It’s the Friday Before a Presidential Election

I hope that Axelrod and crew pull out Joe McCarthy’s, excuse me, John McCain’s “I know where Bin Laden is” quote from the debates, and ask McCain why he hasn’t shared this important piece of intelligence with the DOD and CIA?
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It will make McCain look like any blithering idiot.

KT, did you end up doing a story on Mitch McConnell? I must’ve missed it.

Advice: open with grain, close with live rally.

The ABC link says we’re kicking al Qaeda butt in tribal Pakistan. So how does McCain spin this to his advantage if the U.S. knocks off bin Laden by using tactics that Obama advocated and Senator Maverick™ described as “naïve?”

KT,
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This might be one year where if there is a bin Ladin tape that it hurts the Republicans. Especially in light of what the John Eagleburger one of the former Sec of States who is endorsing John McCain had to say about Sarah Palin yesterday. KT do you think what he said is “sexist” as is the claim whenever a Dem makes a similar claim?
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/31/eagleburger-blisters-pali_n_139524.html
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Lawrence Eagleburger, who served as Secretary of State under George H.W. Bush and whose endorsement is often trumpeted by McCain, said on Thursday that the Alaska governor is not only unprepared to take over the job on a moment’s notice but, even after some time in office, would only amount to an “adequate” commander in chief.

“And I devoutly hope that [she] would never be tested,” he added for good measure — referring both to Palin’s policy dexterity and the idea of McCain not making it through his time in office. (Listen to audio below.)

The remarks took place during an interview on National Public Radio that was, ironically, billed as “making the case” for a McCain presidency. Asked by the host whether Palin could step in during a time of crisis, Eagleburger reverted to sarcasm before leveling the harsh blow.

“It is a very good question,” he said, pausing a few seconds, then adding with a chuckle: “I’m being facetious here. Look, of course not.”

***Sigh***
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Are we there yet?

Im in moderation but I think I make a good point. ;(

KT here–

Andy, I did two of them. this one for the print mag:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1851116-1,00.html

And this one, about a week later, for time.com:

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1853514,00.html

Andy – good point
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KT: The ABC article was interesting. I hadn’t realized this bit: “Among voters who called the tape “very important” in their vote, Kerry won, 53-47 percent.”
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Another piece of conventional wisdom bites the dust? In any case, it’s hard to see people rushing to McCain because of a tape this year.

And John=Larry whenever my post is released from mod he!!

KT here–

SG: I will set you free!

Vote is in for many Texans
1 million more have cast ballot than did by this point in 2004
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http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6087287.html

OBL BFD

Thanks KT

Thanks KT!

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I thought that al Qaeda already did give us our pre-election day message:

An al Qaeda leader has called for President George W. Bush and the Republicans to be “humiliated,” without endorsing a party in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, according to an Internet video posting.

“O God, humiliate Bush and his party, O Lord of the Worlds, degrade and defy him,” Abu Yahya al-Libi said at the end of sermon marking the Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr, in a video posted on the Internet.

Libi, a top al Qaeda commander believed to be living in Afghanistan or Pakistan, called for God’s wrath to be brought against Bush equating him with past tyrants in history.

The remarks were the first from a leading al Qaeda figure referring, albeit indirectly, to the U.S. elections. Muslim clerics often end sermons by calling on God to guide and support Muslims and help defeat their enemies.

Oh, and Karen? Nice job on CNN this morning.

OBL should get a Twitter account and just tweet “Death to America” 24/7.

Hey my number 5 post is free. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

Bin Laden would have issued the video earlier last week, but the Republicans’ check didn’t clear so now he is asking for payment through his paypal account.

BTW,
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Did everybody see where they had to bus in over 4,000 school kids to McCain’s rally yesterday to try to fill the seats? He still had less than 7000 people there. Pretty sad.

sgwhiteinfla:

If I am a parent of a child in that district which forced bused children to the McCain rally, I’m asking for the resignation of the decision maker on that one. Bet someone loses their job over that one.

Matthews was almost eloquent this morning (what’s happening to me?), but I liked this image especially: In a baseball game when the manager thinks it’s time to take out the starting pitcher, he doesn’t ask how they guy’s doing in the bullpen. He just says “you’re outta here.” And then if the guy you bring in can’t do the job, you bring in someone new.
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It would seem that McCain is not the guy you’re going to bring in from the bullpen.

