Ted Stevens - What's Going On Alaska?

This is the face of Ted Stevens, the longest continuous serving Republican Senator.

This month he will be 85 years old. Last month he was convicted of seven felony counts of corruption, just a week before the election. Polls were projecting his opponent was leading by 8-22% depending on which poll you believe. In fact if you look at the last 17 polls from December 2007 until October 30th 2008, it turns out 14/17 polls showed the opponent (Mark Begich) in the lead.

And yet come election day Alaskans voted for him again, giving a convicted felon the position of United States Senator for Alaska.

So my question is, what the fuck are they smoking in Alaska?

It's hard to know if all Alaskans are as stupid as Sarah Palin, or if some shenanigans went on during the election. Because it is hard to believe that Alaskans would want to vote a felon into office. Especially an old felon who should have retired years ago.

After his conviction, bipartisan calls were made for his resignation, including calls from President-elect Obama, and old man McCain. Even fellow Alaskan Sarah Palin called for the man to step down.

But since he hasn't done so, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has confirmed that there will be a hearing, and it is likely they will call for his expulsion from the Senate. Something that has not happened to a sitting Senator since the Civil War.

The whole story is fishy at best. It just seems weird that the polls were so drastically off in this situation. It also seems weird that Alaskans would knowingly (or stupidly) vote for a convicted felon, who was convicted of crimes that involved moral turpitude.

In any case, this guy needs to be kicked out of office. Like an aging drunk at a party, this man has seriously outstayed his welcome. The arrogance of a man to receive seven convictions for felony corruption charges, and still run for re-election is just astonishing.

I'd like to see a full investigation as to what happened in the election. I'd also like to see this man removed from any kind of political position.

Ted, it's time to retire, and consider yourself lucky that because of your position you are unlikely to actually do jail time, even though you technically could be facing up to thirty five years in jail.