talk radio initiative runs out of gas

I-912, the anti-infrastructure, no-new gas-tax initiative spawned on Seattle talk radio appears to be failing at the time of this writing election night  post.

All there's left for the counting is King County and it's presently defeating it at over 60%.

The measure, which would have never made it to the ballot without talk radio, was polling favorably at over 70% only a few months ago.

The Yes campaign will continue to play the class card and claim they were the victims of the rich corporate elite's Big Money campaign which overcame their Jack & the Beanstalk jousting with the power elite.

But in actuality, the campaign, which depended on voter outrage was mugged by reality.

They could not overcome, even with illegal direct campaigning on the public airwaves, the voters' realization that infrastructure was both needed and needed to be paid for.

They could not overcome the perception of the disaster of an unprepared government and inadequate infrastructure after Hurricane Katrina. Suddenly, earthquake vulnerable bridges and highways were unacceptable.

They could not overcome Big Bucks well spent--the No campaign tailored their messages to specific areas around the state--their job was simple--give 'em the facts about the transportation package scorned by talk radio.

They could not overcome the opposition of their own Republican business base.

They could not overcome a measure passed legally and in good faith by a majority of duly elected representatives.

They could not overcome the mighty juggernaut of local progressive blogs and websites: the Northwest Progressive Institute,  horsesass.org, Evergreen Politics, On the Road to 2008, Progressive Majority, WA State Political Report, Artistdogboy and more.  

They could not overcome the watchful eye and withering tongue of BlatherWatch, who was reporting on the 1-912 campaign when it was still a twinkle in the beady eyes of Kirby and John.

They could not overcome the innate common sense of the American voter, who always sees through the bullshit, eventually.

Tonight's election coverage was pretty good on the whole, despite 2 out of 3 stations were conservative--we dig listening to right wing radio when they're losing-- it's deeply satisfying, as rare as that pleasure has been of late.

Air America's KTPK, of course, had no coverage because they have no live and local programming. 

Dave Ross on KIRO didn't rub it in too much with Dori Monson who took some pretty big hits. He sure is agreeable when he's down...We were reminded of how terrific is KIRO's news team. We were all over the dial and nobody, including arch-rival KOMO, could touch Tony Miner and his newsroom especially for getting the numbers out before anyone else.

KVI had of course, John Carlson, Kirby Wilbur, Bryan Suits, plus Ken Schram for comic relief and a refreshing shot of liberalism. As partisan and invested as Carlson and Wilbur were in the election, they didn't try to cover up the bad news as it unfolded, making real analysis, instead even when reality wasn't going their way.

Unlike Mike Siegal on KTTH who spoke of little else other than I-900, the successful performance audit initiative he worked on. It was a foregone conclusion it would pass and he spent the night clapping himself on the back, puffing up Bob Williams and Eyman's moneybags, Mike Dunmire.  He was in denial the whole night that his nemesis, county Executive Ron Sims was winning; and I-912 was in trouble--he left the air at 9:30 like the true partisan he is predicting an Irons win. It was bad radio.

Michael Medved then took over and licked Dino Rossi (remember him?) to death about his new book, " I Was a Contender! a self-aggrandizing vanity press campaign brochure he sells out of the trunk of his car.

The big winners tonight:

Ron Sims

Domestic tranquility.

Governor Christine Gregoire

representative democracy

trust in local government

a brave bipartisan Legislature

Secretary of Transportation, the gracious Doug McDonald
~~
The big losers:

Dave Irons

Domestic violence

Carlson & Wilbur

talk radio and microwave democracy

the ash tray industry

Comments

[Lazy Murrow]

Poor KVI. Their big fish runs for governor but returns to the spawning ground, gulping for air. In the next election, they carry Dino Rossi's water... all the way down the drain. The station surfaces briefly to wash over the court challenge, but like all their groupers they desperately grab onto the Shark fin, and end up on a quick dive back to the bottom. Once there, they fart out a few anti-tax gas bubbles -- which only makes them look shellfish.

Meanwhile, the few sane listeners KVI has left can't fathom all this trolling, to which they exclaim, "Abalone!" Many of them cut bait and run.

Cod knows why KVI's ratings are in the tank. It's like they're floundering and no one is left to pick up the Pisces. Must be some kind of fluke.

Either that, or the people have spoken, and KVI is hard of herring.

[Scrilla]

In spite of your whaling, KVI will reporpoise itself.

[JDB]

If anything, this election shows that liberals finally have some sort of counterbalance to the far right. They are still out numbered in talk radio, but the liberal blogs have proven very effective.

[ExDem]

You mean the liberals have some sort of counterbalance beyond KOMO, KING, KIRO, KCTS, Seattle PI and the Seattle Times? That's good to know. Every little bit helps.

In a state that elects Jim McDermott to Congress with 80% of the vote (almost approaching the numbers Saddam achieved in his "elections") and has Patty Murray as it's senior senator, I'm not too worried that the "far right" is going to take over.

[ExRat]

“I'm not too worried that the "far right" is going to take over.”

Indeed! It is nice to hear you admit that your thoughts are so far removed from the mainstream in this enlightened part of the country.

[ExDem]

The rest of the country seems to admire how "enlightened" our state is. There is an annual poll of all senatorial staffers called the "Rocket Scientist" poll. The staffers vote on who the least intelligent (less kind term = stupidest) senator is. Patty Murray has "won" that poll for the past 5 years in a row. That's how impressed the rest of the country is about our politicians.

But hey, it is a beautiful place to live. I love it here. I'm more worried about what the far left will do to ruin this place if they run amok.

[ExDem]

Just ran across this laughable quote on MSNBC:

"Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean countered that the results showed that voters “want the nation to go in a different way.”"

This was his interpretation of the two governors races in VA and NJ. So, the fact that those governors seats were in Democrat hands on Monday night, and now are in Democrat hands on Wednesday morning, proves without a shadow of doubt that the nation wants "to go in a different way."

OK.....

[Trip]

"In a state that elects Jim McDermott to Congress with 80% of the vote (almost approaching the numbers Saddam achieved in his 'elections') and has Patty Murray as it's senior senator, I'm not too worried that the 'far right; is going to take over."

This is also a state that's produced Ellen Craswell, Doc Hastings and George Nethercutt.

Thanks for playing.

[Trip]

"This was his interpretation of the two governors races in VA and NJ. So, the fact that those governors seats were in Democrat hands on Monday night, and now are in Democrat hands on Wednesday morning, proves without a shadow of doubt that the nation wants "to go in a different way."

OK..... "

What, those 35-39% Bush approval ratings, the 19% Cheney rating, and the 53-37% preference for Democrats to control Congress ratings aren't big enough clues for you either?

(www.pollingreport.com)

[ExDem]

They did a poll in 1998, and again in 2000, and then another one in 2002 and finally in 2004. The results of those polls show that Americans favor the Republicans 55 - 44 in the Senate, 221 - 209 in the House and in the majority of Governorships and State Legislatures. Losers love polls, winners love results.

I guess it's hard for you to get used to being in the minority. Don't worry, there will be another "poll" in 2006 - no one will really care about these other numbers the media and the minority party are so focused on.

[chris]

How would the rest of the country be able to rate Washington, based on a senator, when they can hardly remember the name of their own politicians? I think most people know about Tom Delay.

[chris]

Actually, exdem, Bush went to Virginia to campaign for the incumbent, which is appearently the kiss of death these days for a republican to ask Bush for help, even in a gop stronghold like Virginia. Evidently, it didn't work. It looked like from the TV pictures that Bush just wasn't up to it.

[ExDem]

They've already done exit polls that show that Bush wasn't a factor in how people voted in VA or NJ. But nice try.

[chris]

Well, how was it that Kilgore was polling in the 70's, eariler?

[Scrilla]

Hey chris! Is your name actually spelled crshi? No reason. Just wondering. (after reading your posts)

[chris]

I thought yours was spelled 'skeletor" when I read it

[Chad Stanley]

Sadly, Fred Ebert was not on the air while I-901 was being debated. No doubt his impassioned defense of fine cigars might have tipped the scales away from this draconian initiative.

I can only ponder "what if" as I delight in the fine aroma of my toasted La Flor Dominicana Ligero toro.

(just kiddin' - Fred's numbers wouldn't have made a dent...although I-901 IS draconian)

[Unkl Witz]

Trip:

As a huge fan and ardent listener of John Carlson, I am deeply offended by your omission of his name on your list.

I would like to point out that he managed to lose the governor's race by an even greater margin than Ellen Craswell. I believe it was due to the 'Rush Limbaugh effect'.

[Trip]

I stand humbly corrected.