DCCC director defends Wasserman Schultz...says bloggers make "much ado about nothing."

[madfloridian]

We learned that two Democratic House members from South Florida have become way too chummy with their Republican counterparts

They are refusing to campaign against their Republican counterparts in South Florida, even though 3 good Democrats are running and need support.

One in particular is especially upsetting because she is head of the DCCC's Red to Blue program to get Democrats elected to Congress.

This time around, Wasserman Schultz and Meek say their relationships with the Republican incumbents, Reps. Lincoln Diaz-Balart and his brother Mario, and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, leave them little choice but to sit out the three races.

''At the end of the day, we need a member who isn't going to pull any punches, who isn't going to be hesitant,'' Wasserman Schultz said.

The decision comes as Democrats believe they have their best shot in years to defeat at least one of the Cuban-American incumbents with a roster of Democrats that include former Hialeah Mayor Raul Martinez, opposing Lincoln Diaz-Balart; outgoing Miami-Dade Democratic party chair Joe Garcia, opposing Mario Diaz-Balart; and businesswoman Annette Taddeo, opposing Ros-Lehtinen.

But Wasserman Schultz and Meek say their ties to the three Republicans are personal as well as professional: Both served in the state Legislature with Mario Diaz-Balart and say they work in concert with all three on South Florida issues.

Now this is really getting attention. DavidNYC of DailyKos and Swing State Project is right on top of it.

Brian Wolff, executive director of the DCCC, says the bloggers are making "much ado about nothing," noting that it's "customary" for members to remain neutral in races involving GOP members of their respective congressional delegations.

I am getting the feeling this goes on a lot more than we realized. Maybe this is why it has been hard to bring change in Congress even though we control the House by a good margin.

Debbie says to get the bloggers "off my back." The DCCC director dismisses us as making too big a fuss. Business as usual. Same old same old.

"I have read some of the bloggers' comments," she told me, imploring me to "please help get them off my back," as she seemed to be frustrated by the coverage she's received lately in the blogosphere.

Even the Washington Post is on it now.

"Debbie Dubya?"

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) is getting brutally walloped in the liberal blogosphere for refusing to endorse the Democratic challengers to three potentially vulnerable GOP incumbents in Florida.

Liberal bloggers are irate that Wasserman Schultz, who co-chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Red-to-Blue program, has declined to endorse the Democrats running to unseat Cuban American Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Lincoln Diaz-Balart and his brother, Mario Diaz-Balart.

Wasserman Schultz says she doesn't want to stab GOP members of her own delegation in the back. But liberal bloggers say she's killing her own while aiding and abetting the enemy.

The political blog Swing State Project has even given the congresswoman a nickname to reflect that unholy allegiance: Debbie Dubya. The bloggers also are furious with Rep. Kendrick B. Meek (D-Fla.),who similarly refuses to endorse the Democratic challengers to the three Cuban American Republicans.

They are calling for Wasserman Schultz to step down from her leadership role at the DCCC. And they're not letting up, even after one Florida liberal blogger reported that the congresswoman seemed "frustrated" by the blogs and had asked to "please help get them off my back."

Debbie Wasserman Schultz also said "The blogosphere sometimes turns into a game of telephone."

Oh, really, Debbie? To you it is a "game of telephone?"

No wonder nothing we as activists say or do matters especially. Those
whom we elected think we are playing a game or making much ado about
nothing. :eyes:

[Kittycat]

1. Looks like it's time for a campaign to unseat her - if it's much ado about nothing.

[mod mom]

15. agreed-UFB!

[Sarah Ibarruri]

2. I remember when I admired Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Then she started pelosing her way around politics, and now she's kissing anyone's ass that __________________________ (fill in the blank with whatever you think she's getting out of this off the record).

She has changed DRASTICALLY from what she used to be. I hope to God she reads this. She's no longer a person to admire.

[monmouth]

3. John Edwards just sent an e-mail asking for a donation to them.

Don't think so....

[krispos42]

4. Republicans have been stabbing everybody in the back!

Time to stab back!

[Supersedeas]

10. friends on a personal and professional level with Repugs?

[xchrom]

5. more dems supporting, courting and generally exressing love for republicans. nt

[madfloridian]

7. It's a pattern.

:hi:

[Me.]

