# On Election Night, which are the Senate seats to watch? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 1, 2006, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700 "2006-11-01T05:45:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/21 "2006-11-01T19:45:44Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] The WaPo, which is Northern Virginia’s local paper in addition to being a _de facto_ national newspaper, buried it on page A8. One hopes the downstate papers front-paged it, but you never know. [/QUOTE] I saw it on the news but it was prtrayed as an overreaction by Allen’s staff to a disruptive whacko who was asking rude questions about Allen’s wife (the impression I got was that they were very provocative (as in you would deck anyone that said something like that about your wife too). There are so many ad dollars going into these stations from the Webb and Allen campaign that noone wants to take sides, they just want to collect the ad revenue (more than half the advertising time on any news program and large portion of all local tv ads are about the Allen/Webb campaign or the Cardin/Steele campaign. Funn y thing, Steele (the black candidate) is plastering his picture all over the tv while Cardin seems to want people to forget that he is white, the local politicos have endorsed Steele over Cardin basically because they feel the Maryland Democratic party is neglecting the black politicians in favor of white liberals. ---
**Author:** ![spazattak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e8cbc/32.png) [@spazattak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spazattak)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/22 "2006-11-01T20:59:19Z")
[QUOTE=col\_10022] I saw it on the news but it was prtrayed as an overreaction by Allen’s staff to a disruptive whacko who was asking rude questions about Allen’s wife (the impression I got was that they were very provocative (as in you would deck anyone that said something like that about your wife too). There are so many ad dollars going into these stations from the Webb and Allen campaign that noone wants to take sides, they just want to collect the ad revenue (more than half the advertising time on any news program and large portion of all local tv ads are about the Allen/Webb campaign or the Cardin/Steele campaign. Funn y thing, Steele (the black candidate) is plastering his picture all over the tv while Cardin seems to want people to forget that he is white, the local politicos have endorsed Steele over Cardin basically because they feel the Maryland Democratic party is neglecting the black politicians in favor of white liberals. [/QUOTE] The guy asked “Why did you spit on your ex-wife?” ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/23 "2006-11-01T21:12:08Z")
I think that here in **Vermont** things are a bit up in the air. With Jim Jeffords(I) leaving, we have Congressman Bernie Sanders(I) running against Rich Tarrant®. It is not clear that Bernie is walking away with this; Tarrant has a distinct possibility of winning. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/24 "2006-11-01T22:25:49Z")
[QUOTE=spazattak] The guy asked “Why did you spit on your ex-wife?” [/QUOTE] And that was _while_ two Allen thugs were already manhandling him. So it’s not like they can claim that as their provocation. ---
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/25 "2006-11-02T00:14:15Z")
[QUOTE=Eonwe] I think that here in **Vermont** things are a bit up in the air. With Jim Jeffords(I) leaving, we have Congressman Bernie Sanders(I) running against Rich Tarrant(R). It is not clear that Bernie is walking away with this; Tarrant has a distinct possibility of winning. [/QUOTE] This is the first I’ve ever heard that Tarrant is anywhere within striking distance of Sanders. Where are you hearing this? I find this difficult to believe, frankly. Who’s saying this? Rich Tarrant has spent, with his own money, $10 per Vermonter to win this election. If I used my own money to run for office, at that rate of spending I could probably afford to clear almost 100 votes! ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/26 "2006-11-02T00:30:47Z")
Electoral Vote has Sanders at 57%, Tarrant at 36%. That’s a pretty hefty margin of error needed for that to be ‘up in the air.’ ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/27 "2006-11-02T03:15:38Z")
[QUOTE=Chance the Gardener] Rich Tarrant has spent, with his own money, $10 per Vermonter to win this election. If I used my own money to run for office, at that rate of spending I could probably afford to clear almost 100 votes! [/QUOTE] Where the fuck is my $10 then? :mad: Seriously, though, this guy has spent more money than any other Vermont politician ever, and is close to spending the most dollar per vote than any senate candiate ever. And he’ll lose. Probably pretty hardcore. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/28 "2006-11-02T04:00:00Z")
There are few spectacles more encouraging than watching somebody spend a fortune and failing to fool the people. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/29 "2006-11-02T17:14:54Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] A real possibility for next week is that the Dems might lose NO seats they currently hold to the GOP in either house of Congress. None. Zip. Nada. When’s the last time that happened? Even in landslide years, the party that loses overall, picks up a seat or two _somewhere_. But quite possibly not this time. On defense, the Dems may well pitch a shutout. That would be pretty impressive. [/QUOTE] [Larry Sabato echoes that theme today.](http://www.centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/article.php?id=LJS2006110201) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/30 "2006-11-02T17:32:44Z")
I think Virginia is going to end up with a really lousy Senator either way - you’ve got both men accused of racism and anti-Semitism, and Webb accused of sexism. But it hasn’t been boring. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/31 "2006-11-02T17:54:45Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] I think Virginia is going to end up with a really lousy Senator either way - you’ve got both men accused of racism and anti-Semitism, and Webb accused of sexism. But it hasn’t been boring. [/QUOTE] I missed the accusations that Webb’s racist or anti-Semite. Fill me in? The accusations of Webb’s sexism are dated, to say the least: they have to do with things he said in the 1970s, and he’s got a track record of furthering opportunities for women in the military while in the Reagan Administration, so there’s really nothing that indicates that Webb’s 1970s-era remarks are indicative of what he is today. Unlike Allen, who seems to have been continuously a bigoted, bullying asshole since high school or earlier. Oh yeah, you forgot that Allen’s misogynistic in ways that go beyond mere sexism. He’s got this thing for [spitting on women](http://www.swingstateproject.com/2006/09/vasen_say_hello.php) who ask him perfectly civil questions. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/32 "2006-11-02T18:38:33Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] I missed the accusations that Webb’s racist or anti-Semite. Fill me in? [/quote] I was actually mixing things up with the racism part - I remember people had asked Webb about saying “nigger,” and he did make that “towelheads and rednecks” comment two weeks ago, but it doesn’t look like too many people objected. The anti-Semitism thing is more substantive, and I just heard about it today. During Webb’s primary run against Harris Miller, who is Jewish, a there was a Webb campaign flier featuring a caricature of Miller with a hooked nose and cash-filled pockets that referred to him as the “anti-Christ of outsourcing.” Miller said it was anti-Semitic, and I see his point. [Here’s the flier.](http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/jim_webb_flier_complete.gif) I’m not saying they’re equally bad. Even among Senators, I think George Allen is a singularly repugnant man. But they both strike me as losers. ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/33 "2006-11-02T18:48:35Z")
Fox News Alert! Marley23 struck by Jim Webb for being called a loser! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/34 "2006-11-02T20:00:52Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] The anti-Semitism thing is more substantive, and I just heard about it today. During Webb’s primary run against Harris Miller, who is Jewish, a there was a Webb campaign flier featuring a caricature of Miller with a hooked nose and cash-filled pockets that referred to him as the “anti-Christ of outsourcing.” Miller said it was anti-Semitic, and I see his point. [Here’s the flier.](http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/jim_webb_flier_complete.gif) [/QUOTE] OK, I remember about that now. So, is the caricature a gross exaggeration of Miller’s features, or does he really have a prominent, hooked schnoz? And lobbyists as well as Jews have long been depicted with cash-filled pockets. Not nearly _as_ long, since lobbyists are a much more recent development, but long enough. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/35 "2006-11-02T20:09:36Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] So, is the caricature a gross exaggeration of Miller’s features, or does he really have a prominent, hooked schnoz? [/QUOTE] [Not a bad likeness, actually.](http://www.miller2006.org/bio.jsp) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/36 "2006-11-02T20:22:08Z")
[QUOTE=Patty O’Furniture] Fox News Alert! Marley23 struck by Jim Webb for being called a loser! [/QUOTE] Well, I walked right into that one. :smack: [QUOTE=Fear Itself] [Not a bad likeness, actually.](http://www.miller2006.org/bio.jsp) [/QUOTE] Which makes it something of a tough call. But the combination of hooked nose + cash + “anti-Christ” is very distasteful, and I find it hard to overlook. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2006, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/37 "2006-11-02T21:20:27Z")
The most recent polls are showing Corker safely up over Ford in TN. [Kos says](http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/11/2/132643/413) that Arizona looks like a better bet at this point. VA and MO are still locked up pretty tight, but Webb’s momentum is looking good. Then again, MO is looking like a lot more of a squeaker than we might have hoped for. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/38 "2006-11-04T02:04:24Z")
[QUOTE=Fear Itself] [Not a bad likeness, actually.](http://www.miller2006.org/bio.jsp) [/QUOTE] Hell, the flier _toned down_ the schnoz, if anything. Sorry, **Marley** , but I’m giving the antisemitism claims related to the flyer a big 0-for-3 here. The nose is less distinctive in the cartoon than it is on Miller’s face. Cash-filled pockets are a perfectly reasonable depiction of a lobbyist. And finally, the “anti-Christ of outsourcing” remark - _Miller isn’t Christian_. Let me be specific: _non-Christians don’t get called Antichrist_. There’s a reason for this: the Antichrist is _supposed to be one of the supposed faithful, not one of the nonbelievers_. Many fundies used to believe the Pope was the Antichrist, and I’m sure some still do. But the Antichrist is supposed to be someone who can convince everyone that he’s a superduper Christian, while being evil the whole time. “Antichrist” does seem to be used here in a manner that implies, “Miller claims to be a real Dem, while undermining the very things Dems stand for.” But that’s because he’s a lobbyist, an outsourcer, and an alleged corporate tool. It substitutes Democrat for Christian, and the shoe seems to fit pretty well. But it’s got nothing to do with Judaism. Maybe you’re confusing “Antichrist” with a similar-sounding, and unquestionably vile (and quite specifically) antisemitic slur, “Christ-killer.” But trust me, these are two very different things. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/39 "2006-11-04T03:49:48Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] Maybe you’re confusing “Antichrist” with a similar-sounding, and unquestionably vile (and quite specifically) antisemitic slur, “Christ-killer.” But trust me, these are two very different things. [/QUOTE] They do call him a Job Killer in rather large letters. 😉 I usually err in favor of “not offensive” in these kinds of situations. I’m not convinced this is anti-Semitic, it’s just that the combination of those elements makes it tough to dismiss. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700/40 "2006-11-04T20:17:04Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] They do call him a Job Killer in rather large letters. 😉 [/QUOTE] Hmmm…that would make Miller worse than Satan! Satan was pretty nasty to Job, but did spare his life, after all. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-election-night-which-are-the-senate-seats-to-watch/378700.md?page=3)