Pete McCloskey takes challenge to run against Pombo (CA)

[realFedUp]

(this is such good news...Pete is a Republican fed up
with the illegal invasion of Iraq and Republican
crimes and corruption)

http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/13660892.htm

McCloskey takes challenge to run against Pombo

By Lisa Vorderbrueggen
CONTRA COSTA TIMES

Former Peninsula Congressman Paul "Pete" McCloskey Jr., best remembered for his Vietnam War opposition and his speech calling for the impeachment of President Nixon, will announce his candidacy Monday in Lodi as a Republican challenger to Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy.

The feisty 78-year-old beat the bushes for months in his quest to find a Republican willing to run against the seven-term incumbent with whom he has major political differences.
But when no one volunteered, McCloskey asked, "Why not me?"

After all, he said, Benjamin Franklin was 82 when he cast his vote for the U.S. Constitution, and former President Bush sky dived on his 80th birthday.
McCloskey, a decorated Marine who served in the Korean War and an attorney, says he wants to restore Republican values such as fiscal restraint, reduced government and balanced budgets.

He also believes Pombo has behaved unethically on several fronts, such as hiring family members to work on his campaign. And he says the incumbent votes too often with former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who is fighting a campaign money laundering charge back home in Texas.
McCloskey and Pombo will also knock heads over environmental issues.

continued

[gratuitous]

1. This is extraordinarily bad news for Pombo

Look for Pombo to suddenly decide he needs to spend more time with his family or something in the next couple of months. That is, if he hasn't already checked into the Gray Bar Hotel in the meantime.

[realFedUp]

2. exactly....Pombo's dance card is full in foreseeable future.

[Shakespeare]

3. EXCELLENT. McCloskey was co-author of the endangered species act....

...this is personal for him. Excellent, excellent news.

[realFedUp]

5. and he wrote an editorial on why people should vote for Kerry

http://inprogress.typepad.com/republicanswitchers/files/ifyoureatruerepublicanvote4kerrymccloskey.pdf

Mercury News, San Jose, CA, Friday, Sep. 10,
2004, www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/9627228.htm?1c

If you’re a true Republican,you’ll vote for Kerry
By Pete McCloskey

Although I’m a lifelong Republican, I will vote for
John Kerry on Nov. 2. The choice seems simple
under traditional principles of the Republican Party.

continued

[sofa king]

18. Just the guy to take him to the mat for emasculating the ESA.

I'm tapped into the money/sex/power end (and getting not one of those things) here inside the Beltway. I was wondering if anyone was going to stand up for ESA.

(Every time I try to bring the subject up here at the Democratic White House, a damned mouse, or roach, or mosquito... or worse... shows up to punctuate the conversation. I fear that we city folk are not going to be the swordbearers on this issue.)

[NV Whino]

4. Good for McCloskey

He is not, generally speaking, a bad guy.

It's going to take the good Republicans as well as the Democrats to clean up this mess.

[MrModerate]

6. Interesting . . . I used to live in the Bay Area and Tracy . . .

Was notable as an island of right-wingerism in a sea of liberality. Young demographic, but conservative.

I wonder how the winds will blow . . .

[Gormy Cuss]

8. Two factors have moved the political spectrum towards moderate

1)The in-migration of former SF people has them outnumbering the traditional Tracy/valley types and
2) Pombo's district has shifted to include parts of the East Bay -- admittedly the more conservative parts like Danville, but even these areas aren't conservative anymore, they're moderate Repub.

[Greeby]

7. Hmm, some history between him and Robertson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_McCloskey

* In the late 1980s, religious broadcaster Pat Robertson sued Congressman McCloskey and Representative Andy Jacobs for libel. McCloskey, who served with Robertson in Korea, made claims that Robertson was spared combat duty when his powerful father, U.S. Senator Absalom Willis Robertson, intervened on his behalf. Jacobs repeated these statements publicly. During pre-trial depositions, another veteran who had served with Robertson, Paul Brosman, Jr., spoke of rumors during the war that Robertson had been carousing with prostitutes and hassling Korean women. Brosman stated that Robertson himself talked about his exploits with prostitutes. Eventually, Robertson dropped his lawsuit because of scheduling conflicts between court dates and his 1988 presidential campaign, and he was ordered to pay part of McCloskey's court costs. :rofl:

An officer in the Marine Corps, Pete McCloskey won both the navy cross and the silver star for outstanding service during the Korean War. In the last decade, he wrote the book "The Taking of Hill 610" describing some of his exploits in Korea.

