Nebraska Sen. Nelson endorses Obama

7 minutes ago

OMAHA, Neb. - Presidential hopeful Barack Obama won the endorsement Saturday of U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson, a popular moderate in largely Republican Nebraska who said he believes Obama has ability to bridge the partisan divide and to carry Democratic candidates across the country to victory in 2008.

Nelson, pledging his support for his Illinois colleague, said Obama has "the greatest potential to ending the bitterness and poisonous atmosphere in Washington."

He said Obama's victory speech after winning Iowa's Jan. 3 caucuses was an effort to reach out to Democrats, independents and "enlightened Republicans," and that Obama's campaign epitomizes what Nelson has tried to do in Washington.

Obama is the "prototype of what we need today," said Nelson, who served two terms as governor.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080112/ap_on_el_pr/obama_endorsement

Nelson supported more than 215 of Bush's nominations to the federal bench, including Chief Justice John Roberts and Samuel Alito.

Ned Lamont and John Kerry and now Nelson. Oooooooh, you Clinton supporters guys are scaring me so much. :eyes:

Anyone
But
Clinton

I am so scared. Please, Clinton, save me with your triangulation! Save me with your pro-war ways!

I think it's still a little early.

:evilgrin:

:puke:

that SOB (Libermann) will remain bitter for the rest of his life because he lost the CT. primary to Ned LeMont...

LeMont would have been a great addition to the US Senate...

:eyes:

With the help of Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Congress has blocked a Medicare rule that would have forced rehabilitation hospitals nationwide to turn away thousands of patients . . .
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3117738


* Strongly opposes "Abortion is a woman's right". (Sep 2000)
* Voted NO on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)
* Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
* Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)
* Voted YES on banning partial birth abortions except for maternal life. (Mar 2003)
* Rated 7% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record. (Dec 2003)
* Rated 75% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion. (Dec 2006)

Voted YES on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. (Jun 2006)

Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001)

# Rated 11% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
# Rated 57% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action. (Dec 2006)

# Supports spending on Missile Defense ("Star Wars"). (Sep 2000)
# Voted YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad. (Aug 2007)

Voted YES on reauthorizing the PATRIOT Act. (Mar 2006)

Voted NO on preserving habeus corpus for Guantanamo detainees. (Sep 2006)

# Voted NO on redeploying non-essential US troops out of Iraq in 9 months. (Dec 2007)
# Voted YES on designating Iran's Revolutionary Guards as terrorists. (Sep 2007)
# Voted NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq by March 2008. (Mar 2007)
# Voted NO on redeploying troops out of Iraq by July 2007. (Jun 2006)
# Voted YES on $86 billion for military operations in Iraq & Afghanistan. (Oct 2003)
# Voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq. (Oct 2002)

http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/Ben_Nelson.htm

however, he's not all bad. He does vote with the Dems most of the time. He's not my favorite, but he's not a vocal turncoat like Lieberman. And that first item you listed, about rehab hospitals, sounded like a good thing to me.

but his action on the other issues make him poison to our party.

in Nebraska. Ben's job here is secure, because he makes both Repubs happy and pseudo-Repubs (known as Nebraska Democrats) happy. Bob Kerrey was going to run here, but soon realized that a fairly liberal guy did not stand a chance anymore in Nebraska, considering that Hagel was bashed as a liberal for opposing Chimpy and the Iraq war, and also for his non-xenophobe immigration views.

as do many other Democrats

and his conservative constituents - bad for our party and our country

:sarcasm:

fuck them and their poisonous senator.

it's a shame we're allowed Senators at all! Really, a bright-red Bush-loving state yields a Democrat to give us a majority (conservative as he may be), AND an anti-war, anti-torture, pro-habeas-corpus Republican, and that's not good enough? I think Nebraska is doing pretty well on Senators, myself. Look at Georgia, by comparison. Or Alaska. Or the rest of the red states.

on edit--and what's Maine's excuse for two Republicans?

he's a bad senator who is at odds with our party on major issues and concerns. All of the nonsense of him responding to his constituents doesn't make his record on those issues any more palatable to folks who give a damn about them.

