Amazing that Newt Gingrich is suddenly this prophetic, mature, down-to-earth guy in your eyes, Harrop. Remember the 1994 Republican Revolution that he led in Congress? Back then he was an "extremist," a cold-hearted thug trying to take food from the mouths of hungry schoolchildren (as Dick Gephardt intoned.). Remember "How the Gingrich stole Christmas?" Now you're sitting here telling us that RINO pro-abortion, pro-card-check, Democrat-lite DeDe ScoffLaw is what Republican voters really wanted. I also noticed you aren't particularly interested in the fact that the Democrat Party got their heads handed to them in Virginia and New Jersey last night, or that gay marriage lost its 31st popular vote, or the utter embarrassment and setback this represents for the Obama Administration - much less how it's going to be a harbinger of utter and total defeat of the Democrat Party at the polls next year. No, instead you crow about a single congressional race electing a moderate Democrat for a ONE YEAR term by a three point margin in a three-way-race. Hang it up.

The Republican mistake in New York 23rd was in allowing a few party hacks to sit around a pizza parlor and decide that an ultra liberal left-wing candidate should represent the party. The Pendergast/Daley methods have long been discarded. Primaries allow for the will of citizens to select candidates.

By the way, I hope you noticed that the Tea Bagger Carpetbaggers that came to Virginia and New Jersey stayed and voted. Don't you think that is what happenwed?

See ya in 2010.

I am disgusted that a "mainstream" columnist of whatever side of the political spectrum would use a vulgar term such as "teabaggers" to refer to political opponents. Look up the phrase in the urban dictionary online, if you haven't heard what it means by now. Then apologize to your readers.

1. so, democrats have never heavily supported candidates in faraway districts in this fashion??
2. Dede Scozzafava was as liberal as a lib dem
3. As for the claim that Fox is "molding" opinion and the teabaggers are astro turf, not real grass roots -- there's no way fox etc. would be so popular if they aren't resonating, touching a chord, giving voice to many people's feelings!

1. so, democrats have never heavily supported candidates in faraway districts in this fashion??

2. Dede Scozzafava was as liberal as a lib dem

3. As for the claim that Fox is "molding" opinion and the teabaggers are astro turf, not real grass roots -- there's no way fox etc. would be so popular if they aren't resonating, touching a chord, giving voice to many people's feelings!

One more thing to add to my previous points (1 - 3): Froma, you list all the local issues that a U.S.rep. deals with for his district. True. However, you conveniently neglect to tell the WHOLE story -- which is that additionally, every U.S. Rep has the power (when being part of a voting majority) to affect the entire country's laws; therefore it's not so surprising that people from as far away as, for example, Alaska, know they have a stake in every and any race for U.S. representatives. Come on, Froma, fess up -- you were quite slanted in this piece for the purpose of a "somewhat" sensational article. People can detect youy bias!

Perhaps you should re-write your article, based on the Dems' loss of two very key gubernatorial races last Tuesday night, and simply call it "How to Lose". It's amusing to me that you have glommed onto a race where the guy who almost won came in at the last minute with vocal support only, no personal appearances, from Sarah Palin and Tim Pawlenty, and who somehow managed to get Scozzafava to drop out of the race! What the heck is that all about??? If she was thrashing her opponents in the polls, wonder why she felt the need to step aside completely. Too bad she didn't do that earlier, in which case Hoffman would have beaten Owens. As it was, the right-wingers really didn't "lose badly." Owens was one lucky Democrat that night.

As I recall, the sitting PRESIDENT, campaigned often and hard for John Corzine (and he's a mean ol' man from Wall Street who made a fortune with Goldman Sachs...how does Obama justify that friendship???), yet his man lost BIG. This same PRESIDENT also campaigned for Creigh Deeds, who proceeded to lose BIG. Yet you, and many of your friends who take up column inches in the paper, have overlooked those races ("they weren't that important") in order to zero in on a tiny district in upstate New York, or is it in Canada??? I suppose being honest about the fact that it truly was not a good night for Obama and the Democrats, while they did pick up a seat in the 23rd, would have taken far too much pride and objectivity to report.

And, come on, Froma, you can't possibly mean that the cable channels made up the Tea Parties and their followers??? The people I've heard know exactly why they are angry, and what they don't want from this administration. I suppose those of us who object to your opinion should however follow your logic and tell the world that MSNBC created ACORN and all the other fringe groups that have come out of the woodwork since the election last Fall. Actually, now that I think about it, that could be true. They certainly deserve each other.

And I assure you the Republican Party has not been torn by a civil war. Are they trying to challenge themselves to present the best possible articulation of their principles? Absolutely. And they will come out stronger as a result. It reminds of the internecine fighting going on among the Democrats -- those like Pelosi who never met a leftist cause she didn't like, and those who actually understand that most Americans (not those living in the shadows of Nob Hill) really are moderates and don't care to turn over their lives to the government just yet.

The Tea Baggers (Why do you guys use this in a pejorative sense? Didn't these kinds of freedom-loving individuals set our own Revolution into motion???) know exactly whom they are fighting. It's people such as you. In closing, let me just say that Americans love to win, and we do keep score. Last Tuesday night in the three significant contests? Republicans - 2, Democrats -1. We win, you lose, game over. Expect more of the same in 2010.

Do the math Froma the man HOFFMAN GOT 45 % Of THE VOTE.with no money in his kick , your man got less then 50% of the vote who need help from a turn coat RINO There was a lot of hanky panky going on in them Absent tee ballots that might have been the vote that put the demon crate over the top. But wait till next time Oh by the way If I could recall Hilary your girlfriend and your boyfreids the Kennedys were also Carpetbaggers to HUH". Well I have to go now I have to write a check to the Hoffman campaign for his election coming up in 2010 in the 28Th dist. You are wrong we are write end of story .
Matt Deleo

Re: Susan G. RIGHT ON SUSAN!! one more year and its all over for them LIBS >>>>>>Matt DeLeo North carolina. mattdeleo7@aol.com

Re: Susan G.
Susan, I looked it up on google - you are right. HOWEVER, most people, including me, have never heard of that!! (Or am I just too "sheltered"?)
Last year,(spring) conservatives were getting together to to have tea parties, fashioned after the Boston one in 1700s to protest taxes. They were even sending in teabags to congressmen.. Therefore, they got the name "teabaggers" -- nothing to do with the slang term. Don't fuss about it.

Ms. Harrop either knew the meaning of teabagger and wanted to insult a large portion of readers or didn't know and is not a serious writer, but a hack. The true fault lies with Creators Syndicate. Shame on all of you. Apologies are due.

Ms. Harrop either knew the meaning of teabagger and wanted to insult a large portion of readers or didn't know and is not a serious writer, but a hack. The true fault lies with Creators Syndicate. Shame on all of you. Apologies are due.

I agree with Susan G. above. It is really surprising that vulgarity and name-calling is so commonplace in your articles. It is as if civility is the bitter pill. But this is "bridge-burning" at its best! Vilify your opponents , then when they get offended with the vitriol nature, complain about how they don't want to talk to you.

"No electorate approves of carpetbaggers" What did you call Hilllary Clinton as she ran for New York State Senator?

Re: bo jones
If "tea-baggers" is such an innocent noun, then why did Anderson Cooper apologize for using it?
If you think that the media on the left used this term in the literal sense, you are extremely
naive. Cooper, et al, were using the word with a smirk, attempting to appeal to their hip and
"sophisticated" New York coterie.

Ms. Harrop - YOU ARE AN IDIOT!! This article is not worth commenting about because it is complete drivel. I cannot believe people actually pay you to write such garbage. But, you have a right to say it because this is still the America I know and love. I hope it stays that way because it sure seems more socialistic everyday while Mr. Inexperience and his pals, or czars, are in office.

Re: Susan G. - good for you!