Weekend Open Thread
Welcome to your weekend open thread. It looks like it’s going to be a nice weekend. I’m going to be out canvassing this weekend. The election is only 10 days away! Share your GOTV stories, if you have them.
John Carney also had a mailer about Glen Urquhart, tying him to Christine O’Donnell’s extremism (smart):
What do you think? Effective? I also received a mailer today from the Delaware Democratic party with Sarah Palin’s picture on it. It stated “NEGATIVE campaigns
RIGHT-WING agenda
Sarah Palin and friends are trying to take over Delaware. Join us in defending the Delaware Way.
…
You live here. You decide.”
The front says “Delaware is suddenly filled with Sarah Palin look-alikes”
I’m on the fence about this one but it’s much smarter to try to tie Republicans to Sarah Palin than to George W. Bush, who has been out-of-sight, out-of-mind for most people.
Some positive news in the early voting numbers:
In an election year when good news has been scarce for Democrats, anxious party strategists are heartened by at least one development: In states that have started voting, early indications are that Democratic turnout could be stronger than expected.
Despite the much-discussed “enthusiasm gap,” early balloting suggests that the voter turnout engine that Barack Obama revved up in 2008 has not sputtered out entirely, according to the Atlas Project, a Democratic consulting firm that analyzed voter data.
The firm told its clients Friday that early ballots in the 17 states where voting has been sufficient to draw historical comparisons show a partisan balance that looks very much like that in 2006, the year Democrats took back the House and the Senate.
I’m not sure how much it means because early voters are generally motivated voters, but any good news is good news!
Tags: Open Thread
Could Urq. look creepier in that picture?
For the majority of voters, who are non-political junkies, this line: “Join us in defending the Delaware Way.” no doubt appeals to a comforting kind of homey Delaware parochialism.
To people who follow Delaware politics closely, it is a miscue.
Yeah but, we are a very tiny minority in the voter universe and we’re going to vote D anyway. Not a miscue, just a calculated risk. Very calculated.
I know. Just saying.
Well, look who’s back. America’s most famous Klansman — David Duke. And he is endorsing the teabaggers.
Go figure.
And cue the usual suspects insisting that the teabaggers aren’t racist.
(Wonkette link provided on purpose. You can see the Duke vid there if you want.)
Water – it always seeks and eventually finds, it own level
time we called them what they are – not what they are hiding…racism
they want their county back!! what they mean is white America
Ugh, David Duke. I couldn’t bring myself to watch the video, but the still of it – WTF did Duke do to his face?
Funny article in the Onion: “Tea Party Plans to Recruit More Coloreds This Fall”
…Funny because it is true.
Boy oh boy, that David Duke sure hates Jewish people.
I have been canvassing endlessly for Mike Barbieri and I believe the Democratic turnout will be better than expected. Incidentally, go to http://www.terryspence.org and read his four point plan. I bet a four year old could write better!
I have been canvassing endlessly for Mike Barbieri
Good job! I’m glad you’re seeing excited Dems. I’ve seen quite a few myself, especially for Chris Coons.
David Duke is a closet case.
husband was polled by Fairleigh Dickenson, today.
Support the Troops?
As many as 30 children died at the hands of US forces at military checkpoints, the Iraq war logs have revealed.
Uh-oh. Looks like Frank Rich is in for a tongue-lashing from DL’s Obama fans:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/24/opinion/24rich.html?_r=1&ref=opinion
Geezer, Obama has not been solicitous to big banking interests, he has been obsequious. I don’t think anybody really denies that.
The irony is that the angry teabagz are the only ones mounting the barricades and their response to the corporate takeover of the government is less regulation and MORE corporate takeover of the government.
…now that I think about it… if the government IS indistinguishable from corporate interests, there is a perverse logic to the teabag movement Although I doubt any teabaggers ever thought that out.
I think it was “corporate takeover of the government” that was the original uniting idea around which the teabaggers rallied.
Then, the movement was manipulated, surreptitiously, and quite successfully, by the big money and banking interests they were railing against.
It’s really too bad.
Had they stuck to their original itinerary,I may have joined them.
The only lever Democrats have to take power back from corporations is kitchen-sink issues like jobs, health care, middle class tax cuts, and education. If we deliver on those, we win for a generation. But when we fail to deliver on those, we have screwed the pooch, and the field belongs to the corporations and the Republicans.
Now I am thinking that when public health care and tax increases on the rich are implemented, it will be done by Republicans, as an emergency program following a complete economic collapse. The next FDR may be a Republican.
I heard yesterday that voting is expected to be down in the city of Wilmington in general because of Velda Voters. Her following is not likely to turn out (PUMA anyone?) and it is expected to hurt John Carney. Will John Carney lose enough Wilmington support to lose the election?
I wish that Charles Potter wasn’t such a bitter, nasty soul but from what I saw this morning –a Bonini ad on Channel 28 with spliced-in segments from two regulars on Potter’s teevee shows – Sam Guy and Calvin Brown– and because Potter has refused to engage the post-primary effort to unify the DEM party (or the spirit of return day for that mattter), the Anti-Flowers antics may actually damage Carney and that is one scary proposition.
Urquhart is getting so much less press than ‘the witch’ and looks so much more normal next to her, it is paramount that DEMs start taking on his policy positions directly. I heard Al Mascitti working on it on WDEL a little bit the other day.
It would not be the first time Democrats acted like dumb, short sighted a-holes.
Anon – If Republicans win the White House and both houses of Congress, they would convince the middle class to use the poor as food before they enacted taxes on the wealthy.
Flowers wants to keep his law practice while being State Treasurer? Not a good sign.
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=201010230352
“Will John Carney lose enough Wilmington support to lose the election?”
Look up the numbers for an off-year election in the city of Wilmington’s majority African-American districts. If nobody at all votes, he’ll lose about 4,000 votes. I don’t think that’s enough to make a difference.
The biggest myth in Delaware politics is that someone from “the community” has to be paid so they can “get out the vote.”
“Flowers wants to keep his law practice while being State Treasurer? Not a good sign.”
Because … he might not sign the checks if his clients don’t want him to?
A good sign of what? It’s a separate entity generating money from the private sector which he will not be managing. I don’t understand what the problem is. The spin on this is ridiculous – it’s a non-story.
There is no problem, other than the GOP’s desperation.
Here’s a better question: Bonini missed 62% of the Sunset Committee meetings — and those who attended tell me he never did his reading beforehand when he did show up, wasting hours of everyone’s time asking questions he had the answers to in the papers he didn’t bother to read — yet he characterized it as missing “a few” meetings. Do we want a treasurer who considers nearly 2/3rds “a few”? What the hell kind of watchdog is that?
I like how Bonini minimizes his absences and makes it seem like his participation in the committee was so long ago. It’s a direct reflection on his inability to do the little things and is in direct conflict with his whole watchdog schtick. He’s very good at taking the taxpayer money and telling stories.
the Sunset committtee is the hiding place for lousy lawmakers. Collin is a joke and it is about to be on us. Dems need to gear up to take his seat that could be a net gain.
We need to hammer Bonono on this everyday, in blogs on the News Journal, even at Delusional David’s blog. Anywhere and everywhere. Letters to the Editor, too. Bonono the no show.
“What the hell kind of watchdog is that?”
He’s a watchdog for an opportunity to run for Governor. He doesn’t give a rip about the the Treasurer’s office. He just wants the statewide exposure to someday run for Governor. I think he is as phony as they come.
“He’s a watchdog for an opportunity to run for Governor” Lol. Well put.
he atually stole the Bill Roth Schtick he has a couple big hounds he campaigns with
The watchdog lives 6 miles from Legislative Hall. What good is a watchdog who doesn’t come out of his doghouse?
There are too few Donut shops in that 6 miles!
“No problem” if Flowers uses political office to leverage bid’ness for his law firm?
That’s the sort of thing that one would expect from Vince Fumo [or Bob Weiner].
Why does the guy wanna be State Treasurer, if he isn’t planning to devote an honest 40 hours?
hey there ain’t 20 hours or real work. The closest thing to a pure ceremonial job in the state. You think Fat boy doesn’t know this? The only thing Velda did wrong was not properly disclose
Further more The Great Sen. Fumo fixed a speeding ticket for me in 1981 in a gesture of interstate cooperation, 75 on the Girard Point Bridge. Fond memories:)
Who said he wasn’t going to devote 40 hours to the job?? Good grief folks hear what they want to hear. He has said repeatedly that the treasurer’s office would be his full time job. Are you deaf or just want to keep repeating the wrong info?
pardon me I did not hear you:)
Is he keeping his stake in the law firm? If so, part of his life’s work is to get business for his firm. Congress outlawed this practice 30 years ago.
The State Treasurer is paid $107,300 per year; his apologists say, ” well, it’s just a part-time job.”
This is the guy who pilloried his primary opponent for having a side gig.
Hey Belinsky what did you do after they kicked you out of investigator school? Read up on the duties and powers of the office, Dolt!
Why does the guy wanna be State Treasurer, if he isn’t planning to devote an honest 40 hours?
*
That sounds like a weak attempt to deflect attention away from Bonini collecting Sunset Committee pay and never showing up prepared even when he did manage to show up.
Belinsky, just as one is not expected to sell off one’s stock when elected (a blind trust is found to be sufficient), we can’t have a real system of public service vs career politicians if they can’t expect keep their businesses while they serve in office. You are being deliberately obtuse.
And the side gig was in the news because of lack of disclosure as much as anything. She didn’t disclose the income from the city contract on her 2008 Fin. Disc. Form to the Public Integrity Commission nor did she disclose it to the Governor when he was vetting her for the job.
A law firm is different from an operating business or stock portfolio, Nancy. Congressional ethics reforms after Watergate banned Members of Congress from keeping their law firm sinecures. The potential for compromise and graft was huge then and has only grown since.
I see you like to repeat the wrong info. One more time…
He has no government/state/city clients. Someone else will be running the firm. There are otherattorneys in the firm. Someone else will be running he firm.
Quit acting like you don’t understand english!
Speaking of income for full time work when you have a part time job: someone told me a few months ago that Matt Denn’s salary was bumped from $70K to $100K and he is definately part time.
Someone else will be running the firm? Not so. He’s the only partner: http://www.flowerscounselgroup.com/index.php?page=people
Congressional ethics reforms after Watergate banned Members of Congress from keeping their law firm sinecures
Guess its a good thing he isn’t running for congress.
Guess no one can be promoted or heaven forbid another attorney is brought in. I’m done, don’t listen and think what you want. There are bigger issues surrounding this race then the structure of chip’s private sector firm if he gets elected.
Ok Belinsky you left investigator school and enrolled in “beating dead horse school” So far you can’t even hit the fucking horse! Fat Boy is a useless ethically challanged piece of political trash. But if he were to be elected even he would not fuck up the job. The danger of Fat Boy is giving him a platform and an income stream to pursue higher office.
Does Belinsky translate into english : ‘bellicose’? ‘Cause then I see from where your support extends.
please encourage him he has done a great job keeping my mind off my pain
For the record, Bonini is the worst member of the Senate. It will be good to get him out of there.
I’d give that to Venables but I love that you make yourself look even more like a gold plated idiot. Got more?
Sounds like Chip has the Mensa vote all locked up.
Didn’t he get the nomination by nailing his opponent as a moonlighter?
no he nailed her as one who was taking govt funds from two pots and not disclosing. That she was deceiving her boss the GOV was also helpful. I assume you have a lot of trouble in the Acme discerning the apples from the oranges.
Sorry, Belinsky, it wasn’t Chip who nailed VJP as a moonlighter. One blogger (Nancy Willing) and one newspaper dug out the details. VJP did herself in with inconsistent statements and responses that were politically tone-deaf.
Here’s a thought about Bonini as treasurer, one you don’t have to be a Mensa member to understand. One thing the treasurer has to do is inspire confidence in the state in the banking/finance community. How well will Bonini perform in this area when he seems willing to hold a press conference to denounce every payment he does doesn’t agree with?
(In fact, since he’s never voted for a single state budget, you could make a fair case that the only state payment he does agree with is his own paycheck.)
why is the right insistent in electing the worst possible candidates?
if i get any fucking poorer, its pitchforks and torches for the lot of you
Belinsky is not blessed with rational thought but perhaps you broke that down into mini-mensa form:)
MW:
1. No serious worry about state’s bond rating. The rating agencies don’t care who is state treasurer.
2. Thanks for the clarification. I’ll rephrase: “Didn’t he get the nomination because his opponent was nailed as a moonlighter?”
Flowers is qualified, has a plan and has my vote. Bonini is large, has no plan and doesn’t have my vote.
Hey now there is Belinsky ready comment:)
B:
1. The rating agencies might not care WHO is state treasurer, but they certainly care about the competence of those who manage state funds.
2. In part, yes. But it also had something to do with having more/better ideas, campaigning hard up and down the state (not just in Wilm. and with the party brass) — the same things that give him a significant advantage over CB in talent, diligence, credentials.
The rating agencies don’t care who is state treasurer.
So we could throw Bernie Madoff in there and it wouldn’t affect the ratings? So, a state treasurer with a degree in finance who holds a personal record of stability has no bearing to the rating companies.
Call me a high school grraduate but I would like to think the rating standards go as far and wide concerning where the loans go.
I am a high school graduate, so I’d appreciate if you’d set me str8.
The rating agencies don’t care which stuffed panda holds the job of state treasurer.
