Political neophyte Neil Lamont defeated Senator Joe Lieberman as predicted by the opinion polls in last night’s counting of the Connecticut primary.  The election was mostly seen as a rejection of Lieberman who supported the Iraq War.  Many see it as a prelude to the 2008 presidential race.  Several potential candidates including Hilary Clinton are thought to be vulnerable.

Meanwhile, Lieberman vowed to continue to run as an Independent, unwilling to give up his senate seat.    

Check out today’s story in the New York Times. 

    The latest political polls in Arizona have good news for Janet Napolitano and very bad news for Jim Pederson.  Rasmussen Reports, a national polling organization has recently surveyed Arizona.  Napolitano apparently leads any Republican by about 16 percentage points (Napolitano 52% to Len Munsil 37%).  It would appear that early as it is, Janet will repeat as Arizona Governor.  Now we have to make sure we don’t have a "veto proof" legislature.  Get out an work for  your favorite Democratic candidate for Arizona House or Senate.  Here in SaddleBrooke, we should be supporting Lena Saradnik.

    The news for Jim Pederson is not good.  With only 90 days to go, Jim is trailing Jon Kyl by almost twenty percentage points.  Rasmussen Reports estimated the margin at 53% to 34% 

    The Rasmussen site requires a subscription to view.  Click Here, to visit a liberal blog that discusses the results. 

    The Arizona Star had a story about one of Gabby Giffords recent television advertisments.  The Star alleges that the advertisement is misleading and may not be fully truthful.  Click here to read the story in the Arizona Star.

    The latest popularity poll shows W’s (worst ever’s) popularity is reaching new lows even as the Mid East burns.  Normally the "crisis" in middle eastern politics might be expected to increase the support for our militant administration.  However, the latest poll shows W’s strength is continuing to erode.  With a 66% disapproval rate, the latest tally ties the lowest previous count registered last May.  Click here to read the story from the Associated Press.

    On Tuesday, Joe Lieberman lost a Democratic primary.  Dick Cheney hastened to the microphones to say that this "could encourage al-Quaida to think Americans, don’t want to stay the course."   Get a life Dick!  Seventy percent of Americans think the war in Iraq was a mistake, a bad decision that has not made us safer, and that the war has squandered our national treasure on no-bid contracts for favored construction companies.  Click here to read some comments on Dick Cheney’s remarks at the Huffington Post, an active liberal oriented BLOG.

    The White House is promoting ammendments to the War Crimes Act to give blanket immunity to political appointees, CIA and Intelligence employees and contractors, former military officers or enlisted people, and other members of the W (worst ever)’s administration.  According to the amendment, officials could not be tried for torture, prisoner abuse, or deaths in connection thereof.  Click here to read the exciting developments in this Republican sponsored advance in truth, justice and the American way.

Our August meeting will be held Saturday, August 12th 2006. Save the date and plan to come. Sheriff Chris Vasquez will be our main speaker. Chris is running for Sheriff of Pinal County. He will present his platform and ideas. He will also be a featured guest at the pot luck following the meeting which will be a fund-raiser for his campaign. Charlene Pesquiera, a candidate for the Arizona legislature, will also speak at the meeting. Judge candidate David Roer is also expected.

Meetings are held at 3:30pm each month on the second Saturday at the SaddleBrooke Activities Center at 64518 E Galveston Lane. Call Elizabeth Hess at 825-2557 for further details. This month, the pot luck supper will be at the home of Mark & Stephanie Griffith at 64541 E Rosewood Dr. Call 825-3219 for details. If attending the pot luck, please call for reservations and plan to bring an appetizer or dessert (to serve seven people) as a contribution.

On Wednesday afternoon, August 16th, Gabrielle Giffords, Congressional candidate for District 8, will be in SaddleBrooke to meet with voters at the home of Ed & Betty Hughes. The reception will run from 4:30pm to 6pm. Please come to meet with Gabrielle and hear her positions and platform.

RSVP to Betty or Ed Hughes at 818-0177. The address for the event is 38418 Golf Course Drive in Unit 9.

The Pinal County Democrats hold their meetings at 7pm on the third Wednesday of each month in Florence. We generally gather for a dutch treat supper at about 5:30 pm at the Mount Athos Greek Resturant at 444 N Pinal Parkway, in Florence. This is great opportunity to meet and greet fellow Democrats in informal setting. The meeting is held at the offices of the Pinal County Attorney at 31 N Pinal St. Carpooling is generally available from SaddleBrooke. Hope to see you there!

Detriot District Federal Judge Anna Taylor ruled that the NSA’s warrantless wiretap program is an unconstitutional breech of free speech and the right of privacy and that, as such, the program ordered by W (worst ever) is illegal and must cease at once. In a ruling sure to cause lots of discussion, the Judge’s 42 page was unequivocal. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union challenging the right of the administration to listen and record millions of phone converstations here in the United States without obtaining permission (a warrant) from the judicial system. As such, Judge Taylor also ruled that the program amounted to abuse of power on the part of the administration.

The administration was rebuffed in its argument that the program was well within the powers granted to the Presidents. However, government lawyers argued that it could not prove so without revealing “state-secrets”. (As Democrats we are facinated to hear the Bush Administration, talk about “state-secrets” in the same way Khruschev discussed them in the fifties.)

Click here to read the story on the Associated Press.

Patty Weiss came to SaddleBrooke on Thrusday evening, August 17th “Cool Drinks and Warm Conversation.” The well attended event was a great success. Patty is, as we all know well, runnning for Congress’s Eighth Arizona district in a hotly contested Democratic Primary.