Democracy for New Mexico

(Updated) Early Voting Info for 2008 Election

Update: Starting October 24, 2008, Early In-Person Voting hours in Bernalillo County were extended. See the new hours here (pdf).
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The bad news: If you aren't registered to vote, I'm afraid it's now too late. Yesterday, October 7, 2008, was the deadline in New Mexico to register to vote in the 2008 general election (if you weren't already registered).

The good news: Today marks the beginning of absentee voting by mail and in-person at County Clerk offices all over New Mexico. Starting October 18, 2008, you can vote early in-person at additional locations in many counties.

If you live outside Bernalillo County, please check with your County Clerk office.

If you live in Bernalillo County, here's what you need to know:

Where do I Vote? You can check your voter registration, find your November 4th polling place and get a sample ballot by entering your name and birthdate. Visit .

In Person Absentee Voting
Clerk’s Office Annex Downtown
Beginning Tuesday, October 7, 2008
620 Lomas NW, Albuquerque
*Note that this has changed from 1 Civic Plaza 6th Floor

Tuesday October 7 – Friday October 10: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Monday October 13 – Friday October 17: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Monday October 20 – Friday October 24: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Monday October 27 – Friday October 31: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Saturday November 1: 10:00am – 6:00pm

Absentee Mail-In Ballot Applications may be requested from the County Clerk via:

Phone: (505) 468-1291 option 2
Email: clerk@bernco.gov
Fax: (505) 768-4631
In Person: 1 Civic Plaza NW, 6th Fl., Albuquerque
Mail: PO Box 542, Albuquerque, NM 87103-0542

You can also download an Absentee Mail-In Ballot Application at the NM Secretary of State website.

You must request your Absentee Mail-In Ballot from the County Clerk by October 31, 2008. You must return your completed Absentee Mail-In Ballot to the County Clerk's office by 5:00 PM on November 4, 2008. You can mail or hand-deliver it.

*New Feature* Absentee Ballot Tracker: Track the status of your absentee ballot online: www.bernco.gov/absenteevote/

Early Voting at Satellite Locations
From October 18 through November 1, 2008, you can vote early at these additional locations in Bernalillo County:

– Beginning Saturday, October 18, 2008:

• Tijeras City Hall, 12 Camino Municipal - Tijeras
• Paradise Hills Community Center, 5901 Paradise Blvd NW
• Los Ranchos Villa, 6601 4th St NW, Suites A,B, C
• Coors Plaza, 3200 Coors NW, Suite A
• Integrity Plaza, 1512 Wyoming NE, Suites F&G
• Plaza Paseo Del Norte, 9231 Coors NW, Suite R-8
• Siesta Hills Shopping Center, 5407 Gibson SE
• Del Norte Shopping Center, 7120 Wyoming NE, Suite 16
• Market Center East, 11110 Lomas NE, Suite E-4
• 98th & Central Shopping Center, 120 98th St NW, Suite B-5
• Goff Plaza, 1720 Bridge SW, Suite G
• Daskalos Shopping Center, 5339 & 5339A Menaul NE
• Juan Tabo Plaza, 11012 Montgomery NE
• CNM – South Valley Campus, 5816 Isleta Blvd., SW
• University of New Mexico Student Union Building

Hours:

• Saturday October 18: 10:00am – 6:00pm
• Tuesday October 21 – Friday October 24: 12:00pm – 8:00pm
• Saturday October 25: 10:00am – 6:00pm
• Tuesday October 28 – Friday October 31: 12:00pm – 8:00pm
• Saturday November 1: 10:00am – 6:00pm

LWV Voters' Guide
To learn more about the candidates, check out the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of New Mexico Voters' Guide.

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Prez Debate: "That One" Won

Obama on taxes at Nashville debate

You know who I mean. The guy cranky John McCain referred to dismissively as "that one" in last night's presidential "town hall meeting" in Nashville -- Barack Obama, the winner last night, and our next president. Already, an "I'm voting for That One" tshirt is available at Cafe Press. And we have a new take on Obama's logo:

As with the first debate, the focus groups and snap polls, along with many pundits, declared Obama the winner. Democracy Corps, which organized a focus group of undecided voters in Nevada to watch last night's debate, in part:

"Unlike the first debate, when Democracy Corps research showed half the voters remaining undecided and the two candidates splitting the other half, the vote following the second debate showed a decisive shift toward Senator Obama. This debate was a clear victory for Obama who made major gains not just in the vote but also on personal favorability and key attributes like 'has what it takes to be President,' which ultimately drove undecided voters into his column."

Bomb, Bomb, Bomb
One of my favorite exchanges, as reported by the :

...Obama seemed to get the better of him in a discussion of whether the United States should violate Pakistan's sovereignty if that's what it takes to kill al-Qaida terrorists such as Osama bin Laden. McCain quoted Theodore Roosevelt, who said, "Talk softly, but carry a big stick."

But Obama "likes to talk loudly," McCain said. "In fact, he said he wants to announce that he's going to attack Pakistan. Remarkable."

Obama shot back: "Nobody called for the invasion of Pakistan. ... If Pakistan is unable or unwilling to hunt down bin Laden and take him out, then we should."

He continued: "Now, Sen. McCain suggests that somehow, you know, I'm green behind the ears and, you know, I'm just spouting off, and he's somber and responsible."

McCain smiled and said, "Thank you very much." But the smile faded when Obama said: "This is the guy who sang, 'Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran,' who called for the annihilation of North Korea," Obama said. "That I don't think is an example of 'speaking softly.' This is the person who, after we had -- we hadn't even finished Afghanistan, where he said, 'Next up, Baghdad.'

Obama calls out McCain on bomb, bomb, bomb Iran

Echoes of Kennedy-Nixon, Clinton-Dole
I agree with the analysis Terrence McNally at Huffington Post:

We all know about the difference between the responses of those who listened to the first Kennedy-Nixon debate on the radio versus those who watched it on (a small, black & white) television. I did both last night and the same was true.

I recall Frank Luntz earlier this year saying that he would caution McCain to minimize being seen in the same camera shot with Obama. The contrast of age and "vigor" would be too stark. Watching the two of them out on the open floor last night in the faux "town hall" format brought his warning to life. The difference was visual and visceral. The tall, lanky, young Obama smooth and confident versus the shorter, tighter, older McCain.

... On MSNBC's Hardball, someone (perhaps Jonathan Alter) said this debate reminded him of a moment in '92, Dole v Clinton, when you knew it was over -- unless something huge were to happen.

Here's what had to say about the night's "bests" and "mosts."

Check out at NM FBIHOP about the well-attended debate watch party at One Up in downtown Albuquerque, my friend.

Did you notice how Barack and Michelle stayed in the hall for about 20 minutes talking to audience members? Did you notice how Johnny and Cindy fled the hall as fast as they could get out of there? Telling.

Bottom line by most accounts: McCain needed to inject a "game changer" into the proceedings last night in order to stop or slow Obama's momentum. He didn't succeed. Now I guess he and Palin will return to the campaign trail and their wise-ass negative attacks to once again try to convince voters that Obama is a nasty, dangerous, un-American guy. An increasingly dishonorable and dishonest campaign staggers on. Clearly, most undecided voters aren't buying what McCain and Palin are selling. No wonder. The more undecideds and others who haven't been paying much attention until now see Obama, the more they like him and see him as a strong, smart, calm and trustworthy presidential contender.

P.S. Turns out that "overhead projector" John McCain claimed Barack Obama tried to get a $3 million earmark for was actually money to rebuild Chicago's Adler Planetarium (photo below), America's . I should know. I often visited there as a child. Tons of Chicago area schools organize field trips to the Adler, and they always have wonderful exhibits and shows for adults, too. It's a stunning place on a narrow piece of land (once an artificial island) that extends out into Lake Michigan. I WANT more of my tax dollars going to things like that, don't you? (h/t TPM)

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Today is LAST DAY TO REGISTER TO VOTE for 2008 Election

This is it, folks. You need to be registered to vote by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 --that's TODAY -- in order to vote in the 2008 general election.

• You can register at any Obama campaign office until the deadline and they will turn in your registration to your County Clerk by 5:00 PM Thursday, which is the deadline for third party registrars.

• You can also fill out a registration form at your County Clerk's office by 5:00 PM TODAY.

• You can also visit the Democratic Party of New Mexico's Voter Page for info and links.
  

Anyone with questions can call the local Obama campaign office or your County Clerk. Also see my previous post on voting that explains other ways to register, including downloading and completing a voter registration form that you can hand-deliver to the County Clerk by the deadline, or mail to your County Clerk postmarked before TODAY'S 5:00 PM deadline. The U.S. Postal Service normally doesn't postmark voter registration forms, but they will do so if you mail your form TODAY.

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PAC505 Hosts "Test Press Tuesday" Debate Watch & Screen Printing Party

Click on image for larger version

PAC505 and The Trillion Space are fired up to present the second installment of their debate-viewing series, this Tuesday, October 7. Join us at The Trillion Space (510 2nd Street, near Marquette) for "Test Press Tuesday," where the debate will be projected, heard, and properly contextualized by an army of DJ's and artists, including Adam5100 from the East Bay. During the event, which begins at 4 o'clock, local artists will create original Obama designs and screenprint them onto shirts that you can take home for five bucks. Events like TPT will be remembered for transforming the Obama campaign into what it has become: a movement. Be there!

(Updated) Obama Campaign Counters McCain's Dishonest Tirade in Albuquerque Today; Audience Member Calls Obama a "Terrorist"

Update: Read this and watch their video clip. McCain asks, "Who is the real Barack Obama?" At least one member of the Albuquerque crowd yells out "terrorist." You can also hear it on Peter St. Cyr's audio of the speech, at about the 13 minute mark. In fact, if you listen to the audio, the crowd often sounds more like a mob than an audience, at least to my ears.

We also have Palin in Florida today. TPM says: "And later we have Sarah Palin with the same mob racket, getting members of the crowd to yell out "kill him", though it's not clear whether the call for murder was for Bill Ayers or Barack Obama. It didn't seem to matter. These are dangerous and sick people, McCain and Palin. Whatever it takes. Stop at nothing."

Where will we end up with McCain and Palin egging on the nuts in America, consciously or not, to ugly namecalling and violent threats? After all, according to the McCain campaign, they've just begun their move to the darkest of the dark sides of campaigning. It makes my hair stand up on end to think about it.
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Click for video of Cindy McCain's intro and John McCain's remarks before a couple hundred people at the UNM Sub in Albuquerque this afternoon (although the quality is poor). McCain's angry tirade against Obama, attempting to blame him for the financial crisis we're in today, begins at about 14 minutes. The quote cited below begins about a minute later. The entire appearance runs about 26 minutes. Short and nasty.

The newest version of John McCain is shamelessly hawking lies that he knows are lies. What else does he have left? Everybody knows that McCain has dedicated his career to deregulation of the kind that has put American and global finances into a deadly spin. His "economic plan" consists of more tax cuts for the rich and big corporations, coupled with threatened cuts to vital programs like Medicare and Medicaid at a time when seniors and our poorest citizens can expect to be hit even harder by economic instability and injustices. It's clear that McCain will depend almost entirely on vicious and dishonest attacks on Obama's character and ethics from here on out. The Obama campaign, however, is ready to call McCain out in no uncertain terms when he resorts to distortions, exaggerations and plain old lies.

Obama Campaign Statement
The Obama campaign issued the following response to Senator McCain’s fact-challenged attack in Albuquerque today:

“On a day when the markets are plunging and the credit crisis is putting millions of jobs at risk, the one truly angry candidate in this race kept up his strategy of ‘turning the page’ on the economy by unleashing another frustrated tirade against Barack Obama. And if John McCain is wondering why he’s lost his credibility, he should look no further than the out-of-context quote he took from a 2007 speech in which Barack Obama warned of the subprime crisis we’re now facing. Since then, John McCain has called for less regulation no fewer than 20 times, proving that he hasn’t learned any lessons from the last banking scandal he was involved in and would give us more of the same failed economic policies as President,” said Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor.

What McCain Said Today
Here are some of the dishonest accusations John McCain made in his remarks today in Albuquerque:

“Senator Obama was silent on the regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and his Democratic allies in Congress opposed every effort to rein them in. As recently as September of last year he said that subprime loans had been, quote, “a good idea.” Well, Senator Obama, that “good idea” has now plunged this country into the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. To hear him talk now, you’d think he’d always opposed the dangerous practices at these institutions. But there is absolutely nothing in his record to suggest he did.

"He was surely familiar with the people who were creating this problem. The executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have advised him, and he has taken their money for his campaign. He has received more money from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac than any other senator in history, with the exception of the chairman of the committee overseeing them. Did he ever talk to the executives at Fannie and Freddie about these reckless loans? Did he ever discuss with them the stronger oversight I proposed? If Senator Obama is such a champion of financial regulation, why didn’t he support these regulations that could have prevented this crisis in the first place? He won’t tell you, but you deserve an answer.”

What Obama Really Said
Compare McCain's desperate detortion of Obama's statement with the real Obama quote in its full context:

“And we cannot help but see some reflections of these practices when we look at the subprime mortgage fiasco today. Subprime lending started off as a good idea – helping Americans buy homes who couldn't previously afford to. Financial institutions created new financial instruments that could securitize these loans, slice them into finer and finer risk categories and spread them out among investors around the country and around the world. In theory, this should have allowed mortgage lending to be less risky and more diversified.

"But as certain lenders and brokers began to see how much money could be made, they began to lower their standards. Some appraisers began inflating their estimates to get the deals done. Some borrowers started claiming income they didn't have just to qualify for the loans, and some were engaging in irresponsible speculation. But many borrowers were tricked into glossing over the fine print. And ratings agencies began rating bundles of different kinds of these loans as low-risk even though they were very high-risk. Most everyone knew that some of these deals were just too good to be true, but all that money flowing in made it tempting to look the other way and ignore the unscrupulous practice of some bad actors.” [NASDAQ Speech, 9/17/07]

McCain and the Fannie & Freddie Lobbyists
According to Senate lobbying records, a total of 26 McCain advisors and fundraisers have been registered lobbyists for Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Seven of them are still registered, and another four terminated their registration in late September as the subprime scandal worsened.

SIXTEEN FANNIE MAE LOBBYISTS (TWO CURRENTLY LOBBYING)
Wayne L Berman, National Finance Co-Chair*
Aquiles Suarez, Economic Advisor
John Green, Capitol Hill Liaison
Dan Crippen, Health Care Policy Adviser
AB Culvahouse, VP Selection
Kirk Blalock, Young Professionals for McCain National Chair (Terminated 9/22/08)
Kate Hull, Young Professionals for McCain Fundraiser (Terminated 9/22/08)
Aleix Jarvis, Bundler (Terminated 9/22/08)
Kirsten Chadwick, Bundler (Terminated 9/22/08)
Richard Hohlt, Bundler*
Tom Loeffler, Bundler, Former General Chairman, National Finance Chair
Nicholas Calio, Bundler
Alberto Cardenes, Bundler
Michael Kennedy, Bundler
Peter Madigan, Bundler
Alison McSlarrow, Bundler

*currently lobbying (as of 7/31/08, no termination filed as of 10/6/08)

10 FREDDIE MAC LOBBYISTS (FIVE CURRENTLY LOBBYING)
Charlie Black, Senior advisor, Bundler
Bill Timmons Sr., Senior advisor for transition*
Carlos Bonilla, Former Economic Advisor*
Mark Buse, Senate Chief of Staff
David Crane, Senior Policy Adviser
Al D'Amato, Bundler*
Melissa Edwards, Young Professionals for McCain Fundraiser*
Susan Molinari, Women for McCain Steering Committee*
Juleanna Glover Weiss, Bundler
Don Sundquist, Tennessee Co-Chair

*currently lobbying (as of 7/31/08, no termination filed as of 10/6/08)

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Las Cruces & Anthony Obama Offices Open All Night to Register Voters Before Deadline Tomorrow

To vote in the presidential election you need to be registered to vote by 5:00 PM on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 --that's TOMORROW. One way to do it is to register at any Obama campaign office until the deadline and they will turn in your registration to your County Clerk by 5:00 PM Thursday, which is the deadline for third party registrars.

THEY'RE LEAVING THE LIGHT ON FOR YOU: The lights will be on late tonight at the Barack Obama Campaign headquarters in Las Cruces -- all night, in fact. The staff will stay on duty in order to register eligible voters who are not yet on the voter rolls. October 7 at 5:00 PM is the deadline to register to vote in the November 4 U.S. Presidential election and the push is on to make sure that as many people as possible register to vote.

The Las Cruces headquarters is located at 255 E. Lohman and they hope to attract people getting off work, going to work late, and those who just have never gotten around to registering. Or those middle class workers who don’t necessarily work during the ‘normal’ work day. The office will also be open until midnight on Tuesday.

The Obama office in Anthony, too, will leave its doors open all night Monday. Obama offices across the state will be staying open later than usual. So far registration efforts by Democrats in New Mexico have signed up thousands of previously un-registered voters.

Obama campaign office staffs include plenty of folks who have received training by the county clerk to become deputized -- to ensure that forms are filled out correctly. The campaign staff takes responsibility for turning in the completed forms to the County Clerk. People wanting to register must be U.S. citizens at least 18 years old. They need to bring their Social Security number and personal identification. The registration form is short and takes very little time to fill out.

Anyone with questions can call the local Obama campaign office or your County Clerk. Also see my previous post on voting that explains other ways to register, including downloading and completing a voter registration form that you can hand-deliver to the County Clerk by the deadline, or mail to your County Clerk postmarked before the 5:00 PM, October 7 deadline.

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Monday: Gov. Richardson Stumps for Obama in Northern NM on Register for Change Tour

Bruce Springstein, Register for Change event Sat., Philadelphia

This Monday, October 6, Gov. Bill Richardson will headline a series of “Register for Change” events in Northern New Mexico. He'll travel to Taos, Mora, Las Vegas and Santa Fe to talk to New Mexicans about the importance of this election as the October 7th voter registration deadline approaches. See details below the fold.

On Sunday, Gov. Richardson and Lt. Gov. Diane Denish attended the 97th Annual Northern Navajo Nation Shiprock Fair and urged members of the community to support Barack Obama and register to vote before the October 7th deadline. The Governor rode on the Democratic Party of New Mexico float and the Lt. Gov. rode on the San Juan County Democratic Party float.

Register for Change Forum in Taos at 8:30 am
Taoseno Restaurant
819 Paseo del Pueblo Sur
Taos, New Mexico 87571

Register for Change Forum in Mora at 12:00 pm
Cowboy Kitchen
Main Street, Hwy 518, Mile marker 29 (across from court house)
Mora, NM

Register for Change Rally in Las Vegas at 2:00 pm
Campaign for Change Field Office
213 Plaza ST.
Las Vegas, NM 87701

Register for Change Rally in Santa Fe at 4:00 pm
130 Grant Ave.
Santa Fe, NM 87501

The Voter Registration Deadline in New Mexico is October 7th. Voters can request to Vote By Mail up until October 30th, and Early Voting takes place between October 18th and November 1st. New Mexicans can register to vote or fill out a Vote By Mail application request by coming into any Campaign for Change office across the state, by visiting their county clerk’s office or downloading a registration form at www.voteforchange.com.

More Journal Poll: Majority in NM Think Palin Helps GOP Ticket

The Journal survey was conducted September 29 thru October 2, 2008, which means it ended the night of the Vice Presidential Debate:

Overall, 47 percent of all registered, likely voters surveyed — Democrats, Republicans and independents — said they viewed Palin as a plus for the GOP; 40 percent said she is a minus; and 13 percent were undecided, didn't know or wouldn't say.

Seventy-nine percent of the Republicans surveyed said she was a plus for the ticket, while only 24 percent of Democrats said they felt that way.

Only 13 percent of the Republicans surveyed viewed her as a minus for the GOP ticket, while 59 percent of Democrats said she was a negative for the GOP ticket. Among independents, 48 percent said she was a plus, while 41 percent viewed her as a minus; 12 percent were undecided.

I guess a certain segment of New Mexicans likes winking, you betchas and alsos ... or at least they believe Sarah's "folksy" act is appealing to those who might vote for McCain.

Also see my previous post on today's release of Journal polling results.

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Albuquerque Journal Poll Has Obama 45%, McCain 40% in New Mexico

According to a poll conducted for the Albuquerque Journal by Research and Polling Inc., Barack Obama is up 5 points over John McCain in New Mexico, with 14% still undecided. Bottom line: This is still a close and fluid race -- and we need to get out there and knock on doors, make calls and talk to our friends, family and neighbors.

The poll is based on telephone interviews conducted September 29 thru October 2, 2008 with 659 registered voters statewide who said they are likely to vote on November 4. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.8 points.

You can compare the Journal's poll with other survey results in New Mexico at Pollster.com. Recently, Rasmussen reported a 10/1 poll with Obama leading 49-44%, with 4% for Other and 3% undecided. SurveyUSA reported a 9/29-9/30 poll with Obama leading 52-44% and 4% undecided.

Released Results:

Statewide
Obama 45%
McCain 40%
Undecided 14%

Democrats
Obama 73%
Undecided 16%
(Leaving 11% for McCain?)

Republicans
McCain 85%
Undecided 10%
(Leaving 5% for Obama?)

Independents
Obama 44%
McCain 29%
Undecided 22%

Hispanics
Obama 62%
McCain 17%
Undecided 21%

Ages 18-34
Obama 51%
McCain 36%

Ages 35-49
Obama 33%
McCain 46%

Ages 50 and Older
Obama 48%
McCain "Just Under 40%" (according to article)

College Graduate Work or Grad Degree
Obama 60%
McCain 29%

High School Graduate or Less
Obama 53%
McCain 36%

Some College
Obama 34%
McCain 45%

Four-Year College Degree
Obama 41%
McCain 45%

Albuquerque Metro Area
Obama 51%
McCain 34%

North-Central Region NM
Obama 76%
McCain 12%

East Side NM
Obama 23%
McCain 64%

Southern NM
Obama 30%
McCain 50%

Which presidential candidate comes closer to reflecting your values?"
Obama 48%
McCain 41%

Note: On the values question, 400 registered, likely voters were interviewed statewide, and there's a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 points.

As usual, the Journal did not release Research and Polling Inc.'s complete cross-tabs so we don't know how the rest of the questions were asked, if other breakdowns of those surveyed provided additional data or if some results were not released to the public.

Some quotes from the Journal article by Brian Sanderoff of Research and Polling Inc. on the poll results:

"For John McCain to win, he needs to get his half of the independent vote. The jury is still out on whether his maverick message will prevail. The good news for McCain is, 16 percent of Democrats are undecided: They evidently have some reservations about Obama."

"... it looks like the Hispanics supporting Hillary are coming home to Obama. Bush was able to cut into that block, and win New Mexico, four years ago. McCain has a ways to go."

"McCain's strength has been among seniors." But "as Obama begins to open up a lead, both nationally and in New Mexico, he's beginning to (grab the advantage) among seniors."

"To win, John McCain must do better in Albuquerque ... he can't lose by this kind of margin."

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Last Day to Register to Vote is TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2008: Are You Ready to Vote for Change?

Remember what's at stake, and what we've been working for

If you're not registered to vote in New Mexico, you must register by October 7, 2008 if you want to vote in the 2008 presidential election. Click on the image below to fill out a form you can print out and mail or hand-deliver to your County Clerk's office.

To check and see if you are registered, visit New Mexico's Voter View and enter your info.

You can also use the Obama campaign's Vote for Change tool to register or get info on voting early. Same thing with the Vote Udall tool or Martin Heinrich's voting page.

Vote Early, Then Work for Change: It's strongly recommended that we all vote early either by mail-in ballot or in-person when early voting sites open, so we can work at the polls or for a campaign on election day, November 4, 2008. Mail-in voting and early voting at your County Clerk's office begins on October 7. Early voting at additional satellite locations begins on October 17. Check with your County Clerk for more info. If you live in Bernalillo County, click for (pdf).

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