Friday, October 29, 2010

Top Dems rally for Scott Murphy

In the last week of a vitally important election campaign, some big-name Democrats will be doing local events for NY-20 Rep. Scott Murphy.

On Saturday, our next Governor, Andrew Cuomo, will be appearing with Murphy (and excellent state Senate challengers Joanne Yepsen and Susan Savage) at Lakeside Farms and Cider Mill on Schauber Road in Ballston Lake at 11 a.m.

On Sunday, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who won NY-20 twice before being appointed to the Senate, will join Murphy at the Country View Diner on Route 7 in Brunswick at 2:45 p.m.

And on Monday morning, Bill Clinton will rally with Murphy at the Hall of Springs in Saratoga Springs at 7:30.

This is a unique opportunity to see three national-level Democrats in three days -- FOR FREE!

The Clinton event does requires a ticket, but that's easily done by contacting County Chairman Tom Wade.

This confluence of Democratic starpower re-emphazsizes that NY-20 is an extremely important race this year.

Attending some or all of at these events will help Democrats retain their House majority.

And be lots of good Democratic fun.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

June O'Neill to speak at county Democratic event


June O'Neill, New York State Democratic Committee executive committee chair, will address the Rensselaer County Democratic Committee's annual Fall Celebration on Wednesday.
O'Neill is a former state party chair and the longtime chair of the St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee.  During her tenure as state chair, she oversaw nine successful special elections for state legislative seats as well as the first Democratic majority in the state Senate since 1965
The Fall Celebration will  from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Franklin Terrace Ballroom on Campbell Avenue in Troy. Tickets are $85, $150 per couple, and include a stations buffet, wine, beer and soda.

Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased online at the Rensselaer County Democratic Committee website, or at the door.

For information, call 235-1772.

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Gibson's tea party supporters harass Democrats

Over at The Albany Project, acosta has a first-person account of what it was like outside the Murphy/Gibson debate in North Greenbush Thursday night.

In two words, not pretty:

"I showed up with friends to the visibility outside the Murphy v. Gibson debate this past Thursday at WMHT in support of Congressman Murphy. It was terrifying.

"There were much more than 100, possibly 150, Gibson supporters versus our small group of 25 or so Murphy supporters. They were just as nasty, disrespectful and vitriolic as their counterparts across the country. They shouted at us and over us. They approached us and went after us personally with awful comments and even veiled threats.

"When Congressman Murphy came out to greet us, they were disrespectful and yelled at him inches from his face. He was calm and cool. One protester felt triumphant after Scott went inside and shouted "eh, he's scared. Look at him shaking in his boots." Wait, was that his goal? To intimidate? So much for democracy. Move to  Afghanistan if you enjoy that tactic."

Gibson is the tea party candidate in NY-20, and his angry supporters seem to be channelling Crazy Carl Paladino in the thuggish harassment department.

Didn't help Paladino much, and this won't help Gibson, either.

Because most voters do not like thuggish street bullies.

County Dems slate fall fund-raiser

The Rensselaer County Democratic Committee will host its annual Fall Celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 27, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Franklin Terrace Ballroom on Campbell Avenue in Troy.

This is an important event that provides the committee with the funds to support Democratic candidates at every level in the county. It also helps energize Democrats for the vital GOTV effort for our excellent candidates this year, many of whom will be in attendance.

Tickets are $85, $150 per couple, and include a stations buffet, wine, beer and soda.

Sponsorships are available at various levels --  Gold at $1,000 (six tickets and listed in program), Garnet at $500 (four tickets and listed in program), Bronze at $250 (two tickets and listed in program), Pumpkin at $125 (one ticket and listed in program), and Patron at $50 (listed in program).

Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased online at the Rensselaer County Democratic Committee website, or checks can be sent to the Rensselaer County Democratic Committee, P.O. Box 846, Troy, NY 12181.

For information, call 235-1772. 

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Joanne Yepsen gets strong support in Schodack/Nassau

Joanne Yepsen spoke to a packed house last night. Packed House Party, that is.

Joanne spent the better part of the evening speaking with her future constituents from the Schodack and Nassau areas at a party sponsored by the Schdoack and Nassau Democratic Committees. The crowd was enthusiastic and happy to hear that the future senator for the 43rd will be a full-time representative for the people.

The event was a great showing of solidarity for both town democratic organizations. They share so many of the same issues - how to retain their rural flavor while off-setting property taxes with good, thoughtful commercial projects. And of course Dewey Loeffel affects both towns, which boarder on the horribly contaminated Nassau Lake.

Today is the Fall Festival at Schodack Island Park. Candidates Scott Murphy and Joanne Yepsen will be there along with Schodack Town Board candidate Linda Underwood.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Rensselaer County hosts two debates tonight

There will be two major televised debates tonight -- both of them right here in Rensselaer County.

At 7 p.m., Senator Kirsten Gillibrand will face off with Joe DioGuardi in Bush Memorial Hall of Russell Sage College (televised by YNN).

And at 8 p.m., a few miles to the south, NY-20 Rep. Scott Murphy will debate Chris Gibson in the WMHT, Channel 17, studio, at 4 Global View in the Rensselaer Technology Park.

Both debates will be televised live, and both are the final debate in each race.

Supporters of Gillibrand and Murphy will be rallying outside the debate sites beginning at 6 p.m. 

Monday, October 18, 2010

Rally for Respect in Troy

More than 60 people crowded into Monument Square in downtown Troy Monday afternoon for a Rally for Respect, to protest the intolerance of Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino and his campaign.

The event was organized by the Joanne Yepsen for Senate campaign, which has been running an active Rensselaer County campaign from the county committee’s office in the Cannon Building.

County Democratic Chairman Tom Wade served as emcee and  emphasized that voting against Paladino’s anti-woman, anti-gay, anti-poor intolerance was vital.

Yepsen agreed. After cataloging Paladino’s racist/sexist e-mails, his recent ant-gay statements, and his opposition to all abortions, she concluded, “Vote for progress, vote for justice, vote for integrity, vote for me, and vote for Andrew Cuomo.

Marty Rouse, national field director of the Human Rights Campaign, and Troy City Councilman Ken Zalewski, spoke of their concerns about Paladino’s anti-gay remarks.

Rouse recalled that he had been bullied as a child, and Zalewski, responding to Paladino’s comment that he did not want children "to be brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid or successful option. It isn't.", emphasized that he did not choose to be gay, and neither did his partner of 17 years.

The Rev. Cornelius Clark, president of the Troy Area Chapter of the NAACP, and the Rev. Nina Nichols, pastor of  Christ Church, United Methodist in Troy, also spoke about the need for tolerance in our public officials.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Thursday night debates

Rensselaer County's two Democratic Congressmen -- Paul Tonko and Scott Murphy -- will meet their challengers in debates broadcast on WMHT, Channel 17, as a special edition of its public affairs show New York Now.

Tonko and Ted Danz of Guilderland will debate tonight at 8 p.m.

Murphy and Chris Gibson of Kinderhook will debate next Thursday, Oct. 21, also at 8 p.m.

The debates will be moderated by Casey Seiler, Times Union Capitol Bureau chief,  and will feature questions from Matt Ryan of New York Now, Karen DeWitt of New York State Public Radio, and Walt McClure of Fox23 News.

You all can submit questions via e-mail to nynow@wmht.org.

Tune in to see how our excellent Congressmen defend their records and point out how extreme their challengers are.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Chuck Thomas fund-raiser at the Daily Grind Thursday

Chuck Thomas, the Democratic candidate for Troy City Court Judge, will be hosting a fund-raiser Thursday night from 5:30 to 8 at the Daily Grind, 46 Third Ave.

Old Daley Inn Catering will provide a dinner buffet of antipasto, chicken marsala, and pasta primavera. Beer, wine and soda are included in the ticket cost of $60 a person, $99 a couple.

Come out and meet Chuck, and learn about why he is the best candidate for City Court Judge.

Murphy ad assails Gibson on health care

Rep. Scott Murphy voted for the health care reform law, and his tea party opponent Chris Gibson has been relentlessly attacking Murphy for that, with some help from insurance industry-funded front group 60 Plus Association.

Murphy is fighting back, with a new TV ad that nails Gibson as more concerned about the insurance industry than the health of the people in NY-20.

Click here to view the ad.

The script is: "Time for a reality check.

Chris Gibson wants to repeal the health care law.

Chris Gibson would let insurance companies go back to denying coverage for pre-existing conditions.

He would let them restore lifetime limits on coverage.

Chris Gibson would eliminate mandatory coverage for preventive care like mammograms and colon screenings.

And seniors would pay more for prescription drugs.

Chris Gibson. He's for the insurance industry, not you." 

Monday, October 11, 2010

The Paladino effect

As Republican gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino continues to embarrass himself almost daily, what will be the effect on voters this November?

Basically, Paladino has antagonized moderates, including Republicans, with his Crazy Carl rhetoric, and those voters will either stay home or vote for Democrats who are not associated with Crazy Carl.

Plus Paladino has energized Democratic base voters, in a way that Rick Lazio could not have done.

As a result, Paladino will lose big to Andrew Cuomo. maybe as much as 2-1.

Our U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand will also win by 20 percent or so.

Attorney general candidate Eric Schneiderman and Comptroller Tom DiNapoli will win by less, against opponents who have tried to distance themselves from Crazy Carl.

The Congressmen representing Rensselaer County will win -- Tonko handily, Murphy by single-digits.

And State Senate and Assembly candidates will also benefit from a major anti-Paladino reaction among the electorate.

Because this election, like every mid-term, is all about turnout, and Paladino's antics will suppress Republican, and increase Democratic, turnout.

If YOU don't vote, everyone loses

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Schodack Democrats put in a great showing for the Dem team

Schodack Democrats put in a great deal of effort staffing a table at the Goold Orchards Harvest Festival over the Columbus Day weekend. The group handed out campaign material, balloons and generally enjoyed the beautiful weather while making the case for Democratic candidates. 

Candidates also showed up to greet festival-goers. On hand were Congressman Paul Tonko and Joanne Yepsen.

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