Democracy for New Mexico

McCain NM Robocalls Claim Obama Will Sack Medicare & Social Security, Raise My Taxes and More

I just got a robocall from the McCain-Palin campaign claiming that Obama's "spread the wealth" policies will jeopardize Social Security and Medicare. It claimed Obama would take money out of those programs and give it to people who don't pay taxes. Funny, it's always been McCain et al. who've been dying to cut Medicare, and we all know about the GOP's frenzy to privatize Social Security. Desperate, desperate, desperate. Liars, liars, liars. Imagine wasting robocall funds to contact someone like me -- a lifelong Democrat -- with something so transparently dishonest as this myth. 

Update 1: Within minutes I got another robocall from the McCain-Palin campaign, this time claiming that Obama will raise my taxes. Funny, I don't make more than $250,000 a year so I wonder why they're contacting me. Oh wait, they're just spreading more manure like the manure they've been spreading for almost their entire campaign. That McCain -- what an honorable guy.

Update 2: Believe it or not, I just received my third McCain-Palin campaign robocall within 5 minutes. This one was a woman's voice warning ominously that Obama is supported by "radical abortion organizations" like Planned Parenthood and that he has no values. Just the fact that I got these three nasty robocalls within minutes of one another tells me all I need to know about the "values" of McCain and Palin. Country First my ass.

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Heather Wilson Pushing Limbaugh Talking Points

You knew it would come to this. We have soon to be ex-NM-01 Congresswoman Heather Wilson hawking Rush Limbaugh talking points about Obama on a phone call with the "local press" (such that it is). Surprise, the Albuquerque Journal gave the Limbaugh-Wilson talking points front-page coverage today.

The big story? Gov. Bill Richardson, while on the road in Virginia, did a phone interview with Steffan Tubbs and April Zesbaugh on Denver's KOA "Colorado Morning News" in which he muffed a statistic late in the interview. The host led off the interview this way:

"... People in our listening audience certainly equate Barack Obama to a socialist, basically. Your reaction to that?"

Richardson called the socialist charge unfounded and repeated the Obama campaign's promise that, for "anybody under $250,000, there is no tax increase."

Clearly, Richardson originally stated that no family earning under $250,000 would pay increased taxes under Obama's economic plan. (The Obama plan also states families earning under $200,000 would get a tax cut.) That's factual. Later in the interview, Richardson obviously misspoke and used a cut-off figure of $120,000. Whoo. You'd think the sky was falling. Or the Russkis were coming. Karl Marx is in the house!

Radio comedian Rush Limbaugh, who has been in quite a tizzy anyway these days with the right-wing's ship sinking like a stone, jumped on the error likety-split. He took the tacky tack, like the clown he is, that Richardson's mistake proves that Obama (that socialist!) plans to raise taxes on all Americans in a stealthy plot to enrich the poor. Or something. And of course Limbaugh and his followers are using a clip that contains only the flub, omitting what Richardson said earlier in the interview. You know how they are. Click to listen to the entire interview.

Heather Hearts Rush
Okay, we expect a noted liar and GOP tool like Limbaugh to push a silly story like this to try and hold onto his bottom-feeding listeners and keep the GOP "base" incensed enough to vote. But Heather Wilson likes to portray herself as a dignified, brainy analyst of all things political, so her descent into Limbaugh territory represents a real tumble into wingnut territory. Obviously, she craves a post within a McCain-Palin administration so badly that she's willing to become another voice in the say anything to win crowd. I guess she's not as "moderate" as she always claimed at election time.

Here's some of what Heather said:

During a conference call with New Mexico reporters, Wilson charged that the Obama camp is "preparing America" for a tax boost.

"I think Gov. Richardson spoke the truth this morning," said Wilson, who was campaigning in New Hampshire for McCain. "(Richardson) is aspiring to be a Cabinet member under an Obama administration. Someone at that level can't afford to make a stupid mistake like that. He's telling the truth. ... Wilson said she was "amazed" by Richardson's on-air comment. "The reality is, they want our money," she charged. "Not just rich people's money. Not just Joe the Plumber's money."

No, Heather. Richardson made a mistake and cleared it up quickly, which you well know. You're the one who's lying, just like you lied when you stole your husband's case file at the NM Department of Children, Youth and Families when you became its Secretary, and wouldn't admit what you did until you were cornered. And spare me the "Joe the Plumber" BS too. We all know by now that Joe isn't named Joe and that he's an unlicensed ham who owes back taxes and is using his 15 minutes of fame to try and get a leg up as a country music singer -- and threaten to run for office.

Obama Campaign Reveals Truth
The Obama campaign responded:

“Gov. Richardson admitted that he simply misspoke, and yet Sen. McCain continues this dishonest, desperate political attack to distract voters from the fact that his low-road campaign is being rejected by voters across the country,” Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said, responding to comments Sen. McCain also made today referring to Richardson’s remark. “The truth is that Sen. Obama wants to give tax breaks to 95 percent of workers and their families, while Sen. McCain’s plan provides no tax relief for more than 100 million Americans.”

End of story. Unless you're one of the "journalists" dedicated to flogging false stories generated by Rush Limbaugh and his clones. And this time, Heather Wilson is one of the clones. Understand, she's hard up for a job. She must think she's got nothing left to lose. I wonder what she'll do when Obama-Biden are inaugurated.

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You're Invited: DPNM Election Night Celebration

Part of the hardworking DPNM team: Chair Brian Colon,
Executive Director Josh Geise, Press Secretary Conchita Cruz

On Tuesday, November 4th, please join the Democratic Party of New Mexico, Rep. Tom Udall, Martin Heinrich and local Democratic elected officials and candidates in Albuquerque for Election Night:

Democratic Party of New Mexico Election Night Celebration
Albuquerque Convention Center
401 2nd St NW, Albuquerque, NM
Tuesday, November 4th, 2008
Doors Open: 7:00PM

This event is free and open to the public. Please forward widely. Tickets are not required, however, please RSVP here.

For Hotel Accommodations: Hyatt Regency Albuquerque, 330 Tijeras NW, (505) 842-1234. For reduced rates, please indicate you are with the Democratic Party of New Mexico. Contact Beth Adams for more information - (505)380-3650.

Photos by M.E. Broderick. Click on images for larger versions. See more.

NM-03: Albuquerque Journal Endorses Luján; Candidate Has Packed Saturday Schedule

The Albuquerque Journal today endorsed Democrat Ben Ray Luján for Congress in NM-03. You can read their their editorial below the jump.

As I'm sure you've noticed, this election season has been packed with campaign events, canvasses and rallies of all kinds, and now it's time for the last big push. Democrats will be out in force working hard in every race on the ticket from now thru election day, and NM-03 Congressional candidate Ben Ray Luján is no exception.

Today, on the last day for Early Voting (click to find locations and hours), Ben Ray will attend several Get Out The Vote events including an early vote rally with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Senator Jeff Bingaman and Rep. Tom Udall. After the rally, Luján will cast his vote early and reach out to voters in Santa Fe. Check out his packed schedule:

Full Schedule: Saturday, November 1:

9:00-10:30 AM: Early Vote Rally, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, Rep. Tom Udall and Commissioner Ben Ray Luján, Democratic Coordinated Campaign Headquarters, Plaza del Sol Shopping Center, 720 St. Michaels Drive, Santa Fe

11:00-11:30 AM: Ben Ray Luján will vote at the Santa Fe County Clerk's Office, 102 Grant Ave., Santa Fe

11:30 AM-1:00 PM: Ben Ray Luján will visit the Santa Fe Farmer's Market and talk to attendees

1:00-3:00 PM: Ben Ray Luján will knock on doors of undecided voters in Santa Fe

3:45-5:00 pPM Ben Ray Luján will speak to canvassers at the Santa Fe Obama Headquarters and join them to knock on doors, Santa Fe Obama Field Office, 3494 Zafarano Drive, Suite B, Santa Fe

Albuquerque Journal Endorsement: November 1, 2008

3rd DISTRICT: Ben Ray Luján — There is a reason Luján dominated a tough, six-way primary battle for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. House seat in the 3rd Congressional District. Luján won 41 percent of the primary vote because he is a good fit for the district.

Back when the war in Iraq was the No. 1 issue on voters' minds, Luján was calling for an end to it — just like most northern New Mexicans. When the top issue switched to high gas prices and U.S. dependence on foreign oil, Luján favored renewable energy development over oil drilling. While that tends to track thinking in much of his district outside the Farmington area, he will need to be open to a "do it all" energy policy so essential to the nation's security.

A member of the Public Regulation Commission, he is on track with his suggestion that the national research laboratories should play a leading role in wind and solar energy technology.

Now, of course, the top issue is the economy.

With home values collapsing and job security shaken, the district needs an advocate in Washington who will be able to work with the House majority from Day One.

The Journal endorses Ben Ray Luján for the job.