LarCoDems gather for election results

The Laramie County Democratic Party will gather at the historic Cheyenne Plains Hotel Round-Up Room on November 4, 7 p.m., to view the incoming results of local, state, and national elections. Members of the media are welcome to attend this gathering for research and reporting purposes. Refreshments and snacks will be provided.

Laramie County Democratic Party Chairman Mike Bell says: “We are looking forward to a fun and relaxing evening, celebrating all of the hard work that our Democratic candidates and volunteers completed in support of the Wyoming Democratic Party and our platform.”

LarCoDem member Mike Shay says this: "We are looking forward to cheering wildly when the presidential race results come pouring in."

For further information, contact Mike Bell at 307-631-7641.

I have it on good authority that Mike Bell has ordered two cakes for the event. Cake and Fat Tire Amber Ale go great together.

If you're looking for up-to-date results on election night, go to Dave Lerner's Wyoming Network. In 2006, the AP beat Wyoming Network by only a few minutes. Go to www.wyomingnetwork.com.

In Memoriam: Studs Terkel, storyteller

Not much you can say when one of your favorite authors passes away. So we'll let Studs Terkel have the last word:

"Who are the best historians? Who are the storytellers? Who lived through the Great Depression of the '30s, World War II that changed the whole psyche and map of the world, a Cold War, Joe McCarthy, Vietnam, the '60s, that's so often put down today and I think was an exhilarating and hopeful period, and, of course, the computer and technology. Who are the best ones to tell the story? Those who've borne witness to it. And they're our storytellers."

Obama vs. The Cranky Old Guy

From Al Rodgers on Daily Kos

Dick Cheney descends on Laramie Saturday

The Laramie County Democratic Party received a robocall from the Wyoming Republicans this morning. It sounded like a real voice on the line, but that's the strange thing about robocalls -- they come from robots who sound human. The big news from the RoboRepubs was that V.P. Dick Cheney is coming to Laramie tomorrow (Saturday) for an 8:30 a.m. rally for U.S. House candidate Cynthia Lummis and senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso. Despite the cordial robocall, Democrats are not welcomed. Here's the protocol as outlined in a story from the Laramie Boomerang:

The vice president of the United States will be in Laramie Saturday trying to convince voters to get to the polls and vote Republican. Vice President Dick Cheney will participate in a Republican Rally at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Laramie High School. The event will be an RSVP-list event and those interested in attending need to submit their name to the Wyoming GOP Headquarters at (307) 234-9166.

Wonder how you can hold a non-public rally at a public high school? But that's what happened a few years ago when Cheney visited his old haunts at the Wyoming State Capitol. The doors were closed to the common people. Usually Cheney is holding $10,000 a plate fund-raising dinners that are closed to the public due to the fact that not every Dick and Jane can afford $10,000 for a plate of rubber chicken.

“Because Vice President Cheney is a Republican, we are encouraging everybody to support Republican candidates,” said Tammy Johnson, head of the Albany County Republicans. “It is to rally Republicans and to make people excited about getting out and voting.”

I know that Cheney's appearance will encourage Wyoming Democrats to go out and vote for Democrats. None of us want to see another Cheney-like creature in the president's or vice-president's house. Let's just hope he doesn't return to Wyoming once he's booted from D.C.

On Halloween, scare a Republican and vote

This comes from the Tampa Tribune's Tampa Bay Online (also thanks to the bloggers at Florida Kossacks) and it was just too good to pass up. This Halloween, Republicans seem to be scared of voters who are black, college students, college professors, Socialists, community organizers, union members, bloggers and other assorted nogoodniks. When I was voting yesterday in Cheyenne, I saw a few black and Hispanic voters, yet could not identify any social science professors. I was looking for guys with pointy heads and pointy Marx-like goatees. I did see one teacher, but there may have been others. Teachers of all stripes are dangerous, as they are busily feeding our kids nonsense about democracy and equality.

Here are the scary inner (and outer) thoughts of Republicans:

This is the e-mail forwarded by David Storck, chairman of the Hillsborough County Republican Party:

This e-mail was sent to me from one of our Volunteers in the Temple Terrace office. If you think it can help us win this election please pass it on. This election is now in our hands everyone can make a difference. Thanks, Dave

THE THREAT: HERE IN TEMPLE TERRACE, FL OUR REPUBLICAN HQ IS ONE BLOCK AWAY FROM OUR LIBRARY, WHICH IS AN EARLY VOTING SITE.
I SEE CARLOADS OF BLACK OBAMA SUPPORTERS COMING FROM THE INNER CITY TO CAST THEIR VOTES FOR OBAMA. THIS IS THEIR CHANCE TO GET A BLACK PRESIDENT AND THEY SEEM TO CARE LITTLE THAT HE IS
AT MINIMUM, SOCIALIST, AND PROBABLY MARXIST IN HIS CORE BELIEFS. AFTER ALL, HE IS BLACK--NO EXPERIENCE OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS--BUT HE IS BLACK.I ALSO SEE YOUNG COLLEGE STUDENTS AND THEIR PROFESSORS FROM USF PARKING THEIR CARS WITH THE
PROMINENT 'OBAMA' BUMPER STICKERS. THE STUDENTS ARE ENTHUSIASTIC TO BE VOTING IN A HISTORIC ELECTION WHERE THERE MAY BE THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT.

THE COLLEGE PROFESSORS, PARTICULARLY IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, FOR THE MOST PART HAVE LITTLE OR NO EXPERIENCE IN THE WORK-A-DAY WORLD. THEIR LIFE EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN MOSTLY ACADEMIC UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF LIBERAL COLLEGE PROFESSORS. FOR
THEM, A LITTLE SOCIALISM AND ANTI-AMERICANISM IS A GOOD THING. AFTER ALL, IF TERRORISTS ATTACK US, WE MUST HAVE DONE SOMETHING TO PROVOKE THEM.

YOU AND I UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS THE POTENTIAL OBAMA PRESIDENCY PRESENTS TO OUR WAY OF LIFE. THE SUPPRESSION OF FREE SPEECH, INTRODUCING UNION INTIMIDATION IN THE WORKPLACE, INCREASED DANGERS TO OUR NATION BY TERRORISTS, CUTTING OUR
DEFENSE BUDGET BY 25%, TURNING OUR TAX SYSTEM INTO A NATIONAL WELFARE SYSTEM AND ECONOMIC POLICIES THAT COULD DRIVE US INTO A DEPRESSION.

THERE IS ONLY ONE WAY TO STOP OBAMA: VOTE !!!-------(AND GET EVERYONE YOU KNOW TO VOTE)ONLY YOU AND I CAN STOP OBAMA NOW ! !SEVEN DAYS TO GO AND WE MUST
ACT IMMEDIATELY..

A PLAN OF ACTION FOR YOU AND I:VOTE. OBAMA IS ADVERTISING ON TV ASKING ALL HIS SUPPORTERS TO TAKE A DAY OFF WORK OR CLASS TO VOTE. CONTACT PERSONALLY EVERYONE YOU KNOW REMINDING THEM TO VOTE AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. PARENTS,
VOTING-AGE CHILDREN, IN-LAWS, CO-WORKERS, CHURCH CONTACTS, SCHOOL CONTACTS, BUSINESS CONTACTS. MAKE A LIST AND CONTACT THEM. SEND THIS MESSAGE TO EVERYONE
ON YOUR EMAIL LIST THAT WANTS TO DEFEAT OBAMA.

YOUR EMAIL IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IF YOU USE IT WISELY AND PROMPTLY. YOU CAN REACH 10,000,000 PEOPLE IN THE NEXT SEVEN DAYS IF AS FEW AS TEN PEOPLE ON YOUR
LIST TAKE PROMPT ACTION AND TEN PEOPLE ON THEIR LIST AND TEN PEOPLE ON THEIR LIST...YOU GET THE IDEA.

LET'S ALL PRAY AND WORK AND WE WILL SURELY CELEBRATE OUR VICTORY ON 11/5/08.

David A. Storck Chairman, Hillsborough County Republican Party

Voted early -- by just a few days

I was 39th in line at the Laramie County office building downtown during my lunch break. Thirty-eight other fine citizens casting their votes in advance. I knew two of them -- a local teacher and a friend of a friend. Both in their thirties. The teacher was set to vote for Barack Obama and Gary Trauner. At least I think she was since she voted in the Democratic caucuses in March and I've talked to her about the election since. The guy in the black cowboy hat was voting Republican. How do I know this? The guys in the black hats are always Repubs, right?

This polling place has been averaging 700 voters per day all week. An election volunteer told me that yesterday's count was 778. That's darn good in this county with 37,500-some registered voters. I was hoping that there were other Obama voters in line with me. Not entirely hopeful, but hope springs eternal in the heart of WyoDems.

My wait was just 30 minutes. A lot shorter time than some people waited in Florida and Colorado today. Tomorrow's another day...to vote. Get out there and do your duty for democracy.

Gary T. and Gov Dave -- together at last!

Dems in West on the brink of historic gains

Democracy Corps reports this (with some good news for Gary Trauner in Wyoming):

Democrats are on the brink of making historic gains in swing Mountain West Congressional districts. Four years ago in these 11 targeted districts (AZ-01, AZ-03, AZ-05, AZ-08, CO-04, ID-01, NV-02, NV-03, NM-01, NM-02, and WY-AL), Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry lost by 15 points and Democratic Congressional candidates lost by an average of 23 points. Now, however, a sea change has occurred as Obama is nearly tied with McCain (trailing by just three points – 45 – 48 percent) and Democrats lead in the aggregate vote (50-45 percent in the named Congressional vote). Even more encouraging is the fact that Democratic candidates lead in districts currently held by a Republican (48 – 47 percent).

While partisanship has hardened as we approach Election Day – a typical trend – Obama and Congressional Democratic candidates have made gains with key swing voters, including independent women, moderates, women over 50, union households, married voters, and parents of kids under 18.

With both the Democratic presidential candidate and Democratic Congressional candidates making such major strides from four years ago, we believe this represents a cultural shift. Voters in these districts are now seriously supporting Democrats for federal offices, including president, many for the very first time. This is an important point, because in recent elections, Democrats had made gains at the state level in this region, notably for governor and state legislature, but there remained a gap between state performance and federal performance. This poll shows that Democrats have closed this gap and are now breaking through at the federal level as well.

"Spit, baby, spit!"

Chris was home early from work today. I went by the store to pick up some gruel for dinner. So I was late getting to the scene of the crime.

"You just missed it," she said, as she and the dog and the cat streamed out the front door to greet me.

"Missed what?" I asked.

"Two guys in a blue pickup just came by and spit on our Obama sign."

"No kidding?" I looked at the sign. Seemed a bit damp, but still standing. I'm fond of this particular Obama sign because it's been in my yard since February, about a month before the historic Wyoming presidential caucuses.

As I brought in the groceries, Chris described how two white guys in their twenties pulled their faded blue pickup in front of our house. The driver leaned out of his window and hocked a big loogie right at the sign. The passenger was getting out of the truck when he saw Chris standing in our big picture window. He went back inside. As they sped off, Chris flashed them a peace sign.

"Could have been worse," I said.

"Maybe they were going to steal it," Chris guessed.

I have heard tales of yard signs for Democrats going missing. Barack Obama, Gary Trauner, Jim Byrd, Lori Millin.

But my sign is a lucky sign. It's going to bring victory to Obama in Laramie County. Spit or no spit.

View Lori Millin's VidAds -- and donate

Democrat Lori Millin is running for re-election in Wyoming's House District 8 (my district). She did a great job during her first two years in the Wyoming House. Let's send her back.

Her campaign filmed two ads and posted them on YouTube:

Click here to watch the "Constituent" ad
Click here to watch the "Family" ad

As she notes on her web site: "If you like the ads and want to help put them on the air, please make a donation. They cost $9 each time we run them. Let me know if you like them or which one you like best."

Lummis will be a no-show for Wednesday's town hall meeting at UW

Cynthia Lummis will be sending a cardboard cut-out of herself to the congressional town hall meeting Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 4 p.m. in the University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences auditorium.

Actually, she'll be sending a representative from her campaign. Matched up against the stand-in will be the actual Democratic candidate for Wyoming's lone U.S. House seat, Gary Trauner. Also attending will be Libertarian W. David Herbert.

Wonder what's so important to keep Cynthia from this appearance at her alma mater (earned both bachelor's and juris doctor degrees at UW) and the state's only four-year university?

Pokes Vote, the Laramie Chamber of Commerce and the UW Office of Student Leadership and Civic Engagement host the free public event. According to a press release, "Pokes Vote has helped more than 600 UW students register to vote for the first time or make changes to their registration."

FMI: (307) 399-3350.

Voter turnout high in Laramie County

News on voter turnout from tonight's meeting of Laramie County Democrats:

10,000 people in the county have voted early. 8,000 of those votes were cast in person at the City & County Building Atrium in downtown Cheyenne. 2,000 were mail-in ballots.

Yesterday (Oct. 27) was the highest turnout at the Atrium: 700.

These figures come from the office of the Laramie County Clerk, Debbye Lathrop.

Secretary of State Max Maxfield's office reports there were 37,530 registered voters in Laramie County as of Oct. 1. That number could be a lot higher. On Oct. 6, the final day to register for the 2008 general election, was the highest-ever day for voter registrations in the history of Wyoming. Wowzir! So, we could have 38,000 or even more registered voters in this county.

But we know that at least one-quarter of registered voters have cast ballots in the state's largest county.

Three more days to vote early.

Yet another letter to my Arizona son

Dear Kevin:

How's school? You know I have to ask that first. It's the irritating Dad in me.

I also want to irritate you about another matter. I know that you said you're going to vote. But have you? I ask for a couple reasons. Arizona has early voting, and it appears that the Democrats (at least according to tracking polls) are turning out in big numbers. But those numbers have to be really big because McCain still leads Obama 51-46 percent. That may seem like a lot, but last month McCain had a much wider lead of 59-38 percent. Sen. Obama has really closed the gap in the last month and it's getting tighter every day.

So you and your buddies have to get out and vote. Did you know that some national polls show that voters ages 18-30 are voting 2-1 for Obama? Your own Arizona Public Interest Research Group shows that this age group makes up a quarter of the electorate. That's not bad in a state known mainly for its cranky oldsters shriveling up in the Valley of the Sun. You know, people like John McCain, Arizona native.

So it's up to you and your peers. You and the guys (and some girls) who grew up on Dungeons & Dragons and Sonic the Hedgehog. We parents tried to inject some lectures on citizenship amongst all the videos and soccer games and school and driving lessons. Most of all, we tried to demonstrate what it means to be an engaged citizen, someone who really cares what goes on in his community. Some of that stuck, I know, because I've seen what you've accomplished and how you've behaved since you left home. Your Mom and I and sister are proud of you. We'd be proud of you even if you were a Republican. I was an election judge in Cheyenne when you came in to vote for the first time in 2004. I can't be with you this time but I know you'll do the right thing. Pressure!

I'll see you in January, when I'm in Phoenix on business. I'll even be there on Jan. 20, Inauguration Day for Barack Obama. Maybe we can watch it together on TV.

Love, Dad

P.S.: The Arizona Capitol Times reports this:

...at least one internal Republican poll conducted toward the end of the week showed McCain clinging to a tiny 3-point lead. McCain is tied in Maricopa County, usually seen as a death knell for any statewide Republican candidate, but he makes up the difference with a strong performance in the northern part of the state.

Tuesdays with the Democrats

The Laramie County Democrats will meet on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 7 p.m., at the Historic Plains Hotel in downtown Cheyenne. The main topic of conversation will be GOTV -- Getting Out the Vote. Election Day is one week from tomorrow! All are welcome, even lapsed Republicans and Libertarians.

On Tuesday, Nov. 4, 7 p.m., tired Democrats and fellow travelers (Socialists! Decembrists! Philatelists!) will gather together at the Plains Hotel to celebrate our victories, both nationally and locally. There will be food and a cash bar. Be prepared to stay up late -- or not. Polls will have been closed in some of the eastern states for two hours by the time we gather. Who knows?

VOTE EARLY VOTE EARLY VOTE EARLY -- TIME IS RUNNING OUT

Wyoming voters have until Friday at 5 p.m. to cast absentee ballots in person at their designated county voting sites. All mailed absentee ballots must be received in your county clerk's office by 7 p.m. on the day of the Election to be counted. The rest of us will be voting on Nov. 4 from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Get out there and do your duty.

June Kronholz reported this today in the Wall Street Journal:

Almost 11 million voters already have cast ballots in the 2008 elections, and Democrats seem to have cast the majority of them, according to incomplete information compiled by George Mason University Professor Michael McDonald.

McDonald’s Web site, which he says he will update continuously between now and Election Day, reports that 2.1 million Florida voters have cast early ballots, with registered Democrats casting 45% of them, Republicans casting 40% and independents casting 15%.

The prof's Colorado numbers on early votes: 697,972.

What's this all mean? Heck if I know. It does reflect a tremendous interest in casting a vote. The majority are Democrats. Unless they're voting for Nader, all this voting is good for Sen. Obama.

See 3 Dems and 1 Repub on LCCC TV

LarCoDems' member Mary Lou Marcum sends this info:

Please help get the word out. The three Democratic Congressional candidates and Rick Kaysen will be appearing on LCCC Ch. 11 next week, from Oct 27 on. David Marcum, LCCC Political Science instructor will be interviewing them.

The schedule is as follows:
Gary Trauner & Chris Rothfoss: Monday at 9 a.m., Tuesday at 2 p.m., Wednesday at 8 p.m., Thursday at 3 p.m., and Friday/Saturday/Sunday at 10 a.m.
Nick Carter & Rick Kaysen: Monday at 2 p.m., Tuesday at 7 p.m., Wednesday at 3 p.m., Thursday at 11 a.m., and Friday/Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

These are not debates but Q&A interviews. Should be interesting. Wish we could get the info to non-Democrats as well. The Republican candidates and Democratic condidate for mayor Jayne Mockler didn't respond to the invitation to appear on the shows.

Obama paddles toward victory

Manuel Olveda in Powell decided to take some yard sale items and made a sign for Barack Obama. Pretty creative, I'd say. This photo was on the Powell Tribune blog. On a separate post, the PowellTribBlogger wondered why there are so many more Obama signs that ones for McCain in a county that has five times more registered Republicans than Democrats. A trend?

More than 100,000 rally in Denver

Civic Center Park in downtown Denver. Denver Post photo. Go to Square State for a lot more.

Down in Denver and Ft. Collins, Obama rallies the Dem faithful

Meanwhile, Hummingbirdminds is on the road in Cheney country. Sorry to miss the Obama rallies in Colorado but duty called. This bronze statue of oil workers tells you where you are.

The only maveri(c)ks I've seen lately in Wyoming are full of gas.

Postcard from our Republican overlords

This mailer came to households around Casper, even to those who have deserted the sinking Repub ship. And why is this man smiling?

The other side of the card...

We are your trusty Republican team. Ask us about the latest bargains on Wall Street.

Dead dinos and maveri(c)ks abound in Casper

Casper is Halliburtonland

Waiting for Obama in Fort Collins

This Photo (and one below) taken by Cheyenne's Tom Burdette while he waited to see Sen. Obama in Fort Collins, Colo.

Lining up for the Fort Collins rally.

Walking door-to-door for Jim Byrd (HD 44)

On a windy day in Cheyenne, Democratic candidates for the Wyoming House and Senate gathered at IBEW HQ to distribute materials for a door-to-door walkathon. The photo above shows Jim Byrd, Democratic candidate for House District 44. I walked the North Capitol neighborhood for Jim this morning. As leaves and twigs and Republican yard signs swirled around me, I must have looked like Pooh on that legendary blustery day in the 100-Acre Wood. You have to be creative on days like this. You can slip the door hangers between the screen door and the doorjamb. Or wedge it between the screen and the iron bars some people have. You just want people to see your material. By the way, I must have been following a crew from Republican Cynthia Lummis's U.S. House campaign. Thise doorknobs were getting pretty crowded. Also, I had to pick up a half-dozen dislodged Lummis door hangers and put them back in their place. You don't have to thank me, Cynthia. Any former Boy Scout would have done the same.

Campaign getting interesting in Wyo. HD 8

A new postcard from Rep. Lori Millin came in the mail today. It shows her working in surgery. The text reads:

"Worried about health care? YOUR representative works in surgical scrubs! Re-elect Lori Millin. With her you can feel safe."

Lori represents me in the Wyoming State Legislature, House District 8. She did a great job during her first two years (2006-2008) and she'll do even better when she returns. I also prefer nurses to lawyers, especially Republican lawyers such as her opponent, Bob Nicholas. Lori beat Republican incumbent Dr. Larry Meuli in 2006 by nine votes. The closeness of the race required an automatic recount. Meuli's been a little ticked off ever since, it seems. The local paper had a letter from him this morning. It supported Republican Cynthia Lummis over Gary Trauner in the U.S. House race. He wrote: "I think substance should win out over presumptions and relative political neophytes every time."

In that case, shouldn't he be voting for Lori Millin over the presumptuous neophyte Bob Nicholas?

Just asking...

Newsweek: Obama leads McCain 53-40

This just in from Newsweek:

With less than two weeks left in the presidential contest, Barack Obama continues to hold a commanding double-digit lead over John McCain according to the latest NEWSWEEK Poll. Among registered voters nationwide, Obama now leads McCain by 13 points, 53 percent to 40 percent. Among likely voters, Obama's lead is similarly strong, 53 percent to 41 percent.

Don't these people know they're on camera?

And where does all this hatred come from?

This filmed at John McCain's rally this morning at the Stock Show Arena in Denver.

MTV concert brings attention to returning veterans' issues

You've probably seen Paul Rieckhoff on CNN and MSNBC interviews (notably Keith Olberman) talking about our overseas wars. Rieckhoff, head of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), announced on Huffington Post a petition initiative to bring attention to the plight of returning veterans: The Bill of Rights for American Veterans (BRAVE). You can check out the petition here.

To publicize this effort, IAVA has teamed up with MTV to air a concert, "A Night for Vets: An MTV Concert for the BRAVE." It will be on tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT and (probably) 6 p.m. MT. The concert will feature Beyonce, Kanye West, Kid Rock, 50 Cent, Ludacris, Fall Out Boy and Nelly.

Over the weekend, CNN will air its special, "Back from the Battle," featuring interviews with Reickhoff and IAVA veteran spokeswoman Carolyn Schapper. "Back from the Battle" will air Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th at 8 p.m. ET (6 p.m. MT) on CNN.

As Reickhoff says:

We worked closely with MTV on BRAVE, because there is a tremendous amount
at stake for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in this election.

BRAVE includes the following calls to action:

• Properly treat veterans' mental health issues.
• Prevent homelessness among veterans.
• Give disabled veterans the benefits they have earned in a timely manner.
• Fully fund veterans' hospitals across the country.
• Compensate troops who are made to serve longer via Stop Loss.

IAVA will be encouraging its thousands of members nationwide to sign the BRAVE petition - and you can sign on as well. Just text BRAVE to 66333 or log on to Choose or Lose. And you can also watch the show, scheduled to air on MTV on Friday, October 24, at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

Tune in and learn something.

Obama in Denver and Ft. Collins on Sunday

As reported here a few days ago, Barack Obama is coming to Denver and Fort Collins on Sunday, Oct. 26. Fort Collins, as you may know, is located across the border in Colorado and is considered by some to be a Cheyenne suburb.

Here are the details, courtesy of Square State blog in Denver:

EARLY VOTE FOR CHANGE RALLY WITH BARACK OBAMA at Civic Center Park in downtown Denver (located between the Colorado Capitol and the Civic Center), Sunday, October 26, gates open at 10 a.m. Program begins at 11:30 a.m. RSVP Here

EARLY VOTE FOR CHANGE RALLY WITH BARACK OBAMA in The Oval on the Colorado State University Campus in Fort Collins (my alma mater). Use the public entrance at University Ave. and West Drive. On Sunday, October 26. Gates open at 1:30 p.m. and program begins at 3:30 p.m. RSVP Here

Both events are free and open to the public. Tickets are NOT required, but an RSVP is strongly encouraged. Space is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Dem lit drop set for this Saturday

Nicole Novotny, communications director for the Laramie County Democratic Party, sent this:

Please sign up to help hand out information for our Laramie County candidates during this weekend's literature drop!

When: Saturday, October 25, 2008

Times: Two Hour Shifts - 9-11 AM, 11-1 PM, 1-3 PM

Where: Meet at 810 Fremont Street (IBEW Bldg.)

Questions: Contact Betty Jo at 635-7901 or Mike at 634-9001

Gov Dave endorses Gary Trauner

Wyoming's Democratic Governor, Dave Freudenthal, endorsed Gary Trauner today for Wyoming's lone U.S. House seat. As he noted in his remarks at a noon press conference, he doesn't do many endorsements. In fact, some of us Dems have been a bit upset that his endorsement didn't come earlier. But, better late than never. In Sunday's Casper Star-Tribune poll, Trauner led Republican Cynthia Lummis 44-43 in this squaker of a race. Gov Dave's endorsement may help. The Gov is wildly popular, his approval rating in this Republican-heavy state hovering around the 81 percent mark. During the summer, he was the second-most popular Western governor, ranked just behind Sarah Palin of Alaska. But her numbers have taken a hit since emerging into the national spotlight.

I won't quote all of the governor's remarks about Trauner. You can get a transcript and an audio at http://www.traunerforcongress.com.

Here are a few choice paragraphs:

It's the same thing in another of the ads that his opponent [Lummis] runs that talks about during her tenure, she developed $5 billion in state money. Well, the truth is, anyone can take credit for that. I can take credit for that, the Legislature can take credit for that. The real reason that that money exists is the way that this economy has been over the last five or six years. I make a persuasive argument that it all happened because I was elected Governor. Because about the time I was elected, if you remember, that's about the time that prices went up.

I think we need to be realistic about what it is that we say to the public in terms of these races. The fact of the matter is that as politicians, we shouldn't believe our own press releases. The reason that this state is prosperous, and the reason that we have the money that's available, is not by virtue of somebody who was in office, whether they were Governor or Treasurer, but by virtue of the fortuitous circumstances of the nature of this state's economy.

Denver Post sez Obama in town Sunday

Now it's not such hot rumor. Sen. Obama is set to be in Denver on Sunday afternoon, Oct. 26. Obama's been to Denver a three times since the big convention the Dems had there in August. I was hoping he'd make his way up to Ft. Collins, which is a suburb of Cheyenne. We'll see....

Sen. Hillary Clinton will make a stop in Aurora this Friday. John McCain is also making a stop in Colorado on Friday. Maybe they can arm wrestle (Hillary would win).

FMI: http://www.denverpost.com/politicswestnews/ci_10785972

HOT RUMOR SEZ OBAMA IN CO OCT. 25 AND 26

Obama in Denver on Sat. and Ft. Collins on Sun.

Collegians (and at least one 66-year-old bald guy) pack Biden rally in Greeley

My buddy Bob from Fort Collins drove over to the rally for Sen. Joe Biden today at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. Bob's semi-retired, a lifelong Republican, but he's voting for Obama/Biden this time. On Monday, Bob drove down I-25 to catch the Sarah Palin rally at the Budweiser Events Center near Loveland. He said that the crowd at the Palin rally was bigger than Biden's, but Palin said the same old blah-blah-blah we've been hearing for months. As Bob said, Obama and Biden are in a much different league than McCain/Palin. Yeah, the Dems are in the Bigs and the Repubs are cellar-dwellers in the minors.

Bob wasn't interviewed by the press at the UNC rally. But here's the beginning of the story that's up now at the Greeley Tribune site:

Saying he speaks to their generation, environmental concerns and modern-day issues, college students gave Democratic vice presidential nominee Sen. Joe Biden raves at the University of Northern Colorado on Tuesday. A crowd of about 3,500 packed the floor of Butler-Hancock gymnasium for the hour-long rally, most of them college students.

“It’s a historic year. It’s one of those historic elections you want to be a part of,” said Mike Donovan, a Colorado State University student who drove to Greeley for the rally.

Donovan, a senior, wore a white cap emblazoned with “Clean Coal.”

“I feel like this year’s Democratic ticket is the step into the 21st century,” he said. “… Environmentalism isn’t a dirty word anymore, and that’s something I like.”

This lapsed Catholic chooses Obama

Lively discussions erupting around the blogosphere about Catholics voting for Sen. Obama -- or not. As always, the right wingers who have hijacked Catholicism are telling Democrats they are going to hell because they support abortion rights. I am a proud "Cafeteria Catholic," which means I pick and choose what I want off of the Catholic menu and leave the rest. However, I no longer attend Catholic mass in Cheyenne. I've outlined some reasons in the letter (below) that I recently wrote to my sister. I attend mass when I'm out of town on a Sunday, just to see what Catholics do in other parts of the country. The basics of the service are the same all over the world. I grew up experiencing it in another language -- Latin -- so I have no trouble with the mass en Espanol.

Not only am I a Cafeteria Catholic, but I'm also "lapsed" or "fallen away." Maybe I'm just taking a break until the church comes to its senses and realizes it's made a major mistake forging alliances with Christian fundamentalists because of the abortion issue. If you know your U.S. history, you know that fundamentalists have a long tradition of hating Catholics. Catholics were immigrants from Ireland and Poland and Italy. They spoke in strange tongues (especially the Irish) and took their marching orders from the pope in Rome. It's Un-American, that's what that is. At least that's what Americans once thought, even in 1960 when JFK ran for president. Some thought that JFK would not only have a red phone but also a direct line to the pope.

Now, there are those American Catholics who insist that all of us must follow the dictates of the pope when it comes to abortion. When you object, they say that you must obey, that "the church is not a democracy." Funny, but these same people didn't call for unquestioning obedience when Pope John Paul II called for opposition to the war in Iraq. Talk about your Cafeteria Catholics.

Lots to report on this subject. Memphis Bishop J. Terry Steib said this in an Oct. 21 story in the National Catholic Reporter:

“We must recognize,” he wrote, “that God through the church, is calling us to be prophetic in our own day. If our conscience is well formed, then we will make the right choices about candidates who may not support
the church's position in every case.”

Citing words from a statement, “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” a voting guide issued last November by the bishops of the United States, Steib wrote that "there may be times when a Catholic who rejects a candidate's unacceptable position may decide to vote for that candidate for other morally grave reasons. Voting in this way would be permissible only for truly grave moral reasons, not to advance narrow interests or partisan preferences or to ignore a fundamental moral evil."

Father Michael Carr in the October issue of the Wyoming Catholic Register wrote this:

"In the Catholic Tradition, responsible citizenship is a virtue, and participation in political life is a moral obligation. As Catholics, we should be guided more by our moral convictions than by our attachment to a political party or interest group. As Catholics, we are not single-issue voters."

Father Carr does talk about abortion as an "intrinsic evil," yet he equates it with another intrinsic evil: "promotion of racism." He takes an even-handed approach to the issue. But he's that type of person. He's one of the first priests I met when we moved to Cheyenne in the early 1990s. We served together on the first board of directors for Laramie County Habitat for Humanity.

This comes from the Oct. 21 Chicago Tribune:

"I feel that every Catholic can vote for Obama in good conscience," said Patrick Whelan, president of Catholic Democrats. "I think Barack Obama is the first Democratic presidential candidate who has come out and said he plans constructive measures to reduce the number of abortions in the United States."

www.catholicsforobama.org/ argues that voting on the basis of only one issue runs afoul of the faith. Obama's broader social policies would do more to reduce the number of abortions than anything proposed by Se. John McCain, who is an open opponent of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. the group says. The crux of the argument is that criminalizing the procedure is less effective in reducing abortions than addressing the social circumstances that lead women to seek them.

Finally, here's a letter I e-mailed to my sister (one of my eight siblings, all in various states of lapsedness) after she had received some hateful e-mail missives from holier-than-thou Republican Catholics:

Dear Molly:

Don't know if you saw the video last week from the Daytona Beach News-Journal that showed the demolition of Father Lopez. It made me sad. I know that Father Lopez has built a shiny new school, but I spent four good years at the old Lopez. Made some good friends, learned a lot about being a Catholic and I learned a lot about myself.

Watching the old school come down, I thought about my life as a Catholic. I don't go to Catholic Church any more. Occasionally I go to to the First United Methodist Church which has an open-door policy and a very spiritual Sunday service. No priests or deacons are up at the altar railing against gays or Democrats or abortion or birth control or stem cell research. I've had it with that nonsense. I used to find a lot of comfort going to mass. But no more.

It's an interesting and passionate thread you have going on here. As you know, I'm voting for Barack Obama and his Catholic running mate, Joe Biden. Their platform is pro-life in the truest sense. Universal health care, a living wage, an improved education system (including more aid for college students), a plan to wean us off foreign oil in ten years, and an end to the ridiculous war in Iraq. John McCain wants to continue us down the same destructive path we've been on for eight years. McCain and Palin have been spewing their hateful message across America during their campaign, while Barack Obama brings a message of hope.

You probably remember the three theological virtures we learned in the catechism. The Bible in First Corinthians puts it this way: "And now abideth faith, hope, and love, even these three: but the chiefest of these is love". Sometimes "love" is translated as "charity." It's a selflessness that lets us to care for another human being, whether that's our mate, our kids, even our enemies. It's sometimes a challenge to do the latter.

Faith comes first on the list. Love -- the most important --comes last. I'll take that (and hope) over faith any time.

Sometimes faith can be blind. We're seeing that in some of these pious "Defenders of the Faith" in this e-mail thread.

Me, I'll keep working for Obama and a truly pro-life America.

Love, Mike

Write a letter to the editor for Wyoming Democrat Chris Rothfuss

Laramie's Chris Rothfuss, Democratic challenger to Wyoming Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, sent this e-mail to his supporters:

Friends,

The "Letter to the Editor" deadline for the Casper Star Tribune is fast approaching. Letters will only be printed if they are submitted by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21 [TOMORROW!]. If you have time between now and then, and would be willing to send a letter endorsing my candidacy for U.S. Senate, I would very much appreciate it.

These letters do make a difference as long as they are honest, constructive, thoughtful and personal. Negative letters filled with Republican-bashing won't win any votes and are not helpful to me or anyone in the long run. But a candid look at where we are now, and where we need to go, may change a few minds. Whether you're concerned about education, healthcare, energy, the war, individual rights and freedoms -- the list goes on and on. You're probably not very happy with the performance of Congress over the last decade. The failure has been bipartisan and
complete. I would truly love to see 100 new Senators in Washington, D.C., but regrettably I can only hope to replace one. It's time for new ideas, new people, and a new direction.

The quickest and easiest way to submit a letter is by using the online form:
http://www.trib.com/tools/letterSubmit.php

If you would like to submit your letter to another local paper, most of them have an email address available on their website.

Thank you all very much for your support!

Cheers,


Chris
Dr. Chris Rothfuss, Wyoming Democratic Candidate, U.S. Senate, http://www.rothfussforsenate.com/

Oct. 21 press conference: Firefighters endorse Democrat Gary Trauner

Molly Simmons at Trauner for Congress sent this announcement:

Gary Trauner, Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, will join Wyoming fire fighters at a press conference tomorrow, October 21 at 11:30 a.m. at the Headquarters Station of the Cheyenne Fire Department. After both Trauner and local firefighter Jon Narva speak, they will be available for questions. Remote call in number is 712-451-6100, pass code 721718#.

O.K. you Cynthia Lummis staffers. I list this call-in number and pass code with the hope that you will not use it for nefarious deeds. Do I have your promise on this? Cross your heart and hope to spit?

FMI: Molly Simmons, 307-315-1006, Molly@TraunerforCongress.com

To donate to Gary Trauner, go to www.TraunerforCongress.com

Sen. John McCain, teller of tall tales

"Daddy Grandpa, what's a "Socialist"

Gather 'round kids, and let me tell you a story about the old days of the Cold War, a war so cold that it almost froze us with fear.

We were afraid of a country called the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or U.S.S.R. Never heard of it, not even in History class? Well, the core of the U.S.S.R was Russia. The U.S.A. and U.S.S.R. butted heads on nearly everything. Our philosophies were as different as night and day. Back in the 1950s when I was a kid, America believed in freedom and equality, except for Negroes (African-Americans were known by this term), immigrants, homosexuals and women. The Soviets believed in the enslavement of all people, including Negroes, immigrants, homosexuals and women.

The Soviets wanted to spread their philosophy to all corners of the world, including Wyoming, and we fought them every step on the way. That's why we have so many nuclear missiles burrowed into the prairie outside Cheyenne. If the Russkis came to Wyoming and tried to change our way of life, we were going to shoot their eyes out with nukes. In the process, we would all be blind too, but nevermind that.

Because Americans were so afraid, they labeled anyone who didn't agree with them as "communists." Being a communist is kind of like being a socialist, although much scarier. So, if you were suspicious of your neighbor, if you thought he was some kind of community organizer or peacenik or civil rights activist, you labeled him a communist. Every Saturday at noon, people would gather in town squares all across American and curse the communists, who had been gathered there for convenience sake. We would call them "commie" or "commie symp" (sympathizer) or "Red" or "pinko" even "Socialist." If an insolent pinko spoke up, we would stone him or her to death. This made us feel so much better. The next day, we all went to church.

So you see, kids, Americans have a long tradition of name-calling. You can see the same tradition in action every day at a John McCain or Sarah Palin rally. "Socialist!" they shout, as if they actually knew what that meant. "Community organizer!" Ouch, that hurts. "Believer in redistribution of wealth!" Uh oh, someone's been reading "The Communist Manifesto." If anyone shouts "terrorist," you know that person watches Fox News.

I wouldn't be too concerned that all of this name calling will lead to the actual stoning to death of your neighbor. But you never know...

100,000 gather for Obama in St. Louis

Meet me in Saint Louie, Louie, meet me under the arch with 99,999 other Obama supporters...

Wyoming abuzz with Obama activity

Dropped by Wyoming's Obama office on Saturday afternoon. It's strategically located on Second Street in downtown Casper, close to the the city's many downtown movie theaters and a short jaunt to Metro Coffee Company -- that caffeine will come in handy during the action-packed final weeks of the campaign.

Obama HQ was jammed with all kinds of people -- volunteers and visitors alike. Casper author and historian Tom Rea was there, on his way to Johnson County to research his next book. His wife, Barb Rea, was selling Obama stickers and yard signs and T-shirts from behind the counter. The place features one-stop shopping for Obama supporters, the only place like it in the state. Some travelers from Lander said as much. They were passing through, knew about the Oabma office and dropped in. Several women from Casper were there, deciding between the white Obama bumper stickers and the blue ones. They went blue. I have the white one because it stands out better against the hunter green of my minivan.

Barb tells me that sales of Obama goods keep the doors open. And, from my experience during one hour on Saturday, there's a steady stream of people through those doors. Barb wonders if there's a way to keep the doors open even after Obama is elected president. Could be a place where progressive minds gather on an ongoing basis. The Casper Progressive Club. The L Word (not that one -- the other one). Raising "L." Maybe we could have a nationwide chain of these clubs that would help ensure a long-term Liberal majority. Elks Clubs, but without the antlers.

I understand Barb's reasoning. We've spent all year building up the Democratic Party base in Wyoming. A lot of effort has gone into it, and a wellspring of camaraderie has built up in this historic quest. We have the feeling that we are entering a new era and and we have played a small part in the process, starting in January when Obama's field organizers dropped into the state for the Democratic caucuses. After Nov. 4, there will be tons more work,. The fulfillment of the Dem platform to universal health care, a living wage, a sensible foreign policy, and an energy policy that concentrates on conservation and renewables. What will be doing at the grassroots to help Obama succeed?

Don't we already have grassroots organizations for Dems in Wyoming in our county parties? Well, some are more active than others. In Cheyenne, we even have a county party and one called Laramie County Democratic Grassroots Coalition. Good groups (I belong to both) but can they maintain the momentum in the state during the pitched political battles of the next four years?

