There has been much written about this race. Jim Neal is a successful businessman with progressive ideals who is willing to fight for what he believes. Kay Hagan is a corporate Democrat that is most famous in North Carolina for proposing a budget that cut Medicaid to the blind, elderly, and seniors while also cutting taxes for corporations and citizens making over $250,000. However, the DSCC has decided that Kay Hagan is their candidate. Take this little info that was slipped into a blog by well-respected North Carolina Journalist and Blogger Mark Binker:
Staff. Hagan and Neal have a blend of professional and volunteer staff that organize meet-and-greets, run the website, spin reporters, network, fundraise and do all the grunt work of a campaign...Hagan is rolling with DSCC-vetted staffers and Neal has hired an outside consultant with experience running "outsider" campaigns.
The DSCC has made their choice, but after the break I want to further introduce you to Kay Hagan and why YOU need to back the Ned Lamont of 2008, the Jon Tester of 2008 - Jim Neal.
The following is a rough transcript of a forum that took place recently in North Carolina. You can listen to the whole thing here, I'm not hiding anything. These are the relevant passages I believe.
Question: If you had to deal with President McCain, how would you deal with that and implement some different Iraq policy:
Neal: "Any of us up here will do a hell of lot better job than Senator Dole. With respect to Iraq, this is one thing that distinguishes me....I will not vote for any further funding for the war until such time as the administration has come to the Congress and has a discussion where the order is given to bring our trips home orderly and quickly. I can’t tell you how long it will take..."
Hagan: "First of all, I would never use the funding of the military as a political tool to not fund the military. However, I think what I would do is hold hearings after hearings after hearings."
Now, let's compare that to what some other national figures have said.
During his Rose Garden remarks, Bush said it would be "irresponsible" for the Democratic leadership in Congress "to delay for months on end while our troops in combat are waiting for the funds."
Delay "will mean that some of our military families could wait longer for their loved ones to return from the front lines, and others could see their loved ones headed back to the war sooner than they need to," said the presiden
"You don't have to be a military strategist to understand the advantage a withdrawal date gives to the enemy," said Paul Morin, national commander of the American Legion in a news release. "Congress authorized Operation Iraqi Freedom, and now, it needs to let the troops finish the job.
"The American Legion supports the troops," he added. "You cannot support the troops if you want them to cut and run."
Who do you want standing next to Harry Reid, Jon Tester, and Jim Webb when the next Senate battle begins. A corporate, Lieberman-Democrat, or Jim Neal, a progressive who stands up for what he believes?
The DSCC has decided it knows best, show them they are wrong. Give to Jim Neal and if you are in North Carolina, go to early voting now and cast your ballot for Jim Neal! I cast my vote while Jim Neal stood outside meeting & greeting voters at the University of North Carolina Planetarium. If you are in North Carolina and want a chance to meet Jim Neal, you can find him here.
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