Democratic Registration Far Outpacing GOP In Multiple Battleground States
In a development that could have a significant impact on the presidential race, the rise in registered Democrats has far outpaced Republican registration in many key swing states, giving Dems a clear registration advantage in a lot of them, while wiping away one-time GOP registration advantages in a couple others.
We compiled these registration numbers mainly from the secretaries of state in the battlegrounds -- and they are are striking. You can view them in our chart below.
Of the dozen or so most closely contested states in this election, seven of the secretaries' offices keep tallies of their registration numbers, broken down by party. The upshot: Of those seven states, four have seen big spikes in Dem registration while GOP registration has gone up by significantly less or has dropped.
In a fifth state, the number of Dems has gone up by a modest amount while the number of Republicans has fallen sharply. Dems now lead in registration numbers in all five of those states, in some by significant margins.
Meanwhile, in the sixth and seventh states, Dem gains and GOP losses have effectively erased the GOP's once sizable registration edge.
Obama advisers think the numbers are a reflection of the intense interest this year and the historical nature of this campaign. "We think it's going to have a significant impact," Obama national field director Jon Carson tells me. "It's a continuation of what we saw in the primaries, which is a surge of people participating in the process in general. The base level of that is registration, and what you see in the numbers is that the majority of the surge is on our side."
Here's the breakdown in the seven states, as supplied by their secretaries of states and compared to 2004...
Nevada: Dems Take Registration Lead From GOP.
In this state, Registered Dems lead registered Republicans, 565,855 to 489,802. -- a lead of 76,053.
That's a turnaround from 2004, where Republicans narrowly led Dems, 434,239 to 429,808. Since then, Dems increased by 136,047, while Republicans only increased by 55,563.
********************************************
Florida: Dem Lead Edges Up.
Registered Dems lead registered Republicans, 4,453,008 to 3,954,884 -- a lead of 498,124.
In 2004, Dems led by a slightly smaller amount, 4,322,376 to 3,954,492. Since then, Dems increased their registration by 130,632, while the GOP only increased by 392.
*********************************************
Pennsylvania: Dem Lead Jumps Significantly.
Registered Dems lead registered Republicans, 4,336,224 to 3,199,837 -- a large lead of 1,136,387.
That's a significant jump from 2004, when Dems led Republicans by less than half as much, 3,985,486 to 3,405,278, Since then Dem registration has jumped a surprising 350,738, while GOP registration has plummeted by 205,441.
*********************************************
North Carolina: Dem Lead Increases.
In this reliably red state, Dems leadthe GOP by 2,714,656 to 1,952,013 -- a lead of 762,643.
That's an increase in the Dem lead from 2004, when Dems led 2,582,462 to 1,903,119. Since then, Dem registration has jumped 132,194 while GOP registration has only risen 48,894. (A caveat: Such a breakdown might mean less for the election in a Southern state, though it does help illustrate the larger trend nicely.)
************************************************
Colorado: Dems Wipe Away Most Of GOP's Advantage.
In this state, which may prove pivotal, Dems have wiped away a once-lopsided GOP advantage, with GOP registration now leading the Dems, 1,029,062 to 955,428 -- a lead of 73,634.
That lead is a significant drop from 2004, when the GOP led Dems by 1,118,597 to 942,025, a lead of 176,572. The shift was fueled by the fact that since then the number of registered GOPers has dropped by 89,535, while Dem registration has gone up 13,403.
*************************************************
New Mexico: The Dems' Sizable Advantage Edges Up.
In this state, registered Dems lead GOPers by 563,103 to 360,513 -- a lead of 202,590.
That's a very slight improvement since 2004, when Dems led the GOP by 534,794 to 339,926. Dem registration went up 28,309, while the GOP increased slightly less, 20,587.
***************************************************
New Hampshire: GOP Lead Shrinks To Almost Nothing.
In this independent-heavy state, the GOP has a very slight edge over the Dems, 268,108 to 263,217 -- a lead of 4,891.
That lead is down from 38,004 in 2004, when the GOP led Dems by 266,770 to 228,766. Since then Dem registration has jumped 34,451, while GOP registration has gone up only 1,338.
