Obama’s Campaign Arm Tries to Get Grassroots Democrats to Defeat Fellow Progressive

Source: ABC News

Organizing for America, the former grass-roots campaign arm for President Obama’s 2008 campaign, is trying to rally supporters to phone bank and get out the vote in Pennsylvania for Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Penn., the former Republican locked in a tight primary race with a far more progressive Democrat, Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Penn.

Chris Bolling, the national volunteer coordinator for OFA, writes in an email that the “stakes of this election are high: ensuring that allies of the President are elected in the House and Senate to fight for change. So starting this weekend, through Tuesday's election, there will be phone banks for OFA volunteers in D.C. We'll call into Pennsylvania and encourage voters to support leaders who will fight for President Obama's vision for change.”

Specter, of course, supported the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and only became a Democrat when it became clear he would suffer an ignominious defeat in the GOP primary to former Rep. Pat Toomey, R-Penn. But the White House, needing Specter’s support for various parts of the president’s agenda, pledged to help him in his re-election.

Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/05/president-obamas-campaign-arm-tries-to-get-grassroots-democrats-to-defeat-fellow-progressive.html

---

Aside from having Warren Commission secrets in his head, what does Spector have that the WH really wants? It seems like Sestak is the better person to run against a Repuke...

J

I think it amounts to cruelty to put him through another angry GOP election cycle. Let the man retire in peace.

when you let the next generation take the reins. Specter should be able to figure that out. He should let Sestak show whether Sestak can take the seat. Specter should have the honesty about his age to help Sestak. I am opposed to age discrimination, but if he was born in 1930, Specter is about 80 years old. In 6 years he will be 86. 80 is a good age to retire.

Shame on little weasel Ram Emaul, getting Dems in a closed primary to vote for this jackass

his health care is covered - seems like it is time to me.

Just not as simple as this issue is protrayed by many of the posters ...

Just because he changed the letter behind his name doesnt mean shit. He only did it because he felt the right was abandoning him.

compared to thirty years ago, they all should have "R's" behind their names. Progressive Democrats? Very rare (especially) in national office. There is basically one party. Corporatists or Fascists, whatever you want to call them, they "stand" for the same thing. Enriching the wealthy and increasing the MAJORITY of the impoverished. To bad the majority won't organize and demand their rights. Their rights include equal representation..ie... a new party that Really puts people before profits. Too bad for America and our future. Serfdom appears to be our chosen path. We can choose by complacency, and we have. Democracy is not rule by the minority of the minority, but that is what we have in America.

82 Members who stick their necks out for us every day.

Very rare? NO

Outnumbered by a nasty coalition of New Dems and Blue Dogs? YES.

But yeah I see what you are saying. I think Specter knows he's going to lose. Nothing against him, he's just old.

every time i see his face, i remember anita hill.

It was Clarence "Long Dong Silver" Thomas in that episode

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Dong_Silver

http://edition.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/07/05/billpress.column/

Whatever deals the politicians made that's their business. Considering how bloody useless they've been it's a hell of a nerve of anyone to use the word "owe" in regards to any of them.

But that's not enough of a reason to vote for him. If I were a PA Democrat instead of a TN Democrat, I'd be voting for Sestak. From everything I've seen Sestak is to the left of Arlen AND he's polls better against the Republican. That seat is likely to go Republican IF Specter is the Dem nominee.

This "strange bedfellow" Obama/Specter partnership could easily result in one LESS Democratic legislator to "support Obama". To me, this election is a no brainer. Vote for the guy who has the best chance to defeat the Republican, no matter WHAT Obama and his team want.

The same goes for AR and Bill Halter.

....but i sure as hell don't owe specter anything.

his warren commission work puts him in my evil hall of fame.

hell, i'm not voting for obama, why would i vote for specter.

Stands him well in the minds of the DLC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BidWboS3p5E

CHECK OUT THIS POS

The issue is quite simple. Pres Obama is courting the right and not the left.

because he needs his vote on upcoming legislation between now and January 2011 when a new Congress is seated.
I'm not sure how I feel about this race because I don't know much about Sestak.
What I DO know is that I don't fully trust Specter because the primary reason he became a Democrat is he knew he could not win the Rethuglikkkan primary.
He might become a Repuke again after the general election.
And I also hold his work on the Warren Commission and his defense of Clearence Thomas againt him.

can't even get his endorsements straight: "Thank you, Republican Committee of _________" is spitting in our face.

since that fateful day in '30. There is no better descriptor of a douchbag than he

Maybe Repub Specter is "THE ONE" to move our Dem Party forward and to support our legislation. But, even that "DINO DEM" Harry Reid said "Specter is not there when you need him." But, GO FOR IT!

And what about Joe Lieberman that Reid allowed to Caucus with Dems and keep his Committee Spots AFTER Joe ran as an INDIE!

How much longer can Dem Party tolerate these "DINO's" and TURNCOATS?

Specter should leave so that he can enjoy a few years outside the Senate. Sestak is ready. Specter should find something else to do.

