Democracy for New Mexico

The Politics of Jack-O-Lanterns

From TrueMajority: Spread Halloween Cheer by Creating Anti-Bush Jack-o'-Lanterns! Help Carve Bush Out of the White House!

How do you combine 1) Halloween, 2) supporting Kerry and 3) the fact that Bush is the most frightening president we've ever witnessed?

Carve an anti-Bush jack-o'-lantern!

We've made it easy. Just buy a pumpkin, print out our simple stencil (instructions included) and create your own jack-o'-lantern for regime change.

Or you can slap our "Bush" label under any evil-looking pumpkin, making even the scariest pumpkins scarier.

Whatever design you use, carve your pumpkins now. Don't wait until Halloween to get 'em on your porch or in your window. We've got an election to win and jerk-o'-lanterns are one more way to raise the visibility of our grassroots movement for Kerry.
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Another political Halloween site offers an election poll and pumpkin stencils of Bush and Kerry. Pumpkin Poll offers free pumpkin tracings to those who vote on the site for their preferred candidate. As of today, NM had 66 votes for Bush and 63 votes for Kerry. You know what to do!

Late additions from the DNC:

Tell Heather to Give Delay's Money Back

From the Campaign for America's Future: Take Action! Send a Message!

Click here to see which members of Congress took Dirty DeLay $ - Tell them to give it back & dump DeLay!

Note that Rep. Heather Wilson (R-NM), running against Democrat Richard Romero, received $36,959 from DeLay's PAC.

241 Republicans in Congress accepted campaign contributions from Tom DeLay's PAC and then have stood by DeLay despite his four official ethics violations and repeated charges of corruption. Take a stand and help break these representatives' conflict of interest. Challenge them to stand with decency and not DeLay!

Click here to ask them to give the tainted money back and dump Delay! To learn more about this issue, check out this article on Common Dreams.

If you'd like to contribute some bucks to help Richard Romero, who has been endorsed by both the Kos Dozen and the Dean Dozen, click here, where you can also sign up to volunteer for the campaign. There's also a Campaign Countdown Rally for Richard Romero with special guest Governor Bill Richardson tonight, October 21st, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM at the Sheraton Old Town, 800 Rio Grande NW. RSVP at 203-7889. There's a suggested contribution of $25.

You can also see Romero at a Noon rally today, 10/21, at the UNM Duck Pond Cactus Garden.

Monster Slash

Watch Monster Slash.

Kerry's Youth Vote Bus Tour & GOTV Rally Comes to UNM on Friday

Chris Heinz, Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl Headline Youth Vote Bus Tour

Washington, DC - Chris Heinz will reunite with Tom DeLonge of Blink-182, Max Weinberg of the “E” Street Band and Scott Wolf of Party of Five for a two week “get out the vote” bus tour through ten battleground states. The GOTV team traveled through Iowa and New Hampshire together during the primary contests in an RV.

The campus bus tour kicked off in Las Vegas Tuesday evening with a rare public appearance by Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, formerly of Nirvana. The former band-mates have remained close friends, but the early vote rally will mark their first formal public appearance together in over ten years.

During the first week, the bus, which includes Wolf, his wife Kelly Limp of the Real World-New Orleans, Melissa Fitgerald from the West Wing, Novaselic, Grohl, Heinz and DeLonge, will reach schools in Nevada, Colorado and New Mexico. The tour will pick up in Minnesota the following Monday and travel through Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania before November 2nd. Max Weinberg will join tour during the second week. Celebrities, sports stars and other elected officials will join Heinz throughout the tour.

The Kerry-Edwards campaign has spent the last two months visiting college campuses across the country. A recent online registration tracking effort by the Kerry campaign showed that over 112,000 new Democratic student voters have registered on campuses across the country. In 2000, Al Gore won several states by margins approximating the size of one college dorm-for instance, New Mexico by 366 votes and Florida by 537 votes.

Heinz and company will encourage students to vote early and volunteer for the final push to November 2nd. Young Americans are facing tough choices with skyrocketing educations costs, a dwindling job market and a war in Iraq with no foreseeable end. John Kerry and John Edwards offer students hope for the future by investing in education, creating jobs and keeping our country safe by building international alliances to work for peace in Iraq.

Here's the info on the UNM visit:

Friday, October 22
6:00 PM MT -ALBUQUERQUE, NM
Ten Day Countdown GOTV Rally
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM

Click through to the continuation page for appearances in other states. From the John Kerry Blog.

Tuesday, October 19
6:00 PM PT (9 PM ET)-LAS VEGAS, NV
CHRIS HEINZ, ALEX KERRY, TOM DELONGE, DAVE GROHL, KRIST NOVASELIC, SCOTT WOLFE, KELLY LIMP AND MELISSA FITZGERALD
College Campus Bus Tour Kick Off Rally
University of Nevada – Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV

Wednesday, October 20
12:00 PM MT (2:00 PM ET)-FORT COLLINS, CO
Turn Colorado Blue “GOTV” Rally
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO

2:30 PM MT (4:30 PM ET)-GREELEY, CO
Turn Colorado Blue GOTV Rally
University of Northern Colorado
Greeley, CO

5:30 PM MT (7:30 PM ET)-BOULDER, CO
Turn Colorado Blue GOTV Rally
University of Colorado -- Boulder
Boulder, CO

Thursday, October 21
12:00 PM MT (2:00 PM ET)-DENVER, CO
Turn Colorado Blue GOTV Rally
University of Denver
Denver, CO

6:00 PM MT (8:00 PM ET)-DENVER, CO
Reception for Ken Salazar/CO Coordinated Campaign
Location TBA
Denver, CO

Friday, October 22
11:00 AM MT (1:00 PM ET)-COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
Turn Colorado Blue GOTV Rally
Colorado College
Colorado Springs, CO

GOTV With ACT in NM

From ACT New Mexico: Get Out the Vote -- Sign up to work Election Day in New Mexico

The 2004 Elections will be won on the ground, through person-to-person contacts in targeted precincts accross the battleground states. ACT has built the infrastructure for the largest get-out-the-vote effort in history – now we need you to make it work in the final days.

We are offering an opportunity to receive up to a $210 stipend for volunteering up to four days of Get Out The Vote. Sign up for as many days as you can. A New Mexico GOTV coordinator will contact you soon to discuss your plans.

We are also looking for individuals to lead groups of 3-5 GOTV canvassers. Individuals with a vehicle or that have doorknocking experience are preferred.

In addition, we still need volunteers at phone banks to call voters, reminding them to vote. Click here to sign up or get more information.

ACT Field Offices:

Albuquerque: 5600 Menaul Blvd NE
Phone: (505) 830-9250, Contact: Monica Estrada

Las Cruces: 940 North Main St., Suite A
Phone: (505) 647-0072, Contact: Gianina Irlando Garcia

Santa Fe: 1500 Fifth Street, Suite 13
Phone: (505) 982-4091, Contact: Charlie Kelly

Al Gore Offers the Mother of All Closing Arguments

Thanks to a tip from Nancy G., I caught CSPAN's rebroadcast of Al Gore's speech yesterday at Georgetown University for MoveOn. This was the last of his series of speeches that have slammed the Bush administration from a variety of angles. In this one he lays out -- fact by fact, incident by incident, distortion by distortion, action by action -- the case against Bush's dishonest and self-serving policies and the lies and world view that have made them possible. Scathing as an incredibly effective closing argument by a top-notch prosecutor, it made me remember just how many horrors and lies BushCo has perpetrated since before 9-11. There are so many it can be difficult to recall then all. This speech brings it all back home and concludes that Bush's policies stem from rabidly political, extremist right-wing ideology and a purposeful refusal to face facts and analyze data in the real world. Truly damning. Truly dangerous.

Excerpts:

"It is ideology – and not his religious faith – that is the source of his inflexibility. Most of the problems he has caused for this country stem not from his belief in God, but from his belief in the infallibility of the right-wing Republican ideology that exalts the interests of the wealthy and of large corporations over the interests of the American people. Love of power for its own sake is the original sin of this presidency."

"It is clear that President Bush has absolute faith in a rigid, right-wing ideology. He ignores the warnings of his experts. He forbids any dissent and never tests his assumptions against the best available evidence. He is arrogantly out of touch with reality. He refuses to ever admit mistakes. Which means that as long as he is our President, we are doomed to repeat them. It is beyond incompetence. It is recklessness that risks the safety and security of the American people."

"He has ducked accountability by the press with his obsessive secrecy and refusal to conduct the public’s business openly. There is now only one center of power left in our constitution capable of at long last holding George W. Bush accountable, and it is the voters. There are fifteen days left before our country makes this fateful choice – for us and the whole world. Join me on November 2nd in taking our country back."

Highly recommended: check out the transcript and/or the CSPAN video. Have you set up your volunteering schedule for the next 13 days? We can win, but we MUST GET OUT THE VOTE!

(Photo courtesy of Al Gore Democrats)

Join ABQ Moms for Kerry Rally or Plan Your Own in Your Town

A 'Moms for Kerry' Rally will be held on in Albuquerque on Saturday, October 30, from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM MT. Hosted by Ann Chacon, and coinciding with similar rallies being held across the nation, the Albuquerque event will take place at Tiguex Park. The Park is located on Mountain Road across from the New Mexico Museum of Natural History (the dinosaur museum) approximately one-half mile east of Rio Grande Blvd on Mountain Road in Albuquerque, NM  87110

Help us take back our country for our kids!

Former Children's Court Judge Anne Kass will be speaking, as well as the mother and wife of a serviceman.  We just heard yesterday that one or two 9/11 widows will be flying in from New York to speak at the Rally, as well! We will also have information specific to New Mexico for you to share with any "undecided" friends.

BRING SIGNS & KIDS: We are making signs, and working on getting other signs - if you have one to bring, please do! And don't leave the kids at home - bring 'em - this is for them!

MORE INFO: Let us know if you're out there - please tell friends - it's our last big bang before the election, and the last chance to get to those undecided moms out there!  Please visit this site for more information: https://www.momsforkerry.com.

SIGN UP for the Moms for Kerry Rally by clicking .

If you'd like to organize a Moms for Kerry rally in your area, click here.

Kerry Visits Las Cruces on Saturday 10/23

John Kerry will be in Las Cruces for a rally this coming Saturday, October 23rd. He'll be landing in El Paso because the Las Cruces airport runway has trouble handling heavy planes. In fact, when Bush flew into Las Cruces in August, one of his planes caused an estimated $1 million in damages. The Bush campaign demanded use of the Las Cruces runway despite warnings that their heavy planes risked damaging the tarmac. But then we all know Bush likes to make decisions based on his "gut" and messages from above rather than on facts. Perhaps the almighty had whispered in his ear that if the Bush plane didn't land in Las Cruces, the war on terrorism would be lost.

UPDATE 10/20: Tickets are required for this event. To print your complimentary ticket(s) or to volunteer for the rally, please click here.

Tickets will also available at the following locations for pick-up:
NM Victory 2004 - Las Cruces
411 Waters Street
505-525-1225
9am to 9pm

NM Victory 2004 - Albuquerque
3301 Central NE
505-256-2570
9am to 9pm

Event Schedule:
WHEN: Saturday, October 23-- Gates open at 1:00 p.m.
WHERE: Field of Dreams, 2501 Tashiro Road, West Las Cruces, NM
DETAILS: Due to security, please do not bring any umbrellas, bags, or signs. Please limit personal items as well. This event will take place RAIN or SHINE. For more information, call (505) 525-1225.

And in the meantime, you know what to do: Volunteer!

Newspaper Endorsements Trending Toward Kerry

The Kerry website has a detailed summary of newspapers that have endorsed him, including a number of publications that supported Bush last time around. You can read the editorials from each of them. Yesterday, the staunchly conservative Tampa Tribune editorialized that they could not endorse Bush this election, despite their having endorsed Republican presidential candidates since 1952 with only one exception. Check it out:

Why We Cannot Endorse President Bush For Re-Election
Published: Oct 17, 2004, Tampa Tribune

We find ourselves in a position unimaginable four years ago when we strongly endorsed for president a fiscal conservative and "moderate man of mainstream convictions'' who promised to wield military muscle only as a last resort and to resist the lure of "nation building.'' We find ourselves deeply conflicted today about the presidential race, skeptical of the promises and positions of Sen. John Kerry and disappointed by the performance of President George W. Bush.

As stewards of the Tribune's editorial voice, we find it unimaginable to not be lending our voice to the chorus of conservative-leaning newspapers endorsing the president's re-election. We had fully expected to stand with Bush, whom we endorsed in 2000 because his politics generally reflected ours: a strong military, fiscal conservatism, personal responsibility and small government. We knew him to be a popular governor of Texas who fought for lower taxes, less government and a pro-business constitution.

But we are unable to endorse President Bush for re-election because of his mishandling of the war in Iraq, his record deficit spending, his assault on open government and his failed promise to be a "uniter not a divider'' within the United States and the world.

Click here for the entire editorial.

CBS Market Reports says this:

Two weeks before the presidential election, Sen. John Kerry is leading President George Bush in newspaper endorsements by a margin of 45 to 30, according to Editor & Publisher. The trade publication reported that Kerry had added at least 30 endorsements over the weekend as Bush picked up 17.

"Kerry has more large papers on his side, maintaining his circulation edge at nearly 3-1: approximately 8.7 million to 3.3 million," Editor & Publisher said. Of note, Kerry won the approval of the influential New York Times on Sunday.

In addition, Editor & Publisher pointed out, Kerry's new newspaper supporters included five dailies that had supported Bush in the 2000 election, when he defeated Vice President Al Gore: the Bradenton (Fla.) Herald; the Daily Camera in Boulder, Colo.; the Columbia (Mo.) Tribune; the Daily-Herald, published in Arlington Heights, Ill.; and the Muskegon (Mich.) Chronicle.

Zogby Shows Kerry Trend

Meanwhile, the Reuters/Zogby Daily Tracking Poll shows this trend towards Kerry:

10/15: Bush 48, Kerry 44
10/16: Bush 48, Kerry 44
10/17: Bush 46, Kerry 44
10/18: Bush 45, Kerry 45

(Photo Credit: Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. from Sharon Farmer)

I Don't Know What John Kerry Was Thinking . . .

Tom Tomorrow nails it.

I Don't Know What George Bush Was Thinking Either:

Knight-Ridder provides proof positive that no post-war planning existed for Iraq.