Last night, Joe Sestak, somewhat disappointingly, declined an invitation to debate with Pat Toomey (moderated by Ted Koppel) and instead attended a fundraiser with John Kerry and Teresa Heinz.
I really wonder about this, though. There's nothing obvious up on the (conservative) PA Chamber of Commerce website (they sponsored the event) about the event and the first I heard of it was today when I did my daily news search to put together this diary. By contrast, I've been hearing about the fundraiser for at least a week.
All I have to say is that if a fundraiser was deemed more important, then we need to continue to turn up the support.
Let's take a look at what Toomey actually said when talking to Koppel. Our guy wasn't there, true --- but in reading the reports, I think Toomey's views were embarrassing enough for "Wall Street's Congressman" anyway. Some quotes after the fold.
First things first, though - I wanted to point out that anyone, anywhere can help the campaign by Donating or Calling (through the campaign's virtual phone bank) --- this is one race the Netroots should get behind. Sestak challenged Republican-turned-Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter in the primary and beat him, despite a complete lack of support from the establishment, and is now in a serious contest with one of the most extreme right-wingers this election cycle.
In the Koppel interview, despite saying he wouldn't try to take Sestak's side, The Morning Call headline reads "Toomey goes toe-to-toe with Koppel." and for good reason:
Koppel also pushed back on Toomey's long-standing and somewhat controversial stance on allowing American employees to invest their Social Security privately. Koppel pressed that if President George W. Bush had been successful in getting such a plan through, people would have lost their savings during this recession.
"The big question is whether you're bullish on America," Toomey said. "If you think in the long run that America is not going to grow, is not going to thrive, then you should be worried about this approach." -The Morning Call
Read that again if you want. Toomey thinks that the only people who would be concerned that their retirement savings could disappear on the stock market are basically anti-American.
Okay, you know what - to say that in 1999 - or the very early aughties, even - might have seemed optimistic, but short-sighted. To say that in 2010 implies a dangerous and deep lack of connection to reality.
Sestak didn't even have to be there for the moderator to BE MODERATE and point out what any rational person should think upon hearing someone crazily supporting Social Security privatization while we are recovering the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression.
But, there's more material than that, of course. In what I can only assume was code for the need to maintain the Bush tax cuts for the extremely wealthy, he also trotted out the old trickle-down nonsense of the following:
"It's the wrong approach to say let's raise taxes and diminish economic growth, which could very well diminish revenue to the federal government over time," Toomey answered. -ABC27 News
Because giving rich people more money totally works and is actually the only way to spur economic growth.
...yeah.
Sestak can't win this without our help.
Here again, are the important to-do items:
- Donate (I set up a new ActBlue page, it seems to me this series ought to be able to get at least 50 contributors - my email - feel free to cut-and-paste - got us several new donors!)
- Canvass --- getting out the vote is critical. You can also go to their contact us page --- they just opened four new offices!
- Call - they have a Virtual Phone Bank, so you can make calls from anywhere! (h/t angel65)
- Send email (link takes you to the diary yesterday with a template) or call or talk in person with those you know in Pennsylvania about this race.
- And, if you are in Pennsylvania, plan to vote, and bring as many people with you as possible.
Other diaries in the series:
#8 - Knocking on doors in Pittsburgh this past weekend
#7 - The Admirable Admiral weighs in on tax cuts.
#6 - Sestak v. Toomey on crime
#5 - Mobilizing Pennsylvania's Progressives
#4 - Why is dKos advertising for a Tea Party Republican?!
#3 - Obama's other engagement today
#2 - Lies, Damn Lies, and Pat Toomey's ads.
#1 - Let's do better than the teabaggers in DE. Seriously, people, fight for it.
Thanks for reading, and make sure to check in tomorrow to see what a new day brings in this incredibly important contest.