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Why Democrats Are Smiling
Philippe Wojazer / Reuters
The elections may have been a mixed bag for the White House, but they certainly didn’t signal a Republican renaissance. Far from it—the party’s “grassroots patriots” are now headed for war against the moderate apostates.
While the Democratic brand is obviously not what it was when so many of us were brought to tears a year ago by that beautiful scene in Grant Park, Republicans are on the verge of civil war. The sure-to be-a loser side appears to have all the soldiers and the reasonable-sounding side, and the one that can win, appears to have well, not much going on. The Republicans’ suicide will be anything but painless if this keeps up—and it will, if only to continue to juice Fox’s ratings.
Still, Tuesday was a mixed bag for the Obama White House. Clearly someone in the political office needs a vacation, perhaps an embassy post in Bora-Bora.
Overall, the news was pretty good for Obama and the Democrats from the standpoint of 2010 and even more so for 2012.
Obama traveled three times to New Jersey for Jon Corzine, an unpopular incumbent who never polled above 45 percent and who made his opponent’s waistline his most significant campaign issue. What’s more, Corzine was relying on a heavy vote for a nutty third-party candidate even to have a chance of winning. Meanwhile, a minor investment in New York City might have turned out the greatest political upset of the year and given the Obama operation a powerful shot of mojo, rejuvenating the issue of campaign finance reform in the process. But it was not to be. Obama bet on the wrong horses—make that billionaires—on both banks of the Hudson.
But overall, the news was pretty good for Obama and the Democrats from the standpoint of 2010 and even more so for 2012. Many in the media are echoing the wishful thinking of the Republican National Committee chairman, Michael Steele, who called Tuesday a “Republican renaissance.” In fact, it was a victory exclusively for Republican centrists. Bloomberg would be a liberal Democratic in city in real America. And in both Virginia and New Jersey, candidates won governorships by explicitly avoiding the issues that get Fox News anchors all hot and bothered. “Va. Republicans pledge to steer toward center” was the headline of a Washington Post story that explained, “Despite winning the governor’s race by a 17-percentage point blowout, Virginia Republicans insisted Wednesday that they had gained no broad mandate and would make their top priority the pragmatic platform that drove voters to the polls did not mention gun control or abortion, much less gay marriage.”
• Benjamin Sarlin: The Plot to Purge GOP Moderates
• Lee Siegel: New Jersey's Obama Wannabe
• Mark McKinnon: The GOP Surge Isn't Obama's Fault
• Peter Beinart: Behind the Democratic Wipeout
• More Daily Beast contributors on the election aftermathDitto New Jersey. The New York Times reports that “Governor-elect Christopher J. Christie of New Jersey, basking in praise from Republicans who hailed him as the party’s new star, said Wednesday that he would move quickly to suspend new regulations on business and find ways to lower crushing property taxes, the nation’s highest. ‘Other than taxes and funding issues, the most important issue to me is fixing our urban education problem,’ he said.”
Meanwhile, the “real Republican” running Tuesday night—the one who represents Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, and Tea Parties—lost to a rather nondescript Democrat in the now legendary New York 23rd Congressional District race. OK, so Doug Hoffman was not on the Republican ballot. The point is not only did he have the support of the grassroots and much of the party’s leadership—over their own party’s nominee—but he lost in a way that only emboldened his supporters to continue to make life miserable for the rest of the apostates who fail to see the world in the black and white hues that are so clear to them (and only them).
The Right Dumps Carrie
Jacob Bernstein is a senior reporter at The Daily Beast. Previously, he was a features writer at WWD and W Magazine. He has also written for New York magazine, Paper, and The Huffington Post.
What's Joe's Problem?
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
Geithner's Stock Plummeting
Jeff Madrick is a contributor to the New York Review of Books and a former economics columnist for the New York Times. He is editor of Challenge Magazine, visiting professor of humanities at Cooper Union, and senior fellow at the New School's Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis. He is the author of Taking America, The End of Affluence (Random House) and The Case for Big Government.
The Speech of His Life—Again
Eric Alterman is a professor of English and journalism at Brooklyn College and a professor of journalism at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He is the author, most recently, of Why We're Liberals: A Handbook for Restoring America's Important Ideals.
How E.L. Doctorow Does It
Eric Alterman is a professor of English and journalism at Brooklyn College and a professor of journalism at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He is the author, most recently, of Why We're Liberals: A Handbook for Restoring America's Important Ideals.
Obama's Fake Bipartisanship
Eric Alterman is a professor of English and journalism at Brooklyn College and a professor of journalism at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism. He is the author, most recently, of Why We're Liberals: A Handbook for Restoring America's Important Ideals.
The spin stops here!!! Democrats lost on tuesday, that's what happened, you can try to spin it all you want, but that is what happened!!!!!
Yes, the Dems "lost" on Tuesday. Two elections out of, uh, three.
Read Charlie Cook's "Cook's Political Report, the most read and respected report on Capital Hill: http://www.cookpolitical.com/node/5358
"In short, take all the grand pronouncements about the results of 2009's trio of high-profile contests with a hefty portion of salt," writes Cook.
I think that says it all.
Actually, Dems "lost" 2 out of 4 races. CA-10 was also won by a Democrat, though that race was even less surprising than Deeds losing in VA-Gov.
I am corrected (Japanese bow).
Dems got whooped in 2 governors elections by over 400,000 votes (17% and 5%)
What did the Dems win by in their elections? a few thousand?
