Thread: GOP swept out in anger

BY MICHAEL McAULIFF
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU


Dems take over the House
Iraq, scandals drive voters
Senate battle a nail-biter

WASHINGTON - Democrats rode a wave of anger at President Bush, sweeping to victory in the House last night and threatening the GOP's hold on the Senate.
In a stunning rebuke to the President, the Iraq war and the scandal-plagued GOP, voters even in deep-red Republican states like Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas and North Carolina - and in upstate New York - decided to throw the bums out.
Democrats shocked the GOP by picking up at least 30 seats - twice what they needed.
"This is looking like the first 20 minutes of 'Saving Private Ryan,' " said a top aide to a Republican governor.
In the Senate, they appeared to have clinched at least a tie but were leading in enough states early this morning to possibly control there, too.
"While the fat lady hasn't sung, we are right on the edge of taking the Senate," a jubilant Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said this morning, adding, "We are not ready to declare victory, but it's looking pretty good."
Moments later, the high-fiving Schumer ran into House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who squealed with delight when he addressed her as "Madame Speaker."
The Democratic tide ran strongest in the House. There, the Dems' strategy of running on national issues and against Bush instead of local concerns carried the day.
Republicans said publicly the vote wasn't a brushback for the President - but not privately.
"Anything other than keeping both Houses is a rejection of the President," conceded a senior Republican official with close ties to the White House.
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), who coasted to reelection, warned the White House to take note of the vote and rethink its Iraq policy.
"Last week," Clinton said, "the vice president said regardless of the outcome, the administration would go full speed ahead in the same direction. I think the American people have said, 'Not so fast!' "
House falls
National exit polls found nearly six in 10 voters disapproved of the war in Iraq and Bush. Many also named corruption as a reason they came out in unusually large numbers in many places.
Indiana was a major blow to the GOP, with three seats flipping. Pennsylvania swapped three seats, with a fourth in balance, and red-leaning upstate lost three GOP seats. Bush did well in those districts in 2004.
In North Carolina, evangelical Christian Democrat and former pro quarterback Heath Shuler topped Rep. Charles Taylor.
In their drive to take the Senate as well, Democrats picked up at least four seats in the early counting, but they needed six to take Senate control.
After a night of nail-biting for the Democrats, James Webb declared victory over Republican George Allen in Virginia. A recount there is likely. Democrat Jon Tester was leading GOP's Conrad Burns in Montana.
If those leads hold up, the Democrats would take charge of the Senate.
Pelosi in power
An emotional future House Speaker Pelosi promised bipartisan government while backhandedly slamming Republicans who lost. "The American people voted for change and they voted for Democrats to take our country in a new direction," she said, tears glinting in her eyes. "The Democrats intend to lead the most open, most honest Congress in history."
The loss of bellwether districts marked a major failure for the GOP's vaunted get-out-the-vote operation.
"It says the Republican machine wasn't strong enough to withstand Iraq and a terrible year of scandal," said Boston University political analyst Julian Zelizer. "We have hit a turning point for conservatives and the Republican Party. A lot of Republicans will be scratching their heads."
Many Republicans were hanging their heads last night, blaming the President as much as voters apparently did.
A glum senior GOP official agreed Democrats succeeded in turning the races into a referendum on Bush and Iraq.
"In a lot of races the Democratic candidate was irrelevant," the official said. "It was all about Bush."
One of the trends was moderate Republicans being tossed from office in states with large Democratic populations, such as Rhode Island's Sen. Lincoln Chafee, whose loss to Sheldon Whitehouse ends, for now, a Republican dynasty in a blue state.
In nearby Connecticut, host to one of the most surprising contests of the year, Independent Sen. Joseph Lieberman pulled out a win over the Democratic nominee, Ned Lamont.
Lieberman recovered from near-pariah status after losing the Democratic primary to the Greenwich businessman.
Lieberman promised to vote with Democrats, but his old party cannot take him for granted with the count so close.
Slow motion
A big question mark that remained from last night was how the new Congress would govern, and whether it could get along with the White House.
Harlem Rep. Charles Rangel, who will become chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, said it was in everyone's interest to cooperate, particularly Bush. He predicted they would.
"The opportunity is there," Rangel said. "I think it works politically because the Democrats know they will be under scrutiny to prove they can govern for two years. And it gives the President an opportunity not to be a lame duck."
Observers said whatever mandate Democrats feel they have, they won't move hard and fast.
Pelosi has an agenda for her first 100 working hours focusing on popular items like raising the minimum wage.
GOP consultant Rich Galen predicted gridlock would ensure that little would get done between now and 2008. And, he said, that's not necessarily a bad thing.
"The nation will sleep very well for the next two years," he said.

With Thomas M. DeFrank and James Gordon Meek

Originally published on November 8, 2006

Originally Posted by goandykid

They get paid shit. Many are doing it (including myself) for college reasons. Plus, Iraq is entering civil war and we're losing this the same way we lsot Vietnam. We can't fight an enemy we can't see. Imagine if New York City was invaded. No matter how long it was occupied, New Yorkers would always be attacking the occupants. Militaristically (word?) at first, but then guerilla style after.

We need to put them in the ebst situation we can for peace, then save ourselves. Our troops are sitting ducks and the longer we stay there the less chance they have of working it through after we leave b/c we breed more and more hate and terrorism every day by being there.

im going to cry if u spell best wrong again

fair point i didnt say ud like my point