Farewell. The Flying Pig Has Left The Building.

Steve Hynd, August 16, 2012

After four years on the Typepad site, eight years total blogging, Newshoggers is closing it's doors today. We've been coasting the last year or so, with many of us moving on to bigger projects (Hey, Eric!) or simply running out of blogging enthusiasm, and it's time to give the old flying pig a rest.

We've done okay over those eight years, although never being quite PC enough to gain wider acceptance from the partisan "party right or wrong" crowds. We like to think we moved political conversations a little, on the ever-present wish to rush to war with Iran, on the need for a real Left that isn't licking corporatist Dem boots every cycle, on America's foreign misadventures in Afghanistan and Iraq. We like to think we made a small difference while writing under that flying pig banner. We did pretty good for a bunch with no ties to big-party apparatuses or think tanks.

Those eight years of blogging will still exist. Because we're ending this typepad account, we've been archiving the typepad blog here. And the original blogger archive is still here. There will still be new content from the old 'hoggers crew too. Ron writes for The Moderate Voice, I post at The Agonist and Eric Martin's lucid foreign policy thoughts can be read at Democracy Arsenal.

I'd like to thank all our regular commenters, readers and the other bloggers who regularly linked to our posts over the years to agree or disagree. You all made writing for 'hoggers an amazingly fun and stimulating experience.

Thank you very much.

Note: This is an archive copy of Newshoggers. Most of the pictures are gone but the words are all here. There may be some occasional new content, John may do some posts and Ron will cross post some of his contributions to The Moderate Voice so check back.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

'94 & '96 Redux

By John Ballard



We aren't there yet, but yesterday's announcements by Dodd, Dorgan and a few others reminded me of another moment when a lot of decent people fled the Washington cesspool. 





During the 1994 US Senate election cycle. Six Democratic US Senators and 3 Republican decided not to seek re-election.


Dennis Deconcini-AZ- who was implicated in the Keating 5 S+L Scandal. was going to lose re-election. Seat went Republican- Kyl-R defeated Sam Coppersmith-D a one term Democratic Congressman from a Red District previously held by John McCain.


George Mitchell-ME- the elder statesman Senate Majority Leader- would have been a shoe-in had he ran again. Seat went Republican- Moderate Republican US Rep Olympia Snowe- soundly defeated Liberal Democratic US Rep Tom Andrews.


Don Reigle-MI - implicated in the Keating 5 S+L Scandal. Seat went Republican. Spencer Abraham- the former chair of RNC defeated longtime MI-8 US Congressman Bob Carr. Abraham-R became a one termer in 2000.


Dave Durenberger-MN- A moderate Republican- involved in Ethics Scandal- retired- Replaced by Conservative Wingnut Rod Grams- who lost after one term in 2000.


John Danforth-MO- A moderate Republican- retired. Replaced by then ex Governor John Aschcroft- who turned out to be a nutjob- lost to the deceased Governor Mel Carnahan in 2000.


Howard Metzenbaum-OH- the progressive elder statesman decided to retire- Seat went Republican. Lt Governor Mike DeWine defeated liberal lawyer Joel Hyatt. Metzenbaum-D would have won easily had he ran again.


David Boren-OK- resigned.- Replaced by Wingnut James Inhofe.


Harlan Matthews-TN- decided not to run in a Special Election to fill out Al Gore. Seat Went Republican- Fred Thompson soundly defeated Jim Cooper.


Malcolm Wallop-WA- retired- replaced by fellow Republican Craig Thomas.


In 1994 GOP wave- Republicans won every open US Senate Seat.


In 1996- We had more open US Senate Seats than any other cycle.


On the Democratic Side-


Howell Heflin (D-AL)- elder statesman Southern Democrat- retired due to old age. Replaced by wingut Jeff Session- whom Heflin opposed to be Judge in 1986. Heflin would have won re-election had he ran again.


David Pryor(D-AR)- Mark's Papa. Seat was expected to go Republican with Huckabee as the orginal GOP nominee. and Democratic Nominee Winston Bryant- damaged in the primary-lackluster candidate. Huckabee dropped out of the race to become Governor due to Whitewater conviction. Tim Hutchinson- AR-3 US Rep become the GOP nominee- defeated Bryant. Hutchinson- lost re-election in 2002 to Mark Pryor.


Sam Nunn(D-GA)- . Replaced by Max Cleland- who surprisingly lost re-election in 2002 due to sleazy 9-11 ads.


Paul Simon(D-IL)- Replaced by fellow Democrat Richard Durbin.


Bennett Johnson(D-LA)- Replaced by Mary Landrieu= in a close Senate Race. narrowly won re-election in 2002 and 2008.


James Exon(D-NE)- Elder Statesman US Senator- Ben Nelson-D surprisingly lost to Chuck Hagel-R.


Bill Bradley(D-NJ)- Replaced by Sleazy Democrat- Rob Torrecelli-D who left office after one term.


Claiborne Pell(D-RI)- elder Statesman US Senator- replaced by fellow Democrat Jack Reed.
Heflin-AL,Pryor-AR,and Exon-NE would have won re-election had they ran again.

On the Republican Side.


Hank Brown-CO- Replaced by fellow Conservative Wayne Allard


Bob Dole-KS resigned- replacement Sheila Frahm lost in Primary to Sam Brownback- Brownback won the General Election.


Nancy Kassebaum-KS- replaced by fellow Republican Pat Roberts.
William Cohem-ME- replaced by fellow Moderate Republican Susan Collins.


Mark Hatfield-OR- replaced by fellow Republican Gordon Smith- who lost in the 2008 Democratic wave.


Alan Simpson-WY- replaced by fellow Republican Mike Enzi.


Posted by at

2 comments:

  1. andersonJanuary 7, 2010 at 12:41 AM

    "Replaced by Max Cleland- who surprisingly lost re-election in 2002 due to sleazy 9-11 ads."
    Yeah, right. That's what did it. Sleazy ads.
    It is endlessly fascinating how a ridiculous media narrative used to explain election theft as somehow the fault of the voters becomes accepted official wisdom of events.
    When the media does this, which they do so continuously they themselves are unaware of it, the message is really this:
    You, the public, are too stupid to know what really happened. You, the public, will swallow our media bilge and, by mere repetition, will convince your dull and unformed mind that this is the truth. In fact, so hollow is your existence, so stunted is your awareness, that we know we can say anything and get away with. We have learned the secret: saying the same thing over and over again. We don't let anyone else say differently, and if they do, we will haul out the conspiracy theory plastic wrap and sticky tape, and plaster it all over them.
    It is really very simple.

    ReplyDelete
  2. christian louboutinJanuary 11, 2010 at 6:37 PM

    What a great blog! It's a pity that i can't find your rrs address. If you can offer rrs subscription service, i can track your blog easier!

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)