Santorum in cross hairs for 2006

[blue neen]

<snip>
"Santorum, who holds the No. 3 leadership post in the Senate GOP caucus, will be the highest-ranking Republican running for re-election in 2006. He is at the top of the target list for national Democrats and for liberal groups who brought unprecedented independent activity and fund-raising to the 2004 presidential race."

"He's an ESPECIALLY TEMPTING TARGET because he's a member of the leadership," said Ross K. Baker, a political scientist and expert on Congress at Rutgers University. "He's a conservative Republican in a state carried by John Kerry."

http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/pg/05017/443573.stm

Tricky Dicky Santorum was in Pittsburgh last week delivering a lecture to a small group at St. Paul's Seminary. Here's his exchange with an audience member after Santorum got done flailing the left:
<snip>

"I am tired of this 'left' and 'right' destroying this country," a woman cried out from the back of the auditorium."

"I would agree with you on HALF OF THAT," said an UNAPOLOGETIC Santorum."


This poor excuse for a man is an embarrassment to this state. I can't stand the sight of him. AAARGH!

[purduejake]

1. Take the fucker down.

I really hate that man.

[GRLMGC]

2. I hate him so

He needs to get his ass kicked outta there.

[coloradodem2005]

3. Let's take him down.

n/t

[Cheswick2.0]

4. I like Bob Casey ... however I hope someone else runs in the primary

I can not support an anti-choice democrat.
I wonder if Bob Casey could be convinced to become pro-choice.

[Hippo_Tron]

5. Anti-choice democrat against Santorum = Disaster waiting to happen

Remember, KERRY WON THIS STATE! Besides I think Joe Hoeffel ran against Specter largely to get his name out for a race against Santorum, or hoping that Toomey would win. Rumor has it that Toomey will challenge Santorum in the primary, (how funny would that be).

"Hi I'm Pat Toomey, despite the fact that my opponent is a homophobic right-wing nutjob, he's still not fascist enough to be your US Senator."

[blue neen]

11. LOL!

Great campaign slogan for Pat Toomey!

I think Hoeffel earned a lot of credibility in his run against Specter. He did much better than anyone expected him to.

[Comicstripper]

43. The only potential problem is:

The GOP will spin it as "another Democrat loser," since he lost to Specter. Yes, we know that he wasn't really expecting to win, and did better than many expected, but the GOP's spinmeisters will conveniently ignore that.
I do like Hoeffel, though.

[dansolo]

57. Didn't a "GOP loser" just beat Tom Daschle? (n/t)

[Comicstripper]

59. Right

I'm not defending their spin, I'm just saying that's how they'll spin it.....

[Lenape85]

65. And remember Ron Klink

[blue neen]

8. You know, I've been thinking the same thing.

It says in the article that Casey has received numerous messages wooing him for the Senate race from people like Sen. Harry Reid and Sen. Charles Schumer.

I personally have a problem with an anti-choice candidate.

Apparentely, Barbara Hafer is still considering a run, as is Joe Hoeffel, and T. J. Rooney (state Dem chairman).

[meow2u3]

12. Sounds like a single-issue voter to me

Would you dismiss Casey offhand as "conservative" just because you disagree with his stand against abortion? If so, you'll dismiss offhand his liberal stand on economic and civil rights issues, having been blinded by his so-called "anti-choice" position.

Who's the intolerant one now?

[blue neen]

15. Excuse me?

Please read my post. I did not dismiss anyone offhand. I said I have a problem with an anti-choice candidate. That's my right as an American and as a citizen of the state of Pennsylvania.

Please quote to me where I called Casey intolerant.

[Cheswick2.0]

35. I am not the poster you questioned but I will answer anyway

I dismiss Casey as being anti-choice, not for being conservative. Luckily for me there are plenty of pro-choice candidates to choose from.

[sunnystarr]

66. The important thing as that a Dem wins. I don't care if

he's pro-choice or pro-life. Let's keep our priorities straight and realize that we need to run Dems that have the best chance of winning and take back the house and senate.

[dsc]

10. How could the man be trusted on anything, ever, again?

If a few months before running he decided to become pro choice. That would be a recipe to lose respect from both sides.

[Zynx]

25. Indeed. If he suddenly changed positions on THE social issue, he would

lose. No one would respect him.

[Cheswick2.0]

37. so it is better he not be nominated

too bad, except for that one issue he is a very good man.

[Cheswick2.0]

36. Ask Dennis Kucinich

[dsc]

38. He actually still had huge problems

getting pro choice women to vote for him. That was even with his utter pandering to them at virtually every forum he could. Both in the general public and in places like the nation. In addition, pro life Democrats felt betrayed and refused to vote for him either. If there hadn't been an Iraq war I doubt he would have gotten any votes at all, and he didn't get many anyhow.

[ThorsHammer]

6. I don't see any way that he can win (not getting into BBV here)

Isn't PA becoming more and more blue every election? The school scandal will also likely piss off some moderates. In addition, Democrats nationally are targeting him. IMO he will lose, and lose big.

[GRLMGC]

7. It's doable but it won't be easy

It won't be easy by any stretch. He's an incumbent which gives him an advantage right away. He's also backed by the GOP hate machine which, like it or not, is effective. We have to motivate the Democratic base to vote him out. Midterm elections don't have very high turnout rates. It's a mistake to underestimate him.

[Hippo_Tron]

9. Don't underestimate him, Santorum will get the nutballs to turn out

Which is why we need to get turnout of all of the sane people in Pennsylvania to unseat this fucker.

[Coastie for Truth]

14. I moved out of PA twenty one years ago, but ...

But my wife and I might just "rent a room" from her sister in Joe Hoeffel's Congressional District for the 2006 election.

After Santorum's slime campaign against Harrison Wofford - I'd move back there to vote for Joe Hoeffel, or Bob Casey, or even Pete ("Pete and Repete" ) Flaherty, or even Tom Murphy.

[Ian David]

16. How to beat Santorum and have a lot of fun in the process

1) Register to run in his district as an independent candidate.

2) Campaign on the most fundamentalist, anti-gay platform you can imagine. Wake-up in the morning and say to yourself, "Today, I am going to pretend to be Alan Keyes."

3) Reach-out to fundamentalists, evangelicals, and other un-enlightenment types.

4) Your platforms are going to be "protecting" marriage, denying civil unions, keeping gays out of the military, making sure that private companies are not allowed to extend domestic partnership rights, gay people can't file domestic abuse cases against their partners, banning gay-straight alliance groups and tolerance training from public schools, forbidding gay pride events, etc.

5) Here are some other things you will promise:

a) You're going to say you want to make sure the government can fund charter schools, even if they are religious schools.
b) You want the 10 commandments posted in every courthouse, classroom, police station, and in the passenger seat of every police cruiser where handcuffed suspects can read them.
c) You want rooms set aside in public schools for "voluntary prayer."
d) Students will have the option of adding the words, "We ask these things in Christ's name o Lord, Amen" to the end of the pledge.
e) The pledge will always be followed by the song "God Bless America."
f) Gay people will not be allowed to name one another as beneficiaries.
g) Gay people will have their "medical proxy" rights weakened, so that "blood relatives" can over-ride the instructions of their partner.

6) You are going to run as the most godwhacked fundamentalist theocratic fundie that Pennsylvania has ever seen. This will split Santorum's vote, giving the Democrat a better chance.

7) You are going to liberally quote Fred Phelps and Alan Keyes, and perhaps even invite them on your campaign trail.

8) On the off chance that you're elected... well, politicians never keep their promises anyway, do they?

Remember: The goal is to split the bigot-fundie vote between Santorum and yourself.

[ClarkUSA]

18. Um, that's pretty nauseating but strategically quite good

You need to move to PA and be the Demchurian Candidate's campaign manager.

:evilgrin:

[blondeatlast]

33. Only needs to siphon off a few thousand votes.

A well-organized grass-roots campaign could manage enough votes to get Santorum out without spending much dough..

I can't believe I'm really thinking about this. Too bad I'm not a PA citizen.

[blue neen]

19. Brilliant! LOL!

I believe you may just have a winning formula there! Maybe you could be the campaign strategist for the NEW bigot-fundie on the Pennsylvania scene!

[Hippo_Tron]

22. h) Gay people will be stoned

Hey man, that's what the bible says.

[trezic]

24. HAHAHAHAHA

Dear God, I just spit soda everywhere when I read "Today, I am going to pretend to be Alan Keyes."

I fucking love that.

[IronLionZion]

46. ummm....That sounds like Jim Clyburn - Constitution Party PA

People were pretty damn sure that Clyburn would spoil it for moderate Arlen Specter but that didn't happen.

great idea though. We need to take down Santorum by any means necessary. He is most definitely NOT from PA and is a disgrace to this wonderful state.

And there are a lot of good Democrats throughout PA. We just need a strong candidate that isn't a DINO like Ron Klink. Anyone who says Kerry voters were only in Philly will get their teeth smashed in and be forced to stare at the election results by county for a full 24 hours. :P (not directed at you IanDB1)

[ClarkUSA]

17. Let's get rid of Santorum and worry about the rest later

Santorum is the enemy.

[blue neen]

13. Western PA is NOT forgetting the cyber-school rip-off of

taxpayers. Santorum will be hearing about that over and over. I can't wait to see the SOB squirm.

[dolstein]

20. Personally I wouldn't bet against him

He's already been elected twice, and the Democrats haven't won a senate race since Wofford surprised everyone and beat Thornburgh. And Wofford was out two years later, courtesy of -- yep, Rick Santorum.

Yes, a lot of people HATE Santorum, but a lot of people worship the guy. As Bush has shown, being a polarizer isn't always electoral suicide. And while Bush himself lost Pennsylvania, it wasn't by much, and Santorum is likely to have a huge financial advantage in his race.

I fully expect the Republicans to be united behind Santorum, who, after all, solidly backed moderate Arlen Spector. And I fully expect the Democrats to have a divisive primary. And I would't be suprised if the unions and other interest groups to chicken out and sit on their hands and cover their pocket books if early polls show Santorum with a solid lead.

[Coastie for Truth]

23. Wofford was defeated by

1. Gingrich's "Contract On America"

2. A massive infusion of anti-Wofford money by the Health Insurance mafia (remember Hillary's Health Plan - Wofford was one of its strongest backers) led by Karen Ignagni (of Harry and Louise infomercial fame).

Also, a lot of "out of state" money came in for Santorum in 94, and a lot of "out of state" money will come in for his opponent this time.

[dolstein]

29. Wofford was defeated by Santorum

You can try to make as many excuses as you like. But the fact remains -- Santorum was won not one, but two statewide elections.

[dsc]

34. We shot ourselves in the foot in 2000

Both pro choice and gay rights groups actively suppressed donations to Santorum's opponent due to his views on abortion and gay rights. It was stupid, stupid, stupid.

[Cheswick2.0]

39. Klink was the wrong candidate

The party should have run a pro-choice candidate with a personality. I hope they don't make that mistake again.

[dsc]

40. He won a contested primary fair and square

and he should have been supported. It was pure idiocy to refuse to fund him.

[Cheswick2.0]

41. He lost the election

people pushed for an anti-choice candidate and they got one and he LOST the general election. He didn't turn out the base. All the anti-choice voters turned out to vote for Santorum. Klink was a mistake.
People really do have a right to stay home and not vote for someone they don't believe in. It's called democracy. Women are not going to support anti-choice democrats. That's just the way it is.

[dsc]

42. what he lacked was money

not message. He was outspent by an immense factor largely due to both pro choicers and gay rights groups leaning on donors not to give him money. He may still have lost but since the race was pretty close I doubt it.

[Crowdance]

64. That's democracy for ya!

I have been actively engaged in a red-organization boycott effort to ensure that THOSE donors stop supporting bush. This is how democracy works.

