Obama’s Campaign Arm Tries to Get Grassroots Democrats to Defeat Fellow Progressive

[whiteroses]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4383029
Obama’s Campaign Arm Tries to Get Grassroots Democrats to Defeat Fellow Progressive

Source: ABC News

Organizing for America, the former grass-roots campaign arm for President Obama’s 2008 campaign, is trying to rally supporters to phone bank and get out the vote in Pennsylvania for Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Penn., the former Republican locked in a tight primary race with a far more progressive Democrat, Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Penn.

Chris Bolling, the national volunteer coordinator for OFA, writes in an email that the “stakes of this election are high: ensuring that allies of the President are elected in the House and Senate to fight for change. So starting this weekend, through Tuesday's election, there will be phone banks for OFA volunteers in D.C. We'll call into Pennsylvania and encourage voters to support leaders who will fight for President Obama's vision for change.”

Specter, of course, supported the presidential campaign of Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and only became a Democrat when it became clear he would suffer an ignominious defeat in the GOP primary to former Rep. Pat Toomey, R-Penn. But the White House, needing Specter’s support for various parts of the president’s agenda, pledged to help him in his re-election.

Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/05/preside...

[Divernan]

1. Western PA Obama campaigners supporting Sestak

I met a good group of people in Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) while volunteer phonebanking for Obama in both various state primaries and the national election. We have kept in touch on political issues via emails. Every single one of them is supporting Sestak.

Unfortunately the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette endorsed Specter, back when Sestak's numbers were low, and the PG editorial board figured Specter could defeat Toomey, but Sestak couldn't. We all know now that since Sestak has started advertising and becoming known, he's got better odds than Specter to beat Toomey.

I had always been concerned that any person who would be 80 when elected to a six year term would not live to fill that term - or would go the Alzheimers route like Regan. And that would be an otherwise healthy 80 year old, not one who had suffered two bouts of brain cancer, as has Specter.
Then his replacement would depend on an appointment by the PA Governor - who may or may not be a Democrat at that time.

This morning it just hit me - OMG - what if Specter strokes out or dies between the primary and the general election? Why couldn't Specter for once display some class and retire? As it is, should he win and keep on breathing, his senior staff will be running the show. And who are those senior staff - oh, just the ones he brought with him from the GOP side of the aisle - bred, born and raised Republicans who are well aware that they need to line up their post-Arlen jobs ASAP, and will be sucking up to all their lifelong contacts in the GOP and corporate oriented lobbying firms to do so.

Our country is facing incredibly tough times for the foreseeable future. We need elected officials with great physical stamina and mental acuity - not someone who will regularly be "in conference", i.e., taking his afternoon nap.

Go away Arlen, you long ago outstayed your welcome in Pennsylvania. It was only by standing next to Rick Santorum and Bush for all those years that you looked better by comparison. You waved the moderate flag, but on the close votes, Bush could always count on you.

In closing, would you fly an airline that put 80 year olds in the captains' seats? Would you have a complex surgery performed by an 80 year old surgeon? Get a root canal from an 80 year old dentist? Are there any 80 year old generals? or 80 year old military officers at any level? Ever see some oldster who needs a walker then painfully put it in the back seat and then climb behind the wheel of his huge old Buick and drive from the mall parking lot onto the interstate? He didn't mean to hit the gas pedal instead of the brake. Get Arlen away from the gas pedal- and elect Sestak!

[Yellow Horse]

2. You have a right to like or dislike the candidates of your choice but your ageism disgusts me.

Look at the tapes of the Senatorial debate... listen to the two candidates speak... Sestak's glassy-eyed performance is pretty lame while Arlen Specter is vibrant and focused.

As for your worries about so-called old people "stroking out", look what happened to young Mr. Biden in Delaware this past week. Sestak is older than Biden. He could have medical problems too. Specter is a cancer survivor and that alone takes a measure of courage, especially to carry on in his work (at any age) and to use the experience to fight (especially when he was a Republican) for cancer research funding and stem cell research.

Finally, as I said you have the right to support the candidate of your choice, but your cracks about afternoon naps and walkers and old Buicks are uncalled for. You have no more business connecting such remarks with Arlen Specter than you would making remarks about fried chicken and chitlins and gold teeth in connection with Barack Obama.

Ageism is no more welcome in my Democratic Party than racism.

:grr:

[MH1]

3. Oh get real.

Sestak wasn't 'glassy-eyed' at all, aren't you getting dizzy from the spin?

I guess maybe you are because at 80 years old with health problems, it's time for the guy to retire, and that's not 'ageism', it's common sense. Ageism is hiring a 30 year old over a more qualified 55 year old.

Sestak is the best candidate the Democratic Party has come up with in a LONG time. We should get him into the Senate while we have this great opportunity, and we'll have a lock on it for many terms. With a reasonably liberal guy who has the bio to win over the entire state.

[Yellow Horse]

5. I AM real, and the comments were ageist and disgusting.

If you truly think there is nothing wrong with what was said, Joe Sestak should truly be ashamed to have the likes of you for a supporter.

Stereotyping ANY 80 year-old with afternoon naps, walkers, big old Buicks, and forgetful driving is plain flat-out unadulterated AGEISM.

Ageism is as just wrong as racism, sexism, or homophobia. It is anything but liberal or progressive, and it is against the principles we as Democrats are supposed to stand for.

Shame. On. You.

And how I am voting or for whom I am voting has nothing to do with this.

:grr:

[wisteria]

11. And, discrimination is hiring a less qualified person because he is younger

and eliminating the older person simple because he is older. We have Senator Byrd who is 90 years old and still sharp if perhaps a bit frail. We have four US Senator's in their 80's and 21 US Senator's who are in their 70's.
Senator Specter has not missed any time due to any of his illnesses-which I find amazing especially when you know how hard chemotherapy is on the body. He is cancer free now and no one is guaranteed a certain amount of time here on earth. VP BIden son just had a stroke and he is in his forty's.
To bring up age in this race is just wrong. Specter's age nor his illnesses have ever kept him from doing his job.

[MH1]

4. And speaking of ageism, given your last line, I guess you're voting against Specter

Specter:

Voted against an amendment to extend the Age
Discrimination Act, Americans with Disabilities
Act, Rehabilitation Act, and Civil Rights Act to employees of
the Senate (S 2104, 7/10/90)

http://joesestak.com/pdf/contrast_seniors.pdf

[Yellow Horse]

6. See my post #5. How I am voting is not relevant. nt

[wisteria]

12. Posting just the vote and not was in the amendment is wrong and misleading.

And, I would bet it was what was attached to it that was objectionable. This is dirty politics just like the type used against Kerry in 2004.

[Divernan]

8. I'm a senior citizen, kiddo, who has spent the last 10 years

in regular visits to my 94 year old mother, first at her assisted living apartment, then at her nursing home. We're talking one week per month when I would fly in from Pennsylvania to the Chicago area where she lived. I stayed at her apt. in the assisted living facility, helped out the staff there, made friends with various residents, ate meals in the dining room, and generally participated in the daily activities. For ten years (Mom died two years ago) I intimately observed elderly people aging and dying. Of course, some deteriorate faster than others - but by the time they reach 80, they had ALL slowed down physically (hence, naptimes!) and to some degree mentally.

Good grief! Why do you think geriatric medicine is a specialty?

I'm a former sociologist who taught the first class at Univ. of Pittsburgh on "Death and Dying" (back in the 70's) and held a three year NIMH research fellowship on studies of the care of the elderly in hospitals, the living conditions of elderly in senior citizen-only apartment buildings, etc. Then I went to law school and ended up working as a state legislature attorney, dealing with such problems as taking away driving licenses from physically and/or mentally incompetent elderly. Their adult children would contact legislators demanding a law requiring mandatory annual testing after some specific age. However the AARP always lobbied successfully against it.

Arlen's either too mentally incompetent to grasp his own realities, or in bigtime denial if he believes he has the requisite energy to be a United States Senator!

None of us has a crystal ball to accurately predict the rate of deterioration, or type or timing of death. What we do know, from both our personal life experiences, decades of health statistics and insurance actuarial tables, is that Specter is certain to deteriorate/age significantly between the ages of 80 and 86.

Why don't you go rant at all the businesses and institutions which do not appoint 80 year olds as CEOs/ CFO's/ corporate officers/military officers, etc. Or rant at the airlines who don't have senior citizen pilots. And I dare you to find 80 year old physicians, dentists, surgeons, etc. with any, let alone, full time active practises. Tell you where you'll find them - in the graveyards or on the golf course.

[wisteria]

13. There are more and more exceptions to what you claim.

People are living longer and healthier lives now. My mother in law died at the age of 94 and up until she had a stroke - a month before she died- she was as smart and quick as the day I first met her 30 years ago. Maybe not as quick moving as a 50 year old but, she got the job done. My family doctor was in his 90's before he retired and I trusted his judgement more than many younger doctors. I have also had the pleasure of meeting Senator Specter three times recently and I can tell you, I didn't see any signs of deterioration or loss of mental capacity. Actually, he was very sharp when I asked him some pointed questions. Yes, he moves slowly, but how exactly does that affect his ability to get the job done as a Senator. And, he has been doing a damn good job crossing the country and meeting voters. I don't think I even have enough stamina to do that and I am a lot younger than he is.
You are using Senator Spector's age against him when there is no reason to do so except to promote Mr. Sestak. If this is what Mr. Sestak has to resort to to get elected, that is very sad.

[howaboutme]

14. I agree for two reasons

I agree for two reasons. At 80 there is not the reserve of energy that there is at 50 and that is especially true with someone who has had major health issues. Secondly I'm a believer that longevity in office is not a bonus for constituents or USA. They lose their idealism and their egos become too big, and too ingrained in a system of cronies whose primary interest is themselves, not the state or the country. I'd vote for term limits so that we get fresh ideas and less corruption. Specter has been there too long by about 20 years.

[wisteria]

10. I totally agree. n/t

[wisteria]

9. You know, older people are not the only ones to "stroke out" and die.

VP Biden's son just had a stroke and he was in his fourty's-thank goodness he is alright and will recover.My cousin's husband was 43 and died of a heart attack. I know of two women in their 40's who died of brain tumors. I also know of people who have died of cancer at all ages. And, I know of many older people who are living to be well into their 90's and 100's. Senator Strum Thurmond served as the Senator from South Carolina until he was 100 years old.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strom_Thurmond

How old are you that you think people are no longer productive or necessary when they are older? We currently have 1 US senator in his 90's, 4 in their 80's and 21 in their 70's. Robert Bird, a Democrat is 90, and he may be frail, but he is still damn sharp. As are all the older Senators. I don't know of anyone of them-either party that is not on his or her game.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_United_States_Senators_by_age

[philly_bob]

7. I bet Obama's support for Specter was part of a vote deal ...

and Obama would happily make deals with Sestak.

Like Nutter supported Hillary Clinton as part of a deal, but I don't think Obama holds that against Nutter.

In some ways, we respect people that keep their deals.