Barack Obama, the writer, headed to D.C.

I haven't yet read Barack Obama's two books. Maybe I should have, since he wrote them and not some ghost-writer. But political biographies, especially those written and released during a campaign, are usually bland and self-serving. They're written to get the candidate elected. At its core, the book is no different from a stump speech at a gym in Paducah. On the other hand, those memoirs written after a stint of public service tend to be a lot more interesting. I have a whole shelf of those, inherited from my father the accountant. My prize is an 1885 edition of Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant which goes into incredible detail about an incredible life.

Toni Morrison likes Obama's writing. And, according to an AP story by Hillel Italie, Obama is a Morrison fan. Last winter, he called up the literary Nobel laureate to ask for her support in his race against Sen. Hillary Clinton. But politics was not first on the agenda. Obama said that Morrison's Song of Solomon had "meant of lot to him." Here's Morrison's post-election take on the conversation:

"And I had read his first book (Dreams from My Father). I was astonished at his ability to write, to think, to reflect, to learn and turn a good phrase. I was very impressed. This was not a normal political biography."

That's high praise coming from Morrison. Song of Solomon is one of my favorite books. Lyrical and strange, a great story with a surprise ending. Some may call it magical-realist but we'll leave that long discussion for another time.

Italie ends the article with a comment that "the vast majority of writers usually vote for Democrats anyway." Maybe that's true in NYC but not in Wyoming. But I know what Italie means. In the summer of 2003, I was at an outdoor concert in Cheyenne. I was wearing my "Poets Against the War" T-shirt. A friend introduced me to a young writer who took a look at my shirt and asked, "Do you know any poets for the war?" I had to think about that.

To have an actual writer in the White House? That seems like a good thing. Writers have an ability to explore the subtleties of an issue. We don't see the world in black and white. We like "gray areas" because that's where the stories are. Is this a good trait for a president? It will be a big change from our current regime. But too much gray can overwhelm you, leave you lost in a fog. Obama's pragmatism should prevent him from getting lost in any fog.
And we'll probably have to wait eight years before another Obama book. He'll be busy in the interim.

Why is Wyoming so darn red?

An article in today's Casper Star-Tribune notes that 65 percent of Wyoming voters cast their ballots for McCain. That is the largest McCain margin of any state save Oklahoma, which came in at 66 percent. Wyoming voted more red than our redder-than-red Rocky Mountain neighbors Idaho and Utah. In Idaho, McCain got 62 percent of the vote and Obama got 36 percent. In Utah, 63 percent supported McCain; 34 percent were for Obama.

Wyoming also sent three Republicans to Congress, with Repub Cynthia Lummis as the new U.S. House member. We'll have a lot of dissecting and transecting of this vote during the next few weeks. We do know that Repubs hate Washington, D.C., especially when the Repubs aren't in power -- especially when the Feds aren't sending us any money. Per capita, Wyoming is one of the top states reaping federal largesse. I ain't complaining, since it does a lot of good in this state in social services, health care, transportation and the arts. Then, I'm a Democrat who doesn't spend his livelong day complaining about the gubment. I spent two years in D.C. during the Clinton years and learned a few things in the process.

We Dems are partly to blame. We're still getting organized, still trying to figure out how it's done. Montana may be able to show us the way. We'll see. Meanwhile, we have to study Gov Dave's modus operandi to see how he does it.

Here's an interesting quote from the Star-Tribune:

Lewis Newman of Casper, a Republican and lifelong Wyoming resident, said he wasn't a bit surprised to see the GOP dominate Tuesday -- but he's not sure it's such a good thing.

It's not healthy for the Republicans to have so much power, Newman said.

"If they took Saddam Hussein and put an 'R' behind his name, he would get elected in this state," Newman said. "Voters don't give two thoughts to who they send back to Washington."

Paul Krugman hopes for "the end of the monster years"

Sometimes other bloggers say things better than you ever could. This comes from a Nov. 5 post on the New York Times blog of Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman:

Last night wasn’t just a victory for tolerance; it wasn’t just a mandate for progressive change; it was also, I hope, the end of the monster years.

What I mean by that is that for the past 14 years America’s political life has been largely dominated by, well, monsters. Monsters like Tom DeLay, who suggested that the shootings at Columbine happened because schools teach students the theory of evolution. Monsters like Karl Rove, who declared that liberals wanted to offer “therapy and understanding” to terrorists. Monsters like Dick Cheney, who saw 9/11 as an opportunity to start torturing people. [My emphasis, to note Cheney's Wyoming roots.]

And in our national discourse, we pretended that these monsters were reasonable, respectable people. To point out that the monsters were, in fact, monsters, was “shrill.”

Four years ago it seemed as if the monsters would dominate American politics for a long time to come. But for now, at least, they’ve been banished to the wilderness.

Lessons in here somewhere for WyoDems

When the news about Barack Obama's victory was announced last night, I was in a room filled with Republicans. It was a small room, and there were only three of them, but it seemed as if I was surrounded. J.D. was on the main microphone, Dave was tallying the election results on a legal pad, and Bob sat next to me at the guest mike. Bob was packing, his sidearm jutting ominously from his Cheyenne Police Department holster. Big guy, big weapon -- but he's the police chief and also my state senator. He was the Republican guest and I was the Democratic guest at KFBC 1240 AM in Cheyenne. The TV in the corner was on Fixed News, but even the Fox knuckleheads had to acknowledge Obama's victory when his electoral votes ratcheted up to 297.

"Now I have to listen to Democrats gloat for four years," said Dave, scribbling on his legal pad.

I replied: "There's not that many of us in Wyoming, so it won't be too bad."

I wanted to gloat my ass off. But I was a guest at the radio station, providing some powerful insights into the conversation. Besides, my Republican state senator was packing heat.

J.D. called up the Laramie County Clerk web site to find the local results. One big surprise -- Ward 3 city councilman Pete Laybourn was last in a field of four candidates. In city council races, the top two vote-getters are elected and the bottom two go home. Pete's one of those outspoken rabble-rousers who used to appear at every city council meeting to complain about overspending, potholes, and almost everything else under the sun. He was elected four years ago and reelected in 2006. This time, his constituency thought he'd gone a bit too far when he harassed the new city attorney so badly that she quit after only a few months on the job. Maybe they'd just grown tired of his rants and bad attitude. He can ponder the reasons during retirement. But Pete isn't a retiring guy. He'll be back in his role as citizen complainant as soon as new council members are sworn in.

One of those new council members is outgoing mayor Jack Spiker, who was elected (along with incumbent Pat Collins) in Ward 2. There should be some titanic tiffs between Citizen Laybourn and Councilman Spiker when the new session rolls around.

A couple other surprises in the night's results. A close U.S. House race between Dem Gary Trauner and Repub Cynthia Lummis got worse and worse for Trauner as the night progressed. A slim Lummis lead widened until she was ahead by about 8,000 votes with 130 precincts out of 465 statewide left to report. J.D. turned to the Laramie County Clerk's page and saw that Trauner was ahead of Lummis by about 150 votes. Cheyenne is Lummis's home town! It turned out not to be the only county that came in for Trauner -- Albany, Teton and Sweetwater also went to Trauner. Gary's home county of Teton gave him the biggest margin with 3,990 votes. Albany County voters gave Gary a 2,736 vote margin while Laramie County (LummisLand) voted 20,818 to 18,642 for Trauner -- a 2,176 edge.

But the state's other 19 counties all went for Lummis. Campbell County gave Lummis a 6,500-some vote lead. That did in Gary, who lost by almost 25,000 votes. Lummis rolled out the dirty attack ads in the campaign's last week, ads that appealed to the yahoo in rural Wyomingites. Gary gonna take away your guns! He a East Coast smarty-pants Liberal! Jackson Hole! It seemed to work. Or maybe it was just a combination of events. One good thing is that we worked our butts off for Gary in Lummis's home turf. Almost 21,000 people voted for Gary in the county. We knocked on all those people's doors and called them on the phone. We were out on the streets until 6:30 and then went to the Plains Hotel to party with the other Dems. After awhile, I sauntered over to KFBC to spell my Dem cohort, Ken the Retired Fighter Pilot. I sent Ken over to the party while I faced down the Repubs.

When Ken came back for the late shift at 10, it all seemed decided. The Laramie County Clerk was reporting that District 8 incumbent Lori Millin was losing to Republican Bob Nicholas, who is filling in as Cheyenne's city attorney. The margin was only 19 votes with 100 percent of the precinct's reporting. Damn! I couldn't believe it. Lori is a great legislator and she worked hard to get reelected only to lose to this new guy. While I was elated about Obama's win, I was bummed about Lori. I went to bed disappointed.

This morning in the paper, I see Lori's smiling face on the front page with news that she'd beaten Nicholas 2,438 to 2,271. Close, but it counts. You have to wonder how Lori could be shown behind the night before with all votes counted but be the winner in the morning with even more votes counted.

There are some lessons in here for WyoDems but I haven't yet grokked them. More tomorrow....

"Change has come to America"

Barack Hussein Obama is president-elect

Election Day in Cheyenne, Wyoming

Toddlers 4 Trauner

Gary T in Cheyenne

Latest updates from Election Protection

Getting interesting out there on Election Day. Vote counting may come later than expected. Still, you have to keep on keeping on. Election protection reported this at 10 a.m. (EST):

10 a.m. DEVELOPING STORIES FROM ELECTION PROTECTION

As of 10 am, Election Protection has received over 27,000 calls to the 1-866-OUR-VOTE Hotline since the phones opened at 5:30 am this morning.

VIRGINIA: We have seen the situation on the ground in Virginia change drastically over the past hour. Election Protection is calling for the courts to keep the polls open an additional two hours.

MICHIGAN: There are widespread reports of line lines, lack of ample poll workers and general disorganization, resulting in waits as long as two hours. Machine malfunctions are also contributing long lines and in some cases poll workers administering polling through paper ballots. Some voters are expressing concern over the security of their ballots in these situations.

FLORIDA: We have received multiple reports that optical scanning machines are broken in Tallahassee, Tampa, Broward County and Miami-Dade County.

Don't let them interfere with your vote

Election Day, the most exciting one I've experienced. I'm out working for Gary Trauner today.

If anyone messes with your right to vote, you have lots of options. Your precinct's election judges are there to help. Most judges I've seen in Laramie County know their business. They receive training and get lots of backup. But, if for some odd reason, it's the judge getting in your way, there's also a precinct captain or, in many cases, the captain that oversees the operation of the 4-5 precincts grouped together, as is the case with the Lions Park Community House and the Holiday Inn on Fox Farm Road.

Your county clerk and staff will be busy but you can contact them if you experience difficulties. Contact the Laramie County Clerk at 307-633-4268.

Election Protection provides a national clearinghouse at http://www.866ourvote.org/. The web site also provides a U.S. map. You can click on any state and get crucial information on voting -- and where to turn to for help.

You can also use your Twitter account to report polling place shenanigans. Here are some directions:

If you experience problems at the polls on Election Day(such as long lines, voter intimidation, suspicious behavior, machine malfunctions, registration errors, etc.) you can report it to us via text message or the web by using your Twitter account! (Don’t have one? Click here to sign-up.)
Here is how it works:
1. “Tweets” should include a description of the problem and a hashtag+zip code (ex. #22205). If you know your voting precinct number, it would also be helpful to add that.
2. Include in your tweet a simple hashtag of “EP” + state abbreviation—so if you
are a voter in Virginia, include in your tweet “#EPVA”
3. These tweet-reports will be monitored by the respective state teams on the ground who will confirm the reports and work to resolve any issue.
4. Add #votereport to your tweet to feed live into the Twitter Vote Report website.

My sister at Joe Biden rally in Florida

My sister Molly (with red hair and wearing Obama T-shirt) gets up-close-and-personal with Democratic Party V.P. candidate Joe Biden at a rally in Tallahassee, Florida. Molly is probably the only one of my eight siblings (all Floridians) casting her vote for the Obama-Biden ticket. Go Molly! Gobama! (Who are all those guys in the dark glasses?)

WYO voters turn out in record numbers

Peter O'Dowd reported this on Wyoming Public Radio this afternoon:

The Natrona County Clerk [in Casper] says her office had to request extra ballots to keep up with demand for early voting. Renea Vitto says she saw record turnout in the days leading up to the election. She expects 750 people to cast their ballots on Monday alone. Because residents can register at the polls, Vitto predicts 120 percent voter turnout. She says voters should be prepared to wait up to 20 minutes in line on Election Day.

Statewide, early voting continues to smash records. The Secretary of State says 23 percent of registered voters have already cast ballots. That nearly doubles the average of votes traditionally cast before Election Day in Wyoming.

Poll workers at the Laramie County Court House in Cheyenne reported an average of 700 early voters per day when I was there voting on Thursday. Lines were longer last Friday and I don't know what it was like today. So, if one-quarter of registered voters have cast ballots statewide, that's about 60,000 voters. It's still going to be busy at the polls tomorrow, so get there early. Or go during lunchtime and bring a sandwich.

In Colorado, about half of all eligible voters have cast ballots. In Florida, 4.2 million people have cast ballots. Something like 330,000 voters have been to the polls in Utah. This is one big turnout, with election day still ahead of us.

FMI: http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/wpr/

Still time to pitch in for Democrats

I took a vacation day for Nov. 4 so I can get out the vote for Wyoming Democratic candidates. In 2006, I took the day off to be an election judge. In 2004, I was a pollwatcher for the entire day. Not everyone can get a day off, I know. If you can, there are national, state and local candidates who need your help.

For an overview, go to the Wyoming Democratic Party web site at http://www.wyomingdemocrarts.com/

Democrats running for the two U.S. Senate seats are Chris Rothfuss of Laramie, running against Sen. Mike Enzi, and Gillette's Nick Carter, running against Sen. John Barrasso. Contact their campaigns. See what they need today and tomorrow.

Gary Trauner of Wilson is running against Cynthia Lummis for Wyoming's lone U.S. House seat being vacated by Barbara Cubin. His well-organized GOTV campaign is ramping up across the state. But there's always room for more.

If there's a Democrat running in your legislative district (not always the case in WYO), call him or her and ask what you can do these last two days.

Finally, we have a presidential race. Sen. Obama will not win Wyoming. He may come closer than any Democrat ever has, but Wyoming is solidly in the McCain camp. But, the race is still close in Colorado, Montana and North Dakota. Cheyenne volunteers spent much of their weekend in Fort Collins and Greeley ringing doorbells for Barack Obama. I know a few people in northern Wyoming who have stepped across our northern border to work with Obama organizers in Montana. Nobody I know has been to North Dakota, but it's still interesting that the race is close there. You may not know this, but North Dakota has a longstanding progressive tradition that goes back 100 years.

Always more to do for Sen. Obama before 7 p.m. Tuesday. Go to www.barackobama.com/.

See you out there on election day!

Vote Republican! Avoid Pelosi Syndrome!

During these final days of the 2008 election, Republicans are pushing ads that portray Wyoming as a reliably conservative state and one that distrusts East Coast Liberals. If you are a born and bred Wyomingite with conservative creds, you are good and trustworthy. If you were born somewhere else -- especially any East Coast state north of Virginia or (worse) California -- and you're a Democrat, you are bad, untrustworthy and probably a Socialist.

The latest Repub ads supporting Cynthia Lummis emphasize these crucial differences and encourage Wyomingites to vote for "real" conservatives whom also are "real Americans" too. A radio ad I heard today in breaks of the Denver Broncos game has some ersatz cowboy narrator (probably an actor!) with a folksy voice. He used all the buzzwords that are supposed to push the right buttons in Wyomingites: "East Coast Liberal" and "out-of-state money" and "unions" and "Nancy Pelosi." When I heard all this, I began to feel a bit sick. So I went to the doctor.

Doctor: Sorry, Mr. Shay, but I'm afraid you have a case of Pelosi Syndrome.

Me: Not Pelosi!

Dr.: I'm afraid so.

Me: What's the diagnosis, Doc? Give it to me straight!

Dr.: First it's the arms and legs, and then the torso. Last to go is the head.

Me: Tumors? Lesions? Cankers? Boils?

Dr.: Worse. Your body turns blue. Hordes of Wyoming Republicans see that you're a Democrat and they set upon you like a pack of ravening wolves. You don't stand a chance.

Me: I'll stay at home.

Dr.: They'll find you.

Me: I'll hide in the mountains.

Dr.: They'll find you no matter where you try to hide.

Me: I'm done for.

Dr.: True, unless....

Me: What, Doc? Give it to me straight!

Dr.: Well, you could fall into line and vote Republican. This is a conservative state, don't you know? It's futile to resist. Vote Lummis. Vote Enzi. Vote Barrasso. Vote McCain. Vote Palin.

Me: Is this my only hope?

Dr.: I'm afraid so.

Me: Any side effects?

Dr.: There's one. First it's the arms and legs. And then the torso. The last to go is the head.

Me: What do you mean, Doc? Give it to me straight!

Dr.: It's called Palinitis. Your body turns red.

Me: But I'll be O.K. as long as I stay in Wyoming?

Dr.: True, but next time you go to a blue state, those Democrats will come at you like a ravening pack of slightly miffed bunny rabbits.

Me: Doesn't sound dangerous.

Dr.: It's death by a thousand little nibbles.

Me: I'll stay home. Who needs blue states anyway? Who needs Colorado or New Mexico or California or New York or Pennsylvania or Massachusetts or Washington or Hawaii or Florida or Virginia or Maryland or North Carolina or....

Dr.: Exactly. If you stay in Wyoming and vote the Republican Party line, you'll live forever.

Me: And what a full life that will be!

THE END

An ominous set of signs -- or coincidence?

So there I was, me and my clipboard and door hangers for Gary Trauner. I was trying to get my bearings in Cheyenne's Precinct 1-1. A shadow began to fall over me, an ominous shadow, fraught with meaning. I turned to look up. Hovering over me were a pair of street signs that sent chills down my spine. I was at the corner of Gop(p) and Lummis. GOP for Grand Old Party and Lummis for Cynthia, Gary's opponent in Wyoming's U.S. House race. Weird. Were these signs a sign? Or just some odd coincidence? We shall find out on election day. Meanwhile, I moved on, knocking on doors for Gary.

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