Biden to stump for McCaskill in Kansas City (MO)

[pstokely]

Source: St. Louis Post-Dispatch

"Vice-President Joe Biden will attend a Kansas City fundraiser for Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., on July 9, McCaskill's campaign announced today.

The appearance may counter Republican claims that McCaskill has been trying to distance herself from the White House, based on her decision not to attend the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

“Like me, Vice President Biden has always worked to achieve common sense, compromise solutions to the challenges we face,” McCaskill said in a written statement.

The fundraiser will be held at a private residence.
"

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/06/29/3683987/vice-president-to-stump-for-mccaskill.html


What benefits does she or any other candidate get going to the con instead of campaigning in their area during the con?

[Firebrand Gary]

1. Way to go, McCaskill...She is a fantastic legislator and one hell of a fighter!

I hope that Biden throws some serious verbal punches at the GOP.

[pstokely]

2. Shutup, you'll anger the purists here

purity worth losing the senate and supreme court

[Firebrand Gary]

3. Hahaha nt

[gordianot]

4. I understand her problem but she has not handled it well.

Recently her office sent an article to her constituents in Franklin County from The Missourian, Washington Mo. This is a moderately Republican rag in a town with one of the most radical Tea Party State Senators in the nation Brian Nieves. Google his name Nieves has physically and verbally threatened his own constituents he is also a secessionist. For McCaskill to quote a back hand editorial from this rag is an insult. The article lauded her for distancing herself from President Obama. I can understand why the former early endorser of Barak Obama runs in some Missouri counties as anti Obama. Franklin County is largely racist and in 2008 use of n-word was common in conversations with local GOP elected officials when Barak Obama visited the area. Obviously she is not running the same way in Kansas City and St. Louis keeping her ties with President Obama through his Vice President.

My response so far was to contact her office and state that it is not right to assume because I live in Franklin County I endorse the views of "The Washington Missourian". I wrote her office and called her a coward when she so publicly snubbed the Presidential Convention. Her refusal to attend the convention was done for effect in public again placating the racist leaning in such places as Franklin County. Well now she manages to get Joe Biden to come to Kansas City. It is going to be really hard for me to put a mark by her name on the November ballot. This is the spineless pandering I despise from some Democrats. It is obvious she does not want to feed another attack ad with a picture with Barak Obama. Good luck Claire you are going to need it.

[KharmaTrain]

5. All Politicians Pander...

I'm in Illinois where candidates run a different campaign in Chicago, the suburbs and downstate. Different messages and issues for different areas. I can only imagine this is more pronounced in a state such as Missouri where the Ozarks are a far different place than St. Louis or Kansas City or St. Joseph. Senator McCaskill is one of the biggest targest of the SuperPacs who will probably outspend her 10-1 and your teevee will be flooded 24/7 of anti-McCaskill spots (if they aren't already). In politics perception to some is reality and it appears the Senator is walking a fine line...trying to build up voter enthusiasm in the metro areas and hoping to neutralize the damage in areas such as yours. Snubbing her is not going to help bring a more liberal or progressive Senator to your state...

[pstokely]

6. She probably doesn't expect any help from Obama getting out the urban vote in that state

Would she be pandering if Missouri was a bigger battleground state on the level of NC or Florida? There are lots of ticket splitters in that state even before the Repukes got rid of the straight party ballot. Jay Nixon looks to win easily again but he's hardly a progressive Dem. Mittens doesn't appear to be much more popular than Obama either there. The fundraiser might also be closed to the media since it's since some rich donors house, possibly to keep the kocksuckers from using an image of her with Biden in ads. Part of how she won in 2006 was portraying Jim (no)Talent as a bush rubber stamp

[KharmaTrain]

8. There May Be The Rub...

In '08 Missouri was considered "in play" where I haven't seen any polls lately showing President Obama within the MOE. I'm sure Axelrod and Plouffe are watching these things constantly so they know where to deploy their people and resources. Also, other than Iowa, Missouri is surrounded by either solid red or blue...thus there aren't many real battleground areas within the coverage of St. Louis or Kansas City media. I would hope the President does do an event in KC or St. Louis but I don't think there's much chance he'll make it to Springfield or Jefferson City. Hope I'm wrong.

I haven't seen a Senate poll lately (I usually wait until the Conventions to start watching when you get a lot more polling than we do now) but I have seen Senator McCaskill on various MSNBC shows over recent months saying how difficult a time she is having...especially against the SuperPacs. Now...some of this could be pandering for donations but we'll learn this election on how far "Free speech" can be bought and how damaging massive negative advertising, robo calling et all will do to affect an election.

Again, I really do relate to your frustration and wish situations and politics were a lot different than they are. I live in what was once a deep red suburban area...a group of very dedicated and driven people became involved in the local Democratic party and with a lot of hard work...phone calls, door knocking and driving friends and neighbors crazy...we were able to help field candidates who won elections. It starts at the grassroots...the rushpublicans learned this in the 80s and why they're so entrenched today. We have a lot of ground to catch up...

[pstokely]

10. Rasmussen had Mittens up 7% in their last poll

One poll a few weeks ago had Obama up by %1

http://electoral-vote.com/evp2012/Pres/Graphs/missouri.html

[KharmaTrain]

12. Rasmatazz...LOL

Since Ras weighs heavy rushpublican, let's say Rmoney is up 4 or 5 points. The interesting thing in those charts is how they seem to parallel the '08 race so far. Looks like there was a surge for Mittens in March which probably coincided with the GOTB primary in your state. Have you been seeing many SuperPac "ask Senator McCaskill" ads on TV? I'm curious to see if and when the torrent begins and how that will move numbers in her race and President Obama's as well. IRC, the President really didn't do much campaigning in Missouri until the final month of the campaign when it looked like the state could be in play and others were "locked" down. The "fun" of a national race is to see how the pieces get moved around the board.

