Yeah, all the talking heads would have been out there the next day proclaiming how the Obama revolution still continued to be popular. Even the NY Democrat was a blue-dog Democrat...a type of democrat the far left don't like.

Actually I think this was less an anti-Obama vote than it was a rejection of the leftwing Congressional Democrats....and I think they know it. Even Pelosi is trying to run with her bills before there is a rebellion. Americans sent a message and Dems will ignore it at their own peril.

Because of what is happening in Washington the Dems here in Texas have pretty much stopped talking about gaining a majority in 2010 and just hope to keep the gains they have now. In fact I just heard a Dem state rep will convert to the Republicans in an effort to keep their seat.

Meanwhile since both the elections in Afghanistan and here at home are over Obama can now make a decision on sending troops to Afghanistan. Though he will wait a couple weeks to pretend like the elections weren't why he was waiting.

 

Antonious

Austin, TX American-Statesman

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...as to the elections (mid-term).... thanks for the warning. It appears that the far right only wants others from the far right to have a say in the future of the party as seen in the election that was won by the Democrats and perhaps the one that does have some national importance. No room for the middle in the good old GOP-ers. The tea parties have gone the way of all bad ideas that pretend to be about what they are not - away.

 

mostlymalarkey

Wausau, WI Daily Herald

[Very unfair, malark. The tea party movement is made up of Conservatives, Independents and Libertarians -- and a handful of  Republicans -- who care enough to sacrifice their time and money to travel to faraway places to protest the Dear Leader and his kommie kongress. Those of us on the far right welcome all and couldn't care less what party they come from as long as they will fight against the aforementioned. -ED]

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That last minute endorsement cost your boy the election, Eddo. She's the cancer that will end up killing your little movement. Are you in the 23rd?

XOXO.

 

JayE3

Lansing, MI State Journal

[The other side of the coin, ducksauce, is that without "her" input the Unknown Candidate would have been left holding the bag -- the paper one he would have been removing from his head on Wednesday. I reside in the CD adjacent to the 23rd. Luv ya too, bro. -ED]

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The lamestream media is attacking and blaming Sarah Palin for NY 23, but not a word about obama and Va and NJ. What a hoot. A dem win would have had chris mathews other leg tingling.

 

deserttrek

Palm Springs, CA Desert Sun

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Sometimes I think it is too bad that McCain didn't get elected. The republicans would be too busy drooling over Palin to have time to lay people off, and the war with Russia would have stimulated the economy better plus killed enough young men to lower unemployment numbers...

 

rainbowed

Great Falls, MT Tribune

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Couple of points Ed.

First of all, conservatives should be extremely happy with the outcome of their efforts in the state of Virginia. Although I consider any state South of the Mason Dixon line to be a "Red" State, any spread of liberalism in the commonwealth seems to have been snuffed out for the time being.

New Jersey??? Cmon... Nothing much has changed in New Jersey. Jon Corzine was just that bad.

Now "tiny" NY-23 is a little more interesting. You say that the 5% who voted for the "R" did so because they either didn't hear that the republican had dropped out, or did so out of habit. I disagree.

For a district that has voted for a Republican for the last 130 years, I think the vast majority of that 5% "R" vote was in protest of the national Republican party meddling in their local Republican party affairs. If I was a moderate republican, I might not want to vote for the democrat endorsed by my candidate, but I sure as heck wouldn't want Sarah Palin telling me how to vote either. A good "protest vote" would be for the candidate the bullies on capitol hill and Fox News pushed out.

And then there was Maine. Yes, gay marriage fell there... but gay marriage is the civil rights issue for the next generation (60+% of people under age 30 support it). Washington State (with more young people) approved Referendum 71, which marked the first time legislation to expand gay rights has been approved by a statewide vote of the people, anywhere in the US. I suspect that in 10 years time that "issue" will go from a rallying point to a liability for Republicans (if there isn't a Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage nationwide in the mean time). I guess we'll have to wait and see.

But other than that... spot on Ed! ;-)

 

FreindsElectric

St. Cloud, MN Times

[You're entitled to your opinions but I don't think you've refuted mine.  I'll stand on what I've written. -ED]

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The voters of the 23rd District got a better conservative out of the Democrat than they would've out of Scuzzyfava. Hoffman got in late, was under-funded, and lived outside the district. Owen will be up for re-election next year. He won't roll over easy for Pelosi or he won't have a chance for re-election, which isn't likely anyway. You're right about it, eddo. If the Dems had won New Jersey and Virginia they'd have been crowing and preening something awful. As it is they're just echoing Nancy's proclamation. If you think about it a moment, that's a pretty sad commentary.

 

WWWIII

Lansing, MI State Journal

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Hey Eddo, I think 2010 will be interesting. The polls show the the average American is fed up. The moderates are disgusted by what the "moderate" Obama has become. The conservatives are sick of the liberal GOP. The progressives are mad that Obama is not living up to his Marxist roots.  I think this is a good chance for a third party platform to make some gains. Is there a party that could lay the ground work for a Perot type challenge in 2012? Interesting times we live in.

Spebak
Coachella Valley, CA

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Although I would take the Tea Party over the demowit party. I still believe conservative Republican values are what this country needs. Reagan was no Tea Partier. Try to swing to far to the right and we will ensure the left stays in power.

 

andy in la la land

Austin, TX American-Statesman

[But while they're in power we need to be far enough to the right of them to point out the differences. If we never return to power I'd rather be governed by moderates than kommies. -ED]

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The lamestream media is attacking and blaming Sarah Palin for NY 23, but not a word about obama and Va and NJ. What a hoot. A dem win would have had chris mathews other leg tingling.

 

deserttrek

Palm Springs, CA Desert Sun

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As a life long Independent I felt good about the results in NY 23.. Yes the result could have been better. Hoffman proved an Independent can come out of no-where and kick the establishment in the rear. Sure he lost, but not by much. Effectively this was the first real test of the Tea Party concept, just an experiment.

 

Grumpyelder

Tallahassee, FL Democrat

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These elections have shown that "We The People" are waking up and there is little doubt in my mind that we can say goodbye to Obama in three years!

 

Beenaroundsome

Palm Desert, CA

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 oh boy did you hit the nail on the head

 

Anonymous

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There ain't a spit's worth of difference in either Party. ALL OF THEM!!  They're all nothing but a bunch of money grubbing S.O.B.s and that's it.

 

gas hog

Austin, TX American-Statesman

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Excellent points, Eddo. Excellent analysis. Almost makes me wish I'd written that...

 

novelator

Great Falls, MT Tribune

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Even though I am a liberal I would call this a fair and truthful assessment of the current political situation. I am somewhat ashamed of my own party. However, some of those people who have commented on this post have exceptionally skewed versions of reality.

 

Anonymous

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Talk to anyone working with the Republican party on a national level and you'll find more fears than confidence. The Republican party came out right after the election siting a need for new direction and leadership. No one from the right can claim either of those goals have been reached. I would think you would be hard pressed to find more than a handful of Republicans who would say with a straight face that those issues have even been addressed.


Their fundraising is sustained by donors with the average age of 65. That means that their base is shrinking. The Republicans should be happy with the victories they got but to act like it's a sure sign of things to come is a little premature and should have major concern about the 100+ year hold that they lost.

 

MarxistCommieLib

St. Cloud, MN Times

[My commentary is about current anti-Democrat victories and near-victories -- in particular one by an unknown candidate from a party that has hither-to-fore been unknown even in his own state. Congressional challengers in 2010 that represent the same anti-Obama platforms will do quite well regardless of their party affiliations. Tea party protesters will vote in record numbers and will support candidates...not parties. The Obama cult of personality will be neutralized, albeit too late for the USA. -ED]