Tag: John McCain

In the diaries, Tyler Oakley brought the word that John McCain was restarting his leadership PAC, apparently a sign that he’ll run for another term in 2010. According to Roll Call, McCain is telling his allies that he will indeed run again:

After much speculation that his failed presidential bid would be his last campaign, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) has decided to run for re-election to his Senate seat in 2010.

McCain, 72, announced the decision during a meeting Tuesday evening with top ally Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), advisers Rick Davis, Charlie Black, Carla Eudy and other aides. The meeting, according to a knowledgeable source, took place off the Hill in a private office. […]

Though not at Tuesday’s meeting, one source close to McCain said that running for re-election “is his intention.”

“He’s ready to get back,” this source said. “He likes the game. He likes the deals.”

He still has time to change his mind, of course.

Today Colin Powell endorsed Barack Obama quite eloquently on Meet the Press.

But why did the lifelong Republican endorse Barack Obama, a Democrat? In part beacuse of our very own agent of hate, Michelle Bachmann.

This business from the congresswoman from Minnesota saying, let’s examine all congressman to see who is pro-American or not pro-American.  We’ve got to stop this kind of nonesense and pull ourselves together.  And remember that our great strength is in our unity and diversity and so, that really was driving me.

I’ve had some disagreements with Colin Powell in the past to put it lightly. But he hit the nail on the head. Even Colin Powell, a man who probably could have become the Republican nominee for President  in 1996 realizes the hateful fear mongering of Michelle Bachmann hurts our image abroad and hurts the political debate in our country by bringing it into the gutter.

Hopefully Powell will take some time out of his busy schedule and come to Minnesota to endorse and campaign for El Tinklenberg, the common sense candidate who is running against Michelle Bachmann.

But even if Powell isn’t able to do that, I hope you donate to El Tinklenberg through the Netroots for El page. So far we’ve raised 1,415 from 28 donors and I’ve set a goal of 2,300, the equivalent of one maxed out big money donor. Let’s prove that a politics of hope can win and can defeat a agent of hate like Michelle Bachmann

Donate to El Tinklenberg!

Photo by Aaron Landry

Securing the votes in Congress to pass real immigration solutions into law isn’t going to be easy. The next President – no matter who wins – will need to lead his own party first to get it done.

Senator Obama would surely have an uphill climb, even with a Party Platform that favors comprehensive reform. But, given an enforcement-only Party Platform and the policy positions of most Republicans in Congress, Senator McCain may need to scale a brick wall to bring his party on board!

Nevertheless, both candidates continue to talk about reform (at least in Spanish).

Well, we’ve already heard enough rhetoric- we want a roadmap. We’re asking the Senators how they will unite their own parties to pass real immigration solutions into law.

We’re saying, Show America the Immigration Reform Roadmap during the next presidential debate on October 7th!

Resources

The Republican Platform

The Democratic Platform

Here’s the ad that wins the Election in Ohio.

And it’s crucial that we get this ad on the air right now, because voters – particularly persuadable voters – just started voting yesterday in Ohio.

The ad is tough, aggressive, and hard-hitting against the GOP’s failed economic policies.  But we need your help to get it on the air by Friday.

This ad highlights the report released by the Ohio Democratic Party on Monday, Ohio’s Eight Years of Economic Pain. You can download the full report at www.ohiodems.org/economicpain

The ad’s facts are simple: Under George Bush, 1,087 factories and companies in Ohio have shut down or had mass layoffs due to the failed Republican policies in Washington – an average of nearly three per week in Ohio each and every week for the past eight years.

These shutdowns or layoffs have put more than 180,000 Ohioans out of work, devastating their families and our communities.

These aren’t just numbers – they are our neighbors.

John McCain cannot win without Ohio and the race in Ohio will come down to only a handful of votes. So we need you to be part of the momentum that puts Barack Obama over the top in Ohio on November 4.

There is no time to wait. The time for real change is now. And delivering Ohio to Obama will deliver him the Election.

Ohio and America cannot afford another four years. Please donate as much as you can afford TODAY. And then send this message to your friends.

Donate online at www.ohiodems.org/donate.

Thank you for your support!

Todd Hoffman
Director of Internet Operations
Ohio Democratic Party

September 25, 2008:

Unfair, you say? Voters shouldn’t judge a candidate by his skin color. Maybe, but is it any more unfair than, for example, saying that because McCain and President Bush are both Republicans that a McCain administration would produce a third Bush term? No, it isn’t.

Cross-posted at Blue Jersey.

Congressman Frank Pallone and I hosted a conference call earlier today to discuss what the war in Iraq has cost New Jersey and why New Jersey can’t afford another four years of the failed Bush policies in Iraq that Chris Smith and John McCain want to continue. To see exactly what the war in Iraq has cost New Jersey, go to National Priorities.org.

