The Dangers of Handicapping (Liberal oasis about the lessons of OH-2)

[Mass]

http://www.liberaloasis.com/archives/073105.htm#080305

Last night, Paul Hackett showed that, with a principled message and decent resources, a political nobody can come out of nowhere and defy conventional wisdom.

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Beltway Dems and grassroots liberals will certainly crow about the strong showing, citing professional handicapper Charlie Cook’s earlier assessment that “a Schmidt win of less than five points should be a very serious warning sign for Ohio Republicans that something is very, very wrong”.

But crowing about beating expectations is one thing. Turning today’s moral victory into tomorrow’s substantive victory is another.

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It’s not fine for practitioners, at least those who want to win. They should not be handicapping, they should be fighting.

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So “popular” Dems chose not to run for Senate in RI and IN. So no one of supposed stature has yet declared to run in NV, OH, ME, VA, MO or AZ. So what?

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Of course they should do all they can to strengthen the Dems’ hand heading in to ’06.

But they, and we, should not conclude after they are finished recruiting that the game is already won or lost.

Because Paul Hackett reminded everyone that weak hands can still be played well.

[Inland]

1. Absolutely true. Close only counts in horseshoes and atomic bombs.

These republicans don't care how much of America hates them as long as money and dirty tricks and voting "irregularites" wins the office. Once there, all they have to do is continue to bravely thwart the will of the people until the next cheating, er, election.

49.9% and a good showing and telling the repugs how much the people hate them and their policies doesn't mean squat to what happens to our country. Win by one, win by a trillion, the pugs will screw us.