Greyson is down by 3 points, is that was the party considers "unwinnable"?

[DaveinJapan]

On the 538 blog, I see that Alan Greyson is down by 3 points (47% to 50%). Is that not within the margin of error??

How is it that the party has pulled his funding?

Is it just a disingenuous way of getting rid of a "loudmouth" that they think makes too many waves?

IF the GOP does take over, we liberals NEED voices like his to speak out from the minority side!

[midnight armadillo]

1. we have a winner!

Is it just a disingenuous way of getting rid of a "loudmouth" that they think makes too many waves?

Bingo.

[pscot]

17. They can't bear to part from Blanche Lincoln

But Alan Greyson is expendable?

[deaniac21]

48. They will (unfortunately) part from Blanche. She doesn't have

the semblance of a chance.

[bvar22]

64. The White House is responsible for the loss of that seat.

Is Blanche still receiving Party Funds for her futile campaign?

[txlibdem]

85. Amen.

ARTHUR: Consult the Book of Armaments!

MAYNARD: Armaments, Chapter Two, Verses Nine to Twenty-One.

BROTHER: "And Saint Atila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying, 'Oh, Lord, bless this thy hand grenade that with it thou mayest blow thy enemies to tiny bits, in thy mercy.' And the Lord did grin, and people did feast upon the lambs, and sloths, and carp, and anchovies, and orangutans, and breakfast cereals, and fruit bats, and large --"

MAYNARD: Skip a bit, Brother.

BROTHER: "And the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three, no more, no less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shalt be three. Four shalt thou not count, nor either count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out. Once the number three, being the third number, be reached, then lobbest thou thy Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch towards thou foe, who being naughty in my sight, shall snuff it.'"

MAYNARD: Amen.

ALL: Amen.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/mphg/mphg.htm

[Cassandra]

2. I sent him money today.

Better Grayson than the DCCC.

[donco]

36. he got twenty five of

my hard earned bucks tonight as well.

[Hoosier]

67. same here...

That guy is great. We need about 100 more of him.

[Maraya1969]

84. 4:26 am and I just sent some money. He is a hero of mine.

[QC]

3. Having too many people like Grayson around makes it hard to play this tired little charade

about how we can only pass timid, corporatist legislation because that's the pragmatic, sensible thing to do.

[nashville_brook]

23. +1000

[Enthusiast]

44. You got it right.

It's a charade. Grayson doesn't play his role like a good little boy.

[mmonk]

45. Bingo.

You win.

[phantom power]

63. +oo

[OHdem10]

4. With friends like centrists, who needs enemies.

[EFerrari]

5. Kick

[KharmaTrain]

6. Only So Much Money For 100 Competitive Races...

...and considering how many people here posted how proud they were of hanging up on appeals from the DNC and the DSCC and DCCC I'm not surprised if they're cash strapped...trying to deal with the massive buying blitzes of the third parties this year. In my area there are three seats that are endangered...all polling closer than Congressman Greyson's race. He also has raised $4 million...a far bigger warchest than most. That should be plenty to get his message out. The money is limited and needed in a lot of places this year.

Regarding the "stiffling" of Congressman Greyson, I could see a loss as something that liberates him. He makes "good copy" and I wouldn't be surprised if he found a place on Progressive Radio and a regular on the teevee.

[elleng]

12. I agree that they have difficult decisions about what to do with their $,

and WE are free to do what we want with ours.

As to 'liberating' Grayson, won't think about that!

[ooglymoogly]

57. What an odd post. nt

[Divine Discontent]

71. was thinking the same when I read #6 too. And they should know it's Grayson, not Graysen...

and he's the best Congressperson there is.

[countrydad58]

75. If Obama tacks farther to the right

Alan should Primary Him in 12! He would be a more combative candidate than Kucinich! Run Alan Run if you lose & Obama drifts further right!

[DeadEyeDyck]

78. here here!

If you are going to run, run on something!

[KharmaTrain]

86. He Won't Run...

Or at least not as a Democrat. The rushpublicans would love to see someone try to primary a standing President. The route for more Progressive is on the local level...building up a bigger caucus in the House and a Progressive bloc in the Senate. Make it easier for this administration to pass more progressive legislation without having to compromise with blue dogs and other paid-for legislators.

[Autumn]

88. I would rather he not be liberated"

I think he is just what we need in our Government. Your post is BS. I don't get why people feel we need to support DINOS and throw out the good guys, seems like something only a DINO would be for.

[KharmaTrain]

89. It's Up To The People Of His District...

Other than sending a contribution (which I did months ago), little I or anyone from outside his district can do. He has $4 million to accomplish this...far more money than a majority of other House candidates. He may be what is needed in our government, but if the folks in his district don't agree ain't much anyone can do.

As far as me "supporting DINOs"...not worth more than a snicker...

[Autumn]

90. Oh I did not know the election was over and

the people in his district had decided already . I thought I was responding to the idea of the party pulling funding. What I've heard on the news, $4 million is nothing this election.

[Nite Owl]

7. If he were a Blue Dog

he would have the $ pouring in from the DCCC. They don't like him because he speaks the truth, he is for the people not the corporations. The reason I only give to individual candidates, like Alan Greyson and not the party.

[countrydad58]

74. Exactly

Like my Blue Dog critter Mike Arcuri, who is up by +10 on bagger douchebag Richard Hanna. Our small rural area has been inudated by both DNC,RNC, Special interest money.I sure wish Grayson was my congressman!

[sabrina 1]

8. He was never down by more than 7 points anyhow.

Now he's UP by four from last week. Go GRAYSON!!

[unkachuck]

9. "...is that was the party considers "unwinnable"?"

....maybe the corporate Dems don't like Progressives?

[Odin2005]

10. THE DLC FUCKERS WANT HIM TO LOSE!

[nashville_brook]

20. sadly, it would seem that way.

[Individualist]

61. +1

[WillyT]

11. HUGE K & R !!!

:mad:

:kick:

[elleng]

13. CONTRIBUTE and/or PHONE BANK FOR ALAN GRAYSON HERE!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9361232&mesg_id=9364827

[ShamelessHussy]

14. i'm sure it's all in your head

or over your head, the multi dimensional chess strategy.

don't worry, the pro's got it all figured out.

[elleng]

15. Link?

Recall that he told us he had good numbers, didn't want to make 'noise' about it so as to encourage repugs to dump more against him.

[DaveinJapan]

18. Link to what? 538.com?

It's Nate Silver's blog, simply click on "House" right there at the top of the screen and you can find the numbers under his district in FL.

[Dawson Leery]

16. The Democrat "Leadership" Council strikes again!

Can't have anyone upsetting the pork barrel gravy train.

[sabrina 1]

21. He's too progressive for them.

But he did it before, and he's nearly there now. I believe he's going to make it.

:kick:

[Dawson Leery]

22. The Florida Democrats are going to come out for Meek and Sink.

That could be enough to put Grayson over the top again.

[suffragette]

25. And that's worth another kickety

for on the spot analysis.
:kick:

[nashville_brook]

19. kicked and donating!!!

[elleng]

32. THANKS!

[nashville_brook]

65. it's a pretty regular thing for me -- i give $20 bucks every time i have to listen to a dumbass RW

chamber of commerce rant at work. it's really added up lately


:evilgrin:

[Kaleva]

24. Grayson is in the top 5 at Act Blue and...

according to one article I read a couple of days ago, has outraised his challenger in private contributions by a 4-1 margin. I posted a link to that article in the thread that discussed a similar story and someone replied that maybe the DCCC figures Grayson has enough cash on hand to compete and win.

[elleng]

26. 'Enough cash' is an option, as Dems are strapped due to huge repug $.

Clear from what we see at DU that he is very attractive to contributors.

[mzmolly]

27. Yep, three measly

points. (Presumably within the margin if error.) The RNC says it's 16 points. Apparently we believe them about these matters of late? :eyes:

Click on my sig-line to donate to Congressman Grayson. :hi:

[raouldukelives]

28. K&R

[iamjoy]

29. Grayson Doesn't Need Money

At least, I think that he needs people to make calls to voters more.

[elleng]

31. I think its NOT A GOOD IDEA TO 'HEADLINE' SUCH,

tho he surely needs phone calls. After all, we really don't know what his plans or hopes are for spending.

[iamjoy]

43. OK, He Needs Money!!!!

But he probably needs volunteers at least as much.

Is that better?

[elleng]

58. Yes, better! Thanks!

[defendandprotect]

77. Sent some money yesterday-- he needed volunteers for phone calls ....

[Hippo_Tron]

40. He needs both

Even though GOTV largely depends on volunteers it still costs a lot of money to pay for phone lines, gas mileage, keeping the lights on in the office, etc. All of that adds up quickly, especially when you are also trying to keep your TV ads on the air.

[DeadEyeDyck]

79. he got $100 from me

I love a fighter-I truly do. I am so tired of the "go along to get along" lunch bunch!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

30. At least spell his name right. It's "GRAYSON." My last name is "Gray,"

and there's nothing more frustrating than people assuming it's "Grey." I'm a proud American, not English. Just kidding...

Anyway, I totally agree with you.

Van Hollen, the head of the DCCC is my congressman. I'm shocked that he made a decision like this. Van Hollen is NOT DLC, but this decision has really gotten me angry.

That's why I won't give money to the DCCC or the DNC. I give straight to the candidates' campaign.

Headed to give another $50 or so to GrAyson! He rocks!!!

[DaveinJapan]

33. My bad.

Another typo up there as well, but it appears to be too late to edit. :(

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

37. No worries. We're on the same team! n/t

[elleng]

34. SEE the 538 Oct. 20 projection:

http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/forecasts/house/florida/8

[BzaDem]

35. Historically, candidates below 50 AND down in the polls at this stage tend to lose on election night

though I wouldn't call it unwinnable. There are probably competitive 40-50 races that are more winnable though.

I really hope he pulls it out.

[Hippo_Tron]

39. If every 50 and down dem loses then the GOP wins the majority

So obviously the DCCC has to invest its money in some of these races. Honestly, I don't see why they're so sure this one will flip, though. There hasn't been a whole lot of polling to suggest it will.

[Freddie Stubbs]

47. Which race are they currently funding that they should not?

There is only so much money to go around. It has to be spent where it can do the most good.

[Hippo_Tron]

55. I'm just not so sure why the pundits are saying this one is so likely to flip

I'm not necessarily disagreeing with the DCCC's decision. They have internal polling that I don't. I just don't understand why everyone is saying Grayson is so likely to lose this thing. I've seen a lot of other incumbents that are polling a lot worse.

[BzaDem]

69. I think the DCCC is resigned to losing a majority at this point, and are just trying to save as many

seats as possible. A 215 vote minority is better than a 180 vote minority.

[Hippo_Tron]

81. I don't think they are

If they win the races they are still playing in, they would retain the majority.

[bbgrunt]

38. the people in charge of the $ consider him a professional leftist.

[elleng]

42. Get real.

He said here: '{A}ccording to Politico 20% of all of the outside right-wing special-interest money in the entire country has been spent against me, {and} the Executive Director of the NRCC said that I'm the Republican's Number One target in 2010.' #209, Oct. 19 live blog, 8:05 p.m.

WE HAVE TO HELP HIM, as for Dem party to do so is prohibitively expensive and makes it impossible for them to help others.

[grahamhgreen]

41. Get it - Obamacrats don't want us with any power - which is why we must get out our votes!

[The Uncola]

46. K&R

[DemocratSinceBirth]

49. If

If the poll is correct the DNC has to be ignorant to pull the plug on his campaign. If Daniel Webster, his opponent, was in danger of losing it would seem he wouldn't be refusing to debate.

[LoZoccolo]

50. They probably pulled his funding because he's getting a lot of it from other people.

Funny how people on DU like to post about how they told the DCCC/DSCC fundraisers that they're not giving to the fund for whatever reason, and that they're only going to give to particular "progressive" candidates, and then complain that the DCCC/DSCC decides that the "progressive" candidate is getting enough money from "progressives" that it should fund other races that need help.

[wmbrew0206]

51. Or the DCCC is seeing different numbers on their internal polling.

As another poster mentioned, Greyson is below 50% and it is less than two weeks until the election.

There are also other polls that candidate and organization commission that have different turn out models and the likelihood of each of those models happening. I am guessing that the DCCC has seen some polling that shows Greyson chances being very low based on the probability of the turn out model he would need to win.

This is a swing district and it is likely that it will be in democratic hands after 2012.

[DaveinJapan]

52. under the bus, in other words... nt

[CrispyQ]

53. I just sent him $25.

"Is it just a disingenuous way of getting rid of a "loudmouth" that they think makes too many waves?"

It's very possible that is the case.

[sufrommich]

54. I don't think the party has thrown him under the bus. From what

I understand, he has enough money,more than the republican running against him.Maybe they decided to put the money into underfunded elections.

[elleng]

59. Yes. They can't afford to compete with HUGE repug $ to him,

but have to spread their funds around to others.

[DirkGently]

56. Yep.

[disillusioned73]

60. I wish Grayson could speak honestly to us about this issue...

but unfortunately he can't, and we all know why. The centrists/corporatist would rather not have to deal with his "outbursts" and the resulting questions from the MSM in regards to his strong stances FOR the people and not the corps.

How can you justify letting this guy be a toss up?? If the leadership wanted to make a principled stand THIS is the race to do it in. Whether Grayson pulls it out or not will be played out in the "media" as the indicator of how this country feels about "the left", and we all know what the meme and the headlines will be if he is unable to retain the seat;

Florida rejects Liberal standard bearer along with Obamas socialist agenda

Progressive Congressman ushered out with Anti-Obama Snumami

fill in the blank

So, it begs the question - does "the party" wish to proceed in the next two years with a more progressive/left leaning agenda or cowtow to the right and allow the political spectrum to be skewed ever more to the batshit crazy side.... ???

To me, after what happened in Mass. with the Ted Kennedy seat special election. I would have thought that the Graysons of the party would have gotten a lot more support to keep some semblance of balance, but thats just my opinion.

[Javaman]

62. Imagine if all our elected Dems were like Grayson?

we would have single payer by now.

He's the lone voice of sanity that cuts through the bullshit.

If he loses, we all do.

[AnArmyVeteran]

73. If they were all like Grayson, democrats would be picking up seats in the house & senate.

The democrats are posed to lose seats only because almost all of them are complete cowards. Had they acted with courage they could be destroying the republican party. Had they had anyone working for them who had the ability to craft a message and communicate the republican party could be almost at the point where they would be taking their final breaths.

But from almost every democrat in congress to the president they have allowed republicans to manipulate and control the national dialogue. Hell, even the president allowed the stupid, illiterate and ignorant tea baggers outsmart him. How dumb can you be to allow the stupidest people in the country outfox you??? I like Obama but he surrounded himself with people totally incompetent to create or manage a message. I'm sure every college in the country have communications students who are vastly more qualified than the communications staff at the White House.

If the democratic leadership were smart (which they're not) they would pour a lot of extra resources into Grayson's district. At least they would end up with one person with courage in congress.

Grayson has what 99% of elected democrats do not have, GUTS!

[Robeson]

66. The United States has one conservative party, with two right-wings...

...Mr. Greyson doesn't fit into either one of those wings.

[brooklynite]

68. ANyone who thinks DCCC WANTS to lose a seat is an idiot...

The bottom line is that they don't have the funds to support every candidate, and their analysts possibly know something more than the results of one poll.

And FWIW, 538 modeling give the Republican a 75% probability of taking the seat.

[elleng]

82. At the same time, has them about 4 points apart.

Statistics, statistics, statistics.

http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/forecasts/house/florida/8

[pinboy3niner]

83. +100

Tinfoil hats aside. Of course the party doesn't want to lose the seat, and the notion that they want to get rid of him because he's TOO far left is ridiculous.

DCCC funds have to be spread thinly, and Grayson has extra-party support from orgs like DFA and PPPC. Grayson doesn't need the miniscule support DCCC would be able to provide--they're concentrating on candidates who don't have the kind of support he has.

[rasputin1952]

70. Grayson will do fine...

:hi:

[pinboy3niner]

72. With our help

The fact that he's being targeted by the Right, with massive undisclosed funding poured in to defeat him, is all the more reason to dig deep to help keep this Progressive Hero working for US in the House.

Grayson just may be the 21st century's more realistic version of Jimmy Stewart's 'Mr. Smith.'

WE NEED TO SUPPORT GRAYSON:

Donate here:
https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/grayson_twom

Phonebank here:
http://www.callforgrayson.com/

:hi:

[defendandprotect]

76. Howard Dean was attacked from INSIDE the Dem Party ... why not Grayson ...????

Think it's time we all wake up to the fact that too off White House and right wing Democrats are

attacking not Republicans .... but liberal and moderate Democrats!!

[Robeson]

80. Essentially, the repugs have moved on to being John Birchers...

...that left an incredible void in American politics. The repugs used to occupy a part of the moderate middle. But since they've decided to go off the deep end, that left that middle open. Unfortunately, the Dems didn't have enough of a vision to exploit that moderate middle by showing them how a good middle class policy could help them, along with helping those they had empathy towards.

What the Dems did, was take the easy route out, and simply became Rockefeller Republicans. Pick up that previous moderate to conservative middle, and to hell with the rest.

[defendandprotect]

87. There are very serious forces behind this shift to the right in America....

and certainly not legitimate forces --

the only way the right wing can rise is through political violence and stolen

elections.

Democratic Party has been under attack for decades and co-opted by the right -

too often now the Democratic Party is attacking its own candidates and its own

base!