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16 years ago @ DemConWatch - SCOTUS · 1 reply · +1 points

If true, that would be a major story. I read the linked article and it didn't say which justice brought this to conference. Where did you hear that it was Clarence (uncle) Thomas that brought it up? My money would have been on the new boys, Alito or Roberts, who have more visible ties to right wing groups than the others (except maybe for Scalia) and who might be willing to float this trial balloon to see the reaction in the press.

For what it's worth though, I would *love* to see this go to "trial". Aside from it losing, it would show the SCOTUS as the pure political (partially right-wing) entity that -- after some 60 years of being relatively apolitical -- it has become. A return to the courts of the 19th century.

It won't happen though. Most of them are far too smart to make that kind of political gaffe to even let it get to the court.

16 years ago @ DemConWatch - Cabinet Watch: Rumors · 0 replies · +1 points

What are the possibilities of Obama trying to get a moderate Republican senator into his cabinet from a state where the Governor (or the office that appoints the replacement) is Democratic? There are several possibilities including Olympia Snowe. It might be a backhanded way to reach the 60 vote senate if Franken gets in and Chambliss gets reelected.

16 years ago @ DemConWatch - Another Senate Question · 0 replies · +1 points

I think McCain is unlikely to take a position in an Obama cabinet. If you could convince them to do so, that might be a good move politically, and then you get the question of his replacement. If it's a governor's replacement until the next election, Napolitano (Democratic) might make a choice that would mean a step towards 60 (or 61). Lieberman is the opposite option. More likely to take a position, but the CT governor is Bell (Republican).

With the push toward getting Democratic Senate seats through appointment interesting choice for cabinet appointments from the Senate might be either Snowe or Collins (ME Republicans, with a Democratic Governor's replacement appointment) or Roberts or Brownback (KS Republicans, with a Democratic Governor, Sebelius). While most of these Senators are unlikely (and pretty undesirable), Olympia Snowe might make a very interesting Cabinet assignment, and it would be a way of getting another Democratic Senate seat.

16 years ago @ DemConWatch - Alaska update · 2 replies · +1 points

Something is pretty strange in Alaska. The overall voter numbers appear to be WAY too low right now, even if you count the absentee ballots. So far, only 209,000 votes counted, with some 50,000 absentee ballots (20% absentee, WTF? My county in MA had an absentee ballot rate of about 2%). This year, with the Governor on the ticket, and with a high-profile and close Senate race, their overall turnout DROPS from 2004? Something isn't right here.

<a href="http://shannynmoore.wordpress.com/2008/1... " target="_blank">http://shannynmoore.wordpress.com/2008/11/06/stol...

17 years ago @ DemConWatch - Personal Disappointment · 0 replies · +1 points

Unfortunately, I leave tomorrow for Israel/Palestine, where I hope to listen to people and learn about that troubled and troublesome area. This means that my volunteering for Obama ends today (and yes, I've already voted) but my monetary contributions will continue on. I encourage everyone to do more than they think they can this election season. And then to do it again.

17 years ago @ DemConWatch - Personal Disappointment · 0 replies · +1 points

No. We'll sing when we win. Or we'll sing when we lose. But we won't sing until this election is over.

17 years ago @ DemConWatch - Who Won? · 3 replies · +1 points

The term "Pro-abortion" that McCain used is a slight dig at pro-choice people. And the insinuation that the threat to a woman's health is a "back door" to easier late-term abortion access was a simple play to the anti-abortion base and a clear slap in the face of anyone trying to find common ground on the basic issue at hand.

I don't think it will play well, but then I'm not always good at identifying what plays well and what doesn't.

17 years ago @ DemConWatch - Who Won? · 2 replies · +1 points

I assume you mean my last statement. That statement was simply a demonstration of my inability to properly read "winner/loser" in the debate format. I've been pretty poor in judging the debate "winners" all along. Essentially, my statement simply demonstrates that I don't understand the "undecided" voter's mind. And as a CSPAN watcher, I don't "benefit" from those "real-time" scores, so they don't affect my impression of the outcome.

Make no mistake. I prefer Obama, and it's not even close. But as a long-time "decided" voter (as opposed to "undecided"), I try not to score the debate as a partisan. I just don't score it the same way as everyone else.

17 years ago @ DemConWatch - Who Won? · 4 replies · +1 points

The instapoll numbers are coming in: CBS Undecideds: 53 Obama, 22 McCain, 24 draw. The CNN poll (all viewers, divided by party affiliation) Obama 58 McCain 31.

So what do I know -- I had it somewhere between a draw and a slight win for McCain.

17 years ago @ DemConWatch - Who Won? · 1 reply · +3 points

That "Here is your fine... Zero" line was a good one. Ready and rehearsed. Like the "I'm not Bush...." line by McCain. Those two will be the soundbites taken from this debate.

I usually define the winner as the one who better expressed their ideology and passion. On those grounds, I'd probably give McCain a slight edge, especially at the beginning part of the debate. McCain got weaker as the debate went on. Obama was simply Mr. Consistency throughout. But basically, both candidates were pretty good at expressing their points of view and being true to their beliefs.

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