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Top GOPer Admits It's "Impossible" For Party To Take Back Senate
In yet another sign that the GOP knows it could be facing more disastrous and widespread losses in the Congressional races this fall, Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell openly declared yesterday that it is "impossible" for the party to regain the Senate this year:
McConnell has in the past said it was highly unlikely for the party to win the Senate, but we don't think he's ever gone so far as to say "impossible." So, how should Republicans feel about a party leader admitting defeat this early?
"Leader McConnell was voicing his opinion about the upcoming Senate races," NRSC spokesman John Randall told Election Central via e-mail. "He was not admitting defeat but explaining the current situation."
Indeed he was.
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Maybe he is projecting his senate prospects as well. I would love to see this turkey go down in flames.
June 30, 2008 11:06 AM | Reply | Permalink
anyone think 60 is a realistic possibility for Dems?
June 30, 2008 11:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
Absolutely. There are at least 12 or 13 seats that are up for grabs and that gives the dems a cushion. Absent anything wacky, I'll bet a lunch they get 60 above traitor joe. The turkey's seat is even in play. I just wish minnesota picked someone other than franken. That seat was a gimme, now it's probably not in the pick-up column.
June 30, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
the repubs are defending 21 seats, and dems are defending 12 seats.
I'd say there is a fair chance they'll get to 60.
Hold what they got, and pick up around half of the Repub seats. It's possible, I think.
June 30, 2008 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
based on numbers from this article:
http://www.nytimes.com/cq/2007/01/26/cq_2191.html
which may be covering a longer spanse of time.
June 30, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Go to the Cook Report: Cook is generous but he has 10 solidly Dem to 12 solidly Rep.....then 2 each likely for each party....meaning 12-14....then the divide comes
Rep have 2 leaning (Oregon in play and Maine probably a lock for Collins) while the Dems have one leaning, LA and Landrieu as the incumbent.
The gains will be where Cook has the toss ups....
CO, this should go Udall's way
MN, incumbent Coleman only has a 50% poll...could we see MN elect another complete political novice in Franken? I say yes.
NM, Domenici is scandal ridden with the US Attny...a purple state that is almost blue...say good bye Pete.
NH, Sununu and the old party name and loyalist is only at 51% REFORM REFORM!
ALASKA, talking about scandal and reform....got a bridge to nowhere Ted?
This is outside the wild card possibles of NC and Ms. Dole going down, or the replacement to Hagel or ID's "I am not Gay" Senator Craig.
The thing is the Dem's conceivably could pick up between 6-8 Senate seats and if the landscape changes or Obama forges in a Tsunami 8-10.
But understand that now they have 51-49 with Lieberman who is not really a Democrat anymore. Picking up 6 seats puts them at 56-44 with Joe going to the Red-Side permanently, 8 is 58-42 making things dangerous for the GOP.
The thing is whether the Dem's pick up another 30 plus seats in the Congres.....going above 260 where the GOP falls to below 170 is almost impossible to put in a monkey wretch in the process.
June 30, 2008 5:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Greg, Nate Silver at fivethirtyeight.com estimates a 20% probability of Democrats having 60+ Senate seats. It's a possibility, but a long-shot. Who thought two years ago that Democrats, holding only 45 Senate seats and having to defend 18, would unseat 6 incumbent GOP Senators? In 1994, Republicans unseated only two incumbent Democratic Senators -- Jim Sasser (Tenn.) and Harris Wofford (Pa.), who had won a special election in 1991.
June 30, 2008 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've been sayin it for weeks
I think 67 is possible
and let the impeachment of Supreme Court Judges begin
goodbye mr roberts, it's a beautiful day when you leave
me alito nice to know ya
mr thomas, you ain't an embarrassment any more
and mr scalia, rot in hell you lying piece of shit
June 30, 2008 5:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is just the, "Soft biggotry of lowered expectations."
And yes, Greg, 60 is possible, but unlikely. In reality the dems need 61. Lieberman is proving his Gooper credentials regardless of who he caucuses with.
June 30, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
Impossible?
Really?
From the party of the permanent majority?
Paging Karl Rove,
Paging Karl Rove,
It seems Mitch needs some more of your special math (till November at least)
June 30, 2008 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
In other words, "we are not admitting defeat; we just know we're f*cked."
June 30, 2008 11:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
OK call me a pessimist but I put the ceiling at 56.
June 30, 2008 11:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
56 still isn't bad. Democrats were at 45 two years ago. 60 is even better.
Bill Clinton started his presidency with 58 Democratic Senators.
Nate Silver over at fivethirtyeight.com estimates there is a 20% chance Democrats will have at least 60 Senate seats. That's a pretty good probability for how ambitious the goal is.
June 30, 2008 11:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Life's a bitch, Mitch, when your party self-destructs under the weight of Rove's hubris.
June 30, 2008 11:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
They've given up on the Senate (as well they should).
Now they're going to start talking about the virtues of a "divided government". I wouldn't be surprised if before November, the GOP hasn't totally themselves and Bush as the kind of "out of control" government that occurs when you have one party controlling Washington.
Be ready for it. The arguments will be disingenuous and absolutely maddening, but they're coming. They're going to make the appeal to elect McCain to control Congress.
June 30, 2008 12:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think the entire republican party is praying for a attack just about now. Pathetic. Scum.
June 30, 2008 12:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know about that actually. I think that they want to play up the threat. It just is possible that there would be a huge backlash against republicans because "they didn't keep us safe." It could cut that way, because one of their big talking points is that there hasn't been an attack since the republican f*ck up of 9/11. Notwithstanding the talking head position that an attack would help republicans, there is a good chance that there would be a huge backlash against them as well. I don't think they want to run that risk.
June 30, 2008 12:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
First, it doesn't need to be stated I hope this country remains safe and free. But God forbid, if there is another attack next thing they will do is tie it with Iran, Al-Q in Iraq and scare people with more mushroom cloud theories. We atleast know now 40%-50% of Americans live scared like shit and will vote for anyone, even Bush.
But I see your point, the fear of an attack plays better than the attack itself.
June 30, 2008 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
They'll also blame Congress, and use the FISA domestic spying situation as the reason Democrats aren't "strong enough" to lead.
Which is of course why Obama is supporting the compromise. In the event of an attack, God forbid, Republicans will use FISA as their Get Out of Jail Free card, and blame Democrats. It's just distressing that progressives can't see just how badly Republican's have mind-fucked parts of this country, and just how low they'll sink to win.
It sucks, but since FISA landed back into the laps of the Senate, Obama has to use it inoculate himself against the right's Terrorism Attackdogs like Lieberman. It just sucks more that he's going to get attacked from his left and his right the whole time terrorism is an issue.
June 30, 2008 1:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
If Obama selects another senator as his running mate, it will reduce the Dems numbers in the Senate (except for tie votes requiring the VP to vote). Obvious math, perhaps, but an excellent reason in my view to go outside the Senate for a VP candidate (and also a rationale that Hillary's buddies might accept with more than a begrudging grace).
June 30, 2008 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
As long as he selects a senator from a state with a dem governor, it is not an issue. The dem governor will appoint a dem to fill the seat. Webb for VP big time.
June 30, 2008 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
isn't everyone being overly optimistic here?
what about those nasty voting machines controled by the other party? expect them to skew results, no matter how people vote.
it's probably already been decided by some high-tech hacker.
wake up america, it may be too late.
June 30, 2008 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Lieberman is proving his Gooper credentials regardless of who he caucuses with."
The poisonous little turd Lieberman knows that his entire political future rests on his remaining under the wing of the Democratic Party.
So he will continue to vote with them even if he gets kicked out of caucus, because otherwise he's spoiled meat four years from now.
June 30, 2008 4:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is almost schaudenfruede if McConnell said that. It will be if he loses his seat. It will be a twofer. His old lady will have to go too. They will lobby but with Democrats. I am aboard with Webb for VP. If Obama wins with Webb, runs a smooth 8 year Presidency, Webb would be a shoe in for President. I will probably be on the gurney at the medical school anatomy class by then but it would be great fpor my family. Unfortunately I/we didn't make it into the "elite" class.
June 30, 2008 4:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
mcconnel is the only repuglitard that can face reality and give voice to what he sees
all the rest of the repuglitards ???
ever heard the phrase "Whistling past the graveyard" ???
well, cept for kkkarl rove. that stupid fucker is smokin crack or something
June 30, 2008 5:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'M from KY and I hope MCConnell is one of the loosers. The race looks tight with him and Lunsford.
June 30, 2008 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
McConnell never met a fund-raising dollar he didn't want. he was one of the biggest opponents of the campaign finance law, and no kidding as he loves to raise money. this lemon-puss will hopefully lose in november as kentucky is a fine state and deserves to have quality representation such as Congressman Yarmuth and Governor Beshear offer.
June 30, 2008 8:30 PM | Reply | Permalink