Ace of Spades HQ

May 09, 2012

Liberal Hack: Defeating Lugar Might Provoke A "Constitutional Crisis"
— DrewM

Jonathan Chait....idiot.

The most important and alarming facet of LugarÂ’s defeat, and a factor whose importance is being overlooked at the moment, is one of the things Mourdock cited against him: Lugar voted to confirm two of ObamaÂ’s Supreme Court nominees. Obviously, Lugar would not have chosen to nominate an Elena Kagan or a Sonia Sotomayor. But he was following a longstanding practice of extending presidents wide ideological latitude on their Supreme Court picks. In the absence of corruption, lack of qualifications, or unusual ideological extremism, Democratic presidents have always been allowed to pick liberal justices, and Republican presidents conservative ones. ThatÂ’s not a law. ItÂ’s just a social norm.
...
The social norm against blocking qualified, mainstream Supreme Court nominees is one of the few remaining weapons the Republican Party has left lying on the ground. But if Republican senators attribute LugarÂ’s defeat even in part to those votes for Kagan and Sotomayor, which seems to be the case, what incentive do they have to vote for another Obama nominee? And then what will happen if he gets another vacancy to fill Â– will Republican senators allow him to seat any recognizably Democratic jurist? Especially as the Supreme Court interjects itself more forcefully into partisan disputes like health care, will it become commonplace for the Court to have several vacancies owing to gridlock, for the whole legitimacy of the institution to collapse?

It's funny but I seem to recall the Republic surviving the defeat of Robert Bork. Of course Chait would argue that Bork wasn't in the "mainstream". Well, let's then consider the vote of one Senator, a chap named Barack Obama. He and many Democrats voted against the confirmation of John Roberts and Samuel Alito. In fact, Obama supported the highly controversial effort to filibuster Bush's Supreme Court nominations.

Liberals like Chait want to live in a world where if liberals can't get their way all the time, they at least get to make the rules up. Liberals must curse Al Gore for inventing the internet because it's one of the great tools conservatives have to push back on the liberals near monopoly on the traditional media.

Story via Philip Klein.

(I corrected the first link. Naturally there has to be a dumb mistake when yo call someone an idiot. It's just science.)

Posted by: DrewM at 08:00 AM | Comments (182)
Post contains 403 words, total size 3 kb.

1 If you don't put the same guy back into office for 60 years, there might be a crisis!

Posted by: lorien1973 at May 09, 2012 08:02 AM (0tkqC)

2 Voting for Kagan and Sotomayor isn't justification?

Posted by: garrett at May 09, 2012 08:03 AM (HWVrj)

3 Intellectual consistency is a tool of the patriarchy, you H8tr.

Posted by: joncelli, too stressed by half at May 09, 2012 08:03 AM (RD7QR)

4 Nothing so comforting as when leftists argue in favor of lifetime appointments for politicians.

It's actually alarming to this moron that voters made a choice so clearly that choice should be taken from them.

Posted by: Sgt. York at May 09, 2012 08:04 AM (cGPup)

5 Yeah, like a crisis in my pants.

Posted by: dogfish at May 09, 2012 08:05 AM (N2yhW)

6 Well, you cannot deny that the risk of losing the seat has increased. Maybe insignificantly, I dunno; we won't know until it's over.

Posted by: Soothsayer at May 09, 2012 08:05 AM (jUytm)

I guess we're supposed to be happy that Obama didn't nominate Maya Angelou and Oprah...

or Frances Fox Piven and Bernie Dorn.

Posted by: garrett at May 09, 2012 08:05 AM (HWVrj)

8 Barack Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a miserable tyrant.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at May 09, 2012 08:07 AM (8y9MW)

9 This was in the category of, I can't really think of what to write today so I think I'll just run my stupid mouth without any real thought and see what comes out.

It's my usual mode.

Posted by: Jonathan Chait at May 09, 2012 08:07 AM (+XVQe)

10 I kinda enjoyed this Letter to the Editor the IndyStar just published.

http://is.gd/ucOtZz

I assume he was embarrassed by the election of Mark Kirk, not Pat Quinn.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ braucht ein Bier at May 09, 2012 08:07 AM (/kI1Q)

11 Well, yeah there'll be a crisis...for them.

Remember...danger...and opportunity.

Posted by: Brother Cavil - New Caprica City DMV at May 09, 2012 08:07 AM (GBXon)

12 I'm starting to suspect that the liberal definition of 'fair' does not match mine, nor does it match what is written in the dictionary.

Posted by: Vashta Nerada at May 09, 2012 08:07 AM (F0K0r)

And now the MSM is spinning that the Lugar defeat is really a win for the Dems 'cause they get to run Donnelly. Heh! Donnelly squeaked a win against the newcomer with a 1% margin.

Donnelly is toast. His only hope is to appear conservative. Standing next to Murdock that is going to some superhuman feat.

Posted by: Cicero Kid at May 09, 2012 08:07 AM (Bng/t)

14 >> Especially as the Supreme Court interjects itself more forcefully into partisan disputes like health care

Fuck. You.

They court didn't "interject itself" into a damned thing.

Posted by: Andy at May 09, 2012 08:07 AM (5Rurq)

15 Ace,
Is that first link correct? Can't find the quote in the article...

Posted by: Sgt. York at May 09, 2012 08:08 AM (cGPup)

16 "Everyone remembers where they were when Dick Lugar's re-election chances got shot."

Not so much.

Posted by: Underground Vulgarian at May 09, 2012 08:08 AM (oipCQ)

17 Note the coward would not allow comments. Had he, I would remind him that the Constitution does NOT define the operating rules of the US Senate and there's a 2 century long tradition of allowing it to set it's own rules. The "supermajority" can be eliminated any any time, but won't because by next January, the Dems will be in the minority. There's a simple remedy for the impasse on Cordray: nominate someone else, someone far less of a socialist.

Posted by: Chris R, red in NY-9 at May 09, 2012 08:08 AM (NFcOS)

18 Jonathan Chait, douchebag.

Posted by: EC at May 09, 2012 08:08 AM (GQ8sn)

19 In the absence of corruption, lack of qualifications, or unusual ideological extremism

So... in the cases of Kagan and Sotomayor: completely justified.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at May 09, 2012 08:08 AM (8y9MW)

20 Further confirming why I dumped my subscription to The Atlantic several years ago. It was my favorite magazine, and the only one I subscribed to in my post-college, Velveeta-sandwich years. Then, at some point, they became a screeching lib-rag instead of featuring thoughtful articles about interesting things.

Posted by: jakeman at May 09, 2012 08:08 AM (96M6e)

21 >>Well, you cannot deny that the risk of losing the seat has increased.

Chait should be gloating, then, not bitching.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ braucht ein Bier at May 09, 2012 08:09 AM (/kI1Q)

22 He's full of Chait.

Posted by: Rocks at May 09, 2012 08:09 AM (Q1lie)

23 I'm starting to suspect that the liberal definition of 'fair' does not match mine, nor does it match what is written in the dictionary.

It does, however, correspond pretty closely to that held by most eight-year-olds.

Posted by: Brother Cavil - New Caprica City DMV at May 09, 2012 08:10 AM (GBXon)

24 Well, the scenario he puts forth re the SCOTUS doesn't seem like a crisis to me. It seems like the best possible outcome.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:10 AM (piMMO)

25 >>>But he was following a longstanding practice of extending presidents wide ideological latitude on their Supreme Court picks.

LOL what a disingenuous idiot.

The left has patented "Borking" nominees.

There are some intellectually honest thinkers on the left. But not many.

Posted by: dan-O at May 09, 2012 08:11 AM (sWycd)

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was confirmed 96-3 and she was on the ACLU's board of directors.

When have Republicans EVER treated a SC nominee like the Dems treated Bork? Fuck Jonathan Chait. Mincing little bitch.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at May 09, 2012 08:11 AM (4ZNCv)

27 @6 Well, you cannot deny that the risk of losing the seat has increased. Maybe insignificantly, I dunno; we won't know until it's over.

True. But when do we actually get a Congress that understands that their only job is to protect and defend FREEDOM?

Lugar obviously doesn't think this. He thinks it's all about "partisanship" and "showing who has clout."

Clueless. Of that isn't an indicator that it's time to retire him, I don't know what is.

Posted by: Jonathan Chait at May 09, 2012 08:11 AM (+XVQe)

28 Chait's only doing his part his paint Mourdoch as extreme.

Posted by: Soothsayer at May 09, 2012 08:11 AM (jUytm)

29 I keep thinking we are living in the Zombie Apocalypse with the liberals. They can not be reasoned with, and they are mindless eating machines ( money, not theirs).

Posted by: Paladin at May 09, 2012 08:12 AM (hxLER)

30 Shorter Chait: Waah rinos always vote for our guys even though we screw them all the time this deal is in danger!

Posted by: blaster at May 09, 2012 08:12 AM (6QbWy)

31 Lugar and I meeting at the Sizzler at 4pm for the 'Early Bird'.

Posted by: Andy Griffith at May 09, 2012 08:12 AM (c3mby)

32 I didn't know that Dick Lugar was the lynchpin holding this nation together.

Posted by: ace at May 09, 2012 08:13 AM (nj1bB)

I honestly can't fathom anybody not paid by or related to Dick Lugar being upset that he's been defeated.

Libs lamenting the loss of civility in the Senate... yeah, that's rich.

Posted by: BurtTC at May 09, 2012 08:13 AM (TOk1P)

34 But when do we actually get a Congress that understands that their only job is to protect and defend FREEDOM? When we remove the politician from the equation. Or never.

Posted by: Soothsayer at May 09, 2012 08:13 AM (jUytm)

35 My nightmare scenario is a nomination of Goodwin Liu to the SCOTUS. That little motherfucker has snakes in his head.

Posted by: Empire of Jeff at May 09, 2012 08:13 AM (4ZNCv)

Chait and his liberal pals arestill under the delusion that Obama is going to be reelected and he will need RINOs like Lugar to get anything done in a second term - especially to approve any judges.

Posted by: rockmom at May 09, 2012 08:14 AM (NYnoe)

37 Chait is in denial. He will go further in after the Wisconsin vote, and after November, he will need to be checked into an institution.

Posted by: The littl shyning man at May 09, 2012 08:14 AM (ybkwK)

38 is it just me or is the left treating this as if we actually physically murdered Dick Lugar? For God's sakes, an 80 year old lost a job he'd held for 36 years. Get over it.

Posted by: ace at May 09, 2012 08:14 AM (nj1bB)

39 I'm starting to suspect that the liberal definition of 'fair' does not match mine, nor does it match what is written in the dictionary.

*****

I've come to hate the word "fair." The definition of what is "fair" varies according to the scenario in which the concept of "fairness" is applied.

It's "fair" for the rich to pay more..... It's "fair" for the yungins coming out of college to be guaranteed high-paying jobs....

In almost all circumstances, the word "equitable" more aptly applies.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:15 AM (piMMO)

40 39 is it just me or is the left treating this as if we actually physically murdered Dick Lugar?

For God's sakes, an 80 year old lost a job he'd held for 36 years.

Get over it.

Posted by: ace at May 09, 2012 12:14 PM (nj1bB)

He was their guy for all practical purposes, so yes, they're taking it personally.

Posted by: joncelli, too stressed by half at May 09, 2012 08:16 AM (RD7QR)

Posted by: fixerupper at May 09, 2012 08:16 AM (C8hzL)

42 Ch8r!

Posted by: Roy at May 09, 2012 08:16 AM (VndSC)

43 Dick Lugar. Wasn't he a pron star?

Posted by: USA at May 09, 2012 08:16 AM (6Cjut)

44 was there some special deal he worked up for himself if he retired in another 6 yrs? what a baby.......

Posted by: phoenixgirl at work at May 09, 2012 08:16 AM (Zpx7O)

45 Drew, followed the "idiot" link to a piece by James Fallows, who links to Jonathan Cohn. Where's Jonathan Chait in all this?

