Well I've got to say, I'm thoroughly disgusted right now. Not only by the fox news clip about global warming that was on the politics page, but also about the article written by wsedlack about Rich Tarrant and Bernie Sanders. To preface this, I don't know yet what exactly wsedlack's point of view on the race is or even if he is from Vermont, but the fact that he started off by labelling Tarrant as a "longtime Vermonter" and a "local businessman" gives me a clue that maybe, just maybe, he didnt grow up in the same state that I did. Rich Tarrant may have a VT zipcode on his mailing address, but he is no more than one of the elite millionaires who have built gigantic McMansions on the shore of Lake Champlain and then fancy that that gives them a right to get involved in local politics. I guess you can probably already tell that I'm thoroughly biased in this debate, which I am, and I'm fine with being that way. But it begs the question, if this little Vermont race is really being watched so closely by the rest of the country, what do you guys out there actually here about it? I'm getting the impression that what gets through to people in other parts of the country might be way different than the way the race is viewed here in VT.

Eh, I read the article and it seems reasonably fair to me...it was obviously intended as an informative piece rather than a persuasive one. Of course, I'm in no position to fact-check it, and I'm sure you're right in calling the author's portrayal of Tarrant as a local businessman hogwash.

One thing that did jump out at me as bullshit was the "nationally-watched" line. From what I've seen, the race has received little to no national media attention, which figures because it's not a close race. From what I understand, Jim Jeffords is basically God to Vermonters for putting his own principles ahead of his former party's party line, and Sanders is good friends with Jeffords and mostly shares his views. When you factor in Vermont's left-wing disposition, it's not even a contest. And that's exactly what the polls are showing: it's not even a contest. Thus, no media attention.

Nothing.

The national view of a state race generally is different than the state's view of the same race.

I don't have much to say on the matter since I'm not at all aware of the details of the Vermont race.