Does the National Journal's Hotline inhabit the same universe as the rest of us? Democrats lost two-out-of-three among last night's big races. But in declaring Winners and Losers among non-candidates involved with the campaigns, the only Losers Hotline saw were . . . Republicans and conservatives, with nary a Dem in sight!
Chris Matthews was only too happy to seize on the Hotline hitlist during his Sideshow segment on this evening's Hardball. Here were Hotline's three Losers:
- Sarah Palin: for jumping into Hoffman's losing cause, whereas McDonell and Christie didn't invite her in and won.
- Pete Sessions: the Chairman of the NRCC, who went 0-2 in special congressional elections.
- Club For Growth: which backed Hoffman.
Hotline's inconsistent logic was glaring . . .
If Palin's a loser for backing Hoffman and not getting involved with the winners, what about . . . Barack Obama? He campaigned extensively for losers Corzine and Deeds, but stayed far away from winner Owens.
And if Session's a loser for going 0-2 in congressional races, what about Gov. Tim Kaine, who as head of the DNC lost both governor's races, including the one in Virginia where he's the sitting governor?
And as a Winner, what about Haley Barbour, who as Chairman of the Republican Governor's Association went 2-2? Hotline didn't pick him—but Chuck Todd did.
By the way, the only Republican Winner Hotline declared [and whom Matthews failed to mention] was Mitt Romney, for having stumped for Christie and McDonnell but stayed away from Hoffman. Does Hotline really believe that Republican primary voters in 2012 will reward Romney for NOT helping Hoffmann? Surely the National Journal jests!
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
I'm sorry...I'm still
November 4, 2009 - 18:55 ET by bigtimerI'm sorry...I'm still tickled about last night...nothing is going to get me down...we licked 'em and they know it.
The left lacks class ...period.
Besides that...come on, what do we expect, it's the Hotline....the creation of F. Chuck Todd.
'Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea'~Breitbart
The left lacks lots of things
November 4, 2009 - 19:04 ET by 10ksnookerNot the least is a functioning, rational, reasoning brain.
I agree with your tickled comment it was worth watching CNN to see them make pretzels.
We licked their butts....
November 4, 2009 - 19:57 ET by superconWait....that didn't come out right. We blew them in the water.... dammit!!!
You know what I mean.
" if Republicans are able to stop Barack Obama on health care, 'it will be his Waterloo, it will break him...." -Sen. Jim DeMint
Keep Whistling, Libs
November 4, 2009 - 19:00 ET by NoMoreClintonsThese liberals are just whistling past the cemetery. They can ignore the fact that Obama got his butt handed to him in New Jersey in that his multiple appearances on behalf of Corzine had no effect whatsoever. Same for VA with Deeds. They can ignore it or spin it any way they wish. It doesn't change the fact that yesterday was glorious for the GOP. Come on 2010!
Let's see if I understand Tingle's logic
November 4, 2009 - 23:18 ET by Lord ErondObama comes out and stumps for Corzine and Deeds and THEY LOSE, even though he won the state of VA a year ago and it doesn't get more blue than NJ.
Sarah Palin comes out and stumps for a total no name candidate who wasn't expected to win and he nearly takes the race.
And Palin's the loser? I wish someone would put a sock in his fat stupid mouth.
"Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge."
Timothy 6:20
Your wonderfully insightful post
November 5, 2009 - 00:24 ET by Patrick MichaelYou literally and figuratively took the words right out of my mouth!! You may have said it slightly better, but I am right with you on the Palin/Obama comparison. It is the same as it was with the Great Health Care debate. Obama does x number town halls at a cost of x, goes on TV x number of times, gives x number of speechs. Sarah Palin writes on her facebook page once and accomplishes more. Go figure.
Stay Free!!!
Sarah Palin is obviously
November 5, 2009 - 08:31 ET by BDSarah Palin is obviously NOT the loser in this case regarding Hoffman.
The Republican Party spent a cool Million Dollars in providing name recognition to an unqualified candidate (Sole qualification being she was willing to associate herself with the letter R).
This money went to good effect in that name recognition was so high that even after whe withdrew fro the race and threw her support to the democrat she still got 5% of the vote.
If the oney had been committed to provided name recognition to Hoffman instead it is arguable that the extra 5% would have put him over the top. On top of that, add any votes swayed by Scozzafavva's defection plea and you have a success for Republicans.
Does he really have a segment called "Sideshow"?
November 4, 2009 - 19:00 ET by CO2MakerOr is that the whole show?
This Ramirez cartoon is still the definitive look at Chris the Wide Mouth Frog and Keith "I can see sanity from my bathtub" the Sports Boy.
mrz091008dAPR.jpg 462×350 pixels
CO2... He does...and it's
November 4, 2009 - 19:04 ET by bigtimerCO2...
He does...and it's usually just plain silly, immature, propaganda for ...like the rest of msnbc.
It's like a 30-60 second segment at the bottom of the hour.
'Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea'~Breitbart
Seriously. This surprises
November 4, 2009 - 19:10 ET by The_PumpcropSeriously. This surprises anyone? I have Libby friends who say that it's all fitting into The Messiah's "plan", whatever that is. They can't tell me, only that it is.
"We weren't suppose to win them all," they say. "You'll see. It's all in the plan." WTF?
We got a plan
November 4, 2009 - 20:10 ET by Sefton"We weren't suppose to win them all," they say. "You'll see. It's all in the plan."
I'd bet the Japanese hierarchy said something similar to the citizens just after Midway.
They're liberals. You
November 4, 2009 - 19:53 ET by mattmThey're liberals. You can't expect logic, or honesty, or any semblance of reason to back up their assertions.
Every time scewball looks stupid
November 4, 2009 - 20:37 ET by Dim BulbEvery time Chris SCREWBALL Mathews looks stupid I get a tingle up my leg.
Wow! The conservative party candidate goes from 10% to 45%
November 4, 2009 - 21:57 ET by jondelwichein about 2 weeks.....drives the Republican out of the race......
barely loses to the Dem that the losing Repub endorsed---and that is a "bad" performance? HUH?
It was a stunning ascension that almost went to victory. The star power of the Palins and Pawlentys is simply stunning at this moment in time.
The Dems seem to be in the same wobbly "everything is fine" mode we were in 9/2006. That a third party candidate defied all odds to almost win, along with the NJ and VA results, make me think the Dems have no idea of the carnage that awaits next fall.
See you in 11/10! :oO
SSSHHHH!!!
November 4, 2009 - 22:05 ET by Sergeant ROCKI'm hoping they remain in their delusional state for another year or so. Don't help them out of their trance!
"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
As I said on election night
November 4, 2009 - 22:13 ET by MightyMouthThe race was lost because of the republican ticket voters. God love em, they just didn't know the RINO was out of the race and promoting the democrat!
"The bureaucracy is growing to meet the needs of the growing bureaucracy"
Many who voted did so
November 4, 2009 - 23:59 ET by jkwtradingMany who voted did so absentee, so their ballots were done weeks ago..I think I saw some numbers where she got 2-3% of her total from absentee..
BUT its a great showing and the GOP better take notice along with the dim wit Dems.
F--- You Matthews you loud mouthed piece of S--t
November 4, 2009 - 23:09 ET by Lord ErondHoffman was an unknown in single digits 6 weeks ago with both parties airing campaign ads against him. Palin comes out and stumps for him and the man almost takes the election. If not for the idiots still voting for the RINO, I have no doubt he would have won.
But you're too busy tracing that thrill up your leg and grabbing your tiny little pee pee to do any honest or credible journalism. Maybe if you had ANY sense of honesty, you would solidly recognize that Palin's pull almost put a total unknown in that seat.
But you and bathtub boy are too busy grabbing each other to do that.
"Timothy, guard what God has entrusted to you. Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge."
Timothy 6:20