From one comes many is the kind of math the men and women on the Hill like to count, smile at and take a page from, any Democrat man or woman that is. Ted Stevens' resignation amounts to more grim news for the Republicans around the country. What will Rush do? Yes, what a difference a day makes. Talk of Sarah Palin resigning as governor, and by appointment, taking Stevens' place should he retain his seat, but lose his court case and freedom, came from Sarah herself. In an interview Sarah, singing the politco blues, indicated she was ready for whatever door God sees fit to open. Clearly, God pulled Sarah's senate seat out from under her.
A Senator race nail bitter because November 18, 2008 saw Stevens trailing by a few thousand votes to Mark Begich (D). There was talk of a recount and lawyers to contest the win.
UPDATE, 9:00 pm: Democrat Mark Begich has defeated Sen. Ted Stevens (R) in the Alaska Senate race, according to the Associated Press. With roughly 2,500 overseas ballots still to count, Begich, the mayor of Anchorage, leads by 3,724 votes.
Senator-elect Begich has prevailed in the hotly contested race for the senate in Alaska, on the same day that Missouri is finally called—for McCain. Even Missouri The Show Me state was left behind this time because it always votes with the winner of the White House. More surprises.
Bones to pick
A final Alaskan call for either man was delayed due to the small margin separating the candidates and ongoing vote counting from remote corners--creating fodder for CNN and TV pundits alike. That's only natural, because when one hears that Stevens has been in the senate for four decades, one can only think: he needs to go. How does Stevens see himself? Try Hulk on for size: “The crotchety octogenarian built like a birch sapling likes to encourage comparisons with the Incredible Hulk, but he occupies an outsized place in Alaska history.”
But the more important question--who is Mark Begich? He is the current Democrat mayor of Anchorage, Alaska.
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Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Cindy D
Clearly, God pulled Sarah's senate seat out from under her.
"God" wasn't to keen on her as VP either.
2 - Cindy D
(A win by Al Franken would be number 59.)
I just donated money to Franken's recount cause, making it the first time in my history I have ever donated money to any candidate's campaign.
3 - Dave Nalle
How much did you donate, Cindy? I want to make sure I can give twice as much to Coleman. The idea of having that buffoon Franken in office just nauseates me.
Dave
4 - Ruvy
Cindy, I can't believe you donated money to a recount!
Personally, my experience with Coleman proved him to be a schmuck (that will be the third time I'm saying this) favoring the rich over the poor, but I do not know much about Franken. To be honest, I do not trust the guy. You gotta ask, "why all of a sudden does a guy from the East Coast run back to his old neighborhood and run for the United States senate?" I did, and found no decent answers. The only one I could come up with was a huge ego, and that seems to be Dave's impression as well.
Franken could have started in the state legislature, either as a senator or a rep. After a few years, he'd have no trouble positioning himself for a coronation as US senator - provided he did well for the voters of St. Louis Park (his old suburban stamping ground).
I looked at Franken's web-site, and also, let me remind you; I was an activist in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor party of Minnesota.
Had I voted in the Minnesota senate race, I would have voted for Barkley, who I know is an honest and decent fellow.
5 - Mark Schannon
It is good to see Stevens out in the wilderness, but I must confess, I'm torn about the Dem Senators getting their 60 seats. While having the same party running the exec, Sen, & the House could be a good thing if they don't self-destruct, a little bit of restraint couldn't hurt.
On the other hand, things are getting so bad that by the time Obama takes the oath of office, he'll be riding to the Hill in a horse-drawn carriage.
Why in the world would anyone want to be president? Oy.
Curmudgeon-at-Large
In Jameson Veritas
6 - Dr Dreadful
I must confess, I'm torn about the Dem Senators getting their 60 seats.
I'm not. They now have enough of a majority to get most things done, but staying short of the magic 60 will keep them on their toes.
Happily, there's no way Chambliss is not going to win the run-off in Georgia, so that takes care of that. Minnesota, statistically, is a tie, and there really should be a run-off there too. I have no opinion on who would be a better Senator for that state.
7 - Baronius
In Republican circles, all the talk lately has been about redefining the party or clarifying the message. However you want to look at it, the loss of Stevens is a good thing for the party. Really, I shouldn't even put it in political terms; the country is better off without him in the Senate.
8 - El Bicho
"Ted Stevens' resignation"
Can you resign from a position that you've been voted out of?
9 - Cindy D
ughh Saxby Chambliss, what a creep...
Ruvy,
I want to make sure that the roadblocks that Coleman is throwing up can be overcome.
It strikes me as the most important time to donate. So, we get a fair recount.
I like Franken, I like his politics. I trust him more than your standard dyed in the wool politician. It'd be like having a friend in the senate.
10 - Baronius
Cindy, why do you hate Chambliss? I'll bet it's because of the ad in which he supposedly questioned Cleland's patriotism and compared him to bin Laden. But check out the actual ad, and tell me whether it crosses the line.
11 - Clavos
Minnesota elected Jesse Ventura, so Franken will probably win too.
Anybody know what Franken's qualifications are? I mean, besides being a comedian on a third rate TV show?
12 - Dr Dreadful
Come now, Clav. Exactly how many qualifications does one need to represent Minnesota in the Senate?
13 - Cannonshop
Ted Stevens, from the halls of power, to an eight-by-eleven barred box, and it's nobody's fault but his own.
I'm starting to incline toward "Let the Democrats have their sixty percent". Seriously-then they can't blame anyone but themselves.
14 - Baritone
Of course everyone on the right assumes that the Dems will fuck up and open the door as early as 2010 for another conservative revolution in Congress.
You have all underestimated Obama at every turn. Keep it up all you bubbas.
B
15 - Clavos
Not me. I figure I'll die before the democrats lose power.
16 - Cannonshop
#14 No, Baritone, maybe your friends have learned from the past, but I note that the GOP, which should have, didn't learn much either. 1994, 2006, both years one-party government was rejected because it was essentially wrecking the country.
This year, they're instituting it yet again-well, okay. Maybe the Democrats are responsible enough to handle that much power all on their lonesome-when pigs fly unassisted and rivers flow with sweet whiskey at the base of the big-rock-candy-mountain.
If they aren't? I don't give a shit. You get the government you deserve as a people, notably, almost every one of the representatives re-elected this year voted in favour of the Paulson "Plan" to enrich his cronies in wall-street at taxpayer expense, and the guy elected parroted his opponent in selling that shit sandwich to the press. I have zero doubts on what is coming, and my fellow citizens brought it down on all our heads, and I don't care anymore.
17 - Baritone
Cannon,
Then why do you bother to inject your opinions here?
B
18 - Cindy D
Baronius,
Here is a tiny sample of why I think Saxby Chambliss is a creep.
He doesn't support the interests of either the poor or the middle-class:
He voted for The (Un)Fair Tax Act
Grade of "F" from themiddleclass.org 4 years in a row
Grade of "F" from The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law
He supports what I call personal "lifestyle" values (marriage, "god", anti-gay agenda) over freedom/civil rights and what I call "real" values (like overcoming child poverty), he's regressive in his ideas on Education adding to the problem:
The Family Research Council rating: 100%
Children's Defense Fund rating: generally 0%
Pro-Choice rating: 0%
Planned Parenthood Rating: 0%
National Right to Control Other People's Body rating: 100%
His concern for immigrants seems to be limited to keeping them out and making sure they speak English (via English as the official language of the U.S.)
Voted for Constitutional Amendment to ban gay marriage.
Voted to ban gay adoptions.
Human Rights campaign rating: 0%
NAACP rating: 11%
ACLU rating: 7%
ASCD (a better educational organization) rating: 0%
I think, I'll stop there. I could go on and on, of course.
19 - Cindy D
Baronius,
I will try to find the ad. I never saw it.
20 - Clavos
Are you registered to vote in Georgia, Cindy?
Whether or not Chambliss wins is the business of Georgia voters, and ONLY Georgia voters (literally, since no one else can vote for or against him), so what you think of him is, with all due respect, totally irrelevant.
Ditto the Norm Coleman/Al Franken contest.
21 - Cindy D
Baronius,
Okay, I remember the talk about that ad. I finally just saw it. I would lose respect for anyone who would use Bin Laden (et al) a political ad. I think it is a disgusting tactic. Other than that it strikes me as a standard repugnant ad. But not exceptionally so. It's a typical sad, cheap shot.
22 - Dr Dreadful
I'm no fan of Chambliss either, but he happens to be the chap whose election should put a nice healthy brake on the Congressional Democrats.
It's good that the Dems have a majority, but you can have too much of a good thing.
23 - Cindy D
Clav,
Nice of you to decide what is or isn't other people's business!
I will shortly make a post that challenges your rather biased perspective on the economy of Argentina.
As far as what is who's business. You'd best attend to your own comments. Which I shall discredit soon enough.
24 - Cindy D
Dr.D,
I can understand your point. Not that I disagree or agree. I would have to think about it.
But, Chambliss! Egad, I'd wish it was someone else.
25 - Ruvy
Exactly how many qualifications does one need to represent Minnesota in the Senate?
Nice to see that the folks on the coast in the States, no matter which side of the Pond they originate from, have the same contempt for Flyoverland that I used to. Some things haven't changed in the good old US of A.
Look at it this way, DD. If Americans are stupid enough to elect some narcissistic fuck who votes "present" in the senate and jack off with joy all over the place just because he's black (ignoring the fact that he's muscled a few schools and the State of Hawaii to keep mum about him), Minnesotans are entitled to pick someone stupid too.
Sorry, Cindy.
What's going down in Minnestota is this. A fool from the East Coast who knows nothing is trying to buy a senate seat now held by a certified grade "A" schmuck (the fourth time I've pointed that out). If Franken can't slide by with a recout, he'll sue and sue and sue.
Either way, Minnesotans get screwed up the ass - just like all the rest of you were with the presidential election....
You've been had.