Donkey Rising: Vets Boost Dems '06 Chances

[wyldwolf]

Swing State Project has an interesting article on the bumper crop of Dem candidates, who are veterans of the armed forces and a soon-to-be-launched PAC, "Band of Brothers" designed to give them some leverage. Swing State's David NYC notes that vets bring some built-in advantages to a campaign, including:

Veterans' views on matters of war and national security are often accorded greater respect in the public sphere (whether fairly or unfairly). These issues are going to matter a whole hell of a lot in 2006, and we need candidates willing to engage - not avoid - this debate.

The media typically adores veterans, especially the straight-talking kind. (Think Hackett & McCain.) Moreover, our lazy media has bought into the GOP's smear of the Dems as "weak on security" wholesale. It doesn't matter how sophisticated our think-tank-produced plans on foreign policy are - the media just doesn't care. But if you've worn a dogtag around your neck or have had ribbons pinned to your chest - now that is something the media can understand.

The American people love our armed forces. The military always ranks at the very top when pollsters ask people how much confidence they have in various public institutions.

Strength in numbers: It's a lot easier to Swift Boat a lone vet in isolation. While I put nothing past today's GOP, it's much harder to slander your opponents when you're talking about dozens and dozens of men and women across the country. And these guys, I can assure you, will fight back when attacked.

All good points. Candidates should be careful, however, about overplaying the vet card, as Kerry may have done at the '04 convention, and Bush certainly did on the aircraft carrier. Vet status works best in combination with a little humility. Make it known, but as much as possible, let others praise the candidate for her/his service. GOP Senator McCain seems to work this technique effectively.

Band of Brothers already has a new website, featuring a list of Democratic vets running for office. Presumably, the group will also support women candidates. The PAC will provide money, expertise and training to vets running as Democratic candidates and is now accepting contributions.

http://www.emergingdemocraticmajorityweblog.com/donkeyrising/archives/001355.php
http://www.swingstateproject.com/
http://www.bandofbrothers2006.org/

Band of Brothers is an organization founded to support a group of veterans who are running for Congress in 2006.

We will highlight the unpopularity of the war in Iraq while turning a populist critique of excessive corporate influence into a broader statement about the contrast between special interests and the real interest of the nation.

After World War II, John F. Kennedy and other veterans successfully distinguished themselves from the “New Deal Democrats” of the preceding era. This “New JFK Democrat” model, as discussed in Stan Greenberg’s book The Two Americas, is the winning formula for Band of Brothers 2006.

Greenberg was part of Bill Clinton's victorious "war room" team during the 1992 presidential campaign.

[CommunistRevolt]

1. call for withdraw = take back the House

I still think Kerry would have done better if he would have called for an immediate withdrawl from Iraq upon his inauguration.
Americans want this war to end, NOW.

These vet candidates can use the same strategy, and let it carry them to victory.
Demand an immediate withdraw from Iraq and challenge their neo-con opponents to come out for continuing the war and the killing.

The RepubliKKKans can't swiftboat them all. I think this is the way to take back the House in 2006: VOTE DEMOCRAT AND END THE WAR. or Vote Republican and continue the BLOODBATH.

[Adelante]

2. Too bad about the name

I'm disappointed.

[radio4progressives]

3. do you mean "band of brothers" ? N/T

[Adelante]

5. Yes, I do

And my own brother is a Marine Corps vet, so I do know what it means.

[Sparkly]

12. What's it mean?

:dunce: I just thought it referred to men who are or were in the service together?

[Adelante]

13. Yes, it does

And that's my problem with its use as a name for a PAC for 2006, where female vets are running, too. The term goes as far back as Shakespeare and on to WWII as a metaphor for men spilling blood in war. When Kerry used it, it was appropriate, because he referred to his Swiftboat crew. Now is not then, though. Tammy Duckworth, for instance, lost her legs in this war and she is a Dem candidate. Anyway, my immediate reaction was that it was an inappropriate name. Either that or I marched through the 1970s for nothing. See, Sparkly? I guess I expected more inclusiveness of candidates I am supporting. But I like the name, "Veterans for Securing America," which they apparently have decided on and look forward to the change on the website. I realize not everyone would see this as I saw it, but at the same time, if it turns me off, it could be turning off other women voters, so I'm glad they thought better of it in the vote referred to below.

[Sparkly]

15. Gotcha

That makes total sense. :thumbsup: :hi:

[NCarolinawoman]

7. Actually, they will be calling themselves "Veterans for a Secure America".

They recently met in Washington DC and voted on this name. There was a good article on this in the Denver Post. I will see if I can get a link to this tomorrow.

I think this is an excellent name because it's obvious that the Republicans and good old Shrub are once again cranking up the myth that the Dems are weak on national security. (Same old same old....repeating it over and over again.)

[Adelante]

9. "Veterans for a Secure America"

That says it well. Here is the Denver Post article.

http://www.denverpost.com/frontpage/ci_3348791

[bushclipper]

4. based on Stan Greenberg's book "Two Americas" - Reviewed

http://www.dlc.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=127&subid=900056&contentid=252578

[MrBenchley]

6. Interesting

Thanks for sharing.

[madfloridian]

8. Actually there are 37 of them now, I think.

I posted about the fact that I questioned the wisdom of having so many. I eventually asked that the thread be locked because tactics reminiscent of the GOP were used....saying I was anti-military.

So we are up to 37 Fighting Dems now.

[spaniard]

10. Stan Greenberg comes from the Bill Clinton wing of the DLC

Greenberg, who wrote the book "Two Americas" that is the philosophical basis for this PAC, was the DLC's pollster and then Clinton's pollster. He advised Gore and Kerry on their presidential campaigns (and butted heads with Al From on Gore's populist turn during the 2000 race.)

In fact, many New Democrats/DLCers referred to themselves as "New FDR Democrats" in the early days of the new dem movement.

As Greenberg's book advises, to win Democrats must have a strong economic populist agenda AND be a strong advocate of national defense while rebuking too much corporate influence. DLC-lite, if you will.

What remains to be seen, however, is where the PAC will fall on social issues. The Democrat party of the 20th century (1900s to 1960s) were economic populists, pro-military, but conservative (as a whole) on social issues.

Interesting that John Edwards' campaign speech "Two Americas" took an economic populist tone and he was pro military.

I believe this PAC may be a rebirth of the New Democrat movement (fulfilling what John Corzine described as the DLC's original intent.)

They will, no doubt, draw many independents and so-called "Reagan Democrats" back into the tent. But will their military credential scare away those further left?

[robbedvoter]

11. Why? Are their votes Diebold proof?

http://avirubin.com/vote/dailyshow.mov

[newspeak]

14. so, if you have some ex-military people

vying for Democratic seats, will we hear the Republican mantra say that they don't support the soldiers because they were against the war, like they did to Kerry? With the help with MSM whores, it seems that if you really have lived the horrors of war, therefore, against it, these plastic patriots think you are a traitor.

[spaniard]

16. I wouldn't put it past them

[Raksha]

17. I like that term "plastic patriots."

Hope you don't mind if I steal it from you and give it wider distribution.

[snowbear]

18. I don't know how they can say they're against the war...

When so many of the Democrats running in 2006 fought in Iraq or in other wars..

Out of the 13 Veterans running, 12 are running as :patriot: ~~~ DEMOCRATS! ~~~ :patriot:

[robbedvoter]

20. They may be great candidates - in an electoral system, they'd win too

I was just reminding people we don't have one anymore.

[mrgorth]

19. I LOVE this idea.

!