Day: September 7, 2010

Breaking! GOP’s Much Ballyhooed 10 Point Lead in Gallup Poll Disappears – Dems, GOP Tied

Jon Ponder

graph-gallup-generic-090710-tie

For the past umpteen news cycles, corporate media has been hammering results of the previous edition of the Gallup congressional generic poll which gave the GOP a 10 point lead over Dems — the first-ever 10-point spread, we were told. A strong lead for the GOP fits the media’s current carved-in-stone narrative that voters are ready to return Republicans to power in November.

Over the Labor Day holiday, the GOP’s 10 point lead warranted a mention in just about every story on the midterms, in newspapers, online and on cable — particularly on supposedly liberal MSNBC. Well, look how the worm has turned now, via Gallup:

Republicans and Democrats are tied at 46 percent among registered voters in Gallup’s weekly tracking of congressional voting preferences, marking a shift after five consecutive weeks in which the Republicans held the advantage.

Sure, the worm can turn again, but for now at least this thing ain’t over. And it’s possible — just maybe — that independent voters are starting to realize that sending arsonists in to put out the fire they set may not be a good idea.

Verbatim

Buck Banks

A large number of people don’t believe that a Republican Congress would go back to the policies of George W. Bush, even though their own leaders have said as much in public. Pete Sessions said we want to go back to the same exact agenda that was there before this president took office. So our job in the next eight weeks is to make sure that people understand that, that they understand the stakes.

— David Axelrod, Obama administration advisor.

Like Sarah Palin, Only African-American

Trish

When tea bagger and fired CEO Rick Scott chose Florida Rep. Jennifer Carroll as his running mate, it was obvious that he did so for cynical reasons. Seeing the pair go before the press confirms it. Carroll has no idea what an “Arizona-style immigration law” is, and asks the reporter to explain it to her. Scott goes from seething with annoyed indulgence (his usual posture with the press and voters) to looking concerned as Carroll’s lack of knowledge on the topic is exposed. For the record, Carroll was born in Trinidad.

NV Sen: Angle Was Voted Worst Legislator When She Served in State Assembly

Jon Ponder

Las Vegas Review Journal:

Angle twice was chosen the worst Assembly member in polls conducted by the Las Vegas Review-Journal after the legislative sessions. She was named the second-worst and the third-worst member in her other sessions.

Legislators, lobbyists and press members participated in the polls. The same number of Republican legislators as Democrats were given poll forms. The polls were anonymous…

[Former] Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, said Angle’s constituents lost because her political views were too extreme for the mainstream and she would not work with others to pass bills.

Based on her legislative performance, he predicts Nevadans will be the real losers if they elect her to the U.S. Senate. Perkins backs incumbent Sen. Harry Reid, a Democrat.

“She had every opportunity to be part of an effective group,” Perkins said. “But her views were too radical. If she is elected to the U.S. Senate, the state will go from No. 1 to No. 100 in power and stature. She would be a disaster for Nevada. No one in the Senate is going to listen to Sharron Angle.”

On Message: GOP-Fox TV

Jon Ponder

GOP-Fox TV After years of speculation, the connection between Fox News and the Republican Party became public on Aug. 17, 2010, with the revelation that Fox’s owner, News Corp, had donated $1 million to the Republican Governor’s Association. This move reverses a position taken four months earlier by News Corps CEO Rupert Murdoch, who, when asked if it was appropriate for Fox News to promote rallies sponsored by Republican operatives doing business as the “tea party,” said, “No, I don’t think we should be supporting the tea party or any party.” Now that the financial relationship between Fox and the Republican Party has been established, the network should no longer be described as a “news channel.” Editors should use “GOP-Fox TV” instead of “Fox News Channel” in all references.