Spinning NY23 as a Democratic loss is a reach. GOP hardliners figured that the district was a sure win having never gone Democratic and would be the perfect place to pick a fight without risk of sacrifice. They new Scuzzafava was a moderate reflecting her constituency, who they could paint with a 3 foot wide brush labeling and demonizing her as a Liberal. It was a huge concerted effort launched through FOX/facebook/twitter by the most rigidly dogmatic of Bush style conservatives (the same bunch who dramatically increased gubbmint spending under Cheny/Bush without uttering nary a peep) who thought they smelled blood in the water only to be suddenly shook by a Fava flip flop. The hardGop didnt flinch, they figured it was really in the bag for them given their powerful message to a Maoist in a Abe suit. Problem is the folks, the folks just aint buyin it and the GOP found out the hard way. They should examine NY23 closely, it is a very different situation than NJ and VA which they are so proudly proclaiming as an enlightened fiscally responsible mandate to future events. Here is a clue: Its your record stupid. Americans have heard it all before,mostly during the past 8 years or so and now with health care reform. NY may just prove that even republicans recognize, the actions never quite match the words when you examine closely the GOP hard rights record on spending and selling influence. And that is the real reason they are so desperate to reinvent themselves after empowering Bush Inc without reservation creating our current situation ( which they are working tirelessly to pin on Pres Obama). Oh how the worm does turn.,
The Tree of Know Ledge is above your brows. Skids on the ledge are lines of worry. You cannot hold your brows up and smile at the same time. In the The Daily Beast photograph you can see Barack Obama is holding his brows up, making furrows in the rock that is your (his) forehead. Nothing grows there. His smile is forced.
michaelslevinson.com
5 names on the ballot...2 Dems..2 Repubs...oh and 1 Hoffman. Hoffman a no name, non supported (except when Palin/Beck jumped in), few funds, comes out of nowhere....Lets do the math....49% for the Dem....46% for Hoffman...6% for Scuzafoba or the fakin' Repub who got $900K from the Repub campaign fund. Add the percentages, the Dem lost...Look at the ballot...Hoffman got screwed in the wording...THE MAN IS A WINNER although technically speaking the Dem got the percentage.....So a conservative takes on the Republican machine and the Democratic machine and some of you aholes think that the conservative lost???? Just wait.....
It's not pleasant to lose - but it's not nice to try and fool yourself.
Hoffman was an awful candidate - hardly able to get two words out in a row, looks like an angry Mr. Rodgers and didn't live in the district. BUT - he says the magic word "NO" to choice, to gay-rights, to stimulus money and jobs - and suddenly, he has the full support of Rush Limbaugh, Tim Pawlenty, Sarah Palin, Glen Beck, Fred Thompson and at the end the Washington Republican leadership. As far as the voters were concerned, he was the Republican nominee and he lost. In a district that was supposed to be safe the Republicans - against an unknown Democratic candidate.
Yes, we do think that the Conservative lost the Republican seat. I don't know how grateful the Republicans are - but there is one more Democrat in Congress who might actually get some work done - and I am grateful. Thanks very much and feel free to run Mr. Hoffman in any race you wish (seems he doesn't have to live in a district - or know too much about it - to run).
As long as fiscal conservatives continue to attach to socially conservative platforms, (hateful and elitist by nature), they are alienating many who would otherwise support their fiscal policies and attracting more religious ideologues.
The country's children are unfortunately, (for conservatives), growing up on social issues. While it only takes twenty years for a liberal to become a conservative without changing a single idea, it only takes twenty years for a conservative to become a bigot without changing a single idea.
When examining the county by county votes, Hoffman would have only won one more county had Scozzfava voters switched their votes, therefore your argument holds no water. Hoffman lost becasue moderate republicans voted Owens over Hoffman, ie, moderation over retardation. And lets face it, your candidate and the outsiders from Minnesota and Alaska cost the gop a seat they held for 120 years. Why are you too stupid not to see that conservatism doesnt play well everywhere on the map. Thats why we have bluedogs...they are conservative dems and we keep in the fold, no talk of running them out. That's the difference between a big tent party and a narrow minded one rule party such as the new, less appealing gop conservative brand. How many old white are going to live long enough to see young white people take their places? Young people in large numbers will never come to a conservative party...ever....and forget about minorities, intellectuals and women. Talk about a recipe for extinction.
"As long as fiscal conservatives continue to attach to socially conservative platforms, (hateful and elitist by nature), they are alienating many who would otherwise support their fiscal policies and attracting more religious ideologues."
Very well put. As much as the extreme right would like to believe that there is huge percentage of the American public that is in line with their regressive, degenerate, hate-filled views, the numbers just are not there. Luckily, most of this nation's population is still about progress, compassion and reason.
"Young people in large numbers will never come to a conservative party...ever...."
Absolutely right. With the exception of the extremely, most Gen X/Gen Y/etc. grew up with parents getting laid off, hopping for one job to another, having their pensions stolen from under them, etc. The blind belief in Republican tenets such as free markets and "the American Dream" that previous generations held on to are long gone. Most young people are smart enough to trust an elected official over a greed-crazed, unregulated CEO.
Realizing this, the right is now desperately clinging to the hope of appealing to the lowest common denominator with regressive populism and appealing to religious zealots. Fortunately, Jesus freaks and hatemongers are a vast minority, so the GOP won't have much a voting base to cling to over the next couple of decades.
den123, when a Governor is a democrat, Obama can manipulate him easier, no matter what the people want. Why do you think Obama came to NJ 6 times to get Corzine to win? He no longer has any say whats so ever over a Republican Governor hiring or firing of the union employees. That will make Obama and the unions very unhappy...Wah Wah Wah
Democrats have 2 more Congresspeople in the House.
Republicans have 2 more Governors.
Sounds even - except Governors don't have a vote in Congress.
November 3, 2009 elections in a nutshell. Wow!
Pssst! Govenors don't have a vote in Congress. Wash, rinse and repeat.
So what they cant get anything done in congress now, 2 more isnt going to change anything... As for Governors, means Obama cant control those states any longer, like the unions wont have any control any longer. Thats how this President controls the people and their vote. By losing NJ thats a huge blow to their agenda.
diamondgirl
Obama does not control states, the PEOPLE of that particular state do. Just saying.
