Bob Herbert: Clarity vs. Celebrity (TASINI vs. CLINTON) --->

[Stephanie]

Friends, I'd like you to meet my candidate!

May 8, 2006
Op-Ed Columnist

Clarity Vs. Celebrity
By BOB HERBERT

Few people have ever heard of Jonathan Tasini. He's a low-key labor organizer and writer from Upper Manhattan who is trying to piece together a primary challenge to the re-election bid of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, primarily because of her stance on the Iraq war.

Mr. Tasini is against the war and wants American troops pulled out of Iraq forthwith.

Senator Clinton's position is — well, that's a problem. It's not at all clear what Senator Clinton's position is. And for a Democratic Party that has suffered a succession of brutal defeats with excessively cautious candidates, Mrs. Clinton's indecisiveness on the war may be a hint of yet another disaster in the making.

Mr. Tasini is not so deluded that he thinks he can hijack the Democratic Senate nomination from Mrs. Clinton. He said, "People often ask me, 'Don't you think this race is impossible?' My answer is, 'Of course! You're dealing with someone who has enormous name recognition and celebrity.' "

But celebrity, he said, is no substitute for an honest and vigorous debate on a matter as fundamentally important as war.

Mr. Tasini favors a withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq as quickly as possible, within several months at most. What is more important than whether his timetable is feasible is his insistence that the Democratic Party needs to come to grips with this war. "What makes us different from Republicans?" he asked. "Where is the soul of the Democratic Party if we do not stand against immoral, illegal wars? Pre-emptive wars."

After more than three years of fighting and more than 2,400 American deaths, you still need a magnifying glass to locate the differences between Mrs. Clinton and the Bush administration on the war. It's true, as the senator argues, that she has been a frequent and sometimes harsh critic of the way the war has been conducted. In a letter to constituents last fall she wrote, "I have continually raised doubts about the president's claims, lack of planning and execution of the war, while standing firmly in support of our troops."

<more>

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped...

Here is his website: www.tasinifornewyork.org

[babylonsister]

1. Living in TX, you, my friend Steph, will have a difficult row to hoe

going from one Dem to another.
Matthew Mark Luke and John, hold the train til I get on?
I got nothing much in TX, I voted primaries, will vote in November, but ?
You have to decide between Demsz? I WISH!

[Stephanie]

2. yeah but it's an easy choice

Any candidate who supports this war will not get my support.

You know at the UFPJ march last week they passed around petitions so people could pledge not to vote for any pro-war candidates. I signed right up.

[babylonsister]

3. Are you a diehard that will never vote for a Dem who voted for the

Iraq war with the misinformation that was fed to everyone? Speaking of that, it would be nice if the info from Phase II was released, but apparently Pat Roberts (R=asshat) doesn't think it's a good idea. FUCKSHITWHY?

[Stephanie]

4. No, it's the ones who continue to support the war that I won't vote for.

Kerry and Edwards have said they regret their votes.

[babylonsister]

6. Whoa, Stephanie, you are so darn ... nice.

Thanks. I agree, your assertion, and your niceness!

[Stephanie]

7. So darn nice, that I got you a present --->>>

Um, look but don't touch, okay?

[babylonsister]

9. OUCHY!!

Where the hell is that 'pounding' heart when I need one?
That is actually the best pic I've ever seen of him! Thank you!
And ... grrrrr.

[myrna minx]

22. I think I'm going to help myself to some of babylonsister's present.

I wonder if she'll notice.

[rpannier]

5. I know very little about the man. But, as I've said many times...

There's nothing wrong with a spirited, lively primary where the issues are discussed and people get a fuller understanding of the people who are running.
I'm not sure how many people will pay attention, but competition is always good.

[babylonsister]

10. This man is Patrick Fitzgerald, the guy who

might just get to the bottom of the nefarious dirty deeds of the overlords, those being bush, cheney, rove, et al.

[Stephanie]

12. No he's talking about Tasini

Pay attention now.

[Kat45]

8. I know Jonathan Tasini

He used to be the president of the National Writers Union back when I was a member. (I think late '80s/early '90s, somewhere around there.)

[Stephanie]

11. He sued the NY Times in Supreme Court

And won.

[Kat45]

26. Yes. He led the suit for the National Writers Union.

[babylonsister]

13. tSo, what was your opinion of him? Was he a blowhard or a good guy? ntrt

[Stephanie]

17. good guy

he's running because of the war.

[H2O Man]

14. Nominated!

There are a number of reasons that I have decided to support Jonathan Tasini in the democratic primary for senate. The most important single issue to me is the war in Iraq. I am deeply troubled by Senator Clinton's attempts to move to the right of George W. Bush on Iraq -- and, indeed, Iran -- in hopes of securing the right-wing, republican vote. In doing so, she has betrayed the grass-roots democrats who do not want their children to fight and die in a war for Dick Cheney's energy policies.

[BurtWorm]

15. I'm with you on that, H20 Man.

No fooling around with Iraq. You're either against the war or you're in the way.

[Stephanie]

16. that's right

If you want to know her position, go here and try to decipher it:

http://www.clinton.senate.gov/issues/nationalsecurity/i...

[BurtWorm]

18. kick

[Stephanie]

20. ty!

I think people should be interested in this race!

[BurtWorm]

21. I know I am.

[bvar22]

19. He just got $20 from me!

https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/direct/9135?succe...

The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

[Stephanie]

24. excellent!

that makes me happy

[H2O Man]

23. Tasini is on MSNBC

right now. Scarborough Country.

[Stephanie]

25. blink and you missed it

they hardly let him talk -