In This Edition: Abramoff, DeLay & CIA leak investigations; Alito; polls; signs Bush is radioactive; Grassley (R-IA) fears for GOP’s future; Iraq war is making GOP voters antsy; GOPer says overturning Roe v. Wade would make it harder for GOP to win the votes of suburbanites; and more…
Circle `Em On Your Calendar
* James Tobin goes on trial in phone-jamming case Dec. 6.
“Scooterlito”
- Alito’s “memo problem”
- Right-wing allies attack Alito’s critics
- Alito trying to hide that he is a right-wing ideologue?
- Reid takes on Alito nomination, by BarbinMD
- Liar, liar, pants on fire. Americablog.org has it all. Look at archives for Nov. 2005.
- Talk Left coverage
DeLay Effect, TRMPAC, Jim Ellis, Safavian Arrest, Jack Abramoff, etc.
- Scanlon plea puts Bob Ney in trouble
- Scanlon’s plea and his connections
- The links of influence peddling NYT editorial simplifies one aspect of the Abramoff saga.
- House of Scandal
CIA Leak Case: Treasongate
* Interesting
Legal experts said Fitzgerald’s decision to call upon a new grand jury is all but certainly because he is considering additional criminal charges in the case.
- List of those who claim to not be Woodward’s source
- Libby Lawyer has got two WHIG clients
- Fitzie to present Woodward’s deposition and evidence to new grand jury
- Hadley is Woodward’s source?
- VIDEO: Think Progress puts it all together
- Waxman Demands House Investigation into Plamegate: Chairman Davis stonewalls, by HoundDog
- WakeupCall: “People names Patrick Fitzgerald the “Thinking Woman’s” sex symbol in the Sexiest Men issue.”
- WaPo’s Complete Coverage of the Investigation
- emptywheel dissects it all
- Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald’s Website
General RNC & Right Wing News, BS, Corruption & Flip Flop Links
- VIDEO: Schmidt’s meltdown on House floor Who says that CSPAN is boring?
- GOP Congress is a failure. Big time unraveling.
- Ney campaign fined for unreported consulting payments HT Stakeholder.
- Forrester tries to rewrite history
- TX GOP avoids prosecution if it stops breaking the law
- Bishop John Spong smacks Pat Robertson, by matthewc
- Medicare drug benefit arm-twisting. As for that arm-twisting: “Notice what wasn’t offered as an argument: that this bill would actually help seniors with the high cost of prescription drugs.” Some of the arm-twisting and backroom deal making that makes passing legislation ugly is going on in regards to budget bill and ANWR provisions.
- Kerik’s mob ties Part 234987.
- Rep. Charlie Bass (R) calls for new GOP leadership.
- Niger Uranium Timeline
- Katrina Timeline
- Halliburton Watch
- Target the Corrupt Republican Campaign
- GOP: Caught on Tape SS flip flops
- LCV’s Tom’s Tainted Team The implications of the list on 06 here.
General Democratic News & Notes
* Hotline excerpt:
Charlie Cook writes in National Journal that Dems chances for retaking the House “depend on the answers to” 2 questions. First, will the ’06 political enviro and issue agenda enable Dems to “win a large portion of the competitive races.” And, second, are there enough “reasonably strong” Dems running against vulnerable GOPers and for open seats to “take advantage of any climatic advantages that” Dems may have.
For now, “the answer to the first question is easy: “Yes.” But will enough seats “be in play for them to seize control?” Dems face some “speed bumps” in their path to pick up open seats in that only 13 GOPrs have to date announced their retirement, and most of their districts lean” GOP. Despite talk about putting 50 districts in play, there are now only 32 GOP-held distrcits where Dems have “at least a second-or third-tier candidate.” And “in years when” the enviro is “slighty tilted, only top-tier, “A,” candidates win. When the…field tilts dramatically, “B” and “C” candidates” can win.
“Today,” the GOP’s “structural edge looks strong. But that edge has never been tested by the high winds and rough seas that are now raging”
- Dem Convention: Why Denver in 2008, by Colorado Luis
- Democrats growing more `independent’ of corporate and big donor cash.
- First person accounts of a historic night: Nat’l Organizing Kick-Off, by ttagaris
- Dean in Plymouth, MI: Great speech, poor venue, by Brainwrap A lot of people showed up for the 50-state organizing event.
- Dean visited Duval County FL Dems, by Duval Slugger
- Democratic veterans in the US House of Representatives
- DCCC’s Campaign for Change.
- Give `Em Hell Harry: Harry Reid’s site
- Buy a Democracy Bond
- Donate to the DNC
- Donate to the Democratic Governors Association
- Donate to the DSCC
- Donate to DCCC.
- Donate to the DLCC: Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee
- Donate to College Democrats
- To Donate to Specific Campaigns, find a campaign site here and donate directly…or check out ActBlue.
Election Issues, Voting Rights & Election Reform
- Absentee voting going up. This could result in more close elections taking weeks to be decided.
- High ranking Justice Dept. officials overruled Justice Dept. analysts on GA Voter ID law (a.k.a. poll tax)
- Problems with voting machines in OH Losing votes is simply not acceptable.
- Hotline excerpt:
Analyst Stu Rothenberg estimates that there are only 25 “truly competitive contests” in the House. Cook Political Report’s Amy Walter puts the number at 28. In CA, TX, and IL combined, there are only 5 competitive races in ’06.
Rep. John Tanner (D-TN 08), who introduced legislation that would require each state to create an independent redistricting commis., says the question of redistricting “goes to the very essence of our democracy,” because as currently practiced it liberates ideological extremists on both the left and the right from the need to appeal to the political center. He says the the status quo “produces public officeholders who do not have a broad sense of the public welfare, because it’s all party politics that determines who comes here. As the middle shrinks, it becomes harder for Congress to respond to the real problems of the country.”
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA 16) “has just introduced a competing measure that is similar to Tanner’s but promotes plans that maximize minority representation” and recognizes that voters live in “communities of interest.” Indeed, part “of what makes the redistricting issue so tricky is that it is linked to the effort to boost minority representation in Congress.”
News, Notes, and Policy & Issue Discussion
- GOP Congress says no to bird flu pandemic defense funding
- GOP cuts assistance for students going to college, but approves more tax cuts. They also are allowing special interests to lock in higher rates on kids regardless of what the market does.
- GOP lose one budget vote, because Dems held together and GOP moderates bolted.
- The problems with a Right to Privacy Amendment to the Constitution
Iraq
- Claims of Whistleblower Bunnatine Greenhouse to be investigated, by WisVoter Kudos to Sen. Dorgan (D-ND) for pushing for this.
- Ugly GOP Smear Stunt Fails Its Objective The Duncan Hunter Iraq resolution in response to Murtha.
- The incoherence of the WH offensive. “We were wrong, but the Dems were wrong, too, but no… we were right.”
- Richard Clarke debunks “same intelligence” myth
- Pentagon readies troop withdrawal. Where’s the usual GOP whining?
- Murtha’s resolution v. the GOP one
- Murtha & McCain lead on banning torture
- Knight Ridder headline: “In challenging war’s critics, administration tinkers with truth”
- Pentagon swiftboating Murtha. House GOP threatens ethics investigation on Murtha. If it was such a big problem months ago, then, why weren’t they making such a big deal about it then? (I know the answer, but it’s just a good retort to the GOP apologists.)
- GOP pushing back on issue of Iraq and the DNC responds. Meanwhile, Murtha’s press conference is a big deal. VIDEO: Murtha presser.
- Cheney’s Original Critic: Cheney
- Dick Cheney haas lied 51 times to justify invading Iraq and whines when Dems call him on it.
- Phase II being stalled, because Pat Roberts won’t recuse himself.
