Stephen Hayford, a reader and a friend, proposes a new term: “The Dede Effect”:

FYI, our best bet up here is that SSM may come to a vote Tuesday, but will not pass.

I am encouraged by the NYT story in which Malcolm Smith admits that NY Republicans may be becoming even warier of voting for SSM because of what just happened to Dede Scozzafava up north. See here.

With this in mind, I hereby coin a new phrase: “The Dede Effect.” The Dede Effect is the conservative backlash that “moderate” Republicans in New York can expect to face in their next reelection bids if they vote to redefine the institution of marriage. (Yea, Conservative Party! Yea, NOM!  Yea, Doug Hoffman!!) I think this is a very real thing, and I think it’s something we should talk about whenever we get the chance. I just did a radio interview with Citizen Link/Family News in Focus and talked about the Dede Effect; hopefully they will air that part of the interview.