Reliving and reinterpreting the 2012 U.S. Senate election in Missouri. What started it all, via Twitter:

Ryan Hite ‏@ryan_hite

Can’t believe they give this crazy airtime. RT @AlanColmes: Restrictive Pennsylvania Abortion Laws & Lack Of Enforcement Empowered Gosnell 7:47 PM – 12 Apr 13

A reply:

caitlin legacki @caitleg

@ryan_hite dude. You worked for Todd Akin. He’s seven different kinds of crazy. 8:08 PM – 12 Apr 13

An impartial sane person would probably agree.

“I insist, after you”:

Ryan Hite ‏@ryan_hite

@caitleg and you worked for Claire McCaskill – who wants to sell our country down the river 7 ways from Sunday. 9:03 PM – 12 Apr 13

So there.

Ryan Hite ‏@ryan_hite

@caitleg besides I’m not sure you’re one to point fingers on crazy and bad ideas. You defended enough. 9:04 PM – 12 Apr 13

So there. Again.

Interesting sleight of hand. Crazy or just bad? You decide.

A point of inquiry:

caitlin legacki ‏@caitleg

@ryan_hite how does a river run 7 ways? You’re not even making sense. Regardless, 55% of MO picked her over Akin. Means something, right? 9:04 PM – 12 Apr 13

caitlin legacki ‏@caitleg

@ryan_hite lol. Scoreboard 9:05 PM – 12 Apr 13

Now that you mention it:

Nov 6, 2012 General Election

U. S. Senator (3387 of 3387 Precincts Reported)

Claire McCaskill Democrat 1,494,125 54.8%

Todd Akin Republican 1,066,159 39.1%

Jonathan Dine Libertarian 165,468 6.1%

[….]

Continuing:

Ryan Hite ‏@ryan_hite

@caitleg if you put river and 7 ways together from that tweet you just proved my crazy point because you missed it. 9:07 PM – 12 Apr 13

That was the Twitter equivalent of “nanner nanner boo boo”.

caitlin legacki ‏@caitleg

@ryan_hite tell the truth. Are you drunk? 9:08 PM – 12 Apr 13

Okay, that one was mean. It’s not possible to get inebriated on Kool-Aid.

The test of a truly adept new media denizen is the speed of their retorts:

Ryan Hite ‏@ryan_hite

@caitleg that means people are more gullible than I’d hoped. Unfortunate but apparent 9:08 PM – 12 Apr 13

Waiting, waiting:

Ryan Hite ‏@ryan_hite

@caitleg tell the truth.. Do you actually buy this liberal logic you sell? Because no I haven’t touched a drop all night. 9:09 PM – 12 Apr 13

Okay. Another “nanner nanner boo boo” response.

A truly adept political operative knows how and when to stick the shiv in:

caitlin legacki ‏@caitleg

@ryan_hite they weren’t gullible. They were just completely horrified by Akin. Congrats on the SVU episode, btw. 9:10 PM – 12 Apr 13

That left a mark. Remind us again who became a national joke when they opened their mouth?

Ryan Hite ‏@ryan_hite

@caitleg completely horrified by what you all propagated.. That is true. It’s just unfortunate you had to destroy a decent mans reputation. 9:11 PM – 12 Apr 13

Because the evil opposition and media made Todd Akin (r) say what he said?

Wait for it, wait for it…:

Ryan Hite ‏@ryan_hite

@caitleg yeah and it figures that they Didn’t even quote it right in the episode. Leave it to the media. Lol 9:11 PM – 12 Apr 13

Blame the media, for the score! Lol.

caitlin legacki ‏@caitleg

@ryan_hite he did that pretty well on his own. 9:13 PM – 12

Uh, yep.

And from the political party which supposedly venerates personal responsibility?:

Ryan Hite ‏@ryan_hite

@caitleg actually no that part pretty much came from you all and unfortunately many high up in GoP too. What you all will do to win.. 9:18 PM – 12 Apr 13

Projection, it’s not just for movie theaters anymore.

Sarcasm, it’s not just for bloggers anymore:

caitlin legacki ‏@caitleg

@ryan_hite 🙁 9:19 PM – 12 Apr 13

I just got called by someone, using a computer, asking me if Todd Akin can count on my support to repeal Obamacare.  

Akin needs better volunteers.  I asked some questions.

First, I asked if she lived in Missouri.  No.  (She told me she was having difficulty with her computer.)

Second, I asked if Akin will vote to abolish FEMA.  She didn’t know.

Finally, I pointed out that Obamacare is pro-life and am offended that anyone claiming to be pro-life wants to repeal Obamacare.  No response.

I hung up.

The republican majority in the United States Senate defeated the repeal of DADT in a vote of 40-57:

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 111th Congress – 2nd Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

Vote Summary

Question: On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed (Upon Reconsideration, Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S. 3454 )

Vote Number: 270 Vote Date: December 9, 2010, 03:33 PM

Required For Majority: 3/5 Vote Result: Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Rejected

Measure Number: S. 3454 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011)

Measure Title: An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2011 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.

Vote Counts: YEAs 57

NAYs 40

Not Voting 3

YEAs —57

McCaskill (D-MO)

Claire McCaskill’s vote was not a surprise to most:

Claire McCaskill (D): “Kitchen Table Talk” in Kansas City, part 3 (December 19, 2008)

….Question: Hi, I just have a quick question, my name is Sarah…about the military. Two years ago when you were on Hardball with Chris –  

Claire McCaskill: I know what you’re going to say! Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell!

Question: Yeah. I want to know, two years later, especially with the support of Barack Obama in reevaluating Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and recent document signed by 104 Generals and Admirals, if you have rethought your position on reevaluating Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Claire McCaskill: I think you will see action on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. And, I think that – I think we’re to the point that people realize that that is a probably irrelevant consideration. And as I said to a general the other day, “I wish you guys were as worried about the problems you have in the military in terms of-” I’ve been very involved in looking at sexual assault issues that women have had in the military. And there has been an incredible problem of women being sexually assaulted in the military and us not dealing with it. Not with the right mental health provisions, not with the right criminal consequences provisions, and I think there is now, you know as time goes on, I think you are seeing adjustments, even within the military that I think, it has a very good chance of passing this time, if we, if he changes the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy and I’ll be happy to support it. And my daughter, the one that talked me into voting, publicly endorsing Barack Obama, will be so glad that I’ve said that publicly. [audience laughter][applause] She bugs me constantly about it! Constantly! I will just be sitting at my desk, in the Senate, and I’ll get a text message, in all capital letters, “WHAT ABOUT DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL?” Exclamation, exclamation, exclamation. So Maddie will be glad you asked the question. Yes…

That was two years ago.

The arc of homophobia is long and it bends toward frustration.

On December 18th  SurveyUSA released a 600 sample poll of adults taken in Missouri from December 11th through the 13th showing the approval numbers for Senators Claire McCaskill (D) and Kit Bond (r). The margin of error is 4.1%.

The poll was sponsored by KCTV in Kansas City.

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

All

48% – approve

45% – disapprove

7% – not sure

Democrats [36% of sample]

70% – approve

24% – disapprove

7% – not sure

republicans [29% of sample]

32% – approve

61% – disapprove

7% – not sure

Independents [28% of sample]

38% – approve

56% – disapprove

6% – not sure

Keeping the months long trend and looking at the November numbers, Claire McCaskill’s overall approval, when compared to President Obama, remain stable.

Senator McCaskill’s disapproval numbers among Democrats remain high (at 24%), though slightly better when compared to the November numbers.

The percentage of self-identified liberals who are not happy when it comes to approving of the job Claire McCaskill is doing remains significant (yet stable), though there has been some improvement among Conservatives. There is slippage among Moderates. You think Claire might be pulling that Overton Window a little too far to the right for them, too?:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

Ideology

Conservative [39% of sample]

28% – approve

66% – disapprove

6% – not sure

Moderate [35% of sample]

58% – approve

38% – disapprove

4% – not sure

Liberal [14% of sample]

69% – approve

24% – disapprove

7% – not sure

The samples for Conservatives, Moderates, and Liberals are similar to the November poll.

The December numbers for Kit Bond aren’t particularly stellar, but are a small net positive:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Kit Bond is doing as United States Senator?