Also at Obama HQ on Saturday was Zack Schneider. He's a local middle-school teacher. If you read USA Today, you might recognize his name from last week's article about the state's oil patch (see my Oct. 17 posts). Zach was one of two Obama supporters interviewed for the article. As is the case with most teachers, Zach talked about education. He wants to see more arts and cultural programs for middle-school students, noting that the elementary and high school kids get most of the attention. He has a great point.

I ran into writer and retired UW prof Vicki Lindner and her artist husband Richard. They once lived in Casper, and then Dubios. They just bought a condo in Denver's Capitol Hill. Vicki will use the second bedroom for a writing room. Richard has leased studio space nearby. They're Obama supporters but probably won't be able to register at this late date. Colorado could use a few more Democrats for Obama to clinch the state's crucial electoral votes. A vote for Obama in Wyoming counts toward the popular vote totals but there's very little chance our non-crucial three electoral votes will go Democratic.

If you're in Casper during the next few weeks, go down to Obama HQ. Buy more stuff and visit these fine volunteers. You can also spend an hour calling battleground states for Sen. Obama. When I was there yesterday, calls were being made to Montana. On other days, it's Missouri or Colorado.

But you don't need to be in Casper to make those calls. I'm making some Monday on my cell phone. Wonder which state I'll be targeting? Go here to sign up for calls of your own: http://my.barackobama.com/modules/votercontact/login_signup.php

TRAUNER OVER LUMMIS 44 TO 43

Casper Star Trib poll duplicates Daily Kos stats

At the Casper Obama offices

Zach Schneider is volunteer for OBAMA in Casper

Obama supporters of all kinds at office in Casper

Money Mag -- "Wyoming: Drill Baby, U.S.A."

Dang, everybody's getting into the act. Money Magazine has a huge article on "Drill Baby, U.S.A." which (naturally) is about Wyoming. Read all about it at http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/wyoming/2008/index.html?cnn=yes.

One strange thing about all this. Coasters probably think that we all have oil wells or coalbed methane wells in our backyards. Sure, my neighbor does, but I don't.

Here's my neighbor's backyard:

Here's my backyard:

Never goin' back to my old school

It's odd to see your old high school going under the wrecking ball, even it's on video from 2,000 miles away. Father Lopez High School in Daytona Beach, Florida, gets torn down to make way for another Super Wal-Mart (can't have too many). FLHS was getting old and decrepit. It wasn't all that substantial when I was going there from 1965-69. No A.C. either. The last time I visited (1994) the old gym was still the same old gym where I played basketball for three years.

Fear not, the Father Lopez Green Wave have a new facility west of town near the Ladies professional Golf Association (LPGA) development. Football stadium, too, named after a guy I played b-ball with in the olden days. He died about a decade ago. No more nuns at the school to whack you upside the head if you get fresh. Probably all very civilized and air-conditioned and preppie.

God, I really loved this place. I'm one of the few writers I know who actually liked high school. The rules were rigid, but Sister Mariam Catherine helped me discover that I had some smarts and I could write. Coach John Chura kicked my butt -- and encouraged me -- on the b-ball court. We were all conservatives then, yet it was in this environment that I learned about Catholic social justice.

So, a little salute to the old school...

Video from Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Trauner & Lummis still tied (with Trauner showing a tiny lead)

Kos of Daily Kos reported polling data today that shows Wyoming Democrat Gary Trauner with a tiny lead over Republican Cynthia Lummis in the U.S. House race. This is a Daily Kos poll, so you Repubs can take it with several grains of salt. But the numbers by Research 2000 in a poll Oct. 14-16 of likely voters (margin of error 4.5%) shows Trauner with 44 percent and Lummis with 43 percent. Polling results on 9/22-24 showed a 42-42 tie. So, more voters are moving out of the undecided column and into the ranks of the decided.

Here are comments by Kos:

All of this is noise within the margin of error. Like the last time we polled Wyoming, the fate of this election seems to rest on the hands of Republicans, who sport a surprisingly high 21 percent undecided. And it's just this race that generates this kind of uncertainty. In the two Senate races and the presidential, all GOP blowouts, Republicans are quite decided on their vote (results for those races are in the crosstabs below the fold). Yet there's something about the House races that has them on the fence, seriously considering splitting their ticket.

Wyoming voters aren't adverse to ticket splitting, as the state's Democratic governor would attest. With no other high-profile Democrat on the ticket (like the governor's race in 2006), hopefully Trauner can be the recipient of that trend this year. The congressional term is only two years. They can always revisit their decision in two years.

So, if you'd like to make those numbers climb in the Trauner column, donate on the web at Trauner for Congress or ActBlue

Wyo. Tribune-Eagle endorses some Dems

Cheyenne's daily newspaper, the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, has endorsed Gary Trauner for the state's lone U.S. House seat and Lori Millin for Wyoming House District 8. The paper endorsed a few other Democrats -- Mary Throne and Jim Byrd for the legislature -- but chose Republicans Mike Enzi and John Barrasso for the U.S. Senate. Democrat Chris Rothfuss of Laramie is a good man, but is a long shot to beat Enzi, who's liked by diehard Dems like me. But Barrasso? The physician who votes against children's health care? Nick Carter is the better man for the job.

Millin was not effusive in acknowledging the WTE endorsement. But who can blame her? Earlier this year, the paper couldn't quite understand that Lori is a Democrat, labeling her the Republican incumbent running for the Wyoming District 8 seat. How tough is that to find out? How many legislative guides are lying around the WTE offices?

Here's Lori's response to the endorsement from an e-mail sent to supporters:

I found out yesterday that I received the endorsement of the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle. I am not quite sure how to take this, but it is always nice to hear that someone thinks you should win your race. Two years ago, my opponent got the endorsement and I won so it certainly doesn't guarantee victory. I did serve on the newspaper's editorial board for four months. I have some serious concerns and reservations about their endorsement process, but I do know they are trying to do the right thing for the community. I can't wait to read what they have to say about my race when they discuss it in detail.

Surprise: USA Today explores Wyoming's oil patch, finds strong McCain support

USA Today wrote about Wyoming in its series "50 States 50 Days," an attempt to get to all of the states and interview people about their views on the presidential race. In Wyoming, they focused on oil patch workers in Midwest and environs. All said they will vote for McCain. The reporter had to go south to Casper to find some Obama supporters. The story is pretty accurate, as far as it goes. My guess is that Obama finds most of his support in Cheyenne, Laramie, Rock Springs, Jackson, Lander, Casper and Sheridan. Not surprisingly, those are where the Democratic Party organization is strongest. Dem candidates for U.S. House and Senate are finding that to be true, too. Nick Carter of Gillette is running for Dr. John Barrasso's Senate seat. Wonder what kind of support he's finding in his home town? Gillette is the epicenter of the coal and coal-bed methane industry.

The USA Today reporter interviewed historian Dr. Phil Roberts:

"McCain will win, but it will be a lot closer than people think," says Phil Roberts, history professor at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. "My suspicion is a lot of Wyoming Republicans will sit it out. There's not a lot of enthusiasm for voting for McCain."

Roberts says he sees Wyoming Republicans as mostly business-oriented rather than driven by ideology, social issues or other reasons. He calls them Romney-style Republicans, referring to former presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Read the entire story here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-15-50states-wyoming_N.htm

The oil patch workers were more interested in the McCain/Palin philosophy of "drill, baby, drill" that anything else. Again, no surprise, but you'd think they'd be at least mildly interested in the economic meltdown that will affect their pocketbooks as much as the changing of the guard in D.C. Also, health care, foreign policy, education. Not a mention of any of those from the McCain supporters. Then again, McCain has few ideas other than "drill, baby, drill." If you had any doubts about McCain's bankrupt philosophy, go to this link and see what kind of sleazy robocalls are being made to your house by the McCain/Palin campaign: http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/latest_mccain_robocall_alleges.php

Land o' Goshen! You don't vote?

I'm not the most efficient phone canvasser in the world. I'm easily distracted -- you can tell by my blog title -- and I'm always in search of a good story so I don't mind a long conversation.

