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Saturday, July 12, 2008
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We're retiring from coverage of the 2008 Presidential Election. Our coverage of Colorado water issues has become our main interest. Thank you to all of you that read our weblog.
10:30:18 PM 
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Thursday, July 10, 2008
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Tony Campbell (via The Examiner): "Barack Obama's speech on Tuesday before the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) was very important for several reasons. First, it signals that Obama has rebounded from his primary perception deficit with Latino voters and has built a two-to-one advantage over John McCain. Second, and this is more important, this could signal the beginning of a working partnership between African-Americans and Hispanics in the adoption and implementation of public policy initiatives, but, as we all know, you have to win before you can govern.
"Giving a good speech is not the wisest way to win an election, however. Obama and McCain should remember that it is not the aggregate votes of the Hispanic community that will win the White House in November; rather, it is where these voters live that is the most important statistic. Over the last 30 years people of Hispanic heritage have been moving into states that are vitally important if you want to reach 270 in the Electoral College..."
"We haven't even talked about the 'purple states' yet. In Colorado, there are 404,000 eligible Hispanic voters according to the Pew Hispanic Center. In 2004, President Bush narrowly defeated John Kerry by less than 100,000 votes. In 2008, Hispanics will make up over twelve percent of the eligible voting population of the state of Colorado. If Obama can maintain his momentum among the Hispanic community, especially in swing states, Colorado might move from Red to Blue."
Colorado Independent: "Obama courts the Latino vote."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:24:58 PM
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Wednesday, July 9, 2008
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Josh Marshall: "Fresh from the airwaves, we hit the video vault to find out just why John McCain believes Social Security is an 'absolute disgrace' (including special new debamboozling video to help you not be spun by the McCain camp's damage control ...)"
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
7:13:40 PM
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Juan Cole: "This is the first time al-Maliki has spoken this way publicly, but it isn't a new idea in his circles. The fundamentalist Shiite United Iraqi Alliance that is al-Maliki's main backer in parliament had originally put a plank in its party platform calling for a timetable for US withdrawal from Iraq back in late 2004, but apparently dropped it at American insistence. Al-Maliki himself was elected in 2006 initially with the backing of the Sadr Movement, which has all along demanded a timetable for US troop withdrawal.
"A US military operation in al-Maliki's ancestral village in Karbala province recently left one of his cousins dead. Iraqis complained that the US had not coordinated the operation with them, even though it had formally turned security duties over to the Karbala security forces. Al-Maliki was reportedly furious, and the incident may have been a turning point for him. Many forces in Iraqi society are demanding that US troops not have the prerogative of launching military operations in Iraq without obtaining the permission of Baghdad."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:14:48 PM
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Andy Borowitz: "The liberal blogosphere was aflame today with new accusations that Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill) is trying to win the 2008 presidential election. Suspicions about Sen. Obama's true motives have been building over the past few weeks, but not until today have the bloggers called him out for betraying the Democratic Party's losing tradition."
Thanks to NewMexiKen for the link.
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:13:47 PM
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From email from the RNCC: "The 2008 Republican National Convention today announced the launch of the Spanish language section of its official convention Web site. The Spanish section, www.gopconvention2008.com/enespanol, will feature Spanish versions of convention information, fact sheets and press releases. The section will feature regular updates in Spanish leading up to and during the 2008 Republican National Convention.
"'The launch of the Spanish-language section of our Web site is another important step toward creating a fully interactive online community to engage millions around the country,' said convention President & CEO Maria Cino. 'It is our goal to carry the Republican Party's message to all communities, so they may experience Sen. John McCain's extraordinary leadership and his positive vision for America.'
"As part of its outreach to Hispanics, the convention also announced today two new hires who will engage media leading up to and during the four-day event. Joanna Burgos will serve as Press Secretary and will lead the convention's press operation for national media. Burgos previously served in various communications positions at the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Homeland Security. She is a fluent Spanish speaker and native of Miami.
"Yohana de la Torre will serve as Deputy Press Secretary for Specialty Media and will oversee outreach to several constituencies, including Spanish-language media. Also a fluent Spanish speaker and native of Miami, de la Torre is currently owner and managing editor of the Gulf Coast Times in Fort Myers, Fla. She previously served as a communications specialist for Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL) and at the Republican National Committee."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:13:16 PM
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Here's a follow-up to the story about benzene in a spring near Parachute, from The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel. From the article:
State regulators have begun examining data provided by four energy companies to try to determine which of their wells' waste may have contaminated drinking water at a cabin northwest of Parachute and sickened a De Beque man. Debbie Baldwin, environmental manager for the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, said all four companies cited in connection with the incident met Monday's deadline for providing well site information to the state for evaluation. "At this moment we're trying to figure out which operations are responsible," she said...
