Lewis calls on Sierra Club to withdraw endorsement
Submitted by Bruce.Clark on Thu, 04/15/2010 - 1:51pm
Along with the press release, our Communications Director sent this note to the Sierra Club. We wanted to share this with the BlueNC community as well.
In the debate last night we saw again that the only thing clear about Cal is his inconsistency. Now on both offshore drilling and nuclear he has made contradictory statements, trying to have it both ways. It is apparent that he is attempting to get the support of progressive groups now, but also position himself for a shift in the general election. He's faking left, but very clearly headed right. I believe that this endorsement is a mistake and will look bad for the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club, and the broader environmental community, only loses out when it endorses candidates that do not show real leadership on the environment.
-- Sam
LEWIS CALLS ON SIERRA CLUB TO WITHDRAW ENDORSEMENT: SAYS CUNNINGHAM WAS FOR DRILLING BEFORE HE WAS AGAINST IT
Ken Lewis, Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate, today called-on the Sierra Club to reconsider its endorsement of Cal Cunningham in light of Cunningham’s inconsistency on offshore drilling and nuclear energy.
Gary Robertson and Mike Baker of the Associated Press reported April 6 that Cunningham would “consider [offshore drilling] as part of a broader energy plan.”
The Associated Press quoted Cal Cunningham as saying: "While I'm resistant to drilling off North Carolina's coast, I also recognize that we need a comprehensive national energy policy," Cunningham said. "If they find something that is a crucial part of a greater energy policy, let's discuss that."
Yet during last night’s live televised debate Cunningham contradicted his own statements saying “I have consistently said that offshore drilling in North Carolina is not part of the answer.”
Ken Lewis said: “You can’t have it both ways: You can’t be opposed to drilling off of North Carolina’s coast and be open to drilling off of North Carolina’s coast.”
Ken Lewis continued: “We are seeing a clear pattern of inconsistency from Cal. He says one thing in one place, and then goes and contradicts himself somewhere else. We see the same pattern on building new nuclear reactors: First he’s for it, and then he’s against it.”
The same April 6 AP report quoted Cal Cunningham as saying ‘”Nuclear has to be an important part of the future of our domestic energy supply.”
Yet on April 14 Rob Christensen reported in the News & Observer that Cunningham “voiced strong reservations about expanding the use of nuclear energy.”
Lewis concluded: “The only thing consistent about Cal Cunningham’s position on the environment is its inconsistency”
Attacking Sierra
is not a good way to win environmental votes for your candidate.
Dan Besse
Nice attempt at framing: a fact check is now an "attack"
Interesting how that works.
Fact check?
I quote from the above:
"The Sierra Club, and the broader environmental community, only loses out when it endorses candidates that do not show real leadership on the environment."
That's an attack.
I'm not here to attack Ken Lewis. I do want to discourage his campaign staff from launching fraticidal attacks on advocacy groups with a record of backing Democrats. I've criticized these intramural attacks before during this campaign, and I will continue to try to encourage all our candidates to concentrate on their own records and critical comparison of those records with Burr's.
Dan Besse
Another lesson in framing: Saint Ronnie would be proud
Speak no ill of anybody wearing the party label, no matter how much of a coporatist shill they may be.
You are well-educated in the written arts of silencing and marginalization. Try using them after the primary.