Distance Is Futile

The "Goodbye Charlie" chorus grows to nine - and, wonder of wonders, all five additions are tsunami-bait:

• Michael Arcuri, NY-24 – Arcuri came into office in the 2006 Democratic sweep, and his district is rated an R+2.  Republicans have a primary coming up in September to pick a challenger, but Arcuri is already sweating.
• Ann Kirkpatrick, AZ-1 – Kirkpatrick only holds this seat because of the ethics problems of her Republican predecessor, Rick Renzi.  This is an R+6 district that’s already furious about federal inaction and obstruction on illegal immigration, and Kirkpatrick is desperate to distance herself from her party.
• Mary Jo Kilroy, OH-15 – Barely won her 2008 freshman election in this D+1 district despite Barack Obama being on the top of the ticket.  She squares off against the man she edged out the first time, Steve Stivers, who thinks he can make up the 2400-vote gap in this environment.
• John Yarmuth, KY-3 – Another of the class of 2006, he ended a 10-year GOP grip on the seat in the D+2 district.  He’s losing the fundraising war with Todd Lally, and his out-front defense of ObamaCare is not likely to help. Lally claims an internal poll in June put him into a tie with the incumbent, and an ethics trial is not likely to boost Yarmuth’s chances.
• Zack Space, OH-18 – Space is Ohio’s third member of the Footsteps Caucus, and that’s no accident.  The state was key to Obama’s election, but has been moving back to Republicans in the aftermath of the radical agenda launched by Democrats.  Space won this seat after disgust with former Representative Bob Ney, one of the GOP Representatives to disgrace his office, taking it in the 2006 Democratic sweep.  The district is R+7, though, and mainly represents small towns and rural areas.  His opponent, Bob Gibbs, beat Space to the demand for Rangel’s resignation, quoting Space himself on corruption in doing so while noting Space’s silence on Democratic corruption.

Ed expects an eight- or ninefold increase in the "Footsteps Caucus" over the August recess.

And yet, how much of this is sincere and how much of it is just a political sitcom?  And if it IS sincere, what Earthly good will any of it do when the Pelosi Politburo is hanging all over Charlie Rangel like concubines while he lolls on his corrupt throne?:

Democratic leaders and major party donors plan to hold a lavish eightieth birthday gala for Charles Rangel at The Plaza Hotel in Manhattan next month, despite thirteen ethics charges pending against the veteran lawmaker.

Just ponder that lede and how it looks to voters in Donk tsunami-bait districts across the country.

Lobbyists [!!!] and other party donors received invitations this week to join Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and [disgraced outgoing] New York Governor David Paterson at one of New York’s finest hotels to celebrate Rangel’s birthday [which was back on June 11th].

Gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg are also listed as featured guests, according to an invitation viewed by the Hill. …

While some Democrats think Rangel has become politically radioactive in Washington, the invitation lists a variety of enticements to get people to show up to his birthday bash and contribute to his campaign.

Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul,” will serenade them and guests who pony up $200, $500, $1,000 or $2,500 for tickets. The funds will go to the Rangel Victory Fund, a campaign account.

I actually think a genuine ethics trial during the home stretch of the '10 midterm campaign could be good for Dems if it (belatedly) showed them policing their own caucus and holding it accountable to the ethics regime THEY put in place, which was such an obnoxious lynchpin of their 2006 swindle.  Even if there was some possibility that serious consequences might be meted out to Rangel and Maxine Waters it could at least not be a PR disaster.  But this Rangel lovefest on top of the blatant telegraphing that the "trials" will be complete and utter shams....have they ALL become as Cuckoo-for-Cocoa-Puffs as Crazy Nancy is?

It's like a World War II Japanese mass banzai suicide charge.  Even if they're not assigned point, possible conscientious objectors like the Gang of Nine will still get mowed down.

Which is why, in the end, too many doomed Donks will be too tempted and intimidated into taking Rangel's dirty money for any decisive "Goodbye Charlie" movement to ever get rid of him, even as hordes of them go down to his deserved fate.

Rosty The Doughman must be sooooo jealous.