Newspaper Roundup for Tuesday, November 2, 2009
CNSNews.com Headlines — ... Some voters feel like they no longer have a voice in Washington Politico: Conservatives plan to challenge a dozen GOP candidates in 2010 Washington Post: ...

Conservatives to challenge a dozen GOP candidates
The Political Carnival — Couldn't happen to a finer bunch of politicians. Extinction is the word that keeps on popping into my head. Much more at the link. In what could be a nightmare scenario for Republican Party officials, conservative activists are gearing up to challenge leading GOP candidates in more than a dozen key House and Senate races in 2010. Conservatives and tea party activists had already set their sights on some of the GOP’s top Senate recruits — a list that includes Gov. Charlie Crist in Florida, former ...

A.M. Roundup
Capitol Confidential — ... For the GOP, 2010 could look a lot like 2009 in the North Country: More than a dozen GOP incumbents are being targeted by more conservative challengers. (Politico) ...

Independents’ Day: GOP has high expectations, but indie energy may rule
The Note — ... "In what could be a nightmare scenario for Republican Party officials, conservative activists are gearing up to challenge leading GOP candidates in more than a dozen key House and Senate races in 2010," Politico's Charles Mahtesian and Alex Isenstadt report. ...

ThinkFast: November 3, 2009
Think Progress — ... Buoyed by their success in New York’s 23rd congressional race, right-wing activists,“are gearing up to challenge leading GOP candidates in more than a dozen key House and Senate races in 2010.” “What you’re going to see,” said FreedomWorks’ Dick Armey, “is moderates and conservatives across the country in primaries.” ...

Thoughts on Internecine Party Conflict [By Jeff Solsby - D.C. "Beltway" - Flash Report]
The Flash Report Blog and Commentary — The media is making much of the perceived split between moderate or establishment Republicans and conservative, activist Republicans.  And while it's interesting to watch, it's really nothing new to the Grand Old Party.  Nor is it really such a bad thing, for either party.  We see this push-pull today in the NY23 flap, and in the move, reported here in Politico, from conservatives to run primary challenges against moderate/establishment/incumbents with whom the former are displeased. And while the media may focus on this as if it's big news, the reality is that political ...

GOP: Clarity, Not Civil War
Riehl World View — ... If one contrasts the Daily News with Politico and the headlines with the stories, you'll see two views regarding an alleged GOP "Uncivil War", as Politico calls it. It's important to note what Dick Armey actually said. He's talking about genuine Moderate Republicans perhaps challenging Liberal ones. But you wouldn't know that from the Daily News. ...

Taking the model on the road
Political Animal — ... THE MODEL ON THE ROAD.... In New York's 23rd, it was the Republican Party vs. the Republican Party's base. The party wanted a moderate candidate with a history of serving the community; the base wanted a right-wing newbie who didn't actually live in the district. The base won; the GOP candidate was forced out of the race; and the far-right Beck acolyte is poised to do very well today. So, any chance the Tea Party crowd will feel satiated, content in knowing they proved their point? Fat chance . In what could be a nightmare scenario for Republican Party officials, conservative ...

Taylor Marsh: Sarah Palin is Now the GOP Establishment
Politics on HuffingtonPost.com — ... It's the second time this year that Sarah Palin going rogue has paid off. Her "death panels" squeal set Pres. Obama and the Democrats back on their heals, and when she came out to endorse Mr. Hoffman it seemed laughable. It doesn't matter that former Sen. Fred Thompson and his wife were there too. Sarah Palin took the spotlight. If Mr. Hoffman wins tonight, which looks like is going to happen, it will be as if Christmas has come early. Palin's Facebook page sure to be flooded, as the right-wing revolution begins. ...

GOP running scared over primaries?
Hot Air » Top Picks — ... We’ve seen an inordinate amount of handwringing over the campaign of Douglas Hoffman in NY-23’s special election today, as some in the party have openly wondered whether conservatives will split into a third party for the 2010 general elections.  That consists entirely of empty speculation, as no one has even tried that — and the Hoffman example doesn’t apply as a precedent anyway.  Now, Politico reports that the hysteria in the GOP over conservatism has now made them scared of a perfectly normal and legitimate intraparty mechanism — the primary.  Either the GOP needs to get ...

Far Right Activists on the Rise
Little Green Footballs — ... Politico has a piece on the rise of what they’re calling “conservatives,” but what I would call the “far right” — the surging tea party-spawned candidates who are going to make life very difficult for the Republican Party, and guarantee the reelection of Barack Obama with their extreme rhetoric and agenda: Uncivil War: Conservatives to challenge a dozen GOP candidates. ...

The Conservative Republicans’ Quest For Ideological Purity Is A Recipe For Suicide
Below The Beltway — ... It would appear that the mess in NY-23 is only the beginning of the conservative activist’s attack on the Republican establishment: ...

For Democrats, NY-23 is Heads We Win, Tails They Lose
Firedoglake — ... Good luck building a national party with the militia set as your shock troops, GOP. And the process has begun.  

SSP Daily Digest: 11/3
Swing State Project — ... ? Teabaggers: Could it be that the legacy media are finally noticing that the rise of the teabaggers, as seen in their decapitation of the Republican establishment candidate in NY-23, could spell only deeper trouble for Republicans in 2010? Politico and ...

Armey Meets With Author Of Town Hall Harassment Strategy Memo To Plan Purge Of Moderates From GOP
Think Progress — ... .” Similarly, the next step of Armey’s agenda appears to be an intensified crusade to challenge moderate Republicans in primaries. The ...

Look Out, Charlie Crist: Teabagger World Domination Plan Coming to Florida
Firedoglake — ... There’s going to be a lot of talk about winners and losers in the media this week after today’s elections. Before knowing the outcome, I think it’s clear who one loser is – Florida Governor Charlie Crist. The success of the conservative movement in driving out a moderate Republican in NY-23 will embolden that same crowd, and Crist appears at the top of every hit list. He is facing conservative Marco Rubio in Florida’s Senate election, and Crist’s past support of the stimulus package in particular makes him an inviting target. Also, Rubio ...

TOO DELICIOUS TO BE TERMED ‘IRONY’
Right Wing Nut House — ... The Republican Party wins ONLY when Conservatism is it’s core. Willy-Nilly RINOISM got us shalacked in 2006 and 2008. Trying to out liberal the liberals, quasi-Republicans made deals with the devil and got burned in the process. Is that too remarkable for words? One state, two state, red state, blue state - it doesn’t matter. Those in thrall to ideology see things exactly the same only coming at the issue from opposite ends of the spectrum. Politico had this piece of cheery news today; the True Blue Conservative Brigade will fan out across the country and attack those they ...

Dick Armey needs a new metaphor
Daily Kos — Dick Armey on the network of teabaggers supporting Doug Hoffman in NY-23: I would say it’s the tip of the spear. Actually, Dick, you've got it all backwards. Really, you do. ...

11/3 News: America's Pols
Booker Rising — ... In what could be a nightmare scenario for Republican Party officials, conservative activists are gearing up to challenge leading GOP candidates in more than a dozen key U.S. House and U.S. Senate races in 2010. Conservatives and tea party activists had already set their sights on some of the GOP’s top Senate recruits — a list that includes Gov. Charlie Crist in Florida, former Rep. Rob Simmons in Connecticut and Rep. Mark Kirk in Illinois, among others. Activists predict a wave that could roll from California to Kentucky to New Hampshire and that could leave even some GOP ...

Teabaggers Eager To Burn Down The Republican Pup Tent Rather Than See Mainstream Conservatives Win
DownWithTyranny! — ... Today's Politico painted a picture the Republican Inside-the-Beltway power structure is probably not ready for. But probably has no way to resist: ...

The Note's Must-Reads for Wednesday, November 4, 2009
The Note — ... LINK The Wall Street Journal’s Kristina Peterson: “Proposed Change in Patent Policy Pits Big Firms vs. Small” LINK The New York Times’ Jackie Calmes: “Congress Poised to Keep Homebuyers’ Tax Credit” LINK The Wall Street Journal’s Kara Scannell and Damian Paletta: “Small Business Gets Breaks in House Financial-Overhaul Bill” LINK Politico’s Charles Mahtesian and Alex Isenstadt: “Uncivil War: Conservatives to challenge a dozen GOP candidates” LINK The Hill's Silla Brush: “Frank: House won’t vote on financial overhaul until Dec.” ...

Weds. morning links
Maggie's Farm — ... it is refusing to pay those costs. Like other ways of refusing to pay costs, it has consequences. I do not think this is a racial thing. I think it's an effect of urban one-party governmental cultures of corruption. A generation ago, it would have been Irish pols. Gays protest against free speech. Good grief. The Archbishop has a blog? Cool. Coyote: An ACORN Relief Act Politico terms it an "uncivil war." I think it's just what parties do to figure ...

ThinkFast: November 3, 2009
The Hollywood Liberal — ... a dozen key House and Senate races in 2010.” “What you’re going to see,” said FreedomWorks’ Dick Armey, “is moderates and conservatives across the country in primaries.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) […] Tea Party Buoyed by their success in New York’s 23rd congressional race, right-wing activists “are gearing up to challenge leading GOP candidates in more than a dozen key House and Senate races in 2010.” “What you’re going to see,” said FreedomWorks’ Dick Armey, “is moderates and conservatives across the country in primaries .” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid ...

What Happened Last Night? Short Answer: Mixed Bag
DownWithTyranny! — ... With GOP factions arming themselves for a bloody civil war, and N.Y. Republican Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava talking about how all the hyperbolic right-wing ...

Armey Is Building An Army
Delaware Liberal — ... .” Similarly, the next step of Armey’s agenda appears to be an intensified crusade to challenge moderate Republicans in primaries. The ...

Epic Teabagger fail in NY-23
Blog For Arizona — ... Dick Armey's "tip of the spear" ... is kind of flaccid. Uncivil War: Conservatives to challenge a dozen GOP candidates (In what could be a nightmare scenario for Republican Party officials, conservative activists are gearing up to challenge leading GOP candidates in more than a dozen key House and Senate races in 2010.) ...

MESSAGE SENT, LESSONS LEARNED
Right Wing Nut House — ... lot of “holding of noses” by people in Virginia and New Jersey when going into the polling booth. I sense little enthusiasm for choosing Republicans over Democrats - something that can be changed only if the lessons from last night sink in with the mossbacks currently in charge of the party in Washington. What are those lessons? Listen to conservatives. Not the ones calling for a purge of incumbents that don’t measure up to some idiotic notion of ideological purity. That way leads to madness and defeat : But their success in Tuesday’s upstate New York special election, where ...

Weekend Opinionator: Are Democrats, Too, Facing a Civil War?
Opinionator — ... principled … In Washington, some party leaders worry that viable moderate candidates could be damaged if they bow to conservative pressures, particularly in Senate races in California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky and New Hampshire. Sen. John Cornyn (Tex.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, cautioned that hotly contested primaries could leave eventual nominees ‘broke and bloody.’ ” – Charles Mahtesian and Alex Isenstadt at Politico: “In what could be a nightmare scenario for Republican Party officials, conservative activists are gearing up to ...