Today's the day, Texas. Get out and vote. If there are problems in your precinct-well, first of all, STFIL. Second, make sure you call someone who can help get things sorted.
"Some of the 'Chicken Little' comments about the sky falling, this is unprecedented, I mean it's really overblown...the fact of the matter is we've been through some tough times before undoubtedly we are going to be in a recession. The question is how long it lasts and how deep it is."
A Pittsburgh police commander says a volunteer for the McCain campaign who reported being robbed and attacked near a bank ATM in Bloomfield has confessed to making up the story. Police say charges will be filed. More details to follow.
Ashley Todd, from College Station, TX, made up a story that accused a (big black male) Barack Obama supporter of mutilating her as retaliation for a McCain/Palin bumper sticker.
Pete Olson already parachuted in to TX-22 to salvage the ruins of the Delay Republicans, but now it's clear he's a lot more than a chip off the old ideological block...
TX-22 has a competent, capable incumbent in Nick Lampson. Why would they want to go back to rotting Republicans like Pete "A Vote in Every Zip Code" Olson?
I don't want to wake up Nov 5, and still have John Cornyn as a Senator from the state of Texas.
There are a lot of things I can't do right now due to health issues, and I already early voted for Rick.
But if Rick and Melissa and the rest of Team Noriega can keep running through the finish line.
WHAT: Rick Noriega to speak at El Paso Get Out the Vote Unity Rally. From Early Vote through Election Day, Rick Noriega, candidate for US Senate, will be traveling Texas on The Road to Victory Tour, meeting Texans and talking about his plan to get the economy back on track, to tackle rising costs of college tuition and to make sure all Texans have access to quality, affordable health care.
WHO: US Senate Candidate Rick Noriega and other Democratic candidates
It will be especially important for Texans to have a strong, respected voice inside the expected Democratic majority in the Senate. Rick Noriega offers such a voice, with a distinctive Lone Star tone and perspective. The Chronicle endorses Noriega for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Republican John Cornyn.
Noriega, a Houstonian, describes himself as a Texas Democrat. That term, once common currency in the state's political conversation, seems to have fallen out of favor over the past several Republican-dominated years. But it resonates once more in this season of voter discontent with partisanship uber alles. Some old-fashioned moderate bipartisanship, Texas style, should be much welcomed in the Washington debate, particularly on overheated topics such as energy and immigration. Rick Noriega can provide it.
Those trendlines are deceiving. They are from May, but Noriega's campaign headed south soon afterward. Rasmussen has been one of the few pollsters surveying this race. On August 21, they had the race at 52-38. Then in late September, it had closed to 50-43. This poll confirms that the race remains close, within single digits. Cornyn is at 50 percent, so he's where he needs to be. It's up to Noriega to knock Cornyn off that perch.
Cornyn didn't help himself at the debates by his "less than Senatorial" lying about Rick's legislative record. (See Vince at Capitol Annex for more on that.)
We're in single digits, but it'll take a lot of work to close the gap.
Update: Anyone who is thinking of taking a pass on voting this year needs to see this video. People have died literally to get us to this moment. To this vote.
Over at 538, one of the commenters shares an insight that is both heartwarming and heartwrenching:
I'm not sure you understand. This vote is 400 years in the making. Pollsters don't seem to take that into account. My 82-year old mother had to be rushed to the hospital last Sunday - congestive heart failure. One of the first things she asked when the oxygen mask was removed was "Will someone please get me an absentee ballot. I don't want to miss the election." Committed? Nah, black folks are passionate about this one. This is not only a vote for a candidate; it is a vote for America, the America we heard about from our parents and their parents, across the generations. Freedom and Liberty sound so trite these days, but I remember those words spoken by my Dad on his way to the March on Washington. January 20th will be a dream fulfilled. And if you are expecting only a 95% response on Election Day, you are misinterpreting the sound of the drum.
That's for the Presidency, but I don't wanna stop with President Barack Obama.
There is a FALSE rumor going around by e-mail telling people that if they vote Straight Democratic Party, they must also cast a vote specifically for Barack Obama in order to have an Obama vote registered. THIS IS FALSE INFORMATION. The truth is that if you cast a Straight Democratic Party vote, you will be voting for Barack Obama and your Straight Democratic vote will count as a vote for Obama. But if you then go down select Obama, you may actually be cancelling your Obama vote. Don't be fooled: Just cast a Straight Democratic Party vote and that will get Obama and all the Democratic candidates up and down the ballot.
I have to work but if you're in Austin and free, I hear there are still seats available for the taping this afternoon:
Rick (Noriega) is sitting down with Texas Monthly Talks host Evan Smith for an in-depth interview today.
Taping Details:
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 4:00 p.m.
(Please arrive by 3:30 p.m.)
KLRU Studio A
(Austin City Limits Studio)
2504-B Whitis
(Southeast corner of 26th and Guadalupe), 6th Floor
If you can't make it there-check out Rick's site to see if there's something else you can do to help.
(HOUSTON) - Today Mike Jackson and Joe Jaworski were scheduled by the League of Women Voters to debate the important issues affecting Texas Senate district 11 but something was missing: Mike Jackson.
"I just completed the first debate about the important issues concerning the citizens of Senate district 11 but without my opponent. People deserve to hear where we stand on education, health care and especially insurance reform, but my opponent apparently disagrees. We can do better than that."
Despite earlier confirming his participation in the well-advertised debate on the popular Houston PBS political show "Red, White and Blue", Mike Jackson failed to appear at the PBS Station in Houston, TX at 3pm.
Maybe we should start a pool-which rotting Texas Republicans will actually have the decency to face their constituents side by side with their opponents for comparison?
Make sure to tune in to your local PBS station tomorrow night for the debate between Rick Noriega and John Cornyn for the Senate race.
U.S. Senatorial Candidates
John Cornyn and Rick Noriega Debate <#>
Texas AARP, along with the League of Women Voters Texas, is sponsoring a
televised debate between US Senate candidates John Cornyn and Rick Noriega.
The debate will be tomorrow evening at 8pm on PBS stations across the
state. We urge you to tune in and learn where the candidates stand in this
important race.
October 6th is the last day to register voters for the 2008 elections. It is time for everyone to get involved and make a difference. Anyone in Texas can be sworn in as a deputy voter registrar and register voters. All you have to do is go to your county Tax Assessor office and be sworn in. Voter registration is at an all time high across the nation but we can do better with your help.
Follow me below the fold to find out all the ways you can help register voters and help make this the most historic election in Texas history.
