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11/5/2008
An incredible night for the world. What?
So sayeth The Honorable Governor Jim Doyle. FoxPolitics News has all the news you’d want to read on the scaled up version of the 2006 Democrat tsunami (here’s a good summary from WisPolitics.com), so we’ll just print a few choice words.
U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan said the Republican Party will “need to learn some lessons after all of this…. We’re not going to look back at this election and say this is the time John McCain lost. We’re going to look back at this election and say this is the time we turned things around.”
A friend said: “What could be more impertinent? This is the back-blast from Rove’s nuclear politics. The black hole from the Rove Supernova. And he sits innocently commenting on Fox News, showing clean hands with cookie-crumb lips. How do we explain the empty cookie jar?”
Bob Dohnal: You have to have ideas, develop issues and move forward with the economy. Conservatives or Republicans cannot just become lukewarm liberals.
“[Appleton Alderperson Jim] Clemons thanked City Clerk Hesse for the excellent manner in which the election results were provided.” Whoops, that was April, 2006.
Surely didn’t apply this time. What a huge mess. Ok, things were busy. Absentee votes, at more than 8,500, were twice what they were in 2006. Ok, I understand that.
Normally, those absentee ballots are “processed” downtown, then delivered to each polling location sometime during the day, and fed through each poll’s vote tally machine. I don’t have the inside scoop and official excuses. My campaign had vote checkers in each of the polling locations in Outagamie County. Normally, election officials “pull the tape” (of vote totals, from the voting machine) sometime soon after the last voter leaves – and voila! we have the totals.
Not last night. By midnight, those elusive absentee ballots still had not been delivered to some of the polling locations. So of course, they still had not been counted. That is just unbelievable. And after receiving the absentee ballots, some locations had considerable problems getting them through the vote tally machine. Again, simply unbelievable. So those vote total tapes were pulled very late, and some not even until well after midnight. Yes, lots of ballots. Lots and lots of voters. And lots of great sworn election day volunteer workers. But this surely didn’t qualify for the “excellent manner” label.
I’m not in fighting form yet, not having written for FoxPolitics for over six months. And it’s not been long enough to fully ponder the election just completed. But here are a couple of comments for now.
I’m forever grateful to my husband Dave, who was there every step of the way with and for me. And he was just a terrific emissary out in the wards.
I’m grateful to my campaign’s leadership – Chris, Carl and Jack. And a great Kitchen Cabinet as well.
I’m so, so, grateful to my volunteers and very special new friends. Wow. Lots of them with lots of different skills – some of which they didn’t know they had.
I was uplifted daily by the support of sincere well wishers who called and e-mailed their blessings and thoughts.
I was challenged by voters who asked great questions and shared their questions, concerns and comments helpfully and constructively.
I was sickened by the viciousness of some (often anonymous and profane) callers and commenters. To disagree is surely American. Apparently, to be rude and profane and jerks is also just as American. Freedom of speech is granted us by our hallowed Constitution. No one ever said you had to be intelligent or truthful about it.
Only in America. It’s a great, great place.
COMMENTS
Welcome back, Jo. May everyone's concession and acceptance speeches be gracious, and may everyone be thanked for their sincere participation in our political process. Will your old blog posts be coming back, too?
John Foust (Wed Nov 05 08:31:40 2008)
The Bush economic plan worked great for nearly 6 years???
How are you liking it so far?
The Dems took over two years ago?
Don't you believe it. McConnell and the filibuster left control in the hands of the Republicans. The same will be true under Obama.
The horrific housing problem was caused by liberals???
Was Phil Gramm a liberal? He wrote the bill and had 90 out of 100 senators sign it. McCain did not vote for or against the bill. Obama wasn't there yet.
John, the people controlling congress did not run for re-election yesterday. The moneyed interests remain in control. Live with it.
But I will give you that had Obama been there, he would have voted with Fannie and Freddie. That's the system conservatives espouse.
Jack Lohman (Wed Nov 05 11:40:37 2008)
I guess some blog readers here are forgetting that the budget deficit goes up and (sometimes down), but the national debt is what matters. And the national debt is now over 10 trillion dollars. Almost 5 trillion of that debt accrued under he-who-must-not-be-named and 6 years of Republican total control of Congress. The interest on this debt is almost 0.5 trillion a year. I pushed the eject button on Republicans this year, and I plan to do it again in 2 years for the Democrats if they don't get the message that our country is a fiscal mess. And I don't give a fig about those dumb social issues.
Andrew Andro (Wed Nov 05 11:43:51 2008)
It's good to see Jo back making commentary in Fox Politics. For myself, I avoided commenting on anything from the crew of right wing bloviators and troglodytes that
have filled this pages in her absence -- all male, all partisan and all polemically challenged mouthpieces and idealogs for The Party The Wrecked America.
A return to the discussion of Fox Valley issues in this space will be welcome. Jo has kept the portion of Fox Politics News within the website updated throughout the campaign and for that I am grateful. I'm grateful because that's the way I get my news about what's going on in the Fox Valley.
Over time we will see how any changes at the statehouse will improve the condition for those Wisconsinites other than WMC and their corporate vested interests. I will add that those corporate vested interests are also held by those of any and all
political affiliations who also own stock in the arms manufacturers located here.
I'll tell you a secret. I didn't vote for Obama. I didn't vote for McCain either. The Green Party ran the only candidate with a platform against the war. As one Wisconsin writer put it: The Green Party has the platform that the Democrats should have. One might add parenthetically (but were too cowardly put forward.)
My vote was cast among the 5000 for Cynthia McKinney. And news over the next number of days will reveal what part disenfranchisement of voters of third parties plays in this election.
Alternately, I was also an election official. And I participated in the testing of the voting equipment which is open to the public. At the election site we had observers who were non- partisan and even helpful at times during the course of the day.
When the day concluded we all wondered where and why the absentee processing was handled as it was. I cannot speak to this. There is, however, every indication that the results were fairly tabulated.
That being the case I would ask Jo why the hysteria about receiving results already determined should be demanded a couple minutes after the polls close? The whole horse race aspect of the proceedings just demeans and diminishes the time, the effort and the dedication of the poll workers.
Election results are not official for two weeks. That's the law. Those two weeks are the buffer time for recounts and challenges. And it is every candidate's right and duty to avail themselves of those procedures after the initial result is in. I think there should be much more testing of the voting system than there is: active
participation in all the areas of machine use versus hand counted balloting and challenges made where any issue arises as to the outcome.
Lon Ponschock (Wed Nov 05 12:40:24 2008)
Thanks much for your run Jo, and for cleaning up your last paragraph. I probably would have worded it differently. I despise anonymous arrogance.
I voted for McCain but was rallying for Democratic control of congress. We need massive change, and that can best happen with McConnell and others out of there.
But the R's will retain control through the filibuster, and that can be both good and bad. I worry about Obama's love of earmarks, but doubt that the R's will do anything to stop them. I also worry about his trashing the system of public funding of campaigns. I suspect McCain feels the same way.
And I also worry about the strongest nation in the world's voting system. Purple fingers would be better.
Jack Lohman (Wed Nov 05 09:29:18 2008)
A tsunami is destructive. What happened Tuesday wasn't destructive. It was constructive and, I hope, instructive.
There has to be more responsibility built into the political process between elections, so voters won't exact retribution from one party or the other for the irresponsibility that has run rampant in the party in power in Washington.
The fact that that retribution trickled down to the state and local levels in so many places -- not just in Wisconsin -- should serve as a wake up call to both parties that the electorate expects Republicans and Democrats to bury their hatchets, and not in somebody else's head.
There's just been too much rancor in politics. I've received the hateful emails brimming with falsehoods. My sister-in-law called me a liar because I used reputable sources like the New York Times to refute some of the hate and falsehoods.
As Barack Obama said in no uncertain terms last night, he needs John McCain and Sarah Palin's help.
It was the Republicans who put the post-campaign button out a few years ago that said "Sore Loserman," a play on the "Gore Lieberman" campaign button.
With grace and dignity last night, John McCain showed he is not a sore loser, but some of his supporters at the Arizona Biltmore who booed when he mentioned Barack Obama demonstrated that they are.
As Obama said to the crowd in Grant Park, which was graceful in victory, we're one country, and Democrats need all the help they can get from Republicans to get us out of the mess that He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named got us into.
If that happens at the state level too, we'll be well on our way to solving the state budget problem.
Rich (Wed Nov 05 09:47:20 2008)
After discarding the notion to perhaps move to Cuba, I began thinking about what caused this horrific election result.
Easy: 95% of Blacks for Obama.
95% of National media.
95% of Pro-gay marriage.
95% of pro-abortion.
95% of Hollywood celebrities
Much of the Dem ads were very misleading and perhaps even un-lawful.
Add all that to the fact that someone like Al Franken nearly was elected Senator in Minnesota and the California Representative Cyhthia McKinney received over 5,000 votes in Wisconsin shows the caliber of a big percentage of voters. What have we turned too in America? One could also add the fact that there was a huge anti-Christian/anti-Catholic vote. Why? We can easily see the results of the liberal/radical agenda to motivate the un-educated, un-informed, poor, young, minorities, etc., to get out the vote.
It was an impossible situation facing McCain. Just watch: In 2010 there will be a huge movement to throw out the liberals. Just like 2006 against the Conservatives.
John Hyland (Wed Nov 05 10:14:19 2008)
You forgot one, John. Eight years of George Bush and his free market capitalism (read: taxpayer giveaways to campaign contributors).
Let's call it like it is. The R's blew it big time and the little people weren't going to take it any more. They don't get to speak often, but this time it was loud.
Jack Lohman (Wed Nov 05 10:23:03 2008)
Yes, I agree that to disagree is American. I also agree that to be viscious, rude, and a jerk is American, as free speech is guaranteed by the Constitution. However, unless the Republican Party leadership learns that to be jerks doesn't win any votes, unless they look within themselves instead of blaming the American people, the Republican Party will continue on a downhill course. It's time for the Republican Party leadership to abdicate in favor of traditional conservativism. This election was not FOR Democrats, it was AGAINST Republicans. There are many decent Republicans, such as the editor of this blog; it's time for them to regain control of their party from the "neoconservatives".
Tim / timje
Admin, The Bill Sebastian Forum
(Wed Nov 05 10:30:00 2008)
Please Jack....no more liberal talking points.. The Bush economic plan worked great for nearly 6 years with the deficit going down nearly every year after it got going with the largest amount of taxes collections ever --including the so-called ugly and fraudulent big business taxes. Even oil taxes were near the 1 trillion mark. Then....then the Dems took over two years ago and the deficit has skyrocketed. Dems in charge!!!! Congress passes all laws including all spending measures and taxes. The President has nothing to do with spending. And the horrific housing problem was caused by liberals with Carter and Clinton insisting on giving mortgages to unqualified poor people. Both McCain and Bush tried to correct but the Dems in Congress insisted on extending the plan.
Nothing to do with the Administration who the liberals continue to blame. Obama was one of the chief persons receiving pay backs from Fannie and Freddi. Get it straight. Please...for a change!
John Hyland (Wed Nov 05 10:56:21 2008)
I was hoping that you'd have to take another 2 years off, because that would have meant you were busy in Madison, but it wasn't to be. Welcmoe back to the land of the punditry.
steveegg (Wed Nov 05 15:24:16 2008)
Oh well, here's a comment to a comment.
John Hyland blithely explains the election as follows:
95% of blacks for Obama.
95% of national media for Obama.
95% of pro-gay marriage folks for Obama.
95% of pro-choice folks fo
Obama.
95% of Hollywood celebrities for Obama.
Let's take those observations one by one.
1. 95% of African Americans were for Obama. Are they less entitled to the franchise then the rest of us? Is their judgment somehow flawed.
Ponder the reaction across the world to the election, and then see how much you want to belittle the people who helped make it possible:
It "makes America — the idea as much as the actual place — stand again, perhaps only fleetingly, for limitless possibility," the New York Times said today.
“Mr. Obama “brings the narrative that everyone wants to return to — that America is the land of extraordinary opportunity and possibility, where miracles happen,” was the way a British observer put it.
Easy to belittle lofty ideals if that's where your head is at.
2. 95% of national media for Obama.
B.S. Been there, done that.
3. 95% of pro-gay marriage folks for Obama.
Hey, why bother having honesty in this country when we can have hypocrisy? Nuff said.
95% of pro-choice folks for Obama. Do you really think that this is a litmus-test issue that helped decide the election.
Come on, it's yesterday's issue.
It's another issue of personal freedom v. government control. If you want your government peering between you wife or your girlfriend's legs, fine. Me? No, thanks. I don't trust the government that much.
95% of Hollywood celebrities for Obama. I didn't get any phone calls from Hollywood celebrities. I did get one from Tom Ridge, who did such a good job of averting the World Rade Center bombing that I thought I'd better listen carefully.
He said Obama was a threat to national security.
"But, Tom," I said, "Colin Powell has just endorsed Obama, and I don't think you can call him weak on national security."
And you know how Tom Ridge responded?
He kept on with his schpeel as though I hadn't said anything. Just like the rest of the Bush administration. He just wouldn't listen.
Rich (Wed Nov 05 17:24:21 2008)
repost
John, you are not really going to crow about the Bush economic strategy are you? How are you liking it so far? Grown the government by 10%, national debt over $10 trillion, tax breaks at a time of war that converted the $300 billion surplus to a $400 billion deficit! I think I’d prefer even Carter, and I couldn’t stand him.
And please, get off this kick. The Dems never took over. McConnell and the R’s used the filibuster to block their every move, and they’ll continue doing that under Obama. And then the R’s will say “See! No progress even under a Democratic president.” Hogwash.
The President has nothing to do with spending? How about vetoing spending bills and not vetoing bills, as he failed to do for the first six years of his presidency?
And the housing crisis? It began with a bill by Phil Gramm (R-TX) and was signed by 90 of 100 senators, then signed by Clinton. McCain neither signed it or contested it, and Obama wasn’t there yet. We’ve had republican congressional control since 1994, and you’re blaming the Dems?
Jack Lohman (Wed Nov 05 18:55:02 2008)
You see?
With local editorials we get local comment. Lots of them.
Lon Ponschock (Thu Nov 06 01:31:15 2008)
Hey, Lon, was I a "bloviator" or a "troglodyte?" I'm hoping troglodyte, but I'd settle for bloviating troglodyte. Just as long as a little troglodytation is in there someplace.
Lance (Thu Nov 06 14:50:55 2008)
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