All About the politics today

First, for the latest on the Florida/Michigan fight at the Rules & Bylaws Committee, go to Vibinc's live blog.

Second, for those who don't know, Emily' List has shit in its own bed AGAIN with an endorsement of Nikki Tinker, backing a corporate shill who is only nominally pro-choice over the South's most progressive Congressman. See the take of Matt Stoller of OpenLeft.com here.

Third, I attended the truly kick-ass headquarters opening of my Congressman, and there is news from there. After a music set by official Memphis Flyer Hottie Grace Askew (she is as talented musically as she looks) Steve Cohen was introduced by Councilor Myron Lowery and gave a terrific speech.

Now, about the news. Myron said to both Jackson Baker and I the following: "If the Mayor of Memphis resigns his office and there is a special election for that office, I am running." He repeated this and made sure we knew that this would be the case regardless of whether AC Wharton or Carol Chumney would enter that race.

Folks, that just made the day more interesting. Myron is one of a VERY few officials in this city who easily gets votes regardless of the area of town, and he could make this a REAL race. Wow.

Among the other elected officials there was my beloved Senator, Beverly Marrero, who confirmed to me Jackson Baker's report that Senator Rosalind Kurita refused in a Senate Democratic Caucus meeting to commit to voting for a Democrat for Senate Speaker. Enough is enough, friends.

It is never easy for me to openly oppose a sitting Democratic elected official in a primary, but I must in this instance. It is CRUCIAL that we have a Democratically-controlled State Senate, and that will not happen as long as Senator Kurita remains in her seat.

As you know, I am of the firm belief that Charles Schumer screwed her over by working to cut off her fund-raising when she ran for the US Senate, and I attacked him here for that reason. What she has failed to understand is that neither John Wilder nor Joe Haynes nor Jim Kyle had anything to do with that, and her vote for Ron Ramsey for Lt. Governor has completely undermined Democratic attempts to pass legislation. On top of all this, despite the fact she refused to commit to a Democratic candidate for Speaker, she requested campaign funds from the Caucus, I have been told.

Because of this, I must ask my fellow Democrats to aid and assist her Democratic primary opponent, Tim Barnes. His MySpace page is here, and his Facebook page is here. This is about which party will control redistricting after the 2010 Census and what type of legislation with go through the General Assembly. Since Senator Kurita has decided to put her own interests over those of her Party and her constituency, I must endorse Tim Barnes for State Senate and ask that you do as well. This is too vital for our Party.

I do this with a heavy heart, but do so I must. Please contact Tim Barnes at the links above; when the Austin Peay College Democrats got behind Tim, I should have known there was a good reason.

And now we begin...

After I moved to Arkansas with my folks in 1967, I missed the BIG 89, WLS, arguably the greatest top 40 AM station of all time. We lived in Weiner, about 75 miles northwest of Memphis, out of range of WHBQ, which I didn't really discover until arriving here in 1972.

My station was WMPS 68, which dominated the market until they were stupid and fired Rick Dees in the mid-70s. It was WMPS that introduced me to the Box Tops and other Memphis delights, and so we begin today with Cry Like A Baby, their second smash after their 1967 hit, THE LETTER.

While anyone with a solid knowledge of our musical history knows the singer, Alex Chilton, I choose to remember their drummer, one of the truly great Memphians of all time, and not because of his drumming.

I refer, of course, to Thomas Boggs, he of Huey's, Folks Folly, Tsunami and the thousands of people he helped in this city. It is in his memory that today's Feel Good Friday is dedicated.

Mr. Mayor, this is really slick...

And I mean this in a GOOD way. Feel Good Friday will begin shortly, but first you need to hear me out.

The mayor of the City of Memphis has figured out a way to dump the funding for Memphis City Schools off on the whole of Shelby County, and the City Council has to do is NOTHING. That is, if Mayor Herenton is correct in his reading of a 2005 ruling by then-Tennessee Attorney General Paul Summers that if the city failed to provide funds to MCS, the state would dissolve the School Board and hand MCS over to Shelby County Schools. At that point, SCS could either A) run it themselves or B) hire an outside agency, but C) in EITHER event, SCS would be completely responsible for funding for ALL public schools in the County.

