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If Bush goes, I go Spectator — Permalink What's up with Hawaii? Two polls in two Honolulu newspapers over the weekend showed George W. Bush with a small lead over John Kerry. That's not supposed to be happening. Hawaii's solidly Democrat. | |
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Peter Robinson: SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THESE — Just finished Mark Steyn's latest column, for which, a hat tip to Ramesh, and then... Glenn Reynolds: Some, however, have made rather abrupt changes in position: Mark Steyn refers to them as "moulting hawks." Ezra Klein: The Affirmative Case For John Kerry Part 2 — If he wins, Mark Steyn promises to resign: [snipped quote] But my faith in... |
Donald Sensing: Everyone except journalist Mark Steyn says the vote will be close. I tend to side with Mark. Ed Driscoll: [quote]Some, however, have made rather abrupt changes in position: Mark Steyn refers to them as "moulting hawks."[end quote] James Joyner: Margin of Lawyer — Most blogosphere attention to Mark Steyn's latest piece will, rightly, fall on his threat to hang it up if Bush loses. |
| Also: Mark Kleiman, Belle Waring, Betsy Newmark, Dean Esmay, Michael Totten, H.D. Miller, Matt Welch, Ramesh Ponnuru, Arthur Chrenkoff, Christopher Kanis | |
Kerry's Discharge Is Questioned by an Ex-JAG Officer By / New York Sun — Permalink A former officer in the Navy's Judge Advocate General Corps Reserve has built a case that Senator Kerry was other than honorably discharged from the Navy by 1975, The New York Sun has learned. | |
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KJL: DISCHARGE — This is what the SwiftVets have been buzzing about. Charles Johnson: Kerry's Discharge Is Questioned by an Ex-JAG Officer — Thomas Lipscomb is practically the only journalist doing any... Greg Ransom: THE LATEST on John Kerry's other than honorable discharge. Quotable: [snipped quote] (via N.Z. Bear who has background linkage and blogosphere reactions). |
Ed Driscoll: Quote of the Day — [snipped quote] —Thomas Lipscomb, New York Sun Tom Maguire: Kerry's Puzzling Discharge — Ths Sun has a late-breaker speculating that Kerry received a less-than-honorable discharge which was later upgraded to Honorable status. Ace: The mainstream media is having a field day not covering this one. Of course, when it all comes out after Kerry is elected, they'll claim "How could we have known?" |
| Also: H.D. Miller, William J. Dyer, Joe Gandelman, James Joyner, Tim Blair, Mitch Berg, Stuart Buck, PoliPundit, Glenn Reynolds, The Big Trunk, Captain Ed | |
Candidates Make Most of 11th Hour By / Fox News — Permalink In an 11th-hour stumpfest through prime battleground states, President Bush (search) and Sen. John Kerry (search) ratcheted up their campaigning Monday, stressing that this year's election was all about making a choice that could make or break the future of America. | |
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Jeff Goldstein: Kerry to America: "Your betters have their eye on you. Behave yourselves." Mathew Gross: The final Fox News poll shows Kerry winning by two points among both registered and likely voters, with Bush pulling 45% among registered voters. Josh Marshall: The final Fox — News poll — with calls on Saturday and Sunday only — has Kerry over Bush 48% to 46% among likely voters. |
Daniel Drezner: A question for polling geeks — This Josh Marshall post raises a question that's been bugging me for the last 48 hours:... Andrew Sullivan: (Slate shows a tiny tilt back toward Bush.) Fox shows a small Kerry lead nationally. All of these are so close they could go either way. Steve Soto: Update: Fox's last poll shows the same thing. Call in the vans, Laura. |
Desertion In the Field By / Reason — Permalink One of the most dramatic and least surprising developments of Election 2004's final period has been President Bush's abandonment by the "liberal hawks," the collection of left-leaning thinkers, commentators, and pundits who approved of the invasion of Iraq as... | |
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Glenn Reynolds: TIM CAVANAUGH IS PRETTY HARD ON THE LIBERAL HAWKS who have abandoned their earlier positions as the election drew nigh:... Ramesh Ponnuru: FLIGHT OF THE LIBERAL HAWKS — Tim Cavanaugh is pretty devastating. |
Ed Driscoll: Fair Weather Friends — Tim Cavanaugh of Reason looks at the twilight of the liberal hawks: "Thus, in late 2002 and... |
Misleading Calls Made to Michigan Voters By / AP — Permalink LANSING, Mich. - Some Michigan voters have received phone calls falsely claiming that Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry would make gay marriage legal, Kerry's Michigan campaign said Monday. | |
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Orin Kerr: Last Minute Election Slime: This is ugly. Nick Confessore: The Associated Press reports on some automated telephone calls going out in Michigan in a last-ditch effort to turn that... |
Andrew Sullivan: MORE GOP GAY-BAITING: The Republicans are at it again in Michigan. And Florida too. Ugh. Steve M.: They have phony gay-rights activists trying to dissuade Florida voters from voting for Kerry and they're making phony... |
My Endorsement and Osama's Video By / Slate — Permalink Correction, Nov. 1, 2004: Due to an editing error, Christopher Hitchens' entry in the "Slate Votes" survey was mistakenly classified as an endorsement of John Kerry. As Hitchens explains below, he did not intend his contribution as a statement of support for either candidate. | |
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Gene @HarrysPlace: Hitchens to voters: calm down — Turns out Hitchens didn't endorse Kerry last week after all; it was an editor's mistake. Michael Totten: Slate was wrong. I thought that might be the case. I could hardly believe he was going to vote for John Kerry after all he has written over the past two years. Ann Althouse: CHRISTOPHER HITCHENS DIDN'T ENDORSE KERRY AFTER ALL. Slate misinterpreted him. |
Andrew Sullivan: His wisest words are the following, it seems to me: "If I could choose the person whose attitude toward the immediate foe was nearest to mine, I would pick Bush (and Blair). Stephen Green: Hangover — Hitchens didn't endorse Kerry, and Zogby never said Bush was going to win. Corrections abound in the blogosphere - and pretty damn fast, too. |
Fraud File: Ohio Challenges Continue Fox News — Permalink WASHINGTON — The Ohio Supreme Court issued a 4-3 ruling late Monday that gives a partial victory to Republican poll watchers who earlier had been denied by two federal judges. The court ruled that state law allows one challenger per political party at each precinct. | |
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Lorie Byrd: Fox News reports: "The Ohio Supreme Court issued a 4-3 ruling late Monday that gives a partial victory to Republican... |
Steve Dillard: The GOP wins the first major legal battle of the campaign: Fox News has the details. |
Girls turn out for Kerry NEWS.com.au — Permalink THE US Democrats have unleashed their girl power to battleground Florida, deploying the daughters of presidential hopeful John Kerry and those of former presidents John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton. | |
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Tim Blair: TWISTED AND RETARDED — If Arthur Chrenkoff could vote in the US election, he'd vote for: [snipped quote] Nice people. |
Arthur Chrenkoff: If I could vote in the US elections... I would vote for George Bush - an election-stealing cokehead with a... |
Political thuggery in vogue By / St. Petersburg Times — Permalink If George Bush wins the presidential election, Americans can mark it down as a triumph of thug politics. If John Kerry wins, as I believe he will, that conversely will not mean that thug politics will be finished as the dominant style of modern American presidential campaigns. | |
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Steve Bainbridge: Two Stories Juxtaposed — Howell Raines: "If George Bush wins the presidential election, Americans can mark it down as a triumph of thug politics." Jon Henke: And, of course, that criticism—that Halliburton has "profiteered"—has proliferated throughout the media. [and here, and here.....and Paul Krugman, too! |
Ken Layne: Stupid & Delusional — Howell Raines — the jackass who made a total joke of the New York Times, the fool who randomly... Matt Welch: Call it Journalism — Exiled New York Times editor Howell Raines has issued a final pre-election message to his 12 followers. |
The Vanishing Nonvoter By / Slate — Permalink FORT LAUDERDALE—Republicans love to criticize Democrats for failing to use "dynamic scoring" when assessing the impact of tax cuts on budget revenues. But if President Bush loses the 2004 presidential election, it may be because Karl Rove failed to use dynamic scoring when assessing the impact of his political strategy on the electorate. | |
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Garance Franke-Ruta: If Kerry supporters were more likely to be voting early than Bush backers — one possible scenario for which there's... Daniel Drezner: That was not only a slight decline, but lower than the 80% to 90% support that Bush campaign officials had been... |
Nick Confessore: Aside from the fact that he doesn't look very closely at Karl Rove's totally unproven "4 million evangelicals didn't... |
German tabloid demands apology from Queen for wartime air raids Guardian — Permalink Germany's biggest selling tabloid, Bild, yesterday called on the Queen to apologise for Britain's wartime destruction of German cities, ahead of her state visit to Germany today. | |
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Michael Totten: UNCLEAR ON THE CONCEPT: Germany's largest newspaper demands the Queen of England apologize for Britain's bombing of Germany in the war against Hitler. |
Jeff Jarvis: Dear Mr. Hitler, so sorry : The German tabloid Bild demands that the visiting Queen Elizabeth apologize for bombing Germany. |
U.S. Troops Take Backseat on Frontline with N.Korea By / Reuters — Permalink PANMUNJOM, South Korea (Reuters) - The United States has relinquished its last outpost in the Demilitarized Zone to South Korea and cut troops there as part of a deal to give Seoul more responsibility for guarding the tense border with the North. | |
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Donald Sensing: Now the 51-year era is ended, as the US and South Korea agreed last spring. I wrote early last year on what it was like to serve on the DMZ "back in the day." |
Michael Totten: END OF AN ERA: The American tripwire dividing North and South Korea is no more. |
Study finds press pro-Kerry By / Washington Times — Permalink Sen. John Kerry has gotten the white-glove treatment from the press, garnering more praise from journalists than any other presidential candidate in the last quarter-century, according to a new analysis of almost 500 news stories released today by the Center for Media and Public Affairs. | |
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John Cole: What a waste of time and money this study was: "Sen. John Kerry has gotten the white-glove treatment from the press,... Michael Totten: SHOCKING HEADLINE in the Washington Times: Study find press pro-Kerry. Tim Blair: Hey, here's a shock: "Sen. John Kerry has gotten the white-glove treatment from the press, garnering more praise from... |
Ed Driscoll: You Don't Say! The Washington Times explains the obvious. (Via The Blogfather.) Jeff Goldstein: Because what I'm showing is that the media may just be helping John Kerry this election cycle. Captain Ed: Mainstream Media's Love Affair With Kerry — The Center for Media and Public Affairs conducted a study confirming what... |
| Also: Betsy Newmark, Ace | |
Speculators Bet on Kerry Win, Oil Falls By / Reuters — Permalink LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell sharply on Monday on speculation that a U.S. election win for Senator John Kerry could ease the geopolitical friction that has helped fuel this year's record-breaking rally. | |
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Mathew Gross: Markets Bet on Kerry Win — If the Red Sox, the Red Skins and the Red Moon weren't enough: Speculators Bet on Kerry Win, Oil Falls. Kenneth Quinnell: If This Is What Happens When People Just Think Kerry is Going to Win... What will happen when he really wins:... |
Tarek @LiquidList: Politics: Oilmen for Kerry — I'm not reading into anything here, but the people who buy and sell oil futures on the... |
Rebuffing G.O.P., 2 Judges Bar Challengers at Polls in Ohio By / NYT — Permalink In a double blow to the Republicans on the final day of campaigning in the presidential race, two federal judges today barred challengers representing any political party from polling places in Ohio during Tuesday's election. | |
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Joe Gandelman: GOP Ohio Vote Challenges Are (For Now) Halted — The name of this game in this election is getting out the vote and... Megan McArdle: THE CHALLENGERS CHALLENGED: Two federal judges have ruled that parties may not have challengers at the polls in Ohio. |
David Allan Pell: In that case and one other, the judges ruled that the challengers would not be allowed to set up shop at polling places. |
On the Ground, a Slight Swing Toward Kerry By / NYT — Permalink DES MOINES, Oct. 31 - With both parties fiercely focused on getting their likely backers out to vote in Iowa on Tuesday, a new poll suggests that President Bush's support in this battleground state waned last week. | |
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Garance Franke-Ruta: The New York Times concurs; it's reporting that the Bush base appears to be a bit deflated in Iowa: "A survey released... |
Kos: Ground games, compared — Us [snipped quote] Them [snipped quote] GOTV! |
Media Timing and the October Surprise NYT — Permalink Every election season, a debate over a journalistic October surprise takes place. Four years ago, a television station in Portland, Me., reported five days before the presidential election that George W. Bush had been arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol back in 1976. | |
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Avedon Carol: Various stuff — There's this weird article in the NYT about whether or not you should do a major investigative piece about a candidate immediately before an election. Jeff Jarvis: The New York Times belatedly gets around to covering the story of the story of the "missing explosives" and how the... |
Tom Maguire: Lots more folks will miss their latest effort, tucked back on the front page of the Business Section (do political junkies go there first?) Cori Dauber: The Times runs a sober piece this morning, discussing the propriety of releasing news stories close to an election. |
After 4 Years, Bush Is No Closer to Building a GOP Majority By / LAT — Permalink It's a testament to the strength of President Bush's connection with his base that he's still running stride for stride with Democrat John F. Kerry, and possibly half a step ahead, in the presidential campaign's final hours. | |
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Matthew Yglesias: In today's column Ron Brownstein reminds us that Karl Rove once had much grander ambitions than trying (and most likely... |
Kevin Drum: COMPASSIONATE CONSERVATISM...Today in the LA Times, Ron Brownstein writes on the same theme that I did last night: even... |
MONSTER'S DEADLY WARNING TO 'RED' STATES By / New York Post — Permalink WASHINGTON - Osama bin Laden warned in his October Surprise video that he will be closely monitoring the state-by-state election returns in tomorrow's presidential race — and will spare any state that votes against President Bush from being attacked, according to a new analysis of his statement. | |
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H.D. Miller: Warning — Turns out Baby Osama, from the bottom of his well, had made some very specific threats. Jim Lindgren: The New York Post covers the same ground and adds a few details: [snipped quote] Related Posts: Al Jezeera releases a full transcript of the Bin Laden tape. Mitch Berg: All Of You Who Think...that Bin Laden's message was "aimed at Arabs", rather than at the US elections...please... |
