TV Today

After enjoying the extra hour's sleep, I'm going over to do a live hit with Fox News at 11:30 eastern, followed by MSNBC around 4:15 pm. Feeling great about our momentum. For more on why, see The Note -- as they'd write over at ABC News, Note the first few 'graphs.

Comments

[Jeffraham Prestonian]

Knight-Ridder, champions of truth:

--
While more than 1,200 U.S. Marines sat at an abandoned air base in the desert 80 miles away, Franks and other commanders relied on three Afghan warlords and a small number of American, British and Australian special forces to stop al-Qaida and Taliban fighters from escaping across the mountains into Pakistan.

"We did rely heavily on Afghans because they knew Tora Bora . . . ," Franks wrote.

Military and intelligence officials had warned Franks and others that the two main Afghan commanders, Hazrat Ali and Haji Zaman, couldn't be trusted, and they proved to be correct. They were slow to move their troops into place and didn't attack until four days after American planes began bombing - leaving time for al-Qaida leaders to escape and leaving behind a rear guard of Arab, Chechen and Uzbek fighters.

"Ali and Zaman both assured our people that they had forces in blocking positions on the Spin Ghar (mountains) when there were, in fact, no people there," said a U.S. military official who played a key role in the campaign. "So besides taking Afghans at their word, we had no plans to bring up sufficient forces to make up for perfidy."
--

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/10057295.htm
.

[RocketPunch]

Face the Nation was great this morning with Senator Biden and Senator McCain. If gives you hope that the two parties can work together as both men were intelligent and respectful. Every other show - same old same old.

Here is a great poll taping into the mystery market - cell phone users and younger voters.

Young Mobile Voters Pick Kerry Over Bush, 55% to 40%, Rock the Vote/Zogby Poll Reveals: National Text-Message Poll Breaks New Ground

Polling firm Zogby International and partner Rock the Vote found Massachusetts Senator John Kerry leading President Bush 55% to 40% among 18-29 year-old likely voters in their first joint Rock the Vote Mobile political poll, conducted exclusively on mobile phones October 27 through 30, 2004. Independent Ralph Nader received 1.6%, while 4% remain undecided in the survey of 6,039 likely voters.

http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=919

[RocketPunch]

To add to my post above ...

Surveys and news reports around the country show a strong and potentially decisive increase in political interest and activism among college students. A new Harvard University study suggests an attitudinal shift, with 91 percent of students saying they care a good deal about who occupies the Oval Office and 87 percent saying politics is relevant, up 20 percent from 2000.

FROM WASHINGTON POST POLL

If the 2004 presidential election were being held today...

(likely voters) Responses by Age Group 18-30

Kerry and Edwards 54% Bush and Cheney 43%

These points illustrate an army of younger voters hitting the polls this year. Traditionally, that is good for the democrats and every indication this year points in that direction maybe even more then in the past. For these reasons, I am confident Kerry will become President in a fair election.

[rh]

We can do a 20/20 hindsight analysis of what happened in Tora Bora. The fact remains that those mountains were dangerous, General Franks did the right thing by not risking American troops when they were not even 100% sure that OBL was there. I mean it could have been a trap for them.
The fact remains that OBL has been defanged since then. He doesn't have a country to call his own.No support from any government in the world. He is in hiding, living on the mercy of some fringe tribal groups, he doesn't even appear with his gun anymore. He doesn't even have the credibility to threaten an attack on America because he CANNOT penetrate the security measures our President has put in place. Believe me, if he COULD, he would.The fact is that he CANNOT. He has been beaten.

[lewis]

I don't see much in THE NOTE or anywhere else that favors the President now. It appears that the "MO" is all falling to Kerry/Edwards while the Bush/Chaney communications efforts have been totally ineffective in the past several weeks.I still don't understand why the President abandoned Ohio for three weeks.I don't understand why the President has been so ineffective in his response to Kerry's assertions.The President's closing has been extremely tepid.

[RocketPunch]

I've often wondered, and this is just a gut opinion, if Bush really WANTS to win. His entire administration looks tired and broken down. Between building the case in Iraq, dealing with charges of incompetence leading up to 9/11, keeping the subject off of Bush's actual record through the entire campaign ... it has to really takes its toll. Besides, whoever is elected has a mountain of crap to deal with.

[Summer]

The Prez "abandoned" Ohio for three weeks? WTF are you talking about? The Governator made a speech in Columbus Ohio with the Prez on Wed amid thunderous applauses. More than what Springsteen got in FL.Bush has been in Ohio almost everyday in the last week.He is gonna be there today.If youre in Ohio check it out.

[lewis]

The President was MIA from Ohio for the three weeks prior to his appearences last week and Kerry gained the "MO" in Ohio.Why you would do that when all analyst say no Rep. can win without Ohio is what I don't understand. He spent valuable time in Pa. which he isn't going to win.

[Bill Evans]

Bush can easily win without Ohio. Check out Rasmussen. Kerry almost certainly must win in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. If Bush wins Florida (polls have him ahead), Wisconsin or Minnesota, and Iowa, he will win without Ohio.

Ohio is a tough nut because the dems have done a great job of painting job losses here as Bush's fault.

Governor Rendell of PA was on spewing the same stuff on Fox News Sunday today. I wish Chris Wallace had the guts to ask him - "Who is more responsible for jobs in Pennsylvania, Governor? You, or the President of the United States?"

I think Bush has been worried about Ohio which is why he has gone so hard after Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan, and Iowa.

Now it comes down to turnout. I know that in Ohio we have an extensive get out the vote campaign. I will be a poll observer for the President. We will be watching to make sure the president's supporters turn out. It will be close, but I believe Ohio will go for Bush.

[Christianvoter]

Tucker,
I think the president would have a double-digit lead in the polls except for one problem that you & the Campaign refuse to confront - Dick Cheney & the Christian vote. My self , all the memebers of my church , & many others of the faith that I speak to cannot support this ticket -despite the fact that the President is a fine man - because the man standing next to him brought a Pervert into this world. What does it speak of a man that would run the nation ,if the President is incapacitated by terrorists ,if he cannot even raise his own daughter properly? I will not be voting & no one else I know is either. This is a travisty that should have been addressed. You have cost yourself many votes.

[Bill Evans]

At church this morning, I heard an amazing stat - 15 million out of 35 million people who identify themselves as evangelicals did not vote in 2000. For the first time, I heard our pastor talk about our duty to educate ourselves on issues of great moral consequence and then go vote. Our church has a "See you at the (flag) pole" prayer meeting set for 6am Tuesday, then a "See you at the polls" plan for the day.

The pastor never endorsed a candidate. He did ask people to see where the candidates stand and vote their conscience.

Evangelicals are more energized in this election than any I have seen since Ronald Reagan. Churches everywhere around here worked to register their congregations. Several people I know have volunteered this weekend, tomorrow and Tuesday to turn out the vote here in Ohio.

I am giving up my Sunday afternoon to go to poll observer training. Tuesday, I took a vacation day to be a poll observer. I have never volunteered for a political campaign in my adult life.

Bush may lose this election. I will know I did what I could to keep that from happening. In the closing days, call your friends and family, get them to the polls, and help give GWB 4 more years.

Have a great day.

[OhioforBush]

Why does Kerry keep saying Bush outsourced the job at Tora Bora? Isn't he the one for "mulit lateral efforts?" Doesn't he condemn Bush for "going it alone"? Bush is damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

[lewis]

The problem is Kerry is ahead in New Hampshire,Pa.,Mi, Wisconsin, and Minnesota when you average all major polls.Bush is ahead slightly by 1% in Iowa . He gambled re: Ohio strategy and probably has lost especially if idiots like Christianvoter sit at home and give Kerry/Edwards who stand against every issue Christianvoter stands for, a pass. For Christ's sake Christianvoter get off your butt and get your friends off their butts and go vote. Why would you want to give Kerry/Edwards ,who do not support any of your issues,an advantage.

[OhioforBush]

Of course young people influenced by Rock the Vote are supporting Kerry - he is lying to them about the draft.

[OhioforBush]

Christian voter - the only travesty is if you don't vote.

[melior]

We need to stop playing the liberal "accountability" game. Real Men don't worry about what people think, or take responsibility for their leadership.

It doesn't help our President to try to pin all the bad things of the last four years on him just because it was "his watch".

He's only there so we can praise him when things go right, and apologize, deflect, deny, and change the subject to what Kerry did 30 years ago when things go wrong.

[Summer]

Hey I just saw a poll with Bush ahead in Ohio by three points. I also saw a voter say to the camera- What's the point of a good economy if we are going to be killed. Security is more important than economy.

[RocketPunch]

Ohio - that is an easy way out explanation. Voter registration for youth voters was already increased by millions before draft talk hit the mainstream discussion. The problem for Bush is that this IS still an issue for young voters. His history says one thing to young voters "WE CAN'T TRUST THIS PRESIDENT". Be it WMD, Saddam and 9/11, flowers and sweets, nation building, troop numbers ... you name it. The President has been misleading and, in the end, just wrong. And as for the draft itself, tell the people who, by contract, should be home with their families but they are being forced to stay in Iraq beyond their tour of duty. Tell that to the medical personal that are being prepped to go to Iraq. The fact is, if Bush does decide to invade another country our troop strength will be in jeopardy. This doesn't cease to be an issue because Bush says it isn't an issue.

[RocketPunch]

Bill - I try really hard not to talk religion as I have no desire to try to persuade someone from their choice of faith. I respect choice so please don't let me get into a religious discussion here ... but I am disturbed by the TV Evangelists as of late. I watched several of them over the past few weeks and they all seem to have one massive agenda that is on the TV every time I look. Homosexuals. With all the problems in the world, the dying and hungry children, the war and disease ... why the focus? It comes off as particularly hateful to me.

[melior]

I just saw Rudy Giuliani on TV explaining that he didn't mean it when he said it was the troops fault for Osama escaping at Tora Bora, not George Bush's fault.

What he really meant to say was that if he was John Kerry, he would blame the troops.

[Bill Evans]

I don't know one Christian who thinks the way "Christianvoter" claims to think. My guess is that he is a dem troll. I can tell you what I have seen in my church and those of my family members, and they are solidly Bush supporters.

from rasmussen today:

"Today's addition to the Toss-Up column is Michigan, a state that had previously been leaning towards Senator Kerry. When the year began, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania were the four biggest Toss-Up states with a total of 85 Electoral Votes. All four have wavered towards one candidate or the other but are back in the Toss-Up category during the campaign's final weekend.

Of the eleven Toss-Up states, Rasmussen Reports shows Bush with a slim lead in four (Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, and Ohio). Kerry also has a slim lead in four of the states (Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin).
"

Realclearpolitics.com:

Bush 232, Kerry 190;
toss up states:
Florida - 27 - Bush +1.9
Iowa - 7 - Bush + 1.1
Michigan - 17 - Kerry +2.4
Minnesota - 10 - Kerry +1.2
New Hampshire - 4
Ohio - 20 - TIE
Pennsylvania - 21 Kerry +2.5
Wisconsin - 10 - Kerry +2 Zogby has Kerry up 8 which is way off everyone else; otherwise Bush would be up 1.5 there

It is close everywhere. As I said, it is all about Get Out The VOTE. Work hard, keep the faith, and GWB will be reelected.

[RocketPunch]

Ohio - just to back up my statement that youth worries about draft as a result of never ending war ...

Irainian parliament members are shouting "Death to America!" as they vote to continue their uranium-enrichment program.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=212964

*sigh*

[Bill Evans]

Rocket - I don't root for, appreciate, watch, or otherwise pay attention to TV Evangelists, so I couldn't begin to speak for them. Not that I was ever a fan, but Jim, Tammy Faye and Jimmy pretty much sealed the deal with me and TV evangelists several years ago.

[RocketPunch]

Bill - understood. Thanks!

[LupinIII]

I had this in another spot and I didn't really get any help. I am getting very frustrated so I hope someone is watching here that can help.

My friends keep telling me that Bush didn't do anything at all about terrorism leading up to 9/11 and even ignored warnings about a Bin Laden attack! I know this can't be true but I can't seem to find anything online to prove them wrong. I am looking for good links but since I first posted this early this morning I have had almost zero support?

I need to win this bet. Please give me a hand.