MO-01: Ocasio-Cortez to raise money, knock on doors tomorrow for Cori Bush against Rep. Bill Clay

[RandySF]

WASHINGTON • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the self-described democratic socialist who knocked off a powerful New York congressman in a primary last month, is coming to St. Louis on Saturday in an effort to repeat that result on nine-term incumbent Rep. William Lacy Clay.

Clay, D-St. Louis, faces a Democratic primary in which his principal opponent is Cori Bush, a community activist, nurse and pastor who is part of the same phalanx of challengers that Ocasio-Cortez comes from.

Ocasio-Cortez and Bush will campaign door to door together Saturday afternoon, after a morning breakfast fundraiser. The two will appear, along with state Rep. Bruce Franks Jr. at a 7 p.m. Saturday rally at the Ready Room, 4195 Manchester Avenue in St. Louis.

Bush says Ocasio-Cortez’s appearance “is huge for us,” and that the two share common traits and ideas as community activists with real-world struggles. Bush said she “cried like a baby” the night Ocasio-Cortez defeated Rep. Joe Crowley, who many thought would be the next Democratic leader in the U.S. House.

“Having Alexandria come here to stump for our campaign, I think, is on so many levels a perfect fit,” Bush said.

Clay says he welcomes Ocasio-Cortez to the city to contrast his record from Bush’s.

St. Louis, he said, “is not the Bronx.”



https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/incumbent-slayer-from-new-york-headed-to-st-louis-to/article_d3fcf203-1726-5c1d-b864-d8372edc3490.html

[Cha]

1. Yeah, knocking on doors to campaign against

a sitting Democratic Congressman as respected as William Lacy Clay.

“First of all, I welcome Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to my hometown — St. Louis, Mo.,” Clay said. “I am glad she is coming because it will now highlight the differences with my opponent.

“I am a progressive Democrat, whereas my opponent is a democratic socialist,” Clay continued. “I have a record to run on, unlike her and my other opponent, and I have results in the areas of health care, of housing, of voting rights, the environment. I can point to that. The people in the heartland in St. Louis, they know that this is not the Bronx.”

[EffieBlack]

3. SMH

[Cha]

4. I know.. I can barely

contain my fury.

She's not making any friends in Congress who hold William Lacy Clay in esteem.

[joshcryer]

15. Cori Bush has next to no chance of ousting Lacy Clay.

She's a nobody who has run for federal office for years with no results. Like many of the Our Revolution candidates.

[Cha]

23. And, yet Cortez wants to replace William Lacy Clay,

a highly respected, experienced member of the CBC, with that.

Mahalo, Josh.

[joshcryer]

24. I don't blame Cortez.

Did you know that Our Revolution didn't even endorse her until 20 days before the primary?

We cannot ignore that she literally went through two sets of shoes canvasing for that seat. Without any outside support.

And good old Our Revolution, after seeing that she'd put in so much effort, decided to endorse 20 days before the primary. Out of nearly two years of canvasing. Knowing that Crowley had neglected the district and knowing that her face was every fucking where there.

I think since Our Revolution and its backers essentially gave her free travel money and free advertising she's gone with it. I really don't think she's for Welder over Davis, I saw the speech she gave last night, it was underwhelming at best, she really didn't come off as sincere, as if she was fighting a battle.

I feel as if she's being duped by this larger organization and as a campaigner she had an excellent model. But I also feel she thinks she owes something to Our Revolution, so she's running around campaigning for losers.

[oberliner]

6. Joseph Crowley was/is a respected sitting Democratic Congressman also

She ran against him in the primary, though, and ended up winning.

Doesn't it make sense for her to try to help other primary candidates with whom she feels an affinity, such as Cori Bush?

[Cha]

9. she can try to unseat William Lacy Clay. I'm sending him MONEY

I'm sure he'll be there for the debates.

[oberliner]

14. They both seem like great candidates (Cori Bush and William Lacy Clay)

I am just saying that the claim to fame of Ocasio-Cortez is that she beat a respected established Democrat in a primary - so it seems logical that she would support other Democratic primary candidates in similar circumstances.

