Although you wouldn’t know it from Swing State Project (it’s a little outside both our coverage area and our expertise), Canada is poised for a national election on Monday night. The last round of polls has hinted at the real possibility of a late surge by the leftish New Democratic Party. Would that actually translate into a plurality in seats in Parliament for the perpetual third wheels? Given the vagaries of the parliamentary system, non-binary parties, and strategic voting, we have no idea, which isn’t to say that Canadian prognosticators have much more of an idea either.
When faced with parliamentary elections, SSP’s fancies inevitably turn to a slightly different question, though… the system of naming ridings for their cities and/or neighborhoods, rather than just numbering them like we do here. (Case in point: one of the big ridings to watch this cycle is the remarkably cumbersomely-named West Vancouver–Sunshine Coast–Sea to Sky Country.) So here’s a rainy day activity, one that we also explored a bit during last year’s UK elections: suppose we had delightful names for our House constituencies, instead of giving them unimaginative appellations like NY-26. What would they be? You can play the question straight (calling AL-01 Mobile–Prichard, for example), or opt for the silly if you choose. To wit:
AR-01: Oil Trough–Possum Grape
OR-05: Boring–Wankers Corner
PA-16: Blue Ball–Intercourse
WA-06: Sappho–Humptulips
WV-03: Odd–Cucumber–Pie–War
Of course, feel free to discuss actual ongoing U.S. races too, as always.
It’s tiny and in the Amish country.
Now, Sappho, WA? I so gotta go there someday! lol
It probably would be called something like “Bloomington-New Albany.” However, I propose it be named after two of its lesser known cities — “French Lick-Santa Claus.”
Here-Be-Republicans
A little beyond the humor, I think it would be great to celebrate the heritage associated with each district.
OR-01: Astorian Nike
OR-02: The Pendleton Bend Roundup
OR-03: Portlandia (what else would it be, now that IFC has done that mini-series)
OR-04: Wine, Woods, and Free Willy
OR-05: Boring Haystack Tillamook Cheese
WA-01: Ferries to Microsoft
WA-02: Cascadia to the Coast
WA-03: D.B. Cooper’s Oysters
WA-04: Fruit, Wine, and Plutonium
WA-05: The Inland Empire
WA-06: The Olympic Twilight
WA-07: Sleepless in Seattle
WA-08: Twin Peaks (remember the TV show?)
WA-09: In the shadow of Rainier
We’re truly insane.
This one was easy. It’s always been the defacto nickname of the Upper Eastside of Manhattan’s congressional seat.
It’s Boring, Oregon! Huzzah!
I guess you’d say I’m from the Tillamook–Beaverton–Willamina riding, and I live in the College Park–St. Charles–Mechanicsville riding.
or as a nod to Travolta “The Tony Manero district” or just simply NY-13 Guidoland
What’s happening there? Any news? Is the “I’m running but don’t need to raise money yet” lady still the only Dem?
Better-Blue-Than-Dead
As long as Harper is denied a majority government, I’ll be content.
I’m also wondering if the NDP surge in Quebec will translate into losses for the Bloc as the polls show.
I’m also watching the elections in the UK on May 5: AV vote, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and local council and mayoral elections.
WI-01: Kenoska-Racine-Janesville
WI-02: Madison and More
WI-03: Mississippi River District
WI-04: Milwaukee
WI-05: Waukesha-West Bend
WI-06: Oshkosh-Neenah-Fon du Lac-Sheboygan-Manitowoc
WI-07: Superior-Wausau-Stevens Point
WI-08: Green Bay-Appleton
Good news from the LV Sun: “Sharron Angle to run in special U.S. House election”
Of course, it still depends on whether or not this will be a free for all, but can you say Congresswoman Marshall?
