Iraq Vet Duckworth Wins Democratic Nomination In 6th

[OKNancy]

Iraq Vet Duckworth Wins Democratic Nomination In 6th
http://www.wbbm780.com/pages/17484.php

CHICAGO (AP) -- Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who lost her legs in combat two years ago, narrowly won the Democratic congressional primary nomination for the suburban Chicago district held by retiring GOP Rep. Henry Hyde.

snip

With 520 of 526 precincts counted in unofficial returns, Duckworth had 43.8 percent of the votes for the nomination in the 6th Congressional District. The Democrats\' 2004 nominee, businesswoman Christine Cegelis, had 40.4 percent, and Lindy Scott, a Wheaton College professor, had 15.7 percent.

[Eurobabe]

1. Awesome! I heard this on NPR at 7am.

Go Tammy!

[acmejack]

2. The money machine defies the will of the people once again.

Ah, I love the smell of party politics in the morning.
Or screw the grassroots! You little guys take that three years of organizing and stuff it! We really didn't mean it! Love, Rahm

[katinmn]

3. Our progressive candidates are getting trounced

by the money and ideologues in DC.

Happening here in several races in Minnesota, too.

Our primaries aren't until September, though, so we have some time.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. Perhaps voters aren't as 'progressive' as you assume that they are

[katinmn]

7. That is certainly true.

I give you that. Still, I would like to see equal treatment of progressives and moderates by the party so that each candidate is allowed equal resources to bring their messages before the voting public.

That seems fair, doesn't it?

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. Politics is about winning

Being fair to everyone won't win back the House or Senate. The party should support the strongest candidates with the best chance of winning in November.

[katinmn]

16. True. It is about winning. But maybe we should reach higher.

Following repuke tactics of having DC elite choose candidates and silencing outsider voices does not seem democratic to me.

[Freddie Stubbs]

19. Ms. Cegelis' voice was on silenced

She was permitted to run in the primary and voice her opinion. The voters of the 6th district preferred another candidate.

[400Years]

20. it's One Dollar One Vote, not One Person One Vote

everyone but those who choose to hide their head in the sand know that.

[Freddie Stubbs]

31. Ms. Cegelis would have been outspent in the general election as well

We don't need a nominee who brings a knife to a gun fight.

[400Years]

32. outspent because ot the self appointed king makers in our party elite

that is the only reason and you know it.

[Freddie Stubbs]

33. Who are the 'self appointed' king makers?

It must not be Rahm Emmanuel. He was elected to Congress by his constituents and elected as DCCC chairman by his fellow Democrats in the House.

[400Years]

34. in your mind you can justify anything

Look, I know you're a DLC apologist. I only care about the issues.

[Freddie Stubbs]

35. Issues like electing Democrats to Congress?

Or just winning 'moral victories' by nominating ideologically pure candidates who are out of step with the districts in which they are running?

[400Years]

36. the DLC gave us Bush and an all republican congress

maybe you live in some weird alternate universe.

[Freddie Stubbs]

52. I live in the universe were DLCer Bill Clinton was elected President twice

And he ran as a moderate both times.

[400Years]

53. And look where we are now

talk about denial.

[Freddie Stubbs]

54. Perhaps is Gore had run more as a moderate like Clinton did,

we wouldn't be in this situation. But he ran as a populist.

[400Years]

55. uh, Perhaps if Bush hadn't stole the election

and Perhaps if Lieberman hadn't performed fellatio on Dick Cheney during the debates,
and perhaps if the Corporate media hadn't smeared the shit out of Gore every chance they got, and Perhaps if the NYT hadn't forbid Paul Krugman from using the wore LIE whenever he saw the bush gang actually telling Lies then maybe it would have all worked out differntly.

But hey, go ahead and keep hiding your head in the sand while "moderates" ship every goddamn job we have over to China and turn this country into a fascist police state.

[Freddie Stubbs]

56. No elections were stolen from Bill Clinton

Perhaps he won by a wide enough margin that those elections couldn't be stolen.

[400Years]

57. is that all you got? pretty weak, even for you

[Freddie Stubbs]

58. Tell that to President Gore and President Kerry

I's say that Jaunuary 1993 to January 2001 was a lot better than January 2001 to present, wouldn't you?

[400Years]

59. more evidence you are living in dreamland

[Freddie Stubbs]

60. You actually think that the past five years have been better than

the eight years that Clinton was President? :shrug:

[400Years]

63. where did you get that from?

your "logic" unit seems to be on the fritz. :freak:

[Freddie Stubbs]

64. So, you do agree that the Clinton years were better that the Bush years?

I certainly. I'm glad that Clinton ran as a moderate was able to serve. Too bad Gore and Kerry didn't follow his example.

[400Years]

65. I'm going to leave you to your own devices now

I won't be back to read your response because I don't feel like you have any clue as to what you are talking about.

[Ken Burch]

68. It never had to be a choice between the Bush status quo and the Clinton

status quo.

Clinton won on personal charisma. Gore ran on essentially the same platform as Clinton and fell short because he had no personal charisma.

Clinton would have been elected as a progressive. The problem was he was too much of a coward to believe it.

[Ken Burch]

66. If Gore had been any MORE moderate

He'd have been comatose.

[Ken Burch]

41. The majority of the 6th's Democratic voters, those who backed Cegelis AND

Scott, preferred a candidate to Duckworth's left.

Duckworth is obligated to respect this if she wants to win. She now needs to reach out to Cegelis and Scott supporters, and adopt as many of there positions as possible.

She can't win if she and her supporters take the attitude that "we won and the left lost, nanananana".

She needs to me magnanimous and flexible.

[Ken Burch]

43. In fact, for Duckworth to claim that her positions are more popular than

the Cegelis/Scott position is as arrogant and absurd as Moynihan supporters claiming that his positions were more popular than those of progressive Democrats in the New York Senate primary in '76, when, in fact, the only reason Moynihan won that race was that Ramsey Clark, running on a platform slightly to Bella Abzug's left, took just enough votes away from Bella to throw the race to Moynihan by a whisker.

Duckworth has no right to keep progressives out in the cold and treat them like marginalized losers.
She only won because of the split vote.

She needs to run as a progressive peace candidate to win. That is how she always should have run, having lost her legs in a war we all know was a disastrous mistake.

[Freddie Stubbs]

51. You have to remember that tihs a GOP-majority district

They are about as likley to elect a progressive candidate as Texas is to elect a progresive as Governor.

[Freddie Stubbs]

50. But even more voters opposed Cegelis, who was the farthest to the left

The fact is that this is a dictrict that Bush carried in the past two elections, and this district has sent Henry Hyde to Congress for the last 24 years. They are either going to elect a Republican or a moderate Democrat.

[lostnfound]

23. If that's the goal, great. If it's to stop Progressive Caucus from having

the numbers necessary to control the Democratic Caucus in the house, well, bully for them but too bad for .. people.

[Zhade]

62. It's demonstrably NOT true. Polls consistently show otherwise.

NT!

[HereSince1628]

15. Or maybe the progressive candidate chose unpopular positions.

I know that Duckworth, the "not running as progressive candidate," was opposed to an O'Hare expansion. I thought that Cegelis was in favor of it, though I might be wrong...I only half-assed paid attention to this race in the district of my birthplace. The issue stuck in my head because issues of O'Hare expansion and 3rd metro-airports have been regular issues in Chicagoland since the 70's, and because here in Wisconsin the Mitchell Airport is marketed as already being the Chicago metro area's 3rd airport, with the closure of its air national guard wing private expansion here is an no-brainer.

The issue I wonder about is that O'Hare expansion will obviously require government seizures of private property through eminent domain. And up front I will admit that a public airport is more appropriate for that than a Wal-Mart.
But how progressive and popular do the locals think a program is that will require government seizures of privately property?

If I remember correctly, the issue of a home seizure of a retired couple for a business project in DesPlaines (just outside the airport) was a popular news item in the area surrounding the airport last fall.

At any rate, I understand disappointment and the need to take time to acknowledge it and address it. It is truly better that progressives are challenging than standing on the side afraid to try. Hopefully Duckworth can be convinced of the value if not converted to some progressive positions. At any rate I hope the Democrats in the district heal and come together to turn that long time red district blue.

[Inland]

17. But O'Hare expansion is a done deal.

That's why it would be safe for her to oppose it. Indeed, the city has been buying up private homes in anticipation of condemnation, and the bulldozing has begun, stopped only by a dispute over a cemetary.

[HereSince1628]

18. Thanks for the info.

Do you know if Cegelis supported O'Hare expansion or not?

[Inland]

48. No, I don't.

But like I said, everyone's been pretty much rolled on O'Hare. The local authorities, the FAA, everyone. I'm sure there's still angry citizenry, but I don't think it's an "issue" anymore.

[Kurovski]

26. Certainly, in the district that Henry Hyde held for decades,

the majority of voters there would not consider themselves Progressives.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

45. Point taken.

I abhor the DLC but any change from Henry "Mr." Hyde, is one in the right direction. 30 years is long enough. There are enough seats, in enough progressive districts, to make inroads elsewhere.

[Zhade]

61. Polls don't reflect your assertion.

Polls consistently show that a solid majority of Americans embrace liberal ideals (and I know you've seen the polls, I've seen you on threads where they've been discussed).

Peddle your conservatism elsewhere.

[onenote]

25. Duckworth turned out more voters than Cegalis

And somehow that's Duckworth's fault? Its not as if Cegalis was an unknown. She got over 110,000 votes in the 2004 election.

onenote

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Isn't the 'will of the people' measured by election results?

If you can figure out a better way to determine it, I would be interested in hearing it.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. The people have spoken

More of them wanted Duckworth than Cegelis. That seems pretty proper to me.

[DaveinMD]

11. the voters of the party

chose Duckworth

[Inland]

13. Well, the election defied the will of the minority. They always do.

The only question remaining is, does the minority accept the election?

[Ken Burch]

46. 57%(the combined Cegelis/Scott vote)is not the MINORITY.

The "moderates" did not win the arguement in this district. They just had a unified MINORITY vote and big money.

[skipos]

4. Duckworth and Cegelis were both good candidates.

Hopefully democrats can get out of the circular firing squad and focus on defeating republicans now.

[Pirate Smile]

24. Exact-a-mundo! We need to pick up this seat to take over control

of the House.

Fight the good fight in the primaries then move on and support whoever the Dem is in the general election.

I'm very impressed with how well Cegelis did against the odds. I thought both women were impressive.

Now let's win the friggin seat in November. Put down your guns or start aiming them at the Republicans (figuratively, of course).

[BOSSHOG]

8. Would there not be a runoff

since no candidate got 50% of the vote?

[xray s]

9. not in Illinois

plurality wins

[Judi Lynn]

21. Disabled Iraq war veteran wins Illinois primary

Disabled Iraq war veteran wins Illinois primary
Will be Democratic nominee for House seat

Wednesday, March 22, 2006; Posted: 6:03 a.m. EST (11:03 GMT)




Duckworth speaks to supporters in Addison, Illinois, early Wednesday.

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- A former Army helicopter pilot who lost both legs in a 2004 grenade attack in Iraq narrowly won the Illinois Democratic nomination for the House seat occupied by retiring GOP Rep. Henry Hyde.

Also, Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich easily won his primary despite being potentially vulnerable amid corruption allegations, and Republican state Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka earned a shot to defeat him in the fall.

In the 6th District Congressional race, former Army Maj. L. Tammy Duckworth narrowly defeated Christine Cegelis to win the Democratic congressional primary nomination for the suburban Chicago district seat held by the retiring Hyde.

The 37-year-old, Thailand-born Duckworth had been heavily recruited by Democrats eager to give the national party more credibility on security issues. She lost her legs in combat two years ago and recovered in a military hospital in Washington, D.C.
(snip/...)

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/22/illinois.primary.ap/

[jwirr]

29. My biggest question is how does she feel about the war issues

and renewable energy resources? universal health care?

[leftstreet]

30. She's DLC/Repub Lite = Stay the course, no universal health care

Notwithstanding the fact that the U.S. made the wrong decision in invading Iraq, Duckworth said we cannot just pull up stakes at this point and leave the country vulnerable to terrorists and even greater chaos. She favors a three-pronged strategy for withdrawal that differs sharply with the Bush administration’s vague, open-ended policy:

•    Better and more aggressive preparation of Iraqi security forces
•    Making it clear to the Iraqi people that we will withdraw and have no interest in being an occupation force
•    Establishing clear benchmarks for achieving certain security goals tied to reductions in U.S. forces.
http://www.duckworthforcongress.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=15

Congress must step up and work together to provide access to affordable health care to those who need it.

Providing health coverage for all children is a good place to start. The S-CHIP program, begun under the Clinton Administration, has reduced the number of children without health insurance even while the ranks of uninsured adults have expanded. I support Governor Blagojevich's initiative to provide health coverage to every child in Illinois, financed largely through administrative changes in the state's Medicaid program. As a Member of Congress, I will work for a similar initiative at the federal level.
http://www.duckworthforcongress.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=13

[brentspeak]

42. I would trust her take on Iraq more than I would yours

She actually was there to see what's going on in Iraq firsthand.

[leftstreet]

49. Oh. Okay. Then let's stay the course.

And let's ignore Jack Murtha's call for redeployment. I mean, what does a decorated veteran like Jack know?

:eyes:

[neuvocat]

22. HOORAY!

Maybe she will win the general election or maybe she won't. I'm just happy that she got this far.

[corkerjoe]

27. swift boaters

swift boaters from texas are probley going to say she cut off her own leggs to get im sorry vote

[Tiggeroshii]

28. That makes me happy.

:D

[Skittles]

37. THAT WOMAN IS AMAZING

:thumbsup:

[katty]

38. Great!!

[jsamuel]

39. I wonder how a runoff would have looked...

[Buck Rabbit]

47. With "Instant Runoff Voting" the will of the actual majority

could have been determined on the spot.


<Did I just expose my Greenish tendencies?>

[The_Casual_Observer]

40. I wish her the best of luck and good fortune in this.

[Joey Liberal]

44. That is great!

Let's hope that Carl Sheeler does as well in Rhode Island!

[mvd]

67. Hooray - great news!

I really want to see the Chickenhawk Party get trounced by our war-experienced nominees. :bounce:

[WhiteTara]

69. Go Tammy!

Great. I hope this is an omen of things to come.