Subscribe to
Posts [Atom]
Friday, January 22, 2010
In the Face of Conventional Wisdom
Nate Silver, the Numbers Nerd at fivethirtyeight.com, the man who has called more races right than anyone else we know, crunches the math for North Carolina and declares that the U.S. Senate race against Dick Burr "winnable with a tip-top campaign" and that -- surprise! -- "Elaine Marshall looks like the best candidate."There are gonna be some NC politicos and young turks howling over that one.
Labels: Elaine Marshall, Richard Burr
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Uh-Oh
Newest U.S. Senate candidate Cal Cunningham sez he applauds Obama's Afghanistan surge. Rival U.S. Senate candidate Elaine Marshall, not. Elaine Marshall supports a public option reform for health insurance. Cal Cunningham, not so much, deigning to admit only that he'd vote to let debate go forward.Whaaa?
Those are some clear distinctions in the upcoming N.C. Dem primary, differences that don't in our mind tilt in Cunningham's favor.
In fact, Campaign Diaries is driven to perhaps the unkindest comparison one could make at this time: Is Cal Cunningham shaping himself to be North Carolina's Creigh Deeds, the recently defeated Dem candidate for governor of Virginia, who failed miserably to ignite his own base?
Thanks to the heavy thumb of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Cal Cunningham today looks less like an attractive insurgent than like the good ole boys' boy.
Labels: Cal Cunningham, Elaine Marshall
Friday, December 11, 2009
Elaine Marshall on Afghanistan Surge
Elaine Marshall, one of three Democrats announced who say they're running in the 2010 Democratic primary to challenge Sen. Dick Burr, issued a statement on President Obama's decision to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan:
I acknowledge that there are no easy answers in Afghanistan and I respect the time and consideration that the President took in making his decision. However, I disagree that now is the time to commit 30,000 additional men and women to prop up a corrupt government that has shown no real effort to reform itself. The mission that we are about to undertake has too much to do with building a nation that has not had a stable or responsible government in decades and too little to do with keeping us safe at home.
Labels: Elaine Marshall, Richard Burr
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Cunningham Won't Run
Cal Cunningham, prominently mentioned this year as another possible contender for the Democratic nomination to take on Dick Burr in the 2010 Senate race, posted on BlueNC late last night that he's decided it's not the right race nor the right time.
Leaving Elaine Marshall and Ken Lewis still definitely in.
And Bob Etheridge, congressman from the NC-2 who voted FOR the Stupak amendment on Saturday, is also still considering a run. We'd advise against it.
Leaving Elaine Marshall and Ken Lewis still definitely in.
And Bob Etheridge, congressman from the NC-2 who voted FOR the Stupak amendment on Saturday, is also still considering a run. We'd advise against it.
Labels: Bob Etheridge, Cal Cunningham, Elaine Marshall, Kenneth Lewis, Richard Burr
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Dick Burr, Wrong for N.C. in So Many Ways
The Senate Guru lists "Eight Ways Richard Burr Displayed Poor Judgment, a Lack of Integrity, and Utter Contempt for Others." Let us recite some of the ways:2) Richard Burr Lied About Supporting Additional Funding for the Successful "Cash for Clunkers" Program
Promised he would vote for an additional $2 billion, money already appropriated in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but then voted "nay."
3) Richard Burr Voted to Keep "Being a Victim of Domestic Violence" as a Pre-existing Condition Worthy of Denying Insurance Coverage
It's just a basic fact that women have more "pre-existing conditions" than men. Whattya gonna do?
6) Richard Burr Is a Shameless Hypocrite When It Comes to President Obama's Economic Stimulus Bill
Voted against President Obama's stimulus plan as "wasteful" spending, then shows up for the photo op and takes credit when money gets handed out in N.C.
8) Richard Burr Ordered His Wife to Make Some Notorious Trips to the ATM
Everyone's most memorable Burr is the Burr with inside knowledge about an impending bank crisis who was generous enough to let all us ordinary people know about it. No, wait. This is the Burr who sent his wife to grab what she could before the rest of us depleted the cash pool.
There is more in this vein at Senate Guru.
The most recent and perhaps the most outrageous example was Burr's vote against the Franken amendment to a defense appropriations bill that would ban federal funds going to companies (like Halliburton) that require arbitration in the case of sexual assault, rather than allowing a raped woman to seek redress through criminal court proceedings. The measure passed 68 to 30 with all the Democrats and all the Republican women voting for the Franken amendment. Burr was one of the 30 Republican men who were much more concerned about protecting no-bid contractors than protecting the rights of women.
Glad to see Elaine Marshall out this a.m. with a statement condemning this last vote by Burr. Meanwhile, Burr is scrambling to explain it all away, kicking up a small cloud of dust that the amendment doesn't really do women any good and, by the way, some of his best friends are women.
Labels: Elaine Marshall, Richard Burr
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Elaine Marshall Is In
N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall has filed paperwork to create a campaign committee for a run for the U.S. Senate seat currently warmed by Dick Burr.This announcement will probably clear the field of many potential rivals, as Marshall will be formidable in any primary.
She has, for example, been consistently the top Democratic vote-getter in Watauga County whenever she's on the ballot.
Labels: Elaine Marshall, Richard Burr
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Cal Cunningham
There's chatter this a.m. over at BlueNC about Cal Cunningham, who's obviously itching to get into the Democratic senatorial primary for a chance to face "Bank Panic Dick" Burr, the Invisible Senator, next year. A whole host of possible candidates -- including Cunningham, Elaine Marshall, Dennis Wicker, and Bob Etheridge -- are waiting for Sen. Robert Menendez, head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, to tap the DSCC's pick, since a lot of money and tactical support would come with the tapping. Coronation by the DSCC would also winnow the field pretty quickly.We've had a chance to meet and hear Mr. Cunningham speak a couple of times recently, and we're impressed that he would take the fight to Burr and is probably best equipped to generate enthusiasm among that newest Democratic demographic, the 18-30 age group. He's honing his attack on Burr and drawing the necessary distinctions.
Chuck Schumer, head of the DSCC two years ago, picked Kay Hagan to run against Liddy Dole. Robert Menendez will do the picking this year. It's not necessarily the way we'd like to see our senatorial candidates picked, but that's the way it is. Period.
Labels: Bob Etheridge, Cal Cunningham, Charles Schumer, Dennis Wicker, Elaine Marshall, Elizabeth Dole, Kay Hagan, Richard Burr, Robert Menendez
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Senate Guru profiles the four "most likely" Democrats to get into a Senate primary race next year to challenge Sen. Dick Burr.
Four? Add Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy, sez Senate Guru.
Four? Add Chapel Hill Mayor Kevin Foy, sez Senate Guru.
Labels: Cal Cunningham, Elaine Marshall, Kenneth Lewis, Richard Burr, Senate Guru
Monday, June 08, 2009
She'd Be the Instant Front-Runner
Elaine Marshall, North Carolina's excellent Secretary of State, sez she's not ruling out a run for U.S. Senate against Dick Burr."It's on my radar screen," Marshall said. "I have not excluded myself from that."
She'd have the name recognition, not to mention the political moxie, to dominate the projected rivals who have been mentioned so far.
Labels: Elaine Marshall, Richard Burr
