These are the kinds of local reports we’re looking for here in the final stretch (thanks to TPM Reader BR):
Early voters in the heart of the heated race to succeed former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay were greeted Wednesday with red and white signs that read: “Want more illegals? Vote Democrat” and “Encourage Terrorists. Vote Democrat.”
The GOP paid for the signs.
Not looking so good for Ted Haggard:
Haggard, 50, initially denied the allegations, telling 9News Wednesday night that “I’ve never had a gay relationship with anybody, and I’m steady with my wife. I’m faithful to my wife.”
But KKTV in Colorado Springs reported that New Life Associate Senior Pastor Ross Parsley told a meeting of church elders Thursday night that Haggard had met with the church’s overseers earlier in the day and “had admitted to some indiscretions.”
Parsley told the elders that Haggard had said some of the allegations were true, but not all of them.
I’m guessing that to most readers Ted Haggard is barely known. But this is the conservative equivalent of Jesse Jackson getting caught wearing a hood at a Klan cross burning. The political implications are enormous.
While evangelical Christians have been a force in national politics for the last two decades, most evangelicals still harbor a deep disaffection with politics. It remains a predominately secular endeavour, in their view, and for many evangelicals there is a strongly held sense that politics, like other aspects of the pop culture, corrupts those who come in contact with it. That has always been the headwind facing Republicans seeking to rally evangelicals to political purpose.
Foley and Haggard are turning the headwind into a full-blown gale for the GOP.
One government official has done more than perhaps any other in policing waste, fraud and abuse among contractors in Iraq. He just got his reward: a pink slip. That and other news of the day in today’s Daily Muck.
Is Vito in trouble?
New York City’s only Republican congressman, Vito Fossella, has held five debates against his underfunded opponent, Democrat Steve Harrison, and is now running Dick Morris-inspired radio ads that claim Harrison cares more about protecting terrorists than New Yorkers:
The scare ad features a phone call between two terrorists that suddenly goes dead. An announcer says Democrat Steve Harrison wants to stop wiretapping terrorists who are planning new attacks.
“Steve Harrison: putting terrorist rights above the safety of you and your family,” the spot says.
CQ Politics rates this race as “Republican Favored,” a shift toward the Democrat from “Safe Republican.”
Rep. Tim Murphy (R-PA) provides a new model of scandal management — when confronted with incriminating evidence by a reporter, snatch it away.
One of the great entertainments to watch just before an upheaval election is list of candidates who want to make sure they lose their dignity ahead of losing their seat. Along those lines is Rep. Deborah Pryce, number four in the House leadership who’s just announced that “What’s happening in Iraq is not a direct reflection on me.” And you know it’s good because those were actually her prepared remarks her campaign sent CNN after the interview. During the live session, in the midst of answering, she wigged out and declared the interview over.
Ahhh, John Sweeney. The police need his say-so to release the official report of the domestic abuse call that’s derailed his campaign. And he says he wants to give it. But somehow, he just can’t bring himself to do it.
If you flip off the President, Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA) will make sure you lose your job… and then lie about it.
Oh, now it’s personal. GOP attacks Dem challenger in Wyoming for being from New York.
Update: TPM Reader ZL spells it out:
The first I thought when I watched the anti-Trauner ad, where he’s attacked for being from New York, was: “Is he Jewish?”
Yep. He is.
Surprise, surprise. After the anti-Ford ad in Tennessee, we get a classic bit of anti-Semitism (“New Yorker,” nudge nudge wink wink) in Wyoming.
I’m not sure if you were implying this in your comment, but you might want to make it explicit for those who aren’t so familiar with the traditional New York/Jewish anti-Semitic code-word.
And TPM Reader MS:
When a campaign starts criticizing an opponent’s “New York values” anywhere west or south of the Delaware River, it’s a dogwhistle call to point out to voters that he’s Jewish.