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Per Kos , Charlie Cook says the following races are now toss-ups:
CA 11 Pombo vs. McNerney (Blue America candidate)
CO 04 Musgrave vs. Pacionne (Blue America candidate)
CO 05 Lamborn vs. Fawcett (Blue America/Netroots)
OH 02 Schmidt vs. Wulsin (Blue America candidate)
CA 50 Bilbray vs. Busby(Blue America/Netroots)
WY AL Cubin vs. Trauner (Netroots)
NH 02 Bass vs. Hodes (Netroots)
Remember this fabulous quote from yesterday's (*cough*) Democratic Strategist?
Because of their different experiences, netrooters have dismissed talk of a sweep as so much old-timer mysticism. Old-timers have been unable to believe the netrooters do not see what is clearly before their eyes. As a result of their different experiences, netrooters are also more focused on carefully bringing home every victory that's clearly in reach and leaving nothing to chance in any race, while the old-timers are wondering whether a bank would loan the DNC $5 million or $10 million against future contributions to expand their reach from 30 targeted seats to 50. Old-timers are also speculating about whether they should count as won the top ten prospective take-overs and shift resources from those seats to the Tier 3 opportunities.
You know, this just does not look to me like a triumph of the K Street sell-outs Blue Dogs .
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Frist !
Howie!
Jane!
Fitz!
Shorter Rahm: “It was my idea to play to our strenghs all along, . . . honest . . .”
cl
Could someone translate this from Snarky Beltwayese to something that we political amateurs could understand? I’m not sure what the article says: that oldtimers don’t believe the netroots can pull off a victory; that netroots don’t realize a big victory is pending; or both.
wow; my frist one !
It is a combination of many things. The Blue Dog strategy was obviously short-sighted, non-risky and self-centered. That’s more hyphens in description than they deserve…..
Netroots, BlueAmerica, ActBlue and Dean’s strategy have worked better. But “Had Enough?” - especially when skillfully connected to the war and Bushista incompetence does better than any of the other plans, strategies or organizations.
I always said that if we didn’t win back the House and/or Senate, Howard Dean and the angry bloggers would bear the blame. If We did win back the House and/or Senate, Rahm Emanuel and Chuck Schumer along with the Blue Dogs/DLC would claim the credit.
Sadly, my powers of prognostication remain intact.
dRahma queen putting on airs
GSD:
Bass is now on the line. Go Hodes.
I am seeing the ads an Bass is trying to use ignorance to pretend he is independent.
Also the RNC is running ads against hodes that put up military like grid lines and take shots at him repeating liberal like the rat tat of gunfire.
charge the presses!:
Albatross @
4
My suggestion would be reading the article, then you can tell us all, I don’t think anyone quite understands what this crap is supposed to be saying.
After seeing below I would gladly trade Joeloser for an Allen loss. I do agree that people who are still with Joeloser…I guess I can believe it they are called Republicans and they have been causing woe loe these many years.
But he can’t pull it off without what at least 1 of 2 indies, and 1 or 2 or every 10 dems.
punaise @
10
Yippee! GO MIKE!
punaise @
8
Nice punaise. Very nice. I’ll refrain from any comments about Rahm being en pointe. Or, on second thought I won’t.
Tweety spending the whole show on Kerry’s comments. Tweety doin a pretty good job of putting the comments in their proper context- but is still wastin a whole show on the garbage.
Goopers are hopin that they can ride to victory on a swiftboat- one more time.
Jane Hamsher @
11
Okay, did that beforehand but still confused.
So… regardless of what it’s supposed to be saying, is it supposed to be helping? ‘Cos I’m not sure that it is. It reads like more snatching-defeat-from-the-jaws-of-victory Democratic infighting…
Not that we should by and large aspire to their tactics, but does one see this kind of infighting on Wingnut blogs? Seriously, I’m asking, because I don’t have the stomach to read most of them.
Malacandra @
7
A lot of us who have come back to the Dems from the Greens have been predicting the upcoming congressional takeover and the subsequent battle for control since early 2005. And we’re providing GOTV troops who know how to fight uphill battles with little money.
