U.S. Representative Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) is not alone!

You remember Ms. Bachmann; she's the 6th District Representative from Minnesota who went over the top talking to Chris Matthews of Hardball, calling for a return to McCarthyism. She went so far in her demagoguery that General Colin Powell singled her out in his remarks after his Meet the Press endorsement of Senator Obama's candidacy, as has been widely documented.

Her remarks were so out of step with even her gerrymandered district that not only is her her Democratic challenger (Tinklenberg) suddenly awash in donations, her former Republican opponent during the primary said Bachmann had dishonored her office and reentered the race as a write-in candidate. Republicans, Democrats, journalists, people from all walks of life and every political stripe have rejected her smear-mongering.

But she's still got one supporter.

During a debate sponsored by the League of Women Voters that aired state-wide, the Democratic challenger in MN CD #2, Sgt. Steve Sarvi, asked incumbent Rep. John Kline if he would denounce Ms. Bachmann’s outrageous comments; does Kline agree that some Democratic members of Congress are “anti-American” and should be investigated? Does he believe the millions of people who have voted for these public servants also are “anti-American”?

We don’t know because Kline wouldn’t answer the question. Instead, Representative Kline dodged like an old-school politician who expects few are paying attention; he tried to change the subject. He doesn't want to go on the record as disapproving of smears and innuendos. In my book that's tacit approval. Edmund Burke noted centuries ago, that, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing." This is not the time for watching quietly, or doing nothing.

It wouldn't have required much bravery for John Kline to agree with the Colin Powell (among other life-long Republicans) to say Bachmann's remarks have gone too far, but he couldn't even pick a side in the situation. He couldn't give Sarvi, or the voters of Minnesota, a straight answer.

As Republican Representatives from Minnesota, Kline and Michelle Bachmann have nearly identical voting records. Some even regard Kline as her obvious mentor. I regard Kline's unwillingness to either condemn her outrageous remarks or take the side of one of his closest allies as a sign it's time for fresh leadership in the 2nd Congressional District of MN, not just Bachmann's 6th. I urge you to contact your friends and family in Minnesota, to make sure they realize how these two view patriotism, and to help sweep new energy into the legislature on November 4th by donating to their campaigns today.

"We have got to stop this kind of nonsense, pull ourselves together, and remember that our great strength is in our unity and in our diversity. "

~General Colin Powell (Ret.)

Here are the two links: to help Sgt. Steve Sarvi unseat John Kline, and
to help Elwyn "El" Tinklenberg unseat Michelle Bachmann.

Muslim McCain Supporters and Campaign Staffer Reject Anti-Muslim Bigot

This is a video to watch if you need to have your faith in America restored. It features a man issuing a terrible protest against Muslims and Senator Obama, only to be confronted first by the journalist with the American News Project, and then other McCain supporters.

Obama Up By 11 Points In Gallup Daily ; 8 Points In DailyKos Poll

According to The Gallup Daily Tracking Poll for Monday, October 20th, Senator Barack Obama has a wide 11 point lead over Senator John McCain and has an eight point lead in the DailyKos daily tracking poll.

Question For Senator McCain on Black Relatives - For The Situation Room on CNN

Monday, October 20th edition of the South Florida Times reports that your Black relatives have an event called "The Coming Home Reunion" and that each member of your family has attended, including your brother Joe, except you.

In 2000 you claimed that your family did not own slaves; in the article your Black relatives dispute this. Is that why you don't attend the event, and can you shed light on this matter?

Thank you and thanks for your service to our country.

Push Poll

I received the following email and am reprinting all of the info here, with permission. It's instructive to see what's really happening. Note: the respondent does not really believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim (but as Colin Powell says, so what if he were?). Several groups, listed below, are calling for a return call campaign to jam the phone lines of this push polling organization.

Dear friends,

I just received a presumably McCain push poll on my cell phone. The push poll was as follows:

* Push Poll (PP): Are you intending to vote in the 2008 presidential election?
o Me: Yes
* PP: Do you intend to vote for John McCain?
o Me: No
* PP: Do you intend to vote for Barack Obama?
o Me: Yes
* PP: Do you want a strong President who will manage the economy?
o Me: Yes
* PP: Did you know about Barack Obama's affiliations to Fannie Mae and Fannie Mac and that most of his contributors are Washington lobbyists representing the corrupt firms that caused the financial crisis?
o Me: Yes
* PP: Does this make you less likely to vote for Barack Obama?
o Me: No
* PP: Did you know about Barack Obama's affiliation to terrorist Bill Ayers and to the fraudulent voter registration organizationAcorn?
o Me: Yes
* PP: Does this make you less likely to vote for Barack Obama?
o Me: No
* PP: Are the values of the candidates important for you in this election?
o Me: Yes
* PP: Did you know that Obama is a muslim?
o Me: Yes
* PP: Does this make you less likely to vote for Barack Obama?
o Me: No
* PP: We are going to ask you a series of questions about your demographics. Is this ok? o Me: Yes
* PP: What is your age?
o Me: 34
* PP: (Inaudible)
o Me: (Silence)
* PP: Thank you very much for taking time to answer the survey of the Political Action Committee for Change (not sure, if this was the name or not). This is an independent survey and is not affiliated with the political campaigns of John McCain or Barack Obama. (End of call)
The number was registered on my caller ID as the following: 703-263-2155, Let's call this number and shut it down! :-)

UPDATE:You should read the comments on my blog entry in dailykos.com at http://www.dailykos.com/storyo... * Someone named NH Flaming Moderate (http://www.dailykos.com/user/uid:154372) claimed to have been called from that number today, but she was unable to answer because she was at a soccer game.

* Another person named Ballerina X (http://www.dailykos.com/user/uid:97334) claims the caller ID read "Perry Elaine."

* Another person named jgilhousen (http://www.dailykos.com/user/uid:108731) claimed the location was "Herndon VA" and said that "there are several marketing/political research companies there, any of whom could be the culprit." Another person says the caller ID read: PUBSRV 2008.

* Someone named Msanger (http://www.dailykos.com/user/uid:85832) received the same exact call in Georgia at 4.30 pm Saturday.

* If you google Elaine Perry, she does voice overs: http://voice123.com/elaineperry Also, there have been twelve complaints registered against this phone number online: * http://www.callercomplaints.co...AND * http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Nu...On these lists of complaints, one person who answered the calls said they were repeated calls by the Huckabee campaign.

The Mormons for Obama on Yahoo Groups have organized a concerted effort to call the number en mass. They said they were initially getting a voice mail but now are actually getting a busy signal.

Someone in the Feminists for Obama Yahoo Group wrote:
All I could find out about that number is that it is a verizon phone and it is in Centerville, VA. If you want to find out the persons name and address, you have to pay 40 bucks. I tried calling and it just kept ringing. You may want to check with verizon though.

A fellow Truman Scholar wrote me 15 minutes ago to say:
Based on other comments I've found online, I think this is the organization that pays for those calls:http://www.americansincontact.org/

Texas A&M Newspaper Endorses Obama; First Dem In 50 Years

The Bryant / College Station Eagle Newspaper of Texas A&M shocks the world and endorses the first Democrat for President in 50 years, Senator Barack Obama. Here's the editorial that took Andrew Sullivan by surprise:

Barack Obama is the better choice for president

In the past 50 years, The Eagle has never recommended a Democrat for president. We made no recommendations in 1960 and 1964 -- when Texas' own Lyndon B. Johnson was on the Democratic ticket -- nor did we in 1968 -- although we did praise Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey's position on the Vietnam War. We did not in 1976 and 1980. In 1972, The Eagle recommend Richard Nixon, in 1984, Ronald Reagan. We recommended George H.W. Bush in 1988 and 1992 and his son in 2000. We recommended Bob Dole in 1996.
Four years ago, the Editorial Board couldn't recommend George W. Bush for a second term, but we also couldn't recommend Sen. John Kerry either, so we made no choice.

This year is different, in large part because of the very difficult challenges facing this nation after eight years of a failed Bush administration. We are faced with a choice between Sen. John McCain, who claims to be an agent of change but promotes the policies of the past, and Sen. Barack Obama, who also wears the change mantle, but offers a vision for the future, even if he has yet to fully explain how he would carry out that vision if elected president in little more than two weeks.

Every 20 or 30 years or so, a leader comes along who understands that change is necessary if the country is to survive and thrive. Teddy Roosevelt at the turn of the 20th century and his cousin Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan -- these leaders have inspired us to rise to our better nature, to reach out to be the country we can be and, more important, must be.

Barack Obama is such a leader. He doesn't have all the answers, to be sure, but at least he is asking the right questions. While we would like more specificity on his plans as president, we are confident that he can lead us ever forward, casting aside the doubts and fears of recent years.

John McCain is a great American, no question. He served his country with honor in the Navy - enduring five years of hell in a North Vietnamese prison -- and he has represented Arizona and, indeed, the country well in the Senate. He has been a maverick at times, but his unbridled support for the Iraq War shows a lack of understanding at the weariness of the military and the country to remain much longer in a country unwilling or unable to govern itself.

Perhaps Obama won't be able to bring American men and women safely home from Iraq in the promised 16 months, but at least he is willing to make the effort.

Also of great concern is McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate. Like Obama, she has little experience in governing, but unlike the Illinois senator, she is a candidate of little intellectual curiosity who appears to be hopelessly unready to be president. The fact that people are confused by the difference between Palin and comedian Tina Fey's caustic impersonation is clear evidence that Palin should not be, as they say, a heartbeat away from the presidency.

We also are dismayed by the tenor of the McCain-Palin campaign. If their goal is to severely wound an Obama presidency should that come to pass, they are dangerously close to succeeding.

It is time for America to look to its future with hope and optimism. It is time to say we can be better. It is time to redefine who we will be as a leader of nations.

With hope in our hearts and confidence in our choice, The Eagle recommends a vote for Barack Obama for president.

The Palin Plunge: Voters Sour On McCain VP Pick

The more voters learn about Sarah Palin, the more wary they become. Once the focus of post-convention Republican euphoria, the Alaska Governor is now viewed as a serious liability to the McCain campaign.Her favorable to unfavorable ratings have switched from a positive 40-30, to a negative 32-41.

read more | digg story

In NC: Obama slams McCain for calling him a "socialist"

Obama in NC

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BREAKING: Head of GOP Voter Reg. Outift Arrested

Head of California GOP voter registration outfit charged with voter registration fraud, according to CA Sec. of State's office. The firm, YPM, also under investigation in several states for allegedly illegally switching thousands of registrations from Democratic to Republican...

read more | digg story

Colin Powell Destroys McCain's Negative Smear Campaign

From Ayers to using "Muslim" as a smear, Bachmann to the socialism charges, Powell gives a bit of straight talk. Thank you for some real honesty.

read more | digg story

Colin Powell Destroys McCain's Negative Smear Campaign

From Ayers to using "Muslim" as a smear, Bachmann to the socialism charges, Powell gives a bit of straight talk. Thank you for some real honesty.

read more | digg story

Joe The Plumber - Palin On SNL - Obama Draws 100,000

This is my blog report on "Joe The Plumber", where I point out that he's actually not part of of the labor force, but a member of the growing underground economy in America.

Then I praise Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's appearance on Saturday Night Live and state that she's got the wrong job -- she should be a political comedian.

Finally I look at what is the largest crowd in American Political history. 100,000 people came out in St. Louis to see Senator Barack Obama.