Blogswarm - Online Political News Magazine

Exciting news! Our Get Out Her Vote Campus Campaign is registering and motivating young women nationwide and especially in seven key states -- Iowa, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Nevada and Arizona.

We don't have a moment to lose -- there are only 46 days before the first voter registration deadlines. I don't have to tell you that the threats to women's rights have never been greater.

You can help sponsor student organizers on college campuses and make a huge difference.

Elections today frequently are won by very tiny margins. The activation of young women voters has the potential to change the political landscape in many states and perhaps the country as a whole. Only one-third of young women (18-24) voted in the 2000 presidential election.

Our groundbreaking Get Out HER Vote Campaign focuses on young women. We know first-hand the potential of young women to mobilize and make a difference -- more than half of the 1.15 million who joined the March for Women's Lives in Washington DC on April 25, 2004 were college-aged. We are positioned to make a difference.

Our college program is the largest pro-choice campus campaign in the nation today. We have affiliates in 37 states. We are determined to register tens of thousands of new campus women voters in the next 6 weeks before voter registration deadlines close -- and mobilize an even larger number to the polls on Election Day, November 2.

We need your help. We need to raise emergency funds in the next 10 days before students return to campus.

For $750, you can provide a stipend for a student organizer on a campus in one of the seven states for one month. If you could support 10 student organizers yourself, that would make a very big difference to our campaign. If that's too much:

• $400 pays for food, travel, and supplies for one senior organizer for one week in the field
• $128 covers the cost of students tabling for voter registration for one week on campus
• $90 provides Voter Pledge Cards for 1,000 students
• $50 pays for photocopying 1,000 blank voter registration forms
• $25 covers the cost of 10 Get Out Her Vote posters for visibility and tabling on campus.

We are stretching to make every dollar count. Even small gifts can make a difference. It's not too late. This could be the most important election of our lifetimes. We must all do what we can.

For a Feminist Future,

Eleanor Smeal
President

P.S. If you can volunteer too, go to GetOutHerVote.org and download a Get Out Her Vote kit!

It's no secret that in the last four years, the Bush administration has eliminated major protections designed to keep Americans safe at home and work.

• George Bush is taking away the right to overtime pay from up to 6 million Americans, including nurses, cooks, clerical workers, and nursery school teachers.
• George Bush allowed dirty power plants to expand without controlling their emissions.
• George Bush endangered pregnant workers when he stopped regulating exposure to the chemicals used in the manufacturing of semiconductors.
• George Bush rolled back mercury regulations and proposed to defer controls on toxic mercury emissions by power plants for at least a decade.
• George Bush reduced protections for mine workers and eliminated rules to protect workers from tuberculosis.

George Bush gutted health and safety protections in response to pressure from top donors and corporate lobbyists. For example, David Lauriski, head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration, removed protections for coal workers, that he originally sought when he was serving as an executive of a mining company. Chemical industry executives donated more than $1.5 million to Bush's 2000 campaign and were rewarded with looser regulations that boosted corporate profits but put pregnant workers at greater risk.

We need you to get the word out in your community that George Bush sacrifices public safety in favor of corporate profit.

Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper today by visiting:

http://volunteer.johnkerry.com

A new tool that we launched on Johnkerry.com makes it easy for you to contact your local media. You can write and send a letter to your local media outlets in just one click. We'll give you all the talking points and information you need. This is a brand new tool, and there is a small chance that you could encounter an error while using it. Please send an email to tellus@johnkerry.com if you do encounter an error. Write a letter to the editor by clicking below:

http://volunteer.johnkerry.com/

The Kerry-Edwards Media Corps is our grassroots rapid-response network and is responsible for pushing countless issues to the forefront. If you aren't able to write a letter to the editor today, but would like to join our team, sign up by visiting:

http://www.johnkerry.com/signup/mediacorps.php

Last week, members of Media Corps wrote close to a thousand letters to the editor about the GOP funded Swift Boat Veterans for Truth smear campaign, stem cell research and the rising costs of prescription drugs; and when it was announced that Bush wouldn't take questions during a rare, hour long interview with Larry King, members of Media Corps responded with half an hour's notice and delivered a thousand emails in protest to CNN.

Please become a part of our grassroots rapid response network today.