Not too old for the Senate, but still not a spring chicken.

He is not pretty in his sixties, and and he wasn't pretty young, either.

Screw them. They undercut every progressive or Liberal. It is time to show them who won the Presidency for them. Progressives & Liberals unite behind Sustak.

As in "This is the best bill we could get the DINOs to vote for. Otherwise, we would have passed a better bill."

They don't even have to say it in so many words. The media says it for them. So does the choir.

Result: The DINOs are OK, because their states are conservative anyway. And the so-called liberals are OK with lobbyists bc the lobbyists got their way--or at least did not lose much. And the so-called liberals are OK with their states because it was the big bad DINOs that thwarted a good bill, not their so-called liberal Senators.

Without the DINOs that are proud to be known as Blue Dogs, other Dems would have to piss off either the lobbyists or their own voters. This way, they skate with both.

In reality, IMO, the number of real liberals left in the Senate is very, very small--and even they will vote with the Blue Dogs on the theory that something is better than nothing.

compared to Obama who is at best a moderate. If it is being used as a comparison to Specter it is just as ludicrous.

Which is all that matters when we talk about progressives vs non-progressives.

Candidate Obama was another matter, but the actions of the Presidential version are far from liberal OR Progressive.

of Clinton and I actually think Obama is to the RIGHT of Clinton! I'm not sure "where" Obama fits in the realm of actual politics!

A little center moving to the RIGHT! I so wish I could see it differently, but as time goes by he does seem to be leaning more and more to the Right! So many of us are really heartbroken because we did work hard to elect him, and it was such an HISTORIC election, still my balloon deflated quite some time ago.

From where I sit, we DID GET CHANGE, just NOT the CHANGE we thought we were going to get! Regardless if he NEVER talked the liberal talk, he DID present himself as much more of a Progressive than what he is now! And that HOPE thing?? Well, what can you say... I haven't seen it yet!

I think those of us who call themselves the "base" of the party have drawn the SHORT straw on this one! Am I really that retarded?? I don't think so, but I AM very TURNED OFF!!

Seriously?

Scrapping at the bottom of excuses much? Genetics? Whaaaaaat?

Are we just now out the point where we an just make things up about ideology?

On that front, Obama is a sell out to the same set of insiders that controlled Bush.

Bullshit like this is why I removed my e-mail from OFA's list. Seeing Obama back a pair of sellouts like Specter and Lincoln really angers me. That's why I borrowed another $100 to help both Sestak and Halter. One LIEberman is enough!

:rofl:

98 hour work weeks aren't exactly labor friendly.

I guess someone to the left of Spector is too much to ask?

J

For my personal political reasons, I hope this is their least successful campaign ever.

Longer than Sestak. He was a Democrat for many years before he switched to Republican because the Philadelphia machine wouldn't back his candidacy for D.A.

Sestak changed his registration from Independent right before he started running for Congress. So he hasn't been a Democrat all that long.

...he cares more about his political career than representing those who "brought him to the dance."

Spector is a scumbag and Sestak is not. That's enough of a difference for me.

J

repukes are for. I dont care if he calls himself a Democrat, he needs to be sent packing.

he was a flag officer and they typically keep their public politics independent

He's got some decent bona fides:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sestak

I'd be willing to label him a Democrat, certainly, but it's hard to be a career war hawk, a mean slave driver boss, and a progressive all at the same time.

They only believe what they are told by their corporate-fed DINO masters.

J

The general meme, "<whoever> is not a progressive" gets floated about quite a bit here, so I wouldn't be too quick to attribute it to the DLC.

he will be a Blue Dog or near enough not to make much difference. Don't expect great things from Joe - BUT it is time for Specter to retire - he is 80, not 60, and his mind is not as sharp as it once was. AND I really hate the dealmaking that went on with Specter and the WH and the PA Democratic party and I want to see him lose.

mark

He is very strong on the environment, women's rights, LGBT.

The ultra-left has a problem with his military positions. Well, duh. He's a retired admiral and generally supports the military. But he doesn't support wasting our military on stupid wars, either. He just has some different ideas about what has to be done to end those wars than the people who never served in the military.

so glad to hear your encouragement --

If he gets elected, we'll find out --

One way to save an immediate 28% on our MIC is to merge the services which every

other nation has done!!

if I were in Pennsy, I'd vote Sestak over Spectre.

For one thing, Spectre has at least twice forgotten he switched Parties. He recently thanked the Allegheny REPUBLICAN Party for endorsing him in the primary.

For aother thing, he's the most self-serving opportunist I've seen in my lifetime, switching parties twice.

For a third thing, I'm sick of government and political Parties having as their primary priority keeping incumbents in office.

For a fourth thing, selling out your vote for political support betrays your constituents and shows a lack of morals.

So, IMO, does trying to steamroll primary voters ala Lieberman-Lamont. We should have risen up with the pitchforks then, so they'd never do that again. Fuck the fix being in.

You don't know what you're talking about. He got a zero from the Alliance for Worker Freedom, an Orwellian-named right wing anti-labor group. In 2008, he got a 95% rating from the Americans for Democratic Action, the main liberal rating group, while he got a zero from the American Conservative Union, the main conservative candidate rating group.

What more do you want?:shrug:

'Sestak has "developed a reputation for being a temperamental and demanding boss" due to reports that thirteen staffers have quit his employment in 2007. Aides are purportedly expected to work seven days a week, including holidays, for 14 hours a day. Sestak justifies these hours, which are considered long even by the standards of Capitol Hill, by presuming to instill a military-minded "toughness" in his civilian staff.'

(from his wikipedia page)

the bastard Specter?

That was part of the deal they made with Specter. After Sestak wins they'll be behind him for the general. It's all politics.

The president has reason--at least short-term reason--to support incumbent Democrats against their primary challengers; they are the ones sitting in the Senate, not their challengers.

Lamont, thanks to their attacks on him and support of Lieberman.

In a purple state, Dems attacking Sestak while supporting Spectre may be handing the primary to Spectre or the election to the Republican.

And I don't put it past Specter to run as an Independent, ala LIEberman. His own career is all Spectre seems to really care about.

...............by the deal. You will have "deals" no matter how liberal a politician is. It's just a way of life in politics. I am not saying a person should "sell out" or whore themselves ala lobbyists, but just remember WHAT you compromise for. Didn't mean this as pro/con Obama, just saying he made a deal early on and he's sticking by it.

Public option.

Repeal DADT.

Work for the Middle Class.

Not raise taxes on the Middle Class.

Etc.

(With Obama, deals are only kept with his cherished Privileged Class. The rest of us are of zero interest.)

Obama sure keeps his promises to Wall Street and he forgets us. Send Obama a message. GO JOE SESTAK! GO BILL HALTER!

get elected...

How is that working out for us?

Specter can fuck off.

SUCH a fucking disappointment.

now he must do what he can to help him win, especially if he retains his seniority
Too bad the seniority trumps competence for championships. Byrd of West Virginia is an example of
one who has long past his usefulness; they are there to serve, not establish longevity
records. They should do like the repugs, get young attractive candidates, like Palin, Brown and the
guy from Florida.

working hard to move the Democratic Party even further to The RIGHT!

"We're very proud that the Democratic Party is now somewhere to the Right of Nixon's Republicans...AND we're not stopping there!"


What are the "Liberals" going to do?
Vote for a Republican?
Hahahahahahahahahaha!



The DLC New Team
"Centrist" Business Friendly Democrats ONLY!
Liberals Need NOT Apply

(Screen Capped from the DLC Website)

The Democratic Party has moved so far to The RIGHT that a hard core REPUBLICAN like Arlen Specter feels right at home.


Send a message to the "Centrist" Democratic Party Leadership:
We ALREADY have enough Republicans in the Democratic Party!
No. More. Republicans!


"There are forces within the Democratic Party who want us to sound like kinder, gentler Republicans. I want us to compete for that great mass of voters that want a party that will stand up for working Americans, family farmers, and people who haven't felt the benefits of the economic upturn."---Paul Wellstone

When Obama didn't campaign in Georgia to help a fellow would be Democrat Senator Jim Martin after the 2008 Presidential election I knew he was all about himself.

I guess he likes Saxby!

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections2/election_20082/2008_senate_elections/georgia/election_2008_georgia_senate

Please:) :thumbsup:

of the Turdblossom (D} I find I have as negative a reaction to a picture of him as I did of Rove.

Why is the screaming necessary?

Let Sestak win and the White House keep their promises to Specter.

He could always be a "consultant" on Senate matters and write his own ticket. Geesh

yes, it would be!!


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/community/groups/index.html?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3aa70e3396-6663-4a8d-ba19-e44939d3c44fForum%3a2a26078c-a45a-4f25-b08e-503aa2eea4e0Discussion%3a0ffdb112-f20b-416e-b254-ef9932823f59


» Forget Tea Party. Watch the upheaval on the left

Forget Tea Party. Watch the upheaval on the left
posted at 5/14/2010 4:24 PM EDT
*Moderator*
Greg_Sargent
First post: 11/19/2009
Last post: 5/14/2010
Total posts: 34
All we ever hear from the media is Tea Party this, Tea Party that. But the real upheaval you should be watching right now is on the left.

Next week, if Joe Sestak defeats Sen. Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Dem primary, and Sen. Blanche Lincoln is forced into a runoff against challenger Bill Halter, lefty insurgents will have scored two major victories against the Democratic establishment in Washington.

If it happens, it will be the handiwork of labor unions who are on a mission to oust Lincoln for her ditching of core liberal priorities, and netroots activists who are targeting former-GOPer Specter because they see a chance to install a real Dem in the seat.

This could be a seismic event. Yet few are focused on it. Why does the media only lavish attention on populism and insurgency when it comes from the right?

