Attention Scott McAdams campaign

Here's your smoking gun that this guy's an ego-driven jackass.

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01

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by: Glenn Magus Harvey @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 16:31:23 PM UTC

I always appreciate self-confidence

However, these comments are fueled by arrogance and total disregard to the people of Alaska.  We don't need another right-wing prick in the US Senate.

40, male, Democrat, NC-04

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by: Tarheeman1993 @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 16:41:35 PM UTC

That's bad

but its, literally speaking, not "literally" measur...
oh whatever.
its bad. anyone see a realistic possibility of breaking Murk out of the GOP caucus if she wins?

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by: Jolpaj @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 16:47:59 PM UTC

I personally don't see it

Nothing really shocks me anymore, but I don't see Lisa leaving the GOP should she pull out a victory in the general election.  I don't see her beef to be as big with the GOP party as it is over Joe Miller's doucebag comments and actions.

40, male, Democrat, NC-04

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by: Tarheeman1993 @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 16:54:53 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

This is settled, she already announced she'll caucus with the Republicans......

It's a non-issue.  She remains a Republican.  She's their Lieberman.  Except national rank-and-file Republicans don't hate her nearly as much as we hate Lieberman.

43, male, Indian-American, Democrat, VA-10

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by: DCCyclone @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 17:03:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I usually "consider the source" when a politician says something to the effect...

But I truly believe that she's good for her word.  She's too conservative to be a Democrat, but I'm starting to wonder if Lisa is the "new Republican moderate".  Compared to some of the folks running as Republicans, she's a wild-haired liberal.  

40, male, Democrat, NC-04

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by: Tarheeman1993 @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 18:41:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

This is not the sort of issue you're allowed to change your mind on......

If you say you're going to caucus with a particular side, you HAVE to caucus with that side, or you'll life will be made miserable every day.

You can do what Crist does and stay mum altogether, if you want.

But Murkowski can't really do that as an incumbent Republican.  For her to stay mum would be a big red flag to all voters and cause bad blood with her fellow GOP Senators who would punish her in some way, EVEN THOUGH they don't like her running as a write-in in the first place and back Miller now and therefore theoretically should have no leverage on her.

And before we even get to incentives and consequences, Lisa Murkowski is a conservative Republican in her heart, that's really all that matters in her decision.

43, male, Indian-American, Democrat, VA-10

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by: DCCyclone @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 19:23:12 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

She is sane though

Certainly not in the whacko camp that will swell in January.

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by: conspiracy @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 19:25:40 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Sure, agree. But that doesn't really help us, and in fact...

...as Democrats outside Alaska we're probably helped more by Senator Joe Miller embarrassing his party on a regular basis than by Murkowski protecting the party's image.

They're otherwise going to vote the same, and Miller is not going to be able to abolish Social Security and unemployment compensation.  So no real substantive difference in what government actually does.

43, male, Indian-American, Democrat, VA-10

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by: DCCyclone @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 19:39:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I disagree that they'd vote the same...

On most issues, sure. But I think, if Lisa wins, she'd have much more flexibility to assert her independence on isolated issues, such as climate change or, say, a supreme court nomination. She could just say, "Look, I got elected by a wide cross-section of the Alaska electorate. I need to represent their voices."

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by: itskevin @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 20:32:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Murkowski is clearly distinguishable

from the hardest right Senators, in voting as well as tone. She voted for the Ledbetter Law, for example, as in fact did all Republican women in the Senate. Don't expect her to vote to limit oil exploration in Alaska, though - in fact, don't expect ANY Senator from Alaska to vote for that. (Was Begich willing to vote for Cap and Trade? I don't know, but if he was, he further weakened his already questionable chances of reelection.) Every Alaskan gets a yearly payment from the oil industry via the state government.

The upshot is, while you may be right that if she won, she could tack a bit to the left - if she actually wants to, which is quite unclear - there are plenty of issues she won't budge on.

"I'm not a member of any organized political party, I'm a Democrat!"
--  Will Rogers  

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by: Pan @ Fri Oct 01, 2010 at 01:24:05 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

I agree

You shouldn't be allowed to change your mind on, but it can happen.  However, I don't know of a specific time this came into play 6 weeks before the general election.

40, male, Democrat, NC-04

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by: Tarheeman1993 @ Fri Oct 01, 2010 at 01:38:17 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

GOP Party?

Are you Dino Rossi in disguise?

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01

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by: Glenn Magus Harvey @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 17:24:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

LOL

Thanks, I needed that laugh.  The day has sucked ass for me...

40, male, Democrat, NC-04

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by: Tarheeman1993 @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 18:38:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well, it's more like

"literally talking about measuring the drapes".

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01

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by: Glenn Magus Harvey @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 17:02:18 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

more like

literally talking about a class of objects that may be broadly but literally construed to include drapes, though there is no evidence he is measuring them

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by: Jolpaj @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 18:18:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

more like

More like literally being an a**hole.  Were I his campaign manager, I would smash every electronic device this guy owned with a sledgehammer. This guy is further to the right than me, but I would root for him but he's such a d*ck, I'm going to win up rooting for Lisa M.

43 - Male - GOP/Libertarian - FL 22

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by: Zornorph @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 18:38:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

FWIW, this blog post

inspired me to make this thread: http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pos...

party: Democratic, ideology: moderate, district: CT-01

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by: Glenn Magus Harvey @ Thu Sep 30, 2010 at 22:11:00 PM UTC

Premature measuring of the drapes

Given Alaska's small population and Miller's utter lack of any previous government experience, it is quite likely that if Miller wins, he will rank dead last in Senate seniority.  This means that his final office will be whatever is left over after the other 99 senators have made their choices.  And someone should tell him, it often takes a couple months for the office selection process to wind its way to the end.

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by: Vadranor @ Fri Oct 01, 2010 at 02:05:57 AM UTC