In Case You Haven't Noticed, There Is A Difference Between Democrats And Republicans

So discovered the Sacramento Bee today while taking a closer look at the Assembly race in California's 4th district between Democrat Rob Haswell and Republican Doolittle buddy Ted Gaines:

The two disagree on numerous key issues.

Gay marriage?

Haswell supports it.

"All people in this state should have equal treatment under the law," he said.

Gaines opposes it.

"I see marriage as being sacred," he said. "From my perspective, it's between a man and a woman."

Auburn dam? Gaines, yes; Haswell, no.

Doctor-assisted suicide? Haswell, yes; Gaines, no.

Minimum-wage hike? Haswell, yes; Gaines, no.

Driver's licenses for illegal immigrants? Gaines, no; Haswell, maybe.

The two also butt heads over Proposition 89, which would raise corporate taxes to provide public campaign financing.

"You're using taxpayer dollars to support candidates that I may or may not agree with," Gaines said. "So I have a philosophical problem there. ... And people ought to be able to give to the candidate they support."

Haswell considers Proposition 89 essential to curb special-interest influence.

"This is an idea whose time has come," he said. "I think we've got to invest in our democracy."

Man "candidates diverge across the board?" Wow, who would've thought it! Hey, Sac Bee, ain't that what democracy's all about?

Help Rob win!

Happy Halloween!

Just one week until election day. Here's a little inspiration for you:

I remember my first Halloween in America. I had just moved in with my permanent host family in Tahoe and felt right at home carving my first pumpkin ever. Of course, it wasn't as lovely as the one above...

Volunteer if you can. Links to all Tahoe candidates are on the sidebar!

It's Official: I'm A Liberal!

Man, I'm relieved! And I can prove it. I just did the test (which seems to be a little publicity stunt by the Libetarians) about which the USA Today has the following to say:

The World's Smallest Political Quiz stands ready to help you determine your political identity. Quick and relatively painless.

Yup, they're right about that one. And here's my result:

You can test your political leanings here.

So Many Resons To Vote Against Ensign

Here's just one. The latest "Outrageous Ensign Vote of the Day" from the Carter Blog:

What issues do you think a Nevada Senator would be especially likely to care about? Agriculture? Sure. Rural Development? Of course. Child Nutrition programs? All Senators would care about those. Now imagine that you had the chance to vote on all of those issues at the same time, in the same bill. And imagine that everyone else in the Senate voted for the bill. Is there any doubt as to how you’ll vote?

Yes there is, if you’re John Ensign. You’ll make the Outrageous Vote of the Day.

On November 6, 2003, the Senate passed H.R. 2673, the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2004 by a vote of 93-1. This bill contained the year’s appropriations for: Includes appropriations for (1) Agricultural programs: Hazardous Materials Management, Agricultural research, Ag Economics, Native American Institutions Endowment, Extension activities, Outreach for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers, Animal and Plant Health Inspections, Agricultural Insurance; (2) Conservation programs: Soil and Watershed Conservation, Flood Prevention, Resource Conservation; (3) Rural Development programs: Rural Housing Insurance Fund, Rental Assistance, Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants, Rural Housing Assistance Grants, Farm Labor Program Account, Rural Development Loan Fund, Rural Economic Development Loans, Rural Cooperative Development Grants, Rural Empowerment Zones, Renewable Energy Program, Rural Electrification and Telecommunication Loans, Rural Telephone Bank, Distance Learning, Telemedicine & Broadband Program; (4) Domestic Food and Nutrition programs: Child Nutrition Programs, Special Nutrition Program for Women, Infants & Children, Food Stamps, Disaster Assistance; (5) Foreign Assistance: Foreign Agricultural Service, International Food for Education and Child Assistance Grants, (6) FDA & Related Agencies: Food and Drug Administration, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and the Farm Credit Administration.

That looks like a pretty good set of programs for a state like Nevada. So who was that one Senator voting against it?

Do you really have to ask? The Lone Ranger was John Ensign, of course. He voted against this bill just like he voted against the Fiscal Year 2006 bill (there the vote was 97-2) and other years as well, never with more than a handful of fellow negative votes.

Ensign, of course, was making a point about the deficit. He’s dressing up as a deficit hawk for Halloween this year. But it’s just a costume. A real deficit hawk would increase revenues by rolling back the enormous tax breaks for the rich under the Bush Administration – originally justified by the Clinton surplus that they then squandered – and would not give the President a blank check to spend as much as he wanted in Iraq. But Senator Ensign just wants to play at being a deficit hawk. That’s why he targets programs like Rural Housing Assistance Grants and Child Nutrition Project. Voting against them is an easy way to make a cheap point. It’s playing at politics.

We’re lucky people in the Senate didn’t listen to him. They’ll listen to Jack Carter.

Ensign's just a self-serving hypocrite!

More outrageous Ensign votes at the Carter Blog.

Vote for Jack Carter! Cause he cares!

"Jill Derby Is Making History"

"Jill Derby is making history" writes Michael H. Mishak of the Las Vegas Sun in an article on Derby's awesome campaign (so awesome, that AMERICAblog chose her as a featured candidate and has so far raised more than $16,ooo in just two days in valuable last minute contributions).

A few excerpts:

With a little more than a week to go before Election Day, the Democrat running for U.S. Rep. Jim Gibbons' seat in Nevada's 2nd Congressional District remains competitive, a first in the reliably Republican stronghold.

Recent polls have shown the race either in a statistical dead heat or Derby within striking distance of Republican Dean Heller.

Political experts attribute the unprecedented competitiveness not only to the anti-Republican mood across the country but also to Heller's toothless campaign following a primary that essentially bankrupted his campaign coffers.

Clearly, Jill has run the better campaign as pretty much everyone agress:

"They're some of the best ads I've seen this cycle," said Amy Walter, who analyzes House races for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. "She's successfully defined herself as an outsider. She fits the district."

