As I sat down to watch the last presidential debate, I said to my husband "Bet she doesn’t do any belly laughs this time."  And I was right.  The oddly timed, inappropriate guffaws didn’t play so well with the media talking heads, so the "deep chuckle" button was disconnected.  

For the first time, HRC did not come out on top of a debate, but we can bet she’s aiming to get right back up on her horse for the next one.  So I ask all of you to predict how she’ll behave.  Will she come out roaring like gangbusters, a steamroller, a raging bull, to show she’s tough enough to take on those mean old male opponents?  Or will she stand there doe-eyed, approachable, smiling?  (Read on below....)

HRC = KKT?

Nothing sends a chill up the spine of Maryland Democrats like the initials KKT – Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.  For those who don’t recall, she is the Democrat who lost the Governor's race to Republican Bob Ehrlich in 2002, inflicting four bleak years of Republican stewardship on this great state.

I recently heard a savvy Maryland politician compare Hillary to Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, and the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.

DC Area Kossacks!!  Take Back America Attenders!

THIS IS IT!  Today’s the day to kick off a great progressive week!  Come to the YearlyKos fundraiser PARTY this afternoon.  

5-7:00 pm at Local 16, 1602 U St. NW, Washington DC 20009

$35 in advance (see www.yearlykosconvention.org);
$40 at the door

Details on guests and speakers below the fold......read on.....

I went to the DNC meeting this morning to hear the candidates.  Others are writing about it.  I’ll write this before I read anyone else’s so I’m not influenced by them.  My vantage point was from the back of the room (amongst a bunch of Edwards supporters); others probably felt the crowd differently.  I have not decided whom I support but I do have some strong feelings, as you shall see.  I’ll try to give the essence of the speakers and include audience reaction.

First, it was glorious to hear opening speaker Harry Reid confirm what most of us know, that Howard Dean’s 50 State Strategy worked and is working.  So screw you, Carville and Emanuel!.....please keep reading......

This morning I was listening to "Weekend Edition" on NPR.  Daniel Schorr does his wise old man commentary and ends it talking about the exchange between Jim Webb and Bush.  He doesn't criticize Webb, rather puts it in the context of turbulent times coming in DC.  What bothered me is that Schorr reported the exchange as Bush asking about Webb's son, and Webb responding "that's between me and my boy," omitting the part where Bush does his nasty-thing.

So I emailed the letter below to NPR.  It's important to constantly call them out on stuff like this because we have seen repeatedly how an episode can get repeated endlessly in error, until it's accepted as fact.  (Eric Alterman gives us multiple examples in his great book "What Liberal Media?")

Maybe this has been said in the many diaries about Carville's and Emanuel's attacks on Howard Dean.  I haven't read them all.  But this is what I'm thinking tonight:  The aim of the attacks is to pave the way for Hillary Clinton's nomination and they are not going to stop.  I don't know if HRC's campaign people thought this up and asked Carville and Emanuel to execute it, or if they are self-appointed.  But it's happening and it will continue, probably at the level of state chairs (more on that later).

Grassroots Democrats, real thinking people all over the nation with their ears to the ground, feel that Hillary will lose.  They might love her or hate her, but they don't think she can win.  Those are the same people who support Dean and the 50 State Strategy.  If HRC can take them and Dean out of the picture, they figure they will sail to the nomination by convincing the less-thoughtful Democratic primary voters of her electibility.

Maryland's 6th Congressional District is pretty darn Republican (Bush got 65% in 2004), and our Fighting Dem challenger Andrew Duck has a tough race on his hands.  

But there was a nice surprise newspaper endorsement this week by the Frederick Gazette (text below).  The Gazette papers are read mostly as a weekly giveaway, but they are read.  A Gazette endorsement does get attention, especially one where the Republican incumbent (since 1992) does not get the nod.

Andrew needs our support - GIVE A BUCK TO MR DUCK! - see his website at www.duckforcongress.com.  The 6th CD could be one of those miracle stories in this year of - we hope and work for - a Democratic wave.

My Pitch for a Fighting Dem in Red Maryland

Yes, everyone thinks Maryland is as "blue" as they come. But 2 of our 8 Congressional Representatives are Republican, and one of those is Roscoe Bartlett, of the 6th Congressional District.  

For the first time in many a year, Roscoe has a serious challenger in Fighting Dem ANDREW DUCK.  I'm writing today because Andrew needs our help to win in this red district.  (www.duckforcongress.org).  2006 is our best shot, with the current political mood and a great candidate in Andrew Duck.

This guy really inspires me.  I don't even live in his district - I live in the safely Democratic district next to it.  But I heard Andrew Duck speak on a cold rainy night last December and I was totally sold - he is the real deal - and felt determined to help him out.

I've been grieving about losing Paul Hackett from the political scene, and thinking how to make something good out of something bad.  And I read Rene's transcript of a long interview with Paul, and then I had this inspiration:  he's a natural as a progressive media star!!

I'm serious, because:

1. Paul Hackett is charismatic, has a great style and speaking voice.
   
2. I love hearing him and watching him, and I want him to be part of the American political scene.  I don't want him to disappear.
   
3. We bitch and moan about how the right controls the media, where are our voices, etc?  Hackett could have incredible influence on radio or TV, expanding progressive reach in the media.

It's official - the Maryland legislature has passed the Fair Share Health Care Act, aka "The Wal-Mart Bill."  This was actually an over-ride vote.  The bill passed last year late in the session, and Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich vetoed it after the close of session.  The legislature had to wait until the new 2006 session (official opening was yesterday) to vote on over-rides.

I feel personally involved in this as an active DFA member. We pushed members to contact their state Senators and Delegates and got good responses.  DFA had a healthy contingent that joined SEIU and other volunteers yesterday to personally lobby our legislators at the state capitol.  It was touch and go but we won.

Now the ball starts rolling for the other 29 states that are considering other legislation.  I know the union organizers will compare notes on what worked in Maryland and what didn't work.

Please excuse the promo in a diary, but I thought DC/MD/VA people would appreciate knowing about this:

Paul Hackett, candidate for Senate from Ohio, will be in Washington DC on Tuesday, December 6, 2005, 6:00pm to 8:00pm, at a fundraiser at the
Hawk & Dove
329 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003
Cash Bar

$250 host, $100 sponsor, $35 friend

RSVP to Sarah Buxton: Sarah@HackettForOhio.com or
(513) 651-2006, please specify "Hawk & Dove Event."

I did a quick skim of recent entries and don't see anything like this mentioned, but it seems pretty obvious that Bush has to bring out the heavy artillery soon: spouse Laura.

Since little Georgie is missing a "sensitivity chip" and his mom is even worse ("this is working very well for them"), Laura seems like his only hope.  It may be in some grandiose program with a name like "Sheltering Arms" with Laura as the public face, lots of photo ops with little kids, etc.

Our response should be "George, why are you hiding behind Laura's skirts?"  Could it be that you're a coward?  A callous, incompetent, cowardly wanna-be cowboy?  It doesn't pay to criticize Laura.  But the minute Laura gets put in some major disaster relief role, I think we have to call out Bush the Coward.  

Watching this whole affair of the "Newsweek" article about desecration of the Koran by Americans and the rioting that followed has been discouraging.  Whether or not the charge is true, it certainly is consistent with actions we know to be true.  And another major media outlet has egg on its face after putting out a news story harmful to the administration.

But the muscular reaction of the Bush administration actually presents an opportunity to stick it to them about the war.  Turn their own words against them.