Answering the question:"Why does the media only lavish attention on populism and insurgency when it comes from the right?"

It's what they're paid to do. Their title may say "journalist" but their job description says "public relations." They are paid to push the idea that the right-wing politicians who are subservient to corporations and the wealthy are actually the ones who understand and feel the pain of average Americans. They seek to direct the flood of populist outrage into safe, oligarch-friendly channels.

also tough on crime, tough on terrorism, strong on defense, business friendly, for lower taxes and for less wasteful spending. This appears to be the M$M message we are all supposed to embrace, anyway. I'm about sick to death of hearing this bullshit.

Specter needs to go sit down.

:banghead:

may be wrong? That's been disappointing---

Get rid of that old piece of shite.

It needs someone to wake the party up. enough of this middle of the road stuff. And Spector is past his prime...if he has got it done by now he never will.

But Obama stuck his nose into Colorado politics, too. He came out for Michael Bennet, and for the life of me I can't figure out why. He didn't HAVE to endorse anyone, but he came out for a guy who has never won an election in his life--he's the incumbent because he was appointed to Salazar's senate seat--and likely got the appointment as a political favor. His opponent, Andrew Romanoff, is a true progressive who has won several terms in state politics, and is pushing Bennet to the left for the campaign.

Romanoff is clearly the more progressive candidate, and is doing something that shows it--he is refusing donations from corporations and PACs. He asked Bennet to join him, but Bennet refused and has dozens of corporate donors.

Why Obama stuck his nose into this election in the first place is beyond me. But why he's supporting the weaker and less principled candidate is even more of a mystery. I had been getting tired of watching him compromise with the Repubs on so many issues (healthcare, stimulus, and probably financial reform), but after coming out for Bennet I am down right angry at the man who was supposed to be the next FDR.

True progressives in office would make re-election prospects for Obama and crew difficult. So, until then it will be low-key and not confrontational so as to not arouse the Repuke base.

J

It's a fucking catastrophe.

... when the Dems define their political platform solely on the basis of it not offending the republican base.

I truly think Obama and Emmanuel are planning on getting re-elected by moving the GOP into a fringe, and capture the GOP base for themselves. It is the typical DLC electoral playbook: try to appeal to a moderate republican voter who will never vote Dem ever, even if it means they have to piss some of the traditional Dem voting bases.

It also explains why DLC et al spend all the energy they do in demonizing any 3rd party candidate from the left, like they did with Nader. Their whole strategy counts on liberals not having any where to go, no viable liberal 3rd party/candidate, and force liberals to vote Dem by default. I found it interesting, that even to this day the DLC fans tend to spend orders of magnitude more energy in confronting and undermining liberal Dems and 3rd party candidates, than they do in confronting the GOP.

I think my main problem with the DLC it is that for the most part is made of people who would like to be Republican, but could not sign up due to the GOP's historic contempt for "their kind." Since they can't bring themselves into the GOP, the will bring the Dems where the GOP used to be.

He's backing the wrong person.

Romanoff will soundly defeat Bennet and capture it as a true progressive.

Then will begin the 2012 year of the anti-incumbents which then will DLC finally be mortally wounded.

As for Specter and Sestak, there's not much difference in terms of progressivism. But Sestak did oppose the War in Iraq, while Specter supported it. That was always a litmus test for me and still is. The reason I would not support Hillary or Edwards. Obama benefited from not having had to vote for it.

The WH is supporting Jane Harman, Specter and Blanche Lincoln. I hope all three lose, as well as Bennet. Marcy Winograd and Romanoff would be great progressive additions to Congress. The other two I'm not sure of, but I'm for throwing them out every few years as soon as it becomes obvious they are not left enough to drag this party back from the right.

I know Andrew is looking good now, but I'm worried about Bennet starting to throw some real slime his way. Bennet has the money to take out lots of TV ads, and he's already started lying about Romanoff's record. When the crap starts being thrown at him for real, I'm worried about Romanoff not having the money to respond with TV ads of his own to counter it.

I'm thoroughly pissed at Bill Ritter for appointing Bennet in the first place. That seat should have been Romanoff's when Salazar resigned.

If I wanted a Clinton, I'd have worked and voted for one.

Instead, I worked and voted for change, but got Clinton II.

Well fuck me.

It's hard to find non-triangulating politicians. :(

Were he to drop Specter, every other elected Democrat would know that Obama's word isn't worth the shit stain on a Republican's tighty Whities.

Favors like this are part of politics. If Specter looses, Obama will back Admiral Sestak. Until Specter loses, and I hope he does, Obama should back Specter.

and Lincoln.

Legislation is much harder.

In this nation, changes happens very slowly.

we were a republic.

Before WWII practically the only people who got a college education were the children of the wealthy. After WWII and the GI bill, higher education was sought and achieved by millions of people who just a few years earlier would have never dreamed of going to college.

People who don't want change are the first ones to tell you how long and slow it has to be.

