Lincoln Chafee is the most liberal in the race

[JI7]

i hope he wins. anyone else here support chafee ?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

1. In Almost Every Race There Is A Candidate To The Left Of The Democrat Or You Can Write One In

Should we vote for them?

[JI7]

2. depends on whether a Republican could win because of split votes

in this case a Republican will not win . even if chafee loses a republican conservative will not win.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. In 1980 John Anderson Ran To The Left Of Carter

His subsequent career certainly proved he was part of the progressive ranks. Should progressives have voted for him?

[karynnj]

14. That was a very tough question at the time

He was to the left of Carter and it seemed clear before election day that the race would be close - which it ended up not being. If we were still at the primary stage and Anderson and Carter were running on the ballot, I would have vote for Anderson in a flash. I can honestly say that this was the only election where my choice was literally made in the voting booth. It was totally based on the combination of Anderson having absolutely no chance and both Reagan and Carter having serious chances of winning. Had either of these not been true, it is very possible I would have voted for Anderson.

[JI7]

27. Reagan had a chance of winning which he did unlike this Senate race

where the republican will not win . he is in the same position Meek is in Florida

[itsrobert]

3. Nader 2012?

? :shrug:

[jaxx]

4. *facepalm*

[young but wise]

18. ........

No, I think the op is talking about people that actually have a change to win.:rofl:

[JI7]

28. Nader had no chance of winning and Bush had a chance unlike this race

[Sky Masterson]

6. I'd vote for him in a shot.

.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. Why Not Voted For Nader Then?

He's demonstrably more liberal than almost any Democrat running for office or holding office?

[Sky Masterson]

8. Because Nader hadn't a chance in hell of winning

And he was only in it to prove a point and spoil.
I used to love Nader although I've never voted for him.
Besides,Lincoln will win and align with progressives.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. Well, Linc Is Running For Governor So He Can't Align With Progressives In The Usual Sense

Does that mean that Florida Democrats should vote for Charlie Crist because he is to the left of Tea Party darling, Marco Rubio , and Kendrick Meek "doesn't have a chance in Hell of winning".

I voted for Meek.

I am just trying to see what the new official or unofficial rules are.

[Sky Masterson]

11. I would probably vote for Crist

Only because Rubio would be worse and Meek is too far behind to win.
And since when is one persons vote a rule?
I would never campaign for a republican but I would pull a lever for one to stop another.

[Pab Sungenis]

10. Is there a reason

we couldn't have invited him into the party with open arms? He'd be a better fit here than with the Republicans.

[Mass]

12. As demonstrated by his support for an increase of the sales tax in a state where unemployment

is one of the highest in the country.

He is a moderate Republican from New England. I know it is a rare thing, but I am not sure whether he is more or less liberal than Caprio. And what I have read at this point does not tell me he is.

[Inuca]

13. He is no longer a republican

And he did not pull a Crist either. He officially left the party shortly after he lost the election in 06. I think (but am not sure I remember correctlt, so use grains of salt according to taste) that he commented at the time that he was not sorry he lost because without his loss the Rs would have maintained control of the Senate.

[Mass]

15. I know. But he has not changed. He still holds the ideals of moderate Republicans from New England.

[Valienteman]

16. Can you expand on why you think Chafee is more liberal than Caprio?

I don't know Caprio, therefore I 'd like to know how they compare on the issues.

[recadna]

17. Caprio did not support Obama

It is a payback time.

[JI7]

29. i ddin't know he didn't support Obama, but if he supported McCain

that is more reason Chafee is a better choice.

[paulk]

32. Caprio supported Hillary in the primary

and Obama is pulling the same horseshit here that he pulled in Colorado.

He needs to keep his nose out of state politics.

[AtomicKitten]

36. BClinton is paying Caprio back for that support by stumping for him.

http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/politics/clinton-to-stump-for-caprio-again

President Obama has declined to endorse anyone in the race.

Perhaps you should admonish BClinton to "keep his nose out of state politics."

[paulk]

43. a sitting President has more mojo than a former President

well, actually, that may not be true in Obama's case.

so maybe his endorsement, or lack thereof, really doesn't mean that much...

re: Clinton

a former President stumping for the Democratic candidate!

Shocking!!!

[paulk]

44. and I want to add

your admonishment of Clinton is really a stupid point to make

sticking your nose in "state politics" is what Obama did in Colorado, where he endorsed one Democrat over another in a competitive primary.

Campaigning for the Democratic nominee in a general election, which is what Clinton is doing, hardly fits that bill.

It is, in fact, what is expected from party leadership - you know - campaigning for and endorsing the party candidate.

[AtomicKitten]

45. In other words you didn't know Pres Obama had declined to endorse

in this particular race when you wagged your finger admonishing him for "pulling the same horseshit he did in Colorado." It's funny that President Obama hasn't endorsed anyone in the Rhode Island governor's race, yet you are slamming him for "interfering."

Funny that you are verklempt that President Obama endorsed the incumbent Democrat in Colorado (you referred to this as "horseshit" - ironically the basis for your hypocritical argument). BClinton endorsed his opponent because his main goal is endorsing as payback those that endorsed his wife in her failed 2008 presidential run to pave the way for a 2016 run.

You are transparent in your blatantly hypocritical double-standard argument.

* edited for spelling

[paulk]

46. by "pulling the same horseshit" I am refering to Obama

being more loyal to candidates who were loyal to him than being loyal to the party.

btw - Clinton endorsed Romanoff quite awhile after Obama endorsed Bennet. Obama endorsed Bennet the day after Romanoff announced he was running. He did quite a bit more than endorse Bennet - he raised money for him and lent him the resources of his OFA organization. You haven't really followed any of that, I take it? What Obama did in Colorado is not defensible.


And - come on - everybody knows that Obama's non endorsement of the Democratic candidate in the RI race is a tacit endorsement of Chafee. That's a really weak argument on your part - that he isn't "interfering".

[AtomicKitten]

47. News apparently to you:

your admonishment of Clinton is really a stupid point to make --- sticking your nose in "state politics" is what Obama did in Colorado, where he endorsed one Democrat over another in a competitive primary. Campaigning for the Democratic nominee in a general election, which is what Clinton is doing, hardly fits that bill.

Bill Clinton Endorses Romanoff in Colorado Senate Primary:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20009204-503544.html

Oops.

*******************************

Obama endorsed Bennet the day after Romanoff announced he was running. He did quite a bit more than endorse Bennet - he raised money for him and lent him the resources of his OFA organization. You haven't really followed any of that, I take it? What Obama did in Colorado is not defensible.

Indefensible? Okay, defend this:

Bill Clinton Throws his support to Blanche Lincoln:
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-dems/bill-clinton-throws-his-support-to-blanche-lincoln/

Bill Clinton tries to save Lincoln: Has tough words for progressives:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/5/28/870957/-AR-Sen:-Bill-Clinton-tries-to-save-Blanche-Lincoln

Bill Clinton Skips Healthcare Clinic in AK blaming Keith Olbermann for politicizing healthcare:
http://news.firedoglake.com/2009/11/20/president-clinton-chides-olbermann-for-making-arkansas-free-clinic-political/

Obama disengages from Blanche Lincoln:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/07/arkansas-senate-runoff-ob_n_602824.html


*********************************

Your hypocritical double-standard is on the record.

[paulk]

54. I don't think you can draw an equivalency between what Clinton

did in CO and what Obama did. Obama came to the state and raised 3/4 of a million dollars for Bennet. He allowed his campaign organization to work for Bennet, making thousands of phone calls (from Chicago) and knocking on doors. In many cases they worked directly out of local Dem party offices, which is a violation of the state party charter. Not to mention that he is a sitting President - and his actions in the race were unprecedented for a sitting President.

Clinton endorsed Romanoff nine months after Obama's endorsement of Bennet - he sent out some e-mails - yeah, sure - it was payback for Romanoff's endorsement of his wife - but it was hardly on the scale of what Obama did. Obama had an effect on the race, Clinton, not so much - and if Buck wins - and the latest polls still have him leading - this loss will correctly be hung from Obama's neck.


I'm not interested in what Clinton or Obama did in AK - I don't see how that is relevant to this discussion - outside of it being your usual style of "debate", where you fling shit in every direction hoping that some of it sticks to something somewhere.

[AtomicKitten]

55. You can rationalize your double standard all you want, it's still a blatant double standard. nt

[joeybee12]

57. Obama specifically endorsed Chaffee...nice try, though...n/t

[AtomicKitten]

58. Pres Obama did not endorse anyone in the Rhode Island governor's race.

Nice try yourself.

WH: Obama didn't endorse R.I. Dem 'out of respect' for Chafee
By Jordan Fabian and Sam Youngman - 10/25/10 04:03 PM ET
edited for link: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/125747-wh-obama-didnt-endorse-ri-dem-out-of-respect-for-chafee

President Obama declined to endorse a candidate in the Rhode Island governor's race out of "respect" for independent candidate Lincoln Chafee, the White House acknowledged Monday.

Democratic nominee Frank Caprio lashed out at Obama after he found out the president would not be endorsing him during his visit to the Ocean State on Monday, telling the president to "shove it."

"Out of respect for his friend Lincoln Chafee, the president decided to stay out of the race," White House deputy press secretary Bill Burton said onboard Air Force One.

Chafee is a former centrist Republican senator who lost his reelection bid in 2006, a Democratic wave year. The former senator endorsed Obama for president in 2008.

The Democrat is in a three-way race with Chafee and GOP nominee John Robitaille; Caprio holds a single-digit lead over Chafee in a recent poll.

----> Earlier this year, Caprio reportedly considered switching parties from Democrat to Republican.

