Congressional Catfight: Jean Schmidt Takes the Wild Card Spot

Well, that was easy. We’ve had some really close calls here at Congressional Catfight, including one race that required a runoff. But this latest Catfight — a battle royal between five fighters, to determine who would take the wild card slot and face Katherine Harris — resulted in a decisive victory.

We threw five worthy contenders into the ring: Corrine Brown (D-FL), the “bat shit crazy” rep from the mean streets of Jacksonville’s North Side; Barbara Cubin (R-WY), the ex-cheerleader known for her “wack paranoia” and penis-shaped cookies; Tom Tancredo (R-CO), the immigration-obsessed nutjob; Bernie Sanders (I-VT), everyone’s favorite Vermont socialist; and Jean Schmidt (R-OH), the firearms-carrying, flag-jumpsuit-wearing, coward-calling congresswoman better known as “Mean Jean.”

The result? Jean Schmidt, in a landslide. “Mean Jean” received 60 percent of the vote — more votes than the other four competitors combined, and over three times as many as her nearest competitor, Tom Tancredo. Schmidt has scratched and clawed her way into the final round of Congressional Catfight. (For those of you who are curious, the full vote tally is available after the jump.)

Check back later today, when we’ll open the polls in Congressional Catfight: Harris vs. Schmidt. We’re predicting a close and ugly battle between these two tough ladies of the House.

Earlier: Congressional Catfight: The Nominees for the Wild Card Spot

READ MORE: assholes, barbara cubin, bernie sanders, capitol hill, catfights, congressional catfight, corrine brown, crazies, jean schmidt, lunatics, polls, tom tancredo, top

Congressional Catfight: The Nominees for the Wild Card Spot

Last week, we solicited your nominations for a wild card contender, to take take on the winner of Congressional Catfight: Harris vs. Pelosi (polls closing soon; to vote, click here). You submitted lots of excellent nominations, by email and by comment, and we winnowed the field to five contenders.

Here’s the poll:

You may already know which one of these folks you’d like to vote for. But if you’re undecided and in need of more information, excerpts from nomination squibs appear after the jump.

READ MORE: assholes, barbara cubin, bernie sanders, capitol hill, catfights, congressional catfight, corrine brown, crazies, jean schmidt, lunatics, polls, tom tancredo, top

We Knew Sanders Shouldn’t Have Replaced His CoS With Andew McCarthy

An ad running on Talking Points Memo:
Either some ad copywriter didn’t quite understand the reference he was making here, or Al knows something the people of Vermont don’t.

It does explain Representative Sanders’ sunglasses-and-baseball cap getup during the last couple roll call votes, as well as his hilarious waterskiing antics at the last Congressional retreat. And besides, if the Senate could pretend Thurmond was alive for 6 years, why can’t the House have a hilariously manipulated corpse on a couple committees?

READ MORE: ads, al franken, bernie sanders, congress, screengrabs, weekend at bernie’s

BREAKING! CYNTHIA MCKINNEY APOLOGIZES ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE!

We were told a couple minutes ago to turn on C-SPAN because McKinney was finally breaking her week-long media silence to SPEAK PUBLICLY about the incident, but as soon as we turned it on, there was an old guy from New Jersey babbling about productivity growth… so, we’re assuming we didn’t miss too much, but it’s just more proof that you never know when C-SPAN’s gonna be awesome for a minute.

Anyway, it was a bad night for Cynthia. Grand Jury convening, possible indictments (return of the damned “ham sandwich” line, no doubt), and more fall-out from her Soledad O’Brien interview (in McKinney’s defense — and only because Soledad O’Brien makes us want to punch through a wall — it is sorta reasonable to not answer specific questions about an incident you might be indicted over). Then there’s her fellow House Democrats…

Arriving on the floor yesterday afternoon for a series of votes, McKinney had earned pariah status. Several of her Democratic colleagues turned their backs or moved away when she approached, carrying her infamous cellphone and a bottle of Dasani water. Ignored by several colleagues, she stood alone in the back of the chamber for several minutes until rescued by Reps. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.).

Oh, right into the open arms of Bernie Sanders. He does seem like a decent sort. We understand the whole “embarrassed” thing, but still — if Duke Cunningham walked into the House chambers right now, we’re pretty sure half of the Republican delegation would greet him with European kisses and boxes of chocolate. You punch one cop in this town…

All Eyes On the Hammer, Until the Hairdo Steps In [WP]
Sources: McKinney Case Heading to Grand Jury [CNN]

READ MORE: Democrats, bernie sanders, c-span, congress, cops, crime, cynthia mckinney, duke cunningham, scandal, top, violence

Gossip Roundup: White House Goes Organic

• Washington Whispers: George and Laura like their food to be organic… Ten Democrats are acting interested in ‘08… Sens. Frist and Brownback test lines for ‘08… Condoleezza Rice loves her job… Nixon’s political strategy revealed. [USN&WR]
• Rush & Molloy: Cindy Sheehan receives standing ovation from Ron Howard, Marisa Tomei, Sally Field, and others. [NYDN]
• Names & Faces: Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is briefly hospitalized after collapsing from influenza. [WP]

READ MORE: 2008, Democrats, Personalities, Republicans, bernie sanders, bill frist, cindy sheehan, condoleezza rice, george w. bush, laura bush, marisa tomei, richard nixon, ron howard, sally field, sam brownback

Gossip Roundup: No Partying for Wolf Blitzer

• Under the Dome: Bob Livingston: “I raised hell with [Gov. Blanco] for not declaring martial law. I told her last [Wednesday] night I was going on ‘Hannity & Colmes’ and criticize her for not doing that, and 20 minutes later, she did.”… Rolling Stone shadowed Bernie Sanders for upcoming article… National Press Club will auction nude painting… Albert Eisele retires about 40 years in journalism. [The Hill]
• Lloyd Grove’s Lowdown: Bernstein, in latest issue of Vanity Fair, recounts tension with Woodward and Downie over Felt revelation; shows Woodward as more interested in “commerce and hype than journalism.”… Judi Giuliani is mum on her husband’s ‘08 intentions. [NYDN]
• Inside the Beltway: “VIP party” for CNN’s “The Situation Room” canceled due to Katrina. [WT]

READ MORE: CNN, Personalities, albert eisele, bernie sanders, bob livingston, bob woodward, carl bernstein, hanntiy and colmes, judi giuliani, katrina, leonard downie, mark felt, national press club, rolling stone, the situation room, vanity fair, wolf blitzer