8/1: Blogger See, Blogger Do

Seeking to emulate their counterparts on the left, a group of conservative bloggers have unveiled their version of the left's ActBlue net fundraising vehicle. Immediate money comparisons would be unfair since all the GOP totals read "$0.00" at 8:00 a.m. today. But by deadline, the total raised is already at $4,875 (ActBlue has raised $1,280,175.38). Rest assured, the Blogometer will track the success of this effort both in $$$ and votes in 11/06.

Greg Sargent at liberal hangout TPM Cafe reports that ex-LieberDem poster and now Sen. Joe Lieberman (D) campaign aide Dan Gerstein has acknowledged that Lieberman's campaign was responsible for flyers contrasting Lieberman's civil rights record with cable exec Ned Lamont (D) that were "distributed in and around black churches." The flyer can be viewed here.

Sargent quotes Gerstein: "We're surprised that the Lamont campaign wants to make an issue of this ... This flyer simply states the facts, and in particular repeats a very questionable statement Mr. Lamont made which raises many questions he has yet to answer. If he's so concerned about discrimination, why didn't he resign from this club before he became candidate for u.s. senate? Also, what are the policies at the club and why won't he answer that question?"

Fellow lefty The News Blog comments: "We need to understand something, Joe Lieberman has NO RESPECT FOR BLACK VOTERS. He thinks they can be manipulated and conned. Oh, Marse Bill is coming for ol' Joe. We's got to vote for him. He doesn't talk to them the way he talks to white voters, he has no respect for their intellect and grasp of the issues. He thinks he can drag up 40 year old [stuff] and black folks are supposed to have a Pavolvian reaction when they hear King's name. We're not talking Moses here. Walking with King doesn't get you lifetime absolution."

Natural Born Killers producer and progressive activist Jane Hamsher at firedoglake was also incensed: "There is a special satisfaction I am going to take in watching Joe Lieberman get his ass kicked in this race by the African Americans who are showing up to support Ned Lamont. One of the many delusions under which Holy Joe suffers is that he is black. Or at least he believes that he owns the African American vote because he marched in '63. ... And I'm really happy that the liberal blogosphere is finding common cause with African Americans leaders in this race. It's a bridge that we desperately need to build and I for one will be spending my week enthusiastically trying to do so."

Jason Zengerle at TNR doesn't see what the big deal is: "Far from being a "dirty trick" or a "smear" or "[n]ot factual, completely smarmy, and as despicable as it is disgusting", the flyer is an aggressive but nonetheless above-board piece of campaign literature. ... The first page--which features a picture of Lieberman with Bill Clinton and touts Lieberman's long record on civil rights--is all true and entirely unobjectionable. And the second page--which attacks Lamont for until recently belonging to a largely white country club--merely tries to make an issue out of something that Lamont himself must have known was politically damaging, which is presumably why he resigned from the club shortly before declaring his Senate candidacy."

Back on the left, Maura at My Left Nutmeg announces "Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton to Campaign With Ned Lamont in Bridgeport" and writes: "Amid a growing rumble about a nasty whispering campaign about Ned Lamont that someone has been trying to start in the African-American community, coupled by the Lieberman campaign putting flyers on windshields in urban areas around the state suggesting that Ned Lamont is a racist ... I fervently hope that Revs. Jackson and Sharpton will greet this type of campaigning with all of the scorn, disdain, and righteous condemnation it deserves." Details for the Jackson and Sharpton appearances can be found here and here.

Also in CT for the festivities, Michael Schiavo talks about his support for Lamont from DailyKos: "In the media and political circus surrounding my case a few people stood out. Tom Delay, of course. Rick Santorum and Bill Frist. President Bush. And Joe Lieberman. Not only did Joe Lieberman support the illegal political intervention in the private and legally protected decisions of my family, he went out of his way to defend it. On national television. So when I thought about going to Connecticut to remind voters what Joe Lieberman really thinks about family values and personal privacy, I didn't have to think too long."

Progressive Matt Stoller at MyDD picks up on a New Haven Registerstory Dem consultant Tom Lindenfeld's GOTV operations and comments: "Lindenfeld is the field specialist air-dropped into Connecticut by the DC consultariat. He's buddy buddy with the ACT crew, and comes out of New Jersey. ... It sounds like what's happening on the ground is that Lindenfeld is hiring young kids too inexperienced to give pushback because he feels like he doesn't have time to 'correct bad habits from locals'. ... Because of the young staff and intimidating culture, field problems will be swept under the carpet. ... It's nice to be on the other side for once, running circles around our very own Dukakis-Gore-Kerry-type candidate who keeps acting the dunce."

Lamont's official blogger Tim Tagaris picked up on the same story at DailyKos: "Since July 20, Senator Lieberman has collected nearly $100,000 a day, contributed by those who profit from war, high gas prices and expensive prescription drugs. That's who is paying for their latest tactic: hiring 4,000 staffers (at $60 a day) who will pour into CT from out-of-state, spearheading their field operation. ... The New Haven Register article this morning was telling. Sean Smith (Joe's campaign manager) indicated they only have 200 staff and volunteers signed up with the campaign. That's pretty poor when you compare it to the thousands from within CT alone who have signed up to help on our website."

Connecticut Blog looks at a Hartford Courantstory on Lieberman's efforts to collect signatures for his independent run and asks: "By the way, who's collecting those signatures and why is Lieberman and his campaign staff avoiding answering questions about Connecticut for Lieberman?" CT Blog goes on to report: "The Lieberman campaign has been spotted at Constitution Plaza recently collecting signatures as well as quietly collecting names at individuals places of work. The people collecting names won't talk to the press and run away as fast as they can."

Christy Hardin Smith spoke to fellow firedoglake poster Jane Hamsher on the phone after Lamont's Colbert Report performance and passed on this nugget: "Stephen Colbert was completely on his game this evening, according to Jane, and told Ned that he is the story of the Democratic party right now - and thanked him for it."

Many on the left are linking to this Crooks and Liars post for video of Lamont on Colbert. The Blogometer keeps getting timed out when trying to view the video there, but there are alternative places to watch including Connecticut Blog and Spazeboy.

Spazeboy also links to audio from Lamont's 7/31 appearance on Al Franken's Air America Show here and here.

Finally, Jane Hamsher posts a "video conversation" with Lamont on Iraq at firedoglake. Highlights include: "Senator Lieberman says Iraq is just a single issue but I believe its a defining issue. It says a lot about our country, it says a lot about how we deal with the rest of the world. It says a lot about security. Senator Lieberman doesn't want to talk about the war, he barely mentions Iraq on his website at all."

Chris Bowers at progressive activist MyDD looks at this report showing Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) raising 62% of his '06 campaign contributions from "small donors" and writes: "Even during the stage where potential presidential candidates are just testing the supporter, staff and fundraising waters to see if a 2008 candidacy is a viable option, Feingold is already feeding off a small donor base. This is highly unusual, and speaks to Feingold's comfort level with people-powered movements. It also speaks to the maturation of the progressive movement since the 2004 cycle, which generally speaking did not participate in the 2002 period when potential candidates were testing the waters. Now, the progressive movement is both taking an active role in helping out some potential candidates, and is being actively courted by others."

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) took to The Huffington Post 7/31 because "it bothers me that two years later this president and his party still have nothing to offer on health care other than a Medicare prescription drug plan that has turned out to be an unfolding disaster for seniors and a massive give-away to the big drug companies." Kerry goes on to outline four principles to "jump-start a debate around the country that can shake Washington into action before the health care crisis devastates millions more of America's families--and hollows out America's economy." The principles are:

• First - Every American, and I mean everybody, must have health coverage by 2012.
• Second - To get there, we start with kids first. They're born; they're enrolled in health care...
• Third - We must and will control the skyrocketing premiums, co-pays, and exclusions that make a mockery of the insurance hard-working families pay for month after month...
• Fourth - and finally, instead of telling tens of millions to wait until they are sick enough to go to an emergency room, we must and will assure high quality and preventive care for every American...

Conservative talk-show host Hugh Hewitt admits the Middle East troubles distracted him from Patrick Hynes but now that he's paying attention, he recalls Hynes accusing him of being "in the services of Mitt Romney." Hewitt responds: "Now, I am not "in the services" of Mitt Romney, or George Allen, or Bill Frist, or Rudy Giuliani, all of whom are believed to be in the hunt for 2008. I am an Al Davis Republican, a "just win baby" Republican. I am writing a book about Romney and the impact his LDS faith will have on the presidential campaign. The book will also touch on the others in the race, but I haven't endorsed or contributed to Romney or any of the other candidates. "

Also on the right Tom Bevan at RCP Blog takes David Yepsen to task for "Getting An Early Spot on the Romney Bandwagon." Bevan writes: "Curiously absent from Yepsen's column is any mention of the biggest news of Romney's visit: namely that he caused an uproar and committed the first real gaffe of the preliminary '08 race by using the phrase "tar baby" in the course of discussing the Big Dig. Romney apologized for the remark yesterday."

DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas highlights reports on Sen. Conrad Burns (R) recent apology to Virginia-based Augusta Hotshot firefighters for comments he made to them at a MT airport disparaging their firefighting efforts. Kos links to local mediacoverage and writes: "Problem is, Burns hadn't been criticizing the way the fires had been handled at the airport, he was calling the firefighters in the airport lazy and overpaid."

Meanwhile, state Senate Pres. Jon Tester (D) was getting kudos from National Review Online. Greg Pollowitz: "All political issues aside, it's hard not to like a Senate candidate who participates in "Evil Knievel Days." Democrat Jon Tester, on the campaign trail in Butte, MT."

Blogometer alum William Beutler at Blog PI picks up on a Byron York post at The Corner noting "that the NRSC is sending out a press release that holding MT SEN Dem nominee Jon Tester responsible for a truly crazed Daily Kos diary." Beutler further notes: "This is not the first NRSC release publicizing the netroots' strong and early support for Tester, but it is the first one conceivably worth getting worked up about."

But Buetler goes on to describe some troubles in the NRSC storyline: "But it so happens that the Kossacks themselves did care to denounce this post. In fact, all but one of the 50 commenters did, and that was a digression about church and state. Other users appropriately tagged it a "Troll Diary," with some responding angrily and others just making fun of it. Did the NRSC read this far? Would it have stopped them from sending out the release if they had? ... It's impossible to tell what White on Black's motivations really are, or if he is really a he, but I'd wager that he prefers Conrad Burns be returned to Washington this fall, and not Jon Tester. If nothing else, the NRSC has fallen for a prank."

Lefty Not Larry Sabato comes the latest Mason Dixon cross tabs and comes up with this gem: "Does anyone have a theory on why homosexual marriage is polling six points better than Jim Webb?"

Mason Dixon
No- Amendment #1 38%
Jim Webb 32%

NLS continues: "I would have guessed the opposite. ... Interestingly enough while the undecided vote is much lower in the ballot question, the margins in the Senate race and the marriage amendment are very similar."

Richmond: Yes by 28, Allen by 27
Lynchburg/Southside: Yes by 22, Allen by 28
Northern Virginia: No by 4, Webb by 6
Roanoke/Southwest: Yes by 32, Allen by 22
Shenandoah/Piedmont: Yes by 31, Allen by 31
Hampton Roads: Yes by 21, Allen by 9

KS GOV: Prairie Populism

Conservative Right Angle Blog breaks down the KS GOP primary: "The clearest choice for voters who still like a classic conservative vs. liberal primary is in the GOP primary for State Insurance Commissioner between 34-year-old conservative State Representative Eric Carter and 61-year-old moderate some say "liberal" Republican incumbent Sandy Praeger. Carter campaigns, like a prairie populist, supporting lower insurance rates through more competition and curbing huge damage awards from lawsuits. Praeger wraps herself in the support of such GOP establishment figures as from former Senators Nancy Kassebaum Baker and Bob Dole."

The Right Angle Blog reports: "After several weeks of planning, John Hawkins of Right Wing News just informed me that we're ready to pull back the curtain and unveil the right's answer to the liberals' use of Internet fundraising, popularly known as Netroots. Captain's Quarters also describes the effort: "A group of conservative bloggers have worked on a developing a list of candidates in critical races this fall, not just for a show of support but also to allow our readers a single point where they could contribute to their campaigns. We call this effort Rightroots, and our site, powered by ABCPac, launched this evening."

The conservative blogger alliance includes: "John Hawkins from Right Wing News, Robert Bluey from Human Events Online, Mary Katherine Ham from Townhall, Erick Erickson from Redstate, Patrick Hynes from Ankle Biting Pundits, and Lorie Byrd from Wizbang.

CQ explains: "We have selected fourteen Congressional races and four Senate races we see as critical and close enough to warrant organized support from our readers. On our donations page, we give a description of the races and the politics involved. We deliberately avoided races where Republicans either have a large edge or face weak opposition." The House candidates supported are: Michele Bachmann (MN-06), Chuck Blasdel (OH-6), Max Burns (GA-12), John Gard (WI-08), Diane Irey (PA-12), Jeff Lamberti (IA-03), Ray Meier (NY-24), David McSweeney (IL-08), Rick O'Donnell (CO-07), Peter Roskam (IL-06), Scott Tipton (CO-3), Van Taylor (TX-17), Chris Wakim (WV-01), and Mike Whalen (IA-01). Senare candidates include: Thomas Kean (NJ), Michael Steele (MD), Mark Kennedy (MN), and Mike McGavick (WA).

Lefty blogger reaction to a Dem leadership letter demanding U.S. troop withdraw by the end of the year was mostly positive. DailyKos' founder Markos Moulitsas writes: "Wow, the Democratic leadership got Biden and Murtha to sign on to the same demand letter. This is good. And it comes at a good time as Bush actually increases the number of troops in Iraq to try and quell the violence in Baghdad." AMERICAblog comments: "Americans know that Bush doesn't have a plan for Iraq. The GOP was hoping that the Democrats wouldn't offer a plan either. Looks like they were wrong.

Also on the left Kevin Drum at The Washington Monthly was less impressed: "At first glance, that sounded like news to me too, especially since it was signed by folks like Joe Biden, Harry Reid, and Jane Harman. But I wasn't sure, so I called Reid's office and talked to Jim Manley, one of his press guys. Here's the conversation:

Q: Is this a change in direction?
A: No, it's the same wording that was in the Reed-Levin amendment
last month, which was supported by Senate Democrats 38-6.

Drum finishes: "Now, it was a strongly-worded letter, and it's good to see congressional Democrats reiterating their support for redeployment. But I'm not sure there's really much new here. UPDATE: Several commenters have made a good point: Who cares if this is new? What matters is that the media reported it, and did so in a positive, "Dems united" kind of way. That's news all by itself."

On the right, conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt welcomed the development: "Clarity is a very, very good thing. Democratic majorities in either the House or the Senate will compel the withdrawal of American troops from Iraq whether or not the country's young government can survive such a withdrawal, whether or not such a withdrawal will be followed by a triumph of the Iranian surrogates or the entrenchment in Anbar Province of al Qaeda or both, whether or not confrontation with Iran over a nuclear program is imminent. The Democrats would rather lose Iraq than lose an election; capitulate to Iranian ambitions than concede that George Bush's understanding of the evil we face is correct. The stakes could not be higher."

Fellow conservatives took the opportunity to highlight other Dem views on the Middle East. Power Line writes: "Yesterday, Representative John Dingell of Michigan appeared on a Detroit television program along with Republican Candice Miller. They discussed the crisis in Lebanon; Dingell proclaimed himself neutral. "I don't take sides for or against Hezbollah; I don't take sides for or against Israel." Asked, "You're not against Hezbollah?" Dingell answers, "No..." Listen to it here on YouTube, or use our player below." Erick at RedState also has video and adds: "Remember, should the Democrats take over the House of Representatives, Dingell would chair the Energy and Commerce Committee. Dingell is also one of only eight, count 'em, EIGHT, Democrats who did not chose to vote in favor of the recent House Resolution supporting Israel against terrorist aggression."

Progressive Chris Bowers at MyDD looks at Sen. Joe Lieberman's (D-CT) Honorary co-chairman role of the Committee on the Present Danger which includes GOPers and "a few Democrats and Clinton appointees as well--all hawks, all uber-establishment, all making threats against Iran. It is, short, a who's who of the political arm of the military-industrial complex."

Bowers notes that: "Members of this group have written about how Iraq transferred their WMD's to Syria just before the start of the Iraq war, and about how Russia moved Saddam's WMD's. ... The amount of material connected to this website and the members listed on the website is enormous, and I have no doubt you could spend days surfing through and every few hours or so you will have uncovered enough material to make another one of these posts. It is also interesting that the only article they have posted on their news site that is not explicitly about foreign policy is titled A Ned Lamont Victory Would Jeopardize a Safe Democratic Seat and Undermine Party Unity."

Bowers finishes: "Strange that they decided to wade into electoral politics in that one election. Interesting that a group that is a who's who of the political arm of the military industrial complex finds that the only election worth commenting on in 2006. Even more bizarre that the group claims defeating Lieberman will undermine Democratic unity, since Lieberman was the only Democrat in Washington to not sign the new Democratic plan on Iraq. It seems to me that defeating Lieberman will only increase Democratic unity."

Scrappleface scoops the world on the real story behind Mel Gibson's recent DUI arrest:

(2006-07-29) - Police in Malibu, California, got a rare treat this week when they encountered Passion of the Christ producer-director Mel Gibson as he prepared for his next 'dead language' film.

Delivering his lines in a slurred dialect of anti-Semitic - a language spoken only by a primitive tribe of amateur linguists - Mr. Gibson gave the officers a preview of coming attractions for his new film Nosedive, which chronicles the downfall of an immensely popular actor and filmmaker following a drunken public outburst.

"He stayed in character the whole time," said one unnamed officer, who played along with Mr. Gibson's act by arresting and booking him, then releasing him on bond. "He's an amazingly versatile actor. When I saw him in Braveheart I believed he was a Scottish warrior-poet, and the other night, I really believed that he was a drunken anti-Semite." A spokesman for Mr. Gibson's production company said the new film will include no subtitles.