Mitch McConnell retained his Senate seat yesterday but I think this guy speaks for most of America. Update!

 Of course McConnell was only one of the noxious Republican Senate obstructionists who emerged victorious from yesterday's shellacking. (Can you believe that Pat Roberts from Kansas managed to pullout a win?)

And there are also the new players on the field, like Tom Cotton in Arkansas, Cory Gardner in Colorado, David Perdue in Georgia, Thom Tillis in North Carolina, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, and of course Joni Ernst in Iowa.

Which sadly gives the Republicans control over the Senate.

In some places we still don't know who will eventually take the Senate seat like in Louisiana (But it doesn't look good.), in New Hampshire (There is does look good.), Virginia, and in Alaska (Senator Begich is behind by a few thousands votes. Color me worried.)

What happened last night was extremely painful to watch, and I have nothing but bad feelings for what the next two years will look like, but all we can do at this point is focus on 2016 and make damn sure we have our act together and our troops inspired for the fierce battle that we know awaits us.

In other news recreational Marijuana sales were legalized in Oregon, Washington, D.C., and yes, even Alaska.So that's some good news.

Speaking of Alaska it looks as if Parnell might be getting the heave ho, but that 'Teflon" Don Young remains the Alaska's sole representative.

All in all here in the Great Land it was a mixed bag. But then again when have Alaska politics ever been easy to characterize?

Update: Alaska also voted to raise the minimum wage and to pass a ballot measure that would allow Alaska legislators to ban any proposed mining in Bristol Bay. Good-bye Pebble Mine. 

In other 2014 voter news, Senator Mark Begich and Kentucky's Alison Lundergan Grimes receive important endorsements.

First up it's Mark Begich who recently received the very influential Alaska Federation of Natives endorsement:

The resolutions included an endorsement of Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Begich, who is seeking to be re-elected Nov. 4, and an endorsement of the so-called “unity” ticket of independent gubernatorial candidate Bill Walker and his running mate, Democrat Byron Mallott. 

As you see the Walker/Mallott ticket also got an endorsement which might help to balance out the endorsement from the Wasilla Wendigo. 

To understand the importance of the AFN support, there are many who believe that it was they who were instrumental in helping Lisa Murkowski win against Joe Miller in 2010.

However they are not 100% behind the liberal agenda:  

The AFN delegates also approved a resolution in opposition to a ballot measure that would legalize and regulate recreational marijuana in Alaska.

That may seem counter intuitive until you realize how overwhelming of a problem substance abuse is in rural villages.  It is not at all surprising that they are officially against the measure.

Now let's take a look at Kentucky where Alison Lundergan Grimes received some very good news yesterday: 

Two major Kentucky newspapers have endorsed Alison Lundergan Grimes for Senate over incumbent Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R). 

The Courier-Journal and the Lexington Herald-Leader both ran editorials Sunday in support of the Democrat, who currently serves as Kentucky's Secretary of State. 

In its endorsement, the Courier-Journal's editorial board praised Grimes' stance on issues like the minimum wage and early childhood education, while accusing McConnell of "lacking a vision for Kentucky." 

The Lexington Herald-Leader's endorsement strongly rebukes McConnell, who the editorial board says has "repeatedly hurt the country to advance his political strategy." 

"The Senate may never recover from the bitter paralysis McConnell has inflicted through record filibusters that allow his minority to rule by obstruction," reads the editorial. "He poses as a champion of the right to criticize the government, but it's really his rich buddies' right to buy the government that he champions." 

"If McConnell had a better record, he would not have to argue for six more years by obsessively linking Grimes to Obama, who will be gone in two years no matter what," the editorial continues.

Damn, that's going to leave a mark.

The most recent polls show McConnell still with a six points lead. But who knows, with this kind of support Grimes might just pull this off.

I have my fingers crossed for both of these races. If we can not only hold onto the Senate but also kick McConnell to the curb this may usher in a whole new era of bipartisanship moving forward.

I know, I'm a dreamer.

Chuck Todd clumsily blames the fact that he gave ammunition to the Mitch McConnell campaign on opponent Alison Lundergan Grimes.

Courtesy of Egberto Willies:  

Chuck Todd does not get it. Once he becomes the news in this manner he has failed as a journalist. A few days ago Alison Lundergan Grimes was interviewed by the Louisville Courier-Journal editorial board. They asked her whether she voted for president Obama in 2008 and 2012. She justifiably refused to answer. 

The talking heads and pundits claimed she was not prepared for the question. The lack of sophistication of the traditional media is astounding. It was evident that she was prepared for the question and she intended not to answer it. It was evident that her team likely thought the downside was worse if she answered. 

How does Chuck Todd respond to this journalistic mistake? He blames the candidate. “I think that is one of those situations where she invited this on herself,” Chuck Todd said. “It feels like she had a lot of consultants whispering in her ear, ‘Whatever you do don’t give Mitch McConnell a line for a TV ad.'” Alison Lundergan Grimes did her part. Chuck Todd failed as a journalist. He became the news. He gave Mitch McConnell a line for a TV ad.

Exactly! Grimes understood that she was standing in a minefield and she stepped cautiously.

Todd on the other hand gave McConnell the gaffe that she was too intelligent to provide.

And then, as if that wasn't enough, he essentially blames Grimes for stepping around the traps that he carelessly stumbled right into. Pathetic!

So apparently NBC's Chuck Todd is now helping to craft commercials for Mitch McConnell.

Seriously WTF?

Todd is smart enough to realize, now that he is hosting the prestigious Meet the Press, that what he says can be used by one candidate or another to attack their opponent. And yet he casually gifts McConnell with a statement that can now be used to help bury Grimes in Kentucky.

Not too long ago my attitude was "anybody but Gregory," but Chuck Todd has suddenly made me reconsider that sentiment.

(H/T to Crooks and Liars.)

After being mocked mercilessly by local radio station in Kentucky, Mitch McConnell calls in. Not his best move.

Here is how this whole thing came to pass, courtesy of the Daily Kos:

Some background is needed. The show was Kentucky Sports Radio operated by Matt Jones. Jones is a Duke-trained lawyer who is fascinated with Kentucky basketball. In Kentucky that does not make him very unique. His show which runs from 10-12 every day is easily the most-listened to radio program in the Commonwealth. Runs on 30 statewide affiliates. It is a big deal. It mostly deals with Kentucky sports, but Jones makes forays into whatever interests him which some days is Ebola. Or whatever else is in the news. 

Earlier this year Jones asked Alison Lundergan Grimes and McConnell to debate on his show. She said sure. McConnell's people said he'd come on alone. 

A few weeks ago Grimes came on for a few hours. Jones is liberal but was fair. Asked her fair questions. 

Following his interview with Grimes, McConnell's people stop returning calls from Jones. No emails. No texts. 

Jones goes on the radio and explains he's upset McConnell's people lied. Said he would. Now he won't. 

McConnell is silent for eighteen days in a row. Jones is beating him up. 

Then this week on Monday a reliable poll drops and Grimes is up 46-44. McConnell gets beat up on the radio by Jones again on Monday and Tuesday. 

So FINALLY the McConnell camp has had enough, and they tell the station that they will allow a telephone interview giving the hosts only five minutes to prepare. The station pushed back a little to get ten minutes to preparative, but that was all McConnell and his staff were willing to provide.

The ambush really did not help them much.

And here are some of the highlights of the actual interview courtesy of Raw Story: 

Later, Jones pressed McConnell on his stance regarding global warming, asking if he believed in the phenomenon. 

“What I have said repeatedly is, I’m not a scientist,” McConnell said. “But what I can tell you is, even if you thought that was important — and there’s some scientists that do, and some scientists who don’t — but even if you thought that was important, the United States doing this by itself is going to have zero impact—” 

“But senator, that’s a yes or no question,” Jones replied, before repeating his question. “Do you believe in global warming?” 

“No it isn’t a yes or no question,” McConnell said again. “It is not a yes or no question. I am not a scientist. I know there are scientist who think it’s a problem, and scientists who think it isn’t a problem. And I know that George Will wrote recently that back in the ’70s we thought we were heading into the ice age. So there are differences of opinion among scientists. My job is to try to protect jobs in Kentucky — now. Not speculate about science in the future.”

Yeah that's bullshit. The idea that nothing should be done because not every other country is willing to work to reduce the man made impact, is cowardly and short sighted.

Here McConnell attempts to skirt the issue of same sex marriage: 

Jones and McConnell also sparred when the senator refused to say anything on marriage equality besides stating that his opinion was “that marriage should be between one man and one woman.” 

“But you base that on what?” Jones asked. 

“The courts are dealing with this issue and you’re citing things that are the result of court decisions,” McConnell said. “I’m giving you my opinion, and my opinion is marriage should be between one man or one woman.” 

“I understand that, and I’m not saying you’re wrong,” Jones replied. “I just want to know, where does that come from? Is that your Biblical belief?” 

“It is my belief that marriage is between one man and one woman,” McConnell said again.

If you listen to the interview from the beginning you will hear that McConnell was incredibly combative from his very first response, and attempted to dismiss Jones as an Obama supporter right off the bat so as to minimize the importance of his opinion.

McConnell actually seemed to blame almost everything on Obama in one way or another.

Seriously if you did not think that McConnell was a douchenozzle before you really cannot help thinking he is one after hearing this audio.

I hope Grimes mops the floor with his ass.

Alison Lundergan Grimes, Democratic candidate challenging Mitch McConnell for his Senate seat, has new ad featuring a gun. I usually hate these things, but this not so much.

Courtesy of Politico:  

“Mitch McConnell wants you to think I’m Barack Obama,” she narrates as she’s shown firing a shotgun. “Mitch is the same guy who thought Duke Basketball players were [from the University of Kentucky]! Or who’s attacking me on coal after doing next to nothing while we’ve lost thousands of coal jobs? He even said it’s not his job to bring jobs to Kentucky.” 

Then she talks straight to camera. 

“I’m not Barack Obama,” she says firmly. “I disagree with him on guns, coal and the EPA.” 

Finally a photo appears on screen of McConnell speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference earlier this year. He carried a musket on stage to give as a gift to retiring Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn. 

“And Mitch, that’s not how you hold a gun,” says Grimes, before approving the 30-second message.

Okay I have to admit that when I first learned that Grime had made an campaign commercial featuring a gun, I was all ready to rip it to shreds and criticize her for lowering herself.

The first thing that I noticed is that the ad clearly shows Grimes firing at skeet targets and hitting them. In a lot pt ads you see the candidate fire the weapon, and then there is a close up of the target getting hit.

But you are really never convinced that the bullet that hit the target is the one fired by the candidate.

I call this the "Sarah Palin effect."

So not only does Grimes demonstrate quite effectively that she is comfortable with guns, and has experience firing them, she also uses this ad to point out her opponents less than convincing red state credibility and awkwardness with firearms.

Grimes is running in a deeply red state, so she is not going to be the kind of Democrat that east coast liberals identify with, but she may be EXACTLY the kind of Democrat that can take McConnell's Senate seat out from under him.

John Oliver finally provides the appropriate perspective on the Climate Change debate.

I love this.

They could do the same thing for the Evolution debate as well.

P.S. Okay I am going to include another video from John Oliver's new show that I am sure many of you have already seen, or at least heard about. I don't feel comfortable embedding the video since it contains full frontal nudity (And not the good kind either!), but it is still quite funny and if you are not easily offended you should get a kick out of it.

Click here to see for yourself.

And remember, I warned you.

Alison Grimes: “If the doctors told Sen. McConnell he had a kidney stone, he would refuse to pass it.” Ooh, I like her!

Courtesy of Freak Out Nation:

The Kentucky Senate race began with a bang this weekend as Alison Grimes (D) looked at Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) at the state’s annual Fancy Farm picnic and said, “If the doctors told Sen. McConnell he had a kidney stone, he would refuse to pass it.” 

Grimes also pointed out that Rand Paul wasn’t in Kentucky, but instead was spending his weekend with his loved ones — the tea party in Iowa.

Well you know how much I wanted Ashley Judd to take on Mitch McConnell but if Grimes continues hitting McConnell in this way, and continues to hold the lead in the polls that she currently enjoy, she might be EXACTLY the kind of candidate that the Democrats in Kentucky actually needed.

I like this poll in particular:

What’s more, controlling for McConnell’s initial edge in name recognition by examining just those voters familiar with both candidates (a group comprising 53% of the likely electorate) reveals that Grimes holds an impressive 15-point lead (53% Grimes, 38% McConnell).

Yep to know little Mitch McConnell, is to dislike little Mitch McConnell.

Like I said, I am really starting to appreciate Grimes, as well as her chances against this troll of a politician.

How I imagine McConnell's fate come election day:

And Yertle the Turtle, the king of the trees,

The king of the air and the birds and the bees,

The king of a house and a cow and a mule…

Well, that was the end of the Turtle King’s rule!

For Yertle, the King of all Sala-ma-Sond,

Fell off his high throne and fell Plunk! in the pond!

And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he, 

Is King of the Mud. That is all he can see. 

And the turtles, of course… all the turtles are free 

As turtles and, maybe, all creatures should be.