Weekend edition 8/29-9/1 and open thread

Scroll down for this morning's thread about John McCain's pick of Idaho native Sarah Palin as his running mate.

This is it, kids: Labor Day Weekend, the unofficial start of the political campaign season, the weekend when our friends and neighbors and co-workers start paying attention and making their choices. If you're not already signed up to work on the campaign of your choice, or at your county Democratic office, now's the time. If you're not talking with folks about why you're voting Democratic this year, have those conversations. (Thanks to John for reminding me about this great video, which premiered at the Frank Church Banquet last spring.)

Debbie Holmes has been working hard all summer to give Idahoans a choice in the 2nd District House race. Tonight (Friday) marks the grand opening of her office - yes, it's actually in the 2nd District! -  in Suite 340 of the Alaska Building, 1020 Main Street in downtown Boise. Stop in anytime between 3 and 7 p.m.

An Obama-Biden Weekend of Action voter registration drive is happening tomorrow at Bronco Stadium, in conjunction with the first Boise State football game. Get details and sign up here.

Larry LaRocco, Debbie Holmes, and Walt Minnick - along with many other Democrats - will join the working people of Boise at the local Labor Day picnic, starting at noon at Municipal Park in Boise. Come on down and say thanks to some of the union folks who make the Treasure Valley work!

Don't forget: Tuesday (September 2) is the Boise school board election, as well as the final day to file if you'd like to run for a seat on the College of Western Idaho board of trustees.

Next Friday (September 5) is the last day to register for the annual Women's Fitness celebration, which will be held Saturday, September 20. Plan to join Idaho Women for Obama as we walk in this fun event. More details here.

Of all the state legislative races on the November 4 docket, the District 14 House Seat A contest between Mike Moyle and Michelle Waddell may be the most critical. Help Michelle win so Treasure Valley residents can decide for ourselves what sort of investments we want to make in preserving our quality of life. Click here to learn more about Michelle and to volunteer for her campaign.

What else is happening this weekend, inside or outside of politics? Whatever you are up to, enjoy your holiday weekend, then get ready to lose yourself in the fall campaign. "This opportunity comes once in a lifetime ..."

Comments

[theresa]

laughs and being as I am a goober! I totally posted my weekend answer in the thread below -- duh!
so I will also get some sleep!

I am hosting my first National tele-seminar on wellness tomorrow and I am excited (info by clicking my name if anyone is interested). Also I have taken a job for some extra cash, and will be working 3 hours tomorrow -- still working at home so can not complain.

And planning to honor summer a bit with some kinda break outside, before it is too late!

And still trying to get over the fact that as a woman, the GOP thinks I should be happy about mcsames vp choice. I am thankful that there are people that get I deserve more then nonsense, and pandering.

t

[David Erin Anthony]

Good morning everyone!!! I know it's been some time since I posted. But greetings from the Keystone state!!! I thought I would pass along an interesting story....

cnn.com is has as its lead story regarding a "raid" on a group planning on protesting the RNC in Minneapolis. Reports indicate as many as 30 officers, firearms drawn, entered the facility. Now, what makes this strange...they had a search warrent but won't release what they were searching for. They did not arrest or detain anyone. They did not remove anything from the property. What did they do? They PHOTOGRAPHED everyone present at the location.
Now, go to cnn headline news on TV. Guess what story is not listed AT ALL!?!?? You guessed it....things that make you go huh!?!?

[theresa]

hmmm that is interesting ....

t

[theresa]

ok I found a link not sure how long it is good --
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/30/rnc.protest/index.html

Police raided a rental hall used by a group organizing protests at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday.

The RNC Welcoming Committee, which describes itself as "anarchist/anti-authoritarian," accused St. Paul police of trying to disrupt their protest planned for Monday, the day the GOP convention is set to begin.

While no one was arrested, the group said police temporarily detained and photographed at least 50 people who were inside the building.

St. Paul Police spokesman Tom Walsh said they were executing a search warrant.

"The cause for the search warrant is not public at this time," Walsh said.

As many as 30 police officers entered with guns drawn, according to witnesses in the building.

"The convergence center is simply a gathering place and is not used for illegal actions -- it is a place for workshops and trainings," a statement from the protest group said. "Tonight, we were watching films and sharing food."

"We are now accused of a simple fire code violation," the statement said.

Oddie Miller, a 19-year-old from Fort Collins, Colorado, said it was "just a space to get food, free Internet, community organization."

"There were no bombs or anything in there," Miller said.

[Julie in Boise]

Hi David ... really good to hear from you! Have you started your new teaching job? Are you happy to be living in a "battleground" state?!

The Twin Cities is an absolute hotbed of alternative media. Here's one good site to keep an eye on these next six days:

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/

At 2 p.m. Saturday, I see there are several stories about this weekend's raids, of which there have been several, not just at the anarchists' HQ but at a group called Food Not Bombs and the Wellness Center in St. Paul. And a TCDP writer said on his blog today:

"As I write this, the precise authority under which members of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department participated in raids of houses and private buildings in St. Paul and Minneapolis this weekend is unclear to me. I have heard from a very harried friend at the National Lawyers Guild that the break-ins and arrests of RNC protestors took place under the auspices of the Secret Service and Justice Department – apparently FBI members participated in the raids.

"But under whatever authority and in the name of whatever statutes – at this point, the cause for detentions in Minneapolis has been given as 'conspiracy to commit riot,' as flimsy and ad hoc a rationale as the infinitely elastic 'Homeland Security Offense' listed on a police report to justify the detention in Minneapolis of independent journalists earlier last week which resulted in the seizure of their equipment and personal belongings – it should be obvious that concerns about this country turning into a police state, a corporation-friendly fascist nation like Singapore or the People’s Republic of China, are greatly misplaced. There’s no need to worry about this happening in the United States.

"It already has."

His whole post is here:

http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog-entry/2008/08/30/it-cans-happen-here-it-already-has.html

The Republicans certainly chose an interesting place to have their convention, probably one of the most liberal - if not radical - cities in the country. The potential for confrontation is much higher than what the Dems had in Denver (a few angry PUMAs notwithstanding). Add Gustav and a wild card VP pick to the mix, and it could be a week of discontent for the GOP.

But then, Republicans have a way of bringing fear and cynicism wherever they go, while trying to cloak their intent in soothing fibbery. How ironic is it that the theme for Thursday's final night at the RNC convention will be "peace"? Who are they trying to kid: this party that abandoned the search for Osama bin Laden to start a unilateral war of choice in the Middle East, this party that's been agitating to spread the war on terror to Iran (and whose nominee jokes about "bomb bomb bomb bomb bomb Iran"), and this party that has fomented class division with its economic philosophy of "I've got mine. Good luck to you, bud."

[Sisyphus]

Hey Julie. I summarized some issues Republicans should take into consideration before proclaiming Palin's Idaho pedigree. Click my name.

[theresa]

That is a nice wrap up, sisyphus, I will point folks there to get a look :)

t

[Julie in Boise]

Thanks, Sis. I've cited both your excellent roundup and one from MoveOn in a new post.