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Giving Our All for GOTV
The first polls that close today will be in two states that traditionally discourage voter participation, Indiana and Kentucky. Polls in the eastern parts of both states at 6PM, making it more difficult for working people to vote. Both states have been very red and even Democrats tend to be conservative, like Indiana Senator Evan Bayh, if not down right reactionary like the Democrat running in Kentucky's second congressional district, Mike Weaver (a rabid and vicious homophobe). Evangelical and self-identified values voters have been powerful in both states.
The clearest indication of how tonight will turn out is to watch Kentucky's 2nd, 3rd and 4th CDs and Indiana's 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 8th and 9th CDs. All 8 districts have rubber stamp Republican incumbents. In Kentucky the Louisville metro area is represented by a not very impressive Anne Northup. Polls show a genuine progressive, John Yarmuth, beating her. Kentucky's 2nd and 4th are represented by far right extremists, Ron Lewis and Geoff Davis, and their Democratic challengers are about as far from progressive are still able to claim, with a straight face, to be a Democrat, Mike Weaver and Ken Lucas. If Kentuckians chose these two, it's just because they have had enough of the Republicans and it will be a signal that nationally the GOP can expect a catastrophic night across the country.
Indiana has 9 congressional districts and 7 of those are represented by Republicans. It is widely expected that that will change drastically this evening. Mostly like to face defeat are far right fanatics Chris Chocola (IN-02), John Hosteteller (IN-08) and Michael Sodrel (IN-09). If the 3 are defeated, it will signal definitively that values voters are indeed abandoning the Republicans. It will also signal that the Democrats are on their way to a 30 seat sweep. Joe Donnelly, Brad Ellsworth and Baron Hill are the 3 conservative Democrats contesting those seats. Less vulnerable, but not out of danger, are Mark Souder (IN-03) and Mike Pence (IN-06). If Tom Hayhurst beats Souder expect to see Republican loses in the 40's nationally. If Barry Welsh, the only actual progressive in the Indiana races, beats Mike Pence (who is not just a right wing extremist but also an up and coming GOP congressional leader) expect complete Republican disintegration tonight with losses beyond 50 seats.
By 3 PM on the West Coast we should start getting the early indications about how much of a rout the Republicans will suffer today. If you see Democrats like Tom Hayhurst and Barry Welsh doing well, the results in California will go well beyond Dirty Dick Pombo and could very well sweep away right wing garbage like John Doolittle, Buck McKeon and Mary Bono.
(thanks to cbl for the photo and no, it's not Kobe)
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Go Dems!
Thanks Howie, very helpful.
KOBE?!
Watch Mehlman start to complain about robo-poodle-calling….
Good work, mystery dog.
Oh god, I hope it goes well for us.
I hope that if we win the House back by even the tiniest margin that we (and the Dem leadership) will be ready with the correct label: POLITICAL MANDATE!
Go Ned!
Please Joe packing!
NOT Kobe? There are MORE dawgs out there who have higher IQs than Jr?
Well, of course, now that I think about it…
Thanks Howie. But I’m not sure you’re helping the incipient ulcers out here… ;->
Look the Sheik asked youse nicely to just return his toyboy - what is that so frikkin hard to understand!
I’m dissapointed in youse.
Clarification: Of course we will win the House (and I am quite confident on the Senate). We must get out there that this is a real mandate - a surging shift in the political aspirations of the nation.
Hiya Howie. Hope you’re well.
Richmond @ 7
We will have Political Capital to spend! And man will we go on a shopping spree!
Due to Diebold voting machine problems near Indianapolis, voting in Indiana will be extended till 8:40pm.
Go Ned! Go Dems!
DaleFromIndiana @ 14
yes! Ned will carry Indiana too!
My son, my wife and I just voted in Southern New Mexico.
There was a short line for our precinct when we got there, but we have a new paper ballot/optical scan voting system and I had no experience to gauge by. I asked the poll worker, she said, “It’s pretty heavy, we’re very happy.”
The heaviest voting in our precinct comes from 4 to 7 PM. Everything went very smoothly, aside from having to feed my ballot into a goddamned optical scanner whose programming hasn’t been verified by anyone I trust.