But guess what? It doesn't have to be long and slow.

We became a torturing nation almost overnight, after decades of repudiating the practice. Why was that so fast?

There are two thing I am hearing lately, "It's very complicated." and "Change takes a long time." These are excuses for no action.

That only took about a week.
When it means $MONEY$ for their String Pullers, our "Government" can move faster than a speeding bullet.

The "Patriot" Act didn't take long at all, and that was HUGE change.

Change in Washington needs votes not high minded speeches or great ideals.

to an asshat like Specter? And what kind of deals is he making with the devil (Lincoln)?

Pres Obama is clearly against progressives.

he "promised" many things to those who voted for him, but since those voters aren't deal-making repukes in "democratic" clothing, with the ability to vote on funding of his wars for plunder and profit, they don't fucking count. I will support the anti-DLC candidates with dollars to the best of my ability and keep my fingers crossed that a goodly portion of the insipid, corrupt sacks of shit known as the DLC are freaking GONE within the next few years.

won't do shit unless they can get enough votes to pass legislation.

That is why such shit stains as Kucinich talk big and do absolutely nothing. All the liberal ideals in the world are worth nothing unless they can craft some of it into a piece of legislation and convince other congressmen and Senators to pass it.

A big piece of that ability to convince comes from the personal word these elected people give to other elected people.

When Specter come into the light out of the dark side, Democrats made promises to him, including Obama. It is ugly, yes, but that is why the compare the work of government to making sausages.

It is sad, but the progressive caucus in Congress and the Senate is not big enough to pass legislation. Fortunately, neither is the DLC. I suspect the progressive caucus will not be big enough to drive legislation in the lifetime of anyone here at DU, because in many parts of the country they can not now and won't be elected because a lot of the American people are not progressives, or even liberals.

thank you for showing us exactly who YOU are.
from now on I will know that any post by you has no credibility whatsoever.
what's "ugly" is the agenda of people like you.

Yes, Kucinich is a shit stain. He raises a big stink but does absolutely nothing.

Some people around here like him because he talks big, he echos what they think. But an echo is nothing but an empty reflection. Kucinich gets exactly nothing done. He is probably the single worst politician on the left.

Talk is cheap and Kucinich is as cheap as they come in that regard. I prefer politicians who have real accomplishments, who have the courage and the drive to make a real difference. Kucinch has none of those.

you're just part of the "minimize Kucinich" crowd -- you know, the same ones who literally cut him out of pictures of presidential candidates during the debates?
the same ones who obsess about how he looks like a gnome, talks about UFOs, is short, has big ears, has a trophy wife --whatever, if it can appeal to the dumbest, most irrelevant and least policy-oriented aspects of politics, it will be hung out on the flagpole to see if anybody salutes -- the main thing is to keep everybody totally ignorant of any of the man's positions or policy ideas -- because, gee, they might make sense and be just and truly "of the people."

Kucinich has been hamstrung, ignored, ridiculed, and roadblocked by your ilk since day 1, yet he continues to be reelected.

kindly stuff a sock in it, because I can see through you.

I don't minimize Kucinich. I do recognize his inability to do anything.

As for cutting him out of pictures of presidential candidates, I think he deserves to be there with anyone else on the national stage, but he will never get the votes to get anything done.

Getting elected is not a qualifier. Bush was elected twice. Many right wing pieces of crap have been elected more times than Kucinich. That doesn't mean any of them are worth the carbon they exhale.

As for his size, UFO's, and his wife, you brought them up.

Kucinich has been hamstrung, ignored, ridiculed, and roadblocked because has has proved about 97% ineffective in convincing other Congressmen that his ideas are worth voting for. He did that to himself.

As long as results matter Kucinich will not. We can leave socks out of this.

no, I'm not putting you on ignore, just noting where you're coming from.

because of the way the system is rigged against truly radical progressives, his bills will not succeed, because politicians would have to have courage and principles and be visionary and stuff like that, and you know that perfectly well, yet persist in calling him a "shit stain." if it were up to you, Congress would be packed with mediocre yes-men milquetoasts with nothing to offer to even begin a change. they've safely neutered Dennis with an orchestrated campaign of minimizing and ridiculing, and you're a willing player.

this conversation is over.

republicans. What's worse than a damn republican, a damn blue dog, republican lovin, DINO.

Do you like Specter?

of course I don't like Specter, and, yes, we do agree totally on why Dennis's bills don't pass.
the whole thing is rigged, but people like Dennis at least introduce a voice for the sane in the midst of the madness. I assume they consider it a token gesture--as long as Dennis and others like him are allowed to speak but made sufficiently ineffectual, The People don't get too suspicious or rebellious.

n/t

Enough to make me sick. :puke:

I gave up voting for anti-choice men in 1970, when I first voted. But Dennis Kucinich supported Republican efforts to do as much harm as possible to women--for the next 30 years.

He votes with Republicans on all other kinds of issues.

