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Reuters: Could an 'October surprise' shape U.S. election?
Reuters ^ | October 17 2006 | John Whitesides

Posted on 10/17/2006 10:18:56 AM PDT by jmc1969

A last-minute "October surprise" -- a dramatic news event that shakes up the U.S. election -- could be a wild card in the final three weeks of the fight for control of Congress.

With Democrats threatening to sweep Republicans out of power in Congress in the Nov. 7 elections, a late-breaking foreign crisis, terrorist attack or another Washington scandal could change the debate and shape the ultimate outcome.

The possibilities are numerous, as President George W. Bush juggles multiple foreign threats like North Korea's nuclear tests, Iran's nuclear ambitions and civil war in Iraq, along with mushrooming Republican scandals at home.

"It should come as no surprise if the Bush administration undertakes a pre-emptive war against Iran sometime before the November election," Gary Hart, a former Democratic senator and presidential candidate, predicted last month on the Huffington Post, an Internet site.

In many scenarios, the man imagined to be pulling the strings on an October surprise is White House political adviser Karl Rove, the architect of Bush's 2004 re-election.

"Karl Rove wouldn't be earning his pay if he didn't try something that would benefit the White House," said Larry Sabato, a political analyst at the University of Virginia.

(Excerpt) Read more at today.reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: dui; novembersuprise; octobersuprise
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1 posted on 10/17/2006 10:18:56 AM PDT by jmc1969
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To: jmc1969
How about a November surprise?

The Dems lose.
2 posted on 10/17/2006 10:20:24 AM PDT by rightinthemiddle (Without the Media, the Left and Islamofacists are Nothing.)
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To: jmc1969

He could have mentioned Foley.....


3 posted on 10/17/2006 10:21:09 AM PDT by aviator (Armored Pest Control)
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To: jmc1969

Rove, you magnificent bastard!


4 posted on 10/17/2006 10:22:20 AM PDT by SmithL (Where are we going? . . . . And why are we in this handbasket????)
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To: jmc1969
What hypocrites. The Democrats have perfected the art of the October Surprise. Remember the Bush DUI in 2000 or the Cap Weinberger indictment? This year's: Foleygate - holding a three-year-old scandal to just before an election.
5 posted on 10/17/2006 10:22:37 AM PDT by colorado tanker
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To: jmc1969
I just don't buy any of this scandal stuff. When I vote for congress critters, my vote is based strictly on their performance if an incumbent and on their position of my key issues if a first timer.
6 posted on 10/17/2006 10:22:48 AM PDT by IamConservative (A mans true character is revealed in what he does when no one is watching.)
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To: jmc1969
"It should come as no surprise if the Bush administration undertakes a pre-emptive war against Iran sometime before the November election," Gary Hart, a former Democratic senator and presidential candidate, predicted last month on the Huffington Post, an Internet site.

What an idiot.

7 posted on 10/17/2006 10:22:57 AM PDT by Lurking in Kansas (Nothing witty here… move on.)
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To: jmc1969

There will be no October Surprise from the 'RATS, as they have asked their terrorist allies around the world to refrain from attacking us until after the election.


8 posted on 10/17/2006 10:23:08 AM PDT by Salvey (ancest)
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To: jmc1969

That's a signal to all the other little lefties out there that they have to concoct a big media event that will turn the election in their leftist favor.
I wouldn't be surprised if they already have a few in their leftist bag of tricks and are planning when they can spring them.


9 posted on 10/17/2006 10:23:10 AM PDT by Leftism is Mentally Deranged (American media: supporting leftist principles 100%)
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To: jmc1969

Sounds like they are getting worried...


10 posted on 10/17/2006 10:23:23 AM PDT by rhombus
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To: aviator

The New Jersey Supreme Court is supposed to rule by Oct. 26th on whether homosexual marriage is legal in the Garden State. If they rule in favor, it will bring that "divisive social issue" into the mix, especially considering that 8 states are voting on Nov. 7th on whether to amend their state constitutions to ban it.

Why are some subjects called "divisive social issues" if they don't favor a liberal or Democratic viewpoint?


11 posted on 10/17/2006 10:24:00 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: jmc1969
Someone this a.m. mentioned the mostest billiantest Rovian plan.. The Democrats will win the House, however, the next day a handful of Dems will switch parties to the Republicans giving them the power back..
12 posted on 10/17/2006 10:24:15 AM PDT by mnehring (http://abaraxas.blogspot.com/)
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To: aviator

Yeah, the creep Foley (R) wrote inappropriate emails - Studds, a democrat had sex with a 17 year old page and was a liberal hero... No MSM bias there...


13 posted on 10/17/2006 10:24:23 AM PDT by GOPJ (Death Cult Alert: Every Muslim hero since Mohammed, has been a mass murderer.)
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To: jmc1969

Ask Dan Rather, and other democrat operatives if an October surprise will work. Ask the people who sat on the Mark Foley crap if it will work. The Republicans won't be able to orchestrate an October surprise because the media will completely ignore, bury or twist anything they throw out there. The Democrats on the other hand have the full and total support of the alphabet news networks, newspapers and magazines. What ever else they come up with will most certainly get all the press the mud needs to stick.


14 posted on 10/17/2006 10:24:32 AM PDT by TheKidster
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To: jmc1969
"Blah blah blah" Gary Hart, former US Senator and Presidential Candidate said....


15 posted on 10/17/2006 10:25:52 AM PDT by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
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To: SmithL

16 posted on 10/17/2006 10:26:11 AM PDT by steveo (ADVERTISEMENT)
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To: jmc1969
"It should come as no surprise if the Bush administration undertakes a pre-emptive war against Iran sometime before the November election," Gary Hart, a former Democratic senator and presidential candidate, predicted last month on the Huffington Post, an Internet site.

Gary has gone bye-bye.

Sheesh! No bias in this article, huh? Notice they don't mention all the October surprises dumped by the Dems in the past few weeks - and for the only two they DO mention, Foley and Weldon, they only comment that the Dems benefit.

17 posted on 10/17/2006 10:26:12 AM PDT by Pete
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To: jmc1969

Its official, Larry Sabato is one of them..


18 posted on 10/17/2006 10:26:39 AM PDT by cardinal4 (Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi..)
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To: jmc1969
Upon reading this, I'd like to propose a new official graphic for the Democratic Party:


19 posted on 10/17/2006 10:26:46 AM PDT by Stultis
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To: mnehrling
The Democrats will win the House, however, the next day a handful of Dems will switch parties to the Republicans giving them the power back..

God, the dems will be jumping out of whore house windows if that happens... (someone said dems don't believe in the same values as the rest of us - it's why the MSM gives them a pass... so, they won't be insulted by the above comment)

20 posted on 10/17/2006 10:27:28 AM PDT by GOPJ (Death Cult Alert: Every Muslim hero since Mohammed, has been a mass murderer.)
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