MO-4: Tightwad-Climax
MO-7: Purdy-Jane (I can literally hear Billy Long using this in a totally sexist way with his overdone southern drawl)
1-Cross Bay-Eastern Shore
2-Aberdeen-Dundalk-Timonium
3-Baltimore Northwest & South-Annapolis-Towson
4-Silver Spring-Mitchellville-Oxon Hill
5-College Park-Bowie-Patuxent
6-Panhandle-Frederick-Carroll
7-Baltimore Central-West Columbia-Ellicott City
8-Bethesda-Rockville-Gaithersburg
MA-01: Pittsfield-Amherst-Greenfield-Leominster
MA-02: Springfield-Northampton-Blackstone Valley
MA-03: Worcester-Fall River
MA-04: Newton-Brookline-New Bedford
MA-05: Lowell-Lawrence
MA-06: North Shore
MA-07: Framingham-Malden
MA-08: Boston North
MA-09: Boston South-Brockton
MA-10: South Shore-Cape Cod-Islands
We don’t really have good town names to work with. MA-01 could be Blandford-Plainfield (it’s slightly more exciting than that name would suggest) and MA-10 could have the suggestive Gay Head-Provincetown moniker.
Basically the entire province of Quebec is interesting. There is a good chance the NDP will take ridings that the Liberals held for 120 years (Hull-Aylmer, for instance). They are also poised to make gains across Montreal, Outaouais (a region on the border of Ontario, parts of which are metropolitan Ottawa; includes Gatineau and Hull), and Quebec City (which oddly enough had been the epicenter of Quebec Conservative support starting in 2006).
As for the rest of Canada, the Conservatives should expand further into the suburban Toronto “905 Belt”, especially in the city of Brampton. The NDP should hold their own, and may pick off a seat or two in downtown Toronto (most likely Parkdale-High Park, in my opinion).
Atlantic Canada is very much in flux as well, with several pickup opportunities for the NDP in Nova Scotia.
As for the prairies and BC, the Conservatives have kept a high vote there. I imagine that the NDP may be able to take a seat or two in Vancouver, and retain their lone holdout in Edmonton. It will be interesting to see if they can break into Saskatchewan; their best chances to do so (in rough order of likelihood) would be Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar, Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River (the northern half of the province, and heavily aboriginal) and Palliser (southwestern Regina and Moose Jaw).
But yeah, I’ve lurked here for ages, and I’m glad to be a posting member now.
CT-05 could be South Britain-Northwest Harwinton-Terryville-Berkshire Estates-Gaylordsville. Ok, the last part is neither English-sounding nor a town (it’s a village in New Milford, which is bad enough), but I had to throw it in there.
Truth Or Consequences–Waterloo
Napoleon says this is appropriate.
My dad’s running for mayor to replace Steve Lampi, who died in February. 12 candidates so he could win with 9% of the vote in theory.
LA-01: The Other Tammany Hall
LA-02: Little France
LA-03: Napoleonville-Houma
LA-04: Nachidotches-Beauregard
LA-05: Olla and Lake Providence
LA-06: Iberville-Feliciana
LA-07: Atchafalaya-Lake Charles
Not very good 🙁
Sad.
straight up:
1: Flagstaff-Prescott-Window Rock-Safford
2: Glendale-Peoria-Sun City
3: North Phoenix
4: Phoenix
5: Scottsdale-Tempe-Ahwatukee
6: Mesa-Gilbert
7: West Tucson-Yuma
8: East Tucson-Sierra Vista
silly:
1: Show Low-Lukachukai-Teec Nos Pos
2: Surprise-Nothing-Kykotsmovi
3: Carefree-Paradise Valley
4: Sheriff Joe’s Theater of the Absurd
5: Tortilla Flat-Sunflower
6: Apache Junction-Superstition-Higley
7: Quartzsite-Why-Three Points-Tumacacori
8: Tombstone-Fry-Pirtleville
The rural districts are much more fun than the urban ones.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N…
Responsible governing at its finest. Speculate away.
IL-01: Bronzeville-Hyde Park-Evergreen Park-Blue Island
IL-02: Jackson Park-East Side-Flossmoor-Chicago Heights
IL-03: Bridgeport-Midway-Riverside-Burbank
IL-04: Wicker Park-Logan Square-Cicero-Pilsen
IL-05: Lincoln Park-Lakeview-Albany Park-Schiller Park
IL-06: Elk Grove-O’Hare-Carol Stream-Wheaton
IL-07: Chinatown-Loop-Humboldt Park-Oak Park
IL-08: Zion-McHenry-Barrington-Schaumburg
IL-09: Rogers Park-Evanston-Des Plaines-Norridge
IL-10: Waukegan-Lake Forest-Arlington Heights-Buffalo Grove
IL-11: Kankakee-Joliet-Bloomington-Normal
IL-12: Cairo-Carbondale-Belleville-Alton
IL-13: Lemont-Orland Park-Bolingbrook-Naperville
IL-14: Aurora-Elgin-Oswego-DeKalb
IL-15: Danville-Champaign-Urbana-Charleston
IL-16: Crystal Lake-Rockford-Freeport-Galena
IL-17: Rock Island-Galesburg-Macomb-Quincy
IL-18: Peoria-Pekin-Jacksonville-Springfield
IL-19: Mount Vernon-Centralia-Collinsville_Edwardsville
Lamar Smith
TX-Comfort-Welfare
…says the man who sued a firefighting company for not putting out a grass fire on his property fast enough.
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpoi…
Also works for VA-11.
Cumslo-Tyty
MD-01–Eastern Shore–Mid Anne Arundel
MD-02–Baltimore East–Randallstown
MD-03–Baltimore West–Towson–Annapolis
MD-04–Inner Prince Georges–Olney–Northern Germantown
MD-05–Maryland South–College Park
MD-06–Potomac River
MD-07–Baltimore City–Columbia–Cantonsville
MD-08–Montgomery
CA-01 Redwoods to Sacramento
CA-02 Shasta and Yuba
CA-03 Sacramento suburbs
CA-04 Mother Lode
CA-05 Sacramento
CA-06 North of SF (and my home!)
CA-07 Richmond to Fairfield
CA-08 San Francisco without Sunset
CA-09 Democrats!!!
CA-10 Between the Bay and the Valley
Canadian-Bacon
🙂
NY-19: Orange-Putnam
NY-20: Hudson Valley
NY-21: Albany-Schenectady-Troy
NY-22: Ithaca-Binghamton-Catskills
NY-23: North Country-Oswego
NY-24: Utica-Rome-Auburn
NY-25: Syracuse
NY-26: Orleans-Genesee-Wyoming-Livingston
NY-27: Buffalo-Jamestown
NY-28: Buffalo-Rochester
NY-29: Southern Tier
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…
but MN-7 should be Fertile-Climax.
Then Austin would have the weird designations Canadian, British, and Australian constituencies have: Austin East, Austin West, Austin North, Austin Central, etc. I’m sure New York would have something similar as London has, where constituencies take the names of neighborhoods.
But back to my beloved CT, and what would be it’s pretty boring names:
CT-01: Hartford
CT-02: Thames-Windham
CT-03: New Haven
CT-04: Fairfield
CT-05: Danbury-Litchfield
While named constituencies are interesting, I always figured we numbered our districts so to achieve some democratic ideal and remove the stench of royal influence. Sort of like how imperial Germany named its war plans (i.e. Schlieffen Plan) while democratic France numbered it’s plans (as in the woefully inadequate Plan XVII).
that Massachusetts names its state legislative districts by which counties they’re in. Not quite the same, but they’re not simply numbered.
1-From the Northern Neck to the Colonial Capital
2-Sailors, Sunbathers, and Surfers
3-Richmond-Norfolk Line Cruises
4-Salt Peanuts, Salt Hams, and Salt Marshes
5-Thomas Jefferson and his Yeoman Farmers
6-Roanoke, Shenandoah, and a Natural Bridge in between
7-Pride in the Past and the Piedmont
8-Welcome to Northern Virginia–or is this Southern DC?
9-Coal, Colleges, and the Cumberlands
10-Apples, Airports, and Apps in development
11-George Washington Slept Here. Millions Shopped Here.
These are named like constituencies would be named in the UK (and ridings in Canada). Of course, both countries have non-partisan boundary commissions, so they would not the crazy gerrymandering that we have (both racial and political).