[realFedUp]

11. oooooooo...tasty tidbit...thanks.

[Octafish]

14. Pat Robertson, Liquor Officer

From a post, long ago...

The unctuous TV preacher Marion “Pat” Robertson once was a US Marine officer when he got the call that maybe his life was too important to risk on the battlefield. Sounds familiar to a certain "first family" we know and don't admire.

Anyway, the greasy turd Pat Robertson was a newly minted 2nd Lieutenant leading a platoon of US Marines to the fighting in Korea in 1951 when he decided to call his daddy, then a very, very conservative and Democratic Senator from Virginia, to get him pulled off his troop transport ASAFP.

Robertson told the other officers he would be saying “Sayonara!” when the ship pulled into Yokohama, its final stop before heading toward Korea. The other officers thought he was joking, but when the ship shoved off, there was Pat (and another 2nd lieutenant) on the dock, waving buh-bye.

Most of the officers and Marines went on to get wounded and killed in some of the most fierce action of the Korean War. Not Pat, though.

Odd. Robertson claimed, when he ran for presidunt in 1988, he was a "combat Marine." PTL, at least a couple remember the Truth.

The story was repeated in 1988 when Robertson ran for president as a “Combat Veteran.” The source of the story was Pete McCloskey (R-Calif.), one of the surviving USMC officers who was on the transport.

Here's a great resource on the subject:

THE LIQUOR OFFICER

Or PAT ROBERTSON GOES TO WAR

EXCERPT...

Robertson had sailed for Korea in January, 1951, as a new young Second Lieutenant fresh out of Quantico's 11 week basic platoon leader training course. With him was his friend and classmate from Washington and Lee, Ed Gaines. The First Marine Division had taken fearful casualties at the Chosin Reservoir in December when the Chinese had entered this war with a vengeance; new second lieutenants were needed badly and the rumored life expectancy of platoon leaders in combat was only six minutes. Robertson was one of 71 officers and 1900 enlisted men in the Fifth Replacement Draft aboard the U.S.S. General J. C. Breckenridge. The full draft was needed to bring the Divisions' three rifle regiments up to strength for General MacArthur's planned February counter-attack against the Chinese. On the last day before leaving for Korea, however, Robertson and Gaines had been pulled off the ship in Kobe, Japan, with four others whose names had the misfortune to be listed next to Gaines on the roster of lieutenants assigned to the 7th Regiment. The reason: ostensibly to train young Marines coming out of the hospitals after the Chosin Reservoir battle.

Both the First Marine Division personnel office and those officers aboard the Breckenridge who had had combat duty were offended. Captain Harry Steinmeyer, a decorated veteran of Guadalcanal wrote on February 14, 1951:

"Happy Valentines: Here's one I have to tell you. Lt. Gaines & a Lt. Robinson (Whose Father is Senator from Va) were taken off in Japan. In short there were 80 men and 8 2nd Lts pulled on the pretense of training men who came from Korea to go back there. Gaines slipped 2 days before we got to Japan and said he & the other one were going to be pulled off there. It's really rotten politics. I'd sure like to write Winchell on it. See what Walter & Daddy say about that. At least I can live with my conscience. Well so much for that"

First Lieutenant David Hartstein, the Draft's adjutant, wrote his wife the same day:

"Hi There Valentine: Oh yes, there is one thing I wanted to tell you about. When we were in Kobe yesterday a Col. came aboard to choose several officers to retrain casualties that were getting ready to 90 back to Korea. He chose 6 second Lts. none of whom have ever had any combat. Its interesting to note that two of them had said they wouldn't have to go to Korea. One was the Robertson that General Sheppard wanted to see and I'm sure that his father being the Senator from Virginia had nothing to do with it and the other was a kid named Gaines whose father is president of Washington and Lee university. it is interesting though isn't it. See that's what you get when you choose the wrong parents. Incidentally they are both very nice guys but no more anxious to go than the rest of us."

