"The truth is that promoting science isn't just about providing resources--it's about protecting free and open inquiry. It's about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics or ideology. It's about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it's inconvenient--especially when it's inconvenient. Because the highest purpose of science is the search for knowledge, truth and a greater understanding of the world around us. That will be my goal as President of the United States--and I could not have a better team to guide me in this work." -- President-elect Barack Obama

President-elect Obama announced the appointment of Dr. John Holdren as Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Co-Chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). Obama also named Dr. Harold Varmus and Dr. Eric Lander as the other co-chairs of PCAST. Addtionally, he named Dr. Jane Lubchenco as his choice to lead the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, at the end of the Minnesota canvassing board's review of the challenged ballots, Al Franken had pulled ahead in the Senate recount by 251 votes. This is a bit deceiving, however, since 5,000 or so withdrawn challenges still need to be returned to the count, so the Franken campaign, as they have done throughout the recount, sent a press release out today in order to manage expectations, stating that once the withdrawn challenges are factored in, they expect to be ahead by 35-50 votes.

From Franken recount lawyer, Marc Elias (via Senate Guru):

"The work left for the state canvassing board to do next week - the re-allocation of withdrawn challenges - is work we have already done in our internal count, because that count has always assumed that all challenges will fail. On Tuesday, I will stand before you with that work completed. Al Franken will have a lead of between 35 and 50 votes. And, at some point not too long after that, Al Franken will stand before you as the Senator-Elect from Minnesota."

Team Coleman responded with typical incredulity:

"This is just more bluster and hot air from a campaign that has been trailing for two years. While we can understand their need to latch onto their temporary lead, the reality is there's a long way to go in this process. We have no doubt that once this recount is fully completed, Senator Coleman will be in the lead and will be reelected to the Senate."

Notice what the Coleman response is conspicuously missing. From Guru:

Um, I don't see any numbers in their response. Rhetoric aplenty, but no numbers to contest Franken's assertion.

Interesting too that the Coleman campaign anticipates the recount going on and on and on ad infinitum; if I recall it wasn't long ago that they were insisting there should be no recount at all.

The common wisdom in many states is that big city mayors, and to an extent any big city politicians, can't win major statewide races because of the geographical divides that tend to pit the urban versus the rural and even suburban. But that common wisdom appears to be wrong, at least as relates to Colorado, where longtime Denver city District Attorney Bill Ritter won the Governorship in 2006 by 15 points in what was supposed to have been a competitive race against then swing-district Congressman Bob Beauprez, and where Denver Mayor John Hinkenlooper is polling better than even popular red-district-representing Democratic Congressman John Salazar.

Denver Mayor John Hinkenlooper (D): 54 percent
Former Governor Bill Owens (R): 40 percent

Denver Mayor John Hinkenlooper (D): 54 percent
Congressman Tom Tancredo (R): 37 percent

Congressman John Salazar (D): 52 percent
Former Governor Bill Owens (R): 43 percent

Congressman John Salazar (D): 53 percent
Congressman Tom Tancredo (R): 40 percent

There are a number of other potentially strong Democrats who could keep the seat being vacated by Interior Secretary-designate Ken Salazar in Democratic hands, including Congressman Ed Perlmutter, House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, and state Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald. I'd caution before reading too much into the numbers above, but given the Democrats great successes in Colorado in 2004 (big gains in the state legislature, picking up a House seat and picking up a Senate seat), 2006 (picking up the Governorship and another House seat), and 2008 (picking up a Senate seat and a House seat, as well as carrying the state's electoral votes), the Republicans are clearly going to need to figure out a way to fix their current slump in the state before they have a real shot at taking Ken Salazar's seat back in 2010.

Here is some California news:

California Attorney General Jerry Brown Urges Overturning Prop 8

California's Attorney General Jerry Brown has filed a brief to the California Supreme Court which is reviewing the anti-gay marriage Proposition 8 arguing that  the measure is constitutionally indefensible and should be overturned. Brown wrote in the brief that "Proposition 8 must be invalidated because the amendment process cannot be used to extinguish fundamental constitutional rights without compelling justification."  In essence, the Attorney General is arguing that minority rights should not be subject to the whims of the majority. More from the New York Times. Jerry Brown is expected to run for Governor in 2010.

Governor Schwarzenegger Orders Unpaid Furloughs for All California State Employees

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued an executive order to all California state employees mandating two unpaid days of leave per month beginning in February 2009 and lasting through June 2010. The executive order is the latest salvo in California's budget battle. The state faces a $41.8 billion dollar deficit.

As the year winds down, ponder your favorite MyDD diaries of 2008, and send them my way for an upcoming year end recap.  For now, enjoy the best of the present...

