Here's what Newt Gingrich has to say in today's papers regarding the results in Ohio's 2nd District race the other day, in which Paul Hackett (D) nearly defeated Jean Schmidt (R) in an overwhelmingly conservative Republican area of the state: It should serve as a wake-up call to Republicans...There is more energy today on the anti-Iraq, anti-gas-price, anti-changing-Social Security and I think anti-Washington [side]. I think the combination of those four are all redounding to weaken Republicans and help Democrats. . . . I don't think this is time to panic, but I think it's time to think. If we don't think now, then next September [2006], people will panic when it's too late.
Now, here's RaisingKaine yesterday on those same Ohio results:
This November, voters in Virginia will have their chance to continue this trend and to show the Republicans that they?ve had it with the debacle in Iraq, soaring gas prices, wages failing to keep up with inflation, assaults on Social Security, infringements on civil liberties, corruption in high places (not to mention in Scott County!), and intrusions into our most personal lives.
Do these analyses sound eerily familiar? Is Newt Gingrich a regular reader of RaisingKaine? Or is this simply a case of the truth being so obvious and glaring that both Republicans and Democrats -- at least those who aren't completely blinded by partisan zeal -- can see it? Let's face it: Republicans right now are simply on the wrong side of the issues, and badly at that. Given that fact, they'd better watch out, starting this November right here in Virginia. Actually, I hope they DON'T watch out, but instead just continue on their merry way and keep brushing off the Ohio results as an "aberration." Yeah, that's the ticket, Ohio was an "aberration." Just keep telling yourselves that, Virginia Republicans...