Wednesday Open Thread [6.25.14]

Filed in National by on June 25, 2014

So the teabaggers were all whiny last night because their favorite Nazi candidate, Chris McDaniel, lost to Sen. Thad Cochran (R) in their Republican runoff in Mississippi. The outcome was something of a surprise, as polling of Republican likely voters, which I have posted here over the past weeks, showed McDaniel leading anywhere from 2 to 10 points. But that was the key: Republican likely voters. The conventional wisdom for the runoff was that if Cochran could somehow woo African American Democrats to vote for him in the runoff, he could win. It was a daunting proposition, since Cochran spent the last three decades doing everything he could to make life as difficult as possible on his African American constituents. And yet, that is precisely what happened.

Nate Cohn: “The Cochran campaign’s efforts to appeal to Democratic-leaning black voters appeared to succeed. The increase in turnout was largest in heavily black counties, particularly in the Mississippi Delta. Over all, turnout rose by 43% in the counties where black voters make up more than 65% of eligible voters.”

National Journal: “Over 347,000 voters cast ballots in the runoff, a higher total than in the primary — marking the first time in 30 years that has happened in any Senate race.”

Twitter was good fun last night during McDaniel “concession” speech, which was certainly not a concession speech but instead a temper tantrum of white conservative theocratic privilege. McDaniel did not concede, and in fact indicated that he would challenge the results over Democrats voting in the Republican primary. I am not sure how he is going to do that, since it was perfectly legal for Democrats to vote in a Republican primary as it was an Open Primary. And I am not sure McDaniel is aware of the message he is sending: he does not want African Americans to vote in a Republican primary, and he wants the votes of African Americans that were counted in a Republican primary to be thrown out. Yeah, how is that rebranding coming, Mr. McDaniel. You conservatives wonder why we all call you racists… this type of shit is why. Plus all the other racist crap you do and say.

Markos:

[N]ot only did Cochran survive, but he did so after an explicit and overt campaign to win the support of African American Democrats. […] African Americans respond to threats to their voting rights. Attempts to suppress the black vote in 2012 ended up goosing their participation. Cochran was clever to highlight the Tea Party hostility toward non-white voters.

So what now? Clearly, (party) Democrats were hoping for a McDaniels victory to put Mississippi in play this November. Cochran’s surprising victory changes that calculus. But this is a reshaped political landscape. Base conservatives are furious with Cochran. He’s a traitor to their cause. Sure, Democratic nominee Travis Childers voted for Nancy Pelosi in the House, but Cochran won with the support of black voters. They’re livid.

They’re already talking of a write-in campaign on behalf of McDaniels. And right now, they’re so angry that they’d rather walk across flaming broken glass than pull the lever for Cochran in November. The big question is: will that anger survive all the way through November? Aside from that Pelosi thing, Childers should offer little to scare conservatives. He’s all but one of them. And if those black voters who turn out today turn out in November, and the conservative base sits things out, then who knows, we’ve got a race after all.

I’ve never understood why Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, with their very large African American populations (relatively speaking) were so overwhelmingly conservative. It’s because of low turnout among those African Americans. If the African American populations actually come out to vote, and the Dems get 30 to 35% of the white vote, then the South changes color on the map. Hopefully, these voters have now been shown the power of their vote.

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  1. auntie dem says:

    African American congregations play a significant role in politics. But Democrats can’t take them for granted because of their views on choice and gay rights. They pick and choose their candidates on issues instead of party. But there isn’t any doubt in my mind that they weald the swing vote in many elections, especially when turnout is low, such as primaries.

  2. SussexAnon says:

    I don’t know about the Southern States, but the African American vote doesn’t turn out in Sussex in many elections.

    When you are talking to a African American over 60, introducing yourself as a Democrat in Sussex sometimes comes with even more baggage.

    Perhaps its the same down south. After all if your highest performing voting demographic is old enough to remember Southern Democrats, you might have an uphill battle and not just on gays and choice.

