I hope you all don't mind a New Yorker posting here, but I was asked to do some Internet outreach by the California for Gore people, and this is the obvious place to start. If you don't know, California for Gore was launched not too long ago with the sole purpose of organizing people, collecting signatures, and eventually getting Al Gore's name on the primary ballot early next year. To do so, 500 Democratic signatures are needed from every congressional district, and from what I understand, an affidavit by Gore is not necessary. In other words, if the signatures are gotten, his name will be appearing on the ballot, and he will have delegates at the convention whether he announces a run or not.
(No, she really isn't... So what HAS she decided upon, other than supporting Bush and the wingnuts whenever they need her?-adtleft. Mary Bono is a shining case in point of the Human Rights Campaign's myopic views. They refused to endorse Ron Oden in 2000, an openly gay black man, and have since endorsed Bono several times. She must go. - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
I've had nothing to say about Mary Bono since the election as she does precious little. But today, her website proudly sports her CSPAN footage: Mary Bono on climate change. After the requisite meangirl sneer at Al Gore, Bono states she's undecided on climate change. Addressing the climate crisis may involve price hikes, which will cause people in her district to die of the heat. Ergo, it's just too hot to change our energy policy.
She voted against strengthening FOIA this past week, still supports Bush on Iraq. This is the real Mary Bono, and she is not an asset to the CA-45th.
As I was watching the video of Vice President Gore, Sen James (I found 3 scientists who disagree with Gore) Ihnofe (R-Exxon) was attacking Gore on the question of Gore's energy usage at home. Inhofe was cutting Gore off as he tried to answer the questions. BOxer shot back with "You don't make the rules here anymore. Elections have consequences."
Sunday night we all watched the man who should be president take the world stage to spread the message of his now Academy Award-winning film An Inconvenient Truth: there are measures that each of us can take to slow global warming and it is our duty to do so.
In his column Colorless Green Ideas (behind firewall,) NY Times columnist Paul Krugman uses his own platform to do the same and in so doing provides some historical context that demonstrates how California can serve as a model for the nation on tackling global warming.
He begins by paraphrasing Gore's oft-heard refrain:
The factual debate about whether global warming is real is, or at least should be, over. The question now is what to do about it.
Krugman can barely hide his contempt for those that still deny the climate crisis. And he takes little solace from the fact that fewer and fewer of them seem to deny the phenomenon's existence outright preferring instead to resist the notion that humans can ever hope to have any effect and to insist that such an effort would come at too high a cost.
This morning, Janet Nguyen's lawyers may go to court to stop certification of Tuesday's supervisorial election. They intend to question the accuracy of the electronic voting machines here and the Registrar of Voter's determination on some of the provisional ballots cast. Though it's far from certain that as many as seven votes can be switched, Team Janet remains confident: (From OC Register)
"We have an excellent chance of getting seven votes switched," said Dave Gilliard, Janet Nguyen's campaign consultant. "At seven votes, I think the race is still very much up in the air."
OK, so Gilliard may be your typical GOP consultant. And Janet might not be the most sympathetic of candidates. But still, follow me after the flip and I'll show you how this race is still "very much in the air". That air, after all, may be quite stinky...
(The comments are funny. - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
Dear Presidential Candidates,
In the extended text you will find the complete open letter to the presidential candidates. I wrote the letter in hopes of deterring candidates from making the kinds of mistakes that South has made throughout his career and to avoid the Democratic infighting that South is so happy to instigate. I warn candidates that by hiring Garry South, you will be wearing the Scarlet Letter "T" as in Triangulator or DLC or whatever. I think we all get the point.
I appreciate your attention to the letter. Of course, feedback is appreciated. Finally, please recommend this letter at MyDD and DailyKos
Surprise, surprise, Phil Angelides has started a new organization: Standing Up for California. When I got the email, my eyes rolled at the thought of him already starting to mount his comeback with the same team that ran what can only be described as a God-Awful campaign.
But join me over the flip for why I think you should go take his survey and why this organization could be important if it decides to be more than a fan club.
Al Gore's appearance in Berkeley was very energized. That man still has a lot of motivation to work for issues that are important to him. And, all of a sudden, he's an impassioned speaker. Berkeley Bubble has it covered.
Charlie Cook's National Journal Campaign Race Rankings have bumped CA-11 and CA-04 up the charts. CA-04 (Charlie Brown vs. John Doolittle) has moved up to #46 from #41. CA-11 (Jerry McNerney vs. Richard Pombo) has moved up to #34 from #37. Neither race has received anything in the way of support from DCCC, but this is the year that we need to take these two crooks out.
Speaking of Doolittle, juls notes on dkos that he's pulling out all the negative tricks in his arsenal now. His latest? Calling people at all hours with a robocall that leads in with "Let me tell you more about Charlie Brown." Dirty and desperate...that's our 15% Doolittle!
More from CA-11 and CA-04: The USA Today, which I think has the highest circulation (I could be wrong), has a story about Doolittle and Pombo's connections to Jack Abramoff. Wow, more national attention for our dirty duo. You know, corruption never loves the light. Let's get the flood lights on these 2 crooks.
More from CA-11: McNerney is challenging a Pombo ad. Apparently Pombo didn't feel that it was really that important that he follow the rules. He didn't properly "I approve this message" on the end of the ad. Bad crooked Congressman, bad!
In other races, The Rogue on dkos points out David Roth's (CA-45) latest achievement of getting on the DCCC's emerging races list. You know that list is to me? Rahm's list of races that he will take credit for if they win, and he will blow off if they lose. But, Roth is a hard charger and would be a great Congressman.
Al Gore will be in Berkeley today talking about Prop 87, the Alternative Energy Proposition. Here's a link to the Prop 87 Website with all the stuff on there. It will be at noon at MLK Park in Berkeley. You need to sign up at their website to get a "ticket".
A new Yes on 87 ad campaign launched today featuring Al Gore. Watch it below.
Al Gore and Prop 87 are a perfect fit, of course, as the initiative would raise money toward research and development of alternative fuels by making oil companies pay their fair share at the oil well-head.
The DCCC apparenlty likes some numbers that it has seen on the CA-11 race. Hank Shaw of the Stockton Record is reporting that the DCCC will place a $100K bet on Jerry McNerney for this race:
National Democrats are finally recognizing that Pleasanton wind energy consultant Jerry McNerney's campaign against Tracy Rep. Ricard Pombo is for real: They are polling in the district right now, and this survey will determine whether they're in for a penny, or in for a pound.
They're reportedly in for at least $100,000, however, according to several sources both here and in Washington DC. Should the D-Trip's polling show something similar to McNerney's survey (41% Pombo, 40% McNerney) you can bet they'll start slinging the cash the way the National Republican Campaign Committee already has been doing since late August. (Stockton Record Blog 10/06/06)
Well, I say about damn time! All the internal and other Dem-leaning polling has shown Jerry with a small lead or within the margin of error. I don't know if the DCCC will release their new polling, but we'll probably get at least some antecdotal data based upon whether more than the original $100K is put into the district. I'm glad that at least Rahm can recognize his mistakes (i.e. getting involved in the primary without asking anybody in the district). Jerry will make a great Congressman.
The "Debate"
The Tracy Press Candidate forum went well, or so I am told. I of course couldn't muster the time to haul my butt to Tracy during Rush Hour. For that, I apologize. I would have really liked to get some video of the Forum up on the Internets. As of right now, I haven't been able to find any coverage on YouTube or anything. If you have any video, let me know! So there's a bunch of coverage. A quick roundup on the flip. Of course, if you have anything else, feel free to write your own diary or add a comment to this one.