What had caused this extraordinary salvation? As the trial date of March 8, 1988 approached, Robertson found himself in an increasing dilemma. He had shocked the Republicans by strong second place finishes, in Iowa., South Dakota and Minnesota; he had nearly won Michigan, and expected to win South Carolina on Saturday, March 5. March 8, "Super Tuesday" with its 22 separate primaries, was expected to provide perhaps even a majority of delegates in the bible belt states where from whence came Robertson's strongest support. His lawsuit had suppressed any media comment on his alleged "liquor officer" background.

CONTINUED...

http://www.schlatter.org/liquor_officer.htm

Original DU thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=2397004

[DrZeeLit]

9. Life is truly interesting when McCloskey jumps in, isn't it?

Can't wait!

[mctrotter5]

10. Pete McCloskey is one good man. He spoke and worked hard to

tell the truth and support John Kerry against the Bushies in California and other states. He speaks out and is very courageous. We just need 25 more just like him.

[Octafish]

13. Second that. McCloskey ran against NIXON in '72.

Would that more politicos--of any party--were like him.

Smart, too.

[realFedUp]

12. I hope Pete puts up a website soon....love to donate. nt

[depakid]

15. Finally- the Dems get serious about targeting Pombo

They need to throw MAJOR money at this race. The toxic cowboy- Mr. mercury isn't poisonous- is the worst of the worst.

I rarely use the word evil, but it applies in this case.

[Raine]

16. McCloskey's a GOOD guy

this GREAT news! :thumbsup:

[AlCzervik]

17. woohoo!!! Good news! Pombo is disgusting.

[xchrom]

19. joyful joyful we adore thee

very cool -- i think there's gonna be a good ass whoopin.

[msongs]

20. is there a DEMOCRAT running against these REPUBLICANS?

the goal is less republicans, more democrats, not more republicans.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[ecoalex]

21. The Central Valley, Sacramento Valley is Repug country

And they hate environmentalists with a passion.

[kainah]

22. fantastic!!!

getting Pombo out of there has to be a top priority for anyone who cares about the environment.

[BrotherBuzz]

23. The race has started

The race is on to determine if Pombo will be taken down by the Abramoff thingy or McCloskey. Time is short because Pombo's fate could be determined in the primary election, June 6, 2006. Either way, California's eleventh will be the winner.

[bo44]

24. McCloskey faces an uphill battle

The cage-liner in Stockton ran an editorial a few months back, sorry no link, telling McCloskey to back off and stay out of Pombo's business. My guess is that McCloskey has a good chance if he does not get the shit kicked out of him continually by the cage-liner and if the Dems run a Bay Area based Dem. A Bay Area Dem better hit the streets in the urban portions of the district because there are votes to be had for someone who makes themselves known personally to them. There are one or two San Joaquin County inactive Dems who could kick the shit out of Pombo but they have played pink tutu for his whole run as a Congressman and have shown no interest in challenging him. Also, if Alex Spanos wants to keep Dickie Pombo in office, then he'll see to it that it happens. Margee Ensign a professor at Pacific in Stockton was set to challenge Pombo as a Dem but was scared off by Pacific.

The magic combo for a Dem in this heavily gerrymandered District is to be tight with the Farmers and tight with Labor. Especially dairy farmers. The State Senator from this Area, Mike Machado would mop Pombo because he meets this criteria. He kicked the crap out of Gary Podesto, the former mayor of Stockton in a very expensive election. Podesto is revered by Greedy Old Prikkks throughout San Joaquin County. Podesto spent a small fortune on his campaign and lost big. Now the districts are not the same. Machado, although he is not a dairy farmer, would not scare off voters in the rural areas who may believe Pombo's time has come and gone as a viable advocate in DC. Machado is also the right ethnicity to replace Pombo.

[BrotherBuzz]

25. LOL Podesto spent a small fortune?

I was pummeled by his daily mailings that included all those cryptic slate mailings directed toward Democrats. Oh, and what's with all the 'friends of something' attacking Machado? Very entertaining because I did extensive research and disproved every allegation. What a dirty race that jerk Podesto ran. But that was state and now we're looking at a federal race

I'm under the impression the 11th is a very red district and I'm resigned to the fact that it may not flip, but I'll take the honorable republican, McCloskey, over the despicable Pombo any day. I'll root for McCloskey in the primaries and see what develops for the general election. Removing Pombo is job one and he could be on his way out in June!

I don't think "The old Pro" McCloskey will have any problems handling the cage-liner rags considering the editors' hands will be full trying to spin the pending/expanding Pombo-Abramoff scandal. Did I mention the DeLay connections, too?
:rofl:

[realFedUp]

26. I'd like to see this fight....McCloskey would be a great Republican voice

in Congress. You wouldn't see him standing with the sheeple
and he might even get a few moderate Pubs to join with
him.

[flamingyouth]

27. Kick

[Judi Lynn]

28. McCloskey to Take On Pombo

January 21, 2006

McCloskey to Take On Pombo
The ex-congressman and GOP maverick, who is 78, said he is battling for the party's 'soul.'

By Tim Reiterman, Times Staff Writer

SAN FRANCISCO — Former U.S. Rep. Paul "Pete" McCloskey, a maverick Republican who opposed the Vietnam War and helped write the Endangered Species Act, said Friday he will run against Rep. Richard W. Pombo (R-Tracy), a leading critic of how the government has applied environmental protection laws.

Nearly a quarter of a century after he last sought public office, the tough-talking, 78-year-old ex-Marine said in a telephone interview that he decided to challenge Pombo in the June 6 GOP primary because of the congressman's efforts to weaken environmental laws and connections to figures in a Washington corruption scandal.

"This is no Republican Party I recognize today," McCloskey said.

But he was candid about his chances, saying he wouldn't have decided to run if he could have found someone else to take on Pombo.

"I do not have a clue about whether I can win or not," said McCloskey, a lawyer who served eight congressional terms representing the San Francisco Peninsula. "It will take five months out of my life and is a worthy cause. We are going to debate critical issues. You could call this a battle for the soul of the Republican Party."
(snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-pombo21jan21,0,2577731.story?coll=la-home-local
(Free registration required)



McCloskey, too decent to be a Republican

[aquart]

29. Go Pete. I remember you.

[DinahMoeHum]

30. Forget it, we need fresh blood running against Pombo. . .

And this guy, Steve Filson, is it:

www.filsonforcongress.com

also:
www.bandofbrothers2006.org (click on "Candidates", then the links under "CA-11")

:kick::kick:

[DinahMoeHum]

33. Found another hat in this Democratic ring. . .Jerry McNerney

www.jerrymcnerney.org

:kick::kick:

[sofedup]

31. It's great that he's challenging Pombo...

...but I'm concerned that he's too reasonable and intelligent to get elected in that area because it has such an intensely red majority...find myself needing a "fingers crossed" smilie once again.

[SharonAnn]

32. The battle for the soul of the Republican Party is already lost.

"You could call this a battle for the soul of the Republican Party."

Sorry, the battle is already lost.

[Judi Lynn]

34. Here's a cute bit of news from this unusual and decent Republican!

Don't remember ever hearing it before:

Former California Rep. Pete McCloskey said in Houston on Sunday, "Tom DeLay is an embarrassment to the Republican Party." McCloskey is one of nine former congressmen who has started the informal group called the "revolt of the elders," the group is aimed at finding a candidate to defeat DeLay in the next election.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/TheNote/story?id=720927

Apparently it's from last summer. I didn't know there was dissention in the ranks back then. Cool.

[annabanana]

35. "revolt of the elders,"

I like that.