Say Anything Blog

Washington - Since 2000, both parties have gained Senate seats in the states they typically carry in presidential campaigns. But this political partitioning provides a clear advantage for Republicans because so many more states backed Bush in his bids for the presidency. If Democrats only gain in their part of the map, "it's like saying, 'We're going to win more home games but never worry about road games,' " said Matthew Dowd, a political advisor to the Republican National Committee and senior strategist for Bush's reelection campaign. "They could have a great home record but never win a majority." ... Twenty-nine states voted for Bush in 2000 and in 2004. Republicans now hold 44 of the 58 Senate seats in those so-called red states. ... This distribution makes it virtually impossible for Democrats to regain a majority simply by defeating GOP senators from blue states, such as their two top targets for 2006 --� Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania and Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island. Whatever happens in those races, the Democrats' ability to win Republican-held Senate seats next year in red states such as Montana, Tennessee and Missouri --� and to defend their seats in red states such as Nebraska, Florida and North Dakota --� may reveal more about their long-term prospects of regaining a Senate majority. Long-term GOP control of the Senate almost seems like a no-brainer when you break it down in those terms. You'd think it would be fairly easy to keep a good "at home" average for the GOP. If they could simply convince every "red" voter to vote GOP in red states, they would nearly hold a filibuster-proof majority! I've oft wondered why so many people "split" their ballots, vote GOP for President and Dem for Senate. It's never made much sense to me, especially as to why it seems to split in that direction more than the other way around (GOP for Senate and Dem for President). Anyone care to take a stab at it?...

There is a new Zogby Poll out showing majority support for Bush's Social Security reform agenda, but I dare you…...

If anyone was doubting the fact that Hillary is looking to '08 and a Presidential run, open today's Washington Post…...

Washington Times - An al Qaeda handbook preaches to operatives to level charges of torture once captured, a training regime…...

Human Events Online has a list of the "Ten Most Harmful Books" ever published. While I agree that the books…...

During the election last year and even in recent weeks many Democrats have referenced statistics indicating that abortions have gone…...

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Saddam Hussein could go on trial for crimes against humanity within two months, far earlier than expected,…...

ND NEWS Neither one of my parents is all that involved with politics, yet they both keep up with the…...

I thought this whole thing about Humvee armor was over once everybody realized that it was a left-wing exaggeration aimed…...

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush on Tuesday dismissed a human rights report as "absurd" for its harsh criticism of U.S.…...

Hmm... MSNBC - W. Mark Felt, who retired from the FBI after rising to its second most senior position, has…...

I found this very amusing... "This work can be done much better in Oriental hands," cloning master Hwang Woo-suk recently…...

Hmm... SIR Bob Geldof will today announce the glittering line-up for music spectacular Live 8 - but the Spice Girls…...

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned the conviction of the Arthur Andersen accounting firm for destroying Enron Corp.-related…...

The cover of the April 2005 issue of Parent's Magazine: Doh....

This from the New York Times: SMITHFIELD, N.C. - The airplanes of Aero Contractors Ltd. take off from Johnston County…...

Washington Post - The study represents a slap in the face at Democrats who pride themselves on being the party…...

WASHINGTON --� As part of the judicial nominee deal made in the Senate this week, the confirmation of Henry Saad, whose nomination to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals has languished since 2001, has come into doubt. Aides to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid told FOX News that Democrats will filibuster the nomination of Saad and William Myers to the 9th Circuit Court. Democrats say both nominees are exempt from the "exceptional circumstances" clause in the bipartisan agreement. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist acknowledged on Wednesday that the two nominees remain in limbo. Given this from the same article how in the world can Saad be considered an "exceptional" circumstance? Saad's detractors say he's anti-labor, but he has been endorsed by the United Auto Workers and, in the past, by the AFL-CIO. He's been lauded with praise by some high profile Democrats, and was given the American Bar Association's highest rating of "well qualified." Saad is far from what any reasonable person would define as "extremist," yet the Democrats will continue to claim that he is such. I once thought that the filibuster compromise might have worked out to be a good thing for Republicans, but now I'm beginning to see that in reality they've done nothing but shoot themselves in the foot....

Not that anyone really cares, but this is sort of weird. LOS ANGELES - Hotel heiress and "The Simple Life"…...

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - A hearing is underway in Australia looking into the deaths of dozens of patients linked to a…...

