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Sunday, October 31, 2004
The Swing State Mom Reports in from the Field
Posted by DavidNYCThe official Swing State Project mother, author of Picking Your Battles, has picked hers. Here's her report from the field:
From the ground in Ohio! I am here with 5,000 ACT volunteers in Cleveland getting out the vote. It is heartening to be surrounded by so many commited activists. We have poured in from as far as LA and NY. We are disproving the NYTimes which today writes that these states are "watching from the bleachers." No we are not! We have come down on to the playing field and giving it our all.After a day of canvassing in the Mayfield Heights, which included private homes and apartments, we assembled in a hotel ballroom and worked on get out to vote "door-hangers" that will be distributed to 150,000 voters on election day. Canvassing continues today through Nov. 2. ACT is very, very, well organized and we go out in teams.
The atmosphere is encouraging because the preponderence of volunteers are young - I am one of the oldest people here! We have a job to do whether Kerry wins or not. We have to follow the DEAN Prime Directive to influence not just this elecation but the future of politics. For me this means to get people into the process of progressive, liberal politics. (Yes, I���m a bleeding heart liberal, which means I have a heart!)
Time to go hit the streets again. Everyone out there reading this: PLEASE get out there even in these last hours. It can and will make a difference.
You heard the lady! Get out there and do whatever you can.
Posted at 05:48 PM in Activism, Ohio | Technorati
Comments
I grew up in Mayfield Heights, although I now live in California. Your report is very encouraging! Keep it up! And good luck.
Posted by: Carolyn Zaremba at October 31, 2004 07:07 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
My, my, do I detect a twinge of bitterness about an impending loss? Are you having trouble with the polls being an exact tie dorsey? Worried about the upcoming GOTV ground game? I'm not claiming to know who will win this thing, but I sure like our chances better than yours at this point. I think you must agree and it brought out the nastiness in you. Or, perhaps, nastiness is not a latent trait in your case?
Posted by: randy.l.carter@verizon.net at October 31, 2004 08:20 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Oh wow, a republican smear implying that democrats are child molesters. I plead guilty. I also shot myself with a gernade in Vietname right before I made statements against war crimes with the intention of causing more war crimes to be comitted against out troops. I also comitted treason by watching the Nightline that honered the fallen. Fortunatly it wasn't banned in my area.
Posted by: Jocko at October 31, 2004 08:42 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Breaking News Guy! Gallup new state polls
Florida Kerry up 3
Pennsylvania Bush up 4 (shocker)
Ohio Kerry 4
Wisconsin Bush up 8 (shocker)
Iowa Bush up 2
One word outliers!!!
Posted by: godfrey at October 31, 2004 09:28 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
1 more Gallup state poll: Minnesota Kerry up 8
Posted by: godfrey at October 31, 2004 09:30 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
I think Minnesota is ours. Those other polls mean nothing to me. Kerry up 3 in FL, I think it is tie, as is Ohio, Wisconsin and Iowa. I think we are slightly ahead in Pennsylvania, but nothing Bush can't make up for if we don't get our voters out. One thing that is encouraging is the early voting in Florida has been heavy in heavily Democratic counties, and a lot of African-Americans have voted early. Also, early voting helps people who can't get off of work to vote normally. They can go vote when they have time. Those people will usually lean Democratic. Of course, Republicans might just be waiting til election day to turn out their vote. Their 72 hr GOTV plan only started yesterday. I think we have done a much better job turning out our vote in Florida than we did 4 years ago, via the early voting. We will see what the Republicans do on election day.
p.s. Everyone says Florida is a red state that Kerry is trying to swing blue. That is not true. If you think about it, all those people that accidentally voted for Pat Buchanon, the 27,000 African American voters who were disenfranchised in JAX, and the 64,000 votes that Bush netted in the Muslim community in Florida are now gone. He is working at a deficit that he has to make up.
Posted by: Sam at October 31, 2004 10:31 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
A user was banned and several comments were deleted on this thread for their vile content.
Posted by: DavidNYC at October 31, 2004 11:03 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Dorsey
You state: "If it's a smear campaign why is ACT changing their policy now?"
You should read the article that you link everyone to. Since it was dated in June, one would assume that they changed thier policy when the artical was written. It seems evedent to me that the policies were changed when it was discovered that these people were getting through. ACT did just that, they acted quickly and appropriately when the problem was discovered.
Since this happened in June, it becomes apparant that republicans are grasping at straws.
What I think really scares you is not the idea that a released felon might come to your door, but the fact that voters ar being registered.
Posted by: Whoslaughingonelectionday at October 31, 2004 11:10 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
For a blog item about Republican hijinks in Pennsylvania, go to http://jabbs.blogspot.com
Posted by: David R. Mark at October 31, 2004 11:10 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
I agree with Sam. Florida is a blue state this year.
The Repubs have been trying their best to steal it with the intimidation of black voters in Orlando, planned challenges of voters in the heavily black districts of Jacksonville, the felony list "mistake", and the mysterious non-mailing of 76,000 absentee ballots in a South Florida where a Jeb Bush appointee is responsible for getting the ballots out. Unfortunately for them, it is not working. They were caught on the felony list cheat and had to back off. Black voters are mad as hell, won't be intimidated, and are showing up to vote in record numbers. Haitians in Miami favor Kerry heavily and are voting in record numbers. (The last two bits of information come from a recent Chris Matthews interview of Leonard Pitts, a black columnist for the Miami Herald.) And, the news is out to the 76,000 voters who were deprived absentee ballots that they need to find another way to vote (I suspect they will be quite pissed off and WILL find a way to get to the polls!) So, where does that leave the cheating little bastards? It leaves them as losers, and it leaves Florida blue!
Posted by: Randy C at October 31, 2004 11:18 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Another reason for optimism about Florida:
A Miami Herald - Zogby poll in the Miami region shows Kerry-Bush 82-15 among Jews. That's even higher than the 2000 ratio.
This is after Bush consistently allowed Sharon et al. to scorch the Holy Land bare, in order to get some Jewish vote. I guess most American Jews are still too smart and multi-issued to vote for him.
But also reason to be pessimistic about Florida: it's still a Republican administration and governor who ultimately call the shots there, and we've seen in 2000 how third-world-corrupt things can get there in order to deliver these red electors, no matter what people vote.
Speaking of which, how big is the potential Diebold effect in Ohio? I mean, what part of the Ohio vote will be reported via no-paper-trail, Bush-friendly Diebold machines? Does anyone know?
Let's hope for the best...
Posted by: Assaf Oron at October 31, 2004 11:59 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Assaf, do you have a link? That's great news. I've long said that I expect Bush's share of the Jewish vote to remain flat or decrease, while lots of observers have expected a marked increase. The overwhelming preference among American Jews for the Democratic Party is one of those rare trends which seems almost impervious to the passage of time. I think Reagan's high-water mark in 1980 will probably represent a GOP high-point for a very, very long time to come.
Posted by: DavidNYC at November 1, 2004 12:26 AM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Has anyone talked of a boycott of Florida, in case they blatantly steal the vote? I think the threat of boycotts of Disneyland, Florida colleges, Florida orange juice, etc. would give the legislature there real reason to pull their punches.
Posted by: dlaz at November 1, 2004 12:34 AM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Another thought about Florida since I am GOTV in North Florida. Forget about the polls. So many people registered to vote in this state that the election officials couldn't keep up with the enormous amount of paperwork in time that many people will not be on the voting rolls BUT can still vote. So those people won't ever get phone calls from pollsters and can't participate in the polls. These are people who want Kerry. The polls can't reflect their 'likeliness to vote'. So that means Kerry could be ahead of Bush by a few to several percentage points.
