The Chicago machine knows how to game the system, and this is a textbook example of how things operate. In a very shrewd political move, the Obama administration appointed Rep. John McHugh as the Secretary of the Army. This manuever gave the Obama administration a thread of bi-partisan credential, and it set up a possible democratic take over of a republican stronghold. Brilliant strategy from the outset. You have to give credit where credit is due.
It seems like the fix was in early on and that it ran very deep. How 11 GOP state officials (not even sure what that really means) came to choose someone as liberal as Dede Scozzafava for a district that has been staunchly conservative and republican is a real question. If you're into conspiracy theories or deep deep chess moves and subterfuge, you can't help but wonder if the democrats ever really wanted to win this race, or did they want to plant another Olympia Snow style republican? Some how that is exactly what state GOP officials intended to hand them. The democrats bought the seat opening with the Secretary of the Army job offer. The real question is, what did they pay for the Olympia Snow-clone appointment?
But perhaps it was a "Bridge Too Far". The attempt to buy a coveted 'bi-partisan' vote was discovered. The voters suddenly realized that they had no one on the ballot that even came close to representing their views, and they revolted. The until recently silent majority, but now politically aware Tea Party movement called fowl once again. In what appears to demonstrate the non-partisan anti two party system that they loathe, Doug Hoffman appeared on the scene as an alternative to business as usual politics. The fix was in, this was supposed to be a done deal, but the people said 'not so fast'. And, as even die hard party line politicians abandoned the GOP's choice for office and endorsed the third party candidate, thing got even more out of control.
In a stunning twist befitting the ending of any good conspiracy movie Dede Scozzafava withdrew from the race and through her support to the democratic candidate! Yes! She told her supporters to support the Democrat she has set out to run against!
No matter who wins, the moral of the story is the same. The two party system is more interested in keeping their power and making money (or getting nice jobs) than representing the people who sent them to office. That's the same for Democrats and Republicans. If Hoffman wins, then hopefully it teaches the masses how important the tea party movement is, and what potential it has. Political parties do come and go. I find it ironic that Obama's hero Abraham Lincoln was also the founder of the Republican party. The Whigs had politicized their way into obscurity and something different was needed. Here we are again. Something different is needed. It's not the ideals of the people seeking representation that need to change, it is the leadership of those who wish to represent them that needs to change.
The Chicago style takeover of NY district 23 has gone to plan 'B'. If they can't get their Olympia Snow-clone candidate in then they'll just go for it outright. A democrat win. Reports are that many of Dede's supporters are going to Bill Owens, the democrat on the ticket. I think that speaks volumes about the inside baseball, behind the scenes politicking that was at play. Dede Scozzafava clearly had democratic support because the machine wanted another Olympia Snow-clone.
Let's see what happens.