Of course these groups SHOULD be pressuring donors to not support a no-choicer in PA. That's how we ensure that those with bad ideas are not elected in this political system. His immoral no-choice position WAS his message, so it was, in fact, his message that caused him to fail.

[dsc]

67. So we are blessed with Santorum

that is very selfish of them. I am sure every kid whose school budget got cut, every black who saw civil rights enforcement be lessened, every poor person who froze those winters due to HEAP being cut, every old person whose Social Security is now at risk and a whole host of others are greatly appreciative of that.

[Crowdance]

68. Ah, yes, the "selfish" women shibboleth

Yes, all those "selfish" women who want to own their own bodies and lives, and not hand them over to church or state. The same "selfish" women who seek equal pay (imagine, the audacious selfishness!), access to reproductive health care (who do they think they ARE?!), day care for the children they raise (so they play, but they don't want to pay...) and safety from domestic vioence (really, they probably provoke it). Yes, this would be a MUCH better country if these selfish women would just sit down, cross their legs and shut up.

[dsc]

69. Casey supports

every last thing on that list but for his pro life stand. He supports equal pay, he supports day care funding, access to reproductive care, and safety from domestic violence. You are either ignorant of the man's record in which case you should shut up about it or you are lying about it in which case you should stop lying. The fact is a bunch of selfish, me first people, stopped us from having a Senator who supports all of the above only because of his pro life views.

[Crowdance]

71. Thank you for making my argument for me.

You just keep digging it deeper.

[Coastie for Truth]

49. 1994 ......

1. Karen Ignagni and the drug companies, and the for profit HMO's, and the for profit health insurers (all under the grand baton of Grand Maestro Karen Ignagni) were out to defeat Wofford because he was an early backer of Universal Health Care. That was the issue that Wofford defeated Thornburgh on.

Remember - this was the era of the Harry and Louise informercials

2. Richard Scaife is NOT Richard King Mellon. Remember, Scaife is Cordellia's brother and the brother-in-law of the late Bob Duggan. Scaife pumped big bucks into Santorum's war chest - and will do so again --- along with his big bucks buddies like the Coors family.

3. 1994 was the year of Newt Gingrich and his "Contract On America" - and with Scaife and Coors money - Wofford looked weak.

4. Any City that would elect and re-elect Pete Flaherty and that would go on to elect and re-elect Tom Murphy ---- gimme a break.

I do not underestimate Santorum.

But, he is an arrogant, ignorant (not "dumb" just "ignernt" ) person - who bats 0.000 with me.

And he won the first time because of an unfortunate confluence of breaks and $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

As to the point that

You can try to make as many excuses as you like. But the fact remains -- Santorum was won not one, but two statewide elections.

so did Milt Shapp (IMHO one of Pennsylvania's best governors) - which drove the GOP crazy.

[leyton]

27. I agree - Santorum should not be underestimated.

Look at Tom Daschle. By the line of thinking in this thread, he - a member of his party's leadership yet who hails from a state solidly carried by the other party's candidate and who is 'in the crosshairs' - should have been creamed by Thune. Yet it remained a close race until the very end, and I don't belive Thune won by any fantastic margin. This is the power of incumbency - let's not underestimate Santorum and let's not overestimate Pennsylvania's blueness.

[blue neen]

28. I don't think he will be underestimated in this state.

I also am not underestimating Pennsylvanians' anger at him for how he screwed the taxpayers with the cyber-school scheme.

People in Western PA (which is supposed to be his "home area") are particularly disgusted with him.

Santorum is worried about it. He had Frist write a LTTE of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette to come to his defense!

[dolstein]

31. The other distinction between Santorum and Daschle

is that Pennsylvania is at best a blue-ish shade of purple in terms of presidential politics, whereas South Dakota is solidly red. Also remember that Bush won't be on the ballot in 2006.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

21. Recommendation for his opponent:

Whenever Santorum's image appears in your commercial, make sure the 19th century minstrel tune Carry Me Back to Ol' Virginny is running in the background.

[blue neen]

26. Love that idea! LOL!

Maybe I'll e-mail that to the PA Democratic party!

[blondeatlast]

30. Last week someone posted that Santorum was polling at 38% versus

his as yet unofficial, but probable, Democratic senate challenger.

I want this wacko radical gone, gone, gone.

Edit: 38% vs Casey at 52%; here's the thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=296x207

[dolstein]

32. Unfortunately, you can't beat somebody with nobody

NT

[blue neen]

44. Casey is more than a nobody in PA.

His dad was governor.

He just won the state treasurer's race by a landslide.

In the suburbs of Philly, his stance on abortion could hurt him with moderate repubs. In the suburbs of Pittsburgh, it could help him with conservative Democrats (Westmoreland County, for instance).

First, we'll see what happens in the primaries, if he chooses to run!

[Cheswick2.0]

45. Republicans will switch parties to vote against Casey in the primary

They did it in 2002 when he was running for Governor and he lost to Rendell. Some will do it because they are pro-choice women and some will do it because he is liberal.
If the party has any sense they will start promoting a pro-choice democrat rather than Casey.

[DaveinMD]

48. they switched to vote for Rendell

as much as they decided to vote against Casey. But if Rendell doesn't run, it will be tough to knock off Casey in the primary.

[IronLionZion]

47. Republicans are pissing their pants over Casey

They're terrified of him. Like the other poster said, he just won his state treasurer election by a massive landslide. He got more votes than any candidate in PA history. It was Reagan-ish.

Western PA tends to be pro-life and a lot voted for that dog-fucking rat bastard Santorum only for that reason. If we have a good progressive Dem like Casey who happens to be pro-life too then he will clean up that frothy mixture easily.

http://www.caseyfortreasurer.com/

I'll support a ham sandwich over Santorum but Casey is a good choice. Also Barb Hafer or Joe Hoeffel.

[Coastie for Truth]

50. What about Dan Onorato

...or even Dan Marino

[blue neen]

52. I am not positive about this, but

Onorato may also possibly be anti-choice. I swear I read that somewhere, but if anyone else knows for sure, feel free to correct me! He'd then be in the same postion as Casey, without as much statewide name recognition.

Is Dan Marino a Florida resident now? Anyone know?

[Coastie for Truth]

56. Don't about where Danny lives.

He has an older brother in DC. About two years ago my Dad told me that Dan's extended family still lives in the East End and the East Hills.

My mother has this positive "thing" about Onorato (she's 92).

[CBHagman]

51. What about Chris Heinz?

I thought he was contemplating a run. THAT might make me relocate to Pennsylvania and volunteer on the campaign...

[blue neen]

53. Chris Heinz would be a great candidate!

Many people here at DU have urged him to run.

[CBHagman]

54. Well, I hope he is lurking here...

Or maybe we should just take the bull by the horns and have a discussion with him right here.

Mr. H., are you in the house?

[blue neen]

55. I hope he is, too!

I guess it would be good to say that not only would he be a great candidate, but he'd be a great SENATOR as well! :)

[ClarkUSA]

62. Let's not get too carried away by celebrity, okay?

What resume does he have that you'd say that? All because he's a Heinz in Western PA?

The word in Pennsylvania is that Kerry and other family members are pressing Chris Heinz to run for a House of Representatives seat.

I'd say running for Assemblyman would be a nice step first.

[blue neen]

70. Yeah, I just like the ketchup.

I will be working in 2006 for the Democratic candidate for Senate in PA, whoever he or she may be.

Here's hoping you'll be doing the same! :toast:

[ClarkUSA]

63. Is he a registered Democrat?

I read a New York Times puff piece on Chris Heinz where they asked him out whether it was possible for him to support his stepfather if he was a Republican.

Dumb media question. Has he become a Democrat since then? I hope so.

[progressiveright]

58. Santorum is so right wing

its hard to decide if its better to run a liberal democrat or a moderate democrat against him in PA

[mrgorth]

60. I've already volunteered

to help Casey. I want this so bad I can taste it.

[Ian David]

61. Email addresses of Pennsylvania legislators

[e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail] [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail], [e-mail]