Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.
On a serious note, keep in mind PA is one of those “sophisticated” Northeastern states with lots of colleges and universities and which hasn’t voted for a GOP Prez nominee in over two full decades. Just imagine what they’re thinking out there in the Florida Panhandle and in Southern Ohio. Gulp.
As James Carville explained, Pennsylvania is Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with Alabama in between. In that respect,it’s not all that different from a lot of states with large urban areas. In Illinois, Chicago and champaign-Urbana keep the state blue, but the rest of Illinois is pretty conservative.
Walter DeVries, a longtime aide to George Romney, “issued a harshly worded critique of Mitt Romney, accusing him of shifting political positions in ‘erratic and startling ways’ and failing to live up to the distinguished record of his father, the former governor of Michigan,” the New York Times reports.
De Vries, who worked for the senior Mr. Romney throughout the 1960s, wrote that Mitt Romney’s bid for the White House was “a far cry from the kind of campaign and conduct, as a public servant, I saw during the seven years I worked in George Romney’s campaigns and served him as governor.”
He added: “While it seems that Mitt would say and do anything to close a deal – or an election. George Romney’s strength as a politician and public officeholder was his ability and determination to develop and hold consistent policy positions over his life.”
@Fiona: In Illinois, Chicago and champaign-Urbana keep the state blue, but the rest of Illinois is pretty conservative.
Conservative maybe. But as this map shows http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/presidential-election/results/illinois-2008.html there are Blue counties all the way to Cairo.
I live in Jackson County. At 37 deg. 43′ N Lat. Makanda Township is south of the District of Columbia (38 deg. 54′ N).
Democrat Gary Forby is running for reelection to the Illinois State Senate 59th Dist. Although Jackson County is not his turf I hear radio ads for him all the time. His campaign is all about him fighting President Obama on the mining of Illinois coal and fighting Gov. Quinn (Dem) about everything.
It is very common to see political yard signs and billboards in support of candidates of both parties that do not reveal a candidates party affiliation. Just the name and office.
I am not proud to report this but we also have political vandalism. http://thesouthern.com/news/local/political-signs-burned-in-carbondale/article_5f5bcd68-0c47-11e2-85f9-001a4bcf887a.html
This isn’t a facepalm moment, this is reaping what you sow. It must be shocking to you that 40+ years of dog whistling actually attracted a few dogs Doug. You should get outside of the beltway sometime, better yet a few hundred miles from a coast, this shit is real.
Doug, James, you realize that if Democrats field another good non-white candidate for President in 2016, Republicans will be no different. It’s 2012, and you’ve already spent 4 years sighing over the virulently racist horrors of your chosen party. You don’t have to spend the next 8 years doing that if you don’t want to. Wouldn’t it be a relief to not have to cringe because you choose to be associated with these people? Wouldn’t it be nice to just feel angry over stuff like this, instead of embarrassed that you vote to help these people make policy?
Really, what policies do Republicans have that are so wonderful, so vital, that it’s worth helping this filth flourish?
It wasn’t all that much better when Bill Clinton was president. It wouldn’t be any different now if Hillary were president. Nor will it be any different in ’16 even if the Dems nominate a standard issue old white guy. If not race or gender, they’ll find something.
Today’s GOP. No shock there.
Yeah. I’ve seen something similar along the road in rural North Carolina. Stay classy, Republicans.
What’s wrong with that “Kane” sign?
Oh, right, never mind.
On a serious note, keep in mind PA is one of those “sophisticated” Northeastern states with lots of colleges and universities and which hasn’t voted for a GOP Prez nominee in over two full decades. Just imagine what they’re thinking out there in the Florida Panhandle and in Southern Ohio. Gulp.
Not long ago Mitt said this:
And a bit earlier he said this:
And of course Sununu said this:
So the despicable behavior at the bottom of the party is just a reflection of the despicable behavior at the top of the party, and vice versa.
@Tsar Nicholas:
As James Carville explained, Pennsylvania is Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with Alabama in between. In that respect,it’s not all that different from a lot of states with large urban areas. In Illinois, Chicago and champaign-Urbana keep the state blue, but the rest of Illinois is pretty conservative.
I think this sign raises some very good points.
I’ve always been suspicious of Delaware.
Why is this a face palm?
This is what conservatives believe. When your votes help these guys in to political office, their policies follow this thinking.
You know all this, so why feign surprise?
Par for the course for that crew:
http://politicalwire.com/archives/2012/10/15/romney_attacked_by_fathers_longtime_aide.html
Conservative maybe. But as this map shows http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/presidential-election/results/illinois-2008.html there are Blue counties all the way to Cairo.
I live in Jackson County. At 37 deg. 43′ N Lat. Makanda Township is south of the District of Columbia (38 deg. 54′ N).
Democrat Gary Forby is running for reelection to the Illinois State Senate 59th Dist. Although Jackson County is not his turf I hear radio ads for him all the time. His campaign is all about him fighting President Obama on the mining of Illinois coal and fighting Gov. Quinn (Dem) about everything.
It is very common to see political yard signs and billboards in support of candidates of both parties that do not reveal a candidates party affiliation. Just the name and office.
I am not proud to report this but we also have political vandalism.
http://thesouthern.com/news/local/political-signs-burned-in-carbondale/article_5f5bcd68-0c47-11e2-85f9-001a4bcf887a.html
@Tsar Nicholas: In SW FL, I’m not seeing anything like those. Why, even Gore-Lieberman stickers remain on cars, unscathed.
In other words, “WE CONSERVATIVES ARE VICTIMS!!!! WE CONSERVATIVES ARE VICTIMS!!!!!”
You poor, poor dear…
This isn’t a facepalm moment, this is reaping what you sow. It must be shocking to you that 40+ years of dog whistling actually attracted a few dogs Doug. You should get outside of the beltway sometime, better yet a few hundred miles from a coast, this shit is real.
subtle, yet to the point!
@An Interested Party:
Kane is the Democrat running for Attorney General.
Yes, but does Tsar Nicholas know that? Certainly he has told us over and over again about all the people he is unaware of…
So now the left is saying Romney and Ryan aren’t Americans?
Mitt’s daddy was born in Mexico. Mitt spent 30 months in FRANCE.
I think a real American American would probably be a bit more American.
Well, YEAH!!! Like, Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
@rodney dill:
Rodney, I am still trying to figure out if they are human.
@OzarkHillbilly:
That was mean… funny, but mean. 😉
Romney is American, it’s just his money that is foreign.
Doug, James, you realize that if Democrats field another good non-white candidate for President in 2016, Republicans will be no different. It’s 2012, and you’ve already spent 4 years sighing over the virulently racist horrors of your chosen party. You don’t have to spend the next 8 years doing that if you don’t want to. Wouldn’t it be a relief to not have to cringe because you choose to be associated with these people? Wouldn’t it be nice to just feel angry over stuff like this, instead of embarrassed that you vote to help these people make policy?
Really, what policies do Republicans have that are so wonderful, so vital, that it’s worth helping this filth flourish?
@swbarnes2: Second the question.
It wasn’t all that much better when Bill Clinton was president. It wouldn’t be any different now if Hillary were president. Nor will it be any different in ’16 even if the Dems nominate a standard issue old white guy. If not race or gender, they’ll find something.
And please don’t say both sides do it.
@Fiona: yup my rural town in illinios was deep red.. reminds me of where i now live in texas.