Posted on 10/12/2006 11:19:08 PM PDT by paratrooper82
It took 48 hours of loose nukes in the control of bad hair kooks to get the electorate refocused on the stakes in November's elections. But even before North Korea reminded the electorate of the wonders of Clinton-Albright era diplomacy, even as "The Path to 9/11" and The Looming Tower had done, the Foley effect had begun to dissipate as the reality of the choice before the country broke through even the MSM's fascination with the destruction of the Republicans because of the notorious IMs.
Now Santorum in Pennsylvania, DeWine in Ohio, and Corker in Tennessee have showed strong momentum to match that of Allen's in Virginia. Jim Talent will win in Missouri, and Democratic nominee McCaskill's remarkable ability to churn out gaffes might make it a breakaway. Key Congressional candidates have the same momentum, as does Bob Beuprez in Colorado. Arnold out west and Charles Crist in Florida are crushing their Democratic opponents and with them, Democratic enthusiasm in those states.
To this mix we add increasing focus on the hard left politics of the Nancy Pelosi/John Murtha appeasement Democrats, and the unexpected assists intentional and unintentional received from folks like David Zucker and Jimmy Carter, respectively.
The timely return to the lists of Jimmy C. --original enabler of the Ayatollah Khomeni and shrewd poker player with Kim Jung Il-- is a special treat for Republicans, even better than Bill Clinton's FNC reprise of his best finger wagging moment. Dean has dealt with it, but I don't think even that fine post summarizes the impact of James Earl Carter on the nation's decision making when it comes to politics. His election was birthed in reaction to political scandal of course, and we got what we paid for, the very disasters that haunt us to this day.
And still there are other advantages at work for the GOP, both with the evangelical/conservative Catholic base, and in places like Montana and other individual-rights minded locales.
I shipped off my World Magazine column this morning on the absurdity of the idea of evangelicals and conservatives Catholics staying home in November or the even bigger horselaugh about a sudden defection. I'll post the column when it comes out, but it begins with this observation:
Justice John Paul Steven is 86. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is 73. Justices Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy are both 70. Justice Stephen Breyer is 68. Justice David Souter is 67.
Senators elected in November will be casting votes on replacements for how many of these six justices during their six year terms? It is in the realm of possibility that all six will retire in the next half-dozen years, and a near certainty that more than one will.
I think this reality will impact Montana's Senate race decisively as the issue of the future of the Supreme Court gets attention over the next four weeks. The current court majority is anti-property rights and pro-terrorist rights; hostile to the unborn and gun-owners; confused on racial quotas and a host of other issues. Jon Tester will join Patrick Leahy in obstructing nominees like Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito. So would Sherrod Brown. So would Harold Ford and Claire McCaskill. Robert Menendez already has, voting against New Jersey native son Alito.
And so would even Robert Casey, Jr., posing as a pro-life Democrat whose absurd position would be instantly revealed the moment he voted to organize the Senate under Harry Reid, with Leahy back as Chair of Judiciary.
The reality of the Dems anti-border security position has also registered. There is a split among Republicans over the extent of the regularization to be offered those who entered the country illegally, but there is general agreement as shown by the fence vote that border security must come first.
Every issue works for the public except Foley and, we are told, Iraq.
But I return to the point I made yesterday in this post on the killing in Iraq of an al Qaeda terrorist who had escaped prison in Afghanistan: Retreat in Iraq is retreat in the war with al Qaeda.
Dissatisfaction with the war doesn't mean that all or even a majority of the dissatisfied want to lose or retreat, and the appeasement Democrats are finding that out in Connecticut with the Lieberman pounding of Kosputin's man, Ned Lamont.
The world's dangers clarified the choice, but it would have worked its way to the front of voter consciousness in any event. The acceleration of the process may in fact make uphill runs against Democratic Senate seats in Minnesota, Michigan and Washington State doable, and may yet surprise in some House districts written off as lost.
But a breezy week does not a hurricane make, and many eyebrows are beginning to be raised at numbers like Santorum's and Allen's.
It's cheerleading, but we NEED it.
The media has it down pat: Pollaganda to give a false sense of fear to Republicans and hope to their side.
"But I return to the point I made yesterday in this post on the killing in Iraq of an al Qaeda terrorist who had escaped prison in Afghanistan: Retreat in Iraq is retreat in the war with al Qaeda."
Right! The Dems have politicized the war in Iraq in an unseemly way, undercutting our military as a way to get at Bush... I am disgusted by their behavior on Iraq more than on any other issue, and it should deep six the Democrats.
The Dems are wrong on every issue there is.
The Plane crashing into the building in New York didn't help the dems at all. Even though we know it was not a terrorist attack. Those fleeting moments when we didn't really know what was going on had everyone thinking, "oh no, not again."
I am sure more than a few Democrats saw their political future change wildly in both directions in those few moments. Kind of wish Hillery would have come out with a statement about Bush's "failed" policies caused this attack.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.