Iran War Hawks
Nov 01, 2010
The stakes in the Sestak-Twomey Pennsylvania Senate race reach well beyond the far reaching differences between the candidates.
In this race the Emergency Committee for Israel (ECI), led by neo-conservative William Kristol and Gary Bauer head of the Family Research Counci, l-- Bauer is linked with the religious right-- has attacked Joe Sestak because he is "soft" on Iran's nuclear threat. That is clearly not true but distortion is the lingua franca of the day.
The effort by Kristol and Bauer is two fold: make the supporters of Iran negotiations, even if they support sanctions, appear anti-Israel. The Sestak-Twomey race is their most significant media buy.
They have another purpose. Politically reinforce the neo-conservative ideologues with right wing evangelicals. (Not all evangelicals are right wing. It's important to remember that.)
No matter who wins the Pennsylvania Senate race the alliance can be expected to trumpet an ongoing hawkish and reckless policy towards Iran. It is likely to be cloaked in keeping Israel secure. It will be aided and abetted by right wing House members Michelle Bachmann (R-Mn), John Culberson (R-Tx), Louie Gohmert (R-Tx) and Steve King (R-Ia) who are chomping at the bit.
Their efforts need to be taken seriously. Let's be prepared to oppose and defeat these proponents of a reckless policy towards Iran.
Sestak 47% - Toomey 44%!!
Oct 21, 2010
In support of Pennsylvania Senate candidate Joe Sestak’s campaign, I am forwarding an email from his campaign entitled "Sestak 47% - Toomey 44% !!?"
I hope you’ll support Joe Sestak by making a contribution.
Sestak faces the very conservative former Rep. Pat Toomey and he needs our help. The Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee is pouring money into the state to run ads attacking Sestak
Please read the message below from Joe Sestak and contribute $25 or more to his campaign today.
Thanks,
John Isaacs, Council for a Livable World
PS: Click here if you'd like to support more of our progressive candidates in this upcoming election.
Great developments in Pennsylvania Senate contest
Oct 20, 2010
MUHLENBERG COLLEGE MORNING CALL: TRACKING POLL RESULTS –OCTOBER 20th TRACKING PERIOD from Oct. 16-19 – Sestak 44%, Toomey 41%. The previous tracking period Sept. 28 – Oct. 4 had Toomey ahead 46%-39%. Average sample size 400, margin of error +-5% at a 95% level of confidence. From Allentown Morning Call: “The numbers are the first from a nonpartisan source to confirm the race has tightened two weeks before Election Day.. Democratic-leaning Public Policy Polling on Tuesday put Sestak up by 1 percentage point. And two internal Democratic Party polls last week showed the Pennsylvania contest closing. It wouldn't be the first time Sestak surged with the finish line in sight. In two previous elections, when political pundits had counted him out, Sestak came from behind with just weeks to go and emerged victorious. In May, the same tracking poll was the first to show Sestak catching and eventually surpassing U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary.”
Public Policy Polling – October 19: “The race for Senate in Pennsylvania has seen dramatic movement over the last two months and Joe Sestak has now taken the slightest lead over Pat Toomey, 46-45. On PPP’s previous survey of the state, in mid-August, Toomey led by a 45-36 margin. Three things have happened in the last 2 months to move this race back to toss up status: Sestak has made up a large deficit with independents, he’s consolidated his base, and Democratic interest in the election has picked up with election day moving closer. In that August survey Toomey held a commanding lead with independents, 50-23. Sestak has picked up the support of virtually all of the undecided independents and has pulled into a virtual tie with Toomey with that voting group, trailing now only 49-48.” Survey taken Oct. 17 and 18 with 718 likely votes, margin of error is +/-3.7%. .
Sestak and Conway Draw Even With Foes Before Deadline
Sep 28, 2010
While pundits are predicting GOP gains in the November elections, when you look at individual races, there are many cases where progressive candidates can win. Recent polls that two Council-endorsed Senate candidates, Jack Conway in Kentucky and Joe Sestak in Pennsylvania are closing on their Republican opponents.
A new Bluegrass Poll in Kentucky shows state Attorney General Jack Conway (D) only two points behind ophthalmologist Rand Paul (R) in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Jim Bunning (R).
The poll, which was conducted by Survey USA, shows Paul at 49 percent to 47 percent for Conway, a virtual tie.
Please help Jack Conway pull ahead of Rand Paul in Kentucky.
These results from Kentucky are a marked shift from other recent surveys in which Paul has led by as much as double-digits; the previous Bluegrass Poll in early September, showed Paul leading Conway 55 percent to 40 percent.
In Pennsylvania, U.S. Representative and three-star Navy Admiral Joe Sestak (D) is neck and neck with Republican Pat Toomey. The latest CNN/Time Poll has it Sestak 45% - Toomey 45%, with 10% undecided.
Previous public polls showed Toomey significantly ahead.
Meanwhile, Navy chief Vern Clark told the Associated Press that Sestak, "was an incredible officer, the best I've ever seen… Incredible moral courage, the courage to take the independent stand." When everybody else was saying, 'This is what we ought to do,' he would stand up and say, 'I don't see it that way.'"
Big win for Sestak in PA, other election results
May 19, 2010
In an important victory yesterday for Council for a Livable World supporters, U.S. Representative Joseph Sestak toppled long time incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Democratic Party.
Sestak won 54% - 46%, coming from behind in the last weeks of the campaign. Last night he declared: "This is what democracy looks like: a win for the people, over the establishment, over the status quo, even over Washington, D.C."
Council for a Livable World endorsed Sestak, a former Admiral, early in the campaign for his strong record on nuclear weapons and other national security issues. It was his first national endorsement. Council board member Gen. John Johns personally delivered the Council endorsement last year. We were also the first national organization to endorse Sestak in his successful underdog run for the House of Representatives in 2006 and were proud to endorse him again when he ran for reelection in 2008. Council supporters contributed over $54,000 to Sestak’s campaign against Specter.
Sestak now faces former U.S. Representative Pat Toomey, a far-right conservative, in what will be one of the marquee contests of the 2010 election. If elected to the Senate, Sestak will be an important champion of our issues.
Click here if you wish to make a donation to Sestak for the fall election.
Sestak catches Specter in PA in May 18 primary
May 10, 2010
Council for a Livable World does not take a penny.
After trailing for months, multiple public opinion polls now show U.S. Representative Joe Sestak (D) is pulling ahead of party-changing incumbent Senator Arlen Specter.
And just in time. The primary is May 18, one week away.
The Muhlenberg College/Allentown Morning Call tracking poll released today and conducted May 6-9 shows Sestak ahead of Specter 47% to 42%. A few weeks ago, Specter had led by 20 percentage points or more.
More good news: over the weekend, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review endorsed Sestak: “Mr. Sestak, a retired Navy admiral, could not be a better messenger for the Democrats' agenda. He's incredibly intelligent, thoughtful and articulate. And his expertise on matters military is impressive. Pennsylvania Democrats would be wise to nominate the public-service minded Joe Sestak and reject the personal opportunism of Arlen Specter."
The Democratic Party establishment is behind Specter; progressives are behind Sestak.