Democracy for New Mexico

Dendahl Follies Continue

Republican gubernatorial candidate John Dendahl likes to portray himself as a sophisticated, true-blue muckraker and maverick gunslinger, but he's neither. Instead he comes off as a blatant race baiter and hypocrite. And he's definitely not ready for prime time, even on an Albuquerque radio station.

During a recent appearance on KKOB radio, he blamed New Mexico's DWI problems on the Legislature for not taking "adequate" action because most offenders are folks who "just happen to have Hispanic last names." It's ironic, isn't it, that his own (Anglo through and through) stepson was arrested this month for making lines of cocaine in his van and being in possession of an open liquor container, as reported in an article in the Santa Fe New Mexican:

A state police officer reported he saw Timothy McKinley, 37, making lines of cocaine on a metal clipboard inside a minivan. The officer reported he drew his weapon after McKinley threw the clipboard to the floor and tried to start the van. In addition to cocaine possession, McKinley was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and having an open container of alcohol.

If Dendahl really believes his own "get tough" rhetoric, shouldn't he be calling for the maximum sentence for his stepson so that he's "adequately punished"? I mean, he wouldn't want the authorities to go light on Mr. McKinley and sentence him to treatment or some other swishy "liberal" sentence, would he? Long jail terms represent the sentence of choice of "conservatives" like Dendahl -- at least when they themselves or relatives aren't involved.

Dendahl, of all people, should know that locking people up for years isn't always the best solution to substance abuse problems. After all, in the past he's been a strong supporter of decriminalizing drugs and offering more voluntary treatment and counseling instead of jail time. He can't have it both ways now that he's running for governor.

In another exchange on the radio show about immigration, Dendahl used the phrase, "dark-complected, brownish-looking guy" to describe job applicants who might cause employers problems complying with the law. Meanwhile Dendahl has claimed his rhetoric isn't "anti-Hispanic." Right. And those in the South so concerned about "states rights" in the civil rights era were in no way being anti-African American. Racial innuendo is racial innuendo no matter the phony labels used by baiters like Dendahl.

Maybe Dendahl should drop the phony sermonizing on radio stations and attend to his own family sins. Johnny joins the ranks of an abundant group of rightwingers and their children who've been caught in hypocrisy's crosshairs. They include druggie Rush Limbaugh, numerous fundie "preachers" caught with their pants down in motel rooms, the underage drunken children of George Bush, the holier than thou "conservatives" like Duke Cunningham and Tom DeLay, who've been caught in bribery schemes, and white-collar corporate criminals like the late, great Ken Lay.

Then there's Christian Coalition co-founder Ralph Reed's involvement with a plot to steal from Native Americans in a lobbying scam and the recent DWI arrest of one of the Coors beer scions who has, ast least in public, been a strong supporter of tightened DWI laws. You can find info on more seedy behavior by right-wing Republican criminals here. Quite a rundown.

So many of these pseudo-moralists like to talk the talk, but they and their children often can't seem to walk the walk. Maybe they should spend less time moralizing in the media and more time devoted to actually solving problems with fairness and focus. I know that's asking alot.

Heather Wilson: Afraid to Admit She's a Real Republican

That's right. Republican incumbent Rep. Heather Wilson, who's running against Dem challenger Patricia Madrid in NM-CD1, has purchased $200,000 worth of TV time for an ad that suggests she's not really a staunch Republican or a supporter of Bush and Company -- she's "independent."

