Even More Laesch Fun
ArchPundit
Yeah, I’d vote for him, I just wouldn’t be happy about it.
Don’t Confuse me with being a fan of Kerry
I tend to like to call him Liveshot–hysterical numbers from post Katrina polling at Zogby that tells of how big of a problem Kerry created for himself in 2004:
In a sign of just how severe the damage to the President’s standing caused by Katrina is, the Zogby America survey finds that, despite his re-election last fall, President Bush would lose to every modern president since Jimmy Carter, the one-term Democrat who left office amid record unpopularity and a presidency rated, at the time, dismally. He would also lose to his own father, who left office amid an economic recession triggered, in part, by a devastating hurricane.
However, in one of the few bright spots for the President, he would still beat Massachusetts Democrat John Kerry, by a narrow, one-point margin.
It’s nice that he decided to fight back. Over two years too late.
New Zogby Polling in IL-6
This is the only poll showing any kind of lead like this, so take it with that in mind. And remember to get out there and work.
n Illinois’ 6th District, which encompasses the western suburbs of Chicago and is now represented by outgoing Republican Henry Hyde, Democrat Tammy Duckworth, an Iraqi War veteran and double amputee, has moved from 5% ahead of Republican Peter Roskam to 14% ahead. This district is right next door to the Chicago district represented by Rahm Emanuel, the Clinton-era White House advisor who is now in charge of the Democratic efforts to take control of the House of Representatives. The Democratic surge in this district holds one more irony for Emanuel, who witnessed the impeachment of his former boss led by a team of Republicans – one of whom was Hyde.
These are phone polls, not the online polls that no one trusts
The polls were taken between Oct. 24 and Oct. 29 in 15 of the most competitive House districts across the country. The surveys of at least 500 likely voters had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points.
Good News Cubed
Scott Altman of Lincoln will be flying the shuttle again and they are definitely repairing the Hubble to have it last until 2013. It’s been a great resource to astronomers and has performed admirably. My Dad was on the ground crew that got it ready for flight. He worked on the heating/cooling system which was especially sensitive on the Hubble because of its sensitivity to humidity.
Al-Sadr has US troops called off for a second time
This time US Troops were trying to find a missing soldier.
If you can’t go after death squads and our own troops, how is it that we are going to ‘win’?
And if we cannot go after death squads, how do we plan to create a stable democracy? Usually the rule of law and monopoly on force are pretty much necessary conditions of a stable democracy.
Okay, not usually, but always.
The Same Playbook: Bush and Blagojevich
Yeah, I’m not a happy camper today.
The kerfluffle over Kerry’s flubbing of a line is predictable and annoying, but the way non-stories get the center of attention. In this case, that’s not terribly bad since everyone keeps hearing over and over again the phrase stuck in Iraq. I’m not sure of the wisdom of that move by the national GOP given the polling on the way, but hey, have at it.
But what do I find this morning? Blagojevich attacking Topinka for running down those who honor our veterans. Rich has two commercials up about it. Topinka was saying that Quinn needs to do more and ensure the administration honors the veterans hiring preference that there is some deal of evidence suggesting it’s not been honored in many cases.
Topinka’s son is in the military. He’s serving right now. She doesn’t disrespect those who honor veterans or the troops. She may be wrong on policy–that’s a fair criticism, but to suggest she doesn’t care about veterans or the troops is bullshit. Pure bullshit.
She phrased what she said badly–and an advisor might suggest to her that every time she says, “I don’t want this to sound bad…,” to just stop. It does sound bad. You are giving sound bites to the other guy. Again. Using the rolling pin on yourself.
The point is valid and we all know what she meant in context.
It’s the samd damn play. If you are mad at Kerry and not Topinka, there’s something wrong with you. If you are mad at Topinka and not Kerry, there’s something wrong with you. If you are not mad at either, you get the consistency award and should be mad at Bush and Blagojevich. I am.
As Rich has pointed out, this is the “Say anything” campaign and I’ve had enough.
If you are going to attack someone for energy deregulation votes–then cite the damn vote and not a non-existent story. That’s called lying.
Now, there’s a whole slew of reasons why the dereg bill isn’t at fault for the current proposed increase, but that’s not a partisan problem, it’s a bi-partisan problem of appointing the fox to guard the chicken coop. One can criticize the dereg bill, but frankly the bill was modest and properly implemented could help consumers and spur green energy through consumer choice.
But I digress. Liberal and moderate blogs have talked about being the reality based community. It’s too bad the Democratic Party in Illinois has two people on the statewide ballot who don’t care to be a part of that community. It’s a shame given the other four have long been a part of the community and are committed to staying that way.
Whitney Interview
And the Rockford Register-Star endorses him.
It’s a serious editorial. Some might poo-poo it, but it makes a fairly strong point about the problem of reforming a system that protects incumbents more than the taxpayers. Don’t count me on the bandwagon, but it’s hardly a quixotic choice.
The Best Congressman The 11th District Ever Had
An oldie, but a goodie brought back by a Tribune story that covers the issue today
I’m not kidding either. While El Geraldo has been tramping around the world getting married to genocidal dicator’s daughters, it appears he’s been letting things slip around the District.
Exelon is seeking a renewal from the NRC for Dresden II and III reactors near Morris. In 2004 the Radiation Public Health Project pointed out evidence that Grundy County had seen increases in the incidence of child cancer rates in the mid to late 1990s and several people in the community approached their legislative leaders for help. The Tribune reported on the issue in a brief article in January of 2004.
Constituents approached Weller about the issue in an attempt to figure out the cause of the increases and try to determine if Exelon was at fault. Weller and staff ignored them.
So they kept trying to find help and it turns out Ed Markey of Massachusetts helped them out with a series of inquiries to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. I’m trying to get ahold of his correspondence now, but Weller was absent.
The story turns more problematic today when we now know that Exelon had several tritium leaks that were never reported to state authorities and only informally reported to the NRC. The information we have now from Exelon indicates the tritium in the groundwater isn’t at unsafe levels though it is above typical levels for the area, but the information surrounding the tritium leaks is scarce.
These sorts of cases are very difficult to sort out–environmental exposure to cancer causing agents is fraught with difficulties. I’d say it is safe to say there isn’t enough evidence to determine the cause of the increased incidence in childhood cancers for the period, but it sure would be nice to have had someone looking into it–especially since Exelon wasn’t being forthecoming to the public. However, given the elevated incidence was known two years ago and constituents were asking for help, where was Jerry?
And why the hell did Ed Markey, a Congressman from Massachusetts have to go to bat for Jerry Weller’s constituents?
But don’t worry, now that it’s a big deal, Jerry’s on the scene. He’s now demanding action from Exelon to pay for the costs from the leaks.
Two years later after it made the news. Not only that, but Obama was ahead of him on the issue after he found out about it–and he wasn’t even in office in 2004. More later–I’m working on getting the Markey correspondence.
Here was the Markey correspondence
Markey is known for his work on some issues and was the guy who took the lead pointing out the President’s genius move of abbrogating the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty by sharing nuclear technology with a non-signatory country — India.