Whenever we post anything on the race between Darcy Burner and Dave Reichert for WA’s 8th CD, my comment thread fills up, almost without exception, with nasty trolls belittling Burner and her chances this November. But yesterday’s posts were different. Only one comment out of 50 was even remotely trollish, and even at that expressed an uncharacteristic air of resignation…
So I’m going to have to endure at least 2 years of Dumbass Darcy. Yuck.
Now perhaps our trolls are just hopeless romantics, and as such were too busy serenading their sweethearts on Valentines Day to spew their usual bile into the threads. Nah… that can’t be it. No, I’m guessing that despite their rabid readership of this blog they claim to hate, and their obvious dislike of all things both Darcy and Democratic, that air of resignation is real — for even the whackiest of wingnuts can occasionally sense reality creeping up on them, and man, reality doesn’t look too good for the folks on the other side right now.
The typical defense of Reichert has always been an attack on Burner, but the trolls seem to be losing the heart even for that… and why shouldn’t they, as Reichert’s vulnerabilities as a candidate continue to be exposed outside the careful coddling of a Republican majority? But even more discouraging to local R’s must be the dawning realization that Burner isn’t a one hit wonder, and that her 2008 campaign is gonna be at least as competitive as her come from nowhere challenge in 2006.
Reichert’s fundraising numbers suck; he’s lazy and arrogant and unaccustomed to putting the kind of work into campaigning expected in swing districts, even of incumbents. We all know that. But Burner continues to impress, establishing herself as one of only a handful of Democratic challengers to achieve superstar status amongst both netroots activists like me, and the DC establishment.
“Dumbass Darcy”…? Not so much. Indeed according to Congressional Quarterly, Burner has made the list of Top Ten challengers from either party in both total receipts ($874,000 for 7th place) and cash on hand ($607,000 for 5th place.) And she’s one of only four Democrats to make it onto both lists. And, she’s done all that while garnering over 88% of her money from individual contributors (compared to only 59% for Reichert.)
It’s gonna be a tough reelection for Reichert… and even the trolls are starting to admit it.
Heeeere comes Mark1.
You can always depend on that loser for Darcy Hate and “government cheese” tourette’s disease.
Dave’s gonna need his old job back. Now’s a good time for you serial killers to start a new rash of murders.
One bit of advice though, stop after a 19 year killing spree that way you’ll never get caught.
As for the rest of the R’s, the talk in 2009 will be about rebuilding the party, returning to core Republican principles and all that happy horse shit of loser talk.
Baaa haaaa haaa haaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa haaaa haaa haaa
This won’t be a good year for lazy Republicans. Witness the campaign of Grandpa Fred Thompson.
Dave didn’t get the committee seat that was supposed to save his job, mainly because even his own people don’t like him. Why should we?
This won’t be a good year for lying Republicans. Witness the campaign of dishonest Rudy giuliani.
Hmph. The knuckle-draggers were saying the same sort of stuff about Patty Murray when she first ran for the Senate–how long ago was that?
It’s not unusual for those retiring from law enforcement, fire departments, or the military to start a second career. All those jobs have a built-in bias towards youth, so most can retire relatively early in life (in their 40’s) with a full pension. After all, it’s awfully hard to chase down criminals, climb stairs with heavy hoses over your shoulder, or dodge automatic weapons fire in your late 50’s.
But Dave Reichart seems to have thought he was getting the ultimate “desk job” as a 2nd career.
He could parlay his public-relations personna as the “catcher of the Green River Killer” into an easy win for an open Congressional seat in a historically reliable Republican district. He was informed that if he wins the seat, Congressional incumbents have rarely been beaten by challengers, barring some kind of notorious scandal. Moreover, he doesn’t have to put up any of his own money to run for office, or even do any personal fundraising – the party will set that up for him. All he has to do is make sure his hair looks good, show up for appearances, and once he is in office, vote the way his party leaders tell him to (as he once admitted to Republican supporters). If he serves for five years, he gets a full Congressional pension, lifetime health insurance, and all the other perks of Congress. All he has to do is win re-election, twice.
But he’s finding that it’s not as easy as it looks. Now that they are out of power in Congress, the Republicans are finding that the easy money from lobbyists and business interest has dried up. Lots of Republican seats are at risk, so the little that is left will need to be apportioned only to those who have a real chance at winning. And thanks to Bush & Co., the numbers of those “winnable seats” are being reduced to existing encumbents who have carried water for the party for a long time.
Reichart, on the other hand, hasn’t done much for the party. He took a TON of money and effort in 2006 just to keep his job for two more years, despite the advantages of encumbancy and a political neophyte as a challenger. Even then, he barely scraped by. This time around, the voter backlash against the Republicans looks to be even worse. Young voters by the millions, energized, organized, and politicized by the Obama campaign, threaten to turn even red districts blue. And this time, his challenger has name recognition. Reichart will need at least twice the amount of money he had in 2006 in order to have any chance at all of winning again, and there simply isn’t that kind money available.
Besides, a two-term Congressman isn’t supposed to be a drain on party resources. By that time, he’s supposed to have a solid base of support, both at the polls and in the bank account. He’s supposed to be able to spend a good part of his campaign and enfluence to assist other Republicans who are making challenges for open seats or against Democratic encumbents. You know, like Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens did for Mike McGavick. But instead of earning his own way, Reichart is a drain on the party coffers and other resources.
Reichart must be wondering what to do now. He came up against the RNCC chairman for the seat on the appropriations committee, and in the end neither one got it. Now he has an enemy on the RNCC. He doesn’t have a seat on the appropriations committee. His party is in the minority, and the trend is going against them. That second job just isn’t working out the way he thought it would.
George W. Bush is even lazier and dumber than Reichart, but he had rich and influental parents and grandparents to clear the path for him. Reichart tried to make it on his own, but found out that without such assistance, political office actually requires some actual work.
And I thought I just said that.
;)
For Reichert to be re-elected, he has to make the value proposition. Not that he’s “better than Darcy” but that he has value of his own. Without that, he’s going to go exactly nowhere.
When elected, Darcy will be an outspoken and popular (in Dem circles) member of the majority party. If there’s any justice, and Democrats since 2006 have shown a great deal of enthusiasm for promoting on merit instead of seniority, she’ll get plum committee assignments. That alone is one reason to elect her.
2008 is going to be fun. I’ve waited a long time for conservatism to implode.
rhp6033 @ 7
It just seems to me that they ought to pro-rate congressional and military pensions, even for people who serve a short period of time. I think you do get more pension from Congress if you serve longer than 5 years — i.e. as in twice the pension if you serve 10 years, instead of 5 years. But someone who serves a shorter time should get something pro-rated down to their term or two of service.
Military pensions, on the other hand, really suck for short-terms. Police and fire personnel at least get guaranteed a pension at 65 (i.e. many years after leaving a short-term if they switch careers), so long as they work at least five years. They of course get generous early retirement in their 50’s or so if they have devoted 15 or 20 years to these jobs. But military personnel get absolutely nothing in pensions, unless they serve 20 years. By contrast, all civilian jobs with pensions give vested rights after only 5 years of service. Why should a soldier who signs up for 6 years only (especially if they are sent into war) never get any pension whatsoever?
@3
Did he campaign? I was unaware that his poeple had roused him from his nap to actually campaign.
But hey, he gave the whole 87%!! (Snort!)
Add to the stew, the impending economic armegeddon which will be firmly entrenched by fall.
BREAKING NEWS
Dave Reichert has just announced he will not seek re-election in 2008. Sources say he’s going to retire from congress and return to the King County Sheriffs department as a Deputy Sheriff’.
It’s also being reported that Dave will be assigned to the Special Victims Unit. Dave’s first case will be to identify the body of a local black man, about 6’ 2” tall, goes by the blogger name of Puddybud. Ironically, he was found dead, face down in his bathtub filled with milk, Life cereal, and a banana protruding from his anus. Deputy sheriff Reichert was quoted as saying “It looks as if we have a cereal killer on our hands.”
When asked if there were any suspects in the case, Deputy Dave responded “It must’ve been someone Puddybud knew, someone Puddybud trusted and that someone had to strong enough to hold his head under the milk until he drowned. Most likely a man. A man who could pack a banana in his anus. I will dub the suspect ‘PackMan’.”
More new on this developing case as details emerge.
For KIRO NEWS, this is Joe King reporting.
@13
Classic!
I’m a big fan of Teddy Roosevelt, Eisenhower (1), Gifford Pinchot and a few other Republicans from back in in the day. I’m hopeful that after the ’08 elections conservatives will kick the fascists, thieves and crazies out of their party and rebuild it in the image of those folks previously named.
1. Eisenhower was recruited by both parties to run for president. It’s my understanding that despite being the head of the army in WWII people were unaware of his political leanings.
@2 Like you dims did after 1994, 2000, 2002, 2004?
The Darcy? Try empty suit! Her only qualification is that she’s a grad of Camp Wellstone (is that near Karl Marx Stadt?), she’s a Dem, and she served as Prexy of the Ames Lake HOA.
Oh…and that she’s Goldy’s personal lickspittle.
Could she get elected? Sure! As John Edwards proved, in America anyone can get elected to public office — once. But since her agenda (vague platitudes though they may be) is further left than even Nancy Pelosi’s, watch her become a marginalized back-bencher who’s barely tolerated within her own party.
Heath Shuler won’t even invite her to social events!
Since Darcy’s bank account is the sole criterion by which Goldy judges her electibility, I assume he’s been reading MItt Romney’s new book: “I Spent $35mm of My Own Money, and I Couldn’t Even Get a Damn T-Shirt!”
How soon before The Darcy has to get specific on the issues? Will that mysteriously coincide when she alienates the voters who will see her as the love slave of DailyKus/MoveOn.org/netroots and Goldy’s personal HA Happy Hoolihoney?
Curious…how many 8th Congressional District Dems will vote for moderate centrist Sheriff Dave because they don’t want a radical exremist of either party in Congress?
Aside from Darryl the Apostate (because he violates a cardinal tenet of Happy Hooliganism by living on the scandalous Eastside – what’s next, Darryl? An SUV and suits from Jos. A. Bank?) who among the Happy Hooligans can actually vote for her? And who has contributed to her? Aside from Goldy, of course, who endorsed over his KIRO severance check – all $7.10 of it – to her campaign coffers.
Have you noticed…??? Now that Barack Obama is the inevitable one, shades of the honeymoon being over are starting to rear their head. “Hope” has a price tag, it won’t be cheap, and it will come out of your meager HA Happy HooliHourlywages such that you won’t be able to take your kids to the seashore or replace the motor on your Sears Kenmore washing machine you bought at St. Vinnie’s (you guys never buy new).
It’s a l-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-n-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g-g way until November.
The Piper
@13…Joe King…
An anonymous tipster spotted The Darcy wearing shades and a trenchcoat cruising the produce department of the Renton Wal-Mart. Store security cameras have shots of her squeezing the bananas looking for an extra firm one.
Film at 11:00…
The Piper
On Super Tuesday, Barack Obama said:
“Our time has come.”
Sadly, for our resident wingnut trolls:
“Your time is done.”
Goldy — actually there were only 27 comments on the thread you started yesterday on Darcy. There would have been 50, but Piper Scott ignored the thread entirely, and Roger Rabbit only posted a fraction of his usual comments.
http://www.horsesass.org/?p=4309
MItt Romney’s new book: “I Spent $35mm of My Own Money, and I Couldn’t Even Get a Damn T-Shirt!”
But he did get the endorsement of “lickspittles”, Limbaugh, Coulter and National Review.
Some of your favs Poopster!
@19…YippyLil’Boy…
And your time is spent eternally Waiting for Godot. Which are you? Vladimir or Estragon?
The Piper
Goldy: we ought to have a few threads just for the resident trolls.
In fact – I think it would be interesting to have Piper and Puddy actually write something that others critique. Of course, we could just go over to Whackynation and make fun of the pathetic postings over there – wait, why don’t Puddy and Piper post there?
The nice thing about reading the comments from Piper and Puddy is that I can be connected to a whole different universe.
A universe where republicans are still popular.
Where George Bush and Dick Cheney are heroes.
Where the war in Iraq has been a huge success.
Where terrorists are everywhere and I need to hide from them.
Where the economy is still doing great.
Where there is no huge budget deficit.
Where torture is celebrated and amerika still has prestige in the world.
Where illegal wiretapping is just the government trying to help us out on the phone lines.
Where we can place total trust in the government – except for all social programs.
Where the environment is something we can make money off of.
Where polls are stupid becuse they only show what the libs think.
Where liberals are the casue of all the problems.
Where personal reponsibility is preached except when it comes in conflict with republican beliefs.
Where elections really aren’t about voting – they are about the aprty deciding who should get elected.
Us democrats are SUCH DOWNERS! ‘Cept for that terrorist stuff.
Let’s see National Review endorsed:
Romney and Thompson and Rudy….and all three went Kaput. Now they will come out for McCain.
The kiss of death!
@19 Ever hear of a gentleman named William Jennings Bryan? I’m thinking y’all have a modern incarnation as your frontrunner.
I guess we’ll know one way or the other in a few months…
PS @ 17: Gee, considering how “incompetent” you think Darcy is, it’ no wonder that she was so severely trounced by incumbent Congressman Dave Richart….
Oh, wait, he barely one that re-election campaign, didn’t he??? And only after getting supportive visits from lots of Republican national party figures, and fund-raising supports, and lots of last-minute cash infusions spent on misleading and negative TV ads….
I guess if she is so incompentent, as you say, then Reichart must be a REAL dolt in comparison.
The Ames Lake Homeowners association is pleased to announce that board member Darcy Burner has finally completed her analysis of flowers for the entrance.
After considerable analysis and consulation, Ms. Burner recommends tulips and pansies as the preferred floral solution at the entrance.
We hope that residents of the area will appreciate Ms. Burner’s experience in this critical matter, and will consider this experience when considering candidates to lead the country during this critical period in our history.
20 – And Mark The Redneck Wonk was out earning a fucking living to pay my 95% “fair share” of the fucking taxes you loser fucking freeloaders don’t.
Hey Goldy – I’ve asked you many times. C’mon… post the “wonk” segment from your LAST SHOW on KIRO.
That was fucking hilarious. You fancying yourself as an intellectual. LMAO
Fucking priceless.
I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.
And your time is spent eternally Waiting for Godot.
Anticipating November will do just fine for me Poopster.
You fancying yourself as an intellectual.
You fancying yourself as someone with any morals is what’s really funny.
Pay the fucking gambling debt you owe to Goldy – loser.
Or at least put the $100 into Goldy’s daughter’s school lunch fund …
Hey Pope – Tell us… how many elections have you lost? Is it 11? How many more do you plan?
Also, how’s the concentration camp food lawsuit against Costco going?
Goldy
All I’ll admit is that her chances of winning in 08 appear excellent.
That does not mean she is better qualified for the job, only that she happens to have the support of the lefties running this state. She seems like the “net roots” Manchurian candidate to those of us who work for a living.
2008
Darcy Burner wins WA-08.
Barack Obama wins the presidency.
Piper cuts his limp wrists.
Again, the trolls have nothing good to say about Hairspray Dave, and certainly they say nothing about his policies that will convince voters that he’s somehow, against all logic, the guy. Also they say nothing substantive to address his really relevant fall from grace within the GOP and the larger implications of his being associated with such a loser party and ideology in a time of an ascendant Democratic party and in a district that is trending heavily Blue.
No, they have nothing to say about such dull, prosaic matters as who would vote for a lazy, self-centered narcissist as Dave Reichert when they could elect an enrgetic go-getter (in the COngressional majority to boot) as Darcy Burner.
No, they’d rather pretend that their childish playground insults make all the difference, adn that hose will carry the election.
Good luck with that, fucking losers.
MTR @ 33
Better yet, spend your $100 on a 90 day emergency food supply, divide it up equally, and try to survive for 90 days …
HEY MARK MAYBE WHEN GOLDYS HOUSE GOES ON THE MARKET BECAUSE HE IS TO LAZY TO FIND A JOB MAYBE THE TROLLS WILL BUY IT.YOU KNOW THE LEFTIES CANT AFFORD IT WELFARE DOES NOT PAY THAT MUCH.LOSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSERS
Top ten Darcy? What, are those the ten value meals she sells at McDonald’s or something? I hear YLB is looking for a job, perhaps the empty suit can help.
Hasn’t Darcy Dumbass given Goldy a job yet? Goldy, aren’t you resentful each time you pull one of her pubes from between your teeth and realize most the cash she has came from you?
Biggest question is…Which happens first, Burner in congress, Goldy employed, Snow balls in Hell? I’ll take the snowballs.