TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

HANKSTER LEDE: Figuring Out the Will of the People (Wall Street Journal) Book Review: Gaming the Vote, why elections are't fair

OBAMA GROUND CAMPAIGN: How They Grew Brand Obama (Ad Age)

THAT DEM DEBATE FROM CLEVELAND -- HILLARY'S ANTI-INDEPENDENT REMARK-- what was that about? NOTE: It's no secret that the Clintons are hostile to independents -- after all, they don't control us. For background on this, read Richard Carter's 2006 oped on BlackElectorate Lenora Fulani Is Here To Stay Despite The White-Bread Naysayers: "As Democratic mainstays, Clinton and Spitzer are alarmed that many Black voters eschewed their party in the last mayoral election and voted for Michael Bloomberg on the Independence Party line. Thus, they have tried to influence McKay to undermine the dynamic Dr. Fulani’s demonstrated ability to provide other viable options for Black voters...."

And read Queen Hillary's Courage or What's Laughingly Called "Principles" in the Democratic Party By Jackie Salit

• Hillary Recalls Her Fulani Moment (Adam Dickter, The Jewish Week)
• Russert persisted in questioning Obama on Farrakhan -- even after his repeated "denunciation[s]" of Farrakhan's "unacceptable and reprehensible" comments (Media Matters - TRANSCRIPT OF EXCHANGE)
• OBAMA ACES RUSSERT'S FARRAKHAN TEST... (The Nation)
• Morning Thoughts: Fighting Back (RealClearPolitics)
• Jews Now Drawn Deeper Into Racial Politics-As Obama surges, new round of e-mails raises specter of Farrakhan, Jackson, Sharpton. (The Jewish Week)
• Hillary Clinton & the Independence Party (Buffalo Pundit)

OPEN PRIMARIES:

• Letter: GOP should allow no-party voters (The Advocate)
• Every vote counts in state presidential primary (Jamestown Press - RI)

BLOOMBERG:

• I’m Not Running for President, but ... (By MICHAEL R. BLOOMBERG, NY Times) this is his original statement
• NYC to Mayor Mike: Don't run for prez (Newsday)
• Bloomberg: I'm staying out of NY Dem mayoral primary next year (Newsday)
• Bloomberg puts it in writing: 'I am not a candidate for president' (by Staten Island Advance)
• Bloomberg Won't Run, but Says an Independent Can Win (By Dan Balz, Washington Post)
• Bloomberg Says He'd Help the Right Candidate (NY Sun)

NADER: Party Pooper: Nader, others should not be discouraged from running (Mountain Press - TN)