In an email going out to supporters early Friday morning, Feingold called it a difficult decision but said he wanted to devote his time to teaching full time at Marquette Law School, finishing the book he is writing on the U.S. response to the Sept. 11 attacks and leading the political committee he founded, Progressives United.I take that to mean that he doesn't think he'd be able to win. I mean really, a book on the U.S. response to the Sept. 11 attacks? Shouldn't that have been done and ready to go on the 10th anniversary of the attacks? Or is it possible that Russ Feingold is a serious law professor writing a scholarly book of real depth?
I assume he'd rather be Governor now than Senator again, and I think it's sound judgment to stay away from the recall context. Wait for the next regular elections. Recalls have a nasty edge to them, and Feingold needs to reclaim the middle ground politically to win a state-wide majority. Being the hero of the protesters won't get him anywhere near far enough. Remember this Russ Feingold?
"This game is not over until we win" is not — ironically — what will win the governorship in Wisconsin. Better to be a law professor for a while, publish a serious book on national government, and be reborn as the wise moderate. Take the governorship and, with all that moderation and executive experience, there's still time to run for President. Even in 2016!
I'm creating my "2016 campaign" tag right now, in honor of (that insight about) Russ.
And by the way:
His decision leaves the Democratic Senate field wide open, though many Wisconsin Democrats will now regard U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin, with her political base in vote-rich Dane County, as the early favorite for the party nomination.Dane County — basically, Madison — may be "vote-rich," but having the Madison brand on you — and Baldwin, of course, deserves it — is going to hurt you elsewhere in the state. But, go ahead Tammy, run.
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72 comments:
are you joking about middle ground?
Feingold had no chance...he already realizes that Obama doesn't have the coat tails to help down ballot candidates.
I think it's sound judgment to stay away from the recall context.
I agree. While in Marathon County this week, I asked a several people about the low turnout for the recall elections (ca. 1,000 voters?!?) and everyone I spoke to called them a terrible waste of money and effort and scorned the Madison political mentality. PPP polls now have the table tilted to a majority in the state OPPOSING a governor's recall from the get-go. Months of attack ads wouldn't help that, nor the candidate at the forefront of a recall effort.
"and be reborn and the wise moderate"
Setting aside the typo, what does that mean? Is wise moderate somehow different than profoundly stupid comsymp progressive? Probably not, in Feingold's case.
I think Fedka's right. A lot of Demos are expecting a huge bloodbath (and, yes, I'm thinking Herbert Hoover) which is what Kerosene Maxine was saying yesterday, so Feingold is going to sit it out.
Feingold had no chance..
PPP polled heavily in Wisc, it showed him crushing Walker and leading in a Senate race against Thompson or Neumann.
Not surprised he didn't run, and not surprised Althouse getting it completely wrong, again.
Tammy Baldwin for Senate? Mmmmm. Me like tasty liberal Madison democrat for breakfast!
As Howie Carr would say, Feingold is stepping aside due to health reasons, the voters got sick of him.
I agree that Baldwin has a huge uphill slog if she runs for Senate. However, she has been underestimated before. Additionally, don't rule out the possibility of some Republican wacko -- the yin to Baldwin's yang, if you will -- winning the nomination and making the race very interesting to watch.
>>PPP polled heavily in Wisc, it showed him crushing Walker and leading in a Senate race against Thompson or Neumann.
Not surprised he didn't run, and not surprised Althouse getting it completely wrong, again.<<
Don't make me laugh. If its such a cakewalk why didn't Feingold run?
When Tammy Baldwin is your leading candidate you know you have problems. The Republicans have Ted Kanavas, Tommy Thompson, heck even Paul Ryan if he wants it.
BTW, Kohl also knows he'd be beaten if he ran for re-election.
garage mahal said...
Feingold had no chance..
PPP polled heavily in Wisc, it showed him crushing Walker and leading in a Senate race against Thompson or Neumann.
Since PPP is the Official Pollster of the Kossacks, I wouldn't get my hopes up.
Ron Kind.
Since PPP is the Official Pollster of the Kossacks, I wouldn't get my hopes up.
They nailed every single recall race.
Please run, Tammy. Please.
"Don't make me laugh. If its such a cakewalk why didn't Feingold run?"
He wants to finish his book.
Baldwin is a MADISON liberal.
*wink wink wink wink*
Think if we pored over all the pics/vids of the Madison protests, we could find Ms. baldwin waving a swastika or screaming asinine threats? Make a nice campaign ad for the GOP.
wv: guatrate
An essential part of every coprophagous breakfast
There should be a soap Opera on TV simply called "Wisconsin" - with all the twist and turns that you would get with standard ones.
Obama is who he is. And, the real tensions, now, go to Merkel and Sarkozy, who are trying to get the German's to foot the bill.
REALITY: PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR
That's what's ahead. And, Europe goes first into waving goodbye to the EURO. Or Merkel waving goodbye to her fancy digs, as she gets tossed out of Parliament by her own side.
Margaret Thatcher went out that way, too. Her own conservatives shuffled her out the door. While the queen also hated her guts. The day Margaret Thatcher looks better than the queen, in hindsight, England may rise again, as a contendah.
But the issue remains the debt that's been absorbed by the PIIGS. Where Italy and Spain are shaking the most.
If debt doesn't get "restructured," which is the legal word for bankcrupcy court. Where the debtors only pay back pennies on the dollar ... Everything ahead stays unstable.
And, Obama's vacation is just to get away from the Europeans who want to keep passing the buck.
Where you'd look for changes is if you saw a challenger. Biden isn't one. And, Hillary's got her own baggage.
Nor do pundits or Internet sites actually wave out politicians. They seem to enter the stages of both parties because they know where the internal powers are.
That Karl Rove is one is probably a good joke played on Evangelical's mostly.
And, the repubilcans are still stuck. As unpopular as Obama gets in the polls ... Boehner in da' House polls less. Much lower. And, what's ahead in 2012 is still unknown.
But if the EURO is gone, and the European countries knock out Belgium. the old Borders go up. Coins of the realm go back to each country's money. Some bankers feel as fleeced at Lehman Brothers. And, that's a good outcome.
How come Perry and the Bush Family are having such a fight with each other? Is Dubya trying to pick Kay Bailey Hutchinson, again?
Tammy can run on her accomplishments during her 12 years in Congress.
Does that mean we won't have Russ Feingold to kick around anymore?
In any case, I'd think the possibility of "U.S. SENATOR Tammy Baldwin" would be a very powerful motivator for Republicans to field a strong candidate in this race.
In any case, I'd think the possibility of "U.S. SENATOR Tammy Baldwin" would be a very powerful motivator for Republicans to field a strong candidate in this race.
Tommy Thompson is running.
They nailed every single recall race.
No they didn't. In the first wave of recall elections, their polling closest to the elections favored Democrats by anywhere between 2% and 9% in EVERY SINGLE RACE.
That's impossible to get EVERY SINGLE RACE that wrong in the EXACT SAME DIRECTION without signficant "house bias" as Nate Silver would call it.
I know that your boy, Markos, CLAIMED that PPP "nailed" every single race, but he lied.
But your repetition of his talking point makes it clear where you're getting your information from.
Thanks for clarifying.
A Thompson-Baldwin race would be the height of boringly predictable. What new ideas could either of these two dinosaurs have?
Bleah.
I know that your boy, Markos, CLAIMED that PPP "nailed" every single race, but he lied.
I ain't nobody's boy, jackass.
Reading carefully, GM, that statement seems to make Markos your boy.
garage mahal said...
I ain't nobody's boy, jackass.
Actually you silly little liar, you're carrying water for PPP.
You're still an idiot.
Actually you silly little liar, you're carrying water for PPP.
PPP Actual
Holperin (D) 55 55
Simac (R) 41 45
Wirch (D) 55 58
Steitz (R) 42 42
Moore (D) 42 42
Harsdorf (R) 54 58
Clark (D) 47 48
Olsen (R) 50 52
King (D) 48 51
Hopper (R) 49 49
Shilling (D) 54 55
Kapanke (R) 43 45
Hansen (D) 62 67
VanderLeest (R) 34 33
Any more questions, you insufferable mouthbreathing idiot?
Garage "nose-breather" Mahal said,
"They nailed every single recall race."
The date you just put up shows otherwise. It's hard to read without tabulation, but I see at least one incorrect prediction. PPP (per your data, at least) had King trailing Hopper narrowly, but King eked out a win there. (PPP generally called it correctly in the sense of its being very close, but this isn't horseshoes or, in your terms, "nailing it.")
It's a pity that you feel that a very good prediction, but not a perfect one, can be described as "nailed every single recall race." Because that's what folks are reacting to: You're taking what was a very good performance overall by PPP, and asserting it was perfect.
Oh, and can you recommend a good nasal decongestant?
Make that, the DATA (not date) you just put up.
They Once Made a Fuss O'er Russ
But in Piddling Away Daddy's Trust
Russ's Robust Thrusts
In Flaccidity and Disgust
Have Gone Bust in His Upper-Crust Truss
GM, why didn't you list Darling's #s?
Joanna
The last time PPP polled SD-8 was July 21.
Sandy Pasch (D): 47
Alberta Darling (R-inc): 52
Undecided: 1
It ended up being 54-46
"Reading carefully, GM, that statement seems to make Markos your boy."
Garage has demonstrated, time and time and time again, that he is incapable of careful reading.
Additionally, don't rule out the possibility of some Republican wacko -- the yin to Baldwin's yang, if you will -- winning the nomination and making the race very interesting to watch.
When do those on the "left wing" get called wacko?
O.M.
You keep saying that and I'll happily continue crushing you with facts.
When do those on the "left wing" get called wacko?
Next time, I'll just write (pejorative) and let you substitute the phrase you like.
Well, never let it be said that you don't have a sense of humor.
By the way, garage, read it and learn something.
I wouldn't click on that Murdoch link if you paid me.
No wonder you don't know anything.
I know the formers owners of the WSJ regret selling the paper to Murdoch and his propaganda criminal enterprise.
Wanna see a video that won't help Tammy win votes in the non-Dane County parts of Wisconsin? Here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7YDaXqyL-Y
Call me homophobic if you like, but I don't think dancing with drag queens is the way to win over voters in Rhinelander and Oshkosh.
And how do you know that Garage?
You know them personally?
Your sources HuffPo? Kos?
G_M said Feingold had no chance..
PPP polled heavily in Wisc, it showed him crushing Walker
After getting the shit kicked out of him for the last seven months, Walker is down. No doubt.
The attacks on Walker extended beyond policy. They are personal. We are eye witnesses to Alinsky Rule #11 in action.
Those who think that Walker is popular *right now* are deceiving themselves.
The Good News - Walker remains the Governor to 2014. The bulk of the important work has been accomplished & can't be easily rolled back.
The union money will dry up. The Indian tribes are already splitting their bets. The WEAC Mahal will be sold once the real estate market recovers.
Walker will recover. Everything will be alright.
Tits.
(hey, it works for Titus)
"The WEAC Mahal will be sold once the real estate market recovers."
I hope so. I really liked it as a restaurant.
We are eye witnesses to Alinsky Rule #11 in action
You guys really are just fucking retarded. Stunted emotionally, intellectually, and impervious to any facts.
"and impervious to any facts."
"You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means."
You guys really are just fucking retarded. Stunted emotionally, intellectually, and impervious to any facts.
Why do you debase yourself by hanging out here?
"You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means."
You seen the two hissing cockroaches scurry away after the facts were presented to them?
I think the last time someone said the same sort of thing to you after you disappeared at the end of a long debate that wasn't going well for, your answer was something very close to "fuck off, I have a life".
Wait...now I see...garage IS Tammy Baldwin!
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin says the Wisconsin state Senate recalls played out on the "deepest red districts in the state"
Re: Jobs in Wisconsin.
Link.
Bad Walker jobs report guarantees no post about it from A-House.
Would it matter? If it were a good jobs report you and your would find a pretext explaining how he didn't have anything to do with it.
I thought it odd that they would have one representative pegged over another as being from a "vote-rich" area, but based on 2010 results, Baldwin does represent the district that had the second most votes cast (behind Sensenbrenner's) and she got more votes for US House than any other Democrat in the state.
That doesn't really strike me as a huge advantage over, for example, having demonstrated electability in a more competitive district like Ron Kind (whom I know nothing about beyond party and election results).
If it were a good jobs report you and your would find a pretext explaining how he didn't have anything to do with it.
I don't beleive Walker ideas are capable of creating additional jobs. None of the GOP ideas are. Be happy to be proven wrong. The Obama vacation thread is of chock full of stupid ideas and just complete idiotic statements why the economy is the way it is.
So you buy the line that everything was fixed and moving in the right way until the tsunami, the so-called "Arab Spring" and the Eurodebt problem cropped up? Other than that things were peachy?
" garage mahal said...
PPP polled heavily in Wisc, it showed him crushing Walker and leading in a Senate race against Thompson or Neumann."
Dude, there is a reason that Feingold won't run and it has nothing do do with the reasons he gave. He just got the shit kicked out of him by Johnson as the INCUMBENT, and it would happen again. He knows 2012 is gonna be a down year for the DNC, and for the same reason all the Dems bailed before the 2008 election he is not running. He will lose. Back to back fails and he is officially toast. At least by not running he can wait and ride the wave of a better opportunity...which is how he won in the first place. You can poll all the "theoreticals" you want, none are gonna be based on the reality of next fall. Russ sees the future, funny you don't.
Other than that things were peachy?
Not at all. Why would you think that?
I don't. Just trying to make sure you're not clinically insane.
You know, there's a good chance Russ Feingold can't raise money.
Not so fun fact:
Feingold teaches law at the school Walker flunked out of.
Our country in a nutshell.
I think it's a mistake to ascribe all decisions to run or not on whether you think you can win. It's in the mix, certainly. But everything, even the most important? Who can tell?
I can't think that running a campaign -- even a successful one -- is easy to do, or relaxing. At some point, a person (I'm thinking more Kohl here than Feingold) might actually want to slow down.
Nobody 'knows' that 2012 will be a down year for DNC. You can suspect it, or think that if the economy does not improve, then it'll be bad for the DNC. But that's a far way from 'knowing'.
Let's say it's Summer 2012: Ghaddafi is gone from Libya, whats-his-name is gone from Syria, Mullah Omar is dead and somehow, the economy is humming along and gas prices are low-ish. Why would there be a huge Democratic loss?
"The WEAC Mahal will be sold once the real estate market recovers."
Well, maybe. But it's hard to imagine the tableau of the MPS and MTEA buildings facing off at Vliet St. ever coming to an end.
Although I suppose the Berlin Wall once looked as permanent and immovable as well.
And if it ever does come down, I doubt anyone will be selling pieces of the union's building as souvenirs.
"garage mahal said...
Not so fun fact:
Feingold teaches law at the school Walker flunked out of.
Our country in a nutshell." COuple of not so fun response. Those who can't, teach.
Walker didn't flunk out of Marquette.
"MadisonMan said...
I think it's a mistake to ascribe all decisions to run or not on whether you think you can win. It's in the mix, certainly. But everything, even the most important? Who can tell?
I can't think that running a campaign -- even a successful one -- is easy to do, or relaxing. At some point, a person (I'm thinking more Kohl here than Feingold) might actually want to slow down.
Nobody 'knows' that 2012 will be a down year for DNC. You can suspect it, or think that if the economy does not improve, then it'll be bad for the DNC. But that's a far way from 'knowing'.
Let's say it's Summer 2012: Ghaddafi is gone from Libya, whats-his-name is gone from Syria, Mullah Omar is dead and somehow, the economy is humming along and gas prices are low-ish. Why would there be a huge Democratic loss?"
Dude, this is so dumb it's painful. A run for US Senate is a year plus ordeal, and costs tens on millions of dollars. That said, I didn't say Feingold didn't think he could win, he KNOWS he can't.
As far as what next year will bring, most of what you posted matters ZERO. The economy will not be humming along. It won't be humming along three years from now. All indications are in a year it will be worse. And we will be even deeper in debt.
Feingold will be running the same failed campaign that he ran in 2008.
What planet are you on?
G_M: You guys really are just fucking retarded. Stunted emotionally, intellectually, and impervious to any facts.
Dood - I have not have not been here long, so maybe I don't understand your bag.
Seems that you are cropping out the background surounding the facts to support your viewpoint.
Tommy Thompson is running.
Until his wife re-informs him that she isn't interested in living (again) in D.C.. At which point, he isn't running.
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