The senator from Arizona — a distant cousin, our common ancestor having lived in South Carolina circa 1790 — is not my only famous kin.
My first cousin Pepper Ellis Hagebak is a columnist for the LaGrange (Ga.) News. But her column isn’t about politics, and that’s probably a good thing. Pepper’s still a Democrat, like everybody in our family used to be. Her column is more humor and human interest. So even though she’s a Democrat and writes for a newspaper, she’s not exactly “the liberal media.”
Anyway, I hadn’t heard from Pepper in a while until I got an e-mail from her this morning with the subject line “a1vca g3a7.” And when I opened the e-mail, there were several CCs on it and the complete text of the message was “uem4 nhs kmhc4 hio7pspz,” with a link to a Web site. When I clicked on the link, it was a site advertising “herbal viagra.”
I’m pretty sure that my cousin hasn’t begun writing gibberish e-mails and promoting stuff like that. No, what undoubtedly happened is that her computer got infected with a stupid virus that hijacked her e-mail program on behalf of the Nigerian herbal viagra cartel. And since the spammers have now got my e-mail address, I have no doubt that other people are probably getting such solicitations in my name.
To my friends and family: No, I haven’t gone into the herbal viagra racket, and I didn’t send you that e-mail. Times are hard all over, but it hasn’t gotten that bad. Not yet, anyway. Continue reading Dear Cousin: Thanks, But No Thanks →
“The combination of the national tide that swept the country, massive amounts of secret corporate cash funding a campaign of distortions, and dirty politics by Washington D.C. partisan operatives was just too much to overcome.”
“The first words for me to say are ‘thank you.’ It took sacrifices by many fine people working together to make this victory possible. I thank each of them – the people of the 2nd District, the people who volunteered and gave of their time and money and worked selflessly.
“This is the way American Democracy works: Through elections. That, inevitably, leads to debate and conflict which can be bruising. It is, I can now say from experience, at times a harsh endeavor. But it has served our democracy well for over 200 years.
“After receiving a gracious call from Congressman Etheridge, the election is over and rather than debating our problems we begin work on how to solve them and as I begin my part in that work I want to wish Congressman Etheridge and his family the best.
“This election Americans voted to change Washington. And I have been elected to play a role in bringing that change to Congress. I will do all that I can to meet that challenge. I ask for your prayers and I ask you to join me in praying for Congressman Etheridge and his family during this transition. Thank you.”
Etheridge had been reelected with more than 60% of the vote in each of his last four campaigns, but Ellmers, a nurse, made opposition to healthcare reform a top cudgel against the incumbent. . . .
If all current leads win in [the five remaining undecided House] races, Republicans’ final tally in the 112th Congress would be 243 seats to the Democrats’ 192, a final pickup of 64 seats. Republicans have not held more than 240 seats in the House since 1949.
Yeah. The biggest GOP majority in 60 years. Not like there’s any kind of “mandate” there, eh?
“[T]he election recount has concluded, and the numbers confirm that despite the incredible support we had — and neither candidate getting to 50 percent — in the end we came up just a little too short,” Etheridge said. “I congratulate Mrs. Ellmers and wish her well as she prepares to serve the people of North Carolina’s Second District.”
“Every single day since we opened our doors in 1997, my staff and I have worked hard to provide outstanding constituent services to anyone and everyone who needed our help,” Etheridge said. “I’m so proud of my staff for their constituent service to this district. I’m biased, but I think it has been second to none.”
A recount in North Carolina’s closest congressional race has confirmed a victory for Republican candidate Renee Ellmers.
State Board of Elections director Gary Bartlett said Friday that a recount in the 2nd Congressional District has found that Ellmers defeated Democratic Rep. Bob Etheridge by about 1,500 votes.A recount in North Carolina’s closest congressional race has confirmed a victory for Republican candidate Renee Ellmers.
State Board of Elections director Gary Bartlett said Friday that a recount in the 2nd Congressional District has found that Ellmers defeated Democratic Rep. Bob Etheridge by about 1,500 votes.
UPDATE II: Etheridge, of course, became notorious for grabbing a student videographer and demanding to know, “Who are you?” And thanks to my friend Joe Marier for making this important point:
UPDATE III: Remember that Ellmers accused the NRCC of being MIA in NC-2. As I noted at The American Spectator, “The victory by Ellmers means that the GOP has scored a net gain of 61 seats in the mid-term election, and Republicans lead in three of the five seats where a winner has not yet been decided.”
UPDATE IV: Just checked in on the NY-25 ballot-counting where Buerkle is “approaching mathematical certainty” — like Ellmers, Buerkle is a nurse and a pro-lifer, so they’ll be a natural tandem in the 112th Congress.
Meanwhile, back in North Carolina, my source close to the Ellmers campaign was enjoying a delicious homestyle lunch when I called. Ellmers will not release an official statement until after Etheridge’s 3 p.m. press conference.
UPDATE VI: My Spectator colleague John Tabin pointed out on Twitter that New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino ran a GZM ad. I replied via Twitter that (a) Paladino wasn’t running for Congress, and (b) well . . . go read the rest for yourself.
You know how all those pollsters and pundits were so eager to tell us that the mid-term election — in which Republicans gained more House seats than in any election since 1938 — were not a “mandate” for the GOP agenda?
They know damned well that the liberal agenda can’t withstand public scrutiny — does anyone remember any Democrat in a contested election running TV ads declaring his support for granting citizenship to illegal aliens? — and so they try to sneak these things through when they think nobody’s paying attention.
Most people are now looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas. The election is over, the Democrats lost, and voters therefore cannot be blamed for thinking they had fixed that “wrong track” problem that had been apparent in polls for months.
Do me a favor: If your congressman or senator is a Republican, call their office and ask them to take the floor to give a speech reminding their Democratic colleagues that they just got a “shellacking” from the voters.
Elections have consequences, and this business of Democrats trying to ram through their unpopular agenda during a lame-duck session should not be tolerated.
Maybe I missed something. Was that even an issue during the campaign? And what other mandates will Murkowski now claim from the Alaska electorate?
The fact that Joe Lieberman says he’s now got 60 votes for repealing DADT suggests this may be the first of the many surprises we can espect from Senator Murkowski over the next six years.
While mindful of the coattail effects that the Republican presidential nominee will have in 2012, for good or ill, I wish grassroots conservatives would focus their attention on opposing the 22 Democrat senators who are up for re-election in 2012. Identifying, recruiting and supporting good conservative candidates in the GOP Senate primaries in those states will be as important as anything else the grassroots could be doing over the next two or three months.
Given the advantages that will accrue to House Republicans due to redistricting, it seems rather unlikely that Democrats can put the Speaker’s gavel back in Nancy Pelosi’s hands any time soon. On the other hand, not to be unduly pessimistic, a study of recent history suggests that the natural advantages of incumbency favor Obama’s chances for re-election.
However, it is entirely feasible that Republicans can gain upwards of 10 Senate seats in 2012 — especially if the grassroots will begin laying the groundwork now, and not leave the process of candidate recruitment to that treacherous bastard John Cornyn and his bumbling incompetents on the NRSC staff.
Insofar as I’m concerned at all about the first Republican presidential debate, it is to hope that Herman Cain will be on that stage at the Reagan Library. Underestimate him at your peril.
Administrivia: Live At Five is knocking off for the weekend so I can be initiated into the mysteries of the FMJRA and Rule 5 Sunday. Emacs may be involved. See y’all Monday.
My first cousin Pepper Ellis Hagebak is a columnist for the LaGrange (Ga.) News. But her column isn’t about politics, and that’s probably a good thing. Pepper’s still a Democrat, like everybody in our family used to be. Her column is more humor and human interest. So even though she’s a Democrat and writes for a newspaper, she’s not exactly “the liberal media.”
