October 05, 2006

Blogometer Extra

Election 06 Round-Up

CA 04: You're The Man, Charlie Brown

  LindaR at Daily Kos was most impressed by Democratic challenger Charlie Brown's "counter-event" to incumbent GOP Rep. John Doolittle's gala for visiting President George Bush: a barbecue open to the public.

  "At the Bush/Doolittle event," LindaR writes, "Republicans still willing to drink the kool-aid were charged $2,000 per head for the privelege."  Brown, on the other hand, "invited citizens ... to a franks and beans feed ... and asked for donations" of $20 a person.  "But," she notes, "no one would be turned away for the lack of funds."

  LindaR continues:

The campaign was planning for 150 people, but by the afternoon they thought maybe 300 might show up.  The estimate now is between 450 and 550. ... The place was packed. ... The campaign was hoping to raise about $2000-$4000.  They told me a while ago they are still counting, and so far they've counted over $10,000. ... People are on the brink of giddy over this campaign.

  She gives props the many "great" speakers in attendance, including former GOP congressman Pete McCloskey who, as she exclaims, "is so disgusted by this Republican Party leadership that he is working for Democratic candidates."

CO GOV: Board Silly

  Bobby Clark at activistblog ProgressNowAction announced two winners of a contest in which network members submitted slogans to be put up on mobile billboards that "will keep traveling around the state" through the election for Colorado governor.

  The two winning "amazingly creative" slogans were "All Hat No Cattle" featuring GOP candidate Bob Beauprez and President Bush side by side, Stetsons in hand or on head.  Even more cutting was the second winning entry, with a smiling Beauprez standing next to his duplicate and "BOTH WAYS BOB" spread across them... and on the side, the slogan "More Waffles than Belgium," all knocking Beauprez's apparent penchant for flip-flopping.

  Recent polls in Colorado have Beauprez trailing badly against the Democratic candidate, Bill Ritter.

PA 10: Sherwood Be Nice

  Eve Fairbanks at The Plank wisecracks about incumbent GOP Rep. Don Sherwood's newest ad, in which the Congressman, who had earlier admitted to an adulterous affair, is "begging" for voters' forgiveness.  The ad is available here.

  Fairbanks says, "This ad actually makes me kind of sad.  The guy looks so ... morose and depressed.  And his mistress was so much older than a page!"

PA GOV: Trumpeting Swann

  GOP gubernatorial challenger Lynn Swann, he of NFL legendry, took on Dem incumbent Gov. Ed Rendell in their first debate, and per pennpatriot at Redstate, he acquitted himself marvelously.

  "If tonight's debate was an actual football game," pennpat writes, "Swann would have been named the player of the game.  The fact is Swann had a very surprising Superbowl like debate performance against a very tough, seasoned political veteran."

  He continues:

Not only did Swann demonstrate a command of the issues, he even seemed more comfortable debating them than our three year, incumbent Governor.  During the debate Swann even caught Rendell using his own tax cut numbers to criticize Swann's plan to cut business taxes. ... For being a political newcomer Swann was unusually calm and poised during the debate.  He was confident.  And in my opinion, I think Swann actually may have benefited from debating Rendell on his home field of Pittsburgh.  Swann had his game face on and Rendell looked like he was washed up.

  It appears folks in the Keystone State agree, as a KDKA website poll quoted by pennpatriot indicated that "71% of viewers think Lynn Swann won the debate."
[Mike Sheehan]

Posted by Conn Carroll at October 5, 2006 05:23 PM