| Candidates Oppose Iranian Blockade, Break With McNulty
Phil Steck was the first to take a stand against H. CON. RES. 362, saying it would effectively allow a blockade. Steck's strong words against the blockade was no barrier to the rest of the progressives in the race following his lead, although none with words quite as strong as Steck's; he was the only candidate to call the blockade a blockade. Below is the progression of candidate's statements and the dates they came out:
Phil Steck
"H CON RES 362 calls for a blockade of Iran, which I am totally opposed to until all diplomatic options are fully exhausted," said Steck. "The lesson to be learned from the Iraq war, which I opposed form the beginning, is that we should not rush to imprudent actions when it comes to world diplomacy."
Steck said that Iran's nuclear program is a real concern and that Iran is a dangerous government, but "a blockade is an act of war, and I do not believe we have reached that point with Iran."
Steck said that he supports other components of the Resolution, including cracking down on terrorist groups, and sanctioning banks and energy companies that do business with terrorists and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
August 1st
Tracey Brooks
"I strongly oppose the ongoing war in Iraq and support efforts to prevent President Bush from launching a military attack on Iran. While we must ensure the safety and security of Israel, we should first use all of our economic, political and diplomatic tools to achieve our objectives of dissembling Iran's nuclear program and building peace and security in the region and around the world. Even though there are many aspects to H. Con. Res. 362 that do outline a path of putting diplomacy first, I would not vote for this resolution because this President cannot be trusted with the additional authority granted by Congress."
Three days later...
Paul Tonko
"I believe that Iran is a destabilizing force in the Middle East, and that the best way to confront this influence is through a spirited diplomatic effort in conjunction with our allies.
My concern is that the language of the resolution could open the door to a blockade, or other military action that will further destabilize the region."
Also three days later...
Darius Shahinfar
"For months, I've called for a reduction of tensions through increased diplomacy with Iran to lower oil prices and ensure compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty," said Shahinfar. "I welcome the recent policy shifts by this Administration including the sending of Undersecretary of State William Burns to Geneva and the announcement of establishing a US interest section in Tehran. The passage of H. Con. Res. 362 would set back relations and slow recent progress between our two countries.
"I am pleased to see that my opponents have recently joined me in opposing the Bush Administration's approach to Iran. I have repeatedly called for the need of this Administration to resolve these issues through diplomatic means. It is no coincidence that after this Administration announced new diplomatic measures, oil prices went down by nearly $30 per barrel. This drop in oil prices underscores the benefits of increasing diplomatic contacts with Iran. The Bush Administration must exhaust all diplomatic options with Iran before imposing further sanctions."
Also (also) three days later.
That's good to have four progressive candidates against an Iraq-style pre-emptive act of war against another Middle Eastern country. But what does Joseph Sullivan have to say about it? Go to his "Lonerangeralbany" blog and he tells you to go to the website of a local weekly newspaper, the Spotlight:
In contrast, Sullivan took a hard line stance against Iran and its nuclear program, saying, "there is no doubt in my mind" that a pre-emptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities would occur if it did not comply.
"I support Congressman's McNulty's co-sponsorship of the resolution. As congressman, I would do the same, and more. Iran is providing arms and training that is resulting in U.S. troop deaths and injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan,"” Sullivan said. "Iran is a threat to the stability of the Middle East, and a nuclear Iran is a threat to world peace. U.S. military and naval forces must remain on station in the Middle East. Withdrawal from Iraq is not an option so long as Iran poses the threat it does."
The Spotlight Newspapers were not the only outlet to cover this pile-on extensively. Indeed, according to them, the candidates nearly all differ in some way on the issue. I would just like to note, for the record, that Spotlight reporter Jarret Carrol has been doing a better job covering this race in print than any other local news reporter. Way to go, Jarret!
There are seven candidates running in the 21st District, five Democrats and two Republicans. Although all agree that Iran shouldn't have nuclear weapon capability, most agreement ends there, as each of the candidates have a different take on why they do or do not support the resolution.
Democrats Tracey Brooks, Darius Shahinfar, and Phil Steck, along with Republican Steven Vasquez, all said they do not support Resolution 362 and would not have sponsored it.
Democrats Paul Tonko and Joseph Sullivan and Republican James Buhrmaster said they support the measure.
Reporter Chet Hardin over at Metroland is doing a crack job as well, and even lets the current representative weigh in for. As said before, Mike McNulty is one of the co-sponsors of this resolution. What does he have to say about all this?
I never read the resolution as a call for a blockade," said Rep. Michael McNulty (D-Green Island).
The Capital Region's Women Against War brought its members' concerns over the resolution to the attention of McNulty, a cosponsor of the Iran Blockade Resolution (as it is popularly known), asking him to either withdraw his support of the resolution or to push for the contentious language to be removed.
OK, the congressman said. When dealing with the Bush administration, concerns over interpretation aren't taken lightly. "We should be very careful not to pass anything that Bush could interrupt as giving him authority to use military force in dealing with Iran," said McNulty.
McNulty also said that he urges an intense diplomacy campaign, coupled with the sanctions called for in HCR 362. And although he does not see the specific language as a call for a military blockade, he did say that he has spoken with Ackerman, who has heard similar concerns, and the congressman intends to reword the resolution.
So the majority of the candidates running for his seat have actually spurred some action on the part of the current representative. Sometimes, you really can lead just by running.
Campaign Finance Reform in the 21st Divides Camps
While the four progressives in the race followed Phil Steck's lead regarding Iran, later in the week Steck lead the way with a challenge to his opponents to return all lobbyists and PAC money. The following announcement was made on August 5th:
Democrat Phil Steck called on all campaigns for the 21st congressional district to return all donations to federal and state lobbyists and all Political Action Committees (PACs), following the lead of Presidential candidate Barack Obama.
"Whether it's Albany or Washington, the system is broken because lobbyists and special interests have a stranglehold on our government," said Steck. "On the national level, Barack Obama has put the issue of the influence of lobbyists at the forefront. Lobbyists are writing our energy policies. Lobbyists are holding up a national healthcare policy. The same holds true for Albany."
Steck said that because the Capital Region is the state capitol, people in the 21st congressional district are aware of the tremendous power that lobbyists wield in state government and in regional politics. "We need a representative in Washington who is not beholden to these powerful special interests," added Steck. "The people should be represented by someone who will put their interests first, and who won't let lobbyists drown out their voices."
Steck said that recent news reports in Washington, and in Albany, have highlighted the corrupting influence of lobbyists and interests. "While there certainly are lobbyists who champion progressive causes, we need to revamp the whole system because our government is broken," said Steck. "Too much money is changing hands behind the scenes in and around government for special favors, increased access, or to kill a piece of legislation."
Those of us who are Steck for Congress volunteers like myself certainly like to think Phil Steck is taking the lead on this issue. In all fairness, the candidate himself points to presidential candidate Barack Obama as the real leader in this respect.
Within a single day, another candidate with a funny name took followed that lead, and even expanded on the call with a full contract. Darius Shahinfar came out in support of cleaning up lobbyist and PAC money in elections by creating the "Ethics and Good Governance Contract." TAP had the full scoop earlier this week with Shahinfar's statement. Below is the actual meat, the Ethics and Good Governance Contract:
"I promise to you, the citizens of Upstate New York, I will:
I. Not accept campaign contributions from lobbyists
II. Not accept gifts from lobbyists
III. Not accept meals from lobbyists
IV. Not accept trips from lobbyists
V. Not accept contributions from corporate political action committees
VI. Not accept contributions from individuals seeking earmarks or other appropriations
VII. Commit myself to openness and transparency by making my congressional schedule public and easily accessible on the web.
VIII. Always put the interests of the Upstate New Yorkers I represent first.
That's a good eight steps for two-thousand-eight. Can we get all New York public officials to sign this thing? That would be no small step in completely destroying a little organization known as the Republican Party...
By the way, as of this writing, there has been absolutely no word from either the Brooks or Tonko campaign about Steck's challenge and Darius's contract. Joseph Sullivan has previously gone on the record as committing to spending under $1,000 in his campaign. While this most likely clears him of any lobbyist/PAC money acceptance accusations, it also puts him on a much (much) less competitive level.
Now that the recap is over, here's what you may have missed this week, candidate by candidate. But first, while we know of the candidates forum coming next week, this week saw the announcement of another gathering of candidates:
A debate for the Democratic candidates in the 21st congressional district will be held on Sunday, August 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Bethlehem Town Hall, Delaware Avenue in Delmar. Doors will open at 4 p.m. The five Democratic candidates, Tracey Brooks, Darius Shahinfar, Phil Steck, Joe Sullivan and Paul Tonko, have all confirmed. The debate is sponsored by Democracy for the Hudson Mohawk Region (DFHMR) and supported by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace (BNP). Co-Chairs for the event are Bruce Bushart representing Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace and Kate Powers representing Democracy for the Hudson Mohawk Region. The public and press are invited.
