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April 29, 2006
Open Thread
Good work today.
Posted by Josh McConaha at 10:44 PM | Comments (438)
One Million Doors
By all accounts, today was a huge success. The most common problem people had was that they didn't have enough lit to hand out -- certainly a great problem to have. There were a million out there, and there were thousands (probably hundreds of thousands) of conversations that happened without the lit changing hands -- meaning that there were probably well over a million houses involved in today's event.
Governor Dean was in Charlotte, NC, and I just got back from meeting with Paul Hegarty, a DNC Political staffer, who was with the him. He was on strict orders to take photos, and he delivered (the whole lot is on Democratic Flickr, and if you have your own, you should add them to the Democratic Party pool.)
Governor Dean with his canvass group...
When the Governor knocked on this person's door, her husband was a little surprised to see Howard Dean standing there wanting to talk with them. She had just gotten off of the phone with someone asking for money for the Party (not sure if it was the DNC), but she refused their request because she never saw any result. No message, no lit, no work. An hour later, the Governor showed up as part of the 50 State Canvass. If only every fundraising ask was followed up like this...
People driving by kept stopping to talk with the Gov...
Posted by Josh McConaha at 9:41 PM | Comments (19)
50 State Canvass: Stories Rolling In
Got a few stories from today. Send yours along with pictures to april29@dnc.org
FL-5: Florida Congressional Candidate Rick Penberthy
We organized one of the door to door canvass efforts today. We had loads of fun and hit over 600 homes in two precincts here in Pasco Coutny, FL. I've attached a picture or two of our efforts. A candidate putting his party in the spotlight and using his volunteer base to strengthen the Democratic Party. Rick is a Fighting Dem and a high school teacher. For more information, visit www.RickForCongress.com.
Vermont
The VT Young Dems had a canvass day. The main purpose was to piggy back on the DNC canvass and get some names to recruit for the VT YD. We took census data, figured out the youngest areas in town, and canvassed them. I don't know the final tally, but it looks like we raked it in, in terms of new volunteer names. We'll be hitting the streets with a fresh cadre of new volunteers soon!
We used the DFA Night School to help us with our canvassing. It prepared us well for the canvass this afternoon.
Phoenix, Arizona
Canvassing in Phoenix in LD-10 wasn't bad today -- it wasn't too hot this morning and the event was reasonably well-organized (they're not always). We were canvassing Dems who voted in 2004 but not 2002, trying to encourage them to vote in the midterms. We also collected signatures on nominating petitions for some of the Dem candidates who still needed some. (Under AZ Clean Elections law, a candidate must obtain a certain number of signatures on a nominating petition before they can get on the ballot -- everybody from the governor on down to precinct captain.) I met some nice people and got quite a few signatures for three candidates (for state treasurer, corporation comminssioner and state representative). I'm also going to start attending the monthly Dem meeting in my legislative district to see what else I can do to help. A good day all around.
Rochester, NY
I knoced on doors for Monroe County Dems in suburban Rochester, NY for a couple hours. We gave each household a Dem doorhanger, Eric Massa flyer, and a volunteer flyer. The response was overwhelming positive (except for one Repubican who abruptly slammed the door). They were happy to see they were not forgotten and had alot to say. People were unhappy with mostly Iraq and cost of gas.
I talked to a former GOP who just chaned to non-affiliation. He left the GOP because they are no longer 'moderate' and will stop voting GOP for the immediate future. His major concern is energy independence - "I hate knowing when I refuel my tank, the money goes to the middle east and the terrorists...we must become self-reliant". I slowly nudged my head up/down and agreed. We talked how ANWR drilling is foolhardy and how Pataki sucks (he will vote for Spitzer for NY-Gov).
Overall, I great reaffirming day. We can make a difference if all of us put a little shoeleather on pavement!
San Diego, California
I hosted one at my home, and there were 9 of us who turned out. There was one local precinct leader, who did a short training for us. Other than that, we were pretty green! Everyone had a great time, though. Lots of positive experiences and interactions with fellow dems in our community.
Woo-hoo! Go Dems!
Colorado
The Young Dems organized our canvass and us old folks from the Statehouse District helped out. We had about 19 people talking to Dems, Independants and R women betweeen 25-55. Many of the YD's had their first canvass experience. It was a nice day and a nice result. We got a couple activist recruits, and pretty good responses. Of course, on a nice day less than half the people were home.
Very well organized by the Young Dems!
We also were using the State Party VAN database so will be able to load our results in for the Statehouse District campaign. We have a good Dem rep in the middle of CO CD7, both heavily targeted cuz the districts are 50/50. This is a great start for the campaign.
Posted by at 6:46 PM | Comments (6)
Getting Started
We just heard from an organizer in Boston who said that, even a half-hour before the canvass is set to start, there are already 50 people ready and waiting to go. The Boston Globe is interested in their event and may stop by to see how it's going.
Governor Dean was also on CNN 15 minutes ago from Charlotte, NC, where he's canvassing today. His interview was fantastic, and if I can get my hands on it, I'll post it here.
Also, mcjoan from Daily Kos had a great write-up on the canvass today which you should be sure to check out.
Posted by Josh McConaha at 9:34 AM | Comments (14)
And We're Off
There are a few of us here at DNCHQ ready to take phone calls from event organizers and attendees who have problems (so far, only one call). Jason, who works here in the Political Department, called one of the DNC organizers in Allentown, PA and said the noise in the background was encouraging.
If you're headed to a canvass today, we want to hear about your experience (for better or worse). Be sure to email your storys and photos to April29@dnc.org (and put your photos on Democratic Flickr).
Posted by Josh McConaha at 8:57 AM | Comments (7)
April 28, 2006
Humanity
A friend of mine sent this to me and I think it's important. At its core, the immigration debate is about humanity, and its nice to be reminded of that sometimes...
Today I spoke with my father who manages a large construction company in Texas. We spoke about the immigration debate and its consequences.Though recent media reports have done a good job at reporting on the rallies and planned boycotts, vigils, marches etc... They have failed to address the cruel realities of the consequences surrounding the debate on immigration.
Today, Friday April 28, African American and white workers took half a day off to come to the aid of their Latino colleagues. Ongoing INS raids in Hispanic supermarkets have caused alarm in the Latino community. Many fear getting incarcerated and shipped off to a land which today is foreign to them.
Those African American and white workers who are paid an hourly wage (overtime at this point) decided it was more important for their Latino colleagues to have food on the table than to have a few much needed extra dollars to pay for gasoline.
This is a stark reality I hope the media would pick up on instead of focusing on the wedge politics present in the current debate.
Posted by Josh McConaha at 7:35 PM | Comments (192)
Open Thread
The calm before the storm ... the storm being the tidal wave of Democrats rushing into neighborhoods across the country all day tomorrow, sharing conversation with neighbors about the strong but smart Democratic message. Send your pictures and stories to april29@dnc.org.
In other news, you're going to be seeing a lot less of my fancy little font around the DNC blog. In fact, come next Friday, my presence will be akin to a 0 pt. Arial font. In other words, that's my last day with the organization. I'll be leaving to take a job with a campaign yet to be determined, but surely for a candidate I (and hopefully you) can believe in -- you're all invited. Pam B., I might end up in your neck of the woods, and if I do, I owe you dinner for all the trolls I have failed to zap promptly.
You'll meet the first of the new and improved captain(s) of the DNC Blog, Tracy, this coming Monday.
Posted by at 6:27 PM | Comments (426)
Governor Dean on Hardball
5pm ET. Use this as an open thread.
Posted by Josh McConaha at 4:50 PM | Comments (197)
Stories From The Ground: West Virginia
(The following entry was submitted by Tyler J. Oyler, Field Organizer for the West Virginia Democratic Party -- and one of your DNC organizers -- Tim)
Last month I was doing a precinct training session in Keyser, West Virginia, and we were discussing how to organize and to do read a voter file, etc... I then mentioned the April 29th Canvass. People started raising their hands to start participating, and we ended up with 12 confirmed canvasses in Mineral County, a county with just under 30,000 residents where Bush carried 69% of the vote in 2004. After that day though, more and more canvasses popped up and though it was not all recorded on the DNC website, we have just around 18 now going in this small county.
This is such a good feeling. You can already feel not only just what is going on in Mineral County or the Eastern Panhandle, but across the state of West Virginia, we are going to 'Make it Blue' in '06 and '08. Organizing our precincts and strengthening our local parties has been our main objective in the Eastern Panhandle, but we face many challenging races ahead. We must re-elect Sen. Robert C. Byrd and Congressman Alan Mollohan. We must unseat Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito. We must send back our Democratic lawmakers to Charleston, and we must be unified as Democrats. Already the volunteers and activist throughout the Eastern Panhandle who have gone through trainings and signed up for the canvasses agree on our new vision for America. We all agree it's time for change.
Everyone who we've spoken with thus far, Democrat, Republican, Independent all agree we need a new direction. County-by-County, Precinct-by-Precinct, Neighbor-by-Neighbor, we are going to change the direction of the Eastern Panhandle and West Virginia. Keep watching us and stay tuned, the best is yet to come. LET'S MAKE IT BLUE!!!!
Posted by at 1:59 PM | Comments (4)
50 State Canvass: Frisco, Texas
Sent in by Jeanne:
I am a long time feminist and gay activist but new to the political arena. In December we started a chapter of Stonewall Democrats (an LGBT organization) in Collin County, one of the most Republican counties in Texas and we have all hit the ground running. National Stonewall and the Democratic Party of Collin County have really helped with our huge learning curve and our members are getting involved as precinct chairs, as delegates, and in local campaigns.I got on the 50 State canvass website and didn't see anyone in our county, so I and 2 other members created events in our cities. Mine is the Frisco Neighbor-to Neighbor Canvass and honestly I thought I’d be going door to door myself. Imagine my surprise when I saw 8 people signed up! Rick Koster candidate for State Representative District 70 brought some literature by and I am anxiously awaiting the priority mail from the state.
One of the bumper stickers on my car says "Collin County Democrat" and lately it seems wherever I go someone comments on finally finding another Democrat. There are lots of us out here even in Collin County and I finally feel the momentum shifting. Wouldn’t it be terrific if we could turn Texas blue?
Looking forward to tomorrow (hopefully the Texas weather will cooperate!)
Posted by at 1:27 PM | Comments (4)
50 State Canvass: Corvallis, Oregon
Submitted by Marion:
The Benton County Democrats are looking forward to stretching their legs after a long rainy winter of our discontent with the Republican culture of corruption! On Saturday, we'll be walking for change, sharing the Democratic Party vision, handing out literature on candidates for State Senate (Mario Mangana), State House (Sara Gelser and Sam Sappington) and County Sheriff (Diane Simpson). We'll be having conversations with other Democrats and with non-aligned voters, reminding them to look for their primary ballots, which should arrive this weekend, and finding out what's on their mind. We know that the non-aligned voters are becoming the most important swing vote, and we think our message will appeal to them.The most exciting part of cutting the turf this time was the use of GIS tools to help give our canvassers a ground-truthed map of the area they'll be walking. We pulled in Google Earth, and our local Benton County Public Works GIS maps to coordinate with our voter walking lists. It's been a lot of work, but we're looking at it as an investment in making canvassing easier over the long haul.
Posted by at 1:11 PM | Comments (1)
Tomorrow's the Big Day!
One thousand events. One million conversations. Six months before Election Day. Does it get any more exciting than that? I am on the phone this morning with organizers across the country, hoping to compile on-the-ground stories in the hours preceding the first event. Check back in throughout the day to hear those tales, in your own words.
And if you are one of the thousand organizing an event, please email your story: tagarist@dnc.org
Posted by at 11:22 AM | Comments (3)
Open Thread
The water's fine.
Posted by at 9:53 AM | Comments (237)
April 27, 2006
Buying the GOP Congress Highly Profitable for Oil Companies
When people talk about the Republican culture of corruption and the buying and selling of our democracy, a lot of times you think it's just preferential treatment or special access or inflated importance that they buy.
With folks scratching their heads over soaring gas prices and soaring oil profits, it's worth a simple look at the data, which shows that for oil companies, big spending on buying Republican leaders pays off with even bigger giveaways of your taxpayer dollars.
Here's how, courtesy PoliticalMoneyLine.com:
There's more from the same source:The top ten oil companies reported spending $33,173,092 lobbying the Congress and the Executive branches in 2005.
* ChevronTexaco -- $8,550,000
* ExxonMobil -- $7,140,000
* ConocoPhillips -- $5,098,084
* Marathon -- $4,290,000
* BP -- $2,880,000
* Occidental -- $2,042,177
* Shell -- $1,478,831
* Ashland -- $904,000
* Sunoco -- $540,000
* Anadarko -- $250,000
No Disruption In Flow of Oil Company PAC $Now, what did they get for it? A few sweetheart provisions slipped into an energy bill:A review of the PACs of the top ten oil companies shows that over $1 million in PAC money continues to flow in the 2005-2006 cycle, through March 31st. These ten oil company PACs gave out a total of $1,092,980 to federal candidates, plus other funds to party committees and leadership PACs. Of the $1,092,980 total, eighty-four per cent ($918,150) went to Republican candidates, and 16% ($174,830) went to Democratic candidates.
The top recipients in 2005-2006 (through 3/31) were Sen. Conrad Burns $39,500; Speaker Dennis Hastert $35,000; Rep. Joe Barton $31,500 (chairman, House Energy and Commerce Committee); Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison $28,250; Rep. Richard Pombo $27,000; Sen. George Allen $26,100; Sen. Craig Thomas $24,000; Rep. Tom DeLay $22,500; Rep. Bill Thomas $20,500; and Rep. James McCrery $20,000. [...]
