One of the candidates who used our "Had Enough" video to defeat his Republican incumbent opponent Sheri McInvale by 22.1% was Scott Raldolph. Scott is an environmental attorney and former public advocate for Florida Clean Water Action who ran on a campaign to raise teachers' salaries. And he credits "Had Enough" with playing an important part in his campaign against an incumbent with a $1.2 million war chest. Howie Klein got a thank-you note:
This double digit victory shows that the voters here in Orlando cannot be bought with a 1.2 million dollar war chest. It also shows that we want a representative that looks after our interests, and no the interests of the influences that write the checks.
Howie, Scott and Susannah told me to convey their thanks to you. "Have You Had Enough?" was a hit in our campaign, and energized us all in our final push for votes. I guess that's what happens when you get two of the Zippers on a project-- a catchy tune you can clean house to.
And of course, I want to thank you personally (or I guess electronically), for answering one e-mail out of what must be a voluminous inbox, and for that most gracious post on your blog. I will always remember the year 2006 as the breaking dawn of a brighter day.
Darren Vierday
htttp://vierblog.blogspot.com
As Digby said about "Had Enough" and Howie's efforts on behalf of progressives the other day:
This is how you create a majority party, my friends. You make people believe in the party and support them even when they are not immediately "winners" by creating a feeling of solidarity. You make it feel good to be a Democrat again.
I'm not holding my breath for Cokie Roberts to inform the world that it's all due to Howie Klein that the Democrats took the House, but there's slghtly more evidence for that than there is for making the same absurd claim about Rahm and his fabulous "blue dogs."
Apologies to Rahm -- as was pointed out in the coments, Randolph was in the FL State House and Rahm had nothing to do with it.
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Ta!
Howie !!
Jane ! !
Speaker Pelosi!
You know it’s gonna get stranger,
So let’s get on with this show.
Fitzolicious!!!!!!!
CNN - Gen. Batiste sail Rummy was “selling the American people short” with regards to his comments about the Iraq war being “hard to understand, too difficult to comprehend.” Batiste - “they get it.”
See? Now that’s what I’m talkin’ about.
EPU’d
Start the ENDOWMENT fund and we put in monthly pledges (just like church)
This is a hugely doable suggestion. A permanent fund for a permanent majority.
This may be the most valuable idea I have seen in ages.
Really seriously, Anybody know how to set up a permanent progressive war chest?
Pachacutec @
7
Pretty sweet, huh?
Jane! Christy! Ned! Howie! 2006! a new day has dawned. liberal AINT a dirty word!
MMMMMMM, how sweet is is!
Doing my Jackie Gleason over here.
twolf1 @ 6
Did Rumsfeld ever “get it?” My goodness, no.
That’s awesome, Jane!
Big time!
Bloggers eat raw puppies.
I think Rahm is probably pretty tired of reading Hoie Klein’s name today, after Perlstein’s article in Joe Lieberman Weekly.
Florida too. We swamped them in so many places. Time to set blue america sails for the marianas and end slavery again!
Katherine Harris on FOX just now. She has started the Endowment Fund.
Uh, hold on….
Never mind.
The song that goes with my happy dance…
Blue seats
Smiling at me
Nothing but blue seats
Do I see…
Balrog @ 14
They’re just jealous ’cause we won a bunch of elections and they have Katie Couric anchoring the nightly news.
EvilDrPuma @ 12
No, I don’t think he did, that’s why he has done a Cut-n-Run!
AZ Matt @ 20
…and Chimpy flip-flopped
Balrog @ 17
Funded by silicon valley.
umm, while I’m thrilled to give Howie loads and loads of props for his efforts in these elections, I doubt Rahm would have paid attention to a state FL election anyhow…. OTOH, Rahm is CLEARLY on notice that he’d better take notice of Scott when he decides to “go federal”.
Thanks, Howie!! You ROCK!
Let’s not forget Barron’s predictions for this election.
Snip
“Our analysis — based on a race-by-race examination of campaign-finance data — suggests that the GOP will hang on to both chambers, at least nominally.”
