90,000 "Fired Up, Ready to Go" for Obama in Manassas tonight

John and Rob were at the Obama event tonight in Northern Virginia. We've had sporadic communication, but I'm hearing there are some great photos.

The crowd was huge. HUGE. There were 90,000 people at the rally in Manassas. That is astounding:

On the eve of the presidential election, Sen. Barack Obama reached back to the roots of his campaign to tell an inspirational story that had long ago fallen from his routine.

The story is about a long drive, a rainy day and how one person can make a difference. It was inspired by a woman Obama met during a visit to a small South Carolina town in 2007 and grew to be a favorite during his Iowa caucus campaign.

It ends with Obama leading a cheer of "Fired up, Ready to Go!"

The Illinois Democrat has not told the story much since the South Carolina primary. He last brought it out in mid-October in New York City during a fundraiser that included performances from Bruce Springsteen and Bill Joel.

Edith Childs of Greenwood, S.C., is the woman who inspired the story. Obama had met her during a campaign appearance back when the Democratic nomination - much less the presidency - looked like a long shot.

A crowd his campaign said totaled 90,000 chanted along to end what was the last rally of Obama's 21-month presidential campaign.

"This is the last rally of a campaign that began almost two years ago," he said. "We've gone to every corner of this country."

90,000.

We'll have more when John and Rob get back -- or get internet access.

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Workers hired by Republican Party told to lie and claim they were volunteers

Even more proof that the Republicans will lie about anything:

Four employees hired by a temporary staffing agency to encourage absentee voting for Sen. John McCain in Wisconsin say they were instructed to tell people they were Republican volunteers.

The employees told The Associated Press in interviews on Monday they were hired by Allstaff Labor Group to go door-to-door in the Milwaukee suburbs locating McCain supporters and distributing absentee ballot request forms.

Allstaff recruited the workers under a contract with a consulting firm hired by the Republican Party of Wisconsin to run its absentee ballot program.

The workers claim they were told to say they were GOP volunteers even though they were getting paid $10 an hour for the work. They were required to sign agreements stating they would not speak publicly about their work with anyone including reporters, but they decided to speak out because they were angry they had not been paid for their final few days.

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Rob and I are at Obama's rally in Manassas, Virginia

We're in Manassas at Obama's rally. Internet access is spotty, but keep send pics and update when we can. Huge crowd.

This is a shot from the media area:

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Lindsey Graham is cheating on McCain

What a little bitch that Lindsey Graham is. According to my friend, Alvin, who lives in South Carolina, Lindsey's been two-timing on McCain. On the road, he's all about McCain. Back home, Lindsey's sidling up to Obama:

And there have been other "interesting" incidents which lead me to believe that the Republican party is a bit more worried about South Carolina than they let on.

For the past few weeks, I have heard ads on black Gospel radio stations from Senators Lindsey Graham and Representative Joe Wilson encouraging black voters to "split the ticket."

I believe one of the phrases were "no matter who you vote for as president . . ."

Keep in mind this was going on at the same time that Graham had been campaigning for McCain.

Robocalls and ads encouraging voters to split their ticket and not vote all Democratic but no words about supporting John McCain; things may get interesting in this state on Wednesday.

GOPers worried about South Carolina? And, I hope McCain knows Lindsey's cheating on him.

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Obama speaks about his grandmother "one of those quiet heroes that we have all across America"

Very moving. Obama pays tribute to his grandmother who is clearly one of his heroes. Our guy has class and dignity.

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From reader Chris Bugbee

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McCain receives a "Dear John" letter

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Big GOP consultant comes out against anti-gay measure in Florida

This is interesting. Roger Stone is a longtime name in Republican political circles. He's a bit of a dandy (okay, a lot of a dandy), and has had his own run-ins with the morality police (he and his wife were caught running ads in a wife-swapper's magazine). He's also the guy who claims he tipped the cops to Elliot Spitzer's prostitution habit. So it's interesting that Stone, a far-right conservative, and a rather nasty man politically, is coming out vocally against Florida's anti-gay "marriage" amendment. Here is what Stone had to say:

Florida has a Constitutional Amendment on the ballot on Tuesday, November 4 which would theoretically ban gay marriage. I am voting against it and urge my fellow Floridians to join me in voting NO.

