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Raimondo Expresses Support For Expanded Drilling In Alaska
In recent years, the environment has clearly become more of a concern for voters while evidence has continued to mount supporting man's perilous contributions to global climate change. In Nebraska, however, progressive voters have had few opportunities to really make a stand and define their values on the environment. That seems to have changed with our Democratic Senate primary - giving green voters a choice between a more mainstream Democrat like Scott Kleeb and his conservative counterpart, Tony Raimondo.
Scott Kleeb said his [energy] priority is reducing dependence on foreign oil. But in an interview, he did not express support for drilling in areas considered environmentally sensitive....
Kleeb wants to invest federal dollars to develop new bio fuel technology and production facilities. He said it's a national security and economic issue....
Tony Raimondo also wants to speed up research into cellulosic ethanol, using switchgrass as the raw material. But he said it's time to reconsider drilling for oil in places previously off limits, such as the arctic national wildlife refuge....
"We can approach those with so much more environmentally friendly tools, and so much more discipline, than we did 20 and 30 years ago, that those opportunities need to be looked at."
On this issue, Raimondo probably thinks he's positioned himself as a Ben Nelson Democrat, which isn't much of an ally in the eyes of most environmental activists. Back in November of 2005, I actually condemned Nelson's joining Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana as the only two Democrats to support a Republican-sponsored bill that would have opened the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR) to oil exploration.
But, even then, Nelson was only demonstrating a willingness to allow drilling - a far cry from speaking personally in its favor as Raimondo does in the statement above. In fact, Raimondo's statement puts him in-line with Republican Senate candidates Mike Johanns and Pat Flynn, who are also quoted in the full article. On this issue, Kleeb alone would be considered the environmentally-friendly candidate.
It's substantive distinctions such as this that I've sought between Kleeb and Raimondo with little avail. Each campaign might have their reasons for not highlighting such policy differences, but it's done a terrible disservice to the voters in this Democratic primary.
For years, drilling in Alaska has been foolishly held out as a panacea for America's energy woes by Republicans more interested in corporate profits than the impact on the environment. Just two days ago, Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York stated that drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge would "take ten years and reduce the price of oil by a penny." Interestingly enough, even Sen. John McCain - the Republican Party's 2008 presidential nominee - doesn't support the drilling, putting Raimondo to the right of McCain on this issue.
Definitely something to keep in mind for Democratic voters in this primary. If they care about the environment as an important issue, Raimondo's just given them a heck of a reason to support Kleeb.
(Honestly, I'm not all that surprised by this development. In a show of confidence - looking to November - it's understandable that Jim Esch would hope to share the ballot with his guess at the stronger Democratic candidate against Mike Johanns. But, Esch has to know this is going to burn some bridges and highly offend some of his most strident supporters. Raimondo will benefit from this endorsement in Omaha, but I'm scared the ultimate effect might be a fracturing of the progressive movement throughout the entire 2nd Congressional District, as we see hinted at below. - promoted by Kyle Michaelis)
This just in from KPTM, Second Congressional District candidate Jim Esch has taken the unprecedented and, I would argue, ludicrous step of endorsing Tony Raimondo in the Democratic Senate primary on May 13th.
OMAHA (AP) - Democratic Senate hopeful Tony Raimondo has received an endorsement from an unexpected source - Jim Esch, who's running for the 2nd District House seat.
Esch, also a Democrat, said Thursday he know some people will be surprised by the endorsement because many of his supporters also are strong supporters of Raimondo opponent Scott Kleeb.
If I were an Esch supporter, I would consider this nothing short of a slap in the face. Jim's supporters, who tend to be the same young and energized voters who support Raimondo's opponent Scott Kleeb, should take a very hard look at this endorsement, especially considering Esch's efforts to promote himself as a candidate of change. Given that Scott Kleeb is the obvious candidate of change in the Senate race, Esch's endorsement of Tony Raimondo should give any 2nd District voter pause about casting their Democratic primary ballot for Esch.
Mike Johanns is "the political equivalent of a nest-building squirrel"? I have no idea what that means, but - for some reason - it just feels right. The Omaha World-Herald reports:
Republican U.S. Senate contender Mike Johanns is the political equivalent of a nest-building squirrel.
As his would-be Democratic rivals tussle for their party's nomination, Johanns has been stuffing his campaign coffers, building a statewide organization and chatting up old political friends. The former Nebraska governor said he is not taking next Tuesday's primary election for granted. But it's clear that he is building his campaign with the general election in mind....
In the last nine months, since he embarked on his campaign, Johanns has raised $2.1 million and recruited volunteers to serve as county chairmen in 86 of Nebraska's 93 counties. He's opened campaign offices in Omaha and Lincoln and has hired seasoned campaign staffers, including Sarah Pompei, who was a spokeswoman for former Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney....
Johanns said he plans to run on his record and his government experience. He makes it clear that he understands the political environment of the day. In his first television commercial, Johanns talks about his experience but also promises to be an advocate for change.
It is a message [Scott] Kleeb or [Tony] Raimondo will surely challenge. Both Democrats have tried to paint Johanns as the political insider who represents the status quo. Johanns said he has no preference among the Democratic contenders.
"I don't pay a lot of attention to how the other guy is doing. I run my race on experience and background and what I bring to Nebraskans," he said.
Regardless of who emerges from the Democratic primary, Johanns is going to be the establishment candidate in this election with more money and better connections.
The one bright spot from the above article - other than Johanns' comparison with a rodent - is the revelation that his communications director previously worked for Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. Romney was the establishment candidate in that race, yet his campaign was a total disaster. It was also such an ugly, negative, and mean-spirited campaign that all of Romney's rivals and even Republican voters wanted nothing to do with him.
If anything, that should be a warning sign of what we should expect from Johanns' campaign in a close race. Of course, we can't hope for a Romney-level disaster with Johanns, but there will be mis-steps and Nebraska Democrats have to have the right candidate with the right campaign ready to pounce when they occur.
Unless Tony Raimondo has a pretty good reason to expect the Omaha World-Herald's endorsement in a general election match-up with Mike Johanns - or to at least expect that the World-Herald would remain neutral - I have to say that the following advertisement highlighting Raimondo's endorsement in the primary was a downright terrible idea.
If Raimondo's going to give a newspaper this kind of legitimacy - to the point that he's featuring its endorsement as one of the strongest arguments in his favor - his campaign is forsaking a whole lot of its credibility should the balance of that support ultimately rest with his general election opponent. And, right now, that's precisely what one would have to expect of Johanns and the World-Herald.
On the other hand, this advertisement's one strength is its prominently featuring Raimondo in the company of Ben Nelson and Bob Kerrey, both established icons of the Nebraska Democratic Party. That's a very easy way to bolster the candidate's credentials and his appeal to Democratic voters. In the midst of all this talk about the World-Herald's endorsement, some Democrats might even pick-up on an unconscious suggestion that Raimondo also has the official endorsements of Nelson and Kerrey. That isn't the case, but I'm curious if anyone else thinks that might not be intended effect.
I won't deny that I've been hungry for more substance from Scott Kleeb's Senate campaign ever since he announced his bid the last week of February. Kleeb's depth and intelligence have never been in doubt, but - as a result of his late-developing campaign - he's been very slow in distinguishing himself from the other candidates and presenting a case to voters based on more than flowery testimonials and good will from a previous election.
Of course, I recognize that similar arguments have been made against Barack Obama's presidential campaign. The difference is that Obama has been campaigning for President for more than a year and has had to answer tough questions and take solid positions every step along the way.
Disregarding his 2006 campaign - with which most Nebraska Democrats are unfamiliar - Kleeb hasn't been vetted the same way and simply hasn't earned the mantle of change with most voters. In his Senate run, Kleeb has skipped that part - jumping right into the themes with which he closed his 2006 campaign, forgetting that it took a lot of work and a lot of time convincing voters of his personal and political merit before positioning himself as that movement-style candidate in whom people could believe.
Thankfully, his new profile by the Associated Press gives me hope that we could expect better should Kleeb proceed to the general election, especially now that he's finally showing some willingness to personally engage Mike Johanns:
[Scott] Kleeb's opponent in the May 13 primary, Tony Raimondo, has made a campaign point of his longtime business and life experience. The 68-year-old is chairman of Behlen Manufacturing in Columbus.
Mike Johanns, a former Nebraska governor and U.S. agriculture secretary who's seeking the Republican nomination, talks about his political experience.
"I'm happy to stack up the right experience," Kleeb says....
Kleeb says the only way to beat Johanns is to run a campaign that is different from politics as usual. The Democrat says he's determined to win Nebraskans' trust and their votes. "It's a slap in the face to write this race off," Kleeb says....
He says part of the reason people are frustrated is the lack of progress by the Bush administration on education and health care and the lack of progress in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Middle East and on the war on terror.
Johanns had the chance to make changes when he was in the Cabinet as agriculture secretary, Kleeb says. "What did he do? He walked out on the farm bill. He walked out on using the Department of Agriculture as a tool to rebuild in Iraq."
It's a positive sign for Kleeb to be honing his criticism of Johanns, especially for abandoning Nebraska's farmers and its rural communities. Tying that abandonment even to the Bush Administration's failures in the war in Iraq is a brilliant touch I'd definitely like to see more fully articulated.
What I'm still not clear on is how Kleeb's "right experience" would match up against Johanns' in the general election. Tony Raimondo's is obviously a more limited message, but that's also given his campaign more definition. That's a benefit to voters who aren't particularly familiar with either candidate and those who are looking for something concrete by which to judge their chances in the fall.
Whereas giving Raimondo the Democratic Party's nomination would be something of a gamble ideologically, I'd say Kleeb's nomination would be more of a gamble politically, with an eye to November. For the activists amongst Nebraska Democrats, I think it's understandable that the latter risk (Kleeb) is the one they're willing to take. But, until May 13th, I don't have the slightest clue how that population measures against the larger Democratic electorate.
Over the last few months, many reports have been posted on NNN showing Jon Bruning's ongoing disgraceful performance as the Attorney General for the state of Nebraska. There has been:
Attorney General Jon Bruning is in Iraq this week with a small delegation speaking with Kurdish officials.
Bruning spoke Wednesday from the relatively peaceful area of northern Iraq. He says the delegation hoped to help the United States maintain good relations with Kurds. He says the U.S. will abandon the Kurds again if a Democrat wins this November....
Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, Oregon state Sen. Jason Atkinson and some Oregon businesspeople are with Bruning. Bruning says the trip is being paid for by the Kurdistan Regional Government.
First, what is he doing there?
Second, why is he with a contingent made up mostly of people from Oregon (specifically "businesspeople")?
Third, while he wasn't doing his job before, who's covering for him while he's gone?
Fourth, is he really in Northern Iraq essentially claiming that Democrats will side with terrorists if they win in November?? Since when is that the job of a Nebraska Attorney General to make that kind of determination, especially since it's complete crap?? Is he seriously suggesting the Kurds will be slaughtered again??
He's a disgrace. Jon Bruning....putting himself and his politics first, Nebraska comes a distant last.
Since NNN was the first place to criticize Tony Raimondo for calling his Democratic opponent Scott Kleeb "an academic," it seems only fair that we publish his response to that criticism. The AP reports:
[One Raimondo campaign] ad calls Democratic opponent Scott Kleeb "an academic," prompting an outcry from the Kleeb campaign. Kleeb spokesman Joe Zepecki said when the ad came out that Raimondo was "out of step with Nebraska values if he thinks it's OK to attack teachers."
"I respect the dickens out of teachers and academia," Raimondo says. "If he would like to be called something else, I would like to know."
"The experiences are so different, I see no need to be negative," he says.
There's nothing particularly offensive about calling Kleeb "an academic," but Raimondo's ad did echo a certain tone of dismissiveness and condescension towards education that is all too familiar from Republican politicians and right-wing talking heads.
This does, however, beg the question of how Raimondo could have possibly describeddistinguished himself from Kleeb without sounding dismissive. It would have sounded even worse differentiating their experiences by calling Kleeb "a college professor." At the same time, it might have been alleged that Raimondo was attacking all of rural Nebraska by calling Kleeb "a ranch hand," as he was referred to throughout most of his 2006 campaign.
Maybe Raimondo could have gotten away with calling Kleeb "a handsome and intelligent young man." But, he'd then be liable for attacking anyone who's smart, young, or remotely attractive. That probably means Raimondo's only safe option was not mentioning Kleeb at all. Unfortunately, should he receive the Democratic nomination, Kleeb could expect no such kindness from Mike Johanns and the Republican Party, as he surely recalls from his last election.
Would the fact that Tony Raimondo considered running for the U.S. Senate as a Republican really hurt him running in a general election match-up against Mike Johanns? I don't think so. Frankly, the arguments I've seen making this case - suggesting Nebraska voters would look at Raimondo's decision to run as a Democrat and reject him as an opportunist - have shown a blindness bordering on outright ignorance to the political character of our state.
That has nothing to do with the significant advantage Nebraska Republicans have in terms of party registration. It has everything to do with the fact that - thank God - most Nebraskans have a pretty loose idea of party affiliation and don't get hung up on labels. In fact, I feel comfortable asserting that not only would most Nebraska voters not hold Raimondo's party switch against him, but they'd actually find it an asset, understanding exactly where he was coming from.
That doesn't mean Nebraska Democrats should give Raimondo their nomination. In fact, they shouldn't if they honestly don't believe Raimondo represents their values.
But, there is no avoiding the necessary question of who will make the stronger opponent and the better argument against presumed Republican nominee Mike Johanns this November. In answering this question, we have to give Raimondo credit for showing more of a willingness to directly engage Johanns, giving voters a much clearer picture of what their general election match-up would actually look like.
In the following story from the Associated Press, we gain even more insight into what we might expect from such a race:
[Raimondo] calls himself as a moderate, and his political experience already has crossed the aisle. Raimondo was a lifelong Republican until December, when frustration with a cleared-out Republican primary sparked him to do something he's considered in the past: change parties....
"It could have been a terrific primary," says Raimondo, who considered running as a Republican. "Mike could have earned it."
Raimondo says he respects Johanns, whom he traveled with on trade missions when Johanns was governor of Nebraska. But Raimondo says Johanns has the wrong experience.
"Mike's Washington experience is not going to be an asset with the changes in Washington," Raimondo says. "I just believe with a passion that my experience is what we need."
One of Raimondo's TV commercials includes a picture of Johanns and President Bush. Johanns' connection to Bush will make it tougher for him to work in the middle of the Senate, Raimondo says.
It's also been suggested that Raimondo's 2004 nomination as Bush's "Manufacturing Czar" neutralizes his ability to effectively argue against Johanns' ties to the failed policies of the Bush Administration. Again, I don't see that to be the case. If anything, I imagine Raimondo would have added credibility taking on the Bush-Johanns record because his voice was legitimized by that nomination.
Of course, I can't say how it will sit with Democratic voters for Raimondo to be mourning the Republican primary that could have been. And, right now, it's in their hands who will make Johanns earn it - hopefully even lose it - in November.
After defeats in Oklahoma and Missouri, the opponents of affirmative action aren't giving up in Nebraska. With less than two months remaining before signatures are due to qualify for the November ballot, the Lincoln Journal-Star reports:
Marc Schniederjans, a UNL professor and treasurer of the Nebraska Civil Rights Initiative, called the Missouri result disappointing but vowed affirmative-action opponents would press on.
"Here in Nebraska, we're going to go full tilt," he said. "We're gung-ho. We're going to give it everything we've got."
Petitioners in Nebraska need to gather about 115,000 signatures by July 4 to get an affirmative-action ban on the ballots.
They've collected about 30,000 so far, Schniederjans said. He said he's confident his group will meet its goal, especially now that it can tap former petitioners from Oklahoma and Missouri for help.
Signature-gatherers in Missouri, he said, were stymied by a shorter deadline as well as so-called "blockers," people who trailed petitioners and encouraged passers-by not to sign.
A spokesman for the Missouri secretary of state's office said civil rights initiative allies there had plenty of time to get the signatures they needed.
Considering that many Nebraskans take offense when wealthy special interests attempt to buy their way into our state's constitution to promote their narrow ideological agenda, I'm not so sure Schniederjans should be celebrating that defeats in Oklahama and Missouri will allow more out-of-state petitioners to make their way to Nebraska. It's a nice attempt at spin, but it also reveals the shallowness and desperation at the heart of this petition effort.
(This announcement by Dave Sund is an undeniable loss for the NNN community - especially our efforts to present the full gamut of liberal and progressive visions for the state of Nebraska. We'll have to reassess some things on the site in the coming weeks and months, but - first - let's just do our best to get through this primary election just 7 days from now. - promoted by Kyle Michaelis)
I regret to inform the NNN community that I am resigning my position as a contributing editor effective immediately.
I had originally planned to stay on through the primary before stepping back from my role to take on a position with a Democratic campaign, but recent events have made it clear that my vision is no longer welcome in the culture of go along to get along that pervades this website.
I'm sure at this point I'll be accused of grandstanding, acting out of emotion to serve the narrow interests of one campaign. I assure you that is not the case.
At this point, at this time, there is a real movement happening in America. This movement has spread to Nebraska, and inspired many more people to get involved in the political process. I see that movement reflected in many campaigns across this state, and I see it corrupted and misshaped by others.
I'm grateful to Kyle for the opportunity to write here and use this platform, but I find myself increasingly attacked for expressing my opinion and feel it best to leave on my own terms.
I wish Kyle the best of luck and I'm sure I'll be back at some point, but in the interests of devoting my full energies to electing Democrats in November, I cannot continue as an editor at this site.
Tune in this Wednesday night to your local Nebraska public television station for this new documentary taking a look back at Nebraska's role in the turbulent and historic 1968 presidential primary. And, be sure to stay tuned after the show for NET's Campaign Connection special on Nebraska's 2008 Senate race, featuring interviews with candidates Tony Raimondo, Scott Kleeb, Pat Flynn and Mike Johanns.
In the campaign to end state-supported affirmative action programs, mercenaries from all over the country have descended on Nebraska. They are being paid to gather signatures that will open the door for wealthy businessmen with no ties to Nebraska to rewrite our state's constitution.
Luckily, it sounds like help is on the way from a national organization that has had considerable success challenging these right-wing special interests. This just in from By Any Means Necessary (BAMN):
WARD CONNERLY DEFEATED IN MISSOURI - AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PRESERVED!
On Sunday May 4, 2008 the new civil rights movement scored a great victory against the political forces that are trying to re-segregate our nation....[Those] aligned with Ward Connerly [have] gathered petition signatures to get their anti-affirmative action measure on the ballot in Missouri this November. Today they failed to even turn in their petitions to the Secretary of State by the deadline of 5 p.m.
BAMN is announcing our intention to follow up the victory against Connerly in Missouri by sending organizers to Arizona and Nebraska to defeat him there as well. Donations are needed NOW to get organizers to these states and to support them for the two months Connerly has to obtain the requisite number of signatures to certify his initiatives for the ballot.
BAMN united with AWAKE, ACLU and others in Oklahoma, and progressives in SEIU, ACORN, and WeCan in Missouri. By using mass mobilization and direct action we stopped the petition drive in its tracks. Following last month's success in Oklahoma, this victory strengthens the overall movement for civil rights and equality.
We are turning Ward Connerly's so-called Super Tuesday is into his Super Lose-Day. After we challenged his phony signatures in Oklahoma, he was forced to withdraw his petitions, knowing that an examination of his fraudulent tactics would be too damaging....
"Two down and three to go", said BAMN National Chairperson Shanta Driver, referring to Connerly's attempts to get anti-affirmative action measures on the ballot in Arizona, Colorado, Oklahoma, Missouri and Nebraska this November. She further stated, "Both Oklahoma and Missouri prove that BAMN's perspective of focusing on exposing the racist fraud in Connerly's signature gathering will keep the proposals off the ballot and provide the key to victory.
I might argue with some of BAMN's approach, but there's no arguing with their results. There's already an active coalition working to defend Nebraska's efforts to promote diversity and equality. I'm sure they'll be well-served by whatever assistance they receive from those who have taken on Connerly in other states, especially after these encouraging victories in nearby Missouri and Oklahoma.
(Don't leave me talking to myself. Please call in. The lines are open. - promoted by Kyle Michaelis)
It wasn't quite a stunning success in last week's episode of NNN Live, but we're going to try taking calls from readers once again on tonight's episode. I'll even make it easy on you. There's just one question we're going to talk about tonight - who are you supporting in the Democratic Senate primary and why?
Got an opinion? Of course, you do. Can you support it? Then, please give us a call.
All you have to do is dial-in to (347) 838-9311 tonight between 10 and 10:30 pm CST. We'll keep the line open as long as readers have something to say.
Raimondo's self funding is even more than previously reported here at NNN. He's now at $450,000, triggering the "millionaire's amendment" which allows for increased contribution limits for his opponent.
U.S. Senate contender Tony Raimondo is well on his way to becoming the half-million-dollar man. The Columbus, Neb., chairman of Behlen Manufacturing Co. has pumped $450,000 of his own money into his campaign.
That means about 82 percent of Raimondo's total campaign funds have come from his wallet, based on disclosure reports filed with the Federal Election Commission....
[Scott] Kleeb, a teacher at Hastings College, had raised about $364,000 from 1,500 donors through April 23, said Joe Zepecki, a campaign spokesman. Raimondo had raised about $552,000 as of that date. Of that amount, about $102,000 came from individual donors.
"I think this shows there is a very, very stark contrast between a guy who's giving $450,000 to himself and a guy who has 1,500 people willing to contribute," Zepecki said.
If we're serious about building a New Nebraska, if we're serious about challenging Mike Johanns, if we're serious about making this race about us, then we can't put it in the hands of Tony Raimondo.
I've doubted the seriousness of Raimondo's conversion many times now - but beyond that, Democrats in Nebraska have to ask themselves a simple question: who is in a better position to beat Mike Johanns? Who is going to look out for my interests? Who is going to listen to my concerns?
Raimondo has artfully avoided creating distinctions between his conservative positions and Kleeb's moderate positions. He has studiously said nothing that would offend.
But among the folks who know, among the Democrats who aren't going to be fooled by images, aren't going to be swept off their feet by the Republican in shining armor coming to save our party from ourselves, Raimondo was never going to compete.
One campaign has the grassroots. One campaign has the organization. One campaign has the excitement level to take on Mike Johanns.
At the Dodge County Democratic Party's spring banquet earlier this week, the audience had the opportunity to ask questions of Nebraska's Democratic candidates for the U.S. Senate. The Fremont Tribune was there and published each of the candidates' responses to a novel question on the minds of many Democratic voters across the country:
If you were a Democratic Super Delegate, who would you vote for?
Scott Kleeb: Having worked with both candidates, he considers each to be remarkable for different reasons and, "that the one strength they both have is that they are not (President) Bush."
Larry Marvin: "I'm a John Edwards man," Marvin said, adding that he will support Hillary Clinton.
Tony Raimondo: Leaning toward Barack Obama. Raimondo believes he is best suited to reach across the aisle for compromise.
I'm not sure what - if any - relevance this question has in the May 13th primary, but there is a definite contrast of styles in the candidates' respective answers. I certainly don't blame Kleeb for his apparent hesitancy to side with one candidate over the other when it's out of his hands whom will ultimately receive the nomination. He's just hoping to be on the same ballot as the eventual winner come November.
From that perspective, Kleeb's is probably the smart answer. It's just somewhat surprising considering the obvious parallels between his message and Obama's.
Update (Correction?): In the comments below, an attendee at the dinner reports:
"I was present at this event and recall Kleeb saying he did caucus for Obama. Although I was not taking notes, I also think he said outright that he would vote for Obama.
I wasn't at the event and based the above post only on the Fremont Tribune's article. There's no way to verify who said what exactly, but please keep the differing accounts in mind and measure your judgment accordingly.
