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Twin defeats spark Democratic fears
Politico ^ | 9/14/11 4:57 AM EDT | JONATHAN MARTIN & BEN SMITH & JAKE SHERMAN

Posted on 09/14/2011 3:30:29 AM PDT by RC one

The Democratic Party’s rare loss of a congressional seat in its urban heartland Tuesday, accompanied by a blowout defeat in a Nevada special election, marked the latest in a string of demoralizing setbacks that threatened to deepen the party’s crisis of confidence and raise concerns about President Barack Obama’s political fortunes.

In New York, Bob Turner(R) soundly defeated Democrat David Weprin in a House contest that – in the view of party leaders, at least — featured an anemic urban machine, distracted labor unions, and disloyal voters. In Nevada, a consequential state for the president’s re-election strategy, Democrats suffered a runaway loss rooted in a weak showing in Reno’s Washoe County, a key bellwether.

Even before the polls closed, the recriminations – something short of panic, and considerably more than mere grumbling – had begun. On a high-level campaign conference call Tuesday afternoon, Democratic donors and strategists commiserated over their disappointment in Obama. A source on the call described the mood as “awful.”

“People feel betrayed, disappointed, furious, disgusted, hopeless,” said the source.

Less expansive but equally telling were the remarks of House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, who in a conversation with reporters Tuesday morning said bluntly that Obama would take some blame for the two special election losses.

“I think every election reflects on the person in charge, but do I think it is an overall statement on the president alone? No,” said Hoyer. “Do I think it will be interpreted as being a statement on Obama? That’s probably correct.”

A senior Hill Democratic aide was more direct in attempting to explain the New York loss: “The approval ratings for the guy at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue cratered.”

A Turner consultant, Steve Goldberg, validated that assessment: “It was all Obama — not even a thought of anything else.”

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: amodei; obamunism; turner; wiener
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The last time a republican won that district was in 1922 or so I heard on Fox and Friends this AM. That definitely seems like a message to the democratic party. It's gonna be hard to downplay the significance of this.
1 posted on 09/14/2011 3:30:33 AM PDT by RC one
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To: RC one

I haven’t found any threads about Amodei winning in Nevada.


2 posted on 09/14/2011 3:33:49 AM PDT by RandallFlagg (Look for the union label, then buy elsewhere.)
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To: RC one

The GOP candidate in Nevada won by 22 points in a district which is +5 GOP. So much for the US House being more unpopular than Zero.


3 posted on 09/14/2011 3:33:49 AM PDT by Perdogg (0bama got 0sama?? Really, was 0sama on the golf course?)
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To: RandallFlagg

I think their loss in New York pretty much overshadows their loss in Nevada. It’s like Epic Fail versus General Fail.


4 posted on 09/14/2011 3:37:34 AM PDT by RC one (Voting isn't a simple act of civic duty anymore, it's a complex act of civil war.)
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To: RC one

We need to focus on winning a conservative super majority in the Senate and a larger margin in the House.

Obviously, we must wine the White House as well.

Only with a super majority can we turn this thing around.

And then, we must move with lightning speed. The key will be to keep the Leftist media too stirred up by the next step to continue battling the last step.


5 posted on 09/14/2011 3:39:56 AM PDT by SampleMan (Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
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To: RC one

We need to focus on winning a conservative super majority in the Senate and a larger margin in the House.

Obviously, we must wine the White House as well.

Only with a super majority can we turn this thing around.

And then, we must move with lightning speed. The key will be to keep the Leftist media too stirred up by the next step to continue battling the last step.


6 posted on 09/14/2011 3:40:50 AM PDT by SampleMan (Feral Humans are the refuse of socialism.)
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To: RC one

Actually, the Democrats can easily downplay this: The district goes out of existence in January 2013; their candidate doesn’t live in the district. Turnout was low compared to general elections (if it was?). The district is too large for Bill Clinton’s phone calls to reach everyone. People got “confused” by “negative campaigning.” Now the spin may be delusional, but it will be there.


7 posted on 09/14/2011 3:40:59 AM PDT by Theodore R.
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To: RC one

Do you know if either of these guys are Tea Party?


8 posted on 09/14/2011 3:41:56 AM PDT by RandallFlagg (Look for the union label, then buy elsewhere.)
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To: SampleMan

“Obviously, we must wine the White House as well.”

I like that!

Get them drunk, ship them to a remote island in the S. Indian Ocean, and then change the locks!


9 posted on 09/14/2011 3:42:36 AM PDT by VanDeKoik (1 million in stimulus dollars paid for this tagline!)
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To: RC one
"....betrayed, disappointed, furious, disgusted, hopeless,”

Now they know how WE feel!

10 posted on 09/14/2011 3:42:56 AM PDT by Psalm 73 ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here - this is the War Room".)
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To: RC one
The RATS are so screwed. If the get Obuumer to pull out in favor of Hilary, the lose the black vote. We have to keep up the momentum and a bullseye on economic remediation. If we don't commit fratricide, we should win the whole shooting match!

Mike

11 posted on 09/14/2011 3:44:49 AM PDT by MichaelP (The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools ~HS)
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To: RandallFlagg; All
I haven’t found any threads about Amodei winning in Nevada.

I just searched and found he won, I was going to post it but got distracted. Start one Randall !

I think the results with the time difference from "EST" hit much later for most freepers, just a guess.

12 posted on 09/14/2011 3:44:56 AM PDT by taildragger (( Palin / Mulally 2012 ))
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To: RC one
“People feel betrayed, disappointed, furious, disgusted, hopeless,” said the source.

I don't get the 'betrayed' part. Betrayed by whom? What major policy have they voted for in recent years that they didn't get?

That doesn't sound like betrayal.

I particularly like the part of the article in another paragragh about the disloyal voters. Don't they know it's their job to line up, stand with feet about shoulder width apart and take those extra hard upward kicks and like it?

13 posted on 09/14/2011 3:45:28 AM PDT by stevem
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To: MichaelP

Memo to self~hit y key harder!


14 posted on 09/14/2011 3:46:24 AM PDT by MichaelP (The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools ~HS)
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To: SampleMan
"...we must move with lightning speed. The key will be to keep the Leftist media too stirred up by the next step to continue battling the last step."

Agree - but that will take a Republican leader who thinks fast on their feet, ouside the box, and isn't beholdened to the "good old boys" network.
Flame me if you will, but Palin seems to be the only one that fits that mold.

15 posted on 09/14/2011 3:46:31 AM PDT by Psalm 73 ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here - this is the War Room".)
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To: SampleMan

Cautiously, carefully, tread quietly and pray for a 2012 Republican L-A-N-D-S-L-I-D-E !!!!!!!!! Oops, to early, calm down, gather strength and work towards that noble goal...


16 posted on 09/14/2011 3:46:49 AM PDT by Netz
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To: SampleMan

Cautiously, carefully, tread quietly and pray for a 2012 Republican L-A-N-D-S-L-I-D-E !!!!!!!!! Oops, to early, calm down, gather strength and work towards that noble goal...


17 posted on 09/14/2011 3:46:51 AM PDT by Netz
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To: RC one
While this may have started with an arrogant fool flaunting his weenie, it needs to end with the defeat next year of another arrogant fool who flaunts his booty with an everyday mooning of America from the Oval Office!
18 posted on 09/14/2011 3:47:56 AM PDT by LRS ("This is silly! It can't be! It canha't be!!" "Oh yes it is! I said you wouldn't know the joint.")
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To: MichaelP
"Memo to self~hit y key harder!"

You're using a manual type-writer? How does that work with the internet?

19 posted on 09/14/2011 3:48:52 AM PDT by Psalm 73 ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here - this is the War Room".)
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To: LRS

Wow I’m surprised the political elites aren’t trying to bury this result. How things change in a short time. Just a few months ago after the Demo victory in that other NY district Pelosi and company were practically proclaiming they would win back the House in 2012.


20 posted on 09/14/2011 3:49:49 AM PDT by TNCMAXQ
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