 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
||||||
|
ELECTION ’02 FLASH GOP WINS IN TEXAS [David Guenthner] The Dallas Morning News is releasing its final poll in the races for Texas governor and U.S. senator. The numbers show Republicans maintaining solid leads since the paper's last survey two weeks ago. In the governor's race, Gov. Rick Perry (R) leads Tony Sanchez (D) by a 50-38 margin. Perry is receiving 13% of black and 22% of Hispanic support, while Sanchez is at 26% among whites. Even factoring for higher black and Hispanic turnout, a Democrat needs to win at least 37% of the white vote to win statewide -- Sanchez has not topped the mid 20's in any public poll taken since the Democratic primary. In the U.S. Senate race, Atty. Gen. John Cornyn (R) leads Democrat Ron Kirk (D) by a 50-41 margin. Kirk is doing better with whites (30%) but Cornyn is at 33% among Hispanics. The only contest in play at this point is the lieutenant governor's race, where Land Commissioner David Dewhurst (R) leads former Comptroller John Sharp (D) by the three-point margin of error. The lieutenant governor is the most powerful position in Texas' system of government because he is the presiding office of the Texas Senate -- he determines committee assignments and which bills make the Senate's agenda. For that reason, Perry is openly appealing in the last few days that voters who support him also vote for Dewhurst so that their vote for governor isn't cancelled out. (Perry narrowly beat Sharp for this office four years ago and they've hated each other ever since.) Posted at 08:14 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH ZOGBY SAYS... [Kathryn Jean Lopez] John Zogby gives the Senate to the Democrats. Posted at 08:09 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH MAINE GAMES [Jim Nuzzo] Doesn't seem that Tony Soprano has hurt the Democrat nominee for governor in Maine. Congressman John Baldacci has been the subject of a vicious negative advertising from the Green Party candidate Jonathan Carter. One ad suggests that Balducci's support for casino gambling in the Pine State will allow gaming establishments that are like the "Bada Bing!," the strip club portrayed in the HBO show, The Sopranos. The ad, and all of the GOP's attacks as a tax and spender, seem to have little effect on Baldacci, who is poised to be the first major party governor in almost a decade, succeeding Independent Angus King. Better news for the Republicans is that Senator Susan Collins, fending off an early challenge, will cruise to reelection. Posted at 08:08 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH RUNNING IN CONN. [Jim Nuzzo] In an independent media poll released today, Congresswoman Nancy Johnson is leading her Democratic opponent Congressman James Maloney by 9 points, 50 to 41 percent in the newly redrawn 5th congressional district. This confirms a U Conn poll released yesterday that showed the Johnson/Maloney match up at 53 to 36 with 10 percent undecided. The critical fact in both polls is that Johnson has reached or exceeded the magic 50 percent threshold. This was a race that the Democrats felt at the beginning of the campaign cycle that they could capture from the GOP. These polls make the capture of the House of Representatives that much more out of reach. Posted at 08:05 PM NORWAY'S DARK SECRET? [Andrew Stuttaford] I can't claim to be much of an expert on Norwegian politics. Outside of Norway who can? For all I know, the Progress Party may indeed be a deeply sinister organization, but on the face of it, this piece from the Guardian seems a little, well, alarmist. It's interesting to see, yet again, another example of the EU establishment argument that any party favoring a restrictive approach to immigration must by definition be extremist. Posted at 01:58 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH THE CALIFORNIA OUTLOOK [Allison Hayward] The latest field poll in the California gubernatorial race has Davis at 41 to Simon at 34 percent, 8 percent to third parties and 14 percent undecided. From Carla Marinucci's San Francisco Chronicle article on the poll: "The latest survey shows that -- clearly dissatisfied about their choices--voters will go to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots against one candidate, rather than in support of one. Nearly 7 in 10 Simon supporters, for example, told pollsters their vote would be more against Davis than for Simon. Two-thirds of Davis supporters say their vote is for Davis, with 37 percent saying they are casting a vote against Simon." By the way, three percent of likely voters say without being asked they won't vote for governor at all. According to the Marinucci piece, is this an unprecedented high number of respondents admitting voluntarily that they will skip the top of the ticket office. Assuming, as many do, that Davis will win, how can he govern? Posted at 11:53 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH THE ELECTIONS, FROM A SAUDI PERSPECTIVE [Kathryn Jean Lopez] An Arab News editorial: "[E]ven if Republicans fare badly, as is most likely, the war cries against Iraq are not going to diminish in intensity. After all, Saddam Hussein, whether vanquished or still in power, will be an invaluable electoral asset if Bush runs for re-election." Posted at 08:18 AM SAUDIS READY TO FIGHT FOR IRAQ [Kathryn Jean Lopez] From a BBC report: "A religious scholar told the BBC that there are whole regions in Saudi ready for jihad." Posted at 08:13 AM GETTING CLOSER TO IRAQ [Kathryn Jean Lopez] One-third of Kuwait is closed off today; U.S. troops are preparing for the coming battle next door. Posted at 08:08 AM WAR STORIES FROM CORNELL [Kathryn Jean Lopez] One last thing about Cornell. A graduate tells me: "Our prolife group tried to get Gannett Health Services to carry more prolife brochures, including a pamphlet on Natural Family Planning from the Couple to Couple League. Cornell’s only objection to the NFP brochure was that it had a mercury thermometer in it (danger!). Red Flag! Needless to say if it were a digital thermometer they would have come up with another objection. However, I also wonder what if some poor woman used a vibrator and electrocuted herself. " Perhaps students opposed to the vibrator policy might take that up as an objection and see how far it gets them. Posted at 08:04 AM MY BAD [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Remember earlier in the week there was some conversation in these parts about Cornell's health center stocking up on vibrators to more full cover female student "health" needs? Well, I took a swipe at some silly comment a gal student made about sex shops not being "woman-affirming" enough for her to buy her vibrator at, saying she had to be a women's-studies major. Nope. Don't have that at Cornell, evidently. The department has recently been changed to the “Feminist, Gender, & Sexuality Studies” program. I apologize for the error. Posted at 08:00 AM THE OLYMPICS [Kathryn Jean Lopez] As a New Yorker, am I supposed to be hoping the gods on Mt. Olympus pick the Big Apple for the 2012 games? All I think about is the traffic and "do it somewhere upstate, there's ROOM there." Is that the attitude that makes people roll their eyes when you tell them you're from NYC? Posted at 07:43 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH YOU KNOW IT IS GOING TO BE A LONG ELECTION NIGHT... [Kathryn Jean Lopez] ...when Charlie Cook won't make a prediction about who wins the Senate. (Just now on the Today Show's Saturday edition.) After David Bloom practically begged him, he gave the Dems a win, but was real hesitant. Posted at 07:32 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH WAITING UNTIL JANUARY [Jim Nuzzo] While many states will not know the outcome of their elections on Wednesday because of court challenges, Vermont may not know the result of its gubernatorial election until its state legislature meets in January. The Vermont constitution requires that the state's constitutional officers be elected with a majority, that is over 50%, rather than merely a plurality of the vote. All of the Green Mountain's opinion polls show that both the Democrat Lt. Governor Douglas Racine and his GOP challenger James Douglas well below the majority threshold, with Racine holding a slight lead. Independent candidate Cornelius Hogan registers in the high single digits and less than ten percent remain undecided. While there is a great deal of talk in the press that the legislature should ratify the candidate with the most votes, their decision is made by secret ballot. The legislature has a nominal Republican tilt and in a vote which is shielded from the public, Douglas could lose the popular vote and still take the top office. Not that NRO readers should feel pleased at that prospect. James Douglas is, as James Jeffords was, a classic RINO, a Republican in Name Only. Posted at 07:13 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH SORRY, I ONLY ATTEND DEM. PARTY RALLIES [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Mondale is a no-show at debate. Posted at 06:59 AM Friday, November 01, 2002 ELECTION ’02 FLASH MITT CLOSING IN? [Jim Nuzzo] The Romney campaign tracking polls show a 7 point bulge for Mitt. This is up from 4 points ahead in the tracking before the debate. One of the concerns that any GOP effort has in Massachusetts is that the Dems have all of the ground troops for a big GOTV effort. Professionals usually credit an additional 3 to 4 points to the Dems just because of their GOTV. Now the Romney folks will never be able to match the bodies that O'Brien has at her disposal, but they have been aggressive in using telephone calls and mass mailings. They have mailed absentee ballot applications to every registered Republican in the state. A quick check with election commissions around the state show that absentee ballots are coming in at record numbers. Posted at 07:29 PM AIN'T IT THE TRUTH [Kathryn Jean Lopez] From the father of a homicide/suicide bomber: "The Israelis are armed with democracy, knowledge and order," he said. "We need these weapons. Blowing up 100 buses and restaurants will neither destroy Israel nor bring us victory." Posted at 06:33 PM A CANADIAN'S PLEA [Kathryn Jean Lopez] A reader from the north writes: "Once again our government has chosen appeasement over common sense, and our uniquely obnoxious PM (who still refuses to list Hezbollah as a terrorist org, for heaven's sake) has found yet another way to spit in the eye of the Americans who defend us. Please, please, just shut down the border completely! We need your commerce and support far more than you need ours. Canada is well on its way to becoming a replica of the surrender monkeys to the East...why W. and his team cares a rotten fig about the opinions of a bunch of pusillanimous pale Canucks is beyond me. PS Please sponsor me for refugee status. It's almost as bad here as in Cuba; don't believe me? 13 farmers went to jail yesterday for selling their grain independently, instead of going through the government monopoly. Posted at 06:22 PM I BET THESE PEOPLE ARE AGAINST THE WAR ON TERROR, TOO [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Crowds of angry residents in Berlin Friday protested attempts to return a road to its pre-Nazi-era name of Jewish Street, with several shouting, "The Jews have made us suffer enough.'' Posted at 06:08 PM EVEN THE CORNER NODS [Kathryn Jean Lopez] What? When did we cave to Canada? Was I napping? WHY? I just read this in CAIR's daily e-mail: CANADIAN MUSLIMS WELCOME CHANGE IN U.S. PROFILING POLICY U.S. Must Make Good On Assurances And Resolve Arar Case, Says CAIR-Can (Ottawa, Canada - 10/31/02) - A national Canadian advocacy organization today commended the Canadian government's efforts in securing recent assurances from U.S. authorities that Canadian citizens born in several Middle East and North African countries will not be fingerprinted and photographed upon entry into the United States. Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham stated today that he had received the assurances from US Ambassador Paul Cellucci. In a statement released this afternoon, CAIR-CAN wrote: "The Canadian government's vocal protest against discriminatory US requirements has been admirable and has, it appears, secured a rescinding of the US law for Canadian citizens. "Our government must continue to press the US to make good on its promise and ensure that Canadians are not racially profiled or denied their fundamental liberties in traveling to or through the US. "We call on Mr. Graham to insist that the US government resolves the issue of Maher Arar, a Canadian citizen who was illegally and inhumanely deported by the US to Jordan in early October." The issue of the United States’ discriminatory treatment of Canadian citizens born in selected Muslim countries came to public attention through CAIR-CAN’s work on behalf of the Arar family. CAIR-CAN also praised the diligent efforts of NDP leader Alexa McDonough and Progressive Conservative leader Joe Clark as playing a significant role in securing the US assurances. Posted at 05:46 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH CLUELESS AG [Jim Boulet] South Dakota's Argus Leader proclaims "No Illegal Ballots Found", thanks to statements by Attorney General Mark Barnett. The Argus Leader is itself not so sanguine, noting that "Barnett has smothered discussion of widespread voting irregularities." Barnett also seems clueless as to how an Indian-vote-fraud scheme would work: "So far I have not found that [a woman at the center of the scandal] had any ballots that have been illegally voted." She had no reason to carry ballots simply because vote fraud is easier on Election Day, as I explained in NRO. A person presents himself as an Indian voter falsely registered earlier. He gives the proper name and address. He gets a ballot. He votes. His fraudulent ballot is placed in the same box with all the others, unable to be located again, unlike an absentee or provisional ballot. Posted at 05:32 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH BURNING BALLOTS IN S.D. [Kathryn Jean Lopez] I’m not sure if I am more bothered by the corruption or the incompetence. "Attorney General Mark Barnett said Becky Red Earth-Villeda apparently tried to burn the original applications but then decided to retrieve them." Posted at 05:29 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH KEEPING OUT REPUBLICANS IN N.J. [Allison Hayward] Democrats like to talk about level playing fields and equal access to the political process, but they appear to be aggressively using a consent decree issued by the federal district court in New Jersey that dates from the early '80s to prevent equal access by poll watchers. The Democrats boast of deploying 10,000 election attorneys to prevent (or maybe exacerbate? we'll see) Election Day polling problems. The Republicans have told their volunteer attorneys, however, that they shouldn't participate in New Jersey. The Democrats have gone to court there claiming participation violates this consent decree, and the volunteer attorney's group can't afford the litigation. Moreover, I've read that a suit has been filed by Democrats in Florida, seemingly invoking the consent decree there to prevent GOP lawyers from participating. The consent decree requires that the RNC not pursue ballot security or anti-fraud activities in precincts "where the racial or ethnic composition of such districts is a factor in the decision to conduct such activities and where a purpose or significant effect of such activities is to deter qualified voters from voting." (In 1987 a further decree required the RNC to petition the court before engaging in ballot security programs, and tell the DNC in advance, too.) I don't expect that many readers will rush to embrace the interests of lawyers, but this is obviously about more than that. Fraud-prevention activities are necessary, especially when one's worthy opponents are hell-bent on maximizing turnout (in certain areas of course) with all tools at their disposal. The Democrats appear to be exploiting this decree to operate unchallenged in some areas. How can that be tolerated? Posted at 05:02 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH ELECTION-OBSERVER INTRO [NRO Staff] Allison Hayward is a political attorney practicing in California and Washington DC. She writes frequently on political and campaign-finance topics. Among her many impressive achievements, she was a member of the 1982 Stanford Band involved in "The Play," and she has been a National Review subscriber for more years than she'd care to admit. Posted at 04:58 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH BUSH WORKS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE [Jim Nuzzo] The president's appearance in New Hampshire may be enough to put Sununu over the top. New Hampshire political insiders say that the undecideds left in the Senate race give a lopsided favorability rating to Bush and his personal plea for Sununu will hold significant sway for many of these people. Senator Bob Smith was not present at the event in Portsmith, but his chief of staff has issued a statement saying that Smith disavows the write-in effort on his