[joshcryer]

19. The cirucmstances are in no way similar.

Ocasio-Cortez wasn't even endorsed by Our Revolution until late in her campaign, as she had spent the better part of two years campaigning for that seat, on the ground.

Our Revolution endorsed Ocasio-Cortez a mere 20 days before her primary. They didn't even know who she was until it was seen that she was gaining traction.

[GaryCnf]

76. Odd then that she so steadfastly

stands with them now?

I wonder what it is about her that makes her so gullible?

Disgusting

[thucythucy]

54. Perhaps she ought to be focussed on winning her own race.

It's never a good idea for any Democrat, socialist or otherwise, to assume you're going to win just because you're running in a blue state or district.

Voters have a tendency to resent the idea that their constituency is a stepping stone to some other, more important goal.

[joshcryer]

11. Who?

[oberliner]

16. Are you being facetious?

My point is - she challenged Crowley and won, so why wouldn't she support other Democrats in similar situations?

[joshcryer]

22. "Who" of Cori Bush.

She's a nobody. When you look her up you know what you find? AOC articles. Cori Bush herself? Her biography is a blank slate, outside of the fact that she's been running for federal office for two terms now, and has had no success, and if anything, it's been mediocre at best.

[obamanut2012]

33. She isn't supporting Democrats

[thucythucy]

51. Maybe it makes more sense for her to campaign in her own district?

My experience is that voters don't like people taking them for granted. Even in solidly blue districts, it's not a good idea to assume you'll win without paying attention to your own potential constituency. For instance, Martha Healy (I think it was) against Scot Brown in Massachusetts.

Don't count your chickens etc.

[TeamPooka]

65. but she can't screw up our blue wave in Nov. if she stays in her district

[sheshe2]

78. Hey thucythucy.

It was Martha Coakley ( she ran a crappy campaign and thought she/we would not lose Teddies seat). You are thinking of our incredible Maura Healey that we elected as AG.

You are so right.

Don't count your chickens etc.

Martha counted those chickens and lost.

However we are good now with Elizabeth Warren in that seat.

PS...she is up for reelection this year and is out there campaigning hard. She is taking nothing for granted in a blue state.

[thucythucy]

85. Thanks for the info.

I LOVE Elizabeth Warren.

And you're right--she's not taking anything for granted. Which IMHO is the wisest course to take.

Best wishes.

[sheshe2]

86. Thanks!

Best to you as well.

[Me.]

52. Stinks...Pure & Simple

more OR disruption through a surrogate

[Cha]

57. Yes, no way to spin that one.. here's another OR is going after..

Link to tweet

Me

[Qutzupalotl]

2. A disturbing pattern.

Ocasio-Cortez seems to be focused on undermining established Democrats instead of unseating Republicans.

[oberliner]

7. Her entire primary campaign was predicated on undermining an established Democrat

Specifically, Joe Crowley.

I'm not sure why it would be surprising that she would want to help out other Democratic primary candidates in similar circumstances.

[joshcryer]

13. Crowley took his free seat for granted.

And lost, accordingly. AOC spent the better part of two years canvasing on foot for that seat. She earned it well. Crowley was caught sitting.

[oberliner]

18. Right - but AOC made the decision to challenge him, even though he was a respected long-standing Dem

He didn't take her seriously and lost.

She is trying to help bolster other Democrats whom she feels an affinity towards that are underdogs in their primaries also. I don't see why people would find this to be objectionable.

[joshcryer]

21. He arguably didn't even know she was competing.

It was the freest seat the Democrats held. It will remain a guaranteed seat for the Democrat.

[RandySF]

20. There is a special election for Congress in a very flippable district that very same day

Why haven't we heard a single peep or seen a tweet in support of Danny O'Connor?

[Qutzupalotl]

39. That plus her friends disturb me:

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Credico is a confidante of Roger Stone. Makes me think we’re being had.

[octoberlib]

45. Credico's doing this because

they don’t think a DemSoc is as likely to win against a Republican as. Dem. It’s called ratfucking.

