"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler
TAMPA, Florida
Gotta run real quick, but not before I introduce you to a longtime reader of The Other McCain, John Henry Decker, now running for Congress in Connecticut’s First District:
JOHN HENRY DECKER for CONGRESS
Because He Reads the Right Blogs
As predicted, the talk of Newt Gingrich winning Delaware turned out to have been delusional: Mitt Romney got 57% to Gingrich’s 27% in the state where Newt had campaigned heavily in recent weeks.
We have known since April 8 that Gingrich’s campaign was more than $4 million in debt. By continuing his campaign another 16 days, Newt appears to have placed third in Rhode Island and also third in Connecticut. He may finish within 40 points of Mitt in New York.
In his native Pennsylvania (many people forget Gingrich was born in Harrisburg), Newt appears to be on his way to a fourth-place finish behind Rick Santorum, who ended his campaign April 10.
Thanks to CAC at Ace of Spades HQ. Meanwhile, Mitt Romney is going to give a speech tonight in New Hampshire, a state where Mitt (a) won the primary and (b) trails Obama in the most recent poll.
Gonna be a lot of states like that. I’m just sayin’ . . .
UPDATE: Excerpts of Romney’s speech. You know who I personally blame for Newt’s pathetic shuffling zombie campaign? Here’s a four-word clue: “Second look at Gingrich?” It’s like he didn’t take The Boss seriously: “Newt for 2012? No, thanks.”
Anyway, Allahpundit wants to see Gingrich keep going until Newt’s humiliation and embarrassment are complete, I guess.
Exit question: Are the “campaign insiders” still getting paid?
UPDATE II: Guess the checks started bouncing: It’s finally over.
by Smitty
Ladd Ehlinger’s yeoman work in support of conservative candidates in even the toughest political races is something of an inspiration. His Turn This Ship Around has managed to bring out the highest virtues of the Raaaaacism Industrial Complex.Not that there is any racial over- or undertone to the project, mind you. Barack Obama is portrayed captain of the now-pirate vessel U.S.S. Constitution, a. . .sqaure-rigged oared vessel? The ad serves the cogent point that future generations stand to be enslaved by the current policies of Barack Obama and the Democrat Senate that suck too much for adult budgeting. The children in the video seem a representative population sample. So from what sort of mind could a charge of raaaaacism emerge?
Mark Oxner was the original user of the ad, with the bird-brained Alan Grayson appearing bird-bodied alongside Obama. According to the Examiner,
Oxner is obviously trying to go after his opponent Alan Grayson, as well as President Obama, but does it cross the line into racism with its slave ship meme? Facebook thinks so; it has refused to run the ad.
The ad made a slim blog called Lightweight Racist, with a masthead I shan’t deconstruct. Not much to see other than the name of the blog. Also, We Are Respectable Negroes has enough lit-crit afoot to excite Jeff Goldstein. A taste:
Is race an element here? I am not sure. This anti-Obama campaign commercial could be one more example of the “benign” myopia that is common to the white racial frame (“how could anyone be offended by a boat, an allusion to slavery, and a black captain whipping his crew? How shocking!). Alternatively, the racial ideologies at work here could be more sinister, as any reference to “white slavery” has historically done potent political work from the Revolutionary War to the present (with the Tea Party faithful using that very same phrase to oppose the Obama administration and play on white racial resentment and anxiety).
WARN and its ilk have been a chorus of crickets since military veteran Brian K. Hill used the same basic ad. Hill, of course, is running for Senate in Connecticut. Oh yeah, and he’s. . .black.
It is, of course, written in the Gospel According to Marx that every single white male utterance is awash in raaaaacist concupiscence. This has been socially constructed Truth since the first Noble Savage, Adam, was ejected from #OccupyEden on the Mother Continent. Of course, Adam slapped fetters on the first human with relatively more skin pigment he saw, and became the Original, Evil Raaaaacist. Adam’s sin was passed down on the Y-chromosome to all modern male conservatives of European extraction. Leftists, of course, have said enough Hail Alinskys to absolve themselves of Adam’s crime.