• Bettina Duval worries we are Undermining the Pipeline of real representation.
• An election day recap from Project Vote: Record Voter Turnout Indicates Closing of Electoral Gaps With the Help of Early Vote.
• Elections in Ghana Promise Change and Inspire Hope. (brbuchwal)
• In Breaking News On Our Broken Economy.  Is This Snark?, bobswern questions the intelligence of consulting failure when search for success.
• Atdleft takes a look at The Rest of the West: Part 1.
• Shelleyschreiner on Blackwater contracts: To renew or not renew -- there should be no question.
• The New York Times Gets It Right And Wrong On Veterans. (jamesboyce)
• A last minute gift from the President in NvDem's Bush's Bailout = Time Bomb.
• The Media Consortium stamp of approval: Hilda Solis: Get Excited.
• Recount Math Looks Great for Franken.  (Jeff Rosenberg)

What else are you reading?

Personally, I was in favor of counting the Lizard People ballot, but the Minnesota canvass board disagreed and threw out the ballot. It sounds like they decided the previous day that writing in a name counted as voting for it wether the circle was filled in or not (seems to me putting a name on the ballot but not voting for it is no different than not voting for the names already on the ballot, but whatever). Franken did, however, pick up the Flying Spaghetti Monster and Franken-stin ballots.

H/T Wonkette by way of Andrew Sullivan.

Happy Friday. What's going on?

Milk is easily the best live action film I've seen this year, not only for its exceptional quality but also for its political and social relevance. The filmmakers had no way of knowing how the Prop 8 campaign would play out but the parallels between the fight to defeat Prop 8 in 2008 and Harvey Milk's 1977 struggle to defeat Prop 6 as dramatized in the film are truly eerie. So, it's no accident that, post-election, Milk would play a pivotal role in the pushback against the passage of Prop 8.

A few weeks ago I attended a free screening of Milk hosted by the Courage Campaign (for whom I have worked,) which offered local activists an opportunity to gather, see Milk and speak with each other about both the film and the next steps in the marriage equality movement. Little did I know it would be the first of many such screenings, which Courage Campaign members throughout the state have organized for tomorrow.

From a Courage Campaign e-mail:

On Saturday all throughout California, will "you, and you, and you" attend a Courage Campaign screening of "MILK" and then participate in a "Light Up the Night" candlelight vigil, organized by our friends at Join the Impact?

We're calling this special event "MILK plus LOVE" and we want you -- and your friends, family and neighbors -- to be there. Courage Campaign members just like you are organizing these screenings on Saturday at 40 movie theaters in communities across California. All you need to do is RSVP now so they know how many people are coming (and then buy your movie tickets at the theater before the event)

In California? Sign up to attend a screening HERE.

If you saw Milk then you recall the dramatic scene in which Harvey Milk debates Proposition 6 in front of a hostile audience. Against the advice of consultants who urged him to cower and not rock the boat, Milk knew he had to not only get his message out but he had to do it in the belly of the beast, in Orange County, CA, which today is home to Rick Warren's Saddleback Church.

Harvey Milk's courage back then has inspired Courage Campaign to challenge Barack Obama's homophobic invocation speaker Rick Warren to a debate about Proposition 8 with progressive minister, Reverend Eric Lee.

From Courage's e-mail:

We can not ignore Rick Warren's fervent support for Proposition 8 or his mobilization of thousands of evangelical Christians to enshrine discrimination into our state constitution.

Harvey Milk did not ignore John Briggs in 1978, when Briggs sought to pass Proposition 6 -- the infamous "Briggs Initiative" that attempted to ban gay and lesbian teachers, and anyone who supported them, from our California's public schools. Milk challenged Briggs to debates across the state.

Urge Rick Warren to join Rev. Lee for a Prop 8 debate HERE.

Finally, last Friday -- the opening day of Milk in many parts of the country -- I attended a people-powered rally organized by a student in Claremont, CA in association with Join The Impact to protest the passage of Proposition 8, which culminated in a candlelight march to the theatre where Milk had just opened. Several speakers spoke to the crowd of more than 200 people who gathered in a small park in Claremont, including Mother Karen Macqueen who spoke about having briefly met Harvey Milk in San Francisco during their fight against Proposition 6 and the lessons we can learn from him today.

Harvey had some principles we have to remember. One of them is that we need organizers and we need activists, we don't need politicians and there is deep truth in that. We need a people's movement, a law-abiding, peaceful people's movement who lets other people know how important marriage equality is.

That's exactly what Courage Campaign is building with their Pledge to Repeal Prop 8. If you haven't signed it, join over 310,000 people who already have HERE.

And if you haven't seen Milk, I highly recommend doing so. Not only is it incredibly entertaining but it contains lessons moving forward for how to take on the Rick Warrens of the world and -- this time -- win.