US Senate Race - Don't be fooled
Submitted by sdharris on Sun, 05/02/2010 - 7:30pm
I trust that North Carolinians will not be fooled in this Primary Election on Tuesday, May 4th.
I just can't get behind this Cal Cunningham thing - AT ALL. I went to UNC and graduated the same year as Mr. Cunningham so we should have a natural connection, but I am so unimpressed. He is a calculated politician that will not and has not stood up for the little people in NC. He has shown this through his "service" so far. He has not made one bold move to benefit working folks and people who want to get back to work in this state. It is all about his career progression.
Is it crazy to anyone else the the Sierra Club endorsed a candidate running around the state in an 18 wheeler?
Also, there are several inconsistencies and down right lies from his campaign. One that hits close to home is his "claim" that he marched with students for the Free Standing BCC at UNC-CH, along with his wife. I must have missed that March... although I was the Co-Chair of the Committee on Racism (leaders in this cause) and was one of 17 students arrested for sitting in at the Chancellor's Office as part of this fight. This "claim" is false.
And I was insulted at his response to the Durham Committee's question about what he has done to assist African-Americans in NC. His response was about how he has done several things to benefit people with "mental disabilities"... not sure what that has to do with African-Americans still.
This is the candidate the DSCC has picked for us, but I believe NC is smarter than that! We know what we need and it ain't this fake, career politician / model that is called Cal Cunningham! We have to continue to vote for the CHANGE that we started in 2008.
Oh please.
Typical last-minute distraction attacks on a front-runner (a status shared at the moment between Cal and Elaine).
Replacement of Richard Burr by any one of the three media-proclaimed "top tier" candidates in this Democratic primary would represent a dramatic policy change.
While the outcome remains undecided, let me congratulate Elaine and Cal for maintaining their personal focus on showing the differences between our mainstream Democrats and far-right Burr.
To everyone, let me just say: Please try not to say anything in the final hours of this primary that will haunt your efforts when you are working to bring together support for the general election--or in future campaigns.
Dan Besse
Don't listen to attempts to be silenced
no matter who they are from.
And let me say, disregard advice to keep quiet -- particularly when bringing information on a person's record.
And I don't care if it's about Cal, Elaine, Ken or anyone else.
Bring the information.
Please try not to say anything
I think the primary is worth talking about.
The fact that CC supporters spend a lot of energy trying to silence discussion says something about the ability of their candidate to win. You may prevail upon loyal Democrats to shut up, but I doubt that the GOP will be so accommodating should we put less than our best foot forward.
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http://twitter.com/Jerimee
Try not to twist too much.
Gentlemen, you are well aware that I have consistently appealed for civility, not the silencing of vigorous debate on issue differences. If you choose to misrepresent that, it is upon your heads and credibility.
Dan Besse
civility
The primary ought to be about honesty, accountability, and commitment - not etiquette.
I'll add that this phrase "Typical last-minute distraction attacks" is uncivil in that it is dismissive, scolding, and mischaracterizes the intent of the post.
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http://twitter.com/Jerimee
Civility is more than etiquette.
Etiquette is just maintaining social conventions as required by tradition or authority.
Civility in the political context is the acknowledgement that our opponents may have a valid contribution or point to make. It's the reflection of an agreement that campaigns are not purely cut-throat competitions to be won by any means available. It's the commitment to the inherent value of the democratic process and the rule of law. It's a statement that what matters in campaigns includes what their results permit us to do through government afterwards.
Absence of civility in political debate makes accomplishing anyone for the public far more difficult once the campaigns are over. Instead, the tone of governing debate just stays hostile, with the losers doing everything they can to undermine the ability of the winners to accomplish anything positive. They don't want to see that, because it will make it tougher for them to attack in the next campaign. Lies and misrepresentations just keep piling up. Think today's Congress. Think the health care reform debate.
I don't mind if you label one of my ideas or proposals the dumbest thing since New Coke (so long as you explain why). When you think I'm just trying to dampen issue debate, go ahead and say so--as you have--and I'll engage on the merits of that accusation. All fair.
What I'm trying to do here is discourage what I consider to be unnecessary and unproductive (for anyone, except the Republicans) levels of personal vitriol.
Dan Besse
BCC "March"
I'm not a Cal supporter, but I was at UNC and/or living in Chapel Hill during most of the time period where a free standing BCC (Black Cultural Center)was an issue. There were countless rallies, protests, marches(?), etc. demanding a free standing BCC just as I am sure there were leading up to getting it in its first location in the Student Union.
Much of all that was a good 15 years ago, but at minimum I recall there were plenty of activities that one might consider or perhaps mistakenly label a "march."