Election day is tomorrow in New York's 20th Congressional district, and with the polls deadlocked, both campaigns are in full swing.
Republican Jim Tedisco is busy wheedling money out of the GOP's finest, like Rep. Michele "I'm Not A Kook" Bachmann.
This is the same person who...well, let's let Keith Olbermann summarize the Bachmann inanity from the past week:
Heck, with friends like Michele, who needs Pat Boone? Evidently the Tedisco campaign does:
Pat Boone, a 50’s era teen heartthrob and squeaky-clean, conservative, "silent-majority" icon, is sending out robocalls on behalf of GOP congressional candidate Jim Tedisco.
Pat Boone? The Pat Boone? What, was Barry Manilow too hip for them? Was Gene Autry too dead?
Meanwhile, Democrat Scott Murphy is going about his business, and happily for him, he has better friends than Pat Boone and Michele Bachmann.
His robocalls are from the district's wildly popular former Rep, Kirsten Gillibrand. It seems rather significant that the 42-year-old Gillibrand wasn't even born when Pat Boone was popular.
A transcript:
Hi. This is your Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand calling today to ask you to vote for Scott Murphy this Tuesday, March 31st. In these very tough economic times, we need someone who knows how to create jobs. Scott Murphy will work with me and President Obama to get our economy moving again. This is going to be a very close election, and Scott needs your support, so please join me in voting for Scott Murphy this Tuesday, March 31st. Polls are open from 6 am to 9 pm. Thank you very much. Please remember to vote for Scott Murphy on Tuesday, March 31st. Paid for and authorized by Scott Murphy for Congress 518-761-2009
She was also in the district campaigning for Murphy over the weekend, as was senior Senator Chuck Schumer, who cruised to reelection in 2004 with 70% of the vote statewide.
I think Murphy wins the Battle of Surrogates this weekend, unless Pat Boone carries some particular weight in Upstate New York.
Murphy knows his surrogates are better, too. This is part of the reason he sent out two mailers over the weekend, one featuring himself and President Obama (a fairly well-liked individual nationally), the other one, with the leaders of the Republican Party.
That's Bush, Palin and Limbaugh.
This can't say good things about how Sarah Palin polls in swing districts: A late attack piece from Scott Murphy in NY-20 features her, with Rush Limbaugh and George W. Bush, as one of "them," out to stop Obama.
Given that Obama won the historically Republican 20th - and Palin lost it - that seems like a smart play.
Well, the battle lines have been drawn. There's nothing to do at this point but get out every last vote...so if you have even a bit of time, phonebank!
Do it today, because there is literally no tomorrow. Tomorrow is Election Day.
On the web:
Scott Murphy for Congress
Phonebank for Scott Murphy
Albany Project ActBlue Page