I just got an email from a minor Democratic mucky-muck complaining about my playful jabs at Rodney Tom, and warning that I shouldn’t be “interfering” in a local primary. The emailer flattered me by suggesting I had some “influence,” but then went on to chastise me for using it “irresponsibly.” Apparently, my aggressive support of Darcy Burner just “isn’t fair.”
Well, you know what…? Life isn’t fair. And in poking fun at Tom’s early missteps and misstatements, well, that’s kinda the point. We bloggers do have some influence these days, and we almost uniformly intend to use it in support of Darcy. Rodney Tom isn’t our guy, and for a candidate whose primary campaign theme seems to focus almost exclusively on electability, well, that’s not a very good place to be.
Tom’s boosters keep pushing the “Darcy can’t win in November” meme, but the real question mucky-mucks should be asking themselves is whether Tom has a path toward winning in August? Well, he ain’t gonna get any help here.
I’ll be “irresponsible:” Rodney Tom sucks; I personally will vote for an actual Democrat before I will for a former Republikkkan; Darcy wins in in the primary and in November 2008.
Well, Goldy, this demonstrates why bloggers should be independent of parties. It allows for criticism that wouldn’t be possible, or credible, if the blogs were “in-house,” and the parties and the voters benefit from the untrammeled discourse that results.
Another good reason to have independent bloggers is so that party people can call them out when they are lazy, or when they say stuff that’s inaccurate or just plain stupid, like saying the King County Democratic Central Committee is to blame because no candidate filed against Jane Hague.
One or two phone calls would have revealed that the KCDCC Candidate Recruitment Committee worked long and hard, and interviewed quite a few potential candidates, none of whom thought it worth their while to run. This effort had gone on since late last year.
But no, you’d rather stoop to the Josh Feit level and just throw shit out there. That’s why I’m glad you’re independent.
Well the Democratic establishment has done it, I always suspected they were really Republicans, but now they’ve gone and told us to shut up about the Democratic candidate and help us get a Republican elected.
Goldy, you should post that email without deleting the, minor Democratic mucky-muck’s name and email. People like that need to fed to the fucking sharks.
Daddy Love says:
Darcy wins in in the primary and in November 2008.
LOL!!!! I needed a good laugh. This empty suit with the bowl haircut couldn’t get elected dog catcher, not even in Seattle. LOL!!!
Mark
I was going to close that post with a prediction that you would show up and say “empty suit,” “empty skirt” or similar. Dammit, I should go with Michael Chertoff’s gut more often.
How does it feel to be absolutely predictable? I imagine you lack of substantive content doesn’t bother you at all.
Hey, love the “couldn’t get elected dog catcher,” especially in the light of her come-from-nowhere race in 2006 where she was 1.5% from beating Sheriff Do-Nothing.
Life isn’t fair, but if we tax the rich enough we can make it fair!!!
Life isn’t fair, but if we tax the rich enough we can make it fairly amusing…
Daddy Love says:
Mark
I was going to close that post with a prediction that you would show up and say “empty suit,” “empty skirt” or similar. Dammit, I should go with Michael Chertoff’s gut more often.
How does it feel to be absolutely predictable? I imagine you lack of substantive content doesn’t bother you at all.
Predictable and void of substance? Those 2 descriptions sum up Darcy Burner perfectly!!
She is predictable by: Parroting whatever the daily Dem Party talking points are, since she has no ideas of her own.
She is void of substance because: She has ZERO qualifying experience.
By her inflated ego logic, I might as well launch my exploratory committee for President of the United States. It wouldn’t at all be unlike Darcy’s perplexing run for Congress
qualifying experience
Funny how the Constitution doesn’t mention “qualifying experience.” The Founding Fathers seemed to think that if informed citizen voters decide that a person should be in Congress to represent them, that’s that.
Your oversprayed boy is toast, pal. He squeaked by in a year when he had the full weight of the majority party behind him, and now he only has those old Republikkan standbys: fear and lies. I’ve already received mail from the putz showing me he’s not afraid to use them.
Would someone please remind the mucky-muck that the D.P. is a bottom-up party; the top-down party are the other guys.
Roger Rabbit says:
Would someone please remind the mucky-muck that the D.P. is a bottom-up party; the top-down party are the other guys
Right, When Republicans run for office they actually have a plausible resume. Gee, imagine that.
Ivan @2,
You know I love you, but I never blamed the KCDCC for anything. I wrote:
I didn’t imply which Dems, just “Dems” in general. I was fully aware of the recruitment efforts this year, but I have absolutely no sympathy for those outraged by Richard Pope’s filing. This is what comes from missing filing deadlines.
Other than that, I pretty much agree with your comment. I’ve made a point of NOT being a PCO and not involving myself in the day-to-day official business of the party.
@6 Patience, we’re working on it.
Maybe some wingnut can explain how taxing wages at “ordinary income” rates, taxing stock market winnings at much lower “capital gains” rate, and not taxing inheritance income at all is “fair”?
All I’m asking for is that the rich pay the same taxes as the rest of us. You guys want a flat-rate tax, right? Well, so do I. Now let’s see you walk the talk.
@8 Darcy Burner has more substance in one drop of her piss than you have in the entire void between your ears.
‘Minor Democratic mucky-muck’
You mean Darcy whats-her-name?
@11 “Right, When Republicans run for office they actually have a plausible resume. Gee, imagine that.”
I suppose they do, if you imagine hard enough. Let’s take the resumes of the 2004 gubernatorial candidates, for example:
Winning candidate: Occupation: Lawyer. Ran a state agency (Ecology), won 3 elections to state attorney general, negotiated largest legal settlement in history of mankind and brought in $4.25 billion for state taxpayers.
Losing candidate: Occupation: Real estate salesman (lied about being a “broker”.) Only management experience was supervising 1 part-time janitor while a college student. Elected once to state senate, major accomplishment was writing a state budget that kicked 40,000 poor kids off health care. Known to consort with convicted felons.
See what I mean? If you imagine hard enough, you might imagine that a greasy little real estate salesman who worked for a crooked broker convicted of fleecing widows and orphans and supervised 1 part-time janitor while he was in college has a “plausible resume” to be governor of our state … (pause) … (snicker) …
HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR HAR
@16 Rodent,
I’d bet you’d know all about her piss you gutless lap-dog. Hold her purse too do you?
Roger Rabbit @ 18
The State Attorney General’s office is also a major state agency, with over 400 lawyers and 1,000 employees, which needs to be emphasized in the Democratic 2004 candidate’s resume’. Not to mention this candidate’s prior work and supervisory experience in that office before heading Ecology. Also the fact that she actually TRIED cases in court prior to heading this office, unlike the present Republican interloper who had never spent a day in a courtroom before being elected.
ivan @ 2
wow sounds like someone’s a little sensitive about failing at getting a candidate. it’s a tough job. sometimes you don’t succeed. it’s ok. admit that the recruitment effort was a failure. then look in different places for candidates next time.
How about we should tax many-name-marky according to the OTQ rating (Obnoxious Troll Quotient) Or the SPOL (Sock Puppet Occupational Level)?
‘Course it’s moot, he having nothing of substance, and all….
Welll … may the SJ offer a hypothesis??
1. The success of good people should be more important then what party organization they join … If the postBushista party survives and identifies a rational agenda, I for one can imagine voting for a neoRepubrican if I found her beliefs and qualifications impressive. In fact I have been beaten to a pulp more than once at DL for speaking out against some of the Democratic party’s candidates.
2. DL or whatever one might call the coterie around Goldie, is in a sense a party too. Like Move-on, DL or the Goldieites is supportive of the Docarats because that party is closer to our view, not because we are necessarily party loyalists.