So, Heller chose to campaign the Republican way:

In recent weeks, Heller has been trying to make up for lost time, with plenty of help from the National Republican Campaign Committee, which recently started running an attack ad that bills Derby as - you guessed it - "too liberal."

The negative ad, along with two others produced in part by Heller's campaign, stands in stark contrast to Derby's folksy, friendly tone.

"Heller had to go with a much harder edge right away because he was late," said Eric Herzik, a UNR political scientist. "That has caused problems."

How close is this race? Well, W. is coming back to town:

In another sign of just how competitive this race has become, the national parties are on track to spend more than $400,000 each for advertisements in Nevada's 2nd District.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent $177,400 on a media buy this week just to slam Heller. And Republicans are pushing back. For the second time in as many months, President Bush is set to campaign for Heller, this time on Thursday in Elko.

So, this time they chose Elko for Bush? They must be thinking that there are no Democrats willing to protest in the rural parts of Nevada. Man, they're desperate.

Read the entire article here.

Help Jill Derby win!

Abe For Democrats - Final Fundraising Call!

The election is a little over ten days away. So that the Democratic candidates in Nevada and California can still use your money for the final days, you should contribute this weekend.

A couple of days ago I wondered whether Abraham Lincoln would vote Democratic in this election and hinted that you could do it for him by forking out some of the Abrahams in your wallet:


This is a potential wave year for Democrats. Republicans know this and are running scared as the fundraising trip of George W. Bush to California and Nevada for Doolittle and Heller have proven. You can rest assured that Republicans will try to smear Democratic candidates across the board if they're not already doing so.

That is why you need to step up to the plate and give one, two or more Abes to your favourite candidates!

Every Dollar helps! The candidates need your money for final targeted mailings, for a last TV ad push, or for GOTV efforts.

If you want to know more about the candidates you can click on their websites. Links are on the sidebar. On their websites you will also find more info how you can help out in the final days by volunteering!

To inspire you to give to the candidates I'm posting some quotes and videos below:

Rob Haswell for Assembly (CA-04):

If elected in November, what will be your priorities in the Assembly?

• Pushing for political reform, such as Clean Money elections and real non-partisan redistricting. Regional planning solutions that give incentives for smart growth, public transportation solutions and the preservation of open space.
• Meaningful healthcare reform.
• Prioritizing public education so we return California to among the top public school systems in the country.

JoEtta Brown for Assembly (NV-39):

Ms. Brown, as many other candidates this year you are running for office for the first time. Why have you now decided to run for the Nevada Assembly?

I believe that Nevada is at a crossroads, we can continue with business as usual, go forward with a vision that truly answers the needs of the state, or go backwards with outdated opinions. I offer a new direction with “30” years of corporate banking experience I know how to create and work with Public/Private/Partnerships that can obtain results that benefit communities. I am the candidate that will put the people’s best interest above partisan politics. I want to share my talents, expertise, and love of this valley this is why I decided to become a candidate for Assembly District 39!

Jack Carter ad "National Security:"

Phil Angelides for Governor. David Letterman's Top Ten on questions you should ask yourselve before voting for Schwarzenegger:

John Walsh of America's Most Wanted endorses Nevada Secretary of State candidate Ross Miller:

California Secretary of State candidate Debra Bowen's vision for the future:

Jill Derby's "Different" ad:

Had enough of John Doolittle? Vote Charlie Brown:

After reading what the candidates have to say and after viewing all these videos:

How much are you gonna give?

The candidates need your donations now! This is your last chance!

Jill Derby's New Ads And RGJ Endorsement

Jill Derby has two new ads.

"Different:"

"Action:"

Help Jill keep these ads on the air!

Also, Jill Derby has received the endorsement of the Reno Gazette-Journal today. Combined with the Jill Derby fundraiser at AMERICAblog this is one great day for Jill's campaign!

Jill Derby Featured Candidate At AMERICAblog Today!

AMERICAblog has been fundraising for a handful of candidates in the last few days and has raked in a lot of last-minute cash for crucial races. Today, they're featuring Nevada's own, Jill Derby. More than 100 readers of AMERICAblog have already given close to $7,000 today and the numbers keep on going up!

You can also contribute to Jill and all other Tahoe candidates through the Turn Tahoe Blue ActBlue page. Donate by this weekend, so that the campaigns can use your contrubution before election day!

Charlie Brown Endorsed By Tahoe Daily Tribune

The Tahoe Daily Tribune this week chose to endorse Charlie Brown in his congressional campaign against the corrupt and ineffective John Doolittle. They find harsh words for Doolittle:

In astonishment we have watched the political and ethical implosion of Congressman John Doolittle and his failure to take personal responsibilities for his actions. His entanglements have been meticulously reported in this newspaper and among the nation's most distinguished press from coast to coast.

We know the record. We know the investigations. We know the back-biting vindictiveness, the brutal and mean-spirited side of Fourth District Congressman John Doolittle as demonstrated in a selectively televised Oct. 11 debate. We know it all too well. We've tolerated his personal attacks on the First Amendment for years. But leave it to Mr. Doolittle, a fortunate son with three draft deferments and no military service, to slam his opponent Charlie Brown, a decorated veteran of two wars. Accusing the retired Air Force Lt. Colonel of not looking out for the safety of our country speaks volumes of his character.

Yes, it has been amazing to watch the political, ethical and intellectual implosion of John Doolittle.

Wow! They then go on with a lengthy list of why they endorse Charlie Brown and finish the editorial with the following:

Brown has dedicated his life to defending our country, and we can count on him to put our security first in Congress. By contrast, John Doolittle has denied our troops the tools they need to win the war on terror, and has accumulated a poor voting record on veterans' issues in the 109th Congress. He's voted raises and more perks for himself and "no bid" earmarks for himself, while voting against increasing VA healthcare funding, against raises for combat forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, against providing healthcare for Guardsman and reservists - among other things.

