McCain's $500-Welfare Rumor Is False
The Associated Press allowed Sen. John McCain to start a false rumor asserting "welfare" based on flatly false information, and that rumor is swirling. Per Media Matters:
Wall Street Journal Compiling ‘Obamacan' List
The Wall Street Journal has started a list of prominent Republicans who have endorsed Obama. Fascinating.
Who's the Better Dancer: Barack or Michelle?
Watch a very fun clip from the Ellen show; hat/tip Folo:
189,817 New Mississippi Voters Since Jan. 1
New Voter Registrations from January 01, 2008 – October 4, 2008:
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann's office has released the following update on the number of new registrations. Note that he advises you to check your registration with the Circuit Clerk's office if you registered when you got your license. We're not sure why.
McCain Camp Bummed at Lack of Third-Party Smear Money
Politico is reporting that third-party smear groups, such as the Swiftboat crowd, aren't likely to step forward to fill in McCain's money gap with ugly adsand resurrect Rev. Wright so McCain doesn't have toin the next two weeks:
Who Authorized Palin's $150,000 Makeover?
According to Marc Ambinder at Time, John McCain's campaign folks are squirming and defensive, now that Politico has broken the news (wonder how much that red leather jacket cost?) that the campaign spent more than $150,000 on Sarah Palin's clothes, makeup and hairin a time when the country could be facing a depression. Even Republicans are disgusted, Ambinder says. And we can be pretty sure that trying to blame the "liberal media" won't work this time. (Betcha lot of those Saks and Bloomingdale designer duds are made in China, to boot.)
Big AP Investigation Skewers Palin-the-"Reformer"
So much for all the mavericky "reformer" talk: the Associated Press is showing just how Gov. Sarah Palin has been bilking her own state for thousands of dollars. Lucky for Alaska that John McCain picked her; otherwise, they might not know just how un-reformish their governor really is. Gotta love the luxury hotel in New York for Bristol part. The long piece begins:
Palin: Vice President "In Charge of" the Senate (!?!)
Q: Brandon Garcia wants to know, "What does the Vice President do?"
Vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has now erroneously stated, twice, that the role of the vice president is to be "in charge of" the Senate. Watch the latest example here. Here's what she said:
PDFs of Documents Filed in U.S. v. Melton
Most recent filings are listed at the bottom.
Melton's Boys Come to His Defense
Additional reporting by Ward Schaefer
Three of Mayor Frank Melton's previous mentees, and the mother of another who died more than a decade ago, have filed affidavits in support of their mentor's efforts in what the U.S. Department of Justice believes was a drunken Aug. 26, 2006, double attack on a duplex at 1305 Ridgeway St. One of those affidavits, if true, indicates that federal agents have investigated the long-time rumors that Melton is involved in the city's drug trade, and had asked at least one of the young men to turn evidence on him.
ACORN: The Real Story, and McCain's Past Support
Updated with a good video below with the real ACORN story, and why false rumors are being spread.
Voter Fraud in California, Across the Country
The Los Angeles Times reported over the weekend that a Republican firm hired in many states to register voters is in big trouble:
Listen to McCain's Despicable ‘Robocall' to Voters
After acting at the last debate as if Bill Ayers didn't matter all that much, John McCain launched the following "robocall" (recorded message) to voters in many states today, creating yet another firestorm about his vicious and misleading campaign tactics. Take a listen.
How to Steal Back the Vote
A video message from Robert Kennedy Jr.:
Thousands of Manufacturing Jobs Cut in Mississippi
The Associated Press is reporting bad economic news for the state:
Barbour, Voter Intimidation Is Wrong, Cowardly
Gov. Haley Barbour is the latest Republican official to climb aboard the anti-voting sleaze machine and needs to climb off post-haste and do everything possible to ensure that every eligible Mississippi gets the opportunity to vote. This is no timethere is never a time, in factfor the governor of a state to play partisan politics with the electorate, but it seems that is exactly what our esteemed governor is doing.
