Who has called the ad controversial?

Collins only chance at slowing Tom Allen's gains in this race is to distract Maine voters from her votes on actual issues by bringing up how many votes Tom has missed. Maine voters are smarter than this. I know they are.

Susan Collins may have never missed a vote, but I can think of a few that I bet she wished she did miss.

8,000 Maine students have already voted in this election and 80% of them voted for Tom Allen. Collins camp should be scared for sure, that is a lot of ground to make up on Nov. 4.

You live in a fantasy world. Allen is the living embodiment of the Peter Principle. He has no personal appeal and has run a lousy campaign. He is on his way to a double digit loss. He should have stayed in the House.

The argument over the ad was the highlight of Wednesday's debate.

http://themainerace.com/2008/10/22/98-percent-of-success-is-just-showing-u/

Yes, I'm living in a fantasy world for sure. A fantasy world where there will be a landslide victory for Barack Obama and Chellie Pingree in Maine. A fantasy world where the record setting voter turnout expected this cycle will give Tom Allen the victory over Susan Collins and her shameful 6 years of voting with the Bush/Cheney Administration. Luckily, this is the year where fantasy meets reality.

Let us remember that Susan voted for two successive rounds of tax cuts for the rich, backed Bush on Iraq and then she refused requests from Lieberman (I-CT) to hold hearings about the administration's heinous Iraq contracting practices.

Susan backed Bush's nomination of Sam Alito to the Supreme Court, yet she claims to be pro-choice? Excuse me?

Susan backed granting retroactive immunity to the telecom companies who spied on their customers. Are Mainer's REALLY alright with this? I just don't think so.

Susan also voted in favor of the President's unconstitutional plan to destroy the 800 year old right of habeas corpus, a foundational principle of Western law.

Luckily, this year will see record turnout for those who care about the REAL issues. Last cycle we saw voter turnout in Maine at its highest level ever, approximately 71-74%. The Maine Secretary of State is already projecting turnout higher than 80%. I don't suspect McCain/Collins leaning voters are going to be making up that new 9-6%. What do you think? I hope your polls that show Tom 11-14% down are accounting for this properly.

Please, please don't underestimate the Democratic turnout this election, friend. Every single House and Senate Democrat will ride Senator Obama's coat tails this cycle, in every state. Maine will be no different.

Just be ready for the sweep on November 4th and try not

It will all be over soon.

All the polls that show Obama way ahead in Maine also show Allen way behind. Depsite Allen's lame attempt to pretend he is Obama, they have nothing in common beyond their leftist politics.

While some Republicans Feel the Weight of Bush’s Image, a Senator in Maine Soars

http://tinyurl.com/timesallen

If Obama's campaign newspaper says Allen is toast, I think it's safe to say it's time to throw in the towel.

"It is shaping up as one of the most challenging years that anyone can remember for Republican senators seeking re-election. But as other Republican incumbents elsewhere are battling for their political lives, Senator Susan Collins appears to be gliding toward a third term. "

Allen has sunk as low as his polling numbers with this one. The ad highlights his lack of accomplishment against Collins'. She's passed 55 bills, Allen has passed 3. She has stood far more as an independent voice and has not been toady to leadership when compared to Allen's 98% go alongs with Pelosi. The ad talks about missed votes and makes no mention of why. Allen is the one who has brought his family into the fight instead of standing on his own two feet. He missed votes to go to Hollywood fund raisers, baseball games, and even when he's been in D.C. but knew his vote wouldn't matter - which is quite often if you look at his vacuious tenure in Washington. This a last ditch effort to close an ever increasing gap in the race. Pitiful and desperate - that's the Allen campaign. What next? Will he wheel out his wife to fight his battles? Shameful.

Bearclaw:

Of the 230 bills that Collins has introduced in the Senate, 15 have passed, not 55 (look up govtrack). The 55 number is a total of amendments and bills introduced. You also display a total lack of how things work for the minority party in the House - and how worse it was under Tom DeLay. Research and learn. What kind of power do you think Collins is going to have for Maine as a minority senator working with an Obama administration - I'll tell you - nada.

For those that are interested, the entire WCSH debate is available here. Watch it yourselves.

Billings:

You seem so angry now compared to a few weeks back. Take a chill pill and keep from becoming famous again.

I have spent much of my week dealing with campaign finance violations by the Democrats and baseless complaints by the Democrats so maybe I am a bit grumpy.

But how can anyone trumpet polls to argue that Obama is going to win and ignore the same polls that say Allen is going to lose?

Tom Allen is a terrible candidate. He has done a lousy job despite having plenty of money and a political environment which is great for Democrats.

Dan:

I haven't trumpeted a poll here - I merely stated a fact that you well know - the question isn't whether Obama is going to win, it is by how much.

Allen in down in the polls, in large part because of Dems and independents that will vote for Obama and Collins. I have a week to help change that reality, an effort that may prove unsuccessful.

But I will try. I will ask these voters to explain how they can live with an apparent discrepancy.

I'll ask you the same thing, because from you I'll likely get the best answer:

How can someone vote for Obama and Collins? I'll guess that I am not the only one that looks forward to your answer.

If you need space, I'm sure Mike will let you post a diary. I am happy to see it cross posted at TMB and AMG. Cheers.

Collins will probably be the most powerful person in Congress when this is over. Listen to what Shailagh Murray of the Washington Post says:

"Reston, Va.: I think it's pretty clear we're going to see a change in leadership on the House GOP side, but what about in the Senate? If McConnell is re-elected, does he keep his spot as minority leader? Who could challenge him? Jim DeMint?

Shailagh Murray: Excellent question. You cannot underestimate the potential for a total GOP meltdown if the party gets wiped out next month. And the biggest group left standing will be committed post-1994 conservatives. I do not see a DeMint rising up in the Senate -- nobody particularly likes the guy -- but I also don't see many options beyond a reshuffling of the current team. If Harry Reid comes out with 57 or 58 votes, the most powerful people in the Senate will be a handful of Republicans like Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, along with Joe Lieberman. "
http://tinyurl.com/6f2wbb

The question is not whether Collins will win, the question is only by how much.

Why would someone vote for Obama and Collins? Most Maine voters are moderates. They dislike the extremes of both parties. Giving the Democrats the Presidency, 60 seats in the Senate, and 250 seats in the House is not a recipe for moderation. A Collins vote is a vote for moderation.