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Title: Obama, Democrats on track to landslide victory
Source:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20081012/pl_mcclatchy/3069
URL Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20081012/pl_mcclatchy/3069268
Published: Oct 12, 2008
Author: By Steven Thomma, McClatchy Newspapers
Post Date: 2008-10-12 12:22:18 by Ferret Mike
Keywords: None
Views: 360
Comments: 28
WASHINGTON — Barring a dramatic change in the political landscape over the next three weeks, Democrats appear headed toward a decisive victory on Election Day that would give them broad power over the federal government. The victory would send Barack Obama to the White House and give him larger Democratic majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate — and perhaps a filibuster-proof margin there. That could mark a historic realignment of the country's politics on a scale with 1932 or 1980, when the out party was given power it held for a generation, and used it to transform government's role in American society. Obama, a 47-year-old first-term senator from Illinois , is now well positioned to win the Electoral College . He's comfortably holding most of the "blue" states that went for Democrats Al Gore and John Kerry in past elections, polls show, and he's gaining momentum to take away several "red" states that have voted Republican in recent elections, including Florida , Ohio , Colorado and Virginia . The Democrats are also widely expected to take big gains in House and Senate races. Like Obama, they're reaching deep into once solid Republican territory. Even such stalwarts as North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole and Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell , the Senate Republican leader, could be in jeopardy. Building on the Democrats' sweeping wins two years ago when they seized control of both chambers of Congress , big gains this year would be reminiscent of the Republican gains in 1978 and 1980 that delivered "the Reagan Revolution." Former Reagan political adviser Ed Rollins likened today's landscape to that in 1980, when voters were angry at President Jimmy Carter and the Democrats and turned to Reagan in droves once they felt comfortable with the idea of him as president. "Barack has met the threshold," Rollins said. "Once Reagan met the threshold, people wanted to get rid of Carter and they did in a landslide. This is going to turn into a landslide." Democrats already had a political advantage heading into the fall campaign, with just 9 percent of Americans thinking the country's on the right track, the lowest ever recorded. President Bush 's approval rating this week was only a point higher than Richard Nixon's on the day he was forced to resign from office, reflecting voter anger at Republicans as the party controlling the White House . Add the collapse of stock prices and anxiety about the economy, and polls show public opinion surging in favor of Democrats. "The fundamentals have come together almost perfectly and at just the right moment for the Democrats," said Larry Sabato , director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia . "It could hardly look better for the Democrats." "This election right now is exclusively about economy," said independent analyst Charlie Cook . "Despite the fact that the House and Senate are in Democratic hands, Republicans seem to have total ownership of the problem. Fair or not, it's true." It's also made it much more difficult for Republican John McCain to score with his escalating attacks on Obama for his ties to such controversial figures as William Ayers , a former member of a violent Vietnam -era protest group. "You can't break through with the economy being so overwhelming," Rollins said. "No one cares." Obama's strength is evident on the political map. Confident of holding all the states that went for Kerry in 2004, Obama's playing offense in several Republican states. He has an edge or is competitive in such states as: — Colorado , where he's up by an average of 4 percentage points, according to recent polls there compiled by RealClearPolitics.com. — Florida , where he's up by 3 points. — Nevada , where he's up by 3 points. — Ohio , where he's up by 3 points. — Virginia , where's up by 5 points. Most of those are still close enough to be considered toss-ups. But as of this week, Obama now leads in enough states to secure more than the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency. He could lose some of those leads, of course. There's still one more presidential debate on Wednesday. And events could change. A terrorist attack, for example, could turn voters back to McCain's political strength: his standing on foreign policy and national security. "But I don't know if even that would work," Cook said. "It's not like people would forget their pocketbooks." Democrats also are expected to expand their majority in the House, which they now control 235-199 with one vacancy, and in the Senate , which they control 51-49 with the support of two independents. Three renowned analysts of congressional races — Cook, Sabato and Stuart Rothenberg — this week all increased their forecasts of Democratic gains. In the House, they expect the Democrats to pick up 15 to 30 seats. In the Senate , they expect the Democrats to pick up six to nine. "I now can't rule out 60 seats for this November," Rothenberg said. That's the magic number a majority needs under Senate rules to break filibusters — and something that no party or president has enjoyed for nearly three decades. All tend to agree that the Democrats are all but certain to pick up Senate seats in New Mexico and Virginia . Other potential gains are in Alaska , Colorado , New Hampshire , Oregon , Minnesota , Mississippi , Kentucky and North Carolina . In North Carolina , Dole trails by an average of 2 points. In Kentucky , McConnell leads by an average of just 7 points — he won by 65 percent to 35 percent in 2002. Even in solidly Republican Georgia , Sen. Saxby Chambliss finds himself in a fight, leading by only 3 points. "When you're paying attention to Georgia and Kentucky , wow," Cook said. "Who would have thought Republicans would be having problems in places like this?" Added Rothenberg: "Republicans appear to be heading into a disastrous election that will usher in a very bleak period for the party. A new generation of party leaders will have to figure out how to pick up the pieces and make their party relevant after November."
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#1. To: Ferret Mike (#0)
will usher in a very bleak period for the country.
To start, I'm glad that voters are making the economy their highest priority issue, as opposed to stupid "values" votes about school prayer or gay marriage. Still, I wonder why people who make the economy their top priority lean towards Obama. Isn't he on exactly the same page as McCain on the bailout? Seems to me that both of them want more of the same. If either candidate really wanted "change" or was a real "maverick," they would let Wall Street deal with their own losses.
Come join me in the banana tree.
Maybe they are believing this commercial I keep seeing over and over with Obama saying he'll only raise taxes on those making $250K or more per year. In that same commercial he says "seniors" with less than $50K in income won't pay any taxes. I don't really believe any of it, but I DO think he's going to try to sock it to the wealthy and there is a lot of pent-up rage against them, as we can see in the grassroots response to the bailout, albeit in vain.
“I would give no thought of what the world might say of me, if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man.” - Sam Houston
www.newswithviews.com/Devv y/kidd401.htm Did not Americans yell back in 2006, "We want change!" and "No more war!" They wanted change so much, out of 535 seats in Congress, about 31 'new' faces were installed. The same old rats like Charlie Rangle, Juan McCain, Nancy Pelosi and others with two or more DECADES were returned to continue taking us down the razor blade of indentured servitude, financial ruin and a police state. All their experience and look where we are --- hanging off a cliff. Obama and McCain are part of the problem, not the solution. Did people listen to their words during the controlled debates? Obama and McCain never once touched on the real solutions. Obama and McCain have done nothing but repackage failed policies with new buzz words. Character no longer seems to matter for presidential candidates, only how many promises they make to loot the public treasury to give to the mobs. Neither Obama nor McCain have a clue on how to "fix" the economy. Furthermore, any promises they are making are pipe dreams. A president does not have the authority to spend a nickel from the people's purse. September 26, 2008 debate. Both candidates gave the worn out "we have to have more regulations and oversight." Both candidates voted for the disastrous and unconstitutional looting of the U.S. Treasury to bail out private corporations. They have proposed one ignorant "solution" after another, all tailored to appeal to desperate voters and, more importantly, the big money boys.
Do You Know What Freedom Really Means? Freedom4um.com
It is my view that things have deteriorated so far that there is no way to get from here to the "Dr. Ron Paulian" there. We would have to go through several years of "Mad Max" living conditions getting from "here" to "there" and I think no one of any influence, even Ron Paul himself, is willing to "go there." So where that leaves us, God only knows.
“I would give no thought of what the world might say of me, if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man.” - Sam Houston
Let's hope not. I am hoping for Barack Obama to lead by uniting and by building consensus and he has his work cut out for him. I always have viewed the election as a beginning, not the end so I am going to hope for the best, and always not be surprised when things don't go as I have hoped. I have made a personal judgment that Obama is a decent man with excellent potential to be a great leader. If I prove to be wrong, I am not a crybaby hyena like neocons typically are, I will always eat crow if I prove to be in error. I always appreciate that is a learning experience. But my gut instincts say I won't have to, but we will see; won't we?
It is quite possible that a significant number of people have been feeling the pain of the worst economy in more than a generation. Most blame the bush administration and the republicans. Almost NO ONE understands the "bailout" or that both candidates, the congress and GW Dumbass all are contributing to a blunder of epic proportions - IMHO It is that simple. They are willing to give the other party a chance - maybe they can do better.
Paris / Rihanna 2008
You're probably right. It's purely psychological. People automatically blame an incumbent President's party when the economy tanks, and give credit when it does well. Digging around and finding out that most of what goes wrong is due to bipartisan effort is too much trouble for them.
This is something we have yet to see. According to rumor, when Obama and McCain went to Washington to discuss the bailout, Obama wasn't interested in working with the opposition, but instead took the time to berate them, something that Pelosi also did on the House floor. Consensus cannot be built on such a non-foundation. But, we'll have to see if the Democrats can show a little humility and realize they aren't the only people in the universe. Over the last several years, they have withdrawn to a childish sandbox and whined rather than worked. I am unimpressed with *either* of the major parties, but even moreso with the Democrats who ran in 2006 on a platform of Change and not only failed to deliver, but admitted they lied about it. Obama has one chance to show he is made of different cloth.
"A leader, for a change." - Jimmy Carter, 1976 campaign slogan. Sound familiar? Here it comes again!
All that I will agree with Christine is that Barack Obama has mastered the recipe for knowing what political hyperbole he has to bend to to get elected. I have seen too many elections where the candidate says one thing and then does another to not expect him to shed some of the trappings of his positions. In the case of Israel he is the best nut to crack to get a needed tough no nonsense position to try to bring the increasingly fascist Israelis in line. He is more likely to empathize -- as he should -- with the oppressed Palestinian people in and around Israel, not McCain. There is no point ever to hero worship Obama, but I recognize the short term political realities of the situation and choose to vote for the best of the two who are going to get the job.
We would have to go through several years of "Mad Max" living conditions getting from "here" to "there" and I think no one of any influence, even Ron Paul himself, is willing to "go there." So where that leaves us, God only knows. agreed
Do You Know What Freedom Really Means? Freedom4um.com
In that same commercial he says "seniors" with less than $50K in income won't pay any taxes. I don't really believe any of it, but I DO think he's going to try to sock it to the wealthy and there is a lot of pent-up rage against them, as we can see in the grassroots response to the bailout, albeit in vain. The permaserfs won't have this producer to suck on and kick around anymore. I liquidated 3 business interests and took down a fourth because they had no choice (and they support the National Party, which made it even sweeter). In total, this month there are 341 families that do not have jobs in October that had them in August. Just when I start to maybe kind of 'feel' about it, I watch a Fobama "Soak the 250,000.00+ folks, the bastards!" commercial or read a dimwit World Socialist Fobama supporter on the Internets and just have to LOL. So let the permaserfs and their class warfare mo-rans chew on that as they worship their black arab NAZI world commie elitist bankster savior. Ha! Haaaahahahahaha!
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams
Agreed, if he trips on his pecker and a full blown sheep skin falls of the back of a wolf, all bets are off. Though let's try to remain calm when he is elected and see how he builds his administration and how he sets the tone at the beginning. In my always humble position, he will start off by mending fences and by reaching out to the opposition. That's what kind of guy I think he is. He has more factors of motivation not to fail in conjunction with ability and political savvy then anyone I have seen in my lifetime get to this point of being on the thrush hold of winning the White House. And I am making the leap of faith and saying he won't disappoint us, the American people. We shall see, won't we? And we will see in not so long a time after he wins in November, on the day before Guy Fawkes day. ;-)
That must be Obama's idea of "change" and McCain's idea of being a "maverick" - voting with Bush and Congressional Democrats on the most important issue of the decade. Either one of them could have shown some leadership by opposing the bailout. Instead, they proved what we knew all along - that they're just the typical party frauds masquerading as agents of reform.
Keep in mind, that has yet to be shown and we know the story about the scorpion crossing the river, don't we? You have more faith than me in a politician. My opinion is that when a politician speaks, he is likely lying. Trust has to be earned and only one politician in the race earned my trust. Alas, he didn't make it. IMO, the country functions despite its Government and the Government needs to get out of peoples' lives and stop making things more difficult, which seems these days to be its only purpose.
"A leader, for a change." - Jimmy Carter, 1976 campaign slogan. Sound familiar? Here it comes again!
We will indeed see Mike, but somehow I suspect you will defend no matter what.
The only change will be the face on the TV giving the addresses from the Oval Office. Aside from that, it will be business as usual. A real change would be dismantling the Government and getting it out of people's lives. Business as usual will be growing the Government. Obama will bring no real change.
"A leader, for a change." - Jimmy Carter, 1976 campaign slogan. Sound familiar? Here it comes again!
In my view you have no need to worry about an Obama administration and I recognize your view of things are 180 degrees from my take on things and my world view. I respect it and your right to have it even if you should be so intolerant as not to respect mine and my right to my political and social perspective. I don't agree with your take on things, but thanks for sharing your opinion anyway.
I would have put all of my other differences aside and voted for whichever candidate had the guts to oppose the bailout. It takes real leadership to deny handouts to people, to tell voters that there will be tough times ahead, but that in the long run, the best thing to do is to force the banks and investment firms to swallow their own losses. Even if it means harder economic times in the short run for everybody. Being in the business of making empty promises and easy quick-fixes, neither Obama nor McCain stepped up to the plate. No big surprise - they just proved what we knew all along about them.
Agreed. It would also signify Real Change.
"A leader, for a change." - Jimmy Carter, 1976 campaign slogan. Sound familiar? Here it comes again!
A big Amen!
I doubt that, I am more cynical in my own way then you recognize yet apparently, and this is duly noted. Obama is a good driver, but can he sprint to the bus roaring at full speed toward the cliff, get in the driver's seat and save the day? I sure don't fully expect such a miracle, but I trust him in having the ability to mitigate the damage of the coming crash, take care of the afflicted and those surviving, and to get us back on the road again to the future with allot more hope and possibilities then the past few horrible presidents have left is with. He has to be more like FDR then any of us expected with the current economic crash, which can be scary in and of itself knowing in retrospection the short comings and failures of Roosevelt as well as the great things he accomplished.
I respect it and your right to have it even if you should be so intolerant as not to respect mine and my right to my political and social perspective. I don't agree with your take on things, but thanks for sharing your opinion anyway. I don't respect a single thing about you. You have sided with everything that is wrong in America and put any Constitutional understanding you had on it's ear. You have allied yourself with the Enemy Within. As a Christian, it would be cool if you woke up. As an American, you have sided with my country's enemy and for that you've made your bed. You World Socialist tool, you. A stupid one at that, apparently.
"If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”—Samuel Adams
You sure you want him to be like FDR???? I was around during FDR and we had grinding poverty and WW2 during his time as dictator. FDR took over in 1933, stole the people gold and six years later the number of unemployed was more than when he started. In fact in 1939 there were nearly 20 million Americans out of work. He promised no war and then passed a draft and dragged us off to war. I think you need a better person than FDR to hold for an example for Obongo.
Oh yes, you have gone to extreme pains to make that clear. But in my view, you have that right. And believe it or not, I would actively defend your right to your opinion against someone unduly and unethically trying to suppress it. You have allied yourself with the Enemy Within." I fervently believe that neither the right or left has the solutions and all the tools needs for conduction good governance in a constitutional manner. The founding fathers recognized a need for checks and balances in how they devised the three branches of power sharing government. And the two party system has always been a vehicle of the duality human opinion and world view our species has always had. You talk of 'an enemy within,' but the real enemy is he or she that does not respect the dialog and the value of compromise where both sides can offer their best while having the worst in them countered by their opponents across the table from them. You seem to think that -- and correct me if I am wrong in this -- there should only be a choir where everyone is lockstep in opinion and in how they are socialized. Trying to eliminate all opposition to your political and social efficacy is taking aim at part of yourself, it's a real tail chaser of an endeavor. Because like it or not, the right and left need each other just as strongly as they can detest, loath and hate one another. And the Founding Fathers were wise in recognizing this and made a system that has worked more often then not to make the right and left work together toward a common cause. I am not a Christian, I am a Wiccan. I am also a member of the Eugene, Oregon Anarchist community so often talked about in the late 90s which is still large, active and very vibrant with strength locally. But as an American who has served his country as a Paratrooper for most of nine years in the U.S. Army, I support no one who is an enemy of the U.S. Constitution, and I will give my life to defend it if I have to do so. I respectfully submit that even with these tidbits of information, you still don't know a whole lot about me, or I you. So it always behooves interlocutors in a forum who have head butted to calm down and recognize this. I respect your passions, and know full well the pratfalls and problems in trying to communicate with you. For example, I feel badly for mentioning a family member in one of my posts yesterday. If I did that to a close local -- and likely very liberal -- friend, I would just apologize and owe up to the temper problem. But when you try to do that with folks of your sort of mind set, it doesn't work well. It is wrongly taken as a sign or weakness and can block the development of effective and mutually respectful communication. In any event, as I used this as an example, I will take initiative and apologize for that. You are not the only one in here with a temper. Actually I am quite well versed in things like 'The Communist Manifesto' and the writings and views of Karl Marx and Frederick Engels and find them flawed with a great deal of proven short comings to them. I support the right to private property, and do not think the government should be our nurse maid prodding and coercing use into behavior if perceives as necessary for the good of the many. It never, ever should be the job of government to socialize us. You are wrong to think I am in any way a socialist, I oppose them quite strongly.
I wonder if America can afford one more "learning experience" ... no one wants anyone to eat crow ... but it might taste better than the shit we've been fed for the last 50 years !
I would not trust either major candidate to do that at this point. With Obama we are getting some lip service towards small business. With McCain there's a bit more appreciation of private enterprise. But neither candidate has shown that they understand the an economy cannot be built on credit and service industry and do what it takes to turn that around. Remember to that taking care of the afflicted can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sure Obama will do a better job of that, but that may be because he has to like FDR had to after he raised the marginal tax rate on the "wealthy" to 91%. If you want hope and possibility you aren't going to get it by taxing the wealthy at a 91% rate.
Money problems do not come from a lack of money, but from living an excessive, unrealistic lifestyle
Added Rothenberg: "Republicans appear to be heading into a disastrous election that will usher in a very bleak period for the party.
#2. To: Ferret Mike (#0)
"This election right now is exclusively about economy," said independent analyst Charlie Cook . "Despite the fact that the House and Senate are in Democratic hands, Republicans seem to have total ownership of the problem. Fair or not, it's true."
#3. To: Ferret Mike (#0)
#4. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#2)
#5. To: Ferret Mike (#0)
#6. To: christine (#5)
#7. To: noone222 (#1)
"You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything he's no longer in your power -- he's free again. Alexander Solzhenitsyn
#8. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#2)
Still, I wonder why people who make the economy their top priority lean towards Obama.
#9. To: WhiteGuy (#8)
#10. To: Ferret Mike (#7)
I am hoping for Barack Obama to lead by uniting and by building consensus and he has his work cut out for him.
#11. To: christine (#5)
"You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything he's no longer in your power -- he's free again. Alexander Solzhenitsyn
#12. To: Sam Houston (#6)
It is my view that things have deteriorated so far that there is no way to get from here to the "Dr. Ron Paulian" there.
#13. To: Sam Houston (#4)
Maybe they are believing this commercial I keep seeing over and over with Obama saying he'll only raise taxes on those making $250K or more per year.
#14. To: mirage (#10)
"Obama has one chance to show he is made of different cloth."
"You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything he's no longer in your power -- he's free again. Alexander Solzhenitsyn
#15. To: mirage (#10)
According to rumor, when Obama and McCain went to Washington to discuss the bailout, Obama wasn't interested in working with the opposition, but instead took the time to berate them, something that Pelosi also did on the House floor
#16. To: Ferret Mike (#14)
In my always humble position, he will start off by mending fences and by reaching out to the opposition. That's what kind of guy I think he is.
#17. To: Ferret Mike (#14)
We shall see, won't we?
#18. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#15)
#19. To: Rotara (#13)
"You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything he's no longer in your power -- he's free again. Alexander Solzhenitsyn
#20. To: mirage (#18)
#21. To: Rupert_Pupkin (#20)
It takes real leadership to deny handouts to people, to tell voters that there will be tough times ahead, but that in the long run, the best thing to do is to force the banks and investment firms to swallow their own losses. Even if it means harder economic times in the short run for everybody.
#22. To: mirage. all (#16)
IMO, the country functions despite its Government and the Government needs to get out of peoples' lives and stop making things more difficult, which seems these days to be its only purpose.
#23. To: Cynicom (#17)
"We will indeed see Mike, but somehow I suspect you will defend no matter what."
"You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything he's no longer in your power -- he's free again. Alexander Solzhenitsyn
#24. To: Ferret Mike (#19)
In my view you have no need to worry about an Obama administration and I recognize your view of things are 180 degrees from my take on things and my world view.
#25. To: Ferret Mike, christine, jethro tull, all (#23)
He has to be more like FDR then any of us expected with the current economic crash,
#26. To: Rotara (#24)
"I don't respect a single thing about you."
"You have sided with everything that is wrong in America and put any Constitutional understanding you had on it's ear.
"As a Christian, it would be cool if you woke up. As an American, you have sided with my country's enemy and for that you've made your bed."
"You World Socialist tool, you. A stupid one at that, apparently."
"You only have power over people so long as you don't take everything away from them. But when you've robbed a man of everything he's no longer in your power -- he's free again. Alexander Solzhenitsyn
#27. To: Ferret Mike (#7)
I will always eat crow if I prove to be in error. I always appreciate that is a learning experience.
#28. To: Ferret Mike (#23)
I trust him in having the ability to mitigate the damage of the coming crash, take care of the afflicted and those surviving, and to get us back on the road again to the future with allot more hope and possibilities then the past few horrible presidents have left is with.
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