As a libertarian I don't want the government telling me what I can do in my private life. Life is short and true happiness is hard to find. If loving gay couples want to form a union what business is it of mine?

Why shouldn't gay people be protected like everyone else when it comes to credit, property rights and equal protection under the law? Saying "God" ordained that marriage be between a man and woman is mixing Church and State-it's unconstitutional.

I don't want the government telling me what kind of gun I can own, what kind of drugs I can ingest or who I can marry. I want government out of the boardroom and the bedroom. I don't want the government deciding what consenting adults can do in private.

The first landmark anti-gay ballot question, the Briggs Amendment, was defeated in California when former Governor Ronald Reagan had the courage to oppose it because it infringed on personal freedom. Amendment 2 is much the same. Vote against it.

It's not often you find a Republican who actually extrapolates from their own personal experience to a larger understanding of rights and freedoms. Now, Stone hasn't admitted that his personal tastes influenced his opposition to this measure, but I have a hunch it has. And that's a lot more consistent than a lot of Republicans like Larry "Gay Bathroom Sex" Craig and David "I Like Hookers" Vitter. Read the rest of this post...

Disturbed, Desperate Republicans filed FEC complaint against Obama today for visiting his dying grandmother

Heartless bastards. The California Republican Party filed an FEC complaint against Barack Obama today for visiting his dying grandmother -- just hours before his grandmother died. BarbinMD at DailyKos has the details in a post aptly titled, "This Is What Desperation Smells Like." The Republicans are somehow alleging Obama that a presidential candidate using the campaign plane to fly to one of the 50 states is a violation of the law. They're sick. Really, they're sick.

You know, maybe the GOPers don't actually know that Hawaii is a state. They just know about Alaska. Remember all the talk from idiots like Cokie Roberts that Hawaii was "exotic."

Anyway, this is what we get from the GOP. Heartless bastards. Any political attack is acceptable. No wonder this country is such a mess after years of GOP rule. This action says everything you need to know about the Republicans. And, this is another reason why the GOP must be crushed, just crushed, tomorrow.

Soon enough, Obama will be flying on Air Force One. That's pretty sweet revenge, too. Read the rest of this post...

AP's Liz "Spinkles" Sidoti really delivers one last time for John McCain -- paints "nightmare scenario for Democrats"

Time to make the donuts. (Dunkin Donuts with sprinkles, they're McCain's favorite kind.)

Exhibiting one more time why Liz Sidoti, one of the top political reporters at the Associated Press, has lost her credibility, she wrote yet another article showing how far she's in the tank for McCain. In this one, she explains how John McCain can pull out this election. Sidoti literally said tomorrow could be a "nightmare" for Democrats. It's really unbelievable that a piece like this came from someone besides FOX, the Moonie Times or World Nut Daily. Sidoti incorporates every almost every single McCain campaign talking point into the first few paragraphs of her piece:

It's a nightmare scenario for Democrats — their nominee Barack Obama winning the popular vote while Republican John McCain ekes out an Electoral College victory. Sure, McCain trails in every recent national poll. Sure, surveys show that Obama leads in the race to reach the requisite 270 electoral votes to win the presidency.

Sure, chances of Republicans retaining the White House are remote.

But some last-minute state polls show the GOP nominee closing the gap in key states — Republican turf of Virginia, Florida and Ohio among them, and Democratic-leaning Pennsylvania, too.

If the tightening polls are correct and undecided voters in those states break McCain's way — both big ifs — that could make for a repeat of the 2000 heartbreaker for Democrats that gave Republicans the White House.

