N in Seattle on Joe Sestak

N in Seattle (HorsesAss.org):

As a longtime backer, I wasn’t particularly surprised when I received an email from Sestak a couple of weeks ago. After all, I get messages daily, from dozens and dozens of candidates, legislators, and interest groups. The content, however, was completely unexpected. Noting that he’d soon be here in Seattle (though he didn’t mention the reason for the visit), he invited me and his other Washington supporters to join him for coffee on Saturday so that he could thank us for our help. That was all … just to thank us, just to meet us. No request for a check or Paypal or credit card, not even to “retire his campaign debt”. There was no “ask” of any sort. MORE...

"OFA/DNC phonebanking against Sestak and for Specter"

AMERICAblog:

For years, Specter was a Republican. Sestak is a real Democrat. Doesn't OFA have better things to do?

If Specter wins, and I really hope he doesn't, I wonder how all of these loyal Democrats are going to feel when Specter isn't worried about Democratic primary voters anymore. Arlen Specter worries about one person: Arlen Specter. He's as craven as politicians get. So, win or lose next week, Specter will dump Obama and the Democrats if that's in his best interest. Everyone knows Obama can't count on Specter to "continue working on his behalf." Because Specter works on behalf of Specter.

Howie P.S.: No like.

"Can Cheryle Jackson End the War in Afghanistan?" (with video)

truthout, with video (00:31):

Add Illinois to Pennsylvania as states where there is a contested Senate primary in which the war in Afghanistan has become an issue.

The Chicago Tribune reports that the two leading contenders for the Democratic nomination for Barack Obama's former seat in the Senate have staked out diametrically opposed positions. A Tribune poll last month reported that Alexi Giannoulias and Cheryle Jackson were the leading contenders for the Democratic nomination. On Afghanistan, the Tribune reports that Cheryle Jackson wants to end the war, while Giannoulias supports it:

"It is time to take care of America again and time to bring our troops home," said Democratic Senate contender Cheryle Jackson, a former president of the Chicago Urban League. "Until we stop spending hundreds of billions on wars, we will not have the focus or money to solve the challenges we face at home."

But first-term state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, a Democrat, said he fully supported Obama's strategy for Afghanistan and indicated that those who oppose it are engaging in wishful thinking.

Indeed, Cheryle Jackson's first TV ad takes direct aim at the wars - "It's time to leave Afghanistan and Iraq":

The leading contenders for the Democratic nomination for Senate in Pennsylvania have also staked out opposing positions, with incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter opposing military escalation and challenger Joe Sestak supporting military escalation.

It is, of course, during the election cycle - especially the primary election cycle - that our political system is most vulnerable to public opinion, and that vulnerability, if seized upon, can have a lasting effect on national politics. As a result of the 2006 primary election cycle - in which, most prominently, Ned Lamont defeated Joe Lieberman for the Democratic nomination for Senate in Connecticut - opposition to the war in Iraq became established nationally as the predominant Democratic position, and the subsequent Washington fight over Iraq policy helped pave the way for a timetable for the withdrawal of US forces to which the Bush administration ultimately agreed. At the beginning of the 2008 presidential primary cycle, all the leading contenders for the Democratic nomination - including Barack Obama - were insisting that the US must threaten Iran with military force. By the end of the cycle, Obama was the diplomacy candidate.

Spectacularly, even opposition to US policies towards Israel and the Palestinians is surfacing in the Jane Harman-Marcy Winograd race, with Rep. Henry Waxman accusing Winograd of insufficient loyalty to Israel and Winograd standing her ground.

So, if you want to change national policy - in particular, if you want to end the war in Afghanistan - now is the time to raise your voice. Find out where the candidates in the Senate and House primaries stand on the wars - and raise the alarm.

Howie P.S.: Pennsylvania is a tough call for me.

"Sestak and Specter in Pittsburgh"

Booman may have begun a whole new format for blogging by putting his observations in the comments section. A reader helpfully posts full invitation details on the after party @ The Shadow Lounge. That's my kind of coverage.

"Specter Blasts Sestak's Voting Record" (video)

Political Wire, with video (01:02):

The Pennsylvania Democratic primary for U.S. Senate has already turned nasty.

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) unleashed a blistering web ad attacking Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) for having the "worst voting record in Pennsylvania." He also accused the former Naval officer of being "AWOL" for Pennsylvanians.

"Rep. Sestak (D-PA) Announces Intention to Run for Senate" (video)

TPMtv: video, (03:42).

"Rep. Sestak Talks About Running Against Specter" (video)

TheYoungTurks, video (17:30).

"Sestak may challenge Specter in primary"

The Hill:

Rep. Joe Sestak, the second-term Pennsylvania Democrat who has been mulling a run for Senate, says he may go ahead and challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary.

Democratic leaders hope to clear the field and give Specter a clean shot at the Democratic nomination for Senate.

But Sestak declined to rule out a challenge to Specter during an interview Thursday on the "Bill Press Show," a nationally syndicated liberal talk show.

Sestak also said he would not let Democratic leaders in Washington push him out of the race. President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) have promised to raise money for Specter and campaign on his behalf during the 2010 Democratic primary.

Specter told reporters Tuesday that Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) hoped to convene a meeting of leaders in D.C. to solidify party backing for the senior senator who left GOP ranks this week.

Sestak, however, says he doesn’t care what party leaders in Washington decide.

“Pennsylvanians need to make this decision and not have it decided by Washington, D.C., Democratic Party establishment and I feel very strongly about that,” said Sestak.

The House Democrat said he would look closely at Specter’s policy statements and how he votes over the next few months before deciding whether to take him on.

“What’s he running for?” said Sestak. “There are critical issues facing our nation, from healthcare to how do we take care of education.

“Now, if he’s for the right things we might end up with the right candidate but for me it’s a wait-and-see.”

Sestak said that he’s focusing on helping constituents in his district, noting that his office has handled “10,000 constituency cases in two years.”

“This cannot be about a legacy; it has to be about cementing a future for our people,” he said.

Sestak is beginning to position himself as an outsider, a candidate not in lockstep with the wishes of party leaders in Washington.

The lawmaker recalled that when he first ran for Congress, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee had already settled on another candidate and tried to stop him from running.

Sestak said he told political strategists in Washington at the time that he did not think he needed their permission to run.

“I think this just comes down to what’s best for Pennsylvanians, and boy are we independent.”

The ED Show: Meet Joe Sestak (D-PA) (video)

MSNBC-ED Show, video (07:43).

Howie P.S.: Sestak talks about Pennsylvania politics and says he "hasn't made up his mind" on whether to run for the U.S. Senate there in 2010. Ryan Lizza, John Feehery and Jamal Simmons join Schultz to discuss the Pennsylvania situation and its national impact. In the next segment, video (11:08), Schultz gives his view of the what Spector move means to the Obama agenda and the prospects for health care reform. He discusses this with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont).

Barack Obama