Seems like you have it exactly backwards. The Kucinich supporters seem like the stealth Republicans to me.

Are you out of your fucking mind?

And you can ignore me all you want.

He votes a lot of the time with Republicans, something his supporters just choose to ignore.

Just saying.

ineffective.

Makes it difficult to even tell if anything he says is legitimate--since he's that ineffective.

would you like to replace him with? You are straight out of Freeperland.

But I happen to dislike frauds in a big way. And Dennis Kucinich is the biggest fraud around.

I simply do not believe you. Democrats are enthusiastic supporters of Dennis Kucinich yet you call him a fraud.

them and then trash their Democratic opponents who actually had a chance to beat George Bush in 2004 were not enthusiastic supporters, I assure you.

I call him a fraud because that's exactly what he is. Saying that you'd run with a KKK and John Birch supporter--but you're a progressive--that's doesn't spell "fraud"?

Really.

Kucinich names. Put yourself at the top of the list, bud.

All you want is an excuse for not passing progressive legislation. You are part of the problem.

first supporting the non-Democrat in Connecticut, now supporting the former Republican in Pennsylvania.

guys we think are likely to win so we can keep them on our side somewhat'...

which I cannot stand! we should be a progressive party, not some centrist "quasi-GOP from the 60's" party.

...the “stakes of this election are high: ensuring that allies of the President are elected in the House and Senate to fight for change."

We need spineless bastards that will roll over on command, (ours!).

These asshats need to be voted out.

"All animals are equal, some animals are just more equal than others."

Specter is a member of a protected and specially benefited group.

he wants to corral the last of the ''moderate'' Republicans into the Democratic Party so it can become the reliable corporate servant and the GOP will be left with the rotting corpse of their base of racists, religious nuts, and Ayn Rand wannabes.

If the DLC is successful in attracting the reliable corporate drones from the GOP, Progressives will have to move to a new party.

It's not too late though. Ironically, the stuff that the tea partiers have done to the GOP shows that there's a way to fix the Democratic Party--in fact Rahm Emanuel has shown us what to do: we just have to do it to the candidates HE wants.

The DLC blessing should be the kiss of death for candidates as far as voters are concerned.

of the past. Sure, he's supported democratic ideas SOMETIMES, but he's still a refugnican in hiding.
When the competition gets tough on the right, he jumps to the left. You can be sure that when things
improve on the right, he'll jump back to their side.
He' just an opportunistic Washington lifer trying to keep his pork barrel express rolling along.
Get rid of him and replace him with a true progressive.
More progressives = more pressure on Obama to do what he was elected to do
and NOT what the Powers on the Hill demand of him.

Sounds familiar.

someone must have been asleep at the switch when they allowed that law through. (/snark ... PA has some rather backwards laws, it's unusual to see a forward one.)

A reTHUG asshole!

Specter is little more than an opportunist and anyone who missed that hasn't been paying attention. I do have two questions though:

1. Why did the DNC promise this guy anything in the first place?

2. In a year where the public seems to have it in for incumbents, how does this help democrats?

I realize that it's one thing to honor a promise (even a foolishly given promise) and I can respect that, but I didn't make that promise nor sign up to support that. It's time (past time IMO) for Specter to retire.

reason to make sure Sestak wins the Primary is to send an unequivacle message to this White House. They seem to be deaf right now and that is going to make for a rough time come midterms. This administration needs to shut up and listen.

giving me reasons not to vote for him in 2012. But who am I going to vote for? I hope Kucinich runs again. He'll get my vote in the primary once more, the difference is that this time I won't be voting for Obama even if he is selected as candidate - I'll write in Kucinich if I must. I spent my own money advertising for Obama (what very little of it I had), wasted a great deal of time and effort to convince fellow democrats that he was the one to support. You know, all that stuff about hope and change.

Well, I'm sick and tired of business as usual in Washington. If our President can't get his shit together, frankly I don't care who wins in 2012, because our own party will have defeated itself through serving the status quo. He has obligations he has yet to fulfill. Those of us who worked for him prior to the 2008 election went above and beyond the call of duty. I went to a convention in Augusta Maine where I got drenched, nearly got my ass kicked by a group of Clinton supporters, and had to face a number of people telling me that we "young Obama followers" didn't know squat (I'm wording that more politely than they did). Then again, maybe they were right.

This, for me at least, seems to be the straw that is breaking the camel's back. Why did I waste my energy? Where is the change? Maybe he was referring to the nickel I've got in my pocket. It seems to me that that's the only change I can believe in.

Now, on top of everything else, he's lending his support to one he knows damn well is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Old man or not.

Enough is enough. The republicans, and undoubtedly many of our so called democrats are STILL screaming "Drill baby drill!" I don't see an exit strategy in place for Iraq, at least not one that will be serving to fulfill a promise made to us. Healthcare reform for the most part was a dud. Is this supposed to give us hope? Are we supposed to believe in half assed measures and what could almost be described as outright treachery?

Not me. I've had enough.

