Tied

The first poll that has any credibility showing Jim Webb not behind George Allen is out.

Mason-Dixon has found that 43 percent are supporting Allen, 43 percent are suppoting Webb, with 12 percent undecided (I have a hard time believing many of those will break towards Allen) and 2 percent supporting Gail Parker (presumably).

A few more days of this and I'll be officially ready to call the Senate for the Democrats.

Wow

The things you miss when you're too busy to check the news....

First, some IM quotes....

52-year old pervert: Do I make you a little horny?
Teenage girl boy: A little.
52-year old pervert: Cool.

[...]

52-year old pervert: What ya wearing?
Teenage girl boy: tshirt and shorts
52-year old pervert: Love to slip them off of you.

The teenage girl boy is a 16 year old Congressional page. The 52 year old pervert is Congressman Mark Foley, Republican from Florida, who quickly resigned from Congress (duh) once these messages were made public.

Oddly, this Congressman was the chairman of the Congressional Missing and Exploited Children's caucus and sponsored legislation this year to protect children from online exploitation by adults.

I've long held a theory about Republican projection. Their cries to protect the family and clean up government (remember the days when they could still say that) were because they were horrible to middle class families, and maybe even their own as well, and because they were hopelessly corrupt. It's the reason I think that Rick Santorum is a closet homosexual, that George Allen used to be a closet racist and Conrad Burns is, um, a closet firefighter?

It is absolutely no surprise to me that the top anti-child exploitation advocate in Congress is, in fact, exploiting children.

Anyway, Foley's name will be on the ballot in November, and while any votes he gets will go to his successor, I highly doubt the local Republicans will be successful in getting voters to vote for a pedophile.

Thank you Mr. Foley for getting us one step closer to regaining the House.

Sabato Confirms

Nearly everyone has heard recent allegations that Sen. Allen DID use the "n-word," as he has previously denied.

Now, yet another former acquaintance of Allen has chimed in, confirming Allen's insensitive language.

And yet another person has also confirmed the story. Problem for the Allen campaign is that this person happens to be a highly regarded political analyst. The video is a little weak, but Larry Sabato makes it clear as day...

In His Element

Yes, that is who you think it is on the right.

Canvass VIII/VIIIb/VIIIc/IX

The UDems completely and totally kick ass.

We've covered (or coverage is impending) 100 percent of the Jack Jouett district, and beginning our second round, talking to people who weren't home the first time around, who were undecided or whose support was weak.

Still absolutely no evidence of any voter contact in our district from the GOP. Still the case that Republicans are very uncomfortable supporting their own candidates, and independents are almost completely breaking Democratic.

Win or lose, Virgil Goode and George Allen are both going to have a very tense evening on November 7th.

If you want to canvass, show up at Barracks Road Shopping Center at 9:30 AM any Saturday between now and the end of October. We meet between Kroger and the Bank of America. If you're a political veteran, we'd love to have you. If you've never spoken to a voter in your life, we'd still love to have you. If you CAN'T vote because you're too young or you're not a citizen, volunteering is a great way to make a difference.

He Took the Money

I've had, for a month or so now, a quote from Virgil Goode, admitting that he accepted illegal campaign donations.

Now, Al Weed has a new ad hitting Virgil hard on the same thing.



Virgil Goode screwed Martinsville, one of the areas of the 5th that most needed his help. And he screwed them, just to line his campaign warchest. He took the money.

At best, if Virgil were a business student, and I were his professor, I would give him an F for being a complete and total idiot. That's the best case scenario. The worst, and I think the mostly likely, is that he enriched himself at Martinsville's expense.

For that, he should be run out of the 5th on a rail. Failing that, we can do the next best thing.

Support Al Weed for Congress.
DONATE / VOLUNTEER

Lessons in Politics

A couple of primaries have been watched closely this cycle. First and foremost, of course, was the Connecticut Democratic senate primary between Joe Lieberman and Ned Lamont. Another was the primary last week between Lincoln Chafee and Steve Laffey in Rhode Island.

But there was a little noticed primary in another New England state that, to me, exemplifies at least a third of what I believe is an effective winning electoral strategy.

While any successful campaign has a multitude of different facets, these three are what I believe are the biggies for any successful candidate. And of course, enumerating these three is massively oversimplifying them, as they all are deeply complicated.

The first is the candidate himself. I have become convinced that many voters will vote for someone they completely disagree with on the issues if they trust that person. While a component of this trust is incumbent on the candidate having experience, i.e. knowing what the hell they're doing, I don't think this is crucial. Just the perception of being trustworthy and competent makes a huge difference in a race.

