Every time someone lops off Creationism's head, it sprouts two more.  This time it's couched in terms of "critical thinking" and supported by that dark horse in the Republican VEEPstakes, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (details below the fold).

Hercules defeated the Hydra by cauterizing the necks each time he lopped off a head.  I wonder what the present-day analogue is that applies in this situation:  never letting another state legislature have a Republican majority again?

It is with great reluctance that I once again bid you GBAB--goodbye, addictive blog.

As I write this, Chris Matthews is talking about the Clinton scorched earth campaign, and whether Democrats will be able to win this November if Clinton's campaign continues to poison voters against the Democratic Party for November.

Strangely enough, I had just finished writing this letter to Hillary's campaign site.

Right now, the biggest threats to our success in November are of our own making:  the mess in Florida and Senator Clinton’s recent tack of cozying up to John McCain.  An endorsement from John Edwards this week would go a long way toward nullifying those threats.  As a community, we can and should urge him to take this positive step for our party.

NOTE:  I'm not citing the usual reasons why an Edwards endorsement would have an impact.  Please read the why below the fold before commenting.

Looking at the states within 5% in the 2004 general election plus a few interesting states outside that range, I find I come up with pretty much the same set of states Rasmussen has done head-to-head polls in.

The fact is that in these swing states, Hillary has a problem.  Well, a few, actually.  No matter what angle you look at these numbers from, they suggest Obama should be our nominee.

Yesterday, this diary by Sam Wise Gingy unearthed a video that sheds light on why Senator Clinton supported the invasion of Iraq.  The video is 15 minutes long, but I was so struck by its contents that I have transcribed it for easier consumption.

Interested?  Follow me...

Head-to-head national polls don't mean much, because the electoral college is determined winner-take-all on a state-by-state basis.

Rasmussen has a summary of head-to-head polls in six states.  Let's see how Obama and Clinton compare to McCain, where you can actually start counting electoral votes.

UPDATE #1:  SurveyUSA has a similar poll in Wisconsin out today.

UPDATE #3:  There were two new polls of this kind released today, one in Florida and one in Minnesota.  See below for details.

Suppose the GOP told Democratic voters in Michigan and Florida that their votes wouldn't count, and it reduced turnout by 10%.  Would that be voter suppression?

YES.

How is that different from what Clinton wants to do in Michigan and Florida?

I got curious about who had won the "blackest" states and the "whitest" states this election season.  So I found a list of the states, ranked by the most recent estimates of African Americans per 100 people.  The results?  Splitting the data at the national average of 10.5% African American:

                      > 10.5%  < 10.5%
Barack Obama   10         12
Hillary Clinton      4           6

So there you go.  At a broad-brush level, there is no significant difference between Obama and Hillary's ability to win states with above or below average African American population (chi-square test with 1 degree of freedom, p-value = 0.92).

The data this is based on is below the fold.

oscarsmom and I just returned from helping run a site with 15 precincts in Jim McDermott's legislative district in Seattle.

Quick results:  67 Obama delegates, 19 Clinton delegates, no Uncommitted.  That's 77% Obama for those of you playing along at home.

Yesterday, there were this anti-Obama diary and this pro-Obama diary comparing the candidates' health care plans, with much wide-ranging discussion on both diaries.  I would like to focus on one issue:  not-for-profit healthcare solutions in both plans.

In brief, I found that the plans are very similar (as the MSM had led me to believe), with more difference in emphasis and level of detail than in actual plans.  But I find the difference in emphasis very important, and you should, too.

CNN's entrance polls had a lot of interesting questions.

Electability is a much-debated topic here, so I was interested to see what South Carolina voters had to say on the topic.

I think there is a general consensus here (some evidence otherwise aside) that going into November we will be a unified party supporting our nominee.  I certainly would be proud to vote for Edwards, Clinton, or Obama in November.  At this point it looks like Edwards will not be our nominee, so I will focus on Clinton and Obama.

We lost in 2004 against one of the worst incumbents in history, and this election my primary interest is getting the Democrat in the White House.  I have strong opinions on who is the most electable this time, and I'm sure a lot of you do, too.  What I'd like is to better understand those of you who have a different opinion than mine.

One significant difference this election has been the public's attitude about the voting process.  Voting machines have raised the issue of how we should vote; there have been significant discussions here and elsewhere about vote by mail processes and other options.

The central issues for all of these discussions are:  (1) who will any particular voting method allow to vote, and (2) how secure can the voter be that they will be allowed to vote and that their vote will count?

As a Voice of America article points out, this time international eyes were watching the voting process.  I firmly believe that we are the primary example of Democracy to the rest of the world, and we need to clean up our act.  We need to act on this unique opportunity.

Firstly, IF YOU HAVE AN FP THAT IS ABOUT VOTING, POST IN A MORE APPROPRIATE PLACE.  I don't want you to waste your issue on this lower-priority diary.

Well I never thought I'd start a What's your F*cking Problem thread, especially not on Election Day.  I guess my temper is short because I'm revved up for this election!

My FP is about videos on DailyKos, and my lack of access to them because of some Internet Explorer glitch.  I hope someone can help me; and if you have an FP, here's a place to ask for assistance for yourself.

Dear Keith,

For years your voice has been a fine example of what an asset a free media can be to the citizens of a democratic nation, especially one like ours that is struggling to retain its identity against a rising tide of fear and fearmongering.  My wife and I have often thought of how fitting it is for you to quote Edward R. Murrow, whose example you have clearly taken to heart.  It could not have been clearer who inspires your work during the special message you released this evening in response to Secretary Rumsfeld's self-serving comments to the American Legion.

Thank you for your enduring courage!  You are an inspiration to many of us, and I hope a source of disquiet and shame to others who are in a similar position to be of service to the American people, but choose instead to serve themselves.

Sincerely,

Max Robinson
Seattle, WA

I expect to be thinking a lot about what the Democrats should stand for in the November elections, so here's a snapshot of where I am at today:

1.  We shouldn't be in Iraq.
2.  There's a better way to fight terrorism.
3.  Fiscal responsibility?  Think Democrats.
4.  Nothing has changed since Nixon:  Republicans are still abusing their power.  Give them less to abuse.

You'll find a slightly more detailed outline below the fold.

I am sick of the Sanctimonious Right's obsession with being pro-American in print, but not in their actions!  I want the truth about America to make me proud to be an American, and the truth is about what we do, not how we justify it.  There is nothing more empty than pride based on a symbol or label without reference to what it was intended to represent.

My idea of America is based on the first sentence of the preamble to the Declaration of Independence.  Judging by its actions, America in the neocon age bears no resemblance to this fundamental view.

This rant was inspired by theyrereal's recent story.  oscarsmom mentioned that another recent story covered similar ground.