*****************************************************
A note on sourcing: All the 2008 numbers are from secretaries of states' offices. Some of the 2004 ones are from those offices, while others are taken from George Washington University's statistics archive from the 2004 election. Secretaries of State in the remaining six core battlegrounds of this election -- Virginia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Indiana -- don't keep 2008 registration numbers by party.
A few of the above numbers are a couple months old, and the numbers could change as the election approaches. But they clearly illustrate the broader trend in these fiercely contested states.
To be sure, it's not easy to predict precisely what these registration gains will translate into in November. One question is how turnout will impact the Dems' registration advantage. As it is, polls show higher enthusiasm among Dems, but a lot will come down to the campaigns' get out the vote efforts.
It's also true that the numbers of registered independents have gone up in all but one of the above states by significant margins, so that could impact the overall equation. But poll show that Obama is very competitive among indys at any rate.
In short, these registration numbers are yet another sign of a very favorable environment for Dems.
Special thanks to TPMers Eric Kleefeld and Joshua Sherman for helping to compile this.
McSame is toast. Extra burnt. 100+ EV margin for BigO. Count on it.
September 26, 2008 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
100 plus MY ASS. MUCH MORE than that bro. At the LEAST, IMO I see O garnering 293 electoral votes. at the most about 378. The polls are trending more and more towards that 378 as well. O has to turn him out and we can turn that map into a blueberry.
September 26, 2008 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, please. A bargain at any price.
September 26, 2008 6:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey hey good bye!
As many as can should vote absentee if that's the only way you can vote on paper. I am.
September 26, 2008 4:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm voting absentee, as are my wife and daughter who's away at college.
I was the lone holdout until I signed up to do voter protection legal work on election day.
September 26, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama HQ inTaos is recommending it to everyone - strongly.
September 26, 2008 4:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Unless you can vote paper on Nov 4 - and you have any reason to be concerned that your absentee ballot might be contested at the time they count absentee ballots.
I'm in a state where that applies. I'll vote early that day. And if there's any "contest" I am prepared to raise holy hell! I am fully aware that the Obama campaign and the DA's office in my county would protect me. And my city assures me my registration is fine. But I'm not taking any chances. (and I'm not being paranoid here. I've already received 2 mailers from the mcShame campaign... using an initial that does not show up in my registration - or my passport - but does in my driver's license.) Interesting little differences seem to drive republicans into a frenzy... making them think you're voting fraudulently or whatever.
September 26, 2008 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm overseas and have to use absentee ballots. Only problem I know of with absentee ballots is they don't get tallied unless the final count is close enough that the ballots would make a difference. It takes more time to tally ballots and the workers have to be paid to get them counted and verified quickly.
September 26, 2008 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm overseas and have to use absentee ballots. Only problem I know of with absentee ballots is they don't get tallied unless the final count is close enough that the ballots would make a difference. It takes more time to tally ballots and the workers have to be paid to get them counted and verified quickly.
September 26, 2008 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for tracking down and posting this information. It's very illuminating.
September 26, 2008 4:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
So, while we are on the subject of battleground states, why is Missouri not in that list to our right. The margins here are narrower than in Oregon, and we have more electoral votes than Oregon, so why is OR a "battleground" but MO not?
September 26, 2008 4:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, they've dissed some of us.
September 26, 2008 4:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Only 29 states provide voter registration by party. I can't say for sure that Missouri is one of them, but I'm guessing it is.
Here is some great work done this summer about voter registration done by Rhodes Cook, a political analyst working with Larry Sabato at UVA.
http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/article.php?id=FRC2008071701
September 26, 2008 9:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
I did some poking around on the MO Sec'y of State's web site. I couldn't find any registration stats with party-affiliation info.
I know, your point is why isn't MO on TPM's list of battleground states? Dunno, but it's a damn good point.
September 26, 2008 4:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
MO's voter registration numbers are going to provide a big November surprise, IMO.
September 26, 2008 6:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Party affiliation is not required for voters to register in Missouri. In fact, there's no place on the voter registration form for party.
That said....Obama supporters in Missouri are going door-to-door and registering voters. I'm running a personal count of those I am registering and it's 60% will be voting for Obama in November; 20% undecided and the rest are for McCain. That's not the overall population--just the folks I've registered.
