Mar 08 2008
How Bad Off Is The GOP This Year? We will Learn A Lot Today
Final Update: It seems there may be more at play in this special election than one of my readers first indicated (and then denied – the comments are there for folks to parse). Another reader, WWS, notes this factor:
Foster’s ads reminded voters that Oberweis — who campaigned on a very hard line against illegal immigrants — was found to have two working for a subcontractor at one of his ice cream shops.
…
Oberweis has lost three statewide campaigns for U.S. Senate and governor, taking heat each time for controversial statements and ads, including one in which he hovered in a helicopter above Soldier Field, complaining that 10,000 illegal aliens enter the country every day, enough to fill Soldier Field every week. Experts disputed his numbers.
I was not following this race at all (in fact did not know it was happening until last night) so I was not aware Oberweis was an Immigration Hypochondriac (which I thought made one a ‘true conservative’ if you listen to talk radio). It was a close race, so I suggest the GOP find another contender – one that doesn’t repulse conservatives in a district that has been deep red for two decades.
Updates Below
There is special election today in Illinois to replace Denny Hastert, former GOP Speaker of the House. The election will be a signal as to how the GOP is doing this year, and so far it has looked bleak as a very conservative district has turned very competitive:
Democrat Bill Foster and Republican Jim Oberweis are virtually deadlocked in what should be a solidly Republican district in the northern Illinois exurbs, according to polls and political observers.
In the past few days, two independent political handicappers, Charlie Cook and Stuart Rothenberg, each have reassessed the contest as a toss-up instead of one that leans in favor of Oberweis. At least one poll has shown Foster with a slim lead in the final days of the campaign.
Democrats are salivating over the possibility of picking up not just a Republican-held district but the one that had been the official seat of House GOP power for the eight years before Democrats’ takeover in 2006.
The Dems in Congress have performed less than stellar, and they actually rank below Bush in terms of popular support. The fact this race is even in doubt is an illustration of how badly the GOP has self destructed. Hopefully its image is on the mend with things looking up in Iraq and all the Dems predictions of failure there have been proven totally wrong. We will know soon enough.
Booman Tribune has a good map of the district IL-14, and here is a link to the results. So far nothing (8:53 PM Eastern).
8:58 PM Eastern: 12% reporting in and the dem is winning 55%-45%. Probably too early but not a good sign from what was a deep red district.
10:10 PM Eastern: Dems win. Reader Vince tells me frustrated ‘true conservatives didn’t get their person so they stayed home and helped elect a Democrat. And people wonder why ‘true conservatives’ are not considered reliable, credible or honorable political allies? So the purists will risk everything to get their way. OK – as long they are in the minority and without a voice at the table they can pretend that plan is working to their hearts content.
Except that Spitzer will get a book deal and hugs and kisses from Barney Frank and the republicans will get…well…usually acquitted.
Not exactly. If you removed all the names in the above list except the ones who were actually convicted and/or plead guilty, you’d still have a very long list. Certainly..more than “3” that some thing to think 🙂
More than you are apparently willing to admit as you continue to try and make excuses for what is right in front of your face. (which I dare say..is part and parcel a large part of what is wrong with the RNC today)
Spitzer is not that different from your avg corrupt republican. He claimed moral superiority and the high ground and chastised those who dare question him. Blamed others for the investigations he found himself in then got busted out. He deserves what he gets. JUST like those RNC members who have betrayed the public trust.
Ooops..there goes another one.
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/03/10/mark-pryor-to-run-unopposed-for-senate-after-republicans-fail-to-field-challenger/
DC,
You really need to go back to first grade and learn how to read. I don’t hear anyone here making excuses for any corrupt politician. They disgust me and it sounds like they disgust most everyone. It doesn’t matter which party they’re in. You, however seem to only want to dwell on the Republican corruption instead of the Dems corruption. And don’t say that it’s because it’s that corruption that hurt the Rep. party. The American public is disgusted with public corruption at all levels and in all parties. At least the Republicans try and rid themselves of those corrupt individuals when the corruption comes to light. Unfortunately for America, the Dems can’t say the same.
To use the excuse that because someone didn’t campaign on being a “clean” politician they are somehow less contemptible is absurd.
No one here is making excuses, they are challenging YOU on statements that you have made or implied that are separate from any discussion about political corruption.
If Dc is looking for a corruption list he only need look at the list of Clinton pardons. And those are just the ones that got away.
Really? Challenging me? hahahahaha. Give me a break.
It’s real simple…see if you can follow along: Barney Franks may be gay…but he doesn’t pretend NOT to be so he can go on a crusade against gays….then get caught with a man. Can you see the difference? It just makes the fall all that much harder.
That’s why I’m being hard on RNC. Because they betray the very things they say they stand for, that people vote for them for, then chastise others in the party because they aren’t “conservative enough”. I’m hard on Spitzer for the same reaon….MR Clean up the corruption….needed to start with himself.
Those are the ones who fall hardest. And it’s the biggest problem with the RNC right now….that they simply cannot admit they have a problem and need to rebuild trust with people before they can start hammering out their holier than though message again. Because frankly….it’s not working—incase you haven’t noticed. The far right of the party has lost all crediblity and used up all their get out of jail free cards. And they STILL won’t admit they have a problem and work to regroup and rebuild. And now, facing tough races all over..what do they do? They run of course. Away.
As far as blaming me for posting that long list…..I simply was obliging the person who asked me to show that more than 3 repulbicans were ever guity of such dispicable behavior. You can remove all the “indictments” and “investigations” and etc…and just sum up the “guilty” and convicted and you’d STILL have a very long list. You dont’ like that do you? What? You think “I” made that up just to tick you off? hahahaha.
I think you are the one with the over active imagination my friend.
Yes…what made things a lot worse for Clinton was his denai. His finger shaking…I…did…no…have…sex ..with that woman..etc. The same thing that’s destroying Roger Clemens and what chance he ever had of rebuilding his career right now….not “just’ that he had a steroid problem….but that he tried to front over it and blame others for the situation he was in..and he got caught. It’s 10x worse now for him than it was for “any” pro athelete who simply admitted…yea…I used them.
That’s the point. The RNC has some soul searching and rebuilding to do. They haven’t even recognized yet….that they have a problem. They think everybody else is the problem!! Couldn’t be “them”. hahahaha. Give me a break.
DC,
You and your kind believe “right wing” republicans are self righteous hypocrites. Then you delight in finding some with “feet of clay .”
If no one stood for what is good, the result would be a cesspool for all. I, for one, applaud leaders who risk derision and stand for the best in human nature, both in policy and by example.
What you forget is that everyone of those “clay foots” up there come from somebodies district. People who know them. People who supported them, believed in them, voted for them.
And people who were betrayed by them.
It takes time to rebuild that trust and that has to come sincerely from contrition of those who have wronged here. And I can tell you for damn sure…the people who have committted the wrong here are NOT the voters and neighbors and supporters who believed in them and what they claimed they stood for.
That includes “me and my kind” …..people who voted for republicans.
DC,
You persist in your belief that the Republicans are somehow worse in their corruption because the party as a whole takes the high road on most moral issues, even though there will always be some in every group whose morals are not up to the standard. And you continue to have some fixation with Barney Frank as being above the fray because he campaigned as a gay man and was elected as one. Yes he was, but not at first. And he isn’t free from scandal, although his being gay does shield him from much criticizm as liberals tend to play the homophobe card if a gay is ever criticized. Oh yeah, and they are the first to “out” a Republican gay man since they don’t toe the “gay” line. But liberals take their corruptors back in the fold. The Republicans cut them loose.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-spitzer-sex-scandals-glance,1,125842.story
There will always be scandals. The Republicans would be hurt by them only if they welcomed the corruptors with open arms. The Dems make a point of promoting their corruptors, as a slap in the face of good, decent, law-abiding Americans. They are the ones least trusted…which is why their government handouts are so important. Where would they be without them?
DC,
Just courious, are you able to produce such a fabulous list of corrupt Democrats as quickly as you could the Republicans?
DC,
And once again your reading comprehension needs a lot of work.
Here’s my comment:
“Those guilty should be out on their hypocritical butts but who other than the 2 obvious culprits are you talking about?”
And here’s your justification for posting the long list…
“As far as blaming me for posting that long list…..I simply was obliging the person who asked me to show that more than 3 repulbicans were ever guity of such dispicable behavior.”
That took quite a bit of twisting of words, DC. Quite dishonest of you.
Whippet, “dishonest debate” is the raison d’etre of the left. Having no single successful result of their idealogy, to keep it alive in the public sphere they have to bend or outright lie about the positions of their opponents to keep it alive in the public eye. This is also why they need to keep their base as frenzied and stupid as possible to maintain their hold. It’s the reason they keep an iron grip on public education in this country. Communists have used this method for 100 years and continue to hang onto it in central and south America because the pickings for the poor and uneducated are so prevalent. The left would love nothing more than an entire nation of poor, stupid, and subserviant to their elite will.
Macker and Whippet, do you find it comically ironic that Dc finds republican hypocrisy a worse moral crime than the actual democrats who support immorality itself? That’s quite the conscience he must have to quickly turn on a dime and drag an entire republican party through the mud for the malfeasance of some of it’s members and yet able to hold such pride in a party that not only defends their own indiscretions but holds them in such high esteem. And them claims that is the conservatives being rejected…the very conservatives who are trying to clean this ilk out of Washington altogether? I mean honestly, what kind of idiot brings Barney Frank into a discussion of deviant malfeasance to make HIS argument?
“I mean honestly, what kind of idiot brings Barney Frank into a discussion of deviant malfeasance to make HIS argument?”
YOU DID!
“Dc: Barney Frank isn’t from Illinois”
Whippet, why didn’t you quote the whole thing:
DC,
Who exactly are these numerous corrupt politicians you speak of running the RNC? Or are you ignorantly confusing actual corrupt politicians with those actually running the party? Or are you making the assumption that the entire Republican philosophy is now all about corruption? You seen overly obsessed with “plooking” of little boys and bathroom stalls. Where pray tell is this running rampant within the Republican party? Those guilty should be out on their hypocritical butts but who other than the 2 obvious culprits are you talking about? And I’m curious about all these illegal backroom deals you’re exposing…further enlighten us all, please. And please be specific about who you’re calling an “asswipe.”
And so…I did. And then some. I made a specific list..with links. Then, you and “Lefty” “challenge me” to present evidence of my arguments and opinions (as if I need any). OK…I present….”you”!
Uh, yes…to make MY argument. You foolishly used him to make YOUR argument, which of course, was completely asinine. We’ll just add this one to your growing list of dishonest debate examples.
as I’ve said before, “brilliant minds at work here, people”
DC,
I didn’t repost my whole comment because I didn’t want to be redundant for the others here whose reading comprehension skills are just fine. As a matter of fact, by posting the whole thing it only proves more of my point of what YOU brought up since you were so busy talking about the 2 Republicans either plooking little boys or having fun in bathroom stalls and how you have twisted the responses.
And you are the one who brought up Barney Frank and that he ran on the plank of being a gay man and was elected that way. Funny, how when you are faced with the facts you change the argument.
I prefer honesty in debate.
Dc, who is “Lefty”?