Posted on 04/22/2006 5:02:11 AM PDT by Carl/NewsMax
National Republicans may pay a huge price for not doing more to oppose Hillary Clinton's Senate reelection bid this year.
In fact, it may cost them control of the House.
Bloomberg News reports that the former first lady, along with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Eliot Spitzer, now lead their opponents by such wide margins that their coattails could help Democrats "pick up as many as six New York congressional seats - more than one-third of the 15 they need nationally to gain a House majority."
Lee Miringoff, director of the Institute for Public Opinion at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, agrees that Clinton and Spitzer victories could have national consequences.
"It could turn into a Democratic year in New York, which might then have an impact on down-ballot races for Congress," he explained.
Even absent the New York factor, Republicans are already deeply worried that the House could go Democrat - a prospect that White House spokeswoman Mary Matalin described on Thursday as "catastrophic."
Add a Hillary Clinton landslide into the equation and Republican hopes grow considerably dimmer, at least if Miringoff's calculations hold true.
With so much on the line, one would expect the national GOP to be working overtime to boost Clinton's challenger, former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer. Even if he didn't win, a closer race might help preserve precious congressional seats for the GOP.
But outside of a brief critique of Mrs. Clinton "brittleness" delivered by Karl Rove earlier this year, the Bush White House is acting like they have nothing at stake in the New York race.
That's particularly odd, because if Dems take over the House, future House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers has already indicated that impeachment will be at the top of his agenda.
The conservative media hasn't been much better. After Jeanine Pirro's challenge fizzled in December, most pundits have treated Mrs. Clinton's reelection as a forgone conclusion.
Even though recent polls show Spencer gaining on Clinton, he's gotten almost no exposure on talk radio and cable TV - and print interviews have been slim to none.
That's not because Spencer has nothing to say - his comments to NewsMax earlier this year show he's ready to go after Hillary hammer and tong.
Still, Republican Party activists seem content to have Mrs. Clinton's reelection devolve into a coronation.
That's fine - as long they don't complain too loudly if Democrats take back the House based on a handful of seats won in New York - effectively putting an end to the Bush presidency.
Be real careful with the "Fighting Dems." Most of them got no closer to the fighting than a military lawyer's office -- and the lawyers have had a dreadful effect on the war; they've been against the Joes and for the enemy to a great degree.
Massa's history? Not EVEN a lawyer. Wesley Clark's boy-toy. He was never a combat sailor, but a staff weenie that followed Clark around from assignment to assignment, taking care of his needs. He's pro-gay marriage, pro-socialist healthcare. (Like Clark, he's married... it's good for the career).
http://www.massaforcongress.com/newsroom.asp?ARTICLE3049=3414&PG3049=2
Kuhl's bad performance in 04 came when Dems in the courts leaked his sealed divorce records. Ugly stuff in there... but this year it's old news, and in 04 the NY dems timed it so that the leak came just before the election. Unless there's even worse dirt on him they don't have that tactic again.
Remember, Massa was a career Navy officer but never, ever commanded a vessel. Why? He never engaged in actual combat despite two dozen years drawing a check. And his "Capstone Military Assignment" was a "Special Assistant" to Wesley Clark. The Democrats are pretty quiet about that, and totally silent about what he was special assistant FOR: "Congressional liaison."
In other words, the Navy tagged this guy as a politician in uniform, and shuffled him to a shore billet where he could be with his own kind.
The voters have already spoken on Wesley Clark. I doubt that they will have much more enthusiasm for a guy whose career peaked as a Clark horse-holder and Congressional lickspittle.
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
LOL! Thanks for the update and link on Massa. Sounds like he was handpicked from Hillery's plantation.
I wonder what's with Kuhl that the Conservatives didn't back him in 2004?
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
I understand what you mean .. but if OUR NOT VOTING FOR REPUBS causes the DEMOCRATS TO WIN - that is not the outcome I want.
If the dems win back the House, the first item on the agenda will be impeaching Bush - does anybody in their right mind want that to happen ..??
We must get a grip on this before the election - because we cannot afford to have the democrats back in office - EVER!!
hey Carl:
If Bush is impeached he needs to be convicted by 2/3 the senate..aint gonna happen
Wow, a Democratic year in NY? I have to think real hard to remember the last time that happened! When did the last one end?
By logic of this article, PA would have seen huge losses for the Dems in 1998 in the House, just to name one of many examples that didn't come true. I don't understand how something like this gets published.
Kuhl is considered highly vulnerable. Pres. Bush visited his district in March for a Social Security town hall meeting, at Kuhl's request. There's lots of local media attention to these under-the-MSM-radar daily events.
Worth repeating... but I don't see any Hillary coattails.
Great post.. I am pretty sure Reynolds will lose this time.
He and most of Repubs in this state have pi$$ed off the base so bad they will stay home.
That's scary. According to the ACU, he's one of the better ones.
Ouch...that burns.
Here's my response Carl.
http://albanysinsanity.speakupwny.com/?p=159#respond
Davis ran strong against him last time and he is out for blood this time.
When you have the republicans running this state like we do and him chumming up to them like he does they will either stay home or vote Davis.
People are pi$$sed here.. You have no idea..
WNY is the the worst section of the state, we have republicans that do nothing but screw us. Our delegation in Albany jumps to a different tune and Bruno is playing that tune.
Everyone knows that Reynolds controls the republicans up here and we have been getting our a$$es handed to us in a sling. Democrats now control the Erie county legislature because of the inept Republican leadership.
When you have republicans run someone against "us" the leaders of the tax revolt, just to defeat us and to protect their turf, you know we are screwed.
I was leading the dem in my district hands down.... they violated elections law 5 times just to defeat me....
They lost 60 to 40 just as I predicted.
Things have got to change.
Thanks for the ping!
I dunno. I am not a New Yorker but I am keenly aware that the Conservative Party does not automagically endorse Republicans. It may have been some of the aroma from Kuhl's divorce (I mean, a guy who is out of control of his family life to that extent is a less than ideal candidate). Or he may have thrown some RINO votes -- spinal infirmity being endemic among northeastern Establishment Republicans.
Maybe someone will tell us. There's gotta be some FReepers in NY-29.
d.o.l.
Criminal Number 18F
PUSH HER RUDY!!!!
Thanks. I'll tell you what has happened on Long Island is an embarrassment. Until the grass-roots get their act together there, we won't be getting those other 3 House seats there back anytime soon. In the case of District 27, I'd try to make it look like it's the dad that is running for his seat again (hey, if it works, why not ?).
As it stands, we ought to have a 16 'Rat/13 GOP delegation from New York (to at least reflect the fact that the NY GOP represents around 40% of the electorate - even higher in the State Senate, where they still maintain a majority, even if just on paper).
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