All

49% – approve

42% – disapprove

10% – not sure

Democrats [36% of sample]

40% – approve

51% – disapprove

9% – not sure

republicans [29% of sample]

64% – approve

28% – disapprove

8% – not sure

Independents [28% of sample]

50% – approve

43% – disapprove

7% – not sure

Kit Bond’s approval numbers among republicans have declined since the November survey. His numbers among “Independents” and Democrats have improved. Evidently, for 40% of Democrats bringing home the bacon trumps obstructing health care reform. Any guesses on that 28% of disapproving republicans?  

On November 25th  SurveyUSA released a 600 sample poll of adults taken in Missouri from November 20th through the 22nd showing the approval numbers for Senators Claire McCaskill (D) and Kit Bond (r). The margin of error is 4.1%.

The poll was sponsored by KCTV in Kansas City.

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

All

48% – approve

48% – disapprove

4% – not sure

Democrats [30% of sample]

70% – approve

27% – disapprove

3% – not sure

republicans [31% of sample]

28% – approve

69% – disapprove

3% – not sure

Independents [232 of sample]

41% – approve

56% – disapprove

3% – not sure

Again, looking at September, Claire McCaskill’s overall approval numbers, when compared to President Obama, are relatively stable.

Senator McCaskill’s disapproval numbers among Democrats have increased (to 27%) when compared to September.

The percentage of self-identified liberals who are not happy when it comes to approving of the job Claire McCaskill doing is still significant:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

Ideology

Conservative [40% of sample]

20% – approve

76% – disapprove

3% – not sure

Moderate [34% of sample]

66% – approve

33% – disapprove

1% – not sure

Liberal [13% of sample]

65% – approve

28% – disapprove

7% – not sure

The sample of Conservatives is 40% in the November poll and 32% in the September poll. The sample of Liberals is 13% in the November poll and 16% in the September poll.

The November numbers for Kit Bond aren’t that good either:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Kit Bond is doing as United States Senator?

All

47% – approve

44% – disapprove

8% – not sure

Democrats [30% of sample]

35% – approve

58% – disapprove

7% – not sure

republicans [31% of sample]

72% – approve

23% – disapprove

4% – not sure

Independents [32% of sample]

45% – approve

45% – disapprove

11% – not sure

Kit Bond’s approval numbers among republicans have improved over September. His numbers among “Independents” and Democrats remain unchanged.

It’s the base, Claire, the base.

On September 30th  SurveyUSA released a 600 sample poll of adults taken in Missouri from September 27th through the 28th showing the approval numbers for Senators Claire McCaskill (D) and Kit Bond (r). The margin of error is 4.1%.

The poll was sponsored by KCTV in Kansas City.

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

All

50% – approve

43% – disapprove

7% – not sure

Democrats [37% of sample]

76% – approve

22% – disapprove

2% – not sure

republicans [25% of sample]

28% – approve

64% – disapprove

9% – not sure

Independents [29% of sample]

42% – approve

50% – disapprove

8% – not sure

Compared to August Claire McCaskill’s overall approval numbers, when compared to President Obama and Kit Bond, are relatively stable.

Senator McCaskill’s disapproval numbers among Democrats have increased when compared to August. The August disapproval numbers among “Independents” have decreased significantly, with the approval number from this group improving slightly.

The percentage of self-identified liberals who are “not sure” when it comes to approval of the job Claire McCaskill is doing has increased significantly:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

Ideology

Conservative [32% of sample]

28% – approve

70% – disapprove

2% – not sure

Moderate [39% of sample]

63% – approve

33% – disapprove

4% – not sure

Liberal [16% of sample]

65% – approve

24% – disapprove

11% – not sure

The September numbers for Kit Bond aren’t very good:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Kit Bond is doing as United States Senator?

All

45% – approve

45% – disapprove

10% – not sure

Democrats [37% of sample]

35% – approve

58% – disapprove

8% – not sure

republicans [25% of sample]

63% – approve

29% – disapprove

7% – not sure

Independents [29% of sample]

47% – approve

41% – disapprove

11% – not sure

What I wrote last month:

…Well, well, well. It’s a rarity when Senator “sit on the fence and bring home the bacon” Bond (r) has a lower approval number (barely) than Claire McCaskill. There’s been some slippage in the numbers for Bond among republicans and Democrats.

