Mid-Day Open Thread

• This morning NDN has launched a national media campaign to counter GOP efforts to derail immigration reform and the smear campaign of the RNC against Harry Reid and Democrats.

• The Republican focus on anti-immigration efforts might have something to do with the emboldening of white supremacists and other far-right extremists to take violent action. The ADL notes a growing number of violent assaults against immigrants.

• New Jersey really, really hates Bush. How much?
  

  New Jersey voters disapprove of Cheney by 63%-27%. As the poll director notes, New Jersey may be the only state where Bush does even worse than his face-shooting friend. He's got an embarrassingly low 69%-26% disapproval rating. Even 34% of Republicans and 78% of independents disapprove.

• Over at The Next Hurrah, DemFromCT has been doing more of his excellent poll dissecting, looking at Bush's sinking approval ratings among Republicans, lack of enthusiasm in the GOP, and speculating on what might happen in November. It's a good read.

• Another alumni note, over at Swords Crossed Armando takes on Andrew Sullivan's labored and mistaken reading of the recently released Iraq government reports and Saddam's role in planning terrorist attacks in the West.

• Andrew Young (UCC minister, former mayor of Atlanta, former Ambassador to the UN) has decided to become a spokesman for Wal-Mart. Young's colleagues aren't taking this lightly. They've sent him a letter laying out their opposition and calling him to give up his role. Chuck Currie has more.