Posted on 08/31/2008 11:08:12 AM PDT by Publius
John McCain will be nominated this week as the Republican candidate for president. He likely will ride effortlessly through the party's national convention in St. Paul, MN.
But in Washington state, McCain will share the ballot this fall with Republicans trying to distance themselves from the national party and doing little to link arms with the McCain campaign.
Dino Rossi, a Republican who lists his party preference as "GOP Party," is doing his best to bask in Barack Obama's message of change as he tries to unseat Democratic Gov. Christine Gregoire.
Rossi talks so much about Obama on the campaign trail, you could be forgiven for thinking they share a ticket. He doesn't mention McCain in his stump speech.
And neither Rossi nor Republican Rep. Dave Reichert, both engaged in competitive races, will attend this week's Republican National Convention.
On Thursday, the night Obama accepted the Democratic nomination, Rossi ran a TV commercial and made his most obvious attempt yet to appeal to likely Obama voters.
"Tonight the Democrats have a nominee," Rossi said in the ad. "I agree with him on this: Change is needed, but not just in Washington, DC"
A beaten-down brand
McCain campaign officials in the state say they're not worried about Rossi, the state's premier Republican candidate of 2008, distancing himself from the party's presidential candidate.
"Dino has his own coalitions he has to keep together," said Mike McKay, a former US attorney in Seattle and co-chairman for the McCain steering committee in the state.
McKay said he's heard Rossi tout McCain on the campaign trail. McKay said he thinks he'll hear more of that before November.
If McCain's poll numbers rise in Washington state, McKay said, Rossi "would more closely embrace Senator McCain."
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
Rossi won only 4 years ago but because the race was very close the Donks got a third recount ordered and they “found” an aditional 200 votes needed to put the Democratic usurper over the top.
I’m not sure how much Washington has changed in four years. Maybe it is more liberal than it was, maybe Seattle growth is outstripping the more conservative parts of the state - like I say I’m just not sure.
Unlike Cali though it’s not yet an absolute certainty that every race will go to a lib (including the occasionaly RINO like the Governator).
So hopefully Republicans and conservatives get out an vote.
Wow, your about me page is sure depressing. And scary.
Thanks! What an excellently written summary of a very complex and frustrating event. I concur with your description.
There was talk of changing election laws in Washington. I know they tried to clean up the rolls a bit but I don’t think the laws themselves were changed, were they?
On an unrelated topic: what do you think of the top two primary system? This (August) primary was the first time I’ve voted using it.
The next move is to go to all-mail voting, which would enshrine the current system of corruption in perpetuity.
The state's election contest law, borrowed from California, is still on the books, unfortunately.
I don't like the Top 2 primary, but it's the law.
I like that. It's succinct and to the point.
Based on your comment I went and read RetiredArmy’s home page. Yes it is depressing, but I can’t say I totally disagree with it when it’s laid out that way.
I think the chances of a civil war are much higher, as I think that they changes of holding the entire USA together as we descend into the hell that RA describes are low.
Some parts of the country will decide to split off. It is already happening. I believe the DNC platform calls for some soft of independence for Hawaii. Would a President Obama inflict continued statehood on Hawaii if they voted to return to sovereign Kingdom? I can’t imagine it.
The Army may or may not be responsive. History has shown that when legitimate existing order is breached the Army tends to go it’s own way. Maybe we get a “man on a horse” to set things right after a big fall, widespread riots and such.
In Russia, the last great superpower to fall, the Army in the end did not support the government, they more or less supported the people by staying in their barracks.
I’m not sure if we can turn oursleves around without going through the bloody hell of a revolution, but it’s worth trying.
I read Thomas Chittum’s “Civil War II” and think his scenario of eventual partition of the country into ethnic enclaves maybe the likely scenario.
Seattle out votes the rest of the state even if they don't have enough votes.
I don’t buy this nonsense. It’s just another tactic to manipulate voters.
In close races, you are correct.
My colleague on rail issues, a "Scoop Jackson" Democrat who is supporting McCain, said, "The King County Democratic machine has this pool of dead people they vote in close elections. It won't work when the race is a blowout, but in something like the Rossi-Gregoire business, those votes can swing an election."
My colleague ran for office twice in King County as a Democrat, but the latte-sipping leftists beat him handily. Incidentally, he is a personal friend of McCain and worked with him on national park issues, even spending a day at the house with John and Cindy. So I think it's significant that he believes Obama is worthless.
Here in New Jersey, you DO NOT have to show a photo ID. All you have to do is find your name in the book and sign, no questions asked.
Same here.
When Civil War II begins between the libs and the conservatives, the conservatives will control the center and its vast resources. The libs will have to find allies and resources overseas.
But who would help the lib coasts? Germany and France have voted conservative leadership for themselves, so the lib coasts can't rely on them for help.
They can't rely on militant Islam, because it was militant Islam that defaced the lib coasts on 9/11.
In Civil War II, the coasts will be isoloated, from themselves and from the World.
That’s good news.
Not to worry Publius... Rossi is wisely taking advantage of the “change” mantra and applying it to the governor. After all, the “regime” in this state is the democrat party. And a gentle reminder to our media buddies ;), George W. Bush is not running this year LOLOL.
In this heavily RAT (yuk) state, I believe Rossi is running a very smart campaign. Look for him to get ever sharper closer to the election. Ol’ Chrissy started with our largest RESERVE and has spent us into our state’s largest DEFICIT in 3 short years. Chock full of new, expensive, & ongoing “programs”, new state workers... The worker thing will be difficult, but I think citizens are responding to Fraudoire giving us the country’s HIGHEST gas tax, the ferry debacle, and a checking accout overdrawn by BILLIONS of dollars.
Run, Dino, RUN!
Lacking a mandate, Gregoire decided to govern the way Gary Locke governed; ie., she did nothing for 4 years. "Like King Gary before her, Queen Christine neither sowed nor reaped, yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed as one of these."
When a governor does nothing, the bureaucracy runs things. If you look at the ferry issue and other issues, you see the guiding hand of bureaucrats, and it's been that way for 12 years now. Gregoire has handed governance over to unelected officials.
That's the issue Rossi should be hammering.
Jaw dropping obove the fold on this morning Seattle Times. It is classic Gregoire and had her finger prints all over it. Very clever but nothing but a stinking steaming pile of crap news story. Rossi is as much excited about the McCain/Palin team as any of us.
Sometimes you’ll hear among us here in Alaska “Alaska is an extension of Washington.” From the gold rush days until now, this has been the case.
This being so you’d think the appointment of VP Sarah Palin might influence Washington more to the right.
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