behalf. However, without a personal appearance, Smith's supporters may ignore such a statement. Craig Benson, the GOP nominee for governor, seems well ahead, in one poll he leads by double digits. Unfortunately for Sununu, many of his policy positions are closer to Shaheen's than Sununu's. Thus, the tycoon's GOTV effort will have little help for the GOP senate candidate. The old Sununu machine, controlled which was controlled by his father, is largely a thing of the past and so Sununu will have to rely upon the Gregg (Judd, the present senator is the latest of a line of Greggs to hold state-wide office in New Hampshire) machine to put him over the top. Posted at 04:39 PM MORE PROOF—WE’LL DO ANYTHING FOR SUBS [Rich Lowry] E-mail: “Subject: Subscribe or I'll Kill this Dog I've been enjoying the NRO site for quite sometime and have been touched by all the tender pleas to subscribe so Jonah can get a liveable wage and stop having to share Cosmo's kibble. . . . Unlike your correspondent Mr. Lynch, who virtually blackmailed you into getting some publicity for merely *promising* to subscribe, I have demonstrated good faith by actually subscribing to the magazine. You can see the text of the confirmation page below. So if Dave Lynch of Colorado Springs gets a NRO mention by virtue of promising to subscribe, so should these websites.” www.rokemneedlearts.com www.autothreads.com www.vegetativestate.com" Posted at 02:50 PM BLACK-HAT CRUNCHY CONS [Rod Dreher] Mazel tov to the Lubavitch Hasidim in this story, who have moved to rural Massachusetts and are attempting to live communally and farm organically. I've heard of contemporary Eastern Orthodox Christians doing things like this, but this is the first time I've seen anything about Jewish religious conservatives making a go of the agrarian lifestyle. As you can see from the story, they are doing so for conservative reasons. Posted at 01:54 PM GREAT SPORTING MOMENTS [Andrew Stuttaford] Time, I think, to mention a sport played by real athletes: Fischer-Spassky 1972. And if anyone complains about that selection I shall start talking - at length - about Geoff Hurst's hat-trick against West Germany, and, of course, the legendary achievements of Geoff Boycott. And then, of course, there was that rather epic game of table tennis I had with my brother... Posted at 12:30 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH MORE ON MINNESOTA [Robert Alt] Byron is right to point out the possibility of confusion. I think the court underestimates the trouble that receiving two votes from absentee voters will cause. But the court's order does have a few features worth noting. First, as I explain in more detail here, the court made clear that if an absentee voter votes for Wellstone and does not seek a new ballot, the vote counts for Wellstone. Second, they didn't buy the DFL's ridiculous arguments that election officials needed to use internet ballots for absentees--a proposal that would have assured Mondale a majority of the popular vote in China. And third, they didn't bite on any of the DFL's complaints about the supplemental ballots. None of this prevents lawsuits from being filed after the election, but on balance it's a good first sign from the court. Posted at 12:26 PM RED BAITING [Jonah Goldberg] In that David Corn piece linked below he's careful to assure readers that he's not "red baiting." I've got to say I've never really understood what's so bad about red-baiting. Maybe I just don't understand it. But my understanding is that red-baiting is: A) attacking someone because he is a Communist; B) Suggesting that an actual but secret Communist might be a Communist; C) Suggesting that someone who merely talks, acts and thinks like a Communist is in fact a Communist D) Suggesting that someone is a Communist when he really isn't E) All of the above. Now, of all these possibilities only "D" is really all that bad. To me it's not that different from falsely calling someone a Nazi. But here's the important thing: Why would actual Communists have a problem with being called a Communist? And why would they think the charge is all that big an insult? I'm sure the answer has something to do with the blacklists or the Hollywood Ten (yawn). And, that's fine if you want to explain why D is bad (losing your job for something you're not is unjust). But could someone tell me why it was so wrong to call high ranking members of the Communist party "Communists"? How is that red-baiting? Or if that is red-baiting, why is red-baiting bad? Posted at 12:24 PM OUCH—GOOD ANGELS’ MOMENTS [Rich Lowry] The last of my excessive “moments” posts. E-mail: “Since you asked, other than the entire month of October 2002 my greatest Angel moment was a three game series sweep in Anaheim against your defending champion Yankees in 1979 while the Angels were on their way to their first division title ever. Game one was a nationally televised affair with Nolan Ryan flirting with a no hitter before Reggie Jackson broke it up with a late single. Game two the Angels rallied from a 6-0 deficit to win 8-7 thanks to a Don Baylor blast that hit the foul pole. To cap the weekend, Bobby Grich hit a two-run, two-out home run in the ninth to win game three, 5-4. Yes, 23 years is a long time between memorable moments." Posted at 12:12 PM I'M UNFAIR AND UNBALANCED! [Jonah Goldberg] I fall over a lot because I'm so top-heavy and when I do I try to squish small children who annoy me, which is unfair. So there you have it. Posted at 11:47 AM I'M FAIR & BALANCED! [Rich Lowry] For what it's worth: I've signed up with Fox. Did Greta's show last night, Tentatively scheduled to be on again tonight (although these things are always subject to change during the day). Posted at 11:03 AM CHRIS TAYLOR--AN HONORABLE MAN (AND NOT A FREE-LOADER) [Rich Lowry] e-mail: "Boy Rich, you never stray off-message for even a second, do you? =) Okay, you got me... I read NRO daily and often get NROnDeadTree at the newsstand around the corner from the office... but until this morning I was not a subscriber. Out of freeloading guilt (and palpable fear that I might suddenly start receiving fake Nigerian-scam-mail imploring me to subscribe to NR), I did the honourable thing and anted up. I wouldn't want to see Jonah & Cosmo selling pencils out of a tin cup due to my being a cheapskate. Keep up the good work!" Posted at 11:02 AM TUNNEL VISION [Rod Dreher] The Washington Times' Diana West has some sensible things to say about the inability of a number of people, from The New York Times to Georgetown University, to speak plainly and truthfully about Islam when it would reflect poorly on that religion and its followers. Meanwhile, Bat Ye'or is offering to return to Georgetown to debate Prof. John Esposito, a non-Muslim who is America's leading academic apologist for Islam, on the subject of dhimmitude. Esposito recently dismissed Bat Ye'or as having insufficient academic credentials to comment knowledgeably on dhimmitude. That being the case, I can't imagine why the professor would object to debating in a public forum at Georgetown someone he would surely defeat handily. Right? Posted at 11:00 AM NO WAY! [Rich Lowry] A typically bizarre and interesting story today in the WSJournal's "a-head" (or is it a-hed): "In 1982 Larry Walters, a man with no prior ballooning experience, attached 42 hellium weather balloons to a lawn chair, intending to go up a few hundred feet. In fact, he soared to 16,000 feet. Mr. Walters survived the flight, despite accidentally dropping the BB gun he planned to use to pop the balloons and eventually landing, unhurt, on some electrical wires." Posted at 10:42 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH PRESIDENT BARTLET ON THE STUMP, TOO [Kathryn Jean Lopez] George W. Bush is not the only POTUS campaigning this weekend. This, from the Media Research Center: "California Governor Gray Davis has signed up the West Wing's President, actor Martin Sheen, for his re-election effort. Sheen's image next to a shot of Davis alternates with a photo of Magic Johnson at the top of the Gray Davis campaign Web site." Posted at 10:39 AM URGENT RESPONSE NEEDED [Rich Lowry] ATTN: SIR. I PRESUME THIS EMAIL WILL NOT BE A SURPRISE TO YOU. I AM AN ENGINEER WITH THE MINISTRY OF MINERAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY IN SOUTH AFRICA AND ALSO A MEMBEROF CONTRACTS AWARDING COMMITTEE OF THIS MINISTRY UNDER SOUTH AFRICA GOVERNMENT. MANY YEARS AGO, SOUTH AFRICA GOVERNMENT ASKED THIS COMMITTEE TO AWARDS CONTRACTS TO FOREIGN FIRMS, IN WHICH, I AND TWO OF MY PARTNERS ARE THE LEADER OF THIS COMMITTEE, WITH OUR GOOD POSITION IN THIS COMMITTEE, WE OVER INVOICED