Wednesday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

The president is hosting a big, really big, meeting on Afghanistan today. As I noted yesterday, the GOPers on the HIll, who ignored the war in Afghanistan during the Bush years, now want to play politics with national security again. That's just beyond disgusting, but it's what Republicans do. Anyway, the attendees list for today's meeting gives the sense of its import: Vice President Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General David Petraeus, U.S. Central Command, General Stanley McChrystal, U.S. Commander in Afghanistan, Admiral Dennis Blair, Director of National Intelligence, CIA Director Leon Panetta, Karl Eikenberry, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Anne Patterson, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan and General James Jones, National Security Advisor.

If you live in Virginia, which has an election for Governor, or Washington State, where Approve Referendum 71 is on the ballot, make sure you're registered to vote. Registration closes on Monday, October 5th. Also, today is the end of the financial reporting in Maine for the No on 1/Protect Maine Equality Campaign. If you want to donate to save marriage equality in Maine, you can do it here. Our side is running an aggressive operation up there with very good tv ads and an excellent ground game. The anti-gay forces will have plenty of money to spew their anti-gay rhetoric. We can't let the lies win this time.

Let's get started. Busy day ahead....