CA-36: Ruiz (D) 48 Mack (R) 42!

A new Lake Research Partners poll of California’s 36th Congressional District (Palm Springs) shows Democrat Dr. Raul Ruiz leading incumbent Republican Mary Bono Mack by 6 points among voters who have already voted and those who are likely to vote combined. Among only voters who have not yet voted, Ruiz leads by 11 points. Republicans are at a slight advantage in party registration, but CA-36 is clearly leaning Democratic this year, with Obama leading Romney by 7 points. Voters increasingly are hearing about Ruiz and his contrasts with Bono Mack are resonating well. The data also indicate that Bono Mack’s attacks on Ruiz have been weak and ineffective.
http://www.scribd.com/doc/111615704/CA-36-Lake-Research-for-Raul-Ruiz-Oct-2012




Go Raul!!

Gov. Christie: Obama deserves "great credit" for storm response

Source: CBSNews.com

"The state of New Jersey took it in the neck worse than any other state," Christie said of the storm's effects. "It's going to take us a while to dig out from under it, but we will dig out from under it," he added.


Christie called the level of cooperation between the local, state and federal governments "excellent" and praised President Obama's involvement. "I was on the phone for the third time yesterday, last night, with the president of the United States. He called me at midnight last night as he was seeing reports," he said before adding that President Obama accelerated the designation of New Jersey as a major disaster area "without the usual red tape."

"The cooperation has been great with FEMA here on the ground and the cooperation from the president of the United States has been outstanding. He deserves great credit," Christie added.



Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57542354/gov-christie-obama-deserves-great-credit-for-storm-response/?tag=MaxDeep

HuffPo: As Governor, Mitt Romney Was Slow To Respond To Disasters In His State, Local Critics Say

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney argues that federal disaster response should be handled at the state level, but when disaster struck Massachusetts, he was missing in action, according to some of the state's local politicians.

On Oct. 9, 2005, heavy rain storms caused the Green River to rise to historic levels and begin flooding into Greenfield, Mass. The flooding destroyed a trailer park and demolished swaths of low-income housing. Roads were impassable. The flood waters submerged the town's water treatment plant.

As the rain fell and the Green River rose, Greenfield's then-Mayor Christine Forgey tells The Huffington Post that she did not hear from Romney. About 75 people, including many retirees, lost their homes in the trailer park, she says. Still many more were displaced. Forgey says a resident opened up the high school and used it as a crisis shelter. A radio station launched a food and clothing drive and the Red Cross provided services.

On the first day, Forgey says she did not hear from Romney. Nor the second day. Nor the third. Romney wasn't in Massachusetts when the flood hit, and the emergency did not alter his plans. The Associated Press reported at the time that the governor had been scheduled to speak to an economic club in North Carolina. "If the governor thought for one second he was needed here today, he would be there," a spokesperson told the AP.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/29/mitt-romney-disaster-response-massachusetts-_n_2041142.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

Frum: Let's get real about abortions

When Richard Mourdock delivered his notorious answer about rape and abortion, I was sorry that the debate moderator failed to follow up with the next question:

"OK, Mr. Mourdock, you say your principles require a raped woman to carry the rapist's child to term. That's a heavy burden to impose on someone. What would you do for her in return? Would you pay her medical expenses? Compensate her for time lost to work? Would you pay for the child's upbringing? College education?

"If a woman has her credit card stolen, her maximum liability under federal law is $50. Yet on your theory, if she is raped, she must endure not only the trauma of assault, but also accept economic costs of potentially many thousands of dollars. Must that burden also fall on her alone? When we used to draft men into the Army, we gave them veterans' benefits afterward. If the state now intends to conscript women into involuntary childbearing, surely those women deserve at least an equally generous deal?"

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/29/opinion/frum-abortion-reality/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

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Interesting argument for choice geared toward the Republican mindset (money).

Falling pump prices could give Obama a lift

"In a week that saw President Barack Obama poll dead-even with Republican rival Mitt Romney in the race for the White House, it may have been some relief to Democrats that gas prices have shed 17 cents in the last 12 days.

While that could help boost the president's chances for another four-year term (or at least not hurt them), the drop in prices has more to do with luck than with White House energy policy.

After refinery bottlenecks sent prices surging ahead of a seasonal switch from summer to winter gasoline blends, those kinks have been cleared and gasoline has begun flowing smoothly again."


http://economywatch.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/23/14646886-falling-pump-prices-could-give-obama-a-lift?lite

Obama Reelection Odds Increase In Prediction Markets Following Foreign Policy Debate

From HuffPo:

The consensus after Monday night's third and final presidential debate is that Barack Obama was the winner. But the president's victory begs an important question -- does success in Boca Raton, Fla., mean he's more likely to win the election? Will voters care about foreign affairs at a time when things are so rough at home?

According to online prediction markets, which pool conventional wisdom about the probability of future events, voters do care. Numbers compiled by PredictWise, which averages Obama's reelection odds on political betting websites like Intrade, showed that Obama received a bump during Monday night's debate in the likelihood of winning on Nov. 6.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/23/obama-reelection-odds-prediction-debate_n_2005379.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

CNN: Romney in a bind over 'binders of women' comment

Jesse Mermell, a Democratic local official in Brookline, Massachusetts, who was executive director of the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus from 2004 to 2008, took exception to Romney's statement that he initiated the search for qualified women for his cabinet.

A program her group oversaw provided Romney's transition team in 2002 with resumes of qualified women, Mermell told a conference call with reporters Wednesday.

"Mitt Romney did not request those," Mermell said, explaining that the program called MassGAP approached Romney and his Democratic opponent before the election to get their commitment for hiring women to state positions in proportion to the female population. "Then after the election, our group approached the Romney transition team with the resumes, or the so-called binders full of women."

She also cited a study that showed Romney initially hired 14 women among 33 appointments to his cabinet -- 42% of the total -- but by the end of his four-year term, the number of women in his administration was 25%, lower than the previous or subsequent governors.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/18/politics/campaign-women/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

GOTV in blue CA! Blue states can help flip the House!

Yes, Obama will get CA, but don't stay home thinking your vote is not needed. There are important down ticket races that need your vote! Besides voting NO on some of the heinous propositions out there (anti-union Prop. 32), a number of Congressional races are in play. For example, anti-marriage equality and anti-equal pay Republican Rep. Mary Bono Mack finds herself trying to fend off a challenge from Democrat Raul Ruiz in California's 36th Congressional District:

2012 ELECTION: Bono Mack, Ruiz race gets hot

Bono Mack, R-Palm Springs, has cruised to easy victories in the past few cycles, despite Democratic predictions that she could be beaten. This year, however, Democrats are putting their money where their mouths are. The party and its allies have launched a series of TV ad campaigns attacking Bono Mack and released polling data that shows Ruiz, an emergency room doctor at Eisenhower Medical Center, is close behind the incumbent.

Leading political handicappers also view the race as tightening. In recent weeks, the Cook Political Report and analyst Larry Sabato each have moved the seat from “likely Republican” to “leans Republican,” a distinction that means they think Ruiz has a better shot at winning than before.

“It’s still uphill for Democrats, but polling in that race is encouraging for Ruiz,” said Dave Wasserman, who analyzes House races for the Cook report. “He’s within striking distance, and that’s the first time we’ve been able to say that about one of Bono Mack’s opponents in a long time.”

First elected to Congress after her husband, the late entertainer and Rep. Sonny Bono, was killed in a 1998 skiing accident, Bono Mack has represented eastern Riverside County for 14 years.



http://www.pe.com/local-news/politics/ben-goad-headlines/20121015-2012-election-bono-mack-ruiz-race-gets-hot.ece

Prop. 30 inspires voter registration drives aimed at students

Gov. Jerry Brown's tax hike measure is being touted as the only way to avoid tuition increases this year at California's public universities. Some predict a higher-than-usual turnout.

Cal State L.A. senior Jason Jimenez didn't hesitate when asked recently why he was registering to vote for the first time. "Prop. 30," he said.

Jimenez was referring to the November ballot measure that would temporarily raise state sales taxes and the income taxes of high earners. It's being touted as the only way to avoid tuition increases this year at California's public universities, and if it passes, Cal State students could get a tuition rebate.

...snip..

According to a recent USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times poll, 55% of registered voters would approve it, with 36% opposed and the rest undecided. Support was strongest — 77% — among voters 19 to 29.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-students-vote-20121014,0,1522296.story

Hilarious anti-Romney ad based on the "don't be that guy" commercial.