We may have a hard time getting our local Democratic congressmen to back fellow Democratic challengers, but how about a nice letter from Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, James E. Clyburn, Rahm Emanuel and Chris Van Hollen.
Dated March 14, the letter from the five top figures in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee congratulates Joe Garcia on a "strong start" to his campaign for Florida Congressional District 25.
It concludes: "We look forward to supporting your campaign and helping you become our newest Democratic partner for change in Washington."
Identical letters went to Raul Martinez, challenging in District 21, and to Annette Taddeo, candidate in District 18.
Dear friends: this is a scoop. I think. I've checked the AP, the NY Times, the Miami Herald and its blog. They don't have it. Is it unimportant? I don't think so, in the context of a solid six days of turmoil and heavy blogging since the Miami Herald published an expose on Page One last Sunday.UPDATE: Early Saturday the Herald put up a story online reporting the same development. UPDATE II: It's in the newspaper, too, p. 1 of the Metro section.
Readers of this blog and Brownsox' posts on DailyKos the last three days know the drill: Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20) and Rep. Kendrick Meek (FL-17), two rising young Democrats in the House, are somehow unable to back the three strong challengers to the three Republicans who misrepresent Miami-Dade County and chunks of Broward, Collier and Monroe counties.
The Democrats have "allegiances," in the Herald's terminology, with those Republicans, even though they are far right on the Iraq war, health insurance for children, torture, illegal wiretapping, executive powers, you name it -- the whole spectrum of Bushite folly.
Wasserman Schultz and Meek still may have begged off any close association with the campaigns of Joe Garcia (Fl-25), Raul Martinez (FL-21) and Annette Taddeo (FL-18). But with Pelosi, Hoyer, Clyburn, Emanuel and Van Hollen behind the three challengers, this will be a powerful campaign to turn South Florida blue and blue and blue.
This must be taken as a victory for the party grassroots, which rose in righteous anger when the Herald's story came out last Sunday. This was quickly blogged wherever possible, with DailyKos diaries ringing in with 200-plus comments -- all negative toward the position of Wasserman Schultz and Meek.
Earlier in the week the turn of the tide was signaled on the DCCC's own blog, where on Wednesday Brandon English had the byline on a post declaring that the DCCC would support the three challengers.
With the demurral: "While some of our Members may not always be able to actively campaign with every candidate, you can be assured that the DCCC will be there."
My friends, this practice of "allegiances" must be rooted out wherever it exists. There is a difference between having civilized debate with friendly opponents, on the one hand, and being bound not to oppose the re-election bids of neo-con hardliners just because they happen to live in your same county. This is politics, not junior high.
3 comments:
More on this at New Kos story
Is there any truth to the rumor that the Republicans are doing a legal brief on whether they can challenge Hillary's election (if such comes about) in the Supreme Court -- on the basis that she is a surrogate for Bill and as a wife legally bound to him? Since he is barred under the 22nd Amendment from becoming President, is she? All they would need is the Supreme Court taking the case.
That's a new rumor. When you hear more, let us know.
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