Penn is using James Dobson's messaging to attack another Democrat

[kpete]

Pissing On The Democratic Brand
By: Blue Texan Wednesday March 26, 2008 10:30 am

Here are two quotes -- one by a Democratic operative, and one by a right-wing Christianist leader. Can you tell who's who?

"Sen. Obama was recently named the most liberal U.S. Senator, based on the annual voting analysis by the non-partisan and highly respected National Journal."

And,

“Independent and Republican support is diminishing as they find out he’s the most liberal Democratic senator.”

The quotes are from Mark Penn (the second) and James Dobson (the first). That's right, Mark Penn is using James Dobson's messaging to attack another Democrat.

.............

When was the last time you heard a Republican accuse another of being "too conservative"? For that matter, when was the last time you heard a Democratic candidate use that as an attack on a Republican? Right, never. There's a reason for that, and it's not an accident. It's the result of years and years of a disciplined and sustained branding effort by the GOP.

more at:
http://firedoglake.com/2008/03/26/pissing-on-the-democratic-brand/

[Zodiak]

1. The most liberal Senator is Harkin, according to my analysis

Tied with Boxer and Feingold. I sure wish some of these other shadow groups would publish their methodology and not just their results because they keep coming up with different "most liberal senators" and I always come up with the same ones.

Obama is about 63% progressive, according to my same analysis. Clinton 53%.

Democratic Senator percentage

Harkin (Iowa) 82.75862069
Boxer (California) 82.75862069
Feingold (Wisconsin) 82.75862069
Kennedy (Massacheusetts) 77.5862069
Corzine (New Jersey) now Gov. 76.66666667
Lautenberg (New Jersey) 75.86206897
Durbin (Illinois) 75.86206897
Akaka (Hawaii) 75.86206897
Sarbanes (Maryland) 72.4137931
Kerry (Massacheusetts) DLC 70.68965517
Leahy (Vermont) 70.68965517
Levin (Michigan) 68.96551724
Mikulski (Maryland) 68.96551724
Reed (Rhode Island) 68.96551724
Biden (Deleware) 67.24137931
Dodd (Connecticut) 65.51724138
Wyden (Oregon) 65.51724138
Dayton (Minnesota) 65.51724138
Obama (Illinois) 63.79310345
Bayh (Indiana) DLC 60.34482759
Murray (Washington) 60.34482759
Schumer (New York) DLC 58.62068966
Inouye (Hawaii) DLC 56.89655172
Bingaman (New Mexico) 56.89655172
Dorgan (North Dakota) DLC 55.17241379
Reid (Nevada) 55.17241379
Byrd (West Virginia) 55.17241379
Clinton (New York) DLC 53.44827586
Menendez (New Jersey) DLC 50
Cantwell (Washington) DLC 48.27586207
Stabenow (Michigan) DLC 46.55172414
Kohl (Wisconsin) DLC 44.82758621
Feinstein (California) DLC 44.82758621
Leiberman (Connecticut) DLC 44.82758621
Rockefeller (West Virginia) 41.37931034
Conrad (North Dakota) DLC 41.37931034
Baucus (Montana) DLC 39.65517241
Carper (Deleware) DLC 34.48275862
Johnson (South Dakota) DLC 31.03448276
Lincoln (Arkansas) DLC 31.03448276
Salazar (Colorado) DLC 24.13793103
Pryor (Arkansas) DLC 22.4137931
Nelson (Florida) DLC 20.68965517
Landrieu (Louisianna) DLC 17.24137931
Nelson (Nebraska) DLC 3.448275862

I did this analysis long before the election, by the way. It is based solely on the 109th Congress.


So they can quote all of the shadow groups doing analyses behind closed doors, but it doesn't mean jack shit. WHOMEVER the right wing targets is given that "most liberal" label. I believe that they change methodologies to get the results they want, much like ADA and Progressive Punch do, as well (did I say that? yes I did!).

[walldude]

2. THe "most liberal Senator" is whoever the right

wing tells us it is. Again. What are fucking stupid? Am I the only person who remembers when Al Gore was the "most liberal" then it was "John Kerry".. Now it's Obama... gee I don't see any kind of pattern here :eyes:

[crispini]

3. Hahahahhahaha!

:yourock:

[Laelth]

4. Nice number crunching.

Is Kerry DLC, really?

:shrug:

And when we get a solid majority in the Senate, can we just kick out Nelson, Landrieu, Nelson, Prior, and Salazar? Please? I just don't think it's right that they can run as Democrats with a less-than-25% progressive rating. They're just holding seats that a real Democrat could occupy.

-Laelth

[Zodiak]

8. Sorry, no he is not DLC

He disavowed the DLC after I started doing this analysis....typically I make a couple of "up-to-date" adjustments when I post, but I forgot to this time.

[Zodiak]

9. In fairness also, these "progressive ratings"

are through my own lens. I post my methodology in my jounrnal very clearly, but since this analysis was done by one DUer, I would call it far from "official", but it does give me a great guide as to whom I will support with words, if not actions.

[Solon]

11. That's always a problem...

To be honest, I'm frankly puzzled by all this stuff about which candidate is the most "progressive". From where I stand, Hillary and Obama are center-right candidates at best, and most of the people on your list, even the most liberal of Senators, are moderates, they just lean just barely leftward.

[Zodiak]

12. Which is reflected by the fact that no Senator is 100%

80% is about the best we can expect. On the other dies of the aisle, 100% conservative/neo-con is the norm.

We have a serious ideological skew in American politics...towards the right, of course.

[Cali_Democrat]

5. OMG. Obama is the most liberal Senator? I had no idea until now!!

All the more reason to support him!!!

GOBAMA!!!!

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[NashVegas]

6. That's An Incorrect Assertion

Penn's statement is as fair game as Obama going after Republican voters in the primary, in the first place. Furthermore if it's true that indies and Republicans are leaving for those reasons, who cares what Dobson says, that's just whining.

[uponit7771]

7. Wasn't Penn a Bushie or tightly tied to that cult? Thx in advance

[DemVet]

10. Geez, why are liberals offended...

...when they or others in our party are called "liberals?"

C'mon people, wear that term proudly. It's only a derogatory term because we let it be.

WE define what it means...not the 'pubs.