Red State Rebels

Weekend edition 5/16-18 and open thread

Welcome to another weekend. It's gonna be a hot one! Happily, though, the temps will dip back to "normal" May levels by the middle of next week. Enjoy it while it lasts.

First things first: The Interfaith Alliance of Idaho and other organizations plan Stop the Hate vigils at 5:30 today in two Treasure Valley locations: outside the Simplot Dining Hall on the College of Idaho campus in Caldwell and at 5:30 p.m. in front of the Boise State student union. The vigils are in response to a "Shake the Nations" conference that Idaho's leading theocrat describes as "a conference on preserving freedom in American through our godly heritage."  Mmmm-hmmm. Vigil organizers says signs are welcome, but "make the message from your own faith, about loving your neighbor, believing all people are equal, etc. Please bring only messages of non-violence and the need for faith to embrace all people regardless of their religion, their ethnicity, or their sexual identity."

OK, play nice at the vigil, but we can rub it in here: Congrats to Ellen and Portia and all the other California same-gender couples who will soon be able to marry in the Golden State. Woo hoo! Here in Idaho, our children and/or grandchildren will eventually make this possible here, too. "What the heck were they thinking?" they'll ask.

The big to-do in Boise this weekend is the first-ever Idaho Green Expo - two days of displays, seminars, a fashion show, concert, and lots more Saturday and Sunday at the Boise Centre on the Grove. I'll be there as a volunteer Saturday afternoon, so come by the photo pledge wall and tell us what you're willing to do to help the planet.

If you didn't see Barack Obama in Boise and you fancy a road trip to Eastern Oregon this weekend, you may be in luck. The Illinois senator, closing in on the Democratic nomination, will do a town hall meeting at the Pendleton Convention Center at 6:30 Sunday evening. (Doors open at 4:30.) Tri-Cities, WA, TV station KPER has the scoop: "Tickets for the event are free, but you must have them to get in. You can pick them up at the Pendleton Obama for America Office located at 27 SW Frazer in Pendleton. Tickets are available Friday, May 16 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, May 17 from 9:00am-3:00pm (or as long as tickets are available). You can also pick them up at the Union County for Obama Booth at Saturday's Farmers Market in La Grande on the corner of 4th Street & Adams Street. Tickets are available Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m."

Speaking of Oregon, do you know any - or are you yourself a - young political activists (ages 20-24) who would savor spending 10 weeks in Portland this summer? PolitiCorps will hold a 10-week boot camp in the Rose City featuring top-notch training for two dozen fellows in media skills, public speaking, field organizing, plan writing, time management, and other leadership skills. You can get more info and apply here. Only about a half-dozen spots remain. Thanks to A.K. for passing this along.

Finally, on a national note, John McCain released a rose-colored, bipartisan vision for governing yesterday, and it was dutifully reported by the traditional media as the gospel truth. But Hunter at dKos writes: "The problem, once again, is that there's very little to suggest that's anything more than rhetoric, and there's a whole lot of history suggesting it's complete bunk. Time and time again, McCain talks about bipartisanship or moderation, then goes back to vote for the hardline conservative position."

Bush bamboozled an electoral majority of Americans (or at least the Supreme Court) in 2000 into thinking he was against empire building and that he was a "compassionate conservative." McCain looks like he's fixing to do the same exact thing, with a few twists. (Yep, unlike Bush, he's against torture and believes global warming actually exists ... or so he says.) Will we get fooled again? Or will we choose the candidate who - without decades of Beltway history - is best equipped to really change the way things work in DC?

LaRocco calls out Risch for skipping debate

Today, LaRocco blasted his likely opponent as “arrogant,” for opting out of the public debate sponsored by Idaho Public Television. Lt. Gov. Jim Risch will not debate fellow Republican candidates in the only debate that would be aired statewide.

“His dodging of the statewide, live debate means he takes voters for granted,” said LaRocco, a veteran and former two-term U.S. Representative. “It is simply arrogant.”

Idahoans can expect the same treatment if Risch were to become a member of the U.S Senate’s minority party.

“You govern as you campaign,” LaRocco said. “Risch’s campaign is being conducted in a bunker.”

By contrast, LaRocco is meeting Idahoans, listening to them and working shoulder-to-shoulder with them. He has taken 21 jobs across Idaho in his “Working for the Senate” campaign.

And LaRocco isn’t shirking chances to spread his message of change. Last week, he met in crowds in Winchester and Lewiston. He released an economic revitalization plan to the Kamiah Chamber of Commerce. On Tuesday, he visited workers in Lewiston and that evening participated in candidate forum in Sandpoint—where all Jim Risch was a no-show. LaRocco then visited Pocatello workers on Wednesday. On Thursday, he is working at a nonprofit health care center in Boise and will meet the public in Ketchum in the evening.

Please visit our website at www.LaRoccoforSenate.com

Boneheaded Bush trips over Bill Borah's ghost

George Bush, speaking today in Israel (from a report on the Chicago Tribune's Swamp blog):

"Some seem to believe we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along,'' Bush said in an address to the Knesset today which drew repeated standing ovations for his commitment to stand by Israel against all enemies.

"We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: 'Lord, if only I could have talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided.' We have an obligation to call this what it is - the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history.''

The "American senator" whom Bush quoted was William Borah, Republican of Idaho.

Joe Biden responds:

This is bullshit. This is malarkey. This is outrageous. Outrageous for the president of the United States to go to a foreign country, sit in the Knesset…and make this kind of ridiculous statement.

George Bush couldn't lick William Borah's boots. Shame on him for trying to use Borah's genuine anti-imperialist impulses in the service of the current administration's utterly incomprehensible policy in the Middle East and its failed strategies to defeat terrorism.

Doing the math, with a big 'x' factor

Chris Cillizza has launched a fascinating discussion at his WaPo blog The Fix this morning, based on Hillary Clinton's continuing claims that she'd be the stronger Democratic nominee in the fall. The gist of the argument, for Clinton, is that 2008 will essentially be another 2000 or 2004, where the presidency comes down to the traditional battleground states. Barack Obama's campaign counters that 2008 will not be a re-run of those races, and that many more states will be in play for Democrats this year. Dem special election victories this spring appear to bear this out.

Of course Cillizza and most other pundits expect that Idaho is among the safest Republican states that absolutely will not go Dem no matter what. But if 2008 is truly a game-changing year, couldn't the state that voted for a Democratic president in 1964 (it HAS happened), the state that saw its Democratic caucus turnout increase fivefold this year, and a state that has a LOT of young voters potentially join the Dem column this year? I'm not saying it's likely ... just that it's possible, with a high youth turnout and some siphoning of votes away from John McCain by third-party followers.

Larry Craig tries to derail GI benefits

Remind me again: Which party supports the troops? From the Huffington Post:

Mostly avoiding the political spotlight since his brush up with both the law and the bathroom stall, Sen. Larry Craig quietly created presidential campaign ripples on Tuesday by interjecting himself into the debate over a popular veterans education measure.

The Idaho Republican, who was famously made a pariah in his own party after allegedly soliciting sex in the Minneapolis airport men's room, announced that he would offer an amendment to the forthcoming Iraq war supplemental that would strip the legislation of Sen. Jim Webb's GI Bill. ... The bill is, for all intents and purposes, a non-controversial measure offering veterans who have served three years educational benefits equal to the highest tuition rates of in-state public universities. Updating an antiquated system that was implemented during World War II, Webb's legislation took more than a year to craft and currently has 57 co-sponsors.

More here.

Big Obama endorsement at 4:30 MDT

The blogosphere is buzzing. Looks like it'll hit at 4:30 Mountain. Any guesses? John Edwards appears to be the top possibility, and from all he's been saying on Obama's behalf in the past week, it wouldn't be a big surprise.

Update 4 p.m.: Yep, it's Edwards. Look for something on TV circa 4:15-4:30 Mountain.

Dean announces 50+ state blog strategy

Howard Dean today announced the state and territorial blogs that will cover the Democratic National Convention from Denver in August. Congrats to 43rd State Blues, which will be representing our state. Read more here.

Meet-and-greets with Debbie Holmes May 15-16

This week has been invigorating.  Another good article in the Idaho State Journal. There is also my rebuttal in the Idaho Statesman. I went to Twin Falls last week to campaign.   As the campaign progresses it becomes clearer to me that if you want a real Democrat on the ballot you need to vote for Debbie Holmes on May 27th.  I get better as a candidate every day. 

This week I am campaigning in Boise.  If you are in Boise Please come.

Thursday, May 15,  12 noon - no host lunch with Debbie at Chicago Connection at 4th and Bannock.
Thursday, May 15,  6:30 PM- 8 PM - ice cream social at Municipal Park
Friday, May 16, 8 - 10 AM,  Bagels with Debbie, at  Blue Sky Bagels, 407  Main St.

Next week I am taking a road trip to Ketchum and Salmon.

Tuesday, May 20, 12 noon - No host lunch at Ciro's in Ketchum.
Tuesday, May 20, 5 PM, Democratic commission meeting, ski and history museum in Ketchum
Thursday May 22, 7 PM - Meet the Candidate Night in  Salmon.

This weekend I can be found at Camp Wellstone, in Caldwell.

On May 8, 2008 Congress passed the Foreclosure Prevention Act.  This is the first real legislation I have seen that looks to help the American Homeowner who is danger of losing his/her home. It gives money so that the loans can be renegotiated at the current value of the homes. This bill could help 1.5 American families stay in their homes. I was so happy....

But wait.... first all but one democrat voted for the bill... Bill Sali and Mike Simpson Voted against the Bill. I guess that Sali and Simpson do not care about homeowners in trouble. It gets worse....

President Bush threatens to veto this bill!

This is outrageous. We need to boot the republicans out of office. We need legislation to heal the crisis for all. The time for action is NOW! Every time an homeowner loses their home waiting for action the American dream has turned into the American nightmare for another family in our country. Lets turn our red state blue.

On a procedural vote  on May 8, to stop this legislation from coming to a vote the Republicans introduced a non binding resolution in favor of Mother's day.  This passed unanimously.  Fifteen minutes later the Republicans introduced another non binding resolution against Mother's day.  Sad to say all but 18 Republicans are now on record for voting against Mother's day.  Both Simpson and Sali voted against Mother's day.  Take that family values. 

Visit me at http://dhfc.110mb.com/index.html.

Matt Yost sends message to supporters

Matt Yost sent this email to supporters today after the Idaho Supreme Court declined to hear his case. Matt filed suit after Secretary of State Ben Ysursa's office said he couldn't run against District 15 state Sen. John Andreason because he wasn't a registered voter in the district for a full year before filing for office.

The Idaho Supreme Court responded today and they did not act as we had hoped. We purposefully bypassed the typical legal route through the lower courts in order to receive a speedy legal response that would result in a final opinion putting to rest forever whether voter registration for one year is a prerequisite for legislative candidacy. We needed a speedy opinion in order to avoid any further prejudice the Secretary of State's decision has already caused the Yost for Idaho campaign. Unfortunately for the people of Idaho the Supreme Court chose not to act. The decision to not decide leaves the Yost for Idaho campaign without an adequate remedy since my legal team cannot assure a decision from a lower court for months, which would still be subject to appeal by whatever party lost that decision. Because it is unlikely that many would donate to a cause with an uncertain future, I do not feel that we can raise adequate campaign funding and fight a legal battle. Nor do I feel comfortable asking for money under these circumstances.

The Secretary of State's interpretation of the Idaho Constitution, imposing a one year voter registration prerequisite on a legislative candidate, is not published anywhere. After reading the Court's Order, you will see that the court refused to address this issue, preferring I bring the case before to the District Court first. Unfortunately, I have little incentive to take such an action. Doing so will not result in reinstating my placement on the ballot before November. Thus the Secretary of State's interpretation will continue without contest. I find it even more unfortunate that the court did not direct the Secretary of State to post the qualifications for candidacy more clearly in the future. By peremptorily disqualifying numerous candidates, the Secretary of State perpetuates and inflates the problem, leaving several hopeful candidates without recourse, since a legal challenge won't result in a final opinion until after the election is held. Solely on the matter of clarification, I find the Court's ruling to be disheartening. At the very least I'd hoped my efforts would provide clarity in the law so that others preparing to run would not be blindsided by a determination that seems almost arbitrary. The real losers in this ruling are the citizens of Idaho who are denied choices for whom to vote by the actions, or inactions as the case may be, of our government.

Matt, thank you for your efforts in trying to offer District 15 voters a choice this fall. We're sure this won't be the last we see of you. Meanwhile, District 15 voters can get behind Greg Funk, a young Democratic veteran who is challenging Max Black for House Seat B.

Election night, May 13 edition

The polls have barely closed in West Virginia, and already the networks are calling the Mountain State for Hillary Clinton, who was expected to win by a huge margin there. Look for Clinton to get about 19 delegates to nine for Barack Obama. Obama will still be ahead by some 150 pledged delegates after tonight.

With that one a done deal, I'm most interested in the outcomes of these two races: the special election in Mississippi's 1st District, where Democrat Travis Childers has a chance to beat the GOP's Greg Davis, and the Nebraska Senate primary, where 2006 netroots candidate and former Club for Growth target Scott Kleeb is running against Dem-in-Name-Only rival Tony Raimondo. It looks like there'll be plenty of live blogging action on these races at Swing State Project (MS) and Daily Kos. Both ought to give us a good idea of how strong the Dem wave may be in November, and how progressive Dems are faring in Republican areas.

Now, if you live in Ada County, go have a look at the voter info card the elections department just mailed out. (I got mine today. You can click the pic to enlarge it.) At least on mine, the legislative district and congressional district are flipped. Oh, if only we had 17 CDs in Idaho ...

Update 6:45 p.m.: On tips from Tara, we've learned that Bill Sali won't debate his GOP primary rival and Matt Yost has dropped his bid to get on the ballot in District  15.

Update 10:25 p.m.: Democrat Travis Childers won the MS-01 - a district George Bush won with 63% of the vote in 2004 - by eight points today. Let that be a signal for what could happen in Idaho this fall. Meanwhile, Scott Kleeb vanquished his DINO foe in the Democratic primary in Nebraska by a two-to-one margin.

Idaho Dem superdelegates united for Obama

Today, the fourth of Idaho's four automatic superdelegates committed to Barack Obama in a jam-packed room at Idaho party headquarters. Saying he'd traveled to Chicago late last week to meet with the Obama campaign, state party chairman Keith Roark joined Gail Bray and Grant Burgoyne (pictured below with Roark, center) and Jeanne Buell in announcing his support for the Illinois senator.

Idaho became perhaps the first state in the nation today to have all its superdelegates commit to voting for Barack Obama at this summer's Democratic National Convention. Party chairman Keith Roark's announcement came as a steady stream of superdelegates has begun moving toward the presumptive nominee. He praised both Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton as strong candidates, but said Obama is in the best position to win nationally and do well in Idaho.

Betsy Russell of the Spokesman-Review arrived a few minutes late for what had been billed as a 12:10 news conference that actually started at noon, so she missed Roark's description of why he went with Obama. Voicing the thoughts of many in the room, she asked what took him so long.

But as Roark made clear in the comments he'd prepared for delivery, he needed to do due dilligence on the decision, despite Obama's statewide, 80 percent shellacking of Clinton in the Idaho Democratic caucuses on February 5. "It was important to see how the campaign progressed," Roark answered. "Campaigns are long and hard. What I've seen in the last four-and-a-half months is that Barack Obama isn't the man of steel, he's not Superman, but he is someone who can take a punch and punch right back."

Obama's sizable victory in North Carolina last week, coupled with Clinton's razor-thin Indiana win, helped Roark make up his mind. A recent dismissive quote about Idaho from Bill Clinton - whom Roark called "a man of former prominence" - contributed to Obama's case. So did a trip to Obama campaign headquarters late last week, where senior staffers told Roark that the Obama campaign would put resources into Idaho so Democrats can run the first serious presidential campaign we've had in decades.

In fact, considerable human resources are already in place. Also attending today's announcement were dynamic organizing duo Kassie Cerami and T.J. Thomson (pictured here) - who earned well-deserved props for putting Idaho on the campaign's map starting last summer - and about a dozen other core supporters, some of whom have been on board with Obama since early 2007. They represent hundreds of volunteers whose energy brought Obama to speak at Taco Bell Arena on February 2 in what remains one of the campaign's biggest events to date; who organized tens of thousands of Idaho Democrats (and independents and disaffected Republicans) to caucus on a cold February night; and who were out just this past weekend to help kick off the campaign's national voter registration drive.

By contrast, none of the other Democratic presidential campaigns was able to generate much grassroots action in Idaho - another factor that led Roark to give Obama the edge over Clinton. "The unprecedented enthusiasm Senator Obama has generated here in Idaho is unlike anything I have seen in my 31 years of active political participation in this State," he said, adding that it's likely that, beyond financial resources, Idahoans can anticipate a future appearance by Michelle Obama as well as a repeat visit from Barack Obama before Election Day.

Idaho Democrats will name a fifth, so-called "add-on" superdelegate to its national convention delegation at the state party convention next month in Boise. Will that person also support Barack Obama? Roark indicated if the person can read "or count," he or she certainly will.

Ready to volunteer? Get more info at the Idaho for Obama grassroots website and sign up at the campaign's official Idaho site.

Update: As of late afternoon, Obama had picked up four more superdelegates today, which put him in the lead for superdelegates by the reckoning of all major media including NBC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and CNN. Obama has a strong lead in pledged delegates as well.

Update 5/13: Here's another good superdelgate tracker from politico.com.

Roark will endorse Obama today

Here's the statement from Idaho's last remaining uncommitted superdelegate, Keith Roark, as released by the Idaho Democratic Party. I've added emphasis to several passages. I'll have more later from the official event:

After several months of careful consideration, I am announcing today that I will cast my vote this August at the Democratic National Convention for the next President of the United States , Senator Barrack Obama.  I have evaluated the two remaining candidates for our party’s nomination based upon the answers to three critical questions: 1) Who would make the better President of the United of the United States ; 2) Who is more electable? 3) Who will run the stronger race in Idaho ?

As to the question of who will make the better President of the United States I believe that both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama are exceptionally gifted leaders who can and will begin immediately to undo the damage that eight years of the unholy Bush-Cheney-Rove trinity has brought to our country.  Both candidates are vastly superior to the presumptive Republican nominee.  Each candidate would bring a different background, style and tone to the White House but they are both committed to essentially the same policies and I do not find that one is markedly superior to the other in their qualifications for office.

Second is the question of which candidate, if nominated, is more likely to prevent John McCain from serving out a third George W. Bush term. I have watched every debate between the candidates this year, carefully studied the results of every primary and caucus beginning with Iowa , I have tracked hundreds of polls and read hundreds of pages of election analysis.  Both of our candidates can and will beat John McCain in November and I have no doubt that, ultimately, this great Democratic Party will pull together so that either candidate is eminently electable. My lingering concerns about Senator Obama’s ability to take hard punches and keep going were laid to rest with the results of the primary contests last week in North Carolina and Indiana.

Thirdly and most importantly from my particular position and point of view is the question of who will run the stronger race here in Idaho where Republicans have prevailed in every Presidential election since 1964. I have no doubt that Senator Obama will run the stronger race. The unprecedented enthusiasm Senator Obama has generated here in Idaho is unlike anything I have seen in my 31 years of active political participation in this State. He has captured the imagination and mint fresh optimism of young voters from Coeur d’Alene to Caldwell, from Murphy to Montpelier, from Twin Falls to Idaho Falls. I firmly believe that the critical process of rebuilding the Idaho Democratic Party will receive a once-in-a-lifetime boost from Senator Obama’s candidacy.

I spent time just last Friday in Chicago with Senator Obama’s senior campaign staff and secured their commitment to place real campaign resources here in Idaho for the entire Presidential campaign – something we have not seen in decades. His campaign is committed to a grass roots approach to this campaign that meshes perfectly with our plans to rebuild the Idaho Democratic Party. I have also secured a commitment that Michele Obama will be visiting our State soon after the conclusion of the primary campaign and it’s likely that Senator Obama, who has a very special place in his heart for the warmth and enthusiasm he experienced here, will be back in Idaho before Election Day.

While I greatly admire Hillary Clinton, I believe strongly that her husband’s presidency, whatever it may or may not have done for the nation, was a disaster for Idaho Democrats and for Democrats throughout the Intermountain West. Our counterparts in Montana, Wyoming, and Nevada have slowly but powerfully rebuilt their Democratic State parties in the last eight years. Our day here in Idaho is coming and I cannot for a moment believe that a return to the polarizing politics of the past is in our best interests.

I have not come quickly or easily to this decision.  Democrats are blessed to have two outstanding candidates vying for our party’s nomination at this defining moment in American history. I realize that my decision will disappoint a number of Idaho Democrats who have worked tirelessly for our party through thick and thin and are passionate in their support of Senator Clinton. Many good friends have contacted me personally to express their support for Senator Clinton and I thank them sincerely for their advice and counsel. I hasten to add that I am not suggesting that Senator Clinton should drop out of this phenomenal primary campaign. On the contrary, I think she should remain until the last primary votes are cast. Senator Obama owes Senator Clinton a debt of gratitude for making him a better and stronger candidate.

