Not a Big Truck

This ad from Democratic challenger Kay Hagan responds to Dole’s recent attack ad that implied that Hagan was an atheist and featured a female voice in the background screaming “There is no God!”  Hagan’s response is, I think, devastating to Dole and my immediate reaction to watching it was that it is strong enough to push Hagan over the top in North Carolina.

Whether or not you favor a federal bailout of the troubled sectors of the American financial system, this quote in this morning’s NYT is striking:

One, Representative Jim Marshall, a Georgia Democrat facing a re-election contest, told colleagues in a private meeting that he would vote for the measure to bolster the economy. “I am willing to give up my seat over this,” Mr. Marshall said, according to another person who was there.

Marshall represents a very competitive and military-heavy district that has voted Republican in recent presidential elections.  He is facing a former Air Force general in this fall’s congressional election.

Call me biased, but I am impressed with Marshall’s statesmanship.  John McCain claims he is putting the country first when he is flying back to Washington and trying to cancel the debate purely for a photo-op stunt.  Marshall takes a big political risk for something he believes in: now that truly is putting the country first.

Here is the post.  It’s mostly about his Republican challenger, Rick Goddard.

Senator Stevens has issued this statement about the Palin selection.

“I have known and worked with Sarah for over a decade – from her service as Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, in her role as president of the Alaska Conference of Mayors, and most recently as our Governor. She is attentive to her job and family, brings people together, and is able to make tough decisions.”

Seems awfully friendly, eh?

Ted Stevens won his primary battle.  Polls show Stevens trailing his opponent, Democrat Mark Begich, in most of the polls.  If Stevens is found guilty, the Republicans are in deep trouble up there.  Enough to move the state to Obama? I don’t know, but I still think Obama should visit.

Sorry for so many videos, but here is another one.

I hope he wins the Republican nomination.  I think that will mean a Dem will take the senate seat and will strengthen Obama’s chances of winning that state.  I hope he takes the time to visit there.

While this is very old, I think that given the title of our blog here, it is appropriate to share this video. A nice little stroll down memory lane. It will be sad not to have Ted in the Senate anymore.

Following up on the previous mentions of the Steve Cohen - Nikki Tinker primary race in Tennessee’s 9th Congressional District in Memphis, here’s a good column about the race by Bob Herbert in today’s NYT.

Looks like Cohen is going to win.

Obama denounces the ads, but not Tinker.  I know it is probably not his responsibility to denounce what is happening in Memphis, but if local Republicans were using such tactics, I feel like Democrats would want Republicans on the national level to denounce them. I think it was right for Obama to comment on this situation–perhaps he should have been a bit more forceful in doing so–especially in light of the fact that he presents himself as a post-racial candidate.