Oklahoma Presidential Results Map: 2008 vs. 2012

This map shows the trends in voting when comparing the 2008 presidential race and the 2012 presidential race in Oklahoma. Counties colored a shade of red trended more Republican, and counties colored a shade of blue went more Democrat when compared to the 2008 results.

Jefferson County had the greatest increase for Republicans, at 11.64%. Adair County had the greatest increase for Democrats, coming in at 3.85%. All told, 14 counties had higher percentages for Obama in 2012 than in 2008.

Oklahoma General Elections Results Map - President

Mitt Romney once again carried all of Oklahoma's 77 counties, most with larger margins than before, and some with rather extreme percentages. His best county was Cimarron County, where the GOP nominee received 90.39% of the vote. As in 2008, Obama's best performance came in Cherokee County, where he took 42.95% (in 2008 he got 43.92%).

For reference, here is the 2008 map:

OKGOP to hold presidential straw poll

OKGOP Announces Presidential Straw Poll

Pinnell: "Time the 'reddest state in America' had a straw poll of its own"

(Oklahoma City) - The Oklahoma Republican Party today announced the launch of the inaugural Oklahoma Presidential Straw Poll. The poll will be an online straw poll conducted with the assistance of eVoter, a nonpartisan election information website.

"Many states hold presidential straw polls every four years creating national publicity and financial support for their respective state," said OKGOP Chairman Matt Pinnell. "We thought it was time the 'reddest state in America' had a straw poll of its own. Nothing could be a more accurate barometer of Republican primary voters than to poll those in the most conservative state in the country."

Oklahoma received notoriety as the 'reddest state in America' after all 77 Oklahoma counties went red in 2008, garnering the highest percentage of the vote in the country for the McCain/Palin ticket.

From November 21st - December 5th, voters will be able to cast a vote for their preferred presidential candidate for a $5 contribution to the Oklahoma Republican Party. "In other states, straw poll voters can end up spending hundreds of dollars in travel costs and ballot fees in order to vote," said Pinnell. "We wanted to provide a way for voters to show their support for their candidate from the comfort of their own living room."

Beginning on November 21st, voters will be able to cast their vote at www.oklahomastrawpoll.com. Voting will close at 5:00 pm on December 5th. Results will be announced December 5th at a "Victory 2012" Rally featuring special guest Herman Cain. The Rally will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Oklahoma City Marriott at 3233 Northwest Expressway and will be open to the press.

For complete rules and information visit www.oklahomastrawpoll.com/faq. For press inquires and interviews please contact Chairman Matt Pinnell at 405-528-3501.

News from the Blogosphere

Publicly-funded OSU: "LGBT History Month"

Michael Bates of BatesLine.com reports that Oklahoma State University has recognized October as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) History Month, and is having atheist/pro-homosexual philosophy professor John Corvino deliver a lecture on "What's Morally Wrong with Homosexuality?", where he intends to discredit religious objections to such perversions. This is what Oklahoma taxpayers are paying for with their hard-earned money... what a disgrace and an outrage...

'No Pressure': Environmentalist video blows up kids

Moe Lane at RedState.com has posted a eco-propaganda video entitled No Pressure, produced by British environmentalists to promote the environmentalist campaign "10:10" [cut "carbon" emissions by 10% per year starting in 2010]. In the video, they blow up schoolchildren, soccer players, and employees who are not as zealous for the environmentalist cause, spewing bloody guts all over the surrounding schoolchildren, soccer players, and employees. The 10:10 campaign has now pulled the video, after making this statement:

With climate change becoming increasingly threatening, and decreasingly talked about in the media, we wanted to find a way to bring this critical issue back into the headlines whilst making people laugh. We were therefore delighted when Britain's leading comedy writer, Richard Curtis - writer of Blackadder, Four Weddings, Notting Hill and many others – agreed to write a short film for the 10:10 campaign. Many people found the resulting film extremely funny, but unfortunately some didn't and we sincerely apologise to anybody we have offended. [emphasis mine]

I will warn you - this short, four-minute film is graphic and gory (schoolchildren blow up at their desks in a crowded classroom, splattering the rest of the class in gore, a soccer team manager and employees at a business meet the same fate, all in a nonchalant manner).

Coburn Donates to GOP Senate Efforts

Chris Casteel at the Oklahoman's political blog reports that U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D., has transferred $1M from his campaign account to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, to be used to help efforts to win back the Senate. Joining him was U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who also gave $1M to the NRSC; those are the two biggest contributions this cycle for the NRSC.

Inhofe: McCain's a Liberal, Gets Elected Because of Earmark Opposition

U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) spoke at a Tulsa Metro Chamber breakfast this morning, and labeled U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) as a closet liberal who gets elected merely because he opposes earmarks. No word if he said the same thing about U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), who is even more rabidly anti-earmark/pork-spending than McCain.

Ironically, both Inhofe and and McCain's opponent - former Congressman J.D. Hayworth - are both well known for being earmark defenders.

Don't come between a Senator or Congressman and his earmarks...

Veterans Day - Congressional Heroes

I wasn't able to get this ready to post on Veterans Day, so here it is a bit late.

There are three veterans in Congress that I want to highlight for you. These individuals have compelling stories to tell about their military experiences that fit right in with the Veterans Day spirit.

Without further ado, here are three American Heroes in Congress.

Sen. John McCain (R, Arizona) - Vietnam War veteran and POW. US Navy.

Much has been said about John McCain and his military experiences. Most of you already know his story. Here it is, taken from Wikipedia (for my sake!).

McCain entered the Navy during the Vietnam War. On July 29, 1967 McCain was injured when a bomb eploded onboard his aircraft carrier, getting struck in the legs and chest by shrapnel. On October 26, 1967, McCain was flying his twenty-third mission, he was shot down over Hanoi. His plane went into a vertical inverted spin. Bailing out upside down at high speed, the force of the ejection fractured McCain's right arm in three places, his left arm, and his right leg at the knee, and knocked him unconscious. McCain nearly drowned after parachuting into a Hanoi Lake. A Vietnamese mob pulled him from the water and attacked him. His left shoulder was crushed with the butt of a rifle and he was bayoneted in his left foot and abdominal area. He was then transported to the "Hanoi Hilton".

McCain was beaten upon entering the "Hanoi Hilton". Only when the North Vietnamese discovered that his father was a top admiral did they give him medical care. McCain gave the North Vietnamese his ship's name, squadron's name, and the attack's intended target. Further coerced to give future targets, he named cities that had already been bombed, and responding to demands for the names of his squadron's members, he supplied instead the names of the Green Bay Packers' offensive line. McCain spent six weeks in the hospital, receiving marginal care in a dirty, wet environment. A prolonged attempt to set the fractures on his right arm, done without anesthetic, was unsuccessful; he received an operation on his broken leg but no treatment for his broken left arm.

Now having lost fifty pounds, in a chest cast, covered in grime and eyes full of fever, and with his hair turned white, in early December 1967 McCain was sent to a prisoner-of-war camp on the outskirts of Hanoi nicknamed "the Plantation". In March 1968, McCain was put into solitary confinement, where he remained for two years. In mid-June, Major Bai, commander of the North Vietnamese prison camp system, offered McCain a chance to return home early. The North Vietnamese wanted to score a worldwide propaganda coup by appearing merciful, and also wanted to show other POWs that members of the elite like McCain were willing to be treated preferentially. McCain turned down the offer of release, due to the POWs' "first in, first out" interpretation of the U.S. Code of Conduct: he would only accept the offer if every man captured before him was released as well.

In late August 1968, a program of vigorous torture methods began on McCain. The North Vietnamese used rope bindings to put him into prolonged, painful positions and severely beat him every two hours, all while he was suffering from dysentery. His right leg was reinjured, his ribs were cracked, some teeth were broken at the gumline, and his left arm was re-fractured. After four days of this, McCain signed and taped an anti-American propaganda "confession". He used stilted Communist jargon and ungrammatical language to signal that the statement was forced. McCain was haunted then and since with the belief that he had dishonored his country, his family, his comrades and himself by his statement, but as he later wrote, "I had learned what we all learned over there: Every man has his breaking point. I had reached mine." Two weeks later his captors tried to force him to sign a second statement; his will to resist restored, he refused. He sometimes received two to three beatings per week because of his continued resistance; the sustained mistreatment went on for over a year. McCain refused to meet with various anti-Vietnam War peace groups coming to Hanoi, not wanting to give either them or the North Vietnamese a propaganda victory based on his connection to his father.

Altogether, McCain was held as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five and a half years, nearly five of them after his refusal to accept the out-of-sequence repatriation offer. His wartime injuries left him permanently incapable of raising either arm more than 80 degrees . For his actions as a POW, McCain was awarded the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, three more instances of the Bronze Star, another instance of the Navy Commendation Medal, and the Purple Heart.

Whether you agree with his politics or not, John McCain is an American hero.

Rep. Sam Johnson (R, TX) - Korean War veteran, Vietnam War veteran and POW. USAF.

Sam Johnson is the least-well known of the three gentlemen that I am highlighting, but his story is every bit as real as the others. The following is taken from his congressional website (edited for brevity).

Johnson flew 62 combat missions during the Korean War, scoring one MiG fighter kill, one probable and one damaged. After Korea, he flew the solo and slot positions for the world-renowned Air Force Thunderbirds precision flying demonstration team in the F-100 Super Sabre.

In the Vietnam War during his second tour of duty, Johnson flew his 25th combat mission on April 16, 1966. Shot down at dusk over North Vietnam, Johnson suffered a broken right arm, dislocated left shoulder and a broken back. It was these injuries that the enemy captors would use in their constant efforts to glean information from Johnson.

Johnson spent nearly seven years as a prisoner of war, 42 months in solitary confinement. Forced into solitary when his captors labeled him a “die-hard,” Johnson committed 374 names to memory from tapping a special code on the prison wall. “We were all trying to memorize names in case anybody got out,” Johnson remembers.

While held in the infamous Hanoi Hilton, Johnson spent 72 days in leg stocks. A day after that torture ended, his captors forced him into leg irons for 2 ½ years. Weighing 200 lbs when shot down, an emaciated Johnson got down to an estimated 120 lbs while barely surviving on the occasional “meal” of weeds from the river, pig fat, white rice, or pumpkin soup.

Fellow POW Capt. James Mulligan, USN (Ret.) recalled the day Johnson was allowed to return to a joint cell. He walked into the room with the two other detained American officers, “stood at attention with tears in his eyes, and said simply, ‘Lieutenant Colonel Sam Johnson reporting for duty, sir’…after he had not talked to or directly been with an American for three and a half years.”

Whether you agree with his politics or not, Sam Johnson is an American hero.

Sen. Daniel Inouye (D, HI) - World War II veteran. US Army.

As you can tell from the above picture, Sen. Inouye does not have a right arm.

You see, Inouye was a soldier in the all Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the most highly-decorated unit in Army history. Since Americans of Japanese descent were suspected of Axis sympathies (many were held in internment camps), members of the 442nd often volunteered for suicide missions in the European theater to prove how American they were. The following is again from Wikipedia.

In 1943, when the U.S. Army dropped its ban on Japanese-Americans, Inouye curtailed his premedical studies at the University of Hawaii and enlisted in the Army. Inouye was promoted to the rank of sergeant within his first year, and he was given the role of platoon leader. He served in Italy in 1944 during the Rome-Arno Campaign before he was shifted to the Vosges Mountains region of France, where he spent two weeks searching for the Lost Battalion, a Texas battalion that was surrounded by German forces. He was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant for his actions there. At one point while leading an attack a shot struck him in the chest directly above his heart, but the bullet was stopped by the two silver dollars he happened to have stacked in his shirt pocket. He continued to carry the coins throughout the war in his shirt pocket as good luck charms.

On April 21, 1945, Inouye was grievously wounded while leading an assault on a heavily-defended ridge called near Terenzo called Colle Musatello. The ridge served as a strongpoint along the strip of German fortifications known as the Gothic Line, which represented the last and most dogged line of German defensive works in Italy. As he led his platoon in a flanking maneuver, three German machine guns opened fire from covered positions just 40 yards away, pinning his men to the ground. Inouye stood up to attack and was shot in the stomach; ignoring his wound, he proceeded to attack and destroy the first machine gun nest with hand grenades and fire from his M1 Thompson submachine gun. After being informed of the severity of his wound by his platoon sergeant, he refused treatment and rallied his men for an attack on the second machine gun position, which he also successfully destroyed before collapsing from blood loss.

As his squad distracted the third machine gunner, Inouye crawled toward the final bunker, eventually drawing within 10 yards. As he raised himself up and cocked his arm to throw his last grenade into the fighting position, a German inside fired a rifle grenade that struck him on the right elbow, severing most of his arm and leaving the primed grenade reflexively "clenched in a fist that suddenly didn't belong to me anymore". Inouye's horrified soldiers moved to his aid, but he shouted for them to keep back out of fear his severed fist would involuntarily relax and drop the grenade. As the German inside the bunker reloaded his rifle, Inouye managed to successfully pry the live grenade from his useless right hand and transfer it to his left. As the German aimed his rifle to finish him off, Inouye managed at last to toss the grenade off-hand into the bunker and destroy it. He stumbled to his feet and continued forward, silencing the last German resistance with a one-handed burst from his Thompson before being wounded in the leg and tumbling unconscious to the bottom of the ridge. When he awoke to see the concerned men of his platoon hovering over him, his only comment before being carried away was to gruffly order them return to their positions, since, as he pointed out, "nobody had called off the war".

The remainder of Inouye's mutilated right arm was later amputated at a field hospital without proper anesthesia, as he had been given too much morphine at an aid station and it was feared any more would lower his blood pressure enough to kill him. Inouye was initially awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery in this action, with the award later being upgraded to the Medal of Honor (alongside 21 other Nisei servicemen who served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and were believed to have been denied proper recognition of their bravery due to their race).

While recovering from WWII wounds and the amputation of his right forearm from the grenade wound (mentioned above) at Percy Jones Army Hospital, Inouye met future Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole, then a fellow patient. Dole mentioned to Inouye that after the war he planned to go to Congress; Inouye beat him there by a few years. The two have remained lifelong friends. In 2003, the hospital was renamed the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center in honor of the two WWII veterans and another U.S. Senator and fellow WWII veteran who had stayed in the hospital, Philip Hart.

Whether you agree with his politics or not, Daniel Inouye is an American hero.


And then finally, I end with this poem, which has been passed around so much that nobody really knows who the author is (often attributed to one Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, of the USMC):

It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the soldier,
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.

The Wright Ad That Never Ran

Watch the Jeremiah Wright ad that the McCain campaign never ran here (profanity warning).

Transcript:

"Long before anyone knew who John McCain and Barack Obama were, one chose to honor his fellow soldiers by refusing to walk out of a prisoner of war camp. The other chose not to even walk out of a church where a pastor was spewing hatred. [Jeremiah Wright ranting, profanity.] Character matters, especially when no one's looking. I'm John McCain, and I approved this message."

That was a very hard-hitting ad. One can't help but wonder if the outcome might have been different.

Obama Won One of Nebraska's Electoral Votes

In a rather surprising outcome of the Presidential election, Barack Obama won one of Nebraska's electoral votes, the first time in history that Nebraska's electors have been split.

Two states, Nebraska and Maine, split electors by congressional district. Instead of the normal winner-takes-all method, two electors from each state go to the state-wide winner, and the rest of the electors go by congressional district.

Election Day

And it begins...

I will be waving signs for most of the day, and will not be able to update the blog more than likely. Keep an eye on those election returns! Remember, McCain 296, Obama 242 (and my other predictions)!

Muskogee Politico's Election Predictions

The Muskogee Politico's Election Predictions

President
John McCain stages a comeback very much like Harry Truman. McCain gets 296 in the Electoral College, Obama takes 242.

How some of the battleground states fall:

Colorado: Obama
Florida: McCain
Iowa: Obama
Indiana: McCain
Michigan: Obama
Minnesota: McCain
Missouri: McCain
North Carolina: McCain
New Hampshire: Obama
New Mexico: Obama
Nevada: McCain
Ohio: McCain
Pennsylvania: McCain
Virginia: McCain

Yes, I think McCain will pull Minnesota and Pennsylvania...

U.S. Senate and U.S. House
Jim Inhofe and Dan Boren win easily.

Corporation Commission
Jeff Cloud wins; Dana Murphy eeks out a victory (less than 1%).

State House
Republicans gain the Covey seat, lose either the Thomsen and the Dennis Johnson seat. Zero net change in the State House.

State Senate
The Republicans win the Newberry/Riley election, the Morgan seat (Stillwater), and in a stunner, Kenny Sherrill takes the Lerblance/Gene Stipe seat in McAlester. Net gain of 3 seats for the Republicans.

Muskogee Area
Rep. George Faught (R, Muskogee) gets 58% of the vote. Rep. McPeak (D, Warner) and Sheriff Charles Pearson are re-elected by easy margins. County Propositions 1 & 2 pass.

TvPoll Tracking Polls - Week Eight

TvPoll/KWTV Oklahoma Presidential Tracking Poll (link)
(Poll details and crosstabs - PDF)

• McCain (R) - 63.2 (61.6)
  
• Obama (D) - 33.0 (34.8)
  
• Undecided - 3.8 (3.6)
  

Poll of 720 Likely Voters, October 31-November 2, with a MoE of 3.54%. Last poll's results in parentheses.

This will likely be John McCain's best state.

TvPoll/KWTV Oklahoma U.S. Senate Tracking Poll (link)
(Poll details and crosstabs - PDF)

• Inhofe (R) - 55.3 (51.3)
  
• Rice (D) - 38.9 (41.0)
• Wallace (I) - 2.9 (3.3)
  
• Undecided - 3.0 (4.4)
  

Poll of 720 Likely Voters, October 31-November 2, with a MoE of 3.54%. Last poll's results in parentheses.

Andrew Rice's run looks like it will be a big failure, as expected. Jim Inhofe is going to have a safe return to the Senate.

TvPoll/KWTV Oklahoma Corp.Comm. (Short Term) Tracking Poll (link)
(Poll details and crosstabs - PDF)

• Murphy (R) - 35.3 (34.7)
  
• Roth (D) - 49.8 (46.7)
  
• Undecided -14.9 (18.6)
  

Poll of 720 Likely Voters, October 31-November 2, with a MoE of 3.54%. Last poll's results in parentheses.

Jim "Bought and Paid For" Roth is practically at 50%. Dana Murphy will need a huge push to win this race.

TvPoll/KWTV Oklahoma Corp. Comm. (Long Term) Tracking Poll (link)
(Poll details and crosstabs - PDF)

• Cloud (R) - 45.7 (45.9)
  
• Gray (D) - 33.2 (31.3)
  
• Undecided - 21.1 (22.7)
  

Poll of 720 Likely Voters, October 31-November 2, with a MoE of 3.54%. Last poll's results in parentheses.

Cloud is a safe bet for re-election.

Voter ID:

• Democrat - 54.3% (55.3%)
• Republican - 37.7% (37.7%)
• Independent - 8.0% (7.0%)

Media Bias, Case No. 36,709

H/t to Race42008:

CBS News General Election

• Barack Obama/Joe Biden 54% (52%)
• John McCain/Sarah Palin 41% (41%)
• Undecided 4% (5%)

Survey of 747 likely voters was conducted October 28-31. Party ID breakdown: 40.8% (D); 27.6% (R); 31.6% (I). Results from the poll conducted October 25-29 are in parentheses.

This is the most insane party ID sample I have ever seen. The media is so in the tank for Obama, they're using ridiculous voter samples. There is no way that there is a 23% difference between Republican and Democrat voters, and absolutely no way that Independents outnumber Republicans. For CBS to try to pass this off as a poll is simply laughable.

The pollsters only thought they got a bad reputation after 2004... they ain't seen nothin' yet!

72 Hours Left

72 hours are left in this race; can John McCain and Sarah Palin stage a come-from-behind victory? Only time will tell...

Zogby: McCain Moves into Lead 48-47 in One Day Polling

Per Drudge:

ZOGBY: MCCAIN MOVES INTO LEAD 48-47 IN ONE DAY POLLING

ZOGBY SATURDAY: Republican John McCain has pulled back within the margin of error... The three-day average holds steady, but McCain outpolled Obama 48% to 47% in Friday, one day, polling. He is beginning to cut into Obama's lead among independents, is now leading among blue collar voters, has strengthened his lead among investors and among men, and is walloping Obama among NASCAR voters. Joe the Plumber may get his license after all...

If this holds up, it's huge. McCain is definitely still in this game... even Iowa and Pennsylvania could be back in play.

SurveyUSA Polls

SurveyUSA poll conducted several polls for KFOR-TV, between October 28th and 29th.

Presidential Race (MoE +/- 4.1%):

John McCain (R) - 63% (59%)
Barack Obama (D) - 34% (35%)
Other - 2% (3%)
Undecided - 1% (3%)

The 'Other' category is totally useless, as Oklahoma only has McCain and Obama on the ballot. McCain, needless to say, is headed to a massive victory in Oklahoma.

U.S. Senate Race (MoE +/- 4.1%):

Jim Inhofe (R) - 56% (51%)
Andrew Rice (D) - 36% (39%)
Stephen Wallace (I) - 6% (7%)
Undecided - 2% (4%)

Jim Inhofe looks sets for a big re-election come Tuesday.

Corporation Commission Race, Short-Term (MoE +/- 4.1%):

Dana Murphy (R) - 46% (50%)
Jim Roth (D) - 49% (43%)
Undecided - 5% (7%)

Jim Roth has taken a slight lead, perhaps due to his attack ads that have been running. Dana Murphy still has time to come back; this will be a close race.

Corporation Commission Race, Full-Term (MoE +/- 4.1%):

Jeff Cloud (R) - 55% (53%)
Charles Gray (D) - 39% (37%)
Undecided - 6% (10%)

Jeff Cloud appears set to be re-elected by a large margin.

Muskogee Politico's Picks - Federal Races

Muskogee Politico's Picks for Federal Races

• Congressional District 2 - Rep. Dan Boren (D, Muskogee)

The Muskogee Politico endorses Rep. Dan Boren for re-election. Boren is pretty conservative (for a Democrat), and fits the district well. He's fairly pro-life, one of the more pro-life Democrat's in Congress. He's also pro-Second Amendment; after all, Boren sits on the NRA board of directors.

His opponent, Raymond Wickson, is a perennial candidate, and frankly should not run for office at all. The Muskogee Politico heard him speak once... and it was disastrous. The only reason to vote for him would be the same as for the Muskogee County sheriff race: to increase the Republican vote percentage to encourage future candidates.

• U.S. Senate - Sen. Jim Inhofe (R, Tulsa)
  

Sen. Jim Inhofe wins the Muskogee Politico's endorsement hands-down. A strong conservative, Inhofe represents Oklahoma well. His firm stance against the global warming pseudo-religion has made him a target for liberals world-wide, but Sen. Inhofe refuses to back down.

His opponent is extremely liberal, and is being supported by other ultra-liberals from across the nation. He's too liberal for Oklahoma, and that's just one more reason why Sen. Jim Inhofe needs to be re-elected.

• President - Sen. John McCain/Gov. Sarah Palin (R, AZ/AK)

In the race for President, Sen. John McCain and Gov. Sarah Palin, his running mate, win our endorsement. The reasons are many, but I'll name a few.

The McCain/Palin ticket will uphold our Second Amendment rights; Obama/Biden are against them. McCain/Palin will fight for pro-life issues; Obama/Biden are extremely pro-abortion, and will try to extend abortion rights. McCain/Palin will win the War on Terror, and will not meet with terrorists and dictators; Obama/Biden have a dangerous foreign policy. McCain/Palin will cut taxes; Obama/Biden want to raise taxes, and pursue socialistic policies. And, perhaps most important, McCain/Palin will appoint strict constructionist justices to the Supreme Court, while Obama/Biden will appoint liberal activists to the Court.

America needs John McCain and Sarah Palin; Barack Obama and Joe Biden are too liberal and too dangerous for America.

Commit to Victory

From Kavon W. Nikrad at Race42008.com:

As I posted below, this election is still within our grasp. However, any hope of victory requires us to close strong and contribute whatever we can individually to the effort.

Therefore, I am publicly making the commitment to help us close strong by taking time off from my day job beginning October 30th through election day to help get out the vote for McCain/Palin and Norm Coleman.

Each one of us can make the decision to stay home and let President Obama fundamentally alter American Government; or we can make the decision to get up and fight for the candidate who believes in fundamental principles of America: free markets, strong Defense, and the protection of the weakest of us all.

I am making the commitment to fight. I am asking each one of our readers to think about what they can do to help preserve fundamental American Values and post your commitment in the comments section.

Also, please spread the word to your friends and other blogs and ask just what commitment they will make for victory.

What will YOU do for Republican candidates in the next five days?

Muskogee Politico's Picks, Intro

Since there is less than one week until the election, it's time to unveil the Muskogee Politico's Picks. I'll list the races here, and then post my picks on separate posts.

Races in Muskogee County:
Incumbents are italicized.

• State House District 13 - Debbie Lienhart (R, Haskell) vs. Jerry McPeak (D, Warner)
  
• State House District 14 - George Faught (R, Muskogee) vs. Eugene Blankenship (D, Muskogee)
• Muskogee County Sheriff - Roger Lee (R, Muskogee) vs. Charles Pearson (D, Muskogee)
  
• Muskogee County Proposition 1
• Muskogee County Proposition 2
  

State-wide Races
Incumbents are italicized.

• Corporation Commission, Short Term - Dana Murphy (R, Edmond) vs. Jim Roth (D, OKC)
• Corporation Commission, Full Term - Jeff Cloud (R, OKC) vs. Charles Gray (D, OKC)
• State Question No. 735
• State Question No. 741
  
• State Question No. 742
• State Question No. 743

Judicial Retention Races

• Oklahoma Supreme Court - John Reif
• Oklahoma Supreme Court - Tom Colbert
• Oklahoma Supreme Court - Joseph Watt
• Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals - Charles Johnson
• Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals - Gary Lumpkin
• Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals - Jerry Goodman
• Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals - Jane Wiseman
• Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals - Keith Rapp
• Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals - John Fischer
  

Federal Races
Incumbents are italicized.

• Congressional District 2 - Raymond Wickson (R, Okmulgee) vs. Dan Boren (D, Muskogee)
• U.S. Senate - Jim Inhofe (R, Tulsa) vs. State Sen. Andrew Rice (D, OKC)
  
• President - Sen. John McCain/Gov. Sarah Palin (R, AZ/AK) vs. Sen. Barack Obama/Sen. Joe Biden (D, IL/DE)

Now, no guarantee that I'll post these all in one day... there's more on the ballot than I realized!

The Negative Impact of Barack Obama

Here's a great post from Larry at My Take. Here's a teaser from it:

I started off thinking I would vote third party for the same reasons some of the rest gave. I didn’t really care for McCain and I wondered at how bad an Obama Presidency could really be. As I began to research his policies more, I came to the realization that he was a much greater danger than McCain, so I decided to vote against Obama and for McCain. It’s not a good position to be in, voting against, rather than for someone, but my fear of what Barack Obama would do to our country is so great, that it has put me in this position.

One of the main arguments that I hear to not vote for McCain is how our country survived Bill Clinton for eight years and Obama would be no worse. I beg to differ with that assumption. Let’s look at some facts, shall we? These are not necessarily in order of importance, but just as they come to mind.

Read the rest of the post here.

McCain Leads in Polls

Here's a poll in which John McCain leads by twelve percent:

John McCain - 46%
Barack Obama - 34%
Undecided - 18%

(It was taken in Israel.)

For what it's worth, McCain also leads in the nations of Georgia and the Philippines.