My dream/hope is all the negative advertising will create a backlash...rather than apathy. As I say, it's a dream...

Best of luck...it sucks being a pragmatist...

[pstokely]

13. Kochsuckers are flooding the airways there

But people might not remember a Kochsucker ad from June on election day

[gordianot]

14. I am one of those grassroots supporters McCaskill is turning them off with her messaging.

My yard was vandalized in 2008 but the signs will go back up. Her sign will be absent. I wish her luck on donations from the base I am not alone and have spoken to others who feel the same way. Any vote she gets from me will be in protest to radical Republicans. What happened to leaders from Missouri who spoke their convictions such as Truman and Jerry Litton? McCaskill reminds me of Warren Hearns!

[pstokely]

15. Maybe primaries would help

Dems in that state never have to compete for the nomination

[KharmaTrain]

16. There's No Quick Fix...

I tend to see a lot of people who are angry...and rightly so...for what they perceive as being sold out by a candidate. I had a Blue Dog Congresscritter who did the same thing McCaskill is doing to you and your neighbors. Many stayed home in 2010 and we ended up with one of the worst teabaggers slipping by. This year we're back with a far stronger...and we hope more Progressive candidate and the enthusiasm level is a lot higher. Point is, Progressives and Liberals want results at the top without much push from the bottom. They complain...especially during primary season that there's no real bona fide competition or the party is somehow biased against them. I've been through these wars and you fight party resistance with hard work...setting up candidates on the lowest levels of government (local school boards on up) and that's where the ultimate pressure is exerted. I hate to use Palin as an example but that's how she was able to rise in an incompetent party...right from school board...it's time Democrats...especially Progressives did the same.

In the meantime I'm sure you've heard the mantra of staying home is a vote for the rushpublican but it goes far deeper. Staying home or disconnecting gives you little to no voice if and when there's a need to rebuild and restructure. If we had more people occuyping school boards and election commissions and other offices we'd be a lot closer to making some real change...don't expect those at the top to do it.

Cheers...

[hfojvt]

20. in my own small way

I have been trying to respond to those "so and so votes with Pelosi or Obama X% of the time"

http://www.lvcodem.com/5.html

[pstokely]

7. Some DC party hack probably assumes you're all just a bunch of birthers (nt)

nt

[coalition_unwilling]

17. Franklin County and Barton County (sw MO) must have a tie for 'most racist' status, imho. Here's

Last edited Sat Jun 30, 2012, 01:06 PM - Edit history (1)

a little Barton County anecdote:

In the middle of the 1960s, a group of black railroad workers were working repairing the rails outside Lamar. It was summer and it was hot. The railroad workers decided to go to the city pool. When the "good" (read "White&quot citizens of Lamar learned that blacks were using the pool, what did a large number of them do? Why, of course, pull their children out of the pool.

I grew up there but didn't get there until 1974 (when I was in 6th grade), so I only heard the story second-hand. But I'm reasonably sure it happened as I describe it.

Ironically, Lamar was the birthplace of Harry S. Truman, the same HST who integrated the U.S. military.

[gordianot]

19. I can raise you a lynching on a local fair Ferris Wheel or a parade of white hooded fools.

They walked down mainstreet over African American gangs giving them competition for meth distribution. This happened in the 1980's and 1990's not so long ago. Today the local teaparty is comprised of what used to wear sheets they bring guns to their Sunday gatherings. They live not on a back road but I-44. A couple of the vandals in my yard in 2008 avoid me for good reason.

[coalition_unwilling]

21. Jesus, instead of 'bleeding Kansas,' it sounds like we'll be talking about

'bleeding Missouri'. I have no doubt that your descriptions are spot on.

As for myself, I cannot give you anything more recent than the late 1970s. I am glad I escaped in 1977 and consciously and with malice aforethought ignore all invitations to attend HS reunions and such-like there. Their lives and mine have taken different trajectories. Or maybe I should say that mine reached escape velocity.

[MadHound]

9. She needs all the help she can get,

Her attempts to please everybody all the time have failed dismally. There are few, if any, enthusiastic supporters of hers. The line usually runs, "Yeah, I'll vote for her, but I don't like her."

In fact she spends more time pandering to the RW idiots in this state than members of her own party. She might as well face facts and write off anything south of the Missouri River and concentrate on keeping her base group of supporters happy.

[pstokely]

11. Problem is she doesn't have an opponent to attack yet

She needs to make whatever opponent she gets even more unlikable than her

[coalition_unwilling]

22. Ha-ha. 'Write off anything south of the Missouri River.' Taken literally, she'd

be writing off most of KCMO

But I still got a laugh out of the general thrust and all-around wisdom of your remarks.

[hfojvt]

18. I guess this means they played her

this kind of crap kinda makes me sick though.

private fundraisers so big shots can schmooze with the VP for big bucks to help re-elect another millionaire to Congress.

back when Obama first started his campaign, one of his early fundraisers was a speech he gave in the KC area. A speech a bunch of regular people could attend for just $25.

But I guess you cannot raise enough money that way.

I am kinda surprised that Senator McCaskill has not written to me asking for money.

Then again, my donation to Sherrod Brown through Howard Dean's DFA and my much earlier donation to progressive caucus member Tammy Baldwin and my subscription to The Nation, Mother Jones, and Progressive magazines, has put me on a list, so I get letters from Al Franken and Elizabeth Warren and NOT from people like Claire McCaskill or Herb Kohl.