TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 8/27/10

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Time for Obama to Pull a Clinton (By DOUGLAS E. SCHOEN, Wall Street Journal) The independent voters who hold the fate of the Democrats in their hands are looking for candidates who champion, in a bipartisan context, fiscal discipline, limited government, deficit reduction and a free market, pro-growth agenda. If Democrats don't offer this, they will be branded liberal tax-and-spenders.

OPEN PRIMARIES

• VT: Primary process limits choices (LETTER Rutland VT Herald) I am writing this letter to draw your attention to the injustice that is experienced by ‘independent’ voters during primary elections, which are held year after year.
• LA: Election is historic, so go and vote (EDITORIAL St. Tammany News) Last closed primary - this will be the last closed primary election for Congressional candidates. The Legislature passed, and the governor signed into law that after the general election in November, all primaries will be open. Currently under the closed primary system, a Republican voter has to vote for a Republican candidate, Democrats for Democrats and so forth.
• FL: Lawmakers need to write off the write-in loophole - THE ISSUE: Undemocratic fixture remains in elections laws. (EDITORIAL Sun Sentinel FL)
• DC: DC primaries should be scrapped (by Topher Mathews, Greater Washington.org) But nonetheless, DC's primary election system has no legitimate purpose and should be scrapped in favor of an instant run-off voting system for the general election.

THIRD PARTIES

• If traditional politics bore you, consider the Toga Party (by Ry Rivard, Daily Mail Capitol Reporter WV) The Democrat, Republican and Mountain parties all have open primaries, which allow voters who are not affiliated with one of the other three major parties to vote for their primary candidates. Among the 130 parties are established if little-known minor parties, like the Constitution Party, a national conservative party that claims about 70 members in West Virginia. There are 1,300 self-identified Libertarian Party members.... There are also 185,000 voters with no party affiliation and 12,200 declared Independents.
• Delaware politics: Minor parties add candidates to ballot - House, Senate hopefuls slated by Blue Enigma, Independent Party and Working Families groups (By GINGER GIBSON, The News Journal DE)

COLORADO

• Ballot-bound HD-61 hopefuls weigh in (Gunnison Times) Then there is incumbent Kathleen Curry of Gunnison. During her three-term stint in the Colorado House of Representatives, Curry has risen to become one of the state's most well-known and popular political leaders. Yet her chances of winning re-election this November hinge on being successful as a write-in candidate -- which would be a nearly unprecedented feat for a statewide office-holder.

ARIZONA

• Post-primary election analysis (by Three Sonorans, Tucson Citizen) Why would so many Independents have chosen to vote in the Republican primary? I think the answer is very simple. The most popular race in the nation for Tuesday’s primary was taking place in Arizona, and JD Hayworth scared the bejeezus out of the Independents, and they decided to vote in the Republican primary for McCain.
• David Freddoso: McCain's easy win undercuts Democrats' story line (By: DAVID FREDDOSO, Washington Examiner) Here's a tip for gamblers: Most or all of the "unelectable" conservatives will win in November 2010. It will come as a surprise only to liberal pundits, who view most Americans' opinions as outside of the mainstream because they remain stubbornly unlike the opinions of President Obama.

NEW YORK

• Suffolk’s Ethics Probe Enigma Consumes All - Levy, legislature, DA and Newsday all caught in ethics feud (By Timothy Bolger, Long Island Press) As for the man chosen to wade into the firestorm and report his findings within the next three months, the legislature voted 13-5 to hire Joseph Conway, a Mineola-based criminal defense attorney, former federal prosecutor in the Eastern District of New York and member of the Independence Party.
• The Unrepentant Republican Party (By Sam Foster, American Thinker) While the September primaries will likely resolve the Republicans' mistake in NY-1, the damage has already been done in the case of NY-23. Given NY's proclivity for third-party ballot lines, Matt's name will appear on the Independence Party ticket, and Doug Hoffman on the Conservative line, despite the Republican primary outcome. The flagrant hatred exhibited by Republican leaders for Hoffman makes it hard to believe that party bosses could unite under Doug Hoffman's potential candidacy. Thus, another three-way race is brewing in NY-23, and the possibility for the district to shed its sickly shade of blue is quickly slipping out of reach.

