Tuesday in Kentucky we will go to the polls and choose our Democratic nominee. While I will not endorse in that race on the same day up in Pennsylvania there is another Senate race that I really hope Joe Sestak wins. I think this would send a mini "tea-bag" message to the Democratic establishment that while not as rabid as the right-wingers our base is tired of being taken for granted too. We do not have to reach out to opportunists like Specter to win elections or enact agenda and it is time our leadership realized that and fought for real Democratic values, not only those that are "convienient".
While I have heard some grumblings here and there about Sestak being a dreaded centrist, he is at least a Democrat. In my opinion Specter saw the polls not the light and knew this was his only chance to stay in power as a member of the Democratic Party and caucus. The fact that leading Democrats immediately jumped unquestioningly on his bandwagon was disgraceful and demonstrated the cowardice our party has become known for.
While nobody gave Sestak a chance for a long time, a late surge has made this race much like the one in Kentucky a toss-up. For his part Specter sought to allay the fears of people who think just like I do within the Democratic Party:
Five-term Sen. Arlen Specter sought to highlight his support in the black community and among law enforcement, appearing at endorsement events with Philadelphia's black clergy and the union that represents the city's police officers.
Later, both candidates attended events about an hour to the north, Sestak speaking to about 70 supporters in a steelworkers union hall in Bethlehem and Specter addressing more than 200 people at a Lehigh Valley labor council dinner.
Here is the President showing some love for Arlen Specter:
I am sorry, but all that love just leaves a bad taste in my mouth!!
Sestak meanwhile continued his uphill climb against the powerful forces of the establishment and concluded that "real Democrats" would show up and give him the upset victory:
"I may not have the support, at least overtly, of the establishment, even of the AFL-CIO, but I've got the support of the working family," Sestak told the crowd in Bethlehem.
Asked about the stimulus vote that Specter says saved thousands of jobs in the recession, Sestak contended that Specter set the recession in motion by voting for the failed economic policies of former President George W. Bush.
One Sestak supporter at the Bethlehem event, retired steelworker Mike Dzwonczyk, recalled the union's often-unpleasant dealings with Specter when he was a Republican.
"He always knew how to play both sides," said Dzwonczyk, 68.
Here is the hard-hitting, no-nonsense ad that Sestak has been hitting Specter with:
So while I am not endorsing anyone in the Kentucky race because I do not see a lot of difference in the candidates I hope Keystone Democrats will give Sestak the victory in Pennsylvania. Whether or not he is Progressive enough the simple fact of the matter is the whole nation except the Democratic leadership knows exactly what they will get with Specter. It is time to retire Arlen and show the Democratic leadership that if they won't fight and draw lines in the sand that we as grassroots Democrats will.
At this time in our nation's history it has simply come to that.