Liz Sidoti sees things only the way the McCain campaign wants her to see them. If she did any independent research, she would find that McCain isn't closing the gap nationally or in those key states. Obama is holding steady to his leads in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Ohio -- if one reads the independent polls and not those McCain "internals." And, no credible reporter is making comparisons to 2000. This whole thing makes more sense when you factor in that Sidoti's bureau chief, Ron Fournier, almost went to work for the McCain campaign.

Liz and Ron are both featured in this classic clip from John McCain's visit to the Associated Press meeting -- complete with his favorite donuts:



AP: We make the donuts for John McCain.

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Madelyn Dunham, Obama's grandmother passed away today: "She poured everything she had into me."

Sad news for the Obama family. His grandmother died today:

Here's a statement from Obama and his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng:

"It is with great sadness that we announce that our grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died peacefully after a battle with cancer. She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure.

"Our family wants to thank all of those who sent flowers, cards, well-wishes, and prayers during this difficult time. It brought our grandmother and us great comfort. Our grandmother was a private woman, and we will respect her wish for a small private ceremony to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to any worthy organization in search of a cure for cancer."

This is what Obama said about his grandmother during his convention speech:

And when I hear a woman talk about the difficulties of starting her own business, I think about my grandmother, who worked her way up from the secretarial pool to middle-management, despite years of being passed over for promotions because she was a woman. She's the one who taught me about hard work. She's the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so that I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she's watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.

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The crowds have been stunning

TIME:

In this 20-month long campaign I have seldom seen Obama bring the full power of his oratory to the biggest possible crowd his campaign can build. That is, until this week. As the long campaign nears the end, the campaign has stopped shying away from such huge audiences, and the crowds have been stunning: 100,000 in St. Louis, 75,000 in Kansas City, 100,000 in Denver, 45,000 in Fort Collins, Colorado, 50,000 in Albuquerque. "We want to see and touch and talk to as many people as possible," says David Axelrod, Obama's top strategist. "This is momentum time." And for anyone who was disappointed by Obama's wonky convention speech, his closing argument is all gravy — all the inspirational lines that get people on their feet and cheering their hearts out.

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McCain talks about "Joe the Bomber"

(Via ThinkProgress)

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DCCC launched new radio ad against Republican Chris Lee in NY-26. The guy really is bad news.

Last week, I wrote about Alice Kryzan, the Democrat running for the open seat in New York's 26th Congressional District. It's a GOP leaning seat currently held by Republican Tom Reynolds, who is retiring. Kryzan's GOP opponent, Chris Lee, is a typical GOP sleazebag:

Her opponent, millionaire Chris Lee, gave his campaign an additional $230,000 this week, bringing his total contributions to himself up to $1.1 million -- most of that money has been used to run negative ads against Kryzan. And, listen to this douchebag move. Over the weekend, Kryzan and Lee were both scheduled to appear on a local radio show, WBEN's "Hardline with Hardwick." Lee chickened out. But, during the call-in segment, Lee's campaign manager called and started asking questions. So, the boss won't show up, but sends his hack to attack. How weak is that? Typically Republican.

But, it gets worse. Over the weekend, the Buffalo News reported on some unethical behavior from Lee's past:

Congressional candidate Chris Lee acknowledged Friday that he was fired from Ingram Micro years ago because he “made a mistake.” Sources familiar with the mistake say he hacked into a company computer for personal gain.

Lee would fit right in with all the other GOP sleaze bags in Congress. But Kryzan can and should win.

The DCCC blasted Lee in a new radio ad:
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Ohio polls show Obama leading

A lot of polls coming out today. We looked at Pennsylvania below. Here are three from Ohio that look good for Obama -- and I'm not cherry-picking. These are all solid, independent polls:

University of Cincinnati's "Ohio Poll":

Barack Obama is likely to prevail over John McCain in the fierce battle for Ohio's 20 electoral votes, according to an Ohio Poll released Monday morning,

The poll by the University of Cincinnati's Institute for Policy Research - billed as a final projection of Tuesday's results by institute pollster Eric Rademacher -- shows Obama with 51.5 percent to 45.7 percent for McCain.

Obama's lead is well outside the poll's margin of error of plus-or-minus 2.7 percentage points.

