USA Today: GOP lags in key races for Senate

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-08-31-midterm-elections_x.htm

<snip>

• In Pennsylvania, Sen. Rick Santorum trailed Democrat Bob Casey by 18 percentage points among likely voters, by 14 points among registered voters.

• In Ohio, Sen. Mike DeWine was behind Democrat Sherrod Brown by 6 points among likely voters, by 2 points among registered voters.

• In Montana, three-term Sen. Conrad Burns, who has faced questions in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, was in a close race with Democrat Jon Tester. Tester led by 3 points among likely voters; Burns led by 2 points among registered voters.

• In Missouri, Sen. Jim Talent held a 6-point lead among likely voters over Democrat Claire McCaskill. The two were tied among registered voters.

• In Minnesota, where Republicans hope to pick up an open seat, Democrat Amy Klobuchar led Republican Mark Kennedy by 10 points among likely voters, by 7 points among registered voters.

[yellowcanine]

1. "it would take something really huge to turn around GOP fortunes."

Now there is a scary wag the dog thought.

[jayfish]

3. They Don't Need Anything Like That.

In all of those races, except Santorums', the lead is within or close to the margin of error with respect to registered voters. A little shenanigans and you'll be hearing "Americans stepped to the edge and realized that the War On Terra was to risky to place in the hand of Democrats". I'm counting on it.

Jay

[MrModerate]

6. I don't expect these races to stay the same . . .

Over the next 7 weeks. Some will close and some will widen. We need the widening to be on our side -- outside the MOE by at least 3-4 points -- so as to 1) dispirit 'Lican voters and 2) make stealing the elections too difficult.

[DeeDeeNY]

8. Let's hope a widening lead will help

But no matter what the polls show, the press can always report "upsets" and no one in the mainstream press will dig further, as in 2004.
Reading "Fooled Again" makes me realize just what honest voters are up against in this country and it's scary.

[Kierkegaard]

13. I really hate that you're probably right.

Our democracy is now a mirage.

[bronxiteforever]

2. "for working people all things are going pretty bad"-excellent

quote from the link on the senate race in pa. Great article-economic unease is finally being associated with the architects of the policy-Shrub and his rich boy frat party government-no minimum wage in 10 years yet Congress has gotten several. The GOp always hides their richie rich agenda behind social issue bs-and here is a shout out to all GOPers-you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing

[madmusic]

4. Why is it close ANYWHERE?

The People should realize by now "compassionate conservatism" was merely a slogan. They should realize by now that the entire wingnut "philosophy" is merely propaganda. They ought to know by now that the Right trying to distance themselves from Bush is merely hypocrisy! They had all the power, both Houses and the presidency, and everything that got us here is their fault, not just BushCo's.

[Demeter]

7. Because They Are Either Lying or Cherry-Picking the Data

I t ain't over til it's over November 8, or 9th, or 10th, definitely by Xmas, or New Year's at the latest...

Alright, Jan 21st. Satisfied?

[OzarkDem]

27. Beltway Dems

have wasted the last several years by sitting on their hands, not trying to develop and promote a unified message and vision.

[CraigHinTenn]

5. Don't forget about Tennessee, Harold Ford is picking up steam

Tennessee could become the "swing" state to take the Senate back.

[Straight Shooter]

9. How in the name of blazing hell could Burns be doing so well

He dissed firefighters in Montana, of all places.

:grr:

[Zynx]

12. In the end, I expect we will pull it out, but not by much.

[Bucky]

32. Six simple words: "GAY MARRIAGE! TERRORISTS!!" (rinse & repeat)

Of course "Cut and run" is the new "gay marriage"

[Ediacara]

36. Rasmussen polls him much closer than anyone else

That's how.

[WA98296]

10. I would like to believe it, but they will never let it happen, and they do

control the counting of the "votes", manipulate media "polls" and they do whatever the hell they want, because WHO the hell is going to do ANYTHING about it?

No one. If so, it would already have been done.

If power changes, how many would end up in prison?

I think we'll see another Bush administration...if not W, by some rabbit-out-of-the-hat trick, then newly "elected" Vice President JEB will assume office after McCain somehow dies or resigns. We haven't seen the last of this crime family. Believe me, they have some sort of plan and there is no low that is too low.

What do you think they are capable of doing to retain control of this country and it's resources?

Would they steal our election process? Mislead? Manipulate? Lie? Kill?
I think they would be do that, and more.

EDITED to add: To retain that total control, they will also need the power of the Rubber Stamp congress...that's why I think we are all wishful thinking.

[Hippo_Tron]

38. They only control the counting in certain states

Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee, and Virginia all have Democratic Governors of Secretaries of State. The only state where we need to worry about this year is, once again, Ohio. Fortunately Strickland is ahead by 25 points and will be elected Governor in November. It may be too late for Sherrod Brown if his race stays close, but hopefully Strickland will be able to fix the Ohio mess by the time 2008 rolls around.

[doctor_garth]

11. time to activate Diebold again

let´s see how they´ll get away with it this time.

[newyawker99]

15. Hi doctor_garth!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[9119495]

14. Don't forget Rhode Island

Chaffee may not make it out of the primary so that state would probably go blue.

[opihimoimoi]

17. The closet wanna be Sheeler is at 8% and no threat to anyone

Whitehouse will take the State it seems...Go Blue Rhode Island...

[Bucky]

28. What are the latest poll numbers for Chafee's primary race in RI?

Is his true believer opponent gonna win or are Rhode Island Republicans smarter than that?

[orleans]

16. Adopt A Senator Campaign

i think this is so important:

please see the link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2796935

[SPCAworks]

18. I wonder

is it possible to revisit 1861. Possibly a Blue and Red secession? How about a national referendum offering a choice between red and blue. Let the 'thugs have Texas, Alabama and the "uneducated" South. The Blue UNION would have it's own President and judicial/leg branches... the "thugs would have their own. We'd be 2 SEPARATE countries connected by highways, phone lines and commerce. Of course the Blue states would become "bluer" as 'thugs move away to the red states. Put the new capital in NYC :D
They can fight their own wars, support their own oil co's and whatever... The Blue States would have green energy, REAL Medical research, fair taxation, no WAL MARTS!, no kill animal shelters, no animal cruelty and no gun violence and properly support the poor and elderly. The wealth of the Blue states is immense and would be even RICHER without holding up the meth addicted, buck tooth, cousin breedin' Red states. lol.

What's wrong with SECESSION??

Can anyone argue against it?

[moose65]

19. I can argue against it!

Since I'm a resident of one of those "meth addicted, buck tooth, cousin breedin' Red states." You (and many others) fail to realize that at least 40% of the residents of those states are just as liberal as you are. Why would you want to throw them away? Aren't there rednecks in those blue states too?? Let me say it for the 1,000th time: North Carolina has a Dem governor and both houses of the state legislature are controlled by Dems. We also have 600,000 more registered Dems than Republicans. Some of the so-called red states aren't all that red, and some blue states have large swaths of red. I know I'm fighting a losing battle, but could we please stop these divisive "get rid of the South" messages?

[SPCAworks]

20. yes but

wouldn't you rather live in the Blue America?

Maybe the 'thugs would run down to SC or Georgia. What I'm trying to say is... we don't really like them and they don't like us. They can live with THEIR kind of neighbors and we can live with ours. What's wrong with that?

And the only reason the South has Democrats is because many are programmed that Southern Democrat means Lee, Stuart, Johnston, Braggs and Forrest. How many Southerners are liberal?

A liberal country would be amazingly successful and wealthy.

[w4rma]

21. No. (nt)

[moose65]

22. hmmmm

How do you propose to rid your Blue America of all those conservatives, and also relocate that "handful" of Southern liberals? A lot of the liberals in the South have moved here from other states. True, there are many old time Southerners who are Dems because of that long history, but that will change eventually as well. Have you ever even BEEN to the South?

[SPCAworks]

23. I don't think

You won't have to "get rid" of anyone. The new DSA (Democratic states of America) would consist of 3 Geographical areas including the Pacific block of California, Oregon and Washington. The second area would be the Great Lakes block including Il, Mi, Mn and Wi. And the third area would be from Pennsylvania and Md up to Maine. The 4th would be the Hawaiian islands. These 4 areas would be governed by a new exec, jud and leg body in NYC. The USA and DSA would have their own laws and gov't. The freeways connecting the countries would be maintained by taxes imposed on the carriers who use the routes. Infrastructure not neccessary to intercountry trade would be the responsibility of the individual country. We would have our own military, our own legal system. It'd be kinda like a divorce, the country basically splits it's assets including tanks, planes and bombs. Every few years you'd give the red states an opportunity to hold a vote to join the DSA.

The DSA would have a firm anti war policy, no involvement in foreign entanglements. We'd open lines of communications to ALL parties for int'l diplomacy. We'd have proper social programs, the way the USA SHOULDA been. We'd have TRULY equal opportunity, fair taxation and communities would control the corporations not the other way around.