Thank you,

Mary Beth Cahill
Campaign Manager

On November 2, we will elect John Kerry as President. But reversing the damage that George W. Bush and his allies inflicted on our country will require more than just switching residents at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Unless we also restore Democratic control of the U.S. House of Representatives, Tom Delay will do everything he can to thwart the new President. He will particularly use House budget authority to continue pushing the GOP's radical right-wing agenda seeking to divide Americans, rather than unite us.

Please contribute today:
https://www.democraticaction.org/getinvolved/donations/newcongress

Your contribution today to the Campaign for a New Majority can bring new leadership in the House that will stand ready to work with President Kerry rather than against him. Leadership that will work to protect our families, our workers, our environment, and the security of our citizens at home and abroad.

A REAL Plan to Win Back the House

The Campaign for a New Majority is a real action plan targeting key races around the country. It is a detailed blueprint designed to give us the 12 seats we need to win back a majority in the House. The same 12 seats that President Kerry will need to right the wrongs of President Bush and Tom DeLay.

The effectiveness of this plan has been demonstrated in special elections in Kentucky, South Dakota, and North Carolina. Three wins in three times up to bat — and two of these victories in areas that voted overwhelmingly for President Bush!

Please contribute today:
https://www.democraticaction.org/getinvolved/donations/newcongress

Key to the success of this program is a vastly expanded role for reaching out through the Internet to both activists and interested voters. Your contribution today will help us develop and expand key components including:

Majority Makers: An online tool that allows you to set up your own headquarters to help fundraise and "people-raise" by recruiting new donors and volunteers.

Majority Parties: We are recruiting hundreds of activists nationwide to host gatherings over the next 3 months to energize old and new voters to our cause.

Majority Meetings: We will be organizing a series of events around the country to bring interested Democrats together with Members of Congress and other Democratic candidates to talk about issues, goals, and strategy.

With just 12 additional seats needed to win a New Majority for President Kerry, programs like these can bring thousands of new donors and activists to this fight. Please contribute now: https://www.democraticaction.org/getinvolved/donations/newcongress

How vital is it that we achieve this victory?

Just consider the importance of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission in ensuring the continued safety and security of the American public. As you know, President Bush and Republican leadership stonewalled creating the Commission. And after the report's release, Speaker Hastert insisted that he was in no rush to implement any of the recommendations.

That is why House Democrats gathered in Washington last week to press the Administration on the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission. We are committed to seeing that the bipartisan commission's hard work is not buried under bureaucracy or sidelined by Tom DeLay and Dennis Hastert.

A new President and new House leadership is now within our grasp. Please contribute to the Campaign for a New Majority:
https://www.democraticaction.org/getinvolved/donations/newcongress

Thank you for your support. With less than 80 days remaining, we are counting on YOU to make a difference.

Sincerely,

Rep. Robert T. Matsui
Chairman
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

President Bush still won't condemn his allies' outrageous "Swift Boat" ad, despite calls from Republican leaders, Vietnam vets, and over 175,000 of us who signed yesterday's petition -- including 6,000 current military service members and their families. Together, we can make sure he pays a political price for green-lighting this attack ad that spreads outright lies about John Kerry's leadership and service in Vietnam.

We've put together our own ad that sets the facts straight on John Kerry's time in the military. It also points out Bush's hypocrisy in condoning an attack on a combat veteran, after he himself failed to show up for service in the National Guard. We need to raise $200,000 to start airing this ad TODAY. Together, we can put it on TV in precisely the markets where the "Swift Boat" ad ran, making sure that no swing voters are misled by this smear campaign.

View the ad and donate to get it on the air at:

https://www.moveonpac.org/donate/swiftresponse.html

George Bush can't have it both ways. If he wants, as he claims, to let the past be the past, he should call off his associates' smear campaign, which is re-opening this national wound. If he won't, he should at the very least be willing to make a full accounting of his own military service. If George Bush wants to make Vietnam a campaign issue, that raises a simple question: Where was he?

According to the Boston Globe, which researched the available facts extensively, there's no evidence Bush reported for duty during the summer and fall of 1972, a time when he was supposed to be serving in the National Guard. But despite a promise on "Meet the Press" to open up his "entire record," Bush has yet to offer any documents that show he was there.^[1] In fact, the Associated Press has been forced to go to court to force the release of clearly germane documents that Bush wishes to keep secret.^[2]

It's as simple as this: If you evade military service, you have no right to allow attacks on the service of others. Yet that is precisely what George Bush appears to be doing. And together, we can call attention to that grave hypocrisy with our new ad, which we'll run to "shadow" the "Swift Boat" ad.

Can you help us get it on the air? Take a look at the ad and give what you can at:

https://www.moveonpac.org/donate/swiftresponse.html

Yesterday's petition signers included many military veterans and their families. Mavis from Fremont, CA told Bush, "To make such claims against Senator Kerry's record also smears the record of the other soldiers who served honorably in Vietnam and are serving today." And Stuart wrote from Manassas, VA that he is "among the veterans who deplore the type of misleading ads [that] ran against John Kerry. Anyone who shed blood, or [who] knows anyone who shed blood in defense of what our country stands for, knows that these ads are not only inaccurate, but immoral as well."

Incredibly, the "Swift Boat Veterans for Bush" operatives have responded to our campaign by issuing a statement that claims, "We were there. We served with John Kerry." But even that is a lie. While the ad presents its subjects as former crewmates of Kerry's, the reality is that the only thing most of the men share with him is that they were in Vietnam at the same time. And the men who did serve with Kerry are unanimous in their support of him.^[3]

It's time to call Bush to account for these dirty tricks. Together, we can do that on TVs across the country.

Sincerely,

--Eli Pariser
  MoveOn PAC
  August 17th, 2004

P.S. Our friends at AlterNet have put together a great article that lays out the history of the "Swift Boat Veterans for Bush." It's really worth reading. Check it out:

"Swift Boat Folks are Kerry's Nemeses of Old"
http://www.alternet.org/election04/19532/

Footnotes:

1. Meet the Press Transcript for Feb. 8th, 2/8/04
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4179618/
2. AP Sues for Access to Bush Guard Records, 6/22/04
http://www.sunherald.com/mld/sunherald/news/breaking_news/8985661.htm
3. FACT CHECK: Swift Boat Veterans for Bush, 8/5/04
http://www.johnkerry.com/rapidresponse/080504_truth.html

PAID FOR BY MOVEON PAC www.moveonpac.org
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

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

What's your Weekly Rant?

We want to hear from you! Sign up and Log on to FromtheRoots.Org to post your own comments.

Last week, a group of far-right Bush allies released an ugly and outrageous ad which claims that John Kerry faked his injuries, betrayed his troops, and "dishonored his country" in Vietnam. The ad features people who say "I served with John Kerry" (although they didn't) and who make numerous provably false accusations about Kerry's war record.^[1] It's one of the most vile tactics we've seen yet in Bush's ferociously negative campaign.

The "Swift Boat" ad is so far beyond the pale that even Senator John McCain, a Bush supporter, spoke out about it, calling it "dishonest and dishonorable."^[2] Yet despite Senator McCain's request that President Bush "specifically condemn" the ad, Bush refuses to say anything about it.

Together, let's send President Bush a clear message from hundreds of thousands of Americans that we won't stand for these smear tactics, and we expect him to repudiate and reject them. We'll deliver our petition to President Bush on the campaign trail.

Sign the petition to President Bush now at:

http://www.moveonpac.org/falseadvertising/

It's clear that the ad continues the tradition of Bush campaign dirty tricks. In a recent interview, Senator McCain noted that the ad "was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me" in 2000. McCain was referring to a vicious smear campaign -- which included race-baiting allegations that he had a black child our of wedlock -- run by close Bush allies in 2000. In fact, the same firm that ran some of the anti-McCain ads in 2000 produced the "Swift Boat" ad.^[3] And although the group claims to be independent of the Republican party, the group's funding mostly comes from a longtime Bush supporter who gave over $20,000 to his campaigns for Texas governor.^[4]

The "Swift Boat" campaign is a classical political hit job. But even before the ad went on the air, the Washington Post ran a piece discussing how President Bush is running the most negative presidential campaign in U.S. history. In an article titled "From Bush, Unprecedented Negativity," the Post quotes an expert who says that "there is more attack now on the Bush side against Kerry than you've historically had in the general-election period against either candidate."^[5]

Discussing the "Swift Boat" ad, Senator John McCain said, "I deplore this kind of politics." Nebraska Governor Mike Johanns (R) called the ad "trash" and even Pat Buchanan said "not a single charge is substantiated . . . I think the ad is wrong."^[6] But George Bush won't condemn it. Let's let him know that we're sick and tired of this "slime and defend" mode of campaigning.

Sign the petition to Bush now at:

http://www.moveonpac.org/falseadvertising/

Jim Rassman, a Republican veteran who served under Kerry, recently wrote an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal. He told the story of how Kerry saved his life. And he concluded with these words on the "Swift Boat" veterans: "[W]hen the noise and fog of their distortions and lies have cleared, a man who volunteered to serve his country, a man who showed up for duty when his country called, a man to whom the United States Navy awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts, will stand tall and proud. Ultimately, the American people will judge these Swift Boat Veterans for Bush and their accusations. Americans are tired of smear campaigns against those who volunteered to wear the uniform. Swift Boat Veterans for Bush should hang their heads in shame."^[7]

Sincerely,

--Eli Pariser
  MoveOn PAC
  August 16th, 2004

1. FACT CHECK: Swift Boat Veterans for Bush, 8/5/04
http://www.johnkerry.com/rapidresponse/080504_truth.html
2. McCain Condemns Anti-Kerry Ad, 8/5/04
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&e=3&u=/ap/20040805/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_mccain
3. Republicans' Dishonorable Charge, 8/6/04
http://www.salon.com/opinion/conason/2004/08/06/mccain_on_swift_boat_veterans/index_np.html
4. Republican-funded Group Attacks Kerry's War Record, 8/15/04
http://www.factcheck.org/article.aspx?docID=231
5. From Bush, Unprecedented Negativity, 5/31/04
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3222-2004May30.html
6. AP, 8/5/04 (McCain); Nebraska State Paper, 8/7/04 (Johanns); MSNBC, Scarborough Country, 8/6/04 (Buchanan)
http://blog.johnkerry.com/rapidresponse/archives/002445.html#more
7. Shame on the Swift Boat Veterans for Bush, 8/10/04
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110005460

PAID FOR BY MOVEON PAC www.moveonpac.org
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

"The F.B.I. isn't in the business of chilling anyone's First Amendment rights," said Joe Parris, a bureau spokesman in Washington.

On Sunday, August 29th, YOU can be part of the campaign to give John Kerry a new Congress in November. On that day, hundreds of homes around the country will be throwing Majority Parties with ONE goal in mind: winning a Democratic majority in the House.

Have a great time by hosting or attending a party in your area. You can sign up here:
http://www.majorityparties.com

Your majority party is critical to the effort to win back the House. Imagine Tom DeLay leading the House for another 2 years. Imagine how he and the current House leadership will maneuver to block President Kerry's efforts to reverse the damage done by the Bush administration. With just 82 days left until the election, and with the country so closely divided, EVERY vote, EVERY conversation, EVERY dollar matters.

Help give President Kerry a Congress that will work with him and for the American people:
http://www.majorityparties.com

Majority Parties are a critical element in our Campaign for a New Majority — our comprehensive action plan designed to gain at least the 12 seats necessary to establish a Democratic Majority in the House. Majority Parties will bring you together face-to-face with others who, like you, care enough to invest their time and money in this fight.

Tom DeLay and the current House leadership will throw every roadblock they can at the new President. That's why winning as many seats as we can is so critical. And that's why your party will make such a difference on August 29th.

Let's CLEAN HOUSE and throw out Tom DeLay and his cronies!
http://www.majorityparties.com

Majority Parties will take place around the country on August 29th, and we'll link them all via conference call with Democratic Party leaders and a special surprise guest or two! Make sure to bring your friends and family, and spread the word by forwarding this email.

Thank you - and we look forward to seeing you on August 29th.

Sincerely,

Crystal Patterson
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee

PS: This evening at 9pm ET, all interested hosts are invited to attend a conference call to ask questions and get answers about the Majority Parties. Please click here for more information: http://www.majorityparties.com

This week, you proved two things. First, the right-wing attack machine cannot act without consequences. Your action has ensured that they are held accountable for their lies -- we will not yield an inch. Second, the common wisdom is wrong -- August is our month. Your support of the Democratic Party has made all the difference in eliminating the Bush campaign's August fundraising advantage.

Next week, I'll send you an important campaign update that lays out our winning strategy for the next two months -- and how you will play a vital role in that victory. Thank you again for all that you do.

Let's get to work!

Thank you,
Mary Beth Cahill
Campaign Manager
Kerry-Edwards 2004