Remember this 2006 ad from VoteVets?

This ad ran against George Allen, Rick Santorum and Conrad Burns. All were defeated for reelection.

The same vote against giving our troops the body armor they needed that the ad criticizes was also cast by 17 Republican Senators seeking reelection this year:

Lamar Alexander (TN)
Saxby Chambliss (GA)
Thad Cochran (MS)
Norm Coleman (MN)
Susan Collins (ME)
John Cornyn (TX)
Elizabeth Dole (NC)
Mike Enzi (WY)
Lindsey Graham (SC)
Jim Inhofe (OK)
Mitch McConnell (KY)
Pat Roberts (KS)
Jeff Sessions (AL)
Gordon Smith (OR)
Ted Stevens (AK)
John Sununu (NH)

And not only that, but these Senators had all been elected or reelected just months before. That is, the Senate class of 2002, elected in November of that year, cast these votes in April of 2003, at the very beginning of their terms, and nearly six years away from having to face the voters for it.

They thought you'd forget. They needed you to forget.

But one thing they weren't counting on was the troops still being deployed and still fighting six years later.

But they are. And though some of these clowns have since tried to make amends, the fact remains that at the critical time, they put party politics over the lives of our troops, and voted against giving them the armor they needed.

They should all go down for it, and American voters should make a special point of sinking them for their cowardly votes that they hoped we'd forget.

These ads are just the way to do it, too. But they're not on the air.

They've been produced, as you can see. All they need are new tags to identify the 17 Republican Senators up for reelection this year who voted against giving our troops adequate body armor, and they're ready to go. They've been proven in the field, and you can see the impact they'd have right here before your very eyes.

But they're not on the air. And as far as I can tell, there are no plans to put them there.

Seventeen Republican Senators, some of them very, very vulnerable this year. What could we do with those seats in our hands?

Why aren't these ads on the air?

Big time Democrats, donors, and other convention goers: think on this, please. Use the time we spend together in Denver to remedy this.

Why aren't these ads on the air, and what can we do to change that?

There has been a lot of chatter in Washington over how earmarks have muddied the process.  Legislators put in requests for millions of dollars and there is no debate, accountability or transparency.  Well it is time to expose those legislators like Pat Roberts and Ted Stevens for all the money - - that would be all of your money they have wasted on pet projects.

Here is a diary that is cross-posted over at the Slattery blog, a Blog for Kansas.  The campaign has come up with a creative way to address the out of control earmark system in Washington and the members of Congress slip them into bills only to later have landmarks named for themselves.  

Do you have a camera?  You will want to get the batteries charged if you do.

Here is the post that went out as an email today from Slattery's campaign manager, Julie Merz.

That's right.  It is primary election day in Kansas today so if you are living in the Sunflower State, please don't forget to go to the polls.  

And even if you aren't living in Kansas, you can check out Jim Slattery's new ad that went up today called "Priorities."

A radical right-wing group in Kansas proves Republicans are worried about Jim Slattery.

The Slattery for Senate campaign is up with another spot on T.V.  "Young" began airing this week as well across Kansas and its a lot of fun with the flipping cube.

I am a little late to the game with posting this, but I wanted to make sure everyone caught Jim Slattery's new ad that he went up with today called "Apollo."

It appears as though Senator Roberts and his campaign have a hard time admitting when they are wrong, but then have no problem leaving the rest of us confused when they correct themselves but make it seem like it was no big deal.  Take for example the fact that Roberts has now made changes to their ad but at first, tried to blame the Kansas Democratic Party for merely pointing out their sloppy operation.

Last week, Senator Pat Roberts started running a negative ad campaign against Jim Slattery and the primary election isn't even over.  But it just so happens that in late 2007, Senator Roberts made the claim that he was not going to campaign against whomever became his opponent, but rather he would campaign for the office.

Well, it didn't take supporters of Jim Slattery long to call him out on his lie with this video:

Pat Roberts has gone negative yet again despite making a pledge to campaign on the issues.

Pat Roberts released a poll, paid for by his campaign, that shows the "overwhelmingly popular" Senator barely has a majority, despite being in congress for decades.

The conservative advocacy group Freedom Watch -- which used to focus on national security issues but apparently now has no particular "cause" -- has announced that it will be making robocalls into a few dozen Congressional districts, including the Kansas 2nd (Nancy Boyda). The group said the ads will focus on gas prices and Rep. Boyda's vote against offshore drilling.

A Daily Kos-sponsored poll by Research 2000 two weeks ago showed Democrat Jim Slattery lagging his Republican opponent, incumbent Pat Roberts, by a surprisingly tight 50-38. Roberts' 50 percent put him right on the bubble of that "endangered" line. In Kansas!

Well, Rasmussen has a new Kansas poll, and the firm is showing movement in Slattery's direction:

Rasmussen. 6/11. Likely voters. MoE 4% (5/13 results)

Wow. Single digits? Under 50 percent? Positive trendlines? It's ridiculous that we can argue, with a straight face, that Kansas may be in play, but here we are. Kansas' Senate seat is in play. Not to mention the presidential race is trending positive for Obama.

The crosstabs:

Pollster.com's poll composite for Kansas has this race at 48.9-38.3, so not quite a single-digit race, but oh-so-close.

Oh, and to compare, Bush beat Kerry in Kansas in 2004 by 25 points.

I know, I know...it's not likely, but a brother can dream can't he?

Following up on my post from yesterday and incorporating some of the suggestions/corrections from the comments made there, let's take a look at our best case scenario in the November Senate elections.

Right now, we're at 49 Ds, 49 Rs and 2 I's.  When the smoke clears on election night in November we'll be at 62 Ds, 37 Rs and 1 I.
Here's how it's going to happen....

Every poll made public in the race between George Bush Cover-Up Artist Pat Roberts and Jim Slattery so far have said the same thing:  Roberts is in significant trouble.  A new poll, conducted by experts in Kansas polling Cooper & Secrest Associates, makes that recurring theme that much more clear, and enhances the case that Jim Slattery's race against Roberts is going to be the dark-horse upset campaign of the year.

Pat Roberts has lived in Washington since before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.  On his> watch, gas prices have soared to record levels, the economy is in the tank, he has given George Bush his proxy in terms of whatever independent judgment he once had, and Kansas voters are increasingly ready for a change.  Here is a true upset in the making. Is there precedent?  See two-term Governor Kathleen Sebelius.

Don't believe them?  When asked if they would prefer to vote for a Democratic or a Republican candidate for the United States Senate, 41% of Kansans said they'd prefer a Republican, while 40% said they'd rather vote for a Democrat.

That's a 10% surge for the Democrats since 2007, and that's Democrats & Republicans tied- in Kansas!

Lets suppose you didn’t catch last nights edition of The Daily Show. So since you missed it, you will want to check out this gem about the Phase II Iraq War Pre-Intelligence report:

You'll love the line Senator Roberts makes about his track shoes.  Well, with Jim Slattery hot on his heels, Roberts may want to get those old track shoes out and start running.

Research 2000 for Daily Kos. 6/2-4. Likely voters. MoE 4% (No trend lines). * denotes incumbent.

Roberts is right at the 50% mark, teetering on the edge of the danger zone. Slattery trails by twelve points, an almost direct confirmation of an earlier Rasmussen poll which showed Roberts leading 52% to 40%.

I thought that Rasmussen poll was almost too good to be true, despite the twelve-point gap. Roberts is a two-term incumbent from a state that hasn't elected a Democrat to the Senate since the New Deal.

Slattery, meanwhile, has been out of politics since 1994, when he was thrashed in his race for Governor of Kansas. He has only just officially filed for the race, and started campaigning and raising money only in mid-March.

For him to be so competitive with Roberts, so quickly, in such a red state, is truly remarkable.

Meanwhile, McCain leads Obama 51% to 40%.

You know the race is going to be fun when the National Republican Senatorial Committee decides to use some of their precious few campaign funds to slander Jim Slattery.

President Bush is on the fundraising trail for unrepentent Republicans, with an appearance today in Bucyrus, Kansas - just south of Kansas City. He is raising cash for the Kansas GOP and State Rep. Nick Jordan, who is challenging Democratic Rep. Dennis Moore in KS-03. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Bush appearance is who isn't there. The KC Star notes who is absent and their list of * cough * previous commitments:

Sen. Pat Roberts will be in California on a long-standing trip to raise money for his own re-election bid, campaign spokeswoman Ashley McManus said. She said Roberts was proud to be named an honorary chairman of the fundraiser and "he was proud to be with the president three weeks ago in Greensburg."

Sen. Sam Brownback, also an honorary chairman of the luncheon, will be traveling in southwest Kansas on a portion of his 105-county tour. Brownback's schedule was set well before Bush's visit was announced, spokesman Brian Hart said.

Rep. Jerry Moran, a Republican who represents western Kansas, will be at another event in the state, while Wichita-area Republican Rep. Todd Tiahrt plans to spend time with his family, spokeswomen for the lawmakers said.

So, Senator Roberts will be in California to raise money for his re-election?  Really? Is this the same California that has been demonized by Republicans for their "values" or lack thereof? Does Pat Roberts share those San Francisco values with Nancy Pelosi and Kay Barnes? After all, Roberts' partner in crime - Sam Graves from Missouri - just launched a scandalous (and laughable) attack on Kay Barnes for her California fundraising.

And, Senator Brownback - who is listed as an honorary chair of the luncheon - can't possibly make it because he's on a 105-county tour of Kansas.  Apparently there was no room in his schedule for one of the largest and most affluent counties in Kansas - where Bush is appearing today. No siree, couldn't possibly squeeze it in his schedule.  

Rep. Jerry Moran didn't provide any details, other than to say that he has "another event."  Perhaps today is the day to wash his hair.  Or maybe he is lined up for the Sex & The City premier. Whatever it is, he couldn't possibly make it.

Endangered incumbent, Rep. Todd Tiahrt from Wichita, is unavailable because he is "spending time with his family."  On a Thursday.  In the middle of the work week. With the President of the United States in town. The president's appearance has been trumped by a day at the pool, a family picnic, or some other family activity to be named later.

Regardless of their lame excuses, republicans can't run far enough or fast enough from the Bush brand or the man himself.....even in (formerly) solid republican states like Kansas. But, it is all too little....too late. Bush is their albatross. They helped create his failed policies and have enthusiastically supported those policies for the last eight years. They can cowardly skip the luncheon, but they cannot run from that albatross. Come November, it's time to pay the piper.....even in places like Kansas.