I will be glad when the Democratic nomination fight is over, so we can focus more on the general election. Obama and Clinton are getting free rides on their far left platforms, while being free to frame the public perception about John McCain with lies.

Something I've been hearing for awhile now, but has really picked up steam in recent days, is that McCain would be a "third term of George Bush," and that McCain is no longer the "maverick" that he used to be and that he has been "hijacked" by the right wing. What they mean by that...Read the rest >>

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The AARP is pretending to be non-partisan with its "Divided We Fail Platform. The basic message is: "let's put partisanship aside, and just agree with the Democrats." Which, incidentally, is largely Barack Obama's basic message, come to think of it.

"All Americans should have access to affordable health care, including prescription drugs, and these costs should not burden future generations."

While I believe this is essentially true, the Republican is very different from AARP's. The AARP's answer is "government should pay for much, if not all, of it for many, if not all, of Americans." This is the Democratic...Read the rest >>

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This is probably more for the younger set though still delightful if your sense of humor is a bit twisted. I enjoyed the "cankles" reference. The thong reference was a bit more troubling.

h/t: Savage.

Niki Sullivan over at the TNT's Political Buzz blog has offered a preliminary breakdown of the cash-on-hand situation for the Governor's race. By her calculations, Gregoire has $3.8 million after a boffo fundraising month, while Rossi keeps plugging along as well with a tidy $3.1 million in the bank. We'll know for sure on Monday when the PDC reports for April are due.

In the meantime, Sullivan is curious how the Rossi campaign could have lowered its expenses. Easy: less direct mail.

Sources within the Rossi camp have in the past made mention of their heavy use of...Read the rest >>

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The details of turnout - and consequent party-building efforts - during the Democrats' drawn-out primary process, coupled with Obama's grassroots voter registration/voter contact drive should be damn troubling to Republicans.

Yes, Obama may receive an especially large beating among now much-discussed white working class voters. In some key battlegrounds that could doom his cause.

Yet, in some contested states a large boost of new voters and/or record turnout in key constituencies could more than make up for his working class weakness. Even if Obama loses the Presidency, which is more than possible under such a scenario,...Read the rest >>

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A loyal and trusted reader passes along a revealing site used by the Ron Paul faithful in the Evergreen State to organize for county conventions and such. Note in particular the "Convention Bullet Points":

Do not wear Ron Paul Gear- You are the candidate and you are running for a delegate position. Create your own election flyer or card with you as the candidate running for delegate...you can list credentials- soccer coach, bible study teacher, veteran, home schooler etc etc..

Translation: you're screwed if you let on who your guy is. Must assimilate.

Do not mention the war,...

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From, coincidentally, Mercer Island.   As I am sure you know, a destructive cyclone has hit the nation long known as Burma.  According to news reports, as many as a hundred thousand may have been killed.  Many might have been saved if the leftwing military dictatorship had been willing to warn the people.  Even now, the military rulers are blocking help from the outside.

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When Bill Clinton was presenting himself to the American public in 1992, he was described as "The Man from Hope", Hope, Arkansas, that is.  His supporters even made a movie with that title.  The Clinton campaign called him the Man from Hope for two reasons, to take advantage of the town's name, and to imply that Clinton had the wholesome values many of us associate with small towns.

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In an article at Crosscut discussing Greg Nickels' declining odds for running for statewide office (when were they ever much above zero to begin with?), Knute Berger asks this:

If Seattle, with all the advantages (save the ball and chain of rural Washington), can't make itself happy, why is that? With Democrats in full control of the city, much of Pugetopolis, both houses of the Legislature, most statewide elected offices, the governor's mansion, six of nine congressional seats, and both U.S. Senate seats, why are Seattle and Puget Sound having so much trouble? Are urban problems really so...

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I wonder if Starbucks has an internet-triage policy for customer grumpiness like Comcast. Let's find out:

It's no secret Starbucks isn't lighting the corporate world on fire these days. Rising gas and food prices leaving less family budget for $4 coffee drinks probably has something to do with it. Yet, there seems to be something deeper.

Now, it happens that this blogger declares the new Pike Place Roast a smashing success. At the same time, Starbucks is pimping the "benefits" of registering a prepaid Starbucks card:

You'll get syrup and milk options for your beverage on...

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That's what I have about Dave Reichert's race this year. And I can't shake it.

As usual, in no small part thanks to the politics of his district, Reichert finds himself on prominent lists of endangered incumbents. Little surprise there since the 8th CD was a major Democratic target in both 2004 and 2006.

But, news that House Republicans are declaring virtually every man for himself is ominous. Reichert has never been a prodigious personal fundraiser, known for his distaste toward making the one-on-one "ask" for coin that is simply part of the job...Read the rest >>

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So, John McCain is coming to our lovely land to talk about being green...and raise no small amount of cash.

Inevitably, his messaging on this topic will annoy some conservatives, thus reminding them why they're not exactly bursting with excitement to have him at the top of the ticket. Meanwhile, it should nevertheless be an important step forward in the November-focused themes McCain will need to woo non-conservative voters. This includes especially the suburbanites who place great importance on environmentally sensitive policies (for reasons more often related to feel-goodism than deeply considered policy thought,...Read the rest >>

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Huskies beating the Cougs in the metric of collegiate student-athlete success that matter matters most.

Heh.

Last night I said Obama has essentially succeeded in winning the nomination without yet assembling the diversified base one usually needs to be competitive in November. My take was based on an examination of the primary (not caucus) states in which Obama and Clinton have competed. David Brooks as well as John Judis at The New Republic have some more extended thoughts on that issue that are worth absorbing.

A couple non-incumbent candidates for the Legislature have caught my eye thus far this year and I'll spend some more time looking at them at a little later date. For now, I would welcome tips in the comments (or at ericearling at gmail dot com) on candidates that have impressed you thus far. Given our top 2 primary situation, that can certainly include Democrats, particularly in "safe" districts.

Thanks in advance, and as always, thanks for reading.

Anyone still watching the cable networks at this hour from the lovely environs of the Puget Sound is noting that Lake County, Indiana is confirming that King County does not have a monopoly on aggravating election night performance.

It's probably a bad thing when the Wolf Blitzers, Anderson Coopers, and John Kings of the world are saying, in more polite terms, "what the [bleep] is your problem? You're not making any sense!"

The Mayor of Hammond, from Lake County is befuddled too. He says his town's votes were tallied at 7:30 pm local time but can't understand why the county...Read the rest >>

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The bulk of our previously discussed "ifs" didn't come to pass tonight, other than Obama's continued but, in terms of tonight, not decisive weakness among non-affluent whites, Catholics, and rural voters. Clearly, he was able to mitigate those flaws with wickedly large turnout among young and African-American voters.

A few interesting nuggets nonetheless:

1) Indiana Democratic primary voters were asked to name their top issue. 67% said the economy. Only 18% said Iraq. You'd never guess that if you listened to the netroots.

2) Speaking of the netroots, proud liberal Kevin Drum says they...Read the rest >>

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I really don't care one way or another about the superdelegates. But when inspiration strikes, you gotta strike back. Hence, this ode, called, simply, "Superdelegate."

Chorus:
Superdelegate, I don't know you, but I love you
Superdelegate, you make me feel warm inside
Superdelegate, I didn't vote for you
But I really think you're super, Superdelegate

We can't trust ourselves to choose
'Coz we've got so much to lose
So we ask you, please
Protect us from ourselves

Chorus

I will use my voice
I will state my choice
I will stand up and be counted
But not as much as you

Chorus

Ron Judd's Olympics blog covers Spokane recently landing the 2010 U.S. Figure Skating Championships and Olympic Trials. A nice get for "the Kan" and a forbearer of other such stories in the coming months related to world class athletes coming to the state to train and compete in advance of the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver.

Bruce Ramsey adds some depth to a story that made this policy wonk grumpy when he read it.

Collective sensibilities getting in the way of giving kids a good education. Very, very frustrating.

We now have local confirmation that the proposed gas tax "holiday" is not good policy. As if this state needs any additional harm given to its already under-equipped roads budget.

State Rep. Doug Ericksen (R-42nd) says:

"If they can eliminate the federal gas tax until Labor Day and still be able to reprioritize their budgeting and cover the cost of our current projects, I think it's a great idea," he said. "If they are going to get rid of the federal gas tax and simply borrow more money to make these payments, I don't think it's a good idea."

I think we all know which of those two scenarios would unfold, even if Congress had the gumption to pass the "holiday," which in and of itself seems far from certain.

There will be more to say about the previously discussed record-fundraising hauls being compiled by Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire once the reports covering April are filed in the coming days. In the meantime, it's worth noting that the Rossi campaign today announced it's 30,746th donor, already surpassing Rossi's total number of donors in 2004. This before the political season in Washington state really heats up.

More evidence we're heading into an unprecedented political contest for the Evergreen State.

Christopher Hitchens gets to a question I've been mulling for a while but really hasn't received much discussion: what role did Michelle Obama play in the family's twenty-year history of absorbing Jeremiah Wright?

Let's be honest: it's not an uncommon thing for one spouse to heavily influence a family's church selection. If Michelle Obama was the driving force for staying at the church it would square the dichotomy between Obama's stated view of the world with his decision to listen to (or perhaps suffer through) Wright's rants.

This is just a theory, but it's entirely possible Barack was...Read the rest >>

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I completely understand the notion of combating the coarsening of our culture. As a parent of children ages 11 and 8, believe me I understand.

But this tale of consumer outrage just doesn't seem to have much merit. Finding objectionable content in a store targeted to the hip, edgy, younger set (which extends well beyond high schoolers) is not exactly a groundbreaking turn of events. Next we'll be hearing complaints from stunned parents that adolescent males are enthralled by attractive women with bodacious curves.

That, and how am I supposed to read this story without laughing when the mother in question has the last name "Milfs." Seriously.

Danny Westneat offers an anecdote-rich view of trying to "go green" with the family automobile, confirming that whatever the merits of lessening dependence on oil, the current biofuel phenomenon appears headed toward its own entry in the unintended consequences hall of fame.

It's already starting to take shape: serious Democratic competition for what now should otherwise be viewed as a safe Democratic seat.

Partisan preferences and this specific race aside, the infusion of new blood and brainpower into Olympia has to be viewed as a good thing at this juncture. If there is one thing that remains consistently jarring to newer folk in the state capital, it is discovering the stark difference between what it often takes to get elected versus what it takes to serve in the Legislature with skill and effectiveness.

WA State Rep. Hans Dunshee (D-44) was on Up Front yesterday, defending pork projects. We have more than a $2 billion deficit for the next budget, and a Washington Policy Center -- the "Piglet Book" -- identified more than $160 million of pork that could be cut. It's a good start.

But Dunshee was hearing none of it. When Robert Mak asked, regarding the state regulation of animal masseuses, "isn't this the way government grows and grows, by getting involved in these things?," Dunshee shrugged and said, "people come...Read the rest >>

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That would be watching the new variant of "blue on blue" friendly fire unfolding before our eyes. Who would have thought even a few months ago we'd see direct mail from Hillary Clinton bashing Barack Obama (with some punch!) on the topic of guns?

While that issue gets some obvious attention given the "bitter" quotes, it seems Clinton's shots at Obama on the topic of energy are leaving a mark too. If there is one topic that can reliably and successfully turned into a populist issue with the American public - whatever the intellectual merits - it is...Read the rest >>

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When the Supreme Court decision in favor of the "Top Two" primary came out, which allows anyone to designate themselves a Republican or Democrat in the primary, I humbly suggested a somewhat crazy idea:

About names. Why not create a new party, called "Republican Nominee"? That is the name of the new party. And if someone who is not the actual nominee of the party uses that name, well, they are falsely claiming to be the nominee. Now the confusion argument that Roberts, Alito, and Thomas said wasn't obvious, is perfectly obvious. So not only could I-872 be overturned...

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I've said it already, Barack Obama is on the cusp of totally losing control of his campaign narrative. The media has begun to seriously clue into his flawed appeal with elements of the Democratic coalition, after seeing results in Ohio, Texas, and Pennsylvania. The combination of Jeremiah Wright and Obama's own theorizing on small-town America has only added fuel to the fire.

Now, if Hillary Clinton wins Indiana comfortably, if she can lower Obama's margin of victory in North Carolina (say 7% or less), and if the exit polls confirm Obama's now much-watched problems with white, working class voters then the narrative will be clear.

MSM denizen Ron Brownstein has already gotten the ball rolling for this pre-election weekend: Obama has a problem with blue-collar voters and it isn't going away.

Sure, Obama is still the likely Democratic nominee. Just how damaged he may be based on his own electoral performance since February is another matter.

Recent items of interest:

1) Fundraising

Brisk money intake on both sides continues. Christine Gregoire raked in about a $1 million in April, fresh off her Legislative session freeze. Rossi pulled in another $625,000, in-line with the $636,000 average of his previous five full months of fundraising.

Some liberals are very excited about these April results. To which the proper response, quoting the Bud Light commercial, is: "Dude..."

She's an incumbent governor in a blue state, with a proven record of raising money in her last election, coming off an extended legal fundraising...Read the rest >>

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The man whose instincts seem at times on a permanent collision course with his own party's base is handling his own VP selection process?

Prospects of a bad horror film, perhaps a Frankenstein-like concoction of Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman, are presently floating through the nightmares of many a conservative.

Please, let it not be so.

UPDATE: comments closed due to spam.

Seattle had its 9th annual May Day march for immigrant rights Thursday, which of course you already knew if you work downtown and were trying to get home that night. You can see many more photos and my trip report here.

UPDATE: Comments closed due to spam.