The top ten oil company PACs giving to Members in 2005-2006 were:
* ExxonMobil giving $265,050 (90% to Republicans)
* ChevronTexaco giving $167,000 (77% to Republicans)
* Occidental $156,590 (89% to Republicans)
* Ashland $102,740 (75% to Republicans)
* Marathon Oil $90,600 (84% to Republicans)
* Sunoco $89,500 (75% to Republicans)
* Anadarko $44,500 (96% to Republicans)
* ConocoPhillips $49,500 (88% to Republicans)
* Shell Oil $29,500 (93% to Republicans)
* BP $64,000 (78% to Republicans)In addition, these company PACs also gave to party committees and leadership PACs. Marathon's PAC gave $123,500 (103,500 to Republicans). Sunoco's PAC gave $116,000 ($108,500 to Republicans). Ashland's PAC gave $74,000 ($68,000 to Republicans). Anadarko's PAC gave $26,500 (all to Republicans). BP's PAC gave $10,000 ($5,000 to Republicans). Shell's PAC gave $5,000 (all to Republicans). Occidental's PAC gave $5,000 (all to Republicans).
In the last full twenty-four month cycle, 2003-2004, these oil company PACs gave out $2,801,824 to federal candidates, including $2,417,469 (86%) to Republican candidates and $384,355 (14%) to Democratic candidates. In 2003-2004 the top recipients were Rep. Tom Delay $51,675; Sen. Lisa Murkowski $50,000; Sen. Richard Burr $49,500; Rep. Joe Barton $45,000; Sen. Christopher Bond $43,400; Sen. Jim Bunning $38,500; Rep. Barbara Cubin $37,500; Rep. Richard Pombo $ 37,000; Rep. Don Young $37,000; and Sen. James DeMint and Sen. George Voinovich $35,500 each. [...]
In the full 2003-2004 cycle, these ten oil company PACs gave:
* ExxonMobil $728,545 (95% to Republicans)
* Occidental $361,000 (81%)
* ChevronTexaco $350,300 (88%)
* Ashland $306,600 (87%)
* ConocoPhillips $242,000 (88%)
* BP $220,499 (62%)
* Marathon Oil $181,250 (83%)
* Anadarko $178,000 (94%)
* Sunoco $148,630 (80%)
* Shell Oil $85,000 (84%)The above figures do not include contributions made by officers, employees, or stockholders of the companies.
THE $8.5 BILLION GIVEAWAY: Big energy companies are flush with so much cash, they don't know what to do with it. That didn't stop Congress from showering the electricity, coal, nuclear, natural gas and oil industries with $8.5 billion in tax breaks and billions more in loan guarantees and other subsidies. Apparently, members of the conference weren't particularly concerned how they spent taxpayer money. The Washington Post reports, "as House-Senate conferees worked late into the night this week on the final paragraphs of the legislation, a proposal was made, and approved, to provide $250,000 for a study of 'irradiated fuel' -- although many of the conference participants acknowledged they had no idea what that was."DROPPING THE BALL ON RENEWABLE ENERGY: The final legislation dropped a provision that would have required utilities "to generate at least 10 percent of their electricity through renewable fuels by 2020." The proposal, championed by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) was "was a low-cost, market-driven approach to cutting demand for fossil fuels and easing air pollution." On this issue, we are officially less progressive than China. Starting with far less capacity than the United States, the Asian nation has committed "to supply 10 percent of its needs from so-called renewable energy sources, including wind, solar energy, small hydroelectric dams and biomass like plant fibers and animal wastes" by 2020.
So, here's the math:
$2,417,469 to Republicans in 2003-2004Lobbying and buying access are just another form of investment for these companies, and when a Republican Congress jams through billions in subsidies (with the oil-addict president's signature, of course) your hard-earned money becomes the crudest form of profit.
+ $918,150 to Republicans in 2005-2006 (so far)
+ $33,173,092 for lobbying in 2005
-----
= $36,508,711 total investment in the Republican culture of corruption... which earns you over $8.5 billion in giveaways and other subsidies in the 2005 energy bill
... which constitutes at least a 23,282% profit on oil companies' investment in the Republican culture of corruption.
If America remains addicted to oil, it will be because the Republican Party is addicted to oil money. Enough is enough, and we need a change.
Posted by Joe Rospars at 1:08 PM | Comments (30)
The Auction House
From the DCCC -- check out their new site.
For too long, the Republican-led Congress has allowed the special interests to get a hold of the agenda and under their influence we've witnessed nothing but giveaways to big corporations and industries that do not need a handout. We have seen legislation like the energy bill that sent $8 billion to big oil while doing nothing for gas prices and the Medicare bill that confuses and overcharges seniors. We have even seen them drag their feet on necessary meaningful reform for honest government. Congress has turned from the "People's House" to the auction house and it is time we took it back for American families.
Posted by at 12:34 PM | Comments (8)
National Canvass: Still Time To Find an Event
Thursday, Friday, Saturday's the big day. Find the event nearest you and have some conversations.
Posted by at 12:27 PM | Comments (10)
OH-18: What's Bob Ney Raising Money For?
Is it for the congressional office, or the legal office? From Tray.com
Bob Ney For Congress reported it raised $142,418 and spent $250,207 in the first quarter of 2006. They have cash-on-hand of $474,277. The committee reported paying Vinson & Elkins (TX) $96,500 for legal services.
It's going to be in an interesting few weeks for those in the 18th after the primary next Tuesday.
Posted by at 12:08 PM | Comments (100)
Open Thread
Exxon Mobil Corp., the world's largest oil company, on Thursday said higher oil prices drove first-quarter profit up 7 percent from the prior year. [...] The report comes amid consumer outcry in the U.S. about soaring gasoline prices. The average retail price of gasoline in the U.S. is now $2.91 a gallon, or 68 cents higher than a year ago.
Lee Raymond thanks you.
Posted by at 10:03 AM | Comments (448)
April 26, 2006
Open Thread
For the night...
Posted by Josh McConaha at 7:02 PM | Comments (316)
Karl's On the Stand
Fitzgerald has him in front of the federal grand jury. Guess he's going to have to miss the welcome lunch for Tony Snow...
Top White House aide Karl Rove prepared to testify Wednesday for a fifth time before the federal grand jury investigating the leak of a CIA officer's identity, a person familiar with the case said.Rove consulted with his private lawyers before a scheduled afternoon court appearance and was prepared to answer questions about evidence that emerged since his last grand jury appearance last fall, the person said, speaking only on condition of anonymity because of grand jury secrecy rules.
That new evidence includes information that emerged late last year that Rove's attorney had conversations with Time magazine reporter Viveca Novak during a critical time in the case.
Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald met with the grand jury Wednesday. Among other things he is investigating why Rove originally failed to disclose to prosecutors that he had talked to Time magazine reporter Matt Cooper about the outed CIA operative, Valerie Plame, back in 2003.
