When Obama got a nice bounce from the Democratic convention, Real Clear Politics did not include both the Gallup tracking poll and the USA Today/Gallup poll in their poll average.  Why? Because the USA Today/Gallup poll included the very same poll data. They said that their policy was not to do so.

But now with the post-Republican convention bounce, they are using both.

Please write them (courteously) and ask them why they are employing a double standard:

 John McIntyre: john@realclearpolitics.com
  Tom Bevan: tom@realclearpolitics.com

For over a year, there has been a massive effort to get out the Latino/Hispanic vote.  It has been a multi-faceted approach - getting citizenship for many in time for the November 2008 elections, registering Latinos who have not voted in the past, and motivating members of the Spanish speaking communities across the US to get involved in exercising their civic rights.  

I have found few diaries here at MyDD documenting this mobilization, and yet the Latino vote may well be one of the major keys to our victory in November.

I implore all of you to assist in the efforts to get out the Latino/Hispanic  vote!

Well, two huge gaffes by Obama yesterday has the freepers up in arms, and this in the middle of Obama's electoral slump.

First his "my muslim faith" remark talking to George Stephanopolous yesterday.

"What I was suggesting -- you're absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith. And you're absolutely right that that has not come."

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep 07/obama-verbal-slip-fuels-his-critics

Then came an even worse gaffe, in that it will be replayed over and over, and made fun of.  Here we had Barack claiming he would have joined the military but there were no wars actively being fought at the time.

Understand, this is the most ridiculous thing I've heard Obama say this election cycle.  Imagine, Obama would have joined...had there been anyone to kill.

That's how it will be played.

"And I actually always thought of the military as an ennobling and, you know, honourable option. But keep in mind that I graduated in 1979. The Vietnam War had come to an end. We weren't engaged in an active military conflict at that point. And so, it's not an option that I ever decided to pursue."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopi cs/uselection2008/barackobama/2700555/Ba rack-Obama-wanted-to-join-the-US-militar y.html

We're screwed, and Rev Wrights book hasn't even come out yet.

ZOMG

A McClatchy article this weekend on John McCain and his potential inability to control his temper raises serious concerns about his fitness to be President with a finger on the nuclear button.

As Obama's campaign is starting to look like John Kerry's campaign more and more I have to wonder why is it every day that McCain's campaign starts out with some "fake" TV commercial with no air time that leads the news?

Today's abomination is "the original mavericks"...

why doesn't Obama ever release his "fake" commercials?  He doesn't ever even try to get free air time does he?

Elections are always about "free media" exposure.

When will Obama go after "the original corruption" of the keating 5 scandal? Or Palin the first wasilla mayor to hire a Jack Abramoff linked washington lobbyist?

This is getting depressing watching Obama not even try to control a media cycle.

where is the ad questioning McCain's temperament and anger problems?

Where is the Carole McCain ad?

     Is it just me or were there some conspicuous absences from the Republican convention? I got it; not only was there no one from the current administration, there was also no Cheney sighting, or no one by the name of Bush to be found. I can understand that George W. would not make an appearance due to the hurricane and all (Remember how hands on he was during Katrina and the aftermath). No one has done more to soil the Republican brand than he has, but I don't understand why dad or Jeb wasn't invited. The Party is trying to get as far away from the Bush's as quickly as possible. It's as though they never existed. The family that played such a giant role in Party politics and the elections the last eight years has been delegated to the sidelines.

Forget about national polls for a second (even though it is a great concern). My feelings is that Obama will have a hard time winning the electoral college even if he had the lead.

Looking at the states:

FL is almost out of play. McCain was never behind in state polls for FL before the conventions. After the convention bounce, it doesn't seem likely Obama is going to win there.

OH is still possible, but has become a lot harder. Before the conventions, McCain had a slight lead (1-2%). The electorate there is a lot more socially conservative than most people think. The whole "bitter comment" thing hurts Obama in OH as well as PA. These are the people who literally are hurt very badly in the economy and cling to guns, religions, and anti-immigrant sentiments. Like one OH voter said on CNN, Obama just doesn't seem like a "real American" to him. I don't think PA is going to turn red, though.

VA has the best chance as a pick up for Obama. But it is traditionally a red state. McCain and Obama were actually tied before the conventions. I am very interested to see what will happen post-conventions.

Honestly, 60 days is still a long way to go. But if you really look at states by states, Obama has his work cut out for him.

Gallup/USA Today: McCain +10 http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/el ection2008/2008-09-07-poll_N.htm

That's some convention bounce.  

Obama opened the door for the Palin pick when he selected Biden over Clinton.  Biden has a +1 or +2 approval rating.  Palin is +10 to +15.  Clinton received 18 million votes.  Biden?  a few percent in one state.  

The liberal media and blogosphere blew it again.  They were sitting waiting for a conventional pick and the Republicans did it right again.  They are flat out better at this national election stuff than we are.

The question is, what are YOU going to do to change that?

McCain does NOT equal Bush.  That's a 320 EV losing strategy.  What's your next plan?

McCain +10??????  In THIS political environment?

God Help Us.