| The Crystal Ball’s Tweets of the Week is a look back at the highlights of the past week in politics in snippets of 140 characters or less. To get this analysis as soon as news breaks, follow University of Virginia Center for Politics Director, and Crystal Ball founder, Larry Sabato on Twitter by clicking here. |
11:13 AM Mar 4th: March 4 is just another day in 21st century, but from 1793 to 1933, it was THE day in presidential history. Inauguration Day for President.
11:20 AM Mar 4th: From Washington (2nd term) through FDR (1st term), all elected POTUS terms began March 4th. Amendment XX set date as Jan. 20th as of 1936.
11:22 AM Mar 4th: Why the change? The painful, even dangerous, all-too-lengthy transition between Hoover & FDR in 1932-33, during the Great Depression.
11:23 AM Mar 4th: Transition from early November to late January is still too long under some circumstances. The British change govts almost overnight.
11:25 AM Mar 4th: Why not have Prez candidates announce their Cabinets in advance of election? Good way to judge them. Have inauguration in early December.
11:27 AM Mar 4th: Whoops, I’m sorry. We’re not allowed to change the Constitution anymore. At some point, it became like the Bible, the revealed word of God.
11:34 AM Mar 4th: Back to the mundane…GOP just got another GOV pick-up in WY. Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D) not running for 3rd term. R nominee will win in Nov.
9:18 PM Mar 4th: LBJ was crude but effective. Typical–his comment on his VP HHH: “I’ve got Hubert’s pecker in my pocket,” meaning Humphrey had to go along.
9:19 PM Mar 4th: Few on Capitol Hill fear Obama. If he wants health care, he’s going to have to reserve some pockets for congressional private parts.
10:11 PM Mar 5th: Best practice is frequent use of this axiom:Throw the bums out & throw a new set of bums in. Regular rotation in office is effective remedy.
11:08 AM Mar 6th: Crystal Ball watching KY SEN closely. Our sense: Rand Paul (Ron’s son) now well ahead of Trey Grayson (GOP establishment candidate).
8:08 PM Mar 6th: Remarkable: It is now a near-certainty that half or more of the 50 state governors will be NEW after November. 23 no-incumbent races already
7:18 AM Mar 9th: Just back from Texas trip. Couldn’t find any neutrals who thought Rick Perry would lose GOV in Nov. Reaction to Perry POTUS talk? Laughter.
7:14 PM Mar 9th: The unanimous view among Democrats: Eric Massa was a recruiting error. His distinction between sexual and non-sexual groping is priceless.