Another Palin Scandal: Charged Taxpayers to Stay at Home!

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Monday September 08, 2008 · 9:36 PM PDT

2008/09/08 · 21:36

Looks like another mini-scandal for Sarah Palin. Here's the lede from a Washington Post investigation:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has billed taxpayers for 312 nights spent in her own home during her first 19 months in office, charging a "per diem" allowance intended to cover meals and incidental expenses while traveling on state business.

The governor also has charged the state for travel expenses to take her children on official out-of-town missions. And her husband, Todd, has billed the state for expenses and a daily allowance for trips he makes on official business for his wife.

PigsandBattleships

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Tuesday August 26, 2008 · 5:24 PM PDT

2008/08/26 · 17:24

Let me first to say that Obama should have been more politically savvy in handling the Clintons. The VP vetting issue could've used a more deft touch to lower Clintonite expectations. And he should be giving more props to the Clinton administration (though his newer stump speech does give a shout out to the Clinton economy). Obama could do more to sway some straying Clintonites. But this is about what Hillary needs to do. Let's be clear: If Obama consolidates Democratic support (meaning if he can win over the most persuadable undecideds), he'll likely win by a comfortable margin. But he's not there yet. And if Obama loses and the exit polls show that Hillary dead-enders were the cause, Hillary’s presidential ambition is cooked. So the speech tonight looms large for the former rivals. Obama needs her full-throated support; and she needs to provide it. The stakes are extremely high tonight. But what must she actually say to help Obama close the deal with her disaffected supporters?

PigsandBattleships

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Thursday May 22, 2008 · 11:34 AM PDT

2008/05/22 · 11:34

An extensive Public Policy Institute poll finds that Obama has increased his lead across all demographic groups in California. The actual survey in .pdf is here.

First, the top line numbers:

Obama 54
McCain 37

Clinton 51
McCain 39

PigsandBattleships

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Friday March 07, 2008 · 8:56 PM PST

2008/03/07 · 20:56

Quickest and easiest way for Barack Obama to finish off Hillary Clinton? Easy, get the majority of uncommitted superdelegates to jump on board and shut this down before Clinton's kamikaze tactics irreparably damage both candidates. In pursuing this strategy, Obama is likely focusing on three points. One, Obama is almost certainly going to have the most pledged delegates by Denver, and if Clinton takes it away with the help of Supers, a lot of his supporters will walk or stay home in November, leading to landslide McCain victory. Two, if Clinton continues the "kitchen sink" approach, he'll have no choice but to unload a ton of oppo on her in the seven weeks ahead of the Pennsylvania primary that will seriously damage both candidates and the Party; best to shut it down now. Three, he's more electable than Clinton, and if they want to win the White House and expand Congressional majorities, get behind him now.

PigsandBattleships

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Wednesday March 05, 2008 · 3:54 PM PST

2008/03/05 · 15:54

Since the Potomac primaries, I've been making the case to anyone who will listen that Hillary Clinton can't win the Democratic nomination without destroying her general election chances. But in response to Booman’s diary, after yesterday's results, I now see a plausible scenario for a HRC victory that will not irretrievably alienate a significant chunk of Obama supporters that she’ll need to win in the general election. While each hypothetical event is independently plausible (I've studiously avoided improbable scenarios like a colossal Obama gaffe), it’s extremely unlikely that everything will fall into place as described. In fact, I'd say the chances of Clinton pulling off a non-self-immolating victory are roughly the same as the likelihood of a somewhat inferior football team prevailing after trailing by three touchdowns with 8 minutes to go in the 4th quarter.

PigsandBattleships

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Thursday November 17, 2005 · 4:40 PM PST

2005/11/17 · 16:40

Poll junkies rejoice! The new Hotline poll is just out, and it's very extensive, with many questions focused on John McCain's 2008 electability along with the requisite Bush numbers. Interesting questions abound like "Who Best Represents the Democratic Party?" "Who Should Best Represent the Democratic Party?" "Does the following Bush administration official MOSTLY HELP or MOSTLY HURT George W. Bush?" Read the entire PDF file here.

The numbers how that McCain would be very difficult to beat in a general election, given his strong favorability numbers across the board. There's a separate poll on Republican attitudes towards McCain, for those interested in his appeal in the GOP primaries.

Some selected key figures:

Bush job approval
Approve: 36
Disapprove: 61

PigsandBattleships

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Tuesday October 25, 2005 · 6:07 PM PDT

2005/10/25 · 18:07

It's silly to look to the futures market for guidance, I'll admit right off the bat. Especially in the Leak investigation. The only people who truly know what's going on -- the lawyers in the Special Prosecutor's office -- likely don't have the time to make trades on Intrade. There's no evidence that the traders know any more than any other junkie refreshing Daily Kos, Drudge Report, HuffPost, Washington Note, etc., every twenty minutes. They're probably reading the same tea leaves. Still, even an observer as savvy as Joh Marshall noted the recent collapse of Miers futures, falling from $60.00 to $35.00 in one day. Were insiders doing their best Dr. Frist impersonation and cashing in? It may be nothing, but then again, who knows? Read More

LAT: Miers' writings show glimmer of liberalism

PigsandBattleships

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Friday October 14, 2005 · 1:58 AM PDT

2005/10/14 · 01:58

However scant, every reasonably successful liar leaves a trace of writing for the public record. And the LA Times has uncovered some of Miers' writings produced when she was President of the Texas Bar. Miers' columns sound pretty mainstream -- she focused on diversity and legal representation for all, which are issues that are pretty standard fare in the legal industry.

PigsandBattleships

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Friday September 16, 2005 · 12:41 PM PDT

2005/09/16 · 12:41

Playwright, filmmaker, and confidence-game aficionado David Mamet's advice to Democrats? Take some poker lessons. Then maybe the party will learn the value of aggression and seizing initiative. It's a pretty good article, and one that should be of great interest to Kossacks if only because Mamet's poker strategies echo the attack and contrast strategy advocated by this blog and others. Nut graph in extended: Read More

GOP Internal Fillibuster poll - interesting tidbit

PigsandBattleships

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Thursday April 21, 2005 · 6:19 PM PDT

2005/04/21 · 18:19

So somebody (on Santorum's staff, maybe?) leaked the internal GOoPer poll showing a 37% support for the "nuclear option".

The strange part of the story is here: Read More

Illegal Republican Tactics in Ohio -- Push this one!

PigsandBattleships

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Wednesday November 03, 2004 · 12:47 AM PST

2004/11/03 · 00:47

I was in Ohio monitoring the election with the Democratic Party in Lima. There are reports of numerous incidents of intimidation and irregularities by Republican challengers, especially in minority neighborhoods. This has scared people from voting.

Look, one thing is clear: the Republicans pulled out all the stops in Ohio to keep minorities and other Democratic voters from voting. We need to fight fire with fire.

Kerry needs to push the Republican intimidation of minority voters. It's not just enough to count the provisional ballots. Because of Rethug tactics, a bunch of minority voters couldn't vote.

WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT IT?

We caved in Florida. We can't do it here. Fight the Rethugs with everything you got. And Kerry and the Democrats need to push the intimidation story 100%. Because it's real. I was there.

IT'S NOT THE PROVISIONALS. IT'S INTIMIDATION OF MINORITIES! THAT'S THE STORY WE HAVE TO PUSH.

Ben Konop on Majority Report tonight

PigsandBattleships

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Tuesday October 12, 2004 · 11:54 AM PDT

2004/10/12 · 11:54

Ben Konop, recently added to the Kos Dozen, will be on "Majority Report" tonight on Air America. He should be on around 7:30 p.m.

All the folks who have generously contributed their time and/or money to Ben's surging campaign will have a chance to tune in to hear the candidate talk about his candidacy. Don't worry, the Sox will be up 12-0 on the Yankees by then, so there won't be a scheduling conflict.

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Another Palin Scandal: Charged Taxpayers to Stay at Home!

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The HRC Conundrum: Can She Win the Nomination Without Tearing the Party Apart?

New Hotline Poll - McCain 52/Hillary 39

Rove futures down -- to buy or not?

LAT: Miers' writings show glimmer of liberalism

Mamet's poker lessons for Dems

GOP Internal Fillibuster poll - interesting tidbit

Illegal Republican Tactics in Ohio -- Push this one!

Ben Konop on Majority Report tonight