Mark Green
George W. Bush labeled it "Reality Day" - after all the spin, begging and fretting, at least election nights bring finality. No more polls or pundits, until November 3 when the talk will turn to... mandate? Obama-Congress? (Listen to highlights of this week's show below.)
*One the three biggest stories of 2010. The women discussed the roles of the economy, the Tea Party mood (more than movement) and anonymous special interest money on Election 2010.
They agreed that Obama's inability to produce a strong recovery - since Bush, however blameworthy, is not on the ballot - would prove decisive next Tuesday. But they clashed on the influence of the other two big variables - Arianna argued that the Tea Party's demonization and extremism would end up hurting GOP chances in key races while Mary discounted "the peccadilloes and eccentricities of a few" on the coming Republican victories; she also bluntly discounted the role of independent business money as a "ridiculous, b.s., stupid issue" even as Arianna expressed alarm that anonymous corporate money was flooding targeted districts after the Citizens United decision. No beyond left and right there.
*Stewart-Colbert The women concurred that the Comedy Central rally would be a positive thing that, in Arianna's view, would promote dialogue rather than demonization...or "just what Both Sides Now does."
*Clinton/Meek...Bush/Richards. Both women deplored Bill Clinton's reported effort to squeeze Kendrick Meek out of the three-way Florida Senate race to help Crist beat Rubio. Then each looked forward to - but wouldn't prefer -- the two big biographies that will this month be vying for the top spot on non-fiction best-seller lists: Keith Richards Life and George W. Bush's Decision Points.
*On the Radar. Predictions? Our panel doubted there'd be many surprises, though Arianna went out on a limb to augur that Ted Strickland could over-take John Kasich for governor in Ohio. Then the big story would be - how will Obama respond to his shrunken majorities (said a gleeful Mary) and what would the GOP actually do once they were co-partners in government (said a wary Arianna).
Mark Green is the creator and host of "Both Sides Now", which is powered by the American Federation of Teachers.
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