Friday, December 31, 2004
Montana Senate 2006
Posted by Bob BrighamFrom the Roots has information on Montana Senator Conrad Burns that notes:
In 2000, with all of the powers of incumbency and more than two and a half times as much money, Burns only received 51% of the vote. And that was against an unknown challenger who had never run for office.
Last time, Burns fell victim to LCV Dirty Dozen targeting that minimized his financial advantage with $292,000 in hit ads and a full time earned-media operative. Conrad's 0% score will likely ensure another bulls-eye is painted on his back by the conservationists. LCV is expected to be joined by other independent organizations as the blood in the water is noticed by the DC crowd following this year's Montana Miracle by Democrats.
The jockying to replace Burns will officially begin at 10 AM Monday when a 19-gun salute kicks of the Montana legislative session. Since Montana's citizen legislature meets for only 90 days every other year, this will be the last legislature to meet before Burns answers to the voters. Incoming state Senate President Jon Tester is one candidate to keep an eye on.
Posted at 01:56 PM in Montana | Comments (9) | Technorati
Understanding Post-Modern Politics
Posted by Bob BrighamThe Washington Post weights in on which party understands post-modern politics and which party lost.
Posted at 02:31 AM in Netroots | Technorati
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Ohio 2006
Posted by Tim TagarisOhio potentially offers 2 of the most hotly contested races in the 2006 election cycle. By virtue of the status that accompanies these seats, and the fact that they are in Ohio -- focus on these races will not be spared by media, party, and pundits alike.
So, let's take a first look?
Current Governor of Ohio: Bob Taft (Term Limited)
Current Senator up for re-election: Mike DeWine
More below the jump...
The villains
Governor Bob Taft: He isn't running, but one thing isn't for sure; Taft is not the most popular Governor east of the Mississippi -- even within his own party.
Many of us remember the comments about Governor Taft made by Conan the Republican, Grover Norquist, shortly before the election.
We have an idiot, stupid, corrupt, dumb rotten republican Governor in that State... who has been busy looting the state, raising taxes, lying to the gun owners.
Ohio is the only state that in the nation that has lost jobs and isn't recovering because he's been beating the economy to death in the state. But he's not on the ballot, George Bush is on the state. It's not helpful, he should be taken out and horsewhipped.
This seat is prime for a pick-up; one of the names I keep hearing over and over again, ready for a Republican run is Kenneth Blackwell. That's right, THE Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell.
Corruption and enabling an unfair voting process obviously has its perks in the Republican party.
Other potential candidates include Attorney General Jim Petro and Auditor Betty Montgomery. An initial poll has Blackwell faring best among those candidates with 36% -- to Montgomery 21% -- to Petro at 18%.
Then there is United States Senator Mike DeWine; who kind of looks like a garden gnome to me...
Here is the chart for DeWine. Check out his positions HERE
But enough of them, let's talk about the good guys.
Ted Strickland
One Democrat who seems to have his sites set on Bob Taft's seat is Congressman Ted Strickland.
I had the opportunity to meet and listen to Congressman Strickland a few times while I was working in Ohio for the 2004 election. He seemed like he was already campaigning for a state-wide office. He took the cycle to travel from corner to corner in the state, stumping for the President, Eric Fingerhut, and a full-slate of Democratic challengers for Congress.
He is a very bright candidate, but not the kind of guy that makes you get out of your seat and start a mosh pit at a party rally. Besides, when I saw him speak, it was normally along side of Tim Ryan and Sherrod Brown. Those two will infect you with the "spirit" when listening to them.
You can learn more about him on the issues, HERE. People also seem to like the chart, so here it is as well.
Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!
Yup, Jerry Springer. Love him or think he is a hazard to the Democratic Party, he has done an immense amount of work for Democrats in and out of the state.
You can check out his blog HERE. I bet you didn't know that Kos himself along with Jesse from Pandagon, and Jerome from MyDD are contributors to Jerry's blog. Well, they are.
Here is the thing about Jerry. Unlike Eric Fingerhut, name recognition is not a problem. Everyone knows Jerry. Not only that, he has access to several boatloads full of cash. He already had over $1 million in a campaign account before he decided to pull-out of the 2004 Senatorial race.
Just to show you how popular Jerry Springer is in some circles, he was named the Democrat of the Year for 2004 in the state of Ohio.
Most assume that Jerry will run for the Senate seat, although that is in question. He may choose to attempt a gubernatorial run. It wouldn't be the first time either. In 1982 Springer ran for governor, but came in 3rd in the Democratic primary.
Jerry is a very dynamic speaker, but might have a tough time putting that television show of his behind him. There is also the small story of a check he should have never written.
Michael Coleman
Coleman is the mayor of Columbus, the state capital of Ohio. If Coleman does decide to throw his hat into a ring, it will be in the race for Governor.
There was an article yesterday in the Canton Repository about Coleman and another candidate, Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic, saying they would not run against each other in the primary.
Coleman has made some headlines lately, participating in a movement to remove the Ohio State Party Chairman, Dennis White, from office. Many believe there is a "pattern of failure" within the Ohio Democratic Party, and White needs to go.
Coleman has stopped short of calling for White's job.
Don Plusquellic
Plusquellic is the Mayor of Akron and has indicated in the past that he has no intention of running for office. But now that, "Ohio is in such bad condition," he will consider the possibility of running for Governor.
Plusquellic has been the mayor of Akron since 1987. He is also the president of the United States Council of Mayors.
Sherrod Brown
I cannot say enough about Sherrod Brown. He is the best, the greatest, one-of-a-kind.
I haven't seen much about his desire to run for Senate, but gosh I wish he would. Don't get me wrong, there are rumblings within the state party establishment, but I think Democrats might move aside for Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!
If you don't want to read lavish praise tossed upon a man for several paragraphs, feel free to skip to the end and comment on the upcoming races.
Here is the chart on Sherrod.
From an entire post on Swing State Project I wrote about the Congressman.
The first time I met Congressman Sherrod Brown (Dem. OH-13), he was speaking to a relatively small group of 40 people at a barbecue in Medina, Ohio. Of all the candidates/electeds I met while working on the Seemann campaign (OH-16), I left Ohio impressed with none more so than Sherrod Brown.He spoke eloquently and calmly about the importance of the 2004 Presidential Election. Then his focus shifted, his voice rose, and his passion increased as he started talking about Republicans holding the Medicare vote open until 6 A.M. to gain the votes necessary in the House to pass the prescription drug bill.
He gave us the inside baseball you rarely read in the papers or watch on the television. Blow by blow about ranking members coercing, threatening, and strong-arming Republicans opposed to the bill until they collected enough votes for passage. Stories like Congressman Nick Smith (Rep. MI) being offered money for his son's Congressional campaign if he would switch his vote.
In fact, Congressman Brown has won statewide office before. In 1982 and 1986 he was voted in as Secretary of State in Ohio. He can win in a state-wide election. He has before. It is my most sincere wish that he try it again. And soon. Say 2006?
So, that's the run down as I see it today. If it was Final Jeopardy, I would guess you will see Strickland and Coleman in a primary for Governor & Jerry Springer unchallenged in the race for Senate. But who the hell knows in Ohio.
Posted at 12:23 AM in Ohio | Comments (11) | Technorati
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
The Daily Roemer 12/29/04
Posted by Tim TagarisGiving a flavor of netroots reaction on the potential DNC chairmanship of Tim Roemer:
From DeanFan84 on DailyKos.
How about a bat for those who pledge not to give money if the Dem Party doesn't get back to its roots? I gave $4,000 last cycle, and I pledge not to do the same in '06 if we get Roemer or the equivalent! [...]
I say we all send in voided checks next go around. Here is my $500--NOT!
And from Kid Oakland, well respected front-page DailyKos author.
What I'm saying is that the time is now to be proactive and choose our fight...and to leave our mark. Will we reform this party? That is the question. Our congressional leadership has spoken clearly. Our job is to speak clearly from our side.....not just put up with it or shut up as we have in the past.
All of us here put our hearts and souls and $$ into this last campaign. Does Roemer reflect us? Does Reid? Does Pelosi? We have the right to ask that question. And to point out that they have no idea who we are or what we think.
Does anyone think Tim Roemer could pick a fundraising bat out of a police line-up? I am guessing no. Especially when you consider that in his last run for Congress during the 2000 election cycle, 9% of his contributions were under $200, 21% from large donors, and 67% came from PACs.
Posted at 12:47 PM in DNC Chair | Comments (2) | Technorati
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
MT Supreme Court RULZ
Posted by Bob BrighamDemocrats get a clean sweep in Montana. Democrats won the governor's mansion, the state senate, and now they have tied the state house meaning they win the speaker's gavel!
From the AP:
HELENA, Mont. - The Montana Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a decision that determined a disputed legislative race was tied, likely giving Democrats control of the state House of Representatives.
The 6-1 decision threw out a lower court ruling from earlier this month that seven contested ballots had properly been counted for Constitution Party candidate Rick Jore.
The high court declared "one or more" contested ballots in the tied race invalid. Throwing out even one of those ballots means the vote tally swings to Democrat Jeanne Windham, the Supreme Court said.
That, in turn, creates a 50-50 tie between Republicans and Democrats in the House and means the next House speaker likely will be from the party of Democratic Gov.-elect Brian Schweitzer. The party that controls the governor's office in Montana breaks ties in electing House speakers.
Here is some more on the Seven illegal ballots in HD 12.
If anyone wonders why I believe in a 50 state strategy, it is because of quotes like this from the Billings Gazette:
Democrats now claim control of both House and Senate, as well as the governor's office. Before the November election, Democrats held no major positions of power.
I feel more confident now proclaiming that Montana is a Swing State.
Posted at 08:08 PM in Montana | Comments (1) | Technorati
My I-Pod can beat up your Lakoff
Posted by Bob BrighamIn some circles, George Lakoff is being framed as somebody who is all talk. That frame has implied that by being all talk he does not create action. But now this frame is also being explored as all talk, no singing.
Such as suggestion is easy to laugh off until you realize it is coming from Jim Ross, an all-action guy who also has a reputation as word-wise political strategist.
Ross brought up this angle in email to Chris Nolan:
Thank youĶ.For taking on Lakoff. The guy is the spokesperson for the Doormat Democrats. The liberals that have so much white liberal guilt that they can not stand up for themselves. He is in such vogue right now because he is part of the Moveon.org nexus. There is a whole world of deep liberal activists who don't know how to win and I think are a little scared of what they will do if they win.
In case you didn't notice, Ross doesn't pull punches, but all of that has been widely discussed. However, what Ross says next brings up an interesting angle:
The reason why Democrats keep losing national elections is people like this are trying to tell us how to communicate with people like this. The Democrat's audiences are not a bunch of liberals in Marin, San Francisco or Berkeley. But people living in trailers in rural Ohio, Oregon, New Mexico, Michigan and a thousand of other places around the country. Until we can talk to these people in a way that matters to them we will continue to lose.
Gretchen Wilson, political visionary?
We should not go to George Lakoff seeking guidance but to the record store, or iTunes and listen to the stories of the people in swing states. The are telling us what the want and what they want to hear, we just need to shut up and listen.
The stories are out there and Gretchen Wilson isn't the only one telling them.
Message isn't a collection of tested ideas, it is a story. And that story needs context and a connection before it can be told. If you dropped George Lakoff and Jim Ross off in the middle of some "fly-over state" Lakoff would be trying to communicate with the locals while Ross would be making new friends. While people might snicker about Lakoff being from Berkeley, few would guess that Ross lives in San Francisco.
To "shut up and listen" there needs to be a common ground between those crafting the message and the audience that message is targeting. Consultants and politicians need to want to expand that common ground and music might be as good a place as any to begin.
Posted at 01:16 PM in Netroots | Comments (7) | Technorati
Tim Roemer: Not my choice for DNC Chairman
Posted by Tim TagarisTim Roemer via Issues 2000
No further text necessary.
Posted at 05:01 AM in DNC Chair | Comments (3) | Technorati
Monday, December 27, 2004
2010 Reapportionment
Posted by Bob BrighamJerome Armstrong continues the discussion he started two years ago about how Democrats failure after the 2000 census may have cost us the lower chamber for a decade.
Many of the status quo Democrats in DC are claiming that Democrats didn't do that bad because Kerry came close to winning Ohio which would have elected him President. This CYA group-think attempts to hide the fact that Democrats were a good 10 points shy of a performance quotient that would have delivered a governable congress.
Positioning for the 2010 reapportionment is important goal for Democrats considering a 50 state strategy with greater emphasis on non-federal races. While California state senate seats are larger than congressional districts, this is the exception to the rule that non-federal races provide high-value return on investment.
Jerome provides the following projections for the next reapportionment:
Reapportionment Factors Seat-loss R-D Delegation Governor Legislature New York 2 9-20 R R-D Ohio 2 12-6 R R-R Illinois 1 9-10 D D-D Iowa 1 4-1 non-partisan Louisiana 1 5-2 D D-D Massachusetts 1 0-10 R D-D Missouri 1 5-4 R R-R Pennsylvania 1 12-7 D R-R Seat-gain R-D Delegation Governor Legislature Texas 3 21-11 R R-R Florida 2 18-7 R R-R Arizona 1 6-2 non-partisan California 1 33-20 R D-D Georgia 1 7-6 R R-R Nevada 1 2-1 R D-R Utah 1 2-1 R R-R
Remember, controlling congress is a zero-sum game -- states both losing and increasing representation offer potential for Democratic gains in congress. However, from both a defensive and offensive position it is clear that we are currently in poor position to dominate redistricting.
Jerome does a great job explaining how the GOP has used redistricting to expand their potential while Democrats continue to lose field position. Considering we probably won't be able to in in 2006, here is Doctor Armstrong's presciption:
publically shoot for gaining 6 seats in each of the next two elections, and figure out where to get the extra 3 seats along the way. Combined with the fielding candidates in every seat across the nation, with financial (say, $100K in resources each) backing(see 2004's CO 4th & PA 8th expendidtures by the GOP for why), and I think there's an opportunity. If that strategic path were taken, then I could see the potential of a majority by '08 or '10 for the Democrats in the House. Otherwise, following the same 1996-2004 strategy, means 3 more cycles of the same failure.
This strategy for congress could tie in well with the 50 state strategy Chris Bowers has relentlessly advanced. Also, a non-federal focus of bottom-up strengthening of the party will help position Democrats for redistricting. Supporting Democrats early in their careers will pay dividends years from now when they are playing in the big leagues.
What are your ideas on winning back congress?
Posted at 02:09 PM in Redistricting | Comments (1) | Technorati
Sunday, December 26, 2004
Chess not Checkers: Dean in '08 not DNC in '05?
Posted by Tim TagarisI have been thinking alot lately about Howard Dean's run for Chairman of the DNC this year. At first thought, my knee-jerk reaction is to throw my support fully behind Governor Dean.
However, I have to keep reminding myself of this exchange between Governor Dean and Tim Russert on Meet the Press December 12th.
MR. RUSSERT: You said you're thinking about running for chairman of the Democratic national party. If you did, in fact, run for chairman of the party and win, could you run for president in '08 as well?
DR. DEAN: No, absolutely not.
In my mind, the battle for DNC Chairman is a struggle for Party reform vs. operational status quo.
There are several candidates out there who are committed to changing business as usual at the DNC Headquarters in Washington, D.C. My belief is that the best of those are Howard Dean, Simon Rosenberg, and Donnie Fowler.
If the struggle for DNC is a battle for reform vs. status quo -- than the 2008 battle will be the final contest in determining who wins the war over the soul of the Democratic Party. Who is the candidate who will be the standard bearer for the issues we hold dear in the next presidential election?
