Elections

The people who frequent this blog need no further encouragement to vote on November 7.

However, if you know someone who doesn't really know who's running in the fall's elections, or can't distinguish between Mark Martin the Supreme Court candidate and Mark Martin the NASCAR driver, please consider directing them to a new non-commercial web site, www.yallvote.com.

The site contains the most comprehensive list of web sites for candidates running for North Carolina state and local offices (including all 100 counties - which doesn't necessarily seem like a lot until you build 100 separate web pages for them). Other features include links to voter registration forms, a blog to debate voter turnout issues, an "Election Alarm Clock" reminder, and other links to relevant sites.

I owe all of you an apology. I've recently railed and ranted about the lack of Democratic support in NC's 3rd Congressional.

Perhaps it's choosing the wrong candidate to run against Walter B. Jones, Jr., perhaps it's lack of resources or maybe a need to concentrate on the 'easily winnable' districts (although we know that NC 8 and 11 will not be easy to win), but I'm sure that there's a logic behind the Party's decisions.

I've acted as a spoiled child that didn't get his pudding after dinner.

For that, I apologize.

I have plenty of friends who live down east and they all just loooove to make fun of Chapel Hill. They fondly remember ol' Jesse Helms, who once said the state should put a fence around the town instead of building a new zoo in Asheboro. As I long-time resident of Blue Heaven, I sometimes share Jesse's sentiments, especially when it comes to local politics.

But I've never seen anything in Chapel Hill to compare with the political shenanigans brewing in Kinston these days. It's a soap opera comparable to Daze of our Lives, with enough high drama to take your breath away.

I remember the November, 2004, like a deep, dull toothache. After months of hard work and more fundraising events than I ever thought possible, I made the mistake of getting my hopes up. I couldn't believe the American people could be so stupid as to fall for George Bullsh*t's lies again - and I actually had optimism about our collective future. That's a mistake I'm never going to make again.

Which is why I'm getting nervous with so many prognosticators writing about how vulnerable the Goopers are. Even when their logic is impeccable and completely well-reasoned, I'm not buying it. No matter who's painting the rosy picture.

Cross posted at Mydd.com. Kissell's situation may be a little different, where he needs to put CAFTA CAFTA and CAFTA in every spot, but you get the idea.

I'm tired. I'm frustrated. I'm probably, like a lot of you, fed up with the rerun that plays every other September called "Democrats Run for Cover While Republicans Beat Us Like Red-headed Stepchildren" So to any Democrat listening, and especially to any Democrat that's in charge of Messaging for a campaign, it's time to put up or shut up.

Here's a refresher for what's happened just since Labor Day

I’m a big believer in grassroots politickin’. So much so, that I’ve been spending my Saturdays going door-to-door with candidates across North Carolina – something I’ll be doing each Saturday between now and the election.

While I spend a lot of time raising money and communicating through paid and free media, I know that there’s just no substitute for having a real conversation with voters about the things that trouble them.

That’s why here in North Carolina we have established a Training Committee that’s been hard at work teaching people the basics. So far they’ve trained over 500 people in 25 counties. And between now and the election, they’re expected to reach another 300 people.

Recently, this committee – under the leadership of Jeff Marsocci and Beth Secosky – produced an outstanding video on how to do door-to-door canvassing. Whether you’re new to this, or an old-timer, you should check it out. Watch it at www.engagingthegrassroots.com.

I hope you’ll be out there canvassing with me between now and November 7th.

Well, there's a first time for everyone...

Today, over at Facing South, Chris Kromm quotes from a Mother Jones article about threats to voting rights around the country.

Of the 11 examples they cite, 7 are in the South. #2 on the list is right here in North Carolina.

A new analysis on the Democratic Party's election strategy is set for release next month and it promises to start a debate over future election strategy's taken by national Democratic Party organizations/candidates. Thomas F. Schaler in, Whistling Past Dixie, How Democrats Can Win Without the South, argues that the south is no longer a swing region of the country and Democrats need not waste their time campaigning to win in this region.

Reading excerpts from the text, Schaller believes the Democrats should abandon strategies that attempt to win southern states and replace them with a greater focused effort on winning throughout the Midwest and Southwest. He further argues, that after winning in the Midwest and Southwest, Democrats will develop a record of governing accomplishments that can be taken to other areas of the country in an attempt to sway voters to the party fold.

  

It'll be a big day down in Kinston tomorrow when Pope Puppet Willie Ray Starling goes head-to-head with wingnut Steven LaRoque in a rematch that will be the first test of the Puppetmaster's imperial staying power. As you may know, a "do-over" was ordered by the SBOE after voting irregularities threw the integrity of the election into doubt. (This particular do-over has nothing to do with Art Pope's alleged electioneering, except for the fact that Willie Ray would have been burnt, crumbly toast if the Puppetmaster hadn't been pulling his strings.)

Greetings Fellow Brother & Sister BlueNC’ers!!!

I thought I would just up date you on State Senator John Snow’s visit to Robbinsville today. Well, Sen. Snow , his Campaign Mgr. Jonathan Ducote and I left from my place a little before 12:30pm. This in turn just about gave me a massive heart attack when we arrived at our first stop and no one much was there! Low & Behold we were 15 minutes early when I checked the time. So as Jonathan checked up on e-mail , I made introductions and a few calls to let folks know we had arrived and slowly but surely the crowd gathered

This was defiantly a crowd of supporters as one of the first questions I was asked was What do I need to do & When do you need me to work the phones! Of course, this being my first active outing with the Senator & Jonathan it was defiantly a learning experience for me! However we did have a good crowd of folks for the Senator to explain the issues and what he hoped to accomplish to. I even had the pleasure of introducing my Mother & Father to him and I think I did say ,”Don’t believe anything they tell you about me”! HAHA!