Quinnpiac:

Ohio [Obama leads 50% - 43%]

Among early voters in Ohio, Obama leads 64 - 26 percent.

Among all likely voters, women back the Democrat 57 - 34 percent, as men back McCain 51 - 43 percent. McCain leads among white voters 48 - 45 percent and among evangelical Christians 59 - 34 percent. Obama leads among black voters 96 - 1 percent.

Independent voters go 48 - 44 percent for the Democrat.

Obama gets a 55 - 38 percent favorability in Ohio, with 51 - 42 percent for McCain.

Palin's favorability is a negative 41 - 45 percent, while Biden gets 48 - 33 percent.

Public Policy Polling:

Barack Obama 50
John McCain 48

There is good news and bad news for Barack Obama in Ohio.

The bad news:

-His lead in the state is down from seven points in a PPP survey a week and a half ago to now just two.

-He is losing ground among white voters. Last week he trailed just 49-46. Now it's 55-43.

-Undecided independents seem to be moving in McCain's direction. Last week Obama was up 48-36 with that group, now it's 49-46.

The good news:

-Even though Obama's margin has gone down a good bit, his actual standing is pretty much the same as last week. There is little fundamental difference between 50% and 51%.

-He's banked a huge lead with early voters, who made up about 30% of the sample. He's up 65-34 with those folks. McCain's tightening the race to two points is predicated on his winning election day voters 54-44.

And a just released SurveyUSA(conducted through yesterday):

Barack Obama 48%, John McCain 46%, in SurveyUSA's final tracking poll released Election Eve. Obama leads 5:3 among those who have already voted. McCain leads 5:4 among those who have not yet voted. Obama led in the past 3 SurveyUSA tracking polls, but by tapering margins. Obama led by 5 on 10/14/08, by 4 on 10/28/08 and by 2 today. It is possible that McCain could overtake Obama in the final 24 hours, but that would require young voters to stay home on Election Day and white voters from Dayton, Cincinnati and along the West Virginia border to show up in larger numbers than they have so far indicated.

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October traffic numbers

Just for fun, I ran some data for October:

938,572 Unique Visitors
3,234,738 Overall Visits
4,451,192 Pageviews

Web browsers:
FireFox 41.99%
Internet Explorer 38.59%
Safari 15.68%

Connection speed:
Cable 43.27%
DSL 24.65%
T1 10.73%
Dialup 2.22%

Visitors came from 205 countries/territories:
US 91% - 2,943,932
Canada 3.3% - 108,085
UK 0.97% - 31,333
Australia 15,829
Germany 10,471
Japan 8,948
France 8,804
Netherlands 6,541
New Zealand 6,339

Top ten US states
California 16.6%
NY 8.8%
Texas 5.5%
Illinois 5.2%
Washington 4.3%
Pennsylvania 3.8%
Massachusetts 3.7%
Florida 3.6%
Virginia 3.2%
Ohio 2.6%

Top ten US cities
NY
SF
Chicago
Seattle
Washington, DC
West Hollywood
Portland
Minneapolis
Brooklyn
Austin

Just for fun, number of visitors last month from...
Canada 108,085
UK 31,333
Mexico 4,990
Brazil 2,783
India 2,558
Hungary 1,316
Romania 743
China 704
Russia 551
Saudi Arabia 318
Iraq 289
Estonia 153
Afghanistan 81
Iran 25
Paraguay 17
Mongolia 17
Azerbaijan 12
Libya 8
Madagascar 7
Cuba 6
Greenland 1
North Korea 0 Read the rest of this post...

VA GOP chair: US becoming a "second-rate power" and Colin Powell is a "coward"

I don't know about you, but I'm not sure calling the United States a "second-rate power" is a good way to win over voters. And calling Colin Powell a "coward"? Of course, this is the same nutjob who compared Obama to Osama bin Laden. He made these comments a bit over a week ago, but I only just saw them (thanks to reader Rick). It's important to see the Republican party for what it is, what is has become. The hate, the extremism, the anger, the intolerance. And they wonder why Americans are leaving them in droves. Read the rest of this post...

Only 1,000 people show up to see McCain in Florida

From the St. Petersburg Times via Greg Sargent:

About 30 minutes before John McCain is scheduled to lead a rally outside Raymond James Stadium, looks like maybe 1,000 people here. What's up with that? On the day before the election? Bush drew at least 15,000 people to a rally just across the street on the Sunday before the 04 election.

"We are the quiet majority that goes out and gets things done..I smell victory,'' said state Rep. Kevin Ambler. Good thing he smells it, because it's hard to see it with this crowd.

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AP calls "Joe the Plumber" a "myth"

AP via Huff Post:

Facts have taken a beating in Campaign '08.

Each in his own way, John McCain and Barack Obama have produced enduring myths, amplified by their running mates and supporters. When a non-licensed plumber who owes back taxes and would get a tax cut under Obama is held out by McCain as a stand-in for average working Americans who should vote Republican, you know truth-telling is taking a back seat to myth-making.

And in many ways, Joe the Plumber does represent every American. Every American who has been duped for years into voting Republican against their own self-interests. (Well, though not every American is a tax cheat.) Read the rest of this post...

"Don't think for a minute that power concedes."

Power doesn't concede. We have a lot of work to do. Be inspired. Get out the vote:

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Obama holds solid lead in Pennsylvania polls

Pennsylvania is McCain's last stand. He's been telling us for weeks that he'd win there. His campaign has spun the punditry into a frenzy over PA. Several new polls came out from the Keystone State today. It's not going to happen for McCain. The demographic breakdowns are very similar among the different polls, too.

Public Policy Polling:

Barack Obama 53
John McCain 45

Barack Obama's lead in the Keystone State has decreased from the consensus several weeks ago that he had a double digit advantage but he nevertheless is in great shape to take the state with an eight point lead and almost nobody undecided.

Obama has a commanding 56-38 lead with independent voters in the state. As he is in many swing states, Obama is actually carrying more Republican voters (16%) than John McCain is Democratic voters (15%), perhaps surprising in a state where Hillary Clinton won the primary in a walk.

Obama is trailing McCain only 50-48 among white voters. In a state with a black population over 10% that level of competitiveness is more than enough to give him a strong overall lead when you factor in his 90% + support from African American voters.

Obama is winning in every age demographic except senior citizens and a large amount of his lead is coming from a remarkable 68-30 performance with voters under 30.

Quinnipiac:

Pennsylvania [Obama 52 - McCain 42]

Obama leads 55 - 39 percent with women, and 49 - 45 percent with men. White voters split 47 - 47 percent, while black voters back Obama 95 - 1 percent. McCain leads 67 - 27 percent among evangelical Christians while Obama leads 51 - 46 percent among Catholics.

Independent voters back the Democrat 49 - 42 percent. Obama gets a 58 - 35 percent favorability, compared to McCain's 53 - 42 percent. Palin's favorability is a split 43 - 44 percent, while Biden gets 52 - 32 percent.

The economy is the most important issue, 55 percent of Pennsylvania voters say, and Obama will be more effective than McCain working with Congress, voters say 53 - 40 percent.

Muhlenberg Daily Tracking:

The Morning Call/Muhlenberg College daily tracking poll -- which had Barack Obama leading by 13 points less than a week ago -- has the Illinois senator up by just 6 points today.

What's going on?

Undecideds are .... deciding. Obama now holds a 52 to 46 percent lead in Pennsylvania. [McCain's] problem. There is only 2 percent left on the fence, the poll shows.

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Obama up 8 in NBC/WSJ poll conducted Saturday and Sunday

Chuck Todd told me about the new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll during the first half hour of the TODAY Show this morning. It's the kind of news we want to hear the morning before election day. The key thing about this one is that it was "conducted Saturday and Sunday" so it should have caught any late movement:

Sen. Obama's lead, reflected in other national and battleground state polls as well, has been in place since September, when the financial crisis reset the presidential contest. Sen. McCain's advisers were gunning for a come-from-behind victory, noting that he did it before to capture the Republican nomination.