NY 1: Suffolk East
NY 2: Suffolk West-Plainview
NY 3: Nassau East
NY 4:Hempstead-Rockville Centre
NY 5: Flushing-Gold Coast
NY 6: Jamaica
NY 7: Woodside, Elmhurst & the East Bronx
NY 8: Manhattan West, Borough Park & Coney Island
NY 9: Sheephead’s Bay, Forest Hills, & Kew Gardens
NY 10: Bedford-Styvesant, East New York, & Canarsie
NY 11: Crown Heights-Flatbush
NY 12: Ridgewood, Williamsburg & Sunset Park
NY 13: Staten Island-Bay Ridge
NY 14: Astoria-Manhattan East
NY 15: Harlem
NY 16: South Bronx
NY 17: Hudson Valley-South
NY 18: Westchester
NY 19: Hudson Valley-Mid
NY 20: Hudson Valley-North
NY 21: Capital District
NY 22: Ithaca-Catskills
NY 23: Adirondacks
NY 24: Leatherstocking-Finger Lakes
NY 25: Syracuse-Rochester East
NY 26: Genessee Valley
NY 27: Buffalo South-Jamestown
NY 28: Rochester-Buffalo North
NY 29: Rochester South-Southern Tier
else stay up to watch the Royal Wedding?
Quite unexpected.
http://coloradopols.com/diary/…
http://tolbertreport.com/wp-co…
New York’s
NY-01- Smithtown-East End
NY-02- Islip-Huntington
NY-03- Babylon-Oyster Bay
NY-04- Hempstead
NY-05- Flushing-Great Neck
NY-06- Jamaica
NY-07- Jackson Heights, East Bronx
NY-08- Lower Manhattan-Borough Park
NY-09- South Brooklyn-Rockaway-Forest Hills
NY-10- East Brooklyn
NY-11- Flatbush
NY-12-Sunset Park-Williamsburg
NY-13- Staten Island-Bay Ridge
NY-14- Midtown, Astoria
NY-15- Harlem
NY-16- South Bronx
NY-17- Riverdale, Dobbs Ferry, Nyack
NY-18- New Rochelle-White Plains
NY-19- Mid Hudson Valley
NY-20- Glens Falls, Catskills
NY-21- Capital District
NY-22- Ithaca-Binghampton-Poughkepsie
NY-23- North Country
NY-24- Utica, Cortland
NY-25- Syracuse, East Rochester
NY-26- Clarence, Greece
NY-27- Buffalo, Jamestown
NY-28- Niagara Falls-Rochester
NY-29- Canandiagua- Southern Tier
At this point, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the GOP are going to clobber Democrats in the House, Senate, Governorships, and Presidency. GOP +70(The defeats of Buerkle and Farenthold bring that number down to a net of 68)in the House, +12(A net of 11 with Brown’s defeat) in the Senate, +4 in Governors races, and 389-149(54%-43%) Donald Trump/Rick Santorum over Barack Obama/John Kerry. Democrats would be better to nominate a Dan Boren/Gene Taylor ticket as it would do well in the South and hold predominantly Democratic regions.
NH-02: VT commuter escaping taxes.
CT-02: bad drivers and entitled kids.
For real: Boone–Winston-Salen
Not for real:
Tobaccoville–Devotion
Cooleemee–Harmony (it rhymes!)
Meat Camp–Cricket–Toast
I live in Michigan’s 8th (Lansing – Livingston – North Oakland). It’s one the Republicans stretched from the solidly Democratic and blue Ingham County (Lansing-East Lansing), all threw the exploding western and northern exurbs of Metro Detroit. It includes Michigan’s historic Klan county (Livingston County).
Anyway…MI-08: Hell
That’s it. Hell, Michigan. Look it up.
Just a heads up, but the language for a recall of Michigan Governor Rick Snyder was approved, yesterday. I believe wording was also approved for a state rep or senator, can’t remember which.
Anyway, the governor recall won’t ultimately go through, but it should help organize Democrats for other races coming up. You know, build up a few email lists, train new workers, etc…
Courtesy of a paper that IIRC has a rep somewhere between the New York Post and the National Enquirer
http://www.torontosun.com/2011…
Seems like the Toronto and Montreal papers, as well as CTV’s Web site are reporting more fairly on the subject. I see nothing on the front page of the CBC.
Still the question is whether this will slow or even reverse NDP momentum, functionally equivalent to our sort of “November surprise”.
in-1-the sulpher pits or the pits
I always find Canadian Ridings so cumbersome, compared to British constituencies, where the Boundary Commission name much pithier seats.
From my own constituency, Kingston & Surbiton, the next door seat is Richmond Park, named because all of the communities have in common that they border the biggest open space in London.
The sortest constituency name that I can think of is no longer a seat, but was Ince – the shortest now is probably Leigh or something.
Most evocative current constituency is South Holland & the Deepings up in Lincolnshire, but probably my favourite until its boundaries and name changed in 2005 was Carrick, Cumnock & Doon Valley – sounds beautiful, and demonstatrates that the Scottish Boundary Commission has always been keener on longer seat names!
I meant to include links to those excellent seats’ wikipedia pages, but I simply do not have the HTML skills, sorry!
http://www.lasvegassun.com/new…
I’ve set up a separate diary on the subject, ref http://www.swingstateproject.c…
I’ll update it if the weather doesn’t keep me outside. If James L starts his own diary on the upcoming election, I’ll encourage everyone to move the discussion there.
PA-9 (Shuster)
Tyrone-Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
http://www.politico.com/blogs/…
Any Wisconsin folks familiar with the dynamics of the 94th Assembly District? It’s the one that was held by Mike Huebsch, now dead of the Wisconsin DOA under Walker, and a long-time Republican seat, but in a somewhat swingy area. All I know is that there was a set of mailings sent out by the “Jobs First Coalition” (based in Brookfield in good old Waukesha County and linked to former GOP Assembly Speaker Scott Jensen) claiming the Democratic nominee, Steve Doyle, paid his property taxes late, apparently a false accusation; as well as a TV ad I saw yesterday by the RSLC going after Doyle on what seemed to be the same issue (the TV was muted so I can’t saw for sure, but the imagery in the ad seemed to match the subject of the mailings). The election is this Tuesday.
NC-01: Grabtown-Sunnyside
NC-02: Micro-Colon
NC-03: Mamie-Lola
NC-04: Bahama-Efland
NC-05: Bottom-Boomer
NC-06: Climax-High Point
NC-07: Tobermory-Watha
NC-08: Pee Dee-Cognac
NC-09: Waxhaw-Marvin
NC-10: Cranberry-Baton
NC-11: Scaly-Joe
NC-12: Churchland-Mount Ulla
NC-13: Lizard Lick-Frogsboro
NJ-01: Camden
NJ-02: Atlantic City-Cape May-Pine Barrens
NJ-03: Burlington-Ocean
NJ-04: Hamilton-Monmouth
NJ-05: Bergen-Sussex-Warren
NJ-06: Edison-New Brunswick-Long Branch
NJ-07: Scotch Plains-Central
NJ-08: Passaic-Paterson
NJ-09: Hudson-Bergen
NJ-10: Newark-Elizabeth
NJ-11: Morristown-North Jersey
NJ-12: Trenton-Princeton
NJ-13: West New York-Jersey City-Rahway
He served five terms from the 60s to the 80s, before being primaried by Ron Wyden. He also had a couple runs for Senate.
http://www.oregonlive.com/poli…
This is what I think it would look like if the Dems were, in some fantasy world, to draw two districts for themselves. I realize it’s probably retrogression, but if nothing else as a hail mary. Green district is 48.2 white and 48.0 black total, 51.1 white and 45.4 black VAP. Purple is 46.4 white and 49.0 black total, 49.8 white and 46.1 black VAP. Both districts would definitely be dominated by blacks in the Dem primary. The biggest problem I see is that a Republican might win in the general, especially in a bad year. In a presidential year, though, if the Dem got 10% of the white vote and 97% of the black vote (basically what Obama got), they should get around 53% of the vote, since Obama got 43% and these districts are about 10% more black than MS as a whole.
http://www.swingstateproject.c…
01 – North Coast
02 – Northern Sacramento Valley
03 – Sacramento suburbs
04 – Northern Mountain
05 – Sacramento
06 – Marin-Sonoma
07 – Richmond-Concord-Vallejo
08 – San Francisco
09 – Berkeley-Oakland
10 – Fairfield-Walnut Creek-Livermore
11 – Lodi-San Ramon-Pleasanton
12 – San Mateo-South San Francisco
13 – Fremont
14 – Redwood City-Palo Alto
15 – Silicon Valley
16 – San Jose
17 – Santa Cruz-Monterey
18 – Stockton-Modesto-Merced
19 – Yosemite
20 – Fresno
21 – Tulare
22 – Bakersfield
23 – Southern Central Coast
24 – Inland Southern Central Coast
25 – High Desert
26 – Arcadia-Glendora-Rancho Cucamonga
27 – West San Fernando Valley
28 – East San Fernando Valley
29 – Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena
30 – West Side L.A.
31 – Hollywood
32 – Baldwin Park-Covina
33 – Culver City
34 – Downtown L.A.
35 – South Central L.A.
36 – Beach Cities
37 – Carson-Long Beach
38 – Pomona-East L.A.
39 – South Gate-Cerritos
40 – Cypress-Fullerton-Orange
41 – Northern Inland Empire
42 – Western Inland Empire
43 – Fontana-San Bernardino
44 – Corona-Riverside
45 – Most of Riverside County
46 – Palos Verdes-Huntington Beach-Costa Mesa
47 – Anaheim-Garden Grove-Santa Ana
48 – Newport Beach-Irvine-Laguna Beach
49 – Temecula-Oceanside
50 – San Diego North Coast
51 – Imperial County-Chula Vista
52 – Poway-Santee-El Cajon
53 – San Diego
Doesn’t sound like it’s anything too serious, but he’ll need to rest for a bit. Get well soon, governor!
LA-01: Pontchartrain
LA-02: Bienville
LA-03: Atchafalaya
LA-04: Natchitoches
LA-05: Tallulah (Just because its fun to say)
LA-06: Florida or Feliciana
LA-07: Acadiana
This guy must REALLY want to be mayor of Carmel.
http://www.jsonline.com/news/s…
Note that the approval doesn’t necessarily mean that all eight will be on that day, as they could be held up in appeals.
The article also gives some nice flavor on who’s thinking of running in some of the races.
Hollywood-California.
The Republican Legislative redistricting plan is expected to be unveiled Tue afternoon. Of course this is just the first act of a process that will likely end up in the courts but it will be good to get it underway. Interested to see how greedy the Republicans will be in drawing their maps.
Gallup has Obama at a break-even 46-46, and Rasmussen has Obama at a positive 50-49. The latter is striking, they haven’t had Obama positive since early March or so.
Both have had an Obama “surge” the past few days.
Sympathy bounce from anti-birther backlash? Or just noise? It’s worth noting that Gallup and Rasmussen don’t move in such close tandem like this very often.
Anyway, it’s improved my mood tonight. Not that I thought Obama was hurting for reelection from the past month’s doldrums, but breathing politics day in and day out like I do, it’s hard not to let the oscillations affect my mood.
Now a special election win in Wisconsin on Tuesday would make me very happy!
big announcement I guess? caught pretty much everyone by surprise. my guess is it’s national security related
He’s no more! The McGuffin has been captured! Checkmate!
This is almost surreal.
Of course, I’m just kidding, please don’t take that as anything but a light-hearted joke.
GOD BLESS OUR ARMED FORCES!
I’m so glad that Osama is dead, and I hope that this moment can bring the American people together.
But this is one of the few exceptions. Regardless of the political implications (and there will be many) this is truly a great day for America and the world.
Gaddafi’s son gets killed and now Bin Laden. Someone must be smiling down on us right now. Hopefully NATO kills Gaddafi in the next few days.
Lets start the party!
i’m getting antsy. i have some jokes about why it’s taking so long, but it might be in poor taste.
this is probably the zenith of his presidency. even if he passes a great new law and unemployment goes to 2.0% this is what people will remember about what he did. also, i think he earned his peace prize now.
^_^
but what does this mean for the Canadian election? it must mean something, right?
Via one of the blogs I follow, check this out:
http://twitter.com/#!/raypride…
http://twitpic.com/4s777w
the White House chanting “USA USA” makes me think this is going to result in a massive boost in Obama’s approval.
Andy Card (ex-Bush staffer) is desperately trying to spin that this is a non-partisan event and all that matters is that Osama was killed. Nice try. At least W was classy enough to congratulate Obama on getting OBL.
This is a major accomplishment for Obama and leaves the GOP with one less thing to try to attack Obama on.
I’m just glad that Osama Bin Laden is dead and America is less of a joke overseas now.
He is truly an evil, sadistic person and certainly deserved death; however, the throngs of people shouting and cheering in DC and NYC are a little disturbing.
I definitely see the solemnity of this moment, but that there are celebratory rallies taking place, and composed mostly of young people, is a very unsettling sight.
To get back to the politics of this, I think President Obama just sealed his reelection. The goodwill this generates among Americans could be a huge boost for his reelection.
Two years from now, if gas is still at $4 a gallon and unemployment is over 8%, then I see a rough slog for the President. However, if the economy is creating 200,000+ jobs a month and gas is at $3 instead of $4, I don’t see a scenario where President Obama fails to win reelection.
there will be a mini baby boom come 9 months from now?
as arguably the only candidates with foreign policy experience? santorum’s argument is weak, but he can argue his two senate terms prepared him more than pawlenty’s 20 years in minnesota politics or romney’s 4 years as governor.
I’ve spoken with two people who are “meh” or “oh okay” when i told them about it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…
The Gulf War I comparison is apt. Everyone thought GHW Bush would be a shoe-in for re-election after we threw Saddam out of Kuwait.
If Obama’s lucky, this will help the economy recover.
Look at the last sentence of this article. Really, guys? You’re either immature or sloppy proofreaders, it’s lose-lose.
This thing is bigger than I originally imagined. People are massing all over the country to celebrate. Fireworks are going off and major partying in the streets. This is probably not as big as V-J day, but it might be in the category of V-E day, which is huge. I’m guessing that it will be very hard to paint Obama as “unamerican” now or in the future. This could be a bigger fucking deal than I originally thought!
Fantastic! It couldn’t have come at a better time! Thank you providence and Dame Fortune for smiling upon us today!
mypalfish
05/01/11 23:03
“I’d rather have Bin Laden hiding for many more years than have Obama get the credit…and guaranteed re-election. How could Bush fail for 8 years and Obama gets him in just a few? Ugh.
Now at the Phillies/Mets game, the fans are chanting USA and OBAMA. This is the worst possible news.”
LarrySabato Larry Sabato
Most tweeps happy. A few are so bitterly anti-Obama they can’t even celebrate this triumph (4 POTUS & military). Grow up.
4 hours ago
LarrySabato Larry Sabato
Wonder when Obama first heard? Maybe this was why he was smiling even during his birther press conference.
4 hours ago
LarrySabato Larry Sabato
Almost 100% of Obama’s political enemies will praise him for this one. Imagine the 2012 TV ad.
4 hours ago
LarrySabato Larry Sabato
This is a giant political plus for Barack Obama.
4 hours ago
When I heard the Twin Towers had been hit, I was at school in Portland, Oregon, just before class started.
When I heard Osama bin Laden had been located and killed, I was in my apartment in Auckland, New Zealand, just after class ended.
Two of the more interesting municipal names in Michigan.
“I wish I was in Ypsi, Hooray! Hooray!
In Ypsi Land I’ll take my stand
to live and die in Ypsi.
Away, away, away down in Ypsi.
Away, away, away down in Ypsi”
I just keep thinking about this exchange during the Democratic primary.
http://voices.washingtonpost.c…