December 30, 2008
TUESDAY'S CAMPAIGN ROUND-UP....Today's installment of campaign-related news items that wouldn't generate a post of their own, but may be of interest to political observers.
* Rahm Emanuel will formally give up his House seat on Friday. It falls to Rod Blagojevich, of all people, to set a date for a special election. There are as many as 11 Democrats eyeing the race.
* As of right now, Al Franken leads Norm Coleman by 50 votes.
* The Coleman campaign yesterday offered a list of rejected absentee ballots that they say should be counted, but they're all from Republican strongholds. Coleman's team is also gearing up to go after state election officials.
* CNN did a national poll on whether Caroline Kennedy is qualified to serve as a U.S. senator. A 52% majority said she is, while 42% said she isn't. There was a sizable gender gap.
* Candidates vying to be the chairman of the Republican National Committee may engage in a "special forum," in which each contender would outline their visions for the party's future.
* Hopes that Gov. Kathleen Sebelius might run for the Senate in 2010 would be dashed if she becomes the chancellor of the University of Kansas, as is now rumored.
—Steve Benen 12:00 PM
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Of course Kennedy is qualified. She's old enough. That's the only "qualification" the Constitution lays out.
Personally, I'm not so enamored with her. Don't we have enough Kennedys in the US Congress already? But I don't live in New York, so it isn't my decision on any level. And besides, giving that one Senate seat to her probably won't have too much of an effect. So go for it, NY, if you feel like it.
Posted by: Shade Tail on December 30, 2008 at 12:02 PM | PERMALINK
It would be awesome if the RNC beauty pageant includes a talent competition so we'd get to watch the candidates trying to outperform each other with their tapdancing blackface karaoke renditions of Barack the Magic Ni**er.
Posted by: melior on December 30, 2008 at 12:09 PM | PERMALINK
Hopes that Gov. Kathleen Sebelius might run for the Senate in 2010 would be dashed if she becomes the chancellor of the University of Kansas, as is now rumored.
Why so?
1948--Dwight Eisenhower becomes presdient of Columbia University.
1950--Eisenhower takes leave of absence from Columbia to serve as Supreme Commander of NATO
1952--Eisenhower re-retires from army, returns to Columbia, and sucessfully runs for president.
Or:
1902--Woodrow Wilson accepts presidency of Princeton University
1910--Wilson elected governor of New Jersey.
1912--Wilson elected president.
Posted by: rea on December 30, 2008 at 12:14 PM | PERMALINK
http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2008/12/blagojevich-to-name-burris-to-senate.html
Blagojevich to name former Illinois Attorney General Roland Burris to replace Obama in the Senate.
Posted by: DJ on December 30, 2008 at 12:23 PM | PERMALINK
"CNN did a national poll on whether Caroline Kennedy is qualified to serve as a U.S. senator. A 52% majority said she is, while 42% said she isn't. There was a sizable gender gap."
Of course Caroline Kennedy is qualified. Despite the media's assertions to the contrary, this question is not the main issue with most of her detractors.
The issues are: Is she the most qualified? And all else being equal, is she the most deserving?
The answer to both of these questions is a resounding no.
Posted by: CJ on December 30, 2008 at 12:39 PM | PERMALINK
melior: too obvious, man. I think they will go back to the classics and see who can do the best Song of the South routine.
Posted by: northzax on December 30, 2008 at 12:40 PM | PERMALINK
The issues are: Is she the most qualified? And all else being equal, is she the most deserving?
The answer to both of these questions is a resounding no.
This has been another edition of "Subjective Answers to Subjective Questions".
Posted by: Allan Snyder on December 30, 2008 at 1:32 PM | PERMALINK
Every time I read that Caroline Kennedy is not qualified, I look at Ahnold. At least a Senator is not the leader of the fifth biggest economy in the world. Maybe if she took steroids she would be acceptable???
Posted by: jen f on December 30, 2008 at 3:52 PM | PERMALINK
jen: That's an interesting non sequitur. What does criticism of Kennedy have to do with the governor of California?
Posted by: Shade Tail on December 30, 2008 at 11:19 PM | PERMALINK
What constitutes qualifications for a woman seems to be much higher than for a man.
Posted by: jen f on December 31, 2008 at 9:30 AM | PERMALINK