From left to right: Adm. Joe Sestak (Ret.), former Clinton Administration National Security Advisor Tony Lake, and Richard Clarke, former National Security Coordinator for Security and Counter-Terrorism, speaking at Swarthmore College on September 18, 2006.
[Joe Sestak joins us today to discuss his candidacy for the PA-07. As with all Blue America threads, please stay on topic and please be polite. Drop in and give Joe a big FDL welcome! -- CHS]
Joe Sestak is going to be sworn in as a congressman in January. And that will be a great day for America. If you've been following this Blue America series you know I've never said that before. And I've never been more certain about any of our candidates. Yesterday, the country's preeminent rearview mirror prognosticator, the politically timid Charlie Cook, changed his "lean Republican" rating for PA-07 to "toss up." The first independent poll shows a dead heat but with Joe ahead and with momentum– and that was pre-Foley.
Let me say a few thing about this suburban Philadelphia district before I get into the campaign, the incumbent and our own stellar candidate.
PA-07 is predominantly Delaware County, just west and southwest of Philadelphia and was run by a corrupt Republican political machine known as "the War Board" for decades. It is now a pretty dependable Democratic district — Clinton, Gore and Kerry all beat their Republican opponents by increasingly large margins and Governor Ed Rendell took the district 2-1. Once Weldon, who was first elected in 1986, is rooted out in 4 weeks, it's all over for the GOP is this part of Pennsylvania.
I started covering this race in a serious way last March and in my first story about it I mostly pointed out that Weldon's rubber stamp right wing record wasn't a good match for a quintessential moderate and well educated district. Although I did point out Weldon's affinity for shady lobbyists and the Moonie cult, I wasn't all that harsh on Weldon.
A week later the Weldon slime machine was operating at full force — and off came the gloves.
Weldon, frightened by Joe Sestak's steadily increasing popularity, attacked — his 5 year old daughter, fighting for her life in an oncology ward. In what turned out to be the biggest mistake of his miserable political career, Weldon tried to make an issue of the choice of hospitals the family had their daughter in.
The district reacted with revulsion, perhaps reminded of how the hypocritical Republicans tried interfering in the medical decisions Terri Schiavo's husband was making for her — and its been a steady downward decent for Weldon ever since.
And Curt Weldon was no one to be opening up candidates' daughters to politics. His own is a bribe collecting bag lady lobbyist who has brought the family a great deal of money based on access to big daddio. Even in this swamp of congressional corruption few are as low as Weldon.
But even if Weldon weren't one of the most corrupt and slimy members of Congress, even if he was just another garden variety congressman, Admiral Joe Sestak would still be a godsend.
The bio of this retired Vice Admiral (with 31 years of service — get ready for a Rovian swiftboat attack) is inspirational. And his positions on the important issues facing our country are as good as they can be. Something Joe told me last night about how he came to his progressive positions stayed with me in a very powerful way.
"In the military we give everybody universal health coverage. We give everyone great educational opportunities. We encourage– even demand– that every individual be all that he or she can be in their jobs. And therefor they are willing to sacrifice for a common cause, for a higher purpose. These are Democratic ideals– investing in people. We are only as good as the strength of our people. Our military is great not because of planes and ships; it's because of the strength of our people."
This is the kind of common sense experience and instinct that informs all of Joe's policy positions. He has no problem with any of the Bush-Rove divisive hot button issues. I asked him about Bush's torture bill. He bristled.
"None of the Advocate-General from the services supported this. They all want to adhere to the Geneva Conventions. Torture gets you exactly what you don't want: false information. It's not a good bill and it doesn't protect our service members… We are respected for the power of our military and the power of our economy but we are admired for the power of our ideals. This torture bill harms that."
I decided to try a tough one on him — gay equality. It may be tough for people less sure of themselves than Joe Sestak, not is was more common sense for him. "I've been to war with gay men and women. How could you come back here and say that they don't have equal rights?" He looks forward to seeing the end of the 'don't ask/don't tell' policy.
He thinks Murtha has it right and is certain that we need to leave Iraq for the Iraqis to sort out for any number of reasons. One that had resonance for me was when he pointed out that "the cost of 2 days in Iraq is equal to 100% of screening of all air cargo placed on passenger aircraft in the U.S. for a year. The cost of 14 days in Iraq is equivalent to all education cuts in the Bush budget for 2007." Joe seems genuinely preplexed how congressmen like Weldon could vote, and vote consistently for such misguided priorities.
"People have gone to Washington and forgotten why the voters in the district sent them there in the first place. They lose track of the priorities of working families, of the elderly." He traces a lot of it to the role of campaign finance. "You cannot make a lobbying reform bill strong enough that I would not support. It needs to be strict. We have to have a transparent government. This Congress has failed in large part because of undo influence of a pay-to-play environment."
I trust Joe Sestak to try to change that environment and Joe Sestak is a can-do kind of guy and the kind of natural leader who can change things. Please join me in giving Joe a hand at the Blue America ActBlue page today. The first 25 donors will win a just-released dvd of the 1966 Barbra Streisand spectacular, Color Me Barbra. If you just want to donate but have no interest in the dvd, just add one cent to your contribution.
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Fitz!
HOWIE!
Before we get started I want to announce the winners of our little Blue America PAC contest: Susan McIntosh (VA), Jeff Wilton (IL), Barbara Hancock (NY), Linda Rigel (CA), Paul Dickman (PA), Diane Leveque (WA), Wade Morris ((NJ), Jeanne Savarese (CA), Alan Rolnick (CA) and Eric Jaffa (MN). Congratulations. Each of you will get an autographed copy of Al Franken’s ultra-rare and unavailable dvd Al Franken: God Spoke. Today the first 25 donors to Joe Sestak’s campaign at out ActBlue Page get a Barbra Streisand dvd. Of course, you also get the satisfaction of knowing you did your bit to gigantically upgrade the quality of our government. Admiral Sestak will be joining us in a couple minutes. This guy has the busiest schedule of anyone I met on the campaign trail so far so I’m especially grateful he’s taking the time out to meet with us this afternoon– and right after Bill Clinton!
Squids are not just for kids! Welcome Admiral!
One that had resonance for me was when he pointed out that “the cost of 2 days in Iraq is equal to 100% of screening of all air cargo placed on passenger aircraft in the U.S. for a year. The cost of 14 days in Iraq is equivalent to all education cuts in the Bush budget for 2007.” Joe seems genuinely preplexed how congressmen like Weldon could vote, and vote consistently for such misguided priorities.
Nice way to put it in perspective, and put the lie to the arguments that we can’t afford real security or quality education.
Joe! What is your position on stem-cell research?
Ben @ 6
Ben, that’s a great question for Joe and we should also ask him to explain how duplicitous Republican incumbents in moderate districts handle that question.
Howie Klein @ 6
I sense a backstory…
EDITED BY SITE OWNER
Please stay on topic during Blue America as requested by CHS above.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Mr. Sestak:
Would you care to comment on what the best approach the United Sates should take respective of North Korea’s intention to do a nuclear test?
Hello everyone, thank you for taking the time to have this conversation today. I am appreciative of the support I have received from this community!
Ben, I am fully supportive of stem cell research. 3000 people die each year from diseases that could potentially be helped by stem cell research. It is a matter of life, and I cannot understand anyone not wanting children who have the prospect to become adults not having the opportunity to do so that stem cell research has for them.
Unfortunately, Curt Weldon voted against stem cell research, and only after it had been vetoed, without enough votes possible to override it, did Curt Weldon switch his vote to support it… as he has also flip-flopped on a number of other issues from minimum wage to privatization of Social Security during a tough race for reelection.
Joe, welcome to Firedoglake. We’re proud to have you here.
Welcome Admiral Sestak. We’ve been following your race closely here on FDL from the start and we thought you had it all sewn up in the race for the GOP opponent with the lowest character, but recently there has been some tough competition. I hope Curt Weldon can pull through for you.
Joe, how much is your campaign focusing on your own story and qualifications, vs. Weldon’s record and character? What aspects of each are you primarily focusing on?
(I bet Able Danger knew all about Mark Foley back in the 1990s…)
Jane’s right; there are a lot of lowlife characters in the GOP lineup heading into November. No matter how many Foleys and Hasterts get thrown up into the spotlight between now and the 7th, you’ll be hard-pressed to find any as bad as Weldon.
Oklahoma kiddo @ 10
Oklahoma kiddo,
The real failure has been the lack of engagement with North Korea — as well as with other problem areas in the world — by the Bush administration during the last 6 years as it pursues the tragic misadventure in Iraq. We have outsourced our leadership for dealing with N. Korea to China, rather than assuming that responsibility ourselves. I believe we must take a very firm approach, engaging with North Korea through the six power talks and directly if necessary, in order to let them know that we will not abide by a nuclear test. There are still aspects of diplomatic and economic sanctions that can be used to dissuade N. Korea. We must be firm, however, that we will not permit nuclear capability in that nation that threatens not just our allies but our own forward deployed forces.
I would have an administration engaged fully and across the board – diplomatically, economically — to pursuade N. Korea it is not in their interest to take another step in their nuclear program.
Howie Klein @ 15
But Howie, you say this *every* week. Why, it’s almost like there’s an unlimited supply.
Joe, can you help me concoct a story to tell my wife re: why I’m donating to candidates in Philly and Hartford? I’m from Minnesota.
Worth every nickle, you are. Thanks!
Good luck, Joe Sestak…….
Eli @ 18
LOL! Alas, Eli, there seem to be. But I’ll tell you, when Weldon went after Joe and his family based on where they decided to put their 5 year old daughter in the hospital I was shaking with rage. It’s what got me involved with this race in the first place. I felt it was also the tirning point for people in the district. Moderates and even Republicans were repulsed by Weldon after this.
Howie Klein @ 20
Yeah, that’s super low, even for Republicans. I think.
Eli @ 14
I have focused on my public service in an organization that is actually ranked first in a Gallup poll, in terms of respect, by this nation — primarily, I believe, because of the confidence it brings when asked to do a mission. But I stress that what I most learned is that national security truly begins at home, in the health security, education security, and economic promise of our people. We gave all three to our sailors in the Navy, and they were ready to sacrifice for a common cause, a higher purpose, than their individual pursuits, which ultimately gave us a strong fourth pillar — defense security — and all four securities give us our national security. I underscore my belief in this principle of investing in people, learned in the military, and contrast it with a career politician who has “gone Washington,” in a pay-to-play government that cannot be asked any longer to be accountable for our national treasure of America when it cannot even protect the youth assigned to work in its hallowed halls.
Curt Weldon has forgot the needs of this District, which are not found in wasting our resources in Iraq, but rather in better securing our interests at home and abroad by a different set of priorities than a Bush administration that he has voted with 9 out of 10 times to shift tax relief from the middle class to the wealthy while mortgaging our future by economic debt and the failure to provide affordable and accessible health and education security.
Welcome, Joe — Enjoyed the series of photos on the campaign website of this Swarthmore event. I had classes with Tony Lake in college before he left to be Bill Clinton’s National Security Advisor — he’s a great guy, and it was great to see him again in the pix. I bet it was a great panel.
We’re all hoping you kick some serious Weldon behind in the election — it will be fantastic to have you in Congress. :)
(Howie, yay! I won one of the Franken DVDs. What a treat!!)
Admiral Sestak, I’ve always thought one of the problems with the Homeland Security department is that its people are prevented from belonging to a union. At airports, whoever is doing the hiring for security wants to hire low-wage workers instead of seeing the opportunity there for a whole new class of good-paying middle class jobs.
What is your position on union busting and the race to the bottom regarding wages and benefits in this country?
Joe — I see that the NRCC has made defeating you a priority. According to Greg Sargent they’ve spent $542,575 against you. Has the DCCC (or any other Democratic organization) come in to back you up like that?
I caught a repeat of the Sestak/Clinton rally speech. It was so refreshing to listen to an intelligent, coherent message of what the issues are and a plan to work on them rather than green bile and misdirection.
There were some great messages in Clinton’s speech that could be leveraged by other candidates:
ideology vs. fact based reality
the relationship of corruption and the concentrating of power in a very small stripe of a political party with absolute power and a whole lot of money
Anyway, it really resonated with me. I sometime feel I am going to spontaneously combust if I don’t start to hear some intelligent thoughtful ideas and some ideas on how to tackle at least some of the issues.
Balrog @ 19
Great question!
If we don’t change out 15 seats in Congress, we will have 2 more years of mortgaging our children’s promise. This election is about changing Congress, however we best can, to return to a Congress that feels accountable for the people. Steve Andreasen, a good friend of mine when I worked in the White House under President Clinton, ran for Congress in Minnesota, and has supported me for the reasons I just stated. I want to represent my local District best, but unless we change national policies in health and education, tax cuts for the middle class, and energy and environmental policies that work together, I won’t be able to do the best I can for them… and these national policies will obviously impact everyone throughout the nation, from Pennsylvania to Minnesota to California.
Hi Joe,
The campaign is getting really exciting, what with the fantastic support from Clinton and your wonderful performance at yesterday’s Sestak/Weldon debate (viewable starting tomorrow on comcast on demand). I haven’t heard you speak on the Israeli/Palestinian dilemma. Just today, the Palestinian primier again reiterated his statement that there would be no recognition of Israel. What is your view of the situation?
Jane Hamsher @
26
Yes, the DCCC has issued a number of mailings thus far that address the shortcomings of Curt Weldon, from his close alliance to special interests to his ethical challenges. They have been very supportive of this race as we moved to the red to blue list.
It is great to be in a campaign that has both netroots and DCCC support, particularly because I am not a career politician. But I think the message we speak here, that has resonated in my District, is one that is now appreciated on the national level as being heard elsewhere across the nation.
LindaR @
25
I am a big supporter of unions, that have done so much to bring about equity in pay, to confront child labor issues, and to fight for the working family. While there are many challenges to our economic system, beginning with globalization, these challenges make it even more important to have unions that bring people together to fight for fairness and accountability, from working conditions to pay and benefits.
This is probably more important than ever at a time when real wages have stagnated, and actually fallen over the last 6 years, as healthcare has skyrocketed, one out of four bankruptcies have health care cost drivers in them, and the cost of education has burdened our families.
Thanks Admiral for your service, as a military officer and now as a candidate. I know the sacrifice you are making and applaud your willingness to put yourself out there. On to victory next month. Joe
Welcome, Joe. Good to see you. I’m anxious to shake hands with you and Valerie on Tuesday at the Green Day shindig. I mean the People For the American Way dinner.
Thanks Howie. We look forward to it as well. People for the American Way represents all that patriotic Americans, like Admiral Sestak, stand for. I am honored to be able to speak at their dinner.
Judy voet @
29
Israel is a valued ally. But once again, this administration, with no oversight from Congress, has absented itself from being positively engaged in the region, which has led to the election of a terrorist group in the Palestinian government and the most recent conflict. We must approach this issue as President Clinton did, as a leader whose engagement makes both sides more willing to take risks for peace. President Clinton came very close to securing that peace in pursuing The Roadmap to Peace. I believe the failure in this area has to be changed, to where we can bring the parties together… but without negotiating with any terrorist government. We missed the opportunity to begin this approach in the recent war by not taking advantage of the initial fact that 7 Arab nations condemned Hezbollah… because they recognized Iran was pulling the string, a nation that did not have their interest at heart. By not engaging immediately to bring this group of Arab nations together to pressure Syria to force the end of the conflict, the Bush administration once again failed to take advantage of diplomacy to effect a positive change.
In short, I would be engaged in that region of the world, bringing people together to discuss — as hard as it is — an eventual roadmap to peace — but never negotiating with a terrorist government.
Mr. Sestak:
In the likely case that you will be swiftboated, do you have a defense and possible counterattack in place?
Joe Wilson @ 31
Ambassador, thank you. And thank you for all the help and support you have given me, by your repeated visits to the District and help elsewhere, and thank you for your service, sir.
Warmly,
Joe
So Howie, is it too late to combine sending money to Admiral Sestak with getting Barbra’s DVD?
;-)
Welcome, Joe. We’re delighted to have you here and even more delighted to be able to support your campaign.
Joe, I just sent you fifty bucks. That is the fifty bucks I asked to have returned from Sherrod Brown after he voted for the torture bill. I feel so much better sending it your way.
Prof @ 37
Not at all. Go for it Prof and you’ll have your very own Color Me Barbra dvd in the mail Monday. Still sealed in shrink wrap!
Titanyum @ 35
I have learned in the military that when an adversary is desperate, they will break the laws of decency. You would think a Congressman would be above that, particularly to someone who was born and raised in the District and helped protect it and this nation for 31 years.
I am being swift-boated. However, as the attacks come, we are fighting back without a doubt, with those with whom I served, along with a stark comparison between what he has stood (or failed to stand) for, and what I stand for.
I was just out campaigning for Mr. Sestak mid-day today, in Lansdowne. Four of us with signs & balloons occupied all of the corners of one of the busiest small intersections in the county. We’ll be continuing on Saturdays throughout the month.
Titanyum @ 35
The smearboats have already deployed. They don’t have the same crediblity they used to.
But I have the same question for you, Admiral Sestak. Are people catching on to the stark contrast between Republican flag-waving, and their reckless disregard for the fate of our troops in Iraq?
Very nice post Howie. I work inside the labor movement and I’ve been working with the AFL-CIO recently. I joined about 100 Sestak and Lois Murphy supporters this morning before the AFL-CIO’s national labor walk. I have to say that a lot of rank and file union members who live in the district felt Adm. Sestak was not only getting their votes but even the votes of some of their traditionally Republican neighbors. Great speech and story by the way admiral.
LindaR @ 39
I cannot believe that we would condone practices that would harm our own servicemembers in years to come if they are captured. As I have said before, we are respected for the power of our military and our economy, but we are admired for the power of our ideals. That’s what may harm us the most from this tragic misadventure in Iraq, and how we treat others in the Global War on Terror, while not protecting our own.
Kombiz @ 42
Kombiz. Do you have any pictures from the walk you can share?
I have to go work on my speech for the People for the American way, but I did want to tell all of you what an honor it has been to campaign with Joe Sestak. His is a tough district, gerrymandered as it is, but this seat is critical, both because of the power held in the hands of that incompetent Curt Weldon but most importantly because Joe Sestak is such a powerful candidate, and we need his experience and his patriotism in the Congress. His fight is a classic fight between the powerful and the people. We the people cannot afford not to win. Joe
Kombiz @ 42
Thanks for the welcome you gave me this morning! As I mentioned earlier, I am very appreciative of union support. 22 local unions, as well as the State AFL-CIO endorsed me. To crib what someone else said, “I won’t lose… but I cannot win without you.” Thank you.
I have found many Republicans disenchanted with the group that has seized control of their party in Congress and the White House. While they may not agree with me on every issue, hopefully they see someone who will work hard, stand up for what’s right despite the consequences, and truly wants to do what’s best for those he serves. This is a different election, and many Republicans and Independents are as concerned as Democrats that we must have a change, so I welcome their support.
Now this bears repeating:
Good luck to you, sir!
Liz @
27
You are right. We were all struck by President Clinton’s comments. I spoke with him afterward, and I intend to use his ideas to best explain the danger to this country if we do not come together. I also think that because this campaign has focused on the issues is one of the reasons it has resonated.
Welcome, Mr. Sestak,
Over the last couple of decades, the federal government has been gradually eliminating civil service positions, particularly in the Defense Dept., and replacing them with contract employees. This is supposed to promote efficiency. One of the consequences, however, has been that government employees seldom do the technical or skilled work of running a government, instead being consigned to administrative roles. Assuming you have formed an opinion on this issue, do you think this is more efficient, and should the trend continue?
Please note that I’m not referring to the use of contractors in a “security” role, such as Blackwater and Aegis. That is a separate trend, and very troubling in its own right.
Welcome Joe (Wilson) — looking forward to seeing you on Tuesday and hearing your speech.
While I’ve contributed to your campaign I’ve not been able to follow it until yesterday when C-SPAN showed you with Clinton. What high caliber folks standing up for us while Curt Weldon stands down. Sending you best wishes for a most important win.
Cujo359 @
49
I have watched the growth of contracting, and used contractors while in the military. I can say without a doubt that I have served with civil servants who were exemplary. While I valued the contractors, I always felt the civil servants were part of the “service” of our national security. We need to recognize that that community is getting older without imbuing younger talent in as much as we need to. If we don’t, we won’t have those helping alongside our military who have joined voluntarily to help further our national security. They are there full-time because they want to be… and we need to cherish that.
cando @ 51
Thank you!
Howie Klein @ 40
Did it, Howie.
And the next person who contributes bumps Adm. Sestak above $5,000 from the FDL-DWT-C&L “community.”
Do it at http://www.actblue.com/page/blueamerica#9375 and report back — repeating the link, to encourage others to do so as well (as we did the last round).
Howie, seeing that interview of you and how you selected candidates impressed me mightily. I have donated to more candidates around the country during this election than any time in my (rather long) electoral life. This is not because of Act Blue alone, but because of you hosting the Blue America days here at FDL. I wonder whether others have similarly been stimulated to become weekly donors to Act Blue via FDL.
Admiral, as a veteran myself (Vietnam-era), I have to say that I admire your willingness to speak out in ways that society does not normally associate with the military.