In the five years since 9/11, little has been done to secure our borders and our ports. And, the most worrisome part about the tragic response to Hurricane Katrina was that it occurred four years after 9/11. Brown knows that America can no longer trust its security to those who have proven themselves unwilling or unable to lead us through dangerous times.

Despite the glib picture Mr. Doolittle likes to paint out of desperation, this Congressional race is not between liberals and conservatives. In fact, politics isn't really what's at stake. This election is about right vs. wrong, abuse of power, leading with integrity, protecting the earth, protecting the country and living within our means. For that Charlie Brown has our vote on Nov. 7.

Read the entire endorsement here. And make sure to contribute to Charlie! These are the last days to contribute, so that the campaign can actually use the money.

Does Jim Gibbons Advocate Drunk Driving?

It seems like the silence of the Reno Gazette-Journal on the Gibbons-Mazzeo affair has finally ended and it seem to have payed of since Ray Hagar has gotten the first interview with Gibbons (that I'm aware of). The RGJ has gotten tech-savvy and posted a video of the interview on its website. And they oughta be applauded that they did cause sometimes a picture says more than a thousand words. In the interview he admits that Mazzeo hat "a glasss or two of wine" while she sat at his table and still "helped" her to her car. This champion of DUI enforcement sure hammers it home in this interview with the following phrase:

I've never been trained to look at somebody and make that determination of whether or not they are inebriated.

Fancy Jim, thinking "inebriated" will get him of the hook, instead of just saying intoxicated. Thing is, you don't need to be trained Jim, all you need is judgment. That's an asset that could really come in handy if you wanna be Governor.

That judgment is clearly a problem becomes apparent when Congressman Gibbons practically admits to driving under the influence:

I can guarantee you that everybody in this room just about who's gone to a reception and had a glass of wine at some function has gotten back in their car and never felt they were drunk because they didn't demonstrate that.

Yup, he really said it. This is what happens when his handler Sig Rogich let's him talk to a reporter for just two and a half minutes. Good Lord!

It's no wonder that Dina Titus has barely more to say on this front than that the Congressman exhibits "bad judgment" in the short interview Ray has done with her.

What else can we learn from these interviews? Ray Hagar is on first name terms with the Congressman while he is not with Dina Titus. And regardless of who wins we'll have a Governor who hasn't had any plastic surgery. That's mighty comforting.

As to what else is happening related to Gib-Gate:

A new scandal it's on its way, involving another woman, but this time the former nanny. A breaking report by KLAS TV:

From what I can gather former congressional candidate and prospective future First Lady of Nevada has possibly committed perjury. What really made me wonder is if it's common for Republicans to hide their illegal employees in the basement.

The nanny story has already been picked up by the national blogs including Americablog and Wonkette. The latter is also having fun with LVRJ's Molly Ball and the RGJ in general:

Also, reporter Molly Ball at the Las Vegas Review Journal doesn’t like Wonkette writing about police reports and Congress without giving her proper credit. After all, we only linked to her stories in our very first post about WaitressGate: Ms. Ball writes: “I broke this story…and the rest of them, for the record.” Well, we’ll be fucked! She didn’t just “break” the Gibbons story, she broke all news stories

But at least Molly and her peers down in Vegas are covering the story. The Gibbons Nightmare is almost totally ignored in Northern Nevada — the Republican-leaning District 2 that includes the whole state beyond Vegas/Clark County. Gibbons is based in the Reno suburb of Sparks, and Reno/Sparks arguably has the worst daily paper in America. It took a week for the paper to even mention the Vegas Scandal. A phone call from Congressman Jim was obviously enough to keep the story buried up north, where the electorate tilts just right enough to possibly give him a very slim victory.

Anyway, the Waitress herself is supposed to give a press conference later today. Let us know how that goes, Molly!

A commenter named "Electoral College Dropout" on Molly:

Molly Ball: Personally responsible for sunlight, rainbows, and puppies.

Wonkette might just turn out to be the favourite national blog for Nevadans in the next two weeks.

So, a quick roundup. Jim Gibbon's scorecard two weeks before the election:

• Judgment factor: F
• Plastic surgery factor: D-
• Angelina Jolie lips factor: F
• Sparkling Conspiracy Eyes factor: A

What a lovely day it will be when Dina Titus will be sworn in as Governor of Nevada.

The Future Of California

A great and humorous ad:

Abe For Ross Miller

Today I'm continuing my "Abe for Democrats" series by focusing on the Secretary of State election in Nevada. This is one of the most important elections since a bad Secretary of State can seriously harm everybody's right to vote. This is one of the reasons the Secretary of State Project was founded. They focus on six SoS races across the country, including Nevada.

Ross Miller, the son of former Nevada Governor Bob Miller is running this year and he's extremely qualified even though he is also extremely young. Interestingly, he's scored several major endorsements which includes "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh who shot an ad for Ross:

This election is extremely important. Get out your wallet and see how many Abes you have left...

...and give one, two or more Abes to Ross!

Washington Post: "In Calif., Charlie Brown Could Have The Last Laugh"

It's amazing what endurance can do. No one in Washington believed one year ago that this race is viable. Now, two weeks before the election, the Washington Post has a lengthy article on Charlie Brown's prospects. An excerpt:

There are two types of candidates: the obvious ones, who are recruited to run in key races and get lots of financial and organizational help, and the bootstrap cases, who do it all on their own. Usually these second-tier candidates run and lose in obscurity. But sometimes they get lucky. If a wave breaks next month, Brown is one of many bootstrap Democrats who could be washed into Congress.

The latest polls show that Brown, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, has pulled within striking distance of Doolittle, whose well-documented ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff may be an albatross. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is increasingly optimistic about Brown's chances and has chipped in an undisclosed amount of cash for the final push. Brown has scooped up local newspaper endorsements and raised $750,000, much of it in recent weeks.

The one person who isn't surprised by this turn of events is Brown, who ignored all the naysayers and trusted his gut that Doolittle could be beaten. The latest news to break his way: Doolittle's campaign reported more than $38,000 in legal fees in his third-quarter fundraising report that are related to a federal investigation into Abramoff's lobbying activities. A Doolittle spokeswoman said the congressman was attempting to be helpful and had not been contacted by prosecutors, but the disclosure put Doolittle on the defensive with weeks to go.

I'd really like to post more since the article in its entirety is really great but there's something called copyright. So, go over to the Washington Post and read it all.

When you're done, contribute to Charlie!

The Quiet Revolution - Part III

I already posted the first and second part of this great documentary by the Alliance for Justice about how Republicans aim to change the very structure of this country.

Help end the "Quiet Revolution" by contributing to Democrats!

Best Campaign Slogan Of The Season

It's simple, it's memorable, it's everything that Doolittle, Gaines et al. are not.

Contribute to Rob!

"Republicans For Charlie Brown" Website Launched

The "Republicans for Charlie Brown" website has been launched this week. Not only Democrats and Independents but also an ever increasing number of Republicans is sick and tired of the corrupt and ineffective John Doolittle. This sentiment manifests itself in "Republicans for Charlie Brown."

On the website you can view the "Gold Country Republican," a very professional four page newspaper that profiles Charlie and tells of Doolittle's bad record. It includes articles by former Congressman Pete McCloskey, a Republican.

Help Charlie spread the word, so that Democrats, Independents and Republicans will vote for the right man on November 7!

New Poll: Derby Tied With Heller!

An internal poll for the Derby campaign has Jill Derby tied with Dean Heller for the first time. From the Derby for Congress press release:

A new poll conducted earlier this month on the race for Nevada’s Second Congressional District put Democrat Jill Derby and her Republican opponent Dean Heller tied at 40 percent.

The poll of 400 likely general election voters in the district included a 14 percent Republican registration advantage with the sample made up of 48 percent Republicans and 34 percent Democrats. Derby campaign manager David Cohen said this poll is particularly reflective of the district because so many more Republican voters were surveyed.

“Jill has the momentum behind her. Heller has lost ground since our last poll in September,’ Cohen said. “When you look at voters in the poll who know both candidates, she takes more than half the vote.”

Derby is pleased with the latest poll numbers.

“Voters know that I’m concerned about the things that matter to them and that I will be an independent voice,” Derby said. “People are fed up with career politicians and they want change in Congress. And they know I’m the candidate for change.”

It's an internal poll, so you have to take these numbers with a grain of salt. That said, I'd just like to remind everyone that the Heller campaign thus far has not released any internal polling (if they have done any) and that a poll commissioned by the Republican National Campaign Committee at the end of August was never released either. Instead, they sent President Bush to fundraise for Heller. Makes you wonder whether the poll results prompted them to do so.

Support Jill!

"Senator Ensign Might As Well Be From Texas"

Oh, why did I know that John Ensign would get down-low and make use of this supposed "carpetbagger" issue? I did a little research on this a while back and it turned out that not one of the Senators elected to John Ensign's seat were born in Nevada. This includes the ensignificant Senator himself:

Ensign was born in Roseville, California. His family moved to Nevada when he was a child. His mother remarried Michael S. Ensign, a gaming industry executive who subsequently became chairman of the board of directors of Mandalay Bay, and who adopted John.

So, why then does he think he can turn Jack Carter's relatively short residency in Nevada into an attack ad? After all, Jack Carter doesn't qualify as a carpetbagger since he did not move here to run for office. It's Ensign's own fault, really, that Carter even thought about running. Jack Carter saw, like everyone else around the world, how the Republican party was unable to govern in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. The United States of America looked like a third world nation at that time. And who was responsible for that? The Republican party of George W. Bush and John Ensign. They screwed up big-time, yet they never ever accept responsibility. They've fricking governed for only six years and the entire country is in shambles. What a shame. It was at that point, after Katrina, that Jack Carter decided to run:

Carter said he decided to run in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He said he was offended by the federal government's response to the disaster.

"I'm more concerned than ever with the way that the country is headed," Carter said.

So, in effect, Carter decided to run for office two years after he moved to Nevada.

As for the quote of Carter Ensign uses in his ad. Here's the excerpt from the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza:

Carter said the state's junior senator, even with a Nevada pedigree, "might as well be from Texas" judging by his consistent support for President George W. Bush.

"I'll admit that I'm a carpet-bagger, but I want to be your carpet-bagger," joked Carter, 59. "Our world is literally going towards a conflagration ...and I put it straight on the backs of this administration and on the Congress that approves whatever they do.

"(Senator Ensign) is one of the people who is enabling this president ... and I want to put the brakes on the direction he is taking this country."

And Jack is right. John Ensign might as well be from Texas. What do you want in a Senator? Someone who cares about what Nevadans want or someone who cares about what his party and George W. Bush want? He's already 96% Bush, after all.

Abe For Rob Haswell

Today, we're starting a last "Abe for Democrats" fundraising effort for Tahoe candidates because, believe it or not, all the candidates need money this close before election day more than ever. So, if you would like to help the candidates with their get out the vote efforts contribute to them!

Rob Haswell is an awesome candidate and a Turn Tahoe Blue favourite. He's running for the 4th state Assembly district which stretches from the Sacramento suburbs to Lake Tahoe. Rob's up against Ted Gaines who was practically annointed by the corrupt and ineffective John Doolittle and who is too "busy" to talk to the voters.

If you haven't heard about Rob before you might be interested in what Rob had to say in an exclusive interview with Turn Tahoe Blue.


I hope you can spare an Abe or two and help elect Rob Haswell to the California State Assembly!

Reno Gazette-Journal On Carter's Online Campaigning

"If you're not online, you're not credible, candidates discover" declares today's Reno Gazette-Journal. I tend to agree since I don't even bother to take a closer look at candidates who don't even make an effort to put up a campaign website. An obscure former gubernatorial candidate in California comes to mind who seems to think that talking about losing weight is what voters care about while looking for a statewide official. But I digress.

Here's an excerpt from the RGJ's story:

Sarah Carter has made more than 2,000 friends on MySpace.com and is adding more than 100 new ones every day.

Well, technically, it's her father Jack's U.S. Senate campaign that is making friends. Sarah, 27, is the one posting on the popular Web site in an effort to keep the growing list of "friends" informed about the campaign's activities.

"The MySpace page has been really successful," she said. "But we haven't really even scratched the surface of the potential for something like MySpace."

Sarah Carter also maintains a blog on her father's campaign Web site, updating it at least twice a day.

Whether Democrat Jack Carter can upset incumbent Republican John Ensign in November's election remains to be seen, but the Carter campaign's online efforts illustrate a growing trend in politics to utilize the Internet to reach voters.

If there is a positive example of online campaigning in Nevada or California it has to be the Carter campaign. What they have done, and especially what Sarah has done, with so little financial resources is truly amazing. Money is important but if you don't have enough of it you have to become creative and the Carters have shown how it's done.

Here are the links:

Carter Blog

Jack Carter's MySpace page

Sarah Carter at Daily Kos

Now we're just waiting for Sarah Carter to run for office ;)

The Quiet Revolution - Part II

I posted part one yesterday.

Watch part two here:

Stop the "Quiet Revolution!" Contribute to Democrats!

LTE: "Haswell Wants To Care For Our District"

The Auburn Journal has published a terrific letter to the editor by Doug Conlee of Auburn:

Regarding this year's race for the District Four state Assembly seat, this is the perfect opportunity to start putting passionate and caring people back into politics.

Rob Haswell has done as much as he possibly can to meet all of his potential constituents, from hosting free picnics, traveling to all corners of the district and walking precinct upon precinct.

He'd even like to discuss the issues in an open forum with his opponent, Ted Gaines. In an article that appeared in the Journal Oct. 17, Gaines claimed to be "just too busy" to meet Haswell.

Too busy to discuss the issues? I can't even comprehend that. Let's take a moment on Nov. 7, vote for Rob Haswell, and elect someone who actually wants to care for us.

Hear, hear! This letter of course refers to a report in the Auburn Journal which I have written about here. The people in the 4th state Assembly district realize that Rob Haswell cares about their worries while Ted Gaines is just too busy.

Contribute to Rob!

Stop The Quiet Revolution!

To show what's at stake, not only in this year's congressional elections but for the future of America, the Alliance for Justice has put together an awesome documentary featuring several law professors and Senator Barack Obama which is narrated by Bradley Whitford.

You can watch part one, "Strategy", here:

Stop the "Quiet Revolution!" Contribute to Democrats!

Would Abraham Lincoln Vote Democratic This November?

You may deem this question stupid or inappropriate. If that's the case you may also be on the wrong website right now. Seriously, though, would he? It's fair to assume that there probably would not be a Republican Party were it not for Abraham Lincoln winning the Presidency in 1860 and winning the Civil War after that. While I am a student of history I have to say that I haven't studied President Lincoln that closely. But from what I do know about him, I would seriously doubt that he would be proud of this Republican Party. Wanna bet?

Looking in your wallet, you may find good old Abe in there. In case you don't, here's a visual reminder:

The next two weeks will be tough. In most of the Tahoe campaigns, Republicans have more money in the bank than Democrats. All the candidates need is extra money in the next two weeks. You can help and it won't cost you much. How? Just get one or more of the Abes out of your pocket and fork them over to your favourite candidate. Therefore, I will start an "Abe for Democrats" series for the final two weeks, focusing on one candidate each day.

In the meantime, fork out the Abrahams!

What A Democratic Majority In The House Could Mean For California And Nevada

I know we're still a couple of weaks of hard campaigning away from this scenario. Nevertheless I would like to tak a look at what positions in the House Democratic Californian and Nevadan Representatives could hold come January. The following is solely based on their current positions:

• Speaker of the House: Nancy Pelosi (CA-08)
• Chairman of the Committee on Education and the Workforce: George Miller (CA-07)
• Chairman of the Committee on Government Reform: Henry Waxman (CA-30)
• Chairwoman of the Committee on House Administration: Juanita Millender-McDonald (CA-37)
• Chairman of the Committee on International Relations: Tom Lantos (CA-12)
• Chairwoman of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence: Jane Harman (CA-36)
• Chairman of the Subcommittee (Agriculture) on Department Operations, Oversight, Nutrition and Forestry: Joe Baca (CA-43)
• Chairwoman of the Subcommittee (Education) on Education Reform: Lynn Woolsey (CA-06)
• Chairwoman of the Subcommittee (Energy) on Environment and Hazardous Materials: Hilda Solis (CA-32)
• Chairwoman of the Subcommittee (Financial Services) on Housing and Community Opportunity: Maxine Waters (CA-35)
• Chairwoman of the Subcommitte (Government Reform) on Energy and Resources: Diane Watson (CA-33)
• Chairwoman of the Subcommittee (Homeland Security) on Economic Security, Infrastructure Protection, and Cybersecurity: Loretta Sanchez (CA-47)
• Chairwoman of the Subcommittee (Homeland Security) on Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment: Zoe Lofgren (CA-16)
• Chairman of the Subcommittee (International Relations) on International Terrorism and Proliferation: Brad Sherman (CA-27)
• Chairman of the Subcommitte (Judiciary) on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property: Howard Berman (CA-28)
• Chairwoman of the Subcommitte (Resources) on Water and Power: Grace Napolitano (CA-38)
• Chairman of the Subcommitte (Science) on Energy: Mike Honda (CA-15)
• Chairwoman of the Subcommitte (Small Business) on Tax, Finance, and Export: Juanita Millender-McDonald (CA-37)
• Chairman of the Subcommitte (Transportation and Infrastructure) on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation: Bob Filner (CA-51)
• Chairwoman of the Subcommittee (Veteran's Affairs) on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs: Shelley Berkley (NV-01)
• Chairman of the Subcommittee (Ways and Means) on Health: Pete Stark (CA-13)
• Chairwoman of the Subcommittee (Intelligence) on Technical and Tactical Intelligence: Anna Eshoo (CA-14)

Granted, there are so many subcommittees that you've gotta be a freshman or a nobody to not get to chair some committee but I still thought it was interesting where Californians (and that one Nevadan) would yield some power should Democrats win back the House in a couple of weeks. And did you notice all the women? Women will for the first time in history (currently there is not one woman chairing a full committee) yield some significant power in Congress should Democrats win.

You like this list? Contribute to Charlie Brown and Jill Derby for a Democratic majority in the House!

Michael J. Fox On Stem Cell Research

This ad just shocked me:

Let's try to help Michael J. Fox and thousands others. Both John Doolittle and John Ensign voted against federal funding for stem cell research. They're no better than Jim Talent in Missouri.

Read what Charlie Brown and Jack Carter have to say on this issue.

Help Democrats win back Congress. Contribute now.

New NV Governor And Senate Polls

Both Rasmussen Reports and Zogby released their new numbers on the Governor and Senate races in Nevada. It's hard to tell what these polls really mean, and, more importantly, how accurate they actually are. The population in Nevada is so fluid and this midterm election seems to be so different from many previous ones that it seems almost impossible to poll statewide races in Nevada, especially when the polls only have a sample of 500 likely voters (Rasmussen). Anyhow, here are the numbers:

Governor

Rasmussen

Dina Titus 43% (+8)
Jim Gibbons 51% (+2)
MOE +/- 4.5%

Zogby (click on Gubernatorial Races)

Dina Titus 43.2%
Jim Gibbons 48.4%
MOE +/- 4.2%

Senate

Rasmussen

Jack Carter 42% (+1)
John Ensign 50% (0)
MOE +/- 4.5%

Zogby

Jack Carter 43.2%
John Ensign 52.1%
MOE +/- 4.2%

Kos' (who's been overtly cautious so far) take on the Rasmussen Senate numbers: " How about that, hope isn't all lost on the Senate race." He actually seems to be surprised. I'm not. I'm still betting we're heading close to a landslide in Nevada this year.

Anyhow: CONTRIBUTE!

Ted Gaines Too "Busy" To Talk To Voters

Ted Gaines (pictured above with his mentor, the corrupt and ineffective John Doolittle) is too "busy" to go out and meet the voters in his district. This has gone so far that the Auburn Journal felt compelled to write a story about it:

As the Nov. 7 general election draws near, District 4 California State Assembly candidates Rob Haswell and Ted Gaines are battling hard in last-push efforts to reach out to voters.

But while one candidate has attended many public forums, the other has chosen not to show up.

Democratic candidate Haswell, 43 has been walking precincts, phone banking and attending any public forum he can.

To be fair, Gaines did show up at one forum:

"Ted did accept one forum, but it was not open to the public," Haswell said. "I would be willing to accept any offer and I was hoping that we would have some debates."

But wait it gets better. Here's what Ted Gaines has to say about it:

"I have just been trying to juggle all of my activities - my family, my business and my duties as a supervisor," Gaines said. "Those combined with campaigning have really kept me busy. I am getting out there and trying to meet as many voters as I can."

After reading this "excuse", what do you think? Do you honestly believe that this man will work his ass off for the residents of his district? Or will he be too "busy" to care? I've got a faint feeling that this man has a sense of entitlement, that he feels because this has been a Republican district for quite a while, that the annointment by John Doolittle is all he needs.

Well, Mr. Gaines, it takes a little more than that. Not debating your opponent, not showing up at public forums, not caring what the voters think is not the best choice.

There is of course an alternative to Ted "Busy" Gaines.

Rob Haswell has toured the district tirelessly, meeting as many voters as he possibly can and answering all their questions. If you haven't heard about Rob yet or if you want to learn more about him, then read this interview Rob has given to Turn Tahoe Blue.

If you think Rob deserves your support then vote for him and consider contributing to his campaign. As little as $5 will go a long way!

Vote For Ross And Debra!

Russ Feingold's PAC has another "Pick a Progressive Patriot" contest. This time he focuses on the Secretary of State races. The winner will get an imediate $5,000 contribution. So, please help out either Ross Miller or Debra Bowen (you only have one vote) by voting for them here.

And if you haven't heard about it yet, check out the terrific Secretary of State Project's website. Along with the congressional elections, the elections for Secretary of State across the U.S. are the most important this year.

Meet ALL The Carters!

I don't know if there ever was a Senate campaign like this one. What the Carter family is doing for Jack is truly awesome. This weekend the Carters will be fanning out all over Nevada. Maybe you'll get a chance to meet one, too! From a Carter press release:

Three generations of Carters will be in Nevada October 20 – 22, throwing their support behind Jack Carter, the Democratic nominee for United States Senate. The visit coincides with the start of early voting on Saturday, October 21.

Led by Jack and his parents – former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn – the family members will get their assignments at 10 a.m. Friday in Henderson. From there, they will fan out across Nevada. Family members will meet with voters in Carson City, Elko, Fallon, Fernley, Henderson, Las Vegas, Laughlin, Lovelock, Mesquite, Minden, Overton, Reno, Searchlight, Winnemucca, and Yerington.

“I’m excited that Mom and Dad, my two brothers and sister Amy will be among those who’ll be meeting folks across our great state, urging them to participate in the political process this fall,” Jack Carter says. “They will be helping me to spread the word that it’s time for change and that I will serve them as Nevada’s voice to Washington and not the other way around.”

Wow! I wish I could be there! Go out and meet the Carters and then help the campaign yourself by volunteering or contributing to Jack!

The Review-Journal's Jim Gibbons Problem

Reading Sunday's LVRJ piece on Jim Gibbons and the "very intoxicated woman," people were scratching their heads and wondering: what's this all about. I, for one, had to make sure it was the conservative, Republican loving Las Vegas Review-Journal publishing this on the frontpage of their Sunday edition and not some lefty paper. In the meantime the Reno Gazette-Journal's Anjeanette Damon has come out of her sabbatical woodworks to criticize the LVRJ.

So, what the hell is going on here?

You might remember that Erin Neff had a very funny (well, a lot of Democrats and probably a few Republicans surely enjoyed themselves) column in the LVRJ in July which was headlined "Editorial board stumbles leave no debate about Gibbons' weaknesses." It starts with the line: "It's a good thing for Jim Gibbons that he's been AWOL this election year" and just gets juicier from there.

I wrote an entry on Turn Tahoe Blue about this column and wondered:

BTW, somehow I can't help but feel that if Gibbons wins the Republican nomination and Gibson the Democratic nomination that the Review-Journal might just endorse the latter. It will be really fun though if it'll be Gibbons vs Titus...

And, hey, it's Gibbons vs Titus! Who would've thought. And, now it's really, really fun to see the LVRJ trying to find a way out of this predicament. Now, I'm speculating here. But how does a conservative newspaper get around endorsing the Republican candidate for Governor before a close election? A scandal involving alcohol, woman and the police might do the trick. Too bad the other papers don't feel the same way, though.

Poor LVRJ. We petty you. We really do.

Jill Derby Endorsed By Las Vegas Sun

Jill Derby has received her first major newspaper endorsement this week by the Las Vegas Sun:

When Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., decided against seeking re-election from the mostly rural 2nd Congressional District and instead opted to run for governor, many political observers thought the district would be easily won by whomever won the GOP's primary. There are many more registered Republican voters than Democrats, but the Democratic nominee, Jill Derby, has a real chance of winning. It's easy to see why.

For starters, Derby, a fourth-generation Nevadan who grew up on a ranch, has deep ties to rural Nevada. She understands the concerns of the residents of the expansive district that covers most of Nevada. Derby is fiscally conservative, criticizing the Republicans for running up huge deficits and foolishly passing off this debt to future generations.

On foreign policy, she believes a new course is needed in Iraq as well. She says she will be an independent voice for Nevada, and there is nothing about her that would lead us to believe otherwise.

Her Republican opponent, Secretary of State Dean Heller, at one time was viewed as a moderate, but this campaign has exposed a very different individual. Now, suddenly, he is portraying himself as a right-wing conservative and a cheerleader for the Bush administration. Nevadans don't need a representative like that.

We need a representative with backbone who is willing to oppose the administration when it's in the interest of our state and nation. Derby definitely would be a voice of independence.

The Sun endorses Jill Derby.

Contribute to Jill now!

One Lazy Journalist's Hit Job On Harry Reid

By now, you have probably heard about the AP's story on Harry Reid and some property issue. I don't quite get what it's all about and, frankly, I don't care. That said, I know a hit-job when I see one. Why?

For one, the timing of the article makes you suspicious. The article by John Solomon came a couple of days after reports about Senator George "Macaca" Allen's non-disclosure of some of his stocks came to light. That actually seemed kinda interesting but, hey it's just not as juicy as the "macaca" stuff, so it didn't stick. The article also came out 4 weeks before an election that could make Harry Reid majority leader of the Senate. Hmm.

Timing is one thing but when your story just doesn't add up (read the Gleaner's comments on this), people will be left with a feeling that there's more to the story behind the story. And, surprise, there is. From Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo:

I know a number of people who know or have worked for Solomon. And I've never gotten the impression that Solomon has any political or ideological ax to grind. His rep is as an easy mark for oppo researchers peddling their wares -- and from both sides.

Here's what one former colleague of Solomon's said last week: "I worked [X] years in the same office as Solomon, sometimes with him. The consensus: he's lazy, and takes hit jobs handed him on a platter by opps research teams (and anyone will do.) And doesn't do much to clean it up. I also know one of his fave and frequent sources is Barbara Comstock, former DOJ spxwoman and GOP attack dog."

[...]

On Reid, I think it's a combination of two things. One, as I said, he's an easy mark for oppo researchers peddling stuff that other journos didn't think met the laugh test. And two, he hasn't really landed a punch yet and Reid's fought back. So now it's a bit personal.

Just great, a lazy reporter who now has a personal thing going with Senator Reid. Go read the entire post over at TPM. Josh Marshall has some great links.

"Jim Gibbons Forgot About Us"

The most powerful ad of the season:

(h/t to the Las Vegas Gleaner)

Help Jack Reach The Voters

The Carter campaign has sent out a fundraising letter asking for contributions so they can reach the voters via targeted direct mailing. They list how much they can send with your contribution:

$10	pays for	35 pieces to targeted voters
$25	pays for	86 pieces to targeted voters
$50	pays for	172 pieces to targeted voters
$100	pays for	345 pieces to targeted voters
$250	pays for	862 pieces to targeted voters
$500	pays for	1,724 pieces to targeted voters
$1,000	pays for	3,448 pieces to targeted voters

Help Jack reach the voters! Contribute now!

PS: In case you haven't seen the debate last night you can watch it in its entirety at lasvegasnow.com. And Sarah Carter over at the Carter Blog has the Carter's post debate responses and fact-checks and media coverage of the debate.

Is John Doolittle A Doctor? Is He A Scientist?

What promise does stem cell research hold? It could save lives. But how are we to find out if it lacks the necessary funding? Congressman Doolittle showed his ineffective side when he voted against federal funding for stem stell research by voting against the "Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act" both in 2005 and in 2006.