Go Democrats.
BC
Howie, thanks for the smooch.
Right back atcha!
————egregious
Here’s a Dark Side bellwether prediction post, from Novakula himself. Note the gratuitous Ambassador Joe Wilson reference as well!
While his predictions track wide of all others, Novak is watching some of the same races you are, Howie. You are our anti-Novakula!
http://www.humanevents.com/evansnovak.php?id=17896
Funny how it’s still called the Evans-Novak report. The dead and the undead….
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Had Enough?
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as a former resident of the “bloody eighth” i’ll be watching with pleasure to see the right-wing freak hostettler go down.
his opponent, ellsworth, ain’t exactly progressive, but given the constituency of that district, he’s an ideal choice to take down the gun-and-bible-totin’ hostettler…
punaise @ 15
Ned and FDl have already carried me a long, long way towards believing again
Music to Vote by: CCR’s “Fortunate Son” blasting through my house. Go Dems!!
From TeddySanFran’s linked Novak article, Novak picks Dems to win the House by 4 seats and lose the Senate; and then he says:
John Yarmuth has a huge progressive following, and he makes ALOT of sense. He’s been the only progressive voice for the longest time. Founder of the Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO). He sold it before he began campaigning and used to have a point / counterpoint radio show with John “I’ll brag on the radio in a national forum about my date’s private parts and other personal issues” Zieglar, now broadcasting in LA.
This vote will turn on the southend of the city, where I was born. Heavily blue collar (Ford hourly workers, UPS hourly workers, large Vietnamese, Russian and Mexican populations), financially conservative (people pay cash for everything), and very involved with their churches. I know these folks, and they’ve only voted R because of the GOP’s embracing the evangelicals / family values / etc. The nice thing is, these folks love their churches, but they prefer their heaven here on earth. Financial and job stability will bring the blue back to Louisville.
very surprised the site is so fast, nice work keeping it going
TeddySanFran @ 18
May his un-shadow never darken our doorsteps again!
The Evans-Novak-Lugosi Report?
Oh Teddy, Teddy. From that fabulous Novak link, the GOP has their talking points about why the Democrats might chalk up big wins:
I once heard a Republican say that the 50 state strategy scared the crap out of them, and that in the Democrats’ shoes that’s exactly what they’d be doing.
No wonder they want to pimp for the people who have no interest whatsoever in party building, and dump all the money parachuting second-rate quasi-Republican candidates into other districts. Nice to see Novak approves.
I thought you might want to check out Compete.com’s blog today that features information from a survey of people who have visited popular political websites in the past few months. It compares their claims to party affiliation to what their internet behavior says about them. Yesterday and Friday’s postings also look at traffic to popular political blogs and what that indicates. There are some interesting trends.
John Casper @ 22
Of course, the ReSmuglican establishment will try to pin the win on those least competant to do it again in the future… it makes perfect sense from a strategic perspective.
he he John Casper — I see that point leaps out at everyone.
Robert Novak, Concern Troll.
“So I’m sitting by the pool with Joe Wilson…”
Well that’s what lunch felt like anyway. That’s all I’m going to say about it. Back to election stuff.
AirportCat @ 26
Good one!
Novak really shouldnt attempt parody - he’s not very good at it.
John Casper @ 22
There’s your tell-tale lack of heart. As Mel Sembler hearts Tortureman, so Novak hearts RahmSchumer.
Teddy at 18 — and it’s soo cool to see Robert Novak talk about
Looky look, R’s are scared of Howard Dean! As well they should be. Howard, Howie, Jane, Christy, John Amato, Kos and the Kossacks — and *us*! We’re awesome! And we’re just starting :)
HotFlash @ 35
They always were, they just made a good show of pretending not to be. Now that they’re on the ropes, their motivations aren’t cloaked nearly as well.
Jane Hamsher @ 29
And neither Rahm or Chuck did jack for Ned, correct? I get the feeling there will still be loads of work to do even if we win big tonight. Go Ned!
ifthethunderdontgetya @
25
bdu @ 36
give ‘em enough rope….
bdu @ 36
from all of the problems I see allready occuring, I don’t think they think they are on the ropes
let’s wait to see the actual tally before we count any chickens
novak thinks howard dean is incompetent because he doesn’t lie like mehlman.
simply novak saying that is a huge tell. dems fighting for every seat scares the sh!t out of republicans. look how much money they had to spend just to defend “safe seats” this year.
I thought Novak provided an excellent counterpoint, an inside-the-Beltway six-feet-under picture of what passes for wisdom among the chatterati. You can bet Cokie Roberts’ enormous head was nodding when she read that aloud this morning over her gruel.
HotFlash @ 35
Looky look… — and *us*! We’re awesome! And we’re just starting :)
Right on HotFlash…
grrrr Who’s Next???
Jane Hamsher @ 30
He’d be more effective at it if he brushed his teeth so his mouth didn’t smell like goat.
me to me @ 40
Oh, I agree, no chicken-counting here. But regardless of how they lie, cheat, and steal their way through another election, the tide of public opinion is slowly but surely pulling their empire out to sea.
They may find a way to overcome the margins this time, but once you’ve opened up the box and seen the cat is dead, you cannot go back to an indeterminate state.
via Raw Story
Poodle POwer.
I’m here with Matt Browner Hasmlin at the AFL-CIO. I’m monitoring stuff from here for the rest of the evening.
TeddySanFran @ 42
Teddy you should be blogging this story.
bdu @ 45
Oh crap. Who killed Shroedinger’s cat?
kristinejoy @ 49
Umm, Frist would a likely suspect, yes?
I live in the 2nd congressional district in KY and have not seen a lot of Lewis yard signs this year. Ron Lewis. I live out in the country and the locals here are none too pleased with the republicans, and if they are not happy it will make for a LONG night for poor poor Ronny.
He needs to go find a real job as he is so pathetic at being a congressman.
Oh crap. Who killed Shroedinger’s cat?
it’s Schlesinger’s cat, and it’s busy scratching votes away from Joe.
clif @ 51
Hear, hear
kristinejoy @ 49
Just the facts, mam, just the facts.
punaise @ 46
Yes, but dressing a set like you’re a winner doesn’t make you one. Hey Joe, good news. You can finally book that cruise that Hadassah’s been talking about for years. Bon voyage!
MSNBC should be required to identify Joe Scarborough as “GOP ex-Congressman Joe Scarborough” all the time. And Tucker should always be tagged as “Frozen Dinner Heiress and Son of Scooter Libby Defense Fund Bigwig.”
Novak chose paper over plastic:
clif @ 51
Umm, I think there are a goodly number of congresscritters who are there because they couldn’t find a real job.
kristinejoy @ 49
You mean who peeked.
Personally, if we take the Senate, I want Howard Dean to ’scream’ again. Well, suppose not - they would play it forever and no one would get any work done, but I hope he has some sort of ‘party’ where everyone (except those *uckups in D.C.) give him the credit he deserves.
There is a man who did not sit down when told and wanted his country back more than he wanted friendship from D.C.
but I am, Blanche — I am!
(or did you mean not to hijack your thread??)
From Christy’s first thread:
This will piss you off.
Fox News: Lieberman’s Field Staff?
Just heard this story that came from one of our volunteers in Milford… apparently, he was the only person from any campaign pollstanding at a polling place in Milford earlier this morning. All of a sudden, two or three out-of-state Fox News vans (accompanied by a Fox News crew) pull up and unload a bunch of Lieberman lawn signs, placed right in front of the Lamont signs that had already been planted. And, what do you know, after a few more minutes, who shows up but Joe himself, ready for the cameras.
Who needs a field organization (or an advance team) when you’ve got Fox?
http://nedlamont.com/blog/2170.....ield-staff
Sorry punaise, I couldnt delete iot before I saw yours.
Strange image up at Drudge, the Capital building about to collapse forward on top of a shadow defined spooky-looking man with outstretched (cruciform?) arms and gnarled fingers who swerves forward toward the falling building. How to read this? The Dems are government toppling spooks? Washington Gov is crushing the frightened Christian Evangellos? No matter what, seems as if Drudge is acknowledging the change that is being ushered in around the country!