Posted by Josh McConaha at 11:48 AM | Comments (14)
A Lateral Step
As Josh Marshall says, the jokes make themselves given that it's sometimes difficult to tell the difference between the White House's podium and Tony's FOX News set. He may think George Bush is "an embarassment," but he loves their policies...
UPDATE: The second link wasn't right. This is what I was talking about...
Posted by Josh McConaha at 10:34 AM | Comments (5)
An Embarassment
If you've not seen the greatest hits list that Think Progress put together on Tony Snow, you should. We actually seem to think alike...
Posted by Josh McConaha at 10:23 AM | Comments (2)
Tony Snow Clip
It speaks for itself...You can download it here if the flash video doesn't work. And if that doesn't work...
SNOW: "...Here is the unmentionable secret. Racism is not that big of a deal anymore. No sensible person supports it. Nobody of importance preaches it. It's rapidly and thankfully becoming an ugly memory..."
Posted by Josh McConaha at 9:49 AM | Comments (10)
Open Thread
I am going to be on the road for the entire day today. So ... light posting unless McConaha, J. takes the helm. Have a safe trip, Tim. Thank you!
Posted by at 8:35 AM | Comments (278)
April 25, 2006
Uhh...
You can't comment on this post because we're having some technical problems. We'll be back up soon, but the site may disappear for a while. I blame Tim, though he really has nothing to do with this.
UPDATE: Back online, though the problem wasn't very obvious. Use this as an open thread.
Posted by Josh McConaha at 6:40 PM | Comments (239)
A Million Conversations This Saturday
Executive Director Tom McMahon just sent an email with an update on the 50-State Canvass, and designer Jess just updated the front page with a live count of the doorhangers. The canvass is on and momentum is building -- this Saturday you can have an impact on the future of our country. Tom's email below ...
Dear Fellow Democrat,
I can't express to you how exciting it is to see a truly national party coming together.
Over 1,000 Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day events have been scheduled from Montana (30 local canvass events) to Florida (57 local canvass events), and the expected turnout is growing every day.
Last night we fielded calls from several of the state parties asking for still more literature to put in the hands of volunteers on April 29th. We've already printed 750,000 of the door-hangers thanks to your support -- but the ground operations in the states report that they need more.
There's still time for a last-minute print run to get another 250,000 pieces out into the states for distribution this Saturday. Every $50 means another 233 pieces of literature, and another 233 conversations between volunteers and their neighbors this Saturday.
Can you make last-minute donation in the next 24 hours so that the Democratic Party can knock on 1 million doors?
Some of these 50-State Canvass events are run by the over 150 organizers we've put into the field to build our party. Others are run by campaigns for various levels of office, which will have their own literature to hand out on top of the door-hangers you created. Still others are run by grassroots volunteers who are taking the future of our party into their own hands and getting out in their communities.
But the most exciting of these events are the ones where all three of those elements come together. This project has seen historic cooperation between Democrats at every level of the party and at every level of political experience. For example:
- In Arizona (29 events) the state party and grassroots volunteers will also be carrying official petitions to get Democrats on the ballot for every level of office in the state.
- In Ohio (78 events) the state and county parties have put together coordinating teams to cover the most ground, and everyone from statewide candidates to bloggers to Iraq veteran Paul Hackett has been promoting what will be the final weekend of GOTV contact before the May 2 primary elections.
- In Oregon (also 29 events) Democrats poised to take back the state legislature will be targeting specific legislative districts where turnout will decide the election this fall, led by organizers you put on the ground and supported by a strong grassroots volunteer base.
These are just a few of the unprecedented efforts happening on April 29th -- a national operation you made possible.
You can get the latest about events in your area by plugging in your zip code here:
www.democrats.org/50statecanvass/find
Governor Dean will be knocking on doors with a local county party in North Carolina this Saturday. Statewide elected officials and Democratic challengers everywhere will be out in their communities. Tens of thousands of Democrats will be reaching out to have a conversation about the future of our country with their neighbors.
Where will you be?
Sincerely,
Tom
Tom McMahon
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee
Posted by Joe Rospars at 5:18 PM | Comments (7)
Democratic Flickr
I started a little project last night after Tim questioned my displeasure with posting Flickr-hosted photos directly on Democrats.org over the weekend (he's been on me about it for a while). I stand by it, but I do love me some Flickr, so, just for Tim, I set up a group -- The Democratic Party. The DNC's user account is democratic_flickr.
If you're a Flickr user, post anything and everything related to the Democratic Party in the group pool. Photos of your events, candidates, chicken dinners -- anything. We're a community, so share your photos of it with everyone else. We'll add a link to the group and our own page to the right bar a little later today.
Posted by Josh McConaha at 2:22 PM | Comments (6)
Toxicity
Funny stuff from Ari Berman:
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher was Jack Abramoff's best friend in Congress. The two were so close that Rohrabacher was the only member of Congress to sign a letter asking a federal judge to give Abramoff a reduced sentence. [...]But when President Bush visited Rohrabacher's Orange County locale yesterday to pitch immigration reform, the OC Congressman wanted nothing to do with W.
"I don't want to be behind him looking glum and not applauding," Rohrabacher told the LA Times. "So as not to be rude to the president---which I think is inexcusable---I think I'll just be staying away."
Posted by at 12:59 PM | Comments (4)
More From the National Canvass
* Over 1,000 Neighbor-to-Neighbor Organizing Day events have been scheduled from Montana (30 local canvass events) to Florida (57 local canvass events), and the expected turnout is growing every day.
* Some these 50-State Canvass events are run by the over 150 organizers we've put into the field to build our party. Others are run by campaigns for various levels of office, which will have their own literature to hand out on top of the door-hangers you created. Still others are run by grassroots volunteers who are taking the future of our party into their own hands and getting out in their communities.
* In Arizona (29 events) the state party and grassroots volunteers will also be carrying official petitions to get Democrats on the ballot for every level of office in the state.
* In Ohio (78 events) the state and county parties have put together coordinating teams to cover the most ground, and everyone from statewide candidates to bloggers to Iraq veteran Paul Hackett has been promoting what will be the final weekend of GOTV contact before the May 2 primary elections.
* In Oregon (also 29 events) Democrats poised to take back the state legislature will be targeting specific legislative districts where turnout will decide the election this fall, led by organizers you put on the ground and supported by a strong grassroots volunteer base.
Several state parties have been calling and requesting even more literature, and there is still time to help make that a reality. Every $50 means another 233 pieces of literature, and another 233 conversations between volunteers and their neighbors this Saturday.
http://www.democrats.org/50statecanvass/finalpush
Posted by at 12:03 PM | Comments (8)
OH-Gov: Ken Blackwell's Race to the Bottom
Not even out of the Republican Primary yet, and Ken Blackwell is playing the "gay marriage" card against a fellow GOPer. Blackwell's campaign has got nothing, and he might not even make it out of the primary. The current Secretary of State is a laughing stock across the state and triggered an intra-party "thermonuclear war" during the primary. I used to think it would be tough to beat Blackwell, but now I truly believe his nomination will help us win a few more down-ballot races and do more for GLBT rights than anyone could have imagined.
Posted by at 11:51 AM | Comments (3)
Rebuilding New Orleans Libraries
The DNC is sponsoring a book drive to help re-stock the New Orleans Public Library. If you want to help, you can ship your books to this address:
Rica A. Trigs, Public Relations
New Orleans Public Library
219 Loyola Ave.
New Orleans, LA. 70112
Tell the post office that you're sending Katrina books for the New Orleans public library and they can be sent at a cheaper "library rate." Here's a .pdf flyer for the drive.
Posted by at 11:16 AM | Comments (3)
Energy Prices and Campaign Contributions
It's tough turning on the television and watching the president pretend his priorities include reducing the price at the pump for average Americans. It should be completely obvious to people at this point how the energy racket works in D.C. Keeping it simple, it's the same culture of corruption/pay-to-play mentality that permeates the halls of the Republican controlled congress. You want some figures, here are figures:
Soaring gas prices are squeezing most Americans at the pump, but at least one man isn't complaining. Last year, Exxon made the biggest profit of any company ever, $36 billion, and its retiring chairman appears to be reaping the benefits.Exxon is giving Lee Raymond one of the most generous retirement packages in history, nearly $400 million, including pension, stock options and other perks, such as a $1 million consulting deal, two years of home security, personal security, a car and driver, and use of a corporate jet for professional purposes.
The energy sector contributed $50.6 million in individual and PAC donations during the 2004 election cycle, 75 percent to Republicans.
Remember the comprehesive energy plan in 2005? The one signed with much fanfare in the weeks before Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast? Well, in the president's bill-signing speech, he thanked three congressional Republicans for making the bill possible. The bill that was supposed to help ease the pain at the pump. Those three were Congressman Joe Barton, Congressman Steve Pearce, and Senator Pete Domenici. Here are some more numbers:
In Congressman Barton's last campaign, he raised $224,398 dollars from the oil and gas industry.
In Congressman Steve Pearce's last campaign, he raised $140,212 dollars from the oil and gas industry.
In Senator Pete Domenici's last campaign, he raised $179,308 dollars from the oil and gas industry.
In all instances, the industry was one of the top three contributors to their campaigns. And in the case of Joe Barton, it was number one. Tops on the list. We were promised up and down, in any media outlet that would listen last year, that "The Energy Policy Act of 2005 is going to help every American who drives to work, every family that pays a power bill, and every small business owner hoping to expand." Again, those are President Bush's words at the bill-signing. It hasn't helped, and it wasn't intended to. Republican energy policies are crafted to help this man and his company, both of whom have seen huge windfalls over the past year, while the price of gas soars for the rest of us.
Photo from common dreams
Lee Raymond thanks you.
Posted by at 10:46 AM | Comments (13)
32%
Not really much to say that we don't already know... An overwhelming majority of Americans disapprove of the president and his agenda, 60% to be exact. Only thirty-two percent think the president is doing a good job. Four out of ten Americans feel the president is trustworthy, and he can't even muster a majority who feel he is "competent."
Posted by at 9:44 AM | Comments (192)
April 24, 2006
Open Thread
DNC staffers getting door hangers mailed out to you earlier today.
Posted by at 9:23 PM | Comments (352)
National Canvass: Stories From the Ground
Tarrant County, Texas
Our whole county party is signed up down here in tarrant county, texas (fort-worth/arlington), we had a county executive committee meeting last week, and i was pleased to her that our county party is supporting this event.
i'm signed up, and i just got my voter list today. i'm looking forward to walking my precinct this weekend. i sure could use the exercise, and now i'm going to get to meet dems in my neighborhood. should be fun!
Washoe County, Nevada
Here in Washoe County, NV (Reno/Sparks) we've been conducting training sessions going over the script and logistics of the Neighbor-to-Neighbor canvass.
We will be knocking on doors of newly registered Dems and any others in our precinct. We'll be talking up our Congressional candidate Jill Derby (NV-02) and Senate candidate Jack Carter.
The door hanger is blue in color and measures 14" x 5". At the bottom is a detachable personal info card that will be addressed to the local party. The general idea is to let Dem. voters know who we are as a party and to get feedback from voters. Picking up more potential volunteers is desireable, obviously.
We are hosting a pre-event cookout and script "rehearsal." Post-canvass, we plan on debriefing in our individual precincts and assembling the gathered information.
The NV Democratic party is a client of the Voter Activation Network. VAN is a wonderful tool for precinct activists to use. The Washoe Democrats have been conducting ongoing training for any and all interested volunteers.
The Republican Party have been out-organizing us, albeit using church lists, phone trees, magazine subscription lists, etc.
We need to beat them at their own game. High energy prices, Iraq, health care, corruption, Social Security are all issues voters relate to. And people are getting pissed off!
Southern California
Canvass event seems to be coming together here in SoCal. All I did was post it on the national site, very easy software for a Kos user, and tell a few friends. The sign ups have been steady ever since. We are up to +10. All I'm doing is bringing the hangers down the block to the community center. We will meet and fan out through a residential neighborhood.
I know I could call arround and organize bigger, but I like the personal, low energy output model. It leaves me wanting to do more, not feeling burned out. I often say, "I do what I can". What I can do just got easier.
Posted by at 3:27 PM | Comments (4)
National Canvass: From North Carolina
(The following entry was submitted by Mark Hufford, Western Political Director for the North Carolina Democratic Party -- and one of your DNC organizers. -- Tim)
Seeing all the planning for the National Canvass Day on the 29th makes me giddy. Heartened by a canvass event this past weekend, I wanted to pass along a few words of encouragement about what to expect on Saturday.
Canvassing makes you feel good all over!!!
You may know that here in North Carolina we have our state party’s Jefferson-Jackson dinner on the 29th, so accordingly, we’re encouraging canvassing events on other days. As one of the DNC’s regional field directors in NC, I took the opportunity on Saturday to participate in a canvass held in one of our rural mountain counties. I figured it would be a great chance to give the door hangers a test run, and to get a taste of what people might expect when they knock on doors in this new political climate.
As an enthusiastic proponent of grassroots activism, our state party chair, Jerry Meek, also took the opportunity to roll up his sleeves and jump in. The night before the canvass we met with county party leaders and local candidates to discuss their planning. With considerable canvassing experience in previous elections, they decided this year to begin with a countywide canvass of all houses, not just Democrats and Unaffiliated households. I am so glad they did, and you’ll read why in a minute.
Despite a torrential downpour overnight and thundershowers in the morning, Jerry and I were delighted to greet 66 bright, shining faces at the canvass training session. Capable canvass leaders answered questions, assigned partners and territories and covered all the do’s and don’ts with tremendous efficiency and enthusiasm. At the end of the session, the new DNC doorhangers got a hearty thumbs up. And off we went!