You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you? Go back to my hypothetical: Bernie does 90 days, he’s free and clear. Delaware elects him treasurer.
You’re telling me there is NO blowback! You’re saying a guy with shady financials has NO effect on the whole. I want what you’re smoking. Can you meet me in New Castle?
I think a lot of people are afraid that the Peter Principle is still in effect. If Bonini gets elected treasurer and stays in office for one or two terms without any colossal screw-ups, he’ll then be the logical Republican choice for governor (they have no bench). Then if we’re in the midst of another (God forbid) “Republican year” (after 20-24 straight years of Delaware Democratic governors, it’s not a stretch), Bonini gets swept into an office for which he is absolutely unqualified by experience and temperament. He’s gotta be smothered in the crib now.
Chip’s gonna need all the help he can get, though. A lot of progressive Democratic women are telling me they’re going “not voting” on this one, regardless of the legal disposition of the charges against Chip.
Don’t blame me; I voted for Velda. Still would.
Thats the worry. As to “progressive Demo women” Chip needs to do somthing decisive there NOW. He is the ONLY person who can move the issue.
I see that Cassandra is one of the “Progressive DEM Woman” kd is talking about who are stating that they won’t vote for Flowers but I doubt that this is a massive number of people. In the end, DEMs will go to the voting booth knowing that placing the power of government into the hands of the ‘party of no’ is exceedingly dangerous.
If the voters are really going to be voting on job creation and the economy, they are hopefully smart enough to remember which party stold it all away from the middle class.
Read Ari Berman’s post (link below) if you need cheering up about the DEM party and their progressive vs blue dog choices for office:
AriMelber tweet – Who’s afraid of the Blue Dogs? @ariberman says “smaller, more united majority better for progressives” http://nyti.ms/cG3yNI
BTW I watched Norman Oliver last night interview Chris Coons (who defended not hosting a major Obama rally instead of a closed fundraiser because of the $$$ and philly ad market expense)
and interview Chip Flowers who said that the FBI is now involved in investigating fake robocalling downstate that is bothering people with early morning and multiple calls using Chip’s message. Those filthy Dirty DE GOP are up to the same old tricks and wouldn’t it be sweet if a few of those operatives get some face-time in front of a judge.
in front of a judge? that would be tyranny.
Nancy, didnt you get the memo? Conservatives are the true patriots and can do whatever they want, including their second amendment solution to get their way politically. Any attempt to either get them to tell the truth, or to hold them to the same standards as everyone else is an attack on their FIRST amendment rights and if you speak for an organization, it will cause your organization to be shut down for being a Liberal Socialist Mosque.
.
@ariberman says “smaller, more united majority better for progressives”
Of course. The trick is that “majority” part. Who wouldn’t want to lose some Blue Dogs and still keep both houses?
Still hoping for the silver lining of a Dem Senate without Harry Reid.
I am hoping that a lot of the Blue Doggy backroom deals and understandings rest with Reid personally and will all be out the door with Reid. Harry Reid f**ed us on public option and tax cuts for the rich. Not much for Dems to be proud of without those.
Oh yeah – Reid also f**d the whole party by not finding one more vote to break the filibuster on the DISCLOSE Act.
(well, maybe that would have been a longshot)
You gotta be kidding! Do you have any idea how many dems are going to vote for Bonini? The word is out.
TTTT,
Tell us, how many Dems are going to vote for Bonini?
and what word is out where?
i Do have to admitt. it is a great wingnut tactic.
Now that people know the truth about bristol palin, the department of energy will never look at big bird the same way again! Now it is only a matter of time!!!!!
Yes, I have some idea how many: about 2,000, which is — at the outside — the number of city voters loyal to Charles Potter, Mr. Crab in a Basket.
By the way, TTT is just the latest name for the same old hatemonger who poses as a progressive — a person known to all. The fact that the name keeps changing says all you need to know about the credibility there. With friends like this, progressivism needs no enemies.
Splitting the ticket is a Delaware tradition. There is no party lever to pull; you have to vote for the individual. We Delawareans must vote the person, not the party. There are plenty of good Republicans running at the local level, just as there are good Democrats running at the federal level. If we throw the baby out with the bath water the “loyal opposition” will not be there. This is not what we need. Let’s look at positions on the issues, people, not stop our brains from that thinking function.
“There are plenty of good Republicans running at the local level…”
Our definitions of “plenty” must not be the same.
I definately mean top of ticket when voting for keeping the DEM hand on the tiller. I am personally going to be working the polls on election day for Andye Daley, GOP candidate for NCC Council…so there you go.