Blogswarm - Online Political News Magazine

Two words: Road Trip
Follow Chris Bowers and President George Bush head to PA-08 and join the ground game in the most important congressional district in the nation.

Whatever it takes, get to Pennsylvania's 8th congressional district. Call (888) GINNY04 and let them know they can count on you.

This is a must win district, GOTV strategically by working in the most critical district. (888) GINNY04

I'm back in Schrader HQ after five hours of campaigning. With a staff meeting in the other room, I have a quick chance to blog.

We went to the debate, which the Fitzpatrick people had tried to clog with Republicans who would ask Ginny NRCC talking point questions. However, the moderator was having none of it, and the majority African-American crowd clearly favored Ginny by a substantial margin.

Later, we went to one of five Bucks county locations for coordinated Democratic campaigns (Kerry-Hoeffel-Ginny-local state reps). At this location alone, more than 300 local volunteers had already come in to help as of only 3:30 pm. Quick math tells you that even apart from existing efforts, that is well over 1,000 volunteers taking action in Bucks County alone.

There was an exciting moment when the local Republican owners of the storefront that the coordinated campaign had leased threatened to shut down the office because the wave of volunteers was causing a traffic jam in the parking lot. However, the conflict was quickly cleared up, and we immediately got back to canvassing. Teams of two and four were either coming or going literally every two minutes. This is going to add at least one or two points to our totals everywhere.

We drove around Bucks in the Ginny-mobile for two hours or so, with former congressman Mike Forbes (who switched to our side a few years ago), running the PA system, telling people to vote for Ginny. With a certain Fleetwood Mac song playing, Ginny would jump out of the van at certain points and shake hands as we distributed literature. Everywhere, the reception was extremely positive.

These are exciting times. Our time is here, and this is just the beginning.

by Chris Bowers

Just arrived at Schrader HQ in Levittown, and I am about to go to the final Schrader-Fitzpatrick debate in about ten minutes. I'll be travelling in their "Motor Home," and following Fitzpatrick around the rest of the day, canvassing his events with information about the disgusting attacks he is making against Ginny. Everyone will be out canvassing in some way for the rest of the day.

The campaign deposited $20K from the netroots just this past week. Amazing! Now it's all about volunteers to work on the coordinated campaign. If you can help, especially on Election Day, com on out to 1054 Trenton Road in Levitttown. Every little bit helps.

Eight marines were killed and nine others wounded west of the capital when a suicide car bomb rammed into their convoy on Saturday, military officials said, making it the deadliest day here for the American forces in half a year.

The explosion took place near Abu Ghraib, a prison 15 miles west of Baghdad used by the Americans to hold detainees, said Capt. Bradley Gordon, a Marine spokesman. The military said in a terse written statement that the marines killed were conducting "increased security operations." Marines have been engaged in a variety of operations in rebellious Anbar Province, which encompasses the parched lands of western Iraq and includes the provincial capital of Ramadi and the insurgent stronghold of Falluja.

In the capital, a powerful car bomb exploded outside the offices of Al Arabiya, a prominent Arab satellite news network, killing at least 7 people and injuring 16 others, hospital officials said. People at the scene said insurgents drove a car packed with explosives up to the office building in Mansour, an affluent neighborhood west of the Tigris River that has recently been plagued by violence.

Consider that the news is censored, but some things break through anyway. Add what you can.  President Kerry will have a mess on his hands when he takes office.

"We want people to think 'terrorism' for the last four days," said a Bush-Cheney campaign official. "And anything that raises the issue in people's minds is good for us."

A senior GOP strategist added, "anything that makes people nervous about their personal safety helps Bush."

He called it "a little gift," saying it helps the President but doesn't guarantee his reelection.

I'm not sure why Republicans think the American voters will reward incompetence.

Preserve & Protect Your Vote

1.      Don’t know where to vote on Election Day? Click here for list of Montana county election office phone numbers. Polls are open Tuesday from 7am to 8pm.

2.      Montanans can still vote early at your county election offices until noon on Monday, November 1.

3.      If you received an early vote ballot and haven’t yet returned it, you can drop your ballot off at your county election office on Monday, November 1.

4.      If you requested an absentee ballot and haven’t received it yet, you can still vote early at your county election office up until noon on Monday, November 1, or at your normal polling place on Tuesday, November 2. You’ll be asked to sign a statement affirming that you didn’t get your early ballot, and then you’ll be allowed to vote.

5.      If you have a problem voting early or at the polls on Election Day – or if you see voting irregularities or problems that disenfranchise voters – call Bill Lombard, DNC state director immediately. Bill can be reached by calling 406-442-9520 or 406-459-8860.

