary heated up last week, when the two candidates — Harris Miller and Jim Webb — attacked each other during a debate taping. See that story here. Now, Miller has launched the first television campaign of the primary, a mostly biographical piece that takes a few swipes at Webb. An announcer begins with a question: “Which Democrat will fight for change in the U.S. Senate?” And then he begins to sing Miller’s praises. “Harris Miller - lifelong Democrat, Virginia high-tech leader, and adviser to Governor Mark Warner.” (An adviser to Mark Warner? Miller’s campaign said Warner appointed him to the Viirginia Research and Technology Advisory Commission. Advisory commission, ergo adviser.) As the ad turns to Webb, the screen shows images of Webb with former President Ronald Reagan and Sen. George Allen. It also uses video that makes Democrats cackle — George Bush in front of the

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Interesting post from Bob Kerrey on Huffington Post. Many of you saw Sen. John McCain get heckled by a handful of New School graduates at the commencement proceedings just a few days ago. This piece is Kerrey’s defense of his invitation to Sen. McCain and he also offers a defense of the students [...]

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Senator Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT) is taking steps to seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for POTUS (President of the United States) in 2008.
Sen. Christopher J. Dodd said today he has “decided to do all the things that are necessary to prepare to seek the presidency in 2008.”
The Connecticut Democrat will hire staff, raise money [...]

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Very interesting aticle.

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Rick Moran is one of my favorite bloggers. He’s thoughtful, temperate, and nearly always right — as he is here

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• Mary Cheney must be mainlining the Kool Aid through an IV drip.  This week, the whining GOP lesbian daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney appeared on the David Letterman show and opined, "Twenty-five million — 25 million people are free today who were not free three years ago in Iraq." Yes, little Mary sunshine, 25 million Iraqis are free, except [...]

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Remember in 2004 when Tom Daschle dramatically announced that he would not run for President. Instead, he vowed to focus on leading the minority in the Senate to victory in 2004. We all know what happened instead- Daschle lost his seat to the much taller John Thune and now he works at a [...]

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Wesley Clark, the darling of many potential voters disheartened by the truly lousy choices running for president, has set-up a non-federal account to complement his federal WESPAC. The Section 527 account is called WESPAC Non-Federal and is based in Little Rock, Arkansas. The stated purpose is “To support non-federal Democratic candidates and various public policy issues.”
It's [...]

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If ads like this one are going to be the Democrats’ strategy, then the election is ours

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About the same time we moved out here, the state legislature voted themselves a pay raise, and contrary to the state constitution, voted to take it the same year. Voters were already furious because Fast Eddie Rendell had diverted 90% of the gasoline tax away from road construction throughout the state to prop up the failing Philly public transportation system. The pay raise pushed them over the edge

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Not militarizing the border is a good idea. Bush’s use of the military within the United States for law enforcement purposes looks frighteningly like a shadow of martial law. But do we really need the additional 1,000 border patrol agents when they’re already having trouble recruiting? After all, there’s not much indication that there are more illegal immigrants now than there have been in recent years.

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Misha has a good article up about voting strategy, which unlike many I have read, actually makes sense:

If you’re lucky enough to live in a State or a District whose representative is a true conservative, and that goes for all of us who might be that lucky, vote for him or her. DO get out [...]

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A low, slow, grateful tip of the hat to Bullwinkle Blog for this gem

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• Still no decision from Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald on whether or not to indict Karl Rove over his involement in the outing of CIA undercover agent Valerie Plame. The grand jury met Wednesday and Friday. Most court watchers familiar with the case believed an announcement would be made by week's end. Indictment watch continues.
• Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) shamelessly sails [...]

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Oh, but now that there’s a mooooovie and you’re making all buddy-buddy with smirking George Cloooooney we’re supposed to fawn all over Al Gore? No way, man! I’m, America’s last god-damned liberal, and I say it’s a royal right wing Democratic set-up. Set up city!

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