A Night At The Congressional Races
Here's tonight's run-down on the Congressional races;
NRSC's New Mailer Invites Children To Read About Pornography, Rape
The NRSC has this new mailer against Al Franken, presented in the format of a goofy children's book about what an obscene human being Franken is. The mailer invites unsuspecting children to open the pages, and then read about pornography and rape:
To his credit, GOP Sen. Norm Coleman has distanced himself from this one. "A piece of direct mail, dealing with this subject matter, that could be viewed as a comic book by children is something that is just not acceptable," Coleman wrote in a letter to NRSC chairman John Ensign. "I'm astonished that anyone would have used such poor judgment."
Poll: GOP Sen. Smith Already Losing Badly With Half The Vote In
The new SurveyUSA poll shows Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) trailing Democrat Jeff Merkley by a 49%-42% margin -- and the internals are even worse. Half of the voters have already turned in their ballot, the poll says, and this group has given Merkley a 51%-41% win. Time is running out for Smith to get the landslide win among the remaining voters that he would need in order to pull of a victory.
Begich Says Very Little About Stevens Conviction
Senate candidate Mark Begich (D-AK) released this statement about the felony conviction of Sen. Ted Stevens (R): "This past year has been a difficult time for Alaskans, but our people are strong and resilient and I believe that we will be able to move forward together to address the critical challenges that face Alaska."
New Smith Ad: I'm A Moderate
This new ad from Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) brands him as a moderate on issues like gay rights and the Iraq War:
"He's a moderate who opposes the war, supports gay rights, stem-cell research and green energy," the announcer says -- a key part of Smith's strategy to present himself as a liberal to voters in this blue state.
Another Smith Ad: My Opponents Are Dirty Liberals!
Meanwhile, Smith has this other ad, targeted at Dave Brownlow, the right-wing candidate of the Constitution Party, attacking him as a liberal in order to prevent vote-siphoning among conservative voters unhappy with Smith's attempt to co-opt liberal issues:
Brownlow has responded in a statement: "I can certainly understand Smith's desperation. He tried to steal Senator Wyden's endorsement and got slapped down hard. He tried to hang on to the coattails of his old buddy, Barrack (sic) Obama, who proceeded to throw him under the bus."
Another Poll has Dole Down
The new survey of North Carolina from Public Policy Polling (D) shows Senate candidate Kay Hagan (D) ahead of GOP Sen. Elizabeth Dole by 48%-45%, with a ±2.8% margin of error. Last week's poll had Hagan up 49%-42%, giving Dole a slight improvement here -- but still a lot of work to do over the next week.
GOP Rep's Campaign: We're Sorry That Dem Tracker Provoked Us To Violence
The campaign of Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) has apologized for physically assaulting a video-tracker for Wolf's Democratic opponent. Here's the video:
"The campaign apologizes if Ben used poor judgment and hit him with his cane," the Wolf campaign's spokesman said -- but added that the Dem staffers has been "egging him on" with questions about "Real Virginia."
Jeebus. These folks are just scumbags...
October 27, 2008 6:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm shocked! Shocked, I tell you!
October 27, 2008 6:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
yeah, me too. Coleman, what a &((&E##* carpetbagger &**(__!! party-switching **&^$^% traitor &&&%%%!!! asswipe douchebag.
Ask me how I really feel about Norm.
October 27, 2008 7:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Republicans Mail Pornography to Children."
Where is this headline? John King? Andrea Mitchell? Charlie Gibson? Brian Williams?
(Crickets)
October 27, 2008 6:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
what ignoramouses....
just when you think they've done all they can do to make idiot decisions, they keep on keeping on.
There has got to be an institution in existence that can straightjacket these nut jobs and keep them from further harming themselves.
October 27, 2008 6:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Shouldn't any image of a Republican-raised male African-American grade-schooler in Minnesota be labeled "artist's conception"?
October 27, 2008 6:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
In other news, Hotline:
From the PDF:
fyi :)
October 27, 2008 6:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
To his credit? Coleman is a scumbag liar. I just drove across the Volvo belt of MN-5 and the D lawn signs out numbered the R signs 85-5. We'll just have to hope the turnout in the "anti-American" districts of MN is enormous.
October 27, 2008 6:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
Is it me or are the repugs at war with civilized society? The only time I ever witness such a division of a society was when I was in the south during the 60's and saw the separate restroom facilities for whites and blacks. Are we going back to that? Will there be separate restroom facilities for repugs and liberals?
October 27, 2008 6:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
"No, it's not just you." Signed: Civilized Society
October 27, 2008 6:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Not so much at war with it as oblivious to it. It's just collateral damage in their efforts to cling to power.
October 27, 2008 6:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
In war: collateral damage = dead civilians
In politics: collateral damage = disenchanted voter
It's not wise to deploy military tactics in a political campaign. Once the smoke settles there may not be anyone left to vote for you.
October 27, 2008 7:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
It strikes me that Gordon Smith should have just switched parties and run as a Democrat.
He apparently hearts the entire Democratic Party.
October 27, 2008 6:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
He's from my state and I've already mailed in my ballot for Merkley. Gordon is a chameleon, but on many issues he has definitely at the better end of the spectrum within the Republican Party. It may have been related to non-robocalls he was getting from Oregonians, but at least he called having soldiers play shooting gallery targets in Iraq a criminal endeavor.
October 27, 2008 7:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
*^&_( ...definitely been at...
October 27, 2008 7:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Criminal for the policy-maker who put them there, certainly not the troops.
October 27, 2008 7:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
I like the Oregon numbers, but there's no way half the ballots in Oregon have been returned. According to the Sec. of State only 18% have been turned in as of yesterday. I doubt 32% are in the mail.
Maybe 50% have *filled out* their ballot - not necessarily turned in? That's quite a gap though.
October 27, 2008 7:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Correct.
And Gordo has consistently tried to paint himself a "Centrist" when it serves him--which is to say about 12-14 months before an election. Suddenly, he doesn't want to be associated with other Republicans or their ideas--HIS ideas--anymore.
Basically, the man's a habitual liar.
October 27, 2008 11:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's talk about Coleman's support for *real* pornography, his defense of Abu Ghraib.
His record on the war is horrible, of course, and I guess it's no wonder that he's not touting his cynical role in ginning up the UN Oil for Food scandal, only to get a verbal beating from Brit MP George Galloway for his lame witchhunt.
October 27, 2008 7:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm sorry, but regarding the calling of the Senatorial race in Oregon -- I think that's irresponsible. There may be voters who now don't think their votes matter and so they don't vote. Who knows the damage that could have for other issues on the ballot.
October 27, 2008 8:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
I really don't mean to sound like I'm having a grumpy day, but I don't like the fact that "douche" and "douchebag" are being flung around. If you're going to use those, please use "scumbag" and/or "scrotum cheese" equally. I'm just saying if we're going to use female-genital related terms to equal filth, then please do the same with male-genital related terms that are equally "filthy."
It's the one thing I don't like on the Daily Show -- "douche" has shown up, and nothing equivalent for men is used. I'd say nothing if I wasn't seeing it more and more from men usually a little more sensitive.
::end rant::
October 27, 2008 8:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm game - do you have any suggestions? What would be a male counterpart?
I'm not sure guys are as meticulous and careful about cleanliness "down there" as women are?
Let's go back to Mick Belker on "Hill Street Blues" and say "HAIRBALL."
October 27, 2008 10:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
personally, i'm offended that you imagine 'douche' to only mean 'vaginal douche'.
i think that's incredibly sexist of you.
furthermore, since the use of a vaginal douche is medically unnecessary (if not hazardous) and a vestige of ignorant (and internalized) chauvinistic notions about the shameful filthiness of female genitalia, the use of 'douche' or 'douche bag' as a pejorative ought to be considered appropriate since an actual douche is as useless and stupid as those who deserve to be called a 'douche'.
October 27, 2008 11:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well, McScum has been making the rounds lately. It's kinda short for McScumBag, which both he and Joe LieberSchmuck been called before. So I kinda think douchebag has a way to go to catch up.
Or are you saying gender equality must be met on each single thread? Or the sum of each day's threads?
October 27, 2008 11:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
That's the most irresponsible and disgusting garbage I've ever seen. It's impossible that anyone with half a brain wouldn't know that children will read this (it's clearly designed to attract their attention!) and I can't think of anything more ridiculous. Rape jokes for children?! Are you f$&^ing kidding me?!
I'm sure these idiots will find some way to blame Senator Obama for this by tomorrow. The 'baby-eating' and 'puppy-killing' ads and mailers can't be far behind now...
October 27, 2008 11:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Come on, now. Everyone knows--it's Clinton's fault. ; )
October 27, 2008 11:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, thumbs! I think you might like this video.
October 27, 2008 11:12 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think this video sums up the impact of Norm Coleman and the Republicans on children these days.
October 28, 2008 1:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
More sickness from Republicans. Like the double-sick Republican DJ imagining black Obama strangling his white grandmother, like the very sick whiners who said that coverage of that was unfair to Republicans but didn't denounce the DJ, like all the sick Republican racists concerned that Obama is "dangerous" or Muslim (i.e., black), like sick Matt Drudge pissing himself yesterday on the phony report of resort to S.Ct. for socialism. And like all the sick, sick Republican people that think you can call a caring family man a Terrorist because he met some guy.
October 28, 2008 1:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Seems to me that Norm Coleman's whole campaign revolves around "Al Franken isn't funny." Given that most people disagree, and don't hold his considerable body of work for Saturday Night Live against him, it escapes me why Franken isn't just crushing Normie like a little bug.
October 28, 2008 8:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Beating a sitting senator is really hard. Winning at all is "crushing him like a bug."
October 28, 2008 11:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
I kind of think Obama could not have won, if he did not run as a conciliator. But, I would have loved to see a campaign that ran against the entire Republican party and recommended kicking them all out of office! They have wrecked this country!
October 28, 2008 10:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
it's contagious, my friends. I finally just blew up and flamed a childhood friend who keeps sending me the worst scurrilous Repub trash. I had been trying to avoid it, but this week's latest racist circulating recording finally got to me. Politics does make zealots of us all--or whatever.
October 28, 2008 10:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Did anyone notice the painting on the wall on the page with Fraken looks like the John Wayne Gacey painting (he was a serial killer).
I also agree with FairySoap the use Douche bag on the daily show is annoying also. There are a number of other examples of women related genitalia/sex put downs that are way to prevalent.
October 28, 2008 12:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, it would be to Coleman's credit if he apologized publicly and spent an equal amount on a mailer denouncing the NRSC. Anything else is just the usual "Oh, I am too noble to smear my opponent; I leave that to my allies."
Which of course brings us to Wolf, whose non-apology "I'm sorry if something happened" puts him very close to being an accessory to assault and battery. If he or anyone on his staff have knowledge of this crime, it's their duty to step forward, and they can be prosecuted for failing to do so.
October 28, 2008 2:02 PM | Reply | Permalink