There's a minor blog controversy over what Ohio Democratic Senate candidate Jennifer Brunner told the National Journal
The DSCC has all but written her [Brunner] off, however, and the establishment has turned to [Democrat Lee] Fisher. In fact, Brunner said when she spoke with DSCC Chair Bob Menendez in Sept., he first told her that he "didn't want to see a Democratic candidate at the end of the primary with zero dollars," and he followed up that his organization would go into the state to work against a candidate perceived as "being negative in the primary or not raising enough money."
Brunner said she responded: "If you do that, the women of Ohio will never forgive you." Menendez, she said, retorted: "I know you're not scared of me, and I'm not scared of you."
I'm glad there's a primary and that Ohio Democrats will have a chance to choose the best candidate. Brunner has done a lot of good work and if many activists think she'd be a better candidate I take that seriously. That said, I don't really sympathize with Brunner here. First of all, I don't see how making these complaints public is going to help her. Furthermore, Cleveland's Plain Dealer wonders why she's talking to the National Journal instead of an Ohio outlet. It seems like she is showing bad judgment as she finds herself losing, threatening the DSCC and complaining in the press. Second, I can hardly expect Bob Menendez of New Jersey to think money isn't important. How am I supposed to be shocked and outraged?
Still, it would be nice someday to hear that Menendez, Rahm Emmanuel, or anyone in the DC power structure threatened conservative Democrats even once. It's all seems awfully one-sided, and so they shouldn't act so surprised the liberals on-line are in full revolt. |
