Democrat Joe Sestak, retired Vice Admiral, to take on Curt Weldon

[MrBenchley]

Another great fighting Democrat....going up against the loony who crowned Sun Myung Moon the "King of America"....

"A Springfield native and graduate of Cardinal O’Hara, Sestak graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1974 and earned his master’s degree in public administration and doctorate in political economy and government from Harvard University.
Sestak rose through the ranks to vice admiral, a three-star level, and served as deputy chief of Naval Operations for Warfare Requirements and Programs. According to a 2005 Navy Times article, he is "widely viewed as an intellectual within the Navy Department."
During the Bill Clinton administration, Sestak served as director for Defense Policy on the White House’s National Security Council. He commanded the USS Samuel B. Roberts and later commanded a battle group of ships in the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf, conducting combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
In a question-and-answer session with reporters, Sestak said the invasion of Iraq was premature and that it diverted military resources from Afghanistan.
"I would not have voted to go into Iraq," he said. "There are those who asked me at the time. I said it was not a clear and present danger.""

http://www.dailylocal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16050907&BRD=1671&PAG=461&dept_id=17782&rfi=6

[muntrv]

1. This war in Iraq

is creating a wave of anti-GOP veterans running for office.

[MrBenchley]

5. What's this bring the count to? 55? 60?

There was a thread counting them up here the otehr day...and I don't think it included Sestak...

[rodeodance]

7. I would think they would be viewed as a viable option.

[bluestateguy]

2. He hates America! He's been endorsed by Al Qaeda!

Just getting people ready for what's to come. I hope he's ready too.

Swift boats must be met with torpedoes.

[MrBenchley]

4. By the way, isn't Weldon a chickenhawk?

I know he's also the loony who invented Able Danger....

[blm]

3. Hey Mr.B...is Sestak going to go after Weldon's watercarrying for RevMoon?

That could be exactly what Republican voters need to hear to switch.

[MrBenchley]

6. I wonder....

Goodness knows, there's plenty to go after Weldon on....

[blm]

8. Yeah...but that crowning in the Senate building was just TOO-TOO-TOO evil

to pass up.

[MrBenchley]

9. The problem is that it is SO fucking weird

that it sounds crazy to bring up first....

The tirck will be to get Weldon to defend it first....

[blm]

10. The pictures should do the trick.

.

[MarianJack]

11. Good News!

Before moving to Maine, I lived in weldon's district, PA7. The only Democrat elected there since before the Civil War was Bob Edgar, one of the most openly Liberal candidates I've ever seen. He was elected in the Democratic landslide of 1974 and served 6 terms, winning in a 70+% (at the time) republican district and being re-elected in the regan landslides of 80 & 84.

Bob Edgar was my congressman for 12 years, and NOT ONCE did he ever apologise for telling the truth and didn't give a damn what the right wing whack jobs said about him. Sounds like a very needed role model for today's Dems.

Sestak sounds like an ideal candidate to run against weldon, who is not only useless, but one of the most UNIMPRESSIVE lumps of flesh I've ever had the mis-fortune to meet!

Good luck to him!

[MrBenchley]

12. He seems like a great candidate

with a solid and honorable record of accomplishment.

[NCarolinawoman]

13. We seem to have the "High IQ" candidates. n/t

[MrBenchley]

14. Josh Marshall had a great comment on his blog....

"The vast majority of Democratic staffers work on the Hill, despite the miserable pay and long hours, to try to achieve some measure of good. Many, many Republican staffers- convinced that government is an evil- work here in order to make money off that necessary evil. That breeds corruption. When you have a majority of members and staffers that could care less about policy ad governing and more about power/influence/money/profit Abramoff is inevitable. When the hard, tedious work of legislating and oversight is done by people motivated by careerism rather than professionalism not only do you have Abramoff, but you have Michael Brown, Halliburton, and illegal NSA wiretapping."

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[mdmc]

15. Another independent, just like Bernie Saunders!

Awesome Benchey! Awesome!

[MrBenchley]

18. He's a Democrat...or are you utterly unable to read?

[mdmc]

21. read this, from your own link. what does this say?

Sestak, who is currently registered as a nonpartisan voter because he believes members of the military should be "apolitical," will likely face Bryan Lentz in the May 16 Democratic Primary.

[MrBenchley]

22. He's a Democrat

and will run in the Democratic primary.

Now run along.

[mdmc]

23. ok, but Bernie is endorsed by the party too!

:kick:
running along now!
Sestak, who is currently registered as a nonpartisan voter because he believes members of the military should be "apolitical," will likely face Bryan Lentz in the May 16 Democratic Primary.

[MrBenchley]

24. Sestak is a Democrat....

If Bernie's such hot shit, let him become a Democrat too. Otherwise he can go fuck himself.

[mdmc]

25. I thought that he was not enrolled in a political party

Sestak, who is currently registered as a nonpartisan voter because he believes members of the military should be "apolitical," will likely face Bryan Lentz in the May 16 Democratic Primary.


Either way, he is going to make a great candidate. I am in no way hung up on whether he is a registered member of the democratic party, or if he is not enrolled in a political party.

What makes you think that he is enrolled in the Democratic party?

[MrBenchley]

28. So tell us, why do you suppose he's going to be in the Democratic primary?

Why do you suppose he's running as a Democrat?

"I am in no way hung up on whether he is a registered member of the democratic party"
It shows...(snicker)

[mdmc]

35. In NY, a non party member can run in a primary (NJ too, right?)

with the political bosses permission. I bet PA is an "open" primary state. The link that you provided stated that he was not enrolled in a political party. Has this changed? Link?

The only reason I am holding you to this verification is due to you rants against other non-enrolled Democrats.

So, can you provide a link to verify that he has now in fact registered as a Dem?

[mdmc]

26. link?

Bernie rules!

[rockymountaindem]

27. While I often agree with you

I think the Democratic party should embrace independent office-holders who want to side with us in all but name, particularly if challenging a popular independent leftist with a Democrat would increase the chances for a Republican.

As long as they caucus with us, I think we should accomidate them.

[MrBenchley]

29. If they're all that, let 'em become Democrats....

They don't do shit for us as far as getting control of Congress.

[wiley]

16. Excellent News from Mr Benchley

as usual. Go Dems!

[MrBenchley]

19. We have the best candidates

and we have a program that solves problems for America...while all GOP shitheads like Weldon have are slurs, lies corruption, and divisiveness.

[FrenchieCat]

17. I hope, considering our arsenal, that Dems

Kick ASS BIGTIME in 2006!

Our candidates are sooooo much better than theirs! Enough to give one a "superiority complex"

:headbang:

[MrBenchley]

20. Your lips to God's ears!

[Catchawave]

30. That's great news !!!

We're building quite a national team for '06, the "swiftboaters" must be having head explosions by now :rofl:

Good luck my neighbors to the North :patriot:

[calimary]

31. I could certainly kick this...

So I will!

[Ciggies and coffee]

32. What a gig

I heard Scaife pays well

[snowbear]

33. Isn't Curt Weldon the one Lou Dobbs is giving all the free PR ??

He seems to be a guest on Lou Dobbs every friggon week...

[MrBenchley]

34. I try never to watch Lou Dobbs...

But I wouldn't be surprised.