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Spell My Name with an M
November 17, 2010 5:02 PM Subscribe

Lisa Murkowski has become the first successful write-in candidate for the US Senate in more than fifty years. Lisa mounted a write-in campaign after she narrowly lost Republican nomination to Joe Miller, a candidate supported by the Tea Party faction of the Republican Party. Her campaign team ran this adorable spelling bee advertisement (also these) after Joe Miller demanded the exclusion of any ballots in which Ms Murkowski's name was misspelt.
posted by Joe in Australia (114 comments total) 9 users marked this as a favorite

I like it when the Republicans feed on each other.
posted by mecran01 at 5:04 PM on November 17, 2010 [9 favorites]

She's just the cutest lil' beneficiary of egregious nepotism!

...and still better than that douchebag Miller
posted by mrstrotsky at 5:08 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

Classy Joe Miller still refuses to concede.
posted by bearwife at 5:09 PM on November 17, 2010

Feed, my pets.

Feed.
posted by Avenger at 5:11 PM on November 17, 2010 [13 favorites]

Okay, that's a wrap people. Let's start wargaming 2012.
posted by vrakatar at 5:17 PM on November 17, 2010 [3 favorites]

Has he sent his goons round yet?
posted by Artw at 5:17 PM on November 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

Ok, the spelling bee advert actually was really great.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 5:17 PM on November 17, 2010 [11 favorites]

Don't agree with her politics, but she and her team ran that campaign really, really well.

And I agree with Joe Miller's politics even less than hers, so hurray for Senator Murkowski for further harming the Tea Party brand.
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:19 PM on November 17, 2010 [3 favorites]

The only item of note here is that the right winger and the ultra-right winger in the election were actually called "Republican" and "Tea Party" rather than "Democrat" and "Republican".
posted by DU at 5:25 PM on November 17, 2010 [16 favorites]

Joe "East Germany" Miller will not be missed.
posted by mek at 5:30 PM on November 17, 2010

I live just up the street from one of the busiest intersections in Fairbanks (Geist & University), which many days would have Murkowski supporters holding up signs on two corners and Miller supporters on the other two.

My favorite was the folks who had taken a 2x6 or so, and cut and painted it so it looked just like a #2 pencil, and were pretending to fill in the bubble on the "Fill-it-in. Write-it-in" sign they were holding up.

(There was a cute little dog there a number of days, too, wearing a dog coat that said Murkowski on it.)
posted by leahwrenn at 5:32 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

She also has a knife in her handbag with Jim DeMint's name etched on it...special for him.
posted by Xoebe at 5:33 PM on November 17, 2010

Miller's just buying time while his legal team prepares the paperwork for him to change his name to "Lisa Murkowski."

What, that's unethical? So the government gets to decide what our NAMES are now? SOCIALISM!
posted by No-sword at 5:35 PM on November 17, 2010 [31 favorites]

Every time I see him, Joe Millar looks like he just won the Used Car Salesman of the Universe award.

In other Teabagger news, Sarah Palin pretty much announced she's making a run in 2012.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:37 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

SOCIALISM

Murkowski speaking against the Tea Party victors approving a non-binding moratorium on earmarks:

The notion that Congress would abdicate its constitutional duty and turn federal spending over to government bureaucrats is wrong and goes against the Constitution’s mandate that says the power of the purse lies with the legislative branch of government.
posted by Joe Beese at 5:41 PM on November 17, 2010

What if there is a Lisa Murkovvski out there who ran a super-secret campaign? Stand up for correct spellings, folks!
posted by vidur at 5:41 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'm looking at the lay of the land now, and ... trying to figure that out, if it's a good thing for the country, for the discourse, for my family, if it's a good thing," Palin told Walters.
posted by vidur at 5:43 PM on November 17, 2010

Sorry, I hit Post instead of Preview in that last comment.
posted by vidur at 5:44 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

The lesser of two...oh never mind.
posted by cjorgensen at 5:50 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

In other Teabagger news, Sarah Palin pretty much announced she's making a run in 2012.

I felt a great disturbance in the force, as if a million moderate Republicans cried out at once and then were no more.
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:57 PM on November 17, 2010 [17 favorites]

At this point, Sarah Palin is the only person who can get liberals excited about voting for Obama again. He really needs a right-wing bogeyman to make him palatable to the core constituency he has so consistently ignored, denigrated and lied to.