GrandmaJ @
60
Actually it would be FITTING if everytime they announced a winning Democrat, they would play that “scream” again, it would HAUNT the repugs all night.
Helpless Dancer @ 59
Oh crap. Who killed Shroedinger’s cat?
You mean who peeked.
Ceiling Cat!
1,325 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
“…the brilliant recuiting and fund raising on the part of two men - …(DCCC chairman)Rham Emmanuel and…(DSCC)chairman Chuck Schumer…”
HOLY BATSHIT!!! I can’t believe that the fascist mouthpieces are right “in your face” exposin’ the 5th column corporatists in the Democratic Party! If there truely is a Democratic wave of over 30 seats in the House and a Senate takeover, our next battle has gotta be to protect Pelosi, purge the reactionaries from House leadership (that means Murtha too) and advance progressive leadership in the Senate. We could win this thing big and end up with fascist enablers in leadership and the K-Street boys feedin at the trough all over again…that will KILL the new grassroots Democratic movement.
KEEP THE FAITH AND RELOAD, THERE’S A LOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE!!!
Is anyone monitoring Fox? I keep hearing that they’re operating like GOP Central today– more than usual, much more than usual.
TeddySanFran, with three shots out of the park at 18, 42, and 56!!! Even Barry Bonds can only look on in admiration.
This will piss you off.
Bustednuckles @ 64
that’s OK - it still pisses me off
Second-class citizens TeddySanFran and Fiance are heading out now to exercise our suffrage. Can’t marry, can vote.
Be back soon!
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Had Enough?
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I know that is the tech support dude or dudette that I spoke to one day. They had their little camera on and we were doing video chat and such. It was a really crummy picture, but I just couldn’t get it out of my head that I was talking to a poodle.
TeddySanFran @ 72
haven’t you suffraged enough?
Dean’s Scream: And if Ned wins Conn…..
Trivial point but isn’t it normally spelled “bellweathers”?
Did somebody say cat?
punaise @ 74
If all goes well, he isn’t the one who’ll be suffraging from his suffrage this year.
Airport Cat -
try getting this one out of your head -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpsF_0-ta_A
(worth it just to hear Klaus kick in @ 0.18)
damn doggies - gotta go out for next shift (driving)
nuthin’ but progressive love for y’all
kristinejoy @ 67
You mean who peeked.
Ceiling Cat!
No fair! You are supposed to issue a spew warning before doing things like that.
In the mood of just being a nuisance, weren’t our instructions today to not do the ziggerthingy with indents?
[ducking]
GrandmaJ @ 81
These are minor ziggys. The major ones break the borders.
cbl @ 79
brownandserve @ 76
‘wether’ is correct. Means a female sheep. The rest of the flock follows her. A bell is tied around the boss lady sheep’s neck. Wherever she is, the rest of the flock will also be.
so many cat posts, I can’t resist
not mine;
not mine;
Cat’s DiarY
DAY 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture…Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.
DAY 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors,I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair…must try this On their bed.
DAY 765 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was… Not working according to plan.
DAY 768 - I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called “shampoo.” What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still LODGED between my teeth.
DAY 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their ccomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event, however, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call “beer..” More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of “allergies.” Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.
DAY 774 - I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird on the other hand has got to be an informant, and he speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my acctivities. Due to his current placement in the metal room his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time…
GrandmaJ @ 81
I took the instructions to mean we should keep it to a minimum. I’m trying to just quote the post I’m directly responding to.
GrandmaJ @ 81
We’re just not supposed to let them get too deep.
Which, by the way, is a generally good rule, election day or not. It’s a very rare post that will require more than a couple previous comments as context, so trimming up the replies is considered good netiquette on nested forums or mailing lists alike.
GrandmaJ @ 81
Beware the ziggurats, but don’t avoid them altogether. Just don’t get carried away, that’s all.
