There are many things that Seattle liberals hate: the increasing price of fleece vests, driving over 25mph on arterials, and when one of their senators votes for war in the Middle East.
Senator Maria Cantwell is facing increasing pressure from those on the left because of her vote to authorize war in Iraq, bailing on an Alito filibuster, and voting to re-up the PATRIOT Act. Two weeks ago she was booed at one of her own rallies in front of Democratic golden child Barack Obama, and some of the Democratic District organizations in town have refused to read a letter she wrote them.
Although she has a comfortable lead in the polls, there is still a lot of time between now and Election Day. If this race tightens, as it is expected to do over the summer, every vote in King County will be key. In Mike! McGavick she faces a say-little moderate Republican who appeals to suburban voters. The type of candidate Christine Gregoire barely beat (wink-wink) two years ago.
She also faces a challenge from the Green Party in the form of Aaron Dixon. The Co-Founder of Seattle's chapter of the Black Panther Party who isn't exactly the voting type (Possible campaign slogan: Don't be like me, vote for me). Dixon will surely say what the disgruntled left wants to hear, and will be an attractive option for those looking to lodge a protest vote.
The P-I's Joel Connelly wonders why the left is going after Cantwell, and ignoring the right. Meanwhile, the Times thinks the Mariners new commercials are super neat.
Six years ago she became the left's hero by knocking off Slade Gorton. Now it appears she will have to convince that block of voters that she can still be their voice in Washington.
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I don’t hate Cantwell and I am going to work my ass off to register several hundred new Democratic voters in Kitsap County to help her and the party out. But her continued support for the Iraq war and her vote against the filibuster of Alito are the reasons why I am not going to take my Patty Murry sticker off my car. Jesus my congressman Norm Dicks had the courage to call Iraq a mistake and to support the Murtha resolution.
If Maria were to say that.
1. Her vote for Iraq in October of 2002 was a mistake
2. She supports the Murtha plan.
Then I would put my Cantwell stickers and t-shirt back on. I am going to vote for Mark Wilson in the primary and Cantwell in the general election and support the party efforts 100%. Just like in 2008 I am going to support Feingold in the primary and probably Clinton in the general election.
I have personally met Maria thrice and asked her about Iraq and she blew me off all the times. it is against my morals to support a Pro-Iraq war Democrat in 2006 and 2008.
Until then I am going to work to support the elections of progressive Democrats like Darcy Burner to Congress, Derek Kilmer to the State Senate and Christine Rolfes to the State House.
Jacob Metcalf
Young Democrats of Washington State Technology Director
Young Democrats of Kitsap County President
Washington Stonewall Democrats Webmaster
Kitsap County Democrats Webmaster.
By the way feel free to post this is a rebuttal. Pro-Iraq war Democrats tend to loose elections. The Democratic house and Senate leadership supported the Neocon war in Iraq in 2002, and 2004 they failed to win back Congress. Dick Gephardt, John Edwards, John Kerry, Joe Lieberman and Tom Daschle all supported the Iraq war in 2002 and 2004 and they all lost major elections. Supporting the Iraq war in 2006 is a great way to turn off the Democratic base and it will depress voter turnout.
Cantwell is the last of a dying breed of Pro Iraq war Democratic politicians.
Funny since most of these pro-war Dems voted for the war because they felt it was the popular thing to do.
Had someone already used "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" for a headline? Or is that moratorium still on for West Side Story references?
Unfortunately, West Side Story references went out of style along with carriages, top hats, and "the ether."
WTF?! I've been saving up for a carriage! I was thinking it'd suit with the more leisurely pace of traffic when the Viaduct comes down.
Also, I believe the Discovery Institute is just about to issue a release on "the ether." So hold onto your top hat!
"How do you solve a problem like Maria?" is not a West Side Story reference. It's a Sound of Music reference. Sheesh, Michael -- get your musicals straight!
*blushing*
Thank you for catching that, Margaret. I have to admit, I've never watched The Sound of Music all the way through. I must have just picked up the song through the ether.
There is a Maria in West Side Story. But no one has a problem with her.
The democrats are a waste of time. They've never given us any reforms that we didn't have to fight tooth and nail for first. Throughout US history they have been just as much a war party as the republicans. We're not going to end the war because of the democratic party--we'll end it in *spite* of them. The democrats support US imperialism and we can't depend on them for anything.
Get out and organize against the war independently of those corporate sellouts and *force* the politicians of both parties to pay attention.
Nick, your mistake is to think of the Democrats as a singular, single-minded institution. The reality is they're highly disorganized and driven by so many different factions that they tend to resemble more like the general Anerican populace than the Republican party ever has.
Frankly if your efforts won't move the Democratic party, they'll never move the nation as a whole, and that's why your get out and organize small little bands of loud people will fail.
for the facts on maria cantwell, read mariacantwell.com -