Democrats ditch Kentucky, leaving Grimes on her own vs. McConnell (WTF???)`

[markpkessinger]

Shades of both the last NJ governors race, and the race in 2010 for Ted Kennedy's seat (which put Scott Brown in the Senate). WTF is the DSCC's problem? Fucking insanity, or incompetence, or both!

[font size=5]Democrats ditch Kentucky, leaving
Grimes on her own vs. McConnell[/font]

In a sign national Democrats no longer believe Alison Lundergran Grimes can defeat Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is going off the air.

“The DSCC has now spent more than $2 million in Kentucky and continues to make targeted investments in the ground game while monitoring the race for future investments, but is currently not on the air in the state,” CQ Roll Call quoted a DSCC official as saying.

Grimes has kept the race competitive by selling herself to voters as an energetic independent, but she has trailed in most public surveys against McConnell, who leads by an average of 3 points, according to RealClearPolitics.

< . . . . >

A Democratic strategist in Kentucky who has worked on the race told msnbc the DSCC’s decision was shocking, pointing to a recent internal poll showing Grimes leading the race by 2 points, in line with a public poll this month by SurveyUSA. The internal survey was conducted by Mark Mellman, a Democratic pollster best known for accurately forecasting Harry Reid’s comfortable win over Sharron Angle in 2010 despite polls showing her with a lead in the final stretch.

< . . . . >

[VanillaRhapsody]

1. maybe she should have admitted voting for Obama

That mistake may have just cost her...

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. What if she didn't?

What if she doesn't want to say because she didn't vote for Obama in 2012?

And you know if she actually said she did vote for Obama, that video clip would show up in every single McConnell ad from here until the elections.

Damned if she does, damned if she doesn't.

[VanillaRhapsody]

3. then she should have admitted she is not really a

Good Democrat.. .are you suggesting she should lie just to get the Democratic party money?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

6. If she keeps quiet, there's no lying involved.

So no, I didn't suggest lying.

But I would kind of like her to beat McConnell, even if she's going to be a lousy Democrat who supports polluting fossil fuels, gun culture, and whatever other right wing nonsense she does to get elected in Kentucky.

[RobertEarl]

9. VR just threw Grimes under the bus`

Just because Grimes didn't answer a stupid question from a reporter just the way VR demands.

With democrats like VR, who needs republicans?

[VanillaRhapsody]

26. I didn't.....she committed political suicide....

she got weak in the knees...

[RobertEarl]

31. See?

Under the bus she goes!! Again!! You doubled down!!

[VanillaRhapsody]

32. She threw herself under that bus.....

Or are you thinking she is some kind of Far Left Winger like yourself since she didn't endorse Obama? Unfortunately she claimed she was a Clinton supporter! Isn't she under YOUR bus instead?

[kentuck]

38. She said she was an "independent Kentucky woman"...

and she didn't mention any Party or cult?

[VanillaRhapsody]

45. and THAT is why she lost the support of the Party.....

Seee......being "independent....is not the same thing as being a "Democrat" like I am ALWAYS pointing out.

I still hope she beats McConnell because I hate his Republican ass.....but that little "slip" just cost her dearly.

[RobertEarl]

44. Here's the difference

You are ranting and raving AGAINST her. While i am trying to help.

You should try it sometime, ya know, helping our candidates.

[VanillaRhapsody]

46. I am not ranting or raving....THAT would be you!

I am just stating facts like i always do! As usual you just don't like being faced with the truth!

[RobertEarl]

49. Yes you are ranting

The fact is you have thrown her under the bus.

[VanillaRhapsody]

59. I didn't have to....like you....she turns her back on Barack Obama....and the success known as

Kentucky Connect AKA Obamacares....Epic FAIL!

[demwing]

82. Now you're fibbing

She made a passionate defense of the ACA in her debate.

You're just in a Snit because maybe there are Democrats outside of DU that aren't fond of the President.

[VanillaRhapsody]

95. And YOU think she didn't vote for him at all?

by the way....that's peals of laughter not a snit!

You have GOT to be kidding!

[kentuck]

58. So you have the truth.

I don't think so.

[VanillaRhapsody]

60. I DO think so.....she didn't claim the success known as Kentucky Connect...that dumbass Mitch

now calls simply a "website"....she also missed THAT perfect pitch to her right over the plate! She whiffed!

[kentuck]

62. There are still 3 weeks left in this election...

almost.

I would not be so quick to write her off. Who did you vote for anyway??

[VanillaRhapsody]

66. where did I say I wrote her off?

[Democrat 4 Ever]

93. I hope you are right but McChinless has amped up the truly nastiness.

Was out in my car running errands yesterday and McChinless has a new radio ad that is literally running after every song about how he has some of her campaign workers and family admitting on audio tape Grimes lied about her support of coal. I'm sure the sound bite is taken out of context and has been manipulated and frankly bogus but the way it is put together sounds really bad. He is also quoting the Washington Post (I know, the POST!) has determined Grimes being the biggest liars since the beginning of time. I listen to an oldies station but I know if he is hitting that radio dial he is hitting all the others, too.

This is what McChinless does every election cycle. About 2-3 weeks before election days he unleashes some horrific rumor or jacked up "issue" on his opponents. His last election had smarmy innuendos that his opponent was gay. That was a hot button at the time with Kentuckians needing "saving" from the horrors of gay marriage. He hits below the belt, not above slathering on huge doses of fear and hatemongering and playing to the lowest common denominator. I hate this man with the passion of a thousand white hot suns and this is the first time ever I won't be able to vote against him. I've move out of state to southern Indiana so I will miss the very satisfying feeling of pulling the lever against him one more time.

To find the national Dems have pulled back on their support is truly disheartening. Grimes could win this thing but not without lots and lots of money to counteract the nasty heading her way. What we have seen so far has just been the appetizer, it is going to get a whole lot worse.

And on edit...

There is a TV ad McChinless is using with Chuck Todd, of MTP, saying that Grimes has lost the race because she won't say how she voted in the presidential election. It first looks like a news item and at the end it has McChinless saying he approves this message. Wonder who gave McChinless permission to use that clip? They should be fired, first for hiring Chuck Todd and second, letting their paid voice say something so utterly ridiculous, and third giving McChinless permission to use that hack's misinformation to skew with an election.

[VanillaRhapsody]

97. Who did I vote for? I voted for Barack Obama just like every good Democrat did.

[Scootaloo]

52. VR drives a big bus

Everyone who is not VR or hillary clinton fits under it. I'm sure he could make room for clinton though, if he tried.

[RobertEarl]

53. Big bad driver

A bit reckless, too.

[VanillaRhapsody]

68. only to a poser...

[VanillaRhapsody]

67. unless you are not a real Democrat....

Your seat on the bus is safe..

[NCTraveler]

69. Been waiting a while to say this.

I agree with you 100%. I agree with every post you have made in this thread to this point. No need for me to comment further as you have said what I would like to.

[PragmaticLiberal]

12. But that's the thing, she didn't keep quiet.

She had no problem saying she was a "Clinton Democrat".

[Raine1967]

33. Maybe she should have said that a vote is a private thing.

and that is how I took her statement.

She is not a stupid woman. I have more of a problem with the DSCC here than I do with Grimes.

It's Kentucky after all. It is a conservative leaning state.

[kelly1mm]

34. Except that she is already on the record saying that she voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2008

Primaries. Kind of hard to say that the vote is a private thing when you tout other votes.

[Raine1967]

47. She said that?

I missed that information. Besides, A lot of people voted for Ms. Clinton in the primaries. That isn't -- and shouldn't be -- a bad thing. It was the primaries.

That said, I still stand by my premise. It was a gotcha question and people should be able to say that their choice of vote is private.

