What's the biggest obstacle Democrats face in November 2006?

[derby378]

Poll question: What's the biggest obstacle Democrats face in November 2006?

[MarianJack]

1. A kkkarl who THINKS he's been totally vindicated.

This campaign is going to be so dirty, slimy and downright MEAN. And the media will do half (or more) of his dirty work for him. If the Democrats are too stupid to see it coming they DESERVE to have their heads handed to them.

WE have to be the media!

[AndyTiedye]

5. Of Course They See It Coming, Which Is Why They Don't Expect to Win

You can tell just by watching and listening to our Congressional Democrats that
they don't think they have any chance whatsoever of taking over either house.

[MarianJack]

12. You're right!

One reason that We have to be the media.

Too damn many Democrats inside the beltway have forgotten that when you give in to the bully, you do his work for him!

[skipos]

2. The fact that there are only a few senate seats in play

From easiest to hardest for dems to pick up, I'd say
PA, MT, OH, MO, RI, TN, VA

[AndyTiedye]

6. Written off the House Too

[snowbear]

8. My list would go like..

I think we will pick up PA, MT, TN, MT for sure.

Not so sure about OH, RI or VA.

The only reason I question Ohio is because of their history of bogus elections..

[skipos]

10. Damn, TN? That's pretty optimistic, but it could happen.

I am more optimistic about OH as Strickland is now leading by margins too large to fudge, and Brown is close.

[snowbear]

11. Harold Ford, Jr. is STILL ahead in the polls in Tennessee...

He's maintained a steady and healthy lead for eons.. They like him there.

He'll win!

[TheVirginian]

16. No, he's not.

What polls have you been reading?

[AndyTiedye]

19. Strickland's Lead is Only 16%-Much More Fudgeable th the Referenda Last Yr

The election reform initiatives were leading by 2-1 margins in the polls, yet they "lost".
Not only did they lose, but they lost by almost a 2-1 margin, representing a flipping of
over 30% of the entire, statewide vote.

The Brown/Dewine race is within 3%, which they can steal without anybody raising an eyebrow.

Ohio is completely own3d.

[TheVirginian]

17. Throw in AZ between TN and VA, and you have the DSCC's list exactly.

In that order, no less.

[skipos]

26. Huh, didn't know that.

I haven't heard much abou AZ.

[TheVirginian]

32. Scott Pederson vs Jon Kyl

Pederson is an ex-state Dem chairman and is currently a shopping mall developer. Well-finianced and well-connected. Thus far, he's already had Obama, Reid, Bill Clinton, and others fundraise for him. The problem is that Kyl is likewise well-connected, with the revered-in-AZ John McCain as his Campaign Chairman and getting fundraisers from the likes of Bush, Cheney, Guliani, etc.

Pederson is trying to drive a wedge between Kyl and McCain on abortion--McCain's amendment was softer, Kyl's more hard-line--but that's not really working too well because most residents of the border state favor a hard-line on immigration. Other than that, its been the usual 2006 campaign. Pederson is accusing Kyl of being in the pocket of Bush, Kyl accuses Pederson of being part of the Ted Kennedy wing of the Democratic Party.

The only reason why the race is competitive, besides Pederson's money and ability to raise money, is Kyl's already moderate-to-low approval ratings. While he still has a net positive favorability versus unfavorability, his approval rating is in the mid-to-high 40s, which automatically makes it a race. However, Kyl is a strong enough candidate, and Arizona is a red enough state, that Kyl should be re-elected without too much trouble, provided there's no disaster on the horizon for him or the Republican Party at large. That's why its 7th on the DSCC's list, outside the 5 that Schumer is confident about.

[gumby]

3. 'It's The Media Stupid'

If you don't know that, read The Daily Howler http://www.dailyhowler.com

Be sure to read the archives about Gore.

[jobycom]

9. Yep. The media, more than any machines, stole the last two elections

The lies they actively spread about Gore and Kerry are what cost the elections. A fair election with an honest media would have had Bush as so much of a joke that the 2000 election would have been a race between Nader and Gore. And after Bush's first four years, an honest media would have had Kerry with a 20 point lead, at least, going into the elections.

And they have started their 2006 campaign already. "Bush is the Comeback Kid" and all such stoies are the beginning of the campaign.

Democrats have a good plan, have good strategy, have healthy debate, and are right on the issues. The only reason we are losing elections is because the media is campaigning against us. They even have Democrats here on DU convinced that our party is to blame. "SPineless Democrats," and "Hillary is a conservative" threads are proof of that. Democrats drink Koolaid, too. Karl Rove has made a killing in the Kool-aid industry.

[BlueIris]

25. MAKE OUT WITH ME.

I was just coming here to post that. So glad so many other posters beat me to it. Kisses! (Pardon me for being so gauche, it's just that it's the only thing that resonates with most people here lately.)

[jaysunb]

4. Other

see post # 3

[snowbear]

7. This biggest obstacle are NEGATIVE THREADS LIKE THIS ONE..

Let's stop ....

And start thinking POSITIVE !!! ....

[Awsi Dooger]

13. Republican GOTV

I believe we've been caught and passed in that regard. Bigtime. For instance, I've worked GOTV the last three cycles in Las Vegas and no one has contacted me this year.

In contrast, one Republican friend who was worked GOTV here says they've already contacted him several times and had meetings; making plans and asking for input.

[AndyTiedye]

20. Republican KEEP-Out-the-Vote More Like

[Awsi Dooger]

22. Yeah, that too

Lawyers and challenges on election day are too little, too late.

If we're not focusing on the low tech vote suppression schemes right now and preventing as much as possible, we'll blow that critical 1-3% in one key state and race after another.

Seems like fairly obvious areas of concern:

* Voter rolls
* New registrations
* Absentee ballots
* Ballot design
* Machines and machine allocation
* Fraudulent phone calls and mailings, etc.

Maybe I'm missing one or two. If we don't have several employees in each state who job it is to zero in on those aspects, to maximize our numbers and prevent funny stuff, then what the hell is the 50 state nonsense?

[AndyTiedye]

27. We DID Take Them to Court, Repeatedly, During the Campaign

The courts either ruled against us, or ruled to late to do any good.

Since then, more Bushbot judges have been appointed at every level of the Federal judiciary.

[Awsi Dooger]

33. I wish the low tech suppression got the media attention

Not the machines.

If purging the voter rolls, etc. got more publicity and therefore outrage, we might be able to stop plenty of it without going to court.

If RFK had focused 100% on Blackwell IMO the benefits would have been substsantially higher, in Ohio and nationwide.

[Chipper Chat]

14. Other - Right-wing talk radio

It's everywhere. Especially on AM radio. I listened to Laura Ingraham and Rusty Humphries today & I wanted to puke. Rusty called Murtha "the crazy uncle in the basement." Laura was mocking Cindy Sheehan - called her every name you can use on the air without getting fined. Joe & Jane Sixpack in Lubbock just do not hear voices of the truth and reason. Rightwing talk radio is a monster that must be destroyed.

[BigYawn]

28. How is Air America doing lately? They are a good counterpunch to RW radio

[TheVirginian]

15. Other-- NO ONE CARES

The activists care. The blogosphere cares. Some Democrats have gone more to their left. Some moderates and centrists, and even some Republicans, have gone to their left. But the voting masses simply don't care. 95% of a state's population can't tell you when their primary is. Many of them don't realize that Election Day isn't once every four years. Perhaps a spitfire, nation-wide campaign could engage these type of people, but its not likely. As it is, the image that national Democrats project is one that doesn't differ too much from national Republicans. If we take back the House and Senate, the vast majority of these people will view it as "same shit, different day".

Its hard, sometimes, for people who are so wrapped up in politics to have their finger on the pulse of the electorate. But at this point in time, more people are aware of the 2008 race for President than they are of any 2006 Senate or House race.

[Awsi Dooger]

18. That's the other problem

In a midterm, by default almost no one gives a damn.

It 's why I worry about GOTV. Contact someone often enough and a few percent might pretend they actually have to vote, so the answered calls weren't a waste.

[Dr Fate]

21. Other- the media. n/t

n/t

[rman]

23. Election Fraud - not just the machines

BuzzFlash
June 2, 2006
How They Stole Ohio
The GOP 4-step Recipe to 'Blackwell' the USA in 2008
Abracadabra: Three Million Votes Vanish
AN EXCLUSIVE BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Greg Palast
http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/06/06/con06219.html

<snip>

And there's some new tricks for these old dogs. For 2006 and 2008, the GOP is pushing new Voter ID requirements. Your signature won't be good enough anymore.

What's wrong with the new ID laws? This: In the 2004 election, 300,000 voters were turned away from the polls for "wrong" ID. For example, in the "Little Texas" counties in New Mexico, if your voter registration included a middle initial but your driver's license had none, you were kicked out of the polling station. Funny, but they only seemed to ask Hispanic voters. We should see the number of voters rejected for ID quintuple by 2008, based on the new "voting reform" laws recently passed in several states.

<more>

[Andromeda]

24. That was easy!

DIEBOLD DIEBOLD DIEBOLD............................DIEBOLD

[mike923]

29. It's everybody else's fault.....

it's a right wing consipriacy, or bad voting machines, or moderate democrates, or....

(anything to keep the focus off the obvious, which is sometimes we lean too far to the left for the majority of the country to vote for us)

Not saying that leaning more towards progressiveness is a bad thing, just the majority in this country isn't ready to embrace it.

[AndyTiedye]

34. If Lurching to the Right Would Get Dems Elected, We'd Be In Power

You want us to lurch even further to the right, it seems.

[mike923]

35. No...

i don't want to give up the values of what makes up the party. I just can rationalize a defeat in a particular election, as the majority of the people aren't willing to cast their vote in support.

[RedStateShame]

30. Mentally retarded voters

Jim Bunning is still in office in my state. Look at the top 10 grossing movies of any weekend. Then look at the Billboard Hot 100. The people who contribute to those define our nation.

Platonic aristocracy, anybody?

[blues90]

31. I don't see how this will even end

We have done nothing to stop the machines so far . There are a few who have details RFK for one . But i can't say who cares .

The problem is we have maybe 67% of the population who want this war to end and we have no reps who stand up and take the side of the people , it is all what bush wants bush gets . Hopefully Cheney will drop dead from his condition soon .

If we don't end up with votes that reflect the peoples wish because of fixed stolen elections and bush has his way and things continue to get worse every single day then what hope is there ?

The reality seems to be the people have to take action and try to remain peaceful but I can't say being peaceful will solve a thing any longer . Will we be forced to revolt after the 2006 elections are stolen , i would say this is our only option , do I think the people have it in them to revolve , well this remains to be seen , I have a feeling that they will sit there with continued false hope and do little or nothing . If the numbers are not great then many will fail of die trying . It has me worried , the entire thing has me worried . I suppose I would rather go out now fighting than go out slow suffering with the masses who know there is finally no hope .

[butterfly77]

36. fighting between each other and

letting the republiCONS pick the issues that they are fighting about. Also letting them pick their candidates and fighting about the candidates that they really want us to pick.