Once Again, The GOP Leadership Proves How Foolish They Are
doubleplusundead — ... more than $300,000 on the race {For Doug Hoffman, Conservative Dude of Awesomeness} , so this brings its investment to more than $600,000 total. By comparison, the NRCC has spent $567,000 on {Dipshit RINO Dede} Scozzafava's behalf, and the DCCC has spent $387,000 on {Some Democrat Guy Named} Owens's behalf. Also in recent days, SEIU has gone up with a $100,000 radio ad buy for Owens -- its first investment in the race. Ok, so it looks as though the RNC is set to prop up a RINO ( who runs from the Weekly Standard )against a Conservative. Already, that's bad, but expected. I ...

Radical leftist Dede Scozzafava can’t stand the heat
Michelle Malkin — What happened when the unfailingly polite John McCormack of The Weekly Standard tried to nail down pro-abortion, pro-card check, tax-hiking GOP NY-23 candidate Dede Scozzafava on her radical positions? She affirmed her support of the union power grab and refused to answer whether the government health care takeover proposals should cover abortion. She refused to answer other questions. And then her campaign called the cops on McCormack. Can’t stand the heat? Dial 911! ...

Fear and Loathing in Upstate New York -- By: Mark Hemingway
The Corner on National Review Online — The Weekly Standard's John McCormack is reporting on the special congressional election in New York, where the Republican candidate is so liberal that the Club for Growth has been running ads against her. At a campaign event McCormack asked a few pointed questions about her positions and then this happened: ...

Scenes from the GOP civil war?
Ben Smith's Blog — ... The Weekly Standard's John McCormack reports that the liberal Republican candidate for Congress in Upstate New York called the cops tonight...on him. ...

Morning Briefs: Stuff You May Have Already Read Somewhere Else
Moonbattery — ... Item Number One:I believe I mentioned yesterday how the Republican Party has nominated pro-abortion, pro-union, pro-tax Olympia Snowe-clone DedeScozzafava to run in the special election for New York's 23rd district. It gets worse. At a campaign dinner, a reporter from the Weekly Standard challenged Ms. Sozzafava on card check, increasing taxes to pay for socialized health care, and including abortion in socialized health care. Ms. Scozzafava responded by calling the police on him. ...

Startling Scozzafava
True North - Pointing Minnesota in the Right Direction — ... McCormack scared Scozzafava so badly that she called the cops on him. "[Scozzafava] got startled, that's all," the officer explained to McCormack. "It's not like you're in any trouble."

Startling Scozzafava
Power Line — ... McCormack scared Scozzafava so badly that she called the cops on him. "[Scozzafava] got startled, that's all," the officer explained to McCormack. "It's not like you're in any trouble." ...

How to lose an election, Dede Scozzafava style
The Moderate Voice — ... demonstrating how to lose a race in a district your party has held for more than one hundred years. When a reporter shows up to ask you about your position on some uncomfortable topics, you can respond in a number of ways. You could just spill your guts honestly, attempt some spin, or even reply with a gruff, “No comment.” All of these are tried and true tactics of American politicians. One of the less well known and perhaps inadvisable strategies would be to…. call the police on the reporter. ...

Cops Called About Reporter Committing Journalism on Congressional Candidate
NewsBusters.org - Exposing Liberal Media Bias — ... here on NewsBusters, is running in the special election for the open seat in the NY 23rd congressional district. She was being questioned last night by John McCormack of the Weekly Standard when the police were called with a complaint about him for making Scozzafava uncomfortable with his probing questions. Here is how McCormack describes the scene: ...

Awesome: Super-Liberal "Republican" Dede Scozzaflava Calls Cops on Weekly Standard Reporter for... Asking Questions
Ace of Spades HQ — Awesome: Super-Liberal "Republican" Dede Scozzaflava Calls Cops on Weekly Standard Reporter for... Asking Questions John McCormack is a respectable, professional sort of guy. Not like all those fashionably-dressed Town Hall Terrorists the media is always so very, very worried about. He asked her three questions. This "startled" her, according to the cop who then interviewed McCormack. I spotted Scozzafava later as she was walking to the parking lot, and asked her: " Assemblywoman, do you believe that the health-care bill should exclude coverage for abortion?" She didn't reply. ...

One Croissant - Heavy on the Crap, Please
Daily Pundit — The Weekly Standard Tonight, Dede Scozzafava, the Republican candidate for the November 3 special election in the 23rd congressional district, spoke to about 100 Republicans at the Lewis County GOP dinner at the Elks Lodge 1605. After a dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, Scozzafava fended off criticism that she wasn’t as conservative as third-party candidate Doug Hoffman and urged her supporters to vote for her in order to keep her Democratic opponent Bill Owens from serving as a rubber stamp for Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama’s ...

