Starting Gate: A Little Something For Everyone?
Let's start with the big races this fall – gubernatorial contests in Louisiana, Kentucky and Mississippi. In Louisiana, where outgoing Gov. Kathleen Blanco (D) opted not to seek re-election in the wake of Hurricane Katrina (and her widely panned performance in the aftermath), Republican Congressman Bobby Jindal has already captured the seat. Jindal won over 50% in the first round of voting last month, avoiding a runoff.
In Kentucky, Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) – who four years ago became the first Republican governor of the state in over 30 years – is an underdog to former Lt. Gov. Steve Beshear (D) today. Fletcher has spent the bulk of his time in office battling scandal – he was indicted for skirting state hiring laws by hiring political friends for jobs protected by a merit system. And in Mississippi, Gov. Haley Barbour (R) is a heavy favorite to win a second term. Barbour's response to the parts of his state devastated by Katrina has helped stave off a serious challenge.
If things hold today, each party will have overturned a statehouse held by the other and Republicans will have held the third. Good news for the GOP? Not the worst, but Democrats are feeling optimistic about state legislative races in Virginia, where both houses are in play. Democrats hope low approval of President Bush and a recent trend in the state away from the GOP will help them win gains in the House of Delegates and give them an outside chance at winning control of the state Senate.
Major gains in Virginia would help continue to build confidence among Democrats that the state is more in play for next year's presidential race than anytime in recent memory – the state has voted Republican in every general election since Lyndon Johnson carried Virginia in 1964. But the state has trended Democratic in recent elections. Sen. Jim Webb (D) defeated incumbent George Allen (R) in 2006 and Gov. Tim Kaine became the second consecutive Democrat to win the statehouse in 2005. Sen. John Warner (R), announced his retirement earlier this year and Democrats have a strong candidate for that 2008 race in former Gov. Mark Warner.
While Virginia could prove to be a bright spot for Democrats, the results of the Governor's races should be a warning for a party in control of a Congress which has approval ratings as low as those of President Bush. Performance in office is a primary reason why a Republican has won in Louisiana and a Democrat appears poised to win Kentucky. As a result, there could be a little something for both parties to be concerned about after today's votes come in.
Paul Supporters Remember The 5th Of November: Libertarian-leaning Republican Ron Paul's presidential campaign hasn't had problems raising money – the Texas congressman's presidential bid took in more than $5 million in this year's third quarter, much of it donated by Paul's fervent online followers. But on Monday, Paul's followers outdid themselves: In a 24-hour period, Paul's campaign reports raising $4.2 million from over 37,000 donors online.
That amount shatters the previous single-day record for online donations, Paul's communications director, Jesse Benton, told CBSNews.com. While that pace will be impossible to maintain, Benton said the effort should spawn more donations as the quarter goes on. "I think we can continue to see the exponential growth we've already been experiencing," he said.
The swell of financial support is no accident, and is the result of an online effort started two months ago by some of Paul's fans, Benton said. The site, Remember The 5th Of November, encouraged giving to Paul's campaign on the day that marks one year to go until the election and, as fans of English history will know, the anniversary of Guy Fawkes' foiled 1605 plot to blow up Parliament – an incident also referenced in the graphic novel and film "V For Vendetta."
Benton assured CBSNews.com, however, that Paul has no designs on blowing up Congress. "We might like to tear down the Department of Education, but we can do that very peacefully," he said.
This may not be the only day this quarter that Paul sees his coffers swell – supporters are already planning a "money-bomb" on Veterans' Day.
Feeing The Hand That Bites You? The late-night comedy world is a dangerous place for politicians, especially those seeking the nation's highest office. They are skewered in monologues by Jay Leno, David Letterman and Conan O'Brien, and have their every move picked apart and lampooned on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report.
But at least two Democrats running for president apparently feel their loyalty to organized labor trumps their desire to escape ridicule. Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama issued statements Monday supporting a strike by the Writer's Guild that has put late-night shows on hold immediately and, should it continue, would bring sitcoms and dramas to a halt as well.
Obama, who made a cameo over the weekend on the last new episode of Saturday Night Live we might see for awhile, was the first to offer his support. "I stand with the writers," he said. "The Guild's demand is a test of whether corporate media corporations are going to give writers a fair share of the wealth their work creates or continue concentrating profits in the hands of their executives. I urge the producers to work with the writers so that everyone can get back to work."
Not to be outdone, Hillary Clinton – called a "witch" in the SNL skit featuring Obama – also expressed solidarity with the union. "I support the Writers Guild's pursuit of a fair contract that pays them for their work in all mediums," she said. "I hope the producers and writers will return to the bargaining table to work out an equitable contract that keeps our entertainment industry strong and recognizes the contributions writers make to the success of the industry."
Interestingly, the Democrat most identified with organized labor, John Edwards, hadn't released a statement as of Monday night. One $400 haircut joke too many, perhaps?
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