DCCC targeted all anti-war candidates with dirty tricks, or why we're in this mess

[robinlynne]

Rahm's dirty tricks,conservative opponents in primaries, republicans turned dem, cash, and more:

This is a long article. Please read it all. It is full of facts, and info about several campaigns. It is rather shocking, revealing what is really going on, and how we got into a mess where a dem majority is not acting like a dem majority. Rahm had two objectives, says the article: to rid the general election of candidates who advocated a "withdrawal from Iraq", and who opposed nafta/cafta. He went after them with a vengeance, breaking rules in the process. In several cases cited here, the liberal democrat was winning, Rahm put his all into getting a more conservative dem who would support the war in place, and the republicans ended up taking the seats! In other words, it is not we liberals who are "fighting the dems". It is the right wing of the dem party, specifically Rahm Emmanuel and his honchos who have been fighting the dems!
a few quotes each one from a different part of the story:

According to Democratic candidates who ran for House of Representative seats in 2006, Rahm Emanuel, then head of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, took sides during the Democratic primary elections, favoring conservative candidates, including former Republicans, and sidelining candidates who were running in favor of withdrawal from Iraq.

Appointed as head of the DCCC by then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Emanuel spearheaded the Democratic Party effort to regain control of the House of Representatives during the 2006 election cycle. Emanuel claimed credit for the Democratic takeover and was promoted to chairman of the Democratic Caucus, the fourth-highest ranking position in the House. But his election tactics have been criticized by progressive activists and former Congressional candidates.

According to Spidel, Emanuel worked against Cegelis because of her support for withdrawal from Iraq and her outspoken opposition to "free trade" legislation like the Central American Free Trade Agreement. "In 2006 the DCCC was Emanuel's personal weapon. He executed based on his needs. He needed votes on 'free trade' legislation that he supports, and he knew that was one of the Democrats who would vote her own way," Spidel said.

Apparently the DCCC ordered a company that prints and distributes campaign mailings to targeted voters not to work with the McNerney campaign. According to Carrillo, he had spoken to the company and faxed them a contract, when a representative from the company called him and said that there was "a minor issue with the DCCC but it shouldn't be a problem." The next morning a company representative called back and said the company could not do business with the McNerney campaign. "The company said that they got an ultimatum from the DCCC. They did a lot of business with the DCCC, so it wasn't worth risking it all just for our campaign. We had to scramble to find another company," Carrillo said."

the article in full
http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/090607J.shtml:

[truebrit71]

1. Just another one of the worms that need to be thrown out...

...he is such a smarmy git too...

[Coexist]

10. agreed.

[Fovea]

2. k & r

[redqueen]

3. But but but... we need blue dogs!

Red states! Red states!

:puke:

I live in a red state, and I care about the constitution.

[sniffa]

4. yeah, you must vote dem and no other 3rd party

or eLse! :eyes:

:puke:

[robinlynne]

5. another paragraph worth noting:

The New Democratic Majority

While Emanuel is given credit for turning power over to the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives, the majority is fractured.

Many of the candidates that Emanuel helped elect have joined with a group of self-styled conservative Blue Dog Democrats and have cast key votes with Republicans and stymied Democratic efforts to end the occupation of Iraq and the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program.

Thirteen of the Democratic members of the House elected in 2006 joined The Blue Dog Coalition; a group that, according to its spokesperson, has no official stance on withdrawal from Iraq or the president's warrantless wiretapping program. However, 30 out of 47 of the Blue Dog members broke with the majority of Democrats and cast votes in favor of the recent Protect America Act, a bill that greatly expanded the power of the executive branch to spy on Americans. The caucus also broke with the majority of Democrats when 40 of the Blue Dog members voted to continue funding the occupation of Iraq without a timetable for withdrawal.

In an interview shortly after his election, freshman Blue Dog member Tim Mahoney told the Charlotte Sun, a local paper from his district, that he attended a meeting with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and told her "The president should be free to maintain troops in Iraq, if the purpose is to thwart terrorism."

[robinlynne]

7. I'm amazed at this article. I recommend it to all DUers. It's not that "they don't get it".

They actively support the war, cafta, and the attack on our civil liberties with all their might. They fight for it. They want this war. They recruited republicans to run as democrats. This is serious stuff!
And it changes the entire way I look at the question. It makes Pelosi's remarks today make sense. She is happy. this is what she wants. They WANT the war.

[AllyCat]

6. Figures. They are showing themselves to be not much better than the

neo-cons in their takeover of the Republican party. Now we've got this lot trying to get their piece of the pie too, at the cost of innocent Americans, Iraqis, and God knows who else.

[Debi]

8. The DCCC always takes sides in primaries

and that's what gets them in trouble almost every time (either 1) the candidate they supported doesn't win the primary and then they don't support that candidate for the general or 2) the candidate they supported wins the primary but the voters don't support that candidate in the general).

The DCCC should stay out of what are essentially local races and save their $$ for the general election.

[robinlynne]

9. This is not just taking sides. This is much more serious. This is actively

engaging in deceipt to get rid of all anti-war/anti-wiretappig and anti-cafta candidates. hard core thievery. an important article.

[cascadiance]

11. Agreed! We need to find a way to throw the DLCers out of this party!

They are using every dirty trick to put them in. Perhaps we need to employ some tricks of our own to throw them out!

Just sent back 9 postage paid mails that the DCCC and DSCC were hoping would include my donations to them, and instead put in a note for 0 dollars and some choice words for their screwed up agenda they are doing now that doesn't deserve ANY of our support.

If we all did that, perhaps at some point they'd notice the big cost for postage and not much coming in in terms of donations! Not sure if it would do any good, but every penny counts to make a point!

[Freddie Stubbs]

24. Apperently people are still giving money to the DCCC (but not thr Republicans)

A crucial GOP fundraising committee is nearly broke, according to its latest monthly filing with the Federal Election Committee last week.

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) reported $1.6 million in cash on hand and $4 million in debts as of Aug. 31. The group helps bankroll House campaigns for GOP candidates.

Its counterpart, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, reported $22.1 million, more than 10 times its Republican counterpart.

more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/09/house-republica.html

[flyarm]

27. they are also trying to rid progressives out of the party!..they have planned it and are

doing it ...the shut up progresssives and discount them every way possible.

they are destroying our wonderful democratic candidates who care.

fly

[rinsd]

12. Umm how was Tammy Duckworth pro-war?

[truebrit71]

13. Did you read the linked article?

Read it and you'll see...

[rinsd]

14. This isnlt the 1st time this article has been posted.

And I have asked that question everytime with no one providing an answer.
Here's what the truthout article says


"Duckworth was not a proponent of a deadline for withdrawal from Iraq. The Los Angeles Times, quoting Duckworth, reported that she believed the military should not "'simply pull up stakes' in Iraq because it would 'create a security vacuum' and 'risk allowing ... to become a base for terrorists.'" According to the same article, Duckworth supported "a pullout of US forces on a schedule based on the training of Iraq's armed forces."

Again, how is benchmark withdraw all that different from deadline withdraw?

And how about more than one source than one LA TImes article to get what her positions are?

The author seemed to have plenty of time to track down all the ins and outs of Cegelis's story.

Here's what wiki has on Duckworth's and the war.

Duckworth has criticized the Bush Administration for "failing miserably to plan for Iraq." According to Erinn Deshinsky of the Peoria Journal Star, "Speaking at a news conference before the dinner, Duckworth said experiencing the war firsthand was frustrating, because she saw how the money was being misused. Instead of having a properly equipped helicopter, she was fed lavish meals. She said simple tasks were contracted to companies for large sums of money, even though soldiers could have easily handled the jobs. She called for more accountability from U.S. leaders when it comes to funding for the war. 'I didn't become a soldier to eat steak and lobster,' Duckworth said, 'but I want my men to be protected.'"<29>

Duckworth's strategic recommendations included requesting an immediate accounting by the U.S. Secretary of Defense of the readiness level and the training of the Iraqi forces, followed by aggressive benchmarks for progress and redeployment of U.S. troops linked to the stand-up of Iraqi troops, saying the U.S. should proceed by standing-down a defined number of U.S. units for every Iraqi battalion that can be properly trained and certified as combat-ready.<30>

Duckworth has said that the war in Iraq is not central to the war on terror: "I think a very small percentage of what is happening in Iraq is terrorist activity. I think most of it is sectarian violence, it's Sunnis fighting Shiites ... I think that to try to tie Iraq to the war on terror is a disservice to the real work that has to be done in the war on terror, which includes finishing the job in Afghanistan, capturing Osama Bin Laden and destroying Al Qaeda but also protecting our people here at home."<31>

The Sunday Times reported that Duckworth agreed with General Sir Richard Dannatt, the British Army chief, that the presence of coalition troops is exacerbating the conflict:

"We’re attracting more people to terrorism than ever before. We really need to think about drawing down," she told The Sunday Times. "I want the secretary of defense to come before Congress and tell us how many Iraqis are fully trained. If two guys can do traffic control in Kirkuk, I want to bring two Americans home."<23>

Duckworth's opponent responded to Duckworth's proposals by saying: "The 6th Congressional District is not a 'cut and run' district. It is not a timetable district."<32> In a debate, Duckworth reacted angrily to this idea: "I just could not believe he would say that to me. I have risked my life to serve my country and you cannot question my patriotism."<33>

When asked whether she would like to see Bush impeached, Duckworth said that Congress has "far more pressing issues to deal with."<34>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tammy_Duckworth#Criticism_of_the_handling_of_the_Iraq_War

[robinlynne]

17. the article was posted today for the first time ever. You are mistaken.