I bet you didn't realize that Heather is "independent" and working for you -- maybe because she votes with Bush 90 percent of the time, especially on critical issues like the Iraq War, the flawed Medicare prescription drug plan, the energy bill written by oil lobbyists and tax cuts for our wealthiest citizens. She claims she acts on her own but her rubberstamping of almost everything the Bush-Rove-Cheney bunch proposes reveals the truth about her. She also takes money from the likes of Tom DeLay, Duke Cunningham and Abramoff crony David Safavian -- all one-time right-wing Republican powerhouses who have been discredited in corruption scandals. Even so, her ad claims she's "honest":

Wilson says "the best part of the job is gettin' to help people." Well some people anyway. Just not those suffering from the fiscal irresponsibility of the Bush administration. Just not those suffering from high gas prices or the growing consequences of global warming. Just not those who are dying in Iraq because Bush lied and then bungled the war's aftermath with incompetent strategies and corrupt practices.

She's shown more emotion over Janet Jackson's Superbowl halftime performance than she has for any issue that affects the well being of New Mexicans. Just listen to her quaky-voice, teary-eyed testimony (mp3) about the Jackson incident at a conservative showcase Congressional hearing. If she only exhibited that degree of passion about real problems being experienced by ordinary people due to Bush administration policies, we might take her claims more seriously.

I can see why Wilson wouldn't want to run as a real Republican these days. With approval ratings in the dumps for both the president and Republican members of Congress, it might seem like a useful strategy to pretend you're not really connected to those who've made such a mess of things with your help. But it's dishonest to do that when you've been an integral part of the team.

It's plain that Heather Wilson is running scared. Never before has she put up TV ads SIX WEEKS before an election. The word is that the Wilson campaign commissioned a poll last month to see how she was faring with NM voters. Apparently the results were surprisingly poor, because this ad campaign was launched in the direct aftermath.

Yes, she's running scared for a reason. More and more New Mexicans are onto her bait and switch game. You can't fly into Albuquerque with Bush and Rove in tow, have them raise $375,000 for your campaign from big donors, and then expect people to believe you're "independent" of the Bush debacle, can you? As Bush himself said, "I'm close to Heather." Close indeed.

Want to help get rid of another Bush rubberstamp and elect someone who really WILL represent ordinary New Mexicans? Visit Patricia Madrid's campaign website and sign up to volunteer or donate some bucks. We can win this election and have a good chance at regaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives IF we all work together with Madrid.

Ned Lamont's New "Attack" Ad

His ad guy, Bill Hillsman, is the same person who did Paul Wellstone's early ads. No wonder inside the beltway Dem consultants won't lower themselves to hire him. He's creative and funny and we can't have that, can we? What would the voters think? Or the lobbyists? (PS: Isn't the guy doing the voiceover on this the SAME guy who does EVERY voiceover on every negative political ad? I thought so.)

Lamont Stands His Ground Vs. "There You Go Again" Lieberman

(AP photo)

I watched yesterday's debate between Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman and netroots favorite Ned Lamont before I headed over to our monthly Meetup. I was very impressed with Lamont's surprisingly sharp and steady performance and his refreshing sincerity and passion. I thought Lieberman, on the other hand, came off as arrogant, patronizing, pompous, carefully programmed and obviously dismayed that he had to submit to a debate with a "nobody." The citizen candidate "nobody" did pretty damn well against a career politician who's been primped and polished for decades by Beltway consultants and insider strategists working hard to create a slick brand of ready-for-prime-time politico.

On several occasions Lieberman sank to the level of parroting Ronald Reagan's trite old 80s debate line of "there you go again." And then there was his twisted play on Lloyd Benson's debate line with Dan Quayle: "I know George Bush ... I’m not George Bush." Really. It was that bad.

Joementum peppered Lamont repeatedly with attack rhetoric, looking to ruffle the political newcomer's cool. He failed. Lieberman actually had the nerve to criticize Lamont for having six different positions on the Iraq war. Lieberman must be the only Dem on the planet who hasn't gotten the message on Lamont's view of what needs to be done -- a no nonsense match with the redeploy now of Murtha, Kerry and Feingold. No mystery there except in Joe's mind.

What irked me most was Joe's tendency to interrupt Ned when he was talking during his prescribed time. I guess the longtime Senator, used to the perks of seniority and the insulation of entourages, believes he's above complying with something as mundane as the rules of debate.