Snip
“We expect the Republican majority in the House to fall by eight seats, to 224 of the chamber’s 435. At the very worst, our analysis suggests, the party’s loss could be as large as 14 seats, leaving a one-seat majority. But that is still a far cry from the 20-seat loss some are predicting.”
Snip
“In the Senate, with 100 seats, we see the GOP winding up with 52, down three.”
Barron’s offered this amazing bon mot:
“We studied every single race — all 435 House seats and 33 in the Senate — and based our predictions about the outcome in almost every race on which candidate had the largest campaign war chest, a sign of superior grass-roots support.”
Barron minds.
-GSD
twolf1 @ 21
Do you think Karl has him on some kind of no-pretzel watch tonight?
Patrick 4/4 @ 22
Which is right inbetween the silicon mountains?
silverleaf @ 23
If you don’t notice you can’t claim a part of the victory.
Patrick 4/4 @ 22
Well I want my titties, and I want my beer,
So you just barf ‘em on up, now Devil, do you hear?
I think Mr. Klein has a whole new career if he wants it. Presidential Campaign Manager? Advisor? Man, talk about delivering results! Shrum, Wolfson, etc. can go bye-bye now, and on the way out, don’t let the door hit you in the Hadassah.
Howie! Thank Goodness he got together with Jane on this blogging thingy! And it is time to start thinking about the community chest for the future.
Also, back to giving to Marcy Wheeler book writing project?!!!
Just saw Christy on crooksandliars. Fantastic performenance, much better than the last clip I saw IIRC on CSPAN. Definitely ready for primetime now.
Haven’t commented or read the blog properly for ages, but how do FDL commenters see the liklihood of a proper investigation into the Iraq WMD bs?
I know we can probably get it even via Phase 2 of the Senate Intelligence committee now we control the Senate, but do you think the Dems are going to really do it properly?
Balrog @ 28
and if her head was flat… (god, sometimes I hate me)
Howard Dean needs to generate some awareness in the MSM of the role of the netroots in the victories. Like every time he’s on TV, he needs to say it often and loud, or the CW will become that Emmanuel is genius of Rovian proportions, at which point we’re fucked, because he’ll be believing his own PR.
Just sayin’.
Agh…maybe it’s just me, but I can’t find Cokie Roberts listed in SPOTLIGHT.
Anybody else?
harry @ 31
Tonight Biden and DiFi both said not until January 1st. At 12:01. AM.
Christy made the daily show!
Christy on Stewart right now in the tryst blogging room!
…I think I saw TRex too.
No truth to the rumour that Katherine Harris will get a guest shot on Nip/Tuck where they botch the surgery?
Oh, wait….
Rayne @ 34
Karma. Watch what you wish for.
T-rex and Christy on TDS!!!!
Jo Fish — you might be able to catch a replay of the Good Doctor on C-SPAN online. He done good today by the netroots.
And we are NOT separate from grassroots.
Thye just flashed a picture of Christy on THE DAILY SHOW
Stewart said :ohhhhhh, the blogging room. Girls post free after 7:00
Do think about how poor Karl Rove is feeling tonight - disappointment, sadness, rejection and lose of confidence. Poor, poor boy… . Bla-hahhahahaha!!!!! And screw Cheney too!
ccmask @ 44
707!
Look guys, I love your website and your enthusiasm, and applaud your willingness to put your money where your mouths are, but maybe you might consider joining the real reality-based community. Liberal Dems did not win the majority. Centrist Dems won the majority. With my compliments to Digby, the way to win the majority is to meet the American electorate where they are, the center, not where you want to pretend they are, like the far left. Get real, get elected, get more progressive issues addressed instead of dismissed. The fact is that you guys do need to grow up, learn your history, acknowledge reality and teach yourselves to take what you can get when you can get it and keep working your asses off. The Democratic Party needs to be large enough, and inclusive enough, to cover the agenda’s of the majority of the American electorate and not just the leftist agenda.
That is how we win elections. That is how we get our issues addressed even if in small increments at a time.
You should quit dissing Emanuel and Schumer. They were the real blockbuster talents who got us in the majority, not the netroots, whose efforts were commendable but miniscule in comparison to the efforts of the party as a whole. Sorry, but its the truth. Face it. Deal with it. Keep working and hold your head up, but not by trying to knock other Dems down.
