tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57056032011-07-30T14:03:36.880-04:00Democratis is the pen name of David J. Robinson, a veteran of 40 years of political activism as a volunteer, professional consultant and 15 years as a staffer on Capitol Hill. The mission of this journal is to provide the reader with analysis and commentary, with an admitted bias toward the Democratic Party. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not represent the views of any campaign, political party or group. Comments are welcome to democratisdc@aol.comDemocratisnoreply@blogger.comBlogger8001100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-71119807965083067772009-07-18T14:24:00.001-04:002009-07-18T14:24:40.153-04:00

The death yesterday of Walter Cronkite is being called the end of an era but one doubts the man himself would have permitted anyone working for him to use such a less-than-accurate term. The era of three choices for a nightly half-hour dose of the news ended with the advent cable news the internet and the blogosphere. In this time of twenty-four-hour news cycles nobody will ever attain the

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-89814979436936338792009-06-15T05:38:00.003-04:002009-06-15T07:25:26.383-04:00

Iranian voters went to the polls in record numbers Friday reelecting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad by a margin of 63-percent-to-32-percent for his closest rival Mir Hussein Moussavi. Upon announcement of Ahmadinejad’s electoral triumph Iranians spontaneously rushed into the streets of that nation’s cities to celebrate in the traditional manner: rioting and violence across the nation.George W.

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-72319328033637260862009-06-12T06:56:00.002-04:002009-06-12T06:59:38.866-04:00

Wednesday’s shootout at the Holocaust Memorial Museum was shocking, sad and maddening but it cannot really be described as a surprise. For months right-wing rhetoric has escalated to a level of hysteria that would make Senator Joseph McCarthy blush.From a certain cable network that calls the blatant right wing propaganda it pumps into the public discourse “Fair And Balanced,” to Limbaugh, to the

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-61419300222036851642009-06-09T12:02:00.002-04:002009-06-09T12:05:01.941-04:00

Senator Grassley of the Hawkeye StateHis oratory skills are considered greatHis typing skills are somewhat littlerEspecially when he tweets on TwitterSenator G wants Obama to knowThat he is not a nailNor is he a bolt nor a shepherd’s crookTo cross him would be to failThe President may be in Paris, yesBut Senator G is at his deskAn example to colleagues and public at largeThat he really ought to

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-40578004523415752009-06-03T10:08:00.002-04:002009-06-03T10:14:33.025-04:00

Editors Note: The following was posted to USA Today Online's The Oval.USA Today wins today’s Meaningless Headline of the Day Award for the following: "Poll: Public Would Reverse Sotomayor Ruling" Leave aside the merits of the case or Judge Sotomayor’s ruling and remember: the reason the Founding Fathers created a separate Judicial Branch of Government was to protect the republic from the vagaries

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-83717415580223137782009-05-20T11:55:00.001-04:002009-05-20T11:58:04.533-04:00

Just when Democratis thought we had seen the last word on Republican National Chairman Michael Steele with his speech to GOP state party leaders yesterday, they pull us back in! After his speech yesterday Mr. Steele went on Fox News Channel to say that if the Republican National Committee strips him of his power to run the RNC financially, as has been proposed by some, he would resign his

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-49151115537128589132009-05-18T14:12:00.001-04:002009-05-18T14:14:12.068-04:00

Editor’s Note: Democratis posted the following reply to a Ben Smith article on the alarm among Republicans over Latino voting patterns posted today in The Politico.Republicans have been tripping over the issue of immigration ever since the Whig and American (AKA Know-nothing) Parties merged and nominated John C Fremont 1856. A look back at the anti-immigrant rhetoric of the 19th Century shows

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-87986980384549084152009-05-03T10:55:00.001-04:002009-05-03T10:56:57.669-04:00

If April showers bring May flowersWhy is it raining todayWhy do I have to sandbag my houseSo it won’t get washed away

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-65844569578846798732009-04-30T11:00:00.002-04:002009-04-30T11:03:39.710-04:00

US Representative Virginia Foxx (R-NC) has finally got herself national recognition (the secret dream of every back-bench-rank-and-file House Member) but she might not like being set on the pedestal right next to Michelle Bachman (R-MN). Yesterday the House was debating a bill to add crimes against gays, lesbians and trans-genders to the class of crimes to which hate crime enhancement can be

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-42792313776803730402009-04-08T14:56:00.000-04:002009-04-08T14:57:16.627-04:00

The Washington Post cites two unnamed sources in a report that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will appoint Mary Patrice Brown, a veteran DC federal prosecutor to head up the Department of Justice’s Office of Professional Responsibility, the agency charged with policing the actions of Department personnel in conduct of their official duties.The move comes one day after a Federal District Judge

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-4213145637893788692009-04-08T09:28:00.002-04:002009-04-08T09:29:16.565-04:00

A Minnesota court yesterday counted most of the 400 absentee ballots still at issue in the US Senate race between Norm Coleman (R) and Al Franken (D) and Franken emerged with a lead increased to 312 votes, making it mathematically impossible for Coleman, who held the seat until his term expired leaving Minnesota with a sole Senate seat January 6th, to win reelection based on total votes

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-49100241656178114362009-04-08T08:43:00.002-04:002009-04-08T08:53:11.188-04:00

The United Kingdom Maritime Security Centre at the Horn of Africa is reporting that pirates have seized a 17,000-ton Danish-owned, American-operated container ship in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Somalia. The report states that the twenty-one American crew members of the Maersk Alabama are believed to be safe. The last time American citizens were captured and held by pirates President

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-72065814752752053552009-03-17T08:00:00.001-04:002009-03-17T08:01:47.223-04:00

“Our founding fathers knew that when the rights of the people get trampled we must become a torch and pitchfork-wielding mob, empty of all thoughts, an injured vengeful animal lashing out blindly at shapes and colors!”Stephen ColbertOn AIG bonus policyMarch 16, 2009

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-73029450163220634022009-03-16T13:49:00.002-04:002009-03-17T06:36:32.896-04:00

The folks at AIG are grandRelying on The Giving HandTheir pillars might refuse to standTheir prospects may not be so grandAnd yet they’ve lots of cash on handTo hand out to their top commandWill AIGBegin to seeThat they are owned by you and meAnd as for me I cannot seeThe need to pay a bonus feeTo corporate leaders who might fleeTo other firms that they can seeWhen most folks say that cannot beI

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-37780296201043080862009-03-14T10:35:00.001-04:002009-03-14T10:37:59.876-04:00

The Washington Post Online leads this morning with the following headline: “Obama’s New Tack: Blaming Bush.” Democratis is shocked, shocked that the President and the administration have decided to talk about history as they addresses the problems that built up during eight years of faux leadership by the Firm of Bush, Cheney and Company.Is anyone really surprised; when you reach out in

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-14005434425931458592009-03-03T10:41:00.001-05:002009-03-03T10:43:42.928-05:00

Chicago voters go to the polls today to fill the Illinois 5th Congressional District House seat that opened up when Rahm Emanuel resigned from the House to become President Barack Obama’s chief of staff last January. 12 Democrats, 5 Republicans and 6 Greens have their names on the ballot in what is one of the nation’s most loyally Democratic and highly diverse Congressional Districts.Filling a

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-55820600824904031482009-03-02T07:18:00.000-05:002009-03-02T07:19:50.824-05:00

For weeks Democratis has been trying to figure out exactly what has happened to pragmatic common sense, two qualities that seemingly face extinction in the Republican Party. Well maybe not; at least according to Politico, which gives major space to a fascinating Jonathan Martin profile of Utah Governor John Huntsman, “at least one 2012 presidential contender missing from the Conservative

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-81653672055450085362009-02-28T10:47:00.000-05:002009-02-28T10:48:29.185-05:00

Barack Obama has been president for 40 days; he has more than three-and-one-half years before he must face voters if he wants to win a second term but Republicans are already beginning to consider their options in the elections of 2012 elections. Real Clear Politics reports a new poll of Republican voters shows Alaska Governor Sarah Palin leading a pack of potential GOP presidential candidates

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-14067670867979388722009-02-02T11:34:00.002-05:002009-02-02T11:39:53.635-05:00

The Los Angeles Times reports that California state Attorney General Edmond G. Brown Jr. is in the preliminary stages of a campaign to regain the governorship of the Golden State. Brown has already served a term as Secretary of State and two terms as Governor but that was a generation ago. Brown initially swept into office as the face of the new generation; in 1970 he was the only Democrat to

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-91193776205880074102009-01-30T19:23:00.003-05:002009-01-30T19:39:43.093-05:00

Former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steel became the first African American chairman of the Republican National Committee today, besting five other candidates in a contest that stretched out over six ballots at the group’s 2007 winter meeting Friday. once and in spite of itself, the RNC did the smart thing.What had been a six-man race became a five-man contest when former Tennessee

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-71003555603744224902009-01-29T11:19:00.001-05:002009-01-29T11:23:02.883-05:00

Democratis spent most of yesterday monitoring the House of Representatives as it debated and finally passed President Obama’s $819 billion recovery package, in spite of unanimous opposition from House Republicans. In the end the GOP did not care for meeting a Democratic President half, or even one-tenth of the way. House Republicans want Congress to lave national marketplace alone to work its own

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-40822882996287311922009-01-22T11:09:00.001-05:002009-01-22T11:12:44.534-05:00

President Obama had to take the Presidential Oath of Office a second time, at 7:35 yesterday, after Chief Justice John Roberts misstated the Oath during the official swearing-in at Noon Tuesday. The action came after Fox News’ affable tool Chris Wallace questioned whether Mr. Obama was actually President since the Chief Justice did not follow the oath exactly as it appears in the

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-84011238792224065312009-01-21T11:49:00.002-05:002009-01-21T11:52:57.924-05:00

That last post is about our national yesterday; this journal is about today and tomorrow and the Long National Nightmare came to an end at Noon yesterday at the West Front of the Capitol. Today, President Obama will keep a campaign promise, meeting with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael Mullen, U. S. Central Command Chief General David

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-37876043654643253552009-01-21T11:39:00.002-05:002009-01-21T11:42:50.440-05:00

There were two modes of welcome when former President George W. Bush arrived on the platform for yesterday’s inauguration of his successor: silence as frosty as the temperature outside the Capitol or outright mocking. For the right side of the chattering caste it was an excuse to attack the new Administration for its supporters not living up to all rhetoric about ending the partisanship and

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-7466856093297872412009-01-15T12:35:00.001-05:002009-01-15T12:41:25.748-05:00

As noted in our first post today this is a busy Washington-week-before-a-new-President-comes-in-day, one that did not come to a stop so everyone could watch Eric Holder as he testified before the Judiciary Committee. While we were watching Mr. Holder sparing with Senator Specter, the Foreign Relations committee met and voted its approval of the Nomination of Hillary Clinton to be Secretary of

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-542972675048299452009-01-15T11:43:00.000-05:002009-01-15T11:44:39.245-05:00

As the Eric Holder confirmation hearing takes a break it is clear that this nomination will be favorably voted on by the Judiciary Committee and confirmed by the full Senate. The opposition to him is based more on Republican partisanship than any real question about his qualifications or character. Still, questioning will continue for the rest of the day and there is always the (remote)

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-68146804762013217752009-01-15T10:38:00.001-05:002009-01-15T11:05:42.043-05:00

Sharp questioning by Senator Specter over Holder’s part in the pardon of bad-boy financier/arms dealer Mark Rich by President Clinton. Citing an investigation of the pardon process by the then-Republican controlled House of Representatives that charged that Holder had recommended attorney Jack Quinn to handle the process of requesting a Presidential Pardon, Specter demanded an explanation.

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-23888546837022669782009-01-15T10:04:00.000-05:002009-01-15T10:05:39.045-05:00

10:05 AM As the hearing opened this morning committee ranking Republican Arlen Specter (R-PA) noted, “on behalf of the Republican Caucus,” a problem with the “speed with which this appointment is being rushed. Senators, Specter said, have not had enough time to dig through boxes and boxes of material submitted to the committee by Mr. Holder. Committee Chairman Patrick Lehey pointed out that

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-85931912936395078012009-01-15T09:42:00.001-05:002009-01-15T09:44:07.940-05:00

Washington, DC 9:44 AM Democratis will liveblog for a time on this extraordinary Washington Day. A ride down Pennsylvania Avenue this morning showed the street still being dressed for Tuesday’s Inauguration of Barack Obama. Today the Obama’s move into Blair House the traditional home to incoming Presidents as we count-down George W. Bush’s final days as President.The Senate Judiciary

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-46889746863797075202009-01-12T07:13:00.000-05:002009-01-12T07:14:38.690-05:00

Soon-to-be-ex-president George W. Bush is not just walking away from his Party as he prepares to leave the White House. In an exclusive interview on Fox News Sunday had advice for a Republican Party he leaves at its lowest level of national support in decades."It's very important for our party not to narrow its focus, not to become so inward-looking that we drive people away from a philosophy

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-27336194358487307562009-01-12T06:09:00.000-05:002009-01-12T06:10:14.627-05:00

CNN reported yesterday that U. S. Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) will announce this afternoon that he will retire when his current term expires, leaving an open Senate race in the Buckeye State in 2010. Voinovich, 71, a former Ohio Governor will be the fourth Republican Senator to take a pass on reelection in the upcoming cycle joining Mel Martinez (FL) Sam Brownback (KS) and Kit Bond (MO) who

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-65931381512347008162009-01-06T06:11:00.001-05:002009-01-06T06:12:29.412-05:00

The 111th Congress will convene at Noon today, an event in which tradition and the exercise of political principle come very much to the fore. In the Senate Members elected or reelected in November will be sworn into office by Vice President Dick Cheney and the Upper House will begin the business of organizing itself and getting down to business. Across Capitol Hill Members of the House of

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-11687045210931062092009-01-05T15:11:00.001-05:002009-01-05T15:13:14.971-05:00

The New York Times is reporting at this hour that President-elect Obama has chosen former Clinton White House chief of staff Leon Panetta to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. A veteran Member of the House of Representatives, Panetta left Congress at the beginning of his ninth term to become Director of the Office of Management and Budget in the administration of President Bill

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-3387168876157600852009-01-05T13:27:00.001-05:002009-01-05T13:29:44.719-05:00

Where it began (da-da-da-da) somewhere in MassachusettsThen it spread out across the landPatterson reached (da-da-da-da) out there across the landscapeHe didn’t guess you’d come to handCall Uncle Ted, Cousin Pat, Cousin Joe, call the clanSweet Caroline (dum-dum Dum) happy days are here againThe Senate Floor’s now the center of your plansAnd now we’reLookin’ ahead (da-da-da-da) into a dazzling

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-7853248829488025872009-01-05T10:19:00.000-05:002009-01-05T10:20:33.153-05:00

Hello, good morning, Happy New Year and welcome back to Democratis. For the past few weeks we have been too busy decking the halls, raising the cup and checking with our Official Financial Advisor Mr. Madoff, to focus on things political. Bernie The M tells us, by-the-way, that despite “recent fluctuations in the Market,” we are well on the way to what will certainly be a record year for profit

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-23351997345288221882008-12-04T07:13:00.003-05:002008-12-04T07:17:43.203-05:00

Washington DC: Things are changing in this city and as a new Administration prepares to take office at least one Member of Congress has learned what it is like to have a President who actually wants to reach across the aisle for advice from senior members of the opposition party. Hopefully by the time Barack Obama takes the oath of office next month the new paradigm will be understood by everyone

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-39251333452139095422008-12-03T07:47:00.000-05:002008-12-03T07:48:58.887-05:00

In what is certainly no surprise to anyone, Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss won easy reelection in yesterday’s Georgia U. S. Senate runoff. Georgia officials say about 35% of eligible voters cast ballots giving the Republican incumbent a second term by a margin of 58% to 42% over his Democratic challenger Jim Martin and depriving Democrats of the hope of the sixty votes needed to allow a vote

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-83297205376457737932008-12-02T10:14:00.000-05:002008-12-02T10:15:22.969-05:00

Voters in Georgia go to the polls today in a runoff election between incumbent Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss and his Democratic challenger Jim Martin. If Martin is able to upend Chambliss it will put Senate Democrats within one vote of the 60-votes required to move legislation to a vote in the Upper Chamber.Conventional wisdom reaching the Democratis Beltway Perch is that Chambliss ought to

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-4337142674627709212008-11-27T11:21:00.000-05:002008-11-27T11:23:09.253-05:00

Democratis has to wonder if yesterday’s FBI warnings of possible attacks on the in New York City’s transit system may have come from intercepted chatter around bad-guy websites about what has turned out to have been the attack currently under way in Mumbai India. While the question has to be asked it seems more likely that, as noted on this page yesterday, US officials were playing CIA in case

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-17452840761973996762008-11-26T11:47:00.001-05:002008-11-26T11:47:56.017-05:00

Former First Lady Barbara Bush underwent laparoscopic surgery to repair a perforated ulcer last night. The White House reported earlier that Mrs. Bush, 83, had been hospitalized “for tests,” after suffering stomach pains for several days and would be going home today after all of the tests came back negative.Democratis is delighted to hear that that no complications are anticipated by her

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-42863847797419307322008-11-26T09:58:00.001-05:002008-11-26T10:00:08.902-05:00

MSNBC is reporting an FBI warning to New York City police of a possible terrorist threat to that city’s subway system “sometime during the holidays.” Now there’s a holiday surprise! International crazies might decided to do damage to New York, or some other major American city, while the nation is celebrating the prime time for conspicuous consumption, one of those evil things people who do

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-85260533539039206272008-11-21T13:46:00.001-05:002008-11-21T13:47:36.342-05:00

The chief lesson in Barack Obama’s victory this year was that in order to lead one has to look to the future and not to the past. That lesson is confirmed with yesterday’s House Democratic Caucus victory by California Representative Henry Waxman for the chair of the energy and commerce committee.It seems counterintuitive to think of a 69-year-old, 40-year veteran of professional politics as a

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-44137427618027013632008-11-19T15:15:00.002-05:002008-11-19T15:18:11.234-05:00

California Representative Henry Waxman bested Representative John Dingle (MI) in their contest for the Chairmanship of the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce in the first round of voting in the House Democratic Caucus. Waxman announced a surprise to Dingle immediately after the November 4th election. This afternoon, Waxman led Dingle in a vote in the Party’s Steering and Policy

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-82444447228413883392008-11-10T00:27:00.003-05:002008-11-10T11:44:35.698-05:00

This is the time when political junkies begin to feel the effects of cold turkey withdrawal from the political season. You can see them all over America, standing around trying to look unobtrusive with the same expressions of cautious optimism as druggies the day after a major roundup of street dealers, wondering who will show up with enough stuff to get everyone well.For political addicts the

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-61383884697702173402008-11-06T11:08:00.001-05:002008-11-06T11:12:32.824-05:00

Once upon a time there was a giant called Ralph Nader. A generation ago Nader walked away from a rising career in the automobile industry to blow the whistle on its complete disregard for the safety of its customers and championed what became known as consumerism.Nader remained relevant to American politics into the 21st Century; in 2000 he was personally responsible for throwing the electoral

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-91943143502287011772008-11-06T10:37:00.001-05:002008-11-06T10:40:22.293-05:00

The political spotlight, while largely focused on the Obama transition team, which took over office space in this city yesterday, a share of attention is going to Capitol Hill were House Members and Senators are planning leadership structures for the 111th Congress, when it convenes in January.Yesterday, California Representative Henry Waxman sent a shockwave through Democratic Caucus ranks

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-32842302867837875242008-11-06T10:35:00.001-05:002008-11-06T10:35:57.088-05:00

As the calendar wound down to last Tuesday’s election Democratis was stuck on what to write. While certain Barack Obama would win the thing we are just superstitious enough to be unable to ditch the worry of jinxing it all. Since Tuesday we have been so overwhelmed by events it has been impossible to put up a word.So with that stated, we note that there probably has not been a moment like 11:

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-16606082751306978182008-11-03T04:57:00.001-05:002008-11-03T04:58:40.724-05:00

The New York Times uses this Day Before The Day to give a gift to history junkies; clicking on the link with which this sentence begins will take the reader to a Timeline of NYT Presidential endorsements throughout the ages; beginning with 1860 when they endorsed the Presidential candidacy of another Illinois guy.