When I was a young, wet-behind-the-ears lieutenant, a major asked me to investigate the general on our post and whether he was (corruptly) funneling money from the Combined Federal Campaign off-post to his own boy scout troop. I did so. I found the letters. And the major later wrote a letter about how reform can occur inside the military.
When I see the colonel speaking out today about abuse of detainees in Gitmo, and when I see lawyers like Cmdr. Swift advocating vigorously for his clients at Gitmo, I have true pride in the kind of military that America is able to have.
There are few countries in the world where it is possible for such freedoms inside a martial organization.
Of course, a lot more reform is needed, as your own public comments about the don’t-ask-don’t-tell policy state.
But I am proud when a veteran can be a progressive veteran like you.
Best of luck in the election!
Howie, I have some pictures from my phone that I’m happy to upload to a flickr account as soon as I get to a computer. I’ll be happy to drop a link to the pictures in the comment section.
Adm. Sestak said in # 34: we can bring the parties together… but without negotiating with any terrorist government.
First of all, I find this characterization of the current Palestinian government highly offensive, let alone inaccurate. The Palestinian people voted for what they perceived to be the only viable alternative to the corruption of the relic of Arafat’s rule. What would you have had them do back last winter, Admiral?
Secondly, every day in Southern Lebanon another kid is going to have his or her hands and arms blown off by a cluster sub-munition left behind by our “valued ally” – as you characterize Israel, a country with whom we have no alliances. Had you been in the House last September, Admiral, would you have voted to replenish the cluster bomb arsenal of Israel with no hold on how such weapons will be used in the future?
Admiral Sestak, I’ve contributed to your campaign before, and I am proud to do so again today.
(P.S. Mods, my link at 42 is to the Hill Congress blog. Just the facts!)
Eli @
5
Thanks… and do we need investment in our citizen’s education, beginning in Pre-K, where every dollar in produces 7 dollars on the output side after high school with more productivity, less crime, etc. Then we need to fully fund what’s needed for public school education, including state infrastructure banks to help support, through low-cost loans, the infrastructure of our schools, and college affordability. I don’t understand how Curt Weldon could have voted for 12 billion dollars in college aid cuts at a time when a flagship public university tuition has risen 58% in four years. It’s why we need a change in priority, a change in direction, in Congress.
Joe Sestak @ 52
I agree, but along with the civil service getting older, I think it’s also getting less skilled. I spent about twenty years working in the defense industry as a computer scientist, and at least in the areas I was working, there were no comparable civil service slots. If you want to do engineering for the DoD these days, you pretty much have to be a contractor. I think this situation drains the civil service of the knowledge and skills it needs to administer the projects it is supposed to supervise.
Prof @
54
Thank you very much. Now to win with your support, and help change Congress!
Good afternoon, Admiral, and thanks for joining us today. Amidst all the wreckage the GOP has wrought these past six years, Curt and Karen Weldon illustrate something very wrong with regulations about Congressional family income, just like the Doolittles. Knowing that relatives of Congresspersons are entitled to earn a living, how can the 110th Congress immediately fix these loopholes Congressional families drive their Brinks trucks through?
Thank you for your service, sir, and for challenging this corrupt GOP.
Ed*ard Teller @
56
I do find Israel a valued ally. I believe that once Israel and Palestine come together in a peaceful accord both together will be valued allies. I believe Israel has the right to exist, and negotiations cannot proceed with a government that says no to that. But I do believe that the people of Palestine, who have shown their frustrations with their conditions… are people that we must support until we can bring together those parties in the Middle East that are willing to work towards a just peace.
TeddySanFran @
61
I am for lobbying reform. I do not understand why Congressmembers should have special interests pay for their trips, or be able to cater meals in their offices. Reports by lobbyists on what they do on the Hill should be open and transparent.
Welcome, Joe.
Our country is crying out for leaders like you to step up and take it back from the criminal element that has a such a stranglehold…
Thank you for entering this race, and I wish you the best of luck.
And folks, while you are putting some money in the tip jar for Joe;
remember the Blue America PAC jar, we are collecting money to put “Have You Had Enough?” on-air in districts Jane, Howie and John at C&L think would make a real difference.
Admiral, I am interested in how you would propose dealing with the coming fiscal crisis, from Medicare to Social Security, Iraq, etc…
Joe Sestak @
62
Admiral,
I appreciate your response and would be even more appreciative had you summoned the courage to directly answer the politely framed questions I posed to you.
