The media watch group FAIR has just launched the web page “Smearcasters: How Islamophobes spread fear, bigotry and misinformation.” ISABEL MacDONALD MacDonald is communications director with FAIR. She recently wrote the piece “The Anti-Muslim Smear Machine Strikes Again?” The piece states: “In the midst of remarkably cynical election-time mud-slinging, the ‘Obsession’ campaign is truly in…

THOMAS FERGUSON Available for a limited number of interviews, Ferguson is professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. He is the author of Golden Rule: The Investment Theory of Party Competition and the Logic of Money-Driven Political Systems (University of Chicago Press). Ferguson noted that the Financial Times reported in its Thursday…

CONOR KENNY Kenny is the managing editor of the Election Protection Wiki. He said today: “Recent presidential elections were marred by controversies and disputes. Scores of organizations and thousands of individuals have been working to investigate and reform U.S. elections, issuing reports and information on topics such as electronic voting machines, voter suppression campaigns and…

DAVID KOTZ Kotz is professor of economics at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He said today: “The $700 billion Paulson bailout bill passed Congress, but as its critics warned, it has not stemmed — or even slowed — the financial crisis. It is great for the bankers, but it does nothing to solve the…

The Great Falls Tribune of Montana reports that “the Montana Republican Party … challenged the eligibility of 6,000 registered voters in six counties that historically are Democratic strongholds.” TERESA JAMES James is an attorney for the voting rights organization Project Vote and author of the 2007 report “Caging Democracy: A 50-Year History of Partisan Challenges…

Over 5,000 U.S. physicians have signed an open letter calling on the candidates for president and Congress “to stand up for the health of the American people and implement a nonprofit, single-payer national health insurance system.” Noting that the nation’s private-insurance-based model is failing by denying needed medical care to millions, wasting resources and driving…

JENNIFER ROSENBERG WENDY WEISER Rosenberg is a voting rights fellow and Weiser is the deputy director at the Brennan Center for Justice at the New York University School of Law. The Brennan Center has published a student voting rights guide that identifies laws and regulations relevant for student voters in all states. Rosenberg said today:…

Many states end voter registration on Oct. 6. A listing of voter registration deadlines by state is available online. New public service announcements for voter registration are available for stations to air. To register to vote, individuals should call 1-888-VOTE-SMART or go to ProjectVote.org. MICHAEL McDUNNAH Communications director for Project Vote, McDunnah is available for…

In the next several days, about half the states have their voter registration deadlines. The group ElectionPreparedness.com has produced a public service announcement encouraging people to register. The Institute for Public Accuracy strongly urges media outlets to encourage their audiences to ensure they are properly registered. To register to vote, individuals should call 1-888-VOTE-SMART or…

MICHELLE GOLDBERG Author of the book Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, Goldberg was recently in Alaska and wrote the pieces “Sarah Palin, 21st Century Theocrat” and “Palin’s preacher problem: Antisemitic remarks are not uncommon in churches that Sarah Palin has attended in Alaska.” RAY McGOVERN McGovern works with Tell the Word, the publishing…