This way, in any event, the Mayor gets rid of the MCS Board, whom he apparently would like to see tossed in the Mississippi, and MIGHT even be hired by the outside agency that (presumably) would be hired to run MCS.

Given that the City Council is equally pissed at the MCS Board, they might well be inclined to go along with the Mayor. As my councilor, Jim Strickland, said today, "I'm trying to figure out the down side". They could dump the ADA formula that forces the County to spend $3 at MCS for every $1 they spend at SCS.

Well played, sir, well played and a tip of the cap to you. Let's break out the popcorn and see what happens!

Rosalind Kurita may have sealed her own doom

Jackson Baker is reporting that Sen. Rosalind Kurita (D-Clarksville) may have sealed her own fate last week in a Senate Democratic Caucus meeting. Kurita, whom we all remember for her failed US Senate campaign (which we supported) and her voting for Ron Ramsey for Lt. Governor (which we did NOT), is facing primary opposition in the form of local attorney Tim Barnes.

Barnes may be getting a LOT of Democratic Party support now, after this:

The meeting - of the admonitory sort that politicians refer to
irreverently as a "come-to-Jesus" affair -- took place at the request of
Democratic caucus chairman Joe Haynes of Goodlettsville during the last week of
the 2008 legislative session. It was a day after Kurita had voted with Senate
Republicans to defeat a key Democratic-backed bill to amend eligibility
requirements for lottery-funded Hope scholarships. She was taken to task by
several caucus members for that vote and for other breaks with the party
majority but vigorously defended her right to cast her votes as she saw
fit.

She was then asked if she would at least pledge to support the
caucus' candidate for Senate Speaker at the beginning of the next legislative
session, in January 2009. She declined to make such a commitment.

Kyle cannot afford to support her now, nor can we, folks. Sorry, Rosalind, as the old saying goes, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. OK, at least you're not trying to fool us any more; we know where you stand, so part company we must.

The West Tennessee Liberal IS BACK

and jumping into the mix early for Feel Good Friday with his posts here and here.

See, I TOLD YOU he hadn't emigrated to Brazil or Bolivia....

Fellow Cohenites! It's HQ Kickoff Time!

You Are Cordially Invited To Attend

Congressman Steve Cohen’s

Campaign Headquarters Grand Opening
1803 Union Avenue,

Memphis, TN 38104

Saturday, May 31, 2008 – 10:00 AM to Noon

Refreshments Will Be Served
Entertainment Will Be Provided by Local Musicians

We Hope To See You!

This is so wrong (or not) yet so funny

Jerry O'Connell's delightfully sick sense of humor is on display here, hat tip to, of all places, The Big Lead, one of my favorite SPORTS blogs.

From whom are YOU voting for US Senate?

KnoxViews wants to know, so go over there already!

Sydney Pollack 1934-2008

As the lovely Lauren will tell you, it's hard to get me to sit down to watch a movie all the way through because I keep wanting to check the other channels; I call it Adult Onset ADD.

As a result, there are very few movies that I REALLY like, and usually the DIRECTOR, not so much the actor, that determines if I will watch the film. One of my favorites, Sydney Pollack, has left us way too soon, as a result of cancer, at the age of 73.

He was a noted producer, a terrific director that had stars eating out of his hand, and an under-rated actor. His most notable role was as Dustin Hoffman's agent in Tootsie, IMO, his finest work either behind or in front of the camera.

As all American cultural Icons must, Pollack had a Memphis connection, having directed Tom Cruise in THE FIRM, adding his deft touch to the John Grisham blockbuster.

Here are other remembrances:

Brassmask

Group News Blog

Jane Hamsher/FireDogLake

Times of London

New York Times

Roger Ebert/Chicago Sun-Times

IT'S ARMAGEDDON, I'M TELLING YOUI

Feel Good Friday is EXPLODING all over this great land of ours.

Sharon started, of course, by busting out the James Brown on our butts.

I fired back with the Ray Charles (although Sharon took off points for the RAELETTES???)

Then GoldnI took this way out of control with Ace of Base (yes, THAT Ace of Base).

Newscoma, however, threatens Mutually Assured Dancing (of a slow nature, of course) by breaking out the Louis AND the Ella SIMULTANEOUSLY.

Will this nation survive? Remember, we haven't heard from Wintermute yet....

UPDATE: Our beloved Newscoma advises that Ginger Snaps is now right in the middle of the fray as well..

