If you liked Paul Hackett, you'll love Francine Busby

[Seabiscuit]

I met her today in Del Mar, and she's a really great lady, running in the 50th House Congressional District for Randy Cunningham's seat.

My wife and I got a lot of time on our own to talk to her at a private home event, before and after she gave a talk and took questions from the attendees.

This is the most important Congressional race in CA - she has a really good chance to win "Duke" Cunningham's House seat - but needs our help. She will definitely be outspent by the Republicans and whoever among the three possible Republican candidates ends up running against her.

The problem is this: Cunningham still has his seat. If indicted, he will be forced to resign his seat, and from the moment he does 120 days later there will be a special election to fill it. IOW, Francine may have much less time than normal to get the job done.

Right now she needs all the help she can get with financing. Please see what you all can do for her. She could use $20K this month alone; well, $19.5K after my donation today.

BTW, she looks much better now than she did in the photo on her website.

You can visit her website at: http://www.busbyforcongress.com /

More later.

Please keep this kicked for others. She really needs our help.

[Mr Rabble]

1. I live in San Elijo Hills. I'll do whatever I can.

I've met her before and she is a good woman. This whole area is asleep and/or apathetic.

Francine did pretty well against Puke last year, even with his formidable fundraising in the 50th.

[Seabiscuit]

2. Thank you!

My father and mother in law just moved to San Elijo Hills last winter. Beautiful place!

We'll be volunteering to hold a home event for her sometime this winter/spring.

[ruggerson]

3. She's bright, isn't she?

I think Francine is terrific; she's warm, funny, dedicated and whip smart.

I'm hoping the good people of La Jolla will see the light.

[Seabiscuit]

8. The Birdcage area of La Jolla actually went blue in 2004

Most of La Jolla is in the 50th district. What's funny is that the 50th district runs from the south side of Prospect Street on down. The north side belongs to someone else.

[Cults4Bush]

4. Been catching snippets about her for months now....

Randi had a caller on after the "Dukester" got caught out, she was raving about Francine.

Good luck with this race, Im from CA but live in W NY now... I keep a close eye on the races out there. Who protects the environment the best is usally who I root for.

[Seabiscuit]

7. The environment is one of the top items on her issues priorities

She hails from Cardiff-by-the-Sea, and has been attuned and active for decades in the key environmental issues in this area - the beaches, the air quality, preservation of the "wetlands", curbing development, etc., etc.

[Kolesar]

5. Is Francine running as a Marine who uses right-wing talking points?

Such as:
"The democrats are addicted to losing", and
"How can a candidate who never served in the military dictate when the US leaves Iraq?"

[Seabiscuit]

6. Bad joke.

She's been just as disturbed as the rest of us by events of the past 5 years.

The Democratic party in San Diego county is becoming well organized for the first time in the past few decades. And she is now in the forefront of that effort.

We have 14 seats we need to pick up in the House of Representatives for a majority. This seat is a critical one, and unlike some around the country, it's winnable.

There are 3 different Repukes who have begun their run for this seat. One's a fiscal conservative, one's a social conservative, and one's a neocon wingnut. Pass the popcorn while we watch them eat themselves alive. They do eat their own when given the opportunity, you know.

[Seabiscuit]

9. Just a reminder, folks - this isn't just a local race - it's national race

which could well transform our representation in Congress.

This seat has been held by Republicans for about 18 years, and Democrats statewide (including Boxer, Pelosi, and even Feinstein) are working hard organizing to support Francine.

Locally, Democrats are becoming cohesive in North County for the first time in my memory.

Francine fully expects this race will become very dirty, yet, there's nothing about her past that they can legitimately smear. She's virtually pristine. Yet she knows she could get "Swiftboated" in some bizarre way and smeared by the neocon machine, and has been doing extensive research in preparation for the worst.

Right now she needs and deserves all the support and $ contributions we can give her.

[Tom Joad]

10. About Duke. And his *special* relationship.

We don't know the exact nature of Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham's relationship with his War Profiteer buddy Mitchell Wade, we do know for sure that U.S. taxpayers are getting screwed by such cozy relationships.

It seems like Wade found a way to slip the ranking Republican a cool $700,000 without getting caught. He bought Duke's house for that much more than it was worth.

Wade paid $1.7 million in November 2003 for the house in wealthy, seaside Del Mar, just north of San Diego. He put it back on the market soon after and eventually took a $700,000 loss when he resold it in October 2004. During that span, home prices in San Diego County rose an average of nearly 25 percent.

Meanwhile, Wade's little-known company, Washington, D.C.-based MZM Inc., was increasing its federal contracting business. In 2004, MZM tripled its revenue and nearly quadrupled its staff, according to the company's Web site.

Cunningham serves on the House Appropriations subcommittee that controls defense contracting dollars.

"At the time of the sale, I failed to adequately consider how this transaction might be perceived by others who don't know me," Cunningham said in his statement.

We perceive this relationship for what it is, an obscene abuse of power and the public trust.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in San Diego is investigating the house sale with help from the FBI, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

Cunningham also contended he acted properly in living part time on Wade's boat, which is docked on the Potomac River in Washington.

Wade also had a "close" relationship with two other Congress people, Virgil Goode of Virginia and Katherine Harris of Florida (yes, that Katherine Harris!)

From "Republicans say the darndest things!" at
http://www.tomjoad.org/republicanfunnies.htm

[Seabiscuit]

11. Francine's words on Democracy for America's blog:

See: http://www.blogforamerica.com/archives/006930.html

The final round of voting for the Grassroots All-Star challenge began yesterday. Democracy for America has asked all ten finalists to introduce themselves to the DFA community.

I'm running in the seat being vacated by Duke Cunningham—the same Duke Cunningham who is a poster boy, along with Tom Delay, of the culture of corruption in Washington. I'm running to change that culture and restore honesty, integrity and accountability to Congress. We must get back to making government work for the common good of its people.

For too long, national Democrats and beltway pundits have ignored this district because they thought that it was "too Republican". But we know that times are changing and so is this district. I am poised to prove that when we show up and fight in districts like mine, we win.

I ran against Duke Cunningham in 2004, even though he was a powerful Republican in a Republican leaning district, because I felt so strongly that our country was being lead in the wrong direction. Although we didn't win, we created a groundswell of grassroots support and energized a progressive community here in the 50th district. I'm so thankful for all the grassroots supporters.

Now, with an open seat or possible special election, everything has changed. This will be a highly competitive race and we are ready to build on the momentum we created last cycle. It's an example of why it's so important to run strong campaigns in every district every cycle.

I truly believe that people in this district, and in this country, are ready for change. The slow and inept response to Hurricane Katrina showed the American people how out-of-touch and unaccountable our government has become. The Republican "Every man for himself" philosophy has not served us well.

I will continue to speak out with clarity and passion in support of our shared progressive ideals as I campaign to change the direction and leadership of our country. I carry our message of hope and opportunity for every American family. I oppose the policy of unjustified, pre-emptive war that has unnecessarily squandered precious lives, taxpayer dollars and our military preparedness. I demand the political discipline needed to cut our budget deficit because it is immoral to pass that debt to our children. I stand firm in my commitment to preserve the environment, protect a woman's right to choose and ensure that families have accessible and affordable health care and quality education.

I pledge to you that when I am elected to Congress, I will always put the people of the United States first—ahead of personal political gain and powerful special interests. I don't say this out of idealism or as a cheap political promise. I say it because I believe that our democracy depends on it.

Thank you for your passion and commitment to change. I hope you will join my fight to restore honesty and integrity to our government.

—Francine Busby

[Seabiscuit]

12. Shameless Kick

:kick: