WASHINGTON (CNN) – Congressional Democrats are hopping mad that Republicans are accusing them of trying to "steal" the special election in New York's 20th congressional district.
In a fundraising e-mail sent to supporters of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Friday, Democratic strategist Paul Begala called the accusation the "granddaddy of hypocrisy" and blamed the GOP for stealing the 2000 presidential election.
"The same party that stole an entire Presidential election in 2000 and is right now still trying to steal a Senate race in Minnesota just sent this outrageous e-mail to their supporters," wrote Begala, who is a CNN contributor.
The fundraising e-mail Begala referenced was sent out by the campaign organization of House Republicans on Wednesday. It warned: "Don't let the Democrats steal this election."
Begala, soliciting donations, said the DCCC "legal team is already on the ground fighting the Republicans' despicable attempts to steal another election."
Ken Spain, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, responded that "Democrats aren't happy unless they are running against George W. Bush" and said they continue to be consumed by an old election.
"They want to obsess about the 2000 election eight years later, but they can't take it when Republicans point out the facts about them trying to replicate their shady win-at-all-costs tactics in New York," Spain said. "We aren't going to let them pull a Franken on Jim Tedisco and now they are responding with panic-ridden emails to their liberal supporters."
From CNN Politics
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Well...DAH!!
Thats what they do
How about the extreme the Democrats went to in order to win the Senate seat in Alaska? What they did to Ted Stevens is outrageous.
Republicans are despicable.
There were more votes cast in some liberal precincts in MN than there were registered voters. That's a fact. So why is pointing out obvious vote fraud a bad thing?
the true thieves are the democrats. ACORN doesnt register voters multiple times to benefit republicans. Republicans don't ask for selective recounts only in heavily democrat registered counties, ignoring all others, like they attempted in 2000. Even going back to 1960, it wasn't republicans who had several dead people registered in Chicago which turned the election in Kennedy's favor. Stop being so self-righteous, liberals. You have done everything possible to turn this country in to a one party socialistic state...... and begrudge any attempts at FAIR counts of ALL the ballots. Thank God we learn from history and know enough to impound the ballots in NY20.
Like i am gonna really believe what Begala has to say. The man could not even tell the truth when he was asked by CNN whether he was in with Carville to smear Limbaugh's name. At least have the man thing to tell the truth. People would have more respect. It makes me wonder if the Democrats are in trouble in NY and that is why they are crying like babies. You didn't hear that in Mn. Gosh I guess the Democrats thought Franken "supposedly won" the election the honest way. Oh well, stand by I am sure the Democrats will find some voter registrations in a trunk that was forgotten about. I am beginning to believe Gingrich in stating we need a new party . Get rid of Democrats and Republicans and start the American People party.
Go Tea Parties!!!
Begala would lie when it was easier to tell the truth. The vote against Al Gore in the Supreme Court was SEVEN to TWO. Even two of the Communists on the court agreed that Gore was trying to steal the election. "One man, one vote" was decided by the Supreme Court in the early 60's. Dim-ocrats have never figured that one out.
Stealing is part of the republican nature. They just don't believe in winning fair and square.
Have a message for the Democrats – come 2010 the Chickens just may come home to roost. A third party keeps looking better and better.
Of course they will steele(miss-spelling intentional) it if they can.
Many Conservative voters in America are decent people who have been hornswaggled by Conservative leaders. Conservative leaders have no respect for democracy. Their only political goal is to further enrich the rich, further empower them, deregulate their corporations so that law can't touch them, and defeat anyone who has an alternate vision of America. All that local is best, free market, individual freedom malarkey is like the pitch of a used car salesman. He doesn't tell you what he really thinks; he just tells you what will make you buy the car.
You can tell this is their true philosophy because everything they DO (as opposed to what they SAY) furthers these goals and no others. They don't give a crap about the middle class, the lower class, justice, elections, or democracy – just power and money.
Some Liberals have their own history of election stealing, like "Landslide" Lyndon Johnson (who was a Conservative back then, by the way).
Of course they're trying to steal. That's the only tactic they have to survive in the modern age. If you can't find evidence of corruption or lies on a Republican... you're not digging hard enough.
Republicans want to "cut taxes" but they don't want to get rid of them. No, they want to "cut" them and then not work or fund anything – essentially, offering their crappy public service at a discount. Well you get what you DON'T pay for people and I know GOP voters shop at Sam's Club and love a great deal but it's a shame that they're mis-education (or lack of education in general) is exploited by their elected officials.
"They want to obsess about the 2000 election eight years later,"
Oh shut up...the GOP still runs footage of 9/11 eight years after the attacks occurred a runs on a fear and smear platform laced with xenophobia and racism, and they want to say "nuh uh, I know you are but what am I?" about Dems continuing to criticize the 2000 election, which knocked out the foundational trust in our electoral system required for functioning democracy? When does the idiocy end with these guys?
Sounds like a couple of eight-year-olds:
"He did it!"
"No, he did it!"
"But he did it first!"
Unfortunately, in the case of politics, one of the eight-year-olds gets put in a position where he gets to impose laws on the rest of us.
Why do Republicans have to complicate things? Why do they have to try to manipulate the markets ... change the rules ... or take us for idiots and try to explain away the obvious?
It's simple guys ... people vote .... the person with the most votes is the winner.
The GOP is not an ETHICAL party. President Obama is more like Honest Abe Lincoln than ANY REPUBLICAN in the world today.
I really wish that republicans would stop the endless smears and campaigning to try to work with the president to get our economy moving again. Sometimes the best politics isn't politics- it's representation and leadership. That's the job for which they were hired. If they keep this up, they're going to lose even more seats in the next election.
You have a choice in this life:
A) let bygones be bygones, and just work toward patching the rift and moving forward
B) act like little stupid kids and let it all get under your skin and build until you're sniping every one
I've picked sides in my time, but this is getting ridiculous. Dems, Repubs: move on or annihilate yourselves quickly. The rest of us want to get the real issues resolved.
The GOP is getting so old. They have sunk to the lowest of lows.
Does it matter? One rep seat means nothing.
2010 election is important. The 2010 election is in 19 months. It's already been 6 months in deciding MN, so by the time that NY 20 is decided, there may be only a year left in the term and whoever "wins" NY20 will be spending most of their time fundraising and campaigning.
LOL, Democrats are trying to steal Minnesota and NY like they tried to steal the US election in 2000.
Let's set this record straight.
Oh yeah, the pot calling the kettle black.
Demos stole the senate seat from Stevens with trumped up charges during that election.
Colman had won the Minnesota election and now it looks like the Demos may have successfully stolen that one.
Now we have another close call and do you suppose they will make it three for three?
Here's a better one, both the Democrats and the GOP have stolen this country's Freedom and Liberty away. They sold it to the global economy so they could make themselves rich.
Since when is getting more votes stealing the election – oh yeah it is just standard GOP operating procedure to lie and deceive. Since they stole the 2000 presidential election their paranoia has increased to a psychotic level. And look and Mr Ed coleman – they will try to stop the peoples choice every step of the way to reach their goal to completely destroy America.
Repubs are really making quite a name for themselevs aren't they.
I think both sides should be ashamed of themselves. There's still 6000 votes left to be counted and neither side should be accusing the other of ANYTHING since the votes haven't been counted yet.
And CNN, I find your headline misleading. It makes it sound like the Democrats started this fight and are the only ones at fault. In fact, not only did the Republicans throw around the "s" word first, but it wasn't even "Democrats" that responded, it was just Paul Begala. Why not say "Begala and Republicans accuse one another of trying to steal NY20 election?"
Ugh. Am I the only one tired of all this?
Look, I enjoy a good republican ponding as much as the next guy, but all this he's the bad guy, no HE'S the bad guy BS is getting old. Doesn't anyone run on his/her own merits anymore? I ain't big on, "I'll vote for this guy cause I don't like that guy".
This us vs them attitude has got to go.
Are republicans trying to get legally cast out ballots counted ala Franken in minnesota? Or only republicans allowed to call voters whose ballots cannot be understood ala Washington State in 2000? Or more votes counted then voters in a precinct ala Milwaukee in 2004? Democrats really dont have much room to complain about "cheating" especially since 2 recounts of Florida ballots by newspapers, many of which have endorsed democrats showed nothing was "stolen" in 2000.
Don't worry the GOP has no credit, 3.8trillon deficit, war in Iraq, failed policy. Their FICO SCORE wouldn't qualify them for a 1977 singlewide.
This is the reason so many think the GOP is slime. Their real message is, "Don't let voters determine the outcome of an election."
It would have shown much more character to ignore the claims then respond to them. You do not show your maturity by going all the way back to the 2000 election and fighting over something that is hotly constested.
Do not sink to that level again. I am dissapointed in you sir. This is something a teenager does.
Is there no limit to the depths the Republicans will sink in this year of the"no confidence" they received from the voters of America. Their behavior and " no assistance" to our countries needs at this time, will hopefully make them an insignificant party for the forseeable future.
Mr. Steele, you have a long roe to hoe...And, i am sure that actions like these, along with your attitude of, " bipartisanship is overrated" is really creating a hole that will require years to refill with new young faces who understand where America is today.
A Dem accusing Republicans of stealing an election. What with Minnesota, and ACORN, I believe there's a phrase, something about a pot calling a kettle black.
After the Gore/Bush fiasco, the Ohio ballot count in 2004, and Norm Coleman, I'm inclined to believe them.
Democrats should know, they stole Minnesota Senate seat.
begala is such a liberal
Yeah, who needs to steal elections when the Dems can buy it outright.
That is all the Repugs have. Think about it. To loose with a 77,000 voter advantage in a red distric to a low ranking democrat is a super butt woopin! so they know what that is going to signal to all the fundraisers. ............ The RNC is DEAD
You should revise your headline...both sides are accusing each other of stealing the election....don't turn into Fox News.
The GOP is a joke.
Give me a break. Republicans pratically made Clinton an excuse for everything for the eight years while Bush was in office. Unfortunately, the MN and NY20 elections are a haunting reminder of the potential for 2000 shenanigans. Hypocrisy is the name, GOP.
Both sides should simply let these elections work through the process so that every vote is counted.
Poor widdle republicans. They are grasping at straws and clinging to any strings they can find.
America should know by know who the election THIEVES are! It is most definitely the party of NO. They have had a few years experience. Perhaps it is Michael Steele under the directives of God since everything he does is according to plan.
Every time there is a recount, each side accuses the other of improprieties and illegalities. However, I guess Begala must have missed the fact that George W. Bush never trailed in the initial Florida vote count, or any of the recounts. However in Minnesota, Norm Coleman won by over 700 votes on election day. Before the recount even began, he had lost nearly 500 votes due to "found ballots", and a few select "clerical errors" (still in the lead on election day, though). Then comes the recount and Franken miraculously takes the lead. Not only that, Franken wins by almost exactly the margin he predicted. Who stole the Minnesota election again, Paul?
Now, I'll sit back and wait for CNN to "moderate" this comment while posting numerous rants agreeing with Begala.
if we're so paranoid about korea & their missle launch, supposeably for a sattlite, why don't we do it for them, in that way we'll know.
The democrats have been stealing elections since at least 1960 when folks rose from the grave to vote for JFK.
Acorn has added numerous new (mostly fraudulent) voters to the voting rolls that generally vote democratic.
Revisionist history is wonderful, insn't it?
blah blah blah blah blah.
Wish the DNC would just shut up!
GWB did not steal the election, the democrats tried to by only counting votes in districts that were heavily democratic so actually the democrats TRIED to steal the election but luckily could not.
This reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw.
"Annoy a liberal. Use facts and figures."
Why can't Republicans just come up with some ideas that make sense, are viable and good for the country? If they did that and left their Religious fanaticism at home where it belongs they might be able to honestly win an election here and there. Wouldn't that be a lot easier?
"trying to steal" that's Democrat for "oh, crap, the Republican might win".
Republicans always cry foul when they are losing an election or get caught up in bribes and corruption. So naturally, they are crying foul in Minnesota and New York. In Alaska, Ted Stevens is wanting everyone to believe he honest Abe or something. The truth be known, the prosecutors in the Justice Department under Bush deliberately withheld information from the defense as a way to get Stevens from serving jail time. After reading about sex crimes, drugs and the like and the Justice Department cover-ups, nothing they do would surprise me. If you want to know how the FBI works and the politics of Washington, read the far-reaching effects of the Franklin Case in Omaha, NE in 1989, the Bush connection, and how politics can destroy lives while protect politicans in D.C. They're disgusting.
Let it go, people. Let it go! I'm sure both parties have "stolen" elections, both local and national.
Once again, the Republicans try to use the word 'liberal' as a negative stereotype. Perhaps when they lose this election too they might realize that calling EVERYONE ELSE names never gets more votes.
And the Republican "feigned outrage" over everything they do not agree with is GETTING REALLY OLD.
It is also very funny that NOW they in concert are distancing themselves from George Bush at all costs....hey he was YOUR President for eight years guys! You nominated him. NOW we can no longer point that out as a really stupid action?? Gimme a break.
No Ken Spain you have it wrong. We are not going let you Repubicans still another election and we are all waching you. Franken is the winner and Jim Tedisco will be the winnger. Every body know the Republicans stole the Presidental elections in 2000 and look at this country it is a mess.
How sad is this, that in a country that brags about democracy, the Democrats have to be vigilant of the GOPers stealing an election like they did in 2000!
Typical Dems, trying to claim an election was stolen from them when they can't admit defeat.
Amazing – the GOP is so desperate and running so scared that they would accuse their opposition of "stealing" an election in order to energize their despicable base!
Right, forget Minnesota. Forget the ballot stuffing the dems do every election in Chicago. Forget ACORN.
Another example of the democrat's hypocracy. They just can't believe that America is rebelling against Tax & Spend the their implementation of the Welfare State.
Every body is so tried of the Republican Party. They are the party of division, hatred, racist, war mongor, and greedy white old men that hate the poor.
Democrats don't have to run against Bush because Republicans continue to tie themselves with Bush's ideas just like in that Budget that the House Republicans proposed where they continued GW's tax cuts. They are the ones who continue to be the party of no new ideas. If they hadn't stolen the 2000 election, GW would have never been in office, and perhaps they would have some power.
It's about time the Dems showed a little backbone on this issue! About 8 year too late I'm affraid.
Bush won the electoral college fair and square. A better comparison is the Franken-Coleman contest where Coleman won on election night but Franken won the recount based on questionable ballots and ballots that were lost and magically found after Franken's challenge.
It's amusing how the Democratic jugheads spew that same "Repub are going to steal the election line just like 2000" every time they think they may lose an election. When they win all is well and fair. If they don't win they are disinfranchised. Just wait for the investigation about ACORN's involvement and the Obama campaigns role in stealing the 2008 election.
When the only campaign promise you can make is to say you are going to reduce taxes for the rich and tell everyone they will benefit from the crumbs falling off the table is crap.
The middle class has gotter further behind since the massive tax cut for the richest of Americans became law in 2001 and it will take years to try to recover.
The only they can win an election out of the south and even there will steal it or try.
Way to go Paul – this republicans have no shame. They stole Pres elections in 2000, MN Senate race in 2008 and want to steal this one too! Thieves!
I would be embarrassed to call myself "a Republican." But watch out,
they know that too! So they will be "hiding" behind "independent" soon
or a "third party." I hear that is in their plans, because Hannity and Limbaugh's "way", is not working!!!!!
I do not like liars! They did steal the election in 2000, by cheating.
Rove helped them!
when in all actuality is the dems ploy to blame the GOP for stealing and we all know the dems are notorious for 'stealing' elections such as in MN and in the GE (even against themselves in the primaries via the caucuses - talk about fraud)
The dems are the sin of this great country and they will pay for their anti-religous agenda; not by conservatives but by God almighty.
Republicans trying to steal an election?
Big surprise. They've done it before in 2000 and again in 2004.
Those GOP clowns are at it again...I hope they lose and keep losin till the party seriously doesnt exist anymore...
Dems are the party of re-count all of the votes in precincts that will favor our candidate. You can see why they are against voter IDs. Nothing has been done to fix the issues that came up in Ohio.
When dems say "win by all means possible" they mean it!
We already know the only way Republicans win is by questionable means. Who in their right mind would EVER trust a Republican politician again?
Republicans can't win on their OWN accomplishments...that's pretty much a fact of life.
I am a life long democrat , I like Paul Begala
But I want say this democratic party is a panic party
This is the kind of crap that makes me glad I'm an independent and would vote to replace both major political parties in a flash. I have seen a room of spoiled 5 year olds exhibit more maturity than the Republicans and Democrats over say the last 40 years. Along with our business leaders (not), these clowns give this country a bad name around the world. Time to replace the lot.
The more I hear about the GOP, the more I understand how Bush won in 2000, not elected but court appointed. They want to deny Minnesota representation and so the rich guys raise enough money to mount a defense and deny representation. It's the same thing in New York. The inclusion of one or two more NO's won't change the momentum of the people. We voted for change, change is taking place and I can't wait for the rest. When will they get it. We the people are tired of politics, we want action. Why can't they act responsibly?
If New York,Has the same quality of Democratic person who is running in Minnesota,Then I hope the Republicans do steal the election.Minnesota,should be ashamed running an out of work Clown for a senate seat.....New York has enough Democrats in Politics,They have the best money can buy,Schumer,Como,Bloomberg,and they all want to raise your taxes...
What BS. Al franken at first lost the race by about 300 votes, and then all the sudden was 250 ahead on the recount, and now does not want ALL the absentee ballots counted. Tell me who is trying to steal the election? Typical Liberal hypocrites. Now this is REAL change we can believe in!
lololol.......ok, this is a joke, right? Everybody with any sense at all knows that the democrats tried to steal the 2000 presidential election, they stole the Washington State governor's race in 2004, they stole the Minnesota Senate race last year.......democrats steal elections over and over again.
Begala is right. Why aren't they letting Senator Al Franken take his rightful place in the U.S. Senate? The Republicans are still trying to steal that election in Minnesota, and they did steal the presidential election in 2000, giving us 8 years of Bush. 7 out of 9 Supreme Court justices at the time were Republicans, and 5 of them were partisan enough to anoint Bush our dictator for 4 years despite him getting less votes (including getting less votes in Florida). Republicans need to stop messing around and just let our democracy work. Senator John Cornyn of Texas doesn't want Senator Al Franken seated, ever, just because Cornyn is a conservative Republican and Franken is a liberal Democrat. Honestly it is April and we still have an unresolved election from the start of November. This is an embarrassment. I hope this New York Congressional race is not as screwed up as the endless Minnesota recount, and actually ends with someone winning the election and taking office instead of lasting forever with no winner.
I think "panic-ridden" is a bit overstated. If anyone is panicked it is the Republicans.
I am sure Democrats will continue to recall the 2000 election results because the Republican did indeed STEAL that election and the outcome has been proven to be toxic for America.
It is not surprising that Republican need to resort to lies in an attempt to raise money.
It will not work republicans