THIS CONTRACTS TO THE TUNE OF US$21,500,000:00, TO BE BENEFITED BY ME AND TWO OF MY PARTNERS THAT ARE INCHARGE OF THIS CONTRACTS AWARDING COMMITTEE OF THIS MINISTRY. TO QUALIFY FOR YOUR SHARE, APPROX. $21,499,999:99, OF THIS WINDFALL, SIMPLY SUBSCRIBE TO NATIONAL REVIEW! Posted at 10:36 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH FROM NARAL [Kathryn Jean Lopez] "A pro-choice Senate is the only barrier to President Bush's stated objective: An anti-choice majority in the Supreme Court and the severe restriction of legal abortion." Posted at 10:35 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH IT'S ALL ABOUT ABORTION [Kathryn Jean Lopez] FROM NOW: "In a matter of days we could lose the only thing that stands between George W. Bush and his determination to overturn the right to safe, legal abortion -- the United States Senate. Our rights are threatened as they haven't been for thirty years, and our only hope is to elect United States Senators who will stand with us. Our opposition is on the attack, some of our best friends are in trouble, and the time to act is now. Already we have lost a stalwart champion, Sen. Paul Wellstone, and this devastating loss makes it even more important that we win every other race by a decisive margin. NOW is using every resource of our unparalleled grassroots network of volunteers to mobilize voters who favor reproductive rights. There are four key races, each too close too call, where a handful of votes could make all the difference. We have targeted those states for special efforts, but we need your help for the last Get Out the Vote push. Take a minute to respond NOW -- it could make all the difference." Posted at 10:32 AM MORE MOMENTS [Rich Lowry] Ok, I'll stop soon. Here is another list I love because it's smart and quirky. It's Yankee heavy, but if an Angels fan sends me one as good, I'll post it: "Rich -- Enjoyed yours and they were truly memorable to those who saw them. Some of mine are: (individual -- I was at the park) the Nettles game, Mantle going 5-for-5 with 2 homers on Memorial Day 1968, Jim Abbot backhanding a Baltimore chop with backspin barehanded and nail the runner at first (he got a long standing O from the Stadium crowd in a game in which he was bombed), Guidry catching a foul pop-up bunt, Gooden with no hitter stuff in '85 (the Cubs got 2 "hits" courtesy of Wally Backman), and Toby Harrah running down the third base line on Gossage as the tying run with two out in the ninth, running back to third on the fair side, and getting hit on the cheek by a line drive (they replayed it about 20 times and the fans still wouldn't leave they were laughing so hard). In terms of the overall list, they missed the obvious top two achievements, the called shot and Harvey Haddix's perfect 12 innings. Didn't they also miss Williams playing that doubleheader on the ast day in 1941 when his .400 season was on the line? Also, is it true that Joe DiMaggio snubbed Bobby Kennedy at Old Timers Day in 1964? If so, that surely rates top 10." Posted at 10:32 AM HELP [Rich Lowry] A friend in the Washington area is looking for an editorial job, on or off the Hill, anything involving editing. If you know of any such opening please let me know. He’s a very upstanding, bright young guy who would be an asset to any organization. (Sorry for another classified-style Corner posting.) Posted at 10:30 AM FROM RICK BROOKHISER [Rich Lowry] “Dear Rich, So if we're doing favorite moments in other sports, let me nominate the most dominating performance by an athlete I have ever seen--by an equine athlete, as it happens--Secretariat's win of the Belmont Stakes. Thirty lengths? Maybe more? It looked like the other nags had just stopped. He may still hold the time record for that race. Back to baseball, the late Stephen Jay Gould wrote a learned article for The New York Review of Books arguing that DiMaggio's streak has a uniqueness among all baseball records. It is possible, apparently, to calculate the odds of each incremental game in a hitting streak, versus the odds of each season or lifetime home runs or hits, incremental points in batting averages or ERAs, etc., and Gould argued that DiMaggio's streak is not just impressive, or unlikely, but freakishly so. I do not understand the math (and I don't want to be instructed). A simple yes or no from the wearers of pocket protectors in the Corner will suffice. –Rick” Posted at 10:29 AM LIBERATE MUMIA, NOT IRAQ [Jonah Goldberg] This is a fascinatingt behind-the-scenes glimpse into hardcore leftist protest culture as put on display at teh Washington anti-war march. What is perhaps even more interesting is that it was written by David Corn for LA Weekly, LA's only major alternative paper. One must ask whether Corn's own magazine -- The Nation -- would have run such a sober-eyed account. Posted at 10:28 AM BLACK-MAILED! [Rich Lowry] Dave Lynch in Colorado Springs writes... "Mr. Lowry, I see your most recent post in the corner for a subscription to NR. I have been trying for several months to get one of my emails posted in the Corner, to no avail. My lack of wit and style are working against me in this regard. However, when I see a post with `Dave Lynch in Colorado Springs writes...', count me in for a subscription to NR. I will continue to provide my rather dull and dry insight to today's political culture, and maybe, just maybe, a NR writer will make me famous. Regards, Dave Lynch Colorado Springs, CO PS--This is not blackmail." 1) Yes it is. 2) We submit--now where's your subscription?!? Posted at 10:26 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH DIRRTY IN TEXAS [David Guenthner ] Tony Sanchez injected racial ugliness into the governor's race this morning with a new radio ad attacking Rick Perry for accepting $100 (which was quickly refunded) from a white supremacist. Commercial has a black narrator and includes quotes from the white supremacist and Perry's pro forma thank you letter to the donor. Narrator emphasizes the accent on Sanchez's last name. Posted at 10:16 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH ELECTION-OBSERVER INTRO [NRO Staff] David Guenthner is managing editor of The Lone Star Report in Austin, Texas. Posted at 10:11 AM ONE MORE SPRAY-PAINT THOUGH [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Wonder how many of those states where you can't buy spray paint at 16 for homecoming are states where you can get an abortion--or birth control even--without any parental notification. Posted at 10:06 AM SPRAY-PAINT LAWS [Kathryn Jean Lopez] From a Texas reader: Imagine my surprise. My 16 year old daughter goes to Target to get spray paint and some other materials to make football posters for homecoming.If anyone knows a handy link to the states where this is law, I'm sure we would all find useful--saves two trips to Target. (N.B. These laws in the U.S. are probably about concerns that kids are trying to "get high" on spray paint and markers more than vandalism.) Posted at 09:44 AM I CONFESS [Kathryn Jean Lopez] I totally stold that last post from occassional NRO contributor Kevin Cherry. But since sports is the only way to get some of the boys interested in The Corner some days... :-) Posted at 09:37 AM THE FUNNIEST LINE IN BASEBALL HISTORY [Kathryn Jean Lopez] The greatest line in basketball history is "Havlicek stole the ball!" by Johnny Most, longtime Celtics announcer. Posted at 09:34 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH WRONG ANSWER! [Jim Boulet Jr.] Last night, C-SPAN aired the October 29th debate between two candidates for Congress in Florida's 13th district, Katherine Harris (R) and Jan Schneider (D). The debate included telephone calls from the public. In a funny moment in the debate, Carmella, a woman with a pronounced Spanish accent, asked about the candidates' views on amnesty for illegal aliens. Schneider said she supported amnesty for illegals who had been in the U.S. a while and urged more be done on "multicultural issues" like language. Carmella asked the moderator's permission to ask another question, which was granted. Carmella then asked Schneider if she really supported amnesty. Schneider said that she certainly did. At which point Carmella announced that she was not impressed because her family "went about this [immigration] in a legal manner." Posted at 09:22 AM NOT ONLY JEWS [Kathryn Jean Lopez] The MEMRI report notes: "It should be noted that the religious Muslim sources also mention transformation of Christians and sinful Muslims into apes and pigs. However, in the case of Christians and Muslims the sources are not Koranic--as in the case of Jews - but are Koranic