Sebelius to Clinton: Stop Discounting the Votes of Red State Democrats

[Yael]

Ouch.

Chicago, IL – Governor Kathleen Sebelius today called on Senator Clinton and her campaign surrogates to stop discounting the votes of Red State Democrats.

"Senator Clinton and her campaign surrogates keep deriding Senator Obama’s wins in red states by saying that her victories in the ‘big states’ are the ones that matter," Governor Sebelius said. "The right Democrat, like Barack Obama, can carry red states, just like the 14 Democratic governors elected in states won by George Bush in 2004. We can’t tell people their votes don’t matter and then expect their support against John McCain in November. Senator Obama is reaching to Independents and Republicans because they desperately want to change our politics. I hope Senator Clinton will follow his lead and stop dismissing Democrats that don’t live in New York or California."

More at link: http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/samgrahamfelsen/gGgjcG

:popcorn:

[Guava Jelly]

1. I love Sebelius!

I even voted for her when I lived in Kansas.
And she is right.

[TexasObserver]

2. Governor Kathleen Sebelius is absolutely right. We can win red states with Obama.

[NJSecularist]

3. Of course those red state Democrats in Texas will matter if Hillary wins

the Lone Star State.

[Iktomiwicasa]

59. Little red states only matter

when Hillary wins a primary in one. Didn't you READ the rules? ;)

[Karmadillo]

4. Sebeliuzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz?

nt

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. Just because she's boring doesn't mean she's wrong.

[sniffa]

13. Stop the misogynist posts

[Cha]

18. How dismissive of you..like hilaryland

dismissed Obama from the beginning at their own arrogant peril.

[Fovea]

29. She is not boring to Kansas.

But the third way doesn't need Kansas, any more than it needed a blue congress.

[jackson_dem]

5. Why is this DLC "rising star" going to the mat for Obama?

I thought Obama was a foe of the DLC? I read it here on DU.

[Yael]

8. Shes going to the mat for the party that Mrs. Clinton seems hell-bent on destroying

[jackson_dem]

11. I thought the DLC was on Hillary's side because Obama is opposed to the DLC?

[K Gardner]

22. Bingo Yael ! Thanks for stating that so perfectly !

[southern_dem]

16. Just because she's DLC

doesn't mean she's stupid enough not to realize the 50 state strategy has worked and revived this party.

[jackson_dem]

20. Why did she endorse Obama? That doesn't jive with the netroots myths about him

[southern_dem]

25. Maybe because the DLC cabal didn't make any mandates

on who to support. I dunno, I'm not one to care much about labels.

[jackson_dem]

28. Wait! So the mighty DLC, which "controls" the party hasn't chosen Hillary?

Why is that? Maybe the DLC realizes both candidates are fully aligned with the DLC's philosophy? No, it can't be!

[Tarheel_Dem]

30. Perhaps like a lot of us..she doesn't like Hillary?

[jackson_dem]

35. The DLC cabal endorses based on who they like?

You are saying the latest Obamite hero is so small she will endorse someone based on who she likes instead of who she agrees with on the issues? The person she agrees with more on the issues is Obama, although not by much.

[Tarheel_Dem]

36. face it, Hill has high negatives, and that's not just from Repubs

[jackson_dem]

38. I thought the Dem establishment and especially the D-L-C loved her though?

I read it here.

[Tarheel_Dem]

42. throwing her under the bus? who gives a shit, i certainly don't

[Renew Deal]

6. I agree with this.

It's really not a healthy thing for the party.

[David Zephyr]

7. K&R.

The Governor of Wisconsin said pretty much the same thing. K&R.

[CTyankee]

10. She has a point. And I think she would be a strong VP candidate.

Her state might just be crucial. I would like to see Obama choose a woman VP. She seems right.

I like what she says. She is a truth teller here...

[saltpoint]

15. Agree on all counts. She would be a terrific VP.

And O, to turn Kansas blue...

[dansolo]

19. Nothing against her, but she would not be a good VP candidate

Obama will need a VP with strong Foreign Policy credentials, someone like Gary Hart, Sam Nunn, or Bob Graham.

[saltpoint]

21. I can see the choice going that way, dansolo, but if he chooses Sebelius,

the cheering you hear will be from my place.

My first choice, actually, might be Bill Bradley.

[CalGator]

44. Not bad picks all around.

I like Sabelius or Kaine because they are popular governors who could easily be POTUS in 8 years as well. Kaine shores up Virginia as a blue state, while Sabelius could make Kansas viable, but if not at least might ensure neighboring MO in the blue column.

[saltpoint]

50. Good point. I should have considered Missouri -- it's a swing state and

virtually throbs purple. It would be terrific to win Missouri in November, and Ohio as well. That would put together an electoral college vote total that McCain probably couldn't best.

[Neecy]

60. She'd help in Missouri...

But strangely enough, I think she'd also help in Ohio. She is from the state and her father was a very popular governor there.

[LordJFT]

26. Sam Nunn, are you fucking kidding?!

do you remember he was talking about running as a third party candidate this term?

[dansolo]

37. Believe me, I'm not too fond of him

But he would address a perceived need. I would much prefer Gary Hart or Bob Graham. The point being is that Obama will need to pick someone with a high profile who has foreign policy credentials.

[XemaSab]

12. K&R from California!

[WillyT]

17. Me Too, Me Too !!! - K & R !!!

:kick:

[IndianaGreen]

48. K&R from Indiana

Governors Sebelius and Janet Napolitano would make fine running mates for Obama.

[Cha]

14. Kathleen Selbelius said that exactly

right! Bingfreakin'O! Time to surge against hilaryland divisive tactics.

[ErnestoG]

23. I remember when Howard Dean gave the same warning...

and the stupid ass DLC Dems CRUCIFIED him for it.

As usual, Howard was and is right.

[RBInMaine]

24. Damn Right. Obama has a 50 state strategy !!

Damn right. Obama has been right to emulate a 50 state strategy and NOT the old, LOSER strategy of play in 20 states and no where else. This is a NATIONAL party, and as Gov. Sebelius has proven, Dems CAN win in MANY red states if they build a party and try.

[Johnny__Motown]

27. Hillary is a fatally flawed candidate, here is just one more example

[Tarheel_Dem]

31. I've always thought that was a fatally flawed strategy as well...

and should Clinton become the nominee, it would certainly come back to bite her in the ass.

[Hill_YesWeWill]

32. Yeah, I'm a red state democrat here in Texas

even though I knew a democrat wouldn't carry Texas against Bush, I still voted in 2000 and 2004!

[TexasObserver]

33. 50 state strategy. We cede no states ever again. We can't catch fish without our line in the water

[johnnydrama]

39. it is amazing

how Obama has a 50 state strategy and has tons of money left over, and Clinton has a 12 state strategy and has no money.

[TexasObserver]

47. It shows that Hillary has never really had to manage a budget or an organization

She's a legislator, not an executive.

[Colobo]

34. Vice-President Sebelius? I like it!

[thoughtcrime1984]

43. I like her a lot and would like her in the Cabinet

I think we need a military person as veep. Clark or Kerry, IMO.

[ShortnFiery]

40. Evening kick for Kathleen Sebelius!

:dem: :patriot:

[Yael]

45. Thanks!

[Slyder]

46. I Luv My Guv!

This Kansan Democratic male has had the rare honor of voting and actually sending two female Democratic governors to Topeka, a Republican woman to the US Senate, a Republican woman to the US House, and several Democratic women to the Kansas House and Senate. (I doubt many Americans can say that!) This time I am supporting, along with my governor, Barack Obama. I may be a Democrat, but in my many years of voting always have supported the best person for the job. I am not supporting Obama because of his gender or race. He is simply the best person for the job. And Kansas is a red state. We have gone Democratic in the past. The latest being 1964. In 1936 Kansas even went for FDR when its governor (and that woman Senator's father) ran for President. The red state can and is likely to go blue in 2008!

And why does the Democratic Underground spell-checker tell me Barack and Obama are not in its dictionary?

[Yael]

52. Thanks for this!

[cooolandrew]

41. Barack if you should make it I think you've got a VP here. WTG Sebelius!!

[nonconformist]

49. Bullshit.

A. Most, if not all, of those red states are staying Red.

B. Fuck the Republicans. Let them fix their own damn party instead of trying to hijack ours and push us right.

[Yael]

51. Or -- they are willing to revisit leftist policies because their party got hijacked

by neo-cons?

Whatever works for you. I am taking the high road myself.

[nonconformist]

53. Right.

They all had an epiphany and are now suddenly on board with progressive, liberal, Democratic ideas.

And, they shit rainbows now! All because of Obama!

Please.

[Yael]

54. I was one of "them"

John Edwards moved me. Obama is my second choice and I fought that on the record here.

Like many (R)s, I was disgusted with my party. I decided that progressives were more in line with my beliefs and am willing to fight to give them a chance.

You may feel free to mock me (and those like me) now, but thankfully, some have accepted our "yeah, I fucked up huge" thing and welcomed us.

[Moses2SandyKoufax]

55. Yael, I didn't know that.

Glad to have you aboard! It seems Hillary and her supporters are hell-bent on curtailing the progress and inroads our party has made over the last two years. Although Obama wasn't my first choice, I'm glad we have a candidate that can appeal to all regions of the country.

[Yael]

56. He didn't appeal to me -- but I understand where he does with folks

I went from right of right to left of left with an anger about being lied to all of these years.

Ex-Republicans can be a militant group like ex-smokers. :evilgrin:

[vision]

57. I hope she is right

But I grew up in Kansas and it will probably still go to the Republicans. The last time it went for a Democrat was in 1936 for FDR. In the 20th century Kansas went to the Democrats for Wilson twice and FDR twice.

I hope that the 21st century will be different but I doubt it. Afterall Kansas has voted Democratic for governor before and not Democratic in the Presidential elections.

[CorpGovActivist]

58. Lots of purplish states that could flip in the GE, with the right ticket n/t