AP: Sen. Barbara Boxer Steps Into Spotlight

[truthpusher]

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/breaking_news...

Posted on Sat, Jan. 29, 2005

Sen. Barbara Boxer Steps Into Spotlight

ERICA WERNER

Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Sen. Barbara Boxer has always spoken up, but the California Democrat seems to have gotten a lot louder lately. Her opposition to Condoleezza Rice's secretary of state nomination was so combative that it was parodied on Saturday Night Live. That came on the heels of her decision to sign onto a House member's complaint about Ohio voting problems, forcing Congress to debate them before certifying President Bush's re-election victory.

She's being touted on liberal blogs as the Democrats' best hope for president in 2008. Conservatives are excoriating her as - in House Minority Leader Tom DeLay's phrase - the leader of the "'X-Files' wing" of the Democratic Party.

(snip)

"I've always been this way," she says, "and I'm trying to figure out exactly why people suddenly find this to be interesting, you know. Somehow I have touched something inside people, and I have not ever had this happen before. The only thing I can think, after reading what people said, is a feeling that I'm asking the kind of questions and saying the kind of things that they are feeling."

Maybe she's becoming a spokeswoman, or even a symbol, for voters who oppose the Iraq war or feel shut out by the Bush administration. Maybe, with the Democratic Party at sea after November's election losses, some people sense a leadership void and are looking to her to fill it.

more here:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/breaking_news...

[98geoduck]

1. Democrats' best hope for president in 2008... I never said that...

but the thought has crossed my mind a lot. They also should have placed her as minority speaker, since she's one of only a few dems speaking for the party.

[jdj]

19. me either. It's nice they are reading blogs (maybe they'll learn

something)but I wish they'd listen to what Boxer is saying and quote her at length about what it is she's talking ABOUT instead of trying to scare Elmer and Bubba Fudd by painting her as the next Hillary.

[stepnw1f]

2. The Media Game Begins

They will try as hard as hell to ruin her public image... the fascist pigs.

[rodeodance]

3. yes, she took a bigggggg risk doing what she did -she was the leader

and will get hit the hardest by the Right. They are cruel and she will be raked thru the mud with the help of the Right media!!--already happened/happening.

[lebkuchen]

18. She took a stand on principle

She's opposed to being lied to in order to affect the sending of a quarter of a million soldiers to pose as sitting ducks in a country where the US has no business being...a good cause if ever there was one.

As I understand it, she's also opposed to torture. Anyone who doesn't like her stands can fuck off.

[Nothing Without Hope]

5. You bet they will. I hope that we on the internet can help her fight it.

It's so important to have SOMEONE to look to as speaking the truth to power, someone to respect. She has put everything on the line to do this, and we need to watch her back and do what we can to combat smearing and disinformation campaigns.

Thanks for this article.

[BrightKnight]

10. The thousands of flowers idea might also be good politics.

I like that idea of sending her thousands of flowers for Valentines day. The media should be notified of this gesture. It sends the message that she is not standing alone. It might also soften her image a bit.

The flowers could ultimately be donated to local hospitals.

[proudbluestater]

16. Who said she needs to soften her image? and WHY?

[jdj]

20. those little code words the press are using actually shrivel the

testicles of some democrats as well as all male republicans unfortunately. Thats why they do it.

Instead we all need to get behind her and yell "Go Barbara, be a total bitch just like Bay Buchanan and Mary Matalin, at least we ELECTED you!!!"

(Definition of bitch here is the rightwing one of any woman who says something they don't want to hear.

[BrightKnight]

25. Howard Dean and Kay Bailey Hutchison

I was comparing her to Howard Dean and Kay Bailey Hutchison. It’s not enough just to be a fighter. Howard Dean does that and he alienates the moderates. The party must do a better job of fighting for Democratic values and appealing to moderates. I was thinking that a strong woman like Senator Boxer might be able to find the right balance.

Kay Bailey Hutchison is every bit as tough and resolute as any of her neocon peers. In some ways she is more effective because she does it with a smile.

Softening her image might broaden her appeal and maker more effective. It is possible to do both.

[xxqqqzme]

29. 'Softening her image'

who R u referring 2 Boxer? or hutchison? if Boxer - U need 2 take a look @ her percentsge win last November. She was elected 2 do EXACTLY what she has been doing - soften her image - god help us all if wimmin don't measure up 2 your standards 'n ideals.

I'm guessing Boxer isn't your senator - right?

[shanti]

17. exactly

she has NEVER said a thing about being president. they are definitely trying to cut her off at the pass. i hope she doesn't fall for the okey doke.

[fshrink]

4. Not the best hopes for "Democrats" but

no doubt the best hope for democracy. Which is why people are looking to her. She is simply the only one to speak as a democrat rather than ,as Ms. Clinton, as a vote-grubbing, smile-dispensing, automated-reframing machine. DeLay is a meaningless speck.

[Conservativesux]

6. California Sen. Barbara Boxer Steps Into Spotlight

Sen. Barbara Boxer Steps Into Spotlight

Sat Jan 29, 5:32 PM ET

By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Sen. Barbara Boxer has always spoken up, but the California Democrat seems to have gotten a lot louder lately. Her opposition to Condoleezza Rice's secretary of state nomination was so combative that it was parodied on Saturday Night Live. That came on the heels of her decision to sign onto a House member's complaint about Ohio voting problems, forcing Congress to debate them before certifying President Bush's re-election victory.


She's being touted on liberal blogs as the Democrats' best hope for president in 2008. Conservatives are excoriating her as — in House Minority Leader Tom DeLay's phrase — the leader of the "'X-Files' wing" of the Democratic Party.


But Boxer says she is just standing up for what she believes.
"I've always been this way," she says, "and I'm trying to figure out exactly why people suddenly find this to be interesting, you know. Somehow I have touched something inside people, and I have not ever had this happen before. The only thing I can think, after reading what people said, is a feeling that I'm asking the kind of questions and saying the kind of things that they are feeling."


Maybe she's becoming a spokeswoman, or even a symbol, for voters who oppose the Iraq war or feel shut out by the Bush administration. Maybe, with the Democratic Party at sea after November's election losses, some people sense a leadership void and are looking to her to fill it.


Maybe it's not that Boxer's gotten louder but that other Democrats can barely be heard at all. At least, that's what some of her supporters are saying.


Whatever the explanation, Boxer, 64, has never been more in the spotlight. At a time when Republican dominance of Washington politics is nearly complete, a Marin County liberal who drives a hybrid car and opposes almost everything the GOP does has become a newly prominent face of the Democratic Party.


The rest of the story is at:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&e=2...

[Sydnie]

7. You really should edit that to 4 paragraphs

per DU rules.

[frictionlessO]

8. if you all love Senator Boxer as much as I and many others do

go here and submit a pic.

http://thankyoupatriot.com

She is without doubt gifted in the backbone and integrity department. While that article is good, all politicians show horse a bit because that is how you get the message out there. She also has no compunction with telling other dems that they are forgetting to be dems!

I'd follow her to the depths of hell, sadly it looks like thats the way things are going anyways...

[StClone]

9. "X-Files" from El Loco Cucaracha ?

Yeah call us crazy, conspirators and freaks. Tell me Tom if your way is so great why is the World falling apart under (R) control?

[imagine1989]

11. Too much...

I'm sorry, but I think Sen. Boxer has gotten to be a little too outspoken. She's protesting the unimportant stuff, which gives the Democratic Party a bad name.

[hootinholler]

12. Really???

Exactly which unimportant stuff is that?

I'll just be sitting here holding my breath for your comprehensive list.

I'd rather be part of The Boxer Rebellion than the bush coup!

-Hoot

[fshrink]

13. Let's see.

"Unimportant stuff":
- Stupid and repugnant war artificially created and maintained in Iraq. Justly attacking the mouthpiece that advocated for it.
- Rigging, manipulation of elections in 2004, particularly in Ohio. Standing up, alone, to ask for fundamental democratic rights to be honored.

"Important stuff":
- Finding "common grounds" with people who do not listen to humans.
- Find votes, no matter how. What for? We'll let you know in time.

"Outspoken":
- Call it as you see it
- Politically naive
- Look angry when angered
- Show courage

"Softspoken":
- Smile no matter what
- Politically savvy
- Say whatever is likely to be swallowed by the largest number
- Never resist to pressure

[Laurab]

14. I too want to know

what "unimportant stuff" she's protesting? And to whom exactly it's giving the Democratic party a bad name to? I'm pretty familiar with much of what she's said, done, and protested lately, yet I can't think of a single thing that was unimportant. I'm sure the rethugs aren't too fond of her, but, everyone I know (from the democratic party at least) think she's doing some great things. Please do enlighten me.

[doodadem]

22. Too outspoken about the U.S. going to hell

In a handbasket??? Is that possible?
Of all the things I've heard her speaking out against in the past few months, she was absolutely speaking for me as my senator:
--Protesting the Ohio presidential electors' legitimacy
--Protesting Condi Rice representing us to the rest of the world
--Protesting Gonzalez as our chief legal representative, a guy that thinks torture is A-ok
--Protesting Bush's involvement with companies that allow perchlorate (rocket fuel) to leach into our soil and ground water.

Barbara Boxer is doing her job.

[Voltaire99]

15. Fuck you, Saturday Night Live

SNL has been floundering for years. And now ripping on Boxer: wotta train wreck.

The cast and writers can't zing as many laughs all season as the Daily Show can in 10 minutes.

[Dervill Crow]

21. re: FU, Saturday Night Live

Gosh, were they ripping on Barbara Boxer? I enjoyed the replay on SNL almost as much as the real thing, but it could just be me being dense.

[paulie5]

23. You go girl

She's got the courage and I don't care what anybody says. Shes a ray of light where there was none before. I am very pleased with her convictions and is speaking out. We need more like her.

P5

[antigone382]

27. I actually thought the skit made her look good.

In my mind, that was one of the best episodes of SNL in a long time, what with the Boxer vs. Condi skit and the Bush twins' "secret twin language." I have a feeling Tina Fey, the woman who played Boxer in the skit, isn't a Republican, considering both that skit and the gleeful way she went into all the humiliating details of Bill O'Reilly's pervertedness on Weekend Update all last December.

[miyazaki]

24. Hope she doesn't end up like Wellstone...

-peace

[GetTheRightVote]

26. We on the internet must help to protect Sen. Boxer, she stood for us

now we must stand for her in return, it is our obligation to her which must be met

[jsquared]

28. There's a grassroots effort to send roses to her on Feb 14th in grattitude

for her courage and, hopefully, to be picked up by the media. For $3, three roses will be sent (with delivery costs picked up by sponsors). This was detailed yesterday on Daily Kos and the number to order this is 1 888 501 7673.