Greg Sargent has a great summary of what’s going on as we head towards election day. A few themes: shitloads of anonymous right-wing money, just the way Jesus and George Washington intended, Dem generics are looking better but their attempts to make it about W are failing, and Christine O’Donnell has an ad where she tells people she’s not a witch.
I’m no Bob Shrum, but I have to think that if you’re running ads telling people you’re not a witch, you’re wasting your money.
Sargent also has a question of sorts that I can answer:
* Random question: I wonder how many principled conservatives are on board with the idea that powerful special interests are permitted to flood our elections with millions upon millions of dollars’ worth of pro-GOP advertising, even as they remain anonymous.
The answer is “none”, of course.
The Grand Panjandrum
“Principled conservatives”, at least the three left in this country, probably lay awake at night fearing the GOP might actually take one or both houses of Congress.
fasteddie9318
__
First, Sargent has to demonstrate the existence of a “principled conservative,” then we can talk about his question.
Ash Can
That’s a trick question, right? Principled conservatives went the way of the dodo some time ago.
Captain Haddock
Ha! For some reason this comment over there cracked me up:
lamh32
Plum line also has a post up with the audio of Witchy Chrissy claim in 2006 that there is a Chinese plot to take over the US.
Sad thing is that this probably makes here more loved by wingnuts who actually believe that China is trying to take over the world.
AUDIO of Christine O’Donnell claiming secret Chinese plot to take over U.S
”
And how does she know this?
Bulworth
Also, too, does she say anything in the ad about her creative resume claims about her education?
Xboxershorts
I have a co-worker of the mindset that governance and electioneering is a game in which HIS side is better.
It has nothing to do with policy positions, or history or corruption. he’s thrown his hat into the GoP’s circle and he treats elections as a “sports fan” would treat a football game.
Spouting Hannity, Limbaugh, O’Reilly and the rest of his teams talking points as if they were successful touchdown passes.
I can point out inaccuracies in the talking points, link to actual government documents that prove them wrong…it doesn’t matter. FOX News has turned our system of government into a sporting match and it’s “us” vs “them” in the most decadent, vapid, ignorant and arrogant sports fan style possible. They will commit personal foul after foul after foul and always point at the opposition saying…you did it first!
The level of immaturity would be funny if it didn’t have so many horribly tragic consequences.
mikefromArlington
You all need to brush up on your constitushunz.
WE the People, to include S corporation, C corporation, LLC, LLLP and Series LLC, of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
themann1086
Another edition of SATSQ…
ornery curmudgeon
Why do Conservatives always get such deference?
Cons can shill for false religion and bring wars to the planet, demonize others and hand entire nations to an oligarchy … but it is the liberals and ‘teh Left’ (oh, yeah, now that’s the same thing don’t you know) who get the suspicion and hatred.
Oh, you meant ‘principled’ Cons. A difference without a distinction.
Gary
As I discuss on my resurrected blog (after a four-year hiatus), it’s not the witchy association that is most disturbing.
O’Donnell belongs to a far-weirder, more delusional, cult known as the … (I think you can guess).
If you want to read the whole shocking expose of O’Donnell’s current membership in an anti-rationalism cult, check out — CHRISTINE O’DONNELL REVEALED AS CURRENT MEMBER OF CULT.
scav
@mikefromArlington:
forgot a bit.
Brighton
Between the big money, lack of free press, filibuster mania and gerrymandering, voting is becoming a pointless exercise.
WereBear
Methinks it’s something to do with who owns the media.
Jamie
So if the corporations are people too now, should they be counted by the census ?
WereBear
@Jamie: More like, if the corporations are people, they should go to jail for murder when their products kill someone.
Tonybrown74
Principled Conservatives??
LOL! Oh, bless your heart!
JohnR
While I’m certain that there are principled conservatives left (I like to fancy myself one, although my definition of “conservative” probably no longer makes sense to anyone in politics), the ones in the present-day Republican Party are remarkable for the measure of both their principles and their conservatism. It’s strikingly similar to the situation of the Old Testamentarian fanatics calling themselves “Christians”. To put it in religious terms, who is it that turns words on their heads and twists good things to evil ends? Exaggerating positive behaviors until they’re harmful caricatures is a long-recognized Bad Sign; I had thought that the Catholic Church had some guidance on this point, but perhaps those statements are now inoperative.
Good thing I’m not terribly religious, I suppose.
gene108
I saw the O’Donnell ad and despite starting off with saying she’s not a witch, it isn’t a bad ad.
The witch part, I think will connect with some voters as being humorous. The fact she looks a bit like a younger Palin, will also connect with the male conservative voters, who think Palin’s hot.
r€nato
LOL…I share the commenters’ mindboggling at the notion of a principled conservative.
I know in my brain that they exist… like Daniel Larison… but, they’re like an exotic species only seen in the zoo and never, ever in the wild.
I have a hard time conceiving what any ‘principled conservative’ might say about any issue at all, seeing as they hardly exist and when they do, they are limited to obscure wonky publications such as “American Conservative”.
JohnR
@WereBear:
Nah – corporations have the rights of citizens, but not the responsibilities. We are more and more getting the rights of machines while maintaining the duties (if not the responsibilities) of citizens – particularly the duties of obedience, deference and silence.
Bubblegum Tate
Regarding the “I’m not a witch” ad, Mark Noonan thinks O’Donnell just might win if she just keeps this theme going. Having to tell people you’re not a witch is a position of strength!
Or, as my friend said about Chrissy Od’s claim that “I’d do what you’d do” if she goes to Washington: “So she’d get high and get laid? Cool gal.”
Belafon (formerly anonevent)
Defined principled. Watch me give you the definition these conservatives use: Any position which results in lower tax cuts and less spending on someone else. This position can include stating that you will raise taxes in order to get elected.
South of I-10
She’s a witch!
TruthOfAngels
She was for being a witch before she was against it.
Binzinerator
@Captain Haddock:
Logically, if she weighs the same as a duck … she’s made of wood…and therefore…
JoyceH
@gene108:
It’s a bad ad. You know what’s bad about it? Not the witch part. The “I’m you” part. Shades of Linda Tripp! Here’s the thing. Politicians don’t get to say “I’m you.” The pundits might be able to say, this person is an Everyman or Everywoman, blah blah blah – but the person themselves looking in the camera and saying “I’m you”? That just makes my skin crawl, and I don’t think I’m the only one. Say that, and the listener immediately starts thinking of all the things the speaker has done that the listener would never do. “You’re me?! I never lived on political donations, I never had a ‘midnight picnic on a satanic altar’, I never lied about my education”. “I’m you” is presumptuous to the point of being offensive.
Steve
@lamh32: James Fallows pointed out that when O’Donnell was ranting about secret Chinese plots, she just happened to be running against a Chinese-American candidate.
master c
that ad is gold I tell ya!
Kysen
One of the more disturbing aspects of the abundance of puppy mills in Missouri, IMO, is the number of them that are run by Mennonites.
I don’t know if the same problem exists in Amish country (Pennsylvania) or not, but, the vast majority of the mills I know of in MO are run by Mennonite or other ‘plain’ groups who see the puppies as no more than cattle meant to be used/abused at their whim….see them as nothing more than another money crop for the farm. (<—holy run-on sentence, Batman!)
(to head off criticism: NO…I am not saying that ALL plain folk are like that, or that they all treat animals as such)
Rick Massimo
Au contraire. Christine O’Donnell would like nothing more than to have this election be a referendum on whether she’s a witch. She wins that debate; she loses literally every other one.
alphie
Why does O’Donnell waste her money telling people she’s not a witch when Monty Python has shown how she can prove she’s not a witch?
FreeAtLast
@JoyceH:
Great idea for the next Dem ad in Delaware!
FreeAtLast
OT, but can John give us his expert views on the WV senate race? It’s looking like it could be the one that puts the Repubs over 50. Feeling ill.
Joseph Nobles
I need access to editing and special effect equipment. The new ad is just BEGGING someone to add Hallowe’en props. She’s dressed in black, for Christ’s sake! How hard would it be to add a witch hat, a broom, and a pot bubbling around in the background? Or hands in front, weaving a spell?
DonkeyKong
If anyone finds “objectivity”, lift it up and underneath you will find the last “honest conservative” next to a fossil of a unicorn.
Mike
* Random question: I wonder how many principled conservatives are on board with the idea that powerful special interests are permitted to flood our elections with millions upon millions of dollars’ worth of pro-GOP advertising, even as they remain anonymous.
The answer is “none”, of course.
I’m confused.
Isn’t the answer “all of them”. Meaning they are all on board = they all support it. Right?
Alwhite
Oddly enough I thought the “I am not a witch” ad was very good. It put all the obvious insanity she has displayed into an easily refuted meme (at least to people not paying attention i.e. most voters). And reinforced her strongest argument, “I’m just like you”
The reason so many 3rd party wankers get votes is because they are blank slates morans can project their beliefs on. I think that ad is a strong example of using that idiocy for her advantage.
David Brooks (not that one)
How many principled conservatives are on board with the idea? You’re wrong: they all are (I was tempted to say they both are). For just as long as it takes to get elected.
Cain
She’s a witch, she’s a witch! She turned me into a newt!
What? I got better!
cain