James Ridgeway

In 1965, James Ridgeway helped launch the modern muckraking era by revealing that General Motors had hired private eyes to spy on an obscure consumer advocate named Ralph Nader. He worked for many years at the Village Voice, has written 16 books, and has codirected Blood in the Face, a film about the far right. In 2012, he was named a Soros Justice Media Fellow.

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Kean, Menendez, and the Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

—By James Ridgeway

| Wed Oct. 25, 2006 3:42 PM PDT

Today's New Jersey Supreme Court decision in favor of same-sex marriage may well be a factor in galvanizing conservative voters to turn out for Tom Kean Jr., the GOP's candidate for Senate. Interestingly, both Kean and his opponent, Senator Bob Menendez, have basically the same stance on the issue. Both are against gay marriage but in favor of domestic partnerships.

Kean is in a tight race against Menendez, with polls showing the democrat slightly ahead. The Dems ought to take New Jersey, but Kean, a well known name in the state (his father was governor and most recently head of the 9/11 Commission), is running uncomfortably close. As in many tight races this year, this campaign has turned nasty, with both candidates running attack ads. And Menendez may have been somewhat tarnished by the recent disclosure of a secret tape recording, made 7 years ago, that shows a former close political advisor urging a Hudson County contractor to hire a certain individual as a favor to Menendez.

Kean has voted against the minimum wage, offered tepid criticism of Bush on Iraq, wants to get rid of the inheritance tax, and has supported some sort of privatization of Social Security. He is for stem cell research but voted against using tobacco tax monies to support such research.

Menendez wants a phased withdrawal from Iraq.

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Democratic Tidal Wave in New York

—By James Ridgeway

| Fri Oct. 20, 2006 11:01 AM PDT

It won't come as a surprise,but the bellwether Marist Poll in New York State out today is showing Democrats are set to sweep the state, and on pretty wide margins.For governor, Eliot Spitzer has 70 percent to John Faso's 22 percent

Former HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo is running well ahead of former Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, 56-36.

Hillary Clinton leads Republican John Spencer by 37 percentage points, and she gets a 58 percent approval rating from likely voters..

A majority of likely voters -- 62 percent -- in New York State intend to support a Democratic candidate for Congress. That includes non-enrolled independent voters and about one in 5 Republicans. Twenty seven percent of the likely voters will cast a Republican ballot.

Key issues: 82 percent of registered voters think the Iraq war and the war on terrorism are major factors, followed by Bush himself.

And then there is this: CQ Politics quotes an unnamed insider Republican as saying, they are trying to shore up voters painting ``fear of a Democratic majority,'' adding, "We've pretty much blown every other issue. Fear is the only motivating factor left on the table."

And the GOP is wildly trying to scare its base by painting the horrors to come should Nancy Pelosi become Speaker.

Tet

—By James Ridgeway

| Thu Oct. 19, 2006 12:36 PM PDT

The apparently popular notion that recent guerrilla strikes in Iraq bear similarities to Tet is succinctly laid to rest this morning by Juan Cole. Here's a paragraph from his Informed Comment blog:

"The current guerrilla war against US troops and the new Iraqi government isn't at all like the Tet offensive. It is deadly serious. Because the US military is not defeating the guerrillas militarily any more. They have succeeded in provoking an unconventional, hot civil war, which was their "poison pill" strategy for getting the US out. The US has alienated the Sunni Arab population decisively. In summer of 2003, only 14 percent of them supported violent attacks on US troops. In a recent poll, 70 percent supported such attacks. And, the guerrilla movement is well-heeled, well-trained, and adaptive.''

You can find Juan Cole's daily analysis at www.juancole.com or write him direct at jrcole@umich.edu.

JoeMotion

—By James Ridgeway

| Tue Oct. 17, 2006 1:43 PM PDT

Charlie Cook's staff on CSPAN Sunday were predicting Senate control will ride on one vote. Could go either way. Whatever happens that's going to give tremendous leverage to Joe Lieberman,who is running 8-10 points ahead of Ned Lamont. Lieberman confirmed to us this morning he will organize with the Democrats. But, he can always change his mind.Whatever happens he is in a position to exercise considerable leverage—in terms of committee assignments and pork.Lieberman could end up with more power in Connecticut than fellow senator and Democrat Christopher Dodd , not to mention greater influence than the Bush family before it fled into exile in Texas.

As for Vermont's Bernie Sanders, running far ahead of Richard Tarrant (64-32) in the Vermont senate race, his office said Sanders will organize with the Democrats.

It's Bush Sr. vs Bush Jr. in Allen/Webb Race

In Virginia, key Senate race is dead even.

—By James Ridgeway and Caroline Dobuzinskis

| Mon Oct. 16, 2006 12:00 AM PDT

WASHINGTON—Jim Webb, the Vietnam vet and Reagan's former Secretary of the Navy, who is tied in the key Virginia Senate race, is arguing for a negotiated settlement in Iraq. George Allen, his Republican competitor, echoes Bush on the subject. Webb seems to think a settlement might be arranged by Jim Baker, secretary of state to Bush senior. He spoke Sunday night at a meeting of Arab Americans organized by the Arab American Institute, at Tyson’s Corner in northern Virginia.

In other words, the Democratic candidate is basically siding with elements of the elder Bush’s political entourage in an effort to extricate Junior from the mess he got himself into. So, in one sense, the Virginia Senate race pits old man Bush against his eldest son: Republican against Republican, with Allen, the conservative GOP favorite for the 2008 presidential nomination, looking more and more like the son’s puppet.

[Read the full article]