i disagree completely...

anyone who wants to run should run. the more people that run the better.. the more people involved in politics the better

i would never discourage anyone from running for office....

thats why we have primaries!

to say that because someone came close when few expected them to do so that then that same person should automatically represent the democratic party is undemocratic.

Personally, I think having powerful grassroots efforts and progressive views are what will lead the Democrats into a domination period over Republicans over the next couple of decades.  (If we manage to elect good candidates and bring more good candidates to the fight.)  

Eric Massa is a very strong candidate, and he could very well be the man who rescues this country from the shame of having a person like Randy Kuhl in Congress (shiver).

But numbers are numbers.  Eric Massa lost in 2006 by 3 points, not two.  Specifically, we're talking about a difference of 6,033 votes, of 206,111 votes cast.

Check here. (http://www.elections.state.ny.us/NYSBOE /elections/2006/general/2006_cong.pdf> ;

I hear what you're saying, but.. sometimes our candidate is not the best candidate, they just get close cause of the Republican candidate's failings, a wave, etc.

In the end, it's all about what the district wants. Nothing wrong with a good clean primary.

Well, Massa did get about $58,500 from DCCC in his race, which means he got about $5000 more from the committee than did Christine Jennings down in FL-14, whom DCCC endorsed preprimary.

I think you're right that Slaughter shouldn't be backing a challenge to Massa, but for a different reason.  If we look back on 2006, candidates named to the "Red to Blue" Program before their primaries were more likely to get the nomination than not, but less likely to win in the general than "Red to Blue" candidates endorsed after they'd secured the nomination.  Duckworth, Jennings, Hafen, Lois Murphy...hell, the only preprimary "Red to Blue" candidates to make it into Congress so far (not counting candidates who had served before, like Lucas and Hill) have been Ed Perlmutter and Heath Shuler.  And at the same time, two grassroots candidates DCCC and party elites thought were unelectable--Jerry McNerney and Carol Shea-Porter--are both sitting in Congress right now.

If the previous nominee is running again, and he or she is not a convicted felon or known pedophile, then why do elites think it's necessary to back another candidate of their own choosing?  It creates a backlash and the statistical evidence seems to indicate that the risks outweigh the rewards, since the preprimary-endorsed candidates seem to lose at a faster rate than candidates that didn't have primaries or had already won their nominations.

Agree with you on this one completely, Matt.  What Serge misses in his comment is that sometimes it takes a trailblazer to show the way, to take the risk, and show that it can be done.  Eric Massa in the 29th was that trailblazer.  At tremendous personal sacrifice, he gritted out a tough race and came within a hair of winning, with no -- none, nada, zero, zilch -- support from the DCCC.  And what Serge misses is that sometimes it takes more than one cycle to manufacture a win.  The Republicans understand that. If Eric's 49-51 near-victory is now answered by a challenge from a self-funding corporatist, what's the lesson?  Where's the incentive to be a leader?

There is every reason to believe that in 2008, Eric can get that one more point that he needs to win, and take this District Blue. But if he has to spend precious dollars winning the right to a rematch, it becomes that much harder.  As Democrats -- and, by the way, not just progressives, but Democrats -- we need to start rewarding our trailblazers, who take on the tough fights.  Yes, Serge, Mr. Nachbar has the right to do many things, but it shows, I think, poor judgment and selfish opportunism to grasp this opportunity and make it harder for Eric Massa. What Mr. Nachbar ought to do is give more than the paltry $250 he gave to Eric last year.  

Meanwhile, what the rest of us can do is let Eric know that we're with him by logging in to his website, getting on his mailing list, and sending a few bucks. I met Eric this past weekend at the DFNY annual conference in Albany, and was impressed that he's the real deal.  That's why Eric Massa has become the second Congressional candidate outside my own District (the first was John Hall) that I'm supporting with my own hard-earned cash.  Here's a link to his .pdf donation form: http://www.massaforcongress.com/donor.pd f.

Go Blue!

Matt, since i am not sure how to write you privately.. i have to say i am not sure where the insult(s) you refer to is(are).. if saying "thats silly" or "don't be crazy" is an insult then i don't know what!

anyways
take care.

This smells uncomfortably like Cegelis/Duckworth.

Isn't the primary in September of 2008?  If so a primary that late leaves the winner with precious little time to build momentum before November.  We don't need a primary race leaving a vulnerable GOP incumbent free to do as he pleases until after a September Democratic primary.

I'm in favor of having the '08 primaries next week.

Then we can have the primary elections for 2012 on 17Dec08 and just get it over with. So the election can be certified and the machines don't have to go back into storage.

This eternal campaign, and the posturing instead of governing, is not what people care about.

Except, get this Massa was a Republican before as well.  Massa tried to challenge Barend in '04, but wait, he couldn't because he wasn't registered!  

Again, there still has been official word from Louise that she is indeed supportting EITHER candidate!

Also, I was recently present at a local Dem committee meeting that REFUSED to extend an invitation to meet with either candidate because it was perceived that there was no time.  Democracy?  What democracy?