PDA ENDORSES KWEISI MFUME IN MARYLAND U.S. SENATE RACE

[Kevin Spidel]

Progressive Democrats of America enthusiastically endorses Democratic candidate Kweisi Mfume for U.S. Senate in Maryland.



PDA Executive Director Tim Carpenter says, “Democrats need to coalesce around candidates like Kweisi Mfume in order to win back Congress this fall. Mfume grew up in poverty and therefore understands issues of economic justice that affect millions of Americans. Moreover, his proven record in Congress shows he will have the courage to stand up on the Iraq war and other important progressive issues like health care, education and fair trade.

“Mfume instantly wins the respect and admiration of anyone who hears him speak,” Carpenter added. “He is a charismatic, dynamic leader with one of the brightest future in the Democratic Party. PDA is proud to support him.”

Mfume was a representative in Congress for ten years before leaving to serve as the President and CEO of the NAACP.

In his announcement speech, Mfume said as Senator his role will be to “give a new voice to issues affecting everyday working men and working women, as well as the families that they are a part of. My goal will be to build coalitions across racial, religious and ethnic lines.” He later added, “I can’t be bought, I won’t be intimidated and I don’t know how to quit.”

PDA Maryland activists will be busy this summer working on the campaign of Kweisi Mfume, please visit his web site and get involved today!

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[SaveElmer]

1. Mfume will lose in the general...

Cardin is by far the stronger candidate!

[Stinky The Clown]

2. Not so fast ......

Neither Cardin nor Mfume would be a bad choice. Mfume is far and away the better progressive, but both men are good, solid Dems.

The horserace, however, is far from over. Right now Cardin holds a pretty good lead over Steele, where Mfume is ahead, but within the margin of error. This early on, I see both men with a good chance of beating Steele. The Dems have yet to coalesce around either man, since both, among Dems and ahead of the primary, are polling about even at 30% each.

Cardin has the money and 'mainstream' party backing. Mfume, however, is a hard charger who is doing a ground game or retail one-on-one politics.

Mfume is my choice, so I may be a bit too hopeful, but I see this as very much an open race.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-te.md.poll17jul17,0,549888.story?coll=bal-home-headlines

Rasmussen has Cardin doing a bit worse and Mfume doing a bit better, but the poll is a little older.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/2006/State%20Polls/April%202006/Maryland%20Senate%20April.htm

And in a WaPo poll cited by the Gazette, Mfume leads Cardin by a good margin, but that Cardin polls better against Steele.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/070506/montcou151804_31947.shtml

I'll stick with my horse for a while, but can see myself happy with Cardin if it comes to that.

[SaveElmer]

3. I hate to say it...and I don't approve...

But Mfume's private life is gonna be in the news there and is gonna drive down his numbers.

I personally have no problem with him, though if I lived across the river I would support Cardin.

[aintitfunny]

7. Which part about his private life?

The sins of youth, perhaps?
Unproven allegations denied by all parties?
The fact that he overcame the odds and has been a dedicated public servant for many, many years?
The fact that he adopted a troubled little boy and is giving that child every opportunity.

Cardin, while a good man, is a moderate who voted for the renewal of the Patriot Act. I will support him if he is the nominee, but Mfume is my 1st choice.

[SaveElmer]

10. He allegedly had an affair...

With a staffer at the NAACP when he was President, and there are accusations that he created an inappropriate atmosphere for women employees, and promoted the women he was sleeping with. This was all in the papers when he announced, but has died down. But now that he is running better against Cardin they are bound to resurface, and if he actually wins the nod, the media is gonna be all over it.

[aintitfunny]

18. Allegedly..accusations. Yes, I know

the rumors and I know the allegations. There were also people who told me the sordid O'Malley rumors before the facts that they were made up out of whole cloth.

I know the rumors, all parties deny them. That will not stop some from using them. But the potential for someone to play bad politics should not be the reason to count a good man out.

[Doctor_J]

19. Allegations + hate radio = truth

[SaveElmer]

22. I count him out because ...

I do not think he will be a strong statewide candidate. I think Ben Cardin, an excellent public servant, will be.

[Stinky The Clown]

8. Yes, its true .... that's been out there for a while .......

..... and so far it hasn't gotten very much traction, the WaPo's series of articles about it notwithstanding.

Of course, Cardin has taken the 'front runner high road' and has yet to engage Mfume. Steele hasn't really started campaigning yet; he's raising outside money and conferring with his goombah patrone ... KKKarl.

[Radical Activist]

14. The only objections you raised are polls and personal slander.

That's Bush-league politics and no way to pick a candidate. You're convincing me that Mfume is the better man for the job.

[paulk]

17. the Republicans are good at personal slander

and you can bet they'll use these allegations in a general election.

that seems to be the point....

[SaveElmer]

23. Yes...lets just slide everything under the rug...

So when it does explode in the media, we have no strategy. I support Ben Cardin because I think he is the better candidate. However, I would have no problem with Mfume as Senator. But this issue IS going to come up, and rather than just ignore it hoping people will see it as Bullshit, there better be an effective strategy in place to counter it, or Mfume will lose the race!

[Donald Ian Rankin]

26. Which job?

Do you mean "would be the better Senator" or "would be the better candidate"?

What matters to the former is whether or not the allegations are true; popular perception is irrelevant. For the latter, however, what counts most is how many people believe the allegations, whether they're true or not.

Politics is too important to let justice be a consideration when selecting a candidate, alas - the candidate is there for the good of the party, not the other way round, unlike in other fields where an employer has a duty to stand by an unjustly-accused employee. If there are scandals hanging over him that will make it harder for him to win, then even if they're false he is still a less good candidate.

[Kevin Spidel]

5. a note from a PDA activist on the ground in MD

From Mike Hersh in MD:

There are other interesting details. Kweisi Mfume was born to poverty
and when his mother died far too young, he had to fend for himself and
his younger siblings. He gave up hope in the system, ran with a gang,
and then turned his life around. He became a living example of rising
above and overcoming extreme difficulties. He explains in an
inspirational way that he feels he was rescued from a short, meaningless
life and in gratitude he has devoted himself to helping others.

Mfume went from outlaw to lawmaker, serving on the Baltimore City
Council, in the US House, and then helped rescue the NAACP from scandal
and financial disaster. While there, he opened doors to women - the
NAACP historically had a bad record on that. He wins respect from left,
center and right, without compromising his ethical or philosophical
commitments. He is dedicated to economic and social justice, and a
strong comprehensive progressive agenda including peace, universal
health care, help for those in need, ending poverty, improving education
- all our PDA priorities.

Speaking just for myself, I was going to sit out the Senate primary race
in Maryland, because we have several worthy candidates. There are so
many things to do I planned to let other people worry about that
contest. Obviously I've seen him on the news for years, but after seeing
Kweisi Mfume speak and learning about him from research and speaking
with people who worked with him, my admiration for him grew. Friends
from across Maryland feel the same way. This is a very unusual, very
important candidate.

[SaveElmer]

9. Realistically speaking...

How are the allegations of impropriety in his personal life, and allegations that he created an inappropriate atmosphere for women employees at the NAACP when he was there going to affect the campaign...and doesn't Cardin generally poll better against Steele, where Mfume is either slightly ahead or slightly behind Steele.

I think the stuff about his private life is probably Bullsh*t, and I have always like Mfume, but depending on the media play this could be a significant media distraction for him.

[Outer_Limit]

20. Oh please

The opposition is always going to find some mud to sling at a candidate. If you think the stuff about his personal life is BS, then find another reason not to support him, perhaps something policy wise. Being afraid of what the media will say about him in the future is just plain weak-kneed. I like Mfume and could care less what the opposition will say about him. I hope he wins the primary and beats Steele in the general, which I think is entirely possible. I think he would be a decent senator and his viewpoints are much needed in what I deem a do nothing senate.

[SaveElmer]

21. Read my post...

I was not bringing this up because of my support or not...and I clearly said I think it is bull...I was speaking in terms of his electibility

He performs worse against the Republican candidate than Ben Cardin, and whether we like it or not, this issue will be raised again.

[Outer_Limit]

25. Well, I did read your post, and pressed the reply button below it

The poll isn't worth much this early on in the process. In addition to that, polls turn out to be wrong at times so why not look at the big picture, the issues, the candidate's experience, and use that as a measuring stick.

[SaveElmer]

27. I do...which is why I support Cardin...

However, in case Mfume wins, Democrats in MD need to be prepared...this stuff is gonna hit the fan. There is no way this will slide under the radar, and there better be an effective strategy for dealing with it. We do not want to lose a seat in a blue state.

[Stinky The Clown]

11. "This is a very unusual, very important candidate."

Mfume would be good not only for Maryland but also for the national party.

He has it all ..... he's a rock-solid progressive and has congressional experience. His personal story is incredibly compelling. He's a former NAACP head. He's had his own teevee talk show (mostly political stuff). He's media savvy, very telegenic, handsome, and charismatic and would be a national media 'get' if he wins a senate seat.

Dems need to be **all over** this guy!

[LiberalEsto]

6. Not if MD Dems work together

and support whoever wins the primary.

[aintitfunny]

4. That's great, thanks for posting (N/T)

[Kevin Spidel]

12. interview with mfume over at mydd...

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/4/28/18367/9961

[LincolnMcGrath]

13. Sit back and observe the dlcentrist-zellocrats try to "McKinney" Mfume

Mfume Iraq:

"The first thing we have to do is admit that this is an illegal war. We are there for all the wrong reasons. I believe we’ve got to get out of there in a way that allows this nation to focus more of its time, resources and brave young men and women on the issue of homeland security. I don’t believe we’re making the world safer by being there. Being in Iraq has found a way to slow down our machinery in terms of real homeland security."

Can you imagine the fear and loathing that will scream forth from the BullMoose worshipers if a man like this gets elected?

[Stinky The Clown]

15. If 'a man like this' gets elected .....

.... my state and my country will be the better for it.

[LincolnMcGrath]

16. I agree that he would make a fine senator.

[LynneSin]

24. Wait, I thought the MD Senate Sure-Bet candidate was just arrested

:eyes:

Sorry, too many threads in DU where they're treating this 4th string candidate in a field of 18 as some sort of frontrunner with no clue that it's Mfume and Carden in the vast lead