Obama's Chances Rise In Three Deep-Red States
In yet another sign of Barack Obama's surge in the polls, CQ has upgraded their ratings for him in three states that have been cornerstones of the Obama campaign's strategy to expand the electoral map into states where Dems don't usually compete:
• Indiana: Previously rated "Republican Favored," now "Leans Republican." The last time this state voted Democratic was in the 1964 Lyndon Johnson landslide.
• North Carolina: Previously rated "Republican Favored," now "Leans Republican." The last time this state voted Democratic was 1976, when Jimmy Carter was the South's favorite son.
• Virginia: Previously rated "Leans Republican," is now "No Clear Favorite." Like Indiana, the last time this state voted Dem was in 1964.
From CQ's analysis: "Though the 'bounce' in polls enjoyed by Republican candidate John McCain following his nominating convention early this month briefly called this strategy into doubt, Obama's recent resurgence to a lead in most national polls -- and gains in many state polls -- has revived his party's hopes of winning in states lost by Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004."
Obama and Biden's new slogan: Do as I say, not as I do. Applies to more than charitible giving apparently.
"Based on calculations using Senate pay records posted by LegiStorm.com, a political-transparency organization, between Oct. 1, 2007, and March 31, 2008, Obama's 28 male staffers divided among themselves total payroll expenditures of $1,523,120. Obama's average male employee earned $54,397 on an annualized basis.
"Obama's 30 female employees split $1,354,580 among themselves, or $45,152, on average.
"Among Obama's top five highest-paid - and likely most senior - employees, one was female. Among his top 20, seven were women.
"All told, for every dollar that Obama paid his average male staffer, his female counterpart made just 83 cents.
"As for Biden, his 14 male staffers split a total payroll outlay of $1,077,128.40. So, Biden's average male employee earned $76,937.74 per annum.
"Biden's 27 female employees divided $1,517,874.47, or $56,217.57, on average.
"Among Biden's top five highest-paid aides, one was a woman. Among the top 20, 11 were women.
"All told, for every dollar that Biden paid his average male staffer, his female equivalent made only 73 cents."
Women in Sen. John McCain's Senate office make $1.04 for every dollar a man makes, the columnist said.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/25/inside-politics-92282970/
September 26, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wallace - how many fucking times do you have to be told that the Washington Times is owned and operated by the fucking Moonies?
How many times do you have to be told that the sources you use are bogus and have been proven bogus repeatedly?
September 26, 2008 11:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
Also, SFCWallace does not seem to be able to understand the concept of how seniority in the Senate correlates with the Member's office budget.
September 26, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh...so Senior Senators can pay equal wages to women because they have a higher budget? Did you really just say that?
September 26, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
You do understand the concept of apples and oranges right? There's no info here that details seniority, management level, etc. It just divides into males and females.
It's EQUAL pay for EQUAL work. If a man in my office has 10 years experience on me and all other things being equal, I fully expect him to make more money than me. There's nothing wrong with that. Stop trying to start shit....
September 26, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
If the numbers fell the other way it would be proof that McCain was a woman hater...
September 26, 2008 11:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
Great. So you admit the Moonie Times is full of crap. My work is done.
September 26, 2008 11:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
If that helps you sleep at night, go for it...
September 26, 2008 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, if you can sit there and say that their analysis is intellectually honest and proves anything, then I guess we all know that you truly are a troll.
September 26, 2008 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
No, but the fact that he called his wife a cunt in front of reporters suggests that he is ...
September 26, 2008 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is also a fact that members of Congress have exempted themselves from equal employment opportunity legislation. All members of Congress can hire whomever they want and pay whatever they want and discriminate on whatever basis they want and their employees have no legal recourse.
The civil service is a completely different issue, and is subject to federal hiring and wage guidelines.
September 26, 2008 12:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does that mean this info is incorrect? Much like the Edwards scandal was false because it was only in the Enquirer?
September 26, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
You dumb son of a bitch - the Edwards story was true because John Edwards admitted it - not because the Enquirer said so.
Jesus dude - give it up.
September 26, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
What I'm trying to ask you, that you pretend to not undestand, is: just because it's in the Wash times does that mean it's not true?
September 26, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, let me turn that around and see if you can figure out the answer for yourself - one tends to remember it better if one figures it out for oneself -
If it was printed in the Jehovah's Witness publication Watchtower, would you still be asking me to prove it isn't true?
Goddamn!
