Sherrod Brown - Paul Hackett: the Ohio Story (& NY??)

As a former Ohioan, I've been following the Sherrod Brown - Paul Hackett Democratic primary race for the US Senate. God knows we need good people of peace in the Senate (and everywhere else). That said, I'm not sure how peaceful former militaryman Hackett really is, especially given his dubious comments following withdrawal from the campaign. David Sirota, who had added previously to my discomfort with Hackett, has posted a rundown on a Cleveland Plain Dealer Story, which basically said MONEY played a big factor in Hackett's leaving the race.

Meanwhile, we may have to work to appease some of the webloggers who feel more betrayed -- perhaps because their truth isn't our truth. I attemped to post something at Get Rid of the DLC and we will see if the moderator chooses to release it, but I am posting it here as it shows my take on the Brown/Hackett story:

Can't stand the DLC either, but Sherrod Brown is a long time progressive Democrat. I spoke with him one on one during my Ohio days while I was working at the Ashtabula NOW booth at the Ashtabula County Fair. He was proud of his feminist mother and his family's long-time peace advocacy. He has a proven progressive record.

Hackett is the unknwn quantity. Some like his fire-in-the-belly. My personal gut feeling is discomfort with Hackett. Politics involves compromise. Does Paul Hackett understand that?

Thom Hartmann reported his mail was 50/50 split on the Hackett/Brown news BUT Brown was highly favored by those emails from OHIO constituents. Ohio knows Brown is no party hack. The web should embrace Sherrod, and Paul Hackett should run again, IF he hasn't shot himself in the foot by shooting off his mouth. His post-withdrawal comments confirm my gut-feeling. He's not ready for the Senate -- he does not have the necessary diplomacy and savoire faire.

I want more men and women of peace in office. All this flirtation with former military men campaigning makes this peace and justice activist uncomfortable indeed. Unless they are from the Major General Smedley Butler school and loudly proclaim, "War is a Racket", they must be looked at carefully.

That said, The Christian Progressive Liberal who writes Get Rid of the DLC posts some pretty good stuff. But I question her basic underlying comment beneath her blog title, "THE DLC STANDS FOR: DELUSIONAL group who LOSES CONSISTENTLY. SO, THEY NEED TO GO!" It is not their losing that bothers me so much as their corporatist policies. We don't need Republican-lite. We need real Dems who espouse to traditional Democratic values to win: pro-labor, pro-peace, pro-healthcare, pro-working family. Hillary Clinton screwed up her husband's attempt to get some relevant US healthcare established because she bowed to the insurance companies and then they still weren't happy. What do we expect of a DLC Democrat who served on Wal-Mart's board? While I hope and pray Sherrod's campaign recovers from the wounds Hackett's graceless withdrawal have made, I look forward in New York to hearing more from Hillary Clinton's senate primary rival Jon Tasini, scheduled to be at the Monday, Feb. 27th meeting of the newly forming PDA NY Metro group: 6:30 to 8:30 PM at SEIU, Local 1199, 310 West 43 St., Auditorium, A Floor, Manhattan.

So much work to be done for Peace and Justice -- in Ohio and in NewYork, indeed EVERYWHERE. Energy!

Peace hugs,
Kate Anne