2010 US Presidential Election

[Marky Bunny]

This is how the Senate State map looks

Blue=Republicans with both Senators
Red=Democrats with both Senators
Yellow=Republicans with 1 Senator & Democrats with 1 Senator
Green=Republicans with 1 Senator & 1 Independent

Republicans=51 seats (+4)
Democrats=48 seats (-4)
Independent=1 seat (NC)

There are seventeen female Senators, eight Republicans and nine Democrats

 

[Marky Bunny]

Sunday November 13th 2016

Breech to resign as Democratic Senate Leader

Arthur Breech of Hawaii is to resign as the Leader of the Democrats in the Senate. He will be making an "official statement" on Monday but NBS sources within the DNC, said he "had no wish to be Senate Minority Leader again". The Democrats will also need to elect a Deputy due to the defeat of Harry Conroy in North Dakota.

Some early names being floated around are Mitch Bryce (Illionois), Ben Newell (Colorado) and Jim Velesquez (Rhode Island). We understand that Vermont's Sarah O'Brien is very much set on running for Deputy.

 

[ajm8888]

CNN.COM

November 13th, 2016

BREAKING NEWS!

China expels US Ambassador

Beijing and the US State Department have just announced that the US Ambassador to China was expelled from China. The State Department has not said why the ambassador was ejected from China but a spokesman for the Department said "The Chinese have not given us a clear reason why, just that they expelled Ambassador Ross for "questionable conduct in front of national leaders ."

 

[disputed]

nbs.com, Sunday November 13th

Riley: No plan for a Lame Duck Congress

New Senate Majority Leader Cody Riley took to the Sunday talk shows to insist that despite President Walken entering his final two years in office that there the GOP intend to pursue a series of legislative matters aimed at ‘continuing the success of President Walken’s time in office.”

Riley appeared with Chuck Todd on Meet the Press and took the opportunity to tout the Republican success in reclaiming the Senate majority. “It speaks to the President’s success that at a time almost every President has lost seats in both houses that we have been able to retake the majority in the Senate and pick up seats in the House.”

Pushed by Todd to outline what a Republican agenda could look like, Riley pointed to a speech the President made on the campaign trail last week when he spoke of “unfinished business”. The Alabama Senator elaborated “The President is still very keen to get immigration reform done. We still believe the holes in the Vinick Social Security deal need to be fixed and we need to build on our success on the tax code reform.”

Senator Riley confirmed that he and Minority Leader Mitch Harris had met with President Walken and White House Chief of Staff Jim Hoehner Jr. on Saturday afternoon and was “blown away” by the President’ s “energy and drive to keep getting things done.”

Despite last week’s success Riley was tight-lipped over whether he would be looking at a run at The White House in 2018 saying “I think I’m going to be pretty busy being the Majority Leader, but in this business you quickly learn to never say never.”

 

[disputed]

nbs.com, Sunday November 13th

Rebels Consider Ousting Gelsey As Democrats Scramble For Capital Hill Position

As the disappointment of Tuesday’s results sinks in to the Democrats in Washington a number of moves appear to be in play as the balance of power within the party looks set for a significant shake up.

The Senate leadership is in turmoil after current Majority Leader Arthur Breech made clear he had no intention of staying on in the minority role. His deputy Harry Conroy was unceremoniously beaten in his re-election bid in North Dakota by Matt Chantler leaving a power vacuum and a battle for control of the party’s caucus.

The question will likely become even more marked as rumours suggest a great deal of disquiet surrounding Speaker Carol Gelsey. A number of senior Democrats are concerned that the relationship between President Walken and Speaker Gelsey is to consensual and will lead to the President cementing his legacy as we move towards 2018.

The questions will likely be answered over the next couple of months.Speculation in the Senate surrounds debates over whether the Democrats will unite behind Conference Committee Vice-Chair and notional 3rd in line Sarah O’Brien of Vermont or look to fresh blood and back the candidacy of someone like Maryland’s Cain McLelland, seen by many as the party’s rising star in legislative terms.

Speaker Gelsey’s position is likely to be a far more contentious battle. She has many supporters and the most obvious successor, majority leader Noah Gellman is fiercely loyal to her but there is undoubtedly a growing movement to unseat her. The two candidates getting the most likely to upset things are Illinois Congressman Daniel Maddox, who was very close to challenging Gellman in 2012 and California’s Ronny Reynolds, one of the speaker’s chief critics.

Democratic analyst Al Kiefer is watching developments closely and told Capitol Beat on NBS that “the Democrats need to get themselves together. President Walken is determined to push a number of legacy bills through congress, Democrats can’t be fighting each other.”

 

[Marky Bunny]

Monday November 14th 2016

Straus getting ready for 2018 Presidential bid as he seeks deal with Crossley & Cahill

The outgoing Democratic Senator from Ohio Hayden Straus looks more and more likely to run for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2018.

Straus who has said that he was looking at running, and that even if he failed to win the nomination, he could run as an independent is clearly starting to lay the framework for running. NBS understands that he has had a three hour meeting with the former New Jersey Governor Kate Crossley who did run last time out, and has pledged to run again, but clearly any campaign for her would undercut a Straus campaign. Straus believes that although she failed to win the nomination back in 2014, her populist leftish message could still prove popular with the base, but he could deliver that message better than her and wants a deal with her before he decides to run. He has also spoken to California Congressman Kellan Cahill who briefly ran in 2014 as well to gauge his level of support. Cahill and Crossley do have a base of support of the left of the Democratic party, and Straus knows that he has to get them on side.

Although California Senator Sam Seaborn is the clear and obvious front runner, Straus and others believe that the nomination campaign should not be a "coronation" for President Bartlet's protégé, and there is growing backlash against the establishment and "the old ways of Washington".

 

[Marky Bunny]

Just a quick public service announcement, I will be posting the full result spreadsheets for the Senate & Gubernatorial election during the course of this week.

 

[Marky Bunny]

Here are the final results of the 2016 Gubernatorial Elections

 

[Marky Bunny]

BBC.CO.UK/Politics
Wednesday November 16th 2016

Liberal Democrats narrowly ahead in Cambridge by-election poll but Rev Bennett polling in a strong fourth place

A poll for "BBC Look East" ahead of the Cambridge by-election on December 8th 2016, has the Liberal Democrats Elaine Raymond narrowly ahead of her fellow City Councillor Labour's Camomile Ruddle by just two points. At the 2013 General Election Emma Dean for the Liberal Democrats won with almost a 10 point margin over the Conservatives with some 38% of the vote,the Conservatives have slipped back to third place based on the results of the 2013 General Election from almost 29% to 19% a fall of ten points, and Labour have jumped from 12% to 29% but the big surprise is that Cambridge Vicar, The Rev Godfrey Bennett who is running as a "Christian Socialist" in polling in fourth place with ten per cent of the vote.

The Rev Bennett has said that he could take advantage of the fact that the Socialist Alliance has declined to stand a candidate, as they did poll over 5% in 2013 and saved their deposit, and that he could attract older Conservative voters who are unhappy with the "equal marriage" referendum result in October, this seems to be the case so far. Bennett is a well known figure in the City as well is certainly seeming to have an effect.

1. Liberal Democrat 31%
2. Labour 29%
3. Conservative 19%
4. Christian Socialist 10%
5. Green 4%
6. East Anglian Devolution 3%
7. National Peoples 2%
8. All other Candidates 2%

(You Gov called 1,000 Cambridge voters over Saturday & Sunday last weekend)

 

[Tim Thomason]

Washington Weekly, Wednesday, November 16, 2016
The History of the Houston Mural

For seventeen years, a large mural showing Sam Houston entering the city of Houston under the Flag of Texas, has been painted on the northernmost wall of the spacious, unofficial offices of the President pro tempore at SH-104 in the Hart Senate Building.

Senator Joseph Furman (R-TX, 1967-2009, PPT 1999-2009), paid good money, and according to some, bribed the Capitol Architect, for the mural depicting his personal hero, and former Senator for Texas Sam Houston. He even made a televised speech in front of the half-finished mural as the official response to President Bartlet's first State of the Union.

