News Roundup

George Allen called Sidarth to apologize for his macaca comment. Too bad it took so long. Sorry, but if it takes you nearly two weeks to apologize, then you're not really sorry. I think the "Welcome to America" comment was the most overtly racist, but that's just me. I agree with Howard Dean:

I don't think he belongs in public service, to be honest with you. There are Republicans who are capable and smart, thoughtful people, and he's not one of them.

Let's please help Jim Webb end Allen's political career. (Although I must say that I think he would be awfully easy to beat if he were to win the GOP nomination for Prez in 2008...he seriously is Bush, but with no sense of when to shut up)

In Wyoming, GOP Rep. Barbara Cubin got just 60% of the vote in the GOP primary against a no-name opponent who spent virtually no money. This is an upset in the making, as long as Dem nominee Gary Trauner can keep up his impressive fundraising. Cubin should be ranked as a highly vulnerable incumbent from now onwards.

In Michigan, incumbent Dem Sen. Debbie Stabenow led GOP nominee Mike Bouchard 51-38 points in the latest EPIC/MRA poll. While she still has both elements of a comfortable lead (up by double digits and over 50%). Stabenow led 54-42 two weeks ago in the last EPIC poll. Stabenow might want to start addressing the increasing number of undecided voters in the race; such a trend usually does not bode well for an incumbent.

In Alaska, GOP Gov. Frank Murkowski got trounced in the Republican primary by ex-Wasilia Mayor Sarah Palin, who won with 51% against John Binkley (who took 29%) and Murkowski (who got a pitiful 19%). Ex-Governor Tony Knowles is the Dem nominee in the race. Polls show this one a dead heat, and I expect it to remain that way throughout. A little money can go a long way in Alaska, so this is a good place for Dems to spend their money (hint, hint).

Speaking of such places, let's head to Montana, where GOP Sen. Conrad Burns is still reeling from his latest gaffe, where he called his Hispanic house painter "a nice little Guatemalan man" and suggested Reyes might be in the country illegally. Burns made a fool of himself earlier this summer when he told MT firefighters that they were doing a "poor job." Burns should have looked in the mirror when he made that statement. Fortunately, Jon Tester looks likely to knock Burns out of his seat. Let's hope Burns uses the subsequent free time to get some sensitivity training.

Lastly, McCain is looking like he might be mighty tough in WH'08. Politics1 has a good write-up on McCain, and it sounds like even the strongly progressive Gunzberger was impressed with McCain's description of what his hypothetical presidency might look like. Dems and independent need to keep in mind that McCain is strongly opposed to abortion rights, and has consistently been one of the strongest supporters of the Iraq War in the Senate. He might be honest and even fairminded, but he's still most definitely a conservative.