We have two upset specials that we are watching very closely. AL-03 and NC-10. The Swing State Project, who in our opinion is one of the best in handicapping horserace politics, has both of these in their races to watch category. Read SSP's Competitive House Ratings
I am asking you to take it a step further and help me make these races garner more national attention. Both Josh Segall (AL-03) and Daniel Johnson (NC-10) have a chance if they can raise enough money to get on the air.
Daniel Johnson - NC 10 Why am I covering this race?
I just got an email from an old friend in D.C. that told me that I should cover this race. I thank my friend for pointing me in the right direction. This has been chosen as one of the races as an emerging race to watch. Daniel's website
I had the opportunity to speak with Johnson's campaign manager this afternoon. Daniel and his wife just became proud parents and we are extremely happy for them. She gave me a lot of insight into this district and Daniel. We also talked about how Patrick McHenry's (the incumbent) favorability ratings are low, well under 50%, which is very promising for this race.
After having worked on my Better Senators for Veterans Act Blue page for the past month I had been procrastinating looking for some House Races to cover. I could not ask for a better blessing to arrive. (read on)
Everybody saw the Recommended Diary detailing Republican Patrick McHenry's violation of basic OpSec rules, a violation that could potentially endanger our troops by letting those firing into the Green Zone know where they were hitting.
You see, right over my back here (points), there was a rocket attack this morning. According to our folks here, there were eleven rockets, uh, one hit just over my head, another hit a parking lot, and another hit the gym.
The threat may have gone beyond the theoretical...
Congressman Patrick McHenry is having a bad week. First, the bellicose, 32-year-old chickenhawk from North Carolina got in trouble for calling a Green Zone sentry a "two-bit security guard" while in Iraq--a statement for which he was later forced to apologize. As if that weren’t bad enough, he’s now in serious trouble for trying to act like a tough guy at the expense of U.S. troops in Baghdad.
On Friday April 4, the North Carolina Congressman assisted insurgents in Iraq and endangered American lives by bragging cluelessly about being rocketed in the Green Zone in a homemade video he posted on his own Congressional website. In the video, he related to anyone with an internet connection just how effective those rocket attacks had been. This is a huge no-no for anyone who’s ever spent more than five minutes in a combat zone--and it’s worthy of both censure and another apology.
Representative Patrick McHenrymade a name for himself in 2007 as seriously Energy Dumb in his truthiness attack on the Energy Bill as focused on bicycles as the solution path. Amid the $billions of spending (and tax benefits) under consideration, the insightful McHenry focused on $1 million per year in spending on bicycles as somehow representing "the" Democratic solution path to America's energy challenges. While McHenry did use a true fact (yes, there was $1 million in funding), his commentary was neither truthful nor speaking truth, since it tried to represent this extremely small portion of the bill as central and somehow quite significant. (If he had used more accurate words like "less than 1/100 of 1 percent of funding", would his demogogyperhaps been undermined?)
Well, Energy Dumb McHenry showed his idiocy in the past month with his words and actions in Iraq. And, sadly, the idiocy goes well past questions of energy.
We've all long known that Republicans were in denial on just about every aspect of Iraq. They love to wave the flag, swear that things are getting better daily, chant "Support the Troops!"TM at every opportunity, and even go out of their way to sing the praises of the private "security contractors" we use to do our dirty work.
But what happens when one of the big-mouthed weasels takes an Army joy ride over there to play tough guy?
McHenry: Surge is working
Congressman impressed with progress during trip to Iraq
BY JENNIFER MENSTER
RECORD STAFF WRITER
Monday, March 24, 2008
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Congressman Patrick McHenry ate lunch with North Carolina soldiers stationed in Iraq on Saturday. McHenry was one of four members of Congress who went to Iraq over Easter weekend.
Well, here's McHenry telling the story of his reaction when his life was horribly disrupted by the tragedy of war-torn Iraq... when he was denied entry into the gym at his Green Zone compound. (h/t to Think Progress for the transcript.)
We spent the night in the Green Zone, in the poolhouse of one of Saddam’s palaces. A little weird, I got to be honest with you. But I felt safe. And so in the morning, I got up early — not that I make this a great habit — but I went to the gym because I just couldn’t sleep and everything else. Well, sure enough, the guard wouldn’t let me in. Said I didn’t have the correct credentials.
It’s 5:00 in the morning. I haven’t had sleep. I was not very happy with this two-bit security guard. So you know, I said, "I want to see your supervisor." Thirty minutes later, the supervisor wasn’t happy with me, they escort me back to my room. It happens. I guess I didn’t need to work out anyway.
"Two-bit security guard?"
"I want to see your supervisor?"
What. An. Asshole.
This M-Fer's in Baghdad, but whining like he's been denied a markdown by a cashier at Target.
And how about that old boilerplate crap, "the surge is working"?
As I'm in the process of going in the shower, I hear some noise outside that sounds... a little different. Wasn't quite sure what it was. But sure enough, the loudspeakers come on, with the announcement of, "Duck and cover."
I don't know what you do in a situation like that. So I'm just standing there, I guess, thankfully I'm alone, but I'm looking like a complete idiot because I'm thinking to myself, "What do I do?" The announcement's "Duck and cover," I mean, that's not too difficult, right? And so this goes off and on for the next 30 minutes. So I assume that there's some activity or something's happening.
Well, it turns out that there are rockets coming into the Green Zone. And when I went outside of the building, I noticed that the building next to us had been hit by rockets. Or a rocket. It was a warehouse. Some 50 yards in one direction, there are rockets that landed. Fifty yards in the other direction, the embassy fellow who's showing us around, his car was hit by a rocket. And as it turned out, I learned later in the day that the gym had been hit by a rocket.
Surge is workin', all right.
But there's even more. After wisecracking that he's "not trying to tell you a Hillary Clinton story," McHenry went on to claim that "one individual lost his life in the rocket attacks."
Green Zone attack originated in Sadr City, say witnesses
Near miss of US Embassy Sunday fits pattern of conflict with Shiite militias.
By Sam Dagher | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
from the March 24, 2008 edition
Baghdad - A barrage of rockets hit the Green Zone – landing near the US Embassy – in Baghdad on Sunday morning.
The rockets appear to have been fired from the Shiite militia stronghold neighborhood of Sadr City in what observers see as further evidence that a cease-fire by the group loyal to cleric Moqtada al-Sadr may be unraveling.
Most of the rockets fell "really close" to the US Embassy that's located inside the heavily protected Green Zone, according to a diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity because he's not authorized to speak to the media about the attack.
"Yes we confirm there was an IDF (indirect fire) attack in the Green Zone. There were no dead or major casualties," said US Embassy spokesperson Mirembe Nantongo.
Did the little weasel just make it up? It sure sounds like the sort of thing the nutbar frothers like Michelle Malkin would spend days on end researching... if a Democrat had said it.
Guess he thought it made him sound like a hardened survivor or something. But to real people, he just sounds like an ass. And a stupid one at that. "Things are goin' great in Iraq, except for the fact that everything around me blew up while I was there. Oh, P.S., someone died, so that should show you how tough I am for being nearby at the time. Or something like that."
This idiot is in your Congress. Right now. Making laws that you have to live by.
Patrick McHenry, Republican member of the house of Representatives, is a notorious chickenhawk. He didn't serve in the U.S. military, despite being a vocal cheerleader for the Iraq occupation at every opportunity, and he's a relentless propagandist who questions the patriotism of those who question the Iraq invasion and occupation.
But he recently showed his true colors, and bad luck for him, it's on tape.
You see, Patrick McHenry is happy to show his contempt for soldiers who actually ARE serving in Iraq.
Please read on, for yet another tale of what Republicans really think of our troops. And the tape to prove it!
I've realized that Patrick McHenry has been a water carrier for banking interests. What I hadn't realized was how low McHenry, along with Dick Armey's army, would go.
Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC) has written Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass), Chairman of the House Financial Services, seeking a hearing on the issue of individuals and organizations allegedly using non-profits to manipulate real estate and other markets.
The basis of McHenry's complaint is a bogus report February 21st by the Consumer Rights League front group for the predatory lending industry operating out of FreedomWorks national HQ whose sole purpose appears to be attacking the Self Help Credit Union and, in particular, the affiliated Center for Responsible Lending (with, no mere coincidence, the same acronym, CRL) calling it a "predatory charity".
The Chickenhawk frame had interested me for a while. I was particularly offended by these wingnuts who passionately argue for and defend the use of force in Iraq and the so called Global War on Terror, yet fail to heed their own call to take up arms. You can enlist up to the age of 42. The Chickenhawks I have chosen to illustrate are all under 42. I now call this group of under 42 year olds "The 43rd Chairborne Chickenhawks, The George W. Bush Brigade". The 43 is meant to honor our 43rd President of the United States. I started with 8ackgr0und N015e's list and expanded it a little.
Possible tax fraud, voter fraud, house mate of strapping young Republican lads, friends linked to the gay porn industry, and several murders of gay porn stars and a gay Young Republican. BlueNC pounces on McHenry's link to the apparent killer in the Orlando apparent double murder suicide.
McHenry (R-NC)..purchased a residence in Washington, DC...with another man. While he owned the home, McHenry claimed (the DC)Homestead Tax Deduction, a (tax break) to encourage residence in DC. At the same time McHenry was registered to vote, and did so, in Gaston County, North Carolina.
How many felonies did Congressman Patrick T. McHenry (R, NC) commit? It's hard to tell right now, but, it looks like several -- defrauded the District of Columbia out of $60,000; submitted fraudulent voter registration documents in his home state; violated several FEC rules regarding fund-raising. And let's not mention that he and another man owned a house, together, in DC for a year or so.
Congressman Patrick T. McHenry (R-NC), right, purchased a residence in Washington, DC's Capital Hill neighborhood with another man. While he owned the home, McHenry and co-owner Scott G. Stewart claimed eligibility for the District of Columbia's Homestead Tax Deduction, a tax reduction program to encourage homeownership and residence in DC. At the same time McHenry was registered to vote, and did so, in Gaston County, North Carolina.
According to records obtained from the Washington, DC Recorder of Deeds, left (click to enlarge), McHenry, who was first elected to Congress in 2004, and Stewart owned the three bedroom, three-and-a-half bath home from February 2001 to January 2002. The house is located at 1360 D Street, SE, in a neighborhood near the US Capitol.
It's ok if you are Republican. And yes, it applies even to drunk driving. Accoring to the Gaston Gazette and diaried on Blue NC, Patrick McHenry's aide, James Keeter was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated after blowing a 0.13.
If you are tired of Republican sex stories, I have some bad news for you. Bubbling just beneath the sueface is a lurid case, diaried on Blue NC that ties rumored-to-be-closeted Republican Patrick McHenry to a Florida murder-suicide. Follow along, it's pretty complicated.
Come'n get it - W's Texas BBQ
We fired up the Constitution and Yer-all welcome to come on down!
Come join Hannibal Cheney, Commander W Codpiece and Alberto GoFU for the Summer of Freedom Barbecue Spectacular. We've got Sam Chops, Donkey Steaks and Deep Fried American Eagle. Leave your rights and your wallet at the gate and rush in to join the fun!
Congressman Patrick T. McHenry (R-NC), right, purchased a residence in Washington, DC's Capital Hill neighborhood with another man. While he owned the home, McHenry and co-owner Scott G. Stewart claimed eligibility for the District of Columbia's Homestead Tax Deduction, a tax reduction program to encourage homeownership and residence in DC. At the same time McHenry was registered to vote, and did so, in Gaston County, North Carolina.
According to records obtained from the Washington, DC Recorder of Deeds, left (click to enlarge), McHenry, who was first elected to Congress in 2004, and Stewart owned the three bedroom, three-and-a-half bath home from February 2001 to January 2002. The house is located at 1360 D Street, SE, in a neighborhood near the US Capitol.
