POLITICAL ROUNDUP
The October Surprises?
You know it's coming. You know it is: ["U.S. military 'sure' of catching bin Laden this year"].
But the Democrats seem united in defeating Bush: ["In Full Voice Against Bush"]. Here is a great line here by Blumenthal:
Lieberman lands another newspaper endorsement
Joe Lieberman lands the endorsement of the largest Arizona newspaper, the Arizona Republic, which calls on residents to "be bold."
The union-busting Detroit Free Press and the Santa Fe New Mexican endorsed Kerry yesterday:
Arabs back Kucinich
Two-thirds of the Arab-American Political Action Committee voted to endorse Dennis Kucinich: ["Arab-American Political Group Endorses Kucinich"]. Arabs are a large voting bloc in Michigan, a Feb. 3 state.
Kucinich and the Rev. Al Sharpton were pretty good in the debate last night, with MSNBC's Tom Brokaw actually taking them seriously. Kucinich, who has millions in the bank, seems to be taken the turtle vs. the hare route. If all the other candidates drop out early, he could stay in and reap 20 to 25 percent of future primaries, like Jerry Brown did in 1992. It probably won't win him the nomination, but he could have an impact at the convention.
Dean stays cocky
Victories? We don't need no stinkin' victories: ["Dean Says He Doesn't Need Feb. 3 Victories"] and ["Dean Aims for Delegates and Tries to Calm Donors"]. Technically, he is right. Dean can post second- and third-place finishes in primaries, collect delegates, and still be in the race for the nomination. But if Kerry sweeps and Dean places second or third, there will be problems. And none of them really took on Kerry in the debate last night. Somebody needs to start cutting Kerry in order to weaken him ... and it can't be the Republicans. They only make Kerry look electable.
Greens debate
In some states, the Greens have primary candidates too: ["Green Party candidates find common ground"].
Polls
The Kansas City Star posted new polls from Missouri the day before yesterday: John Kerry 25 percent, John Edwards 9 percent, Howard Dean 6 percent, Wesley Clark at 3 percent, Joe Lieberman at 2 percent, with both Dennis Kucinich and the Rev. Al Sharpton at 1 percent. Dick Gephardt is still on the ballot in Missouri and is polling at 3 percent. The rest are undecided.
Survey USA also has a new poll from Missouri: Kerry with 41 percent, Edwards and Dean with 17 percent, and with Clark dropping to 8 percent.
Zogby has a bunch of new polls from Feb. 3 states: Kerry with a solid 45 percent, Edwards at 11, Dean has 9 percent, Lieberman with 4, Clark with 3, Sharpton at 2, and Kucinich at 1 percent. Clark, from neighboring Arkansas, has said he can win in the Midwest. Most of Gephardt's people have gone to Kerry.
But in Oklahoma, Clark does have a lead with 27 percent, Kerry at 19, Edwards close with 17 percent, Dean at 9, Lieberman at 5, Sharpton and Kucinich at 1 percent.
In Arizona, Kerry takes the lead: 38 percent, Clark at 17, Dean at 12, Lieberman and Edwards at 6 percent, Kucinich 2, and Sharpton at 1 percent.
Lastly, from South Carolina, Edwards and Kerry are at the top, 25 to 24 percent, Dean at 9 percent, Clark at 8 percent, and Lieberman and Sharpton at 5 percent.
Other stuff
Weird stuff going on in Oklahoma City bombing case: ["Langan to testify at Nichols trial, name others in OKC bombing"].
The October Surprises?
You know it's coming. You know it is: ["U.S. military 'sure' of catching bin Laden this year"].
But the Democrats seem united in defeating Bush: ["In Full Voice Against Bush"]. Here is a great line here by Blumenthal:
Al Gore chose [Lieberman] as his running mate partly because of this moralistic posturing. His smug cultural conservatism repelled alienated younger voters and sent them in Ralph Nader's direction. Lieberman served almost as a genial sidekick to Dick Cheney in their debate. During the Florida contest he publicly conceded, without ever consulting anyone, the Republicans' fraudulent overseas ballots (the so-called "Thanksgiving stuffing"), which cost Gore the presidency. On election night in New Hampshire, Lieberman called Kerry "out of the mainstream", and for old time's sake attacked "the entertainment industry".And who could miss this hilarious piece by rightwing hottie Bernadette Malone: ["The Party’s Just Beginning"].
What a difference from the Howard Dean campaign, where you could see the true belief on every volunteer's face. Here at Kerry's party, smirking rich preppie kids — straight out of the Abercrombie & Fitch catalogue, but clothed — milled around the doorway to the ballroom, visions of their own White House offices dancing in their heads. Burberry scarves, Boston Red Sox baseball caps, trendy eyeglasses probably from Oliver Peoples — I felt like I was at a Boston University tailgate party. Oh, and the smell of beer — every Boston Irish Democrat had driven 45 minutes north to the victory party, and had a drink in hand. (With a name like mine, I can say that.)And here's David Corn's view, a last note about New Hampshire: ["Ten Talking Points on New Hampshire"].
"Wait till they find out he's not Irish," a tall gentleman standing next to me said. "They'll all be out of here." He was referring to the fact Kerry pretended to be Irish for more than 20 years in Massachusetts politics, when in truth his family name was "Kohn" and they were Austrian Jews. What a nut-ball thing to do. How embarrassing for the candidate who will likely be the Democratic presidential nominee. Hmmmmm.......
Lieberman lands another newspaper endorsement
Joe Lieberman lands the endorsement of the largest Arizona newspaper, the Arizona Republic, which calls on residents to "be bold."
Lieberman embraces the economic and social ideas and ideals that are central to the Democratic Party's middle-class base. It's a base that doesn't erect protectionist barriers to free trade. It understands that a tariff on steel imports places a hidden tax on every refrigerator, on every automobile that an American buys. Lieberman, alone among the Democratic candidates, steadfastly supports the decision to oust Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. He defends the selected use of U.S. military power to defend national security and to accomplish moral international goals - in Kuwait in 1991, in Bosnia and Kosovo. Most Americans share that opinion.Kerry gets two too
The union-busting Detroit Free Press and the Santa Fe New Mexican endorsed Kerry yesterday:
The Democrats need a candidate who can turn the cathode-ray gun on the Republicans… Kerry, a Navy lieutenant, had little time for the long knives wielded among the higher ranks; he was being shot at by snipers along the Mekong River. A Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts attest to his bravery. No Republican of sound mind will call Kerry’s character into question…he offers America’s Democratic majority the best chance of winning the popular – and electoral – vote.Kerry also has a 2 p.m. "major endorsement" announcement today. Will it be Dick Gephardt?
Arabs back Kucinich
Two-thirds of the Arab-American Political Action Committee voted to endorse Dennis Kucinich: ["Arab-American Political Group Endorses Kucinich"]. Arabs are a large voting bloc in Michigan, a Feb. 3 state.
Many in the community, who supported Bush in 2000, in part based on electability, feel betrayed "and don't want to vote for someone who calls our group terrorists," Siblani said. But once the Democratic candidate is elected, he said the community will throw its support behind him.The editor of Truthout.org becomes his new press secretary: http://members.audiogenerator.com/postcards/?2321401.
Kucinich and the Rev. Al Sharpton were pretty good in the debate last night, with MSNBC's Tom Brokaw actually taking them seriously. Kucinich, who has millions in the bank, seems to be taken the turtle vs. the hare route. If all the other candidates drop out early, he could stay in and reap 20 to 25 percent of future primaries, like Jerry Brown did in 1992. It probably won't win him the nomination, but he could have an impact at the convention.
Dean stays cocky
Victories? We don't need no stinkin' victories: ["Dean Says He Doesn't Need Feb. 3 Victories"] and ["Dean Aims for Delegates and Tries to Calm Donors"]. Technically, he is right. Dean can post second- and third-place finishes in primaries, collect delegates, and still be in the race for the nomination. But if Kerry sweeps and Dean places second or third, there will be problems. And none of them really took on Kerry in the debate last night. Somebody needs to start cutting Kerry in order to weaken him ... and it can't be the Republicans. They only make Kerry look electable.
Greens debate
In some states, the Greens have primary candidates too: ["Green Party candidates find common ground"].
Polls
The Kansas City Star posted new polls from Missouri the day before yesterday: John Kerry 25 percent, John Edwards 9 percent, Howard Dean 6 percent, Wesley Clark at 3 percent, Joe Lieberman at 2 percent, with both Dennis Kucinich and the Rev. Al Sharpton at 1 percent. Dick Gephardt is still on the ballot in Missouri and is polling at 3 percent. The rest are undecided.
Survey USA also has a new poll from Missouri: Kerry with 41 percent, Edwards and Dean with 17 percent, and with Clark dropping to 8 percent.
Zogby has a bunch of new polls from Feb. 3 states: Kerry with a solid 45 percent, Edwards at 11, Dean has 9 percent, Lieberman with 4, Clark with 3, Sharpton at 2, and Kucinich at 1 percent. Clark, from neighboring Arkansas, has said he can win in the Midwest. Most of Gephardt's people have gone to Kerry.
But in Oklahoma, Clark does have a lead with 27 percent, Kerry at 19, Edwards close with 17 percent, Dean at 9, Lieberman at 5, Sharpton and Kucinich at 1 percent.
In Arizona, Kerry takes the lead: 38 percent, Clark at 17, Dean at 12, Lieberman and Edwards at 6 percent, Kucinich 2, and Sharpton at 1 percent.
Lastly, from South Carolina, Edwards and Kerry are at the top, 25 to 24 percent, Dean at 9 percent, Clark at 8 percent, and Lieberman and Sharpton at 5 percent.
Other stuff
Weird stuff going on in Oklahoma City bombing case: ["Langan to testify at Nichols trial, name others in OKC bombing"].
Among those Langan said he would implicate are White Aryan Resistance leader Dennis Mahon; a former paramilitary trainer at Elohim City, Andreas Strassmeir; former Aryan Nations leader Mark Thomas; and former ARA members Michael Brescia and Kevin McCarthy.Maybe they know about John Doe #2. Is he Jose Padilla?
