McCloskey expands his support

The Green Party has always been the target of Democrats who urge us to re-register and help them elect the lesser of two evils candidate. The pressure was on to do this from the Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich campaigns.

Now, the target is going the other way, and the call come from within the Democratic Party, where the San Ramon Democratic Club is inviting Republican Pete McCloskey to speak at their meeting on April 27. The announcement went out this afternoon.

I have friends in the McCloskey campaign and I know that this is not something that he engineered. But it is something that he will take adavantage of in his campaign to oust Richard Pombo. I have known that this was a possibility for a while, but I did not want to comment in case that it did not come off. Now, that an announcement has gone out, I will post that here as well.

There are a number of Greens who are working very hard to oust Pombo. I know of some who are active in the campaigns of Democrat Jerry McNerney. Frankly, a McNerney - McCloskey general election is enough of a win - win situation that I just might shut down PomobWatch blog.

Since there is only one contested primary in the Green Party that that can be voted on in the
11th Congressional District, there may be some rationale for Greens in the district to register DTS and do the same thing, vote for McCloskey. I was asked if I would recommend this and I say that I would not. I happen to think that the choice for Senate is an important indicator of the future of this party. I also think that such actions hurt a small party more than a large one like the Democrats. Still, I do mention it as an option that Green may want to consider. I am sure that Wayne Johnson, Pombo's campaign manager will be making a very big deal out of this, but there is no way that they can change the ground rules before the primary.

I have one more annecdote that I heard, but can not verify. Still, it is worth passing on. There was a big meeting at the University of the Pacific with San Francisco Chronicle publisher, Phil Bronstein as the speaker. The aduience was mainly from the press in the Central Valley, with the editors of the Stockton Record and others were at this public meeting. Among other things Bronstein talked about the manner in which bloggers, like me, and politicians use the internet to foster their own skewed vision of the world and that it was the newspapers who had the ability to tell the truth. He was quoted as saying something to the effect that all politicians are crooked and that even when they tell the truth, they spin it their own way. Then he stopped and said that his statement wasn't fair, that there was one truly honest politician left in America and he pointed to McCloskey who was sitting in the front row.

Here is the text of the announcement. Most of you will not know the name Margee Ensign. She is Dean of the School of International Relations at the University of the Pacific in Stockton and at one time had formed an exploratory committee to run for the seat herself.

This is from Peggy Rubin, president of the SRV Dem Club, today:

In the 11th Congressional District, common sense tells the majority of voters that in order for Richard Pombo to be ousted from the House of Representatives, Moderate Republicans, Democrats, Independents, “Decline to Staters”, Environmentalists, et al, are going to have to forget the things that divide us and unite at the voting booths this year. One of the most exciting, and important voices preaching the gospel of “Hands across the aisle” is that of Pete McCloskey. Former congressman, attorney, and moderate Republican, Pete said at the Peace Rally in Walnut Creek last Saturday, “I came out of retirement to get Pombo out of office.”

I was inspired by that, and comments from my friend Margee Ensign, who is also a friend of McCloskey, inspired to invite the Honorable Pete McCloskey to be our speaker at the April 27th meeting of the SRVDC. McCloskey is enthusiastic about this effort to “reach across the aisle,” and join forces to take Pombo off the November ballot.

I’m writing to you now to get you, I hope, to invite your uncommitted friends, and the moderate Republicans you know, to set aside the date of April 27th for a historic event in this valley – a Republican candidate for office addressing a Democratic meeting. I was telling a friend who lives outside the 11th CD about this last night and they’ve made their reservations already. Margee Ensign will come from Stockton and will urge others to join us. Do what you can to remind everyone that when we Americans face a challenge that affects us all, or our beloved land, we can and do set aside partisan differences to work together.

We have to find a larger venue than Mudd’s for this event for we think a lot of people will want to hear Pete McCloskey talk about Richard Pombo. We’d like a hall somewhere in San Ramon or Dublin, somewhere where people from as far away as Tracey and Morgan Hill can come to this meeting. If you can help us locate such a hall, please let me know.

Obviously, it’s too soon to tell you what the charge for the hall and caterers will be, or give you the address, but it’s not too soon to begin to spread the word that a refreshing approach to politics is being manifested her in the San Ramon Valley at this critical juncture.. Peggy Rubin