Keith Ellisons star falling as Clinton, Obama allies seek DNC alternative

[workinclasszero]

Keith Ellison’s star falling as Clinton, Obama allies seek DNC alternative
By ASSOCIATED PRESS December 8, 2016 at 6:29 pm

WASHINGTON — Aides and supporters of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are searching for an alternative to Rep. Keith Ellison, the early favorite to become the next leader of the Democratic National Committee, amid resistance to the Minnesota liberal’s bid from key parts of the party’s base.

The contest to replace Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is evolving into a larger fight over the future of the party. Backers of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders are throwing their support behind Ellison while some Clinton supporters are searching for an alternative.

Ellison picked up an powerful endorsement Thursday from the AFL-CIO, which issued a statement calling him a “proven leader.”
But his candidacy remains under siege. Ellison has faced vocal criticism from prominent Democrats, Jewish groups and some union leaders, who have questioned his comments about Israel, his defense of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and his commitment to his own party.

http://www.twincities.com/2016/12/08/keith-ellisons-star-falling-as-clinton-obama-allies-seek-dnc-alternative/

[Grey Lemercier]

1. Good, he has way too much baggage

[TwilightZone]

2. Hillary baggage: bad. Ellison baggage: no problem.

Things I learned on DU this week.

I like Ellison. I think he'd be a good pick. But it's a little disingenuous for some to claim he wouldn't be a controversial pick or that some of his statements couldn't use a little clarification.

I'd probably prefer Perez, but a potential MD governorship might look a little too tempting.

[LanternWaste]

8. And just now I learned that people often pretend two different bags are identical

And just now I learned that people often pretend two wholly different bags, holding completely different contents, are identical if it suits their narrative.

(psss.... everyone on the planet has baggage)

[TwilightZone]

9. Nope, not at all.

Pointing out the hypocrisy, not doing a comparative analysis of the size of their bags.

What's Tom Perez's baggage? How does it compare to Ellison's?

[WhiteTara]

18. I don't think he would be effective in the south. nt

[still_one]

20. I had two problems with Keith being the DNC chair. The first one was that I believed

the DNC chair should be a full time job. As I understand it Keith says he will step down from his seat in the House if he is DNC chair, so that works for me.

The second one was whether the distraction, justified or not will interfere to do the job as the DNC effectively. I simply don't know

[killbotfactory]

24. He's already repudiated his controversial statements. A decade ago.

He made them when he was in college, ffs.

And in regards to his more recent "anti-Israel" smearjob:
http://jstreet.org/press-releases/continuing-attacks-congressman-ellison-seek-silence-legitimate-positions-israel/

We have major democratic party players who rely on big money donors and they are scared Ellison will push them away with progressive populist positions. That's what it comes down to.

No one in the country who is not a political junkie cares who the head of the DNC is.

[Demsrule86]

43. Ellison will be used against us by the GOP...it is what they do.

And some of the statements were made in 2010.

[Nevernose]

47. Doesn't really matter, though

We could make Jesus Christ the DNC chair and Faux News would be on every night calling him a commie hippy.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

55. Yes, and a Bernie-bot socialist too!

[Demsrule86]

58. Very true but when one of our core groups comes out against one of those running for the DNC Chair,

it must be considered. We want a chair who can gain votes not lose core groups.

[Nevernose]

60. The GOP isn't our core group

That's the criticism I was referring to. I feel like we should discuss pros and cons, but "what the GOP will say" shouldn't even be mentioned, in my experience.

Not even boy is it irrelevant (since they'll just rant about his emails or whatever lies they want), but we need to take a page from the GOP playbook. If we DO have something the general public might consider a negative, either ignore it completely or pretend it's the most positive thing in the world.

[Demsrule86]

61. I am talking about liberal Jewish organizations...who have come out against the nomination.

And we have a tough fight ahead...no point in having a DNC chair who becomes the story instead of telling the story of why our candidates are better than any GOP type.

[killbotfactory]

56. Stop caring about what republicans will think of us

They are a lost cause. They've been a lost cause since Gore vs. Bush.

[Demsrule86]

57. They won this year or manipulated the system and stole the election...

No matter what I want a DNC person who is not controversial and can concentrate on electing Democrats. I do not want an ideologue either. I want someone who can field candidates in all states...we need a 50 state solution. And we need to work on state elections...I just don't think those from the house really understand or care about state elections.

[flamingdem]

30. I like Perez too

[brooklynite]

3. I'm waiting to hear someone make a compelling case FOR Ellison...

[DonCoquixote]

33. ok

ask the afl-cio why they endorsed him, you know, those working class types?

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/keith-ellison-afl-cio-endorsement-232367

""Representative Ellison meets the high standard working people expect from leaders of our political parties,” AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka said in a statement. “He is a proven leader who will focus on year-round grassroots organizing to deliver for working families across America. Under his leadership, the Democratic Party will embody the values that our members stand for every day."


Then again, who gives a damn about unions, right (sarcasm)

[BobbyDrake]

38. Funny thing about the union vote for Ellison. He was the only name on the ballot.

Some unions are furious at AFL-CIO.
www.politico.com/2016/12/firefighters-union-afl-cio-dnc-chair-232070
Basically the ballot was 1) endorse Ellison, 2) abstain, or 3) "make no endorsement at this time." No other Democrat was included.

[brooklynite]

39. Remember during the Primary when votes by the Union Executive Committee were frowned upon?

[BobbyDrake]

40. Even their hypocrisy is progressive.

As in, they "progress" from one flip-flop to the next.

[Cha]

45. Thanks for that, Bobby..

wow

[gulliver]

50. Me too.

I hit YouTube and looked for things he has written (apart from paying for his book). I haven't found anything impressive yet.

[Gothmog]

4. I do not want a bernie backer as DNC chair

[sfwriter]

13. Thats just petty and silly.

There are ,ore compelling arguments against him.

[Gothmog]

17. Yes there are but this is sufficient

[WhiteTara]

19. Like most of the people that Bernie backed

have not made it to their desired positions, Keith probably won't either. I find that telling.

[Gothmog]

37. I have met and like Keith Ellison but I do not support his bid for DNC chair

No bernie support should be DNC chair

[okasha]

46. I agree with this completely.

The only thing I don't like about Perez as DNC chair is that it might impede a run for elected office.

[backscatter712]

5. No more DLC DINOs.

I don't remember where, but one person was actually suggesting Rahm Emmanuel for the job...

We need a real progressive. No more quislings.

[FreakinDJ]

11. This

[TwilightZone]

12. The entire Democratic Party lost.

This "sides" bullshit is partly to blame for why we lost.

Besides, Russ Feingold and Zephyr Teachout lost. They're on "your" side. Care to explain?

I think he's a good candidate and would be excellent in the position, though I'd probably prefer Perez. That doesn't mean that I think the concerns about him aren't legitimate. They shouldn't be discounted just because Bernie said so.

[Cha]

15. Thank you.. yes, I would like to hear an explanation why

Zephyr and Russ lost?

[sfwriter]

16. Well, technically, they lost by getting the most votes...

I don't think Bernie should dictate any more than Hillary, but I feel your pain in contemplating ANY choice made by the team that lost an election to Donald Trump, even if they did get the most votes. This will be a contest, and Ellison has a lot of negatives, we'll see.

[alarimer]

10. OF course they do

Probably some corporate Dem retread who will not do their job like the last one, who managed to lose some 900 seats in state legislatures, many governorships and Congress.

Yet another step on the way to irrelevancy for the Democratic Party.

[Cha]

14. Hillary got 65 Million Votes and counting.. that's a lot of People

even if there were those who voted just to stop trump. I think she would have won without the asshole comey, voter suppression in red Governed states, voter purge, the Russians HACKING, the M$M negative manufactured crap on her and giving blowhard Billion$$$$$$ in free air time to make him seem "normal"

Hillary won the Primary by 3.75 Million.. She was the Winner.. it was her message that resonated.

I know it did with me. Thank you, working

[katmondoo]

21. He didn't impress me

I thought his answers sounded too canned. Sort of like a rehearsed response to a reporters questions.

[kcdoug1]

51. And yet

She's not the person headed to the whitehouse... It's like even though the batter got the most home runs, the Game That was being played was basketball

[Cha]

54. Yeah, she was cheated out of it.. that's on them.

[George II]

22. Although I don't see a problem with him, Ellison would be a polarizing figure as DNC leader.....

....for obvious reasons.

He may be too extreme for some Democrats, and he definitely would be attacked by many republicans.

[WhiteTara]

32. And fought by every party chair in the south.

He would not have the effect that we are hoping for in 2018.

[NWCorona]

23. When the ADL came out against him I knew it was a wrap

[killbotfactory]

25. The ADL also opposed the Iran nuclear deal.

http://www.adl.org/israel-international/iran/c/nuclear-deal-with-iran.html

[NWCorona]

26. Yes they did but Keith isn't as strong as the interests that wanted that deal.

[Thinkingabout]

27. Competition is good for the party, not sure if Ellison has the political weight to get enough

votes.

[question everything]

28. Like who?

Just as some said, still saying, that Hillary was not the best candidate. And I ask then who? No, not Sanders.

Our problem is the "down ticket" young politicians like, yes, Ellison, who are capable and willing.

My problem is not with Ellison but with the ones who first suggested him as: Muslim, black.

I'd hope that if there is one lesson we should have from these elections was enough with identity politics. Go back to Obama's keynote address in 2004: there is no black America, no white America only America.

[KamaAina]

34. I thought the contest was to replace Donna Brazile.

You can't spell crap without AP.

[KamaAina]

35. People do move away from the Nation of Islam over time.

Another example: Malcolm X. Shall we demonize him, too?

[dembotoz]

36. i currently feel if the dnc supports it It must be stupid

and a hrc crony will just make it worse

[JustinL]

42. someone needs to tell John Lewis that Ellison's "star is falling"

He just endorsed Ellison today. So did Luis Gutierrez, who said:

Keith Ellison has been a leader, a builder, and a moral compass for other Democrats throughout his time in Congress. He is broadly respected and will do a great job as DNC Chair. He understands the issues facing Americans from jobs and income to civil rights and the attacks on certain communities that come from the Republican side. I trust him and support him, and know that he will rebuild our party that way it needs to be rebuilt.

[retread]

44. So they have issues with Keith Ellison but they were fine with the "Lady from Payday Loans". n/t

[LAS14]

48. Interesting! I count on DU to keep me up to date on this stuff.

[LAS14]

49. What about Obama as DNC chair???

[Historic NY]

52. We need a full time DNC chair....get Biden he has time come January..

his Deputy can be Dean....

[tritsofme]

53. Thank goodness, what a blunder he would be. He has disqualified himself. I agree with the ADL.

[baldguy]

59. And the RW-generated Ellison hatred keeps on coming.

How long before they promote the idea of rounding up all the Muslims & putting them in camps? Will DUrs jump on that bandwagon too?

[MurrayDelph]

62. Why am I thinking of the Clinton preference

for Alison Lundergan Grimes, who was their hand-picked opponent to run against Mitch McConnell, but wouldn't admit to having voted for President Obama.

That turned out well for us, didn't it?