Do most Democratic candidates have Republican fundraisers? Does this reflect poorly on Richardson?

[Czolgosz]

I'm not a huge Richardson fan because of he's pro-NAFTA and pro-death penalty without habeas corpus rights among other reasons. I mention this at the outset so you can take that information into account if you think it's necessary.

I was troubled to read this discussion on the Burnt Orange Report (a Texas political website) about Richardson's Republican fundraiser in Texas:

I had the opportunity to attend a majority Republican fundraiser, with some Democrats too, for New Mexico Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate Bill Richardson in Arlington Friday night. The minimum to get into this event was $500, so I have a good friend with the Mid-Cities Democrats to thank for getting me in, and I'm really glad that she did because I walk away highly impressed.

As mentioned above, this was a majority Republican fundraiser; I never really figured that out even though I was getting odd stares with my Mid-Cities Democrats badge and my donkey pin on my coat. What gave it away was first, the host actually said so, and second former congressman Barry Goldwater Jr. was in attendance. Shows you the bi-partisan appeal that Richardson has.

***

Shortly after the governor arrived tornado sirens went off and the host of the fundraiser asked us to move to his storm shelter. So there I was following the host, practically leading by hand Gov. Bill Richardson to the storm shelter as he was standing next to me when the order came through. Let me paint the picture of this storm shelter folks because if you are going to be hit by a tornado let it happen as you relax in the confines of this secure establishment. We were led downstairs to a marble floored, plush furniture filled, antique desk decorated, wall to ceiling fireplace room, which overlooked a gorgeous view of the pool currently being hammered by hail and falling branches. As everyone arrived downstairs the owner sealed the room with storm shutters so we were ignorant of the monsoon taking place from that point forward. To my right was a full bar, a little farther back behind me was a guest bedroom, behind the bar was a full kitchen complete with a wine cellar. Considering there was no more then 25 at this event, I felt comfortable knowing if I were to die from a tornado at this point how cool it was that I'm with a Democratic presidential candidate, surrounded by an abundance of liquor, and all the food I could ever want. The downside was it was also a room full of Republicans, so indeed a precious balance of dying happy and dying with political enemies.*** He noted numerous times that he was a pro-business moderate Democrat who was running in the center and would not be swayed. He said he will not be liberalized by Iowa or New Hampshire, and instead, is betting on states like Texas, with our likely move to February 5, as a delegate grab which will keep him in top tier contention. ***

Link: http://www.burntorangereport.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3262

I was reading this debate at Burnt Orange Report and I was wondering how common is it that Democratic candidates would have Republican fundraisers? Is that one of those things were everyone does it and I just haven't heard of it? Am I misreading this and it's really a good sign that Richardson has bipartisan support? Is this something to be concerned about in terms of assessing whether Richardson would make a good VP candidate?

What is the consensus?

[xxqqqzme]

1. true rethug conservatives & dlc democrats

have much in common - so I don't find this too unusual. I live in Orange County CA & I have attended a number of rethug supporting fundraisers for Democratic candidates cuz the rethugs are fed up w/ the direction the neo-cons are taking the country.

[Czolgosz]

3. Thanks. Republicans hedging their bets with a DLCer makes sense.

[Tejanocrat]

2. I have never heard of Repu fundraisers for Democrats, but that isn't disqualifying in my book.

Richardson needs the funds, and if Repu donors want to give him money, I see no reason why he shouldn't take it.

[Colobo]

4. Think about it like this

If Republicans donate to a Democratic candidate's campaign, is because they have some personal interest in that candidate, an interest that will benefit their party, not ours.

[Tejanocrat]

6. When you put it that way, I guess it isn't terribly flattering that they'd want to give our

candidate money, but still Richardson needs money and I won't begrudge him his sources.

[ieoeja]

13. You do know there are Republicans raising funds for Obama?

Didn't save the link, but I remember reading of at least one in Ohio. I even used the link and reference at the time to counter the Clintonites bragging about raising a million dollars in one day (Obama raised a million that very same day with a portion of it coming from this Republican).

On the other hand, the fund-raiser was an African-American and a Republican, so he is obviously a very confused individual to begin with.

[Colobo]

28. The guy is probably black first, Republican second.

[ieoeja]

29. That plus Obama being centrist enough were my guess. n/t

[wyldwolf]

5. Edwards does... so I guess rethug conservatives & John Edwards

[Tejanocrat]

10. I haven't seen any evidence of that. Could you help me with a link?

[wyldwolf]

12. Sure

http://georgiaunfiltered.blogspot.com/2007/04/why-is-republican-donor-hosting-event.html

[Tejanocrat]

14. Thanks! But it seems different because it's just hosted by a guy who gives thousands to Democrats

but gives even more to Repu candidates. There is nothing which says that nearly all the people in attendance at the Edwards fund raiser were Republicans. In contrast, the OP was describing a "Republican fundraiser" for Richardson hosted by a former Republican congressman where the Democrat who attended "was getting odd stares" because of the "donkey pin on my coat." The Richardson event described by the OP wasn't merely a non-partisan fund raiser hosted by a person who gives to candidates from both parties like the Edwards event; the Richardson event was apparently a full-on Republican fund raiser.

