Messaging Service Unavailable

The result of trying to email my congressman today from his congressional web site:

"The House of Representatives is currently experiencing an extraordinarily high amount of email traffic. The Write Your Representative function is therefore intermittently available. While we realize communicating to your Members of Congress is critical, we suggest attempting to do so at a later time, when demand is not so high. System engineers are working to resolve this issue and we appreciate your patience."

Letter to the editor contradicts Palin in her defense

In a letter to the editor in today's News & Record (Greensboro, NC), writer Matthew P. Miller tries to take another writer to task for criticizing Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin. Miller says that we are not at war for oil:

"This isn’t about oil, and if that is what Barack Obama is selling, you better get your money back because you’ve been taken."

But....

Sarah Palin said:

"I say this while our nation is at war, while we're fighting in some sense over energy supplies."

Video here (at the 8:00 mark)

"We are a nation at war and in many [ways] the reasons for war are fights over energy sources..." [Source]

I guess Mr. Miller will be wanting his money back.

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Free Speech Alive and Well in Greensboro

I inquired with the City of Greensboro about the Obama campaign's rule that signs and banners would not be allowed at tomorrow's rally. Here is the reply I received from the city Public Affairs Director, Pat Boswell:

"Roch: The Obama campaign issued the statement that signs and banners are not permitted. City Police Officers will not enforce this rule as stated. However, if a person at the event is carrying a sign that in the officer’s judgment poses a risk to public safety—for example, a sign attached to a heavy or pointed piece of wood—then the officer may require that the person remove it from the site."

[This straightforward answer required more research than may be apparent. I appreciate the effort Pat made to get me an answer in a day and half. Thanks, Pat.]

Update: I just spoke to City attorney Terry Wood, and, while he cautioned that he does not set policy, only advises, he concurs that this is the lawfully correct policy. He says he doesn't see how Greensboro police could arrest someone for peaceably standing at the rally with a sign without violating their First Amendment rights.

McCain: Flip-Flopper

Although Congress has yet to find a solution to the financial crisis, the clock ran out on McCain's gambit and he has come to realize that he made a bad decision and boxed himself into an impossible situation. So, he changes his mind and within 5 seconds, the spin starts on Fox Noise: "The McCain campaign never said he wouldn't attend the debate, just that he was suspending his campaign until we've taken action."

The McCain campaign was unequivocal that he wasn't coming to the debate unless there was a solution to the financial crisis first:

"Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., McCain's representative in debate negotiations, said McCain will not attend the debate "unless there is an agreement that would provide a solution" to the financial crisis. Graham said the agreement would have to be endorsed publicly by Obama, McCain, the White House and congressional leaders but not necessarily given final passage by the House and Senate."

McCain is a gambler, he rolled the dice and crapped out. Poor decision making.

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Rasmussen North Carolina Poll: Obama 49%, McCain 47%

"The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the Tar Heel State shows Obama attracting 49% of the vote while McCain earns 47%. A week ago, McCain held a three-point edge. This is the first time in eight Rasmussen Reports polls that Obama has held any kind of a lead in North Carolina, though the candidates were tied once as well."

Source

Free Speech-Free Saturday?

How is it that the Obama campaign, using a publicly owned facility and, possibly, surrounding sidewalks and streets to accommodate the crowd, can issue announcements for Obama's Greensboro appearance that say "Signs and banners are not permitted?" If someone were to display a sign, would the GPD protect that person's First Amendment rights or assist with that person's removal?

News & Record accommodates plagiarist F.T. Greene of Greensboro

The News & Record (Greensboro, NC) published a nice little piece of Astroturf today: A letter from F. T. Greene of Greensboro. The letter was originally published in the Wall Street Journal on September 3, 2008 from Alec Ellison of Rye, NY. It was slightly modified to the version copied word-for-word by Greene and circulated on Free Republic and Rush Limbaugh's web site.

[Previous plagiarized letters in the N&R here and here.]

A public question for Kay Hagan on unions

Senator Hagan:

I can't figure out where you stand on unions. During an interview with the News & Record editorial staff you said that you favored allowing public employees the right to unionize. (Here.) The next day, you contacted N&R reporter Mark Binker and said that you misspoke, that you would never support federal law that would mandate that state public employees be allowed to unionize. You defended that position by saying you are "business-friendly." (Audio)

Last Friday, during an interview on radio station 680 WPTF (audio -- at the 7:30 mark), you said that you support the proposed federal legislation the Employee Free Choice Act. This act would make it easier for employees to unionize without employer interference.

These positions seem contradictory. How is it business-friendly to oppose federal law allowing public employees to unionize while supporting federal legislation that would make it easier for private-sector employees to unionize? Do you see why I'm confused? You say you are opposed to pro-union law that would not affect business and in favor of pro-union law that would affect business. Can you help me to understand?

You may answer in the comments below and I thank you in advance.

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You are a nitwit. I will deceive you. You will vote for me.

Local blogger Tony Wilkins cuts and pastes a press release from the Elizabeth Dole campaign waving a red flag for Kay Hagan's support of the Employee Free Choice Act. The post includes a link to a clip from a radio interview with Hagan where she expresses her support for the Act. Unfortunately, apparently assuming you are a bonehead and that they can put one over on you, the Dole campaign edits the audio clip so that you won't hear the part of the answer they don't want you to hear.

In response to a caller's question, where he asks if Hagan supports a repeal of the secret ballot option for forming a union, the edited audio clip on Dole's web site has Hagan saying this, and only this:

“There is something called EFCA – the Employees Free Choice Act, and I do support that.”

Hagan's complete answer to the question (at the 7:30 mark) also included her saying this:

"If you look back historically, there is a choice whether you can do a secret ballot or an employee... or a check. And those have been on the books for years [emphasis mine]. And I do support the right to have working families to have an opportunity to choose."

I am no great fan of the Hagan campaign and, in this interview, Hagan sounded more than unprepared, she sounded out of it -- evasive, unsteady and distracted. Nonetheless, she did manage to spit out the important factoid that puts the lie to the scare tactics used in opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act -- that it would not, as the Dole campaign asserts, "revoke the rights of workers to vote by secret ballot."

No currently available employee options for forming a union, by petition or secret ballot, would be revoked under the Act. What the Act would do is no longer allow employers to demand a secret ballot if employees choose to utilize another existing option for forming a union. The Dole campaign is resorting to misrepresentation to support their scare tactics. As they've previously done, the Dole campaign underestimates the intelligence of North Carolina voters.

Obama, McCain tied in latest NC poll

The latest poll of North Carolina voters has Senators Obama and McCain tied at 46% each. Obama has a 24 point lead with the 58% of voters who say the economy is their most important issue.

News & Record edits letter writer's name

My dad wrote a letter to the editor of the News & Record (Greensboro, NC) that was published today. He showed me his original submission that was clearly submitted as "From: Roch C. Smith, Sr."

The N&R took it upon themselves to publish the letter as from Roch Smith.

I'm very proud of my dad and we align closely in our politics, but dad tried to make it clear that the letter was not from Howard Coble's web site designer (thanks, dad). My liason with Coble's campaign was way too cool about it. I asked him if he read today's N&R. "Yeah, I saw your letter" he said. A staffer had faxed the letter to him with a note attached saying, "Our web designer." Before I could explain, my contact continued, "That's alright, you are entitled to your opinion. As long as you are doing a good job on our web site, we don't mind if you express your thoughts..." Finally, I cut him off and explained. We had a good laugh.

But really, with the N&R's reluctance to edit letters for accuracy, why in the world would they go through the trouble of changing a writer's name?

Triad News Wire: Spammers

I received an email today from Triad News Wire--a summary of recent public relations announcements from area businesses. The email informed me that I was "receiving this email as a subscriber to our website." Bullshit.