A conservative in Orange County California could stay in the DSA and live under it's laws... or he could move over to Arizona or Nevada. And likewise, a liberal in Texas could move to California. People who are "apolitical" could stay wherever they want. Believe me... after gun bans and gay marriage legalization and proper taxation... the deep red types would get out!!

And HAVE I been to the South you ask? Well yes. I've been to Tennessee and I really like it, other than the gun racks in the back window, confederate flag bumper stickers, etc. And I've been to Virginia and Texas. Also decent states I guess... but what's to miss by leaving them?

[Bucky]

29. SPCA, please try thinking in more than one dimension.

Thanks for the insults, SPCA.

And the only reason the South has Democrats is because many are programmed that Southern Democrat means Lee, Stuart, Johnston, Braggs and Forrest. How many Southerners are liberal?

Your plodding, fact-free, tribal rhetoric is amusing, but useless. Um, with all due respect, that is.

To answer your question, lots of Southerners are liberal. The polite North Carolinian poster you were replying to already told you 40% are Democrats (if we're discounting independents, that number is actually pretty low). You respond to that information by pulling some 30 year old bullshit about Dixiecrats out of your ass. A majority of Southerners today were either born in what you'd call Union states or had parents born outside the South. There are many many liberal cities--Houston, Austin, Atlanta--and even progressive rural areas (northeast Texas regularly produces progressive Democratic candidates).

Since the extent of your political knowledge seems to precede the invention of air conditioning, I should let you know that your flat earth approach to political analysis shares one important feature with Fox News. When you talk about voters, you seem to include only white voters. There are million of Southerners who would never identify with Confederate generals because their ancestors were "owned" (or rather claimed to be owned) by Confederates. Maybe you don't think they count. But you're dead wrong. Those voters are Democrats by choice because they know that when the importatnt battles were fought, the Democrats stood up on the side of the angels. For that matter, a lot of Southerners of all colors vote for Democrats for exactly that reason.

[maseman]

33. Come on

You are making some really strange and broad arguments. Mainly a pipe dream. When people start talking about utopias it doesn't work. Look how mauch emotion and bickering happens here even on DU.

I live in a very blue city in a very red state. I wouldn't give up where I live because of some other idiots around my city. Fuck 'em.

[Johnny Noshoes]

24. You know as a New Yorker born and raised

I also get tired of "South bashing". There are people on our side in every region of the country. You don't win friends over to our side with stereotypes.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Johnny Noshoes]

26. okay so lets do this shall we

Saw off the south and let it drift off by itself:sarcasm: Gee Los Angeles - brown air, jammed freeways,too many fake plastic blondes, should I go on ... no because cliches and stereotypes are fun but THEY DON'T WIN FRIENDS OVER to our side of the aisle. Yeah you could come up with plenty of cliches about New York too - I've heard 'em all and they don't bother me.

"It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, no matter how satisfying and reassuring."
- Carl Sagan

[Bucky]

30. I think it's time to quit feeding this one, No Shoes.

You're being goaded. Let the child go play with someone in his own IQ range.

[SPCAworks]

34. but

you missed my main argument... how about the existence of two countries in the geographical USA?

And yes, I was trying to be funny... I know the South isn't ALL bad of course. But that shouldn't overshadow the point I'm trying to make.

So you up for a secession v 2.0??

[Johnny Noshoes]

35. Yeah Bucky

I'm just gonna put this person on my ignore list.

[Beetwasher]

31. Those 5 Plus RI and VA Give Us the Senate, And It's Very Doable

n/t

[Imagevision]

37. Now if we can only keep tabs on these GD. Diebolds!!!

[LaPera]

39. "Republicans Hold Majority in Both Houses!" The voters trusted Bush

& the republicans more, with "the war on terrorism" and their safety....The voters apparently also gave votes of confidence & assurance to Bush, that they want to win the war in Iraq and not "Cut & Run"!!!!

The media reporting Rove/White House spin on November 8th 2006 (a day after the elections).

Where electronic voting fraud accusations are being reported all across the country concerning electronic voting machines...Dem's say there was massive fraud all over the country and are going to look into it!

Republicans say prove it... (of course there is no way to prove it either way, with those republican owned Diebold machines)

Dem's are accused of being sore losers & sour grapes.

Republicans will take their seats, be sworn in on January 16th 2007 and continue the Bush fascist agenda, just as the voters (or machines) said they wanted.