Monday, December 11, 2006

This is a live-blogging session on Daily Kos, 12/11/06


A Rising Blue Tide in Virginia – Bernie Quigley live blogging Hotlist

by Fighting Dem Vets [Subscribe] [Edit Diary]

Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 10:09:02 AM PST

Bernie Quigley is a prize-winning writer and has worked more than 30 years as a book and magazine editor, political commentator and book, movie, music and art reviewer. He lives in the White Mountains with his wife and four children. He is a strong proponent of the New Democrats and believes the Fighting Dems are the vanguard. He has supported Jim Webb and Wes Clark as two who have been in the forefront of the battle for the soul of America. I would, of course, add Eric Massa who will be live blogging with the kossacks in about an hour.

Check out Bernie’s latest ruminations latest below the bump and talk to him about them. This piece was sent informally as part of an email and unfolded into an OpEd!

Intro

You must enter an Intro for your Diary Entry between 300 and 1150 characters long.

and will look bold" type="button"> and will look italic" type="button">

The Fighting Dems has a future, I believe, which will begin to hatch with the "New Democrats" growing in the new Congress. We see now since the November election the rise of red state Democrats. I see the life force rising in Virginia with Jim Webb. It was announced this morning that Wes Clark will publish a book called American So in Fall, 2007. I am all but certain that he will run in '08 and I plan to help him in any way I can. Wes is an American for all seasons, and as a Presidential candidate will appeal to red states and right now that heart is beating in Virginia. I go to the Raising Kaine web site every morning as it has a life force akin to WesPAC's. The Mark Warner campaign and the Jim Webb campaign are both connected. Steve Jarding, who with Dave Mudcat" Saunders wrote the book, Foxes in the Henhouse: How the Republicans Stole the Henhouse and what the Democrats Need to do to Run 'Em Out ran both of those campaigns. Jarding is supporting Wes now I believe. The Fighting Dems can be a conduit between these events just past and the future.
We face chaos in Democratic politics directly ahead, brought to you by the Senator from NY (when her egotism crashes in '07 and the Clintons resolve in blame and acrimony, Eric Massa might run for her Senate seat). Mike Bloomberg, mayor of NY, senses that if she runs it will mark a descent into mayhem and irresponsibility on behalf of the Democrats and he will put up a half billion of his own money to start a third Independent Party.

An article this month in New York Magazine reports that Bloomberg is serious about running. But he asks, "hat chance does a five-foot-seven billionaire Jew who divorced really have of becoming President? Every chance, as his imagination is as vast as his cash flow.

It is the same impulse of "irrational exuberance" which calls forth Senator Clinton who was misguided from the beginning on Iraq and remains so, and Obama, who says he hopes no one votes for him just because he's black (would it be the legislative record then?) that sent this same generation to invest in undercapitalized DOT.com stocks in the salad days of the Clinton Administration. Silicon Valley was sure to be the Yuppie nirvana before the crash.

Nature calls Bloomberg forth, and he is a right honorable and competent American, even a patriot to put up his own cash to do this. But a third party will bring disaster to our country. If a competent guy like Bloomberg runs it will divide the votes in '08 into three thirds and the election will be thrown into the House. As the House is controlled by Democrats as per the November election, the House will give it to Hillary (Bloomberg has no support in the House). With Hillary as President with only 33% of the vote, the red states will buck. Red state alienation is caused to some large degree by northern yuppie pretensions.

he Democrats must get off this cultural high ground they have been living on for the past twenty-five years, write Jarding and Saunders in Foxes . . . . When you want to represent people, you have to talk to them where they live. Talk to them about what they like to do for fun, what makes life enjoyable for them, what their fears are. And when you find out that they like NASCAR races, that they like country or bluegrass music, that they like to hunt or fish, don pass judgment on them. Embrace them.