It's not Terry McAufliffe's positions on the war, choice, and social security that people focused their spotlights on in 2004 -- It was John Kerry. Terry McAuliffe's role is a much different one -- operational and organizational.
When I start thinking about the issues that I hold close to my heart, my mind drifts to 2008 and the names that have been bandied about as possible Democratic nominees.
Right now three of the odds on favorites are Evan Bayh, Hillary Clinton, and Governor Howard Dean. I can only hope that in 2008, the words "unelectable" will not be ones that gain as much traction as they did in 2004.
The last thing I want to do is see Governor Dean in charge of raising money and overseeing day-to-day Democratic Party operations for nominee Evan Bayh. Just my personal opinion on that specific ilk of candidate.
Given those options, and most others, I would prefer to see the Governor as the standard bearer in 2008.
There are a handful of candidates who are in favor of reforming the Democratic National Comittee. A handful of candidates with the desire of focusing on a 50 state strategy that contests races further down the ballot than just the presidential election. And an even smaller number of candidates that fit with my economic, defense, and social beliefs.
And none of those other candidates have any chance were they to run for President in 2008.
Governor Dean does.
This is my dilemma. Tell me what you think.
Posted at 08:03 PM in DNC Chair | Comments (9) | Technorati
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Merry Christmas, or not. Your Choice
Posted by Tim TagarisFor those of you that celebrate today (or dread it), Merry Christmas. Enjoy the time with your friends and family. For me, it will probably be a light week of posting until January 2nd; then we go full bore into the business of beating Republicans in '05 & '06.
For those of you that don't celebrate or concern yourself with today -- everything is closed, so you might as well hang out here for a bit:
George Bush just got off the phone with his cousin George Orwell; he implored us to show compassion to the sick and the suffering in his Christmas Radio Address.
Also, as my gift to you: Here are some of DavidNYC's front page posts from DailyKos.
Turkey to begin EU membership talks next year
Is David Sirota on to something?
Soldiers suing to stop back-door draft
Finally, remember that the Ukraine votes tomorrow in their do-over election. You will probably be able to find some information here as it becomes available. Who knows, maybe the third time is a charm?
Best wishes,
Tim
Posted at 10:35 AM in General | Technorati
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Governor-elect Christine Gregoire
Posted by Bob BrighamGregoire wins by 130 votes. Happy Holidays Governor Gregoire!
Memo to Governor-elect Gregoire: When it comes time for re-election, please don't run such a cautious campaign. There is no excuse for you not having won in a blow-out. Learn from your mistake and be bold as you go forward to lead Washington.
Posted at 08:26 PM in Washington | Comments (17) | Technorati
My ATM Pin Number or On-Line Fundraising
Posted by Tim TagarisMuch has been made in recent days about the Kerry campaign's attempts to withdraw, over and over again, from the ATM machine known as the netroots. Whether it is discussions about the endless fundraising emails to folks in non "swing states," or Kos's contention that, "we aren't going to put out for campaigns without getting something in return;" the topic has been in the blogs as of late.
Kos also said something that I overlooked the first time I read his post, but might be the most important quote in the entire piece.
Did the Dean campaign win? No. But there's a reason people are still loyal to Dean even after Kerry has been abandoned by legions of Democrats. Unlike Kerry's effort, what Dean and Trippi built was the stuff of political movements, and it was built on a foundation of communication.
Maybe John Kerry didn't need a political movement; he needed us for seven months. But only one race every four years is for the presidency, for the rest of 468 seats up for grabs on the Federal level, if you are going to fundraise effectively on-line, you are best served, "building the stuff of political movements."
I chose to write about this because I keep talking to congressional candidates for '06 races that say some form of, "We will just tell them that we are running a progressive campaign and we need grassroots support to raise 'x' amount of dollars in so many days."
Wrong answer...
If you want to withdraw cash using my ATM card (and millions like me), if you want to build that "political movement" on-line, you better know the pin number. John Kerry didn't know the pin number, and 99% of candidates running for office that have now decided to reach out to the netroots don't know it either.
So what are the digits?
Most ATM pins have four digits. For the sake of simplicity, we'll keep it at that number as well; although there is much more a candidate can do if they want to reach out effectively to the netroots.
First Number: Be willing to communicate with us
Campaigns set aside time every week for fundraising calls, block-walking, attending state and county-wide events, but if you want that first digit you need to be willing to communicate with us, directly.
Campaigns should set aside time every week, if not day, to communicate with us directly. That time should be just as important as call-time and block-walking time. Just like a good fundraising director will freak out if the candidate doesn't make 30 calls an hour, the Internet Outreach Coordinator should do the same. Yes, all campaigns should have one of them. And they should have a seat at the table right next to the campaign manager, communications director, finance director, and field director.
The Internet is the only medium available that allows for mass two-way communication. Constituents want to hear from you, and if they can get an answer back immediately, that's all the better. They want to know what is going on in the campaign they are supporting. And you know what? They deserve it.
That means you have a blog affiliated with your campaign, and the candidate posts on it, the campaign manager posts on it, etc... If it is just some unpaid intern that comes in 3 days a week and posts from home, you got a problem there.
Your blog also needs some variety, and should be in a "human voice." I am sure Bob has much more to say about the use of blogs by a campaign. It is a subject that I can go on about for hours.
And that doesn't mean you are just blogging on your own website. "Think outside the webpage." There are already communities that have hundreds, thousands, and hundreds of thousands of members. If you are an unknown candidate and believe that people are going to come to your webpage just because you put one up, your thinking is fatally flawed.
And dammit, every communication should not include a link to your contribution page.
Second Number: We want to be involved in the effort
And more involved than just, "hey we need 4,000 literature pieces for the county fair coming up." Sure, it is nice to know what our money is going towards, but in the grand scheme of things, we want some form of "ownership" of the effort.
That means soliciting our ideas and implementing the best of them. The ideas of 50,000 will almost always be better than the ideas of five people who live their entire lives inside of a campaign HQ.
This means giving your supporters in the netroots the tools available to make a difference for your effort. Give them the tools to throw a house party, create a .pdf file for the campaign, listen to them about your message and refine it when necessary.
Take one of the biggest successes of the Jeff Seemann for Congress campaign, "campaign manager for a day." It was a media bonanza for us, fundraising success, it built our email list, drove people to our website in unheard of numbers for a congressional race, and most importantly, got people very excited about our effort in the 16th district of Ohio.
You know how that idea was born?
A bunch of us were sitting around at like 1 AM, having a nightcap (or 5), and talking about how we can simultaneously thank to the netroots for all of their support and give them ownership of the campaign.
The results of the effort speak for itself.
I answered 90% of the press calls for the events, and believe me there were alot. One of the things that got me the most frustrated was when media would ask, "Are you worried they will pick things bad for the campaign? What if they select for Jeff to sleep in until 10 AM?" We even had members of our staff (who shall remain nameless -- while being instrumental in the idea) who said, "we will guide them toward the selections we want them to make."
Wrong answer.
These people in the netroots support you and want what is best for the campaign. They have now become invested in the effort; either financially or with their own time and ideas. I cannot stress enough that to a certain extent, if you want the rewards, you have to let go. It has been my experience that this legion of die-hard activists will not steer you wrong. They NEVER did for us.
Third Number: Opinion Leaders
On-line is no different than off-line in this respect. There are certain opinion leaders that carry alot of sway within a community, the net is no different. For the Seemann campaign, we caught a break. When the whole mercenary flap happened on Kos, Jeff stepped in and placed an ad. Had this not happened, we might have never even gotten our foot in the door -- although I can assure you we would have tried.
And the thing about these opinion leaders is, they are often a fickle bunch. The best of them (in my mind): Jerome, Kos, Matt Stoller, Atrios, Jesse & Ezra from Pandagon understand quite well when someone is just trying to cash in on the netroots and who really "gets it."
They understand it because, for a few of them, they helped invent it. If you think you are going to pull a fast one on them and use them for the supporters, think again.
They all have their own reasons for supporting the candidates they do -- it might be issues, it might be the opponent they are running against, it might be that they are just a great all-around candidate, and it might be something else.
Reach out to them. With the netroots ATM card, their word is just as good as when MoveOn sends out a fundraising email, or DFA does the same.
The opinion leader concept and two-step flow of communication theory holds true just as well on-line as it does off.
Fourth Number: Your positions on the issues/your opponent
I'll combine these two into one because I believe they are both important, and I talked earlier about the Pin Number only having four digits.
If you are a progressive candidate, you are at an advantage on-line. These are communities filled with activists who often believe in positions that candidates might find tough to back.
Let me give two examples: First, you have someone like Jeff Seemann whose liberal (I'm not ashamed of the word) stances on the issues made it alot easier for us to gather a following within the netroots. When people would ask Jeff questions on places like Kos or via email, we had no problem giving them the answer they wanted to hear, while being honest with them at the same time. This helped.
The other example is Brad Carson. Brad had a decidedly centrist stance on most of the issues; even going as far as to align himself with President Bush multiple times on a much watched and discussed debate with his opponent on Meet The Press. People were pissed. Some flat out stopped giving to Carson when they watched the debate, saying he was more Conservative than his Republican opponent.
But Brad Carson was running against a nutcase; Tom Coburn, the doctor who likes to sterilize patients without their consent and then bill Medicaid. Which provides a great segue into my final point -- the opponent...
Yes, it helps if you have a dirt-bag for an opponent.'
I am not sure how many people donated to the Kerry campaign on-line because of the campaign that was run vs. his opponent. Anybody but Bush, right? If it was Final Jeopardy, I would be willing to wager all of my cash that Kerry's fundraising success was in large part due to disgust for the president, and the fact that he was running for the highest office in the land.
But this carries over down the ladder as well.
Take Tom DeLay's opponent, Richard Morisson. Or Katherine Harris's opponent, Jan Schneider. Both of them did relatively well raising money on-line, in large part because of the dislike of their opponents by the progressive community at-large.
So, good news for whoever gets out of the Democratic primary in Pennsylvania. If you are running against Rick Santorum, there are plenty of people out there that want to help -- and they are ready to help yesterday.
Take it for what its worth. Just wanted to spit some of my thoughts out on "paper" after spending some time thinking about the Kos vs. Exley debate.
Maybe this information will help candidates in 2005/2006 recognize that support from the netroots is like riding a bike downhill -- if you learn how to do it, can keep your balance, it is the gift that keeps on giving.
Bottom line: It isn't fundraising requests that breed successful netroots fundraising. I would even venture to say that the fundraising application isn't the most important of the potential uses of the Internet.
Unfortunately, right now it's the language that most everybody outside of the netroots speaks in.
Posted at 12:48 AM in Netroots | Comments (8) | Technorati
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Support our Sponsors
Posted by Bob BrighamPlease support our sponsors.....
DavidNYC's SSP provided excellent intelligence on Swing States during the 2004 cycle. Looking ahead, I think we will all be surprised at how SSP blossoms.
Since there are some big changes coming, I asked David if I could run the Senate 2006 ad you now see -- as a placeholder. I wanted to brighten the place up. So, of course I went with the SSP Green. A little part of me thinks it is an ugly color, but I've come to love it.
But putting together the map showing the distribution of 2006 U.S. Senate races was an early shock to my system as to the expanse of the coming battle...and that is just for the senate.
The next two years will be a defining time in American politics. Post-modern politics can no longer be avoided and it is going to have a powerful effect on the mid-term elections. Before that, we'll have a savory selection of opening acts.
I hope we're going to see an expansion of the congressional competition list and the senate situation will force it. Also, the reform of the Democratic Party primary calendar will end the IA/NH monopoly and bring new states to the forefront in choosing a nominee.
This is an exciting time for politics.
Posted at 10:54 PM in Site News | Comments (2) | Technorati
10 Votes
Posted by Tim TagarisFrom King 5 in Seattle seconds ago.
King County has finished its recount. Christine Gregoire leads with 10 votes now but this figure has not yet been certified.
Combine that with the Washington State Supreme Court decision earlier today that allows for the counting of 700 previously uncounted ballots from King County; at face value, this appears good for Democrats...
However, despite the fact that King County went for Gregoire, maybe the Supreme Court decision was not necessarily a victory for the Dems? With such a small margin of victory, and a relatively small number of ballots outstanding (700), I hesitate to assume anything.
I am sure there is going to be MUCH more to come.
Posted at 07:08 PM in Washington | Comments (1) | Technorati
Post-modern Politics
Posted by Bob BrighamThere has been a very heated debate between Kos and Zack Exley (spilling over to BOP) concerning the Kerry campaign's use of the netroots. As KE04's Director of Online Communications, Exley is understandably defensive when confronted about the campaign's online opportunity losses. But I think blaming Exley for Kerry's online campaign is like blaming Lyndee England for Abu Ghraib.
The Kerry campaign's lack of netroots understanding was a symptom of KE04's larger disease of failing to run a post-modern political campaign. As I see it, the Kerry campaign made two fundamental mistakes, both of which require that the buck stop with John Kerry.
The first mistake was that Kerry signed up for a 21st century election and hired 20th century management. Bob Shrum and Mary Beth Cahill were both critically unqualified to succeed in a post-modern political world they didn't understand.
The second mistake was that Kerry listened to their outdated advice and refused to provide the leadership America was waiting for him to offer.
For some unknown reason, some of the people who built the Bridge to the 21st Century never crossed the span. Exley brings up one good point that comes close to grasping what really went wrong:
It is a valid criticism of the Kerry campaign that it missed an opportunity to really connect with a whole new world of political activists and build an incredible movement. I agree with that criticism -- and I made it every day internally when I was at the campaign, as many irritated Kerry communications and finance people would confirm.
Though Mary Beth Cahill did work very closely with us to produce those emails, it was not the same as when Joe Trippi used the campaign emails (early in the Dean campaign) to really speak from the heart to supporters. We were one tier down from the actual heartbeat of the campaign at Kerry. It was a real problem.[emphasis mine]
Online campaigning isn't an option like air conditioning or leather seats that can just be added to an otherwise solid vehicle. While a strong online campaign may be indicative of a post-modern campaign, you don't have a 21st century campaign because you have a website. You can't just add features to an outdated campaign, to be successful you need to build your entire campaign by understanding the realities of the world in which we live. This is something that KE04 failed to understand. The people who understood how to interact online shouldn't have been second-tier staffers, but rather the people who didn't understand how to interact online shouldn't have be in charge. It was like hiring a once-was Army General to fight a naval battle. If you don't know how to sail then what the fuck good are your scars?
Let's look at some of the examples of how the Kerry campaign malpractrice began at the top.
KE04 never provided that one critical phrase necessary to break through the clutter of our ad-overloaded lives. Their final attempt, "A stronger, safer America" was almost a parody of how political consulting at the end of the 20th century will be remembered for combining multiple "tested" words into a phrase that had never been uttered by a human. A dozen years earlier, Clinton's "It's the economy, stupid" was gold when it came to breaking through, because it was unique, it didn't sound contrived, and it was very memorable. In fact, a Democrat pioneered the concept of breaking through when FDR chose to speak in the informal for his fireside chats. With all that is going on in people's lives, if you can't break through then how do you expect to connect?
Not only did Kerry fail to break through, but he failed to understand that others could break through. The dinosaurs at HQ saw the Swift Boat ads with their $40,000 bank account and assumed that they were irrelevant. Of course, they learned the hard way that their outdated understanding of political power failed to predict the catapult potential of a bold action. Just like Condi Rice looked to a nation's tank brigades to judge their threat while failing to plan for 20 guys with box cutters, the KE04 campaign miscalculated that the Swift Boaters lack of money would prevent traction with the voters.
Speaking of money, let's talk about Kerry campaign's lust for money. Yes, we've all lost a race because there wasn't enough money for the last mail piece. But it was because of failure to meet prima facia burdens of name recognition in down-ticket races. The Kerry campaign's lust can't be rationalized on these grounds. Campaign's need money to persuade, but the Kerry campaign failed to appreciate political basics enough to focus on winning votes. For them, getting money buys ads that might get votes. This giant chip on their shoulders from the 20th century campaigns they lost was revealed through their entire "try not to lose" strategy -- which proved woefully ineffective in a world waiting on a hero. What they failed to grasp was that their base had more potential as supporters than as repeat donors.
Not only did they waste potential and money on TV, but failing to understand post-modern politics hurt them on the news. The Kerry campaign suffered a disaster when they went down for a week after Reagan died. KE04 hid while every GOP hack in the world related their Gipper stories back to Bush being the heir to the legend. Anyone who ever suggests a campaign should be suspended should be immediately fired for not understanding that post-modern politics occurs all day, every dayĶwith NO exceptions. Not learning from the Gipper-porn week, the Kerry campaign media surrogates were outnumbered at least 2:1 during the our own convention. Doing their best not to notice a trend, the Kerry campaign suffered the same fate during the RNC. With a genius only Shrum could create, this continued during the debates as the GOP fact-checked at a 5:1 ratio while the Kerry media team held back the debate bounce the candidate earned. KE04 assumed that the press would report "the facts" without giving them anything bold enough to earn a spot on the news.
The yester-year consultants even prevented Kerry from making up for their piss-poor understanding of modern campaigns. This occurred every time they held him back. Kerry followed his consultants instead of leading the people. The "try not to lose" strategy focused on not turning people away. Unfortunately for Kerry, in a post-modern world everyone knows the score and those left wondering follow the boldest leader. Worse yet, by convincing Kerry to vote for the a doomed war, they not only undermined his credibility, but additionally neutralized what would have been the winning issue.
For all of this, the buck should stop at Kerry.
But back to the netroots. If the Kerry campaign would have had leadership that understood post-modern campaigns they could have used technology far more effectively. They could have done all of the things Ken Mehlman did as he outperformed Democrats online and in regards to GOTV. But they could have gone even further, they could have built a movement.
I think it is important to have the discussion on how we could have done better online, but let's remember that the internet is only one part of running 21st century campaigns. Hiring 20th century consultants is like hiring the fastest pony express rider as a train engineer. Considering Kerry hired Bob Shrum, some might take the analogy one step further by saying Kerry hired the slowest pony express rider.
The Democratic Party is in serious need of reform and arguing over how we use the netroots won't get us there if we continue to rely on strategists who deploy antiquated campaigns. Yes, Exley could have done a lot more by empowering Kerry supporters. The fact that Exley was too new of a Kos user to even be able to post a dairy proves he did a shitty job. But forget him, I think Kos has the most important view on netroots:
Thing is, we aren't going to put out for campaigns without getting something in return.
This year, the netroots put out because of a very deep hatred of Bush. I think it is accurate to say that Democrats did well online in spite of McAliffe and Shrum and Exley. Likewise, Democrats won many votes in spite of Kerry. When you consider that the only age demographic we won -- the under 30 crowd -- was almost entirely due to the conduct of our opponents you'll see that Democrats are in dire straights.
We can't afford to continue putting individuals unqualified for post-modern campaigning in charge of the future of the Democratic Party.
Posted at 02:05 AM in Netroots | Comments (10) | Technorati
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Washington Governor's Race
Posted by Tim TagarisKOMO TV (ABC) in Seattle Reports:
Democratic State Party Chairman Paul Berendt says recount results from King County give Democrat Christine Gregoire an eight-vote victory over Republican Dino Rossi in the governor's race.
The report is very preliminary, and neither King County nor the Republican Party can immediately confirm the hand recount results.
The official results will be released tomorrow at 3:30 PST. The ABC affiliate continues:
King County, which includes Seattle, has finished tallying its 900,000 ballots, but election officials say they still need to reconcile differences in the precinct totals before formally releasing its results Wednesday.
Eight votes. Amazing. I am going to look into whether or not this is the closest state-wide race ever. I imagine it has to be. Who says every vote doesn't count?
Closest Statewide Elections (will add as I find):
Ohio: Lee Fisher (D) vs. Paul Pfeifer (R) for State Attorney General in 1990: Fisher wins by 1,234
Utah: Herbert Maw vs. J. Bracken Lee for Governor in 1994. Maw wins by 1000 votes.
Minnesota: Karl Rolvaag vs. Elmer Anderson for Governor in 1962: Rovlaag wins by 58 votes.
Pennsylvania: Susan Gantman (R) vs. John Driscoll (D) for State Superior Court in 2003: Gantman wins by 28 votes.
Michigan: Mike Cox (R) vs. Gary Peters (D) for Attorney General in 2002: Cox wins by 5,200 votes - making it the closest statewide election in 50 years (best I could find).
New York: Elliot Spitzer (D) vs. Dennis Vacco (R) for Attorney General in 1998. Spitzer wins (looking for total)
Posted at 11:57 PM in Washington | Comments (9) | Technorati
Polling Place...
Posted by Tim TagarisA few polls released in recent days.
President Bush Job Approval Ratings: Gallup & USA Today
(12/17 - 12/19) Approve: 49% - Disaprove 46% - Don't Know 5%
(12/05 - 12/88) Approve: 53% - Disaprove 44% - Don't Know 3%
(11/19 - 11/21) Approve: 55% - Disaprove 42% - Don't Know 3%Direction of the Country: Pew Research
(12/01 - 12/16) Satisfied 39% - Dissatisfied 54% - Don't Know 7%
Do you appove of decision to go to war with Iraq? CNN/USA Today
(12/17 - 12/19) Approve 48% - Disaprove 51% - Unsure 1%
Opinion of Tom DeLay? (12/9 - 12/13) NBC & Wall Street Journal
Very positive: 3%
Somewhat positive: 9%
Neutral: 26%
Somewhat negative: 7%
Very negative: 10%
Don't know: 45%Donald Rumsfeld.
Keep Rumsfeld: 36%
Replace Rumsfeld: 52%
Unsure: 11%
Tons of additional polling information with trends can be found at PollingReport.com
Posted at 08:58 PM in General | Technorati
Monday, December 20, 2004
Rumsfeld's Rules
Posted by Tim TagarisThe following are excerpts from "Rumsfeld's Rules: Advice on government, business, and life." Commentary and links listed under individual "rules."
- Don't divide the world into "them" and "us." Avoid infatuation with or resentment of the press, the Congress, rivals, or opponents. Accept them as facts. They have their jobs and you have yours.
- "You are either with us, or against us." - President Bush 11-06-2004
- Don't allow people to be excluded from a meeting or denied an opportunity to express their views because their views differ from the president's views, the views of the person who calls the meeting, or your views. The staff system must have integrity and discipline.
- From the L.A. Times: "Just this week, Rumsfeld regretted not having been forewarned about the strength of the resistance, but he himself played a role in ushering out the Army's top general, Eric Shinseki, for his warning before the invasion that the U.S. would need at least 200,000 troops to occupy Iraq."
- Look for what's missing. Many advisers can tell a president how to improve what's proposed or what's gone amiss. Few are able to see what isn't there.
- Here some hints for the secretary on what is missing. See this isn't that hard.
- Radio signal jammers that can disable improvised electronic devices -- the source of many US and civilian casualties in Iraq. A readily available technology.
- An adequate number of troops on the ground to accomplish "the mission."
- Body armor -- Missing in Action as well.
- Support from a large coalition throughout the world.
- Don't do or say things that you would not like to see on the front page of the Washington Post.
- "Rumsfeld gets earful from troops" 12-09-2004 - Front page - Washington Post
- Beware when any idea is promoted as "bold, exciting, innovative, and new." There are many ideas that are "bold, exciting, innovative, and new," but also foolish.
- "Missile defense test fails again." - 12-16-04
- In politics, every day is filled with numerous opportunities for serious error. Enjoy it.
- Not signing letters to family members of slain military men & women in Iraq.
- Underestimating Iraqi resistance.
- Not committing enough troops to accomplish "the mission" in Iraq.
- Disbanding the Iraqi army.
- Lack of body armor for our troops and vehicles.
- One has to wonder, has the Secretary "enjoyed" his serious errors enough? I sure hope he is having a swell time.
- The oil-can is mightier than than the sword.
- "U.S. Protected Oil Ministry While Looters Destroyed Museum." 4-14-2003
- Avoid public spats. When a department argues with other government agencies in the press, it reduces the president's options.
- Defense Department and Homeland Security Department squabble over intelligence control.
- First law of holes: When you get in one, stop digging.
- "U.S. to send 12,000 more troops to Iraq." ABC News: 12-01-2004
The most important and timely of Rumsfeld's rules:
- Be able to resign. It will improve your value to the president and do wonders for your performance.
A bit of friendly advice to the Secretary of Defense. Follow the rules.
Posted at 05:24 PM in General | Comments (1) | Technorati
Apologies...
Posted by Tim TagarisI just spent an hour on a post -- and backspaced, deleting it by accident. Posting will resume today. Sorry for the time off.
Posted at 04:31 PM in Site News | Comments (3) | Technorati
Friday, December 17, 2004
Torres on State Party Blogging
Posted by Bob BrighamEarlier this week, I used the California Democratic Party website to contact Chair Art Torres. For those who don't recall, I suggested Torres ask Bob Mulholland to share his experiences blogging with his colleagues at other State Parties.
Today I received an email from Chair Torres.
Before reading the email, I want to relate a little background on Bob Mulholland, who blogs -- among many other things -- for the California Democratic Party. Jerome Armstrong of MyDD posted the following in the comments:
Mulholland is a great guy, back in Feb of 2003, he let Markos and I in to blog the CA Dem convention, introducing him to blogging.
DavidNYC followed up with this important comment:
Oh man, that was a seminal moment in blog (and Dean) history. I remember being incredibly excited that you guys had been given press credentials, and that you were actually there reporting on the event. I thought to myself, "Finally - a version of events I know I'll be able to trust!"
While there was considerable press about blogging at this year's conventions, the legitimization of blogging started almost a year and a half earlier. What an amazing convention for bloggers join the Party.
CNN reminds us that this was the convention where John Edwards was cut off after saying, "Saddam Hussein is a serious threat. And I believe he must be disarmed, including the use of military force, if necessary. We cannot...(BOOING)" This was the convention where Howard Dean dared to ask, "What I want to know is what in the world so many Democrats are doing supporting the president's unilateral intervention in Iraq. (CHEERING)"
Bob Mulholland will always be remember for his vision in seeing the potential blogging offered. So I'm guessing it was not out of the ordinary for Art Torres to receive my email praising Bob's Blog and asking for his help in sharing his knowledge. Here is the email I (quite promptly) received from Chair Torres:
Dear Mr. Brigham:
Thank you for your email and the kind words about Bob Mulholland and his blog. As Chair of the California Democratic Party, I do share my experiences with other state Chairs about what works and what does not for our communications with California Democrats. Last weekend, I was in Orlando, Florida with Democratic state chairs from both red and blue states and shared the grassroots technique that we used so successfully in this last election. One of the ingredients for our success was Bob's Blog.
Hopefully, other states will follow suit with blogs of their own and I am happy to continue to share our experiences with other state Democratic Parties. We continue to strive to make our Web site, www.cadem.org, even better as well. Thank you for your suggestion.
Sincerely,
Senator Art Torres (Ret.)
Chairman, California Democratic Party
Chair Torres brings up a great point, that Bob's Blog was part of the success of the California Democratic Party. With three-fourths of State Parties not using blogs, I don't think I can overstate the importance of one of the most successful State Parties in America appreciating the power of blogging.
We don't need to wait for the next ADSC meeting to talk about best practices. We can do better.
Posted at 11:22 PM in Netroots | Comments (1) | Technorati
State Party Blog Project: In It Together
Posted by Tim TagarisThanks to those of you who have made their way over from DailyKos for the first time. For the regulars, let me explain...
One way or another, the vast majority of you are aware that we are trying to bring all 50 states on-line with a blog on their webpage. In the extended entry portion of this thread, you will find a list of states lacking a blog, a link to their webpage, and a copy of the email I initially sent to each of the state parties.
If you are interested in "adopting a state," please note which state you would like to take the lead with in the comments along with your email address. I will update this blog daily on the topic; if you have made any progress, please indicate that and I will update the main page of the blog accordingly.
Information in the extended entry. For future reference or questions, my email address is ttagaris@yahoo.com
The States:
AL (ttagaris - ttagaris@yahoo.com) - Will have a blog next week
AK
AZ Just put a blog two days ago.
AR
CT
DE (ttagaris - ttagaris@yahoo.com) - Currently talking with them
FL (ttagaris - ttagaris@yahoo.com) - Have had a few conversations with them
HI
IL
IN
IA (Hans - ) - Need an email address
KY (ttagaris - ttagaris@yahoo.com) - Turning blog option "on" shortly.
LA (ara - ara@rubyan.com) Just moved to Louisiana
ME (Alna Dem - kjosephs@lincoln.midcoast.com)
MA (Ken Michaud - dudeursistershot@gmail.com) - will email this weekend
MI (Rabid Nation - david@rabidnation.com)
MS
MT (Bob Brigham - bob_brigham@yahoo.com) "Montana..I'll land"
NH (Chuck - DriftawayNH@aol.com) -- Is in for New Hampshire
NJ
NY
NC (ttagaris - ttagaris@yahoo.com) Revamping webpage to include a blog
ND (ttagaris - ttagaris@yahoo.com) - Talking with State Chairman Monday
OK
OR
PA (Chris Bowers from MyDD) is going to handle it "in a way so large its hard to imagine"
RI
SD
TN (ttagaris- ttagaris@yahoo.com) - Talked to them today. Putting one up
TX (sharon - sharson@ureach.com) - Has decided to mess with Texas
VT (Lunch Lady - 1cmdavis2002@adelphia.net)
WA
WV (Carnaki -- arkhamnative@yahoo.com)
WI (Mike - clawson@powerweb.net) - Has already taken step 1
Additionally, ID (Bernine - blberry@salmoninternet.com) Value of using a blog
NM, UT, and WY have blogs that they have decided not to use and
MD's blog has only 2 posts. (Steph@stephaniedray.com &
Tech Help: (Chiggins@chiggins.com)
The Email I Sent:
Hello,
My name is Tim Tagaris. During the past election
cycle I was the communications director for Jeff
Seemann's (Dem.) congressional campaign in the 16th
district of Ohio. During the race we received
national acclaim for our use of the Internet as a tool
to communicate with the grassroots and fundraise.
We found that feedback, inclusion, respect and
communication were the most effective way to register
useful feedback and communicate in real time with the
people in the best position to support the goals of
the Democratic Party, the people. The most useful and
efficient mechanism to accomplish those goals during
the campaign was a blog.
I noticed that your state party webpage does not have
a blog. I would love to take a few minutes (that's
all it takes!) and help you get one up on your site to
better communicate with people in your great state,
and others across the country.
Unfortunately, three-fourths of state party websites
don't have a blog either. I am sending this message
to each one of those states. Hopefully by the end of
January we can ensure that EVERY state party website
has the tools necessary to communicate and reach out
to their constituents.
Please let me know if you already have plans to set up
a blog on your webpage, if there is anything I can do
to help, or if you are not interested..
