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May 31, 2006

Dear Mr. President

What does it say when President Bush can't answer the questions about the war in Iraq from a 10 year-old girl honestly and directly?

From the Morning Sentinel:

Ten-year-old Emily Shrader was watching television in her father's tractor-trailer at the beginning of a trip from Maine to Florida when she decided to get involved in her nation's foreign policy.

"It (television news) showed how many people were dying in Iraq, so I just started to write," said Shrader, a fourth-grade student in Lauren Taylor's class at Canaan Elementary School.

From Maine to Florida, Shrader, who was on April vacation, wrote, then edited and rewrote her letter to President Bush.

She told President Bush that her father, a long-haul trucker, often comes home on weekends, but if she didn't get to see him for over a month she would be very sad.

Think, she asked him, how he would feel if one of his parents went off to war and never came back.

"You could never even see him or say good-bye. You may never be able to say 'I love you Dad or Mom again,' " wrote Shrader.

Should we be surprised that he is so out-of-touch with the American people and their concerns? Should we be surprised that his answer to a child's dismay at the death and destruction is more of the same tired rhetoric:

"Democracy is on the march in Iraq .... I encourage you to support these service men and women who are willing to sacrifice for a cause greater than self," wrote the president.

Honestly, no, we should not be surprised - not when the Administration is content to ignore the facts, and mislead the public. The President would do well to take his own advice and support the service men and women by answering the question Americans of all ages are asking - What is our plan to succeed in Iraq and at what point can our troops begin to return home?

CA-50: More Busby

Today brings news that John McCain canceled a fundraising event for Brian Bilbray, the Republican challenging Francine Busby, over a difference in immigration policy.

From AP:

Arizona Sen. John McCain on Tuesday canceled an appearance for a Republican congressional candidate who has attacked his opponent for supporting McCain's immigration bill.

McCain, R-Ariz., was scheduled to speak Wednesday at a breakfast fundraiser for Brian Bilbray, who is locked in a close runoff race with Democrat Francine Busby for the San Diego-area seat left vacant by disgraced former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham. The event was expected to raise at least $65,000.

Jesse Lee has more, including a statement from Francine.

While your getting your daily dose of Busby, check out this:

Francine Busby on the radio with The Young Turks. Who, by the way, aren't a group of young turkish chaps, as I originally thought upon hearing the name.

Young Turk (n), 1. Young progressive or insurgent member of an institution, movement, or political party. 2. Young person who rebels against authority or societal expectations. (American Heritage Dictionary)

Anyway, have a listen.

Wednesday Open Thread

What I'm Reading This Morning:

• Blow the Whistle, Loudly
• Former Ney Aide Testifies
• More Splits in House GOP Ranks
• They "Really Wanted Laura"

May 30, 2006

Too High

Sunday The New York Times offered an editorial entitled "The Price of Iraq". It was something I missed at the time, but after reading through it today, I thought I'd share it, in case you missed it as well.

Here is an excerpt:

Iraq now does have a constitutional government, elected by the Iraqis themselves. But that will make no difference at all unless that government can provide all its citizens with basic order and security.

Right now armed gangs of thugs, many of them wearing government uniforms, are spreading terror throughout the country. Some were trained by American forces to work for the Interior Ministry, but actually do the bidding of Shiite political and religious leaders. They harass, kidnap and murder people who follow different religious practices or support competing politicians, often with the help of weapons and equipment provided by an American government that had very different objectives in mind. The Times reported last week that Sunni forces working for the Ministry of Defense who were supposed to be guarding Iraq's oil pipeline were instead freelancing as death squads, assassinating people who cooperated with the same government that paid the gunmen's salaries.

Of all of George Bush's many arguments for the invasion, the only one that has survived exposure to reality is that Iraqis deserve something better than a brutal dictatorship. But right now the country appears on the way to a civil war among the armed groups competing to impose order on their own terms. To avoid repeating a very bad history, the nation's security forces must be brought under control by people who have both the will and the capacity to truly unite the nation.

The fact that the current government avoided naming any officials to the posts that control the military and internal security forces when it announced its first cabinet was a clear sign of how difficult that task would be. And coming up with acceptable nominees is just the first and easiest step. The current military and civilian police forces must be purged of their brutal and lawless elements, and the numerous private militias must be made to stand down and disarm.

American forces can never be a substitute for Iraqi soldiers and police officers who take seriously their duty to protect all the people, regardless of religion or ethnicity. Mr. Bush's premise that American troops should simply stay on the ground until Iraq gets things right and defeats all insurgent forces and terrorist groups, however long it takes, is flat wrong. The United States presence is dangerous — to the soldiers themselves, to American standing in the world, and most tellingly to large numbers of innocent Iraqis.

Along the same lines, The Belgravia Dispatch looks at the downward spiral that is Iraq in numbers of deaths.

Yesterday I spent Memorial Day at a friend's house. One of the families attending the get together had come after visiting Arlington National Cemetary. They took their children to visit the grave of their brother, an uncle the children never knew, wanting them to understand that Memorial Day was more than just a day off school.

They talked about the different graves they had passed en route to the one they sought, and how many there were. They wondered aloud when they would run out of space in the cementary.

Another guest at the party was a journalist. He said he is working on a piece about contractors in Iraq. He said the number of American contractors killed was in the thousands as well and yet those deaths go largely unreported.

Combine that number with the number of men and women killed in the line of duty, the Iraqi civilians, and the number doubles over and over again. It's sickening and shows no sign of stopping.

Day by day, our soldiers are in jeopardy. The Iraqi people have a fragile government at best, a nightmare of a country at worst.

Meanwhile, the President has offered no plan, no exit strategy, no leadership. He's offered nothing but cowboy rhetoric he now appears to regret.

Our troops and the American people are owed more than regrets. We are owed more than empty words from a President and an Administration that ignored warnings, dismissed facts and sought to discredit anyone who questioned their reasons for entering Iraq.

CA-50: One Week to Go!

Francine Busby has one short week until Election Day. Jesse Lee reports the NRCC is in for 3.96 million.

On top of that US News and World Report notes:

Staffers from the National Republican Congressional Committee are quietly telling GOP House members to prepare for a possible loss in the June 6 special election to fill the seat of Randy "Duke" Cunningham, now in prison for taking bribes. The Southern California district is heavily Republican, but some GOP insiders believe that Democrat Francine Busby will defeat former GOP Rep. Brian Bilbray and go on to win a full term in November.

and the LA Times says:

Normally, this district is so Republican that Democratic strategist Donna Brazile says it's not just red, but "ruby red."

However, with Bush's approval ratings severely hobbled by Iraq and other issues and Cunningham in prison for the biggest corruption case in congressional history, the GOP is running concerned, if not downright scared.

A loss here, or even a close victory, could be seen as a sign that the GOP hold on Washington is slipping and that November could see wholesale change.

So here we have a district considered, not that long ago, to be solid Republican. And yet, it's in play. It's close. Polling has shown Busby tied, and at times, ahead of her opponent.

The Republican Culture of Corruption has spread so far and wide that even the reddest of Districts is a possible pick-up opportunity. So many more Republican incumbents are in facing hard challenges than Democrats and there is a reason for that. Americans everywhere are tired of an incompetent Administration and a rubber-stamp Republican Congress and Francine Busby may just be their first opportunity to show it.

Tuesday Open Thread

What I'm Reading This Morning

• Talk of Pelosi as Speaker Delights Both Parties
• Block the Vote (After you read this, check out what Dems are doing via the National Democratic Lawyers Council and the Voting Rights Institue)

May 29, 2006

On Memorial Day

Chairman Howard Dean and Don Fowler, Chair of the DNC's Veterans and Military Families Council, issued the following statement this morning marking Memorial Day:

"Today millions of Americans will mark Memorial Day by laying a wreath on the grave of a loved one or visiting their local war memorial. We join them in honoring the service and sacrifice of those who have given their lives in defense of our country.

"America has always been fortunate to rely upon the courage and fortitude of brave men and women of all backgrounds who have answered the call to service. These, the best and bravest our nation has to offer, are true patriots who have served with honor and distinction all over the world-a tradition that continues today, with the men and women fighting the war on terror and serving in Iraq.

"Memorial Day is also a stark reminder that gratitude is not enough. Our men and women in uniform deserve civilian leaders who listen to military commanders and provide them the resources they need to complete their mission and come home safely.

"Unfortunately, we know that President Bush chose to ignore an abundance of evidence prior to the start of the Iraq war that pointed to the strength of the insurgency and the challenges our troops would face. President Bush may have kicked off this Memorial Day weekend by expressing his regrets, but he owes our troops and the American people more than that. For the good of the brave troops serving in Iraq, our veterans, and their families, President Bush needs to finally offer a clear plan for success."

Memorial Day Open Thread

Did you know:

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day because it was a time set aside to honor the nation's Civil War dead by decorating their graves. It was first widely observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the sacrifices of Civil War soldiers, by proclamation of General John A. Logan of the Grand Army of the Republic, an organization of former sailors and soldiers. On May 5, 1868, Logan declared in General Order No. 11 that:

The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

During the first celebration of Decoration Day, General James Garfield made a speech at Arlington National Cemetery, after which 5,000 participants helped to decorate the graves of the more than 20,000 Union and Confederate soldiers buried in the cemetery.

This 1868 celebration was inspired by local observances of the day in several towns throughout America that had taken place in the three years since the Civil War. In fact, several Northern and Southern cities claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day, including Columbus, Miss.; Macon, Ga.; Richmond, Va.; Boalsburg, Pa.; and Carbondale, Ill.


In 1966, the federal government, under the direction of President Lyndon Johnson, declared Waterloo, N.Y., the official birthplace of Memorial Day. They chose Waterloo—which had first celebrated the day on May 5, 1866—because the town had made Memorial Day an annual, community-wide event during which businesses closed and residents decorated the graves of soldiers with flowers and flags.

By the late 1800s, many communities across the country had begun to celebrate Memorial Day and, after World War I, observances also began to honor those who had died in all of America's wars. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a national holiday to be celebrated the last Monday in May. (Veterans Day, a day set aside to honor all veterans, living and dead, is celebrated each year on November 11.)

Today, Memorial Day is celebrated at Arlington National Cemetery with a ceremony in which a small American flag is placed on each grave. Also, it is customary for the president or vice-president to give a speech honoring the contributions of the dead and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. About 5,000 people attend the ceremony annually.

May 27, 2006

Saturday Open Thread

Your challenge this weekend:

Write a Letter to the Editor of your local papers. The DNC tool has some suggested subjects, or you can also write on one of your choosing.

Have a candidate you want to support? A cause? An issue? Don't forget to make your voice heard offline too!

May 26, 2006

Late Night Open Thread

With a beautiful three day weekend ahead of us, there is no time like the present to volunteer and help take back our country.

Take the time this weekend to reach out to local candidates and consider spending a few hours volunteering this weekend. Senate, Congress, Governor, State House or School Board. All of these campaigns can use a few good men and women.

Why not you?

Have some fun and do some good.

Week in Review

Well we are getting closer and closer to the long weekend, and a lot has happened this week. I though a re-cap would be good.

Early this week the DNC hosted 30 Organizers from across the country for a comprehensive 2-Day training session. I was able to attend the trainings, and bring you a short summary of the sessions as they happened.

You can check out those posts here, here, here, here, here, and Governor Dean's closing remarks, here.