That's why his voting record is what it is. You can complain, and rail away at how awful he is, but Nebraska keeps him in office. Now, if we could somehow elect a more progressive Dem by comparison to take Hagel's place next year, then you would have a case in dissing Ben for hurting the party. But until that happens, you're stuck with Helmet-Head. Why not just accept that a Dem Senator from Nebraska is going to be more conservative than a Dem Senator from Vermont? Now, if I'm going to be annoyed at other states for their Senators, I'd go with California, a blue state that keeps Feinstein in business. Or Arkansas, which is bluer than Nebraska but keeps Pryor in office. Or Louisiana and Landrieu.

We are never going to get Dems much better than Sen. Nelson from Nebraska. I have been there. I won't go into a lot of details but take my word on this one.

Its unfortunate.

But its the truth.

Don

what THIS constituent wants, but hey...). That's why he's re-elected.

Ersatz Democrats make me sick

when he's picked on. He pisses me off sometimes, but as a pretty conservative Dem myself, I'm not too far from him ideologically.

Ben Nelson,hahahahah who's next Dianne Feinstein?

Most of NE really likes Nelson. Dem and Repub both.

Certainly not a progressive Senator, but NE is a conservative state. I know one of Nelson's neighbors who says he's really a great guy. I try to remember that when he's voting and I'm throwing stuff at the TV.

An April 2006 poll by Survey USA found him to be the most popular senator in the country, with a 73% approval rating from his constituents. In their most recent poll, his approval rating was 68%.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Nelson

Good pickup for Obama.

:puke:

And I thought Hillary had no ethics.

Nelson is very moderate. I would think that Senator Kerry coming forth first made it easier for Nelson.
I just hope this is not just to gang up on the woman candidate and it isn't played out that way.

and not democrats at all. I discount everything they say and don't trust them.

Fossilized, as in Dino(saur) fossils?

not purple or red. It has been know to go Democrat on several occasions, but IS conservative.

Who is Lieberman endorsing? A republican?

If I were one to give endorsements any weight, which I'm not, those two endorsements would certainly send me running to the OTHER choices.

Any right-wing corporate democrat endorsing Edwards or Kucinich?

Kucinich's endorsements?

National LGBT Leaders Endorse John Edwards For President
http://www.johnedwards.com/news/press-releases/200700410-lgbt/

Gulf Coast voters have an Edwards endorsement today from Levees Not War with the unambiguous headline, "Democrats need a tough candidate who won't hesitate to kick the Republicans in the balls."
http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2008/1/8/235426/5987

United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America endorsed Democratic candidate John Edwards for President
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JLcroUKyyoI

Economists for Edwards Endorsement
http://blog.johnedwards.com/story/2008/1/3/163616/7458

The United Steelworkers, the largest union yet to endorse anyone with 1.2 million members
http://floridaforedwards.wordpress.com/2007/08/30/john-edwards-picks-up-two-union-endorsements-steelworkers-carpenters/

* Danny Glover, actor
* James Denton, actor
* Tim Robbins, actor
* Kevin Bacon, actor
* Madeleine Stowe, actress
* Transport Workers Union of America
* Caucus for Priorities
* Roy Barnes, former governor of Georgia
* Richard Codey, former governor of New Jersey
* Bonnie Raitt, singer-songwriter

Battleground State Endorsements
Iowa

8 (of 91) Democratic endorsements

* State Representative Ro Foege (D)
* State Representative Andrew Wenthe (D)
* State Representative Wes Whitead (D)
* State Representative Art Staed (D)
* State Representative Geri Huser (D)
* State Representative Nathan Reichert (D)
* State Senator Daryl Beall (D)
* State Senator Keith A. Kreiman (D)

Michigan

4 (of 114) Democratic endorsements

* State Representative Mike Simpson (D)
* State Representative Doug Bennett (D)
* State Representative Fred Miller (D)
* State Senator Raymond E. Basham (D)