On the call I emphasized the following:

· I support a responsible end to the war in Iraq so that we can invest in America’s urgent domestic priorities like renewable energy, and break our addiction to foreign oil as well as lower gas and electricity costs.

· Chris Smith and John McCain have supported George Bush every step of the way on Iraq, from believing faulty intelligence, to believing we would be greeted as liberators, to believing the war will pay for itself with Iraqi oil.

· Each month, the United States spends $10 billion a month in Iraq – money which could be used to address domestic priorities like ensuring affordable health care, rebuilding our infrastructure or hiring more teachers or public safety officers.

· Incredibly, Iraq is right now holding onto $79 billion in excess oil revenues. We’re spending $10 billion a month to rebuild Iraq instead of using that money to create jobs here in America.

· The citizens of the 4th Congressional district have paid $2.2 billion for the war effort. That money could have been used to provide every home in the 4th Congressional District with Renewable Electricity, with enough money left over to help provide affordable health coverage for our residents.

That $2.2 billion could:

· Provide 203,137 People with Health Care for One Year

· Power 3,096,562 Homes with Renewable Electricity for One Year

· Hire 37,775 Public Safety Officers for One Year

· Provide 724,756 Children with Health Care for One Year

· Provide 28,856 Port Container Inspectors for One Year

· We can’t keep doing what we’re doing. We need change at all levels of government.

· Chris Smith and John McCain have no plan to bring our troops home.

· We need to elect a Democratic President and a Democratic Congress to bring our troops home and invest in our country’s future.

The campaign is entering a critical phase and I need your support. You can contribute at my ActBlue page. If you’d like to volunteer, please contact ian_at_joshzeitz_dot_com. Please visit Josh’s website to learn more about what I stand for.

Obama-Biden: The Change We Need

McCain picking Romney: The Spare Change They Need

According to the AP, my homestate senator, Thad Cochran, recalls an incident in 1987 where he, Bob Dole, and John McCain were on a diplomatic mission with representatives of Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua.  From what Cochran says, John McCain grabbed one of Ortega’s associates by the shirt and lifted him out of his chair in a fit of anger.  Thankfully, no violence ensued.  Cochran stated that he was scared for their safety since the Nicaraguan officials were carrying weapons and the Congressional delegation was not.

Considering how foreign “you’re either with us or against us” policy has been over the past 7.5 years, it frightens me that we could see another 4 years of this cowboy “diplomacy” from the United States.

I wonder how much traction the Cochran story will make around the news wires.  If McCain is having his own Republican colleagues question his judgement in foreign affairs as a candidate for president, just imagine what will happen if, God forbid, McCain gets into office.  I’d hate for McCain to go China and grab the Prime Minister by his suit jacket.

The following is a review of Oregon’s primary and a preview of Oregon’s fall elections now that the primary results (with the exception of Ballot Measure 53) are certified.  Crossposted from Daily Kos (http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/16/121742/983/269/536725).

The Oregon Primary is nearly all in the books, so I thought it was appropriate to offer a final review of it and preview the fall campaigns.  I posted a more detailed preview a few weeks ago here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/6/5/12544/25866/676/530200.

The major source for my numbers is the SOS’s election results page: https://secure.sos.state.or.us/eim/goToElectionResults.do?actionId=viewLoad&mode=view.

The Oregon Primary, by the numbers:

Total Number of Votes Cast: 1,170,553, or 58.04%

Turnout in the 2006 Primary: 38.58%.

Democratic Turnout: 75.66% (a new record for an Oregon primary, smashing the previous record of 71.3% set during the 1968 Presidential Primary).

Number of Votes for Barack Obama: 375,000.

Number of Votes for Hillary Clinton: 260,000

Number of Votes for John McSame: 286,000.

Biggest margin of victory in any county for Hillary: 800 votes (Coos County).

Biggest margin of victory in any county for Obama: 53,000 votes (Multnomah County).

Jeff Merkley’s Margin of Victory over Steve Novick: 16,000.

Number of undervotes in the US Senate Primary: 90,000, or well above Merkley’s margin of victory.  By my estimate, Novick would have netted 3-5,000 or so more votes in Multnomah County alone had everyone cast ballots, assuming his margin of 52-40% had held.

Approximate cost per vote for Mike Erickson in the CD 5 Republican Primary (through the end of April only so the number is going to be higher than this): $23.

Approximate cost per vote for Kurt Schrader in the CD 5 Democratic Primary (through the end of April only): $1.70.

Closest Race: Ballot Measure 53, the “original certification” puts the margin at 450 votes out of 978,000 cast, or .06%.  It is currently being recounted and results will be known by 6/24.

Undervotes in this race: 192,000, or more than 425 times the margin.

Enough fun with numbers, now for a quickie Oregon General Election Preview:

Race-Rating Key:

Tossup-Less than 3% margin.