One of the guys who is also registering voters in our ward gives this as his reason: "One new registered voter who will vote for Obama doubles my vote." That's very powerful, I think.
September 26, 2008 6:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. That's actually pretty freaking significant. I have to say, I was thinking for a time that NH might be looking better for McCain, but these numbers have me quite hopeful for Obama. Considering Kerry won in '04 and the Republicans outnumbered Democrats by a much larger margin. Really, that's brilliant.
September 26, 2008 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Keep up the good work, people. We not only need to register more voters but to get their asses to the polls too... excellent reason to do canvassing for the campaign, or to give to the campaign so someone else can canvass on your behalf. There's lots of work still to be done to ensure that we give McCain a good old fashioned ass-whoopin'.
September 26, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent work Greg & Co. I'm more interested in these facts than polls. Esp, daily tracking polls. They are the worse.
I guess apart from the obvious anti-republican sentiment, Obama and DNC's voter registration drives are making an impact.
My big concern is voter fraud this election. Otherwise, fact, hard numbers are totally swining our way.
September 26, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you mean voter disenfranchisement? because fraud (as it is presented by the Republicans) is nearly non-existent, but disenfranchisement is a concern. There's plenty of evidence that the Republicans are up to their old (slimy) tricks in that regard - my personal fave being the disgusting way they're trying to strip the voter lists of people on whose homes have been foreclosed.
September 26, 2008 4:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. I already read stories of voter disenfranchisement in MI. And ofcourse there are those nasty electronic voting machines I wouldn't trust for lunch money.
September 26, 2008 4:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
Trying shenanigans in WI too.
September 26, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
My husband is a retired attorney and one of his clients has a foreclosure problem but he has arranged for our client, now a single mother, to stay in the house at a low rental fee so she remains at her original address. But she is very fortunate to have a pro bono attorney to help her at this tough time. She lost her job in the downturn and is having lots of problems with staying afloat. The mortgage company has been great. We have to renegotiate every few months but so far, she is still there.
September 27, 2008 2:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Greg, I know you guys are up for a busy night but if you guys can compare the registration leads to margin of victory in each state in 2004 that would be great.
September 26, 2008 4:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
That would be Eric and his intern Josh Sherman doing the work.
September 26, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
O god yes - these numbers and the fund raising numbers say a lot more to me than polls do.
September 26, 2008 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
1) Obama's been proactive re potential voter fraud and has been sending lawyers out to swing states to challenge attempts at caging, purging actual voters from voter rolls, and the like (see: the recent incidents in Michigan).
2) In many swing states (PA, OH, VA, CO, NM, NH among others), we have Democrats in the state houses, as governors and secretaries of state.
In other words, not much to worry about on that front.
September 26, 2008 4:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Big smile!
September 26, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Tony. I wanted to say about Obama always being two steps ahead from the rest, but waited for someone more informed to present the facts. Unlike Kerry, the only other election I paid some remote attention toward, Obama has been highly impressive, always seems to think two steps ahead.
September 26, 2008 4:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm concerned about how proactive this strategy really is. I applaud the legal action but it seems to me that if Republicans can get there hands on Foreclosure lists, then Dems can too, and we should cross-reference them with Dem Registrated Voters, and use our volunteers to get these folks' registrations up to date.
It's going to be hard (impossible?) to deal with these challenges on Election Day; it would take months to find out if voters had been caged off of these lists, particularly if ballots are thrown out that come in by mail (and thus the sender is not notified.)
I'm ready to volunteer for contacting people; we just need the information in databases.
September 26, 2008 5:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seems to me you're working awful hard to have things to worry about.
There's not one fucking thing you or anyone else can do about things that haven't happened yet.
September 26, 2008 5:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Only one small issue with these numbers (especially in closed primary states like Pennsylvania):
There is no question that Obama has made great gains in registration in PA. But a certain portion (maybe 10%, I'd wager) of these "Democrats" are racists who registered to participate in the Democratic primary and vote against Obama.
September 26, 2008 4:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you have anything at all solid to back that up with? There have been rumors since the primary about Operation Chaos and all kinds of stuff and a lot of it is unfounded.
September 26, 2008 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Especially since the untold story from that bit of AP propaganda about racial attitudes was that out of the one-third of Democrats their poll claimed had "negative associations" with African Americans, fifty-eight percent said they were voting for Obama! Fifty-eight percent of the so-called "racists"!
"You keep saying that word. I do na' think it means what you think it means."
September 26, 2008 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
We seem to be returning to the landslide picture of early summer, and then some. The foolishness of the McLiar campaign is going to cost him big-time down-ticket.
And I don't think the GOP comprehends the depth of their doo.
September 26, 2008 4:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
Shhhhh.... don't clue them in....
September 26, 2008 4:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is the road to victory. We need to just to get these people to vote and vote early and the numbers will bring us the White House.
September 26, 2008 4:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
The registration battle continues. Virginia is calling in reinforcements from neighboring Maryland.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/mdhome
I'll be heading down to VA this weekend!
September 26, 2008 4:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm a MD volunteer for Obama and I was canvassing in VA Saturday. At the training session/pep talk they told us that since February the Obama campaign has registered 250k new voters in VA of which they count 80% as Dem or leaning Dem (there is no official party affiliation in VA, so this figure is likely from direct surveys of the voters by other Obama canvassers which is a major part of the canvassing effort so that GOTV efforts can be focused on Obama's supporters.)
When I was out in South Fairfax County Saturday, going door-to-door in a trailer park, I got to register a 64-year-old African-American gentleman to vote and I have to say it was the single most gratifying moment I've had in the campaign in the year I've been volunteering for Obama, including the time when I got to see Obama speak in person and shake his hand.
September 26, 2008 6:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wow. That's not a typo? Then, heckuva job Jeb/Charlie Crist/Florida Repugnants.
September 26, 2008 4:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where's Kathleen Harris gonna be when they need her?
September 26, 2008 5:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Maaco, getting a touchup.
September 26, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Giving Sean Hannity a lap dance.
September 26, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Praying for divine intervention.
Speaking of which, Laura Dern should have won an Emmy.
September 26, 2008 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Nov 4 could be a very early night.
September 26, 2008 4:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh yes! No chads, no Diebold, no Mullahs of American chooing the nation's Veep and letting the Great Jehosephat do the vetting...none of it is going to matter in 39 short days, and probably a lot sooner.
September 26, 2008 5:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
CBS has now released a 3rd clip of the Couric-Plain interview. Its pretty bad. Its to the point where i am honestly feeling bad for Gov Plain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ9bP_AqHPg
September 26, 2008 4:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
(SQUAWK!)
I love the paniky run-on sentances that are a mile long and say nothing, punctuated at one point by an Oh! as if she had suddenly remembered something that was said to her.
Are they REALLY going to let her out for a debate? Could we be that lucky?
That grating sound youe hear is the McTitanic making its hereforeto schedululed appointment with the McIceberg.
September 26, 2008 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
i couldn't listen to the entire thing. she is being used and it seems like she doesnt care. The folks in Alaska are turning on her. I would bet that she wont win re-election for governor.
September 26, 2008 5:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
The only reason Troopergate has not advanced is because the AK legislature is out of session until January. When they both return, these charges, which look like obstruction and perjery, were the same charges that impeached King Bubbuh.
The legislature, by then, I am betting now, will not be in a cheerful mood over officers of the State ordering employees to ignore legally issued subpeonas. And we've not even gotten to the actual Gate of Troopergate.
See, this is the problem with Life by Hail Mary: no plan beginning right afterwards, and unto the end of Time.
She will be impeached.
September 26, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll bet they may just up and impeach her after letting McCain's goons run roughshod over the state.
September 26, 2008 6:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm wondering what McCain can possibly do at this point. I suspect Palin will drop out of the race "for family reasons" before Thursday's debate, but then what? Mitt Romney? Lieberman? McCain should just concede now and save himself a month of wasted effort.
September 26, 2008 5:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Airhead Bimbo goes, reasons won't matter. It'll cripple McSame's campaign.
Family crisis, blah blah blah, whatever the excuse, McSame will be seen as a huge failure, and they know it. Spin can be powerful, but not that powerful. That's not spin we can believe in.
September 26, 2008 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
She leaves, she stays, he dies, Romney converts to Judaism, and Huckabee comes out of the closet. Bring. It. On.
With 39 days left, the guns are out of ammo. Tonight is not going to be pretty.
Now can we PLEASE have some governance?
September 26, 2008 5:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, she's done.
Start the 'Family emergency In Alaska' pool.
I pick the day of the debate as the day Palin exits the national stage.
Say hello to St. 9/11, VP Candidate.
September 26, 2008 5:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm not. I don't have an iota of sympathy for her. None. Zilch. Not after hearing excerpts of her convention speech (by accident mind you).
She has exceeded my expectations on the stupidity scale. I never thought someone running for VP could be so arid of intelligence. Never. McLame in my book is/was committing treason by selecting her to be a heart beat away from the Presidency.
September 26, 2008 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
She is dumber than a box of hair, my dear ones.
They can't make her ready - she does not have the mental equipment.
September 26, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
You are right - it does seem like they cannot help her. She gets worse. It is too stunning to laugh at. I have to say I have enjoyed watching Katie Couric and listening to her ask Palin questions. By the third segment Couric is speaking very slowly and clearly. I can't imagine what she is going to do at the debate. But I don't think she will leave the campaign. McCain can't let her now - that is his base - the so-called republican base. I think conservative republicans are begining to wonder where they can leave that part of thier base without them relizing it until it is too late. Remember why she was picked and even though her numbers are falling lots and lots of people say "She is just like me - she understands me and what I need". And in thier little pea brains are visions of getting invited to the White House on their Birthdays and even phone calls soliciting their opinion.
September 26, 2008 5:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think we observe the Last Screw of the rabid right by the GOP. They finally get a real believer close to the throne, and it's all "Hats Back On, Gentlemen, She's An Idiot."
After 39 more days of this, I think the fundies will return to what they used to do during elections: stay home.
September 26, 2008 5:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmm.... This hardly seems likely to me. (Snark intended.)
September 26, 2008 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
CBS has now released a 3rd clip of the Couric-Plain interview. Its pretty bad. Its to the point where i am honestly feeling bad for Gov Plain.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ9bP_AqHPg
September 26, 2008 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
And would you feel so bad if Palin was a guy?
September 26, 2008 5:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'd feel bad if Palin was a giant blood-sucking leech from Mars. There are some moments when you just squirm for the other person. As Kathleen Parker said in her piece this morning, you keep your finger on the mute button in case it gets too horrible. This is definitely too horrible.
September 26, 2008 5:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
You know - some moments are like that and I hate practical jokes and gotcha! humor mostly - but this I enjoyed immensely.
Immensely.
September 26, 2008 6:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
We live in PA and these numbers really don't surprise me.
I think a large part of it could be that registered Independents are not allowed to vote in the primaries in this state. My husband was an Independent until this year. He re-registered as a Democrat strictly so that he could vote in the primary. I'm certain he's not the only one who did so. I also know of Republicans who re-registered as Democrats so that they could vote Obama in the primary.
September 26, 2008 5:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Where's idiotic to weigh in on this?
Let's all say it together: "This is excellent news...for..."
PS: Anyone know how to get my cute as hell avatar back? It dropped off, and now the site won't let me put it back on. Has this happened to you?
September 26, 2008 5:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
Palin's interview with Couric is the gift that keeps on giving. How many topics did they cover? How many more of these gems are going to come out? God, what a train wreck.
September 26, 2008 5:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
They cut out the parts of the interview where she did really bad.
Ho, ho.
September 26, 2008 6:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you have data on Washoe County NV? That is the crucial county since rural NV will likely go McCain and Las Vegas area to Obama. Washoe (Reno/Sparks) could determine if Obama wins NV.
September 26, 2008 5:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oops... See my comment below.
September 26, 2008 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
No numbers, but the Obama campaign here in N. CA has been ramping up increasing numbers of volunteers to go canvass the Reno area every weekend (thank you Sarah Palin!). In addition, more and more new Obama volunteers are pouring into campaign offices every day for phone banking to independents and Obama supporters in NV. Like the great Dr. said, "Quick! Look through your town! Is there anyone shirking?"
If you're concerned, just walk into the nearest Obama campaign headquarters and they'll get you signed up for the neighbor-to-neighbor program.
PS. this is not a campaign message, but don't just post, GET INVOLVED!!
September 26, 2008 6:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
God how can you feel badly for someone who put themselves in that position and who flatly insisted that o yes she's ready when she wasn't and never will be?
September 26, 2008 5:25 PM | Reply | Permalink
She has to know this. Right? Maybe not. She's been betrayed, as Pat Buchanan predicted she would, and I think she faces real problems in Alaska on her return.
September 26, 2008 5:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. She's burnt bridges there. Gonna be returning to quite a bit of scorched earth.
September 26, 2008 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Huge anti-Palin rally being planned in Alaska (Juneau? Anchorage?) for Saturday.
September 26, 2008 5:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Marioth - hell if I know what she knows.
She's dumber than I realized before - but she is not improving, she's devolving.
She needs to go home.
September 26, 2008 5:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
I had actually predicted she'd be stronger than this. Even governor of a small state OUGHT to be a badge of honor.
But this...crumbling...mess...my god...
I struggle with the guilt over the desire to dance a twirling dance.
September 26, 2008 5:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'll give you free therapy for that kind of guilt!
September 26, 2008 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
And when I say "to struggle," I mean "to dance like a feind". I would actually feel guilty if she didn't bring this on herself, and by the garbage-truck full.
September 26, 2008 5:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
OT re: Cafferty on TPM front page-
Jack Cafferty for VP! Finally, someone calling a spade a spade.
WTF is this country coming to?
September 26, 2008 5:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
The best part of that segment isn't in the clip - it's what happened after the Palin bit ended. Transcript:
Beautiful. Love ya, Cafferty, you magnificent bastard.
September 26, 2008 5:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
hee hee hee
It was quite the wollop! And about time, I daresay.
September 26, 2008 5:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not only Cafferty, and that was beautiful when he jumped Wolf there - O I loved that - but the look on Katie Couric's face while Palin stumbles through that gobbletegook is priceless.
September 26, 2008 5:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Try looking here. It's active voters by county for 2008 August. There's another page for total voters, if that interests you more.
Here are some numbers for Washoe County:
86,560 R
81,343 D
28,790 I
+ others
September 26, 2008 5:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks! That checks with the NYT article for earlier this week. Close call, lots of independents.
September 26, 2008 5:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
Regarding the Couric/Palin interview - when she interviewed McCain CBS made the raw footage/whole interview available on the website - Will that be the case with the Palin interview.
Supposedly Gov. Palin was asked what was the biggest mistake Dick Cheney made and Palin replied "Shooting his friend in the face".
September 26, 2008 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah I read that.
O lordy is she stupid.
September 26, 2008 5:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
If that was her actual answer it could go viral FAST.
September 26, 2008 5:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
When I first saw that quote, it was in a transcript from Morning Joe...I thought Joe Scarborough was joking - just being his usual smart-ass self. Then I saw the video and he was serious as a heart attack. If she did say that (and I haven't seen the video where she did) that has to be the stupidest damn thing anyone's ever said ever.
September 26, 2008 6:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ok, MSNBC just unleased Nora "Infectious Laugh" O'Dennel on their new V/R "Rotunda" where the stats pop out of the floor. Very nice!
September 26, 2008 5:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
MSNBC has the two hottest female anchors. Nora and Tamron Hall.
September 26, 2008 5:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Cantessa Brewer ain't too hard on the eyes, or so I am led to believe by those among me sensitive to such curvature.
September 26, 2008 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Contessa is too moody, almost bitchy.
September 26, 2008 6:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
As I said upthread, the gift that keeps on giving. A steady drip, drip, drip of incompentence.
"OH, wait, I know this! Jobs, yeah, we gotta create jobs...OH and trade! Yeah, we gotta have trade.."
September 26, 2008 5:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm across the pond. Can someone tell me what time the debate is scheduled to start and if it will be carried live on the net?
Thx!
September 26, 2008 5:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
9pm eastern.
I'm sure CNN will stream it live, as well as some other sites.
September 26, 2008 5:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
C-Span streams. I've more often been able to access their stream and have it work than anyone else's.
September 26, 2008 5:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
November surprise: Holy s**t there are no more Republicans!
September 26, 2008 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
LOL!
September 26, 2008 5:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
At least, nobody who'll be willing to admit to it!
September 26, 2008 6:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, you know it! The GOP fractures before our eyes. Much as the old entitled Dem party fell apart last Spring.
Obama will enter a unique period of idealized redesign where none of the old (pre-net) models work, and ANYTHING is possible.
You can almost see him grab the eraser, wipe the board clean, and start again.
September 26, 2008 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
That was for BBpdx.
September 26, 2008 5:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hee hee hee! Ok whoever pointed out this morning that it wasn't K-Lo dissing Palin, but Kathleen Parker - well saddle up, cause K-Lo just chimed in:
September 26, 2008 6:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks !
It's midnite here so I suspect 3 am.
September 26, 2008 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
McFlailin' is just plain screwed. Dump Palin=screwed. Keep Palin=screwed.
McCain is UNfit for the presidency. Period.
September 26, 2008 6:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes - McLame boxed himself in totally. He's fucked no matter what.
BWAAAAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...
September 26, 2008 6:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
The only problem with your logic is you aren't taking in McCain fighter jock experience.
Remember, he was sitting in a jet waiting to take off on the Forrestal when a missle accidental misfired on deck and made the ship look like a fourth of July firework display. And he made it out in one piece.
I knew a Marine pilot that was accredited with shooting down a North Vietnam MIG using nothing but air-to-ground missiles. A million-to-one chance but he nailed the MIG using a totally unconventional approach.
All I'm saying is that fighter pilots have an uncanny knack of screwing up royally and in the process, by sheer accident, hitting the motherlode as if they knew what they were doing all along.
September 26, 2008 6:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
And don't think I'm for McCain...I'm not. He bears considerable watching until the polls close, the results are tallied and the winner announced.
September 26, 2008 6:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Whatever. Inasmuch as that is a total fantasy, I don't have to buy into it and I don't.
I'm not thinking up 5000 reasons why we won't win. I refuse to do that this time.
Just refuse. The data all says differently- it says we win, voter suppression, diebold - I don't give a shit.
September 26, 2008 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I hear ya and sure it happens. Even a blind hog can find an acorn now and then.
But, look at three "unconventional" tactics he's used to get ahead in the polls:
1. Palin-not going over the way he surely wanted, her positives are tanking.
2. Suspension of campaign- increasingly being seen as a stunt by the punditry and probably by the voters and new polls will confirm this, IMO.
3. "Cancelling" debate- I'm sure his base will spin it but...
When the swing states are moving to Obama and "red" states are moving into the competitive column, maybe "unconventional" isn't what wary voters respond to right now. Couldn't be better for Obama as the formerly *risky* choice looks like
George effing Washington now!
September 26, 2008 6:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
At what point do the fundies revolt? When she steps down? Fundies used to stay home during elections, and there's 5 weeks to go...
September 26, 2008 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
McSame=screwed
September 26, 2008 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's from the front page of TPM, by the way.
September 26, 2008 6:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Voter suppression is alive and well.
The following are recent articles on the voter suppression allegations in Dutchess County NY. As of Monday at a press conference that took place outside of the Dutchess County Board of Elections, it was disclosed that there were more than 3,000 voter registration forms that had not been processed. Many more voter registrations are expected in the coming days as the deadline of October 10th approaches. As of yesterday, my understanding is that only 100 of those had been processed. At this rate, many voter registrations will not be processed in time for the November 4th election and many people could find themselves disenfrancised this election year. This is due to the Republican Commissioner's insistance on reviewing and approving personally each individual voter registration form. If you are like me, you find this to be unacceptable and outrageous.
Reps. John Hall, D-Dover, and Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley, have urged the Dutchess County Board of Elections - especially the Republican commissioner - to expedite processing voter registration forms, according to a letter released Tuesday.
"We want to make certain that voters, especially new voters, do not encounter difficulties at the polls on Election Day," Hall and Hinchey said. "Yet we understand that several thousand registration forms that have been approved by the Democratic Commissioner of Elections have not yet been reviewed by the Republican Commissioner."
Local Democrats, represented by attorney Gary Levine, have threatened to sue Republican elections Commissioner David Gamache over what they claim is a backlog of voter registrations.
Democratic elections Commissioner Fran Knapp said her staff reviewed about 280 voter registrations Tuesday.
"The Democrats have completed the review," Knapp said. But Gamache has not, she added.
"We're getting an enormous amount of voter registrations," Knapp said, who was worried the board would not enter new voters into the system on time.
Knapp has accused Gamache of suppressing nearly 3,000 registrations. She has said she believes Gamache is wrong in thinking he must review every registration.
A backlog of voter registrations at the Dutchess County Board of Elections have local Democrats threatening to sue if significant strides in signing up voters aren't made by the end of the week.
"We will file a federal lawsuit if we don't see a substantive process in place before week's end," David Sears, a member of the New York Democratic Lawyer Council, said Monday during a press conference in front of the county Board of Elections in the City of Poughkeepsie...
Democratic elections Commissioner Fran Knapp accused Gamache of willfully suppressing nearly 3,000 registrations.
In a memo dated Sept. 11, Gamache...stated he would be the only Republican allowed to approve voter registrations until further notice...
Knapp said the directive has slowed the process.
"Since Gamache issued his directive back on Sept. 11, he has not initialed or reviewed one voter registration form," Knapp said. "His directive is a political directive designed to suppress voter registration"...
Knapp said Gamache's interpretation of election law is wrong and that he didn't have the authority to review every registration.
Knapp has instructed staff to enter all registrations into the voter database, regardless of whether they get a Republican signature, starting today.
"I have a responsibility and believe that election law supports my decision," Knapp said...
September 26, 2008 6:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Jesus Christ she's dumb. How can anyone who takes Putting Country First seriously possibly vote for this ticket.
September 26, 2008 6:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think what we should be doing is secretly registering minorities as Republicans that we know will vote Democratic. Yeah, that'll skew their numbers, but that way they are less likely to be purged from voter rolls by Republican tactics. After the election is over with they can re-register as Democrats.
September 26, 2008 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like the way you roll...
September 26, 2008 6:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
And on a related topic, read this interesting summary of the "disappeared Bradley effect"
http://election.princeton.edu/2008/09/26/the-disappearing-bradley-effect/
September 26, 2008 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
LBJs i agree wit u b,jack cafferty,keith olbermann,chris matthews,rachel maddow and shit even david letterman should b working in the white house if Barack wins!!!!
September 26, 2008 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah! But maybe those folks do more good out there in crappy media land...
September 26, 2008 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
hey by the way where is lalo35,fogu2,dembilc at i haven't heard from these guys inna while,HA!HA!HA!HA! so i take it Obama still is an empty suit heh?all talks no action,i bet u hes to liberal or hes a muslim or him and michelle r elitist or to uppity heh?
September 26, 2008 6:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
iam just waitin for those 3 to call Barack a n---er as well,republicans stand 4 repulsive egotistical perverted unprincipled backstabbing lying ignorant cowboys and neocons subversive,also much respect to the smart intelligent GOP's like sen.chuck hagel,sen.richard lugar,former new york mayor ed koch,susan eisenhower,lincoln schaffee,etc,etc!!!
September 26, 2008 6:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
MSNBC is reporting Teddy has been taken to the hospital.
September 26, 2008 7:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
god bless teddy.
all my friends are now at a cheap-shit, northern new mexico restaurant waiting for Caroline.
I am not watching the debate. Too....much....
but I can't WAIT to hear all your comments in the manana.
September 26, 2008 7:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just got a listserv email from a woman who is headed to GOTV in Denver thanks to Travel For Change..
Obamanoids pool their frequent flier miles and the needy volunteers apply
September 26, 2008 8:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great first visit to the new SF Headquarters where precinct work is being organized this weekend
This is the capital of Blue America. The Dem can get 80%+ of the vote without batting an eyelash in a state Obama should carry by 15 or so.
They're ramping up phone banking and precinct walking in every neighborhood.
They are also running a precinct and phone bank operation to Reno/Tahoe
There were 20 volunteers on the phone..weekday
Unbelievable
Unprecedented
Just imagine what's going down in BATTLEGROUND states.
September 26, 2008 8:15 PM | Reply | Permalink