Granted, there have been a lot of them. But, from my viewpoint, Eugene Robinson is spot on when he describes McCain's ugliest moment in Wednesday's debate.
Also, news on early voting and some angry reaction to the latest Ayers robocalls.
And, John McCain will probably never want to go back on Letterman again.
As proud pro-choice woman, I am still appalled at the blatant disregard McCain showed for women and women's health issues in the debate. I know we already talked about this yesterday, but it is important and I am still thinking about it. There are two great articles out this morning about this issue, but I am somewhat saddened that it has not gotten more coverage.
Newsweek points out that it is not proponents of choice who have defined what can be considered a threat to a mother's health, but rather the Supreme Court:
Obama's position is basically aligned with that of the Supreme Court. In Roe v. Wade, the Court ruled that with post-fetal viability—when the fetus' critical organs can sustain independent life—the State "may go so far as to proscribe abortion during that period, except when it is necessary to preserve the life or health of the mother." And in Doe v. Bolton, a companion case issued the same day as Roe, the court provided further guidance on what preserving the "health of the mother" entailed. "Medical judgment may be exercised in light of all factors—physical, emotional, psychological, familial and the woman's age—relevant to the wellbeing of the patient," the Court wrote. "All these factors may relate to health."
and:
One recent poll asked specifically about exception for the mental health of the mother. It was conducted by Fox News last October and found that 56 percent of Americans support legal abortion if "the pregnancy puts the woman's mental health at risk."
Newsweek also mentions that a TIME Magazine poll found that only 10% of Americans believe abortion should be outlawed in all circumstances. So who is extreme now, McCain?
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Eugene Robinson also takes McCain to task for his sarcastic and snide discussion of the issue:
The ugliest moment, by far, came when McCain lit into Obama for voting against a ban on "partial-birth" abortion because it did not specify an exception for cases in which the woman's life or health was endangered. McCain's voice oozed sarcasm as he gestured with his fingers to put air quotes around the word "health," as if it were nothing but a dodge employed by bloodthirsty baby-killers. I found it chilling, and I'll bet a lot of pro-choice independents did, too.
McCain's words hurt him more than his scowls. It's not just the man that people have qualms about, it's what he stands for.
Eugene Robinson is the best. I love his columns and there is lots of good stuff in this one - you should read the whole thing.
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I think John McCain is going to have multiple regrets when it comes to David Letterman. Regret #1: Canceling in the first place to go "save" the economy. Regret #2: Trying to make it up to Dave. The top Google search term yesterday? Gordon Liddy:
Also, high on the list: #4, Gordon Litty and #6, Gordon Libby. Isn't it interesting that the only people calling McCain on his shit are not journalists but rather David Letterman and the ladies on the View?
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Kathleen Parker in today's Washington Post defends Christopher Buckley against the backlash from conservatives over his Obama endorsement:
Radical conservatives are still having an interesting time of it, though these days they are being mutilated by fellow "conservatives." The well-fed Right now cultivates ignorance as a political strategy and humiliates itself when its brightest sons seek sanctuary in the solitude of personal honor.
The truth few wish to utter is that the GOP has abandoned many conservatives, who mostly nurse their angst in private. Those chickens we keep hearing about have indeed come home to roost. Years of pandering to the extreme wing -- the "kooks" the senior Buckley tried to separate from the right -- have created a party no longer attentive to its principles.
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The New York Times looks at some voting trends in Colorado, where half (!) of registered voters have requested to vote by mail:
Campaign workers and elections experts say that having so many people voting from home alters the chemistry of the election. So far, 1.4 million of Colorado’s 3.2 million registered voters have requested mail-in ballots; voters can request them until Oct. 28. (In 2004, about 668,000 voters requested the ballots).
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As Mike Madden reports at Salon, early voting is going to be so crucial:
On the first day of early voting in North Carolina, early-vote locations were swamped. (One library in Charlotte reported waits of up to two hours.) New Mexico Democratic Party chairman Brian Colón expects close to half the electorate to have voted by Election Day. In Georgia, where Obama's campaign is apparently considering trying to compete again, more than half a million people have already voted; 210,000 of them were African-American, an encouraging sign to Democrats.
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John McCain makes old ladies cry:
Clauss said the automated message was not only distasteful, it made his 92-year-old mother-in-law cry.
"I was a potential McCain supporter, but I won't be voting for him," Clauss said.
The message details Democratic candidate Barack Obama's relationship with William Ayers, a former member of the Weather Undergound, a group responsible for a series of bombings in the 1960s and 70s.
Good for him! More reaction like this would be nice:
"It was the tone and the way (the message) was presented," Clauss said. "It almost made (Obama) out to be a bomber. They made it sound like last week they were working together."
Clauss said he called the Maine Republican Party office in Augusta to complain. He said the receptionist who answered the phone said others had called as well.
McCain's robocalls are pissing off voters in Iowa too.
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Elizabeth Dole has pumped some of her own money into her campaign for reelection in North Carolina, the News and Observer (NC) reports:
She called the use of her personal money "an investment" that puts "some skin in the game."
Dole, a Republican, said she has raised $3 million in campaign contributions since July 1. Her opponent, Democrat Kay Hagan, reported raising $2.6 million during that period.
That's as good an indication as any how this race is going for Dole. The News and Observer also reports that McCain and the RNC spent $1.8 million in North Carolina last week, slightly less than Obama's $2.1 million. I love that we are forcing Republicans to spend money and time in North Carolina - it is so sweet.
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You've probably heard already about the Washington Post's endorsement of Obama. Obama is also endorsed today by the San Francisco Chronicle and El Diario La Prensa (NY). Who's next?
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The AP has a great look at Andrew Young and his early vote in Georgia:
Six minutes later, Young emerged smiling, an "I'm a Georgia voter" sticker proudly displayed on his blue blazer.
It was the 12th time he'd voted for his friend and ally in the struggle to end segregation, Rep. John Lewis. It was the 11th time that he voted for president of the United States. And it was the first time his vote might actually help elect a black man to the position.
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So what's on your mind this morning? The Asian market did better today, but that's not saying much compared to yesterday. And I'm glad it's Friday.