Obama is not a progressive and don't give a damn about the progressives who
were essential for him to get elected.:(

Get grassroots Dems to support a "moderate republican" over a Democrat, a REAL Democrat? I have a feeling it won't be long. They'll call it bipartisanship. Watch.

than being appreciated or even heard, they've been carefully packaged and put in cold storage until large numbers of people who get things done are needed again. Organizing for America has made the mistake of thinking we're sheep. We're not. Vote Sestak.

Obama's edge came from first time and minority voters and, more importantly, he won the independent vote. There is no case that can be made these were netroots-type progressives.

then explain WHY the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party should support and vote for what passes as "Democrats" today.

"because THIS is as good as you are going to get" (moderate Republicans like Specter) no longer qualifies as a satisfactory answer. You will have to go pretty far to convince me that I NOW need to vote FOR Republicans to SAVE the Democratic Party!

"Sir! We had to destroy the village in order to save it!"

The "Centrist" Republican Appeasers ARE forcing me to take a longer view of where my political energy is needed.


"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone

explain WHY the Democratic Wing of the Democratic Party should support and vote for what passes as "Democrats" today.

This has nothing to do with how and why Obama won the presidency. And what you call the "Democratic wing" of the Democratic party are the heirs of the new left from the 60s, not the Wilson-FDR-Truman-Kennedy wing of the party. It's rather like the tea partiers calling themselves the "Republican wing" of the Republican party 10-20-30 years from now.

Your choice on who you vote/support for.

Rahm agrees with you.
See Ya!
:hi:




We're very proud that the Democratic Party is now somewhere to the Right of Nixon's Republicans...AND we're not stopping there!

What are the "Fucking Retard" Liberals going to do?
Vote for a Republican?
Hahahahahahahahahaha!

Henry Wallace agrees with.

Today's "progressive" movement doesn't resemble the Democratic party of any era but surely resembles the progressive movements/party of the 1930s/1940s.

Good choice.

as I am not impressed with what I've seen so far. Two wars still going on, no prosecution for torture, Gitmo still open, craptastic health insurance (which won't go into effect for years)--I wanted public option or single payor, This fucking mess of an oil spill (don't we have an Army Corp of engineers and fucking NASA?), and the work against labor-- the march to dismantling unions while using them to gin up support and money (scumbags). The economy is ready to crash and I just witnessed last week traders manipulating the market (which appears to be the WH's great measure for the economy like their predecessor) with no repercussions. I don't believe half the shite this white house says, they are proven liars. Problem is that I don't know that there are any principled, skilled politicians with integrity left. We wanted, we needed an FDR, instead we got Clinton lite. Here's to mediocrity. The destruction of the Republican party is nothing to cheer about. They at least kept the Democrats (DLC-- tm) to the task of answering to their core constiituencies (progressive, left, minorities, labor, women). Now they don't have to do shit. All they have to say is "Suck it up, where else are you going to go?" A choice between the betrayal (or the "bought and paid for") party and the batshit crazy party isn't a choice.

That's why I got rid of them. Your post could have been written, word for word, by me. Especially the part about needing an FDR and getting Clinton Lite.

specter headed the warren commission and was responsible for one of the biggest coverups in our countrys history! a vote for specter is a vote for "the magic bullet"!

But they sure as hell ain't part of progressive Dems' vision for change - don't think this campaign is going to work.

MTF!

If anyone would have ever told them I would as a democrat be asked to support this scum fucker..I would have told them they are nuts beyond belief...and yet now i see this..

I am going to have to rethink my status as a democrat..because these new Democrats support nothing I have ever suupported or anyone I have ever supported as a democrat..honestly ..they can kiss my ass!..sideways!

I wouuldn't spit at that fucker let alone vote for him..or his ilk..

That fucker covered up the murder of my Democratic president..he represents some of the most evil in this world..and yet now we have a democratic president pushing this fucker on us..well, now I believe I have seen enough Of the Obama administration..to make my stomach churn in the worst way I ever could deem possible.And now i have no doubt left of who and What the Obama administration represents..and it sure as fuck is not me!

And being a PA resident and Obama supporter I replied to say it is time for Specter to retire. I told them I would be casting my vote for the real Democrat. F#$%K Specter that opportunistic turn coat.

I met a good group of people in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) while volunteer phonebanking for Obama in both various state primaries and the national election. We have kept in touch on political issues via emails. Every single one of them is supporting Sestak.

Unfortunately the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette endorsed Specter, back when Sestak's numbers were low, and the PG editorial board figured Specter could defeat Toomey, but Sestak couldn't. We all know now that since Sestak has started advertising and becoming known, he's got better odds than Specter to beat Toomey.

I had always been concerned that any person who would be 80 when elected to a six year term would not live to fill that term - or would go the Alzheimers route like Regan. And that would be an otherwise healthy 80 year old, not one who had suffered two bouts of brain cancer, as has Specter.
Then his replacement would depend on an appointment by the PA Governor - who may or may not be a Democrat at that time.

This morning it just hit me - OMG - what if Specter strokes out or dies between the primary and the general election? Why couldn't Specter for once display some class and retire? As it is, should he win and keep on breathing, his senior staff will be running the show. And who are those senior staff - oh, just the ones he brought with him from the GOP side of the aisle - bred, born and raised Republicans who are well aware that they need to line up their post-Arlen jobs ASAP, and will be sucking up to all their lifelong contacts in the GOP and corporate oriented lobbying firms to do so.

Our country is facing incredibly tough times for the foreseeable future. We need elected officials with great physical stamina and mental acuity - not someone who will regularly be "in conference", i.e., taking his afternoon nap.

Go away Arlen, you long ago outstayed your welcome in Pennsylvania. It was only by standing next to Rick Santorum and Bush for all those years that you looked better by comparison. You waved the moderate flag, but on the close votes, Bush could always count on you.

In closing, would you fly an airline that put 80 year olds in the captains' seats? Would you have a complex surgery performed by an 80 year old surgeon? Get a root canal from an 80 year old dentist? Are there any 80 year old generals? or 80 year old military officers at any level? Ever see some oldster who needs a walker then painfully put it in the back seat and then climb behind the wheel of his huge old Buick and drive from the mall parking lot onto the interstate? He didn't mean to hit the gas pedal instead of the brake. Get Arlen away from the gas pedal- and elect Sestak!

Pitting one democratic candidate against the other? Shouldn't time better spent focusing on a strategory for November?

Guess that '60th seat' didn't matter so much after all.

If they don't wake up, they will learn exactly what that price is. Take the MA election, in addition to the symbolic importance of it, it gives the right wing perfect ammunition to spread and to show all of their ignorant followers that they were right all along. That helps to increase their momentum and excitement for when November roles around.

Unfortunately, we may see exactly what the price of poor decision making is.

Shame on Team Obama.

Another reason I am glad I cut ties with OFA and this administration's rotten political operation.

I am voting in PA this week.

Go Joe, defeat Specter.

And send this president a message.

Bush, Clinton and many previous Presidents campaigned for the incumbents in the House and Senate. Wake me up when it is something actually not surprising.

What do you want? Specter?

get 4 Senators that were incumbents defeated in 1938, which to me way more interference then just supporting the incumbent. There is a long history of this type of thing, nothing new here.

And I hope Specter loses. Sestak would be a better Dem and is looking stronger against Toomey then Specter is.

I see that it is almost impossible to vote out an incumbent, meaning the people really dont have the power. When the president supports incumbents that vote against his party, he is perpetuating a terrible, non-representative system. I dont care how far back this goes, I WANT CHANGE.

angry at incumbents in both parties, I doubt an endorsement from Obama will stop them. You do have a point in Presidents and primaries and actually I wonder when this all started.

I just am pissed at Obama for not throwing the left a bone. Like DADT, would be a good "bone".

If I'm going to vote for a Democrat, it's going to be a real one. Specter is a closet Republican, 80 years old and needs to retire.

Joe is the future. Arlen has done a good job most of the time, but Joe's got my vote.

We are getting the change we deserve.......we should demand more from our elected Corporate paid for officials... DLC sucks and always will,

maybe they will elect a real republican increasing democratic purity and increasing republican power - and then everyone is happy?

Though I dislike his position on labor, I like his position on health care and NIH funding.

Neither Sestak nor Specter are ideal candidates, but on this one I'm going with Specter.

Flame away.

Because those are all recent Specter positions.

Funny the D candidate for Murtha's seat is getting a lot of help beating up the R on the flat tax, from the national dems. Then the national dems go ahead and support the guy who introduced his own flat tax bill in the senate. Go figure.

Just one more reason to be glad I never had anything to do with Obama or his "campaign arm."

back when Specter made the switch from R to D.



Specter kept his end of the bargain, and has been a better dem than most dems.


Would you expect Obama to not hold up his end of the bargain?

President Obama IS a man of his word...despite the rantings on DU to the contrary!!!!
And I think Barack is also keeping the welcome mat out for Specter because it might encourage Olympia Snowe to follow her conscience and switch parties.

J

If I lived in PA I'd be voting for Sestack. If OFA asked me to volunteer for Specter I would decline.

BUT

Specter gave us our 60th seat. There was much talk that at least Biden was instrumental in getting him to switch.

He would not have switched if he thought he would lose as a dem. My guess is Obama et al told him if he switched the WH/OFA would help him get reelected as a dem.

I'd be disappointed in Obama if he went back on his word.

And I prolly would have made the same deal during that time frame (remember Franken still hadn't been seated, the dems were struggling to get anything done.)

as that seemed to have been part of the deal with his switch.

But I do not see what's in it for them to be acting so aggressively for him. Is Toomey that strong a candidate that he'd beat Sestak easily?

What's in this? If we're talking about Obama playing 3 dimensional chess, what is it I'm not seeing here?