November 2, 2010

Make a prediction: What will be the biggest upset?

You can get a good snapshot of what all the polls are saying here. Here's the closeup on the Senate.

174 comments:

John said...

My prediction, ODonnell over Coons. The last poll had the lead down to 10 points. Coons changed his position on extending the Bush tax cuts the day after his debate with her. If his lead was so big, why did he feel the need to do this? You know it had to hurt for the bearded Marxist to say he supported tax cuts. I think he did it because the internals tell him that he is not up by that much. I bet she is within five of him. And today, any Republican within five points, probably wins

Hoosier Daddy said...

I didn't think Senator Babs was ever in danger yet her seat is a toss up?

Rialby said...

Fiorina over Boxer.

garage mahal said...

Feingold over Plastic Man.

Scott M said...

Boxer needs to loose. Don't know if she will, but she needs to. The one I'm really watching closely is Belait/Fudd in MA.

Scott M said...

I have a better question for Althouse and everyone else.

Is anyone going to get anything productive done today? It seems ripe for simply blogging, bitching, predicting, and snacking.

ricpic said...

I second John. If Delawareans can get past the witch hunters and actually listen to O'Donnell they'll hear a thoughtful candidate.

Scott M said...

D'oh

loose = lose

kent said...

Exeunt Alan Grayson.

ricpic said...

Too excited to be productive today...at least that's my excuse

Original Mike said...

"Senate Control Could Be In Question For Weeks."

Oh, goodie.

Hoosier Daddy said...

Is anyone going to get anything productive done today?

I'm going to get my mage to level 80 on World of Warcraft so yes.

kent said...

Is anyone going to get anything productive done today?

All over the country, baby. ;)

Mark said...

Fwank gets the opportunity to become a full-time Bordello operator.

TWM said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
TWM said...

"I'm going to get my mage to level 80 on World of Warcraft so yes."

Just in time for the new expansion I see.

Level 80 Rogue and Druid

MadisonMan said...

Battle for the Senate

When bloggers frame things like that, is it any wonder that people can slip into framing the opponents as enemies?

TMink said...

I just got my fury to 60 in Everquest II. I could not sleep last night, not excitement, just a cruddy cold. Trey

Scott M said...

I'm going to get my mage to level 80 on World of Warcraft so yes

I just resubbed for Eve Online to mess around with the incredibly complicated (in a good way...the way Falcon 4.0 was) planetary interaction addition and ahead of an upcoming major expansion in December.

Original Mike said...

Christine O'Donnell will turn Coons into a newt.

traditionalguy said...

Definitely O'Donnell who has to beat the Northeastern liberal Dem bias, and beat Coons the serious man, and beat Karl Rove's intrigues for a trifecta win, and all on the last turn of the card. But yesterday's expert panels admitted that the Dems holding the Senate will become a great campaign aid to the GOP's 2012 Presidential candidate since she can still target the Dems for blocking our financial recovery. Therefore Rove's RINOs lose to Palin again even if O'Donnell loses.

Anonymous said...

Judging by the numbers, Paladino (NY) would be the biggest upset.

But for pure joy, watching Reid go down in Nevada.

And, is Sarah listed as a write-in? Well, no matter, because it's wall-to-wall Palin. All. Day. Long!

test said...

#1: Manchin loses (latest poll = M+4).

#2: Rossi loses (latest poll = R+2).

Anonymous said...

Jerry Brown must go down....

TWM said...

"I just got my fury to 60 in Everquest II. I could not sleep last night, not excitement, just a cruddy cold. Trey"

I never tried Everquest. And I'm pretty much done with WoW. They ruined the game in so many ways. Playing Aion now.

MadisonMan said...

Christine O'Donnell will turn Coons into a newt.

(laugh) I would love to that as a headline tomorrow morning!

Anonymous said...

Would like to see Paladino win in NY, but he committed suicide by refusing to shut his mouth.

God knows we don't need Andrew Cuomo, another horrible tax and spend welfare Democrat.

But, it looks like that's what we're gonna get.

It will take total bankruptcy for New York to give up on the welfare state.

Wannie said...

Kucinich falls (but unhurt, because he doesn't have far to go).

Scott M said...

Playing Aion now

Ugh...great idea suffering under the burden of a great (meaning large, not good) grind. Repetition ad naseum with little payoff. It's pretty though.

TWM said...

"Ugh...great idea suffering under the burden of a great (meaning large, not good) grind. Repetition ad naseum with little payoff. It's pretty though."

Yeah, I noticed that, and I do fondly remember the quick leveling of WoW, but the game has been ruined in so many other ways for me I just don't enjoy it any longer. The best time (for me anyway as a Rogue) was the quest for 60 and the rampant ganking out in the real world (of Warcraft), instead of the sometimes enjoyable battlegrounds and the horrible arenas. I also enjoyed the 40 man raids that were a pain to get together but a blast to carry-out.

Plus, cross-server PvP ruined the community in my opinion. You used to know who you were fighting and fought them often. Now it's just boring.

Oops, sorry, forgot this wasn't a gaming thread. Back to your regularly scheduled political battles.

Kev said...

(the other kev)

I think Oberstar could be this year's Rostenkowski.

Scott M said...

Try Eve Online. One server. No shards. 40k online at the same time avg. Truly global.

Fred4Pres said...

I do not see too many "upsets" happening (such as O'Donnell winning against Coons would be an upset). The races that are close have been close for a while, so if Rossi beats Murray is that really an upset? I doubt Boxer is going to lose in California. Feingold will likely lose in Wisconsin. Toomy will likely win in Pennsylvania, etc., etc.


Composition of U.S. Senate R vs. D? (counting Sanders and Lieberman as Democrats) 49 R and 51 D

Composition of U.S. House R vs. D? 246 R and 188 D.

kent said...

What will be the biggest upset?

America's Politico's tummy, late this evening.

Anonymous said...

File under the title: "They Never Stop Trying to Scare Us!" This article from AP, currently on Yahoo:

Likely gridlock in Congress could threaten economy

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Likely-gridlock-in-Congress-apf-3958821672.html?x=0

MadisonMan said...

Tammy!

Ann Althouse said...

@Scott M: You ask a lot of questions for a guy with a disabled profile. You ask a lot of questions for a guy who's bitching about other people being less that fully productive.

By the way, how productive, really, are people who are 100% nose-to-the-grindstone? And if they are productive, at jobs that require any creativity, do you trust their output?

Fred4Pres said...

Your job:

1) cancel out their votes with your own
2) leave small shiny objects outside in the street to distract them should they manage to find their way to a polling place tomorrow
3) stop them outside the voting booth, tell them you just voted for Obama, then demand they give you $50 — $45 for “social justice” and $5 for a Wendy’s double with cheese, fries, and a medium Frosty, which is your birthright
4) pray that once this election is over, they become so discouraged with politics that they go back to things they are more suited for — like Oprah book clubs, or beer pong.

(thanks to Pablo)

Big Mike said...

John's sort of right in his comment at the top of the thread: if O'Donnell wins that would be the biggest upset of the night, no matter what happens in any other race anywhere.

But I'm inclined to go with McMahon over Blumenthal as the biggest upset.

@kent, ROFLMAO

Fen said...

I'm going to get my mage to level 80 on World of Warcraft so yes.

Heh. I'll be farming Bloodstones out in the Sands of Menechtarun.

DDO > WOW ;)

Seriously, I predict a long night. I was going to wait till tomorrow to get the scoop, but Freeman convinced me otherwise.

Today is the first time I tune into CNN after 6 years. And only to see their heads explode.

We need a drinking game.

Scott M said...

Holy shit, Althouse. Who's bitching? I meant it in all humor because I'm sure as hell not going to get much done today, slightly giddy with excitement and, yes, a slight case of optimism.

Respectfully, untwist. I think you misunderstood my point.

PS - what difference does it make that my profile is disabled? What's the benefit of enabling it? What's the capital of Montana?

Randy said...

#1 Duke Aiona elected governor of Hawaii

#2 Van Tran elected in CA 47

#3 Joseph Cao re-elected in LA-2

#4 John Stephen elected governor of New Hampshire

#5 Linda McMahon elected senator from Connecticut

#6 Mike Berryhill elected in CA-18

#7 Ed Martin elected in MO-3

#8 Earl Pomeroy re-elected in ND

#9 Joe Garcia elected in FL-25

#10 John Hulbard elected in AZ-3

Pick one. Or more. As almost all of them are unlikely to happen, it follows that not all of them will happen.

The Dude said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
MaggotAtBroad&Wall said...

Dewey Defeats Truman

Patrick said...

Kev is correct. Cravaack will defeat Oberstar. Two sources of info on this: This is the first time is 10 elections that I have seen Oberstar advertise in the Twin cities, nearly allo of which is outside of the district. Next, I have seen two Priuses with Cravaack bumper stickers. If the dems have lost prius owners, it's all over.

Scott M said...

And if they are productive, at jobs that require any creativity, do you trust their output?

When I was doing a "shock jock" type radio show, I was having a lot of trouble getting enough sleep. My doc suggested Paxel (also anti-depressant and for ADD) which I took for about a month. Apparently, there should also be a warning on those drugs stating that they prohibit going off on tangents...which were a huge part of the show and had zero to do with hard work. I got off of Paxel the day a listener pointed out that my show was getting boring.

Fen said...

just resubbed for Eve Online to mess around with the incredibly complicated (in a good way...the way Falcon 4.0 was) planetary interaction addition and ahead of an upcoming major expansion in December.

BTW, has anyone found anything on par with Master of Orion 2? I love MOO2 but its so old now that I cant get it to run on Vista.

Scott M said...

MOO3 was gawd-awful, so MOO2 is still the standard as far as space-based 4X games go. Civ 5 just came out if you want to try that. If you're married to the space genre, try GalCiv II.

Hoosier Daddy said...

@Scott M: You ask a lot of questions for a guy with a disabled profile. You ask a lot of questions for a guy who's bitching about other people being less that fully productive.

Wow....

Scott M said...

Wow....

Quite.

Anonymous said...

I live in Seattle, and it's still very surprising to me that the Murray/Rossi race is so close. The national mood must be really sour. Rossi (not so impressive to many voters I know) ran for governor 2 years ago and lost the the Democratic incumbent Gregoire (former gov Gary Locke, King County exec Ron Sims are picks for Dem cabinet jobs).

As usual, all that idealism (diversity the highest thing around, social justice, save the environment, tent city madness) often translates into huge public/private sector unions.

Non-profits are clustered to the hills like barnacles, and there's a treadmill of Obama's mama types coming out here to anthropologize, commune with nature, and eat vegan. You can't do anything without hearing the word 'community'

Yet the race is this close for State Senate...Rossi must be pulling some Seattle voters too, not just Eastern Wa.

Fen said...

Hey now, at least she didn't insult you and then delete your defense.

Randy said...

Hey now, at least she didn't insult you and then delete your defense.

When did that happen? Or should I ask?

Fen said...

...back when she went dark over evidence that DOJ was refusing to prosecute civil rights violations if the perps were black (black panthers with clubs at polling entrance)

All of a sudden, off-topic chatter became a banning offense.

The Commercial Traveller said...

Sheila Jackson Lee going down would be a big upset for those of us unfortunate enough to live in her district.

Big Mike said...

@Randy, your #3 would be a stunner, but I don't see how it could possibly happen.

What do you think about

#11 Chafee and Tancredo win their respective governorships

???

Randy said...

All of a sudden, off-topic chatter became a banning offense.

OIC. Thought maybe it dated from the time when holding up the private lives of children of commenters for public ridicule was ruled fair comment despite the well-established prohibition WRT similar comments about proprietor's own children.

Randy said...

Big Mike: I tried to pick unlikely outcomes of races that still ranked as leaning the other way as of today. Tancredo closed well enough in the last week that Colorado governorship is rated a toss-up by many. Same is true for Rhode Island, as the Democrat's fortunes began declining dramatically after Obama visited and declined to endorse. Looks like Chafee's to lose to me. IMO, what would really be an upset there is if enough Dems. return to fold to reduce Chafee's numbers and the GOP candidate squeaks through. Now THAT would be a stunner! (I think, BWDIK? I'm a few thousand miles away ;-)

Unknown said...

Upsets in the Senate:

O'Donnell
Rossi (taking into account vote fraud)
Fiorina

I'd like one (especially O'D), love two (Rossi deserves it), but three would be grand.

In the House:

Fwank
Kucinich
McClung

Especially the Marine and the rocket scientist.

Pastafarian said...

6 months ago, we all would have considered Angle over Reid to be a big upset.

So I'll go with that one. I think that's the biggest "upset" we'll have.

I'm not that optimistic for the Rs, to be honest: Polls are one thing, elections another. Democrats rig opinion polls, to be sure, by polling more Democrats than there are in the population as a whole; but remember, they only do this to make their cheating in the real election less obvious.

If a Republican leads his opponent by 4%, then it's a toss-up, because the "margin of cheat" is about 4% in the Democrats' favor.

I just voted, by the way, canceling out one of 97 votes for a straight party-line D ticket cast by one "Mickey D. Mouse" in Cleveland.

Yay, me. Yay, democracy.

Fprawl said...

Not sure about Rand Paul ahead 11.
Louisville is a big place, where his votes are. Plus the fact that in the last 15 years, I have never seen so much polling on what we would call a 'Local' race. It's a wonderment to watch.
One thing for sure, Conway is dialing back,running an Ad touting his AG creds and saying Rand is wrong, but he may just believe it, so don't think bad about him.
I think Conway is running for Attorney General now, and hopes that the Drug Deal about his brother just blows over and he gets to keep his Day job.

Chennaul said...

You ask a lot of questions for a guy with a disabled profile. You ask a lot of questions ...

Dude just how many questions did you ask?

Althouse turned into a fembot.

Chennaul said...

Oh ya....

I actually went to count 'em.

One.

That was productive.

Scott M said...

I thought putting "snacking" at the end of that sentence about today was the dead giveaway that the whole thing was meant to be taken humorous.

Lincolntf said...

An upset I'd love to see is Bielat over Frank, so I'll call that one.

My (very optimistic) overall prediction is 59 House seats and 9 Senate seats. If that happens, I will consider the day wildly successful.
The most important thing, of course, is that we get 39 seats in the House. Once that is assured, all the rest is gravy. Delicious gravy.

Titus said...

My prediction is that I am going to pinch 5 solid loafs today, with perhaps 1 runny loaf.

Chennaul said...

No! Damn it no!

Now quick since I'm running flak-someone get a picture of a slightly curvy female-preferably curvy, liberal and posing in the fifth position.

Chennaul said...

oops!

Curvy-but I repeat myself...

Ya! Titus is here-that should peel her off your six.

Sprezzatura said...

I predict that this will win the most adorable photo contest.

MadisonMan said...

Can I just say that the running tally of friends who have voted on facebook is a little skeevy?

I voted, but didn't click the facebook I Voted icon. Why should they care?

Anonymous said...

MadMan, what gets me is people who are constantly updating their status to say "VOTE". Do we really want votes from people who only did it because their facebook friends told them to?

test said...

"The most important thing, of course, is that we get 39 seats in the House. Once that is assured, all the rest is gravy. Delicious gravy."

39 isn't enough. It's too easy to buy off a few congressmen with introduction to donors, ambassadorships, or special interest legislative quid pro quos.

Reps need 50.

Peter Hoh said...

It depends on what you mean by upset.

Reid and Feingold are both likely to lose. Looking at that outcome from a year ago, these count as upsets. However, it's been clear that their campaigns were in trouble for months, so I don't know if these count as upsets in the sense that the results upset the predictions.

Senate races in IL and WV can't count as upsets, as these open seats that have been closely contested.


What would shock me? If the GOP doesn't take the House. If any of the incumbent Representatives lose in Minnesota. If Boxer and Murray lose.

I'm Full of Soup said...

I think Fwannie & Fweddie fiasco may sink Barney Fwank.

MadisonMan said...

Do we really want votes from people who only did it because their facebook friends told them to?

And I just got another email from Dean of Students Lori Berquam telling me to vote (eyeroll). Doesn't she have better things to do with her time?

Meade said...

"Feingold over Plastic Man."

Well ya better start swimmin'...

jungatheart said...

Original Mike:
"Christine O'Donnell will turn Coons into a newt."

Hee hee.


Althouse, please consider making a poll of who we'd most like to see go down. Me: Boxer.

Scott M said...

If the GOP doesn't take the House. If any of the incumbent Representatives lose in Minnesota. If Boxer and Murray lose.

If the GOP doesn't take the house, definitely a shocker. Again, back to your point, it depends on what one considers an upset. Go back far enough and a great deal of these Democrat incumbents were considered "safe". Who would have though two years ago that there is a very (or vewy, depending) real possibility that MA will have two GOP senators?

Original Mike said...

39 isn't enough. It's too easy to buy off a few congressmen with introduction to donors, ambassadorships, or special interest legislative quid pro quos.

Reps need 50.


A measly 50?!?!?! We need to crush our enemies, see them driven before us, and hear the lamentation of their women.

Scott M said...

A measly 50?!?!?! We need to crush our enemies, see them driven before us, and hear the lamentation of their women.

WOOT. Then sit laughing on our mountain as the Dems ponder this on the Tree Of Woe.

Quaestor said...

Peasant: So if Christine O'Donnell weighs the same as a duck, she's made of wood...

Sir Bedevere: And therefore...?

Peasants: A senator!

LarryK said...

Facing long odds, Alvin Greene campaigns furiously to become the next Senator from South Carolina, but still falls 34% short of a majority.
However, he beats the porn rap (no pun intended), then becomes an internet sensation by releasing a series of policy statements on Youtube.
This leads to an offer to host a prime time CNN show, which he accepts. He quickly bests Olbermein in the ratings, sending Keith into an apoplectic fit that leads to cardiac arrest on the air. Olbermein survives, but Greene is now an A-list celebrity.
He then announces plans to challenge Obama for the Presidential nomination in 2012.
You heard it here first....

Mr. D said...

Kapanke over Kind in WI-3. Just a hunch.

Lincolntf said...

39 is when I can officially start celebrating.
How many seats we accumulate after that will pretty much determine how many drinks/cigars I consume throughout the evening. I'm hoping for a long, late night.

garage mahal said...

Well ya better start swimmin'...

Already voted. No swimming involved. Your senses came back to reality, and you voted for possibly the only uncourruptable senator in the Senate, right? I know you're new to Wisconsin and all, but you couldn't possibly vote for the dimwit from Oshkosh?

Anonymous said...

deborah: Althouse, please consider making a poll of who we'd most like to see go down. Me: Boxer.

I'd most like to see Coons go down, but that's almost entirely because I'd like to stick it to the misogynists and crazies that have dominated O'D's opposition (and not necessarily because I have much great love for O'D).

I'd next like to see Brown go down, because I'd like to see CA scrape itself out of it's hellhole, and Whitman strikes me as great governor material.

Neither of those will happen.

My third choice is gleefully likely- to see Reid go down. Huge symbolic victory there, if nothing else.

Boxer would probably be fourth, with Frank a close fifth.

- Lyssa

Scott M said...

but you couldn't possibly vote for the dimwit from Oshkosh?

That's fairly uninspired snark from you, Garage. I know you're capable of better. Something on your mind today, perchance?

Sloanasaurus said...

What will they call this election.

1994 was the republican revolution.

If today is big for republicans, they should call it "The Great Repudiation."

garage mahal said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
garage mahal said...

ScottM
Ron Johnson is honestly, and truly dumb. Capital D dumb. Dumb Dumb Dumb. Even conservative papers are endorsing Feingold after his deer in the headlights interview he gave when he couldn't name one thing he could offer the middle class voters in this state. He has no clue. About anything. I will support Scott Walker as Gov. This dolt, sorry, I will pretend for 6 yrs it just didn't happen.

hombre said...

The biggest upset will be any Repub in a close race who is able to overcome voter fraud.

The one I would most like to see is McClung over Grijalva in Arizona.

Scott M said...

Ron Johnson is honestly, and truly dumb. Capital D dumb. Dumb SDumb Dumb

Yeah, but is he Alvin Green dumb?

ken in tx said...

Titus, I take two daily doses of metamucil as a fiber supplement, and I don't go to the john that much. Oh wait, I don't want to know why you go six times a day.

Michael Haz said...

Biggest upset of the election?

That'll be garagemahal realizing that he has to pull on his speedo and swim a few laps in the legendary river of piss.

Helpful guy that I am, I just emailed Russ Feingold a link to Monster dot com so he can find some productive work in the private sector.

garage mahal said...

That'll be garagemahal realizing that he has to pull on his speedo and swim a few laps in the legendary river of piss.

Dude, I already voted.

And I managed to make it past all the Black Panthers. Whew!

tim maguire said...

I doubt there will be any big upsets (nobody in a remotely safe position will lose). But if there is one, IMO the most likely is Murkowski splitting the conservative vote in Alaska, giving the win to McAdams.

X said...

the only uncourruptable senator in the Senate

the guy who sponsored an incumbent protection law abridging the freedom of speech that got smacked down by SCOTUS? It would be sweet to see him go. I wouldn't mind seeing his co-sponsor from Arizona kicked out too.

hombre said...

Garage: Ron Johnson is honestly, and truly dumb. Capital D dumb. Dumb Dumb Dumb.

Garage clarified: All who are not liberal are "Dumb."

All who are moderate are "Dumb Dumb."

All who are to the right of center are "Dumb Dumb Dumb."

Etc.

WV "ebula": A childhood disease afflicting Kenyan newborns, the symptoms of which are .... Oh, never mind.

David said...

Republicans won't take a majority in either the House or Senate.

Meade said...

Good one, Sloans, but shouldn't it be The Great Refudiation?

I know you're new to Wisconsin and all, but you couldn't possibly vote for the dimwit from Oshkosh?

A small town Hoosier entrepreneur, living in southern Ohio, for love and marriage, moves 500 miles to the great state of Wisconsin.

Soon, UW becomes a national football powerhouse.
The Green Bay Packers begin to track inexorably toward the Super Bowl.
The brewing of beer steadily improves.
Wisconsin farmers harvest bumper corn crops. Trees grow.
Fish jump.
Wisconsinites vote for hope and change by retiring a tired 18 year senator.

Coincidence?

I think not, my friend.

David said...

O'Donnell over Coons?

No way.

David said...

By the way, according to Indian press accounts (via Drudge), the cost of Obama's trip to India is estimated to be $200,000,000 a day.

Out-of-control.

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)

Ron Johnson is honestly, and truly dumb. Capital D dumb. Dumb Dumb Dumb.

How does it feel to lose someone so dumb, Garage? Did you learn nothing from 2000-2008? Booooosh is a moron…and yet you lost to him consistently, meaning you couldn’t even beat a moron. Are you sure this is the approach you want to take? Watch Lou Holtz, every team he played was capable of beating him even winning the National Championship; he NEVER played an easy opponent, even when he was playing the Junior High Blind Paraplegic Powder Puff Club. You might want to investigate that approach as compared to the “Bush/Johnson dumb. We smart. Why we lose to Dum-Dum?”

Patrick Korten said...

Carly wins in CA; Barney Frank goes down in MA; Dennis Kucinich loses in OH.

traditionalguy said...

Meade...LOL, but how are the local Hockey teams doing? You are no Hockey Mom. The trees growing and the improvements in beer brewing are definitely you.

chickelit said...

Coincidence?

I think not, my friend.


It's called meadiation.

victoria said...

My question is, even if the repubs win over the house, will anything change? Will these "outsiders" make things better for all of us, the answer is NO.

I am a dyed in the wool democrat and I will be voting for Meg Whitman. But nothing, nothing will get me to vote for Fiorina. Can't do it, won't do it.

The biggest upset? This is a hope. That Joe Miller bites the dust and that Lisa Murkowsky spits in the face of the Tea Party and wins.


Other than that, there is no way O'Donnell will win and, if there is a god, no way that Sharon Angle will win. I don't like Harry REid but the thought of that lose cannon in Washington DC is about as scary as Mitt Romney being elected President.

Vicki from Pasadena

chickelit said...

garage wrote: And I managed to make it past all the Black Panthers. Whew!

That's garage's code way of saying, come on in-the piss is fein!

chickelit said...

I am a dyed in the wool democrat and I will be voting for Meg Whitman. But nothing, nothing will get me to vote for Fiorina. Can't do it, won't do it.

My vote for Carly negated your Boxer vote. And that makes two votes for Meg.

victoria said...

OMG, you repubs are already starting to talk about voter fraud. Way to lose, people. Man up as Sarah Palin likes to say and take it like a grown up.

Vicki

garage mahal said...

Wisconsinites vote for hope and change by retiring a tired 18 year senator.