Kit Bond has more fence sitters. The decline in the “not sure” (the undecidieds) in Claire McCaskill’s approval numbers may be an indication of polarization. It is possible, as she has been subjected to public verbal assault by irrational teabaggers at her town halls, that the Democratic base is tending to reflexively defend her. And some republicans and especially “Independents” are going the other way (yes, some republicans are going into the approval column, too). Time will tell.

Well, well, well. It’s a trend, not an outlier.

It’s a pleasure to see Claire given a nudge to the left that she pays attention to. Seems that Warren Buffett, the second wealthiest man in the world, told Senate Democrats over lunch last Thursday that rich folk need to pay more taxes. He especially took aim at Bush’s cuts to the capital gains tax, which are set to expire next year. Because of those cuts, Buffett:

pays taxes at a lower rate than some of his company’s employees.

It is an argument the investor has made before. Buffett said he paid a 16.5 percent tax rate on all his income because the tax rate on investment dividends and long-term capital gains is only 15 percent.

By contrast, a single employee at Buffet’s firm, Berkshire Hathaway, who earns between $33,000 and $83,000 must pay a 25 percent federal income tax rate.

Claire saw the sense of his take on taxes:

“He said rich people are not paying enough taxes,” said Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.). “It was interesting to see someone who is such an aggressive capitalist, who believes so much in our capitalist system, saying we’ve got the scales way too heavily toward people who are very, very wealthy.”

Ben Nelson (DINO, NE), on the other hand, pooh-poohed the raise-taxes-on-the-wealthy idea, noting that tax is a four letter word. Aside from his difficulty in counting to four, Nelson reminds us, with his reaction to Buffett’s advice, that we could be worse off than McCaskill.

But much as I want Claire paying attention to Buffett on taxes, I have to hope she occasionally spaced out last Thursday, because Buffett is sometimes on the other side from Democrats on policy issues. He has been known to criticize (though he said nothing about it on Thursday) the cap and trade legislation as a “regressive” tax, and he did call the Employee Free Choice Act a “mistake”. Let’s hope Claire’s attention was wandering when he touched on card check.

On August 31st  SurveyUSA released a 600 sample poll of adults taken in Missouri from August 26th through the 27th showing the approval numbers for Senators Claire McCaskill (D) and Kit Bond (r). The margin of error is 4.1%.

The poll was sponsored by KCTV in Kansas City.

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

All

52% – approve

43% – disapprove

5% – not sure

Democrats [41% of sample]

77% – approve

17% – disapprove

6% – not sure

republicans [30% of sample]

31% – approve

67% – disapprove

2% – not sure

Independents [23% of sample]

38% – approve

62% – disapprove

1% – not sure

Compared to July Claire McCaskill’s overall approval numbers have improved.

Senator McCaskill’s approval numbers among Democrats and republicans have improved when compared to July. The August disapproval numbers among “Independents” have increased, with the approval number in this group holding steady.

Claire McCaskill’s approval numbers among self identified liberals has improved.

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

Ideology

Conservative [38% of sample]

32% – approve

65% – disapprove

2% – not sure

Moderate [36% of sample]

64% – approve

30% – disapprove

6% – not sure

Liberal [15% of sample]

69% – approve

29% – disapprove

2% – not sure

The August numbers for Kit Bond:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Kit Bond is doing as United States Senator?

All

51% – approve

39% – disapprove

10% – not sure

Democrats [41% of sample]

38% – approve

50% – disapprove

12% – not sure

republicans [30% of sample]

71% – approve

23% – disapprove

6% – not sure

Independents [23% of sample]

49% – approve

46% – disapprove

5% – not sure

Well, well, well. It’s a rarity when Senator “sit on the fence and bring home the bacon” Bond (r) has a lower approval number (barely) than Claire McCaskill. There’s been some slippage in the numbers for Bond among republicans and Democrats.

Kit Bond has more fence sitters. The decline in the “not sure” (the undecidieds) in Claire McCaskill’s approval numbers may be an indication of polarization. It is possible, as she has been subjected to public verbal assault by irrational teabaggers at her town halls, that the Democratic base is tending to reflexively defend her. And some republicans and especially “Independents” are going the other way (yes, some republicans are going into the approval column, too). Time will tell.