[onenote]

20. would you like to place a small wager on that?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3502254

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3500765

[robinlynne]

22. ok. How much did I lose?

[robinlynne]

21. Here is what is relevant:

A well-documented instance of interference by the DCCC during a Democratic primary occurred during the contest between Christine Cegelis and Tammy Duckworth. Cegelis, a strong proponent of withdrawal from Iraq, encountered unexpected and effective opposition from the DCCC.

Cegelis challenged former 16-term Republican Congressman Henry Hyde in 2004. An information technology specialist, Cegelis had no previous experience in politics, but decided to face off against an entrenched incumbent Republican. Her 2004 campaign, run on a meager budget with mostly volunteer staff, was able to create a tightly knit grassroots infrastructure in the Illinois 6th Congressional District. In 2004, Cegelis received just over 44 percent of the vote. The 82- year-old Hyde decided to retire rather than face another reelection campaign in 2006. This seat became a top target for the Democratic leaders and a microcosm of a much larger battle for the future of the Democratic Party.

Emanuel, himself a congressman from the neighboring 5th District of Illinois, apparently tried to recruit six different candidates to run against Cegelis. According to Kevin Spidel, campaign manager for the Cegelis campaign, all of Emanuel's attempts failed because the potential candidates "all said 'hell no!' They knew the resentment they would face. If you were in the district, you knew how much Cegelis was loved. She built her own machine."

The point is Rahm interfered in an election where, the dem candidate had actually undone a republican adn created the possibility of a dem district through 6 years of work. BECAUSE she was anti-war. Rahm found a candidate to oppose her. Tammy was a pawn. This is not about tammy duckworth. This is about Rahm Emmanuel. And obviously Tammy was willing to support the present bluedog position of "we are against the war, but we are not going to end it." against a firm timeline is what tammy said. But understand this is not about her. Nor is it an attack on her. This is much bigger.

[ChiciB1]

15. I've Known For Quite Some Time What A Worm Emmanuel Is!!

And let's NOT FORGET just how close he is to Bill & Hillary Clinton! With him and ALL those he "controls" we are going to have to face the fact that any other candidate than Hillary will face extreme difficulty for even trying to beat her! MSM is falling all over themselves by walking the line to tell US she's our candidate. This isn't something spontaneous, it's calling in the chips or whatever you want to call it! One of the many reasons I WILL NOT support Clinton!

The contacts and tendrils he has out there are enormous and CORRUPT! And of course, we SO NEED another DECIDER in the WH don't we??

[Canuckistanian]

16. Pelosi APPOINTED this asshole?

Can she fire him, too?

[robinlynne]

18. I believe now that she is one of them. after her remark yesterday about how

it is ridiculous to think that we can end the war now.

[Canuckistanian]

19. It doesn't seem likely now.

It seems she's already taken her side and refused to listen to her base (and 70% of the electorate).

That Rahm is still in power speaks volumes to me.

[Freddie Stubbs]

23. No, he was elected by the Demcoratic members of the House

[Canuckistanian]

28. That's not what the article says

Appointed as head of the DCCC by then-House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Emanuel spearheaded the Democratic Party effort to regain control of the House of Representatives during the 2006 election cycle.

[OHdem10]

25. Now I understand why Dems leave the Party and either

do not vote at all--or become Independent.

War and FreeTrade--DLC embraces the GOP's position.

[flyarm]

26. thank you for posting this ..this is exactly what happened to so many of our great dem candidates in

Florida..many of us have said this and loudly only to be called liars..or worse..

i was indeed called a liar this morning on Du for stating just this ...

I saw more of our wonderful dems in Fla get burned by rahm and his plan to destroy progressive candidates or just damn good life long dems who ran for office to see rahm and the FDP get repigs to change registration in time to run against our dems..the repigs got the Dem money..to help run against our dems!

we have now lost many wonderful dems ..who have lost all faith in the system now..it makes me sick.

and any of us who spoke out they tried to make fools of...or marginalize us.

this is a sad state..i am sorry to say.

i have an older aunt ..who said to me not too long ago..they are all the same ( meaning both parties) ..and i argued ..no they are not..but it just depends on who is running what..

Rahm is a cancer to this party..and anyone who doesn't believe that..i have swamp land cheap in fla for you!

It has disgusted me so much..i really don't want to work with any campaign..and i was an elected 2004 delegate for the state..

i have seen republicans put in charge of dem womens clubs..and the hierarchy looks the other way..

Thank goodness i live in two states..my other state brings me sanity..and the dem party in the second state is sane..and won't put up with the crap that has gone on in Fla..

But i vote in Fla..and i really thought i could help and work my ass off and see a change..but ..i can't and no one can until we get the DLC out of Fla and stop these outsiders from coming into our state and manipulating our party.

fly

[formercia]

29. The enemy within

who goes kissing the ring of his betters.

[GreenArrow]

30. if you can''t beat 'em, join 'em

.