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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Lawmaker inundated with pleas to stop Troy Davis’ execution
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A Republican state lawmaker told the Insider late Wednesday that he’s received 4,000 e-mails in the last 24 hours requesting clemency for Troy Davis — basically shutting down his computer at the state Capitol.
He assumes that other members of the Legislature are in the same fix.
Davis is scheduled to be executed Monday. His attorneys are seeking permission to file a new federal lawsuit based on innocence claims.
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Jim Martin lands Bill Clinton for some Saturday night fund-raising
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The campaign of Jim Martin, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, just announced that former President Bill Clinton will be in Atlanta on Saturday.
The purpose? “To help raise the funds we need to stay on television,” Martin says — which means his campaign treasure box may be getting somewhat cobwebby.
The only event mentioned is a 7:15 p.m. do at something called Trois on Peachtree Street.
Pay attention to this one, people. Someone has made sure that the top Democratic rainmaker (outside of Barack Obama, at this point) has been brought into the game to make sure Martin stays competitive through Election Day. And, perhaps, beyond.
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Yes, Nunn was with Obama today
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama was in Richmond, Va., on Tuesday to attend what the Associated Press called “a meeting with foreign policy and military luminaries to discuss ‘urgent issues’ facing the country from abroad.”
The meeting was intended to help Obama protect himself against a new round of charges from Republican John McCain side that he is too inexperienced for the White House.
No doubt you’ve already noticed that, at the press conference that followed, Obama was flanked by former Clinton administration adviser Wendy Sherman, left, and former Georgia senator Sam Nunn.
Photo credit: Associated Press
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For Election Day hardcores: Votes per second, and exit polling reforms
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Got a note late yesterday from Randy Evans, a member of the State Election Board, summarizing what’s headed our way on Election Day. Consider it the equivalent of a fellow grabbing you by the lapels and giving you a good shake.
Wrote Evans:
We expect approximately 3.4 million votes to be cast in Georgia. With over 700,000 already cast, our expectation is approximately 1.2 million votes will be cast before Election Day. But that is not the interesting part.
On Election Day, we expect approximately 2.2 million votes to be cast during the polling hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. On average, this means that during the 12 hours, approximately 180,000 votes will be cast every hour, 3,000 votes will be cast every minute, and 50 votes will be cast every second.
Of course, folks in line at 7 p.m. will be allowed to vote, so the numbers might be spread over 13 hours or even 14 hours, but regardless, the frequency is notable.
In this context, the smallest problems become big problems. When dealing with 50 votes per second, just one down machine, one poll opening late, or one polling incident can translate into big problems. It is this context within which Election Day readiness must be viewed.
Now consider this: Evans’ figures are based on the number of votes cast in November 2004, and may be off by half. Handel is predicting a total turnout in the neighborhood of 85 percent, which would mean 4.7 million voters statewide.
In other words, 3.5 million people could show up on Election Day. Which means more than 290,000 votes an hour, 4,800 a minute. And 80 votes a second.
The possibility for chaos is astounding.
Now, on to exit polling on Election day. You’ll recall that such surveys have been a mess the last two presidential cycles. Ed Kilgore of The Democratic Strategist has a look at some attempted reforms. Bottom line: No early leaks.
Says Kilgore:
So what are the exit wizards doing to improve their accuracy? For one thing, the average age of exit pollsters has risen from 34 to 42, in response to the theory that they might unconsciously over-approach their generational peers. Edison-Mitofsky has also undertaken more training for exit pollsters on how to maintain a good random sample, and wherever possible, arrangements have been made with election officials to secure better and closer physical locations for the distribution of questionnaires.
In terms of what we will “know” when, the most dramatic change—first undertaken in 2006—will be the isolation of exit poll compilers and analysts to reduce leaks. The networks who are paying for the whole show won’t get access to any data until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, when two “waves” of exit polls are in. Once actual votes begin to come in, of course, the exits will be “adjusted” almost continuously, so you can expect the political commentariat to spend early Election Night trying to figure out what the prelimary analysis really means, and who is saying what based on which “wave” of exit polls.
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Bob Barr at Georgia Tech
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Bob Barr, the former Georgia congressman and Libertarian candidate for president, makes an appearance Thursday afternoon on the Georgia Tech campus.
Given the closer polling between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama in Georgia, everyone will be watching for any hints of whether this is his final hurrah in his home state, or the first of several appearances.
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The day that James Dobson went after Colin Powell — and Ralph Reed was caught in the crossfire
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On today’s Daily Beast,, Max Blumenthal tells of the longstanding antagonism between the Religious Right — in the person of Focus on the Family’s James Dobson — and Colin Powell.
You’ll remember that, n his Sunday endorsement of Obama, Powell worried over the narrowing of the Republican party.
The Blumenthal piece includes this tidbit involving Ralph Reed:
Back during the run-up to the 1996 presidential primaries, when some movement conservatives advanced the notion of Powell as the GOP’s most viable presidential nominee, Dobson moved to intimidate and silence the general’s boosters.
Among Powell’s fans was the ardently anti-abortion Jack Kemp, who called him “Republican on almost every issue.” Neoconservative former Education Secretary William Bennett repeatedly praised Powell on the pages of the National Review, while Weekly Standard editor William Kristol argued in an editorial for his magazine that Powell was the only figure who could defeat the increasingly popular Bill Clinton.
Already annoyed by the swell of movement support for the pro-choice Powell, Dobson was furious when Christian Coalition President Ralph Reed refused to condemn Powell’s possible candidacy during his appearance on This Week with David Brinkley.
Immediately, Dobson faxed a five-page letter to Reed accusing him of unholy motives. “Is power the motivator of the great crusade?” Dobson asked the fresh-faced operator. “If so, it will sour and turn to bile in your mouth… This posture may elevate your influence in Washington, but it is unfaithful to the principles we are duty-bound as Christians to defend.”
[Gary] Bauer copied the letter and blasted it out to other Powell-friendly conservatives, including Bennett, who Dobson baselessly accused of being “pro-abortion.” Shaken by Dobson’s jeremiad, Reed hastily composed a letter suggesting that attacks from the Christian right would only provoke Powell into running. The situation “required a delicate balancing act,” Reed insisted, according to Dobson’s official biography.
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Freedom watch took the high road, the NRSC chooses the low one, with an attack on Martin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The men and women of PeachPundit have latched on to a pair of anti-Jim Martin ads put up by the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
The one below makes the Democrat in the U.S. Senate race look the most sinister. The topic is the 1989 sales tax increase.
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has already joined the race in Georgia, with sponsorship of two anti-Chambliss ads. So far, there’s been no word on the size of any buy associated with this NRSC attack:
Not that there could be any coordination on this — because that would be illegal — but it’s convenient that two outside groups have entered the fray on Chambliss’ behalf at the same time.
The NRSC has taken the low road, with an attack on Martin. Freedom Watch, an independent conservative group, has trekked the high road, building up Chambliss’ credentials on the middle class and the economy.
