Thursday, August 26, 2004

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MOVEON PAC
Next week in New York, Republican politicians will try to make the case that their party represents mainstream American values. Don't be fooled. Because at the same time that Republicans claim they represent all of America, they're fielding candidates who have some pretty outrageous and radical views. Republican congressional candidate and eugenics supporter James Hart, for example, recently explained his campaign strategy to reporters: "Every person who opens the door — as long as they're white — I'll say, 'I'm James Hart. I'm running for Congress." We can't afford to let people like James Hart run our country. So today, we're highlighting five of the candidates who are going to take it back – folks running against far-right candidates in very close races. If we support all of them, we have a great chance of winning back control of the U.S. Senate. Contribute to their races and watch our shocking new web video featuring more radical Republican quotes at:

https://www.moveonpac.org/give/04endorsed.html

Our video is comprised of actual quotes from Republican candidates and office holders, highlighting the truly extreme, hate-filled views of many of the Republican party's top officials and current candidates for public office. It's short, and definitely worth watching. Check it out at the link above. The right wing's strategy for tightening its control over America and the world depends on convincing us that the Republican party is fundamentally moderate. But the fact is, Republican candidates hold a lot of views that sharply differ with those of ordinary Americans. And they try to gloss over these differences through spin — remember Bush's 2000 campaign theme of "compassionate" conservatism and his promise of a "humble" foreign policy? We can't let Republicans get away with this bait-and-switch any longer. If we want to take back our country and defend the values that make it great, defeating President Bush is not enough. Even if Kerry wins, he won't be able to turn things around if Republican extremists still control the U.S. Senate.

We've got to win back the Senate, seat by seat. Today, we urge you to support five Senate candidates who have a great chance of winning important races and knocking out the kind of extremists highlighted in our web video. They are: Ken Salazar in Colorado, Tony Knowles in Alaska, Erskine Bowles in North Carolina, Inez Tenenbaum in South Carolina, and Brad Carson in Oklahoma. Each of these candidates is running in a state that has increasingly come under Republican control. Yet their races are still competitive. And with your help, we have a real chance to win these crucial Senate seats and an opportunity to take back the U.S. Senate. These five candidates will be competing against some of the most right-wing Republicans in the country, all whom will be well funded. Pete Coors, beer magnate and leading donor to the conservative Heritage Foundation, is the GOP nominee in Colorado.

In Oklahoma, the Republican Senate candidate is U.S. Representative Tom Coburn, who criticized Newt Gingrich for being too moderate and also said, "I favor the death penalty for abortionists and other people who take life." And while each of these candidates has an opponent who has proven themselves to be far to the right of the mainstream, each of these five Democratic candidates has proven their ability to win, often against great odds. Inez Tenenbaum, currently the Commissioner of Education in South Carolina, won more votes on the 2002 ballot than any other state-wide candidate in this increasingly conservative state. Tony Knowles, the Democrat who was twice elected Governor of Alaska, remains popular in Alaska, a solid Republican state. And Erskine Bowles, former Clinton Administration Chief of Staff, continues to lead in the North Carolina polls, despite the GOP's best efforts to undermine him.

Personal News #33

SHARPE’S RIFLES [1993]
“Sharpes Rifles” is the first in a series of 14 teleplays starring Sean Bean as the rough, tough, commander [as well as ladies man] of a band of sharp shooters [ie: Chosen Men], who fight for England during the Napoleonic Wars in Spain. Bean really excels at the role, as well as looking quite dashing in his dark green uniform. The Sharpe series is based on the adventure novels written by Bernard Cornwell. The 14 teleplays chronicle the adventures of Richard Sharpe in the British military during the early 19th century [ie: 1807 thru 1815] at the time of Napoleonic era in Europe. Another series that comes close to being just as good and set during the same era … are the six Horatio Hornblower teleplays. Hornblower is in the British Navy and Sharpe is a ground soldier. If either series comes to your cable station, I highly recommend watching them.

SHARPES ENEMY [1994]
This is among the better Sharpe outings and fourth in the series. Sharpe’s adventures as the Duke of Wellingtons common soldier promoted to officer. [Actor Hugh Fraser plays Wellington. Fraser is known to many as Captain Hastings in the Poirot series.] In this episode there is great interaction between the characters, some fighting, espionage, rescuing damsels and great scenes with Teresa, dealing with new weaponry and speaking some French. On doing some research on these teleplays, I learned that many of these early teleplays were filmed in the Crimea. And that there was a draught at the time, plus other rough conditions. Can you say … please pass a bottle of Evian. As I’ve said before, if you have an interest in the Napoleonic era, then definitely watch this series. You will not be disappointed.


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