Tuesday Conference Call & Webinar for Miss. Obama Volunteers
Verbatim from the Obama-Mississippi site:
Miss. Supreme Court Race Goes On
The Sun-Herald [http://www.sunherald.com/local/story/889609.html]is reporting that Bubba Pierce, the choice of the big business lobby, is far outpacing incumbent Oliver Diaz Jr. in fund-raising:
Yet Another Reason to Vote for Barack Obama
Do it for her:
Va. Sen. Jim Webb Stumping for Musgrove Today in Jackson
Just saw this on Folo:
Sen. Jim Webb is visiting Jackson, MS, today to do a fundraiser for Ronnie Musgrove and have a press conference in front of the War Memorial at 2 PM? They've issued a special invite to veterans ....
Help High School Journalism in Jackson
A high-school journalism revolution is coming in Jackson! Please click here to donate to the Jim Hill High School journalism program; they need $936 to buy basic supplies to get started. Also, please consider donating supplies (especially white paper, dry-erase markers and jump drives) to JAHSPA, the new Jackson Area High School Press Association. The Jackson Free Press is gathering the donations.
Unbelievable: McCain Calls Middle-Class Tax Cuts 'Welfare'
Mr. Keep-Trickling-Down-From-the-Rich McCain is calling middle-class tax cuts "welfare"! Does he truly think that the only real "tax cuts" are those for the very wealthy?!? Dallas Morning News:
The Story of Cindy McCain
It was heartbreaking that she had to go through several miscarriages alone because they lived apart.
There is a fascinating profile of Cindy McCain in the New York Times today, which includes details about her drug abuse and her role in Keating Five. Also, Rick Davis is *her* idea. Definitely worth a read.
Letterman Nails McCain on Friend G. Gordon Liddy
A must-watch: David Letterman put it to John McCain tonight not just on Sarah Palin, but on why McCain's friendship with terrorist G. Gordon Liddy is different from the Bill Ayers scare his campaign has whipped up. (And note McCain's cheap shot at ACORN again. Pathetic.) Watch:
A Rape Victim Speaks to Palin and McCain
This powerful ad is sweeping the Internet today, dedicated to Sarah Palin, who believes that rape victims are not entitled to a safe and legal abortion, should the crime leave her pregnant by the rapist. It ran on MSNBC last night after the debate. Please watch:
McCain Fund-Raiser Under Investigation for Iraq Contracts
New York Times:
Another Vetting Problem: ‘Uncommitted' Joe-the-Plumber A Registered Republican
Update: Turns out that "Joe" is actually "Samuel Joseph" and is a registered Republican (but says he's in the Natural Law Party); see comments for more weirdness.
Voters: Obama Wins Debate 53-22 (CBS); 58-31 (CNN)
Well, that's done. Well done, Obama. Well done.
Wash Post: The Reformer and his Free Cell-Phone Towers
The Washington Post is reporting that John McCain has a fresh ethics problem on his hands, even as he presents himself as a "reformer" of rampant ethics problems in Washington:
Childers-Davis Debate Live Online at 4:30 p.m.
This afternoon, Congressman Travis Childers will debate candidate Greg
White Men for Obama?
A long New York Times magazine feature by Matt Bai explores the question on everyone's mind: Can white men bring themselves to vote for Barack Obama in November? This is near the end:
Hey Media: This is Ohio, NOT Mississippi
As disgusted as I've been with the ugly race hatred that Sarah Palin has stirred up around the country, there is one tiny bright spot for me: The country is seeing how hypocritical they are when they pretend that racism is only in the South. Yes, we still have some, but they do, too. Gov. Palin is helping prove it. Here's a video of an Ohio Palin rally broadcast by Al Jazeera:
Don't Miss These Debate-Day Funnies
OK, they are only so funny, considering the serious implications of Sarah Palin (and now John McCain) anywhere near the White House, but enjoy anyway:
Watch McCain "Whip" Obama's "You-Know-What" Tonight at Hal & Mals
The Jackson Free Press is a co-sponsor of the final debate party tonight in the Red Room at Hal & Mals. (Click here for info.) Join us to watch John McCain deliver on his threat to Barack Obama: "After I whip his you-know-what in this debate, we're going to be going out 24/7," the Republican nominee told volunteers at his campaign headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, sparking laughter and applause from the group."
ACORN Strikes Back at Smear Campaign
And how. Verbatim:
WASHINGTON, DC -- In a press conference at the National Press Club yesterday, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) held a nationally televised press conference to discuss their successful nonpartisan voter registration drive, which helped register over 1.3 million low-income, minority, and young Americans this election year, and to respond to partisan allegations of "voter registration fraud" centering around a relatively small number of faulty or falsified registration applications collected in the nationwide effort. Representatives of ACORN were joined by leaders from the voting rights groups Common Cause and Demos, as well as by actual voters to testify to the importance of voter registration.
About Time: CNN Does "The Palins and the Fringe" Story
Over a month after the JFP story, "Palin and the Fringe," and about 10 days after Sarah Palin launched a vicious "terrorist" smear campaign against Barack Obama, CNN did a long piece today about the Palins' connections to the anti-government patriot movement in Alaska:
Obama Opens Up 14-Point Lead Due to Palin and Attacks
CBS News just announced the results of its latest poll, which finds that Barack Obama has opened up a 14-point lead over John McCain in one week, and has taken a commanding lead among independent voters. Voters cite the choice of Sarah Palin and the vicious attacks out of the McCain-Palin as primary reasons:
Watch the McCain-Palin Hateful Highlights
Here's a film that gathers many of the dark moments of the last week of McCain-Palin rallies into a documentary short:
McCain Hearts ACORN
John McCain is attacking Barack Obama by saying it is "bad judgment" to support ACORN. Ahem:
Anchorage Daily: Palin Embarrassing Alaska
Writing in response to Sarah Palin's proclamation that the damning Troopergate report "vindicates" her, the Anchorage Daily News editorial board hands their governor her ass on a platter, and calls her spin on the truth "Orwellian":
Andy Taggart Goes McCarthy on Obama
Oh, the times are growing desperate for Republican operatives, present and past. Over on his Ledger blog, Andy Taggart posted one of the most ridiculous, and chilling, things I've ever seen on the Ledger site (and that's saying something). Rather than actually reading and discussing Barack Obama's financial policies (perhaps in contrast with John McCain's for good measure), Taggart takes a comment out of context and does that ole-Mississippi-red-baiting thing that whites used to do all the time to black people (and their supporters) in this state:
Bloomberg: Obama's New Financial Plan
Per Bloomberg today:
Sen. Cochran: Mississippi ‘Suffers' If Earmarks Cut
The Clarion-Ledger buried the lead on their meeting with Sen. Thad Cochran today, reporting the, er, "news" that Cochran would support a fellow Republican as president and burying the juicy stuff at the bottom of the very shallow piece:
Christopher Hitchens Endorses Obama; Palin ‘National Disgrace'
The always-contrarian Christopher Hitchens writing in Slate the way pretty much only he can:
CQ: McCain Campaign ‘Dead Wrong' About Ayers-Obama
With the state of the nation, it's sad that we all have to spend time factchecking McCain-Palin lies, but here goes, thanks to CQ Politics:
172,787 Voters Registered in Mississippi Since January
Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann just released the number of new voters who have registered in Mississippi since the beginning of the year: 172,787, which means that current registered voters here as of today are: 1,873,740. Hosemann said in a statement: "We are pleased with the large turnout of voter registrations for the 2008 General Election," says Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann. "We would like to continue to encourage every eligible voter in Mississippi to make sure you cast your ballot on Tuesday, November 4th in the General Election.
Lose Your Home, Lose Your Vote?
[Verbatim] Today the voting rights group Project Vote sent letters to both major political parties in 10 statesAZ, CO, FL, GA, MO, NC, NM, NV, PA, and VAurging them to "oppose and refrain from" using lists of home foreclosures as the basis for "voter caging" operations. Project Vote also sent letters to secretaries of state in each of these states, outlining existing state and federal legal protections for voters, and urging election officials to "take all lawful steps" to protect foreclosure victims and other Americans from being disenfranchised based solely on returned mail or residency challenges.
Todd's Secret Poison Ring, and Other Fashion Statements
Check out the video of Bunny's Fashion Report from The Storyteller's Ball, in which I demonstrate how Todd's secret poison James Bond ring works. Tee, hee. (More Bunny reports here.)