Democratic Blogs

Sunday Open Thread

News from the DNC blog - Sun, 10/05/2008 - 10:18

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Categories: Democratic Blogs

Joe Biden: We can’t do it alone

DCCC Blog - Sat, 10/04/2008 - 23:26

Senator Joe Biden sent the following message to DCCC supporters: 

Dear Friend,

We have our work cut out for us over the next 31 days until Election Day.

We've got to make sure the American people know that John McCain and the Republicans are the same crowd that got us into this mess and, if we entrust them with power for four more years, we'll get the same result.

Barack and I will fight for every vote, but we can't do it alone.

The last few weeks have proven we will need more Democrats in Congress to make the kind of lasting change America deserves. My friends at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee need your help for the more than 75 races in play nationwide that will build the foundation for our victory.

Many of their proud Democratic candidates are literally under attack by the Republicans and their outside groups with relentless and misleading ads. The stakes could not be higher - without your help - we may well lose key opportunities for critical House gains - in seats we could have won.

The DCCC is trying to raise $2 million more for their October Emergency Media Fund to purchase additional ad time to help defend Democratic candidates under siege by Republican smears and help elect more Democrats to Congress.

Make a donation of $35, $50, or more today to the October Emergency Media Fund.

George Bush has broken the American promise that if you work hard and play by the rules, your tomorrows can be better than your yesterdays. Barack Obama and I are ready to renew the American promise.

But we'll need more Democrats in Congress who share our commitment to ending Karl Rove's politics and George Bush's policies.

What you do - or don't do - between now and Election Day will decide this election. Please act now.

Make a donation and help bring real change to this country!

This week is the ultimate test of Democrats' strength - we will be judged on how we respond to Republican attacks - help my friends at the DCCC get everything they need for our candidates so they will never back down.

McCain-Palin and the Republicans in Congress are promising another four more years of George W. Bush, and we simply cannot afford that.

Let's pull out all the stops and drive to victory.

All the best,

Joe

P.S. Right now, it's more important than ever to show our strength. With less than 72 hours to go, the DCCC is just $1.2 million short of their ambitious October 7th goal. Contribute $35, $50, or more before midnight Tuesday.

Categories: Democratic Blogs

Saturday Open Thread

News from the DNC blog - Sat, 10/04/2008 - 15:13

Watch this powerful new video on the mounting job losses.

We cannot afford more of the same.

Chat away...

Categories: Democratic Blogs

DCCC Memo: The Impact of McCain’s Michigan Departure on Key Congressional Races in MI-07, MI-09

DCCC Blog - Fri, 10/03/2008 - 22:11

DCCC Communications:

Re: The Impact of McCain's Michigan Departure on Key Congressional Races in MI-07, MI-09

In a major blow to the candidacies of Representatives Tim Walberg (MI-07) and Joe Knollenberg (MI-09), the presidential campaign of John McCain has abandoned the state of Michigan.

According to the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza, "It's clear from looking at the trend lines that polling was getting worse in the Wolverine State as the focus turned more and more to the economy. The economic hard times in Michigan are as bad as any in the country; the continued collapse of the auto industry has ground the Michigan economy to a virtual halt." [The Washington Post, 10/02/08]

In this economy, both Congressman Walberg and Congressman Knollenberg will pay a heavy price at the polls this November for blindly supporting President Bush's failed economic agenda that got us into our current crisis that has squeezed families with soaring energy and health care costs, and skyrocketing unemployment.

In addition to President Bush's policies that have devastated Michigan's economy, another key factor in Senator McCain's decision was the Democrats' unprecedented ground game across the state.  The Peters and Schauer campaigns and their supporters have built the largest congressional field campaigns in Michigan's history.

The same factors that led Senator McCain to abandon Michigan are going to cost Congressmen Walberg and Knollenberg their seats in November.

Categories: Democratic Blogs

Evening Open Thread

News from the DNC blog - Fri, 10/03/2008 - 20:02

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Categories: Democratic Blogs

Gov. Howard Dean on MSNBC

News from the DNC blog - Fri, 10/03/2008 - 17:47

Watch Democratic National Committee chairman Gov. Howard Dean on MSNBC this afternoon:

Categories: Democratic Blogs

Twice as Many Jobs Cut in September

News from the DNC blog - Fri, 10/03/2008 - 15:15

And John McCain wants four more years of this?

Employers cut 159,000 jobs in September, more than twice as many as in August or July, the Labor Department reported. It was the biggest monthly decline since 2003, when the economy was still losing jobs in the wake of the 2001 recession.

