Comments for Below The Fold

Comment on MLB Umpires by bigyaz

bigyaz — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 20:16:55 +0000

A pitcher showing up the plate umpire over ball/strike calls? That’s an ejection in any league, and Oswalt knows it. Have you ever even played the game?

Comment on Romney Will Be Fine by Stick a Fork In Mitt | Below The Fold

Stick a Fork In Mitt | Below The Fold — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 21:12:20 +0000

[...] A while back, I opined that I didn’t really agree with the larger sentiment Mitt Romney’s signing of Romneycare in Massachusetts was necessarily going to doom his chances to win the Republican nomination in 2012. After reading this response to a Newsweek interviewer though, consider me converted: Back in February 2007, you said you hoped the Massachusetts plan would “become a model for the nation.” Would you agree that it has? [...]

Comment on The Benefits of Wacking Blanche by J

Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:04:38 +0000

I’d take your last paragraph a bit farther. If the left side of the party mounts an aggressive, well-funded primary challenge to her, well, honestly, nobody’s safe. A challenge against Gillibrand makes more sense — there’s a reasonable chance NY would elect someone to her left — but, from the perspective of a moderate Dem, Lincoln is one of the last ones you’d want to pressure (exhibit one, Chait).

If the left side pulls this off — which, I guess, would mean making Lincoln sweat and worry, even if she wins the primary — the moderates will be on notice: those lefties, they’re loco en la cabeza. You can’t really let your guard down.

Comment on Shelby Steele is a National Embarrassment by Best man toast| TheB st Man toasts

Best man toast| TheB st Man toasts — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 21:05:07 +0000

[...] Shelby Steele is a National Embarrassment | Below The Fold [...]

Comment on The Tragedy of Shelby Steele by Shelby Steele is a National Embarrassment | Below The Fold

Shelby Steele is a National Embarrassment | Below The Fold — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:25:43 +0000

[...] consider that people might consider that to be an important issue, is a unique case. It’s vintage Steele, using the fact of the author’s blackness to deliver a scurrilous racial charge that [...]

Comment on Romney Will Be Fine by Brien

Brien — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 03:59:37 +0000

Well I won’t discount the possibility, but for the most part I think the simplest explanations still hold; Obama (and Edwards) were better suited to Iowa than she was and their teams knew what they were doing there, South Carolina was decided by racial votes, and Obama won enough delegates in smaller states on Super Tuesday to keep the race going, and then racked up an insurmountable margin between Super Tuesday and Ohio/Texas. The Iraq vote definitely helped him establish an oppositional front to Clinton, but absent that he still would have had the newness factor, which I think helped more than anything. Although had Clinton been a vociferous opponent of the war, she wouldn’t have even faced a serious challenger.

As for Romney, I think this is imputing a bit too much idelogical consistency to the conservative movement. The rank and file will do whatever the radio talkers tell them to, and the radio talkers are bought and paid for shills far more than they are true believers. I don’t see any reason to think they’ll turn on Romney. He’s still posting at NRO after all.

Comment on Romney Will Be Fine by Jeff Fecke

Jeff Fecke — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 01:48:36 +0000

Actually, given how close the Democratic race was in 2008, I think you can make a very good case that Clinton’s support for the Iraq War did cost her the nomination. After all, she stumbled out of the gate, and was too far behind after February to catch up. More important, the Iraq War vote was Clinton’s vulnerability; without it, it’s doubtful that Obama gets a toehold against her, and she simply steamrolls the competition (as she did everyone but Obama).

I think the same thing holds here. Romney still has a fighting chance. But without health care, he was one of a couple candidates who had the inside track (the other was — possibly — Palin). Now, second-tier candidates like Pawlenty and Thune will have an opportunity to define themselves in opposition to Romney, and that opens the door for them.