As you all probably know by now, our fabulous and fearless Governor Granholm played the role of Sarah Palin in helping VP candidate Joe Biden prep for last night's debate.
Walt Sorg, talk host of AM Lansing had a great interview with her this morning about the prep process and her reaction to last night's war of words. Hear the interview here.
As to Palin's strategy, well this guy nailed it right on the head with his flow chart, because it seems exactly the strategery (yes, you read that right) that she used.
And then there's this, because I'm pretty sure this was also part of the grand scheme. *sigh*
Sarah Palin, singlehandedly setting women in politics back 100 years for 5 weeks now.
'Case you hadn't heard, Joe Biden had some lively stops in St. Clair Shores and Flat Rock today. Here's the Free Press Coverage of the St. Clair Shores visit. And here's the video:
This caught my eye:
Let me just give you one more example. In the midst of this housing crisis, John McCain said, "I will fight for those that lost their... real estate investments." He went on to say, "It's not the role of government to bail out big banks or small borrowers." What about small borrowers? What about homeowners? What about the people who don't invest in homes, but live in them? There's an important distinction between the predators and the preyed upon.
I heard that a Republican County Chairman right here in Michigan said that they're keeping a list of foreclosed homes, suggesting that if you've lost your home, you should also lose your vote. I have a different idea. I think that if you're worried about losing your home, you should vote for the guys who are going to help you keep it!
Whatever happened to the guy, who once denounced tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans in a time of war as immoral?
More about the Republicans' plans to target people who have lost their homes from Michigan Messenger's Eartha Jane Melzer, who broke the story (congrats, Eartha!).
Florida Governor Crist said that he would be open to a “redo” of his state’s Democratic primary.Michigan’s Governor has not been so generous.
The Democratic Party stripped Michigan and Florida of their delegates for moving their primary before February 5th in violation of party rules.
Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan said in February that, “The DNC created this problem by the sanctions they used and unfairly applied. The DNC has to fix this problem.”
As both a Democrat and a resident of Michigan, I have to say she could not be more wrong.Moving the primary ahead to January 15th brought Republicans and Democrats together in Lansing in ways they would not previously.
(Topical, but not in an ointment sort of way - promoted by Eric B.)
As ethics demand they should.
See, e.g., Daily Kos, Breaking: John Edwards signs Four State Pledge. It reveals that Obama, Edwards, Dodd, Richardson, and Biden have all done the right thing and pledged to stick with the four states Howard Dean and the DNC are happy with keeping first: a geographically diverse array of early primary/caucus states, Iowa (Midwest), New Hampshire (Northeast), South Carolina (South, and considerable African-American representation), and Nevada (West, and considerable Latina/o representation).
I could write a long thing about this, but...does the Granholm/Brewer/Dingell early primary idea look like a
For those of us who voted in the 2004 Michigan Democratic Party Presidential Caucus, it was an exciting time. For the first time we could vote on the internet for our favored candidate and for me, it made the election process all the more interesting and interactive.
As much as the netroots community likes to complain about the prehistoric nature of the MDP, you just might be surprised to learn that Michigan was the very first state to do this internet voting. Even more impressive, we're the only state (at this point) that's going to do it again in 2008.
Here's a question - how many of you had dial-up service in 2004 versus your broadband connection today? Probably a lot of you. Despite that, a whopping 28% of the 160,000 Caucus voters in voted online. When you consider how Internet has been growing in leaps and bounds, imagine how that number will skyrocket.
As it stands now, the MDP already proposed several changes to the Delegate Selection Plan, all designed to make it a little easier for all of us to better participate. After looking it over, here's some points of particular interest:
Internet voting will be open for 7 days, as opposed to 30 days in '04
Voters will be able to vote in any voting location within their county. Go where it's closest.
You can take your utility bill, drivers license, or your MI Identification card as proof of identification. I think this is a great idea, it makes it more accessible to everyone, since we don't all have a Drivers License.
Choice of voting by mail, internet or in person.
Of course, if this is something we want to be available again next year, we need to let the MDP know. Right now, they are taking public comment on the Caucus Draft Selection Plan. Between now and April 28th, you can view the Plan online and then email the MDP with your comments.
While you're checking out the plan, you can also learn a little more about being a delegate, how delegates are selected, how the Convention process works, and the burning question - what's the date of the Caucus (Feb. 9th, 2008 as it stands now, but of course, that could change...)
Either way, it's your state, and your voice - make it heard!
According to the Detroit Free Press, Michigan Democrats overwhelmingly prefer Hillary Clinton.
Almost a year before the state's parties hold primaries or caucuses, Clinton is the clear choice of Michigan Democrats with a nearly 30-point lead over her nearest rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, a Detroit Free Press-Local 4 Michigan Poll conducted last week shows. The New York senator and former first lady got strong support crossing racial lines, income levels, geographical boundaries and age.
At this point, I think that these results reflect on name recognition more than anything else. To candidates, the real value of polling this early is in defining the media narrative and fundraising.
The head-to-head polls were conducted by Selzer and Company. They sampled 675 voters from Jan 28 to 31, and claim a margin of error of 3.8 percent. In their simulation of a Democratic primary vote, they sampled 273 voters from Jan 28 to 31, and claim a margin of error of 5.9 percent.
Happy Sunday, fair people of the progressive online hamlet that we gleefully populate when we have a spare moment on the internets.
I am back with Volume II of the far too soon and far too horserace-ish 2008 Democratic Presidential Nomination Watch, as promised last Sunday.
Here are the results from our first installation of the Democratic presidential choice poll, from November 19 to November 26, 2006:
* Wesley Clark - 7 votes (20%)
* John Edwards - 6 votes (17.14%)
* Al Gore - 6 votes (17.14%)
* Barack Obama - 6 votes (17.14%)
* Evan Bayh - 2 votes (5.71%)
* Hillary Clinton - 2 votes (5.71%)
* Tom Daschle - 2 votes (5.71%)
* Bill Richardson - 2 votes (5.71%)
* Joe Biden - 1 votes (2.86%)
* Tom Vilsack - 1 votes (2.86%)
* Christopher Dodd - 0 votes (0%)
* Mike Gravel - 0 votes (0%)
* John Kerry - 0 votes (0%)
The poll for the coming week is included in the extended text. Also included are the following stories that have developed over the past week. Lets see what some of our candidates have been up to:
- Obama talks with top advisers in Iowa
- Denver poised to land 2008 convention
- Presidential candidates court activists
- Edwards, Obama gain attention on book tours
- SurveyUSA approval ratings of Senators
- Emmanuel hopes to avoid Clinton, Obama clash
- Clinton lobbies for New York convention bid
- Carville makes Dem candidacy predictions
- Americans consider Clinton qualified to run
- Feingold does not rule out VP nomination
- Clinton financial advantage depleted
- CNN polls Democratic candidates for president
- Home state voters favor Obama, Clinton runs
- Kerry says he's not out of the '08 race
- Edwards says Obama should run for president
Plus, a focus on the next candidate in no particular order alphabetically: U.S. Senator Joseph "Joe" Biden of Delaware.
In the newspapers and in our living rooms, we are already being inundated with intrigue and inuendo regarding the nominating process for our 2008 presidential candidate. In fact we've been inundated with it even before the votes had been cast in 2004.
Believe it or not, a few presidential aspirants have already made their intentions officially known. Whether they have made it official or not, some have already ventured to Michigan (a few on numerous occasions).
This is true for both the Democratic and Republican parties, but it is even more pronounced on the GOP side. For the purposes of digesting and determining who our standard bearer shall be, there is much to discuss.
I do not deliberate on this topic at the expense of making down-ballot gains or helping our Democrats now in power govern effectively. There are important nonpartisan (at least officially) municipal elections that will take place before a single caucus or primary vote will be cast.
I recognize and relish that, but I also recognize the importance of our presidential nomination. You should not feel guilty for thinking about it, either.
At no time in our nation's history since 1952 have the presidential nominations for both parties not involved either a presidential or vice presidential incumbent in either race. Thats a pretty big deal. It also heightens the political implications of the election's outcome, since it will probably chart the relative success and failure for the respective major parties for quite a few election cycles to come.