Keep in mind that these rural mountain counties include EVERY kind of voter and a mish-mash mix of socioeconomics. In a given quarter-mile stretch there are trailer parks next to million-dollar ski chalets next to farmers next to college students. The bottom line is ALL of them are concerned about the direction in which our country is headed. And the vast majority are happy to see someone at their door.
I heartily encourage you to include ample time at the end of your canvass for a thorough debriefing session to share stories. Although five hours of canvassing wore everybody out, hearing the stories was tremendously encouraging. Here are some snippets of what we learned:
* Although we wore clothing that blatantly identified us as Democrats, Republicans were willing to talk. A large number of them, instead of saying, "well, I'm a Republican," started the conversation with something like, "Well, I'm technically registered as a Republican," in an apologetic tone. Although they're not necessarily GOTV targets yet, seeds of doubt are definitely sprouting in many Republican minds.
* Gas prices are on everyone's mind. This was overwhelmingly the number one issue of concern. And across all political categories, voters are appropriately aware that a chunk of the blame goes to Republican energy policy and involvement with Big Oil. One voter said "If the price of gas goes much higher, I'm not going to be able to afford to go to work, and that can't be good for the economy."
* People are concerned about war, but also about local issues like high schools and public transportation and affordable housing and health care. They may never voice their concerns to officials, but on their doorstep we are helping to keep the Democratic process alive. We told them we’d be back and we will.
In North Carolina this year it’s all about grassroots and turnout. We have no statewide legislative races, so turnout is expected to be low. Canvass events like these plant the seeds for Democratic victory and we appreciate the DNC for supporting them. Thanks for all you do!
Posted by at 1:38 PM | Comments (3)
50-State Strategy: Yes, Wyoming Is In Play
In 2004, Republican Congresswoman Barbara Cubin won her Congressional race with an anemic 55% of the vote over Democrat Ted Ladd -- this despite Ladd getting outspent 3 to 1 in the contest. In fact, Cubin was so weak within her own party, that she earned a primary challenge from two fellow Republicans who amassed 41% of the vote between them in.
Fast forward to 2006 and Democrat Gary Trauner's inspired campaign to take on Cubin. The race is getting a substantial amount of "buzz" in political circles -- most recently a Congressional Quarterly piece this weekend that included a run-down of some of the congresswoman's "lighter moments."
Just before her first House race, Cubin survived controversy in the state Senate: She reportedly received a basket of penis-shaped cookies and distributed them to male colleagues she said were in on the joke.A fervent opponent of restrictions on gun ownership, Cubin said during a House floor debate in 2003 that a proposed amendment would have barred the sale of guns "to anybody who was on drugs or in drug treatment." Cubin then added, "Well, does that mean if you go into a black community, you can't sell guns to any black person?"
But Cubin has more problems than foot-in-mouth syndrome and absenteeism in the House, chiefly, the campaign of Gary Trauner. I actually had an occassion to meet with Wyoming's future Democratic congressman while in New Orleans last weekend. He took a few moments from pressing the flesh to sit down with me and my video camera to send a message into online community. In fact, he was so excited to tell people "on the blogs" about is campaign that he sought me out. Take a look.
Video: Gary Trauner Talks About His Race
Amazingly, Trauner has kept pace with the incumbent Congresswoman in the funding race necessary to compete for a seat in the House. As of the April filing, Cubin has $173,492 CoH vs. Trauner's $157,360.
The regional political director at the DNC for the little slice of heaven that is Wyoming walked up to me at the start of the week in New Orleans and said, "I want to introduce you to the biggest story of 2006. His name is Gary Trauner and he's running for the at-large seat in Wyoming."
I kind of chuckled at first, but then I met the man. No more than 10 seconds after the interview was complete, I met the Executive Director of the Wyoming Democratic Party, a fresh-faced Kyle DeBeer. Kyle handed me a nice little fact sheet on the race and we talked about the innovative ways Trauner is getting it done on-the-ground.
In fact, Gary's "open door tour" is almost like a mini fifty state strategy in his home state. Of Wyoming's 23 counties, Trauner has already visited seventeen at least once during the campaign, and most more than once ... and it's only April!
Plus, you gotta love a candidate who includes "doing the right thing" as one of his issue positions alongside ethics, education, and health care.
Posted by at 10:22 AM | Comments (11)
Ex-CIA Officer: We Knew There Were No WMD
Explosive news on the WMD front, with a former top CIA official making the case that the agency knew there were no weapons of mass destruction but the facts were ignored by the White House:
A retired CIA official has accused the Bush administration of ignoring intelligence indicating that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and no active nuclear program before the United States-led coalition invaded it, CBS News said Sunday.Let's tack that on to the sordid history of the Bush administration and WMD:Tyler Drumheller, the former highest-ranking CIA officer in Europe, told "60 Minutes" that the administration "chose to ignore" good intelligence, the network said in a posting on its Web site.
Drumheller said that, before the U.S.-led attack on Iraq in 2003, the White House "ignored crucial information" from Iraq's foreign minister, Naji Sabri, that indicated Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction. [...]
"[The source] told us that there were no active weapons of mass destruction programs," Drumheller is quoted as saying. "The [White House] group that was dealing with preparation for the Iraq war came back and said they were no longer interested. And we said 'Well, what about the intel?' And they said 'Well, this isn't about intel anymore. This is about regime change.' "
Drumheller said the administration officials wanted no more information from Sabri because: "The policy was set. The war in Iraq was coming, and they were looking for intelligence to fit into the policy." [...]
"It just sticks in my craw every time I hear them say it's an intelligence failure," Drumheller told CBS' Ed Bradley. "This was a policy failure. I think, over time, people will look back on this and see this is going to be one of the great, I think, policy mistakes of all time."
