Your Halloween Robo-Call

Courtesy of Jason Silverstein at McSweeney's

"Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that Barack Obama talks during movies. During a recent screening of The Dark Knight, Barack Obama irritated several pro-America patrons when he echoed the famous 'Why so serious?' line to his wife, Michelle, who hasn't always been proud of being an American, much like the Joker. He'll raise his voice over Heath Ledger's. And he'll raise your taxes. That's why I'm so serious, my friends, about your vote on November 4."

Obama Update

To update Griff's post:

The Enquirer is reporting that Senator Obama will address a rally to be held at Nippert Stadium on the campus of UC at 9:00 pm. According to an email that UC has sent to students, gates will open at 6:00.

I'll be waiting to see if our local stations broadcast the address live, as they did in 2004 when Bush made a campaign stop here just before the election.

Ain't that America, we're somethin' to see, baby

Ain't that America, the home of the free

What kind of person puts a sign like this up in front of their business (Salem Hardware in Mt. Washington)? Or hangs Senator Obama in effigy on the University of Kentucky campus? Or hangs Governor Palin in effigy in West Hollywood?

Let's just have an election before any more of our ugliness is unleashed. It's quite sad.

But apparently we are still fighting over where Senator Obama was born out in Warren County, so on we go . . . . . . And what clever nefarious people Senator Obama's grandparents must have been to put that birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper after his birth in 1961 --- you see, they knew, as all clever radical sleepers must, that this newborn would one day run for President against someone born in Panama (Didn't the Senate feel it necessary to pass a sense of the Senate resolution declaring John McCain a "real American" even though he was born in Panama?). But damn, these folks are sneaky. (All those of you who are mouthing the idiocy of Corsi, Berg, and Savage on this point please explain the birth announcement for me.)

Does everyone have their tinfoil hat on today? It is Halloween, after all.

Just Four More Days ---- KNOW HOPE AND VANQUISH NUTTINESS

Be Safe Among The Ghouls And Goblins In Our Midst Tonight!

Obama in Cincinnati on Sunday?

The word I have gotten is that Obama will be doing a large event in Cincinnati on Sunday Night. Anyone have more information on that? Send me an email with the details and I'll post it.

UPDATE: I guess I need to check all of email, I have an email from the Obama media folks and they have this on the schedule for November 2nd:

CHANGE WE NEED RALLY WITH BARACK OBAMA
Cincinnati area, OH
Details TBA

As I get more, I'll let you know.

Down-Ticket Races

Most of the media's attention has been focused on the presidential election. I suspect most people have made their decision in that race by now. But maybe people haven't paid attention to state- and county-wide races yet. To the extent that's the case, I wanted to create a post that pulls together info on the candidates in those races. Be clear: I'm not endorsing anyone; I'm just providing links to the websites and a description of a candidate's current post or position, where I can find it easily. Apologies for the length of the post.

Ohio Attorney General:
Repubican Mike Crites (currently in private practice) is challenging incumbent Democrat Richard Cordray. Cordray Nancy Rogers was appointed to the seat following the resignation of Marc Dann, but is not running to hold it.

County Commissioner (2):
Republican Ed Rothenberg (running without his party's endorsement) is challenging incumbent Democrat Todd Portune.
Independent Chris Dole (a registered Democrat running without that party's endorsement, currently a Crosby Township trustee) and Republican Greg Hartmann (currently Clerk of Courts) are running for an open seat (left open by incumbent Pat DeWine).

Clerk of Courts:
Democrat Martha Good (currently a professor at Miami) and Republican Patricia Clancy (currently a county probation officer) are running for this seat (left open by incumbent Greg Hartmann).

County Recorder:
Democrat Wayne Coates (currently bailiff to Judge Ted Berry) is challenging incumbent Republican Rebecca Groppe.

County Treasurer:
Democrat Steve Brinker (an attorney in private practice) is challenging incumbent Republican Robert Goering, for whom I can't locate a campaign website).

Common Pleas Court Judge (Three Contested Seats):
Democratic-endorsed Norma Holt Davis (currently in private practice) and Republican-endorsed Pat DeWine (currently a county comissioner) are running for a six-year term in a seat that is being vacated by Judge David Davis, who is retiring at the end of the current term.

Democratic-endorsed Jerry Metz (in private practice) is challenging Republican-endorsed incumbent Judge Fred Nelson, for whom I can't locate a campaign website, for a fresh six-year term.

Democratic-endorsed incumbent Judge Jody Luebbers is being challenged by Republican-endorsed Municipal Court Judge Russell Mock for an unexpired term that ends January 1, 2011. This is a mid-term election for a seat initially held by Judge Dinkelacher, who retired from Common Pleas Court after being elected to the Court of Appeals. Alex Triantafilou was appointed to the seat by then-Governor Taft in 2006, but resigned to become HamCo GOP chair before being required to defend the seat in an election.

Update: Post revised slightly to correct a really silly error I made with respect to the AG race.

Early Voting

Today, I went to the Board of Elections and cast an absentee ballot. From start (getting in line near Eighth and Broadway) to finish (getting my "I Made A Difference" sticker), it took about an hour. (I went around 2:00.)

I like voting on Election Day at my precinct, and voted early only because I'm slated to be a poll observer and won't be able to get to my own polling place. I'm a little sad that I won't be able to walk into my polling place on Tuesday.

But one benefit of voting early was getting to chat with some of the candidates, who were working the line (beyond the 100-foot demarcation inside of which political activity is disallowed). The candidates I noticed: Commissioner Pat DeWine (running for Common Pleas Court); Wayne Coates (for County Recorder); and Jerry Metz (for Common Pleas Court). Lots of other candidates had surrogates passing out flyers. Oddly, none of the candidates for Ohio's Second District were present or had any campaign workers in the area. Perhaps they've decided that the campaign will be won or lost in Clermont County, and are ignoring the part of the district within Hamilton County.

The folks at the Board of Elections seemed well-organized and were extremely courteous and helpful.

Political Art at 9th and Vine

Here's some interesting political art up near the corner of 9th and Vine Street.