OF2-11/03/09 7:25 AM
SIZING UP KEY CONTESTS ON THIS ELECTION DAY.
The Osgood File. I'm Charles Osgood.
It's Election Day today. These aren't the midterms; those aren't until next November. But here and there, there are contests that could be portents --- harbingers, perhaps, depending on where you stand --- of things to come.
"Here and there" being the states of Virginia and New Jersey --- and the 23rd Congressional District of New York
To the Democrats, a "moderate" Republican is one who votes with the Democrats.
By that definition, the Republican candidate in the special election in the 23rd Congressional District in upstate New York --- Republican candidate Dierdre Scozzafava --- is such an extreme moderate that she has made the supreme sacrifice: stepping aside to endorse the Democratic candidate, leaving all of right field and most of center field open for Conservative candidate Doug Hoffman.
Says Steve Chaggaris, director of CBS News' political coverage...
SOT - Steve Chaggaris, CBS News Political Director
"People can criticize it all they want, but the Republicans right now don't have one leader --- they're trying to figure out what they stand for --- and, this is one part of the party that's being very vocal and getting involved."
Then there's New Jersey --- where Governor Jon Corzine, the Democrat, and former head of Wall Street's Goldman Sachs --- is hoping President Obama can, bail him out, so to speak.
SOT - Steve Chaggaris
"Governor Corzine, really down in the dumps in the polls, is sort of tied with the Republican there, and it's a very Democratic state. But, Barack Obama has high approval ratings in New Jersey, and I think Governor Corzine's hoping that the President can come in and help boost his numbers."
And there's Virginia --- where Republican Bob McDonnell is facing Democrat Creigh Deeds.
SOT - Steve Chaggaris
"When you look in Virginia and the Democrat down there named Creigh Deeds, he's been down in the polls about double digits for the last several weeks. Obama did very well in Virginia, was the first Democratic presidential candidate to win Virginia since 1964. I think Deeds was hoping that Obama can sort of have some of that magic rub off on him. In terms of the polls, it hasn't really worked so far --- we'll see what happens tonight."
Thank you, Steve Chagarris...
The Osgood File. Charles Osgood on the CBS Radio Network.
The Osgood File. November 3rd, 2009. |
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