I am quite certain that I had never previously visited this website much less subscribed to their email list. An introductory email that invited me to subscribe would be one thing; it's an insulting pain in the ass to have been subscribed without my knowledge or consent while pretending that I had. It's a poor reflection on Triad News Wire and the companies they represent that the first impression they are creating is one of dishonest annoyance.

I say, sir, my portoflio suggests a suckiness of Bush economic policy

So, you like the effects of the Bush economic policies on your investments?

In the 7 years and 8 months since Bush took office:

S&P down 11%
DOW up 3.6%
NASDAQ down 21%

As a comparison, under 8 years of Democrat Bill Clinton:

S&P up 209%
DOW up 222%
NASDAQ up 299%

Source

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News & Record letter writer misquotes Palin

In a letter to the editor in today's News & Record (Greensboro, NC), Diane Manzi of Greensboro writes:

"Speaking about her son deploying to Iraq, Palin said: 'Our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God. That’s what we have to make sure that we’re praying for, that there is a plan and that plan is God’s plan.'"

That is not an accurate quote. I'll leave it to readers to decide the extent to which the actual quote changes the meaning (I think it does), but what Palin actually said was:

"Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right also for this country; that our leaders, our national leaders, are sending them out on a task that is from God. That's what we have to make sure that we're praying for, that there is a plan and that that plan is God's plan."

See the video here. This quote at the 3:35 mark.

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News & Record corrects erroneous letter to the editor

The News & Record (Greensboro, NC) offered a correction today of erroneous information printed in a letter to the editor regarding Sarah Palin. Terrific! I hope the N&R is turning over a new leaf and that this is the beginning of the end of allowing plagiarism and fabrications to go uncorrected. Thank you N&R, for being big enough to step up and do it better.

Waste Deep

Mark Binker wades into the bullshit that currently masquerades as campaigning by the Dole and Hagan campaigns.

Excerpt:

"[I]f you're like most of the folks who are going cast votes in this election, neither Kay Hagan nor Elizabeth Dole are like you. They own stock and shares in oil wells that are worth more than your net value several times over. If either of them tries to convince you they're feeling the same pain at the pump you are, your BS meter should not only immediately go to red but start smoking, beeping and eventually break down from exhaustion."

Read the whole thing.

Sarah Palin speaks the truth

Sarah Palin, three months ago:

"I say this while our nation is at war, while we're fighting in some sense over energy supplies."

Video here (at the 8:00 mark)

Sarah Palin last month:

"We are a nation at war and in many [ways] the reasons for war are fights over energy sources..." [Source]

John McCain once expressed the same opinion, saying we need to “eliminate our dependence on oil from the Middle East that will prevent us from having ever to send our young men and women into conflict again in the Middle East.” But he took it back. [Source]

You are dumb. I will lie to you. You will vote for me.

Haven't we had enough dissembling and obfuscation in the last eight years? Do we really need another administration that thinks lying to people is ok?

John McCain has posted a web ad that says "Barack Obama on: Sarah Palin" followed by Obama saying, "You can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig."

Here's what Obama said in context. Does it sound to you like he's talking about Sarah Palin or does it sound to you like the McCain campaign thinks it is ok to mislead to people?

OBAMA: Let's just list this for a second. John McCain says he's about change too. So I guess his whole angle is watch out George Bush. Except for economic policy, health care policy, tax policy, education policy, foreign policy and Karl Rove style politics, we're really going to shake things up in Washington. That's not change. That's just calling the same thing something different. But you know, you can put lipstick on a pig. It's still a pig.

You are an idiot. I will stoke your irrational fears. You will vote for me.

As election season heats up, it's going to be interesting to see which candidates offer an honest appeal to your good judgment and which think you are are an idiot who can be manipulated through deception. We've already seen one good example of the latter from Senator Liddy Dole who thinks her campaign can just make stuff up and that North Carolina voters are too gullible to notice. "I'm insulting your intelligence, morons. Vote for me, Elizabeth Dole."

Today we have another example. Local blogger (and fantasy football foe) Jeff Sykes of A Priori Concepts offered a post titled "Obama on education." It is a posting of the latest McCain attack ad--an ad that also assumes that voters are idiots; that misdirection can be used to pull the wool over our eyes and manipulate us to fear.

