Democrats

"I have decided to run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary. I am ready, willing and anxious to take on all comers and have my candidacy for re-election determined in a general election. Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans."

—Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter announced today that he's switching parties. This will give the Democrats a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, assuming Al Franken is eventually seated as Minnesota's senator. President Obama called Specter to say the Democrats "are thrilled to have you."

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House Minority leader John Boehner thinks the Republicans have a marketing problem, not an idea problem. See, the Democrats have an unfair advantage. They peddle the notion that Americans can get something for nothing. Naturally, everything sells faster when it's free!

Boehner explained yesterday:

We have a tougher job than our friends across the aisle. They’ve been offering Americans a free lunch for the last 80 years, rather successfully. Those of us that believe in a smaller, more accountable government, we have a tougher time making our principles relevant to the American people. But it’s our challenge, and we’ve got to do it.

I'm pretty sure most politicians offer a free lunch from time to time. They have to win elections after all. Which idea do you think is easier to sell: small government or big government? How about we just settle on smart government.

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Hillary Clinton had the name, the experience, the money, the contacts, and the tenacity — yet her momentum of inevitability couldn't stop Barack Obama. Before he upset Hillary in the Iowa primary, few people took the two-year senator's chances of beating the front-runner seriously. His victorious finish in the the marathon Democratic primary proved to be one of the most shocking headlines of 2008, and of American political history.

Obama's ability to persevere through dozens of debates with such a policy-expert as Hillary, and his skill in dodging the kitchen sink lobbed his way from Camp Clinton proved to make him a stronger general election candidate. The early airing of potential scandals (like Rev. Wright or the Obama in Muslim garb pictures) and Obama's demonstration of executive prowess in running a capable campaign most likely got Americans more confident in his presidential abilities.

And, of course, the storyline for these two Democrats is far from over. Perhaps something they accomplish together as president and secretary of state will make the cut for biggest headline of 2009! As for this past year, stay tuned because we'll be looking back on all the biggest news from 2008!

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• Today Georgians go to the polls to vote in the runoff for their US Senate seat. If Democratic challenger Jim Martin beats Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss, the Democrats will be one seat away from a 60-seat supermajority. — Atlanta Journal
• After declaring a fiscal emergency in California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger urged lawmakers to "get off of their rigid ideologies" and work toward solving the state's financial crisis. The Governor warned that California could run out of cash in two months. — LA Times



• India's foreign minister has demanded that Pakistan arrest and turn over about 20 people wanted under Indian law as fugitives. Indian officials maintain that the planners of the recent attacks are at large in Pakistan and have demanded Pakistan take action. — New York Times
• A cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, caused by contaminated drinking water, has killed nearly 500 people. — BBC News

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