Come 2010 elections President Obama will be glad NJ has a republican govenor.
They still have unions and Republican govenors.
Just saying.
Hate to burst your bubble but ------ Owens has this seat until next November when the mid terms come around. By that time the voters will have woken up and realized their mistake and have a real Republican running instead of Dede Scozza. I'm sure Obama will be watching that one closely instead of the Chicago Bulls! What a maroon! If you think he was not interested in the governor's races I've got some beachfront plots in Arizona to sell you.
The president doesn't have a vote in congress either,would you say losing the presidency doesn't matter?You lost the governorships in two states but your so delusional that you think winning by 4000 votes against a come from nowhere conservative that wasn't even on the repub. ticket is a big victory?Whatever.I guess Dem.s have adopted the Homer Simpson boxing strategy;let your opponent tire themselves out by punching you in the face ,and then,after they collapse from fatigue,you win by default.
Obamanism is a mental disorder that makes you see victory where there is none.
peppermint - maroon eh, why did you buy those beach front plots in Arizona?
"As for Governors, means Obama cant control those states any longer, like the unions wont have any control any longer. Thats how this President controls the people and their vote. By losing NJ thats a huge blow to their agenda."
...Where do you people come up with this twisted crap? Obama does not control states with Democratic Governors or cities with Democratic mayors. Ed Rendell does not do his bidding. Neither does Obama control anyone's vote through unions or otherwise (what did unions gain since 2008 that they lost in 2009 exactly?). In fact, the dumping of the Stimulus money on the states instead of having a plan worked out between the Federal and State governments shows just how poor the connections and communication between the two actually are.
So essentially, the White House lost some potential influence over the implementation of their policies in two states that they hadn't shown an interest in using before. In exchange for this, they received clear evidence (NY 23) of the massive disarray in their opponents' party and witnessed the destructive effect this split will have on the Republican party at the national level. So, while this may show that Republicans can still win at the state and local levels by focusing on state-specific problems, it also demonstrates the position of strength the Democrats will hold in national races because of divisions over the national platform.
The NJ win was more a statement against Corzine than Obama NJ whould rather have a known theft than a suspected one
Spin....you jest! Democrats lost nothing on Tuesday. VA always goes opposite of who sits in the whitehouse for gubernatorial races...its like clockwork! And Jersey....please...Even dems hated Corzine! The one race you nitwits were trumpeting for weeks was the 23rd NY congressional and your crazies from the far right lost a sure gop seat by bringing in outsiders and telling NY how to vote. Think about that....your group lost a seat the gop has held for over 120 years because moderate republicans voted for a moderate democrat over a far right whacko teabaggin nutbar. And remember this Gomer, govenors have no power in Congress. There were two house seats up and the Dems got them both. Conservatives cant even win local races anywhere but the redneck south...how the hell you plan on winning national elections? Explain to me how a "conservative" country elected a black man with an arab sounding name over a white war hero and a hockey mom? Explain how a "conservative" country gave the house and senate to the Dems by a wide margin? And last but certainly least, explain GBW Bushs' 8 years in power.
Let the dems think it was good for Obama...LOL the more they think it was a good night on Tuesday, the better they will feel in 2010-2012 when the Republican Machine who is wise to how to get the vote out, will be even more powerful .... Republicans got the same turn out as in 2008, this was a midterm election, and the Independents came out in full force and voted Republicans. If dems think their agenda is working that's just where we want them...KEEP IT THERE!
Hey that's true too, you're right!!!!! Shame on me for giving them more credit than that, I'm sorry, thanks for that diamondgirl!!! They are so full of that Obama Kool-Aid that they can't see straight!!!!
Why does TDB favors articles on Democrats' spin, whereas loves to cover Civil war in Republicans. I bet, Pelosi and Reid get along as well as sugar and milk.
KemCho - Not really. Watching the two of them together I get the feeling that Nancy tolerates Harry as a necessary evil.
Um, yes. The Democrats lost. Two Democrats lost to moderate, centrist Republicans. I'm guessing that last point will be lost on the rabid-right wing of the Republican party. They are still insisting that the loss in NY-23 was somehow a victory because they drove the fake Republican candidate out of the race. We Democrats can only hope that this is the message they carry with them into 2010.
Those of us who are political strategists were hoping for a narrow win in NY-23 because it would embolden the ultra-conservatives while still giving us another seat in the House.
It's not spin, it's strategy and it looks like it's working.
Its working?
By demonstrating that many Republicans dont want to be represented by Tea Baggers? By underling that many folks think Beck and Limbaugh are themselves un-American? By claiming that locals concerns are "parochial"?
Even if you let Mark Kirk run, you will tarnish his chances. He is going to have to agree with Beck to get the nomination, which will come back to haunt him in the general. No one in Illinois is going to want to give Glen Beck more power in the Senate.
Why don't you just start a new party instead of taking over an old one? Because you want to claim Reagan as your leader?
amazingly low level of synapses firing, and that is par for the course for the whitewing nuts who are your ilk...one more time for the sentient: Christie ran as a moderate and used Obama in his ads as a positive! Exit polls showed Obama as popular in Jersey as 2008 and those voting national issues supported Corzine, a truly awful candidate. Virginia, disastrous three-way (ala NY 23 for GOP) and ended up nominating a horrid candidate and, once agaon, McDonnel ran as a MODERATE. NY 23, GOP intra-party fratricide, and a HUGE loss for the whitewing nuts, first time in ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS a GOPPER has not represented that district and yes, one more vote now in the house for Obama's agenda. CA 10, Garamendi
You have it backwards. They won in California, and in New York, where they had never won before. They lost in New Jersey where they were doomed anyway. But Virginia is most interesting. The Republican pretended to be a moderate, and took advantage of a very long trend. But the Democrat actually ran as a Blue Dog,( not an Obama/ Health Care Reform Democrat) and he was demolished. The lesson for the Blue Dogs in the Senate is pretty clear, which means unless those folks get all their analysis from Fox, they should be coming around pretty soon. For the Republicans to stop Reform now they will just have to keep up their delaying tactics, and hope the White House gives up. But the Senator (INsurance Cartel) cannot win.
