Feinstein may encounter Green challenge in'06

[Freddie Stubbs]

San Francisco activist Todd Chretien hopes to make Senate race a referendum on war in Iraq

FROM STAFF REPORTS

A co-author of San Francisco's successful ballot measure opposing military recruiters on public high schools and college campuses has announced he might run as a Green Party candidate against U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Activist Todd Chretien, 36, of San Francisco has formed an exploratory committee and expects to announce a final decision in the next 10 days. In a news release, Chretien said he wants to make the election a referendum on the war in Iraq, forcing Feinstein to come to grips with polls showing a majority of California voters oppose the war.

more: http://www.insidebayarea.com/timesstar/localnews/ci_3283275

Looks like DiFi is in for a smooth ride for reelection with the competition only being third-stringers.

[SteppingRazor]

1. If there's a serious leftwing third-party nominee...

I'm surprised the GOP doesn't put up a strong candidate. Previous elections have shown that splitting the progressive base can pull a conservative win, even when the GOP candidate is not as qualified **cough cough Nader cough cough** :evilgrin:

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. Serious is the operative word

Feinstein is the most popular politician in CA right now.

[depakid]

6. LOL- you've GOT to be kidding me

I know you like to defend DINO's, but the Greens running a challenge here ought to tell you that somebody's not happy with her performance.

[Coastie for Truth]

10. Right

Tom McClintock and Darrel Issa and Dan Lungren to name a few. And it would not surprise me if they pump big bucks into the Green campaign to squeeze Lungren or Issa or Pombo or the like in.

Remember Nader and Bush in 2000.

If DiFi is a Dino --- what,pray tell is Dan Lungren or my neighbor (his District begins just a quick bike ride from me) Rich Pombo.

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. The Greens ran a very unsuccessful campaign against DiFi last time

Dianne Feinstein Dem 5,932,522 55.9
Tom Campbell Rep 3,886,853 36.6
Diane B. Templin AmI 134,598 1.2
Medea Susan Benjamin Grn 326,828 3.1
Gail Katherine Lightfoot Lib 187,718 1.8
Brian M. Rees Nat 58,537 0.5
Jose Luis Camahort Ref 96,552 0.9





http://vote2000.ss.ca.gov/Returns/ussen/00.htm

[400Years]

24. This is Feinstien's fault for being a corporate warmonger

IF she loses it will be because the failed to do the right thing.
I wouldn't vote for her. I know the risks but it would just mean waiting for one cycle and then installing a real Democrat instead of a corporate scumsucker.

[Freddie Stubbs]

37. She is in no danger of losing

She is the most popular Democrat in CA.

[depakid]

42. You keep repeating that like some mantra

based on a one little telephone poll- which includes a ton of Republicans.

Any statistician will tell you those results are pretty well worthless, especially as a predictor for the next election.

But you can keep saying it over & over and maybe people will believe it. That seemed to work for the DLC'rs who were defending Lieberman.

[Freddie Stubbs]

50. Senator Feinstein's popularity is well-documented by

her success at the polls.

[400Years]

56. by piles of dead bodies, Iraqi and American

oh, and also piles of our tax dollars in the coffers of Bechtel.

[Freddie Stubbs]

62. Far more Americans die in automobile accidents than do in combat

Perhaps we should ban cars?

[400Years]

67. You don't want to go there Freddie

that is a little too close to the rationalizatons found over at you-know-where.

[Freddie Stubbs]

68. And over at "you-know-there"

they also hate Diane Feinstein.

[400Years]

69. They don't hate her war stance

They only hate her because she has a D after her name.

[Freddie Stubbs]

70. They hate her because she is pro-choice, pro- gun control and

pro-affirmative action.

[400Years]

71. and if she wasn't pro-corporate imperialism I would support her

but the fact is she is tied to the same support system that keeps bush and cheney in power. So when you support her your supporting them as well.

[Freddie Stubbs]

73. Yet she voted the same way on the war as Kerry and Edwards did

Are they tied to the same support system?

[400Years]

74. And they lost

'nuff said

[Freddie Stubbs]

75. Kerry hasn't lost his Senate seat

In fact, no Senator has lost his or her seat due to voting for the war.

[400Years]

76. Sorry Freddie, I guess I just care too much about right and wrong

You do what you want, I have to look at myself in the mirror every morning.

Buh-bye.

[Freddie Stubbs]

77. What you believe is right may not be what most Americans believe

is right.

[SomewhereOutThere424]

103. I hope the green party wins

I vote based on my principles. Green first, dem second. :) Good luck with the seat.

[Emillereid]

101. That comment borders on sick!

Dianne is not popular among the democrats where I am -- and I know the repukes don't like her. I'll definitely be voting Green for senate next time.

[SomewhereOutThere424]

104. Yes lets

That way we can cater to the republicans war on fat people, too.

Heck lets roll over and let the republicans do whatever they want to us? That's what the democratic party should stand for right? Voting against your own party is called a protest vote. We should protest anyone in our party siding with republicans.

[400Years]

47. Doesn't matter, she is still a corporate pig

And if she gets burned it will be her own damn fault.

[Freddie Stubbs]

51. Fortunatley the voters of California do not share your opinion

They keep sending her back.

[400Years]

55. Yep and the country keeps getting screwed

but hey, at least Bechtel is raking in billions of our tax dollars.

I guess the piles of dead bodies mean nothing to you.

[Freddie Stubbs]

60. Perhaps the voters of CA do not feel that Ms. Feinsten is screwing them

[Le Taz Hot]

64. Wanna bet?

I think you guys are going to be quite surprised at the number of Democrat voters who will NOT vote for her. I won't. Not under any circumstances and I know many many more who feel the same way. You go ahead and read your polls, I, who have lived here for 50 years, am a little closer to the action and guarantee you that, unless the Republicans run a complete and total loser, it will not be a walk for her.

[Freddie Stubbs]

65. She had little trouble winning last time, even though

there was a Green party candidate on the ballot.

[knight_of_the_star]

82. That was also 6 years ago

Things change, so do people. Considering her war stance it would not surprise me if the Green candidate pulls a squeaker.

[Freddie Stubbs]

93. You actually think that the Green Party candidate has a chance of

being elected? The best that they could hope for would be playing the role of a spoiler, causing a Republican to be elected.

[SomewhereOutThere424]

105. They didn't feel that way about arnold either

Do you think he's gonna get re-elected?

[jamesinca]

114. Feinstein is a DINO

DINO is polite, malignant bitch is my real opinion of her. The Dems vote for her because she has the name recognition and has a D after her name. The big money repugs vote for her becasue she represents their interest. Put some tits on Sen McCain and he could pass as Feinstein, without the porn star scarf she likes to wear.

Feinstein does not win in CA because of her voting record, she wins because she has a D after her name. Her voting record is secondary, that is what picks up the repug vote and cake walk. Let a well run campaign come up against her and she will be taken apart, not by the repugs because she votes repug, but by a progressive.

[dflprincess]

22. The Greens ran a candidate against Wellstone in 2002

despite Winona LaDuke's plea to them that they not do that.

[Freddie Stubbs]

38. That's what he gets for being a corporate warmonger

;)

[400Years]

59. But he wasn't a corporate warmonger, Feinstein is. Big Difference.

[Freddie Stubbs]

61. Yet both have had Green Party opponents

[400Years]

63. I would have voted Wellstone over Green, but I wouldn't vote 4 DiFi

she doesn't deserve it.

[Freddie Stubbs]

66. Has she changed that much from 2000

when she was reelected by a wide margin?

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

84. even nader eventually endorsed weelstone

big difference with diane 'bankruptcy reform' feinstein

besides, anyone who issued a warrant for bono's arrest back in '87 NEEDS opposed

[Freddie Stubbs]

94. The Bono incident didn't stop her from being elected to the Senate 3 times

I suppose vandalism is ok as long as you are rich and famous, right?

[NV Whino]

13. Says who?

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. The Field Poll

http://field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/RLS2157.pdf

She has a higher approval rating AND lower disapproval rating than Senator Boxer.

[depakid]

29. Which means that more Republicans support her than Boxer.

and most of them will vote for their party's candidate in the general election.

I rest my case.

[Freddie Stubbs]

33. Centrists are able to get support from the other party

Anyone remember this guy?

[depakid]

36. They'll lose more from progressives & people who won't vote

for "standing for nothings" than they'll EVER gain from Republicans.

If the last 6 election losses haven't clued you into that, I'm not sure what will.

btw: That guy's regulatory failures at the FCC- and his signing off on media consolodation in the telecommunications bill is why neither Democrats nor any voices on progressive issues see the light of day over the airwaves. Nice job, Bill.

[Freddie Stubbs]

52. Feinstein has won her last three Senate races

She must be doing something right.

[pokercat999]

96. I seem to remember something about him.

Wasn't he that self-serving lifetime politician that had the chance to really change America for the better but blew it. ok ok no BJ jokes needed.

[NV Whino]

32. Jusus, who did they poll

the repugs?

[Freddie Stubbs]

35. A representative of sample of 800 Californians registered to vote

http://field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/RLS2157.pdf

[mike_c]

43. where do you get THAT idea?!

She's my senator, and she's so unpopular with me that I'll WORK to defeat her. God I hope she has a Green opponent!

[Freddie Stubbs]

54. The Field Poll

http://field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/RLS2157.pdf

[Xithras]

79. That poll must be flawed.

I'm a Democrat, and I'll leave that slot on the ballot blank before I'll ever vote for her Republican buttkisser self again. She's a wealthy anti-environment warmongering uber-capitalist who only calls herself a Democrat because California is a Democratic state.

I've held my nose and voted for her in the past, but never again. I'm sick of her.

[Freddie Stubbs]

80. She always does well with the only poll that really matters

Remember 2000? Seh won by over 2 million votes.

Dianne Feinstein Dem 5,932,522 55.9
Tom Campbell Rep 3,886,853 36.6
Diane B. Templin AmI 134,598 1.2
Medea Susan Benjamin Grn 326,828 3.1
Gail Katherine Lightfoot Lib 187,718 1.8
Brian M. Rees Nat 58,537 0.5
Jose Luis Camahort Ref 96,552 0.9

[leesa]

95. Are you out of your mind? Feinstein is hardly popular.

[Freddie Stubbs]

97. She polls higher than any Democrat in CA and

won her last election by a wide margin. And the Republicans can't find a candidate to run against her. What evidence is there that she is unpopular?

[AtomicKitten]

116. Nope, sorry, but Babs Boxer is definitely more popular.

[EFerrari]

15. Splitting the progressive base can result in

Supreme Court decisions?

How do you account for 2004?

Spell "election reform" with me. :)

[SteppingRazor]

18. E ... L ... um ... E .... uh .. K ... SHUN .... ELEKSHUN!

See? I'm smart! :dunce:

I would point out that, without Nader in the race, the election wouldn't have come to within a couple hundred votes, which would mean that the Supreme Court decision never would have happened in the first place. It would have been a Gore win.

Yes, Virginia, Nader DID cost the Dems the 2000 election.
Along with, admittedly, a huge list of other problems. But I think it's very disingenuous to deny that Nader had any hand in the 2000 "loss" to Bush.

[EFerrari]

23. What is too close in the age of evoting?

Nader did not elect Bush.

As Mr. Carter said last night on TDS, the Democrats won both 2000 and 2004 elections.

Now, all that is needed, lol, is for the Dems to embrace their success.

:)

[SteppingRazor]

25. The 2000 election in Florida was not "the age of evoting."

Or have you forgotten your hanging chads so quickly?

Certainly, as we progress and more and more voting takes place electronically -- there will be less room for human error. Of course, as often discussed here, it could also mean greater room for outright fraud.

But looking specifically at the 2000 election, you can't say it was really a problem with electronic voting -- most of the state wasn't voting on electronic machines yet.

[EFerrari]

30. You're right about the hanging chads.

And I understand the concern about splintering the progressive vote.

But, more important to my mind, the Thuggery has managed to steal two federal elections. The systems they used to do it are a much bigger threat to the Dems than the Green Party -- which tends to vote with the Dems when the chips are down. They're still slinging it out in OH, believe it or not, over 2004.

[mainegreen]

2. Here we go again.

:popcorn:

[bemildred]

5. Gimme some of that!

:popcorn:

[ronnykmarshall]

26. HILLARY/DIANNE 2008 !!!

:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:

Just thought I'd throw a little more fuel on the fire.

[wakeme2008]

4. I would vote for him over her

and I am sure a lot of others will to...

[SteppingRazor]

7. OK, But....

If some collossally insane, religio-crazy like McClintock, or some corporo-fascist like Issa gets elected to the senate from California, don't come cryin' to ol' Mr. Razor! ;)

[VegasWolf]

11. I agree, I voted several times for Fienstien. If I still lived in the

state, I would vote for someone opposed to the war over Fienstien any day of the week.

[Coastie for Truth]

8. California Politics Are Funny

If the Tom McClintock's and Darrel Issa's can really cut into the DiFi vote they might stick us with the likes of Darrel Issa or Dan Lungren or Rich Pombo or Dana Rohrabacher or Duncan Hunter --- all of whom have ambitions, local popularity, and rich backers.

Don't forget Ronald Reagan, George Deukmejian, and Pete Wilson and such Senators as Bill Knowland, George Murphy, SI Hayakawa, and Trickie Dickie Nixon.

[ronnykmarshall]

28. I forgot about Hayakawa.

Didn't he fall asleep on the senate floor a lot?

[Room101]

9. Feinstein is a defense contractor whore- Todd Chretien will have

my vote.

[NV Whino]

14. I'm ready to vote for someone other than DiFi

This may be the Green Party's chance to go big time.

[davidinalameda]

16. I can't even remember who I voted for in 2000

I think it was the Green candidate-not sure

anyway, I'll leave this one blank come November unless DiFi does some mega turn around

[AgadorSparticus]

90. I wouldn't hold my breath.... nt

[earthside]

17. Hello! Democrats!

Greens are fielding serious pro-peace, anti-war candidates across the nation ...

... Because the establishment Democrats are so far behind in understanding public opinion that they are making themselves irrelevant.

Dems can solve their 'Green' problem pretty simply -- oppose this war; support withdrawal of the troops; support national health insurance; support a national energy conservation program; support REAL campaign finance reform; support raising some taxes on the super rich.

That doesn't sound too terribly radical to me ... but the Democrats are so wimpy about Grover Norquist calling them a bad name that they will not stand up and be counted.

So Greens have every motivation to run to at least try and pressure the Democrats to move back to just left of center -- where they should be.

[depakid]

19. "...making themselves irrelevant."

That pretty much sums up their influence on national politics over the last several years.

They've handed the far right every nomination and either signed onto or failed to vigorously oppose (especially in the Senate- where they ostensibly have some power) every egregious piece of legislation that's come down the pipe.

[Freddie Stubbs]

21. The Greens ran candidates long before there was a war

And they will likely continue to do so long after the war. They ran an opponent against DiFi in 2000. She lost badly.

[depakid]

27. The Greens didn't run anyone against Boxer

because she doesn't vote with Republicans or legitimize their policies, she doesn't have accountability problems with the progressive electorate.

[EFerrari]

40. Thank you. n/t

[Freddie Stubbs]

53. And yet they ran someone against Paul Wellstone

[hogwyld]

31. Go Green!

I'm sick of these Dino's in the house and senate accepting our votes, but dismissing our wishes. The 2 party system is broken, and the ONLY way to fix it is to vote the bums out. I'm voting green the whole way if for no other reason than to send the message that the progressives are not happy.

[brentspeak]

108. If you're voting green "the whole way"

then you are definitely on the wrong website.

[VegasWolf]

34. I wonder if any of these threads are a HINT to the DLCers? nt

:puke:

[4_Legs_Good]

39. Feinstein shouldn't run in 2006

Step down Feinstein and give the job to someone qualified. If Democrats are afraid of a 3rd party challenge, then pull her from the ticket and put up a real candidate.

