McKinney opponent boosted by police

[RamblingRose]

U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney's run-in with a Capitol police officer last spring may come back to haunt her re-election bid for her 4th Congressional District seat.

Several local and national police organizations are still fuming over the incident and at least one has written a check for her Democratic opponent, former DeKalb County Commissioner Hank Johnson.

Johnson forced McKinney into an Aug. 8 primary run-off on Tuesday. With most precincts counted Thursday, McKinney had 47 percent of the vote, compared with Johnson's 44 percent of election returns.

McKinney's outspokenness and sometimes polarizing views have made her one of the most closely watched elected officials in the nation. In March, she grabbed national attention when she allegedly hit a U.S. Capitol police officer trying to identify her as she walked into a congressional building. After being charged in the incident, a grand jury decided not to indict the lawmaker, infuriating the police.

"Officers all across this country want to see Cynthia McKinney lose," said Chuck Canterbury, president of the national Fraternal Order of Police. "We think this race is important because regardless what the grand jury decided, Cynthia McKinney showed a total disregard and disrespect for law enforcement."

Canterbury said that both the national and Georgia FOP have followed the lead of the DeKalb County FOP Lodge No.10 in strongly backing Johnson's campaign. The national organization's political action committee wrote Johnson a check for $1,000 Thursday, Canterbury said.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/dekalb/stories/0721metmckinney.html
(registration req.)

[wakeme2008]

1. FOP is a Repug voting block

:shrug:

[zreosumgame]

4. As Jay and Sielent Bob always say...

FUCK the PO-LICE. Boo-hoo she slapped a cop. Bet that made Abner Looima(sp?) cry...

[joeglow3]

13. Jay and Silent Bob said it once.

I think you mean NWA.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. The FOP endorsed Clinton-Gore in 1996

[wakeme2008]

6. Are you sure,, In Georgia.....

NYC yes but not in Georgia I would bet.

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. It was the National FOP

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60811F6395E0C758DDDA00894DE494D81&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fC%2fClinton%2c%20Bill

[Ken Burch]

75. After he ordered the execution

of a brain damaged black man and flew home to watch it.

[David__77]

7. OK... it's a right-wing voting bloc.

Clinton attracted plenty of right-wingers, with what included many right-wing aspects against social services, expanding the death penality to numerous crimes, and a reactionary foreign policy.

[saigon68]

18. Clinton loved the death penalty

[SensibleAmerican]

67. It did endorse Clinton in 1996

And it has endorsed several Democratic candidates like Mike Easley of NC and Mike Beebe of AR. However, it is a mostly conservative block as they perceive Republicans support more police powers and/or higher police pay.

[Rex]

2. The Repukes would love to get McKinney out of the spotlight.

She makes them looks bad with her blunt questioning. I'm betting they will make sure she loses, don't need people still talking critically about 9/11 (unless it is to praise Der Leader).

[illumn8d]

10. Not really

If she is replaced by Hank Johnson (because a Democrat will win this district, regardless), who will the GOP point to? Her mercurial nature that makes her popular here is a blessing and a curse.

[Rex]

11. Far more of a curse IMO since she still wants answers about 911.

A curse on the GOP.

[krkaufman]

16. Watch 'Monk' much? : ) n/t

[DYouth]

44. I love Monk

Now if only we could get reporters like him who like to investigate things...

[Ken Burch]

73. What good will it do to replace Cynthia with a bland, invisible Dem?

You can't be bland polite and know your place and still do anything that matters.

[Spazito]

3. LOL, it seems to me that given the FOB never voted for her before

their not voting for her this time mean status quo still exists.

[RamblingRose]

9. The AJC endorsed Johnson, which may also be costly n/t

[DYouth]

41. The AJC has always been after her

in "American Blackout" an AJC employee actually admits that they did stretch the truth in their personal campaign against her.

[RCinBrooklyn]

12. She spoke the truth on 9/11 and that's enough for me - Go McKinney. n/t

[2zzday]

14. Some Dems in GA think she's a liability

The conservative talk shows hold up McKinney as the face of the Democratic party and paint her as obnoxious and a crackpot. Rumor has it other Dem Congressmen in GA are hoping for her defeat to get her out of the news and the Repukes are hoping for her to win so they can continue using her as an example of how 'out there' the Democrats are.

[greccogirl]

15. She isn't

going to make it.

[TankLV]

47. And WE should assume YOU know what's best for US?

Nice try, but your slip is showing.

[Spider Jerusalem]

51. Actually, one thinks...

that Georgia Democratic voters (specifically, those in McKinney's district, many of whom are tired of her) should be able to decide what's best for THEM as far as who they want representing them; whether you (or anyone else who's NOT part of the constituency of Georgia's 4th Congressional District) agree or not is completely and totally irrelevant.

[MGKrebs]

56. Yup, and when she's gone, they'll pick on John Lewis.

And when Lewis is gone, they'll pick on Sanford Bishop, and they will keep going until all the Dems look like John Baroow. Then maybe no one will be a liability.

[ulysses]

70. a most

excellent post, my friend. :thumbsup:

[0007]

58. You can't be serious!

"The propagandist's purpose is to make one set of people forget that
certain other sets of people are human.": Aldous Huxley -(1894-1963)

[LostinVA]

63. Nice first post

Damn, where 's the Sarcasm Icon.... oh, here it is:

:sarcasm:

[krkaufman]

17. "showed a total disregard and disrespect"

Rep. McKinney has said the same thing regarding the officer.

[robcon]

19. except that the officer was in uniform,

and McKinney did not identify herself, either verbally or by showing an ID.

[krkaufman]

25. I'm jaded enough to *believe* that the officer may not have acted...

... with uniformity, even if he was wearing a uniform. I've heard Rep. McKinney say that she acted no differently than many other Reps, missing her flag lapel pin and what-not, and am cynical enough to feel she may be telling the truth when she says that the officer's response to her was different than that for white, male Reps.

('gist: I'm of the opinion that fault could be found with BOTH sides.)

[Ken Burch]

74. That guard knew perfectly well who she was.

Capital guards never stopped any other Congressmembers from going in, badge or not.

[redstateblues]

20. Hank Johnson is an appealing, qualified candidate

McKinney may be toast

[greccogirl]

22. I believe she is

toast - and she's been missing in action since the election they say.

[MGKrebs]

57. That is an irresponsible statement.

You are posting this on the Saturday after a Tuesday election, and just repeating a rumor to boot.

You're not working for Hank, are you?

[MGKrebs]

71. I've checked the record.

McKinney hasn't cast a vote since July 13. (The election was on the 18th.) 19 votes have been taken since then.
While I still dislike the passing on of rumors, your statement was correct.

I haven't heard where she is. She may be raising funds for her runoff or she may be dealing with the election irregularities, among many other possibilities. Her district will have to decide whether she has made the right choices.

My guess is she is cranking up her machine after a disappointing turnout on the 18th. After all, she won't get to cast any votes at all if she doesn't win.

[MisterP]

50. that's what they said about St. Majette

didn't last too long, though

[Vidar]

21. More Republican bully boys & brownshirts.

[Judi Lynn]

23. Racists nearly injure themselves trying to get to all the D.U. threads

which concern any black Democrats in Congress. They are incapable of letting any go by without infecting them with as many venomous, hate-filled, snotty remarks as possible. You will never see a thread make it through, with Democrats participating, without these attacks on Cynthia McKinney, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Barbara Lee, John Conyers, etc., etc., etc.

Democrats don't think that way. The Southern Democrats who did joined the Repulbican party.

Bully boys, brownshirts can't be happy at their own message boards. They HAVE to blow off here, as a matter of life or death, like Jehovah's Witnesses from the John Birch Society.

[Vidar]

24. Good point.

[Judi Lynn]

32. Thank you, Vidar! Your Democratic voice is always much appreciated.

They really can't stay away, can they?

[Roy]

27. Ahhhhhh...... I am not alone!!!!!

Thank you, Judi Lynn:hi:

[Judi Lynn]

30. YaHOOOOOOOO! Good to "see" you!

[Roy]

34. Back Atcha

[LostinVA]

28. Bingo, Judi Lynn n/t

[Judi Lynn]

31. I forgot to include Maxine Waters and Charles Rangel.

There is ALWAYS someone who staggers up to villify them, too!

There's an endless supply of visiting racists gracing us with their presence.

[LostinVA]

33. I know -- like the McKinney Boulevard thread a few days ago -- WTF?

[lynne]

26. Please READ the post - the FOP is endorsing her DEMOCRATIC opponent -

- Hank Johnson, and with good reason. I hope they are successful at it.

"Several local and national police organizations are still fuming over the incident and at least one has written a check for her Democratic opponent, former DeKalb County Commissioner Hank Johnson."

[Ken Burch]

76. They are endorsing Johnson because he is the most conservative candidate

who can win the district(the seat will never go Republican, so the best the FOP can hope for is the election of a DLC-backed Tom.)

They point is to defeat a progressive black woman who stands up to the white power structure, unlike Johnson, who will know his place.

There is no reason for any honorable Democrats to want this to happen.

[davidinalameda]

29. good

I hope the voters get rid of her for good

she's an embarassment

[DYouth]

35. She's a complete embarrassment to the Washington establishment

Having seen her speak 3 times and having viewed "American Blackout" (a film about voter disenfranchisement), and seen how she energizes the people in her constituency and tirelessly fights for the underprivileged -- I have to say she a lion and a fighter.

[Imajika]

36. Hmmmm...

"seen how she energizes the people in her constituency and tirelessly fights for the underprivileged -- I have to say she a lion and a fighter."

Apparently not when it comes to debating any of her opponents for the congressional seat she holds. Rather than "energize" and "fight", she seemed noticably absent.

The runoff will be a good indicator of how much her constituency loves her. The fact that she lost in 2004 to Majette (who would most certainly still hold the seat had she not screwed up by running for the Senate) and was forced into a runoff this time around isn't a great sign her consitituency is anywhere near as enthusiastic with her as you seem to be.

[DYouth]

40. Majette was a clown and near-Republican

She pulled a Nader and sought massive help from Republicans to be elected. She accused McKinney of siding up with terrorists, and abandoned almost every progressive cause.

It's a tradition for incumbents to not attend primary debates.

Her constituency didn't come out in as large numbers as expected because they simply didn't think she was in any threat. They'll be out on August 8th.

[Judi Lynn]

38. You're absolutely right. Great post. Thanks for mentioning "American

Blackout." I haven't ever seen it, will make a point of finding it now.

The DEMOCRATS who were posting at D.U. during her last campaign were very aware of the massive campaign to block her re-election. She has had everything but the kitchen sink thrown at her by racist scum and she hasn't been broken. It must be killing them.
Welcome to D.U., DYouth! (DUth?)

[DYouth]

43. See its website

http://www.americanblackout.com/

It is a powerful film, I was at its Atlanta premier and met McKinney.

[Judi Lynn]

52. I notice it won the 2006 Sundance Film Festival award. That could mean,

I'm hoping, that the Sundance Channel might be showing it nationwide before the 2006 election in November. That would really be outstanding. Far more people will be reached, just as Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 got to far more people that way, too.

You met Cynthia McKinney? I'll bet she was very nice. She's got a LOT of friends, and admirers, even after the best efforts of right-wing, racist sociopaths.

Thanks for posting the link.

[davidinalameda]

49. she's an embarassment to her district

why do you think she was forced into a run-off?

[DYouth]

59. The same reason she was unseated for 2 years in 2002

Republican voters and every corporate media turning against her. Something like a third or primary voters in 2002 in the Democratic Primary were Republicans who crossed over just to make her lose. It's all in "American Blackout."

[davidinalameda]

61. that's false

she wasn't "unseated", the voters in her district voted her out

as for the supposed influx of Republican voters, that's been proven false

[DYouth]

64. I'd like to see the proof

I'd like to see that proof being superior to the Sundance-award winning film.

[MGKrebs]

66. You are going to have to explain this math to us then.

1996       Primary   General
McKinney   42,000  127,000
other Dems  20,300
Repubs      29,000  93,000

1998
McKinney  42,000  100,000
other Dems  0
Repubs      21,000  64,000

2000
McKinney  40,000  139,000
other Dems  0
Repubs      8,600  90,000

2002
McKinney   49,000
Majette     68,000  118,000
other Dems  0
Repubs      5,500   35,000

2004
McKinney   48,000  157,000
other Dems  47,000
Repubs       14,000  89,000


McKinney gets her 40,000 plus no matter what. The most Dem primary turnout other than 2002 (Majette) was 95,000, and that was with 5 other Dem candidates, some of whom were very good (Woolard, Levetan, Stokes). In 2002, 117,000 showed up for thr Dem primary, 22,000 more than has ever shown up to date, and about 50,000 more than normally show up. In the meantime, Republican vote total in the primary was 29,000 in 1996, but only 5500 in 2002? Especially curious since the number of Repub votes in the general fluctuated around 90,000 both before and after Majette. In other words, the demographics aren't changing.

And to top it all off, as many people voted in the DEM PRIMARY in 2002 than voted Dem in the general. That doesn't happen much.

http://www.sos.state.ga.us/elections/election_results/default.htm

So I think I would like to see this "proof" of yours.

[Judi Lynn]

68. Thanks for posting that information.

Absolutely fascinating.

Right-wing racist politics should never be more important than the truth.

Really appreciate seeing these numbers. Thanks so much.

[Robb]

37. "regardless what the grand jury decided"

Apparently he's forgotten what his brothers are in the field to protect. Moron.

Edited to add: Show me a cop who believes he makes policy, rather than enforces it, and I'll show you a bad cop.

[Judi Lynn]

39. Great point. Thank you. n/t

[Ignis]

72. Well, since Shrub has turned the Executive Branch...

...into the Office of Imperial Policy, is it any wonder that this attitude trickles down to state and local law enforcement agencies?

Checks and balances my eye.

[samsingh]

42. i don't know what to feel about this race.

[yurbud]

45. McKinney stood up to the Bushies when DLCers were still pissing themselves

She was willing to risk her seat (and probably her life) by opposing the administration and asking the basic oversight questions that even Republicans should be asking.

Her run in with the cop was likely staged, and in any case, far less shameful that Democratic leaderships complicity and cowardice in response to the worst most destructive president in our history.

[TankLV]

48. 2 words: Dick Cheney. He's still running around free, I think.

IOKIYAAR in evidence here, bigtime.

She should have shot them in the face, then all these repukes and their new "concerned" "democrat" friends posting here would be just fine with all of it!

[yurbud]

53. good point--shoving while black democrat is a crime. shooting someone

while a drunk old white fart is a 'youthful indiscretion'

[Ken Burch]

78. We can assume that Johnson would've been silent and obedient

In all the situations where Cynthia spoke truth to power. We can also assume that, once elected, he'd never have been seen or heard from again. He would have "known his place" and that's why the DLC'ers want him.

[TankLV]

46. If it wasn't this, it would be something else. They lie in wait for

their "reasons" for hating this American Hero.

Fuck these cops.

[robcon]

54. Not showing up seems to be her MO.

She didn't respond, and didn't show up, for the two debates with her opponents in the election.

She didn't show up for the past week in Congress.

[Casper]

55. Majette wouldn't have won in 2004

That's why she ran for Senate. It was generally understood here in Georgia that Majette's lackluster term would not have been renewed by the voters, especially with McKinney running for the seat again.

As for this bruhaha about McKinney not showing up at the debates - it's crap. She never agreed to appear. She did do two other debates in the district (but not televised). She was not absent from the district - she showed up all over the place.

As for being "noticeably absent" since the election - well it hasn't even been a week, for crying out loud. Doesn't McKinney get a break like everyone else? She's probably quietly raising money for the runoff.

I think DYouth has it right - her peeps didn't think they were needed July 18. They'll come out for the run off. The big question is: Will Republicans who didn't pull Republican ballots in the July 18 primary pull Democratic ballots for the runoff and vote against McKinney? That's a concern. Further reasons for closed primaries.

[mvd]

60. Geez.. I think McKinney is slightly being singled out here

If it was a Repuke, they'd be saying "well, we're willing to look past it." I support McKinney.

[spacelady]

62. I was thinking about this incident today & setting aside the black woman

issue (which is very relevant) I imagined if I was Congressional security & made this very human mistake of overzealous enforcement, & got upbraided for laying hands on a Congressperson... do you think if I would have said, " Oh my gosh, I am so sorry, please forgive for not recognizing you!"
MsMckinney would have melted & smiled & said "that's okay, don't let it happen again!"
Perhaps if the security personnel had not made it so "personal" & treated it as not an affront but just an honest mistake, would that have made it okay?

[Judi Lynn]

65. That would have been the human remedy to that problem, for sure.

Glad you posted your comments.

[LostinVA]

69. I think that woul have made it okay n/t

[BooScout]

77. Jackbooted police endorsements aren't all that great...

Andrew Young is endorsing McKinney. I think his endorsement carries a lot more weight in the Atlanta area than the police.......especially considering the incompetency and corruption of local Police Departments.