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Goodbye Fear and Loathing

Hunter S Thompson added to our political lexicon when he used the term “Fear and Loathing” (or rather re-used – he’d already used it a year earlier to describe some ugly Las Vegas doings) to describe the 1972 Nixon campaign trail. It was singularly appropriate for Nixon. The only ambiguity at all was whether it was a description of the reaction in liberal media and academic circles to Nixon’s nasty cheap populism. Or whether it was in fact the aim of Nixonian politics to invoke those feelings among voters against other different Americans. It was, alas, this latter.

Firstly to those unfamiliar with him, Richard Nixon can best be described as a political endgamer, a high-powered version of John Howard. He saw every issue in terms of how to exploit his opponents. He was dog-whistling and wedging long before the terms were invented. In the post-war period he entered Congress and quickly became a member of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). The Republicans were especially keen on such groups and nonsense like Loyalty Oaths to undermine the dominance of the New Deal Democrats, who had become the natural party of government.

Although less sensationalist than Senator Joe McCarthy’s wild allegations about communists taking over the State Department, HUAC was arguably much more effective. Nixon, perhaps because he was a Californian, realized the immense publicity that HUAC could get by focusing on Hollywood: the stars, the writers, the directors. And that’s who they went after. HUAC got ready cooperation from the owners and tycoons of Hollywood. Many were Jewish, and having just witnessed the Holocaust were very anxious to prove their loyalty and patriotism.

Having Hollywood as the focus guaranteed almost daily publicity. There were just enough neo-leftists around Hollywood in the Depression-era 30s to have the Republicans sniffing for blood. Among other sins, many were in trouble for expressing sympathy or support for the Spanish Republicans during the civil war in Spain. The question, “Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist party?” was especially loaded.

Although the Constitution in theory protected these people, non-cooperation led to charges of perjury and to the owners banning them from work. Many had to leave the industry or the country. Even those who cooperated lost friends and self-respect by public confessions. It was a win-win for Nixon, paving the way for his elevation to the Senate and then to the Vice-Presidency.

In the early 60s Nixon suffered setbacks. He lost the 1960 Presidency to JFK, and two years later failed to win the Governorship of California. But like Howard much later, he learned from mistakes and adjusted his game.

He saw a great opportunity in the 60s with the Civil Rights movement and LBJ’s Great Society. With LBJ firmly committed to it (something even FDR shied away from) the attack on institutionalised racism would almost certainly lead to a reaction against the Democrats, who until then ruled the South. In addition, the fundamentalist religions of the mid-West and the South felt threatened by the anti-censorship charge of the 60s and the general sexual, feminist and black power liberation movements.

Nixon could see a new Republican hegemony from the remaining racist elements of the South and the conservative religious movements. These had never quite got over their defeat in the Monkey Trials of 1925 which led to the overrule of state laws banning the teaching of evolution in science. In origins, they too were often Democrats. So it was a big alliance Nixon was planning. Little wonder he made Billy Graham his chaplain when he did make it to the White House. Nixon mistrusted the old Eastern Establishment, despite the Kissinger alliance, and for that reason forged new alliances in the West – what was to become known as the Sun Belt areas.

The Watergate scandal put a temporary stop to the Republican dominance but not to the alliance pattern Nixon forged, which was capitalised on by Reagan and the Bushes. The Democrats realized too late the bind they were in. Their only counter-attack was to promote popular Southerners as their nominees. So, loosely based on the Nixon strategy the Republicans have had the President for 28 of the last 40 years. I know that the last 8 is a lot more questionable after the fiddles in Florida in 2000 (abetted by the Supreme Court) and Ohio in 2004. But it was Democrat ineptness that led to the contests being close in the first place. Carter and Clinton were treated like usurpers and only Clinton, among all the Democrat nominees was prepared to call their bluff.

The alliance, diverse as it was, made it easier for the Republicans to define what they were against. So liberalism became a dirty word; scholarship and scientific enquiry was wasteful; any government spending, except on armaments or business was likewise wasteful; climate change warnings were alarmist and interfering in God’s prerogatives. One other Nixon legacy was to manipulate foreign affairs activities for domestic adversarial politics. He sent word to North Vietnam to delay acceptance of peace talks in order to stymie LBJ. Later, Reagan aides would do similar in talks over the Irianian Embassy hostage crisis, leading to Carter looking helpless.
One area where Nixon differed from his New Right successors was in economic and financial management. Nixon was relatively prudent. The others, especially Reagan and Bush II, have been utterly reckless – no doubt egged on by the Sun Belt equivalent of the White Shoe Brigade, and the Pentagon-related industries.

It should not be forgotten that the Reagan Administration’s first effort at deregulation led to paper money merchants getting hold of savings and credit union groups assets and siphoning them off. Had it not been for Depression-era federal government guarantees for small peoples savings in such institutions a lot of people would have lost their life savings and retirement funds. As it was, the government picked up the tab for these losses, at enormous taxpayer cost. Increasing military spending by large amounts while reducing the wealthy’s tax payments will never help balance budgets. No wonder Bush I, who had some semblence of responsibility, failed so badly. It was too big a lemon he was stuck with.

Newt Gingrich deserves the prize for brazen hypocrisy when he demanded that Clinton present a balanced budget or face impeachment. Clinton, of course, did just that and ran rings around them in economic management. I often think the bile directed at Clinton was because (like Keating in Australia) he did the things the Republicans only talked about.

So we come to the Bush II regime. It seems clear now that in terms of incompetence, arrogance, corruption and dishonesty this regime is setting alltime benchmarks. The Nixonian adversarialism has been passed on to Rove, and has become even more vicious.

With such a consistent record for anti-intellectualism, it is not so surprising that foreign policy, at least for a very long time, should pass to the neocons and other crazies. It is also hardly surprising that this lot should approve torture of suspects. There is not enough scope for reasoned argument, and anyway torture seemed to work in “24”.

9/11 also warrants mention. At the time of the attacks I think I counted up to 7 agencies that failed then. Given the distance of agencies from the Administration, Team Bush need not necessarily be blamed. But surely these failings should have been of greater interest than the audacity of the crime. But no, all effort is already turned to a revenge attack. Rove and co wanted to turn attention away from any question of neglect. In addition, others had seen an opportunity. Here was a bogey to replace Communism. Hence the War on Terror. The Anthrax Scare (which did start from a Langley Virginia batch) was used to whip up anti-Middle Eastern feelings. In the general welter of confusion, Saddam could be linked without many thinking it was odd. Other issues in that sorry saga are too lengthy to mention here. Unlawful detention, rendering, torture, war profiteering – the list goes on.

Kirri has given better accounts of the economic train wreck of the Bush II regime. I am more interested in the remnants of that Nixon alliance. On the New Money side, many like Enron have bitten the dust and their ringleaders face charges or convictions. The most galling thing is that so many of these executives still have exorbitant packages, unconscionably siphoning off shareholders, employees and retirees funds. It is a disgrace that politicians and media alike have ignored this pillaging for so long.

The Bible Belt has made little headway with Creative Design, although under Bush they have manged to slow down stem cell research and so on. The Republicans have not delivered them much and it is not so surprise that some are at last defecting. It is similar with the old White Privilege South. They’ll still be around, but their influence is waning – as is the Republicans.

That alliance is not what it was. Barack deserves most credit for overcoming those barriers. He has had wide appeal and he has used the new weapons of the net well. We should not forget Howard Dean, who first attempted to use the net and appeal to the disengaged in 2004. He didn’t overcome the Democratic machine then, but he paved the way to how entrenched interests could be overcome.

As to Hillary, it should be clear by now that the most successful method for overcoming both the alliance and the ‘play safe’ Democrat machine attitudes, was as Barack did: appeal to those unengaged or alienated from the process. He did this brilliantly.

Here’s one final thought. Dubya’s often given the impression that he was ‘called by God’ for a mission. Perhaps it is true. The Republicans look headed for annihilation. Given the Nixonian legacy, and the end (at least for now) of Fear and Loathing that is not a bad result. It is a pity it took the wrecking of the economy and Mesopatamia, but the Lord works in mysterious ways.

925 replies on “Goodbye Fear and Loathing”

Yeah, Ferny, we’ve got stick-on white oblong peel-off-back paper labels (2″ x1″) that you can texta your own monniker and/or a.k.a’s or other pertinent sobriquets or terms of endearment onto. Or perhaps you’d prefer one of those nifty clip-to-lapel numbers that come in by the container-load from our northern trading partners. Some one rang me recently about Obi parephenalia. Knew squat. There might be something at the airports or larger city novelty shops.

If anyone knows where Kid-Stuff is for retail sale please do holler.
🙂

Couple of laid back days in brisvegas and no puters and what happens when a bloke come s home. About 500 posts to read to cath up with the play.

Looks like they are getting fair dinkum about the flip flop voting machines:

A county clerk in Colorado has finally done the right thing for the voters by removing a touch-screen voting machine from service, and quarantining it, after it was discovered to be flipping votes from one candidate to another. The failed machine in this case was a Diebold Accu-Vote, a frequent flipper.

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=6592

Oh dear, another pro McCain report on Channel 9 news.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised!