David supports Darcy and has convinced a lot of other folks that she is a great candidate. So whatever this new things should be called … demoblogom, Seattle Tuesday Political Club, DL, etc … the function is in some ways like a political party, albeit a highly disorganized one.
Having grown up in a city governed by local political clubs (always democratic) I am very excited by this idea. The interaction of blogs with a political club is even more interesting because it suggests that blogs-clubs (Blubs) could replace the conventional media. Certainly the media in Seattle, with the exception of Goldie’s show and those of his opposite numbers at KTTH, etc, does an absolutely lousy job of supporting political choices.
All this said, I think all of us at DL realize that Goldie is only one of the folks there and part of what makes THIS club so interesting is there is a diversity of folks with different, albeit all left of the center, points of view.
I can not see what prevents Rodney Tom from coming down some Tuesday night and sharing a beer with the rest of us. Hell I can remember the wonderful night that
TrotskyGoldy andRay Gunboth showed up. I don’t know who paid for the pitcher but as part of the audience the discussion was terrific.Bottom line …
why doesn’t someone invite Rodney to DL?
Sermon off.
As for Darcy vs. Rodney, hell lets them debate it .. on Goldie’s show, the web wherever. It is true that he has a very impressive CV. BUT, having met Darcey, Rodney would have to be pretty damn impressive to get me to vote for him (actually living in the 7th that probably would not help. That is why SL is supporting John Silva.)
So why Darcy? Because she is a very impressive person who is endorsed by folks I respect. While I am conerned that she inexperienced in the Halls of Congress, I am not so sure that Mr. Tom’s (what an unfortunate name! He is not Black I hope?> credentials mean all that much at the level someone like Darcy can operate.
For that she gets my voice and as much campaign $$ as we can afford to give.
Rodney is going to kick ass and take names… you better watch out Goldy!
Fuck Rodney Tom – Darcy is our gal. Darcy can and will beat the hairdo.
I’m still waiting for that Aids-infested cunt Janet S to call on McMorris (R) to resign now that she’s preggers. Janet S wasted lots of bandwidth last time attacking Darcy for being a mother running for office. Now let’s hear Janet S apply that standard evenly.
Don’t hold your breath.
Yo! McMorris had her baby already.
Tom is a finger in the wind Republican. There is absolutely no reason to trust him to stick to Democratic principles down the line.
jman @25,
I can’t blame Rodney for wanting to take names. Who’d want to go through life with the name “Rodney Tom?”
John Birks says:
Life isn’t fair, but if we tax the rich enough we can make it fair!!!
And when you get laid off because the additional taxes they are forced to pay cuts into their profit, then you will see how incredibly stupid this idea of punishing the rich is.
Rod Tom
@27&28
She had a special need kid to boot, he really needs full time mommy!
@32 Stefan
Go away. Calling him Rod shows you don’t know him at all.
@30 Goldy
This coming from a guy who purposefully shortens his last name.
To this post in general:
This whole blog post goes without saying. Everyone knows Rodney is the better candidate. Otherwise Goldstein wouldn’t be trying to cut Rodney down so hard. You’ve made it clear you’re going after him. This is the weakest in that cause.
Yeah, he was a Republican. He switched because they sucked so much. At least 20 percent of the right voters in the 8th are going to know how he feels. This is a turning district, not a historically D one.
I say let Goldstein keep these posts up. Everytime I just think, “great, so if Darcy gets it we have a no-brain Rep who pulls the party line.” I get pissed when my Reps vote against what I believe in, but if they’re with me 90% of the time, I’ll respect them for drawing their own conclusions some of the time.
Keep’em coming David. And I’d bet Rodney would eat up a DL opporunity.
All you have to know about Rodney Tom is that all the righties want him to run. Nuff said.
@ 35
“all the righties want him to run.”
If you can organize them to collectively call them “all,” then you deserve much more than you’re being paid right now.
I’d bet some righties want him to run, because they’d like someone between the extremes.
I don’t get the comments. Is Rodney stupid? Is he dumb? Is he opportunistic?
Whatever, this is primary politics, where people sharpen their chops and prove if they can represent the district best, not whether they can sneak through the primary and fool the voters into electing a liberal.
We all know why Darcy should be scared. Us Dems were saying it early last election cycle. Her running for school board leaves her with a questionable resume.
DADDY LOVE @5 1.5% THATS CALLED 2ND LOSER
@19 I’m a lot of things, but gutless … no. “Gutless” is a fish after being cleaned, or Dick Cheney filling out forms for another deferment, or a wingnut bleating about Iraq. Roger Rabbit does not lack a gut. In fact, I have quite a large gut! I like to eat.
@28 Why hasn’t she resigned from Congress to be a stay-at-home mom? Where is Janet Slut when we have a job for her?
If the Tom strategy is to make himse;lf the centrist in this campaign he will need “moderate” issues to push.
Here are some thoughts:
1. immigration … This is a great centrist issue because both parties are stuck on extremist positions. On the left there is the support for legalization while the right is obsessed with building lego walls someplace, In the modle are key WA sttae issues f the need for skilled immigrant workers and open-ness of the Canadian border.
2. school reform. The left is hindered by its support from the teacher’s unions. Tom could strongly suport Master teacher programs and differential pay for skilled areas.
3. Iraq. A lot of DEarcie’s support is cmmitted to withdrawal now. More moderate positions can riff of off the Obama line .. we were stupid getting in, lets be smart about withdrawal.
4. Pork. It is not fashionable amongst Dems ti go after pork, Our area badly needs funds for regional transportation … Tom could support highway funds for 520 and an improves North-South interstate system.
Whatever, my money is on Burner. She is very smart and comes into this with a lot of support, Unfortunately this is not just from Blogdom or Goldie fans, she is getting supprt form very high level monied folks too .. in their eye HE nt she is the neophyte.
Let me try to put this in perspective: I really gave close attention to that last 8th Cong District election. #1. Will never understand how a 21 year search to find the GRK is evidence of competence of any kind. #2. Darcy. Big amendment wanting. Just one for now: i.e. Repeatedly introducing a four-year old son (as dear as he is) as validation of a credential with”…as a parent, I relate to parenting”..however’put.” Whooooa… Until she’s been through the challenges, injustices, achievements, set backs and battles of the middle school, teen years, high school hazards set against the backdrop of inspirational and evil mentors, teachers, coaches, peers’ competitive parents…Unless she’s been a “single parent,” solely responsible for “being there and being capable and knowegeable and being not too tired to give needed support and being “not wrong”…Until she’s sweated the managing of costs and qualifications for post school training in rightfully deserved placement, be it college admission, tuition or fork lift training…Until she’s learned and had to navigate with a “disabled” exceptional child in the battles of receiving due opportunity and any semblance of healthcare…until she’s faced the unfathomable loss of a child to cancer…for which there is no excuse that a cure hasn’t been devised…until she’s lived at home with paranoia and schizophenia…and tried to assure that child that “normalcy is ahead…hang on.” Until she’s felt the pangs of wanting a child’s serious needs addressed by the best available providers…until until. No other political aspirant appears to be parading a four-year old as a credential. This is but a fraction of the credibility factor that’s raised with every appearance…and why don’t I expect Goldie to grasp this perception? Amy Klobacar (sp) newly elected Minnesota Senator relates so reasonably and credibly to her constituency. No posturing to “formulate the framing of the message…Just simple words, staight answers. An inspiration. I admire Darcy’s knowlege of the issues…I question that every answer isn’t a managed strategy of manipulation toward a predefined target. Then, who’s to say. Seems to be working. G’luck. Liz
My daughter went to Harvard as well…Scholarship student worked late hours, house cleaning, for personal cash. The late january nite when I received her hysterical phone call. She’d been sent out into a Boston blizzard to walk two miles to clean up a fourth floor tenement where someone had put a gun to his head and used it…incidentally, no cell phone…she managed to find a phone and reached across the continent for support…speak of parent feeling inadequate. I sincerely hope Darcy’s parenting experience is void of pain and fear and guilt and trauma. If only every parent and every parent’s child could have that.
Thanks for providing the forum, Goldie. Blogs rock.
Is Liz just Janet S using a different name? You have to love the way a rightie thinks. You’re not a parent until your kid makes it to his teenage years? PLLLLEEEEAAASE! According to you righties, a person is a parent the minute they have sex leading to pregnancy.
The more the so-called moderate Dems (read that as GOP wannabes) and moderate Publicans (read that as shills for the religious right controlled GOP pretending to be moderate) call for Tom and against Darcy, the harder most of us who are real Dems will work for Darcy.
And trust me, Darcy’s not afraid of hairdo, you so-called moderates or that party-switching traitor Tom.
As for Tom switching his party affiliation because the Publicans suck?
Well yes they suck. They’re cowards, they’re stupid, they’re liars and all they care about is jails, wars and their own wallets.
But giving Tom credit for leaving the Publican party is like saying a convict who is arrested, convicted and jailed should be credit for saying he’s sorry. Yes, sorry for getting caught.
Tom isn’t sorry he promoted the Publican agenda. He’s sorry it left him with no political clout in a Democratic-run state. There’s a difference.
@43 Party Loyalty is Over-rated.
\Why are you so obsessed with party loyalty? When Wlllie Brandt ran for Chancellor of Germany, his opponents ried to critcize this guy because in WWII he had worn a foreign uniform.
How about James Webb . you want him to switch parties?
BOTH PARTIES are really just devices to get elected, not a lot different than a huge PAC. Thei9r policies are available for purchase and their leaderf ship can be taken over by tgood folks or bad folks. The Repricans have the misfortune of having had a systematic effort by a coalition of the wierd right, the xtian fundies and the rich to take over the levers of power. So yeh .. seem that a good issue for any Reprican is how can you belong to the party devoted to folks who believe they talk to Jesus and he has assured them they should beat up on other before the others beat up on them?
The problme with BOTH parties is that party labels usually reflect the reality of where you first ran for office rather than your beliefs. Suppose Goldy wer living in Oklahoma and he decided t0 run for State Senator. What party would yoiyu have him choose?
RES
I hope you can understand the simple math in this.
4 year old = 4 years of parenting experience.
21 year old = 21 years of parenting experience.
@45
and on such idiotic criteria we a Congressman should not elect.
Yoda.
He must otherwise he would be posting more. Thankfully he doesn’t have any children that he’s ignoring.
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Wakes up and starts posting
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Screw the Dem. Party.
I think they’re terrified of a netroots style candidate to the point that they’d rather take a rebranded repub.
“He can Win in November” candidates in general don’t. Its cowards logic, and from what I’ve seen, its simply wrong.
41 Liz
So until Darcy Burner has had a child die of cancer, she’s not a parent? Umm, WRONG!!
Well, I guess I qualify as not being an “almost uniformly” blogger. I am, perhaps, the only major blogger in Washington state who actually lives in the 8th CD (please correct me if I’m wrong!) I saw this campaign very close up from on the ground as I doorbelled and did my other work for candidates — including Darcy. I have been advised behind the scenes (not by David) to be very “mindful” about expressing my opinion in this matter because my opinion is “divisive”.
Even if we don’t agree very often, at least we can agree that Rod Tom (Tommy Rod?) isn’t our first choice for 8th District Congressman.
RightEqualsStupid has to get up early so he can satisfy my wife.
@47 and 48:
Funny, I was thinking the same thing. Poor wittle wabbit.
@38 Rodent:
You? A gut? Never woulda thunk it! That’s what happens when one sits around in his bathrobe all day not working and collecting gov’t handouts you know?