VIDEO- Victory! Virginia Progressive Krystal Ball Beats Blue Dog in Primary

By GottaLaff



Via an e-mail:

VICTORY! Yesterday in Virginia's first congressional district, Blue Dog Democrat Scott Robinson conceded the primary to progressive champ Krystal Ball.

We've been working with Krystal for the past month, recently placed a talented field director on the ground, and officially endorsed Krystal last week. You were one of thousands of PCCC members who gave a $30,000 boost to her campaign (and our other endorsed candidate in New Hampshire).

In a caucus primary that required solid grassroots organizing, Krystal ran a people-powered campaign -- the Blue Dog did not. Krystal's progressive message inspired voters -- the Blue Dog did not.

There's an amazing video from a Democratic forum where the Blue Dog says a progressive can't win, and Krystal eloquently says why we can.

[...] Working together in 2010, PCCC members and our endorsed candidates will prove that a progressive message is the path to victory.

Thanks for being a bold progressive.

-- Stephanie Taylor, PCCC co-founder

P.S. Krystal faces a March 31 FEC fundraising deadline that people look at as a sign of a candidate's momentum. You can chip in another $4 to her campaign against right-wing Republican Rep. Rob Wittman here.

H/t: Ellen

Double Quickie: Liberals happy + Conyers, Nadler Ask Holder to Name Counsel on Torture

By GottaLaff

I'm not sure how much more good news I can take today (both of these Quickies are from Roll Call, subscription only):

Progressives Pleased After Obama Meeting

House liberals got their day in the sun with President Barack Obama, who on Tuesday sat down with nearly the entire 77-member Congressional Progressive Caucus to hear their concerns on two key issues: health care reform and war funding.

Conyers, Nadler Ask Holder to Name Counsel on Torture

House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) along with other Democrats on his committee are asking Attorney General Eric Holder to name a special counsel to investigate and prosecute torture of detainees by the Bush administration.

Those were today's Quickies. Were they good for you?

Coalition takes aim at moderate Dems

I love the way Politico phrases the first line, as if the progressive Dems are the ones straying from party unity. Well, maybe they are, but it's Republican Party unity.

Forget party unity in the Obama era. Liberals are fed up with moderate Democrats, and a coalition of left-leaning groups is targeting Democratic senators who have been critical of the president’s $3.7 trillion budget proposal.

Campaign for America’s Future and USAction will roll out a multifront media campaign Tuesday targeting Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.), who has been the most vocal in his opposition to the budget.

Bayh is forming a group of moderate Democrats in the Senate modeled after the powerful House Blue Dog coalition, and the Senate liberal coalition is promising to “dog” those senators on where they stand.

“We just want them to take a stance. Either they are for him or against him,” said USAction spokeswoman CeCe Grant. “We’re just basically saying, ‘What side are you on?’”