Gratuitous plug: Jonathan Tasini for Senate, NY (bye bye Hillary)

[Greeby]

http://www.tasinifornewyork.org/

[cal04]

1. Rawstory:Clinton gets anti-war challenger

In a move that is certain to harden the battle lines among Democrats surrounding the Iraq war, a veteran union organizer will announce Tuesday that he is campaigning to unseat Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York. The longshot candidate, Jonathan Tasini, has received the backing of anti-war mother Cindy Sheehan, who made national headlines this summer for her protest outside President Bush's Crawford, TX ranch.

Tasini's position on the war is clear: He supports immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. I do not believe the U.S. should embark on wars of choice," he writes on the 'issues' page of his campaign website. "As Senator Robert Byrd, the dean of the U.S. Senate said when he tried to stop the rush to war, the U.S. should not embrace a culture of pre-emptive war."

Citing the war's cost, he says, "$200 billion could have covered every person without health insurance in America. We could have hired 3.5 million elementary school teachers or built 24,000 new schools." His message plays off a common theme shared by Sen. Clinton -- that Democrats must take a strong stance on national security. Where Sen. Clinton supports increasing the size of the military, Tasini sees a war that has nursed new threats. "The war, supported by my opponent," he says, "has made this country less safe."

Clinton has of late sought to moderate her image and has engendered respect among much of Washington for staying out of the limelight, keeping her own positions close to her chest and capitalizing on the nostalgia among much of the party for her husband's presidency. Tasini, the lead plantiff in a landmark case that granted freelance writers greater copyright over their work, is expected to make his announcement in New York City Tuesday.

http://rawstory.com/news/2005/Clinton_gets_antiwar_challenger_1205.html

[meti57b]

2. For the $200B, we could have had actual homeland security, borders, ports,

more first responders, etc.

[Swamp Rat]

3. C'mon NYers! Kick her ass out!!!

:bounce:

[KharmaTrain]

4. Is He Running To Win Or Running To Harass???

A serious questions. I'm no Hillary fan or supporter (proudly non-committed, and I could care less about 2008) but what's the purpose of this challenge? He sure won't win and will give tons of media fodder to Faux Noise and hate radio goons not only to trash Mrs. Clinton but Democrats as well.

I lost a lot of respect in a number of Democrats who chose the "safe route" in voting for this invasion (and they knew exactly what they were voting for) and still can't say that this regime lied...afraid even of that backlash.

Hillary gets no pass from me on this, and this vote all but sours me from ever supporting her, but this challenge could create a diversion of media coverage that could be best used to shine on positive Democratic candidates rather than putting our "dirty laundry" for all to see.

If this candidate wants to make a statement...it's been said...unfortunately, his message will never be heard as it'll be turned into a personality contest and, if there is an issue debated, it will be just Iraq and not much else. While Iraq is an important issue, there are so many other issues for New York voters to consider in what's going on in the Senate.

[SaveElmer]

5. You are living in a delusional fantasyland...

If you thik this guy is more than a puny little blip on the radar...he will be forgotten by everyone except people here.

Sorry to break it to you, but Hillary is extremely popular in New York and will win easily, and this guy will have no, zero, nada, nil effect on her Senate or Presidential bid!!!

[Toots]

6. Yes and no

Yes Hillary will win, maybe easily, but no in that it won't be remembered. Hillary will remember that not all Democrats are thinking like her. It will depend just how well this guy does as to how large the impact will be but I applaud putting up Primary Challengers just so they know the Party is not 100% behind war and war profiteering.....Make her talk about her "Democratic Values" War is not a Democratic Value or if it is then I vote for the wrong Party.

[SaveElmer]

7. Anything is possible...but

If anything I believe this will help her. Aside from how she is perceived by most on DU, many in the country perceive her as a liberal. A challenge from the left will probably only help her with moderate independents and Republicans! Assuming the guy gets any traction in the media (which is doubtful)