With that introduction, you may find the following chats with Hill and Oxner at CPAC12 of interest.
Brian K. Hill is an impressive American and worthy political candidate, in my estimation, given a 7-minute exchange:
Mark Oxner talks about the blowback against the Turn This Ship Around ad. I had slight confusion as to whether Mark had been the producer of the video, or was in fact the candidate:
On a personal note, it is a privilege to have been blessed with the resources and location to go to CPAC and meet Americans who are turning this ship around. Knowing the situation, I can tell you to stand by for ‘high winds and heavy seas while the ship is coming about’. Watching these clips, I wonder if I’ll ever evolve into much of an interviewer. But the real battle is showing up, and putting forth the effort.
A teacher convicted of sexually assaulting one of his students had an odd request for the judge at his sentencing Thursday.
Adam Friedman, 46, offered to be castrated in an effort to avoid prison time.
Friedman was an instructor at the Arts at the Capitol Theater magnet school in Willimantic when he was arrested in December 2008.
Prosecutors say Friedman had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl between July and November 2008. . . .
Thursday at his formal sentencing . . . Friedman asked Judge Elliot Solomon to allow him to be castrated instead of going to prison.
Solomon didn’t take the offer, sentencing Friedman to 13 years.
Beyond the weird factor, did you notice that this took place at a “magnet school”? In other words, getting to attend this school was like a real special honor or something. Maybe they need to take that concept back to the drawing board.
“Of course, they’ve got the wrestling federation lady up in Connecticut and the witchcraft lady in Delaware [cheers] and I tell you, so far they’ve gathered up about everybody for this Tea Party but the Mad Hatter and Alice in Wonderland.”
— Bill Clinton, campaigning Sunday in Portland, Maine, for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Libby Mitchell
You can respond to this in one of two ways: Either you bitch and moan that Bill Clinton is being mean-spirited, unfair and sexist, or else you get off your sofa, get involved, and help these candidates stomp the crap out of Democrats on Nov. 2.
CHRISTINE O’DONNELL for U.S. SENATE
PAUL LEPAGE for MAINE GOVERNOR
UPDATE: By the way, I spoke today with Christine O’Donnell’s campaign manager Matt Moran, and also spoke to Libertarian Republican blogger Eric Dondero, who is in Delaware to help out with the O’Donnell campaign. Both of them were encouraged about the solid grassroots effort on the ground there. Meanwhile, Democrats are bringing in their big guns for tax-raising bald-headed pro-masturbation Senate candidate Chris Coons:
DNC Chairman, Tim Kaine, is at the University of Delaware today stumping for U.S. Senate candidate Chris Coons. Like Coons, Kaine came under fire for promising not to raise taxes as Governor and then broke his promise within his first few weeks in office.
Christine O’Donnell, Coons’ Senate opponent said, “Birds of a feather flock together. These two tax and spenders have broken promises to the voters who elected them. Their tax and spend policies are still killing jobs even today.”
“My opponent, serving as the New Castle County Executive, also raised taxes – three times, even though he made a campaign pledge in 2004 not to do so.”
O’Donnell continued, “Will Coons and Kaine apologize to the college students for destroying their future with crushing debt? It is the youth that will have to pay tomorrow for today’s reckless spending. Will these promise-breakers apologize to these young people for the jobs that aren’t there as they try to start their careers?”
CHRIS COONS: A BALD-HEADED WANKER
WHO RAISED TAXES THREE TIMES IN FOUR YEARS
by Smitty
What a good time. Extroversion really isn’t a preferred mode for someone who’d rather sit around and blog.
Nevertheless, supporting Patrick Murray, or whoever the local anti-fascist candidate in your district may be, is crucial.
Thus, it’s hard to be happy with the Peter Schiff in the crowd:
Connecticut Republican nominee for the U.S. Senate, Peter Schiff, could tolerate mockery when he foretold the economic collapse, but he’s having trouble coping with his imminent primary loss to professional wrestling CEO, Linda McMahon.
“I’m the best candidate but unfortunately I’m not going to be the nominee,” Schiff said in an interview by phone as he criss-crossed the state in an RV… “I’m not saying I’m not going to win. I can still possibly pull it off. But if I end up not being the nominee, it’s just really unfortunate, because not only am I the only person that can deliver the kind of change that the country needs, but I actually have a better chance of beating Dick Blumenthal,” he said.
At first glance, it’s easy to believe his loss will be because of McMahon’s oodles and oodles (a KT-nomics term) of money. But a closer look shows his weak campaign and the fact he’s a single issue candidate are also factors (although, if there’s going to be single issue voting right now, the economy is the issue).
And if you’re going to run on economics alone, Linda McMahon is a formidable opponent. She has that real world experience the Teaparty cherishes. McMahon’s spokeperson, Ed Patru:
“(McMahon) has never claimed to be an academic theorist or a celebrity cable talk show economist. She spent 30 years in the real world building a global enterprise from a company that started with one desk… She was the CEO of an NYSE traded billion dollar company that employs nearly 600 people. She understands how jobs are created and how budgets are balanced in the real world, and she clearly has a firm grasp of economic principles.”
Come on, Peter. I’d have supported Matthew Berry for VA-8 just as strongly, had he bested Patrick Murray in the primary. Only, that’s how history unfolded.
Granted, it takes a certain bit of ego to run for office, but what good is ego if houses divided against themselves cannot withstand liberal fascist tyranny?
Go, Linda (via Libertarian Republican):
And go, the rest of you patriots. Go out there and phone bank and precinct walk and invest time and treasure in getting the country back on course!
Now you sunny beaches know how I feel.
UPDATE 11:33 p.m.: Michelle Malkin reports from Colorado that Jane Norton has conceded in the Republican Senate primary:
It’s official: Norton concedes to Buck, via CBS4Denver: “I fully endorse Ken Buck, and I encourage you to do the same.”
11:50 p.m. ET: Associated Press:
Tea party favorite Ken Buck has defeated former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton to clinch Colorado’s Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate.
The vote Tuesday was seen as another blow to politicians with close connections to Washington. Norton was endorsed by GOP leadership and co-chaired John McCain’s presidential campaign two years ago in Colorado.
Heh. As I wrote on April 5: “It’s an Establishment vs. Outsider battle for the GOP nomination, another chance to kick John Cornyn in the knee.”
Now, let’s kick John McCain somewhere else.
11:15 p.m. ET: At this hour, with 99% of precincts reported and less than 2,500 votes (0.4%) separating Nathan Deal and Karen Handel in the runoff for the GOP gubernatorial nomination in Georgia, a recount is a near-certainty. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes a surprisingly strong Republican turnout.
Meanwhile, with 76% reporting in Colorado’s GOP Senate primary, Ken Buck leads Jane Norton by more than 10,000 votes (3.1%).
UPDATE 10:40 p.m. ET: Former World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda E. McMahon wins the Republican Senate nomination in Connecticut, and will face Democrat Richard Blumenthal in November for Chris Dodd’s seat. Meanwhile, in the hard-fought GOP primary in Connecticut’s 5th District, the Associated Press has reportedly called it for Sam Caligiuri. And in the Democratic primary for governor, Dannel Malloy has defeated Ned Lamont, who in 2006 mounted a Netroots-backed challenge to Sen. Joe Lieberman.
UPDATE 10:50 p.m. ET: Now with 91% of precincts reporting in Georgia’s GOP gubernatorial runoff, Nathan Deal leads by 3,500 votes (0.6%) over Karen Handel. In related news, Allahpundit never links me. But that’s not exactly “news,” is it?
UPDATE 10:20 p.m. ET: With more than 60% of precincts reporting in the Colorado Republican primary for Senate, Ken Buck currently holds a slender lead over Jane Norton, who was endorsed by John McCain. On the Democratic side, Sen. Michael Bennet fended off challenger Andrew Romanoff, who was backed by many left-wing activists.
UPDATE 8:50 p.m. ET: With 88% of precincts reporting, Ray McKinney has 62% can be declared the winner in his GOP runoff in Georgia’s 12th District. The McKinney challenge to “Blue Dog” Democratic Rep. John Barrow is going to be a real bellwether for Republican hopes of taking the House this November. You can read more in the American Spectator feature I did in April about Ray’s campaign.
UPDATE 9:25 p.m. ET: Associated Press catches up in GA-12.
UPDATE 9:35 p.m. ET: Brian Doherty at Reason magazine is in mourning over the results in Connecticut:
Peter Schiff, a GOP Senate candidate who did a lot of outreach to libertarians . . . is getting crushed by two opponents in today’s primary.
UPDATE 9:40 p.m. ET: In the Georgia GOP gubernatorial primary, Nathan Deal holds a 10,000-vote margin over Karen Handel with 80% of precincts reporting, but it is still too close to call. Tom Graves wins the GA-9 Republican primary, while Rob Woodall leads by 10 points in the GOP primary in GA-7. In GA-13, Mike Crane beats Deb Honeycutt for the Republican nomination.
UPDATE 10:05 p.m. ET: In Minnesota, Tom Emmers runs away with the GOP gubernatorial nomination and, while the Democratic primary is closer, it looks like Margaret Kelliher will face Emmers in November.
PREVIOUSLY: The big battle tonight? Probably the Colorado GOP Senate primary between Ken Buck and Jane Norton. There are also primaries in Connecticut and Minnesota, but my especial interest will be in my native Georgia, where Ray McKinney’s the likely winner in the 12th District runoff, and there’s also a dead-heat contest between Nathan Deal and Karen Handel for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.
A good preview of all tonight’s primaries at Swing State Project.
UPDATE: Here’s a story about Sarah Palin’s endorsement of Karen Handel.
UPDATE 8:20 p.m. ET: With 38% of precincts reporting in GA-12, Ray McKinney enjoys a comfortably 61%-39% over Carl Smith.
UPDATE 8:25 p.m. ET: With 37% of precincts reporting in the Georgia Republican gubernatorial primary, Deal leads Handel by a slender 7,000-vote margin.
UPDATE 8:40 p.m. ET: Just 4% of precincts reporting in the Connecticut GOP Senate primary, but it looks like Linda McMahon (48%) winning easily over Rob Simmons and Peter Schiff. In the CT-2 Republican primary, its a dead heat between Janet Peckinpaugh and Daria Novak, and a tight three-way Republican contest in CT-5 between Sam Caliguri, Mark Greenberg and Justin Bernier.
by Smitty (via The Corner)
Brown’s possible defection from the bill increases the chance of a successful Republican filibuster this time unless Democratic leaders can find another vote.
Democrats control 57 seats in the Senate and Republicans 41. Two independents usually vote with the Democrats. It takes 60 votes to end a filibuster.
“While I’m still reviewing the bill’s details, these provisions were not in the Senate version of the bill which I previously supported … I’ve said repeatedly that I cannot support any bill that raises tax,” Brown said.
A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Henry Reid had no comment on Saturday when asked if Brown’s concerns posed a serious obstacle to final passage of the bill.
The three other Republicans that voted for the financial regulatory reform package in May were Senator Susan Collins and Senator Olympia Snowe, both of Maine, and Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa.
A spokeswoman for Grassley said he was still evaluating the conference report.
Two Democrats, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Maria Cantwell of Washington, voted against the Senate financial regulatory reform package in May.
I’m all for seeing a de facto shut down of Congress until the next election.
Nothing good has, or likely can, come from the slow-motion heist known as the 111th Congress.
Update: Senator Byrd is in the hospital. Pray he comes to and does no harm.
Update II: Heh