2008prediction

Popular Vote

Obama 53, McCain 46.

U.S. Senate Races

Democratic Wins

• Franken wins in Minnesota by 5
• Begich wins Alaska by 17
• Udall wins Colorado by 12
• Shaheen wins New Hampshire by 8
• Udall wins New Mexico by 18
• Hagan wins North Carolina by 8
• Merkley wins Oregon by 7
• Martin wins Georgia by 1, but does not reach 50%

Republican Wins

• Kelleher wins Montana by 37
• McConnell wins KY by 5
• Wicker wins Mississippi by 8

U.S. House

The Democrats expand their lead big, to 266-169.

Nina Williams, a stay-at-home mom in Lake County, Indiana, tells us that her daughter recently called her from her job at the center, upset that she had been asked to read a script attacking Obama for being "dangerously weak on crime," "coddling criminals," and for voting against "protecting children from danger."

Williams’ daughter told her that up to 40 of her co-workers had refused to read the script, and had left the call center after supervisors told them that they would have to either read the call or leave, Williams says. The call center is called Americall, and it’s located in Hobart, IN.

Now, if only these people, who took a real risk with their jobs, would get the same kind of attention as that “plumber.”

I want to express my extreme appreciation to everyone who is out there volunteering their time and/or donating their money to the Obama/Biden ticket. This was incredibly encouraging news to wake up to this morning.

Volunteer in Montana

Montana for Obama

“I obviously got my middle name from someone who never thought I would run for President.”

This morning, I saw this ad:

Fu . . .

No, they’re not worth it. I think it’s time that we go back to do an adult President, one who knows that abortion is a difficult, personal decision, but one that the government has no business making, when real lives are at stake.

Unhelpful for establishing the tone McCain sought in Davenport was the Rev. Arnold Conrad, past pastor of the Grace Evangelical Free Church. His prayer before McCain arrived at the convention center blocks from the Mississippi River appeared to dismiss faiths other than Christianity and cast the election as a referendum on God himself.

"I would also pray, Lord, that your reputation is involved in all that happens between now and November, because there are millions of people around this world praying to their god — whether it’s Hindu, Buddha, Allah — that his opponent wins, for a variety of reasons," Conrad said.

"And Lord, I pray that you would guard your own reputation, because they’re going to think that their god is bigger than you, if that happens. So I pray that you will step forward and honor your own name with all that happens between now and Election Day," he said.

That’s nice of the AP reporter to say that McCain wants to establish a “new tone,” but this has been his strategy for at least the past three weeks—to have other people say incredibly offensive things about Senator Obama while he pretends to be on the high road?

Sleazy. And seriously, Reverend Conrad? Hindu?

On the eve of a report on a legislative panel’s abuse-of-power investigation into Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, campaign officials released their own report clearing her of any wrongdoing.

Lawmakers are expected to release their findings Friday.

The report the McCain-Palin campaign released Thursday night says the firing was based on a budget dispute. Since then, the report says, the matter has been muddled with innuendo, rumor and politics.

That certainly the way an innocent person acts.

Governor Palin typically spent less than 15 seconds actually answering the questions that were presented to her, when she deigned to actually respond to the issue, before launching into inane prattle and talking points from advertisements. She could offer no specifics about taxes, energy issues (her area of expertise now!) or the bailout, and wandered aimlessly around questions, desperately looking for a half-memorized talking point to save her.

She couldn’t even answer questions that should have been softballs. Governor Palin’s response to the issue of gay marriage was perfectly illustrative of her lack of basic facts beyond talking points. She clearly had no idea what civil rights issues were involved. For no reason, she told the American public that she is tolerant. In my experience, truly tolerant people don’t ever feel the need to say that. She clearly had no idea that there could be a position between not allowing gay marriage and mandated free love parades in every Alaskan community, so she refused to answer the question.

Her answer on the use of nuclear weaponry might well have been the least intelligent response in a modern Presidential debate. When the transcript is available, please read it for yourself, and ask yourself if she had any idea what the issue being raised was. Senator Biden immediately was able to refer to relevant policies, like the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and U.S. arms control policy. Just read the transcript of her response:

Governor, on another issue, interventionism, nuclear weapons. What should be the trigger, or should there be a trigger, when nuclear weapons use is ever put into play?
PALIN: Nuclear weaponry, of course, would be the be all, end all of just too many people in too many parts of our planet, so those dangerous regimes, again, cannot be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons, period.
Our nuclear weaponry here in the U.S. is used as a deterrent. And that’s a safe, stable way to use nuclear weaponry.

Every American should watch the exchange between Senator Biden and Governor Palin about military intervention in the rest of the world. On one hand, practical experience and a record of supporting effective intervention, on the other, a throwaway line from the 2004 election and vague references to “all options on the table.” I’d expect a more sophisticated response from a high school student delivering an extemporaneous speech.

Don’t even get me started on her response on the role of the Vice President.

Well, our founding fathers were very wise there in allowing through the Constitution much flexibility there in the office of the vice president. And we will do what is best for the American people in tapping into that position and ushering in an agenda that is supportive and cooperative with the president’s agenda in that position. Yeah, so I do agree with him that we have a lot of flexibility in there, and we’ll do what we have to do to administer very appropriately the plans that are needed for this nation.

Sarah Palin is not qualified to be Vice President. That is the fundamental issue of this debate. It’s become a core issue of this campaign, because her selection shows that we  can’t trust John McCain.

Hers is a worldview devoid of nuance. It’s a combination of vapid ideology, half-digested briefings, and absolutely undeserved confidence. Sound familiar? The American public has gone down this road before, and recently, with devastating consequences.

We live in complex times, and can no longer afford leaders with a simplistic world view. Senator Biden demonstrated tonight that he has the expertise, experience, and judgment to not only provide sound advice to the President, but in the event of tragedy, to assume the office of President.

Can even the most ardent supporters of Governor Palin possibly claim either of those things are true?

After noting Roe vs. Wade, Palin was apparently unable to discuss any major court cases.

There was no verbal fumbling with this particular question as there was with some others, the aide said, but rather silence.

I hope the liberal media will release this right away.