Now that the election has come to an end, so has SFR’s election blog. Fret not, followers, the launch of a new blog, a new news & culture blog, is imminent. Like a snickers bar, it’ll satisfy you.
- Dave
[...]Last Thursday, outgoing New Mexico Senator Pete Domenici joined the procession of farewells to Alaska Senator Ted Stevens, who was recently convicted then defeated in short order.
If you’re curious, here’s what Domenici had to say about his fellow elderly Republican:
Mr. President, I rise now because I look [...]
This thoughtful little Website uses a blog’s text to make a judgment on its psychological type. Normally I wouldn’t say to place too much stock in something like this but, based on what the site determined about swingstateofmind.com, I’d say it’s a 100 percent correct.
The Visionaries
About [...] The Secretary of State’s office has just informed SFR that it is dropping the inquiry into questionable spending made by Democratic PRC candidate Jerome Block Jr.
In the week before the election, SOS spokesman James Flores had told reporters the office expected to send out a letter regarding three payments [...]
He beat the deadline! Yesterday afternoon, the sort-of-victorious Jerome Block Jr. dropped off a check for $11,700 at the New Mexico Secretary of State’s office, settling his campaign-related fines. Block also returned $10,000 in misspent public campaign funds, which the state had demanded back no later than [...]
There will be a protest in Santa Fe against California’s Proposition 8 at 11:30 am this Saturday, Nov. 15 at the east side of the Roundhouse (facing Old Santa Fe Trail).
Proposition 8, which passed in California, bans gay marriage, which had been legal in the state since the previous spring, [...]
Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairman Brian Colon is on record telling SFR that we treat the party fairly…that is until we grilled him on the election cycle, the primary caucus comedy-of-errors, his political ambitions and whether he taunted his Republican counterpart with text messages after New [...]
This morning’s Washington Post does something to answer a question that’s been bugging me since the Iowa caucuses: What happens to Obama’s personality cult after he takes office?
All those HOPE posters were neat during the campaign, but just admit: It’ll be a little creepy if Obama’s face [...]
Legendary comedic deep thinker and Santa Fe resident Jack Handey shares his thoughts with SFR on the possibility of his former Saturday Night Live coworker, Al Franken, winning Minnesota’s Senate seat. As of Friday, the gap had narrowed to within 300 votes (in his opponent, incumbent Republican [...]
Nearly a year after SFR broke the news on Los Alamos-based Hyperion Power Generation’s hot tub-sized nuclear reactors, the Guardian follows up…and it’s suddenly the top story on Drudge Report. (When he ran the story, it made Slashdot and nearly crashed [...]
Suggestions for departing ICE chief Julie Myers’ next Halloween costume:
1.) Red-state refugee
2.) Minutemaid
3.) Jane Crow
3.) Marie Antoinette, post-guillotine
4.) Sarah Palin (everyone needs a cop out)
[...]That’s right, FOX NEWS REPORTS, Palin didn’t know Africa was a continent.
“She didn’t understand, McCain aides told me, that Africa was a continent and not a country and actually asked them if South Africa wasn’t just part of the country as opposed to a country in the continent,” Fox [...]
After Jack Shafer (upon whom several of us at SFR have unabashed journalism-crushes) finishes eviscerating Wolf Blitzer, Slate offers up this lovely video parody of CNN’s bizarro hologram show last night.
PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
BARACK OBAMA and JOE BIDEN: 56.7%
JOHN MCCAIN and SARAH PALIN:42.0%
CYNTHIA MCKINNEY and ROSA CLEMENTE: 0.2%
CHUCK BALDWIN and DARRELL CASTLE: 0.2%
RALPH NADER and MATT GONZALEZ:0.6%
BOB BARR and WAYNE A. ROOT: 0.3%
UNITED STATES SENATOR
TOM UDALL: 61.2%
STEVE PEARCE: [...]
Many of you Blockwatchers probably woke up this morning, saw Jerome Block Jr’s 56.2 to 43.8 win over Rick Lass, and shrieked. You’ve probably decided that the worst offense Block’s committed throughout his campaign was tarnishing Obama’s victory last night. Obama called for a change in the politics is played, [...]
Ouch. Block beat Lass 56 to 44 percent, although Taos County isn’t in yet and only three precincts in Los Alamos have reported. I’m going to bed, but it doesn’t look good–this could mean many, many more months of Blockwatch.
[...]And the Sun News stands correct.
At pretty much 9pm on the spot, CNN called the presidency for Obama. Minutes earlier, Virginia came in for Obama, letting a slew of west coast states push him over the top.
Ffffffffffuck. I can’t believe it.
[...]MSNBC just projected Obama winning New Mexico. Currently, the Secretary of State’s web site has Obama at 58.8 percent to McCain’s 40.1 percent, with only a handful of counties reporting.
UPDATE: CNN has also called it for Obama, but the actual reported numbers are currently in McCain’s favor.
UPDATE 8:51pm: As [...]
I spoke with Rick Lass, the Green candidate in the seriously contested D3 Public Regulation Commission race, a few hours ago. He’s predicting (read: hoping, desperately) a win, with something like 52 or 53 percent of the vote. In particular, he says the race hinges on:
1) Winning [...]
CNN says Vermont for Obama, Kentucky for McCain. I need more!!!
[...]That’s the main message from a conference call I just got off of with the Election Protection folks. There has been an incident in Roswell, NM, where approximately five people, registered Democrats, received calls telling them to vote on Nov. 8. And one of our employees received a comparable text [...]
The audio and visuals are a little off but once 56 seconds rolls around this video get great. (Reposted from B.Michael’s Notebook Miscellany)
Ron: Long lines out here. Been out since seven this morning.
Reporter: Lines so long you decided to come back?
Ron: I decided to come back and vote a [...]
Rob Paravonian loves him some America!
Now normally I don’t find allusions to abusive relationships funny at all, but somehow Paravonian has managed to take the ideas of stalking and obession to a place where they’re so over the top they actually work. “Whose your founding father bitch? She’d better [...]
Americans, here it is: solid and unequivocal proof that John McCain is not planning on living much longer and, by extension, has been setting up Sarah Palin for the presidential post all along. In his presumably final campaign email this morning, there resides the following curious [...]
My roommate just sent me this sweet hour by hour playbook for tomorrow’s BIG DAY (which is finally here, much to the joy of pretty much everyone I knew) from the BBC. It’s a little scary to know that the rest of the world is watching [...]
Jerome Block Jr., Democratic nominee for the Public Regulation Commission in northern New Mexico, has added a new page to his Web site: Correspondence. It’s mostly links to a few letters and surveys he’s filled out over the course of the campaign.
But I shit you not: He’s gotten the [...]
The Secretary of State office didn’t take too kindly to Jerome Block Jr.’s latest missive and has issued its final order: pay $11,000 in fines and return $10,700 in public campaign money by November 14.
Block can appeal to an arbitrator.
I wonder whether Block still has that [...]
A couple of months back, SFR reported on LopsidedMom, a New Mexican woman who had found an outlet in (and a talent for) blogging while her husband, a Naval reservist, was deployed in Iraq. The situation has changed for LM since September and the Blue Star blogger agreed to [...]
Remember the Wuzzup Budweiser commercial from 2000?
Well, here is wuzzup, eight years later:
That may be more brilliant than Hillary’s Downfall.
[...]Intrade.com, an online trading exchange website where members can speculate (i.e. bet) on the outcomes of pretty much any and every future event, shows that traders are heavily favoring Obama to win the NM electoral college votes and Udall to take the New Mexico Senate. Not like we couldn’t [...]
Shepard Fairey, a Los Angeles-based street artist and propaganda engineer, has gotten a lot of attention for donating his red-white-and-blue Barack Obama design to the Illinois senator’s presidential campaign. The “Hope” posters are everywhere, including bumper stickers and windows all over Santa Fe (I saw [...]
For full Santa Fe zombie attack coverage, see SFReporter.com
Rio Rancho, NM - It was the game-changing event Republicans were praying for and presidential nominee Sen. John McCain and running mate Gov. Sarah Palin did not hesitate to seize on the so-called “zombie attack” in Santa [...]
For full Santa Fe zombie attack coverage, see SFReporter.com
Madrid, NM - Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama suspended his campaign Friday to address the so-called “zombie attack” in Santa Fe.
Flanked by running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden and New Mexico Senate candidate Rep. Tom Udall, Obama [...]
Jerome Jr has responded to the Secretary of State’s $11,000 fine claiming that he just didn’t understand. Read the letter yourself.