Lean-3 to 10% margin.

Likely-11 to 20% margin.

Safe-Over 20% margin.

When discussing a race I list the incumbent, or failing that the incumbent party, first.  

Candidates are indicated by the following symbols:

Inc-Incumbent.

Int-Interim Incumbent, someone who was appointed to fill out a term.  Oregon law allows the political party that controls a seat to basically appoint a replacement in case of resignation and so it is not uncommon for state legislators to resign so their successor can run as an incumbent.  Appointments are valid until the start of the next legislative session in a year following a general election.  Therefore, those appointees who have two years left on their term following an election must face a special election for those two years.   For example, Brad Avakian (D) resigned his State Senate seat and was replaced by Suzanne Bonamici (also D).  Since Avakian was not up for re-election until 2010, Bonamici will face a special election for the last two years of Avakian’s term this fall.

Statewide Races:

US President

Candidates: Sen. John McCain (R) vs. Sen. Barack Obama (D).

Summary: The latest polling shows Obama with a solid lead in the 10% range.  Expect him to win by this much or more.  Barr might hurt McCain here because many of the urban Rs are libertarians who aren’t particularly fond of him.

Outlook: Leans to Likely Obama.

US Senate

Candidates: Sen. Gordon Smith (R-inc) vs. Speaker of the OR House Jeff Merkley (D).

Summary: The latest poll shows Smith with a 9% lead but under 50%.  Merkley will definitely benefit from Obama’s strength here.  For now, his biggest weakness is most certainly his cash disadvantage but its nothing he can’t overcome.

Outlook: Leans Smith.

Labor Commissioner (Nonpartisan) (2-year interim):

Brad Avakian (int) is facing only token opposition, namely this nut, who likes to put curses on his opponents: http://www.getenergized.com/vote.html.  

Outlook: Safe Avakian.

Attorney General:

John Kroger (D) is unopposed and even won the OR R’s nomination by write-in.

State Treasurer:

Candidates: Ben Westlund (D) vs. Allen Alley (R).

Summary: Against someone else Alley might have a chance, but Westlund has friends on both sides of the aisle.  This one is going to be a rout.

Outlook: Likely to Safe Westlund.

Secretary of State

Candidates: Kate Brown (D) vs. Rick Dancer (R).

Summary: Brown is going to kick Dancer’s ass, period.  Dancer has no real base to speak of and has received only a lukewarm reception from Oregon Rs.  This is an important race this year, obviously, since the next SOS will help with redistricting.

Outlook: Likely to Safe Brown.

Congressional Races:

District 1 (Wu-D)-Likely to Safe Wu.

District 2 (Walden-R)-Likely to Safe Walden.

District 3 (Blumenauer-D)-Safe Blumenauer.

District 4 (DeFazio-D) is unopposed.

District 5

Candidates: State Sen. Kurt Schrader (D) vs. Businessman (and hypocrite) Mike Erickson (R).

Summary: Schrader is a well known and respected legislator in this district and his wife is the current chair of the Clackamas County Commission.  Erickson, on the other hand, lost the endorsements of both Oregon Right to Life and the Oregon Farm Bureau, two groups without which no Republican can really hope to win.  I think he has enough cash to keep this race within 10% but not to win.

Outlook: Leans Schrader.

Oregon Legislature:

Oregon Senate:

In brief:

Current Composition: 18 D, 11 R, 1 I.

Projected Composition: 18 D, 12 R (1 D to R (Westlund), 1 I to D (Gordly).

Races by Rating:

Safe: 7D, 5R.

Lean/Likely Hold: 2R, 1D.

Lean Takeover: 1D (Ben Westlund’s Seat in Central Oregon looks likely to flip to the Rs.  Put it this way, if they can’t win that seat, the Oregon Rs are really really in horrible shape.

Oregon House:

In brief:

Current Composition: 31 D, 29 R.

Projected Composition: 32 D, 23 R, 5 Tossups (all Rs) and it could be a lot worse for the Rs.

Races by Rating:

Safe/Likely: 25D, 10R.

Lean Hold: 6D, 13R.

Tossup Districts: 5 (all Rs, specifically: Berger (R-inc, Independence/Monmouth), Wingard (R-open, Wilsonville), Bruun (R-inc, West Linn, Kennemmer (R-open, Canby) and Lindland (R-open, Corbett).

Lean Takeover: 1R (Minnis’s old seat, now as an open seat, should flip to the Ds).

Let me know what you think.

Tomorrow morning, John McCain will be in New Jersey’s 3rd District, campaigning with Mayor Chris Myers, who believes like McCain does, that despite the 325,000 person job loss just halfway through 2008, our economy is strong. We need real common sense solutions and change in Washington with a Democrat like John Adler.

Check out this video put out by the Adler for Congress campaign today in preparation for the John McShame visit tomorrow…