Mar 08 2008

How Bad Off Is The GOP This Year? We will Learn A Lot Today

Published by at 8:54 pm under 2008 Elections,All General Discussions

Final Update: It seems there may be more at play in this special election than one of my readers first indicated (and then denied – the comments are there for folks to parse). Another reader, WWS, notes this factor:

Foster’s ads reminded voters that Oberweis — who campaigned on a very hard line against illegal immigrants — was found to have two working for a subcontractor at one of his ice cream shops.

Oberweis has lost three statewide campaigns for U.S. Senate and governor, taking heat each time for controversial statements and ads, including one in which he hovered in a helicopter above Soldier Field, complaining that 10,000 illegal aliens enter the country every day, enough to fill Soldier Field every week. Experts disputed his numbers.

I was not following this race at all (in fact did not know it was happening until last night) so I was not aware Oberweis was an Immigration Hypochondriac (which I thought made one a ‘true conservative’ if you listen to talk radio). It was a close race, so I suggest the GOP find another contender – one that doesn’t repulse conservatives in a district that has been deep red for two decades.

Updates Below

There is special election today in Illinois to replace Denny Hastert, former GOP Speaker of the House. The election will be a signal as to how the GOP is doing this year, and so far it has looked bleak as a very conservative district has turned very competitive:

Democrat Bill Foster and Republican Jim Oberweis are virtually deadlocked in what should be a solidly Republican district in the northern Illinois exurbs, according to polls and political observers.

In the past few days, two independent political handicappers, Charlie Cook and Stuart Rothenberg, each have reassessed the contest as a toss-up instead of one that leans in favor of Oberweis. At least one poll has shown Foster with a slim lead in the final days of the campaign.

Democrats are salivating over the possibility of picking up not just a Republican-held district but the one that had been the official seat of House GOP power for the eight years before Democrats’ takeover in 2006.

The Dems in Congress have performed less than stellar, and they actually rank below Bush in terms of popular support. The fact this race is even in doubt is an illustration of how badly the GOP has self destructed. Hopefully its image is on the mend with things looking up in Iraq and all the Dems predictions of failure there have been proven totally wrong. We will know soon enough.

Booman Tribune has a good map of the district IL-14, and here is a link to the results. So far nothing (8:53 PM Eastern).

8:58 PM Eastern: 12% reporting in and the dem is winning 55%-45%. Probably too early but not a good sign from what was a deep red district.

10:10 PM Eastern: Dems win. Reader Vince tells me frustrated ‘true conservatives didn’t get their person so they stayed home and helped elect a Democrat. And people wonder why ‘true conservatives’ are not considered reliable, credible or honorable political allies? So the purists will risk everything to get their way. OK – as long they are in the minority and without a voice at the table they can pretend that plan is working to their hearts content.

121 responses so far

121 Responses to “How Bad Off Is The GOP This Year? We will Learn A Lot Today”

  1. Whippet1 says:

    DC,
    And DC, still waiting since last night for that laundry list of corrupt Democrats that you have immediately at your fingertips like you did on the Republicans…

    That’s what I thought…..

  2. 75 says:

    Whippet, we can only “hope and pray” (very Obama-like, no?) that Dc doesn’t come up with a list of Democrat nere-do-wells. I doubt AJ would appreciate the assault on his servers 😉

  3. Dc says:

    You didn’t repost your entire post because it clearly contradicts the position you are trying to take now.

    And further, I’m not the one who insists on bringing democrats into this discussion…other than responding to YOUR references about it. I’m pissed at RNC. Whippet…who claims now he never used DNC by way of comparisons of corruption in this thread and demanded I ‘prove it’ ….:

    “DC,
    At least we try to rid ourselves from our corrupt polititians…your party elects yours, gives them prime committee appointments and more power. You’re naive if you think there isn’t political corruption on both sides of the aisle. What matters is what’s done with them when that corruption is uncovered and the Democrats legacy on this issue is far from pristine…”

    “I prefer honesty in debate.”

    No you don’t. And niether does 75…who has somehow divined from the criticisms I make of the RNC, and disgusting behavior that you even acknowledge as such, that I’m a “liberal” who’s trying to compare democratic and rnc behaviors, and all the other various assumptions you guys have made. That’s your fantasy…not mine.

