Russ Carnahan Endorsements

My blogging might be a little late and a little light the next few days, but I'll do my best to keep up, however belatedly. There were a couple of compelling endorsements of Congressman Russ Carnahan in the last few days.

The St. Louis American:

When few believed Barack Obama had a chance to win the presidency, and the remnants of the Gephardt machine in his 3rd Congressional District were staunchly in support of Hillary Clinton, U.S. Rep. Russ Carnahan endorsed Obama for the Democratic nomination. When Obama won the nomination and the general election on the strength of a strong black turnout and widespread support from forward-looking people like Carnahan, the congressman got behind the agenda formulated by the new president. Boosted by millions in corporate and right-wing donor money, the angry white fringe of the Republican Party has, through relentless reiteration of falsehoods and distortions, managed to scare most Democrats away from taking pride in Obama’s legislative accomplishments. But we believe this president and this Congress deserve much praise....

Carnahan has been supportive of this president’s progressive policies. In these midterm elections, which many fear will be dominated by the Republican Party’s right flank, most Democrats are ignoring their own accomplishments, many of which have not been explained sufficiently. (Indeed, they are difficult to explain.) But the 3rd Congressional District and Missouri have been well served by this president and by Congressman Carnahan, even as almost all of us suffer from a deep, prolonged economic recession, which started during the Bush presidency. The progressive leadership of Obama is still needed badly, whatever the angry white right-wing fearmongers might say, and however they may influence the public posture of Democrats. Obama needs proven legislators in his own party like Russ Carnahan for his leadership to be effective. For make no mistake, if voters do not help Obama protect his Democratic congressional majorities on Nov. 2, then a divided or a Republican-controlled Congress will stymy his every move and may limit his tenure in the White House to one term. That is exactly what the Republican Party intends to accomplish. Republicans may be fired up, but the outcome of this critical race will be decided by turnout. If Carnahan supporters come to the polls, he will return to the House of Representatives.

And, on Carnahan's opponent Ed Martin:

Carnahan faces a cagey, far right-wing Republican (and three more marginal candidates) on the Nov. 2 ballot. If the angry, divisive white right had a poster boy it would be Carnahan’s Republican opponent, Ed Martin. Martin’s campaign has been a prolonged distortion of the truth, starting with the fiction that he is an outsider. In fact, he ran Missouri government for Republican Gov. Matt Blunt – one of the most powerful political positions in the state. He resigned from that post following a humiliating public episode when Martin destroyed public documents by deleting government emails and attempted to defend this practice. He had first fired the staff attorney who had advised Martin he was breaking the law. If Obama’s defining message has been accountability and transparency in government, then Ed Martin is the anti-Obama. In our house, that is a grave insult.

And the Post Dispatch:

But character counts, and Ed Martin flunks. For character and his stance on the issues, vote for Russ Carnahan.