Nevada

5 (of 35) Democratic endorsements, most recently:

* State Representative RoseMary Womack (D)
* State Representative Peggy Pierce (D)
* State Representative Richard "Tick" Segerblom (D)
* State Representative Joe Hogan (D)
* State Representative David Bobzien (D)

New Hampshire

34 (of 232) Democratic endorsements, most recently:

* State Representative Sharon L Nordgren (D)
* State Representative James G Phinizy (D)
* State Representative Timothy N Robertson (D)
* State Representative Robert A Srnec (D)
* State Representative Frank A Tupper (D)
* State Representative Dennis P Vachon (D)
* State Representative Judith E Day (D)
* State Representative Vincent E Greco (D)
* State Representative Suzanne Harvey (D)
* State Representative Robert J Watson (D)
* State Representative Carolyn M Lisle (D)
* State Representative Ron J Mack (D)
* State Representative Susi Nord (D)
* State Representative Jessie L Osborne (D)
* State Representative Jennifer M Brown (D)
* State Representative Donald A Brueggemann (D)
* State Representative Jacqueline A Cali-Pitts (D)
* State Representative Claudia A Chase (D)
* State Representative Frank W Davis (D)
* State Senator Peter Burling (D)
* State Senator Joseph Foster (D)
* State Representative Timothy Butterworth (D)
* State Representative Charles F Weed (D)
* State Representative Gary B Richardson (D)
* State Representative Robert L Theberge (D)
* State Representative Joseph M Miller (D)
* State Senator David Gottesman (D)
* State Representative Marlene M DeChane (D)
* State Representative Stephen T DeStefano (D)
* State Representative J. Timothy Dunn (D)
* State Representative Peter S Espiefs (D)
* State Representative David E Essex (D)
* State Representative Linda T Foster (D)
* State Representative Patrick F Garrity (D)

South Carolina

11 (of 110) Democratic endorsements, most recently:

* State Representative William “Bill” Clyburn (D)
* State Senator John C. Land (D)
* State Representative Leonidas E. “Leon” Stavrinakis (D)
* State Representative Ted Martin Vick (D)
* State Senator John W. Drummond (D)
* State Representative Christopher R. Hart (D)
* State Representative Lonnie Hosey (D)
* State Representative Leon Howard (D)
* State Representative William K. Bowers (D)
* State Representative Grady A. Brown (D)
* State Senator C. Bradley Hutto (D)

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2008-presidential-candidates/endorsements/candidates/john-edwards/

I know they've both got some celebrity and other public figures endorsing them, but I haven't heard about any endorsements from perceived party "leaders."

Nelson has voted:

* For Bush’s Supreme Court nominees Samuel Alito and John Roberts;
* Against every Democratic filibuster of Bush judicial nominees in 2002-2003, except one;
* For Bush-supported tax cuts in 2001 and 2003;
* Against a resolution declaring that the Roe v. Wade abortion legalization ruling “secures an important constitutional right” and “should not be overturned;”
* Against Democrats’ efforts to prevent a Senate floor vote on a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

Two weeks ago, Nelson was one of only three Democrats in the Senate to vote for continuing lower tax rates on capital gains and dividends.


From left, Senator Ben Nelson, a Democrat, with Senators John W. Warner, Susan Collins and Norm Coleman, all Republican

When we left Nebraska I remarked that the state should have the motto "Ignorant and proud of it".

WTF kind of change do you think you're going to get from Obama when people like Ben Nelson are supporting him?

It makes me think Obama is being set up to become the next Colin Powell--tool of the lyin', thievin' Republicans.

Even so, this is one endorsement I would think the Clinton
camp is happy they didn't get. I am somewhat surprised that
Obama would want it. Janet Napolitano seems much more of a catch
to me than Ben Nelson.

This will probably bring some undecided conservative voters to the Obama camp, but I'm not exactly impressed by this endorsement.

I hope he can win:kick: