After the 2008 election, there was much pontificating about the future of the Republican Party. It was destined, we were told, to become a rump party of the South, the last refuge of white, religious male voters. But all it took was a year and a half of Obama to convince Americans — both male and female, religious and not, in all regions of the country — that maybe it’s time to give the GOP another shot. Two states that exemplify this are New Hampshire (recall Republicans were thought to be extinct in New England) and Illinois.
Stuart Rothenberg writes, “Right now, I think the Republicans are positioned to win both Senate races.” As for New Hampshire, he comments:
I’ve met three of the four credible Republican candidates in the race — former Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, millionaire businessman Bill Binnie and conservative Ovide Lamontagne, the GOP’s unsuccessful nominee for governor in 1996 — and all three should have considerable appeal in the primary and in the fall.
What about the Democrat Paul Hodes?
Hodes is poised, confident and well-spoken, but he seems to think that he can make former President George W. Bush a major issue this year and that his own accomplishments in the House will demonstrate his independence and draw a favorable contrast with his eventual GOP opponent. In fact, I think Hodes is far too optimistic about his ability to dictate what the 2010 Senate race will be about.
It seems running against Bush isn’t going to work — but it’s apparently better than running on the Democrats’ agenda and calling in Obama to vouch for him:
National political currents (including intensity) are likely to favor Republicans, and as long as the GOP nominee isn’t hemorrhaging support after the primary, Hodes, who voted for the health care bill, cap-and-trade and the stimulus, will be on the defensive when fall arrives. An improvement in the national mood would, of course, improve the congressman’s prospects.
Rothenberg says Democrats in Illinois have a better shot, given their electoral advantage. But here, too, Rothenberg says Rep. Mark Kirk is the Republicans’ “ideal candidate for this seat,” and therefore, together with Alexi Giannoulias’s banking woes, he gives Republicans a pick-up opportunity.
So how did Republicans crawl out of the ditch and reestablish themselves in what were Democratic strongholds less than two years ago? Well, politics isn’t that complicated. Get good candidates. Watch the governing party’s overreach and underperformance. Understand the public antipathy for partisan excess and ideological extremism. And bingo, you have a viable alternative for voters to choose. Republicans will have to close the sale in these and other states, but they’re most of the way home — thanks to Obama and the Democratic congressional leadership.
Even before the middle of the night announcement, Obama’s handling of the pick was odd. He said that he had made the selection, but wasn’t ready to reveal it, raising the question of why he was delaying. Meanwhile, his campaign was indicating who was on the “short list”, even while it was clear that there was no longer a list, but simply an undisclosed pick. There were selective announcements such as it’s not being Tim Kaine or Biden’s own misinformation that it wasn’t him. There was the “sign up with us and you’ll be among the first to know”, which was another lie.
But the MSM pushes the idea that the Obama campaign is brilliant, when the evidence is that it’s incompetent.
1) Hiring Patti Solis Doyle, fired by Hillary
2) Forgetting to ask for help in retiring Clinton Campaign debt.
3) No attempt to vet Hillary
4) 3 am phone call, which will be taken as an insult whether it was meant as one or not.
You don’t slap the Clinton 4 times and hope they don’t strike back. Bill will re-emerge on the scene with some of his hidden verbal smackdowns. Hillary will speak in generalities, and will bring out her most shrill voice, the one she knows annoys people.
They will do for Barack what they did for John Kerry and Al Gore. Insure they lose. And they will have three nights at the convention to do it.
Strictly informal and non-statistically relevant polling from Northern Virginia: women we know, liberals, Hillary supporters, have told us they intend to vote for McCain. That was before the latest slaps at Hillary ( non-vetting; 3am?!).
My sister in Ohio, the union-solidarity teacher, has already told us she will not vote for Obama. She, too, was/is for Hillary.
If McCain can add Sarah Palin or another woman as his veep choice, my wife tells me that this will energize even pro-choice Hillary supporters.
Just saying…
It was petty, infantile and worrisome: is what they are thinking about and focusing their attention on at times like this?? Obama is such a spoiled brat….ugh!!
Hillary: “In naming my colleague and friend Sen. Joe Biden to be the vice presidential nominee, Sen. Obama has continued in the best traditions for the vice presidency by selecting an exceptionally strong, experienced leader and devoted public servant.” Sen. Biden will be a purposeful and dynamic vice president who will help Sen. Obama both win the presidency and govern this great country.”
Why does that remind me of “Crest is an effective decay-preventive dentifrice which can be of significant value when used in a conscientiously applied program of personal oral hygiene and regular professional care”?
There is more to this. Biden is an almost deliberate, calculated slap in the face to Hillary and her supporters. There is nothing Biden brings to table, that Hillary would not either; nothing you can point to Biden and say ‘he is …’, that could not be said about Hillary.
Its like Barry the Boob has already conceded this election and is positioning himself for a total takeover of the Demokrat Party, by completely purging the Clintonistas.
We know the boy has a messiah complex, and thinks himself a transformational figure like Reagan, only more so. Has he decided this year the Demokrat Party has still too much baggage, and is in need of a cleansing, before he comes back in four years to, ever so graciously, offer himself and the party re-made in his image to the ingrate voters, to lead them to a 1000-year reich?
Obama’s 3 A.M. text message ranks right down there with John Kerry’s “reporting for duty” salute. Juvenile, idiotic and offensive. If it weren’t for poor judgement, he wouldn’t have any judgement at all.