Like I said -- it is Kentucky.

[demwing]

89. She was a Hillary Clinton delegate in 2008

That's public information

[demwing]

90. She was a Clinton delegate in 2008. That vote is public, not private

but you knew that, right?

[demwing]

78. Bullshit

Just because she may not have voted for Obama?

Who the hell are you to define what constitutes a "good Democrat"

fucking pious bullshit

[VanillaRhapsody]

80. She just didn't ADMIT that she did.....get a grip...

a good Democrat is one that votes for whom the PARTY elects in their PARTY PRIMARY! Obama wasn't even my pick in the Primary.....but WE elected him to represent us...that's how Democracy works!

[demwing]

83. A GOOD Democrat is someone who supports true Democratic principles

not someone who just votes the partisan line, right or wrong.

And btw, fuck the "get a grip" comment.

[bunnies]

85. What about sitting out the election or voting for McCain & Romney supports Democratic pricipals?

If she didnt vote Obama, she did one of the two options listed above.

So tell me... what Democratic "principles" did she support by NOT voting for the Democrats nominee? Im curious.

[demwing]

88. None of us have any idea how she really voted

But when people know their vote doesn't truly matter (Obama lost KY by 16% in 2008 and by 22% in 2012), then I understand why they might decide to cast a vote of the conscience, and support a third party candidate (Nader ran in 2008, and Jill Stein ran on the Green party ticket in 2012). That's democracy in action.

Yet the very NOTION that she didn't vote for Obama sends you and other into conniptions. That's not being a good Democrat, that's being pathetically partisan.

[bunnies]

98. "pathetically partisan"?

Hell. I'd be a lot more popular around here if I was.

[VanillaRhapsody]

94. and WHO decides that YOU or the majority of the party members?....so yeah get a grip!

Your opinion about what makes a "good Democrat" is not what matters here....its what the MAJORITY of the Party decides...

[Nuclear Unicorn]

20. "if she actually said she did vote for Obama, that video clip would show up in every single McConnel

So?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

22. So Obama isn't popular in Kentucky.

It's exactly why McConnell already is constantly trying to tie her to Obama, to cost her votes and the election. Having it coming straight from her own lips in his ads will finish the job and ensure his re-election, which is why everyone who wants him to win is so hot to get her on record on it. Well, plus "Democrats" who would rather have her say she's Obama's buddy than actually have a shot at winning the election.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

54. It kind of spoils the angle that the GOP is responsible for gridlock.

"Vote for us and we'll put an end to GOP obstruction of Obama's agenda!"

"You support Obama's agenda?"

"Did I say I supported Obama's agenda? I never said that. Why would you imply I said that?"

[RobertEarl]

23. Obama is not liked in Kentucky

That's why. The lady is a smart politician. And now the party has bailed on her.

I wonder how much the turtle threatened the democrats if they continued to spend against him?

[Proud Public Servant]

40. Smart politician? No.

The lady is an idiot politician. A smart politician would have planned for this question and had an answer ready. An idiot politician, by contrast, would hem, haw, and look like a deer in the headlights when finally confronted with the question that even the most clueless political novice knew was coming. She should have owned this, and disposed of it, months ago.

Sure, you can bemoan the fact that the question matters, or that the media is feeding on it, or that Obama's name is toxic in KY. But that's the nature of the game, and Grimes signed up to play the fucking game. Shame she's so bad at it.

Oh, and one other thing. You're running as a Democrat? Then run as a fucking Democrat! I am sick unto death of us putting our faith in people who won't return the favor, even as they take our cash and utilize our operations.

[RobertEarl]

43. Et tu?

Last edited Tue Oct 14, 2014, 09:20 PM - Edit history (1)

Under the bus goes Grimes. She wasn't perfect, so under she goes?

I am sick to death of Liberals acting like some kind of superior specie that can sit there and call people who put themselves on the line, idiots, when they make a MINOR mistake.

Let me tell you, the only people who like what you wrote are republicans.

[kentuck]

101. I don't think she made a mistake.

I think the polls will show in a few days that she has taken the lead in the race? Is it tradition or what that requires politicians to tell who they voted for? Or is it a voluntary thing? Those that believe she voted for Obama want to be validated. They want to hear it from her own lips. Why? Because.

[movonne]

48. All she had to say is that she is a dem and votes dem and leave it at that...

[Puzzledtraveller]

63. No, anyone opposed to her would already assume she did.

Her supporters would also assume she did. I think that leaves a great possibility that she did not vote for him.

[markpkessinger]

4. Agreed, that was a stupid move, but . . .

. . . this is one hell of a time to "teach her a lesson."

[VanillaRhapsody]

5. its not about teaching her a lesson.She fucked up...

And this is what I keep telling some around here. United we Stand Divided we fall..

[markpkessinger]

7. I agree that running from President Obama . . .

. . . is political suicide in the current climate -- it only serves to validate the GOP's complaints. (And I say that, as you know, as someone who is not uncritical of President Obama on numerous fronts.)

[VanillaRhapsody]

8. Frankly I am glad to see the party show thier teeth on this

One for once....all she needs to do to mitch is tell them far and wide that Kentucky Connect IS Obamacares....

[JEB]

11. Mitch thanks you.

[VanillaRhapsody]

28. You mean Mitch thanks HER for giving him such a great sound byte!

[trof]

14. Last time I checked it's a secret ballot.

And for good reason.
No one has to tell who they voted for in any election and no one has the right to ask.

[kelly1mm]

35. Sure one has the right to ask! Saying otherwise in nonsence. Plus, if she was so concerned about

keeping her voting record secret, maybe she should not have said how she voted in the 2008 primaries?

[trof]

65. Well, I guess you have the 'right' to ask anything.

And she has the right not to answer.

[lonestarnot]

100. Yes she does.

[Logical]

73. Well, we 100% agree on that! nt

[bunnies]

74. I voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012...

I dont always agree with his policies, but the alternative would have been significantly worse. As a Democrat, I believe in my parties core values of fighting for the middle class and the poor...

Thats what she should have said. Instead she implies she sat out OR voted for republicans. Can you imagine if a DUer had said as much?

[VanillaRhapsody]

75. OMG I would have had a field day with her over that statement on DU!

I would have tee'd off on her!

[bunnies]

79. Right?

She'd be kicked and or bullied off DU in half a second. Yet here... the wagons are circling. Why the hell should the DSCC support her if she cant even admit to being a Democrat?!

[VanillaRhapsody]

81. I was just told in this very thread that even if she didn't vote for President Obama she was a

"good Democrat"!!!!

and that I was big ol Meanie....I mean "pious" and apparently I drive a big bus of some sort!

[bunnies]

84. I saw that and I think its bullshit.

The meme changes out of convenience. Can you imagine what would happen if HRC said the same thing late 2015? Hellfire would rain down on her from DU at large. The hypocrisy here is a thing to behold.

[VanillaRhapsody]

91. I know....and they ALL proclaim themselves to the the "Real Democrats"!

Yet oddly ALL they ever they EVER do is complain about them....One shuns the leader of the Party....the actual 2 term successful President.....and they rush to her defense....Funny that for Democrats huh?

[AverageJoe90]

10. Gotta make a facepalm over this.

My question is, why? Especially when the latest local polls had her running ahead of McConnell?

What bothers me is the unbelievably risky decision to spend money on the South Dakota race, one in which we have absolutely no hope of winning.....and if there's any we might be better giving up on, it'd be that state and Louisiana, because we are TOAST in both states now.

[PragmaticLiberal]

13. Perhaps internal polls showed her losing this race.

That's what I'm assuming..

[AverageJoe90]

19. That's not what Mark Mellman said, though.

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/democrats-ditch-kentucky-leaving-grimes-her-own-vs-mcconnell

A Democratic strategist in Kentucky who has worked on the race told msnbc the DSCC’s decision was shocking, pointing to a recent internal poll showing Grimes leading the race by 2 points, in line with a public poll this month by SurveyUSA. The internal survey was conducted by Mark Mellman, a Democratic pollster best known for accurately forecasting Harry Reid’s comfortable win over Sharron Angle in 2010 despite polls showing her with a lead in the final stretch.
“There’s nothing on the ground that would validate this foolish decision,” the strategist said.....

[PragmaticLiberal]

25. Assuming that's true, I have no clue why the DSCC pulled funding.

[LawDeeDah]

15. Might be someone likes Republican policies better than Democratic ones.

I mean if there was a majority Democratic Senate and Congress, that might mean democratic policies. That's no fun, especially if you like your wars of choice.

[kentuck]

16. I thought the same thing but...

She posted her contributions just shortly after the news, and she has set a record this quarter and it seems they agreed that the money would be better spent elsewhere? Until I know differently?

[HereSince1628]

17. Is it possible her own fundraising allows the DSCC to spend elsewhere?

Honestly, I don't know, just asking.

She's apparently got support from every county in Kentucky and IIRC every state in the US.

[Old and In the Way]

41. Good quesstion!

Grimes should not have answered, bit maybe the real answer is she is holding jer own and that money csn better spent elsewhere,

[jwirr]

18. This is ridiculous. We need to get rid of Mitch and she is our way.

[rwheeler31]

21. This makes no sense any groups still helping?

[AtomicKitten]

42. they will fund her GOTV, just not any more money for TV commercials

She apparently has some $16 million in her war chest for that.

[Paladin]

24. I will never, EVER forgive Chuck Todd for the hatchet job he did on the Grimes campaign.

That little weasel ought to be without a job, today.

[kentuck]

27. He did show that he is not ready for the bright lights...

Didn't he?

[Paladin]

30. He ought to be doing weather reports on AM radio, as far as I'm concerned.

I hope that the McConnell ad featuring Little Chuckie's quotes is around for a long, long time---it ought to haunt Todd for the rest of what passes for his professional career. He's managed to drag MSNBC all the way down to the level of Fox "News." Shit-for-brains.

[notadmblnd]

29. Maybe it's her punishment?

[Marr]

36. I expect the Dem establishment made a deal with the GOP.

Let McConnell keep his seat in exchange for... something.

I don't trust the beltway crowd at all. They're all way too chummy.

[RBInMaine]

37. That's crazy, pure and simple. Wild-eyed paranoia.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

57. Yeah

because McConnell will be all nice and "bipartisany" once he wins re-election and especially if he becomes Majority Leader in the Senate, right?

[woo me with science]

86. +1000000 To pretend that politics today is about one party versus another

is to entirely miss how corporatism works and fall for the theater and the con game. All these corporate thieves donate to both parties, and they live in both parties now.

The driving motivation of corporatists is not to side with one party to beat the other party. It is to use the parties in whatever way works to ensure continuation of the corporate agenda that grows corporate wealth and power.

Emotional infatuation and loyalty to party are for the masses, to keep us divided and tribal and distracted from the real bipartisan corporate agenda. The only loyalty corporatists have is to their own empowerment, and they happily work across party lines to achieve that.

[Major Hogwash]

39. Has everyone at DU lost their minds?

The airwaves are owned by corporations, so the money spent there will only help the media corporations!!
Thanks to the Citizens United decision, corporations have an unlimited amount of money with which to buy elections!!

Figure it out, the people of Kentucky are being inundated with negative ads made by McConnell about Grimes.
The Koch brothers have opened their checkbook and given McConnell all of the money that he needs to buy the airwaves in that state.

This race isn't about who can turn out more ads.

It's about restoring sanity to the U.S. Senate!!!!

[bigwillq]

72. Most have

[kentuck]

50. Alison posted her quarterly contributions.

And they were great!

She has about $16 million on hand with 3 weeks to go. She doesn't need help from the DSCC. Let them spend it elsewhere where it is needed. She's in good position for the final stretch.

[Tatiana]

56. Alison's coffers notwithstanding, it is still a poor decision on the part of the DSCC.

We have the opportunity to win in KENTUCKY. We are very close to winning. This is the home stretch. The ad buys should be continued. This is the time to double down, not pull out.

I believe Alison was making a statement with her announcement that she has $16 million on hand. She wanted to reassure her supporters that the campaign was still going strong in spite of the DSCC.

[kentuck]

61. Exactly.

But there is a psychology in politics. We don't really know how it will affect the electorate. It may depress them or may fire them up? The same with your opponent. Mitch McConnell is not real popular in Kentucky. I doubt that many will crawl thru glass to vote for him? I don't think she needs the DSCC, to be honest. She has the people.

[truebluegreen]

102. Given the way Grimes is running away from the president

distancing herself from the national party might be helpful...

Don't know if that's true, but maybe her campaign sees it that way, and maybe Kentucky does.

[former9thward]

92. Now its up to $16 million!

In one thread it was $8 million and in another it was $4 million. She must be really raking it in for the numbers to change that much on a daily basis! I am guessing tomorrow it will be $32 million!

The actual campaign says its $4.4 million. http://www.kentucky.com/2014/10/15/3482647/mcconnell-raises-32-million-in.html

[hrmjustin]

51. She has 4.4 million on hand so she can deal without the dscc.

[Reter]

55. All she had to do was say she voted for Romney

She would jump at least 5 points with undecideds/moderates and we would understand and still vote for her. It's Kentucky. She's still a lot better than Turtle.

[Puzzledtraveller]

64. If she had really done that I think saying so would have been better than the non-answer given.

It could be that she really did not vote for Obama and the crooked McConnel campaign found this out somehow.

[bunnies]

71. You would vote for someone who voted for Romney?

I'd rather eat glass than vote for someone who's judgement is that poor.

[Travis_0004]

87. I think Allison has good judgment.

Perhaps a bad memory though.

[bunnies]

70. Bookmarked for 2016.

I hope this many people come to the defense of those who wont say whether or not they voted for certain potential nominee.

[Recursion]

76. They're a lot more competent than hair-on-fire people on a message board

They have multiple competitive races to fund, Grimes can fund her own air war at this point, and they're still funding ground operations.

I swear, for a "political" message board, DU shows very little awareness of how politics actually works...

[riversedge]

77. DSCC Still Polling Kentucky Race... “There’s been a lot of misinformation, and .....

This tread updates......



http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025672294


DSCC Still Polling Kentucky Race...

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is still polling in Kentucky and could go back on television against Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell during the final two weeks of the campaign.

In his first comment on the matter, DSCC Chairman Michael Bennet pushed back hard against the idea — driven by the expiration of the committee’s television ad reservations — that the national party has given up on Democratic candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes.

“There’s been a lot of misinformation, and the fact is that we continue to invest every day in Kentucky,” said Bennet. “We’ve invested millions on the air and continue to invest in the largest Kentucky get-out-the-vote operation ever. Our supporters across the country recognize how important the Kentucky race is, and with their support, we will be able to continue our work electing Alison Lundergan Grimes to the Senate.”



http://www.politico.com/story/2014/10/dscc-kentucky-senate-race-2014-111918.html#ixzz3GGp9uESe

[Rex]

96. Not true, a lie started by the GOP M$M.

I see a lot of people fell for it too.

[KamaAina]

99. There was a theory floated here

that Alison is doing well enough with her own fundraising that the DSCC decided she didn't need their help, so they shifted their resources elsewhere.

edit: In fact, it's upthread, post #17.