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MONTHLY ARCHIVES
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White House Prepares for Disappointing Election Day
November 02, 2009 9:42 AM
You can tell that the White House isn't expecting such a great election day -- Democrats are down in recent polls in the governor's races in both Virginia and New Jersey -- both by how much officials are insisting the outcomes have no relevance to the President and how much they're trying to change focus to the conservative in-fighting in the special election for an upstate New York congressional seat.
A rather odd development came over the weekend in New York's 23rd, where Republican Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava had been pitted against Democrat Bill Owens.
Here's a Scozzafava TV ad:
That ad and others like it are still running on TV in the district, even though in the last couple of days Scozzafava dropped out of the race and endorsed Owens.
Scozzafava dropped out after her candidacy was hobbled irreparably by conservative party candidate Doug Hoffman who has been drawing the support of not only the conservative tea party crowd, but conservative pundits and but Republicans with presidential ambitions such as former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Penn., and Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty. They say on too many issues, including same sex marriage and the economic stimulus bill, Assemblywoman Scozzafava -- the official candidate of the Republican Party in Washington DC -- was too liberal.
“I think that what you’re seeing here today is the rebirth of getting the Republican Party back to where we were,” Hoffman recently proclaimed.
“The Republican Party needs to learn something,” talk show host Rush Limbaugh said on Fox News Sunday, “If it goes country club blue-blood moderate, it's going to lose. If it goes Reagan conservative and commits to it, it's going to win landslides.”
On the Sunday circuit, Obama advisers were eager to paint this as a conservative purge, Republicans shrinking their party --- and part of a larger problem for the GOP.
Former Obama for America campaign manager David Plouffe slammed those Republican voices for discouraging moderates within the party.
“Sarah Palin, the other Republican candidates who are likely to run, the Limbaughs and Becks of the world are basically hanging a "moderates need not apply" sign outside the republican national committee headquarters,” Plouffe told NBC.
On ABC News' This Week with George Stephanopoulos, Senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett faulted the GOP for “becoming more and more extreme and more and more marginalized.”
And White House senior adviser David Axelrod said the grass roots conservative movement "may be where the energy is in the Republican Party, but it's certainly not a view on which you can build a majority party.”
President Obama's opponents, however, say this is just one manifestation of voter anger -- anger that will mainly hurt incumbent democrats tomorrow and in 2010.
On CNN, House Minority Leader John Boehner characterized it as “a political rebellion going on in America.”
“This rebellion is by people who really have not been actively involved in the political process,” Boehner said.
Limbaugh called it “an eruption waiting to happen at the ballot box.”
This is what President Obama is trying to fight as he campaigns in New Jersey for incumbent Democratic Governor Jon Corzine, whose disapproval rating in the state is 52% -- who's locked in a tight fight with Republican nominee Chris Christie, a former US Attorney.
The White House insists that these elections are driven by local issues -- property taxes in New Jersey, transporation in Virginia -- and the strengths and weaknesses of the actual candidates. They say no one should judge tomorrow's results as relevant at all to President Obama, who enjoys majority approval ratings in both New Jersey and Vigrinia.
On Friday White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said, “Whatever the results are, I don't think they portend a lot in dealing with the future.”
Gibbs pointed out that Democrats won the New Jersey and Virginia governorships in 2001, despite the fact that then-President George W. Bush was at the height of his popularity and Republicans went on to win seats in Congress in 2002.
But not everyone is buying it.
“The president has gone into these races, has raised money for candidates, Democratic campaign committees have raised money. So,to say that these contests are irrelevant is kind of whistling past the graveyard,” Stuart Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Political Report told ABC News.
And there are national trends that no wise White House would ignore: anti-incumbent sentiment, concern if not angst about the economy, a majority of the American people thinking the U.S. is on the wrong track.
Campaigning over the weekend in New Jersey, Obama said, “This is a tough period in the economy and tough in NJ there are a lot of people out there who understandably feel cynical and think change should happen overnight. All of you have to be ambassadors for change.”
The least competitive race, according to polls -- the governors race in Virginia where Republican Attorney General Bob McDonnell is expected to shellac Democratic delegate Creigh Deeds tomorrow.
Vice President Biden heads to New York today to campaign for Owens.
-jpt
November 2, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (84)
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The Republican party is coming apart
at the seams. They don't even know
what they want. Now they are fighting
with each other about who is conservative and who is moderate. This is just so
crazy, but what can I say about this
party. They all want to sit around and
blame Obama for everything.
They are not all there I will tell you that much. I guess for eight years Bush
was a ghost oh my goodness Obama came
and he just happened by some mysterious way to do all this damage.
Republicans you are crazy!!!
Posted by: Suzi | Nov 3, 2009 8:11:59 PM
How many made up election fraud stories are we going to hear from the Republicans today? Whats the over under. Nobody does made up bs and faked outrage like the Republican wingnuts.
Posted by: Rich Flatts | Nov 3, 2009 2:19:38 PM
ACORN ... OH MY!
The Republican wingnuts and moonbat crazies are always crying voter fraud. Grow up. The last major case of voting fraud was up in New Hampshire I recall and Republicans were the ones guilty (phone bank jamming).
ACORN SMAYCORN ... get a life Republicans. I doubt ACORN could find Oswego or Watertown with a map if they wanted to.
Posted by: Rich Flatts | Nov 3, 2009 2:18:49 PM
Liberals want to jump off a bridge. Conservatives believe that is a bad idea. Moderates suggest we jump half way off.
If something is a bad idea, less of it is merely less bad.
Posted by: Chuckie | Nov 3, 2009 10:20:20 AM
"You are damaged goods and hopefully
will not return to the White House
ever."
LOL. Same thing they said during the Carter years.
Posted by: Jenn | Nov 3, 2009 10:10:29 AM
In New Jersey, you can fuhgeddaboudit. ACORN, Barack Obama's political launch vehicle, will manufacture enough crooked votes from fraudulent voter registrations to seal the deal for Corzine. The Democrats running the election commission in NJ will not raise a finger. And US AG Holder will not lose much sleep over it either.
ObamACORN election fraud?? Yes We Can!
Posted by: Election Czar | Nov 3, 2009 8:48:35 AM
Cry me a River Republican party.
You are damaged goods and hopefully
will not return to the White House
ever. It is just to much for your party
to handle. They like to lie to much
and spend way to much money on big
government, then blame it on Obama for
the mess that your party has created.
Your party is in shambles and now they
are trying to put themselves together.
Good luck with that one. Never, Never
will you ever put your party together
it is in shambles.
Cry me a river!!
Posted by: Suzi | Nov 3, 2009 1:09:41 AM
Thank you Suzi.Your tricycle is now fixed and you can go home.Besides, he is not our "deeds" he is your Deeds-and he is going to get creamed with both of his running mates.
Posted by: Nephron | Nov 2, 2009 11:54:28 PM
Oh, I wouldn't worry little Democrats, I hear ACORN has been very busy "helping" your party out. Cheaters do not always win, however. We'll see.
Posted by: eveh | Nov 2, 2009 11:41:08 PM
The Republican party is a fear monger
group. Then they dare call themselves Christians. Why all the
fear mongering hate Republicans if you really
believe in God, why do you behave in such a horrible way. We are tired of your
fear mongering ways.
Do not use God as your deeds to your
evil stupidity.
Posted by: Suzi | Nov 2, 2009 10:37:55 PM
The Republican party is Nuts.
That's all Folks.
Posted by: Suzi | Nov 2, 2009 10:34:08 PM
Boo hoo hoo, crybaby Obama. You've lost at least 20 points in your first year.
Posted by: Paulie | Nov 2, 2009 9:22:40 PM
With ACORN and SEIU working the election along with Rep. Andrews and thousands of union workers, no doubt there will be no corruption in the outcome....ACORN can also help with your taxes and help you find funds to open a bordelo. It's your one stop shopping......Who would have ever thought we would come so far....
Posted by: bailedout | Nov 2, 2009 7:47:06 PM
I am a long time dem. I care about the election in the 3 states because I am sick and scared by the non-transparency and big spending of the WH AND OUR GOVERNMENT.
It needs to be stopped for the sake of our nation. I claim myself an Independent departing from the DEM Party.
Posted by: talk from sf | Nov 2, 2009 6:47:12 PM
"Seems they're all over the lot. Only state poll I've ever paid much attention to is Field in California."
The Field poll is a good one but even they have problems with 3 way elections (see Gov election during recall).
The majority of the NJ polls have it 2 pts either way (for Corzine or Christie) which is within the margin of error and reflects what is a very close race.
Posted by: Ryan C | Nov 2, 2009 6:23:29 PM
"The White House insists that these elections are driven by local issues -- property taxes in New Jersey, transporation in Virginia" Nice try BO, but you are dead wrong. I and a few million of my friends are going to vote tomorrow in Virginia. Our votes will be about bringing back our state and ,ultimately, our country to common sense, morally correct, conservative values.
Posted by: Curly Howard from VA | Nov 2, 2009 5:59:09 PM
If Democrats, liberals, and their talking heads are advocating one position (in this case Republicans following a strategy of "inclusiveness", "big-tent", "moderation", etc.) Republicans would be best served to do the exact OPPOSITE (which is why Axelrod, Jarrett, et. al are all spun up).
Elected Republicans are taking notice of the changing dynamics of public sentiment towards expanded government and the self-serving political class and are reacting accordingly. Obama will not change course (as Clinton did with his "triangulation" strategy), but I bet some Blue Dogs will....and soon.
Posted by: tjp612 | Nov 2, 2009 5:33:12 PM
FDU:
"Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind poll today shows Gov. Jon Corzine at 43%, Republican Chris Christie at 41% and independent Chris Daggett at 8%.
"Corzine’s slight lead over Christie is within the poll's margin of error of plus or minus 3%. "
Seems they're all over the lot. Only state poll I've ever paid much attention to is Field in California.
In all three races, keep your eye on the spread between what Obama got a year ago and what the Dem gets tomorrow.
Posted by: Fascist Hyena | Nov 2, 2009 5:26:28 PM
I vote partisan. I am partisan. I am not a wussy moderate who compromises his values away. Moderates have no position on anything.
Posted by: Mr. Incredible | Nov 2, 2009 4:05:27 PM
It's a lot like voting "present."
Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | Nov 2, 2009 4:32:43 PM
Reminds me of Boehner whining about having to read a bill. (Uh, senator?? That's your job!!)
Posted by: Alyson | Nov 2, 2009 2:05:07 PM
I agree! But it's not just Republicans...
Sen. Thomas Carper (D.-Del.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, told CNSNews.com that he does not “expect” to read the actual legislative language of the committee’s health care bill because it is “confusing” and that anyone who claims they are going to read it and understand it is fooling people.
“I don’t expect to actually read the legislative language because reading the legislative language is among the more confusing things I’ve ever read in my life,” Carper told CNSNews.com.
Carper described the type of language the actual text of the bill would finally be drafted in as “arcane,” “confusing,” “hard stuff to understand,” and “incomprehensible.” He likened it to the “gibberish” used in credit card disclosure forms.
Posted by: Visualize Whirled Peas | Nov 2, 2009 4:27:04 PM
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