# Alaska Senate race
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [August 27, 2010, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607 "2010-08-27T01:03:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 11
### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/201 "2010-11-18T19:38:15Z")
> [@sassyfras](#):
>
> May I interrupt the partisanship and ask an actual question: How did Murkowski win as a write-in candidate who lost her own primary (as an incumbent, no less)?
Your question is a bit vague. If you’re asking how it is that she could run after losing the primary, the answer is: as an Independent candidate. If you’re asking how it is that she was able to win at all, it’s because of feet-on-the-ground campaigning, name recognition, and Joe Miller shooting himself in the foot. She should have beat him in the primary, but was too complacent about her reelection and didn’t take Miller seriously, IMO.
---
### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 18, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/202 "2010-11-18T19:40:37Z")
> [@DrDeth](#):
>
> Is there any possibility that she will decide to caucus with the Dems?
No. Her base is the Repulican & Independent (right wing) voters in Alaska. While she is more moderate than she generally lets on, there is no way she will caucus with the Dems. At least not if she ever expects to be reelected in the future.
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### Author:  [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/203 "2010-11-19T01:33:26Z")
It appears that Miller wants to be a world-class jerk. He has filed for an injunction to stop certification of the election. This is part of his earlier suit about write-in votes serving as a spelling and penmanship test. He seem to be oblivious to the fact that even if he gets every single challenged ballot thrown out, he still loses.
From the [Anchorage Daily News](http://www.adn.com/2010/11/18/1561739/miller-seeks-to-stop-election.html), which has been getting a lot of views from me lately, and if I ever move to Alaska, I’ll know where to get my 2011 moose calendar.
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### Author:  [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/204 "2010-11-19T02:02:58Z")
> [@gonzomax](#):
>
> She would have quit.Senator is not big enough for her. But what is scary is people think that dingbat should be president. How low a person can we elect to the highest office? I fear for the union.
> Palin now has a Learning Channel show on Alaska. I read a biography that said Palin does not hunt and fish, and never has. Now she embraces the culture and calls herself “mamma grizzly”. This show is free advertising for her push to be president. I shudder at the thought. Her campaign is on many fronts simultaneously. There is big money in back of her.
It’s not “free advertising”; I’m fairly certain she’s getting paid for it.
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/205 "2010-11-19T02:21:10Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#):
>
> It’s not “free advertising”; I’m fairly certain she’s getting paid for it.
Yes and it is probably quite a bit. People who have watched it told me she seems pretty uncomfortable out there. But that is like Bush clearing brush all the time. He is a rich kid with family money and he has to clear brush all the time? He has plenty of people working for him. He was forming a persona.
I read a story about Palin by an Alaskan woman a couple weeks ago. She said Palin does not fish or hunt or go in the woods. She just sees some political benefit in acting like it. So here we go again. Palin is forming a regular Alaskan persona.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/206 "2010-11-19T03:17:31Z")
> [@](#):
>
> But that is like Bush clearing brush all the time. He is a rich kid with family money and he has to clear brush all the time? He has plenty of people working for him. He was forming a persona.
I always got the impression that Bush’s brush-clearing was honest: He doesn’t _need_ to do it himself, but that’s the way he relaxes. Of course, one could argue that he should have spent less time relaxing and more time doing his job, but that’s a separate issue.
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### Author:  [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/207 "2010-11-19T03:52:27Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> I always got the impression that Bush’s brush-clearing was honest: He doesn’t _need_ to do it himself, but that’s the way he relaxes. Of course, one could argue that he should have spent less time relaxing and more time doing his job, but that’s a separate issue.
He never owned a ranch to clear brush _from_ before running for president. And he sold that ranch right after he left office.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 19, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/208 "2010-11-19T04:05:32Z")
> [@gonzomax](#):
>
> Yes and it is probably quite a bit. People who have watched it told me she seems pretty uncomfortable out there. But that is like Bush clearing brush all the time. He is a rich kid with family money and he has to clear brush all the time? He has plenty of people working for him. He was forming a persona.
> I read a story about Palin by an Alaskan woman a couple weeks ago. She said Palin does not fish or hunt or go in the woods. She just sees some political benefit in acting like it. So here we go again. Palin is forming a regular Alaskan persona.
Have you seen that ad that shows her firing a shotgun? She’s clearly a non-shooter, as the recoil damn near snaps her neck. I laughed my ass off when I saw that, and I would suspect she had a hell of a headache afterward.
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### Author:  [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)
#### Post date: [November 20, 2010, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/209 "2010-11-20T04:41:57Z")
Well, the first shot was fired in the long legal nightmare.
Some federal judge blocked the certification.
> **[Federal Judge Halts Certification of Alaska Senate Election as Miller Eyes...](https://www.foxnews.com/politics/federal-judge-halts-certification-of-alaska-senate-election-as-miller-eyes-lawsuit)**
>
> A federal judge has ordered the certification of Alaska's Senate race halted if Republican Joe Miller files a lawsuit in state court by Monday
I guess this crap will drag on for five or six months just like they did in the Al Franken election.
The lawyers will get a lot richer. The state will blow a crap load of money. All for nothing.
