This was the topic that - after discussing re-starting with Comrade Dominguez - came up first. And why not? This year promises to be interesting in terms of whether conservatives have any chance at winning coming off of four years of Bush.
Certainly the Dems haven't done themselves any favors since the last midterms gave them control of the House and de facto control of the Senate; mostly, they've been ineffectual (often completely so) at trying to impose the agenda they thought they had a mandate for, and have instead seemed at many points to get stuck on attempting to carry out a plan of revenge on the Administration in its waning years. Does this give the Elephant any chance at swinging Congress back in the other direction?
However, that's not the biggest question. That, of course, is the Presidency. The question as I see it is, will the Dems' utter inability to do anything with Congress harm their chances for the Oval Office, or will 8 years of Bush spell doom for conservative candidates for the position?
From my morning Comcast feed: Candidates Urge Voter Turnout in Iowa
On the face of it, this was not surprising, as was the general turn-away from negative campaigning. Given the stigma attached to such campaigning, sooner or later it had to happen. Rather interesting that the article notes it's a Republican candidate that is the only one continuing such efforts (Romney - although it could be argued Huckabee did, as well).
But I draw attention to a particular item that sort of snuck in:
"There were signs that Democratic voters are more energized than Republicans.
"Democrat Joe Biden, who ranks in the low single digits in polls, attracted 500 people to a noontime event at a Des Moines brewery - a bigger crowd than any Republican candidate usually gets."
This, if true, is worrisome to me.
Turnout has, I think, always been an issue for Republicans; and if you take that as a given, it does not bode well for the vote itself if we do not see voters going to the polls for the candidates - or the candidate (once he is chosen). It would mean a return to the worst days of Clinton, where Willy had a rubber-stamp Congress; and I think all of us would agree that's something heartily to be eschewed.
Anyway, a few thoughts to open conversation.
Someone else's turn!
1 comment:
Just a quick check-in. I will try to contribute something more substantive in the near future.
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