As I read articles, posts, and diaries on this and other blogs, I repeatedly see a common thread that is consistantly used in the Massachusetts Democratic U.S. Senatorial Race. That is that none of those running so far have "a name".
Below the fold
Before I go on, let me introduce who I am, since I do not have a "name" either.
My name is Ed Miller
I am a Progressive Democrat.
Chairman of the Plymouth County Democratic League.
1st Vice Chair of the Brockton Democratic City Committee
Library Trustee.
A Resident of Brockton, Mass.
And a middle class citizen who fervently supports the middle class.
I do not buy the mantra that we need a candidate with name recognition to beat Grover Nordquist's heart throb, Scott Brown.
In the special election between Scott Brown and Martha Coakley, who had the name recognition? A back bench do nothing State Senator Scott Brown or Attorney General Martha Coakley?
Remember, at the time of the special election, the healthcare debate was raging and Democrats were unmotivated because of the weakness of the majority of the Democrats in the US Senate. Harry Reid's lack of leadership of not being able to pass any significant bills because those mean ol' Minority Republicans were still in control of the Senate. Senator Max Baacus (conservadem) was capitulating to the Republicans on his committee to pass the bill out of committee, they voted no, then he would capitulate even more. Because of Baacus' weak leadership and forgetting that he was elected to represent all Democrats and not just Corporate Democrats, the HC bill was stuck in his committee from (if I remember correctly) May to January. Worse, it was being watered down and watered down and watered down even more. We had a President who, unfortunately, made a stand of sand and kept, yes, you guessed it, capitulating to the Minority Republicans.
Running for US Senate anytime is an expensive prospect. When the DNC sends funds to help, they also send their "advisors". Unfortunately, this wasn't Howard Dean's DNC. This was DLC'er Tim Kaine's DNC. Once again, the DNC advisors were the proteges of Terry McCauliffe, Lanny Davis, Bob Shrum (I couldn't remember Shrum's last name. I googled Democratic strategist and perpetual loser and guess who came up first) and many more that have not, can not and will never enthuse and motivate Democrats to run the campaign.
Also, it has to be said that Coakley's mistake of not running her usual campaign of "brass knuckle" campaigning and listening to the Consevadem DNC.
Scott Brown can be beat. It won't be because of someone who has a name. It will be because of a strong candidate with a strong message. We have six very good candidates running.
Marisa DeFranco
Bob Massie
Alan Khazai
Herb Robinson
Setti Warren
Bob Conley
(If Elizabeth Warren wants get into the fray, great. I have no problem of having the person who made the Rethugs crap their pants because she actually believes consumers should have consumer protection.)
My main concern is that our candidate understands that they represent middle class Democrats from their state and that the republicans accross the aisle are NOT my friends.
My main concern is that all these candidates understand that I want a candidate and Senator that needs to carry a set (figuratively) of brass knuckles and is going to fight for both business and strong unions.
It is also my concern is that the next Democratic Senator from Massachusetts understands that their is a big difference between compromising and capitulating. Compromising to me means that we may not have gotten everything in a bill but we reveived some advancement. Capitulating is losing some rights and benefits and having the Us Democratic Senators saying, "See, you didn't lose everything, just lost a some things!!" Then losing " a little' more the next time and the next. It's like dying a death of a thousand cuts and having these old school Democrats saying that's a good thing.
As a member of PCDL said:
"Barak who?"
"Deval who?"
I remember for a couple of days 6-7 years ago calling a candidate for Governor "Patric Deval"
To sum it up:
As A Chair, I will invite any and all Democratic Senatorial Candidate to any and all events we have. It is up to the Democrats in my state to go to these events and choose the one they feel that will represent us. Sooner or later their names will be known. If these candidates run a strong and competent campaign, then Scott Brown will just be a footnote in Massachusetts politics.