810
Chris B
As each hour passes Chris, it gets harder for all us elitists around here, to pretend that he’s not going to beat Hilary. :mrgreen:

And as for that old guy……Well he might just have to wait till 2012.
[After he’s finished field dressing that moose lady of course.] 🙂

Last Icarus Allsort I saw was felled by a Jaffa and crashed into a Columbine column. Nasty business. Molasses all over the shop and the Sherbet mist hung in the air for hours.
Daedalus and a couple of his Cobbers were makin’ out with some fresh Minties when he got the bad news about his boy. Mind you, the young fellah always was a bit of a Smartie.

Ecky, you’re a dangerous man in charge of a pun.
Plus you definitely shouldn’t be allowed any where near a sweet shop during Halloween. 🙂

As an interesting aside. Auntygate seems to have sunk like a stone.
I cant even find it on the NYT site now.
Mind you, it could be that last beer was a bit stronger than I thought.
It tasted more like rum. 🙂

Florida early in-person update

The partisan differences in Florida’s early in-person returns are still pretty clear. Democrats have now reached the 1,000,000 mark; Republicans have returned just 600,000 in-person ballots.

Early Voting Information Center.
http://www.earlyvoting.net/blog/

Conservatives fuel Bachmann’s campaign.

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) has raised $850,000 in the past 11 days through aggressive appeals to conservatives that she has been targeted for her beliefs, a top campaign consultant said.

The campaign started a campaign Oct. 20 to reach out to conservative talk radio, blogs and other outlets, shortly after controversial remarks that ignited the underfinanced campaign of her Democratic challenger Elwyn Tinklenberg.

http://thehill.com/campaign-2008/conservatives-fuel-bachmanns-campaign-2008-10-31.html

The more people left like Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin the easier it will be to keep winning elections. During the election campaigns just keep baiting them and they destroy the Repugs. 😈

Look what ABC1 have put on on election day! Barstools!
NATIONAL PRESS CLUB ADDRESS: JEFFREY COLE – DIRECTOR, CENTRE FOR THE DIGITAL FUTURE, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

This bloke is the perfect racist repug idiot.

McCain supporter Charles David Ficken descended upon an Obama rally in Raleigh, North Carolina with a 10-foot tall picture of Barack Obama in East African attire, shouting the United States doesn’t need a “Muslim-leaning” person for president. While exercising his free speech at the rally, so too did several dozen fiery Obama supporters.

Video
http://www.americannewsproject.com/node/164

Intrade is interesting. Currently predicting Obama 364 or 375. Missouri is a hit Obama 53 and McCain 51 suggesting they are both might win – Huh. Indiana and N Dakota are on McCain side.
There has been quite a bit of money for McCain in the last few days bringing his odds from 12 to 17 (ie roughly in from 8:1 to 6:1). At the same time the State Intrades haven’t moved much at all until today. That suggests rather unsophisticated betting or perhaps a general belief that someone would pull a rabbit out of a hat somewhere (or in fact in lots of places eg voting computer fiddles).
Today there’s been a bit of money for McCain in Florida (up from about 30 to 40) North Carolina (now about 40 McCain) Ohio (up from about 20 to 25) and Virginia (now about 20). But even if all of these States went to McCain he still loses. The Repugs with more money than sense would be better spending it on campaigning rather than fiddling on Intrade.

It would be really nice if Charlotte Dennett got a win next week.

There definitely is a “buzz”- out there about what Charles Manson prosecutor, Vincent Bugliosi, and Progressive candidate for Attorney General, Charlotte Dennett, are up to. They have teamed up to prosecute George W. Bush for murder.

This [video] aired on Vermont public access television sums it up.

If Jon Stewart invites Charlotte Dennett and Vincent Bugliosi on his Comedy Central, “The Daily Show”-, George W. Bush could very well end up behind bars serving time for murders.

I think we need to test the premise. If you know someone at Comedy Central, or knows how to get hold of Jon Stewart’s handlers, please do.

http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/diarypage.php?did=10502

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=JIMZW8j0_yQ

Memo Shows Obama Camp Planned To Hit McCain On Being “So Old”

While the Obama campaign denies using ageism as part of their campaign strategy, a document obtained by CBS News shows that they planned to use McCain’s last birthday in August to point out McCain’s age.

A memo reveals they planned to make an issue of his age beginning on Aug. 29, McCain’s 72nd birthday, “hoping to hit him on being so old.”

Then on the other hand someone might do a leak to the media so that it becomes an issue just before the big day. That might be far more effective 😈
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2008/10/31/politics/fromtheroad/entry4561738.shtml

McCain set to appear on ‘Saturday Night Live’.

The McCain-Palin ticket just booked another trip to 30 Rock, according to sources on the inside.

This Saturday, Sen. John McCain will make an appearance on the show, the last live episode before voters hit the voting booths. Earlier, it was rumored that Sen. Barack Obama, McCain’s rival, would be making a Nov. 1 appearance on “SNL.”

If it goes like the Sarah Palin Visit, why?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27460429/

Don’t think the boys in the band really knew what they were in for. Only the very best of modern hip-hop artists can give attitude like this.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=aykoGVMdlSA

And Gaffy, if Vince “The Bulldog” Bugliosi could put a cheap punk like Charlie Manson in the slammer for a long time then he should be able to tie The Imbecile up in knots if can get him on the stand under oath.

paddy, good riddance to Auntygate; could have sworn the GOPpers would have tried to pull the “special treatment” card if Obi stalls on a response.

816 Ecky
That’s the funniest post I’ve read in ages…and brilliant to boot!
Mind you I’ve had a few wines, so everything is hillarious.
But you’re still a fuckin’ genius!

And Paddy @ 817
“Ecky, you’re a dangerous man in charge of a pun.”

Brilliant!

I seriously love you lot.

Gotta love that Pat Buchanan: ““If Obama wins the election, there will be a revolt against the media, and all of Obama’s associations will come out and, just like with the Iraq War, the tough questions haven’t been asked and there will be an outcry.”

God abandoned you, ya treacherous fucker? The only revolt going on, pat, is against you and your evil, soul-destroying gang of hypocritical henchmen who for years have used God as an excuse to keep a nation enslaved – and finally it’s over.

Ta and likewise, old bean.
OK, group hug over, back to the dash to the finish!
Electoral-vote are slow off the mark this morning, all Halloweened out I guess. Still a lot of mug money about for Bomb-Bomb at InTrade; denial does strange things to zealots.

Electoral-Vote.com: Today’s Polls

We have 30 presidential polls today. Arizona is surprisingly close and Obama is running some ads there, but McCain should still win his home state in the end. Yet another poll (from ARG) shows Obama ahead in Colorado, 52% to 45%. With the Kerry states in the bag along with Iowa and New Mexico, a win in Colorado means that nothing else matters. Georgia is getting closer, but McCain will probably hold this one.. Missouri is a real tossup. If it goes for McCain and Obama wins, it loses its hallowed bellwether status. North Carolina is still too close to call. McCain made a real effort to win Pennsylvania, but it is not paying off. Obama’s solid lead there is stable.

We also have 29 Senate polls, almost as many as for the presidency. It is increasingly looking like the real battle will be whether the Democrats get 60 seats in the Senate. Truth be told, while 60 is better for them than 59, few cloture votes go strictly along party lines. In Alaska, convicted felon Ted Stevens’ long career is finished. In Georgia, Sen Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) is hanging on, but if he comes in below 50%, there will be a runoff Dec. 4. Just imagine what will happen if the Democrats win 59 seats and the whole country is focused on this one Senate runoff in December. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) has taken the lead again in the very tight Minnesota Senate race. Finally, Jeff Merkley (D) has taken a substantial lead over Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR).

We also have seven House polls. Stevens’ problems are taking their toll on Rep. Don Young (R-AK). It looks like he will go down to defeat as well for the at-large seat in Alaska. In NH-01, Carol Shea-Porter is leading, even though she has refused DCCC help. In Wyoming, Cynthis Lummis seems to be pulling away in what appeared to be a close race but probably won’t be.

I Shot The Lawyer But I Did Not Shoot The Deputy

No, this is not some Halloween stunt. That guy you see over there being held accountable is actually the vice president of the United States.

The U.S. District Court in D.C. ruled today that Vice President Dick Cheney will have to let his deputy chief of staff, Claire O’Donnell, give testimony in a lawsuit over his records.

Cheney, with his well-known passion for secrecy, had argued that a vice president need only preserve records central to his job as the official who presides over the U.S. Senate or records relating to specific tasks assigned by the president. That would narrow the pile considerably.

Florida’s Freedom Bank Is 17th in U.S. to Be Closed This Year

Nov. 1 (Bloomberg) — Freedom Bank of Bradenton, Florida, became the 17th U.S. bank seized by regulators this year as the deepest housing slump since the Great Depression triggers record foreclosures and mounting losses.

Freedom, with $287 million in assets and $254 million in deposits, was shut yesterday by the Florida Office of Financial Regulation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. was named receiver. Fifth Third Bancorp of Cincinnati will assume the deposits and buy $36 million of assets, the FIDC said. Freedom’s four offices will open Nov. 3 as Fifth Third branches.

