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Abortion: 'Issue of Our Day'?

40 Days for Life, a national pro-life campaign, is focusing its efforts on the only abortion provider in Mississippi, the National Women's Health Organization in Fondren. Described as "a unique approach to ending abortion," the campaign will hold a prayer vigil outside the clinic from Sept. 24 through Nov. 2.

Survey USA Instant Poll: Show Must Go On

Survey USA wasted no time taking America's pulse on McCain's latest bombshellAmerica's First Reaction: Friday's McCain-Obama Debate Should Still Be Held On Friday, But Perhaps with New Focus: Immediately after John McCain's announcement 3 pm ET today, Wednesday 09/24/08, that he was suspending his campaign and seeking to postpone Friday's schedule presidential debate, SurveyUSA interviewed 1,000 adults nationwide. Key findings:

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Hosemann, Commit to Fair Elections

In recent years, the role of the secretary of state was handled in a fair-handed and relatively apolitical way by Eric Clark, a conservative Democrat who seemed to focus on good governance and efficiency when it came to handling elections.

McCain's Debate Stunt Doesn't Impress

No one at an afternoon panel at Ole Miss' Overby Center was willing to stick up for John McCain's plan to ditch the debate. Former Gov. William Winter, Jackson City Council President Leslie McLemore and former Mississippi Republican Party chairman Clarke Reed were scheduled to discuss party realignment in the South, and they mostly stuck to that subject, except to express their disapproval of McCain's stunt.

[Mott] Progress or Repression?

Marching down Constitution Avenue to protest the Vietnam War and to support the Equal Rights Amendment was a rite of passage for me. In early 1970s Washington, D.C., if you weren't marching for something, you just weren't hip.

Debate "Going Forward," Khayat Says

Official statement from Chancellor Robert Khayat posted on The University of Mississippi Web site:

The University of Mississippi is going forward with the preparation for the debate. We are ready to host the debate, and we expect the debate to occur as planned. At present, the University has received no notification of any change in the timing or venue of the debate. We have been notified by the Commission on Presidential Debates that we are proceeding as scheduled. We will keep you posted as information becomes available.

Ole Miss: Debate Is Still On

Official Statement From Chancellor's Office

The University of Mississippi is going forward with the preparation for the debate. We are ready to host the debate, and we expect the debate to occur as planned. At present, the University has received no notification of any change in the timing or venue of the debate. We have been notified by the Commission on Presidential Debates that we are proceeding as scheduled.

Quiz: What Mississippi Legend is Calling Sarah Palin ‘White Trash'?

The JFP will tell you a bit later today on our brand, spanking new Debate-Politics Blog. Stay tuned.

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WJTV Defends Web Poll Focusing on Obama's Race

Two polls on the Web site of Jackson CBS affiliate WJTV reveal an inordinate focus on Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's race. The first poll deals with Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain and his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. It asks respondents to describe themselves as voting for or against "the McCain-Palin ticket" because of one of three issues: "their positions on issues," their Republican affiliation or Palin herself.

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Just In Time for the Debates, a ‘Pro-Baby, Anti-Palin' Onesy!

Leave it to Portland ... (verbatim): With less than two months to go in a hotly-contested, too-close-to-call race for president, the creators of the popular "President Poopyhead" and "I Already Know More Than The President" baby t-shirts are hitting the presses again, this time in support of the Democratic ticket. Fans of Baby Wit's hip political gear can choose from five original styles of Election 08 t-shirts now available at http://www.Babywit.com. The "Obamarama" tee features the democratic contender in a Tony Manero disco-fever suit (starting at $26), the "What Would Obama Do" tee stars Obama as Jesus Christ (starting at $26), the "Team Obama" tee sports a 70s-inspired, distressed logo screen printed on a soft, heather-grey gym tee (starting at $21), and "Obama, Baby!" is a close-up of the democratic hopeful (starting at $21). Obama tees are available in sizes for baby, toddler, women, and men. "Pro-Woman, Anti-Palin" baby one-pieces featuring a devilish Sarah Palin are available in both pink and blue (starting at $26).

Parties, Debates, Meetups, Oh My! ... JFP Debuts Political Events Calendar

Just in time for the Big Debate (or Big Deflate as Adam Lynch is calling it since McCain called for a time-out), the JFP has launched both a new Politics Blog, as well as devoted a section of our JFP Events calendar to politics-related listings. Here's the fun part: You can add your own events, from debate watch parties to meetups you want to invite the public to. And regardless of your party. Even if you're a McCain fan (boo, hiss). So bring 'em on, and let's put the fun back into politics.

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'So Be It': Ballot 'Trick' Fails

The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled last week that the U.S. Senate race between Roger Wicker and Ronnie Musgrove should appear near the top of the general election ballot, ending a controversy that attracted national attention and stirred accusations of partisanship on both sides.

Michelle Obama: Have a Debate Party!

OK, it's just a campaign letter, but here is what Michelle Obama sent out today about the Friday debate, verbatim, of course:

Ole Miss, Warts and All

An article in today's New York Times deviates a bit from the standard narrative on Ole Miss and the debate. It provides some counterpoint to the several versions of "Look how far they've come!" I've seen in the mainstream media thus far, in the Washington Post (twice), the Wall Street Journal and on NPR.

The Poop on the Oxford Debate

To keep up with specifics (and find out about ticket and media info, event schedules and the like), check out the Ole Miss Presidential Debate Site. The main UM debate site is here, and the Commission for Presidential Debates is here.

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