Yesterday I was at Gary Trauner's sprawling offices in downtown Cheyenne. It's a big place with distinctive wallpaper: "Trauner for Congress" signs. The place has been buzzing the past few months as Gary strives to be Wyoming's first Democratic member of the U.S. House since the legendary Tino Roncalio from Rock Springs. Gary has drawn scores of volunteers and staffers to his cause, some from as far away as Oregon and Wisconsin. Most of us are Wyomingites, though, just volunteering our time to walk neighborhoods or to call potential voters on the phone.

Yesterday we were calling Goshen County. It's northeast of Cheyenne, a long rectangle like most of our 23 counties. Torrington, site of Eastern Wyoming College and the new prison, is the biggest town in Goshen. I believe that the town also has an ethanol distillery (have to check that out). Nearby is one of my favorite places, Fort Laramie National Historic Site. Other towns in Goshen include Yoder, Jay Em, Hawk Springs, Veteran, Lingle and LaGrange.

I called all over the county. Talked to a woman in Torrington who was undecided, said she still was making up her mind. She liked the idea that Gary was not a tax-and-spend Liberal. She said she'd vote for Gary if he was a veteran, as she believes that all people running for public office should be military veterans. Not a new idea. In Robert Heinlein's "Starship Troopers," you had to join the military and fight interstellar "Bugs" to be a citizen. (Historical note: The move, "Starship Troopers," was filmed in Wyoming. Coincidence? I think not.) I talked to this woman for awhile and finally asked if she was at least leaning toward voting for Gary and she said no, that she still was deciding. Very coy, this one.

Later, I talked to a gregarious woman in her sixties who admitted that she had never voted. At first, I thought she was pulling my leg. "Never voted?" She laughed and said it was true. I was flabbergasted and flummoxed. I don't think I've ever actually met any who's never voted. Her husband votes. I suggested she go along with him next time, as you can register at the polls in Wyoming. No, she wasn't going to start now. She like her life and not voting, she said, hadn't affected it much. "Just think how much better it would be if you voted," I said. She laughed again. You never know, I said, you could vote on Nov. 4 and win the lottery the next day. She laughed again, said she didn't play the lottery. I tried about everything in the book to get her out to the polls. "We don't care who you vote for -- you just have to get out and vote." That's only partially true. I wouldn't be calling if we didn't care who she voted for.

In the end, she admitted that she was too busy with her family and work and crocheting that she didn't have time for anything else. She sells her crochet work in Chugwater (Platte County -- another rectangle) and at her home gallery east of Chug in Goshen County. "So you're an artist?" She said that she might be, that she really likes crocheting. I should have asked her if she would crochet a "Trauner for Congress" wall hanging or doily (I know an artist who crochets earrings) but I didn't think of that until later. She did sound very proud of her work. I said I'd drop by her studio next time I was on the road between Chug and Hawk Springs. "You do that," she said. "Please go vote," I said. She thought not.

McCain oozes negativity in tonight's debate

Tonight's debate in a nutshell, as described by Obama campaign spokesperson David Plouffe:

“We came into the debate with two thirds of the American people thinking that John McCain is running a negative campaign, and Senator McCain spent 90 minutes trying to convince the other third. Once again, Barack Obama won a clear victory because he made the case for change for the middle class, while John McCain just had angry and negative attacks."

When you hold a forum for voters, you actually expect the candidates to show up

I read about this in Saturday's Casper Star-Tribune. I just read it again and realized how strange it was that no Republican candidates showed up at the big Homecoming weekend Voters Forum in Laramie. Here's the story:

It was Democrats three, Republicans zero at the League of Women Voters Forum in Laramie.

All three Democratic candidates running for Congress attended Thursday night's forum at the Albany Public Library. But all three Republican candidates sent other people to speak in their place.

Democratic House candidate Gary Trauner drove from Teton County to attend [approx. 380 miles one way]. Republican Cynthia Lummis sent her daughter to talk for her [approx. 45 miles].

Democratic Senate candidate Chris Rothfuss lives in Laramie, so he didn't have far to travel. His opponent, Republican Sen. Mike Enzi, sent a campaign representative in his place.

Republican Sen. John Barrasso also sent a campaign staffer, while Democratic challenger Nick Carter showed up in person.

Gosh, the Democrats must care more -- or maybe they treat this election more seriously than their opponents. McJoan goes into detail on the event in a Daily Kos post at http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/13/105245/56/368/629149. This photo of Republican candidate surrogates accompanied her story --

They look nice enough. And they came with notes and everything. But voters came to see the actual candidates, not campus Young Republicans.

Here's Gary Trauner, the actual Democratic candidate for Wyoming's lone U.S. House seat, speaking on the issues at the forum --

More than 12,300 voters have cast absentee ballots so far in Wyoming

AP reports:

The Wyoming Secretary of State's Office says more than 12,300 people have cast absentee ballots so far in the general election.

That's about 5.3% of the state's roughly 233,000 registered voters. Absentee voting began Sept. 25 and continues through Nov. 3, the day before Election Day. Officials in the state's most populous counties say absentee voting has been typical of a presidential election year, and possibly a little heavier than 2004.

Laramie County Clerk Debbye Lathrop says about 2,650 people have cast absentee ballots in her county so far. She says absentee voting has been busy at the county's absentee polling place. Chris Lindsey, the deputy county clerk for elections in Natrona County, says nearly 1,140 people have already voted absentee in Natrona County.

Are you a Laramie County resident at least 18 years old who hasn't yet registered? No problem. Go down to the City & County Building, register and cast your vote. You can do that in Wyoming. Really, you can. My advice: be a real maverick in this red state and vote for Barack Obama.

Get more details here: http://www.laramiecountyclerk.com/

Great idea CQ, but what about a poetry slam?

This comes from Jonathan Schwartz at Congressional Quarterly:

CQ Politics columnist John Bicknell argues to drop the presidential debates in favor of one-on-one interviews with advocacy journalists from the other side:

"We learn virtually nothing from the debates as they are currently structured. We need to find out what these guys think, how they think, who they are, how they respond to a real challenge. That’s a very difficult proposition when all you’re hearing are canned responses to pre-packaged questions.

Wouldn’t you love to hear William Kristol or Jonah Goldberg or Charles Krauthammer go toe-to-toe with Obama? How about Katrina Vanden Heuvel or Peter Beinart or David Corn grilling McCain?"

Read more: http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?docID=news-000002974215.

Great idea! Absolutely no chance this will happen. Candidates make the rules and the MSM meekly follows. This is a strategy designed to benefit speakers/debaters/thinkers. You know, Obama and Biden. But even their handlers would demand too many restrictions to make this work.

You know what might be more fair? Presidential campaign poetry slams. You might think that candidates with polished speechifying skills could win any slam. I'm not sure about that. First of all, Sarah Palin already speaks in slam. The wags at Slate.com put some of her speeches into poetry form and they're not bad. Problem is, she'd need a teleprompter, which is a slam no-no. Memorization may be a problem. Same with McCain. His herky-jerky speaking style could translate well into the slam format. I'll have to come up with some appropriate poems for him.

On the other hand, Obama and Biden are just not very hip. Did you see Sen. Obama dancing on TV with Ellen D? I think Bill Clinton has it all over Obama in that arena. He's also a sax player, so he has some sense of rhythm. I could see a young Biden slamming in some beat bistro. Now he's worn dark suits for too long and it's affected his mojo, if he ever had any.

I say poetry slam, straight up, instead of the debate. All four up on stage, versifying. Pick some slam judges at random from the crowd and turn them loose on the performances. Let's really mix things up and include Ralph Nader and Bob Barr. I have this vision of Nader as the Talking Heads' David Byrne in "Stop Making Sense," wearing that over-sized suit and doing his spasmodic dance. Bob Barr? He's a mysterious fellow. His Southern roots might yield some surprising poetry.

I'll have some McCain poems up soon.

The story behind the Obama "Hope" poster

You probably recognize this poster from the Obama T-shirt you just bought online or from the art show held at a gallery in Denver's LoDo during the Democratic National Convention in August. The poster was created by street artist Shepard Fairey, who also was on hand in Denver to talk about his work. It's become one of those iconic images that go way beyond poster art. Ben Arnon tells the story behind the image in a post on today's Huffington Post. Read it at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-arnon/how-the-obama-hope-poster_b_133874.html

Dem Lit Drop in Laramie County

I have nothing brilliant to say about our weekend literature drop in Cheyenne for Democratic Party candidates for U.S. Senate Chris Rothfuss and Nick Carter. We didn't have the snow that was forecast -- the storm kept to the north and west. Montana got socked, as did Lander in the west-central part of the state. Cheyenne will have its turn soo, probably on halloween.

The plan was to hit all the addresses in Cheyenne, Pine Bluffs, and Burns with flyers outlining the merits of the two candidates. Both are newbies to the political arena, which should never disqualify anyone from seeking public office. Both sitting senators, Mike Enzi and Doctor John Barrasso were newbies at one time. Now they are oldies and need to go home.

A literature drop is just what it sounds. You bundle your material and slip it into a neighbor's screen door or find some other appropriate spot. No mailboxes allowed, as those are strictly for bills, direct-mailing offers and paid political announcements. Every so often a letter finds its way into the letter box. As a literature dropper, I never violate the sanctity of the mailbox. The U.S. Postal Service is an important quasi-governmental entity, one that is charged with delivering the mail, even though it might be to a house featuring signs of a political candidate you might not like. That's the main thing right there. During the 1960s, when delivery services in the South refused to deliver to Civil Rights groups, the USPS got through. The government can do a great job of supplying essential services, as long as that government is in capable hands.

As always, I digress. But it's my blog and I'll digress if I want to.

In a literature drop, dedicated volunteers are doing the job of the mail carrier without the overhead. Sure, all candidates should spend money locally to reach local voters. But what if you don't have the funds? Democratic candidates, even those running for U.S. Congress, are notoriously short of money in this state. Some are doing better than others -- U.S. House candidate Gary Trauner, for instance -- but he began his campaign in 2006 and has had time to build a war chest with the help of the DNC's 50-state strategy.

Know how expensive it is to print 30,000 copies of a full-color flyer? If you don't send it to Hong Kong, which takes some time, it's about $1,300 from Next Day Flyers in Santa Dominguez, Calif. That takes $10 from 130 donors. That's tough when you're new at the game in a state where two-thirds of the electorate are Repubs or Libertarians.

On Saturday and Sunday, I distributed Carter & Rothfuss materials to about half of my assigned 359 addresses. Most of the time, all I had to do was slip the flyers into a screen door. If the screen door was locked, I slipped them between the latch and the door frame. Sometimes I had to roll up the flyers and slip them into small gaps in a porch's wrought-iron banisters. Often, as with some apartment complexes, there were no screen doors, no nooks or crannies, no metal banisters. I was totally stymied by one group of a dozen apartments. No screen doors, big wooden banisters -- nothing. So, I just had to wish those folks well and move on. I could have gone door-to-door, but no time. We lit droppers have to keep moving, especially on cold days.

I only had conversations with a few people. Most were friendly. I surprised a young mother coming out of her door with babe in arms and toddler in tow. I aged her a few years, so gave her a break on the lit drop. I hit friendly territory at one house with Gary Trauner (U.S. House) and Lori Millin (State House) signs in the yard. She was watching a toddler, too, but the two of them took time out to talk Dem.

So, now, I have several hundred more flyers to distribute before the weekend in Precinct 2-7. Have to get to those early voters before they head to the polls.

Irritate a Know Nothing -- wear your Obama T-shirt to Wal-Mart today

Steelmaggie13 in Alabama is one of those Steel Magnolias who give the South a good name. Here’s part of her diary on Daily Kos:

Soooo... Tonight I needed to go to Wal-Mart. I try to avoid it as much as I can because I prefer to give my money to the local businesses in town, but I had to go tonight. I try to wear one of my Obama Tshirts whenever possible because I am just really proud of my candidate. Tonight it was my HOPE MONGER tee ;o) It's funny the looks you get from people when you're in the minority.. Sometimes people look at my shirt and then at my face like I'm crazy.. Some smile, some say "Love that shirt!" And tonight... a woman actually confronted me about it.

I was behind her in line thru the self check out... and she looked at me and in a tone dripping with disdain, said, "Can I just ask you 'Why'"? (I knew immediately what she meant), but I asked her, "Why what?" She made a motion with her hand over her own chest, indicating my shirt... She said "Why? Why all that?" My first reaction was really incredulousness, and I said back, smiling, "Why NOT?!" I asked her what our other choices were. And she said.. "Well, not SOCIALISM!"

I said to her, "Oh, you must watch Fox News because they're the ones who are pushing that storyline.". I could feel my heart start pounding harder... She said something about his record, and I know the look on my face was complete disgust (I've GOT to work on that, I never have had a very good poker face), and I said back to her... "Records?? Consider if you will that the Republicans have been in charge of the gov't for the past 12 years.. and LOOK where we are!"

I'm very passionate about this stuff and I think maybe I scared her a little when I answered her back so sharply and quickly, so she said.. "I don't want to argue with you, I just wanted to know why.". So I, still smiling said... "Well, the reason for 'all this' (imitating the same movement she made indicating my shirt) is because THIS is a positive movement. I feel excited and joyful and hopeful about this election. I believe in this guy. I'm very happy with my candidate and I support Obama completely. It's not the dismal, hateful, scary stuff the other side is offering. That's why." I was smiling, but I think she and a few others around us, knew I was spring loaded and ready LOL... I've GOT to work on that. I only want to come across as joyful and confident.. Not snippy and bitchy. I mighta been a little snippy and bitchy in my delivery, but I felt proud of my answers.

Read all of it at http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/10/12/02934/468/450/628050

Gary Trauner appearances this week

Here's a partial list of the coming week's personal appearances by Gary Trauner, Democratic candidate for Wyoming's lone U.S. House seat:

Laramie Congressional Forum, Sunday, 10/12/2008, 6-8:30 p.m. Contact 307.660.0614 for location and additional information.

A Candidates' Forum will be held on Tuesday, 10/14/2008, 7-9 p.m. in the 4-H Building at the Platte Co. Fairgrounds in Wheatland. Participants are asked to bring questions with them, or ideas of questions. Written and pre-screened questions only will be submitted and asked by the moderator, Joe Fabian. Each candidate will have a short introduction. National, state, county, local and special district candidates have been invited, Democrats Gary Trauner and Chris Rothfuss among them. No mention of Trauner's Republican opponent Cynthia Lummis or Rothfuss's opponent Mike Enzi. (Thanks to Wheaterville for the listing).

"Door to Door in Casper" on Wednesday, 10/15/2008, 3:30 p.m. Take some personal time from work, pick up the kids from school, and meet and greet voters in Casper with Gary. Call 307-265-4022 for more information. We're also going door-to-door for Gary in Cheyenne on Wednesday at 4 p.m. If you're interested in volunteering, leave a comment below or send an e-mail (see my profile at right).

Sheridan Chamber of Commerce Forum, 3059 Coffeen Avenue, Thursday, 10/16/2008, 7-9 p.m. Come and support Gary as he debates the other congressional candidates. Contact 307.673.4762 for more information.

Look for appearances by Gary Trauner in a neighborhood near you!

mccainpedia "Count the lies" link hijacked (with update)

I'm removing all links to mccainpedia on my blogroll and to the McCain "Count the Lies" posts. The link apparently has been hijacked by webofdeception.com which seems to be a right-wing site as he speaks fondly of Matt Drudge. Beware! I'll do more research and get back to you...

UPDATE, A FEW MINUTES LATER: Maybe it was my problem, or the link's been fixed. ProgBlog citizens! Go about your normal lives! Nothing to see here...

Try going here and see what you get: http://www.mccainpedia.org/.

The questions remains: who and what is webofdeception.com?

Poll numbers up for Barack Obama

The latest national polling numbers reported on Daily Kos show Sen. Barack Obama with an increasing lead over scare-monger Sen. John McCain. Go here for details: http://www.dailykos.com/trendlines