commentary and traditions. Furthermore, the number of references to Jews as apes and pigs in these sources is greater." Posted at 09:20 AM SPRAY PAINT DOESN'T DEFACE PROPERTY, PEOPLE DO [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Britain cracks down on anti-social behavior. Among other things, illegal to sell spray paint or indelible markers to anyone under 18. Posted at 09:05 AM OF JEWS, PIGS & APES [Kathryn Jean Lopez] MEMRI has out a disturbing report on the Koranic roots of some often-repeated anti-Semitic slurs against Jews. "Viewing Jews as the "descendants of apes and pigs" is grounded in the most important Islamic religious sources, both in divine revelation in the Koran, in the Hadiths (traditions about the Prophet Muhammad), and in the most reliable compilations of traditions collected by the leading ninth-century sages Al-Bukhari and Muslim [both mention transformation into mice and lizards as well]. The notion of transforming Jews into animals appears also in ancient Arabic literature." Posted at 08:49 AM A COMPLIMENT (I THINK) & A BRILLIANT IDEA [Kathryn Jean Lopez] A loyal, wise reader writes: "Fear not! You have plenty of room to maneuver on the shameless-huckster scale. I'd put you slightly ahead of Billy Mayes (the Oxy Clean guy), but well behind the WWF or local siding commercials....I'll be sure and mention the NRO store as the place to shop for my Christmas present when my kids ask this year." So remember: Not only do your shopping at the NRO store, but make it easy for your loved ones to shop for you. Get them connected to the NRO store. Posted at 08:28 AM CAN WE GET ON WITH THIS ALREADY? [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Student model U.N.s have less ridiculous rewrites than the real one (if you've been anywhere near a h.s. or college U.N., Congress, student council, etc., you know what I mean). There's further deal in the Security Council on Iraq. On this topic, Charles Krauthammer should be read today. Posted at 08:21 AM [NRO Staff] GET 4 FREE ISSUES OF NATIONAL REVIEW! That's right: We'll send you 4 FREE issues of National Review at absolutely no risk to you. If you're impressed by National Review's superior writing style, analysis, and wit, we'll send you the next 12 issues — for a total of 16 in all! — for only $19.95. Click here for details. Posted at 08:06 AM NORTH KOREA CONTINUES TO BUILD [Kathryn Jean Lopez] A Bill Gertz report. Posted at 08:04 AM TGIF [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Instead of forcing your way through Friday hyper from the candy you have left over from Halloween, do something different: Buy something from the NRO store. I really am running out of creative ways to do this....maybe I'll be better next week (when you're already keeping yourself warm in this NRO fleece pullover.... Posted at 07:45 AM SHARANSKY TO THE FRONT! [Kathryn Jean Lopez] In the Jerusalem Post today, Saul Singer proposes that Natan Sharansky, a Sovet-gulag survivor and consistently right-minded voice on issues Middle East, terror, and right and wrong, be made Israeli foreign minister, hoisting him into the forefront of Mideast negotiations. (The link to his AEI speech, too, should be followed.) Posted at 07:37 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH EVEN! [Jim Nuzzo] In a Boston Globe poll out today, the race for Massachusetts governor is this close: O'Brien leading Romney by one point. Romney has reduced his deficit among women from 18 to 8 and O'Brien has nearly the same gap among men. The reason for O'Brien's harping on Romney's use of "unbecoming" during the last debate is also seen in the polls--independent women hold the key to the election. Posted at 07:21 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH DEAD-HEAT IN N.H. [Jim Nuzzo] from the University of New Hampshire, Governor Jean Shaheen leads Representative John Sununu 46-42 percent -- which is within the margin of error. However, the poll also notes that Senator Bob Smith's lack of support is costing Sununu 3%, that is nearly all of Shaheen's lead. The good news for Sununu is that the write-in campaign for Smith is not picking up any traction. So, the question is whether, on Election Day, will those remaining disgruntled Smith vote stay home, vote for Shaheen or, hold their nose and vote for the GOP candidate? The president will be in New Hampshire today helping them decide. Posted at 07:06 AM IN ENGLISH, TOO [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Al Jazeera plans on an English-language channel. Posted at 04:34 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH MINNESOTA JUSTICE [Jonathan Adler] The Minnesota Supreme Court decision is out. New absentee ballots are to be mailed out to those that ask. Otherwise, all absentee ballots that come in will be accepted. The decision is here (link via How Appealing). News coverage here. Posted at 03:03 AM Thursday, October 31, 2002 ELECTION ’02 FLASH FRITZ UNPLUGGED [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Bruce Bartlett e-mails: Remember what Walter Mondale said in 1984 about taxes. As reported in "Showdown at Gucci Gulch" (Random House, 1987) by (then) Wall Street Journal reporters Jeffrey Birnbaum and Alan Murray (page 35), Mondale had just delivered his line at the Democratic convention in which he said, "Mr. Reagan will raise taxes, and so will I. He won't tell you. I just did." Mondale then turned to (then) House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Rosentenkowski and said, "Look at'em, we're going to tax their ass off." Posted at 06:25 PM PAX VOBISCUM [John Derbyshire] Overwhelming response to my trashing of The Peace in this morning's column. NRO readers are pretty solidly with me on this. We could start a peace-free sect of the Anglican communion... except that it seems there already is one. In any case, I should count my blessings on this one. There are, apparently, some really unspeakable practices going on out there. Some congregations hug. Posted at 05:50 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH SMITH & THE ENEMY [Jim Nuzzo] Senator Bob Smith sure wants to throw away a lifetime reputation as a conservative stalwart. Ever since his ill-conceived independent run for the presidency, Senator Smith's actions are hard to comprehend. After returning back to the Republican fold (this following his blasting his once and future colleagues on the Senate floor) and ascending to the chair of the Environment & Public Works Committee, he all of sudden becomes "green." His League of Conservation Voters rating changes nearly 180 degrees--he went from a zero rating in 2000 to being an 'honorable mention" for legislator of the year in 2002. Now following his primary loss to Representative John Sununu, Smith has refused to campaign with the GOP nominee. Indeed, he has quietly encouraged both a write-in campaign for him, or to vote for the Democratic nominee, Governor Jean Shaheen. The number of Smith defectors may be more than enough to deny Sununu victory in this very close race. While accurate estimates are difficult to come by, new Hampshire operatives believe that as many as 25% of Smith primary voters could decline to vote for Sununu. The White House is aware of the situations and political aides have offered Smith a number of enticements, all to no avail. How bizarre would it be if this staunchly pro-life advocate's personal pique denies the Republicans the Senate; thus preventing pro-life judges the ability to take their places on the bench. Posted at 05:05 PM HEY, RICH [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Does that work for Jonah and me, too? $100 for three minutes' work? Posted at 05:00 PM $100 IN 3 MINUTES!! [Rich Lowry] Hi, This Will Cost YOU NOTHING ! You get $100 just for joining and the referral potential earnings is STAGGERING! You will Never SEND money, Never SPEND anything, and Never ASK for money but you will still make THOUSANDS !!! I know what you're thinking, "Yeah right. I've heard that before!" Well, TRY this! Subscribe to National Review! Posted at 03:05 PM GOOD VIBRATIONS [ Cornell Review's take on the Cornell "health" issue....] Cornell Review's take on the Cornell "health" issue. Posted at 03:01 PM I FIGURED [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Another reader: Footballs have not been made of pigskin for years (1941). Here is the evolution of the modern football. Posted at 02:38 PM HAVE YOU GONE NRO SHOPPING YET? [Kathryn Jean Lopez] The new NRO store is here. Posted at 01:59 PM SOCIALIZED-MEDICINE WATCH [Andrew Stuttaford] According to a new report from the World Health Organization, ten percent of the patients brave enough to enter a British hospital end up suffering "measurable harm." This is roughly comparable to the toll in a number of other European countries, but three times the figure in the United States. Posted at 01:50 PM MORE MOMENTS [Rich Lowry] Someone yesterday e-mailed this, the play-call from the famous 1982 Cal/Stanford game—the one with the band out on the field. One of my favorite things in life is exciting play-calls—“The Giants win the pennant!”