There has been an incredible amount of talk over the past few years on framing. Framing, messaging, whatever. It's simple, if you control the issues, it benefits you in an incredible way. If Jerry Kilgore has been successful in making last year's race about the death penalty or immigration, he would be our Governor right now. But fortunately, Tim Kaine (and his incredibly talented group of staffers, I might add) was able to steer the debate in a different direction. I can't tell you how gratifying it was, after months of talking to people who weren't paying attention to the race, to have an average voter tell me my own talking points. We stayed on message. Kilgore tried to distract us, and the public. But we stayed on message, ferociously. And it worked.

But, the aspect of a campaign that was exemplified yesterday in Massachusetts was field. Field, field and more field. I've no doubt that the winner of yesterdays' primary is an incredibly genuine and disciplined candidate. But the story of campaign is his field program.

I've never quite trusted the importance of media. Sure, it's important, but if it were everything, I'd be campaigning for Harris Miller right now. Chris Gabrieli spent $8 million on television ads in his bid for Massachusetts governor. While this was enough to get him ahead of the former front-runner, Thomas Reilly, he was still slaughtered by Deval Patrick, who won an incredible 50% in a three way race.

While Patrick was probably ahead far enough he could have taken the last week off and still won, he didn't. For months, I've been hearing about his incredible grassroots effort. But the grassroots is just a glorified term for volunteer recruitment. And volunteers are the backbone of a good field program. You have staffers who are providing the direction of a campaign, and serving as role models and inspiration for the volunteers (I kid you not), but it is volunteers who talk to voters at their houses and on the phones. It is volunteers who go to supporters' homes on election day, and make sure they vote, no matter what, even if it means nagging them ceaselessly until it means they vote just to shut you up.

Being the former President of the Providence College Democrats, I'm still in the loop. So, I heard the call Monday night from the Patrick campaign, to make phone calls from a location in Providence for his race. Not only was he the only candidate to think to outreach to Democratic organization at a school whose student body is nearly half from Mass., but this was a candidate massively ahead in the polls still pulling out all the stops for his GOTV program.

This means two things for me. First, Deval Patrick knows how important a field program is. He knows he's in for a tough race between now and November 7th. He knows his opponent, just by being a Republican, will receive the benefit of a top-notch GOTV program. He knows that in a close race, as this one is likely to be, a top-notch GOTV program can, and probably will, make the difference.

But, even better, he saw his primarly for what is really was: a dry-run for Election Day. I would bet that Patrick and his staff are spending this very moment scouring precinct results and turnout numbers, looking for their strengths and weaknesses. And I would bet they will spend the next two months fixing the weak points and enhancing the strengths. And I would bet that's why Deval Patrick will be the next Governor of Massachusetts.

I need not remind you how important this would be, as it would be a Democratic pick-up. Not only would it be a black mark against Mitt Romney's Presidential aspirations, but, while I'm not sure of the exact powers of the Massachusetts governor, it can be crucially important when electoral vacancies or redistricting come up.

Now, I provide the following links with the understanding that if you live in Virginia, you will not use them unless you are prohibited by FEC regulations from donating to Jim Webb or Al Weed. Here goes...

Deval Patrick for Governor!
DONATE / VOLUNTEER

On 9/11

Fortunately, I do not have any friends, relatives or even acquaintences killed or injured in the attacks. I merely spent the day, like everyone else, completely terrified. I guess I was lucky that way.

We've all seen the remembrances of the 9/11 victims over the past few days. Five years and three days ago were the attacks. Five years ago was my nineteenth birthday, also the national day of mourning. Suffice to say, it wasn't the best birthday.

Now, five years later, my 24th proves to be a little more pleasant. However, the victims have still not yet been completely honored. Their sacrifice has so far gone in vain.

Why, in a country where we prosecute petty criminals to the fullest extent of the law, is catching the worst perpetrator of mass murder in U.S. history "not a priority?"

Why are we fighting a war for unknown reasons against a country that had no role in the attacks?

Why do we refuse to fully support the men and women fighting in that war, either when they are overseas or when they return?

Why is border and airport security still radically insufficient?

Why are our ports still completely vulnerable?

Why are our intelligence services bogged down by politics and bureaucracy?

Why do we continue to act belligerent towards the entire world, including our allies?

Why are the attacks being used as justification for the largest breach of personal liberty in U.S. history?

Why are the attacks and the victims constantly used for political gain?

Five years later, the victims are still being disgraced. Until we stop using them for poltical benefit and make real reforms to protect our country, then they will continue to be disgraced. What good is their sacrifice when we don't take a single real step towards making our country and the world safer?

Anniversary

In approximately eight hours and forty minutes, I will have been out in the world for twenty-four consecutive years. Go me.

Richards Gone

Former Texas Gov. Ann Richards has died after a bout with esophageal cancer.
Ann Richards was a phenomenal woman who serves as a role model for all Democrats, and a hero for all working people. She was one of the very first of the millions upon millions of victims of George W. Bush. We can all honor her on November 7th, the way I imagine she would most like to be honored.

No wonder we feel isolated and confused. We want answers and their answer is that 'something is wrong with you.' Well, nothing's wrong with you. Nothing's wrong with you that you can't fix in November!

We Democrats believe that America can overcome any problem... We believe that America is still a country where there is more to life that just a constant struggle for money. And we believe that America must have leaders who show us that our struggles amount to something and contribute to something larger-- leaders who want us to be all that we can be.

-Ann Richards, Democratic National Convention, 1988

One of the Best Ads I've Ever Seen

Check this out...




George Allen voted against proper body armor for our troops in Iraq. This is unforgiveable. I can't imagine the heartbreak of families who have lost loved ones who would have lived had the people who sent them to Iraq actually done their jobs.

Visit Vote Vets, and if you can, help them get their message across the country.

Jimmy Speaks

One of my personal heroes, President Jimmy Carter, has this to say about a sore loser in Connecticut...

He's been strongly in favor of the Iraqi war from the very beginning. He was one of the originators of the public statements that misled the American people into believing that the Iraqi war was justified. He's been an undeviating supporter of the war from the very beginning and still is. He's joined in with the Republican spokespersons by saying that Democrats who disagree are really supporting terrorism. So for all these reasons I've lost my confidence in Joe Lieberman and don't want to see him re-elected.

Indeed.

Work Work Work

Monday... ten hours, thirty two minutes.
Tuesday... ten hours, eleven minutes.
Wednesday... twelve hours.

32 hours and 43 minutes of work in three days. Damn tiring. At least the last twelve will be fun.

New Poll

We've already seen one poll that puts Jim Webb ahead of George Allen. Granted, that was one of the most questionable polls out there.

Now comes a poll from one of the best in the business, Mason-Dixon.

9/5-9/7 Likely Voters MoE 4% (7/25-7/27)
Allen 46 (48)
Webb 42 (32)

Look at those trend lines. Aren't they beautiful? In just over a month, the gap has dropped from 16 to 4. That's phenomenal. And this is the latest in a series of polls showing the race within the margin of error.

I don't care how much of an ideologue you are, or how stupid, there is no debating it. The Virginia Senate race is competitive. As with any well-funded and morally corrupt incumbent, Allen has and will likely continue to have the advantage until EDay, but for Jim Webb, this thing is definitely within reach.

Having Senators Like This Will Be Fun

It's so nice to see people who aren't afraid to say what needs to be said... unequivocally.

George Bush let people die on rooftops in New Orleans because they were poor and because they were black.
-Claire McCaskill

THAT'S gotta sting...

Opines Frist:
It is totally unconscionable to suggest that the Coast Guard helicopter crews who worked hours long past regulation were intentionally leaving poor, black Americans to die on their rooftops … or that our National Guardsmen were discriminating against poor, black Americans as they struggled to deliver life-saving supplies and coordinate evacuation efforts ….or that President Bush didn’t do everything within his power to help the citizens of New Orleans regardless of class or color.

Did she say that the National Guard or Coast Guard units discriminated in their rescue efforts? Of course not. We all know many people did their best to save as many people as they could.

And we all know (even if we're not willing to admit it) who didn't. George Bush and his enablers, the Republicans in Congress. They were the ones that were slow to provide federal services. They were the ones that cut military budgets, leading to an inadequate levee system that could have very easily been fixed far before the storm, had the Army Corps of Engineers had the clearance to fix them.

And we all know that if this storm had threatened and ravaged a rich, white town, the outcome would have been far different. Yes, lives would be lost. That was inevitable. But certainly, the preparedness and the response would have been far different.

Claire is right. For almost six years we've had a President who is serving only a few of us. For six years we've been embroiled in a new gilded age. It's shameful, but this November is our first chance to do something about it.

Claire is challenging right-wing hack Jim Talent in Missouri's Senate race. If you want a real Senate, it's very important that Claire wins her race. It's close, but Jim Talent is powerful. She needs all the help she can get to go over the top.

CONTRIBUTE / VOLUNTEER

Canvass VI/VII/VIIb

All I have to say is that Jack Jouett District democrats completely and totally kick ass.

Moral of the story lately... Democrats and Independents are behind Webb and Weed. Republicans are still undecided.

I can't wait until November 7th!

A Kindler, Gentler Klan, and Their Boy on Capitol Hill

By now we've all seen this:



That's our Senator, George Felix Allen Jr., hanging out with some of the most despicable men our country has to offer.

