After slight delay, ProJo acknowledges Sheeler campaign as "viable."

Nice editorial. I've observed that progressive Dems suffer the same blackouts by the establishment all across the country. Hey, we knew it would not be easy. Onward!

http://www.projo.com/opinion/editorials/content/projo_20060423_23sheel.2e06667.html

The third man

01:00 AM EDT on Sunday, April 23, 2006

What about Carl Sheeler? The businessman and ex-Marine running for U.S. Senate has been dismissed by much of political Rhode Island for reasons that we understand but don't admire. The Democrat's chief negative, we are told, is his lack of money (what a country!). Another reason, we suspect, is establishment Democrats' lack of imagination: They just don't want to bother with a new face.

As it happens, Mr. Sheeler's campaign now has more cash than does the imploding campaign of Rhode Island Secretary of State Matthew Brown. Yet the race for the Democratic nomination has been portrayed as between just Mr. Brown and former Rhode Island Atty. Gen. Sheldon Whitehouse (until recent days, when Mr. Whitehouse, without the inconvenience of an election, has been declared the winner).

snip

His experience as a Marine Corps officer gives him some credibility on national-security issues. He is highly critical of the administration's rationale for the Iraq war and its related diplomatic failures, and he rightly regards energy as a security issue. He rightly backs an all-out effort to wean America from its oil dependency -- a kind of Manhattan Project to develop alternative energy sources.

And Mr. Sheeler's experience as a businessman, with an advanced degree in finance, lets him speak confidently on economic matters. Here, too, he finds fault with the Bush administration, criticizing both deficit spending and tax policies that favor the well-to do.

more

then, because he becomes the elephant in the room (sorry for bad pun), they have to include sheeler.

so, here's hoping that sheeler becomes the DEMOCRATIC elephant, smack dab in the middle of the room, that they can no longer ignore.

:toast: to sheeler

you Win! (Gandi)

Visit aaraujo's Diary on DailyKos -- Vote in the Poll (Does Carl have a chance?). Recommend the Diary!

And here's how we make sure the campaign is "smack dab in the middle of the room"!

Action Alert

In The Third Man⁽¹⁾ the Providence Journal editorial board takes Rhode Island's political establishment, Democratic Party, pollsters, and the opposing candidates to the woodshed for excluding Carl Sheeler, the "Be Patriotic! Impeach Bush" candidate for U.S. Senate, who

has "credibility on national-security issues. . . rightly backs an all-out effort to wean America from its oil dependency" and whose "experience as a businessman, with an advanced degree in finance, lets him speak confidently on economic matters."

Such a public indictment transforms the dynamics of the race. The Journal has a circulation of 230,000+ on Sunday -- consider this relative to approx 700,000 registered voters in RI.

The media was denied their "spotlight" campaign when Hackett withdrew. The story of the Sheeler campaign is emblematic of the plight of Outsiders in a world of strategic dullards.

This is a story (complete with the fantastic "Be Patriotic: Impeach Bush" visual) the media will jump on IF THEY HEAR ABOUT IT.

You Can Make Sure they Hear About It!

For starters, contact Randi Rhodes, Kieth Olbermann, and Chris Matthews (who felt gipped when Hackett's "spotlight" campaign ended)

• tell them about the Sheeler campaign;


• tell them about the editorial;


• tell them that the Sheeler campaign is another powerful example of how unconventional, outspoken truth-tellers are energizing voters and challenging the stranglehold that strategic dullards have had on the Democratic Party;


• tell them about the "Be Patriotic: Impeach Bush" billboard (that went up February 3rd, when calling for Impeachment/Censure was taboo);


• tell TV people that the billboard would provide great video to accompany the segment;


• tell them they have a chance to get in front of a compelling story that is emblematic of the growing conflict between insider v. outsider; immobilizing caution v. bold action; buttom-up v. top-down politics.

Contact ANYONE who has a big megaphone -- print, radio, or television outlets.

Promote other "Be Patriotic" billboards. For example, contact action groups like MoveOn.org (why aren't they putting up Impeach Bush billboards?), ImpeachPac.org (they could be VERY well-served by raising funds to put up their own Be Patriotic billboards). if the campaign agrees, others could promote a national theme by adopting the Sheeler design in their own billboards.

Money Talks! -- If the campaign hadn't surpassed opponent Matt Brown in available cash we may have never seen this editorial.

Spread the Word -- Contribute Today!
www.carlsheeler.com

Restore Legitimate Government
Restore America's Spirit of Optimism and Commitment

Be Patriotic! Impeach Bush



Original "call for action" post . . .

---------------------------
(1) If you don't want to subscribe to the Journal, see excerpts in this post

DU Challenge to keep the "Be Patriotic! Impeach" Bush billboard up another month!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1011338&mesg_id=1011338

Can you help?

. . .onto the national stage.

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2586143&mesg_id=2586143

DU Challenge to keep the "Be Patriotic! Impeach" Bush billboard up another month!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=1011338&mesg_id=1011338

Can you help?