You know anything about the dairy industry in this state? Here is Ron Johnson, at the World Dairy Expo, of all places, here in Madison:

“Asked about the Milk Income Loss Contract program, Johnson said he is in favor of a new ag bill, but said he doesn’t know a lot of the specifics...” – Wispolitics, 10/1/10

See also:
During a visit to the Ozaukee County Dairy Breakfast, Ron Johnson’s lack of knowledge of farming issues gave farmers from America’s Dairyland plenty to be concerned about:

“I can’t really talk to the specifics right now,” Johnson stated. Johnson has also admitted that he is “trying to learn farm issues.”

Ron Johnson: Again, I grew up around farm stuff, but I am trying to learn farm issues...

Farmer: What…what do you?

Ron Johnson: So what are the solutions?

Farmer: That’s your job.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Feingold is scary brilliant. His most brilliant campaign ad was where he used paper mill workers that were laid off under his watch to make the case that a vote for Johnson would result in lost jobs. If you can sell that as a coherent reelection message, you really are brilliant.

chickelit said...

One word for you garage, just one word:

Plastics

Did you even know that it's possible to make plastics from ag products?

Why don't you go lobby to make margarine illegal or something.

Michael said...

Victoria wrote: "OMG, you repubs are already starting to talk about voter fraud. Way to lose, people. Man up as Sarah Palin likes to say and take it like a grown up."

So you think that voter fraud would only be by Democrats?

Anonymous said...

OMG, you repubs are already starting to talk about voter fraud. Way to lose, people. Man up as Sarah Palin likes to say and take it like a grown up.

So, your suggested response to voter fraud is to "man up?" Or, are you trying to argue that there is no voter fraud, without actually involving anything such as facts, evidence, or evaluations of arguments?

Quaestor said...

Michael Haz wrote: That'll be garagemahal realizing that he has to pull on his...

While you wrote that sentence did you visualize it as well? And if so please explain how you psyche has fared since.

wv: restrove - comfort facility for Republican pundits

Clyde said...

Vicki, I think I know where you stand on Prop 19! Dude!

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

My question is, even if the repubs win over the house, will anything change? Will these "outsiders" make things better for all of us, the answer is NO.

Vicky, chill out and woman up. We're gonna get through this. The first step is to quit making things worse. Remember, "the longest journey starts with a single step."

Nora said...

Garage, by your logic all the senator swho voted for Obamacare are "dumb, dumb, dumb"

Hoosier Daddy said...

Feingold is scary brilliant. His most brilliant campaign ad was where he used paper mill workers that were laid off under his watch to make the case that a vote for Johnson would result in lost jobs.

That reminds me of when Obama was campaigning in Elkhart, IN where recreational vehicle workers were decimated by unemployment when gas was $4 a gallon and he was 'feeling thier pain' yet he publically states that he didn't mind gas prices going up so high, just not so fast. Also big on cap and trade and telling everyone we can't drive our SUVs.

Strange words from someone hoping for votes from those in RV mfg.

Anonymous said...

I voted for Whitman and Fiorina. Fiorina seems more likely to win. She ran a smart campaign and Whitman didn't.

I'm pulling for Star Parker over the corrupt Laura Richardson and Van Tran over fake Blue Dog Loretta Sanchez.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

Hoosier Daddy,

Your comment reminded me of this Obama gem:

"under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket…even regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad, because I’m capping greenhouse gasses, coal power plants, natural gas…you name it…whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, they would have to retro-fit their operations.

That will cost money…they will pass that money on to the consumers."


More brilliance our current Democrat leader. I wonder what effect this would have on our economy if he could actually get it passed.

Scott M said...

I wonder what effect this would have on our economy if he could actually get it passed.

It would get renamed the Carrington-Obama Effect. See 19th Century.

lol

Original Mike said...

"That will cost money…they will pass that money on to the consumers."

WTF? Did he misspeak?

victoria said...

Michael, to hear the people on FIX news, the only voter fraud that is being perpetrated is by the Democrats. The repubs and Tea Partiers are too "pure" and their motives too good to do anything so dastardly.

Vicki

chickelit said...

Let's make a prediction about who will be the most upset Althouse commenter.

My money is on America's Politico.

victoria said...

Oh, no on 19 for me.

Vicki

Trooper York said...

Bristol Palin will win Dancing with the Stars.

garage mahal said...

Feingold is scary brilliant. His most brilliant campaign ad was where he used paper mill workers that were laid off under his watch to make the case that a vote for Johnson would result in lost jobs.


He was making the case that trade deals, like the Trans-Pacific Partnership with New Zealand, which Johnson and Obama support, and Feingold does not, puts Wisconsin farmers unfairly at a disadvantage. Agree or disagree with the trade deal, Feingold put Wisconsin first. Johnson would never take a stand like that. I know this is really boring stuff when should all be talking about SS ponzi schemes.

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)

know this is really boring stuff when should all be talking about SS ponzi schemes.

So Soash-Security ISN’T an inter-generational, cross-racial Ponzi scheme, taking money from young workers and black men for the benefit of Old White Womyn? It’s not going bankrupt and it’s not facing massive unfunded liabilities?

Original Mike said...

