Dems Seek Upper Hand With Atlas Project
Seeking to ensure that the Democratic Party is as prepared as possible to win the White House in 2008, a trio of Democratic field operatives are nearing completion on an unprecedented project designed to provide detailed tip sheets for each of 15 states expected to be presidential battlegrounds next November.
Known as the Atlas Project , the group was organized by Steve Rosenthal, a longtime labor operative, Mary Beth Cahill, who managed Sen. John Kerry's 2004 presidential race and Michael Whouley, widely regarded as the top field organizer in the party. These Democratic operatives already have signed up as clients the AFL-CIO, Emily's List, American Association for Justice and the Service Employees International Union -- and they are developing a separate plan for the Democratic National Committee. The Atlas principles briefed their clients on Sept. 6 and also presented their work to senior advisers for the presidential candidates that same day.
For the past 14 months, Atlas has meticulously gathered and cataloged available data from past elections in its targeted states, a process that unearthed a treasure trove of interesting political artifacts, including the party's 1996 Michigan coordinated campaign plan, which was found in an organizer's basement. All told, more than 45 gigabytes of information have been collected, sorted and standardized.
To supplement that wealth of information, Atlas has hired consultants in each of their targeted states -- seeking in each case to find the person regarded as the best Democratic operative in the state. In Michigan, that's Amy Chapman, who currently serves as the executive director of Grassroots Democrats. Pollster Dave Beattie is heading up Atlas' efforts in Florida while media consultant Will Robinson and former Democratic National Committee Chairman David Wilhelm are tasked with Ohio. They all work in conjunction with Atlas executive director Melissa Roy.
The full plans for each state are due to Atlas' clients on Nov. 15. The plan's writers are typically the lead state consultant in conjunction with one of the seven full-time staffers in Atlas' D.C. offices. After submitting their plans in November, the authors will also undergo what one insider decribes as a "doctoral review process," facing questions from roughly a dozen senior party operatives including Donna Brazile, who managed former Vice President Al Gore's 2000 race, as well as pollsters Geoff Garin and Cornell Belcher.
The goal, according to Rosenthal, is to provide a "detailed analytical look at the states that will hopefully provide a roadmap to victory."
Atlas is one of a series of progressive projects aimed at correcting the errors (perceived or real) from the 2004 presidential campaign. Many Democratic strategists believed that the defeat -- especially in states like Ohio and Florida -- was due in large part to Republicans knowing more about the state and possessing more current and historical data. Atlas is a reaction to that belief; Democratic operatives are hoping that when the nominee is chosen in 2008, the plans that will be presented to the campaign will give their candidate an added edge heading into the general election campaign. The venture's supporters argue that Democrats haven't tried anything as broad as this effort in nearly two decades, dating back to work done by the late Paul Tully and Mark Gersh in the early 1990s.
Will it work? It should help the nominee spend his or her money and time more effectively in targeted states. But, ultimately, the winning formula for election victories tends to be a mixture of strategy, message and intangibles. The Atlas Project won't win the White House for Democrats in 2008 but it just might help.
By Chris Cillizza |
September 18, 2007; 3:10 PM ET
| Category:
Eye on 2008
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Posted by: vqmghazeds | October 1, 2007 3:29 PM
My view is prejudiced, of course, coming as I am from one of the most ignored states in presidential politics. But while there is nothing wrong with the Atlas project, the Democratic nominee must carry on a 50-state campaign, if they want the White House in 2008.
Two elections that focused only on "battleground states" delivered to the Democrats George Bush as president.
Howard Dean is right. This has to be a 50-state campaign and the effort needs more than lip service. The moderate Democrats are resurging in the west. Western states have large numbers of independants who have chosen Democrats in states like Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, the Dakotas, etc. These indepedents can be persuaded to vote for the Democratic presidential candidate, if a strong effort is made to ask for their vote.
Besides, these states cover a lot of ground on a map, think how blue they will make the election night TV maps look.
(and why did we let the Republicans have Red anyway. Red is my favorite color!)
Posted by: alan in Missoula | September 19, 2007 1:36 PM
anything that would help dems is great
Hypocrite Hillary(DC Experience Matters?JFK & Bill HAD LIL
This Video Is Showing That Hillary is a hypocrite for saying obama has no experience
Posted by: dems | September 19, 2007 9:34 AM
I find it hard to believe that someone as smart as Chris doesn't know the difference between "principles" (ideas) and "principals" (in this context, the legal entities for whom agents work). I also find it hard to believe that people are excited about finding 1996 Michigan data when the problem in 2004 was that the Republicans had more current information.
Posted by: TDS | September 19, 2007 12:32 AM
'Privacy rights aren't explicit in the Constitution (See how I capitalized that? It's an important document.) but we believe that they are ours by right. Blacks are certainly not a mere 3/5ths of a person anymore. The Constitution needs to grow with our needs.'
Posted by: indeed | September 18, 2007 9:33 PM
Oh you have another one too, Rufus.
3. Some of the people on this blog are dumb, though probably not traitors. Others are intelligent, witty, and seem like genuinely nice folks. If I were in Austin I'd look up Mark. If I were ever in Zouk I would avoid KoZ like Ebola Zaire.
Generalizations are foolish. Don't make them.
"
If my goal is to get fox off the air. If I am trying, in my own small way, to counter Bill O'Reilly. then I must use generalizations. "Fox dominates cable news" as they say. they OWN all media. How do americans counter.
That's all I'm doing. O'Rielly is silencing the elft, I am opening this blog for the left, and right. O"Reilly uses "crazy" "kool-aid" charaterizations, and I do to.
For thos that would silence me, they should also what BIll O'Reilly silenced for the same reasons. If they would scream for me to be silecned (an anonymous poster no one listens to on ONE site), then they should also scream for O'Reilly to be removed.
That is my only goal in blogging. Destroying and marginalizing Fox "News". That may be a big goal, but it is waht it is.
how many people do I effect? O'Reilly hannity? ME=maybe twenty. The fox propogandists=at least 20 million.
so who is doing more damage? Yet people come here to get me silenced everyday. And you wonder why I call the gop hypocrites.
I hear you jason. I am not as naive as I appear. I do not believe everything I put out is truth (though it is posed as news). So I do the same exact thing as the right wing attack machine. I do this for the lucky fix viewers.
Most want me silenced or to tone it down. I want the same thing, only recipricated. so I repeat. You people want me gone. Help me get fox off the air.
Posted by: rufus | September 18, 2007 6:35 PM
thank you for those thought out answers. i will be nice, since you gave up some info. Thank you.
but I'm still not convinced to sel-out my country for the oil and security of another. We have enough of our own problems as the last 7 years show.
Thanks jasonL. But not convincing enough. There are independants reading. Convince them.
anything you need to know about the left? How can I turn you:)
Posted by: rufus | September 18, 2007 6:25 PM
Oh you have another one too, Rufus.
3. Some of the people on this blog are dumb, though probably not traitors. Others are intelligent, witty, and seem like genuinely nice folks. If I were in Austin I'd look up Mark. If I were ever in Zouk I would avoid KoZ like Ebola Zaire.
Generalizations are foolish. Don't make them.
Posted by: JasonL | September 18, 2007 6:24 PM
Rufus, nobody's going to answer a question that is phrased so abrasively. It's like asking "Why is does your haircut look dumb" instead of asking "Why did you choose to cut your hair like that?" Try asking them nicely.
However, I'll try to play a little devils advocate here and answer your questions in the (likely vain) hope that you'll be quiet tomorrow.
1. Because of increased production in the gulf after everything was running up to full speed again post Katrina.
2. I don't believe that many Republicans take Saudi Arabian interests above American ones but we must have some sort of relationships with the Saudi's. The undeniable fact of the matter is that they hold a tremendous percentage of the worlds oil reserves. They use these reserves to steady the market in the same way that the fed uses interest rates a funds to steady to economy. If they decided not to use their reserves for the function oil prices would quadruple overnight.
2A. Some of them are hypocritical. I imagine that some have a favorite teddy bear that they sleep with at night to feel better. Some use coke, some strippers. Some tap their foot in bathroom stalls. But it's important to realize how far we've come since those founders. Privacy rights aren't explicit in the Constitution (See how I capitalized that? It's an important document.) but we believe that they are ours by right. Blacks are certainly not a mere 3/5ths of a person anymore. The Constitution needs to grow with our needs.
Posted by: JasonL | September 18, 2007 6:18 PM
| at 6:01P, with any sort of political savvy, the two parties will reach a compromise on the Estate Tax before 2010. There is no tax scheduled for 2010, but then a reversion to very small exemptions in 2011 is the current prospect.
One favored compromise would be to reset the exemption levels to $5m [which means $10m for a married couple with planning], and revisit the exemptions to allow for inflation every five years or so.
Posted by: Mark in Austin | September 18, 2007 6:15 PM
lOOKS LIKE THE gop moveon smear campaign has failed
"The level of spin and finger-pointing necessary to deflect from the reality of continuing to back a failed strategy and the cost of the bloodshed for our occupation of Iraq has truly reached ridiculous proportions.
Not content to smear solely MoveOn for their "General Betray Us?" ad-which, by the way, failed miserably because a recent poll shows that the percentage favoring withdrawal has moved upwards since Petraeus's speech-the White House and their flunkies in the mainstream media are now smearing that bastion of "liberal media," The New York Times, (purveyor of the collected works Judith Miller, Thomas "FU" Friedman, Michael O'Hanlon, David Brooks, et al., just sayin'...) for publishing the MoveOn Ad. A smear that has been repeated by the Vice President just yesterday, even though it's been debunked for a week now. But hey, since when did Dick Cheney have truth on his side?
"
www.crooksandliars.com
Posted by: RUFUS | September 18, 2007 6:13 PM
"It is unclear just how many times Washington can expect to repeal the Bush tax cuts." - proudtobeGOP
Actually, it's very clear. The Bush tax cuts passed by the Republican Congress contained expiration provisions. They do not have to be repealed, they will simply expire.
Rep. Rangel made it clear last November that he had no intention of trying to repeal the tax cuts, when the foresighted Republican Congress had provided for them to expire anyway.
Posted by: | September 18, 2007 6:01 PM
"Ignore me and I'll see you all tomorrow
you promised
"
Your right. See you tomorrow also. I'll be here until I get some answers. Are you gop'ers really this dumb or are you treasonous sell-out traitors? That's the question I want an answer to.
Posted by: rufus | September 18, 2007 5:57 PM
And of course Mr. Toomey, you've probably reviewed the Senator's plan about as much as Gov. Romney did. Right?
Posted by: | September 18, 2007 5:56 PM
And you wonder why I am so frustrated with you gop'ers. that is the differance between the right and left pundits. The elft doesn't lie, they don't need to the truth is much more powerful. All lies do is erode your credibility when you are proven a lair. When will the gop get this. you can call the left evil all day and you are the good people. But who are the liars, who are telling the truth? And why is the GOP lying? What is happening as a result of their lies. Questions to ponder. What side are you one. nobody is nuetral.
"UPDATE II: By way of comparison to the media establishment's immediately solidified (and completely wrong) conventional wisdom, this is what Markos Moulitsas said when asked by Chris Matthews about the MoveOn ad during Petraeus Week:
MATTHEWS: Let me go to Markos Moulitsas.
Sir, what did you make of the testimony today and the ad that ran in "The Times" this morning by your colleague here, Mr. Pariser?
MARKOS MOULITSAS, DAILY KOS: Well, to me, you know, way out in California, it's -- it's almost amusing to see how, in Washington, D.C., everyone is all up in arms over an ad.
You know, we are in the middle of this bloody war, almost 4,000 dead, half-a-trillion dollars spent. And people are going to talk about how inappropriate an ad is? I think it's patently ridiculous.
And most people outside of the sort of beltway environment really don't care about an ad. They want to see our men and women coming home safe and sound to their families.
That is all just so transparently true, and yet our Beltway commentators are incapable of realizing it. Instead, the same revered pundits who cheered on Bush's war in the first place are still babbling about this petty sideshow more than a week later. They haven't been this in awe of anyone as they are of Gen. Petraeus since Oliver North proudly justified his lawbreaking, nor as outraged as they are over the MoveOn ad since Bill Clinton had oral sex.
If only they had managed to muster even a small fraction of the outrage and offense over the war itself, or the radicalism and lawlessness of this administration. But that would have proven how Unserious they are. It is much more rewarding to show that they are the Serious, Responsible establishment members who lavish the General with the honor and reverence he deserves while scorning the insufficiently respectful leftist radicals.
"http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/?last_story=/opinion/greenwald/2007/09/18/wrongness/
Posted by: rufus | September 18, 2007 5:56 PM
it's as bad as it sounds: A national mandate; new national regulations on top of onerous state regulations that require some insurance policies to cover chiropractors and athletic trainers (thanks to the Arkansas legislature); tax hikes; and the inevitable decrease in competition, choice, and freedom.
Perhaps, the best way to sum up HillaryCare the Sequel is not with words but with music.
I refer you to an old Soviet favorite:
In the victory of the immortal ideas of Communism
We see the future of our country,
And to the Red banner of our glorious Fatherland
We shall always be selflessly loyal
Posted by: Pat Toomey | September 18, 2007 5:54 PM
Ignore me and I'll see you all tomorrow
you promised
Posted by: | September 18, 2007 5:54 PM
Proud - get this, Obama's achilles heel - specifics, all hope no gory....details that is. Can't wait for all those newly wealthy 500 bucks a year upper class earners.
Obama's plan was short on some specifics. But he said he would give 150 million workers a $500 payroll tax credit, expand relief on mortgage interest, eliminate income taxes for seniors making less than $50,000 and simplify returns so millions can file in less than five minutes.
Obama's 20-minute speech included much of that populist rhetoric combined with more detail about each of his tax cut proposals. But he spent just one minute skimming over how he would pay for it and neither he nor his campaign provided a breakdown of the revenue his plan would raise.
One minute on how to pay for it. I put the believability factor at the same ratio 1/20 = 5%
Posted by: | September 18, 2007 5:52 PM
Ignore that last post. It's a mess. I'd put a big x if I could. I don't think you people ignoring it will be a problem though.
the gist. We are going to tax over 5 million a year. If you got a problem with that. tough luck for you. Move to australa. The money from the war and from the wealthy is going to fund social progrmas, most health, right now.
If you make over 5 million and don't think you should be taxed,
-
There you go. the worlds smallest violin plays for you:)
Posted by: rufus | September 18, 2007 5:51 PM
Barack Obama on Tuesday proposed overhauling the tax code to lower taxes for the poor and middle class, increase them for the rich and make it so most Americans can file their taxes in five minutes.
Earlier this year he also said he would roll back the Bush tax cuts on the top 1 percent of "people who don't need it." It is unclear just how many times Washington can expect to repeal the Bush tax cuts.
Think about every bad health-care and tax reform idea that has been proposed over the last couple of decades. The problem, especially for a Democratic presidential candidate, is: No matter what you propose, a significant number of the party faithful are not going to like it.
The obvious solution: Propose everything!
Posted by: proudtobeGOP | September 18, 2007 5:46 PM
"In their '08 Budget proposal, Obama and his Democrat colleagues are proposing the largest tax increase in the history of our country, but while on the campaign trail he promises $80 billion in relief," Miller said. "Which Obama should we believe?""
Talking the ta break for the wealth. Get over it. It's a time of war. You people should not be making fortunes off my brothers and sisters blood. Why is that so hard to understand. Rather than "PArty Like a rockstar" let's get into treality a bit.
Over 5 million of going to get taxed to death again. To bad. I don't feel sorry. you made you money, more than likely on the backs of others. Now give back what you owe
Posted by: rufus | September 18, 2007 5:46 PM
Rufus asks me:
Why did the gas prices go down before the 06 elections if the "war on terror" is not about earl (oil in the south)?
---------------------
I give up. Why?
Posted by: Mark in Austin | September 18, 2007 5:45 PM
Tell me how I'm wrong then slt. What you got? Elorborate please. Elementary school games belong to children. We don't need thmem in here. If I am wrong, HOW?
You answer did not move me. Nope. Still a liberal. You people ready for question two?
2. you gop'ers claim to be patriots, and the left you claim are traitors. In the american revolution there were americans siding with AMERICA and americans siding with another country (Red coats.)
So my question is how can you side with another country other than you own (saudi arabia, isreal, india) over you own country and not be called red coats or benedict arnold's.
2A. Since we're staying the the 1700's. how do you gop'ers navigate the waters of your hypocricy. How can you be patriots imposing laws and stripping the constitution, when the founders were LIBERALS, fleeing the persecution of europe, like I may have to do after the 08 elections?
How do you reconcile this? How does your double think work in this instance. Answer conviningly enough and you may turn me.
I expect crickets. You want real conversation. Answer my question. Ignore me and I'll see you all tomorrow
Posted by: rufus | September 18, 2007 5:42 PM
Apu, don't bother with MikeB. He was his views and he's not really willing to enter into honest, logical debate. He's better off ignored.
I think that the Atlas project is actually very interesting. If it makes even a slight difference it could slide a large number of electoral votes towards blue.
I wonder if the results would even be made public. I'm not sure people always like to hear about what they are statistically more likely to respond to. I'm not sure I'd want to know. I'd rather just allow myself to respond naturally to stirring words or whatever. I think if I knew I'd spend more time listening for the things that were supposed to grab me than just actually listening to the speech.
Posted by: JasonL | September 18, 2007 5:42 PM
It was during the 1990s that North Korean-Iranian-Syrian criminal cooperation reached its apex. It was also during this decade that they made the greatest headway in their ballistic missile and weapons of mass destruction programs. These advances were made while all three regimes pocketed concessions made by the US and Israel, and systematically breached all their commitments to both countries and to international treaties of which they are signatories.
Posted by: lib appeasement | September 18, 2007 5:39 PM
In their '08 Budget proposal, Obama and his Democrat colleagues are proposing the largest tax increase in the history of our country, but while on the campaign trail he promises $80 billion in relief," Miller said. "Which Obama should we believe?"
vote now, pay later
Posted by: our campaign lies | September 18, 2007 5:37 PM
Obama economic plan includes tax breaks
If I have to act like a Republican to get elected, I will. acting like a Dem is certainly not working. who in their right mind would vote for a leftist Dem?
I said in their right mind?
Posted by: | September 18, 2007 5:34 PM
Rufus,
I see you drink from the same kool-aid stand as JEP concerning the election and price of oil.
Posted by: slt | September 18, 2007 5:31 PM
Apologies to robin, and edwards who should also be praised thusly:
Before the war:
The Ballad of Brave Sir hillary
Bravely bold Sir hillary rode forth from Arkansas.
sHe was not afraid to die, O brave Sir hillary!
sHe was not at all afraid to be killed in nasty ways,
Brave, brave, brave, brave Sir hillary!
sHe was not in the least bit scared to be mashed into a pulp,
Or to have his eyes gouged out, and his elbows broken;
To have his kneecaps split, and his body burned away;
And his limbs all hacked and mangled, brave Sir hillary!
His head smashed in and his heart cut out
And his liver removed and his bowels unplugged
And his nostrils raped and his bottom burned off
And his pen--
But then the polls changed
Brave Sir hillary ran away.
Bravely ran away, away!
When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Sir hillary turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.
Bravely taking to his feet
He beat a very brave retreat,
Bravest of the brave, Sir hillary!
He is packing it in and packing it up
And sneaking away and buggering up
And chickening out and pissing off home,
Yes, bravely he is throwing in the sponge
Posted by: the Dem war ballad | September 18, 2007 5:28 PM
Remember the 06 elections that the republicans were going to hold? Mark in austin! you out there. Maybe you can turn me to your side if you can answer some questions with truthful answers.
1. Why did the gas prices go down before the 06 elections if the "war on terror" is not about earl (oil in the south)?
Posted by: RUFUS | September 18, 2007 5:27 PM
Democratic candidate will look dumfounded. thsy always do, especially in matters of the military.
Posted by: | September 18, 2007 5:17 PM
"What a joke. I will give you coulter. Coulter is more of a man than harry reid, that's for sure."
bUT SHE ALSO HAS AN ADAM'S APPLE :)
Posted by: RUFUS | September 18, 2007 5:15 PM
Who is the Missouri consultant for Atlas?
Posted by: Michael | September 18, 2007 5:09 PM
Whatever zouk. Your men like vitter foley and craig bohener may ACT tough. But the gop is the girly men being ordered around and owned by their wives. I live amoungst you people remember. It's funny watching your women walking all over you gop'ers. It gives me solence to know republcians don't even control their own household. HAHAHHAAHA
What a joke. I will give you coulter. Coulter is more of a man than harry reid, that's for sure.
Your funny zouk.
Posted by: rufus | September 18, 2007 5:08 PM
don't trip richard. Your fears are not to be worried. Ther eis nothing we can do other than profess truth daily.
As to the gop. don't worry. They were going to HOLD THE 06 ELECTIONS REMEMBER? only dittohead fascits are still with the fascists. Not enough people. The left now is holding public opinion. Congress's approval rating is down because they are being cowards. The american people want our country back. Fret not richard. The gop is done for a generation. Hillary will not get the dem. non, and we will be able to move forward without the gop divide and conquer game.
Fret not richard. The gop is done for another 30 years. Good. Look in the mirror if you want to blame someone gop, who voted for bush?
Posted by: rufus | September 18, 2007 5:05 PM
Clinton was asked why her rivals' wives had been taking shots at her when the candidates themselves seemed less comfortable doing so. "I'll leave it to the others to decide how to run their campaigns," she said, laughing.
Because in the Dem party, the men act like chicks and the women are tough.
Posted by: backwards party | September 18, 2007 5:01 PM
None of this will matter in 10/2008 when we bomb Iran for a week.
If there is an election, Repubs get to play the tough guy card, argue that horses can't be changed. Democratic candidate who will have to be deferential to the antiwar groups will look dumfounded.
But that may not be an issue since maybe even have the election delayed.
I fear for 2008 with the current administration backed in a corner.
Posted by: poor richard | September 18, 2007 4:52 PM
Mr. B, do you not know that I am a U. S. Citizen and own my own business.
I have need of somebody to sweep the floors and stock the shelves. For somebody with your talent I would even pay the Minimum Wage. Would you be interested?
Thank you, and come again.
Posted by: Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Jr., Ph.D | September 18, 2007 4:51 PM
Judge, the headline to your link is worth noting as well: Romney's Rush to Critique Clinton Missing the Facts
Posted by: | September 18, 2007 4:48 PM
Apu - Is this how you debate in India? GO home.
Posted by: MikeB | September 18, 2007 4:48 PM
Mr. B, Chicken Little was just in the store and complained about you trying to steal his patented act.
I do not know, but he may have a case.
Thank you, and come again.
Posted by: Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Jr., Ph.D | September 18, 2007 4:45 PM
Apu, Loudoun - Go ahead, live in your delussional world...at least for a while longer. Hillary's "health care plan" is a publicly funded bribe to the health care industry and nothing more. Bush's war in Iraq and looming one with Iran is flat out insane. And, the fed interest rate cuts have already,as of today, caused the dollar to sink to an all time level against every major currqncy in the world. Foreign investment is fleeing and interest rates on credit card and other debt is going to climb steeply. This was all about the feeding frenzy the Wall Street crowd have been on since Clinton I; unfettered greed. It has nothing to do with you or me and if you believe otherwise, you've got about 30 to 60 days before you will be disabused of that silly notion.
Your "leaders" don't rep[resent you. They represent that Wall Street crowd, corporate board memebers and corporate CEO's. You? You're nothing more than a lemming that they get scurrying this way or that every few years. A weak, silly, stupid, bumpkin that some marketing type manipulates to vote for Clinton or Romney, or smoke brand A cigarettes, or eat franchise B hamburgers. You're a dunce if you believe otherwise.
Posted by: MikeB | September 18, 2007 4:41 PM
The above link is from teh propogandist drudge.
Why are you giving the gop info and ammo against the dem's cc? Oh wait. Nevermind.
Posted by: rufus | September 18, 2007 4:33 PM
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/09/18/post_78.html?hpid=topnews
"If ever there was an issue that cried out for a serious national debate, it is health care. Unfortunately, the Republican presidential candidates prefer partisan sloganeering to honest discussion, with Mitt Romney the most egregious example."
Is the MSM finally growing some spine? I'm so used to them just swallowing whatever Bush tells them and publishing it without actually thinking that the above is something of a shock.
Posted by: Judge C. Crater | September 18, 2007 4:33 PM
Mr. B, I am so glad you returned. You left this package of poison behind on the other thread.
Please put it to good use.
Thank you, and come again.
Posted by: Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Jr., Ph.D | September 18, 2007 4:26 PM
hey MikeB: looks like you have some issues to work out.
Posted by: LoudounVoter | September 18, 2007 4:16 PM
For uncensored news please bookmark:
www.wsws.org
www.takingaimradio.com
www.onlinejournal.com
www.globalresearch.ca
Attorney General Nominee: Pro-Patriot Act, Giuliani Campaign Advisor, Contributor
Also presided over Larry Silverstein WTC litigation
President Bush's nominee to replace Alberto Gonzales as Attorney General has written op ed pieces and given speeches praising the virtues of the Patriot Act, and is also a contributor and legal advisor to Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign.
A brief scan of the bio of Michael B. Mukasey reveals some issues that have conservative groups concerned.
From Wikipedia:
In May 2004, while still a member of the judiciary, Judge Mukasey delivered a speech (which he converted into a Wall Street Journal opinion piece ) that defended the Patriot Act; the piece also doubted that the FBI engaged in racial profiling of Arabs and criticized the American Library Association for condemning the Patriot Act but not taking a position on librarians imprisoned in Cuba.
Mukasey's son, Marc L. Mukasey, leads the white-collar criminal defense practice in the New York office of Bracewell & Giuliani. The Mukaseys are justice advisers to Rudy Giuliani's presidential campaign, with Mukasey himself also having made campaign contributions to Giuliani for president.
During his tenure on the bench, Mukasey presided over the criminal prosecution of Omar Abdel Rahman and El Sayyid Nosair, whom he sentenced to life in prison for a plot to blow up the United Nations and other Manhattan landmarks uncovered during an investigation into the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Mukasey also heard the trial of Jose Padilla, ruling that the U.S. citizen and alleged terrorist could be held as an enemy combatant, but was entitled to see his lawyers. Mukasey also was the judge in the litigation between developer Larry Silverstein and several insurance companies arising from the destruction of the World Trade Center, a case which ultimately ended with a federal court deciding that insurers owed a maximum of $4.6 billion, more than the $3.5 billion term of the insurance policy.
"He knows what it takes to fight this war [on terror] effectively," Bush told the press today , referring to Mukasey's experience in terrorism cases.
"Thirty-five years ago, our foreign adversaries saw widespread devastation as a deterrent. Today, our fanatical enemies see it as a divine fulfillment," Mukasey said, outlining his intentions as Attorney General.
Bruce Fein, a former deputy attorney general in the Reagan administration, has said Mukasey is "not the right person for the job."
"I do not believe, despite certainly substantial credentials, that he has the national stature and strength in Congress to resist White House overtures to insist that he bend the law to assist the political agenda," said Fein, a constitutional and international lawyer with Bruce Fein & Associates and the Lichfield Group.
Other conservative groups have also voiced concern over Mukasey's record on abortion.
Posted by: che | September 18, 2007 4:14 PM
dem who finds rufus annoying _ Yes. His only problem is he doesn't agree with you and your fellow lemmings, running off some cliff, like a bunch of love starved groupies, chasing some candidate that has the morals of a ferret and has far less common sense than the average dog. So, go on, worship Hillary or Gore or Clark or Romney or McCain or Guliani. The care not one whit about you or your concerns. They represent the wealthy, the powerful, the very same people who steal from you, con you out of your life savings, offshore your job, ship your children off to some hellhole to fight and die for nothing. And, in the end, you'll end up with the same....nothing.
Posted by: MikeB | September 18, 2007 4:12 PM
Is this guy capable of intelligent thought?
Posted by: dem who finds rufus annoying | September 18, 2007 4:04 PM
You're missing the real big story of the day. Alan Keyes is once again running for president
Posted by: D | September 18, 2007 3:40 PM
I guess a part of the Atlas Project is to enlarge spying on Amercian's, additional curbs to free speech, more cozy relationships with big corpprate donors, and all of the things we liberals used to criticize Republican's for doing. What a world. What a bunch of brain dead voters.
Posted by: MikeB | September 18, 2007 3:35 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) - In its most direct attack on Hillary Rodham Clinton, the campaign of Democratic presidential contender John Edwards on Tuesday denounced a fundraising luncheon that included sessions for Clinton donors with members of Congress who have expertise in homeland security.
"Today's Clinton fundraising event is a 'poster child' for what is wrong with Washington and what should never happen again with a candidate running for the highest office in the land," Edwards' senior adviser Joe Trippi said in a letter to supporters.
Edwards and Barack Obama have declined money from individuals who lobby the federal government and have tried to portray Clinton, who does accept lobbyists' money, as beholden to special interests. Obama and Edwards do accept money from corporate executives whose industries have interests in government policies.
In response, Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer said, "Increasingly negative attacks against other Democrats aren't going to end the war, deliver universal health care or turn John Edwards' flagging campaign around."
The Clinton fundraiser was held Tuesday in the Washington offices of Jones Day, a global law firm with more than 2,200 lawyers in 30 offices worldwide.
Among those scheduled to attend were House members who are backing Clinton and sit on the House Homeland Security Committee, including Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Jane Harman of California, Sheila Jackson-Lee of Texas, James Langevin of Rhode Island and Nita Lowey of New York.
Some of the luncheon chairs and members of the host committee have been lobbyists for a wide range of business interests.
According to the invitation, the luncheon would be followed by "issues breakout sessions." Donors attending the luncheon had to pay $1,000 or $2,300.
Posted by: | September 18, 2007 3:33 PM
It would be interesting to hear what these guys have to say at the end of all of this. My thinking is that they should have done this for all 50 states with more of a focus on the top 15 states, but that maybe the next step after this report.
Either way it sounds like the Democrats have finally realized that the old way of thinking didn't get us anywhere and we have to change and adapt as the game changes. I hope CC can give us a general run-down of what they find when it is all done.
Posted by: Andy R | September 18, 2007 3:30 PM
It's about time the Dems got to the same level of preparedness as the R's... they've been doing this kind of thing for years. Rove is a master of it.
Posted by: drindl | September 18, 2007 3:29 PM
Chris,
Do you have a complete list of the states included in the project?
Posted by: Jackson Landers | September 18, 2007 3:13 PM
"Bush 'Wants Universal Health Coverage Before Leaving Office'..."
Wow. I thought they were all fascists and socailist. WoW. you gop's are really hypocrites. Unless bush is lying. I know he is the opposite of king midas unless your in the oil business. But trying to use his bad blood on this issue. Again, the selling out of the american peopel by the gop. Hypocricy
Posted by: rufus | September 18, 2007 3:13 PM
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