Justin Coussoule's Campaign Against Boehner Is About Having Heart And Being Courageous

Over the weekend both the Buckeye State Blog, in Ohio, and Crooks and Liars, nationally, went after the Democratic Establishment for not getting behind Justin Coussoule's courageous challenge to everybody's biggest bozo villain, John Boehner. From Ohio:

When I heard ODP Chairman Chris Redfern talk about Justin Coussoule, the 35-year-old West Point graduate who is challenging John Boehner in the 8th Congressional District, in his address to both the Ohio Democratic Party Executive Committee, and in his address at the ODP’s State Dinner, I thought that meant his candidacy had been embraced by the party apparatus.

Apparently not.

In an interview on MSNBC, Coussoule states that he has not received any support from either the DCCC or the DNC. He has, however, received the endorsement of the Ohio Democratic Party.




Now, I’ll grant you, the 8th is a pretty red district. John McCain beat Barack Obama in this district by some 23 points according to CQ Politics. And the general political environment this year favors the GOP as it almost always does in the mid-term election after the White House has changed hands. But, you have to ask yourself, just how popular is John Boehner right now? He of the spray-on tan baked in by spending 119 days on a golf course? And, if there was ever a place where the “50-state strategy” would dictate spending some money in a red area, I would say would-be Speaker Boehner’s home turf is it. If nothing else to support a quality Young Democrat candidate like Coussoule who hopefully will be running for another office someday.

So, come on DNC and DCCC. It’s time to follow ODP’s lead and put some money in this race.

I'm sure Justin could use help from the DNC and DCCC-- they spend something like $700,000 on TV spots when they get into races-- but Justin has Blue America in his corner and Ed Schultz has been playing our video ad for Justin every day and talking him up on the air. I bet the DCCC wishes he'd do that for some of their turgid candidates, the anti-Choice, anti-gay, anti-healthcare corporate whores Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Chris Van Hollen seem determined to use to sink the Democratic ship. Could use imagine a true believer and populist like Ed Schultz interviewing Blue Dog and DCCC fave, Lori Edwards, and trying to coax just one teensy weensy reason out of her why anyone who thinks of themselves as a Democrat should ever consider voting for her-- or for anyone with such reactionary, anti-working family views?

I don't live in Hollywood but I do live in a neighborhood filled with directors and producers and Saturday night some of them asked me to come by a meeting to discuss how to best help, Justin beat Boehner. Actually there was some skeptism that Justin could beat Boehner and I suggested everyone watch this talk Justin had with Hubler Heights grassroots Democrats last week where he makes his own case.

One very talented and successful film producer suggested that Boehner is such a disaster and such an imbecile that Democrats actually want him around making the case that the Republicans want to dismantle Social Security and Medicare and fight against middle class aspirations in the service of his fat cat corporate donors. And it's true that in Boehner's stunted, dark topsy-turvey world, tobacco and Wall Street lobbyists are just good old boys and drinking buddies, while the teachers, firemen and policemen back home in Butler, Miami, Preble and Montgomery counties who Boehner calls "special interests" are the objects of his ire. And, sure, no one's kidding themselves, this is an uphill battle. Justin is a former West Point cadet and a captain in the U.S. Army. He's not shying away from uphill battles. We shouldn't either. That's something we can leave for Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Chris Van Hollen. See that thermometer up above? Have you ever tried clicking on it? Give it a try. (Or, if you'd prefer, click the billboard art a little bit above it; just as good.)




UPDATE: Dave Harding Holds Up A Bright Torch For The Star Nosed Moles Who Run The DCCC

And, yes I'm comparing Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Chris Van Hollen to the Star-nosed mole (pictured below), which can can detect, catch and eat food faster than the human eye can follow (under 300 milliseconds) but is stone cold BLIND, blinder than bats in fact. Harding at ProgressOhio:

These days Boehner’s spokesperson spends more time with the media answering questions about the boss’s golf game than he does answering questions about the myriad issues facing the troubled 8th District. In addition to finding himself featured on a billboard this month, the Minority Leader, who has let jobs in the district’s major cities dry up like sand traps, also found himself the subject of a new television ad featuring his feisty challenger, Justin Coussoule... Boehner finds himself hitting from the rough as he tries to counter his indefensible record of self-interest over self-sacrifice to his constituents. Coussoule responded to some of Boehner’s recent public comments.

...I have to wonder who keeps his house safe behind that gate in West Chester if he thinks police officers are “special interests?” And the teachers I know think their students are the special interests in their lives. They work hard every day to make sure those children grow up to be better adults. I cannot imagine our communities without teachers. We are real people here in the 8th District with great respect for Police and Firefighters and our teachers.”

Coussoule continues taking Boehner to task in ways the Congressman cannot avoid. During his recent appearances on The Ed Schultz Show, Coussoule talked about fighting for jobs at SMART papers in Hamilton, revitalizing the tourism jobs in Celina and bringing jobs back to Downtown Dayton. In addition, he reminded Boehner that before he got into office, the entire 8th District used to be known for making the things America used. Now this region of Ohio has become known for high unemployment and hemorrhaging manufacturing jobs.

...The Coussoule Campaign is having some fun of its own off the course, watching Boehner try to backtrack out of past interviews in which he brags about what a great golfer he is. After telling Golf Digest that he golfed over 100 times a year and boasting to Fox News’ Chris Wallace about his 6 handicap, Boehner is having a hard time convincing us all that he is hard at work solving the tough issues of the day.