Political Communication, Electoral Map, Voting Preferences, the Electorate
- Trying to figure out those exurban voters
- Bush losing independents and moderate to liberal independents
- Polling myths from Chris Bowers Dems hold an advantage that’s not so easily culled from media reports on polling.
- Americans embracing isolationism
- Tom Davis (R-VA) warns against overturning Roe v. Wade
Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA), “who helped guide the GOP to an expanded majority in the House three years ago,” said a Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade “could hurt his party’s political prospects and cause a ‘sea change’ in suburban voting habits.”
- Diageo & Hotline poll The breakdowns are interesting, and it’s clear why the GOP are pushing back hard on Iraq. If they don’t, they’ll lose more GOP support. Bush is losing his base, which explains why DSCC and DCCC relased their GOP rubber stamp report.
- GOP on the defensive
- Grassley fears for party’s future
“A lot of people want to say Republicans are having problems because of stands we take on specific issues. I’ve seen polls where that’s not the reason. The reason is we’re not governing,” he said in a conference call with reporters.
- Public opinion on Iraq withdrawal
- Bush risks alienating GOP over Iraq war
President Bush’s efforts to paint Democrats as hypocrites for criticizing the Iraq war after they once warned that Saddam Hussein was a grave threat could backfire on Republicans.
Polls show marked declines in support for the war, notably among moderate Republicans, especially Republican women, and independents – voting blocs that the GOP needs to woo or keep in their camp.
If Bush castigates Democrats for changing their minds on the war, he might wind up alienating Republicans who have done so, too.
* RollCall
While still relishing their contribution to the demise of former Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) last year, leaders of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce are resigned to the reality that they will have to take a much more defensive posture in the 2006 cycle.
“There are times to play offense and times to play defense,” Bill Miller, the group’s political director, said at a news conference Tuesday. “Protecting the gains we’ve made is of paramount importance [next year].”
[…]
“We’re not an arm of the Republican Party,” Miller insisted.Most Democrats would not agree.
“Saying the U.S. chamber is non-partisan is like saying Tony Soprano is indifferent to changes in racketeering laws,” said one Democratic operative, who did not want to be identified. “No one doubts they have and will continue to help some Democrats but the number is pretty small.”
[…]
Looking ahead to next year, Miller said the most important criteria will be protecting what the chamber has already achieved under a Republican-controlled Congress. “Businesses should look at the success they’ve enjoyed in this Congress and whether those things would happen under Democratic control,” Miller said.The Democratic operative said the chamber damaged its standing with Democrats last year, especially with its all-out effort to help President Bush.
Signs Bush is Radioactive to 2006 GOPers
- Bush approval in swing states and all states Taaannnkkkiinnnggg.
- SUSA (R) poll: Cheney approval sucks across the nation
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- LeftyBlogs: News by State
- Penndit Link Listing: Electoral Politics, Official & Unofficial Democratic Party Campaign Blogs (Donation links here)
- Penndit Link Listing: Issues, Activism, Political Info, and General Political Blogs & Websites
- DCCC blog: The Stakeholder
- DSCC blog: From the Roots
- DNC blog: KickingAss
More:
- 2006 Campaign Update States O through R (10/23-11/18/05) Campaign news, notes, snark, and some analysis for Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island.
- 2006 Campaign Update Nebraska to North Dakota (10/23-11/16/05) Campaign news, notes, snark, and some analysis for Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and North Dakota.
- 2006 Campaign Update States K through M (10/23-11/15/05) Campaign news, notes, snark, and some analysis for Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, and Montana.
- 2006 Campaign Update States G through I (10/23-11/13/05) Congressional, state, and local campaign news, notes, snark, and some analysis for Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa.
- 2006 Campaign Update States A through F (10/23-11/12/05) Congressional, State and Local campaign news, notes, snark, and some analysis for Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Colorado, and Florida. Also, some funny Arnold cartoons.