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www.dailykos.com
We spent the last two weeks hearing how yesterday's House special election in PA-12 -- the only district won by Kerry that McCain won -- would be indicative of November's elections. Here was über-wanker Howard Fineman, on Chris Matthews' show:
MATTHEWS: If they beat a local guy in a Democrat meat-and-potatoes district, isn`t that a real bad sign for Nancy Pelosi?
FINEMAN: Well, Chris, I don`t like to make grandiose statements on the show. But if the Republicans take that district...
MATTHEWS: We`re looking at the vote...
(CROSSTALK)
FINEMAN: Now, it is true that that district went -- switched from Democrat to Republican in the presidential race, the only one in the country...
MATTHEWS: It`s different.
FINEMAN: OK, that is different. It is meat and potatoes. Johnstown from the time of the Johnstown flood cares about government help. They loved John Murtha for bringing in the money.
MATTHEWS: You`re so good!
FINEMAN: Pennsylvania is a bacon state. You have to bring home the bacon.
MATTHEWS: You`re so good, Howard!
(CROSSTALK)
FINEMAN: If you vote against the New Deal in that district...
MATTHEWS: Right.
FINEMAN: ... it`s lights out for the Democrats this year.
MATTHEWS: OK, I`m with you. Gregory...
FINEMAN: Lights out!
MATTHEWS: David, do they see it that way in the White House? If they lose the 13th, Jack Murtha`s district, it`s like losing, to me, Massachusetts with Scott Brown <...>
FINEMAN: If the Dems lose that district, they`re going to lose the House.
Had the Republicans taken the seat, the media would've undoubtedly double downed on their narrative of imminent Democratic doom. (Say that last sentence ten times in a row, really fast.) Instead, we get this from the AP:
But any attempt to read into the results a probable trend for the fall campaign was hazardous — particularly given Critz's victory over Republican Tim Burns to succeed Democrat Murtha in Congress
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