In 1970, a redistricting, and a potential race against a popular member of the local football team, led Richard “Max” McCarthy, a smart and plucky Congressman from the Buffalo suburbs (who'd won his already marginal seat in the 64 Johnson landsiide), to embark upon a kamikazee run for the US Senate.
During that race, during which, in order to dramatize our environmental problems (and attract some publicity), McCarthy went scuba-diving into the Hudson and took a balloon ride in Central Park. In response to a proposed phone rate increase, he even attempt to pull an Ed Norton in order to examine NY Telephone’s cables.
McCarthy lost the primary (ironically, not to superstars Ted Sorensen or Paul ODwyer, but to Dick Ottinger, another Congressman impacted by the redistricting). Local football hero Jack Kemp took McCarthy's House seat, and until last night, it remained Republican ever since.
Back in 1970, watching his antics on the local news, Max McCarthty made me smile.
But this morning, I think the late Congressman would be smiling very broadly himself.
With Hochul at 48%, 1% going to the Greens, and Davis having run mostly on protectionism, it is going to be hard for any credible analyst to blame the Democratic win on Davis (though most of the MSM surely will)
That is not to say we don't owe Davis. Without his presence in the first place, the race would not have looked winanble, and without looking winnable, it would not have attracted resources sufficient to be winnable.
But, in the end, Davis earned from Democrats only a small thanks.
The big thank yous go to Paul Ryan.
Like the train in Buster Keaton's "The General, the mighty engine of a Medicare plan I am now calling "Von Ryan's Express" lies demolished at the bottom of a gulch.
I'm so happy, I won't even worry about how we do save Medicare until at least next week.
The comparison to the 2010 special for Murtha's seat is ainapt. Democrats held onto Murtha's seat by localizing the race; they won this seat by nationalizing it. Democrat Wins House Seat online.wsj.com
There's even a district here for Farouk Samaroo; too bad he "moved" to Brooklyn. Will redistricting yield more Asian-majority districts? Many are counting on it. www.cityhallnews.com
Weeding out the GOP field Will Tim Pawlenty's Crazy Ideas About Marijuana Hurt His Presidential Hopes? | StoptheDrugWar.org stopthedrugwar.org
Will my friends on the Zionist right please read this November 2010 statement from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then explain to me what all the whining is about? Joint statement by PM Netanyahu and US Sec Clinton 11-Nov-2010 www.mfa.gov.il
Rudy; Trump without the boyish charm. Giuliani pondering White House bid www.boston.com