[Qutzupalotl]

50. My suspicions exactly. n/t

[Cha]

64. Randy Credico has nothing but Stale insults

Link to tweet

Comedian Thrown Out of White House Press Dinner for Supporting ‘Heroic’ Assange

Randy Credico, an activist, comedian and former director of the William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice, was unceremoniously thrown out of the White House Correspondents Dinner (WHCD) this weekend after voicing his call for freedom for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

.
https://sputniknews.com/us/201805011064045655-randy-credico-thrown-out-white-house-press-dinner/

Mahalo for that tweet, Qutzupalotl I'd never heard of this one.

[Qutzupalotl]

77. Credico is what they call a "concept comic."

His concept is, he’s a comedian ... but he’s not funny.

That label gives him wide latitude to say anything with plausible deniability, making him an ideal ratfucker operative. But people take him at face value, and that’s dangerous ... so I’m not laughing either.

[Cha]

79. Yeah, he's dangerous.. "hero Assange" wtf, Credico.

Not laughing, either.

[Cha]

10. she's going around endorsing OR candidates.. BS' thing

We'll see how that goes.

My money is on the Democratic Candidates

[Indepatriot]

5. LEADERSHIP!

[oberliner]

8. What do you think of Cori Bush?

From what I am reading on her campaign website, she seems pretty great.

[joshcryer]

12. Cori Bush ran for Senate in 2016.

Barely hit 13% of the vote.

Compared to Lacy Clay she's a nobody, and is likely to lose.

[Arazi]

25. We need to cultivate young Dems. Who cares if Bush loses, she gains experience

And name recognition.

We need to be bringing along the next generation. I'm ok with this effort, even if its a certainty she'll fail this time because I'm looking at the long haul

[joshcryer]

26. I absolutely 100% don't disagree with that.

And I think that elder states people should mentor and try to bring on new blood. But I am not ageist. If they think they can represent their constituents adequately, who am I to demand they step down or be replaced?

Nancy Pelosi broke the record for the longest time a House speaker stood in debate. At 78 years old: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2018/02/07/nancy-pelosis-marathon-speech-sets-record-longest-house-history/317411002/

Yes, we need new blood, time demands it of our mortal souls. Yes I think that some congresspeople have longer terms than necessary. It is what it is. Why can't we have mutual respect for the elders?

One thing, that really struck me talking to elder people, is that they've told me they don't feel old. That they think their minds have not changed since they were in their 20s. And that is the dilemma of the human condition. Once you hit 25 or so you are unchanged. As long as you don't have dementia or another disease, you are you. Until you die. From 25 until death there is little change in your mind. Your body? Yes, it goes to crap... but you are you until death. It sucks. It is the human condition.

If you were to tell me Nancy Pelosi should step down I would say sure, maybe she should retire, but then I look back at her record breaking speech, and I see that youthful mind there. Go watch it. CPAN has the entire thing. I think I watched at least 5 hours of it. She's capable. Thoughtful. Her age should not be a mark on her. (But again, I think we should advocate mentoring new younger generations, I don't know that Pelosi isn't doing that, though.)

[Arazi]

27. Im not being ageist. I can respect elder MoCs while also seeing value in these trial runs

They must gain experience somewhere. These are good things. AOC has some mojo right now and is using it. I think thats good too

[JustAnotherGen]

28. She's not going to be the next Democratic Leader in the House

That's not realistic -

Bush said she “cried like a baby” the night Ocasio-Cortez defeated Rep. Joe Crowley, who many thought would be the next Democratic leader in the U.S. House.

She has good domestic ideas but we are dealing with a tyrant that is owned by another country.

IF it's not Pelosi - we need someone who has gone up against Bull Connor IE - faced head on the tyrannical Jim Crow governments in the USA. That leaves us very few options - AOC is not one.

[Celerity]

60. Where did you get any notion she would be the next Democratic Leader in the House or that

she wanted that or anyone else did?

Your quote is talking about Crowley as being in line.

[TheFarseer]

29. If MO Democrats think

He’s doing a good job, then there’s nothing AOC can do to unseat him.

[pnwmom]

30. Any time another Democrat primaries an incumbent, s/he is dirtying them up, weakening them

before the general election.

When we have a good incumbent, we shouldn't make that person face attacks from both the R and from other D's.

