This one played twice here last night.

Even if you don't care about the Presidential race, please vote yes on Amendment 64

October 30 is the last day to register to vote here by mail. Find out how to request a mail ballot, how to mail them in or drop them off, and just about any other information you might need at JustVoteColorado.org.[ more...]

Open Thread (plus snarky comment in the comments.)

Update: Michael Skakel lost his bid for parole. (Background here) It will be five years before he gets another chance.

I will be very busy at work and in court until late Friday afternoon. I won't have much, if any, time to check the news. I'm not sure of Big Tent Democrat's schedule, so there may be a lot of open threads until then.

Here's one for today, all topics welcome.

BTD - My schedule is sh*t. Lots of Open Threads coming your way.

Michael Skakel, whose parole hearing is today, has filed a libel suit against Nancy Grace, Tru-TV host Beth Karas, Time Warner and Turner Broadcasting, for falsely stating evidence of Michael Skakel's DNA was found near the scene of the crime.

In the segment, "Kennedy Cousin Asks Judge for Shorter Jail Time," Grace asks Karas if Skakel was masturbating in a tree near Moxley's window. Karas responds: "His DNA was found."

The lawsuit says that both Grace and Karas "are thoroughly familiar" with the fact that there was no DNA evidence linking Skakel to the Moxley murder.

Here's the video. Karas says his DNA was found and Nancy reminds her it was semen. Henry Lee testified at the trial that there was no direct evidence, no DNA, no semen:

Henry C. Lee, the former head of the Connecticut State Police and a renowned forensic criminologist, testified today that state prosecutors have no direct scientific evidence, like fingerprints or DNA, to connect Michael C. Skakel to the 1975 killing of Martha Moxley.

[More...]

I'm watching the local news. 7 news reports the crowd showing up for Mitt Romney tonight at Red Rocks tonight exceeded the outdoor amphitheater's 10,000 capacity. (The campaign gave out 25,000 tickets.)

Unless several thousand went to see Kid Rock perform for Romney instead of Romney himself that's a big showing. (Kid Rock sang Born Free and yes, I'm being facetious.) Also stumping for Romney at the event: New Mexico's female "Latino Governor" The news referred to her as "star power" and said the appearance of star power "wasn't an accident." The supporters placed closest to Romney were those holding signs that read "Democrats for Romney."

Traffic to Red Rocks was seriously delayed at rush hour, but the news said part of the reason was someone had hit a deer. [More...]

The full version of the October 19 hearing in the George Zimmerman case is now available without commentary on You Tube (Parts 1 and Part 2.)

Of particular interest to me are the issues surrounding Witness 8, aka "Dee Dee", Trayvon Martin's phone friend who reportedly was speaking with Travyon in the minutes leading up to the shooting. The media has referred to her as "Dee Dee", but her true identity is protected by court order (so please don't speculate on it here, that's not the point of this post.)

When Martin family lawyer Benjamin Crump held a press conference in Ft. Lauderdale on March 20, to introduce the nation to the existence of this witness, he played a tape recording of a telephone interview he conducted with her the day before. He said the interview shows George Zimmerman's version of the events leading up to the shooting are not believable. The transcript of his press conference is here. Crump announced he would send the recording to the Justice Department. Video is here (part 1) and here (part 2.) [More...]

The 11 Show, starring me, will discuss last night's debate and Mitt Romney's presentation of a "humble foreign policy" last night in the mold of George W. Bush in 2000. Romney's lack of interest and knowledge was on shocking display last night.It was George W. Bush all over again. And Romney is advised by the same crew that brought us the most disastrous 8 years in the history of American foreign policy.

How to Listen

Your options to listen LIVE:

• Click on the embedded Flash player below
• Go to netrootsradio.com and click on the embedded player or direct link there
Click on this direct link if you need a non-Flash player, say, for iPad or iPhone
• iPad and iPhone users can download the SHOUTCast Radio app for your mobile device and search for "Netroots Radio"
• For Android: Try either the "StreamFurious" or "TuneIn" apps
• BlackBerry users, see this guide by idbecrazyif

Listen to Daily Kos Radio right here:The Daily Kos Radio Player

Non-Flash

Open Thread.

In a poll of 521 uncommitted voters conducted immediately after the final presidential debate, 53% of these said President Obama was the winner, 23% think Romney won, another 24% feel the debate was a tie.

Mitt's Pinocchio moment: The Apology Tour whopper. Washington Post: "Every fact checker has said the so-called ‘apology tour” did not happen. Here is the Fact Checker’s look at the 4-Pinocchio claim." [More...]

The third and final debate is about to begin. The New York Times says voters don't really care about foreign policy, they are looking for leadership qualities.

In polls this year, voters have practically screamed at the top of their lungs how little they care about foreign policy. In recent polls of three battleground states, Colorado, Virginia and Wisconsin, fewer than 10 percent of voters in each state said national security was the most important issue to them, ranking below the economy, deficit and health care.

On NBC just now, in between the Mitt Romney ads tonight, there was a great ad in support of Amendment 64 and the legalization of marijuana.

And here we go, updates below.

I'm sorry, but I have a situation that has come up that will prevent my live blogging tonight's debate. Sorry about that.

Open Thread.

The 11 Show, starring me, will discuss tonight's debate.

How to Listen

Your options to listen LIVE:

• Click on the embedded Flash player below
• Go to netrootsradio.com and click on the embedded player or direct link there
Click on this direct link if you need a non-Flash player, say, for iPad or iPhone
• iPad and iPhone users can download the SHOUTCast Radio app for your mobile device and search for "Netroots Radio"
• For Android: Try either the "StreamFurious" or "TuneIn" apps
• BlackBerry users, see this guide by idbecrazyif

Listen to Daily Kos Radio right here:The Daily Kos Radio Player

Non-Flash

Open Thread.

Martha Moxley and her neighbor Michael Skakel, nephew of Ethel Kennedy, were both 15 in 1975, the year Moxley was murdered. No one was charged with the murder until 25 years later. Skakel, then age 40 was charged, tried and convicted as an adult. He was sentenced to an indeterminate sentence of 20 years to life. He is now 52, and having served 10 years of the minimum 20 year sentence, he is eligible for parole in April. A parole hearing is scheduled for October 24. The Moxley family is objecting. Mrs. Moxley wants him jailed for life.

At the time Martha Moxley was murdered, and until 1976, CT had a five year statute of limitations. In 2010, in affirming Skakel's conviction, the CT Supreme Court overruled precedent of more than 20 years, and held the 1976 amendment could apply retroactively to Skakel. Here is the 89 page majority opinion. Skakel's petition for cert to the U.S. Supreme Court, written by former Solicitor General Ted Olson, was denied. [More...]