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bvar22

(39,909 posts)
38. In the Arkansas Democratic Primary, 2010,
Tue May 13, 2014, 01:06 PM
May 2014

"The Base" came together and worked to give President Obama exactly what he had asked for.
We were going to replace DINO Blanche Lincoln with an actual Pro-LABOR Democrat who would vote FOR Obama's initiatives.

Guess who blocked us.
It wasn't The Republicans.

The Arkansas Democratic Primary of 2010 was a heart breaking eye opener for the Grass Roots and Organized LABOR. We were given a Look Behind the Curtain,
and it wasn't very pretty.

[font size=3]We did EVERYTHING right in Arkansas in 2010.
We did EXACTLY what the White House asked us to do to "give the President Progressives in Congress that would work with him."[/font]

We organized and supported Democratic Lt Governor Bill Halter, the Pro-LABOR/ Pro-Health Care challenger to DINO Obstructionist Blanche Lincoln's Senate seat.
Halter was:

* Polling BETTER against the Republicans in the General,

*was popular in Arkansas in his OWN right,

*had an Up & Running Political machine,

* had a track record of winning elections (Lt. Governor)

*Had the full backing of Organized LABOR and The Grass Roots activists

*was handing Blanche her Anti-LABOR ass

...and we were WINNING!

Guess what happened.

The White House stepped in at the last minute to save Blanche's failing primary campaign with an Oval Office Endorsement of The Wicked Witch that Wrecked the Obama Agenda who was actually campaigning at that time as the one who had killed the Public Option!!!

Adding insult to injury, the White House sent Bill Clinton back to Arkansas on a state-wide Campaign/Fund Raising Tour for Blanche,
focusing on the areas with high Black Populations, and bashing Organized LABOR and "Liberals" at every opportunity.

For those of us who had worked hard to give President Obama Progressive Democrats who would work with him, it was especially difficult to watch his smiling Oval Office Endorsement for DINO Blanche Lincoln which played 24/7 on Arkansas TV the week before the runoff Primary election.

White House steps in to rescue Lincoln’s Primary Campaign in Arkansas

"So what did the Democratic Party establishment do when a Senator who allegedly impedes their agenda faced a primary challenger who would be more supportive of that agenda? They engaged in full-scale efforts to support Blanche Lincoln.

* Bill Clinton traveled to Arkansas to urge loyal Democrats to vote for her, bashing liberal groups for good measure.

*Obama recorded an ad for Lincoln which, among other things, were used to tell African-American primary voters that they should vote for her because she works for their interests.

*The entire Party infrastructure lent its support and resources to Lincoln — a Senator who supposedly prevents Democrats from doing all sorts of Wonderful, Progressive Things which they so wish they could do but just don’t have the votes for.

<snip>

What happened in this race also gives the lie to the insufferable excuse we’ve been hearing for the last 18 months from countless Obama defenders: namely, if the Senate doesn’t have 60 votes to pass good legislation, it’s not Obama’s fault because he has no leverage over these conservative Senators. It was always obvious what an absurd joke that claim was; the very idea of The Impotent, Helpless President, presiding over a vast government and party apparatus, was laughable. But now, in light of Arkansas, nobody should ever be willing to utter that again with a straight face.

Back when Lincoln was threatening to filibuster health care if it included a public option, the White House could obviously have said to her: if you don’t support a public option, not only will we not support your re-election bid, but we’ll support a primary challenger against you. Obama’s support for Lincoln did not merely help; it was arguably decisive, as The Washington Post documented today:"

<much more>

http://www.salon.com/2010/06/10/lincoln_6/


After the White House and Party Leadership had spent a truck full of money torpedoing the Primary challenge of a Pro-LABOR Democrat for Lincoln's Senate seat, the Party support for Lincoln evaporated for the General Election, and as EVERYBODY had predicted, Lincoln lost badly giving that Senate seat to a Republican virtually uncontested in the General Election.

Don't you find it "interesting" that the Party Establishment and conservative Power Brokers would spend all that money in a Democratic Primary to make sure that their candidate won, and then leave Their Winner dangling without support in the General Election?