Clayton Cramer: So Bin Laden Did Endorse Kerry... At least, the New York Post is reporting that the word used in the most recent tape... Jeff Goldstein: Your security is in your own hands, and any U.S. state that does not toy with our security automatically guarantees its... Steve Antler: Memri.org's translation team has uncovered major new threats in the Friday Bin Laden tape. Via NY Post & Drudge. |
| Also: Robert Cox, Betsy Newmark, Ace | |
FOX National Poll: Voters Split By / Fox News — Permalink NEW YORK — Final pre-election polling shows Sen. John Kerry (search) with a razor-thin edge over President George W. Bush (search) with just one day to go before Election Day. | |
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Garance Franke-Ruta: Check out the internals — especially the absence of significant gender gap: [snipped quote] Among actual voters — and... |
Daniel Drezner: Among those who've already voted, it's Kerry 48%, Bush 43%. (emphasis added)" Here's a more in-depth story by Dana... |
A Failed Presidency LAT — Permalink If elections were solely a job performance review, President George W. Bush would lose in a landslide. He has been a reckless steward of the nation's finances and its environment, a divisive figure at home and abroad. It's fair to say that Bush has devalued the American brand in the global marketplace. | |
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Kevin Roderick: The L.A. Times, meanwhile, did not endorse, but runs a long editorial today titled A Failed Presidency that begins: "If... |
Tarek @LiquidList: Politics: Reading List — Two items of required reading for the countdown to victory: A Failed Presidency by the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board. |
Colo. Teacher Kicks Student for GOP Shirt AP — Permalink DURANGO, Colo. - A part-time college instructor has apologized for kicking a student because he was wearing a Republican shirt. Fort Lewis College student Mark O'Donnell said he was showing people his College Republicans sweat shirt, which said "Work for... | |
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Tim Graham: INTOLERANT LIBERALS UPDATE — "DURANGO, Colo. - A part-time college instructor [female] has apologized for kicking a student because he was wearing a Republican shirt." H.D. Miller: Kicking Like a Mule — Oddly, I don't find this story all that surprising. [snipped quote] I'm sure there are plenty of my collegues who'd love to kick a Republican. Cori Dauber: KNEE JERK LIBERAL — Literally. |
Steve Bainbridge: The AP: "A part-time college instructor has apologized for kicking a student because he was wearing a Republican shirt." Michelle Malkin: LIBERALS ARE SO LOVELY - ELECTION EVE EDITION — Two updates on Dems Gone Wild! stories from last week: From Durango,... |
Cat in a spin PA — Permalink Curiosity nearly killed the cat after a kitten climbed into a washing machine that was then switched on. Eight-week-old Milo disappeared at Ginny Troth's house in Astwood Bank, Redditch, Worcestershire, and bedded down in the laundry for a cat-nap. | |
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Wind Rider: A different kind of spin — We now take a break from the current climate of political spin, to point out a spin of another sort. |
Rich Lowry: NINE LIVES MINUS ONE — From Drudge—tabby survives washing machine ordeal. |
Rehnquist Undergoing Radiation and Chemo By / AP — Permalink WASHINGTON (AP) - Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist disclosed Monday that he's undergoing radiation and chemotherapy for thyroid cancer and said he is delaying his expected return to the Supreme Court, a sign he may have a more serious form of the illness. | |
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Skippy: but then who's going to pick the president? talkleft tells us that chief justice william rhenquist may be sicker than previously thought. James Joyner: Chief Justice Rehnquist Thyroid Caner Serious — Rehnquist Undergoing Radiation and Chemo (AP) "Chief Justice William... |
Jeralyn Merritt: He has announced he is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation and is delaying his return to the Supreme Court. |
Do the Amish Have Cell Phones? By / Reason — Permalink It is only fitting that a presidential election that spent more time debating a war three decades past than the current one and that steadfastly refused to engage the ticking entitlement timebomb within the federal budget could expend energy puzzling out how cell phones impact the body politic. | |
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Jonah Goldberg: In a generally amusing and worthwhile piece, Jeff Taylor offers this snark at yours truly: [snipped quote] Me: While I... Michelle Malkin: THE MYTH OF THE UNDISCOVERED CELL PHONE USER/AMISH VOTING BLOCS — Jeff Taylor has a good little piece poking fun at... |
Jeff A. Taylor: Faith and Polling — Just wanted to clear up that my Amish cell phone bit did not intend to question the authenticity of Jonah Goldberg's underpolling fears. |
Putting Tension Aside, Bush Resolutely Enjoys Himself By / NYT — Permalink GAINESVILLE, Fla., Oct. 31 - One of the best indications of President Bush's mood, his aides say, is the degree to which he indulges his boyish humor and enthusiastic impatience. | |
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Kevin T. Keith: His aides are now working harder and harder to keep him from slipping his leash entirely and reverting back to full-gone... Steve M.: ' And he said, 'Well, I'm really having a good time.' ..." —Richard Stevenson in today's New York Times That's Bush in a nutshell. PoliPundit: Happy Warrior — The president is a Happy Warrior on the campaign trail: "On Saturday, he was spied near the staff cabin swinging his arms like a samurai warrior with a sword. |
Liz Cox Barrett: Richard W. Stevenson's piece on the president gets top placement, with a lead that reads as follows (emphasis ours):... Taegan Goddard: On Kerry's mood: "There is a calm confidence about him in these closing days, as if he buys into his lectures to... |
Taiwan reels from Powell's anti-sovereignty 'goof' By / Asia Times — Permalink TAIPEI - Taiwan is still recovering from something approaching a collective heart attack over remarks made by US Secretary of State Colin Powell in Beijing this past week. Powell was in the Chinese capital principally to urge China to put pressure on Pyongyang over its nuclear-weapons program. | |
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Michael Totten: His recent comments about Taiwan are inexcusable. [snipped quote] I imagine his remarks will annoy just about everyone in this country, as well. |
Gene @HarrysPlace: Powell's tongue slip — What's with Colin Powell and his apparent eagerness to suck up to Beijing on the issue of Taiwan? |
Marines Prepare for Large-Scale Fallouja Fight By / LAT — Permalink NEAR FALLOUJA, Iraq — The Marines are getting ready for an all-out assault. Troops are disassembling and cleaning their weapons, stocking up on supplies, studying tactics and participating in numerous drills. | |
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Phillip Carter: Trash talkin' from guys who can back it up — Anyone who's spent time in the company of soldiers or Marines —... |
Matthew Yglesias: It's Not Comforting...to see that the individual US Marines who are going to be doing the fighting in Falluja pretty... |
Faith at Work By / NYT — Permalink Across the Judean desert, over the opal waves of the Mediterranean, along stone-paved roads that scored the plains of Syria and Asia Minor and carried into the heart of Rome, the Word spread 20 centuries ago. | |
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Gary Farber: FAITH OF THE HEART. This piece makes me uncomfortable, because it brings up certain conflicts in my beliefs. Orrin Judd: GOD IN THE CUBICLES: Faith at Work (RUSSELL SHORTO, 10/31/04, NY Times Magazine) [snipped quote] The anti-religious are... |
Norbizness: Because Life Is Precious and God and the Bible — I'm looking for pound notes, loose change, bad checks, anything... The... |
What Democracy Needs: Real Races By / WaPo — Permalink Without knowing — or even being able to make a confident guess — who will win Tuesday's presidential election, let me say for the record that this has been one of the best and most exciting White House battles I've ever covered. | |
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Mickey Kaus: ... New NSL: It's been a clean, meaningful campaign! ... Meanwhile, the hunt for Christopher Hitchens' real opinion goes into its final days! Matthew Yglesias: David Broder. If only incumbents would pass laws that are bad for incumbents, then we wouldn't have these problems. |
Sam Rosenfeld: In a column otherwise devoted to the broken system of congressional elections, David Broder mentions up front that "this... |
Cheney visits Hawaii in hopes of stealing it for GOP By / USA Today — Permalink HONOLULU — Vice President Cheney, an orange-and-gold lei around his neck, made a personal pitch for Hawaii's four electoral votes late Sunday by flying 3,225 miles overnight from New Mexico to Waikiki Beach and asking for them. | |
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Lorie Byrd: Could Blue Hawaii Turn Red This Year? Vice President Cheney in Hawaii. Thanks, Mr. Vice President. UPDATE: Ha! |
KJL: "STEALING" HAWAII — Think USA Today's editors realize one of the parties actually wants to steal the election? |
Osama Casts His Vote By / NYT — Permalink The big news in Osama bin Laden's message to American voters was not his intercession in our election; that clumsy ploy was not as successful as his pre-election panicking of Spain's voters. | |
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KJL: LIKE CLIFF, SAFIRE EYES ELBARADAEI — He writes today: [quote] Bin Laden was the second outsider to try to influence our election in an "October surprise."[end quote] Kevin Drum: Here is Safire again about CBS' alleged nefarious intentions in planning to break the al-Qaqaa story on the Sunday before the election: [snipped quote] That's not right, is it? Tom Maguire: Whatever. Over on the Op-ed page, William Safire picks up the "ElBaradei Surprise" story. Finally. |
Mickey Kaus: Safire misses the key aspect of bin Laden's proposed "truce," if the astonishing translation of OBL's video by the... Matthew Yglesias: The latest from Bill Safire is full of the calumnies we've come to expect, but this in particular cannot stand... Joe Gandelman: And why not give your own analysis of the bin Laden tape since everyone else is — including William Safire who says it's an endorsement for John Kerry. |
| Also: Orrin Judd, Betsy Newmark, Ace | |
Panel Discusses Upcoming Presidential Election CNN — Permalink THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Tonight, two days until America votes and we've got a new poll just out that says this is the tightest race in the history of the Gallup Poll. | |
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Tom Tomorrow: Speaking of unbelievable... Bob Kerrey, on Larry King Live (via Tapped): [snipped quote] Translation: if the Republicans... |
Sam Rosenfeld: Last night on Larry King Live, guest David Gergen asked his fellow guests, Bob Kerrey and Mark Racicot, a question: ... |
Justice Department Joins Election Legal Fight in Ohio By / LAT — Permalink CINCINNATI — As two federal judges in Ohio prepared to rule on lawsuits contending that the state's procedure for challenging an individual's right to vote is unconstitutional, the Justice Department weighed in with an unusual letter brief supporting the statute. | |
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Arnold P. California: Ashcroft Must Go — In the Ohio litigation over the GOP's plan to invade African-American precincts with "challengers"... |
Digby: Reason number 5,769,438 not to vote for George W. Bush: They have already used the Justice Department in the pre-election legal challenges for partisan purposes. |
A final look back at the horse race By / Townhall.com — Permalink As the campaign races to the end, with George W. Bush holding a slight lead over John Kerry in most polls, it is interesting to go back and see how much of the political conventional wisdom (you read some of it in this space) has proved to be wrong. | |
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Roger L. Simon: Speaking of bias... I admit up front that US News & World Report senior writer Michael Barone is a personal friend and a friend of this blog. Betsy Newmark: Michael Barone looks at all the mistakes that conventional wisdom has made this year. |
Hugh Hewitt: As usual, Michael Barone has a can't miss column. |
Charges of Fraud and Voter Suppression Already Flying NYT — Permalink In Lake County, Ohio, officials say at least a handful of voters have reported receiving a notice on phony board of elections letterhead saying that anyone who had registered through a variety of Democratic-leaning groups would not be allowed to vote this year. | |
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Richard Reeb: Part of the evidence that Democrats have registered or are voting ineligible voters is Old Media's insouciant... |
Taegan Goddard: Lawyers Ready for Battle — [snipped quote] the New York Times reports. Nonetheless, Rick Hasen still thinks we'll know who the next president is by Wednesday morning. |
In '04, GOP Is a Target Missed By / WaPo — Permalink For years, Republicans prospered by casting themselves as Washington's out-party, promising to clean house in the nation's capital. In 2004, President Bush and the GOP Congress will meet voters wearing a different face: the party of government. | |
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Sam Rosenfeld: There are all sorts of prosaic reasons why that didn't happen, but the fact that it didn't means that this race hasn't... |
Nick Confessore: The Washington Post's John Harris had an excellent article in the Sunday Washington Post which I think Democrats would... |
Days of Shame By / NYT — Permalink Overseas, our troops are being mauled in the long dark night of Iraq - a war with no end in sight that has already claimed the lives of more than 1,100 American troops and thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of innocent Iraqis. | |
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Dan Gillmor: Preventing the Vote — Bob Herbert (NY Times): Days of Shame. |
Cori Dauber: AND SO IT BEGINS — Times' columnist Bob Herbert has bowed to no one in the shrillness of his commentary on the Iraq... |
Osama's Campaign Commercial By / Slate — Permalink As October surprises go, Osama Bin Laden's video appearance must rank as the least surprising one imaginable. With the world riveted by the American presidential election, Bin Laden was sure to grab the spotlight to remind us what a pivotal figure he is on the global stage. | |
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Hesiod: UPDATE: Daniel Benjiman makes a convincing case for why Bin Laden and Al Qaeda WANT Bush to win. |
Howard Kurtz: Slate's Daniel Benjamin sees some preemptive spin: "By putting his bloody fingerprints on the election, Bin Laden has positioned himself for some bold post-Nov. 2 propaganda. |
Campaign '04, Bar Trivia '05 By / WaPo — Permalink Some awfully good journalism was committed during the seemingly endless presidential race that ends, if America has any luck, tomorrow. But for the conflict-obsessed, celebrity-salivating, echo-chamber media, it was also the Leave No Trivia Behind campaign. | |
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Jeff Jarvis: Trivial political pursuit : Howard Kurtz says campaign coverage was overtaken by the trivial. |
Betsy Newmark: Howard Kurtz reminds us of the strange media fixations this past election. He thinks they'll be the subject of bar game trivia contests in a few years. |
Wiesel's Words of Wisdom By / NRO — Permalink Elie Wiesel doesn't think of himself as a political figure. He doesn't belong to a party and hasn't endorsed a candidate for president. But back in February of 2003, the Nobel Prize winner and human-rights champion took a stance on one of the most important political questions of the time: He decided to support the American-led invasion of Iraq. | |
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Paul Jaminet: AT NIGHT, BLESS THOSE WHO BRING THE DAWN: Wiesel's Words of Wisdom (National Review Online, 10/31/2004) [quote] "To be free is...[end quote] |
Betsy Newmark: Listen to Elie Weisel. He is a Nobel Peace Prize winner from the time when the award meant something and wasn't a political gesture for certain trendy ideologies. |
Evangelicals See Bush as One of Them, but Will They Vote? By / NYT — Permalink For 30 years, conservative Christians have lectured the Republican Party that its halfhearted embrace of social conservative causes had left untold millions of churchgoing voters without enough motivation to go to the polls. | |
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Zoe Kentucky: Another Bonus if Kerry Wins... It might signal the death knell of the Christian Right. |
Betsy Newmark: The New York Times says that there could be a reaction within the GOP against Evangelicals if they don't come out big for Bush. |
They'll Do Anything By / Weekly Standard — Permalink THE SCARIEST THING about this election is not the prospect of a contested outcome with no winner declared for weeks, just as in 2000. No, the most scary thing is the sense of entitlement that many Democrats and their allies have about tomorrow's election. | |
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Hugh Hewitt: But Fred Barnes is right to worry that the Dems' Bush-hating may have done permanent damage to their elites' (and MSM's) approach to politics. |
Betsy Newmark: Fred Barnes is absolutely correct about how the Democrats assume that they are entitled to win this election. |
Electoral College Map WaPo — Permalink Click on the states in map below for The Washington Post's on the status of the campaign there. The analysis for the six yellow tossup states and several of lightly shaded states in which Bush or Kerry are favored but do not have solid leads also includes recent polling data, previous election results and links to key Post stories. | |
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Bill @INDCJournal: For reference, here's a helpful electoral college map from the WaPo. |
Ace: State by State, According to the Washington Post — Useful if unsurprising tally of currently projected electoral votes. |
No More Years By / Opinion Journal — Permalink 10. Do you really think it's a good idea to be Hitler, George? Hitler killed millions of people and his approval ratings are in the toilet. Why can't you be somebody people like? Regis, maybe, or the Prophet Mohammed. Anybody but Hitler! Being Hitler = BAD IDEA. | |
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Lorie Byrd: Laugh Break — Take a short break from the 24/7 poll reading and enjoy a laugh. (Link via Betsy's Page). Glenn Reynolds: THE END TIMES ARE SURELY UPON US: Jim Treacher is in the Wall Street Journal. Betsy Newmark: Jim Treacher has 10 (satiric) reasons why he's not voting for Bush. He captures the Democratic Underground tone quite nicely. |
The Elder: Jim Treacher presents the ten reasons he's not voting for George W. Bush at OpinionJournal. My fav is #9: 9. Two words: You. Michele Catalano: The world is not going to end this week. I promise. Update: Almost forgot, I can finally let this cat out of the bag. Tim Blair: Hitchens is voting for Bush." UPDATE. A prominent Wall Street Journal commentator is opposed to Bush's re-election. |
| Also: Jim Treacher | |
GIs Lack Armor, Radios, Bullets CBS News — Permalink (CBS) Two weeks ago, a group of Army reservists in Iraq refused a direct order to go on a dangerous operation to re-supply another unit with jet fuel. Without helicopter gunships to escort them over a treacherous stretch of highway, and lacking armored vehicles, soldiers from the 343rd Quartermaster Company called it a suicide mission. | |
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Joe Gandelman: READ THE TRANSCRIPT FOR YOURSELF (and spare us political posturing on this issue — it's too important). |
Steve Gilliard: Bush chose tax cuts over armor: teenage soldiers die — Marines in field expedient gun truck GIs Lack Armor, Radios,... |
Daschle May Lose -- And Republicans May Regret It By / TCS — Permalink Bush and Kerry aside, the most important name on the ballot on Tuesday is Tom Daschle, the Senate Democratic leader from South Dakota who is locked in a tight race with John Thune. Daschle has led in most polls, though by no more than a couple of points. | |
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Ramesh Ponnuru: THE SD SENATE RACE — William Stuntz thinks "Daschle May Lose—and Republicans May Regret It." Glenn Reynolds: BILL STUNTZ: Daschle may lose — and Republicans may regret it. |
Steve Bainbridge: Bill Stuntz's provocative TCS column on the Thune-Daschle race is well-worth reading, both for its perceptive analysis... |
Osama Bin Laden Tape Threatens U.S. States Not to Vote for Bush By / MEMRI — Permalink The tape of Osama bin Laden that was aired on Al-Jazeera(1) on Friday, October 29th included a specific threat to "each U.S. state," designed to influence the outcome of the upcoming election against George W. Bush. | |
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McQ: Not so, says MEMRI: "The tape of Osama bin Laden that was aired on Al-Jazeera [1] on Friday, October 29th included a... Michael DeBow: That's the translation offered by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI): "Your security is not in the hands of Kerry or Bush or Al-Qa'ida. Von @ObsidianWings: Here's what bin Laden supposed said (translation via Memri): "Your security is not in the hands of Kerry or Bush or Al-Qa'ida. |
Matthew Yglesias: Mickey Kaus and others have picked up on the latest article from MEMRI, a right-wing organization dedicated to... Pejman Yousefzadeh: I just find this disgusting in every way: "The tape of Osama bin Laden that was aired on Al-Jazeera(1) on Friday,... Jeff Goldstein: Their latest report, if accurate, is an absolute bombshell: [snipped quote] "If what MEMRI is saying is accurate, bin... |
| Also: Bill Hobbs, Steve @BeggingToDiffer, Steve Antler, Arthur Chrenkoff, Vanderleun, Dan Darling, Jim Lindgren, Charles Johnson, Hindrocket, Bird Dog, Roger L. Simon | |
Poll: Bush, Kerry in near-deadlock By / USA Today — Permalink WASHINGTON — President Bush and John Kerry are in a near-tie in the final USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup poll before the 2004 election — a strong sign that this race, which has stayed close since Kerry became the likely Democratic nominee in March, will remain that way when voters go to the polls Tuesday. | |
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Thomas Lang: The results, which predictably ran on the front page of USA Today, one of Gallup's media sponsors, showed the candidates tied at 49 percent to 49 percent. Garance Franke-Ruta: In Florida, the latest Gallup poll showed that about a third of the polled voters had already cast ballots and that Kerry led 51 percent to 43 percent among them. Howard Kurtz: USA Today has it 49-47 Bush, with these state breakdowns: "Florida: Kerry with 49%, Bush with 46%. "Ohio: Kerry 50%, Bush 46%. |
Kevin Hayden: Shorter Gallup: Tied 49-49 nationally, Kerry ahead in FL and OH, 22 pt gap in confidence of Bush's handling of war on... Jeff Goldstein: For your consideration — Item the first: Evan Thomas, Newsweek Assistant Managing Editor, July 13: "There's one other base here: the media. Mark Kleiman: Some snippets from the USA Today story: Sen. John Kerry has erased President Bush's modest lead and the two candidates... |
| Also: Ace, Josh Marshall, Betsy Newmark, Captain Ed, James Joyner, PoliPundit, Noam Scheiber | |
Poll: Bush, Kerry split six key states CNN — Permalink (CNN) — President Bush and Democratic Sen. John Kerry were almost evenly split among likely voters in six major battleground states the weekend before the election, according a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Sunday. | |
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Steve Soto: Gallup And Fox (Yes, Fox) Have Bad News For Bush — As we know by now, Gallup released its last national poll last... Joe Gandelman: First the two main polls: A CNN/USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, which had George Bush ahead by some 8 points previously, now... Kos: MoE 3%. (10/22-24 results) "Likely voters, allocating undecideds Kerry 49 (46) Bush 49 (51) Registered voters Kerry 48... |
Pejman Yousefzadeh: Here is the latest from Gallup: [snipped quote] Again, bear in mind that this poll was done over the weekend, and that this means an oversampling of Democrats. Ruy Teixeira: [quote]How can CNN ... read these numbers and come up with the headline, "Poll: Bush, Kerry split six key states?" ?[end quote] Andrew Sullivan: Gallup finds a dead heat in its final poll: [snipped quote] I hear all sorts of different things - how the Bush... |
| Also: Mathew Gross, Jerome Armstrong, Yuval Rubinstein, Alexander K. McClure, Taegan Goddard | |
'The liberal elite hasn't got a clue' Guardian — Permalink Tom Wolfe casts his gaze across America at this election time, with eyes that change mood in a nanosecond, with a flicker. For the most part, they exude an amused elegance befitting the hallmark white suit and dandy-ish two-tone brogues. | |
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Bigwig: Comforting words from novelist Tom Wolfe (lvi) And John Kerry? "He is a man no one should worry about, because he has no beliefs at all. Tim Blair: RIGHT (AND WRONG) STUFF — Tom Wolfe on George W. Bush: "I think support for Bush is about not wanting to be led by East-coast pretensions. Acidman: quote for the day — [snipped quote] —Tom Wolfe in the guardian. |
John J. Miller: MEN IN FULL — Tom Wolfe on Bush, in the Guardian: "I think support for Bush is about not wanting to be led by East-coast pretensions. Ace: But he, like, gets it: [snipped quote] Now, I'm not a huge fan of Tom Wolfe's, though I only read Bonfire of the Vanities (didn't see what all the fuss was about). Michael Totten: CLUELESS: Novelist Tom Wolfe tells the Guardian that his own liberal elite social set hasn't a clue. |
| Also: Betsy Newmark, Michael DeBow, Orrin Judd | |
Poll: Bush Up 3 Pts. In Final Days CBS News — Permalink (CBS) The race for the White House heads into its final two days very close in the nationwide popular vote, and nearly the same as it was two weeks ago. President George W. Bush holds a three-point lead over Senator John Kerry among likely voters, an edge within this poll's margin of error. | |
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Ed Driscoll: CBS: Bush Blowout Amongst Early Voters — There's a poll for everybody today, but there's quite an interesting number... Pejman Yousefzadeh: But via Dan Drezner comes this story, which begs to differ. First a poll: [snipped quote] And then this: [snipped quote] Be sure to scroll down for more interesting results. Mathew Gross: Pew Research Center has Kerry ahead 46% to 45%. CBS News/New York Times has Bush ahead 49% to 46%. |
Ruy Teixeira: That survey covered October 28-30. Today, they released survey data covering October 28-31 which show Bush and Kerry now... Daniel Drezner: UPDATE: Stop the presses! CBS News also has early voting results — but they have Bush beating Kerry! Taegan Goddard: NBC News/Wall Street Journal has Bush ahead 48% to 47%. CBS News/New York Times has Bush ahead 49% to 46%. |
| Also: Hindrocket, Betsy Newmark, DemFromCT | |
Hell to Pay Newsweek — Permalink Nov. 8 issue - Sgt. Jonathan Scarfe, a broad-shouldered U.S. Marine with a square jaw and a 5 o'clock shadow, is trudging through a small town near Fallujah. On the opposite side of the street, taking his cues from Scarfe's movements, is Hussein Ali Jassim, who commands a small unit of the new Iraqi Special Forces. | |
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Phillip Carter: The Newsweek writers lay out a pretty good case for the argument that the Iraqi insurgents are prevailing: "... the... Andrew Sullivan: And then you read this report in Newsweek: [snipped quote] According to Glenn Reynolds, this is all an inevitable downside of an amazingly successful war-plan. Daniel Drezner: According to Newsweek International's Rod Nordland, Babak Dehghanpisheh and Michael Hirsh, Secretary of State Colin... |
Matthew Yglesias: As this excellent article in the current Newsweek emphasizes, the absence of high-profile, bad-news stories out of Iraq... Tim Dunlop: Poisoned chalice — As I said in the post below, there's nothing wrong with pointing out that some good things are... Laura Rozen: Via Kevin Drum, Newsweek reports that the insurgents in Iraq are currently winning: "But the truth is, neither party is... |
| Also: Kevin Raybould, Kevin Drum, Atrios, Edward _, Taegan Goddard | |
FULL TAPE AN OSAMA A WOE SHOW By / New York Post — Permalink Osama bin Laden doesn't seem nearly so cocky in the unedited version of a videotape aired on al-Jazeera, complaining that the manhunt against him has hampered al Qaeda. | |
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Bird Dog: Niles Latham got right the missing footage in the videotape, and Osama did go on a tirade about Bush senior and junior and that our war was about oil. Joe Carter: Not to be outdone by "'B-Rabbit", OBL sent his "See-I'm-Not-Dead-After-A ll" tape this week to the Arabic news station, Al Jazerra. Bill Hobbs: And, finally, the New York Post reveals that the latest Osama bin Laden video contains much more than was revealed in... |
Betsy Newmark: The New York Post was the only outlet yesterday to have reported what else was in the tape. Clayton Cramer: The Latest Bin Laden Tape Does Seem To Indicate Bush Is The Better Choice — Not Bin Laden's choice, but the better... Bill @INDCJournal: (UPDATED) Apparently the director's cut of the Bin Laden tape is even more interesting than the excerpt shown on Al... |
| Also: James Joyner, Michael Totten, H.D. Miller, Charles Johnson, Jim Lindgren, Jim Treacher, Orrin Judd, Captain Ed, The Big Trunk, Roger L. Simon, PoliPundit | |
Slight Bush Margin in Final Days of Campaign Pew Research Center — Permalink President George W. Bush holds a slight edge over Senator John Kerry in the final days of Campaign 2004. The Pew Research Center's final pre-election poll of 1,925 likely voters, conducted Oct. 27-30, finds Bush with a three-point edge (48% to 45% for Kerry); Ralph Nader draws 1%, and 6% are undecided. | |
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Jonah Goldberg: PEW'S FINAL POLL — I'm still reading through this, but it appears that it's fairly good news for Bush: Some highlights... Captain Ed: Now Pew Research, which enjoys a somewhat better reputation than Zogby, has issued its presumably last look at the... PoliPundit: Today, WaPo and Fox show the race tightening. Rasmussen, Zogby, TIPP, Pew and CBS show movement towards Bush. Ignore the polls. |
Taegan Goddard: Fox News has Kerry ahead 47% to 45%. Pew Research Center has Bush ahead 48% to 45%. NBC News/Wall Street Journal has Bush ahead 48% to 47%. Betsy Newmark: The Pew Poll has Bush up by three and shows an imperceptible tilt in Bush's favor among early voters. DemFromCT: Late Sunday, there was a Pew Poll showing no effect from the Bin Laden tape (now CW, btw) and a K46-B45 RV, B48-K45 LV spread (with allocation of undecideds by Pew special sauce). |
| Also: Pejman Yousefzadeh, KJL | |
Kerry: 'America can do better' By / MSNBC — Permalink Senator John Kerry started his Sunday in Ohio, a state many people believe he must carry Tuesday to be elected President of the United States. His first stop was the Shiloh Baptist Church in Dayton. Saturday, the candidate once again responded to the tape of Osama bin Laden made public on Friday: | |
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Arthur Chrenkoff: Ain't the Democrats just a warm'n'fuzzy'n'tolerant bunch? As you say, Senator Kerry, "America can do better". Hindrocket: And here is how the exchange was shown on the much more heavily-watched Dateline: [quote] "Someone has analyzed the...[end quote] Captain Ed: However, in the transcript for the interview based on tonight's Dateline segment for the interview, the answer has been... |
Wind Rider: Let's see what the MinTruth boys can come up with...(revised version) [quote] Brokaw: "The fact is, Senator, we still don't...[end quote] Charles Johnson: And here's the more recent version of the same transcript, dated October 31: MSNBC - Kerry: 'America can do better'. |
Yasser Arafat's unrelenting journey By / BBC — Permalink The world watches the unfolding drama as the man who has become the symbol for Palestinian nationalism seems to hover between life and death. Though full of uncertainties, Mr Arafat's life has been one of sheer dedication and resilience. | |
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Stephen Pollard: The BBC's famed objectivity — Vile piece by the BBC's Barbara Plett (whose salary I pay) on the journey to France of... Tim Blair: FAIR AND BALANCED BBC — Barbara Plett is a foreign correspondent for the BBC — in the sense that her views are foreign... Bird Dog: BBC's Sympathy for a Devil — BBC's Barabara Plett writes a sickening cotton candy fare-thee-well to Yasser Arafat,... |
Damian Penny: Tears for a clown — BBC correspondent Barbara Plett broke down in tears when Yasser Arafat's helicopter lifted off to take him away for medical treatment. Orrin Judd: FITTING MOURNERS (via Robert Schwartz): Yasser Arafat's unrelenting journey (Barbara Plett, 10/31/04, BBC) [snipped quote] Because you're a moral imbecile? Roger L. Simon: I was reminded of this story when I read (via Normblog and several emails from readers) this strange tale of weeping... |
| Also: Charles Johnson, Gene @HarrysPlace | |
Employment Growth Accelerated in October: U.S. Economy Preview Bloomberg — Permalink Oct. 31 (Bloomberg) — U.S. employers probably added 175,000 workers to payrolls in October, the most in five months, while the unemployment rate held at a three-year low of 5.4 percent, the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of economists shows. | |
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Bird Dog: The economy is off the table for Kerry given the latest economic news from Bloomberg, so it's all about Iraq. Orrin Judd: QUICKENING: Employment Growth Accelerated in October: U.S. Economy Preview (Bloomberg, 10/31/04) "U.S. employers... Ace: We sure seem to be adding a lot of new jobs given that we're in the worst economy since Herbert Hoover. Thanks to Insty. |
Bill @INDCJournal: Employment is "on the March" — Bloomberg reports: [snipped quote] Considering the fact that the real loss of jobs during... Pejman Yousefzadeh: UPDATED EMPLOYMENT RESULTS — It appears that the employment market may be accelerating: "U.S. employers probably added... Hindrocket: Employment Growth Accelerating — A Bloomberg News survey of economists shows a median forecast of 175,000 payroll jobs in October, with unemployment holding at a low 5.4%. |
| Also: Glenn Reynolds, Clayton Cramer | |
Osama vs. Bush NRO — Permalink Bin Laden tape threatens U.S. States not to vote for Bush. The tape of Osama bin Laden that was aired on al-Jazeera on Friday, October 29 included a specific threat to "each U.S. state," designed to influence the outcome of the upcoming election against George W. Bush. | |
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Betsy Newmark: MEMRI has determined that Bin Laden specifically promised an armistice with any state that does not interfere with Al... Bill @INDCJournal: MEMRI thinks so: "The tape of Osama bin Laden that was aired on al-Jazeera on Friday, October 29 included a specific... |
Jim Lindgren: According to a shocking story on NRO, an Islamist website is claiming [as is MEMRI] that the Bin Laden tape did carry... |
ZIP THAT LIP New York Post — Permalink October 31, 2004 — THIS campaign is ending just in time before someone gets hurt. John Kerry's stepson, Chris Heinz, 31, displayed his mother Teresa's famous lack of rhetorical restraint at a recent campaign event with a group of Wharton students. | |
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Hugh Hewitt: Here's the AP article on Vice President Cheney's blistering attack on terrorism-policy-by-polli ng: [snipped quote] And... Joe Gandelman: This will be UPDATED throughout the day: —KERRY DIDN'T TAKE OUR ADVICE ON DUCT TAPE and probably wished he did now that... Captain Ed: Now his stepson has decided to accuse Bush of illegal drug use in the final hours of the campaign (via Radio Blogger) |
Jonah Goldberg: One of his peeves against Bush: "One of the things I've noticed is the Israel lobby - the treatment of Israel as the 51st state, sort of a swing state." Clayton Cramer: John Kerry's stepson has accused George Bush of being a "cokehead"—and then admitted that he has no evidence for this. The Big Trunk: A word from Chris Heinz — Under the heading "Zip that lip," the New York Post reports: [snipped quote] (Courtesy of reader Paul B.) |
| Also: Charles Johnson, KJL, Bill @INDCJournal, Glenn Reynolds, PoliPundit | |
Bin Laden tape: Your reaction BBC — Permalink The head of Homeland Security in the United States, Tom Ridge, has sought to reassure American voters that they can go to the polls to elect a new president next Tuesday, without fear of acts of terrorism. | |
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Joe Gandelman: The BBC is asking that question of its readers and they (AND YOU) can fill in the blank and give your own I-know-I'm-right analysis. Roger L. Simon: I assume... no, I know... he's being rhetorical. MEANWHILE: Via PeterUK, the Beeb's readers react to the Bin Laden tape. |
Michael Totten: UNHINGED: The Beeb asked its audience "What is your reaction to the [bin Laden] tape and its message?" Whoo boy. |
Poll: Bush, Kerry still deadlocked By / MSNBC — Permalink WASHINGTON - It looks like this election is going to be what we always thought it would be: close. Really close. Two days out, the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows a dead-even race between President Bush and Sen. John Kerry. | |
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EDM Staff: NBC News/ Wall St. Journal Poll: Bush 48, Kerry 47 — George Bush leads John Kerry 48-47 percent of nation-wide LV's,... Taegan Goddard: Pew Research Center has Bush ahead 48% to 45%. NBC News/Wall Street Journal has Bush ahead 48% to 47%. |
Mathew Gross: CBS News/New York Times has Bush ahead 49% to 46%. NBC News/Wall Street Journal has Bush ahead 48% to 47%. |
The Redskins and the Vote WaPo — Permalink BY THIS STAGE in the political season, millions of Americans are hooked on opinion polls, and the gurus who recite the latest numbers on security moms in the Florida panhandle are the toast of TV shows. | |
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Joe Gandelman: FORGET THE POLLS: Indian Astrologers Say Kerry Will Win — Yes, the Redskins lost — so by some weird quirk of history,... Steve Clemons: "The Redskins and the Vote" ran as an editorial today in the Washington Post, and it reads: Ever since 1936, the year... Barbara O'Brien: Redskins Lose! Election lore says that when the Redskins win their last game before the election, the incumbent wins. |
Avedon Carol: OK, so the Sunday, paper says if the Redskins lose this game, the incumbent loses. So Bush is toast. TChris: Packers Win One For Kerry — Forget the polls. Football provides a more reliable predictor of presidential elections. |
Bush Leads, Uncertainty Reigns CBS News — Permalink In a CBS News/New York Times poll out Sunday, President Bush has the support of 49 percent of likely voters to 46 percent for John Kerry. Forty-nine percent of likely voters think Mr. Bush will win, to 33 percent who bet on Kerry. | |
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Ace: Bush Leads by Three in Dem-Skewing CBSNYT Poll — This might be very good news indeed. Captain Ed: CBS Also Shows Bush Up By Three — The latest CBS poll mirrors that of the Pew result mentioned below — George Bush is... |
Clayton Cramer: Good News, Sort Of — A CBS/New York Times poll shows that while the numbers are Bush 49% and Kerry 46% on who voters... PoliPundit: CBS Poll — CBS: Bush by 49-46 Like I said, for every poll that shows one move, others show the opposite. |
Transcript for October 31 MSNBC — Permalink PLEASE CREDIT ANY QUOTES OR EXCERPTS FROM THIS NBC TELEVISION PROGRAM TO "NBC NEWS' MEET THE PRESS." This is a rush transcript provided for the information and convenience of the press. Accuracy is not guaranteed. In case of doubt, please check with: | |
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Jeffrey Dubner: Tim Russert yesterday on the very simple issue of Al Qaqaa: [snipped quote] Aside from repeating GOP talking points to... Ann Althouse: Read the whole transcript. Overall, it was a bumbling performance, but let me point out two things he said. |
Dwight Meredith: Presidential Election Predictions — Here is a sampling of Presidential election predictions from around the 'sphere: From Meet The Press: "Charlie Cook: Bush 271 Kerry 269 (sic. PGL: Even Sean Hannity would be a better moderator for Meet The Press. Russert first grilled Bob Kerrey, which is fine as Kerrey was on the mark. |
Election 2004 Reuters/Zogby Daily Tracking Poll: Bush 48%, Kerry 48%, News Reuters/Zogby Poll Zogby — Permalink President Bush gained two points and Democratic challenger, Senator John Kerry gained one, bringing them to a tie with 48% each, according to a new Reuters/Zogby daily tracking poll. The poll data this evening has leaners factored into the overall results. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Meanwhile, the Zogby tracking poll finds the race is tied. Pollster John Zogby writes: "The race is enjoined fully. Mathew Gross: NBC News/Wall Street Journal has Bush ahead 48% to 47%. The tracking polls:Zogby/Retuers: Tied at 48%. Fox News: Kerry leads 47% to 46%. Josh Marshall: As of Sunday morning, the two tracking polls with new numbers out — Zogby and WaPo/ABC Advertisement — show, remarkably, the exact same thing: dead even at 48%. |
Andrew Sullivan: He is right where he needs to be." - John Zogby, commenting on his poll showing a race deadlocked 48 - 48 nationally. Taegan Goddard: The tracking polls also show a dead heat: Zogby/Retuers: Tied at 48%. Fox News: Kerry leads 47% to 46%. |
Right war, right time, right man NY Daily News — Permalink The United States is at war — long-term, make no mistake. Muslim fanatics are bent on destroying the rest of humankind. One September morning three years ago, they felled the World Trade Center, struck at the Pentagon and might have smashed the Capitol or the... | |
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Pejman Yousefzadeh: UPDATE: And speaking of newspaper endorsements, this might be quite helpful in places like New Jersey. Glenn Reynolds: THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ENDORSES BUSH: [snipped quote] Indeed. Mathew @Centerfield: Read the full endorsement here. An excerpt: "The News endorsed Clinton and Gore in the three races beginning with 1992,... |
Deacon: "America cannot afford [Kerry's] lack of clarity" — The New York Daily News has broken with its recent pattern of... Jonah Goldberg: THE DAILY NEWS(!) That's great news, about their Bush endorsement. I know endorsements don't mean much. Charles Johnson: Right War, Right Time, Right Man — The New York Daily News endorses George W. Bush for President: Right war, right time, right man. |
| Also: KJL | |
In Iraq, U.S. Officials Cite Obstacles to Victory By / NYT — Permalink WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 - Senior American military commanders and civilian officials in Iraq are speaking more candidly about the hurdles that could jeopardize their plans to defeat an adaptive and tenacious insurgency and hold elections in January. | |
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Daniel Drezner: This account is buttressed by Eric Schmitt's New York Times report: "Commanders voiced fears that many of Iraq's... DemFromCT: In Iraq, U.S. Officials Cite Obstacles to Victory [snipped quote] Anyone want to bet against the idea that after... Steve M.: But we're trying to get it down to a lower level, where the Iraqi security forces can deal with it." —senior U.S... |
Norbizness: (6) Why do top military commanders (or, for that matter, Colin Powell) hate America? I fully expected this announcement next Thursday or something. Andrew Sullivan: But let's review: a humiliatingly bollixed war rationale, a completely bollixed post-war campaign, a bare chance of... Orrin Judd: TRIANGULATION: In Iraq, U.S. Officials Cite Obstacles to Victory (ERIC SCHMITT, 10/31/04, NY Times) Commanders voiced... |
| Also: Cori Dauber | |
Cheney: Kerry Took Poll on Bin Laden Tape By / AP — Permalink LOS LUNAS, N.M. - Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday that Sen. John Kerry 's first response to Osama bin Laden 's new videotape was to take a poll to find out what he should say about it. A spokesman for Kerry's campaign did not deny polling on the bin Laden videotape, but suggested President Bush has done so. | |
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McQ: A perfect distillation of the differences in this race — This story from AP puts the entire race in perspective:... Taegan Goddard: Update: The AP reports Dick Cheney is using this poll to claim Kerry polled the issue "to find out what he should say about this tape of Osama bin Laden." |
Captain Ed: Apparently I must stand corrected, as the Kerry campaign admitted their party conducted the poll, only after Dick Cheney... |
FOX Poll: Neck-and-Neck to the Finish By / Fox News — Permalink NEW YORK — The presidential race is dead even among likely voters — 46 percent back both President George W. Bush (search) and Sen. John Kerry (search), a new FOX News poll conducted Friday and Saturday finds. Independent candidate Ralph Nader (search) receives one percent. | |
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Joe Gandelman: Kerry has even narrowed the gap to a tie in the Fox News poll. But due to the closeness — and volatility of this election — don't bet your bankroll on any poll. Billmon: Osama Strikes Out — Coming into the final hours, Fox News — yes, Fox News — has the race dead even (46% to 46%) among... Steve M.: Reuters/Zogby Daily Tracking Poll: Kerry Moves in Front; Kerry 47%, Bush 46% AP Analysis: Electoral Race Virtually Tied... |
Magpie @PacificViews: Even Fox News ... ... now says Tuesday's US presidential election is too close to call. Mathew Gross: Second, Fox News is tracking the Bush collapse. Kerry leads among registered voters, 47-45 (he's up one among likely voters). Josh Marshall: The direction of the number is hard to miss: Friday, Bush +5; Saturday Bush +2; Sunday, tied. |
Ethnic Clashes Erupt in China, Leaving 150 Dead By / NYT — Permalink BEIJING, Oct. 31 - Violent clashes between members of the Muslim Hui ethnic group and the majority Han group left nearly 150 people dead and forced authorities to declare martial law in a section of Henan Province in central China, journalists and witnesses in the region said today. | |
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Vox Day: Islamic tolerance — [snipped quote] My repeated insistence that it is vital to understand the enemy who has declared war... Richard TPD: 150 Chinese die in ethnic clashes in Henan province — Of course, it's not being reported in China. |
Orrin Judd: THEY MAKE TRINKETS, WE MAKE THE FUTURE: Ethnic Clashes Erupt in China, Leaving 150 Dead (JOSEPH KAHN, 10/31/04, NY... Stirling Newberry: Thesis: China can slow economic growth, but not by a great deal. Proof? How do riots that leave scores dead grab you? |
Where I come from, our homes are still our castles By / Telegraph — Permalink If someone breaks into your home in the middle of the night you can presume he is not there to read the gas meter. But current British law insists that he have the freedom of the premises. | |
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Natalie Solent: Just read Joyce Lee Malcolm. "Legislation in Oklahoma which allowed the home-owner to use force no matter how slight... |
Glenn Reynolds: JOYCE MALCOLM CONTRASTS self-defense in Britain and America. |
Redskins Loss: Bad News for Bush, Touchdown Kerry Reuters — Permalink WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Washington Redskins lost their final home football game before the U.S. presidential election on Sunday — and that's great news for Democratic Sen. John Kerry and bad news for President Bush. | |
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Todd Pearson: A sign from God? Redskins lose today; so Kerry wins Tuesday? Maybe Tom Harkin was right. |
Mathew Gross: The Red Sox and the eclipse weren't enough?), look no further: as long as everyone keeps working, we're heading for a... |
Fears for health service as nurses flock to America By / Observer — Permalink The number of nurses who left the UK to work in America more than doubled last year, prompting concerns of an impending exodus and a deterioration in patient care. | |
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Mike Pechar: In 2002-03, more than 2,200 verification checks on UK-based nurses were requested by American employers, up from just over 1,000 the previous year. |
Sir George: NHS Hits a Snag — The NHS is alarmed about British nurses flocking to America. It sounds vaguely familiar. "Comrade! |