Posted by: gu1tar at May 09, 2012 08:17 AM (SVZfy)

46 Obviously, Lugar would not have chosen to nominate an Elena Kagan or a Sonia Sotomayor. But he was following a longstanding practice of extending presidents wide ideological latitude on their Supreme Court picks. In the absence of corruption, lack of qualifications, or unusual ideological extremism, Democratic presidents have always been allowed to pick liberal justices, and Republican presidents conservative ones. ThatÂ’s not a law. ItÂ’s just a social norm. Miguel Estrada just emailed to say Fuck You Jon-jon.

Posted by: toby928© at May 09, 2012 08:17 AM (NG097)

47 For God's sakes, an 80 year old lost a job he'd held for 36 years.

Get over it.

Yeah, he had plenty of time to enrich himself at taxpayer expense. Give a new guy a chance.

Posted by: Retread at May 09, 2012 08:17 AM (joSBv)

48 Like in that Senate election Chait was going to be pro Lugar not calling him a wingnut. Effer.

Posted by: blaster at May 09, 2012 08:17 AM (6QbWy)

49 Hey tard, dontcha think the fact that he lived out-of-state for 35 years was probably a bigger contributing factor?

Posted by: laceyunderalls at May 09, 2012 08:18 AM (pLTLS)

44 -

No, you're getting him mixed up with Ricardo German Handgun.

Posted by: BurtTC at May 09, 2012 08:18 AM (TOk1P)

51 is it just me or is the left treating this as if we actually physically murdered Dick Lugar?

For God's sakes, an 80 year old lost a job he'd held for 36 years.

*****

But, but, but where will he now live?

Is it true he hasn't lived in Indiana in decades? If true, that is astonishing, and requires an astonishing amount of gall to presume to represent those who do.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:18 AM (piMMO)

52 Never mind. I see the "idiot" link was fixed (though Chait remains an idiot).

Posted by: gu1tar at May 09, 2012 08:18 AM (SVZfy)

53 Ruth Bader Ginsburg was confirmed 96-3 and she was on the ACLU's board of directors. Don't mention Ruthie -- we need her to hang on for a few more months.

Posted by: Jean at May 09, 2012 08:19 AM (WkuV6)

54 Hey tard, dontcha think the fact that he lived out-of-state for 35 years was probably a bigger contributing factor?

*****

You must have read my mind.

Question answered.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:19 AM (piMMO)

I would have voted against Lugar had I lived in Indiana, just because the MF is 80 years old and ought to have retired. I admired him when he was mayor of Indianapolis and when he first went to the Senate. But he long ago became an institutional man of Washington.

It's going to be really funny watching the next Senate. The fossils are all going to be Democrats, and they are going to have to explain to young voters why they should support a party that keeps corpses like Frank Lautenberg and Dianne Feinstein in office. Republicans are turning out their dinosaurs and getting a much younger group of people in offce that will be ready to lead for a long time.

Posted by: rockmom at May 09, 2012 08:19 AM (NYnoe)

56 on constitutional contradictions

Former POTUS candidate Michele Bachmann sought/gained dual US/Swiss Citizenship.

Spontaneous sour grapes distraction post campaign, or goal in mind prior to seeking the Presidency for herself?

Posted by: as the socialist cookie crumbles at May 09, 2012 08:20 AM (lpWVn)

57 Liberals never break the rules unless they want something.

Posted by: Jim Treacher at May 09, 2012 08:20 AM (X3KAb)

58 For God's sakes, an 80 year old lost a job he'd held for 36 years. hahaha, and he's not done yet! Lugar is not done meddling and using his position in government to his personal gain: "My public service is not concluded. I look forward to what can be achieved in the Senate in the next eight months despite a very difficult national election atmosphere."

Posted by: Soothsayer at May 09, 2012 08:20 AM (jUytm)

59 Which, speaking of "gall", anyone notice the misspelling of the word as "gaul" in the Romney ad?

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:20 AM (piMMO)

60 is it just me or is the left treating this as if we actually physically murdered Dick Lugar?

For God's sakes, an 80 year old lost a job he'd held for 36 years.

*****

If he hadn't lost the job last night, they would have tried to oust him in November. Fuck 'em.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ braucht ein Bier at May 09, 2012 08:20 AM (/kI1Q)

(ABC) In a tough year for Senate campaigns, Democrats will take everything they can get.

This year's map of Senate races heavily favors the GOP, which will defend only 10 seats to Democrats' 23. Six Democratic incumbents have declined to run, and Democrats will have to defend seats in 11 competitive races, while Republicans will only defend in five.

All of which makes Sen. Dick Lugar's loss welcome news for Democrats, who seem to have figured all along that their candidate, Blue Dog Rep. Joe Donnelly, would fare better against Tea Party-backed, Saran Palin-endorsed state Treasurer Richard Mourdock in November.

Now that Mourdock has defeated the six-term senator, Democrats might have a chance at winning a seat they had otherwise written off.

Spin MFM, spin!!

Posted by: TheQuietMan at May 09, 2012 08:21 AM (1Jaio)

62 Who is going to inform Harry Reid that Lugar isn't there anymore?

Posted by: Roy at May 09, 2012 08:21 AM (VndSC)

63 Dick Lugar.... 80 years old, Obama's favorite republican, and hasn't lived in the state he represents in 36 years. Just like McCain.. he reached across the aisle but never convinced the democrats to do the same. Democrats in Indiana will now release polls showing how close the race will be for the senate. they did the same thing in 2010.. when the Republican beat the Democrat by 15 points.

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at May 09, 2012 08:21 AM (DGIjM)

64 Well, you cannot deny that the risk of losing the seat has increased. Maybe insignificantly, I dunno; we won't know until it's over.

Posted by: Soothsayer at May 09, 2012 12:05 PM (jUytm)

------------>

Don't know, don't care. The Republican establishment must be made to fear the whip hand of the conservative base. The message must be sent that the Republican electorate is tired of their putative leaders "reaching across the aisle" and those politicians that do so are at substantial risk of losing their cushy jobs.