The ad offers the frightening warning that Obama favored teaching "comprehensive sex education to kindergarteners. " Be afraid! Be very afraid--unless you take the time to understand that this "sex education" was about age appropriate teaching of inappropriate touching so that children are less likely to become victims of sexual abuse. And if you didn't think that's a good idea, your kid didn't have to learn it. It was optional. But don't let the facts get in the way of fear. [Update: McClatchy fact checks the ad here.]

The ad offers derogatory quotations about Obama and cites authoritative sources. Here's the thing though, while the McCain campaign cherry picks a word or two from those sources to impugn Obama, those very same articles were much more critical of McCain on educaiton. McCain is hoping you are too dumb, too busy or too lazy to notice. Here's the real scoop on the sources cited in the McCain ad:
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What sets this ad apart is that every article save one that the McCain camp cites as being critical of Obama's education policies either has far more derogatory things to say about McCain himself or goes on to praise the Illinois Democrat.

In the spot, the McCain campaign references a June 2008 Washington Post editorial that called Obama "elusive" on school accountability. That same editorial, however, stated that McCain "has not been forthcoming with any detailed plan." Moreover, when the Post editorial board revisited the subject of education last month, it found that "Obama has given the issue more attention" than McCain, whose plan was "both late in coming and still a work in progress."

Moreover, the specific "elusive" claim is in reference to a David Brooks op-ed in the New York Times that was noted by the Post. But in that piece, Brooks was far more critical of McCain. "Obama endorses many good ideas and is more specific than the McCain campaign, which hasn't even reported for duty on education," the Times columnist wrote.

In its press release accompanying the ad, the McCain campaign also cites an Education Week article which states that, as a legislator, Obama "hasn't made a significant mark on education." The same story, however, goes on to add: "Sen. Obama may have a unique perspective among the candidates seeking the presidency in 2008. As a private citizen, he led Chicago's portion of the Annenberg Challenge school reform initiative financed by the late philanthropist Walter H. Annenberg--an experience that shaped Mr. Obama's perspective on the critical importance of principals and teachers."

Additionally, during the heat of the Republican primary, Education Week ran a withering story on the lack of McCain accomplishments in the field, titled "John McCain on Education: Where Art Thou?"

"With Republican presidential contender John McCain poised to make a strong showing--or even win--tomorrow's primary in New Hampshire, it seems appropriate to re-examine his views on education," read the story. "That's not such an easy task. Education doesn't make the Arizona senator's list of issues on his campaign website. ... McCain is a campaign-finance, foreign-relations, anti-abortion, tax-cut candidate. Education is not his thing."

Indeed, only one article referenced by the McCain campaign doesn't, in turn, rip the Republican nominee even harder than Obama. That article (which is misleadingly attributed in the ad to the Chicago Tribune) is a July 2008 op-ed by libertarian columnist Steve Chapman, who has also argued for abolishing the Department of Education.

[source]

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Senator Dole: Fibber

I am very disappointed to see that Senator Dole's campaign is going ahead with the bogus and insulting TV ad first revealed as disingenuous by News & Record reporter, Mark Binker. The ad, which derides Hagan by saying "They call her fibber Kay," expects North Carolinians to be gullible saps, but Dole proudly endorses it. What a shame. What an insightful revelation of what Dole thinks of us.

Here is what the News & Observer has to say about the ad:
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The ad does not specify who "they" are who call Hagan "Fibber Kay."

The Dole campaign said they did not come up with the nickname, but they did not know who did.

"We're not sure who coined it, but we hear people call Kay Hagan 'Fibber Kay' on the campaign trail and we hear it frequently," said spokesman Hogan Gidley.

A search of North Carolina newspapers, blogs and Web sites did not return any references to "Fibber Kay" from before the ad began airing, and nearly all written since were about the ad itself.

The ad does not name any of the supposed "fibs" that Hagan has made.

More fact checking of the ad here.

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