It’s Called Common Sense, McCormack
Balloon Juice — When wingnuts attack: I spotted Scozzafava later as she was walking to the parking lot, and asked her: ” Assemblywoman, do you believe that the health-care bill should exclude coverage for abortion?” She didn’t reply. I asked her twice more. Silence. After she got into her car, I went to my car and fired up my laptop to report the evening’s events. Minutes later a police car drove into the parking lot with its lights flashing. Officer Grolman informed me that she was called because “there was a little ...

Dede Scozzafava, Like Obama, Tries To Use Police Powers to Prevent Questioning Her
RedState — The insanity that is Dede Scozzafava continues in New York’s 23rd Congressional District. Last night, Scozzafava said people should vote for her to prevent the Democrat being a rubber stamp for Pelosi and Obama. She then went on to reverse her position on card check — she now supports it. She then went on to refuse to say whether she thought abortion funding should be in the health care bill. Then, as people continued to ask her questions, she called the police to make the reporters stop. It is increasingly apparently that Dede ...

NY RINO Dede Scozzafava Handles Tough Questions By Calling Cops
Nice Deb — ... Is this a new one? After the town halls this past summer, I’m not sure. But calling the police on a reporter because his questions “startled her’, would seem to be breaking new ground in the in the ever expanding realm of  political weaseldom. Weekly Standard reporter, John McCormack shares his story of his confrontation with Scozzafava after a GOP dinner in Lewis County: …after the dinner, I asked Assemblywoman Scozzafava if she supports card check. “Yes, yes I do,” she replied. At that ...

Scozzafava Campaign Calls The Police On Weekly Standard Reporter
TPM Election Central — ... The Standard's John McCormack reported that he asked Scozzafava repeated questions about her support for the Employee Free Choice Act, her positions on health care, taxes and abortion. After a staffer got in between him and the candidate, he followed her to the parking lot and kept trying to ask questions. ...

In Other Thin-Skinned Political Developments
Jules Crittenden — ... Weekly Standard’s John McCormack  gets the bum’s rush at a political event because he asked the candidate about her positions. The problem seems to be that Dede Scozzafava is uncomfortable with people knowing that how well she lines up with the Obama admin … including the shoot-the-messenger part. Here’s ...

Scozzafava does not get along with the Weekly Standard
Capitol Confidential — ... was a little bit of an uncomfortable situation” and then took down my name, date of birth, and address. “Maybe we do things a little differently here, but you know, persistence in that area, you scared the candidate a little bit,” Officer Grolman told me. “[Scozzafava] got startled, that’s all,” Officer Grolman added. “It’s not like you’re in any trouble.” Read McCormack’s full post here. Politico got the response from Scozzafava’s campaign: ...

10/20: Can Reid Ignore Burris?
Blogometer — ... ) are mocking NY-23 candidate Dede Scozzafava (R) for calling the police on Weekly Standard blogger John McCormack after he pressed her to answer several questions following a campaign event. Meanwhile, righty bloggers ( ...

The NY-23 GOP Meltdown Continues
The New Republic blogs — It's bad enough that, if current trends continue, the GOP is likely to lose what should be a [image] gimme congressional seat in New York's 23rd district next month thanks to a conservative spoiler candidate. Now sparks are flying between the moderate GOP nominee, Dede Scozzafava, and The Weekly Standard , which backs Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman. Attending an event in Lowville, NY, the Standard 's John McCormack reports : After a dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, Scozzafava fended off criticism that she wasn't as conservative as third-party ...

Gingrich on endorsing Scozzafava: I know I’m right
Hot Air » Top Picks — ... special election, she’s probably looking at another challenge from Doug Hoffman a year from now anyway. I don’t get why Gingrich is digging in here: If he runs for president, this’ll be used against him by Romney et al., and if he doesn’t run for president, it’ll hurt his standing among conservatives as a senior statesman/spokesman for the party. Mystifying. Meanwhile, it turns out that Scozzafava’s own husband was the one who called the cops on John McCormack after he dared ask her a few questions in the parking lot. (Quote from a Scozzafava spokesman : “I ...

Candidate Calls Cops On Reporter Respectfully Asking Tough Questions In A Public Place
Rhymes With Right — ... public office ! When John McCormack of The Weekly Standard showed up at a public event for congressional candidate Dede Scozzafava (R-NY 23) on Monday night, he dared to act like a journalist and asked her questions about her positions on important issues and legislation. In response, Scozzafava’s campaign did something extraordinary. I went to my car and fired up my laptop to report the evening's events. Minutes later a police car drove into the parking lot with its lights flashing. Officer Grolman informed me that she was called because "there was a little bit of an ...

links for 2009-10-20
FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog — ... (tags: Obamacare harry_reid) Dede Scozzafava, the GOP candidate in the NY 23rd congressional district calls cops on reporter But I do wonder if it’s the Scozzafava campaign that’s in trouble–with a candidate who supports card ...

Links for 2009-10-20 [del.icio.us]
FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog — ... the country's flawed August election. "I see this as a process, not something that's going to happen all of the sudden," Gates said. "I believe that the president will have to make his decisions in the context of that evolutionary process." Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell added that Gates believed the issue of the Afghan government's legitimacy went well beyond the question of whoever would be declared winner of the election, Dede Scozzafava, the GOP candidate in the NY 23rd congressional district calls cops on reporter ...

10/21: Is Dede Doomed?
Blogometer — ... ' John Hawkins : "How Beltway dumb does the RNC and NRCC have to be to set up a situation where everyone from the Weekly Standard to ...

Hoffman mocks 911 call
Ben Smith's Blog — Doug Hoffman's new spot in upstate New York is a mock-911 call riffing on the now-notorious Weekly Standard incident: "I work for Dede Scozzafava. A reporter just asked her about voting to increase taxes!" gasps the caller.

Conservatives Call On Scozzafava To Withdraw
Real Clear Politics - TIME.com — ... , were all published at around noon today. The calls for Scozzafava's withdrawal come in response to her husband calling the police on Weekly Standard reporter John McCormack, who was attempting to question the GOP nominee on some of her policy stances following a campaign event. McCormack followed her into the parking lot for further questions, and a police officer later approached him, saying the candidate had been "startled." Conservative groups, including Club for Growth, are standing behind Doug Hoffman, who is running on the Conservative Party line in the Nov. 3 ...

Revolt on the Right
The American Spectator — ... where local Republicans nominated a liberal who supports card check and same-sex marriage but won't forthrightly disavow either tax increases or a health care bill that funds abortion. Dede Scozzafava won't even commit to how long she'll support House Minority Leader John Boenher for speaker. Faced with persistent questions from John McCormack, a conservative young reporter from the Weekly Standard , aimed at discerning her predilection for pulling an Arlen Specter, Scozzafava called the cops . Her press secretary later released an e-mail exchange with McCormack they ...

Scozzafava hits trail with GOP women
News — ... Barack Obama tapped as Army Secretary. The district has long been held by Republicans, but that could change this year if Republicans split their vote between Hoffman and Scozzafava. The video of Scozzafava, Collins, and Brown-Waite is listed as private despite the fact she shared it with the public on Twitter. In recent days, Scozzafava's campaign has been plagued by gaffes. She staged a photo-op surrounded by Hoffman supporters and called the police on a reporter.

Against the Establishment
RIGHTWINGSPARKLE — ... A short Sitrep: District 23 in New York is having a special election for their House seat. Its a three-way race which surprisingly includes a strong third party challenge from Doug Hoffman from the Conservative party. Recent events have shed light on and damaged the Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava. Including calling the police on a Weekly Standard journalist. Honestly, what a wimp. ...

Hoffman Leading?
Real Clear Politics - TIME.com — ... their candidates than other, non-partisan pollsters. On the other hand, there's been a dearth of polling in the district, accompanied by a surge of activity.  The last polling was conducted October 19-20 by liberal website DailyKos.  It showed Hoffman at 23%, Owens at 35%, and Scozzafava at 30%.    Polling conducted a week earlier by nonpartisan Siena showed a similar Owens lead. Since those polls were conducted, Scozzafava has endured a spate of bad publicity.  In particular, her use of the police to stop an aggressive reporter has received widespread attention in the ...

Watcher's Council Results
Rhymes With Right — ... Second place with 2/3 points – (T * ) – The Weekly Standard - Scozzafava Calls the Cops Second place with 2/3 points – (T * ) – Right Wing Nut House - ...

Hullabaloo — ... The Standard's John McCormack reported that he asked Scozzafava repeated questions about her support for the Employee Free Choice Act, her positions on health care, taxes and abortion. ...

Dede Goes Down Upstate
The American Spectator — ... on Weekly Standard reporter John McCormack, who had tried to get her to answer questions about her position on tax increases and "card-check" legislation. Even before the confrontation with McCormack, however, Scozzafava's candidacy failed to draw strong GOP backing in a district that regularly voted by 2-to-1 margins for Republican Rep. John McHugh, whose appointment as Army Secretary had created the vacancy to be filled by Tuesday's special election. Hoffman's conservative campaign effectively doomed the Republican nominee by exposing her liberal voting record in the New ...

Five Reasons NY-23 Doesn't Tell Us Anything
RealClearPolitics - Homepage — ... moderate for the Republican base was chosen (b) in a process that does not have the legitimacy that primary elections have. If Scozzafava had to compete in a primary, she either would have lost (most likely scenario) or, had she won (less likely), she would have been able to claim a legitimacy that she could not claim. Because most party nominees are chosen by primaries, it means you cannot extrapolate from NY-23 to the broader party. (2) Dede Scozzafava was a TERRIBLE candidate . Her people called the cops on John McCormack . Seriously. She held a press conference in front ...