"Most of California's political professionals consider the state to be reliably Democratic -- and too expensive to prompt a full-throated effort by a Republican candidate who could amass electoral votes more cheaply elsewhere."
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Clinton would also defeat McCain in the fall, but by a smaller margin. The survey comes less than four months after Obama's loss in the state primary.
Missouri and at least 19 other states are considering passing laws that would force people to prove their citizenship before they can vote. These bills are not a sincere effort to prevent noncitizens from voting; that is a made-up problem. The real aim is to reduce turnout by eligible voters. Republicans seem to think that laws of this kind will help them win elections, but burdensome rules like these — and others cropping up around the country — pose a serious threat to democracy and should be stopped. (my emphasis)
The real aim is to reduce turnout by eligible voters...
While we obsess about the democratic nominee - will it be Obama? will it be Clinton? My candidate is better than yours! Your candidate is a sleazy slim ball, so there! - the job market is worse than you think.
The number of Americans out of work for at least six months is rising - reaching levels more typically seen deep into a recession or period of job contraction, not at the beginning.
LOS ANGELES — Informal talks between representatives of Hollywood’s striking writers and production companies have eliminated the major roadblocks to a new contract, which could lead to a tentative agreement as early as next week, according to people who were briefed on the situation but requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak.
Stewart/Colbert we need you! There's a lot more. Jump with me...
The world is exploding while we engage in candidate flame wars raging here on DKos. This IS NOT a lecture about troll rating, being nice, or shuttingTFU when someone doesn't agree with your POV or candidate; or about my candidate being better than yours or convincing you to abandon your candidate to support mine. But, it is a yell out to GET A GRIP and remember our world is being destroyed all around us and what's happening ain't much different from the not too distant past. Change a few dates, faces and places, but it's still the same script.
WARNING: graphic & disturbing images in video.
REMEMBER? There are enough of us around this place to know it's STILL THE SAME SCRIPT. Yet, we fight and diddle about our candidates while wars rage and the world's exploding...
The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). This is Title XXI of the Social Security Act and is jointly financed by the Federal and State governments and administered by the States...SCHIP provides a capped amount of funds to States on a matching basis for Federal fiscal years (FY) 1998 through 2007. Federal payments under title XXI to States are based on State expenditures under approved plans effective on or after October 1, 1997. (emphasis mine)
I WAS WRONG. Senator, I owe you a sincere apology for ever doubting the necessity of censuring BushCo and for not understanding why censure is so important. You are, after all, a constitutional scholar and I am not. I regret that I presumed to know more than you do on constitutional matters. You considered our responses in The Question of Impeachment to hold this administration accountable and then came back to talk to us about your censure motions. You listened to us, but I did not listen to you. In what I thought was my informed mind, all I wanted to hear was IMPEACHMENT. Senator, I'm enlightened now and I have an open mind, too. If you follow me down under, I'll explain.
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001, and the eldest son of former United States President George H. W. Bush. Bush was elected president in the 2000 general election and re-elected in 2004. Previously, he had served as the 47th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000.
Uh Oh. You're screwed. Nah, let's tell it like it really is.
But, we've only just begun! Follow me down. Let me note here that all emphasis in blockquotes below is mine...Also, to see this in the best format and presentation, you should put your view on 'wide.'
Hey everyone. Good to be here with you. I hope you've had a good weekend. We're going a little early today because of all the buzz about the debates tonight. We can use this as an open thread for live blogging during the debates. It's always fun to be in 'real time!'
Before the debates begin, let's look at some of the press Edwards has gotten as a result of some of his policy speeches, some media perspective on the debates (get ready to be annoyed...) and what's coming up with the campaign. So why don't you grab your drink of choice (you may need it!), get some munchies, and hop on board for a ride on the
This diary is dedicated to all our soldiers who have died in war. That's what Memorial Day is about:
a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service.
...While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all. (emphasis mine)
And this diary is dedicated to all our active soldiers everywhere. SUPPORT THE TROOPS. END THE WAR.
Featured very prominently today on the Edwards website is Elizabeth's special message - Thank you all. Be sure to click if you haven't already watched it. I just keep thinking what a lovely First Lady she's going to make.
Also front and center on the site is Edwards call on Friday for Wolfowitz to resign. If you haven't been there, now's the time.
Now, let's get to the news where we have both good and not so good. Please join me below the fold...
Well, my goodness, there's a lot going on in John & Elizabeth land. I'm helping out TomP and ladylib this weekend with the Edwards Evening News Roundup and we hope you'll jump in to examine what's happening with the campaign. And if you'd be so kind as to hit the rec button so we can keep our discussion about the Edwards campaign front and center, that would be good. ;-)
First up, TomP's diary from earlier today about a hit piece on Edwards. Thanks TomP & ladylib who found it! Now we can focus on the business at hand.
...invitation/plea to any and all of you to record a question for a presidential candidate, post it on YouTube, and tag it PREZCONFERENCE. Then we'll challenge the candidates to answer our questions directly and post their answers on YouTube. (my emphasis)
When I found this invitation, I knew Kossacks would want to RISE TO THE OCCASION..
So jump below to get the scoop so you can video that question you've been dying to ask a candidate and see if they respond.
My story really starts with tvb’s diary of 8-15-06 titled Smoke this, please. tvb had quit smoking 12 days before and writes about the struggle to not smoke a cigarette on that 12th day. At the time, I was planning to quit and having quit several times before, I understood tvb’s struggle. I was moved by the diary and the comments lending support, personal stories and inspiration. I commented that I was planning to quit again in 2 weeks and how perhaps tvb’s strength would help me when I finally did.
Well, tvb’s strength did help liberate me, although it took me more than 2 weeks to quit. Finally, on Nov 4, 2006, 2 days before the elections, I smoked my last cigarette. You know, Hillary Clinton said it takes a village. I don’t always agree with Hillary, but when it comes to addiction, that village - this community - can have a powerful and influential sway over personal struggles. I know this because I am witness.
Today in my inbox I had 2 emails - one from DFA and one from Robert Greenwald. They have joined forces to expose The REAL McCain. Brave New Films has this 2+ minute video out and it needs to be spread around.
DFA writes
Two weeks ago, DFA members told us to get involved in the presidential primaries. Over the course of the next year, our community will be called on by candidates to volunteer, to give money and to get our friends and family to the polls.
Democracy for America grew out of the first ever use of the web to create a people's campaign based on transparency and not reliant on the corporate media. While that corporate media was less than kind to our founder, Howard Dean, it seems to be doing the opposite with John McCain. We are sure that Senator McCain is war hero, but we are equally sure that the media has given him a pass on his penchant for flip-flopping.
McCain's "straight talk" seems to us to be double talk.
WASHINGTON – Democratic strategists who had feared Sen. John McCain as the potentially unbeatable Republican candidate for President in 2008 were surprised and delighted by his dour appearance on NBC’s "Meet the Press" last Sunday.
Screw the democratic strategists. How about Arianna's take on McCain and how her line of questioning him in Davos ended with the media that was present concluding McCain has a short fuse...(good work Arianna!)
ABC News decided to survey the views of the senators who served in 2002, most of whom remain in the Senate. The survey indicates that those senators say that if they knew then what they know now, President Bush would never have been given the authority to use force in Iraq. (my emphasis)
What a difference a year makes.
"This is very significant," said congressional scholar Norman Ornstein of the American Enterprise Institute. "If they were asked that question a year ago, I think the likelihood of getting anywhere close to a majority voting against the war would be impossible. What this tells me is that Gordon Smith's very stunning speech was in some ways the tip of the iceberg." (my emphasis)
You may recall Gordon Smith's speech in December where he said being in Iraq might even be criminal (jump below)
For 43 years now, well to be fair 42+ years – yeah, count them – I’ve helped make your share holders happy. And given the mood toward your industry over the last decade or so, I suppose that’s gotten a bit more difficult to accomplish. And I mean it was absolutely priceless, as in MasterCard, when in June ’98 you revealed your true colors
But I confess. Even then I still let you rule my life. And you continued to rule my life even after my Mother died of lung cancer 3 years ago. [please follow me below]
The battle for Congress rolled into a climactic final weekend with Republican Party leaders saying the best outcome they could foresee was losing 12 seats in the House. But they were increasingly steeling themselves to the loss of at least 15 and therefore control of the House for the first time in 12 years. [emphasis mine]
"It's the worst political environment for Republican candidates since Watergate," said Glen Bolger, a Republican pollster working in many of the top races this year."
"It's very grim," Mr. Gaylord said. "Things are dreadful out there."
SCHIP expires at the end of 2007 so Congress renewed it. Even though SCHIP is a 