—and this one has to rank near the top, with one caveat: Joe Starkey doesn’t seem to mention the laterals during the actual play. You can listen here. Posted at 01:30 PM RE: PIGSKIN [Kathryn Jean Lopez] A reader: Actually, why don't they just bury each one clutching a real NFL football...seems cleaner (assuming footballs are still made out of pigskin)...and just as "damning". Betcha they could even get the NFL to donate them to the cause. Posted at 01:23 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH MOMENTUM SWITCH IN SOUTH [John Hood] The latest batch of polls in southern gubernatorial and Senate races suggest that, on balance, Republican prospects are brightening. Jeb Bush is back out to an 8-point lead in Florida against Democrat Bill McBride. Republican Mark Sanford now has a slight edge against South Carolina Gov. Jim Hodges. In Georgia, Democratic Gov. Roy Barnes and Sen. Max Cleland still lead their Republican challengers, but not by much. In North Carolina, Elizabeth Dole’s lead over Erskine Bowles continues to shrink in the public polls, but I am told that the GOP campaign’s private polling has begun to show an uptick. In Tennessee, Lamar Alexander’s lead for the Senate seat has “dropped” to 10 points; more importantly, one of two media polls released this week put Republican Van Hilleary slightly above Phil Bredeson in a governor’s race that many observers had thought was a likely Democratic pick-up just a few weeks ago. Only bad news for the GOP is that embattled Democratic Gov. Don Siegelman has closed the gap in his reelection bid against Republican Bob Riley. Given what’s going on elsewhere in the country, Republicans might feel a bit relieved at the turnaround in Dixie — but the outcomes remain in serious doubt because of the Democrats’ demonstrated superiority in getting out the vote. Posted at 01:10 PM PIGSKIN [Jim Nuzzo] Kathryn, if Israel or the U.S. did that, there would be PETA protests. Posted at 01:03 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH FUNNY [Andrew Stuttaford] Walter Mondale says that he is "worried" about the economy. Could this be the same Walter Mondale who was Vice President during the 'malaise years'? Posted at 12:55 PM JONAH, WHY I CARE [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Ok, for a few reasons, but here's a creepy one for Halloween: a student says, "At this point, you either go online or go downtown to the sort of scary and not very woman-affirming place sex-shop downtown." a) You poor dear. B) Who talks like that, but women's studies majors (I'd bet a dollar...)? Posted at 12:52 PM LAST LAUGH [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Russia is burying the dead Chechen terrorists from the Moscow theater attack in pigskin. The reasoning: The Islamic terrrorists consider themselves martyrs. Buried in unclean pigskin, however, by their own beliefs, their plans are derailed. Posted at 12:47 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH [Kathryn Jean Lopez] ELECTION ’02 FLASH ”MAN OF THE PEOPLE” Raul Damas of Opiniones Latinas makes this point: One of the more racist attacks against Miguel Estrada, President Bush's nominee to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals, was that his being a brilliant lawyer from a middle-class family, meant that, in the words of Sen. Leahy, Estrada "did not exactly share in the experiences of most Latinos." One would think this kind of low expectation-mongering would keep the Dems from backing the mostly self-financed campaign of Texas oil millionaire Tony Sanchez. One would be wrong. Sanchez has spent $60 million of his own money only to be down by 10 points with a week to go in the TX Governor's race. Maybe next time the Democrats will run someone who has shared "the experiences of most Latinos." Posted at 12:32 PM BY THE WAY... [Jonah Goldberg] I've been astounded by how many Minnesota Democrats have written me essentially agreeing with yesterday's Goldberg File. Most didn't even have a problem with my calling Welstone more useful dead than alive. Surely, this is a sign that "memorial" really was a debacle (to use Howie Kurtz's word for it). Posted at 12:32 PM WHY I CARE [Jonah Goldberg] A couple people have written me asking why I should care one way or another if Cornell wants to provide vibrators to female students (See, below). It's the kind of question that takes you a moment or two to answer because it's not immediately obvious in an intellectual way why we sometimes say "yuck" to things. So, let me answer now that I've thought about it. By offering these devices as part of its "Health Services," Cornell embraces the idea that sexual pleasure is not merely a "women's health issue" but that it is in a sense an entitlement that should be guaranteed by public institutions. It also, diminishes sex and romance while elevating self-indulgence. As some dopey kid told the Cornell Daily Sun, "We know masturbation is healthy, so any tools that can help people discover their sexuality are positive. Any action by the University that gets the idea of sexuality out of the marginalized place that we're used to seeing it in is a good thing," he said. I could go on, but as I write this I've decided that "yuck" was the right and most apposite response from the get-go. Posted at 12:09 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH I DON'T BELIEVE HIM [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Mondale just said he plans to serve all six years. Posted at 10:11 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH I HAVE NOTHING TO SAY... [Kathryn Jean Lopez] ...except that I cannot believe I am watching Walter Mondale running for the Senate. Posted at 10:09 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH NEWS ON THE WEB? NO! [Chip Griffin] Reuters discovers there's campaign news on the Internet. Ironically, a UC Berkeley prof says he prefers sites with "neutral content." He explains: "Like talk radio and cable TV, certain Web sites find a niche of people who want to hear things that they already believe. That just reinforces the prejudices of certain people." And, of course, Berkeley isn't known for any bias. Posted at 10:07 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH ELECTION-OBSERVER INTRO [NRO Staff] Chip Griffin serves as senior consultant for Capital Idea Ventures, advising CIV clients on Internet communications strategy. Chip brings to CIV a unique combination of corporate, political, and public-policy experience and in-depth technical knowledge. The Washington Post, Washington Times, Manchester Union Leader, Des Moines Register, Concord Monitor, San Francisco Chronicle, National Review, The Weekly Standard, and other leading publications have featured his work. Posted at 10:05 AM CORNELL: RIDING THE BANANA PEEL TO HELL [Jonah Goldberg] Cornell Health Services is contemplating selling um, err, umm, self-pleasuring devices for females. Posted at 10:04 AM LEAHY DON'T LIKE IT [Jonathan Adler] The Judiciary Committee chairman responds to Bush's proposal on judicial nominees. Posted at 09:56 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH COLEMAN SHOULD GO ON THE ATTACK [Jonah Goldberg] I know it would be suicidal to go negative on Mondale, but why couldn't he run an ad which said something like this: "All Minnesotans, and all Americans, were saddened by the recent tragedy....But one of the things Paul Wellstone stood for most forcefully was fighting for what he believed in. He believed politics was about arguing and persuading. He stood against the idea that elections should simply be coronations of the powerful and the popular. Well, I agree with Paul on that. That is why I'm asking Walter Mondale to debate me. Now. Today. Mr. Mondale is an honorable public servant, but no man is entitled to a Senate seat without explaining his views. Paul understood that leadership is something you earn, not something you inherit. There isn't much time. Please ask Walter Mondale to do the right thing. Thank you."If Mondale agrees to a debate, great. He would either have to run as his own man or he would constantly invoke Wellstone, which I think would backfire. But he probably wouldn't debate and that would reinforce the idea that Mondale is either unready or underserving. Posted at 09:51 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH BEST POLITICAL TRIVIA EVER! [Jonah Goldberg] Guess who Kathleen Kennedy Townsend's godfather is? None other than Joseph McCarthy! I learned this last night during the toasts at a tribute to Bill Schulz the longtime Washington editor of the Reader's Digest and all-around conservative über Mensch. When this tidbit sunk-in, some in the crowd actually started chanting "Townsend! Townsend!" Posted at 09:16 AM [NRO Staff] GET 4 FREE ISSUES OF NATIONAL REVIEW! That's right: We'll send you 4 FREE issues of National Review at absolutely no risk to you. If you're impressed by National Review's superior writing style, analysis, and wit, we'll send you the next 12 issues — for a total of 16 in all! — for only $19.95. Click here for details. Posted at 09:15 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH HYPOCRISY [Jim Robbins] The thing that bugged me about the Mondale election rally/Wellstone memorial service wasn't the event itself--nothing wrong with an Irish wake--but its contrast to the tone of the days leading up to it. Daschle et al were being such sanctimonious wieners about keeping politics out of the whole thing, attacking the most-innocent statements from Coleman's camp with high dudgeon, keeping high ranking Republican's at arms length, generally behaving boorishly--then capped it with the Mondale good-time revival. Now the apologies? Please. Everyone in America should be plain disgusted. Posted at 09:08 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH FRAGILE O'BRIEN [[Jim Nuzzo]] "The vapors, I got the vapors" seems to be Shannon O'Brien's new slogan. O'Brien has been getting smacked around by all of the pundits, focus groups and talk radio for her rude, bullying and less-than-forthcoming style in Tuesday's debate with Mitt Romney. Now, the Massachusetts treasurer, who is well known for using choice four letter invectives, has siezed upon Romney's use of the word "unbecoming" to inject the gender card into a race that is slipping away from her. She was shocked at his use of such a word. Sorry, Shannon. It won't wash. You are anything but a wilting flower. By the way, Shannon, the term "unbecoming" does not connote "womanhood." A military officer--male or female--can be court-martialed for "conduct unbecoming." Posted at 08:47 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH ELECTION-OBSERVER INTRO [NRO Staff] Jim Nuzzo is the Managing Partner of The Colchester Group, a public-policy consulting firm. He was Deputy Director for Economic and Domestic Policy for Vice President George HW Bush. He is a Adjunct Scholar at the Ethics & Public Policy Center in Washington and a Research Fellow at Harvard University. He has been a freelance producer for ABC News Nightline and on-air Republican analyst for New England Cable News. He received his JD with honors from Harvard Law School in 1994. Posted at 08:42 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH DASCHLE'S SCARED [Kathryn Jean Lopez] NARAL sent out an urgent plea from Tom Daschle yesterday: Rarely has so much been at stake for a woman’s right to choose in a U.S. Senate Election. If you and thousands of other pro-choice Americans like you don’t act today by giving to NARAL’s Save the Senate Campaign, the U.S. Senate could fall into anti-choice hands on November 6th - the first day after the election. Anti-choice forces are organizing and mobilizing right now to defeat champions of reproductive rights, champions like Missouri Senator Jean Carnahan. The U.S. Senate’s pro-choice leadership cannot afford to lose an ally like Senator Carnahan. Posted at 08:17 AM ELECTION ’02 FLASH MONDALE CAN LOSE [Kathryn Jean Lopez] So the president thinks. He'll be campaigning for Coleman this weekend. Posted at 07:33 AM Wednesday, October 30, 2002 ELECTION ’02 FLASH "OUR CHURCHES" [Kathryn Jean Lopez] If this were a Catholic or evangelical church handing out pro-life election-guides, wouldn't Donna be taking them to court? WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democrats are working to repeat their aggressive voter turnout effort of 2000, while Republicans are countering with a campaign they acknowledge tries to match the successful face-to-face strategy used by the AFL-CIO. "We have experienced grass-roots veteran organizers on the ground,'' said Donna Brazile, who is heading up the voter turnout efforts for the Democratic National Committee. "We have the best technology we've ever had, our ground operation is fully funded, we have gas in our vans, gas in our trucks, we have literature for our churches.'' Posted at 09:50 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH LAWSUITS IN ANY LANGUAGE [Jim Boulet Jr.] Minnesota Democrats filed a lawsuit yesterday regarding the Senate election. Among their demands: "To include English, Hmong, Russian and Spanish instructions on supplemental ballots." The translation issue only invites further litigation given that, as National Review Online's Byron York reports today, Minnesota Democrats are also upset with the English version of those instructions. Posted at 09:21 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH LAWSUITS IN ANY LANGUAGE [Jim Boulet Jr.] Minnesota Democrats filed a lawsuit yesterday regarding the Senate election. Among their demands: "To include English, Hmong, Russian and Spanish instructions on supplemental ballots." The translation issue only invites further litigation given that, as National Review Online's Byron York reports today, Minnesota Democrats are also upset with the English version of those instructions. Posted at 09:21 PM BASEBALL MOMENTS—HERE’S A GOOD NON-YANKEE LIST (IF THERE IS SUCH A THING) [Rich Lowry] “Rich, Rich, Rich: Love your magazine, love you, but your Yankee-centric baseball list is seriously misguided. Here's mine, composed during Series Game four: Willie M's catch against the Indians' Vic Wertz in the 54 Series would have been my first; for pure physical effort, nothing will top this. Carleton Fisk's Sixth game-winning homer in the 75 series would be my second. Bill Mazeroski's walk-off homer to win the '60 Series for the Pirates is number three, getting the nod over number four, the Blue Jay's Series-winning walkoff homer. Number five I give to Ripken 2131, not for the record itself but for the emotion of the victory lap. Six goes to the Mookie Wilson/Bill Buckner 6th game hit (though the score already was tied by then; Boston had essentially already given away the game). Seven is the Babe's called shot. Eight is Bobby Thompson's shot heard 'round the world. The final out of Don Larson's perfect 1956 World Series win is number nine. And number ten is a close call, but I'll go with the Merkle boner that cost the Giants the '06 pennant, which just beats out Gibson's game winning homer off Eckersly to win Game One of the Dodgers-As series.” (Thanks to all the others who wrote) Posted at 05:33 PM NOW YOU KNOW... [Rich Lowry] "Subject: Two L's Two R's They are confirming that the safeties for the emergency exit slides are in. Without these safeties the slides deploy explosively when the doors are opened." (Thanks for everyone who wrote in about this.) Posted at 05:32 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH MORE ON TEACHERS UNIONS SITTING OUT RACES [John Hood] I wrote earlier that teacher unions are breaking with tradition by not endorsing the Democratic candidates in the Georgia governor’s race and North Carolina Senate race. Now I am told that the same thing happened in the Alabama governor’s race, where Democrat Don Siegelman won election in 1998 promising to boost education funding with lottery revenues. The following year, an anti-lottery coalition formed and killed a referendum authorizing it. Now Siegelman is on the defensive, locked in a dead-heat race with U.S. Rep. Bob Riley — and without the strong support of a key element of the Democratic base as the teacher union has not issued an endorsement. Posted at 05:04 PM HOW? WHY? [[Andrew Stuttaford]] There's been a lot of talk in the media about how the 200 Haitians who landed in Florida had "chosen freedom". How can this be? Isn't the Haitian president the sainted "Father Aristide" about whom we used to hear so much? Posted at 05:02 PM STEIN SLIMED [Ramesh Ponnuru] This story doesn't reflect well on the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram, but it doesn't reflect well on Robert McTeer or the National Center for Policy Analysis either. Posted at 04:45 PM BREAKING THE JUDICIAL LOGJAM [Jonathan Adler] In remarks earlier today, President