So, yay Sarah I guess? She has no chance at all to make it through the GOP primaries. She's Giluanni but not from an electorally-significant state. She'll lose the south to Gingrich or Huckabee, leaving her Alaska, Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho maybe.
posted by drjimmy11 at 5:58 PM on November 17, 2010 [7 favorites]

In other Teabagger news, Sarah Palin pretty much announced she's making a run in 2012.

~~Miller~~
~~O'Donnell~~
~~Angell~~

I trust she'll be as successful with that as she was with her picks for Senate.
posted by docgonzo at 6:00 PM on November 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

it's actually going to be pretty funny. Because if you think liberals say mean shit about her, wait til the Karl-Rove-equivalent Newt is going to hire gets through with her.
posted by drjimmy11 at 6:00 PM on November 17, 2010 [5 favorites]

wait til the Karl-Rove-equivalent Newt is going to hire gets through with her.

That wouldn't be swift boating in this case. I think we'll have to call it "short busing."
posted by Joey Michaels at 6:11 PM on November 17, 2010 [15 favorites]

At this point, Sarah Palin is the only person who can get liberals excited about voting for Obama again.

Yeah... I know very little about Republican primary math and whatnot, but every time I hear liberals say things like "I'm supporting Palin for the GOP nomination in 2012 because it'll guarantee an Obama win!" it just makes me nervous.
posted by lullaby at 6:11 PM on November 17, 2010 [4 favorites]

Ha. Ha. This is a nothing but a refudiation of Sarah Palin - and her proxies - by her own beloved Alaska.
I bet she packs up and leaves Wasilla within months.
posted by Flashman at 6:13 PM on November 17, 2010

LETS YOU AND HIM FIGHT
posted by Ron Thanagar at 6:16 PM on November 17, 2010

Sarah Palin pretty much announced she's making a run in 2012.

This is either the best news ever or the worst news ever. Part of me wants her to run because then Obama would get re-elected. Part of me doesn't because I fear she might win.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 6:17 PM on November 17, 2010 [4 favorites]

Hey guys here is a scenario. 2012. Obama and Bloomberg split the sane vote, Palin wins.

Now the scenario is spoken!
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:30 PM on November 17, 2010

Glad you get the NY Mag in East Manitoba.
posted by docgonzo at 6:35 PM on November 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

Yeah but I don't though, it's an original but truly realizable nightmare to which I have given voice
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 6:39 PM on November 17, 2010

>The only item of note here

I beg your pardon.
posted by item at 6:41 PM on November 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

Damn you, Kabbadi Champion, damn you.
posted by docgonzo at 6:41 PM on November 17, 2010

He really needs a right-wing bogeyman to make him palatable to the core constituency he has so consistently ignored, denigrated and lied to

If that's what it take, then they're not a core constituency and he doesn't need to pander to them.

As to Sarah vs Obama, it all depends on the job market in the say, 6-8 month run up to the election. If numbers are up, he's fine, all other things being equal. If they're down, he's fucked and if Palin is elected, we're all fucked.
posted by nomadicink at 6:43 PM on November 17, 2010

...a candidate supported by the Tea Party faction of the Republican Party

do you have supporting evidence?
posted by clavdivs at 6:44 PM on November 17, 2010

Yes, and it appears in the FPP. Click on the words "narrowly" and "lost", and follow links from there.
posted by Joe in Australia at 6:48 PM on November 17, 2010

In other Teabagger news, Sarah Palin pretty much announced she's making a run in 2012.

I don't feel like she really wants to be President. I think she just likes being famous and important. I don't think she really wants to work for a living. But keeping people guessing about her intentions is part of holding what power and mystique she's got.

If she really wanted to be President she'd have smarter people gathered around her, protecting her from dumb choices like letting her daughters call people "faggot" on Facebook and doing Dancing With The Stars. They'd have gotten Levi locked down tight.

I think she just wants to be the center of attention, a kingmaker-type, someone people come to for soundbites and handshakes. I don't think she wants to be the actual leader of the Free World, she just wants to be the People's Princess. Being the actual President would ruin her cushy gig. It would expose her to too much legitimate criticism, as opposed to the current criticism, which is worth nothing because what she does is really worth nothing, she might as well just have a really popular blog to crap her thoughts out into.

God, I hope I'm right.
posted by padraigin at 6:50 PM on November 17, 2010 [33 favorites]

She has no chance at all to make it through the GOP primaries.

Seriously?

To me she's the prohibitive favourite. None of the other contenders have a base that's as rabid or as willing to go the wall for them.
posted by dry white toast at 6:53 PM on November 17, 2010

I think Palin could win the Republican primaries at least. Her band of supporters have demonstrated they'll go out and vote in primary elections, and I have no doubt she'd be willing to Willie Horton the fuck out of Huckabee, and make Romney's religion an issue in the campaign. Her chances in the election basically depends on how disgusted liberals are with Obama and how bad the economy is in 2012.

Now, I'm not saying she's definitely going to win. I'm just saying I can see it happening.
posted by Grimgrin at 7:01 PM on November 17, 2010

moderate Republicans

What are those?
posted by milarepa at 7:02 PM on November 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

The candidates with the (D) after their names
posted by Throw away your common sense and get an afro! at 7:03 PM on November 17, 2010 [18 favorites]

supported by a "Tea Party" faction of the Republican party?
or "The Tea Party Faction" of the Republican party?

'a candidate supported by the Tea Party faction of the Republican Party.'
posted by clavdivs at 7:08 PM on November 17, 2010

I would bet she'd run as Tea Party, apart from Republicans, as there's no way in hell they're putting her up there as top billing.
posted by Threeway Handshake at 7:09 PM on November 17, 2010

I don't feel like she really wants to be President.

She totally wants to be President. She doesn't want to have navigate the waters to get there, to have to submit to reporters and interviews she can't control. If she can figure a way to keep that to a minimum then she would totally run. In a heartbeat.

A continued shitty economy for most of 2011 would help her do that, 'cause hey, who wants to listen to facts when they can can't pay the mortgage?

At this particular moment, on this Thursday night, I'm keen to the idea of Palin being President, just for the sheer entertainment value and see, really see, just how much crazy the American populace would put up with. I reserve the right to come to my senses in the next hour or so.
posted by nomadicink at 7:11 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

I see Palin as splitting the conservatives like Perot did. Hopefully Obama will be re-elected when the conservatives split a vote between Palin and whomever the RNC will put up againt Obama.
posted by gen at 7:13 PM on November 17, 2010

She has no chance at all to make it through the GOP primaries.

Obama won't even get a chance to say "We don't want a president who's going to quit halfway through her term because it got difficult!" Her primary opponents are going to be racing to the microphone to scream that one.

Sarah Palin's unfavorable rating is over 50%, and that's with just Sarah bein' Sarah when she's not in a campaign against anyone. Whatever you think of Democrats and their unwillingness to stoop to bitchslap politics, the gauntlet of the primary is full of people who've been living and breathing the rough stuff since they first voted.
posted by fatbird at 7:13 PM on November 17, 2010 [6 favorites]

He really needs a right-wing bogeyman to make him palatable to the core constituency he has so consistently ignored, denigrated and lied to

Won't help him. Authentic liberals will vote for Palin to send the Democrats a message that Americans want a Swedish-style social democracy and they want it now!
posted by octobersurprise at 7:14 PM on November 17, 2010 [6 favorites]

Authentic liberals will ~~vote for Palin~~ stay home and complain on the internet to send the Democrats a message that Americans want a Swedish-style social democracy and they want it now!

FTFY
posted by Throw away your common sense and get an afro! at 7:20 PM on November 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

I suspect that Palin wants to be president in the sense of living the White House, riding on Air Force One, and stuff like that. The whole working hard, doing daily briefings, making decisions, buck-stops-here, and answering criticism stuff? Probably not so much.
posted by LastOfHisKind at 7:24 PM on November 17, 2010 [3 favorites]

God, I hope I'm right.

I'm so with you right now. I hate to think what Hitler II would do to this wonderful, if flawed country.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 7:24 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

Huckabee is totally vulnerable to a Willie-Hortoning, too.

And if anybody thought he was actually a legitimate contender, they would have already done it to him.
posted by box at 7:26 PM on November 17, 2010

One Miller legal team representative challenged a ballot because the "L" in "Lisa" was written in cursive.

Oh, bowing to the will of the people... There's a joke here about the letter of the law if not the spirit... What a fuck. The people have spoken, even if they might have spelled what they were saying off just a little bit. Fortunately, it seems saner heads are prevailing with the allowances of slight misspellings.
posted by disillusioned at 7:26 PM on November 17, 2010

I'm so with you right now. I hate to think what Hitler II would do to this wonderful, if flawed country.

Right? On the one hand I feel naive for believing this. On the other hand, I feel her supporters are a little naive for thinking that the presidency is her real motivation and goal.
posted by padraigin at 7:37 PM on November 17, 2010

At this point, Sarah Palin is the only person who can get liberals excited about voting for Obama again. He really needs a right-wing bogeyman to make him palatable to the core constituency he has so consistently ignored, denigrated and lied to.

Nope. Exit polls show that liberals did this year exactly the same thing they did for the last 4 elections: held their nose and voted for Democrats. The big shift was among moderates who broke hard for Republican candidates, and conservatives who demonstrated better-than-usual loyalty to Republicans.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 7:39 PM on November 17, 2010

Having watched the Palin kids on the internets, I am curious how long it would be before a Lincoln bedroom sex-tape surfaced.
posted by octobersurprise at 7:43 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

that would Klinton,
posted by clavdivs at 7:44 PM on November 17, 2010

be then as of the
posted by clavdivs at 7:45 PM on November 17, 2010

moderate Republicans

What are those?

Democrats.
posted by jabberjaw at 7:47 PM on November 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

hmmmmmm
while that man on the banner is begging for money and This article has multiple issues.no tea party on the list.

or course the 'Half-Breeds' were a jumpy lot.

joe from austraila any comment?
posted by clavdivs at 7:52 PM on November 17, 2010

eh, she is not the worst Republican, but still... that election was the election that radicalized me. I don't think I would wholeheartedly call myself a "Democrat" but I am... now... a rabid anti-republican. The party that looks the other way with violence, voter intimidation and institutionalized repression par for the course. No... previous to this year I may not have voted republican, but I was always willing to at least listen to them. Now, no more. No, Murkowski is not the worst Republican, but until she disavows Paul and Cravaack and Bauchmann and.... I'll spit in her direction just as I will any other of those. I honestly would take a half dozen Stupaks over one Snowe .
posted by edgeways at 7:54 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

octobersurprise: "He really needs a right-wing bogeyman to make him palatable to the core constituency he has so consistently ignored, denigrated and lied to

Won't help him. Authentic liberals will vote for Palin to send the Democrats a message that Americans want a Swedish-style social democracy and they want it now"

Eponysterical!
posted by ShawnStruck at 8:17 PM on November 17, 2010

This Palin deal is crazy. She is pretty much just a b list celebrity. She has a reality show, her daughter is on dancing with the stars. I'm pretty sure she is going to pick The Situation as her running mate.I'm starting to move past mildly amused to honestly worried. She is still traveling the country telling people the liberal elites are keeping her down.this really marks a turning point. Experience, competence really no longer matter. All that matters is exposure , optics and the ability to play on people's resentment.

We have always had this streak in the US though. All the movies where the outsider with horse sense comes in and shakes things up. Mister Smith Goes to Washington, Dave, that horrible movie with Eddie Murphy.I'm not sure why I'm surprised.

To bad rahm insulted me and Obama has done Jack shit. Because now I'm forced to vote for Palin and The Situation to teach them no good dems a lesson. I just hope they nominate Snookie to the supreme court.
posted by Ad hominem at 8:24 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

I'm pretty sure she is going to pick The Situation as her running mate.

Well, she has been putting out feelers. Not a euphemism.
posted by Homeboy Trouble at 8:41 PM on November 17, 2010

I don't agree with Murkoski on everything but she is at least a decent human being, which is more than can be said for Joe Miller. And she was elected as an Independent. I know she has said she will caucus with the Republicans but there are calls from her home state to remember and represent the people who actually elected her (fyi: a lot of them aren't Republicans).
posted by fshgrl at 8:56 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

GTL might be the most profound belief system and movement of the 21st century. Nothing describes this point in American history so completely. The Sitch understands the pathos of late stage ameican existence in a way very few modern thinkers do, when our robot descendants study the intellectual output of these times The Situation will stand like a colossus astride the river of history.

But yeah, Alaska politics who even knew that was a state, and they can see Russia!
posted by Ad hominem at 8:56 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

I suppose now this will close the loophole that we were hoping would get Miikaehail Sleodvroabajic Mnortwindaeolae elected.

sorry, Miike
posted by davejay at 8:58 PM on November 17, 2010

I don't agree with Murkoski on everything...

Yeah, but this thread is about Murkowski.

YOUR VOTE DIDN'T COUNT
posted by davejay at 8:59 PM on November 17, 2010 [3 favorites]

Miikaehail Sleodvroabajic Mnortwindaeolae returns zero results in a google search right now, but give it a few minutes
posted by davejay at 8:59 PM on November 17, 2010

Blumberg is delusional if he thinks he can win in the current anti-wallstreet environment.
posted by delmoi at 9:01 PM on November 17, 2010

Blazecock Pileon: "Every time I see him, Joe Millar looks like he just won the Used Car Salesman of the Universe award.

In other Teabagger news, Sarah Palin pretty much announced she's making a run in 2012"

Waitaminnit...

Family.
Faith.
Flag.

FFF

666
posted by symbioid at 9:11 PM on November 17, 2010 [11 favorites]

Holy cow, symbioid. I guess no one ever specified the anti-Christ had to be a man.
posted by notion at 9:19 PM on November 17, 2010

Of course! What is the opposite of a hirsute, Middle Eastern, possibly black, Jewish male with new-age hippie ideas about social justice and income redistribution?

IT MAKES PERFECT SENSE!
posted by Throw away your common sense and get an afro! at 9:32 PM on November 17, 2010

Throw away your common sense and get an afro!: "The candidates with the (D) after their name"

Ooh, did you see what I did? That must mean that my political sensibilities are much more finely tuned than yours!
posted by roll truck roll at 9:45 PM on November 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

He really needs a right-wing bogeyman to make him palatable to the core constituency he has so consistently ignored, denigrated and lied to.

I'm getting sick and tired of this meme. The POTUS signs laws, and controls the military and foreign affairs. The Congress writes the laws, and sends them to the President's desk. To my knowledge, Barack Obama has not said that he would veto any bills pertaining to the issues on which he campaigned.

He has indicated a willingness to sign bills into effect that are sometimes milder versions of what he initially proposed, as happened with healthcare. I'm not thrilled with what passed, but you do have to take your victories where you get them -- no matter how small. Although the President does indeed have some level of negotiating power, nothing we've seen in the past 2 years indicates that the Republicans were willing to negotiate on any level. The "If he's for it, we're against it" mantra is beginning to bite them in the ass too, as he genuinely agrees with them on a number of points. It will be interesting to see if the obstructionist tactics hold up to public scrutiny over the next two years.

I'm no huge fan of some of Murkowski's policies, but I'll gladly take her over the Tea Party candidates. Hopefully this election will give her the courage to lead a resurgence of moderate republicans who aren't willing to cave to the screaming mob.
posted by schmod at 9:55 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

Actually roll truck roll, I'm from another country (and now reside in yet another) so my political sensibilities are just tuned differently. I did enjoy that clip though, so thanks for that.
posted by Throw away your common sense and get an afro! at 10:08 PM on November 17, 2010

Although the President does indeed have some level of negotiating power, nothing we've seen in the past 2 years indicates that the Republicans were willing to negotiate on any level.

Yet, the democrats had control of congress for the past two years. Blaming the republicans when you have 59-60 seats in the senate and a majority in the house is really fucking pathetic, and you have to be pretty far down the rabbit hole of partisan delusion to buy it.
posted by delmoi at 10:23 PM on November 17, 2010 [3 favorites]

Look, let me make this simple:

Sarah Palin scares the shit out of the GOP leadership, and they will do everything they can to derail any attempt she has of campaigning.

Just watch. Huckabee is seriously vulnerable to a Willie Horton campaign. If Jindal or Pawlenty do that in South Carolina, you'll hear mutterings but not much more than that from the GOP leadership. If Palin tries it, it will be VERY clear that SHE IS A ROGUE ENTITY WHO WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO SEIZE POWER according to the parade of GOP operatives run onto Fox in the wake of the commercial.

She could win in New Hampshire. She'd be a favorite in most of the western libertarian states. But with the GOP's winner-take-all system she won't be able to do what Obama did -- pick off the small states and come close in the big states and use that to snag the nomination.

And since '88 or so the GOP has been operating under a system where they pick the nominee and then give them enough of a head start that the contenders won't catch up. There's really been no actual contest for the nomination other than 2008, and even then it was more that the choice of the leadership failed to even realize he had to actually campaign, and McCain easily shoved past Giuliani (with Huckabee doing well in the Bible Belt but nowhere else).

No, Sarah Palin will not be the nominee. The GOP leadership sees her as their Mondale. And we know how '84 ended.
posted by dw at 10:27 PM on November 17, 2010 [2 favorites]

BTW: Polls show Palin doing well. The question is whether or not her media handlers will be able to handle her properly, or if she'll be destroyed in the campaign.
posted by delmoi at 10:28 PM on November 17, 2010

59-60

They filibustered almost EVERYTHING. I don't think people expected that.

They should've had the spine to fight that technique in some way, but I still blame the opposition to what I wanted, not the people that weren't willing or able to be evil enough to accomplish it.
posted by flaterik at 10:38 PM on November 17, 2010

At this particular moment, on this Thursday night, I'm keen to the idea of Palin being President, just for the sheer entertainment value and see, really see, just how much crazy the American populace would put up with. I reserve the right to come to my senses in the next hour or so.

Remember MTV VJ Jesse? let's not do that again.
posted by Challahtronix at 10:48 PM on November 17, 2010 [1 favorite]

Heh. Young folks will continue to suck up the "Obama does nothing meme" and not vote, old folks will continue to suck up the "Minortities are out to get you and this country needs gutsy outsiders who are prepared to say it" meme and vote, and you will get President Sarah Palin.

May god have mercy upon all our souls.
posted by Artw at 10:55 PM on November 17, 2010

FFS, people, if Delaware, Nevada, and Alaska can turn back three batshitinsane Tea Party candidates, why the FUCK do you think people in this country are going to elect SARAH FUCKING PALIN as president when she is JUST AS BATSHITINSANE?

Stupid fucking fatalist progressives. You get the fucktard government you deserve because you refuse to admit that maybe, just maybe, politics is just a giant ball of compromise and horse trading.

AGAIN, the GOP leadership is SCARED SHITLESS SHE WILL BE NOMINATED. And I mean SCARED. They will draft Haley Barbour against his will if that's what it takes. Hell, they'll draft Oklahoma Governor Mary Falin, a woman who makes Palin look like a rocket scientist, if that's what it takes. They don't want Palin as their nominee, because they know what it means.

WALTER. FUCKING. MONDALE. ALL. OVER. AGAIN.

OK, maybe not that bad. Palin will win Oklahoma, Mississippi, South Carolina, Kentucky, Wyoming, more than likely Utah, and maybe Alabama. But dear, moderate Ohio won't go for her, and Virginia's moderates will hold their noses and vote Obama, and Texas, hell, Texas could well turn blue for the first time in years.

And that means Obama will win with 400 electoral votes. Given it's the GOP's election to lose, it will be a crushing blow to the party.

So, it won't be Palin. It won't be. The GOP is dumb, but they are not stupid. Stop thinking it'll be President Palin. She's just American's Le Pen.
posted by dw at 11:28 PM on November 17, 2010 [4 favorites]

{no chet we have not yet heard back from Joe in Austraila, ye..yes chet i ask him poli...yes i used wiki...well it's the best I could get on Republican factions...no...chet hold your...thats. good. no, someone spilled a juice box on the telepromp..thats, what, yes, A faction of the, right leave out mami...mrs. eisenhower, ok then....}
posted by clavdivs at 11:41 PM on November 17, 2010

I'm sorry, did you ask me something?
posted by Joe in Australia at 12:10 AM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

dw: Can they stop her?

She's got a huge group of voters that have been lovingly conditioned to ignore anything negative about their preferred candidate. Yes, she'd get slaughtered in the general (maybe) but look at the other names in the race... I don't see anyone who could peel the Tea Party away from Palin, and the Tea Party was a force to be reckoned with in the primaries.
posted by Grimgrin at 12:32 AM on November 18, 2010

What I think is really interesting here is how the Tea Party makes "regular" Republicans seem more palatable to many people. Considering that a lot of the same financial and political sources behind the Republicans have been pumping the billows into the Tea Party, I have to wonder if the entire movement isn't a cynical attempt from right-wing operatives to blaze trails further to the right, and make what used to be unacceptable seem reasonable by comparison.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 4:26 AM on November 18, 2010 [4 favorites]

They should've had the spine to fight that technique in some way, but I still blame the opposition to what I wanted, not the people that weren't willing or able to be evil enough to accomplish it.

Evil? You think, for example, passing a healthcare bill via reconciliation is somehow worse then leaving 40 million people uninsured? That just seems insane. Blaming the "opposition" for something they had no real control over makes no sense at all.
posted by delmoi at 5:18 AM on November 18, 2010

In other Teabagger news, Sarah Palin pretty much announced she's making a run in 2012.

Democrats, here's your chance to show you've still got a pair.

Go down to city hall and register as Republican.
Vote for Sarah Palin in the Republican primary.

That's all you have to do. But you won't, will you? No, you lazy, good-for-nothing whiners.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 5:29 AM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

Vote for Sarah Palin in the Republican primary.

That's a risky game to play. I'd hate for her to win and have that on my conscience.
posted by octothorpe at 5:59 AM on November 18, 2010

Hey guys here is a scenario. 2012. Obama and Bloomberg split the sane vote, Palin wins.