Forecasters had been expecting a loss of about 100,000 jobs in September.

Categories: Democratic Blogs

Afternoon Open Thread

News from the DNC blog - Fri, 10/03/2008 - 13:22

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Categories: Democratic Blogs

Former Freddie Mac Lobbyist Now McCain's Senate Aide

News from the DNC blog - Fri, 10/03/2008 - 12:05

Washington Post reports that Mark Buse, the former staff director for McCain's Senate Commerce Committee in 2001 and 2002, lobbied for Freddie Mac and is now back on the McCain payroll in his Senate office.

When mortgage giant Freddie Mac feared several years ago that Sen. John McCain was too outspoken on the issue of executive pay, it pinpointed a lobbyist known for his closeness to McCain and hired him to work with the senator.

Mark Buse, a longtime McCain adviser who had been staff director of the Senate commerce committee, signed on as a Freddie Mac lobbyist, and his firm, ML Strategies, earned $460,000 in lobbying fees in late 2003 and 2004, according to lobbying disclosures. Buse is now chief of staff at McCain's Senate office.

While McCain made noise about executive pay, as chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, he did not hold any hearings on the matter due to "lack of jurisdiction," his campaign says.

McCain continued to talk about the compensation issue. But inside Freddie Mac, Buse's effort was viewed as "hugely successful," a former Freddie Mac lobbyist said. "The statements didn't go away completely, but in terms of Senator McCain doing anything about it, it just never materialized. As far as I know, Buse was the only person working that issue for Fannie or Freddie, so he got a lot of credit internally for the results." [emphasis added]

And McCain's relationship to Buse?

Buse was nicknamed "The Ferret" because he helped his boss, McCain, find pork-barrel provisions buried in legislation. McCain has said he considered Buse to be like a son.

Buse left the commerce committee staff to lobby, signing on clients as diverse as oil giant Exxon Mobil, Wall Street firm Goldman Sachs and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, according to the government records. He also represented telecommunications clients affected by the committee.

Buse returned to McCain's office this year as chief of staff.

Wasn't it John McCain who said that "access is influence"?

Categories: Democratic Blogs

''Can't Explain''

News from the DNC blog - Fri, 10/03/2008 - 11:17

Last night at the vice presidential debate, Senator Joe Biden informed the American public on what John McCain plans to do with healthcare -- deregulate it like he deregulated the financial industry and then tax health benefits to pay for a $5,000 tax credit per family that will not even cover half of the healthcare costs of the average American family.

Watch the latest national television ad entitled, "Can't Explain."

Categories: Democratic Blogs

Morning Open Thread

News from the DNC blog - Fri, 10/03/2008 - 10:23

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Categories: Democratic Blogs

Evening Open Thread

News from the DNC blog - Thu, 10/02/2008 - 18:50

Don't forget -- Vice Presidential Debate tonight at 9PM Eastern. Until then, chat away...

Categories: Democratic Blogs

Kissell Leading by 11 Points in New NC-08 Poll

DCCC Blog - Thu, 10/02/2008 - 16:23

DCCC Press:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released a new Greenberg, Quinlan, Rosner poll today conducted September 28-29 that shows Larry Kissell leading Representative Robin Hayes by 11 points in the race for North Carolina's 8th congressional District. The initial head to head between Democrat Larry Kissell and Republican Robin Hayes is 54% to 43%. The poll surveyed 400 likely voters and has a 4.9% margin of error.

The 8th Congressional District shows a strong Democratic lean, with Barack Obama leading John McCain by 12 points (54%-42%) and Democratic Senate Candidate Kay Hagan leading Elizabeth Dole by 14 points (55%-41%). 8th District voters also believe that Larry Kissell will do a better job on the economy than Robin Hayes and that Kissell is more likely to stand up for North Carolina's workers.

"This poll shows that Larry Kissell is continuing to connect with voters in the district and that North Carolinans know he shares their concerns," said Kyra Jennings, Southern Regional Press Secretary at the DCCC. "While Robin Hayes has stood with President Bush to cast the deciding votes on unfair trade deals such as CAFTA and sent jobs overseas, voters know that Larry Kissell will always stand up for them."

RACES CENTER: Latest NC-08 updates and DCCC TV ads >>

Categories: Democratic Blogs

Notice a Pattern?

News from the DNC blog - Thu, 10/02/2008 - 15:25

John McCain meeting with the Des Moines Register:

In an interview with the editorial board of The Des Moines Register earlier this week, McCain was asked about Palin's apparent lack of experience and why he picked the Alaska governor.

