A few weeks ago I met an extraordinary woman running for Congress just south of where I lived in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. Her name is Sam Bennett and she's running against rubber stamp Republican/fake moderate Charlie Dent in PA-15. We invited her over to Firedoglake for a live blogging session and you can read the questions and answers here. She was endorsed by Blue America and we've been raising money for her campaign (here). Walter, her campaign manager, and I have been urging her to introduce herself to the Kos community and she decided to do it today-- and then realized she has to wait a couple weeks before she can post a diary. She asked me if I'd put this up for her, due to the timeliness of the message. She just sent the same message to her supporters:
George Bush and Charlie Dent will be at a high-dollar fundraiser in Bryn Mawr this afternoon to benefit the PA Republican Party. It's $1,000 to get in, and for a mere $10,000, you can have your picture taken with the President. (No word on how much for a picture with Charlie.)
But why wouldn't President Bush look after Charlie Dent? After all, Charlie certainly looks after him:
• Unbroken support for Bush's disastrous war without end in Iraq,
• Opposition to adequate supplies and rest for our troops,
• Opposition to rights for working families and equal pay for women and minorities,
• A terrible voting record on the environment, education and energy,
• A vote against health care for kids that only changed when the people of the Lehigh Valley rose up and called Charlie out on it.
I don't want a picture with President Bush, and I bet you don't either. But we do share a vision of America that is strong, responsible and respected around the world, and compassionate and competent here at home.
We have a chance to realize that vision, but only if we change Washington. We need new representation for the Lehigh Valley, and that's why I'm running for Congress.
The Republicans know that Charlie Dent is one of the MOST vulnerable incumbents in the House (Karl Rove said so in his infamous Powerpoint presentation). You can bet thet that the money George Bush and Charlie Dent are raising in Bryn Mawr today will be used next fall to distort the truth and smear Democratic campaigns, including mine.
Will you help me fight back?
If we can get ten or fifty or a hundred ordinary Americans to contribute whatever they can to our campaign while George Bush is charging $10,000 for a picture, we can take the fight to Charlie Dent.
-Sam Bennett
Sam's Blue America Act Blue page is open... 24/7. Kos contributors today add one cent to your donation and you'll be in a drawing for a nice new Impeach Cheney baseball cap.