Wow, what are the odds that news like this got leaked to ABC?

No one could have predicted…blah, blah, blah.

For those who have friends/family that say that Sarah Palin is just more experienced and has better credentials than Barack Obama I would tell you to challenge them to watch Rachel Maddow interview Barack Obama yesterday and try to imagine Sarah Palin answering those kinds of questions.
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By the way again I am so hopeful that we get a this very smart guy into office on tuesday.
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/30/rachel-maddow-interviews_n_139402.html

newfloridian: I actually disagree (though I don’t know how young we’re talking about). It’s important for kids to see presidential candidates, even if they’re going to lose. Does any other country put its potential leaders before the people in quite this way? Course it would be great if they got to see a better candidate, but this might well have been a nonpartisan decision.
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In Chester,PA they cancelled school for the day so parents could bring their kids, but lots of parents wouldn’t be able to do that.
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Just what are they going to learn in school today that’s going to be more memorable and potentially more influential than seeing this political process up close?

newfloridian,
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Yeah I was wondering how that all went down. Especially when they said pretty much ALL of the kids went. I was thinking “wouldnt some parents object or say no?” I guess I see now that it was out of their hands. What did your child say about it if I may ask?

No one could have predicted that the same Department that came up with the Crayola Color Terror Alert System, has that language with the infinitely more techy and therefore somehow they suppose more competent sounding……POHA.
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POHA?

No, seriously. POHA?

Kathy,
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IMHO giving the kids the option of going is one thing. Making them go is something altogther different. Just imagine for ONE second if Obama bused in those kids with no consent to one of his rallys. They would be calling him Hitler on FoxNews at this very moment saying he was trying to indoctrinate our kids. And no I am not a turn the other cheek kinda guy. I am a if they hit me with a stick I am going to hit them back with a sledge hammer kinda guy.

I was sick and home from school on Jan 20, 1961, and I can still replay parts of the inauguration in my head. I remember even at the time that I thought I was lucky to be seeing that when none of my classmates were. (um, there would have been excerpts on the evening news, but that’s it). Black and white, too.
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I don’t know if I would have felt quite the same if it was, say, Nixon, but our history is important just the same.

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kathy: Matthews was almost eloquent this morning (what’s happening to me?)
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It’s not you, it’s Matthews, Kathy. Ever since Tweety’s stopped obsessing over Romney’s physical perfection and trying to puzzle out what made Fred Thompson so darn s3xy>, he’s shown some game.

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bad tagging, apologies. edit:
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made Fred Thompson so darn s3xy, he’s shown some game.

shwhite – but on what basis should they have been able to object? Kids go on field trips all the time they don’t want to go on. They should have been able to object because they disagreed politically with McCain?

this one’s in moderation: no need to free the original if this goes through:
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I was sick and home from school on Jan 20, 1961, and I can still replay parts of the inauguration in my head. I remember even at the time that I thought I was lucky to be seeing that when none of my cl@ssmates were. (um, there would have been excerpts on the evening news, but that’s it). Black and white, too.
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I don’t know if I would have felt quite the same if it was, say, Nixon, but our history is important just the same.

kathy,
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I thoroughly enjoyed Morning Joe this morning because Joe Scarborough was thwarted by Tweety, Chuck Todd, and Bob Shrum from trying to say the race is looking better for McCain. On the one hand I do want Obama supporters to keep their motivation and be scared Obama will lose so they will go out and vote. But I also want the Republicans so demoralized that they DON’T go to the polls. But I put all that aside as long as Joe Scarborough doesnt get to shape the news into his own personal reality. He had some momentum going at first until Tweety came on and started putting the brakes on

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kathy: Kids go on field trips all the time they don’t want to go on.
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It’s a day away from sitting in a cla$$room for the kiddies…However, SG is right; if Obama was pulling his record crowds by emptying out nearby high schools, there would be all h3ll to pay.

OT, but very interesting:
First Read is reporting a decision by the McCain “Brain” Trust to pull their money from GOTV and spend it on last-minute teevee. They must assume the remaining undecideds haven’t seen enough commercials yet.
So much for all those “likely voter” models based on past elections.

