As reported yesterday by The Missoulian, and denounced today by Project Vote…

[T]he Republican Party of Montana is challenging the eligibility to vote of at least 6,000 residents of that state—mostly in key Democratic strongholds—based solely on the fact that the residents have filed change-of-address cards with the U.S. Postal Service. While state GOP executive director Jacob Eaton claims the challenges are an attempt to protect “the integrity of the voting process,” such massive challenges at this late date threaten to overwhelm election officials, suppress turnout of eligible voters, and create chaos at the polls.

As noted in the Missoulan’s lede graf, the 6,000 challenged were voters are "in seven counties historically considered Democratic strongholds." They also report that "Only twice in the past 15 years has [the] Missoula County election administrator [where 3,422 of the challenges are] had anyone try to challenge another voter’s eligibility." …

UPDATE 10/4/08: James Sample at HuffPo reports that one of those 6,000 challenged voters who may lose their right to vote, is a former MT State Rep, and an Army Reservist, currently in New Jersey because he’s about to leave for Iraq. Again. He won’t be able to go to Montana to confirm his authenticity, unfortunately. First Lieutenant Kevin Furey has released this statement:

It is ironic that at the same time I am about to return to Iraq to help build a democracy that my own right to vote is being challenged at home for partisan purposes. These challenges are a blatant and offensive attempt to suppress the rights of voters.

[hattip to Cisco McSorley]

Cindy McCain: Obama’s Waged “Dirtiest Campaign” in U.S. History

Cindy McCain said … that presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama has “waged the dirtiest campaign in American history,” and her husband Sen. John McCain will use tonight’s debate to correct the distortions.

Cindy McCain: Obama’s Waged “Dirtiest Campaign” in U.S. History

One thing I loathe about Republican strategy is the tactic of accusing your opponent of doing what you are doing. It’s bizarre.

Worse are the burning-in-Hell Lee Atwater and his bastards, such as Karl Rove. For them, victory is all. And, if you can’t win on merit or by cheating, then destroy everything in your path. Sherman’s March meets Vietnam. As McCain, et al., become uglier and more vicious, recognize that they are no longer trying to win — they expect to lose. Instead, they are hardening the opposition to be sure that Obama can’t get anything done without the Republicans, in spite of what may be an electoral landslide. In the process, McCain and his ilk are assuring that 20% of the nation believes Obama is incompetent, uncomprehending, unpatriotic, unworthy, socialist, terrorist, Muslim, evil-incarnate. (Every one of those words have been used by McCain’s supporters and his campaign.) How many loony gun nuts lurk in that crowd?

peace,
mjh

PS: That McCain dumped his sick wife for an ice queen like Cindy, who never wears the same thousands-of-dollars outfit twice, says volumes about his sense of loyalty and his judgment.

Who You Callin’ a Maverick?

By JOHN SCHWARTZ

Published: October 4, 2008

There’s that word again: maverick. In Thursday’s vice-presidential debate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, the Republican candidate, used it to describe herself and her running mate, Senator John McCain, no fewer than six times, at one point calling him “the consummate maverick.” …

Sam Maverick’s grandson, Fontaine Maury Maverick, was a two-term congressman and a mayor of San Antonio who lost his mayoral re-election bid when conservatives labeled him a Communist. He served in the Roosevelt administration on the Smaller War Plants Corporation and is best known for another coinage. He came up with the term “gobbledygook” in frustration at the convoluted language of bureaucrats. …

Considering the family’s long history of association with liberalism and progressive ideals, it should come as no surprise that Ms. Maverick insists that John McCain, who has voted so often with his party, “is in no way a maverick, in uppercase or lowercase.”

“It’s just incredible — the nerve! — to suggest that he’s not part of that Republican herd. Every time we hear it, all my children and I and all my family shrink a little and say, ‘Oh, my God, he said it again.’ ”

“He’s a Republican,” she said. “He’s branded.”

From David Brooks:

[L]et us recognize above all the 228 who voted no — the authors of this revolt of the nihilists. They showed the world how much they detest their own leaders and the collected expertise of the Treasury and Fed. They did the momentarily popular thing, and if the country slides into a deep recession, they will have the time and leisure to watch public opinion shift against them.

House Republicans led the way and will get most of the blame. It has been interesting to watch them on their single-minded mission to destroy the Republican Party. Not long ago, they led an anti-immigration crusade that drove away Hispanic support. Then, too, they listened to the loudest and angriest voices in their party, oblivious to the complicated anxieties that lurk in most American minds.

Now they have once again confused talk radio with reality. If this economy slides, they will go down in history as the Smoot-Hawleys of the 21st century. With this vote, they’ve taken responsibility for this economy, and they will be held accountable. The short-term blows will fall on John McCain, the long-term stress on the existence of the G.O.P. as we know it.

I’ve spoken with several House Republicans over the past few days and most admirably believe in free-market principles. What’s sad is that they still think it’s 1984. They still think the biggest threat comes from socialism and Walter Mondale liberalism. They seem not to have noticed how global capital flows have transformed our political economy.

Op-Ed Columnist – Revolt of the Nihilists – Op-Ed – NYTimes.com

Jimmy Carter said, “A strong nation, like a strong person, can afford to be gentle, firm, thoughtful, and restrained. It can afford to extend a helping hand to others. It is a weak nation, like a weak person, that must behave with bluster and boasting and rashness and other signs of insecurity.”  (Hattip to walkingraven.)