Posted at 10:24 PM in Activism, Netroots, Netroots | Comments (12) | Technorati
Thursday, December 16, 2004
Turn Arizona Blue
Posted by Bob BrighamThis last week, Tim and I have been focused on making sure the State Democratic Parties have the tools necessary to succeed in modern campaigns.
So it is with great please that I urge you to visit Turn Arizona Blue, the new blog of the Arizona Democratic Party. If you don't want to read crazy praise for the ADP, then leave now.
Arizona had been working on a complete overhaul of their web capabilities when the study on State Party Blogs was conducted.
Now they have a new blog that I need to praise them in detail. First of all, the every first post demonstrates a great use of State Party blogging. Using everyday words, it invites Arizona Democrats to attend a Holiday Party on Monday. Solidarity, communication, action, interaction...the very first post.
But, it gets better. Tony Cani, who is the (love this) Non Traditional Campaigns Director uses his second post to start a conversation. I think he gets it:
Please use the comments below to tell us what you would this blog to become. Here are some topics you may consider chiming in about:
- How often would you like to see this blog updated?
- Who would you like to see featured on this blog?
- What kind of stories would you be the most interested in having here?
- What are some of your favorite other blogs that you think would be a good example for us to follow?
- ... anything you want!
Then, Tony does the unthinkable and tells people that if they want to help keep the content fresh, they should email him to get involved. I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP. Check for yourself if you don't believe me.
I am delighted to see a state as critical as Arizona fight with every tool than can get their hands on. I look forward to following the blog as I'm sure it will help Turn Arizona Blue.
Thanks MisterTinAZ for comment that alerted me to the new blog. If you live in Arizona visit this site every day, involve yourself in the conversation, and help where you can.
Posted at 07:07 PM in Arizona | Technorati
Montana as a Swing State
Posted by Bob BrighamWhen Kos titles a piece, "Montana on the Road to a Swing State" I think SSP should take notice. While Montana might not go for a Democratic presidential nominee in 2008, it will have competive Senate and at-large House races in 2006. Additionally, I've been thinking a great deal about the 2024 presidential campaign and when doing so I have a hard time imagining Democrats being successful in 20 years if we don't embrace a western strategy now.
In 2006 Montana is going to have two federal races with weak incumbents. Since Montana has a lone House seat, both campaigns require state-wide efforts and thus the crowd jockeying to go to Washington will look long and hard before deciding which incumbent they want to take on.
Senator Conrad Burns has build his image as the caricature of the hill-billy politician. A darling of the energy companies, he has had a most unremarkable time in DC. Historically, Montana sends legislative titans to DC and Burns has failed to meet these obligations. In 2000, he was nearly knocked out by a complete unknown, never-run-before candidate with little backing from the Party.
In 1988, Burns ran for Senate as an outsider who would serve only two terms if elected. He lied. Now Conrad has become exactly what he was elected to counter which may explain why he is desperately seeking a golden parachute from the telecommunications industry. If Burns is on the ballot in 2006, this will be one of the best pick-up opportunities in the country. If he isn't, it will be one of the most competitive open seats in the country.
Montana's Congressman, Denny Rehberg, also excels at being unremarkable. He couldn't even beat Max Baucus in 1996 after Max voted for the Brady Bill. The problem is, nobody trusts Rehberg. Considering this distrust extends to his Republican colleagues on the Hill might help explain why he has accomplished nothing. However, Rehberg's mediocre reputation as a lawmaker should not be confused with his campaign abilities. Rehberg's paranoia, limited intelligence, phony image, and notorious temper cause a blundering style of campaigning that is statistically due to fail.
I'll be writing more about this as things heat up during the legislative session. Most candidates realize a strong surfacing campaign allows them to choose to face the weaker of the two incumbents. Of course, most would rather be in the Senate, with the possible exception of Larry Jent, who would consider trying to stand out among 435 members and having to run every other year to be more of a personal challenge.
Posted at 04:40 PM in Montana | Comments (2) | Technorati
State Party Blog Project: Day 1
Posted by Tim TagarisTwenty-four hours ago I sent out an email to the 34 states absent a blog from their party web page. The note discussed the implications netroots outreach have in organizing, informing, involving, and fundraising (the language they speak). I even offered to help those without blogs get off the ground; setting them up and tips for outreach based on the successes from the last election cycle.
By the time I woke up, Wednesday morning, I already had several replies.
Was your state one of them, and what were the specific replies? Find out in the extended entry....
Vermont
We are interested.
Short and sweet, but that's alright. They will get a phone call and will hopefully be on-line within the next few days.
North Carolina
Thank you for your message. You're right about the blog and we are currently in the process of revamping our website to include one.
Kentucky
Thank you for contacting us about having a blog on our Web site. We switched to a new Web site recently and it does have built-in blog capabilities. We do plan to turn that feature "on" soon.
Again, thank you for bringing the importance of using blogs to our attention--more precisely, thanks for reminding us that we need to further explore how we will use ours.
That was my favorite response, until...
Alabama!
i have been wanting to do this. not sure exactly how to go about it. any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Finally, Florida (an excerpt -- was a long email)
I've gone so far as to walk through the blog creation process at blogspot.com and to download movable type for potentially hosting a blog on our webserver. We also wrote a very simplistic web diary for use by our delegation during the convention. One reason I'm not hosting a blog is maintenance. [...]
I love blogs. I read several regularly. We already run a yahoo group that allows some members to carry on discussions. What more will a blog do for us?
I emailed him back, talking about how much a blog could have done in 2000 for Florida. I also noted the potential for 2006, since they have a Gubernatorial and Senate race up for grabs.
Even tonight, I got an email from someone in Rhode Island who heard about the project and wants to help locally, to get his state party set up despite a lack of manpower.
Oh, I forgot one.
New York
Thank you for contacting us. Because of the volume of email we receive daily...
Yeah, it was a form letter directing me to other links on their page. But that's OK! We got responses from "red states," "blue states," and "swing states." As Jerome and Matt discussed in their coverage of the Orlando meetings, many of the "less competitive" states were very upset about getting scraps from the national party. If our goal is to turn elections into 50 state contests, that is a legitimate beef.
Putting a blog on your web page is only one small step. However, if taken seriously, the ability to communicate, inform, recruit, and solicit are powerful byproducts of the technology. By moving themselves one step closer to two-way mass communication with the grassroots, they will be making progress toward putting the power back into their own hands, regardless of who is elected DNC Chair.
Posted at 03:08 AM in Activism, Netroots, Netroots | Comments (7) | Technorati
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Michigan State Democratic Party - An Interview
Posted by Tim TagarisThe communications director for the Michigan State Democratic Party answered my questions this morning. You can find the exchange in the extended text portion of this post. I will not provide commentary on the exchange, but would love your feedback.
There is also an opportunity for follow up with the Chairman of the state party, Mark Brewer. Chairman Brewer is the man who tossed Jerome Armstrong and Matt Stoller from the closed session Q&A with DNC candidates in Orlando last weekend. So, what questions would you like to see asked?
Finally, following up on Bob Brigham's revelation that 3/4 of state party websites do not have blogs, I emailed each one of them last night offering assistance in getting off the ground. I have already received some interesting and encouraging emails. Check back later for the email and responses. There will be some changes.
My Q&A with Jason Moon, communications director for the Michigan State Democratic Party can be found in the extended entry.
The questions (in italics) were submitted via email. The interview took place with the backdrop of Jerome & Matt's expulsion from the closed Q&A.
1.) Is the displeasure in the blogging community understandable?
It is unfortunate that those bloggers who were asked to leave feel offended. They were credentialed as press and therefore treated as press. We apologize for any confusion.
The Chairman and the ADSC are seeking substantial reform and change at the DNC, focusing it on building the grassroots structure of the Party in every part of every state rather than continuing as a D.C.-based, paid consultant-driven organization. We would appreciate the blogging community's support of those shared goals.
The Chairman would be willing to be interviewed by bloggers and talk further about these needed reforms.
2.) Was the Chairman aware of the contributions (financial, community organizing/activism & otherwise) Matt Stoller and Jerome made to the Democratic Party for the last two years? If he was, would that have made a difference?
He is aware of the contributions of the blogging community generally, but not the specific contributions of Matt and Jerome. We appreciate their help and look forward to working with them in the future.
3.) Jerome and Matt say that they made it clear they were invited guests of Governor Dean and Simon Rosenberg, was the Chairman aware of that? If he wasn't, would it have made a difference?
He was not aware of their invitations and because they checked in as press they were treated as press.
4.) They also said they had promised not to write anything about the Q&A. In light of their activism and obvious partisanship, was that considered when the decision was made to toss them from the Q&A?
No, this meeting was a closed to the press between the ADSC and leaders within the Democratic Party. There was never an option for any "off the record" coverage for people credentialed as press.
5.) Matt Stoller claimed the Chairman seemed to "relish" kicking the bloggers out of the room. Is that an appropriate choice of words?
No, he simply stated that all credentialed press, including bloggers, would have to leave the Q&A portion of the Candidate Forum.
6.) What about the fact that anyone could have walked in from off the street into the Q&A and then written or blogged about the event? Did you just take everyone at their word?
This was a meeting between the ADSC and leaders within the Democratic Party which required all in attendance to be credentialed with the ADSC. No one could have walked in from the street.
7.) How is feedback registered and taken into account? Who reads the feedback and is it ever acted upon? Examples?
Feedback is registered at are website and taken into account by the Chairman.
http://mi-democrats/topics/contactus.htm
8.) How do you feel the blogs contributed to the Democratic effort in 2004, and what is their role in the future?
Blogs were an important part of the revitalization of the grass/netroots efforts in the Democratic Party. In the future blogs will become even more important source for news and opinion.
9.) Is there anything you want to add?
We understand the importance of Bloggers and the Internet. This year the Michigan Democratic Party offered Internet voting for its Presidential Caucus and we understand the importance of the web as a fundraising, messaging, and organizing tool. We apologize if we angered any of the bloggers who were present in Orlando, but we treated them as if they were with the press because they have the same influence anyone else in the media.
Posted at 02:22 PM in Michigan | Comments (10) | Technorati
Red State Party Domination
Posted by Bob BrighamUntil today, much of the focus of my little crusade for State Party modernization has been focused on the negative. The fact that 75% of state Parties don't even have blogs suggests many states suffered opportunity cost losses by not taking advantage of modern tools. But today is a day to be positive.
Democratic State Parties must modernize, sooner or later. While in the short time the early adapters will have a tactical advantage in organizing, in the long term most thorough modernizers will be the strongest.
Seeing Micah Sifry pile-on made me think of his recent article in The Nation. If you are a State Party considering modernization, you would be smart to read this article.
Also, when it comes to my little crusade for modernization, some have argued that there is no point in setting up a blog for the reddest states. I would disagree 100%. The internet is a leveling force which means the most important places to embrace netroots technology are the reddest of the red states. The internet allows the willing to leverage, meaning the greatest potential gains are in the reddest of states. For example, is it going to be easier to double the number of precinct captains in Oregon or Alabama? For those readers new to the netroots, the internet is more powerful as an organizing tool than it is as a fundraising tool. But overall, it is about gettting more people involved, something every State Party in America needs.
As we continue to plan modernization of State Parties, I would like to think how we can focus on the reddest states. As we do modernize I suggest we focus on where we need to be in 20 years instead of where we should have been this year. Let's do it right, especially in the red states.
Today is Day 4 of my crusade to help our State Parties. Even in the Red States. Especially in the Red States. See the List of Shame and contact your leadership if your State Party needs to modernize.
Posted at 01:55 PM in Activism | Comments (3) | Technorati
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Lieberman turns down UN & Homeland Security Posts
Posted by Tim TagarisIn a follow-up to an earlier story, it appears Senator Joe Lieberman has turned down not one, but two offers from the White House. The first offer declined by Joementum was as Ambassador to the United Nations. The second, Secretary of Homeland Security.
CNN has the scoop.
Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman has twice in recent days said "no" when approached about the possibility of a major job in the second Bush administration, CNN has learned.
The Cabinet vacancy at the Department of Homeland Security was the subject of the latest overture, according to congressional and other government sources. Those sources said the earlier overture was to see whether Lieberman might be interested in becoming the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
So the rumors were true. Good for Joe turning down the offers.
Posted at 11:14 PM in General | Comments (1) | Technorati
Senate 2006
Posted by DavidNYCThe aptly-named "Senate2006" has a complete run-down on (wait for it) all the Senate races in 2006 in a diary over at MyDD. Go check it out.
Posted at 09:43 PM in General | Technorati
Lieberman for Homeland Security
Posted by Tim TagarisIn the wake of the embarrassment that was Bernard Kerik's nomination to head Homeland Security, President Bush is reaching out for Senator Joe Lieberman to fill the role.
The New Haven Register has the story.
WASHINGTON President Bush is courting Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, D-Conn., a former Democratic vice presidential candidate, for a Cabinet post, presumably secretary of homeland security.Lieberman couldnt be reached for comment Sunday, but an aide said that if Lieberman were asked to accept a nomination, it would most likely be the homeland security post.
The Washington Post, citing two anonymous sources, reported Sunday that Bush wants Lieberman for a Cabinet position.
Nominating Joementum is the logical choice. He would be a likely consensus choice that would breeze through the nomination process. With potentially contentious confirmation hearings on the horizon such as Alberto Gonzales and a replacement for Chief Justice William Rehnquist, Republicans need a cake walk.
It also helps that whatever skeletons Lieberman has were probably uncovered in the 2000 Presidential race, helping to avoid further scrutiny of the flawed White House vetting process that allowed Kerik's past indiscretions to slip through the cracks.
Finally, the move would remove another Democrat from the U.S. Senate. Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell would appoint a Republican to Joementum's seat, the likely choice being Congresswoman Nancy Johnson from CT-5.
For the tin-foil-hatters out there, selecting Lieberman would also allow the President to trumpet bi-partisanship while allowing any potential Homeland Security mishaps to be placed conveniently on the shoulders of a Democrat.
Lieberman received ringing endorsements this weekend from Republican Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Olympia Snowe, along with Democrat John Corzine.
It just makes sense for the White House to nominate Lieberman. And I believe they will.
Posted at 02:05 PM in General | Comments (3) | Technorati
In fairness...
Posted by Tim TagarisThe email I sent yesterday to the Michigan Democratic Party was just kicked back to me as a failed delivery. I also just received a voice mail from the Communications Director.
I resent the email with an offer to help the state party improve their abilities to communicate with grass/netroots. In conjunction with our analysis of 2005/2006 swing races (in swing states especially), maybe it would be a good "project" for us to help swing states upgrade our ability to communicate in real time?
Email receipt and offer below the fold...
Hi. This is the qmail-send program at yahoo.com.
I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following
addresses.
This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.
<jmoon@mi-democrats.org>:
Sorry, I wasn't able to establish an SMTP connection. (#4.4.1)
I'm not going to try again; this message has been in the queue too
long.
And the start of my re-sent email to Mr. Moon:
Jason,
I just got this email kicked back to me 5 minutes ago.
This is a resend.
One more thing. This is not meant to be adversarial.
There are MANY of us out there that would love to help
the state parties upgrade their communication
mechanisms with the grass/netroots.
Anything we can do to help, we will.
Posted at 01:46 PM in Netroots | Comments (1) | Technorati
WashPost on State Party Reform
Posted by Bob BrighamE. J. Dionne Jr. wrote the best piece yet on Orlando, where he explained why the real debate didn't happen if front of the State Party Chairs, "It isn't quite so sexy to talk about why it is that Republican state party organizations are, with a few exceptions, much stronger than Democratic organizations."
We all know that is the truth.
