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I think you forgot to close a tag there at the end…

Here’s hoping that Cathy Woolard at least scores a runoff in the primary, because as you know, I used to vote ABC when I was in the 4th district.

As far as the fall elections, we might be safe from Cynthia for awhile, if not longer. Inadvertently, that would also make us safe from Kerry/Edwards as well, should we wish to be.

Thanks for the tip, Tony, it was that late night addition of the AJC link that did me in.

And Richard … I’m not sure what to say about that one. I’m not sure, if we have an attack on the Friday before election day, that I want to have the election the next Tuesday. Imagine a national election on the Friday after 9/11. Imagine if rather than a national day of mourning, we’d all gone to vote for something important that day.

How well were you functioning during that hellish week? Perhaps I should only speak for myself, but for days, I was effectively incapacitated. Most people around me appeared to be, too. They could have used another week to get their heads together.

What difference will a week or two make in the election? We went a month past the “dictated time” in 2000 before we knew who was President. The world kept turnin’.

I don’t know, it’s probably for another article, but I’m somehow not too terribly upset that people are thinking about this. Especially when I see others out there portraying this as “cancelling” the election. I’d much rather this go before Congress and be specified in advance, rather than some cobbled together response in the aftermath.

I was actually quite cool after 9/11, unless you want count a few posts on various networks that “It’s good I’m not the President, because there’d be nukes a-flyin’ right about now..”

On the other hand, I think the perception that we live in a democracy (sort of) is important to our way of life. Part of that perception is solidly reinforced by a regular election cycle, that continues come hell or high water. The challenges to the 2000 election were perfectly legal and IMO, reinforced the fact that we have fair and democratically held elections in this country. Right up until the Supreme Court intervened.

I didn’t see anything in that article to mention that a week or two postponement was being discussed; maybe I missed it. Unfortunately, and I say this with a heavy heart, given the mis-representations and outright lies that have been pouring from the current administration, I’m more inclined to view an election postponement as yet another Republican trick to stall for better polls.

I wish our war against terrorism had been conducted in a bi-partisan , non-political manner and that we were still as united as a country now as we were back in the weeks and months following 9/11. Like we were during World War II, and that all of us were being called to sacrifice until we got the job done. I believed that could have happened, but it was squandered by the administration for short sighted political goals. To me, talk of postponing elections is just another dirty trick by a crew that will stop at nothing to remain in power.

I live in the 4th and have been following this election closely. I found that the debate showcased the top three contestants:

McKinney is yet defiant. She admits no error or shortfalling, so voters could only expect from her what we got before – headlines but little help for DeKalb County.

Levetan smiles sweetly and I’m sure she knows DeKalb but she’s inarticulate and seems a bit confused. Her preformance was so poor, one can only assume that she’s a shadow of what she was earlier in her political career.

Woolard, on the other hand, is an impressive candidate. She spoke with clear authority on all issues that came to her. With Woolard, it was both what she said and how she said it that showed me something. For example, both Woolard and Thomas were questioned about living outside the 4th. While Thomas seemed uncomfortable, Woolard was a matter-of-fact “Dekalb County girl.” And I’ll add that the back and forth between Woolard and Levetan showed me that Woolard can be tough without seeming partonizing or mean-spirited.

Frankly, I can imagine that, if elected, Cathy Woolard would give us the stability in that seat and all the power that tenure brings. McKinney had a national reputation. Cathy’s got the talent and skills to be a national leader.

I support Cynthia McKinney and don’t agree that she showed her “her usual calculated poise” at the GPTV forum.

No she showed herself, for anyone that has seen her in action this is how she conducts herself. True when there is reason she will rise to the occasion which is the reason for the Backbone award and other recognition she has received such as from WAND.

For instance at the debate she pointed out that she has worked with Republicans, she had a republican co-sponsor of the anti logging bill she authored.

No the truth is that some have effectively conducted a media campaign to paint her as something she is not, by removing quotes from context and basically going along with the Cynthia Tucker school of thought.

To me the most dangerous is the effort by a few people connected to AIPAC a political action group that is claims to represent what they believe is best for Israel. In fact I would argue they do not. But in doing so they have targeted Cynthia and others who did not unquestioningly support them. And one way they do this is to plant stories with “jewish sources” calling McKinney anti semetic. These stories often do not cite the source. There is a Dr in Atlanta who was often cited as a Jewish Dr. when in fact he was also an officer in AIPAC and the SE Israel Chamber of Commerce, in other words he had a conflict.

AS to the Buford Highway improvements, call anyone involved, McKinney did get funds, they are secure, problem is when Levetan was CEO her public works director, Tom Black and her weren’t that great at moving these so called pedestrian projects through the pipeline. There are other reasons also and Vernon’s administration has been slow also. But the Federal Money is still sitting there waiting to be spent. Though some of it may be at risk if DeKalb doesn’t get their act together. Call the Atlanta Regional Commission to confirm this.

I think Cathy Woolard is fine. But given a choice between McKinney and Levetan the choice is oh so clear. I’m ticked off at corporate media and other special interests. As a white person I’m not threatened by some people wanting to make sure concerns of the Black community from that perspective are heard. For goodness sakes don’t we White People have enough people making sure our points of view are heard?

The fact is Cynthia McKinney has a great deal of support in the Black Community, ask a co worker or anyone else you know who is Black if they are politically active or aware and why they don’t necessarily feel the concerns of the Black Community are heard.

Thanks

Ms. McKinney was apparently an excellent representative – just not of DeKalb County. And those whose interest she served naturally are standing by her and supporting her with donations. According to her recently filed financial disclosures, nearly 90% of McKinney’s bucks are from outside Georgia. This sharply contrasts with Woolard or Levetan (17% and 7% out-of-State money respectively). Levetan has loaned $200,000 of her retirement money to her campaign. She may be wishing for that flood of outside, pro-Israel dollars.

The bottom line is that McKinney acted as if she had the job for life, as if she took reelection for granted. Big mistake.

All politics are local.