The new Wall Street Journal poll, conducted Saturday and Sunday, found 51% of likely voters favored Sen. Obama, versus 43% who favored Sen. McCain. Six percent remained undecided, with a third of those saying they were leaning toward a third-party candidate. The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

"The poll shows some slight movement for McCain. But with just 48 hours left, it's going to be a challenge to make up the rest of the difference," said Neil Newhouse, a Republican pollster who conducts the survey with Democrat Peter D. Hart.

McCain can't make up the difference if Obama gets out his vote. That's the whole focus now: Get Out The Vote.

And, check out this finding from the poll:

Fully 58% of those polled said they would be optimistic and confident or at least satisfied and hopeful if Sen. Obama were to be elected, compared to 46% who said that about a McCain victory. The Obama figure exceeds President Bush's on the eve of his twin victories and Bill Clinton's level just before he was re-elected.

Americans are ready for Obama to be our president.

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Monday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

One more day. One more day til we change the world.

It's going to take a long time to dig out of the mess created by Bush, Cheney and the other Republicans. It's stunning really. Beyond stunning.

Obama's poll numbers have held over the weekend. There's been some minor tightening, but, that appears to be McCain picking up some undecideds, not chipping into Obama's numbers. This is how Nate Silver describes McCain's situation:

McCain's clock has simply run out. While there is arguable evidence of a small tightening, there is no evidence of a dramatic tightening of the sort he would need to make Tuesday night interesting.

Meanwhile, the ground game is on everywhere. From every report I've gotten, Obama's field operation is real -- and unlike anything we've ever seen.

So keep doing what you're doing. One more day. And, the world badly needs the change.

Start threading the news....

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"Unprecedented interest" around world in US election

Tell me about it. Joelle and I are asked about the election just about everywhere, every day. Last night here in Barcelona, we chatted with an older Dutch couple about the election while tipping a glass and eating tapas. Spanish TV (tve) just had a discussion with political commentators, asking if an Obama-like person could emerge in Spain. The general consensus is that here in Europe, people want the America that they used to know and love, back. Yes, there's always a certain level of conflict but without a doubt it's so much easier to coordinate real global efforts when you have the support of traditional friends and allies.

We don't have to agree on everything but clearly having the ear and the respect of the world makes working through crisis periods - as we have today thanks to Wall Street - much easier. Here in Europe many still view McCain as much too much like Bush and too little change from the low point in American history. More from Newsweek:

Europe is thrilled by the prospect that whatever happens this week it will mean the end of George W. Bush, and enraptured by the sheer spectacle of it all. James Dickmeyer, the director of the Foreign Press Centers, which helps international press cover U.S. political campaigns, says foreign journalists swarmed not only the Iowa caucuses but even the Iowa State Fair's Straw Poll, which they had never covered before. Bob Worcester, the American-born founder of the London-based polling and research firm Mori, has worked in more than 40 countries, and says he has "never ever seen any election in which so many people in so many places have been so interested."

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Should we let AIG file for bankruptcy?

After quickly burning through $143 billion - yes, billion - and eying much more, maybe bankruptcy will be a better alternative for American taxpayers. No sense throwing good money after bad, especially since the internal financials appear no better today than a few weeks ago. Something very wrong has happened there and for starters, the government needs to keep its hands on ever last penny AIG has including stock sales to current or former shareholders. Nothing here smells right.

A number of financial experts now fear that the federal government's $143 billion attempt to rescue troubled insurance giant American International Group may not work, and some argue that company shareholders and taxpayers would have been better served by a bankruptcy filing.

The Treasury Department leapt to keep AIG from going bankrupt on Sept. 16, and in the past seven weeks, AIG has drawn down $90 billion in federal bailout loans. But some key AIG players argue that bankruptcy would have offered more structure and greater protections during a time of intense market volatility.

AIG declined to comment on the matter.

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Palin even less popular in new poll

To know Palin is to dislike Palin. I only hope she keeps the GOP base so she can be reintroduced in 2012 as the front runner.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Sunday indicates McCain's running mate is growing less popular among voters and may be costing him a few crucial percentage points in the race for the White House.

Fifty-seven percent of likely voters questioned in the poll said Palin does not have the personal qualities a president should have. That's up 8 points since September.

Fifty-three percent say she does not agree with them on important issues. That's also higher than September.

"Just after the GOP convention in early September, 53 percent said they would vote for Palin over Joe Biden if there were a separate vote for vice president. Now, Biden would beat Palin by 12 points if the running mates were chosen in a separate vote," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

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More newspaper endorsements for Obama

CA – Pasadena Star-News: This election will chart the course not just for the next four years but for many more as the incoming president and Congress grapple with two wars and an economic crisis while carrying an onerous national debt and skyrocketing budget deficit on their backs. To best meet these challenges, we respectfully endorse Barack Obama for the presidency.

CA- LA Daily News: But [Obama's] offered detailed, sensible plans on pressing domestic issues and thoughtfully addressed the economic situation. He has a clear health-care plan, similar to what California has been trying to create over the past two years. He has a tax plan that gives back to the people who are generally asked to share the biggest burden, and a small tax increase on those who have benefited - and will continue to do so - from the policies of the current administration… His is a message that we're a people who might be down, might be facing hard times, but we still have a bright future. It's a message that makes us feel hopeful - not helpless - in the face of the climate crisis, that we can treat the elderly, the sick and the poor as a rich nation not only can, but should. And that in the end we can and will leave the country a better place for our children and grandchildren. That's a message America is dying to hear.

CO – Aspen Daily News: Barack Obama possesses both the style and the substance to guide this nation out of one of its darkest chapters. As many have noted, the mere act of electing Obama will begin to undo the unjust reputation bestowed on the United States in recent years. It would signal to the world that our country is ready for open-minded global debate, that it will act only after careful deliberation, and that the American dream is alive, well and moving into the White House.

CO – Boulder Daily Camera: He is educated, diplomatic and respected abroad…Obama has remained, for the most part, above the fray. In Sen. Joe Biden, he selected a solid running mate with more experience than himself, and someone who could help him navigate foreign policy. Obama is not just the right choice against the McCain ticket, he is the right choice for president in our troubled times.

CT – New Haven Register: Obama has proven a disciplined campaigner and a brilliantly effective orator. After eight years with a Republican in the White House, a fresh perspective is needed. Barack Obama should be the next president of the United States.

IL – Daily Herald: To respond to those challenges, the nation needs a confident change in direction. We believe Sen. Barack Obama is best suited by temperament, judgment and vision to bring about that change, and we strongly endorse Illinois' favorite son for the presidency.

NM- Santa Fe Reporter: The next president faces massive challenges at home and abroad. We are living in uncertain times and are in need of fresh perspectives, steady leadership and, perhaps most of all, inspiration. Barack Obama, whose life story reflects the best of America's promise, already has brought these factors to the campaign trail. Now it's time for him to bring them to the White House.

OH – Middletown Journal/Hamilton Journal-News: If anyone can help erase the Blue State/Red State division that makes any constructive political discourse in this country nearly impossible, it's Barack Obama. Obama has demonstrated the maturity, needed pragmatism, genuine concern and calm understanding of the historic challenges that our nation faces. That is why this newspaper endorses Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States.

OH – New Philadelphia The Times-Reporter: The Times-Reporter believes Democrat Barack Obama is the better candidate to lead the country out of these trying economic times and today gives its endorsement to him over opponent Republican John McCain… We believe Barack Obama is the better of the two candidates and the one who can lead us through one of the most difficult economic times since the Great Depression.

OR – Yamhill Valley News-Register: Only one candidate stands for change in this year's presidential race — Barack Obama. Obama's intellect, temperament and ability to inspire are precisely what we need after a disastrous eight years under George W. Bush.

