THE SCANNER-Politics, 11/06/08: NM Elections; PUMA Integrity; LA Times Crapola on Post-Racial Promise; Class; Movie–“Rope”

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~~By InsightAnalytical-GRL

Here in NM-CD2 Bill Richardson worked his magic and Harry Teague, the oil guy was elected. The seat usually goes Republican, but Teague is chummy with Republicans like Steve Pearce, who lost the Senate race. Teague and Pearce are in the same line of business and from the same locale. Teague headed a board of some sort in Lea County and was beloved by Republican members. Enough said.  Money came into this race this time, whereas last time, the ex-pastor Al Kissling was not part of the club and he got nothing…except well over 30% of the vote against Pearce.  This time around, he was shut out of the primary.

I wrote extensively about Teague earlier so do a Search of the blog for the gory details…

Tom Udall never set foot down here in Southern NM, except for a closed fundraiser with the money people.  Thank you, Tom Udall!

I did not vote for either of these people because of, in the case of Teague, his past history and close money connections to Richardson and because, in the case of Udall, his slighting of this part of the state.

Locally, the Democrats pretty much took it all except a couple of offices.  My local incumbent state rep returns to Santa Fe and will be joined by a another newly elected Democrat.

I haven’t check the NM political blogs, so I don’t know what the scuttlebutt is on Richardson as a potential Secretary of State. Let him go.  He pulled a few “Obama” tricks down here and I won’t miss him if he goes. Maybe he’ll get lost somewhere in the Middle East and will never be heard from again…

By the way, the problems with absentee ballots not arriving has been forgotten. The local rag reported that voting went smoothly, no problems…Down the memory hole…

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I have to say I really enjoyed Edge of Forever’s (Not Your Sweetie) take on the election and the indications that she hasn’t dropped the mantle of the PUMA.  The little graphic which says “Don’t Follow the Crowd, Stay True to Yourself” at the link captures my feeling completely. I believe in keeping my INTEGRITY, which means we’re going to keep eyeing everything hurled at us from DC with great suspicion.  Edge is one my FAVORITES–maybe because I’m a Jersey girl who grew up about 10 minutes from Midtown Manhattan.  I think we share a common attitude…

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Question of the day: How far down do the expectations get “dialed down,” Pelosi??  As far down as when you “took impeachment off the table” when you took the House in 2006? When you didn’t lift a finger to change Medicare Part D as Kennedy had vowed from the Senate side?  When you let Karl Rove get off without answering the subpoenas the Judiciary Committee had voted to issue? Reality is going to bite a lot of Obamacrats in the butt…

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DCCC Money Now in NM-CD2 for Richardson’s Guy HarryTeague…Where Were They When the Progressive Ran Last Time?? (The One Who Got 40% of the Vote, Then Was Shoved out of the Dem Primary the Race in 2008?)

Here we are in New Mexico CD-2 where money hasn’t been forthcoming to help a Democratic Congressional candidate for as long as I’ve been here. You see, you have to raise a lot of money BEFORE the DCCC will give you MORE money. A candidate who merely wins the primary on sheer guts and grassroots support isn’t rewarded…and you wonder WHY the Democrats keep morphing into “just get along” candidates who don’t make waves once they get to Washington?

Last time around, Al Kissling, a true progressive, ran an upstart campaign with little money and got nearly 40% of the vote against then-incumbent Steve Pearce. (See “Al Kissling’s Moral Victory” to see how he was so dramatically outspent.) As I reported earlier, Kissling wasn’t even given a fair chance by the Democratic poohbahs to make his case to get on the primary ballot this time. See my earlier post on this subject to see how Kissling was cut out of the process by Richardson et al.

And now, suddenly, money appears to support oil guy Teague, who buddies with Republicans…including GOP Senate candidate Steve Pearce. Teague poured in big bucks from his own pocket, yet only narrowly defeated Bill McCamley who made news by donating $47.50 to his own campaign and was outspent. Bill McCamley was no prize either, but at least he wasn’t in the pocket of big oil.

Joe Monohan reports how Teague has become a recipient of the DCCC’s largesse:

TEAGUE’S BOOST

First it was ABQ Dem congressional nominee Martin Heinrich getting a boost from the national party, now it’s southern Dem congressional hopeful Harry Teague:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) announced the addition of Harry Teague to its “Red to Blue” program. The Red to Blue program supports top Democratic campaigns and offers financial, communications, and strategic support…In 2006, the Red to Blue program raised nearly $22.6 million for 56 campaigns. Candidates earn a spot in the competitive program by surpassing demanding fundraising goals

The Cook political Report in D.C. now ranks the southern CD race as “lean Republican” instead of “likely Republican.” Teague faces GOP restaurant owner Ed Tinsley.

To find out why I’m not jumping for joy about all this, check out this earlier post on Teague’s Republican ties.

“Harry T. and the Chamber of Secrets” co-starring Oil and Republicans–Screenplay by Bill Richardson [Subtitle: The Behind-the-Scenes Adventures of Bill R., Harry Teague and the NM CD-02 Democratic Primary]