Monthly Archives: October 2008

(Community Matters)

(Community Matters) Grant Park – can’t wait. Headed there myself.

(Community Matters)

photo by Kathy Doyle

an early birthday gift from Margaret Keys.

(Community Matters) McCain’s message of socialism and distributing wealth overshoots the runway and loses McCain credibility and votes. Same with terrorist statements/comparisons and their campaign’s wanting to move the conversation away from the economy. That is, Barack is winning votes as a result of these negative statements/ads/robocalls – despite over $60mm spent on the ads.

Voters can’t afford McCain.

We have the Kerry states, Iowa and New Mexico. We must hold these and need 6 more electoral votes.

There are 8 or 9 different groups funding vicious attacks against Barack. We MUST fully fund the Obama campaign plan to counter the outpouring of monies in the final battle ground states.

There is NO BRADLEY EFFECT. It didn’t exist in 1992, doesn’t exist today. Read about here

(Community Matters)

(Community Matters) Story in today’s AAS about political fundraising in Texas. Kudos to Bev Reeves (pictured in the article) who’s one of the most enthusiastic people I know, in addition to a fantastic fundraiser. Kirk Rudy & Alexa Wesner our leaders in Austin.

(Community Matters) from 3BlueDudes.com

There have been alot of news media and blogs reporting the Presidential race is tightening. Even Barack Obama said he ‘expects’ the race to tighten. Latest national polling though paints a different picture. The race appears to be slightly widening again, after some minor tightening last week. Take a look …

According to Gallup, the race is NOT tightening, but widening a bit. When looking at registered voters, 2 days ago the race was at 50% Obama and 41% McCain. Today, two days alter, the race is at 52% to 41%, a 11 point lead. That is Obama +2.

Although the absolute percentages supporting Obama and McCain have varied in a narrow range for nearly the past three weeks, Obama’s lead shrank to six points late last week, only to expand again in recent days.

Under the Likely Voters totals, Obama has expanded his lead to 52% to 43%, which is +1 for Obama and -1 for McCain since yesterday. On Saturday, that number was at 49% to 44%, making Obama +3, and McCain -1.

Now, take a look at the Rasmussen Reports daily tracker. Again, after initial tightening last week, the last few days have shown nothing but stability.

How about the weird Zogby tracker.

Zogby showed a tightening yesterday to 47.8% to 45.1% but today shows an expanded Obama lead at 49.8% to 44.1%.

Then there is Research 2000. This poll tightened to 50-43 and stands today at 50-42, McCain losing 1.

So, if anything, over the last day or two, there is evidence that the debate is starting an upward trend again and we have not seen the impact of the Colin Powell endorsement yet, and won’t for at least two days.

So while the mainstream media and the Sludge Report like to report that the race is tightening, the fact is, the polls simply tell a different story. The media is so desperate to have a late night election night, they are beginning to report just anything as well, problem is, people are thinking and looking for themselves, and Obama has the financial resources to counter the national media’s attempt to tighten the race.

(Community Matters) I don’t recall that I’ve ever done so before, but I did vote straight party this morning. It felt great voting for Barack Obama. And, despite projections, given D turnout in the primary race, we could in fact deliver Texas for Obama.

(Community Matters) John Thornton on subliminal innuendo.

(Community Matters) Limbaugh and Buchanan have taken to the airwaves sounding off viciously again. They claim Powell’s endorsement was about race, that Powell would never have endorsed such an inexperienced man otherwise. Excuse me but he endorsed George W Bush eight years ago. And, it’s painfully obvious (even in the context of 8 years ago) that Obama has intellectual firepower, that has never been GWB’s perceived strength.

(Community Matters) Today was kid’s day at St. James. The 7 – 12 year olds read the two lessons, the entire youth ministry sang in today’s choir, and interim Rev Jeffrey Walker invited all kids to the altar area to sit with them while he delivered his sermon (in response to the Gospel reading from Matthew 22:15-22 re: give what is God’s to God, stewardship and responsibility).

And, we celebrated Julia Byrant’s 98th birthday at church today. With Dr. James Mean’s and Hortense Lawson’s recent passing, Julia is the oldest surviving member of our church.

And, the girls have now headed back to Tulsa. This was their first solo trip to see us. Much fun. We’re planning our next venture!

Steven and I both some catching up to do this afternoon before heading to Bastrop for a dinner. Opening up the house and letting in this glorious fall weather.

(Community Matters)

ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos Reports: Former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich reacted this morning to Colin Powell’s endorsement of Sen. Barack Obama explaining “what that just did in one sound bite…is that it eliminated the experience argument.” The Former Bush Secretary of State announced his long-awaited endorsement Sunday morning, explaining that he is backing Obama “because of his ability to inspire, because of the inclusive nature of this campaign, because he is reaching out all across America, because of who he is and his rhetorical abilities – we have to take that into account – as well as his substance – he has both style and substance – he has met the standard of being a successful president, being an exceptional president.”

Former Presidential Advisor David Gergen categorized Powell’s announcement as “the most important endorsement of the campaign so far”. Tom Friedman of The New York Times agreed explaining, “General Powell helps a lot especially at this moment… That’s a real affirmation that the country can trust Obama as commander in chief.”

And Democratic strategist Donna Brazile added, “this is an endorsement that has enormous dividends for Obama… It says that he wants to govern in a different way… It says that he’s going to reach across the aisle.”

Gingrich, Gergen, Friedman and Brazile were featured, along with George Will, in a powerhouse roundtable on this Sunday’s “This Week with George Stephanopoulos”.

on line here