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Tasini's problem and opportunity

DCblogger's picture
Submitted by DCblogger on Wed, 02/03/2010 - 4:08pm
Tags: 
Senate
New York
2010 elections
tasini

UPDATE: Letter to the Rochester City Paper: Tasini's a better option for the Senate

Undecided Beats Gillibrand, Ford

A potential Democratic primary to replace Hillary Clinton still looks wide open, with 40% of voters saying in today’s Quinnipiac poll they have no idea who to back among Kirsten Gillibrand, Jonathan Tasini and Harold Ford.

Gillibrand is maintaining a big lead on Ford and the liberal Tasini, topping them 36% to 18% to 4% for Tasini.

But it’s hard to get around the fact that don’t-know wins the horse race, partly because some voters appear to have gravitated away from both Ford and Gillibrand as they’ve started taking whacks at each other, and partly because people are not familiar with them.

Obviously New York Democrats are feeling very disappointed with their choices. They have heard so much that Tasini can't win that they won't allow themselves to consider the possibility of voting for him.

I don't live in New York, so can't comment beyond the obvious. He has a YouTube channel. If you live in NY you could send links to individual videos to NY TV stations. The rural ones might just run some of them. Even if none of the videos got on TV news, reporters would know that Tasini has active supporters, Looking at the Tasini web site I don't see and Tasini t-shirts for sale. That surprises me because t-shirts would raise some money and give him some much needed visibility at the same time. I know that wearing a candidate's t-shirt will often start a conversation about the candidate and give you a chance to explain why you are supporting them. Even if no one asks people will know that that candidate has some support.

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madamab's picture
Submitted by madamab on

and I don't see how electing Tasini will change anything. The second he gets to the Senate he will do exactly what Martha Coakley did, and cave to the President.

There are plenty of "progressives" who should be standing up to Obama on various issues, and somehow never back up their mouths with their votes.

It's not about electing "the perfect progressive" for me. It's about not endorsing the Democratic Party in its current incarnation.

I'm staying home or turning in a blank ballot, I haven't decided yet.

DCblogger's picture
Submitted by DCblogger on

and I would not presume to tell you how to use it. But I don't see how Tasini could do more to demonstrate he is not part of the establishment. Coakley came out of the Mass. Dem machine, Tasini came out of the labor movement. He as a lifetime record of standing up for ordinary people. What more could he do?

It seems to me that that record is worth rewarding.

But it is your vote to do with as you please.

madamab's picture
Submitted by madamab on

This is not about Tasini. It's the system. If you run as a Democrat, you end up being swallowed up by the Machine.

If he were running as an Independent, I'd probably vote for him.

a little night musing's picture
Submitted by a little night ... on

It's EXTREMELY hard for politicians in NY, especially NYC, to buck the banksters, because Big Finance is such a big part of our economy. You don't have to look for bribes or payoffs: they own the city that I love, lock, stock, and barrel. (To Mr. Mayor Bloomberg's credit, much as it galls me to type those words, he has tried to expand us beyond the finance sector.)

I am severely torn on the coming primary. But Tasini has the emotional edge. Even though, heaven knows I wish I had a woman to vote for. And even though I want to cut the Democratic Party off without alimony.

a little night musing's picture
Submitted by a little night ... on

as, I think, my original links indicate.

I'm just trying to indicate how hard it is, for a candidate from NYC, to buck Big Finance.

And yes, I do not hate Mike Bloomberg in everything he does. (FTR, I've never voted for him.) More, perhaps, later. I'm too sleep deprived to be coherent now.

sisterkenney's picture
Submitted by sisterkenney on

an Independent candidate with a Progressive platform would probably be the preference of many disaffected voters, since there would be no "contamination" from the Democorps. That's one of the reasons I'll be running with an I next to my name.

madamab's picture
Submitted by madamab on

We have the Working Families Party in New York, which has a wonderful platform, but they end up "fusing" with (endorsing) the Democrat in most cases. I'm sure Tasini is their candidate.

I wish he'd run as a third-party candidate. And I wish he were a woman.

But if wishes were ponies, we'd all have them.

MsExPat's picture
Submitted by MsExPat on

Especially after reading this.

In particular, right now, millions of dollars are flowing from Wall Street to defeat the president's reforms of the financial system -- I will say, needed reform but, in my view, too modest reforms. The Wall Street lobbying money, aimed at defeating any real change, should be viewed as toxic, unpatriotic and, essentially, an attack on the livelihood and futures of the American people.

Apparently, my opponent, Kirsten Gillibrand, does not believe that. Today's New York Times (which, frankly, is a newspaper that is incapable of writing about issues in the race) makes clear that my opponent is awash in Wall Street money--the very interests who cratered the economy:

Turlock