Anyone else viewing AR senate race as a test?

[vi5]

For the past year we've been told "Well, (Reid, Pelosi, Obama, Dem Senators in general) really want this progressive agenda but there just aren't the votes there and it's not just enough that we have a supermajority, we don't have enough of a majority of progressive and/or liberal Democratic Senators to be able to get this stuff through.......I mean really WE want it but our hands are tied without more liberal dems."

Well now we are having a primary race for the democratic nomination for Senator, and the choice is between one of the obstructionist, conservative democratic senators who has been pointed to (if not by name, by a general head nudge in her direction) as being one of the Democrats hindering this progressive agenda that all the other Dem leaders claim to want, and someone who actually seems interested in being a democrat and voting like a democrat and supporting a democratic agenda.

Now I expect people like Nelson and Landrieu and the other Blue Dogs to endorse and support and close ranks around Lincoln.

And if Senators or Senate leaders (particularly ones who supposedly support a liberal agenda) stay out of the primary race then I'll respect that decision and hold no grudge.

But if I see any of the supposedly liberal Democrats endorsing, supporting, or whatever else to Lincoln then it will be a clear signal to me that what matters to them is not the actual Democratic agenda and actual progress in the Senate, but their own little club and protecting one of their own. We found this out with Leiberman and I'm guessing it's going to play out the same way again here.

And I'm not naive either. If polls showed that Lincoln was popular and likely to win re-election and would keep the Senate a democratic majority then I would not be as adamant about this and would be upset but would probably agree that we were better off with her than with someone who was going to lose the seat to a Republican. But that's not the case. All polls I've seen show her losing, so therefore WE (dems) have nothing to lose by throwing our hat in the ring with the new guy.

And if she wins the primary, what is she going to do? Not vote with us? Block the democratic agenda? Sorry, already doing that.

Basically I'm looking to this race to tell me whether it's more important for Democrats to support the agenda supported by their base AND the American people in general, or if it's more important to protect a member of their little village club.

We'll see.

[Warpy]

1. I'm just wondering if they're as sick of Blanche as we are

You never can tell, often when it comes down to election day, people think their representation is OK, it's your son of a bitch who has to go.

That's what keeps incumbents raking it in, time after time.

We'll see if anti incumbent sentiment gets rid of some dead wood on both sides of the aisle. People are not happy, but they're not tending to reject the GOP in favor of the Democrats like they were in 2006 and 2008.

They're disgusted with the whole lot of them.

[dbt]

6. Miz Blank does not represent me.

She is The Extinguished Senator From Walmart. I can't speak for other Arkies, but I got enough of her act back when she was "proud to stand with our President" on things like the Iraq War Of Convenience, the PATRIOT Act and all that other bu$hshit. Constituents can't seem to get a straight answer out of her on anything; her emails are freaking press releases.

If Halter doesn't clean her clock, Boozman (R) certainly will. No great loss either way, as Miz Blank is a Republic in everything but name.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

2. Is the President one of the "supposedly liberal Democrats"?

[vi5]

3. Not particularly......

I was referring to her fellow Senators.

I'm pretty sure he'll stay above the fray on this one.

However I'm not going to lie and say I'm confident he wants to see Lincoln gone and replaced by a more liberal Senator either.

[Winterblues]

4. Apparently not since he has already come out in favor of Lincoln

The release was that the Administration backs ALL incumbent Democrats..When Lieberman ran as an Independent against a Democrat many in the Senate including Obama backed his campaign over the Democrats..

[vi5]

7. Has he really?

Do you have any articles where it states that is the case.

I'll be very dissapointed if it is. But not the least bit surprised.

[Winterblues]

8. Gibbs said so in a press briefing.

He said the Administration supports every incumbent Democrat...I am sure once Lincoln is primaried out that support will switch to the Democratic candidate.

[deaniac21]

5. I think Blanche is gone. She has a huge campaign war chest

but is way behind in all polls. She probably will lose the democratic primary.