Nothing represents change in a tough election year* like a woman.
Since Hillary Clinton's historic presidential run for office, the 18 million cracks have created a political opening. Sarah Palin was the first through and she used her clout to make room for others. It's just too bad the Republican women rising are against women's individual freedoms. But make no mistake about it, the collapse of the Republican brand has allowed the ultimate outsiders, women, to find a way in. As for the new comeback kid, after the Halter scare that caused the runoff, she changed and won.
"Organized labor just flushed $10 million down the toilet." - White House Official
The biggest winner last night was Blanche Lincoln, who was bracing for a loss, which showed in her face during her speech. William Jefferson Clinton wins too, which I know will drive some people crazy. It's a heartbreaking loss for movement progressives who came so close, but their challenge made Blanche Lincoln a better candidate. It was a serious confrontation to elite power that had every establishment Dem quaking, which, from Ben Smith's quote above, reveals they didn't like it much. You can see Lincoln's response in the ad after Halter forced a runoff. This battle is the stuff that makes for eventual victories. That said, Arkansas is a right-to-work state and there is little to no union support inside the state. So, what was missed was pretty obvious, with outside labor unions coming in and pumping money into Halter's campaign, the image was pretty easy to exploit. But not even that reality should take away from the importance of what movement progressives accomplished. Some are writing Lincoln off, and she'll have to raise a lot of money. November won't be easy, because the energy will come from the right, with no help coming from the left.
As for Labor's response to the White House pettiness, it's a classic:
"If that's their take on this, then they severely misread how the electorate feels and how we're running our political program. When we say we're only going to support elected officials who support our issues," said AFL-CIO spokesman Eddie Vale. "When they say we should have targeted our money among some key house races among Blue Dog Democrats -- that ain't happening."
"Labor isn't an arm of the Democratic Party," Vale said. "It exists to support working families. And that's what we said tonight, and that's what we're gong to keep saying."
I joined my first union, AFTRA, when I was still a teenager, with others coming later. Unions are struggling, but the disrespect paid to them through anonymous White House flacks is beyond insulting. If you want a middle class in this country, see unions. My husband, who is a blue collar man, has enjoyed good wages and benefits, because the threat of unions coming into the gas company kept them honest.
The hottest commodity from ladies' night is Nikki Haley, who will face a runoff on June 22. The good old boys just couldn't take her down. Even after the slime thrown her way, she still came in first and her brand image is through the roof. Dave Wiegel made a good prediction last night on Twitter: Prediction: Gov. Nikki Haley (R-S.C.) will gave the SOTU response in 2011. She's also got a presidential glimmer and being governor of a Southern state doesn't hurt.
Carly Fiorina will be up against Barbara Boxer for the U.S. Senate. Two tough women fighting it out, this race will be one to watch.
If you're keeping score, both Haley and Fiorina were endorsed by Sarah Palin. She can help raise money and rev up the troops, which has made for a very good 2010 for Palin. Her clout continues to matter as she uses her power to help other women rise.
Meg Whitman spent over $81M to get it done, but she'll run against Jerry Brown for the California crown. She's gone to the right to win the primary, so it will be interesting to see how her prior policy stance on things like immigration will be used against her.
...and what can you say about Sharon Angle, Nevada Tea Party spoiler and gift to Harry Reid? Seriously, I've got nothin' on this one and my husband spent his life in Nevada. I also spent time there, so I can say that Nevadans don't like politics as usual. I did a story during 2008 about my husband's kids, all of whom backed Ron Paul. They've got a very independent western streak in the state, with Harry Reid not particularly beloved. No matter how wacky Ms. Angle sounds, I guarantee you Sen. Reid will not take anything for granted.
It's taken a very long time but after the failures of Republican men, including Bush's presidency, which was a big spending Administration, plus the disastrous campaign of John McCain, including his collapse on the economy, women are taking their place on the right. They're coming from all ends of the Republican spectrum, with some of the display sure to offer awkward moments, but they are definitely energized. Republicans are seeing the rise of the female candidate, even if their politics stand in the face of women's freedoms that we've fought to win. That's something they'll have to explain, especially with the rise of ultrasound bills across the country that demand a woman be challenged before taking care of her own body as she sees fit.
Republicans did dodge a bullet, because Orly Taitz went down. Thinking about Ms. Taitz playing the Katherine Harris role in 2012 should give everyone nightmares.
As for former Pres. Bill Clinton, he's had a very good 2010. He helped keep the Pennsylvania seat once held by John Murtha; has been an inside dealer for Pres. Obama, even if the White House's machinations backfired; but likely made the difference in Arkansas, though to what end is not clear, as Mr. Halter was very likely a much stronger candidate for November. Clinton also worked behind the scenes for Maine Senate President Elizabeth "Libby" Mitchell. In 2010, Clinton Democrats continue to show their prowess.
Something, however, is definitely missing. Where are the Democratic women rising? Since Hillary Clinton, well, as I've been writing for months, the new action has been on the right.
* TM NOTE: The first line has been edited, due to proper chastising by Rachel Maddow. It is indeed not an "anti-incumbent" year, but is a tough election year amidst a political paradigm shift with no clear landing place in sight.
Taylor Marsh is a political analyst out of Washington, D.C.
Follow Taylor Marsh on Twitter: www.twitter.com/taylormarsh
"It's a heartbreaking loss for movement progressives who came so close, but their challenge made Blanche Lincoln a better candidate."
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As my dear Grandma would have said, You can put frosting on a +urd and call it a cupcake, but in the end you're still asking me to swallow a mouthful of sugar-coated $#it... and pay you good money for the privilege.
As for The Queen of the Iquitarod's endorsements - Fiorina already had what she needed for the nomination: The Money. And Haley was better served by Jenny Sanford's endorsement than Caribou Barbie, and let's face it, Jenny Sanford is probably the reason she endorsed Haley in the first place.
I have no stomach for Corporatist DLCers. I give President Clinton his due, but his Neo-Liberal ideology and legislative triangulations were as much of a detriment, if not more, to the middle class, working class & the poor people in our nation as the Republican'ts under Bush The Elder.
I would have liked your grandma. I wonder what she would have thought of Buttercup?
You seem to be seeing & calling the future before it happens...I think you're more Independent then Liberal...LOL...
Personally, I don't care if you are Democrat or Republican, right or left...The Old Boy Network of both parties should have been dissolved long ago...And what is the Answer to that...Strong Independent Women that can make their own Argument and then back it up with both guns...
Women are 50% of the population, 50% of the work force etc...Its time for Women to Balance out the Halls of Power with 50% of the Voice in both parties...Think like a Man but always act like a Lady...There have always been Great Women throughout time and there are many Great Women today like Taylor who wouldn't compromise their values, standards or Beliefs for any party or special interest or corporation...Hell why stop there...
Men have always Respected Strong Smart Women, how could you not, they're like your mom, Sweet & Humble, Demanding & Scarry if you get them Mad...I Love them...& so will You...
PS: After the Tea Party and Sarah get done with the Republican Party, it may be the New Democratic Party...LOL...
Thanks for nothing Bill, you failed to get any improvement in healthcare for all Americans when you were in office for 8 years and now you helped elect a senator who killed the public option. We liberals now have no hope of ever improving the healthcare bill while this woman is in the senate.
And if you think it's something to applaud for women that these women on the right are taking the podium, think again. Everyone of them is on the right wing, or leaning right ever steadily to the right to appeal to the Puritans, leaning and leaning like little Towers of Pisa. And the women groups who are talking them up from NOW to the propaganda outlet New Agenda are on the SarahPAC payroll.
There's this new thing to try to paint Palin as the face of feminism. But she and every single one of her colleagues are anti-woman in their stances - unless there's something in it for them. They're hardly anything to be impressed by. Just good old fashioned gold diggers with important Republican men friends.
If Palin ever got into high office (which is unthinkable because the woman is as dumb as a stump and proud of it. She mistakes craftiness and opportunism for intelligence. She's crafty. So are rats.) So that would be the ultimate problem, and it would be a gaggle of her neocon sugardaddies that would running the White House. Sarah would be having her picture taken and riding on Air Force One with Piper.
But what policies she could go after (and would be Cheneyesque in treating the legislature and judicial like her flunkies) well those policies would be a threat to so many people, not just women. She finds gay people to be degenerates, so she'd try to demonize them and undo even level of progress on their civil rights, especially marriage. (She likes states rights unless the states are doing something she doesn't like. Then she'd be Big Sister.)....She'd insinuate religion into every aspect of government, appointing every evangelical pal she could....She'd deregulate everything, and I mean everything. Not just oil, thought she does love to dig a hole, but all business and industry. She'd unfund every scientific anything she could from medical research to climate. And her personal mission would be trying to overturn Roe v. Wade and if she couldn't she'd start trying to hurt both doctors and patients in any way she could find from pocket book to social stigma.
She's bad news.
Most of the Gooper women are stalking horses for the failed polices of Bushco and the Reagan past, packaged in a different way.....there is no way that Carly Fiorina can get away with the crap she did to Compaq.....and how HP sucks.....today!!!! Same deal.....of Gooper....just in a different passage....and still BAD!!!
Taylor, don't fall for this message, these women have no belief in moving a woman's agenda forward....instead they will murk-it up!!!
You left off so many facts, in terms of reality and history, in your last two pieces it's mind boggling....
Your home girl, Palin along with the other the whopping 9 woman who showed up for the republican "booty call" in the last election, are known, unqualified, money fodder for the party---once again, Amy, your plea for woman to vote for women because they have a vagin*, isn't going to gather any "mojo" around the vast majority of American woman, especially here at Huff-Po.
We've been over this time and time again, Amy. Go home, read history, digest some reality and come back when you get an original idea instead of your a paid hack job for republican men who fake their commitment to equality. We smell you, now go girl...
It is an interesting anecdote that the states are taking up ultrasound legislation to inhibit women's freedoms at a time when the Democrats own Washington, but no one is saying a peep about it.
But of course, these aren't your "New Agenda" women, so they don't count, I suppose.
http://adugan-billclintonblog.blogspot.com/
Are you trying to be funny?
It's my belief that Palin shined a pretty big light on Mrs. Haley, which helped immensely, as she was in nowhere land before it. Of course, Romney also endorsed her, but on the "mama grizzly" scale there is no comparison.
That said, Nikki Haley is a force in her own right, but all newcomers need to find the spotlight. I think Palin helped direct it to her.