It seem John Kerry is going to get a primary challenge. The Massachusetts Democratic Convention gave Ed O'Reilly enough support to put him on the ballot. I don't live in Massachusetts and don't know anything about this, but O'Reilly supports single payer.
It was hard to tell how much of O'Reilly's vote came from Angry Clintonistas seeking to stick it to Kerry, but it was not an insignificant number. "I know a lot of women who will vote for O'Reilly today just to embarrass John Kerry," one state rep told me. On the other hand, as city councilor Mike Ross pointed out, the Ward 5 Democratic Committee unanimously endorsed Kerry, and that's a group with quite a few Clinton supporters, not to mention a bunch of super-lefties unhappy with Kerry over the war and his failure to support gay marriage.
What a victory for the challenger!
At the convention, there were busses and vans hired to bring Kerry delegates in. At least one delegate with an anti-Kerry sign was forcibly ejected. While O'Reilly and his introducers stayed within the mandated 15 minute time limit for candidate presentations, Kerry and his introducers violated the convention rule and carried on for about an hour (!), with the party chairman turning a blind eye and later claiming 'responsibility' for the 'glitch' in the schedule.
Most important of all is the fact that the convention voting process is not by secret ballot. Far from it. Every delegate must vote orally, calling out the name of the candidate s/he supports, in front of all the other delegates and party officials. Anyone whose arm has been twisted is completely vulnerable.
Despite all this, Ed O'Reilly prevailed. His name will be on the ballot for the Democratic primary in September (barring any further party 'glitches'), giving a choice to voters for the first time in John Kerry's career.
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Good for Ed O'Reilly
Small state like MA, where you can drive anywhere, is a great setting for an insurgent campaign. O'Reilly is a compelling speaker with a great working-class story to tell, and universal health care is the perfect good-purpose wedge issue. He can put Kerry back on his heels a bit, make him work for it, and that is good for democracy.
More like this, please.
Wait, You Mean I Could
make a statement about Kerry's - and by extension other SD - support for Obama and support single payer healthcare all at the same time?
Sounds good to me.
If O'Reilly can give Kerry a scare, maybe those Congressional Democrats and the DNC will start wondering what non-Obama folks want. UHC would be an excellent start.
Clinton bloggers
I will be interested to see which, if any, Clinton bloggers support O'Reilly.
If Ed O'Reilly Is Smart
Under his "issues" section he'd add sections about marriage equality (yay! he's for it!), reproductive rights (assuming he's pro-choice, which given his other positions seems likely), and voting rights (which can focus on Republican vote suppression). He can tap into anger without saying that's what he's doing.
I'm for that "new politics" thingy!
So I HOPE that Ed O'Reilly is able to sweep away that tired, divisive baby-boomer John Kerry.
Yes we can!
Maybe I should donate? Because THAT is some change I can believe in.
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Good night and good riddance!
tell him
he probably has contact area on his site
good
i like too see kerry replaced.
he's been around too long and has been unproductive, for the most part.
Well, Kerry can use all that money he's got left over...
.... from not suing to get every vote countered in OH 2004. Haw.
[x] Any (D) in the general. [ ] ?????. [ ] Any mullah-sucking billionaire-teabagging torture-loving pus-encrusted spawn of Cthulhu, bless his (R) heart.
I have to be honest folks, I just looked at O'Reilly's website..
and I was underwhelmed. That doesn't mean he can't beat Kerry but he's going to need a more compeling package/story than 3 generations of fire fighters and very, very little public service. I'm a Clintonista from MA and have written many an angry letter to Kerry for his support of Obama and I would love to vote for someone else, etc. but I'm not sure I'd vote for this guy. I mean, the only public service he has is a stint as city councillor and chairman of the school committee. I have almost as much experience.
I can't believe that MA couldn't produce a more tested, experienced challenger to Kerry. No harm meant, Ed.
I love this job!
Stronger challengers
are usually more established and thus more susceptible to party pressure. Really the only people who are willing to challenge an entrenched incumbent are those with nothing to lose. But if they catch the right wave...
I’m not voting for him.
I'm not voting for him. Kerry no longer represents the people of Massachusetts. He checks in every six years and this year we got two check-ins, one of which was to show us how we were to support Obama. We know how that one went. Maybe next time he should consider listening to the majority of his constituents. Also, I'm still pissed as hell at him for his AUMF vote right after I voted for him. He doesn't give a shit about the people of Massachusetts.
Single payer supporter
and running against Kerry? I wish I lived in MA.
Go Hillary or Go Green!
Experience?
Is that required for senator? I mean compared to say, for example, president? The reason I ask is that Kerry was all over Obama running for president with the experience level Obama had, so Kerry must not think his own job takes all that much experience.
Paul Wellstone had less experience than O'Reilly, and he seemed to do all right.
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Good night and good riddance!
Herb the Verb,
Just so you know: Kerry is too old to be a baby boomer. We aren't responsible for him.
I kinda like Kerry
But if this guy supports single-payer, that's a huge step forward for Massachusetts. If he loses, he should try to replace Kennedy when he retires, or maybe challenge one of the less cool members of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation. I hope he doesn't live in my or Rep. Frank's districts, because I really like my Congressman (Rep. Capuano) and Barney Frank.
Kerry not a baby boomer?
I've always hated that term but thought it referred to people born between approx. 1945 and 1962 and certainly includes everybody who was in their early 20's in the late 60's.
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Good night and good riddance!