Gang Of Three Officially Disbands, Dems Will Control The Senate

What was beginning to seem like an on-going soap opera drama, quickly came to an end today. Hiram Monserrate dropped out of a group opposed to Malcolm Smith becoming Majority Leader, but Espada, Kruger and Diaz held out for an entire month. Today it is being reported that the three sat down with Smith and everything is copasetic. Hmmm....

From The Daily Politics:

The leadership battle that has frozen the Senate since Election Day is over, and the three renegade senators known as the Gang of Three have all pledged to support Senate Minority Leader Malcolm Smith for majority leader in exchange for an agreement that will result in what Sen. Carl Kruger called "significant and historic reform" of how the chamber operates.

He refused to provide any additional information, saying that a press release will be forthcoming from Smith's office.

I called Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., and he confirmed: "It's over. It's a done deal. We agreed."

But what about gay marriage - Diaz's signature issue and the one thing he said he absolutely wouldn't abide coming to the floor?

The senator refused to tell me anything about what kind of deal Smith struck on that (recall that Diaz said he wanted a written pledge that whoever he supported for leader would not bring a bill legalizing same-sex marriage). The only thing he would say was: "I'm comfortable that everything's going to be OK."

Everything's going to be OK for whom exactly? It's great that the Democrats have control of the Senate, but at what price? Both sides are saying that we're going to have reform and things are wonderful but no one wants to talk specifics. Inquiring minds want to know what Kruger, Diaz and Espada are getting out of this. Something just does not smell right.

Calling Sarah Palin Out For Racism

Obama himself might not be able to call John McCain and Sarah Palin out on the "substance" of their attacks, but his surrogates certainly can. In the last few days the Republican candidates have gotten nasty, especially Sarah Palin. She was out and about across the country, slamming Obama for "not being one of us" and wondering "who the real Barack Obama is." She did all of this dressed like a typical politician in a business suit, but she might as well have donned the white robes and hood of a Ku Klux Klan member. Finally, she is getting taken to task for her ugly and racist remarks.

From The NY Observer:

As the McCain campaign ratchets up the intensity of its attacks on Barack Obama, some black elected officials are calling the tactics desperate, unseemly and racist.

“They are trying to throw out these codes,” said Representative Gregory Meeks, a Democrat from New York.

“He’s ‘not one of us?’” Mr. Meeks said, referring to a comment Sarah Palin made at a campaign rally on Oct. 6 in Florida. “That’s racial. That’s fear. They know they can’t win on the issues, so the last resort they have is race and fear.”

“Racism is alive and well in this country, and McCain and Palin are trying to appeal to that and it’s unfortunate,” said Representative Ed Towns, also from New York.

You betcha it is. No matter how many fake, folksy and flowery words you use, the ugliness of racism comes through when Sarah Palin steps up to the podium. The sentiments of ignorance, hate and bigotry are evident from the crowd's reactions. While the thousands in the audience may love her speeches, the nation as a whole is horrified by her and have stated as much when you look at her plummeting poll numbers. There may be a certain percentage of people that tap into that type of hate, but thankfully it is a small minority. If anything, it is a good thing that these people's actions are spotlighted so that the racist attitudes in McCain and Palin's campaign can ultimate bury the GOP for decades to come.