Dean For Gillibrand, The Video Endorsement
Howard Dean endorsed Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) via a video released this evening. In the seven-minute policy conversation cum commercial -- Dean and Gillibrand cover ground from health care to "card check" to same sex marriage -- Dean attempts to convey his progressive seal of approval to Gillibrand, who represented a moderate upstate district in the House before being tapped to fill Hillary Clinton's Senate seat.
Gillibrand backers are hoping the Dean endorsement will sway some of those more liberal voters who might be inclined to back Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) in '10
"I'll tell you one very quick story about Kirsten Gillibrand," Dean says in the release. "She was elected in 2006, and I spent four years in Washington - and a lot of people in Washington say a lot of things and usually don't do anything about it. She came in about two and a half years ago when she was a representative and told me when I was chairman of the DNC that she wanted to do something for women through the Women's Leadership Forum. And I thought to myself, this is really great, but I'll bet it'll never happen.
"She's the only person in four years that came to me, made a promise, and then brought six of her women colleagues in the House then, to raise money for the Democratic National Committee so we could have this big majority in the House and this big majority in the Senate. And today, she's satisfied me that she knows how to use that majority in order to get things done. So I'm pleased to endorse Kirsten Gillibrand for the United States Senate for her re-election."
A costly Dem primary contest is something party leaders -- and the WH -- would like to avoid. After all, in NY a primary battle could run well into the tens of millions, potentially hampering party efforts to raise cash for a general election fight and providing the GOP with an advantage -- a weakened Dem nom. After the shenanigans around the appointment to Clinton's seat, the Dems can ill-afford a messy feud between two well-respected women. They're likely going to get one anyway, despite Dean's effort today to show potential Maloney backers -- read city dwellers -- that they have a friend in Gillibrand.
It's a longshot, perhaps, but the NRSC has its sights on NY. All they need now is a viable candidate.
One other thought ... Gillibrand could actually provide a common cause for Dean and the Obama WH, notoriously chilly to the former DNC leader.
Yet another thought ... Dean's endorsement pits him against his WH'04 campaign guru, Joe Trippi, who has signed up to run Maloney's SEN campaign.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
I always admired Howard Dean. Perhaps his endorsement of Senator Gillibrand will help Carolyn Maloney to rethink her plans and avoid a costly primary which Maloney cannot win.
As a delegate for Dean at the 2004 Convention who still strongly admires the Governor, Doctor, DNC Chairman and Presidential Candidate, I'm sold. If Dean likes Senator Gillibrand, I'll support her.
Now if only I lived in New York to vote for her...
It is funny how some complain when we have a Do-nothing Congress, and then turn around and complain if the President wants Congress to do Somehing constructive for the whole of humanity and say, not so fast, it cannot be done, and so again they become a Do-Nothing Congress!
I say Congress has the smarts and ingenuity to come up with a workable plan, after all, that is their job to come up with plans to benefit all and not the few....
It can be done. I want a Leader who can visiualize the possibility, who is not pessimistic. We must be wary of the Republicans who continually say not so fast, he (the Pres. is losing support, because the more they say it, they think, the more this will become a manifestation.) They do not care about humanity but about their political careers and their cushy salaries, power and perks. The U.S. is in the sorry situation it is in because of politicians like this.
Those reporters who care deeply about the U.S. and its future must speak up for the possiblities which must be implemented if we are to get back to a U.S. that is whole and healthy and prospersous. Congress should manifest laws which sustain the whole and not allowed to do nothing or to think they can do nothing. Pres. Obama leads by leading Congress to do their Job. It is time to forge a new pathway and leave the past failures and neglect in the past.