As part of Chairman Dean's effort to reach out to Democratic leaders across the country to create a unified party, the DNC hosted a conference with Democratic mayors this week. Chairman Dean spoke with the mayors about a myriad of issues, including how national issues such as health care, homeland security, budget cuts, and gas prices are affecting their local communities.

Here is my brief account of the meetings on the hill and pictures of Governor Dean, Leaders Pelosi and Reid and the visiting Mayors are here.

We closed that day with a press conference. You can listen to Governor Dean and the visiting Mayors talk with reporters.

That same night Governor Dean also held a conference call with Democracy Bond holders.

It was a big day Thursday for the Democracy Bond community. We welcomed over 500 new members! More than doubling our goal of 250 new Bond Holders this week. If you haven't gotten yours, you can sign up today. If you already have a Democracy Bond you can set up a personal fundraising page and shatter your own bats.

On Thursday I also introduced you to Kristin Hedger, who is running for Secretary of State in North Dakota. Kristin was in town for a few days last week and I was able to sit down and talk with her about why she is running, what she hopes to accomplish and what is happening with North Dakota Dems.

The Senate passed their version of the immigration bill late that afternoon, setting up a show-down with their House counterparts as the two meet in conference to work out a final version.

President Bush said he regretted some of the language he used in the early stages of the Iraq war. It's too bad he doesn't have the good sense to regret ignoring evidence and the advice of those who saw things differently than he did. Our men and women in uniform are owed far more than regrets.

TGIF Open Thread

What I'm Reading Today

• Politics Altered by Internet
• The State of Things to Come?
• Nobody Home

May 25, 2006

Immigration Bill Passes the Senate

VOTE ON FINAL PASSAGE: 62-36

From Governor Dean:

"We congratulate Senate Democrats for their continued leadership, led by Leader Harry Reid, on the important issue of comprehensive immigration reform. Democrats have consistently fought for immigration reform that strengthens our borders, protects U.S. workers and their wages, reunites families and allows hard-working immigrants who pay taxes and obey the law the opportunity to earn the right to apply for the responsibilities of citizenship.

"While the Senate bill is better than the Republican bill passed by the House with the President's backing, the next important step of reconciling these measures could erase any progress already made. President Bush and Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist must reject the anti-immigrant and un-American elements of the House bill. So far, President Bush has stood on the sidelines while allowing extremists in his party to hijack the debate. The President must now make sure that his proclamations on immigration do not become empty, misleading rhetoric by standing up to the far-right. America needs leadership that brings our country together and that delivers the comprehensive reform that the American people expect and demand."

From AP:

Legislation to secure U.S. borders and offer millions of illegal immigrants access to the American dream cleared the Senate on Thursday, a rare election-year reach across party lines and a triumph for President Bush.

The 62-36 vote cleared the way for arduous summertime compromise talks with the House and its more conservative measure with no guarantee of success.

"Why not say to those undocumented workers who are working the jobs that the rest of us refuse, come out from the shadows," said Arizona Republican John McCain, a key architect of the bill.

The legislation includes money to better secure the borders, provide a new guest worker program and give an eventual shot at citizenship to many of the estimated 11 million to 12 million immigrants in the country illegally.

The bill "strengthens our security and reflects our humanity," said Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., McCain's partner in Senate compromise. "It is intended to keep out those who would harm us and welcome those who contribute to our country."

Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and the Democratic leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, both sided with supporters, a reflection of the bipartisan backing for a bill that was months in the drafting and survived several near-death experiences.

Conservative critics attacked the legislation to the end after trying unsuccessfully to pull it apart with amendments.

Thursday Night Open Thread

The Governor is on Hardball tonight! He should be on around 5:30 p.m.

Play nice.

Convicted GOP Operative to Run Campaign School

No, we're not joking.

The Union Leader reported today that convicted phone-jammer and former New Hampshire Republican Party Executive Director Charles McGee is inviting Republican political operatives to a campaign school that will teach them "all the tools you need to win."

For McGee, one of those tools was a criminal conspiracy to block the phone lines at Democratic get-out-the-vote call centers on Election Day in 2002. McGee, one of three people sentenced to jail time for their roles in the scheme, served seven months in prison last year after pleading guilty to conspiracy charges.

To help young Republican organizers decide whether to attend McGee's campaign school, the DNC today issued a list of expected lecture topics:

Charles McGee's Lecture Topics

• Voting Rights: Fundamental Protection, or Annoying Technicality?
• Phone Jamming 101: Telemarketers-They're Not Just a Nuisance Anymore
• The Art of the Cover-Up: When to Call and, More Importantly, When Not to Call
• White House Phone Records: Remember Your Discovery Rules!
• Jailhouse Politics: How to Organize Your Cellblock

The DNC also thought an expected reading list might be helpful.

A GOP Prison Reading List (to help pass the time when McGee's tactics land them in jail, too)

• Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
• Fox Two: The Story of America's First Ace in Vietnam, by Randy "Duke" Cunningham.
• Rediscovering Our American Values: The Real Story Of The Union, by Tom DeLay
• True Notebooks: A Writer's Year at Juvenile Hall, by Mark Salzman
• Russian Prison Tattoos: Codes of Authority, Domination, and Struggle, by Alix Lambert

Meet Kristin Hedger

I recently had the opportunity to talk with Kristin Hedger, who is running for Secretary of State in North Dakota. I encourage you to check out her website, where you can learn more about Kristin and why she is running.

Why are you running for Secretary of State?

I believe there is so much that can be done in terms of energizing the office and making it work for North Dakotans and one of the fundamentals ways of making it work for them is to make it as easy as possible to vote, another way would be to work closely with business leaders to promote economic development and North Dakota based entrepreneurs.

What do you see happening with North Dakota Democrats?

There is an energy you can feel; we’re going to be stronger. We are on the verge of a change of tide. We’ve always had a strong Congressional delegation – and now joining them there are fresh faces coming to the table, who are running at all levels of government and who are energized and who love the state. It’s the Democratic Party that is bringing those fresh faces to the table.

The North Dakota primary is June 13th, but you are running unopposed for the Democratic nomination, what have you been focusing on?

We work really closely with other races. I’m grateful to have had the chance to play a role bringing others to the table. The North Dakota pioneers had to work together to settle the state, and that is an inherent part of who we are. In North Dakota, and in the Democratic Party, we want to work together and build each other up. In building others up, you strengthen the state and you build the party. I believe this is what leadership is all about.

A lot of young Democrats, including yourself, are running for office in North Dakota, why do you think this is?

There is a sense that Republicans see public office as “just a job”. Democrats, especially young Democrats, have an energy and passion to make government work for North Dakota.

Let’s talk about the office of Secretary of State. What would you like to accomplish?

One thing we pride ourselves on is having the easiest voting situation in the nation. The current Secretary of State hasn’t worked proactively to ensure that folks know all of the options with respect to their voting rights. For instance, he doesn’t recognize tribal IDs as sufficient ID for voting. North Dakotans are required to have some way to identify who they are and he hasn’t recognized that form of ID. So American Indians were denied the right to vote at the polls.

A lot of seniors were denied as well, because they are used to not having to present identification. Instead of working to educate them, or providing them with legal alternatives, they were told to go home and get ID and many did not return, meaning that many American Indians and seniors were disenfranchised.

Instead of serving the public and advising those to ensure an efficient process, the current Secretary of State gives muddled, and seemingly conflicted, advice. It makes it hard for party officials and county officials. In that way it compromises the integrity of North Dakota’s election process. What I would do, is work hard to give sound advice to prevent confusion, so the process is truly working for North Dakotans.

Thursday Open Thread

Good Morning!

What I'm Reading Today:

• Martha Finds George
• At Trial, An Admission and a Denial
• Libby Told Grand Jury Cheney Spoke of Plame
• Cracks in Republican Unity

May 24, 2006

FBI Investigates Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert

The Culture of Corruption continues to flourish. According to ABC News:

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert, is under investigation by the FBI, which is seeking to determine his role in an ongoing public corruption probe into members of Congress, ABC News has learned from high level official sources.

Federal officials say the information implicating Hastert was developed from convicted lobbyists who are now cooperating with the government.

6000 Words

Here are photos from the Mayors' Conference earlier today.

Senate Minority Leader Reid and Governor Dean

The Mayors' Conference meets at the Capital Building

Mayor Palmer of Trenton, New Jersey and Senator Reid

Mayor Gary Becker of Racine, Wisconsin talks with DCCC Chairman Rahm Emanuel.

Mayor Perkins of Selma, Alabama addresses Leader Pelosi, Rep. Emanuel and Senator Dorgan.

Democracy Bonds Conference Call

Just a reminder - if you are a Democracy Bonds holder - there is a conference call right now with Governor Dean!

Press Conference

We just wrapped up a press conference with Governor Dean, Senator Dick Durbin and the visiting mayors. Governor Dean and the Mayors talked a lot about how national issues affect local communities.

I am working on getting the pictures from earlier in the day uploaded. In the meantime,here is the statement from Governor Dean:

“Our goal is to create a unified Democratic Party. It is critically important that we work together with Democratic leaders at every level of government to fight to restore leadership in Washington and across the country that represents the needs of America's working familes, not special interests. From skyrocketing gas prices, to deep cuts to homeland security and student loan programs, this Administration's failures have hurt families in each of the great cities these mayors represent.”

In the Room

I’m in a room somewhere in the Capital listening in as the Mayors' Conference continues. It’s already been a busy morning. Leader Pelosi and Leader Reid have already come through to talk with the Mayors who have made their way to Washington from cities across the country. We’ve also been joined by Senator Dorgan, Senator Reed, Rep. Emanuel and Rep. Spratt. I’ll have more details on that later.

One thing that has been note-worthy so far is the theme of today’s discussions. There doesn’t seem to be a particular issue all the Mayors want to focus on. This is understandable, considering the width and breadth of things that local government is responsible for. Yet, one thing that keeps coming up is that fact that these Mayors have had to make sacrifices at the local level, on the front lines of American government, as the reality of the Bush Administration's policies hit home.

Senator Reid mentioned 500 million dollars - the amount that would have gone towards first responders, but was instead cut from the budget. Even more shockingly - 2.5 billon dollars – the amount of money that is spent every 7 days in Iraq.

Mayor Ellis of Macon, Georgia mentioned the effect this has had in his town. Just one example: to provide funding to build schools for his city's children, and housing for his city's seniors, he recently submit a budget to his city council which will raises taxes. This because the money he receives as discretionary spending has been constantly reduced, while billions of dollars, are being spent every day in Iraq.

Wednesday Open Thread

Today I'll be bringing you information about the DNC National Mayors' Conference. Right now I am at a breakfast roundtable with Governor Dean, the visiting mayors, Leader Pelosi, Sen. Jack Reed, Rep. Hoyer, and Sen. Dorgan.

More to come later...

May 23, 2006

Doing the Hard Work

So it's been a long two days - but very exciting at the same time. I have to say that this was one of the best trainings I have ever been to - it covered everything from the basics of organizing, to the more complicated politics of constiuency outreach, to breakout sessions with their regional political directors. You could sense the energy in the room.

After the last break-out session the organizers gathered back together for a Q & A with Governor Dean. He closed his remarks with this:

Change does not come over night...It's really hard work. What they [Republicans] do is appeal to the worst in people, and divide them, and scapegoat different groups to win elections. What we have to do is stand up everyday and do the right thing. But we also have to work our butts off everyday, and be as tough as nails, and not be afraid of hard work. This does not happen overnight, and it does not happen because we're right and they're wrong, it only happens when we work hard and appeal to the better nature of people in a very firm and tough way. My job is the easy part. Keeping it going, that's the hard part, and that's your job.

In 2004 I was a field organizer in Florida, though I was so new to campaigning, that I don't think I would have known that was what it was called at the time. The amazing thing about campaigning is there is tremendous opportunity for growth. There is so much to do that the ability to be flexible, be creative, and be willing to take risks, is a huge asset. We need that in our field teams, yet we also need to have a foundation of experience and a core base of supporters. The 50-State Strategy is the answer to that need. Having staff on the ground, well in advance of election day, working every day is a huge step foward for our Party.

The organizers that have been hired are most often from the states where they are working, so they know the territory. They have different backgrounds, but often have a few Election Days under their belt, so they have experience. Yet they are also often young and energetic, and ready to try new things, to work hard and to build the kind of infrastructure the Party needs at the local level.

What I saw during the training was that it didn't matter if the organizer was from a red state or a blue one. It didn't matter if their state was a "battleground". All that mattered to these staffers was that there was the potential to make a difference, to reach out to the Democrats in their communities. They are willing to do the hard work and that is how we take our country back.

Keeping Tabs on the Immigration Debate

You may have noticed the new addition to our side bar.

The Immigration Update - a new resource provided by the American Majority Partnership went live yesterday and will keep tabs on the on-going immigration debate and the proposed amendments being considered in the United States Senate as new legislation is considered.

We hope the Immigration Update will be a resource you can use to follow this discussion.

Organizers in the Morning, Part Deux

It's day two of the training. Yesterday was an intense look into the ins and outs of organizing: party building, precinct development and volunteer management. Most of the staffers here have already been doing these things - but getting together with 30 other organizers and talking about best practices, sharing difficulties and laughing over shared experiences is much different than getting thrown feet first into the deep end of a campaign.

This morning focused on leadership development and constituency outreach. At the DNC the old system of political desks was transformed into The American Majority Partnership - which aims to bring together core consituency groups along with an integrated shared message, while still allowing for community-specific outreach as well.

Obviously it would be impossible to speak about all of the issues that are important to African American, GLBT, AAPI, Women, Working Families, Senior, Disability, Students, Faith-based or Hispanic communities – but what is important is that the Democratic Party is the party of all of these groups and we are talking with all Americans, everywhere.

Tuesday Open Thread

What I'm Reading This Morning

• Backing Away from Bush
• Much Ado About English
• Tumbling Down

May 22, 2006

Monday Night Open Thread

I'm working late, catching up on some work and listening to the new Dixie Chicks CD.

This is an open thread.

Talking with Voters

Let's talk about talking. That's what we are doing right now - sitting in on a strategy session about talking to voters.

The traditional idea of voter contact? Phone banks, door-to-door, direct mail - these tactics are the bread and butter of field work. But there are new ways of talking with voters. The internet is one of the innovations, and Josh and I will be getting our chance to talk with the group during the next session. But there are also many new ways to reach out to voters in our communities. Different organizers have been sharing some new and interesting tactics they have been utilizing - via events, community service projects, 'Dorm Storms', even book clubs.

Here are some more photos:

Voter Contact Training Session

California Staffers

More California Organizers

Voter File Fun

Ok, so maybe it's not the most exciting session of the day, but it's crucial to building a strong infrastructure - keeping data from election to election, and making sure that the data is current and complete is a seemingly simple task that is often harder than it sounds.

Here is a a photo from the session:

Ohio organizers take notes during the voter file training.

New Targets

We're on to a new session - it's all about targeting - i.e. deciding who we are going to spend our resources on, and where we are going to do it.

Parag Mehta, our Director of Training, is discussing new ways of targeting - of the importance of talking to everyone, everywhere - and not just relying on swing voters.

Things I've Been Reminded Of This Afternoon:

• Neighbor-to-Neighbor is the most effective, important communication that can come out of a campaign or state party. Talking to people who you grew up with, live near and see on a daily basis means so much more than sending a stranger to do the job.
• It's important to talk to everyone. Old-school targeting, which looks at past performance, means you cut out a large portion eligble voters - like new voters, young voters, or new members of your community.
• Sometimes the larger goal isn't just to win - because some precincts won't cross into the blue in a single cycle, but you can move them closer to that goal, and you can help add votes from your precinct, to help reach state-wide goals.

It's been an interesting session, a lot of math, too many acronymns, but a good reminder of why we need a 50-State Strategy.

Organizers in the Afternoon

I'm sitting in the afternoon organizer training session. It's a working lunch session: "Volunteers: The Building Blocks of Your Precinct Program".

Sandi Jackson, our Deputy Training Director, is leading the discussion and it's fun to hear everyone's tales from the field.

Building a solid volunteer team for a party, a campaign, or a cause is worth its weight in gold. But reaching out, finding those volunteers is often the hardest part of a field organizers' job. I read a study after the 2004 election that said the most common reason an individual didn't get volunteer for a candidate or attend a political event was that they had never been asked to do so.

This is a crucial part of the 50-State Strategy. It was one of the main goals of the April 29th Canvass: to get out there and talk with our neighbors, ask them if they are interested in learning more about the Democratic Party and ultimately, getting more people involved in the process.

Organizers in the Morning

It's training day today. 30 Organizers, from 8 states, are here for an intensive two-day training, which will cover everything from building precinct teams, to communicating a message, to developing an election day plan - the nuts and bolts of an effective 50-State Strategy.

I just listened in on the morning session, a review of the 50-State Strategy, and I could smell the energy, the excitement and the commitment in the room. Signing on to be an organizer is a big step for a campaign staffer - making a multi-year commitment, instead of the usual few months, is a big change from the vagabond campaign lifestyle.

Yet that is what these 30, and 120 others, have done. They've committed to working in states across the country, from the reddest red to the bluest blue to build a party infrastructure that will take back the country.

Events like the April 29th National Organizing Day are just the beginning of what we can accomplish when we are fighting in every district, in every state, and these young men and women are going to be on the front-lines.

Monday Open Thread

What I'm Reading This Morning:

• Growing Number of GOP Seats in Doubt
• A Restive Base Throws GOP Off Balance
• Chief Justice Seeks Greater Consensus on the Court

May 19, 2006

Unsettled?

David Gregory interviewed President Bush and asked him about his horrible, no good, very bad approval rating.

The President's response? To laugh it off. Heh. Heh. Heh.

He says people are unsettled. I say people know that his Administration is so marred in corruption and incompetence that they can't help but disapprove.

Watch the video.

Governor Dean on General Hayden's Nomination

Governor Dean sent the following message to Democrats across the country today.

As the director of the National Security Agency, Michael Hayden oversaw the creation of the massive domestic spying program revealed last week. Now George Bush wants him to run the CIA.

After yesterday's hearings, it's obvious that Hayden's involvement in the NSA's domestic spying program disqualifies him from heading the CIA. His answers to questions from Congress and from the press have been evasive at best and downright false at worst. The Bush administration's chronic pattern of misleading the American people about the full extent of its domestic spying activities was on full display yesterday, and the American people deserve better.

We can't be fooled by the rhetoric from the Republicans: domestic spying is not a partisan issue. Democrats will do what it takes to keep America safe, and support tracking down al-Qaeda and preventing future attacks, but we want the President to follow the law. Domestic spying is one more Bush-imposed chink in the constitutional armor that shields Americans' fundamental rights from over-reaching by the government.

When the Senators meet to decide on Hayden's confirmation, they must hear the voices of their constituents. We want to deliver the voices of 100,000 Americans who oppose this nomination. Will you add your name?

http://www.democrats.org/hayden

Some Republicans will try to pretend that this is just another political fight. But Americans of every political viewpoint are rightfully disturbed by the misleading answers they've heard in response to questions about Hayden's activity at the NSA.

Republicans in the Senate and the House have already expressed concern about this nomination. The Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee called Hayden "the wrong person at the wrong place at the wrong time" and one Senate Intelligence Committee member, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, called the Hayden nomination "a major problem".

Please add your name and circulate this message to your friends. It's up to every one of us to stand up and demand answers:

http://www.democrats.org/hayden

We need a CIA chief committed to protecting Americans without misleading them. Hayden, through his involvement in the domestic spying program, has shown that he cannot.

We cannot stand for that.

Governor Howard Dean, M.D.

TGIF Open Thread

What I'm Reading This Morning:

• Immigration Opinion
• Cancer Vaccine
• GOP Attack Their Own
• Prepare Tax-Free

May 18, 2006

Time Got It Wrong

It was a dune buggy, not an ATV.

From Time on May 1:

1 DEPLOY GUNS AND BADGES. This is an unabashed play to members of the conservative base who are worried about illegal immigration. Under the banner of homeland security, the White House plans to seek more funding for an extremely visible enforcement crackdown at the Mexican border, including a beefed-up force of agents patrolling on all-terrain vehicles (ATVs). "It'll be more guys with guns and badges," said a proponent of the plan. "Think of the visuals. The President can go down and meet with the new recruits. He can go down to the border and meet with a bunch of guys and go ride around on an ATV." Bush has long insisted he wants a guest-worker program paired with stricter border enforcement, but House Republicans have balked at temporary legalization for immigrants, so the President's ambition of using the issue to make the party more welcoming to Hispanics may have to wait.

Confirmation Hearings

Obviously the big news of the day is the confirmation hearings of General Hayden, who has been nominated to fill post the post of CIA Director, suddenly vacated by Porter Goss.

Beyond the usual questioning a nominee would get, there is also a lot of concern over General Hayden's involvement in the NSA's wire-tapping program.

Sen. Carl M. Levin: of Michigzn questioned General Hayden this morning and commented on the direction the CIA needs to take:

"The next director must right this ship" and ensure that the intelligence the CIA delivers is "timely, objective and independent of political considerations," Levin said. He questioned whether Hayden would restore the CIA's objectivity and "speak truth to power," or whether he would "shape intelligence to support administration policy and mislead Congress and the American people as Director Tenet did."

General Hayden sailed through his prior confirmation hearing when he was appointed to his post at the NSA - it will be interesting to see this confirmation process unfold.

Serious questions remain about the legality of President Bush's secret domestic spying program, which Hayden was closely involved with. The Bush Administration refused to disclose the true nature of the program, only offered assurances that it was limited. Yet then we read on the front page of USA Today that the program was huge and involved millions of phone calls of ordinary Americans.

Armando over at DailyKos pulled out the transcript of the 2002 confirmation hearing in which General Hayden talked about drawing the line between liberty and security:

"We need to get it right. We have to find the right balance between protecting our security and protecting our liberty. If we fail in this effort by drawing the line in the wrong place, that is, overly favoring liberty or security, then the terrorists win and liberty loses in either case."

Which is a very good thought to ponder? Who draws the line? Where is the line drawn and what do you think of the confirmation hearings thus far??

Giving America an EDGE - Energy Independence 2020

Senate Democrats unveiled the next step of their Energy Independence 2020 plan, by bringing forward the Clean EDGE Act. The New York Times described Clean EDGE:

The bill would cut domestic oil consumption to 12 million barrels a day in 2020 from about 20 million barrels, its supporters say. It calls for expanding the use of alternative fuels for vehicles, in part by requiring more federally owned vehicles to use them, and by ensuring that more service stations sell them.

