Are we overlooking the Senate race in Missouri ??

[kentuck]

Talent won in a squeaker in 2000. Some polls are showing McCaskill up. Could this be the race that puts the Dems over the top?
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http://projects.washingtonpost.com/elections/keyraces/18/

<snip>
If there were any questions about whether targeted Republicans would distance themselves from President Bush in order to win re-election this fall, the last month in Missouri has answered them. Sen. Jim Talent went on the air with his first ad, in which a narrator says "most people don't care if you're red or blue, Republican or Democrat." The commercial never mentions Talent's party affiliation. Instead it ends with the phrase "Jim Talent. Works." State Auditor Claire McCaskill and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee will be sure to remind Missouri voters of the "R" after Talent's name and turnout should be in their favor thanks to two ballot initiatives -- one on an increase in the minimum wage and another on the expansion of stem-cell research -- that are expected to draw Democrats to the polls.

[benny05]

1. Poll Released today

Shows them almost neck and neck.

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060904/NEWS01/609040348/1007

[saltpoint]

2. I'm not overlooking the Missouri Senate race at all. I'm rooting for

Claire to beat the living shit out of that Bush droid Jim Talent.

A blue Missouri Senate seat this year would be REAL nice.

[kentuck]

5. That would be nice...

But, most of the close races, by the prognosticators do not mention Missouri. They mention RI, PA, MT, OH an perhaps, VA and TN. Missouri would give us seven opportunities to get six victories. Not impossible at all.

[saltpoint]

6. I agree - it is a very winnable race, and would greatly enhance our

shot at taking the Senate.

Years ago Harriet Woods almost won in Missouri, and might have made it had she gotten more national support. It was a cliff-hanger of a race deep into the early hours.

I don't want Claire McCaskill to suffer the same fate. I want to hear her VICTORY speech long before midnight on Nov. 7th.

Great post, kentuck.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Bill Clinton will be in St Louis on Saturday at a rally for Claire

So I think we can say the Dems are giving this race a lot of attention.

[ikojo]

13. Where is the rally on Saturday? nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

here is the info I got today

Saturday, September 9th
> 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
> The Pageant
> 6161 Delmar Blvd.
> St. Louis, MO 63112

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. sorry double post

[saltpoint]

16. Hi, proud2Blib. Great. Our national celebs helping out particular

races -- especially close ones.

Good for Bill Clinton, and go, Claire!

[MODemocrat]

29. I'm very concerned about the Senate race

Claire McCaskell was gaining on Jim Talent until he came out with his ads; we've noticed how his ads
are portraying him as being a friend to the people of Missouri, and that is not true. He has voted with
President Bush most of the time. He hasn't changed, and he's misleading the people. We heard on TV today, George Bush is coming to Kansas City for a fundraiser for Talent; Apparently, Talent hasn't
really distanced himself from Bush.

Claire McCaskell is a remarkable woman and will make a good Senator, if only the people of Missouri will get over Bush, and go to the polls and vote for her, and not take her for granted.

After my husband and I voted in the Primary Election, the one's I'd ask if they had voted yet, would
say, "Claire's got it made, I' don't need to vote in this election." That's so disheartening to me.
Shame on them. :spank: :shrug:

[ikojo]

3. Talent has been airing commercials all summer

and only today have I seen an ad by Claire McCaskill: once again the Dems are late. MO is a very red state especially in the rural areas where the wages are low but church attendance is high. I went on a ride to Ste Genevieve MO this weekend with the local scooter riding group. As we were going down the highway I saw many more Talent signs than McCaskill (there were NO McCaskill signs). It makes me want to wretch when poor people support rich Republicans.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. (no)Talent has a whole lot more money than Claire

So if this really bothers you, send Claire some money.

[ikojo]

4. Bush has been to St Louis a couple times to do

fund raising for Talent. He is definitely not distancing himself from the president, not at all. At one of Bush's appearances there was a well attended rally in support of the minimum wage and against the war on Iraq.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. He will be here in KC Friday

and we will be giving him a nice Kansas City welcome. That is, from those who oppose him :)

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. They aren't ignoring it in MO

Claire is pumped and working hard. I just heard her speak last weekend and she is on fire. We have been canvassing and phone banking since April. It is becoming one of the more exciting races I have watched closely.

This race also could very well turn on the stem cell issue. That will draw Dems to the polls. It is also tearing the right apart. They are torn between the economic benefits of allowing stem cell research and the (false) far right talking point that stem cell research will allow cloning. It's been almost comical to watch the right fight over this.

[ComerPerro]

10. You been out near Topeka? Boyda seems to be tearing shit up

I see her signs all over the place.

Haven't seen even as much as a small yard sign for Ryun

[OzarkDem]

12. Its pretty early for yard signs

They won't usually last long if put out now.

[ComerPerro]

19. yeah, but these are large signs. Its encouraging.

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. LOL That is GREAT

kite and mabus and I helped paint a couple of those signs.

Are you in Boyda's district or in Moore's? I sure wish I could vote for Boyda. I am going to have to hold my nose to vote for Moore.

[ComerPerro]

18. You gotta remember how Republican much of Moore's district is

but, yeah, I'm not happy with him.

He's a good guy, just wish he were more progressive.

Maybe having Boyda in there might shift him back left where he belongs.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. His stance on the war is one thing

but he also voted for that damn Sensenbrenner bill on immigration. THAT really pissed me off.

I talked to one of his staffers recently. I told him Moore is voting like a neocon. He explained to me that Moore thinks he is voting the way his constituents want. I reminded this kid that 60 - 70% of the American public is opposed to the war and you can't convince me that the 3rd district in KS is so much further to the right on this issue to make a majority of Moore's constituents favor the war. No way. He admitted I am probably right.

The sad thing is that Moore is very progressive. He just doesn't vote like a progressive. He is also putting distance between himself and the progressive community in his district. He has refused several invitations to speak to progressive groups here. Cleaver readily accepted invitations but Moore politely refused. Problem for him is that we progressives are his base. I have worked on every one of his campaigns. Not this time. I told him no sign in my yard and no money unless he signs off on the House resolution to bring debate on the war to the floor. Signs are being delivered soon so it is time for me to call back and ask if he is willing to sign that resolution. I know it's not much of a threat but it is the best I can offer.

I am tempted to get a Claire McCaskill sign though. :)

BTW, are you and Gilmore coming to the bush protest on Friday?

[ComerPerro]

22. maybe he should come back to Lawrence again

there are over 70000 of us here, and a very large majority voted for him.

And just about all of us are fanatically progressive...



Gilmore can't make the meetup due to class schedule, and I don't think I can either.

Maybe if there is something going on after?

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. Yes after the protest

we are going to The Flea Market. Probably around 6:30 or 7:00.

[benny05]

14. John Edwards Appeared in a Rally with Claire Today

I don't know if he was planning to do a fundraiser for her, but he did speak at the Labor Day rally in Springfield. One thing the poll I posted said that many Missourians supported a minimum wage raise (something Edwards has been touting for years) and for stem cell research.

I'm still looking for the news on the rally. And I'm hoping Claire will have enough to fight the attack dogs too. With Edwards' on the stump for her today, surely her numbers will go up again.

[saltpoint]

17. I love it when the heavy hitters come to bat for the local/regional/state

candidate.

I love it when that happens.

Thank you Senator Edwards, and may Claire McCaskill bury Jim Talent alive.

[benny05]

23. No Word on the Picnic Yet

But the parade was the longest some of the residents had seen in years. snip

"'It's a day to celebrate labor unions and the backbone of America', said Brenda Peterson, a postal worker.

She said both her husband and father-in-law were Teamsters Union members.

Sylvia Hyde, who attended the parade with her husband Paul, said today's parade was the longest she could remember in the past five years she has attended."

http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060904/BREAKING01/60904001

[saltpoint]

26. Nice quote there by Ms. Peterson.

Go, Democrats.

Go, Claire McCaskill.

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. She was in our labor day parade in kc this morning

Claire is working her butt off.

[benny05]

27. Kewlness

Go Claire go!

[benny05]

28. Swing Voters will Determine Election

Here are more specifics about the poll:

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/politics/story/1CFCD4ED034EFD6B862571DD000D9EA6?OpenDocument