Robocalls in Iowa are gauging 2012 support for Jeb Bush

Oy oy oy. Via Ben-

Someone is doing 2012 research in Iowa

A friend of mine in Des Moines, Iowa, got a phone call last night, testing out the names of potential 2012 GOP presidential candidates. It was an automated survey and did not indicate who the sponsor of the call might be, "but it was quite apparent it was a GOP call," my friend reports. "...The survey started off by asking what I thought the most important issue facing America today might be, then rolled right into, 'Who would you vote for in the 2012 Presidential primary?' -- offering choices of Huckabee, Palin, Gingrich, Jindal, and JEB BUSH." (Her boldface type, not mine).

The Politics Of Auntie Zeituni: The plot sickens

By GottaLaff

Background here. Timing is everything. Via TPM:

The real story, though, is down in the third paragraph of the AP story ...

Information about the deportation case was disclosed and confirmed by two separate sources, one of them a federal law enforcement official. The information they made available is known to officials in the federal government, but the AP could not establish whether anyone at a political level in the Bush administration or in the McCain campaign had been involved in its release.

That's about as transparent a red flag as an outfit like the AP is usually willing to give. And there you have it. Quite likely working in concert with the McCain campaign, a Bush administration official is leaking details on an immigration case to try to help McCain three days before the election. It's shades of Bush I's riffling through Bill Clinton's passport files just before the 1992 election in a desperate last minute gambit as they were swirling down the drain.

Late Update: Note too that the story first got leaked to the Times of London, a Murdoch paper with a history of taking planted stories from Republicans for siphoning back into the US media.

Next:

Dear Mr. Chertoff:

I was startled to read in today's Associated Press that a "federal law enforcement official" has leaked information about an immigration case involving a relative of Senator Obama. Even more troubling, the AP reports that it could not "could not establish whether anyone at a political level in the Bush administration or in the McCain campaign had been involved," a very disturbing suggesting indeed. This leak is deplorable and I urge you to take immediate action to investigate and discipline those responsible.

I note that this is not the first leak of law enforcement information apparently designed to influence the coming Presidential election -- in recent weeks law enforcement sources leaked information about an alleged investigation of a community services organization, a leak that the Department of Justice informs me is now under investigation by the Department's Office of the Inspector General and Professional Responsibility.

Such leaks are deeply harmful to the political process, and the American people expect and deserve better from their government and its law enforcement agencies.

Sincerely,

John Conyers, Jr.

See labels.

CNN: The worst political team on television

By GottaLaff

Remember this post from earlier? You ain't seen nothin' close to "unfair and unbalanced" yet:

Today, CNN announced that it will be hosting a one-hour special this weekend called “Election Countdown: View from the Right,” featuring prominent right-wing pundits. However, it doesn’t appear that there will be a corresponding special featuring progressive voices. From the CNN press release:

On Saturday, Nov. 1, at 5 p.m. (ET), CNN political contributor and Christian Broadcasting Network senior correspondent David Brody will host the one-hour special Election Countdown: View from the Right. This roundtable discussion will examine the strength of the McCain-Palin ticket, the priorities for conservatives after the election and top issues on voters’ minds, including national security and the economy. Brody will be joined by Amanda Carpenter, national political reporter for Townhall.com; Brian DeBose, editorial writer for The Washington Times; Stephen Hayes, senior writer for The Weekly Standard; and Kevin Madden, Republican strategist and former press secretary for Gov. Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.

It must be because there are so few Republican spokesmorons on CNN. They have a gnawing urge to fill the void. That was sarcasm, in case it wasn't obvious enough.

TWPNTOTV!!!* (I've held off saying that since I started blogging)

*THE WORST POLITICAL NEWS TEAM ON TELEVISION!!!

VIDEO-- Ugly, and getting uglier: "License"

By GottaLaff


Wrong. Ugly. Abhorrent:

A new ad released by a third-party group should be making waves, soon. The National Republican Trust PAC, who I was told not long ago would be “the group to watch” in the next few weeks, just released a brutal ad in Ohio attacking Sen. Barack Obama on his support for Eliot Spitzer’s plan to give licenses to illegal immigrants.

Ben Smith writes:

The issue has scarcely surfaced as Obama faced the relatively pro-immigrant McCain and tussled over Hispanic voters, but the National Republican Trust PAC is airing it in the most cutting, over-the-top, way available: It accuses Obama of supporting the policies that issued drivers licenses to the 9/11 terrorists.

Some notes:

The license number is fake.

The address displayed on the license belongs to the Carver Ranches Branch of the Broward County Library. Weird.

When Obama’s picture is featured, the expiration date is on Election Day.

17 days to go.

Sweet Dreams

Superhero version? SUPERHERO? Hillary gets a nutcracker and she gets a superhero doll? I'm not going to make it thru this election sane.

Sarah Palin dolls go on sale as John McCain's running mate's popularity soars

The dolls are the latest in a line of American political candidates who have been immortalised including John McCain and Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Two variations of the doll are on sale - Sarah Palin the Executive and Sarah Palin the Super Hero - available from toy company http://www.herobuilders.com at $27.95 (about £16) for the executive doll and two dollars more for the super hero version.