Tag: Barack Obama

The spat between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama shows no sign of ending anytime soon.  McCain is going to win this election, likely by 6-10%.  Obama is damaged goods and Hillary’s negative are simply too high.  I believe voters are in the process of rejecting both candidates.

And I don’t think there’s a realistic way of getting through McCain’s huge teflon coating and getting swing voters to doudt his :maverick” image.

So how does this impact the Congressional elections?  Right now, not yet.  But it’s important that this long battle between Obama and Clinton could weaken the Democratic brand.  And I actually think Barack Obama would more of a drag on downballot races than Clinton would be.

I know that’s contrary to the CW, but I just don’t think Hillary Clinton is as radioactive to other Democrats.

So the leaders of the DSCC and DCCC have to make a decision.  How and when to separate from the presidential race?  And waht about the 527s who are about to pour millions in to a likely hopeless presidential election?  Will they save enough for House and Senate races?

So I’m ready to forget about the presidential election and concentrate on Congress.  Then, what’s the best way do this?

1.  The fundamental dynamics still favor Democrats.  We must still run on the economy, offering relief from the foreclosure crisis and ending giveaways.  I would like to see a united Democratic proposal on health care.

2.  Instead of just opposing Iraq, emphasize our opposition to Republicans’ “war-first” approach, and tie the current economic climate to this costly war on Iraq.

3.  Most importantly, we can’t run away from Democratic values and principles.  On most issues, the Democrats are still favored.

4.  More leadership needs to forthcoming, starting with the removal of Debbie Dubya from the Red-to-Blue Committee.  That’s an unconscionable conflict of interest.

Any other thoughts?  I know, writing off the Presidency is a huge step, but we may have to settle for winning enough seats in Congress to keep McCain in check (that’s another issue for another post).

There is still a lot more work to do if we want to get Barack Obama elected. But if we want to truly change this country we need to do more then that. We need to build strong Democratic majority in the House and Senate committed to passing Obama’s agenda of change. In short we need an Obamajority.

So I e-mailed a few people who had helped out with the Obamathon and came up with the idea for a fundraising drive like the Obamathon but for congressional candidates who will help build a Obamajority. Using the amazing ActBlue we have set up a fundraising page to build The New Obamajority. To start out it features three great candidates. Rick Noriega, Darcy Burner and Patrick Murphy. More will be added as time goes on (suggestions are welcome at obamathon (AT) gmail (DOT) com) but for now let me introduce you to those three great candidates who will help build an Obamajority.    

Rick Noriega

First off, Rick Noriega. Rick is running for Senate in Texas to take back LBJ’s old seat from Bush rubber stamp John Cornyn.

Rick is a Lt. Colonel in the Texas Army National Guard and has served in Afghanistan, he has been a accomplished state representative since 1998 and he managed the evacuee shelter operation in Houston. He was “drafted” into the Senate race by Texas activists and is now running a strong campaign against John Cornyn who is one of the worst Senators in the nation. But why should this race matter to Obama supporters?

Many presidents have been swept into office with a progressive agenda of reform but then faced the Senate. We don’t want Barack to have the same experience. The Republican minority has set a record in filibusters and has been able to over and over block progress on key issues. If we want Obama to be able to succeed in changing the country we will need more Democrats in the Senate. There are some races like Virgina that are likely going to be pickups but were we can help the most is in states like Texas that are at the verge of at least turning purple but are under the national radar. Money and energy at this point will help give Rick the resources needed to run a grassroots, people-powered campaign so he can defeat John Cornyn and help build an Obamajority. Donate today via the New Obamajority page and together we can do it. And if your wondering who Rick prefers in the presidential race read this quote from a newspaper:

   “I’m for whoever wins,” he replies diplomatically, before twirling into the second half of his answer: “I’m for who’s going to come back to Texas and help us fight (to) win Texas.”

   …

   Noriega falls back to Alamo imagery. “I’m drawing a line in the sand. My focus is which one of you (Obama or Clinton) is committed to help us win Texas back.

   “At the end of the day,” Noriega said, “I want to know who’s going to be in the foxhole with us.”

We know Barack Obama will be in that foxhole with him, and will execute the 50-state strategy to turn Texas blue and elect Rick Noriega to the Senate seat once held by Lyndon Baines Johnson. Donate today and make it a reality!

Darcy Burner:

Next up is Darcy Burner. She is running for Congress in Washington’s 8th congressional district against Rep. Dave Reichert. Bush and Reichert are such great pals that Bush decided to fly across the country to do a big fundraiser for him. In response we in the netroots raised almost 100,000 dollars for Darcy Burner in less then a week. She is a great candidate and stands a great shot to win and send a message of change to congress.

Darcy is a software engineer who got fed up of Reichert and his pal Bush and ran a underdog, grassroots campaign in 2006 and nearly won. She has learned from that campaign and is running again and stands a great shot of winning.

She won’t just be another vote in Congress. She will be a leader. As a congressional candidate she worked with other candidates, security experts, military leaders and others to develop the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq. That is the kind of leadership she will bring to congress.

If we want to enact Obama’s agenda we need more leaders. So help send one to congress. Donate to Darcy!

Patrick Murphy:

And finally Patrick Murphy. He is the first and only Iraq War veteran to serve in Congress and has helped lead the fight to bring our troops home from Iraq and ensure they receive the care and benefits they receive when they come back. With Barack Obama as President we can finish that job.

In 2006 by running a people-powered campaign similar to the one Obama is now running Patrick upset Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick. But the Republicans have recruited a top-tier candidate and this will be a tough race.

Back in August 2007, Murphy stepped to the plate to endorse Barack Obama, and spent a great deal of time in Iowa and New Hampshire on the stump for Barack Obama. Patrick has stood with us and now let’s return the favor and help return him to congress. Donate to Murphy for an Obamajority.

There you go. Three great candidates who will help build an Obamajority to help Barack Obama achieve real change. Supporting Barack isn’t enough because he won’t be able to do anything if he doesn’t have an Obamajority. So let’s build one. Donate today. Spread the word. Have a idea for another canidate? Post it in the comments or e-mail obamathon (AT) gmail (DOT) com.

I address this screed to Congressman Kendrick Meek and Congresswoman Deborah Wasserman Schultz.  I know that both of you have been under much scrutiny here in the blogosphere, based upon your recent recusals from campaigning against your neighboring Republican congresspersons.  I suspect that you probably have your eyes on a senate race at some point in the future. In preparation for that, you probably think that you're positioning yourselves to be perceived as moderates who can work well across the aisle. However, I'm here to show you that if you consider such positioning to be part of a winning strategy, you are terribly mistaken.