6.      Be informed * Be prepared * Preserve & Protect The Vote: Read the Voter Bill of Rights from the Democratic National Committee:

It’s Time For A New Montana

It’s time for a new Montana. A Montana where we work together to create a brighter future for all Montanans. A Montana where all citizens have hope and opportunity. A Montana where positive ideas are given a fair shake and a fair hearing. A Montana where petty bickering is set aside so we can move Montana forward. A Montana where leaders do the right thing for our seniors, students, working families, small businesses, neighbors and friends in need.

We’re proud of that Democrats have offered common sense ideas for a better Montana. It’s unfortunate that Bob Brown and his friends aren’t willing to let go of the negative politics of the past:

·        “The word nonpartisan is not in my vocabulary.” – Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana), quoted in the Billings Gazette, 10/26/04

·        “I remember feeling almost hysterical,” says Thielman, who pleaded with Brown: “Hey, I know it’s not the right thing to do, but you’ve gotta win, and the right thing is that you win.” – Bob Brown’s campaign manager, Jason Thielman, quoted in the Missoula Independent, 10/21/04

Bob Brown Buddy Ad Backfires

** New Information On Brown Supporters **

Recently, we told you about a new Republican Governor Association attack ad against Brian Schweitzer that’s flooded with deliberate lies about Brian’s business record and includes no specific allegations. The ad features Bruce Tutvedt, a relative, business partner and donor of Bob Brown and Martz appointee to the Flathead Basin Commission; Bonnie Donsbach, the relative of a top GOP operative; and Gary Havens, a scofflaw with numerous court judgments against him (see fact sheet).

• Gary Havens -- letter to Brian & Nancy Schweitzer
• Gary Havens -- legal troubles
• Read more.

GOTV ** GOTV ** GOTV ** GOTV

Over 500 Montanans have already been through get-out-the-vote training – there’s still time for YOU to get involved in this crucial Election Day activity.

• Billings – Individual training – Dem HQ, 1 South Broadway – 256-5706
• Bozeman – Individual training – Dem HQ, 317 E Mendenhall – 585-0436
• Butte – Saturday, Oct. 30, 4 p.m. -- Carpenters Union, 156 W. Granite -- 723-2185
• Butte – Sunday, Oct. 31, 6 p.m. -- Carpenters Union, 156 W. Granite -- 723-2185
• Great Falls – Saturday, Oct. 30, 2 p.m. -- Dem HQ, 806 Central Av. -- 455-6789       
• Helena – Saturday, Oct. 30, 5 p.m. -- Dem HQ, 303 N. Ewing -- 442-9520
• Helena – Sunday, Oct. 31, 5 p.m. -- Dem HQ, 303 N. Ewing -- 442-9520
• Kalispell – Thursday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m. -- Dem HQ, 155 N. Main -- 755-4943
• Kalispell – Monday, Nov. 1 – 10 a.m. -- Dem HQ, 155 N. Main -- 755-4943
• Missoula – Saturday, Oct. 30, 4 p.m. -- Dem HQ, 218 E. Front -- 549-7601
• Indian GOTV  Training – Monday, November 1, 9am -- Contact Nancy Warneke-Gaynor for more information -- 270-7802 or 862-3802

Get-Out-The-Vote Rallies

Missoula, Billings activists to rally for GOTV on Monday

Missoula – The University of Montana College Democrats and friends invite you to participate in a get-out-the-vote rally from noon to 1pm on Monday, November 1. The rally, designed to unite behind Democratic candidates and get students to the polls, will be held near the Main Hall (The Oval) of University of Montana in Missoula. Featured speakers will be Carol Williams (D–SD 46), a life long proponent of education and Kevin Furey (D–HD 91) a young candidate recently home from the war in Iraq.

For more information, email the UM College Democrats at uofmcollegedemocrats@hotmail.com

Billings – Sen. Max Baucus, our next Governor Brian Schweitzer and other statewide candidates and legislative leaders will highlight a get-out-the-vote rally in Billings on Monday, November 1, from 5:30pm to 7pm. The event will be held at the Eleven Café on Montana Avenue.

Also attending will be State Auditor John Morrison, Secretary of State Candidate Bill Kennedy and other statewide candidates, as well as House Democratic Leader Dave Wanzenried of Missoula.  State Senate Democratic Leader Jon Tester of Big Sandy will serve as MC.

For more information, email the Democratic legislative campaign at mdlcc@montanademocrats.org or call 406-256-3366.

Republicans Trying To Scare Senior Citizens

Dirty tricks coming to light

Senior citizens are calling the Montana Democratic Party to complain about automated calls designed to scare senior citizens into voting for Republicans. The calls falsely claim that Democrats will take away senior citizens’ Medicare cards if elected.

