This election is a referendum on the 2006 elections. Observers nationally will view this election as a test of whether or not people want the kind of change that the Democratic Party is offering. We want to bring our troops home and care for them once they are here; we want affordable, universal health care for all Americans and we want the Congress to show leadership on the issue of global warming.
There are several ways you can help. We need volunteers to make phone calls, knock on doors and help reach out to voters throughout this District over the next 40 days. To sign up, you can email field(at)nikitsongas.com, fill out our volunteer page on our website, or you can call 978.458.NIKI (6454). Furthermore, John Walsh and the state Democratic Party will be setting up phone banks all over the state, so stay tuned in to find out about those. Finally, you can donate through the campaign's Actblue page.
We have six weeks to send a message to President Bush and to Washington that we want change. Please help today!
Agree to debate Jim Ogonowski three times over the course of the next six weeks?
but why the number 3 in particular? just curious.
I just threw three out there because today Ogonowski challenged Tsongas to three debates. Personally, I'd like to see more debates, even one a week all on different topics.
Thanks for the question. Debates are an important part of talking to voters. I was pleased that so many from this community attended, hosted and participated in many of the debates held during the Primary. I believe I've done over 25 debates and forums so far and I intend to debate again.
I'm sure we'll work out the debate schedule in the days ahead. Along these lines, we have already accepted the two requests from the League of Women Voters offered to all of the campaigns several weeks ago, one of which is going to be held in the southern part of the district and one in the northern part of the district. We are certainly open to having either of these anchored by a media outlet and we will work out the details of the third debate in the coming days. I'll be sure to post details of the debates as we get them.
Three is a magic number of course. Thank you ABC Schoolhouse Rocks.
Why did he skip ALL the candidates' forums held this summer, while Niki was very active?
Why would he debate a bunch of Democrats pre-primary?
This always comes up when there is a GOP and 3 – 4 Dems. Oh, NO! This is a GENERAL forum! And, if you're dumb enough to partake, the Dems can tag team you. And he had a primary to win, to boot.
He wants to debate his eventual opponent, not the loser Dems.
Tierney showed up at a lot of them. Heck, you could even point to Mecelli – who usually showed. Mecelli's views don't jive with most of the people attending any of these forums, yet he earned a lot of respect in just showing up.
Then had this to say in the Lowell Sun after the primary.
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Perhaps he should have tried to reach out to voters by going door to door and showing up at events, instead of sitting around the table with the Democrats at Progressive sponsored forums.
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Jim Ogonowski debated 5 times before the primary. That was enough.
Ryan – there is no such thing as the 'progressive' party. Chairman Miceli went to the Democratic debates, Ogonawski went to the Republican ones.
And he didn't need to show up to earn respect – he's done that with thirty years of service in the House, and another fourteen years as an elected municipal official before that.
Why would Niki want to debate the loser Rupublican?
But we all know that she doesn't feel that way and never shyed away from debating.
That's why the comments by you and Ebo are funny. Guess what, the candidates would be after the person with the votes, and none of those are R's. It would have been Niki. Don't kid yourself.
But, since he went to the forums, it appears she was willing to do so.
Now, she needs to debate the winner.
But Ogonowski has repeatedly. That's the point.
She's probably been to about a dozen debates during this very short special-election season. I've criticized Niki Tsongas on a few issues (such as health care), but she's definately honored the democratic process – despite the fact that it offered no real electoral incentive in doing so many (only chances to actually harm her campaign, in case she mispoke). So, honestly, I trust Niki Tsongas will debate Ogonowski at least three times – even though, ironically, it was Oganowski who was the one dodging most of the debates this entire primary season.
You ran a great campaign and I'm sure will represent Massachusetts well as our next Congressperson.
Thanks Ryan. I look forward to working with you over the next six weeks.
…and a lot of other folks on this site did the same. While we are all Democrats and we will rally around the primary winner, as that winner you need to understand that the playing field is changing. Now, I can't speak for anyone else here, but speaking for myself, I'd feel a whole lot better about supporting your candidacy (the way I did for Jamie) if you engaged us – reply to our comments, have a conversation with us, show us that our views are important and relevant.
Writing a post and then leaving is NOT the way outreach is done in the blogosphere – we want the give and take, the conversation, that's what people power is all about. Please reply and at least let me know that you've seen this, ok? We'll send you to Congress, but you have to acknowledge us with more than an occasional “hit-and-run” post at our favorite blog – it's our favorite because of the conversation we have here. Thanks for listening…
Hi John, thanks for your message. Unfortunately, the campaign trail doesn't allow me to follow every thread or answer every question that is posed here. However, I am looking forward to getting more involved with the BMG community and continuing the discussion and the hard work ahead during the election and beyond.
