October 26, 2002
THE SUNSHINE BOYS:
Dems Seek to Put Mondale on Ballot (ASHLEY H. GRANT and MIKE WILSON, 10/26/02, Associated Press)Democrats on Saturday reached out for a candidate to replace Sen. Paul Wellstone on the November ballot, with elder statesman Walter Mondale emerging as the favorite. Meanwhile, federal investigators searched the wreckage of Wellstone's plane to determine why it crashed.Mondale, the former vice president and Minnesota congressman, wasn't commenting. But one Democratic source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mondale had indicated some interest.
Two Democratic sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and Sen. Patty Murray, head of the party's campaign committee, had reached out to Mondale. Democratic sources said prominent labor leaders had expressed interest in Mondale as well.
"If he says yes, it's pretty much over," said Democratic consultant Wy Spano.
Democrats aren't exactly building for the future with Lautenberg and Mondale, are they? And, once again, as with Cory Booker in NJ, the Party is passing up a well-qualified black candidate--Alan Page--who would be practically guaranteed a Senate seat.
Posted by Orrin Judd at October 26, 2002 6:44 PM
3 of the 4 African-Americans on the statewide ballot in Texas this year are Republicans, including Chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission.
Guess which of the 4 are more likely to win their races?
James, remember in 1998 when the slates for non-judicial (I'd include judicial, but I can't remember them offhand) candidates included:
REPUBLICANS: 4 white men, 2 white women, and 1 Hispanic man
DEMOCRATS: 7 white men
Guess they're overcompensating this year...
Whitlock
Building for the future? Politics, like the NFL/NBA/MLB, is about mortgaging the future for the championship ring today - you can always worry about tomorrow tomorrow.
I don't know much about MN politics but I wonder if the independents, who everyone says are the key to this race, will go for a 74 yr old liberal whose last major political race was getting destroyed in the 1984 presidential race vs. a moderate republican. We'll find out next week
Facts, Facts, Facts....
One must remember, facts don't matter to good Democrats. It's simply "do what you gotta do."
The reason the Democrats are "passing up" Alan Page is simple:
He doesn't want the job.
He LIKES being on the Minnesota Supreme Court, and has already turned down a chance to run for the Senate once (in 2000) because he would have had to resign from the court to do so, and will have to resign if he were to run now.
The Democrats won't be able to intimidate him into running, either. Intimidate a Purple People Eater?
Joe:
Did Tom Daschle and Patty Murray call and plead with him? Or is that reserved for ofay geezers?
I forget where I read this but this suggestion comes to mind.
Whenever a white demorcratic in the Senate or house decries the lack of diversity in their leadership or in their chamber, give them an offer: Challange them to resign on the condition that a qualified member of an "oppressed" minority group takes their job, and watch their hemming and hawing.
And don't forget a qualified black man, (Maynard Jackson I think) passed over for head of the DNC, in favor of Terry McAuliffe.
Posted by: Scout at October 27, 2002 3:56 PMMr. Judd,
Great blog, but you're wrong again.
As I mentioned before, Cory Booker was nowhere close to being a qualified candidate. His experience in government consists of being a Newark city councilmen. Such credentials do not a Senator make. Furthermore, he's a far-left Urban Democrat whose one conservative/libertarian idea--vouchers--would alienate swing voters in the largely suburban state of New Jersey.
Speculation is fun but it's important to get the facts on the ground right.
(P.S. - sorry to be so harsh--it's still a great blog!)
Mr. Judd,
Great blog, but you're wrong again.
As I mentioned before, Cory Booker was nowhere close to being a qualified candidate. His experience in government consists of being a Newark city councilmen. Such credentials do not a Senator make. Furthermore, he's a far-left Urban Democrat whose one conservative/libertarian idea--vouchers--would alienate swing voters in the largely suburban state of New Jersey.
Speculation is fun but it's important to get the facts on the ground right.
(P.S. - sorry to be so harsh--it's still a great blog!)