The bill would also revoke subsidies for the oil industry, increase subsidies for the renewable fuels industry and restore aid to low-income Americans struggling to pay energy bills.

In addition, you should check out the Senate Democrats site, where they have put together an entire section focused on the EI2020 Program with details of the Clean EDGE Act, video clips, past statements and a full report offered jointly by the House and Senate Democrats on the Republican ties to Big Oil.

Open Thread

Enjoy.

May 17, 2006

Governor Dean on Voting Rights

Governor Dean spoke to the NY Chapter of the National Democratic Lawyers Council last evening about the DNC's efforts to fight to protect the voting rights of all Americans:

Voting ensures every American an opportunity to participate in our democracy. We should never impose obstacles to voting without a fair and compelling reason for doing so that actually enhances our democracy.

Yet, across the nation, Republicans have launched a campaign to impose extremely restrictive voter identification requirements. While they say they are seeking to prevent voter fraud, nothing could be further from the truth.

In Indiana, they passed a law that is virtually identical to one struck down by a federal district court in Georgia. In fact, Democratic governors in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania vetoed similar legislation.

We are committed to fighting these and other Republican efforts to suppress voter turnout anywhere and everywhere Republicans propose them.

Republicans believe that it is better for them if fewer people vote. Democrats understand that America is better when as many people as possible can vote.

So the DNC is stepping up to help fight GOP efforts across the country.

We are expanding the work of the Voting Rights Institute to promote efforts aimed at protecting the right of every American to cast their ballot and have their ballot counted.

We formed the National Lawyers Council to fight systematic barriers to registration and voting across the country, and through the NLC we are providing legal assistance to the Indiana Democratic Party's appeal of a federal court ruling upholding that state's radical voter ID law.

The Voting Rights Institute established a toll free number to help displaced New Orleans residents vote in the April 22 primaries and to collect information about Indiana voters who were disenfranchised by the voter ID law.

I know you have done important work here in New York through the NY Democratic Lawyers Council.

You did important work in monitoring the 2005 mayoral race in New York City and local races in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland and Ulster Counties.

You dispatched a team of lawyers to conduct election monitoring for New Orleans mayoral primary and other local races.

You worked on the Board of Elections regulations for voting machines, and you have been working with the New York State Democratic Senate Campaign Committee and the DCCC to work on election monitoring in key races 2006 so we can take back Congress and take back the NY Senate

I applaud you and thank you for those efforts.

The work you do matters, we know, for example, that voters in Ohio in 2004 were disenfranchised by a faulty election system. If you were an African American you waited an average of 52 minutes to vote. If you were white, you waited an average of 18 minutes. If you were young and African American you were more likely to be asked to provide photo ID, in violation of Ohio law.

We know that there are real people, real legitimately registered voters in Indiana who were disenfranchised by the Indiana Voter ID law during the primaries there earlier this month. For example:

• The newlywed couple from Marion County who were both registered voters had gotten married since they last voted in 2004. The husband was allowed to vote but the wife was not because her name changed and it did not match her photo ID.
• Or the married woman from Vanderburgh County who was driven by her husband (she does not drive) to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get an ID presented her social security card, her medical card, even her voting card, but she was denied a photo ID because she did not have a birth certificate.
• Or the Postal employee wearing her full uniform who could not vote because election workers deemed her U.S.-government-issued employment identification to be an unacceptable form of identification because it did not have an expiration date.

These are real people who were denied their right to vote. If even one legitimate voter is denied their right to vote, than these laws need to be overturned or blocked.

That is why Democrats will continue to fight unfair Voter ID laws and other efforts to prevent lawfully registered voters, in particular, seniors, young people, minorities and low-income citizens from casting their ballots.

The amazing thing about this organization is that it brings together lawyers from a variety of fields of practice. They are united by their committment to the Democratic Party and their passion for upholding the law. More than anything I was surprised by the variety of people in attendance - some were seasoned professionals and some were young associates. They were all passionate.

A mother who wore a button that read "John McCain Doesn't Speak For Me," expressed her outrage over having to sit through graduation exercises and listen to John McCain last weekend as her daughter graduated, and this weekend, John Roberts, at her son's law school commencement. "It's a knife through the heart of a progressive mother," she told me.

A recent law school graduate dished on what it was really like to be a 1st year associate, but went on to say she was glad she could be a part of the NYDLC and work to make sure voting rights are protected.

A seasoned lawyer told me about his experience as part of the election protection team in Florida during the 2004 election and how he had to be part of the effort after watching what happened in 2000.

The bottom line is that groups like these demonstrate the power each person has to make a difference by bringing their particular skills and talents to the table for Democracy.

The New York Democratic Lawyers Concil, a chapter of the National Democratic Lawyers Council, is a statewide coalition of volunteer lawyers and law students committed to a simple yet fundamental proposition: that among the best ways to protect and promote a strong democracy is to protect and promote an accessible, open and fair election process.

Building on the tremendous election protection effort of 2004, the NYDLC/NLC will work closely with the Party at the national, state and local levels to promote voting rights and to identify and combat problems that undermine, either directly or indirectly, those rights. While the Council will work with the Party on other issues, its foremost objective is to organize early in every state and territory to carry out the Democratic Party’s commitment to this goal.

Immigration Forum, NYC

I attended an immigration roundtable discussion yesterday morning with Governor Dean, Betsy Kim, Deputy Director of the American Majority Project, and three dozen leaders from the Asian American community.

The immigration question is a challenge we face as a nation. Democrats have stood for comprehensive immigration reform since the beginning of the debate, crafting legislation that strikes a balance between policy and practicality.

May Chen of UNITE-HERE, the host of the forum, introduces Governor Dean.

Governor Dean opened the forum with brief remarks on the Democratic Party's close ties to the immigrant community, "Democrats have always welcomed new people. Our immigration reform looks like what you should expect from a party built by immigrants."

He went on to talk about a policy that is both tough and smart, that improves border security while protecting U.S. workers and their wages. Democrats support reform that not only strengthens our borders, but that keeps families together, and allows hard working immigrants who pay taxes and obey the law the opportunity to apply for the responsibilities of citizenship.

He criticized President Bush for sitting on the sidelines for five years only to stand up and offer a band-aid approach to border security.

Governor Dean addresses the group

Governor Dean was adamant about his opposition to the bill passed by the House of Representatives, noting that in his address to the nation, President Bush failed to denounce the plan, which criminalizes immigrant families, and instead offered a guest worker program that treats immigrant workers like indentured servants.

He said that Bush Republicans have been more interested in playing the politics of fear and division than in finding a real solution the challenges facing our country.

"They are intent on scapegoating immigrants for political gain, and that is wrong. Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly have made it unfashionable to be compassionate, and President Bush is part of that. The Bush Presidency appeals to the worst in people. It divides people. It conditions people to have a hard edge."

The community leaders in attendance chimed in with their own stories of how this issue effects them.

Purvi Shah of Sakhi, a South Asian women's advocacy group

One woman cited concern for "mixed immigration status families" which, in the legislation passed by the House would mean separating families - in many cases husbands and wives, as well as parents and children.

Another participant said that he hoped Democrats in the Senate would be more pro-active in offering amendments to the legislation, rather than simply fighting off extreme additions of the right-wing Republicans.

Governor Dean confers with Chung-Wha Hong of the New York Immigration Coalition

Throughout the debate, one thing was crystal clear: This issue is much more than a headline - it is something that has the power to drastically effect the lives of millions who have come to our country in search of the opportunity and promise.

Governor Dean ended by speaking about the spirit of those who come to America, "You get the people with the most nerve - people who are willing to leave their country. It always comes back to the toughest minded, smartest people and as generations go on it creates jobs, wealth and is good for the country."

Governor Dean with Chung Seto, former Executive Director of the NY State Democratic Party

The Timeline of a Leak

Today we debut "The Timeline of a Leak":

As the Fitzgerald investigation continues, the American people are finding out the true lengths that the Bush Administration went to in order to squash criticism as they planned their campaign for war.

To recap the events that have led to this we take a look at the Administration's initial smear campaign to discredit Joe Wilson for questioning the White House's use of intelligence, the subsequent leak of Wilson's wife's identity as retribution and in an effort to further discredit him, and the cover-up campaign that the White House ran to try and keep its involvement out of the public eye.

After three years of developments, the amount of information has gotten to be pretty substantial.

The "Timeline of a Leak" presentation breaksdown major developments in an easy-to-follow linear format.  

Not only is it a handy reference (in addition to my favorite part of the site, The Corruption Files) but you can invite others to view it as well.

CA-50 Update

Francine Busby, the Democratic candidate in the CA-50 Special Election leads her Republican opponent:

Run-Off Election Matchup

Busby: 47%
Bilbray: 40%
Griffith: 1%
King: 1%
Other/Undec: 11%

margin of error +/- 4.9%

That puts Francine up 4% from the last poll, done on April 20th, and Bilbray down 5%.

OR-02: Meet Carol Voisin

Oregon was one of three states to hold their primary election last night. Of the five Congressional districts in the state, it is the OR-02 that grabbed the most attention - currently the single district in Oregon represented by a Republican in Congress.

The Democratic primary candidates were an interesting bunch. They formed what the Mail Tribune called a "a mutual admiration society" keeping the competition positive and focusing on the reasons why each of them sought to replace incumbent Gary Walden. They even campaigned together.

Last night Carol Voisin emerged as the nominee for the 2nd district. Carol is an educator and a small business owner. She's not a career politician, but an active member of her community, who feels her opponent is out of touch with the needs of the district, "the voters of the 2nd District want representation, not a rubber stamp for the Bush administration. I will give them a voice in Congress," she said recently. From the Mail Tribune article:

I'm running against Greg Walden and his voting record," she said. "He's lockstep with Bush. He had no opposition to the Patriot Act. He went right along with the war. He voted for all the appropriations bills. He has supported almost everything for the Bush administration and against the environment. "Our country is extremely vulnerable now because of our national debt, because education is in a crisis, because our health care is messed up, because the Iraqi war needs to end and because carbon fuels are killing us and our environment," she said. "Those vulnerabilities put our country at great risk at this time in our history. We need a change in direction."

That includes the No Child Left Behind Act, which should be "left behind," she said.

"Democracy is not a spectator sport," Voisin concluded. "My plan is to energize the Democratic base. Then I want to meet with and dialogue with Republicans and Independents before the general election."

So it would seem this is yet another district where Democrats are fighting hard to replace a rubber-stamp Republican. The district re-elected President Bush in 2004, but it also re-elected Democratic Senator Ron Wyden that same year. It's a district that hasn't been high on the radar screen, but where local Dems have decided to challenge the status-quo, to refuse to accept a "red" district can't turn "blue", and who are united in their efforts.

You can learn more about Carol here and the DCCC has some great info here and more about the Oregon Democratic Party, which has a great 'Year in Review' report, here

Wednesday Open Thread

What I'm Reading this Morning:

• Confidence in GOP at New Low
• Immigration Overhaul Survives

What are you checking out this morning?

May 16, 2006

Afternoon Open Thread

Have at it...

Dean on the Daily Show

YouTube has the video.

Governor Dean talked about the million doors you knocked on, the message you delivered, the door hangers you hung, and the 50-State Stategy that your Democracy Bonds support. It would've been an entirely different interview if it weren't for the thousands of Democrats across the country who have taken stake in their Party and worked to take it back.

