There is almost no time for further diary writing, so I might not do so until last Tuesday Evening, if the CA 11 results are known by then. It all comes doewn to GOTV. Yesterday, I was called by the League of Conservation Voters to remind me that my County's Registrar of Voters had not yet recieved my Absentee Ballot and that it was very important to get it in.
Almost everyone is writing about the fact that Laura Bush and Bill Clinton are both doing campaign apperances for Pombo and McNerney this week.
The
Stockton Record and
San Francisco Chronicle covered the Clinton visit and looked forward to the Bush visit on Friday.
He (Clinton) said Republicans have run up the national debt, gotten American troops into a war with no clear exit strategy and have done little to help the middle class. Given that, he said, the Republicans are hoping to capitalize on people's fears to prevail on Election Day.
Even Code Pink is scheduling protests at the Laura Bush visit. I just hope that this does not backfire by rallying Republican women to support her when they had been hesitant to support Pombo.
The Tracy Press gives a very accurate story on the impact of Veterans Issues on this race. If all politics is local, then the veterans issues should be at the forefront, as Tracy has had more than it's share of fatalities in Iraq.
Neither Pombo nor McNerney has served in the military, though McNerney went to West Point for two years before dropping out in 1969 because of his opposition to the war in Vietnam.
I would also give a kudo to Lisa Vorderbrueggen of the Contra Costa Times concerning her report on the Marianas Issue. It is far more accurate than others that have been published recently. It leaves you with a bad taste but does not indict Pombo. It also points out that having bad television / mailer ads will hurt the candidate who is trying to establish himself as the honest one. That is what Jerry really is and having erroneous 3rd Party ads against Pombo does not help him maintain that image.
It all comes down not to GOTV and that is where my energy will be. If you can help, c'mon down.