Yeah, don't laugh. I'm living that right now. In Maine, we had a five way race for Governor, and the Tea Party candidate won with 38% of the vote. (R)'s won the House and Senate, too. Here's the Maine Republican Party Platform if you want some "oh my god" type reading. Fully Tea Party backed.

I really wish more people were paying attention to what's going on up here. We're about to be a showcase for what happens to a perfectly good State when the Tea Party takes over. Two years ago the legislature passed Same-Sex marriage. Now there is some talk of a bill being introduced making Homosexuality illegal.
posted by anastasiav at 6:16 AM on November 18, 2010 [6 favorites]

Two years ago the legislature passed Same-Sex marriage. Now there is some talk of a bill being introduced making Homosexuality illegal.

That would be blatantly illegal.

_{And holy crap, that platform looks like it was written by a 12-year-old. It looks more like something that a LaRouche-ian would have scrawled on a sign, rather than the official platform of one of the two major parties.... No, really. It includes a clause about the "one world government." That's some tinfoil hat material right there.}
posted by schmod at 6:53 AM on November 18, 2010 [2 favorites]

nomadicink: At this particular moment, on this Thursday night, I'm keen to the idea of Palin being President, just for the sheer entertainment value and see, really see, just how much crazy the American populace would put up with.

Californian voters tried this a few years ago. "Duuuuude, I'm totally gonna vote for Schwarzenegger 'cuz it would be funny as fuck to have a Governator."

It didn't end well.
posted by joedan at 7:01 AM on November 18, 2010 [2 favorites]

anastasiav: Here's the Maine Republican Party Platform if you want some "oh my god" type reading.

My uncle-in-law is a bit of a mover and shaker in the Maine Republican Party (he's been fundraising for them for years and narrowly lost a state rep election as an (R) a while back). It's fascinating to hear from him how the Maine GOP has changed over the past three years. There's very much a Trotskyist vs. Stalinist vibe going on now - with a lot of merciless skullduggery and township-level purges going on as the Tea Party faction struggles to hold on to its newfound power.

We were at a county fair a few months back, and I went with him to the local GOP booth. He had a nice chat about tractors with a lady there who was wearing a Tea Party pin, then we went to the Real Republican Booth - a picnic table about twenty yards away where a bunch of his friends were drinking coffee and handing out a selection of non-batshitinsane-candidate fliers they had picked up from the GOP booth.

Later he told me that the Tea Party lady had her son and his friends chase the Real Republicans off and then pointedly dumped all the fliers for candidates they had been supporting into the trash.
posted by xthlc at 7:27 AM on November 18, 2010 [3 favorites]

Blaming the republicans when you have 59-60 seats in the senate and a majority in the house is really fucking pathetic, and you have to be pretty far down the rabbit hole of partisan delusion to buy it.

They only had 60 seats in the Senate if you count chickenshit Blue Dogs and Joe Lieberman.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:34 AM on November 18, 2010 [6 favorites]

From my reading of the mainegop site (holy christ, what a read)

I may be incredibly dense and unaware of certain political leanings, but what in the world is the rationale behind rejecting the rights of the child treaty? I'm honestly curious, not trying to stir up anything, I just want to see if I can - well, understand may not be exactly the correct word, but at least see what the perspective is... I'm not sure why I'm singling this one out, believe me, there were other things more blatantly ridiculous.

On a humorous note, something that could probably be read other than how they intended, but almost makes a new sort of sense:

Fight the war against the United States by radical Islam to win
posted by MysticMCJ at 7:42 AM on November 18, 2010 [2 favorites]

They only had 60 seats in the Senate if you count chickenshit Blue Dogs and Joe Lieberman.

Don't bother us with reality!
posted by nomadicink at 7:54 AM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

I don't see Palin as viable either. She was treated with kid gloves in 2008 and 2010 in the name of party unity and the need to achieve certain specific political goals. In the 2012 primaries, Rove and company won't be pulling their punches in the name of election-eve unity. She'll be framed as incompetent, lacking style over substance, failing in political leadership, and not to be trusted with hard decisions about national security. And no doubt some of them will blow every sexist dogwhistle they have.

The same political ratfucking that made her can easily be the same ratfucking that breaks her. Expect to see astroturfed questions about scandals and pundits delivering positive/negative FUD. "She's energized many voters but what of her judgment in the face of a national security crisis?" "She politically committed but can she work to get legislation through congress?"
posted by KirkJobSluder at 7:54 AM on November 18, 2010

I may be incredibly dense and unaware of certain political leanings, but what in the world is the rationale behind rejecting the rights of the child treaty?

Telling people how to raise their kids is European nanny state socialism. Also it's an international treaty, and a UN treaty at that.
posted by dirigibleman at 8:03 AM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

That would be blatantly illegal.

They don't care. They know it would be overturned. I was told by a point-blank by a legislator that it would "make a point that we don't want those people in our God-fearing State any longer".

Honestly, what's going on here is a little terrifying and I wish it was getting more National attention.
posted by anastasiav at 8:05 AM on November 18, 2010 [1 favorite]

Whoops, that should be "lacking substance over style."
posted by KirkJobSluder at 8:56 AM on November 18, 2010

They filibustered almost EVERYTHING

Did they? I thought it was actually some sort of complicated procedural thing where they threatened to filibuster everything. Or this was some sort of pseudo-weak-ass filibuster where they don't actually have to stand up there and read the phone book, they can just pretend to do so and Reid was unwilling to get them to do it for real.

Honestly, the Senate procedural rules just seem like some sort of bad joke. I understand that you have to have time for an honest debate of a bill, but I really wish that it just boiled down to majority saying YEA and it passes (and yes, I will continue to hold that position when the Dems are in the minority. Or, as we call it, the driver's seat).
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 10:17 AM on November 18, 2010

I think Palin's likely running mate will be:

Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho.

Because that is the really the next natural step after a Palin presidency.
posted by eviltwin at 10:49 AM on November 18, 2010 [3 favorites]

I will say it here: Lisa Murkowski will be the first write-in winner of a senatorial race in modern history. Every single Alaskan I know is practicing writing her name.

Posted by fourcheesemac at 1:53 PM on October 19
posted by fourcheesemac at 11:15 AM on November 18, 2010 [2 favorites]

Joe In Austraila. you wrote: 'the Tea Party faction of the Republican Party.'

Do you have evidence to support that the 'Tea Party Faction' is in deed a 'faction' of the Republican Party.
posted by clavdivs at 11:29 AM on November 18, 2010

The spelling bee ad is pretty similiar to Dick Durbin's, back when the GOP put Dick Durkin up against him for IL-Sen.
posted by hwyengr at 12:59 PM on November 18, 2010

dirigibleman: "I may be incredibly dense and unaware of certain political leanings, but what in the world is the rationale behind rejecting the rights of the child treaty?

Telling people how to raise their kids is European nanny state socialism. Also it's an international treaty, and a UN treaty at that."

Also, then you can't beat your child, you see... If you aren't allowed to spank your kids, then how will they grow up knowing the fear of god?
posted by symbioid at 2:27 PM on November 18, 2010

Clavdivs wrote: Do you have evidence to support that the 'Tea Party Faction' is in deed a 'faction' of the Republican Party.

What is your problem?
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:44 PM on November 18, 2010

Californian voters tried this a few years ago. "Duuuuude, I'm totally gonna vote for Schwarzenegger 'cuz it would be funny as fuck to have a Governator."

It didn't end well.

Not Schwarzenegger's fault. He actually hasn't been that bad, IMHO, although it's hard for me to see what a good governor would look like. California's government is massively disfunctional and is generally regarded as having a "weak governorship" (although the national exposure is huge, which must be what appealed to Meg Whitman) so there is not that much that a governor can actually do.
posted by It's Never Lurgi at 2:52 PM on November 18, 2010

have you googled Miikaehail Sleodvroabajic Mnortwindaeolae yet? please do so. thank you.
posted by davejay at 8:56 PM on November 18, 2010

Joe in Austrailia. no problem nothing that cannot be discussed do you agree.
that is It is just a question of defintion.

–noun
1. a group or clique within a larger group, party, government, organization, or the like: a faction in favor of big business.
2. party strife and intrigue; dissension: an era of faction and treason
-Dictionary.com

what is your choice sir.

have you googled Miikaehail Sleodvroabajic Mnortwindaeolae yet? please do so. thank you.
posted by davejay at 11:56 PM
i do not know you hello, that was fucking good when i say that i mean that, a true gentleman says what he means and means what he says but i am a not a fool with a coxcomb phampellet.
posted by clavdivs at 9:24 PM on November 18, 2010

it,is
posted by clavdivs at 9:25 PM on November 18, 2010

Oh well then. I'm not tied to any one word. Call it a clique, a grouping, a sect, a tendency, or what have you. It's really not important.
posted by Joe in Australia at 9:32 PM on November 18, 2010

Call it a clique, a grouping, a sect, a tendency, or what have you. It's really not important.
posted by clavdivs at 12:32 AM on November 20, 2010

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