An eye-opening article about Bill Halter in the NYT, see below:

[secondwind]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/07/us/politics/07halter.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fpolitics%2Findex.jsonp


Are we jumping from the frying pan into the fire by electing Bill Halter to replace Blanche Lincoln?

Decide for yourself!! :eyes:

[saltpoint]

1. Kind of a snotty little piece, IMO.

I'm going with Halter in this one and I hope he prevails.

The concern expressed by this writer for the NYTimes is noted. And dismissed.

[zipplewrath]

2. Opportunist

There's little doubt he's a politician. A bit like Specter/Sestak though, the real point is that incumbents like Lincoln cannot be "rewarded" with re-election. And to some extent, if that lesson is learned by an opportunist, it is a behavior unlikely to be repeated. There are no perfect candidates. Being involved in elections is about being able to deliver victories and if progressives get "credit" for getting him elected, it will affect more than just this seat, or this race.

[Dawgs]

3. +1. Couldn't be said any better.

This election, at least to me, is more about getting rid of a blue dog that is actively running against the Democratic party, than voting for a perfect progressive.

[saltpoint]

4. Yes. There are many larger points the TIMES piece ignores.

My main objection is not that it's pro-Lincoln and published the day before the primary vote, which is bad enough, but that it casts union involvement in Arkansas as misdirected and clueless.

[karynnj]

8. The article weirdly depends to a large degree on the opinion of one person,

a woman who was involved in the Clark campaign. It oddly does not say if she is neutral on this race or for for Lincoln. It is very easy to assume that she is against Halter. In addition, the charges are extremely vague culminating and saying that he is an "opportunist". Now, over time, I have observed that "opportunist" is most used to describe anyone who is an outsider and who refuses to toe the line of one of the establishment groups. It is never used for a politician, who always votes or takes the union position or one who always stays with the leadership. Oddly, I have found it can often be the best indicator of a genuinely independent, thoughtful politician. Strangely, it is less often used to describe people who I would be more likely to see as opportunists - those who always go with the "side that's winning within their party".

In addition, we actually reward true opportunists, because they rarely are on the politically unpopular side of an issue. Bill Clinton is a good example of this. You could call his shifts opportunistic, or a result of triangulating -- or you can say he followed popular will. (a negative description, a mixed description that when first used was used to attest to Clinton's intellectual agility and later became negative, and a positive description - and there is likely some truth to each.)

The fact is that the left has been careful this time in most of the stronger articles to acknowledge that Halter IS pretty conservative. It is also clear that he is running a "populist" campaign. The left blogosphere has always been a sucker for populist campaigns - as could be seen by the Webb campaign or Edwards, for that matter.

I actually prefer Halter, not because I really believe that he will end up with an immensely better voting record - though I hope for a slight improvement. My reason is a reason that can not be used in Arkansas. Halter, as a freshman Democrat would give the same vote to Reid as Majority Leader, but he will not have the same power that Lincoln did. Lincoln now heads the Agriculture Committee, which has a role in anything from derivatives (they started for agricultural commodities) to environmental and energy legislation. Looking at the members list, it looks like Stabenow would become the new chair. (http://ag.senate.gov/site/cmtemembers.html - as Leahy is chairing the Judicial committee, Harkin is chairing HELP, Conrad is chairing Budget, and Baucus is chairing Finance. (Stabenow now chairs Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee.) This could shift the committee to the left.

[saltpoint]

10. Good points on the Committee shifts that could occur if LIncoln is

no longer chairing AG.

Hi, karynnj.

Yes. The article is a hit piece, as another poster noted below. It comes the day before the primary vote and relies on one person's remarks as its context.

Very poor journalism in addition to the pro-Lincoln stance.

The context the writer is trying to establish includes an assumption that "liberals and union members" are misguided and uninformed when in fact it seems to me that if Halter wins tomorrow evening it will be as much Lincoln's loss as his victory. She is not felt by those more liberal constituencies to be sufficiently representative of their plight, and I think that's entirely justified.

[karynnj]

13. I agree with all you say - as usual

It is not just poor journalism, but ineffectual as a hit piece. It is far too blatantly against him. As you point out, it also implies that the "liberals and union members" are misguided and uninformed. This is NOT the best way to peel off some of the liberals and union members. It kind of reminds me of the end of the GHWB campaign, where he was reduced to referring to "Bozo and Ozone Man". Here, it is not the incumbent candidate, but a media elite showing the same condescension.

The media has made one omission when speaking of the anti- establishment mood of the country - they are included in that establishment. I think that one thing that is obvious is that when that is the mood, big endorsements (Obama, Clinton and Clark) and mainstream media support are worth less than they usually are. This is clearly a referendum of Lincoln. One that she could have avoided had she not played to the right of the Democratic party on the health care bill.

[Inuca]

16. Excellent point n/t

[flpoljunkie]

5. Nice pic of Halter and supporters ('D.C.' union members?) in this hit piece from the NYT.

Michael Stravato for The New York Times
Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, who is challenging Senator Blanche Lincoln, last week in Conway.

[tularetom]

6. In response to your question, probably

But I don't care. To me it's more about sending a message to the other DINO's in the senate (and house for that matter) that getting elected as a Democrat and voting as a republican will no longer be rewarded with re-election.

It would be constructive, for example, if the repulsive Mary Landrieu learned something from the hoped-for defeat of Lincoln. Or Nelson. Or, although it is probably too much to expect, Joe Loserman.

It might also prove to Bill Clinton that he doesn't have any kind of magic attraction anymore, even on his home turf.

[flpoljunkie]

7. Agree on all counts.

[RedRoses323]

12. I second that....

I am voting for Halter tomorrow!

[PassingFair]

23. 3rd that! And Bravo for Y-O-U!

:patriot:

:applause:

[RedRoses323]

25. Thank you!

:hi:

[PassingFair]

27. Nope, thank YOU!

How is it looking on the ground there?

What do you think Halter's chances are?

[RedRoses323]

28. I believe Halter will win...

There is a lot of negative tension in the air regarding Lincoln.

Note: I've been in NW AR for 4.5 years.

[Bryn]

35. Ditto!!

and I am voting for Halter tomorrow! Blanche Lincoln must go. FIRED!!! :hi:

[flpoljunkie]

9. WaPo's Cillizza today: In Lincoln's struggle, a cautionary tale for centrist Democrats

"We have already heard from other senators on the Hill that Lincoln was reasonable on financial reform because of this fight, and two progressive senators have told union lobbyists that they need to do more of this to keep moderate Dem senators 'in line.' "

Given Lincoln's dire electoral straits, it's hard to imagine that other moderate Democratic senators, such as Ben Nelson (Neb.) and Mary Landrieu (La.), won't be watching their votes a bit more carefully for fear of being the next chapter in a newly aggressive union strategy toward Democrats.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/06/AR2010060603294.html

[saltpoint]

11. A little bit of democracy can go a long way!

I'd surely love to see Bill Halter win this primary.

[ellenfl]

15. whether lincoln wins or loses, this is a definite shot across the bow. eom

[Jennicut]

14. All the "progressive" candidates in these primaries are hardly progressive. That is not the point.

They are less conservative then the ones that are in there....Bennett, Specter (former Repub) and Lincoln. I mean, Romanoff was head of a chapter of the DLC in Colorado. And Sestak is not a progressive. Halter may not be one either. The point is wanting your voice to be heard and a politician not take your vote for granted. But anyone who claims these candidates are ultra progressive is lying to themselves.

[PopSixSquish]

17. I Completely Agree With You

And just as I have no issue with the WH trying to clear a primary field (oh the humanity), I have no issue with candidates and the voters of their states telling them to get stuffed.

Having said that, I am rooting for Mr. Halter because I think he will be a better Senator and representative of AR than Blanche Lincoln. It's a very simple proposition...

[PassingFair]

20. The point is that the incumbents are obviously NOT Progressives.

And HOPEFUL voters are dumping them, even at the CHANCE
of getting a progressive voice in DC.

Message being heard?

Probably NOT.

[AtomicKitten]

32. Right you are. nt

[Dinger]

18. Hey, Fuck blanche lincoln

[PassingFair]

19. Obvious Clinton camp hit piece.

Makes me want to do more to aid him.

[bigdarryl]

21. Leave it up to the NYT to do a last minute HIT PIECE on a Democrat

when are they going to do a story on McMahon on the wrestling and steroid use

[AlinPA]

22. I concur, it is a last minute hit piece. nt

[AtomicKitten]

31. They weren't in the least bit shy about the source of this hit piece.

I didn't fully realize the extent of the Clinton Camp's embrace of Lincoln until now.

Yikes.

[elleng]

24. Posted earlier. Good you caught it too.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x540615

[IndianaGreen]

26. Blanche Lincoln can go a fuck herself!

She helped kill the Public Option. Fuck her ass!

[AtomicKitten]

29. Halter's a moderate, but Lincoln bragged about killing the public option. Eff her. nt

[old mark]

30. Please see my post on supporting Halter - the election is Tuesday, and Lincoln supporters

have been raising tons of money from PAC's while Halter is supported by union workers.

We need your help - see the post on the link to help Halter win this election.

Thank you.

mark

[SoxFan]

33. LEAVE THE PET ROCK ALONE!

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

34. This article led me to donate a lil' sumthin, sumthin to Halter!! 

[WI_DEM]

36. Well then it means if he wins and disappoints then somebody runs against him.

Look we gotta send these conservative dems a message and Halter is the one who stepped up. If he doesn't do a better job he could get a challenge too.