UPDATE II: Not to be out done, Wintermute breaks out THE KILLER with High School Confidential!!!

OK, since it's all about the music today

I want you to follow this link over to Rosanne Cash's blog at the New York Times, which is about songwriting and how she does it. It includes a marvelous mp3 of a song she has co-written with a couple of guys of whom you may have heard, Elvis Costello and Kris Kristofferson.

You like singer-songwriters and their craft? Go over there and enjoy.

See, isn't this better than me ranting about why Bill and Hillary should be dropped down the nearest elevator shaft?

;-)

It's Feel Good Friday, and this is WAR!

Sharon warned us that she would bring her A game, and she did, by breaking out James Brown's Please Please Please.

How could I possible respond to THAT?  With Ray Charles, of course! Enjoy...

Welcome to Appalachia

The Great Orange Satan his ownself runs this stunning video from the English-language Al-Jazeera feed about why white people in rural Kentucky won't vote for Barack Obama, as if you didn't know already:

ED FORD WALKS!

NOT GUILTY on all counts, reports the CA. Are they saying Joe Cooper may not have been a credible witness here?

:-)

Keep fighting, Senator, we're pulling for you!

Bill Greene/Boston Globe

The Lion of the Senate has a malignant brain tumor, as most of you know by now. The prognosis is not good, but look at him here; does this look like a man who's prepared to give up? He has never given up on ANYTHING before, and I don't expect him to do so now.

Edward Moore Kennedy has fought for the things that matter throughout his 46-year career in the US Senate, whether it be healthcare for all, the rights of women and minorities, environmental and labor issues. He has done all this despite suffering from chronic back pain that resulted from a 1964 plane crash that nearly killed he and then-Senator Birch Bayh of Indiana. He NEVER gives up.

Not only that, he gets things DONE by working with people on both sides of the aisle, so much so that when it was announced at the REPUBLICAN policy meeting that Senator Kennedy had a brain tumor, they stopped what they were doing for a moment of prayer.

And so, that's what I want all of you to do, now and until he beats this thing: pray to the deity of your choosing for his full recovery, because we need him now, and President Obama will need him next spring. He's done so much for all of us, that's the least we can do for him.

I now have an ActBlue page

Right now, on my ActBlue page I have listed Steve Cohen, Bob Tuke, and Mike Kernell (who can't legally accept contributions until session officially ends). Go over there and kick in, I will be after the first of the month.

Weekend Dog Blogging

Zoey (front) and Silky sleeping this afternoon. I couldn't resist, so I broke out the cellphone camera

A day late, but a dollar ahead

Steve, you sow thunder, I reap lightning.

Well, It's Saturday now, and I have to make a full confession

The lovely Lauren and I have prided ourselves for several years on the fact that each of us has avoided reality shows like the plague, especially American Idol. REALLY especially American Idol. We were downright snobbish about it, even when we caught ourselves watching Celebrity Fit Club from time to time.

And then, it happened. It snuck up on us and punched each of us right in the schnoz, and we couldn't help ourselves. Of what do I speak, you ask? Let me tell the story....

So, it's a few weeks ago and we're hanging out with my cousin back in the Rock River Valley, and he flips on CMT, which has this new show, Can You Duet? As judges, they have Brett Manning (no, he's no relation to THOSE Mannings), Aimee Mayo (no, I had never heard of her, either) and Naomi Judd, who has been the revelation, the anti-Paula Abdul, if you will.

Watching three episodes in one night hooked both of us worse than meth-heads, to the point where we were on the phone at 12:30 this morning discussing the current episode AS IT WAS GOING ON. Rehab must be ahead for both of us, I fear.

Hundreds of duos started out; after most were weeded out, some of the duos were separated and remixed with others, which often failed as badly as the original pairings. Yet, some worked and we are now down to seven duos.

The other revelation is watching Mayo, who is apparently a songwriter of note, and Manning, who is a vocal coach, work with each duo in workshops. While their hearts are in the right place in preparing them for the country music industry, it has driven home why I LOATHE the current state of country music, which is the last radio-driven format.

Man, does it show, too; with the exception of Rory & Joey, an impossibly sweet yet deeply genuine married couple, and Caitlin & Will, who were thrown together after each had lost their partners TWICE in the competition, they are polishing these acts to the point where there's no REAL left in them.

Yet, neither of us can let go, and we will be there for the next five weeks of eliminations, hanging on to every minute. I have to say, someone needs to let Naomi Judd program country radio; I'd be a hell of a lot more likely to listen to it than I do now.

Stay tuned!

Wintermute joins the fray on Feel Good Friday and throws down the gauntlet!

'Mute saw what Sharon and I were doing and has kicked it up another notch, with Memphis' Reverend of Love, Al Green.

TIMES TWO! You best go over there while I figure my next move...

Sharon, you leave me no choice but to break out OTIS.

Sharon Cobb and I have decided that we need to do at least one good music video each on Feel Good Friday. She went too far today, with a video of the Temptations AND the Four Tops. My only counter-move....OTIS REDDING. Enjoy.

Watch Obama PUNK Bush and McCain

Bravo to Chris Matthews!

Go head, pick yourself up off the floor, I'll wait.

Ready? OK, to see what I'm talking abut, go over to Pesky's place and watch Tweety verbally disembowel a right-wing noise jockey from LA, you'll be glad you did, it's that good.

Dumb bastard didn't even know what appeasement meant....

One of many reasons I support Rep. Jeanne Richardson (D-89)

Hat tip to Wintermute for this clip, my link isn't working right now..

Keith Olbermann makes his greatest Special Comment of all time

Hat tip to Sean Braisted..

HEY! Wanna watch Pat Buchanan's head explode???

From the Jed Report via Al Giordano at The Field, let's watch the fun as Nixon's old speechwriter figures out that Obama is going to be the next President!

Charter Commission to vote on Instant Runoff Voting THURSDAY

As you know, many of us believe in Instant Runoff Voting as a means to insure safer, fairer elections. Here is an Memphis Flyer Op-Ed piece from my Commissioner, Steve Mulroy from late January:

Let's Have Instant Runoffs

We can make sure that victorious candidates represent a true consensus

BY STEVE MULROY JANUARY 31, 2008

Last November, voters in four City Council districts were asked to go back to the polls one month after the main city election to decide runoff elections. That extra election cost about $250,000 and yielded a typically abysmal 4 percent turnout rate (compared to 38 percent in the city election).

This year, the Memphis City Charter Commission can give us the benefits of a runoff without a second election, saving money, increasing turnout, improving campaigns, and making election results more representative. They can do so by putting on the referendum ballot a proposal for Memphis voters to approve Instant Runoff Voting (IRV) in city elections.

In IRV, voters rank candidates in preference order: "1," "2," "3," etc. Voters can rank as many or as few candidates as they wish. If a candidate gets a majority of first-place votes, that candidate wins. If not, the candidate with the fewest first-place votes is eliminated. Votes for that candidate are redistributed among the remaining candidates based on those voters' second-place choice. If someone thereby gains a majority, they are elected. If not, the next-weakest candidate is eliminated and the vote redistributed, until someone gets a majority.

IRV is used in San Francisco, Minneapolis, Oakland, Sarasota, and a number of other cities and was recently adopted in North Carolina by the cities of Cary and Hendersonville. It's used for overseas absentee ballots in Arkansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, and other states. Globally, it's used to elect the leaders of Ireland and India, the national legislature of Australia, and the mayor of London, among others.

IRV represents a growing trend. And the system presents several other advantages. It eliminates the "spoiler problem," preventing a candidate from winning office with, say, 32 percent of the vote. It elects consensus candidates whose support is broad as well as deep. Not every voter will get their first choice, but far fewer will get their last choice.

It also encourages positive campaigning: Candidates want to be the first-place choice of their base and the second-place choice of their rival's base.

IRV gives lesser-known, lesser-funded candidates more of a chance. No longer is voting for such a candidate "throwing away your vote." If in 2000, for example, you wanted to vote for Ralph Nader but were afraid it would be in effect a vote for Bush, you could have ranked Nader "1" and Gore "2." Because of this, IRV makes elections more competitive, thus boosting voter turnout.

Finally, voters can vote based on who they think will do the best job, without consulting the latest poll to see who's "really got a chance of winning."

For these reasons, Memphis should adopt IRV for all City Council elections, including those in the two "superdistricts" which currently don't have runoffs. If the seven "single-member district" council-persons have to earn a majority of the vote, shouldn't the six "superdistrict" councilpersons have to do the same?

