Senate 2008 Guru: Following the Races

Keeping a close eye on developments in the 2008 U.S. Senate races

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Tuesday Quick Hits

  • Alabama: Despite the fact that supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States is a key principle in the oath U.S. Senators take (heck, it's the first line!), Jeff Sessions actually mocks those that would fight to defend the Constitution. First, Sessions is an idiot. Second, Patrick Henry said "Give me liberty or give me death," not "Give me liberty, unless we have to work hard to maintain it from time to time."

  • Alaska: More sketchy, scandal-ridden earmarks courtesy of Ted Stevens.

  • Kentucky: More conservative leaders are unhappy with Mitch McConnell. Meanwhile, McConnell is caught pushing for tax breaks for another special interest that happens to be lining his campaign coffers.

  • Nebraska: Scott Kleeb on the Issues. Draft Kleeb!

  • Oregon: An Independent Party-commissioned poll sees the Independent Party candidate running in a statistical dead heat with Democratic Senate candidate Jeff Merkley, as they hold Republican Gordon Smith to under 40%.

  • MyDD's Beeton sees some of our Democratic Senate candidates voicing support for Chris Dodd's fight against retroactive telecom immunity.

  • Speaking of, count the Guru among those very much warming up to the idea of Chris Dodd being our next Senate Majority Leader.

    • posted by Senate2008Guru | 12:32 PM

    3 Comments:

    Blogger Ajax the Greater said...

    Interesting news on the Oregon senator today from Smith (R-OR), in his send off for Lott the bigot (R-MS), talking about the hit job done to the man in 2002:

    "I was half way around the world when an event befell Trent Lott that shook me deeply," Smith said, referencing Lott's 2002 remarks in praise of Dixiecrat Strom Thurmond's 1948 run for the White House. "I was celebrating my re-election and on vacation. I watched over international news as his words were misconstrued, words which we had heard him utter many times in his big warm-heartedness trying to make one of our colleagues, Strom Thurmond, feel good at 100 years old. We knew what he meant. But the wolfpack of the press circled around him, sensed blood in the water, and the exigencies of politics caused a great injustice..."

    Smith said Lott should never have stepped down from his leadership position. "It was a wrong," Smith said of Lott's 2002 resignation, "but it was a wrong that was righted."

    Here's the fun thing, check out what Smith said in 2002, just days after the bigot initially spoke glowingly about Thurmond the racist segregationist lowlife:

    According an Associated Press article on December 17, 2002, Smith reacted as follows:

    "However they were intended, Senator Lott's words were offensive and I was deeply dismayed to hear of them," Smith said in a brief statement. "His statement goes against everything I and the people of Oregon believe in. I look forward to working with my Republican colleagues to arrive at a decision that is best for the U.S. Senate and the country."

    Three days later, according to the AP, Smith also said:

    "I appreciate that Senator Lott has stepped down, it was a courageous thing for him to do..."Senator Lott's decision is best for the Senate and best for the country."

    Classic Gordon Smith -- condemns Lott when the pressure is on, but completely exonerates him when no one's paying any attention.

    1:35 PM, December 18, 2007  
    Blogger Senate2008Guru said...

    ajax - great grab - do you have links?

    2:04 PM, December 18, 2007  
    Blogger Ajax the Greater said...

    I dont know how to put links into HTML on this blog, but here are the links:

    1. Here is Smith defending Lott in today's remarks on the Senate floor: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/12/18/gordon-smith-defends-lott_n_77296.html

    2. Here is Smith singing a different tune in 2002: http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/12/gop_senator_smith_defends_lotts_segregationist_comments_but_he_condemned_them_at_the_time.php

    3. Here is the video of Smith from this morning: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJcA9RrEhL4

    4. Here is the video of the vile Hatch (R-UT) on the senate floor this morning, also defending his bigoted colleague: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Am7qewL4lQM

    And this is the exact quotation from Lott regarding Thurmond: "I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for president we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had of followed our lead we wouldn't of had all these problems over all these years, either.

    Talkingpointsmemo.com is an invaluable resource, and one that everyone should read on at least a daily basis :)

    2:18 PM, December 18, 2007  

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