In reporting on Rep. Dave Reichert’s pathetic fundraising quarter (only $236K in 4Q, trailing Darcy Burner $607K to $462K in the all important cash-on-hand number,) I quipped:
“You immediately understand why Reichert is so desperate to get a seat on the House Appropriations committee: trading earmarks for campaign contributions is his only chance of staying on a level playing field.“
Well just so you know it’s not just partisan speculation on my part, the Seattle Times’ Alicia Mundy, who at times appears infatuated with Auburn’s brawny ex-sheriff, picks up on this theme in a Letter from Washington headlined: “Earmarks tiff spells trouble for Reichert.”
He’s in a tough re-election race against Democrat Darcy Burner, and last week Reichert told CQ Today, a Capitol Hill newspaper, that he needs a seat on Appropriations “now,” and that less-vulnerable candidates can wait their turn.
But….
A seat on a secondary “pork” committee might open Reichert to opposition campaign ads claiming that he is an old-style earmarker, while giving him little chance to direct real money back home.
Yeah, well, but when you’re as desperate as Dave, you take what you can get; even trading earmarks to out-of-district companies in exchange for lump sum contributions is a helluva lot easier than doing call time with constituents. But the question for the GOP leadership is not how desperate Reichert is for campaign cash, but rather, is he actually capable of taking advantage of an Appropriation’s seat in the first place? Given his anemic fundraising efforts thus far, one has to wonder what kind of leverage he has with his leadership — has he actually threatened to retire if denied, and would he actually follow through?
In 2006 House Republicans were forced to defend 21 open seats, compared to only 12 for the Democrats, an unbalanced playing field that surely factored into the Dems retaking the House for the first time since the Gingrich revolution of 1994. But in 2008 the GOP’s field position is dramatically worse, a lopsided 28 to 5 disadvantage… and it’s only February 2. Could Reichert make it number 29? That’s what some local pols are wondering, and if so it would be another big blow to Republican efforts to stave off further losses, especially given the DCCC’s $29 million to negative $1 million cash advantage over the NRCC.
It is hard to imagine the personal advantage to Reichert from exiting now versus rolling the dice on even an underfunded campaign, but he wouldn’t be the first Republican incumbent to have squeaked by in 2006, only to bow out this cycle in the face of a strong repeat-challenger. Either way, we’ll know pretty damn soon; the GOP leadership will announce their choice for the open Appropriations seat sometime over the next week or so, by which time we will be about half-way through the current quarter. If Reichert fails to get the post, and his fundraising efforts have failed to improve, that would be the time to choose between slogging on or pursuing a lucrative lobbying career. I wouldn’t bet money on a Reichert retirement, but if it’s gonna happen this cycle, it’s gonna happen now.
Negative $1 million? Does that mean GOP contributors are demanding refunds?
Reichert ought to retire. He’s just too old and tired. It’s time for young, fresh, vigorous representation in the 8th C.D.! Reichert doesn’t even have the strength to pick up a rabbit. Darcy hugs rabbits! http://tinyurl.com/opkdy That’s why Reichert should move aside.
“pursuing a lucrative lobbying career”
He could tell prospective K Street employers he knows the congresswoman from Washington’s 8th! That might help him get a job.
So if Reichert bows out, who will the GOPers run against Darcy? Motherbeater Irons?
HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR
With Republicans, you always go from bad to worse.
or is that worse to worser?
@6 and then to worstest.
Auburn’s brawny ex-sheriff,
Does he juice?
Goldy always pimped Dumb Ass Darcy on his radio show, now he should get her to give him some of the campaign cash.
When will Darcy give Goldy a job?
You can put a dress on a pig, but it is still just Darcy in a dress.
That ugly fat girl won’t get elected. She is a Loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooer.
Hey Goldy – Is this an example of you being a “wonk”?
I listened to part of YOUR LAST FUCKING SHOW last week. The “wonk” segment where you pontificated about being an intellectual was fucking priceless.
Can you post that so we can download it?
10 – Pay the fucking gambling debt you owe to Goldy.
Lame ass right wing loser.
@9 Did you leave the “s” out of “lo … er” for some reason, or are you just a lousy typist?
@10 Pay your gambling debt, you congealed conglutination of curdled pigeon poo!
@2
If you were a Catholic priest or a Republican and linking to that photo I’d be creeped out.
First the 8th CD, next up the 5th CD.
If Reichert retires, I’m guessing the GOP will run either Luke Esser or Reagan Dunn. Darcy would have a huge advantage over Esser, not sure about Dunn.
Would you rather have Reichert or Dunn as the GOP candidate?
