The Politics Thread

[ReddFoxx]

I've been working for a congressional campaign and a state senate campaign for months, and right now it's all about getting out the vote. When I phone banked today, it was about checking in with people to see if they had mailed in their ballot yet and if they didn't, inform them to walk it into the polling station on Tuesday.

[DRW50]

This is like a parody.

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/11/obama-vote-revenge-romney-ohio.php?ref=fpa

[Delia]

From Mark Halperin (TIME): "Don’t kill me for the obvious, but the near absence of racial diversity in the Romney crowds is teased out further by the contrast with the rainbow the President draws. It is more striking than I have ever experienced it in any presidential campaign I have covered."

http://thepage.time.com/2012/11/03/o-h-i-o/

I don't live in a swing state anymore so I haven't had the opportunity of going to any rallies this fall, but just from watching some of the events on CSPAN one is definitely stuck by the lack of diversity at Romney's events.

[marceline]

LOL! I just got back from the Board of Elections here in Cleveland. The line to vote stretched from the door, around the corner and two blocks away. OFA and the unions had free water, coffee, hot dogs, hamburgers and potato salad for the people standing in line. There were actually barbecue grills set up across the street! Along with Stevie Wonder music being piped into the street since he was in town to do a GOTV concert There were shuttles running from each of the Obama and Biden events to bring people to the polls to vote and take them home and if you can't make the shuttles, call a number and they will send someone to your house to pick you up!

While I was at the BOE, a big Romney/Ryan RV pulled up to the building. The people in line just started chanting "4 more years!" Nobody from the Romney bus got out. They just kept driving in circles around the block. (IMO, a perfect commentary on the campaign.)

What was nice for me, was that I actually got to have a conversation with the one Republican I voted for this year. A Common Pleas court judge. She thanked me for being willing to cross party lines in such a polarized environment. I thanked her for giving me somebody I could cross party lines for.

[GoldenDogs]

Three more days... very interesting things happening...

With momentum on Mitt Romney's side and a growing consensus that he will take the Presidency... what do those on the left attribute to Obama's downfall?

Okay, for those who refuse to accept any notion of an Obama loss... then IF he loses, what WOULD you attribute to his failure to return for a second term?

On a similar but different note... I'm reading headlines today and I see that Bill Maher said black folks would come after Romney supporters. Even in humor, I really find that offensive and not at all funny. I know where some people here come down on that sort of rhetoric... I know who doesn't agree with that type of talk - Wales, Juppiter, probably Marceline and others would clearly condemn it. I personally think it exhibits a bit of racism on Bill Maher's part... But I'm more directing the question at hard-line Liberal partisans here like Ann and Carl. How do you feel about that sort of language?

I also read that a black pastor received death threats after pulling his support of Obama. Do the hard-line Liberals here agree with that sort of behavior? Or talk of rioting, etc., if Obama loses?

This stuff, in my mind, does not reflect the views of any community - black, white, periwinkle... whatever - who has a vested interest in the election and the betterment of America. This talk, and people like Bill Maher with a platform to draw attention to it or even grow it beyond a fringe, comes from opportunists who thrive on discord and the benefit it personally brings them.

If I had to bet money on it... I'd guess that none of us here in this forum - not even hard-liners from either political stripe - approve of the sort of propoganda or behavior that incites others to violence or hurt this country. Do those here who often disagree with me politically at least agree on this point? Just askin'...

[DRW50]

Maher's an attention whore, and always will be. He's contrarian and hollow. There's a reason he's close friends with Coulter.

[GoldenDogs]

Via www.cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Legendary performer Stevie Wonder this morning expressed his love for Cleveland during a get-out-the-vote rally at Cleveland State University.

His love went largely unrequited.

Fewer than 200 people showed up to watch Wonder perform a handful of his hits at the early voting event in support of President Barack Obama.

Most of the people had learned of the event just hours before the 9:30 a.m. start time. Some just happened to be in the area and followed the live music.

Campaign volunteer Ken Johnson asked who in the crowd had voted early before introducing Wonder.

Nearly every hand went up.

Wonder took the stage at about 10:30 a.m.

"I do a song. You go vote. You come back. We do some more music," he said before opening with "Sir Duke."

No one left to vote after the first -- or any -- song.

A shuttle meant to take voters to the nearby Cuyahoga County Board of Elections left empty after Wonder's final song, "Superstition."

Obama for America Ohio, which hosted the rally, informed its nearly 34,000 followers on Twitter about the event around 10 a.m.

"Perhaps it wasn't advertised properly, but the people who are here are fired up," said Bill Milhoan, of Mentor.

Milhoan, who said he supports Obama, was one of the few people in the crowd who have not already voted.

"It would be disingenuous to say I am here because of Obama," he said. "How do you pass up a chance to see Stevie Wonder?"

[marceline]

According to the numbers uploaded by the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections 30 minutes ago (Yes. I can check these numbers every day.) 3,125 people showed up to vote today. That number exceeded the number of people who showed up on the comparable day (three days before ED) in 2008. I love Stevie Wonder but I'd rather see people at the polls than his concert.

Edited November 3, 2012 by marceline

[Delia]

Only people like Dick Morris and Michael Barone (plus those at Fox News) are claiming Romney will win handily and that all momentum is on his side. Even CNN and politico are now starting to finally admit Mittmentum has faded.

If Romney is truly winning then why is their buyer's remorse in regards to Ryan as his VP selection as stories have now come out claiming Chris Christie was his first true choice and that Ryan hasn't worked out all that well.

If Obama does lose, one should point to his abysmal first debate performance. Romney successfully changed the narrative of the race by trumpeting himself as a sensible moderate during and after that debate.

[marceline]

As much as I like some of Maher's opinions, mainly on the subject of religion, one of the best rebuttals I've ever heard to his opinions was done by Wayne Brady.

[Ann_SS]

I have never liked Maher other than his anti-religion rants. He is generally full of [!@#$%^&*] and anyone who could be friends with Ann Coulter has to have no heart. Then, what is this about Maher having sex with black hookers? I am not thrilled with Wayne degrading black women to take Maher. Surely, he could have done without the "hooker" reference.

Edited November 3, 2012 by Ann_SS

[GoldenDogs]

Ahhh... you and I agree on something, Marceline! LOL! I, too, want to see a HUGE turnout for this election in Ohio and everywhere else! I'll be we also agree that this may be one of the most important elections in our lifetimes... at least to date. :-)

At last, Ann, you and I agree!!

[marceline]

Given that Bill Maher has an affinity for sex workers, it doesn't bother me.

[Ann_SS]

So Maher dates sex workers? Are they are primarily African American? Now I really dislike him.

[Vee]

Do you read any polls?

It's the absolute opposite and has been for several weeks. Paul Ryan has begun leaking stories about his post-election plans, and campaign staffers have begun making excuses for the disastrous campaign and claiming only Sandy won it for Obama. Obama is ahead in virtually every key state and his current odds for winning are overwhelming both among gamblers and pollsters.

This is the problem with the right wing echo chamber. You guys are shocked, shocked when you only surround yourself with 'good news' and 'unskewed' polls and come out on Election Day and find out that you haven't been paying attention.

Edited November 3, 2012 by Vee