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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHow Zephyr Teachout Became a Contender - The Nation, Aug 15
She'll be in Hastings, NY on Tuesday, I understand. I may just take a little ride up there myself.
>>>>It was a beautiful evening overlooking the Hudson River in Ossining, New York, and Zephyr Teachout was standing on a small wooden stage with the sunset behind her. A law professor at Fordham University who first made her name as the online organizer for Howard Deans 2004 presidential campaign, she drew laughter and cheers from the crowd of teachers, anti-fracking activists and public employees who had come out to see her. She was telling them a story about a bull.
When she was growing up, she said, her dad got a bull to go along with the chickens and sheep and occasional pig on their small farm in Vermont. But the bull didnt like to stay fenced in, and so in order to get the bull to come back, she would walk up to him, tickle him on the nose and then turn around and run as fast as I could until I got to the other side of the fence with the bull chasing me and then my dad would close the fence and I would climb back outside.
She paused for effect.
So Im running for governor of the state of New York.
The audience broke up in laughter, instantly recognizing Teachouts story as metaphor as much as memoir. The bull, they understood, was meant to be Andrew Cuomo, the powerful incumbent governorand son of another powerful governor, Mario Cuomowho is known for his strong-arm tactics and relentless pursuit of his political goals (including a potential run for president in 2016). The child, of course, was meant to be Teachout, the unlikely primary challenger, who manages to outmaneuver her foe using swiftness and wit.
With the September 9 Democratic primary just a few weeks, Teachout has been doing her best to agitate the bull by calling out Cuomo for what many see as his betrayal of basic Democratic principles in favor of stock Republican positions: his attacks on organized labor, his support for charter schools and high-stakes testing, and his penchant for cutting taxes for the rich while cutting services for>>>>>>
the rest:http://www.thenation.com/article/181289/how-zephyr-teachout-became-contender
Cha
(296,792 posts)in NY.. I'll ask my sister if she knows about Zephyr.. she's a teacher and I know she doesn't like Cuomo no more. Shame about him. Hey, it happened in Hawaii. The people weren't happy about the way the incumbent Dem was treating the teachers, etc and he just lost out in our Primary.
Aren't there any New Yorkers around here?
AndreaCG
(2,331 posts)I am seriously thinking of breaking my vow not to donate to candidates because my finances are low because I'm so impressed with Teachout. And/or will join her campaign.
Smarmie Doofus
(14,498 posts)AndreaCG
(2,331 posts)Cha
(296,792 posts)give to help their/your campaign.
Smarmie Doofus
(14,498 posts)Good news re. Hawaii. I'll have to catch myself up on that.
Cha
(296,792 posts)our Dem Gov Abercrombie was good in a lot of things but he came in after 8 years of a repub and was going about trying to get a more balanced budget and did make the teachers among many others quite pissed. It's way more complicated than that of course.. just a very brief synopsis..
So, I'm thinking Cuomo has to be at least aware of that little phenomenon that happened many miles across the Ocean!
In_The_Wind
(72,300 posts)Cha
(296,792 posts)NuttyFluffers
(6,811 posts)i'm not a NYer, but she was a great interview. if such an important election was happening in CA i'd totally be proud to support a candidate like that. if anyone has any doubts about her, go check out those interviews in his podcast archives.
remember, it's more about her doing 'good enough to send a message,' everything else is just gravy. people should totally give time and effort for such a vocal and committed candidate. best of luck on your primary, NY!