What: 21st Congressional Democratic Debate
Who: Democratic Congressional Candidates
When: Sunday, August 24, 5pm-7pm. Doors open at 4pm
Where: Bethlehem Town Hall Gymnasium, Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY
With an August 24th scheduling date and the primary slated to take place on September 9th, I'm guessing that this will be the final time the candidates square off against each other in public. Here they are squaring off against each other online, albiet through my own lens:
NY-21 Candidate-by-Candidate News Wrap-Up
Tracey Brooks
Tracey Brooks remained well-covered this week, both in print and on TAP. Here, Brooks comes out against a Bush judicial nomination, despite the fact that she'll only ever serve about two weeks into the final days of Bush's term.
It was Brook's attack on mailboxes in the district that was covered most. For those who wish to see Tracey's most recent mailers, head here and here to see even more faceless cardboard men and a lot more pictures of women voters.
A third mailer just came in my mailbox today, and while I don't have a picture, it features a bunch of men dancing on the Capitol steps and a sad-looking young family. "They Get Free Health Care...We Get the Bill" the front proclaims, and inside is a big photo of Tracey with the same doctor featured in her previous mailing.
Brooks also hit the television airwaves with a new advertisement this week as well. YouTube has joined Photobucket in it's Soundpolitic boycott this week, so head on over to TAP's coverage in the link provided to check out her latest spot. For the record, I give it a B- in the comments.
TAP was not the only place that took notice of the advertsing blitz in the 21st. Earlier this week, the Times Union ran a story titled Candidates Filling Up Mailboxes with a run-down of all candidates recent activities and future plans:
Registered Democrats' mailboxes in the 21st Congressional District are being stuffed with the first mailers from candidates hoping to ascend to retiring Democrat Michael McNulty's long-held seat.
Some of the five Democratic candidates are trying to drum up public awareness about themselves before the primary Sept. 9. The traditionally Democratic seat hasn't seen such a competitive race in at least 50 years.
::
Tracey Brooks, who formerly was Hillary Clinton's regional director, paid for three different mailers. A Brooks ad similar to one of her mailers aired on local television, and she put out three short radio spots.
Democrat and Albany County Legislator Phil Steck mailed some literature to Democrats in Colonie, his home turf and distributed another mailer to all Democrats district-wide.
Because many of the Democratic candidates have similar views (ending the Iraq war, getting health care for all, investing in renewable energy), advertising campaigns are already showcasing the candidates' need to distinguish themselves in a different way.
Two of Brooks' mailers are playing up her status as the only woman in the race, saying, "Those guys won't change anything" and showing faces of women stating, "We will make Congress accountable to us again."
Steck's message is one of being a federal government outsider, saying, "I believe that Congress should serve our interests, not powerful lobbying interests."
Former state Assemblyman Democrat Paul Tonko has been absent on the advertising front thus far. Tonko spokesman Beau Duffy said his candidate will be sending out mailers and running a television ad soon. He said because Tonko announced later than other candidates, it's taken a bit longer to organize a strategy.
"There's a lot of important issues that need to be discussed and Paul isn't complacent by any stretch of the imagination," Duffy said.
Darius Shahinfar, a Democrat and former aide to Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand, will advertise in various media soon, but spokesman Ryan Streeter said he didn't want to discuss details of the campaign's strategy.
Candidate Joseph Sullivan, the Albany Democrat who once ran the city's GOP committee, has made his distaste for advertising clear, vowing to not spend more than $1,000 on his campaign for the 21st seat.
"It's image-making, that's what this stuff is," Sullivan said. "It's like American Idol."
Emphasis added.
As a side note, I've been recieving feedback on these mailers and commercials with their faceless "those guys" and the heavy focus on women. The men I've spoken with don't like the strategy one bit, feeling either indifferent, left out, or in some cases resentful and ignored. And even some women agree that focusing on this one aspect unneccesary, even unhelpful; they point to neighboring Congresswoman Kirstin Gillibrand in NY-20, who has never made it a big point that she's a woman. We can tell by looking, and Gillibrand's recent advertisements focusing on the issues stand in stark contrast to the Brooks message.
Finally, one piece of Brooks campaign activity went basically un-reported last week: the candidate herself spoke at the commencement ceremonies at the Mildred Elley Business College and the Austin School of Spa Technology Graduation.
