The past week has been a cornucopia of news stories, locally, statewide, and nationally. Here’s a short rundown…
Last Tuesday, Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton announced he was exploring a run of the 9th District seat currently held by Steve Cohen. The poll released last night (full results here) has been derided by local blogger ThaMATT who, it seems, has no understanding of how polling works. We’re a long way off from the primary. With these two, anything could happen. Herenton could get indicted, Cohen could show his personal knowledge of movies from the 80’s. Anything’s possible.
Yesterday also brought us the Snarlin’ Arlen Specter switch. I got 10 calls and 20 emails in a 5-minute period after this broke. I suppose I’m ought to be excited about this, but I’m not. Arlen is just trying to keep his seat, something politicians do no matter how long they’ve been in, and realizes the political calculus that’s in front of him…he can win a general, but not a primary. Specter’s Progressive Punch score may put him at the top of the heap among the Republicans, but when you’re to the right of Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson, I have to hold my nose to call you a Democrat. While it may be nice to have a possible filibuster proof majority in the Senate once Franken is seated, my lack of enthusiasm on this development is right up there with writing a check to the Treasury in the midst of a budget surpluss. Further, this stops the party from running a stronger Democratic voice in that race, which means we gave up a long term opportunity for a short term gain. Awesome.
Today marks Obama’s 100th day in office. I find benchmarks like this tiresome, but apparently they’re going to play along. All day the gas bags will be talking about all that has, hasn’t and won’t materialize in his first term, as if the first 100 days are a coffin that somehow encompasses everything that is possible for the next 1361 days. Blech. Save it folks. You’re wasting air I might need later.
Finally, I just want to know who wrote this headline. Whoever it is over there at the CA is entitled to a free drink at their leisure. Despite the unfortunate nature of the story, the headline made me giggle and holler.
All right folks, Let’s be careful out there.
Well, Steve, regarding Specter, please remember that he was, in fact, a Republican and therefore had to vote with the GOP caucus (pressured by the likes of Lamar! Alexander and GW Bush and Dick Cheney). Specter can be reasonably expected to represent the values of the Democratic Party, and to swing significantly left because he’s free from the ideological baggage that he had to carry as a “Reagan Republican”.