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By zappini
Fri May 26, 2006 at 07:13:20 AM PST
Section: Diary Topic: Democrats

Mike Seely's Doing the Flip-Flop Flip-Flop was a pretty good public demonstration of shanking an enemy, slipping in the shiv, settling old scores. I'm so very thrilled that we're talking about Cantwell. Again. And I very much appreciate Mike Seely's "help" resolving this impasse.

Someone floated some "disappointed in Cantwell" resolutions at the 46 LD Dems. Yea, well, I'm disappointed too. I'd really like Gore in the White House back in 2000. I'd really like to be fighting global warming, feeding the hungry, curing diseases, etc. But I'm here, in 2006, stuck in a right wing dystopia.

I couldn't make the 5/18 meeting. So I kibitzed by posting the following to the 46LD mailing list.

I'm out of town tomorrow, so I'll just kibitz. If I was in town, I'd vote no on the resolutions.
My personal plan is to vote for Hung Tran in the primary and Cantwell in the general. (Tran is great and I hope she runs for office again.) I'll even volunteer and send cash again if it looks like it'll be needed. I am not pleased with Cantwell. But having a Democratic majority in the Senate puts Reid in charge. Which is something I want. So I'm voting for Cantwell (in the general) because it's in my personal self-interest to do so.
I agree with Chad about dialog, discourse, democracy, and having your voice heard. I support his right to speak out.
I would only add that timing is important too. And I don't think this is a "teachable moment" for Cantwell. I do think, however, it's a "teachable moment" for us, the grassroots. We suck at unifying behind the party, come hell or highwater. The stakes are simply too high to chance a loss.
How many people wrote in Sims for the general in the governor's race in 2004? That wasn't too bright. I kind of see sniping at Cantwell right now the same way. And it gives Pelz another opportunity to put his foot in his mouth. Because the media will spin this discord in the most sensationalistic manner possible. That's their job (these days).

The minutes aren't online, so I don't know how those votes went.

I still feel the same way. But I will add that I'm running out patience. I can't believe that Democrats haven't figured out that there are more serious problems. The stakes are simply too high.

< Executive and Legislative Terrorism | Peace as an October Surprise >

Flipper | 32 comments (32 topical)

Cantwell's plan for correcting course

Seely says:

Cantwell has crafted a nuanced plan for how the Bush administration might go about correcting course in Iraq with more international collaboration and contract bidding, rather than calling for massive troop withdrawal while the likes of Halliburton line selected pockets with no-compete cash.

What is this plan?

I'd like to read it. On her web page http://cantwell.senate.gov I can't find it by searching under her press releases using the word transition or the word iraq. On the "issues" tab of her page, there's no mention of the war or international matters at all.

Does anyone have a link to her plan? I'd be very pleased if she addressed the issue of the no-bid contracts. That would be a good thing to do. We need her leadership on that.

by noemie maxwell on Fri May 26, 2006 at 08:45:27 AM PST

* 1 5.00 1 *

Plan by DWE, 05/26/2006 09:43:40 AM PST (5.00 / 2)
Plan by The Left Shue, 05/26/2006 09:44:07 AM PST (5.00 / 2)

Right on Zappini!!

I like your "teachable moment" points the most. The fact is that job one for Sen Cantwell is to hold this seat in the D column. This means taking stock of where she is or has been on the issues that are most useful in her race against McSafeco, doing polling and dealing with each primary issue based on the best advice she can buy. This means knowing what the potential wedge issues are in her match up with McSafeco and charting a path that diminishes his campaigns ability to be effective while exploiting those wedge issues that break her way to the greatest extent possible.
So is the remainder of 06 a teachable moment for Sen Cantwell? No it is not, at least her ability to publicly "flip" on an issue will be muted by the reality of her very complex match up with McSafeco.
One other point. I ran for local office once and my entire community resume was environmental based. I chose to embrace my citizen focus on environmental issues rather than to "be political" and spend my time looking moderate. My opponent was put up by the developers and was planning on and has proven to be their tool while in office. Yet he spent his time demonstrating that he was more moderate, could work with all sides, build consensus blah blah blah. And had a ton of money to drive home this message. Did I take the high road? Yes. Is my opponent a hard line tool for the locust in our community? Yes!
So I guess what I am saying is that we as observers do not have all the information and the candidate just can't give us a wink so we know she will be there for us after the election even when she takes this vote or that (while we D's are in the minority) and as such does not let McSafeco rack up fodder for attack adds.
And I am not talking about her view in regard to the war except to the extent that I know she agrees with a stronger push for withdrawal then she can say.
Peace

by Particle Man on Fri May 26, 2006 at 01:17:49 PM PST

* 4 5.00 2 *

Faith Based Voting by The Left Shue, 05/26/2006 01:43:13 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

I've said it before by gibney, 05/26/2006 04:16:41 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

Not one Issue by The Left Shue, 05/26/2006 04:43:42 PM PST (5.00 / 2)

Apology by gibney, 05/26/2006 05:00:43 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

Gibney by Particle Man, 06/02/2006 10:07:03 AM PST (none / 0)

How could Seeley say that's a nuanced

plan?

That makes no sense to me.

by noemie maxwell on Fri May 26, 2006 at 09:01:05 PM PST

* 9 5.00 1 *

Um... by Belltowner, 05/26/2006 10:29:48 PM PST (none / 0)

y'all? Mr. Belltowner, who is y'all? by noemie maxwell, 05/27/2006 03:37:54 PM PST (5.00 / 2)

Don't hold your breath by The Left Shue, 05/27/2006 04:29:44 PM PST (5.00 / 1)
A challenge by DWE, 05/27/2006 08:07:17 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

Co-sponsorship = by gibney, 05/27/2006 08:29:34 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

I have doubts by DWE, 05/28/2006 08:05:19 AM PST (none / 0)

A counter challenge -- by noemie maxwell, 05/28/2006 12:45:21 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

A counter-counter challenge-- by DWE, 05/28/2006 01:50:00 PM PST (5.00 / 2)

The clarification helps. by noemie maxwell, 05/28/2006 05:09:53 PM PST (5.00 / 2)

Okay, Noemie, by DWE, 05/28/2006 05:46:05 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

It's Only About Us by zappini, 06/02/2006 02:20:49 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

Giusto, fratello. n/t by DWE, 06/02/2006 03:03:13 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

Depleted Uranium by zappini, 05/28/2006 07:53:34 AM PST (none / 0)

Thanks! by DWE, 05/28/2006 08:21:29 AM PST (5.00 / 1)

Whoa easy now by Belltowner, 05/28/2006 08:37:12 PM PST (none / 0)

If this is addressed to Noemie? by gibney, 05/28/2006 09:00:25 PM PST (5.00 / 2)

Well, that's your take by Belltowner, 05/28/2006 10:53:28 PM PST (none / 0)

Actual quotes -- What I've said by noemie maxwell, 05/29/2006 08:04:10 AM PST (5.00 / 2)

That looks like it was a lot of work. by Belltowner, 05/30/2006 02:24:19 AM PST (none / 0)

Thank you, Dave! by noemie maxwell, 05/29/2006 08:11:09 AM PST (none / 0)

Largely in Agreement

Thanks for all the comments. I'm largely in agreement with all the points made.

One comment in reply to Chad (The Left) Shue: You're absolutely correct that this not just about the war. I'm upset by many of Cantwell's votes.

In a rare moment of agreement, Markos said (during the picnic in Marymoor Park for the CTG tour) that Cantwell's mistake was pissing off her base. He and many others have pointed out that the GOP wins by energizing their base and then reaching for the middle voters. Cantwell's novel strategy seems to be pissing off the base and banking on the middle.

I hope Cantwell's strategy works. I don't see it. But then again, I'm not paid the big bucks to understand such things.

All I know at this time and at this place, we need a Democratic majority in the Senate.

by zappini on Sun May 28, 2006 at 08:03:08 AM PST

* 16 none 0 *

Strategy by DWE, 05/28/2006 03:28:21 PM PST (5.00 / 1)

Flipper | 32 comments (32 topical)

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