Many Grass Roots Activists working for a better government concluded that the current Democratic Party Leadership preferred to GIVE this Senate Seat to a Big Business Republican rather than taking the risk that a Pro-LABOR Democrat might win it, and it was difficult to argue with them.
This was greatly reinforced by the Insults & Ridicule to LABOR & The Grass Roots from the White House after their Primary "victory" over Organized LABOR & the Grass Roots in the Arkansas Democratic Primary.

When the supporters of Pro-LABOR Lt Gov Bill Halter asked the White House WHY they had chosen to throw their full support behind Lincoln at the last minute, rescuing her failing campaign, the only answer was ridicule and insults.

Ed Schultz sums up my feeling perfectly in the following clip.
http://videocafe.crooksandliars.com/heather/ed-schultz-if-it-wasnt-labor-barack-obama-

So what did the White House gain by Beating Down Labor and the Grass Roots in the Arkansas Democratic Primary?
We don't know.
The White House has never responded to our questions with an explanation, only insults.

To date, the White House has refused to answer our questions,
or issue an apology for their taunts and ridicule of Organized LABOR and the Grass Roots in the Arkansas Democratic Primary.


Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I have the feeling that liberals and progressives are now just considered an inconvenient part djean111 May 2014 #1
this polarization within the party seems to be weakening us... nashville_brook May 2014 #2
That's what I see, and I've also quit sending the money. I'm just fed up with it all. I'll RKP5637 May 2014 #39
The social con tea party right is effective because they... Demo_Chris May 2014 #3
"policy demanders" -- that's what the author calls activists who're really moving legislators nashville_brook May 2014 #6
Depends how you define effective. They prevented the GOP from winning the senate in 2010. stevenleser May 2014 #75
Kinda simplistic... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #4
"leftist radicals," really? nashville_brook May 2014 #5
Maybe, but... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #9
what's the $30K solution -- is this a septic tank issue? nashville_brook May 2014 #11
Yes. Most places around here have old cesspools, but... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #12
is there any talk of a public sewer system? seems that would make sense. nashville_brook May 2014 #13
With over 300 square miles and... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #20
thanks for all the info -- we have similar issues with FL springs nashville_brook May 2014 #50
I am amazed when I read this kind of writing nadinbrzezinski May 2014 #19
Why? Have you met any of our radicals? Do you really... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #22
Radicals... those radicals are labor nadinbrzezinski May 2014 #28
Throughout most of the 20th century it was the party of... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #35
I see, ergo the base nadinbrzezinski May 2014 #36
Who are these "Leftist Radicals" of which you speak? bvar22 May 2014 #32
Who said FDR Democrats are radical? I don't want to... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #37
I asked a specific question. bvar22 May 2014 #42
I said I am not going to identify policies... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #46
You aren't going to identify "policies"? bvar22 May 2014 #48
I think the article makes a few good points...but is too simplistic given the money KoKo May 2014 #7
unless I misssed it Enrique May 2014 #14
Excitement over Obama was way below... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #16
since it's just a blog post, i bet the author is working on something more longform nashville_brook May 2014 #53
This is what bothers me. The GOP Minority seemed to get most of what they wanted KoKo May 2014 #62
George Bush never had 60 votes, bvar22 May 2014 #68
The corporate party dislikes both ends of the spectrum n2doc May 2014 #8
indeed. KoKo's post above is a great example of that. nashville_brook May 2014 #10
Indeed, and I remember those meetups as well nadinbrzezinski May 2014 #21
part of what she describes is truly terrifying to the party's corporate consultants... nashville_brook May 2014 #49
Yep. *Money* hates liberals & progressives DirkGently May 2014 #27
I have been saying that for years nadinbrzezinski May 2014 #15
I have run, and after... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #23
