When Close Is Close Enough
Today, the Republicans are desperately spinning the astounding narrow defeat of Paul Hackett in Tuesday’s Special election for the 2nd Congressional District of Ohio.
In November, 2004 — George W. Bush received 64% of the vote in this district. Defeating John kerry by a 28% margin!
Still, they say it’s still a loss and doesn’t mean anything.
But, if you want concrete ammunition to demonstrate how a close defeat in a major uphill race can be a harbinger of bigger and better things, take a look at this:
1974
U.S CONGRESS
REP. JOHN PAUL HAMMERSCHMIDT 52%
BILL CLINTON 48%Clinton attempted to launch his political career when he was 28 years old by challenging an entrenched Republican incumbent Rep. John Paul Hammerschmidt in 1974. Hammerschmidt was first elected to Congress in 1966 to serve Arkansas’ Third district, which is in the northwestern part of the state, and a Republican stronghold. Hammerschmidt had received 77 percent of the vote in the 1972 election. Clinton came close, losing by only 5000 votes out of 170,000 votes cast.
Helping to defeat Clinton were Republican claims that he was an anti-war protester while in college. Although Clinton was narrowly defeated, the race drew statewide attention. “
And the rest, as they say, is history.
August 4th, 2005 at 7:59 pm
Good catch!
Now we need to launch the “Keep Hackett Home” campaign. He needs to know that keeping his prior commitment to return to Iraq if he lost is less important than the direction of our country.
August 5th, 2005 at 6:39 am
I think that will backfire. And I know the GOP would have a field day with it. They’ll paint him as a deserter before we know it. What was the nature of his commitment to return?
August 5th, 2005 at 12:57 pm
I agree about the ‘keep Hackett home’ campaign - it won’t work. To start, the army doesn’t make those kinds of exceptions. This isn’t like Big Time Dick’s multiple student deferments in Vietnam; Hackett’s already committed. If his unit goes, he’s gotta have a better reason than ‘I might run for office again’ as his reason for not wanting to go with ‘em. Also, I agree that despite the easily observable hypocrisy, the GoOPers would paint him as a deserter faster than you can say ‘chickenhawk’.
August 5th, 2005 at 1:56 pm
hey, found you again via swingstateproject. you’re like an easter egg. i don’t know where to find you, i have to stumble across you.
re clinton vs hammerguy,
what the link doesn’t tell is half of arkansas was filled with bill’s relatives.
In November, 2004 — George W. Bush received 64% of the vote in this district. Defeating John kerry by a 28% margin!
imagine how much tighter this could have been had we an outspoken nominee instead of king of all whusses.
thom hartmann reminded us the other day his deep disappointment that before the election kerry said “we have an army of lawyers” promising to fight any suggestion of irregularity. where did the fight go? into a unmarked swiss account? ok, maybe bitter cynicism getting the best of me, but boxers get paid to take a dive, i’m sure the same has happened somewhere, sometime in politics.