Book Review: Heart of a Patriot (Max Cleland)

by: gradyw

Tue Nov 17, 2009 at 20:58:16 PM CST

Warning: This is not a book about a politician. This is not a book about military policy. This is a book about a son, a veteran, a neighbor, a friend who faces his demons, failures and regrets. This is about a person who shows his true courage in repair his shattered life more than any person should endure. This is a book that if you are human will tug at your heartstrings.

cross posted at The Progressive Electorate  

All Roads Lead to Jesse White

by: Redeye

Tue Jan 06, 2009 at 16:59:05 PM CST

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid turnd Senator Roland Burris away from the United States Senate today, but he wouldn't have been able to do it without  the Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.

And why is Harry Reid so determined not to seat Roland Burris when he let former Republican Senator Ted Stevens and Republican Senator Larry Craig remain in the U.S. Senate after they were indicted?  Burris hasn't been indicted for anything.  Is there one standard for those already in the Senate and another one for those trying to get in the Senate?

Who is Jesse White?  According to his biography he has Alabama Ties

Jesse White earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Alabama State College (now Alabama State University) in 1957, where he was a two-sport athlete earning all-conference honors in baseball and basketball.

Illinois Review says White's Got himself in a corner 

So why would White certify the election Blagoveich set to fill Rham Emannuel's vacant congressional seat, but not his appointment of Roland Burris to fill Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat?  Sounds like a case of selective outrage to me.   

Pssst! U.S. Senate Democrats, You're Being Played, Again.

by: Redeye

Fri Jan 02, 2009 at 18:09:01 PM CST

Seriously, the mainstream media, and the Talking TeeVee Pundit Heads think you are stoopid and you are playing right into their hands with the Blagoveich/Burris made for TeeVee Scandal of the Week.  Think about it, this is the same MSM and TTPH's that had you believing Saddam Hussien had tons and tons of WMD and were about to use them on us.  The same MSM and TTPH's that had you believing there was a link between Saddam Hussien and 911.  The same MSM and TTPH's that helped out an under cover CIA agent. We won't talk about Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman, but do you get my drift? 

The MSM and the TTPH's are just itching for Senate Dems to block Burrus' Path to Senate--Perhaps  Even Literally.

Monday Links I Like

by: Redeye

Mon Dec 15, 2008 at 15:28:47 PM CST

There are several interesting and informative Obama/Blago post on Anderson at Large.  Starting with Electors make it official; Blago distracts ;

Throughout the primary and general elections, Obama lamented “distractions.” Now, he will enter the White House with the mother of all distractions – his incoming chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, is a key witness in an ongoing criminal investigation.

The Blago mess may also be a cautionary tale for Obama supporters.

Consider: Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., “Senate Candidate 5,” rebuked his father when Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. was caught on tape making crude comments about Obama.

Shortly after Election Day, Jackson Jr. launched a very public campaign to be appointed to Obama’s senate seat. My inbox was clogged with messages from the Jackson camp touting his newspaper endorsements and a poll showing he was the “top choice of Illinois Democrats to succeed Obama.”

BTW, the poll also showed that Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan had zero support among black Democrats.

 

Facts should be uncovered in the courtroom, not the media.

Our office has received calls today inquiring about or suggesting that I or a member of my family served as an emissary in Governor Blagojevich’s “pay-to-play” scheme, revealed through wire-taps, to fill the state’s open Senate seat. It is not true. Such speculation is unfair, has no basis in fact, and wrongfully damages reputations. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald warned people to refrain from casting aspersions on those not named in the affidavit.

In the media, speculation can take on a life of its own. Facts about this delicate matter must be uncovered in the courtroom, not the newsroom. Questions pertaining to the affidavit should be directed to the law office of Cochran and Montgomery.

 Jack and Jill Politics explores How black people feel about Jess Jackson,Jr.  take this example from the comment section:

This also points up something about the Obama White House. Why oh why didn't somebody have a couple of come to jesus talks with Governors and state Dem. party wogs to pick replacements immediately. The key is to put asses in the seats on the Democratic side of the aisle. Period. Not this circus over Blago, or the soap opera in NY with JFK's daughter wanting "Uncle Bobby's seat." Lord, Biden had it locked. I want this person, now that person's filling the seat. But Barack's backsliding into the type of games which got folks sick of Democrats in the first place. Who in charge now, Dick Morris?

Jill Tubman says Barack Obama needs to tell us the truth adout what he knows about the Blago scandal sooner rather than later.

I don’t know about you, but I’m beginning to find this coy act of Obama kinda offensive.

He is the president-elect. Does he really expect us to believe that he didn’t know way more about the case against Blagojevich before we all found out about it on the news? It was his Senate seat under discussion. It’s natural that he and his team would have expressed opinions to Blagojevich on their preference on who might be appointed to finish Obama’s term as Senator. Furthermore, Obama is about to take over the Department of Justice. You’d better believe that someone who valued their continuing employment would have briefed the president-elect and his advisors on the case well before the feds showed up to arrest the governor of a major state.

Three Black Men, O.J., Dollar Bill Jefferson, and Barack Hussein Obama

O.J., Dollar Bill Jefferson and Barack Hussein Obama.

The killer, the crook and the politician.

The Holy Trinity of blackness in today's America.

At first glance, these three men don't have much in common. They aren't friends or confidants. You don't think of one when you mention the other.

But, there is a connection there.

More Links below the fold. 

Veteran's Day: Give it Up for Jim Martin in Georgia

by: mooncat

Tue Nov 11, 2008 at 14:56:46 PM CST

Jim Martin is in a runoff with Saxby Chambliss for the U.S. Senate seat in Georgia.  Chambliss is no friend to veterans -- here's what John McCain said about Chambliss' campaign ads 6 years ago

"I'd never seen anything like that ad. Putting pictures of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden next to the picture of a man who left three limbs on the battlefield -- it's worse than disgraceful. It's reprehensible."

Of course, today's John McCain is no longer the man he was in 2002, so now he'll be campaigning for Chambliss in Georgia.   Jim Martin is a Vietnam vet and he needs our help, today and every day until the runoff next month.  Please give what you can toward that 60th Democratic seat in the Senate and toward ousting Saxby Chambliss, one of the worst Republicans in Washington.  Here's a recent Martin ad:

Blog Talk Radio with Progressive Electorate Tomorrow

by: gradyw

Sat Oct 18, 2008 at 16:59:19 PM CDT

Our discussion will include

1. The U.S Senate Race in Texas that has narrowed in the last days with a fundraising blitz by the Clintons as well as favorable polling. R

2. Michele Bachman and her McCarthy like comments about the anti-American members of Congress.

3. National Presidential polling trends

Please join us as we are taking calls and comments.
 

Republican Senate Committee Redefines Success

by: mooncat

Mon Jun 09, 2008 at 23:20:12 PM CDT

Just don't lose too many Senate seats -- anything less than 8 Republican losses is a win.  Way to lower expectations, guys!

The chairman of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee predicts U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss will be part of the firewall the party wants to build against Democratic control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.

U.S. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., set a minimum on the number of seats the party must control, 41.

"The number that we get to is really, really important in the U.S. Senate," he said. "That's one of the reasons Saxby absolutely must hold his seat."

Democrats now have 49 seats, with two independents who vote with them.

Republicans hold 49 seats now, with 23 up for re-election this year, and five GOP senators retiring, giving away the incumbent advantage.

Democrats only have to defend 12 seats this year.

An eight-seat loss would be a very bad year for any party, even the party holding the White House at the end of a second term, when voters typically hunger for change. So, it's surprising for a party leader to speak in such frank terms about major losses.

It's kind of interesting that Ensign says Saxby Chambliss "absolutely must hold his seat" for the Republicans to maintain a 41 seat minority, then turns around and says he expects Chambliss to raise his own funds so the RSCC can spend its paltry funds elsewhere.  That's the new Republican support concept -- we like you but you're on your own.  They've been pushing the same concept in health care, jobs and education for a while now and it's finally percolated up to their own campaigns.  Sweet!

Now we need to make sure Vivian Figures can force Jeff Sessions to spend his own money in Alabama so he won't be tempted to bail out any of his buddies -- like Saxby Chambliss. 

Redeye's Post Election Day Fave Fives

by: Redeye

Wed Jun 04, 2008 at 20:16:18 PM CDT

1. "We fall down but we get up" says First Draft.

2. Cotton Mouth says McSames "Straight Talk Express" blew a tire in Baton Rouge, LA.  Sam Stein reports another blow out in Nashville, TN. *Snicker*

3. When the cat is away the mice will play.  The G*d D*#m GOPers' have shut down the Senate.  Politco is watching the House.

McConnell has essentially shut down the Senate floor this afternoon by forcing the Senate clerk to read aloud the entire 500 page global warming bill. So if legislative language is your thing, turn on C-SPAN and watch the Senate at its best, or worst, depending on your perspective.

4.  All I'm going to say about THIS is OMG.

5. Too Sense is weeping tears of joy and sorrow. I'm going to admitt to shedding a few tears myself.

June 3, 2008. Remember the date, remember where you were when the news was announced, remember where you where when you heard the speech.

What would it cost to run against Sessions? Is he invincible?

by: mooncat

Sat Jul 28, 2007 at 21:33:38 PM CDT

On APT's For the Record Friday, Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks reiterated that it will take a lot of money to mount a campaign against Jeff Sessions, and "3 weeks or 3 months ago" would not have been too early to start raising that money.

Sessions is reporting a little over $3 million in his campaign kitty as of the end of June.  Several political friends have opined that an opponent will need to raise $10 million to seriously challenge Sessions.  That seems like a lot.  Let's look at what was spent on some Senate races in 2006.  The figures below are updated as of 11/9/06 and don't reflect the absolutely final totals, but they should be indicative.  Incumbents are in italics.

There is a lot of variation, with Jon Tester, Jim Webb and Sheldon Whitehouse spending less than $5 million each to defeat Republican incumbents.  The price of media makes a big difference.  Montana is a less expensive media market than Pennsylvania.  So is Alabama.  If 2008 is as good a year for Democrats as 2006 was, the right Democrat could be outspent 2 to 1 and still be neck and neck with Jeff Sessions.  I think a challenger would need at least $5 million, but $10 million looks like an upper limit.

A lot of people are saying that Sessions is invincible now because of his stand against Bush on the Immigration Bill.  That is BS, but Sessions wants us to believe it.  In his op-ed this week, Ron Sparks showed the way to turn that issue back on Jeff Sessions.  The fact is most of the people who are lauding Sessions are actually mad as hell about the immigration situation we have today.  Sessions' action last month means a continuation of the status quo and the immigration problem will continue to grow. 

As Sparks said "... he must believe that it is ok for an elected official to boast about how he single handedly defeated an immigration bill because it was a bad bill.   I believe that if you have a bad bill, and have the votes to kill it, then you also have the votes to amend it and make it work."  The illegal imimigrant issue is crying out for a voter education program from Democrats.  Who benefits from the status quo?  Not average Americans.  Not illegal workers.  Whose bidding was Jeff Sessions doing when he killed the Immigration Bill?

Democrats need to learn to do that Rove thing -- attack at your enemy's strength.  Sessions as the Immigration White Knight is vulnerable to a smart candidate who points out that the status quo is the problem, not the solution.