My favorite Lamont lines? He mentioned twice that there are 63 lobbyists for every member of Congress. His implication? The common good would be best served if the voters elect a Senator who isn't beholden to decades of big dollar donations from those with business before the Congress. Clear the decks!   

It was particularly galling to hear Lieberman inform the debate audience they should keep him in office because only he has the power and seniority to bring home all that bacon bound up in sleazy Bushian earmarks. Left unsaid: how he gets that cash by kissing up to BushCo on so many vital neocon issues. Not an illegal quid pro quo, but a nasty quid pro quo all the same, especially for someone who calls himself a Democrat (even if he plans to run as an independent if Lamont wins).

I loved Lamont's responses to Joe's claims that Ned is a "closet Republican" because he "voted with Republicans" when he was a selectman a decade ago. Ned pointed out that the votes in question were on such highly partisan issues as potholes in the road, and that local reporters had thoroughly discredited the distorted claims being made by Lieberman. Joe looked plain silly. Again. I guess his debate preppers thought it a great idea for the ultimate Republican-lite politician to accuse his grassroots/netroots opponent of being a secret Republican. I wonder how much Joe paid for that sage advice.

You can watch the entire video on CSPAN's website. Scroll down to find the clip. PoliticsTV has video of the entire debate plus clips that break it down into shorter segments. The Washington Post provides a text transcript.  Lamont's website and blog has video clips, links to press coverage and more about the debate.

DISLOYALTY ON DISPLAY: Colorado's Sen. Salazar Gives Middle Finger to Democratic Voters & Democracy

Must read: The entire article below by David Sirota about Colorado's U.S. Senator Ken Salazar. Sirota responds angrily to Salazar's shocking statement that he'll support Sen. Joe Lieberman even if he loses his Connecticut Democratic primary race with Ned Lamont and runs as an "independent." Since when do Democratic Senators get away with refusing to honor the democratic process set up by their Party to allow registered Democrats to choose their nominees? In essence, is Salazar saying he isn't really a Democrat and that his loyalty is given to individuals of his choice rather than to his Party's candidates selected by its voting members? Shamefully, it seems clear that he is.

Sen. Lieberman announced the other day that he would be to run as an "independent" if he doesn't win his primary. However, it seems that even "centrist" Dems are starting to pull away from Lieberman in response. Reportedly, Sen. Hillary Clinton and DSCC honcho, Sen. Chuck Schumer, both indicated they would support the Dem winner in this race whether or not that person is Lieberman. As well they should. All Democratic elected officials should be required to support duly selected Democratic candidates, or at least be prohibited from supporting their non-Democratic competitors. What's telling is the kind of support Lieberman is getting. According to an article on Common Dreams, "Lieberman has already gotten endorsements from Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter and financial backing from major Republican lobbyists." Salazar joins a wacky and thoroughly right-wing bunch with his position on Joementum, doesn't he?

Give It Up - Give It Back
So where does that leave Sen. Salazar? I suggest that if he wants to support "independent" candidates, he should change his Party registration and become one. I also suggest he return all the money he has received from the Democratic Party of Colorado, the DNC, the DCCC and individual Democrats who contributed to his campaign because he professed loyalty to the Democratic Party and ran as a Democrat.

I know that many Democrats around the nation, including here in New Mexico, donated money to Salazar's campaign in 2004. Especially in Northern New Mexico, where Democratic candidates have little competition, many Democrats turned their attention to Salazar's senate race in Colorado and gave significant amounts of money and time to his victory. They thought they were supporting a Democrat, not someone who would work to elect a non-Democratic candidate in a key race that's become a referendum about the heart and soul of the Democratic Party. Even many progressives supported Salazar despite his conservative bent because they believed, at a minimum, he would support core Democratic positions and duly nominated Democratic candidates. I guess they were wrong.

