News from the Benson campaign and a rant

[Blue_In_AK]

My husband and I have spent the last two days stuffing envelopes for Diane Benson's campaign. Today I learned some rather distressing news - and, Ken Burch, you probably won't be surprised - the Alaska Democratic party has declined to help Diane with her campaign AT ALL, so that she's finding it very difficult to travel around the state to campaign. Those plane tickets from Anchorage to Juneau, Nome, the North Slope, etc. don't come cheap. Wouldn't you think they could cut loose with a little bit of cash anyway instead of saving it all for Tony? I personally believe that not too many minds are going to be changed in the Tony/Sarah race, but with some help Diane Benson could make some inroads into Don Young's stanglehold.

More gossip. Ray Metcalfe has apparently contacted the Benson campaign to say that if Diane will support Sarah Palin, Sarah will support her. Diane has refused, of course, but why can't we get that kind of support from the Knowles campaign?

I'm quite disappointed with the Alaska dems right now. I think they're being very short-sighted.

[snowbear]

1. All Diane needs to do is ask Tony!

C'mon Blue- You know he'll help her !! Of course he will !!!!

But she =HAS= to let him know she'd like his endorsement! Palin should keep her nosey ass out! The only reason she called is to try to gain points endorsing a Democrat when most of the Republicans in the State are being investigated by the FBI!

Real smooth Sarah. Run your own friggin campaign RETHUG!

Diane is a Democrat - and it should Tony & Ethan endorsing her!

Do you have his contact number?? Heck, I'm not shy.. if she won't do it .. I'll call him! :)

[snowbear]

2. BTW....

What does that lowlife little Metcalf doing with the Sarah Palin anyway??? Is he working for her now?

[Blue_In_AK]

3. Who knows?

He's such a little sleaze - trying to run as a Democrat and then turning around and supporting Sarah. Talk about a flip-flopper. We all thought it was pretty amusing.

The next time I'm over at the campaign office, I'll ask if they've talked to Tony directly. I would certainly hope that he would give a whole-hearted endorsement ... and some cash ... to the campaign of a fellow Democrat, especially when Don Young is more vulnerable than he's been for years.

[Ken Burch]

10. No surprise if he is...

Until Filing Day, Metcalfe was the leader of the "Republican Moderate" party. then, he just happened to decide to file in OUR congressional primary and, for no apparent reason, damn near won it.

Metcalfe is a wrecker if ever there was one. And it sounds like he was setting up an excuse for our party leadership to cut Diane loose.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. I would appreciate your doing that, Larissa

(calling the Tony, that is). I don't know him personally, which I believe you do. I think the message would be more effective coming from someone with a personal connection.

[Ken Burch]

4. None of this is surprising.

I knew that when Knowles got in, he'd try to make the whole campaign be about him.

We need to send emails to the Knowles/Berkowitz campaign now and tell them to stop this shit.

The rest of the ticket is just as important as Tony.

[Ken Burch]

5. Send emails to the state party HQ demanding they support Diane!

here's the address

[e-mail]

Tell them the party needs to campaign for THE ENTIRE SLATE, not just Tony.

here is the email I just sent:

There is a thread in the Democratic Underground discussion forums

that says the Alaska Democratic Party has decided NOT to give Diane Benson, our Congressional candidate, any financial or other assistance during the fall campaign.

I hope this is not the case.

If it is the case, I strongly and respectfully urge the state party to reconsider this decision immediately.

If the party is to make a strong showing this fall, we need to be working for the WHOLE ticket. Too many times in the past, we have cherry-picked one or the other major races(usually the governorship)and focused on that race to the exclusion of all others.

This strategy has now led to our party being stranded in the political wilderness since 2002. It is a failed strategy and must be abandoned for all time.

The Republicans built their strength at all levels in this state by working equally hard to elect ALL their candidates. The proudly proclaimed their party affiliation at all times and defended its core values.

We need to do the same.

Please, do the right thing, and give your FULL and enthusiastic support for Diane Benson and ALL Democratic candidates for office in this state.

Thank you.

[Blue_In_AK]

6. Thank you, Ken.

I had a call last night from the ADP requesting that I make my usual (small) donation which I always have in the past when they've called. I told the girl that when I've previously made contributions, I always assumed that the money was going to support all Democratic candidates, but that I recently learned that they were not financially supporting Diane Benson. I told her that until I hear from someone at ADP that they will be supporting ALL Democratic candidates, I will not be making any more contributions, period. She seemed somewhat flustered, but thanked me (I'm sure she didn't know what the hell I was talking about). I hope she passes on the message.

In the meantime, I am giving my money to Diane. It's not much, but at least I know she'll put it to good use.

[WhoDoYouTrust]

8. I got the same call last night

and I said the exact same thing. She did give me a number to call, so I'll be doing that on Monday.

I've also emailed Tony asking about this information that you posted, Blue. Thanks, by the way, for keeping us informed.

Go Diane!

[Blue_In_AK]

9. Thank you...

If it turns out not to be true, please let me know ASAP, but this info came straight from Diane's campaign manager. He was speaking about the Party, not Knowles directly, although I would imagine that Tony would know what's going on.

Of course, I'm interested in what happens in the governor's race, but I think we've left Don Young in Washington way, way too long. By the way, did you catch this link yesterday?

http://thinkprogress.org/abramoff

See our boy Don about two-thirds of the way down the page.

[Ken Burch]

11. You're welcome. And here's the one I just sent to the Knowles campaign

Tony and Ethan:

Congratulations on your solid victories in the primary.
And congratulations on the recent polls that show you rapidly gaining ground on Sarah Palin.

It IS important to elect a Democratic governor and lieutenant governor.

But those aren't the only important objectives for the Democratic Party, the party that nominated you, in this fall campaign.

The party has a chance to make major gains at all levels. In the state House, the state Senate, and at the federal level.

It is crucial that the two of you commit yourselves to working for Democratic growth and victory at ALL these levels.

Accordingly, I am writing to urge you, in the strongest terms possible, to give an immediate and PUBLIC endorsement of Diane Benson for Congress.

Diane is a strong candidate, a candidate who has inspired hope and enthusiasm all over the state.

But she needs financial help. From the state party, from the national party, and from progressive groups that would gladly donate if they saw her as having a real chance for victory.

Your endorsement can GIVE her that chance.

The era of our existing Congressional delegation is ending.
Senator Stevens will be gone in a few years, and with the House likely going Democratic in the fall Don Young will no longer have much influence, as he will lose his committee chair.

With your backing, Diane CAN win.

More votes for Diane will be more votes for you.

Diane will be be an effective and influential representative in Congress if elected.



Please, do the right thing and give your public endorsement of Diane Benson for Congress as quickly as possible.

You and the entire party will benefit from it.

Thanks.

[Blue_In_AK]

12. That's a wonderful letter, Ken

I love it.

[Ken Burch]

13. Well, I hope it helps.

You can't let the bigs and the wigs get away with this kind of thing.

[TanyaAK]

14. Republicans switching to vote for Tony?

I have heard that Republicans are switching over to vote for Tony because they like his ties to the oil industry, he is more closely aligned to the corruption than Sarah Palin? Any truth in this?