Thursday’s political round-up

November 9, 2006

Today’s installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn’t generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers:

* MSNBC reported this morning that Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) will host a 3pm press conference, and Jim Webb (D) will hold one of his own shortly thereafter. According to National Journal, he will concede the Senate race.

* Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) — you know, the cash-in-the-freezer guy — came in first in his re-election bid this week, but will face blogger-favorite state Rep. Karen Carter (D-La.) in a run-off on Dec. 9. On Tuesday, in a multi-candidate field, Jefferson led with 30%, followed by Carter with 22%.

* In Florida’s 13th congressional district, in the race to replace Katherine Harris (R), there appear to be some odd results in what turned out to be one of the closest House races in the country. The Sarasota Herald Tribune reported an unusually high number of undervotes (shades of 2000), which could have changed the outcome. “If the missing votes had broken for Christine Jennings by the same percentage as the counted votes in Sarasota County, the Democrat would have won the race by about 600 votes instead of losing by 368.” A recount is already scheduled.

* A day after losing his Senate race in Maryland by 10 points, outgoing Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R) is reportedly interested in succeeding Ken Mehlman as chairman of the Republican National Committee, after nearly a year of pretending he had no ties to the Republican Party at all. The WaPo recently described Steele as a man of “no achievement, no record, no evidence and certainly no command of the issues.” Sounds perfect for the job.

* In 2008 news, Iowa Gov. [tag]Tom Vilsack[/tag] (D) will reportedly launch his presidential campaign today, formally filing the paperwork with the Federal Election Commission. “Americans sent a clear message on Tuesday,” Vilsack said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press that will be released Thursday. “They want leaders who share their values, understand their needs and respect their intelligence. That’s what I’ve done as governor of Iowa and that’s what I intend to do as president.” He reportedly will launch a multistate tour on Nov. 30 to formally announce his intentions.

* And in still more 2008 news, Sen. [tag]Barack Obama[/tag] (D-Ill.) will unveil his “proposed next steps” for the war in Iraq at an event hosted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs Monday, Nov. 20. It sounds like the kind of thing a presidential candidate might do.

Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R) is reportedly interested in succeeding Ken Mehlman as chairman of the Republican National Committee

Oh please, please, please let it be true. It would be splediferous to replace Lips Mehellman with the Puppy Lover. He has already discredited himself in so many ways, including his Democrat Drag stunt on Election Day.

And (tentative) congratulations to my neighbors in VA. True, you now have to change your state motto to “Virgina is for people who never even look at people of the same sex” because you are afflicted by bigots, but at least you’re not sending one to Senate. Here’s hoping Allen chokes on a big wad of chaw well mixed with his own bile.

  • The undervote in FL 13 was actually 18,000 (not 2000).

    I think he was referring to the year 2000, not the least because this is FL, and the outgoing incumbent is one Katherine Harris…

  • #3 Ah, I see. Still, 13% of the votes is a really high number that were not cast (or, in this case, not counted). Very suspicious (and are we surprised????).

  • I was impressed to learn that the rural Nelson Co (from whence came my occasional road sign counts) voted for Jim Webb by around 12% over George Allen. Interestly there are some little blue blobs way over on the western edge of Virginia as well.

  • “Americans sent a clear message on Tuesday,” Vilsack said in a statement obtained by The Associated Press that will be released Thursday. “They want leaders who share their values, understand their needs and respect their intelligence.”

    Or maybe they just want leaders who don’t lie them into wars?

    “I was impressed to learn that the rural Nelson Co (from whence came my occasional road sign counts) voted for Jim Webb by around 12% over George Allen. Interestly there are some little blue blobs way over on the western edge of Virginia as well.” – Kathy

    Though he lives in Falls Church Jim Webb was born in South West Virginia. Apparantly some counties remembered that and prefered him to the California ex-patriot cowboy wannabee.

  • Carpetbagger, can you please get rid of the tough math questions? I just finally was getting used to the fact that “what color is an orange” wasn’t a trick question…

  • I don’t know what the message the public sent on Tuesday was, but I’m pretty sure Kuo got it wrong. Clinton’s favorable rating was about twice what George’s is.

    David Kuo is the author of “Tempting Faith” and J-Walking, his blog at Beliefnet.com.

    Last night’s message? Americans hate George W. Bush in 2006 just as much as they hated William J. Clinton in 1994, proving that hate is an American family value after all.

  • I’m sure it’s the least of your worries right now, CB, but typing a number is so much more susceptible to a typo than a word. And no preview and it wipes out your whole comment if you make a math mistake, er, typo.

  • “…proving that hate is an American family value after all.” – David Kuo

    That is just too sick an observation Mr. Kuo.

  • Watching wannabe/neverwillbe’s like Vilsack is pathetic. It’s like the illiterate who comes to Hollywood to be a screenwriter and then wonders what happened.

    Poor sap.

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