IBEW business manager Paul Shaffer with County Commission candidate Norma Lester at her kickoff today, held in the IBEW hall.
After inexplicably waking up at 0630, I got going about 9, went out for breakfast, then attended the campaign kickoff for Norma Lester, who is seeking to fill the County Commission seat being vacated by term-limited (and County Mayor candidate) Deidre Malone.
The event was well-attended; joining your Cracker at the kickoff were activists like Germantown Democratic Club president Dick Klenz, local Teamsters leader and SCDP member Nate Jackson, City Councilor Jim Strickland, former SCDP Chair (and current DNC member from Tennessee) Gale Jones Carson, activist and SCDP member Danny Kail (who is considering a run for Probate Court Clerk; I will support that run if he goes for it), and SCDP Chair Van Turner, who spoke briefly.
I have worked with Norma on the SCDP for many years, and believe she is the right person to follow Commissioner Malone on the Commission. No one will outwork her, and her heart and mind are in the right place to make this run. She gave a good speech thanking everyone; as more campaign information becomes available, you will read it here.
Before I got to the IBEW, I heard a fascinating story about MS-01 rookie Congressman Travis Childers. Apparently, he had promised to vote for the Employee Free Choice Act, which is critical for union organization in the US. Then, last week, he stunned his labor supporters with a renege of that promise, stating he could not vote for it.
This led to a come-to-Eugene-Victor-Debs meeting yesterday in Memphis with the Memphis and North Mississippi Labor Councils, who made their dissatisfaction known in no uncertain terms. It apparently got quite heated, I have been told.
Well, while we can somewhat sympathize with a rookie who has a high R+ constituency, Rep. Childers needs to learn the lesson of business guru Tom Peters: Always under-promise and over-deliver. If Childers thought he could not have voted for EFCA, he should never have made that commitment. All those labor guys who put your signs up throughout MS-01 last year might just find something else to do in the fall of 2010, knowwhutImean?
Rule 1 - never piss off your base, they can and will go somewhere else. I know your bidness-people are begging you to vote no on EFCA, your base (who PUT you there) are telling you to vote yes. Paybacks can be hell, sir.
And a side note to my source: this was a labor-only meeting; no Democratic Party people from either state were told of this meeting or invited.
I have work to do on my house, so I have had to pass on the Millington fundraiser for County Trustee Paul Mattila, who has continued to amaze us all with his powerful recovery from cancer, he looks stronger than ever.
Ok, back to work on the house!
3 comments:
I see you favor public arm-twisting over the secret ballot.
I find it odd that Van Turner was there and that he spoke...especially because the race is pretty far off and other Dem will likely jump in the race. Is he endorsing Ms. Lester? I do not know Ms. Lester and she might be great for the job but I heard some other strong Dems are looking at the position, and I believe they supported Van Turner.
i would fully expect Van to speak at ANY Democrat's campaign event. Time will tell, but give the man a chance.
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