Where’s the Outrage?

From Time.com:

House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) will not seek reelection to the Republican leadership when his members return as a minority party after taking heavy losses in Tuesday’s elections, a Republican official tells TIME. Hastert, 64, a low-key former high school wrestling coach, was beloved by members as a “good cop,” compared to the enforcer style of the longtime number two leader, former Rep. Tom Delay (R-Tex.). But Hastert was badly damaged by questions about how much he had known about former Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and his contact with pages, and members felt Hastert also handled the aftermath of the revelations clumsily.  more

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So, is this the dismantling of Delay’s machine?  The machine that delivered vote after vote for Bush?

Tags: Congressman Mark Foley, Party Politics by ecthompson
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From ACT:

For mountain Democrats, the defeat of eight-term Republican Congressman Charles Taylor was a long time coming — 16 years, to be exact.

And it took a political newcomer, former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler, to do it.

Shuler, 34, claimed victory Tuesday night with 123,856 votes to 106,632 for Taylor, with all 298 precincts reporting in unofficial tallies. Shuler collected 53.7 percent of the vote, to 46.3 percent for Taylor.

“We’ve talked about it — how our country deserves better — and it’s going to get better,” Shuler said to raucous Democrats gathered at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Asheville.

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Outstanding.  Charles Taylor was a joke.  I hope that Heath will do us proud.

Tags: State and Local Politics by ecthompson
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From CNN.com:

President Bush introduced Robert Gates on Wednesday afternoon as his nominee to replace Donald Rumsfeld as secretary of defense, saying the country needs a “fresh perspective” on Iraq.

Gates, a former CIA chief, was a member of the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel that is making recommendations to Bush on how to proceed in Iraq.

Gates traveled with the panel to Iraq earlier this year, an experience, Bush said, that will enable Gates to come up with “new ideas on how America can achieve our goals in Iraq.” 

Gates, 63, said Wednesday he accepted the nomination because “the United States is at war” and the president called.

“I believe the outcome of these conflicts will shape our world for decades to come,” Gates said.

Bush announced Rumsfeld’s departure earlier Wednesday. more

 

 Rumsfeld is out [1:28m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Afghanistan, Domestic Issues, Iraq, Military by ecthompson
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Representative Fisher who has been on my show 3 times (the only politician to have come on my show that many times) has been re-elected. This is a huge win for North Carolina. She is a great representative.

Update (from Susan Fisher’s Camp):

YOU helped re-elect our wonderful NC House Representative Susan Fisher and significantly aided in other victories that will have a profound impact on our community, our state, and our nation. THANK YOU!

Susan received over 15,000 votes and we will be sending her back to Raleigh in January with a RESOUNDING show of support for her strong progressive stance on issues that matter to all of us. The voters of district 114 proved that the politics of division, fear, and dirty tricks CAN be defeated with caring, positive, collaborative, issue-focused and responsive leadership. Thanks to you, Susan will be able to continue her hard work protecting our environment, fighting for affordable health care for all, supporting strong local economies with small, homegrown, clean businesses paying living wages, and ensuring quality education for all children in North Carolina. Your hard work, financial support, and participation made the difference. We left no stone unturned in NC House District 114, and our voters helped elect Heath Shuler to the US Congress, and Van Duncan as our new Sheriff. HURRAH!

MUCH APPRECIATION again to all of the volunteers who have made phone calls, knocked on doors, addressed postcards, hosted events, and otherwise chipped in on the campaign in the past week. This grassroots campaign would not be possible without your help! Appreciation also to all of those who supported the campaign financially, and those who got friends and family out to VOTE for Susan. Thank you.

Tags: Election 2006, Rep. Susan Fisher, State and Local Politics by ecthompson
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Missouri, Virginia are still out.  Tennessee goes to the Republicans.  So, what do we know?  I’m not sure that we know anything more now then we knew in January.  Iraq is a big deal but there are more issues out there.  The American people are starting to wake from their dreamy sleep.  Americans are starting to get involved and are starting to be aware of the issues that are effecting their lives. 

The one thing that is clear the era of the conservativism has ended.  The Bush era has ended at least I hope it has.

Democrats will have to lead.  Look for a rise in the minimum wage.  What will we do on Iraq?  Immediate push to simply pull out?  Phased withdrawal?  Will Bush actually work with the Democrats to save his presidency or will he dig his heels in?  Rumsfeld?  Is he now out?

It is going to interesting.

Tags: Domestic Issues, Election 2006 by ecthompson
3 Comments »

Van Duncan had an outstanding interview on my show.  He is a thoughtful and polished man.  He will do a great job. 

From ACT:

Van Duncan has defeated Bobby Medford in the race for Buncombe County sheriff.

Medford conceded the race a little before 10 tonight.

His supporters, including Pat Hefner, Walt Roberson and Carl Mumpower, shook their heads as the Medford conceded the race.

Tags: Election 2006, State and Local Politics by ecthompson
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It wasn’t long ago the Dem’s were licking their wounds from 2004.  Complete incompetence mixed with a particularly vile type of arrogance gave the Democrats a window of opportunity.  The continued deaths in Iraq.  The chaos in Iraq.  The lack of a coherent plan.  The Dubai Port deal.  The attempt to steal Social Security.  An economy that’s making the rich richer and everyone else is asked to bend over.

I had an opportunity to speak with Tom Daschle on Sunday night.  He and I were riding the same plane going to Atlanta.  I asked him a rhetorical question — can you name any policy that President Bush has implemented that is actually benefit the American people?  Then I qualified this question by saying any major policy.  Neither one of us could think of any.  You have No Child Left behind, Stem Cell Research, Healthy Forests, Energy Policy — not one of these have been helpful to the American people.  (On a personal note, it was a great thrill to talk with Senator Daschle in person, especially since, I interviewed him on my show not two weeks ago.)

It will still be another couple of hours before we find out the outcomes of the Senate races.  It appears that the race in Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri are going to be extremely close.

 

 Queen - Another one bites the dust [3:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Election 2006 by ecthompson
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