Furthermore, many people I registered did not choose a party. So to say that there are as many newly registered republicans as democrats in Florida is not true. Additionally, republicans were caught checking off the republican party on 1000 or so new registrants from FAMU because the students opted to not choose a political affliation (and this was caught on the registration deadline, Oct 4th, by Ion Sancho--remember his name because he is rock solid). Obviously that is illegal (typical republican game plan though) and makes the republicans look like their new voters are loyal to Bush. However, the energy on the streets is for Kerry. People tell me 'You better belive I'm voting this time and nothing is going to stop me from voting'
For all the republican uglies that try to challenge our citizens from voting there will be people like us distributing their Voter Bill of Rights, plus our election supervisors in Leon, Gadsden, Jefferson, and Wakulla counties are looking out for the people and won't tolerate flimsy evidence or havoc brought on by anyone!!!
Posted by: spike at November 1, 2004 07:21 AM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
What really is great about this site is the fact that Republicans try to infiltrate with there comments, only we can see who they are and there intentions! Kerry is ahead in Florida, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Ohio!!! I live in Arkansas, and we will be a BLUE STATE as well!!Repubs want you to think Bush is clearly ahead to discourage people from voting. Making people think there is no reason to vote, because their vote will not make a difference. They are wrong, this election will not be stolen by the Bushies this time around! We will take our country back come rain, sleet, or snow!!! Hell or high water!!! So get out there and cast your ballot!!!
Posted by: scrapperdoo at November 1, 2004 09:37 AM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
To scarpperdoo: I can't imagine anyone staying home for this election due to anything written here or elsewhere. Anyone who sits out on an election this important quite frankly does not deserve to live live in this country. Just because some posters like myself don't see everything as rosy as others here does not mean we don't feel as strongly as the most ardent Kerry supporter that the country has been headed in the wrong direction over the past four years. It's just that some folks like myself try to be as unbiased as possible and maintain as realistic perspective on things as we can. I'm not a cheerleader, I'm a realist!
Posted by: Pepe at November 1, 2004 09:52 AM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
It's funny how offering some balance to a site that is "spinning" out of control is perceived as "infiltration."
Do you guys want the R's to just allow unchecked commentary to babble out of this site? Just wondering...there is a lot of misinformation on this site. haven't you heard that 46.72 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot?
Posted by: John at November 1, 2004 11:06 AM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Its amazing what one individual can do with all her effort and work. Keep it up! You are a role model to the younger generations for the future...
Posted by: Rob at November 1, 2004 12:35 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
New GOTV Kerry Rally Song
www.demonizedliberalposse.com
Listen or Download (3.7 MB MP3)
Stronger and Wise
(Kerry Rally Song)
To the tune of "Born To Be Wild" by Steppenwolf
He'll get your motor runnin'
When he gets out on that highway
Makin' this election
One where we can have our say
John Kerry gonna make it happen
Take this world to a wanted change
Line up all your strong support come
Let's close out this race
They like floatin' liars
Smearin' the Real Deal here
Claimin' to protect us
But that the fear is comin' nearer
No, John Kerry he don't lay that trap man
He'll take the world to a wanted change
So line up all your strong support come
Help close out this race
Return our true nation's pride
Yeah he is stronger and wise
He will fight the fights
But never on a lie
Stronger and Wise
Stronger and Wise
Now get your motor runnin'
Get out on your byways
Help make this election
One where we can have the last say
Yeah John Kerry gonna make it happen
Lead the world to the wanted change
Line up all your strong support come
Let's close out this race
Return our true nation's pride
Cause Kerry's stronger and wise
Yeah he can fight the fight
But never on a lie
Stronger and Wise
Stronger and Wise
Lyrics by Sh'eff Goldusty (apologies to Steppenwolf)
Copyright 2004 thedeanpeople (Distribute Freely)
Posted by: Dusty at November 1, 2004 03:51 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment
Ohio notes--I was working Ohio on the ground on the weekend. Dayton area looks good. Always a democratic stronghold but high morale.
Morale is itself a strategic advantage.
Posted by: Fire at November 1, 2004 07:57 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment