The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire is reporting that Rep. Rosa DeLauro is a top contender for Labor Secretary:
Rep. Rosa DeLauro is also a top contender in the protracted hunt for a Labor secretary and according to sources familiar with her travels, the Connecticut Democrat has traveled to Chicago.
I don't know much about Rep. DeLauro's record on labor, so I'll leave that up to y'all to discus.
UPDATE: Great catch Ryan...here's a quick rundown of her credentials.
DeLauro has been a congresswoman since 1990 and currently sits on the labor, health and human services, and education subcommittee of the appropriations committee. She's been a leader on health policy and workers' rights, sponsoring legislation to guarantee employees' sick leave and equal pay for men and women. She previously served as the executive director of EMILY's List and is the second-highest ranking woman in the House. Earlier this year, she came to the defense of New Haven labor unions, which were protesting food services giant Aramark's treatment of workers. So, while she may not be a labor insider with strong ties to Michigan and other union hubs, she's reliably progressive on the issues. "You want someone who knows how to work the Hill, and she does more so than Harley," the labor expert added. "I can see [unions] preferring to sitting down with a politician."
Everyone, please feel free to add to the mix.
UPDATE 2 Scarce: The Associated Press is now reporting it's Hilda Solis. A good to excellent choice, imo.
A labor official says Rep. Hilda Solis of California will be nominated as labor secretary by President-elect Barack Obama.
UPDATE 3 CTB: Rep DeLauro issued the following statement:
"I am honored to have been considered by President-elect Obama for Secretary of Labor. I did not seek this position, as my passion is the work I do for people in Connecticut and the changes I can bring in the U.S. Congress."
"I met with President-elect Obama in Chicago this past week for 45 minutes. We had a very serious conversation about restoring protections for employees, the economic crisis and events impacting women. It further affirmed the importance of him succeeding to bring the change the country needs."
"I am delighted with his choice of my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Hilda Solis. She will do an excellent job in an a department where change is sorely needed. I look forward to working with her, President-elect Obama and his entire cabinet to get this country back on track."
I thought this would be a nice bit of information to share to feed the political junkie in all of us. I came upon this bit of info lurking on Nate Silver's fivethirtyeight.com site. But, ultimate credit belongs to Swing State Project's DavidNYC.
I've heard the two biggest nailbiters for this election cycle would be whether Democrats get their 60 fillibuster-proof senators or not--and California's referendum on Proposition 8. The latest Field Poll has it 49% vs 44% against Prop 8!
Talk to them about the candidates. Teach them a bit about the policies of the candidates. Even a little political talk around the dinner table can be enough to spark their interest. After having them vote in the poll bring them in to volunteer for the campaign if they are old enough. Take them canvassing. Take them to a debate. Take them to see you vote.It is the best lesson in civic responsibility they will ever get. Take them out for a beer afterwards. ERRRRP! Ok, scratch that last one.
Just get them involved now so they will know what to do when they are older.
Teach them to VOTE!
Results for the Nick poll will be viewable on Monday. Results in your kids will be viewable immediately.
John McCain is legendary for being a real prick when it comes to his temper. He has been less than genial with his Senate colleagues in both sides of the aisle in more than one occasion--hence his own comment of not being voted Miss Congeniality in Congress during this past debate. And, speaking of this past (first) presidential debate, it is clear that the average Joe felt that McCain came out as being an angry, condescending politician who refused to even look at Obama the whole time for fear of legitimizing his opponent's very presidential existence. And, let's not forget the fact that John McCain has called his own wife, Cindy McCain, a trollop and a c*nt, at least during one occasion, after supposedly a long day.
So, now in keeping with that pattern of his short-tempered personality, here's a very recent example (as in yesterday, September 30, 2008) of John McCain's anger coming through during an interview with the Des Moines Register editorial board. (Hat tip to Bryan Lefwitz of dKos.)
If you read this diary, then you need to ask youself: Does this country need someone who has a very short fuse calling the shots from the White House? Yes, he's erratic. Yes, he's a gambler. But, angry too? Can anybody honestly tell me that these are exactly the presidential qualities this country needs during times like this? If this is what he means by being a maverick, then I think I'll take the other guy.
(Bumped this up ... Polls close in less than four hours... be sure to vote ... and let us know what's going on in your district. - promoted by CaptCT)
(Jim, Mary, Emma, and Linley Himes voting this morning.)
It's finally here - primary day.
Polls have been open for just about two hours now. Here's Emma and Linley helping Jim fill out his ballot early this morning (according to the workers at their polling place, at about 6:20am Mary and Jim were the 7th and 8th people to vote):
And here's an iPhone pic of the ballot that a supporter sent in about 20 minutes ago - filling out a bubble may not be as satisfying as pulling the old levers, but today, it seems pretty satisfying:
More photos at Flickr. The Greenwich Time reports this morning that "light turnout" is expected throughout the district - which mean every single vote will count! Polls are open until 8PM tonight. To find your polling place and remind your friends to vote, check out our primary info center page at: www.himesforcongress.com/primary
During the awkward exchange, with several lengthy pauses, McCain said he had no immediate knowledge of the vote. "I've cast thousands of votes in the Senate," McCain said, then continued: "I will respond to--it's a, it's a..."
"Delicate issue," the reporter offered, to a relieved laugh from McCain.
"I don't usually duck an issue, but I'm--I'll try to get back to you," he explained.
"Let me give you a real, live example, which I've been hearing a lot about from women. There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but won't cover birth control medication. Those women would like a choice," she said.
But as the abortion rights group NARAL Pro-Choice America was happy to point out, McCain twice voted against measures that would have required insurance companies to cover birth control -- in 2003 and 2005.
The Republican said Wednesday that he did not recall those votes. "It's something that I had not thought much about," he added.
A campaign aide who refused to speak by name said the Arizona senator opposed all mandates.
That's the word that Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz is using to describe the massive shift in voter registration to the Democratic party and a corresponding massive young voter engagement in Connecticut this year. And the numbers are truly staggering:
Nearly 18,000 18- to 29-year-olds have registered since May 6, with Democrats signing up 4.3 new young voters for every one that registers as a Republican.
Overall, nearly 39,000 voters of all ages registered over the same 11-week period, nearly matching the 40,000 who signed up in the weeks before the Feb. 5 primary, according to statistics released today.
"The 2008 elections are generating unprecedented interest in the political process, especially among our young voters," Secretary of the State Susan Bysiewicz said.
Since Jan. 1, the state has added 101,138 voters, including 47,468 Democrats, 14,112 Republicans and 38,458 unaffiliated voters.
"To have registration for one political party outpace that of unaffiliated voters is unprecedented in Connecticut," Bysiewicz said. "It is very clear that voters are engaged. They are paying close attention to the issues and the candidates."
As Mark Pazniokas notes, this has specific relevance to the Himes-Shays race:
In the 4th, Democrats have added 11,329 voters this year, compared with 3,462 Republicans and 8,299 unaffiliated voters.
That's an apx. + 8,000 shift in Democratic registration this year. Shays' margin of victory in 2006? 6,645.
Democrats are going into the fall energized and united, and this coming Monday's "Grassroots Get-Together" in Stamford will be a great demonstration of that.
(Scarce: Cool. I'll add a livestream so you can watch Markos Moulitsas and Harold Ford Jr. - promoted by Scarce)
I'm here in Austin at Netroots Nation, and Jim will arriving here in the 100 degree heat this afternoon to speak on the "Future Leaders" panel. He'll be talking about the dynamics of the race, a few current hot topics, and then taking answers from the crowd along with some other top Democratic House challengers from across the country.
