You've read here on Kos before about the contest in Maryland's fourth Congressional District, where incumbent Democrat Albert Wynn is being challenged this year by progressive Democrat Donna Edwards. Donna has impressed voters everywhere she goes, with her thoughtful and intelligent perspective on the people and the issues of our communities, our country and our world. She has also had a major impact on people of the 4th District just by showing them Al Wynn's voting record;
most had no idea he supported the invasion of Iraq, supported Vice President Cheney's energy policy - crafted behind closed doors with the participation of the energy industry, supported the Republican's Bankruptcy bill that leaves people who are driven into debt by medical catasrophe or natural disaster with no recourse (after taking thousands of dollars from corporate lobbyists and the banking industry, beneficiaries of the bill), supported the Republican melodramatic fiasco that attempted to interfere in the private medical decisions of Terry Schiavo, supported gutting of the Endangered Species Act, supported privatization of the Internet and, closer to home, has worked to bring casinos to the area.
People had no idea, because they did not hear from Al Wynn. No wonder.
OK. So Saturday afternoon, Albert Wynn held his annual crabfest on the grounds of Prince George's County Community College - public property supported by tax dollars from the people of Maryland and the people of Prince George's County. Five women who support Donna's candidacy took the opportunity to place her flyers on the windshields of the cars coming to the crabfest. Many of the cars already had flyers from other Maryland candidates. After we had completed flyering about half of the cars, a group of around six people - taking a page from the Karl Rove Book of Political Dirty Tricks - started running from car to car, pulling out and crumpling the Donna Edwards flyers. When we asked them what they thought they were doing, they responded in a rather hostile manner that they were with Wynn's campaign, were taking off Donna's flyers and we could not stop them. A few hot words were exchanged and we realized we could not, in fact, stop them. One of them even had a pile of Donna Edwards' lawn signs in the back of a car, so it was not only Donna's flyers they were taking. This is happening throughout the district. The Edwards' Campaign has reported losing a couple of hundred signs already.
It seems Al Wynn not only votes like a Republican, he campaigns like one too.
As it turns out, what we ended up doing was probably more effective anyway - we spoke with people about Donna, as they arrived and got out of their cars. Many had not heard of Donna, so they had a chance to learn who she is. A number said they had been waiting for someone to run against Al Wynn, and they were eager to read about her.
Donna Edwards respects the voters of the 4th District and believes they will make a sound decision once they are fully informed about their choices. Albert Wynn clearly does not.
Interesting afterword: there were people at the crabfeast serving food and wearing Michael Steele t-shirts. Michael Steele is our current Republican Lieutenant Governor, running for the US Senate to fill the vacant seat left by Paul Sarbanes' impending retirement. Like our governor, Bob Ehrlich, he is a Bush clone, funded by wealthy right wing Republicans, who attend events hosted by the likes of George Bush and Karl Rove, and who include Floyd Brown (the producer of the "Willie Horton" ads during the 1988 presidential race) and Alex Castellanos (creator of the "White Hands" ad for Jesse Helms campaigns). Steele people were at the event and were seen carrying Steele literature and bumper stickers - some of which were placed on the windshields of cars in the parking lot, and allowed to remain. Draw your own conclusions about the money Wynn is accepting.
Hmmm...why do you suppose Al Wynn invited/permitted those supporting the Senate candidate of the opposing party to participate in his event? Somehow I don't think the milk of human kindness is the explanation. Something does not smell right.
How can you help?
· Write letters to the editor of your local papers and tell that you will not support any candidate who uses dirty campaign tactics.
· If you live in Maryland, contact Al Wynn's office and tell them Maryland voters don't accept this approach.
http://wynn.house.gov/...
(202) 225-8699
· If you live in the 4th District, contact your local papers and radio stations and tell them you won't vote for any candidate who has so little confidence in his record that he does everything he can to hide it from the voters
· Send a contribution to Donna's campaign: www.donnaedwardsforcongress.com or here: http://www.actblue.com/....
With signs and such being stolen by the Wynn campaign, Donna has extra expenses.