The Republicans won in Republican areas, and Democrats won in Democratic areas. No surprises anywhere. The election was status quo I don't think much can be taken from it.
New Jersey is not a typically Republican area.
NY 23 republican since 1852 (coltraning) is english for ill-informed
Hey pal, the Democrats secured not one but two seats in the US House,
one in CA and one in NY...that is two more votes for the Obama program.
Our Republican governor in Florida is just as unpopular as the guy in Virginia as a do nothing Governor. He will open the door for the Republican Senate seat for a Democrat. Florida is in a depression not a recession and the Conservatives run it...actually then ran it into the ground to be accurate.
Osea65, the Democrats picked up two seats in the congress=two more votes for Health Care Reform. So I guess you're right we did lose......or did we. ;-)
'Black and White hues'? In regards to what?
This is the problem with honest self examination and honest Journalism. It 'implies' a piece of character to something without ever identifying what act or action is attributable to cause the implication of character in the first place. This is called slander by Ghost.
What fails miserably in this article is that it is throwing slow speed fastballs, when really the more entertaining approach is as Christopher Buckley would do it....lots and lots of knuckleballs past the batter.
Call it spin if you prefer, osea65, but there's no denying that fewer than 20 percent of Americans identify themselves as Republican.
Michael Steele can spin the VA and NJ results in any fashion he wants. Remember, this is the same clown who claimed that all of his (many) gaffes and blunders were part of a grand "strategy."
The GOP is the now the official home of the Trailer Park Trash, Religious Zealot and In-Bred/Mouth-Breather Coalitions.
Enjoy life in the slow lane.
Hey StLBoy......I'd rather hang out with My Buds on the right than rush to line up and grab ankles like the rest of you whores on the left do.
Until Glen Beck unzips. Then you'll get to do both.
Spoken like a true ditto-head, Spartann. It's telling that your reply included a reference to Rush's favorite position when he's not out doctor-shopping.
Spartann's thoughtful, measured, and erudite reply to StLBoy certainly gives the lie to the idea that Republicans are "Trailer Park Trash, Religious Zealot and In-Bred/Mouth-Breather Coalitions." I hope no one missed the allusions to Milton and Sam Johnson.
Hey Spartann...what is it about you and the Limbaugh boys that seem to really dig on the rearend side of men? I gotta think just like Limbaugh, you are also a closet homosexual...and thats ok with me. I like gay people but the ones I know arent full of hate and vile like you and the Limbaugh crowd. It's time you and the Limbaugh boys embrace what you are..your gay!
Surprise.. Surprise.. Surprise ..... Another limp wrist sortie fired off from the pusillanimous Left.... Keep all that corn-pone humor coming.... Fire away kids ....
Case in point.
"liberaljesus" This one is meant for ONLY you and others that think like you.
Congratulations... you turned your eiphanic experiences with avant-gardists in to a dysphemism for inflicting harm upon a stranger. I think I prefer not being a friend of yours; especially not one you're likely to reject until he's "OKed".
To Spartann:
Um...Huh? Ok, if you are going to try to sound pretentiously intellectual, it's advantageous to actually comprehend the big words you are using. And use spellcheck.
First off, eiphanic isn't a word. I wanted to be sure, so I did a search. There are 2 sites on the entire internet that include 'eiphanic' and 'definition', and this is one of them. I assume you mean epiphanic, though I have no idea how that pertains to the context.
Second, less vitally, I am not really sure 'avant-gardists' is a proper word, but most people will give you a pas on the occasional spoonerism.
Finally, and most central, I cannot fathom how dysphemism fits into this diatribe. In the famous words of Inugo Montoyo "...that word. I do not think it means what you think it means". Look up the word. It didn't sound right in context, so I did, and the meaning I thought it had was correct.
Translated out of big scary words you said: You turned your with into a for inflicting harm upon a stranger.
Like I said. Um.....huh?
Also your use of the term 'corn-pone' above is a much clearer example of a dysphemism. Pusillanimous might count too, as might avant-gardists. On the other hand, so would talk of "Trailer Park Trash, Religious Zealot, and In-Bed/Mouth-Breather Coalitions". Dysphemisms abound in angry political debate, especially on internet blog comments.
StLBoy, I don't know where you get your information from, but Gallop has a pole that was done Oct. 26, 2009 that shows most of the country identify themselves as "conservative". By the way, only 20% identify themselves as "liberal". Nice try though.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/123854/conservatives-maintain-edge-top-ideolo gical-group.aspx
True, more Americans identify themselves as conservative, but if you break down the views on the issues, you get a much different picture. Take a look at these poll results:
http://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/static/pdf/caf_mm-20090526-6.pdf
We like to call ourselves conservatives more so than liberals. But that's not how we see the issues.
Also, identifying yourself as conservative or liberal is different than identifying yourself as republican or democrat.
First thing's first: 40% of americans is not most of the country, unless you have no idea what "most" actually means. Statistically, this is referred to as a plurality, meaning that no other group has such a high number--however, if you read the rest of the poll, you'll see that this "40% of americans who identify as conservative" includes 22% of people who identify as democrat who also identify as conservative.
Contrast this with the Wall Street Journal poll that shows that only 20% of Americans identify as "Republican"
(http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/political-media/the-incredible-shrink ing-gop-only-one-in-five-self-identify-as-republican/),
and you guys have got a real problem over there.
Nice try, though.
