by David Reed [courtesy of Blog for America]

Click here to see the hostile propaganda: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obama_attack_fodder  Click on to my name above to see the dirty tricks that need your intervention now and all the reasons that you should vote for Obama!!!

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Dante Atkins
Nom de Net "hekebolos"

I opened my mailbox this afternoon to find something truly amazing--and something I just knew couldn't have been for a Democratic activist like myself: an envelope from California Counts, the organization funded by Darrell Issa to resurrect the Dirty Tricks Initiative from the dead. It turns out that, yes, the envelope was in fact directed to whatever Republican apparently dared to inhabit my apartment before my girlfriend and I arrived to dispel the traces of the dark side that must have apparently been lingering there.

Regardless, I considered it a stroke of good fortune that this thing fell into my lap--not only because it allows me an opportunity to give some insight into what they're up to, but also because it's downright hilarious--including the picture!

First and foremost, I have to admit that what they're doing is rather sophisticated--the envelope contains a fundraising letter from Darrell Issa, as well as a petition to sign. So it seems organized in that regard, though a little bit on the expensive side--collecting petition signatures through direct mail can't be that easy a process.

by Dante Atkins (hekebolos) [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I opened my mailbox this afternoon to find something truly amazing--and something I just knew couldn't have been for a Democratic activist like myself: an envelope from California Counts, the organization funded by Darrell Issa to resurrect the Dirty Tricks Initiative from the dead.  It turns out that, yes, the envelope was in fact directed to whatever Republican apparently dared to inhabit my apartment before my girlfriend and I arrived to dispel the traces of the dark side that must have apparently been lingering there.

Regardless, I considered it a stroke of good fortune that this thing fell into my lap--not only because it allows me an opportunity to give some insight into what they're up to, but also because it's downright hilarious.  More below--including a picture!

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

From the AP:

An influential California Republican said Thursday he is attempting to raise millions of dollars to change the way the state awards its electoral votes — a bid to revive a campaign that stalled just days ago.

"I am making phone calls because I think this is a critically important issue in the presidential sweepstakes," said Lew Uhler, president of the Sacramento-based National Tax Limitation Committee. (AP 10/4/07)

No rest for the weary I suppose.

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

At this point, it seems  a long shot, but some GOP activists are still going after some Dirty Tricks.  From MediaNews:

"The issue is so hot, it's going to continue on," said Tony Andrade, a Sacramento Republican who had actually submitted his own electoral vote initiative, but then deferred to Hiltachk's effort. "People are lining up signing these petitions. There's a lot of enthusiasm for this from a political point of view." (LA Daily News 9/29/07)

Given the cost of gathering the signatures, it's quite a longshot with the establishment seemingly ditching the DIrty Tricks Initiative, but, keep your eyes on the DIrty Tricks.

by shayera [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

The L.A. Times is staying on the dirty tricks story. And tonight they've got a story naming the guy behind the funding of the campaign:BREAKING NEWS: Giuliani fundraiser was mystery initiative backer

A close friend and major fundraiser of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has identified himself as the mystery financer of the proposed California initiative to apportion the state's 55 electoral votes by congressional district instead of winner-take-all.

He is New York hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer. He said he provided the $175,000 to initially finance the petition drive to get the measure on the June 2008 ballot.

There'll be more to come once the full article is published. Giuliani is claiming his campaign had nothing to do with it. And Howard Dean is demanding more answers.