Republicans also take a pass on their convention

Republicans love to point out Democrats, like Missouri's Claire McCaskill, who are skipping the Democratic National Convention for the sake of politics. That would be a potent line of attack if, you know, Republicans weren't being equally scared of being seen with their nominee. Linda McMahon, Senate, Connecticut [I]f McMahon wins the Aug. 14 Republican primary for retiring Sen. Joe Lieberman’s seat, she will not attend the Republican National Convention that begins in Tampa Aug. 27. “Our focus is going to be on campaigning in Connecticut,” said McMahon campaign spokeswoman Kate Duffy. Steve Obsitnik, Andrew Roraback, House, Connecticut Other high-profile GOP congressional candidates are also staying home, including Steve Obsitnik, who is running for Democratic Rep. Jim Himes' 4th District seat, and Andrew Roraback, who is running to represent the 5th District. Jon Hunstman, former presidential candidate, Utah Huntsman, who says he’s been at every convention since 1984 when he was a delegate for Ronald Reagan, told The Salt Lake Tribune in a statement that he’s been asked repeatedly whether he would attend the August convention in Tampa, Florida, but that he’s skipping it. "I will not be attending this year’s convention, nor any Republican convention in the future, until the party focuses on a bigger, bolder, more confident future for the United States — a future based on problem solving, inclusiveness, and a willingness to address the trust deficit, which is every bit as corrosive as our fiscal and economic deficits," Huntsman said. Presumably, the GOP is laughing back at Mr. Two Delegates. George Allen, Senate, Virginia "Since we are locked in a close race and can’t be in two places at once, the focus will continue to be listening and meeting with Virginia families, veterans, and small business leaders on the campaign trail," said Allen spokeswoman Emily Davis. Of course, Allen can't be both in California raising money and in Virginia "listening" to people either, but that didn't stop him. Dean Heller, Senate, Nevada Now an appointed U.S. senator, Heller said Thursday he's thinking of staying home again in 2012 to campaign for the Senate as he faces a tough race. Danny Rehberg, Senate, Montana A campaign spokesman said Rehberg would remain in Montana to focus on his campaign against the freshman senator rather than attend the convention in Tampa, Fla., in August. Heather Wilson, Senate, New Mexico Wilson spokesman Chris Sanchez said that the former congresswoman does not plan to attend the convention in August and will be campaigning in New Mexico at the time. Linda Lingle, Senate, Hawaii [S]he’s skipping the Republican National Convention in Florida on Aug. 27. A campaign spokesman told DC808 that Lingle will be “at home campaigning at that time.” The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has made Lingle’s 2008 appearance at the Republican National Convention a major theme in its criticisms of Lingle. The former governor is running on a platform of bipartisanship, but opponents argue she’s an unwavering Republican. As much attention as the media has showered on the handful of Democrats who are skipping their convention in North Carolina (McCaskill! McCaskill! McCaskill!), it looks like more Republicans are skipping theirs. Not that I blame anyone for doing so. Candidates most likely ARE better served by staying home and campaigning. Yet it's time the media stops pretending this is an Obama problem, and realize that candidates in tough districts or state—regardless of party—have genuinely better things to do.

Comments

[T-S]

The "media" to which you refer are all in the top 20%. The true media - the populist media who are actually journalists aren't heard from unless you go looking for them. I do. KS does not.

Even MSNBC seems to rotate the same people through every show they air. It gets old for a good liberal or progressive. I'm sure the same thing happens on the right with Fox non-News but let's face it, the herd over there loves repetition. That's what they get. It's obvious from ratings that liberals watch and then leave to go elsewhere for other opinions and analyses.

[Puget Sound Blathers]

ok, if by true journalist you mean mike mallow and randi rhodes then it's hard to take you seriously. if you mean, matt taibi or david weigel then you may be on to something. will you be linking to them from your upcoming blog?

i was surprised at the number of repubs who may be taking a pass at the convention.

[T-S]

No, I don't mean them and you should have been able to figure that out. And you are the last person I'll look to to tell me who a "true journalist" is. I can think a whole wider than Weigel or Taibbi although I like Taibbi a lot and have posted his words several times.

Now that you've judged my post, what do you have to offer that isn't a mischaracterization of mine?

What surprises you about the repubs missing the conventioin?

[T-S awaiting answer from PS?]

Unable to think of an answer, PS?

[KS]

T-S you are spouting nonsense again. Populist to you means net roots and progressive/ neo-coms to a majority of this country. To you and many progressivists, the truth is dull - so they'd rather liven it up with some fiction in an effort to make the right wing/Tea Party look bad, but the asshats from the corrupt leftist-biased media already do anyway.

Fox News has more credible reporters than MSLSD and CNN hands down. Only a crackpot and the community organizer in chief and his radical cabal would not see that.

I'll give both sides that they have their biased talk shows on MSNBC and Fox and CNN.

[Walt]

"Fox News has more credible reporters than MSLSD and CNN hands down.'
And you base that on......?

[KS]

Facts and Common sense - Walt. The latest polls say that Fox News (for News) is the most trusted of any network - cable or otherwise. Check it out.

[ExPattBrit]

The poll reveals that "Fox News viewers trust the information that Fox gives them."

The key finding in the telephone poll of 1,070 likely voters is that network news is dying. Some 28 percent say that they trust Fox News the most, followed by CNN at 18 percent. After that, the trust in TV news nose dives. NBC was third, at 10 percent, MSNBC fourth at 7 percent, CBS and ABC tied at fifth with just 6 percent.

So Another way of looking is that 72% don't trust Fox news and Fox news viewers are potentially the most loyal and most gullible.

[T-S awaiting answer from PS?]

And what about the Pew Poll that said Fox viewers are least informed of all cable news viewers?

Thanks for putting it in perspective, Brit.

[Mike D]

"Fox News has more credible reporters than MSLSD and CNN hands down."

KS, you gotta have more savvy than that if you expect to be taken seriously. It's okay to think that FOX News is a credible news organization but don't say it out loud!

[Puget Sound Blathers]

hey, T-S had a question for me.

"Fox actually scored better than its two direct cable-news rivals -- MSNBC, which is a liberal counterpoint to Fox, and CNN, which is considered more middle-of-the-road. Also scoring lower than Fox were local television news, the evening network news shows and the network morning shows."

Which Pew Pole are you looking at?

[T-S]

One word: informed. Can you answer it? If not, please don't waste my time.

[T-S]

Even now more sponsors pulling ads from Limbaugh - from Think Progress:

UPS Pulls Ads From Rush Limbaugh’s Radio Show | UPS has pulled its ads from Rush Limbaugh’s radio show, becoming the latest company to boycott the show since his well-circulated slurs against Georgetown Law student Sandra Fluke. Cumulus Media, which owns 38 of the 600 channels that air Limbaugh’s show, told financial analysts that the boycott — now more than 40 companies and counting — cost them “a couple million bucks in the first quarter and a couple of million bucks in quarter two.”

By Aviva Shen on Jul 9, 2012 at 2:01 pm

[Coiler]

UPS is a good union company, thank gawd their employees are not resorting to living on public assistance like Wal Mart forces their slaves to do.

[KS]

Do yourself a favor and watch Max Keiser/Gerald Celente and then figure out that a 'free market' dumps the loses on everyone else, ok?

Posted by: Preston | July 09, 2012 at 07:36 PM

Tell you what, I'll do that after you read about the positive side of a free-market economy, which you evidently have not. If they dislike free-market, they must favor marxism - no in-between. Sounds like you have been brainwashed by Keiser and Celente who by process of elimination must favor communism.

There's only two places where marxism/socialism works: In heaven where the don't need it and in hell where they have it already.
- Former President Reagan

PSB - you know they say that a skunk never smells its own pew (re:T-S)

[KS]

"Fox News has more credible reporters than MSLSD and CNN hands down."

KS, you gotta have more savvy than that if you expect to be taken seriously. It's okay to think that FOX News is a credible news organization but don't say it out loud!

Posted by: Mike D | July 08, 2012 at 04:27 PM

The difference between you and me is that I am NOT a lemming.

[T-S]

Let's give that it's own space, shall we KS?

PSB - you know they say that a skunk never smells its own pew (re:T-S)

Posted by: KS | July 09, 2012 at 09:36 PM

That was so clever. You must be proud.

[BlackRhino]

Looks like the Romney crowd doesn’t think very highly of us poor slobs.

”they don't understand what's going on. I just think if you're lower income -- one, you're not as educated, two, they don't understand how it works, they don't understand how the systems work”

[KS]

The shoe seems to fit T-S. Don't do as you do, do as you say - the PROG creedo. That's all.

Why play the victim BR ? How lemming-like of you..

[BlackRhino]

Ohh KS, if someone pronounce you an ‘asshole’ does that make you an asshole? I would think they would be the asshole for calling my friend KS, an asshole. What say you my friend?

[T-S]

Nick Hanauer just said on O'Donnell "we've had thirty years of trying out the rich like me as job creators and it hasn't worked." A smart venture capitalist. An honest one. O'Donnell called it "semantic infiltration"("semantic infiltration" - employing less-than-accurate words in an effort to shape the debate) - a term coined by Patrick Moynihan - talking about the myth of the rich as "job creators."

Simple minds believe garbage like that. Any intelligent person can figure out it takes customers to create jobs. Supply is determined by demand.

BTW,if Mike D. and Rhino are lemmings, I want to be one too. Pretty please.

[BlackRhino]

"semantic infiltration" = never repeat their talking points.

[KS]

The truth hurts - you give it away. I say Black Rhino that you should be banned or deleted until you clean up your act because you are pissing off and keeping others away from this blog.

You have lost the argument once you degenerate into name calling with nothing of substance to offer anyway.

[KS]

BTW,if Mike D. and Rhino are lemmings, I want to be one too. Pretty please.

Posted by: T-S | July 09, 2012 at 10:38 PM

Let the jury of public opinion determine that. You aren't a lemming - you are a sycophant. Mike D and BR degrade themselves in the eyes of others by following your lead - like they can't think for themselves, which is worse than thinking incoherently for yourself. Keep digging your own hole, T-S. You're doing a heck of a job.

[BlackRhino]

Ohhhhh, hurt feelings KS? You didn’t answer the question. You harangue and badger others to answer your questions ad nauseum, why not you? Tell us why we are victims when the rich say we are ignorant?

[KS]

Why get defensive ? Does the truth hurt still ? Put down the bong. You are becoming incoherent. Your charges are baseless, considering the source, drama boy...

[BlackRhino]

Sorry KS, didn’t mean to let my slip show. But I can’t help to notice you didn’t answer the question. Why would the less well off be victims if they decided to think differently from the rich?

[Mike D]

KS projects his own shortcomings onto his political foes. It's classic conservative dysfunction. Don't let it get to you.

[KS]

The question is redundant and my answer is so what ! Don't have such a thin skin. Using the old projection argument - OK, so what was I projecting ?

I'd like to call your attention to Pat Caddell's article on the Achilles Heel of the current president; Taxes and Trust. It is compelling and begs the question of why you would trust re-electing someone who breaks promises routinely ? It reeks of double standards and liberal fascism. Just sayin '

Romney or virtually any other candidate is more trustable - virtually all of the attacks by the Obama campaign are false and petty. What does that say about your self-awareness and perceptive abilities ?