[TheFarseer]

31. I don't buy that argument

Trump ran against 17 people all saying he’s not a real republican and he’s a nut. Now they were right but it didn’t stop him. Obama ran against a strong field in 2008 and it didn’t hurt him.

As long as everyone stays positive - I would have a big problem with negative campaigning - then I would have to say a primary is just part of th process. You want to live in a country where the old representative has to die before we can get a new representative? I’ve never heard of a monarchy republic.

[pnwmom]

34. Obama didn't run against a Democratic incumbent and no one primaried him.

There is no comparison here.

Anytime you divide a party you weaken it. We have a strong incumbent, a productive member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and dirtying him up in the primary will hurt him in the general election.

[TheFarseer]

44. I don't know why you say "dirty him up"

If they are spreading ugly rumors like John McCain having an illegitimate black baby or even that he’s in the pocket of whoever, that’s one thing. Do you have evidence this is happening?

[pnwmom]

48. Look what happened to Hillary. She was weakened by being challenged from

two fronts at once -- both from the left and from the right.

If the whole party doesn't band together to support an incumbent, then that person loses the "incumbent advantage" over the R. It's not worth doing that when the original Democrat is solid in the first place.

This is Missouri, not NYC. Clay has been good for his district.

[TheFarseer]

53. We fundamentally disagree on why she lost

If there wasn’t so much dissatisfaction with her as a candidate, Bernie would never have gained any traction. This dissatisfaction carried over into the general. If Clay is doing a good job, then a primary challenge is just a joke. Let me stress I have no idea if he’s doing a good job, I just get sick of people saying voters shouldn’t get to hear out both candidates and then decide.

[pnwmom]

55. All he had to do was dirty her up enough with his talk about her "corruption" to make her

lose 80,000 votes over three states.

There wasn't SO MUCH dissatisfaction with her as a candidate. She won by almost 2.9 million votes.

I don't understand why Bernie and Alexandria are going after good incumbent Democrats with good records instead of supporting Democratic candidates running against Republicans, or in open districts. It's a stupid use of their time -- unless they'd rather hurt Democrats than win the general election.

[EffieBlack]

70. The "Hillary is corrupt" thing didn't get any legs until Bernie started suggesting it.

Until then, the media recognized most of the attacks on Hillary's moral as a partisan smear coming from Republicans. But when Bernie started saying it, they picked up on it and started with the "It's not just Republicans saying it - even Democrats are questioning her" narrative.

[TheFarseer]

83. I would guess that AOC

As someone that primaried an incumbent, feels like she should help other candidates in the same position who have similar ideas about national policy.

As for the 2016 election, I don’t know if you’re old enough to remember the 90’s but Bill Clinton was attacked mercilessly by politicians, media, you name it and he was still very popular and could have easily won a third term because most people agreed he was doing a good job and most people just liked him and nothing anyone said or did could change that.

[pnwmom]

84. There was no twitter in the 90's, or even a Tea party -- which arose in 2009

in reaction to the election of Barack Obama.

Hillary was the victim of the backlash against progressives that came after Obama's consecutive wins.

[obamanut2012]

32. She also is campaigning aganist Sharice Davids

A Democratic Native American LGBT woman.

I do not even live in Davids' state and I donated to her historic campaign.

[Kaleva]

37. You should inform yourself about the race.

There are 6 candidates in this race so it's a a big stretch to say that Ocasio-Cortez is there campaigning against just one of them. Do you even know their names? probably not.

[Cha]

59. BS-Cortez are also running Against Incumbant Stephanie Murphy

Link to tweet

And, they are Running Against Sharice Davids in Kansas District 3.. she's the one I want to Flip it BLUE!

Link to tweet

[Kaleva]

61. There are 6 candidates vying for the nomination in KS-03

AOC isn't campaigning just against Davids.

You prefer Davids out of the 6. That's fine.

[Cha]

68. Yeah, you keep saying that.. BS-Cortez are running against

the Esteemed William Lacy Clay in Missouri, too.. as well as Sharice Davids in Kansas District 3.

Link to tweet

[Kaleva]

72. I keep saying that because it's true

Davids isn't the incumbent. It's an open seat.

As for AOC supporting a qualified candidate running against an incumbent, this isn't Free Republic where open and fair elections are frowned upon.

[Cha]

73. Yeah, you keep up.. it means nothing. BS/AOC

are running against Sharice Davids in Kansas District 3..

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

I'm supporting Sharice Davids from Hawaii

[Kaleva]

74. Davids is running in Kansas 03. Not Hawaii.

[Cha]

75. KICK4Sharice Davids to Flip it BLUE!!.. in District 3 KANSAS

Kansas Democrat apologizes for raising money off two deputies’ deaths

snip//

June 18, 2018 03:45 PM

Updated June 18, 2018 04:56 PM

A Kansas congressional candidate apologized Monday for sending out an email about the deaths of two Wyandotte County sheriff’s deputies that led to a fundraising page.

Brent Welder, who is vying for the Democratic nomination to challenge U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, sent out a campaign email Saturday that sought to link the deaths of two deputies in Kansas City, Kan., to the larger gun control debate and to use it as an opportunity to criticize the incumbent Republican.

More..
https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article213405709.html

[mcar]

87. Not Brooklyn either

[obamanut2012]

80. I am informed about the race

I know who all of them are. I know they are campaigning against Davids. What I stated is factual and true.

I promise to do my best to learn to be as wrongfully condescending as you are in the future, in honor of your wrongfully condescending and obnoxious post. Go insult someone else, bucko.

[Kaleva]

81. If you know who they are, why didn't you mention them?

It's a fact they are all running against each other. To say Ocasio-Cortez "is campaigning against Sharice Davids" isn't entirely accurate.

Here are the candidates:

Mike McCamon
Tom Niermann
Sharice Davids
Jay Sidie
Brent Welder
Sylvia Williams

[oasis]

35. Not sure going this route will win AOC many close friends in DC.

Loyalty and trust still have value there.

[Takket]

36. Sorry but, if I lived in MO I would be insulted by this....

That someone from another state, not even elected, that should be worried about running her own campaign in her own district.... thinks she knows who I should be voting for in MO. if this is someone with an established progressive record of votes in Congress or Obama that is different. But all she has done is won a primary. I want an endorsement to come from someone with a track record.

[B2G]

38. This.

She's won one primary and she's suddenly campaigning across the country for other obscure candidates like she has some political clout?

LMAO.

[oberliner]

41. She is inspiring to progressive, underdog primary candidates

Certainly Cori Bush seems pleased to have her presence and support.

[B2G]

42. Because we need a bunch of underdogs in the general election.

Go AOC!

[pnwmom]

49. Of course Bush is pleased. That doesn't mean this will help a Democrat

get elected over the Republican opponent, which is the bottom line.

Why aren't Bernie and Alexandria concentrating on going after districts currently held by a Republican, or that will have no opponent? Why are they going after perfectly good Democrats like Adam Smith in Washington? There seems to be a pattern here and I strongly disagree.

[oberliner]

40. She does not need to be worried about running her own campaign in her own district

She already won the primary and has no significant challenger in the general.

Clearly, Cori Bush is very happy that she is coming to campaign for her and raise her campaign's profile.

She is an underdog in the primary (like Ocasio-Cortez was) so she could use whatever help she can get.

[Takket]

47. yeah and she's welcome to do that, but I would find that off-putting.

[JCanete]

62. so when celberities campaign for candidates are you insulted by it? When Obama endorses a Senator in

California are we supposed to be insulted by it? Where and when do you personally draw the line? I mean, I can certainly take a guess, but maybe you can clear up my confusion.

[Lee-Lee]

43. Keep in mind Democratic Socialists are NOT Democrats

While as groups we share many of the same ideals, we also as groups have a lot of differences.

So it’s not surprising that a person who chooses to identify first as a Democratic Socialist instead of as a Democrat first is not necessarily going to act on a manner that’s in the best interest of the Democratic Party. Because that’s not what she sees herself as. The party makes a convenient system to use and take advantbe of when needed to advance her goals, such as running in the party’s line in the primary, but that’s it.

