Democracy for New Mexico

More Madrid Quotes from Sunday's Debate

Attorney General Patricia Madrid

When you're done reading the closing statement of Dem challenger Patricia Madrid in yesterday's debate at Congregation Albert with Republican incumbent Rep. Heather Wilson (NM-01), check out these debate zingers by A.G. Madrid courtesy of an article in today's Albuquerque Journal and the Madrid campaign website:

• "The Bush administration has been an unmitigated failure, and it is headed for historic disgrace. Heather Wilson has stood with George Bush every step of the way ... They have misled the American people."
• "It is time to have a plan, and 'staying the course' and 'resolve' is not a plan. What it is is paralysis ... I am not saying that it's going to be easy to get out of Iraq, or that it is not going to end up in chaos — but we've got to start now."

• "Ms. Wilson can complain about me all she wants, but she's very happy to take money from her cronies in Congress— one of whom is now sitting in federal prison."
• "Heather Wilson has been walking the halls of power with Cheney and Bush and DeLay too long — and doesn't know what's going on on the ground."
• "This is a race for the change of power in the House of Representatives. And that is why it is being so hard-fought."
• We can't change Washington until we change the people we send to Washington. It's time for a change."

I had to include one quote by Heather Wilson because it is so self-serving and dishonest on its face:

"I live my life based on an honor code that I learned at the United States Air Force Academy: We will not lie, steal or cheat— nor tolerate among us anyone who does."

Amazing, given Wilson's lock-step allegiance to Bush administration lies, distortions and illegalities, as well as the corruption of her fellow right-wing Republican members of Congress like the disgraced Duke Cunningham, Tom DeLay and Bob Ney.

For more in this vein, see the Madrid campaign's detailed comparison between Wilson's debate statements and reality. Convincing, indeed.

Patricia Madrid's Powerful Closing Statement at Today's Debate

Here's the closing statement made by Democrat Patricia Madrid in this morning's debate at Albuquerque's Congregation Albert with incumbent Republican Rep. Heather Wilson (NM-01), as transcribed by Tom Solomon, who sent me the text. Thanks for the timely transcription, Tom!

AG Patricia Madrid’s (NM-01) closing statement:

“As shown by the forum today you have a clear choice of candidates with different priorities and very different philosophies. It is time for a change. This administration and the Republican controlled Congress that supports it has failed in its responsibilities to lead. After 9/11, our country WAS united, and the world was with us. Over the past 5 years the Bush administration has squandered that good will. Our nation is divided. We have lost our credibility in the world. And the American public, the American people no longer trust their government. There is a lack of leadership in the White House AND in the Congress. Congress has FAILED to exercise their oversight role over this administration, and I’m tired of it. And that’s why I am running for congress.

AG Patricia Madrid’s (NM-01) closing statement (continued):

"I’m tired of being trapped in a no-exit war, with no one planning to move – that’s just exercising paralysis. When you send me to Washington, I will fight for a responsible exit plan, and I will fight to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, which I might add, my opponent voted AGAINST – unbelievable!

"When you send me to Congress, I will vote for responsible energy policies which are not dictated and formulated by the oil and gas Industry, and I will vote to DEAL with global warming. When you send me to Congress, I won’t let the pharmaceutical companies and the HMO’s dictate our medical policies and our health policies. I will work to overhaul Medicare D. If you are tired of a representative who votes in lock step with a Bush administration on ALL the important questions, then vote for change.

"I’d like to thank the Congregation Albert for hosting this event and I’d like to wish you all a happy and healthy Rosh Hashana. It’s a time for renewal in the Jewish Community and it will be time for a renewal for this country in November. Thank you.”

Listen to Replay of Madrid - Wilson Debate Monday at 9 AM

I just got back into town from my vacation in Colorado so I didn't get to witness this morning's debate at Congregation Albert between Dem challenger Patricia Madrid and Repub incumbent Heather Wilson (NM-01).

Fortunately, Johnny Mango at Duke City Fix was there and provides an excellent commentary on the event, including strong praise for Madrid's debating skills, as well as recaps of the main topics covered. Read it here and be sure to check out all the terrific photos as well. Great job Johnny! And great job A.G. Madrid, who apparently scored a clear win against Bush's rubber stamp!

If you missed the event like I did, you can hear a replay on the radio tomorrow morning. As Mango writes:

You can listen to the whole debate yourself tomorrow morning (Monday) at 9:00 on KANW, 89.1FM. Judge it for yourself. I only wish it was podcast somewhere; it was an unbelievable hour and a half.

P.S. I had no internet connection during my week up in Colorado so I had 1000 emails awaiting me at one account, effectively shutting it down, and more than 200 at my other account. You might say I'll be playing catch up for a good long while. Ain't technology grand?

Gov. Richardson & Diane Denish Reception to Benefit Statewide Coordinated Campaign

Event Chairs Frances Ray • Marie Sedillo • Mary Molina Mescall Invite you To Join

Governor Bill Richardson & Lt. Governor Diane Denish

For A Reception Benefiting the Statewide Coordinated Campaign

Monday, September 18, 2006
5:00 –  7:30 PM
Hotel Albuquerque
800 Rio Grande Blvd.

Suggested Contribution:  $50 per person or $500 per table. Contributions should be made payable and can be sent to: DPNM Coordinated Campaign, 1301 San Pedro NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110

RSVP to Steve Fitzer: (505) 270-4079 or sfitzer@dianedenish.com. Or RSVP online 

Event Hosts: Alex & Yvone Abeyta, Mary Ann Armijo, Linda Barth,  Frank Chavez, kathy Chavez, Darva Chino, Francine Cordova & Jennifer Romero, Michelle Garcia & Earl Holmes, John Garcia, Lala Trujillo Garcia, Giant Industries, Janis Harkleroad, Hazel Herrera, Mary Herrera, Nancy Higgins & Cindy Dixon, Marilyn Hill, Terri Holland, Suzanne Jacobi, Kooch Jacobus, gary King, James Lewis, Nancy Laflin, Lt. Colonel Anna Lucero, Fred Mondragon & Connie Vance, Claudine Montano, Montgomery & Andrews David Montoya, Plumbers and Pipefitters, Patricia Rogers, Giovanna Rossi,
Dan Serrano, Kim Smith, Christine Trujillo, LaNelle Witt

State Land Office Candidate Forum Set for 9/20

From the League of Women Voters Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Newsletter, the Voter:

State Land Office Candidates' Forum
Candidates for Commissioner of Public Lands
Patrick Lyons and Jim Baca
Wednesday September 20, 7 PM
First Unitarian Church
3710 Carlisle NE
SW Corner Carlisle & Comanche
Enter parking lot on Comanche

Sponsored by the LWV/ABC Natural Resources committee to help voters become better aware of the issues related to the administration of lands that are held in trust by the State Land Office.

Information on the administration of public lands is of great importance. The State Land Office manages approximately nine million acres of land and thirteen million oil, gas and mineral acres in support of public schools, universities, hospitals, charitable purposes and penitentiaries.

Help Diane Denish Support State Rep Candidate Jeff Steinborn

Click on image for larger version.

From Terri Holland, Democratic Party of Bernalillo County:
You may not be aware, the District 37 election is one of the top 3 races in the State Legislature and one of the most important battlegrounds in New Mexico this year. It’s an open seat, and Jeff has a good opportunity to win but the far right politicians and special interest are starting to fund Jeff’s opponent. It’s critical Jeff has our support so he can win and we can benefit from his leadership in the State Legislature. It’s also critical that we win this seat so that Democrats retain and expand a strong majority in Santa Fe. We’re hoping we can count on your support in this important race.

I encourage all of you to support Jeff in his fight to win this important southern district.  Jeff has been  a county leader and active member of the Dona Ana  County Democratic Party and will be a valuable asset for us in the state legislature. I hope to see you there!  Terri

State Dem Party and Jeff Armijo File Suits in Ballot Battle

The always on top of things Heath Haussamen has the lastest along with PDF's of both complaints.

Watching Pat Lyons

Have you seen Lyons Watch yet? Republican Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons is under the magnifying glass and the most disturbing things are coming into focus. 

Patricia Madrid Wants to Know What You Think

What a terrific idea. The Patricia Madrid campaign is launching a new Sound Off citizens' web survey where people can tell the candidate how they feel about the issues. Check it out and let Madrid know what issues are important to you -- the local voter.

What a perfect tool for a candidate like Madrid, who's always been known for listening to the people and representing their concerns, instead of those pushed by lobbyists and big corporate donors. More evidence that Patricia Madrid would make a responsive, open and connected representative for people who live in New Mexico's first Congressional district. Wouldn't that be a change from the dismal status quo?

Contrast Madrid's approach with that of her Republican incumbent rival, Heather Wilson, who walks in lock-step with the Bush administration day in and day out. Wilson votes repeatedly as directed by lobbyists for the oil and gas industries, the big pharmaceutical companies and other big money donors. Independent and responsive to the real needs of real New Mexicans? Not by a long shot, Heather. Fortunately, this time around we can vote for the real thing -- Patricia Madrid.

Guest Blog: I Remember Patsy Madrid

This post was submitted by guest blogger James Nathan Post of Albuquerque:

When I was a boy in the early 50's, my family lived in married student housing at New Mexico A&M (now NMSU) in Las Cruces. Those crumbling recycled sheetrock army barracks would not pass today as migrant labor housing, but we appreciated the opportunity the school offered to my father, a young rocket engineer.  My best buddy and next door neighbor was Charles Madrid, whose little sister Patsy today is running for our Congress. Between living on the edge of the desert on the campus of an ag school and watching the V-2's go out at White Sands, it was a great place to be a kid, and I had no idea at all how little our parents had with which to start a post-war life and build a family.   

Patricia's father comes from one of the oldest Tiwa families in the valley, and her mother from one of the old Hispanic families, including a northern European line. A combat veteran WWII SeaBee, Mr. Madrid was studying agriculture, following in the footsteps of Fabian Garcia, of the little state college's first graduating class, who more than any other individual is responsible for creating our state's chile industry with the hybrids he created there. Patricia represents in person an authentic tri-cultural heritage here in this most tri-cultural of states. 

Over the years, I have watched the Madrid family build themselves a good and successful working-class American life, through their own hard work, intelligence, education, courage, honesty, and family solidarity.  Among her brothers and sisters are Vietnam veterans, teachers, farmers, businessmen, a research engineer, and a doctor. None of these accomplishments has been the result of privilege or special assistance. Every step has been earned. Their religious backgrounds run the spectrum from Catholic to the Born Again to the Native Church, and even with such differences, they are a spiritually strong and loving family, with the faith to accept each others' ways of worship.  From her family she has inherited strength, integrity, and open-mindedness that are very rare and precious today.

I remember well when in High School, Patsy attended Girls' State, and came home with a burning passion for law and statesmanship which has been the inspiration and drive of her life since.  I remember when she married a man with all the fine qualities her family had taught her to respect, and have watched as they have proved their worth and family values as parents and kin, while pursuing the most demanding of careers. She is certainly my favorite "kid from back home makes good" story, and I am thrilled to see her run for this office. 

I do not wish upon her the life of Washington DC.  I know how much more pleasant it would be for her to stay here with her family and friends in New Mexico, and to enjoy all the daily blessings that we have here, and to enjoy the rewards of a successful private practice, which would certainly be greater than the office affords.  I am sure she would be the first to agree, and so certainly the least likely to be motivated to run for office by desires for comfort or social and financial gain, even less to cheapen the integrity of her office for such gains. She is willing to undertake all the hardships of living there instead of here, and of daily dealing with our nation's most demanding problems, because she still burns passionately about serving the law with honest statesmanship.

I personally know of no one in our state's political arena whom I would rather see go there to represent us in today's multi-cultural, class-spanning, religiously diverse, history-honoring, forward-looking America than Patricia Madrid.

Heather Wilson's Campaign
Until recently, I have been pleased to say about this upcoming election that I considered it a win/win situation for New Mexico, as both she and Heather Wilson would be good for the office, whatever their particular positions might be on the issues. As a former military officer and veteran combat pilot, I have respected Wilson's military record as an Academy graduate administrative officer. As a Libertarian with some right-wing leanings, I've had no great problem with her strongly partisan role as a voice for the right, and supporter of the current administration's agenda.

I have become terribly disappointed in Wilson with this campaign, however.  It is no surprise she has the great advantage of national fundraising support through the help of President Bush, and so should be expected to have a well-funded media campaign.  It is a shock to me, however, to see she has apparently also been taking her campaign strategy from the president's advisors as well.  Perhaps I have missed something, but so far I believe one hundred percent (that's 100%) of Wilson's campaign on the tube has been not just negative, but simply crude and utterly untruthful muck-slinging.

There is not a word in any of Wilson's ads about what she herself offers to the voter as opposed to Madrid's position.  Each of those shameful ads has consisted entirely of deliberately unflattering pictures of Patricia, and the almost-libelous (wink wink) insinuation that she abused her office as Attorney General as party to cheap financial corruption which in fact she was largely responsible for exposing in the state recently.  For the fund-raiser's dollar, the voter gets shown a smarmy little fingerwagging at the crudely crafted image of a stupid and corrupt local Mexican girl in over her head -- and nothing else.   

I find it tragic (as I did when my jet-jock hero Cunningham shot himself down in flames for mini-bling chump-change recently) to see Wilson lower herself to being used by partisan manipulators to conduct a cheap, shallow, and dirty-dealt campaign, especially knowing that having worked with Patricia for several years, she is well aware the sneaky allegations are wholly unfounded, as well as the image, and her own participation in such low-grade character assassination is dishonest, unjust, and reprehensible.  I find it tragic for Heather Wilson, whatever partisan tactic or personal trophy might be motivating her, because even if she wins the election, she knows she has sacrificed something very precious in herself, exactly that which she has almost-accused (wink wink) Patsy Madrid of lacking.  Personally, I thought Wilson had more class.

Who Should Get Your Vote?
If the issues matter to the voter, I would say vote for the one who represents your position on the issues, whatever you think about their character.  If your views on the issues sometimes span both sides of the political aisle, and you are more concerned about the personal integrity and character of the person holding the office, then as one who has known Patricia and her family for half a century, I could not more highly recommend you vote for her.

Editor's Notes:

This is a guest blog by James Nathan Post, who describes himself this way:

"I graduated from Las Cruces High School in 1961, spent two years at NMIMT in Socorro, then entered the service first as a Marine jet pilot, and then an Army helicopter gunship pilot in Vietnam in 1968. As a pilot, actor, and writer, I lived in California, Arizona, and Costa Rica, and spent five years as member of a Las Vegas sportsbook gambling team. I now live and write full time in Albuquerque, and have more than a dozen books in print, available on my website and other online booksellers: www.zianet.com/postpubco."

Democrat Patricia Madrid is running against Republican incumbent Rep. Heather Wilson for the Congressional seat in NM-01

If you'd like to submit a post for possible publication as a guest blog, please contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the main page.