Okla. Dem calls Obama liberal, declines to endorse

[w8liftinglady]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080610/ap_on_el_pr/obama_boren_2;_ylt=AscBR_jfLKtRgQHbreKMK_Nh24cA
OKLAHOMA CITY - Democratic Rep. Dan Boren of Oklahoma said Tuesday Barack Obama is "the most liberal senator" in Congress and he has no intention of endorsing him for the White House.

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However, Boren will vote for Obama at the Democratic National Convention in Denver in August and will vote Democratic on Nov. 4.

"I think this is an important time for our country," Boren said in a telephone interview. "We're facing a terrible economic downturn. We have high gasoline prices. We have problems in our foreign policy. That's why I think it's important."

Boren, the lone Democrat in Oklahoma's congressional delegate, said that while Obama has talked about working with Republicans, "unfortunately, his record does not reflect working in a bipartisan fashion."

Boren, a self-described centrist, is seeking a third term this year in a mostly rural district that stretches across eastern Oklahoma.

"We're much more conservative," Boren said of district. "I've got to reflect my district. No one means more to me than the people who elected me. I have to listen them." He called Obama "the most liberal senator in the U.S. Senate."

Hillary Rodham Clinton carried Boren's district with 66 percent of the vote in the state's presidential primary in February.

Boren said his endorsement became a moot point when Clinton suspended her campaign, making Obama the presumed nominee.

"That process is really over with," he said. "Our nominee is not my first choice."

But Boren said it will be a historic moment for the nation when the party nominates Obama, a man bidding to become the first black presidentg.

"I celebrate it," Boren said. "It's a testament to the Democratic Party."

In April, Boren's father, former governor, one-time senator and current University of Oklahoma President David Boren, announced his support for Obama.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Strip his superdelegate status.

[panader0]

8. Yeah.

And don't let him post on DU!

[LynneSin]

2. Well it's Oklahoma, don't think we have much of a chance in that state to begin with

:shrug:

[spanone]

3. well mr boren then you can go fuck yourself..

[gullwing300]

10. I'm just guessing here...you never heard of Dale Carnegie, right?

:eyes:

[spanone]

28. sure have, i reserve that for people i have a modicum of respect for

[madokie]

4. Danny boy has done got the last vote he'll get from me

I had to hold my nose just to vote for him in the first place and this is exactly why. I'm sure of my wife and son and pretty sure about one of my neighbors feel the same way so thats 4 votes right there.

[gullwing300]

14. You'll be voting for a Republican in the future?

wow

[madokie]

25. well no, I'll take that back ok, cause I wouldn't be caught dead doing that,

I'm a diehard democrat that will vote the ticket, albeit holding my nose sometimes :-)

[gullwing300]

26. I knew what you meant. :-)

I'm not a big fan of Dan either but his cousin and I were close friends once. Well, a lot more than once. :D

[KatyaR]

31. I don't know why he's a Democrat, unless it's because of his father.

He's done nothing pretty much except vote straight down the line for Bush since he was elected.

Just another FINE example of Oklahoma politicians . . . . :grr: :puke:

[Triana]

5. WHY is this man a Democrat? I agree with another poster this thread - strip him

of his SD status.

[still_one]

6. Goren, you think liberal is a dirty word. Look what conservative has done to our country you jerk

[DefenseLawyer]

7. Is you is or is you ain't my constituency?

Strong leadership there, Homer.

[wtmusic]

9. Vote for him, but not endorse him.

Ya'd think there might be some cognitive dissonance there.

[Mike Daniels]

17. I'd think by announcing that you will vote for him that you are endorsing him

He's too liberal to where I won't encourage others to vote for him but I'm voting for him.

Man, my head hurts just trying to extract logic from that thinking.

[LisaM]

11. The Democratic majority was achieved

by electing a lot of really conservative Democrats. The guy who was recently elected - Travis Childers - is against abortion, for example. I think they basically crossed the aisle from being liberal (so to speak) Republicans. Of course, the Democratic majorities in the 60s included a lot of "Dixiecrats". LBJ stated, pretty correctly, that when he pushed through the Civil Rights Act, he'd lost the Democratic party in the south for at least a generation. It's coming back now, but it's not the same as the Democratic party in California or New York.

[PATRICK]

21. His father endorsed

so I guess this is a strong indication this is a decision by the numbers for his own electability.

There is a limit to which a supposed party member can go to deceptively represent his district. The main problems with all of this and all blue dogs can be overcome mightily by real campaign finance reform. take away the money taproots allied to winning in such districts and much if not all of this mess would disappear. My guy Eric Massa, NY-29 is going without the big money lobbies in a heavily skewed GOP district upstate. He is unabashedly progressive. He is winning but without the sure thing compromises and big TV money would give him against an unappealing Bush clone.

Rather than vowing hurt against what naturally tries to win a difficult district, remove the temptations, the possibility of sellout and loss of identity and find better candidates. Most of all, reach beyond your district and support those like Massa who are trying to get in according to our high standards. Then let your Congressman know it. It might not mean much to him now, but should his money spigot turn off from special interest, he might at least "see the light" and sing his father's tune.

http://www.massaforcongress.com

[magellan]

12. Obama liberal?

Only relative to Boooosh.

Another sterling example of what "hold your nose and vote 'D'" gets the party.

[newmajority]

20. What is considered "Liberal" in Oklahoma

Would be considered center-right in most other states. So Obama (who is probably best described as "center left") is practically a flower child by their standards.

[gatorboy]

13. And if Hillary had won SHE'D be the most liberal evah!..And Kerry just happen to be...

Blah...BLAH..BLAH!!!

How could liberal still be considered a bad word with all the shitty conservatism we've had to deal with over the past decade? :eyes:

[Lone_Star_Dem]

15. The most liberal senator in the U.S. Senate?

He obviously doesn't read GDP. An hour or two in there and he'd be ready to endorse Obama as a centrist and beg forgiveness for his mistake. Well, either that or he'll be ready to gouge out his eyes with a dull pencil. :shrug:

[newmajority]

24. This is based on a rating from some dumbass neocon website a few months back

I forget which website it was, but basically, this asshat listed his rankings, with no frame of reference actually mentioned, (i.e. WHY he ranked Obama and the others on the list at those rankings).

Thom Hartmann somehow accessed the criteria the guy used for compiling his list, and it turned out to be based not on actually liberal positions, but rather ANYTHING that deviated from the PNAC script. Like using diplomacy, rather than bombing the shit out of some country, for example. Funny thing is, even Ronald Reagan or Richard Nixon would have been a "liberal" by that standard.

[TwilightGardener]

16. What an ass. And if he wants to see "bipartisan", he needs only

look at some of the bills Obama cosponsored with 3 different Repubs.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

18. Since when is being a liberal a disease or something?

Actually, that's the FIRST attribute I expect a Democratic candidate to have.

[VP505]

19. Boren is a DINO

check out his voting record and Interest Group Ratings at Project Vote Smart. However the Gun Owners of America and the NRA think well of him, Environmental Groups and NARAL not so much.

[SoCalDem]

22. What a horse's ass he is.. He IS voting for him, but NOT supporting him??

I guess republicans really ARE stupid, if they buy that rationale..adn end up voting for ole dan..

Dan's photo

[panader0]

23. I just e-mailed him at his website and chewed him out.

[choie]

27. more liberal than Ted Kennedy?

what an asshat!

[lonestarnot]

29. What a slimey asshole!

[guitar man]

30. Stockholm Syndrome

The Democratic party in this state has been held hostage for so long it's a knee-jerk reaction for him....sad state of affairs :(