Obama backs Lincoln in Arkansas primary

[Enrique]

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/03/white-house-backs-lincoln-in-arkansas-primary.php

President Obama is sticking with Sen. Blanche Lincoln in the May 18 Democratic primary in Arkansas.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs confirmed today that Obama will keep with his trend of supporting the sitting senator in party primaries, as he's done with Sen. Arlen Specter over Rep. Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania and in supporting Sen. Michael Bennet in Colorado.

"We support Senator Lincoln as an incumbent senator," Gibbs told reporters today during his daily briefing.

[villager]

1. Well of course. Lack of Change the powers that be can believe in, and all that...

n/t

[truebrit71]

2. Of course he does. He backed LIEbermann as well.

A Leopard doesn't change it's spots you know...

[roguevalley]

12. he hugs the grenades that are set to blow him up. what a tool.

[Tesha]

3. And it's just an amazing coincidence that it's always the more-Right candidate he backs.

Chains you can believe in!

Tesha

[Hippo_Tron]

11. Really, Ford is to the left of Gillibrand?

I'd really like to see you make that case.

[Dr.Phool]

17. Ford is an opportunist.

Even he doesn't know what he is from day to day.

[Tesha]

20. Ford isn't the only choice -- read this E-mail from MoveOn!

Dear MoveOn member,

For the past year, a small handful of conservative Democrats in Congress has obstructed progress at every turn—but starting today, we've got a huge opportunity to stop one of the worst of them.

That's because just this morning Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter announced that he's challenging Senator Blanche Lincoln in the Democratic primary there.1

Sen. Lincoln stood with insurance companies to kill the public option, with coal companies to roll back the Clean Air Act, and with big banks to kill legislation that would have helped families stay in their homes.2

If we can replace her with progressive Bill Halter, it'll put every conservative Democrat in Washington on notice that siding with corporate interests has a heavy political price.

But Halter needs to quickly raise enough money to compete with Lincoln, who has over $5 million in the bank, much of it raised from corporate interests.3

So a major coalition of progressive groups has set a goal of raising $500,000 for Bill Halter this week. That'd make headlines, but it'll take 4 donations from Nashua to meet the goal—can you chip in $85?

https://pol.moveon.org/give/halter_announce.html?id=19160-1895924-t5KfWxx&t=3

Just how bad is Blanche Lincoln?

She promised to filibuster any health care bill that included a public option after taking more than $866,000 from insurance and HMO interests.4 She's the #1 recipient of campaign contributions from Big Oil in the last year, and now she's sponsoring a bill to roll back the Clean Air Act.5 And she accepted more than $1.3 million over her career from Wall Street banks and financial interests, and then voted to kill legislation that would've allowed struggling homeowners to renegotiate their mortgages and stay in their homes.6

Here's how MoveOn member Jennifer P. from Little Rock put it: "Lincoln never met a special interest she didn't like. It's hard to express just how awful she has been as a senator. I don't know of anyone who will vote for her if she shows up on the November ballot." That's why MoveOn members in Arkansas voted 92% to support Halter's campaign to replace her.

Fortunately, we've got a much better alternative. Bill Halter has a progressive record as lieutenant governor and he's willing to take on big corporations when he gets to Washington.

Click here to donate to his campaign:

https://pol.moveon.org/give/halter_announce.html?id=19160-1895924-t5KfWxx&t=4

In announcing his candidacy today, Halter said: "Washington is broken. Bailing out Wall Street with no strings attached while leaving middle-class Arkansas taxpayers with the bill. Protecting insurance company profits instead of protecting patients and lowering health costs. Gridlock, bickering, and partisan games while unemployment is at a 25-year high. Enough is enough."7

Halter's well-positioned to beat Lincoln, and her approval ratings are so low that he has a much better chance of keeping the seat Democratic—but only if he can quickly raise enough money to compete. And given her unpopularity, Lincoln's likely strategy is to flood the air immediately with attack ads to keep him from building the momentum he needs to win.

So we need to get Bill Halter's campaign off to a huge start. Can you chip in $85 towards our goal of 4 donations from Nashua to his campaign this week?

https://pol.moveon.org/give/halter_announce.html?id=19160-1895924-t5KfWxx&t=5

Thanks for all you do.

–Adam, Wes, Nita, Michael, and the rest of the team

Sources:

1. Official campaign website, March 1, 2010
http://www.billhalter.com/announcement

2. "Lincoln: 'I'll Filibuster A Public Option Bill,'" Talking Points Memo, November 21, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=85297&id=19160-1895924-t5KfWxx&t=6

"Blanche Lincoln Cosponsors Murkowski's Dirty Air Act," The Wonk Room, January 21, 2010
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86489&id=19160-1895924-t5KfWxx&t=7

"'Cramdown' Crammed Down in Senate—For Now," BusinessWeek, April 30, 2009
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=86490&id=19160-1895924-t5KfWxx&t=8

3. Selected data from the Center for Responsive Politics, March 1, 2010
http://pol.moveon.org/lincoln/contribs.html?id=19160-1895924-t5KfWxx&t=9

4. Ibid.

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.

7. Official campaign website, March 1, 2010
http://www.billhalter.com/announcement

Want to support our work? We're entirely funded by our 5 million members—no corporate contributions, no big checks from CEOs. And our tiny staff ensures that small contributions go a long way. Chip in here.

PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to (redacted) on March 1, 2010. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.

[IndianaGreen]

26. Ironic that Obama is not publicly supporting Kirsten Gillibrand

Senator Gillibrand is actively supporting full equality for LGBTs, while Ford opposed LGBT rights until just a few weeks ago when it became convenient.

Looks like his support for incumbent senators is rather selective, like when he supported Joe Lieberman in the primary.

[Enrique]

28. no, he's clearly supporting Gillibrand over Ford

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/nyregion/12ford.html

“I think the White House is quite happy with the leadership and the representation of Senator Gillibrand in New York,” Mr. Gibbs said when asked about Mr. Ford at a White House press briefing. “We’re supporting her re-election.”

[IndianaGreen]

4. Why am I not surprised about this?

Another change that we can believe in!

[depakid]

24. I'm actually surprised

I assumed that he and his advisors were smarter and more savvy than to pull something like this.. again.

[damonm]

5. Disappointing.

[Thrill]

6. Attaching himself to another loser

Will only make him look back

[katandmoon]

7. Too bad it's not mutual.

[BklnDem75]

8. What do you expect?

He HAS to work with Lincoln until the end of the year. Do you really think he's going to openly back her opponent and sabotage his agenda?

[IndianaGreen]

14. He could remain quiet and don't say a word, instead of endorsing a woman that...

did not support his agenda in Congress.

[tranche]

36. I thought Gibbs put this out there.

[BklnDem75]

46. How do you suppose he do that?

It was a press briefing. The question was asked. Was he suppose to say 'no comment?' Would it have been smart for him to show support for her opponent? Really people, stop thinking with your hearts.

[secondwind]

9. WTF? I just donated $25/month for 8 months to her challenger!!! GEEZ.

[ashling]

10. The president should stay out of primaries as a matter of policy

nt

[Hansel]

33. Yes he should. It's up to the people who they want to elect

and he should keep his mouth shut until the people of any state decide who they want to run.

It really shows a disrespect for the voters when politicians in Washington try to hand pick candidates for the states. They can at least put on a facade that this is a democracy.

I was disgusted as hell when Jon Cornyn was sticking his nose in our election during the Franken/Coleman recount and it would tick me off just as much if Obama stuck his nose in the DFL's efforts to get rid of a clueless and ineffective Senator who has done nothing for our state.

It's just wrong.

[ashling]

40. I have no problem with him endorsing and campaigning for

the winner of the Democratic primary, but I think he should not get involved in the primary process.

As for John Cornhole, he's a supercilious ass.