Many of us relish the second battle at least as much as the first. In a way it is even more important than getting the GOP out. The old school Dems - Blue Dogs and other DINOs - are further to the right than any GOP administration before W’s.
rwcole @ 15
Hee hee, I shorted out their bilge pump. She be takin’ on water.
I’m really looking forward to some Allen staffers being arrested. What a great headline that will make.
rwcole @ 15
He’s arguing with a Republican hack that’s sticking to the talking points. Sheesh, Chris
Is Tweety spending as much time on Kerry’s response? The WHOLE response? There are some mightly fine lines in that Kerry smackdown.
I think that getting all the blue dogs and yellow dogs and centerist democrats out of office- is a great idea- if ya wanna hold the next convention in a phone booth and cede control of the govt. to the goopers for the next 100 years or so.
Paul Hackett may have a note or two he could forward to Rahm…
scory - for you:
Mr. Emmanuel is experiencing a queasy feeling from this surging tidal wave. dRahmamine hasn’t proven effective.
“Thomas Riehle is the co-founder of RT Strategies, a bipartisan polling firm in Washington D.C.” is the Beltway wienie wrangler who authored that turgid, “up-is-down” quote.
Even at The Democratic Strategist blog where this “washing of hogs” originated, the overwhelming majority of commenters raked him deservedly over the coals thusly:
Albatross @ 16
Read the comments of the original article, Albatross, and I believe all will be clear.
Albatross @
16
I’m not quite sure what their overarching narrative is, but they seem to be trying to claim that we have only been focused on the top races and haven’t supported less likely winners. When the exact opposite is true. We’ve been supporting these people all along, and the DC “wise men” only recently acknowledged their existence.
I think this kind of bullshit one week before an election is unforgiveable. And it’s everywhere. We didn’t put it there, but we’ve certainly got the ammnition to defend ourselves.
Also, do you ever read wingnut blogs? Because they almost never fight. That’s the one thing their love of authoritarianism gives them — a unity that is positively one-note.
I don’t mean to be disrespectful, but thou smellest like a concern troll.
You really need to get over yourself, Jane. Name one man who works harder on behalf on the party than Rahm. Go ahead. I’ll wait.
Jane…
Out of curiosity, why do you suppose Charlie Brown in the CA-04th isn’t on Cook’s list? The recent polling shows a statistical dead heat and Charlie has picked up endorsements from just about every paper in this district as well as from several high-profile conservatives in this district. Even Doolittle’s own campaign had to deflect questions recently about Charlie’s surging momentum and fast-growing popularity amongst self-professed conservative republicans.
We’ve always been at war with Oceania! Here’s a paragraph I fully expect to see soon in Time or Newsweek:
(Click on the link if you don’t know what I’m talking about.)
“Hee hee, I shorted out their bilge pump. She be takin’ on water.”
Are we going to reprise “pirate talk” now? (Hope not - lol)
Tucker on- he’s gonna spend his whole hour on Kerry’s comments too. Oh well- guess he thinks this will help his ratings?
rwcole @ 15
It’s not 2004. If they want to make the last week about Iraq (and Kerry is smart enough to ensure that it doesn’t become about him) then they’re quite welcome to do so. This was orchestrated: if Kerry had said ‘it’s cloudy outside’, Pony Blow would have run with that as a sign he wants the terrorists to win. Desperation tactics at work.
As for the Blue America numbers, they’re fantastic. They’re going to make next Tuesday night a long one, because there may be welcome surprises in every timezone.
I’m going to add one note of caution: if — or when — BA candidates win, remember that they’re not our representatives. They’re in their new districts’ service first and foremost.
And if they lose, it’s in our interests, and the party’s best interests to keep them engaged for next time. Nothing makes a better campaigner than experience.
Maybe President Cheney’s real name is Gort.
We ask in the name of humanity:
Gort, klaatu barada nikto. [Space Alien Gort, please don’t destroy the earth.]
HeadKeepsSpinning @ 28
Howard Dean.