September 26, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
I didn't ask you to prove it isn't true...as I recall I didn't ask you anything at first...I know you are a lawyer and hate to actually "answer" a question (which may be one of the reasons you are so drawn to Obama) but I just find it interesting that Obama/Biden/Most liberals in Washington keep getting nailed with stuff like this...it's like Al Gore and his massive carbon footprint... Liberals leaders are so good at telling everyone else what they should be doing and don't practice it themselves.
September 26, 2008 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
They didn't get "nailed" with anything. You've proven nothing with this crappy analysis done by a right-wing rag. I understand you right-wingers love of "truthiness"...but for those of us who live in a fact-based world, it doesn't mean anything.
September 26, 2008 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
"but for those of us who live in a fact-based world, it doesn't mean anything."
Yeah, a well reasoned fact based world where "Hope and Change" is all you need...
September 26, 2008 11:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
And a website full of position papers. By the way, where's McCain's plan for the bailout? Oh, that's right....he doesn't have one.
September 26, 2008 12:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain has a plan and he executed on it... "HE BAILED OUT"
September 26, 2008 1:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not necessarily, but I would say that it's highly suspect because of its bias. See my post above....it's a shoddy analysis.
September 26, 2008 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
SFC Wallace: You really don't care what is true and who wrote it. You just want her to talk dirty to you. Admit it and then dgo away.
September 26, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
lol...she does curse like a sailor sometimes...
September 26, 2008 1:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, thanks for the vote of confidence in the Enquirer's reporting vis Palin...
September 26, 2008 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
You do realize, SFC, that the government sets the pay rates for women in Senate offices?
And that the opposite pay gap exists in the situation where Obama has actual control over salaries, his campaign?
September 26, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Nothing to see here, just move along. Honestly, what's the point in responding to trolls? It only encourages them. Never mind that these "statistics" have already been called into question by Jake Tapper and others. Folks like SFC(related to George?)Wallace who get their information from Washington Times or Faux News aren't going to be influenced by anything reported by a reputable news source.
TPM should add the option to flag a post for "trolling"; that way, we could all just click the troll button and move on.
September 26, 2008 12:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Does it get tiring fighting straw men all the time?
The principle that Democrats fight for is "equal pay for equal work," not "the glorious revolution where men and women will be paid the same regardless of what work they do."
This may be hard for you to grasp, but when we say that it's wrong that women make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes in the same job, that figure is calculated by comparing equal work, not by just averaging the salaries of all men and women in the country.
September 26, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's equal pay for equal work. "Staffers" is not a job title and covers a lot of positions under the umbrella term. If you can show me a male making 20% more than a female with equal seniority and job detail then I'll take notice.
September 26, 2008 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
He/she's good, I'll give him/her that much.
He, and thanks.
But a total tool? Absolutely.
(guess I thanked too soon)
Real message: Obama's starting to pull even or ahead in many places, and SFWallace's handlers are worried.
Don't have any "handlers" just a small set of "love handles."
How come all the "McCain's going to debate" posters aren't trolls? This thread is about polls remember?
September 26, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, wrong reply(edit function: The only thing that is truely non-partisan).
September 26, 2008 1:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
What is amazing is the frantic attempts to distract from the fact that McCain is going to lose.
September 26, 2008 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Look! Quick! Shiny!
September 26, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
What's funny is that it isn't even that shiny of a ball, but ol' Sarge here is all up in arms about it. He should just stick to accusing him of being an arugula-eating black separatist latte-sipping communist Muslim who wants your kindergarten-age kids to have sex while using a tire gauge to improve their tricycle mileage.
September 26, 2008 12:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
...your assessment of "up in arms" is a little off...but I know you just wanted to get a dig in so have at it.
September 26, 2008 12:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
You actually take as fact the shitstorm of dumbassery that is the Moonie Times? Why are you even on TPM? Shouldn't you be prowling around RedState?
September 26, 2008 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
...I'm sure the gang on RedState already read it before I did...
September 26, 2008 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Change memes much?
With all that's going on, your idiot's stunt in flames and the economy "cratering" we've now turned to tackling the bigger crisis: equal pay.
A time and a place for folks like you, wallace ... right now, under the garbage can lid.
September 26, 2008 12:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
And what does this have to do with the polls? Dude, just because you don't like what's posted doesn't mean you need to spam us with stuff like this. Create your own thread so that we can discuss it. Presenting it this way isn't inviting discussion at all.
September 26, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Seems to be a lot of "uninvited" discussion going on then...
September 26, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you call that discussion. Doesn't take away from the fact that your post had nothing to do with the topic at hand.
September 26, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
4 posts below on the debate being "on" and 1 about Palin being more corrupt than Stevens...what are the chances they get desinated as "Trolls?" I betting zero.
September 26, 2008 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
My brain sure is slowing down. I'm having trouble remembering which Dems were the most vocal in pooh-pooing Obama's 50-state strategy.
September 26, 2008 11:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm getting burned out too. Could it be their names start with a "C" and end with an "n"? Please fill in the rest for me...I need more coffee.
September 26, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'll be honest, the first name that came to mind was Rahm Emanuel.
September 26, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes. Thanks!
September 26, 2008 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Speaking of non-sequiturs, when do you guys think Obama will bring Samantha Power back?
September 26, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
She is already back, no? I am fairly certain that I saw her on some show on PBS as the Obama team's point person for the matter they were discussing.
September 26, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, really?!
I had no idea. I hope you're right.
September 26, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think we're seeing the tipping point where moderate Republicans are saying enough and getting off the McCain bus. If this keeps up the 50 state strategy really is going to be a 50 state win.
September 26, 2008 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
If you are going to talk horse race, Greg, you should honestly keep an eye on (if not highlight everyday) the tracking and analysis done at FiveThirtyEight.com. It is far more scientific, based in solid statistics, and their methodology is pretty impressive.
September 26, 2008 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Josh is negotiating with Nate right now. TPM EC will post a daily summary of what's on 538 if they will do the same for what's on TPM.
September 26, 2008 11:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's Eric, not Greg posting.
September 26, 2008 12:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
I am imagining already how the pundits are going to have to twist and turn to avoid calling the election for Obama right off the bat when he brings in some combination of VA, FL and OH on election night.
September 26, 2008 11:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
well you see California might go red furthermore,
September 26, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
If OH, VA & FL are all called for Obama, then not even Hugh Hewitt will pretend there is a way McCain can win.
September 26, 2008 11:57 AM | Reply | Permalink
Heck, if he gets OH or FL, he won't even need the others.
If Obama gets two out of PA, OH and FL, he wins. If he just gets one (i.e. PA), then he'll need CO or VA.
September 26, 2008 12:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Per MSNBC McCain will debate tonight.
September 26, 2008 11:28 AM | Reply | Permalink
O well, that solves everything.
Gee, wouldn't it be cool if the crowd booed McLame off the stage and out of the debate?
September 26, 2008 11:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
oooh, that would be niiice!
September 26, 2008 11:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I hope so. What a signal moment in the YouTube era that would make!
September 26, 2008 11:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Won't happen. MS is my next door neighbor. They love Gov. Haley. W. stickers are still abundant down here. Even though the debate setting is a university, it's Ole Miss we're talking about...
September 26, 2008 11:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hopefully, this reflects voters waking up and realizing what a train wreck McShame is.
September 26, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
McLiar is going to the debate. After all his grandstanding about not attending if no bailout deal was reached he is now going and no deal has been reached. I can't believe anyone could vote for this loon. He has demonstrated time and time again that he is nuts.
September 26, 2008 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
DEBATE: IT'S BACK ON!
per drudge
per me: was it ever off?
September 26, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
Here's what residents of Indiana, Virginia, and North Carolina are starting to think: "I would not vote for someone who'd run the country the way McCain has run his campaign this week."
September 26, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
Can we put Georgia on that list?
PUHLEEEZE?
Libertarian home boy Bob Barr could siphon off some votes from McRidiculous, and..and..a meteor could strike the Earth and knock some sense into people and...
Ah, forget it.
Maybe 2408.
Sigh.
September 26, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Can we put Georgia on that list?"
...not if I have anything to do with it! As a matter of fact, GA 8 is going back to our side and maybe GA 12.
September 26, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Goodie. Keep spending time speaking with your base and drumming up votes you already have in the bag. Sounds like a McCain strategy to me!
September 26, 2008 12:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Since GA is the only place I'm allowed to vote, I'll keep working it here...thanks for the advice.
September 26, 2008 1:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
Now I know what causes my deep aversion to you. You must be my neighbor, the red neck retard that rips of my Obama signs and deprives me of my First Amendment rights. You must be the guy that still hangs on to those Anti-Christ emails and has his head deep in BillO's butt. I know your kind. We will rid Georgia of you and your kind. I am working hard for that. You and those like you are anti-American, anti-democracy and unfit to live among humans. You deserve to lose you houses, your jobs and your sons in Iraq, you asked for it. And if you and your kind messes with me much longer I shall exercise my Second Amendment rights when you sneak on to my property under the cover of darkness.
