Holy Cow!! - Kerry Gives DSCC $3 Million
Well, my jaw dropped this morning when I read the great news that Senator Kerry is donating $3 million to the DSCC from unused primary funds. Senator Kerry has served both in the majority and in the minority in the Senate -- and he clearly he understands the importance of our effort to take back the Senate. Senator Kerry also knows that a Democratic Senate is critical to getting his agenda passed as President. Thank you Senator (soon President!!) Kerry.
South Carolina -- I'm Jim DeMint and I'd Like to Raise Your Taxes
If you live in South Carolina, you'll want to know about Republican Senate Candidate Jim DeMint's plan to raise your taxes. Yes, that's right, Jim DeMint is one of a small number of radical, Heritage Foundation Neo-Con members of Congress who wants to scrap the tax code and impose a national sales tax as high as 23 percent. Your mortgage interest deduction? Gone. Your child tax credit? Gone. Jim DeMint wants to impose a national sales tax which would significantly raise taxes on the poor and middle class because he doesn't think moderate income folks feel enough of the "pain" of government programs. Under DeMint's plan, the tax burden would be shifted even more away from the wealthy and corporations (the type of corporations who fund his friends at the Heritage Foundation) and onto the middle class and the poor. South Carolina's economy has been reeling, South Carolina has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and more people live in poverty in South Carolina than almost any state in the country and Jim DeMint wants to raise taxes on the poor so they feel the "pain" of government programs. Mr. DeMint, haven't these folks experienced enough pain?
Salazar Sweeps Colorado, Coors Would Rather be in a Bathtub Smoking Cigars
Democratic Attorney General Ken Salazar was easily nominated for the U.S. Senate seat in Colorado last week while Republican and beer maker Pete Coors outlasted former Congressman Bob Schaffer in the GOP primary. We are so lucky to have Ken Salazar as our nominee. Ken is well-known to voters having won two statewide elections and he has deep roots in rural Colorado. Ken's family helped settle Southwest Colorado and he has been a strong advocate for rural residents on land, water and agricultural issues. Ken has been a strong and well respected Attorney General and he enjoys significant support from the law enforcement community.
Pete Coors, on the other hand still remains a mystery politically. While everyone has seen Coors in his company's commercials, far less is known about him politically. The most significant thing he said in the primary was that he wants to reduce the drinking age from 21 to 18. He said little about jobs, little about Iraq and little about healthcare, education or the environment. But, he wants to lower the drinking age which would allow Coors, Inc. to sell more beer. Nice Pete, nice.
Oh, and what about this gem. On Wednesday after the primary Coors went on a "unity" bus tour with Congressman Schaffer where he was overheard saying "I'd rather be in a bathtub smoking cigars this morning." Pete, after November, you'll have all the time in the world to bathe and smoke cigars my friend. All the time in the world.
Knowles Continues to Lead, Murkowski Distancing Herself from her Father
This must be one interesting time around the Murkowski household. Not only does former Democratic Governor Tony Knowles continue to narrowly lead Senator Lisa Murkowski in the polls, Lisa is continuing to distance herself from her unpopular dad, Governor Frank Murkowski, who gave her the job in the first place. The Washington Post had a front page story last week about how Lisa is distancing herself from her father who has presided over a budget debacle and whose approval ratings are in the 30's. Roll Call today said that her father and the issue of nepotism have been an "albatross" around her neck. Her spokesperson even told Roll Call they do not want and are not seeking an official endorsement from her own dad. Her signs blare LISA with Murkowski in print almost too small to read. All this and she has to fend off a challenger from within her own party.
Meanwhile, Governor Knowles is running one of the smartest campaigns in the country. In the field, he has one of the best on the ground operations anywhere in the country. They have people knocking on doors tailoring messages to reach Alaska votes. And, they have a lot of signs out there -- this picture is a hoot! I just had to share. Tony Knowles has supporters from all parties and species!
Erskine on a Roll in NC, Burr Has a "Secret Plan" to Win Election
Another great poll came out today in the Senate race in NC. The News and Observer commissioned a poll which shows Erskine with a healthy 47-38 lead over Congressman Richard Burr. Erskine, coming off a highly successful 10 day bus tour, is doing education events this week. Meanwhile, Burr must be spending his week explaining to donors and supporters why he and his campaign have been under such negative scrutiny recently. While the reviews on Bowles have been stellar, analysts, reporters and people in his own party have begun to question Burr’s ability as a candidate. Uberanalyst Stu Rothenberg, said that after a meeting with Burr that he found him "smug" and that Burr’s contention that he has a "secret plan" to win the election did not give him great confidence that the Congressman was prepared to do so. Roll Call said today that Republicans "grumble that Burr lacks a consistent message, is micro-managing the day-to-day operations of the race and has virtually relinquished the media spotlight to Bowles, who has seemed to bask in it." Wow. Are the wheels falling off for Mr. Burr? Stay tuned.
NC: A Disgusting Ad from a Would-Be GOP Congressman in NC
This radio ad so p----- me off I just had to share it. Vernon Robinson is running for the 5th Congressional District in NC -- Burr's seat -- and he has one of the most inflammatory ads on the air I have ever heard of. In this radio ad he uses the theme music from the twilight zone to compare Mexicans to outer space aliens and says they are filling up the courts and the schools illegally. Someone might want to remind Mr. Robinson that if it were not for Mexican labor our farms would stop producing food and many our buildings and roads would cease being built. This has got to be one of the most callous, over top and racially inflammatory ads I've heard in all of my time in politics. Remember Jesse Helms' "white hands ad" he ran on affirmative action against Harvey Gantt? This, is even worse than that. Take a listen -- and while you are as riled up as I am -- flood Mr. Robinson's campaign with angry phone calls (336.794.0882). I did. Click here to listen to the ad.
Ad Watch
Barack Obama is up and running with a new positive ad. Check out his website to see for yourself: www.obamaforillinois.com.
Republican Blooper of the Week:
"I'd rather be sitting in the bathtub smoking cigars this morning."
-- Pete Coors (R-CO), during his post-primary unity tour, Rocky Mountain News, 8/12
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