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DFW

(60,915 posts)

26. Tip O'Neill got it right

Wed Dec 13, 2017, 06:44 AM

Dec 2017

All politics is local. If anyone thinks the majority of the Alabama electorate gives a rat's ass about (or even knows the names of) Senators from New York or Minnesota, then they are listening to the 1% of voters in Alabama who think Senators from Minnesota or New York will have an impact in Alabama (or they read DU, and I promise you most of them do not).

The rest of them care about who will be representing Alabama as their face to the nation in the US Senate. This time, those voters won who cared about what the headlines would say when "Senator (Jones or Moore), (D or R)-Alabama" spoke up in a heavily quoted national forum. This time, they decided, if only barely, that the voice should be that of Doug Jones and not Roy Moore. Kirsten Gillibrand had exactly zero to do with this (as did Al Franken, for that matter).

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Kirsten Gillibrand saw the big picture and it paid big dividends. [View all] Doodley Dec 2017 OP

most likely few people in alabama paid any attention to her nt msongs Dec 2017 #1

Trump's Tweet and his accusers have been the number one trending story. Doodley Dec 2017 #2

Yet still most voters exit polled didnt even know about the recent yearbook revelations. herding cats Dec 2017 #12

I think this is right. Willie Pep Dec 2017 #62

Still rubes, are we? yallerdawg Dec 2017 #51

I think it helped, too. I think there was more than one reason, also. Nt MikeydaDog Dec 2017 #3

it must have helped AlexSFCA Dec 2017 #4

They are FAR from redeemed suegeo Dec 2017 #59

I'm not buying. Voters had made up their minds without the resignation of Al Franken flamingdem Dec 2017 #5

Youre right. The majority of voters didnt even know about the recent year book revelations. herding cats Dec 2017 #16

Who cares about the yearbook? Doodley Dec 2017 #74

Wrong interpretation of what just happened standingtall Dec 2017 #6

Good points. Doodley Dec 2017 #75

um, no Skittles Dec 2017 #7

Yep. cwydro Dec 2017 #11

+1000 Pachamama Dec 2017 #29

Yep. Owl Dec 2017 #41

And she stabbed me and my fellow suegeo Dec 2017 #49

100% agreed. MrsMatt Dec 2017 #70

Agree! dflprincess Dec 2017 #88

Yes! workinclasszero Dec 2017 #50

um, too 110liberal Dec 2017 #8

Now let's stop Trump from giving himself a BILLION $$$$$ bonus (tax break). L. Coyote Dec 2017 #9

So Black Voters came out because of something Gillibrand/Al Franken ? it had nothing to do with an JI7 Dec 2017 #10

Yes, black voters made a difference. LiberalBrooke Dec 2017 #36

Tone deaf. Deliberately missing the point. Thor_MN Dec 2017 #43

It was comparable to the Roy Moore campaign that said Franken was worse because there Doodley Dec 2017 #76

As a white woman LiberalBrooke Dec 2017 #55

Mary McLeod Bethune DemocratSinceBirth Dec 2017 #39

+1 Black folks won this election. It had nothing to do with Gillibrand. octoberlib Dec 2017 #61

No question. InAbLuEsTaTe Dec 2017 #85

One problem: she didn't go after Moore. She went after Al. ucrdem Dec 2017 #13

Right. NT enough Dec 2017 #44

Utterly predictable stretch Denzil_DC Dec 2017 #14

This. Alabama black voters punching above their weight. Lots of doors/calls/ feet in the street. Turn CO Blue Dec 2017 #17

Thank God for these wonderful democrats!! workinclasszero Dec 2017 #52

Yes the black turnout in combo with the Repubs who gave the write-in votes FakeNoose Dec 2017 #87

Hell yes! peequod Dec 2017 #18

Yup. This is not Gillibrands parade. JHB Dec 2017 #25

Agree. Tipperary Dec 2017 #42

This democratic blue wave is lead by Black females! workinclasszero Dec 2017 #60

Post removed Post removed Dec 2017 #32

NOPE. Let's look at the data. Women went for Moore by huge margin. Turn CO Blue Dec 2017 #15

Hell yes, again. Sen. Gillibrand my keister. peequod Dec 2017 #19

YOU NAIL IT Skittles Dec 2017 #20

+1000 JHB Dec 2017 #23

+1000 Pachamama Dec 2017 #28

I presume Moore claiming that America was great during slavery didn't go over very well. LisaL Dec 2017 #38

Thanks. NT enough Dec 2017 #45

+1 uponit7771 Dec 2017 #56

Yeah, that's it. jalan48 Dec 2017 #21

Nope. It was a focus on turnout that was the big picture and paid dividends... JHB Dec 2017 #22

Wow, now a moral gymnast, amazing. OnDoutside Dec 2017 #24

Tip O'Neill got it right DFW Dec 2017 #26

It was a vote against Roy Moore, but also a vote against Trump (rightly tarred with the same brush Doodley Dec 2017 #77

NOPE! People in Alabama did not care what a Dem senator from New York did. LBM20 Dec 2017 #27

People in Minnesota don't particularly care either suegeo Dec 2017 #48

Oh please. This wasn't St. Kirsten's night... Raster Dec 2017 #30

Nope, wrong. n/t demmiblue Dec 2017 #31

She did political day trading. Short term success, but at long term cost. Freelancer Dec 2017 #33

She is dead to me. No dembotoz Dec 2017 #34

So, is this like decluttering? Who do we have to give up for the next one? kcr Dec 2017 #35

We give up on anyone who can't keep their hands off women. Doodley Dec 2017 #65

It seems to me it's more about "paying off big dividends" kcr Dec 2017 #67

This had nothing to do with her. LisaL Dec 2017 #37

Wow, way to give a white woman credit for something black folks did. Ghost Owl Dec 2017 #40

You don't seem to give any of the white folk who voted for Doug Jones credit. Okay, their Doodley Dec 2017 #79

Why is it so hard Ghost Owl Dec 2017 #90

Of course I thank black people for voting Democrat, but you said don't give credit to white folk. Doodley Dec 2017 #91

I said don't give white folk credit for something black folks did. Ghost Owl Dec 2017 #94

Nice try. But no. eom Tipperary Dec 2017 #46

Not in Minnesota suegeo Dec 2017 #47

Squat. Thor_MN Dec 2017 #53

Who said they do? Doodley Dec 2017 #80

Not convincing but a worthy try since she is a member of the Democratic Party. gordianot Dec 2017 #54

Yep. Recommend. nt LexVegas Dec 2017 #57

The chart in post #15 tells the story. Demit Dec 2017 #58

A black vote is more heroic than a white vote? If the white vote stuck to Moore in the same numbers Doodley Dec 2017 #82

Do you have ANY idea of the obstacles placed in the way of black people voting? n/t Denzil_DC Dec 2017 #93

If you're saying she found a train to ride Jakes Progress Dec 2017 #63

A new poll shows 53% nationwide think Trump should resign over sexual allegations. Doodley Dec 2017 #83

Just 53? Jakes Progress Dec 2017 #95

I honestly didn't expect the dividends to be so soon. egduj Dec 2017 #64

Are you claiming that Al Franken abused women? dansolo Dec 2017 #66

I will let Al Franken's words speak for themselves, but he admitted that his own actions Doodley Dec 2017 #84

Stop trying to make fetch happen. n/t MrsMatt Dec 2017 #68

It's NOT going to happen Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2017 #71

*citation needed* Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2017 #69

a line from the movie "Mean Girls" MrsMatt Dec 2017 #72

I know Proud Liberal Dem Dec 2017 #73

meh riverwalker Dec 2017 #78

One year of Trump plus Roy Moore minus Russia Influence delisen Dec 2017 #81

I agree there. I am glad you see the bigger picture. Doodley Dec 2017 #86

Doug Jones was a damn good candidate and ran a well organized campaign. BannonsLiver Dec 2017 #89

No. No. That can't be. Jakes Progress Dec 2017 #96

uh-huh DiverDave Dec 2017 #92