And back to music again for a second. I got an e-mail from PVC at KPFA in Berkeley. This was the first set she played this morning:
Gang of Four, He’d Send In The Army
Talking Heads, Air
Meat Puppets, We Don’t Exist
Buzzcocks, You Tear Me Up
ROTFLMAO, Have You Had Enough? (Dedicated to rid California of Richard Pombo)
GrandmaJ @ 81
Ooh, come on, Grandma J. It was just a *little* ziggy.
Hi Jane,Kobe and other pups.
Sorry, I have been way out of the loop for many reasons.
Election day downtown Pittsburgh:
While I’m waiting for my fav uptown bus(took 20 min to come), I observed about 15 passes by at least 2 big box trucks with the sides and back of the trucks pastered with those huge oozing raw liver-like fetus photos. They were sponsored by an outfit called abortionNO.org.
Who are these fetus fans and why today?
Will fetuses(plural?) be given the right to vote? Maybe by some diebold sonogram vote tabulator.
metome,
I always get a kick out of that one.
Did you notice that in Novacula’s analysis every tight race goes to the R’s as in MO and VA and every race where the Dems are actually ahead, as in MD and RI, a late tightening in the polls means a Republican surge that will carry them to victory?
It must be nice to be a non-partisan, even handed, detatched observer such as he is.
NH.
If the NH 2nd goes for (D) Hodes over Bass, it will be a good night for Democrats. If the 1st takes (D) Shea-Porter over (R) Bradley it is a rout.
-GSD
Taking a break, waiting for one kid to get home from school before heading back to phonebank.
Jeepers. What a day.
We’re all on pins and needles, no word to go on other than turn out. Looks very high, just voted at 3:00 pm and there were a LOT of folks there, more than usual.
Hearing about people standing in lines outside buildings in other precincts, in spite of the rain. (Thank goodness it’s not cold here.)
Also learning a LOT; we needed to do a better job with voter education. One precinct had poor turn-out, campaigns put us on additional phonecalls — only to find out the reason may have been a change in poll location that wasn’t adequately communicated. Sheesh. Should have seen that one coming from miles away.
I could be wrong but I think zigs in general use blog time. It won’t be an issue probably until this evening. Channeling John Casper, just a WAG.
Morris Sheppard @ 93
Make sure to remind him of his prophetic skills later, and often. Revenge is a dish best served cold.
waving back at egregious
Being a family of non-land line phones, we’ve not plugged a phone in in 2 years.
I’m setting up my home office, and decide to use that number as my office number, so we reconnect the phone.
My first phone call in 2 years is a RNC robo call.
My husband and I just laughed and laughed….
Novak reminds me of the creep Angus Scrimm from the movie Phantasm.
Only Scrimm had less native soil wedged in his craggy teeth.
-GSD
By the way, the Republi-sleazebag leadership is acting like the losers they are about to become.
Howie Klein @ 69
From an earlier thread, on Murdoch/Fox:
I zigged when I should have zagged
Novak versus Scrimm. you decide.
-GSD
punaise @ 102
zagg-ur-it?
Howie Klein @ 89
Woo, great set! I may need to dig my turntable out of storage …
montag @ 104
LOL. fighting the terraces over there so we don’t have to fight the terraces over here.
Anybody know what is going on in Denver? My wife is yelling down the hall at something she is reading at Raw Story. Looks like hundreds of people are in lines with machines down all over the place.
kemo @ 101
GSD @ 103
At least Scrimm was entertaining.
I vote in KY-3 and today my polling place was packed. I live in the eastern part of the old city limits — traditionally democratic and liberal. This is not true of the eastern suburbs. Since city-county merger a few years ago, it has been harder and harder for democrats to maintain control of the city. It has been particularly difficult to “can Anne” — as the growing suburbs have become increasingly republican.
In any case, the south end and the west end will hold the key to whether Yarmuth will win — and the results in those areas tends to come in slower than in the east end.
And although I live in Louisville, I teach at a university in southern Indiana (in IN 09). That race really scares me. It’s rainy in these parts, fwiw.
GrandmaJ @
60
Well said (as always) - I was thinking about Howard Dean too this morning and how lucky we are - should say - how lucky our beleagued country is Dean is with us.