But none of this matters. I'm not about to criticize Richardson for taking money out of the Repu campaign chest. Good for him.

The only part of this story which made me slightly uncomfortable about Richardson was where Richardson "noted numerous times that he was a pro-business moderate Democrat who was running in the center and would not be swayed. He said he will not be liberalized by Iowa or New Hampshire." That's a little bothersome.

[wyldwolf]

17. Like you, I really don't care. But I won't spin it.

It was a fundraiser given by a Republican who is a heavy GOP contributor. If the little details that differentiate the Edwards event the Richardson event make a difference to anyone, well, that is their right.

[Tejanocrat]

18. I think we basically agree. Is there agreement at DU that Richardson is a "pro-business moderate

Democrat who was running in the center and would not be swayed" or "liberalized by Iowa or New Hampshire"?

I was going to post this question as it's own thread because I'm curious whether Richardson supporters would agree with Richardson's own apparent self-characterization, but then I figured I'd just get flamed for posting it because I have less than 100 posts here.

[wyldwolf]

19. Doesn't take agreement on DU. Richardson is a DLC member

[Tejanocrat]

23. I get the idea that there is some disagreement here at DU whether Richardson is moderate or liberal

and I was wondering if Richardson's statement that he was a pro-business moderate running as a centrist who would not be liberalized by the Iowa and New Hampshire primary process would put an end to some of that debate.

[wyldwolf]

24. read post 22

[Tejanocrat]

26. That doesn't account for Richardson's liberal stand on medical marijuana or other issues.

[wyldwolf]

27. sure it does

The DLC has never taken an official stance as an organization on that issue. But one of the head policy gurus there, Ed Kilgore, once said, "I can't imagine anyone here (DLC) having a problem with state licensing of medical marijuana.."

[Tejanocrat]

30. Regardless of whatever Ed Kilgore may have ever said, reply #22 is silent on the issue of marijuana

You seem to suggest that Richardson's DLC membership means that he is automatically a centrist and a moderate. Yet Richardson's position on marijuana is not centrist or moderate. I just don't see how anything in reply #22 addresses this conflict.

Am I missing something?

[wyldwolf]

31. post #22 was not in reply to the issue of medical marjuana... and your post ...

... that prompted me to refer you to post #22 was not about medical marijuana.

[Tejanocrat]

32. Right. I suggested there was some debate whether Richardson was moderate or liberal. You said

reply 22 would answer that debate. I don't see how reply 22 provides an answer for why Richardson must automatically qualify as a moderate when it doesn't address some of Richardson's paradoxically liberal positions, like his position on marijuana.

Besides, John Kerry is a member of the DLC and I don't recall him "running away from" that fact. Yet Kerry is indisputably more liberal than centrist or moderate so how can DLC membership automatically characterize a candidate as moderate and centrist when that's clearly not the case with Kerry?

[draft_mario_cuomo]

7. What is the difference between a DLCer and someone like Arlen Specter or Susan Collins?

Look at who funds the DLC...

[Czolgosz]

8. Richardson is well to the right of many Democrats on fair trade and capital punishment and a few

other issues, but he is well to the left of Specter and Collins on medical marijuana and equal rights to partner benefits and any number of issues.

We can debate whether of not Richardson is too conservative to win the Democratic nomination, but we cannot fairly say that Richardson is more conservative that Specter or Collins because he is clearly to the left of both of them.

[mmonk]

9. I don't see either the DLC or republicans standing for foreign policy

ideas like this. If you want to respond to this post, read what's in the link first.
http://www.richardsonforpresident.com/newsroom/the_new_realism_and_the_rebirth_of_american_leadership

[Tejanocrat]

21. Which part of that is so extreme that no DLCer would stand for it? It seemed moderate to me.

[mmonk]

33. Show me any matching documents.

DLC was pretty much in support of the Iraq invasion and related moves.

[wyldwolf]

22. as someone who has studied the policies of...

... the DLC quite closely, there is nothing there you'd find the DLC in disagreement over. Much of it has been pushed by the DLC for decades.

Remember - Richardson is a DLC member and served in the Clinton White House.

What typically happens is people get so accustomed to the stereotypes of the DLC they read on DU, KOS, and other netroot stops that when the reality of what the DLC proposes policy wise is discovered, people tend to deny it.

Not saying this is what YOU are doing, but it was funny when people denied (in separate instances on DU) that John Edwards, John Kerry, Mark Warner, and Tim Kaine were DLC and fought tooth and nail trying to prove they were not.

I expect the same from new Richardson supporters as the primary season rolls on.

[Czolgosz]

25. I also agree that there is nothing in Richardson's foreign policy the DLC would disagree with. To

his credit, Richardson has excellent foreign policy credentials. It's his domestic policy centrism that loses my support.

[lojasmo]

11. Kerry had one in my town. EOM

[Czolgosz]

16. Thanks. That was the type of information I was looking for.

[benny05]

15. clinton also has had Repub fundraiser

But I don't know if she's had one as a presidential candidate. She did last year in the Senate race.

[Czolgosz]

20. Thanks. That was the type of information I was looking for.