September 26, 2008 1:38 PM | Reply | Permalink
...not even close (maybe the neighbor part was) I don't take down anyone's signs, cuz I don't want mine touched. I've never recieved the "anti-christ" email and probably wouldn't bother reading it. I'm not a "redneck" but I do burn easily so it sometimes is really red. I'm pro-America and pro-Representitive Republic (what you refer to as Democracy) and very fit for a 45 year old human (thanks to 24 of those years being spent in the Army). I won't lose my house or my job because I go to work, do what's required of me and pay my bills. I haven't lost a son in Iraq but have lost some very close friends. Me and my kind aren't the ones "sneaking on to your property under the cover of darkness" but if it wasn't for me and my kind you wouldn't have a second ammendment right to exercise.
Respectfully,
Your neighbor.
September 26, 2008 2:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, GA was polling close-ish until the Palin pick. Had McCain picked someone not so conducive to the social-conservative wing (say, Giuliani), it'd probably be on that list.
As I read it, GA is similar to NC but with one super-massive urban center as opposed to several smaller urban centers. Both can be flipped blue with a long-term focus on local organizational development (today's school-board members are tomorrow's state senators are next week's Congresscritters and Governors)-- which is of course exactly what Dean and Obama are doing. If Obama wins and either retains Dean himself or installs a 50-state-campaign adherent as head of the DNC (what are the DNC's rules regarding DNC head term limits?), we could see Georgia go blue for Obama's successor in 2016.
September 26, 2008 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Georgia won't go Blue without a 48 state landslide...49 being Missippi and 50 being Idaho.
September 26, 2008 1:07 PM | Reply | Permalink
Palin just as corrupt as Ted Stevens, according to The Washington Post.
accepted gifts valued at
$25,367 from industry executives, municipalities and a cultural center
whose board includes officials from some of the largest mining
interests in the state, a review of state records shows.
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/09/palin-on-the-take-just-like-te.php
The 41 gifts Palin accepted during her 20 months as governor include
honorific tributes, expensive artwork and free travel for a family
member. They also include more than $2,500 in personal items from
Calista, a large Alaska native corporation with a variety of pending
state regulatory and budgetary issues, and a gold-nugget pin valued at
$1,200 from the city of Nome, which lobbies on municipal, local and
capital budget matters, documents show.
September 26, 2008 12:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Ivory Puffin Mask is key here. Pastor Muthee exorcised her of the effects of withcraft BEFORE the gift
Take it from a Louisiana man...dere be some bad ass gris-gris in dat tang
September 26, 2008 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's a well-fed troll, that SFCWallace is!
September 26, 2008 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was thinking that same thing. It was like Old Country Buffet up there!
September 26, 2008 12:45 PM | Reply | Permalink
...I prefer Ryan's...better dessert bar.
September 26, 2008 1:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
If everyone would just ignore Wallace and his isanity, he'd be forced to troll elsewhere. Why respond and give him the satisfaction?
September 26, 2008 12:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
SFWallace is a troll, and as is his/her job, he/she has completely derailed this thread into focusing on him/her distraction and not on the OP, which is that Obama's climing in the polls in some red states.
He/she's good, I'll give him/her that much.
But a total tool? Absolutely.
Real message: Obama's starting to pull even or ahead in many places, and SFWallace's handlers are worried.
September 26, 2008 12:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
He/she's good, I'll give him/her that much.
He, and thanks.
But a total tool? Absolutely.
(guess I thanked too soon)
Real message: Obama's starting to pull even or ahead in many places, and SFWallace's handlers are worried.
Don't have any "handlers" just a small set of "love handles."
How come all the "McCain's going to debate" posters aren't trolls? This thread is about polls remember?
September 26, 2008 1:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Shoot, I came to this story and found not only an endless list of troll-and-response comments, but a misleading headline as well. Indiana, Virginia, and NC may have been fairly consistent in the past in presidential races, but they're hardly "deep-red"; they've been on Obama's target list all along. More significantly, Hagan is now consistently polling ahead of Dole in NC.
September 26, 2008 1:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Wikipedia has a higher degree of accuracy than the Washington Times.
September 26, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
McCain, while married to a crippled woman, starts an affair with a 26-year-old bimbo, gets a marriage license to marry the bimbo before he is divorced, and has an affair with a lobbyist. But the Moonies think he is great on women's issues. Maybe they can include JohnnieMac in their next mass wedding.
September 26, 2008 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
A Hoosier friend of mine is set to phone-bank next week, but is nervous about how she'll be received. I have sent her a link to this piece for encouragement!
September 26, 2008 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink