Mourning in Amercia

++Alot of court action yesterday John Edwards was found innocent of one charge and the judge declared a mistrial on the other five. The prosecution stopped the testimony of a FEC lawyer, who would have said that the way the election was written it was unclear whether a crime had been committed.


++The Federal Appeals Court declared DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act, unconstitutional by a 3-0 vote. Two Republicans and a Democrat rendered the decision. The opinion was written in a way that the judges expect it to be heard at the Supreme Court.


++A Federal Judge in Florida blocked one aspect of Gov. Scott's voter suppression plan. They stopped his restrictions on voter registration programs. Virtually all groups,including the League of Women Voters had suspended their operations for fear of prosecution.


++The Department of Justice has finally intervened in Florida demanding it end its purge of voter lists. County officials are already ignoring the Government. Big problem has been purging actually living registered voters as well as an overwhelming percentage of Latinos. 


++The second Tom Barrett versus Scott Walker debate occurred in Wisconsin. From what I could see Barrett wipes the floor with him. Walker the previous day admitted he was the John Doe under investigation. National Democrats have been slow in responding to the recall while the national republicans and conservatives have poured money into Walker. The Koch Brothers are sponsoring a "non-political" tour to sell the people of Wisconsin on the "reforms" implemented by Scott Walker. Walker now has over $50 million for the campaign. And it all boils down to turnout. Bill Clinton is arriving there tomorrow to campaign for Tom Barrett. 


++Mitt Romney held a press conference at Solyandra, the defunct solar panel business in California. He charged President Obama of "crony capitalism", a Palinism. He told the press he was afraid the President would prevent the press conference. Meanwhile, much to the applause of conservatives, Romney's Boston staff appeared at David Axelrod's press conference and heckled him. Romney went out of his way to accept credit for his Boston goons.


++The Obama Summer Doldrums hit today with a poorer job report than even the pessimists. Republicans cheered the bad news. 


++Yesterday, the United Astrologer Conference held a press conference of five astrologers who all said that Obama would win the November election.


++Huffington Post downgraded Obama to 270 electoral votes, now putting Iowa, Colorado and Ohio in a toss-up category.


++Survey USA has Obama 57 to 36 in California. More interesting is that the gender chasm is 58 Obama to 35 Romney.


++Obama leads in Washington State 51 to 40.


++President Clinton said that Romney had a "sterling business career", undercutting the President's message, but he said that once President Obama's message gets out he will win by five or six points.


++Daily Kos pollster Steve Singisier says that the election can turn on a dime. So who knows?