Christmas Day Bomber Debacle

Senator Collins does an excellent job in laying out the problems in the handling of the Attempted Christmas Day Bomber in the following video. There has been little reason given by those who want terrorists tried in civilian courts as to why military tribunals are not adequate. There is a media perception that military tribunals are 'less fair,' but that has not been backed up by evidence. The complaints under the Bush administration were legitimate because there was no timeline for detainees to be tried. That was rectified with the bipartisan vote to institute military tribunals. Those who want civilian trails would be wise to answer the questions, 'Why civilian courts?' and 'Why are military courts not suitable?'

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Senator Collins Upset About The Handling of The Christmas Bomber

Reid Labeled The Most Vulnerable Incumbent

LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL: Sen. Harry Reid is holding a reservations-only forum at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas today to talk about health care, a divisive subject that has contributed to his new status as ''most vulnerable incumbent'' in 2010, according to a top political tracker.

Reid's unpopularity with his home state crowd is nothing new; his poll numbers have been plunging ever since he became Senate majority leader and began leading the Democratic Party's efforts to reform the nation's health care system as promised by President Barack Obama.

What's new is that Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., announced Wednesday that he wouldn't run for re-election, which means Reid now replaces Dodd as the Democrat most likely to lose in what the Cook Political Report shows as ''toss-up'' Senate races.  "Reid is now the most vulnerable incumbent based mostly on poll numbers,'' Cook's Jennifer Duffy said. She noted that he's trailing in early opinion surveys against two Republicans: Sue Lowden, ex-chairwoman of the Nevada Republican Party and a former state senator, and businessman Danny Tarkanian, a former UNLV basketball star. More than a half-dozen other lesser-known Republicans also are challenging Reid. . . .


Reid spokesman Jon Summers dismissed outside surveys, saying, "Our internal polling shows us beating all of our potential opponents'' without offering details. "Senator Reid is focused on creating jobs in Nevada and getting the state's economy back on track,'' he added.

In early December, a poll commissioned by the Las Vegas Review-Journal showed 50 percent of Nevadans disapproved of Reid's efforts to get a health care bill through the Senate. Some 39 percent approved and 11 percent weren't sure. Mason-Dixon conducted the survey of 625 registered voters. . . . [Full Story]

DailyKos Says Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln Should Retire

Rasmussen Reports reveals that Arkansas Blanche Lincoln's popularity has not improved. In fact, "Lincoln are pretty much the same as last year’s while she prepares to face Arkansas voters in November." A new Rasmussen Reports survey shows that "Lincoln’s support for reelection at 38% or 39% no matter which of four potential Republican challengers she is matched against. . . . The two-term senator, who was reelected with 54% of the vote in 2004, appears more vulnerable because of her visible and pivotal role in the Senate debate over health care. Lincoln was the last Democrat to vote for allowing the debate to formally begin . . ."

Daily Kos, a liberal democrat progressive Obama site, responds, "The closer those incumbents were to 50 percent, the more likely they were to survive. Lincoln, stuck at around 40 percent, is in dire straits. No incumbent dipping into the 30s survived in '06 or '08. Quite simply, she is unelectable. Democrats have a thick bench in Arkansas, and could make a serious bid to hold the seat. But Lincoln won't pull it off. She's toast. If Lincoln cares about her state and her party, she'll do the honorable thing like Chris Dodd and retire. Otherwise, let's hope Lt. Gov. Bill Halter forcefully retires her in a primary."

It looks like Democrats and Republicans can agree that it is time to Dump Blanch Lincoln.ARRA News Service