PA – The Daily Item: Throughout our nation's history, in trying times, America has been fortunate that voters have shown the wisdom to select leaders ready and able to guide our nation forward…Considering the scope of the challenges facing our nation, voters again must make a bold, but wise, choice for president. That choice is Barack Obama.

TN – The Nashville Tennessean: This newspaper believes Obama would be an inspiring choice at an extraordinary time for the nation. The country needs a fresh, energetic face in the White House. Every race for president is important, but the current confluence of events, including the war on terror, mountainous challenges in the economy and a growing strain upon the nation's health-care system make the current race a call for vigorous new approaches and enthusiasm. Obama has managed to put a tone of optimism in his campaign at a time it would be very easy to be downhearted, worried and pessimistic. That characteristic alone goes a long way in demonstrating the kind of leadership the nation needs.

WA – The Columbian: Any successful reformer must excel in leadership and judgment. In the past several months, Obama has distanced himself as the superior candidate in those two areas, and today he receives The Columbian's endorsement for president… But as we examined leadership qualities of both men, we saw Obama's massive strides in uniting his own Democratic party, even reaching beyond his party to speak to all Americans. McCain, in stark contrast, continues to slog through a fractious Republican Party that often is his worst enemy. It takes strong leadership skills to enlist record numbers of volunteers and to continually explore new heights in the polls, as Obama methodically demonstrates.

WI – Madison Capital Times: But, for the most part, Barack Obama "gets it."Obama opposed authorizing President Bush to attack Iraq and he has been a wise skeptic with regard to the fantasy that a "surge" of U.S. troops into Iraq will turn that country into the "mission accomplished" paradise that Bush White House spin doctors keep trying to get Americans to accept. And he promises to replace threats and violence with a diplomacy that seeks peace, cooperation and development….The best hope for an Obama presidency is that he will arrive in the White House with a mandate from the voters, and a clear governing majority in the Congress. Where will the mandate come from? Let it begin here in the progressive heartlands -- with an overwhelming vote for Barack Obama -- and let it spread out across a country that has waited too long for a change, and a president, we can believe in.

WV- Huntington Herald-Dispatch: Others felt Obama has a better idea of how to finish the war. He is more attentive to the needs of the middle class. He has a stronger commitment to education, and he is more likely to bring a fresh approach to health care, the economy and energy policy. It was a good debate, but in the end, there was more sentiment on the editorial board that Obama would bring the change that America needs. Read the rest of this post...

GOP feeling demoralized

I hate when that happens:

A McCain-backing law student in Charlottesville emails, slightly demoralized:

I've been called by the Obama Campaign 20 times in the past week, along with at least one mailer on the door every day and several personal visits. Not a single thing from the McCain campaign.

I'm hoping that the law of diminishing returns means that the excess of GOTV'ing is having a net negative effect. ....

I'm as solid a McCain voter as one can be, but it's wearing to have to keep explaining to enthusiastic volunteers why I could possibly oppose Hope and Change — the repetition certainly creates an aura of inevitability. A single phone call or door knock from a Republican would be enormously encouraging.

Read the rest of this post...

John Fund has a bad track record of mistakes concerning ACORN

You remember ACORN? The group John McCain spoke to and praised a few years back? Well, the Wall Street Journal's embattled far-right columnist John Fund has been caught making some whoppers about ACORN in his new book. Media Matters reports:

In the revised version of his book Stealing Elections, John Fund claims that the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now "runs something called 'Camp Obama,' which trains campaign volunteers in the same tactics that Obama honed as a community organizer." In the "Notes" section of the book, Fund attributes this assertion to a Chicago Sun-Times article, but the article does not link "Camp Obama" to ACORN -- indeed, it does not mention ACORN at all. Moreover, "Camp Obama" reportedly was established and run by the Obama campaign.

Oops. Who'd have ever guessed a far-right partisan at a Rupert Murdoch paper would lie in an effort to hurt a Democrat? It's pretty clear that when it comes to ACORN, Fund is a few nuts short. Read the rest of this post...