Talk radio: it's a post-election gloatation device ...but that's about it

We, like most progressives, have been bracing ourselves for the ass-kicking we were to take in the mid-terms.

(photo: Dino Rossi on the runway)

We steeled ourselves to be philosophical; to man-up and take it from talk radio, and our right-wing commenters, who have been pre-gloating for months.

Tuesday's shellacking, of course, was a surprise to no one; what with the job-weak economy, and the wide variety of legislative and foreign policy issues President Obama took on (and actually passed) in his first two years.

He could have played it safe. He didn't. There's plenty of time for him to work on 2012 now that such major lifting has been done.

Things would have been quite different Tuesday if Obama voters (the young and the brownish) had come out in the same numbers as they did in '08 - recreating the miracle in the off-years is a problem with a movement politician (even the messiah).

Mid-terms are forever thus, especially in a big, fat recession. Despite the 24/7/365 smears, and what right-wing media tells us, people still like Obama; his approvals are in the high 40's, early 50's.

A wave it was. But it was no tsunami. 1994 was a tsunami which installed the GOP for 16 years. This time they'll be lucky if they get two.

It could have been much worse... But turns out this country is still pretty much divided in half, and the tea-party's nominating wackish candidates (Colorado, Nevada, Delaware, Alaska, New York) actually kept Republicans from taking the Senate. 

The view from our perch in the West is pretty nice. Looks like it's 3-Strikes-Dino-Rossi-is-out. Maybe Rick Larsen will pull it out in the 2nd District. We love the looks of Oregon's gubernatorial; the irony of the Palin clown candidacy in Alaska; the huge Latino vote which put Harry Reid and Jerry Brown over the top.

Again we're reminded of how talk radio was once a big media player in this state. KVI morning jock Kirby Wilbur's Seattle demonstration against Hillary Clinton played large in the defeat of the Clintons' healthcare plans. It was also the kick-off to an unprecedented 1994 conservative sweep over this blue, blue state.

Now that was a tsunami! And it was percolated on the AM band. 

In its day, local radio jocks like Wilbur, Mike Siegel, and John Carlson played significant activist parts in campaigns for candidates, initiatives and protest demonstrations.

No more. Local right-wing talk is all but gone, even the stations have disappeared. Can't think of one issue or candidate that the last 3 or 4 talkers left standing in Seattle influenced in any measurable way in the last five years.

But they're still pretty good at gloating...

 

 

Comments

[sparky]

Im really happy that Kitzhaber won in Oregon.

So, when the Farm Bill is dumped, along with all those farm subsidies...I wonder if the farmers in Eastern Wa will still be happy?

[Puffman]

It pretty much all came down the way Puget Sound called it, now didn't it...Bwahahahaha :) (Have fun, kids)

[Jana H]

This wasn't 1994 all right, it was bigger.

[Coiler]

AM radio may be a player in areas that have dial-up.

[tru blu]

Now that dino has lost three elections to a girl.Will he run against Maria in 2012? Please dino run, run, run, make it four in a row

[Manurekicker]

Sparky, the Farm Bill won't be dumped. Nothing will change, except mil/billionaires will keep or enlarge their 'job producing' tax cuts, and the Mil-Ind-Sec-Prison Complex will metastacize further. In two years time this same crowd will be kicked to the curb. Meanwhile, the Republic circles the drain.

Jana, were you aware of the empirical method for measuring? Put simply, it's like counting piles of rocks. If one pile has more rocks than the other, it's "bigger".

[Andrew]

Hopefully the thuglicans won't find a way to start another war or drown another major city with their two year grace period.

[KS]

Dino best not run in 2012 and why should he ? The Rethugs need to rethink their war strategy and flush the neo-coNs because that is a hot button issue and will affect the perception of millions of voters in the future. Another Iraq War scenario by them would make them a third party.

GW Bush led the GOP over of the cliff, but some of them scrambled back away in time to politically survive. That is in the rear-view mirror and some fiscally responsible people with R's in front of their names will bring on gridlock back to DC.

Glad that Kitzhaber won ? Weird, Sparkles. Dudley was not the best candidate and Alley would have been better. Another recycled governor who said that Oregon was ungovernable at the end of his last term. Just hope the sales tax is not adopted under his watch, which may be less likely as they gained a number of GOP's in the legislature.

[The Anti-Dori]

Brown and black on the streets due to unemployment and foreclosures. Why should they come out for Obama?

Certainly no tsunami except in the very small craniums of some uninformed frequenters of this blog.

[Mike Barer]

Congrats on the KVI scoop! Many of my DJ friends linked to it on facebook.

[LucasFoxx]

"Can't think of one issue ... " Dave Ross July 4th? Certainly not the same level, but still impressive.

I have a young co-worker who didn't vote. Says voting doesn't matter. It's one of the few things I completely disagreed with George Carlin on. 1 or 2 votes often makes a huge difference in local elections. If these people are prevented from ever being Mayor of Wasilla or someplace, they might never make it to higher office to lower the level of civil discourse.

[Andrew]

I think young people feel that the presidential elections matter because G.W. Bush proved that the wrong choice can mean going to war for no reason. If Gore had won in 2000 the worst that would have happened is air would have been cleaner. But with these mid term elections, they might change the direction of the ship, but only slightly and it's a slow moving ship anyway. By the time anyone feels anything it will be time to vote again in 2012.

[Radio Queen]

@Mike Barer: The KVI scoop actually came from a post by Ben, who quoted all access.com. Hood didn't get the story up until several hours later.

[Puget Sound]

I think young people feel that the presidential elections matter because G.W. Bush proved that the wrong choice can mean going to war for no reason. If Gore had won in 2000 the worst that would have happened is air would have been cleaner. But with these mid term elections, they might change the direction of the ship, but only slightly and it's a slow moving ship anyway. By the time anyone feels anything it will be time to vote again in 2012.

Posted by: Andrew | November 04, 2010 at 02:26 PM

How difficult is it to vote? Here we have 'mail in' voting. All the 'young people' have to do is check the mailbox and return a signed ballot.
Jeez.
Most other states have vote by mail.

[BlackRhino]

Just back from Washington… I was in a bar as I witnessed the Boner wielding a mallet with bloody nail scores in one hand and a martini in the other. He was doing a bowlegged jangle and mouthing the tune “Hammer Time” as it played relentlessly. Or until he ran out of quarters. Congratulations republicans, to bad Dino couldn’t feel the love.

[KS]

Sounds like there is potential voter fraud right here - what a shock ! Rossi's forces are alleging 17,000 questionable votes processed, but still not enough to change anything. Doubt if they will do anything here - stick a fork in it.

ACORN is still kicking evidently, but under a different name.

[Totally Stupid Conservative]

I hear ya KS, I stopped buying acorn's for my possum fritters. I will also boycott voting too.

[joanie]

If Rossi lost again, it MUST BE VOTER FRAUD! Certainly couldn't be anything else. Right, klueless?

[Totally Stupid Conservative]

I keep hearing Lossi, I wish he would change his name to Dino but that would mean he might be a democrat in name only, or some ancient cartoon animal that turned into oil, so I'm back to square one.

[BlackRhino]

Rossi would have to have at least a 7,000 vote lead after the first count (above the recount-voter fraud limit) for him to win - if there is a recount, the Seattle/King county corrupto-machine will drag her across the finish line.

Posted by: KS | November 01, 2010 at 04:38 PM

[joanie]

If the votes are there. we're determined to count every single one. Rossi isn't? I'd never support a candidate that didn't want to count every single vote. I guess Rossi's just a nice guy and you know what they say about nice guys? They finish last.

[Puget Sound]

murray wins.
congrats to her for pulling it out in a year that is not kind to dems.
i guess for repubs it works out okay in that they won't have to face a particularly effective dem senator.
washington state is a bit of a laggard and is following the fine example set by California.

just hope we can manage to keep our bond rating above 'junk' as Cali enjoys.

[Puget Sound]

I'd never support a candidate that didn't want to count every single vote. I guess Rossi's just a nice guy and you know what they say about nice guys? They finish last.

Posted by: joanie | November 04, 2010 at 10:38 PM

so i guess you were against the Dems when Al Gore tried a little trickery to suppress the military vote back in Florida?

[KS]

"If Rossi lost again, it MUST BE VOTER FRAUD! Certainly couldn't be anything else. "

Joanie once again shows that her keyboard engaged before her brain, or its just lack of reading comprehension.

Here's what I wrote earlier;

"Sounds like there is potential voter fraud right here - what a shock ! Rossi's forces are alleging 17,000 questionable votes processed, but still not enough to change anything. Doubt if they will do anything here - stick a fork in it."

[Puget Sound]

KS
Joanie is once again DWI -Deranged Whilst Internetting- so its no wonder she ended up ass over teakettle in the comprehension canal.

As you know, she never recovered from when Tommy smoked her out on the 911 America Deserved it crap of hers.

[joanie]

You know, sputs, I smile every time you, klueless and chuxie pull out that tired meme. If you had anything but stupid personal attacks and ones that you obviously couldn't verify because whether I drink or not, I certainly would never drink with you, just confirms that every time you post, you have nothing intelligent to say.

Three more vacuous posters Blatherwatch has never entertained. And I can say that based on your idiot posts. I don't have to fantasize to come up with reasons you appear to be so stupid.

[BlackRhino]

Hear, hear...

[Coiler]

"just hope we can manage to keep our bond rating above 'junk' as Cali enjoys."

Not a problem anymore as voters in the Golden State dumped the 2/3 rule to pass a budget, so better times ahead. Why do you right wingers always hope for failure?

[joanie]

And sputs, your new icon fits you: turd green.

[KS]

Three more vacuous posters Blatherwatch has never entertained. And I can say that based on your idiot posts. I don't have to fantasize to come up with reasons you appear to be so stupid.

Posted by: joanie | November 05, 2010 at 09:38 PM

Ph(J)oanie, how many times have I told you not to imbibe while blogging. When you have to resort to insults, it is clear to see that you are losing the debate...

[BlackRhino]

KS, do you read your posts before hitting the “Post” button?

[KS]

yes I do, IMO, Your reading comprehension could use a brush up course if you have a problem understanding my last post, BR.

[Special T]

I'm always amazed how many people think that Government spending more money is a good thing when their wallet is getting thinner... Do you economic geniuses buy more stuff when you get a pay cut? I have customers in rural places like ID & MT and they have droves of people moving in from California.. They run away from a broke system and then vote for the same kind of crap they left.. Liberal BS is a Virus that spreads until in consumes its host, then leaves to start again.