Twin defeats spark Democratic fears

[AsahinaKimi]

HOWARD BEACH, N.Y.—The Democratic Party’s rare loss of a congressional seat in its urban heartland Tuesday, accompanied by a blowout defeat in a Nevada special election, marked the latest in a string of demoralizing setbacks that threatened to deepen the party’s crisis of confidence and raise concerns about President Barack Obama’s political fortunes.

In New York, Republican Bob Turner soundly defeated Democrat David Weprin in a House contest that — in the view of party leaders, at least — featured an anemic urban machine, distracted labor unions and disloyal voters. In Nevada, a consequential state for the president’s reelection strategy, Democrats suffered a runaway loss rooted in a weak showing in Reno’s Washoe County, a key bellwether.

Even before the polls closed, the recriminations — something short of panic, and considerably more than mere grumbling — had begun. On a high-level campaign conference call Tuesday afternoon, Democratic donors and strategists commiserated over their disappointment in Obama. A source on the call described the mood as “awful.”

“People feel betrayed, disappointed, furious, disgusted, hopeless,” said the source.HOWARD BEACH, N.Y.—The Democratic Party’s rare loss of a congressional seat in its urban heartland Tuesday, accompanied by a blowout defeat in a Nevada special election, marked the latest in a string of demoralizing setbacks that threatened to deepen the party’s crisis of confidence and raise concerns about President Barack Obama’s political fortunes.

In New York, Republican Bob Turner soundly defeated Democrat David Weprin in a House contest that — in the view of party leaders, at least — featured an anemic urban machine, distracted labor unions and disloyal voters. In Nevada, a consequential state for the president’s reelection strategy, Democrats suffered a runaway loss rooted in a weak showing in Reno’s Washoe County, a key bellwether.

Even before the polls closed, the recriminations — something short of panic, and considerably more than mere grumbling — had begun. On a high-level campaign conference call Tuesday afternoon, Democratic donors and strategists commiserated over their disappointment in Obama. A source on the call described the mood as “awful.”

“People feel betrayed, disappointed, furious, disgusted, hopeless,” said the source.

more
http://news.yahoo.com/twin-defeats-spark-democratic-fears-095700782.html

*Apologies if this has already been posted.*

[LynneSin]

1. OMG THE SKY IS FALLING WE"RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!!

:eyes:

Media is making way too much of this. Remember a few weeks back we won 2 repukes seat from special elections.

These elections means absolutely nothing and the best thing we can do is mock the media for making this some sort of litmus test for an election that isn't happening for another 14 months.

[WCGreen]

2. I hate when that happens, you know, the we're all gonna die.....

[LynneSin]

3. well you do know that one day we are all going to die

not sure when but we will

[dtexdem]

18. Yeah, and I hate that it always happens.

;-)

[brentspeak]

6. Why did these elections "mean absolutely nothing"?

Those are two seats that went to the GOP, with one of the seats a Democratic mainstay for the previous 90 years.

[LynneSin]

9. And a few months ago we did the same thing to the republicans (a seat since the Civil War)

You can't predict anything from special elections.

Media needs to stop acting like they're some sort of magic genie that can predict the future. The GOP loves it because they hope it'll demotivate us from campaigning in 2012.

And the seat (if it lasts thru redistricting) will be Democrat in 2012

[The Genealogist]

7. The story's purpose, IMHO, is to discourage Democrats.

It is discouraging, but the goal of the article is to drain as much hope from Democrats as possible, and to push home to "independents" that the Dems are failing.

[LynneSin]

10. DING DING DING DING DING - we have a winner

I just wish the rest of DU would recognize the motive of stories like this.

[Champion Jack]

19. We do, except for all the right wing trolls

[ixion]

11. No, the loss of a democratic stronghold is discouraging

the article is what it is.

[Bandit]

17. Here is a clue for you, The Democrats ARE failing

and failing "Big Time". There is going to be a blood bath in next years elections and you are going to sit there and wonder what the fuck happened....We, scratch that, I did not vote Democratic so we could pass Republican legislation....As long as Democrats keep doing that they are going to lose... Either live with that FACT or try and do something about it....

[The Genealogist]

21. No, I am not going to sit here and wonder

I think a huge part of the issue is that the Democrats are not getting their message out like the Repukes are. I know, I know, the Repukes are fearmongering and everything else. They are able to push people's buttons with their nonsense. The democrats need to learn to push people's buttons too. No, I don't mean get down and wrassle in the mud, where the Repukes are. I mean find honest straightforward ways to tap into people's anger, more effectively than currently.

And part of the problem Democrats are going to have to overcome is the media, spewing articles like this propaganda piece.

[Blue_Tires]

22. Yeah, I remember when the Scott Brown thing was gonna end the whole world

Somehow DU and Obama are still around...

[WI_DEM]

4. party leaders--'disloyal voters' unlike disloyal democrats standing up

for democratic ideals?

[ixion]

5. I've seen a few related posts to this, and the usual suspects

telling anyone trying to sound the alarm to shut up.

Shutting up and pretending everything is a-okay is not going to work well, in my opinion. The Dems need to embrace populism, and fast, and dump this Third-Way and Triangulation garbage. I'm sure I'll be told to shut up for saying this, but I'm going to say it anyway.

[DJ13]

8. They should be fearful

The current Dem party offers no real alternative to the GOP, they have done the GOP's bidding so often that voters no longer think electing one party over the other will make a difference.

[AsahinaKimi]

13. I don't know...maybe its just me but

When I saw this story, my first reaction was just "Ut oh!" I dread the idea of our side losing the Presidential race, and more seats here and there in Congress and the Senate. And yes..to me, THAT is scary!

[DJ13]

15. In this environment its scary to me as well

While I really hate the conservatism thats swept through our party since 08, the GOP has become to crazed to be elected.

But I dont think the average (non political) person sees it the same way.

[Behind the Aegis]

12. The sad thing is rather than looking at themselves for blame, they accuse others for the losses.

I know it was us Jews that blew the election in NY (and no, the accusations aren't limited to sites like StormFront). Who's to blame for the NV loss? I know it wasn't us, there just ain't that many of us willing to venture out in the damn desert again. I have only seen a few threads on NV, most have been about NY.

[Recovered Repug]

14. Sometimes I think that

the Olsen Twins could spark Democratic fears.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

16. And I can almost bet that the Republican moles in the party will use this defeat as an

object lesson to insist, "See! We're too liberal!"

[socialshockwave]

20. Dem policies aren't working for New Yorkers

They support something most Americans oppose; the Ground Zero Mosque.

They're perceived as opposing Israel's right to exist, which matters in a deeply orthodox community.

[KamaAina]

23. Maybe if Dems had actually been able to choose their own nominee

this wouldn't have happened. But noooooooooo! Nonononononononono! </belushi> DINO and Koch whore Andrew Cuomo said no party primaries, which left it up to the Queens Dem machine, which coughed up worthless hack Weprin, which handed a safe Dem seat to the dark side. :puke:

[vercetti2021]

24. So..

Lets just be gloomy and sit at home in 2012 and let them take the government back so they can finish the job Bush couldn't.

No i don't believe losing his seat is anything to worry about and it doesn't pave way to our supposed loss next year. Remember we took NY-26 and that was a heavily conservative district.

Also read the yahoo comments on this story. Dumbfuckinstan at its finest.