Casey Morris: If and when we receive another Bin Laden message, the last line in Arabic or Farsi will be: “I’m John McCain and I approved this message.”

They should go to Burning Man. Open their blind little eyes.

g_crush and Sgwhite:
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I don’t disagree that someone would have tried to make hay out of Obama busing in kids. I thought we were arguing about the rightness of it
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There wasn’t much of a peep about schools being let out in Chester, was there?

Kids go on field trips all the time they don’t want to go on. They should have been able to object because they disagreed politically with McCain?

Absolutely….

Forcing kids to attend the rally of a particular party’s candidate is no less objectionable than forcing them to pray to a particular version of God.

I have a different take on the field trips.

“Watch this man. Don’t ever grow up and be like him.”

Further OT:
First Read is reporting a McCain campaign decision to pull their GOTV money and put it into last-minute teevee ads. Because, I guess, they think undecideds just haven’t seen enough commercials yet.
That sound you hear is the crash of all the “likely voter” polling models based on prior elections.

Kathy, I find myself agreeing with you almost all the time (don’t tell my wife…), but I think I’m with Paul on this one. You’d have to have a VERY careful de-briefing session with young students so they don’t get caught up believing with great fervor everything they just heard proclaimed with great fervor.
Now, after they can think on their own — my college-freshman daughter attended a Palin rally in NC a couple of weeks ago. She got REALLY spooked, and is now volunteering at the local Obama office.

kathy,
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I don’t know about the schools where you are but here in florida you have the option of saying no to any field trip. And let me tell you how I know this and why its imporatant. Here in Tampa florida at the fairgrounds there is a place called “Cracker Country”. Now this “exhibit” has nothing to do with dry bread. Rather its supposed to show how Florida was during the settlement days. White florida settlers were once referred to as “crackers” by historians who explain it because they “cracked the whip” when they were driving their cattle to florida. However in the black community the word “cracker” is a derogatory slur for white people based on them cracking the whip on slaves. So on those grounds I had apprehensions about my kids going in the first place. But then upon further review this exhibit also totally ignores the reality of the time period that they supposedly are exhibiting. There is no mention or evidence of black people having a part in settling Florida. Now this is big to me considering the he!! black people were really going through during these times. I won’t be a party to my kids learning a “false history” of this country. So I said no and my daughter was able to stay at school and catch up on some work and her reading.
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Now parents can have objections to a LOT of different field trips and so far as I know most places allow them to opt out. I know you heard of the recent field trip where a teacher in california took her students to her g@y marriage. They are catching a lot of he!! about it but I believe those kids had the option of saying no also. Now maybe the parents werent clear on where they were going but thats more of a matter of honesty than a matter of policy. I for one would not want my kids going to a McCain or Palin rally because of the things they say there about Barack Obama. Maybe if it was a different setting I would feel differently. But think about your kid going to hear McCain tell them that Obama is a socialist and a generally bad person and then having your kid question how you could support such a person.

I know this will be stuck in moderation

Sgwhite – they probably do have the option to refuse field trips. It’s been awhile since I’ve been involved.
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Paul D – I’ll answer later. I’m late for work even as I type.

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kathy: There wasn’t much of a peep about schools being let out in Chester, was there?
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Different circumstances:

The Chester-Upland School District, calling the Obama rally a “historic day in Chester,” closed the schools and cancelled all after-hours events. School Superintendent Gregory Thornton encouraged parents to “take advantage of this educational opportunity,” noting it marked the first time a national candidate has visited the city in 40 years.

Whereas, at the McCain rally:

A local school district official confirmed after the event that of the 6,000 people estimated by the fire marshal to be in attendance this morning, more than 4,000 were bused in from schools in the area. The entire 2,500-student Defiance School District was in attendance, the official said, in addition to at least three other schools from neighboring districts, one of which sent 14 buses.

With the Chester rally, cla$$es were just canceled in order to let people who wanted to go, go. Not so much with the McCain event.

Kathy,
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You are talking apples and oranges when it comes to chester. Schools were let out so parents could have the option of taking their kids to the rally. And if they did the parents were there to put everything in context or if they didnt like it they could leave in objection. However in the situation yesterday there was no option. The kids HAD to go and there was no parental filter there with them. Now I personally wouldnt want my kids to go to an Obama rally with out me either. Its important for kids to have some body to put things into context for them and in that situation they only have their teacher who might be for or against the candidate which will color their opinion. So what it boils down to for me is that its wrong period not to give the kids an option of not going on a field trip no matter who they are going to see. And my comment about FoxNews was just pointing out the reality of how this situation would be colored if the shoe were on the other foot.

Im going to test fate again with another long post lol

They should have been able to object because they disagreed politically with McCain?

As a parent, I should have the right to disagree with my kid going on the trip. As my seven year old said, “Wow, those kids are such political props. Are they getting paid minimum wage at least?” [I felt a proud, parental lump in my liberal throat. Oy.]

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As a taxpayer, I am wondering what the cost to the district is of not getting federal education reinbursement dollars for each student an entire elected non-national holiday off of school, since it’s unlikely they account for snow days in their school calendar year, and how this decision was made, was it made by the school board, and if so, was it properly noticed before a public vote.

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Cause I’m just that kind of a taxpayer.

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Hey, my post disappeared….
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Anyway, there’s a difference between the Obama event in Chester and the McCain rally in Defiance: The Chester superintendent canceled classes to allow people to attend, while more than 4000 were bused in to fill the seats for McCain.

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Casey Morris: Cause I’m just that kind of a taxpayer.
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Well, yeah…Transport alone costs money, at the very least.

A tingle will go up McCain’s leg.

Have the Sheriffs changed the rules again? I can’t even see whether my last comment even made it into moderation.

Off topic here is a guy from “The New Republic” proclaiming the McCain campaign to be the dirtiest in recent history.
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http://canwest.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/canwest-tnr-pub01-live/current/launch.html?maven_playerId=tnrallsmall&maven_referralObject=3172912

Obama +17 in New Mexico PPP poll released today. Bush state in 2004. That’s 17 as in almost 20. I can’t even process that. The west is flat-out crumbling for Republicans.

OK, I give up. Again.

g_crush, There was another article in the Inquirer that day specifically about the school closing and the superintendent said his primary reason was safety. He was concerned that the number of people expected would hamper bus and foot transportation and “decided to blow a snow day and hope for a mild winter.” The article also details the objections from the GOP chair of a nearby area.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/33431294.html

Arrrgh. Wonder if a quote from the Chester school supt. about b!ow a snow day put me into moderation.
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Sigh

Can you imagine if O took NM, CO and MT and only WY prevented a straight blue line up the map?

pourme,

Guess whats funny about that New Mexico poll. Today on Morning Joe, Scarborough was touting a poll of New Mexico done by a company that had NEVER done a poll of New Mexico before and THAT poll had the race dead even in New Mexico. Scarborogh kept pushing it until Chuck Todd came in and rained on his parade.

Anybody want to bet that General Petraeus is going to vote for Obama?
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http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=6148650&page=1
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ABC News has learned, Petraeus proposed visiting Syria shortly after taking over as the top U.S. commander for the Middle East.

The idea was swiftly rejected by Bush administration officials at the White House, State Department and the Pentagon.

Petraeus, who becomes the commander of U.S. Central Command (Centcom) Friday, had hoped to meet in Damascus with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Petraeus proposed the trip, and senior officials objected, before the covert U.S. strike earlier this week on a target inside Syria’s border with Iraq.

Officials familiar with Petraeus’ thinking on the subject say he wants to engage Syria in part because he believes that U.S. diplomacy can be used to drive a wedge between Syria and Iran. He plans to continue pushing the idea.

Stuck in moderation.
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My basic premise is there is an article out that Gen Petraeus wants to use diplomacy with Syria but Bush vetoed him and I said Petraeus is going to vote for Obama. Hopefully once my post gets emancipated you will see what I mean

@sgwhite – Ha! Getting beat is one thing, but realignment is quite another. If this election throws a bunch of blue paint across the west – that means Democrats won’t have to keep dredging up milquetoast southern Governors to win. Whole new ballgame.

Coffee: the name Udall comes to mind.

Kathy;

Defiance, Ohio school bylaws prohibit school funds (ie, gas and drivers for the school buses) spent on field trips to political events, or for political events to take place on school grounds during school hours:

One of the primary purposes of the school is to create an environment that will permit students to grow and develop. To be of maximum effect, this environment must extend to both the formal academic program as well as to the many extra-curricular activities sponsored by the school. Because of the ages of the students and the significance of the task, it is important that this environment be protected from interference by external, sometimes coercive or disruptive, forces and influences that do not substantially contribute to the learning process.

Nonschool related activities, including political activities, do not contribute to a positive learning climate and may be disruptive, divisive and distracting. Therefore, such activities are not appropriate within the school setting. It is the Board of Education’s intention to regulate such activities on all Board owned or used property, within all school buildings, and at all school sponsored activities.

What they did was illegal.

I assume that a substantial electoral victory equals subsequent Democratic gerrymandering opportunities. I actually oppose that in the rational part of my head, but I’ve roped off that section temporarily while I gloat.

ATTENTION SWAMPLANDERS:Next Wednesday will be a difficult days as there will be no tracking polls, no horse race, etc. Prepare for this:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/166535

Andy,
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I won’t lie I know I am going to have withdrawal next week. I don’t know how I got hooked but I did. But ill go through a 12 step program as long as Obama wins

Andy, I realized how bad it is for me with the withdrawal symptoms I had when Swampland crashed last week.
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As long as Obama wins, there will still be things to talk about. If the unimaginable happens and McCain wins, I am going to withdraw into a cave.
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If Obama wins, we can go on to dither about cabinet appointments, for example!

Andy, and everyone else, please ignore anything I may write next Wednesday. I will be drunk.

Everything can be referenced to the Big Lebowski:

Walter: “They send us a [tape of bin Laden], we’re supposed to sh!t our- selves with fear [and vote for McCain].”

Amateurs

Per kids being bused to a McCain rally (late to the party, I know).
In general, it would be great to have my daughter attend such an event, but not this specific one. And not for any differences in opinion. I would not want my child to believe that a debate, an exchange of ideas, can be won through derision or anger- it is a bad life lesson. I want my child to be thoughtful, inclusive, considerate and respectful. Frankly, I think this event would tell her that the opposite is OK, as long as you get what you want.

I think there’s a difference between having kids watch, say, an inauguration, and watching a political rally. A political rally is propaganda.

Also, if I had kids, I wouldn’t want them exposed to the kind of language they would hear at a Palin/McCain rally.

Any chance that this year the MSM, knowing what Bin Laden does before every election in an effort to manipulate our system, will simply not give the guy air time? Why do we jump to his tune? Why promote the stupidity and viciousness of a known killer and terrorist? I simply can’t see the “news” value of helping Bin Laden spread his poison.

My wife and I already voted early for Obama. We live in the Tampa, FL area. I hope Obama wins Florida which would almost guarantee an Obama victory early Tuesday night. But I am not taking an Obama win for granted. I have encouraged friends and family to vote early and I have made donations to the campaign. I just hope all of the newly registered young people come out and vote this year. Early voting suggests this group has not been voting in large numbers yet.

I don’t see how a tape from OBL or an attack helps the Republicans. That would just remind voters of how Bush was in charge for the 911 attack and how he still has not found OBL.

CP,

I am in tampa too and I already voted. How long did it take you to vote when you went? It took me about an hour and a half. I just saw a live shot of Atlanta GA where they say the wait is 8 hours long.

For some reason, my posts are being removed. I’m not saying anything offensive or controversial, so I’m puzzled.

As for as bin laden, who cares? Nothing can save McCain now.

Obama/Biden 08

sgwhiteinfla,
It only took about 15 minutes to vote last week. But this year they closed all but 3 early voting locations in Pinellas county (pop. around 1 million). Can you say Republican voter suppression? There are no early voting locations close to the northern part of the county. Needless to say I voted against the Republican supervisor of elections.

There is something wrong if the line is 8 hours long in Atlanta GA. They need to have more early voting locations everywhere there is early voting. This is a tactic used by the Republicans to disenfranchise the electorate.

CP in FL -

What are the odds of election officials in Atlanta being Republicans?

Never rule out the possibility of plain old-fashioned incompetence.