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News & ArtsFriday, June 8, 2012
Politics / The Ladies / Election Darcy Burner: Democrats Are "the Lotus of Politics"
Posted by Goldy on Fri, Jun 8, 2012 at 4:56 PM
My progressive blogger colleagues are meeting in Providence this week at the 2012 Netroots Nation convention, where Washington 1st Congressional District candidate Darcy Burner joined Massachusetts US Senate challenger Elizabeth Warren and Hawaii US Senate candidate Rep. Mazie Hirono onstage for this afternoon's keynote: "2012 and the War on (and for) Women."
My newsroom colleagues have no end of fun teasing me about my support for Darcy, but watching her presentation (it starts about 7:45 in, and is only about 14 minutes long), I'm reminded of what initially attracted me to her candidacy back in 2006. Darcy is smart, thoughtful, analytical, and yes, geeky. And most of all, she's not afraid to critique Democratic establishment politics. (Which perhaps helps explain why the state Democratic establishment shows her so little support?)
Watch it.
4
The establishment doesn't like her because she lost a 56% Obama district in the two biggest Democratic landslides in recent history... And now she's going to do it for a third time and send John Koster to Congress.
Laura Ruderman is a much better candidate.
Laura Ruderman is a much better candidate.
7
No wonder you get teased. I like *most* of your writing, but Burner could steal all your money, wreck your car, leave a pile of poo on your desk, and kick you in the crotch for good measure, and you'd blame The Times somehow for making her do it.
8
"Democrats are the lotus of politics" is the kind of speech that gets Republicans elected. Nobody gives a shit about lotuses, or fanciful, "thoughtful" analogies. Wispy stuff. She needs to talk about kicking the motherfuckers in the balls instead. "I promise to kick the motherfuckers in the balls every goddamn day". Like that.
9
@8, that's what Ruderman can do and does. But Washington Dems are too f--king polite to vote for someone like that. Nope, Burner will win the nomination with that glassy smile and lose to Koster.
10
The sound of Burner's voice is like a cheese grater to my eardrums. For God's sake, get her a speech coach that can help her take that abrasive chirp out of her voice.
11
Darcy is a fucking idiot. I don't get why ANYONE would love her. Hell, I'm fairly certain Dwight Pelz would rather have a "Congress(wo)man Piece of Shit" than a "Congresswoman Burner."
Besides, if she wins in 2012, we'll just be giving into electing a new congressional representative in 2014. God, she's a fucktard.
Besides, if she wins in 2012, we'll just be giving into electing a new congressional representative in 2014. God, she's a fucktard.
13
I think #8 needs to be in charge since he understands the voters a lot better than the Democrats do.
14
@4 Laura Ruderman lost her election too. Burner lost hers to Reichert. You think Ruderman could beat Reichert?
15
Yes, I want someone more able to critique Democratic politics than win an election. She seems happy to be a party celebrity.
16
For the record, John Koster is a two-time loser as well. And, in contrast to Darcy, one of his losses was in an open-seat race.
@8:
She was speaking of Lotus -- as in the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet -- not flowers. As in "losing out to Microsoft because they tried to build the best product instead of the best-selling product". Had she been a programmer for IBM or Sony, instead of Lotus Development, she might have used OS/2 or Beta as her metaphor.
Darcy's talk wasn't a campaign speech, though I think she could use it as one, especially in front of a female audience. Her take-a-step-back, big-picture theme could work in Ferndale or Lynden just as well as in Kirkland and Bothell.
@8:
She was speaking of Lotus -- as in the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet -- not flowers. As in "losing out to Microsoft because they tried to build the best product instead of the best-selling product". Had she been a programmer for IBM or Sony, instead of Lotus Development, she might have used OS/2 or Beta as her metaphor.
Darcy's talk wasn't a campaign speech, though I think she could use it as one, especially in front of a female audience. Her take-a-step-back, big-picture theme could work in Ferndale or Lynden just as well as in Kirkland and Bothell.
17
Wow. What a hate-filled thread. Yet nobody bothered to refute the arguments Darcy makes in her presentation (which by the way, as N points out, was not a campaign speech, but a presentation on how to fight back in the War on Women, presented to an audience of progressive activists and bloggers). My guess is had Suzan DelBene made this presentation, everybody would remark upon how thoughtful and analytical she is.
If Darcy makes it through the primary, part of the reason why will be that the Democratic establishment (and their establishment candidate) reflexively dismissed her instead of bothering to respond to her.
If Darcy makes it through the primary, part of the reason why will be that the Democratic establishment (and their establishment candidate) reflexively dismissed her instead of bothering to respond to her.
18
It's fun to give speeches to friends, but electionwise Darcy Burner is to Suzan Del Bene as, oh, say, Ralph Nader is to Dennis Kucinich. For all the difference either is going to make come general election day, they as may as well be the same person. Darzan Del Burnzere. Surcy Bur DelNere.
20
"She needs to talk about kicking the motherfuckers in the balls instead"
Isn't it what she was doing? Most of what she said was about taking the fight to conservatives and their money men.
Isn't it what she was doing? Most of what she said was about taking the fight to conservatives and their money men.
21
@16--Welll, the R's seem stuck with Kostner. His losses are more spread out than Burner's two elections in a row--two-time loser is not the first thing that springs to mind about him. Plus, Kostner also has held elective office, so there is another identifier for him besides "former candidate."
Sadly, whatever her merits, Burner is known mostly for losing. The same race, twice. This is a turnoff to voters.
And, Goldy--that is why "the Democratic establishment" doesn't support her. The D's would like a winning candidate.
Sadly, whatever her merits, Burner is known mostly for losing. The same race, twice. This is a turnoff to voters.
And, Goldy--that is why "the Democratic establishment" doesn't support her. The D's would like a winning candidate.
23
Goldy, you don't work in politics. And that's why you don't understand the biggest rap on Darcy. She had the opportunity to win two races for Congress in very pro-Democratic years, but she lost both. She's the equivalent of a salesman who can't close the deal. Or a Democratic Dino Rossi. Whatever.
The "Democratic insiders" put a premium on a primary candidate's ability to win the final election. Darcy has shown that she will always find a way to lose.
The "Democratic insiders" put a premium on a primary candidate's ability to win the final election. Darcy has shown that she will always find a way to lose.
25
"Hate-filled?" Goldy, way to shoot the messenger. What do you think it means that with the Stranger crowd, a group with whom the President can literally do no wrong, there is so little enthusiasm for Burner?
Burner is a middle-class technocrat with zero political experience who decided based on her cleverness that she could waltz into one of 500 or so most powerful positions in the country.
But I listened to her speech, and couldn't figure out what the fuck she was actually proposing, other than (a) an app for buying progressive, and (b) more GOTV.
As a side note, I come from MN, where the DFL runs these sort of "pure and unadulterated by the political process" candidates all the time for Federal positions. It's why Michele Bachmann won her first three elections.
Burner is a middle-class technocrat with zero political experience who decided based on her cleverness that she could waltz into one of 500 or so most powerful positions in the country.
But I listened to her speech, and couldn't figure out what the fuck she was actually proposing, other than (a) an app for buying progressive, and (b) more GOTV.
As a side note, I come from MN, where the DFL runs these sort of "pure and unadulterated by the political process" candidates all the time for Federal positions. It's why Michele Bachmann won her first three elections.
26
The Stranger crowd, whatever that means, does not equate to Obama can do no wrong. Obama does plenty wrong. However, he's got a brain, unlike the Republican candidate.
27
Since I'm (a) no longer a Washington voter and (b) clueless about things like apps, please don't everybody jump on me when I say I would gladly buy an app thingy I could carry around and make sure I helped put the Koch Brothers in the poorhouse, because their malign effect is not limited to Washington State. I had no idea they owned G-P. What else do they own that produces consumer products -- anybody can tell me?
28
Sarah @ 26:
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Look, I voted for the guy, and will do so again in the fall, but this was the stupidest thing he's ever said and the Stranger crowd trips over itself in its haste to cover for him.
Yet they *still* hate Darcy Burner.
The Stranger crowd, whatever that means, does not equate to Obama can do no wrong.
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive…
Look, I voted for the guy, and will do so again in the fall, but this was the stupidest thing he's ever said and the Stranger crowd trips over itself in its haste to cover for him.
Yet they *still* hate Darcy Burner.
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