Wednesday Open Thread
Welcome to your Wednesday open thread. I’m still tied up with a conference for work so I won’t be around very much today. Have fun and be good without me.
Lost yesterday among the Souder scandal and the Blumenthal mess was chicken queen Sue Lowden’s newest scandal. She really does believe in barter.
Senate candidate Sue Lowden (R-NV) is now under fire for a possible campaign finance violation, with one of her Republican primary opponents calling foul over her use of a luxury R.V. given to the campaign by a supporter.
A week and a half ago, Lowden claimed that the RV had been donated: “Why would anyone want to demean the fact that someone donated an RV to me? It’s unfortunate that no one donated an RV to them.”
The Lowden campaign now says, however, that the the R.V. was officially leased to Lowden by casino owner Carl Giuduci and his wife Elsie Giuduci, who have each made in-kind contributions to Lowden for the vehicle’s use that are listed as being under the legal limit of $2,400 per-person. As the Las Vegas Review Journal notes: “According to a redacted lease agreement released by the campaign that did not provide any dollar figures, Lowden must return the vehicle after she is done using it during her bid for public office.”
I’m sure Harry Reid is hoping the gaffe-tastic Sue Lowden is his opponent in November. The primary in Nevada is on June 8.
Conventional wisdom is still on the side of a Republican wave year but the suprisingly strong showing by Mark Critz in PA-12 (a district won by McCain in 2008) has some questioning the conventional wisdom:
Is this really 1994? Here’s another lesson we learned from last night: A good campaign can overcome a tough political environment. In the only contest pitting a Democrat against a Republican, Mark Critz (D) defeated Tim Burns (R) in the special congressional election to replace the late Rep. Jack Murtha (D) in Pennsylvania. As we’ve pointed out, this isn’t a good sign for the GOP in its quest to take back the House in November. Why? Because this was a race that Republicans — in this kind of political environment — should have been able to win. Yes, Democrats outnumber Republicans in the district. And, yes, the Dem turnout in the competitive Sestak-vs.-Specter primary helped Critz (though the statewide Dem turnout wasn’t overly impressive). But this was the only congressional district in the country that John Kerry won in ’04 but Obama lost in ’08, meaning that it was ripe for the picking. Remember, back in 1994, Republicans were the ones winning House special elections. But can this be ’94 all over again if the Democrats are the ones winning these things — four straight this cycle (PA-12, NY-23, CA-10, NY-20) and seven since 2008 (IL-14, MS-1, LA-6). By the way, there was a ton of finger-pointing among House Republicans after they lost the NY-23 special late last year; it could be worse internally after last night.
Also, what happened to Rasmussen? They stopped polling most of these races at the end of April.
Tags: Open Thread
It looks like the repubertarian hero Rand Paul is as racist as his old man, Ron:
Rand Paul this morning “I think at one time people used to think of golf and golf courses and golf clubs as being exclusive. But I think in recent years now you see a lot of people playing golf. I think Tiger Woods has helped to broaden that in the sense that he’s brought golf to a lot of the cities and to city youth, and so no, I don’t think it’s nearly as exclusive as people once considered it to be.”
Because city youth are all black, of course.
Also, what happened to Rasmussen? They stopped polling most of these races at the end of April.
Kos called them out on this but good. Rasmussen only wants to play when they have the opportunity to set a pro-Republican narrative. When reality doesn’t even remotely cooperate, Ras takes a powder.
Critz is an anti-choice right wind guy, that’s why he won. That district was all about pork and he worked for pork-God Murtha, so that’s how they voted.
I predict you’ll never see a “democratic” vote from that district, whoever reps it.
I agree, Critz is another Blue Dog whom we’ll probably really dislike. The interesting thing is that Burns ran on a repeal HCR platform and got slaughtered.
Another interesting point is that when given a choice these voters went with conservative-lite. Tea Partiers should sit up and take notice.
Rendell gets credit for this win by scheduling the Special on the same day as the primary.
Arizona Official “Threatens” to Cut Off Los Angeles Power as Payback for Boycott
Fox News ^ | May 19, 2010 | Judson Berger
Gary Pierce, a commissioner on the five-member Arizona Corporation Commission, wrote the letter in response to the Los Angeles City Council’s decision last week to boycott the Grand Canyon State — in protest of its immigration law — by suspending official travel there and ending future contracts with state businesses.
Noting that a quarter of Los Angeles’ electricity comes from Arizona power plants, Pierce threatened to pull the plug if the City Council does not reconsider.
“Doggone it — if you’re going to boycott this candy store … then don’t come in for any of it,” Pierce told FoxNews.com.
In the letter, he ridiculed Villaraigosa for saying that the point of the boycott was to “send a message” by severing the “resources and ties” they share.
“I received your message; please receive mine. As a statewide elected member of the Arizona Corporation Commission overseeing Arizona’s electric and water utilities, I too am keenly aware of the ‘resources and ties’ we share with the city of Los Angeles,” Pierce wrote.
“If an economic boycott is truly what you desire, I will be happy to encourage Arizona utilities to renegotiate your power agreements so Los Angeles no longer receives any power from Arizona-based generation.”
LOL. Arizona can’t do that without seeing their power facilities being taken over by the Feds.
Civil War, anyone?
Big talk from a state that relies on other states for water.
Pandy, I assume you are refering to California which relies on water diverted from Colorado, Nevada and Arizona.
I would speculate on the possibility of Brown-Outs in LA but that could sound racist…
Students Asked For “Citizen Status” Before Obama Commenncement
http://www.mlive.com/ ^ | May 19, 2010 | Julie Mack
KALAMAZOO — The White House appears to be laying the groundwork for President Barack Obama to shake the hand of each senior at Kalamazoo Central High School’s commencement ceremony next month. Seniors are being asked to provide their birthdates, Social Security numbers and citizen status to the Secret Service so background checks could be performed. Such a check is required for anyone who gets within an arm’s length of the president, students were told at their senior breakfast Friday.
BAHAHA this one has it all… Birth Certificates, racist profiling of imigrants…
the new one is up and it’s a hit. Only one reference to retard too. kid friendly this time!!!
http://www.gabcast.com/channel/88/episode/145
Donviti not yet fired? Playboy 3D, Wanna feel old? DelawareLiberal, Unstable Isotope, Anti-Establishment, Joe Stestak, Arleen Specter, Obama, Warren Commission, Rendell, Moderate my ass, Mike Castle, Thank God for Politicians, Christine O’Donnell, Pandora, Mike Protack, Pat Burell, Cyber Stalker, NRO, Washington Times, World net Daily, White people have it bad, Common Sense Political Thought (the blog), Miss USA pushing back, Daniel Pipes, Institute of Peace, Whites so put upon, Donviti plan for ending racism, Donviti guide to identifying Muslims, pigshit insane Frank Knotts, Dave Burris, Delaware Tomorrow, Michele Rollins, defeatism, We (republicans) are losing and nobody likes us, John Carney, Meg Whitman, married into money, beauty pageants, moderates no guiding ideology, Che Rivera, Karl Marx, CIA drones, Newt Gringrich smart but full of black beetles, Sarah Palin, Tyler Nixon, Capt. Stubbing, Allan Loudell, Mark Souter’s mistress hot, abstinence, Vitter diapers
DV and Jason, this deserves its own post….. LOL.