It looks like Jackie Speier might be taking on Rep. Tom Lantos in CA-12, a district that covers northern San Mateo County and parts of San Francisco.
Stoller calls Lantos “one of the worst and most dangerous members of Congress with regards to Iran and Israel and one of AIPAC’s top allies“:
You can expect AIPAC to dump money into this race, and for the antisemitism card to be used aggressively and repeatedly by older right-wingers rich and insecure Jewish men and defense contractors. Younger progressive Jews like me are willing to step up and organize on behalf of less insane representation for our community, as we did against Lieberman in 2006. I did enjoy being called a Hezbocrat during the Lebanon invasion, which took place during the Lamont-Lieberman race, as well as seeing Moveon and its mostly Jewish staff attacked by the American Defamation League’s Abe Foxman because someone on an open forum they run made an antisemitic comment.
This might be one opportunity to organize again, this time more explicitly against AIPAC, though I’d need to learn more about the district and the race before doing so.
I met Speier a couple of years ago briefy when John Roberts was up before the Senate for confirmation and I drove to Santa Barbara and attended a benefit just to let Ron Wyden know that I didn’t think he should vote for him. (I know, I know, it was meaningless, Roberts was obviously going to be confirmed anyway, but it was something I wanted to do.)
Anyway, I was impressed with Speier:
She’s the California State Senator who took Ahnold down recently after he vetoed her bill to cut the use of supplements among high school athletes. She thought “that’s weird,” did some checking, and found out about his lucrative contracts to endorse said supplements. His polls then started their big tank-aroo.
But Speier is also a notable character in California history, having been one of the assistants to Congressman Leo Ryan when he went to Guyana in 1978 to investigate rumors about the People’s Temple. Speier was shot along with Ryan and left to die on the tarmac for 22 hours by Jim Jones’ death squad. Part of her thigh was blown away and she sipped Rum to kill the pain. (Gotta love her for that.) She still carries some of the bullets.
Speier is a solid progressive who comes down right on a lot of issues, from the environment to prison reform to gay rights. She’s also a tough customer. Lantos is an entrenched incumbent, but if Speier decides to run, he’ll have a fight on his hands.
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Jane!
One tough cookie indeed. Strong on several levels, just what we need nowadays.
Gawd I dislike Lantos. This man is a major stooge.
I have known Jackie since she was 16 and beginning to work in politics in Ryan’s campaigns. She is wonderful person, a fierce progressive and she would be MY representative in Congress. I am thrilled she is planning to take Lantos on and I will do everything I can for her.
number 4 for a Lantos constituent…
Jane!
Jackie is a terrific lady and brave like no one else.
And Lantos is a dangerous and entrenched fool who must go down.
Regarding Stoller’s statement, Jackie is also half Jewish.
Twain @ 4
We’ll help. ;-)
Go for it.
In this house we are very impressed with Speier. This individual is a real Democrat.
duggit!
Jane!
I guess it takes a strong woman to know other strong women!
You rawk! And so does Jackie Speier!
Fantastic news.
It is definitely time for some new blood. I was taken aback in a good way when Lantos spoke at the Petraeus hearing. He has never been meaningfully challenged unless you count a local San Mateo character who waves signs at passing cars just to make a statement. People honk in support of the guy, but they don’t vote for him…
Speier is definitely going to shake things up. As Jane writes, Jackie has confronted serious life challenges that will give her political service some much needed perspective in DC, and stand up to the personal challenges Lantos has overcome.
This is a race to watch, that’s for sure. Thanks for writing about this Jane.
One of my most favorite people of all time was Jewish. His name is Yitzhak Rabin.
Dayum!
You go girl!
If she can take gettin’ shot and drink rum to kill the pain instead of laying there waiting to die then that lady has my undivided attention AND support.
Especially nice she is a progressive.
Any thoughts on adding Blue America to the effort?
The Wyden link goes back to a post I wrote when Christy was still just a commenter here.
Haven’t seen one of those for a while.
Jane, thank you for bringing notice to Jackie. We really need her in DC. She is one of the strongest people I have ever known and has overcome much personal tragedy. This race may bring even this old warhorse out of the gate to do it one more time for Jackie and in memory of Leo. Thank you.
Doing the Snoopy Dance of hopeful anticipation Jackie Speier throws her hat in the ring!
Tough, smart and clearly fearless Jackie is a firepup dream public servant with a track record guaranteed to give Rahm and his gang sleepless nights. ;~)
newspaperbrat @ 18
That’s always worth the price of admission.
Jane Hamsher @ 16
Oh ReddHedd in the comments! It’s interesting to see the 2005 comments–and commenters. Most of them are gone…
(I first came to FDL around June 2006–but didn’t start commenting until maybe two months later. Just lurked and studied FDL ecology…*g*)
Don’t like AIPAC and other lobbies? Promote public financing of elections.
I’m just a commenter. But who knows how long that will last.
Really. I half-wished Jackie had jumped into the Governors race this last time against the Gropenator. Yeah, name recognition and all that. But she is no party hack (something that California Democrats seem to gravitate towards as if it were genetic), and that pretty face hides a whip-smart, pragmatic Progressive. An immensely capable woman.
i see from the old comments that Meteor Blades says good things too.
what’s her position on, if i may be so blunt, imperialism and hegemony in usa foreign policy? how about trade policy?
Jackie sounds great. But lets not kid ourselves there are plenty of young so called “progressive” Jewish voters and other progressive voters who take a hard right turn when it comes to being progressive about A*P*C or the Israeli Palestinian conflict.
Many “progressive” voters have serious blind spots when it comes to these issues. Others have been intimidated or attacked when they attampt to be more fair and balanced when it comes to the I-lobby and the ongoing middle east conflict.
Her candidacy would send a message to DiFi and other quislings that if you’re going to run as a Democrat, you’d better vote like a Democrat.
Former Senator John Edwards has not taken any ‘pac’ money. This says a great deal about Edwards. He has quite a few people pushing against him…..maybe Aipac
alana is correct, but this jewish person would be thrilled to see aipac lose some of its very right-wing clout.
Biodun @ 20
Yeppers. A lot of the good ones have left.
Veritas78 @ 26
Good, “It’s Time!”
Well, it looks like her primary is in June of 2008. I don’t know much about this district so please excuse me for asking a stupid question. But like most of California’s district is this one where if you win the primary you’ve basically won the seat?
Good on her. I hope she runs and wins. Not that I dislike Lantos especially – but he’s getting old and ossified and has adopted the reflexive AIPAC position on anything affecting Israel. Kind of like waving the bloody shirt in post-Civil War politics, that AIPAC position has become.
Interesting, too, that this seems to be Jonestown alumni week. One of Bushie’s nominees this week, to be the US Att’y in the N.D. Cal. (San Fran area), is a criminal defense lawyer who started out as a prosecutor, and prosecuted one of the criminal cases arising out of Jonestown.
lisadawn82 @ 29
Hi lisadawn!
Yeah, the Dem is a mortal lock here. Even one as odious as Lantos.
We are going to pummel the Republicans on election day 2008. And I think there are certain of my party who should take note.
Redd Hedd was never “just a commenter”..she has always been special*G*
lisadawn82 @ 28
I think it would mean that in Jackie’s case. She is extremely well-liked and everyone knows her. She did many very high profile things in the legislature and I’ve never met anyone who disliked her.
When I lived in the City (SF) I voted for DiFi many times. I am no longer proud of that fact.
newtonusr @ 31
This is definitely a race that I’ll contribute to.
woo-hoo!
Seeing Lantos backside’s final walk out of Congress would almost be worth the brain bleach
As to those who think electing progressives will be a “message” to the quislings like DiFi, I have to say “Not.” DiFi is a lost cause and has adopted Bushie’s Theory of Accountability: if the voters don’t like it, they can take it out on election day. Since Bushie’s not able to run for re-election, he sees that as free hand to do WTF he wants.
DiFi is widely rumored to be closing it out at the end of her current term, to she probably views herself as immune to accountability to the voters. It’s her minions and supporters who need to get the message, and they’re more vulnerable because they (a) don’t have the advantages of incumbency and (b) want to continue to climb.
From the Lantos link:
Lantos, a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust, said all of Israel’s accomplishments “will not matter” if Iran is allowed to develop nuclear weapons.
What a sick, nihilistic man.
It’s a bit old school maybe, but Tom Lantos had a 100% voting rating from the ADA last year.
If my party doesn’t get their act together after the next election, this is one Democrat that will struggle vigorously to promote a third party.
Jane is upstairs with fresh, thready goodness!
larry birnbaum @ 42
He also has a 100% rating voting for wars on countries beginning with “I”.
This, just last month, is what the 12th District has had to put up with…
snip
Jackie is long overdue.
my bold
I’m Jewish like Lantos. And his story is pretty amazing…But it’s time to stop using the Holocaust as a reason to give a blank check to Israel and it’s policies.
Jackie Speier has also taken on the financial industry on behalf of consumers. She’d be a strong voice in Congress to rewrite the odious bankruptcy bill to benefit Americans.
A win here would also position her strongly for the Senate seat in 2012.
TeddySanFran @ 48
Right. She took on Papan and almost had him, too.
Good! Maybe Lantos will decide its the right time to retire.
Bob in HI
Wow! She’s GRRRRRREAAT! (nod to Tony the Tiger).
I have no horse in this, but thought Lantos was strong in the Blackwater hearings. It was the first time I’d ever seen him though.
I would love to see more challenges like this to the entrenched power structure in both major political parties.
She is a VERY brave woman, who has been around California politics for years. She was in Jonestown not as a senior political aid, but as a Jr. Staffer. That’s how long she’s been around. Going to Jonestown was the kind of thing she did, not because she was ordered to do so (she wasn’t) but because she though she ought to see what was going on firsthand. The SF chronicle from that week and the picture of her coming back on the medevac plane is very instructive. You can tell just from the picture. She was badly hurt. She looked awful. Being in that kind of a line of fire changes ones life.
newtonusr @ 46
WW 2 has been over for more than 60 years.
it doesn’t justify everything.
newtonusr @ 33
I thought it was basically foreign policy where Lantos is bad. That’s he’s pretty good otherwise(not that it’s an endorsement of him).
cynic @ 54
Yep. And her near miraculous entrance into the race to replace Leo was storied.