Posted by: Retired Buckeye Cop at May 09, 2012 08:21 AM (M0NzJ)

65
Of course they're freaking out about the court.

It's the lynchpin of how they are going to accomplish the progressive agenda. They know that there is no way in hell they can legislate the things they want to accomplish, and the Constitutional Ammendment process is difficult to do, made deliberately, and wisely, so by the founders.

So..... the "easiest" way to legally implement those things is to make it "unconstitutional" to not do them. This has been going on for over a hundred years. That' why stare decisis, not constitutional law, is the focus at law schools everywhere.

Posted by: fixerupper at May 09, 2012 08:22 AM (C8hzL)

66 they should have a retirement age for congress critters............we don't let grandma drive after 80....

Posted by: phoenixgirl at work at May 09, 2012 08:22 AM (Zpx7O)

67 And the painting of Joe Donnelly (D-IN) as a moderate has begun. How "moderate" is this turd?

Posted by: Soothsayer at May 09, 2012 08:22 AM (jUytm)

68 Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at May 09, 2012 12:21 PM (DGIjM)

Give up jogging?

Posted by: Underground Vulgarian at May 09, 2012 08:22 AM (oipCQ)

69 Yo call, the answer.

Posted by: Gerry at May 09, 2012 08:22 AM (qq41Z)

70 >>Spontaneous sour grapes distraction post campaign, or goal in mind prior to seeking the Presidency for herself?

Her children wanted to exercise their dual-citizenship rights (they qualify for Swiss citizenship through their father).

They probably want a place to go where they can be free from harassment and death threats from the hate left. Can't fault them for that.

Posted by: HeatherRadish™ braucht ein Bier at May 09, 2012 08:23 AM (/kI1Q)

71 For God's sakes, an 80 year old lost a job he'd held for 36 years.

"Right-Wing Extremists Punt Old Man to Curb"

Posted by: MFM Headline at May 09, 2012 08:23 AM (G18kV)

72 Mourdock is just too Republican, IYKWIM.

Posted by: Richard Lugar at May 09, 2012 08:23 AM (NG097)

73 I feel sorry for Dick Lugar. Can he afford the gas to get back home?

Posted by: USA at May 09, 2012 08:24 AM (6Cjut)

74

Johnny.....Dude.... seriously??????

Posted by: Robert Bork at May 09, 2012 08:24 AM (C8hzL)

75 Another racist homophobic women hating tea bagger breathing my air.

Because these oxygen tanks don't come cheap you know.

Posted by: Cher at May 09, 2012 08:25 AM (Qxdfp)

76 I am so fucking happy today! I smell....victory!

Posted by: mpfs at May 09, 2012 08:25 AM (iYbLN)

77
Johnny.....Dude.... seriously??????

Posted by: Robert Bork at May 09, 2012 12:24 PM (C8hzL)

*****

Seriously, LOLd.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:25 AM (piMMO)

78 Could have let him die in office. It's only civilized.

Posted by: zombie Robert Byrd at May 09, 2012 08:25 AM (bAGA/)

79 "the homogeneously conservative Republican Party has winnowed out virtually all its moderates,"

Jesus - this guy doesn't make sense from the fucking get-go. If the Republican Party is "homogeneously conservative" there are no moderates to be winnowed out.

You cannot trust these people with science. At all.

Posted by: Underground Vulgarian at May 09, 2012 08:26 AM (oipCQ)

80 Well, you cannot deny that the risk of losing the seat has increased. Maybe insignificantly, I dunno; we won't know until it's over. Posted by: Soothsayer at May 09, 2012 12:05 PM (jUytm) NOPE. In 2010... Dan Coats beat Brad Ellsworth by 14.6%. Ellsworth, a well known democrat, congressman, former sheriff. Has anything changed? Is Obama more popular? Donnelly (running against Murdock) barely won his congressional seat in 2010. By 1%... in heavily union territory.

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at May 09, 2012 08:26 AM (DGIjM)

81 I am so fucking happy today! I smell....victory!

*****

I love the smell of momentum in the morning.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:26 AM (piMMO)

Is it true he hasn't lived in Indiana in decades?

He moved to DC immediately after winning his first election. The douche was barely eligible to vote in Indiana.

Posted by: Cicero Kid at May 09, 2012 08:26 AM (Bng/t)

83 Lugar proves an elitist poor sport, insulting his constituents for providing his leave from office. He's a Kissinger remnant, so good riddance to rubbish.
--

...how does the movement of conservative voters aka Tea Party measure a House Tea Party Caucus leader who has dual citizenship?

Bachmann used the caucus to get ahead, NEEDING help getting re-elected, but had no true intentions to advance such a conservative House Caucus.

Her current tax code expertise is enough to explain why the Bachmanns decided to go Swiss. Her husband's genetic code was convenient, but given Fauxcohontas' hype, does Mr. Bachmann's 100% Swiss cheese hold up?

Posted by: as the socialist cookie crumbles at May 09, 2012 08:26 AM (lpWVn)

84 and a factor whose importance

When did a "factor" become a "who"?

I guess I missed all the rules of English as I only did math. Obviously this guy is paid for his thoughts, not his writing ...

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at May 09, 2012 08:26 AM (X3lox)

"Right-Wing Extremists Punt Old Man to Curb"

Mrs. Lugar and Grandchildren Hardest Hit

Posted by: garrett at May 09, 2012 08:26 AM (HWVrj)

82 zombie byrd

i'm ok with that if we can toss him out his office window.......

Posted by: phoenixgirl at work at May 09, 2012 08:27 AM (Zpx7O)

87 86 Is it true he hasn't lived in Indiana in decades?

It's all a technicality anyway. Semantics really.
He was living there before it was Indiana.

Posted by: Clutch Cargo at May 09, 2012 08:27 AM (Qxdfp)

88 67 Frank Lautenberg is still alive?I thought they just rolled him out like Bernie to take over for the Torch. Posted by: USS Diversity

Yup. After they hand feed him a soft breakfast they change his adult diaper, dress him, hook him up to his oxygen tank and send him to do Satan's bidding.

Posted by: mpfs at May 09, 2012 08:27 AM (iYbLN)

89 vote them out before they can make friends across the aisle

Posted by: phoenixgirl at work at May 09, 2012 08:27 AM (Zpx7O)

90 "Right-wing extremists add to government pension expense by forcing octagenarian to retire"

Posted by: JEM at May 09, 2012 08:28 AM (o+SC1)

91 How "moderate" is this turd? Posted by: Soothsayer at May 09, 2012 12:22 PM

Hardly smells like shit at all. Polishes up like a dream.

Posted by: huerfano at May 09, 2012 08:28 AM (bAGA/)

92 Lugar loser.
The End

Posted by: as the socialist cookie crumbles at May 09, 2012 08:29 AM (lpWVn)

93 Dog-eater loves him because the NRA gave the dinosaur an 'F'.

Posted by: Cicero Kid at May 09, 2012 08:29 AM (Bng/t)

94 He moved to DC immediately after winning his first election. The douche was barely eligible to vote in Indiana.

*****

Well, then, he should be happy that he is no longer required to visit the state. It must have been a terrible inconvenience. Given that, why the hell was he allowed to stay for so long????

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:29 AM (piMMO)

95 OK, serious nerd reference here but I think it's apt...

Lugar reminds me of Theoden from the 'The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'. Possessed by someone else's mentality, generally useless, and voting however the Left told him to.

Now the Left - like Sauron - is pissy because they lost their RINO patsy.

Posted by: Sgt. York at May 09, 2012 08:29 AM (cGPup)

lugar...the problem

murdoch the solution

Posted by: phoenixgirl at work at May 09, 2012 08:29 AM (Zpx7O)

97 so sorry for nick lunger not getting a election yesterday some

times a old guy will go to his office he used to work at and every

body all ready is to busy to talk with him about the old days and than

hes really sad when he left and he walks away with the really small

steps alot of old guys have but every body doesnt not care becase he

was kind of a dick when he worked their and just becase hes old and sad

now doesnt mean that you have too like him still thogh its pretty sad

#JusticeForAnviltron

Posted by: Jose Canseco's Gristle Encased Head at May 09, 2012 08:30 AM (+lsX1)

98 Mitt considers Lugar for the ticket.

Posted by: John Kerry at May 09, 2012 08:30 AM (lpWVn)

99 Is it true he hasn't lived in Indiana in decades? Yep... elected in 1977.. immediately sold his house and has only returned to Indiana a handful of times.

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at May 09, 2012 08:30 AM (DGIjM)

100 For the life of me i don't know how Mitch could have endorsed Lugar.

Posted by: Cicero Kid at May 09, 2012 08:30 AM (Bng/t)

101 Miguel Estrada vs Chait, cage match - please

Posted by: Jean at May 09, 2012 08:30 AM (WkuV6)

102 I'd have to say the Indiana electorate spit a loogie at Lugar.

I had to say it....

Posted by: mpfs at May 09, 2012 08:30 AM (iYbLN)

103 It's all a technicality anyway. Semantics really.
He was living there before it was Indiana.

LOL

Posted by: Retread at May 09, 2012 08:31 AM (joSBv)

104 105 For the life of me i don't know how Mitch could have endorsed Lugar. Posted by: Cicero Kid at May 09, 2012 12:30 PM (Bng/t) They are friends.. endorsement was kinda half assed. I look at it like Palin endorsing McCain.

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at May 09, 2012 08:31 AM (DGIjM)

105

Our betters seem to have forgotten that the system was designed for the benefit of the little people who pay their salaries and live by the rules they make. With that said, one down; one to go. I'm lookin' at you, Orrin.

Posted by: RushBabe, co-opted at May 09, 2012 08:31 AM (tQHzJ)

106 >>>Yeah, he had plenty of time to enrich himself at taxpayer expense. Give a new guy a chance. Posted by: Retread at May 09, 2012 12:17 PM (joSBv) I agree. At some point, you've made enough money. Er, what? He's a government dude getting rich and not a CEO? Nevermind.

Posted by: Barack Obama at May 09, 2012 08:31 AM (snRY5)

107 @91 - you think Harry Reid's got a little car-alarm remote for Lautenberg?

'Lock' votes yes
'Unlock' votes no
'Trunk' abstains
'Panic' means 'go hide in the cloakroom until I send someone to find you'.

Someone needs to watch whether Harry's fiddling around in his pockets during votes.

Posted by: JEM at May 09, 2012 08:32 AM (o+SC1)

108 "the homogeneously conservative Republican Party has winnowed out virtually all its moderates"

Too bad not everyone is as tolerant of heterodoxy as Democrats are.

Posted by: Joe Lieberman (I, CT) at May 09, 2012 08:32 AM (9FI9p)

109 qualified, mainstream Supreme Court nominees

LOL. A perjuror who was on the losing side of one or two UNANIMOUS SCOTUS decisions is ... mainstream? And the empathizer, affirmative action baby, adjective-denying idiot who was nominated for her emotions in defiance of over 3 millenia of history of Western jurisprudence?

Lugar allied with the third worlder in the most brazen frontal assault on Western civilization that most have ever seen. If I were serving in the Senate with him I'd probably be a neighbor of a dem presidential primary runner.

10:1 says Lugar gets a job with Barky, his butt-buddy. Maybe they'll share some roasted rottweiller?

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at May 09, 2012 08:32 AM (X3lox)

110 Defeating an incumbent MIGHT provoke a constitutional crisis.

Then again, might not.

Posted by: Michele Bachmann at May 09, 2012 08:32 AM (lpWVn)

111 Posted by: Jose Canseco's Gristle Encased Head at May 09, 2012 12:30 PM (+lsX1) Priceless. If you aren't pasting these together for a website, it's a crime against humanity.

Posted by: toby928© at May 09, 2012 08:32 AM (NG097)

112 Instead of a gold watch, he should be given a national debt clock to wear around his neck for the rest of his days.

Posted by: USA at May 09, 2012 08:32 AM (6Cjut)

113 Dick Lugar????

..... I just KNEW we'd have a dinosaur flatulence thread today.

Posted by: fixerupper at May 09, 2012 08:33 AM (C8hzL)

114 How many times do you think Orrin and Lindsey had to change their man panties last night????

Posted by: mpfs at May 09, 2012 08:33 AM (iYbLN)

115 Sgt York, so we can hope Lugar returns to DC - and represents the conservative core of Indiana with vicious attacks on the Dims, then passes dramatically on election night -- just before the networks call it for Mitch.

Posted by: Jean at May 09, 2012 08:33 AM (WkuV6)

116 you think Harry Reid's got a little car-alarm remote for Lautenberg?

*******

Now THAT'S the little bastard that needs to go. Send him home to his POMEGRANATES!

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:33 AM (piMMO)

117 *beep*

Posted by: Captain Frank Lautenberg at May 09, 2012 08:34 AM (NG097)

118 I've got a roundup of some Fast and Furious (Watergate did not have a body count) updates over at my place. If you're interested.

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at May 09, 2012 08:35 AM (8y9MW)

119 How many times do you think Orrin and Lindsey had to change their man panties last night????

*****

LG just infuriates me. He has so much friggin potential. When he appears on the Sunday talkies to discuss foreign policy, the dude is great.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:35 AM (piMMO)

120
If anyone had any doubt that Lugar needed to be booted from office, that sour, whiney, cocksuckingly churlish "concession" speech pretty much clinches it.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at May 09, 2012 08:36 AM (ofIpS)

121 Give up jogging? Posted by: Underground Vulgarian at May 09, 2012 12:22 PM (oipCQ) No, just gave my nic a makeover. ; )

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at May 09, 2012 08:37 AM (DGIjM)

122

I kinda enjoyed this Letter to the Editor the IndyStar just published.

http://is.gd/ucOtZz

I also liked the rebuttal letter.

Posted by: RushBabe, co-opted at May 09, 2012 08:37 AM (tQHzJ)

123 If anyone had any doubt that Lugar needed to be booted from office, that sour, whiney, cocksuckingly churlish "concession" speech pretty much clinches it.

****

I missed it, but your review makes it sound so good I'll look it up.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:37 AM (piMMO)

124 Ack.. cough.. hrixx... spit... Sorry 'bout that folks. Been a bit ill. I hocked up a Lugar.

Posted by: The good ole USA at May 09, 2012 08:38 AM (RzLbD)

125 Has this been posted? http://tinyurl.com/bwpezbn
I think Mourdock can clarify this matter.

Posted by: Sonnyspats at May 09, 2012 08:38 AM (bo11P)

126 LG just infuriates me. He has so much friggin potential. When he appears on the Sunday talkies to discuss foreign policy, the dude is great. Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse If you want to understand LG, pick up a copy of Gardens and Guns? If you order any silk boxers with a fox hunting motif, you should ban yourself.

Posted by: Jean at May 09, 2012 08:39 AM (WkuV6)

127 @119 - Hatch saw the train coming down the tracks at him, and took countermeasures. He gets props for being smart enough and aggressive enough to address the threat, at least.

He's properly scared, and he's saying and doing the right things right now to try to save his job. The problem is that six years is a long time to keep someone nervous.

Posted by: JEM at May 09, 2012 08:39 AM (o+SC1)

128 14 >> Especially as the Supreme Court interjects itself more forcefully into partisan disputes like health care

Fuck. You.

They court didn't "interject itself" into a damned thing.

Posted by: Andy at May 09, 2012 12:07 PM (5Rurq)

Yep... Court Rejects Governemnt Healthcar law called Obamacare.... Court EVIL!!!!

Court CREATES a Right during another Health Care Law Debate... called Roe V Wade... Court GOOD!

Posted by: Romeo13 at May 09, 2012 08:39 AM (lZBBB)

129 No, just gave my nic a makeover. ; )

*****

I used the same, boring, completely unimaginative nic for more than 6 years: jmflynny, which is just, basically, my name. Then I went on a streak of trying different names: Whatever, As If!, and about ten other names before I settled on my current nic. And the odd thing is, I have absolutely NO IDEA why it popped into my head.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:40 AM (piMMO)

130 Less than an hour until President Omnisexual lays out a new morality for us backward peons. Can't wait.

Posted by: Lincolntf at May 09, 2012 08:41 AM (HethX)

131 Magic lugi http://tinyurl.com/czsudp8

Posted by: Sonnyspats at May 09, 2012 08:41 AM (bo11P)

132

Chait, Lugar, and all of their fellow travellers remain in their bubbles at their own peril. Read the comments after the article regarding Lugar's loss from the Drudgereport. Over 1,000 comments so far and all blasting politicians who believe that serving the American people is a CAREER and their right.

Term limits. And yes, I'm a Tea-Party radical.

Posted by: Cheri at May 09, 2012 08:41 AM (G+Wff)

133

If anyone had any doubt that Lugar needed to be booted from office, that
sour, whiney, cocksuckingly churlish "concession" speech pretty much
clinches it.

***

Grace, thy name be not Lugar.

Posted by: WalrusRex at May 09, 2012 08:41 AM (jUZRg)

134 Does anyone need any more proof that it is IMPOSSIBLE to live any decent life if society has more than 20% of these leftist tools?

The Left is entropy, itself.

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at May 09, 2012 08:41 AM (X3lox)

135 Look what that Long Ideological latitude gets ya... Time to reign in the mules in office..

Posted by: Clemenza at May 09, 2012 08:42 AM (YlSwz)

136 Hahahahaha!.....oh shit!.....hahahahahahahaha!

The WH press briefing has been canceled today.

What a bunch of petulant little fucks

tiny.cc/mbv1dw

Posted by: laceyunderalls at May 09, 2012 08:42 AM (pLTLS)

137 Over 1,000 comments so far and all blasting politicians who believe that serving the American people is a CAREER and their right.

Ummm... what politician believes they're serving the American people?

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at May 09, 2012 08:42 AM (8y9MW)

138 I think we should all chip in and buy Lugar a gold plated life alert pendant.

Posted by: mpfs at May 09, 2012 08:42 AM (iYbLN)

139 I used the same, boring, completely unimaginative nic for more than 6 years: jmflynny, which is just, basically, my name. Then I went on a streak of trying different names: Whatever, As If!, and about ten other names before I settled on my current nic. And the odd thing is, I have absolutely NO IDEA why it popped into my head. Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 12:40 PM (piMMO) I love your nic. I used Jumbo jogging shrimp because Jumbo shrimp is an oxy moron.. I am a moron. and it was the same time we found out our gov was paying to study shrimps on a treadmill. I jog so.. it fit.

Posted by: Jumbo Shrimp at May 09, 2012 08:43 AM (DGIjM)

140 What a bunch of petulant little fucks

That, or Carney finally said, "No, sir. I'm not taking that flack for you on this."

Posted by: AllenG (Dedicated Tenther) SMOD 2012 at May 09, 2012 08:43 AM (8y9MW)

141 Boo Fuckung Hoo.

Posted by: The Waaahmbulance at May 09, 2012 08:43 AM (wba1S)

142 Defeating Luger created a constitutional crisis ... in my pants.

Posted by: Heralder at May 09, 2012 08:44 AM (+xmn4)

143 Niedermeyer's Dead Horse, 12:35:

Also, Graham gave a wonderful defense on the Senate floor of Charles Pickering, the Bush nominee accused by many liberals of being pro-KKK because he'd reduced the sentence of a cross-burner on appeal. The criminal was an accomplice who'd been sentenced much more harshly than his buddy who actually burned the cross. Judge Pickering was disgusted by the crime but concerned about the discrepancy.

Pickering, mind you, had stood up in court as a sheriff in mid-60s Mississippi to testify against a Klan honcho. He received some convincing death threats, and was defeated in his next election, for that stand.

Posted by: JPS at May 09, 2012 08:44 AM (9FI9p)

144 If you want to understand LG, pick up a copy of Gardens and Guns? If you order any silk boxers with a fox hunting motif, you should ban yourself.

*****

I had never heard of that magazine but I love it!

*Stop laughing at me!*

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:44 AM (piMMO)

145 If a guy is not smartenough to steal all he needs in 36 years, he's not smart enough to be senator.

Posted by: WalrusRex at May 09, 2012 08:45 AM (jUZRg)

146 141 Hahahahaha!.....oh shit!.....hahahahahahahaha!

The WH press briefing has been canceled today.

What a bunch of petulant little fucks

tiny.cc/mbv1dw

Posted by: laceyunderalls

I'm so happy *wipes tear from eye*.

Posted by: mpfs at May 09, 2012 08:46 AM (iYbLN)

147 I used Jumbo jogging shrimp because Jumbo shrimp is an oxy moron.. I am a moron. and it was the same time we found out our gov was paying to study shrimps on a treadmill. I jog so.. it fit.

****

You made terrific use of a topical subject!

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:46 AM (piMMO)

148

The beauty of having a spokesman is that he can deal with all the questions you'd much rather skip. When he can't do that he's dead weight. I can't decide if the White House today is filled with screams of rage or grim, hushed murmurs.

Posted by: Lincolntf at May 09, 2012 08:46 AM (HethX)

149 If a guy is not smartenough to steal all he needs in 36 years, he's not smart enough to be senator.

****

Greed is always the undoing.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:46 AM (piMMO)

150 Mrs Clemenza is happy when Things go Right, like last night..

Posted by: Clemenza at May 09, 2012 08:46 AM (YlSwz)

151 How is it a tard like this gets paid for a national pundit job and Ace has to toil away for morons like us? What the hell?

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at May 09, 2012 08:46 AM (r4wIV)

152

mpfs

i think we should send them a box of depends...........

Posted by: phoenixgirl at work at May 09, 2012 08:46 AM (Zpx7O)

153 Further confirming why I dumped my subscription to The Atlantic several years agoÂ…, they became a screeching lib-ragÂ… I never read them regularly, but I stopped following links to them when they went into conspiracy-theory territory rivaling some of the worst rags, led by Andrew Sullivan.

Posted by: Stephen Price Blair at May 09, 2012 08:48 AM (QF8uk)

154

I can't decide if the White House today is filled with screams of rage or grim, hushed murmurs.

****

Hiding in the closet in the fetal position weeping softly.

Posted by: WalrusRex at May 09, 2012 08:48 AM (jUZRg)

155 I think it should be noted that there is not a single leftist lawyer that this idiot would consider outside the "mainstream."
That includes the crazy bitch defending the Gitmo detainees and the other crazy bitch that got disbarred because she was caught smuggling notes for her terrorist clients. Or of course, the disbarred lawyer: Bill Clinton.
All of them he would defend for a Supreme Court nomination--all of them.

Posted by: jimmuy at May 09, 2012 08:48 AM (kSaUf)

156 Posted by: JPS at May 09, 2012 12:44 PM (9FI9p)

*****

I wasn't aware of that but I'm gad to hear it.

Half of me wonders if kicking McCain out of office wouldn't be the best thing that could happen to Graham. They seem to have a sort of mentor/protege' thing going and the worst things that can be said of Graham are the things we hate about McCain.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 08:49 AM (piMMO)

157
Posted by: laceyunderalls at May 09, 2012 12:42 PM (pLTLS)

Speaks volumes.

Dear Mr Jay Carney,

Man up.... do your job. Your job is to answer the tough questions. If you find that your employer puts you in a position to defend the indefensible.... well, then fucking resign. But you do NOT get to cower under your desk and refuse to do your job. Coward. Snotty nosed sniveling jellyfish. <<spit>>

Posted by: fixerupper at May 09, 2012 08:49 AM (C8hzL)

158
If a guy is not smartenough to steal all he needs in 36 years, he's not smart enough to be senator.

One of you morons once quoted the unofficial motto of the East India Trading Company, which always gave me giggles.

If you're not smart enough to steal FROM the company, you're not smart enough to steal FOR the company.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at May 09, 2012 08:49 AM (ofIpS)

159

Fuck this douch and the Sybian he road in on.

**spit**

Posted by: dananjcon at May 09, 2012 08:49 AM (eavT+)

160

Who is it that has a practice of allowing a president ideological latitude on any judicial nominations, especially the supremes? Other than Republican Senators?

Democrat Senators block away, even when they lie and cheat to do so. The last 15 years have a number of blocked Republican Supreme Court nominations, including several who squeaked by, and several others that were blocked at the lower level so the Dems wouldn't face a hispanic Supreme Court nominee later.

The Republican nominees were often casually remarked to be well-qualified, something that neither Kagan nor Sotomayor are. Review the SCOAMF's Supreme Court confirmation record.

If removing Lugar was all that was needed to send a message that rubber-stamping ill-qualified liberal Supreme Court justices can be career-limiting, then Lugar's defeat was even more overdue than I thought.

Posted by: Advo at May 09, 2012 08:52 AM (7vbG1)

161 noodles are ready

Posted by: Soothsayer at May 09, 2012 08:54 AM (jUytm)

162

Looks like Indiana hocked the lugee.

Posted by: Jimmah at May 09, 2012 08:54 AM (UpwlP)

163 We need term limits. And isn't lugar the guy who brazenly moved out of his own state or something. Haven't been following this but lugar helped create all the problems we have now, the voters were right.

"Republicans Are Finally Getting Nervous About Ron Paul's Secret Delegate Strategy"http://tinyurl.com/84uedq7

Ace called this one months ago

Posted by: . at May 09, 2012 08:56 AM (oZfic)

164

2 names. Bork and Thomas.

Chait can kiss my heinie on the whole "courtesy" thing, especially since he wants it to be one way only.

Posted by: Hard Right at May 09, 2012 08:57 AM (uhftQ)

165 Liberals believe Fascism is always descending on Republicans but never see it when it lands with Democrats.

Posted by: Greg Toombs at May 09, 2012 08:59 AM (8V3OS)

166 I've fallen and I can't get up!

Posted by: Richard Lugar using his gold plated Life Alert at May 09, 2012 09:00 AM (NG097)

167 155 If a guy is not smart enough to steal all he needs in 36 years, he's not smart enough to be senator.

****
Greed is always the undoing.

Posted by: Niedermeyer's Dead Horse at May 09, 2012 12:46 PM (piMMO)

"If he hadn't been so greedy he would have been harder to spot. But in the end, they're all greedy." --Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Casino)

Posted by: Underground Vulgarian at May 09, 2012 09:00 AM (oipCQ)

168 We're gonna find out that Ginsberg has been dead for years.

Posted by: dagny at May 09, 2012 09:02 AM (JoL4S)

169

In the absence of corruption, lack of qualifications, or unusual ideological extremism, Democratic presidents have always been allowed to pick liberal justices, and Republican presidents conservative ones. ThatÂ’s not a law. ItÂ’s just a social norm.

A nominee who declares that her ethnicity would allow her to "reach a better conclusion than a white male" can be reasonably assumed to harbor "unusual ideological extremism."

Posted by: CJ at May 09, 2012 09:05 AM (9KqcB)

170 I don't get what the big deal is. I mean, we all know this is a far left country where anyone to the right of say, Mao, is a right wing extremist and should be denied a spot on the SCOTUS. From Chait's POV, this is logical and frankly, just good thinking.

Posted by: Jon in TX at May 09, 2012 09:06 AM (PKRPm)

171
Lugar going down was a major loss for Obama's second term. He would have been instrumental in getting The O's Supreme Court picks through a Republican Senate.

And hopefully Mitch Daniels toxic endorsement of his mentor will keep the cuckold out of a Romney cabinet.

Win all around.

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at May 09, 2012 09:10 AM (kdS6q)

172 This post, http://tinyurl.com/6smvkz9, goes very nice with the ron paul link from business insider, http://tinyurl.com/84uedq7

Posted by: . at May 09, 2012 09:10 AM (oZfic)

173 2 names. Bork and Thomas.
Chait can kiss my heinie on the whole "courtesy" thing, especially since he wants it to be one way only.
Posted by: Hard Right at May 09, 2012 12:57 PM (uhftQ)

Don't forget Ginsberg - the good Ginsberg.

Posted by: ThePrimordialOrderedPair at May 09, 2012 09:11 AM (X3lox)

174 This may have been previously stated, but doesn't chait know that Obama voted AGAINST john Roberts?

Posted by: mouell at May 09, 2012 09:18 AM (6ZrMO)

175
We're gonna find out that Ginsberg has been dead for years.

Posted by: dagny at May 09, 2012 01:02 PM (JoL4S)

Weekend At Ruth's?

And, I smell cat piss. Someone get the Febreeze.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at May 09, 2012 09:20 AM (ofIpS)

176 Dear Mr. Chait:

Neither Kagan nor Sotomyer was qualified to be on the Supreme Court. Neither is anyone else who believe that she or he can rule based on a "Living" Constitution, rather than on the written one. It's time that Republican Senators all acknowledge that fact.

Posted by: Greg Q at May 09, 2012 09:36 AM (4Pleu)

177 apparently morning joe had a parade of libs on this morning discussing this issue and branding lugar a conservative.

Posted by: . at May 09, 2012 10:25 AM (oZfic)

178 Obama is a stuttering clusterf*ck of a miserable failure.

Posted by: steevy at May 09, 2012 10:26 AM (7W3wI)

179 Hey Chait--sod off you little schmuck. (Comanche feeling Anglo-Jewish today).

Posted by: Comanche Voter at May 09, 2012 10:45 AM (6USwK)

180 Checks and balances are a constitutional crisis!

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at May 09, 2012 03:02 PM (x+7gI)

181 Fuck Leftists and their made-up "social norms."

Posted by: Mirror-Universe Mitt Romney at May 09, 2012 03:02 PM (x+7gI)

182 Which they only believe in when it's in their overt interest to do so.