Jacqrat @ 64
Next Saturday we’re going to have a FDL town meeting and pick a candidate for the ads. We’ll have a discussion and an on-line vote for one of the Blue America candidates and then Jacquie will try to put the program together for $5,000 worth of radio spots in that district. This should be fun, so everybody figure out who you’d like to see and be prepared to explain why.
We need people like U in congress, best wishes from Great State of Minn.
SamInPA @
65
First, we need to return to a pay as you go government as Clinton had during his Presidency, with caps on discretionary spending. That is, budget discipline that produced the largest budget surplus in the history of our nation.
Second, I believe in protecting middle and low income tax cuts (and even enhancing them through a family tax credit, a home mortgage deduction for all homeowners — even those that don’t itemize — and a college tax credit for $3000 per year to each student… but I don’t support what the Bush administration has done, which is switch tax relief from the middle class to the wealthy.
I also then believe in deficit reduction by correcting misguided programs such as Medicare D’s legislation that does not permit the US government to negotiate a better price than what it is offered by the drug industry, as well as making transparent what is happening on the thousands of earmarks that have cropped up under the Bush administration in a borrow and spend environment.
I am not for privatization of Social Security… Social Security is a safety net, not an investment portfolio open to the ebbs and tides of a stock market such at the NASDAQ, that lost 75% of its value in one year.
From the War in Iraq, to the $350 billion uncollected in taxes each year, there is a multitude of ways to address this issue. In Medicare, approximately % of its cost is congregated in the 25% of participants that have multiple chronic conditions. We need to switch the focus of Medicare from just fee for service when needed, to early diagnosis and management of care, rather than waiting until illnesses are acute, which will yield as a start needed savings. While more needs to be done to come together, in a bipartisan way, to approach what should not be intractable problems, we can adhere to the principle of taking care of others if we also address the challenges by having fairness as the guidepost, not special interests.
I need to depart to get to another event, but I wanted to thank all of you for your support.
The next few weeks are obviously the most critical, but I know I will win with your continued support. Thank you for that… very much.
Warmly,
Joe
P.S. Check out my website at http://www.sestakforcongress.com for more information!
Joe, thanks for taking the time and thanks for the thoughtful answers. Best of luck and come back anytime!
Further proof of how important this race is, and why Joe needs every dollar we can spare – here’s yesterday’s FEC filing by the NRCC:
37. Opposes Candidate: SESTAK FOR CONGRESS
Office Sought: House of Representatives, Pennsylvania District 07
Payee: STRATEGIC MEDIA SERVICES
Date Expended = 10/06/2006 Amount Expended = $542575.04
Purpose: Issue Ad Placement
Keep running a great campaign, Admiral. Proud to be a supporter.
Joe Sestak @ 70
Thank you for fighting for us, Admiral Sestak.
Joe Sestak @
69
Thanks so much for being here today, Joe, we really appreciate it and look forward to seeing you sworn in this January.
Can’t wait for that January 2007 BlueAmerica swearing-in party! It’ll be great to see you there, Admiral.
Jack o’ Roses @ 71
That’s a lot of ads!
How did my comment at 42 end up in moderation? Not criticizing, I cherish FDL’s troll free atmosphere. Just wonderin’.
Thanks Admiral.
ifthethunderdontgetya @
76
If they told us what tripped the filters, the trolls would also know. Kind of a catch-22.
Admiral,
I would like to thank you for being here. I wanted to let you know that my 19 year old son has become very interested in the elections this year and thinks you are awesome.
I think that our kids are really scared right now, even if they don’t talk about it. My son has seen several reports on the “Jesus Camps” where Christian children are being indoctrinated in the exact kind of extreme ideological behavior that we are trying to deal with in the Middle East.
Do you have any ideas on how we engage young people and make sure they aren’t so disillusioned by whats going on at home and in the rest of the world that they start believing that things can’t be fixed?
I have a 19 year old who is watching reruns of Real Time with Bill Maher & PBS with Bill Moyers and tends to watch the news more than anything else. Not that I’m complaining – I think those are great choices :-). I just feel that he is looking at the chaos and corruption and wondering what the world will look like when it is his generations’ turn to take the reins.
Thank you!
TeddySanFran @ 79
My comment wants to see the evidence against it, and it demands its day in court!
ifthethunderdontgetya @ 80
Sorry, but your comment isn’t going to fly and we can’t explain why, because that would just give aid and comfort to the trolls.
Wednesday, our guest is David Roth who’s taking on Mary Bono here in CA. The promo I did for it at Down With Tyranny has a 30 second spot you might want to take a look at before Wednesday. See you Wednesday at 2:30 PM Pacific Time.
Howie Klein @
82
Thanks again, Howie.
hit F5 to refresh and comment 42 is visible!
Why is it suddenly so quiet here?
Eerie.
Time to go back over to my Hastert-Boehner Radioactivity Watch and see whether any more Republican candidates have canceled appearances by Hastert, Boehner, or other “Leaders.”
*ilson46201 @ 87
Thank you, *ilson, and all those who have supported me all these long years.
Thunder’s Comment 42 @ 89
Amnesty International really bugged us about you …
I will be at the tag end and I know that our candidate, Mr. Sestak, will be a great candidate, but the question about why many dems supported giving cluster bombs to Israel reamins unanswered. My suspicion, is that disapproval of the sale of cluster bombs would open up the candidate for absolute attack. And many are choosing to avoid the attack.
While the question is important, we need great candidates like Sestak in Congress. We will have to address this question at a later time. When we can truly do something about it.
I am from that district. I have been volunteering for Joe since the very beginning. I think very highly of him, and feel that I can trust him, as far as you can trust any politican. I like the way he thinks, speaks, handles himself and those around him. I truly do hope that pig face is dethroned and we get an honest person in representing us for a change.
It gives me hope to hear you so positive! Thanks for this article.
Started reading comments and noticed that the Admiral is reading and posting. So I need to say:
Admiral, I want you to know that I am very proud to say that I am one of your many volunteers. I have never volunteered before, because I have never believed in someone enough to give of my time. But that changed as I got to know you.
My district needs someone like you! Thank you for taking this on, and thank you for your 31 years of service as well. I look forward to your victory party!
Jenna
I am sorry that I missed Joe Sestak’s Blog appearance. I would have asked him this:
How do you think your first day as our new Congressman would be like?
There are a number of reasons to wonder why our nation, and particularly democrats, have sat back and watched Sun Myung Moon pump billions of overseas dollars into our political system funding the right’s rise to power. Billions in cash, much of it the Unification Church swindled from the Japanese and according Moon’s x daughter in law, it was laundered into the country. (read that link and ask Curt if he intends to give the money Moon paid him back)
Lots of questions as to why on earth there are even democratic politicians who send Moon well wishes on his efforts to subdue the planet…but Weldon’s staff made one of the most naive statements surrounding that strange crowning story. Danny Davis, after first defending his presence at the ceremony, later stated emphatically that he would no longer attend Moon functions.
But check out this report of naive blindness on Weldon’s part…an excerpt regarding Weldon, after claiming he was duped by the deceptive, manipulative, Moon organization.
http://citypaper.net/articles/2004-07-01/cb.shtml
then this:
http://www.hillnews.com/news/062204/moon.aspx
You ever ask Weldon how he expects to keep from being duped again by Moon if he doesn’t have the sense to rule out working with Moon’s deceptive organizations? Ever ask Curt if he is too blind to know that the IIFWP is just another Moon front designed to cajole the political structures of the planet and put the Moon organization in control of the direction of world events? That is all Moon’s fronts do, work to give him influence, that’s all they do. Ever ask Curt if supports Moon’s goals?
You ever ask Curt if he ever reads transcripts of congressional investigations into groups he helps? Works with? takes money from?
http://www.freedomofmind.com/r…..dex90.html
That’s a fine post, mb. I think the short answer is if you got a zillion bucks, you can buy legitimacy (not to mention, a newspaper).
But it doesn’t make it right (as oppose to, Teh Right).
GrandmaJ @
91
GrandmaJ,
I was upset that Adm. Sestak’s comments about Israel and the Palestinians could have been just as easily mouthed by George Bush or Joe Lieberman. They oozed the same acceptance of collective punishment one shouldn’t find acceptable in progressive politicians anywhere. This kind of pap is disgusting to me. Period.
I correspond with dozens of Israelis who are very critical of their nation’s flawed policies, and correspond with a few Israelis who laud their government and George W. Bush. I’m working on a project right now with a distinguished professor at Hebrew University whose political views put him a bit to the right of Avigdor Lieberman.
That being said, I’ll take an AIPAC shill who believes in universal health care, strong unions and major campaign finance reforms over an AIPAC shill who is craven, selfish, greedy and seedy – any day of the week.