Micro-Roundup: Damage Control Edition

Yikes… OK the Midterm Roundup will readily and willingly admit that its headline of “Ned’s Dead, Baby. Ned’s Dead…?” in this morning’s Roundup was a tad premature. The Roundup knows deep down that its fondness for the Pulp Fiction line that inspired the headline in question clearly got the better of it and lulled it into a rash and reckless editorial decision. For this blunder the Roundup received both its first cranky personal e-mail response and its first upbraiding by a Kos diarist, both incredibly exciting landmarks in the Roundup’s nascent career. Anyway, the Roundup takes full responsibility and apologizes. Apology said, please allow the Roundup an apologia.

First things first: the Roundup wrote this morning’s headline and accompanying item without the benefit of the two polls (by Rasmussen and ARG) that show the race now essentially even. Both these polls came out today, after the Roundup was written. And the Rasmussen poll is still behind the subscription wall. So uh, kindly give the Roundup a break on that one.

Secondly: the Roundup tried to temper its stance a little bit by at least including a feeble question mark at the end of the headline and by including wording like “Whether it’s true or not, the general perception of this period seems to be…” and “Obviously this thing is far from over but…” Those measures were woefully inadequate, the Roundup realizes now.

Thirdly, and this is in response to Kos diarist Armando: Armando says “This is the same obtuse take we read here from some diarists who failed to understand that what Lieberman did was merely become the GOP candidate in the race.” The Roundup likes to think it did not fail to understand this, as it has written items and linked to items in the past that talk all about how Joe has morphed into nothing more than a Rovian mercenary. The Roundup never said that it personally approved of such a tactic or that it believed it would ultimately win him the race, only that it seemed to be a more politically effective post-primary tactic than accepting the defeat and drifting away into oblivion. Not more effective for the Democratic Party, or more effective for America, or more effective for democracy, etc., just more effective for keeping his hide in office, which is clearly Joe’s sole concern these days.

Armando cites the new polls and says, “maybe TPM Cafe will want to rethink their analysis.” Actually yes, having now seen those polls, it does: Ned’s not dead, baby. Ned’s not dead. Clearly, this thing is a long way from being decided. Thanks for reading and providing feedback.