The Atlantic - Latest Comments in Election Day, Meh...

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Persia — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:38:55 -0000

It was the same thing this morning, except now that the Democrat won in NY-23 it seems to not matter any more.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Deborah — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:29:06 -0000

I'm getting really miffed at NPR's updates, which are all phrased as "What do the gubernatorial elections in VA and NJ say about how voters feel about Obama?" As though there are no possible local or personal issues, and the only point is to have a referendum on the president. I can safely say that the party holding the White House has never been a big factor in my vote for governor of MA.

NPR is usually good, but sometimes they seem to get a conservative meme bit in their teeth and just run with it.

Feeling tentative hope about Maine.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Darth Thulhu — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:13:34 -0000

Yeah. I'm religiously required to be non-affiliated and to investigate all sides thoroughly, but it's been a while since I've voted (R) for anything beyond the local level. It might well have been a vote for McCain for Senate back in '98. The party is just so unwilling to talk in anything other than ideology, regardless of uncomfortable facts or science.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

brucds — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:37:45 -0000

aphrael - I was actually responding to Jamilah's Q of why a moderate district voting liberal Dem didn't matter to national media. But kudos for doing your part ...

Re: Election Day, Meh...

DougEMI — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:50:04 -0000

I would guess it is similar to the reasons why John Kerry, Carl Levin, Orin Hatch, etc's elections don't get much coverage, the outcome isn't very much in doubt compared to NY 23. In the New York election, at least a week ago, any one of three people could have had some realistic path to victory.

Plus, political hacks can spin the NY election to fit their spin. The left can say it further mariginalizes the Republican Party, the right can say conservative politics still sells.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Stacy — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:29:02 -0000

Yeah, that pretty much describes about 75% of my friends and family.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

aphrael — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:43:08 -0000

brucds - I do live here, but i'm gay and eat organic, so i prove your proposed rule. :)

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Rillion — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:16:15 -0000

yeah the 2000 redistricting helped it out but the whole bay area has been trending D for the last decade. Even the 2000 incumbent protection plan did not save Republican Pombo in the district to south of his one as he got voted out in 2006 I think. So it is a mix of the redistricting and the demographic trends of the bay area. It will be interesting to see how long before a Republican is elected to congress in the bay area.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

brucds — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:11:19 -0000

Because it's part of the Bay Area where everyone is either gay, minority, eats organic or is named Pelosi. (I thought you lived here!)

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Jamilah — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:02:38 -0000

Actually it is not that liberal of a district. I am from Oakland and this is the Concord, Walnut Creek, Lafayette area. These are the conservative rich suburbs of Oakland. The fact that a progressive like Garamendi is going to win by double digits is great news for progressives. Why the national media will not cover a moderate district going liberal is beyond me.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

aphrael — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:59:50 -0000

that's a bit misleading, though.

the district was held by republicans until Tauscher won it, but then the 2000 redistricting was an incumbent protection plan, meaning that the lines were drawn to result in a much more liberal district so as to ensure that a democrat would continue winning it.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Deborah — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:57:55 -0000

"Independent, but voting Dem until the Republicans are not insane" is a perfectly reasonable political persuasion.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Deborah — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:56:32 -0000

I don't get why CA 10 doesn't count in the media's musings. Per Wikipedia the seat was held by a Republican as recently as the early 90s, versus 158 years of Republicans holding NY 23.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Rillion — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:46:47 -0000

The fact that in a Democratic leaning district the Democrat is easily going to win and that a Democrat is competitive in a district that has not elected a Democrat in 150 years is clearly a sign that the voters are fed up with Obama and the Democrats.

But whatever, I'm actually all for whatever mistakenly makes the Republicans think they are doing something right.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Carrington — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:45:54 -0000

I really want to call myself an independent.

But I voted party line Democrat in our municipal elections... and voted 'Yes' on a municipal referendum because the Republicans were telling me to vote 'no.' It might have helped if a real live Republican had bothered to knock on my door. Or maybe not.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Josh — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:45:12 -0000

But can the media set conventional wisdom? If these results have nothing to do initially with Obama, will people believe that they do after the fact? Could be just as damaging if it's the case.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Rillion — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:42:47 -0000

Yeah, this would be a huge victory if the voters of Maine were to vote No on 1. The opponents of gay marriage have kept trying to move the goal post, first they say activist judges shouldn't be deciding this issue, then when a legislature and governor passed gay marriage they have come back and said that only the people should be able to decide. Well maybe for the first time the people will finally vote for equality. If the voters affirm gay marriage it might help prod some lawmakers in other states to vote in favor of gay marriage (I'm looking at you NY). The anti-gay folks are trying to hold back the incoming tide, its about time a wave finally knocked them over.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

brucds — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:40:31 -0000

We're also having a Congressional election in a nearby CA district to replace Tauscher who joined the administration (like the previous occupant of NY's 23rd) and when the Democrat John Garamendi wins it, as he's expected to, it will be like totally a definitive, incredibly awesome referendum on what a great job Obama is doing. Except the national news media won't report on it...which is, of course, Good News for Sarah Palin!

Re: Election Day, Meh...

K_Commenter — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:35:47 -0000

As someone who voted in VA this morning... I think that's pretty accurate. I mean, honestly, the Deeds / McDonnell thing has more or less nothing to do with the Obama administration so far, as best I can tell. It has everything to do with Deeds being a lousy candidate -- the whole Kerry/Bush kind of situation. (Plus, he's a real-life Mr. Deeds! It's hard to take seriously. I keep seeing Adam Sandler or Gary Cooper in my head.)

I think the reason it's having a big deal made from it is that early November is a reeeeeeeally slow news time.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

aphrael — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:35:03 -0000

Maine Referendum 1 is, however, not overplayed --- because another repeal of gay marriage, coming so soon after Proposition 8, would be devastating to the gay community; and because there's a chance - not a certainty, but a very good chance - that it could be the first gay marriage victory at the polls.

"Every time the voters have been asked to vote on this, they've said no" has been a big conservative talking point on the issue; taking that away from them would be significant.

Re: Election Day, Meh...

Schloss1 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:26:59 -0000

I agree with this. I held my nose and voted for Corzine in NJ this morning. That doesn't mean I'm thrilled with him, I hate property taxes as much as the next homeowner, it just means I'm not ready to vote for Bush's former US attorney. The Republican brand is in the crapper, and votes for third parties are wasted votes.

I also think NY 23 has been overplayed, see Frank Rich's column Sunday. This seems like a safe Republican district to me, it would make sense for them to have an orthodox candidate. Specter defecting and Lieberman's long leash says more about the parties' respective big and little tents than some House election in rural New York.