What follows is a clarification of the central point of my earlier, admittedly hastily written, rant about the attack on pro-choice State Senator Steve Cohen by Emily's List.
The central point being: Emily's List should spend its considerable resources supporting pro-choice women who are actually running against anti-choice candidates. Believe it or not, it is not hard to find anti-choice candidates in this state!
Instead, Emily's List is alienating this state's progressives by throwing its support behind newcomer Nikki Tinker and against a pro- choice man with a 24 year record as a progressive state senator.
Meanwhile I still cannot find a word about Nikki Tinker's pro-choice stance on her website. Compare that with Steve Cohen's plainly stated, and documented, pro-choice position.
If Steve Cohen were a woman, Emily's List would be behind him 100%. Instead, Emily is attacking this state's best and most viable progressive candidate for Congress.
If Emily claims a victory in next week's primary, progressives in this state will call it a loss. And we will be seriously thanking Emily for that loss.
The Memphis Commercial Appeal has more on Steve Cohen's bid for Harold Ford's Congressional seat, and notes that the campaign is proving to be more about gender, race and religion than issues.
It appears that women will decide this race:
"As of Thursday, women had cast 60 percent of the early-voting ballots countywide, according to the Shelby County Election Commission. So far, white voters account for 44 percent of ballots cast; black voters, 39 percent; and other racial groups, nearly 17 percent. . . Tinker, the only woman on the ballot, has raised $527,916, more than her two closest primary opponents combined. Cohen has raised $266,561 and Stanton $210,313, according to the Federal Election Commission."
It seems very likely that we can thank Emily for Tinker's fundraising prowess.
On a related note, Rightist blogger Kleinheider thinks all of this has something to do with affirmative action:
The worm has really turned on this one. Leftists, like egalia, have done nothing for years than talk about how affirmative action is necessary. They have talked about how more women and minorities need to be elected. Now when when a qualified white male who "deserves" the seat is being attacked, suddenly, white leftists are up in arms.
I could wax philosophical about this but the point pretty much makes it self: You reap what you sow. You preach identity politics and equality of result you cannot be surprised when those you've preached to and "empowered" take what you have preached seriously.
Cause affirmative policies designed to address the dismal results of centuries of discrimination by the U.S. Government amount to nothing more than discrimination against white males. Kleinheider being one. Never mind all the white males who are reaping the benefits via their wives, daughters, mothers and sisters. As usual, everything is so simple when you reside in the lala land of the Right.
Steve Cohen Pro-Choice Gender Nikki Tinker Emily's List Congress Cohen for Congress News Politics Election 2006 Democrats Tennessee Memphis