In 2009, following Furman's death, the office was awarded on seniority (and some say, internal lobbying), to the new President pro tem, Senator Robert Miner (R-AR, 1967-2015, PPT 2009-2015). Miner joked about replacing it with a mural depicting the duel between Robert Crittenden and Henry Wharton Conway, but admitted towards keeping it as a "reminder that we all represent the states, with men like Houston, who strongly supported the Union, but just as strongly supported state sovereignty."

When the Democrats took over in 2014, there was some question on if the office would stay with Republican leadership (perhaps new Leader Cody Riley who had yet to leave his old Senate office in the nosebleed section), revert back to Texas Senator Mark Cumberland (still too new for such a well-placed office), or stick with the Democrats and their new President pro tempore William Wiley (D-WA, 1983-present, PPT 1983-2017), the first Democrat to hold the office since Anthony Gianelli of New York. Wiley made it be known that he could "afford the upgrade" and moved his offices and staff to the predominently Republican part of the building.

When asked why he would wanted to sit in an office with a notable slave owner plastered on the wall, Wiley responded: "Washington was built by slaves and named for a prominent slave owner. I find it fitting to look on Governor Houston's visage everyday and be reminded of how far we've come."

Wiley has stated that he plans to vacate the offices in favor of the incomingRepublican pro tem. Presumably Sam Wilkinson (R-KS, 1981-present), although at press time there is heavy dispute between Wilkinson and Senator Clark Gibson (R-ID, 1981-present), due to issues of seniority in the present time (by state population - Kansas being more populated than Idaho), or seniority back in 1981 (by last name, G being before W). The Secretary of the Senate and the Senate website has long supported Wilkinson's stance on seniority, but a heavily worded letter by Gibson to several newspapers has brought this into question and put this honorific office into perhaps an actual electoral battle for the first time in over 100 years.

Regardless of who comes out on top, both Gibson and Wilkinson have insisted that they will keep the Houston Mural on the wall.

Senator Wiley in front of the Houston Mural before leaving to attend the Inaugural Ball (January 20, 2015)

 

[ajm8888]

BBC NEWS

November 16th, 2016

Ambassador Ross expulsion revealed

Chinese authorities today gave the official reason American Ambassador Thomas Ross was ejected from Beijing after he was drunk and molested the Minister of Construction's wife Feng Liyuan and the daughter of Premier Lai. The Chinese have long disliked Ambassador Ross, claim sources for the Foreign Office.

The Chinese won't say more but our Foreign Office sources claimed "Qian, Lai and others in China believe Ross was sent over as a deliberate pain in their side. At the last formal dinner the American Ambassador was seated nowhere close to Lai due to their dislike of Ross." The sources also stated that, "They were itching for a legitimate reason to eject Ross and got one after he grabbed the Construction Minister's wife."

While American and Chinese relations didn't sour too much of this incident, the Chinese are more interested in President Qian's trip to Qumar in a few weeks than making an issue with this ambassador.

 

[Marky Bunny]

Thursday November 17th 2016

Bryce & Newell rule themselves out of Senate job as rumours emerge over a Fitzsimmons/Seaborn meeting

Washington was full of rumours today as the fight to be the next Democratic leader in the Senate began in earnest. Illinois Senator Mitch Bryce and Colorado Senator Ben Newell both ruled themselves out publically, both men being regarded as the bookies early favourites.

Maryland Senator Cain McClelland seems to be emerging as the new front runner but this afternoon Capitol Hill was full of rumours, that Senators Jimmy Fitzsimmons and Sam Seaborn had held a meeting, which many have speculated was in regard to the impeding leadership campaign. It was well known that the two men despite being in the same party have little personal regard for each other, with Fitzsimmons believing that Seaborn purposely turned down his offer as his running mate in 2014 to further his own Presidential ambitions. Seaborn on the other hands believes Fitzsimmons blew a very winnable election with a poor election ground game.

Many believe that Fitzsimmons would be running again for the Presidency and would likely be the most strongest candidate to the candidacy of Senator Seaborn which is regarded as a given by Washington pundits and insiders of both parties,

 

[Marky Bunny]

Friday November 18th 2016

Martinez to leave Cabinet as Secretary of Transportation

Lila Martinez Secretary of Transportation who has been in the Walken Cabinet since the administration took office in January 2011 has confirmed that she is standing down after almost six years in the job.

