The upside of Hackett's loss.

[smartvoter]

First, pundits and analysts said that if we got 45% in this ultra-red district, it would be a big warning sign to Republicans. We got 48%.

Second, if there were ANY election shenanigans here, it gives us a "happened again" wedge to re-open the door to election reform.

Either way, we win.

[AX10]

1. It's closer to 49%

[Dr Fate]

2. We put our foot way up their ass this time.

!!!!

[Redstone]

3. "Either way, we win" as you say, BUT

a good man loses. As do we all.

Redstone

[AuntPatsy]

4. How true...

[Cha]

7. But, a man like Hackett will go

on to Better things..he'll turn this damn thing into freakin' Lemonaid!

And Congress gets the WICKED WITCH from the 2nd district in Ohio.

And the 2nd district gets to keep her twin sister.

[theHandpuppet]

21. Sadly, the Appalachian counties that went for Hackett...

... will have to live with the stinking offal once again served up to us from Cincinnati's plate. We always do, and we're sick to death of it. How do you think we feel being stuck in the 2nd District and always being outnumbered by the wealthier and supposedly more "sophisticated" voters in Cincinnati and her sycophantic neighbors, Clermont and Warren? We have about as much in common as Dubya and Dr. Dean.

As I stated in a thread to the Ohio forum, our only real option is secession from the 2nd District. Otherwise, the people of the 2nd's Appalachian counties will never have someone to represent them in Congress. Do you think that Frau Schmidt give's a rat's ass about what they consider a bunch of backwoods hillbillies?

Tonight, I am both proud of and sad for friends and family in Scioto County, Ohio, and our neighbors in Adams, Pike and Brown. Frankly, I somtimes wonder where they get the preserverence to keep battling against such overwhelming odds.

[Cha]

23. I'm glad you posted..I feel really

bad reading from your perspective..and I felt sick when I read the results last night.

You all did so good..you almost pulled this off..you're really to be congratulated!

It isn't fair what sections you're Lumped with..this is America..something should be done about that! It used to be America, anyway.

We've got sherwood boehlert representing us in congress..he's no schmidtwitch but he still votes with destructive bush policies.

[Todd B]

And..

We got to see just how the chickenhawk cowards in the Republican Party *REALLY* feel about the soldiers fighting in their wars (Sorry, the vile hatred spewed by Rush and the Freepjects just made me so mad today).

I think Hackett had a wonderful run and he showed us that people respond to the Democrats actually taking a stand and calling the Republicans on their BS. I just wish other Senators would follow suit!

[BillZBubb]

5. This ain't horseshoes, we lost.

How could a guy who actually served lose to a crone with ethics issues anywhere in this country? How is that even remotely possible????

Another sad day for the U.S. of A.

[NEOBuckeye]

8. There will yet come a time for us.

It seems there are still some people who haven't taken it up the ass long enough from Bush, Taft and the GOP.

Let them suffer for it. The seeds of revolution have been planted.

[Aristus]

12. Don't forget: the Repukes hate our troops; it's as simple as that.

Can't you figure out why the reich-wingers don't want to sign up and risk their asses? THEY HATE OUR TROOPS!

And they hate America. Too much damn freedom for everyone.

And they probably hate themselves. When everyone they despise is finally gone, they'll attack the freakin' MIRROR!

[Erika]

6. I hope Ohioans are happy in knowing they discarded a Vet

in favor of a GOP elitist. Or the polls are rigged once again.

[ohio_liberal]

10. Not all Ohioans

Please, I beg you, don't lump us all together. I've been voting Dem since I turned 18, and my county has been blue for just as long.

[smartvoter]

13. Yes. It's important to recognize this was a very red area and we

damned near pulled it off. nt

[Canuck55]

9. If anything...

...besides not changing the rubber stamp from the House, it gives Mr. Conyers a chance for a nice follow up on voting practices/irregularities in Ohio. Also, does this last till your mid-terms next year or go for an extended period with the special circumstances? If Hackett can get his message out consistently while Schmidt does sweet fak all besides voting with the herd in DC...could be solid. Going within 4 pts in a District where Dems did 'well' taking 30% the past 2 decades when the candidate had the balls to actually call Bush a chickenhawk to the press, good sign from the independents. If your leadership doesn't clue in from this and keeps playing the same old polite game then you have no chance.

[helderheid]

11. I want the exit polls.

[ohio_liberal]

14. No exit polls this time n/t

[Liberal In Texas]

15. There is no UPSIDE...THEY CONTROLL THE MACHINES.

WE ARE SO SCREWED.

[smartvoter]

16. Yes, but we lost momentum on attention to the issue and this gives

us a chance to get it back in the forefront.

[Liberal In Texas]

17. Again...It's our fault. BULLSHIT.

They diddled this one agan, don't put "spin" on it!

These guys fucked us up the rear again!

Stop saying it's "our fault".

[smartvoter]

22. Show me where I said it's our fault. I don't think it's our fault at all.

I think we are fighting an uphill battle and we lost momentum when other issues took the spotlight off of us and this may give us another opportunity.

[helderheid]

18. I HOPE YOU'RE RIGHT

The machines are UNCONSTITUTIONAL.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

19. I apologize to my fellow Americans tonight for thinking this

but I blame the American character for this loss. This man Hackett is intelligent, educated, articulate, and of proven valor. How could he lose to a mean-spirited, inarticulate, intellectually impoverished harpy with a record of dishonor?

Whether the election occurred in a Republican District or not, whether Hackett had money or not, whether Diebold skewed the results or not, this man should have won by an absolute landslide ... the way John Kerry should have severely trounced a small-minded, incompetent little man in November, 2004. The difference in qualities between the two candidates is so great as to render party affiliation only of secondary importance.

I blame the American people lately for choosing the candidate representing cruelty, dishonesty, arrogance, anti-intellectualism, cowardice, and ignorance. I tend to see these traits over and over again in many candidates on the right. If the American people are choosing party affiliation and are choosing candidates who reflect their values, then I am truly bothered by it.

[ohio_liberal]

20. And he's a hottie too

You'd think that would count for something with most shallow Walmart voters :shrug: