'Dropping Like Flies'??

[babylonsister]

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_01/021783.php

'DROPPING LIKE FLIES'?.... Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) is retiring. So is Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.). And before anyone could catch their breath, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) announced he's not seeking re-election, either.

It led ABC News to report that "Democrats are dropping like flies."

It is not shaping up to be a pretty week for the Democrats. <...>

You will certainly hear a lot of talk from Republicans that Democrats are beginning to face the reality of just how tough the current political landscape looks for them and they are running for the hills.

This is, to be sure, exactly the meme Republicans want the media to embrace, and if the coverage this morning is any indication, political journalists seem anxious to comply.

But let's add a little perspective here. Quick quiz: which party has more Senate retirements so far this campaign cycle, Democrats or Republicans? Follow-up question: which party has more House retirements so far this campaign cycle, Democrats or Republicans?

If Dems are "dropping like flies," the answer should be obvious. But it's not -- in both chambers, Republican retirements, at least for now, outnumber Democratic retirements.

In the House, 14 GOP incumbents have decided not to seek re-election, while 10 Democratic incumbents have made the same announcement. Does this mean Republicans are "dropping like flies"?

In the Senate, six Republican incumbents have decided not to seek re-election, while two Democratic incumbents have made the same announcement. Is this evidence of a mass Democratic exodus?

Among governors, several incumbents in both parties are term-limited and prevented from running again, but only three Democrats who can seek re-election -- Parkinson in Kansas, Doyle in Wisconsin, and Ritter in Colorado -- have chosen not to. For Republicans, the number is four -- Douglas in Vermont, Rell in Connecticut, Crist in Florida, and Pawlenty in Minnesota. (Update: the GOP number is five if we include Palin in Alaska.)

So, to review, Republican retirements outnumber Democratic retirements in the House, in the Senate, and among governors. The preferred Republican/media meme of the day doesn't match up well against reality.

—Steve Benen

[Jennicut]

1. Got to love the liberal media, right?

[Rosa Luxemburg]

2. perhaps somebody should call the MSm and tell them the GOP is dropping like flies

[Jackpine Radical]

3. "The preferred Republican/media meme of the day doesn't match up well against reality."

Does it ever?

Reality is a crutch for liberal wimps.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

4. Handy summary. Rec'ing.

[tavalon]

5. Reality

It's what's for breakfast. Too bad "journalists" don't do that journalism thingy anymore.

[mopinko]

6. percentages would further illuminate the bs.

not awake enough for math, but since we have the majority in both houses, obviously their retirements represent a larger percentage of their membership than ours do.

[happy_liberal]

7. this is part of the propaganda being created to make it believable

when they attempt to steal the elections 2010 and 2012.

They own the media, they own the voting systems and they create their own reality.

we have to do more than donate and knock on doors. Their plan is obvious and if we don't do something we will be looking at at Republican House and Senate 2010 and Palin/Cheney 2012.

They let Obama win so they would have someone to blame everything on. Then they will use that blame to steal it all back. Am I the only one seeing this?

[ShortnFiery]

9. No. IMO, until we FORCE public financing of campaigns, the Ruling 1% of wealthy elites OWN the USA.

We are screwed for the foreseeable future. Unless/until THE PEOPLE organize and demand that the upper 1% stop RULING US through the lobbyists, the Average American exists only to serve THE CORPORATIONS and ENDLESS WARMONGERING for profits and natural resources.

[jotsy]

16. Welcome to DU

I've become fond of suggesting that if we only cleaned out our fridge every four years, things would get ugly/scary, it seems fitting to me that the needs of an entire nation should require more attending to. Your prediction makes me flinch. Just knowing wicked Dickie has a new village idiot to hide behind makes me want to skip breakfast for fear it will come right back up.

No, you're not the only one who sees the two headed monster we call a political system laying blame where it doesn't belong. Two party politics, IMO, are toxic to the governed.

[berni_mccoy]

8. Great post. K&R.

[madokie]

10. Thanks for that

[peekaloo]

11. Mutt Liar was leading with his a-hole on the 'Toady Show' this a.m.

He reads his memos and performs like the fucking circus seal he's paid to be.

[AllentownJake]

12. The GOP made their announcements in early 2009

We are making our announcements in early 2010.

People who are in trouble are jumping ship.

Let us not spin this. At this time, people are projecting a bad year for us.

[KittyWampus]

19. "people"? No just republican assholes, their complicit mediawhores and chumps on the Left

who secretly want Dems to loose to suffer for displeasing them.

I didn't know Dorgan "was in trouble".

[formercia]

13. It's not about reality. It's about perception.

The right wing has relied on propaganda to maintain their foothold on the political landscape. We know they're full of shit. Everything they say is a distortion of the truth or an outright lie.

[kirby]

14. Repubs are 'Dropping like Teabags' n/t

[FourScore]

15. They're cooked. k/r

[moondust]

20. Republicans are 'Dropping like Turds' n/t

[donheld]

17. Hopefully Bill Ritter will be replaced by a real Democrat.

[glitch]

18. Looks like Dodd may be. Shame about Dorgan though. nt

[hfojvt]

21. Probably need to adjust the Republican numbers down a little

At least in Kansas, two Republicans are retiring - Tiahrt and Moran. Except they are not. They are both running for the Senate. One of them is very, very likely to win that senate race, whichever one wins the primary. Brownback, and incumbent Senator is retiring, but that means two things. First, as I just said, that seat is highly likely to be filled by another Republican. Second, Brownback is running for Governor, and not only has his primary opponent dropped out, but he currently does not have a Democratic opponent. Unless my uncle Bill decides to run, whoever does run as a Democrat is gonna be about three miles behind in name recognition. Unless Parkinson changes his mind. Parkinson is really a moderate Republican, but that's true of lots of Democrats in Kansas.

So, on paper it looks like 3 Republica 'retirements' but it is really not. And Moran's seat in Western Kansas. The Democrat has about as much chance of winning that seat as they do winning the Powerball.