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• Do-over on term limits: Charter commission must fix the botch it made of its mandate (EDITORIAL NY Daily News)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS 8/25/10

OPEN PRIMARIES

• AZ: Irvin Commentary: 'Open' primary still closed for many - Arizona's open primary still a lock for 2 parties (By: Steve Irvin, ABC15)
• DC: Independent Voter Fracas Heating Up (Posted by Alan Suderman, Washington City Paper) Tomorrow Team Fenty and Team Gray will square off at the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics over whether or not the city’s 72,000 registered independent voters should be able to vote in the Democratic primary next month.
• AZ: Poll: Most Arizonans Want Jungle Primaries (POSTED BY JIM NINTZEL, Tucson Weekly)
• VT: Voters Head To Polls For Primary Election (Melody Bodette, Vermont Public Radio)
• FL: Open primary needed to boost voter turnout (LETTER The Tampa Tribune)

TUESDAY'S PRIMARIES

• Primaries coast to coast test Establishment vs. Outsiders (By Dan Balz, Mercury News/Washington Post ) Five states were holding contests -- Arizona, Florida, Alaska, Vermont and Oklahoma -- on one of the last major primary days before the general election in November.
• Vermont Voters Pick Candidates for State, Federal Offices; Leahy Wins Nomination (Fox News)

CALIFORNIA

• Judge rules that Maldonado can continue fight for open primaries (By Kurtis Alexander - Santa Cruz Sentinel/Mercury News) Dutta, who filed suit July 28 to block the measure, says he's not necessarily opposed to Proposition 14 or open primaries, just how they're being implemented. Dutta's lawsuit challenges the legislation implementing Proposition 14, specifically provisions that discard write-in votes in general elections and deny minor party candidates from listing their party affiliation.
• Bell, Stern to lead task force on updating Political Reform Act (Sac Bee)
• Independent voters haven't yet seen what they're looking for in California governor's race (BySteve Lopez, LA Times)
• California Lawsuit Over “Top-Two” Becomes a 3-Cornered Fight (Ballot Access News)

PENNSYLVANIA

• Cross-Party Endorsements Support Candidates, Not Canons (Newsweek) The For-the-Sake-of-Bipartisanship Endorsement: Hagel is not the only big name endorsement Sestak has in his corner; New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has also publicly backed Sestak’s campaign.

SOUTH CAROLINA

• Scott's destiny challenged by third party candidates (Posted by Greg Hambrick, Charleston City Paper)

NEW YORK

• DSCC Spends On Consultants, WFP, But Not Espada (By Edward-Isaac Dovere, City Hall News) In the last month, Senate Democrats spent $227,000 on consultants, $69,000 on an additional contribution to the Working Families Party and $253,000 on behalf of a wide range of candidates—including nearly every incumbent facing a primary—but not a cent so far for Espada. [i.e. independence comes with a high price tag... -NH]
• Como, Addabbo jockey for position (BY PETE DAVIS, Queens Courier)
• Newest Councilman Gets a Free Pass (By MICHAEL HOWARD SAUL, Wall Street Journal)

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• Justice Delayed Is Justice Denied (Henry J. Stern, Huffington Post)
• Charter Commission Approves Term Limits Question (Gotham Gazette/Wonkster)

LAST WORD

• Public yawns while press freaks out over mosque story (Eric Boehlert, Media Matters) I’d sure like to know the last news story that was “trumping all,” as NBC’s Gregory put it, and nearly half of America’s independent voters didn’t even know what the story was.

It's Primary Day - Do You Know Where Your Independents Are?

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• 10 things Republicans must do in 10 weeks (By Ed Hornick, CNN) #8 - Appeal to Independents: "The Republicans know that independents were an absolutely critical partner to Obama in the presidential election in 2008," said Jacqueline Salit, president of independentvoting.org, a national strategy and organizing center for independents. "So there's a lot of energy going into trying to peel independents away and turn them back to center-right."
• Independent voters getting stronger (by Robert Robb, The Arizona Republic)

OPEN PRIMARIES

• AZ: New poll: Arizonans want open, nonpartisan primaries (Arizona State University) Results showed that three-quarters of Arizona voters favor a primary election in which the two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, who receive the largest number of votes face off in the general election. This change is favored across party lines and among all age groups.
• AZ: Hear Me Out: Independent voters surge in Arizona, is two-party system not meeting public's needs? (ABC15.com)
• AZ: Get out and vote: Primary elections are today (BY BILL HESS, Sierra Vista Herald/Review) As for this primary, he would not forecast the turnout of the 76,641 registered voters in the county — independents may ask for Democratic, Republican or Green party ballots, but not Libertarian, to vote in those parties’ primaries.
• WI: Ross Kinzler: Declare winner with 51 percent of votes (LETTER Madison State Journal)
• WI: Bill Broydrick: Make our primaries more open (By BILL BROYDRICK, Wisconsin State Journal)
• VT: It's Primary Election Day in Vermont (By JOHN CURRAN, Associated Press Writer, WNCT Channel 9) Vermont has an open primary without advance party registration. That means a voter doesn't register as a party member, but selects one party's ballot and selects only from that one in the primary.
• FL: Other views: Florida should mandate open primaries (BY AUBREY JEWETT, Florida Today)
• LA: GOP endorses closed primaries (By MARSHA SHULER, Advocate Capitol News Bureau)
• LA: State Republican Party endorses return to party primaries for federal election (Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune)
• WV: Citizens to determine format of city elections (By Kara Van Pelt, Register-Herald Reporter)

THIRD PARTIES

• In Mich., A 'Tea Party' Is Denied Spot On Ballot (by DON GONYEA, NPR) Richard Winger, who publishes a newsletter called Ballot-Access News, says independent voters are worth watching closely. "When times are bad, people are more interested in getting outside their normal habits," he said. And, Winger says, Michigan's Tea Party controversy aside, it could be the best year for independent candidates and third parties in many decades.

NEW YORK

• Republicans Look to Pick Up a Seat in Queens (by Ray Katz, Gotham Gazette) The 26th Assembly District features tree-lined streets, houses with American flags, parks -- and voters who switch from one party to the other.

NYC CHARTER REVISION

• Commission Votes to Put Term Limits on November Ballot in New York City (By JAVIER C. HERNANDEZ, NY Times)
• Term Limits Vote Won't Apply to Sitting Pols, Commission Rules (By Jill Colvin, DNAinfo)
• Mike loses on limits (By DAVID SEIFMAN, NY Post)
• Limits & loopholes (NY Post) How many times do New Yorkers have to say, "Two terms is enough," before the political class gets the message? It's a relevant question, as Mayor Bloomberg's handpicked Charter Revision Commission today finishes up recommendations meant to appear on the November ballot -- with term limits chief among them.
• Fritz Schwartz Calls On Goldstein Not To Do Revote On Term Limits (By Chris Bragg, City Hall News)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

INDEPENDENT VOTERS: McCaskill: ‘Big state’ argument is bogus (Columbia Tribune Politics Blog)
FLORIDA: Counting every vote (Tampa Bays 10) **** Primary Independents (WMBB TV-Gulf Coast West Florida)
VERMONT: VT House approves instant runoff voting (VPR)
ALASKA: AIP preps for national election (News Miner)
WASHINGTON: A political convention that actually decides? (The News Tribune - Tacoma)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

OPEN PRIMARIES: House panel rejects open-primary plan (Springfield State Journal Register)

SUPER TUESDAY II:

• Exit Polls Reveal Obama's Weaknesses (The Plank/The New Republic) Obama won independents in Ohio by 54 to 46 percent--nothing like his two-to-one margins in other states.
• Change Trumps Experience . . . For the Moment (By Tobin Harshaw, Opinionator/New York Times)

OHIO:

• Shortage of ballots leads to extended voting hours in Ohio (TOLEDO BLADE)
• Ohio Primary: Exit Poll Results & Election Coverage - The Independent Effect (WSAZ - WV)
• McCain, Clinton dominate Ohio, area (Central Ohio Gazette) Lanning said she believes many Republicans went to the polls to vote against Obama because race is still an issue.
• Crossovers use all the ballots-Some are told to wait - or come back later (Cincinnati Enquirer)

TEXAS:

• How Bell County voted: Obama has the numbers (Temple Daily Telegram)
• Upset in the Lone Star State (Trail Watch/Forbes) Republicans, knowing that McCain’s comfortable lead in the delegate count gives him a lock on the Republican nomination, may very well cross over to the Democratic primary and vote for the candidate against whom they think McCain has a better chance of winning in November.

VERMONT: Obama Wins the Green Mountains (The Trail/Washington Post)

NADER: Nader simply doesn't see two-party value (Sac Bee)

WASHINGTON DC: Catania Wants to Give Independents Primary Vote (Washington City Paper)

Live-blogging CNN and msnbc coverage of Super Tuesday II for independent voters

Hi everyone. I'll be live-blogging the coverage tonight of the primaries in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont. All four primaries are "open primaries" and allow independent voters to have a say. I'm mostly watching CNN and MSNBC commentary. I'm watching for how independent voters are impacting and how the media is relating to us.

The most current post will be at the top of the blog, so you'll have to scroll down to see what I said earlier in the evening.... (It's a blog thing.....) Thanks for tuning in!
The Hankster (Call me Nancy)

9:07pm: Texas Two-Step still in motion.... more party party talk.... Now 59% Clinton in Ohio, 56% Obama in Texas.... So the pundits are talking about what that means, the endlessness of this campaign bec. Hillary intends to go on.... the superdelegates.... the convention.... etc. etc. etc.

It's clear that there will be no clear outcome tonight.

9:00pm: Texas is too close to call, as is Rhode Island, as is Ohio, with Hillary ahead but with little results in... Vermont called for Obama....

8:53pm: Well, I have to say, the results from Super Tuesday in February, and the other primaries have been called really early. Not so this Super Tuesday II. The pundits are yacking... The pundits are endlessly facinating to themselves...

Texas totals now show a closer Obama/Hillary outcome: 55/43..

8:28pm: Texas -- Suzanne Malveauex is reporting from the floor of a Texas caucus where voters are gathering after voting in the primary... The lines in Texas are phenomenal... A long night.... Clinton is winning the Ohio primary by 62% to Obama's 36%.... What's happening in Ohio?

As Wolf Blitzer reminds us, you can to to CNN.com and get all this info! Good idea!

As well, go to msnbc to get voting results....

8:22pm: It appear that Barack Obama will win the Texas primary (though the networks have not called it!). This could change throughout the night, however, The Hankster is calling Texas for Obama. (Oh, I just bought The Man's game... ooops!)

8:14PM: Texas Obama 60%, Clinton 39% with one percent of the vote in.

8:10:pm: Obama seems to have a good lead in Texas with 61% to Clinton's 39%... INDEPENDENTS NO DOUBT MAKE A DIFFERENCE...

8:01pm: Ohio projections 42% for Obama and 56% for Hillary, very very early, not an indication... Here is the ABC News article.

Campbell Brown at CNN: Gloria Borger, pivot, no the people need to decide....

Obama is holding at 60% in Vermont; in Ohio, Clinton has 56% and Obama has 42%

Donna Brazille is talking about superdelegates needing to commit...

7:53pm: Here's what Wonkette is saying, who is also live-blogging this event. She's a clever one.... And just to back the whole thing up is Marc Ambinder.... Hmmm.... I getting the feeling that this has now become a desperate intra-partisan fight. Fortunately the voters in Ohio and Texas (and Rhode Island) will have a voice. Independent voters are still voting. Texans are going to the caucuses... Life is good!

7:49pm: 22% independents aligning with Hillary (Chris Matthews)

7:42pm: Ron Paul has 4% of the Vermont vote, which has been concluded by the media... msnbc is running polls as if it's news.... did the 3 am ad have an impact? Obama is seen as having a lower negative impact index than Hillary.... hmmmm.... huh????

7:39pm: Ok, we're back -- if you haven't already, please check out Linda Curtis of Independent Texans on this pro-Obama video. Good luck to you guys in Texas!!

7:24pm: Well, CNN and msnbc are really chompin' at the bit, but cannot make predictions bec. it's such a close race, but here's something from KXMC North Dakota: Early exit polls show independents are a big chunk of the electorate in today's presidential primaries in Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont. Surveys find that self-described independents were about one in five voters in Ohio's Democratic primary, one in four in Texas, a third in Rhode Island and four in 10 in Vermont. Thanks, KXMC!

7:10pm: msnbc with Joe Scarborough has Eugene Robinson, Pat Buchanan, and a woman I'm not familiar with....

Ok, here's some kind of exit poll from Vermont: 74% of anti-war vote went to Obama...

On CNN, The Map! where we've come to expect John King drawing on a map and showing us all kinds of demographic information... Everyone wants to talk about what will happen if Hillary, if Democrats, if Obama... Pennsylvania will also be critical for working people's vote....

Polls will remain open in Sandusky County OHIO until 9pm because of bad weather.

7:03pm: Polls close in Ohio at 7:30pm. CNN is doing a sort of man-on-the-street exit poll, but they're not showing us anything yet...

Back to msnbc -- Hillary didn't expect to win Vermont -- they're too liberal up there, too many anti-war votes.... (this is being reported by Andrea Mitchell in the field and Keith Olberman in the office)

Chris Matthews on the spot with more speculation on Hillary in Texas and Ohio....

7:00pm: msnbc just announced Obama as winner in Vermont; McCain in the Repub contest...

6:51pm: John Kerry, the last Dem presidential candidate is on MSNBC repsponding to the attacks on Obama about his "lack" of experience vs. Hillary's ... ummm... experience....

At this moment, we're looking for people to talk about the insider/outsider dynamic. Kerry is talking about Obama's ability to win delegates.

There's also the issue of spin -- Joe Scarborough (of Morning Joe) is posing the question of at what point does Hillary get out of the race. Pat Buchanan thinks Hillary should keep going. He says the superdelegates will freeze if Hillary wins Ohio and Texas....

6:31pm: Michelle Bernard, a black conservative and president of the Washington, DC-based Independent Women’s Voice, is a John McCain supporter, saying that McCain doesn't mean that we will be at war in Iraq for 100 years....

[Incidentally, many independent voters are Ron Paul supporters. Independent Texans endorsed Ron Paul in the Repub primary there. There's almost no media coverage, and certainly no MSM coverage of Ron Paul's campaign, which has been an outspoken anti-war campaign and deserves more attention.]

6:22pm: Fortunately there are a lot of commercial breaks, so just as in sports, we have a chance to get a snack, go to the bathroom, call a friend, etc. Come to think of it, politics IS a sport.

CNN -- Wolf Blitzer is already getting exit poll results.... Huh? Do they know something we don't know???
MSNBC is parsing the Obama/Clinton contest over and over, but I can't tear myself away.... Chris Matthews is holding forth. Lots of in-depth reporting with black leaders..... Oooops they also have exit polling....






6:20pm
AT THE GATE:
Texas has nonpartisan registration so everyone votes for whoever they want to and Democrats have early voting (people have voted for the past 30 days in droves!) and will also hold caucuses tonight which will be worth a third of the vote. So if you voted in the Dem primary, be sure to go to your local caucus to make your vote worth more.... (Independent voters in Texas should call Linda Curtis for help at (512) 535-0989.)

Ohio independent voters need to ASK for a party ballot to vote for presidential candidates. If you want to vote for Barack Obama, you will need to ask for a Democratic Party ballot.

Watch the independents tonight in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island

Here's what Bill Schneider will be looking for tonight:
Independents
How much of a role will they play? Independent voters are allowed to vote in all four states today. In the past, these voters have strongly favored Obama. Will their turnout be high enough to tip the scales toward the Illinois senator tonight? (CNN Political Ticker)

And this just in from Columbus OHIO: the [Obama] campaign has heard reports that Republican and independent voters who asked for a Democratic ballot received Republican or issue-only ballots “instead of the Democratic ballot they were entitled to,” and also that some voter ID requirements were “misstated” at certain locations, causing voters to be turned away..... (msnbc)

Ahhh, The Machine is clearly working! Let's see what the People can do!

