Login HereLooks like Mitch McConnell has hit a bit of an electoral hurdle:
Sen. Mitch McConnell's close backing of President Bush on immigration and the Iraq war is costing him support among Kentucky Republicans, and, according to some party members, hurting his chances for re-election next year.
He even could face a primary challenge from former Republican gubernatorial candidate Larry Forgy, who contends that Mr. McConnell's in-state problems are compounded by job losses to producers beyond America's borders.
“The average Kentuckian feels we are giving away this country with both hands — jobs are going, essentially the primacy of the people who made this country great is going, and Mitch McConnell is lumped with the Washington types on this,” Mr. Forgy said.
“And the war in Iraq is less troublesome in Kentucky than in many other places, but it is not popular here, and Republican voters see Mitch's views as too close to the president's on the war,” said Mr. Forgy, a Lexington lawyer.
It's a troublesome assessment for Mr. McConnell, who as minority leader has found himself having to defend unpopular Bush administration policies.
Let's see if I'm reading this correctly: the Washington Times says that the GOP Senate leader's electoral prospects are imperiled in Kentucky because he is defending the Republican President's policies. Because the Republican voters of Kentucky have soured enough on the Republican President and his war and immigration policies, among other issues, that they are contemplating running a primary against the Republican Senate Minority Leader.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
When you contemplate what this could mean for other Republican candidates, especially the ones in the Senate with ethical, corruption and other problems...the GOP is in deep doo doo, let's just say that. Suddenly, Rove's attempts to cheat his way to political victory seem much more urgent, don't they? Take a peek at the Friday Senate line alone from Cillizza at the WaPo. And then contemplate the fact that John Ensign is sucking even more than Liddy Dole did as chair of the NRSC -- so badly that they are still in the financial hole from last year. Ouch. No wonder Joe Lieberman (I=Irrelevant) is so crabby lately.
Have you contacted your members of Congress, in both the House and Senate to tell them how you feel about Iraq? Because some of the formerly deaf to constituents politicians may be all ears and ripe for the picking off. Now is the time. While you are at it, mention your support for SCHIP and how the GOP taking health care away from poor children who desperately need essential preventative care is reprehensible -- and that you expect them to stand up for decency and vote with the kids who need this help. And give them an earful about the FISA idiocy while you are at it. Pick an issue and take a stand.
They think we aren't paying attention? Think again.
Make a call to their local offices and set up a meeting if possible. Write a letter or a postcard, or send a FAX. Find out where they are having a public meeting and show up for a chat. Do something -- and do it now. It's time to kick the You Work For Us Summer Tour up a notch. Your country needs you.
To call toll free to the offices on the Hill, you can use these numbers that katymine found:
1 (800) 828 - 0498
1 (800) 459 - 1887
1 (800) 614 - 2803
1 (866) 340 - 9281
1 (866) 338 - 1015
1 (877) 851 - 6437
(Huge thank you to the folks at IraqCampaign.org for the above YouTube.)
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Christy!
zip?
I’m usually not this early.
EPU’d from earlier thread:
Scarecrow, Michael Leavitt is Secretary of Health and Human Services not Resources.
The Department started out as “Health, Education, and Welfare” then Education got its’ own Department in the 1980s and we became Health and Human Services at that point.
Ah, nothing like some karma for the party that took an oath to defend the Constitution and then pissed all over said document.
Bush will be in Minneapolis today, ostensibly to be briefed about the I-35W bridge collapse. But he is really coming here for a fundraiser for that weasel Norm Coleman. A friend of mine will try to get in there and will also try to take a picture of Coleman and Bush together. If he succeeds, that photo-op (kiss of death) will definitely be used against Coleman in the campaign.
Christy - Totally Off Topic but might be of interest to you….
WVU number one party school
lisadawn at 7 — Yes, they do that tous every few years. We trade it back and forth with Clemson and Miami. SIGH
Yes, Kentucky, there is a Santa Claus. Yes, Maine, there is a Santa Claus. Everywhere there are astute and aware voters, there is a Santa Claus.
Thanks, Christy for the action tips. While folks are on the phone, why not have a list of action items for your rep and sen? For healthcare, they include:
Passing the EXPANSION of S-CHIP
Removing the hold on SB 558 - the Mental Health Parity Bill - that was placed by Jim DeMint (R-SC)and passing it with a veto-proof margin (It has overwhelming bipartisan)
Mandating that Medicare use alternative means to assure patient safety and reductions in medical errors than that of withholding reimbursement for care required as a result of them.
Supporting HR 676 - The National Health Insurance Program Act (The single payer Medicare for All legislation that would extend Medicare in increments to cover all Americans through payroll taxes).
Sweet….
I have been invited to a private house party with 20 some others with my Congressman next Tuesday. Will report back after the meeting.
katymine at 11 — Excellent. Can’t wait to read it!
There was a time when I thought Bush could declare Martial law. But then I found that there is only one standing brigade that is not deployed overseas, and frankly, Bush would be as bad at it as he is everything else.
If he nukes Iran, No nation on Earth will ever trade with us again.
He doesn’t have an exit strategy in for Iraq.
So I’m wondering if he has an exit strategy for the White House?
Christy Hardin Smith @ 8
Take heart. That must be east coast only. Chico and San Diego State in CA make WVU and Miami look like seminary school….
Folks, this is a bit OT, but something I’d like to attract people’s attention to is a piece of legislation that has been submitted by Rep. Maurice Hinchey, the Media Ownership Reform Act. One of the cornerstones of this is the re-establishment of the Fairness Doctrine:(quoted from Rep. Hinchey’s site)”Despite numerous instances of support from the U.S. Supreme Court, President Reagan’s FCC eliminated the Fairness Doctrine in 1987, and a subsequent bill passed by Congress to place the doctrine into federal law was then vetoed by Reagan. MORA would amend the 1934 Communications Act to restore the Fairness Doctrine and explicitly require broadcast licensees to provide a reasonable opportunity for the discussion of conflicting views on issues of public importance.”
http://www.house.gov/hinchey/issues/mora.shtml
Lack of a Fairness Doctrine got us Fox Snooze, et al. Please talk this up with your Representatives and Senators. Restore some credibility to the media.
EPU from last thread.
When you say Thompson’s manipulation of the fundrasing deadlines seems “curiouser and curiouser”
I have a theory: Either he has been raising money for a much longer perirod than anyone suspects and therefore his totals are actually much worse when averaged out, or
(and Ithink this is more likely) there are problem donors which can fall nto a couple of catagories:
1) money from someone with a lot of baggage of their own, where the ID of the donor could become an issue;
2)money from a major donor to a DIFFERENT campaign who is either heding their bets (and does not want the politcal value of their donation to the candidate they are publicly backing to be diluted)or does not want the public to know that they are “gaming” the system.
Christy is right. The campaign finance disclosure laws were enacted to PREVENT just these kinds of subtrafuges.
montag @ 14
As a Chico State graduate I say… is it 5 pm yet!?
Christy,
This is from DitchMitchKY and it looks like Mitch may be challenged from the right as well. And it couldn’t happen to a more deserving weasel.
For as disappointed as the left has been over the Democrats in congress, the fact is the Republicans (and conservatives in general) are even more to blame for the last 6.5 years.
In the upper midwest, University of Wisconsin-Madison is the party school.
dakine01 @ 18
My only disappointment about him being nailed to the electoral cross in November, 2008, is that both he and his wife would become prime candidates for right-wing welfare of the most egregious kind. I can picture a bidding war between the Heritage Foundation and AEI for the pair of them….
looseheadprop @ 16
I’ll take “all of the above,” LHP. Some days Fred has this smile that says “I know something you don’t know” which implies to me he just got a contribution from one of his opponents’ donors. He’s made his appeal as the alternative for social conservatives who dislike McCain, distrust Romney, and are disgusted by Rudy — but that appeal seems to have peaked a couple of weeks ago and shifted to a “what’s wrong - why don’t you jump in?” kind of thing.
LHP at 16 — Exactly. And I’ve been wondering about the Corallo/Comstock connections between Thompson’s campaign (for whom Corallo is working) and Comstock (who is on Mitt’s team) — and how many donor flip flops they have between them working both sides of this campaign aisle?
There are absolutely reasons that sunshine is built into campaign finance laws. The big irony is that Thompson, publicly anyway, used to be FOR that sort of sunshine. And I, for one, have had more than enough of “the laws apply to everyone else but me” as a presidential attitutde, thank you very much.
I called Norm Coleman’s office this morning to see if Norm was going to talk to bush today (while he’s in town) about how FEMA was not showinig up to help flood victims in SE MN and if Norm would ask bush why he just cut all those kids off health insurance. The person on the other end said that todays event was a fundraiser and didn’t seem to think my comments were on topic. She rather condescendingly noted that she’d pass my comments on. Norm (and Tim Pawlenty) really needs to get HAMMERED up here.
Here’s what my Democratic Rep thinks about the Iraq mess:
“Brad Shannon
The Olympian
U.S. Rep. Brian Baird said Thursday that his recent trip to Iraq convinced him the military needs more time in the region, and that a hasty pullout would cause chaos that helps Iran and harms U.S. security.
“I believe that the decision to invade Iraq and the post-invasion management of that country were among the largest foreign-policy mistakes in the history of our nation. I voted against them, and I still think they were the right votes,” Baird said in a telephone interview from Washington, D.C.
“But we’re on the ground now. We have a responsibility to the Iraqi people and a strategic interest in making this work.”
In other words he has his head up his ass.
N=1 @ 9
I read that yesterday in our local paper and was immediately outraged at the prospect of patient safety once again ignored at the almighty alter of saving a buck. Gotta cut those health care costs, you know? You can bet Frists’ for-profit hospitals won’t pay for their mistakes. They will shake down a dead person to get their money.
pigboy @ 25
I’ve seen this more than once — what DO they have in the water over there?
Howie Klein has been hinting that Miss McConnell is going to be hit with his “Army past” very soon. Mitch lasted about a week in the Army and the rumor was/is that he was discharged for fondling a privates, privates.
AZ Matt @ 17
As a graduate of Butler University here in the middle of the country I have to ask, “you wait until 5 p.m.?!?!”
peanutbutter @ 27
Inside the Green Zone, bourbon, most likely.
SufiLizard @ 29
Butler… pretty wild… for Indianapolis. :)
Biodun @ 20
The University of Iowa is usally in the top 10 as well.
OT–
In Salon today, Joan Walsh demolishes Matt Bai’s The Argument:Billionaires, Bloggers and the Battle to Remake Democratic Politics.
Biodun @ 33
Not exactly a strain to do so, from what I’ve read. :)
AZ Matt, I’m Chico State too. So is Oklahoma Kiddo.
Cheers!
Biodun @ 33
Yep. Particularly interesting is his, then Joan Walshs’ take on Gov. Warner.
Steve-AR @ 28
Ouch. Also like the Freudian slip of “Miss” McConnell - :-)
27
peanutbutter says:
August 21st, 2007 at 8:40
I’ve seen this more than once — what DO they have in the water over there?
I don’t know but he isn’t the only one, the very progressive Peter Defazio from Oregon was recently telling home town crowd of the dangers that IRAN pose to this nation and how we need to intercede there.
I wonder if Democrats ever get together to talk things over.
IrishJim @ 32
Cut it out with the party school buidness kids! Some of us are trying to avoid thinking about the fact that we have to return soon to the harness.
pigboy @ 38
Nope. Unless they have a contest over which of them had been hustled the worst.
For Minnesotans in the Duluth/surrounding areas:
Meet Al Franken put on by Carlton County DFL near Esko, Sept 1st, 1-5pm. Food, bevs & music by ‘Milkbone’.
Call 218-391-5911 or 218-428-2722 for info/directions.
Recent AP story via MSNBC: Pentagon to shut down controversial database
montag @ 40
Sounds like AIP*C has been busy over the summer.
Leahy’s presser yesterday may have been quite effective afterall (mea culpa from me):
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 42
Recent? Fer chrissakes, that’s the same as a subset of CIFA, which was supposed to have been cleaned and canned more than a year ago.
I smell something bad.
montag @ 45
They probably have something better with the new FISA legislation that is even better at capturing information than this. Grrr.
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 42
Riiiight. [/dripping sarcasm off]
By the way Montag, any cake left? I gained two pounds taking just the tiniest of slices from your fridge over the week-end.
Wonder how the NRA is going to react to the fact that many state and local law enforcement folks are having trouble getting ammo?
Seems so much has been shipped to our military that there’s a 7 month wait for resupply.
I wonder how much (if any) of that type of ammo is used for hunting? It’s almost Autumn…
The Repug political machine wrenching up the immigration problem has gone too far and is not good for anybody. Was it really their desire to encourage an intolerant base of bigots, because that’s what they got. Colorado farmers can’t find any good ole’ Americans to answer their want ads for field hands and have cut back on their crops. If these are really jobs that Americans will do, maybe they should have advertised in Kentucky. If McConnell gets voted out in the Kentucky primary, he will just be replaced by the same type of monster. It won’t help the country. Tancredo is back in Newark advising the school yard victim’s families to sue because Newark is a sanctuary city. Maybe he should go home and try to find someone to pick the Colorado crops. America with a food shortage is not a pretty picture.
Richmond @ 46
Wouldn’t surprise me if they just changed the name of the “program” and filed it under another branch of DHS. We’ve been here before.
Loo Hoo. @ 35
I will toast you both when I get home this afternoon!
Richmond @ 46
Unh, huh. This was physical surveillance of groups by the military as part of a base protection program. Military out taking pictures of the Quakers, license plates of grannies demonstrating at recruiting centers, etc. It was exposed almost two years ago, and it was more than a year ago that the military said they’d purged the records.
Somethin’ just ain’t right about this.
And two Repugs continue “their race to the bottom” (to use Scarecrow’s phrase last week):
Richmond @ 39
Sheeeet, we started last week in Athens.
Richmond @ 48
Nope. Virtual waistlines now require new wardrobes. :)
newtonusr @ 51
Hmmm. Good point.
Stephen Parrish, CPA @ 42
Shut it down my aching ass. They will do exactly what they did with TIA. Change the name, fold it over into another program, anything but give up the data. Gotta keep track of the DFHs dontcha know.
Biodun @ 54
I think Cambridge in Romney’s state of Massachusetts became a sanctuary city while h was governor. Not sure, but it would be interesting to see what he did about it.
NASA tv link for the space shuttle landing in a half hour at 12:32edt
Richmond @ 59
Uh, they might be able to work in Cambridge, but they damned sure can’t afford to live there….
good morning all… pups let me sleep in!
coffee anyone?
montag @ 61
Well, you are right on that one. Maybe that is why Cambridge past it…. looks good on the record, but doesn’t really mean anything.
montag @ 40
Alaskans appear to be the worst hustled voting public in the land right now. The Palin administration released information yesterday indicating the new oil tax put into place by our legislature a year ago in a special session highlighted by the arm twisting and outright vote buying which has led to convictions of one Alaska legislators, the conviction of the two top executive officers of Veco, and the upcoming trials of at least three more former legislators. The law allows the oil companise many liberties in how they figure out how profitable their oil extraction has been here. They even get to deduct expenses incurred by their clear negligence.
The Anchorage Daily News, in a rare story critical of the oil industry, writes about this today:
Corruption will certainly be a theme of the session beginning Oct. 18. In August 2006, the PPT’s passage in the state House hinged on a single vote. Two Veco executives have pleaded guilty to bribing lawmakers to vote in step with industry on the tax. Critics say offers of money and jobs may have swayed enough votes to prevent the Legislature from approving a higher tax rate, or another sort of tax entirely.
With the timing that has become a Palin trademark, the governor will be announcing her oil tax decision one day before the scheduled opening of the trials of former Reps. Pete Kott, R-Eagle River, and Bruce Weyhrauch, R-Juneau, both of whom are accused of selling their PPT votes to Veco in 2006.
I’m hoping voters will be eager to replace all the GOP legislators who have robbed us of even more than usual.
egregious @ 60
Thank you!
I’m just wondering what could get done with 63 Dems in the Senate and about 400 in the House?
That might be a sight to see!
dakine01 @ 18
OMG, I just HAVE to chime in!
You do a disservice to weasels with your comment! LOL
MichKY in trubble. Oh Lah De Dah! ;->
{{{{egregious!!}}}}
Well, I called and raised hell with my Republican Rep and Senator over SCHIP this morning. They took my name and zip code, and said they’d pass the message along.
My major question for them was: “The Republican Party bills itself as the party of ‘family values’ right? Then why is the idiot in the White House trying to deny health coverage to America’s children?”
Neither staffer I spoke to had a response for that one…
I also said if the Criminal-in-Chief vetoes this bill, the Senator (Rep) should vote to over-ride the veto.
Moon @ 50
As serious as the immigration is as a policy issue, I can’t but chuckle. As an issue it was pretty much under the radar until shortly before the 06 elections. They thought they had the perfect wedge issue to mobilize the base and the whole thing has come to bite them on the ass. In other words be careful of what you wish for.
There are only two Dems from Ky in DC… Reps. Yarmouth and Chandler. McConnell may be feeling heat from his own party…. well ok.
Still, it’s an internal GOP matter and has no meaning for the other side of the political aisle.
McConnell’s GOP primary challenger has presented the possibility of 2 issues… Immigration and Iraq.
What this will mean for Blue Dogs is nothing at all in my opinion. They know their own districts and also that incumbancy means they have the advantage.
So, the Road Less Traveled is pretty much NO Troop Withdrawal Date because it helps the enemy and Don’t Look Weak On Fighting Terrorists just let Bush spy on folks without warrants.
Well, given the state of the Republic party today, I’m starting to think that Nancy Pelosi has been right (excuse me, correct) all along.
Hear me out.
