Reply #6: Jim McGovern, the very progressive Congressman from the Worcester area strongly supports Kerry [View All]

He responded to a relatively new MA blog about attempts to imply that everyone linked to the PDA support O'Reilly. http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3491952

O'Reilly essentially copied the MA Democratic party platform and it was on the basis of that that he got the endorsement. He has no history of activism, and his public service is limited to Two 2 year terms on a town council in the 1980s and 1 term on the school board in the same time frame. He was the chair of the school board, until he stepped down mid term because it was too much work.

On Dkos, he managed to get many troll ratings as he defended his claim that Kerry needed to answer the questions of the SBVT, Is that the action of a progressive Democrat? He also is selling himself as a son of the working class, who knows what it is to live on his pay check - though for his adult life he has been a wealthy trial lawyer with two million dollar plus homes.

This endorsement shows more about the credibility of PDA than about the two MA candidates. John Kerry has done much to move the Democrats to the left - something he gets little credit for. His 2004 stand on alternative energy/environment was copied by all Democrats in 2008. His Kerry/Feingold resolution, originally favored by just 13 senators is the party position, as all Senators except Leiberman moved towards it - including HRC and Obama. He was an author and sponsor (with Kennedy) of the precursor bill to S-CHIP, the largest expansion of federal health insurance since medicare. He was the lead sponsor, with 23 co-sponsors, of the Affordable Housing Fund in the recent banking bill and with Senator Smith, the sponsor of a provision that provides money to states to help people renegotiate mortgages to keep people in their homes. He is the leading advocate for veterans in the Senate and has passed substantial legislation helping them. These are all real progressive accomplishments.

The PDA opted to compare words to action - not considering that there was no likelihood of passing O'Reilly's goals. They also ignored that Kerry had a lifetime of service and a demonstrated ability to lead - where O'Reilly could not even keep a campaign manager. In addition, this faux progressive did not, even when asked to in the debate with Kerry, endorse Obama/Biden over McCain/Palin. Tells you something, doesn't it.

This is why I will not contribute to this organization and will use this example when asked by anyone whether they are worth contributing to.