The South will not tolerate governance by a Clinton with only 33% of the vote (or a Clinton again with any percentage of the vote). Richard Viguerie of the Christian Coalition and Michael Hill of The League of the South will call for a Constitutional Convention. Robert Novak has already reported rumors of a Constitutional Convention. And if the South and the mid states wanted to secede today, who would stop them? Howard Dean?

We are at the beginning of a historical turning and the Fighting Dems, which started with Wes Clark's strong support, initiates a new direction in American politics marked by duty and responsibly. Those of us who went to war in Asia might have learned the phrase dharma; those of us with Virginia kin were weaned on it. ("Duty is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less." -Robert E. Lee. This is Dharma.)

Dharma awakens today in Virginia where in a poll this week featuring the three Virginia frontrunners, Wes Clark, John Edwards and Barack Obama, General Clark received 62% (Edwards, 29%). In an earlier poll featuring ten potentials Clark was the leader with 37%. Edwards was next with 27%. Senator Clinton received 1.7%.

Now that Rumsfeld is out, Gates in and the Baker Panel's commission in the hands of the thoughtful, we can begin to look forward. Wes Clark is awakening in the heartland and awakening begins in Virginia.
Originally posted a Quigley Blog
Cross-Posted at Fighting-Dems.com

Body

and will look bold" type="button"> and will look italic" type="button">
Poll

Note that once published, Polls and their options cannot be altered.

0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes
0%0 votes

| 0 votes | Vote | Results

Tags: Fighting Dems, Wesley Clark, Jim Webb, Eric Massa, Virginia, Hillary Clinton, Democratic Party (all tags)

| | | |

Permalink | 29 comments | Post A Comment | | Edit Diary

  • Sayin' hey (1+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    Donna Z

    HI Noel - Bernie here from Haverhill, NH - 13 inches of snow on the mountain and cold as Ned. You all here?

    Support our troops, send a vet to Congress.

    by Fighting Dem Vets on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 10:08:53 AM PST

    [ Reply to This ]

  • Krugman (1+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    KayCeSF

    Hi Mike - I like your Krugman quote. He asked the other day that all Democrats seeking office in '08 be scrutinized for their positions on Iraq at the beginning. From then 'till now you can sense a sea change in attitude and that was largely brought in by Jim Webb and Wes Clark. General Clark has been the formost spokesperrson for th eDems at at least three critical turns in the last year.

    Support our troops, send a vet to Congress.

    by Fighting Dem Vets on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 10:33:21 AM PST

    [ Reply to This ]

    • Yes Wes's work seems to go (1+ / 0-)

      Recommended by:
      KayCeSF

      unnoticed by all those promoting his rivals, like John Edwards supporters. Clark was a major league barnstormer in the last three months before the election.

      The ...Bushies... don't make policies to deal with problems. ...It's all about how can we spin what's happening out there to do what we want to do. Krugman

      by mikepridmore on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 10:37:34 AM PST

      [ Parent | Reply to This | ]

  • Hey all, this was supposed to be an (0 / 0)

    unpublished diary draft.

    How did it get posted.

    Oh, well, here we go.

    Noel

    Support our troops, send a vet to Congress.

    by Fighting Dem Vets on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 10:40:44 AM PST

    [ Reply to This ]

  • What we need to ask (1+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    KayCeSF

    I was receiving emails from the Edwards camp during the very tense days before Rumsfeld resigned about everrything but Iraq. I think he hopes it will pass unnoticed and we can go back to happy days. But Iraq is something you can't go around - you have to go through. And Wes has been on the case since he signed the book on Concord to enter the NH primary. The IGS - Iraq Study Group - report vindicates his integrity and his strategic position. We need to start asking these other people, "What did you do in the war, Daddy (Mommy)?

    Support our troops, send a vet to Congress.

    by Fighting Dem Vets on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 10:45:42 AM PST

    [ Reply to This ]

  • Dems in denial (1+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    KayCeSF

    I think that's right and is classic denial. Up here in the hinterrland people are counting the days till the Bush admin leaves office. I am too. But there is in that a sense that it will just go away after that and we will be back to the 1990s. No such way. The political environment changes entirely with Iraq. There is no going back. Therer never is. Also, we are at the classic turning of generations which characteristically breaks in about the 60th post war year, which is now. A new generation will rise out of this. You can sense it with the DKos crowd which has a quite differernt and distinct point of view from the say "New Republic" crowd. The Fighting Dems comes up with them; in a word, young people todya respect soldierrs and veterans. If the Bush people are not pushed out of the American consciousness they will come back strongerr. They are thugs and bullies and they know certain Dems are weak and easily intimidated. that is shy in Viringia today people are rearing bumperr stickerrs refering to Jim Webb saying, "My Senator is Fearless." So is Wes.

    Support our troops, send a vet to Congress.

    by Fighting Dem Vets on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:01:16 AM PST

    [ Reply to This ]

  • Sorry - that is Bernie (0 / 0)

    Bernie with the comment about denial.

    Support our troops, send a vet to Congress.

    by Fighting Dem Vets on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:04:07 AM PST

    [ Reply to This ]

    • Haha! Don't deny that you wrote denial! (0 / 0)

      Today you are the one and only Fighting Dem Vets spokesman, Bernie.

      The turning of the generations is an exiting thing and we are fortunate to live in these times when we can redeem America from the hands of the thugs who have impoverished our nation.

      Noel

      by noelschutz on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:06:18 AM PST

      [ Parent | Reply to This | ]

  • More to come (1+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    KayCeSF

    Every Veterans Day and Memorial Day my high school children have played at veterans memorials. The last few years they werre dreary as most of the old soldiers were dying off - they even asked the Cub Scouts to march last years which was a little wierd. This year there were four Marines just out of basic training - kids I knew who went to school with my kids. They are highly respected by their high school friends & everyone in town. It is a different attitude than we have seen in past years. The Democrats will bring this forward.

    Support our troops, send a vet to Congress.

    by Fighting Dem Vets on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:11:52 AM PST

    [ Reply to This ]

  • Fighting Dems (2+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    pelican, KayCeSF

    Good to hear from you Noel and Bernie and others.

    I for one am looking forward to what our new Fightin Dems in Congress have to say - Jim Webb and Joe Sestak (my guy in PA 07) and Patrick Murphy and the others Clark supported like Jerry McNerney, Kristin Gillibrand, Claire McCaskill and Jon Tester.

    The ISG sounded like they were channelling General Clark and I bet Clark will spend a lot of time testifying on the hill for the next Congress.

    by phillysuse on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:13:50 AM PST

    [ Reply to This | ]

  • I also believe,,,, (1+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    KayCeSF

    ...the Fighting Dems are the future. If I didn't I'd shoot myself. Tired of politics as usual (one of the reason's I'm a Clark supporter). We needed new blood. Just wish more had won.

    "This is not a time for a candidate who will offend no one; it is time for a candidate who takes clear stands and kicks ass."....Molly Ivins

    by pelican on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:19:50 AM PST

    [ Reply to This | ]

  • Er, that is Carol in NH-01. (0 / 0)

    After working with Eric so long NY rolls off the tips of my fingers so easily.

    Noel

    by noelschutz on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:20:35 AM PST

    [ Reply to This | ]

  • Thanks Bernie! (0 / 0)

    Keep on Keepin' on!

    by westcott on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:24:31 AM PST

    [ Reply to This | ]

  • Carol Shea-Porter as well (1+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    KayCeSF

    My new Representative from New Hampshire is characteristic. I'd said she has an attitute quite similar to people like Tip O'Neil and Mary McGrory - people with working-class roots (not what we used to call "lace-curtain" - would be yuppies today). It is worth noting that Howard Dean had the party send big bucks to another candidate up here but nothing to Carol, but she won after a visit by Wes. Dean couldn't even remember her name. This is what I see building and the DLC types yielding. In New England, it is a return to ourselves - it is a kind of common-class Democrat which Jim Webb also represents. He calls himself proudly Scotch-Irish; the common class of the South. But his hero is Daniel Patridck Moynihan - from the common class of the North (indeed, from Hell's Kitchen). This is good - removing Democratic pretentions from both red and blue state Democrats; bringing it back home where it came from.

