A Night At The Congressional Races
Here's tonight's run-down on the Congressional races:
Poll: GOP Senator Chambliss In Dead Heat For Re-Election
In a very interesting development, a new Research 2000 poll gives Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), who was believed to be more or less invulnerable going into this campaign, a statistically insignificant lead of 45%-44% over Democrat Jim Martin. This corroborates a SurveyUSA poll taken last week, which put Chambliss ahead 46%-44%, as the economy continues to take a toll on Republicans even in seemingly safe places.
Dem Candidate Ties GOP Incumbent To Bush -- And Tuxedo-Wearing
This new ad from Senate candidate Jeff Merkley (D-OR) launches one of the most novel attacks on the economy that I've ever seen: It depicts incumbent Sen. Gordon Smith (R) standing next to George W. Bush -- and they're both wearing tuxedos:
Maybe next, Merkley will run an ad tying Gordon Smith to the Monopoly Man.
Sununu Stands By Social Security Privatization
In a debate earlier today, Sen. John Sununu (R-NH) said that the recent Wall St. crisis has not changed his mind about privatizing Social Security: "I think allowing workers the option of taking some of their Social Security taxes into an IRA or 401k plan - with oversight, with regulation - in the long-term is better for them because they know they control those resources, they know they'll be there for them when they retire."
GOP Ad: Al Franken Is A Walking Corrupt Corporation
With their newest ad in the Minnesota Senate race, the NRSC turns around the economic narrative by saying Al Franken is himself a corrupt corporation, having failed to pay his employees' workers compensation insurance in a timely manner:
"Listen, I'm a corporation," Franken is shown saying, followed by the announcer blasting Franken for the $24,000 fine he had to pay when his business failed to pay workers comp. The announcer then concludes, "Al Franken, he's make this worse."
Poll: Elizabeth Dole Falling Further Behind
The new survey from Public Policy Polling (D) finds Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) trailing Democrat Kay Hagan by 49%-40%, outside the ±2.8% margin of error. The economy is continuing to hamper Dole here, too, with 60% of voters saying it's the number one issue -- and this group goes for Hagan by a 59%-31% margin.
Lunsford Ad Hammers McConnell For Tricking Veteran
This new ad from Senate candidate Bruce Lunsford (D-KY) continues to hammer Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell for having his campaign make an attack about Lunsford's business providing health care for veterans -- when it turned out one of the veterans involved didn't know what he was getting into, and later denounced the ad:
"Mitch McConnell is so desperate, he just tricked a veteran into making an attack for him," the announcer says.
New Rasmussen Polls:
Florida Obama 52 Mccain 45
Colorado Obama 51 Mccain 45
Missouri Obama 50 Mccain 47
Virginia Obama 50 Mccain 48
Ohio Mccain 48 Obama 47
October 6, 2008 6:18 PM | Reply | Permalink
;)
October 6, 2008 6:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
Forgive me if this has been discussed, as I have not been on the board here.
Reading the headlines, in reference to McCain now claiming that the Keating 5 debacle was a witch hunt, doesn't he in turn bring enormous attention to the matter, so now it will be rehashed over and over? Obama mentions in an ad, and people might get it or not. But to claim not guilty after writing in his book he was, he is just begging for the MSM to go at him.
October 6, 2008 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
O yes - earlier today Keating 5 was a top hit on google.
:)
October 6, 2008 6:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Tena: I think he took a wrong tactic here. Were I him (shudder) I would have said that was 20 years ago and I covered it in my book. It made me the reformer I am today so some good came out of it on a personal level. Instead, he lies when he is on you tube and google literally showing him lying.
October 6, 2008 6:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
The remake of Keating 5 with a completely new ending wasn't done by George Lucas. More like Alfred Hitchcock. If McCain just stuck by the documented facts he would suffer some hard knocks. But changing the story to save his campaign is bizarre because everything known about the scandal is documented. It's more like armchair quarterbacking. This could bite him in the rear because there are still a few of those Congress critter alive and could weigh in on the issue.
October 6, 2008 6:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, it's pretty amazing how eagerly the McCain campaign took the bait!
October 6, 2008 7:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
Obama will be campaigning in Indianapolis Indiana on wednesday and Portsmouth Ohio on Thursday. The man is on the offense. Go Obama!!
October 6, 2008 6:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
BTW, I will be thrilled if Al Franken can knock out Coleman. That would be a wonderful thing to see.
October 6, 2008 6:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yes it would. Coleman is such a dick.
And in addition to Keating 5 being in the 10 hits on google today, Ayers was nowhere to be seen.
So now you know what everyone was wanting to know more about.
October 6, 2008 6:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
OMG, I called my mom today, been avoiding doing that much until after the election, and she went off on Ayers and ACORN. So of course, I asked if she was watching Fox again. She gets so defensive. They (FOX) actually have her terrified that Obama is some kind of devious radical. Mind you, she is 82 so I just listen, nothing is going to change her mind.
October 6, 2008 6:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
Re: Merkley
Gordo is 2nd generation rich - there is an ad about the $1.2 million he spent on antique golf clubs (can there be anything more Republican?) The theme is Gordo is too rich and too busy with Republican lobbyists to pay attention to regular folk. Seems to be working
October 6, 2008 6:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's be accurate. The Monopoly Man's real name is Rich Uncle Pennybags, is it not?
October 6, 2008 6:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Headlines under politics on Huff Post: 'Obama called terrorist at McCain rally.' If I were McCain, I would not have allowed that shout out to go unanswered, but he did, and actually went on ranting. He is making some horrible moves here.
Keating 5 didn't happen
Obama a terrorist
Palin at rally using the Hussein thing again.
These all look really desperate and he is actually destroying what little goodwill he possessed.
October 6, 2008 6:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
RE: Georgia Senate. When the first polls came out about a week ago showing that this was a race, I was quite skeptical. I have checked into it and what is going on are gasoline lines, especially in the Atlanta area. People are angry and blaming Republicans in general, but especially Governor Perdue and Senator Chambliss. The lines were purportedly caused by shortages resulting from the recent Gulf hurricanes, but people do not really believe it (and I am not certain I do either, at least in its entirety) and think it is price manipulation. The economic collapse has exacerbated the politics even more. Watch out for massive attempts to disenfranchise Democratic-leaning voters.
October 6, 2008 7:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
WANT A GOOD LAUGH? Check out this article from yesterday's "Oregonian" on Mrs. Fosback and her son in Portland who kept getting their Obama signs stolen and the world-wide video watch of their lawn that has sprung up: http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/margie_boule/index.ssf?/base/living/1222968307119180.xml&coll=7 The best part--what happened to the garden gnome dubbed O'Merkley.
October 6, 2008 8:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great story! As a (sadly) former Oregonian, and fan of Margie Boule, I'm thrilled to see someone else posting one of her columns here at TPM. I've emailed the link to my family members who still live in Oregon.
October 6, 2008 9:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Amelie, since your mom is already being scared out of her whits by Faux News, read her this - from the Wall Street Journal today. If THIS doesn't scare some sense into her, nothing will:
---
John McCain would pay for his health plan with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid, a top aide said, in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs.
The Republican presidential nominee has said little about the proposed cuts, but they are needed to keep his health-care plan "budget neutral," as he has promised. The McCain campaign hasn't given a specific figure for the cuts, but didn't dispute the analysts' estimate.
In the months since Sen. McCain introduced his health plan, statements made by his campaign have implied that the new tax credits he is proposing to help Americans buy health insurance would be paid for with other tax increases.
But Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Sen. McCain's senior policy adviser, said Sunday that the campaign has always planned to fund the tax credits, in part, with savings from Medicare and Medicaid. Those government health-care programs serve seniors, poor families and the disabled
(Laura Meckler, Wall Street Journal, October 6, 2008)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122315505846605217.html
October 7, 2008 12:07 AM | Reply | Permalink
Need to drop this somewhere.
I love Debbie Wasserman Schultz as one of Obama's best flacks on the TV shows. Sure, an interview with Rachel is a "home court" for her. But she really nails all the talking points well, but with the proper accents to get across the issue. Not just speaking about retirees concern for Medicare and Social Security, but slipping in great buzz words like "Golden Years", "Safety Nets", the concept of the retirees having "paid in" in the past and earned their benefits, etc. Her quick swipes at Palin are excellent.
She had been an HRC supporter, but has strongly shifted to supporting Obama and the party.
She's a major comer long term in the party.
October 7, 2008 1:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
I was holding out hope for Jim Martin when all the polls (except Rasmussen, for some reason) had Chambliss up 15+. This is great news. I describe myself as tingly.
Liddy Dole, going down. Sax Chambliss, in a dead heat. Mitch McConnell, possibly in trouble. Norm Coleman, hanging on, but not by much. Four more weeks, and maybe I can be *very* happy.
(Wins by Musgrove and Noriega would be lovely, too, but I don't hate Wicker and Cornyn the way I despise the other four. Well, five, counting Joe "Kick your ass to the curb, we'll have 60 without you" Lieberman, the backstabbing, self-promoting, pandering bastard. I would love to see that rat jump completely out of power and onto a sinking Repub ship.)
The House polls are sweet, too. I wasn't too worried about any of the incumbents (except possibly, Shea-Porter), but it's good to see Eric Massa doing well. And Larry Kissell is nothing short of an inspiration.
October 7, 2008 2:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
I live in Oregon and so I get to see all of the Merkley/Smith ads over and over and over again. Mind-numbing almost. But last night I had to chuckle when I realized that the tag-line for the Anti-Merkley ad (sponsered by the Republican Senatorial Committe) was "Give Merkley the Boot!". They are actually pretending that Merkley is the incumbent!
October 7, 2008 1:08 PM | Reply | Permalink