Although most of us (U.S citizens) would like to see Bush impeached, by leaving him in office he continues to be a sucking wound on the entire Republic party. His Presidency is finished and so by the time we get to full-on campaign season next year, any Repub candidates (Congressional or Presidential) who are tied to him in even the vaguest way will be dead meat.
In the meantime, Nancy and Harry need to work to put together a governing coalition of Dems and disaffected Rs to push through some bills and override the Shrub’s vetoes.
Levin, Leahy, Schumer, Waxman, etc. need to keep the subpoenas coming. The longer the WH stonewalls, the worse it will be next year because THAT will become a campaign issue. And now with Rove the WH enforcer gone, perhaps it’s time to throw in censure. Republicans running for cover might just go for it in the coming weeks and months.
The endgame here is power, not revenge. The Dems need to increase their numbers in the House and Senate and we need to retake the Presidency. Impeachment, although it would feel good, doesn’t serve the long-term goal of the Dems recapturing the power of government.
Now I don’t know if the Speaker has thought this far ahead but, for my part, I do want the Shrub held accountable. Once he is a private citizen, then he can be charged with War Crimes. There’s your legacy, Karl: a long-term Democratic majority and a President you helped to fraudulently elect charged, convicted, and imprisoned for crimes against humanity.
OldCoastie @ 66
Aren’t you the guy wit the birthday yestidie?
Well. There’s yer present! (I hope) Mine’s comin’ up next month. Let’s keep it on a roll. Should be purty easy, pushin’ pugs downhill. They seem to be doin’ it to theysownselves!
when we pick an issue or issues to discuss I think if it’s a republican politician it is a good idea to interject;
“what kind of republican backs this president’s policies?…when did our party abandon privacy, small government, fiscal resonsibility, a respected presdiency and an abundant military force with international influence?…when did our party abandon the obligation we have to the soldiers that return, what happened to “bring honor to the office of the presidency”
hit these “republicans” HARD and challenge what party they belong cuase it ain’t republican
Mitch McConnell is gay? So then Elaine Chou is his beard? That’s too kinky for me.
I still think we should be urging Pelosi to impeach Gonzales — I really think that would turn out to be a gift that keeps on giving…
Ed*ard Teller @ 68
I see you’ve checked Benson’s actBlue page :)
Comment 72
“And now with Rove the WH enforcer gone…”
I don’t totally disagree, but I really think VP Cheney is the enforcer and always has been.
egregious:
Thanks for the NASA teevee link. 16 minutes to touchdown.
Veritas78 @ 75
This has been in circulation for some time.
Allow me to clarify.
Rove: WH political and discipline enforcer.
Cheney: 4th branch war and “environmental” policy enforcer.
Endeavour passing over Cuba.
@72
I cannot agree
this country is being trashed and pillaged day by day
we cannot possibly wait for the end of this presidency
From USA Today:
egregious @ 77
I did! I got back from a board meeting of the Matanuska Electrical Association Ratepayers’ Alliance yesterday evening to find your generous contribution there. Cool!
Diane is in California for some candidate training. I’m going to get her talking directly to Howie Klein about Blue America when she gets back. Still need to get her photo up there, and I can’t figure out how to do it with the editing tools. Watching the shuttle land, fingers crossed.
8 minutes to touchdown
Biodun @ 86
Should be almost out of the hot zone, then.
there it is, looking healthy in the high stratosphere.
Endeavor looking good.
Brisingamen @ 76
That’s exactly what I’ve been doing…
EPU’d from the Childrens’ Health Care discussion below… Preznit Heartless was going down this road while he was still the creation-in-training of KKKarl back in Texas. Blogged here in 2003 based on an article by the late, GREAT Molly I.
The Texas Blueprint was unmistakeable. The only thing that Preznit Dogshit could not do was invade Mexico, and I am sure that if he had had the ability to do it, he would have. The he would have been the “War Governor”, KKKarl’s dream executive to lead to his fantasy permanent republican theft ring.
lisadawn82 @ 47
Yes, these programs never die. This is the second or third time I’ve heard that the Pentagon has gotten rid of TALONs.
aligning with landing sight…
Hugh @ 92
what they probably mean to say is they are selling the data base and facilities to haliburyon
What the hell was that, sonic booms?
Jonah has another one up at the LATimes this morning:
Jonah Goldberg: Don’t believe the netroots hype — when liberals are in power, conservatives will once again thrive online.
I’m not sure I want to know what he thinks.
P J Evans @ 96
Jonah does not think. He opines.
i minute to touchdown
Endeavour touchdown