[Hippo_Tron]

13. Nevermind

n/t

[brand404]

15. WHAT...THE....F**K!!! At least Obama is consistent -- NO CHANGE is his Moto...just WOW!!

[Dr.Phool]

16. We'll remember this during HIS primary.

Lincoln is obviously doing exactly what he wants.

"Senator Lincoln, please call the personnel dept. Your retirement papers are ready".

[VMI Dem]

18. Centrists stick together?

[NorthCarolina]

41. Bingo! nt

[peacebird]

19. my wallet and are are backing her primary Democratic opponent

And we will back as many Democratic challengers as we can to any and all of the ConservaDems. Including my "own" darling Mark Warner.

[asdjrocky]

21. Big surprise there.

[mstinamotorcity]

22. Its not the President

who changes Senators it the people of their state and district.So even if Obama supports a sitting senator it won't make a difference when her people look at what she has done.We respect our President because he is just doing what is expected of him by supporting the incumbent.But in truth he probably would wish she would do like a genie and be gone.Our President does what the public appearance code calls for.

[angelicwoman]

31. self-delete n/t

[Hansel]

34. He can wait until a candidate is nominated and support him or her all he wants.

Lincoln hasn't been nominated yet, sitting or not.

[depakid]

23. I see Obama hasn't learned from his poor judgment in backing Lieberman against Lamont

Not only that- but rather than staying out of it (which would be the wise move) he's backing a sure loser who has opposed many of his policies and generally been a thorn in the side of getting anything done in the Senate!

Now there's a BIG incentive or everyone else to go along with the president on tough votes own the line...

:sarcasm:

[warm regards]

25. Well, I'll give them one thing--they know how to stick together.

[paulk]

27. he really shouldn't be involved in backing candidates

during a primary - let the voters of that state decide.

It's bullshit.

[flpoljunkie]

29. Yes, and he'll support Halter if he wins the primary.

[LiberalFighter]

30. It's a catch 22. The outcome is better to support incumbent than challenger.

More fallback would occur if supporting challenger in the event the incumbent wins.

[leftygolfer]

32. agreed. smart move

she's the evil we know...

[Hansel]

35. If he waited til a candidate was nominated, he wouldn't have to worry about it. nt

[depakid]

37. The smart and appropriate move would have been to keep out of it altogether.

[BklnDem75]

47. How?

What would have been a more appropriate response? It's not like anyone jumped in front of the cameras to show their support. He was asked a question and it was the smartest response.

[freddie mertz]

38. Another good reason to support Halter.

WH should stay OUT of state Primaries.

But then, these increasingly seem to be people with no particular respect for the principles of democracy.

Say anything to get elected, then support the exact opposite policies and betray the people who put you there.

We need to get rid of ALL of these "new Democrats."

Arkansas is as good a place as any to start.

[Vidar]

39. Obama selects the most inept & corrupt officials he can find.

[high density]

42. As the head of the Democratic party, does he really have some other choice?

I don't know why people would be surprised about this. The party supports incumbents.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

43. As President, he has even less....

Obama needs every vote he can get between now and next November, and supporting Lincoln's opponent in the primary ensures zero cooperation from her. And if Lincoln LOSES the primary and becomes a lame duck for the next six months? That's a pain in the ass Obama doesn't need.

And it goes beyond Lincoln. If other Senators form the opinion that they'll get no loyalty from the White House, guess how much loyalty the White House is going to get in return?

[Enrique]

44. and democratic senators don't filibuster their own party's top priority

against the wishes of their own constituencies.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

45. Yes he does have a choice, he can be neutral

Primaries are a legitimate function OF the party he heads, not a threat to the party.

It is wrong, in my view, for the head of the Party to support one side or the other in a primary. (Imagine if the chairman of the DNC did that.)

[BklnDem75]

49. Not in this case

Even a neutral response would be seen as negative to any incumbent. Regardless of how we feel about her, he HAS to work with her for the next 9 months. This isn't rocket science.

[Raine1967]

48. I think we got another Vote for HCR.

I really think that is what is going on here.

[invictus]

50. Woohoo! Change I can believe in!