I also suggest that if others in the Democratic Senator's club attempt to pull the same disloyal scam, they be confronted and penalized in the same way. I know for a fact that State Central Committee members and others who hold positions of power within the NM Dem Party are specifically prohibited from supporting candidates who don't run officially as Democratics. Should our Senators be held to a lower standard? I think not.

Call him and let him know how you feel about his defection:
Kenneth Salazar, U.S. Senator
Democratic Party of Colorado
202-224-5852

Contact New Mexico's Democratic Senator Jeff Bingaman and warn him there will be a heavy price to pay if he follows in Salazar's footsteps: https://bingaman.senate.gov/contact/.

I From David Sirota:
In an explosive story, the Rocky Mountain News reports that freshman Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) has become the first Democrat to publicly say he will ignore the will of Connecticut Democratic primary voters and support Sen. Joe Lieberman even if Lieberman loses the primary, leaves the Democratic Party and runs as an independent. Before this, only Sens. Chuck Schumer and Chris Dodd indicated they might do this - now we have a Democratic U.S. Senator officially on record saying he will use his power to thwart both the Democratic Party and the small “d” democratic process, undermining his party and giving a big middle finger to voters.

As I told the Rocky Mountain News reporter, this behavior really lays bare what’s going on: Democratic candidates are more than happy to use the democratic process to obtain elected office, but once they are in, many of them show an open disdain for that same democratic process. They are so focused on protecting their own, preserving the Senate club, and preventing the public from weilding power they are willing to sell out their party and the democratic principles this country was founded on. It is, in a word, disgusting.

Matt Stoller at MyDD has a very simple question in light of the Salazar announcement: what other Democratic U.S. Senators will support Lieberman if Lieberman loses the primary? The question is not what Senators will support Lieberman in his primary - incumbents tend to support incumbents. The question, again, is what other Democrats will support Lieberman if he loses the primary? Will, for instance, Barack Obama support Lieberman if he loses the primary? It was Obama, after all, who specifically timed his primary endorsement of Lieberman to try to crush Lamont’s entire candidacy. What about other Democrats? Which of them will join Salazar in giving the big middle finger to voters and to the Democratic Party?

It’s time we get an answer to that - so go ahead, contact your Democratic U.S. Senators and ask them what their position is.

COMMENTS: Go to Sirota's Working Assets site to comment on this entry.

POSTED BY DAVID SIROTA @ 6:59 PM | PERMALINK

Lamont vs. Lieberman Debate: Watch Live on CSPAN

C-SPAN will be carrying the debate between incumbent Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman and Dem primary challenger Ned Lamont LIVE tonight, starting at 5:00 PM Mountain Time. Since we're having our DFA-DFNM Meetup tonight as well and I'll be busy preparing for that, I'm hoping CSPAN online will have a video after the fact and/or that CSPAN will repeat the event, as it often does. Should be quite a spectacle!

Mayor Chavez Helps Repub Councilor Raise Campaign Funds

Once again Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez, who calls himself a Democrat, is helping a Republican in the fundraising department. Chavez co-hosted a $500 per person benefit yesterday at Scalo's designed to help Republican City Councilor Don Harris pay off his campaign debt. Harris was elected in November in a District 9 race against Democrat Chris Catechis.

Click to see the invitation to the event, which was mailed out with an instruction to RSVP to Teri Baird, Chavez's campaign finance honcho. A Marston Moore post this past September on Duke City Fix provides a rundown on Baird's history of mishaps, legal problems and fundraising prowess applied to the likes of ABQPAC, the slush fund set up to provide Chavez with pocket money "donated" by "high-ranking city employees, real estate developers, lawyers, bankers, city contractors and city vendors."

Chavez's connections with Don Harris are well-documented. Check out another post by Marston Moore at DCF on this topic, which also reveals that Harris is a close friend of Teri Baird. Ah the circles go round and round, and the big question is, what does Marty want from Don Harris? After all, the Mayor's support doesn't usually come without strings attached.