This isn't some random photograph. Back in 1996, when the photo was taken, Allen knew exactly who the Council of Conservatice Citizens were and what their mission was.

From the Nation:
In 1996, when Governor Allen entered the Washington Hilton Hotel to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference, an annual gathering of conservative movement organizations, he strode to a booth at the entrance of the exhibition hall festooned with two large Confederate flags--a booth operated by the CCC, at the time a co-sponsor of CPAC. After speaking with CCC founder and former White Citizens Council organizer Gordon Lee Baum and two of his cohorts, Allen suggested that they pose for a photograph with then-National Rifle Association spokesman and actor Charlton Heston. The photo appeared in the Summer 1996 issue of the CCC's newsletter, the Citizens Informer.

According to Baum, Allen had not naively stumbled into a chance meeting with unfamiliar people. He knew exactly who and what the CCC was about and, from Baum's point of view, was engaged in a straightforward political transaction. "It helped us as much as it helped him," Baum told me. "We got our bona fides." And so did Allen.

And who are the Council of Conservative Citizens? What exactly do they believe? (I feel ashamed to have this website in my browser history, but here goes...)

From their "Statement of Principles..."

We believe that the United States derives from and is an integral part of European civilization and the European people and that the American people and government should remain European in their composition and character.

We therefore oppose the massive immigration on non-European and non-Western peoples into the United States that threatens to transform our nation into a non-European majority...

We also oppose all efforts to mix the races of mankind, to promote non-white races over the European-American people through so-called 'affirmative action' and similar measures, to destroy or denigrate the European-American heritage, including the Heritage of the Southern people, and to force the integration of the races.

[...]

We believe the United States is a constitutional republic... We support the abolition of those government agencies at the federal, state and local levels that have no constitutional foundation, including the U.S. Departments of Education, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, Health and Human Services, and similar agencies.

[...]

We oppose the presence of homosexuals and women in the military services and especially of women in combat roles.

The CCC is, very simply, a hate group. They are a group who pretends to fight for the will of the founding fathers, but instead supports their own agenda of hate. This is a group that should be rejected from Virginia, but yet has enjoyed the support of Senator Allen.

Both the Southern Policy Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League classify the CC as a hate group. From the ADL...

The roots of the CCC rest in white opposition to integration during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. The group is a successor to the Citizens' Councils of America (originally configured as the White Citizens' Councils), an overtly racist organization formed in the 1950s in reaction to the Supreme Court's Brown v. Board of Education decision outlawing school segregation. Trumpeting the "Southern way of life," the CCA used a traditionalist rhetoric that appealed to better-mannered, more discreet racists; while the Klan burned crosses, the CCA relied on political and economic pressure.

[...]

The beliefs of the CCC fall within the racially charged tradition of its predecessor but reflect the contemporary fears of its constituency. Instead of segregation, CCC members focus on issues like interracial marriage, which the group calls "mongrelization of the races"; black-on-white violence; and the demise of white Southern pride and culture, best exemplified in the debate about the Confederate flag. Additionally, in its heightened rhetoric about the expropriation of states' rights by the federal government and by an impending "New World Order," the CCC shares some of the conspiratorial fears of modern militia groups and other right-wing conspiracy theorists.

The CCC is part of the very worst Virginia has to offer. And George Allen has publicly embraced it. Virginia is better than George Allen. George Allen doesn't deserve to live in Virginia, much less represent it in the US Senate. Every day that he serves as our Senator is a day we embrace racism and hatred, and I, for one, am not willing to accept that. If Jim Webb is not our Senator-elect on November 7th, it will be a sad, sad day, and an even sadder six years for all Virginians.

Vote Jim Webb on November 7th.
Until then, donate or volunteer. Link on the right.

I Think He Has the Wrong Playbook

Damn, poor George Allen... he keeps finding new news of being an asshole. Almost like he's trying.

So, what do we have so far?

Bully? Check.
Racist? Check.
Xenophobe? Check.

And now he's found a new one. Plagiarist? You bet.

On the Senate floor, Allen asked to speak immediately before Sen. Dick Durbin was set to introduce an amendment. When he was granted permission, he introduced a bill IDENTICAL to the one that Durbin had already prepared and was about to introduce. The two amendments are identical, except that Allen changed one single word (that work must have been exhausting).

Honestly, this action is amazing. In the real world, this behavior is met with things such as expulsion, lawsuits and the like. Apparently in Allen's world, there are no ramifications for plagiarism, calling people "sissies" in public, personally insulting Virginians on the basis of their ethnicity or hanging out with the modern day Klan.

I have to admire Allen's tenacity. He shows us every single day that he doesn't deserve to be our Senator.