This should be interesting. Why is John Edwards willing to get on the same stage as Karl Rove?

"It’s actually good for the Democratic process,” he [Joshua Dyck, assistant professor of political science at UB] said. “People vote because politics is a lot like sports. Rooting for your team probably doesn’t affect the outcome much, but people can say ‘I was there.’ ”

Clash of the titans?

H/T Archcrone

They have a profile on the sheriff's race between J.J. Jones and Randy Tyree. This time could be even more interesting than last time, when Tyree almost beat Hutchison.

Election day is Aug. 7th, and features local races to elect temporarily permanent replacements for the replacements who replaced the Black Wednesday term limit replacements. Oh, and there are also state and federal primaries.

Early voting starts in less than two weeks, on Jan. 18. The last day to register to vote is Tuesday, July 8th. Better do it in person if you haven't already.

Here's the sample ballot. Here are financial disclosures for local candidates.

Here's the KnoxViews database/directory of all local candidates. Here's the TennViews database/directory of all state and federal primary candidates.

Maybe it's not kind to say it, but this one I won't miss.

Link...

July 4th marks the anniversary of the birth of this nation. On that day, the Declaration of Independence was signed by a cadre of men, who wrote the words ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.’ That declaration was a living promise to future generations of certain fundamental, inalienable rights such as the right to privacy.

Republicans have made a tranformation I don't fully understand, from rock-ribbed Bush backers to embarrassed by Bush's big-spending ways. To help me understand this change, I am inviting local conservatives to submit essays in response to the question below.

I will award prizes for Most Charming entry and for Firmest Grip on Reality. Contest starts at sundown and ends at sunrise on July 14.

McCain in Columbia:

"The free trade is an important issue, not only for Colombia but I believe for the economy of the world and, as you know, for the United States economy."

Just another lesson from the national care models so many truly believe are the answer, facts and experiences elsewhere notwithstanding. The English papers, Labor & Conservative, have similar reports on a regular basis.From the London Telegraph:

Link...

P.S.- Seems fair that if McCain is to be referred to as "McBush", then lets see what we can do with the Messiah's name game!

McCain: "Without privatization, I don't see how you can possibly, over time, make sure that young Americans are able to receive Social Security benefits."

Here's the video, courtesy of the DNC.

(Memo to the GOP: We already have "voluntary private retirement savings accounts." They're called 401Ks, IRAs, Roth IRAs, SEP IRAs, etc. Why not raise limits so people can put away meaningful tax-deferred savings for retirement?)

As a veteran (Desert Storm) myself, I get cranky when Democrats tuck tail on issues related to the military. As Brandon Friedman states eloquently on the Vote Vets blog, there is no reason to cede authority on military matters just because of John McCain's service during Vietnam. Republicans sure didn't respect John Kerry's service during Vietnam. Wes Clark came home from Vietnam wounded, too. Let's respect his view, not only as a wounded vet, but also as a senior commander who handled the Balkans and Kosovo.

more from votevets: votevets.org blog, vetvoice.: (sorry, can't make links into the specific blog post work.)

Brandon Friedman:
We've heard from the pundits, the "strategists," and the politicians all day long on Wesley Clark's recent comments.
That said, I've been terribly disappointed by the Democratic "strategists" who've fallen all over themselves in order to talk about how sacred military service is--specifically John McCain's--and how awful General Wesley Clark's comments were, even though not one "strategist" that I've listened to today has ever served a minute in uniform. These ignorant, knee-jerking consultants on TV have been in an apparent race to concede ultimate authority on military matters to John McCain and the Republican Party since Sunday night. It's disgusting. And these concessions have been so over-the-top destructive to our long-term plans for running the country, that I'm not even sure where to begin.

The bottom line is this: If Democrats tuck tail and run from Republicans in this instance, we run the risk of ceding authority on military issues to John McCain for the rest of the campaign. Whether you like Clark or not, everyone has an interest in defending him vigorously in this case. We cannot allow the Right and the media to get away with trashing the first guy to come out in prime time to slam McCain's military "expertise." If our organizations don't defend Clark as being right in this case, we give in to the idea that Republicans are the parents in terms of national defense, and Democrats are the children--something those on the Right will be more than happy to reinforce.

This idea that we can't question someone's expertise on military matters simply because they served could very easily become the next "whoever is against the war is unpatriotic" mantra. And that's not something I'm prepared to accept.

more after the flip.

We're all thrilled with the surge in voter turnout during the Democratic primary, and all the new registrations and young voters coming out.

But keep in mind that Obama got 18 million votes. More than 121 million people voted int he 2004 general election, which Bush won 62 million to Kerry's 59 million. Even if you add in Clinton's primary votes and all the others, we're still only looking at about 37 million votes.

There's lots of work to be done. Now is not the time to get cocky.

OK, then. Carry on.

According to the KNS, not very:

Three state legislators sponsored no bills that successfully passed during the 105th General Assembly. They were Reps. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, Frank Niceley, R-Strawberry Plains, and Parkey Strader, R-Knoxville. All represent parts of Knox County.

According to the article, Campfield has not sponsored a single bill that passed during his entire three terms. We'll always have mixed martial arts, though.

(Unfortunately, Democrats are not running candidates in any of these districts. Guess they are satisfied with do-nothing representation.)

Are Democrats like perpetual hippies? Like, wow, man, we're holding a convention. Let's get it together.

According to an analysis by the St. Paul Pioneer Press, St. Paul and the Republicans are better organized and have a better plan in 5 out of 8 categories. The Democrats are good when it comes to Volunteers, Environmental Friendliness, and, of course, Star Power. We got the Hollywood types. Can we win an election though?

Speaking of Environmental Friendliness, one other thing the Democrats are doing is promoting healthy eating. There will be no fried food available through the convention. This doesn't seem very hospitable to us Southerners. I mean, what are you going to serve us? Tomatoes?

Isn't this great! Yet another story about how wonderful and open-minded we are here in Tennessee.

Obama will participate in an open forum dialogue with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) National Convention at the Washington D.C. Hilton on July 8th.

Sen. Obama said "Families across America, particularly in Hispanic communities, are feeling the affects of an economy that has not been kind to the middle class. I look forward to meeting the members of LULAC and working with them to change the direction of this country and fight for policies that will put the American Dream within reach of every family in this country."

McCain, will address conference-goers Tuesday, July 8th at a Diversity Luncheon.

The League of United Latin American Citizens is the largest and oldest Hispanic Organization in the United States with thousands of volunteer members providing community-based programs through more than 700 local LULAC councils nationwide.

More information about the LULAC convention.

The California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee has endorsed Obama.

The 80,000-member organization, which has members in all 50 states, cited "a stark distinction between Sen. Obama and Sen. John McCain on major fundamental issues facing the American people today, especially in reforming our broken healthcare system, repairing our collapsing economy, and restoring workplace protections and rights for American workers."

They note, however, that Obama's plan alone is not enough, and that "the only effective solution is a fundamental transformation with a single-payer, improved Medicare-for-all system." They also cite McCain's poor record on health care and labor issues.

(The Tennessee chapter recently issued a report on why Frist is "not fit to be governor of Tennessee.")

Read the CNA/NNOC's full Obama endorsement after the jump...

From On the Issues:

McCain favors outlawing cheaply made handguns called Saturday night specials, and favors mandating safety locks on certain guns. (Source: Scott Lindlaw, Associated Press Aug 17, 1999)

McCain said he was open to voting for an assault weapon ban, depending on the details. (Source: Los Angeles Times, Aug 17, 1999)

In Congress, McCain pressured his colleagues to require background checks for buyers at guns shows, and he supported a requirement that trigger locks be sold with handguns. (Source: Todd S. Purdum, New York Times, p. A14 Aug 17, 1999)

RNC press release: "The Supreme Court Rules Against Obama's Anti-Gun Views On D.C. Gun Ban, Further Demonstrating Obama Is Most Anti-Gun Presidential Candidate In History"

That didn't take long. When did Hobbs go to work for the RNC?

UPDATE: Obama corrects inaccurate Chicago Tribune reporting of his statements on D.C. Gun Law

When Obama has been asked on multiple occasions to weigh in on the D.C. gun case he has regularly maintained that the Second Amendment provides an individual right while at the same time saying that right is not absolute and that the Constitution does not prevent local governments from enacting what Obama calls "common sense laws."

Which is exactly what the Supreme Court said.

A caller on an Orlando talk radio this afternoon said that the Everglades conservation purchase was a quid pro quo between McCain and FL Gov. Charlie Crist.

According to the caller, who said he is related to principals in the deal and has known about it since January, McCain contacted Crist and told him he needed to do "something big" if he wanted to be considered for the VP spot.

That's about as unsubstantiated as it gets, but it wouldn't surprise me. At least Crist did something beneficial for the State of Florida. There was some discussion, however, that it was also a bail out for the sugar company, which is in a financial squeeze and facing some costly environmental issues.

From Special Ops Media, Magnolia Pictures presents Gonzo: The Life and Times of Hunter S. Thompson:

Hunter S. Thompson was never one to stand down in the face of this country’s politics. Too often, contemporary journalists play the politicians’ game, taking them seriously with a balance they don’t deserve. Thompson never stood for that. He understood that he had the right to speak his mind, especially during the tumultuous times of the late 60’s and early 70’s.

On behalf of Magnolia Pictures, we are pleased to present Gonzo: The Life and Times of Hunter S. Thompson, the new documentary (narrated by Johnny Depp) chronicling the unbelievable life of the legendary journalist. Witness first hand Thompson’s amazing journey as he creates his seminal works on politics, culture, and the American dream. In select theaters July 4th!

Synopsis:

From Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney and producer Graydon Carter comes a probing look into the uncanny life of national treasure and gonzo journalism inventor Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. A fast moving, wildly entertaining documentary with an iconic soundtrack, the film addresses the major touchstones in Thompson’s life—his intense and ill fated relationship with the Hell’s Angels, his near-successful bid for the office of sheriff in Aspen in 1970, the notorious story behind the landmark Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, his deep involvement in Senator George McGovern’s 1972 presidential campaign, and much more. Narrated by Johnny Depp.

Here's the list of opening cities and playdates. (Opens July 11th in Nashville at the Belcourt Theatre).

Official website: huntersthompsonmovie.com

I am really looking forward to seeing this. HST is one of my favorite writers, obviously, and he lived an amazing, terrifying, outrageous, important, and charmed life. Hopefully we can get Regal Downtown West added to the list of theaters.

(Photo and trailer courtesy of Magnolia Pictures)

Katie at KT has the scoop.

Summary of (draft) findings...

Joe Powell has an excellent interview with Rob Russell, the Democratic candidate for U.S. House of Representatives in the Tennessee First Congressional District. The seat is currently held by Republican Rep. David Davis.

There's a lot of talk about whether a Democrat can compete in this district, which Republicans have controlled since 1881. Davis is finishing up his first term, but faces a credible Republican primary challenger, Phil Rowe, who has raised a lot of money.

(See here for a list of all the candidates.)

Davis hasn't accomplished much, and he has a lot of ties to special interests, including the pharmaceutical industry. Last year, his office was caught "scrubbing" Davis' Wikipedia page to remove information about his ties to King Pharmaceuticals. And now there are accusations that the staffer got a bonus for his efforts.

King Pharmaceuticals was involved in a 2005 $124 million settlement with the DOJ regarding "allegations that it underpaid rebates owed under the Medicaid program [including TennCare] and overcharged various federal and state governmental entities for its drug products." There is also controversy surrounding campaign contributions and PACs operated by the company's CEO.

Davis also came under fire for voting in support of dog fighting.

