Sheehan To Decide On Senate Run (Announcement 11:00 PST today)

[Freddie Stubbs]

Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan is set to hold an 11 a.m. press conference Thursday in San Francisco regarding her potential run for the Senate.

Sheehan has considered running against current California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is up for re-election in November.

more: http://www.nbc11.com/politics/6849433/detail.html

[AngryAmish]

1. Run, Cindy, Run

[Greeby]

2. Run. Cindy, run!

:bounce:

Damn, ya beat me to it ;)

[Le Taz Hot]

3. Yessss!!!

She has one Central CA volunteer right here. 'Course this means I'll have to re-register as a Democrat but I can live with that -- at least through the primaries.

[Coastie for Truth]

4. Run Dannie Run

<>

Dannie for Life of the Unborn

Dannie for Security Against Terror




Don't laugh - a good split of the Dem Vote will give us Dannie Lungren or the Texas Cell Phone Bazzilionaire, Steve Poizner from Austin TX.

<>

[MADem]

29. I'm with you--she should pick a fight with a GOP House rep, if anything

...where there isn't any good Dem opposition. Going for the Senate is a huge error. She has no funding, no broad-based backing for such a run, and she will get eaten alive.

Picking a fight with Diane is absurd. All it will do is take DF away from DC to run a primary, Cindy will not win, and it may turn people off enough to stay away from the polls on election day.

Cindy has a lot to say, but that's the wrong forum, IMO.

[Selteri]

35. I agree, right now she'd serve us better by taking on one of the many

House Reps in Cali that are Republicans that have been serving this NeoCon agenda. The best I can suggest over it is that she should take on one of the straw men arguing House REpublicans and use that influence to get into another area where we need just as many brave souls yet often leave ignored.

[Coastie for Truth]

40. Doesn't Cindi Live in Pombo's District?

That's the race. Heck - I'd re-register from my Office to vote for Cindi and against Pombo.

[Zhade]

64. "Dannie for Life of the Unborn"

WTF? We're supporting anti-choicers now?

[NoodleBoy]

5. Last I heard she was barred from running because of some obscure CA law

[PuraVidaDreamin]

6. obscure law stating what? nt

[NoodleBoy]

7. I didn't get the whole story

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. The only qualifications to run for the House and Senate

are those set out in the US Constitution. Any other laws are unconstitutional. That is the rationale that courts have used to strike down term limit laws.

[MADem]

31. Well, residency might be an issue.

Does she still maintain CA residency?

Of course, residency never stopped Dick Cheney from running as VP (no P and VP from same state...so Dickie moved back to WY). It never stopped Mitt "I got residency tax breaks in Utah" from running as MA gov....and they had the balls to dis Hillary, who actually bought a friken house and paid taxes well before running???

[Freddie Stubbs]

37. As long as she is maintaining a residence in CA from when she files to

election day, she should not have any problems.

[MADem]

41. Sure, but IS SHE???

Did her ex-husband take the house? Or was it sold and the profits split? Does she have another abode? Has she established herself there, or at the home of her parents? Is there a requirement that one return to the state periodically if one has no fixed abode to maintain residency? Does abandonment of the state for "x" period of time constitute an abrogation of residency?

I don't know the answers to these questions, and they could be an issue. That's all I'm sayin'....

[Freddie Stubbs]

42. The filing deadline is March 10

If she doesn't have a residence in CA now, she has until then to establish one.

[VegasWolf]

36. Go Cindy!! Wish I still lived there to vote 4 you! nt

[cali]

9. I think she's smart enough

not to run. At least I hope so.

[johncoby2]

10. I support Cindy. Stood in Crawford with her, but not for Senate.

geez folks, the duty of a Senator is so much more than just the war. Cindy is a one trick pony. And she is very GOOD at it. She should continue to press the issue doing what she does best. But challenging a Senator, a very powerful one at that, is not a good idea for Democrats.

She and her supporters should focus.

I think this is a huge mistake.

[JDPriestly]

11. Maybe the point is to wake Feinstein up.

Feinstein needs a lot of TLC -- like millions of e-mails. She is way out of touch with liberal California. She's just been in D.C. too long and served on too many committees filled with conservatives.

[gort]

13. How do you know what her limitations are?

In Washington State we had Patty Murray who as an unknown ran as a Mom who wears Tennis Shoes. She was made fun of by the uptighty-righties as well, so I wouldn't presume to write off Cindy too quickly.

What makes you think that Cindy only has one trick up her sleeve? She seems to handle herself quite well in interviews.

It would be nice to have a voice in the Senate who stands for veteran's rights and making Bush accountable for his crimes against humanity.

I hope she will at least run for Congress if the Senate bid doesn't work out.

[cali]

14. I think her work against the

war is noble, but her running for the Senate is just a bad idea. She does OK in interviews-sometimes. I heard her when she was on an impeachment panel with Ramsay Clark, and she was awful. I started counting how many times, in her brief speech, she uttered "you know". I got to 30 and hung it up. In addition, what experience does she have to qualify her for congress, beyond her anti-war activism?

[gort]

18. what experience does any anti-tax, anti-government

uptighty-righty have to qualify run for Congress?

All it takes is name recognition and loads of money. That's how the Rethugs took over.

If she runs, I hope she wins.

Anyone can run for Congress. That's supposed to be the point of a Representative Republic.

[cali]

22. Bad argument.

Because repukes may have elected bad people, dems should elect...what exactly? You're not making sense.

All it takes is name recognition and loads of money. That's how the Rethugs took over.

Wrong. Repubs took over in '94 because dems, after 50 years in the majority, got lazy and corrupt Gingrich et al exploited their weaknesses.

Yes, anyone can run for Congress. I prefer to support competence as well as ideology. If you don't have the political skills, you ain't gonna be effective. It's that simple. My own congressman is a great example of ideology married to competence and experience, and he demonstrated such, before he ran for congress. (Bernie Sanders)

[gort]

33. Yes, I oversimplified it

The main thing is that the Republicans did win by hammering their message over and over again.

They won by bullying and attacking and spending lots of money. They took over the airwaves with attack dogs like Limbaugh and Savage. Remember the Contract With America? They won with that bullshit tactic and once they were in power they tore the contract up.


The enemy is the good person who does nothing to stop evil.


At least Cindy Sheehan is trying to put an end to the Bush Regime.

[Auntie Bush]

65. Dare I say...I was concentrating on the "you knows" too.

You know that can be very distracting...you know?

[Child_Of_Isis]

55. It would be nice to have a voice in the Senate

I think it would be nice to have some damn 'average folk' in office instead of career politicians who bleed us dry.

[medeak]

17. AGREE! n/t

[coalition_unwilling]

53. A "one-trick pony"? Why aren't these slanders attacked vigorously here?

She has a sustained critique of U.S. neo-imperialism and its horrendous impact on domestic policy. How is that a "one-trick pony"?

[Tiggeroshii]

12. Wow. She really wants to screw the Democrats. n/t

[MsLeopard]

16. I think the Dems do a pretty good job

of screwing themselves.... Not to be snarky..... DiFi has become the quintessential DINO and Sheehan couldn't be worse in many ways. Go for it, Cindy! You've got my vote.

[IndianaGreen]

25. DiFi is not a Democrat

She is a Bush enabler, a Quisling, a traitor, an enemy of the people.

DiFi deserves the same fate that awaits Holy Joe, a primary opponent!

[VegasWolf]

39. Hear, hear!!!

:toast:

[Inuca]

46. Absolutely wrong!

She may not be the standard bearer of the left wing, but she pretty good, less so on some issues, excellent on some other. Blanket negative statements (and especially attitudes and actions) are harmful.

[IndianaGreen]

Five years of appeasement is long enough!

Out with the Bush enablers, all of them!

[IndianaGreen]

51. self-delete n/t

[Tiggeroshii]

60. And in trying to get rid of her, you are also a Bush enabler

Bringing a person like4 Sheehan into the spotlight to challenge an already Democratic safe seat, would most likely lose the Democrats that safe seat rid us of any chance of gaining the majority. In calling for cindy Sheehan's candidacy you are also calling for the split in a Democratic vote, the loss off a seat in the Democratic caucus and another Repug to enable Buwsh. In essence, it is you, Sheehan and her Senate supporters who are enabling Bush if she makes this bid. iIf this happens, say "so long, any chances of holding accountability to the white house!"

Without her seat, we can't get a Democratic majority ata ll and any hearings that could hold accountability to Bush would have moot chances of getting through. She's a Democrat by name and that's all we need. After this ruinous Administration is gone, then focus on getting a hard core progressive candidate; until then stick with the 84% progressive voting Dem, would you?

[IndianaGreen]

61. Are you against primary challenges? That's Fascism!

The Democrats are already split along the fault lines of the Iraq war, just as they were during Vietnam.

[Tiggeroshii]

62. lol

Not quite...

The fact is, our system requires that there be an incumbent for a guarnteed seat for that party. Considering that Sheehan will probably not win the primary, she'd most likely run on third party, splitting the vote. Actually, it would be interesting if she did win a primary kicking out a decade old incumbent. I'm against the things that keep incumbents in so much power personally, unfortunately there's a bigger power to fight right now, and that involves getting impeachment hearings going.

If we just as much risk Feinstein's seat by changing the candidate right now, we risk losing California's Democratic seat and also risk holding responsible this Administration. I'm certainly against these incumbent advantages and guranteees they have but I'm far more against letting an administration get away with the things they are doing and I believe that allowing ourselves to get caught up in a more progressive candidate will take our eyes off what's really important: getting rid of a real potential fascist. If we lose another seat in the Democratic caucus, we will not have a majority to be able to hold impeachment hearings no matter WHAT Feinstein votes for.

Think Strategically

[IndianaGreen]

66. If the GOP were in the minority and a Democratic President had done what

Bush has done, I guarantee you that "impeachment" would be the first word coming out of their collective mouths everytime they spoke.

"Thinking strategically" is what has made the Democrats the permanent weeny minority party.

If you want to win, you must look back to how the conservatives took power, and that began by having a well disciplined minority punish those Republican legislators that did not conform to their agenda.

[Tiggeroshii]

67. ...And how long did it take them to win back congress?

40 years. We need it now. And that's by thinking strategically. The GOP wanted ultimate power for the 40 years they didn't have it and they got it 40 years later. It's true we won't have the same kind even if we won the Senate but still be miles ahead than we are right now.

[IndianaGreen]

68. At the rate the DLC and the other weenie Democrats are going...

we may lose more seats in 2006!

[Tiggeroshii]

69. We've got Howard

Don't forget that we're at our first edge with the Republicans in fundraising in over a decade. That among other things, polls are looki ng better for us as well. Don't give up yet, just work your ass off in supporting special interest groups to make us free of diebold. That's probably the best we can do. If we aren't successful at getting rid of as many of those that we can then yeah, you'll be right.

[Kerrytravelers]

15. We're also talking about this i nthe CA file.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=141x19044

[Coastie for Truth]

32. Ain't a heck of a lot of votes.

[Catchawave]

19. Why not challenge a republican ? -nt

[Greeby]

20. She is

A Republican named Dianne Feinstein :P

[Freddie Stubbs]

23. Yet CA Democrats keep giving their nomination to Senator Feinstein

Are you suggesting that CA Democrats are really Republicans?

[Greeby]

27. Well, one does wonder

Why one of the most liberal states in the union tolerates being represented by someone who is so deep in the pockets of the Military-Industrial Complex :shrug:

[Freddie Stubbs]

47. Perhaps the Democratic voters of California aren't as liberal

as you think that they are.

[rinsd]

49. Or they are more Democratic than liberal.

Even in LA where you would think a "DINO" like DiFi would get beat up or at l;east lose some support. The truth is she took in over 60%. I would use San Fran as well where her approval/re-elect/inclined to re-elect numbers are even higher but one has to remember she was the mayor for a time.

[Freddie Stubbs]

50. So she is popular in an area (SF) that knows her well

That sounds like a pretty good endorsement to me.

[Catchawave]

30. Can anyone vote in the CA primary?

Here in Virginia, we don't register voters as republicans or democrats, which really screws up primaries. Repugs come out in force to help the candidate they feel they can beat.

[rinsd]

45. CA did away with the open primary.

Registered independents can vote in one and only one primary but they can vote in any of the primaries.

Otherwise, you can only vote in the primary you are registered for.

"Here in Virginia, we don't register voters as republicans or democrats, which really screws up primaries. Repugs come out in force to help the candidate they feel they can beat."

It works both ways. In 2000 before the change in the open primary, McCain defeated Bush in a massive crossover vote.

[Democat]

21. Maybe there aren't any Republicans in the Senate?

If there were any, it would make a lot more sense for someone on the left to challenge one of them. :(

[BlueStater]

24. She said she would not run if Feinstein voted against Alito and....

...against cloture. So why is this still being discussed?

She is making a HUGE mistake.

[IndianaGreen]

26. The essence of democracy is to challenge the incumbent

in the party's primary. The hell with this knee jerk defense of the political class, which has allowed Bush to take dictatorial powers at our expense.

[Freddie Stubbs]

38. Perhaps she is already breaking her promises

I though that they were not supposed to do that until after the election.

I may turn out that Cindy really will keep her word and not run.

[bucklebone]

28. GO CINDY!!!!

I think Cindy running for the Senate will only cause DiFi to expose her true beliefs on a number of issues.

Getting the truth out, that is what Cindy will accomplish!!!

[MattNC]

34. i'll be GLUED to my computer...

yea, right...

[_Wayne_]

43. Bad decision, Sheehan

Sheehan's own press releases, articles, reveal she is most certainly a passionate and strong individual, but not suitable for the public eye; not capable of serious political discussion, unable to participate in public discourse about national issues. I'm behind Sheehan as a critic of the war, but do not understand the logic of her jumping into politcs.

[coalition_unwilling]

54. "The logic of her jumping into politics"?

How's this for starters?

DiFi is a DINO. She voted for the Iraq War and subsequent supplementals to fund the occupation. At the same time, public opinion shows 65% of Americans (percentage probly higher in California) against the war and a slim majority calling for an immediate end to the occupation.

[bucklebone]

57. Show me the logic of stifling her voice

The more that she can speak the better. Just by opening her mouth, the American public can see what the true anti-war left is all about.

I say she runs. Watch DiFi squirm in trying to discredit the mother of a fallen soldier. This will bring the national debate to a new level. I say "Go For It!!!"

[Coastie for Truth]

44. People Look at California and Say "BLUE STATE"

Nixon and Reagan came from California.

Look at any election return map of California-

1. The Coastal Plain down to Monterey County. Some times San Luis Opisbo and Santa Barbara Counties go Democratic - but now they have a GOP State Senator (Moldonado).

2. LA is Democratic.

3. Orange is a toss-up with changing demographics.

4. San Diego and Imperial - GOP.

5. The rest of the state is GOP - (okay, Mono, Inyo, Alpine counties on the Nevada Border - 17,000 registered voters - sometimes go Dem).

Rule of thumb - what flies in San Francisco and Alameda Counties might not fly in San Diego County.

[mike_c]

48. YES! Please run against DiFi!

OMG what a dream that would be!

[mikelgb]

52. Any actual announcement yet?

[BeFrank]

56. CNN reporting Cindy is going to run

[mikelgb]

58. Condy will NOT run

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2096816

[mikelgb]

59. Breaking: Cindy will not run.

http://www.nbc11.com/politics/6849433/detail.html

[auagroach]

63. LBJ and the tent

"I think I'm more effective on the outside than on the inside," Sheehan said during a news conference across from San Francisco City Hall.
Personaly Cindy I would have preferred you in the tent pissing outside pissing in but God bless anyway.

[Laelth]

70. Welcome to DU!

:patriot:

-Laelth

[PittPoliSci]

71. how is she qualified to manage government?

nothing against her, i just don't know her background. has she ever held office before?

[IndianaGreen]

72. Cindy is not running, but DiFi is voting with GOP for PATRIOT extension

Our kind of Democrat, Russ Feingold, is going to filibuster this travesty despite the surrender of the weenie Democrats such as DiFi and Durbin.

Statement of Senator Russ Feingold
On the Latest Patriot Act Reauthorization

February 9, 2006

“This one-sided “deal” is unacceptable. The few minor changes that the White House agreed to do not address the major problems with the Patriot Act that a bipartisan coalition has been trying to fix for the past several years. We’ve come too far and fought too hard to agree to a few insignificant changes. I will continue to strongly oppose, and use every option at my disposal to stop, any reauthorization of the Patriot Act that does not protect the rights and freedoms of law-abiding Americans with no connection to terrorism.”

http://feingold.senate.gov/~feingold/statements/06/02/200602099.html

[PittPoliSci]

73. thanks!

I'm really tired of this "middle-of-the-road" democrat shit that's been going on for far too long now. I'm even more disgusted to see that the candidate-elect Casey for US Senate in PA is shaping out to be such a lame ass.