This report suggests that the Democrats will have another Senate seat to defend:
West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin voiced support for holding a special election this year to fill the late Sen. Robert Byrd’s seat, announcing that he would request a legal opinion from the state attorney general to determine if a vote could be held. Manchin, a Democrat who said he would be “highly” interested in running for the seat himself, expressed discomfort with Secretary of State Natalie Tennant’s ruling that the governor should name a placeholder to the seat until it comes up for election in 2012.
I imagine Rahm Emanuel must be pulling his hair out — another contested Senate race, and this time, the administration can’t very well give the governor a job to get out of the race (or rather, to make sure there is no race). Republican Rep. Shelley Moore Capito would make it a real contest. If a Republican can take “Ted Kennedy’s seat,” why can’t a Republican take Byrd’s?
It is funny watching The One try to steal credit on one piece of legislation after another, when he actually had little or nothing to do with the bill in question. (Once he tried to steal the entire Banking Committee!)
Kudos to Chris Wallace for calling out David Axelrod on the claim that The One showed “courage” by supporting bills that actually passed by unanimous consent. And thanks, Jennifer, for linking to that great piece of footage. The quote:
WALLACE: But, David, you know, because you guys always talk about ethics legislation and the nuclear non-proliferation deal with Dick Lugar, I went back and looked. Both of those measures passed by unanimous consent. They were so accepted by the Senate that there was not even a vote.
The “change” mantra draws a clear contrast between campaigns: McCain-Palin has actually accomplished change while Obama-Biden can not tick off three or four stark examples. Consequently, Obama-Palin’s claims ring hallow.
This explains why Axelrod flailed mightily on MTP yesterday. They have lost the battle for “change”.
heh…make that Obama-Biden
Bambi is between a rock and a hard place: Either he switches to a conventional 50+1 approach and cedes the centre ground to McCain or he fights McCain/Palin in a battle (which ticket stands for reform/bipartisanship) that he cannot hope to win.
I have supported the GOP candidate all alom=ng and am happy with Palin but that ad struck me as hokey .
I hope Obama gets asked about the “crossing party lines” thing in a debate so McCain can slap him down. Obama is taking credit for the passage of ethics reform legislation after reneging on a promise to help McCain craft an entirely different — and ethics better — law. It seems the powers that be — i.e. Reid and Pelosi — told Obama he was NOT to work with McCain because they wanted to be able to stick the Repubs with the “corrupt” moniker for the 2006 election, and the Obama-McCain proposal would be contrary to their election message. When McCain found out Obama had backed out, he sent him a blistering letter which Obama pretended to be surprised by.
I want to see McCain annihilate him if he has the chutzpah to pretend to have “crossed party lines” on this vote. It’s gonna be excellent.
not hokey, hockey!!! McCain-Palin must keep up the pressure, this post-convention week is their power play.
“In this regard Obama may have erred in making “change” about Washington culture. What he really means is “no more George W. Bush.” ”
This is exactly why his campaign is not able to mount an effective attack against McCain. Most people understand that George Bush is not running any longer, so all that’s left voters to consider is what the candidates are going to do. So far, they aren’t buying what Obama is selling.
Here’s a theme for you:
The Wreck of the Barack Obama
The legend lives on from the Gray Lady on down
To the network they call “Fair and Balanced.”
The MSNBC, it is said, never gives up her dead
When the skies of September turn gloomy.
With a load of delegates – 2,500 or more
Than the Barack Obama weighed empty
That good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
When the gales of November came early
The ship was the pride of the Democrat side
Rising out of the machine in Chicago
As big ships go it beat out Team Hillary so
With a campaign and the Veep well seasoned.
Concluding some terms with a couple of special interest groups
When they left fully loaded for Cleveland
And later that night when the ships bell rang
McCain announced Sarah Palin.
The Kos and the Dish made a tattletale sound
Claiming that McCain was insane
First it was Trig, and then it was Bristol,
This would finish the old man off early.
Gustav came late and the GOP convention to wait
And bets were being taken when she would drop out
But when the Governor spoke to the assembled folk
The Dems were in the face of a hurricane Palin
When supper time came the old Veep came on deck
Saying I hear that life starts at conception
At 7AM and Intrade caved in
Biden said fellas it’s been good to know ya.
Then Captain hit a shoal called “New Pennsylvania”
And the Dem ship and crew was in peril
And later that night when Mac’s polls went out of sight
Came the wreck of the Barack Obama.
Way to go, Joe.
One of the things I love about this ad is that it features Palin prominently–as a full partner in the reform endeavor. Its so good, I can’t believe the Republicans made it.
This ad will have working women in my state, PA, paying very close attention. If we could have Sarah Palin here for a week (yes I know, you all want her in your states too), the GOP will take PA in November. Excellent!
Joe,
I rarely post to anything, but your remake of Edmund Fitzgerald is, well, brilliant!
JR hits the bull’s eye in suggesting, Obama’s change theme is at bottom ideological. He can’t take credit for having effected any concrete changes in the past, nor does he hold out concrete changes for the future, which was Hillery’s complaint during the primaries. He merely capitalizes on the loathing of the current administration, the demonization work of the MSM, and means to ride the intangible idea of change. This was epitomized in his Iowa victory speech when the promised “to change America, fundamentally.”
The best reply is not to compete with Obama on change, but to leave him that theme. If he wants to pose as Mr. Change, let him. He had that slogan first, let him keep it. McCain should have his own theme. He is Mr. Repair. He wants to fix what has failed, to heal what is hurt, to make whole what is broken.
Most people want the country repaired, few want America changed. Maybe some radicals do, the people in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, Pastor Wright and his flock in Trinity United, probably. But most people thing the country is okay, fundamentally. They don’t want her changed, they want her back in good shape and moving ahead, as in the past.