Block attaches several documents, including an invoice from Wyld Country that specifices that a performance would take place between 1pm and 6pm, with no date [...]
OK, so it’s no big secret which way Swing State of Mind swings, but that doesn’t mean we don’t read and adore those on the other side of the pendulum’s swoop. We like to think Moralia Blog (”Parenting and culture, religion and politics”) is to SSOM what Pat Buchanan [...]
What do Bollywood heart throb Hrithik Roshan and political knob Jerome Block Jr. have in common?
Well, according to Sikh blogger Gurumustuk Singh, in early August, Pawan Dhindsa held a huge party for the cast and crew of Kites, an Indian film set [...]
Well, technically Gov. Bill Richardson and I in-person absentee voted, because that’s what it’s called when you do it at the Clerk’s office. It’s just plain ol’ early voting when you do it at the fair grounds.
In this video (shot by intern Bonar Blagden, edited by me) the Guv early [...]
Tonight, four networks are airing Barack Obama’s 30-minute special. Don’t groan, it might not be that boring. In fact, there’s a familiar name behind it: Mark Putnam, who directed Bill Richardson’s clever “job interview” advertisements during the primary season. SFR spoke with Putnam in late [...]
Forget all that erudite punditry and highly-wrought hoo-hah that we’ve been spewing regarding the presidential election, and take a look at the election lite. This is the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen.
[...]
Chris Henderson has spent the last four years traveling the world as an intelligence officer for the U.S. Air Force, including a year-long deployment in Iraq. Now the 27-year-old New Mexican is traveling the state for Obama’s Campaign for Change. SFR’s Erin Brooks spoke with [...]
Slate has created a nifty interactive test to determine how important your vote is.
I assumed, living in NM, I was a totally important swing state voter. I guess I was wrong. Damn higher education
OK, so it finally happened. Some down-home upstanding American shouted the N-word at a Palin rally. Palin was struggling to make a point about Obama’s “ideological commitment to higher taxes” when some fucktard helps her out by making the trenchant remark, “and he’s a nigger.” Sorry this Daily Kos [...]
By now, you’ve probably seen the New Mexico Sun News’ premature declaration, “Obama Wins!” If you’re like me, you wish it would go away because you are too traumatized by Nov 3, 2004. But here’s to having a sense of humor—hopefully one that helps and doesn’t [...]
More from Jim Terr: a few videos about Blockgate set to the tune of Bill Haley’s “Rock around the Clock” and Brenda Lee’s “I’m Sorry”
[...]
I had to call Associated Press this morning to find out the results of the New Mexico Press Association awards last night. The dailies only published their winners and the NMPA Web site didn’t publish the complete list.
(Ironic, isn’t it? Kind of like if there [...]
It seems like I’m only allowed to appear on KNME’s New Mexico InFocus when the annual Rose Bowl parade float is on the table for discussion.
Here’s the Web extra footage from my appearance this week on The Line segment.
I think I’m looking a bit greasy. Serves me right for [...]
In this week’s SFR, we report on the serious problems with voting instructions in several counties in north and north-east New Mexico. Specifically, the issue is that some county clerks aren’t giving voters the right instructions on how to both vote straight-party vote, while still casting a vote for [...]
VS. 
Somehow—let’s call it genuine journalistic rectitude—I have come to receive campaign emails from both presidential camps. As we approach the home stretch (sorry for the lack of a better sports-related metaphor), let’s take note of where each campaign is at [...]
You may remember La Pequena from the primaries, back when you couldn’t go two days without a new, brilliant viral video (Baracky was brilliant, Hillary’s Downfall was hilarious). Back when La Pequena was playing Hillary Clinton, it was just creepy. She’s still creepy, now, but this time [...]
On Wednesday we published our endorsement issue along with our recommendations on which way to vote on the various constitutional amendments and bonds that you’ll find on the ballot. So, if you’re still uncertain of who and what to vote for, check out the below endorsements, along with the [...]
As I was predicting all day yesterday, the outrage inspired by Otero County Republican Women chair Marcia Stirman’s remarks, calling Barack Obama a “Muslim socialist” in a letter to the Alamagordo Daily News, has broken on the national scene. For the second day in a row (yesterday [...]
I’ve already voted, and spent countless hours writing endorsements to encourage others to do so as well, but, still, am slightly amused by this personalized video Moveon sent to me.
(moved to after the jump because the autoplay was annoying some peeps)
[...]I know we posted these clips from Katie Couric’s interview with Gov. Sarah Palin before. Just watch ‘em again. I betcha you’ll notice something new.
Hat tip to Colagiovanni and, of course, Terry Tate, office linebacker.
[...]
Google is one of the only mega-companies in the world (along with, possibly, Swatch) that I would make commercials for. I love those guys, pretty much because their products are so genius.
Take, for example, Google Audio Indexing. This is a search engine for political campaign [...]
Hopefully Paper Toy’z will make a little paper Palin with lots and lots of paper clothes in the next few days. But in the meantime, when you’re bored at work and looking to waste company paper and glue, build your own Obama. The site offers [...]
Oh yes, another misrepresentation from Jerome Block Jr., Democrat running for New Mexico’s 3rd District Public Regulation Commission seat.
In yesterday’s candidate forum, Jerome Jr. claimed (and continues to claim on his Web site and campaign materials) that he has “proudly endorsed” by LULAC, the League of [...]
And New Mexico’s Sen. Jeff Bingaman makes center page, in red, on the Drudge Report today with his remarks to a talk radio station that he supports a return to the fairness doctrine…
Oh, Jeff, Jeff, Jeff….don’t you know that right wing controls the radio, but the left wing [...]
In a Q&A (via The Page) with People magazine, master of manipulation and comedic genius Sarah Palin had this to say of Tina Fey’s imitation of her—or her, er, imitation of Tina Fey:
PEOPLE MAGAZINE: Tina Fey plays you sort of bubble-headed…
SARAH PALIN: That’s [...]
Look, the McCain Web site has a new feature for the computer-literate younins, a feature designed to cull your hard-earned creative intellectual property by giving you the privilege of creating your very own Joe the Plumber rally sign! Apparently the McCain campaign is hard up [...]
Worse than “terrorist” at the Palin rally…
Worse than the New Mexico GOP chairman’s comments about native New Mexicans who came here as conquererors not voting for an African American, because they came here as slaves…
Otero County Republican Women Chair Marcia Stirman wrote in a letter to [...]
A lot of breaking Blockgate news… for something less, um, Blocky, check out our intern Bonar’s post on political pumpkins.
Democratic PRC candidate Jerome Block Jr.’s campaign manager, Jonathan “There’s a warrant out for my arrest” Valdez filed the most inane, misinformed complaint against his Green [...]
Folks, this might be it for today. I’ll continue with the next three questions tomorrow.
[...]OK, sorry, I accidentally tagged on part of Jerome Block Junior’s answer to the third question at the end of his answer to the second question, but you’ll get the full responses to Question #3 in the next video…assuming I don’t collapse and/or have a nervous breakdown.
[...]So be patient, folks. Dave Maass videotaped the forum today, sponsored by The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce and ACI, and I’m attempting to edit it. But it’s long, we’re on deadline etc. etc. So it’s coming at you in pieces, starting with Part 1: bios and the first question.
[...]
We are a mere two weeks away from the highly anticipated, November 4th elections. We are also just 10 days away from Halloween. Combine the two and you have a fantastic opportunity to express your political opinion one more time before the polls close. So, if [...]
Conservation Voters of New Mexico, who have endorsed Green Party candidate Rick Lass in the PRC race, have released this scathing, slap-down attack ad against Block, which will start running on radio stations today:
Conservation Voters of New Mexico Attack Ad MP3
Script: [Ominous music] What do [...]
I caught this interview with Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn, on Hardball live, while I was home sick on Friday afternoon. I immediately called Julia, to tell her to catch the replay after she made deadline.
It begins with Chris Matthews asking the McCain-Palin surrogate about the Republican vice presidential [...]
Former Democratic Party of New Mexico Chair Earl Potter literally rolled out the centerpiece of Democrats for Rick Lass campaign on the steps of the PERA building this afternoon. The effort will include a mailer, a YouTube video (not the one above) and “Internet outreach”.*
(If you haven’t been paying [...]
Earlier in the week SFR reported that due to permit issues Rock for Barack may not happen. Rest assured young (and not so young) voters, the show indeed goes on. The Santa Fe Brewing Pub & Grill (27 Fire Place, 424-9637) quality control and music [...]
