Tasini On A Tear

The past two weeks have been a heck of a ride for Hillary Clinton's Democratic senate primary challenger both figuratively and literally.

On Monday May 8th New York Times columnist, Bob Herbert took notice of Tasini's campaign in an article entitled "Clarity Vs. Celebrity." Herbert draws our attention to the fact that while Senator Clinton's position on the Iraq war, perhaps the most grave issue facing the U.S. today, is not at all clear, Tasini is willing to take a definite stand by calling for the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq within several months at the most.

On Thursday, May 11 Tasini began a 600 mile bike tour across the state of New York. Along the way, he will meet with New Yorkers from all backgrounds and listen to their concerns but also try to bring home the idea that the Iraq war is exacting a terrible price in terms of lost opportunities to improve schools, health care, housing dozens of other domestic needs. Tasini's "Ride For Peace" ends up in Buffalo on May 30-31, at the site of the New York State Democratic Convention. There he will deliver a petition to the delegates based on Rep Jim McGovern's (D-MA) bill calling for Congress to cut off all funding for the continued deployment of U.S. troops to Iraq and for the establishment of permanent military bases. Under McGovern's bill funding could only be used to insure the safe and orderly withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

Since his campaign began, Tasini has been endorsed by five New York local chapters of Progressive Democrats of America, an organization whose advisory board includes, Cindy Sheehan, Reps John Conyers, Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters, Lynn Woolsey, Jeff Cohen of FAIR and many other luminaries of the progressive movement. He has also been endorsed by New York City's Village Independent Democrats, Brooklyn Democrats for Change, progressive author, Barbara Ehrenreich and, most recently, actor and activist Susan Sarandon.

This Wednesday, Tasini appeared on the Mike Malloy Show on Air America Radio. Malloy was so impressed with him that he extended the planned segment into the next half hour of his show. Tasini's arrival in Albany received widespread coverage on the major tv stations and he was also featured in a story in the influential Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call.

If you are interested in learning more about Jonathan Tasini and his campaign go to www.tasinifornewyork.org.

Al Ronzoni, Jr.

.... he won't win. Clinton's already rounded up the bucks and is busy buying off the media, which along with the state DEM machinery ( as backward a state DEM party as there is in the continental US) is key to securing a primary victory here. Most people will not even be aware that Clinton *has* an opponent in the primary. They're that good at controlling things here.

Nonetheless, Clinton's lackluster performance in the Senate, blatant opportunism, leaden speaking style and wooden personality will combine to cut into her margin in the primary. A 30% + performance by Tasini, well within reach if he can tap into national PDA/anti-war money and energy, will set him up as a major player in NYS DEM politics.

The movement of PDA will go on regardless of whether Tasini wins or loses. 30% would be great against an opponent with 20 million in the bank and the support of every elected Democrat in the state. We can only hope and work for it too.

Is defeat as abject as it comes, and when it occurs in a primary election, makes laughable any claim the person receiving it is the "real" or "true" face of the Party.

and another donation to Tasini's fund!
https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/direct/9135?successuri=http://www.tasinifornewyork.org/thankyou

Even if he can't beat Hillary, his campaign will force the good Senator to take a stand on important progressive issues.

I'm sure Sen. Clinton noticed the voter revolt in Lieberman's home state.



The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those
who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

Clinton shouldn't be handed this seat again just because she's who she is. Her pro-war stance has been what has pissed me off the most. She's another corporate shill.

Republicans have zilch chance to win in November. Their stumbling procession of possible candidates to run against Hillary Clinton has been like an episode out of the Simpsons, with each name raised doing something to embarrass the GOP worse than the one before. Meanwhile the collective name recognition of all the GOP possible contenders combined will be equal to or less than Jonathan Tasini's alone, once a Democratic Primary contest for Clinton's seat is official. This is an ideal chance for New Yorkers to vote for who they agree with more, Tasini or Clinton, in a Primary for a safe Democratic Seat.

Hillary was running around the country raising tens of millions of dollars, supposedly for her Senate run, even before she was challenged for the Democratic nomination. This race isn't about diverting scarce resources into a symbolic Primary contest, it's about helping set an agenda, first for the New York State Democratic Party, but also the National Democratic Party. What issues do New Yorkers really care about? Tasini is running a multi-issue campaign. Once Tasini is officially on the primary ballot, the Democratic race for Senate will get covered, even if the media isn't convinced it is a real race with an uncertain outcome. Because Clinton is in it, the race will become news, and the news will be about an important ongoing debate over issues inside the Democratic Party. Actually, given the Celebrity status of Hillary Clinton, and the mega millions of dollars of resources that she has behind her, I think if Tasini gets over 15% of the Democratic vote in a New York Primary, it will rock the political world.

anyone who represents the principles for which I stand. Mike Malloy did a great interview with Tasini last week - I think he Ned Lamont, and Marci Winograd are all great up-and-coming upstarts.

:thumbsup:

I'm voting for Tasini.

If anything I think it's based on her fear that America needs to view her as more of a centrist before she has a chance of winning in 2008. Clinton has been doing a lot of bridge building to the center right of the Democratic Party while representing a Liberal State in the Senate.

I was thrilled when Hillary Clinton won the Senate seat from New York in 2000. I thought with her stature she could become New York's equivalent of Ted Kennedy, free to speak out forcefully for common Americans against powerful special interests. Had Hillary done that, her seat would have been safe from Republican attacks, a majority of New Yorkers would have loved and embraced her. I remember the Hillary that used to talk about the "vast right wing conspiracy" that was out to get her husband. Of course one of the ring masters of that conspiracy was Rupert Murdoch.

I think Hillary and Murdoch is all about 2008 at a time when I wish she was focused on 2006. Tasini will help her refocus.