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• DEMOCRATIC TOSSUP: Ohio polls differ on possible winner. Obama on rise, but seniors, women a plus for Clinton (Akron Beacon Journal)
• A guide to primary day (Providence Journal)
• Presidential Hopefuls Not Courting the Muslim Vote (Crosswalk - VA) The survey of 1,000 registered American Muslim voters showed that 49 percent consider themselves Democrats and 36 percent said they are independent.
• Democrats expect no knockouts (Houston Chronicle)
• Clinton, Obama face crucial test (Detroit News)
• Early voters line up (Tribune Chronicle) 52% turnout expected in Ohio
• Shifting weekend polls prompt sudden pro-Clinton Texas ad buy (LA Times blog)
• Mike and Barack: The winning ticket? (Staten Island Advance)
• Editorial: Blue vote in Collin County? (Dallas Morning News) "Something is happening"

What do New Yorkers think about the Obama/Clinton contest?

45 percent of New Yorkers think Clinton should shut down her historic effort if she's running behind Obama after Democratic primaries that include contests in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas and Vermont.... (Capital News 9)

TODAY'S NEWS HEADLINES for INDEPENDENT VOTERS

INDEPENDENT VOTERS:

• Independents Win! Bloomberg Pulls Out- Mike Bloomberg's Decision Not To Run Is A Sign That Independents Have Found Candidates They Like, Says CBS' Dick Meyer (CBS News)
• Washington-Based Anti-War Coalition Re-Emerges : Targets McCain, Iraq Costs (Tom Hayden, The Nation) moveon.org targets independent voters

TEXAS:

• Democrats smash early voting records across the state (Dallas Morning News)
• Obama's Fate in Texas Hinges on Volunteers/Paid Staff Arrived Only Weeks Ago (Wall Street Journal)
• Caucus voting crucial process, too (El Paso Times)

VERMONT:
Vermonters gear up for upcoming primary (Middlebury Campus)


Farrakhan fallout from Obama-Clinton debate (Amsterdam News)

Weekend News Headlines for Independent Voters

OPEN PRIMARIES: Open primaries in Texas and Ohio will test Clinton-Independents, GOP voters can participate, which may benefit Obama (Houston Chronicle) * Voting In Democratic Primary Makes You A Democrat, Regardless Of Motive (Tyler Paper.com)

PENNSYLVANIA: Voters switch parties before primary (Erie Times News)

TEXAS: Election call: It is Obama (Houston Chronicle)

OHIO: Obama talks change (The News Herald) * Youngstown still sees its shadow (The Vindicator)

THE CAMPAIGN: Kentucky donations follow trends (Herald Leader) * Barack Obama crowd looks like 'cult' or 'craze,' pundits say as backlash begins (Michigan Live) * Obama Backers Seek to Shut Down Pro-Clinton Organization (Wall Street Journal)

NADER: Obama: Nader bid would not hurt campaign (Washington Times)



Ohio, Texas Uphill Climbs for Clinton (AP) Among independents, Obama is leading Clinton by 14 percentage points in Ohio and by 13 in Texas, according to a Washington Post-ABC News telephone poll taken Feb. 16-20.

Obama, McCain have wide leads in Vermont, poll says (Burlington Free Press) independent voters in Vermont, who make up an estimated 40 percent of electorate, are choosing to participate in the Democratic primary over the Republican primary by a nearly 2-1 margin. VERMONT PRIMARY IS OPEN

Obama's New Populism (Wall Street Journal)

Washington's Independents On The Move (NPR - THIS IS A RADIO LINK)

Iraq: Vermont reps oppose surge

Vermont's two U.S. senators and House member said Tuesday they oppose Bush's plan to add more troops in Iraq, and appeared poised to support efforts to block funding for that plan.(Rutland Herald)