Let my vote and every vote be counted

What a dumb move by Tedisco... (4.00 / 6)

...sheesh.

We've got some work ahead of us.

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by: NYBri @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 20:14:37 PM CDT

If the right to vote wasn't so fundamental (4.00 / 4)

and so serious it would be laughable. As a friend just said to me 'They are buffoons."

And they are... but the right to vote is not a laughing matter. The actions of the Republican Party... from Sweeney... to Rove... to Coleman... to Tedisco... are a serious affront to the most fundamental right of our democracy. The right that protects all of our other rights.

The right to vote.

The Republican Party does not appear to believe in the right of American citizens to vote and have their votes counted.

I hope that we will both hear and see affirmations and affirmative actions on the part of Republicans that they do indeed believe in the most fundamental right of our democracy.

It is time for Republicans here in NY-20 and in New York state as a whole to call on Jim Tedisco to put a stop to the shenanigans and respect the will of the voters.

This has gone too far.

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by: Andrew C. White @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 20:31:40 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thanks so much (4.00 / 8)

for stopping by, Senator Gillibrand. And I couldn't agree more. Count the votes.

All of them.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 20:16:44 PM CDT

I have to say... (0.00 / 1)

... that Gillibrand's vote was never actually really in jeopardy, as both election Commissioners in Columbia (GOP and DEM) dismissed the challenge.

Per my comments elsewhere, while support for the right to vote is always welcome, I do find it curious that Kirsten didn't speak out until her own vote was questioned. This reeks more than a little of her past pattern of opportunism.

Is this about counting votes, KG, or about seizing an opportunity to score some free and easy points with potential 2010 voters? If it's the former, where was your voice for enfranchisement 10 days ago?

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by: Hudson @ Thu Apr 16, 2009 at 12:07:40 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

um, what? (4.00 / 3)

I don't think it's fair to criticize every elected official who hasn't weighed in on this. Why would they be inserting themselves? Gillibrand spoke out when she got dragged into it. That says good things about her.

You singling her out for doing the normal thing says more about your personal animus towards her than it does about her.

Follow me on twitter: http://twitter.com/SteveinNYC

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by: SteveinNYC @ Thu Apr 16, 2009 at 13:30:18 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Good God, you're horrendous. (4.00 / 2)

You just can't resist any possible excuse to try and attack Gillibrand, even when you need to make things up in order to do it.  

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by: Adama @ Thu Apr 16, 2009 at 13:42:58 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Welcome Senator (4.00 / 6)

It's good to have you here. Hope you can find the time to make it a habit.

Let your vote and every vote be counted indeed.

Jim Tedisco and the Republican Party have stooped to new lows. This is becoming a sad habit on their part.

It shows a political party in steep decline. Very sad. As you well know there are lots of good, decent, honorable and respectable Republicans in NY-20. They are not well represented by these sorts of actions. It is a good part of why so many Republican voters in NY-20 were ready to hear what you, a Democrat, had to say and offer to them when you ran in 2006. Jim Tedisco is following in the ugly footsteps of the man you defeated John "Shut it Down" Sweeney. Your good representation and the Republicans continued fall is why so many Republicans were more than ready to hear what Scott Murphy had to offer them and why he vaulted to the front of this race in such a short time.

The modern day Republican party does not represent the values and beliefs of the people of NY-20 or the rest of New York.

The Republicans need to do some serious soul searching and re-invent themselves if they are to have any chance of surviving as more than a regional party.

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by: Andrew C. White @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 20:18:47 PM CDT

Republicans Prove Theory ! (4.00 / 5)

The Republicans are living proof that Darwin was right.  Challenging the legitimate ballot of a sitting U.S. Senator is just about the dumbest public relations move in history.

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by: global yokel @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 20:37:06 PM CDT

Careful! Don't be distracted. (4.00 / 2)

The Republican strategists involved are dirty-  but not stupid.  "Dumb like fox" is more accurate.  They see something to gain here, and it may have nothing to do with winning or losing this election, but will impact the longer term public opinion.  Or it might have something to do with this election, fundraising, or whatever.  

I can pretty much imagine the Republican response to the outrage.  It's called an under-statement.  "We concede we made an error in rejecting the honorable Senator's ballot.  However, we still have hundreds of ballots from non-residents that we have rejected for legitimate reasons."

Of course that's a blatant lie.  We know how courts have ruled on intent of residency requirements.  But the general public does not know this, and because the Republicans will get some press when they apologize, they will also have the opportunity to lie via under-statement.  

My best thought is that Gillibrand must keep them in check by using her own airtime to explain why students and 2nd homeowners are within the law.  

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by: Patriotic_Reader @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 20:56:12 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Naaa... I think it was incredible stupidty (4.00 / 4)

on their part. They just handed a US Senator on our side a national headline platform to highlight the systemic obstructionism and voter suppression efforts of the Republican Party.

This was just plain brain dead politics on Tedisco's part. If we needed any more proof that he is not qualified to Represent NY-20 in Congress then this is provides it.

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by: Andrew C. White @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 21:34:43 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

No- dumb like fox (4.00 / 2)

Teddy Disco may be dumb as a plant-  but he's just a guy who is being provided a career in exchange for his vote.  His handlers are not stupid at all.  Look at how successful they were in promoting the right wing agenda while everyone thought that Bush was too stupid to do anything!  

I don't have a crystal ball, so I don't know exactly what they are up to, but if you aren't sure it has something to do with creating public opinion, I suggest you haven't listened to enough talk radio, or canvassed enough voters (or their Limbaughnian husbands who answer many doors), or talked to Tedisco fans in coffee shops lately.  

Remember that if these people were stupid, we wouldn't be sitting on a 50-50 race right now and Murphy would be in Washington.  Dishonest, tricky, nasty, Machiavellian they are-  but not stupid.  They just think in a way that honest and logical people can't associate with or understand.  

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by: Patriotic_Reader @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 23:12:04 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

I disagree. (4.00 / 3)

The next logical statement in that chain you outlined is "But if they could make a mistake on something as obvious as a Senator's ballot, how many others have they wrongfully tried to disenfranchise?"

And the Republicans don't have a response to that--because they don't have a response to that.

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by: Adama @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 21:51:35 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Great to see you here (4.00 / 3)

Hopefully other prominent NY Dems will join you in speaking out against the Miami/Minnesota tactics of the desperate Tedisco campaign.

Whatever the result of this race, Murphy and Tedisco will likely face each other again in 18 months.

And 20th voters need to be reminded now, as they will be next year, of how down-and-dirty Tedisco is.  

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by: devtob @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 21:04:40 PM CDT

Wonder how long it will be before Hudson... (4.00 / 4)

shows up and starts in.

We've got some work ahead of us.

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by: NYBri @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 21:15:25 PM CDT

You can't please everybody (4.00 / 1)

No matter how good you are.

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by: Andrew C. White @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 21:31:50 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Over on the DKos diary, he is pretty much (4.00 / 2)

the only anti-Gillibrand commenter.

Which is a far cry from what it was like there in late January.

That said, Hudson's coverage of the Columbia County counting process and the background on Brands in the diary below this one has been superb.

It would be wonderful if we all could get along on supporting Gillibrand now and in a possible primary, but that's not gonna happen.

In his case, at least.

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by: devtob @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 21:32:47 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

a primary (4.00 / 4)

if it happens, can wait. i think we can all agree that this race, the one where we are still counting votes, should be first and foremost.

i think the notion that we should count all the votes is one on which we can all agree, no matter who we may or may not support in a primary that has yet to materialize.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 21:36:33 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

All agree... (4.00 / 1)

as long as we aren't Republicans that is!

Though frankly, I am quite certain that the vast majority of Republicans in NY-20 agree with us too!

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by: Andrew C. White @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 21:47:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Hudson DID have many detractor friends back in January. (4.00 / 2)

They mostly thought that NY-20 race was a lost and unworthwhile cause.

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by: UpstateAlan @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 22:39:59 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

They were clearly wrong about that (4.00 / 1)

But, again, Hudson has done a lot online and elsewhere to help elect Murphy.

For which I am grateful, even though we disagree about Gilibrand.

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by: devtob @ Thu Apr 16, 2009 at 22:23:55 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Welcome to TAP, Senator Gillibrand. (4.00 / 3)

It's an honor to have you here.

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by: Adama @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 21:49:41 PM CDT

GOP challenge of Gillibrand ballot (4.00 / 3)

A friend of mine suggested that perhaps the Tedisco campaign is a bit tight for cash, so they challenged Gillibrand's ballot as a publicity stunt to stir up some passion (and $$$) among their wingnut base.  It's about as good a theory as any....

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by: global yokel @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 21:52:56 PM CDT

Sorry... (4.00 / 1)

... but I have to a bit partisan here.  Tedisco is obviously making blunders, embarrassing himself and making major enemies with these tactics.  If he wins can we please just do him in in 2012 (providing he manages to get re-elected in 2010 despite his foolishness) by drawing his district off the map.  NY is going to lose a district in the next census, so why not lose his district?   He'll lose his job and whatever respect he may once have ever had (if any), and even wouldn't be eligible for a Congressional pension (need five years of service).   I just thought this bit should be said should he prevail somehow.  

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by: permanentstudent @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 23:16:57 PM CDT

We're losing an NYC or LI district (4.00 / 2)

The insane math they did in 2002 to keep 16 seats downstate (Where NYC districts have 70000 fewer residents than upstate districts) isn't mathematically possible in 2012; the disparity in size of district would be too great.

That, of course, doesn't mean that the seat can't be shredded into tiny pieces.

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by: Amherst Guy @ Tue Apr 14, 2009 at 23:24:20 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thanks for the additional info (4.00 / 2)

I didn't know  the math was fuzzy in 2002.  That all rested upon the Senate actually acting like a body run by Democrats with Democratic Party ideals anyway.

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by: permanentstudent @ Wed Apr 15, 2009 at 00:24:33 AM CDT

[ Parent ]

What clarity! (4.00 / 3)

I'll add my thanks for your participation here, too, Senator Gillibrand.  

I didn't know you well when you were appointed our Senator... but you have really hit the ground running, and I have been impressed by both your stated policy positions and your prompt visit to my hometown to meet us.  Your statement here on this underhanded nonsense is clear and correct-- I'm very proud to have you speaking on behalf of all New Yorkers.

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by: robinia @ Wed Apr 15, 2009 at 07:15:12 AM CDT