Primary Results and the upcoming Mid-Term Elections
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2010-08-25/primary-results-and-upcoming-mid-term-elections
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) at the 2008 Republican National Convention during his presidential campaign.
Tom LegGro for The PBS NewsHour via Flickr
Morning-after analysis of primary results in five states including Alaska, Arizona and Florida: With less than seventy days till the mid-term elections, how the races are shaping up and why it matters.
Guests
Norman Ornstein
is resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute; coauthor with Thomas Mann of "The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track."
Ron Elving
Washington editor for NPR.
Reid Wilson
editor-in-chief,of National Journal’s Hotline
Comments
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Hello Diane,
I appreciate the depth of analysis in all of your shows. This morning's show in particular brought me to write for the first time.
Perhaps my opinion reflects my naive idealism, but the Arizona primary election in particular is an indication that integrity in politics is completely absent.
Well prior to the 2008 presidential election I was a fan of John McCain. By the time he ran in 08, it was quite apparent that he would do anything and say anything to get elected. He may win in November, but he has lost all credibility for me. His lack of commitment to any position is indicative of the problems that exist in Congress.
I will continue to hope that something will change to bring Congress back to working for the people of America rather than for its own partisan agenda.
I am one Massachusetts resident who truly misses Ted Kennedy's presence in the Senate, regardless of all his personal flaws.
Diane,
I am so for term limits for Senators and Representatives. I do not think that we should have professional politicians, and it is a shame that people go to Washington, and then do whatever they can to stay. Case in point John McCain and his antics to remain his parties' candidate for Senate. Such a shame! However, I am afraid that this is something that congress as a whole will get behind and not vote in.
Daniel
Charlotte, NC
A previous caller cited an incorrect percentage of US workers who are members of unions. The actual percentage is 12.4% with 7.6% in the private sector and 36.8% in the public sector and a total number of 16.1 million. The caller should be less concerned about the impact of union membership on the economy and more concerned about the impact of unlimited corporation contributions to political campaigns. She should be more concerned about the decrease in the average workers salaries and benefits while the top 1% of employees receive greater and greater salaries and bonuses. Unions are not the cause of the financial meltdowns but overpaid executives/investment bankers who cared more about their short-term gains then the health of their banks/businesses.
Diane,
I am so for term limits for Senators and Representatives. I do not think that we should have professional politicians, and it is a shame that people go to Washington, and then do whatever they can to stay. Case in point John McCain and his antics to remain his parties' candidate for Senate. Such a shame! However, I am afraid that this is something that congress as a whole will get behind and not vote in.
Daniel
Charlotte, NC
Diane,
I am so for term limits for Senators and Representatives. I do not think that we should have professional politicians, and it is a shame that people go to Washington, and then do whatever they can to stay. Case in point John McCain and his antics to remain his parties' candidate for Senate. Such a shame! However, I am afraid that this is something that congress as a whole will get behind and not vote in.
Daniel
Charlotte, NC
A previous caller cited an incorrect percentage of US workers who are members of unions. The actual percentage is 12.4% with 7.6% in the private sector and 36.8% in the public sector and a total number of 16.1 million. (wikipedia) The caller should be less concerned about the impact of union membership on the economy and more concerned about the impact of unlimited corporation contributions to political campaigns. She should be more concerned about the decrease in the average workers salaries and benefits while the top 1% of employees receive greater and greater salaries and bonuses. Unions are not the cause of the financial meltdowns but overpaid executives/investment bankers who cared more about their short-term gains then the health of their banks/businesses.
I get that we're losing moderate politicians in the Republican party, but I can't help wondering what the moderate republican VOTERS will do when the choice comes down to a republican candidate whose positions are extreme far right (get rid of social sercurity, department of education, medicare, etc.) or a democratic candidate.
Will they vote for the republican candidate whose views may be way too radical, the democratic candidate whose views may be too liberal or not vote at all?
Obviously the tea-partiers and like-minded folks are motivated, but will they have the numbers to actually get someone like Angle or Paul into office without regular republicans?
Hi Dianne,
I caught the end of your show today here in Ohio, though the local online stream isn't very good, so I'm listening to the stream from Monterey Bay. I have to say that I agree with some of your callers and some of the commentators regarding the current state of our political atmosphere. Though I have considered myself to be a liberal, I align with neither party. I am worried about the amount of partisanship that is taking place, including that lack of moderate and compromisers. Having studied the late colonial and early Republic time periods I am concerned that the legacy that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams has been lost over time. Why can we not look at the first president and remember his parting words of being wary of political parties?
Ron Elving singled out Republican Pamela Gorman's ad ostensibly for some undisclosed objection where she is seen firing several weapons. He describes Gorman's ad as depicting "serious damage was being done to at least this human target shape." Of course there is no scene in her television ad showing what she is shooting at. Then Norman Ornstein pipes up with great distress that she is shooting "an automatic...semi-automatic, actually." First off, Gorman is indeed firing a Thompson submachine gun in full auto mode. So what? If liberals are going to get hysterical over the depiction of candidates for political office shooting firearms would it be too much to ask of them that they factually report what is occurring in the ad and also bone up on firearm recognition?
How could anyone in their right mind vote for John McCain after he selected an unquailfied candidate for Vice Presedent just to help him win . He is too rich and too out of touch ,what an old fool.
I agree completely am a reteired Mass Firefighter who now lives in Florida what a mess down here politically .TED KENNEDY WAS MY HERO always there to protect union firefighters .
Hi Diane,
I was disappointed by your obvious disgust at the primary victory of Ben Quayle. You seemed to imply by your tone of voice and comments that he had no qualifications, that he was just the son of Dan and that was it.
Wonder if you would have made the same comments if your show was on in 1962 when Ted Kennedy, someone who got bounced out of Harvard for cheating, helped by his Dad in the Army, a known womanizer even at age 30 and just married, ran, not just for Congress but for the Senate!
Lon Zimmerman
@Lonzimm,
Diane appears to be oblivious to how her pronounced liberal ideology plays over the airwaves. Diane's delusion was revealed on a 1994 "Sonya Live" show.
SONYA: "Are you suggesting that if I listen to you, I would not know what your political agenda is or what your point of view might be?"
REHM: "For the most part, that's absolutely right."