Final Election Posts Coming

Sorry I wasn't able to post more. My brain was pretty shot from running on no more than two hours of sleep, and people kept coming over an distracting me. I need to decide in the future if I'm going to blog or enjoy the results. I'll probably take the latter.

Today, I would think I had a hangover if I was a drinker, but I had nothing stronger than Dr Pepper (and a Diet DP at that), so it's a hangover of joy.

Add to that the fact that I have yesterday and today's work to finish before working the Jazz game tonight, I don't have time to do the work on the posts I want to. So, it will wait for tomorrow.

However, I'll list here what you'll see coming soon:

*A Generational Shift: 1980-2008
*Looking Forward: Election 2010, 2012
*Utah's Legislative Races
*Utah: Democratic success or failure?
*Things I actually literally hope to literally never actually have to hear again.

Meanwhile, it's been fun to look at people's Facebook status updates celebrating Obama's victory, including several friends who surprise me that they were Obama people.

It's also been fun to read victory blog posts. My favorite, from the BYU Democrats:



I'm pretty sure there's an honor code violation in there somewhere.

BYU Democrats Hosting Slacker Uprising Screening

I will be writing a post about Michael Moore and his new movie Slacker Uprising that is released tomorrow (Tuesday) after I have seen the movie.

However, I think this is really cool. There is a place on the movie web site where you can sign up to host screening parties. There are two parties listed for tomorrow (opening day), and one of them is being hosted by the BYU Democrats.

From the BYU Democrats' email they sent out:

Tomorrow (Tuesday the 23rd) we will be showing Michael Moore's new movie, Slacker Uprising, at 7:00 p.m. in 270 of the Kimball Tower. It is the first time ever that a major feature-length film is debuting as a free download on the internet. This movie is specifically for us, the youth to be energized and get out the vote. We are the next generation as far as progressive politics goes. Come experience this new movie with us, it is FREE for everyone to see and bring some food. It's a potluck. Here's the link with the trailer: http://slackeruprising.com

BYU Democrats -- The Hottest Club on Campus

Last night, I took the opportunity to attend the second Fall Semester meeting of the BYU Democrats Club.

At their first meeting, they had somewhere between 150-170 people show up. Numbers are usually smaller for a second meeting of almost any group, and that was the case last night, when "only" 65 people came.

Still, 65 people at any kind of Democratic meeting in Utah is great. And that it happened at BYU is even better.

Club President Randall Serr told the crowd "We have the responsibility to be the progressive voice on campus, and to be a loud voice"

We had messages from the RaDene Hatfield and Don Jarvis campaigns. We also heard from someone who spent the summer interning for the Al Franken campaign in Minnesota. He is organizing a phone-banking goup to call Minnesota from Provo.

We also heard from some of the BYU students who traveled to Colorado to canvass for Barack Obama last weekend. They are planning to go back next week. We got an update on the plastic bottle recycling program that the BYU Dems got started last year, which has been picked up and expanded by the school.

Then we watched a video of John Kerry's speech from this year's national convention.

The BYU Democrats have broken into issue-advocacy groups, which will meet every week to discuss their issue, and are in charge of writing an op-ed for the student paper that will appear each week.

In addition to all of this, they have a booth set up on campus from 10-4 every day.

Looks like the BYU Democrats are bringing change to their school.

-Bob

150 Attend BYU College Democrats Meeting

Wow.

BYU Democrats have lost my respect

OK, I understand that the BYU Democrats are a pretty diverse group. However, they should be all about helping Democrats, not Republicans.

However, I just got the following as part of the email they sent out to their group:

Dear BYU Romney Supporters,

As you may have heard, the Romney Campaign has opened an office here in Provo. In order to maintain the lead that Governor Romney has in Iowa and New Hampshire, supporters here in Utah are volunteering to make calls back to those key states to help voters understand where Governor Romney stands on key issues.

These advocacy calls will have a direct impact on the upcoming primaries and caucuses (Iowa; Jan. 3, New Hampshire; Jan. 7).

The office is located at 746 E. 820 N. just south of the BYU campus (right by J-Dawgs and Thai Ruby). The office is open from 10am to 8pm on weekdays and from 10-3 on Saturdays.

Every Tuesday and Thursday evening at 7:00, starting tomorrow, there will be a standing orientation meeting to help volunteers better understand the primary process, and why this office here in Provo is so important. Tomorrow evening at 6:00 will be the grand opening of the call center featuring a Webcast with an update on the campaign, an explanation of the call center, and a chance to hear from the Mitt Romney and his family. All are welcome.

This is the chance you have been looking for…your chance to dedicate a couple of hours a week to an incredible cause…your chance to help Mitt Romney become the next President of the United States.

Mitt needs your help! Please reply to this email or eeyre@mittromney.com and let me know when you are able to come in, or that you are willing to gather some friends and come to the Tuesday or Thursday orientation meetings.

I mean, really? Let's just reinforce the thought that if you're LDS you must be supporting Mitt.

Besides, if members of BYUDems are interested in supporting Mitt, it's not like the BYU Democrats are going to be their only source for the information. I personally have been invited by a half-dozen people on Facebook to tonight's event.

Romney 3rd in BYU straw poll

The Flip Romney campaign seems to enjoy trumpeting their "wins" in straw polls, most of which the campaign purchases.

So, I'll reprint a loss in a straw poll at a place that you'd think Mitt would triumph: BYU.

The BYU Democrats held a plastic recycling drive in the Wilk the past week. Each bottle you brought earned you a vote.

The results:

Barack Obama: 61, Joe Biden: 49, Mitt Romney: 40, Hillary Clinton: 37, Undecided/Apathetic: 32, Stephen Colbert/Jon Stewart: 6, Rudy Guiliani: 2, Ron Paul: 2, John Edwards: 1, Mike Huckabee: 1

This balloting was open to everyone who wanted to be wise stewards of the Earth.

Bob Speaking to BYU Democrats TOMORROW!

That's right, everyone! The moment we've been waiting for and Provo has been dreading is finally upon us!

Wait, you haven't been waiting for anything? Well, I fell sorry for you.

What's the big event, you ask? Well, it's Bob's return to Provo, where he spent many glorious weeks this summer.

The purpose of this trip is not to get married, much to the disappointment of Rob Miller and my mother.

The purpose is that I have been asked to speak to the BYU College Democrats about vouchers.

The meeting will be Thursday, October 11 at 6:30 PM in room 240 of the Spencer W Kimball Tower (SWKT).

If you are the area, drop in! I'd love to see you!

-Bob

P.S. -- as a consequence of my being in Happy Valley, The World will be closed until Friday.

Blogger running for Provo City Council

Chris Stowe, who runs the blog YDems, has announced his plans to run for Provo City Council.

It should be interesting to see how he does.

Any other bloggers out there running for office?

-Bob

BYU Protest Video

At the very successful anti-Dick Cheney protest at BYU a couple of weeks ago, the protest violated the terms of the protest agreement.

You see, the protest was from 11-1. At 1:01, time was up. Pack up your signs and go home. Actually, collect ALL of the signs and dispose of them.

Our frinds at This Divided State were there with cameras rolling. They are shooting a Documentary that is shaping up to be part two of "This Divided State."

Go see their video here.

-Bob

Gnashers of Teeth

Letter to the editor in today's Deseret News: (Hat Tip: Deseret Spectacle)

Protesting students at BYU might consider transferring to Berkeley, where the "gnashing of teeth" is appreciated and stylish.

Cheryl T. Barney
Salt Lake City

Really, Cheryl?

The gnashing of teeth references many scriptures in the Bible as well as other LDS scripture. Usually, gnashing of teeth is done by evil people when confronted with the Good Word, and accompanied by weeping or wailing.

If Dick Cheney is Good, then Gordon B Hinckley must be bad.

Oh, and should Bill O'Reily go to Berkley?

-Bob

ENDORSEMENT: Daily Democrats for Utah County Democratic Executive Committee

I hereby declare my endorsement for the Executive Committee of the Utah County Democrats. I usually don't do any endorsements on a group level. However, The group calling itself the Daily Democrats is presenting a united front to bulid the Democratic Party in Utah County.

What they are promising:

1. a clear message
2. a permanent infrastructure
3. grassroots involvement
4. steady sources of funds
5. candidate recruitment and support.

These are great plans from great people.

Who are the Daily Democrats?

Mary Lou Huffmon is running for Chair. She is a retired reading specialist who has been involved with the League of Women Voters, as well as the County and State Democratic Parties.

Kena Mathews is running for Vice Chair. She is the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Utah County. She is currently chair of the Democratic Women of Utah County, former Deputy Finance Director for Wayne Owens, and former inter for Bill Orton.

Chris Stowe is running for Treasurer. He is a BYU student majoring in American Studies. He did work for the Christian Burridge and Jim Matheson campaigns. He runs the blog YDems.

Millicent Lewis is running for secretary. She is a stay at home mom and local artist who has been active in the Democratic Party for four years.

I hereby encourage all Delegates in Utah County to vote for the 4 Daily Democrat candidates as your next Executive Committee.

BYU Democrats: Not an Oxymoron (OxyMormon?)

Diane Bailey, President BYU College Democrats sent an email to their listserv about a planning meeting for their big rally the day Dick Cheney comes to town. She then talked about last week's protest:

We have really done something special at BYU. Aerial photographs show that we had at least 400 protesters and onlookers during class, and even more between classes. According to BYU spokeswoman Carri Jenkins, this was the first student political protest on campus in over 15 years! (And it looks like that last protest had all of about five people). We were personally interviewed about our protest by Newsweek, the New York Times, National Public Radio, the Associated Press and many other news sources. The AP story ran all over the nation, and even reached newspapers in France, Iran, and Great Britian. Liberal and conservative blogs such as the Huffington Post, GOP Nation, the Daily Kos, By Common Consent and Think Progress posted our story. The protest at BYU made the front page of the Daily Herald, KSL, the Deseret News, the Salt Lake Tribune, and, you guessed it, al-Jazeera's website.

At BYU, suddenly hundreds of once apathetic students were talking about the issues and voicing their own opinions. Our demonstrators answered questions and engaged in peaceful political dialogue with students of all backgrounds. I think that before our protest, most members of our local community had only been exposed to anti-Mormon protests, which are typically offensive, loud, and hate-filled. We showed our community that protests can be positive catalysts for discussion and compromise. On the national scale, many people were surprised to learn that not everyone at BYU supports Dick Cheney's actions. We corrected misconceptions that BYU students are all conservative robots (in fact, maybe we did Mitt Romney a favor). Finally, we let thousands of people know that the people of America will not blindly endorse the immoral acts of Vice President Dick Cheney; we love this country too much to do so.

Free speech rocks.

About four years ago, I was invited to speak on behalf of the Howard Dean Campaign to the BYU Democrats. People laughed at me when I told them I was going down there. "It's a waste of gas money to speak to two people." Seriously, that's what someone said.

36 people crammed into a room that had a capacity of 28. Like last week's protest, many who were there were Democrats, but several Republicans and non-political types showed up out of morbid curiosity. Things were very positive, and I wished I had brought more flyers.

Anyway, it's good to see BYU students getting engaged in the political process. (no pun intended, I promise...)

-Bob

(P.S. All photos from BYU Democrats)