McCain, who appeared irritable and at times sarcastic, told the newspaper that he disagrees with "your fundamental principle that she doesn't have the experience," and he's "so happy" the American people seem to be siding with him.

And last night on the floor of the United States Senate --

Let the record reflect that Barack Obama made the approach to John McCain tonight.

As the two shared the Senate floor tonight for the first time since they won their party nominations, Obama stood chatting with Democrats on his side of the aisle, and McCain stood on the Republican side of the aisle.

So Obama crossed over into enemy territory.

He walked over to where McCain was chatting with Republican Sen. Mel Martinez of Florida and Independent Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut. And he stretched out his arm and offered his hand to McCain.

McCain shook it, but with a “go away” look that no one could miss. He tried his best not to even look at Obama.

Finally, with a tight smile, McCain managed a greeting: “Good to see you.”

And to the Politico last night after the Senate vote on the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act --

We just followed McCain down the steps following the vote to ask him about the reaction of House Republicans to the vote.

He didn't appreciate the company.

McCain: "Excuse me, you're bothering me."

Politico: "I'm bothering you?"

McCain: "Excuse me, I have to go."

Anybody else noticing a pattern here?

Categories: Democratic Blogs

McCain's 100 Percent Absolute Truth?

News from the DNC blog - Thu, 10/02/2008 - 14:30

John McCain tells a lie to cover up all his other lies.

John McCain told the Des Moines Register this week that he always tells "100 percent absolute truth," even in campaign ads. There's one big problem with that bold statement: it's just not true.

We have a list of at least 80 fact checks calling out the lies pushed by John McCain since February. 80!

Update: Spoke too soon -- we've updated it to 81!

Categories: Democratic Blogs

Afternoon Open Thread

News from the DNC blog - Thu, 10/02/2008 - 13:42

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Categories: Democratic Blogs

Editorial Rips John McCain's Plan for Healthcare

News from the DNC blog - Thu, 10/02/2008 - 12:19

The latest Concord Monitor (NH) editorial ripped John McCain's 'plans' to "blow up" the current healthcare system that would leave far fewer Americans with insurance.

McCain would blow up the current system and ensure that fewer Americans are covered. He wants to eliminate the tax deduction employers get for providing health insurance. Instead, he would give tax credits to individuals and families to make it easier for them to purchase insurance on what he believes will be a new, bigger open market that will compete to lower health care costs. The credits would be $2,500 per individual and $5,000 per family.

There are more components to the McCain plan - portability of insurance from state to state, for example - but none would offset the enormous damage his on-your-own in a wide-open market approach would do.

McCain's "risky" plan would leave the average American family on the hook for thousands of dollars to cover their basic healthcare needs each year.

While the decades-old system of employer-sponsored health insurance has its shortcomings — many small businesses can’t afford to offer it — killing the tax exemption will lead to a stampede of large employers discontinuing their more affordable, group health plans. Those comprehensive plans cost more than $12,000 a year for the average family; with a tax credit of just $5,000, they’d be left to find $7,000 a year to buy comparable coverage. Put simply, the tax-credit scheme won’t work.

And since McCain likes to lie about taxes on the stump and in his attack ads, it is worth noting that McCain recently admitted that his healthcare plan would actually raise taxes on Americans to pay for it.

Categories: Democratic Blogs

Morning Open Thread

News from the DNC blog - Thu, 10/02/2008 - 10:24

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Categories: Democratic Blogs

Evening Open Thread

News from the DNC blog - Wed, 10/01/2008 - 20:06

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Categories: Democratic Blogs

Fmr. U.S. Amb. to Pakistan Disputes McCain's ''Failed State'' Claim

News from the DNC blog - Wed, 10/01/2008 - 16:16

At the first Presidential debate last Friday, John McCain claimed Pakistan was a "failed state" at the time of the coup that swept General Pervez Musharraf into power. William Milan, the former U.S. ambassador to Pakistan at the time of the coup disputed that claim in an e-mail to Matthew Yglesias.

There are a number of interesting books, including a forthcoming one by me, that cover the 1999 coup by the Musharraf-led army. You might want to look at those already published by Steve Cohen, Hasan Abbas, Hussain Haqqani (long before he became the present Pakistani Ambassador), and especially Ian Talbot’s updated history of Pakistan.

I think that all of them would agree that, while there were a lot of things wrong in Pakistan during the years leading up to the 1999 military takeover, Pakistan was not a failed state as we normally define such states. I am on record as stating publicly that, having come to Pakistan from Liberia a year before the takeover, I had a pretty good idea of what failed states look like, and it was not one. [emphasis added]

Categories: Democratic Blogs