NY-23 was and remains a mess from the local party’s initial choice through Hoffman’s defeat. I love to read a detailed analysis of what happened when, who, why and how. It will be interesting to see how it works out next year.

Loxodonta on November 4, 2009 at 11:23 PM

I agree. We’re going to read more about this.

Her base, the 122nd Assembly District in NY, was located in four counties — St. Lawrence, Lewis and Jefferson Counties, and a small portion of Oswego County. She resides in Gouverneur, a small town in St. Lawrence County, 35 – 40 miles up the road from Watertown (Jefferson Cty.) and about 22 – 24 miles from the St. Lawrence River. Ft. Drum lies in between Gouverneur and Watertown.

You have to wonder what the Obama Administration may have been dangling in front of one or more of the party leadership up there, or possibly even what someone “had” on some key player, that prompted the Republican leadership to get behind a person who is as far left as Dede is on so many issues, to fill that vacated Congressional seat. I think the WH expected a Republican would likely win before she got the nomination, back when they had made the former Congressman the Army Sec’y.

This story is not over. Here is a map of the Congressional District.

The Congressional District is the most sprawling in New York. It is in all or portions of eleven different New York counties, Clinton, Franklin, St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Oswego, Lewis, Hamilton (pt), Madison, Oneida (pt), Fulton (pt), and Essex (pt).

In New Jersey, the Republican Party has learned the hard way (by losing) that the Democrats pour enormous resources into GOTV, even including one union this year conducting what they boasted was a “knock and drag” operation!

This year, the GOP had a very good program, which included electronically removing potential voters from “to call” lists if they had already mailed in their ballots. Saving resources by not wasting them on those who had already voted.

In upstate New York Hoffman was a late-comer to the race, and was running against the local party’s apparatus. He likely got little or no support at all in the last several days, and on election day itself. Keep in mind that there were several counties in the District, and that each one had some level of organization helping out his opponent.

So, Hoffman did extremely well in spite of the fact that the deck was stacked against him. If he becomes the party’s candidate the next time, he would be likely to win handily.

Conservatives up there should look very closely at the main county Republican leaders up there and try to figure out why they selected a Trojan horse candidate like Dede. The rank and file would usually go along with the Chair on who he or she is backing. But at least so far, it just seems that there is something very counterintuitive about how she got the nod.

Instead history will either record Hoffman’s forcing Scozzafava out of the race, as the massive electrical shock that restored a healthy beat to the Republican heart, or as the beginning of the Republican parties death throws.

How would more time help a guy who needs more time to bone up on local issues? You really asked that question?

xblade on November 5, 2009 at 2:10 AM

First impressions matter more. Thats why people still harp on Palin’s Couric interview and not much else.

I ME MINE

All thru’ the day I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
All thru’ the night I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
Now they’re frightened of leaving it
Ev’ryone’s weaving it,
Coming on strong all the time,
All thru’ the day I me mine.

I-me-me mine, I-me-me mine,
I-me-me mine, I-me-me mine.

All I can hear I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
Even those tears I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
No-one’s frightened of playing it
Ev’ryone’s saying it,
Flowing more freely than wine,
All thru’ the day I me mine.

I-me-me mine, I-me-me mine,
I-me-me mine, I-me-me mine.

All I can hear I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
Even those tears I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
No-one’s frightened of playing it
Ev’ryone’s saying it,
Flowing more freely than wine,
All thru’ your life I me mine.

George Harrison, Beatles

Reminds one of the GWB smirk, suggesting people take their gripes out in a blog.

They think they have us sewn up in sackcloth and ashes. In effect, we currently are.

Seems like we had a man on a white unicorn in 2008.

This time, how ’bout a woman on a snow machine?

notropis on November 4, 2009 at 10:43 PM

works for me!

Revelation 12, St. John
13When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. 14The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the desert, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach. 15Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. 16But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

“Add another American metaphor to the political landscape: the cattle stampede.

That’s a good analogy. I was thinking about this the other day, politicians will be courting the independents big time. If you claim to be a dem or Republican, well no one cares, your mind is made up already. That’s my impression anyhoo.

Jeff from WI on November 5, 2009 at 7:57 AM

I took the reference to be that of the white horse – as in saviour. BTW, it looks like the seals are in the wrong order- we’ve already had the fourth.

OldEnglish on November 5, 2009 at 8:08 AM

At first, I did too, but I see ominous things that could be on the horizon. I noted that too in the quote I copied, afterwards.

Jeff from WI on November 5, 2009 at 7:57 AM

I took the reference to be that of the white horse – as in saviour. BTW, it looks like the seals are in the wrong order- we’ve already had the fourth.

It won’t be Newt.

elduende on November 4, 2009 at 10:51 PM

Newt one-upped Cheney by shooting himself in the face at a NY duck hunt.

the possibility of a man on a white horse in 2012 is not out of the question.”

Or a woman?

OldEnglish on November 4, 2009 at 10:35 PM

The Seals
1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.
2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: Zech. 1.8 ; 6.3 and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
3 ¶ And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.
4 And there went out another horse that was red: Zech. 1.8 ; 6.2 and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.
5 ¶ And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; Zech. 6.2, 6 and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
7 ¶ And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.
8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. Jer. 15.3 · Ezek. 5.12, 17 ; 14.21

I WILL vote for Sarah, Bachman, Liz Cheney, Mike Pence.

stenwin77 on November 5, 2009 at 7:12 AM

Yup, I am getting damned tired of the elitist in the GOP deciding who I get to vote for. And then trying to push a genuine POS candidate off on me.

Obama hits new low in RCP

MB4 on November 4, 2009 at 10:59 PM

And this is before the bill come into focus for paying for all the unicorns and windmill powered shovels and socks.

New description soon to be popular in the political lexicon for RINO’s losing in primary’s:

“He was Hoffmaned.”

Nope. I think it will be, “He was T.P.’d”

“He was Hoffmaned.”

More than anything, the American voter is desperate for political leadership…

No, more than anything else I want political leaders to leave me alone!

McCain was a horrible candidate.

Yep. The Beltway Brains shoved him over the finishline. And they think THEY are going to pick OUR candidate in 2012… THEY had better think again.

I will NOT vote for Mitty or Hucky. Period. Or Pawlenty, or Can’tor…

I WILL vote for Sarah, Bachman, Liz Cheney, Mike Pence.