I miss the days when a defeated candidate manned up. Gave his “I got my ass beat” speech and left the building. Now, everyone has to blow millions trying to find some technicality or loophole. Let’s spend 15 million recounting every stinking vote by hand. Hows the penmanship? Did they print or use cursive letters? I could understand taking this to court if the election counts were even remotely close. This is all just an exercise to show off in the press and make some political points. It’s Miller’s chance to grandstand and gives Palin another chance to stick it to someone she personally dislikes.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [November 20, 2010, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/210 "2010-11-20T06:20:06Z")
> [@](#):
>
> Have you seen that ad that shows her firing a shotgun?
No, and a Google video search for “Sarah Palin shotgun ad” isn’t bringing it up. Got a link?
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### Author:  [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)
#### Post date: [November 20, 2010, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/211 "2010-11-20T12:39:03Z")
> [@aceplace57](#):
>
> Well, the first shot was fired in the long legal nightmare.
>
> Some federal judge blocked the certification.
> [Federal Judge Halts Certification of Alaska Senate Election as Miller Eyes Lawsuit | Fox News](http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/11/19/federal-judge-halts-certification-alaska-senate-election-miller-eyes-lawsuit/?test=latestnews)
>
> I guess this crap will drag on for five or six months just like they did in the Al Franken election.
Sauce for the goose. At least this tiime it is a Republican vote stuck in limbo. With any luck, a conservative issue will be defeated by one vote, and the blame will fall squarely on the Tea Party.
Let’s you and him fight.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 20, 2010, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/212 "2010-11-20T16:49:14Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> No, and a Google video search for “Sarah Palin shotgun ad” isn’t bringing it up. Got a link?
It’s part of a longer trailer for her TV “reality” show. Not sure which channel it’s on: TLC?
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### Author:  [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/213 "2010-11-21T01:13:00Z")
**Chronos / Chefguy** : I bet its [this](http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/sarah-palins-alaska-bristols-skeet-shoot.html) one, fwiw re: the ‘commercial’ footage. There’s lots of other snippets [here](http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/sarah-palin-alaska-video/) (if you feel like getting sick, imho).
HTH
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### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2010, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/214 "2010-11-21T01:33:25Z")
Joe Miller is ensuring he will have no (conventional) political future. He is setting himself to be the next Oliver North. I predict he will be eating rubber chicken at every Tea Party conclave for the next ten years.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2010, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/215 "2010-11-21T02:31:47Z")
> [@Ionizer](#):
>
> **Chronos / Chefguy** : I bet its [this](http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/sarah-palins-alaska-bristols-skeet-shoot.html) one, fwiw re: the ‘commercial’ footage. There’s lots of other snippets [here](http://tlc.discovery.com/videos/sarah-palin-alaska-video/) (if you feel like getting sick, imho).
>
> HTH
That’s not it. It was part of a montage trailer for the series, which may not be around anymore.
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### Author:  [@yola](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yola)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2010, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/216 "2010-11-21T03:30:15Z")
What a race this was! Wasn’t politics as usual thats for sure.
The best part was Lisa Murkowski won!
Now all those yipper snappers who don’t vote anyway can’t say she’s in there cos her daddy appointed her.
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### Author:  [@Ionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ionizer)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/217 "2010-11-21T14:16:59Z")
> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> That’s not it. It was part of a montage trailer for the series, which may not be around anymore.
I fully realize about the montage - which seems to be mostly composed of bits and pieces of the linked trailers. I did see that friggin’ commercial one too many times, and the shotgun-shooting portion (from the ad, per se) _is_ found within the linked site, fwiw. Not that it matters, of course 🙂
It is great that Miller was trounced in by write-in. How embarrassing that must be (for Miller) to be remembered by history for such a thing. Perhaps it’ll end up as a Trivial Pursuit question?
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/218 "2010-11-21T15:52:54Z")
> [@Ionizer](#):
>
> I fully realize about the montage - which seems to be mostly composed of bits and pieces of the linked trailers. I did see that friggin’ commercial one too many times, and the shotgun-shooting portion (from the ad, per se) _is_ found within the linked site, fwiw. Not that it matters, of course 🙂
>
> It is great that Miller was trounced in by write-in. How embarrassing that must be (for Miller) to be remembered by history for such a thing. Perhaps it’ll end up as a Trivial Pursuit question?
What I was saying is that the clip of her at the trap range does not contain the bit shown in the trailer. The video you linked to does show her shooting, but not with that head snapping recoil in the trailer. I’m wondering if her skeet gun is a .20 ga and somebody handed her a .12 ga. But you’re right: it doesn’t matter.
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### Author:  [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2010, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/219 "2010-11-21T16:04:48Z")
The article I read about Palin that says she never went hunting or fishing is certainly backed up by the program and ads. The shooting and fishing shows them to be raw beginners. This is about trying to create the impression that the spoiled beauty contest celebrity is just another person. It fails if you are a hunter and fisherman. But for some city folk, it will work.
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 21, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/alaska-senate-race/551607/220 "2010-11-21T16:34:11Z")
> [@gonzomax](#):
>
> The article I read about Palin that says she never went hunting or fishing is certainly backed up by the program and ads. The shooting and fishing shows them to be raw beginners. This is about trying to create the impression that the spoiled beauty contest celebrity is just another person. It fails if you are a hunter and fisherman. But for some city folk, it will work.
Yeah, I wanted to reach out and snatch that shotgun from her daughter’s hands before she hurt somebody. While secretly wishing she would hurt somebody.
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