According to GovTrac.us, "David Davis has sponsored 18 bills since Jan 4, 2007, of which 16 haven't made it out of committee." None were successfully enacted. Among the bills Davis sponsored are designation of "American Eagle Day" and expressing support of "National Carriage Driving Month." His first bill, "To enhance the integrity of the United States against the threat of terrorism," would have provided Homeland Security funds to state and local law enforcement for immigration enforcement. The rest of his bills appear to be related to import duties on chemicals used in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Davis is endorsed by the National Right to Life and gets an "A" rating from the NRA.

While it's conceivable that Davis could be kicked out in the primary, it will be a tough row to hoe for Democrats in the general. But go read Joe Powell's interview with Rob Russell, and ask yourself, why not a Democrat, and why not now? That's the question for voters in the Tennessee 1st Congressional District. Do they want more of the same, or is it time to try something different?

Arapahoe County, just south of Denver, has decided to prevent protesters from carrying big sticks, projectile launchers and gas masks. They have not yet included OveGloves.

Denver has announced the designated "protest zone", "within view and earshot of delegates and others entering and leaving the Pepsi Center".

Some protesters-to-be are unhappy with scheduled availability to the DNC parade route saying, "the times it will be open for use—11 a.m. to 3 p.m.—guarantee protesters won't be seen by delegates, who arrive daily at the Pepsi Center at 4 p.m."

Man, I tell ya. Is it really a protest when every little thing is controlled? Not that I want any violence or anything like that. It's just like, wow, man, why is everyone so angry? When are we going to start working together to get something done? Why even have a convention? To create a platform for the campaign? Does anything from the platforms every come to fruition? I'm just sayin.

America is in the midst of a recession largely attributable to the economic policies of the Bush administration and the Republican party. As a result of this recession, millions of hard working Americans have been put out of work. Almost every family in this country has been touched by the current recession. On top of this consumers are being forced to pay record high gas prices and hundreds of thousands of people have lost their homes due to foreclosure. Now is not the time to cut tax paying American citizens off of their unemployment benefits.

Campfield: Anchor babies and state laws

The amendment to the constitution that is so confusing was put in place for descendants of slaves so they could become US citizens. Not to say the slave trade was good, but the slaves were brought in the country under legal (at the time) means. They were under our jurisdiction so they and their descendants could become citizens. Not so for illegals, they are similar to an invading military and are not, and in my opinion should not, be given the same rights and privileges as citizens or visitors. In many cases their rights are already restricted.

Interesting. Does this stuff actually sell in the 18th TN House district?

Speaking of the fightin' 18th, did you see Georgiana Vines' recent column re. the contest? Sounds like the grownup Republicans are throwing Campfield under the bus. It's a lot like what's going on over here in Blount Co. with Sen. Raymond Finney v. challenger Rep. Doug Overbey. Apparently the local GOP establishments are looking to push some loose cannons overboard.

The citizen forensic accounting detective investigation goes statewide.

Katie at KT has the scoop...

The latest roundup at TennViews...

Hello KnoxView.com. My name is Jon Katsiros. I am running for State Representative in district 18. I am writing to introduce myself to everyone. I have lived in this area for 21 years. I went to Norwood, Northwest, and West High School. I also attended South College for paralegal studies, and the University of Tennessee for Political Science. I have worked ever since I was 16. I am now in the Window Replacement business. I have however took time off to run for office. I am giving this race my full attention and energy. I am running for office, because I feel that the people of district 18 want a change. I am an average person, just like the people of the district, and know that I can best represent them. I am out here working everyday for the people. I am knocking on doors and talking to people. I am here to answer any questions, and listen to anything that the people have to say. I will be a representative for the people, and "A representative you can be proud of." I look forward to your support and your vote on August 7. Again, feel free to ask or say anything you like, I am all ears. Thank you.

(Click for bigger)

Source: Link...

Vandergriff is running for county clerk, not "county court clerk."

Obama has opted out of the public campaign finance system.