For the next month, the Obama campaign's ground focus is on finishing up the stunning gains in voter registration that it and the Democratic Party have made. Since January alone more than 3.5 million new voters have been registered in 17 of the 23 states tracked closely by the Obama campaign where information is available. Three states — Florida, Michigan and North Carolina — have seen increases of more than 400,000 new voters, and 10 more states have recorded new registrations of more than 100,000. Though these numbers include registrants to all parties, in 14 of the states at least half of the new voters are under 35, a key demographic for Obama.

[link]

What scares me is that the Republicans don't actually have to win - going by past elections, they can get kind of close and claim it.

This is what scares me.

I'm not going to worry about polls until a bit more time has passed after the convention. I think women that saw her speech have a reason to "like" Palin, but I think as we learn more about her policies that should subside.

Since January alone more than 3.5 million new voters have been registered in 17 of the 23 states tracked closely by the Obama campaign where information is available.

Wow! That's fantastic!

No wonder the Republicans are trying so hard with the voter suppression effort -- like the little old nuns who were turned away from the polls, not enough ballots sent to inner city undermanned polling stations, college students told that if they register to vote, their financial help is in jeopardy, et cetera.

Happy Birthday Trudy!!

Happy birthday, Trudy!

In Mississippi, there's a special election for an open Senate seat. The Republican governor is doing everything he can to fix the vote for his guy, from combining the election with the general one to moving the seat's position on the ballot from near the top, under the other national offices, to burying it at the bottom, and now he's trying to get the party designations removed. All of those things are legal other than moving it to the bottom of the ballot, so the Dems have sued and a judge is holding printing of the ballots until the issue is resolved in court.

And the scene we saw? Had Waldorf and Statler!

AWESOME.

I can't get juliana and her facial injury out of my mind. Mine's so trivial in comparison, but I look at the furniture I hit and wonder how I missed losing teeth or an eye or something more than just cosmetic, although this scar will probably hang around for a while--needless to say I heal like ass.

a) Get thee some arnica gel, that worked wonders on my facial scars. b) Jeez, ita. I'm so sorry, doll.

high church Episcopalian congregation

How can you be an evangelist Episcopalian? I mean, I'm sure there are such things, but it's... SUCH a different version of Episcopalian than I'm used to!

CNN's electoral map has 8 tossup states. If the two that went to Kerry in 2004 (MI and NH) go to Obama, he still needs 6 electoral votes.

Remaining toss-up states: CO FL OH MO VA NV (only 5 electoral votes)

How much would I love Virginia to go Democrat? Very much.

Mostly, I'm really tired of elections coming down to Florida and Ohio.

Mostly, I'm really tired of elections coming down to Florida and Ohio.

Amen.