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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009

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the big plan

Beck Will Host Conventions
to Educate America

He's shifting toward political organizer, plans big DC rally

Nov 21, 09 5:06 PM CST
Senate Democrats Clear
Health Care Hurdle, 60-39

Reid gets 60 votes to open full debate after Thanksgiving recess

Nov 21, 09 7:13 PM CST
Palin Pulls in Big Bucks
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'Going Rogue' boosts Dem fundraising to new high

Nov 21, 09 6:50 AM CST
demagogue alert

Lawmaker Paints Target on Barack Obama's Back

Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert panders to dangerous paranoids

Nov 21, 09 9:08 AM CST
Reid Gets 60th Vote:
Holdout Lincoln Agrees

She'll allow health care bill to move forward; vote at 8pm

Nov 21, 09 1:51 PM CST
Matt Taibbi

Palin: Our First WWE Politician

Pick an asshole, any asshole, and she'll rock the house

3 hours, 9 minutes ago
HE'S GOT A BOOK OUT, TOO

Beck to Unveil
'Big Plan' at
Saturday Rally

Righty pundit OK with destroying Dems and GOP

Nov 20, 09 8:07 PM CST
Billboard Links Obama to Jihad

Colo. car dealership wants this opinion heard

Nov 20, 09 8:42 PM CST
Neglected Ind. Fans Boo Palin

Hecklers accuse her of 'quitting on the job'

Nov 20, 09 3:50 PM CST
NO COMMUNION FOR YOU, MY SON

RI Bishop Disses
Kennedy Over
Pro-Choice
Stance

Spat over Patrick's position on abortion escalates

5 hours, 31 minutes ago
Limbaugh's Wrong: Gallup's Obama Approval Below 50%

New survey is latest disappointment for President

Nov 20, 09 2:03 PM CST
Obama's Stimulus Finally
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Warring economists agree that it has helped—if not enough

Nov 21, 09 6:21 AM CST
TALK SHOW ROUNDUP

McConnell:
Dems Proceed
at 2010 Peril

Senators hit the Sunday talk shows after health vote

2 hours, 38 minutes ago

|NEXT STORY »

GAIL COLLINS

Votes Weren't About Obama

Prez shouldn't lose sleep over defeated lackluster Dems

By Rob Quinn| Posted Nov 5, 09 1:50 AM CST|

(Newser) – if the votes in New Jersey and Virginia were a referendum on President Obama, then Ohio's vote for casinos must have been a referendum on health care reform and Cincinatti's public transit vote a rejection of cash-for-clunkers, smirks Gail Collins. Nearly all of Tuesday's results are being portrayed as blows to Obama, despite the president's lukewarm support for some distinctly substandard Democratic candidates, Collins notes in the New York Times.

Inconveniently for those who've decided the votes add up to an anti-Obama movement, "Obama’s party won the only two elections that actually had anything to do with the president’s agenda," with victories in the special congressional elections in New York and California.The administration needs to "shape up and completely transform the way Washington works before the next election," snaps Collins, tongue-in-cheek. "Otherwise, another governor’s head could roll."

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

"What good are coattails if they can't drag an unlovable guy from a deeply corrupt party into a second term?" smirks Gail Collins. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz)

President Barack Obama speaks at James C. Wright Middle School in Madison, Wis., Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)

View larger images >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

How could (Obama) have gotten any sleep after he realized his lukewarm support of an inept candidate whose most notable claim to fame was experience in hog castration wasn't enough to ensure a Democratic victory in Virginia? - Gail Collins

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

11.20.09

The Health-Care Wars Have Just Begun

11.19.09

Sarah Palin Deserves Some More Attention

34 comments

VIEWING:

Netstorm2k9
Nov 5, 09 1:57 AM CST

Well duh. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

JoeQ
Nov 5, 09 1:59 AM CST

The people at FOX must be utterly whacked. They only talk to each other and people who agree with their chosen ideological bent. CNN and the others ape them in the hopes of ratings boosts. Ignore the lot of them, make your own decisions, and base it on independent sources of information that these weasels don't control. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Nov 5, 09 2:43 AM CST

Spot on, JoeQ. FOX uses drama to create a narrative. People fall for it again and again. And CNN goes for the scraps.

IN RESPONSE:

0001tr
Nov 5, 09 6:37 AM CST

ALL media is now about MAKING the news not REPORTING the news, creating RATINGS and REVENUE...even the damn whether is reported over dramatic, a rainstrom is reported as BREAKING NEWS and POTENTIAL Hurricane , toronado and like most News these days never materalizes...JUST THE FEAR AND THE APPEARANCE OF HAVING SOME INSIDE KNOWLEDGE FOR US "lil" PEOPLE..Meanwhile keep buying our supporters products..

| 0 minutes ago

geneparmesan
Nov 5, 09 2:15 AM CST

Colbert said it best 'Obama is now the first black president to lose the governors race in Virginia and New Jersey' Reply

| 0 minutes ago

kokuaguy
Nov 5, 09 2:31 AM CST

The president did what he could to support the Democratic Party. Now the Party needs to get behind the Obama agenda. Reply

-2

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Nov 5, 09 2:47 AM CST

Obama didn't support the Democrat candidate for governor of Virginia at all. I can't say that I blame him, though. And I don't understand the call for the party to rally behind Obama now, kokua. Is this coming from your take on this news story? The only thing that happened nationally Tuesday happened to the Republican Party.

-1

| 0 minutes ago

DarkFrancis
Nov 5, 09 2:37 AM CST

It's a nice little deception for the easily gulled, but those who understand a little about politics know what happened and why it happened. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

ilguy
Nov 5, 09 5:00 AM CST

Admit it though folks, spinning this as a win for Obama is a bit of a stretch. It may not mean as much as FoxNews says it means, but it can't be portrayed as a positive for the Democrats. I know the Newser Blog has become very liberal of late, but lets be honest about this. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Nov 5, 09 5:26 AM CST

I haven't seen anybody say the elections yesterday were a win for Obama. Democrats, at the national level, are only talking about NY23 and what it means. Ilguy, which elections were you referring to?

| 0 minutes ago

ilguy
Nov 5, 09 5:45 AM CST

Uh shonan.... the ones mentioned in the first line of the article, and in your earlier response to kokoaguy. Reply

-1

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Nov 5, 09 6:20 AM CST

No, the people who are saying this means something about Obama are generally saying it was bad for him. Others disagree and say Virginia and New Jersey meant little nationally. ........... Kokua said the President did what he could -- implying he was not successful. And the first line to the article says, "In Ohio, citizens marched to the polls on Tuesday and voted to allow gambling casinos in the state." Ilguy, both of these comments have been bass-ackwards.

IN RESPONSE:

ilguy
Nov 5, 09 6:26 AM CST

Did you read the first 14 words of the article? They are... " if the votes in New Jersey and Virginia were a referendum on President Obama". If your reading comprehension is no better than it seems to be, I see no reason to argue with you further.

-1

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Nov 5, 09 6:40 AM CST

Those are the first 14 words of the summary, not the article, you moron. And the examples cited are being used to show the absurdity of saying the elections say much about Obama. You've still remarkably got it backwards. ........... And please, you have no reason -- to argue with me.

| 0 minutes ago

0001tr
Nov 5, 09 6:26 AM CST

VOTES WEREN"T ABOUT OBAMA......like hell they weren't... Reply

IN RESPONSE:

doingtherightthing
Nov 5, 09 7:07 AM CST

Deny deny deny is the liberal way if they can't handle the truth..... These votes are not about republicans there about independents and seniors in NJ and Virgina going right. There diffently aimed at Obama and his policies. The silent majority is paying attention now, and they don't like what they see or hear coming out of congress or Obama. Congress is for congress, not for the people. Obama is a marxists who wants control "his" way, not the peoples way. You mix these together and you get a time bomb ready to blow. The fuse has been lit. The teabaggers, silent majority and seniors will decide the next elections. Liberal ideology is dying and the secular left is dead after these elections take place........hide'n'watch......

-2

| 0 minutes ago

shonangreg
Nov 5, 09 6:30 AM CST

All this talk about what the elections Tuesday mean for Obama are just a distraction from the obvious issue: what do the elections mean for the Republicans and their mutineers. If you're on FOX News and you don't want to talk about that, about Hofmann losing in New York, then you just change the subject. like all the tea baggers here do too. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

ilguy
Nov 5, 09 6:33 AM CST

Shonan.... you do realize that the Democrat in NY wasn't actually running against a Republican, right?

-4

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Nov 5, 09 6:43 AM CST

I don't have to figure out who Owens was running against in New York. The Republicans have to work that out. They really did a bang-up job, huh ;-)

| 0 minutes ago

ilguy
Nov 5, 09 7:03 AM CST

shonan, I see that you must resort to name calling, so I will leave it here, but if you go back to the beginning of our exchange you will see that you asked which elections I was referring to. The fact that I say the elections mentioned in the first line of the Newser summary upon which we were all commenting hardly seems like an unfair reference point. Reply

-2

| 0 minutes ago

Reader65069154
Nov 5, 09 7:10 AM CST

If the elections weren't about Obama, they were at least about how his influence upon voters has waned. Perhaps that this influence is non-transferable. Either way, looks bad for the Dems next year. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

thejoint00
Nov 5, 09 11:17 AM CST

Obama wasn't an electable candidate in any of this past week's elections. It seems rather naive of anyone to think that the outcomes directly relate to him. Including Fail Collins who is trying to claim the republican win is about being anti-Obama, rather than having anything to do with people voting based on their own needs and opinions. How full of themselves can these people be?

| 0 minutes ago

kirby
Nov 5, 09 7:15 AM CST

Lukewarm support? Wasn't he down there giving speaches? Sounds like more than lukewarm support to me. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

Adapt-Overcome
Nov 5, 09 8:18 AM CST

Exactly, the referendum was in congress. The place where Democrats got 2 wins. One that hadn't voted Democrat since 1872. That says alot for the good job that Obama is doing and how they want him to continue to have the support he needs to push his agenda through. The president helped Corzine come within reach of re-election, but not even god could help that man. The corruption was to big a scandal to get over and prior to Obama's campaigning he was losing by double digits. And as for the Dem in Virginia, he was an idiot who had a disorganized campaign. His opponent had been elected 4 times to various offices and was well known. It was a no brainer. And as for Bloomberg, congrats. He's done well and has been supportive of Obama's agenda. The Republicans are falling apart with all their internal squabbling and are grasping at straws to help them appear to have gained somewhere, when in reality...they gained nothing. Hope the new Governors can help those that voted for them..if not the GOP will have so much mud on it's face. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

ROBR
Nov 5, 09 8:59 AM CST

The "G" in God should always be a capitol letter. Should you even be saying God, being you are a progressive?

-1

| 0 minutes ago

BlueAyez
Nov 5, 09 8:21 AM CST

Since the Republican victories are in mostly Republican districts they say nothing. Virginia has had many Republican governors in the past. It's almost an anomaly when a Democrat gets elected there. Reply

IN RESPONSE:

ilguy
Nov 5, 09 8:42 AM CST

Before this most recent election, only 5 of the past 34 Virginia governors (dating back to 1874) were Republicans. 28 were Democrats. Please explain to me again how a Democrat winning is an "anomaly"?

-1

| 0 minutes ago

ROBR
Nov 5, 09 8:51 AM CST

Ah, another New York Times reporter whose head is shoved so far up her ass, one more push forward, and it will be back in it's original position. The "ASS CLOWN" personally appeared in New Jersey 5 times in as many weeks, his last visit the night before the election. His top guns were also there often. Virginia, not that much, for here it was futile from the beginning. The "ASS CLOWNS" disdain for this guy was visible on his face, not to mention he would not even stand next to him on the stage. Make no mistake, these were mortal wounds to this administration, they will not recover. They foolishly dismissed the summer rallies and the momentum they started with ridicule and laughter, at their own peril. Their aftershocks will result in a full blown tsunami by next years election season. The winning of two congressional seats is only good if ttheir new occupants are willing to commit political suicide for this administation. The conventional wisdom, even on MSNBC is trending away from this becoming a reality. Like all Democrat administrations in recent history, they believe, if you only tell part of a story, the part you can spin your way, while omitting the other 80.6%, your true believers will agree and follow you off the cliff. Not to mention, it's lying to the American people. This past Tuesday, as insignificant as Robert Gibbs would have you believe, was actually quite monumental. The funniest part, when all is said and done, they will still be blaming George Bush. Reply

-2

IN RESPONSE:

shonangreg
Nov 5, 09 4:44 PM CST

Wow. If you could begin your story without the vacuous "assclown" label, I might have read it all.

IN RESPONSE:

ROBR
Nov 5, 09 5:51 PM CST

Dear shonangreg, If you like, go to the "URBAN DICTIONARY" and look up "ASS CLOWN". Most of the beginning 12 entries are spot on for Mr. Obama. This phrase has many meanings. I think you would be surprized, and possibly in agreement. I did not mean to offend anyone, but the subject of my concerns.

IN RESPONSE:

ROBR
Nov 8, 09 7:37 PM CST

Dear sha-na-na, I got a chance to look at your recent responses, across a broad spectrum of topics. First and formost I want to thank you for leaving the United States, I would encourage you to, do us all a favor, and never return. You are the most pompous of pompous asses I have ever encountered. There is another guy on "Newser" I thought was, but you blow his doors off. Either you are Chinese, or you deserve an Acadamy Award, for your performance. The way you name call those those with whom you disagree and your condecending attitude toward the guy who put a link, sans desciption, more than proves my point. At the same time you have the balls, again, it could just be great acting, to snipe at others for doing the same thing you do.As for your referring to fellow Americans as tea-baggers, again proves my point. I also love the "I'm so busy",but wait by you computer and I will get back to you at my earliest convenience, is rich. When you get a chance let me know if you prefer to be addressed as a Scum-bagger or a Douche-bagger. I have plenty of time, so no pressure. It would appear from your bio, that you are simply an American teacer, in a far away land. It appears to me you rather fancy yourself as a modern day Con-fuse-us. Trust me, you are not.

IN RESPONSE:

ROBR
Nov 8, 09 10:32 PM CST

Dear Shanon and Greg, I know I said Chinese, it just worked better at the time. We could change it to you think of yourself as a wise old Japanese monk / philosopher, who after 20 years alone on a mountaintop reading and meditating, finally came down from on high to enlighten the peasants. I know your a stickler, so whichever works for you, is fine with me. This reminds me of an old Mel brooks skit where a team of hikers risk their lives climbing to the top of the worlds highest mountain range to hear the first words spoken by the wise man that had been up there alone for 40 years. One of the team walked up to him and said. Oh wise man what do you have to say after not speaking to another human being in 40 years. The wise man slowly raised his head and said these words, and I quote, " Get Off My Beard You Little Jerk ". Oh, that still cracks me up after all these years.

| 0 minutes ago

OG_Travis
Nov 5, 09 2:46 PM CST

You actually believe that if Hilary had won the primary that she would have taken the presidency? no Reply

| 0 minutes ago

dj-spellchecka
Nov 5, 09 2:59 PM CST

(Newser) – President Obama seems to have been a minimal factor in gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia, at least according to early exit polls. In Virginia, where Republican Bob McDonnell won, 55% said Obama wasn’t behind their vote; that figure was 60% in New Jersey, CBS News reports. Of those who said Obama was a factor in Virginia, 18% said it was a vote for him to 24% against; in New Jersey, 19% were voting for Obama to 20% against him. Reply

| 0 minutes ago

View all 34 comments »

Jon Corzine • Michael Bloomberg • Obama administration • President Obama • Christopher Christie • election day November 2009

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Votes Weren't About Obama