Darius Shahinfar
As Shahinfar's communications director stated above, no mailings or advertisements have gone up yet and none of us know when they will come, though they are certain to emerge. The big news out of the Darius for Congress camp was following and expanding on opponent Phil Steck's lead.
But what went completely un-noticed was the Shahinfar campaign's strong statement on that massive budget surplus the new Iraqi government is posting. So far, Darius Shahinfar is the only candidate to take a stance on this issue. Interestingly enough, the only other place I've heard anyone railing about this is on right-wing nutjob Michael Savage's show (yes, I listen occassionally...know they enemy). Here's the Shahinfar statement:
Shahinfar Statement on Iraqi Budget Surplus
Albany, NY - Today, Darius Shahinfar, the Democratic candidate for New York's 21st Congressional District, issued the following statement regarding the Government Accountability Office's recent report that estimates the 2008 Iraqi budget surplus to be at about $79 billion:
"With Upstate seniors and families having difficulty filling up their gas tanks, paying higher taxes, and buying simple necessities like groceries and prescription drugs, it is very clear that we as a nation have to shift our priorities back home and invest in middle class tax relief and our families. This new report is a stunning reminder of this Administration's incompetence. We need to make the Iraqis take a greater role in rebuilding their country so we can bring our troops home sooner."
August 7, 2008
It will be interesting to see in the coming week if Shahinfar's position sets of a similar windfall of support from the other candidates the same way Steck's position on Iran did. If nobody else picks it up, it will be a big indicator not on Shahinfar's strong position, but on the attitude the other campaigns have towards his candidacy. Here's hoping they recognize that their opponent is completely right about this issue and they follow suit accordingly.
Phil Steck
As already indicated, Steck's big news this week was on his firm opposition to what could easily become a blockade of Iran as well as his stance on campaign finance reform. Phil Steck's mailing and robo-call blitz occurred last week, so the only people who got any fun from Phil in their mailboxes this week were us volunteers, who recieved a nice post-card thanking us for our continued support.
As such, it was proud week for those of us in the Steck camp. It cannot be denied that Phil set the pace for progressive this week with his quick pick up on H. CON RES 362 and returning PAC and lobbyist money. The Steck campaign had taken the smallest amount of money from these groups to begin with (besides, of course, maverick Joe Sullivan) and this week made public their return of 100% of such money. As mentioned before, only Shahinfar has come out in support of Steck's call, and even upped the ante. Still no word from Brooks and Tonko on the subject.
However, to build anticpation, the campaign has informed me that a television advertisement has been shot and will begin to be featured on the airwaves sometime in the very near future, perhaps even this week. Here's hoping YouTube decides to cooperate for next week's State of the Race...
Paul Tonko
The big news for Paul Tonko this week had to do with endorsement. Officially, the former Assemblyman's long tenure as Chair of the Energy Committe has paid off with last week's endorsement by the New York League of Conservation Voters:
Paul Tonko's credentials in alternative energy and fighting climate change are unrivaled. From 1992 to 2007, Tonko was chairman of the Assembly's Energy Committee, where he authored landmark legislation to prioritize clean power plants and replace older, polluting ones. From June 2007 to April 2008, he was CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, which promotes and researches new energy sources. He was also a member of the governor's Renewable Energy Task Force, which called for increasing New York's supply of renewable energy, creating "green-collar" jobs and attracting clean-tech businesses.
"Energy is the most important issue facing our nation right now, and Paul Tonko has the experience and expertise that we need on Capitol Hill," said James Melius, chair of NYLCV's Capital District Chapter. "We strongly urge voters in the 21st District to cast their votes for a cleaner, more affordable energy future by making Paul Tonko their next member of Congress."
In response to the endorsement, Paul Tonko said: "I am thrilled to be receiving the endorsement of the New York League of Conservation Voters. The NYLCV has been a leader in protecting New York's environmental treasures and in pushing for a sustainable policy focused on renewable energy sources. As Congressman for the 21st District I will make it a priority to work with the NYLCV, fellow members of Congress and the president to develop a sound, national energy plan that will preserve our environment, strengthen our economy and guarantee a bright future for our children."
Paul Tonko has been racking up endorsements from several organizations as the campaign gets off the ground. He has the Working Families party line for November's election (Phil Steck will face off on the third-party ballot on the Independence line) and has a number of union endorsements comparable to Tracey Brooks, according to the NYLCV press release. As pointed out above, Paul Tonko's mailers and advertisments are sure to hit the circuit soon as well.
On the unnofficial side, a Times Union columnists covering Schenectady ran a headline a few days ago claiming Tonko Favored In Race For Congress. It could very well have been titled Schenectady Pundits Line Up Behind Tonko:
Seeing how the Saratoga racing season is here, it's appropriate to come up with a "morning line" favorite for the Sept. 9 21st Congressional District primary.
After consulting with sundry political junkies, the consensus shows Paul Tonko the odds-on Democrat favorite.
Since Albany is the largest chunk of the district, at first blush Phil Steck and Tracey Brooks appear the ones to beat. Steck is Colonie Democratic chairman and Brooks, a former aide to Hilary Clinton, has Albany roots.
In comparison, Amsterdam native Tonko is off the beaten population path. Yet, my pundit panel reminds that Tonko represented Albany Hill Towns during part of his state Assembly tenure.
He also has tacit support from heavyweight Albany Democrats state Sen. Neil Breslin, County Executive Mike Breslin, Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari and Albany Assemblyman Jack McEneny.
In Schenectady County, the next biggest portion of the district, Tonko has been a huge Assembly vote-getter. Steck and Brooks are comparative unknowns there.
Likewise, Tonko is a household name in his backyard of Montgomery County and neighboring Gloversville and Johnstown while the others are strangers.
In the Republican primary, Jim Buhrmaster is the prohibitive morning line favorite. However, the GOP primary is insignificant because district Democrats outnumber Republicans by about 60,000.
My brain trust insists winning the Democrat primary is tantamount to victory in November.
By Mark Cermak. Emphasis added.
While Mr. Cermak's "brain trust" is relatively spot on with claiming the Democratic primary is a good indicator of who wil actually be Congressman, this blogger's agreement with the article ends there.
First of all, as a resident of the Hilltowns of Albany County, I'd like Mr. Cermak to note the proper way to refer to my four beautiful townships. Too much time spent in the Electric City proves a surefire bet to earn the affliction of "flatlander." Secondly, Tonko hasn't represented us folk for some time now.
But more importantly, "brain trusts" and "sundry political junkies" may not know what they are talking about. The entire article makes plain that Tonko's big strength is, in fact, his huge name recognition. The campaign has denied this, and after three months in, claiming a "late start" doesn't really count as an excuse for a lack of action compared to candidates who are already sending out mailers and airing television ads. Cermak's work confirms only that Tonko is running with strong name recognition and as a heavy favorite in insider circles; the race is still very much wide-open and anybody who tells you they know who is going to win probably doesn't know anything at all.
As the former Assemblyman's campaign towards voter's takes shape in the the final month before the primary, it remains to be seen whether actual voters are looking for the kind of established, long-time politician that Paul Tonko is, or whether the barrage of activity from Tracey Brooks and Phil Steck have already convinced voters that NY-21 needs someone new.
Joseph P. Sullivan
Looking to win the seat with a thousand bucks or less as the "conservative" Democrat who is known for shouting "The troops aren't coming home..GET OVER IT!", Joseph Sullivan came one step closer by surviving a challenge to his nominating petitions this week by Working Families Party organizer Keri Kresler. Again, Metroland has the scoop, and they throw in a few more wrinkles that, all said and done, makes Sullivan's candidacy even less attractive to progressives. Kresler said the petitions were filed fraudently and that Sullivan enlisted the help of very unpopular Democratic County Legislator Brian Scavo, who's claim to fame is sexually harassing female voters and even small girls while on the stump. Here's the scoop:
There is no fraud here," wrote Joseph Sullivan, candidate for U.S. Congress in the 21st District, to the New York State Board of Elections in response to allegations by district resident Keri Kresler that his petitions were collected improperly. "Perhaps, lack of clear understanding of the election law, haste and careless in gathering signatures, numerous minor errors by witnesses and signers alike, but no fraud!"
On a different matter, the statement continued, "Brian Scavo is the son of talian immigrants. English is his second language. He is a survivor of exposure to lead paint and a product of the Albany public school system. Call Brian stupid all day long, but he is guilty of fraud [sic]."
Sullivan also suggested that Kresler "be hired as an Interrogator at Gitmo Bay where she can instruct Al Qaida captives in NYS Election Law . . ."
This week, the BOE ruled that Sullivan's petitions are valid. Sullivan has alleged that Kresler, who had come forward with accusations of fraud against both Sullivan and Albany County Legislator Brian Scavo (District 7), had been working as some part of a "a politically motivated exercise in character assassination, as well as an attempt to knock me off the September 9 Democratic primary."
Sullivan, who until recently was a registered Republican, has been a long-time oddball presence in Albany politics. Sullivan is the founder of the Buckingham Pond/Crestwood Neighborhood Association, and he ran a failed campaign for mayor of Albany in 2005. Sullivan is known for his off-color blog posts and e-mails. One recent press-release headline read: "WHY NO NIGHT OUT AGAINST CRIME IN ONE ALBANY NEIGHBORHOOD?" The body of the e-mail answered: "BECAUSE WE ARE READY, LOCKED AND LOADED!"
Kresler said she finds it ridiculous that Sullivan, along with Scavo, would think themselves worthy of some greater conspiracy. "I think we gave gotten to the point where you can't take him seriously as a candidate. He sounds like a loon, and he can't spell. I'm not an operative for anyone. I don't understand how many times I have to say this. He can't get it through his skull that I am doing it on my own, not with encouragement from any other organization."
Kresler said she challenged Sullivan's petitions because she simply did not believe his signatures were collected properly.
This is a rare appearance in the press for Sullivan, but every time he gets out there, he gives progressives another reason to disregard his candidacy. His website is merely an AOL blog, and in one post he claims he will seek no endorsements. Yet a CriagsList post by Sullivan claims the endorsement of the Albany City 7th Legislative Committee. No such committee actually exists in the first place; it's probably just dishonorable legislator Brian Scavo.
Check out his website, and the cookieness continues: Not content with referring to himself as just "The Lone Ranger," Joe Sullivans latest moniker for himself is "Demoguy, Albany's Newest Hero." And his disregard of a recent civility pledge becomes apparent in his official replies to Tracey Brooks' candidacy, including one post "That Chick Don't Get It!", which even this blogger publicly condemns.
But I'm still covering him because he's still running. The news today? Joseph Sullivan has posted a new media advisory for an appearance tommorrow that is sure to be the stand-up comedy event of the campaign:
SULLIVAN * DEMOCRAT * CONGRESS 21st DISTRICT, NY
8 AUG 08
Contact: JPS 438 5230
MEDIA ADVISORY
DEMOGUY , Joseph P Sullivan, Democrat for Congress
21st District, NY
has accepted an invitation to appear at a local Mosque
When? 5 PM Saturday 9 August
Where? The Islamic Center of the Capital District (ICCD)
21 N Lansing Drive, Colonie
This may be one of the defining moments of the contest for the
21st District.
The central themes of Sullivan's campaign will take center stage:
* Homeland (National ) Security
(including the War on Terror,
Iraq/Afghanistan, Securing
our borders/ports, and
dealing with illegal immigration)
* Emergency/Disaster Preparedness
(Government can't save us, we
must prepare to save ourselves.
Sullivan is a firm supporter of
the Second Amendment to the
U S Constitution)
* OIL (Oil is the lifeblood of our economy and way of life.
Maintaining a steady flow of affordably priced oil is key
to our survival.
As long as the U S depends on imported oil, we must
maintain
a military/naval presence, on station, in the oil producing
regions of the world.
The troops are not coming home. Get over it!
Demoguy (Sullivan) biographical note:
Sullivan is an American, a Catholic, and a Democrat. He is of
Euro- (White) Nordic stock.
English is his first and only language.
Sullivan is a firm supporter of the Second Amendment right
of law abiding Americans to keep and bear arms.
Sullivan served America in his youth, as a sailor in the
U S Navy.
Sullivan will serve America, again, as Congressman from
the 21st District NY, if elected.
On a personal note: Sullivan has a profound appreciation
for fine dogs
(Australian Shepherds, in particular), potatoes, buttermilk,
a fine cup of tea, Tullamore Dew (Irish whiskey) ,stout
porter, ale and beer, Irish, country and blue grass music.
You get what you see with Demoguy ...Albany's new Hero.
See: Metroland 7 Aug 08 issue
An historical note: The Late, Great Dan O'Connell,
of Albany, and his people were Republicans, before
becoming Democrats.
###
Um...Nordic Stock? Australian Shephards? Buttermilk? I don't think I'll be attending this one...have fun at the mosque, Joe.
At least we have a light comical note upon which to end our weekly State of the Race. Tune in next week for continuing coverage of the hard-hitting news in the 21st to help you make your decision on September 9, starting at noon when the polls open. |
