Shadegg running after all

[memphis]

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Arizona-Congressman.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

[Sam Spade]

Odd.  Oh well.

[Keystone Phil]

Excellent.

[AndrewTX]

Good, it was too soon for him to leave.

[Spaghetti Cat]

Yay

[socaldem]

Do you think he'll try again for leadership after the inevitable slaughter in the 2008 house elections? 

The gop will lose at least 10-15 seats and could very well lose signficantly more.   I expect Boehner and Blunt may be forced out at that point.

[Adlai Stevenson]

I already posted this but O well, does that mean he's given up on the idea of succeeding John McCain?

[MarkWarner08]

I actually forgot to bump this race up from Potentially Competitive (R) to Likely Republican. Now I can keep it where it is.

[Brittain33]

I already posted this but O well, does that mean he's given up on the idea of succeeding John McCain?

I wonder if party leaders pushed him to hedge his bets by saying if he didn't run for reelection, he wouldn't be considered for an appointment/nomination if McCain wins. I think Arizona has a system similar to Wyoming's; I do know that Napolitano can't name a Democrat.

Since there's at least an even chance McCain will still be in the Senate next year, Shadegg's decision to leave office in preparation for a Senate run looks like an unnecessary risk.

[Adlai Stevenson]

I already posted this but O well, does that mean he's given up on the idea of succeeding John McCain?

I wonder if party leaders pushed him to hedge his bets by saying if he didn't run for reelection, he wouldn't be considered for an appointment/nomination if McCain wins. I think Arizona has a system similar to Wyoming's; I do know that Napolitano can't name a Democrat.

Since there's at least an even chance McCain will still be in the Senate next year, Shadegg's decision to leave office in preparation for a Senate run looks like an unnecessary risk.

Personally I can't see how McCain gets elected President. 

[Brittain33]

Personally I can't see how McCain gets elected President. 

Normally I wouldn't either, but I can not bet against the force of racism in the U.S.

[Keystone Phil]

Personally I can't see how McCain gets elected President. 

Normally I wouldn't either, but I can not bet against the force of racism in the U.S.

Oh, that'll be fun. "McCain won just because of racism" will be even more annoying than "Bush was elected by the Supreme Court." Listen, I believe racists will, unfortunately, play a role in this campaign but please don't make that into the excuse for why McCain can win.

[Brittain33]

Oh, that'll be fun. "McCain won just because of racism" will be even more annoying than "Bush was elected by the Supreme Court." Listen, I believe racists will, unfortunately, play a role in this campaign but please don't make that into the excuse for why McCain can win.

I'm genuinely sorry that if McCain wins narrowly, this will be an issue, but since he'll be President regardless, it's a small price to be paid. The cost to the Democrats is higher than the cost to McCain's and the Republicans' self-esteem. Given that he himself was the victim of George W. Bush's "illegitimate Black baby" smear, I can't blame McCain for being the beneficiary.

The only reason I'm citing it as a decisive factor is because this is a horrible year for Republicans (Bush, war, economy) and McCain is a problematic candidate for the party. Against a competent white male--even John Kerry--he would be expected to lose. If you believe otherwise, you'd have to think that Republicans can expect to win every election and that's not reasonable.

[Keystone Phil]

Against a competent white male--even John Kerry--he would be expected to lose. If you believe otherwise, you'd have to think that Republicans can expect to win every election and that's not reasonable.

No, that's not true. I don't think someone like Kerry would be expected to win against McCain but that doesn't mean I expect the GOP to win every election. I just don't believe the GOP is as unpopular as people think and even if it was, McCain is at least seen as a break with the "old" GOP. I also believe that most people find a John Kerry or Barack Obama out of the mainstream and someone like Hillary to be far too polarizing.

[AndrewTX]

Personally I can't see how McCain gets elected President. 

Normally I wouldn't either, but I can not bet against the force of racism in the U.S.

Oh, that'll be fun. "McCain won just because of racism" will be even more annoying than "Bush was elected by the Supreme Court." Listen, I believe racists will, unfortunately, play a role in this campaign but please don't make that into the excuse for why McCain can win.

Racisim is why McCain won Alabama