Redwood Times Second District candidate interviews

Available online. I just read them over lunch. I wish the same questions had been asked of each candidate to make more policy comparisons, but the interviews are very informative nonetheless.

More later.

The letters to the editor are posted as well. Of course, the letter making waves is the one in last week’s paper by Maggie Carey and Joe Collins, former Estelle supporters. Why are so many in this community, on all sides of issues, so incapable of accepting that reasonable minds can reasonably differ? Lots of other very articulate letters supporting the other candidates as well.

McCain’s last ditch

This is a net ad he’s hoping will “go viral.” According to Google, there has been a huge increase in searches on Bill Ayers over the past week, which is good for Ayers actually, especially if it takes people to his blog. The poor guy is collateral damage in this election, and Obama can’t do anything to defend his character. McCain is planning a shorter television ad.

Here’s an amusing video taken outside a McCain event in Ohio yesterday. I actually think the blogger who took the video is playing the same kind of game that O’Reilly’s “gotcha” crew play on unsuspecting people. You stick a microphone in anybody’s face with pointed questions and he or she is more likely to say something stupid. I’m certain there were more coherent responses that didn’t make it onto the final product. Plus, I think some of the people calling Obama a terrorist were just trying to mirror the blogger’s beligerence. Not all, but some. And yes, those comments about “bloodlines” and Islamic influences on him when he was one years old are scary in their ignorance.

That being said, the statement of one woman reveals the downside of McCain’s blizzard-of-junk media strategy. When you throw out so many negative talking points at once, your own supporters are bound to get confused. Otherwise she would not have confused ACORN with Fannie Mae.

Meanwhile, Democratic Party 527s are putting out their own attacks. Some of them are lame. This one may draw some blood particularly as reports like this one trickle into the news.

Addendum: An amusing anecdote from a blogger on Daily Kos.

One of the men told a story this morning about his 95 year old father. He started the story by explaining his father’s view of the world. His father was raised in a segregated and racist environment. My friend always believed that his father had a good heart and harbored no animosity or hatred against people of other races but he was known to make ‘inappropriate’ statements. My friend was determined to get his father’s vote for Obama but frankly was unsure if he would be successful.

His father seldom gets out anymore so last week-end he went and visited him to help him with his absentee ballot. They talked about family items and then my friend said ‘Dad, do you want to just vote a straight Democratic ticket?’ My scheming friend thought he’d get his dad’s commitment and vote that way and avoid a direct conversation about Obama. Dad readily agreed to an all Democratic selection and then paused, looking worried and slightly confused. ‘Uh-oh’ my friend thought. His dad said ‘That’s fine but just make sure you vote for that colored boy.’

Second addendum: It’s not over. Massive numbers of voters are being purged in swing states, and the purges may be illegal.

Third addendum: Remember the black guy who asked McCain the question about the bailout in the debate? McCain responded that the guy probably hadn’t heard of Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. The guy isn’t happy about the condescension.

The financial crisis comes local

Evergreen pulp mill is shutting down until further notice. 215 unemployed, including blogger Richard Marks.

Photo comes taken by Dave Glass comes from flickr.