Despite these "poles" you reference, when polling the electorate on specific policy, liberal policies are far more popular. People like to consider themselves "conservative" because for years it's been associated with fiscal responsibility, while "liberal" has been sullied to imply tax and spend policies only.
As Bush proved, most conservatives, when given the task of actually governing, are anything but conservative. As a matter of fact, the entire misguided Tea Party movement is based on separating conservatism from Republicanism.
So in summary, a poll showing more people consider themselves conservative means nothing in regards to how poorly the Republican Party is received today. And that's very bad news for you, since it's only a two party system, not that you would understand.
jonny, on 20 % of people identify with dems, the most powerful people in the voting machine are the INDEPENDNTS. So when you losers get their vote back, as you pass stimulus and doesn't stimulate jobs, the number ONE reason they are pissed, or pass a health care bill that will increase their taxes and premiums, budget fillllllled with pork,bail out banks, wall street,ins, car companies, hire communists in the white house. Your people will be sure to win the next elections... NOT
Conservative, not Republican. If you are a moderate conservative the Republican Party has made it clear that they have no room for you in the tent.
@diamondgirl: "the most powerful people in the voting machine are the INDEPENDENTS."
Really? Your vote counts double if you identify as an independent? That's great news! I'll go switch my party affiliation right now so that my next vote counts more!
The only reason "independents" have been considered the most important groups in recent elections has been because the Republican and Democratic parties had bases of roughly similar size and thus relied on those undecideds to get the win. Now that the Republican base is steadily shrinking, the relative value of Independents as a group is diminishing with it and making the option of simply rallying the base to win much more appealing to Democrats.
maybe the results from the gallup poll will help you realize where the country is and why 0bama's liberal agenda is failing....
PRINCETON, NJ -- Thus far in 2009, 40% of Americans interviewed in national Gallup Poll surveys describe their political views as conservative, 35% as moderate, and 21% as liberal. This represents a slight increase for conservatism in the U.S. since 2008, returning it to a level last seen in 2004. The 21% calling themselves liberal is in line with findings throughout this decade, but is up from the 1990s.
Now you know why Independents broke 2-1 for the GOP yesterday.
More interesting. Exit polls in both Virginia and New Jersey showed voters were largely happy with Obama and most stated that he was not a factor in their vote.
Try not to confuse these people with facts. They will break their necks trying to justify why these facts somehow benefit the Democratic party. You know, conservatives...somehow equal liberal.
The only thing that no one can refute is that these polls have to be taken with objectivity as the terms conservative and liberal clearly have different meanings to different individuals.
dcbook- here is the web site that predicted Obama's win in 2008, it also predicted the Polls for last weeks Governor races. They were on the money both times. I dont pay attention to anyone else anymore they are all bias.
I have it sent to my email address every day...Its Free.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administra tion/daily_presidential_tracking_pollbook, Here is a
It also appears to be the home of 60% of independents judging from the election results in Virginia and New Jersey.
Sincerely,
Trailer Park Trash
"Mixed bag" for the WH?
The President stumped for Corzine several times in a heavily democratic state and lost to a newcomer. That speaks volumes. I would imagine most incumbents in Congress are reassessing their stance on Healthcare and spending. Who wants to walk the plank for this administration and Reid and Pelosi?
Yeah, it speaks volumes about how much Corzine sucked. The article points out that Obama definitely bet on the "wrong horse" - he should have been in New York stumping for a candidate that had a chance. I really don't think this is any sort of referendem on Obama - at the end of the day, if the guy sucked as governor, you shouldn't elect him again, even if the President asks you to.
And health care's gonna pass. No one voted on health care on Tuesday, just for moderate Republicans.
Yes. NY elected a Democrat to the House of Representatives. Stop the presses!
You mean the anointed one picked the wrong horse again? He has a consistent history of picking the wrong horse in most aspects of his personal and political life. This is why I think, he is the most overrated human being on the planet!!!!
Obama stumped in NJ because he didn't want to lose a Blue state, this governor played by the Socialist play book, Obama's favorite book...LOL He catered to the unions and the inner cities, gave hand outs, out like candy, and taxed the shit out of those who worked..That's Obama's agenda if you haven't guessed already, and usually those shlubs will vote for you, but this time the rich people near NY got tired of this play and voted against Corzine. I think the economy has hit them in the pocket book and there are no jobs in NJ, except government jobs, which are now going to be cut. That will piss Obama off big time...
I don't care about who won on Tuesday. I am concerned about the long term outlook for the Republican Party. There has been a power struggle for party leadership for the last year. The conservatives have faced their first defeat in NY's 23rd. A motley crew of conservative extremists from Rush to Palin to the Club for Growth have bullied and vilified mainstream and moderate Republicans. People in Northern New York stood up to the conservatives' attempts to take over control of local Republican politics by installing their own third party candidate. Local Republicans would have no part of it.
If this was an opportunity for the conservative Club for Growth to test the waters for a conservative third party, we can only hope that the chill gave them a wake-up call. The money, experience, clout, and intelligence flow from moderate and mainstream Northern Republicans. The radical, conservative extremists do not have what it takes to establish a new, third party with tea bags stapled to the brims of their hats while subtly threatening an overthrow of the federal government. It is time for them to realize it is time to fall in line and behave.
You should change your name to "Wag the Dog". Anyone with half a brain knows that the Republican's in Albany screwed that thing up by nominating Scozzafava who is a liberal all the way. Moderate Republicans have jacked up the Republican party for far too long. The party wants to return to conservative, American values that distance themselves from everything liberal. Liberals like calling these people "right wing extremists". If that's the case then this country was founded by "right wing extremists". There will be no third party, just a rebuke of sissy moderate Republicans.
You sure wag your tail when they pass out the lies. As someone with half a brain, you accept the ridiculous lies about the dreaded ACORN to trash a Republican Party stalwart. Or maybe you think she shows too much treasonous liberty by supporting abortion rights. What's the matter, not enough Big Government control over our sex lives?
The Democrats have a problem not many have dared to mention. African-American voters did not turn out to vote in New Jersey and Virginia as they had for Obama in the presidential elections. The thrill is gone. Acorn is broken. The election of Obama made no difference in the lives of African-Americans. The promises go unfulfilled. Hope and change are forgotten. Only the mega banks have profited from Obama's election. Where is his audacity as a champion of the working people who remain without jobs and without much hope? In short, President Obama has been a disappointment to all Americans. Where is his strong leadership were health care reform is concerned?
yes, he steals from the rich and gives to.....himself and his corrupt czars.
Why does Obama have to do anything for Black Americans? He could probably reinstitute the Jim Crow laws and his support would go from 98% of the black vote to maybe 95% of the vote and the turnout would be virtually unchanged -- Identity politics at its finest! Blacks are on the Democrat reservation and even moreso on Obama's reservation and they aren't going anywhere no matter what.
All your analysis reveals is that economic policies are colorblind. A black President can't do anything more for black people than a white one could. Anytime someone or some group is looking for a savior from the outside that will give them things they are sure to be disappointed.
Now is the perfect time to show that Youtube clip of the dazed and entranced black woman from last year at an Obama campaign event where she joyously told everyone that once Obama's elected he's going make life perfect and free her from all wants and needs. Yeah, reality is a cold slap in the face.
"Grim reaper"; You could have preserved a great number of keystrokes by just saying; "Black people are racist......" And, oh-by-the-way; "They hate White People!"
And then you can respond to my comment by saying; "bobj... You Lie!!!"
Grimmace and post-it, please don't attempt to speak for an entire group. Do you want me to base my opinions of you off the trailer trash I always see at Wal-Mart?
"squared paper"; You tread on ground you have "little history with." Remember the "2008 Groundswell?" DO NOT ASSUME the 2008 Election's "Difference Makers" were an Anomaly! DON'T ASSUME THESE FOLKS ARE; Unsophisticated, Lazy, Head-Scratchers OR Non-English speaking, Simple, Un-engaged Day Laborers OR "Flighty, Uninformed, Uneducated First Time Voters" and Middle-Aged (and Older) Crazed, Liberals and/or "Hippies" costumed as Intelligent, Engaged Independent Moderate Voters???
"Believe-It-Or-Not", These are the "Real Folks" that make up Middle America and WE WILL Re-Assemble, Respond and be Responsible. Be Advised, WE ARE COMMITTED AND WILLINGLY to give FULL SUPPORT (heart, treasure, labor, mind, body and soul) when the "Real Fight For America" is at hand!
while you weren't looking, Obama has been taking good care the African Americans by giving them free phones,money,internet, mortgages,jobs in government and ACORN is not dead yet. And the gays and white people are still waiting to see what's coming their way...
They love him, they did an interview with people in line getting all that and they asked them where is he getting this money from, their response was from Obama's Stash... Make me laugh, that's because they don't pay taxes and have no idea what it means to people who do...
Wow! CZgirl, step away from the crack pipe.
In fairness, diamondgirl, Obama is only taking care of the African Americans like that because of the Dollars for Whites program that Bush ran. By the way, if you didn't get your money, head on over to iamwhitegivememoney.com
mcasio, I don't want free money, I have no problem working and paying my own way. Don't cry to me about what Bush did, Bush never gave me a dime either, the difference is some people are so dependent on hand outs, they expect the Messiah to keep up the entitlement programs so they don't have to work. I know people who have come into this country with no education and money and never took a dime or hand out from the government and became successful. If they can do it anyone can.
You stated: "Obama has been taking good care the African Americans by giving them free phones,money,internet, mortgages,jobs in government"
My response was making fun of the absurdity of your comment with an equally absurd comment of my own. You cite no sources and refer to an entire group of people as "they." Interesting. Also, we might have fewer people looking for governmental assistance if Bush did a better job managing the economy.
Gosh. Before I do anything, I check out the wisdom of Eric Alterman. He rewrites Axelrod instructions as well as anyone.
What a "get" for Daily Beast.
Yet another objective column by Mr. Alterman.
Is he great at rationalizing a bad election day for liberals ?
How many people have moved out of Manhattan
because of obscene liberal tax policies ?
The other story is that the Corzine and Deeds campaign tracked more closely to the McCain model than they did Obama -- despite Obama's visits. Corzine's "He's fat" strategy, and Deeds' "He wrote a scary paper" were in line with "Obama hung around with that terrorist Ayers and the crazy preacher Wright."
This is not something voters can vote FOR. Deeds never communicated what he was going to DO and Corzine never spent much time showcasing his accomplishments and his vision for the next four years.
If Democrats need a lesson from this campaign it is that communication is key, and telling voters what you will do for them is key to winning them over. Obama was brilliant at this, not only in his oratory, but in his campaign e-blasts, through his spokesmen and subordinates. They hardly ever went out swinging at McCain and Palin. In fact, they were pretty civil with Palin, given all of the things they could have beaten her up about.
lol Both sides are spinning like tops. The republicans have the momentum and passion but that NY23 fiasco needs to be a wake up call.
It's fiscal conservatism that's pulling independents away from the democrats. But the liberals who give them their passion go off and pout when they don't get their way. It's not just the republicans who are struggling with the base vs moderate issue.
By what queer paradigm is Maine the capital of bigots?
My fervent wish is for the far right conservatives to split from the Republican party. Talk about splitting the Republican vote. The possibilities are endless. Rush WOULD be the official spokesman. Sarah Palin could be the chairperson. Glenn Beck would weep with joy every day on his show. Dick Cheney could plan black ops political machinations. And the NAME of the party.......the possibilities are endless. I have a few iin mind but I would probably be firebombed and I avoid flame throwers of all kinds......
"We need to renew out Pallah tics."
