Vulnerable Republicans decide to skip GOP convention

[babylonsister]

Vulnerable Republicans decide to skip GOP convention
Posted July 28th, 2008 at 9:15 am



A few months ago, Rep. Tom Davis, a Virginia Republican and former chairman of the NRCC, told the WaPo, “The House Republican brand is so bad right now that if it were a dog food, they’d take it off the shelf.”

Has the GOP “brand” improved since? Apparently not.

Nine of 12 targeted Republicans running in the most competitive Senate races this fall are either skipping the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn., or have not decided whether to attend.

Among those who will not attend are Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, who is not close to presumptive presidential nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is a McCain loyalist. Stevens and Collins will use the convention week to focus on their campaigns.

Also sending regrets is former Rep. Bob Schaffer of Colorado, running for the seat being vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Wayne Allard.

Six others — Sens. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, John Sununu of New Hampshire, Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina and Gordon Smith of Oregon and challengers John Kennedy of Louisiana and Rep. Steve Pearce of New Mexico are still on the fence. Their spokesman offered responses ranging from “there are no plans yet” to “no decisions have been made.”

Now, I can understand these vulnerable Republican incumbents not wanting to be photographed alongside George W. Bush. I can even understand some of them, particularly those in traditionally “blue” states, not wanting to be seen delivering speeches at the Republican convention.

But these guys don’t want to go to their party’s quadrennial gathering at all? Do they think voters might forget which party they belong to if they steer clear of St. Paul altogether?

more...

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/16349.html

[L. Coyote]

1. Sen. Collins still has not responded to the Hatch Act violations. E-mail her!!

by her staff and evidenced on the internet in the e-mails that mistakenly went to the dot org site and hence, to Greg Palast.

Deja DU: More HATCH ACT Violations Noted. The georgewbush.org mis-directed e-mails contain evidence.
Jun-08-07 - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1058201

I sent a very polite communication to inform the Senator of her staff's crimes, but I got no reply??

Deja DU: New Collins vulnerability revealed. Her staff violated the Hatch Act. Evidence online.
Jun-21-07 - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=156x4547

Perhaps the good Senator needs a few more e-mails to remind her of these crimes???

===============================

Here follows the no-brainer, obvious cases that first caught my attention, with the dot.gov e-mails
used in relation to a campaign activity. Others can be easily identified by noting if 1.) the activity
is campaign related, and 2.) either the person is at work, or using a government computer (se the IP numbers).

From: http://2004.georgewbush.org/deadletteroffice/headers.as...
(NOTE: spaces added and mailto code deleted to disable the links.)
------

From: "Ford, Jon (Collins)" Jon_Ford @collins.senate.gov
To: "Vail, Bill (Collins)" Bill_Vail @collins.senate.gov
"McCarthy, Sarah (Collins)" Sarah_McCarthy @collins.senate.gov
"Murphy, Tom (Collins)" Tom_Murphy @collins.senate.gov
"Card, William (Collins)" William_Card @collins.senate.gov
"Bosse, Philip (Collins)" Philip_Bosse @collins.senate.gov
Cc: RBumps @georgewbush.org
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 21 Oct 2004 15:23:09.0301 (UTC) FILETIME=

-----Original Message-----
From: Ford, Jon (Collins) Jon_Ford @collins.senate.gov
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 11:23 AM
To: Vail, Bill (Collins) Bill_Vail @collins.senate.gov ; McCarthy, Sarah (Collins) Sarah_McCarthy @collins.senate.gov ; Murphy, Tom (Collins) Tom_Murphy @collins.senate.gov ; Card, William (Collins) William_Card @collins.senate.gov ; Bosse, Philip (Collins) Philip_Bosse @collins.senate.gov
Cc: RBumps @georgewbush.org
Subject: RE: Pineworks- Auburn

you are some smooooth!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vail, Bill (Collins)
> Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 11:08 AM
> To: McCarthy, Sarah (Collins); Murphy, Tom (Collins); Card, William
> (Collins); Ford, Jon (Collins); Bosse, Philip (Collins)
> Cc: 'RBumps @georgewbush.org'
> Subject: RE: Pineworks- Auburn
>
> I'd suggest an op-ed piece written by a" friend" that exposes the
> injustice of these attacks on a local family owned business.
> The friend could focus on the notion that Kerry supporters are
> apparently willing to damage local businesses and families in their
> effort to stifle free speech.
> Pineworks isn't sponsoring the anti-Kerry piece right? They are simply
> buying ad time on the local channel.
>
> Politics is however, a contact sport.

[Phred42]

2. But they had to ask PERMISSION first

[gratuitous]

3. Gordon Smith is desperately trying to re-cast himself as a Democrat

It's worked before; I'm hoping (and working) it's not going to fly this time around. We already have a Democrat running for Senate, Mr. Smith, and I greatly prefer the real Democrat to the ersatz one.