Memphis should also use IRV for the mayor's race. Doing this would mean getting permission from the federal court that decided the "majority vote" civil rights case filed in 1988. But this is doable. Since the lawsuit was filed, Memphis has changed from majority-white to majority-black. No longer can one seriously doubt the ability of African-American Memphians to elect candidates of their choice, which is why the feds originally got involved.

It may take time and money to prepare our voting machines for IRV, but the Charter Commission can give voters a referendum that empowers the city to adopt IRV once the technical problems are resolved or make it effective some number of years in the future. And the money saved in stopping unnecessary runoff elections will pay for any technical adjustments in the long run.

The Memphis Charter Commission has a once-in-a-generation chance to move Memphis forward, away from an outdated election system. Let's hope the voters get a chance to decide.

Steve Mulroy is a law professor at the University of Memphis and a member of the Shelby County Commission.

Ok then. If you agree (and I hope that you DO), we need your help by sending emails to the Charter Commissioners imploring them to vote for IRV; here they are:

Charter Commission

Willie Brooks wfbrooks@comcast.net
Sylvia Cox sjcox@onemain.com
Marsha Campbell mbcmpbll@memphis.edu
Janis Fullilove jchalmers@northwestms.edu
Janis.fullilove@memphistn.gov
George Brown george.brown@memphistn.gov
Sharon Webb Sharon.webb@memphistn.gov
Myron Lowery myron.lowery@memphistn.gov

Thanks for your help!

And the best shall be first!

Tennessee's Blogfather, Randy Neal of TennViews/KnoxViews (and to those of a certain age, SouthKnoxBubba) has been selected as the official credentialed blogger of the Tennessee delegation at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

The original SKB gave me hope that left-leaning blogs could work in this state, and is ultimately why I started after the 2004 election. I offer my heartfelt applause in his selection, and look forward to his reports from Denver!

They're partying in North Mississippi tonight!!!!

Bill Foster in my old IL-14? Check. Don Cazayoux in LA-06? Check. Travis Childers in MS-01?
Check, baby!

For the THIRD time this year, Democrats captured an open Republican seat in a special election, despite Beelzebub himself making a last minute visit to the DeSoto Civic Center on behalf of Gooper Greg Davis on Monday.

Davis carried only four counties in the 23-county First District, and only ONE (Webster) east of I-55. Childers won by just under 8,000 votes, 57,276 to 49,314; when you consider that Davis carried DeSoto by almost TEN THOUSAND VOTES (14,976 to Childers' 5,015), you realize just what a country ass-whoopin' this election was.

This despite the fact that the NRCC and "independent" 527 Freedom's Watch spent untold sums trying to hang Barack Obama around Childers' neck; however, this backfired AGAIN as it had in LA-06 a few days ago. If the Republicans can't win with the race card in the Deep South, what possible chance does John McCain (or their congressional candidates, for that matter) have in November?

It's still a long way off and a million miles ahead, but it feels mighty good to be a Mid-South Democrat tonight. Oh, and go over to Cotton Mouth Blog and congratulate them; they helped Childers like a lot of us helped Cohen in 2006 (and will again!)

UPDATE: The Great Orange Satan his ownself weighs in on the glorious victory!

UNCOUNTED to be shown at Hooks Library, with Steve Mulroy to speak afterwards

“UNCOUNTED,”

A documentary by

Emmy-award-winning filmmaker

David Earnhardt

Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.
Benjamin Hooks Library, 3030 Poplar Avenue

UNCOUNTED is an explosive new documentary that shows how the election problems, neglect, and fraud that changed the outcome of the 2004 election led to even greater election problems in 2006 - and now looms as an unbridled threat to the outcome of the 2008 election. This controversial 80-minute film by Emmy award-winning director David Earnhardt examines in factual, logical, and yet startling terms how easy it is to change election outcomes and undermine election integrity across the U.S. Noted computer programmers, statisticians, journalists, and experienced election officials provide the irrefutable proof.

A discussion led by University of Memphis Prof. and Shelby County commissioner Steve Mulroy will follow.

Information will be provided re: ongoing election reform efforts at the federal, state, and local level.

