How did eastside Democrat Darcy Burner end up accepting Dick Cheney’s offer to campaign for her?

It all began with Cheney’s recent trip to Washington State to campaign and fundraise on behalf of Republican candidates. Before Cheney arrived, it was reported that eastside Republican Congressman Dave Reichert, who’s been trying to cast himself as a “moderate” in his race against Burner, didn’t want to be seen sharing a stage with a wildly unpopular ideologue like Cheney.

But with the head of the Washington State Republican Party sounding unpleased at this development, Reichert revised his position, shared a stage in Everett with the visiting VP, and at the event recounted how Cheney, apparently aware that he has a nearly radioactive approval rating, once said to Reichert privately: “I’ll come out to Washington and campaign for your opponent if it will help you win.”

In response to which Burner fired off a bold and very funny letter to Cheney, inviting him to make good on his reported promise so that she can show him what a mess Republicans are making of the 8th Congressional District. The full letter is in the jump, and here’s the Burner campaign’s press release:

Bellevue, WA — Darcy Burner, the Democratic Candidate for Washington’s 8th Congressional District, sent a letter to Vice President Dick Cheney today accepting the offer he made Republican Congressman Dave Reichert to “campaign for your opponent if it’ll help.â€�

Burner offered to take the Vice President on a tour of the district to highlight how the Republican policies that Congressman Reichert supports are failing the voters of Washington’s 8th Congressional District.

The letter outlines a tour of the district that includes:

• Mount Rainier to talk about why Darcy opposes the Republican plan — supported by Mr. Reichert - to make it easier for developers and private interests such as mining companies to take over these public lands.

• Pierce County to talk with Iraq veterans and their families to learn first hand how these constituents feel about sending soldiers into combat with inadequate body and vehicle armor.

• City of Kent to meet with workers who have had their jobs exported oversees.

• Senior Center to talk about why the administration’s prescription drug benefit — supported by Mr. Reichert — is creating such confusion and chaos.

• Bellevue Community College to meet with students and explain why the Bush Administration and Mr. Reichert support making it harder for student to get college loans.

April 19, 2006

Office of the Vice President

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. Vice President:

During your recent trip to Washington State to support White House endorsed candidates, you were quoted by both Seattle newspapers as telling 8th District Representative Dave Reichert that you would "campaign for your opponent if it'll help.�

As Reichert's Democratic opponent, I would like to take you up on your kind and thoughtful offer and I cordially invite you to come and spend a day campaigning with me in the 8th District. The district reaches from Microsoft's Redmond Campus to Mount Rainier National Park and offers a microcosm of America. Here are some of the events I would like to plan for your visit to the 8th.

Let's start at Mount Rainier where we can take in the beautiful and precious parklands and forests. Here you may be able to see clearly why our district so opposed the Republican plan — supported by Mr. Reichert — to make it easier for developers and private interests such as mining companies to take over and ruin these treasured public lands.

Moving north from Mount Rainier, I would like to have you meet with some of our brave Iraq veterans and their families to learn first hand of the inadequate body and vehicle armor your Administration provided them. Also, I am sure National Guard families and veterans will want to ask you why your Administration and Mr. Reichert opposed giving them the same health benefits as the regular military along whose side they have fought.

In Kent, we could meet with some workers who have had their jobs exported oversees and you can explain why the Bush tax policy gives tax breaks to American companies who out source American jobs. They'd like to know why their own tax dollars are being used to help them become unemployed.

Then, perhaps, we could visit a senior center and you could try to explain to our elderly why your prescription drug benefit — supported by Mr. Reichert — is creating such confusion and chaos.

Finally, we could stop at Bellevue Community College where I could easily assemble a group of students who can not understand why the Bush Administration and Mr. Reichert would propose and support making it harder for student to get college loans.

It will be a full day, but it will be a rewarding and interesting one. Again, I greatly appreciate your offer and look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Darcy Burner
Candidate for Congress