Unsurprisingly, Carroll Conley is pleased about the outcome of Tuesday's gay-marriage vote in North Carolina, and non-plussed by President Barack Obama's confirmation yesterday that he supports the right of same-sex couples to marry.

Conley, who serves as executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine (which has teamed up with the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) to create Protect Marriage Maine -- the group that will lead the campaign against same-sex marriage leading up to the referendum vote this November), happened to be in North Carolina this week for his son's college graduation.

We thought Obama's compromise on religious organizations and birth control would quiet the ridiculous few who haven't caught up with the fact that ALMOST EVERY WOMAN USES SOME TYPE OF BIRTH CONTROL IN HER LIFETIME.

We were wrong.

Rather than let the issue drop and move on to, oh I don't know, MORE IMPORTANT THINGS, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Regulation assembled a panel this morning to beat this horse to death.

Today's Time Magazine issue has a large article on American militia groups and others plotting various ways to overthrow or undermine the federal government. Included on the third page, at least online, is an extensive account with new (and literally explosive) details about a man who abused his wife and was later killed by him, in Belfast, Maine, in 2008

All those extra police details for President Obama's visit back on April Fool's Day cost the Portland Police Department $13,047.71 in extra staffing costs, reports Commander Mike Sauschuck. That doesn't include other city departments, and obviously doesn't include the heavy Secret Service presence, which is all paid for from federal tax dollars (and would have been spent no matter where Obama had appeared that day).

Portland welcomed President Barack Obama today, with Liberty Bells ringing from protestors across the street, and chants and cheers of all kinds ringing up and down Park Avenue outside the Portland Expo.

The clip, of course, that's making national headlines is not the substantive parts of his speech on health-care reform, or its potential effect on small businesses and young people.

John Aravosis at gay.americablog.com has an interesting account of the interplay between the DNC, the Obama administration, the New Jersey governor's race, and the No On 1 campaign here in Maine.

One very interesting point he makes is that the 2008 presidential race had far more people cast ballots than the 2009 No On 1 race.

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!

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.

The Sanford High School Marching Band will perform in Barack Obama's inaugural parade. Of course, it seems the transition team didn't read Rick Wormwood's story a couple weeks back, "Last of the Redskins," in which we detailed the likelihood that Sanford High School will be the last team in Maine to use the "Redskins" nickname, which many Native Americans consider offensive.

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.