Poor Ed Schultz has turned into the mother lode of political comedy lately. Don’t get us wrong – it’s all unintentional, but that doesn’t make it any less hilarious.
Here’s a clip of Schultz interviewing embattled Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold, who comes up with an interesting theory as to why his poll numbers suck.
Schultz: Senator Russ Feingold joins us tonight here on the Ed Show. Senator, good to have you with us tonight. You know, you have been one of the most hard-working guys out there. You do over 70 town hall meetings a year. What are you hearing in Wisconsin? And why are you polling below 50%?
Feingold: Well, this is a year of challenges because of the mess that was left us from the Bush years.
“It’s Bush’s fault,” Feingold said before leaving the Improv stage. “Thank you. Thank you very much. I’ll be here all week.”
View Comments (75)
I've never seen anything quite so silly as this debate.
Fact: the banking collapse happened under Bush's watch (2007)
Fact: the recession started on Bush's watch (2008)
Fact: the Clinton years were the most prosperous (highest growth) since the 50s
Now you can say Clinton inherited from Reagan, and Bush inherited from Clinton, but you are making that up. That is economic guesswork and most economist (all) would say you are wrong. Yes it takes years for policies to take effect (like the Stimulus), but not five or six years.
The recession and collapse started in 2007/8 and it beggars belief that Clinton caused it all, but it took six years to set in.
What Feingold is saying (fact), is that the country is in an awful place - the worst recession in 70 years. And nobody, but nobody in office can avoid that affecting their numbers. This is an awful year to be an incumbent. Look at how many Republicans, once of good standing have been tossed out in primaries.
The Reupublicans who have been booted in the primaries are RINO's, they have been replaced by CONSERVATIVES, that trend will continue for some time. Some others who need to go...
Snowe - Maine
Collins - Maine
Graham - South Carolina
...we are looking for others that need to go away as well. Stay tuned.
.
Inconvenient fact: The Democrats were in control of both the House and Senate in 2007-2008 - under Bush's watch. They passed the legislation, not Bush, right?
Um well techincally Bush has to approve legislation. BUT.Which legislation are we talking about - deregulating banks for the past 3 decades. That is a Republican thing - although the Democrats drank the dereg Koolaid too under Clinton.If you are talking about the TARP, that was a Paulson thing - and in fact, the only thing Bush did I agree with. With two free marketeers approving 800bn in emergency funds, you can bet we were staring at Armageddon. And most people (who know something about banking and economics) reckon the worst thing that happened was letting Lehman drown - which undermined confidence in the US banking system. The confidence lost in banks and the US banking system has only just returned.
That, too, was a Bush thing.So which Democratic legislation from 2007 led to this downturn?? I'd love an example. And if you were here, and creditworthy, I'd bet a quiet 1000 bucks you could not supply a piece of legislation that provoked this economic contraction.
Some would argue the passing of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act which repealed The Glass-Steagall Act was the catalyst to our current woes. And, of course, the Republicans had control of Congress at the time. Some argue it goes back to 1982 with the passage of the Garn - St Germain Depository Institutions Act which deregulated the S&L Industry and allowed massive speculation ultimately leading to collapse. You are correct in your assertion that deregulation was a “republican” thing. The lessons learned from the crash of twenty nine as well as the S&L Crises of the 80’s seemed to fade away as lots of people saw opportunities to make tons of cash quickly with no regard for long term consequences.
In 1982, however, Republicans controlled the Senate and the Democrats controlled the House. Also remember, while this stupid piece of legislation was moving through channels – we were in an election cycle. Congress Critters were more interested in keeping their jobs than watching the door.
In 1999, fresh off the Lewinski/impeachment debacle, Clinton and the Dems were in no mood to fight (I believe Clinton just wanted to get out of there before some other ridiculous scandal broke). The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act passed and the rest is history. Why do you think some of us conservatives consider Lindsay Graham a RINO?
As demonstrated by history, tax and spend policies do not work – as evidenced by the prolonging of the Great Depression via FDR’s policies. Only when taxes were cut (across the board) did the U.S. manage to work it’s way out of that mess.
With the passing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, (under a Democratically controlled Congress)-our current woes have only been exacerbated, the lessons of the Great Depression forgotten. Unemployment is still high, the economy is still stalled and there appears to no end in sight. Tax and spend does not work. Deregulation does not work. What does work? Lowering taxes and creating an atmosphere for businesses to invest in expansion and growth. Oversimplified? Yes, but history is our teacher and when we choose not to listen to our teacher, we fail the test.
What does all this mean? It means that our current situation is the culmination of several decades of greed, bad policy and bad legislation. To point fingers of blame at a singular President is just plain silly - just as silly as blaming Republicans or Democrats singularly for this mess.
You need to check the poll by St. Norbert's College. Johnson is up by two. Wasn't it nine points two weeks ago? What happened? IMO, people are realizing that they have not heard anything new from republicans and it will be the same policies that basically broke the bank in the US.
Can you say momentum? It seems to have shifted over the Feingold and right before the election is the perfect time.
Norbert was factored in at RealClearPolitics, my 3rd post from the top has the link. The RealClearPolitics number is an average taken from several polls.
Well we will see what happens. But I hope and pray that Johnson does not get elected.He is a loser IMO. He won't answer questions about how he thinks the deficit could be reduced or what social programs he would cut. He says he will answer those after he is elected. WTF? He married into his business (started by his father in-law for his brother in-law) and he says he can create jobs. Well is his plan for everyone to marry rich? And there is video of him speaking in support of NOT allowing abuse victims to sue the Catholic Church in WI.
How could anyone support this? It speaks to the anger at the Dems but Feingold has been an upstanding senator. McCain Feingold was a bright light in election reform that all could agree on. I hope he is re-elected.
Danybhoy,
I'm counting on the dumb MF'ers who elected me to re-elect Feingold and me again. Stop trying confuse my progressive voters "wiff da true-th".
What me worry? You can't cure stupid.
Real Clear Politics has Johnson up by 6 over Feingold.
BTW, I know lots of folks in Wisconsin, & they are feeling it. I hope they are right, & we can say Senator Ron Johnson. Getting rid of Russ Feingold & David Obey would be a big deal, plus a Republican in the statehouse. Walker is up by 9 over Barrett.
I know you are counting on the recipients in Milwaukee & the progressives in Madison to come out on top. But this year is different, & you need to work it. The rest of Wisconsin is moving away from the Obama/Reid/Pelosi agenda. Why do think Obey is not running for re-election? He read the writing on the wall, he's been in Congress for 42 years, & did 6 years in the Wisconsin Assembly. Repulican Sean Duffy is up by 7 over his Dem challanger.
Yeah it would have been so much better to elect McCain and Palin.
You betcha!
I agree with you David, as far as McCain goes. He would be going down the same road Obama is, just not as fast. Obama has forced Americans to wake up, & it looks like the tea party.
Not so fast Danyboy. Americans are waking up to the lies that simple-minded people like you are so easily led to believe. A factual examination of these posts reveals almost all of them to be lies. Republicans really do not care about America. They are so willing to bring back the people that created this incredible mess (9/11, Iraq, lack of oversight leading to mortgage crisis).
You are the "drooling" 30% that would vote republican no matter what. It is sad but true that 30% of our population is so stupid and easily misled.
Really, David? am I 1 of the drooling 30%?
Lack of Oversight? Barney Frank & his friends did'nt allow for any oversight. They snuffed out no fewer then 17 attempts by the Bush administration to reform Fannie & Freddie.
9/11, explain to what role Jamie Gorelick & the "Wall of Speration" played in not allowing America to defend itself from the sort of attack we saw on 9/11 before jump on me or anyone else.
As for Iraq, Bush43 should never had go into Iraq. His old man, Bush41 should have finished the job the 1st time. Saddam, his thug sons, & thug friends should have killed in the 1st gulf war, not the 2nd one. Do the job right the 1st time, & Bush41 listened to too many idiots like Richard Scocroft who prevented that job from being finished.
Now go back to whatever progressive group you're part of, or at least learn your history.
Go eff yourself. Who got the memo that said "Bin Laden Determined to Attack in the US?" Who was Richard Clark pleading with to go after Bin Laden. I'll jump all over your BS. Keep your weak-ass crap out here. You like facts? Look at ALL of them not just the ones that suit your case.
Bush I had the sense to stop at the Iraq border. He had the sense (something you and Bush II dont seem to have).
Yeah you are part of the drooling 30%. If Obama cured cancer today you would blame him for not doing it sooner. If the democrats balanced the budget today you would blame them for not spending enough on defense or some other made up charge.You seem to want Republicans to "win" at the expense of America.
I am sure you believed all the crap the Bush II (the idiot) said up until we were drowning in debt. I am sure at that point you started blaming it all on the democrats.
You are weak. Your points are weaker and the election has not happened yet.
Consider this democrat FIRED UP to get out the vote. Thanks ding bat!
Still it's not counting people with cell phones and without land lines.
I know quite a few people like this and you probably do too.
Polls don't decide elections votes do. People don't have to be excited all they have to do is vote.
I expect these elections won't be decided until the final weeks anyway.
We are in the final weeks, & November 2 is election day. As for the Obama agenda, it's JUDGEMENT DAY. America will give a big thumbs down to Obama & those who have pushed his agenda. Feingold will likely be a contributer on CNN or MSNBC when the new year rolls around.
Soros is like Acorn. All you morons can do is repeat talking points.
How about disputing a few facts like the 114 republicans who took credit for the stimulus while lying and saying it created no jobs?
How many of you are even in Wisconsin? If you are not you can't vote in our election anyway.
I'm probably wasting my time with you guys because facts never get through to GOP ditto heads but then you may actually have functioning brains.
Time will tell.
Well at least we know what the f stands for. Time will tell is correct. See RCP polling data below:
Wisconsin Senate - Feingold vs. Johnson
Candidates
Ron Johnson (R)
Bio | Campaign Site
Russ Feingold (D)*
Bio | Campaign Site
Wisconsin Snapshot
RCP Average: Johnson +7.3
RCP Ranking: Leans GOP
2010 Key Races: Governor | WI-3 | WI-7 | WI-8
----------PAST KEY RACES----------
2008: President | WI-8
2006: Governor | WI-8
2004: President | Senate
Polling Data
Poll Date Sample Johnson (R) Feingold (D) Spread
RCP Average 9/26 - 10/12 -- 51.8 44.5 Johnson +7.3
CNN/Time 10/8 - 10/12 931 LV 52 44 Johnson +8
Rasmussen Reports 10/11 - 10/11 750 LV 52 45 Johnson +7
Reuters/Ipsos 10/8 - 10/11 451 LV 51 44 Johnson +7
McClatchy/Marist 9/26 - 9/28 503 LV 52 45 Johnson +7
See All Wisconsin Senate - Feingold vs. Johnson Polling Data
Naah dany it's about lying and slimy republicans in general.
Before Bush and Rove politicians would lie when they got in trouble but for the last 10 years or so lying became part of everyday policy.
Now that their internal poll numbers are going to other direction they aren't releasing them. I also see democrats are sending in absentee and early voting ballots far more.
Polls aren't counting cell phone users so I wouldn't expect voters are as dumb as the GOP thinks they are.
"Sure we wrecked the economy and blocked fixing the mess but voters are too dumb to notice".
Are you saying that you have some super secret inside information that runs contrary to EVERY poll and that Democrats aren't going to be decimated in November?
I'll make this even simpler for you guys that don't understand english.
Polls don't count voters that use cell phones and not regular phones.
You are partly incorrect. Most national polsters call cell phones. This is from Gallop, and I've read the same from others:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/110383/does-gallup-call-cell-phones.aspx
Does Gallup call cell phones?
Gallup includes cell phones in each national Gallup poll. Gallup has been including cell phone-only households in all national telephone Gallup polls since January 2008. Further, cell phone-only households are now as likely to fall into national Gallup polls samples as those living in traditional landline households.
Gallup and the survey research industry as a whole are exceedingly aware that increasing numbers of Americans use cell phones in addition to traditional landline phones and that more than 20% of households have only cell phones. Gallup's methodologists and survey scientists have studied, researched, conducted test polling; analyzed existing data; and examined the implications of the inclusion or exclusion of cell phones and determined that it is necessary to include cell phone numbers in survey samples despite the increased costs of doing so to ensure that the obtained samples continue to be representative of all Americans. This is particularly important given recent studies that show that people in cell phone-only households tend to be younger, are more likely to be racial and ethnic minorities, and more likely to be transient.
Gallup methodologists continue to consider and study new approaches to cell phone sampling to refine and improve upon current techniques in use.
In addition, recent annual conferences of the American Association for Public Opinion Research have included multiple scientific sessions dealing specifically with the cell phone issue. The organization and Gallup methodologists continue to consider and study new approaches to cell phone sampling to refine and improve upon current techniques in use.
I don't have a land line... My wife and myself both have cell phones... at least two or three times a day for the last month we have received calls identified as UNKNOWN... when we answer them, they turn out to be automated political polls asking things like party affiliation, who we plan on voting for, and whether or not we approve of the current situation on the State and National level. If I understand cr8f correctly, he's saying that people with land lines are the only ones who are actually being counted in the poll and people with cell phones are just wasting their time if they answer because of some odd libtard conspiracy theory about discrimination against cell users... Oh yeah..., I'll remember to borrow my libtard neighbors tin foil hat the next time I answer one of those automated polls on my cell phone.
Like I said polls don't count the young and those who use only cell phones.
I get the feeling that "cr8f" is a little too interested in the Feingold-Johnson race. Either there is an axe to grind, or he works/volunteers for Feingold, OR both.
What gives?
He may very well be working for them... then again he could just be a card carrying, Kool-aid drinking, libtard dumbocrat.
The teaparty M.O.
"My kids are grown, I get social security but the rest of you can educate your own kids and get your own retirement because I won't pay for any of it."
Ohhh. Boy. The republican spoonfeds and mad because rich cousin whitey keeps feeding me bs are up! Those of us who think using logic dont waste your time.
Well said.
Well, jwalker used words, anyway. Not sure wtf they were intended to say -- my brain rebooted twice trying to understand how someone who is attempting to insinuate that he 'think using logic' can be so content/grammar/logic free in his post. Maybe those lessons in "how to look like a fool using 28 words or less" finally paid off.
I think I will walk to the fridge using feet and get me a beer using hands.
Later on, I might call jwalker a dumbass using words.
I think the 'j' in jwalker stands for 'joint'... and in his case it would be a joint laced with PCP.