With less than three weeks remaining in the election, John McCain isn’t quite political toast yet, but he’s under the broiler, there’s smoke around his edges and people are beginning to arrange the butter and jam.

McCain had his best debate performance of the election last night, and arguably might have won it. But that may be a bit like this year’s final tournament of the Fed Ex Cup golf playoffs. Vijay Singh had built such a lead by the time the final post-season tournament came around, all he had to do was complete it alive to win the $10 million Cup prize. Obama emerged from the debate on the defensive, with some bruises, but very much alive. That may be all he needed to do.

The daily national polls the media loves to tout are meaningless. To understand the condition of the presidential race, you have to look at the contest state by state. Right now, it looks very blue.

According to Real Clear Politics, Barack Obama has a clear lead in states with 249 of the 270 electoral votes necessary to win. He has a lead in states with another 37 electoral votes. John McCain has a solid lead… Read More

A John McCann TV spot, up heavily on broadcast and cable….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NFQc1gjdCw… Read More

In the midst of our own election in California and with a workload that would rival the weight ofAgamemnon’s armor,I am nevertheless in Columbus, Ohio, the state capitol for a few days, and there is no escaping full-blown court room political drama. More than 200,000 "voters" here will be required to cast "provisional" rather than regular ballots as a result of a Federal Court order that attempts to reconcile huge discrepancies between the secretary of state’s voter rolls and the actual voter roles of local election officials. Fast at work here have been ACORN and other Democratic voter registration groups that have been accused for vote rigging. Apparently, one individual here was registered to vote 72 different ways by these "do-gooders." In a tight, heavily campaigned swing state, that could make a difference. It looks like Florida all over again, but a midwest version, in this current Presidential election.

There is an underlying dirt to this election coming from the Obama supporters. Enemies lists. Threatening anonymous letters to Republican activists. Voter fraud. I predict we will… Read More

Today I am quite pleased to present this special guest commentary from long-long time FR friend Christopher Lauer… Flash

The "Liberal"-tarian Party of Death By Chris Lauer

Recently, I had an interesting political discussion with an old friend who is a proud, card-carrying member of the Libertarian Party. He was urging me with great enthusiasm to vote Libertarian in this year’s presidential election.

I explained to him that while I have sympathy for the Libertarian Party (and consider myself somewhat of a libertarian); I could not… Read More

Today I am quite pleased to present this special guest commentary from long-long time FR friend Christopher Lauer… Flash The "Liberal"-tarian Party of Death By Chris Lauer

Recently, I had an interesting political discussion with an old friend who is a proud, card-carrying member of the Libertarian Party. He was urging me with great enthusiasm to vote Libertarian in this year’s presidential election.

I explained to him that while I have sympathy for the Libertarian Party (and consider myself somewhat of a libertarian); I could not associate… Read More

As I write this, nearly a hundred Republican activists have been evacuated from the Sacramento GOP Heaquarters on Madison. Apparently a strange, unknown man came into the HQ with a box, and left the package and split. The police are on the scene and the bomb squad is rolling… Good grief!… Read More

When I served as the Mayor of Woodland I attempted to get an ordinance passed that would have prevented "public education" campaigns with city funds for any issue pending on the ballot during the sixty days prior to the election. I could not even get a second for my motion.

What happens is that a government entity really wants a bond, parcel tax or other revenue increase to pass a vote of the electorate. In an attempt to "educate" the electorate they send out mail, e-mails, do forums or other things to tell the electorate all the good things that will happen if the measure passes.

I think this is wrong. It is legal but wrong. All of these efforts don’t directly advocate for the passage or defeat of the measure — they just provide information.

Today I got an e-mail from the High Speed Rail Commission. Here is the link so you can get all the good information too. It does not advocate for the passage of Prop 1A or even mention it but it certainly tells me all the good things that come with high speed rail.

As we… Read More

As always, someone or two are on my flights to or from Sacramento. On my flight home with me are CRP Treasurer Keith Carlson and former LA Times Reporter turned OC government bureaucrat Jean Pasco. I'll be spending my time talking to Jean!… Read More