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MAJOR DEMOCRATIC DAMAGE (Why the "Memorial Service" will cost Mondale the election)
RealClearPolitics.com ^ | October 30, 2002 | John McIntyre

Posted on 10/30/2002 3:42:26 PM PST by Timesink

Wednesday October 30 2002
MAJOR DEMOCRATIC DAMAGE:
"TV networks and radio stations have been bombarded with angry calls. The Democrats greatly overplayed their hand and violated the tradition of "Minnesota nice." The only two Democrats who seemed to instinctively realize how overboard they had gone were Gore and Daschle. It is also being talked about around the water coolers at businesses and schools, and people across the ideological spectrum did not like it. In all, it gives Norm Coleman a fresh start.

State GOP chair reported late last night that Coleman brought in over $150,000 last night alone from angry moderates and conservatives across the country. I was also informed that the phones continue to "ring off the hook" at Coleman headquarters" This from a reader of ours in Minnesota and we have gotten many more emails exactly like this one. With only five full days between now and the election Mondale may not be able to recover from this fiasco. The sympathy vote for Wellstone may have been completely incinerated in 3 1/2 hours last night. JM 5:14 pm

MORE MINNESOTA: "I feel used. I feel violated and duped over the fact that that turned into nothing more than a political rally. Like in the case of Senator Lott flying all the way up here and being booed when he is supposed to be going to a memorial service. I think the Democrats should hang their head in shame." Independent Governor Jesse Ventura

"What a complete, total, absolute sham. The DFL clearly intends to exploit Wellstone's memory totally, completely and shamelessly for political gain. To them, Wellstone's death, apparently, was just another campaign event." Fmr. Rep. Vin Weber (R)

Last night has turned into a disaster for the Democrats. Powerline has delved deeper into the Star Tribune's poll showing Mondale up 8 and has found out that the poll sampled 51% DFL/Democratic supporters and only 36% Republican or GOP leaning supporters, a total of 11% more Democrats than their previous Wellstone/Coleman poll.   JM 4:49 pm


MINNESOTA:
My initial feeling that Coleman was going to be swamped by the sympathy vote for Wellstone is beginning to fade, and quickly. While it hasn't gotten huge play in the national media, the "memorial service" for the late Senator Wellstone and the other victims was so over the top, and distasteful, it has the real potential to backlash hard on the Democrats. Our friends at Powerline have been all over this story and they report that the "rally" is getting a lot of coverage in Minnesota.

"There is a lot of buzz this morning about the fact that television cameras showed Jesse Ventura and his wife, Terry, getting up and walking out on the Democrats' pep-fest at Williams Arena last night. I heard Ventura being interviewed on the radio this morning. He said that he found the Democrats' misuse for partisan ends not only of Wellstone's death, but of the families of the other victims of the crash, to be deeply offensive. He said that his wife was so shocked and offended by the Democrats' conduct that she was brought to tears, prompting their walkout."

When NPR and William Saletan at Slate also characterize the event as more a political pep rally rather than a memorial service it is clear it isn't just Republicans who think the Democrats went too far. Not to mention I don't take the recent poll from the Star Tribune showing Mondale up 8 as terrible news for Coleman. That poll of 47%-39% may very well be the high water mark for Mondale from here on out. It's reasonable to assume that the sympathy factor is going to be at its peak immediately following the tragedy. Furthermore a poll done by the NRSC, the same time as the Star's poll, had Mondale up only two points, with the Star Tribune's polls long time poll bias for Dems that puts Mondale up 5 points averaging the two polls. The clear politicization of Wellstone's death by the Democrats last night is not going to play well among the average Minnesotan and it will definitely serve to energize Coleman's base. Expect that five point gap to close.

The bottom line is I am close to doing a complete 180 on this race. I think the offensive nature of the "memorial service" last night has put this seat right back into play. And the trump card in Coleman's hand are all those absentee ballots that can not legally be counted for Mondale. This can very easily be a potential 2%-5% boost for Coleman and if he can get this race close in the polls, which I suspect now he will, that absentee difference will be enough to give him the win. The Dems lawsuit to get those Wellstone votes counted for Mondale shows just how seriously the Democrats think those absentee ballots might be.

If Coleman can run a positive, mistake-free, proactive campaign these next few days (and there's no reason to think he can't) these polls will close and this will be a nail-biter. With the absentee ballot edge I think Coleman now will win. But, hey, this is a very fluid situation and Coleman's got to close the poll numbers. I have to give credit to Hugh Hewitt and Ramesh Ponnuru who dismissed the conventional wisdom, including my own, that Coleman couldn't win. JM 1:02 pm       Comments



TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Minnesota
KEYWORDS: democraticmeltdown; minnesota; normcoleman; senate; waltermondale
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To: Fabozz
This morning, during an interview on KSTP, Ventura said that, in light of last nights debacle, he would NOT appoint a Democrat to any interim vacancy. This doesn't mean he'll appoint a Republican, but it is a step in the right direction.
121 posted on 10/30/2002 8:57:03 PM PST by Reverend Bob
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To: djpg
Whoever votes for Mondale is without honor, or a brain.
Two words Misery Index.
122 posted on 10/30/2002 9:15:46 PM PST by Valin
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To: NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
Is this the only photo available? Did the media self- censor the most embarrassing photos of Dems laughing at the funeral, or are there other photos available?

Of course it's still too early to predict what's going to happen, but if by some longshot chance it turns out that their ghoulish pep rally makes the difference in control of Congress next week by a single Senator's vote, it would be reasonable to take one of these photos and label it, "The Democratic Party thought it would be attending Wellstone's funeral, but instead it magically transformed it into its own funeral".

(And speaking of ghoulish, don't you think it's apropot the Democrats put on this kind of a gruesome spectacle during Halloween week?)

123 posted on 10/30/2002 9:23:37 PM PST by CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC
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To: Timesink
These people see themselves as enlightened and caring. A small measure of truth and it is easy to discern that they crawl in darkness and devour.
124 posted on 10/30/2002 9:23:47 PM PST by PFKEY
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To: goldstategop
I know the common wisdom is that the x42 is a political genius - well ... I didn't say it was true.

However, Hillary, on the other hand, is POLITICALLY STUPID. I wonder how much influence she had in this deal?

In her pursuit to humiliate our President, she has only succeeded in humiliating the WHOLE DEMOCRAT PARTY.

STUPID doesn't even come close.
125 posted on 10/30/2002 9:32:18 PM PST by CyberAnt
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To: Paul Atreides
"With the Clintons, there is always some fresh Hell to put the country through, and there's never a bottom to it."

You know what the Clinton Family Motto is, don't you? ---
"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines".

126 posted on 10/30/2002 9:33:51 PM PST by CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC
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To: parsifal
Dethrone, Atone, LOL!
127 posted on 10/30/2002 9:45:37 PM PST by potlatch
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To: terilyn
Great news - thanks for posting the local scoop!
128 posted on 10/30/2002 9:51:02 PM PST by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
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To: Paul Atreides
How can you lose your parents and your sister and attend a political rally a week later?? Amazing!!
129 posted on 10/30/2002 9:55:45 PM PST by CyberAnt
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To: Timesink
Cheney, Bush and Guilliani will all be campaigning for Coleman. I can't think of a better contrast to the 'memorial' service for Wellstone.
130 posted on 10/30/2002 10:03:35 PM PST by The Vast Right Wing
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To: Timesink
State GOP chair reported late last night that Coleman brought in over $150,000 last night alone from angry moderates and conservatives across the country.

This is great news. Let's keep it going in all the states that there are Senatorial and House elections.

131 posted on 10/30/2002 10:05:25 PM PST by Salvation
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To: ambrose
Interesting. It seems like Mondale had this in the bag. All he had to do was make a few solemn statements, duck all debates, and avoid making any public appearances until after the election.

True, he did have it in the bag, but the idiot couldn't resist celebrating early with his good buddy Clinton at the memorial service.

132 posted on 10/30/2002 10:05:49 PM PST by SwordofTruth
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To: GoMonster
Now this is what I wanted to see. WOW!! The demographics on this type of reaction could help us win the election.

Great news!
133 posted on 10/30/2002 10:05:49 PM PST by CyberAnt
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To: Timesink
When NPR and William Saletan at Slate also characterize the event as more a political pep rally rather than a memorial service it is clear it isn't just Republicans who think the Democrats went too far.

Telling comment in the last paragraph.

134 posted on 10/30/2002 10:06:39 PM PST by Salvation
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To: Libloather
We'll see if the voters like what they saw out of the shallow Dems. If both Lautenberg and Mondale are rewarded seats, that's not a good sign for the character of the American people.
135 posted on 10/30/2002 10:07:59 PM PST by #3Fan
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To: Utah Girl
**whole spectacle.**

I prefer to call it the "whole debacle."
136 posted on 10/30/2002 10:08:06 PM PST by Salvation
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To: Timesink
After Reagan kicked Walter Mundane's a$$$, didn't he say that he was out of politics for ever? Didn't he say that "you won't have Walter Mondale to kick around anymore".

What's with the Democrats digging up these old farts? What's pi$$ing me off is these old farts are showing good numbers...its like their all getting some political viagra.

137 posted on 10/30/2002 10:11:37 PM PST by Heff
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To: Valin
Any thoughts on whether last night's memorial/coronation/rally will have any effects nationwide? If you look at some of the footage, there were a LOT of Democratic Senators there -- a large portion of the caucus. I'd love it if this finally showed Americans what the Dems are really all about -- capitalizing on a colleague's death to satisfy their own thirst for power. Of course, I'm not holding out much hope of that.
138 posted on 10/30/2002 10:23:13 PM PST by Gunder
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To: GoMonster
Just curious. Is your mom a Minnesotan?
139 posted on 10/30/2002 10:23:53 PM PST by Gunder
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To: Fabozz
We are going to win back the Senate!

To think anything else is defeat!!
140 posted on 10/30/2002 10:24:45 PM PST by CyberAnt
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