Great Lakes Senators rule

[Ardent15]

Russ Feingold
Richard Durbin
Barack Obama
Paul Wellstone (RIP)
Carl Levin
Sherrod Brown


Anyone else notice their progressive and populist streaks? It seems to be a pattern among Senators from the Great Lakes region.

[ogneopasno]

1. Well, not all of them, of course.

[Ardent15]

2. Obviously not all of them

Forgot Herb Kohl.

[pansypoo53219]

10. well, for a business man

he is.

[samdogmom]

3. Well...all I can say as a "Great Lakes" resident...is that we're very practical here!

We do have our nut cases (Tommy Thompson comes to mind!) Our states have liberals and conservatives just like the rest of the country. However...after living in the Midwest and the South...I'll take the Midwest any day!

P.S. Not to burst your balloon but Joe McCarthy was from Wisconsin. YIKES!

[Ardent15]

6. Those states seem to attract populist Democrats who are in touch with the working class

That's what I was getting at.

[sailor65]

4. Obama's not (Wasn't) a Great Lakes senator.....

Illinois is a Great Lakes wannabe. :-)

[Ardent15]

5. Durbin and Obama are badasses

They count in my book.

[dflprincess]

7. It used to be considered midwest populism

New York is a Great Lakes state (it even has 2 Great Lakes) but I don't see it's senators mentioned.

And, I don't consider Amy Klobuchar (DFL-MN) all that progressive. I heard her dad, Jim (former newspaper columnist), give a couple speeches for her during her campaign in 2006 - he sounded like an old time Farmer Laborite. I fear we ran the wrong Klobuchar.

[Ardent15]

8. Schumer and Clinton aren't really from the Great Lakes Region

Schumer is from Brooklyn, which is more mid-Atlantic/New England, and Hillary...well she's a carpetbagger, to put it bluntly (though she is from Chicago, so I guess that counts).

[dflprincess]

11. At the time he was elected to the Senate Wellstone was living in Northfield, MN

and he was living in St. Paul at the time of his death. Lake Superior is no where near either site. I think Feingold is from Madison, WI and that would put him a ways from either Superior or Lake Michigan. If proximity to one of the lakes is what makes a "Great Lakes" senator, neither Wellstone or Feingold would qualify either.

[Ardent15]

15. It's not their proximity to the lakes

It's the fact that there states are in proximity to the lakes.

New York is the exception.

[KamaAina]

14. Sec. of State Clinton is no longer in the Senate

Gillibrand is from a bit farther upstate, near Albany, but still not near either lake.

[FLAprogressive]

13. "New York is a Great Lakes state (it even has 2 Great Lakes) but I don't see it's senators....

....mentioned"

That's because neither are worthy of mention..... :P

[Myrina]

9. Loves me some Russ! And don't forget the WI CongressCritter ...

Dave Obey, Champion of the Working Folk of America!!


:patriot: :applause:

[JNelson6563]

12. Levin makes me proud

as do all those you list. I've had the honor of meeting Levin many times, he's great. Knows his shit, fears no one.

Julie

[Ardent15]

16. That's awesome

[wuushew]

17. Bayh and Lugar aren't terribly impressive

n/t

[Ardent15]

18. Yeah, but neither is Indiana ;)