Given the general sense of disgust the public has developed towards the GOP during the reign of the Tyrant, a risen Jesus Christ (presuming he’s a Republican, of course) probably couldn’t beat a jar of sun-dried tomatoes for WA-8.
Explosive New Book: Damning Evidence of 9/11 Coverup
Condi pal in charge of 9/11 investigation suppressed evidence that Bush administration ignored warnings
“In the summer of 2003, Warren Bass, an investigator for the 9/11 Commission, was digging through highly classified National Security Council documents when he came across a trove of material that startled him.
“Buried in the files of former White House counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke, the documents seemed to confirm charges that the Bush White House had ignored repeated warnings about the threat posed by Osama bin Laden.
“Clarke, it turned out, had bombarded national-security adviser Condoleezza Rice in the summer of 2001 with impassioned e-mails and memos warning of an Al Qaeda attack — and urging a more forceful U.S. government response. …
“But when Bass tried to impress the significance of what he had discovered upon the panel, he ran into … a roadblock — his boss.
“Philip Zelikow, … the 9/11 Commission’s executive director, had long been friendly with Rice. The two had coauthored a book. Rice … later placed him on a Bush transition team …. At Rice’s request, Zelikow had … anonymously drafted a new Bush national-security paper in September 2002 that laid out the case for preventive war.
“In commission staff meetings, Zelikow disparaged Clarke …, according to a new book, ‘The Commission: The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation,’ by New York Times reporter Philip Shenon. Bass was so disturbed by … Zelikow’s bullying that … he threatened to resign. So did a Democratic commissioner, Bob Kerrey, when he discovered Zelikow’s ties to the administration. …
“Shenon’s account uncovers a far greater degree of behind-the-scenes political maneuvering … than most people associate with the 9/11 panel … his book reveals that Zelikow exchanged at least four phone calls in the early stages of the inquiry with White House political adviser Karl Rove. …
“Rove himself, according to Shenon, always feared that a report which laid the blame for 9/11 at the president’s doorstep was the one development that could most jeopardize Bush’s 2004 re-election. That’s … why White House lawyers tried to stonewall the commission from the outset. When Clarke finally did testify about his warnings to Rice, Shenon reports, White House counsel Alberto Gonzales and his aides feverishly … [worked with] GOP commissioners to undermine Clarke’s credibility. …
“Shenon’s most damning portrait is of … CIA Director George Tenet. Questioned … by the panel, Tenet was unable to remember … anything he said to Bush about Al Qaeda — or even that he had flown to Texas in August 2001 to brief the president at his ranch in Crawford.
“Tenet also professed to be unaware of a … December 1998 memo … in which Bill Clinton had authorized the CIA to recruit Afghan tribal leaders to kill bin Laden.”
Quoted under fair use; for complete story and/or copyright info see http://www.newsweek.com/id/107492
Betcha it will gall the shit out of immigrant-hating righties that a Mexican immigrant is in line to get the Iraq War’s next Medal of Honor. http://www.newsweek.com/id/107585
Bush’s Promise of Balanced Budget By 2012 Is As Phony As A $3 Bill
“The Bush forecast for a balanced budget by 2012 … depend[s]… on the assumption … there will be no additional war costs for Afghanistan or Iraq after … next year … [and] also … assumes AMT relief … is financed by tax increases elsewhere.”
Quoted under fair use; for complete story and/or copyright info see http://seattletimes.nwsource.c.....get03.html
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Tax increases? Since when is this guy for raising taxes? More true to form: Bush’s budget squeezes “popular education, health, housing and anti-poverty programs” in order to “renew tax cuts on … investments and people inheriting large estates”.
What this shows is (a) Bush Math works only by cooking the books and (b) rich Republicans will stoop to literally anything to get out of paying taxes.
I sometimes wonder if I should be buying stock in companies run by those guys.
Roger Rabbit’s Plan To Balance The Budget
What this country needs is a “Failure Tax”: A tax of 175% on all bonuses and stock options received by CEOs for any year in which their companies’ stock went down.
Big Hair is gone. What a complete idiot. And man I can’t wait to listen to the right wing swill cry when Davie gets pummeled by Darcy – a girl no less!
That twat can have all the money in the world, and in the end she’s still an dizty, unqualified empty-suit. I think McDonald’s is hiring; perhaps someone should let Darcy know.
@22 Roger “where’s the free handouts?” Rodent:
Your post was from 1:21 AM. Get a life already!
OCD OCD OCD OCD OCD
Clueless maybe your MoveOn paid fake historian Rick Perlstein can tell us about Dave Reichert’s earmark tiff?
Waaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaaa haaaaa heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeeee hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaaa haaaaa heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeeee hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaaa haaaaa heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeeee hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaaa haaaaa heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeeee hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo
@25 Rabbits are nocturnal, dumbfuck.
26 – Perlstein wrote a pretty good book on Barry Goldwater and interviewed a lot of people who worked in the conservative movement from way back in the day. All those old right wingers opened their doors to him and commended Perlstein in being more interested in origins of their movement than almost all the right wingers comin up today.
You silliness just makes my point about the increasing irrelevance of your bankrupt ideology.
Keep it up PSilly. You’re doing an excellent job!
Clueless@28: You got burned with my positive proof Perlstein is another 16%er. He got paid by MoveOn. I rest my case on Perlstein. It’s so easy to deal with you Clueless, you’re an instant idiot here everyday.
You are a loser. I bet your son knows more American History than you do.
Waaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaaa haaaaa heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeeee hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaaa haaaaa heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeeee hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaaa haaaaa heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeeee hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaa haaaaa haaaaa heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeee heeeeee hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo hooooo
29 – Perlstein’s coming out with a new book on Nixon and he’s researching another book on Reagan.
Subjects which should be of interest to right wingers.
Too bad your about your silly prejudices. Keep it up though. It plays into what’s coming in November.
So silly and losing in all things you are!
To repeat a point I made earlier:
You have to wonder what the GOP thinks of Reichart right now. A two-term Congressman is expected to be self-sufficient and able to carry the water for the party. He should have built up a sufficient voting, organization, and fund-raising base at this point to not only easily win re-election, but also to aid the Party in the upcoming Presidential elections GOP challengers in other open Congressional races. The fact that he keeps leaning on the Party for support just to keep his seat is probably wearing thin, especially with the GOP having some 28 (?) formerly GOP seats at risk.
If they do give him a seat on the Appropriations Committee, I would expect that will be the last of the GOP support he will get this election cycle. If he can’t win with an advantage like a two-term encumbency plus a seat on the appropriations committee, and he keeps asking for more cash from the diminished GOP coffers, then they are likely to consider him dead weight and cut him adrift. (Sorry for the use of a mixed metaphor).
So given the fact that the Democrats are likely to win the Presidency, and the House will undoubtedly remain Democratic, and the Senate will probably also be Democratic, which even would most likely secure federal funding to replace the 520 bridge serving much of the 8th CD:
(a) Dave Reichart being re-elected, and sitting as a minority member in a Democratic Congress with a Democratic President;
(b) A Democrat being elected to the 8th CD., and serving as a member of the Democratic majority in the House, along with a Democratic Senate and a Democratic president?
By the way – I just got an e-mail from one of my colleages in Japan, confirming that he’s bringing a group over for meeting with vendors (I will be attending, also). Could I please arrange a reservation at a nice steak restaurant for that evening, total head count of between 12 and 18 people? We’ve eaten at the Metropoliton and Daniel’s Broiler before, he likes both of those. Oh, the date is finally set at – Feb. 14th. He doesn’t think we should have any scheduling probelms – after all, it’s more than a week away!
Any suggestions, anybody?
Oh, and please don’t include any suggestions which include the phrases “…stick it….”or anything similar. I’ve already gone through that phase, gotten it out of my system, and now I’m just trying to work the problem.
I can’t see Reichart retiring. After all, if he gets re-elected and serves one more year, then he qualifies for a Congressional pension (on top of his King Co. Sheriff’s Dept. pension).
And Reichart hasn’t oganized his post-retirement security consulting business yet – he’s got to check with Gulliani on how to do that. Besides, those gigs won’t be nearly as profitable once the Democrats get in office. In the past companies would pay millions just because the company owners purported to have an “inside track” to the administration and Congress, which could guarantee billions of dollars of treasury money, awarded through no-bid contracts and virtually no oversight.
Gee, if McCaine won (no, I’m not saying he would), don’t you think Reichart would be first in line to be appointed as FEMA director????? He would promise to give emergency preparedness the same attention he gave to finding the Green River Killer. The next time a hurricane hits, he will send relief supplies off to the wrong city, but sometime in the next decade or so, he would eventully get it sent to the right place.
rhp6033 said: “He would promise to give emergency preparedness the same attention he gave to finding the Green River Killer.”
rhp6033: Answer the question: Who gave Gary Ridgway the lie detector tests? Reichert? How many lie detector tests did Gary Ridgway take? 1? 2? 3? 4? 5? 7? 10?
Again you speak with no facts. I’ll start call you CrapMaster for all the smelly crap you are starting to leave here.