ActBlue records the following donation totals:
Ned Lamont: 331K
vs:
Claire McCaskill: 67K
Jon Tester: 124K
Sherrod Brown: 52K
Harold Ford: 12K (!)
Jim Webb: 180K
Bob Casey: 13K
Which seems to me if you are Democrat, and you are unhappy with the rubber stamp leading Republicans, you may want to focus on races where Democrats are trying to unseat Republicans, you know, in that mathematic sort of way that says you need 51 Senators to claim a majority, chair committees, launch investigations, veto stuff, control the agenda, the floor, etc. etc. So even counting the primary excitement, it seems a little odd, that national activists would spend more money against Joe Lieberman than Rick Santorum. Rick Santorum is an actual Republican who actually votes like a Republican. In fact he is the posterchild Republican that tosses up such gems for Kos to rant about. Such as:
In the now-famous interview, Santorum says:
"In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever to my knowledge included homosexuality. That's not to pick on homosexuality. It's not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be."
Tell me, what kind of person walks around talking about "man on dog" sex? I can confidently say that the thought never enters my mind unbidden. Yet Santorum, in the course of a conversation with a reporter, casually mentions bestiality.--Friday | April 25, 2003, Deep inside Santorum's noggin', Dailykos.com
Or how about this:
Santorum supports capping lawsuits for pain & suffering at $250,000. Yet his wife sued her chiropracter for pain & suffering in the amount of $500,000 (winning $350,000).
Santorum wants to bar the taxpayer-funded National Weather Service from providing its data for free on the web, ostensibly because he feels that government-funded entitites shouldn't compete with private business. But he voted against relieving the requirement for the Department of Defense to buy goods and services from Federal Prison Industries (FPI). So, it is okay for the government to obstruct competition when it involves prison labor; but not okay to give taxpayers what they already paid for, because it might reduce the potential profits of a private enterprise? (Not to mention that there are plenty of small business entrepreneurial uses for NWS data).dkospedia.com
Bob Casey is running against Rick Santorum, yet Casey only merits $13k of donations while millionaire Ned Lamont rakes in the netroots cash.
What will the Kos inspired attack poodles say if Republicans hold onto the majorities in the House and Senate? That somehow chasing after the Joe Lieberman was more important than actually doing something about flipping the Senate back to a Democratic majority? Or will they claim that the evil Rove Republican machine somehow cheated out election victories? The money trail certainly speaks volumes about netroot election priorities.
27 comments:
"What will the Kos inspired attack poodles say if Republicans hold onto the majorities in the House and Senate?"
Gee, you have a rare talent for bringing people around to your point of view. I can see why Joe is so popular when he has smart, gracious people like you pressing his case.
Turrf... you know why Casey isn;t getting Kos dough....it's because on most issues Casey is to the RIGHT of Joe Lieberman
As soon as I read the title and first line of this post, I knew it was by Turfgrrl.
I think people tend to hate a traitor more than the enemy. Many Democrats feel Joe betrayed them, so they feel really venemous hate.
I, however, I am voting for him.
They are overfunding Lamont. But, just because it shouldn't be the highest priority, doesn't mean that defeating Joe isn't a worthwhile venture.
keep pumping all that money into Lamont , guys.....
http://www.surveyusa.com/client/PollReportEmail.aspx?g=3d622b45-9477-4189-bdfe-de7605bd2f4e
Lieberman over 50 in a three way
In Connecticut's U.S. Senate race, a new SurveyUSA poll shows Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) soundly defeating Ned Lamont (D) and Alan Schlesinger (R). Lieberman gets 51%, Lamont 38% with Schlesinger trailing at just 7%.
Key finding: 83% of the Democrats who voted for Lieberman in the Democratic Primary, which Lamont won by 4 points, stick with Lieberman as an Independent in the General Election.
Other key finding: 57% of those who prefer Lamont say they are voting "against" another candidate. 60% of those who vote Lieberman say they are voting "for" Lieberman.
Partys over Ned. Hah.
Hey MikeCT- Pipe down. Your acting like the school yard bully.
Another election cycle is upon us, and once again all of you "progressive" Democrats (as well as the media) are underestimating Bush, Rove & Republicans. Given how unpopular the war is and Bush's low approval rating, this election should be a slam dunk. Instead, the "progressives" are making it a horse race. I think you have hit your high water mark. The Congress will remain in Republican control, although Democrats will make significant gains especially in the Senate. Just promise me that you will keep focusing your time on Lamont, because that is music to my Republican ears!
I think this is a false choice.
I donated to Ned Lamont. I live in Connecticut. I live in Rosa DeLauro's district - not exactly a close race.
I am also a college student. I don't have a lot of money to give, but I gave $25 to Lamont. That is not $25 I would have given to anyone else for the simple reason that I don't have enough disposable income to donate to somebody who does not represent me directly (e.g., MT-Sen or other CDs in CT).
As much as I am pulling for Farrell, Murphy, McCaskill, Tester - indeed, Dems all over the country, they would not have gotten the money I gave to Lamont.
If you want an example of just how stupid some people can be, please read this quote that is posted on MLN.
"Sen. Joe Lieberman (?-Conn.) increasingly has been relying on Washington, D.C., lobbyists — Republicans as well as Democrats — to help him hang on to his seat.
"GOP lobbyists clearly are eager to help him."
"Take, for example, an invitation to an upcoming Lieberman fundraiser circulated by Ruth Ravitz Smith, a GOP lobbyist at Brown Rudnick."
Here is what's so funny about this post and why the Lieberman haters on MLN are such idiots.
First, Lamont got his start and has been helped throughout his campaign by a Republican lobbyist named Tom D'Amore. He is also former Republican Party Chairman for crying out loud.
Second, the Brown, Rudnick fundraiser is a GOP group. Really? That must be news to the folks who run their CT shop like Tom Ritter, former Democratic Speaker of the House.
It's hard to be that stupid, but this post on MLN proves it can be done.
Bravo! (Applause/ Standing O.)
This new poll is bad for Ned, WSJ poll was great, rasmussen and ARG are good, last Q-Poll bad, what does that equal?
I have no idea!!
But wouldn't put too much stock in a single one, we saw how off they were in the primary so i think way to soon for either side to gloat about anything.
Wow! 331k! If that gets you all worked up, why don't you throw a fit over the billion dollars that Hillary and Spitzer have raised to run against absolutely no one? Oh, because you wouldn't get to take a shot at Lamont then? Hack.
Also, good job bringing Casey up. Do you think the reason why he isn't getting money from the netroots is because he and the net roots don't actually agree on many important issues? And because he was the pick of the party insiders that have led us to several horrid elections in a row? But if you thought that, you wouldn't be able to make your bass ackward point...
Also, where on earth do you get the idea that political contributions are a zero sum game. You seem to have assumed, without evidence, that people who donated to Lamont, would have been excited enough to donate that money to another candidate if Lamont did not exist. Why?
What will the Kos inspired attack poodles say if Republicans hold onto the majorities in the House and Senate?
That we wish Joe had respect the democratic primary results and hadn't run a GOP GOTV campaign that sunk three of our best hopes of taking Republican seats in the house. Hack.
Anon 9:18 - You seem to have a bit of a reading comprehension problem. Ruth Ravitz Smith is a GOP lobbyist at Brown Rudnick as the quote says. The quote does not say that Brown Rudnick is a GOP group. You saying that it did say that does not actually make what they said untrue. I recommend sticking to reading things on your grade level.
Also, Tom T'A left the Republicans with Weiker like a million years ago. Calling him a republican lobbyist is like calling my grandfater alive; it may help make your point, but that doesn't make it true.
turfgrrl said...
funny how in the netroots liberal world Rick Santorum is a better choice than Bob Casey. Who'd a thunk it ...
Funny how no one said anything resembling that. Don't let that stop you though... Hack.
Turfgrrl -
Being snarky about your critics without actually addressing their substantive criticisms makes it seem like you can't address them. Like you were a hack, or something.
I wonder if I could distract the two of you from throwing sand at eath other in the sandbox to point out that this post from turfgrrl is built entirely on the false assumption that campaign donations are a zero sum game and that if the net roots didn't push Lamont, somehow Casey would have more money... And she can't defend that assumption.
Anyone?
Casey's commitment to controlling women's bodies and eliminating reproductive choice might have something to do with his limited Democratic support. He's a pathetic embarrassment.
Now this is an interesting thread (although getting a little too physical!) I have wondered how netroots (and the party as a whole) would react to Casey, especially since his family has a long history of pro-life activism (for those who did not know, Casey v. Planned Parenthood is a seminal case that is studied in most law schools as it relates to Roe v. Wade and the abortion issue.)
Casey is a good candidate and certainly better than Rick Santorum (Mr. Dog on Man, lol)-- however I found him to be a bit stiff when I met him. (I expected him to be more of a natural politician, an more affable Irish guy from Scranton, PA).
I don't think I agree with turf's comparing the two races, but I am surprised that netroots has not jumped on the Casey race, especially when considering Santorum makes no secret of his support of the Bush's administration policies. That being said, maybe I need to send a check to Casey.
Casey is popular because of his father, longtime governor Robert Casey.
As for why the netroots isn't more irritated by him... PA is a state where winning is more important than ideology. Must be nice.
Gov. Casey had Carville and Begala (as novices) working on his campaign. Very interesting.
One of the reasons that the netroots didn't get all over Casey's campaign (in addition to the substantive issues mentioned above) is that, until very recently, Casey had a commanding lead over the national embarrassment that is Senator Man-On-Dog - the race wasn't a priority because it wasn't close.
Of course, that doesn't fit into Turfgrrl's worldview of attacking Lamont all the time, so it wasn't mentioned...
GC - the net roots weren't more irritated by Casey also because they had no real alternative. The gentleman running aginst Casey in the Democratic primary was not a good candidate - couldn't raise money or generate any excitement. When faced with no choice...
Interesting point Turfgirl.
I find it interesting that Turfgirl and Genghis Con paint LIeberman as a victim of "ideology". He's where he is because of his brain dead support for George Bush's idiotic war. He's decided the only way to save his sorry skin is to lie about that support. Even looking past the war, his self-agrandizing "bipartisanship" consists mostly of lending his name and the reputation Al Gore gave him to people like Lynne Cheney and Sean Hannity.
BTW, to all you Lieberman supporters: Sixty people were found in Bagdad today, bound hand and foot and shot dead after having been tortured. Another couple of dozen were killed by carbombs. And two more American soldiers killed in Iraq while Afghsnistan falls further under the control of the Taliban, and Pakistan has essentially granted a safe haven to Osama, but we can't do anything about that because the bulk of our military is stuck in the Bush-Lieberman quagmire.
What "ideology" is it that considers such things inconsequential? Where are Lieberman's much touted "values"? is he waiting for something important like reports of blowjobs? How 'bout his bipartisan "leadership"? Is he to busy ditching votes to actually propose a solution beyond "stay the course"? If nothing else, Lamont has created a situation where scummy, delusional Joe can't respond to slaughter by grinning his Pat Robertson grin and talking about how many cell phones are in use in Iraq.
I'm really happy that you are interested in whether or not campaign contributions are a zero sum game now.
I guess its too much to ask for you to think about it before you use it as a hammer to drive home post number 7,564,392 about how people are stupid for supporting Lamont.
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