We'll start with an ABC News report saying that Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist will not attend a Florida campaign rally with President Bush. This story is already racing through the mainstream media news sites. According to ABC News:
Crist insists that backing out of the appearance was not a snub at the president but a campaign necessity, and he emphasized his need to spend time in major television markets and more competitive parts of the state, where his lead could be stronger.
Whatever the reason, the fact that Crist was willing to pass up an opportunity to share the stage with Bush speaks volumes about the president's popularity — or lack thereof — this campaign season.
Who will stand by the president's side in Florida? In addition to his brother and first lady Laura Bush, he'll have Rep. Katherine Harris, who is more than 20 points down in her bid for the Senate against Democratic incumbent Bill Nelson.
I'd say that Crist pulling out at the last minute is not making the president happy. Of course, Karl Rove is "a little uppity" at Crist's sudden cancellation of his campaign appearance with President Bush.
CNN is now projecting President Bush's popularity at 35 percent, "with 41 percent of likely voters saying their disapproval of his performance will affect their vote in Tuesday's elections for control of Congress." CNN is also stating that the war in Iraq could be the single most important issue that tips the control of Congress to the Democrats.
The Los Angeles Times has a fascinating article contrasting the voter turnout strategies between the Democrats and Republicans. The Republicans engage in a turnout strategy based on niche-marketing, engaging in voter outreach through the use of computerized micro-targeting of potential voters using a vast database the GOP has built up over the years. While the Democrats are trying to build their own program of niche-marketing, along with creating a database of potential Democratic voters, the main Democratic strategy appears to be repeating the same message--Iraq is a mess. The Republicans and President Bush got us into this mess. It is time for a change. The big question is which strategy will work tomorrow?
MSNBC is reporting that the Republicans might just maintain control of the Senate. MSNBC is claiming that the races in Montana, Missouri, Rhode Island and Virginia have been tightening, where the polls are showing a virtual tie in the Senate races of all four states. In Tennessee, MSNBC is reporting that Republican Bob Corker currently has a 12-point lead over Democrat Harold Ford, 50 percent to 38 percent with 9 percent still undecided. McClatchy also reports that the Republicans could maintain control of the Senate, citing the same MSNBC poll numbers.
Saddam Hussein's execution and American politics. With Saddam's execution verdict announced just two days before the election, there has been some speculation over whether President Bush or the Republicans were involved in the timing of this verdict as a means to benefit the Republicans before the election. MSNBC looks the history Republican's involvement with Hussein during the Reagan administration. Media Matters reports that the Saddam verdict may have also been postponed until before the election, citing evidence of the Bush administration's "history of timing national security-related actions to the political calendar." The Nation also questions the timing of this Saddam verdict, noting that it is "the last full news-cycle day in the US before the elections." And finally, The New Zealand Herald saying that the Saddam verdict was "rigged for Bush."
The New York Times reports a disturbing story where the Republicans are using an automated telemarketing ploy which steers voters towards Republican candidates. In other words, it is an automated version of the "push poll--a campaign tactic that is often criticized as deceptive because it involves calling potential voters under the guise of measuring public opinion, while the real intent is to change opinions with questions that push people in one direction or the other." In fact, there are a number of reports coming out regarding voter supression by the Republicans. Reports are starting to come out that the Republican senator George Allen's campaign is using voter suppression tactics against Democrat Jim Webb. There are a number of diary postings on Daily Kos regarding the Republican Party's use of robo-calls against potential Democratic voters. The Republican Party's robo-call scam is becoming widespread. Here's a Times-Herald-Record story reporting that the Republican's robo-calls are taking place in New York's 19th Congressional District against Democrat John Hall. The Chicago Tribune is also looking into the story. CBS News is reporting that this GOP robo-call scam has been launched in 53 competitive House races. Philadelphia Daily News reporter Jill Porter has written a personal column on how the GOP robo-call are making her sick. This is a big scandal that is just starting to break out against the Republicans. WMUR Channle 9 in New Hampshire is reporting GOP robo-calls taking place against 2nd Congressional District Democratic challenger Paul Hodes. Talking Points Memo has been all over this GOP robo-call scam.
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