Comments on: Redmond's own Republican fights uphill battle for re-election

A Democratic challenger may score a win in race for Washington's 8th District--home of Bill Gates, Microsoft, and many other tech companies--which once as known as solidly Republican.

[inachu]

republicanism = deregulation
deregulation = abuse of the stock market
rinse repeat

[Beckerjr]

Why is this an article on whats supposed to be a tech news site?

[Jon Skillings]

This article is on a tech news site because there are aspects of the political process that are germane to the technology sector. CNET News regularly reports on those matters, whether directly from Capitol Hill or from the campaign trail, as appropriate.

This particular article is about the congressional race in a tech-centric district - as the opening sentence says, "an area that's home to technology firms including Microsoft, Expedia, T-Mobile USA, and Sharebuilder.com."

Some other pertinent points from the article:

--> the northwestern part is home to a growing technology industry. T-Mobile, Verizon, and Expedia all employ more than 1,000 people at their respective Bellevue campuses

--> The technology community in the 8th District is concerned with free-trade agreements and the availability of H1-B visas

--> Both campaigns have touted their strong advocacy for R&D tax credits. Reichert pushed to get his seat on the House Science and Technology Committee to advocate for them, Shields said. Reichert has taken a stance on other tech-related issues like Yahoo's advertising agreement with Google, which is currently under investigation by the Justice Department.

--> Burner has not taken a position on the ad deal, though Kaushik said she will emphasize technology policy, especially in cases when it most directly impacts "ordinary Americans."

Jon Skillings
Managing editor
CNET News

[J. Blow]

Hello? Dave Reichert is the INCUMBENT and Darcie Burner is behind in the polls (again).

[dankirkd]

Wrong! Burner has led Reichert in 3 of the last 4 polls and tied in the 4th. Reichert, like so many other Republicans is being swept aside by angry voters.

[dankirkd]

Reichert's laissez-failure positions are what got us into the mess this country is in. First he backed Bush 100% of the time on the Iraq war mess, and now we're suffering the consequence of his laissez-failure economic philosophy that has pushed the markets into a downward spiral, mortgaged our future by racking up record deficits and a record national debt, neglected the global warming tsunami that threatens to change the world in dramatic ways, and protected the fat cats on Wall Street and corporate CEOs that are the Republican Party's core constituency.

We can't afford any more of Reichert's laissez-failure inaction that's resulted in a far greater sapping of our earning power and ability to save for our retirement than anything else. While Reichert and the Republicans have been propping up the insurance industry with sweet deals our rates and premiums have been going up. While Reichert and the Republicans have been propping up the oil industry with billions in subsidies our gas prices have been going up. While Reichert and the Republicans have been passing one unfunded mandate after another, local governments have been squeezed and our property taxes have been forced up to pay for basic services. While Reichert and the Republicans have been focusing on Wall Street investments and protecting high earner portfolios, interest rates have caused savings accounts to flatline, and the American savings rate has dipped under zero percent.

And once all that is done, they try to pretend they're helping people out by passing out almost inconsequential tax refunds that barely make up but a tiny percentage of the cost of all their failures to working and middle class Americans.

For 8 years we've suffered through the laissez-failure policies of Republicans, be it the Bush administration, the Republican led Congress, or the obstructionist Republicans including Reichert over the past two years, who have torn this nation apart. We've had enough of the tired and failed tactics and policies of the past. Not only do we need change at the top with Barack Obama, but we need smart people in Congress who can get things done, skilled people like Darcy Burner who will provide the new energy we need to solve the problems they will inherit.

[msnpm]

With all my respect to CNET this post sounds like paid PR for Burner. If it was not paid I am am pretty confident that team she worked for was a client of yours.
Who is that Darcy? A former PM from microsoft that quit when had a child and did not do anything special for people she is aggressively going to represent? so now she eligible to become a representative because of ...?
Even the fact she is for Democratic does not make her automatically eligible. I hope the voters from the 8th district are smart enough to have their own opinion and not to be influenced by articles like this,

By the way two more facts:
1) she already tried few years ago and lost a big time to Dave.
2) PM is an entry position in Microsoft. if Darcy spent 12 years on this position and did not wen scale up means she was very weak as a employee. She could be at least a Group PM or Director as a minimum

You did not mention it in your "complete investigation" aren't you? It is a shame, really

[declan00]

You wrote: "With all my respect to CNET this post sounds like paid PR for Burner. If it was not paid I am am pretty confident that team she worked for was a client of yours."

I worked on this article along with my colleague Stephanie Condon. Your allegation is not just untrue, but laughable. (Hint: if you don't like the article, engage on substance, don't toss around bizarre conspiracy theories)

Here's some background on CNET and our editorial policies:
http://www.cnet.com/1991-13403_1-6722502-1.html

[msnpm]

declan00, may be my comment sounds laughable to you but I based it on the fact that authors of this article were not objective. You did not responded to those two points. Since the 8th district is not that an important place that many outside would care, it raised a red flag to me since I am familiar somehow with the subject and found the coverage as taking side of one candidate.
This article came few days before elections and can affect some people how they are going to vote so it would be fair to get quotes from both sides. You did quoted Burner's spokesman mostly.
I apologize if my comment offended you but please do your homework better next time. It really was not difficult in this particular case.

[RighteousSoutherner]

Oh, great. The Redmond can also look forward to socialism as is the nation with B.O. at the helm.