Senator Harkin

[jiacinto]

What do you all think of him? For some reason I think he would be a good VP contender, although he is probably not in contention at all. Or maybe when Daschle moves on I think he would make a good Dem leader in the Senate.

[CMT]

1. if we need help in the midwest

in states like Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota--he would be a good choice. He is a tough debator, a strong speaker on the stump, has a great labor record--organized labor would love him. I don't rule him out.

[JohnKleeb]

3. and hes great for farmers

[CMT]

6. yep

labor and the farm vote--a good combination to have.

[JohnKleeb]

10. the classic mix

Why Wellstone was so beloved.

[JohnKleeb]

2. I have a good opinion of him

I think hes perfect for his state, a midwesterner liberal farmer's populist and we have something neat in common, his mother comes from the same country as my grandfather's parents :) Slovenia. I liked him with Kucinich too and he was an excellent host. Hes very good on a lot of issues. I do like him. I agree he would make a fine senate leader.

[ComerPerro]

4. He has appeared with Dean

at events before. Hosted him in Iowa.

But he has probably done this for the others too.

I like him.

[arcos]

7. Yes, he has done it for others...

I don't think he'll endorse anyone before the Iowa primary...

[JohnKleeb]

8. yes with DK too

[arcos]

5. I think he would put Iowa solidly in the dem column... n/t

[Forkboy]

9. I like him a lot

Me and my mother were just talking on the phone about him today and saying how we wish he would be picked for some role in the White House by whoever gets the nod.

[jiacinto]

13. Well

I think he would make a great succesor to Daschle when he retires.

[Forkboy]

19. I agree with that completely

[KC21304]

32. Being that Harkin is 8 years older than Daschle, he may

not be around when Daschle retires. Harkin is a great American and would be an asset in any administration. He would be greatly missed in the Senate.



On edit, I guess I didn't consider that Dasche might be forced to retire, which would be a good thing.

[FlashHarry]

14. I'm not sure how Iowans would feel about losing him, though.

I'd love to see him in Dean's cabinet(!), but he fought like hell to beat Ganske in '02 (who, along with GOP gov. loser Doug Gross, was a pet project of Karl Rove) and I think he should serve out his term.

[Bozita]

11. Who can ever forget his speech at the Wellstone memorial?

Harkin's a good man.

on edit: fixed spelling error

[tjdee]

37. That broke my heart...

He was so obviously close to Wellstone.
Very sad.

[welshTerrier2]

12. i'm shocked, jiacinto

you mean you don't think of Senator Harkin as one of those radical extremists because he flipped to the radical left-wing position on Iraq?

do you think it would be damaging for other candidates who wrongly supported bush's war to do the same?

i think Harkin would make a great VP choice ... i'd be happy to support him ...

[JohnKleeb]

16. Welsh you said you were considering DK

DK/Harkin would be nice
DK supported Harkin for the nod in 1992.

[welshTerrier2]

28. what's not to like ...

that's a ticket i could get out and work for ...

and i'm still considering supporting Dennis ... i'm starting to think that the key issue in the next election is not going to be Iraq ... it's not even going to be the economy ... it's going to be trade and its effect on jobs ...

i listened to Senator Dorgan (D- North Dakota) on C-Span2 today making a speech about the incredible trade imbalances we suffer and their effect on the loss of American jobs ... i also saw this week's episode of NOW with Bill Moyers where he talked about the exporting of American jobs ... it's projected that more than 3 million (that's an additional 3 million) jobs will be lost to other countries over the next couple of years ... that's mind-boggling to me ... I like Dennis' position that NAFTA has to go ...

i'll be writing more about this in the near future but i really believe the democrats would be wrong to focus solely on "organized labor" ... what they should focus on is: LABOR ... i'm a software engineer ... Plenty of my colleagues have been out of work for more than a year ... and more and more "white collar" workers are and will be at risk ... it's time to reunite labor with the left ... and not just unionized, organized, big labor ... i'm talking all american workers ... we are being sold down the river by the overlords ... and it's time we, and our party, fought back ...

[kainah]

15. He has the kind of energy that's necessary to fire up the base

He would also appeal to a lot of the populist sentiment in the Rocky Mountain West where I am thoroughly convinced the Dems could do much, much better if they would only give it a chance. Alas, they seem to be too focused on trying to make gains in the South to see the openings for them in the Rockies.

I vote YES on Harkin for VP.

[jiacinto]

17. Well

I don't live in the Rockies, so let me ask you this. How much of a deal breaker is the gun issue out there?

[Cheswick2.0]

18. I would love to have Harkin on the ticket

I think we have to worry what happens in Iowa, but other than that, I would work my ass off to get any ticket that included him elected.

[JohnKleeb]

22. I am glad I am not the only one who likes him

I told you hes a fellow progressive populist and a fellow Slovene :) plus he seems to be smart on health care, "no one envies our health care system" and he likes DK's idea of a department of peace, if we could get his endorsement :) a step in the correct direction towards peace and prosperity.

[Cheswick2.0]

26. ah, that is where that great face of his comes from

He is Slovene?

When he ran in the late 80s I was hoping for a Gore/Harkin or Harkin/Gore ticket. I think they might have both dropped out by the time my state primary came around and I voted for Jesse Jackson.

[JohnKleeb]

31. Hes part you betcha

Slavic power :)
We're the smallest country of the former Yugoslavia and pleased to say we are doing well.

[jiacinto]

34. I think he would be a good candidate

nt

[madaboutharry]

20. I was very moved by the speech

Harken gave at Paul Wellstone's memorial.

[Octafish]

21. He already knows Kerry.

In fact, they go traveling together.



That is, in the nicest and best ways.

[JohnKleeb]

23. Kerry/Harkin not bad

Although I support DK, I think that would make an excellent ticket. Also DK likes Tom too he supported him for president in 1992.

[CMT]

24. I think Harkin would be a good addition for nearly any ticket

eom.

[JohnKleeb]

25. yep

Kucinich/Harkin I would love that. It would be unique too, the first all Catholic ticket, the first really ethnic ticket, Kucinich=Croatian/Irish and Harkin=Irish??/Slovene(thats me too). Also I share another thing with Tommy Harkin, we have coal miner blood.

[LuCifer]

27. I would have voted for him during the Dem primaries...

...but back then, I wasn't even CLOSE to 18! Now I have "I'm 18" by Alice Cooper stuck in my head!!!!!!! Eh, nothing wrong with that.

TOM HARKIN FOR WORLD RULER!!!!!!

Lu

[Catherine Vincent]

29. "Pile of Dung"

I will never forget what he said regarding the republicans articles of impeachment of President Clinton. He was so right on!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

30. If not VP

then definitely Senate (hopefully majority) leader. The Senate needs a Dem leader with spine. I'd love to see him and a couple of the other spineful Dems tag teaming with Robert Byrd.

[Mel]

33. I agree

VP or Dem leader. Yes, I think he would do a good job in either area.

Senator Harkin is one of the few that I trust.

[tjdee]

35. All this praise for Harkin? He voted for the war!

And homeland security!

And the Patriot Act!

Boy, the mind reels sometimes at DU...I look at all the kind words for Harkin (whom I too very much like), but substitute Kerry or Edwards for Harkin and boy oh boy how the tune will change!

[wrkclskid]

36. I like him

But I would not be surprised if he retires after this term, he is getting up their. I would not be surprised if Grassley retires in 2010 either (he should be relected easily next year), that's two potential open seats to watch in the near future.

[PAMod]

38. I love Sen. Harkin

and I met him at a Clinton rally in Harrisburg, PA in 1992.

We need him in the US Senate.