No surprise here -- the D.C. Madam was convicted today on all counts. The Government asked she go directly to jail, the Judge said no and allowed her to remain on bond pending sentencing.
Another secret revealed: What Rob Lowe's nanny is really claiming: he groped her. The cross-complaint the nanny filed, through her lawyer, who else but Gloria Allred, is here.
Unless she has a videotape, it sounds like a bunch of he said - she said to me. Most of the claims are labor law related -- Allred says the nanny was an employee not an independent contractor and because the Lowes employed more than 5 people, the nanny was entitled things like 30 minute meal breaks and she didn't get them, as well as other legal protections. Lots of sexual harassment allegations, none involving sex. She also wants damages because Mrs. Lowe walked around naked.
More...
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By Big Tent Democrat
The LATimes/Bloomberg polls of PA, IN and NC are out. The results are strikingly at odds with most existing polling:
The [PA]survey found the New York senator leading Barack Obama by just 5 percentage points in Pennsylvania, which votes next Tuesday. Such a margin would not give her much of a boost in the battle for the party's nomination.
What is more, the poll found Clinton trails Obama by 5 points in Indiana, another Rust Belt state that should play to her strengths among blue-collar voters. In North Carolina, an Obama stronghold, he is running 13 points ahead.
(Emphasis supplied.) This poll is bucking the CW in all 3 of those states. Waiting to see some internals from this poll to give you some meaningful analysis. Strategic Vision has Clinton with a 9 point PA lead, up from a 5 points lead a week ago.
Got the Internals. LATimes appears to have made a strange choice in its methodology - it has included independents in a closed primary. In addition, it appears to have failed to poll for Republicans in Indiana, which I believe is a completely open primary. More . .
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By Big Tent Democrat
Now if you'd said on March 5 "looks like Clinton will win Pennsylvania by about 12 points" most people would have said "sounds about right . . . [Obama's likely] failure to fully close the gap was not only predictable but widely predicted weeks ago based on Pennsylvania's age structure, educational attainment, and African-American population.
Of course I agree. I have been writing "demography is political destiny" for quite a while now. It was just as true in Mississippi, South Carolina, Georgia, etc. It will be just as true in North Carolina on May 6 - Obama will win by double digits.
But of course that is also the problem - Obama can not win beer track white working class voters, women, seniors or Latinos. This is why Hillary is more electable in PA, OH, FL and MI. The question is, as John Judis discusses, what does this mean about Obama's electability in November? The "creative class" has never taken this argument seriously, even applauding such idiotic Obama moves like blocking revotes in FL and MI. Instead, the standard "creative class" response is along the lines of Brad DeLong's insulting post. Alienating Clinton voters is seemingly a goal now.
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By Big Tent Democrat
Via Kevin Drum, an expression of concern about alienating women:
Not so long ago, it was possıble for women, particularly young women, to share in the popular illusion that we were living in a postfeminist moment. . . . Then Hillary Clinton declared her candidacy, and the sexism in America, long lying dormant, like some feral, tranquilized animal, yawned and revealed itself. Even those of us who didn’t usually concern ourselves with gender-centric matters began to realize that when it comes to women, we are not post-anything.
The egregious and by now familiar potshots are too numerous (and tiresome) to recount. A greatest-hits selection provides a measure of the misogyny . . . It was hardly a revelation to learn that sexism lived in the minds and hearts of right-wing crackpots and Internet nut-jobs, but it was something of a surprise to discover it flourished among members of the news media. The frat boys at MSNBC portrayed Clinton as a castrating scold, with Tucker Carlson commenting, “Every time I hear Hillary Clinton speak, I involuntarily cross my legs,” and Chris Matthews calling her male endorsers “castratos in the eunuch chorus.” . . .
Will the "creative class" notice? Do not hold your breath.
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By Big Tent Democrat
Like WV, SUSA has Kentucky as overwhelming Clinton country:
[F]ive weeks to the vote, Hillary Clinton defeats Barack Obama 62% to 26%, according to a SurveyUSA poll . . . Compared to an identical SurveyUSA tracking poll released two weeks ago, Obama has lost ground among men and women, young and old, conservatives and moderates. . .
Key number, Clinton wins whites (90% of the vote) by 66-20. Obama wins blacks by 4-1.
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By Big Tent Democrat
Speaking for me only
Why do most bloggers who follow polling closely emphasize the Survey USA results? The better question to me is why does the Media ignore the Survey USA results? For Pennsylvania, many of us look for SUSA first and foremost for good reasons. Here are three of them - SUSA's results, INCLUDING INTERNALS, for the three states nearest Pennsylvania in terms of location and demographics, New York, New Jersey and Ohio, were by far the most accurate. I'll demonstrate on the flip.
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100 Pennsylvania Mayors today endorsed HIllary Clinton for President.
The 100 mayors endorsing Hillary today will work in the final week of the campaign to get out Hillary’s message of change for Pennsylvania and the country. Hillary understands the economic pressures of families who have lost jobs, face foreclosures, and can’t afford health insurance or college tuition. She understands what it’s like to roll up your sleeve and work hard. As president, Hillary will fight for the issues that matter to all Americans starting on day one in the White House.
Add to that 11 Indiana Mayors who wrote a letter criticizing Obama's Bitter-Gate remarks.
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A new Rasmussen poll out today, taken Saturday, before Bitter-Gate dominated the news:
The new poll, which was conducted Saturday and has a 4.5 percent margin of error, shows McCain with a 53-to-38 percent lead over Obama in Florida. If Clinton is the Democratic nominee, the poll shows her edging McCain 45 percent to 44 percent in the state.
The poll's results are similar to a Quinnipiac University poll of Floridians released this month that showed McCain topping Obama 46 percent to 37 percent but losing to Clinton, 44 percent to 42 percent.
The poll finds support slipping for Obama and that his unfavorability rating is 56%.
If he doesn't stand up for the right of Floridians to have their votes counted in time to select the nominee, I suspect they won't stand up for him in November.
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Barack Obama thought he was being funny with his comment about Hillary Clinton acting like Annie Oakley.
Here's the new Rasmussen poll, finding Hillary ahead by 9 in PA. (Questions and Numbers here.) Check this out:
Among voters from households where someone owns a gun, Clinton leads by seventeen points.
As to whether Bitter-Gate had an effect, draw your own conclusions from these numbers about religion and immigration, both mentioned in Obama's now infamous remark:
Clinton leads among voters who say faith and religion are Somewhat or Very Important. Obama leads among those who say such topics are Not Very Important or Not at All Important.
...Sixty percent (60%) of Likely Democratic Primary voters in Pennsylvania say that it is Very Important for the government to enforce the borders and reduce illegal immigration. Among these voters, Clinton leads by sixteen. [More...]
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By Big Tent Democrat
The new SUSA PA poll is out:
54 percent would vote for Clinton and 40 percent would vote for Obama. Three percent chose the "other" category. The 1,600 interviewees were questioned for the poll Saturday through Monday.
SUSA's site does not have the internals. I will add to this post as soon as we get them. We have now seen the SUSA Internals. Obama has solidified his African American support, just as we suspected. He trails by 2-1 with whites.
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Barack Obama launched a new ad attacking Hillary Clinton for taking lobbyist money. I think it is flat out deceptive.
Obama relies on lobbyists. His campaign spokesman called his refusal to take money from lobbyists "symbolic" and acknolwedged "it doesn’t solve the problem of money in politics."
Obama has a network of lobbyists supporting him:
While Obama has decried the influence of special interests in Washington, the reality is that many of the most talented and experienced political operatives in his party are lobbyists, and he needs their help.
Mike Williams, the director of government relations at Credit Suisse Securities, said of the network of lobbyists supporting Obama: “I would imagine that it’s as large as the Clinton list,” in reference to rival presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), who is an entrenched favorite of the Washington Democratic establishment.
He said that while lobbyists cannot give money to Obama, they can give “policy” and “campaign support.” Indeed, K Street denizens have rare policy and national campaign expertise. Williams is actively building support for Obama among lobbyists and the corporate clients they represent.
Among the lobbyists helping Obama: [More...]
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By Big Tent Democrat
The Q poll is out and "shockingly," the pollster matches his punditry, Clinton by 6. Also Ras doubles Hillary lead, to 9.
On the flip, our usual poll analysis.
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