  3. fightingbluehen says:

    Chelsea Clinton doesn’t “care about money on any fundamental level”…..lol.
    She said she tried to care about it , but she couldn’t…lol

    Yeah, I guess not, when you live in a 10 million dollar apartment and have a 3 million dollar wedding, and you get paid 600,000 dollars a year for a practically no show job.

    And how about that Hillary. After claiming they were “dead broke” when they left the White House ( a claim only believed by the most ardent Kool-aide drinkers…..ahem) ,she decided to open up her pie hole and double down on her misfortunate remark by claiming in an interview that they “really aren’t that truly well off “…..lol

    Can you believe how out of touch these people are? They are worth upwards of 100 million dollars, and she thinks that is not truly well off ?

    Maybe it’s that they only hang out with people that make their 100 million dollars seem not that “truly well off”…lol

    This is why the term “liberal elite” exists.

    Who would support people like this?

  4. pandora says:

    Boy, Hillary really scares you guys.

  5. cassandra m says:

    No kidding, sheesh.

  6. m.v. buren says:

    pandora (who i suspect is the only one on this website who would be clutching pearls in real life) and cassandra (who i am a little bit scared of): looks like you’ve got nothing here.

  7. SussexAnon says:

    Yes, Chuck Norris is still weighing in on politics. This genius installment is about the Bergdhal release.

    http://thefreedompress.com/chuck-norris-just-gave-obama-verbal-roundhouse-kick-face/?=cpfb

    Shut up and roundhouse kick, Chuck.

  8. bamboozer says:

    Thad Cochran is Mississippi’s meal ticket, his seniority and power in Washington pulls in an estimated 47% of the states revenue from Washington. High flying conjecture or not the Republican elite have prevailed in all but the famed Cantor primary, there is a method to this madness and it is business interests and saner heads who want to win, not just posture and rant. Even in this chaotic era Americans still do not like extremists or radicals, Tea Bagger or not.

  9. Oh, Gawd, more utterly insipid crap from ‘Carny’:

    Dear Stephen,

    The warmth of summer is finally here after a chilly winter in Delaware, and it has come just in time to begin our campaign. As in past elections, your support will be an essential part of our success in 2014.

    I want to thank you for your generosity and confidence in the past and ask you to once again lend me your support. The second fundraising quarter of 2014 ends Monday and your financial donation today will help us run a strong and successful re-election campaign. Click here to contribute now.

    Our country faces serious challenges. Now, more than ever, we need to work together to address them.

    Since I first went to Washington on your behalf, I have remained committed to working with my colleagues in Congress to do the right thing for our country and our state. From making college more affordable to finding ways to attract manufacturing jobs to Delaware, we have already made progress together.

    As we gear up for the upcoming election, I am excited to once again travel our state and share my vision for the future with the people I am privileged to represent in Congress. And if I’m re-elected, I look forward to continuing to work hard to help create more jobs, protect and strengthen the American middle class, and develop a solid fiscal plan for our nation.

    Thank you for giving me the honor of serving as your lone Member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Each day, as I make the commute from Delaware to Washington, I think about the responsibility you have given me.

    Thank you for your friendship, and I hope to see you out on the campaign trail.

    Best regards,

    John

    Run, Jason, run!

  10. Greg says:

    Wow! I’ve seen Godwin’s Law come into play in many online discussions, but never have I seen a writer wave the white flag by violating it in the first sentence of his post!

  11. painesme says:

    Greg –

    That was a reference to something that happened, not just hyperbole because he’s a conservative. For those not in on it:

    http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/chris-mcdaniel-twitter-account

  12. cassandra m says:

    an estimated 47% of the states revenue from Washington.

    And that is part of the teajhadi hissy fit. They lost to a Big Spender — and one who actually *ran* on that claim.

  13. Greg says:

    Painesme – agreeing with a tweet does not mean one agrees with the entire philosophical outlook of the tweeter. And it certainly does not make one a Nazi. Clear Godwin’s law violation.