Feingold says enthusiasm gap is a myth (updated)

[ProSense]

Feingold says enthusiasm gap is a myth

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold says the enthusiasm gap between Republicans and Democrats is a myth.

Feingold spoke Tuesday at President Barack Obama's rally at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus designed to energize Democratic voters. More than 12,000 people showed up with thousands more turned away.

Feingold looked out over the crowd and said Republicans were celebrating too soon and all the talk of there being an enthusiasm gap is a myth.

Feingold faces a tough re-election fight against millionaire Republican businessman Ron Johnson. Polls show Johnson and Republican gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker ahead.

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More than 26,000 show up to see Obama in Madison

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - If there's an enthusiasm gap for Democrats this election, it hasn't reached Madison.

Students and residents in the traditionally liberal city turned out by the thousands on Tuesday to see President Barack Obama at a rally on the University of Wisconsin campus meant to energize the base of the Democratic Party.

University police estimate more than 17,000 people packed onto a mall in the heart of the campus to see the president. Another 9,000 lined up for more than a mile to get in but were diverted to overflow areas.

Obama was joined at the rally by U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett.

Rock band the National and singer-songwriter Ben Harper also entertained the crowd before the president arrived.

Updated to add:

[Blue Owl]

1. Not to discourage people from voting for Feingold

but I don't think for one minute people smart enough to vote for Feingold would think that their GOP alternative would be any improvement.

Time to call the M$M's bluff -- we know who owns 'em.

[Unvanguard]

2. This once, Feingold is full of shit.

There's plenty of polling on this topic. Of course there's an enthusiasm gap. We are better off dealing with it than ignoring it.

[ProSense]

4. Or maybe

it's the polls that are full of shit?

[Aramchek]

8. just because you want a gap doesn't mean there is one

All those people who voted for Obama in 2008 aren't going to just turn around and vote for a Teabagger.

[Unvanguard]

10. ...Yes, I fantasize about having Mitch McConnell as Senate majority leader.

:eyes:

Or, maybe, you know, I actually pay some attention to hard data rather than wishful speculation.

[gkhouston]

15. No one has said they would. The fear is that they'll stay home. And the WH has

that fear, or they wouldn't be telling us to buck up. It wouldn't surprise me if the MSM is wildly exagerrating the size of the gap, though.

[Radical Activist]

14. I thought everyone had learned not to trust the polls.

They're consistently bullshit and non-newsworthy.

[grantcart]

16. And all of the polls show that the gap is diminishing rather rapidly

and the campaign season is really just getting started.

[karynnj]

19. I think his point was that the 26,000 people there belie the gap

Events like that are exactly what might be needed to re-ignite some enthusiasm on our side. We can't change the economy enough in 6 weeks, but we can make it a question of which set of solutions is more likely to work.

Polls are snapshots in time - and only over time can they be seen to change. There are a few showing the beginnings of a change, We need to not stomp on the possibility of that change. (I know it sounds unrelated, but I think of it as similar to the fact that smiling (even if the smile is fake) or laughing (even if just to test this) make you happier and more relaxed. Here if we show enthusiasm when we can and make the most positive case we can, we change our own mood and that of the people we speak to.)

[Historic NY]

3. I think the President worked the crowd......real good. "Make sure we keep moving forward".

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. One of the rare occasions I agree with Russ. The "enthusiasm gap" is just...

as much a media creation as the teabaggers.

[LiberalFighter]

6. The so called MSM sole purpose to create hot air.

[discopants]

13. ABC's Jake Tapper tonight said he failed to energize the crowd

also said (not exact words) this kind of rally today would hurt the Dems because he's lost his touch.

Tapper is an asshat putz.

[LiberalFighter]

7. I thought Feingold wasn't going to appear at the rally.

[elleng]

11. Changed his mind; was able to get out of DC.

[craigmatic]

9. what percentage of WI's total population is 26,000?

[LiberalFighter]

17. Why would you make that statement?

All of Wisconsin is not going to drop what they are doing and attend any type of rally in Madison.

[craigmatic]

18. I made the statement because I really wanted to know how many people are there.

What's wrong with that?

[LiberalFighter]

21. Are where? At the rally?

[craigmatic]

24. No I wanted to see how the figures at the rally compared to the state wide numbers so I could

determine what percentage of the state was already voting democrat and mobilized.

[Clio the Leo]

12. Wait!? Is that a Tea Badger?

Get it? TEA BADGER!!! HA HA HA!!!!!!



.... oh, nevermind.

[Upton]

20. Doesn't look like a myth to me..

http://www.gallup.com/poll/143132/Generic-Ballot-Virtually-Tied-Democrats-Republicans.aspxI

It's a very real problem...and wishing it away isn't going to work.

[Milo_Bloom]

22. There's no place like home... there's no place like home.. there's no place like home.

[Scurrilous]

23. K & R

:thumbsup: