A rare "Rove" inspired laugh

[Tsa`ah]

""I want you to look at the results of last night’s primary in Michigan," said Rove. "Sen. Clinton’s name was on the ballot and none of her principal opponents were. Fifty-five percent of the people turned out and voted for her. She got 328,151 votes, but 236,723 people turned out for the Democratic primary to vote for 'uncommitted'."

"Think about that," Rove continued. "If you run against nobody, and nobody gets 40 percent of the vote. The other 5 percent of the vote went for three other people. 27,924 votes went for the guy who believes in UFO’s, the guy who dropped out, and the guy who last held public office somewhere around 1855. That’s a pretty remarkable testament to the deep concerns the Democrats have about Senator Clinton when she can’t barely beat nobody else."

Read it here (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/01/rove-on-clinton.html).

Watch it here (http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4145019).

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

What's sad is the republicans (my personal opinion anyway) are essentially the same way. I do not see any strong front runner in either party. Like I've said before, it's the best of the worst.

[Ilvane]

Well, if you want to be technical, she got more than Obama and Edwards, who had people urging supporters of them to vote uncommitted.

So, how is she a loser in this again?

Rove's an idiot.

"I want you to look at the results of last night’s primary in Michigan," said Rove. "Sen. Clinton’s name was on the ballot and none of her principal opponents were. Fifty-five percent of the people turned out and voted for her. She got 328,151 votes, but 236,723 people turned out for the Democratic primary to vote for 'uncommitted'."

:shrug:

[Parkbandit]

:rofl:

I don't know... 236,000 people is alot of people to actually vote that way. There are just as many people who say they will NEVER vote for Clinton as will vote for her... and that's from HER party.

[Clove]

So, how is she a loser in this again?


Because 40% of Michigan would rather vote for ANYONE but her?

[Ilvane]

Even if you split it between the two other major candidates, she beats them handily.

You have to remember it's really a three person contest, even if "uncomitted" was the representative of the other two candidates. I can see why it's not a bad thing for her, but then I'm also a supporter of her.

[Gan]

Rove's an idiot.

If he was truly an idiot, there wouldnt be many news stories on him at all. He also would not be one of the most despised [and feared] political pundits of this decade.

Like him or not, the man knows politics and how to work it on the Hill.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

If he was truly an idiot, there wouldnt be many news stories on him at all. He also would not be one of the most despised political pundits of this decade.

Like him or not, the man knows politics and how to work it on the Hill.

Not that I think Rove is an idiot. But look at Britany Spears... she contradicts your supposition ;p

[Kefka]

Bit of a stretch there... Would seem more funny if she didn't get the majority. Still will never top Ashcroft losing an election to a dead man.

[Gelston]

You never know how different it would be if Obama and Edwards was there. Just because people voted for Hilary doesn't mean they would have had either of the two others been there. People like having a name behind their vote.

[Gan]

Not that I think Rove is an idiot. But look at Britany Spears... she contradicts your supposition ;p

Yea, I had to add the *[Edit]

Being despised isnt enough, its feared that counts.

[Kefka]

You never know how different it would be if Obama and Edwards was there. Just because people voted for Hilary doesn't mean they would have had either of the two others been there. People like having a name behind their vote.

Somehow I doubt an Obama/Edwards supporter would vote for Hillary just because... It's more probable they'd just not show up at all.

[Clove]

Yea, I had to add the *[Edit]

Being despised isnt enough, its feared that counts.

I fear Spears.

[Parkbandit]

Even if you split it between the two other major candidates, she beats them handily.

You have to remember it's really a three person contest, even if "uncomitted" was the representative of the other two candidates. I can see why it's not a bad thing for her, but then I'm also a supporter of her.

...

It wasn't a 3 person contest really.. since she was the only one on the ballot, besides who.. Richardson and Dodd? It was essentially a one person contest.. her. And 40% if the people that actually decided to show up to vote for a meaningless primary said they would rather vote for no one than vote for her.

Almost 300,000 people voted in the Republican primary than the Democratic... in a state that was almost perfectly 50/50 in 2004. Weird, huh.

[ClydeR]

can’t barely beat nobody else

You had me going until I read that. Karl Rove is too smart to make those errors.

[Gelston]

Somehow I doubt an Obama/Edwards supporter would vote for Hillary just because... It's more probable they'd just not show up at all.

Good point.

[Tsa`ah]

Well, if you want to be technical, she got more than Obama and Edwards, who had people urging supporters of them to vote uncommitted.

Less Obama/Edwards and more local democrats.


So, how is she a loser in this again?

Never under estimate how poorly informed voters are and how "misleading" it is for a single name to be on a ballot.

She won MI (sans the delegates) being the only person on the ballot ... with 328,131 total ballots. That's not winning handily ... that's being the only product on the shelf for a good number of voters that I willing to bet bought the only product on the shelf.

Here's what you're missing.

Iowa had 637,000 dems voting and 801,388 independents voting. NH had 221,217 democrats and 374,367 independents.

Michigan has a population of roughly 10 million, Iowa 3 million, NH 1.3 million.

So how is she a loser? She could only inspire 328 thousand votes in a state with a population of 10 million in an election where the voters had one name and "none of the above" to choose from. That should be an indicator to you and the Clinton camp that MI voters would have handed her walking papers had there been an Edwards or Obama on the ballot. Clinton is fortunate as hell that the Democratic party stripped MI of it's delegates come convention time.


Rove's an idiot.

I detest Rove. I think if there's a hell, there's a special place reserved just for him. I wouldn't call him an idiot with any confidence however.

[Ilvane]

Maybe people didn't show up because the delegates didn't count for the Democrats? Ever think that may be more of the reason than people didn't care?

Just my two cents.

Angela

[TheEschaton]

Clyde, he did say that, and if you had any intelligence, you'd be able to parse out that Rove didn't make a grammatical error, he was commenting on how Hillary could barely beat "nobody".

Furthermore, Rove's statements later in the video are, as usual, all spin.

Lastly, I think it should be quite clear that there were 300k more Republican voters than Dem because the Dem vote A) counted for nothing, and B) was a 1 candidate race, essentially. To say Republicans "care more" is idiotic, as Dem turnout outdid them in both Iowa and NH, I believe.

Oh, and Rove is the devil.

-TheE-

[Tsa`ah]

You could look at it that way ... or you could look at it more realistically ... Hillary had marginal support to begin with. If she couldn't inspire more than 380,000 voters out of a population of 10 million, I'd say that's a very decisive message.

[TheEschaton]

Yes, you could look at it my way....or you could look at it the retarded way which says busy people are going to take time out of their lives to vote for an election that doesn't matter.

This is a country where if we get 50% turnout, people are amazed. 40% is far more the norm. If you take 10 million people, assume 5 are Democratic, then something like 10-12% of the Democrats in MI voted. This is not an indication of apathy for Hillary, but an indication of apathy for a race that doesn't matter.

[Hulkein]

What has Rove done, outside of normal underhanded political shit, that would make you guys call him the devil, say he is going to hell, etc? Genuinely curious as I haven't ever read much about him.

[Tsa`ah]

To say Republicans "care more" is idiotic, as Dem turnout outdid them in both Iowa and NH, I believe.
-TheE-

Iowa had a larger (and just barely) Democratic turn out. 31% compared to the the GOP's 30% ... the independent vote had the largest turn out of either.

In NH the GOP had the larger turn out in comparison ... 30% compared to 26% with a 40% showing for the independents.

MI has 7,180,778 registered voters, however none were classified due the state not requiring party registration in the primary.

Which is also sad because out of 7 million voters, Hillary was only able to get 4.6% inspired enough to get off their ass and cast a vote for her.

[ClydeR]

Clyde, he did say that, and if you had any intelligence, you'd be able to parse out that Rove didn't make a grammatical error, he was commenting on how Hillary could barely beat "nobody".

The statement attributed to Rove said "couldn't barely beat nobody." I guess I'm more intelligent than you thought I was. Don't worry though; this doesn't mean that you're less intelligent than I thought you were. :)