-snip

Clinton to stump for Caprio
http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/politics/clinton-to-stump-for-caprio-again

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - A day after President Obama declined to endorse Frank Caprio for governor, the Caprio campaign announced that former President Bill Clinton will come to Rhode Island to campaign for Caprio.

On Monday, Caprio said that Obama could "take his endorsement and really shove it" after the president declined to make an endorsement in the race. Caprio's opponents include Republican-turned-independent Lincoln Chafee, who endorsed Obama for president.

On Tuesday, Caprio's campaign announced that Clinton will campaign with Caprio on Sunday, Oct. 31, two days before the election.

-snip

[BrklynLiberal]

25. a post by a local.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9389724

[JudyM]

30. Chafee is strongly pro-environment and was the only R who voted vs invading Iraq

Caprio, as I recall, favors the Bush tax cuts. FWIW, my peeps in RI report that Caprio's dad has a reputation for pay-to-play type corrupted politics. To me, telling Obama to shove it because he didn't get his endorsement, when he was proudly touting less than a week ago that he was going to appear with him smacks of cronyism, as well... meaning that he's buddies with Obama if Obama scratches his back but if he's not going to get something worthwhile from him -- personally!-- he's going to do him a very public smackdown. No class, no integrity, not principled.

:puke:

[provis99]

51. so if the Republican is more liberal than the Democrat, we vote Republican?

because that's the choice I was routinely faced with in Mississippi.

[JudyM]

56. For me, it's about looking at the totality of the situation.

No way would I vote for Nader even if I thought he was the better candidate because the race was close between the other two candidates and he had no chance of winning. I don't know about Mississippi but I guess if one candidate has a history of progressive responses to / votes on issues, that's more important than the label. But if it was going to be a close call as to who had control of the house, that would weigh in against. etc. So if Chafee were running for a US seat at this point in time voting for him might be more problematic.

[Milo_Bloom]

19. Lincoln Chafee is one of the few politicians for whom I have respect.

[AspenRose]

22. +1

I genuinely like the guy.

[AtomicKitten]

37. Indeed.

:thumbsup:

[Alexander]

38. Bernie Sanders was never a Republican. Are you thinking of Jim Jeffords?

[AtomicKitten]

39. I was; edited. Thanks. nt

[donheld]

20. What do people around DU want?

Just a person with a Democratic label or someone who actually pushes the liberal/progressive ideals? As for me I'll take the ideals and forget the labels.

[Phx_Dem]

21. I hope he wins. He'll caucus with Dems which will keep our majority.

The "Democrat" is an asshole. Obama knew what he was doing when he didn't endorse that piece of shit.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

23. I Think He's Running For Governor

~

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

42. It's great that you have such strong views despite not knowing what office he's running for

[BrklynLiberal]

24. Caprio is what might be called a DINO.

Lincoln Chaffee is that rarest of all creatures these days...a classic intelligent, empathetic Republican...er..now an Independent.

I sort of remember names like Ken Keating and Jacob Javits...hell, by today's standards, even Rockefeller was liberal....in most things.

[vaberella]

26. Some Dems on DU want Caprio to win.

I figured it was because he told Obama to stuff it.

[paulk]

33. maybe it's because he's the candidate of their party

strange concept, huh?

A little too strange for Obama, apparently.

[vaberella]

34. Depends.

I strongly believe in supporting our Democratic candidate. However, if there is one candidate that is more progressive than ours then I root for them. Since I'm for progressives. This is why I support Meek over Crist. I push for the progressive more so than 100% the Dem. I'm definitely not pushing for Lincoln to win her seat and she's a Dem. But she's also a DINO.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

41. So you always vote for the Green Party candidate?

[vaberella]

52. No...around my way some of their supporters are litterers.

Secondly---they rarely to NEVER discuss civi rights and race issues or minority issues. Those are extremely important issues to me.

[provis99]

50. so you voted for Nader?

[vaberella]

53. Howdo you peope come up with these conclusions...check post 52. n/t

[Valienteman]

35. What are Caprio's positions on the issues that affect Americans?

Nobody has bothered to talk about theissues yet. Labels are simply thrown around.

[Thrill]

31. You can watch this debate going on NOW here. Its amazing Chafee is the only one

willing to defend the Healthcare Bill. And Obama on other issues as well

http://rhodeisland.onpolitix.com/pages/35/eyewitness-news-providence-journal-gubernatorial-debate

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

40. Is there a Green Party candidate? bet he or she is even more liberal so let's advocate for them

[PolNewf]

48. False equivivilancy

Typically a green party candidate is a fringe candidate and a throw away vote in reality.

Chafee can win and has been leading in the polls. So people have a meaningful choice between a seemingly no class conservative Dem or a seemingly classy socially liberal\fiscally conservative independent.

[AtomicKitten]

49. Rumor has it Caprio secretly courted the GOP in his quest for governor.

http://www.projo.com/news/content/Caprio_GOP_10-27-10_I4KJ4E8_v15.231076a.html