Senators Mitch McConnell (r), John McCain (r), and Kit Bond (r) came to Kansas City on Monday for a closed (to the public) health care forum. They obviously weren’t too interested in fielding questions from teabaggers.

The coverage in today’s Kansas City Star was revealing. The dead trees headline in the Kansas City Edition, page B1:

HEALTH REFORM BLASTED IN KC: At Children’s Mercy, three GOP senators say say compromise with Democrats hasn’t been found

Online:

GOP senators criticize health care overhaul during forum in KC

By STEVE KRASKE

The Kansas City Star

….The Republicans said they also were miffed at Democrats for not doing enough to include them in ongoing negotiations.

“So far, there’s been no bipartisanship involved in reforming health care in America,” McCain complained….

[emphasis added]

Okay, just hold on a minute there. Senator Claire McCaskill (D) stated in Jefferson City (and at three other town halls I attended):

….[18:40] And the other thing you can do there, which might be interesting, ’cause you’re here and you obviously care very deeply, you might watch the live video, not live, it’s taped video, of all the the mark up sessions in the [Senate] bill. Fifty-two hours of mark up sessions on the bill. Thirteen Democrats, ten Republicans. There were a lot of amendments, hundreds and hundreds and hundreds and hundreds that were written up. There were about two hundred that were considered. Of the two hundred amendments that were considered and adopted on this bill in this fifty-two hours a hundred and sixty-seven of them were sponsored by the Republican members of the committee and thirty-one of them were sponsored by the Democratic members of the committee. So, there was [applause], there were really a bipartisan [crowd shouting], the interesting thing [voice, shouting: “What happened to the other thirty (inaudible)?”] there really was a bi, and you can watch it. You can go on and watch it. You don’t have to read something that somebody else has written. You can go on and watch it live. You can see the Republican members offering the amendments. You can see the discussion. You can understand, maybe the, the thinking behind some of the amendments and why they were offering them. And it might be a way that you could see, face to face, what really happened in fifty-two hours of consideration on this bill, instead of some of the misinformation that’s gotten out there [19:57]….

“…Of the two hundred amendments that were considered and adopted on this bill in this fifty-two hours a hundred and sixty-seven of them were sponsored by the Republican members of the committee and thirty-one of them were sponsored by the Democratic members of the committee….”

Someone other than a stenographer might try to reconcile those competing statements.

The videos of the Senate bill mark ups are here:

Committee: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Date: Wednesday, June 17 – Friday, June 26,

Place: SD-106 / SR-325…

Blogs exist because old media phones it in. And nature abhors a vacuum.

Here’s some excellent news:

TARKIO, Mo. — A national survey of wind energy says Missouri added the third-highest amount of wind farm capacity in the nation during the second quarter of the year.

The American Wind Energy Association said Tuesday that the completion of the Farmers City wind farm near Tarkio in northwest Missouri added 146 megawatts of wind energy capacity. That brings the state’s total capacity to 306 megawatts.

The 90 percent increase in capacity was the largest jump among [sic] any state the nation, the association said.

And here’s how to put that news to good use. Repower America has a phone line set up where you can leave a message for Senator McCaskill. Just call 1-877-9REPOWER (737-6937). The automated voice will ask you for your zip code, offer some generic advice on properly identifying yourself in your message, and then let say what you have to say to her. Every day, the messages for that day are delivered to Claire.

We need to keep the pressure on Claire because she’s a weak link as far as keeping ACES (clean energy legislation) from being watered down. In late June, she tweeted: “I hope we can fix cap and trade so it doesn’t unfairly punish businesses and families in coal dependent states like Missouri.”

She was wrong to believe that the legislation unfairly punishes coal dependent states, and perhaps you’d want to stress that to her. She can’t hear it too many times.

Listen, the flat earthers will shout their fears at her, and they’ve got the money for a megaphone the size of Kansas. That’s another fact you might see fit to mention to our junior senator, namely that the opposition is funded by big oil. Mark Twain said, “Tell me where a man gets his corn pone, and I’ll tell you what his ‘pinions is.” Well, the opposition is getting its corn pone from Saudi Arabia. The rest of us think we ought to get it from Missouri wind mills.