Democracy for New Mexico

Catching Up After the Fourth

Dem float in Capitan NM 4th of July parade*

The long Independence Day weekend has been a welcome respite from blogging and politics, but now it's time to jump back into the fray. Here are a few items to help you do just that:

Following on rumors bubbling up over the holiday weekend, the DNCC announced that Obama will give his nomination acceptance speech on the final day of the Dem Convention in Denver at Mile High stadium (er, Invesco Field), where the Broncos play. Pepsi Center, site of the Convention, holds 20,000. Mile High 75,000. All of Thursday evening's Convention events will take place at the stadium and the public will included in the festivities.

Iraqi prime minister al-Maliki is signaling he just might want to set a timetable for the withdrawal of American troops. Imagine that.

Nathan P. Small's post on Heath Haussamen responds very effectively to Jim Scarantino's claim that Rep. Steve Pearce's phony Dona Ana County public lands bill is a widely supported and effective way to protect the Organ Mountains and other natural jewels down south. But then, passing off an anti-public lands bill as being pro-public lands is something of a GOP habit.

The New York Times profiles Mark and Tom Udall and examines the pluses and minuses of their family's history of environmental activism.

Another photo from the Capitan NM 4th of July parade*

Contrary to the talking heads, Obama has Hispanic voters solidly behind him according to polling by Gallup. In June, Obama had the support of 59% compared to McCain's 29% nationally. And in data collected by Pacific Market Research and combined for the Southwestern battleground states, which include New Mexico, Obama is leading McCain 57 percent to 26 percent. Read the New Mexico Independent by Marjorie Childress for more.

An anti-worker business PAC is backing Darren White for Congress in NM-01.

U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi will appear at Netroots Nation in Austin on Saturday morning, July 19th to take questions. (You can submit your question at the link.) Our state should be well-represented at the blogger convention. Mary Ellen and I will be there, as will Matt of New Mexico FBIHOP and a number of other New Mexicans who participate at Daily Kos. Dem Congressional candidates Martin Heinrich (NM-01) and Ben Ray Luján (NM-03) will be panelists for a discussion on New Mexico: Case Study for the Interior West.

*Note: Photos sent along from Dem Ellen Wedum, who's running for the NM House in HD 59. She had this to say about the celebration in Capitan: "I was in the 4th of July parade in Capitan (which is actually 2 miles west of the border of House District 59 in Lincoln County) and both NM-02 Congressional candidate Ed Tinsley and his wife were there. Lots of Tinsley stickers around. Both HD 57 candidates, Democrat Mary Barron and Republican Dennis Kintigh, were there -- Capitan is in HD 57. My HD 59 opponent, Nora Espinoza, was not. She missed a fun parade. The Capitan main street is lined with trees and friendly people."

Meanwhile, NM-02 Dem Congressional candidate Harry Teague visited five communities during the holiday weekend.

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More Freedom Weekend Reading: Frank Rich on Wall-E for Prez

Frank Rich of the New York Times decides to take in a summer movie to escape the political tit for tatting, only to discover how Wall-E resonates with his mood and where we are in the scheme of things. Read it. A couple of excerpts:

For all the hyperventilation on the left about Mr. Obama's rush to the center - some warranted, some not - what's more alarming is how small-bore and defensive his campaign has become. Whether he's reaffirming his long-held belief in faith-based programs or fudging his core convictions about government snooping, he is drifting away from the leadership he promised and into the focus-group-tested calculation patented by Mark Penn in his disastrous campaign for Hillary Clinton. Mr. Obama's Wednesday address calling for renewed public service is unassailable in principle but inadequate to the daunting size of the serious American crisis at hand. The speech could have been - and has been - delivered by any candidate of either party in any election year since 1960.

... Mr. McCain should be required to see 'Wall-E' to learn just how far adrift he is from an America whose economic fears cannot be remedied by his flip-flop embrace of the Bush tax cuts (for the wealthy) and his sham gas-tax holiday (for everyone else). Mr. Obama should see it to be reminded of just how bold his vision of change had been before he settled into a front-runner's complacency. Americans should see it to appreciate just how much things are out of joint on an Independence Day when a cartoon robot evokes America's patriotic ideals with more conviction than either of the men who would be president.

More Freedom and Justice Reading for the Fourth Weekend

Former constitutional law and civil rights attorney Glenn Greenwald goes into detail on a recent court ruling that undermines the Congressional excuses for granting telecom immunity, and responds to Obama's latest statement defending his position to the more than 19,000 who have signed on at his website to urge him to vote no on FISA. Excerpt, but do read the entire Greenwald post (and his links):

A Bush-41-appointed Federal District Judge yesterday became the third judge -- out of three who have ruled on the issue -- to reject the Bush administration's claim that Article II entitles the President to override or ignore the provisions of FISA. Yesterday's decision by Judge Vaughn Walker of the Northern District of California also guts the central claims for telecom immunity and gives the lie to the excuses coming from Congress as to why the new FISA bill is some sort of important "concession." More than anything else, this decision is but the most recent demonstration that, with this new FISA bill, our political establishment is doing what it now habitually does: namely, ensuring that the political and corporate elite who break our laws on purpose are immune from consequences.

Also check out the story by Marjorie Childress at the NM Independent on FISA, Obama and the anger in the netroots-Dem base.

Hey Barack, Listen Up

Here's a video from Sen. Russ Feingold in response to the many messages he's getting encouraging him to keep fighting the dangerous FISA bill that will now be heard when the Senate reconvenes next Tuesday. He summarizes what's wrong with this bill, and says our letters, phone calls and emails are making a real difference in this fight. We need to keep up the pressure -- on our Senators and our presumptive presidential nominee.

As currently written, the bill would provide retroactive immunity to telecoms without their having to enter a court of law to try and justify their complicity with illegal acts by President Bush. Even worse, the bill would give unprecedented and wide-ranging access to all our international communications without a court overseeing the process.

How could any Democrat vote for such a constitution-shredding bill? Ask Senator Obama -- if he follows through with his stated intention to vote for the FISA bill with or without telecom immunity. Despite his campaign's previous statement that he'd support a filibuster of any bill that contained retroactive immunity, Obama suddenly seems to believe that the dangers of terrorism justify throwing our privacy rights and laws in the trash can. Can anything be farther from the truth or sound more like a Bush-Cheney-McCain punchline? Is Obama really no better than the likes of Rep. Steny Hoyer, who pushed this bill on the House side?

Tonight's Obama Meeting
We attended the Obama campaign meeting tonight at the Plumbers' Hall in Albuquerque and it was apparent that Obama's incredibly disappointing and dismissive statement about the FISA bill was much on people's minds. Obviously, the 60+ people who showed up tonight to touch base with the new field organizers and get certified as voter registrars are gung-ho Obama supporters. And yet the enthusiasm of many seemed subdued and unfocused.

There was a fair amount of whispering and muttering going on in the crowd about Obama and FISA, as well as a few other stances he's taken recently. Several people even challenged the organizers about Obama's upcoming FISA vote, saying they'd have a very hard time going door to door to encouage people to vote for Barack if he backed the bill as written.

Meanwhile, outside the meeting, clumps of people expressed their disappointment and confusion about the Obama campaign's recent tack toward the Dem spinelessness we've come to know and abhor. No, not more of that, please. We've had enough.

Danger Ahead for Obama?
If I were Obama or any of his advisors, I'd be more than a little wary about these early danger signals within the ranks of those who need to be passionate in their support if the campaign's field strategy is to succeed. I can't imagine any of us abandoning the nominee based on his wrong-headed FISA vote, his unnecessary criticism of Wesley Clark's reasonable remarks about McCain or other similar disappointments, but it sure would make it harder to nourish a healthy sense of enthusiasm for the work that's ahead. Or to dig deep to donate generously to his campaign.

Is Obama willing to risk that in order to try and avoid criticism from the fearmongering hyenas of the punditry and the right? Hasn't he learned the most important lesson we've learned from what we've endured over the past decade or more? The hyenas will attack in the very same way whether Obama toes their line or not.

WE know this. Why doesn't Obama? Maybe he'll start getting the picture from what's become the fourth largest group on my.barackobama.com.  “Senator Obama­ Please Vote NO on Telecom Immunity –­ Get FISA Right” is five days old and growing fast. Their mission statement says: “We are a proud group of your supporters who believe in your call for hope and a new kind of politics. Please reject the politics of fear on national security, vote against this bill and lead other Democrats to do the same!” Click here to join the group, which currently has more than 9600 members. And read this by one of the folks who started the group. Here's a wiki that makes it easy to take action.

Much will be revealed next week. As Feingold says in the video, "I teased some of my colleagues and said we can celebrate the Constitution on July 4th and maybe when we come back you'll decide not to tear it up." Get it, Barack? Get it, Sen. Bingaman?

Let's keep up the contacts between now and next Tuesday and let those who are supposed to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law know we're watching and that we understand, very specifically, what's wrong with this bill. And with any Senator who votes for it in its present form.

P.S. As usual Glenn Greenwald says it all and says it well.

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Tonight: Meet Campaign Staff at Obama for NM Meeting in ABQ

Obama's speech on patriotism yesterday in Independence MO

RSVP for tonight's Obama for New Mexico meeting in Albuquerque and meet the campaign's new staff members. You can also find out what's happening now that the national campaign is in full gear, and get deputized so you can register voters. This weekly meeting has now moved to larger quarters:

Tuesday, July 1, 2008, 7-8:00 PM
Plumbers and Pipefitters Hall
510 San Pedro SE, Albuquerque, NM 87106

Also check out the many events scheduled in the coming weeks, including a massive voter registration drive before and during Fourth of July events around the state.

You can get trained and signed up as a voter registrar beforehand at a number of gatherings around New Mexico. And on Thursday, July 3rd, you're invited to get creative and make signs for the Independence Day actions at the campaign office of NM-01 Congressional candidate Martin Heinrich.

At the New Mexico page on the main Obama campaign website, you can find and sign up with an Obama group near you, get local and national news and stay current on campaign activities. If you live in Santa Fe, also check out the Santa Fe Grassroots for Obama blog.

It's time to gear up and get involved. Can you feel it?

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After Midnight ...

... it'll be too late. Too late to donate to one or all of our True Blue New Mexico candidates before the end of the second quarter campaign finance reporting period. Consider donating even $1 or $5 to help remake our state into a True Blue New Mexico. If we'd all do our part, the totals would rise dramatically. Lots of small donations can often overcome the influence of big donations from all the wrong people to the GOP candidates running against our Dems. But to make it work, we all have to participate.

Take Martin Heinrich's race for Congress in NM-01. Bush flew into town recently and raised more than $300,000 in whopper donations from GOP bigwigs for Repub Darren White. How do we help to undercut that advantage? By clicking here and donating even a few bucks to Martin Heinrich's campaign. Martin's aiming to raise at least $75,000 $100,000? online by midnight tonight. Can we help put him over the top?

You can plug in an amount at the top of the ActBlue page to be split among the five True Blue candidates or you can scroll down and give only to one or two. But I do hope you give something, whatever you can, before tonight at 11:59 PM.

Down-Ticket Races
Are you more motivated to give to candidates in down-ticket races? You can easily do just that on ActBlue too. Whether you live in their districts or not, onsider donating to these Dems in contested New Mexico legislative and other races:

New Mexico State House Races:

Janice Saxton (website)
Dem candidate for NM House in HD 22
ActBlue page

Ben Rodefer
Dem candidate for NM House in HD 23
ActBlue page

Ellen Wedum (website)
Dem candidate for NM House in HD 59
ActBlue page

Craig Cosner (website and address for check)
Dem candidiate for NM House in HD 67

More New Mexico House candidates

New Mexico State Senate Races:

Jeff Carr (website)
Dem candidate for NM Senate in SD 7
ActBlue page

Victor Raigoza (website)
Dem candidate for NM Senate in SD 10
ActBlue page

Tim Eichenberg (website)
Dem candidate for NM Senate in SD 15
ActBlue page

Jessica Wolfe (website)
Dem candidate for NM Senate in SD 21
ActBlue page

More New Mexico Senate candidates

Bernalillo County Clerk:

Maggie Toulouse Oliver (website and donation button)

Did I leave out a favorite candidate of yours? Let me know in the comments and I will add the name to my listing.

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Richardson Gives Dem Radio Address; Praises Obama on Energy Plan

Gov. Bill Richardson delivered the Democratic radio address this week, and praised Sen. Barack Obama for his ability to bring change to Washington and help American families struggling with the high cost of energy. Richardson, who served as Energy Secretary in the Clinton administration, applauded Obama for his dedication to ending the country’s dependence on foreign oil and his commitment to investing in alternative energy sources.

Richardson also stressed that that John McCain’s support for expanded offshore drilling will do nothing to help struggling families and a faltering economy. He says McCain offers gimmicks and quick fixes instead of substantive, long-term solutions to our energy and climate woes.

The transcript of the radio address is below. To listen to the address, click here (mp3).

Transcript of Radio Address:

Good morning. I’m Bill Richardson, Governor of New Mexico.

Across this country Americans are hurting – struggling to cope with the soaring cost of gas and groceries. And they know that Washington hasn’t done enough to bring prices down or to end our dependence on foreign oil. And they certainly know that we haven’t done enough to help struggling families in the short term.

A failure of leadership has gotten us into this situation and only real, honest leadership can get us out. When times are tough it’s easy to go with what seems like a quick fix. But in government, just like in our personal lives, quick fixes are gimmicks that often just make things worse.

John McCain is offering gimmicks that on the surface may sound good; but, in reality will cost us jobs and won’t help families. And they certainly won’t reduce our addiction to imported oil. Senator McCain’s gimmicks – a gas tax holiday that will save consumers at most a gas tax holiday that will save consumers—at most—thirty cents a day for three months, and offering a prize for inventing a car battery - are not answers. As former Secretary of Energy, I know they won’t work.

Barack Obama is proposing real solutions that will provide immediate relief to Americans and build a new energy economy for the future. Senator Obama will push for a second stimulus package that will send out another round of rebate checks to the American people.  He’ll tax the record profits of oil companies and use the money to help struggling families pay their energy bills. He’ll provide a $1,000 tax cut that will go to 95 percent of all workers and their families in this country.  And he’ll close the loophole that allows corporations like Enron to engage in unregulated speculation that ends up artificially driving up the price of oil.

Obama will also raise the fuel standards in our cars and trucks and provide financial help to our automakers and autoworkers to help them make this transition.  He’ll invest $150 billion over the next ten years in alternative sources of energy like wind power, and solar power, and advanced biofuels, creating up to five million new jobs.

President Bush and Senator McCain want to open our pristine wilderness lands and shorelines to unrestricted drilling.  That is beyond irresponsible- it is dangerous and unnecessary. And will do nothing to provide immediate relief for families struggling with the high cost of gas. We’re not against responsible drilling. We believe the oil companies should drill on some of the millions of acres of land they already have but aren’t using, instead of snapping up new land and putting our natural resources at risk. We’re against irresponsible drilling. And the truth is we have just less than 2% of the world’s oil reserves but 25% of the demand.  We can’t simply drill our way out of this energy crisis.

Barack Obama is offering a serious national commitment to transition our economy from our dependence on oil to clean, affordable sources of energy. He’ll make it a priority to finally reduce our dependence on foreign oil. And instead of giving out tax breaks to the oil companies, he’ll put tax breaks in the pockets of the middle class Americans who are the true engine of our economy.

As we prepare to celebrate our nation’s independence, let us all join with Senator Obama in a commitment to declare our independence from imported oil.  Barack’s plan to build a new energy future and a stronger middle class is not a partisan issue- It’s an American issue. It’s the right thing to do.

This Fourth of July, please keep our men and women serving in uniform in your prayers and in your hearts.  God Bless You, and God Bless America.

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U-N-I-T-Y: Today and Saturday

Barack and Hillary: Unity in Unity NH Today

Following on the heels of today's rally in Unity NH with Barack and Hillary, tomorrow there will be more than 4,000 Unite for Change events across the country. Last time I looked, 39 of them were organized in New Mexico, including house parties, a picnic and a gathering at a burger joint.

There's still time to RSVP for an event or create your own. Click here. According to Obama '08, "You'll gather -- not just with Obama supporters, but with anyone who's tired of the politics of the past and ready for something new -- to discuss our common vision for the future. And you'll start planning how to build this movement across the country in the weeks and months ahead."

Read the New York Times account of the Obama-Hillary unity action today. Quote:

“Unity is not only a beautiful place, it’s a wonderful feeling, isn’t it?” Mrs. Clinton said. “I know what we start here in this field of unity will end on the steps of the Capitol when Barack Obama takes the oath of office.”

... On a sultry summer day, with the aroma of grilled hamburgers and hot dogs in the air, the rally took on the trappings of a political festival. A giant blue banner, “Unite for Change” provided a backdrop against a meadow of trees. Many of those in the crowd, who came from New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and beyond, wore faded stickers of their favorite candidate.

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Obama Names Adrian Saenz as NM Campaign Director

A press release today from the Obama campaign announced that Adrian Saenz, who was Obama's state director for the Texas primary and caucuses, will lead the New Mexico campaign. Saenz recently served as Chief of Staff for Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D,TX-23) and was previously the Press Secretary for Rep. Charlie Gonzalez (D, TX-20).

Obama's Albuquerque Visit: Video Clips and More

Above are four video clips we shot at Barack Obama's meeting with working women at the Flying Star Commissary in Albuquerque yesterday. The first is a clip from his speech and the rest are from his question and answer session with participants. You can view the clips individually here. Also see our previous first-person account of this event, as well as our photo album on Flickr.

Santa Fe New Mexican reporter Kate Nash working away at Obama event

You can read Nash's article on the Obama visit here. Kate was by far the friendliest of the mainstream media folks at the event. Some others, especially a few of the TV folks, didn't seem too pleased to have their territory invaded by mere bloggers.

Leslie Linthicum (Albuquerque Journal), Stuart Dyson (KOB)

Leslie Linthicum's Journal article about the event and her interview with Obama is here. KOB-TV's Stuart Dyson has a video report here.

P.S If you'd like to help us provide better quality video and audio on DFNM, I hope you'll consider making a small donation so we can purchase better equipment we can use at future events.

Mary Ellen and I will be representing New Mexico at the Dem Convention in Denver in August as part of the DNC's State Blogger Corps. DFNM is credentialed for seating with our state delegation, right on the Convention floor, and we'll be live-blogging and providing extensive coverage of the event. We have to pay our own hotel and other travel costs (as well as provide our own tech equipment) -- an expensive proposition considering the pricing of accommodations in Denver during Convention week.

Click the orange Donate button on the upper left-hand corner of this page to contribute, or email me at dfnm_albq AT comcast.net to learn of other ways to donate.

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