Republicans hit early, hard in effort to oust Nelson

[Judi Lynn]

Posted on Mon, Jul. 25, 2005


Republicans hit early, hard in effort to oust Nelson

BRENDAN FARRINGTON
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Sen. Bill Nelson predicted Republican attempts to oust him would get ugly as he sought re-election next year.

But even Nelson was caught offguard when told a Republican group was questioning whether he would be easy on sexual predators simply because he appeared with Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in historically black Eatonville, Fla.

After the appearance, the National Republican Senatorial Committee posted items on its Web site asking "Nelson Campaigns With Obama - Does He Agree With Obama's Record Of Lenience On Sexual Predators?" and "Does Nelson Agree With Obama's Refusal To Support Commonsense Measures To Keep Children Safe?" The site then listed votes Obama made as a state senator on issues like sex offenders, pornography and adult businesses near schools.

The fact that Republicans in Washington and Florida are already rushing out attacks against Nelson 16 months before the election is a sign that they see him as beatable.
(snip/...)

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/breaking_news/12214694.htm
(Free registration required)



Nelson's sitting behind Kerry, in shirtsleeves.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Really stretching for this one, aren't they? Nelson, easy on sexual predators?

What would Henry Hyde think?

[wookie294]

1. Hysteria drives elections

Terrorism! Child molesters! Communism!

Here's a long list of Republican child molesters....

http://www.armchairsubversive.com

Ben Nelson is basically a Republican, imho. His loss will not be significant.

[kick_them_hard]

4. His loss will not be significant??

Losing Senator Nelson is not significat??? Yeah! Let lose some MORE Democrats in the Senate!~ arghh!~~

[wookie294]

7. He's not a rabid right winger, but he's also not a Democrat

Bill Nelson voted for the war in Iraq. He also voted for the Republican-sponsored bankruptcy bill written by the banking industry.

Senator Nelson supported the interests of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 65 percent in 2004.

Senator Nelson supported the interests of the Conservative Index - The John Birch Society 56 percent in Fall 2004.

Senator Nelson supported the interests of the CATO Institute--Center for Trade Policy Studies 64 percent in 2003-2004.

http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=MFL25165

[kick_them_hard]

9. Oh Nelson's a Democrat alright

but not the kind of Democrat some people want in office. I say, who gives a flying sh*t what kind of Democrat he is...he's a Democrat with different views, but we need ANY kind of Dem in office next time around or we will lose again. We need to build up ALL Democrats and stop eating our own as some of these people on the message board do. When we take back the White House we can sort them out then. IMHO

[wookie294]

10. Well

When we take back the White House we can sort them out then.

We've been saying that ever since Tip O'Neil was drinking beer with Ronald Reagan and telling old war stories. Look what happened since then. Why vote for a Democrat when you can get the REAL thing by voting for a Republican?

Powerful Democrats need to stop partying and socializing with Republicans and seeking "consensus."

Hillary Clinton is a Republican. God help us if she runs for president.

[kick_them_hard]

13. Hillary Clinton is a Republican. God help us if she runs for President...

I guess you dont understand the significance in getting the fucking Rethugs out of the White House. Hillary Clinton shouldnt run for president unless she wants to hurt the party. We need a strong GOVENOR from the South and of course no one here would like any of them cuz theyre not pacifist enough. Im sick and tired of losing. Give them what the damn midwest wants and be done with it. At least we have a chance of f*ckin winning. Nuff said

[CAcyclist]

34. Welcome To DU !

Don't worry about this guy. We've got the gamut here on DU. Most people here are in your corner.

[kick_them_hard]

42. thanx CAcyclist

Sometimes I wonder if "most people" are in my corner. I just saw a poll on DU that says most people on here consider themselves fuckin "Socialists"??? Where I come from, being a socialist is the same thing as belonging to the Communist party. WTF???
Anyway, thanks for welcome :hi:

[calimary]

37. Welcome to DU!

Glad you're here. I, too, am sick and tired of losing. But... jeez, does it HAVE to be ANOTHER Southerner? Haven't we had more than our share? I'm hoping we have decent candidates from some OTHER part of the country for a change. Well, maybe Wesley Clark or somebody. Sorry for voicing this, but we've had two bush/cheneys (both of them from Texas, despite where cheney claims to hang his hat), plus Clinton, and bush-the-first.

[kick_them_hard]

43. thanx calimary..

U said "Does is have to be another Southernor?" A good bet could be one of the govenors from the Southwest, but Im not too familiar with any of them exept Govenor Bill Richardson of Nevada.
Again, thanks for the welcome :hi:

[brentspeak]

28. Do you have another Democrat in mind?

One who has a legitimate chance of winning his seat?

[maxrandb]

16. Not Only That, but....

More Democrats in the Senate and the House could mean that Frist (Whiskers the Cat) and Hastert (Jabba the Hun) would not be Majority Leader and Speaker of the House!!!!!

It also means Democratic control of all committees, the setting of the legislative agenda, SUBPOENA POWER for oversight committees looking into the treasonous activities of this mis-administration.

Do I need to list any more reasons we should support Democratic candidates????

I agree "wholeheartedly" with you kick, and Welcome to DU!!

The attitude of some, who refuse to support Nelson because he didn't vote everytime, exactly the way they want him to, is a direct cause of why we have Sen Santorum and Sen Spectre elected in a state that went for John Kerry.

It's time for some unity in the Democratic Party.

[Ian David]

17. Don't Forget. Jon Stewart is Spreading Santorum on The Daily Show Tonight

My guess is his Director of Communications, "Gay Bobby," is deliberately trying to sabotage Santorum by telling him it's a good idea to go on The Daily Show.

See related threads:

More proof Santorum is crazy: He'll be on The Daily Show on Monday
Topic started by IanDB1 on Jul-22-05 11:20 AM (4 replies)
Last modified by hopein08 on Jul-22-05 03:54 PM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=175&topic_id=6426


Santorum calls gay staffer a 'trusted employee'
Topic started by kweerwolf on Jul-19-05 10:33 AM (7 replies)
Last modified by Siyahamba on Jul-22-05 01:41 PM
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=221&topic_id=13977



Posted on Sun, Jul. 24, 2005
Senator's new chapter of political risk
By Carrie Budoff
Inquirer Staff Writer

<snip>

And there he was Friday, on the first day of a publicity tour - which will bring him to bookstores in the coming weeks, as well as scheduled appearances on the Today show and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart tomorrow - talking up his ideas and shooing aside any suggestion that he was making trouble for himself.

"My staff {Gay Bobby} says I take a political risk every time I open my mouth and say what is on my mind," Santorum quipped, after signing copies at a suburban Pittsburgh bookstore.

Even so, he added, "my opponent has plenty of ad material. And, you know, I gave them a little more. Nobody has enough money to run all the stuff they'd like to run against me. So my feeling is, I don't worry about it."

His willingness to unload his thoughts comes as no surprise to supporters. But the timing has left some political pragmatists wondering, particularly now as he rebounds from a spate of critical publicity, most notably for his leading role in Congress to prevent the death of Terri Schiavo.

"The frankness with which he lays out his beliefs is sometimes difficult to deal with, with some of my people," said George Bochetto, a Philadelphia lawyer who raises money for Santorum in Southeastern Pennsylvania. "It is going to be tougher and tougher to raise money."

More:
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/12207046.htm



Santorum rebuts book criticism
Senator also stands by his controversial remarks about Boston's sexual abuse scandal
Saturday, July 23, 2005
By James O'Toole, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

<snip>

On Monday, the senator is scheduled to appear on the "Today" show, Fox News and, perhaps most improbably, "The Daily Show," with Jon Stewart, on Comedy Central.

Yesterday, at a taping of "KD/PG Sunday Edition," Santorum rebutted early criticism of the book, said that it pointed out the failures of both liberalism and conservatives in addressing poverty and expressed confidence in his re-election prospects for next year.

<snip>

On other subjects during the program, which will air at 11:30 tomorrow morning on KDKA-TV, Santorum criticized the Penn Hills school board for appealing a decision that the district could not recover tuition money paid for Santorum's children to attend a cyber charter school.

More:
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05204/542549.stm

[okieinpain]

19. well if they are not super liberal dems, who cares if we have control.

GOSH :~)

[DBoon]

20. I agree!

You don't have to agree with every elected Democrat's positions to support them. The Democratic Party is a parliamentary organization representing many different constituencies having many different positions on the issues.

We aren't some lock-step authoritarian vanguardist party like the Republicans. This is our strength.

If you want to join a party with ideologically consistent left positions, then I suggest trying one of the many sectarian leftist groups. They achieve consistent progressive politics at the expense of powerless irrelevancy.

[Pretty_in_CodePink]

33. Such a dilemma.

I'm sick of democrat politicians like Nelson counting on our votes for the sole reason that they call themselves democrats. They try to play to the political right to get those votes and take ours for granted. I wish Nelson and the like would read some of these threads and realize they should not be taking the votes for granted. That said I'll vote for him in the absence of a real democratic candidate. But I would have a hard time actually campaigning for him. I don't know how I could drum up the needed enthusiasm.

[WhiteTara]

35. if a real democrat ran against him

I would be happy. He votes right way to often. But until he gets a good challenger, I agree that we need to keep him in. BTW, welcome to DU kick them hard :hi:

[kick_them_hard]

44. thanks for the welcome, Bare

:hi:

[Lochloosa]

12. So what you saying is Katheryn Harris would be ok

Get a Grip....

[liberaliraqvet26]

2. They're not gonna beat him with Kathrine Harris..

stumping around the state on her broomstick.

[QC]

23. But they might beat him with Bense.

Bense has the party machine behind him and has managed to convince an awful lot of people that he is reasonable.

[magellan]

3. This is Bill Nelson of FL

He hasn't impressed me one iota since we moved here...but if the Rethug liars intend to unseat him with that b*tch Harris, I care.

[still_one]

5. I thought nelson voted mostly the same way as the repukes

[wookie294]

8. There are TWO "Nelsons"

There is Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Bill Nelson (D-FL).

Ben Nelson is even worse than Bill Nelson. LOL.

[still_one]

15. thanks for the clarification

[brentspeak]

29. And who do you have in mind as a Dem replacement? (n/t)

[wakeme2008]

6. Well as of the newspaper article yesterday

Nelson had collected 5 million for the 06 ran and Ms. Harris $500,000.

But Harris is not being backed by Bush.... If Bush does not turn on the money machine, Harris may come up short of money.

[Jensen]

11. Nelson and other Sen score card link below....

www.patrickhenrythinktank.org/sen-scores.html
He votes like a Repug but I will help him simply because he is a Dem. but he is worthless!
I have written and called his office several times on different items the latest in concern of the bill H.R.2327 concerning United Airlines pensions.
Nelson used his minutes during the Condi confirmation hearings to talk about S.S.instead and mention some United employee that was about to loose her pensions also.
So far Martinez which I did not vote for nor will I help has replied, Sen. Nelson has written to me about other issues such as hurricanes but nothing on the pensions! Worthless!

[Joanne98]

14. After the torture pictures come out the cons will be pro-child rape!

And nobody will deserve that smear more than they do!

[napi21]

18. What part of 55-44 don't you understand?

You may not like much about Sen. Nelson, but he still counts as a Dem Senator when you calculate what party holds the MAJORITY!

I've heard a lot of comments on him here on DU, and many of them say they aren't thrilled with the way he votes, but he has a lot of Pub supporters, and he has to stay in the middle or even to the right sometimes in order to keep them voting for him.

In a perfect world, all Dem Senators would be clones of Wellstone, but they're NOT, and it's not a perfect world!

KEEP YOUR RYR ON THE TARGET! The target is to get AT LEAST 51 Dem Senators in 2006! We need to critize votes we don't agree with, but we also need to STOP this talk about "it doesn't matter if we lose him, he's a Pub anyway".

IT DOES MAATTER...A LOT!