One need not look further than the results of 2006 to learn that authenticity works.  During that crucial election season, the Democratic party was faced with the outrageously tall order of winning at least six senate seats.  As is the usual tendency of the deck, it was once again stacked against us.  Our GOP opponents appeared to have financial advantages.  At the outset of the year, we didn't even have six, let alone seven, viable seats, and severe party infighting threatened at least one critical race (Ohio).  From that mess, the DSCC scrounged up seven viable challengers in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia, Tennessee, Missouri, and Montana.  Of these seven, six won.  I will not focus on the Rhode Island race, since it was an unusual scenario in a state whose dynamics do not mirror those of swing states or of the nation at large.  I'll also leave out Pennsylvania, since that was an instance of an incumbent who was so off his rocker, a piece of cardboard could've defeated him.  And the Virginia race has been written about ad nauseum, so I'll skip that one as well.  I will instead focus on Ohio, Missouri, Montana, and Tennessee; three wins and a loss, and why it turned out that way.

When Sherrod Brown prevailed over Paul Hackett in the primary for the Ohio senate, many Democrats became nervous; Hackett, an Iraq War veteran, seemed like a more viable option to run against incumbent Republican Mike DeWine than the unabashedly liberal Cleveland congressman whose record on the hot-button social issues was completely progressive.  In the fabled state that won the election for Bush in 2004, it seemed like a bad idea to run a candidate whose record was to the left of John Kerry's.  Well, as it turned out, Sherrod Brown proved to be an excellent candidate. Instead of fudging his answers and trying to make himself look like something he wasn't, he proudly stood up for his principles, emphasizing his economically progressive ideals, but without attempting to conceal his stances on the social issues.  His unapologetic championing of the disadvantaged called to mind another progressive who never backed down from his core beliefs: the late, great Paul Wellstone.  

Over in Missouri, then-State Auditor Claire McCaskill waged a tough fight against Jim Talent, the incumbent GOP senator.  The stem cell initiative was on the ballot in that state, a potential risk in a state with such a high number of evangelicals.  It was, therefore, a pleasant surprise when McCaskill put Talent on the defensive on that issue, and on the issue of abortion, in nearly every debate.  In a key appearance on Meet The Press, Talent lobbed Republican talking points at McCaskill, and, rather than attempting to fit her responses into those frames, she effectively twisted them around to leave Talent as the weaker candidate, hemming and hawing and making excuses for his every statement.  McCaskill's margin of victory was small, but in a very conservative state like Missouri, it was enough!

Out on the ranges, where libertarianism runs strong, the Montana senate race saw a battle between two very colorful characters: the doddering embarrassment Republican Conrad Burns, who was often looked upon as something of a senile uncle even by his fellow GOPers, and the plain-spoken, buzz-cut-sporting Jon Tester, who won the senate primary over a less progressive state official.  Burns trotted out the old canard of fearmongering, trying to to use Tester's opposition to the PATRIOT Act as a political bludgeon.  Had Tester been a weaker candidate, he would have attempted a nuanced explanantion, trying to convince people that he could be patriot without supporting the PATRIOT Act, accepting the right wing's frames instead of creating his own.  Luckily, Tester unleashed the no-nonsense directness that is a trademark of the Mountain West; in one key debate, in which Burns accused Tester of wanting to “weaken” the PATRIOT Act (clearly a standard GOP frame, portraying the Democrats as weak on terror and weak in general,) Tester famously responded, “I don't want to weaken the PATRIOT Act, I want to repeal it.”  Had John Kerry been anywhere near this bold in 2004, Bush would not have had a second term.

After looking at the victories of Brown, McCaskill, and Tester, I now turn to the only high-profile loser on our side, Harold Ford Jr. of Tennessee.  Yes, I am well aware of the racist tactics that the Republicans used against Ford in the infamous “Call Me” ad (a frame-by-frame analysis is available here,) but I remain convinced that a stronger candidate, one with more backbone and more confidence in his own platform, would have been able to fight back and prevail. Ford embodied the ideals of a DINO at best.  He appeared in a clumsy ad in a church, going too far into the territory of unsubtlety in an attempt to prove his religiosity.  (I had serious flashbacks to John Kerry's 2004 proclamation of himself to be the “candidate of conservative values.”  The minute we accept the GOP frames, we're dead in the water). On the campaign trail in '06, Ford frequently trumpeted his opposition to gay marriage.  He spoke in tones that ranged from cautious to mildly complimentary toward Bush's Iraq policies, all the while distancing himself from the Democratic leadership in the senate.  In short, he ran as a Republican.  And why would anyone vote for a Republican who doesn't have the conviction to actually run within the party that actually represents the conservative values he preaches, when they could vote for an actual Republican whose voting patterns are more sure-footed? 

You see where I'm going with this.  2006 was a Democratic tidal wave, yet Harold Ford lost because of his own spinelessness and willingness to act like a Republican.  The moral of the story here is to stick to your guns, champion your own progressive record, and be who you are.  It's obvious that if you have achieved anything in Congress, you have been able to work with the other side.  Playing “footsie” with Republicans does nothing to further your goals; in fact, it undermines them, since progressive voters might doubt your convictions.  I certainly hope that your aides and advisors read this post, as it is crucial that you absorb its message.  (For all the readers of this blog, I suggest writing to these Florida congresspersons and calling their offices to relay a similar message).  Please, be a Sherrod Brown or a Jon Tester.  Don't be a Harold Ford.  Your political futures will be brighter for it, if recent history is any indicator!

Posted on all Blue Majority sites. Daily Kos, Open Left and The Swing State Project.

A couple of weeks ago, I announced that Senator Barack Obama had filmed a commercial supporting Congressional Candidate, Bill Foster, who is running to succeed Denny Hastert in Illinois’ 14th District.

The Special Election, and the first real non-primary Congressional race to be decided this year, will be held this Saturday, March 8th.

This race is very close, and this commercial from Senator Obama will help us get Bill’s message of change out to the people of the 14th District.

There is a lot at stake in this race. The NRCC has launched an $850,000 ad buy for Oberweis in the district, and, according to The Hill:

NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said Monday that he recognizes the magnitude of the race to replace the former Speaker and he expects it to be close.

“We understand the symbolic importance of the race; it’ll be spun out of all proportion if we were to lose it,” Cole said. “It’ll be, ‘My God, it’s the end of the Republican Party.’ “

Now, with Senator Obama supporting our message of change, we now need your help to keep that message on the air.

With every dollar we raise, we can continue to make sure the people who will be deciding this election will see this appeal.

We have set up an Actblue page dedicated to supporting this television commercial.

Obama For Foster

Please help us turn Denny’s seat blue. Think about how you would feel if you woke up on March 9th and the headlines read, “Hastert’s Seat is now occupied by a DEMOCRAT.” The implied headline would be, “There are no safe Republican seats in November.”

I promised you the ad. Here it is:

Do what you can to help us keep Senator Obama’s support of Bill Foster for Congress on the air.

Obama For Foster

Disclaimer: I work with the Foster campaign, and I’m pleased to bring you this diary.

Hillary Clinton has pulled far, far ahead of Barack Obama in New Hampshire.  And that’s bad news for us as Democrats.  Why?  Well, think of it this way:

In order to win Congressional and Senate races in the more “purple” states, we need someone at the top of the ticket whose presence energizes in a positive way.  In 2004, down-ballot Dems had to run away from John Kerry, who was a liability.  Hillary is hated throughout middle America, and will not be able to appear with candidates at fundraisers or any other event.  If Hillary gets the nomination, she might squeak by with the presidency, but we will lose many, many races down-ballot.  Somebody stop her . . . please!!!!!!!!!

I am proud to report that the Texas Democratic Party’s ePrimary Poll has been a huge success. Because of your help spreading the word to our fellow Democrats, in just five short days, over 7,200 Texas Democrats have cast their vote for President!

That’s over five times the number of Texas Republicans who cast their vote in last weekend’s exclusive Straw Poll. And we’re not done yet! With one more day left to vote, all Texas Democrats still have a chance to make their voices heard in the next presidential election.

The enormous participation in the TDP ePrimary Poll is evidence of a Democratic Party on the rise in the Lone Star State. While Texas Republicans had only third-string candidates and embarrassingly low turnout at their VIP-only Straw Poll last weekend, Democrats from every corner of the state are energized by our Party’s strong field of presidential candidates and showing their excitement for 2008 in the ePrimary Poll.

Democrats believe our state and nation are better served when more people participate, and the ePrimary Poll is a way for all Texas Democrats to get involved in the primary process and weigh in as our Party selects a presidential nominee. Tell the country which Democrats you want to see take over the White House!

If you haven’t voted in the ePrimary Poll, there’s still time. Texas Democrats have until TOMORROW at 11:59pm to cast their vote for any one of our Democratic presidential candidates.

Cast your vote for President today!

In 2006, voters sent a message that they are tired of Republican corruption and fed up with the Bush Administration’s failed policies. But unlike Republicans, our Democratic presidential candidates are offering new ideas and a new vision for America. Our candidates are the kind of leaders who can rally Democrats across the country and bring change to the White House.

While Democrats strive to be a Party of hope, Republicans have shown they are a party of hate.  At their flop of a Straw Poll, a select group of Republican extremists chose a third-string candidate whose platform is based on hateful rhetoric. Texas Republicans have once again demonstrated their hostility towards mainstream voters and promoted candidates who seek to divide our state and nation.

Together, we can put a stop to Republican policies that serve their narrow special interests. Vote Now!

And in case you’re still deciding which of our potential nominees to support, I encourage you to take a few minutes and check out the TDP website to learn more about each candidate and read their personal message to Texas Democrats, as well as testimonials from their supporters in the Lone Star State.

If you’ve already cast your ballot and want to see how your favorite Democratic presidential candidate is doing so far, check the TDP website for the latest ePrimary Poll results. Daily updates are posted NOW!

And don’t forget to tune in Monday, September 10th when we announce the ePrimary Poll winner.

The ePrimary Poll is a chance for ALL Texas Democrats to speak out, show the strength of our party and have a real voice in the presidential nomination process. You have until TOMORROW to cast your ballot; click here to vote if you haven’t already, and if you’ve already voted, click here to invite your friends.

Your friend and fellow Democrat,

Boyd L. Richie
Texas Democratic Party Chair

During the Texas Democratic Party’s recent Town Hall Tour, I traveled nearly 10,000 miles and visited with thousands of Democrats.  And I am proud to report that Texas Democrats are unified, energized and eager to win in 2008! 

Like most Americans, Democrats from Texarkana to El Paso are tired of George Bush’s failure and ready for a change in the White House.  That’s why I am very pleased to announce that the Texas Democratic Party is holding our first-ever ePrimary Poll, a weeklong online event that will give Texas Democrats a chance to support their favorite candidate for President. 

Starting today, Democrats across the Lone Star State have the opportunity to cast their vote for any of our outstanding presidential candidates at the TDP website.  After Republican leaders weakened the influence of Texas voters by failing to move up our state’s primary election, the TDP is doing everything we can to ensure Texas Democrats have a say in determining the next president of the United States.  Now is the time to make your voice heard!

If you’re still deciding which of our potential nominees to support, I encourage you to take a few minutes and check out the TDP website, where you’ll find a profile of each candidate, as well as their personal message to Texas Democrats. 

Voting for the ePrimary Poll lasts until 11:59pm on Friday, September 7th, and we’ll announce the winner on September 10th.  But if you want to know how your favorite Democrat is doing, check our website for the latest vote tallies, which will updated daily beginning Tuesday.

It’s no secret that Texas has produced some of America’s greatest Democratic political heroes, and Texas voters have always played a significant role in our nation’s politics. 

The Lone Star State is one of the largest and most populous states in the country – and one of the most diverse.  From the woods of East Texas to the Rio Grande Valley, the widespread cultural and geographical differences among Texas voters are a reflection of the diversity of the country as a whole.  To win in Texas, a presidential candidate must appeal to urban, suburban and rural voters alike and earn support from Texans of every race, creed, and color.

As usual, while Texas Democrats are encouraging voter participation, those Republican politicians in Austin refused to listen to voters who want to have a say in the next presidential election.  Because of the Republican Legislature’s inability to see beyond their own partisan agendas, Texas could potentially be left behind as both political parties choose their candidate for president.  But the ePrimary Poll will give Texas Democrats a chance to weigh in on the presidential nomination process and ensure our voices are heard.

After seven long years of George Bush’s arrogance and incompetence, voters are ready for a President who will chart a new course for America.  Voters are ready for a change, and our Democratic candidates are qualified and ready to lead with new ideas.

Make your voice heard and tell the country which Democrat you want see take back the White House in 2008. Vote NOW!

Your friend and fellow Democrat,

Boyd L. Richie
Texas Democratic Party Chair

I know we often make fun of lawyers in this country (“What do you call a smiling, sober, courteous person at a bar association convention? The caterer.“). On the other hand, there’s a lot to be said for the value of training in law for political leadership. The Clintons (Bill, Yale; Hillary, Yale), Barack Obama (Harvard), John Edwards (UNC), and Harry Reid (George Washington U.) all have law degrees.

Then we have our Republican mis-leadership. There’s George Bush with an Master’s in Business Administration. That’s the same degree that Duke Cunningham and Jeff Skilling have. There’s Rep. Shelley Moore Capito with a Master’s in Career Counseling. That’s the same degree as… well, actually, no one comes to mind. Bush and Capito share a mis-understanding of the law, too. Whereas Bush missed the week in high school civics class about constitutional checks and balances, after six years in Congress Rep. Capito still hasn’t figured out the basic mechanics of when a law is needed.

Case in point: Rep. Capito is crowing about her success in using an obscure legislative maneuver to outlaw something that is already illegal!

West Virginia Democrats had no problem getting it right (emphasis mine):

West Virginia?s other two congressmen?Alan Mollohan and Nick Rahall?voted against the measure. Rahall says he opposed the amendment because the program already includes ID requirements and toughening up the standard would be burdensome to many rural and elderly citizens and raise privacy concerns. Mollohan?s office said the amendment was “nothing but political chicanery.”

You know, it’s hard to counter the negative stereotypes the rest of the country has of West Virginia. Rep. Capito isn’t helping any. They noticed up in New York, too: Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens) said “It’s all demagoguery.” As Albor Ruiz of the New York Daily News put it:

While the fate of 12 million people, thousands of families and the future of the nation’s economy wait for Congress to do its job on immigration reform, some of its members would rather play games.

[snip]

“Loopholes in current law, like this housing assistance loophole for illegal immigrants, act as a magnet and invite people to enter our country illegally,” Capito is quoted as saying. “We should not be rewarding those who have come here illegally by awarding them taxpayer-funded services intended for law-abiding citizens.”

Wow! Is she tough! She’s cracking down and closing loopholes! No “illegal” will take advantage of taxpayers on her watch!

Not to rain on her party, but there is one small problem: What loophole is she talking about? Undocumented immigrants already are ineligible for housing vouchers. Under current law, all recipients of assistance are required to be citizens or to prove their lawful immigration status.

Capito can do all the chest-thumping she wants, but there is nothing to crack down on.

Here in West Virginia, the coverage is a mixed bag. Tom Searls article reads like a Capito press release. Yet, he did prominently mention his inability to get a quote from Rahall or Mollohan. Loopy Kercheval’s opinion piece does include quotes from Rahall and Mollohan but it distorts the issue even worse than Capito did.

Capito should be called out for immigration race-baiting and class warfare. Her arguments are full of lies and distortion. Here’s a just a few ways her actions are deceitful:

1. The HUD reform is benign at best and an assault on poor people at worst. It is already illegal for illegal residents to get section-8 benefits. As Rahall noted, her additional ID requirements create an additional burden on those who can least afford it.

If this legislative action has any effect it will be to make it harder for those who are entitled to the benefits to get them. This is an assault on poor people. Republicans like Bush and Capito believe that government cannot help people–this is an example of a self-fulfilling prophecy as they make it more difficult for the government to help those who most need help.

2. She provides no evidence whatsoever that there is a problem with Section-8 housing that needs “reform”. The one statistic she quotes in support of this bill has nothing to do with Section-8 housing.

You can be sure if she had any examples of illegal residents receiving Section 8 housing she would have mentioned them. As Mollohan said, this is “nothing but political chicanery.” It is a waste of time, money, and resources.

3. In her floor statement she repeatedly says the tax dollars paying for Section 8 housing come from hard-working Americans. That’s a misleading statement. Tax dollars are paid by not only by hard-working Americans but also by legal immigrants and illegal immigrants who reside and pay taxes in this country.

She knows this. She’s using misleading inflammatory rhetoric to score cheap political points. Rep. Joe Crowley is absolutely right, “It’s all demagoguery.”

This is yet another example of Bush-Capito style mis-leadership. There’s a reason why 75% of West Virginians feel that the country is headed on the wrong-track. Passing do-nothing legislation doesn’t help.

West Virginia need leaders who put their energy into solving the many difficult, significant problems that we face–ending the occupation of Iraq, providing universal health care, and providing social and economic justice for all of us, not just the wealthy few.

It’s time for Bush and Capito to leave office. We can do better.

Cross-posted at West Virginia Blue

Public Policy Polling is out with another poll.  This one is huge, with a lot of results for us to talk about.

But, before I dive into details, check out this quick insert from the Indy Weekly of the Triangle:
 

Our tracking signals indicate that Dole rarely travels to North Carolina, whereas Miller seems to be in perpetual campaign motion there. And Republicans like Dole are out of favor for sticking so close to President Bush, are they not? We thus conclude that Miller would beat Dole like a tympanic skin-a drum, I believe you call it.

Ok, now that I have your attention, to the poll.  This poll (link at bottom) consisted of 800 likely voters pulled from the voter rolls.

First, lets hit on the big and simple numbers.
Bush’s approval in North Carolina is 37%, with 59% Disapproval.

This number has been fairly consistent for a while.  If anything this number is worse than it has been in the past.

Next up is Elizabeth Dole.

This poll has Dole’s approval rating at 48% approval and 40% disapproval.  Her numbers have been fluctuating at around +5%.  She might have grabbed a point or two because she killed the immigration bill (first thing she has accomplished in months), but I think this is just margin of error fluctuations.

Just for kicks PPP did a matchup poll between Dole and each of the Democratic candidates for Governor.  Dole leads Lt Gov Beverly Perdue 46 to 37.  Dole leads Treasurer Richard Moore 45 to 34.

Neither of them will actually run, but its interesting because this is matchup poll #6 where Dole has polled below 50%.

From the other side of the aisle, Right Wing think lie tank Civitas has a poll out showing slightly different results.  I wont link to their poll unless I have to, for the same reason I wouldnt link to Rush Limbaugh or Bill O’Reilly.  However, I will talk about their results.

I do not trust these results, as they are normally as Republican friendly as possible without the group losing their non-profit status.  However, with that caveat, their poll results are really good for us.  They give Dole the same 48% approval rating, but with an impossibly low 28% disapproval.  They also show 22% with no opinion.  They also polled for Brad Miller, showing him with 14% approval, 10% disapproval, 38% no opinion and 38% dont know his name.  Considering Brad has only been in Congress since 2002, this is not too surprising.  It might be a little low, but is about what I expected his numbers to be.  If he is going to beat Dole it will just be a question of whether he can raise the money needed to get his name in front of people.

With all of those caveats, they polled Dole v Miller, and got 46% Dole 31% Miller.  So, a Republican friendly poll against a guy with 24% name ID, and they still cant give her numbers above 50%.  She is in BIG trouble.

Ok, back to the Public Policy Poll.  They did matchup polling between Hillary, Obama, Edwards and Rudy McRomneyson.

Against Rudy
Giuliani 47% Clinton 43%
Giuliani 46% Obama 42%
Giuliani 45% Edwards 46%

Against Romney
Romney 41% Clinton 47%
Romney 40% Obama 44%
Romney 37% Edwards 51%

Against McCain
McCain 44% Clinton 45%
McCain 45% Obama 44%
McCain 40% Edwards 48%

Against Thompson
Thompson 46% Clinton 43%
Thompson 45% Obama 40%
Thompson 43% Edwards 47%

In the crosstabs, Edwards bleeds off more Republican support than either Obama or Clinton.  But, his real strength is amongst independent voters.  Obama does the worst job of holding onto Democrats, but he is buoyed by his support amongst independents.

What is really interesting is the similarities amongst black voters for all the candidates.  Personally, I think these polls might be even better news for us than seem.  Does anyone really believe that Obama would lose up to 20% of black voters to McCain?  Does anyone really believe that on election day 24% of black voters will choose Rudy over Edwards?

All these Republicans have way too many skeletons for that to happen, meaning you can probably safely add 2-3 points to every Democratic result.

Some other thoughts on cross tabs.
Dole’s support amongst women is still much healthier than her support amongst men.  This is something that can be changed just by focusing on her actual record on “women’s issues”. 

Our numbers amongst younger voters are simply astonishing.
Amongst voters between the ages of 18 and 29:
Edwards leads Romney 64 to 33! 
Obama leads McCain 61 to 33!

There is a lot more to swallow, check out the poll for yourself.  There are 12 pages (PDF) of statistical goodness.

A quick personal note to end the diary.  Thank you to the people who donated to Brad Miller yesterday.  The Draft page raised over a 1000 dollars yesterday with donors from Kentucky to NC, and donations from $20.00 to $1000.08  Thank you a thousand times over to those people who put their money where their mouth is.

This is a diary of Presidential Endorsements that I will periodically update.  It will include those I learn of and I make no pretensions of this being a comprehensive listing.  I welcome comments that update endorsements as the election progresses as I plan to update this diary periodically.  The more eyes we have looking, the more accurate this can be.  I considered piggybacking the 2008 race tracker David set up as adding a line to the bio boxes would not be too time consuming, but will try a diary first.

I am attempting to track Members of Congress, Governors, State Party Chairs, former officeholders, and other politically prominent individuals like George Soros or Donald Trump.

If I missed any candidates in the tabs let me know.  I plan to list the states and sublist by candidate.  Will do Democrats then Republicans.  The primaries are by states so listing by states can show where someone is running strong.

If I am not sure what state someone connects to I will list as unknown under the state of the candidate they’re endorsing until I can place them more accurately.
Unless I can determine their home otherwise, I list anyone connected Hollywood under California, and move them later if I determine where exactly they do in fact live.

ALABAMA

Barack OBAMA
-Rep. Artur Davis

Duncan HUNTER
-Rep. Terry Everett

John McCAIN
-94 & 98 GOP Gov. nominee Winston Blount III
-Rep. Spencer Bachus
-Adjutant Gen. Stan Spears
-Dax Swatek campaign manager for fmr Gov. Bob Riley

ALASKA

Mike HUCKABEE
-Rep. Don Young

ARIZONA

Hillary CLINTON
-Raul Yzaguirre – President National Council of La Raza

John EDWARDS
-Rep. Raul Grijalva

Duncan HUNTER
-Rep. Trent Franks

John McCAIN
-Senator Jon Kyl
-Rep. Rick Renzi
-Rep. John Shadegg
-Rep. Jeff Flake

Mitt ROMNEY
-Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Sheriff

ARKANSAS

Hillary CLINTON
-Gov. Mike Beebe
-Rep. Marion Berry
-Fmr. General Wesley Clark
-Jimmie Lou Fisher – losing 2002 Gov. nominee
-Mac McClarty – fmr. Chief of Staff for Bill Clinton
-Sen. Mark Pryor
-Rep. Mike Ross
-Rep. Vic Snyder

Mike HUCKABEE
-Rep. John Boozman

CALIFORNIA

Hillary CLINTON
-Sen. Diane Feinstein
-Hugh Hefner – of Playboy fame
-Magic Johnson – Hall of Fame Basketball player
-Rep. Tom Lantos
-Rep. Grace Napolitano
-Gavin Newsome – Mayor of San Fransisco
-Rob Reiner – filmproducer “meathead of All in the Family”
-Filmmaker Steven Speilberg
-Antonio Villaraigosa – Mayor of Los Angeles

Christopher DODD
-Rep. Xavier Bercerra
-Rep. Anna Eshoo
-Steve Martin – a “wild & crazy guy”
-Lorne Michaels – Saturday Night Live producer
-Rep. Doris Matsui
-Paul Newman – actor

JOHN EDWARDS
-fmr Rep. & St. Sen Leader John Burton
-Seth “Scott Evil” Green – actor
-Don Henley of rock band “The Eagles”
-David Mixner – noted GLBT activist
-Scott Weiner – Board of Directors: Human Rights Campaign

Barack OBAMA
-Jennifer Anniston – actress
-George Clooney – actor
-Tom Hanks – Actor
-Tobey Maguire – Actor

Bill RICHARDSON
-Michael Douglas – actor

Rudy GUILIANI
-Rep. David Drier
-Kelsey Grammer – actor
-Rep. Jerry Lewis
-Dennis Miller – comedian
-Fmr. LA Mayor Richard Riordan
-Adam Sandler – actor
-Ben Stein – actor
-fmr. Gov. Pete Wilson

Duncan HUNTER
-Chuck Yeager – retired Astronaut

John McCAIN
-Rep. Daniel Lungren

Mitt ROMNEY
-Rep. John Campbell
-Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon

COLORADO

Barack OBAMA
-Frederico Pena – fmr Mayor of Denver and Clinton cabinet member

MITT ROMNEY
-Sen. Wayne Allard

-Bob Beauprez – losing 2006 gubernatorial candidate

Tom TANCREDO
-Bay Buchanan – political commentator

CONNECTICUT

Christopher DODD
-Sanford Cloud – fmr. Pres. National Conference for Community Justice
-Rep. Joe Courtney
-Rep. Rosa DeLauro
-Stanley Greenberg – Democratic pollster
-Rep. John Larson
-Rep. Chris Murphy

John McCAIN
-Rep. Christopher Shays

DELAWARE

Joseph BIDEN
-Senator Thomas Carper

John McCAIN
-Rep. Mike Castle

FLORDIA

Hillary CLINTON
-Rep. Alcee Hastings
-Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz

Barack OBAMA
-Rep. Robert Wexler

Rudy GUILIANI
-Jeb Bush Jr., son of fmr Gov Bush

Duncan HUNTER
-Rep. C.W. “Bill” YOUNG

John McCAIN
-Rep. Ric Keller
-Rep. Ilena Ros-Lehtinen
-Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart
-Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart

Mitt ROMNEY
-Rep. Ginny Brown-gWaite
-Rep. Tom Feeney
-Dorothy Bush Koch – sister of Jeb & President George Bush

Fred THOMPSON
-George P. Bush s/o Gov. Jeb Bush
-Randy Enright – Fla. regional Director for RNC
-Rep. Jeff Miller
-Rep. Adam Putnam

GEORGIA

Hillary CLINTON
-Rep. John Lewis

John EDWARDS
-fmr. Gov. Roy Barnes
-Shi Shailendra – Atlanta business leader

Mitt ROMNEY
-Rep. Jack Kingston
-Rep. Tom Price
-Rep. John Lindner
-Rep. Phil Gingrey

HAWAII

Hillary CLINTON
-Sen. Daniel Inouye

Barack OBAMA
-Rep. Neil Abercrombie

IDAHO

Mitt ROMNEY
-Senator Larry Craig
-Lt. Gov. Jim Risch
-Rep. Mike Simpson

ILLINOIS

Barack OBAMA
-Rep. Melissa Bean
-Governor Rod Blagojevich
-Rep. Jerry Costello
-Matt Damon – actor
-Rep. Danny Davis
-Senator Richard Durbin
-Rep. Luis Guiterrez
-Rep. Phil Hare
-Christine Hefner – CEO Playboy Enterprises
-Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.
-Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.
-Rep. Bobby Rush
-Rep. Jan Schakowsky
-Oprah Winfrey

Rudy GUILIANI
-fmr. Gov. James Thompson

John McCAIN
-Rep. Mark Kirk
-Rep. Roy LaHood
-Rep. John Shimkus
-IL. Sen. Minority Leader Frank Watson

Mitt ROMNEY
-Rep. Dennis Hastert

Fred THOMPSON
-Rep. Donald Manzullo

INDIANA

Hillary CLINTON
-Sen. Evan Bayh

John McCAIN
-Gov. Mitch Daniels

Mitt ROMNEY
-James Bopp Jr. – Legal counsel for the National Right to Life Committee

Fred THOMPSON
-Rep. Dan Burton
-Rep. Steve Buyer

IOWA

Hillary CLINTON
-Jerry Crawford – noted Dem strategist in Iowa
-Ruth Harkin – wife of Sen. Tom Harkin
-fmr. Gov. Tom Vilsack

John EDWARDS
-Ed Fallon – fmr. St. Rep. & Dem. Gubernatorial candidate
-Jennifer O’Malley – 2004 Iowa field director for John Edwards

Mitt ROMNEY
-Joe Earle – Director of Outreach Iowa Christian Alliance

Fred THOMPSON
-Andrew Dorr – fmr. political director for Jim Nussle KANSAS

John McCAIN
-Sen. Sam Brownback

KENTUCKY

Mitt ROMNEY
-Rep. Ron Lewis
-Rep. Harold Rogers
-Rep. Ed Whitfield

LOUISIANA

Hillary CLINTON
-Thomas Boggs – Lobbyist

Rudy GUILIANI
-Senator David Vitter

Mitt ROMNEY
-Rep. Rodney Alexander
-Rep. Jim McCrey

Tom TANCREDO
-David Duke –  fmr KKK Imperial Wizard

MAINE

John EDWARDS
-David Garrity – fmr. DNC member & LGBT activist

John McCAIN
-Senator Susan Collins
-Senator Olympia Snowe

MARYLAND

Hillary CLINTON
-Sen. Barbara Mikulski
-Gov. Martin O’Malley

John EDWARDS
-Joe Trippi – Howard Dean’s campaign manager in 2004
-Rep. Albert Wynn

Barack OBAMA
-Rep. Elijah Cummings

Mitt ROMNEY
-fmr. Gov. Robert Ehrlich

MASSACHUSETTS

Hillary CLINTON
-Rep. James McGovern
-Rep. Richard Neal
-Joe Wilson – husband of outed CIA operative Valerie Plame

Barack OBAMA
-Laurence Tribe – noted Constitutional Law scholar
Mitt ROMNEY
-Paul Weyrich – Free Congress Foundation

MICHIGAN

Hillary CLINTON
-Sen. Debbie Stabenow

John EDWARDS
-Rep. Bart Stupak

Barack OBAMA
-Rep. John Conyers

Rudy GUILIANI
-Rep. Candace Miller
-James Tiganelli – Police Officers Association of America

John McCAIN
-Rep. Fred Upton

Mitt ROMNEY
-Rep. Dave Camp
-Rep. Peter Hoekstra
-Rep. Joe Knollenberg

Fred THOMPSON
-fmr. Sen. Spencer Abraham

MINNESOTA

John EDWARDS
-Scott Benson – Majority Leader Minneapolis City Council
-Rep. James Oberstar

Hillary CLINTON
-fmr. VP Walter Mondale

Barack OBAMA
-Rep. Keith Ellison

John McCAIN
-Governor Tim Pawlenty

MISSISSIPPI

Mike KUCKABEE
-Don Wildmon – (American Family Ass’n)

John McCAIN
-Senator Trent Lott

MISSOURI

Hillary CLINTON
-fmr. Rep. Richard Gephardt

Barack OBAMA
-Rep. Russ Carnahan
-Rep. Lacy Clay

-John McCAIN
-Rich BOND – fmr. RNC Chair

Mitt ROMNEY
-Governor Matt Blunt

MONTANA

NEBRASKA

NEVADA

Hillary CLINTON
-Rory Reid – son of Harry Reid
-Dina Titus – losing 2006 Dem. Gov. nominee

Barack OBAMA
-Floyd Mayweather, professional boxer
NEW HAMPSHIRE

Joseph BIDEN
-St. Rep. Steve Shurtleff, Ass’t House Majority Leader

Hillary CLINTON
-St. Sen. Betsey DeVries
-Bill Shaheen – husband of ex-Gov.Jeanne Shaheen
-St. Rep. Mary Jane Wallner – NH House Majority Leader

John EDWARDS
-St. Sen. Peter Burling
-St. Sen. Joe Foster
-St. Sen. David Gottesman

Barack OBAMA
-Rep. Paul Hodes
-Gary Hirshberg – CEO Stonyfield Yogurt
-Bishop Gene Robinson – 1st openly gay Epicopalian Bishop

Bill RICHARDSON
-Steve Marchand – Mayor of Portswouth

John McCAIN
-Steve Duprey – fmr. Chair NH GOP
-Peter Spaulding – fmr. NH Executive Councillor

Ron PAUL
-Barbara Hagan – Frm Rep. & Pro-life acticist

Mitt ROMNEY
-Sen. Judd GREGG
-Bruce Keough – 2002 GOP nominee for NH Gov.
-Jim Merrill – Attorney in Manchester

NEW JERSEY

Hillary CLINTON
-Rep. Rob Andrews
-Gov. John Corzine
-Sen. Robert Menendez
-Rep. Frank Pallone

John EDWARDS
-fmr. Governor Richard Codey
-A.J. Sabath – fmr. Labor Commissioner
-St. Sen. Stephen Sweeney

Barack OBAMA
-Cory Booker – Mayor of Newark

John McCAIN
-fmr. Gov Tom Kean Sr.

NEW MEXICO

Bill RICHARDSON
-Senator Jeff Bingaman
-Rep. Tom Udall

NEW YORK

Hillary CLINTON
-Rep. Gary Ackerman
-Rep. Michael Arcuri
-Actress Candace Bergen
-Rep. Steven Bishop
-Rep. Yvette Clarke
-Rep. Joseph Crowley
-fmr. Mayor of NYC David Dinkins
-Rep. Eliot Engel
-fmr Rep. Geraldine Ferraro
-Rep. Kristin Gillibrand
-Rep. John Hall
-Rep. Brian Higgins
-Rep. Maurice Hinchey
-Rep. Stephen Isreal
-Robert Johnson – billionaire founder of Black Entertainment TV
-Billie Jean King – All-time tennis great
-Rep. Nita Lowey
-Rep. Carolyn Maloney
-Rep. Carolyn McCarthy
-Rep. Michael McNulty
-Rep. Gregory Meeks
-Rep. Jerrold Nadler
-Rep. Charles Ragnal
-Senator Charles Schumer
-Rep. Joseph Serrano
-Rep. Louise Slaughter
-Gov. Eliot Spitzer
-Rep. Edolphus Towns
-Rep. Nydia Velazquez
-Rep. Anthony Weiner (candidate: Mayor of NYC)

Barack OBAMA
-Shelia C. Johnson – billionarie co-founder of Black Entertainment TV

Rudy GUILIANI
-Steve Forbes – Chief executive Forbes magazine
-Rep. Vito Fossella
-Louis Freeh – fmr. Director FBI
-Rep. Peter King
-St. Sen. Andrew Lanza
-Fmr. Rep. Guy Molinari
-Theodore Olson – fmr. Slicitor General
-Rep. James Walsh

John McCAIN
-Colin Powell – fmr. Sec of State

Fred THOMPSON
-fmr. Sen. Alphonse D’Amato

NORTH CAROLINA

John EDWARDS
-Rep. G. K. Butterfield
-Rep. Bob Etheridge
-Rep. Mike McIntyre
-Rep. Brad Miller
-Rep. David Price
-Rep. Heath Schuler
-Rep. Mel Watt

Mike HUCKABEE
-Ric Flair – Professional Wrestler

John McCAIN
-Charlie Black Jr. – longtime GOP political strategist
-Senator Richard Burr

Fred THOMPSON
-Rep. Sue Myrick

NORTH DAKOTA

John EDWARDS
-Merle Boucher – ND House Minority Leader
-Roger Johnson – ND Agriculture Commissioner
-David O’Connell – ND Senate Minority Leader

OHIO

Hillary CLINTON
-Jerry Springer – fmr Mayor of Cincinnati & Talk show host
-Gov. Ted Strickland
-Rep. Stephanie Tubb-Jones

Christopher DODD
-Rep. Timothy Ryun

Barack OBAMA
-Mike Coleman – Mayor of Columbus
-St. Sen. Eric Kearney

Mike HUCKABEE
-Phil Burress – “Citizen’s for Community Values”

John McCAIN
-fmr Sen. Mike Dewine
-Rep. Stephen LaTourette

Mitt ROMNEY
-Rep. Ralph Regula
-Dr. John Wilke – Chair Right to Life Committee

OKLAHOMA

John McCAIN
-fmr. Gov. Frank Keating
-Rep. Stephen LaTourette

OREGON

John McCAIN
-Senator Gordon Smith

Mitt ROMNEY
-Vance Day – fmr. Ore State GOP Chair
-Kevin Mannix – fmr. GOP Gov. nominee

PENNSYLVANIA

Hillary CLINTON
-John Street – outgoing Mayor of Philadelphia

John EDWARDS
-Kate Michelman ex-President of NARAL

John McCAIN
-fmr. Governor Tom RIDGE

Mitt ROMNEY
-Rep. Bud Schuster

RHODE ISLAND

Hillary CLINTON
-Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

Christopher DODD
-Rep. Patrick Kennedy

SOUTH CAROLINA

Joe BIDEN
-st. Rep. Fletcher Smith

Hillary CLINTON
-St. Rep. Terry Alexander
-St. Sen. Robert Ford – black leader
-fmr. St. Sen. Maggie Glover
-St. Sen. Darrell Jackson – black leader
-St. Rep. David J. Mack III
-fmr. Gov. Richard Riley
-St. Rep. John Scott Jr.

John EDWARDS
-St. Rep. Bill Clyburn – black leader
-Bob Coble – Mayor of Columbia
-St. Rep. Chris Hart – black leader
-St. Rep. Lonnie Hosey – black leader

Barack OBAMA
-Ernest Finney – 1st black SC Supreme Justice
-Dick Harpootlian – fmr. Dem. State Chair

Bill RICHARDSON
-James Dukes – SC director for John Kerry 2004
-Lachlan McIntosh – Executive Director Dem Party of South Carolina

Rudy GUILIANI
-Karen Floyd – Spartenburg Co. Council
-Jim Miles – fmr. Sec of State in SC, failed 2002 GOP Gov candidate
-fmr. Rep. Arthur Ravenel, father of cocaine fiend Thomas Ravenel
-Thomas Ravenel -disgraced SC State Treasurer, indicted on cocaine distribution charges (SC chair Guiliani campaign when indicted)
-Heath Thompson – SC Political operative
-Barry Wynn – fmr. SC GOP Chair

Mike HUCKABEE
-Iris Campbell widow of Gov. Carroll Campbell
-Mike Campbell fmr. Lt. Gov candidate s/o Iris

John McCAIN
-Caroll Campbell III s/o fmr. Gov.
-Sen. Lindsey Graham
-Secretary of State Mark Hammond
-State House Speaker Bobby Harrell
-St. Sen. Hugh Leatherman
-SC Atty. Gen Henry McMaster
-Richard Quinn – SC political consultant
-St. Rep. Doug Smith (Speaker Pro Tem of the House)
-Adjutant Gen. Stan Spears

Mitt ROMNEY
-Rick Beltram GOP State Chair for SC
-Sen. James DeMint
-ex-Gov. James Edwards
-ex-Rep. Thomas Hartnett
-Bob Jones III
-Brig. Gen. Thomas R. Mikolajcik
-Terry Sullivan – Fmr. Sen. DeMint campaign manager
-Robert Taylor – Dean @ Bob Jones University
-Paul Thurmond: Charleston Councilman & son of fmr. Sen. Strom Thurmond
-Warren Tompkins – SC politial consultant
-Lt. Gen. Claudius “Bud” Elmer Watts III
-Don Wilton – Spartanburg superchurch pastor

Fred THOMPSON
-Rep. Gresham Barrett

SOUTH DAKOTA

John EDWARDS
-Rep. Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin

Barack OBAMA
-fmr. Sen. Tom Daschle

Mike HUCKABEE
-Governor Mike Rounds

John McCAIN
-Sen. John Thune

TENNESSEE

Christopher DODD
-fmr. Senator James Sasser

Mitt ROMNEY
-Ted Welch – prolific Southern GOP fundraiser

Fred THOMPSON
-Sen. Lamar Alexander
-Rep. Marsha Blackburn
-Sen. Bob Corker
-Rep. John Duncan
-fmr. Rep. & ex-Gov. nominee Van Hillery
-Rep. Zach Wamp

TEXAS

Hillary CLINTON
-Rep. Shelia Jackson-Lee

John EDWARDS
-fmr. Rep. & 2006 Dem Gov. nominee Chris Bell
-Rep. Charlie Gonzalez

-Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson

Bill RICHARDSON
-Rep. Gene Green
-Rep. Silvestre Reyes

Rudy GIULIANI
-Tom Hicks, Owner Texas Rangers
-T. Boone Pickens
-Patrick Oxford – Managing Partner of Bracewell & Giuliani, LLP
-Gov. Rick Perry
-Rep. Pete Sessions
-David Wallace – Mayor of Sugarland

Mike HUCKABEE
-fmr. Rep. Tom DeLay
-Movie Actor Chuck Norris

Duncan HUNTER
-Rep. John Culberson
-Rep. Ralph Hall

John McCAIN
-fmr. Sen. Phil Gramm
-James Huffiness: Chair Texas GOP
-fmr. Rep. Tom Loeffler
-fmr. Commerce Secretary Robert Mosbacher Sr.
-Lance Tarrance Jr. (strategist & pollster)

Mitt ROMNEY
-Neil Bush – brother of the President
-Rep. Mike Conaway
-Bob Perry – primary financial backer of “Swift Boat Veterans”

UTAH

Bill RICHARDSON
-Rocky Anderson – Mayor of Salt Lake City

John McCAIN
-Sen. Majority Leader Curtis Bramble
-Gov. Jon Huntsman
-Atty Gen Mark Shurtleff

Mitt ROMNEY
-Senator Robert Bennett
-Jon Huntsman Sr. father of the Gov.

VIRGINIA

John EDWARDS
-Dick Cranwell: Virginia Democratic State Chair

Barack OBAMA
-Gov. Tim Kaine

Rudy GIULIANI
-ex. Va. Atty. Gen. Jerry Kilgore
-Televangelist Pat Robertson

John McCAIN
-Sen. John Warner

Mitt ROMNEY
-Jay Sekulow: Chief Counsel American Center for Law and Justice
-Gary Marx: Dir. Judicial Confirmation Network
-fmr. Sen. George “Macaca” Allen

WASHINGTON

Barack OBAMA
-Rep. Adam Smith

WEST VIRGINIA

 
WISCONSIN

Hillary CLINTON
-Rep. Tammy Baldwin
-Bill Broydrick – Fmr. St. Rep. Founder Broydrick & Associates
-Georgia Duerst-Lahti, Beloit College Professor, Commentator
-Dane Co., Executive Kathleen Falk
-Mathew Flynn – Fmr. State Chair Wis Dems
-Ambassador & Fmr. Majority Leader Tom Loftis
-Nancy Nussbaum – Fmr. Brown Co. Executive & Mayor of DePere
-Janis Ringhand – Fmr. Mayor of Evansville
-Teresa Villmain – long time Iowa Dem operative

John EDWARDS
-Dave Cieslewicz – Mayor of Madison
-Fmr. Gov. Tony Earl
-State Senator Jon Erpenbach
-State Senator Bob Jauch
-Dottie LeClair, 2nd Vice Chair Wi. Democratic Party
-State Senator John Lehman
-Rep. David Obey
-State Representative Sondy Pope-Roberts
-Dawn Marie Sass – Wi. State Treasurer
-State Representative Donna Seidel
-State Representative Mike Sheridan, UAW Local 95 President
-State Representative Jennifer Shilling
-State Representative David Travis, Fmr. Majority Leader
-State Representative Amy Sue Vruwink 
-Joseph Wineke – Democratic Party State Chair
-State Senator Bob Wirch

Barack OBAMA
-Rep. Gwen Moore

Bill RICHARDSON
-Paul Maslin – pollster for Howard Dean

Rudy GIULIANI
-fmr. Sen. Robert Kasten
-fmr. Gov. Tommy Thompson
-Rick Wiley – ex-Executive Dir. Wi GOP

John McCAIN
-Lawrence Eagleburger (Born in Milwaukee) fmr. Sec of State for BUSH I

WYOMING

Fred THOMPSON
-Elizabeth Cheney d/o VP Dick Cheney (is she from Wyoming?

District of Columbia

Hillary CLINTON
-Deborah Jeane Pelphrey – noted Madame

Mitt ROMNEY
-Bill Wichterman – Religious Right political operative