I wouldn’t pay much attention to the Rahm/Tauscher wing of the DC Dem establishment. Next Tue we will know who made it. Those candidates that the grassroots/netroots supported and funded will hopefully remember what got their campaigns going. I am pretty certain that senators Tester and Webb will remember. I am equally confident in representatives Kissell, McNerney, Kleeb, Massa, et al. They will help start the change in the party leadership in DC.
This is just the early rounds in staffing the party leadership with principled candidates. If the grassroots/netroots build on the successes and learn from the failures from this cycle hopefully challengers to the Rahm wing will be supported early in the primaries in 2008.
Turns out that there was actually some news today- Iraqi Prime Minister said “No” to Clusterfuck’s plan for his nation. This got pretty much covered up by the flap about Kerry’s comments.
angie @ 35
Howie Klein
punaise @ 38
yeah!
HeadKeepsSpinning @ 28
Careful there, HKS. Rahm works hard, but there’s a difference between working for the party and working for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Rahm’s job is the latter, and that means he has to (a) protect Democratic incumbents in the House, (b) get more Dems into the House, and (c) do other things to help the Democratic party.
In that order of priority.
Rahm doesn’t answer to the party - at least not directly. His bosses are the Democratic members of the House, and those are the folks he has to keep happy. Does he work hard on their behalf? Absolutely. But let’s be clear here: that’s different than working hard on behalf of the party as a whole.
You want a name? Howard Dean comes to mind, but he’s hardly the only hard worker out there.
AZ - 05 - Hayworth vs. Mitchell was also included in Cooks upgrage to tossup.
Many Republicans all over the state have been throwing Hayworth under the bus. The AZ Republic(ian) endorsed Mitchell calling Hayworth a bully and former Att. Grant Woods (R) is doing robo calls for Mitchell pretty much saying that Hayworth lies.
I have never had a job where you could never show up to work and spend all your time flyin around the country giving the same stupid speech over and over. It would never have occured to me that “President of the US” would be such a job.
angie @ 35
I was sorely tempted myself, but DFTT! (Dont Feed The Trolls) *g*
rwcole @ 42
LOLOLOLOL so perfectly on target that I am rolling.
Poifect!
Caoimhin Laochdha @
3
Shorter Rahm? Not possible.
Albatross @
4
He’s saying that if we win, it’s because he was right all along, and if we lose it will be because he was right all along.
Breaking it down even further,
Imagine that there are two teams “Insiders” and “Outsiders.”
The Insiders’s stated plan was to focus on key “winable” races, regardless of how good the actual candidate was; winning was the most important issue, and getting your position out there was a follow on benefit.
The Outsider’s stated plan was to try to promote the best candidates they could find, in all fifty states; having a candidate in every market that represented your position was the most important issue, and winning would be a consequence
Ours worked
Theirs didn’t
He’s trying to sell the notion that our plan was his secret plan all along, in the hopes that people are stupid.
He’s dreaming.
–MarkusQ
HeadKeepsSpinning @
28
I’ll quote Howie Klein:
He might be working his balls of to infect the party with GOP homophobes but if you’re going to wait around for me to thank him for it, you’ve got some time on your hands.
egregious @ 34
My IQ isn’t high enough to understand this.
Jane Hamsher @ 47
ROTFLMAO with your laser truth, Jane!
Guess we’ve all got our favorites and our goats in the party that we share- but this close to the election- couldn’t we spend our energy trashing goopers? Aren’t they the enemy?
Yes, Paul Hackett was more than ready to challenge Mike DeWine, but wiser (or at least dustier) heads prevailed. Paul Hackett, ahead of the wave, was for audacity before he got Rahmed and Chucked by these so called wizards.
I think the “old-timer mystics” are confusing the natural caution of Kos with defeatism. Not surprising that they are confused, and not surprising that they would attempt to take credit for a groundswell of support they had nothing to do with.
I was driving from Connecticut to Massachusetts this morning and listened to an interview of Ralph Nader on NPR. He is giving speeches at Quinnipiac and Yale Universities tomorrow on the Military Commission Act of 2006.
