I knew I didn’t like Saxby Chambliss

I don’t know if the Saxby Chambliss race is making much news where you live, but down here in Alabama, Georgia being our next door neighbor and all, it’s rolling thunder.  I’ll admit freely that I simply wasn’t tuned in to the Chambliss / Cleland battle six years ago.  Learning about it later made my skin crawl.  Chambliss intentionally smeared the name and record of a veteran who lost three limbs in Vietnam by accusing him of “breaking his oath to protect and defend the Constitution” and running a 9/11 themed ad that essentially equated Cleland with Osama bin Laden.  It is of use to note that while Cleland was losing limbs in Vietnam, Chambliss was sitting home with a “bad knee.”

My friend and VetVoice blogger RockRichard has put up a great piece on Saxby Chambliss’ history of working against veterans’ issues.  It is a long and distinguished record, including voting against the new GI Bill, voting against funding for veterans’ health care, and opposing funding for equipment and armor for troops.  Check out Richard’s piece for the gories.  I knew I didn’t like Saxby Chambliss when I heard about the disgusting tactics he used against Max Cleland.  Seeing his record on veterans’ issues, especially on this Veterans’ Day, makes me like him even less.

Chambliss is again running against a Vietnam veteran:  Jim Martin.  Their battle has come down to the wire and is going into a run-off, as neither candidate reached the 50% + 1 threshold needed for victory in Georgia.  Chambliss, however, had more votes than Martin and both candidates are pulling out all the stops to try and sway the voters of Georgia to pull them above that magical 50% line.  In Chambliss’ case, this means pulling in the big GOP dogs, including John McCain and Mike Huckabee.  It can be no surprise that the Chambliss campaign has also invited Sarah Palin, though she has yet to confirm.  And Chambliss is falling back on tactics of old, running another 9/11 themed ad.

For Martin’s part, he is utilizing the Obama campaign’s ground troops, which made major in roads in the deeply red state of Georgia, causing McCain to win by only 5 points.  And while a visit by the President-Elect is unlikely, simply putting out ads linking himself to Obama may be enough right now.  Bill Clinton campaigned for Martin in the primary, but I have not seen any indication that he will do so in the run off.  But Martin is not on his own, he has an entire country of progressives who can mobilize to put Saxby Chambliss down like a tired old dog.

How can you help?  Make a donation to Jim Martin’s campaign.  Travel to Georgia to knock on doors or make phone calls.  (Note to the Martin campaign:  there are energetic progressives all over the country willing to make phone calls on your behalf.)  If you’re a Georgia resident, please get to the polls on December 2 and cast your vote for Jim Martin.  The Obama campaign gave us a new model to follow.  Let’s use it to get Jim Martin elected.

Clearly, this means nothing

But, hey, it’s a little fun on election day.

In 17 of the last 18 presidential elections (since 1936), when the Redskins franchise has won its final home game before the presidential election, the ruling party stays in power. When the Redskins lose their final home game before Election Day, the party out of power wins the election. The only exception: 2004 when the Packers beat the Redskins 28-14 on October 1, but George W. Bush beat John Kerry, 286 Electoral Votes to 251.  Accuracy: 94.5% (17/18) (thanks, Mike)

Coming in to last night’s game, the Redskins were 6-2, while the Steelers were 5-2.  The Skins were favored to win by 2-1/2 points.

So what happened?  The Steelers won:  23-6.  They didn’t squeak by; it was a landslide. 

Clearly, this means nothing.  Right?

Election day political cartoons

Gary Brookins, The Richmond Times-Dispatch, 11.03.08

Here we are; this is it.  Some cartoons for you before you head out to vote (or to celebrate you if you already have):

Jeff Stahler, The Columbus Dispatch, 11.2.08

Nate Beeler, The Washington Examiner, DC, 11.03.08

Jeff Parker, Florida Today, 11.03.08

 

Bob Gorrell, 11.03.08

And finally, on behalf of cartoonists everywhere:

Andy Singer, NO EXIT, 10.29.08

Dear Red States

Ok, y’all, this has been around, but a list serv member reminded me of it this morning and it made me laugh (again).  Full disclosure:  half my family are Southern Baptists, my cousin works at Clemson (bless his heart), I live in Alabama, and I’m not sure that having Hollywood is anything to boast about.  Having said all that, here ya go:

Dear Red States:

If you manage to steal this election too we’ve decided we’re leaving. We intend to form our own country, and we’re taking the other Blue States with us. In case you aren’t aware, that includes ..California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and all the Northeast. We believe this split will be beneficial to the nation, and especially to the people of the new country.

To sum up briefly:

You get Texas, Oklahoma and all the slave states.

We get stem cell research and the best beaches.

We get: the Statue of Liberty. You get Dollywood.

We get Intel and Microsoft. You get WorldCom. We get Harvard. You get Ole’ Miss.

We get 85% of America’s venture capital and entrepreneurs. You get Alabama.
We get two-thirds of the tax revenue, you get to make the red states pay their fair share.