Open Thread

Must Read this morning:

• Rove vs. Reality

Today's Primaries:

• Pennsylvania
• Oregon
• Kentucky

Other News

• Did you see Governor Dean on the Daily Show? He was showing off some DNC doorknocker bling. You can get your own, here.
• And finally, I am in New York today traveling with Governor Dean as he speaks at an Immigration Forum with Asian American Community Leaders. I look forward to bringing you more on that later today...

May 15, 2006

Daily Show Open Thread

Be sure to catch Governor Dean on the Daily Show tonight...

Immigration - The Debate Continues

Immigration isn't a problem that has easy solutions. It can't be - not when you are dealing with the lives and families of millions of people. Yet, we are a nation of immigrants, bound together by the promise of opportunity and brought up to dream the impossible is possible.

Earlier this month, Governor Dean spoke about the challenge we face:

"Immigrants, legal or otherwise, are human beings, in search of a better future for themselves and their children.

It is immoral to continue to have millions of people living in the shadows in America, subject to exploitation, not afforded basic human and civil rights, and possibly depressing wages for U.S. workers. Two thirds of Americans understand that, support comprehensive immigration reform, and oppose the Republican plan to criminalize immigrants, families, doctors, and even clergy.

Democrats will continue to fight for a comprehensive immigration reform bill that is both tough and smart. But Republicans owe the American people real leadership, and have to stand up to the extremist anti-immigrant views in their own Party. President Bush needs to publicly support the comprehensive immigration reform bill the American people want if it is to pass. And Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has to give it a fair chance in the Senate. The President's lack of leadership has not only failed to protect our borders, it has led to the hostility embodied in the House Republicans' bill. Standing on the sidelines won't change that."

Tonight, President Bush is set to address the nation, where it is expected he will announce his plan to send National Guard troops to the Mexican-American border. With his approval rating at 29%, the Republican party divided, and his base deserting him, tonight's speech, and this plan, seem to be the President's desperate attempt to do something, anything, to bounce back from the lows to which he has sunk.

But, his idea is already drawing fire. According to The Washington Post:

A number of Democrats and even a few key Republicans voiced skepticism or outright opposition to the reported plan yesterday, calling it a politically motivated move that will only further strain units already stretched by duty in Iraq without solving the underlying problem of illegal immigration.

"We have to be very careful here," Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) said yesterday on ABC's "This Week." "That's not the role of our military. That's not the role of our National Guard. . . . That's a short-term fix, and I'm not sure that's a very wise fix."

and The New York Times:

Speaking on "Late Edition" on CNN, Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, said expressed similar feelings, saying, , "We're stretching them pretty thin now. We're going to make a border patrol out of them?"

We need real solutions to this challenge. We need a comprehensive plan that takes into account the needs of our nation and the reality of millions, and we need to remember, who we are, and where we come from.

This poem is engraved into the base of the Statue of Liberty, where it greeted generations of immigrants, including my grandparents:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she

With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" - The New Colossus, Emma Lazarus

Open Thread

What I'm Reading Today:

• Pressure
• Pander
• Divided
• Dilusional

May 13, 2006

Open Thread

For the weekend

May 12, 2006

TGIF Open Thread

What I'm Reading:

• 29%


• Secrets


• and and Lies

May 11, 2006

And the Corruption Continues...

The Lexington Herald Leader is reporting that a grand jury has indicted Republican Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher:

Those indictments cover crimes that may have occurred before Aug. 29, 2005 when Fletcher pardoned all administration officials except himself.

On the charge of conspiracy, the indictment states Fletcher “ordered, directed and otherwise approved the development and implementation” of what became known as the governor’s personnel initiative.

That initiative, which included participation from cabinet aides across the administration, tracked the political backgrounds of new hires.

In the second indictment for official misconduct, Fletcher is accused along with other “co-conspirators” of ordering or approving “the appointment, promotion, demotion, transfer or dismissal” of rank-and-file state workers who are supposed to be judged on their qualifications, not political affiliations.

The third count charges Fletcher with violating the prohibition against political discrimination because he “willfully ordered, directed or approved” the firing of Michael Duncan, an investigator in the Transportation Cabinet’s Office of Inspector General.

Yes, They're Watching to You

And me, and my parents, and your parents, and your friends, and your neighbors, and the people you see in the grocery store -- everyone. They're spying on everyone.

The National Security Agency has been secretly collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans, using data provided by AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth, people with direct knowledge of the arrangement told USA TODAY.

The NSA program reaches into homes and businesses across the nation by amassing information about the calls of ordinary Americans — most of whom aren't suspected of any crime. This program does not involve the NSA listening to or recording conversations. But the spy agency is using the data to analyze calling patterns in an effort to detect terrorist activity, sources said in separate interviews.

"It's the largest database ever assembled in the world," said one person, who, like the others who agreed to talk about the NSA's activities, declined to be identified by name or affiliation. The agency's goal is "to create a database of every call ever made" within the nation's borders, this person added.

For the customers of these companies, it means that the government has detailed records of calls they made — across town or across the country — to family members, co-workers, business contacts and others.

The three telecommunications companies are working under contract with the NSA, which launched the program in 2001 shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the sources said. The program is aimed at identifying and tracking suspected terrorists, they said.

Thurday Open Thread

Mark Your Calendars: May 18th, Democratic Gain one of the best organizations for progressive political professionals and organizations hosts their Spring Career Fair. If you are looking for a job where you spend each day doing something you love, this is the place to start.

What I'm Reading This Morning:

• Bush Suffers Erosion


• Tax Cuts for a Favored Few


• Katherine Harris: Public embarrassment

May 10, 2006

Nebraska: It could be interesting...

Republicans really know how to pick 'em. Nebraska held primary elections yesterday. In the 3rd district 1/3 of the people live spread across 85% of the land. According to the Almanac on American Politics, "The district is one of the nation's top-ranked ag districts, with more farms than all but one other congressional district and more cattle and calves than any other place in the nation."

So the logical choice for Republicans? A Club for Growth backed businessman, who benefited from over a $100,000 in contributions from the group, which advocates strong anti-ag positions.

Our choice? Scott Kleeb A forth generation Nebraskan, educated at Yale University, who got his doctorate studying the history of cattle ranching, who lives and works on a ranch and who says:

"We need young people coming back to our state. Folks who get their education and come back to the communities that they're from. That's exactly what I'm doing."

Scott Kleeb is a unique candidate who can give Republican opponent Smith a real run for his money. In a district that is considered an easy Republican win, Scott Kleeb is shaking things up.

He was born and raised on an Army base in Vincenza, Italy. He earned a master’s degree at Yale and soon will have his doctorate. During college years he worked during summer vacations as a ranch hand in eastern Colorado and Nebraska. Today he is a part of the McGinn Ranch Co. near Dunning.

So on the one hand we have Scott Kleeb, the intellect with a master’s degree in international relations. And then, on the other hand, there’s Scott Kleeb, who likes bull riding and can take down a cow at branding time.

Kleeb [has] turned heads, prompting some Democrats to look optimistically toward the 3rd District campaign. This year, they may have a contender.

At Monday’s forum Kleeb cleaned up well and he spoke well. At age 30, he is articulate and quotable.

“Agriculture is not only the centerpiece of the economy in the 3rd District, it’s the centerpiece of who we are,” he said to the crowd of mostly farmers and ranchers.

In the 3rd District, Republicans outnumber Democrats almost 2 to 1. If they vote the party line, Kleeb stands little chance of winning. If they vote for the candidate and not the party, it could be interesting.

Nebraska Democrats are fighting hard to take back their state. There are great Democrats running for office in even the 'reddest' parts of the state. They recently re-launched their website: NebraskaDemocrats.org and have put work into developing their own version of the 50 State Strategy - the 93 County Strategy which is working to spread their message, organize and mobilize state-wide.

Corruption in Bush's Cabinet

DNC Executive Director Tom McMahon sent an e-mail to folks asking them to support our efforts to urge Secretary Jackson to resign.

Alfonso Jackson, the Republican Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, told a story recently during a talk he gave in Dallas. Here's what he said, according to the Dallas Business Journal:

Jackson closed with a cautionary tale, relaying a conversation he had with a prospective advertising contractor.

"He had made every effort to get a contract with HUD for 10 years," Jackson said of the prospective contractor. "He made a heck of a proposal and was on the (General Services Administration) list, so we selected him. He came to see me and thank me for selecting him. Then he said something ... he said, 'I have a problem with your president.'

"I said, 'What do you mean?' He said, 'I don't like President Bush.' I thought to myself, 'Brother, you have a disconnect -- the president is elected, I was selected. You wouldn't be getting the contract unless I was sitting here. If you have a problem with the president, don't tell the secretary.'

"He didn't get the contract," Jackson continued. "Why should I reward someone who doesn't like the president, so they can use funds to try to campaign against the president? Logic says they don't get the contract. That's the way I believe."

You're probably not too surprised to hear that. Frankly, neither am I. And that's the problem.

The Republican culture of corruption has so infected our government that we aren't even surprised to hear a cabinet secretary talk about the "logic" of potentially illegally awarding federal contracts based on political affiliation. That's right -- if this story is true, it is probably illegal. Our taxpayer dollars are required by law to be spent based on merit.

Public pressure for Jackson to resign is already building, and Democrats in Congress are calling for an investigation. You can be a part of the groundswell of support for clean government by demanding Jackson's resignation.

We're shooting for 100,000 Americans sending a clear message to Secretary Jackson that he is not fit to serve. We will deliver your message to him when you sign this petition demanding his resignation:

http://www.democrats.org/hudscandal

Jackson summed up what's left of the Republican philosophy of government when he said, "That's the way I believe." The journalist Josh Marshall put it well when he wrote yesterday:

"Just as interesting was Jackson's follow-on statement in which shows his understanding of how government contracting works: political supporters get contracts so they can pump a percentage of the profits back into the political party. Standard machine politics, at best. Organized bribery, at worst. And whatever you want to call it, the guiding principle of all contracting and government spending in the second Bush administration."

That's exactly right. And Jackson isn't the only example of this entrenched Republican corruption. Bush's Republican procurement chief -- the man in charge of spending huge sums of taxpayer dollars -- was arrested and charged with conspiracy in the evolving scandals associated with Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

This kind of mentality must be rooted out. But you don't have to wait until November to send your message that you want change. Sign this petition now and demand the resignation of Secretary Jackson:

http://www.democrats.org/hudscandal

Just like many Americans, the media has come to expect this kind of corruption from the Republicans. But it's up to those of us who want change to build public pressure and ensure that our friends and neighbors know that corruption is a day-to-day reality in Republican Washington.

Sign this petition and send your message to Secretary Jackson -- and then pass this message along to your friends:

http://www.democrats.org/hudscandal

Enough is enough -- and we're not going to stop until we achieve real change.

Thank you,
Tom

Tom McMahon
Executive Director
Democratic National Committee

Wednesday Open Thread

• How low can he go?
• Dems Oppose GOP Health Coverage Bill
• Knock, Knock Governor Dean Talks about the 50 State Canvass
• Does George Know Jack?

This is an open thread.

May 9, 2006

"A Shining Moment in the Conscience of Man"

That is what Martin Luther King, Jr. called the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Yet the Tancredo wing of the Republican Party is working to do away with key language assistance provisions, including bilingual ballots and translation assistance at polling locations that have enabled millions of Americans to take part in the electoral process. According to the LA Times:

The 56 lawmakers support the act, but say the language assistance to voters — provided throughout much of California — undermines national unity, increases the risk of election fraud, and puts an undue burden on state and local governments.

The provisions set to expire are:

• SECTION 5

  Protects voters by requiring that states with a documented history of discriminatory voting practices and low voter turnout submit planned changes in their election laws or procedures to federal officials or judges for prior approval...

  More information on Section 5

• SECTION 203

  Provides important tools to ensure fundamental fairness in the voting process for language minority groups whose proficiency in English has been limited because of discrimination and barriers to literacy...

  More information on Section 203

• SECTION 6 to 9

  Gives the U.S. Attorney General the authority to send federal observers to monitor elections...

  More information on Sections 6 to 9

The ACLU has a comprehensive site with information on the renewal of the VRA.

In a country where the right to vote is considered a fundamental right, it seems almost un-American to change the nation's most important voting rights law in a way that will make it harder for people to particpate in the political process.

This proposed change is just the latest example of Republican maneuvering to undermine voting rights for people of color. In state after state, Republicans are advocating new voter I.D. laws and other measures that will end up having a harsher impact on minorities.

President Bush should denounce these Republican efforts to stifle the vote and make clear he will never support measures such as the proposed changes in the Voting Rights Act.

UPDATE: On Wednesday, May 10th the House Judiciary Committee passed H.R. 9 the re-authorization of the 1965 Voting Rights Acton on a 33-1 bi-partisan vote.

We commend the leadership of Congressman John Conyers and Congressman James Sensenbrenner in securing bipartisan committee support to re-authorize the Voting Rights Act. Final passage of this legislation is critical to ensure that the rights of all Americans, particularly minority voters are not encroached upon at the ballot box. In recognition of his leadership on this issue, Rep. Sensenbrenner's name was removed from the post above.

We encourage and hope for this same level of bipartisan support on other issues and urge the Republican leadership to support the bi-lingual provisions and end all efforts designed to dilute minority voting rights.

Albert Morales is a Deputy Director of the American Majority Project at the DNC.

Tuesday Open Thread

"A teacher affects eternity: he can never tell where his influence stops." - Henry Adams

• Today is National Teacher Day. The day celebrates the outstanding work and lifelong dedication of teachers nationwide.
• Optimistic, Democrats Debate Party Vision
• Have we mentioned Iraq today?
• Poor Katherine Harris. No one likes her.
• Don't Like Bush? No contracts for you!

50 State Strategy: Wyoming Update

A couple of weeks ago at the DNC Spring meeting, Tim interviewed Democratic congressional candidate Gary Trauner (D-WY) about his race against Rep. Barbara Cubin (R-WY). Rasmussen just polled the state, and guess who is within the margin of error?

The one interesting statewide race is the battle for Wyoming's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Wyoming is one of seven sparsely-populated states which send only a single congressman to that chamber. Since 1942, with one exception, the state's Member-at-Large has been a Republican.

But Representative Barbara Cubin, first elected in 1994, now leads Democratic challenger Gary Trauner by only four percentage points, 47% to 43% and the GOP can hardly take her reelection for granted. This becomes one more contest to which the GOP may have to devote resources during an election year in which the party is proving especially vulnerable.

Learn more about Gary here.

May 8, 2006

Monday Night Open Thread

Democrats.Org Tip of the Day:

Living abroad? VotefromAbroad.org is a new project from Democrats Abroad to help the millions of Democrats living overseas register to vote and/or request an absentee ballot.

Five Questions for Tony Snow

Today is new White House Press Secretary Tony Snow’s first day on the job (Way to go, Snow-man! High Five!). We know that the transition from pundit to flack can be a difficult one. So, as part of the DNC’s ongoing commitment to helping the White House Press Secretary adjust to his new role, we’ve compiled a list of the top five questions Snow should answer in his first week.

If he has any hope of helping this Administration regain its crumbling credibility, Snow should begin by answering these questions:

1. Will the White House finally quit its spin game on Iraq, or will it redouble efforts to make sure every agency--not just the Agriculture Department--gets the message that political appointees must incorporate the White House talking points on Iraq into every speech they give, no matter the topic?

2. Did the White House or national party leaders have a hand in an operation to thwart New Hampshire Democrats from helping people get to the polls in 2002?

3. Will the Bush White House end their stonewalling and be straight with the American people and release records detailing the White House contacts and access provided to Jack Abramoff and his cronies?

4. Tomorrow, when he’s in Florida, will the President follow the Democrats’ lead in calling for an extension of the Medicare prescription drug filing deadline?

5. Will the President finally stop siding with special interests and big oil, and finally offer a real plan to make America energy independent?

What questions do you have for Tony Snow?

Do you know what time it is? It's CULTURE OF CORRUPTION Time!

So much corruption, so little time...

Here is today's corruption compendium:

• Today Neil Volz, former Chief of Staff to Congressman Bob Ney, pled guilty to one charge of criminal conspiracy to “unjustly enrich [himself] and his coconspirators” by “corruptly accepting, while [Volz] was a public official, and by corruptly offering to public officials, while [Volz] was a lobbyist, a stream of things of value with the intent to influence and reward official action.”
• The Democratic National Committee today announced that it is filing a lawsuit seeking the release of Secret Service records detailing White House visits by Jack Abramoff’s cronies and other central figures in the Republican culture of corruption, including Grover Norquist, Patrick Pizzella, Ralph Reed, Michael Scanlon and David Safavian. The suit follows a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the information filed by the DNC in January. The Secret Service has failed to comply with that request, despite the fact that the legal deadline for doing so passed in February.

Check out the Corruption Files or The Auction House for a more comprehensive corruption compendium.

31% Open Thread

Gallup:

"You hear people say he has a hard core that will never desert him, and that has been the case for most of the administration," says Charles Franklin, a political scientist at the University of Wisconsin who studies presidential approval ratings. "But for the last few months, we started to see that hard core seriously erode in support."

You know it has to be bad when:

Bush's fall is being fueled by erosion among support from conservatives and Republicans. In the poll, 52% of conservatives and 68% of Republicans approved of the job he is doing. Both are record lows among those groups.

Any guesses on why? This is an open thread...

Democrats Are Ready

On Tuesday, Nebraska and West Virginia hold their primary elections. Friday marks the last day of the candidate filing period in Florida and Nevada. This weekend Utah, Minnesota and Illinois host district and state conventions. The 2006 election season is in full swing and Democrats are ready.

Governor Howard Dean said it best this weekend on ABC's "This Week":

"We want real change in this country, and that's the central election issue. Do you want more of the same, or do you want real change? Because the Democrats are ready to lead again.”

The Washington Post reported last week that the President and the Republican Congress are falling out of favor with the American people:

An Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Friday found that 33 percent of the public approves of Bush's job performance, the lowest rating of his presidency. And only 25 percent approves of the job Congress is doing, a figure comparable to congressional approval ratings before the 1994 elections that swept Republicans to power.

The AP-Ipsos poll found that 51 percent of Americans say they want Democrats rather than Republicans to control Congress. Only 34 percent favor Republican control.

According to that same article, as many as "52 seats [are] "unsafe," 40 of them Republican, 12 of them Democratic."

Democrats are ready - with an aggressive plan to fight in districts across America. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has highlighted their Frontline Democrats - incumbents who face the most serious challenges, as well as 22 candidates in the Red-to-Blue program, which identifies targeted districts and promising candidates. Co-chair, Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz talked about the program when it was launched:

“We’re trying to use as many arrows in our quiver as we can to help ensure that we can take this country in a new direction.” We have to win 15 seats. We’re going to have to be very focused, very driven.”

Democrats are ready for November's elections. Seven months before Election Day, Democrats are organizing. The 50 State Canvass, saw thousands of volunteers going door to door to talk with their friends and neighbors about the Democratic Vision for America:

1. Honest Leadership and Open Government
We will end the Republican culture of corruption and restore a government as good as the people it serves.

2. Real Security
We will protect Americans at home and lead the world by telling the truth to our troops, our citizens and our allies.

3. Energy Independence
We will create a cleaner and stronger America by reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

4. Economic Prosperity and Educational Excellence
We will create jobs that will stay in America by restoring opportunity and driving innovation.

5. A Healthcare System that Works for Everyone
We will join 36 other industrialized nations by making sure everyone has access to affordable health care.

6. Retirement Security
We will ensure that a retirement with dignity is the right and expectation of every single American.

Real change, honest leadership, bold solutions - these are the things that Democrats bring to the table. We can take our country back, and we are ready to lead. House Democrats have a plan:

"A Democratic House would quickly vote to raise the minimum wage for the first time since 1997. It would roll back a provision in the Republicans' Medicare prescription drug benefit that prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from negotiating prices for drugs offered under the program.

It would vote to fully implement the recommendations of the bipartisan panel convened to shore up homeland security after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Democratic leaders said.

And it would reinstate lapsed rules that say any tax cuts or spending increases have to be offset by spending cuts or tax increases to prevent the federal deficit from growing."

Republicans are running scared, fearing a Democratic Congress with the power to investigate the widespread corruption, the warrentless wiretapping and false and misleading prewar intelligence.

Republicans haven't offered answers, they've offered up weak rhetoric that has left Americans without the solutions to some of our biggest challenges.

Democrats have the power to take back Congress in 2006. Democrats have the power to win in any district, in any state. That is what the 50 State Strategy is all about. That is why we have people on the ground working to organize and energize Democrats and build the kind of infrastructure that will establish a Democratic majority.

The time for action is now. Together we can change our country. The Neighbor-to-Neighbor Canvass, a million conversations, that's just the beginning of what we can accomplish when we work together.

Governor Dean Convenes Immigration Discussion With The Chicago Community

Governor Dean was in Chicago yesterday to meet with community leaders and discuss immigration reform. Representatives from several Chicago communities including: African-American, Arab American, Asian American, Hispanic, Irish American and Muslim American, as well as labor, Jewish and faith-based communities were present. The event was hosted by the Chicago Federation of Labor.

Governor Dean chats with Alderman Ricardo Munoz,who represents Chicago's 23rd ward.

Beth Kanter, Director of Political Affairs for the Chicago Federation of Labor introduced Governor Dean.

Governor Dean spoke about immigration reform and the debate going on in Congress and across the country. He discussed how Democrats are fighting for comprehensive immigration reform that strengthens our borders, protects U.S. workers and their wages, reunites families, and allows hard working immigrants who pay taxes and obey the law the opportunity to apply for U.S. citizenship. He stressed that immigration reform is not just a Hispanic issue, but one that affects many different communities, as reflected by those in attendance. Governor Dean pointed out that the Republicans have been pushing the anger button for too long, playing the politics of fear and division. He noted that most Americans don't believe in the wholesale round-up and deportation of undocumented immigrants, as called for in the House Republicans' immigration bill that was passed in December.

After his remarks, Governor Dean sat down with the group to get their input about the ongoing debate and learn how immigration reform would affect their various communities.

Open Thread

Happy Monday

May 6, 2006

Saturday Night Open Thread

Don't forget: Governor Dean on This Week on ABC. Also in the hour, Senator Diane Feinstein of California.

Check out this op-ed: "Republicans don't want to sound like -- well, Republicans."

Listen Up: An Interview with Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan

On the Radio: Senator Maria Cantwell delivers the Democratic Radio Address

May 5, 2006

TGIF Open Thread

CIA Director Goss resigns.

Who needs a Veto? The New York Times and The Boston Globe on what it's like to have an "imperial presidency".

This Sunday: Governor Dean on ABC News "This Week"

GBCW

About two years and a half years ago you would probably only find me working at Pinch Penny Pub or playing basketball everyday at "the rec" in Carbondale, Illinois on the campus of Southern Illinois University. Then one fateful night I watched as an otherwise anonymous candidate for U.S. Congress, Jeff Seemann (OH-16), posted an entry on the sorta-popular blog, Daily Kos. I don't know what persuaded me to abandon the pursuit of my Masters Degree (was done with all my classes, but hadn't finished my thesis -- sorry mom and dad!), but I packed my car and moved to Canton, Ohio.

This Internet is an amazing place. It wasn't too long ago that Democratic HQ in Washington, D.C. was an invisible entity, inaccessable to the very people who are now putting the party on their backs on the way to the finish line. It's amazing because it gives folks like myself two and a half years ago, the stay-at-home mom in Corvallis, Oregon, the factory worker in Scioto, Ohio, or the teacher in Laredo, Texas a voice in the political process like never before. It's the only medium that makes the Democracy Bonds Community possible, allowing a major political party to shun K-Street and turn to the good people on Main Street -- the way it should be. It's the only medium that can facilitate 1,000,000 conversations between neighbors across the coutry in pursuit of building an American majority pursuing progress. Maybe it's cliche by now, but in large part because of the net, "you have the power."

I couldn't be more proud of Governor Dean's Fifty State Strategy, and the role the online team inside the DNC takes towards accomplishing those goals. I might be the person you read on this site, or see on Kos and other blogs, but the collection of talent inside the Internet cube at the DNC rivals that of any organization or corporation the country. Period. It's because of former Internet Director Joe Rospars (aka "hey joe") vision, the Democracy Bonds community is thriving today. It's because of new Internet Director Josh McConaha (aka mcconaha-j) that the national canvass was successful as it was, and certainly just the beginning. It's unquestionably because of the most talented graphics guru I've ever met, Jessica Schlueter (aka Team Jess), that sites like democrats.org and the fighting dems page look at attractive as they do. And people like Seth Tanner (aka tannermobile) do nothing short of make our little world go round inside the building. Now there's Tracy Russo (no nickname yet), online organizer and troll-zappa extraordinaire, and a handful of others joining the team that will undoubtedly take the DNC's internet operation into the stratosphere this election cycle. As for me, I'm off to Connecticut next week to get that adrenaline flowing on a daily basis in a campaign setting -- I'm sure you'll be hearing from me again. But before I leave, I want all of you to know that I am grateful for the conversation we've had over these past six months. Oh, and one more thing ... shame on you, Jean Schmidt.

Cinco de Mayo Open Thread

Good Morning.

UPDATE: You should read Georgia10's fantastic post, An Intense Desire for Change, which looks at AP-Ipsos poll "that underscores why Republicans fear an Election Day massacre."

May 4, 2006

Reflections

Governor Dean on a National Day of Prayer:

For people of all faiths, prayer is a powerful act of devotion. Today, people of faith gather all across the country to reflect on our many blessings as a nation and to seek thoughtful discernment on the many challenges before us.

We know that the suffering of our neighbors, both domestic and around the world, is a burden we must work to alleviate. For the nearly 1 in 5 American children living in poverty, for the nearly 46 million Americans who are uninsured, for the millions of refugees around the world, and for the hundreds of thousands of innocent lives lost to genocide in Darfur, we must come together around these and other common concerns to offer hope. Today and every day, we must strive to find the moral high ground to impact real change.

Today we reaffirm our commitment to work to heal our nation and to come together around our shared values to rebuild our American community with honesty, security and opportunity and to demonstrate moral leadership around the globe.

Open Thread

Have you used the Letter to the Editor Tool yet?

50 State Canvass: Success Stories

NEW JERSEY

“I had a great response form all of the contacts I made over the weekend. I canvassed my voting district by myself - knocking on 100 doors and making 30 contacts. I also registered two new voters both Dems. It was a very good weekend.”

MISSISSIPPI

“This weekend, over 70 Mississippi Democrats participated in what was dubbed as "VISION" Mississippi. This event was a huge success. Our vision canvassers took to the streets and distributed over 3000 door hangers and held just as many conversations about the Democratic Party and its vision for America as well as Mississippi. As we have told our vision canvassers, April 29th marked the beginning of one of the most comprehensive GOTV pushes that Mississippi Democrats have ever seen and it will all revolve around neighbors talking to neighbors.”

(This success story submitted by your Mississippi DNC Organizer, DeMiktric M. Biggs)

VERMONT

"Several people were genuinely pleased to see that the Democrats CARE and are GETTING ORGANIZED. I'm personally psyched to get out to other neighborhoods in the county between now and November. I believe we can make a real difference on voter education and turnout."

OHIO

“Although there were only 2 of us we dropped lit at 200 over houses and only stopped when we ran out.”

TEXAS

“I enjoyed meeting neighbors that I had never met. Those who revealed that they were Republicans almost told me apologetically that they voted Republican. Most of them expressed some dissatisfaction with the present situation. All it all it was s very nice experience.”

IDAHO

“We contacted 1000 homes. Coeur d' Alene covered 1300 homes. We were rewarded buy finding people at home and having them show "delight" that there are Democrats visible in this very red district, in this very red state.”

ARIZONA

“I called my walk "Getting to Know Your Neighbors". I listed a time to greet from 10 till noon. I got door hangers from the Arizona and Maricopa County Democratic Office. So I started out pushing my wheelchair around the small area which is our neighborhood. I found almost everyone at home. There were several people who were very interested persons who needed materials to register to vote (which I had and gave to them). There were quite a few who were glad for the door
hanger and its information. I felt that our neighbors have a real concern for our country and a desire to be more involved than they have ever been before. Noon came too soon, so I plan to continue each Saturday that I am able till I have been to each house in this little neighborhood. Along the way maybe I can find others to help me. This will be my beginnings of "Talking Neighbor to Neighbor."

FLORIDA

“I worked with my local DEC to organize this event. We met at the local headquarter office. The best part of the event was talking with the voters, asking them what is important to them really seemed to resonate with them. We were not surprised to hear that gas prices were at the top of their list of concerns.”

Web Fun & Open Thread

Governor Dean has a MySpace page.

Is your photo on Democratic Flickr?

May 3, 2006

Open Thread

Chat away.

Bonded Together

I came across this fantastic diary on DailyKos about the motivation behind purchasing a Democracy Bond.

What does it means to be a Democracy Bond holder? It's special. It's more than just a contribution to the Party, it's a statement of belief in what we stand for. It's a commitment to our Party and our Chairman. It's a testament to our shared vision for America.

Before today, I have never made a monetary contribution to the DNC. I've volunteered at events and for candidates or causes many times. I believed the work I was doing was enough, as it was certainly more than I could give financially, and when I've made small dollar contributions it's always been something I felt I had to do.

Then came Democracy Bonds. I've felt like a fraud, knowing that I hadn't yet done my part. I wanted to, but somehow never got around to it. I'd read about it, postponed it and basically shrugged it off with twinges of guilt plaguing me all the time.

This morning I decided it was time to make a change. We've made some improvements to the Democracy Bond pages since they were first introduced and I wanted to share them with you, but I knew I would never be able to do it with out first signing up myself and asking my friends and family to join me in my effort.

So I did it. I'm considering my investment a celebration of my new adventure here at the DNC.

My page is here. You can join me this celebration or start your own here.

You can also purchase a bond here without setting up a page, though a quick note - if you purchase your bond before you set up a page, your page will not reflect your own contribution. That happened to me, so be warned!

Also, there is now a live counter, tracking Democracy Bonds as they are purchased and a little bell goes off in the building when someone new signs up.

There are also some great resources and graphics you can make your own, courtsey of our fabulous designer, Jess, that you can plug into your own blog. Like this:

You can also see and read about some other Democracy Bond holders here.

If you have a Democracy Bond, I'd love to hear your story - e-mail me at russot at dnc.org.

Ex-President More Effective Than Current President ...

... today, specifically, when it comes to fighting childhood obesity. (Bush still retains the title of "more effective" in the running-huge-deficits, dismantling-the-social-safety-net, increasing-poverty, and a range of other categories that involve doing nothing, or actively doing things that are bad.) From CNN:

The nation's largest beverage distributors have agreed to halt nearly all soda sales to public schools, according to a deal announced Wednesday by the William J. Clinton Foundation.

Under the agreement, the companies have agreed to sell only water, unsweetened juice and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools, said Jay Carson, a spokesman for former President Bill Clinton. Diet sodas would be sold only to high schools.

Cadbury Schweppes PLC, Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and the American Beverage Association have all signed onto the deal, Carson said, adding that the companies serve "the vast majority of schools." The American Beverage Association represents the majority of school vending bottlers.

The deal follows a wave of regulation by school districts and state legislatures to cut back on student consumption of soda amid reports of rising childhood obesity rates. Soda has been a particular target of those fighting obesity because of its caloric content and popularity among children.

"It's a bold and sweeping step that industry and childhood obesity advocates have decided to take together," Carson said.

What's the current president been up to on this crisis, which will drive up health care costs for generations if it is not addressed? This Nation article from last August paints a pretty clear picture:

The latest salvo in the war on added sugar and fat came July 14- 15, when the Federal Trade Commission held hearings on childhood obesity and food marketing. Despite the fanfare, industry had no cause for concern; FTC chair Deborah Majoras had declared beforehand that the commission will do absolutely nothing to stop the rising flood of junk food advertising to children. In June the Department of Agriculture denied a request from our group Commercial Alert to enforce existing rules forbidding mealtime sales in school cafeterias of “foods of minimal nutritional value"--i.e., junk foods and soda pop. The department admitted that it didn’t know whether schools are complying with the rules, but, frankly, it doesn’t give a damn. “At this time, we do not intend to undertake the activities or measures recommended in your petition,” wrote Stanley Garnett, head of the USDA’s Child Nutrition Division.

Conflict about junk food has intensified since late 2001, when a Surgeon General’s report called obesity an “epidemic.” Since that time, the White House has repeatedly weighed in on the side of Big Food. It worked hard to weaken the World Health Organization’s global anti-obesity strategy and went so far as to question the scientific basis for “the linking of fruit and vegetable consumption to decreased risk of obesity and diabetes.” Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson--then our nation’s top public-health officer--even told members of the Grocery Manufacturers Association to “‘go on the offensive’ against critics blaming the food industry for obesity,” according to a November 12, 2002, GMA news release.

Just more evidence that Democrats in or out of office are fundamentally different than the Republican cabal that has its grip on Washington -- we actually want to solve real problems. You can read more about the solutions here.

Open Thread

What an interesting night! In Ohio's 6th Congressional District, not only did Charlie Wilson's write-in campaign work, but he got nearly 2 1/2 times as many votes as the highest vote-getting Republican... and the 6th is no "deep blue" district either. J. Kenneth Blackwell proved again that he isn't even fit to run the election process in Ohio, let alone the state itself. It will be fun to watch Congressman Strickland beat him this November. Jean Schmidt made it out of her primary, as did Ralph Regula (OH-16), both elections much closer than either of the Republican incumbents had hoped.

Thursday Open Thread

May 2, 2006

Republicans Cave to Special Interests (Again)

At a time when gas prices are soaring and the largest oil companies are posting record profits, Senate Republicans have been caught putting special interests ahead of the American people again.

From The New York Times:

”Senate Republicans on Monday hurriedly abandoned a broad tax proposal opposed by the oil industry and business leaders, another sign of their struggle to come up with an acceptable political and legislative answer to high gasoline prices.”

The proposal

"came under immediate fire from retailers and manufacturers" and received "a torrent of objections from business leaders and their advocates."

This isn’t the first time either:

"similar provision was included in a Senate tax bill late last year," but it when oil companies complained it was "dropped from the package amid opposition."

So at a time when 74 percent of Americans are disapproving of the President's handling of the gas crisis and even more think the White House has not developed a good plan to get gas prices under control, Republicans are putting their oil industry friends ahead of the American people.

Republicans have had five years to address energy independence, and have done nothing. Even last year, when they had the opportunity to do the right thing, they put the profits of Big Oil ahead of the needs of the American people - the Republican Energy bill passed by Congress last year included $8.5 billion in tax breaks, subsidies and loan guarantees for the energy industry.

While Republicans have cozied up to Big Oil, Democrats have fought back - last year it was Democrats who forced Republicans to toughen anti-price gouging laws and then forced an investigation into gas price gouging.

The American people want answers, not more of the same policies that put them last. Democrats are committed to making America energy independent by 2020, increasing development and production of alternative fuels and enhancing energy efficiency.

"Poll Rage" in Ohio

Pictures from the aftermath of a man assaulting two voting machines in an Ohio precinct.

ht: buckeye state blog

Election Night in Ohio...

You can always expect a wild scene in Ohio on Election Day... and as I sit in D.C. today, I miss it. Terribly. I remember November 2, 2004 in Canton, Ohio like it was yesterday. I was working for an otherwise anonymous congressional candidate named Jeff Seemann (OH-16), and sat in the county coordinated campaign hq (in my Eminem "mosh" hoodie) as the rain came down, tales of voting problems rolled in, and our chances of retaking the country faded out. Well, today's another Election Day in the Buckeye State -- hopefully a precursor to a November that yields dramatically different results then last time.

And while some things, like the results, will change, others stay the same. Take Secretary of State Ken Blackwell's imcompetence in running statewide elections. Perusing some of the more popular Ohio blogs, I've read tales of people physically assaulting voting machines, long lines, broken machines, idle machines covered in bubble wrap, voting for one candidate but another name showing up on the screen, poll-workers unable to get in touch with voting machine representatives, and the list goes on, and on, and on ... In fact, it was the lead story on all three Cleveland noon newscasts. As I said in the entry below: "If you are having problems voting in any of the states with primaries today, please call 1-888-DEM-VOTE (1-888-336-8683)"

But the races, ohhhhh the races. Isn't this what it's all about? And there are quite a few barnburners to take a peek at. Of course, the DNC remains neutral in all of the Democratic primaries with fine candidates ready to tackle the Republican culture of corruption led by criminally convicted Governor Bob Taft. But the GOP primaries... I can wax poetic on those all I like. And in case you missed it, it's pretty much been all out thermo-nuclear war between contested Republican candidates -- a lord of the flies if you will.

Take the governor's race for example. Ken Blackwell and Republican Attorney General Jim Petro have been lobbing grenades at eachother for months now. Blackwell attacks Petro for being pro-gay rights, and Petro fires back in a 30 second ad saying the only word to describe Blackwell is, "hypocrite." Of course, Petro is the subject of an FBI investigation himself which Blackwell hasn't been shy to bring up during the campaign. And then there's Blackwell's stock portfolio that has a little bit of Diebold, and a lot of other conflicts of interest. And Kenneth Blackwell, you know it's a substantial portfolio, cause he truly lives a fabulous life. And that's just a taste, but thanks for writing our own campaign ads for us.

Then there is OH-2, where everyone's favorite loose cannon, Jean Schmidt, is running in a tough primary. Schmidt's GOP opponents were already campaigning against her before the first ballot was cast in the special election last August. Since then they have fashioned cakes in her likeness and cut off the head in a public display of, well, a public display of hate. And these are fellow Republicans! Of course, Mean Jean hasn't made it easy on herself lying on resumes, ducking debates, and just being the overall nutcase she is.

There's OH-4, where Congressman Oxley's retirement has two Republicans polling neck-and-neck down the stretch. Of course, one is the annointed candidate of the GOP, but that hasn't stopped a multi-gazillionaire from pouring all kinds of funds into the race, making it close.

Who can forget OH-18? Bob Ney has a primary that he will most likely win. But that hasn't stopped the Ohio GOP chair from recommending Ney's resignation if he's indicted. Ney's response was that the chair should watch his tone because "glass houses break easily." Ouch!

Senator Mike DeWine has token opposition in the senate primary. I actually held out hope for a closer race when I read that one of his opponents almost took a few county endorsements, but the opposition only faded after a brief moment of hope.

OH-13 is an open seat that should be intersting to watch tonight, on both sides of the aisle. It's the race to replace Congressman Sherrod Brown who is running against DeWine for the Senate seat.

I'd also be remiss if I didn't mention my old stomping ground, Ohio's 16th District. Thirty-three year incumbent Republican Ralph Regula has opposition from a youthful and inspired challenger who is basically claiming that Regula is too old and it's time for fresh blood. I dunno, I met Regula a few times back in 2004, and he looked pretty spry aside from him not knowing the difference between the Sunni, Shi'ia and Kurds in Iraq, or saying that people should just think positively in terms of recovering from job loss in Canton and surrounding cities.

An exciting night, indeed.

Voting Problems?

Well, they didn't even get through the 6 AM hour in Ohio before the first reports of voting problems started to find their way into the public...

If you are having problems voting in any of the states with primaries today, please call 1-888-DEM-VOTE (1-888-336-8683)

Good Morning Open Thread

Some things to chat about:

Primary Elections are being held today in three states: Ohio, North Carolina and Indiana.

President Bush's job approval at 33% among adults, down from 37% in 4/06. 58% currently disapprove of the President a CBS News poll reports.

The New York Times reports that "Ten states, including California and New York, plan to file suit this week to force the Bush administration to toughen mileage regulations for sport utility vehicles and other trucks."

The Washington Post is reporting that the Secret Service will turn over visitor logs of convicted former lobbyist Jack Abramoff's visits to the White House.

May 1, 2006

50 State Strategy in Action

Chris Bowers of MyDD.com has a good read on the success of the 50 State Strategy:

This is Howard Dean's victory. From 2003 forward, the idea that Democrats needed to challenge Republicans everywhere, even if it meant fewer resources for "swing" states / seats / districts, was a direct contrast to the longstanding selective targeting strategy of the Democratic leadership. Now, the fifty-state strategy is conventional wisdom, and activists around the country have brought the idea to fruition. We are a national party again.

There are also some great tales from organizers in Alaska and Indiana and some awesome pictures in the slide show here.

Sunny points to this video of Governor Dean on Hardball

This is an open thread.

50 State Canvass: Alaska

(This entry was sent in by Jonathan Teeters, one of your DNC organizers from the great state of Alaska. -- Tim)

This Saturday was a good day to be a Democrat in Alaska!

Our Neighbor-to-Neighbor Canvass came off successfully. While we were by no means the biggest group of volunteers that gathered on April 29th around the nation to spread the Democratic Vision for America, our energy and excitement was certainly right up there with the best of em'!

Our Neighbor-to-Neighbor event featured a door-to-door orientation that I presented to 26 of our very finest Anchorage Democrats, including many people who had never been to any sort of organized political activity! We spent some time discussing the basics of talking with voters, we used our prepared scripts to simulate knocking on that first door of the day, we spent a few hours hitting the streets, then had a great afternoon BBQ to cap it off.

I was able to get lots of great feedback from canvassers on what we should do better next time, and what put a smile on their face. Several canvassers were greeted at the door by extatic voters--happy to see that Democrats are taking the time to develop and communicate a clear message for America and Alaska.

In the end, all of the canvassers repeatedly asked "so when are we going to do this again?" and "we are going to do this on a regluar basis, right?". We plan on sitting down to determine how we can make something like this happen every month, albeit on a different scale.

So, we got the ball rolling here in Anchorage this past weekend, and are now preparing to do the same next weekend in Faribanks and Juneau.

This event provided an excellent opportunity to tap into the groups of active Democrats who are hungry for a coherent national message. I look forward to using up all of the door hangers that the DNC provided as we continue to hit the streets, organizing until we turn Alaska Blue.

On an aside: Thanks for the Spanish door hangers! Tonight I will be distributing them at a very large immigration reform rally here in Anchorage that will bring out hundreds if not thousands in Anchorage's latino community.

50 State Canvass: Indiana

(Just got back from the road to find a small handful of stories from the 50 State Canvass in my inbox. This one was sent to me by Sandy in Indiana. -- Tim)

The Precincts we canvassed haven't had Democratic Precinct Committeeman or any outreach from active Democrats in years. Most of the Ward hasn't had any political outreach from either party, though what will be my precinct after the Primary (I'm running unopposed for Democratic Precinct Committeeman.) has had an active Republican Precinct Committeeman for forever. The neighborhood used to be staunchly Republican, but the demographic is changing and has been slowly moving toward the Democrats. It's right on the tipping edge now, so the timing of this outreach is perfect for gathering momentum for the Democratic Party in November.

We had a small but very good event.

A total of five of us. We canvassed in two precincts -- mine, and an adjacent one, and we found about a dozen Democrats we didn't know were there. We got to remind people about Indiana's new voter ID requirement, and we let them know that the Democratic party is made up of people just like them -- some of whom live in their neighborhood.

We met a number of folks that will need to register to vote for the November election, and a few avid Democrats, who have never before been politically active, but with an enthusiastic neighbor inviting them to join in, are probably ready and willing to do a lot more than simply vote.

I created a Yahoo Group for the 25th Ward, and invited every Democrat who gave us an email address to join it, and I intend to work with these newly found Democratic neighbors and our local Democracy for America group to continue the outreach work that has begun in the 25th Ward, and help the Democrats in the neighborhood to get together, get to know one another, and build a network that can shift the political landscape here from apathetic with a Republican overlay to actively Democratic!

Ohio, North Carolina and Indiana: They're Up!

Ohio, North Carolina, and Indiana all have primary elections tomorrow.

Several stories have come in from hosts of 50 State Canvass events in these states where state parties, candidates and activists united to use the April 29th events as part of their final GOTV (Get Out the Vote) weekend strategy.

One of the most important things about national organizing events is that it puts the power in your hands. You know best which issues will be on the minds of your neighbors and how they affect your community, and you have the power to use the day to urge your friends and neighbors to take meaningful action.

First Day

This morning is my first day as part of the DNC internet team. To say that I am excited about working with Governor Dean and the staff here would be an understatement. I’ve been looking forward to my first day here with butterflies in my stomach – with a kind of nervous energy that I can only compare to starting a new school year.

I look forward to being part of the team that has been on the cutting edge of online outreach and communications and bringing my love of Democratic politics, campaigning, organizing and the internet together. I’ll be bringing you updates from inside the building, from out in the field and from the people who are working every day by to take back our country.

Feel free to send questions or comments my way. You can always e-mail me at russot at dnc.org!

We're Just Cleaning Up Now

Stephen Colbert:

I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound -- with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world.