8. Perhaps A New Program Should Be Put In PLace

No Republican Left Behind

[madfloridian]

9. NRLB...I like that.

:hi:

[Me.]

6. Transparency

It's all coming out of the shadows now, the fixed in-Con game. And let's not forget Debby Dubya's and Hastings role in Fla. primary debacle, I'm sure the DNC could speak volumes about this. I hope you Floridians keep all of their feet to the fire.

[madfloridian]

17. Oh, trust me, I won't forget.

But if you say the "p" word in this forum they will move my post to GDP. Shhhh

:hi:

Kidding. :)

[MasonJar]

11. Is it too late to run a dem against her? If so, she should definitely be a target in 2 years.

And so should the other dems who refuse to support their fellow dem candidates. But what Debbie w. s. is doing is especially egregious since she is on the red to blue DCCC committee. I will not give them one dime until they kick her off the committee. I am outraged!!!!!!!!!

[Sam Ervin jret]

12. She thinks it's a game? Give her a game. TAG you're OUT.

Work day and night for whoever is her democratic challenger. Or if you live there and so desire, be that challenge.

[WCGreen]

13. That is just unconscionable for someone in the party leadership

to behave like this...

She should be stripped of her leadership role..

[madfloridian]

14. They don't want to offend the Republicans. Amazing.

And we wonder why it has been so hard to get the Dems in congress to stand up for things.

[fascisthunter]

16. These So-Called "Democrats" are Republican Infiltrants

they need to be exposed as you are doing now, then booted from the party, maybe even investigated.

[The Wizard]

18. Any Democrat

who befriends right wing torpedo and blabber mouth Ileana Ros-Lehtinen needs to switch parties. There aren't many in Congress who are more offensive to democracy than the aforementioned Ros-Lehtinen, the Latina Ilse Koch.
Go here for an apt description: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilsa,_She_Wolf_of_the_SS

[Schema Thing]

19. In an urn, on the mantle?

[donkeyotay]

20. And the dems wonder why they have a 15% approval rating?

"They are refusing to campaign against their Republican counterparts in South Florida, even though 3 good Democrats are running and need support."

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen put forth the legislation for destabilizing Iran. Wasserman Schultz and Meek both did a good job pretending to be democrats opposing the war.

[donkeyotay]

21. Sounds right to me. The dems used the anti-war movement.

"Wasserman Schultz says she doesn't want to stab GOP members of her own delegation in the back. But liberal bloggers say she's killing her own while aiding and abetting the enemy."

[Uncle Joe]

22. Why isn't the "conservative blogosphere" able to help them?

Could it be that by the very definition of being literate, you're more likely to be liberal?

"Even the Washington Post is on it now.

"Debbie Dubya?"

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) is getting brutally walloped in the liberal blogosphere for refusing to endorse the Democratic challengers to three potentially vulnerable GOP incumbents in Florida."


P.S. What is this game of telephone, Schulz speaks of?:shrug:

[madfloridian]

23. David posts on this again...she is "unrepentant"

From David NYC of Swing State Project and Daily Kos:

Debbie Wasserman Schultz Unrepentant

I know there are people here that are interested in a political matter, so I will get that out of the way right at the beginning. If you have a concern about my previous comments about my staying out of the races in South Florida where candidates are challenging Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Ileana Ros- Lehtinen and Mario Diaz-Balart, I will tell you two things:

First off, I have not endorsed any of the three incumbents in South Florida, nor will I, and I do not support their re-election campaign. I am supportive of the Democratic candidates who are running against them. I have never said otherwise.

Second, I have a national role as one of three co-chairs of Red to Blue Program. All candidates, from Florida to Alaska, have criteria that have to be met to get on this targeted list. Let me guarantee that if they fulfill those criteria, these three Democratic Candidates will be part of our Red to Blue Program...period, end of story. We have three co-chairs in order to be able to spread the workload among us. It makes much more sense to have someone from outside of one's own region to be able to make the hits necessary.

But at the same time I am a representative of the 20th Congressional district of Florida, and I think it is absolutely my responsibility to work with my Republican colleagues.

SO...she is actually saying she will only work for them IF they meet Red to Blue criteria...and still she won't work against her Republican friends. Her "friends" there are no friends of our state and our country....only of right wing ideology.