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Hotline After Dark — Kerry Critized For Being Not Very Funny — Did the last day of October bring the surprise the GOP has been waiting for? Cable coverage was all over John Kerry's remark on the troops and the admin's response: — CNN's Cooper: "Election 2006, it is beginning to look …
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New York Times:
As Vote Nears, Stances on War Set Off Sparks — For at least a few hours on Tuesday, President Bush had a chance to relive his victorious campaign of 2004, taking a break from a bleak Republican campaign season as he attacked Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts over the war in Iraq.
Boston Herald:
Kerry an embarrassment — Memo to John Kerry: The best defense isn't a good offense. — As he stumped for California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides at Pasadena City College Monday, the junior senator from Massachusetts said the following: — Kerry under fire:
The Free Press, Mankato, MN:
Kerry cancels Mankato appearance — The dueling rallies scheduled for Mankato today on behalf of Republican congressman Gil Gutknecht and Democratic challenger Tim Walz lost some of their pizzaz Tuesday night when Sen. John Kerry pulled out of the Democratic rally.
Bill Brubaker / Washington Post:
Kerry Remark Draws Sharp Criticism — A comment Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) made about getting "stuck in Iraq," which he later said was a botched joke about President Bush, prompted sharp criticism today from Bush and other Republican leaders. — Bush accused Kerry of insulting American troops …
Discussion:
La Shawn Barber's Corner, DownWithTyranny!, Power Line, www.johnkerry.com blog, Townhall.com Blog's …, The Caucus, The Huffington Post, The Democratic Daily, The Horse's Mouth, TIME, Blue Crab Boulevard, rightlinx.com, Sigmund, Carl and Alfred, Gun Toting Liberal, Bring it On!, Associated Press and Political Bite
Agence France Presse:
After slip-up on US Iraq troops, Kerry retreats from campaign trail — WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Senator John Kerry said he is pulling back from campaigning ahead of next week's midterm elections to avoid the continued distraction created by his remarks that Americans who neglect their education would "get stuck in Iraq."
CNN:
After remark, Kerry curtails campaigning for Democrats
After remark, Kerry curtails campaigning for Democrats
Discussion:
USA Today, Captain's Quarters, Associated Press, The Huffington Post, Right Wing News, The Allen Blog and Bill's Bites
Michael R. Gordon / New York Times:
U.S. Central Command Charts Sharp Movement of the Civil Conflict in Iraq Toward Chaos — A classified briefing prepared two weeks ago by the United States Central Command portrays Iraq as edging toward chaos, in a chart that the military is using as a barometer of civil conflict.
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The Daily Dish:
Abandoning An American Soldier — While the media is obsessed parsing the ad libs of someone on no ballot this fall, something truly ominous has just happened in Iraq. The commander-in-chief has abandoned an American soldier to the tender mercies of a Shiite militia.
Discussion:
NO QUARTER
Kirk Semple / New York Times:
Iraqi Demands Pullback; U.S. Lifts Baghdad Cordon — Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki demanded the removal of American checkpoints from the streets of Baghdad on Tuesday, in what appeared to be his latest and boldest gambit in an increasingly tense struggle for more independence from his American protectors.
Discussion:
Political Animal, Taylor Marsh, Informed Comment, Bull Moose, the talking dog, Whiskey Bar, FP Passport, The Heretik and Democrats.com
Jamie Holly / Crooks and Liars:
Is CNN Trying To Defend George Allen's Goons? — On CNN Newsroom this morning, hosts Heidi Collins and Tony Harris were covering the incident at George Allen's speech yesterday, where blogger and constituent Mike Stark was physically assaulted by apparent members of Allen's staff.
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Baltimore Sun:
Governor race a tossup … The Maryland governor's race is a virtual tie less than a week before Election Day, as Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s relentless attacks on Mayor Martin O'Malley's record on crime and schools have eroded the Democrat's support in the Baltimore suburbs, a new poll for The Sun shows.
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Ezra Klein:
What's Wrong With The Press Corps? — This. Greenwald comments: … It's not just unseemly, it's unprofessional. The point of journalism, of punditry, of analysis, is that it's independent. That doesn't mean it's not ideological, or even totally non-partisan, but that it's not written to attract external approval.
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John Cole / Balloon Juice:
This Is No Fun — I just thought I would go on record stating that the last few weeks and months have really sucked for me. I spent my whole life in the GOP- starting in 1984 with county meetings, going to Teenage Republican camp (my friends called it Hitler Youth Camp …
John Whitesides / Reuters:
House control in range for Democrats-Reuters poll — WASHINGTON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Democrats are ahead in races for 12 of 15 key Republican-held seats in the U.S. House one week before the Nov. 7 elections, placing them within striking range of winning control of the chamber, according to Reuters/Zogby polls released on Wednesday.
Ruth Marcus / Washington Post:
Pelosi's Unintelligent Choice — If Democrats win control of the House next week, Nancy Pelosi's first test as speaker will arrive long before the 110th Congress convenes. Her choice to head the House intelligence committee — unlike other House committees, this one is left entirely …
NY Daily News:
Tomorrow's News: Sweeney's Alleged Domestic Abuse — Joe Mahoney and I report tomorrow off a state police report of an incident in which Rep. John Sweeney's wife apparently called the police to report domestic violence. — The full story follows: — POWERFUL UPSTATE Rep. John Sweeney got …
Carl Hulse / New York Times:
Campaign 2006: The Continental Divide — Ed Perlmutter, center, a Democrat seeking an open House seat near Denver, with a voter, Maxine Dunham, and Rollie Heath, a former candidate for governor. Democrats are courting independents like Mrs. Dunham. — Campaigning in suburban Wheat Ridge …
Bloomberg:
Wages, benefits on upswing — WASHINGTON — Wages and benefits paid to American workers rose last quarter by the most since 2004, as the unemployment rate matched a five-year low. — The Labor Department said Tuesday that its employment cost index rose 1 percent compared with the second quarter.
Hindrocket / Power Line:
WHY DID HE DO IT? — John Kerry's gaffe yesterday was a self-inflicted wound, greatly compounded by his refusal to apologize and his bizarre attack on the Republicans, as if they had somehow made him stick his foot in his mouth. One wonders what possessed Kerry to say that soldiers are both dumb and lazy …
Mark Murray / MSNBC:
Dems hold record 15-point edge over GOP — NBC/WSJ poll: Worst may be over for Republicans after Foley sex scandal … WASHINGTON - — Mark Murray — The final pre-election NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll suggests that Democrats continue to have a significant advantage heading …
Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Video: New RNC ad calls on Kerry to apologize — Note to the RNC: stop coding your embedded ads to auto-start. Update: Fixed! — They've got an online petition going, too. — Kerry hasn't yet released the full video or transcript of his speech at the Angelides event so it's still unclear …
Rick Pearson / Chicago Tribune:
Blagojevich holds steady despite latest allegations — Gov. Rod Blagojevich maintained a sizable advantage over Republican Judy Baar Topinka even as new corruption allegations surfaced involving his close supporters, a new Tribune/WGN-Ch. 9 poll shows. — A week before the election …
Tamar Lewin / New York Times:
Race Preferences Vote Splits Michigan — Three years after the Supreme Court heard Jennifer Gratz's challenge to the University of Michigan's affirmative action policy, she is still fighting racial preferences, this time in a Michigan ballot initiative. — "We have a horrible history …