Despite the hot and humid weather, hundreds of supporters joined Jim yesterday for all or part of the 22-mile walk across the Fourth Congressional district from Greenwich to Bridgeport. Here are some more of the sights and sounds of the day (see part 1 here) - including a few words from DFA Chair Jim Dean at the stop in Fairfield:
Elected officials, bloggers, and reporters all joined the walk for stretches as well. The Greenwich Time was along for the start of the walk:
"We're trying to demonstrate that this district is interconnected, and a smaller community than you'd think," Himes said at the start of the walk on Hassake Road. "You can walk from one end to the other even if you're an out-of-shape political candidate."
And The Hour joined the group in Norwalk, and talked with State Rep. Bruce Morris and other attendees at the midday joint Obama-Himes "Unite for Change" BBQ at Ryan Park in South Norwalk (subscription only):
State Rep. Bruce Morris, D-140, joined Himes for the walk from Fodor Farm to Ryan Park. He saw the walk as a way to get Himes' message to the public and rally support for the candidate.
"It's an important time to unite the entire party and to galvanize all the constituents around the issues rather than the appearance of a candidate," Morris said...
Norwalkers Nicolas Tejada, 14, attended the barbecue with his mother Daniela. Though he is too young to vote, Nicolas said he keeps up with the issues and plans to work on a political campaign when he gets older.
"I see all the injustice being done in Iraq and think we have to do something about it," he said. "We're the new generation, and we're going to change the world."
As Jim says at the end of the video clip above, this campaign is truly a collective effort for real and meaningful change in the 4th CD, and in the direction of our country. We set an ambitious goal of raising $22,000 online - $1000 for every mile walked yesterday - before the end of the 2nd quarter this Monday night.
Quite aside from whatever impact today's speech by Barack Obama may have on the campaign, please take some time to bask in its clarity, thoughtfulness, and humanity. Here is a man capable of criticizing those close to him without trashing or abandoning them; capable of condemning anger and bitterness without blinding himself to its legitimate roots; capable of identifying our nation's failings and challenges without denying its "greatness and goodness." And, by the way, capable of quoting real literature with meaning and effect.
Contrast this speech with the thoughtless, proudly ignorant, rigidly dogmatic words we've been hearing from the White House over the last 7+ years. When I read the transcript today, I was moved almost to tears.
What a joy it will be to hear this voice from the Oval Office:
If you're running for office this fall, go ahead and fill it out. If you're just curious, poke around and see what it takes to get the Working Families Party endorsement.
Tomorrow, the Working Families Party state committee is meeting tomorrow to discuss some early endorsements of candidates for legislative seats who've voted with us in the past and that we're confident will continue to do so in the future. I'll report on the results afterwards.
In this season of miracles, consider volunteering some time working for the presidential candidate who represents your core values.
We have a group of people traveling the four hours from Connecticut to Manchester NH to volunteer for democracy and for Dennis Kucinich's defense of democracy - for the final four days in advance of the New Hampshire primary.
'Tis the season to support Jim Himes, share a drink with you fellow Democrats, and show off your mad trivia skillz.
What: That's right. It's time for another end of quarter blograiser. You don't have to be a trivia whiz - just have a good sense of humor, an interest in history, politics, or current events, and a strong desire to work for better leadership in Washington by electing Jim Himes to Congress.
Our September event was attended by over 60 people and raised over $4500 for the the Himes campaign. Relive the magic at the official liveblog thread, including a play by play of the game and plenty of pictures.
Okay folks, no Google, and please self-DQ if you've read the David Sirota blog today. Who gave this quote about uber-GOP business elitist Grover "Drown the government in the bathtub" Norquist:
"Grover's never been in government, doesn't have to balance a state budget, never had a state constitution forcing him to deal with a balanced budget. Grover's never been in a situation where he couldn't borrow money so he didn't have to raise taxes or tell old people he's just going to take them out of the nursing home and drop them on the curb. If Grover wants to run for governor, there's an election next year in _________. He can get his residency requirements lined up. And there are 36 other states he can run in next year."
The early total is a record for a challenger in the 4th Congressional District and will likely clear the way for Himes to capture the Democratic nomination next summer without a primary. State Rep. Jim Shapiro, D-Stamford, announced last week that he would not run for the seat that Shays has held since 1987.
"I'm not willing to say it shuts out anybody but it is a good sign of momentum," Himes said Monday in a telephone interview.
Unexpectedly (to me at least), Dodd won the debate visibility by a mile. I was expecting the Dodd volunteers to be scrappy, energetic, and outnumbered. 2 out of 3 isn’t bad. There were more Dodd supporters than for any other candidate and they outshouted the other supporters by a wide margin.
Seriously, he's spent at least a year covering both the Connecticut and national progressive blogospheres (here he is last July talking with Howie Kurtz about the "tremendous" impact blogs were having on the Lamont-Lieberman race)... shouldn't he be well aware of the fact that My Left Nutmeg is not and never has been Matt Browner Hamlin's personal site?
Dodd's tech staff comprises Tim Tagaris, 30, a veteran of the Democratic National Committee and last year's Senate campaign by Ned Lamont; Tim Cullen, 33, a former software developer who did similar online work in Dodd's Senate office; Matt Browner-Hamlin, 25, known in the blogosphere for his myleftnutmeg.com site; and Brett Schenker, 28, a political consultant who is considered an expert on discovering new technologies and making them work for campaigns.
As Matt himself noted in a comment, this was not the only factual error in Lightman's exceedingly sloppy article about the Dodd campaign's tech team (he also blatantly misattributed two quotes from different people to Matt and apparently completely mischaracterized a quote by Andrew Rasiej).
One need only look at Lightman's headline description of the campaign's team as "young" (four people straddling either side of 30 years old is hardly "young" for an internet team on a campaign) and his pejorative accusation that they were "defensive" during the interview to get an idea of where his biases lie.
But there's a more basic dishonesty - and/or complete ignorance of online politics - that lies at the core of Lightman's criticisms of the Dodd campaign's online efforts. The metrics he uses to compare Dodd to top-tier candidates - the number of eyes on Hillary's theme-song YouTube challenge, the number of friends Barack Obama has on MySpace, the poll numbers that (shock!) didn't move in the hours following the campaign's website revamp - reveal nothing about the actual impact of the campaign's recent efforts. For instance, their pioneering use of UStream to provide unvarnished, unedited live presentations of the campaign in action and behind the scenes, in tandem with the candidate's strong leadership on Iraq and other issues, has given Dodd some real traction online in the past couple of weeks. Look at opinion leaders in the blogosphere, and there's ample evidence that what they're doing is working. Such movement obviously takes time to percolate in the polls (or on YouTube or MySpace), and there's no guarantee that it will continue (watch the next dKos and MyDD straw polls if you want a better metric). But it's ridiculous to imply that Dodd's online efforts - which started up in earnest only a couple of weeks ago - are falling flat because there's no immediate bump.
Given Richardson's very subpar and haphazard performances recently and Biden's innate foolishness and increasing forays to the right on Iraq, Dodd stands a real chance of moving to the top of the second tier in the coming weeks. And if he does, it will likely be due in large part to the campaign's successes communicating directly to voters online in innovative ways - with about one quarter the staff of the top-tier candidates.
As usual, Lightman is not giving the Dodd team anything approaching a fair shake here. But more fundamentally, he is showing that he understands very little about how the blogosphere functions... or that if he does, he's willing to pretend he doesn't in order to slam his favorite target.
(Disclosure: I did a few hours of freelance graphics work for Dodd in February, but no longer do.)
Dodd's tech staff comprises Tim Tagaris, 30, a veteran of the Democratic National Committee and last year's Senate campaign by Ned Lamont; Tim Cullen, 33, a former software developer who did similar online work in Dodd's Senate office; Matt Browner-Hamlin, 25, known in the blogosphere for his myleftnutmeg.com site; and Brett Schenker, 28, a political consultant who is considered an expert on discovering new technologies and making them work for campaigns.
I wonder what Branford Boy and ctblogger think about Matt's site? (/snark) Still an interesting read.
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