Some background info on NY23 - from someone who lived there for 4 decades...

This race, and the 10th (0.00 / 0)

in California were huge victories for Democrats...in NJ and Virgina exit polls show there is still strong support for Obama and his policies...

I think the Republicans will lose independent voters if they continue to run ultra right wing candidates...they are so far out of the main stream.  

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by: bigsage @ Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 15:26:59 PM UTC

Could you please define (0.00 / 0)

"ultra right wing"?

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by: Rusty Shackleford @ Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 15:31:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

"ultra" (0.00 / 0)

as in followers of Beck, Limbaugh and Palin, et al.

Otherwise known as conservatives.

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by: JC @ Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 18:25:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Very insightful (0.00 / 0)

thank you for your time * rolls eyes *

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by: Rusty Shackleford @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 00:14:21 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Then try this (0.00 / 0)

"ultra right wing" refers to those idiots who lost a district that hadn't been lost by conservatives or Republicans in over 100 years.  The offensively fascist ones ... you know, people like you.  

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by: Rob Kailey @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 00:24:09 AM UTC

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Ah yes (0.00 / 0)

throwing around the word fascist without actually understanding the term, you never disappoint!

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by: Rusty Shackleford @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 06:19:52 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Some post-election observations (4.00 / 1)

I spoke with my sister in the NY-23rd earlier. She decided not to go to the polls yesterday due largely to a sense of disgust with the whole process. She is not a casual voter, she is normally very diligent.

She told me that they were inundated with robo-calls and that it was impossible to enjoy radio/tv for the past two weeks. Door-to-door campaigners came too - yet none of these people were locals that she knew. She sounded battle-weary.  Her vote probably would have gone to Hoffman, since she usually votes with the pro-life candidate. But, his no-show at a community forum turned her off. She doesn't feel all that badly about Owen's win - reporting to me that she is just glad that it is over.

For voters who float around in the undecided column a lot on races - like my sister - selecting a candidate often has more to do with a kind of Hippocratic approach - choosing the candidate that they perceive will do the least harm to their condition and their value system.  Owens was the sort of candidate that could appeal to voters who approach an election in that way. I think that contributed to his win.

Don't count on Owens to contribute much to the expansion of progressive ideals in the House, though.  If we wants to be re-elected in the NY-23, he will have to be a Blue Dog Middle-right Democrat: hawkish on defense and fiscally conservative.

Oh - and in the way of full disclosure - When I lived in upstate NY, I was a journalist for Public Broadcasting and also served as President of the League of Women Voters in Plattsburgh, NY. I once worked on my godfather's campaign for county commissioner when I was 18...that was a long time ago and he was the most conservative Democrat I ever knew.  

ars longa - vita brevis

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by: NorthernFlicker @ Wed Nov 04, 2009 at 22:28:45 PM UTC

thanks for the insight... (0.00 / 0)

...Great commentary...

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by: Jay Stevens @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 17:23:15 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

write more! (0.00 / 0)

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by: Jay Stevens @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 17:23:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks - This is a terrific forum (0.00 / 0)

ars longa - vita brevis

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by: NorthernFlicker @ Thu Nov 05, 2009 at 18:38:27 PM UTC

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Owens seemed to understand the house Healthcare Bill. (0.00 / 0)

In a debate a week ago with Doug Hoffman and Dede Scozzafava he said;

"I think moving towards this legislation is very appropriate. I think the type or the form of the public option included in this bill is reasonable. It is not one that allows people to move to the government option if they already have health insurance overage. So it's not going to control a significant segment of the population."

He seems to understand the bill a lot better than some of the more enthusiastic public option supporters do.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo...

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by: Steve W. @ Fri Nov 06, 2009 at 03:24:56 AM UTC

[ Parent ]