Rosalind Kurita will be the guest speaker at the Greater Chatta-

nooga Democratic Women's Club, Tues., Sept. 13th. The meetings are conducted at the IBEW Bldg., Volunteer Drive and begin at 6:00 p.m.

A light meal will be catered and we hope to have a large turn out!

This happened yesterday at the annual Montgomery County Democratic Party Labor Day Celebration.
Instead of giving a stump speech, she instead used the time to pass around the hat to raise money to help the Katrina victims that had been displaced to shelters in Montgomery County.
She may be no rock star, but at least she has her public service priorities straight.

...I was much impressed with her. It did, however, seem to be much more of a Harold Ford, Jr. crowd that was present.

Reminicent of the Presidential primary in
Montgomery County. There was zero
campaigning for Kerry, yet Kerry took the county
in a landslide.
It's the DLC exploiting the old south ol' boy system.
Problem is, this time around,
they overplayed their hand -to the point of absurdity:
'Ford handily beat Clarksville's state Sen. Rosalind
Kurita 326-157 in a straw poll taken at the picnic.'
http://theleafchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050911/NEWS01/509110338/1002

Meanwhile, the Republicans are ROTFL.

...I'm a Kurita supporter, but she is going to have a tough road. The event was heavily represented by the unions, and from the many I talked to, they seemed to be behind Ford.

so the bosses must have imported some
proxies to help stuff the ballot box.

:) I'm glad to hear she's helping out! Has Ford done anything for the victims? I'm just curious. Not bashing.

...on his stump speech, he did reiterate what Kurita had said, regarding caring for them. She had brought a family to the event, which were at a shelter she visited earlier in the day. She introduced them to everyone there.

On an interesting note regarding Ford, later on at the event, I was walking outside of the large tent where the event was taking place, and I walked past Ford who was talking to this same displaced family. I overheard him asking them something about their civil rights. I didn't catch the gist of the entire conversation, but just heard that part, so I don't know what it was related to. I'm assuming he was asking them if their's had been infringed upon during the entire ordeal.

Spent a lot of time on the phone the last couple days
talking to fellow local Democrats. It appears now that
what we witnessed at Saturday's event was a well calculated, well organized, IMPORTED effort to 'crush Kurita' in her home county's straw poll. I have to assume the intention here was to embarass the Senator, and demoralize her campaign staff, in much the same way the Republicans did with Al Gore in 2000.
I must say, I am stunned.
And ashamed for our party.

What I keep hearing is that certain people in the Chattanooga area don't want to do anything except support Ford, Jr., because the powers that be don't want anyone else considered. I really think that we need a vigorous primary season to get a feel for the candidates and where they stand.

This event isn't about candidate support - it's just a chance to have her speak. Ford, Jr. has been invited by our club to speak at many events, and the local fundraisers have been for him.

This is truly a shame.

This is the kind of nonsense that undermines party unity.
I wonder how much Ford is counting on Kurita supporters to
join his effort should he win the primary?

meeting. He declined, but a young woman with his campaign was there and made a very brief statement. Sen. Kurita was better than the last time that I saw her in April and there will be a meet 'n' greet/fundraiser for her in Chattanooga soon.

I also heard that one of the larger unions has maxed out their contribution amount - not to Ford or Kurita - but to Bob Corker. I just about lost it when I heard that. After the 1st Bush** term and the recent suspension of Davis Bacon, I can't believe that any union would contribute to a Bush** ass kissing repub like Corker.

Geeeeze.

The US Congress is now back in secession, so that is where he is at most of the time. Kurita on the other hand is on vacation right now and can make more events during the week at home.

Just keep that in my everyone before jumping and saying he was a no show.

The Labor Union that gave to Corker is the IBEW.

The AFL recently endorsed Ford.

<>
So, who's sorry now?

From their home page:
http://www.ibew.org/
Bush Suspends Davis-Bacon in Katrina-Stricken Areas
Claiming that the costs to rebuild areas destroyed by Hurricane Katrina would be too high if prevailing wage laws remain in effect, President Bush issued an executive order, on September 8, setting aside the Davis-Bacon Act in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.

The announcement made at the beginning of the meeting was in an attempt to be fair to Harold Ford, Jr. and was in no way a statement that he didn't want to be there. The young woman from his campaign was warmly received. The grown ups who were there, mostly 40 yrs. and older, understood that with the emergency with Katrina he couldn't be there. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that a tornado spawned from Katrina and did some damage in Memphis and that Memphis also sustained some flooding. The snippy tone of the 'Kurita on vacation' isn't necessary nor appreciated. When the US Congress was in recess I don't recall seeing posts relating to Ford, Jr., being on 'vacation' and he had more time to travel within the state, and I believe that he did. If these comments were made about him I didn't see them, nor did I make them.

I'm well aware that the IBEW is the union in question, but I wasn't going to post it in an effort to avoid controversy of any sort. I think if you'll go back and read the posts that I've made in this thread I mentioned that Ford, Jr. has addressed our club many times and no one there took his not being there as a snub - we're grown ups and we understood. I didn't mean for it to seem as a controversial statement. I thought that it was a rather neutral account of the meeting and, again, I didn't even mention the union involved to avoid controversy.

Just a clarification. There are some peope on the web that try to perpetuate the rumor that HFJ backs out of alot of events, which is not true. I didn't want anyone reading into the comment that was posted, so I replied. Nothing snippy about it.

In regards to my post about the IBEW, that was just an FYI for the people who didn't know what labor organization your were talking about. Again, nothing against you.

Also, I didn't read your comments to be controversial.

