Whitehouse enters R.I. Senate race against Chafee

[WI_DEM]

Former RI Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse entered the race to take on incumbent Republican Senator Lincoln Chafee.
"The Chafee name is obviously a good name in Rhode Island, but I think the Republican party has largely abandoned the principles that made the Chafee name so important in Rhode Island," Whitehouse said in his announcement speech.

He also mentioned the name "Delay" in his speech, which many Democrats running for office next year will be doing.

http://www.dailykos.com

[LimpingLib]

1. We MUST beat this turkey.

If we keep electing shit like Liebermann and Chafee then there wont be any environment left.

We will be drilling up animals ass holes for oil not to mention ruin all the coasts , oceans, and any pristine land that there is a possibility of some oil deposits being found.

This is for all the marbles, the congressional elections.

[WI_DEM]

2. I agree we need to have a real Democrat in RI and

I would prefer a progressive Democrat in Ct. but I've always understood that one of Lieberman's few vitues is that he was strongly pro-environment.

[LimpingLib]

4. Except when "tree huggers drive oil prices up",he is.

Our leaders have failed to propose alternative energy solutions.

Workers almost universally support drilling everywhere and anywhere because they believe the propaganda which gets little retort from our leaders.

Liebemann and many "pro green" types defected and will continue to do so.

[IrateCitizen]

3. WTF are you talking about????

If we keep electing shit like Liebermann and Chafee then there wont be any environment left.

Did you bother checking any facts before writing that, or did you just pull it out of your ass?

I'm hardly the first person to defend Lieberman -- I actually can't stand him and think he's a somewhat liberal neocon -- but he always has been a stalwart vote on pro-environment causes. Ditto for Chafee -- in fact, he may be the most pro-environment Republican in the Senate.

Remember -- facts are our friends, and while passion is certainly desirable, it is NEVER desirable to the exclusion of facts.

[LimpingLib]

5. O.K. Im thinking of banking reform.

Sorry.

Just hit me that we lost not 1 but TWO major votes recently.

Got my wires crossed.

We are loosing so badly so often Im all lost.

[Leilani]

10. I understand the move to defeat Chafee

especially to take control of the Senate...

But he is not a turkey..

He voted AGAINST the Iraq War...said there was no threat, which is a hell of lot better than many Dems.

He's strong on the environment, & other good issues.

He doesn't vote party-line, & has principles.

I know the Republicans started this ugly stuff, but it's sad that politics has reached this point.

[saltpoint]

6. What is the chance of a Democrat winning this RI seat?

Langevin and Kennedy have both stepped aside. Are there any other contenders for our side?

Would prefer a Wellstone-Boxer-type Democrat to Chafee, but would have to choose Chafee over ANYBODY Karl Rove picks to challenge him.

I hope some RI DUers can tap in here and give us some hope for that seat.

[LimpingLib]

7. Chafees numbers increased in 2000 as November got closer.

He looked vulnerable early on.By election day he won a 16 points.

I think Langevin is the only one who can eek out a win against Chafee.

[saltpoint]

8. Wow. Chafee may be a stronger candidate than I thought.

Can we somehow nominate and elect a liberal Democrat to that seat, move Chafee over to Connecticut to replace Lieberman, and have Lieberman sent out on a slow barge to China?

Can we do that?

[LimpingLib]

9. Not really.

n/t

[saltpoint]

11. I got the notion that he came on strong in the last race --

-- to win despite early low poll numbers.

Well, I hope a liberal Democrat wiins the seat. Barring that, I hope Chafee survives the Rovian slime job no doubt being prepared as we speak.

[MoonRiver]

12. Every Repub who can be defeated must be challenged.

I sincerely hope Whitehouse (what a great name!) can pull it off. I'll definitely contribute to the effort.

[paineinthearse]

13. Chafee will switch parties after the winter recess

I'm sticking by my predecition.

Any takers?

[JI7]

14. looks like they are "nationalizing" the race

republicans always do this in republican leaning states by using big name democrats and liberals and associating them with the democratic candidate they are running against even if that democrat is more conservative.

democrats don't really do this but i guess they will start to in democratic leaning states now. make the race not just about the two candidates running but about the right wing republicans in power and how voting for even a moderate or liberal republican enables the right wingers.

[snippy]

15. Democrats definitely need to nationalize the next election.

The simple way to do it is to run against "corrupt one party control." This phrase can be applied to every issue imaginable. Every democrat should use it as often as possible regardless of the topic under discussion.

[safi0]

16. Use a Northeast Strategy

Whitehouse, or whoever gets the nomination should keep associating a moderate like Chaffee with the despicable charachters of the GOP like Cheney, Delay Rumsfeld, and Lott