While there was no “Swift Boat” ad that defined this [...]]]> Has there ever been a less effective piece of legislation than McCain-Feingold?

Unions, political action committees and other special interests shelled out nearly $98 million in independent expenditures to influence the presidential election, according to a CQ MoneyLine analysis of campaign finance reports through Nov. 4.

While there was no “Swift Boat” ad that defined this year’s White House race, these special interest groups created a strong presence by spending almost twice as much as the national party committees on independent ads, canvassing and other campaign activities.

The groups overwhelmingly favored Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, spending $48 million in his behalf since June, while Republican nominee John McCain was favored with $28 million over the same period. Another $22 million was spent during the primaries on behalf of all presidential contenders.

Leading the was the Service Employees International Union. It spent more than $28 million, a lot of it going to fund multi-lingual, 30-second spots promoting Obama and railing against McCain’s views on economic issues.

In addition to the service employees union, the groups that rung up the most in independent expenditures included:

- National Rifle Association of America, $6,890,820
- The National Republican Trust PAC, $6,592,925
- MoveOn.Org, $5,369,254
- United Auto Workers, $4,860,571
- National Right To Life Political Action Committee, $4,658,122
- American Federation of State County & Municipal Employees, $4,176,346
- 1199 Service Employees International Union, $3,910,471
- Let Freedom Ring Inc., $3,257,939
- American Federation of Teachers, $2,982,565

It’s one thing to amass millions of dollars in small donations, but it is quite another when one special interest group can give millions of dollars to a polical party and/or candidate. What do they think they are getting for that money, a thank you and a pat on the back? Pay for play politics needs to stop.

Sixty-one years ago, I saw Jack Roosevelt Robinson become the first black man to walk on big-league grass, and it made me proud not only [...]]]> One of the benefits of having lived seven decades is that I’ve been witness to events that were not only personally thrilling, but that were memorable and historic for our country.

Sixty-one years ago, I saw Jack Roosevelt Robinson become the first black man to walk on big-league grass, and it made me proud not only to be a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, but to be an American.

In all the years since, I’ve been unable to reflect on that powerful moment without suppressing a lump in my throat or wiping a tear from my eye.

Some months ago, I saw Barack Obama claim the nomination of his party as President.
Once again, that lump appeared (and the tear, too) and I again felt enormous pride in my country.

Tonight, I’m looking forward to the next chapter in this stirring American saga and to experiencing that feeling again.

Barack Obama – 346 John McCain – 192

United States Senate:

Democrats – 57 Republicans – 41 Independents – 2

House of Representatives:

Democrats – 267 Republicans – 168

But the statewide survey of 550 registered voters has one very surprising finding: 23 percent of Texans are convinced that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is a Muslim.

Obama [...]]]> A University of Texas poll to be released today shows Republican presidential candidate John McCain and GOP Sen. John Cornyn leading by comfortable margins in Texas, as expected.

But the statewide survey of 550 registered voters has one very surprising finding:

23 percent of Texans are convinced that Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is a Muslim.

Obama is a Christian who was embroiled in a controversy earlier this year about his two-decade membership in Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ. Yet just 45 percent of those polled identified the Illinois senator as a Protestant.

The Texas numbers are unusual because most national polls show that just 5 to 10 percent of Americans still believe Obama is a Muslim —

less than half the number of Texans who buy into the debunked theories.

Texas has never been mistaken for the western headquarters of MENSA. And voters in any number of other states would probably — and sadly — produce the same poll results.

After two years of campaigning, and extensive coverage by national and local media, it’s stunning — and embarrassing — that one in four of the people polled still hold this view.

Anyone still think they should be permitted to vote?

- John McCain

“The economy has taken a turn for the worse, big time. Consumption literally caved in. It is a prelude to much worse news on the economy over the next couple of quarters. The fundamentals around the consumer are all negative, and there are no signs of any [...]]]> “The fundamentals of the ecomomy are strong.”

- John McCain

“The economy has taken a turn for the worse, big time. Consumption literally caved in. It is a prelude to much worse news on the economy over the next couple of quarters. The fundamentals around the consumer are all negative, and there are no signs of any help anytime soon, from anywhere.”

- Allen Sinai, chief global economist for Decision Economics, a consulting and forecasting group.

Not Randy Scheunemann, Mr. McCain’s chief foreign policy adviser; not Nicolle Wallace, his senior communications staffer. It was Amy Strozzi, who was identified by the Washington Post this week as Gov. [...]]]>

Who was the highest paid individual in Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign during the first half of October as it headed down the homestretch?

Not Randy Scheunemann, Mr. McCain’s chief foreign policy adviser; not Nicolle Wallace, his senior communications staffer. It was Amy Strozzi, who was identified by the Washington Post this week as Gov. Sarah Palin’s traveling makeup artist, according to a new filing with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday night.

Ms. Strozzi, who was nominated for an Emmy award for her makeup work on the television show “So You Think You Can Dance?”, was paid $22,800 for the first two weeks of October alone, according to the records. The campaign categorized Ms. Strozzi’s payment as “Personnel Svc/Equipment.”

Your taxpayer dollars hard at work. Remember, Senator McCain opted for public financing, which means you and I just paid for Sarah Palin’s hair and designer clothes. This from the candidate that promises to cut wasteful spending in Washington.

You have [...]]]> “Which is better? Serve 35 years in the United States Senate and say you’ve got to divide Iraq into three different countries, or be governor of a state and a reformer and give people their tax dollars back and bring about reform in the way that your state does business? Which is better?”

You have to admire the way McCain compares Senator Biden and Governor Palin with two completely different issues. Which is better? Trying the same policies of the past eight years and expecting a different result or trying something different?