He is very concerned that people in CT don’t understand the selling out that Lieberman has done - particularly over the last six years. The fact of the matter is - Lieberman has changed, dramatically. Nader gave an example of an environmental group in CT who stated that Joe’s been good for the environment when, in fact, Joe has voted for things like the “Bush/Cheney Mobil/Exxon Energy Bill” (as he calls it).
The interviewer kept asking if Nader had decided to work for change from within the Dem party - and he said no, he had spent too many years going along with the game plan and being ignored and marginalized. However he felt it was vitally important that the Dems take control of at least one, if not both, houses of Congress.
I almost drove off the road.
He indicated he was a Lamont supporter and is focused on “educating” CT voters about Lieberman’s duplicity.
rwcole @ 50
Feel free to go over to the Democratic Strategist and tell them you think they should be focusing their efforts elsewhere.
Meanwhile, when they attack you, remind us to tell you how you should respond.
rwcole @ 50
Think Tommy Chong in ‘Up in Smoke’.
Just say Ommmmmmm. Mellow. Mellow.
jarota- well if Brown wasn’t kicking DeWine’s ass, I’d think that you might be right- but in fact goopers have withdrawn support for DeWine as he is obviously going down.
Now some will argue that Paul would have kicked DeWine’s ass too- we’ll never know- but the issue was whether he could raise the money required- and Paul admitted that it would be tough.
Jane–I guess you don’t want to have a discussion eh?
A million dollars against Shays, but Rahm just can’t seem to find $5,000, or even $1 for that matter, to get TV ads on the air for Diane Benson.
Probably just a coincidence that she is a progressive, female, Native American that could kick Rahm’s butt from here to Prudoe Bay.
And who is, btw, within FIVE POINTS of incumbent Don Young (R-Marianas Scandal) according to the Young’s latest internal poll which was leaked to friendly sources :) This is up from 30 points down only ONE MONTH ago. Bwahahahahaha.
Hey, Representative Young? BOO!!
Rep. Young on November 8? BOO HOO!
http://www.actblue.com/page/egregious
For Halloween, make Don “Forced Abortions” Young’s worst nightmare come true. Support DIANE BENSON for Congress. Extra bonus points: outdated model to be replaced by a progressive female Native American, the first ever in Congress needless to say.
MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!
rwcole @ 55
Think how much Paul could’ve raised in this election! He would’ve been a Contenda.
Since when is it considered reasonable to introduce a disagreement with a blog-host’s posting by saying:
You really need to get over yourself, Jane.?
One can disagree with the analysis offered up at a blog without being insulting, you know.
Unless the whole point of it IS to be insulting. In which case it’s called “trolling.”
Balrog @ 48
The Day the Earth Stood Still(1951)
I really don’t understand the meta of all this. Really I don’t. It is too much sometimes for me to comprehend.
I just know that deep in the CA-11, the difference is the energy and the amount of volunteers here–not the amount of money, because Pombo has always had more money. He just can’t find many volunteers–unless he pays them. [Laura Bush is coming soon to CA-11 and CA-04. The price of admission? Putting in a shift of canvassing].
I have been knocking on doors since the middle of August and I am knocking on those doors and talking to voters because of FDL, dKos, MyDD and DWT. The energy and the push from the progressive blogs kicked me in the, uh, well, they all got me motivated and positive for the first time in 6 years. No national Democratic Coalition of any kind could have done that for me or for many people. Many of us had just given up.
From my little corner of CA-11, I don’t much care who publicly takes credit. Because I know in my heart that if we pull this off and defeat Pombo, it will be because of all of us here knocking on doors and calling and all the small donations coming in from the Act Blue pages and the Net Roots. I will know.
1,320 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Hamsher and Firepup Patriots:
If the Democrats win both houses…will there be enough strength and inertia within the progressive caucus ta dismantle the power structure of the K-street sellouts on both the Senate and the House side? What about if it’s jest a narrow victory in the House and a narrow lose of the Senate? The people immediately behind Pelosi in the House and the Clinton-Schumer faction behind Reid in the Senate worry the hell outta me.
KEEP THE FAITH AND YOUR EYES WIDE OPEN…WE’RE JEST GETTIN’ A GOOD LOOK AT ALL THE BAD GUYS!!!
Oh Kerry, Kerry, Kerry.
-GSD
Name one man who works harder on behalf on the party than Rahm.
Nancy Pelosi
OT? - Jon Stewart & TDS in OHIO: http://onegoodmove.org/1gm/1gm.....ce_or.html
GSD @ 63
I’m so behind on this controversy. I don’t know anything about it. Do I want to?
Do we have a contact or website for Nate? I made a $$ contribution for Charlie Brown CA-04 and wanted him to know it was because of his inspiring example.
He quit his job and moved away from Hawaii just to help Brown, whom he previously didn’t know. This is highly principled action which I am honored to support.
The shoe budget for this month is looking a little strange…
Hey if Code Pink wants to do their Iraq shoe thing here they should call me.
TRex @ 60
Thanks T. I remember a band called Klaatu that was rumored to be the Beatles reformed in secret, too. Klaatu
My reference is to the online IQ tests that use these words and definitions in a brain-f*ck.
umm…Kerry story tops GoogleNews…
—
have created G/N Spec.Sec.s on Lamont, NSA, Hastert Page. Just added ‘Diane Benson Congress Alaska’.
Might add something for Massa NY and a few others…Charlie Brown, mebbe.
That would be due to BlueBlog/Dems. like our ET/egreg here, kos, and Howie/Howard
I’m kinda partial to the K/K MA Sen duo, myself in terms of ‘for the party’. But, I’m a partisan AND constituent.
TRex @ 66
Depends. Do you have enough aspirin? Three steps forward, two steps back. Sheesh. Can’t we do better in our national leaders?
sjvalleygal @
61
Part of the problem we’re struggling with right now is that after we shook down Democratic candidates to give $$$ to the DCCC, they decided to dump huge piles of it into the Tammy Duckworth and Diane Farrell races, and little or none into these races. While I’ve heard their rationale on this decision (they’re doing it there because the RNCC is doing it there) I don’t find it exceptionally compelling.
BlanK: vowels and consonnants are free on the internets. knock yourself out! :~)
Jane Hamsher @ 53
Jane, will you marry me? The divorce will be spectacular.
Patrick 4/4 @ 73
707
punaise @ 38
Jane Hamsher and Christy Hardin Smith.
The fact that the question is limited to a “man” is part of the problem here. Didn’t we finish this stuff back in about 1973?
We just put this commentary up…..
Blackwell’s CommonSense groups behind Push Polls in TN and other states………….
“Recent reports suggest that organizations operating in battleground states under the “Common Sense” banner are behind push-polls playing out with increasing frequency as Americans approach midterm election decisions coming in November. (Such “polls,” of course, push an agenda through the wording and the questions asked.)”
http://scoop.epluribusmedia.or...../1450/4462
ab initio @
36
I used to cover Tauscher when I was a newspaper fotog. She’s a moron of the first order. She can be counted upon to do the wrong thing, just about every time.
T Rex. Actually I hope you see his comments and then tell me if you think they were helpful. Some FDL folks think it was a little mistake and are happy that he is fighting back. I think it gave the pubs an issue that is not going to help next Tuesday.
TRex @ 66
I’m with you on this TRex
Why the f*** is what he said to a bunch of kids even an issue? WTF? Who cares what he said joking around with a bunch of kids? Far worse comes out of Commander Codpiece every day.
Lord, the repukes are desperate if this is the biggest scandal they can come up with.
Did Bush really make a statement about this BS?
HeadKeepsSpinning at 2:59 pm *
Please apologize to Jane for that profoundly disrespectful remark. You want disagree, fine, keep the ad hominems to yourself.
Jane emailed Rahm and invited him to meet with us here at FDL for a scheduled event. Not only didn’t Rahm ever show up, I think he just ignored the invitation.
You have evidence that Rahm works so hard, I want to see it. I see Jane and Christy not just working hard in their daily posts, but raising money. Where’s Rahm? I rarely seeing him on the talking heads. Nobody get’s paid for “working hard.” It’s about results.
Now, I’m waiting for the apology to Jane.
HeadKeepsSpinning @
28
My name’s not Jane, but I’ll name you one: Howard Dean.
Of course he did and Lieberman will as well.
-GSD
I’m so behind on this controversy. I don’t know anything about it. Do I want to?
I’m with you on this TRex
Why the f*** is what he said to a bunch of kids even an issue? WTF? Who cares what he said joking around with a bunch of kids? Far worse comes out of Commander Codpiece every day.
Lord, the repukes are desperate if this is the biggest scandal they can come up with.
Did Bush really make a statement about this BS?
dab from CT @ 79
dab from CT @ 79
I hate the sound of giggling trolls.
TRex @
60
Beat me to it, TRex. I was going to say google Michael Rennie.
1,320 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND…
Citizen Hamsher:
“…Meanwhile when they attack you, remind us to tell you how you should respond.” You go gal!!! Even the well intentioned corporatists need a slap up side a the head now and then.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION LADIES, THE BASTARDS AIN’T GUNNA GIVE UP WITHOUT A FIGHT!!
New NBC/WSJ Poll
Bush JAR 39%
Up one point from last time
Cozumel @ 86
Hoop-de-do.
egregious @
75
that’s exactly what prompted my “Nancy Pelosi” above.
Looks like the people are ahead on this Drudge created smear.
From Lou Dobbs:
Do you believe John Kerry owes our troops in Iraq an apology?
Yes
26%
473 votes
No
74%
1368 votes
Total: 1841 votes
-GSD
HeadKeepsSpinning @ 28
Howie Klein. Mattv Stoller. Chris Bowers. Toname a few.
Since you did not ask for any women. Funny, that.
TPM:
Lou Dobbs poll
Do you believe John Kerry owes our troops in Iraq an apology?
Yes 26% 373 votes
No 74% 1368 votes
Freep away at http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/lou.dobbs.tonight/
Brian NBC Nightly has ush JAR 37/59.
-
Now on Kerry.
——–
Now about the Poll.
ISSUE IS IRAQ, IRAQ, IRAQ.
Interesting that George Allens brownshirts assaulting someone is less of a story than the Kerry muffed comments.
-GSD
sjvalleygal @ 61
You’re telling my story, just switch CA-04 with CA-11. I lightly loathe Rahm, and everything he says registers as white noise.
Meanwhile: Do you think Kerry owes our troops an apology? Vote here at Lou Dobbs.
netrooters are also more focused on carefully bringing home every victory that’s clearly in reach and leaving nothing to chance in any race…
Ya that’s because WE are the ones who are actually getting out the dam* vote while the “old-timers” are sitting on their butts issuing pronouncements. It’s kinda like saying the stock market will adjust for every event…well that’s because there are analysts and traders that make it happen.
WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE MAKING IT HAPPEN.
We are the new paradigm.
rwcole @ 55 -
the thread is about K street sell-outs, not goopers, and the sh*tty methods they use to run a campaign. Brown publicly rejected a senate run, and at that point Hackett announced. Then Brown changed his mind, after telling Hackett he would not run. Then the DSCC had their original candidate, so they convinced Hackett to withdraw, with sabotage and withdrawal of funding promises.
And if you think it would have been difficult for Hackett to contend with a Bush rubber stamp who even supported Harriet Miers for Supreme Court, well, I guess “we’ll never know”.
Blank Kludge @ 93
That wasn’t the JAR, which is 39% ; )
To recap:
Albatross @
4
Translation:
If Dems were to lose (or not win big enough) it’s because of the looney left netroots. If we win it’s because of us sensible centrists. Never mind if the reverse is actually true. We’re sensible centrists, we’re serious, and we don’t need the truth.
Rahm and his ilk I suspect really don’t want the masses involved in “politics” except as knee-jerk voters and cash cows. They’ve had a tidy system going that suits their needs for way too long, and of course they’re not gonna go down easy. The great thing about the netroots is that it has brought so many informed voters into the political process- informed via the netroot efforts and netroot blogs. I know I’m not saying anything new, but I wanted to say it anyway. And, the old boy/old girl network must be getting very nervous…