Why? Because Tom was right in comments, it cracks my ass up. It’s from the National Journal’s Hotline today.
There is something serious here though–and that is when she tries to distance herself from the national party, it distances herself from the people she needs to turn out. She’ll do well with moderates and independents, but without a base, I’m not sure that matters. Many will come home because of ABB–anybody but Blagojevich, but it certainly depresses turnout if she is running away from the national party and the national intensity numbers for Republicans are horrible already.
What is going to motivate socially conservative voters this fall in Illinois? Bush isn’t on the ballot. No Senate race. The downballot races aren’t terribly exciting for social conservatives. Pankau, I think, is the most conservative–well maybe the AG candidate, but frankly I had to think for a second to come up with Stu’s name. It seems farfetched that Petey the undercover homosexual lifestyle investigator is going to get his non-binding referendum on the ballot to suggest to ban gay marriage in the Constitution of Illinois.
There are four big house races, but in one, Weller is hardly a darling of anyone, and in another Zinga is just a bad candidate. Roskam and McSweeney will fire up the troops, but that is only in two Congressional Districts.
Giving Alexi’s problems Radogno has a very good shot despite poor early polling and if Blagojevich has any high placed indictments come down over the summer, it’s possible that Judy could win, but without these external events it’s really tough to figure out how Republicans don’t have a bad year when the base has nothing to go to the polls for.
Your comment on the Republican position is interesting and promising. However, this is one registered Democrat who won’t vote for Blagojevich even if no indictments come down. There numerous reasons to not vote:
* He doesn’t spend much time in Springfield, especially when leadership is needed.
* He supports casino gambling
* He promoted robbing pension funds to pay current expenses
* He favored SBC over the competitive exchanges
* He has shown very little support for small business
* His push for a major infrastructure funding just now suggests he just a populist, not a serious politician.
We deserve much better! If as Democrats we can’t find someone better, we’ll soon be in trouble again.
McSweeney and Roskam may also rally the left’s troops, albeit later if not sooner…
Their records and past statements show both are bad news with radical views and the left would do well to bury any hatchets found over the past two years and get behind Congresswoman Bean and Major Duckworth.