We can have only one nominee and I can make but one choice. There have been unkind cuts inflicted in this campaign - but we now have millions of new, registered Democrats, effective ground organizations in all fifty states and an electorate that realizes it has been lied to, cheated on and treated like dirt for eight long years and they aren’t going to take it any longer. We will soon join hands and when we do the Republican Dark Ages will come quickly to a well deserved end. Idaho’s superdelegates are now united in their support for Barrack Obama. Idaho ’s entire Democratic party will soon be united as well.

Monday morning water cooler 5.12.08

Three things for this Monday morning:

Sharon Fisher writes that a District 21 candidate forum is set for 7 p.m. tonight at the Kuna Grange Hall, at 189 S. Linder, next to the Bernard Fisher Park (and near the Avalon intersection). It's for primary and general election candidates alike, and  "this may be one of the few chances you have to get to talk to all the candidates together," she adds. Families are welcome. Refreshments will be served. If you live in District 21, get out and show your support for Sharon and the two-party system.

Also, Idaho State Democratic Party chairman Keith Roark - one of the 200+ still-uncommitted superdelegates - will announce his choice for the presidential nomination at noon today at IDP headquarters in Boise. According to an IDP news release, Roark will also "take questions about plans for an active Democratic Presidential campaign in Idaho this year for the first time in four decades." I'll have coverage of all that later today.

Finally, Lord Voldermort, er, Mike Moyle has an opponent after all in the May 27 GOP primary.

Weekend edition 5/9-11 and open thread

What the ... ? Bill Sali, Mike Simpson, and the rest of the House Republicans voted against Mother's Day?

OK, that was a procedural vote. The Republicans voted for Mother's Day before they voted against it. Or something like that. But Idaho's less-than-dynamic duo also voted with most of their party against helping beleaguered homeowners. Americans United for Change sent a press release Friday blasting Sali for that vote and noting that between 7,000 and 8,000 Americans are filing for foreclosure each day as a result of subprime loans made in 2005 and 2006.

“Fresh on the heels of a $30 billion bailout this Administration supported for Bear Stearns and other Wall Street financiers, it takes a lot of nerve for President Bush to now threaten to stand in the way of help for so many American families on the verge of losing their homes under a mortgage crisis that his own Administration’s inaction and incompetence exacerbated,” said Americans United spokesman Jeremy Funk. “And now struggling Idaho families caught up in this mess know exactly where Congressman Sali stands." And Simpson, too. The 1st CD race has been targeted by pundits and poll-watchers, but that's no reason to let 2nd District Rep. Mike Simpson off the hook on this and other issues, including his support for prolonging the war in Iraq and preserving the unaffordable Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

Early voting starts Monday in Ada County for the May 27 Idaho primary. You can vote from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays through Monday, May 26, at either the  Ada County Public Safety Building, 7180 Barrister St. in Boise or the Ada County Weed Pest and Mosquito Abatement office at 975 E. Pine St. in Meridian. Absentee voting is still available, too. Primary ballot requests (via a form available on the county website) must be received by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, and your absentee ballot must be received at the Election’s Office by 8 p.m. on Election Day, May 27. Click here for contact info for other Idaho counties.

Any day now, if he hasn't already, Barack Obama will overtake Hillary Clinton in superdelegate support.  As of Friday night, the tally was about 272 each. Obama also leads in contests won (32, or twice as many as Clinton) and pledged delegates (1590 to 1426), and he picked up nine new superdelegates Friday . Obama now needs 165 total delegates to secure the nomination; Clinton needs close to twice that number. No doubt: It's been a big, if not quite definitive, week in the looooong-running Democratic presidential primary.

Have a great weekend. And all you fellow moms out there: Have a great Mother's Day, no matter what the Republicans say. They're probably bummed (or embarrassed) about why it started.

Edwards near-endorses Obama

John Edwards didn't come right out and endorse Barack Obama on The Today Show and Morning Joe this morning, but he made it clear he believes Obama is the likely nominee and that he intends to fight for him.  In this video clip, he also notes that he's continuing his campaign against poverty. h/t to Hail to the Chimp at dKos.

My question to John Edwards at this point would be: Why the heck are you waiting? As someone who had strong support among working-class voters, his endorsement would mean a lot to Obama in West Virginia (which votes next Tuesday, and where Clinton still has a commanding lead) and Kentucky (May 20). Until today, Edwards seemed to be committed to remaining neutral, but with his comments this morning, he appears all-but-ready to give Obama the nod. Go, Johnny, go!

Update: As Sisyphus points out in the comments (with a link to this video) Edwards did say on "Morning Joe" that he "just voted for him on Tuesday," making it clear that Obama's his pick.

Message delivered!

On Tuesday, 2 of my campaign staffers -- Jeff and Cyrus -- hand-delivered a shovel to Jim Risch’s office.  Why?

Well, when it comes to the economy, Jim Risch has his head buried in the sand.  So in the spirit of Idahoans helping a neighbor in need, we sent him a shovel to help him dig himself out.

Earlier this year, during a speech in Lewiston, Risch said he thinks our economy will see "a soft landing in the second quarter of this year, or the third quarter at latest." Apparently Jim Risch hasn't been talking to the Idahoans I'm talking to, people who are worried about their paychecks, their jobs, and their healthcare -- and I guess he hasn't talked to any of the 434,000 Americans who've already lost their jobs this year either. 

Jim Risch thinks things are great -- that the Bush Administration's economic policies are working -- that we don't have anything to worry about. While he was Governor, Jim Risch even raised taxes on middle-class Idaho families.

Clearly, Jim Risch needs help to dig his head out of the sand, so we sent him a shovel.  But the shovel didn’t just come from me or our campaign team -- nearly 300 Idahoans signed a virtual card that we sent to Jim Risch along with the shovel.  If you haven’t already signed our virtual card to Jim Risch, you can do it here.

As opposed to Jim Risch, who is clearly out-of-touch, I've been working alongside everyday Idahoans in my "Working for Idaho" campaign across our great state.  From the Beehive Federal Credit Union in Rexburg to The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy in Twin Falls, from the Flat Top Sheep Ranch in Bellevue to Noah's Angus Ranch in Cambridge, and in plenty more places in between:  Idahoans know that we need leaders in Washington who will go to work for them and help to fix our economic problems.

It’s time to elect a U.S. Senator who will deliver real change and fight, every day, for the hard-working people of Idaho.  With your help, that’s the kind of Senator that I’ll be.

So if you haven’t already, please join our campaign and make a contribution to help us spread our message of change all across Idaho.

Thanks for your support!

-- Larry LaRocco 

P.S.  On Thursday, May 22^nd at 12pm MST, I’ll be holding a live online town hall meeting to answer your questions, in real-time, about our campaign and talk about the critical issues facing America.  So mark your calendars and stay tuned for more information about this exciting online event!

When will we have our nominee?

Update - Thursday morning: From DemFrom CT at Daily Kos, a wrap-up of media coverage signaling that the race isn't just winding down, it's over. Concerning the timing of a Clinton withdrawal, Dan Balz wrote in the Washington Post:

I sent a message to one of her most loyal supporters early Wednesday morning asking what are her realistic options? "She has only one option," he replied. "Gracefully exit and help unify the party to beat [John] McCain." How quickly, he was asked. "I would advise them to figure out how to do it as soon as this weekend," he replied.

I'll be surprised if Sen. Clinton leaves the race that soon, but it no longer seems to matter. The traditional media - and most Clinton insiders - seem to have finally realized that primary season is over, in spirit if not in fact, and that Barack Obama has an insurmountable lead even if the Florida and Michigan delegations are seated.

Also: the Idaho Statesman has a story on why Idaho Dem Party chair Keith Roark remains the state's only uncommitted superdelegate, but declared himself impressed by Obama's performance on Tuesday and the candidate's ability to get past controversy.

***

It appears the Democratic nominating contest is winding down. From the AP late this afternoon:

Apart from George McGovern, a plainspoken man who knows something about losing elections, not a single Democrat of national stature publicly urged Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday to end her campaign for the White House. They didn't have to.

There was no shortage of other ways to signal, suggest, insinuate or instigate the same thing. And certainly no need to apply unseemly pressure to a historic political figure, a woman who has run a grueling race, won millions of votes and drawn uncounted numbers of new Democratic voters to the polls.

"I think that it would be inappropriate and awkward and wrong for any of us to tell Senator Clinton when it is time for the race to be over," said Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, speaking on a campaign-sponsored conference call with reporters.

"This is her decision and it is only her decision. And we are confident that she is going to do the right thing for the Democratic nominee. We are confident she will help work hard to unite our party."

The end game has begun. So when do you think we will have a nominee? I guessed May 20 in a thread at the WaPo Fix last night, and, according to Howard Fineman at Newsweek, that's when the Obama campaign  reckons it'll all be over, too. Your predictions are welcome below.

Article contrasts CD2 candidates

The Post-Register in Idaho Falls ran an article this week outlining the clear differences between my opponent and me. Here's an excerpt; to see the full article, click here.

Democratic 2nd Congressional District candidates Debbie Holmes and David Sneddon both live in Boise and work in real estate, but for political purposes, their similarities pretty much end there.

Holmes, 46, is a newcomer to politics who decided to run for office at the urging of her 21-year-old son, Jesse, a junior studying political science at the College of Idaho.  Holmes' stances mirror those of her son, who's serving as her policy researcher, and are generally in line with the platforms of the party's progressive wing.

Sneddon, 49, is making his third bid for office, having lost as a candidate for the Idaho Legislature in 2000 and U.S. Senate in 2002. Sneddon's views veer from the left; he considers himself a Blue Dog, which is a coalition of Democrats led by 47 U.S.  representatives with conservative and moderate ideologies. ... "People get accustomed to Washington " he said. "You always have to have fresh faces."

Holmes, who has been campaigning more actively in eastern Idaho than Sneddon -- she appeared at Saturday's Bonneville County Democrats' Truman Banquet, which Sneddon did not attend -- is already looking past her opponent in the Democratic primary.

She said she wouldn't be disappointed if she took on Simpson and received at least 35 percent of the vote -- a self-imposed threshold she'll use to gauge whether to run again in 2010 if she loses.

Even if she comes up short, Holmes said, she won't feel her campaign efforts were futile. At least she's getting her message out, she said.

To see Debbie's website, click here.

Walt, I loved the gas station event! (Walt is running in CD1)

August 28, 2008

From a diary at Daily Kos:

"Obama will apparently accept the Democratic nomination on Aug. 28, 2008. That shows that God has a sense of irony. It marks the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream Speech."

The nomination contest isn't over ... quite. But after last night, it seems to be moving that way. We will make history this year by electing our first black (actually, biracial) president. A first woman won't take much longer.

After living through eight years of the worst presidency in our history, the next decade may well be the greatest in our national story. Our problems won't go away on August 28, November 4, or January 20, 2009, but those dates will make important milestones on America's journey back to national unity and international honor.

May 6 results open thread

I'm heading for the Obama election returns event at the Legends sports pub here in Boise. This thread will go up about 8 p.m. for your thoughts on tonight's results from Indiana and North Carolina. See ya later!

Wow. Just .... wow.

Idahoans are fed up. Really, really, really fed up. They are sick of high gas prices and they're tired of people like Bill Sali, who blusters about the high price of gasoline and then has lunch with oil lobbyists to collect their checks.

How do we know this? We heard it directly from the hundreds of people today who lined up around the Cole Village Chevron in Boise to buy gas at $2.26 per gallon, the same price as when Bill Sali took office last year. As Walt walked through the cars and talked to drivers, Sali was in Washington, D.C., at the Hunan Dynasty restaurant where a sit-down with the Congressman was going for $1,000-per-PAC.

Yes, it was an amazing day. (Betsy Russell has, of course, a great write-up on her blog.) Most of it was positive, including the many people who attended the event with cars sporting "Bill Sali" bumper stickers.

What was unfortunate and, frankly, a bit stunning, was the reaction from Sali's spokesman, Wayne Hoffman, who said "radical environmentalists" are responsible for high gas prices.

Really?

I mean, really? Radical environmentalists like, say, John McCain?

From McCain's own website:

John McCain has a proud record of common sense stewardship. Along with his commitment to clean air and water, and to conserving open space, he has been a leader on the issue of global warming with the courage to call the nation to action on an issue we can no longer afford to ignore.

AND

[McCain] has offered common sense approaches to limit carbon emissions by harnessing market forces that will bring advanced technologies, such as nuclear energy, to the market faster, reduce our dependence on foreign supplies of energy, and see to it that America leads in a way that ensures all nations do their rightful share.

Wayne Hoffman and Bill Sali say "radical environmentalism" is responsible for high gas prices. I guess that's about what you'd expect from a campaign that relies on "Big Oil" to swoop in and pay off old debts.

The countdown continues ...

For those of you looking for the predictions thread for tonight, it's here.

And check out the action this afternoon at The Field, which includes tips for managing tonight's "expectations game," excellent analysis of the landscapes in Indiana and North Carolina, and a fun video of Keith Olbermann telling why the Clintons believe pretty much every state is insignificant to Hillary's campaign. (h/t icebergslim at dKos)

We'll have a new open thread for results up early this evening.