Give us an accurate poll of Iowa with the "second choices" split into two categories: second choices of people whose first choice is a major candidates and second choices of people whose first choice is a non-viable candidate.

Please and thank you,

Everyone

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/st ories.nsf/politics/story/DD6D118CD2ED3A4 586257215000B9A6A?OpenDocument

A BRAND new Minneapolis Star-Tribune poll (released for 10/17) shows Wetterling with a relatively commanding 48-40% lead, on the heels of a Survey USA poll that has her up 50-45. When she arrives in congress, Patty may want to write a nice thank-you note to Mark Foley. Before the scandal Wetterling was consistently underperforming-- now she has been catapulted into the lead.

I would take this with a grain of salt though. The Strib Senate poll released last week gave Amy Klobuchar a fat 21 point lead (55-34) over the decidedly unpopular (but not THIS unpopular) Mark Kennedy. While I'd rather see Patty up 8 than down by 8, you can be sure this race is closer than advertised. Still, an encouraging set  of polls clearly show the mo' is on Patty's side.

The race now belongs to 43 year old 2-term state representative Keith Ellison after challenger Mike Erlandson called to concede just minutes ago. Ellison is poised to become the first african american elected to Congress from Minnesota and the first Muslim elected to Congress in the United States.

Thats the latest Wall Street Journal poll by Zogby. This race has become much, much tighter, but this new poll could still be an outlier. Webb has an opening; hopefully he'll go for the jugular and continue the momentum Allen so nicely gift wrapped for him.

The poll (and many, many other new polls) are here:

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/d ocuments/info-flash05a.html?project=elec tions06-ft&h=495&w=778&hasAd =1&mod=blogs

Here's a great article by Michael Tomasky on CT-Sen

http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?sect ion=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId= 11785

Indeed, the question today is not the question the mainstream press has been asking, which is "What if Ned Lamont beats Lieberman?" The question today is: "What if Ned Lamont buries Lieberman?"

Journalists are beginning to expect Joe to lose. Ned is the favorite, kids. Not just in our optimistic circles, but among the national punditry. We're so close-- I can't wait for August 8th*.

*Ironically, I'll be camping in Colorado on the 8th of August and completely cut off from civilization...

After drawing friendly fire from democrats in conservative districts (notably, Chet Edwards), the DCCC pulled their "New Direction" video. The reason?  Flag draped coffins.

Give. Me. A Break.

Now, I understand that this is a big deal in America. I understand they had to pull the ad. But why on God's green earth is it okay to let the troops stay and die (because there is no good way out of the mess we've created) but NOT to show the coffins this horrible strategy produces?

If we can't show the coffins "for political gain," how soon before we can't talk about the number of dead american soldiers? Or the war at all? Personally, I find those three things inextricably linked.

Can someone explain this American Phenomenon?

I was floored by the new DCCC commercial. Maybe it's because my expectations for Rahm and company are so low. But its a very emotionally powerful ad. It does two things: it succinctly explains the republicans troubles and introduces the new prospective leadership -- Emanuel, Hoyer, Pelosi -- to the country. I hope they run this ad everywhere.

you can see it at www.dccc.org