There is going to be an overhaul over the next few months to relaunch MoveRed.org to be even bigger and better. We have had success organizing our efforts on Facebook and YouTube over the last year, and we are going to expand that. Look for our website to be redesigned to have more features, more ways to get involved and more original content. 

If you are interested in being a part of MoveRed's future, email matthewlundh@wsrp.org. Check back later to see the new MoveRed.org. In the meantime, check out the links to our Facebook group and YouTube channel at the top right corner of this page. 

In the meantime, please visit our YouTube and Facebook pages. 

This latest installment of Republican on the Street focuses on people's opinion of the upcoming election regarding the issues that will define who they are going to vote for. People from both sides, and those indifferent, gave their opinions on which candidates for president and governor they were supporting and what issues helped them make that choice.

As I was walking through the sea of people at Bumbershoot yesterday, not only could I not figure out what country I was in, but what county (I explain below). The day was filled with strange outfits, foreign music, and more Rockstar energy drinks than you can imagine. This is quite a different crowd than you'll find at your average fair in Eastern Washington. I really think that they need a good tagline for advertising, and based on my observations, I supposed that if you can do the Puyallap, then you can smoke Bumbershoot. Or at least pot.

But what caught my eye even more than the 14-year-olds smoking cigarettes and people wearing Obama v-neck t-shirts was the King County Elections Booth. They were encouraging people to get registered to vote and to vote by mail. They put up this poster for people to see:

This picture disturbed me because it made me stop to think about what kind of world I live in now. Is this really what voting has come to? Is this the kind person that we really want to decide who controls our government?? This is the literal and actual poster child for voting! Give me a break. I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with choosing to style your hair, pierce your body, or wear leather, but the point is that someone at King County elections, a "non-partisan" office decided that it would be a good idea to advertise voting with this picture. When you wonder about how fair the elections will be in King County this November, seeing things like this doesn't give me a lot of "hope."

MSNBC has been naughty.   At the Republican National Convention, they have been placed behind the stage, almost out of view, and to the left of al Jezeera.  This is poetic justice for two networks that have real problems with telling the truth.

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There is a question over how to measure online success, and how that relates to how well a candidate is doing. Often times we hear about how the left has done a better job than the right at mobilizing their people online. If you disagree, go no further than taking a look at MoveOn.org and its attempt (and somewhat successfully at that) to dominate the Democratic party. This is most evident with the amount of money they have been able to raise, and how they were able to use that support to influence the presidential primary election and knocking off the powerful Clinton family from securing what once seemed like a sure bet for the Democratic presidential nomination. 

Currently, we can see from Facebook the level of national online support for candidates for president, (although I am not sure how many worldwide fans are able to become supporters and manipulate the numbers). Compare below the number of supporters between John McCain and Barack Obama:

Here we see a dominating online presence by Barack Obama. The good news for Republicans is that the older vote that John McCain has locked in rarely logs on to "IM their BFF Rose," and tag a photo of their best friend Helen correctly guessing phrase before the contestant while watching Wheel of Fortune. The older generations won't have their voice heard online, but they will have their voice heard by absentee ballot in November. 

However, you cannot discount the level of support that Obama has online. It is impressive, and it shows where a great deal of interest is in our country with a younger segment of the population. Over time, as older people pass away and younger people emerge as the dominate force, where this group stands politically is anyones guess. But for the time being, we are seeing a great deal of interest and support online for the Democratic party nationally.

Where this becomes interesting is where online support is found locally in the state of Washington. If you compare the Facebook pages of Dino Rossi and Christine Gregoire, you see an advantage for Dino Rossi. You will also see a strange move from Christine Gregoire, in appearing in her profile picture with none other than Mr. Barack Obama, (I didn't realize that she was Obama's running mate, she must not have been watching all of the coverage of Joe Biden at the national convention last night).  It is very important to note that if the left really does have that much more online support, it is significant that Dino Rossi has more online support than Gregoire.

You even see this below in her YouTube videos that were produced to answer questions from Washington voters. Both she and Dino Rossi were asked the same questions, and they posted their answers side by side. There was a considerably greater amount of production value in Dino Rossi's videos than that of Christine Gregoire's videos. Also, notice the placement of Obama and Gregoire signs in the background, another sign of clinging to Obama for help.

This is a particularly strange move, but the cause becomes more obvious as one realizes that Christine Gregoire is in trouble and is using Obama as a life raft to try and save her campaign.

The problem for her, is that as a 40 year veteran of Olympia, she has trouble reinforcing Obama's message of change. As doorbellers have gone out to talk to people in their homes around King County, they have met more than a handful of Obama/Rossi voters, and this can be clearly seen by looking at online support as well. This is very encouraging for Dino Rossi and his chances in November.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi's deficit has shrunk to less than two points- putting him in a great position as we surge towards November's general election.  Voters across this state are making it clear that they want change at the highest levels in Olympia.  Dino Rossi can be that change.  A common-sense approach to limited government, run like it should be- a business- is what this state needs.

 Rossi has experience in both the private and public sectors, and has earned his living running a company, and signing the FRONT of paychecks.

Just a quick Primary reminder; this election will come down to  turnout, and several state legislature races are trying to survive the Top 2. Remember, our Republican candidates are not necessarily guaranteed spots on November's ballot.

With the catastrophe of 2004 still painfully in the memories of Washington voters, the importance of turnout can never be overstated.  The winner of today's primary will gain an immense advantage in momentum, likely leading to a boost in fundraising.

 As the Election nears, the campaigns are only getting more intense, particularly the gubernatorial race.  While more and more attacks from the incumbent begin to surface, one obstacle continues to be a source of conflict: truth.  Read some of the attacks, and the facts on the link below.

Don't Know Dino - Get the Truth behind the attacks.

This morning, I had the privilege of attending a rally put on by the Washington Coalition of Veterans for McCain at the Garden of Remembrance at Beneroya Hall.  There were over 50 people in attendance, most veterans of every major conflict from World War II through Operation Iraqi Freedom showing their support for the man they believe will best represent their ideals and values as President of the United States.