[QC]

22. You are clearly hung up on "mere electoral politics."

That's what I once had an especially sanctimonious Green tell me when I pointed out that it's necessary to win some elections now and then in order to get anything done, and that's the mentality you are dealing with here.

[maxrandb]

25. Like "Shrubby" Says

"Elections have consequences"

[napi21]

26. Sure, electoral politics AND being the MAJORITY AGAIN!

Almost EVERY problem we as Dems have right now is because we are the MINORITY! We don't control what issues come to the floor, we don't have a majority vote on any committee, we have no control of nominees.

Morals and ideals are wonderful things, but in politics they get you NOTHING unless you have majority control! That's just reality!

[progressivebydesign]

21. That's because the republicans have ZERO morals.

Their talk of morality and values is just a sham they use in an attempt to keep the party of tax cuts in power. When in fact, unless you are the wealthiest 2% of the U.S., you fare much worse when they are in power.

[natrat]

24. gross isn't it

[tinfoilinfor2005]

27. Question?

Yesterday in another thread someone told everyone to google their signatures. I was amazed to find that all of my past posts can be googled, and I started thinking, if it is so easy to do that, what's to stop the repubs from using our own words against us when our candidates run for office? We get pretty opinionated here at DU...couldn't they easily run those opinions in ads against our own party.
Just a thought.

[hayu_lol]

30. We need to replace both Nelsons.

Maybe Gephardt, Lieberman, Biden too while we are at it...replace them with liberals who will fight the Bush machine.

[QC]

31. Can you get a liberal elected in Nebraska?

If so, please share your strategy.

[realms]

32. Nasty pugs.

They got the money. Attacked Gov. Jennifer Granholm in Michigan. They blamed the job losses on her. Advertized in the major papers.

[calimary]

36. And so what is Nelson doing about it? Besides sitting on his ass

hoping and assuming the enemy will behave like ladies and gentlemen? Is he fighting back? At ALL? I don't give a fuck if he thinks it's too early. The bad guys obviously don't think so.

[don954]

38. they realy get nasty on trying to attack people around here, dont they?

Our other dem senator who Martinez beat, was the target of the worst smear and lies. They were painting her as a terrorist supporter. I was waiting for the rumor that she shagged OBL, it was getting so bad. I wonder what bull shit they will come up with to attack Nelson.

BTW, any senator registered as dem helps us out more than the best republican, all we need is 6 seats back and we can have the majority chairs back and start making real changes. IT’S THE CHARES PEOPLE!!!

[Pepperbelly]

40. Far too nasty ... I sometimes wonder whose interests they're looking ...

out for.

Not the Democratic Party.

[Pepperbelly]

39. Clearly some of the posts reflect anti-Democratic Party positions or

an extreme inability to actually grasp the nature of government. You advocate giving even more seats to the gops? What planet are you from?

[KansDem]

41. Let's see...I wonder how they're going to do this...

1) Smear Sen. Nelson constantly for the next 16 months...
2) Let Diebold select his GOP opponent...
3) Claim victory was due to the successful "take no prisoners" strategy of the ruthless and savvy GOP (see No. 1).

They're becoming soooo predictable.

[retread]

45. Expect to see a "gay marriage" amendment on the ballot in Fla.

for 2006.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

46. Did you know.... There are more "Hooters" in FL than any other State?

Something like 37... I heard it on the Tennis Channel. ?

[SleeplessinSoCal]

47. Isn't this also a slam on Obama?

They get the bang for their buck, that for sure.

[Judi Lynn]

48. You bet. It's a twofer, isn't it?

They've been out to get him from the beginning. You may have heard right-wingnuts refer to him in their pitiful calls to hate radio programs as "Osama."

They're fantastically clever, in their view. They have combined two of right-wingnuts' favorite hatreds: people of other racial origin, and their terror concerning sex. It all gets handed to Obama before the next election, because it never occurred to do it to him in time for the last election!

This means EVERYONE who gets into a photo with Obama will ALSO be accused of the same thing. You can be sure we're all going to be so tired of this predictable scheme in no time at all.