    Lefty is YOU 75. Just seemed more endearing reference than just a number given your fixation on democrats. And YOU are the one who first mentioned Barney Frank in reference to my post about RNC corruption. Anybody who cares to can scroll up this thread can see that it was you who first threw that out. That was your response..not mine. You brought that up in the context of my first post about RNC corruption and disgusting behaviors. That was your answer….Barney Frank doesn’t live in IL. (as if to suggest that I was talking about him when I mentioned what I did about the RNC and referenced disgusting behavior). The idiot is you my friend.

    I think you guys need to back up a min and realize..that every time someone criticizes the RNC….you can’t immediately assume it’s because they are liberals trying to do so by way of comparison to the DNC . Perhaps..people could give a shit what the DNC does…but care more about what the people they vote for do? You think? I don’t use the DNC for my moral compass. And neither should the RNC.

    Let them take personal responsibility for the things they do and own up to it without having to blame somebody else…or the media for busting them out, or etc. I’m sick of whiney republicans.

  4. Dc says:

    Yes Whippet, I’m only dwelling on RNC corruption….and not focusing on DNC corruption for comparison like you and Lefty want to. (even though you previously insisted, and got indignant, when I DARE suggest thats exactly what you were doing). You then accuse me of behind dishonest for that. LOL.

    Here’s the deal, I care about fixing the “republican” party. I dont’ care what the democrats do. I don’t care what Ron Paul is doing. I’m calling the RNC on “their” bad behavior. I don’t believe in well…it’s not as bad as the other guys so we don’t have to fix it..school. Nor does that kind of attitude have anything to do with being a conservative who believes in personal responsibility. Where did all these whiney, juvenile republicans come from anyway?

  5. Dc says:

    In the meantime…have a read on this:

    http://www.nypost.com/seven/03112008/postopinion/opedcolumnists/mccain_vs__gop_porkers_101403.htm

    Is Fiscal responsibility no longer a part of the RNC platform?

    And AJ, I “do” apologize for the length of the list post and thank you for posting it.

  6. 75 says:

    Dc, which part of the below did you not understand? I put it in English I’m sorry to say so the entire forum could read it. If you prefer gibberish, then I’m sorry I can’t help you.

    “I mean honestly, what kind of idiot brings Barney Frank into a discussion of deviant malfeasance to make HIS argument?”

    Now I must ask you to point out the part that says I asked who brought up Barney Frank “first”. I asked why an idiot like yourself would bring him up, of all people, to make your argument. And the question still stands but I’m sure I’ll get another dishonest parsing of the statement. But I think we have a good grasp of your thought process anyway, other than the flat-out dishonesty that is,…clearly you feel republican hypocrisy is a more punishable crime than actual illicit behavior.

    p.s. I am a conservative. No one else in the forum has trouble grasping that. What does that tell you, genius?

  7. Dc says:

    Oh..Mr Genius,

    I realize you don’t want to discuss who introduced Barney Frank into this discussion because if we did, you’d be the idiot you have self declared. And I also, for obvious reasons, realize that this is the question you meant to ask. Sorry for not playing along.

  8. 75 says:

    So, in review, not only have you now admitted you couldn’t comprehend the original statement but you’re going to tell me what I meant to write rather than what I actually wrote?

    Oh, that’s priceless!

  9. Dc says:

    Ok, lufte75,
    Lets just let you explain it then

    I posted about RNC corruption and dispicable behaviors and why they are loosing elections (like in IL).

    Your reponse to my post, directed at me… was….Barney Frank does not live in IL. I took that to mean, you were associating Barney Frank with the behaviors I cited. That this was the point of your post.
    If it was not, then you can explain otherwise and we’ll just let others decide for themselves.

    Since you have such great comprehension skills, then perhaps you’ll realize that when I brought up Barney Franks, I was not using him as an example of dispicable behavior. I’ve been focused on RNC and their corruption and violation of trust. That’s what the post was about. Perhaps you should read it again?

    Your great comprehensive skills seemed to have missed that as the central point. The person who brought up Barney as an example of dispicable behavior…was you….oh great one.

  10. 75 says:

    Oh your point was clear. I don’t have the english composition problems you do. We all get it. You are the holier than thou arbiter of all decent in the world and yet you feel the need to save only republicans. Too bad too because thanks to the self-annointed like yourself, we will have fewer republicans in office for you to save.

    Well done.

  11. 75 says:

    Dc, …by the way… Vince made the comment below regarding Barney. I feel it necessary he receive credit for such a wonderful retort that you’ve found necessary to butcher for him.

    Dc: Barney Frank isn’t from Illinois

    Left by VinceP1974 on March 9th, 2008

  12. Dc says:

    Thanks.

    But, really, it wasn’t that hard. I had a lot of help.

  13. Dc says:

    Ah…and you are correct. It was VinceP1974 who introduced B Frank into the discussion based on dispicable behavior. Right after you suggested Murtha (for the same thing). Sorry for the mix up.
    My apologies to you for suggesting you’d ever do such a thing. LOL.

  14. Whippet1 says:

    75,
    I wouldn’t waste anymore time on DC. It’s all a game to him. He picks and chooses from specific discussions and twists and turns what is said to fit what he’s wanting to say, never taking responsibility for anything he has said. As a matter of fact he uses his own twists and turns to twist and turn others statements! Way too much spinning for me and it’s making me nauseous…

  15. Whippet1 says:

    75,
    Did you get that DC wasn’t using Barney Frank to describe typical dispicable behavior? I did… I commented on it…even sent a link clarifying that his use of Barney Frank as being elected while openly a gay man was not entirely true, only after he caught caught in his own little scandal. But we wouldn’t want DC to worry his/her little head over the details now would we?

    This all kind of let’s us see what the world looks like to people who are always spinning so fast…what a jumbled mess…

  16. 75 says:

    Oh, he/she will be just fine. Gutter snipes assume those who aren’t won’t get their hands dirty. I rather enjoy stepping into the gutter occaisionally and kicking them around…keeps them on their toes.

  17. Dc says:

    I’ve been very consistent and clear in the points I’ve made about the RNC. I have no reason, nor need, to drag democrats or anybody else into this to make points about the failures of the RNC. The democrats didn’t make them do what they did.

    I don’t believe 75 did comprehend my post as you say. That’s precisely why, when I brought up the point, he reposted his quote again:

    “I mean honestly, what kind of idiot brings Barney Frank into a discussion of deviant malfeasance to make HIS argument?”

    Now he wants to pretend he didn’t actually mean that the way it sounds, that he somehow actually understood my post was NOT about deviant malfeasance, that my reference to B Frank was not concerning deviant malfeasance. Then, he asks me to explain it to him because he doesn’t understand and is still waiting for an answer. ROTFL.

    So, no, Whippet1, 75 did not comprehend the post and the point I was trying to make as you say you did. B. Frank has been in more than one election. I assumed most people would know that, but I’ll clarify “that” too since its apparently needed. The “point” was not about any malfeasance. It was about what happens when politicians say one thing, make it part of their platform, commit, mandate and trust with voters— then betray “that” very thing. How that makes it even worse for them, and a worse betrayal for voters. I believe I mentioned Spitzer in that as well…since he too was introduced into this by way of comparison earlier.

    B Frank was brought up earlier in another context…one that I did NOT make, but was accused of making. And while 75 was not the one who named B Frank in that context, he DID name Murtha (another democrat) in the same context. I assume now he wants to blame me for that too. Or somehow doesn’t see the irony of it. LOL.

    It was you 2 who kept trying to drag “democrats” into this as if somehow it was remotely pertinent to what failings republicans have.
    When I dare mention that fact, you got upset, suggested that you never said such a thing. And yet post after post you continually bring up what the democrats do, how I’m being unfair because I don’t focus my attention on democrats, why don’t I post a long list of democrats…etc., etc., and acting like children.

    It would be sad, if it were not so amusing. I’m pointing out, that RNC has failed BY THEIR OWN principals and standards. B Frank has nothing to do with why they failed. Nor does any other democrat who lives and votes by principals that perhaps you and I might find unlike our own. I could have used anybody to show that. I used him because his name had already been brought up in another context. I felt that reintroducing him, in a different context, would make the point I was “trying” to make…stronger. Whippet tries yet again to make a comparison point with DNC corruption vs RNC corruption and 75 misses the point entirely, then blames me for his own lack of comprehension. sigh.

    Finally, principals are not arguments by comparison. You either live by them or you don’t. You aren’t going to define your own principals and live by them by getting in the gutter and kicking others out. Think about that for a while.

  18. 75 says:

    I think you can let it go, now, Dc. You’ve done enough digging for one day, no?

  19. Whippet1 says:

    DC,
    Not even close…