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Rasmussen: Dem Narrowly Ahead In Alaska Senate Race
Yet another poll is showing that Republicans are in danger of losing a once-safe Senate seat in their stronghold state of Alaska, with Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich (D) edging out scandal-plagued Sen. Ted Stevens (R) in a statistical dead heat.
The new numbers from Rasmussen:
Begich (D) 47%
Stevens (R) 45%Sample size: 500 Likely voters.
Margin of error: ±4%.
This is roughly in line with a Research 2000 poll from earlier this week, which showed Begich ahead of Stevens by five points.
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All this good news is making me giddy!
But I'll tell you what - I think I can handle it and I think the rest of the Democrats can handle winning, too. We used to be used to it - Democrats held the majority for 40 years before the Republicans wrestled it away via Bill Clinton.
The Repugs had the whole Magillah for a mere 12 years and fucked everything up so thoroughly beyond recognition that I think we just might have the majority for another 40 years.
May 17, 2008 11:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
Kumbaya My Lord Kumbaya
Rival Camps Plan Inevitable Merger
Clinton, Obama Supporters Discuss Combined Effort to Win in November (WaPo)
May 18, 2008 11:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Ted Kennedy had a stroke.
May 17, 2008 12:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hopefully it is just a mild one and he will be okay.
May 17, 2008 12:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
try to contain your glee.
May 17, 2008 3:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's a pretty close result. But, you won't believe the results from this poll!
http://www.votenic.com
May 17, 2008 3:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Goiterlife, can't you at least add a "Hope he recovers quickly", or or preface it with "Sad news..." Something? You really are a piece of work, aren't you?
May 17, 2008 11:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I heard, gotnolife.
I haven't seen anything on google news yet, but everyone is talking about it.
I hope he's alright, but - well just but.
May 17, 2008 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Pretty small sample size..
This is where it is important that Obama is going to be our nominee and not Hillary. Obama got 74% of the vote in Alaska to Hillary's 25%. Talk about a blowout, even tailor made West Virginia wasn't nearly that good for her. Anyway, it will help us greatly in these races to have Obama at the top of the ticket. I'm feeling good about it. If he can energize the Alaskans and boost their turnout it is as good as ours!
May 17, 2008 12:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, and we all know how gracious Ted Stevens is about LOSING...this is priceless.
May 17, 2008 12:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's been in the Senate for what, 30 years?
The funny thing: he will probably be remembered most for his "intertubes" comment.
How sad is that?
May 17, 2008 12:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
This would be great. Let's turn Alaska purple. If you have a spare $20, send it to
http://www.begich.com/home
He could use the help and it would be be great to have a Dem Senator up north.
May 17, 2008 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Stevens intertubes gaff is number two . . . I always think of him as the great and grand defender of the 'Bridge to No-farging-where.
The news states only that Kennedy is the hospital with stroke symptoms.
May 17, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Don't forget - he's also the single person most culpable for the large-scale destruction of world's largest temperate rainforest. And he managed to accomplish that within the last 20 years, well after everyone knew what the ecological importance of the forest is.
May 17, 2008 1:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
My favorite memory of Stevens...NO!
Thank goodness for Jon Stewart.
May 17, 2008 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yep.
He's crazy as a chameleon on a quilt.
[any reason why suddenly I'm back to having to sign in?]
May 17, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
.... because you are the stupid bitch who thinks it was Clinton's fault that the Nazi Party took over Congress in 94. It was his skill and hard work that they didn't hold the Presidency in 92 ..... it was his skill and hard work that they didn't do more damage at the time. Your ability to spin everything you don't like in the world as the fault of some one named Clinton is funny if it weren't so stupid.
May 17, 2008 9:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
First, it's hard to take anything you say seriously if you used words like bitch.
Second, if Ross Perot hadn't been running as a third party candidate in 1992 and siphoned votes away from Bush, Clinton would not have won.
May 17, 2008 11:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
The person I was replying to has used every insult in the book to describe Senator Clinton. I am always amazed how people throw out shit at everyone they do not like .... and are shocked when some shit hits them back. Clinton not only won in 92 he won big in 96 and had a 60something approval rating through all the shitstorm the Nazi party could throw at him. Quite an accomplishment considering the raging fascist takeover going on at the time.
