Wednesday, November 3, 2004

Vote For Kodos - Bush Country
I think the most important thing to take away from this election is a point I first heard articulated by White House Chief of Staff Andy Card, that this is the first time in sixteen years - four elections - that the president has been elected by a majority of the vote. William Jefferson Clinton, patron saint of the Democratic Party, never received a majority; he won both his presidential bids with pluralities, 43% and 46% if I remember correctly. Listening to All Things Considered at work and on the drive home, it was amusing to hear the bitterness in the voices of commentators like E.J. Dionne and Daniel Schorr. Apparently, a Republican who wins 51% of the vote has no mandate, but a Democrat who wins 43% has the Midas touch. But let them have their bitterness and hypocrisy, we won!

Florida was delivered safely, thank you very much Brother Jeb. Bush in '08? I have heard talk that Senator Edwards (D, North Carolina), who did not seek reelection to his seat, is just the kind of candidate the Democratic Party needs in 2008, but I find this very curious given how poorly he did in this year's primaries. So, Senator Clinton (D, New York), or will the Democrats finally recognize that the United States Senate is not the strongest position from which to make a run for the White House? This contradicts what I just said, but one Democrat I could possibly support is recently reelected Senator Evan Bayh (D, Indiana).

Switcheroo
Retiring Senators whose open seats fell to the opposing party.
Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R, Colorado) - Ken Salazar (D)
Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R, Illinois) - Barack Obama (D)
Sen. John Edwards (D, North Carolina) - Richard Burr (R)
Sen. Fritz Hollings (D, South Carolina) - Jim DeMint (R)
Sen. Zell Miller (D, Georgia) - Johnny Isakson (R)
Sen. Bob Graham (D, Florida) - Mel Martinez (R)
Sen. John Breaux (D, Louisiana) - David Vitter (R)

Retention of the Presidency, increased majorities in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives, and a better-than-even chance to appoint at least one Justice to the Supreme Court.

Welcome to Bush Country.

No comments: