All Blog Posts from Horserace
Transition Team Releases Donor List
In what it is billing as part of "President-elect Obama's pledge to run the most open and transparent transition in history," the incoming administration's transition team has begun releasing the names of its donors.
The names will be released on a monthly basis, and the first batch came out today. The transition team says that 1,776 donors have given $1,170,937.44 as of November 15th.
The full list of donors is here, and the release includes each donor's name, employer, town of residence, and the amount of their donation. (Donations range from $25 to $5,000.)
Notes the release: "The Obama-Biden Transition project only accepts contributions from individuals' personal funds – we refuse all donations from corporations, labor unions, and PACs. Individuals may not donate more than $5,000. We also refuse all contributions from registered federal lobbyists and registered foreign agents."
The names will be released on a monthly basis, and the first batch came out today. The transition team says that 1,776 donors have given $1,170,937.44 as of November 15th.
The full list of donors is here, and the release includes each donor's name, employer, town of residence, and the amount of their donation. (Donations range from $25 to $5,000.)
Notes the release: "The Obama-Biden Transition project only accepts contributions from individuals' personal funds – we refuse all donations from corporations, labor unions, and PACs. Individuals may not donate more than $5,000. We also refuse all contributions from registered federal lobbyists and registered foreign agents."
Bill Clinton Weighs In
Reviews are flooding in on President-elect Obama's selections for his national security and foreign policy team but one in particular stuck out of the in-box – a statement from former President Bill Clinton, who was quick to laud the selection of his wife, Hillary Clinton, to be Secretary of State. Here's the full text:
As an American, I am thankful that President-elect Barack Obama has asked Hillary to be Secretary of State and that she has accepted. As her husband, I am deeply proud.
She is the right person for the job of helping to restore America's image abroad, end the war in Iraq, advance peace and increase our security, by building a future for our children with more partners and fewer adversaries, one of shared responsibilities and opportunities.
She has already earned the respect of foreign leaders and diplomats through her work to promote human rights and the empowerment of women through access to education, healthcare and economic opportunity. And Americans know, from her leadership in the Senate on national security, that she will always put the security, values and the interests of our people first.
In her service to the people of New York and our nation, Hillary has demonstrated the knowledge, passion, resilience, and capacity to learn that our country needs at this critical time. She loves being a Senator from New York, but as she has in all the thirty-seven years I've known her, she answered the call to serve. I commend President-Elect Obama for asking her to be a part of a great national security team. America will be well-served.
Palin Stumps For Chambliss In Georgia
Alaska governor and former GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin is in Georgia today, where she is appearing at four events in an effort to get out the Republican base in support of Sen. Saxby Chambliss.
Georgia voters will go to the polls tomorrow for a runoff election between Chambliss and Democratic rival Jim Martin, a vote that could help decide whether Democrats achieve a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. (Democrats now effectively hold 58 seats; if Martin and Minnesota Democrat Al Franken find their way to victory, they will have the necessary 60.)
Palin has already appeared in Augusta this morning, where she was greeted by several thousand supporters, according to the Associated Press, which notes that "Vendors sold bright pink 'Palin 2012' T-shirts and 'Palin for President: You Go Girl' buttons. She was greeted like a rock star with chants of 'Sa-rah!'"
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Georgia voters will go to the polls tomorrow for a runoff election between Chambliss and Democratic rival Jim Martin, a vote that could help decide whether Democrats achieve a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. (Democrats now effectively hold 58 seats; if Martin and Minnesota Democrat Al Franken find their way to victory, they will have the necessary 60.)
Palin has already appeared in Augusta this morning, where she was greeted by several thousand supporters, according to the Associated Press, which notes that "Vendors sold bright pink 'Palin 2012' T-shirts and 'Palin for President: You Go Girl' buttons. She was greeted like a rock star with chants of 'Sa-rah!'"
Continue »
Happy Thanksgiving
Horserace will be off until Monday, December 1st for the Thanksgiving holiday but be sure to check back here starting next week for some new announcements from the CBSNews.com political team and to get the latest on the hottest stories, from the Georgia Senate runoff, the Minnesota recount and the latest on the transition to the Obama Administration. Happy Thanksgiving.
Canvassing Board Won't Accept Rejected Absentee Ballots
The Minnesota state canvassing board today voted unanimously to deny a request from Democrat Al Franken's campaign to include absentee ballots which had bee rejected into its final recount tally. The move would seem to be a blow to Franken's efforts, particularly since a judge in one county has allowed his campaign to gain access to the list of rejected voters already.
But, as the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports, the canvassing board made clear that it's decision was not a statement on the merits of Franken's argument and that they expected that question to be settled in litigation, seemingly kicking the issue down the road.
Also in recount news, attorneys for Franken and Republican Senator Norm Coleman have indicated that may be able to reduce the number of ballots both sides have challenged during the process. That number currently stands at over 3,600 ballots.
But, as the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports, the canvassing board made clear that it's decision was not a statement on the merits of Franken's argument and that they expected that question to be settled in litigation, seemingly kicking the issue down the road.
Also in recount news, attorneys for Franken and Republican Senator Norm Coleman have indicated that may be able to reduce the number of ballots both sides have challenged during the process. That number currently stands at over 3,600 ballots.
Canvassing Board Won't Accept Rejected Absentee Ballots
The Minnesota state canvassing board today voted unanimously to deny a request from Democrat Al Franken's campaign to include absentee ballots which had bee rejected into its final recount tally. The move would seem to be a blow to Franken's efforts, particularly since a judge in one county has allowed his campaign to gain access to the list of rejected voters already.
But, as the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports, the canvassing board made clear that it's decision was not a statement on the merits of Franken's argument and that they expected that question to be settled in litigation, seemingly kicking the issue down the road.
Also in recount news, attorneys for Franken and Republican Senator Norm Coleman have indicated that may be able to reduce the number of ballots both sides have challenged during the process. That number currently stands at over 3,600 ballots.
But, as the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports, the canvassing board made clear that it's decision was not a statement on the merits of Franken's argument and that they expected that question to be settled in litigation, seemingly kicking the issue down the road.
Also in recount news, attorneys for Franken and Republican Senator Norm Coleman have indicated that may be able to reduce the number of ballots both sides have challenged during the process. That number currently stands at over 3,600 ballots.
Canvassing Board Won't Accept Rejected Absentee Ballots
The Minnesota state canvassing board today voted unanimously to deny a request from Democrat Al Franken's campaign to include absentee ballots which had bee rejected into its final recount tally. The move would seem to be a blow to Franken's efforts, particularly since a judge in one county has allowed his campaign to gain access to the list of rejected voters already.
But, as the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports, the canvassing board made clear that it's decision was not a statement on the merits of Franken's argument and that they expected that question to be settled in litigation, seemingly kicking the issue down the road.
Also in recount news, attorneys for Franken and Republican Senator Norm Coleman have indicated that may be able to reduce the number of ballots both sides have challenged during the process. That number currently stands at over 3,600 ballots.
But, as the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports, the canvassing board made clear that it's decision was not a statement on the merits of Franken's argument and that they expected that question to be settled in litigation, seemingly kicking the issue down the road.
Also in recount news, attorneys for Franken and Republican Senator Norm Coleman have indicated that may be able to reduce the number of ballots both sides have challenged during the process. That number currently stands at over 3,600 ballots.
Clinton For Senate?
A little pre-feast political appetizer appears on the op-ed page of the Washington Post this morning, where authors Karl E. Meyer and Shareen Blair Brysac argue that the best replacement in the U.S. Senate for Hillary Clinton should she, as expected, become Secretary of State would be – her husband, former President Bill Clinton. From the op-ed:
Who in his party could question so historic and dazzling a choice? In a stroke, the appointment would provide Sen. Clinton's indefatigable husband with a fitting day job, serve the interests of a state beset by a meltdown in its most vital economic sector and offer a refreshing reverse twist on a tradition whereby deceased male senators, representatives or governors are succeeded by their widows.
McCain Will Run For Reelection In 2010
At a press conference in Phoenix today, Sen. John McCain said he would run for a fifth Senate term in 2010.
The 2008 GOP presidential nominee laughed when asked if he would run for president again, saying he does "not envision a scenario that would entail that."
You can watch video from the press conference below.
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The 2008 GOP presidential nominee laughed when asked if he would run for president again, saying he does "not envision a scenario that would entail that."
You can watch video from the press conference below.
Continue »
More Evidence Of Democratic Ad Dominance
A new analysis by Nielsen gives a final look at the ad disparity Republican John McCain faced during his campaign against Barack Obama – particularly on in local markets. In the period between June and Election Day, Obama's campaign ran 419,667 ads locally compared to just 269,992 run by McCain.
That was a greater difference than ads run on national cable and networks. Between January and November, Obama's campaign ran 3,004 national ads compared to 2,868 for McCain. Among the other findings of the analysis, Nielsen found that Obama's ads were run twice as much as McCain's in the last month of the election and that both candidates combined for 850,000 ads in all between January and November. Check out Nielsen's media blog for more.
That was a greater difference than ads run on national cable and networks. Between January and November, Obama's campaign ran 3,004 national ads compared to 2,868 for McCain. Among the other findings of the analysis, Nielsen found that Obama's ads were run twice as much as McCain's in the last month of the election and that both candidates combined for 850,000 ads in all between January and November. Check out Nielsen's media blog for more.