I know how busy candidates get, and I certainly don't expect you to reply to every thread or question – but when you start a post, you should set aside some time to respond to comments with it, like you just did here. This is certainly a step in the right direction, and I look forward to working with you to keep our congressional delegation blue.
Thanks again!
Simply because the alternative is horrific to contemplate, I will help you. But I’d rather do so because I firmly believe that you will (a) stand up to the Bush maladministration and say no to each and everything they want, no matter what (because history clearly shows that WHATEVER it is they want is NOT healthy for this nation, without exception); (b) avoid the corrupting influences of money and power; (c) bring the people into the process by keeping us informed and realizing that we can handle the truth; (d) LISTENING to us and doing our will.
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Each election is a process of giving up our power. I would suggest that it’s time the people had a choice over their own destiny. In this, the very system we have is broken. But you can be a bridge.
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I’m tired of the usual hack-ridden politic; the promises; the rhetoric; the lies; and the way our party has gone Republican, allegedly to stay alive. Find a way, quickly, to hear from your district. Be a leader by shaping what you’ve heard into a direction that will mean something. Then, with the same leadership ability, carry the goals forward, continuing to communicate, adjust where needed, and see to it that the accomplishments are effectively implemented.
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The punchlist, in case you were unaware, is:
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– No compromise on IRAQ. No more funding without a clear deadline for removal of troops, preferably in 120 days fro the bill’s passage. No permanent bases should be a strong component of the bill. The bill should include criminal penalties for non-compliance and tests to assure that the provisions have been followed;
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– Support bringing IRAQ’s regional neighbors into the stabilization process. They all have an interest in stability;
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– Clamp down on Israel’s military with a trend towards disarmament of all the region’s players, a clear establishment of the pre-1972 Palestinian borders, and the protection of rights of all sides;
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– Support impeachment investigation of Cheney and Bush. If they knowingly lied to America and the congress (and it appears so) then they ought to be prosecuted, thrown out of office and into a jail;
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– Support investigations into the illegal espionage of US citizens. Remove protections from corporations who complied with illegal government directives but offer amnesty for corporations who immediately cease and desist further activity.
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– Disband the FISA system which is in essence a secret court. There is no place in our democracy for a secret court. Warrants may be sealed to protect investigations as they always have.
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– Restore, and strengthen, the doctrine of Habeas Corpus;
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– Un-“streamline” our system of justice. Many protections for citizens have been removed via administrative manipulation and changes in our laws. We have become a nation where those with the most money get “justice”, and the rest are swiftly trampled;
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– Treat the “terrorist” issue not as a “war” but as a police action. This deserves strong international cooperation.
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– Work towards restoring our “image” in the world by living up to who we are. This can be accomplished by the congress through its pressure on the current maladministration’s foreign policy initiatives via funding mandates and other means;
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– Support investigations into Justice Department malfesance and seek independent special prosecutor to bring Gonzalez and others to justice;
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– Do NOT approve any more Bush maladministration appointees whatsoever. Stop this maladministration in its tracks;
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– Support an expansion of the Medicare system to include all Americans, or a voucher system that permits shopping for medical coverage;
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– Support price controls on medications;
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– Fully fund stem cell research;
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– De-fund the maladministration’s “faith-based” programs;
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– Resist, at every turn, the injection of any religion into civic life;
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That’s just the short list.
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Good luck.
Is it true that you have people from NH bused into MA to show support and hold signs for you?
Without Tsupporters of her own in MassachuTsetts, Tsongas imported Barry Obama’s campaign organization from New HampTshire.
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The funny part is Tsongas then went on WBZ and Tstated that Tshe didn’t have a favorite in the PreTsidential contest.
The comment is true, and supported with a link to a relevant article. Does he poke fun at Niki's last name? Yes – but Niki does the same thing at her web site, look at here endorsements page, labeled “Tsongas Tsupporters” in her menu:
http://www.nikitsongas.com
There's nothing “worthless” about a factual post, even if it is damaging to a Democrat. Here's a quote from one of my favorite founding fathers:
Gives all conservatives a 3 rating. It's his deal. It doesn't bother me.
It’s worthless as far as I am concerned. Others are quite free to make their own judgment. So where is the abuse? Is my rating going to affect his credit rating or something?
😉
What do you think EaBo?
A fair chunk of change has been accepted by Ogonowski from
alienout-of-state donors. and the website i linked to only tracks donations of $200 or more. I’d be careful of wagging fingers at Tsongas’s NH daughter helping her mother in MA, EaBo. Might make the Ogonowski campaign look two-faced and amateurish.From the Tsongas Campaign. Nice.
I don't find the help per se odd. I find the fact she said that she is not supporting a Presidential candidate after taking help from only one candidate as mentioned in the Globe disengenous. And if we want to talk about out of state money. I think Nikki is more than winning that. Most of Jim's out of state money comes from personal friends and Air Force people. Not Tspecial interests.
came from you. look up-thread.
Niki's daughter is a field organizer for Obama in New Hampshire.
“Do NOT approve any more Bush maladministration appointees whatsoever.”We need to stop this administration from appointing unqualified political hacks like Reed Hillman!
Will you support Jessica's Law if elected in MA?
You need to get a better picture of yourself….I knew you sounded familiar. Don't forget to smile 🙂
As with the campaign, and subsequent election of Deval Patrick, we have a choice to make about HOW, exactly we'll conduct ourselves in the upcoming… Here's some of the things I've been thinking about, particularly as regards many many posts I've read here and at other blue and blue-ish blogs…
My advise is to have some perspective:
— Niki Tsongas is not Jesus (nor was Jamie Eldridge). Accept this and you'll live better and longer. As well, you won't experience dissonant frustration you can't articulate the first time Niki says/does something with which you disagree. A a long time observer of the political scene I've seen this particular democratic pathology played out again and again: Howard Dean was IT and now Obama IS. Wes Clark was the only one with the combination of savvy, experience and gravitas… but now it's Al Gore (again), yada yada yada. Hard truth time: there is no superhero coming to save the day, but rather it is mere mortals who have to do it one weary footstep at a time. Nor is there a superhero so constituted that previously uninterested or alienated voters will spring to new citizenship. Even Ike wasn't that great at being Ike. A lot of energy was dissipated uselessly searching -yearning- for the perfect candidate. What is worse, however, is that even more energy was wasted, following quickly on the fire having been so spent being angry at the candidates we had simply for not being perfect. (John Kerry wasn't Howard Dean… Now Niki Tsongas isn't Eldridge… 'Ah do declayah mah heart skips a beat when ah think about what maht ha' been…' Wrong attitude)
Have some more perspective:
— Don't equate compromise with capitulation, for then the perfect becomes enemy to the good. You're hiring someone to make decisions on your behalf who'll be doing so in a swirling melange of 433 other decision makers, some in opposition, some in alliance but all in allegiance to their respective districts. Compromise is going to happen. But if you get stuck on the expectation of one result as the only possible outcome, you're going to drive yourself insane with frustration. Don't do that. We like you sane. Stay sane. If you learn about how decisions are made, without regard to your expected outcome, you'll learn which candidates will know the difference between compromise and capitulation.
— The issues about which you care most, often those most important and importantly central to our lives, aren't being ignored just because Niki Tsongas isn't frothing at the mouth and lobbying for radical change. Excess passion and zeal frighten some people.
— As has been said many times: The Democrats job is harder; we have to convince people, they (repubs and conservatives) only have to push buttons. We could appeal to their emotionalism, as republicans do, just as easily and with results we'd heartily approve of.. . that we don't, and won't, is because we believe in something other than the means.
I say this all in the context of electionerring: if you're going to be out there (or in here) trying to sway votes, you first need to examine your own habits of thought.
You see, it's all about winning. When we get people to think, we win. When people think about the facts and the choices that have been made and need to be made. We win. What's more… and more important… is that they win too. Republicans/conservatives win by getting people angry and frustrated (that is to say, to get them to NOT think). When we're angry and frustrated, we lose. And again… so do they. They're just so angry and frustrated, it seems like winning…
to talk radio. Your opponent is on a lot, coached on taking points and getting tons of free publicity
It’s amazing to me after looking at all the posts NO ONE has mentioned the #1 issue facing America: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION!
Could it be because Nikki Tsongas supports ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION! Funny I noticed she does not have it listed under the “on the issues” section of her website.
I saw her on NECN the other night and almost fell off the chair when she stated she supports “a path to Citizenship for undocumented workers.” Hey Nikki the correct terms are “AMNESTY” and “ILLEGAL ALIENS.”
What is it going to take to get through these SELL OUT Politicians heads on both sides that the American Citizens want the current Immigration laws enforced and NO AMNESTY for Illegal Aliens?! Just look how the Senate Amnesty bill went down in flames TWICE!
We literally shut the Senate phone lines down, so many people were calling. It is the #1 issue facing the Country whether You want to believe it or not.
Starting this week Mexican trucks are now allowed into America. This is the trucking part of NAFTA which has been on hold for over 10 years. You can thank the great Bill Clinton for NAFTA and of course Bush will continue in his footsteps. In North Carolina driver’s licenses are now being issued with a “North American Union” symbol.
http://www.alipac.us…
As an American Citizen I don’t understand how You could vote for ANYBODY that undermines the Sovereignty of America. A candidate who supports “a path to Citizenship for Illegal Aliens” like NIKKI TSONGAS is doing just that..
Why isn’t she stating what she will do to discourage Illegal Immigration? Instead she is encouraging it just like that TRAITOR that’s right TRAITOR of a Governor Deval Patrick. First thing he does in office is repeal the 287(g) law that lets the State Police enforce Immigration laws. So much for upholding his CONSTITUTIONAL duty to enforce the laws of the United States and protect the CITIZENS!
To the Citizens of Massachusetts: had enough of Ted Kennedy, John Kerry, Bill Delahunt,….Nikki Tsongas?
Not just going after Dems here, President Bush should be impeached for not securing the border(especially after 9/11) and letting America be overrun with Illegal Aliens which seems to be all part of this “North America Union.”
Go Jim Ogonowski or Kevin Thompson!
Watch out for overuse of caps. It makes you look deranged.
As I just learned on Rasmussen, the number one issue is health care.
That may be followed closely by someone using up our capital letters.
I will take the boards constructive criticism under advisement.
As You can see I am very passionate about this issue.
Granted Rasmussen is one of the better polls but that does not make it the end all.
Using your premise as Healthcare being the #1 issue, Illegal Immigration has a huge impact on the cost of Healthcare to Americans. We are talking billions of dollars here:
http://www.fairus.or…
So whether it be Healthcare, Education, Crime, Jobs or Security being the # 1 issue facing America, Illegal Immigration plays a huge part in all of that.
Hence my point of Illegal Immigration being the top issue. I strongly believe that if any poll was to reveal that being the case the media would cover it up.
Hell CNN won't even bring it up when they hold the Democrat debates.
Hint to Republican visitors: you do not win points by calling the Democratic Party the “Democrat” Party. That may work among Republicans. Not here.
If you want sarcasm-free responses, take note.
If you want to argue from substance rather than polling, I still don't think you have it right.
Based on the consequences, global warming is number one. If we don't solve it, we face huge refugee crises, destructive hurricanes, droughts, famines, invasive species, the spread of malaria and other tropical diseases, and significant losses of plant and animal species.
Those all make the immigration thing look petty.
Second based on cost alone is the huge screw-up the Bush Administration has perpetrated on the Middle East. That includes the billions pouring down the Iraqi sinkhole, the criminal neglect of the Palestinian-Israeli issues, and the inability to engage Iran diplomatically. Secondary effects of that screw-up include our inability to get global agreements on useful, necessary things like nuclear non-proliferation. The budgetary impact of this fiasco prevents us from doing many other things far more useful and productive.
Not a Republican, registered Independent. Have voted for Democrats before but not lately. You know the saying: I did not leave the Democratic party the Democratic party left me, well that’s how I feel. A few examples Ted (Amnesty)Kennedy, John Kerry, Deval Patrick to name a few.
A few others reasons why I won't be voting for a Democrat in the 08 elections, they had a debate on Univison a Spanish channel, where all the questions asked were in you guessed it: Spanish. They all stated they supported a “path to citizenship” for Illegal Aliens.
http://www.washingto…
So my SUV is more dangerous and/or directly affects you more than 20 million Illegal Aliens in America? Talk about drinking the kool-aid.
Your more worried about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict than what is going on in your own Country? 9000+ American Citizens murdered by Illegal Aliens last year, need I say more?
http://worldnetdaily…
“Substance” would be talking to everyday working Americans on the street, I am positive that Illegal Immigration would top both of your so called top issues, global warming and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
I would love to pose those questions to my fellow Teamsters –lol.
Your SUV is the number one issue facing the country.