Wednesday, September 30, 2020"Clown, Liar, Socialist!" One Debate Is Too Many; Trump-Biden Becomes A Dark Moment In History, Plus: The Absentee Avalanche; Whose Advantage? Like our diseased social media--Facebook, Twitter and the like--the debate stood out for its childish behavior and unenlightening discourse accompanied by schoolyard insults. More powerfully, it was a definitive demonstration of how our politics is now infected with a virus as potent as COVID could ever be. Will someone discover a vaccine to free us from this malady? For a "debate" that appeared to defy traditional analysis, we turn to old hands who have seen a lot--but nothing like this. Independent Greg Payne, 53, attorney and longtime political strategist: It may have been one of the sorriest, most undignified, and without question unpresidential debates in the Republic's history. And there's only one person responsible: Donald J. Trump. Still, for the first few rounds, the POTUS was winning. At least on points. Biden didn't seem completely on his game, and Trump was pushing Biden and debate moderator Chris Wallace around, almost at will. But, about halfway through, Trump decided to attack the former VP's son - Hunter Biden - personally. And it backfired. Biden fought back like any parent would in defense of his son, and brought his deceased son Beau and his military service into the equation. It was the turning point. Biden takes the first debate as a TKO. Veteran radio talk show host, political candidate and analyst Mike Santullo, 73, came with this: Trump bulldozed this way through the entire debate and even managed to minimize moderator Chris Wallace who lost control early. The constant interruptions by Trump were over the top. All in all it was a poorly designed format and cries out for change. CNN political correspondent Chris Cilliza summed up the toll the debate took on the political community in New Mexico and the nation: Because I love politics so much, it was deeply disappointing to watch the debacle on my TV screen on Tuesday night. It didn't make me mad. It made me sad. Because politics is -- and has to be -- better than this. In the immortal words of boxer Roberto Duran when he could take no more of a beating from Sugar Ray Leonard:
No Más! ABSENTEE AVALANCHE  In the June primary 63 percent of the ballots were cast by mail and it appears we may challenge the 70 percent mark in the November election. The Secretary of State reports nearly 272,000 New Mexicans have requested absentees and the numbers grow daily. Dems say there's a warning sign in that huge number for Republicans. Democrats make up 45.6 percent of those registered but make up 63 percent of those requesting absentee applications. The R's make up 31 percent of the registered, but only 20 percent of application results come from them. Independents are 22 percent of those registered and make up 15 percent of absentee applications. The R's will argue that they are urging their voters to go to the polls in person because of distrust over mail-in ballots but Dems believe the numbers show voter enthusiasm this cycle is again on their side. Will the pandemic be the beginning of the end for Election Day voting? Experts say voters are creatures of habit and this year's election may signal that at least a majority of ballots in the state will henceforth be cast by absentee. At the end of August there were 1.3 million registered voters in New Mexico. Absentee ballots will be mailed by county clerks to those who requested them beginning October 6. You can request an absentee here. THE BOTTOM LINES We get this from the energy industry supported NM Strong PAC: State Democratic officials on your Monday blog falsely and erroneously accused New Mexico Strong of being part and parcel with a group called Common Sense New Mexico, a Virginia-registered independent expenditure committee currently engaged in New Mexico's U.S. Senate race. Referencing your blog: "State Dems come with this:
Common Sense New Mexico is an out of state, dark money group who has the same treasurer and P.O. Box as a group (NM Strong) that spent $2.5 million in New Mexico elections in 2018." While Common Sense New Mexico has apparently retained the same political compliance firm as New Mexico Strong, let's be absolutely clear: New Mexico Strong is not affiliated with Common Sense New Mexico. . . Furthermore, as a state-focused entity, New Mexico Strong has no interest whatsoever in the outcome of any federal campaigns -- and that includes New Mexico's U.S. Senate race. . .Any attempt to draw a connection between New Mexico Strong and Common Sense New Mexico on the basis that the two organizations happen to share the same third-party compliance vendor is deliberatively deceptive and deceitful. . . . New Mexico Strong vehemently opposes so-called "dark money" efforts and we have a strong track record of fully disclosing all of our contributions and expenditures with the New Mexico Secretary of State. Oil company Chevron has been one of the primary financial backers of NM Strong. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2020 |
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