We need to create the party of one tent for all and dump this confusing two party idiocy. George Washington begged his contemporaries not to make political parties, but to have factions in one party.
So there should be two political parties: One party registered, the other party the unregistered. The main goal of the registered is to get the unregistered to participate, and the unregistered should be in charge of running the elections.
Our slogan should be "Dump the 535." Great bumper sticker "The 535 Must Go."
People will respond to that. It is the 535 Members of Congress who wink at the idea, through their Federal Election Commission, that the $150,000 given to Sarah Palin for gear to wear on the campaign trail was a "legal" dough nation.
The lobbyists give our representatives $$$. For their elections. Does the money go for live televised speech on behalf of their candidacies? Noooo. It goes for two dozen $150 shirts, and many pair of $400 shoes, and expensive suits, and outfits for the spouse, for the campaign trail.
In exchange for that, bills are written within the unstated desires of Money & Power, the "acceptable" reforms Money & Power seek explained to the congresspersons' aides, a quid pro conducted by pros.
Amongst the 535 there are perhaps 40-50 keepers. But all must go! Either we vote them all out, or we, the people lose and they all will stay. Their corrupt business of politics as usual.
That will resonate!
Here is what we can say to people, to dissolve the electorate's inertia: those who are really worth having around, the ten percent who are decent - they, upon losing their seat will probably offer to stay on as a member of the newly elected Member's staff, to keep working on the important legislation they had already devoted years trying to pass.
Another plank in our winning platform is to have five Members of the House where we have one, with all five sharing the same office so there isn't any raise in the bloated office budgets. Also, we need to reset all the congressional districts according to County lines, instead of the gerrymander.
Were we only to elect 50 out of 535 we could force reform because neither corrupt party could get anything done without our cooperation!
With five Congress people where we have one, and four of the five remaining in the district and voting via internet, the lobbyists would not be in control of anything, and it would be feasible for some (probably most) of the current office holders we removed to seek another seat in a freshly designed district where everyone always voted for them before we, the people with the Independent party politics came along.
We could have a political party convention and write all the planks in our platform, too, which seems a lot more fun than grousing. We could introduce all of our candidates for the House and Senate to the 200,000 convention delegates (and the millions at home on pay per view)!
200,000 delegates X $200 per delegate delegate fee = forty million dollars to run our open air Woodstockian convention and have plenty enough bucks for delegate entertainment every night, Bono, Metallica, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, Ringo, Paul, The Rolling Stones . . . they will all come, and many others, too. We will have enough money to cover the musicians' costs, 200 thousand convention delegates X $200 delegate fee = 40 million dollars. The musicians will read your common sense platform and want to be there!
They will play for the party standing behind the poet prophet candidate for president and his program for World Peace. They will all come, not for poet, but for you. So where there is a will there is a way. We can do it.
michaelslevinson dot commie
Oliver baby, I have no idea what the hell you're talking about here and if you are serious or just coming off some kind of tremendous high from an unknown substance but your delusions are certainly detailed and creative.
Best of Luck!
Basically ... if you take out all the words and rant ...
I think what he is suggesting is "Dump the 535" means ...
if you are liberal or Democrat ... vote in Green Party candidates for one election cycle.
If you are conservative or republican ... Vote in Libertarian party candidates for one election cycle.
Just fire em all, give a whole new face. See what they do to regain our trust.
Cause face it ... basically most voting is holding your nose and voting AGAINST the other guy.
And none of them are worthy of trust.
He is our unofficial and unsolicited pet "presidential candidate" here at TDB, don't worry nobody takes him seriously and we have just learned to accept him as our collective pet peeve!!!!
Sarah endorsed Hoffman from her FACEBOOK page, Obama spent millions in time, travel and credibility begging people to come out and support his candidates. He lost, there is no way to spin it. 2010 is right around the corner and we will see, it doesn't appear Obama has any coattails at all.
We conservatives lost nothing in NY23, we had two democrats running against each other one called herself a republican we conservatives came late to the game, otherwise Hoffman would have won, we found out that Scuzzy was a faux-republican too late, but he still came this close.
rhonda, do you actually read the news, or do you just make up facts that support your various prejudices. palin physically campaigned in new york, as did steele.
yes, but you can't ignore the effort Obama put in to get Corzine elected. New Jersey voted for a conservative Republican and not Obama's guy. You can't spin that.
i didn't mention obama. or corzine. i was simply pointing out rhonda's 902nd factual error on these forums.
Yo Rhonda , Explain why the NRA ( The National Rifle Assoc. ) endorsed the Republican candidate over the Conservative candidate in NY 23, And you can't use that he entered late drivel because their endorsment came after Hoffman hoined the race , about the same time as Newts endorsement
If you hurry I'll show you how to hold that Heisman pose !! LOL You Conservinuts along with The Fecal Noise Channel got your arses whooped !!
http://www.dailykos.com/tv/w/002316/ Enjoy HAHAHAHAHA !!!!!!
If the Democrats are smiling because the New York Conservative party has reminded the New York GOP to nominate non-Rockefeller Republicans (the same service the New York Conservatives have been accomplishing for 40 years), then Democrats are truly, truly stupid. Tuesday was precisely (well, almost precisely) like the 1970 NY Senate election, where Conservative James Buckley won against Liberal Republican Roy Goodell and Democrat Richard Ottinger; Buckley's 39% of the vote was enough to beat the split liberal vote. If, at that time, either Ottigner or Goodell had stepped down and endorsed the other, Buckley would have lost. Not only does the GOP not need liberal Republicans to win, it can not win with them - the GOPs nature is conservative, and voters respond to conservative GOP candidates, not liberal ones. Dems will see this in action (yet again) in 2010, mutter under their breath about the "dumb tea-baggers", and quietly slip back into minority status - hopefully for a long, long time.
Eric Alterman is a pretty lame spinner! Yes, the Republicans blew winning a seat they probably should have won. Yes the conservatives Republicans are fighting with liberal Republicans. But where else will that happen? How many liberal Republicans are there? As for the seat...another Democrat in the House this year doesn't mean anything so who cares, and the Republicans have 1 year to get their act together and take the seat back when it might mean something. The rest was a total disaster for the Democrats! Obama is in bad shape when all those visits leave a sitting Democratic Governor, in a deep blue state, UNEMPLOYED. As for VA...it doesn't look purple anymore. Obama is lucky he wasn't on the ballot! If the other purple or red states that voted for Obama and elected some Democrats this year are in the same mood as VA.....kiss goodbye to a Democratic House in 2010! And the Good News for Republicans is the Democrats are clearly stuck between Arrogance, Ego, and Denial. So there's a very good chance they will continue to follow Obama off the cliff with corrupt spending, debt, and Healthcare. The elections didn't signal a Republican renaissance, but they may very well be signaling a Democratic collapse!!!!
I can only hope that naive libtards like Eric Alterman continue to keep thinking along these lines. I want to see the Dems totally ignore the significance of what has happened and keep running the country hard left. The body blow to the Dems in 2010 and 2012 will be of historic proporitons and it will take them 40 years to recover.
This can only be described as pathetic and desperate. Glad I stopped by for a laugh......
A most ridiculous article written to make himself feel better.
Democrats are smiling because they are the same kind of grinning idiots as the Republicans who occupy the other side "spinning coin". These guys are all getting very, very old and stale.
Any of these guys, Republicans or Democrats could take the death of a loved one and spin it to their benefit without even flinching. What a bunch of jackasses.
There is a scientific principle that you cannot measure something without changing it. We have measured propaganda and "spinning" since well before Goebbels and the one thing all of these spinners should have learned by now is that we simply do not believe them any more.
Well said.
This Alterman guy is a joke. Talk about being "in the Tank for Obama"...
But if he wishes to be a very visible Fool, that is fine; The Liberals will never fix what they can't see.
Democrats are smiling because their mouths were crazy glued in that position on election night 2008. Unfortunately, the tears rolling down their cheeks now are not the remnants of their Grant Park memories, but rather due to how quickly their messiah and especially the majority in Congress has overplayed and blown its hand. Mr. Alterman can delude himself all he wants into believing than conservative republicanism is about nothing more than abortion, guns, etc. The real problem for democrats will begin if the Governors-Elect in both Virginia and New Jersey decide to both grow a pair and govern as true conservatives. Especially with regard to New Jersey, if Christie takes a machete to Trenton and truly makes the state attractive for businesses, he will be a shining example of how true conservative policies can turn around even a basket case disaster like the Garden State. Then, democrats will have a major problem on their hands when other states follow suit. And just so Mr. Alter is clear, Christie's comment about "fixing our urban schools" had little to do with what dems usually consider fixing - that being just throwing more money at the problem. Property taxes will go down when certain counties in New Jersey stop getting raped in order to over-fund (to the tune of over $20000 per student while still performing horribly) the Newarks and the Camdens of the state. Fiscal sanity, a favorable business climate, personal responsibility, creative solutions........just imagine. Need a Kleenex Eric?
I am so glad that someone is finally recognizing the fact that if Tuesday was a mandate on anyone, it was a mandate on the National Republican Party! They managed to turn blue a district that had been red for OVER A CENTURY.
THAT is what a mandate looks like!
Not to mention the fact that the GOP won the two races that were NOT national in scale, in contrast to the two races the Democrats won, which were. Chris Christie and Bob McDonnell aren't going to be casting any votes on healthcare reform or climate change, people! But you know who will be? Bill Owens and John Garamendi.
p.s. You all should check out the VA robo-call Sarah Palin recorded. She wasn't even allowed to mention Bob McDonnell's name!
You need to go back and hit the law books some more... a LOT more.
A congressional seat is not national. And any smart person would gladly trade Virginia for NY-23. You gained no extra votes for Obama's folly, just a Democrat that will cast the vote instead.
Back to school, bud!
LMAO @ Eric.
Eric you have Pretzel logic.
"Far from it-the party's "grassroots patriots" are now headed for war against the moderate apostates."
And what Eric are the people at OpenLeft, Slate, HuffPo, or your favorite progressive Blog ( this one for example ) calling for?
Oh yeah!!! A BLUE DOG HUNT.
Congressman Stark is soooo polite in trying to get them to work with them. he calls them "brain dead" ... yea calling your allies brain dead is going to change their ways.
You have hispanics caucus calling DEMOCRATS who do not want health care to be available for illegal aliens RACISTS.
A whole caucus calling the Democrat middle ... the group of people who saw the largest gains in the last four years ... the group of people without whom the Progressives and the Democrats would HAVE no majority ... RACISTS!
Yeahhhhhhh ... any moderates in the Republican Party know they are welcome to come to the Democrats ...
They can get called Brain dead Racists there!!!!
And know that their candidates will get primary challenges if they are not sufficiently PURE in progressive voting.
*nods nods*
No more likely ALL The INOs are going to start flipping off the base.
Both the Republican and Democarat base.
And Independents will rise to the point that ... well neither Dems nor republicans have a majority.
Besides the test is not whether the District NY-23 went Blue. The test is can you KEEP it for longer than 1 year.
1 year is a message more to the tune of "All outsiders go HOME! Our representatives represent US not your friggen party."
Ok, if you say so. If this turns out to be the conventional Democrat wisdom, it will translate to an even bigger shift in 2010.
"What's more, Corzine was relying on a heavy vote for a nutty third-party candidate even to have a chance of winning."
Oh, I'm sorry, do you mean the only candidate who actually talked about the issues and discussed potential solutions to the state's financial problem?
That's shoddy analysis if I've ever seen it.
Thank you.
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