    Support our troops, send a vet to Congress.

    by Fighting Dem Vets on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:27:23 AM PST

    [ Reply to This ]

    • Are you actually in Carol's district, Bernie? (0 / 0)

      NH is lucky to have her. I was in a quandry early on because we had Carol running and two vets. Fortunately both vets bowed out, but I had voiced my support for Carol early on and was egging WesPAC to support her despite the support for the other candidate by the Dem establishment, as I understood it. The General supported Carol and she won by golly!

      She IS a fighting dem.

      by noelschutz on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:32:19 AM PST

      [ Parent | Reply to This | ]

    • Very nicely put! I like the common roots (0 / 0)

      theme. I came from dirt farming southern Illinois Dems and despite his career in the military my dad was always a Dem. My English ancestors on my mom's side had the same farm roots, but were helped to middle class by two brothers fighting in the Napoleonic Wars and getting a blessed pension to move them up the social ladder.

      So German-English, Scotch-Irish, whatever. We are the real people of the land and we are landing on a blue tide.

      by noelschutz on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:36:20 AM PST

      [ Parent | Reply to This | ]

  • Not in Carol's district (1+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    KayCeSF

    Actually I'm in Paul Hodes district. But he had an easy ride so I went to see Carol as I thought she represented the more representative new direction for the times. Our governor, John Lynch does as well. He was reelected with 77% herer in a red state. He is very like Mark Warner - bringing the management model forward; working across the isle with Republicans. And I see Mark Warner advancing this is the future. He will run now for Senate or maybe Governor if he can again in Virginia after a break, and then for President. I see him as vastly talented. Kathleen Sebelius from Kansas as well. But Wes will open this gate. Jim and Wes awakened a new heartland attitute; bringing Democrats back to where they had somehow gotten locked out from. Steve Jarding is a very sincere and competent advisor; probably the best - what he says about Warner in "Foxes in the Henhouse. . ." is impressive.

    Support our troops, send a vet to Congress.

    by Fighting Dem Vets on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 11:43:18 AM PST

    [ Reply to This ]

  • You don't happen to have a link for that poll (0 / 0)

    I'd like to check it out if you do.

    by JMora on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 01:48:31 PM PST

    [ Reply to This | ]

  • Question on Wes (0 / 0)

    While I think he could do great things, it seemed like in '04 his campaign fizzled quickly, maybe had internal issues and while it did get some support in the South, it was not at the level of making it into a real race

    I'm wondering if you have an opinion of how he or the country has changed such that we'd see a different outcome in the primaries this time

    He's had more exposure since then, maybe that has helped

    Do you see a strategy he should follow to ensure momentum in a broad primary field?

    by jimpol on Sun Dec 10, 2006 at 08:34:42 PM PST

    [ Reply to This | ]

    • Clark strategy (0 / 0)

      I was a volunteer for Wes here in NH in '04. He was climbing at 5-10% per week and just before the election it looked like he might win. They Iowa changed everything a week before the NH primary. It was all John Kerry. In '04 he was a new and fairly exotic figure - a Southern General, which we are not too familiar with up here. Since then, and particularly last year, he has been in many ways the backbone of the party as it countervailed the Rumsfeld/Bush attitude. He's been all over the country speaking on behalf of candidates and has been the most requested speaker in support of '06 candidates. By now, the uniqueness of a General has been asimilated and I'd say we feel at least like he is "one of us." And thus, our (Democratic) character is expanded by his character. PArticularly now with the Iraq Study Group; it vindicates his posiitons.

      Support our troops, send a vet to Congress.

      by Fighting Dem Vets on Mon Dec 11, 2006 at 03:48:34 AM PST

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)