Joe Klein’s conscience @ 56
He’s a terrific human rights champion, unless you’re the wrong kind of brown person.
I can’t vote for her but I could send money if she Runs. Run Jackie Run
jo6pac
Paul Findley, a Republican forced out of Congress in 1983, wrote a book about that experience called, They Dare to Speak Out. From here:
Why re-invent the wheel, when such experience is available.
IIRC, her husband was killed in a car crash – red light runner.
I don’t suppose it matters, but Lantos is also in many respects a “solid progressive who comes down right on a lot of issues.”
“Lantos is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus[1] and has repeatedly called for reforms to the nation’s health-care system, reduction of the national budget deficit and the national debt, repeal of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, and has opposed Social Security privatization efforts. He supports gay marriage rights and marijuana for medical use, is a strong proponent of gun control[2] and is adamantly pro-choice.[3]
Lantos is a well-known advocate on behalf of the environment, receiving consistently high ratings from the League of Conservation Voters and other environmental organizations for his legislative record.[4] His long-standing efforts to protect open space have brought thousands of acres under the protection of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, including Mori Point, Sweeney Ridge and — most recently — Rancho Corral de Tierra, which will keep its watersheds and delicate habitats free from development permanently.[5][6] In 2005 he opposed an effort to expand public use of the Farallon Islands, a protected wildlife haven.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Lantos
Jackie is exactly what progressives and our country needs right now for sure. She has that fighting spirit that we all should catch. ;-)
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alank @ 60
Don’t forget Pete McCloskey, a moderate Republican who dared to criticize Begin’s policies and was similarly “made an example of” by the Lobby-that-must-not-be-named.
Isn’t it time that someone started a PAC with the sole purpose of countering AIPAC?
If 3/4 of Congress cowers at the prospect of getting on AIPAC’s bad side, maybe representatives would find fortitude if money was available for anyone wishing to resist AIPAC?
The single greatest danger facing America and the world in 2008 is that Bush will attack Iran in an attempt to keep the Republicans in power, since increasing national fear and jingoism is their only hope of keeping the White House. Attacking Iran would harm America, the Mideast and world even more than the Iraq fiasco. Israel has lost all sense of proportion on the Iranian threat and an irrational Israeli tail wagging an irrational Bush Administration dog attacking an irrational Iranian Ahmadinejad – who would be immeasurably strengthened by an attack – could touch off the Mideast conflagration rational people have long feared, isolate America from the civilized world even more, vastly increase the number of American youths being killed in Iraq for no valid reason, and increase anti-U.S. terrorism around the world.
Although Tom Lantos has had a decent voting record over the years, his use of his present position as head of the House International Affairs Committee to foment irrational war-making against Iran poses a clear and present danger to U.S. national security and the lives of countless innocents throughout the Middle East. As a Jew with deep sympathy for Holocaust survivors like Mr. Lantos, I can understand why he feels that this policy helps both the U.S. and Israel. But I respectfully and strongly disagree. Unless he changes his position, his defeat is regrettably an urgent priority for anyone who truly understands both U.S. and Israeli national security. Jackie Speier should be implored to run and supported to the hilt by all those who care about peace, sanity and the fate of the world.
I am a Califorian and a long time observer of California politics. I like her, would work for her, and would give her money. She has been on the right side of the issues, smart and agressive. Go for it.
newspaperbrat @ 18
I’m in. It’ll be nice walking my own precinct for a change…
Lee @ 47
It never really was a good enough reason. Sympathy yes, blank check no.
Our support for Israel is to protect it’s existence and freedom from outsiders. But, there have to be limits to all things.
FrancesBurke @ 68
Lantos and Feinstein are Jewish. Both have been way off base with regard to the Middle East. Speier is Jewish? How does she stand on foreign policy?
I vaguely recall the Jonestown events. Isn’t it strange that Feinstein made her move after the SF shooting of Harvey Milk and now we’re talking about Speier and a shooting she was directly involved in?
I hope, if she’s elected, she will be as good on foreign policy as she has indicated (people write) she would be on domestic policy.
BTW, what kind of person carries rum with them on a flight? Does she drink all the time or was it Rep. Ryan’s rum? What’s the deal with that?
cynic @ 54
Jackie wasn’t “ordered” to Jonestown. Good Grief! Jackie was there because she was having an affair with her much older and married Congressman boss. Is that the bravery and character you want? This is just amibition and opportunism on her part. Lantos is well above average for a Demo rep., and has seniority and some credibility. He confronted Yahoo on China and confronted Blackwater. Even if you don’t like his pro-Israel stance, it is the right wing that is driving that bus. Knocking off Lantos won’t make any difference. Why can’t Jackie find another office to run for, or do something else for another two years when Lantos will be gone?
I live in Lantos’ district and would love to help oust him. His last challenger (Ro Khanna) was nice but lacked any heft. Does anyone have information on where I can sign up to help?