Chavez has a pattern of helping some Republicans, especially those who can help further his causes or help stop initiatives he's against. One example is provided by the recently defeated municipal ethics package introduced by Councilor Brad Winter where Marty's partner in crime, Sally Mayer, was one of the nays in a vote decided by one nay. Chavez has endorsed Republicans running against Democrats, including Mayer, who ran against talented Dem Marianne Dickinson in District 7 last Fall, and Sen. Pete Domenici, who has stated he will run for reelection once more in 2008.

I don't understand why Marty continues to call himself a Democrat, do you? If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....

Mary Herrera Still Dragging Her Feet on Paper Ballots

Current Bernalillo County Clerk Mary Herrera, who is the Dem candidate for NM Secretary of State, has long fought against a paper ballot voting system in our state. When the ultimately successful bill to require paper ballots statewide was being heard at the Legislature early this year, she turned up at hearings parroting Republican talking points against the measure. Although she now claims to back paper ballots, she still seems reluctant to make the switch completely. According to Joe Monahan:

... Indulging in a bowl of red chile as bright as Santa's suit, Mary [Herrera] sent me into blogging overtime as she relayed that she will not, repeat, will not, be using only optical scanned all-paper ballots for the November election.

"We need to tread carefully. The law does not require that every vote be cast with a paper ballot until after this election. I will have at least one paper ballot machine at each precinct, but I will also continue to use the electronic (Shouptronic) machines. It's the prudent thing to do because of the short time we have to train people in the new system and also because of continuing issues with the paper ballot vendor." Informed clerk Mary.

She may take some more heat from fellow Dems who want that all-paper ballot system to ensure that each vote is accompanied by a "verifiable paper trail." It was mandated by the Legislature and pushed by Big Bill, but Herrera, initially opposed to all-paper, but now in favor, appears to have the law on her side and will phase in the system. Stay tuned for more on this one.

Herrera is right that the bill doesn't mandate the machines until next year, but given how hot the issue of flawed electronic voting machines has been here and around the nation, you'd think she'd be working hard to get the problem solved ASAP. Since one optical scanner can easily handle the paper ballots from many voting stalls in a precinct polling place, it's obvious that Herrera could switch over entirely to the new machines if she wanted to. Let's hope she's keeping the Shouptronics on hand merely as a backup, and will ensure that most votes are cast using a paper ballot read by an optical scanner. Ah, hope springs eternal. Or at least for awhile more.

Help Fill Madrid's Clean Air Balloon

The quarterly reporting period for campaign fundraising ends on June 30th and it's important to show that Congressional candidate Patricia Madrid has broad-based support in CD1. I was going to do a post today encouraging folks to donate a few bucks before the deadline or to volunteer for the Madrid campaign, but why reinvent the wheel? Many of you will remember political veteran Kathy Flake from her days working on the Howard Dean and Miles Nelson campaigns. She's now a Democrat Abroad, living outside London for a few years, but she still has the politics bug. She's written an excellent post on her blog on why we need to strongly support Madrid's campaign. Read it here.

Let's get that balloon filled with clean air! Otherwise, we'll have two more years of the horrors of this joined-at-the-hip team:

Heather Wilson: supporting legislation that will dirty our air, member of the League of Conservation Voters' infamous Dirty Dozen, recipient of dirty money from the Abramoff, DeLay, Safavian crowd. Her dirty secret? She supports the radical Bush agenda more than 90 percent of the time, while pretending to be an "independent moderate." You know what to do.

Have You Seen the New Lamont Ad?

Click here to watch ad

To join other netroots supporters of Ned Lamont, who's running in the Connecticut Democratic primary against Joe (Joementum) Lieberman, visit this page at Act Blue or visit his campaign website. The ad came from Bill Hillsman, who pretty much got Paul Wellstone elected to the Senate. It should get significant coverage in the media, don't you think?