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Dems Desperately Seeking North Dakotan

Byron Dorgan's resignation leaves party in bind, writes Collins

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 7, 2010 3:31 AM CST

(Newser) – Two senator retirements do not a Democratic crisis make—especially when Chris Dodd's stepping aside is actually great news for the party—but the party may have a dilemma in North Dakota, writes Gail Collins. Byron Dorgan's retirement has taken everybody by surprise. Unlike in Connecticut, nobody seems ready to step into his shoes, Collins notes in the New York Times.

North Dakota Democrats are pleading with Dorgan to change his mind, Collins writes. As soon as his resignation was announced, a top party official got in touch with MSNBC host Ed Schultz, a former Fargo resident who—like most prominent North Dakotans—now lives out of state. "You’re giving yourself too little credit, North Dakota Democrats," Collins writes. "There’s got to be a potential junior senator somewhere in your 641,000 fine residents."

Ed Schultz broadcasts from his studios in Fargo, ND, in this 2004 photo.
Ed Schultz broadcasts from his studios in Fargo, ND, in this 2004 photo.   (AP Photo/Dave Samson, File)
North Dakota's 641,000 people get exactly the same number of Senate votes as the 36.8 million people in California, Collins writes. But that’s a complaint for another day.
North Dakota's 641,000 people "get exactly the same number of Senate votes as the 36.8 million people in California," Collins writes. "But that’s a complaint for another day."   (<a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/" target="source">&copy;</a><a href="http://flickr.com/search/people/?m=name&q=afiler" target="source">afiler</a>)
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The 'Notable North Dakotans' page on the Byron Dorgan web site lists 19 people, none of whom seem to actually live there. In fact, seven of them are dead and one of the others is the guy who is married to the pop star Fergie. - Gail Collins

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
SilenceDogood
Jan 7, 2010 10:30 AM CST
I admire your honesty and the history is engaging, but file off the edges.
brawne
Jan 7, 2010 10:17 AM CST
Love the 'like most prominent ND' move out of state". Ever driven across that? That is some desolate country. I drive--never fly. Can't bitch about what you don't know, but that is some lonely, sad highway. Can't even imagine living there. Fuck Chris Dodd and his taking a penny from anyone who would toss him one, and who cares about this dismal place? And who cares about Democrats or Republicans? Democrats had the White House, the House and the Senate and couldn't do shit cause the people who bought them years ago stopped that. It only seems as though Republicans do more because they are stupid and vote for something that will benefit a corporation and not themselves. so the repubs will take every seat and it will look like they did something when actually they are just stupid enough to vote aginst their own interest. When Alexander Hamilton invented the party--"people are stupid and we smart should rule". The worst thing that happened to this country was Burr shooting Hamiliton over that married chick they were both fucking--what? Think Tiger invented that? Anyway, If Hamilton had lived through Jefferson's presidency this would all be different. Because Hamilton was Palin in a topcoat and Jefferson was the epitome of bleeding heart--if they had gone throught the Purchase together? We'd be a different country. And that is the importance of a random fuck.
Cher
Jan 7, 2010 10:14 AM CST
According to the writer of this newser "North Dakota's 641,000 people get the same number of senate votes as the 36.8 M people in Calif. do. There is so much nonsense going on in this country and this is the dems fault. They are in power no and need to get this straightened out.

 
Senate • North Dakota • Chris Dodd • Democratic Party • Gail Collins • Byron Dorgan • Chris Dodd retiring • Ed Schultz

 
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