I've never voted for Feinstein, no matter what office (from dog catcher to governor) she was after, and I'm not going to start in 2006.

Edit: Boxer shows a real progressive can easily win and be the most popular politician in Califonria. Give us another Boxer!!!!

david

[still_one]

41. all the GOP has to do is put a moderate repuke

and they might just give her a fight

People love to hit on Feinstein, and believe me I have had problems with much of her agenda, but we could do a lot worse

[jamesinca]

115. We could do worse, but we can do better too

Republicans win when republicans are the only ones in the race.

[David__77]

44. I will not vote for Feinstein.

My house will vote Peace and Freedom, and if there is no P&F candidate, then Green. I voted for Medea Benjamin in 2000. I would only vote for Feinstein if there was a serious possibility of a GOP win, which is there is not and will not be.

[EFerrari]

45. I will never vote for Feinstein again. She's made enough $

off of American lives.

[Pithy Cherub]

58. DiFi got my last vote in 2000. My household is

firmly decided on that. She has not listened nor heard her constituents so we shall repay the effort when it is time to vote. The primary ought to be fun - after voting for Young today, off to Los Angeles to spread The Good News about somebody to challenge DiFi to family and friends! :)

[FlaGranny]

46. I always have to laugh

at these totally self defeating threads. Dilute the vote - that'll help. Have any of these progressive candidates ever run as Democrats? If pure progressives (and pure is a very relative word - everone has their own ideas) had ANY chance in a state-wide Democratic primary, they would be foolish to run as third party candidates.

IMHO, if progressives were serious, they'd take over the Democratic party just like the neo-nut-cons took over the Republican party, but I'm not altogether certain that would be a good thing.

More important, in my book, is getting the money and lobbists out of politics, which would make all politicians a lot more honest.

[AX10]

48. Feinstein 06'. I don't deal with the opportunist Green Party.

Remember Nader? I'll take Feinstein, she's better than Lieberman on many fronts.

[Zodiak]

83. She is better than Leiberman on one front

She abstained from a vote in which Leiberman betrayed the Democratic Party. Hence they are only 5 points apart on my senator scale of progressiveness.

feinstein (CA) 35
carper (DE) 30
leiberman (con) 30
landrieu (LA) 20
lincoln(ark) 20
nelson (FL) 20
salazar (CO) 20
pryor (ark) 15
nelson (NE) 0


These are our nine worst senators. They deserve all the abuse progressives can heap on them because they certainly have proven themselves to be deaf to anything else.

"Red state" or no, calling these senators on the carpet for warmongering and voting against the People's interests would do a lot to forward the Democrat's credibility with the electorate. Standing for something means something to Americans.

Conversely the Republicans have very few betrayals. The worst Republican (in a partisan's eyes....it's Chafee, not Snowe) only voted against the party three times. We have a guy that NEVER votes with us and 13 senators that vote with Repubs 50% of the time or more.

And we are expected to keep voting for these fools and are admonished whenever we mention this. This issue wil not go away. DINOs will not be tolerated to such levels.

Let Feinstein fry in a primary challenge and desperately have to make a coalition to keep her seat. If she goes down, it will be because of a failure of the party to even LISTEN to its base...and thus it is entirely the fault of the Party.

[AX10]

49. Feinstein 06'. I don't deal with the opportunist Green Party.

Remember Nader? I'll take Feinstein, she's better than Lieberman on many fronts.

[David Zephyr]

57. Of course, Dianne has the dubious "Pink Award" to boast about.

I will vote for Dianne, but I will hold my nose when I do so. She's no Barbara Boxer. She can only blame herself for a Green challenge.

I am still amazed at how much shit she gave Bill Clinton over a blow job and how little she has given George W. Bush over his disastrous war (which she supported, unlike Boxer).

I'll be handing out clothespins on Primary Day to all of my Democratic friends to help them vote for Dianne.

Perhaps we should have a clothespin fundraiser because it's going to take a lot of them.

Here's a story about Dianne's "Pink Award". http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=651499&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

[Name removed]

72. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MrBenchley]

78. What a farce the Green party is....

Guess they've given up even pretending they're not a Republican dirty trick....

[OffWithTheirHeads]

81. Yeah, They leave it up to Dems like Di-Fi

Lieberman, Miller etc to be Repub dirty tricks.

[MrBenchley]

91. The vistas are breathtaking that far away from reality....

Diane Feinstein is a Democrat.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

99. Really, you obviously don't live in her district

Unfortunately for me, I do.

[Guaranteed]

85. How about we just run a real Democrat against her? nt

[WhiteTara]

88. what a concept!

yep, a real opponent would be shake her right on up and either she wakes up or the other person wins rather than run up a third party someone to split the dem vote and give the pukes the seat.

[Freddie Stubbs]

92. No Democrat has had the balls to challenge her so far

The CA Democratic Congressional delegation knows better.

[cosmicdot]

86. after she voted for Bu$h's tax cuts in 2001 ...

she posted a rather lengthy 'explanation' of her vote (which, of course, helped to enable and kick-start the Bu$hCo. agenda of destroying social progress) ... I didn't save a copy at that time; however, I recently wrote asking for a copy or a link to it on her website ..................... I'm still waiting for a response.

The right opponent with the right ads and campaign can expose much about Feinstein. With the Internet explosion, things have rapidly changed since 2000. Our Hill members have seen an amazing increase in the number of people paying closer attention to their every move ... a new phenomenon for inside the Beltway from outside the Beltway.


from 2003:

Army contract for Feinstein's husband
Blum is a director of firm that will get up to $600 million

David R. Baker, Chronicle Staff Writer

Tuesday, April 22, 2003

~snip~
URS boasts some 25,000 employees working in more than 20 countries. Although the firm has a long history of government work, it has focused more on those activities since acquiring EG&G from the Carlyle Group investment firm last year for about $500 million.
~snip~

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2003/04/22/MN310531.DTL

War brings business to Feinstein spouse

Blum's firms win multimillion-dollar defense contracts in Iraq, Afghanistan

Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross
Sunday, April 27, 2003

When it comes to scoring mega-military-related contracts, Sen. Dianne Feinstein's multimillionaire husband, Richard Blum, is right in the thick of things.

First up: a contract announced last week between the Army and URS Corp., the San Francisco planning and engineering company that specializes in defense work -- and that happens to be partly owned by Blum's investment firm.

The contract -- which could grow to $600 million -- is to help with troop mobilization, weapons systems training and anti-terrorism methods.

That's on top of a $3.1 billion Army contract that URS snared back in February for weapons systems and homeland defense.

Next up: Perini Corp., which qualified earlier this month for as much as $100 million of defense work in Iraq and elsewhere. The Massachusetts-based company is already busy building barracks and other facilities for the new Afghan army -- a separate contract worth $28 million.

Blum's investment firm controls about 20 percent of Perini's shares, with the majority held by a group of investors led by company chairman Ron Tutor.

~anip~

But it's Blum's ties to URS -- in which he controls about a quarter of the stock -- that are certain to raise the most questions.
~snip~

http://sandiego.indymedia.org/en/2003/04/5656.shtml


The Carlyle Group was a beneficial owner of Feinstein's husband's business, holding amost 22% of URS's stock ... AFAIC, that's being in bed with the BFEE.

September 24, 2003

#2003-41pc (issued by portfolio company)

URS Corporation Announces Pricing of Secondary Offering of Common Stock by The Carlyle Group

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - URS Corporation (NYSE: URS) announced today that The Carlyle Group, through its affiliate TCG Holdings, L.L.C., has sold 7,064,033 shares of the Company’s currently outstanding common stock for gross proceeds to such stockholder before expenses of $135,982,635. Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse First Boston, Lehman Brothers, D. A. Davidson & Co. and Morgan Joseph & Co. Inc. acted as underwriters for the offering. URS has granted the underwriters an option to purchase up to 1,059,605 shares from the Company to cover over-allotments, if any. Blum Capital Partners, L.P. declined to participate in the sale.
~snip~

http://www.carlyle.com/eng/news/l5-news2641.html

and, had presence on URS's Board of Directors"

Joseph E. Lipscomb has served as one of our directors since August 2002. Mr. Lipscomb was elected to the Board pursuant to a Management Rights and Standstill Agreement by and among Carlyle-EG&G, L.L.C., EG&G Technical Services Holdings, L.L.C. and TC Group L.L.C. (collectively, the “Carlyle Entities”) and URS (the “Standstill Agreement”), which we entered into in connection with our acquisition of Carlyle-EG&G Holdings Corp. and Lear Siegler Services, Inc. (the “EG&G acquisition”) on August 22, 2002. For so long as the Carlyle Entities and their affiliates collectively own or control at least 10% of our voting stock, the Standstill Agreement requires us to nominate Mr. Lipscomb (or, in the event that Mr. Lipscomb can no longer serve, an individual designated by the Carlyle Entities and reasonably acceptable to us) for election to the Board. The Carlyle Entities have also agreed to certain standstill provisions and restrictions on transfer of shares of our outstanding capital stock that they hold under the Standstill Agreement. Mr. Lipscomb has served as the Managing Director of The Carlyle Group since 2001, where he joined as a Principal in 1999. Mr. Lipscomb served as Vice President of BT Alex Brown from 1997 to 1998 and as a Principal of BT Alex Brown from 1998 to 1999.

TCG Holdings, L.L.C. 7,064,033 21.74 %
c/o The Carlyle Group
1001 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, D.C. 20004

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/102379/000095014903000399/f87695def14a.htm

Current Proxy filing
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/102379/000095013405003410/f05781def14a.htm

Of course, she's not the only Hill member beholden to corporations ... but, having a relative profit off her votes is Conflict of Interest.

[WhiteTara]

87. I hope the pukes run a very

weak candidate or we will lose our dem seat in the senate. We've seen this before.

[moriverrat]

89. The incumbent is also an enthusiastic drug war supporter and

thinks the "little people" do not deserve the freedoms granted by the Second Amendment.

[OKthatsIT]

98. She's blinded by her husband's war profiteering

and sides with Leiberman on most everything.

Let's put together a LIST of TURNCOAT DEMS

[Emillereid]

100. There is no way I will vote or work for this bitch -- just having a D

after name doesn't make her a democrat. She has voted wrong more than right -- and after one of her repuke votes I called her office and told them in no uncertain words that she had kissed my future support good-bye. We have got to clean house of democrats like her and Lieberman -- we can do better!

[NuttyFluffers]

102. oh good! options!

now if i get a few more runners against her for the democratic primaries i'll be quite happy. i like options. i like feeling good about the person i vote for at the end of the day. bitter aftertaste has been getting old after all these DLC years...

[SomewhereOutThere424]

106. That's very good

With the exception to my statement of good people like barbera boxer and Mr Murtha, it's good to see a party who may actually do something good for a change step up to the plate.

[nolabels]

107. What's the difference if she wins or loses anyway?

Doesn't she vote with the Pubs more than than half the time anyway :shrug:

[brentspeak]

109. Would you prefer someone who votes with the Repubs ALL the time?

[nolabels]

110. At least that way they could get voted out the next time around

As history goes though, many moderate republicans have come from California. The state in the past has been a place of reason before she came along. She throws scraps in the democrats direction but the meat and potatoes of issues she hangs with the all the republican pushes or helps compromise enough democrats that way.

She is a grand stander at best. Her current push to get to bottom of this domestic spying thing will flip-flop as soon as it goes off the radar screen. Which brings up the point that she also tries to play both sides. I am very happy to state I only voted for her the first term, which in retrospect even looks like a mistake

[jackpan1260]

111. I'm for challenging dems in primaries, but I won't make the Nader mistake

DiFi is better than any republican.

[flaminbats]

112. Todd could actually win, if he ran in the Democratic primary..

too bad he'll ultimately lose votes while helping California neocons!

[Hardrada]

113. How old is FIENDstein anyway??

Isn't she like these septuagenarian newsladies on TV in miniskirts. Ridiculous. I am ancient myself and do feel that a lot of new and eager and progressive blood is needed everywhere in this country.