While browsing in the back pages of the 2010 Almanac of American Politics, I learned that Washington's senior senator has another achievement that deserves recognition.
No, she hasn't won another "no rocket scientist award". (I think the magazine no longer runs that contest.) Instead, she has done something more substantive. Here's how the Almanac describes her achievement:
These are the members at the far ends of the ideological spectrum, based on National Journal's 2008 vote ratings. Scores are a composite of ratings of economic, social and foreign policy votes.
The most liberal senator, by that measure, was Patty Murray. Her composite score of 92.7 beat out every other senator, including Barbara Boxer (who must be terribly jealous), Richard Durbin, Patrick Leahy, and even Socialist Bernie Sanders.
Congratulations, Senator Murray! And let me suggest that you use this achievement in all of your campaign ads. Don't be shy. Let the voters know that you were the farthest-left senator in the last Congress.
(Does this make Murray officially an extremist? I suppose so, though you will never get a local journalist to say so.)
Cross posted at Jim Miller on Politics.
Posted by Jim Miller at September 01, 2010 08:08 AM | Email ThisYou can't get more left than Patty! About as extreme and hard-core left as you can go...
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on September 1, 2010 10:59 AM
We already have a no-morals, no-accountability do nothing. Stop campaigning to be one step to the right of patticakes.
While I think Didier was a classless act in his campaign, having Scott Brown come out here to campaign is a solid poke in the eye to conservatives.
What's the Dino campaign slogan these days - "Vote for me so I can be a 3/4 ton disappointment like scott brown?"
Sorry- if Dino is going to sell out the base, the base will stay home.
Posted by: Andy on September 1, 2010 11:48 AMSo please don't make Scott Brown some kind of villain that has to be exorcised from the party. Disagree with some of his policy leanings and by all means don't idolize any politician. But don't make a strawman out of them either.
Posted by: Mark on September 1, 2010 12:29 PMRossi should win hands down, but can lose if he does not force Murray to defend the indefensible, that is every aspect of her record in the Senate.
Posted by: Paddy on September 1, 2010 01:04 PMAs a Republican- Scott Brown has been a complete and total disappointment. He will be known constantly as the same ilk as Olympia Snowe and other northeast RINOs.
Also for the record- I am disappointed McCain did not lose in the primary.
Also for the record- I am not in favor of cutting Darcy Reichart any breaks for Cap-n-Trade support. Move to California if you want to destroy businesses as a career.
Posted by: Andy on September 1, 2010 01:44 PMI'm writing in my mama because no conservative is conservative enough. Feel my wrath, world!
Posted by: T.J. on September 1, 2010 08:21 PM
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/senate/wa/washington_senate_rossi_vs_murray-1183.html
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2010/senate/wa/washington_senate_rossi_vs_murray-1183.html
The Dems have clearly overreached beyond all previous overreaches and deserve to be fired for their hubris, audacity and arrogance toward those who they represent. Be wary of the lame duck session. The GOP needs to stick together and turn back this last minute thrust by the left to drive our economy over a cliff for their long term benefit. Murray is such a mediocre Senator - supported solely by special interests and the unions. Mr. Rossi is in a favorable position because of her low rating. However, beware - Steve Schmidt who headed probably the worst Presidential campaign I can remember - McCain/Palin is involved in Rossi's campaign. 2010 is probably as much of a outlier year 2008 was, but in the opposite direction. Down is up, up is down - go figure...
Posted by: KDS on September 2, 2010 10:07 PMHow else can we win?
Posted by: W. Klingon Skousen on September 2, 2010 11:29 PMHow else can we win?
Posted by: W. Klingon Skousen on September 2, 2010 11:30 PMChecking facts is for liberal socialists.
And let me suggest that you use this achievement in all of your campaign ads.
A senator's ads tend to mention things her constituents care about, Jim.
Does this make Murray officially an extremist?
Did National Journal get their opinion notarized, back in 2008?
... you will never get a local journalist to say so.
Their focus on (a) relevant (b) facts pretty much decided that matter, yes.
The Dems have clearly overreached beyond all previous overreaches and deserve to be fired for their hubris, audacity and arrogance toward those who they represent.
They took Jack Abramhoff's bribes. They chased boys through the Halls of Congress. They patronized prostitutes. They ran massive deficits. They trolled bathroom stalls for gay sex. Their most lying adulterers impeached a President for lying about sex -- but they did not impeach another President for lying about WMDs. Then they recorded campaign ads, declaring themselves to be honorable, honest, patriotic, faithful, fiscally-responsible, law-abiding citizens. Yep, they're really asking for it this time!
Posted by: tensor on September 3, 2010 12:39 AMYou forgot that Harry Reid and other prominent Democratics were part of this. Selective memory loss ? The Democratics take no prisoners when it comes to stonewalling.
"They ran massive deficits. They trolled bathroom stalls for gay sex."
You mean the current crop of Dems in Congress that have dwarfed the GOP when they were in control in that category.
One GOP senator who is no longer. small potatoes compared to Barney Frank's sexploits, but the Dems harbored him.
"Their most lying adulterers impeached a President for lying about sex -- but they did not impeach another President for lying about WMDs."
Blah, blah, blah. Get over it. The Dems had their opportunity, but they had nothing that rose to that level. Time to find a new strawman. Bush was a mediocre president, Clinton was more effective - I'll give you that.
"Then they recorded campaign ads, declaring themselves to be honorable, honest, patriotic, faithful, fiscally-responsible, law-abiding citizens. Yep, they're really asking for it this time!"
Yep - just like the Democratics did - they are all politicians and it is part of politics. It is the lesser of two evils - the Democratic Party has overreached and most critical thinking people are pissed off about it - you are living in a partisan vacuum. If the GOP falls short of living up to their promises, they are subject to the same voter's wrath that the Democratics will incur this November. However, the 2012 election will be a referendum on the past 4 years. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.
Posted by tensor at September 3, 2010 12:39 AM
Aside from this being flat-out false: Abramhoff was a Republican lobbyist; he would not have given money to Democrats -- you have nicely demonstrated my very point. You guys yell and yell and yell about how you're morally superior to your opponents, and when the actual facts appear, you immediately switch to yelling about how you're no worse.
Blah, blah, blah. Get over it.
Some of us never forget abuses of governmental power.
Yep - just like the Democratics did - they are all politicians and it is part of politics
Again with the "my heroes are no dirtier than yours" dodge. (What's it like, having no one to admire?)
David Vitter recorded a political ad with his family on the very same day he patronized a prostitute -- that's why she told on him. Since "the Democrats did" it too, you'll have no problem providing examples, right? And do tell us how the self-described party of family values punished Mr. Vitter for this, please.
Posted by: tensor on September 3, 2010 06:45 AMAl "Groper" Gore, John "That's not my Baby" Edwards, Swiftboat John Kerrys tax evasion with this new boat, and of course we could talk about Clinton, but that's old news.
Then we could talk about the Maxine Waters & Charlie Rangel ethics charges, rep Eric Massa and his "we were just wrestling" sexual harassment defense, Pete Visclosky and his political paybacks to to his big contributors at the PMA Group, William Jeffersons and how he came to hide $100 thousand hidden in the freezer, and that's just lately.
Going back a bit, we have Neil Goldschmidt admitting to a sexual affair with a 14 year old while he was mayor in Portland, Barney Frank and his male prostitute, Mel Reynolds and his sexual misconduct and obstruction of justice, James McGreevey and his six figure jobs for his "male mistress", Edward Kennedy and the drowning at Chappaquidik, Sandy Berger and the terror files he tried to smuggle out of the national archives in his undies, Chris Dodd and his amazing mortage, Blagojevich and his selling of the Obama Senate seat, and Obama's real estate partner Tony Rezko.
Want to talk about Donna Shalala and her expense accounts at University of Florida? Rich Holbrooke and his burying of whistleblower reports in the Oil-for-Food scandal at the UN? "Bo" Johns and his tax evasion problems?
The ones that truly amaze me aren't even the ones that get in trouble while in office. Power corrupts and I get that but -
How do you explain Marion Barry who the dems re-elected after he got caught on video smoking crack with his mistress. That other rep that got elected after doing six years for weapons charges while he was a member of the Black Panthers?
And of course, we could always talk about my personal favorite, Washingtons own Washington state senator, the lovely Lena Swanson, who pleaded guilty to shaking down veterans and former prisoners of war.
I could keep going I guess. The recently resigned to hell Rostenkowski, "comeback kid" James Traficante, Henry Cisneros and his girlfriend experience?
Yes, the GOP has it's problems with bad apples, but we don't re-elect them after they go to prison, we don't name major airports after them, we ask them to resign rather than keep them in congress when they get caught, and we damn sure don't run them on as top 2 on the Presidential ticket.
Posted by: johnny on September 3, 2010 07:15 AM@25 - You are clearly blind to the abuses of power made by your party and this president - you want to open that can of worms ? That smacks of self-righteousness and intellectual dishonesty.
BTW, if the constitutional conservatives are labeled as radical by the status-quo sheeple and the media, then the founding fathers should also be labeled as radical. All hat and no cattle !!
Posted by: KDS on September 3, 2010 09:40 AMTheir most lying adulterers impeached a President for lying about sex
No, he was impeached for committing perjury in a sexual assault case. An officer of the court (a lawyer) lied to the court about his actions relating to a sexual assault case being prosecuted against him.
It wasn't just about sex, it was about sexual predation and sexual assault.
Posted by: Shanghai Dan on September 3, 2010 09:49 AMIt's this simple, just put a "D" behind their names in a ballot!
Posted by: pete on September 3, 2010 10:51 AMA 3 megaton explosion in Densor's head couldn't crack a skull as thick as his.
Posted by: Saltherring on September 4, 2010 09:50 AM