And, I mean that Literally.

I was starting to put together a review of the races for myself and was immediately struck by something that I already knew, but maybe had forgotten or not put enough thought into. Women stand a good chance of controlling most of North Carolina Democratic Politics this year. Go below the fold for a quick list of key women and the races they are running.

Originally posted at BlueNC.

There has been much written about this race. Jim Neal is a successful businessman with progressive ideals who is willing to fight for what he believes. Kay Hagan is a corporate Democrat that is most famous in North Carolina for proposing a budget that cut Medicaid to the blind, elderly, and seniors while also cutting taxes for corporations and citizens making over $250,000. However, the DSCC has decided that Kay Hagan is their candidate. Take this little info that was slipped into a blog by well-respected North Carolina Journalist and Blogger Mark Binker:

Staff. Hagan and Neal have a blend of professional and volunteer staff that organize meet-and-greets, run the website, spin reporters, network, fundraise and do all the grunt work of a campaign...Hagan is rolling with DSCC-vetted staffers and Neal has hired an outside consultant with experience running "outsider" campaigns.

The DSCC has made their choice, but after the break I want to further introduce you to Kay Hagan and why YOU need to back the Ned Lamont of 2008, the Jon Tester of 2008 - Jim Neal.

I get so sick of the niceties when it comes to campaign lies. They aren't distortions, they are lies. The video after the break is Kay Hagan's first commercial, which in addition to being a boring biographical commercial is also spreading the lie that she "brought change, raising the minimum wage". Kay Hagan is one three Senators that controls the purse strings in North Carolina, the same purse strings that sought to cut Medicaid services to the blind and elderly while bringing shockingly high tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations. With that control Kay Hagan sought to cripple the benefits of the minimum wage increase through a  Republican tactic that was pioneered by....are you ready for this.....Elizabeth Dole.

If you want a corporate Democrat that will stand up for profits over people, then by all means support the status quo and support Kay Hagan.  But, if you want a progressive Democrat to win in North Carolina, then it is up to you to support Jim Neal.

In the race to replace Elizabeth Dole (R-Kansas D.C.-NC)The North Carolina Senate race pits an entrenched corporate Democrat who is right about some of the things some of the times versus a Progressive, outsider Democrat running on grassroots/netroots support who is right on the issues. An inspirational, progressive, well-spoken, outsider with a proven record of raising funds for other Democrats steps up to the plate - Jim Neal. Jim Neal is the outsider who is relying on our support because he won't get it from the DSCC. During a live-blog at BlueNC Jim is asked whether he is gay and responds that he is; Jim's phone calls no longer get answered, the DSCC doesn't include him on their North Carolina Senate news feed; and, they recruit Kay Hagan to run for the seat.
Who is Kay Hagan?

Jamess wrote an interesting diary over at Daily Kos about the delegate race, which we all understand is the center of attention in the Democratic race. The following figure shows how many delegates have been seated/chosen and how many have yet to be filled.

Now, what this tells us is that Edwards has a decent number of delegates, a good percentage, and that it has remained steady through every race. We'll have a better idea how things shake out after Feb. 5th, but the worst case scenario for Edwards appears to be that of King-maker. It's possible that there will be big swing to either Obama or Clinton, but more likely that it will remain tight and that 10-15% from Edwards will swing it one way or the other.

If you think Edwards is giving up, check this out.

Today's the day. Yes, yes, I think the people behind this are overly optimistic that they can raise $7 Million. But, every penny we raise can be used to fight the John Edwards blackout.

I've just been looking at the coverage of the debate and recent ads by factcheck.org and came to the startling conclusion that, much like the MSM, they seem to be "out to get" John Edwards. I mean, a company called "fact check" should probably, you know, stick to the facts. Instead, they play fast and loose with the facts, maybe they live by the "depends what the definition of is is" motto from the 1990s. Either way, I thought I would offer a counterpoint to their checksof the debate, and of the recently released ads.

originally published on BlueNC

I think the people behind this money bomb are being overly enthusiastic about the amount of money they can raise. However, the fact that I don't know if we can raise $7 Million does not change the fact that once again, this Friday, I will be giving my money to John Edwards for President.  Then, on Saturday, I'll be giving him my time.

I know something about John Edwards that many others don't know. I know that his supporters are still 100% behind him, all the way. How? Because, since the Iowa caucus I have done about 30 hours of phone banking at the John Edwards Campaign Headquarters and I can tell you that phone calls to former donors end up one of three ways....

I'm enjoying life.

Many of you might have seen my pro-JRE diaries at Daily Kos. "The year we stole a Christmas Tree" was popular recently. Maybe some of my John Edwards Mashup diaries from earlier in the year. Or, maybe some of you might know me from the things I focused on before the 2008 election, like MRDD, the original Scientist Registry at Daily Kos, or health care.
In fact, after 2004 I really thought my entire focus would be on North Carolina issues and North Carolina races. Not the Senate or Congress, I was diving into the weeds of the legislative races. I even wrote a series of diaries about it at BlueNC.  But, along the way something happened.

Originally published on BlueNC.

We have a good polling organization here in North Carolina - Public Policy Polling (PPP). They are not at all partisan to Edwards, in fact some of their previous polls have been used to say Edwards didn't even win his home state against Obama and Clinton. So, the polls out of North Carolina today might be instructive when it comes to "electability" in the swing/red states. Then again, it is his homestate, so maybe not.

Things were booming in Central Pennsylvania, as I like to say "Coal was King", and my Dad had worked his way from dozer operator to foreman. He had a company truck and gas and was making about $35,000 a year (1980 $s). The house we lived in was paid for as far as I can recall, we vacationed at Disney World, spent the summers and Easter in Benson and Wrightsville, and Christmas was spectacular.

We had a tradition that started in those years of going out to a nearby tree farm, walking through the woods and rows of trees looking for just the right one. We even got to the point where we could afford those big, beautiful, blue spruce trees and still to this day I consider THAT a Christmas tree. My mom was nuts about Christmas, we had tinsel on the tree, every ornament we'd ever made, garland up the banister, the stockings were hung with care, a Santa outside upon whose plastic list my mom had written the names of every kid in our town - you get the picture.  Christmas was magic, pure magic, the whole season. The cookies, the pies, the cakes, the turkey, ham, nutbread with cream cheese. Uh, it was awesome.

Until we stole that Christmas tree.

Today's 50-state blog roundup is brought to you by the letters B, N, and C - BlueNC. Major, major hat-tip to Betsy, who really did all the work. If you aren't reading your state's blog, you should be, because "all politics is local" should be more than a motto. This is an interesting week, the Presidential Primary is heating up in the early states (see below), while Virginia holds a special election next Tuesday. At the same time state legislatures seem to be trying and sneak in some iffy legislation before the holiday season.  Enjoy!

p.s. It's my birthday this weekend, I'll keep celebrating until I turn 40.

Advertise on the 50 State Blog Network.

originally published on BlueNC

I recently saw a story in the AP that dealt, once again, with the John Edwards $400 haircut. However, this time I was pleasantly surprised that the story was about a good cause - autism research. I was disappointed though, that the AP could not do a complete story and actually follow through with a little research. Unfortunately, our mainstream media have become "reporters", that is they simply report what they are told.

So, I thought I would you give you some background on this issue with regards to the Edwards campaign, and why what happened wasn't a stunt.

originally published on BlueNC

I regularly receive the RWJF News Digest: Health Insurance Coverage from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Today I was sad to see the following title heading up their coverage:

Health Care Industry Gives More to Democrats Despite Fears of Their Proposals

But, as I read through this article, there was a glimmer of hope. That glimmer?  John Edwards.  More after the break.

originally published at BlueNC

I, as much as anyone, have come out blasting the DSCC, the Democratic candidates, and anyone else who went looking for a new candidate just because Jim Neal was gay. That said, Hagan might very well make a great candidate. I would suggest that no one discount her because of when she came into the race or how. Anyone, except me that is. Because, for me, this race is about the heart of the Democratic Party in North Carolina and it is a gut check moment for Democrats around the country.  At stake is this....

Originally published at BlueNC

Organizational Endorsements
SEIU
There was talk that Clinton and Obama had dealt a huge blow to Edwards by blocking the will of the workers. John Edwards received ~55% of the votes in the SEIU strawpoll that is supposed to decide who SEIU endorses. However, the two largest locals are Illinois and New York, and they played politics to block the endorsement. The result? It appears to be a bunch of pissed-off locals who are making their own feelings known.  The latest in Massachusetts.

California (656,000 members)
Washington State(103,000)
Massachusetts (90,000 members)
Michigan (70,000 members)
Oregon (46,000 members)
Minnesota (28,000 members)
Ohio (22,000 members)
West Virginia (4,000 members)
Iowa (2000 members)
Idaho (400 members)
Montana (500 members)

Most important about these endorsements are the implications due to rules Andy Stern laid down after the New York and Illinois contingent played their veto cards.

originally published at BlueNC.

The DHHS group Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is crowing about the rate of retailers violating the law by selling cigarettes to juveniles being down to a new low. There is an inference here, at least in my reading of it, that this relates to juvenile smoking. That lowering this rate means less teens smoking. In fact, that is exactly how they describe it in their press release.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration today announced that sales of tobacco to underage youth have reached all time lows under the Synar Amendment program – a federal and state partnership program aimed at ending illegal tobacco sales to minors.

Now, I highlighted the Synar Amendment because they make the case that it is responsible for the decrease in retailer violations, which leads to decreased juvenile smoking. Maybe the Synar Amendment had something to do with this, but I'll offer another opinion after the break.

This is the latest from the John Edwards for President Campaign (click for youtube video, embed not working).