Bedfellow Awards Open Thread
Make Your Nominations Here
By Dan McLaughlin Posted in 2006 — Comments (7) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
In the past, on my blog, I have given out the Bedfellow Awards after elections, named for the Bloom County strip in which Senator Bedfellow is defeated because the Bloom County newspaper runs the Election Day headline "WARNING: VOTING FOR BEDFELLOW MAY CAUSE HERPES". Although the award gives special points for attacks that are false and/or unfair, the simplest definition of a Bedfellow Award nominee is a news story, commercial or campaign attack that (1) comes out shortly before the election, and (2) has a much larger impact on the election than it would have if it had come out earlier, usually because there isn't sufficient time to put it in context or perspective. Nominees may be Democrats, Republicans, mainstream media attacks, blogs, or anybody else who tries to influence an election (in 2004, the overall winner was Osama bin Laden; had I given the award in 2000 it would surely have gone to the Bush DUI story, with honorable mention to the networks calling Florida for Gore while the polls were still open in the panhandle, which wasn't strictly speaking an attack but certainly changed the final vote totals). Note that nominations will not be accepted if the origins or existence of a story cannot be verified - no "there was a whispering campaign" or "we don't know where this flyer/robocall came from".
This year, I will be taking nominations in the following categories, although I may skip a category if there aren't a sufficient number of nominees:
1. Overall Winner
2. Top Anti-Republican Attack
3. Top Anti-Democrat Attack
4. Senate Race Winner
5. House Race Winner
6. Governor's Race Winner
7. Biggest Backfire
The awards will be handed out in a week or two, earlier if I have time to sift the nominations. Have fun.
Past nominees and winners here, here, here, here, here, and here.
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Or some such crap.
I meant what I said and I said what I meant. An elephant's faithful 100 percent.
From:
Bachmann vs. Wetterling Blog: The WCCO debate
October 28th, 2006
http://www.bachmannvwetterling.com/?p=686
The candidates in the 6th District [of Minnesota] appeared this evening on WCCO-TV for a half-hour debate. The debate was part of the Campaign Dialogue 2006 series, in partnership with the Humphrey Institute and the Minnesota Broadcasters Association.
[...]
The first question was a doozy. It came from Pat Kessler. Here was his question:
Kessler: We'll start with Senator Bachmann. Religion and politics. That has crept into this campaign over and over and over again. The Minneapolis-based Star Tribune reports today, Senator, that the church you belong to is affiliated with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod which, it says, regards the Roman Catholic Pope as the Antichrist. Is this true? Do you share the views of your church? And, why should any Catholic in the 6th District vote for you if it is true?
Before we get to Bachmann's answer, let's stop and examine the question itself. We could almost go through this word by word.
Religion has not "crept" into this campaign. It was injected into this campaign purposefully by people vehemently opposed to Bachmann.
[...]
One story that is not getting told in this campaign is the way Bachmann's fervent (my new favorite word) opponents have started things bubbling in the swamps, and then kept hammering at the media till they started to take notice. This angle, of saying the [Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod] church thinks the Pope is the Antichrist, started in these same swamps.
[...]
Now, here's Bachmann's answer:
Bachmann: That's a false statement that was made, and I spoke with my pastor earlier today about that as well, and he was absolutely appalled that someone would put that out. It's abhorent, religious bigotry. I love Catholics, I'm a Christian, and my church does not believe that the Pope is the Antichrist. That's absolutely false. And again, I think it's abhorent, and I welcome and have as part of our family many Catholic members as well. And so I'm very grateful my pastor has come out and been very clear on this matter, and I think it's patently absurd and it's a false statement.
Bachmann's on tape saying, to paraphrase, "God talks to me through my husband. A woman's place is to be subservient to her husband, and through that, to God."
Oops.
Least deserving: Cardin (MD) - Steele outperfomed Cardin on the issues, ran a much smarter campaign and lost on what could only be described as a reflexive blue vote. Honorable mention: Stabenow (MI) - haven't the people of Michigan been paying attention to their state's demise at all?
Most deserving: Lieberman (CT) - Only primary-voting Dems were blind to the empty suit which was not so cleverly disguised by Ned's vacant stare. Honorable mention: Ahnold (CA) - politically resilient comeback.
--
"I will guarantee you that John Kerry will be president of the United States." - Nancy Pelosi
...for Top Anti-Republican Attack - was a last minute racial attack ad (radio) in Atlanta on behalf Democrat John Eaves featuring U.S. Rep John Lewis, as well as current Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and former mayor Andrew Young.
Eaves is running for Chairman of the Fulton County Board
Here's the transcript:
(Sound of kettle drums, followed by pulsing strings)
LEWIS: This is Congressman John Lewis.
FRANKLIN: And I'm Mayor Shirley Franklin.
YOUNG: And I am Andy Young.
LEWIS: On Nov. 7, we face the most dangerous situation we ever have. You think fighting off dogs and water hoses in the '60s was bad. [Now we] sit idly by, and let the right-wing Republicans take control of the Fulton County County Commission.
FRANKLIN: The efforts of Martin and Coretta King, Hosea Williams, Maynard Jackson and many others will be lost. That's why we must stand up, and we must turn out the vote for the Democrats on Election Day.
YOUNG: And especially for John Eaves for Fulton County Commission chairman. Unless you want them to turn back the clock on equal rights, and human rights and economic opportunity for all of us, vote for John Eaves as Fulton County chairman.
LEWIS: Your very life may depend on it.
"The Road To Freedom Is Seldom Traveled By The Multitude" Madhouse Thought
I don't know where to put this one, perhaps Best Flashback (to 2004 AND 1971)
The military response to John Kerry's "botched joke/botched apology" which proved once and for all that no one swiftboats John Kerry, John Kerry swiftboats himself. Extra points because the joke made no sense when told "correctly".
7. Biggest Backfire
Webb fiction! Aren't there actual issues in Virginia???
Good, Accountable Leadership
Using Jim Webb's fiction against him.