The agency issued notices of alleged violation to Williams Production RMT, Marathon Oil Co., Petroleum Development Corp. and Nonsuch Natural Gas. Baldwin said the allegations are only that at this point, based on the proximity of the companies' wells to the cabin and geological and hydrological information in the area. The state required the companies to provide information on any pits used on well pads, including whether they are lined; fluids were placed in the pits; oil and gas condensates were observed on the pits; and any tanks that were used on site and whether any spills occurred. The companies also were required to fence off impacted surface water to restrict access by livestock and wildlife, and provide Prather with water for drinking, household use and livestock. Susan Alvillar of Williams said Prather has been provided with bottled water and a 3,100-gallon tank of fresh water that has been refilled at least three times so he can flush out his water system. Prather has declined to comment on the incident.
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
6:30:58 AM
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Tuesday, July 8, 2008
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The big convention news yesterday was that Barack Obama's acceptance speech will be at Invesco Field at Mile High rather than the Pepsi Center. Here's an update from The Denver Post. From the article:
Barack Obama's new and improved Democratic National Convention adds more of everything -- from an extra dose of historic potential to at least $3 million in new costs for local planners, and logistical headaches squared. Though politically savvy, the decision to move the last night of the convention away from the delegates-and-VIP-only media event at the Pepsi Center to Invesco Field at Mile High means big changes. The new venue, announced on the first day of convention construction at the Pepsi Center, requires a second security zone and a second demonstration area for protests. And it throws scores of new questions at planners, reporters and broadcasters now wondering how to allocate their resources. That said, many officials intimately involved with convention planning seemed giddy at the dramatic possibilities the speech could create for the public, Democrats, Denver and journalists.
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
6:33:00 AM
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Monday, July 7, 2008
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Political Wire: "Some good news for Sen. Barack Obama: 'In the post-war era, the Gallup polls taken closest to the Independence Day holiday have been correct in picking the popular vote winner two-thirds of the time, in 10 of 15 presidential contests,' according to analysis by Politico. The latest Gallup tracking poll found Obama leading Sen. John McCain, 47% to 43%."
Here's a recap of today's town hall meeting here in Denver, from The Colorado Indpendent.
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
6:00:01 PM
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Request to the DNCC. Could you expand the blogger pool for Barack Obama's speech? And yes, we know, this is self-serving.
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
5:44:31 PM
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The Glenwood Springs Post-Independent cornered Mark Udall and Bob Schaffer in order to talk oil shale. From the article:
Udall and Schaffer spoke to the Glenwood Springs Post Independent late last month about oil shale and other energy-related issues affecting the Western Slope, including whether communities in the area should receive a larger share of revenues generated by energy development. Both men expect the issues surrounding oil shale to play a role in this year's U.S. Senate race, especially as gas prices continue to surge higher and higher. That's because the Bureau of Land Management estimates that the amount of oil locked up in federal shale reserves in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah has more than 50 times the country's proven conventional oil reserves and nearly five times the proven reserves of Saudi Arabia. "I would ask the president not to play politics with oil shale, but listen to the people of western Colorado who have to live with the consequence of irresponsible oil shale development," Udall said. Schaffer said the demand nationally and internationally is growing, and Coloradans sit on top of a vast resource, and "that demand is going to drive lots of controversy."
Category: Denver November 2008 Election
6:03:05 AM
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Sunday, July 6, 2008
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Juan Cole: "Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told Bush Friday by video conference that the US could not use Iraqi territory or airspace to attack neighboring Iran. He basically told Bush to suck it up and negotiate with Ahmadinejad. It is amazing what $70 billion a year in petroleum revenue will do for a prime minister's self-esteem. Al-Maliki met with top Iranian leaders in Tehran recently and appears to have reassured them that Washington would not be allowed to use Iraq as a springboard for an assault. Although some are wondering if al-Maliki is making a declaration of independence from the US, in fact he is just continuing the policy of Iraq's ruling Shiites since 2005 of seeking good relations with both Washington and Tehran."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
7:53:13 AM
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Friday, July 4, 2008
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Josh Marshall: "I've watched this campaign unfold pretty closely. And I've listened to Obama's position on Iraq. He's been very clear through this year and last on the distinction between strategy and tactics. Presidents set the strategy -- which in this context means the goal or the policy. And if the policy is a military one, a President will consult closely with his military advisors on the tactics used to execute the policy.
"This is an elementary distinction the current occupant in the White House has continually tried to confuse by claiming that his policies are driven and constrained by the advice he's given by his commanders on the ground. There's nothing odd or contradictory about Obama saying that he'll change the policy to one of withdrawal of American combat troops from Iraq with a specific timetable but that he will consult with his military advisors about how best to execute that policy.
"For the McCain campaign to put out a memo to reporters claiming that Obama has adopted McCain's policy only shows that his advisors believe that a sizable percentage of the political press is made up of incorrigible morons. And it's hard to disagree with the judgment."
Category: 2008 Presidential Election
9:54:55 AM
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© Copyright 2008 John Orr.
Last update: 7/12/08; 10:40:49 PM.
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