According to state campaign finance reports released Oct 14, the nation’s two largest private prison operators, GEO Group and Corrections Corporation of America have been donating loads of dough to New Mexico legislators, Democrats and Republicans alike.
Since June 4 of this year (after [...]
Dan Savage, whose Savage Love column appears in the Reporter, has issued a video challenge to VP candidate Sarah Palin. He’ll teach her kids about sex if she teaches his little one about moose. Sounds fair.
[...]
The home of America’s favorite (my sentiments, not America’s) on-the-go beverages and snacks has gone political. 7-Eleven is offering its customers the option of getting their caffeine fix in a red (McCain) or blue (Obama) cup for the chain’s 7-Election ad campaign. And guess what, Obama’s [...]
Here’s a great way to start your day - an interactive Oval Office with Sarah Palin in the big chair: Palinpresident.com
[...]
Mark my words: this will be remembered in history as the “Joe the Plumber” debate. I’ll also predict that Joe the Plumber is the central theme of SNL’s forthcoming spoof. Man, McCain addressed this Joe the Plumber way too often during the debate. I’m not Joe [...]
A $350 payment made by PRC candidate Jerome Block Jr to the Attorney General’s constituent services coordinator for “mailout assistance” may have been illegal, SFR has discovered.
Block’s October 14 campaign-finance filing reports that his campaign paid $350 to Cordy Medina on July 18, using public funds [...]
If Karl Rove is George W. Bush’s “Turd Blossom,” then that makes Lee Atwater the lump of poop from which Rove flowered. In the 70s and 80s, Atwater authored the Republican playbook of smears, push-polling, racist innuendos and miscellaneous “dirty tricks” pervasive in modern GOP politics. [...]
According to campaign finance reports released today, Jerome Block Jr. paid Attorney General Gary King’s constituent services coordinator Cordy Medina $350 for “mailout assistance.”
King himself has said that Jerome Block Jr.’s campaign spending problems are a “front-burner” issue. The AG’s web site describe Medina’s job [...]
The two candidates for District 3’s Public Regulation Commission seat have turned in their first campaign finance reports of the general election. View the pdfs below and let us know if you notice anything out of the ordinary.
Green Party Nominee Rick Lass’s 1st General Election Campaign Finance Report
Charles Barkely is running for Governor of Alabama in 2014 as an Independent.
I don’t doubt him for a second. If he’s got six years to put his mind to the run—sheeeit. Sir Charles can do it. I guess public service is the new thing for retired [...]
The first campaign finance reports of the general election are pouring into the Secretary of State’s office today and SFR is combing through them faster than a rockabilly teenager late for yearbook picture day.
First up: House Speaker Ben Lujan.
Let’s say you’re a Democratic candidate for [...]
This little tidbit from the Washington Post brings yet another interesting political advertising strategy to the forefront. The Obama campaign has purchased a billboard in the virtual Paradise City of racing game “Burnout Paradise.” Apparently advertising isn’t new to this game, which features so many [...]
According to the NY Daily News, Tina Fey won’t play Gov. Sarah Palin if the Republican ticket wins the general election. Here’s the exact quote.
“We’re gonna take it week by week. If she wins, I’m done. I can’t do that for four years…And by ‘I’m [...]
Props to Marjorie Childress for noticin’ this first.
The latest issue of Perspectives on Psychological Science has a research paper on the personality trends in all 50 states.
The actual text is pretty boring, but the Wall Street Journal’s version and interactive graph are worth a [...]
In not so safe for work news The Evil Beet, a celebrity gossip site that followed this story with one about former Marcia Brady actress Maureen McCormick, has some pictures of the (much younger than Palin) woman sort of dressed like the VP candidate. [...]
While it was SFR who first busted PRC candidate Jerome Block Jr for making seriously shady payments to an elections official, it was Common Cause New Mexico who filed the official letter of complaint that prodded the Secretary of State’s Office to act.
Today, we [...]
A surprising AP interview with Levi Johnston, soon-to-be son-in-law of Sarah Palin, shows the 18-year-old to be unexpectedly lucid, especially in comparison to members of his future clan. The gum-chewing, god-fearing, seemingly forced-marrying Wasilla hockey player doesn’t—I hate to say it— seem all that bad. [...]
