Dems Still Don’t Believe Hussein Can Win General Election
The Hill:
Despite Sen. Barack Obama’s (D-Ill.) promises, many Democratic congressional candidates in conservative districts remain unconvinced that he can redraw the general election map by competing in red states.
While Obama is popular among some challengers seeking an edge in contested primaries, other non-incumbents have shied away from endorsing him. Most are staying out of the fray, endorsing neither Obama nor Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).
Many of those who have picked sides either have personal ties to their candidate or are running in the home states of the presidential hopefuls.
Most of the free agents who have chosen sides face difficult primaries and have picked Obama, suggesting they see his appeal as a boon in Democratic contests but not necessarily in the general election.
The situation is unusual because of how late in the cycle the nominating contest has endured and how early many races have taken shape. This has given more candidates the opportunity to offer endorsements that could affect the senators’ presidential hopes and their own congressional campaigns.
But few have taken the bait.
“It’s not as if my viewpoints ideologically align neatly with any one candidate,” said Ohio state Rep. Steve Driehaus, who is challenging Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio). “I think they all bring value to the table. We’re going to work with whomever the nominee is, but we’re focused on winning this congressional seat.”
Driehaus was unopposed in his primary March 4 — the same day as Clinton’s big win in Ohio — and he is competing for a historically GOP-leaning Cincinnati district that has inched toward the Democrats in recent years. He admitted he has a preference in the race but questioned the importance of his endorsement.
North Carolina Senate candidate Jim Neal took a different tack Tuesday, announcing his support for Obama in his state’s May 6 primary.
Neal faces an uphill battle that day against state Sen. Kay Hagan, the Democratic establishment’s choice to run against Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R).
“Barack Obama has reached across lines of race, gender, age and party affiliation — all the categories that have divided our country for too long,” Neal said.
Most of the seats Democrats are targeting this cycle are, as in the cases of Chabot and Neal, in GOP-leaning districts and states, making the crossover appeal of the top of the ticket particularly important. Without such appeal, Democrats will be relying on ticket-splitting.
But Hagan won’t be choosing sides early.
“I think it’s exciting for everybody in North Carolina that our state is in play in the presidential race,” she said. “Once the nominee is chosen, I will be, first and foremost, hand-in-hand with that nominee.”
Similarly, North Carolina congressional candidate Larry Kissell, who has a clear primary path to face Rep. Robin Hayes (R) for the second straight cycle, is staying neutral. He initially supported the former Tar Heel State Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), but he won’t make a second endorsement.
Asked whether Obama could put the state in play for himself and other Democrats, Kissell demurred.
“You know what they say: A week is an eternity in politics,” Kissell said. “I don’t want to speculate beyond my own race in my own district, and I feel really good about where we are.”
Not everybody is so unsure about the meaning of Obama’s candidacy. In fact, some are battling over the Obama mantle.
In Nebraska, businessman Tony Raimondo said Obama’s cross-party appeal demonstrates the kind of senator he would be.
Raimondo, a former Republican who switched parties to run for the Senate, faces former congressional candidate Scott Kleeb in the primary. Kleeb has likened his own candidacy to Obama’s but has not endorsed him.
“I’ve been leading on the issue of gridlock and working across the aisle,” Raimondo said. “It’s a main part of my platform; I’m the moderate Democrat. I think most people believe my opponent is much further left.”
One of the first big battles of a hotly contested Oregon Senate primary has seen Democrats Jeff Merkley and Steve Novick fight over their support for Obama, who is expected to carry their state with ease on May 20, the same day their Senate primary is to be held.
Both initially supported Edwards and have since jumped to Obama. The winner will face Sen. Gordon Smith (R).
With Obama coming to the state last week, Merkley’s campaign shopped quotes from columns Novick wrote in 2006 that were critical of Obama, calling him a “captive-of-special interest fraud” and suggesting he would be “a complete sell-out to the military-industrial complex.”
Novick campaign manager Jake Weigler said Novick’s sentiments might have been “overly blunt.” Even when endorsing Obama, Novick noted many of their differences.
“One thing Steve has maintained throughout this campaign is that he’s going to offer a frank and honest assessment … on issues, even if that means disagreeing with people in his own party,” Weigler said.
Among the few House candidates who have endorsed are former Alaska state Rep. Ethan Berkowitz, New Jersey state Sen. John Adler, and Minnesota state Sen. Terri Bonoff, who are all backing Obama.
Bonoff, who is battling from behind in the Democratic contest for Rep. Jim Ramstad’s (R) seat, said Obama’s approach is consistent with her message of “uniting the middle.”
“I’ve always believed it’s better to be forthright and say where you stand,” Bonoff said of her endorsement.
Republicans are dubious about Obama’s actual appeal to GOP voters, pointing to polls that show GOP nominee Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) taking more Democratic votes than vice versa.
They have also played up the recent National Journal article that ranks Obama’s voting record as the most liberal in the Senate.
“The Senate’s ‘most liberal’ member cannot hope to run well among independents and conservatives on a typical Democratic platform of higher taxes and bigger government,” Republican National Committee spokesman Alex Conant said Monday.
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Oh, and like and conservatives or Republicans think so?
And what is that BS about Obama reaching out across lines of race blah blah blah? He has done nothing of the sort, he gives lip service to it, but it boils down to he and his wife are black supremacists in hiding. Why else does he go to a black church? Why can’t he belong to a church, like 90% of non-racist christian Americans? I have been to Baptist services that are mixed race, and they are not “black” churches. I have been to Methodist and Lutheran services that have mixed congregations, and all look at themselves as a chuch, not a mixed church, not a white church, but a church that embraces all faithful, regardless of race creed or social or financial standing.
If there were any church that I knew of that labeled itself as a “white” church, you can bet your bottom dollar that the NAACP, Calypso Louie, Jesse J and most dems, adn 99.9% of the media would lable them as racists, white supremacists, and would try to sue them in any court they could for discrimination.
The only people that I know of that are really causing a race problem or showing blatant discrimination are liberals. The black conservatives I know are sick and tired and more than a little embarrassed by the liberal frenzy about equality, they feel that is what is holding people back.
March 26th, 2008 at 5:59 amRNC hits on this: “The Senate’s ‘most liberal’ member cannot hope to run well among independents and conservatives on a typical Democratic platform of higher taxes and bigger government,”
March 26th, 2008 at 6:07 amAnother beef I have, that I hope someone sees beside me. one of the T.V. ads that OHB was running here in Ohio before the primary showed his faithful reach to touch him or shake his hand. I really hope those scenes were shown or will be shown in other states, because if you look at it, those clips they use make it seem as if those people look to OHB as a messiah or something. Look at their eyes and expressions, it reminds of of the old newsreels of followers of Chuckles Manson, and Jim Jones. That is what we really need, a presidential hopeful with a bunch of followers that are as willing to do what he asks as Manson’s and Jones’ followers. look at the fanatical, almost euphoric looks those people give him. can you imagine when OHB loses finally and he makes a comment that people who voted against him should be killed, in jest. How many whackos will take that at face value?
Oh, and even though I cannot afford to buy new toys like Pat, I am extremely happy with my Browning Highpower 9MM. I have that, a nice little .243 for long distance, a couple different shot guns for area cleanup and a GREAT .22 long rifle that my dad had. Some of you all can laugh at the relative lightwight armor, but the .243 reaches out with great effect to 500 yards, the .22 is accurate to 1 inch at a hundred yards. the pistol and shotguns are definitely short range. The 30-06 and .308 are just fun toys, and I am seriously working on the neighbor who has a Garans from the 1968 race riots here in Cleveland. He bought it along with a bunch of other patrolmen back then as a “just in case” weapon. He has punched less than 20 rounds through it, and only back in ‘68. It is a perfect specimen, in great shape. I hope to get that soon. Then it is time fo rsome target practice on woodchucks, and another week of running the reloader.
My thing is, none are registered, never will be, and I have used nothing by CASH to buy my ammo for many years. don’t want that credit card trail to tell snoopers that so and so is buying sertain types of ammo, powder, slug molds, or dies for reloads.
March 26th, 2008 at 6:16 amI don’t either. Nor is Hitlery any kind of a threat to McCain. If the Dhimoids were smart they’d draft someone like Lieberman at the convention and fire Osama Bin Lying and the Hildabeast post-haste. Otherwise, the more the two whackjob Dhimoids talk, the more they prove that they cannot be considered a serious contender for POTUS. Not in 2008 or in the future.
March 26th, 2008 at 7:47 amit would be AWESOME if they captured Osama Bin-ladin right before the election, that would be one hell of an october surprise!!!
March 26th, 2008 at 12:17 pmBTW, does anyone else see the desperation on husseins face in that picture? its the result of pure narcissism and the need of external validation.
that’s what it looks like anyhow.
March 26th, 2008 at 12:18 pmDemorats don’t believe O’Bambam can win. Dah! No Shit Shakeysphere. He can’t and will not.
March 26th, 2008 at 4:36 pmThe democRATS are having buyer’s remorse as the walk to the check out counter and are to afraid to put the broken merchandise back on the shelf.
March 26th, 2008 at 5:00 pm