May 18, 2008 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, it's pretty widely accepted that the way the Clinton White House handled the health care reform effort in his first two years in office was one of the main reasons Gingrich was able to engineer the massive GOP takeover of Congress. It is not abusive to point that out, merely to acknowledge cause and effect.
Hillary was the one who resurrected Truman's "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen" refrain this campaign. Clinton supporters can't support her self-proclaimed "kitchen sink" approach and then cry foul when they get criticism back.
May 18, 2008 9:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=129216&title=who-the-fk-is-ted-stevens&tag=generic_tag_ted_stevens&itemId=109329
May 17, 2008 1:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=126985&title=headlines-internet&tag=generic_tag_ted_stevens&itemId=109329
http://www.thedailyshow.com/video/index.jhtml?videoId=110008&title=party-pooper&tag=generic_tag_ted_stevens&itemId=109329
May 17, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
Uncle Ted won't lose. It will likely be a narrow win, but I don't see Begich overtaking him. Ted for all his faults votes his constituency.
Don Young on the other hand, isn't held in high regard here - he'll likely lose to a Democrat.
Also, Alaskan democrats aren't environmentalists - at least not the ones that want to win elected office. Alaskan democrats are just as pro-oil/pro-development as republicans.
I've been listening to McCain of late and every time he references corruption of any sort he uses the term 'bridge to nowhere' - he has also consistently voted anti-union and anti-ANWR, and a candidate could not possibly be more anti-Alaska with those votes.
All in all, not a very good strategy for a republican presidential candidate to win Alaska. We don't take kindly to being dissed by anyone - our electoral votes aren't a guarantee for McCain - not by a long shot.
Obama with his infrastructure Apollo program has been singing our tune up here in Alaska. I would be very interested to find out what his position is on ANWR too, specifically.
May 17, 2008 1:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is great news.
The Teddy story isn't. I hope it's a mild one.
And Eric? That line from the McCain ad story about "This ad may be just in time to be too late" is awesome.
May 17, 2008 1:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
May 17, 2008
Gallup Daily: Obama Opens Up 51% to 42% Lead
General election matchups remain close
PRINCETON, NJ -- Barack Obama has reopened a significant lead over Hillary Clinton among national Democrats and now leads by a 51% to 42% margin, according to Gallup Poll Daily tracking from May 14-16.
Obama's current nine percentage point lead is based on a strong showing for the Illinois senator in Gallup's Friday night interviewing. For the past few days, news coverage of Election 2008 has been dominated by the back and forth between Obama and the presumptive Republican nominee John McCain regarding various comments and positions on dealing with Iran and Hamas in the Middle East, and attempts by Obama to underscore the link between McCain and President Bush.
Also implicit in this news coverage has been the assumption that Obama will be the Democratic nominee, with much less news coverage of Clinton -- despite the fact that she continues to campaign against Obama as Tuesday's primary voting in Kentucky and Oregon approaches. Some news accounts suggest that Obama may "declare victory" after the voting next Tuesday.
Both Obama's strong attacks on McCain and the Bush administration and the fact that Clinton has in some ways been shoved aside in news coverage of the campaign may have contributed to Obama's strong performance among Democrats in Gallup Poll Daily tracking on Friday night. (To view the complete trend since Jan. 2, 2008, click here.)
Meanwhile, the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking data on the national election, from May 12-16, finds McCain remaining slightly ahead of Obama, 47% to 44%, among registered voters, while Clinton -- despite the widespread assumption that she will not be the Democratic nominee -- is doing better than Obama against McCain, with a slight 2-point advantage over the Arizona senator, 47% to 45%. -- Frank Newport
May 17, 2008 1:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
Otto, look. I know you're disappointed. I know you wanted Hillary to be president, and I am genuinely sorry for that. But Obama is going to be the nominee, and you must make a choice whether you are going to support the Democrat--who is very closely aligned in policy with your preferred candidate--or not. It's a choice many have had to make at one time or another, and the vast majority realize advancing the ideals of their party (and stopping the other) are far more important than the personal disappointment of the primary season. I hope you do, too.
May 17, 2008 2:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
Do you have a point with that cut & paste, Otto?
May 17, 2008 1:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
"CNN: Family optimistic the Senator [Kennedy] will be OK."
May 17, 2008 2:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
O thank you for that.
May 17, 2008 2:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Apparently he made a the phonecall to cancel a luncheon himself after he was taken to the hospital. That is a good sign that it isn't too serious.
May 17, 2008 4:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
As for Ted Stevens, but...but...who will mind the TUBES?
May 17, 2008 2:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
There really ought to be a special asylum set aside for bug-fuck crazy Republicans.
May 17, 2008 2:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
You know, the Internet is NOT a truck.
May 17, 2008 4:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't have any issues with Otto posting Gallup verbiage.
I'm missing the point Otto is trying to make, though.
May 17, 2008 2:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Why do you expect Otto, at this late date, to suddenly develop the capacity to make a cogent point. He is the guy who says that he still listens to Ms. Rhodes on Air America.
May 17, 2008 2:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't have any expectations about cogency, Liam. My expectations revolve around any point, cogent or otherwise, being made.
May 17, 2008 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, that was my point - it's just taking up bandwidth without some kind of explanation -
May 17, 2008 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Don Young on the other hand, isn't held in high regard here - he'll likely lose to a Democrat."
Do you really think that Young will beat Parnell in the primary? I think he'll lose with Murkowski numbers, and then Parnell will win the seat over Benson or Berkowitz. Ugh.
I agree about Stevens, though. Unless he's indicted, he'll win it.
May 17, 2008 4:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think any one of them can beat Young. Parnell is a very good candidate.
Alaska's republican governor just announced proposed legislation linked to Energy legislation that would mail $100 each month to each resident that received a dividend last year - for a year - to pay for gas or utilities only. Food stamps for petroleum based products. I for one, can't wait to get mine.
May 17, 2008 11:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
"By getting John Edward's endorsement,
the Obama camp has won the support
of its first white male.""
-- Colbert said it.
OMG, he played the race card.
May 17, 2008 4:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Goatshite is addicted to Fool-Aid.
May 17, 2008 5:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Stephen Colbert???
ROFLMAO!
You do realize that Stephen is a parody, right?
May 17, 2008 5:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Off-topic alert:
At the risk of alienating and annoying commenters, if you are a peregrine falcon fan, this web site is positively addictive, particularly at this time of year:
Kodak Falcons
May 17, 2008 5:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
and who among us is NOT a peregrine falcon fan? srsly.
May 17, 2008 6:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
A George W. Bush style of Non-Leadership;
Now comes in a Pandersuit. Read all about what Hillary's own people are saying about how she staffs just like Bush, and she manages just like Bush.
http://tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=f7a4a380-c4a4-4f84-b653-f252e8569915
The New Republic
What Went Wrong? by Michelle Cottle
The exclusive story of Hillary's fall, as told by the high-level advisors, staffers, fundraisers, and on-the-ground organizers who lived it.
Read the entire article, and you will conclude that we have dodged a bullet. Hillary would have run just another "Heck of a job Brownie" White House. She is far too incompetent for the job.
May 17, 2008 5:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
OT, but it's such a lovely spring day here in fun city, i got to thinking: you know what might constitute appeasement? If we had been attacked by terrorists who blamed their actions on the american military presence in saudi arabia, so we remove the american military presence in saudi arabia. that would be a textbook definition of appeasement, in fact. what kind of neville chamberlain would commit such a craven act of national betrayal?
May 17, 2008 6:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes.
May 18, 2008 10:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, this is getting really boring.
Somebody say something.
May 17, 2008 8:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ahem, well, yes...
I'd say it's Primary Hangover...
What is completely remarkable about this election cycle is that Sen Obama will not unmake one political party, but both. This leaves him in a terribly rare state of Idealized Redesign, where opposition will be rare because its underpinnings are evaporating before our very eyes.
My feeling is that once Sen Obama gains the nomination, we will see a rallying like we've not seen -- and have desperately needed -- since W's 10.5 minutes of fame atop a smoke heap at Ground Zero. The GOP upsets in The Sooth portend landslide.
Pax,
M.
May 17, 2008 9:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Randy Rhodes is on NovaM in almost all her old time slots with almost all her old stations . . .
That aside:
Otto displays signs of a broken childhood and serious anger issues.
May 18, 2008 9:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Randy Rhodes is on NovaM in almost all her old time slots with almost all her old stations . . .
That aside:
Otto displays signs of a broken childhood and serious anger issues. Maybe his/her/its mommy dressed (s)he/it funny . . .
May 18, 2008 9:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, but there have been several polls of this race now and no matter what the sample size, the result is the same every time; Stevens is in the fight of his life.
May 19, 2008 11:02 AM | Reply | Permalink