It appears the mainstream media is beginning to realize that the true dynamics in the race center around reform. Not just reform of the DNC, but reform of the antiquated state parties.
Mark Brewer didn't get any ink in the Washington Post, in fact the name of his ADSC wasn't even mentioned. But bloggers had a seat at the table. Because modern reporters are letting the old press releases sit unread while they surf the blogosphere for the real news...and the pulse.
It is entirely understandable that Dionne refers to the State Parties under Brewer's leadership as "atrophied party structures" because they need to be rebuilt. Not just reformed, but rebuilt.
However, he brings up another important point when he mentions the few exceptions. Some State Parties are stronger than their GOP counterpoints. Some State Parties are using all of the tools available to aggressively mount modern campaigns. We should deploy the best practices from these states to the states in need. If the DNC won't provide the leadership, if the ADSC won't provide the leadership, then maybe it is time for the strong state parties to provide the leadership. Maybe it is time for some horizontal leadership...some west coast offense. Maybe we can do better.
Today is Day 3 of my crusade to help our State Parties.
Posted at 12:45 PM in Activism | Technorati
Monday, December 13, 2004
State Democratic Party Websites
Posted by Bob BrighamIt is Day 2 of my project to focus on modernizing Democratic State Parties. With MyDD and DavidNYC weighing in, the crisis received many more eyeballs.
Yesterday I complained, but today I am taking the first step towards helping solve the problem.
As I noted in my study of State Democratic Party blogs (or lack thereof), the California Democratic Party has a strong blog written by Bob Mulholland.
For almost a year Mulholland has taken advantage of his blog to ruthlessly bash the opposition, energize the grassroots, organize and raise money.
The CDP website also has a neat feature titled, "Ask the Chairman" where readers can send emails to CPD Chair Art Torres that he can then answer online.
So today I sent an email to Chair Torres, here is what I had to say:
As you know, Bob Mulholland does a pretty damn good job of blogging.
However, a new study has shown that three-fourths of State
Democratic Parties do not even have a blog, much less one like Bob's. In 2006, 80% of the states that will host US Senate races are lead by State Parties that do not even have a blog.
Recently, this has received much attention online with Democratic activists worried that most State Parties are ill-prepared for modern campaigns.
So here is my question, as State Chair can you have Mr. Mulholland spend an afternoon writing an email to the other State Parties sharing his experiences blogging? Instead of forcing the other states to learn through trial and error, can you to deploy our best practices and lead the other states?
Thanks for reading my question.
Bob Brigham
Hopefully, this email will spur some action.
While I'm writing, let me give you a taste of one week on Mulholland's blog:
Last Friday: "If Nader had not run in 2000, Al Gore would have been re-elected on Nov 2. Instead Kerry will receive 252 Electoral Votes and Bush Jr. will get 286 (270 needed to get the White House keys)"
Last Thursday: "Rumsfeld should be court-martialed for putting Americans in combat without armor."
More from Thursday: "That���s right ��� 50 percent of Bush Jr.���s own Congressmembers in California gave him the finger."
Last Wednesday: "The United States and Australia are holding out for God to stop global warming."
Last Tuesday: "So after years going on Middleast TV talking about democracy, Bush Jr. has finally learned a lesson ��� the one he slept through at Yale."
Last Monday: "Schwarzenegger once again sells out California���s interests. He does what Karl Rove tells him."
These are just a few choice quotes from the 16 posts Mulholland wrote last week. After a year of blogging, he has really hit his stride. It would be a benefit to the entire Party if he could share some of his experiences with his counterparts in other states. Not only does he write a blog that is popular with activists and the media, but he writes from the perspective of a state Party mouthpiece.
Posted at 08:25 PM in Activism | Comments (5) | Technorati
"I'll have to look into that"
Posted by Tim TagarisI figured if bloggers were kicked out of the Association of Democratic State Chair's (ADSC) Q&A for being "press," I might as well act like a journalist. So, this morning I picked up the phone determined to talk to someone at the Michigan Democratic Party, where the head of the ADSC, Mark Brewer, sets up shop.
I placed the first call at 8:45 A.M. and the Communications Director, Jason Moon, was not in yet. I left a message explaining my past role on the Jeff Seemann campaign, that I am currently a blogger on SSP, and wanted to ask him a few questions about Orlando for a piece I was going to write today. When I didn't get a call back for three hours, I tried again. This time, he answered.
He indicated that he hadn't heard my message yet. I explained who I was and what I was doing and just jumped right into it. I asked if he was aware that there is something of a mild uproar in the netroots about the bloggers getting kicked out of the candidate Q&A? Jason responded with one word, "yes."
I had every intent of making this a peaceful exchange, so I started out easy. I asked about the mechansim the state party uses to collect and register feedback on-line. He responded that there was a link on the website.
At this point, I suspected that he wasn't too interested in taking the time to talk with me. I decided to jump right into it while I had him on the phone.
Me: Did the Chairman know that the bloggers were the invited guests of Governor Dean and Simon Rosenberg?
Jason: I'll have to look into that
Me: They said they had promised not to write anything about the Q&A, did that make any difference?
Jason: I'll have to look into that
Me: What about the fact that it was an open meeting, that anyone off the street could have attended and then returned home to blog about -- and in fact, did blog about?
Jason: They did? Where?
Me: I would have to find an exact link. (Point of fact: A Kos diarist blogged about attending the open and closed session)
Me: Was the Chairman aware of the contributions Jerome and Matt have made to the party in terms of community organizing and netroots fundraising?
Jason: I'll have to look into that.
Me: Why were the bloggers kicked out.
Jason: The meeting was closed to credentialed press, and they had press credentials.
I wasn't getting anywhere with Jason this morning. I asked him to "look into that" and I could give him a call later. He immediately asked me to send him the link of where someone blogged about the "closed" Q&A. I took his email address and was on my way.
So, I emailed Jason. I said that I would have to pore over my links to find the information he sought. I included in the email a list of 10 questions that I had about the event. Some difficult, some decidedly simple. As a former press guy, I know that emailing in questions makes it easier -- so I decided to give him a break. I also offered my assistance in helping them set up a blog, to register immediate feedback and allow them to communicate directly and organize activists in Michigan.
I also emailed that we were all on the same team here, want what is best for the Democratic party, and this would be a good opportunity to smooth things over. So far, it is an opportunity he has failed to respond to. No email -- no phone call. I have since followed up with another call, but only got through to voice mail. I will try again tomorrow, but I am not holding out much hope. It's unfortunate.
I don't blame Chairman Brewer for not knowing who Matt & Jerome are. I also believe that most people would understand if throwing them out was a simple misunderstanding that given more time to sort things out and gain understanding would have played out differently. I really just wanted to give them a vehicle to get their story out in the medium that is most displeased with the events that took place. No hatchet job, that is the last thing on my mind. Just an "open Q&A."
I don't know what overtures, if any, they have made toward Jerome, Matt, and the blogosphere as a whole. What I do know is that not reaching out or offering an explanation of some kind about the "mild furor" would be real evidence that they still don't get it. I hope I am wrong.
Posted at 07:45 PM in Michigan | Comments (1) | Technorati
Koufax Award Nominations Are Open
Posted by DavidNYCThe Koufax Awards, which aim to honor the best of the lefty blogosphere, are open for nominations once again. I'm not saying you should run over there and nominate the Swing State Project for "Best Single-Issue Blog," or nominate Chris Bowers' General Election Cattle Call for "Best Series," but I'm not saying you shouldn't, either. :)
Posted at 06:57 PM in General | Technorati
Meet the New Boss
Posted by DavidNYCThere's been a lot of turnover in George Bush's cabinet lately. Here's a helpful chart to keep track of the changes:
Department |
Old Chief |
New Chief |
Last Job |
EPA |
Mike Leavitt |
Open |
--- |
Homeland Security |
Tom Ridge |
Open |
--- |
US Trade Rep. |
Robert Zoellick |
Undecided |
--- |
Defense |
Donald Rumsfeld |
Same |
--- |
Drug Czar |
John Walters |
Same |
--- |
HUD |
Alphonso Jackson |
Same |
--- |
Interior |
Gale Norton |
Same |
--- |
Labor |
Elaine Chao |
Same |
--- |
Transportation |
Norman Mineta |
Same |
--- |
Treasury |
John Snow |
Same |
--- |
Agriculture |
Ann Veneman |
Mike Johanns |
Nebraska Gov. |
Commerce |
Don Evans |
Carlos Gutierrez |
Chairman, Kellog Co. |
Education |
Rod Paige |
Margaret Spellings |
Domestic Policy Advisor |
Energy |
Spencer Abraham |
Samuel Bodman |
Deputy Treasury Secretary |
HHS |
Tommy Thompson |
Mike Leavitt |
EPA Administrator |
Justice |
John Ashcroft |
Alberto Gonzalez |
White House Counsel |
State |
Colin Powell |
Condi Rice |
Nat'l. Security Advisor |
Veterans Affairs |
Anthony Principi |
Jim Nicholson |
US Amb. to Vatican |
The three jobs in red are "cabinet-level" jobs, not actual cabinet positions, which is mostly just a technicality. And the "last job" column refers to the new department head, where there is one.
But what does all this have to do with the Swing State Project, you ask? Well, I had been pretty certain that New York Governor George Pataki was destined for a cabinet post - that he was tired and bored with his current post and wants a "graceful" way out. But Bush has filled the empty spots so quickly that my theory may be totally wrong.
However, there are still a couple of spots open. Mike Leavitt just moved from the EPA to HHS, and Pataki has shown something of an interest in environmental issues (not that Bush probably really cares). But the last "moderate" governor from the tri-state region to head the EPA didn't have a great tenure there (Christie Whitman), and Pataki's name hasn't been mentioned as a possible replacement there. While Pataki is a more "reliable" conservative than Whitman, if he still dreams of national ambitions, EPA is probably too low-level for him. I think Trade Representative is also too low-level, and it's also not clear that Zoellick is going to leave his spot.
But, don't forget: Homeland Security is once again open, in the wake of the Bernard Kerik crackup. That might actually be just the ticket for Pataki - a way to burnish his conservative credentials without actually alienating whatever moderates he's won over in his decade in office. (He can leave the PATRIOT Act prosecutions to Alberto Gonzalez.) Having been burned badly by Kerik (and Giuliani), however, Bush may not want to turn to another New Yorker for this post.
You're probably still asking, "Why should the SSP care about this?" Well, Pataki's future remains one of the biggest question marks for one of the most important races in 2006: New York Governor. Unlike Texas, say, the top spot in NY is very powerful and, with the Dems out of power in DC, it will be a premiere leadership spot. I think Spitzer would beat Pataki, but it will still be a challenge, as Pataki is a strong fund-raiser. (The only other major challenger to Spitzer would be Giuliani, and I'd say no there's no better than a 40% chance he'll run. His role in the Kerik screwup also hurts him.)
It's possible Pataki might just stay in office until the end of his term. It's possible (but even less likely) that he'll run again. But he may still be able to squirm his way into the Bush cabinet. We'll know the answer to that soon.
Posted at 05:49 PM in General | Comments (1) | Technorati
Simon Rosenberg & the "Lackluster" State Parties
Posted by DavidNYCAs you probably know, this past weekend, the chairs of the state Democratic parties have been meeting in Orlando, FL to discuss whom to support for DNC chair (among other topics). Jerome at MyDD has been keeping up a cattle call of who's hot and who's not. His remarks about Simon Rosenberg struck me, though, as being particularly relevant to Bob's post below:
Simon Rosenberg could at least be glad that his message got out at this meeting. Rosenberg has spent the last year alerting the Democratic Party to the powerful machine that the Republicans have, and the other candidates listened. But the understanding here of what that means, in terms of building that opposition, was the larger argument that Rosenberg is just beginning to make.
It's particularly relevant to the State Parties (& their lackluster websites). If they want money from the grassroots, they need to start giving the netroots the tools to get involved, rather than just giving lip service but only really wanting their money. Simon's support is going to come partly out of DC, and partly through the web-users that are connected to the blogosphere--and there were few of those DNC members in attendance at the ASDC meeting. (Emphasis added.)
Bob is definitely on to something. The state parties seriously need to get moving.
Posted at 01:30 PM in General | Comments (4) | Technorati
Sunday, December 12, 2004
State Party Blogs
Posted by Bob BrighamAt the Orlando winter meeting of the Association of Democratic State Chairs, Michigan Mark Brewer appeared to relish kicking out bloggers. If you are one of the few who hasn't heard of the scandal, Jerome Armstrong, Matt Stoller and Joe Trippi were kicked out of an otherwise public meeting because they have blogs. MyDD broke the story which has since been blogged by our own Tim Tagaris, Kos, Blogging of the President, Atrios, Mathew Gross, Steve Gilliard, Suburban Guerrilla, Mahablog, and Change for America.
In my humble opinion, the ADSC should have kicked out anyone who doesn't have a blog. I can't think of a single reason why a state party chair would not have a blog. In fact, in this "Year of the Blog" with blogs proving to be unmatched resources for raising money, engaging activists, and creating change, I believe it to be a sign of incompetence for a state Party to not have a blog.
I was shocked to discover that three-fourths of state Democratic parties do not have blogs. AL, AK, AZ, AR, CT, DE, FL, HI, IL, IN, IA, KY, LA, ME, MA, MI, MS, MT, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OK, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, TX, VT, WA, WV, WI all make the list of shame for not having a blog. Additionally, ID, NM, UT, and WY have blogs that they have decided not to use and MD's blog has only 2 posts.
While almost all of these states have a mechanism for accepting online donations, none of them decided to catapult their online campaigns by having a blog. Likewise, almost all of these websites ask people to volunteer without offering daily reasons why their time is need.
As NE and NV have demonstrated, a state party can spend 20 minutes to set up a free blog on blogger, put a link on their website, and be a modern Party in a half an hour.
If state parties want to do more, they could follow the lead of California's Bob Mulholland who uses his blog to bash Republicans, fire up activists, and raise money -- in real-time, almost every day.
The fact that three-fourths of State Parties do not have the most basic of tools for online campaigning highlights the absurdity of Terry McAliffe's recent efforts to re-invent himself as a grassroots Chair.
As somebody who has created dozens of blogs, I will attest that it is easy to set up a blog and begin realizing major gains. It can even be free and not doing so is inexcusable. So next time, the ADSC should kick out the dead weight and let the visionaries stay.
This has been updated to remove MN and VT which have blogs. Minnesota's blog is now linked from the DFL website, thank you to our very responsive friends in MN.
Posted at 05:29 PM in Activism | Comments (24) | Technorati
Saturday, December 11, 2004
US Senate 2006: Florida Run-Down
Posted by Tim TagarisThere is a big target on Senator Bill Nelson's back in a bid to retain his U.S. Senate seat in 2006. With the election of Mel Martinez last month, Nelson is the only statewide seat held by a Democrat in Florida. That's the main reason Republicans are salivating at the prospect of running the table.
It's not that Nelson is a weak candidate, quite the contrary. But in a state trending decidedly red, and a slew of "quality" Republican candidates, GOPers certainly see this seat as a high-profile pick-up chance in 2006. This is what is meant when you hear people talk about a "deep bench."
In 2000, Nelson claimed his first term as a U.S. Senator garnering an uninspiring 52% of the vote against U.S. Representative Bill McCollum.
As we all know, George Bush carried Florida
in 2004 with 52% as well.
What we know so far:
Jeb Bush is out. Thankfully the term-limited Governor has declared he
would not attempt a Senate run. While it would give us all the warm
fuzzies to beat down the President's brother, we might just have to wait until
he himself makes a run at the White House.
