Posted on 09/15/2006 4:15:42 PM PDT by SmithL
ORINDA - National Democratic activist Christine Pelosi, daughter of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, vows to leave no Republican charge unchallenged in the upcoming mid-term elections.
"A charge unchallenged is a charge conceded," Pelosi told enthusiastic members of the Lamorinda Democratic Club Thursday night, where she delivered the evening's keynote speech to a largely agreeable audience. "And we will not concede."
Pelosi is a California delegate to the Democratic National Committee and the director of a boot camp for Democratic congressional candidates sponsored by a collaboration of labor and a political action committee formed to support the effort.
In a wide-ranging and lively speech peppered with personal stories and partisan zeal, Pelosi delivered advice for volunteers, visited lessons learned from the 2004 campaign, talked about possible 2008 presidential candidates, outlined the party's "New Direction" platform and offered a detailed rundown of the most competitive races nationwide.
"The pundits say it's going to be (Sen. John) McCain (R-Ariz.) and (Sen. Hillary) Clinton (D-N.Y.) but I think the field is still wide open on both sides," Pelosi said.
In the mid-term elections, Pelosi described the Democratic field of candidates as strong and well-positioned to take majority control of the House and perhaps the Senate.
But she also encouraged area Democrats to volunteer in the campaigns of two Northern California congressional races where Democrats face a decidedly uphill battle in their races against strong GOP incumbents -- District 11 between Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, and Democrat Jerry McNerney and District 4 between Rep. John Doolittle, R-Rocklin, and Democrat Charlie Brown.
Her advocacy comes despite the fact that neither challenger qualified for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Red To Blue" fund-raising initiative, largely because the men failed to raise enough cash on their own and their districts voted heavily GOP in the 2004 presidential election.
"But these are emerging candidates," said Pelosi, "so be prepared for surprises. You never know what will happen in a campaign."
In addition to the boot camp, Pelosi has helped organize her party's outreach to veterans and their families in what she characterized as a direct response to 2004 Republican charges that Democrats were disinterested in the military and national security.
"Our party was Swift-boated out of recognition," said Pelosi, referring to the controversy over Democratic presidential candidate and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's record as a Swift boat commander in the Vietnam War.
The result is what the party calls its "Fighting Dems," Pelosi said, a group of more than 40 military veterans seeking congressional office in the mid-term elections. The field includes Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, a helicopter pilot who was shot down in Iraq and lost her legs.
"We needed an outreach program so that veterans would know they have a home in the Democratic Party," Pelosi said.
Pelosi drew the biggest laugh with her story about a fund-raising solicitation letter signed by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., where the lawmaker described Nancy Pelosi as the greatest threat to America.
Of all the dangers facing the nation like terrorism and high gas prices, Hastert "is worried about my mom," Pelosi said.
Hastert is referring, of course, to the possibility that Nancy Pelosi could become House speaker if the Democrats win 15 new seats in November and take majority control.
The party's 100-day plan calls for adopting the 9-11 Commission's recommendations, raising the minimum wage, permitting stem cell research, cutting the interest rates on college loans, eliminating subsidies for oil companies and preserving Social Security as a government program.
Lisa Vorderbrueggen covers politics. Reach her at 925-945-4773 or lvorderbrueggen@cctimes.com. Visit her blog at www.cctextra.com/blogs/politicsblog/
On-line: Christine Pelosi
California delegate to the Democratic National Committee and an organizer in the party's efforts to take majority control of Congress, Pelosi blogs regularly from the campaign trail. Visit her blog, Trail Mix, at www.challengernet.com.
"Our party was Swift-boated out of recognition,"
Just the opposite. It was Swift Boated INTO recognition. That was why it hurt so much.
hope you don't mind.....I added humor as a keyword, it seemed, thats' where "Botox" Nancy's comments were heading.
I kept thinking Pelosi's daughter was a hot one but I think it's Barbara Boxers'
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.