Mornin all.

The ruling by the judge in Michigan sure restores some normality in the system. She has ordered that 5500 voters be restored to the rolls so they can vote.

Judge Karen Nelson Moore of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued an order that ends the Michigan Secretary of State’s unlawful purging of voters from the registration rolls (court decision). The decision also orders Michigan officials to restore the registration status of 5,500 identified citizens who had been unlawfully removed previously. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) brought suit for the Michigan State Conference of NAACP Branches, plaintiff, and plaintiff-appellees the ACLU of Michigan and the U.S. Student Association Foundation. Attorneys from both the national and Michigan ACLU are working on the case which is expected to be appealed.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/ACLU-Stops-Illegal-Voter-P-by-Michael-Collins-081101-535.html

Gore Vidal has began a push asking that there be no concession by the Kid, should he lose on Tuesday, until all avenues of voting manipulation are investigated. Interesting and quite a few signatories to his letter as well.

Senator Obama, we need you, our Party and all candidates to stand firm, come what may on election night. You ask us to work for you, contribute to you–and to have your back; we ask that you promise to have our back: We ask that you PLEDGE TO STAND FIRM, AND NOT CONCEDE THE COMING ELECTION in the face of election irregularities, no matter how long it takes to contest such fraud, while there remains any doubt as to any part of the process. Be assured, Democratic voters will be more–not less–energized if we see you promise to stand firm.

Senator Obama, if there is any reason to contest the election, DO NOT CONCEDE!

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-DO-NOT-CONCEDE-by-David-Swanson-081101-676.html

EC
One of your Toon favs has called the result early!

Networks have long taken flak for calling elections early, but what are newspaper editors to do when a cartoonist “calls” an election several days in advance? That’s the controversial question raised by next Wednesday’s “Doonesbury,” which Pulitzer-winning creator Garry Trudeau has already submitted and which has been sent to editors.

In the strip, Trudeau declares that Barack Obama has won the presidential election. (His syndicate, Universal Press Syndicate, says a replacement strip will be made available to newspapers who request it.)

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Obama-Wins-Yes–Doonesbu-by-Washington-Post-Ed-081031-219.html

Meanwhile as everyone is interested in the elections the Imbecile is silently charging ahead with regulations severely affecting farmers.
This could have a plus effect fo BO in Arizona as the farmers there are up in arms about the NAIS legislation.

The USDA’s action means we have to continue and redouble our efforts to educate state and federal legislators about the problems with NAIS, so that they put a halt to the agencies’ continued implementation. Take a few moments to call your Congressman today! Go to http://farmandranchfreedom.org/content/take-action for information on how to contact your legislators and materials to help. We post new flyers and materials specifically aimed at USDA’s latest step soon.
It’s also critical to get more state laws passed stopping NAIS. Stay tuned for more information on bills for the 2009 legislative session!
Four states already have laws that forbid their state agencies from mandating NAIS: Arizona, Kentucky, Missouri and Nebraska. Below is a letter from Senator Karen Johnson, who sponsored the Arizona bill, to the Arizona Department of Agriculture, in response to the USDA’s memo. Ask your state legislator to take a stand like Senator Johnson!

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Bush-agenda-moving-into-pl-by-Linn-Cohen-Cole-081101-952.html

846 Very good news on the court decision in Michigan, Gaffy. Sounds like ACLU and NACCP are alert to a lot of the fiddles this time round.

Morning all.
There’s an US election special on ABC’s Insiders.
Just started now. 9.00am EDST

OMFG!!
The utter horror of it all.
Alexander Downer is on the insiders in the compulsory idiot chair.

Palin Prank Call: Masked Avengers, Canadian Comedy Duo, Convince Palin She’s Talking To French President Sarkozy

A Quebec comedy duo notorious for prank calls to celebrities and heads of state has reached Sarah Palin, convincing the Republican vice-presidential nominee she was speaking with French President Nicolas Sarkozy
In the interview, which lasts about six minutes, Palin and the pranksters discuss politics, pundits, and the dangers of hunting with current vice-president Dick Cheney.

You can listen to it but it’s pretty dumb

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/11/01/masked-avengers-prank-cal_n_140023.html

Oh, such unmittigated joy so early on a Sunday! Lord Diner of Baghdad upcoming on my very own AB friggin’ C!
The uncanny ex-Man from Mayo, Ausralia’s greatest Foreign Minister evah, friend to the hapless East Timorese(no one could have possibly done more for them) and nabobs of Neoconservatisn alike. One is simply (it’s an hour later in Quince-land) beside oneself with anticipatory excitement.

How appropriate that Torture Dick himself has delivered the kiss de grace on Bomb Bomb’s campaign. These PNAC scum are forever doomed in politics until they figure out which way a worm turns and why that worm turns so.
These people need get scientific and annelidical, however, the smart money says that until then, they’re wasting their time!

Sat Nov 1:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/nonsequitur;_ylt=AvRa1ymS9n9YZvBzUXD7GjsDwLAF

Sat Nov 1:
http://news.yahoo.com/edcartoons/doonesbury;_ylt=AiZTQbp6B1B.zN7.67mYPh3mcLQF

Fri Oct 21:
http://news.yahoo.com/comics/mattbors;_ylt=Av.S4juJ7xS95z8wscT3_SbmcLQF

E-Day minus two and a half and all’s well!

G’Day, Gang.

Be very afraid Ecky. My ears are still bleeding from the assault of the dreaded Downer.
The A. B. Friggin C need to lift their game, or the angry mobs will be tearing down the gates before too much longer.

Thank heaven for the sane joys of this oasis. 🙂
Becau8se there’s certainly not much succor on the MSM.
Still, the news that Cheney has shot McCain in the face, means it’s really quite a nice Sunday morning. :mrgreen:

I’m glad I missed INSIDERS this morning, I’ll continue to boycott that show while it remains a Liberal Party/Republican Party propoganda vehicle.

Internet Now Major Source of Campaign News.

Many more Americans are turning to the internet for campaign news this year as the web becomes a key source of election news. Television remains the dominant source, but the percent who say they get most of their campaign news from the internet has tripled since October 2004 (from 10% then to 33% now).

It’s interesting to note that they cite Politic 101 as a major source of accurate information.

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1017/internet-now-major-source-of-campaign-news

New CBS/NYT Poll:
Obama 54
McCain 41

And a big kick up the butt for the media getting excited over Obama’a Aunt, particularly the dumb Australian media commentators following McSlime around.

Poll: Early Voters Strongly Prefer Obama.

With just three days left until Election Day, a new CBS News poll finds that the Democratic presidential ticket of Barack Obama and Joe Biden leads its Republican counterpart by 13 points among likely voters, 54 percent to 41 percent. That margin reflects an increase of two points in the Obama-Biden ticket’s lead from a CBS News/New York Times poll released Thursday.

About one in five voters say they have already cast their vote, either in person or through the mail, and these early voters prefer the Democratic ticket by an even greater margin. Obama leads among early voters 57 percent to 38 percent, a nineteen point advantage.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/01/opinion/polls/main4563051.shtml

Chris: Will you and I look after the board on Wednesday while everyone else is getting hammered in Brisbane? We need some responsible Obama supporters here on the big day(HA HA)

I’m going to make one bold prediction: Obama wins Georgia!

Obama-Inspired Black Voters Warm to Politics.

Growing up in St. Louis in the 1950s and ’60s, Deddrick Battle came to believe that the political process was not for people like him — a struggling black man whose vote, he was convinced, surely would not count for much of anything. The thought became ingrained as an adult, almost like common sense. And that partly explains why, at age 55, he just registered to vote for the first time a month ago.

May need registration
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/02/us/politics/02first.html?em

The problem for McCain is that so many votes have been cast already, and he’s already behind in some places. That means he has to win election day overwelmingly!

One comment I have noticed in various interviews is the number of white people wanting to vote in this historic election.
The only reason they would be doing that is to vote for Obama.
Bradley effect = zero.

I saw some dickhead from Channel 7 this morning claiming the Bradley Effect would win the election for McSludge – pathetic journalism!

Election dismay strikes most Republican corner of US.

In the most Republican corner of America’s most Republican state, there is no election fever ahead of Tuesday’s vote, just disillusionment and foreboding.
Founded by Mormon settlers in 1870, the small farming community of Randolph in northeastern Utah boasts the distinction of having voted more enthusiastically for George W Bush in 2004 than anywhere else in America.

Some 96 per cent of Randolph’s votes went for Mr Bush four years ago, impressive even by the standards of a state that rewarded him 72 per cent support, his best result. Just 17 voters from Randolph and its environs backed Democrat John Kerry.

They are still hunting down the other 4%
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/johnmccain/3362430/Election-dismay-strikes-most-Republican-corner-of-US.html

Welsh student working in Obama campaign.

A WELSH student told yesterday how a temporary volunteering job on the Obama presidential campaign has changed her life.

Cerys Howell, 22, decided to take on the job to prepare for her third year at Oxford University.

She had planned to help out in Philadelphia for just a few weeks over the summer but felt inspired to stay, despite her return flight home already being booked.

