Much is being said about Dede Scozzafava, the Republican candidate dropping out of the special election race for NY-23 against the conservative or independent candidate, Bill Hoffman and the conservative Democrat, Bill Owens.
This district which sits on Niagra Falls has been Republican for over 100 years, dating back to the 1860s, so for anyone to expect the Democrat to win, well he won't. But, what has been fascinating is the insurgency of Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck destroying Scozzafava by denouncing she is not conservative enough, defying the Republican Party to get someone more pure to ideological ideals of these nitwits. The second part of this drama is the lack, weakness of the Republican Party, the RNC, GOP to stop this nonsense. The leadership from congress to state level act like they are afraid to stop the alienation of moderates from the Republican Party. In fact, they are more stale, pale and male than ever. Scozzafava got no help, cover, anything from the National Republican Party, thus she ran in defeat.
Again, the Republicans will jump for joy on winning NY-23, but this is their district anyway. Who is in charge of a long term strategy to allow the Republican Party to become more inclusive? Right now, this party is a bunch of old white men, who continue to ponder about a party and country of the 1950s, instead of looking at this country the way it is, 2009. That is their real problem and that is why this purity strategy will not work going forward.
Clip from David Plouffe, Campaign Manager of Obama for America 2008:
And a must read from Frank Rich, The G.O.P. Stalinists Invade Upstate New York
BARACK OBAMA’S most devilish political move since the 2008 campaign was to appoint a Republican congressman from upstate New York as secretary of the Army. This week’s election to fill that vacant seat has set off nothing less than a riotous and bloody national G.O.P. civil war. No matter what the results in that race on Tuesday, the Republicans are the sure losers. This could be a gift that keeps on giving to the Democrats through 2010, and perhaps beyond.
The governors’ races in New Jersey and Virginia were once billed as the marquee events of Election Day 2009 — a referendum on the Obama presidency and a possible Republican “comeback.” But preposterous as it sounds, the real action migrated to New York’s 23rd, a rural Congressional district abutting Canada. That this pastoral setting could become a G.O.P. killing field, attracting an all-star cast of combatants led by Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, William Kristol and Newt Gingrich, is a premise out of a Depression-era screwball comedy. But such farces have become the norm for the conservative movement — whether the participants are dressing up in full “tea party” drag or not.
The battle for upstate New York confirms just how swiftly the right has devolved into a wacky, paranoid cult that is as eager to eat its own as it is to destroy Obama. The movement’s undisputed leaders, Palin and Beck, neither of whom has what Palin once called the “actual responsibilities” of public office, would gladly see the Republican Party die on the cross of right-wing ideological purity. Over the short term, at least, their wish could come true.
[snip]
The wrecking crew of Kristol, Fred Thompson, Dick Armey, Michele Bachmann, The Wall Street Journal editorial page and the government-bashing Club for Growth all joined the Hoffman putsch. Then came the big enchilada: a Hoffman endorsement from Palin on her Facebook page. Such is Palin’s clout that Steve Forbes, Rick Santorum and Tim Pawlenty, the Minnesota governor (and presidential aspirant), promptly fell over one another in their Pavlovian rush to second her motion. They were joined by far-flung Republican congressmen from Kansas, Georgia, Oklahoma and California, not to mention a gaggle of state legislators from Colorado. On Fox News, Beck took up the charge, insinuating that Hoffman’s Republican opponent might be a fan of Karl Marx. Some $3 million has now been dumped into this race by outside groups.
You know the Republican Party has issues when Newt Gingrich, who supported the Republican candidate, Dede Scozzafava, is now not conservative enough. Yes, this party has major issues.
UPDATE
Dede Scozzafava, endorsed the Democratic Candidate, Bill Owens for the NY-23 seat. Totally, a bat shit crazy race.
State Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava (R), who dropped from the special election in Upstate New York yesterday, has now thrown her support to Democrat Bill Owens.
"It's not in the cards for me to be your representative, but I strongly believe Bill is the only candidate who can build upon John McHugh's lasting legacy in the U.S. Congress," said Scozzafava in a statement released moments ago.
It's not clear how much Scozzafava's backing of Owens will change the race. Democratic strategists, who just 48 hours ago saw the race moving back in their direction, have grown pessimistic about their chances in the aftermath of the Scozzafava decision.
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