Bush Administration Touted Capture of Mobile "Biological Laboratories," Declaring "We Have Found the Weapons Of Mass Destruction." On May 29, 2003, 50 days after the fall of Baghdad, President Bush proclaimed a fresh victory for his administration in Iraq: Two small trailers captured by U.S. and Kurdish troops had turned out to be long-sought mobile "biological laboratories." He declared, "We have found the weapons of mass destruction." The claim, repeated by top administration officials for months afterward, was hailed at the time as a vindication of the decision to go to war." [Washington Post, 4/12/06]
... Even When They Knew It Was Not True. "But even as Bush spoke, U.S. intelligence officials possessed powerful evidence that it was not true. A secret fact-finding mission to Iraq -- not made public until now -- had already concluded that the trailers had nothing to do with biological weapons. Leaders of the Pentagon-sponsored mission transmitted their unanimous findings to Washington in a field report on May 27, 2003, two days before the president's statement. The three-page field report and a 122-page final report three weeks later were stamped "secret" and shelved. Meanwhile, for nearly a year, administration and intelligence officials continued to publicly assert that the trailers were weapons factories." [Washington Post, 4/12/06]
At President Bush and Vice President Cheney's Request, Scooter Libby Leaks Previously Classified Information From the National Intelligence Estimate. Scooter Libby testified that he was specifically authorized in advance of his July 8 meeting with New York Times reporter Judith Miller to disclose portions of the classified NIE because the Vice President thought that it was "very important" for them to come out. Libby testified that while at first he advised the Vice President that he could not have this conversation with Miller because of the classified nature of the NIE, Vice President Cheney advised him that President Bush authorized Libby to disclose "the relevant portions of the NIE." Libby testified that the circumstances of his conversation with Judith Miller-getting approval from the President through the Vice President to discuss material-were "unique in his recollection." [Government's Response to Defendant's Third Motion to Compel Discovery, 4/5/06]
... Even As The Information Was Being Discredited By Other Officials In the Administration. President Bush's order authorizing Scooter Libby to reveal "previously classified intelligence about Saddam Hussein's efforts to obtain uranium came as the information was already being discredited by several other officials in the administration, interviews and documents from the time show." A senior intelligence official involved in drafting the estimate said the drafters knew there were serious doubts about the accuracy of that claim. [New York Times, 4/9/06]
High Ranking CIA Officer Said Bush and Cheney Were Told That Iraq Had No Weapons Of Mass Destruction. Tyler Drumheller, the former highest-ranking CIA officer in Europe said that, before the U.S.-led attack on Iraq in 2003, President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and other high ranking officials were told that Iraq's foreign minister, Naji Sabri, had told the CIA that Iraq had "no active weapons of mass destruction programs." [CNN 4/23/06]
... But They Said They "Were No Longer Interested." "'The [White House] group that was dealing with preparation for the Iraq war came back and said they were no longer interested. And we said 'Well, what about the intel?' And they said 'Well, this isn't about intel anymore. This is about regime change.' Drumheller said the administration officials wanted no more information from Sabri because: 'The policy was set. The war in Iraq was coming, and they were looking for intelligence to fit into the policy.'" [CNN 4/23/06]
Posted by Joe Rospars at 10:15 AM | Comments (29)
Open Thread
Transitioning from the Spring Meeting to the National Canvass.
Posted by at 9:56 AM | Comments (257)
April 23, 2006
New Orleans Culture Alive and Well
For all the time I spent in New Orleans last week, nothing was as rewarding as the time I got to spend out on the streets. Whether it was Bourbon Street at 2 AM, or Royal Street in the middle of the day during the French Quarter Festival, nothing compared or even came close. With the exception of cab rides to and from the airport, I never found myself outside of the city itself. Fellow DNC staffer Josh McConaha participated in two of the DNC community service projects while I dutifully reported on the happenings at the spring meeting, and he was grateful for the experience... I remain envious, but proud, of the committee's sense of service during our week in the Big Easy. And while Josh did a terrific job documenting the tremendous amount of work still left to be done, I am happy to report that restoration of a proud culture is not one of the tasks necessary... that culture is alive and well.
Photo: Packed Streets During the French Quarter Festival
Photo: Jazz at the French Quarter Festival
Photo: Art at the French Quarter Festival
Photo: Nightlife on Bourbon Street
Photo: Can't Escape the Music on Bourbon Street -- And who'd want to?
As I sat there watching that last band play with McConaha and a few other friends, a local man looked over at me and said, "it can't but make you smile." Reflexively, I smiled, and he said, "see!" He was right. Being on the streets of New Orleans, listening to the music, seeing the art, and watching the people and all that they've overcome in the last several months can't help but make you smile. But at the same time there is still a lot of work to do, not just in the city, but in the areas surrounding the city, like the lower 9th ward and Plaquemines Parish. But the culture of the city? Not even the strong winds of a hurricane was able to sweep that away, and you can tell the people of a still-proud city are thankful for that. We all should be.
Posted by at 1:43 PM | Comments (24)
April 22, 2006
Open Thread
I saw these shirts being worn EVERYWHERE this weekend (or variations on the theme). I know everyone was impacted by the events that took place during Katrina and the aftermath, but it was something quite touching for me personally to be down there... even seven months after the fact. Just wanted to share. More coming, probably tomorrow.
Happy Easter to the Eastern Orthodox folks out there.
Posted by at 9:02 PM | Comments (375)
Spring Meeting & Fifty State Strategy Collide (Part II)
Just got back to my apartment in Washington, D.C. from New Orleans -- it's nice to be home. I'll have some photos and video up from the French Quarter Festival that was going on today. I am so glad I took the time to walk the streets, as tired as I was. That said, I stumbled upon this article from the AP as soon as I opened my laptop.
Howard Dean, long known for bucking the establishment, has spent much of his time as Democratic chairman trying to strengthen the party outside of Washington — and his rank and file loves him for it. "He is truly nationalizing the Democratic Party and he's looking to the future," said Steve Achelpohl, head of the Nebraska state party.He's doing very well," said Mitchell Ceasar, a former Florida Democratic Party chairman. "We're winning races in red states, places where we, frankly, haven't won anything in 30 or 40 years."
Andrew O'Leary, executive director of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in Minnesota, said that because of Dean, the DNC now is paying the salaries of four organizers now working in Minnesota.
"He's raising the money necessary to be competitive. He's just spending it in ways the party's never seen before," O'Leary said.
"Howard Dean has put his money where his mouth is," added Jay Parmley, a former Oklahoma Democratic Party chairman who is working in Mississippi as a DNC-paid organizer. "He's delivered on his promises to help state parties reach out to our counties and precincts."
As I was watching Governor Dean speak at this afternoons general session, I got the goosebumps again. They are the same goosebumps I personally would get at times during the 2004 presidential primaries, but today they were for a different reason. As the governor spoke about the Fifty State Strategy, the grassrtoots, and individual success stories around the country, you could start to feel a buzz in the room begin to build. I am so proud to have been a part of the events like the national canvass taking place next weekend and the Democracy Bonds community (and an owner myself!), and I wasn't the only one... As the room erupted in cheers, the goosebumps came. We have every reason to be proud of the DNC this evening. The Party has come a long way in the last few months, and we have even more to build over the next few years. But one thing we know for sure, if you live in Wyoming or Ohio, Florida or Phoenix, Alaska or Alabama ... Democrats are fighting to win from the top of the ticket to the bottom. And that is something we can all get excited about as we approach the 2006 midterms.
Posted by at 8:49 PM | Comments (7)
Meeting Open Thread
We're streaming the meeting this morning live here.
Posted by Josh McConaha at 9:53 AM | Comments (253)
April 21, 2006
From the Lower 9th Ward
I'm sitting on a bus with 28 other volunteers -- a combination of DNC members, officers and staffers. We just spent two hours in New Orlean's lower 9th ward gutting a house that had been overcome with mold in the seven months since Katrina hit.
The trip itself was telling -- we started at our downtown hotel, working our way through the more touristy parts of the city that, save for many boarded windows and a noticeable lack of people, is in pretty good shape, comparatively. Still before we crossed the levees, things started to noticeably deteriorate. Not knowing where I was, I thought we were in the middle of the worst. Well, we weren't.
Crossing over the levees turned what started as a fairly noisy bus ride into a dead silent one. The devastation -- particularly in the three or four blocks closest to the levees -- is nothing short of astounding. As I write this, it's not that I'm having a hard time describing it, it's that I'm having a hard time describing how you can't comprehend or expect just how bad things are. The destruction is one thing -- the fact that you had no idea just how bad it is is an experience in and of itself.
The crew of about fifty, including Governor Dean, spent two hours tearing everything out of the house, minus the framing joists. Insulation, drywall, ceilings -- everything. It was loaded into wheelbarrows and dumped out front, and ACRON will have it removed later.
Given the massive amounts of mold and toxins left from the storm, everyone had to wear full-body tyveck suits, masks, gloves, and most wore goggles and shower caps or hats. To their credit, nobody complained. Anyone who thought that the volunteer work that the DNC is doing in New Orleans is fluff for a good photo-op, press release or blog post should be quickly corrected after seeing what went on today.
Below are some quick photos that I'm uploading for the sake of getting them online. I have hundreds, and close to thirty minutes of video. Governor Dean did an interview with Alan Colmes while he was there, which I'm told will air tonight. Be sure to watch.
Posted by Josh McConaha at 6:58 PM | Comments (26)
Spring Meeting: Exec. Committee Photos and Video
Photos and video from this morning's Executive Committee Session at the 2006 Spring Meeting in New Orleans. Previous entries on the topic include: Governor Dean's remarks and Penny Lee of the Democratic Governor's Association (Link) -- Michael Davies of the DLCC (Link). Lee gives the rundown of 2006 Governors races, and likewise Davies lays out the legislative landscape. As always, click to enlarge or play.
Photo: Packed House at Exec. Committee Session
Photo: Michael Davies of the DLCC
Video: Gov. Dean on DNC efforts to help vote in Saturday's New Orelans Primary
Video: Penny Lee of DGA Gives 2006 Landscape (Part I)
Video: Penny Lee of DGA Gives 2006 Landscape (Part II)
Keep checking back in throughout the day. Josh just took off with Governor Dean to participate in some more community service, and will certainly have some video and photos up later in the day. You can check out Josh's work in Plaquemines Parish yesterday, here.
Posted by at 1:37 PM | Comments (4)
Spring Meeting: More from the Exec. Committee -- DLCC
Continued from previous post.
The next speaker was Michael Davies of the DLCC. Their job is to simply, or not so simply, to elect Democratic legislators in 7382 state legislative districts across the country. You might recall that Governor Dean often points to a handful of state legislative victories for Democrats in 2005 and 2006: New Hampshire, Mississippi, Kentucky, Missouri, and Pennsylvania are just a few.
Davies started by thanking the DNC for its historically strong relationship with the DLCC, and 2006 is no different. He continued by documenting "the best untold story" of the 2004 election cycle. A total of ten state legislative chambers switched moved into the Democratic column in 2004, in red and blue states alike. The Colorado House and Senate, Iowa's Senate moved into a tie, both Montana chambers flipped, New Jersey's Senate was a pick-up in 2003, the North Carolina House switched in 2004, Oregon's Senate, Vermont's House, and Washington's Senate are all chambers currently led by a majority of Democrats. Davies continued that Democrats have won 90% of special elections at the state legislative level over the past two years.
The task of winning state legislative races across the country is quite complicated and takes successive cycles and consistent effort.
He went into the 2006 forecast, where Democrats are going to play a lot of defense, shoring up the gains made in 2004. The short-term targets include the Colorado House and Senate, which he regarded as "tough turf." Democrats haven't controlled both chambers since the Kennedy Administration, and holding them is going to a top priority this November. He refered to both chambers in Iowa as a "coin flip." Right now there are 49 Democrats to 51 Republicans in the House. Of those seats, 83 Democrats and 72 Republicans have filed to run thus far. He credited strong candidate recruitment in Ohio for the disparity in between parties. He said they are playing aggressive offense in 11 seats, and at the same time, focused on defending 11 seats. In the Iowa Senate, it's a 25/25 tie, but there are several open-seats where we can make gains.
In Indiana, Republicans hold a 52-58 advantage in the State House. Again, there was very strong candidate recruitment by Democrats this cycle and we have a great opportunity to reclaim the chamber. There are a number of local issues that Democrats are on the right side of, including toll roads, time zones, and privatization of state facilities. In Kentucky and Maine, both chambers are incredibly close, and we are going to have to work hard to maintain our edges. Michigan is building towards a Democratic majority in 2010. Davies concluded by citing Minnesota, where we were down 30 seats going into 2004 in the House, but have since whittled the margin down to two.
Alright, now it's on to uploading pictures and video from the event.
Posted by at 12:30 PM | Comments (2)
Spring Meeting: Exec. Committee Meeting & Dem. Governors Assoc.
I just got done with the executive committee meeting and wanted to post a few quick notes before turning towards uploading photos and video from the session. Of all the pieces I've attended so far, this one provided the most information for the campaign addict stuffed away inside of me. First Governor Dean took to the podium and talked about some of the ways the DNC has worked together with the state parties in terms of providing bodies on the battleground and cash in the coffers. We've all heard it before, the fifty state strategy -- lots of applause from those from inside the states, they are quite appreciative. I'll have video up shortly from portions of the governor's comments. When he wa done, he turned the mic over the Penny Lee for a Democratic Governors Association briefing.
Penny talked about some real pick-up opportunities for Democrats in the 2006 election cycle. By the time the ballots are cast, the goal is undoubtedly to flip a majority of seats into the Democratic column for the first time in quite some time (as I write this, I see New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin to the right of me interviewed by scores of media -- there is a contested Mayoral primary here tomorrow). Anyway, Lee mentioned New York as a real opportunity for Democrats to pick-up a seat. That's stating the obvious, indeed. She went onto Ohio where criminally convicted Republican Governor Bob Taft is term-limited out of his seat, but leaves a legacy that includes a 13% approval rating, a state caught up in scandal, and a dire mess of fiscal irresponsibility. She mentioned Arkansas, where former Attorney General Mike Beebe is facing off against Republican Asa Hutchinson. This seat is a tremendous opportunity for Democrats in the South, and we lead handily in the polls as of today. California, of course, is a currently a contested primary, but we have a great chance to flip another governorship into our column there. Another expensive state in the top-tier of pick-up opportunities is Florida, where Jeb Bush is also gone in November. Both Florida and California are very very expensive states with large media markets. Massachusetts is another seat Republican Governor Mitt Romney will be vacating as he pursues his quest to become the Republican nominee for preside