Fox News on the Facebook

Posted by Kevin Bock at 9:35PM | Comments (1) |

Facebook.com is one of the most popular websites in the world, in the last two years it has grown to be "the" directory of nearly every college student in the country, and it's rapidly expanding to high schools. The average college student is on the website several times a day -- at least! Facebook.com allows its subscribers to join "groups" and it sells the rights to sponsor such groups to corporations. To date, sponsored groups have been limited largely to technology companies -- apple computer, for example.

Well, Facebook sponsored groups have gone political: Click here. You must be signed in to the facebook.com to view the group.

Fox News has invaded the facebook with its own sponsored group.

Saturday Round-Up

Posted by Kevin Bock at 12:27PM | Comments (0) |

Because it's exam time and I don't have the mental energy to expend on creating any actual new content, here's a roundup of some of today's best, worst and oddest:

Best: Republicans are splintering in CA-50, (Francine Busby's district.) The 2nd and 3rd place republican finishers have teamed up against Bilbray (the top vote-getter for R's) for a primary battle... a primary that takes place the same day as the runoff between Bilbray and Busby! Nothing like a good ol' intra-party fight to pull some votes away from Bilbray. Busby's prospects are looking up!

Worst: Dem Apples, over at the Harvard Dems, points out this lawsuit against the Lexington, MA school district. Apparently it's now wrong to even talk about being gay. Gah! Clearly, some people will just never "get" it. And that's when I thank goodness for generational change.

Oddest: A diary on Kos points out a Foreign Policy web exclusive on which foreign leaders are most likely to be assassinated. Especially key is the "How?" section for budding, but clueless, terrorists. Check it out. Then send Foreign Policy a letter and remind them that most of their readers are not 8-year-old boys wanting to play war games.

MoveOn Ads Move Polls in CT-5

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 2:10PM | Comments (0) |

I received an email from the Dems' favorite MoveOn Executive Director today. He was touting the effect of MoveOn's "Caught Red-Handed" ads pointing out Rep. Johnson's support for the corrupt Republican machine in and out of Congress.

Matzzie provided some polling results pre- and post- ad buy that he said dramatized the campaign's effect:

Before the ad ran, Republican Nancy Johnson led Democratic challenger Chris Murphy 47% to 46%. After the ad Johnson is down 41% to 51%. That is a HUGE shift. The shift was even bigger among Independents. It went from dead even at 45% to 45% to Democrat Murphy leading 55% to 35% over Johnson. Among women voters the Democrat had a 1-point lead at 46% to 45% and now he leads 53% to 38%. Just to be sure these changes weren't due to national trends, we also polled before and after in a comparable district where no ad was running. There, the Republican's lead increased.

Now, I'd never seen any poll showing that Murphy was anywhere close to even. Of course, I haven't seen ANY polling out of CT-5, but I don't think one single person in the state thought the race was that tight. These MoveOn numbers seem like they're leaning a little too Democratic.

But still, that's a 9-point swing over a month or so. Big props are called for, I think. They've certainly injected a great deal of energy into the race.

Dems House Party

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 2:08PM | Comments (0) |

Wednesday, April 26 -- 6:30 p.m. -- Prof. Doug Rae's House, 60 Lincoln St, New Haven.

Come mingle with your fellow Democrats from New Haven and across Connecticut at the very first Yale Dems house party. The suggested donation for students is $20. For others, it's $50. To RSVP, e-mail kevin.bock@yale.edu.

State Convention Recap

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 9:10PM | Comments (0) |

At the CT College Dems state convention at UNH on Saturday, we heard from Reps DeLauro and Larson, Sen. Williams, and congressional candidates Murphy, Farrell, and Courtney, as well as some of our statewide elected officials. In fact, one of the biggest surprises of the convention was State Comptroller Nancy Wyman's very well-received speech. All in all, an informative and rousing time.

Special congratulations are in order for Kevin Bock, now the CT College Dems State Vice President. Hopefully he and the rest of the state executive board can build on this year's successes and help mobilize the student vote as we move into the 2006 election season.

Democratic GAIN

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 8:28PM | Comments (0) |

If you're looking for an internship or gainful employment in politics and you don't really know where to start, take a look at the jobs/internship database at Democratic GAIN. www.democraticgain.org

New listings are posted daily, and it's just really really really helpful.

[Update: Cross-listed from the blog to the "campaign jobs" section of the website. -Kevin]

Dems State Convention Reminder

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 8:02PM | Comments (0) |

College Dems of CT State Convention will be THIS SATURDAY at the (very nearby) University of New Haven. We'll be hearing from both of Connecticut's Democratic Congresspeople, and there'll be a number of very interesting panels. Lunch will be provided. It starts at 9, and you'll be back on campus by 4.

Gimme an email if you want to come -- it's going to be a really great day.

Immigration

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 7:39PM | Comments (3) |

So am I dumb, or is the solution to this immigration debate more aggressive enforcement? Not a fence, silly... enforcement of laws against EMPLOYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS! It seems pretty simple -- give the people currently here a path toward legal status and make sure there's no incentive for more to come over illegally because nobody will hire them. Is there something I'm missing? Because it doesn't seem like anyone is really talking about this part. Everyone's all criminalization this, double the border patrol that...

Rev. Coffin, Radical Preacher, Dead

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 10:09PM | Comments (0) |

Longtime Yale Chaplain Rev. William Sloane Coffin died today at his home in Vermont. He was a heroic man who was a huge part of the efforts by students to resist the war in Vietnam and the fight for civil rights. Truly, the Rev. was one of the finest figures on the religious left. I wish we had more like him on campus now.

Election Results

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 2:15PM | Comments (1) |

Francine Busby performed very respectably in the special election to replace Duke Cunningham in CA-50. She received 44% of the vote compared to 15% for Bilbray, the nearest Republican opponent. They're going to a run-off in June.

We got a clear-cut victory in a nearly analogous situation in Pittsburgh yesterday. Republican State Rep. Jeff Habay was forced to resign after being convicted of forcing his office staff to work for his campaign. And he still faces charges for trying to frame a political critic for mailing "anthrax" to his office. Real piece of work, Rep. Habay was... Anyway, they called a special election to fill his seat, which covered some of the most Republican parts of the Pittsburgh suburbs and hadn't elected a Democrat in over 40 years.

Until yesterday! Shawn Flaherty, son of former Pittsburgh Mayor Pete Flaherty, narrowly defeated a Young Republican silver-spoon type who boasted numerous arrests for disorderly conduct and underage drinking. The contest was decided by around 100 votes out of over 10,000 cast, so I'm very happy I decided to walk a precinct for Flaherty over Spring Break.

College Dems of CT State Convention

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 10:19AM | Comments (0) |

The College Democrats of Connecticut will be holding their annual state convention on Saturday, April 22 at the University of New Haven (a convenient 10-minute drive from campus). Last year was a big success, and this year promises to be every bit as good. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro has agreed to address the delegates, and we'll have panels, speeches, and fora featuring students, community activists and prominent elected officials.

The convention will run from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. Registration is $10/student. If you're interested in coming, please email me posthaste so we can RSVP.

Dan Malloy Wows Yale Dems

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 9:39PM | Comments (1) |

Disclaimer: The Yale Dems don't endorse in primaries. The following is just this old guy's opinion.

But holy crap! Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy (www.danmalloy.com) spoke to the Dems tonight in LC. He was on -- joking with the audience, answering everybody's questions, discussing his plans for Connecticut, and relating his profoundly inspiring personal story. I think everyone there came away deeply impressed.

Seriously Vile

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 11:09PM | Comments (3) |

This is really the kind of thing that makes me wonder about the future of our Republic.

But that kind of sentiment isn't limited to pathetic and sad Freepers. I'm reminded, after all, of the immortal words of our kindliest First Lady, Barbara Bush:

"What I’m hearing which is sort of scary is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality.

"And so many of the people in the arena here, you
know, were underprivileged anyway, so this--this (she
chuckles slightly) is working very well for them."

I finally figured myself out on Hashemi.

Posted by Dara Lind at 6:48AM | Comments (0) |

I know, it's been long enough. But in the conversations I've had with people since the news broke, my mushy relativist apologetics have been undercut by: "So if Joseph Goebbels wanted to study at Yale, you'd let him."

Well, no, I wouldn't. But I still think Hashemi should. It comes down to a fundamental disconnect in the neocon plan to export democracy: there's not always a clear distinction between the governor and the governed.

Intrigued? Amused? Bored? See below.

Great Column Today

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 2:22PM | Comments (0) |

By Josh Eidelson in the YDN. Read it. Goo-ga bipartisanship ignores the fundamental reality of American politics: the parties have different positions because their constituencies want different things.

Also check out his blog! Lot of good stuff there.

Delay Out! Possibly!

Posted by Nathan Kilbert at 9:23PM | Comments (1) |

Chris Matthews apparently just reported that Tom Delay will not be seeking reelection. No links or other confirmation yet, but way solid if true.

UPDATE: Confirmed!