Majority Action is now putting a human face to stem cell research and lets the actors in this ad ask some tough questions. You can just substitute "Congressman Walsh" by "Congressman Doolittle":

Charlie Brown will let science and doctors decide, not politicians:

Stem Cell Research holds the promise to alleviate suffering and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans suffering from diseases like Parkinsons, Alzeheimer’s and Diabetes. Charlie supports federal funding for stem cell research.

Make sure Charlie Brown gets to vote on matters like these in the future. Contribute to him now!

First Carter-Ensign Debate Tonight!

Jack Carter and the ensignificant Senator will square off in their first debate tonight:

The Nevada Vote: Senator John Ensign (R) and Senate candidate Jack Carter (D) will debate on Sunday evening, Oct. 15.

The debate runs from 6 to 7 p.m. on Channel 8 Eyewitness News.

It will be simulcast on Cox cable Channel 19, Las Vegas One.

The debate will also be streamed lived on www.lasvegasnow.com.

So for all of you who wanna follow the debate but don't live in or near Vegas you can do so at lasvegasnow.com.

More on the debate can be found at the Carter Blog.

And make sure to contribute to Jack!

Bloggers Buy Airtime For Charlie Brown!

Remember this ad:

I posted this ad before and now the blogger community of "Blue America" made up of Crooks and Liars, Firedoglake and Down With Tyranny had an online vote to decide which candidadte to support with an radio ad campaign and Charlie Brown narrowly won! They have already been raising money for Charlie and now he gets this extra support which just goes to show how many people believe this race is winnable!

So listen for this ad when you're out there driving in the 4th district and you might get the chance to whistle along!

You can also support Charlie by contributing here.

Ensign Gets An "F" For False

That ridiculous Ensign ad on wiretapping is so misleading that KOLO Channel 8 of Reno took it apart and gave it the only appropriate grade: "F" for False!

Sarah Carter feels vindicated and rightfully so:

They find it false on two counts: 1) Jack never said that we should get a court order instead of listening to the terrorist call; and 2) it misrepresents the current law about how that type of intelligence is handled.

It's obvious that Mr. Ensign was not too concerned about the truth.

Who needs the truth when you have a "nice" hair-do. But I digress.

Give to Jack so he counter Ensign's lying ads!

20 Million Single Women Did Not Vote In The Last Election

20 million unmarried women didn't vote in the last election. Can you imagine? 20 million? How much difference even 2 million more single female voters would make! Their voices need to be heard.

This is where Women's Voice Women Vote comes in. This organization is trying to get out the vote of single women. For this purpose they have created several great ads which you can all watch here.

I'd like to share with you three of these ads. The ads feature famous Hollywood actors. In the first one they tell about their first time:

The following ad is about the fact that 20 million single women didn't vote in 2004:

And here is the Spanish version of the 20 million ad:

Tell your friends about these ads, share them with them, and ask your local TV station to air these public service announcements. And if you have a blog you can embed these ads directly on your blog. It's easy.

20 million! Imagine what a difference they could make!

Thank You, Harry Reid!

Now, I've had my problems with Harry Reid and there have been several reasons for it. His lack of enthusiasm for Jack Carter's Senate campaign, him giving credit to Ensign for whatever they do in Washington just a tiny bit too often before an important election. At times I've ranted a little.

But no more. Today, I'd like to send a big "Thank You!" note to Senator Harry Reid.

Why, you ask? Well, it's quite simple really. Harry has done something which will prove invaluable come election day. He's found a very elegant way of giving Democratic candidates in Nevada a lot of free airtime and several big fundraisers without getting involved himself.

How'd he do that? Oh, he simply changed the decades old primary calendar for the Democratic presidential nomination and managed to sandwich Nevada right between Iowa and New Hampshire. This surely was not an easy task and a lot of Democratic officials in said states loath him for it.

The fact that Nevada will now hold a caucus in January of 2008 means that the Silver State has seen a load of potential Presidents or presidential wannabes in Nevada. Everyone has come or is about to in the next couple of weeks. Here's a list:

Gen. Wes Clark
Sen. Russ Feingold
Gov. Bill Richardson
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
President Bill Clinton
Gov. Mark Warner
Sen. Joe Biden
Gov. Brian Schweitzer
Sen. John Kerry
Sen. John Edwards
Sen. Chris Dodd
Gov. Tom Vilsack
Sen. Evan Bayh

Now, not everyone of these folks will come run in 2008. Some have already run before, others might run in the future. But we all know that close to none would have come to Nevada and campaigned for Dina Titus, Jack Carter, Jill Derby and Tessa Hafen were it not for that caucus in 2008.

We'll probably have close results in most of the contests on election day. Should the Democratic candidates prevail it's thanks in large part to Harry Reid.

And people are taking notice across the country. Today, it was the New York Times:

No longer is it, “Um, Dina who?”

The name of the Democratic candidate for governor here, Dina Titus, is tattooed on the brain of most every Democrat who wants to be president, because of Nevada’s newly vaunted position in the 2008 election calendar.

[...]

“They raise money for me, and I get them face time,” said Ms. Titus, a little-known state lawmaker who has leveraged the attention into a suddenly competitive race against Representative Jim Gibbons, the Republican candidate for governor.

Of course, Dina's not the only one profiting from this. A lot of obscure people who never thought they'd see the national limelight suddenly see themselves quoted in the New York Times, even if they might not come across in a positive or competent way:

“We’re not talking about figuring out the DNA strand here,” said Jon Ralston, Nevada’s most respected and widely quoted political reporter, who said he had already identified the state’s biggest winner: “Me!”

Yup, never misunderestimated (as W would say) the power of people's egos.

While all these folks from Washington and elsewhere might come out to Nevada this year (which means largely Vegas) candidates still need your help. So, please consider volunteering or contributing to Dina, Jack and Jill!