Martinez issued a press statement stating it was "the greatest honour of her life to serve the President and the American people" but it was "time for me to retire and for a new person to come in for the final two years of the administration".

White House Press Secretary Kate Moore said in reply "The President spoke to Secretary Martinez last night to thank her for her great service in the Cabinet and that he hopes she will enjoy her retirement". Moore would not be drawn on who the President would select to replace her.

 

[disputed]

nbs.com, Friday November 18th

Maddox Confirms Gelsey Challenge As House Caucus Descend into Civil War

Illinois Congressman Daniel Maddox confirmed this morning that he intended to challenge Speaker Carol Gelsey in her bid for re-election, a move that is likely to split the Democrat caucus in two just weeks after disappointing election results.

Maddox, the current Chief Deputy Whip surprisingly broke with the House leadership and confirmed that he will stand for election - a move that has infuriated supporters of Gelsey. In a statement this morning Maddox said “I have great respect for the Speaker, but it’s clear that in light of recent results it’s time for a different direction and more robust challenge to the President than has worked in the last few years. I am convinced that a coronation is not in the best interests of the party or the country.”

As a leading member of the party’s progressive caucus Maddox is said to have been frustrated with Kelsey’s approach for sometime but has remained loyal mainly due to his mentor and House Majority Leader Noah Gellman and due to the strain on his marriage to UK politician Hannah Martin. At 45 Maddox would be the youngest speaker in over 150 years.

Gelsey supporters are already whipping support, though most interestingly Gellman has remained unavailable for comment prompting speculation that he may be preparing to back his protege.

A source close to the speaker’s office suggested outrage at Maddox’s challenge. “The Speaker sees this as a coup that is without merit. One man’s ambition should not undermine the strength of the caucus.”

 

[Marky Bunny]

NBS.COM
Saturday November 19th 2016

Seaborn ready to support Fitzsimmons for Minority Leader in return for a "no 2018 pledge"

Senator Sam Seaborn is ready to support Senator Jimmy Fitzsimmons for Senate Minority Leader.

We understand that the two men who are said to dislike each other, have had two private meetings this week. Sources within the DNC told NBS that the plan is "for Senator Fitzsimmons to became Senate Minority Leader with the support of Senator Seaborn whilst Senator Fitzsimmons will not seek the 2018 Presidential nomination". It was widely believed that Senator Fitzsimmons that would run once again for the Presidency despite his narrow defeat in 2014 against Senator Seaborn who is regarded as the clear front runner for the nomination if he runs which now seems almost certain.

Another source told NBS this morning "This is a very clever deal by Senator Seaborn, he is able to remove one of his most likely rivals from the 2018 Presidential mix, by being able to do a with a man he clearly dislikes".

This deal is very likely to stop the campaign of Maryland Senator Cain McClelland and his bid to be the Senate Minority Leader, it is very difficult to see how McClelland could defeat Fitzsimmons with Senator Sam Seaborn supporting him.

 

[Marky Bunny]

NBS.COM
Saturday November 19th 2016

Ritchie: "Presidential run unlikely" as he backs Riley in 2018

Sources close to Florida Governor James Ritchie have told NBS that a 2018 Presidential bid is "unlikely" and has told the new Senate Majority Leader Cody Riley to run instead.

Ritchie had been regarded as the front-runner for 2018 after his speech to the RNC in July 2014, but his miss-steps in the following made even at one point put his re-election campaign in the balance, although in the end he was able to win 55-45%, but it seems the re-election campaign and the likely hood for going up against Senator Seaborn in the General Election has made Ritchie decide against it.

"The name Seaborn brings the Ritchie family out in the proverbial rash":he was the key driving force behind President's Bartlet 2002 landslide win over Rob Ritchie "he doesn't fancy a re-match, however much it wants to revenge 2002 for his family, never the less he wants Cody Riley (the new Senate Majority Leader) to run". It should be remembered that Riley was a member of the Rob Ritchie campaign that won the nomination in 2002, but he left before the General Election due to the tragic death of his first wife, many believe that if Riley had stayed on that campaign he would have beaten Bartlet or at least made the race a squeaker, rather than the blowout it turned into. "He (Ritchie) believes Seaborn will be the Democratic nominee and would beat Vice-President Clark or Shallick, Riley is the only one that would stand a chance, and he told has told him this twice since the Election that he should run".

 

[Marky Bunny]

BBC.CO.UK/Politics
Sunday November 20th 2016

Rev Bennett "Gay marriage is not equal marriage, it's about special rights"

The Rev Godfrey Bennett who is running for Parliament in the Cambridge by-election on December 8th has claimed that "gay marriage is not equal marriage, it's special rights".

The Rev was speaking in an interview broadcast on the Andrew Marr Show this morning "I have nothing against gay people, in a true socialist society sexuality should not matter, but marriage is only between a man and women, the bible is very clear about that, and at the end of the day, gay marriage is not equal marriage, it's about special rights for a group who make a lifestyle choice".

Bennett also attacked the Government's record on the homeless "This Government is a hard right Government, don't let anyone say otherwise, it's record with the poor and homeless is a national disgrace, they have forced people to work for nothing, they have forced people to kill themselves because of benefit cuts and made it almost impossible for those on streets to get accommodation". He also said that the country needed to "change, we need to return the old values. We need to stop our children being corrupted by the internet, violent films and pornography on the internet. We need to stop Sunday trading, Sunday is God's day, it is not our day, we also need to return to the old licencing laws, to reduce the damage drink does".

Latest polls show the Rev Bennett in a strong 4th place and he does seem to be picking up support from older Conservative voters and more left wing voters as well.

 

[Marky Bunny]

BBC.CO.UK/Politics
Monday November 21st 2016

Labour by-election candidate hits back at Rev Bennett's comments on "equal marriage"

The Labour candidate in the Cambridge by-election Camomile Ruddle has hit back at the comments made by the Rev Godfrey Bennett on the BBC's Andrew Marr show yesterday.

Bennett's remarks that equal marriage was "not equal rights but special rights" and being gay "was a lifestyle choice" brought swift reaction from the Labour candiadate. In an open letter to the press she called his comments "offensive to the vast majority of people" adding "although I am straight myself, I did vote for equal marriage and I know that being gay is not a lifestyle choice".

She also addressed comments made by the Rev on homeless and the poor "Although I would agree that this Government has a awful record in helping and supporting those in need, indded on Cambridge City Council I have spoken out by Cuts attempted to be forced on the Council by central Government, I would find the Rev's comments easier to take if he didn't work for an organisation that generates income of around £164 million each year from property, stocks, shares and other financial investments. Maybe the Church of England should donate some of this money to homeless charities , or maybe it should convert one of the many large properties it owns across the country into a Hostel or shelter for the poor".

In closing she added "The Labour Party is serious in addressing the concerns of the all the people, in the Britain of 2016. Rev Bennett seems to want to return the country back to the 1930's, or in truth his version of a past that never really truly existed. We can never turn back the clock and must aim to build a better tomorrow, not a better yesterday".

 

[Marky Bunny]

BBC.CO.UK/Politics
Monday November 21st 2016

Stanley asks Socialist Alliance voters to Vote Green or Independent Socialist

Socialist Alliance Leader Ben Stanley has waded into the Cambridge by-election by instructing voters who voted for the Socialist Alliance at the 2013 General Election to vote Green or for the Independent Socialist Candidate after comments made by Rev. Godfrey Bennett who is standing as a "Christian Socialist".

The Socialist Alliance polled 5.27% in Cambridge in 2013, getting 2,772 votes meaning it saved it's deposit, but the party has decided not to a field a candidate at the by-election on December 8th due to "logistical and cost issues".

"I urge all those that voted for us in 2013 to support the Green candidate or the independent Socialist. The Comments of Rev Bennett yesterday should not be supported by any one who believes that they are a socialist on the matter of equal marriage. His thinking is closer to the National Peoples Party than to ours or any true Democratic Socialist".

 

[KingCrawa]

OOC: Who won the election in 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?