With Stevens trailing, Franken within 206 votes...GA will be for 60. Obama better get down there

[Seen the light]

I can't believe we're still going to have a chance at 60. Things are looking very good right now.

I see zero reason why there shouldn't be an all-out blitz by Obama, Biden, whoever else Jim Martin wants to help him down there.

60 IS WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE!! GET ON IT DEMOCRATS!

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. You beat me to it! Absolutely! Countdown is covering all three!

[BrklynLiberal]

2. yes..

[redstate_democrat]

3. Is this with or without Lierberman?

[Seen the light]

4. With n/t

[nyc 4 Biden]

5. I say we still get rid of LIEberman.

We'll be able to pull over some moderate repubs on the votes. It's more important to send the message that those types of moves against the party are unacceptable.

[usregimechange]

6. He will be there don't you worry. Likely in Atlanta and more than once

[BumRushDaShow]

7. Obama is going through the transition. He doesn't have time.

[Seen the light]

8. Bullshit

I read in another post that he's going to Atlanta and I believe that person. However, if he weren't to go, I would be DEEPLY DEEPLY disappointed.

[BumRushDaShow]

36. He's trying to prepare to undo 8 years of Shrub criminality

Why is it that he has to continually be superman? :shrug: Why do people want to burn him out before he even takes the oath of office? Why the hell can't Georgian Democrats get up off their asses and vote? And I say this having an aunt and cousins who live in Atlanta.

[Seen the light]

37. To quote a very good man.....

"Presidents are going to have to more than one thing at a time." -- Barack Obama, September 24, 2008

[beachmom]

48. So you want to hand Obama a loss before even becoming President?

This seat has ALWAYS been lean Republican. Chambliss WON on Election Night. The runoff will show Chambliss do even better with the Libertarian vote going to him.

[iceman66]

59. If Chambliss is expected to win anyway,

Obama really has nothing to lose by campaigning for Martin.

On the other hand, if he does, and Martin manages to win, it would really strike fear in the hearts of the Repugs.

[onehandle]

9. Bill Clinton came down to Georgia in 1992 for a Senate runoff as President-Elect.

Obama can do it. However, it might not help.

We suck.

[ShadowLiberal]

26. Yeah but we lost that race that Clinton campaigned in

If Obama goes all out for Martin and he loses then the media will write it as "McCain wins round #2" and as Obama not being as invincible as they're painting him now.

[Seen the light]

35. We should never back down from challenges because we're afraid

And besides, it's not like that loss had ANY effect on Clinton's presidency. Zero.

[catgirl]

68. He can highlight the fact that Martin is the underdog (nt)

[mcg]

38. He has a little bit of time, I think he should go down there at least once. nt

[CADEMOCRAT7]

10. Donate to Martin's campaign, he needs it !!!

http://www.martinforsenate.com/

[woolldog]

11. Stevens is trailing?

Where are you getting that info?

[onehandle]

12. By three votes, but they still have 40k+ votes to count.

His opponent gained according to Keith so far.

[leftist.]

41. Begich's margin was even higher as of this morning

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/11/begich-leads-by-814-going-into-thursday.html

:woohoo:

[babylonsister]

13. Yes! Georgia is THE state that needs help ASAP! nt

[MadBadger]

14. You do realize that GA is only for 60 if we keep Lieberman. Personally id rather lose him

[Thrill]

15. I don't want Obama anywhere near some of those wackos in GA right now. His security

is too important.

There are several other high level surrogates to send. Bill Clinton for one

[Hassin Bin Sober]

17. CLINTON HATER!!!!

(just kidding)

[GrizzlyMan]

19. Finally a dissenting opinion

I agree. This is a security risk that isn't needed. Besides, Chambliss will win the run off, unfortunately.

[Seen the light]

23. Oh Good Lord

So is President Obama just not going to visit states that voted for McCain during his term?

There's no more security risk here than there was when he spent a couple of days in the Appalachia region of NC to prepare for one of the debates.

[GrizzlyMan]

25. It's a wasted effort

Chambliss will win the runoff. Obama will not be on the ballot and there is a high probability of a decreased AA and youth turnout. Without heavy AA and youth turnout, Martin can't win.

[Thrill]

27. Chambliss is going to win it. You aren't going to get all those young voters in ATL to come out

Just not going to happen. And for a Dem to win, ATL has to come out big. The only reason it was close was because some of those people in ATL stayed in line for 6 hours

[Seen the light]

28. I like your attitude

:sarcasm:

Jim Martin forced Chambliss into a runoff despite having hardly any money the entire campaign. If Obama comes out and helps mobilize the African-American population, who knows what can happen? It's at least worth a try isn't it? Jim Martin is the very definition of a progressive, he's no Blue Dog Democrat like you typically find running in the South.

[Thrill]

34. I'm usually positive. But I'm just being realistic here

But one thing is funny. In the Repukes new attack ad. They chose to leave attacking Obama out. They are scared of his coattails on this. Check it out http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2008/11/we_know.html

[4lbs]

43. Wait a minute.... so the GOP is scared of Obama's coattails but people are saying it's no use for

him to go to GA to campaign for Martin because of.... no coattails?

:shrug:

[beachmom]

49. The ad I saw specifically went after Obama. Oh, and I see NO Martin ads

on TV; just nasty attack ads from Chambliss.

[iceman66]

60. That's why Obama should go there

to hold a big rally and motivate our voters to turn out!

[karynnj]

56. Wouldn't Jimmy Carter if he is up to it be better?

Or Max Cleland, who was out campaigning with Kerry last month. Do the independents in GA like Clinton (or any other Democrat? - Clark?)

[iceman66]

61. Why not all of the above?

[karynnj]

67. I agree - any of them and others should go to

whatever places they would help rally people in.

[bvar22]

16. Make this a NATIONAL effort !

Do your part to add another DEMOCRATIC seat in the Senate.
Donate HERE:
http://www.actblue.com/page/changetogeorgia?refcode=site


Check out Martin's website:
http://www.martinforsenate.com/home.html


Please keep this kicked.
Post on other sites.
Send to your friends.

[Stevepol]

18. Hate to be a wet blanket, but if O goes to GA, he better talk to Diebold.

The only chance for Martin is if the programmers at Diebold don't flip the vote a large enough percentage and Martin squeaks in. And that depends on how the programmers decide to program the fraud this time.

GA is all cypberspace all the time and Diebold decides which electrons are used and which aren't. It would be a waste of energy IMO, worse than beating your head against a brick wall, to think they can change the outcome.

OTOH, secret talks with Diebold might yield some results.

[iceman66]

62. Now that is a good point.

How do we know Chambliss even 'won' on election night?

However, even Diebold is not infallible. Martin must have exceeded expectations or there would not be a runoff!

[FVZA_Colonel]

20. How many ballots are there left to be recounted in Minnesota?

[Seen the light]

24. All of them I believe

The recount hasn't even started yet.

[FVZA_Colonel]

29. And it's already at only -206 for Franken?

Well, I feel good about this.

[catgirl]

21. He has sent his Aides down there

but WE need to get involved. Please donate!!!!

http://www.martinforsenate.com/

[Lil Missy]

22. Obama is already all over it. I saw the report on MSNBC earlier today.

Can't recall which program though. Sorry.

[LisaM]

30. They'll need Lieberman

Yeah, I resent giving him power, too. But a president with the people behind him and a filibuster-proof majority is nothing to sneeze at.

[Donkey_Punch_Dubya]

31. I wouldn't be surprised if Lieberman himself filibustered once or twice

If it's an issue that he was with Bush on the last 4 years, he might be the one to stand and blabber for 24 hours in a filibuster. I wouldn't be surprised, and that is the kind of thing that needs to be stressed before the senate vote on committe chairs later this month.

If Lieberman is the 60th, he will think he's the most important person in the senate and do what he likes instead of what's good for the party he was a part of for decades.

He's an ass, the kind of ass that thinks he's always right and that everyone likes him. He probably even thinks he's not ugly, either. He's out of touch and self important.

[RepublicanElephant]

39. ...and he's totally replaceable as chairman at any time if he steps out of line.

not to mention he'll face the voters of connecticut in 2012.

if he is allowed to keep his chairmanship(s), one condition should be a major prime-time speech from the floor of the senate renouncing his treachery - how he was wrong about obama and the democratic party, and then pledge his total support for the policies of the aforementioned.

and yes, i think obama needs to come to georgia and SOON, so martin can start running ads with him next to obama, while showing a picture of saxby shameless standing next to bush.

[LisaM]

40. While I agree with all you say

I also know that he has been consistently pro-choice and may be an important voice on women's issues. Yes, those issues have diminished in importance before the economy and the war and things that need more immediate attention, but they're not something we should ever forget.

The way Lieberman acted in 2000 still bothers me more even than his campaigning for McCain. When he campaigned for McCain, he looked like a fool in front of the world. In 2000, people were still taking him more seriously.

[pink-o]

44. I agree with you. We pro-choice votes for Supreme Court Judges.

..I have to stifle my gag reflex, cuz no one hates Lieberman as much as we in the "liberal wing of the democratic party". I hate the fact that the self-serving mamzer thinks he holds all the cards and will continue to do whatever's best for Joe and the rest of us can go Cheney ourselves. But putting in progressive Supremes to go head-to-head with Fat Tony is a huge issue, and we can't allow the fucktard wingnuts to fillibuster President Obama's candidates.

So, despite the fact that I would love to see Joe Liar publically stripped of all his power and chased out of the Senate by snarling dobermans, it's an image that'll just have to live only in my mind.

If you believe in Karma, have faith! Joe will get his in the end!

[yodermon]

32. And Lieberman definitely keeps his chair.

I think it's worth it to get a filibuster proof majority.
Maybe they should wait to vote on that until all the senate races are decided?

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Sebastian Doyle]

42. Does Jimmy Carter still live in Georgia?

He needs to pull together one of those UN election inspection teams and watch this Georgia runoff VERY closely. Even if 60 senators wasn't on the line (assuming that works out in the other states) this might be the perfect election to expose the corruption in GA and get those filthy fucking Diebold machines out of there. And everywhere else, before 2010.

[iceman66]

63. Good idea.

[WI_DEM]

45. No, I think Obama should stay out of it. Send money, cut an ad, send other dem bigwigs but keep

Obama out. The chances are the GOP will get this seat (Chambliss is leading and only .2% from 50%, and if Obama went all out it might be portrayed as a defeat for him, much as it was for Bill Clinton when a similar situation occured in 1992.

[LynneSin]

46. Please it will be 58 Democrats, 1 Independant who will support us and Joe Lieberman

we have to stop counting Lieberman as "One of Us"

[beachmom]

47. I hate to break the news but GA is Lean Republican.

Chambliss WON on election night, and that was with the Obama boosted turnout. Obama coming to GA couldn't even duplicate that turnout since he is not on the ticket and it's not a presidential race.

I just want to dampen expectations for this race. Yes, we need to do everything we can to win; but I can't stand it when people act like it is anything less than an uphill battle to win this seat.

Honestly, I am opposed to the runoff system here. Chambliss won the seat already; I highly doubt Martin will suddenly surpass Chambliss when he couldn't on Election Night.

[Hippo_Tron]

50. I think it's unlikely, but Saxby could stick his foot in his mouth George Allen style

Politicians say a lot of dumb things. Sometimes those things cause them to lose elections they should've easily won.

[GarbagemanLB]

51. NO.

The AA turnout will not be at the same level as it was on November 4th, and Chambliss will win.

The risk is too great....Obama has a ton of capital from his big win, and to risk it on backing a losing candidate? Sorry, but I am glad Obama likely won't be going down there.

[Seen the light]

52. You and others in this thread are full of shit

At least on this issue. I'm sure you're a perfectly lovely person otherwise.

But if there's a CHANCE that Obama campaigning strongly for Martin will help him bounce Chambliss from the Senate, then why the fuck should we not take that? Because we're too afraid of the mean ol' Republicans spinning it as a loss for Obama?

Fuck that. Republicans are irrelevant for the foreseeable future. I'm disgusted at the cowardly DUers that don't want us to try for this seat because they're afraid it will hurt Obama somehow. Did the Georgia loss in '92 have ANY effect on how Clinton was able to lead the country? No? Then why are people afraid this will be some devastating loss for Obama?

DON'T BACK DOWN FROM FIGHTS!

[GarbagemanLB]

55. It's a risk that DOESN'T need to be taken. That's the bottom line.

Obama has an ambitious and daunting agenda ahead of him, and he doesn't need to risk his mandate/capital (however small the risk is), on a senate seat in a red state.

[Seen the light]

57. Explain to me how it's a risk

I'd like to know what legislative goals that President-elect Obama has currently that he might not be able to implement if he campaigns for Martin and Martin loses. I'm all ears.

[GarbagemanLB]

58. It risks the image of his mandate. Granted, it would take a small hit, but it would be a hit

nonetheless to once again go out on the campaign trail and back a losing candidate. Also, you'd have a point if there was a real shot at getting the seat.




There isn't. The AA vote will not be at the same level, and the state is a red state...and McCain and Huckabee are stumping for the GOP.

It is going to remain in Republican hands.

[iceman66]

65. You have to look at the overall risk to reward ratio

It's really not much of a risk for Obama because conventional wisdom says Chambliss will win anyway.

The potential reward is a veto-proof majority, and if Martin wins Obama will look like a miracle worker!

[iceman66]

64. Very well said!

[moodforaday]

53. Does the 60 include Lieberman?

Because if it does, then it's still only 59, not sixty - OR - this is the reason why it looks like Lieberman's treason will be forgotten.

on edit: already asked and answered upthread. Oh well, it's still going to be 59 then, EVEN IF his treason goes unpunished.

[Seen the light]

54. If we win AK, MN, and GA and Lieberman stays, then we'll have 60 n/t

[ramapo]

66. Another NO.

Obama has more important work to do now. 60 would be nice but I don't think it is, nor should be, a priority to Obama. Also, if the election doesn't go our way, you don't want Obama tainted with the loss. Obama will stay home, as he should.