Mike Lux:
Founder of Progressive Strategies LLC and a director of the Center for Progressive Leadership, the Proteus Fund and the Arca Foundation, President - American Famil Voices, Director, Women's Voices,formerly Senior Vice President for Political Action at People For the American Way (PFAW), PFAW Foundation, and the PFAW Voters Alliance. He oversaw lobbying and legal advocacy, field operations, state and regional offices, voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts, and educational activities. He also was responsible for coalition building with other organizations and interest groups. He was also treasurer and CEO of PFAW Voters Alliance, a state and federal PAC launched earlier this year.
I have also believed that strong progressives need to engage with elected Democrats who are more centrist and not just work for the strongest lefties in any given race. As much as I loved his progressive message and stands on issues, I never chose to work for Jesse Jackson when he ran for President. I have tended instead to work for candidates who, in my judgment, were reasonably good on the issues who I thought had a chance to win in the general election, because to be involved in changing policy, you actually have to win, and my hope was always to fight on the inside to get those candidates to govern in as progressive a away as possible. I know that some of you will think of that as being a sellout, but I have always believed that what history shows is that good things happen only with a combination of outside movement pressure and good people on the inside working to get the politicians they work for to do the right thing. So I don't look for heroes who are pure of heart, I look for people I think are basically good people who will respond the right way when faced with a tough choice most of the time.
Which brings me to Hillary Clinton.
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I was for Harkin in the 1992 primary, but went to work for the Clinton campaign after the primary was over, and I worked in the Clinton White House for the first two and a half years. I've been fascinated by the discussion about Hillary in Chris' recent posts (here and here), and in general in the blogosphere for a long time now. I know she is very disliked by a fair number of bloggers. Like a lot of you, I was disappointed by her vote five years ago and her reluctance until recently to push for an end to the war; I've never been a fan of her or her husband's positions on trade, and I wish she was more of a populist on economics in general. I worry about some of the people advising her and some of the people giving/raising her money; and I am concerned, for her own sake and the country's, that she has a tendency toward being cautious when what this country needs is bold solutions.
But you know what? I'll fess up: I really like her. I tend to bond with people, to see what is best in them, and my years working with Hillary in the '92 campaign and at the White House made me a very big fan. I know I'll get plenty of shit for saying that, but before you let loose, let me make my case.
One thing I really respect about her is that she actually cares about getting the details of legislation right. She always wanted to know how provisions in bills would affect specific people she had met on the campaign trail or knew from Arkansas or other places. For me, having someone in her position care that much about the problems of specific people is an incredible thing.
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Once my old and dear friend Tom Vilsack got out of the presidential race, I decided not to sign up with any of the other candidates. Right now feels like a good time to be banging away from the outside, saying whatever I want to on the issues, pushing my progressive beliefs through OpenLeft.com and my other work. I still wish Hilary was more of an economic populist, and had been better on the war. But I know her to be a good person who cares about other people, and I'd be happy to have her as my nominee.
http://openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=397
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