Offering frequent news and analysis from the majestic Evergreen State and beyond, The Cascadia Advocate is the Northwest Progressive Institute's unconventional perspective on world, national, and local politics.

Thursday, October 28, 2004

Final campaign blitz underway

Campaign heats up in Florida, Ohio, other battleground states

With only five days left before the general election, the campaign marathons are entering the final home stretch. CNN reports:
Kerry used a Bush campaign line, telling the crowd that the president had jumped to conclusions about Saddam Hussein's connection to the September 11, 2001, attacks and about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

"I'm going to apply the Bush standard to this: Yesterday ... George Bush said and I quote him: 'A political candidate who jumps to conclusions without knowing the facts is not a person you want as your commander in chief when it comes to your security.' Well Mr. President, I agree with you."
And the NY Times reports on the frenzied interest in this election in Florida:
"When I came here this morning, I felt like beginning by saying, 'Now where were we again?' " Al Gore, who saw his hopes for the presidency dashed here in 2000, said wryly at a rally in Coconut Creek in Broward County the other afternoon. "Four years seems like four hours because we are in the same struggle for our country's future."

Bill Clinton, casting an eye on a crowd that filled a city block in Miami the next night, said: "Remember: we won this state the last two times; the last time they didn't count it. We can win it again."

Mr. Clinton's huge audience responded with outstretched hands and cheers. And the intensity of feeling is red hot on both sides of the political divide.

"Bush is a liar," Gene Conrad, a 65-year-old teacher from Jupiter, said after hearing Mr. Kerry deliver a speech on religion the other day. "He lied us into war. And I cannot vote for anyone who is dumber than I am."
The BBC also has an excellent article on where the candidates stand on the issues. Visit NPI's Elections Center for endorsements, debate transcripts, and more election coverage.

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

Bush Administration incredibly incompetent, arrogant

Campaign won't acknowledge anything but "progress" in Iraq

Bush Speech Excerpt: "The terrorist insurgents hate our 'progress', and they fight our 'progress'. But they will not stop our 'progress'."

Senator John Kerry today assailed President Bush's incredibly awful policies on the war in Iraq. CNN reports:
Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry railed against "the unbelievable blindness, stubbornness, [and] arrogance" of the Bush administration Monday following reports that 380 tons of explosives are missing in Iraq.

"This administration has put our troops at risk and put this country at greater risk than we ought to be. ... this president [has once again failed] the test of being the commander in chief."

"If President Bush can't recognize his failures in Iraq -- which he doesn't admit, won't acknowledge -- you can't fix them. And then he's doomed to repeat the same mistakes elsewhere, whether it's North Korea or Iran or in any other of the risks that we face ahead of us. My fellow Americans, we can't afford to risk four more years of George Bush's miscalculations."
George W. Bush and his campaign absolutely refuse to acknowledge reality. They live in their own parallel world, where progress in Iraq happens every day. President Bush does not even acknowledge the staggering financial cost of the war or the more than 1,000 American combat deaths there. He has not even attended a single funeral for any of the fallen troops. This arrogance is unbelievable, and it cannot be ignored. George W. Bush MUST be voted out of office on November 2nd. This nation cannot endure four more years of this insane madness.

Saturday, October 23, 2004

Air America Radio,Now in Seattle!

AIR AMERICA RADIO, the nation's PROGRESSIVE TALK RADIO NETWORK, has expanded its reach across the Pacific Northwest....to Seattle! Starting Monday, October 25th, at 12:01 AM, tune in to 1090 AM, KPTK....Seattle's new home for liberal/progressive talk, anytime! Here's the lowdown from the Seattle Times:
The New York-based network, home of Al Franken, Janeane Garofalo and other left-wing talkers, made the announcement yesterday. Before adding the Seattle station, Air America's Web site listed 36 local affiliates and XM and Sirius satellite radio, which carry its programming along with its Internet broadcast.

KPTK's owner, Infinity Broadcasting, didn't have much to lose by switching formats from the low-rated "classic country" to "progressive talk," said Dave McDonald, senior vice president and general manager of Infinity Radio Seattle. He said KYCW's air talent will all be retained in other positions among Seattle's four other Infinity stations, housed in Suite 100 at 1000 Dexter Ave. N.: KMPS-FM (94.1, country), KRQI-FM "K-Rock" (96.5, alternative), KBKS-FM (106.1, Top 40) and KZOK-FM (102.5, classic rock).

Infinity is a division of Viacom and runs 185 radio stations.

"We believe this is distinctive programming," McDonald said. "There are those in the radio business who believe that shows with a liberal perspective won't get an audience. Air America in recent months has shattered that myth."
And here's the release from Infinity Radio:
AIR AMERICA LANDS IN SEATTLE AT KPTK AM 1090
Seattle Braces for First-Ever New Progressive Talk Radio

SEATTLE – Infinity Radio Seattle announced today the launch of KPTK AM 1090, Seattle’s Progressive Talk Station, featuring Air America Radio Network programming beginning Monday October 25, 2004.

The new “progressive” talk format is a radical new talk format in the Seattle Radio market. The station was created to utilize a combination of nationally renowned personalities, along with local news and information, that reflect the viewpoint of a large segment of the Puget Sound population.

“Seattle has been clamoring for a new talk radio station like this and we believe there is a large and enthusiastic audience for progressive perspectives on a medium that has been dominated by right-wing and conservative personalities up to now. Air America programs such as The Al Franken Show, The Randi Rhodes Show and the Majority Report with Janeane Garofalo, along with syndicated host Ed Schultz will satisfy that need”, said Dave McDonald, Sr. Vice President & General Manager of Infinity Radio Seattle. ““There has never been a progressive talk radio format like ‘AM 1090 Progressive Talk’ in the Seattle radio community. We found a talk radio niche that is under represented in this market and attracts an extremely enlightened and affluent audience. At a local level we try to develop products that reflect the voice of the community and the people we serve. We think AM 1090 Progressive Talk will represent that audience.”

“We are excited about coming to Seattle,” said Doug Kreeger, CEO of Air America Radio. “This city now has an opportunity to voice its local and national concerns. In other parts of the country we found that a strong loyalty to Air America Radio was quickly established. We have a successful track record with our programming in other markets that we are confident will be extended to Seattle.”

The following is the AM 1090 Progressive Talk weekday lineup:

3 a.m. – 6 a.m.Morning Sedition with Mark Riley and Marc Maron
6 a.m. – 9 a.m.Unfiltered with Chuck D, Mark Riley, Liz Winstead & Rachel Maddow
9 a.m – 12 p.m.The Al Franken Show
12 p.m. – 3 p.m.The Ed Schultz Show
3 p.m – 7 p.m.The Randi Rhodes Show
7 p.m. – 10 p.m.The Majority Report with Janeane Garofalo
10 p.m. – 1 a.m.The Best of Al Franken
Find out more from Air America Radio.

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

Sinclair backing down

Intense public pressure forces right-wing executives to tone down anti-Kerry "news" program

Outrage is growing every day towards the antics of Sinclair Broadcasting Group, which originally planned to air a blatantly partisan, anti-Kerry documentary over the public airwaves and require all of its stations (62 in all) to air the documentary. The company even went so far as to fire its Washington bureau chief because he openly spoke out against the airing of such a biased film.

Today, the company says it only plans to show "excerpts" of the documentary.

Sinclair is paying a terrible price for the ridiculous, right-wing agenda of its top management. A boycott has been organized against the company, the company's stock price has declined almost 17 percent and its market capitalization drop by $140 million in the last week and a half. And the NY Times reports:
The protest grew yesterday. The Burger King Company announced that it would pull all its commercials from Sinclair stations all day on the date the program is broadcast. "Burger King wants to maintain neutrality during this election," said Eric Anderson, a spokesman.

The Kerry campaign had already filed a complaint with the F.C.C. asking for equal time. Chad Clanton, a spokesman for Mr. Kerry, said: "Sinclair Broadcasting has been all over the map on this issue. One thing that is certain is that they have a partisan agenda."

A group of shareholders, represented by the prominent lawyer William S. Lerach, announced it would file suit against Sinclair's management, charging it with damaging the company financially by pursuing the partisan political interests of its owners and with insider trading.
You can read the full article from the NY Times. And the AP reports:
U.S. Cellular Corp., the nation's eighth largest wireless telecommunications provider, has asked Sinclair affiliates not to run its commercials two hours before, during and after the program's airing, said President and CEO John E. Rooney. Nationwide Insurance said it "plans not to advertise during this perceived politically motivated program if Sinclair Media elects to broadcast it without fair and equal opportunity for response." And Regis Corp., an operator of haircutting salons, said it has asked Sinclair not to run any of its ads near or during the program.
Sinclair's top executives are learning that their attempt to openly use the public airwaves to support President Bush is backfiring - big time. It was a terrible mistake to proclaim that Sinclair stations would have to air "Stolen Honor" to bend to the whims of right-wing management.

Sign the petition against Sinclair Broadcast Group!

Thursday, October 14, 2004

Kerry sweeps debates

Commanding on the issues, sharp with the facts, and with a credible plan, Kerry wins all three debates

The verdict is in: George W. Bush is just not good at debating.

In all three debates, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry had the right stuff that he needed to win. His performance was masterful, and he clearly demonstrated how he was going to pay for his programs:
Every plan that I have laid out -- my health-care plan, my plan for education, my plan for kids to be able to get better college loans -- I've shown exactly how I'm going to pay for those.

And we start -- we don't do it exclusively -- but we start by rolling back George Bush's unaffordable tax cut for the wealthiest people, people earning more than $200,000 a year, and we pass, hopefully, the McCain-Kerry Commission which identified some $60 billion that we can get.

We shut the loophole which has American workers actually subsidizing the loss of their own job. They just passed an expansion of that loophole in the last few days: $43 billion of giveaways, including favors to the oil and gas industry and the people importing ceiling fans from China.

I'm going to stand up and fight for the American worker. And I am going to do it in a way that's fiscally sound. I show how I pay for the health care, how we pay for the education.

I have a manufacturing jobs credit. We pay for it by shutting that loophole overseas. We raise the student loans. I pay for it by changing the relationship with the banks. This president has never once vetoed one bill; the first president in a hundred years not to do that.
More Coverage:

Last Debate Offers a Crucial Test but Not the Final Word (NY Times)
Transcript of Debate (Commission on Presidential Debates)
Debate III: Edge still with Kerry (Seattle Times editorial)
Two roads diverge (Seattle P-I Editorial)

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

Michael Moore in Seattle

Next week, Michael Moore is speaking as part of his voter uprising tour at Key Arena. Here's ticket information for the event.

Key Arena Seattle, Washington 7:30 PM (tickets can be purchased through Foolproof or TicketMaster - a limited number of tickets may be available at the door) Foolproof Performing Arts Series.

Good music for a good cause

Punk band NoFX and their label Fat Wreck Chords have released a two CD volume set - Rock Against Bush. With each CD comes a booklet for reasons not to support Bush, a DVD with political and comical shorts and music videos, and a CD with 26 (volume one) and 28 (volume 2) songs by different bands. For tour information and guest columns, go to PunkVoter .

Friday, October 01, 2004

Kerry sharp in debate

The first matchup between George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry was held last night at the University of Miami in Florida. While neither candidate could claim a "victory" from the debate, Senator Kerry was sharp and blunt in his criticism of President Bush.

Kerry answered Bush's comments about being resolute, saying "You can be certain, and be wrong." These and other comments seemed to draw a scowl from Bush. Kerry also blasted the war in Iraq and said he would do a better job defending the homeland. Bush offered little for his next term, agreeing mostly with Kerry's goals for nuclear proliferation but disagreeing on policy and how to get there.

Bush spent most of his time defending the invasion of Iraq and did little to answer criticism that his administration is doing nothing about Sudan. Kerry offered a better plan, saying he would provide logistics and more support to the African union so troops could be sent in. Kerry also outlined his broad plan for what he would do if he were elected President.

News coverage:
Editorials: Kerry makes his case(Seattle P-I)