Keith Olberman acted like a pompus ass and a racist during that interview. Does it occur to anyone that maybe Alvin Green may have a different communication style than the personality type that we are used to associating with politicians? I work with a guy who is absolutely excellent at what he does, is a good family man, and fine human being, but he talks just like this and it took me a while to get used to it. But he thinks just fine, and by slowing my usual chat style down a few mph, we have had some productive conversations. Give Alvin Green a chance. Just because he isn't the usual fast-talking BSer, doesn't mean he isn't authentic.Yeah, but in general fast talking BSers are the ones who get elected.
John: Hey, Bush is now at 37% approval. I feel much less like Kevin McCarthy screaming in traffic. But I wonder what his base is --posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 5:52 PM on June 15, 2010 [4 favorites]
Tyrone: 27%.
John: ... you said that immmediately, and with some authority.
Tyrone: Obama vs. Alan Keyes. Keyes was from out of state, so you can eliminate any established political base; both candidates were black, so you can factor out racism; and Keyes was plainly, obviously, completely crazy. Batshit crazy. Head-trauma crazy. But 27% of the population of Illinois voted for him. They put party identification, personal prejudice, whatever ahead of rational judgement. Hell, even like 5% of Democrats voted for him. That's crazy behaviour. I think you have to assume a 27% Crazification Factor in any population.
South Carolina has a history of political plants being placed in elections to skew turnout. In 1992, Republican operative Rod Shealy was convicted of hiring an African-American fisherman to run for congressional office in hopes of stimulating white turnout to help his sister get elected lieutenant governor.You'd think the fact that something almost exactly like what's being alleged here actually has happened before in the same state would put at least a bit of a damper on the enthusiasm of the "things like that just don't happen" crowd, but there you go.
1. Vic Rawl and his campaign ignored the non-candidacy candidacy of Alvin Greene and so, despite Rawl's slightly higher but still low statewide name recognition--much of which was unfavorable, mind you--Democratic primary voters chose Greene as a placemarker substitute for a candidate, Rawl, they either didn't know or, if they did know, didn't like.The theory that there was an effort by Republicans to tinker with the election by strategically voting for this guy is interesting. Is it likely?
2. Somewhat overlapping with #1, especially for the people who knew nothing about either Greene or Rawl, there was such a low level of voter information that this race was essentially a throw-a-dart-at-the-dartboard race in which one candidate among two mostly unknown candidates, Greene, won for some set of unknown and perhaps inexplicable reasons. (Familiarity of his surname? His name's location on the ballot alphabetically?)
According to our May 18th telephone survey DeMint’s job approval and re-elect numbers are well below the marks of a strong incumbent. Only 53% of all voters currently approve of his job performance while only 48% of all voters are likely to support his re-election. In a head to head question with Democratic challenger Vic Rawl, DeMint gets 50% of the vote to Rawl’s 43%. It is important to note that Rawl has never run for statewide office and has not aired any TV ads during this primary season.posted by saulgoodman at 8:29 PM on June 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
DeMint’s tepid showing in the early horse race numbers may also indicate that other statewide races will be equally competitive. When asked in the May survey if they would most likely vote for a Democrat or a Republican candidate for governor this November, voters split 46% for the Republican and 44% for the Democrat.
43. FADE IN
On Tom, sitting into frame in Caspar's office.
Tom
So what'm I right about?
Behind his desk, Caspar is smiling.
Caspar
Well, I'll tell ya, but first you gotta promise
not to say I told you so.
Tom's eyes hold an Caspar's. He is taking out a pack of
cigarettes.
Tom
I never say that. And I don't like people who
do.
Caspar
Mink was robbin' me right along with the Motzah.
Tom
. . . What convinced you of that?
Caspar
Mink Larouie took a powder. We can't find him.
Bluepoint's makin' excuses for him, but personal-
ly, I think you were right. I think Mink and
Bernie was in it together. I think Mink heard
you'd bumped the Motzah, and lit out. The lousy
sonofabitch.
His eyes on Caspar, Tom takes out a cigarette, lights it,
takes a deep drag.
Tom
. . . I told you so.
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posted by shii at 3:29 PM on June 15, 2010 [1 favorite]