There is a separate Democratic Socialist Party, the DSA. But they don’t have the infrastructure or ability to be on most ballots nor the name recognition to generally win any races where they are on the ballot, so a lot of candidates who openly describe themselves as Democratic Socialists choose to use our party as a vessel to use to get elected, but they don’t actually consider themselves Democrats first and have significant differences on political philosophy in many areas (that they usually attempt to downplay or not talk about, but if they really just had the same philosophy as Democrats they would run as and identify as Democrats)

So when you view her actions trough the lens of her being a Democratic Socialist first, who feels no loyalty to the Democratic Party, this all makes sense.

[ucrdem]

46. What guarantee do we have that Justice Democrats will remain Democrats after the election?

Clearly it's to their advantage to remain Democrats up until that point, but let's say one or more of them wins their seat, as it seems Ocasio-Cortez is likely to: is there anything to prevent her from changing parties and becoming an Independent? Likewise with the Democratic incumbents whose JD/OR primary opponents she's endorsing and in some cases actively campaigning for: if the Justice Democrats have never held office, how do we know they won't, as their mentor Sanders has done more than once, shed the the D and become an I once they're safely elected? For this reason alone it would be imperative to support incumbent Democrats over their JD/OR challengers.

[JCMach1]

56. She better pay attention to her own election...

she hasn't won anything yet...

[Cha]

58. Hey all, we have a situation... Ocasio is endorsing @RepStephMurphy's opponent, Chardo Richardson,

Link to tweet

[Celerity]

66. Thats is perhaps easy to explain, Stephanie Murphy was one of only 18 Democrats to join almost

unanimous Republican support on a resolution of support for ICE (a Bush era agency riddled with abuse) and condemning efforts to abolish it (which is a big thing for many progressive sitting Democrats plus AOC as well).

18 House Democrats Voted To Condemn The “Abolish ICE” Movement And Support The Agency

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/lissandravilla/almost-20-house-democrats-voted-to-express-their-support

Nearly 20 House Democrats voted to express their support for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency Wednesday, distancing themselves from the "abolish ICE" movement and pointing to President Donald Trump — not the agency — as the problem.

The resolution that passed the House Wednesday expresses the House’s “continued support” for ICE officers and personnel, denounces the calls to abolish ICE, and supports “the efforts of all Federal agencies, State law enforcement, and military personnel who bring law and order to our Nation’s borders.”

It passed by a vote of 244–35, in the GOP-controlled chamber, with 133 Democrats voting “present,” denouncing the vote as a political game offered by Republicans solely to embarrass Democrats.

The vote comes after weeks of growing calls by progressives and some Democratic members of Congress to “abolish ICE.” The calls hit the mainstream at the end of June, when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez beat a powerful House Democrat on a platform that included abolishing ICE. While other progressive Democrats quickly aligned themselves with the movement, rank-and-file Democrats declined to join those calls and pointed to Republicans’ ability to attack the party with the line.

snip

18 House Democrats supported the resolution
Rep. Tom O'Halleran (AZ)
Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (AZ)
Rep. Ami Bera (CA)
Rep. Jim Costa (CA)
Rep. David Scott (GA)
Rep. Charlie Crist (FL)
Rep. Al Lawson (FL)
Rep. Stephanie Murphy (FL)
Rep. Peter Visclosky (IN)
Rep. Stephen Lynch (MA)
Rep. Jacky Rosen (NV)
Rep. Josh Gottheimer (NJ)
Rep. Thomas Suozzi (NY)
Rep. Kurt Schrader (OR)
Rep. Matthew Cartwright (PA)
Rep. Conor Lamb (PA)
Rep. Henry Cuellar (TX)
Rep. Ron Kind (WI)

[RandySF]

69. FL-07 is NOT a safe seat.

[Cha]

71. Right.. and they don't care.

[TeamPooka]

63. yeah because getting more liberal candidates to replace sitting Democrats in the General is so smart

to do in MO.

[panader0]

67. Is Joe Lieberman going to endorse Clay like he did for Crowley?

[Power 2 the People]

82. Getting Lieberman's endorsement opposing AOS makes her much stronger.

Now the Dems of NY14 are sure they made the right decision.

I can't think of any Democrat that would want that SOB's endorsement. It's like being endorsed by Benedict Arnold and Goldman Sachs.