Every time Tom HARKIN speaks it's a renewal of what it means to be a Democrat

[UTUSN]

Been watching the Iowa rally. He and Iowa Democrats are fantastic.

[senseandsensibility]

1. The first time I saw or heard Tom Harkin

was when he spoke at Paul Wellstone's funeral. He was an eye-opening breath of fresh air. The camera flashed to "Bill and Hill", and they were laughing, and looking kind of shocked at his populism. Their reaction seemed strange, since I was naïve at the time and assumed they would love and agree with what he was saying since they and he were Dems. Now it all makes sense. They really thought his idealism was funny and were shocked that he would say those things in public.

[UTUSN]

2. IIRC, Bill owes Tom BIG for standing by him during the FAKE impeachment.

But then, he owes all of us. We all gave up precious time in "power" and energy we could have spent in working for the Democratic agenda instead of just on defending one person.

[jwirr]

3. Yes.

[TygrBright]

4. I remember how disappointed I was when he lost the '92 nomination to Clinton.

If only...

wistfully,
Bright

[FailureToCommunicate]

5. I got to meet Tom Harkin just before he was picked to be Al Gore's running mate...

and then wasn't. Gore picked that jerk Lie-berman instead and things went downhill from there in 2000.

Harkin has always been an ardent supporter of progressive ideals, and civil rights, like the Americans with Disabilities Act...

[Bigredhunk]

6. Proud To Have Tom Harkin As My Senator

Him getting out is good, I think. I don't want people to serve when they're too old. Of course Grassley will still be serving when he's 100 (He turns 81 on Wednesday). Ugh.

[UTUSN]

7. Congrats!1 What's it like to have a real soul-representative? I've only had wingnuts n/t

[cascadiance]

8. I hope he can use his time in retirement helping to encourage a new generation of REAL progressives

... that we sorely need in the political system now.

Instead too often now when we get some good voices here and there like Elizabeth Warren in to the Senate, they are encouraged to "stay where they are" to help (whatever institutional body they are in), instead of moving in to positions of more influence and mentoring newer progressives to take their place that they serve in now. We need to GROW our influence in congress, as president, and in the courts, not just stay "static" and "be happy" for that representation.

The public wants to see change. Let's give them that progressive change, and each place that we put in a new representative, we make sure that their constituents know that they are now represented more than moneyed interests by those representatives, to build a movement in that direction. We don't need to "play it safe" any more. We need to be aggressive, and take back the government now while we still can and not wait for the Supreme Court to make some more landmark ACTIVIST decisions to shut down our democracy further!

I would love some more folks like Tom Harkin who along with folks like Jimmy Carter give a good name to the old school Democrats they represent that need to retake the party. We need their help to get back control for the people!

[madokie]

9. Good man, great Senator

I've been on his email list as long as I've been on the internet.

[bullwinkle428]

10. K&R. And it makes me sick as an Iowan to think that his seat might

end up in the hands of that pathetic, cut-rate-Palin-wannabee, Koch brothers puppet Joni Ernst.

[progressoid]

11. It's too close. We gotta get out the vote!

Last poll I saw was Braley 49% Ernst 48%. Way too close.

I put on my Braley bumper sticker yesteday!