I've learned RobertEarl May 2014 #17
Republicans hate their base. Dems take theirs for granted. Iggo May 2014 #18
The GOP Establishment hates AND fears their base, whereas Proud Public Servant May 2014 #24
du rec. xchrom May 2014 #25
If you think DU=Democratic party base, then the party considers the base completely irrelevant Rowdyboy May 2014 #26
+ 1000 pnwmom May 2014 #29
Well, we're closer to "the base" than your birthday party. DirkGently May 2014 #31
If you think a few thousand assorted internet personas here represents the Democratic party Rowdyboy May 2014 #59
No, your birthday party is not "more reliably the 'base' " DirkGently May 2014 #61
It was a great birthday-a bunch of aging hippies and even included one of my professors Rowdyboy May 2014 #65
Oh gawd, not the fracking car salesman thing! :) DirkGently May 2014 #67
Well, my health really sucks and if I'm lucky I'll be here to vote for whoever we nominate in 2016 Rowdyboy May 2014 #74
We can do better. At the very least, the pendulum DirkGently May 2014 #88
HA! I see the word "base" thrown around a lot, but... TreasonousBastard May 2014 #43
it's quite interesting that you don't mention minority groups, which are "the new majority" nashville_brook May 2014 #51
Uh, second paragraph..."The base is vast and varied, but includes women, minorities....." Rowdyboy May 2014 #55
my bad -- apologies! nashville_brook May 2014 #83
No apologies necessary. I live in Mississippi-probably 95% of the Democrats I meet are minorities Rowdyboy May 2014 #87
Thank You!!!!! Tarheel_Dem May 2014 #64
IMO it's because when it comes to $$$$$ R=D=I. One does not see too many poor people or even RKP5637 May 2014 #30
it's sad b/c this is basically the GOP narrative… govt doesn't/can't work nashville_brook May 2014 #52
Yep, agree, but I will not sit it out. I'm just disappointed, that's really what it's all about. RKP5637 May 2014 #60
my sense is that folks that participate here are all voters nashville_brook May 2014 #79
I was just thinking more on this, and what really annoys me is I think the RKP5637 May 2014 #63
Not the base treestar May 2014 #33
It's pretty easy to navigate Aerows May 2014 #34
Exactly Bjorn Against May 2014 #40
I agree Aerows May 2014 #41
That's crazy talk! DirkGently May 2014 #44
well said. nashville_brook May 2014 #45
In the Arkansas Democratic Primary, 2010, bvar22 May 2014 #38
this, i think, is a good example of a struggle for power nashville_brook May 2014 #47
Well there's your "fear" right there. Fear of deep pockets. DirkGently May 2014 #54
if you can't get black voters it means you are having trouble with the base JI7 May 2014 #66
Oh YES!... because Blanche Lincoln was so GOOD for the Arkansas Black Community! bvar22 May 2014 #69
if she has been bad and you still can't get their votes there is a problem JI7 May 2014 #70
No. bvar22 May 2014 #72
if that was the case republicans could easily win there but they are the toughest to win JI7 May 2014 #73
the fact is the base loves Obama and the clintons JI7 May 2014 #56
I kinda stopped reading after this.... Tarheel_Dem May 2014 #57
Hilariously Delusional.. yeah, Dems expose libertarian ratfuckers. Go Figure. Cha May 2014 #78
so, you don't think it's worth having privacy, that's fine. nashville_brook May 2014 #81
You got that right. Tarheel_Dem May 2014 #89
yes, well civil liberties are values that many dems are concerned about. nashville_brook May 2014 #80
Define "many". I'd like to see any current polling that shows this as a priority for Dems. Thanks. Tarheel_Dem May 2014 #90
The "Not as bad" argument caters to the center right of the party. And, keeps the left in line. Tierra_y_Libertad May 2014 #58
Remember DLC press conference saying Howard Dean would not be president? madfloridian May 2014 #71
The American Taliban Organizers, i.e. Koch Bros, are hoping you are all fed up... randys1 May 2014 #76
it's possible b/c our base is largely "emerging voters" rather than established voters nashville_brook May 2014 #77
Why would a bunch of conflict adverse folks with easily corralled by fear of radicals make any one TheKentuckian May 2014 #82
If we make consequences then Republicans win Fumesucker May 2014 #84
:) b/c apparently civil rights are no longer a Democratic value... nashville_brook May 2014 #86
spot on -- and the thing is, it's not *that* difficult. lawmakers need political cover... nashville_brook May 2014 #85
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