SPOTLIGHT!
In the middle of the night
You can send a little light
to the ones hungering for a ‘cite
and the power to enlighten all
The more you write
the bigger light
is shown on the fight
for us guys on the “Right”
Pachacutec @
11
Rethugs, we just sent you to the moon.
[PS - the 6 billion of us remaining on the planet have ten years to stop the literal meltdown you Texas oilboys have been paid to ignore. Call when you find air.]
AZ Matt @ 45
Have Bush and Cheney talked yet? Because I’m thinking about the scene at the end of “The Empire Strikes Back” when Vader stalks off the bridge, and Admiral Piett has an expression on his face that pretty much says, “Okay, so when is my trachea going to collapse?”. That’s how I figure Bush is going to feel after that conversation.
47
hahahahahahaha
more koolaid, npu?
Excuse me! Did you read the post or the last thousand posts?
I’m still holding out hopes for a concern troll with talent.
neplusultra @ 47
Ne, Ne, Ne, where to begin??? or not
TSF- still some low information commenters out there.
Weird. Just watched this and teared up. Doesn’t happen often…
http://www.crooksandliars.com/.....t-moments/
neplusultra @ 47
I’m Karl Rove and I approved of this message.
first they ignore you,
then they laugh
then they fight
then
youWE winand the next day the Rahmtrolls show up
Anyone have a mop for aisle 47?
EvilDrPuma @ 50
Bush better not go hunting with Cheney, stick with fishing.
Valley Girl @ 55
Isn’t “Ne Plus Ultra” a brand name for a certain often-metaphorized feminine hygeine product?
Well, it is now.
neplusultra @ 47 Said:
What I keep thinking when I read how the election was a victory for conservatives is:
“Who do they think they’re fooling?”
People who have lost their jobs didn’t buy the hype about the fantastic economy; people with kids off in Iraq didn’t believe the war-is-going-great hype. Why would they believe that they’d voted for conservatives when they didn’t?
Or Rahm, in this scenario there is little difference.
neplusultra @
47
Ahh, I love the smell of pompous assitude after the deal is closed. Smells like someone trying to claim VICTORY. You might be right, but I doubt it. There’s no romance in what you say. I suggest you learn your history. The greatness that is America is rooted in fabulous longshots, not self-righteous trollsnots.
njr @ 54
More like Dean Dean Dean
…I got your Rahm right here, 47
;>)
neplusultra @
47
Typical Rahm troll, all hot air, no facts.
Back up your bullshit with names and numbers. Come on, give me race won, “conservative” credentials, percentages, let’s have a spread sheet.
What’s that I hear?
(*crickets*)
Major kudos to Howie and Tom!
There’s no way measure the impact of “Had Enough” I suppose but it was the right song, at the right time, where it was heard. No doubt about it.
And to the PAC and all of us that contributed and mad it happen. WE ROCK!
PS. And kudos to TeddySanFran for the “Had Enough” inspiration in the first place ; )
SamTheLurker @ 62
I figure that the only reason those writers’ heads don’t explode is that the empty space between the ears equalizes pressure with the atmosphere outside.
Someone in the last thread asked about Patricia Madrid. As of about noon today, she was down about 1200 votes with one precinct outstanding (probably absentee votes).
Absentees figure prominently in that district because there are so many retired federal and military personnel who often aren’t around on election day.
Howard Dean on Daily Show now
Jeebus, no edit button! LOL
Stewart to Dean - “I believe the type of smile you are wearing is of the shit eating variety”
EvilDrPuma @ 68
For the Rethugs and Rahmians, eustachian tubes prove Nature abhors vacuums.
Cozumel @ 71
Jeebus doesn’t need an edit button.
Oh, and BTW, for those who want to lecture about “how to win races” — DCCC lost its three most expensive races (in terms of independent expenditures) — IL-06, PA-06 and KY-04.
Listen to Rahm if you want, just keep your hand on your wallet.
For neplusultra and any other WATB trolls:
For those who wish to do a wee bit more…ummm…gloating, now’s probably the very best time to visit those sites inhabited by our dearly departed. *g*
You know, the places like Little Green Falafels or “We’ve Lost Power”line.
I can guarantee that you will find most of the trollish residents lying stunned upon their keisters, gibberishly moaning for Rapture to alleviate their suffering.
Today, and for many, many days hereafter, the resident wingnuts will be lost in mutual delirious navel-gazing with nothing of sustenance found but second-hand lint.
If you’re even mildly interested, you might survey just how many choose to remain aboard SS Titanic and how many now would sell their souls for a seat on a Lifeboat.
Please, send them my regards. Bon voyage, mes ami! Tootle-loo!
stewart - what did it for the dems?
dean - well, we got help from the president
AZ Matt @ 59
Maybe not…Darth uses a shotgun for that too.
CD-Rahm: ‘Confused Dickwad’
Balrog @
35
Which show was this on please? Is there a transcript?
Jane Hamsher @ 75
And if you shake hands with him, count your fingers afterwards ; )
Barney Frank, John Conyers, Bernie Sanders all rode the conservative wave into office!
-GSD
Jane Hamsher @
75
They lost their three biggest races and dropped several million much needed dollars on them, too. A good time for this thread, Jane.
Cozumel @ 81
The poor man has leprosy, too!!!?
World Sees Vote as Rejection of Iraq Policy
GSD @ 82
And remember, the right wing hate talk jocks will call all Democrats “liberals” whether they actually are or not–so why not jump on the ride and make them right about something?
Notice how us whacky netrooters never attack the likes of Kent Conrad or Ben Nelson.
-GSD
JohnSwifty @ 84
High five…er, four…three!
Special thanks to FDL and partners for the Deborah Howell thrashing - a critical moment for the Democrats, when the Abramoff story really broke, that yielded multiple bonuses and really jolted the MSM into taking the netroots and the progressive constituency thereof seriously. Great model of action. Had the effect of feeding a general feeling that Republican control of Congress was worse than we were being told, and that there really does need to be a change but the papers aren’t telling us about it. On top of that, highlighting all the right-wing eliminationism in the right wing blogs may have had an effect in retrospect of encouraging some journalistic-minded employees, if not their editors, of the dailies that the progressive blogs, for all those nasty “obscenities,” really were the decidedly more civilized side of the blogosphere and that they, the MSM, had access to support from us, even if they didnt acknowledge it, if they wanted to stop being bullied around by all the right-wing clowns constantly bashing down their doors. Members of congress were receiving actual rubber stamps from constituents as Howell and the WaPo embarrassed themselves baselessly accusing Democrats of corruption, and the efforts taken to expose this dishonest breach of public trust were heroic. Seems like ever since then, certain segments of the MSM and the Democratic party have started - STARTED - treating us as the allies we could really be, and that has obviously already yielded quite significant benefits and may be a key part of expanding those benefits well into the future. Nice work everybody!
GOP talking point before the election:
A vote for Dems is a vote for San Francisco liberal Speaker Pelosi!!
GOP talking point after the election:
The Democrats took a turn to the right and moderated themselves, validating conservative popularity in America.
Now that the election is behind us, and the Democrats control one or possibly both houses of Congress, there’s no reason not to admit it: the Right was right about us all along. Here is our 25-point manifesto for the new Congress: http://www.rightwasright.us/
;)
You know what really torques my ass off about concern trolls like the one in aisle 47?
They have NO f*cking clue what they are talking about.
NONE.
I just busted my chops for the last two years getting Democratic Party members of every stripe elected. They weren’t clones of me; several were anti-abortion, but pro-education, pro-balanced budget, pro-environment. Some were pro-choice, but pro-business, as well as anti-war. I’ve donated money, designed websites, printed mailers, canvassed, dropped literature, phonebanked, cooked and cooked some more, cleaned and hosted parties for these same candidates. You name it, me and my posse just helped 2/3rds of these candidates get elected here midwestern flyover country.
And my posse is white, black, mixed race, male, gay, straight, female, Baptist, Catholic, agnostic, farmer, shop rat, tech geek, marketing manager, dean of students, you name it. We might be short someone of Indian extraction, but I think I can recruit someone to fill that gap. The candidates we supported looked like us: a diverse bunch of Americans.
I’ve paid my dues along with these folks and then some and I’m telling you, neplusultra, to take your f*cking big tent and cram it up your *ss sideways.
Ditto for that sell-out Rahm.
O/t -
Looks like bush best bud the “Poodle” is getting ready to have some ethics “issues” of his own……http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061109/wl_uk_afp/britainpolitics_061109001757
EvilDrPuma @
53
Gonna change your screen name to Diogenes? :)
A hopeless task. We know all the routines by now. By now, I think the only people defending Rahmikins are the people paid by him. :)
twolf1 @ 72
Did any of you see the brilliant and hysterical video of the congressional Dems in circle holding hands with their backs to the center waiting for a Rove bomb to fall? They even moved in unison as a full circle to go to the bathroom.
Holy cow, I nearly bust my gut laughing.
We all are feeling a tad gun-shy. It really hit a nerve before hitting the funny bone.
nag..nag..Howie needs to be drafted to be the CEO or what ever of Act Blue ‘08. He has the admin. experience, brains, and good political instincts to make a huge difference. I would also trust Howie to spend money wisely and well and man can he motivate. Two years to raise money and fuck Rahm.
Rayne @ 92
Don’t mince words, Rayne…tell us what you really think.
Just saw this posted on AmericaBlog comment thread.
It’s a column by Ted Rall titled “OUR LONG NATIONAL NIGHTMARE HAS JUST BEGUN”.
“Yet even more damaging and nearly impossible to unravel will be the threats to Americans posed by the neofascist national security apparatus the Bushists will leave behind–unless they use it to remain in power. “
What are our new legislators going to about the torture laws, the habeas corpus revesals, the martial law enabling legislation?
We need this Congress to act fast and strong.
I can’t find the Christy video at C&L. Anyone have a link. Please?
The conservatives ruled the day in South Dakota and embraced a total ban on abortion! The conservatives Christians are rejoicing as we speak…wait, ah, never mind. That referendum banning all abortions was shot down.
But the conservative majority in America rejected the socialist attempts to improve the wages of the lowest paid workers in referendum after referendum proving the Wall Streeters right…OK….all of the minimum wage referendums passed.
OK. This game sucks.
-John Q. Reactionary
I hate to say this, but Rahm Emanuel would most certainly not be involved in Scott Randolph’s campaign. Scott was running for the Florida State Legislature, State House District 36. Sherry McInvale was a former Dem who was a DINO and switched parties this last year. She won re-election in ‘04 by winning the Democratic primary by 50 votes with no Republican running in the general election. Just wanted to let you know your criticism of Rahm in this case is a little off base. He is still a pompous ass, though. I love what Howard Dean has done for the party.
Pachacutec @ 90
GOP talking point on election night:
Oh, fuck.
IN NM, Richardson had a HUGE effort to get people to vote absentee. They did target women voters in particular.
In the past, the Rs were very effective in getting their people to use the absentee ballots. Of course the opportunity for voter fraud is high, but Richardson used the absentee ballot strategy.
If the ballots break for Patsy, she may still win. I heard they were not, but I don’t know for sure. Still counting.
“Our government should no longer be in the hands of unprincipled, small-minded, power-hungry character assassins.”
-Jim Webb
Congrats Mr. Webb.
Alison @ 98
I agree, but they also need either to be sure they can override a veto or to feed the dismantling of the Orwellian national security state to Bush piecemeal, attached to legislation he can’t afford to veto.
Alison @ 98
Add to the to-do list.
EvilDrPuma — oh, I probably would have used fewer words, more vowels and punctuated with sharp gestures and sharper blows if I had said what I really thought.
Heh.
Sweet Rayne!
The husband(registered Republican) and I were talking about the effect the netroots had on this election and he observed that the established Democrats had better step carefully and not become complacent because the same groups which put them in charge of the Congress could just as quickly pull their support if the Congressional Democrats get out of line or don’t live up to expectations.
Sure, the netroots people are handy to have around but to give credit when credit is due? We’re like the black sheep of the family, unmentioned if at all possible and not invited to the big parties.
CHS on CNN at C&L: http://www.crooksandliars.com/.....rman-wins/
ccmask @ 99