I think you are reading a little too much into the comments posted on the forum here. Last time I checked we are all Dems and are working towards one goal, and lets keep it that way. We are better as one.

Thanks and take care.

Ford has been to the club at least once before this year just a few months (if that) ago. I wanted to go and hear him speak but other things happened.

I've only been able to hear both radio shows and what various supporters have said. I personally like Kurita better then Ford and people know I'm not a huge Ford fan. The only reason why I am thinking about supporting him instead of Kurita is because of the DSM and getting justice. Does anybody have anything else of Kurita talking about the DSM and that case? The last time I heard her speak, on the Round Table, she said she was not for an investigation. This is the issue that will make me vote for someone else or not. I agree with basically everything Kurita has said except for the DSM issue. This shows Bush lied about war and to not care about it is simply distasteful.

DSM is a dead issue, and it will remain dead
as long as the Republicans are in control.

Hello! It shows how Bush lied about war. Give me a break. 2006 is our last chance to get any sort of justice for those who have died and died for lies. Duh!

if the Repugs stay in power.
I've pressed for an investigation of the reasons for war almost since
the war started. Just last month, I worked in DFT's statewide DSM effort, helping to lobby US Senate, and Congressional leaders to initiate an investigation.
The effort went nowhere. Not one Democrat or Republican was willing
to take the risk before we had enough votes in Washington to back it up.

"Forget 'angry,' " "The word we need to focus on is 'winning.' "
-Harold Ford Jr.

Thursday, September 15, 2005
House Republicans Protect Bush On Iraq Lies
California Representative Barbara Lee's House resolution calling for full disclosure of communications between the Bush administration and Great Britain leading up to the Iraq war, died in committee yesterday.

Outnumbered by Republicans on the House International Relations Committee, Democrats could not get the votes to move H.R. 375 forward, falling one vote short, 22-21. It was a straight party-line vote, with the notable exception of Republican Jim Leach of Iowa, who voted with the Democrats.

<snip>

More than 130 members of Congress have written to President Bush and 575,000 people signed petitions this summer demanding that the White House answer questions raised by the Downing Street Memos.

Republicans sought to further undermine U.S. security in favor of protecting the Bush administration by killing two other measures introduced by Democrats. The GOP voted 23-22 against a resolution similar to Lee's, introduced by Representative Maurice Hinchey of New York and killed a resolution by New Jersey Congressman Rush Holt that would have required the State Department to give Congress all documents on the illegal disclosure of the identity and CIA employment of Valerie Plame.

And the band played on...

http://bobgeiger.blogspot.com/2005/09/house-republicans-protect-bush-on-iraq.html

I want to support someone who will get justice for all the wrong and illegal doings that Bush and his administration have done. Anybody who isn't talking about impeaching on any level or anything like that I'm not going to vote for even if I like them.

that's campaigning for impeachment. I would think
someone must be, I just haven't heard
of them yet.

http://www.slumdance.com/blogs/brian_flemming/archives/000541.html
December 17, 2003

Kucinich admits: "The votes aren't there"
<snip>

One particular statement stuck out, though. Kucinich was asked whether he supported the impeachment of President Bush. He responded (emphasis mine):

First of all, as a matter of practical politics, there's not going to be the votes in the House to be able to deliver any articles. Secondly, there won't be the votes in the Senate to deliver a conviction. And third, why go through the exercise when we're right at the verge of a presidential election?

<snip>

Wha--? "Practical politics"? "There won't be the votes"?
f the right thing is to impeach Bush--and clearly, given that Kucinich believes (as I do) that Bush lied to get us into war, impeachment is the right thing to do--why doesn't he get that process started?

"The votes aren't there." Hmm... "The votes aren't there."
Why does this sentiment sound so familiar?
Oh. Wait. I know. Because that's exactly why I don't support Dennis Kucinich for President.

Here is my altered version of Kucinich's words. The words in brackets are all I needed to replace/add. "So, Brian, do you support Dennis Kucinich for President?"

First of all, as a matter of practical politics, there's not going to be the votes in the <primary election> to be able to deliver <the nomination>. Secondly, there won't be the votes in the to deliver <the White House>. And third, why go through the exercise when we're right at the verge of a <vitally important> presidential election?

<snip>

...it was hard for me to believe that he was getting more support than her, in her very backyard. Something about that didn't pass the smell test.

It was great meeting you on Saturday, but I must disagree with you on this one. This is a campaign and the straw poll showed what other indicators have shown for months: Kurita is a non starter.

HFJ lapped her in fundraising and beat her handily in the last poll taken. Also, her campaign manager is now gone. The straw poll was just the latest indicator her campaign is on the rocks.

I don't think there is anything to be ashamed about, it is just good ole grassroots politics.

I've been here before.

BTW: Thanks for the motivation. :evilgrin:

with the guy that since developed
the blog ad campaign.

Did you get any photos of the event?

...I didn't even think about it until I saw all the people there snapping their digital cameras. Obviously, I felt like a dumbass after that...

He has gave money, food, clothes, etc. and has also been putting forth ideas and legislation for the relief efforts since day one. Check out the blog for that info:

http://haroldfordjr2006.blogspot.com

Also, I got some photos: http://lawrencedemocrats.org/images.html

Looks like a nice event. :) One thing I've noticed in the photos is how he looks directly at the person he is talking to. That's always a good note because, to me, it shows the person is really listening and concerned with what you have to say. I've noticed with Bush when he is with someone he is never directly looking at them. He always has at least one eye looking at a camera or past the person or something similiar to that.

I noticed in one of Jackson4Gore's photo he shows the house leader for the democrats and it says majority: so we are in control of the state?
I know, seems like a silly question: :blush: