Anecdotal Odds And Ends

Of course, you have to take them with a grain of salt, but:

• Both the Republican governor of South Carolina and
a Republican Congressman from Ohio were turned away from the polls for not having the proper ID. What I want to know is how many people who are not public officials are running into this problem. It's possible that the Nancy Reagan effect of "When it happens to Republicans, then they understand that there's a problem" will kick in, and we may actually see some real election reform in the next two years. But we have to continue to be vocal about it. I agree with Kos, voting by mail would seem to be an almost perfect remedy to this. But then media prognosticators couldn't have "Election Day coverage" since it would last three weeks and there wouldn't be any good visuals of people out at the polls. It also would disfranchise those without a home (and that's not just homeless people, that's people who are living in motels who may just be transient).

• I keep hearing bits and pieces about record turnout in Connecticut. You would have to think that's good news for the new faces in the race and not the 18-year incumbent Joe Lieberman.

• Armed thugs in Arizona harassing Latinos, thugs vandalize Democratic campaign HQ in Colorado. Are there no depths to which these people will sink to maintain power?

UPDATE: Confirmation of high turnout in Connecticut, as well as in Virginia, which bodes well for Jim Webb. Confirmation also of more e-voting glitches, including a near-total shutdown in Denver, where the Democrats are seeking a two-hour extension. People in line to vote more than a half-hour in this country is unacceptable. We vote like it's the third world. The technology and efficiency is available to do away with this nonsense.