FL candidate long ignored by Wasserman Schultz...becomes Red to Blue now.

[madfloridian]

So I guess this mean she will no longer be ignored by the Florida Democratic leaders, no longer will they fail to mention her when they have rallies. The netroots has pushed her cause well.



From Florida Progressive Coalition Blog

Terrific news for Annette Taddeo, our brilliant challenger against a Bush rubber-stamp in Washington. Taddeo now has full backing of the Democratic Party establishment’s Red to Blue program. It was leaked out today on The Politico and the Down with Tyranny blogs. This will mean more funding for her campaign against Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and equal footing with the other Democratic challengers in South Florida, Joe Garcia and Raul Martinez, who have been on the Red to Blue list for some time.

We all can help build momentum in this important race by canvassing for Annette Taddeo, who’s a multiple winner this week – certified also after winning a national contest among progressives to show whose backers would work the hardest.

Thanks to the readers of Miami-Dade Dems and those receiving Democracy For America-Miami-Dade newsletters and others who boosted Taddeo in the Blue America contest among nine progressive candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives.This is also a chance to introduce you to some nationally known blogs that were sponsors of the contest: Down With Tyranny, Crooks and Liars, Firedoglake and Digby. The idea in the contest was to register an individual’s support for one of the nine candidates by making a donation of as little as $1 to that candidate. Taddeo, who made calls herself to backers asking for a buck (I know, I got one of her calls), came out ahead in this national contest and will receive over $15,000 including a $5,000 matching check from Rep. Chris Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The DCCC now also has promoted Annette Taddeo from the category of “Emerging Races” to the fully emerged status of the Red to Blue program. This will call for the long-reluctant Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, FL-20, to become a full backer of Taddeo’s campaign to unseat Ros-Lehtinen, whom Wasserman Schultz has been reluctant to oppose.

Here is more about the Blue America contest she won.

I doubt Debbie Wasserman Schultz will ignore her now, and that is a good thing. This time the netroots mattered.

Debbie Wasserman Schultz undermines FL candidate Taddeo, fails to mention her name.

Man, Debbie Wasserman Schultz never seems to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. A busy bee at Monday morning's breakfast for the Florida delegation to the Democratic National Convention, she nonetheless made a glaring omission:

"I’ve given 2,500 dollars to Joe Garcia, 5,000 dollars to Raul Martinez. I will be involved in their campaigns and supportive of them," said Wasserman Schultz. "I haven't been asked to be an attack dog. I am supporting Raul Martinez and Joe Garcia, and I’m looking forward to their successful election on Nov. 4."

Kossacks know exactly what I'm talking about: Deb forgot to mention progressive fighter Annette Taddeo, running for Congress in Florida's 18th congressional district. Now, I'm thrilled that DWS has changed her tune and is openly backing Garcia and Martinez.(Remember, she previously tried to recuse herself from these races, despite being co-chair of the DCCC's Red to Blue program.)

Good for Annette Taddeo, and good for Blue America.

[FLAprogressive]

1. Boy, I'd love to see a non-DLC/non-corporate dem PROGRESSIVE beat Wasserman-Schultz

Someone who "pulls populist stuff on people" lol

[seafan]

2. This is GREAT NEWS. Hooray for the blogosphere for shaming Debbie W into it.

[madfloridian]

3. Amen, seafan.

And we have to make very sure that stuff like this never happens again.

"When I met her in Denver, she immediately told me that she couldn’t support me, saying I hadn’t raised enough money. I told her that I had raised $100K, that I was a military retiree, that my family is living on my wife’s Air Force E6 pay, and that I wasn’t able like other “viable” candidates to drop a quarter of a million dollars into my own campaign. I then told her, “Congresswoman, I am one of those working-class guys that our party claims to represent.” Her response was “Don’t pull that populist stuff with me.” I thanked her for her time."

People like Tudor should not be talked to like that.

[peacetalksforall]

4. I've had it with D W-S. FL - hope you vote her out. I thought she was a heroine

when she burst on the scene. Now I find her despicable. So sorry to say that.

[FLAprogressive]

5. That's ok

I'd also like to see her voted out in favor of a progressive non-corporate Dem.

[MzNov]

6. Great news! we are making progress.... however slowly. n/t

[madfloridian]

8. Very slowly. More candidates here need to speak out on how things work.

See my post just below this. Most just quietly take being pushed out for the leaders to choose.

[madfloridian]

7. Here's the guy who "pulled the populist stuff" on Debbie WS..appearances...pic

Since he went public with how she talked to him....I doubt he will be red to blue. Two FL Dems have spoken out on this.. Doug Tudor and David Lutrin. Maybe more should.



Saturday, Sept. 13th, 2008

10:30 AM to 12:30 PM

US Post Office, Downtown Lakeland,

210 N Missouri Ave., Lakeland, FL 33815

INSTRUCTIONS: Take your ordinary moving box and flatten it; tape it so that it stays flat; write the "Ship To" mailing address on one side (we'll provide the day of the event; write your personal note on the other side of the box (examples below); pay for the postage.

Watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB6PNTKM2xg&NR=1

Example of a personal message to write on the box: "I am sending you this moving box because you....

... voted with George W. Bush over 95% of the time;

... voted against every alternative energy bill;

... stood against Senator Jim Webb’s Post-9/11 GI Bill;

... consistently voted against the American Worker

... want to give Big Oil billions more in Corporate Welfare;

... voted against every minimum wage increase;

... voted against regulating the sub-prime mortgage industry;

... voted for the Bush-Cheney Energy Plan;

…have taken over $4 Million of Special Interest Money;

…refuse to represent the people of Florida’s 12th District!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Cordially Invite You to a Meet-and-Greet Reception and Picnic

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2008

12:00PM to 4:00PM

MLK Park

South Lake Silver Drive at 3rd Street, NW

Winter Haven, Florida.

[rucky]

9. Someone must've taken Debbie to the woodshed!

and she's making good.

[madfloridian]

10. Yes, she asked to get the "bloggers off my back,"

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1920

She is such a powerful spokeswoman on TV at times. But I can't get over how she made fun of rules and attacked Dean for following them during the primary. She has become such an insider she needs reminding.

[Dr.Phool]

11. Debbie Dubya is lucky I don't have a blog.

If I did, I'd be "up in her house with my disease". Whatever that means, but it don't sound too good.

[bertman]

12. Thanks to Madfloridian and the Daily Kos for enlightening us about Taddeo and her travails

with Debbie Dubya (I love that moniker, whoever thought it up).

After I read their accounts of Taddeo being ignored I sent in some hard-earned cash.

So, what I want to say is DAMN, IT FEELS GOOD WHEN YOU CAN ACTUALLY HELP A GOOD PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATE even if it is in a small way.

Next up for replacement: Debbie W.

[madfloridian]

14. That was nice of you to do.

We donated to her as well as Doug Tudor.

When Chris Van Hollen sent Blue America PAC $5000 to give to the contest winner...I knew the netroots had made an impression.

[psychmommy]

13. K & R. fl may turn out ok after all.

there is always hope.