Paul Begala Hints that Chaffee will Switch Parties

700, WLW Radio (Jim Scott Show) | 0600, 30 Oct 02

[blackdog]

Those switches were done during an era where manners, honesty, and yes....some integrity existed in the senate. Today it is a whole different ballgame thanks to the rats. They saw those time tested qualities and consider them weaknesses in their corrupt way of doing things in today's political mix. It all started during the Clarence Thomas fiasco. Bob Packwood too. Ever since then, the senate is no better than a rotting body of morally bankrupts on one side and wanna be statesmen without the required brass on the other.

[GEC]

uuuuhhhhhh... Jumpin Jim isn't up for reelection for another four years.

Don't hold your breath.

[jackbill]

It's too bad that Rhode Island is so small that you don't have to campaign on small aircraft.

[xzins]

It wasn't the aircraft that killed Wellstone....it was his low polling numbers. It's always good to look at WHO benefits the most from another's sudden demise.

Individual.....hmmmm

Party......hmmmm

[Right Wing Professor]

Any idea's who the other dem would be that supposedly would jump over to the repub's?

There have been occasional rumors (trial ballooons?) over the last five or ten years that Nelson (D, NE) might jump. He's a Democrat in one of the two or three most Republican states, meaning he'll never have an easy re-election (whereas Hagel isn't even bothering to campaign this year, he's so far ahead). Nelson is philosophically rather conservative, and votes with the GOP more than all but one or two other senators. The downside is he has an enormous potential political liability; NE was just hit with a $150m damage award in Federal court thanks to Nelson's bad faith as governor. If it ain't overturned on appeal, and taxes go up as a result, he may be a loser for either party.

[Joy Angela]

McCain will probably be a Turn Coat as well...

Strategy, Strategy...that's what the DNC lives for!

SEE the SS come alive in the 21st Century!

All for Hillary.

Heil Hillary?

[zook]

How 'bout we get the whole damned Republican Senate caucus to switch to the Dem party? It'd cause a ton of confusion and be great political entertainment for at least a year. Hell, have Bush switch parties! Theater of the absurd!

[xzins]

Then they could vote themselves in charge. Cool.

Few airplane crashes and the next thing you know, creative thinking takes place.

I love this country!

[Norman Conquest]

Oh, Linc! Just LOOK at Jeffords. He traded away control of the Senate, his constituents' best interests, the special education money he had hoped to get, the dairy compact, his own dignity and honor and any hope of re-election.

Now he's standing there holding $26 worth of beads and trinkets with his new "friends" snickering behind his back.

Shrewd move, moron.

[xzins]

Linc will hold out for the real deal......a night on the town with the Hillmonster!

[Cosmo]

Chafee has actually said just the opposite very recently. See Novak's recent column. (no link handy -- use the drudge link to Novak at the chicago sun times)

[MHT]

Zel's point of power is that he is unpredictable. "Linc" (wonder if he is any relation to the old character from Mod Squad?) will lose his "power" once he goes to the dark side. Being unpredictable, he has everyone courting him. Once he has committed, it's all over--no more media attention. No more promises from both sides just waiting to be fulfilled or exposed as hypocracy.

I wonder if in the moments when he is really honest with himself if Jeffords ever wished he had stayed put. He sure got alot more invitations for interviews, etc., and real attention on his pet issues when he was on the fence.

[CyberAnt]

Chaffee will only jump if the senate is tied again. However, even if the repubs get Talent and can take power in the senate, Chaffee will NOT jump then, unless the senate would stay dem in Janaury.

It's like this. On 11/5, if Talent wins in MO, the repubs will automatically take power from the dems. The trick is this - if on 11/5 the repubs have taken at least 3 more seats, then in January, the repubs will have even more power in the senate.

If the repubs win at least 3 seats on 11/5, irregardless of Talent's win - Chaffee would not jump - because in 2 months HIS PARTY WOULD BE IN POWER - the guy would be an idiot to jump to dem for 2 months of power. Do you see what I mean.

The key is - do we take back the senate in January? If we do, then Chaffee will stay put. I'm confident of this, because he has already witnessed what happened to Bob Smith when he left the party and tried to come back.

[Sal]

But if McCain jeffords to the democrats, then McCain immediately starts out with all the advantages (name recognition, war-"hero", male, white, rich, not-"too"-scandel-linked) that HILLARY loses with.

A good way to get dead IMO. Maybe she would settle for smearing him out of the competition. I don't think he'll jump--unless his brain was affected by his cancer.

[LiteKeeper]

Sorry, "what's good for the goose is good for the gander." It is great that they switched, but that doesn't change the ethical question. How can one constituency elect an individual, while others vote for another person, and then have the first person switch to the party the voted against him?

JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!!!

[chickadee]

You really should take advantage of the preview button to review and think about the things you write.

A recall effort, if successful, would allow the electorate to affirm or reject the jumper's party switch. Nothin' is more democratic than that.

BTW, you seem to know a lot about totalitarian countries . . .

[Aeronaut]

It's like this. On 11/5, if Talent wins in MO, the repubs will automatically take power from the dems.

Don't forget that Minnesota is now also a special election. If (God forbid) Mondull gets elected he would cancel out the Talent two month advantage.

[CyberAnt]

Hmmmm? I don't think so. If Jesse appoints an independent to be the "interim" senator until January 2003, wouldn't that give us the edge - because Cheney would break the tie?

This is getting just toooooo confusing. The dems will go ballistic if we get the Senate back - and with all the other stuff they have been pulling, I'm really concerned what they will do.

I'm serious, these people are getting scary. Geeeeee, isn't that what they used to say about us??