Bush outlined specific proposals to accelerate the nomination and confirmation of federal judges, including deadlines for nominations, hearings and Senate votes. The proposals are eminently sensible, but don't expect the Senate -- or at least not the current Senate -- to go along. Posted at 04:38 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH THE BREAKS [Ramesh Ponnuru] Just spoke to a pretty savvy Republican strategist. Here's what he had to say: "I don’t think things are going well for us. We’re catching some bad breaks. . . . I think our chances of winning the Senate are slim. I'd put them at 25 percent." On the other hand, he's more optimistic about GOP senator Tim Hutchinson's re-election bid in Arkansas than most observers are. Posted at 04:30 PM BUSINESS PROPOSAL [Rich Lowry] FROM: ENGR. JOSEPH OTUMBA. It is my humble pleasure and trust, I write this very important letter to you, considering you are capable and kind enough to assist us in this understated business proposal.I am just trying to know if you can be of help,irrespective of the fact that we didn't know each other before or have met for the first time in life. I came across your contact via international profile in my earnest searching for a truthful/honest person to handle this business with us. Firstly, I must solicit your strictest confidentiality in this transaction,this is by virtue of its nature as being top secret and confidential. I am ENGR.JOSEPH OTUMBA, Head of Accounts Department. First Bank Plc (HQ) Lagos Nigeria. I know that a transaction of this magnitude will make someone whom you didn't know for the first time to feel apprehensive, but be assured that all will be well with every involved persons at the end of this business as it is risk free. All you have to do is subscribe to National Review! Posted at 03:38 PM MY MOMENTS [Rich Lowry] Belatedly here are my favorite baseball moments (in contrast to the lame picks during the World Series, especially the Cal Ripkin breaking Lou Gehrig’s record, which was one of the great cheese-fests of all time): 1) Bucky Dent’s home-run in the 1978 play-off against the Red Sox. Nothing is sweeter than watching that kind of dramatic game when you’re 10 years old. 2) Mookie Wilson’s ground-ball through Bill Buckner’s leg—absolutely unbelievable. 3) Kirk Gibson’s World Series homer. Storybook. Who hasn’t imagined as a kid hitting a game-winner in similar circumstances? 4) This is more Yankee-centric even than usual—but Jim Layritz’s three-run homer to tie game 4 of the 1996 World Series. I’ve never rooted so hard during any game in my life. 5) Tennessee Titans (my NFL team) kick-off return to beat the Bills in the play-offs a few year ago. Ok, it’s football, but the play was called the “homerun throwback.” Posted at 03:32 PM THE DECLINE OF BASEBALL [Rich Lowry] We’ve been told forever that it’s big-market dominance that accounts for baseball’s trouble. But we just had a little-market World Series and the ratings were terrible. To me it proves that the Yankees were not, in fact, “ruining baseball.” The fact is baseball is in long-term decline. One other straw in the wind: USA Today’s Baseball Weekly just became Sports Weekly (or something like that) so it can be devoted largely to football coverage. A friend tells me that sales now are 3 times higher than last year. And this week the World Series isn’t even on the cover. Posted at 03:23 PM IS IT JUST ME... [Rich Lowry] …or have the airports gotten better? Seems a lot easier lately—less lines and a few less ID checks. (Something I’ve always wondered: why at the end of a flight when the plane has finished taxi-ing and everyone can get up, the flight attendant always gets on the intercom and says what sounds like “Two L’s, two R’s”?) Posted at 03:21 PM CANADA WARNS ARABS [Kathryn Jean Lopez] Canada has issued a travel advisory to some Arabs living in Canada--against travelling to the United States! Canadian officials think the extra scrutiny Arabs are supposedly (are they, now, really?) getting in the U.S. is unfair. Canadian citizens should be exempt--even if they've come from other countries in order to gain easy access to the U.S. That being said, I'm all for any Arab terrorists living in Canada staying away from the U.S., of course. So be advised. Posted at 03:07 PM GOD BLESS GROVE CITY COLLEGE [Rich Lowry] Gave a speech there yesterday. What a wonderful place. Started with a Saddam Hussein joke that would have prompted half the crowd to get up and leave at most places, and it just got better from there… Posted at 03:05 PM BLACK PEOPLE LOVE US [Jonah Goldberg] I wish black people loved me like this. Posted at 03:00 PM RAMESH, [Jonah Goldberg] There's always the Council on Foreign Relations, the Bilderbergers, ZOG, the Pentaveret and a host of other controlling authorities. Posted at 01:57 PM G-FILE IS IN [Jonah Goldberg] Kathryn has it. And, to make up for the short one yesterday, it is long and full of bile -- like a trench behind an Irish pub during the World Cup. Posted at 01:30 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH POLITICAL PRINCIPLES [Andrew Stuttaford] Rick Kahn, the friend of Paul Wellstone who made what has been seen as an excessively partisan speech at the late senator's memorial service was, apparently, unrepentant afterwards. According to this report he repeated his call for certain Minnesota Republicans who were friends of Wellstone to help ensure that he is succeeded by a Democrat: "Can they not one time, just one time, step forward for Paul and honor that friendship? Why can't they do that? One time, for one week. That's what we're asking. That they go out there and say Paul Wellstone did this wonderful work and we need to keep his legacy alive by sending his successor to his seat. " A characteristic of Paul Wellstone was the fact that he stuck by his beliefs. His friends, therefore, should not ask Republicans to abandon theirs. Posted at 01:23 PM DEGRINGOLADE [Ramesh Ponnuru] The Israeli government's collapsed. Who's going to give us our orders now? Posted at 01:13 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH DEMS' SOUTHERN STRATEGY IN DOUBT [John Hood] Two quick points about the Democratic party’s 2002 prospects in the southern states. The first is that James Carville’s old strategy--honed when he helped Zell Miller win the Georgia governor’s race--was to use the issue of a state lottery to make Democrats competitive in the south. The idea was to be able to promise gobs of new money for education, which energized the teacher unions and sounded good to swing-voting parents, while also promising conservative Dems and male swing voters that taxes wouldn’t rise. After success in Georgia, the Dems used the ploy to help defeat Republican governors in Alabama and South Carolina in 1998. But the issue isn’t working any more. It’s not helping those same two governors in 2002--both are on the run--and in North Carolina an unlikely alliance of social conservatives, liberals, libertarians, business magnates, and religious leaders has thwarted any push to move the state lottery there. My second, related point is that the teacher unions aren’t working hard for Southern Democrats this year. Indeed, in the Georgia governor’s race and North Carolina Senate race, they didn’t endorse at all. That’s a serious problem in states where mostly safe congressional seats could translate into low statewide turnouts. Posted at 01:12 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH ABOUT LAST NIGHT... [Robert Alt] AP reports Governor Ventura has reversed course on his previous decision to appoint a Democrat to replace Wellstone for the week leading up to election, because of the partisan tone of the funeral. Ventura reportedly walked out on the funeral, noting that the call by Wellstone friend Rick Kahn to win the Senate election for Paul drove his wife to tears. Posted at 01:05 PM ELECTION ’02 FLASH DUH [Robert Alt] Mondale says he'll run if nominated. Posted at 01:03 PM GET YOUR WALLET OUT! [Kathryn Jean Lopez] So, you have already subscribed to National Review On Dead Tree? You’ve bought your college kid a subscription in the hopes of saving his ideological soul. You’ve even gotten your dog a subscription because you’ve bought the Goldberg household spin about how cool canines look when they’re reading National Review. You’ve even donated to NRO because you love the site and don’t want us to spend our last dollar feeding Jonah his last peanut butter (we can’t afford jelly) sandwich. But you want more. You want to wear NRO with pride. You want your co-workers to know ex | |||||
<% printurl = Request.ServerVariables("URL")%>