I can't believe it. They're going to primary Jerry Nadler!

[DFW]

I usually see Jerry over New Year's, and thought this year would be no different. Sadly, no way. Because of his vote for the Iran treaty, he is being primaried by groups in Orthodox parts of his district. They don't even have a candidate yet! But they are raising money against him like crazy and phoning in death threats (really!) on a weekly basis.

So Jerry is now being forced to attend fundraisers and do all the grunt work a freshman congressman from a swing district usually has to do. Jerry has been in Congress for decades, and one of the most brilliant minds in the House. Never mind, though. What should be a shoo-in for him is now, instead, going to be a brutal primary challenge being, in effect, mounted by Benjamin Netanyahu (probably pointed in Jerry's direction by Speaker Bonehead personally). A district that profited itself for the intelligence and conscience of its longtime representative on Congress is now punishing him for just those two attributes.

We in the South do NOT have a monopoly on meanness, corruption and stupidity.

That is, by the way, hardly a consolation.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. How awful for him, my dear DFW!

I wish him the best of luck. I suspect that the groups who are going to primary him will quickly run out of steam......I hope!

And I would think that the law enforcement folks would be interested in any and all death threats.

I hope he flattens those idiots!

[DFW]

3. Trouble is, they won't run out of steam

Last edited Thu Sep 10, 2015, 06:58 AM - Edit history (1)

They are in a tightly packed, populous area of his district full of strict religious conservatives who will vote however Netanyahu tells them to. They are in Brooklyn, and Jerry estimates 90% of them will vote against him. He thinks he'll prevail, but this is punishment for voting his conscience (and common sense). His hopes is that the more secular part of his district, which is in Manhattan, will pull him through, but Jerry is SO good for NYC, there is no logical reason he should be forced to defend his seat in a primary in the first place.

[ConservativeDemocrat]

12. A solid majority of US jews support the agreement

So I'm not convinced that the hawks will even win in their supposed stronghold.

Regardless, beating off an extremist primary is always a good exercise. The practice of doing so inevitably pops the bubble the extremists have been living in.

- C.D. Proud Member of the Reality Based Community

[LeftOfWest]

14. Okay n/t.

[karynnj]

17. That is true -- but not of the Brooklyn part of his district

These are not the conservative, reform, and reconstructionist Jews that are - on average - liberal, these are Orthodox Jews. This is why his was a brave vote of conscience. (Something that Schumer claims of is - but which it probably wasn't - and his arguments were plain dishonest. (There is no way the long time member of the Finance committee and self admitted genius really thinks the US would pass and implement secondary sanctions against companies and countries that deal with Iran - I was with a British friend on vacation at that point - she was amazed "the US could sanction us? - said with great skepticism. I have to agree with her - that is an idle threat.

[Person 2713]

2. One issue voters good luck!

[DFW]

4. These ones are being egged on

And it's from the outside.

[herding cats]

5. Of course it is.

Losing side is exacting its pound of flesh.

I hope he beats them back and holds his seat, that would be the most perfect of justice.

I don't think most here would mind if you posted the link where they could donate to him. Every little bit helps after all.

[DFW]

8. Be glad to

I'm giving him the max. Never did donate to him before, but he never needed it before:

http://www.jerrynadler.com/

[Iwillnevergiveup]

13. Just donated

and can I say, as a former NY resident and a son living in Brooklyn, it was a pleasure.
Nadler is a keeper. Thanks for posting.

[geek tragedy]

6. Is Schumer going to lift a finger to help him, or is he

part of the lynch mob?

I wish the fuckers in Borough Park would all move to Israel, or at least register as Rephblicans, racist rightwing fucknuts that they are.

[DFW]

7. Jerry didn't mention Schumer's name all night

Take that for what it's worth

[geek tragedy]

9. I think Nadler will pull it out.

The Borough Park crowd all voted for Mitt Romney, but Obama won 75% of the district.

[DFW]

10. He liked his chances too

He wasn't pleased about having to defend his nomination over this one issue, but he wasn't going to vote against his conscience to avoid the fight. He does not take blackmail lightly. Obama only got 45% on the Brooklyn side of his district, but 56% or more of the Manhattan side. He says he'll have to work for it, and sees the challenge as pure punishment. He in no ways sees the challenge as insurmountable. They didn't even have an opponent yet!! How transparent do you have to be?

[geek tragedy]

11. Dov Hikind should man up and run himself.

About time that Kahanist thug got exposed.

[hfojvt]

19. part of the WHAT? The WHAT?

Dude, that metaphor is highly offensive.

Here's what somebody PMed me once after I used it

"why don't you learn what an actual lynching is"

Wait. You sent me that PM.

Busted.

[n2doc]

15. We need to learn from these tactics

Where are the primary challenges from the left on Folks like Schumer? The Gun lobby and AIPAC maintain their power by these sorts of things, and unless the left can show a similar level of commitment and power we will not be taken seriously.

I hope Jerry beats this challenge back. That will embolden others.

[DFW]

16. Jerry is doing everythhing he can, and will probably prevail

He sees this as a punishment from Netanyahu, a few times removed. As if Israel would be better off if we had a war with Iran! Such nonsense, and yet they have time to punish one of the best and brightest members the House has ever had, whereas people like Louie Gohmert have to do little more than snap their fingers to be renominated and re-elected. Perverse effects of an imperfect system.

[steve2470]

18. I hope he wins easily! nt

[DFW]

20. So do I, but a solid bloc of angry religious voters can't be ignored

And that's what he's facing, and egged on from a foreign country to boot. I just sent him the max you can send for a primary, which is a first for me, and I'm pissed as hell that I have to do it for a man whose credentials are so impeccable that he ought to be running unopposed. But religious anger seldom has anything to do with logic or common sense.