The English literature student, from Caerleon, near Newport, said: “It all seemed pretty straightforward. I could dip my toe into the world of US politics and then get back to the job of getting a degree.

It looks like McCain and Palin will be invading Welsh when they get in.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2008/10/31/welsh-student-working-in-obama-campaign-91466-22157219/

A view from South Texas.
Record election turnout growing.

With phrases like “historic” and “once in a generation” being thrown around regarding the upcoming election, early voting totals show that Williamson County voters have responded.

Williamson County voters have already surpassed the early voting turnout rate for 2004’s presidential election without counting Friday’s totals.
As of Thursday, more than 97,000 of the 233,500 registered voters in the county — 41.1 percent — have cast ballots. In 2004, 38.5 percent of registered voters cast ballots during early voting, according to county spokeswoman Connie Watson.

http://www.taylordailypress.net/articles/2008/11/01/news/news01.txt

A nice piece of photo journalism over on Kos this morning.
An excellent antidote to an overdose of Lord dogshit Downer’

Eight Epic Weeks Across America (w/538) -PHOTOBOMB-
by Brett Marty
This marks the seventh week I’ve been on the road through the battleground states of America. I am a documentary photographer, traveling with the inimitable Sean Quinn over at FiveThirtyEight.

The trip has been a joy, and professionally a labor of love. I’ve been moved by what I’ve seen, and I wrote this diary to share it with this community.

Below the fold are photographs I have taken (state by state) of Obama, Biden, and their surrogates; the inspired field organizers; and the dedicated volunteers who have made this all possible, from the ground up.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/11/1/164318/884/317/648547

As this is an historic event a large number of people will want to vote on the historic winning side, so they can tell their grand children that they helped Obama win.

If there are large queue’s on election day it certainly won’t be the Obama voters giving up and going home, it may very well be Repug voters getting disheartened in the queue’s.

Bob Carr gets in the best line of the show (Insiders ABC):

George W Bush has defeated McCain twice: once in the 2000 primaries, and again in 2008.

…tish, boom, crash! LOL

How true it is.

There’s no doubt that even Malvolio of Mayo realises Obama must win this, but of course, it would have been ‘better for Australia’ if McCain had won it! LOL

They never change their stockings, do they?

Morning all,
It’s 2.00 am in the land of “80% of population support Obama”,squillions of bicycles and enough canals and water to make the Oz farmer weep. Finally settled with computer in place though need to share this with two others ,but have ‘bagsed it ‘ for our boy’s election day! All’s lookin’ so hunky-dory, need to pinch myself.
So much reading to catch up,so little time but sooooooo thrilled to be back online on regular basis again …have missed you guys 🙂
Now off to the land of Nod….

On Election Day, the campaign will have lawyers at every polling place in Missouri. (I know there are 5,000 attorneys dispatched to blanket Florida, and I would assume Ohio and Pa. as well.)

Not only that, but get this. You know those stories about poor folks getting fallen arches waiting in line to early vote this week? Volunteers will be dispatched to all the polling places in Missouri to offer relief to Obama voters who want to take a bathroom break, or rest their feet …

http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2008/11/in-the-countrys.html

538.com: Pennsylvania Sanity Check

Suppose that Barack Obama were to concede Pennsylvania’s electoral votes. Literally, concede them. Throw ’em back, like a Chase Utley home run at a Cubs game. How often would he still win the election?

…89.0% of the time, according to our most recent run of simulations, along with another 2.4% of outcomes that ended in ties. This is because in the vast majority of our simulations, Obama either:

a) was winning at least 291 electoral votes, meaning that he could drop Pennsylvania’s 21 and still be over 270, and/or

b) was winning at least 270 electoral votes, while already being projected to lose Pennsylvania in the first place.

(a) was much, much more common than (b), obviously.

Today’s win percentage for Obama is 96.2% to 3.8%, the popular vote is 52.2% to 46.6% and the Senate is predicted to be either 58 or 59 Democratic seats.

I thought the best quote on Insiders was the Professor who said in 2006 that the Democrats could pick a name out of the phone book and still win.

Foreign Policy Is Confusing For Sarah Palin

The stupid. It hurts.

This is from Sarah Palin’s interview yesterday with Fox News’ Greta van Susteren:

“We realize that more and more Americans are starting to see the light there and understand the contrast. And we talk a lot about, OK, we’re confident that we’re going to win on Tuesday, so from there, the first 100 days, how are we going to kick in the plan that will get this economy back on the right track and really shore up the strategies that we need over in Iraq and Iran to win these wars?”

Iran?!? Wow, did you guys know we are at war with Iran? Damn, I missed that in the news.

A bag of hammers would have more foreign policy knowledge and experience than Sarah Palin.

Chris B@ 873

I think your right, make sense to me. If your getting fed up with waiting, surly the fact that your guy is gunna get his arse handed to him would make you give up and go home, well, more often then if your on the winning side anyway.

A bag of hammers would have more foreign policy knowledge and experience than Sarah Palin.

Bag of nails would have more points too yuk yuk 😆

Ok ok, I’l stop 🙂

Nearly 2 million people have voted in Georgia so far, representing over 60% of the total 2004 electorate and over 3 times what the early and absentee vote consisted of in the prior Presidential election. Perhaps most incredibly, compared to 2004 levels, 80% of blacks have already gone to the polls, withstanding lines hours on end, to make sure their voices would be heard.
>/blockquote>
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/11/1/144916/739/833/649024

Good grief!! What’s with these crackers?
If a man can’t count on Georgia to vote Repug……..It’s the end of the world!! Quick, hide the women and kids.
That black muslim socialist is gonna destroy the merkin way of life.
The dark lord is risen!! :mrgreen:

Progressive, the Bradley effect is NOT being borne out in early voting, it is just the straw the Repugs clutch at.

Interesting in the Melb Herald Sun, they interviewed likely voters and had Obama 19 and Undecided 1 with McCain 0. When even the right wing Herald Sun doesnt even twist things McCain’s way, there’s trouble.

As to Insiders, I thought I’d give it another try after tuning out for a while, then saw Downer ON THE PANEl. Unbelievable. I switched off.

Ronald Reagan’s Son Endorses Obama

While endorsements generally don’t swing a lot of votes, it is certainly embarrassing for Republicans who worship Ronald Reagan to have Reagan’s son now formally endorse Barack Obama.

http://www.electoral-vote.com

Andrew, The Insiders was about as exciting as a damp Sao. You did the right thing to flick it. I included it among my multi-tasking options: refereeing domestic disputes/blogging/keeping Australia safe from home-grown terrorism/preparing tucker/ etc., but once again the programme disappointed and succeeded in wasting a proportional part of my valuable time during its 54 minute airing.

887
Ecky, I think you are being way too kind.
In the annals of awful “Insiders” episodes…..
Having the “Beast of Baghdad” in the ugly chair, pushed it up into the truly *appalling* category. 😡

However…..all is not lost.
A quick check on the Four Corners website.
http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2008/s2406091.htm
Leads me to believe, that Monday’s program will top all previous efforts by the ABC, to present us with the very best in fatuous rubbish.

Greetings 101ers
watched the election episode of West Wing last night and even though I knew the outcome I was still on the edge of my seat… I won’t be able to believe those bastards are dead and buried until the last EV is in I don’t think.
So I’ll need lots of support for my anxiety – i find champagne is the best remedy. 😉

hiya megan- miss you too.

Chris at 886.

The Reagans never forgave McCain for dumping his first wife. Story in Counterpunch.

Obama over McCain: Double digits in the last days, new poll says
Barack Obama’s lead over John McCain is now up to 10 points in both versions of Gallup’s daily tracking poll.

The poll, which has been split into a traditional likely voter model and an expanded likely voter model had seen McCain cutting into Obama’s lead earlier in the week, especially in the traditional model.

But in Saturday’s results, the margin is the same, 52 percent to 42 percent.

http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/15445

Elon poll: NC shifting to Democratic Party.

More North Carolinians believe the Democratic Party is better able to handle domestic policy issues than the Republicans, according to a new poll conducted by Elon University.

Democrats received significantly higher levels of support for their positions on health care, education and for understanding the concerns of the middle class, the poll found. Republicans garnered more support for their position only on managing the war in Iraq.

Almost two-thirds, 63 percent, of poll respondents said the economy is the most important issue statewide. Democrats were seen as better suited to manage the economy by 47 percent, compared to 39 percent for Republicans.

http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/stories/2008/10/27/daily44.html

862 Progressive Sounds good to me. It appears that over 90% of African Americans are voting. This means that Republicans will be wiped out in the South! Not only Georgia. Obliterated!

Yes, spammy, he’s such a tease!
——————————

So as the campaigns enter their final week, I thought I’d take a longer view of the political landscape and see what the post-Inauguration future might look like. Short version: Were Obama to emerge victorious, this election could well be transformative in a number of areas beyond the obvious one of celebrating America’s rendezvous with history.

http://www.crisispapers.org/essays8w/transform.htm

Gouldie, there’s plenty of concern-fodder in that one for you.

According to an article I read, but did not post here. Attractive female candidates receive more votes than plain female candidates. I submit that, that would also apply to attractive male candidates and plain candidates. So what does that tell you about Obama and McCain?

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