Speculation: The sharks circle below the jump...
Candidate #1 United States Representative Katherine Harris:
Can you cast a better foil for the Democrats? Well, it didn't work in
2002 or 2004. But in a world where vote stealing is rewarded with a
promotion to Congress, we just might get another chance in 2 years. And we
will, cause she
is running.
U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris' name is among the first off every political watcher's lips when sizing up the 2006 field of potential Nelson foes. Much of that is a result of her own toying with the media in early 2004 about running for the Senate this year.
Harris, a Longboat Key Republican, eventually backed off but said she would run for the Senate some day. She continues to be coy about her future, saying only that she has options in 2006.
I would wager that her not running in 2004 had something to do with not
wanting to bring the results of 2000 back into the forefront. Who knew
defrauding democracy could be rewarded so quickly.
Candidate #2 United States Representative Mark Foley:
Foley is the Congressman from the 16th CD of Florida; which is in the South Central part of the state if you needed some imagery. It includes the West and Northern borders of Lake Okeechobee. You can find the map HERE.
He won his 2004 House race with 68% of the vote against now (in)famous Jeff
Fisher. As for the Senate in 2006, the Herald Tribune has the skinny:
Foley, who has been in Congress since 1994, already has more than $2 million in his campaign account, putting him in a strong financial position to jump in the race.
Candidate #3 United States Representative Dave Weldon:
Here is a press piece from today about Weldon that might get the
blood pumping of choice advocates.
The author of the anti-abortion amendment, Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Florida, said he is trying to preserve traditional American Values.
"Just as many of my constituents, I am concerned about the assaults on married couples, families, the unborn, and those of religious faith," said Weldon. "I will continue working to defend laws that reflect the values of the American people."
That's this years, the newest, anti-choice amendment that was included in
the Omnibus Appropriations Bill. The same provision that Barbara Boxer
was promised by Bill Frist a hearing on the floor to take place early next
session.
I would tell you more, especially about economic positions, but he failed to
fill out his Project Vote Smart NPAT.
However, his campaign
issue webpage is filled with tons of information as well, and would be a
great place for further research on Representative Weldon.
Candidate #4 United States Representaive-Elect Connie Mack IV:
Mack served in the Florida State House of Representatives for four years before being elected to the U.S. House for the first time this November. However name recognition and a popular family goes a long way in Florida; as the article below notes.
The Herald Tribune breaks it down again.
Although the younger Mack is starting his first term in Congress, his name recognition helps make him a potential challenger, many Republican insiders say.
The only thing I remember about Connie Mack IV was when he pushed for state taxes in Florida while a member of the state legislature. Only problem, Florida doesn't have a state income tax.
Other names on the short-list include:
Florida Attorney General Charlie
Crist
Lt. Governor Toni Jennings
State Senator Daniel Webster
State CFO Tom Gallagher
It's important to remember that there is also a Gubernatorial race in Florida
this year as well. With the names mentioned above as "other names," most of the speculation is that they would run for Governor. their resumes indicate they would be better suited to challenge for that seat as well.
As time goes by and the backroom dealings that are certainly underway
continue, I wouldn't be shocked to see one or more of the names above make a
run for the Governor's mansion. Over the course of time, the field will
settle -- some of these names will probably challenge Nelson, others make a run
for Governor. The last thing the Republicans want is a bitterly contested
primary in an expensive state. Hopefully they'll get just that.
Betty Castor sure is acting like someone about to attempt another state-wide
run as a Gubernatorial candidate for the Dems. She just started her own
Political Action Committee that will allow her to have a voice in state-wide
affairs over the next few years.
Oh...
There is also one Libertarian who has voiced his intention to run for the
Senate seat. At the very least candidate Karl Dickey is having meetups.
Posted at 05:40 PM in Florida | Comments (5) | Technorati
DNC Chair Election
Posted by Bob BrighamOn February 12, 2005, the 447 members of the Democratic National Committee will elect a new Party Chair, five Vice Chairs (including the President of the Association of State Democratic Chairs), a Treasurer, a Secretary, and a National Finance Chair.
Historically, this has been an insider only event. However, with record numbers of activists following the campaign on the internet, I am going to begin my coverage of the race with information on how this election is conducted. For further information, I suggest viewing the Democratic Party Charter and Bylaws (PDF).
The Chair will be selected by majority vote from among candidates who qualify for the race by submitting 20 nominations from current DNC members by 8 PM on February 10.
With a crowded field and competitive race there is a potential for none of the candidates to receive the necessary simple majority on the first vote. In this scenario, the candidate who garnered the fewest votes is removed and another round of voting occurs with the process repeating until a victory is achieved.
There are a number of important rules governing this election that should be known to understand the dynamics:
- The election will be open to the public and votes shall not be taken by secret ballot Charter, Article 9, Sect.12
- Roberts Rules of Order is used Charter, Article 9, Sect. 14
- Terry McAliffe will preside over the election Charter, Article 5, Sect. 3
- Of the five Vice-Chairs, three shall be of the opposite sex of the Chair Charter, Article 3, Sect 1(e)
- A roll call may be requested by 25% of the voting members present Bylaws, Article II, Sect B, (d)(ii)
Considering the make-up of the DNC, there is definitely potential for parliamentary maneuvering. Blocs employing pre-defined strategies are most likely to be successful if such tactics are employed. It is important to note that McAliffe operated under a parliamentary games-player paradigm when changing the rules to shorten the 2004 primary election calendar. Remember, this is a fight for control of a budget that could exceed a half a billion dollars by the end of the 2006 cycle.
There are currently multiple lists of DNC members online, but according to the comments the most current is: DNC List PDF (from Daily Kos). Jerome Armstrong at MyDD is in charge of the Cattle Call and also has a new Straw Poll of members at the Orlando Winter Meeting. The DNC election will take place at the Hilton Washington Hotel, 1919 Connecticut Ave., NW.
Next week I'll explore how different factions are conducting their campaigns.
Posted at 03:49 PM in DNC Chair | Comments (4) | Technorati
Friday, December 10, 2004
Opposition beats Bernard Kerik
Posted by Bob BrighamBernard Kerik was forced to withdraw his name from consideration to lead Homeland Security -- that much you have probably already heard and if so we can agree it to be true.
However, the agreement ends there with far different reasons given for this action:
- Kerik decided to let the terrorists win.
- The official version is true and revelations of Kerik employing an illegal immigrant house keeper caused him to volunteer to withdraw his name.
- He was asked to withdraw after being stomped online as being unqualified, corrupt, incompetent, and opposed to free speech.
Now on my first day here I don't want to go running my mouth calling people stoopid, but the fact that this won't be discussed until further re-writes is exactly why this is breaking on a Friday night.
All administrations, and this administration in particular, know this is how you kill a story. Examining the news as it is being written tonight shows how easily the White House can outwit the media. The interns and junior staff who end up working on Friday nights aren't going to risk their careers by writing what everyone knows so they stick to the official version and leave the speculation -- no matter how obvious -- for someone else.
Tonight, that means me. So let me tell you the lessons we can draw from this story. First, if the President appoints somebody unqualified simply because they are loyal, we can win. I would go so far as to say we have an obligation to win. Second, we need to throw everything we have at poor nominations. The White House might be fine with unqualified, corrupt, incompetent, and opposed to free speech -- but sometimes it takes having a non-American cleaning the bathroom for a Bush nominee to be considered unfit.
In the coming days I'm certain the blogosphere will have a strong discussion about what worked in beating back Kerik. I look forward to participating and learning how we can deploy best practices in future efforts. But it is a Friday night so I'm going to sign off...be nice to the interns and keep one eye on the White House Press Office.
Posted at 11:33 PM in Activism | Comments (2) | Technorati
US Senate 2006: Spreadsheet
Posted by Tim TagarisYou'll notice a link to an excel spreadsheet that I have taken some time to create. It lists the Senate seats up in 2006. It currently includes:
- Name of incumbent
- Party ID
- State
- 2000 Election %
- How Bush/Kerry went in that state in 2004
- Possible challengers
- Links to candidate websites if they have declared and are on-line
- Candidates name in bold if they have declared
- Candidates in italics if the name is speculative
So, my question is: What other information can we use on a spreadsheet like this for quick reference? Feel free to download it, add columns, information, and send it back to me via email. I will add to it and keep a master copy.
Tim (ttagaris@yahoo.com)
Download 2006_senate_races.xls
Posted at 10:51 PM in 2006 Elections - Senate | Comments (6) | Technorati
US Senate 2006: Ben Nelson's Nine Lives
Posted by Tim TagarisAt the start of this election cycle, Democratic Senator from Nebraska Ben Nelson figured to have one of the largest bulls-eyes on his back. At first, many speculated that Governor Mike Johanns would be Nelson's challenger for the Senate seat. Then the President appointed him as Agriculture Secretary.
That seemed to clear the way for current Congressman and former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne to make a run at Nelson's seat. But Osborne made it clear yesterday that he will not make a run for the seat either.
"I thought this Senate thing had taken on a life of its own," he said. "I thought before people got all worked up about it I better put the thought to rest. ... I had never seriously considered it."
He did not rule out a run for Governor in 2006.
Osborne said he intends to announce by June whether he intends to run for governor or re-election representing the 3rd Congressional District.
This leaves a few more Republicans on a shrinking list of candidates to challenge Senator Nelson.
- Republican State Attorney General Jon Bruning
- Republican State Senator Kermit Brashear
- Republican State Party Chairman David Kramer
Posted at 07:29 AM in Nebraska | Comments (2) | Technorati
New Years is the new Labor Day
Posted by Bob BrighamIf memory serves me, Labor Day was once the traditional start of political campaigns. This marked the end of the lazy August afternoons and the beginning of hard-core campaigning. Labor Day began the work to win elections.
Now New Years Day is the official start of the campaign season. As has always been the case, the smartest win before the battle begins so I am using December to start my Swing State Project coverage of the next cycle.
This is an exciting time for politics. Post-modern dynamics have made non-candidate actors as relevant as the official campaigns. There is no longer an ante to engage in politics and the 2005 and 2006 elections are certain to provide many examples of how this is allowing increasing numbers of political participants. As former-congressman Ed Schrock found out, blogging is a powerful force.
The excitement around politics is likewise astonishing. One needs to look no further than the race for Chair of the DNC where tens of thousands of new activists are engaging in what was once an insider-only event. The candidates are realizing this with three online visions now available:
- Howard Dean: Speech at GWU
- Donnie Fowler: Embracing the New Politics and Perfecting the Old
- Simon Rosenberg: Who We Are
A decade ago there were maybe a thousand people who followed politics state-by-state. This year, that number grew to more than a 100,000. I see no reason why that number won't continue to increase as participatory democracy flourishes on the blogosphere.
I petitioned to join Swing State Project because I wanted to write with Tim Targaris and strengthen the farm system now that DavidNYC has gone big-time on Kos. I served as Ginny Schrader's online manager which introduced me to Swing State Project and has given me a firm grasp of the institutional history. I met Tim when he was running the online communications for Jeff Seemann and it was very helpful to bounce ideas off him as we both worked to develop new tactics for online campaigning. With two of the most aggressive blogosphere consultants posting on Swing State Project we will hopefully provide you reasons to keep coming back.
I intend to focus on covering the 2005 and 2006 cycle with analysis, occasional wit, frequent spelling errors, and links that allow you to further explore the depths of each race. To avoid the wrath of David Paul Kuhn I'll be sure to add disclaimers when my consulting overlaps with my posting. I look forward to exploring politics and elections with the good people who read Swing State Project. Thank you for all of the support you provided to Ginny and thank you for welcoming me to this community.
Posted at 04:45 AM in Site News | Comments (3) | Technorati
Thursday, December 09, 2004
Happy International Anti-Corruption Day
Posted by Tim TagarisThe United Nations celebrates the first ever anti-corruption day today -- urging countries to sign an anti-corruption convention. The U.S. is one of 18 countries with a signature missing from the document.
Incidentally, there is no mention of the day on the White House proclamation calendar.
Posted at 08:32 PM in General | Technorati
Evolution of a Lie
Posted by Tim TagarisPresident Bush from the first debate against Senator Kerry.
My message to our troops is, "Thank you for what you're doing. We're standing with you strong. We'll give you all the equipment you need."
Two weeks before the election, when White House Press Secretary Scott McLellan was asked about a letter by General Sanchez in a press gaggle aboard Air Force One.
MR. McCLELLAN: "The President always makes sure that our troops have the resources they need to get the job done. Senator Kerry is the one who opposed giving our troops the equipment and resources they needed when he voted against the $87 billion for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan." [...]
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the $87 billion provided funding for body armor and other equipment and supplies.
[Question] But you're saying that's why Sanchez wrote the letter in December, and the problem was --
MR. McCLELLAN: All right, we're landing. Sorry. Thanks. I'll continue later.
The President of the United States, four days before the election.
We have increased military pay by over 20 percent since I came into office, and this legislation includes the fourth consecutive pay raise for our service men and women. It funds more protective equipment like body armor and reinforced Humvees to keep our troops as safe as possible.
Donald Rumsfeld, yesterday.
"You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time."
And the President, today.
President Bush said on Thursday U.S. troop concerns about inadequate equipment for Iraq combat are being addressed...
Posted at 08:13 PM in General | Comments (1) | Technorati
DNC Chairman: Dean vs. Anybody But Dean
Posted by Tim TagarisIncoming Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has joined the Howard Dean pile-on. Democrats are practically encouraging everyone to run for DNC chair. From Roll Call
That's funny, "among others." Has everyone but me been asked to run for DNC Chairman by anti-Dean activists?
I feel like they are attacking me personally as they continually submarine Governor Dean's efforts to reform this ailing party. This man has the patience of a saint. Hopefully it won't be too late before the Washington elite realize they are really risking turning off hordes of Democrats inspired, or re-inspired, by Howard Dean's message. And it's not like there are just one or two of us.
The only thing that would make Republicans happier than us moving to the left, is moving to the right. As we move to the "abstract center", it becomes nothing more than a implicit admission that there is something flawed about Democratic principles -- and that simply isn't the case. I don't know about you, but I am staying put with what I believe.
Democratic resurgence isn't about moving to the right or left inside a fluid political spectrum; it's about message reform and, as Chris Bowers so eloquently explained, becoming the party of government reform.
Heartland values, Senator Reid? Take references about helping the poor out of the Bible, and it becomes the size of a pamphlet. Notice how "red state" values always seem to center around sex? Monica Lewinsky's dress, a woman's right to choose, and gay marriage have been constant refrains for the past 6 years. Ultimately, the winning ticket for Democrats is pushing, "red, white, and blue values."
Red, white and blue values would ensure every child has health care. Americans value economic fairness for those who play by the rules. And gosh-darn it, Americans value supporting the troops -- and that means keeping our promises to veterans by funding their health care, sending our troops into harms way only as a last resort, and providing them with all the equipment possible to keep them safe when they are called upon to keep us safe.
But this "Anybody But Dean" for DNC Chair movement is vintage Democratic Party. They play checkers, not chess. Never thinking more than one move ahead. In their mind, the only thing scarier than Dean for DNC Chair would be Dean for President. If Governor Dean gets sabotaged again, what do they expect him to do?
Wait, I got the answer! First we take back our party in the 2008 primaries, and then the country in the General Election. </end rant>
Posted at 06:41 AM in DNC Chair | Comments (14) | Technorati
Wednesday, December 08, 2004
2006 Candidates Begin to Unfold
Posted by Tim TagarisBusy Day:
Arkansas: Governor 2006
Asa Hutchinson (Republican) is considering an Arkansas Gubernatorial bid in 2006 against an undetermined Democrat. Current Governor Mike Huckabee is not eligible for re-election. General Wes Clark has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Democrats.
Former Arkansas Congressman Asa Hutchinson says he is looking at any number of options for the future now that he has been passed over for the top spot at the Department of Homeland Security. Hutchinson, and undersecretary in the department, says he may run for Arkansas governor in 2006.
Hutchinson resigned from the U.S. House in 2001 to take a post with the D.E.A. He is also well-known for his role as House Trial Manager during the Clinton Impeachment.
Nebraska: U.S. Senate 2006
Republican Congressman Tom Osborne will announce his decision on whether or not to attempt a run for Senate in Nebraska next month. The current seat is held by Democrat Ben Nelson, who will run for re-election. Many believe that Nelson caught a break when Bush appointed Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns to serve as Secretary of Agriculture in the ever changing Bush cabinet. Osborne is probably the next best shot for Republicans to take the seat in 2006. The former Nebraska football coach is a heavyweight in the heavily red state.
Florida: Governor 2006
2004 U.S. Senate candidate Betty Castor (Dem.), fresh off a Senate loss the Mel Martinez (Rep.) in Florida, is acting like a person considering a run for Governor of Florida in 2006. Jeb Bush is term limited out and there is already a list of 10 candidates who have expressed interest in taking his place. Castor would seem to have the highest profile of the lot.
As for Jeb. Will it be a Senate bid in 2006, or a run for White House in 2008?
Posted at 04:55 PM in 2006 Elections | Comments (2) | Technorati
Iraq Bound Troops Confront Rumsfeld in Q&A
Posted by Tim TagarisThis would be some "must see TV."
A group of troops stationed in Kuwait, about to head for Iraq, called out Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on what they described as "hillbilly armor," and a shortage of adequate equipment.
The New York Times has the story.
In an extraordinary exchange at this remote desert camp, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld found himself on the defensive today, fielding pointed questions from Iraq-bound troops who complained that they were being sent into combat with insufficient protection and aging equipment.
That in itself is pretty inspiring. To imagine the soldiers standing up to their boss. But it gets better. These weren't some rogue soldiers who commented and drew the ire from the fellow men and women in uniform at the event. The majority seemed to agree with the questioners.
"Why don't we have those resources readily available to us?" Specialist Wilson asked Mr. Rumsfeld, drawing cheers and applause from many of the 2,300 troops assembled in a cavernous hangar here to meet the secretary. Mr. Rumsfeld responded that the military was producing extra armor for Humvees and trucks as fast as possible.A few minutes later, a soldier from the Idaho National Guard's 116th Armor Cavalry Brigade asked Mr. Rumsfeld what he and the Army were doing "to address shortages and antiquated equipment" National Guard soldiers heading to Iraq were struggling with.
Mr. Rumsfeld seemed taken aback by the question and a murmur began spreading through the ranks before he silenced them. "Now settle down, settle down," he said. "Hell, I'm an old man, it's early in the morning and I'm gathering my thoughts here."
Donnie Baseball was obviously shocked by this line of questioning. Which is amazing when you consider over a year ago moms were holding bake sales to purchase the necessary body armor for their sons. You'd think that the Secretary would have a stock answer by now.
Although I suppose its harder to lie right to the faces of the men and women days away from putting their lives on the line for a war you poorly planned.
But the hit of the day came in this confrontation.
Specialist Thomas Wilson, a scout with a Tennessee National Guard unit scheduled to roll into Iraq this week, said soldiers had to scrounge through local landfills here for pieces of rusty scrap metal and bulletproof glass - what they called "hillbilly armor" - to bolt on to their trucks for protection against roadside bombs in Iraq.
"Hillbilly armor." That is pretty good imagery.
Rummy eventually came up with an answer. One that doesn't really satisfy me, and I doubt that it did much to instill the confidence of the troops on the ground.
"You go to war with the army you have, not the army you might want or wish to have at a later time," Mr. Rumsfeld said.Moreover, he said, adding more armor to trucks and battle equipment did not make them impervious to enemy attack. "If you think about it, you can have all the armor in the world on a tank and a tank can be blown up," he said. "And you can have an up-armored Humvee and it can be blown up."
What a dick. Excuse my language. Read again what he told the men and women who are about to enter Iraq. Basically he said, why bother protecting you as much as we possibly can -- you are still vulnerable.
Great logic.
Jon Stewart was right last night, the best way to preserve your job in this administration is not just failure, but colossal failure.
Posted at 03:04 PM in General | Comments (4) | Technorati
Let The Polls Begin
Posted by Tim TagarisA Quinnipiac University Poll:
1,186 registered voters from N.Y.
MoE +/- 3%
NY Governor:
Spitzer (D) 50%
Pataki (R) 38%
Spitzer (D) 42%
Powell, Colin (R) 47%
NY Senate
Clinton (D) 58%
Pataki (R) 36%
Clinton (D) 49%
Powell (R) 44%
I have no idea why they tossed Colin Powell into the poll. Maybe they are looking for a race on an even grander scale than Spitzer v. Pataki. ABC's Note, where I found the data, says the inclusion of Powell was purely hypothetical and that he has made no overtures toward running.
Posted at 02:47 PM in New York | Comments (3) | Technorati
Ukraine: The Plot Thickens
Posted by Tim TagarisAt this point, most of us know about the "flawed" election that took place in the Ukraine several weeks ago. Since then, supporters of Viktor Yushchenko (the one who got screwed) have filled the streets of Kiev for 16 days straight while blockading government buildings. Prime Minister, Viktor Yanukovych (the screwee), is officially on vacation. Ukraine's Supreme Court invalidated the results and called for a recount on December 26th. All caught up? Good.
The Plot Thickens - Yushchenko Was Poisoned:
It has been long suspected that somewhere along the election trail, a Yanukovych supporter actually poisoned Yushchenko. This would account for his transformation from handsome politico to something out of a Stan Lee comic book. Don't believe me? Here is the picture (click to enlarge - at your own risk)
Score one for the tin-foil-hatters. Doctors at a clinic in Austria confirmed today that Yushchenko was poisoned. This was not the result of bad sushi, as Yanukovych supporters claimed. Or, to be blunt...
Asked if the aim had been to kill him, Dr Korpan said: Yes, of course.
The confirmation came with an assist from American and British specialists who think it was most likely a very rare poison that did the damage. Doctors believe they are days away from identifying the specific substance used in the attempted hit.
If At First You Don't Succeed - Strip The Power Of The Presidency:
Faced with a popular insurrection and potential fall-out from "assassination gate," it would appear Yushchenko is in good shape to win the re-vote on December 26th. In response, outgoing President, Leonid Kuchma, is calling for constitutional changes that would shift the balance of power from the President to the Parliament.
"[The draft law] stipulates that the Rada will get practically all powers of the president. If it's approved, the presidential elections will lose all meaning," Yuliya Tymoshenko, a top Yushchenko ally, told the Russian Nezavisimaya Gazeta Tuesday. "This would betray millions of people who are struggling for Yushchenko's victory."
Ironically, there are quite a few Yushcenko supporters who are in favor of the measure. In large part, this election is a struggle between those who prefer ties to the West vs. those who favor a continued strong relationship with Russia. Yushchenko's supporters, who prefer the European ties, think this will bring their country more in line with western style democracies.
Discussions are continuing in Ukraine on how to ensure the next set of elections are fair and free from tampering.
Posted at 02:50 AM in International | Technorati
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
Elliot Spitzer Running For Governor In NY
Posted by Tim TagarisA rumble fit for a pay-per-view audience in Madison Square Garden. George Pataki vs. Elliot Spitzer for Governor of New York in 2006. New York's Attorney General made the official announcement today, on his website, that he intends to run for Governor of New York.
"The people's lawyer" has received wide acclaim for going toe to toe with investment banks, pharmaceutical companies, and Wall Street giants. I am not going to pretend to know enough about Spitzer and his legal crusades for justice; I think DavidNYC would be the perfect candidate to write something up about that to educate us all (hint).
From Spitzer's announcement:
I want to fix what's broken. It's what I do best. I bring people together whether they like it or not and we tackle complex problems not with band-aid solutions, but with major reform and real change. We did it in the financial industry and other sectors and we can do it in government. I'll bring new energy and resolve to the task of transforming state government and turning around the state economy.
Today, I am confirming that I intend to run for governor and I have authorized my supporters outside the government to begin preparations for a campaign.
His web page is a great avenue for two-way mass communication with his potential constituents. My hat is tipped to any candidate who has a blog front and center on the main page.
The site's interactivity is tremendous. Along with the blog, there is a message board, citizen endorsement page, and an ability to gain "points" through on-line activism and promotion of the Spitzer campaign.
I am from Chicago -- The city you New Yorkers take your cues from. I can tell you about Governor Blagojevich. The Governor who defied Bush Administration by setting up a website providing access to affordable medicine from Canada, England, Scotland, and Ireland.
But until I learn enough to speak competently on the subject of NY politics, does Spitzer have a shot? Why do you support (or not) Spitzer's candidacy? Are there better Democrats out there for the state? This is obviously a race we will spend some time discussing in the coming months/years.
Posted at 04:13 PM in New York | Comments (10) | Technorati
DavidNYC -- Remember Him?
Posted by Tim TagarisIn case you missed them, or just miss him -- here are links to David NYC's front page posts since getting promoted at DailyKos.
Blogs off the Beaten Path -- Lawless Courts and the Death Penalty -- Soldiers Suing to Stop Back-Door Draft
I hesitate to link 'em. Simply because I was hoping people would forget the bar has been lowered since his departure.
Posted at 05:05 AM in Site News | Comments (3) | Technorati
Monday, December 06, 2004
Democrats Fighting For Us: Sherrod Brown (OH-13)
Posted by Tim TagarisThe first time I met Congressman Sherrod Brown (Dem. OH-13), he was speaking to a relatively small group of 40 people at a barbecue in Medina, Ohio. Of all the candidates/electeds I met while working on the Seemann campaign (OH-16), I left Ohio impressed with none more so than Sherrod Brown.
He spoke eloquently and calmly about the importance of the 2004 Presidential Election. Then his focus shifted, his voice rose, and his passion increased as he started talking about Republicans holding the Medicare vote open until 6 A.M. to gain the votes necessary in the House to pass the prescription drug bill.
He gave us the inside baseball you rarely read in the papers or watch on the television. Blow by blow about ranking members coercing, threatening, and strong-arming Republicans opposed to the bill until they collected enough votes for passage. Stories like Congressman Nick Smith (Rep. MI) being offered money for his son's Congressional campaign if he would switch his vote.
He spoke about economic injustice and wondered aloud how corporations like The Timken Company could post record profits one month, and threaten to lay of 1,300 workers and close 3 plants in a city that they have operated in for over a decade. While that message obviously plays well in Northeast Ohio, an area decimated by job loss, he stands up for his principles on the tough issues as well.
You see, even in the socially conservative areas of Ohio, Congressman Brown is an outspoken supporter of not only civil unions, but opposed to restricting marriage to just a man and woman. If you needed to see a sense of humor from the Congressman, on his Project Vote Smart NPAT test he was asked about Instant Run-off Voting. He took that opportunity to challenge President Bush on the 2000 election; insinuating that if there was IRV, we would have a President Gore right now.
Congressman Brown is against the Patriot Act, and always has been. Russ Feingold gets props for voting against the act in the Senate, but Brown was one of sixty-six House Members to vote against it as well.
I can't urge you enough to check out his positions on the NPAT, in full. For my money, he is my kind of Congressman. Willing to cast the tough votes, and willing to speak out-loud on the tough issues -- because he believes in them.
Then I stumbled upon this piece today, which inspired me to blog about the Congressman. The Congressman took the debate about the Montreal Expos moving to Washington, D.C. and put his own spin on it. Brilliant...
A team's name should reflect a city's heart. Since we lost that particular organ some time ago -- right around the time Newt Gingrich took out a Contract on America -- we ought to at least find a team name that reflects our government's values. If you think about it, the choice is obvious: The Washington Lobbyists.
...Now, some of these new rules will rile the traditionalists, but again, everybody's doing it. Washington Lobbyists will change the fan experience, too. Instead of the oh-so-boring Ball Day or Bat Day, the Washington Lobbyists and their corporate partners will offer:
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce Blanket Day: Fans get blanket product-liability waivers.
- Timber Industry Bat Day: Made from 100 percent old-growth forest.
- Halliburton Gasoline Night: A tank of gas for the first 1,000 fans, at the patriotic Halliburton price of $3.95 a gallon;
- The Enron Doubleheader: Fans get in early with promises of a big win, but then the team kicks you out and takes your pension away
I have no idea who is going to run against Mike DeWine in 2006 for Ohio's other Senate seat. I am probably saying that because I am in a bit of denial that our nominee might be Jerry Springer. But I can think of two names that jump to the top of my head when I consider who I want in a Democratic nominee for the seat. One is Tim Ryan. He is another fighter, as we all saw from his floor speech about the potential for a draft. The other is Congressman Sherrod Brown.
In 2004 he carried his seat with 67% of the vote. As a matter of fact, people used to call the Seemann campaign to complain that he was running against Sherrod Brown. Republicans attempted to make Brown's seat more competitive in re-districting, leaving portions of Medina County in our race. The citizens didn't know this, and would actually call us to complain.
This is a popular man, a good man. I don't know if he has any intention to run, but he is a candidate we can all be proud of should he ever throw his hat into the ring. In fact, Congressman Brown has won statewide office before. In 1982 and 1986 he was voted in as Secretary of State in Ohio. He can win in a state-wide election. He has before. It is my most sincere wish that he try it again. And soon. Say 2006?
Posted at 06:27 PM in Ohio | Comments (6) | Technorati
Sunday, December 05, 2004
US Senate 2006: Pennsylvania - A First Look
Posted by Tim TagarisA first at the 2006 Pennsylvania U.S. Senate Race. Hopefully this post will provide the initial broad overview needed to continue the discussion in-depth down the road. If you know of any other potential candidates (on either side) please indicate in comments and we can add information as we compile it together.
The Antagonist: Incumbent Republican Rick Santorum
He was initially elected in 1994, defeating incumbent Democrat Harris Wofford. Santorum won his last Senate election bid in 2000 against Democrat Ron Klink with an uninspiring 52% of the vote. Because of that close election, a history of bigoted remarks on homosexuality, questionable ethics, and the fact that Senator Kerry carried the Keystone State, Progressive Democrats have a big bulls eye painted on Santorum's back for 2006.
One such comment on April 7, 2003 put homosexuality in the same class as pedophilia, incest, and zoophilia -- all of which threaten society and the family according to Santorum.
Santorum found himself in more trouble earlier this year when it was discovered that the Penn Hills School District has paid over $100,000 dollars for his children to attend an on-line charter school. Some school board members have since decided to call for a refund.
Looking for a "definition" of the word "santorum" on a site that doesn't pull any punches? Click HERE.
Potential Protagonists:
Barbara Hafer:
The current Treasurer of the great state of Pennsylvania and former Republican that switched to the Democratic Party in 2003 (which tells you much of what you need to know). She is widely seen as the likely candidate against Santorum in the 2006 Senate Election. Her official biography can be read HERE.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review gives Hafer the early nod as the Democratic nominee.
Mentioned as Santorum's most likely challenger is Republican-turned-Democrat outgoing state Treasurer Barbara Hafer.
Hafer lost in overwhelming fashion to Bob Casey Sr. in the Pennsylvania Gubernatorial race in 1990. Which provides a great segue...
Bob Casey Jr.
The son of former Pennsylvania Governor, Bob Casey Sr. Casey was just elected to serve as the treasurer of Pennsylvania, taking over for the above mentioned Barbara Hafer. He received more votes than any candidate, or any race in the entire state. Prior to taking over as treasurer, he served as the Auditor General for the state.
Casey is another Democrat you might have to hold your nose for while pulling the lever. He is an anti-choice Democrat with a decidedly moderate tilt. His biography can be read HERE.
In 2002, he lost in the Gubernatorial primary to Ed Rendell, who went on to win in the General Election. Conventional wisdom is that Casey will not run for the United States Senate in 2006, despite the potential attractiveness of his candidacy and last name, which is widely revered in Pennsylvania.
From the Times Herald:
Some Democrats wistfully mentioned the name of Robert P. Casey Jr., the state's two-term auditor general and the late governor's son who last month garnered a state record of 3.3 million votes to succeed Hafer as treasurer. Casey has not publicly expressed interest in the office and, for the time being, is concentrating on his work as auditor general and his transition to treasurer, an aide said Saturday.
Joe Hoeffel
Ran a much more successful race than most anticipated in 2004 against Arlen Specter for United States Senate. He received 42% of the vote to Specter's 53%. Prior to his bid for United States Senate, Hoeffel was the Congressman for PA-13.
Just yesterday Pennsylvania Democrats held a rally with much of the attention focusing on who will attempt to take out Santorum in 2006. Hoeffel had this to say about his intentions on being that candidate.
After his speech, Hoeffel, D-13th Dist., said he would sort out his future early next year. Still, he said he felt his campaign against Specter had laid a foundation, such as wider name recognition and a list of donors and volunteers, that could prove useful in another Senate campaign.
Chuck Pennacchio:
I bring him up because he is the one Democratic candidate we know is running for absolute sure in the primary. Also, the potential parallels to Senator Wellstone are unavoidable.
Pennacchio is the History Program Director at the University of the Arts in Pennsylvania. He even has his own Senate website up and running. At the very least, he might be the most Progressive of the candidates in the mix, and has every intention of calling upon the grass & netroots to help deliver him a long-shot victory.
I am running because I know how to fight and win tough elections and because I believe Democrats cannot afford to run the same kind of campaign that has led to defeat in all but one U.S. Senate election in Pennsylvania since 1962. Im running because I believe we can use the power of the Internet to help build a new kind of campaign that will elect a candidate who is not a career politician and is free from special interest politics as usual.
I have spoken with Chuck via email; he has already started with executive committee meetings and building his initial base of supporters. On a personal note, I wish him well. I am not sure anyone would call him the favorite, but he is fighting the good fight.
Kathleen McGinty:
Mr. Liberal, Stepehn Yellin, added another option on Daily Kos and his own blog, The Yellin Report (always a great read -- highly recommended)
Rather, keep an eye on Kathleen A. McGinty. Who? McGinty served as Bill Clinton's Chairwoman on Environmental Policy, and as Deputy Director of the EPA from 1998-2001. She currently serves as Governor Ed Rendell's EPA Director, where she has been highly acclaimed for her work in bringing together economic growth with environmental protection in the Keystone State. McGinty has extensive financial and political connections-she was a top counselor to Al Gore's 2000 campaign and a senior advisor on the 2000 Democratic Platform (which had an excellent environmental plank, thanks to her). Pennsylvania Democrats are very excited about her (likely) candidacy, and I wouldn't be suprised if she is the Democratic nominee against Santorum.
The rest of the field:
As mentioned in previous comments at Swing State Project:
Allen Kukovic: PA State Senator
Tim Holden: United States Congressman
Don Onorato: An Allegheny County Executive
Chris Matthews: Host of Hardball on MSNBC
Posted at 05:59 PM in Pennsylvania | Comments (14) | Technorati
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Louisiana Run Off: Final Results
Posted by Tim TagarisIt's over.
LA-3 Charles Melancon (Dem.) defeats "Little Billy" Tauzin III -- According to "Sharon" at the Louisiana Sec. of State's office, "all ballots have been counted." This includes absentee, which was my specific question. Louisiana election law only provides for recounts in case of fraud.
57,609 to 57,092 -- 50% to 50% -- Winner: Melancon (Dem.)
LA-7: A lot less complicated. Willie Mount (Dem.) lost to "Lord Charles" Boustany.
61,483 to 75,035 -- 45% to 55% -- Winner: Boustany (Rep.)
So, a split. There was a lot of traffic tonight. I appreciate everyone stopping by for results or to read the in-depth on the races. Be sure to come back. Time to look forward to 2005 & 2006.
Posted at 11:39 PM in Louisiana | Technorati
Melacon v. Tauzin III 50% to 50%
Posted by Tim Tagaris
Update 6: (10:43 P.M.) - Mount is done - will post final for her later
LA 3: Melancon (Dem.) 50% 57,609
Tauzin III (Rep.) 50% 57,092 573 of 573 Precincts
Wow! 517 votes. Am looking into automatic recount right information right now, but I would guess there will be some more counting.
Update 7: (11:04 P.M.) That might be a wrap...
Jerome at MyDD dug up some Lousiana election law that shows no provisions for an automatic recount.
B. A candidate who alleges that, except for substantial irregularities or error, or except for fraud or other unlawful activities in the conduct of the election, he would have qualified for a general election or would have been elected may bring an action contesting the election.
C. A person in interest may bring an action contesting any election in which any proposition is submitted to the voters if he alleges that except for irregularities or fraud in the conduct of an election the result would have been different.
Still wondering about absentee ballots...
Final Update(?) 11:18 P.M.
According to "Sharon" at the Louisiana Secretary of State Election Division -- "all ballots have been counted." There are no more absentee ballots to tally.
Winner: Chales Melancon
Posted at 10:44 PM in Louisiana | Comments (1) | Technorati
LA Run Off Live Updates
Posted by Tim TagarisUpdate 1: (9:15 P.M.)
LA 3: Melancon (Dem.) 53% 7,117
Tauzin III (Rep.) 47% 6,281 59 of 573 Precincts
LA 7: Mount (Dem.) 46% 3,167
Boustany (Rep.) 54% 3,665 (?) of 558 Precincts
Update 2: (9:27 P.M.)
LA 3: Melancon (Dem.) 55% 14,622
Tauzin III (Rep.) 45% 12,143 118 of 573 Precincts
LA 7: Mount (Dem.) 47% 4,705
Boustany (Rep.) 53% 5,351 63 of 558 Precincts
Update 3: (9:39 P.M.)
LA 3: Melancon (Dem.) 54% 27,850
Tauzin III (Rep.) 46% 23,532 247 of 573 Precincts
LA 7: Mount (Dem.) 48% 15,047
Boustany (Rep.) 52% 16,468 166 of 558 Precincts
Update 4: (8:53 P.M.) - Looks like a split
LA 3: Melancon (Dem.) 53% 44,876
Tauzin III (Rep.) 47% 39,573 425 of 573 Precincts
LA 7: Mount (Dem.) 44% 29,150
Boustany (Rep.) 56% 37,652 293 of 558 Precincts
Update 5: (10:10 P.M.) - Maybe not - Getting Close in LA-3
LA 3: Melancon (Dem.) 51% 55,139
Tauzin III (Rep.) 49% 52,820 539 of 573 Precincts
LA 7: Mount (Dem.) 41% 29,150
Boustany (Rep.) 59% 37,652 438 of 558 Precincts
Posted at 09:16 PM in Louisiana | Technorati
Louisiana Run Off Elections Today!
Posted by Tim TagarisOne stop shopping for the last two 2004 Congressional races before we can focus our full attention on the 2005 & 2006 slate of elections.
LA-3: Charles Melancon (Dem.) v. Billy Tauzin III (Rep.) - In-depth Review HERE
LA-7: Willie Mount (Dem.) v. Charles Boustany (Rep.) - In-depth Review HERE
Get the results live as the votes are tabulated by the Louisiana Sec. of State: HERE
Funny Story: Did you know that Republican challenger Charles Boustany paid $50,000 to buy himself the title, "Lord Boustany?" The purchase was supposed to allow him access to Royal Family functions, hobnobbing with the Queen of England and Prince Charles.
One problem. It was a fraud. As a millionaire, you might let this go to save embarrassment, but not Boustany. He sued and now suit he filed is available to the public.
Disturbing Story: Did you know that "Little Billy" Tauzin III was arrested and sentenced to probation, in lieu of 6 months in prison, for a DWI? He has since had his share of legal problems that range from possession of a fur bearing animal without a license to trespassing. Both would seem to violate the conditions of his probation. Which begs the question, are Republican politicians pre-disposed to breaking the law?
Posted at 03:58 AM in Louisiana | Technorati
Friday, December 03, 2004
Welcome Kos Folk...
Posted by Tim TagarisYes, this was --and remains -- David NYC's blog. Congrats to him on his new gig as a front page poster on DailyKos.
Me? I'm ttagaris from Kos. Jeff Seemann's (OH-16) old Communications Director. You might remember him as well?
Anyway, thanks for stopping by. Take a look around. Bookmark the site and come back often. The main thrust of this blog (as decided by its readers) is to highlight upcoming "swing races" in 2005 and 2006, along with keeping tabs on Congressional injustices (see Pork vs. Pell Grants below). Obviously, we will talk about current events when they happen as well.
Anyway, come back. Often. Alright? Seriously. My self-esteem will go down the toilet it you don't.
And while you're here, tell us what you would like to see from the SSP as you return.
Posted at 11:07 PM in Site News | Comments (4) | Technorati
Pork vs. Pell Grants
Posted by Tim TagarisWe will not forget in 2006. (Part of the forthcoming Swing State Project Compilation of Congressional Injustices that you asked for)
When Congress voted to pass 3000 plus page pork-laden embarrassment of an Omnibus Appropriations Bill they had many choices. One was pork or pell grants. Pork won.
From the L.A. Times
In passing the omnibus spending bill, Congress gave the go-ahead to the U.S. Department of Education to "adjust" its formulas for calculating financial aid. Last year, Congress had held back the adjustment because it would reduce grants for 1.2 million students and cut off aid completely to about 90,000.
It didn't stop them this year. I guess when you are looking for cash to fund therapeutic horseback riding programs and $5 million for the new Strom Thurmond Fitness Center, the money has got to come from somewhere. One of the places it came from this time, was Pell Grants to disadvantaged high school graduates.
The Harvard Crimson gives the details:
Under the proposed changes, students whose parents make between $25,000 and $30,000 will receive less funding. But the largest changes will be amongst those who earn between $30,000 and $45,000���no fortune in light of the high cost of American tuition. 84,000 students stand to lose their grants altogether.
I know there are a lot of students & parents of who visit this blog. I was wondering, have your tuition costs gone up or down in the past few years? Those tuition increases also mean the new $4,050 cap on pell grants don't go as far as they used to.
Republicans will say that they increased Pell Grant funding by $458 million and pat themselves on the back. However, as the Stanford Daily notes, this does not nearly keep up with the increased demand for the grants. Over 1 million students will face a reduction in their financial aid.
Senator and N.J. Gubernatorial candidate John Corzine takes us home.
"We should be expanding opportunities for college in America, not eliminating opportunities for students to seek financial aid,��� Corzine said in a Nov. 18 press release. ���I don���t know how the Bush Administration can call themselves compassionate when they are throwing students out of the opportunity to seek a college education."
All the injustice to our youth aside. Let us remember that we are not running record surpluses anymore either. At a time of record debt and deficit, our Congress is spending money like is just continually printed up on machines right down the street.
Posted at 12:16 AM in General | Comments (4) | Technorati
Thursday, December 02, 2004
LA-3 Update: Tauzin III Violates Probation
Posted by Tim TagarisWith two days before the Louisiana run-offs, Billy Tauzin III (Rep. LA-3) has legal troubles to worry about. Tauzin III is squaring off against Democratic challenger Charles Melancon. Tauzin's father currently occupies the Republican held seat. The Stakeholder has the details.
Undermining claims he has learned from his DWI arrest and put his legal troubles behind him, public documents reveal that congressional candidate Billy Tauzin III has been charged with a spate of new offenses this year.
...The conditions of his DWI probation required Tauzin to "refrain from criminal conduct, specifically the violation of any State, Federal, Local or Municipal law." According to 22nd Judicial District Court documents, failure to comply with these conditions could result in the revocation of Tauzin's probation and the six-month jail term to which he was originally sentenced.
The real irony comes on the heels of Dick Cheney flying down to campaign for Tauzin III. The veep had this to say:
"All of you know Billy very well," Cheney said. "He has deep roots in this district, a close connection to the people who live here, and one of the most trusted names in Louisiana politics. He's supported by both Democrats and Republicans, he's an active member of the community, and he shares your values."
After all, Dick Cheney is in a unique position to make the claim that DWI convictions and probation violations are shared Louisiana values. The real question here is, how difficult is it for Republicans that hold office, or are running for office to stay afoul of the law?
Tim
Posted at 04:49 PM in Louisiana | Comments (2) | Technorati
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Test No Category
Posted by DavidNYCPosted at 10:43 PM in | TrackBack (0) | Technorati
NJ: Corzine To Announce Gubernatorial Bid Tomorrow
Posted by Tim TagarisOwners of this blog (that's you) have expressed interest in focusing on 2006, "swing races." One of the races that can keep us busy while waiting for the 2006 Midterm Elections is the NJ Governor race taking place in 2005 (among others). Consider this race the first best chance in the Democratic counter-strike following the debacle of Nov. 2nd -- Our candidate will most likely be Senator John Corzine of New Jersey.
From CNN
Corzine, 57, serving his first term in the Senate, has informed Democratic party officials that he will enter the 2005 race, according to those officials. He is expected to announce his intentions at a news conference scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday in Newark.
...A statewide Quinnipiac University poll published two weeks ago found Corzine widely favored over aspiring Republicans and a leading Democratic contender, acting Gov. Richard Codey, who succeeded Jim McGreevey after he resigned in the wake of an extramarital affair with a man.
A few Republicans have decided to challenge Corzine in the 2005 election. Among them, Bret Schundler who lost to McGreevy in 2001. Schundler, who has already announced his intention to run, is also the former mayor of Jersey City.
From the Jersey Journal:
This time around, Schundler is the third Republican to declare his candidacy - following Mercer County businessman Douglas Forrester and Essex County Assemblyman Paul DiGaetano - with several more GOP announcements expected in the coming weeks.
...The centerpiece of Schundler's gubernatorial platform is an effort to curb the state's rising property taxes - a predicament he blames on the state's Democrats, who control the Legislature and the governor's office."The problem we've had in the state of New Jersey is that our politicians have been spending money irresponsibly fast and they've been hurting plenty of us in the process and we have to take away their power," Schundler said.
The rally was filled with epithets directed at Corzine, and not potential Republican primary opponents. The Republican railed the Senator for spending 63 million dollars of his own money in the 2000 Senate race. They attempted to paint Corzine as "bored" with the Senate and, "wants to excite himself by bringing more taxes and spending to New Jersey." Rightfully so, Senator Corzine's office had no comment on the $500 a person pep rally held by Schundler.
I personally think the Democratic candidate will carry the day in New Jersey. But you never know what will happen when the eyes and pocketbooks of the nation are fixed on New Jersey and Virginia in 2005.
Corzine has indicated he will keep his Senate seat while campaigning for Governor. If he wins, I am not sure who will be the one to name his replacement. Either way, if it is Corzine or current Governor Codey, the seat will remain safe Dem.
So, what do you think/know about the Garden State?
Posted at 05:40 PM in General | Comments (7) | Technorati