Newscoma captures what's happening in the rural area

Yes, I am always raving about Newscoma, and if you have read her, you understand why. She may have outdone herself today with this sobering, saddening report of how this economy is hurting her area.

I would normally provide an excerpt, but I want you to read the whole thing, right now. Just go there and read this so you get a better understanding of how bad things are.

If you're a state employee, HEADS UP!

If you have a relative or a friend that is a state employee, you may want to direct them to this site so that they can see and hear the presentation of Finance Commissioner Dave Goetz regarding the state budget. He will be appearing before the House Finance Ways & Means Committee at 9 AM to inform the legislators about the status of the budget and potential buyouts .

THIS is why Barack Obama will win in November

This clip won the MoveOn video contest, and it's easy to see why; enjoy!

We welcome Reginald Milton to The Endless Blogroll

Indeed, I met Reginald at the Kennedy Day dinner, and he joined us for the meeting with Bob Tuke on Saturday afternoon. Visit his blog here and down on The Endless Blogroll!

Steve Mulroy and Smart City Memphis are right about Bass Pro; WHY is Robert Lipscomb so hell-bent to give up the store?

Ok, as today's CA story about the BPS debacle shows, at least there are people in this town, like Steve Mulroy and the good folks at SCM, that know that BPS is just trying to wear down the city of Memphis until we hand them free use of the pointy building, and for no good reason.

Mulroy nails it first by saying that we need to set a deadline in the VERY near term; if BPS doesn't meet it or wants more time, we walk away, just walk away.  In a town that needs more hotel space, if we're not going to use the Ericson proposal, why not make the pointy building something that makes the Opryland Hotel look like the Rebel Inn by comparison?  Find a way to make the Pyramid connect to the nearby Convention Center, and we will be able to hold bigger events like, say a Final Four. 

With that in mind, what kind of hold does BPS have on the Administration, particularly Robert Lipscomb, who positively looks spellbound by their non-offer?  This smells REAL funny, and I don't like it.  BPS has been leading us on for several years now, with NOTHING to show for it; yet Lipscomb keeps insisting that this is the best deal possible.

For WHOM, Mr. Lipscomb?

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Kennedy Day report

After having second (and THIRD) thoughts, I ponied up the $150 for the SCDP's annual Kennedy Day fundraiser, which was inexplicably not held in 2007. I wound up being glad that I went.

My congressman was there with his guests, and I sat at one of the tables of my county commissioner, Steve Mulroy. I saw lots of old friends and cohorts from various campaigns, and got to reintroduce myself to Bob Tuke, who is one of the two Democrats running for the Senate. I am supporting Bob; you'll hear more about that later.

(Side note: Chris Lugo, you should have stayed in the Democratic primary. You still probably would not have won, but you would have moved the Democratic debate even further to the left. Now, as a Green, you'll get your 1% and be otherwise ignored, which is a shame, but I digress.)

Jim Cooper gave a nice solid speech explaining why he supports Obama, and why we MUST come together in the fall, as the TDP needs us to come up BIG in November. I agree; tell Barack to make sure that they send money down here for the coordinated campaign! No, it's not the stemwinders we have come to expect down here, but, for a guy from Nashville, he did right fine.

Folks, here's the most important thing I can tell you about last night, more than the money that was raised, more than the renewal of friendships, more than anything: WE ARE UNITED IN SHELBY COUNTY. All that old crap is OVER, and for good, I believe. It's been a long time since I could say that, and I am delighted with this turn of events. I have no doubt that we are going to have a record turnout in November, and even August, as we will hopefully renominate our Congressman, and elect Cheyenne Johnson Assessor, and Paul Mattila as Trustee. Maybe even Otis Jackson as General Sessions Court Clerk, as my Congressman sure wants him to win.

Today, at the request of David Upton, I joined other Democrats, including elected officials like my Senator, Beverly Marrero, Commissioner Mulroy, Rep. Barbara Cooper, Shep Wilbun, Democratic National Committeewoman (and TDP Secretary) Gale Jones Carson, as well as activists Howard Richardson and Reginald Milton in meeting with Bob Tuke. Bob, in my opinion, has the strength and background to be a great Senate candidate, and I have watched him as he was a powerful State Party Chair, and he understands the issues and knows what it will take to unseat LAMAR! Alexander.

It's going to be a great campaign!

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We're picking up a Congressional district on May 13!

I moved this to the top, since the election is Tuesday, May 13!

UPDATE 5/9: Our friend Mr. Turnbow reports that GOP officials are learning of internal polls from the Greg Davis campaign that shows him losing 5-10 points to Travis Childers IN THE LAST WEEK!

Please help Travis, this is an UNBELIEVABLE pick up opportunity, this is an R+10 DISTRICT!!!
====================================================================

The wonderful Matt Stoller at OpenLeft notes that MS-01, the CD immediately to our south, is an R+10 District. However, that didn't stop the voters of North Mississippi from voting by 49% for Democrat Travis Childers, who leads going into the May 13 runoff with Republican (and Southaven Mayor) Greg Davis.

Here are the results from MS-01:

MS-01 (Wicker-Open) Precincts Reporting - 99% 462 of 462

Greg Davis (R) - 46%
Votes: 31,066

Travis Childers (D) - 49%
Votes: 33,138

Non-Active Candidates:
Steve Holland (D) - 1%
Glenn McCullough (R) - 1%

When you figure in the votes of the non-active candidates, you come to the conclusion that in this R+10 District, Democrats received over 50% of the vote, which does not bode well for Davis, who did not fare well outside his DeSoto County base. to win back this district would be SWEET, knowing that all those people who ran crying to DeSoto County because they hated those evil liberals and well, you know, are going to be represented in Congress by a DEMOCRAT.

I love it, and want more.

Pennsylvania? Who cares? For a 10-point victory, she only won THREE more delegates at last count. You need only look below to see what it would take for her to win the nomination. Her campaign is deader than a week-old-fish, and smells about the same at this point.

Let's celebrate REAL victory tonight, and remember to help out Childers if you have time, he's already running runoff ads on the 10 PM local news here. Heh.

Oh, and one last thing; here's Matt's closing comment:

No one likes Republicans, even in R+10 districts.

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Screw politics, let's dance!

Sharon Cobb has the right idea for today, sometimes you have to put politics aside and let the music wash over you, that's why she posted a great video of the Temptations doing MY GIRL.

So, in that vein, Sharon, I see your Temptations and raise you with Marvin and Tammi:

The Clinton Campaign is now being dismantled from within.

The carcass of the Clinton campaign is being picked over, as her OWN people are leaking to the media that she's done; here's Jeff Greenfield at CBS News, H/t again to AmericaBlog:

Tim Russert gives the eulogy for the Clinton campaign

with H/T to AmericaBlog

Kennedy Day Dinner this Friday!

You are invited to join in the celebration of our annual Kennedy Day Dinner on

Friday May 9, 2008 at the

University of Memphis Holiday Inn located at

3700 Central Avenue, Memphis at 7 P.M.,

V.I.P. Reception 6 P.M.

For additional info call: Barbara. Williams 829-3377

Keynote Speaker : Tennessee Congressman Jim Cooper (5^th District)

Tickets

VIP Reception $50 Dinner $150

Emily Jones Shrader -- 1975-2008

I cannot imagine, having had none of my own, what it must be like to bury one's child, except that it could only be the worst tragedy possible.

Tom Jones, who is as much a part of the Memphis landscape as Overton Park and Poplar Avenue, and of course, who blogs at Smart City Memphis, lost his daughter, Emily Jones Schrader, to cancer at the way-too-young age of 32 this past Friday.  He has written a beautiful tribute to her at SCM, and you should read it.

We here at the Cracker offer our deepest condolences to Tom and his family, and hope that you will as well.

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What if Abortion were made illegal?

The New York Times editorial board blogs about this topic today, noting that the National Institute for Reproductive Health has come up with a video targeted at john McCain, who advocates the overturning of Roe V. Wade. Here it is:

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To my Email list members

Folks, if you are on AOL and you haven't gotten my emails for a few days, I DID send them while I was out of town. However, I have gotten bouncebacks from all of my addresses who have accounts at AOL.COM.

You may want to contact AOL to find out why the hell they are blocking my emails. If you have an alternate address and AOL won't help you, shoot me an email, it's sjs1959 at gmail dot com.

Now, if you have continued to receive these emails at AOL.COM, please email me and let me know that as well.

NOW do you understand why Net Neutrality is so important?