Post-partisanship is dead already. A broad coalition of liberal and progressive groups is slamming Republicans in the US House of Representatives for failing to support the economic recovery package proposed by President Obama. (The plan itself is already under fire for a lot of problems, such as failing to protect reproductive health for the poor, its $1-trillion-plus actual cost, and pork

The New York Times reported yesterday that former US senator George Mitchell may be Barack Obama's special envoy to the Middle East. Could this be one reason Mitchell's company bowed out of the Maine State Pier project? Hard to say, but Mitchell has experience dealing with entrenched political opponents (see Northern Ireland) as well as uncovering unpleasant truths (see baseball).

The Take Back Barack effort (started by the Portland Phoenix's managing editor Jeff Inglis and staff writer Deirdre Fulton with this article) is on TV throughout January around the nation, thanks to Liberty News TV. (It's a non-profit progressive outfit based here in Portland, and they accept donations!)

Here's the clip - click here for a map to see where you can watch the whole show on your TV!

A Kittery native, Dennis Blair, is likely to be tapped as the Director of National Intelligence in the Obama administration, according to the New York Times and ABC News. Blair, a retired four-star Navy admiral, is a former commander of all US Navy forces in Asia and the Pacific. Sadly, according to the Nation, he made the US (more) complicit in the 1999 violence in Timor

Many of the comments about Take Back Barack so far have been from conservatives shouting with glee, calling Obama a "snake-oil salesman" and a "con man," and apparently suggesting I'm a sucker for believing his promises. But it appears the progressive community might be paying some attention. Early tomorrow morning (East Coast time) - so early it's late at night Pacific time - I'll be on the Phil Hendrie Show talking about the Take Back Barack effort.

Todd Palin shows up in a GOP mailer sent to rural Maine...making Al Diamon's October 22 column even more relevant.

Jeff Inglis adds:

While the flier suggests that the next president will have control over whether snowmobiling is allowed in national parks, it's certainly difficult to argue that snowmobile access is the most important decision the next president will make.

Portland Phoenix managing editor Jeff Inglis will be on National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation program this afternoon from 2:40 to 3 pm, talking about the importance of voting and taking calls from listeners.

Inspired by a piece I wrote about "RickeyPAC" (see "Who's Your Rickey?", October 17), and based on the effort of a group of friends of mine to convince another friend to vote, NPR is including our effort in their coverage of the run-up to the presidential election.

There’s an important use for the Obama campaign’s text-message database that’s not being discussed, and it’s a way to help prevent the Republicans from stealing the election.

We know that Barack Obama’s campaign has done a much better job at getting people’s cell-phone numbers, from his various text-message initiatives (including the contest at the DNC to see which state would send in the most text messages).