Please report similar calls or other dirty tricks to the Montana Democratic Party immediately at 406-442-9520. But first,

• Take notes.
• Ask to speak to the caller’s supervisor.
• Ask the supervisor for the name of their company and phone number.
• Dial *69 to get their phone number and write the number down.
• If you have caller ID, check your read-out and write the phone number down.
• If the call is recorded on your answering machine, save the message.

Election Night Celebrations…

Tuesday, November 2, 2004 (**Updated** Oct.  30)

Billings – **Additional location ** Friends of Bill Kennedy, Perfect Place, 3603 O’Shea Boulevard, 7pm

Democratic Central Committee, Casey’s Golden Pheasant, 222 N. Broadway, 5pm

• With Public Service Commission candidate Russ Doty * Legislative Campaign Co-Chair Rep. Monica Lindeen * Local candidates

Bozeman -- Upstairs Ballroom, Baxter Hotel, corner of Main and Willson, 8pm

• With Congressional Candidate Tracy Velazquez * Local candidates

Butte -- ** Additional location** Metals Bank Building; Carpenters Union Hall, 8pm

• With local candidates

Great Falls -- Community Center, 2332 Smelter Avenue, Black Eagle, 8:30pm

• With Senate Democratic Leader Jon Tester * Local candidates

Havre -- ** New ** Eagles Club, 202 1^st Avenue, 8pm

• With local candidates

Helena -- Jorgenson’s, 1720 11^th Avenue, 8pm

• With Sen. Max Baucus * Gubernatorial candidate Brian Schweitzer * Attorney General Mike McGrath * State Auditor John Morrison * State Democratic Chair Bob Ream * DNC State Director Bill Lombardi * Local candidates

Kalispell -- **New location** Outlaw Inn, 1701 Highway 93 South, 7pm

• With local candidates

Livingston -- Chabz, 104 North Main Street, 7pm

• With Public Service Commission candidate Bob Raney * Local candidates

Missoula -- Union Club, 208 East Main, 8pm

·        With Superintendent of Public Instruction Linda McCulloch * Public Service Commission candidate Geoff Badenoch * House Democratic Leader Dave Wanzenried * Local candidates

We are on track for historic turnout in this election. America is coming out in record numbers for John Kerry.

And that has the Republicans scared. They have no plan, no hope, no way to win this election except to stop people from voting. Their strategy is simple:

1. Discourage Democratic voters from going to the polls by filling the airwaves with predictions of doom and gloom.
2. Delay voting and create lines at polls by challenging voters and election officials.
3. Deny voters the opportunity to cast their votes and have them counted.

But their strategy won't work. We will stop their attempts to deny our rights by using the best weapons in our arsenal: information and education.

It's vital that you know your voting rights. Take a minute today to make sure that others know their rights, too. Download our guide to voting rights:

http://www.democrats.org/votingrights/

Make sure to print out multiple copies and help us spread the word by distributing them as widely as you can.

For information about finding your polling place, use our polling place locator at Democrats.org:

http://www.democrats.org/

Remember: Voting is your right, and you are protected under the law. Exercise your right by voting for John Kerry, John Edwards, and all our Democratic candidates on November 2!

Sincerely,
Vincent Fry
Executive Director
DNC Voting Rights Institute

It's the eve of Halloween, and the Republicans are pulling out all of their dirty tricks.  You've heard about the Republican 72-hour Task Force.  They make it sound like a GOTV effort, but their real "task" is to launch a last-minute whisper campaign that preys on voters' fears and prejudices. They're trying to drown out all of the good things voters have heard about Democratic candidates with irrelevant, shameless, personal attacks that have no place in the public discourse.  

I'm outraged!  They think they won't get caught, but we must expose the truth and catch them red-handed. Because these tactics are un-democratic, un-American and unbecoming of someone who wants to represent the people of their state in the United States Senate.   Our candidates and the DSCC are on the air, on the phones, and in your mailbox to make sure these tricks don't go unanswered.  But, we need your help to make sure these tricks don't go unnoticed. 

If you're as outraged as I am, please pass this message on and expose the truth behind this 72-hour Republican smear campaign.  Our democracy is at stake.   They must be stopped.  And this is the kind of desperate fear-mongering and race-baiting Republicans are peddling to voters:

Minority Voter Intimidation in SC:  In one of the most hotly contested Senate races in the country, state election officials and the NAACP are cautioning the public about a forged letter aimed at scaring minorities from voting.  The fraudulent letter poses as a message from the NAACP and threatens voters with arrest if they show up to the polls and have outstanding parking tickets or have failed to pay child support.  (AP, 10/30/04).   This is the most blatant, unseemly voter intimidation tactic we've seen so far.

Tom Coburn in OK:  Tom Coburn already offended Native Americans when he insisted that "most of them aren't Indians" (Altus Town Hall, 8/21/04).  Earlier this month, he was challenged by civil rights groups to take down a race-baiting ad that targeted Hispanics and immigrants.  He continued with his racially-charged campaign theme this week by claiming that black males "had a genetic predisposition to have less of a life expectancy."  (AP, 10/28/04).

Mel Martinez in FL:  Florida journalists have already called Republican Martinez's attacks on Betty Castor an "egregious abuse of the truth."  (Tampa Tribune, 10/27/04).  That didn't stop Republicans from taking out a full page newspaper ad this week suggesting that Osama bin Laden would vote for Betty Castor. (Star Banner, 10/28/04).

Pete Coors in CO:  A stack of bumpers stickers sitting on a front desk in Republican Pete Coors' campaign headquarters reads:  "All Sombrero...No Cattle...Ken Salazar."  That's the kind of racial prejudice Coors supporters are using against fifth generation Coloradoan and Hispanic Attorney General Ken Salazar.  (Denver Post, 10/29/04). 

Jim Bunning in KY:  The litany of embarrassing comments and erratic episodes from Republican Senator Jim Bunning, including his recent reference to "November 11th" in a discussion about the September 11th terrorist attacks (click here to see the video), have caused widespread concern about his fitness to serve a second term in the Senate.  But the only way Republicans could deflect public attention away from Bunning's out of control behavior was to make up stories about Democrat Dr. Dan Mongiardo.  They launched false rumors that he is gay by calling him "limp-wristed" and questioning whether "the word 'man' applies to him." (AP, 10/28/04).  A candidate's marital status and sexual orientation are not valid campaign issues--especially when they have no basis in truth. 

John Thune in SD:  Following a criminal investigation into the state Republican party's mishandling of absentee ballots, John Thune's campaign was so desperate to gain traction that they issued a mail piece attacking Tom Daschle's wife.  It seems like Thune can't run on his own platform or run against Daschle's admirable record--so he has to run against Tom Daschle's wife?  It's clear nothing is out of bounds for this crowd of Republicans.

These personal attacks, fear-mongering tactics and bigotry have no place on the campaign trail—and they certainly have no place near the floor of the U.S. Senate. This method of campaigning is out of control and out of bounds—America deserves better from our leaders.  These tactics must be exposed and stopped.  Please, forward this message to a friend today and expose the truth.

We will do better by electing a Democratic majority to the Senate on Election Day. 

Sincerely,

 
Anne H. Lewis

Click here to contribute.

With just days remaining until the most important elections in perhaps a century, we Democrats are pulling out all the stops to ensure a victory for John Kerry and our Congressional candidates.

John Kerry's momentum continues to build after handily defeating George W. Bush in the presidential debates. Kerry showed himself to be the right man for the job, while President Bush erased any doubt that he is in over his head and has no clue how to turn things around.

But we must keep the ball rolling towards a full Democratic victory! Make a contribution today to give John Kerry a New Democratic Majority in Congress:
https://secure.dccc.org/win/default.aspx?id=threedays

In order to win a victory in both the White House and Congress, we must get every Democratic voter to the polls on Election Day. That's why the DCCC is working to amass 10,000 volunteers for our largest-ever voter turnout drive in these final days of the campaign.

Our goal is to have these 10,000 volunteers knocking on 6 million doors telling Democrats and swing voters that a vote for John Kerry and a Democratic Congress is a vote for a stronger, safer, better America.

I have no doubt that this "Get Out the Vote" campaign is going to be the key to a Democratic victory on Election Day. Please make a secure contribution now to help elect John Kerry and our Democratic House candidates:
https://secure.dccc.org/win/default.aspx?id=threedays

This election is far too important to leave even one voter behind. That's why we're doing everything humanly possible to increase voter turnout—and why Republican officials across the country are trying to stop people from casting their ballots. We can't allow the GOP to do the same thing to John Kerry that they did to Al Gore in 2000.

We need to make a last, overwhelming push to get more Americans to the polls. If we can do that, we will have a sweeping Democratic victory on Election Day. It's as simple as that.

As we head into the final days of the campaign, every single dollar counts in our efforts to reach out to millions of voters. We must have your strongest support today. Please make the most generous contribution to the DCCC that you are able right now:
https://secure.dccc.org/win/default.aspx?id=threedays

Sincerely,

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi(D-CA)
House Democratic Leader

P.S.—Your support over the past few weeks and months has paid huge dividends—John Kerry and all of our Democratic candidates are surging towards the finish line. Now we need to turn our momentum into Democratic votes. And the way to do that is to have 10,000 volunteers knocking on 6 million doors and making sure those people cast their ballots on November 2.

This is an enormous, but absolutely critical, undertaking. And to succeed, we must have the strongest support of Democrats like you. Please contribute today for victory on Tuesday:
https://secure.dccc.org/win/default.aspx?id=threedays