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-18333971792149368842008-10-26T18:49:00.003-04:002008-10-26T19:00:05.660-04:00

Los Angeles, CA: It was a gathering of old friends, veterans of California Democratic Party wars of the 1960’s; guests included current and former elected officials, political consultants, long time volunteer activists and many whose lives have moved into life-beyond politics raising families, building and now, beginning to retire from careers, the most commonly heard expression something like, “

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-22901987026760429452008-10-24T12:37:00.002-04:002008-10-24T12:44:30.753-04:00

This is not a happy time over in right field, especially when it comes to Republicans in down-ballot races. 11 days before the Election the only remaining question in Senate races is whether Democrats will be able to pick up enough new seats to hold a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority. GOP estimates of losses in House races range anywhere from 20-to-50 seats (that last number coming from one who

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-81978304498365940252008-10-21T10:25:00.001-04:002008-10-21T10:27:48.262-04:00

Last Friday in this space Democratis reported on the Second Law of Politics (a politician who finds he or she is losing a reelection campaign will do anything to turn the election around; the First Law being that the Second Law has precedence over all the other laws). The same applies to political parties as well.With Barack Obama leading in the polls and Democrats poised to pick up a raft of new

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-49235145377983954502008-10-18T11:31:00.001-04:002008-10-18T11:36:17.196-04:00

Roll Call(subscription required) reported last night that U. S. Representative Vito Fossella (R-NY) had been convicted of driving while intoxicated and running a red light in a Virginia court. Fossella, the only remaining GOP representative from New York City was a candidate for reelection when he was arrested just after Midnight, May 1st.Reporting, after the arrest, revealed that Fossella had

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-87386598014650255622008-10-17T10:16:00.004-04:002008-10-17T11:10:54.866-04:00

In the past two days we have lived through the third and final candidates debate, met and got to know Joe the Plumber (who seems to us full of the material he gets paid to unclog) and last night we were treated to the sight of both candidates, in white tie and tails, shooting one-line jokes at one another at the annual Al Smith Dinner in New York City. Now Barack Obama and John McCain get down to

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-74822959469081785242008-10-15T10:23:00.003-04:002008-10-15T10:26:48.212-04:00

As Barack Obama and John McCain prepare for their final debate Republicans across the country seem to be in deep trouble. Twenty days before voters go to the polls the GOP is struggling to shore up in the face of Democratic Party gains in areas Republicans have considered home turf for decades.Recent polls show Obama leading nationally by anywhere from six-to-fourteen percent, while

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-47936954574806427262008-10-09T11:16:00.000-04:002008-10-09T11:17:38.989-04:00

Today is Yom Kippur, the beginning of the Jewish New Year celebrated with fasting to atone for sins committed during the previous year. It is fitting that Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), appearing yesterday on Andria Mitchell’s afternoon hour on MSNBC, understands the spirit of the holiday. When Mitchell wished the Connecticut Senator Happy New Year he replied, “Thank you, Andrea. I wish you

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-45176349416623268632008-10-03T09:40:00.000-04:002008-10-03T09:41:29.026-04:00

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin scored a solid C-plus in her debate last night with Delaware Senator Joseph Biden. Palin certainly met expectations last night, recited her talking points with alacrity but if viewers were looking to learn what she believes in or how she would handle an emergency transition into the Presidency they did not exactly attain enlightenmentGOP spinners were quick to hail “

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-83654292368640188402008-10-02T15:44:00.001-04:002008-10-02T15:45:51.824-04:00

A stunning report by Politico's Jonathan Martin: the McCain Campaign is pulling out of Michigan, a state that has been considered an Obama – McCain battleground by most campaign observers. Senator McCain took the state in his 2000 Primary run against George W. Bush and GOP campaign planners had hoped that his popularity there along with voter unhappiness with Democratic Governor Jennifer

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-46649772840354067242008-10-02T12:00:00.003-04:002008-10-02T12:23:36.409-04:00

A major reason cited by conservatives for opposition to the financial bailout bill passed by the Senate last night was a provision that requires the government to have equity ownership of all loans bought up with taxpayer funds. Supporters of the bill point out that while some of the loans will never be repaid representing a loss most will be paid back as the economy improves resulting in a

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-71589703707423529402008-10-02T10:51:00.001-04:002008-10-02T11:20:17.779-04:00

One of the great worries that convinced many Senators to vote Yes on the Financial bailout bill (which proponents have renamed a Financial Rescue bill) last night, was the fear that without immediate intervention credit will dry up, affecting not only corporations and small businesses that cannot count on lines of credit to buy inventory or pay employee salaries but by everyday consumers whose

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-74242571805974516362008-10-01T10:43:00.001-04:002008-10-01T10:49:23.292-04:00

Senators Obama, Biden and McCain are coming back to Washington this afternoon to be on hand as the Senate takes up its own financial bailout proposal, with a vote expected to come sometime tonight. Centerpiece will be a provision, called for first by Barack Obama yesterday morning, to raise FDIC bank insurance from the current $100,000 to $250,000. Senator McCain quickly endorsed the idea and

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-44344075942551674322008-09-30T13:54:00.001-04:002008-09-30T15:34:53.508-04:00

We haven’t heard much about the Ownership Society lately but fortunately all one has to do is visit The White House Web Site, for a fact sheet on the issue, dating from summer of 2004. It makes for inspirational reading, especially in the wake of what has happened over the past few days.The fact sheet outlines the golden future President Bush promised us all when he was running for reelection

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-23264024020183368032008-09-30T08:58:00.002-04:002008-09-30T15:39:20.565-04:00

All in all it has been an eventful month; when it began John McCain was one of the few people in the lower 48-states who knew who the Governor of Alaska is; today Sarah Palin is a dream-come-true for every writer of satire and comedy in the world not to mention a whole new aspect to the already busy career of Tina Fey.As this ninth month of the year comes to an end we can only wonder whether we

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-58980583590344069782008-09-20T10:32:00.000-04:002008-09-20T10:34:09.257-04:00

Throughout most of the 20th Century one of the givens of American politics was that Republican election prospects in Vermont were as solid as the Green Mountains; in 1936 Vermont and Maine were the only states in the Union that kept the GOP flame lit, giving Kansas Governor Alf Landon his only Electoral wins over President Franklin D. Roosevelt.Despite the religious beliefs of the current

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-49079136337691949032008-09-19T10:45:00.002-04:002008-09-19T11:26:00.412-04:00

As was expected, President Bush announced the Administration is asking Congress to spend “hundreds of billions of dollars” to buy up bad loans currently held by a credit and banking sector that is, at very best, shaking like the San Andres Fault in a point-nine quake. Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. America and everyone else who is paying-down a home mortgage; you now live in Federal Housing!We are

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-21192413858633431172008-09-19T10:45:00.000-04:002008-09-19T10:46:21.843-04:00

President Bush is preparing to address the nation; Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has asked Congress for a bad-loan bailout of “hundreds of billions of dollars,” which TV financial analysts say might be more like a trillion dollars before it is over. Thank God; two weeks ago we loaned a corporate American Express Card to Cousin Nemo which he used it to buy a brand new BMW. Thank you Mr.

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-69120688758022759062008-09-17T20:13:00.001-04:002008-09-17T20:15:12.043-04:00

From an address by Senator Obama:"Yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he's president he'll take on, and I quote, 'the old boys' network in Washington.' I'm not making this up. This is somebody been in Congress for 26 years, who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign. And now he tells us that he's the one who's gonna take on the old boys' network. In

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-4711476148513796532008-09-17T10:29:00.001-04:002008-09-17T10:30:48.019-04:00

Does anyone out there remember when Senator John McCain was a political maverick who did not permit his Party to play partisan games in times of crisis? With forty-eight days until voters go to the polls, McCain has ditched that particular persona in order to embrace what has been the main Republican theme ever since Dick Nixon figured out how to poach support from the dissatisfied blue collar

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-25224187702341494512008-09-12T10:07:00.001-04:002008-09-12T10:15:38.605-04:00

Even before today’s Family Research Council clambake got fully underway the tone of the day was clearly announced by the Invocation in which The Assembled were reminded, ““The only real change that can come to our country is through Jesus Christ.”The opening prayer was followed by FRC chief Tony Perkins who then introduced CNN anchor and gingoistic walking megaphone Lou Dobbs, who announced that

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-56321146565111915022008-09-12T08:55:00.001-04:002008-09-12T08:56:25.399-04:00

Happy Friday Morning! Democratis is liveblogging today from the Washington Hilton Hotel where the Family Research Council, the right edge of the Christian Right is gathering up its tribes and girding loins for the coming fight with (place anti-Obama pejorative here), a battle for the Soul Of Our Very Nation.A slew of the righteous of the right are scheduled to spread the gospel to the gathered

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-68567484947786416062008-09-11T13:04:00.002-04:002008-09-11T13:07:39.381-04:00

In a heavily guarded office building a meeting is about to get underway. Experts have scanned and secured the room, to assure nobody can listen-in and one can imagine hostages being exchanged to guarantee the safety of the two powerful men who are holding a working lunch. Heavily armed men are on hand in and around the building to further insure security.It might sound like a scene from The

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-71911731331491425092008-09-11T10:05:00.005-04:002008-09-11T10:31:31.617-04:00

Flags across this city are at half-mast today as Washington and the nation remember nearly three thousand men and women who were killed on this date seven years ago. This is not a day for politics on this one day we are all Americans together.Our thoughts and prayers are with those who we lost and their famaliesIn Memorum

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-38002120752255825722008-09-09T10:02:00.002-04:002008-09-09T10:06:59.863-04:00

Ever since Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain reached down into the GOP grass-roots and had Sarah Palin anointed as his running mate, Democratis has been writing about the Alaska Governor to the point where we were beginning to think we were obsessing. But then, as we get to know The Great White Hunter Lady Of The North, we find more and more that deserves being put into print.The

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-12811311866137401932008-09-05T17:20:00.001-04:002008-09-05T17:23:47.252-04:00

This is where Democratis planned to analyze the impact of the Republican National Convention and the effect of John McCain’s acceptance speech. The greatest impact of the Convention itself was to enlarge public recognition of the Governor of Alaska beyond the boundaries of the 49th State; mission accomplished! As to the effect of Senator McCain’s Thursday evening speech: if it was not the worst

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-80488289547420059072008-09-04T11:35:00.002-04:002008-09-04T11:44:21.986-04:00

The best part of modern digital technology is that it was possible to watch Governor Sarah Palin’s address to the Republican National Convention without having to first sit through Mssrs. Romney, Giuliani and Huckabee. Even in politics the star needs a good warm-up act and it is nice to know the Three Stooges still getting work. The reality of the modern Republican Party is best summed up by a

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-13654626391975144022008-09-03T11:22:00.002-04:002008-09-09T11:49:24.419-04:00

Last week in Denver, Senator Barack Obama accepted the Democratic Presidential nomination in a symbol-laced address before 85,000 at Invesco Field on the 45th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream address. Republicans are not without historical prospective of their own so tonight, on the 69th Anniversary of the culmination of the peace-keeping policies of the government of

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-5506597147520436112008-09-01T14:50:00.002-04:002008-09-01T15:03:57.899-04:00

Ever since Senator John McCain reached down deep into the roots of the Republican grassroots to chose Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate, rumors about the one-time Miss Alaska runner-up and commercial fishing fleet commodore have been flying across the web. One of the loudest was that Palin’s new baby was actually her granddaughter; the mother, Palin’s 17-year-old

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-61084053736134576452008-09-01T11:37:00.002-04:002008-09-01T11:41:37.017-04:00

Washington, DC: When Republicans decided to hold their convention in St Paul Minnesota nobody could have guessed that live television coverage on this Labor Day morning would be focused on the other end of the Mississippi River. Hurricane Gustav made landfall this morning west of New Orleans forcing the GOP to virtually cancel today’s opening session.MSNBC on the current situation in the Crescent

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-57792513882593807842008-08-30T14:31:00.004-04:002008-08-31T13:23:23.367-04:00

All the chattering caste is buzzing today after John McCain’s selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate brought a near unanimous response yesterday: WHO? It was only when reaction came in from the far right of the GOP far right before the choice of an obscure, first-term Governor of a state with more walrus than people began to make sense, of a sort.While John McCain has never

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-6087998389758079792008-08-29T01:31:00.002-04:002008-08-29T01:39:41.166-04:00

People will remember this day long after everyone we who were here in Denver are dead and gone. Barack Obama inspired a national audience with an address that set him apart from any major presidential nominee since John F. Kennedy, or maybe since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Barack Obama is walking with destiny and anyone who saw his address tonight is better for the experience.There was deep

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-12725253748847165682008-08-28T17:42:00.002-04:002008-08-28T17:49:59.522-04:00

Good afternoon.Democratic delegates and alternates, media, hangers-on and about 50,000 (mostly) Colorado residents who have been able to score the hottest ticket in town, are gathering in and around Invesco Stadium, where Barack Obama will accept the Democratic Presidential nomination this evening. All told some 70,000 people will be there as the Illinois Democrat formally introduces himself to

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-21580941521012595062008-08-28T13:04:00.003-04:002008-08-29T10:27:47.887-04:00

Senator Barack Obama woke up this morning as the Democratic Party Nominee for President of the United States. It is a prodigious accomplishment. Leaving out his ethnicity, this freshman United Senator upended what only a year ago seemed to be Hillary Clinton’s victory march to the nomination; he defeated the Clinton organization on their home turf, in the political party they had remade in their

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-89036506916121226882008-08-27T22:09:00.000-04:002008-08-27T22:12:20.108-04:00

If last night’s convention address by Senator Hillary Clinton was a grand-slam home run, tonight’s address by President Clinton was a four-game-to-zero shutout in the World Series. As Democratis speculated this morning President 42 demolished whatever was left of the McCain – GOP plan to pick up legions of disaffected Clinton backers who would never accept Obama at the head of the Democratic

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-23916357021475454332008-08-27T17:17:00.002-04:002008-08-27T17:19:45.266-04:00

After telling her fellow New York delegates she plans to cast her convention vote for Barack Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton released her pledged delegates to “vote your conscience,” when the Democratic National Convention formally selects its presidential nominee tonight. The move was expected but the New York Senator did not direct her delegates to support Barack Obama on the roll call vote.By

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-1285057109581489422008-08-27T15:39:00.002-04:002008-08-27T15:43:31.240-04:00

On Monday, Democratis noted police reports of the arrests of three men for what Aurora Colorado police characterized as “a possible plot to harm Senator Barack Obama.” Yesterday Colorado District U. S. Attorney Troy Eid announced the filing of criminal complaints against Tharin Gartrell, Shawn Robert Adolf and Dwaine Johnson on illegal gun possession and drug felony charges.In a statement to

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-71823953187699364822008-08-27T12:00:00.002-04:002008-08-27T12:02:08.654-04:00

The Pithy Comment Of The Day Award goes to MSNBC's First Read for the following:“When your staff doesn’t do you any favors: All that said, who in Hillaryland thought it was a good idea to step on the best speech of her political career by giving blind quotes about a future presidential campaign? She got tremendous accolades from Team Obama, but some Clinton staffer had to spill beans about the

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-45469413664559117382008-08-27T11:24:00.003-04:002008-08-27T11:33:20.036-04:00

Good Morning from Denver!Yesterday Democratis and everyone else in this town, was tensely waiting to find outWhat Hillary Would Do. Several lawyer-delegates said the mood reminded them of waiting for bar-exam scores, for one reporter the entire day seemed to be like that last instant before the wheels of the airplane touch the runway, when you know that a sudden crosswind might end you up

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-44338562469002811352008-08-26T18:33:00.000-04:002008-08-26T18:34:57.960-04:00

If you sell soap, or new cars, or canned tuna, or anything else you might want to advertise on television, it would be wise to not even try to buy time in the State of Colorado until after November 4th. The mountain air is humming with hit spots in a nuclear television war between Democratic U.S. Representative Mark Udall and former Republican Representative Bob Schaffer, who are contesting this

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-47993831070961618002008-08-26T13:03:00.003-04:002008-08-26T13:12:38.068-04:00

There is a test that convention speakers have to pass: a really great orator is able to get everyone in the room (thousands of people) to stop what they are doing, sit down and actually listen to what is being said. It takes a great speech and a brilliant orator for things in an arena-sized venue to get so quiet that the sound of the building ventilation system can be clearly heard. It (maybe)

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-49263474798734119912008-08-26T12:37:00.003-04:002008-08-26T12:48:43.463-04:00

Good morning from Denver on the first morning after the night before at the Democratic National Convention. Not quite as sleep-starved and wrung out as last night, Democratis is beginning to think that this convention just might be a carefully corieographed pageant (or, to mix a bad metaphor, a boulder being tossed onto the top of a very unstable slope, picking up mass and morphing into

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-76844217737298521182008-08-25T22:32:00.003-04:002008-08-25T22:35:06.774-04:00

As Senator Edward M. Kennedy addressed the Democratic National Convention tonight, after a filmed tribute that was introduced by his niece Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, the Rocky Mountain News was moving a bulletin on the arrest of three men in a Denver suburb who may be suspected of trying to harm Senator Barack Obama.Police in Aurora Colorado arrested a man, described in the report as, “a

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-71872369809202607882008-08-25T15:47:00.002-04:002008-08-25T15:52:47.642-04:00

The street scene around Denver’s Pepsi Center includes a strong presence by dead-ender backers of Senator Clinton; a reporter cannot turn a corner without finding people to tell him how much better it would be if Hillary was going to be the nominee. As noted on this page yesterday Republicans are moving heaven and earth to cash in on that sentiment.This morning an RNC front group calling itself

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-18689269706417714352008-08-25T14:20:00.002-04:002008-08-25T14:21:06.865-04:00

Here we are in Denver and what to we find: news from Washington where the White House announced today Vice President Dick Cheney will be traveling overseas next week. The published schedule shows the Veep leaving for a jaunt to Azerbaijan, Georgia, Ukraine and Italy on Tuesday. That means if the Dead-eye-Dick is still going to address the Republican National Convention in St Paul, as previously

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-32698978714135525312008-08-24T21:55:00.002-04:002008-08-24T22:00:22.597-04:00

There is nothing unusual about one political party establishing a discrete presence at the other party’s national convention; this year Republicans have, apparently, decided that while discretion may be the better part of valor, valor itself is less than acceptable for a presidential campaign.GOP operatives have established an office in this Democratic Convention city and tomorrow, as Democratic

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-33675696142991197492008-08-24T11:36:00.002-04:002008-08-24T11:38:24.420-04:00

Denver CO: Democrats are gathering in this city today to nominate Barack Obama and Joe Biden as their nominees for President and Vice President. In the short time since we arrived in this city we have seen at least a dozen TV spots for and against Representative Mark Udall and former Republican Representative Bob Schaefer, who are running against each other for the US Senate.We have not yet

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-37422725130148252592008-08-23T09:22:00.004-04:002008-08-23T09:36:04.821-04:00

Washington DC: Barack Obama has made the best possible choice by selecting Delaware Senator Joseph Biden as his Vice Presidential running mate. Biden is not only a tough, pugnacious, take-no-prisoners campaigner and as articulate as any public figure in the nation, he is as qualified as anyone in this country to step into the Presidency at a moment’s notice. Talk about ready from day one; Joe

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-2118724154275757852008-08-22T12:26:00.002-04:002008-08-22T12:29:33.239-04:00

As all the chattering caste waits for The Veep Word to come down we would like to announce that Democratis will be posting from the Democratic National Convention in Denver, beginning Sunday morning. Political conventions are much more than the sum of all their parts and we will be on hand to explain why things that happen are happening, as they happen.The first question is whether the Senator

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-65853145980165878642008-08-21T11:34:00.005-04:002008-08-21T12:08:47.565-04:00

The Commission on Presidential Debates announced today that Barack Obama and John McCain will participate in three joint appearances this fall. There will also be a joint appearance by the Democratic and Republican Vice Presidential candidates.Obama and McCain will meet September 26th at the University of Mississippi in a forum moderated by PBS’s Jim Lehrer, at an October 7th Town Meeting-format

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-34319787910882484622008-08-20T09:52:00.003-04:002008-08-20T10:05:45.633-04:00

The Great Media Blogosphere Tealeaf Reading Festival (Democratic Party Division) continues with attention focused all day yesterday and into this morning on Delaware Senator Joseph Biden, who in a drive-by news conference yesterday told reporters, “Don’t you guys have something better to do – I’m not the guy!”The conclusion of the Chattering Caste: the veteran Senator, twice Presidential

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-84391529059844188002008-08-19T06:44:00.003-04:002008-08-19T11:24:17.280-04:00

In an exclusive story, Politico's Mike Allen is reporting that Senator John McCain will announce his choice of a running mate at a Dayton Ohio rally on August 29th, his 72nd Birthday and the day after Barack Obama accepts the Democratic Presidential nomination before an expected 70,000 supporters on the final evening of the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Allen reports that Camp McCain

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5705603.post-71139390938454425542008-08-15T11:49:00.002-04:002008-08-15T11:55:28.532-04:00

Senator John McCain sent shockwaves through the Republican right when he told The Weekly Standard's Stephen Hayes a pro abortion political position would not necessarily eliminate former Pennsylvania Governor and Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge from consideration for the Vice Presidential slot on McCain’s November ticket. Hayes reports:"I think that the pro-life position is one of the

Democratisnoreply@blogger.com0