Archive - Sep 24, 2008

Attack ads is just one tool campaigns use to hurt their opponent.  Another is push polling. Judith Siers-Poisson and Diane Farsetta of PR Watch dot org report on this tactic that's currently being used in this election. 

"Push Polls: Reach Out and Smear Someone"

Hundreds of Jewish voters in five states -- Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey -- have received calls asking their opinions about this year's presidential race.  After a few standard questions, the callers start making negative claims about Senator Barack Obama. Would it affect your vote if you knew that Obama called for holding a summit of Muslim nations, excluding Israel, if elected president?  What if the leader of Hamas had expressed support for Obama?

• Alternative Financial Crisis Proposals
• McCain May Bail Out of Debates Due to Financial Crisis
• Regulating Wall Street
• House Allows Offshore Oil Drilling Moratorium to Expire
• Ecuador's Constitutional Referendum
• Galveston Island Resident Return to Deal with Pieces of the Lives

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• Omnibus Bill to Give Pentagon its Biggest Budget Ever
• North Korea to Restart Nuclear Program
• US Drone Wreckage Found in Pakistan's Waziristan Region
• Bolivan President Blames US Support of Opposition for Violence
• Senate Unanimously Passes Legislation to Put the Heat on Cold Cases
• Troy Anthony Davis Receives Last Minute Reprieve

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson appeared before Congress in the second day of testimony to convince lawmakers to give him the authority to spend $700 billion of taxpayer's money.  As lawmakers continue to express skepticism, some are coming up with their own alternate proposals. Washington Editor Leigh Ann Caldwell reports.

Nearly two weeks after Hurricane Ike brought widespread damage to the Gulf Coast region, Galveston Island residents are finally being allowed on to the island to assess damage and begin picking up the pieces. From Galveston Island, Katie Heim and Rachel Clarke have more.

In Ecuador, the debate over a proposed new constitution is heating up before a September 28th national referendum. The opposition right wing charges that the constitution gives the state too much economic power and undermines the traditional family. But most social movements support the Magna Carta, pointing to the expansion of social services. From Quito, Daniel Denvir reports.