NY-20

Given that the NY State Republican Party had filed an ex parte motion to investigate the election results prior to the vote, it's not unreasonable to conclude that their intention was to challenge any outcome that went against them irrespective of the final tally.

Karen - well you're optimistic this morning, thinking there "may be an end" to the Minnesota saga. At least another month isn't it? And if Coleman is foolish enough to drag it to the SCOTUS that might extend it, though it's hard to believe they'd take the case. I don't quite understand why the Democrats have been such wimps about this, except that they've been wimps about nearly everything else.
.
I saw a Tedisco interview Monday night where the reporter suggested he was sounding awfully positive about Barack Obama, and Tedisco said "I want him to be the most successful President we've ever had." So the results there need to be seen as pro-Obama no matter who wins.

The media has turned this middling race into such an important "bellwether" that the lawyers for both sides will be haggling over this result for months...

http://www.political-buzz.com/

A mere 65 votes separated the two candidates late Tuesday in a Congressional contest in upstate New York that received national attention and was widely seen as a referendum on the Obama administration's economic recovery efforts
_
Karen, perhaps you should provide a quote with some context, like the fact that NY-20 is the most "Republican" district in New York, where the GOP has a 70,000 voter advantage in terms of registration....

This kind of thing infuriates me: "Democrats have almost succeeded in stealing the election in Minnesota and seating Al Franken. We cannot allow them to manipulate electoral results to seat another tax-troubled liberal." Evidently the Republicans are still the party of unreality.

kathy,

A political party that proposes a freeze on government spending at a time when consumers aren't spending and business isn't investing should be ignored.

The irony here is that this is the very district that Rep. John Sweeney (R-Animal House) used to represent, and he was the one who coordinated the Brooks Brothers Riot down in Florida during the 2000 recount.
.
I wonder if his old district offices have any leftover "Sore Loserman" signs that they can loan the Democrats to use here? Or is a recount not a constitutional crisis if it's the Republican waging the challenge?
.
Maybe Norm Coleman has the answer.

Well the only think I could conclude about this is that it deprives the Republicans of an opportunity to attack the President. If Republicans win, then by the time they do, people will have forgot about the election. If they lose, it's a condemnation of the Republicans, esp. Michael Steele.

KT:
.
was widely seen as a referendum
.
This is why pro journalists lose credibility hand-over-foot. Editors insist on saying "was widely seen", instead of "we thought it should be seen".
.
Really, KT...is this sort of underhanded thing necessary? Would you write like this if you weren't constrained by editors and convention?

KT:
.
I didn't write that
.
Oh yes! I totally understand that! I wasn't suggesting that you were personally responsible for that copy...not at all. So sorry that I gave you the wrong impression.
.
[I] am NOT a media critic
.
I am well aware of this contention of yours, and have no desire to cause any affront to you by suggesting otherwise. Where you and I (and others) may be of differing mind lies in the forced ambiguity political reporters require themselves to adopt when describing events and actors operating within the media environment.
.
For example, where a political reporter might report "The professorial tone Obama has recently fallen into may not help his message reach a troubled electorate in the coming months.", I would have expected them to write "The 'professorial' tone Obama has recently fallen into may not help his message reach a troubled electorate in the coming months, because it grates on the sensibilities of a national political press corps seemingly averse to reporting on complex policy matters in their useful entirety.".
.
When political reporters leave off why it is that certain judgments or observations make sense, they aren't simply "not assuming the role of media critic", they are not reporting the whole story.
.
It's not that political reporters are expected to report on media criticism, it's that they're expected to report on reality, which necessarily includes stuff about the manner in which the media (and especially the national political press corps) reports on things political.
.
i think in this case it is justified by the fact that both of the candidates and their party leaders kept DECLARING it a referendum, and that Obama and Biden both got involved in the race.
.
I didn't actually realize that this was the case...thanks so much for that clarification, KT, I really do appreciate it.
.
Did I mention how grateful I am for your response to commentary?

The new Republican byword: Millions for litigation, but not one cent for democracy.

FlownOver:
.
not one cent for democracy
.
You mean "not one cent for democracy" here, don't you?
.
There are billions of dollars sitting shrinkwrapped somewhere on some pallet in an abandoned Coalition Provisional Authority garage right this very minute...

Looks like that his lead has opened:
.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/01/ny-20-unofficial-election-night-results/

I've seen this term used several times on here and I've been waiting for an opportunity to use it myself. The pearls have been clutched and the swooning has begun. My thanks to yutsano for correcting my transposed numbers on a different thread last night.

Doo itashimashite Sacred.
-
Since we all know the Repubs won't go gentle into that good night, any bets on when this seat gets filled?

Oops. KT I got moderated (and I think I know why). LIBERATE MEA!!!