Since our aggregate divorce rate is 22% lower than the Christian Coalition’s, we get a bunch of happy families. You get a bunch of single moms.

Please be aware that we will be pro-choice and anti-war, and we’re going to want all our citizens back from Iraq at once. If you need people to fight, ask your evangelicals. They have kids they’re apparently willing to send to their deaths for no purpose, and they don’t care if you don’t show pictures of their children’s caskets coming home. We do wish you success in Iraq , and hope that the WMDs turn up, but we’re not willing to spend our resources in Bush’s Quagmire.

With the Blue States in hand, we will have firm control of 80% of the country’s fresh water, more than 90% of the pineapple and lettuce, 92% of the nation’s fresh fruit, 95% of America’s quality wines, 90% of all cheese, 90% of the high tech industry, 95% of the corn and soybeans (thanks Iowa!), most of the U.S. low-sulfur coal, all living redwoods, sequoias and condors, all the Ivy and Seven Sister schools plus Stanford, Cal Tech and MIT.

With the Red States, on the other hand, you will have to cope with 88% of all obese Americans (and their projected health care costs), 92% of all U.S. mosquitoes, nearly 100% of the tornadoes, 90% of the hurricanes, 99% of all Southern Baptists, virtually 100% of all televangelists, Rush Limbaugh, Bob Jones University, Clemson and the University of Georgia.

We get Hollywood and Yosemite, thank you.

Additionally, 38% of those in the Red states believe Jonah was actually swallowed by a whale, 62% believe life is sacred unless we’re discussing the war, the death penalty or gun laws, 44% say that evolution is only a theory, 53% that Saddam was involved in 9/11 and 61% of you crazy bastards believe you are people with higher morals then we lefties.

Finally, we’re taking the good pot, too.

You can have that dirt weed they grow in Mexico

Peace out,

–Blue States

A true witch

From Michigan, a McCain/Palin supporter who refused to give out candy to four year olds whose parents support Obama.  She didn’t need a witch costume.  She really is one (h/t GovGap):

Saturday cartoons

Some cartoons for you this Saturday as we prep for the election. 

A little post Halloween humor:

Larry Wright, The Detroit News

 I’m having trouble realizing that the election is just a few days away since we’ve been at this so long.  Anyone else have that problem?

Mike Keefe, The Denver Post

I hope that everyone out there has a great voting experience.  Remember to video your vote and take the voter hotline numbers (1-866-MY VOTE or 1-866-OUR VOTE) with you.

And because I just like it:

Joe Heller, The Green Bay Press-Gazette

 

A reminder on McCain and veteran’s issues

In case you forgot, McCain-the-veteran is not always McCain-champion-of-veterans.  From a New York Times piece this morning on the new GI bill which is enabling more veterans (think young guys returning from Iraq and Afghanistan) to go to college:

The bill met strong resistance from John McCain, the senator from Arizona who is now the Republican candidate for president, and from President Bush ….

McCain meets Broadway

This is clever and a little bit of fun for your Saturday morning.  Surprisingly, it’s also filled with a good bit of fact, even fact I didn’t know (gasp).  What’s McCain’s rating from the Children’s Defense Fund?  Watch to find out.  What was McCain’s position on extending Medicaid to Katrina victims?  Watch to find out. 

Hero? Seriously?

I haven’t blogged on Joe the Plumber ’cause, really …. really?  But yesterday at a rally, John McCain called this dude an “American hero.”  Seriously?  A “hero?”  Someone explain this to me, please.  Please.

Happy Halloween!

Here’s some fun political sweet treat info for you this Halloween:

1. Over at Jones Soda, the “Yes We Can” Cola is their best selling Campaign Cola with 13,902 bottles sold.  The “Ron Paul Revolution Cola” is second with 6060 bottles bought; “Pure McCain Cola” third with 3492; and “Capitol Hillary Cola” comes in fourth with 2148 bottles bought.  The votes are still being tallied with each bottle bought, so head over and cast your vote with purchase.
2. You can shop Kai’s candy to get your own Obama or McCain (or a combo pack) lollies.  Seriously, you can actually lick Obama’s …. face.  What were you thinking?????
3. Over at L.A. Burdick, they’re selling boxes of Obama and McCain chocolates.  Obama’s chocolate box has Hawaiian-Pineapple, Kenyan Coffee, Kansas Corn Crunch, Tennessee Sour Mash.  McCain’s box has Arizona Citrus, Hot Pepper Tequila, Peanut Butter, Kentucky Tye.  So far, they’ve sold a ton more Obama boxes than McCain boxes, 3019 – 951.  (I admit that I don’t understand some of the flavors.  Care to explain Obama’s TN connection?  McCain’s tequila?  Anyone?)
4. Not a sweet fact, but fun for Halloween nonetheless:  according to Steven Silverstein, CEO of Spirit Halloween, a national costume chain, Obama masks are way outselling McCain masks for this holiday 65% – 34%, as of 10.15.08.  Speaking of Obama masks:

Steve Kelley, The New Oreleans Times-Picayune, 10.24.08