Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2008 > September > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USICYMI: An anticipated pile-up at the polls, Barr wants McCain and Obama off the Texas ballot, and Sebelius claims Obama is black
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some of today’s essential reading:
— In today’s AJC, there’s talk that Georgia pollworkers could be overwhelmed by voters in the presidential election:
As local registrars prepare for absentee voters, a new report by a government watchdog group suggests Georgia may not be able to handle the large crowds expected in November.
In a report released Tuesday, the group, Common Cause, said Georgia was among the least-prepared states it studied. The group warned of long lines, confusion —- and the possibility that some voters will be denied ballots.
“The voting process is going to be tested like it has never been before in its history,” said Tova Wang, who wrote the report and is Common Cause’s vice president for research.
Common Cause is a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging Georgia’s voter ID law. That lawsuit is still pending.
Karen Handel, Georgia’s secretary of state, “disagrees with a number of the conclusions [in the report], which appear to be based purely on subjective criteria that Common Causes supports,” said a spokesman, Matt Carrothers.
— Bob Barr, who this week survived a GOP attempt him to remove him from the Pennsylvania ballot, is out to return the favor:
Libertarian presidential nominee Bob Barr’s campaign filed suit Tuesday seeking to remove Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama from the ballot in Texas, alleging that the two major candidates missed the deadline for officially filing to be on the ballot.
The lawsuit by the former Republican congressman from Georgia claims that neither McCain nor Obama met the requirement of Texas law that all candidates provide “written certification” of their nomination “before 5 p.m. on the 70th day before election day,” because neither had been formally nominated by their respective parties in time. The suit was filed in the Texas Supreme Court in Austin.
That would have been Aug. 25. Obama did not accept his party’s nomination until Aug. 28, McCain his on Sept. 4.
— And at an appearance in Iowa, the governor of Kansas publicly wondered whether Barack Obama’s African origins might be a factor in this year’s close presidential contest:
“Have any of you noticed that Barack Obama is part African-American?” Sebelius asked in response to a question about why the election is so close. “That may be a factor. All the code language, all that doesn’t show up in the polls. And that may be a factor for some people.”
The remark, delivered in the governor’s low key, folksy, out-from-behind-the-podium style, raised a couple chuckles but few eyebrows in the downtown Iowa City crowd, but Republicans took offense and responded in short order.
Comments
By maz hess
September 17, 2008 9:47 AM | Link to this
If barr will get texas mccain will be completely knocked out before the election already started. There will be high noon for the lawyers. All problems are happening recently in texas can that be an accident?
By cnote
September 17, 2008 10:49 AM | Link to this
You’ve have the most inexperienced candidate for President in at least 100 years, I don’t see how anyone can dispute it, who is ahead in the polls. I would argue the fact he is black is helping him.
I know if he loses there will be a lot of folks screaming racism, but I believe being black is what got a two year freshman Senator, with no experience, to the dance in the first place.
I think Geraldine Ferraro made some great points on this topic.
By Lily Toad
September 17, 2008 11:02 AM | Link to this
I love Barr’s tactics. It just shows how the system favors the two major parties and sets impossible odds for minor parties.
By Rarl Kove
September 17, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
This comment by the Kansas Gov. is the beginning of blaming Obama’s upcomming loss in Nov. on racist Americans. I knew they would cry racism if he lost, but this early? Is this to guilt people into voting for a candidate that they disagree with? Cafferty on CNN said the same thing today. It looks like the Democrat party and the media have their new talking points. I knew this was going to happen. I just did not see it happening so soon.
By flip wilson
September 17, 2008 1:47 PM | Link to this
watch this
By Jeff
September 17, 2008 1:58 PM | Link to this
Anyone ever notice that BaRACK sounds a LOT (and even looks a little) like Dwayne Johnson?
McLame had it right when comparing this unqualified celebrity to other unqualified celebrities.
At least Dwayne Johnson can claim legitimate successes that HE had. (Playing football for Miami, successful rise to become one of the most popular pro wrestlers of his era, successful transition into actual acting, etc)
By (gravel NOT neocon barr)
September 17, 2008 2:55 PM | Link to this
The American Ruse & when Black Friday comes.
Honesty or lies? Compassion or greed? Intelligence or narrow-minded? Guts, or go along to get along?
Ralph Nader Cynthia McKinney
Ron Paul Mike Gravel Dennis Kucinich
Jesse Ventura H. Ross Perot President Carter JFK RFK MLK Malcolm
By Ben
September 17, 2008 3:20 PM | Link to this
We all know that Obama’s grandmother was a typical rascist. Wasn’t she a Democrat from Kansas also?
By Sir Winston
September 17, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this
If all these media libs want to look for racism they should start by looking in their own racist-sexist Democrat party. I will not be lectured on race by anyone on the left. They lost that right during their primary when the racism of the left was on display for the whole world to see. You had Obama out there playing the race card against Clinton. You had Clinton using code language to bring up race in SC. Anyway, the libs will blame Obama’s loss in Nov on racism no matter what. They will not take time to see if their cadidate was fundamentally flawed. They will not take time to recognize that they nominatied another Northern lib and he, like all others they have nominated, failed becasue this country rejects liberalism. Carter and Clinton had to run as centrist. That is why they were able to win. (It also helped Clinton to have Perot in the race.) Peace.
By Truthful Will
September 17, 2008 4:38 PM | Link to this
Racism is another bias like tall versus short, fat versus skinny. The guy is just different. He grew up overseas was never in the boy scouts and was educated at very selective institutions. Most folks cant relate to that type of background just like I cant relate to “hockey mom” maybe “lacrosse mom” or “den mother”. BTW I’m a gun toten cigar smokin greedy investment banker who is also African American! And I also hate slackers and people who dont work hard in school i.e. McCain/Palin!
By Wackolibhack
September 17, 2008 5:37 PM | Link to this
It is Bush’s fault that the country is racist. There was never any racism in the country before Bush. It is Bush’s fault that my Democratic Party is full of racist, as demonstrated by Obama’s inability to win in the heartland. I hate Bush!!!!!!!!!!