THE NEWEST GADGET: THE ARKANSAS LEFTY PISSED-O-METER

After watching the Arkansas Primary and Run-off take place, I'm not sure I'm shrill enough to be a "progressive".

Blanche Lincoln appeared to have a real problem.  The lefties were honked because she wouldn't vote for the "public option".  The blue to purple dogs were wailing because she voted for the Health Insurance Package at all.  Her opponent, magically, found ways to suck up to both sides.  Mostly he aligned himself with the Movies, the Rooties and the DFA types.  He raised piles of money.  He was presentable and Blanch, undeniably, had made a whole bunch of shiny new enemies.

But as long as you keep Lincolns out of the Ford Theater, they are remarkably durable.  She had two assets that made her tough in a Run-off.  Long term committeemen knew her, liked her and respected how she stayed in touch with the people she met on the way up.  These were the people who knew how to do a GOTV.  They did, particularly in Pulaski County.  Run-offs are an interesting creature in Arkansas.  GOTV will almost always win an otherwise close Run-off. Blanche had the the GOTV experts.  Halter had Generation Next and the odd Deaniac.   Her other asset was the ever-useful William Jefferson Clinton.  WJC, himself once lost a general election for congress but, since 1993, no one he's endorsed for legislative office in Arkansas has lost, including a couple of serious underdogs.

Anyhow, Blanche won.  Now we get to measure how pissed the lefties and the Purple Dogs really are at her.  Do they stay home?  Do they cross over?  Do they throw fruit and vegetables?  I don't think so.  Arkansans haven't gotten excited about a Republican other than Huckabee since Timmy Hutch's wick-dip episodes.