Unbelievable. LONDON - One Guantanamo prisoner told a military panel that American troops beat him so badly he wets his pants now. Another detainee claimed U.S. troops stripped prisoners in Afghanistan and intimidated them with dogs so they would admit to militant activity. Tales of alleged abuse and forced confessions are among some 1,000 pages of tribunal transcripts the U.S. government released to The Associated Press under a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit --� the second batch of documents the AP has received in 10 days. The testimonies offer a glimpse into the secretive world of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where about 520 men from 40 countries remain held, accused of having links to Afghanistan's ousted Taliban regime or Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network. Many have been held for three years. Of course, there is absolutely no support for these claims outside of the testimony of the prisoners making the claims in the first place. But that won't stop the media from hyping them for ratings (and to continue their bail-out of Newsweek) and the anti-war left from using them as political weapons. Why is it that we can't just declare a moratorium on these accusations until there's some proof to go with them? The Newsweek disaster in and of itself proved how hurtful this sort of reporting can be, it seems crazy to continue it....

AntiWar.com - The House of Representatives voted down a measure, by a 128 to 300 vote, that called on President…...

A sad commentary... Just west of the California-Nevada border, 11 miles south of the freeway that connects San Diego with…...

Had a wonderful weekend. Above is the picture of a North Dakota sunset, as seen from Underwood on a Geocaching…...

If you have some time on this Memorial Day pay a visit to In Remembrance. It is an online memorial…...

On Memorial Day, we spend time thanking God for the men and women who have given everything for the freedom…...

"To live in the hearts of those you leave behind is never to die." - Robert Orr "The greatest glory…...

ND NEWS North Dakota isn't exactly a professional athlete factory so when one of our own actually does make it…...

Blogging will be light here (and probably across the blogosphere, barring some major story) until sometime Monday afternoon or evening.…...

Orson Scott Card nails it on media accountability and anti-American bias, Muslim hypocrisy and other matters of great importance. There…...

WASHINGTON - Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia urged the Supreme Court on Friday to decide whether reporters have…...

BBC - A&E doctors are calling for a ban on long pointed kitchen knives to reduce deaths from stabbing. A…...

ND NEWS Politics as usual from our "moderate" senators in Washington. I love the bold line in the text below.…...

Florida Sun-Sentinel - The piece in question is a painting depicting President Bush being sodomized. Artist Alfred Phillips said images…...

(May 26, 2005) -- Newspaper Guild President Linda Foley made a public statement on May 13 that journalists are "being…...

First we had the flag in the trashcan, now we have this from Newsweek: The truth is that Americans are…...

(via Cox & Forkum)...

Hmm... WASHINGTON --� For the first time, a majority of Americans say they are likely to vote for Hillary Rodham Clinton if she runs for president in 2008, according to a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday. The survey shows that the New York senator and former first lady has broadened her support nationwide over the past two years, though she still provokes powerful feelings from those who oppose her. Clinton commands as much strong support --� but more strong opposition --� as George W. Bush did in a Newsweek poll in November 1998, two years before the 2000 election. She is in slightly stronger position than then-vice president Al Gore, the eventual 2000 Democratic nominee, was in 1998. "Over time, Clinton fatigue has dissipated ... and people are looking back on the Clinton years more favorably," says Andrew Kohut, director of the non-partisan Pew Research Center. In a Pew poll released this month, Kohut called former president Bill Clinton and the senator "comeback kids" because of their rising ratings. Worrisome news for those of us who believe that another Clinton in the White House would be terrible for this country, but anybody gets too worried here's a key quote from the article: In the poll, 29% were "very likely" to vote for Clinton for president if she runs in 2008; 24% were "somewhat likely." Seven percent were "not very likely" and 39% were "not at all likely" to vote for her. The 29% represents partisan Democrats who would probably vote a straight party ticket regardless of the candidates. The 24% represents swing voters who probably won't make up their mind until the election is closer. Not quite the majority support the headline and first few paragraphs of the article led us to believe. Add into the equation that nearly 40% of the respondents to the poll came out strongly against Hillary and I think that one could say that this poll has more negatives for Hillary than positives. (via Oliver Willis)...

WASHINGTON - Two days before Sen. Rick Santorum introduced a bill that critics say would restrict the National Weather Service,…...

WASHINGTON - House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is upset that a popular NBC crime drama used his name as part…...