Duckworth, Scott attend DuPage County Unity breakfast, Cegelis does not

[wndycty]

6th District Democrats rallying to defeat Roskam

By Kathryn Grondin
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Posted Sunday, March 26, 2006

DuPage County Democrats are thirsty — thirsty to win a seat in Congress.

They say they think their goal finally will be within reach this November in the traditionally Republican 6th Congressional District, where retiring political icon U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde’s seat is up for grabs.

“Even Moses got out of the desert,” Joan Brennan, a state central committeewoman, said Saturday. “I want out of the desert. Don’t you?”

The question drew resounding applause Saturday during a party unity breakfast in Oakbrook Terrace.

“The Republicans are losing their stranglehold on this district,” said the party’s nominee, Tammy Duckworth. “The middle-class lifestyle is in jeopardy. We need to take care of our families.”

-snip-
“We’re going to go out there and fight … advocate for the working families of this district,” Duckworth said. “I am strong enough to stand up to Peter Roskam and all of his powerful interests.”

But before Democrats can effectively wage a unified campaign against Roskam, they must rebuild some bridges within their own party.

Saturday’s breakfast was supposed to demonstrate unity among Duckworth and the two primary foes she vanquished on Tuesday, Lindy Scott of Wheaton and Christine Cegelis of Rolling Meadows.

Scott attended but Cegelis — who unsuccessfully had taken on Hyde two years ago — did not.

Bridget Dooley, who worked on the Cegelis campaign, said Cegelis had a family commitment and could not attend.

“We are a family, a Democratic family, and blood is thicker than water,” Scott said. “The bad news is that in our Democratic family, like any family, there are hurt feelings. There’s a lot of pain.”
-snip-

http://www.dailyherald.com/news/dupagestory.asp?id=171144

[dogman]

1. There was speculation whether Cegelis would seek to run for an office

in the future. It seems her answer is NO.

[EST]

2. I can understand the intense desire, the aching need, to

capture the seat currently occupied by one of the most ethically challenged members of congress in history. What drowns me in dismay is the apparent necessity to follow the republican model, as well as the 2004 democratic presidential model of picking the "most electable" instead of the most qualified candidate.

I am not a voter in that district but I have read a lot about that particular race. The impression I get is that Duckworth is the sympathetic candidate, not the best qualified.

Just another sad chapter in the pathetic saga of American politics.

I am glad, in a way, that I was not very politically astute in the earlier part of my life. I don't think I could have stood it: I'd be even more cynical than I am, now; than I was then.

[wndycty]

3. BEst qualified? What do you know about Duckworth?

Read this and tell me what you think she is not qualified? I'm getting sick of the damn lies being told to bring her down.

-snip-
Career and Education
At the time of her deployment to Iraq, Tammy was working as a staff supervisor at the worldwide headquarters of Rotary International, in Evanston. She was invigorated by her work in establishing new Rotary clubs to do much-needed community service projects in countries such as East Timor and Afghanistan. She also helped American and Middle Eastern Rotary clubs send wheelchairs to Iraq.

Tammy received her bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Hawaii and her master's degree in International Affairs from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She was working on a doctorate in political science at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb when deployed to Iraq. Her research focused on political economies of Southeast Asia and the region's public health systems. She is a published author, with papers and textbook contributions on the link between environmental health hazards and cancer.
Beginnings
Tammy, 37, was born in Thailand and grew up in several countries in Southeast Asia where her father, Franklin Duckworth, worked for the United Nations and international companies. Tammy's mother, Lamai Sompornpairin, was a native of Thailand. Tammy has one brother, Tom. At the age of 16, Tammy and her family moved to Hawaii where she finished high school and attended college. Tammy followed a long family tradition, going back to the Revolutionary War, of serving in the military. Her late father fought as a U.S. Marine in World War II and Vietnam. She joined ROTC in 1990 as a graduate student in Washington, D.C. and was commissioned to the Army Reserve in 1992 in Illinois. She decided to become a helicopter pilot because it was one of the only combat jobs available to women. Tammy holds the rank of Major in the Illinois Army National Guard.

-snip-

http://www.duckworthforcongress.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=category§ionid=3&id=23&Itemid=37

[EST]

7. Please see reply post #6, below.

Posted in wrong place.

[dogman]

4. The impression you get is based on what you read at forums like this.

Duckworth was highly qualified. Read the endorsements she received and look at the reasons given for these endorsements. If you go by qualifications Duckworth was clearly more qualified. Check their resumes.

[wndycty]

5. Yes it was a shame. . .I canvassed for Tammy on election day . . .

. . .and I met this one gentleman who voted for Christine because Tammy turned him off. It took me literally 60 seconds to change his opinion of Tammy with the TRUTH, he did not realize that her house was retrofitted for her disability and that is why she did not live in the district.

[minvis]

8. This begs the question

Why weren't you and others from Duckworth's campaign out before election day talking to voters? The problem I've had now after the election is the amazement of the Duckworth campaign that the election was as close as it was. What that tells me is that no one was on the ground on her behalf prior to election day. I'm not surprised that this man's perception was what it was. She did live out of the district. Yes. Her house was retrofitted for her disability and it would have been costly to do that in another house. Yes. But I do think that her living out of the district wouldn't have had as big of an effect if he also saw her out campaigning, ringing doorbells, going to forums, etc. Even beyond that talking to people like you speaking on her behalf. That wasn't done. I can tell you that I was out there every weekend for the past 6 weeks canvassing for Christine and I never, not once, saw anyone else canvassing for Duckworth and I was in several precincts throughout Hanover Township.

I do believe, as Chris Bowers said on MyDD.com, there was a total disconnect between the Democratic leadership and the people on the ground in the 6th District. They had their polls that said she was comfortably ahead, but no one was out in the field reporting back, "Hey, the Cegelis folks have a ton of people out there. Maybe we should do something about that to counteract it."

[wndycty]

9. I did not intend to work for Duckworth at all during the primary. . .

. . .but I received a call asking me to come out an canvass on election day.

[minvis]

10. This was not intended

to be directed solely at you. It was a question of why the Duckworth campaign, in general, didn't do this. Even if they didn't plan to do it to target their voters, it at least would have given them some good opposition research.

[wndycty]

12. The Duckworth campaign was on the ground less than 4 months and. . .

. . .I suspect that they really did not get out until mid to late January if not the first week of Feb.

[minvis]

13. I didn't see any

while I was out during the last 6 weeks. Maybe I just didn't see them when they were there, but I know that other Cegelis canvassers had the same reports as me. They were wondering when they were going to see them.

[wndycty]

14. Well there is a Democratic nominee and months to go . . .

. . .its important for Duckworth to reach out to Cegelis supporters, I hope some will listen and give her a shot. I understand if its tough to support her so I think the Duckwaorth campaging should be appreciative of whatever support they get.

[minvis]

15. I agree

I am disappointed that Cegelis didn't make the unity breakfast. I have to believe this is just pure politics. Cegelis is probably negiotiating with Emanuel/Duckworth on what they will do for her before she lends Duckworth her support and probably more importantly her volunteers. Do I like it? No, but I bet you that's what is going on.

[Gary Kleppe]

16. You can't "give" volunteers

Cegelis could give Duckworth's people her volunteer lists and contact information. It would be up to them to convince us to work for them. We have minds of our own, y'know.

[Inland]

11. There's an assumption that "able to win" = "sellout".

It's a sad selling short of the viability of a liberal and democratic message, and the concurrent finding of some sort of sanctity in losing. After losing so much so often, the losing that used to e a vice is now a virtue.

[EST]

6. Don't get your dander up, please!

I read everything I could find, here, along with all the links, DKos, same.
Will Pitt--whose opinions I value, under certain circumstances.
Both candidates' public bios.
Local papers' internet reporting.
I get email announcements from several progressive organizations and I try to follow their agruments carefully.

Also, their histories, including DLC recommendation. I have a knee-jerk anti-DLC response that, no doubt, also colors my perceptions.

The impression I draw is that Duckworth is less a progressive/liberal on many issues, making her the less desirable.

One of the fundamental tenets of my life is that I am not as smart, now, as I will ever be. There will always be room to sharpen up, and I am certainly not averse to the process.
Convince me.:toast:


Edit: oops, posted in wrong place!

[newyawker99]

17. wndycty

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
copyrighted news source.



Thank you.

NYer99
DU Moderator