The repubs and Tea Partiers are too "pure" and their motives too good to do anything so dastardly.

Well, they do pick up after themselves.

Meade said...

chickelit said...
It's called meadiation.

I am the one I've been waiting for.

damikesc said...

McMahon over Blumenthal is my upset pick. O'Donnell seems DOA.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Is anyone going to get anything productive done today?

"I'm going to get my mage to level 80 on World of Warcraft so yes."

HA. I'm working on the elemental achievements in the rift openings. Also getting the elite raptor mount on my characters before the destruction of Azeroth. Only 4 more days left on that one.

I'm hoping for Meg over Moonbeam Brown.

Scott M said...

Come on, DBQ. Woman-up and play an MMO with no gear respawn.

ndspinelli said...

The Mayor of Munchkin Land..Boxer, get's ko'd by the Dago. Dago's always beat Jews[except for Meyer Lansky].

Michael said...

Victoria: But other than the fact that you heard this on "Fix" news you have no opinion on voter fraud?

Rich B said...

I predict the upset of a bottle of Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout while I watch Fox tonight, followed by some Ayinger's Bock Beer and then followed by some scotch.

Big Mike said...

@Trooper, if that happens then this really will be a wave election for the ages, almost as good as the mid-term election of 1894.*

Go Bristol!!!
____________________

*Yes, 1894. In 1994 the Republicans only picked up 54 seats. A century earlier, in response to economic hard times (sound familiar?), the Republican Party picked up 130 seats.

Anonymous said...

Michael said: Victoria: But other than the fact that you heard this on "Fix" news you have no opinion on voter fraud?

Don't you know that a bad pun proves everything that Vickie ever needs to know?

Fprawl said...

After today, Kentucky slides back into obscurity, lolling about with West Virginia and Mississippi at the bottom of the deck.
Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.

“When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Kentucky, because everything there happens 20 years after it happens anywhere else.” – Mark Twain

chickelit said...

Titus wrote: My prediction is that I am going to pinch 5 solid loafs today, with perhaps 1 runny loaf.

Quintuplets? Two identical, three fraternal??

Hoosier Daddy said...

He was making the case that trade deals, like the Trans-Pacific Partnership with New Zealand, which Johnson and Obama support, and Feingold does not, puts Wisconsin farmers unfairly at a disadvantage.

This is intolerable! I had no idea this kind of injustice was being wrought on Wisconsin. Has to be the work of some secret fascist Kiwi PAC that is funneling billions into campaign ads against Feingold.

We should be turning Wellington into rubble.

We're all Wisconsins now.

Eric said...

Senate Control Could Be In Question For Weeks.

That would mean the Republicans didn't manage to get outside the Margin of Fraud and the Dems maintain control.

BJM said...

@Hoosier Daddy

That's because the CA media has been so in the tank for Boxer that they haven't reported her negatives.

Today Fiorina is within margin of error with 46%, Boxer 49% and 3% undecided.

Fiorina, Beilat and O'Donnell may be the night's big surprises.

BJM said...

@Sloanasaurus

Shouldn't that be "The Great Refudiation."?

Dust Bunny Queen said...

Come on, DBQ. Woman-up and play an MMO with no gear respawn.

LOL. Name me some.

I used to play Ultima on Line. When you died people could loot all of your stuff before you could get back to your body and if you had a laggy connection you were doomed. I quit when it got too cutsey and had freaking houses all over the place.

Now that I'm semi retired. I can use another time sink.....like a hole in the head...but still.....

MadisonMan said...

Yes, 1894. In 1994 the Republicans only picked up 54 seats. A century earlier, in response to economic hard times (sound familiar?), the Republican Party picked up 130 seats.

I don't think many of those 1894 victories, however, were majorities, but "only" pluralities among 4 or more candidates.

Scott M said...

LOL. Name me some.

Eve Online. No XP, no grind unless you want one. No "levels", no classes. No personal gear. Your ship is equipped with a crapload of stuff, the better the more expensive, but if you 'splode, it's goneski. Most unforgiving game ever.

Big Mike said...

@MadMan, I think you're making it up. There were only three parties, and according to Wikipedia the Populists mostly fielded candidates in the South and Midwest.

Frankly, I think you're making up your 3:17 post.

chickelit said...

@Madman @BigMike:
If Russ is martyred today, perhaps Obama can give a "Cross of Feingold" speech in 2012.

Peter Hoh said...

Big Mike: *Yes, 1894. In 1994 the Republicans only picked up 54 seats. A century earlier, in response to economic hard times (sound familiar?), the Republican Party picked up 130 seats.

Yep, voters used to pick their representatives. Now the representatives pick their voters. Keeps the safe seats safe.

Look at the House map tonight. Those pockets of blue in red states would all be red except for the efforts of both parties to create safe seats.

Peter Hoh said...

Scott, you want game? Try chess.com.

No backstory. No weapons that only work if you've gone through the magic door on level 6 or any of that bullshit.

Just one mind against another.

And the clock.

Eric said...

Eve Online. No XP, no grind unless you want one.

Oh, there's a grind. The grind is for ISK (money). Otherwise you never win a battle.

I was addicted to that game for almost three years - never used real cash to buy in-game money, but a lot of people do.

Peter Hoh said...

The NYT Results pages look like a lot of fun.

Anthony said...

MadisonMan --

The Populists in 1894 threw things into an uproar, allowing the GOP to win seats in the South. Also, Catholics in the north, who were hit by the worst of the economic hard times, at least for that election voted GOP (though most went "back home" in 1896 and later). It anything, the history of American politics is the history of the Catholoic vote, whatever it is, drifting way from the Democrats to the Republicans until something happens to bring it back heavily to the Democrats.

Martin L. Shoemaker said...

My only question is... What will be America's Politico's line tonight?

Will he go Baghdad Bob, claiming there has been no Republican takeover in the house?

Or will he go 1984, claiming he always predicted the Republican victory, and the Republicans were brilliant for consulting him?

If he's any good at satire, he's crafting his big announcement at this moment.

Methadras said...

Rialby said...

Fiorina over Boxer.


And Reid goes down in flames. That would make my year.

Phil 314 said...

Murkowski in Alaska.

And I would be completely blown away if Tancreado won the Governership in CO. (I wouldn't like it but I would be blown away.)

garage mahal said...

I think A.P. said he wouldn't comment here again, per a bet with Peter? I just plan on drinking. But I'll be back.

Peter Hoh said...

Yes, Garage. I bet AP that the GOP would take the House. If I'm wrong, I'll leave. If AP's wrong, he sort of hinted that he would abide by those terms.

Phil 314 said...

The one I would most like to see is McClung over Grijalva in Arizona

Yes, as an Arizonan, that would be great!!

there should be consequences for calling for a boycott of your own state; particularly for a Rep. who represents a farming area. How many western AZ heads of lettuce we not purchased because of Raul's bonehead move.

Peter Hoh said...

Polls are closed in KY and IN. Results start coming in any moment now.

Martin L. Shoemaker said...

Oh, and win or lose, the Democrats' campaign against Christine O'Donnell has been a major tactical blunder on their part. They took an obscure Senate challenger and made her a national issue; and then they abused her and mocked her, riling up a lot of people to support her who otherwise would've never heard of her. People outside of Delaware. And though they can't vote against HER Democrat opponent, they CAN vote against the local Democrat.

They should've just ignored her, and then pretty much everyone else would've, too. Instead, they get to demonstrate a pyrrhic victory.

wv: slimater. They threw slimater, and it missed 'er and hit them.

garage mahal said...

Sort of curious what A.P.'s gig really is/was. I doubt he was an actual consultant, although I could be wrong. If he was, he may already be looking for a new line of work.

kent said...

On Drudge, right now:

EXIT POLLS:

Wisconsin: Johnson (R) defeats Feingold (D)

Heh.

Heh.

Martin L. Shoemaker said...

garage mahal,

If A.P. really is a political consultant, than he's an unemployed political consultant. He made too many grammatical and spelling mistakes for success in a field where written communication is a primary skill.

In some cases, he seemed like simply a liberal troll, trying to provoke conservative outrage with his smugly confident predictions.

But in other cases, he made statements so obviously out of touch with reality that no one could be expected to believe them. You can't provoke outrage when everyone's laughing at you.

I still like my Inverse Moby theory: he wanted to spread the "don't get cocky" message by getting in conservatives' faces and making them want to ensure that he was wrong.

But frankly, his schtick was too inconsistent for me to really figure out his angle.

garage mahal said...

Either way I don't think we'll be seeing too much of old A.P. anymore.

Big Mike said...

First results are in from Kentucky. Rand Paul has a 12% advantage over Conway, but as of right now less than 1% of precincts have reported. Red across the board for House of Representatives, except Chandler and Barr are neck and neck.

chickelit said...

They should've just ignored her, and then pretty much everyone else would've, too. Instead, they get to demonstrate a pyrrhic victory.

I agree with your analysis. The reason it happened may not be clear for some time though. And it's too easy to blame the Sullivanists who just wanted a palinesque figurine to loathe. I think there's something else afoot here.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

How annoying. Drudge says Boxer over Fiorina.

The polls haven't even closed yet and most of the outlying areas, rural, suburbs are very heavily Republican.

It is going to be a very close race, but it irks the Hell out of me when they call a race when people are STILL voting and the votes won't be in for hours after the polling places close.

Fen said...

Agreed. What Drudge does should be illegal. Let the polls close first.

And I'm not happy with FOX calling Kentucky with 1% in. I don't care if its a gimmee put.

Eric said...

Will he go Baghdad Bob, claiming there has been no Republican takeover in the house?

A certain amount of unfounded optimism is expected from the losing party, but she's pretty much crossed over into Baghdad Bob territory, telling reporters earlier today she was on track to keep her gavel.

Or maybe not. When you get deposed as Speaker do you get to keep the gavel?

Chennaul said...

Ya what the hell-

Polls don't close in Cali till 8:00 pm PT, and supposedly a record number of Californians voted by mail.

How do you "exit poll" a mail-in ballot?

Love how he got that published in time to suppress the on the way home from work vote.