O'Malley: Populist in Maryland, DLC Hack Nationwide

by: Isaac Smith

Mon Aug 13, 2007 at 06:00 PM EDT

Today's Post article on the new tough-on-big-business Public Service Commission under Gov. Martin O'Malley is a good read; despite the failure of the PSC to substantially mitigate the huge rate hike for Baltimore Gas & Electric customers, they've been aggressive in holding utility companies to account and in trying to lower overall energy bills for consumers through energy efficiency. Gov. O'Malley has gone so far as to call on the PSC to investigate the relationship between BGE and its parent company, Constellation Energy, and "determine whether customers should receive rebates and whether Constellation should be broken up."

All of which is fine -- it's good policy, not to mention good politics. Few people, after all, are going to come to Verizon or BGE's defense. What's peculiar about these populist impulses from O'Malley (think also of the living wage bill) is that, when on the national stage, he seems to go out of his way to shun any association with the progressive base of the Democratic Party. He has aligned himself with arguably the least progressive of the major presidential candidates, Hillary Clinton, and co-authored a now-infamous op-ed with the Democratic Leadership Council's Harold Ford Jr., in which they sang the usual DLC anthem of bashing partisanship and praising centrism.

O'Malley and the DLC

by: Carolyn in Baltimore

Tue Aug 07, 2007 at 09:53 AM EDT

I used to think O'Malley was a smart politician. Not perfect by a longshot, but ambitious, well-backed, with good instincts and the kind of charisma you can't buy. Becoming Governor was planned long ago. I'm not surprised on bit that he's getting even more into national politics - he wants to be the Pres one day and I'll not be surprised to see him running.

So what the heck is he doing running with the DLC crowd? Yes they have corporate money but they are basically Republican-lite. Think Joe Lieberman and you have their take on issues and loyalty to the Democratic Party. 

Al Wynn and Harold Ford Jr : DINOs Flock Together in Support of Endless War

by: Andrew Kujan

Fri Jun 08, 2007 at 04:34 PM EDT

So today, Al Wynn (MD-04, DINO) kicked off his congressional campaign in style, surrounded (disappointingly so) with progressives from around the state, including Doug Gansler, Jack Johnson, and Peter Franchot.

Figures that the least progressive person in attendance, failed Senatorial candidate, DLC shill, Clinton apologist, and Iraq War cheerleader Harold Ford Jr., was the keynote speaker.

What rousing message did Harold Ford Jr. have for the committed liberal democrats of MD-04?

Ford, meanwhile, offered scathing criticism of how President Bush has managed the war, but specifically noted "I don't think we can leave Iraq right away." Ford went on to say, "As much as didn't do it right, we have to get it right because there are people over there who want to do us harm."

Wynn, always a big fan of right wing talking points, ate this bullshit up with a spoon.  

In an interview, Wynn called Ford "a tremendous young talent in our party." Wynn said he believed Ford made it clear he wants the United States out of Iraq, but "he also made it very clear that we need to think beyond cliches. My race is not going to be a bunch of cliches...We're going to talk about issues, substance and policy. We're going to try to bring some depth to how we deal with the 21st century."

Thats right, all of you Democrats who have been trying to end the war in Iraq are dealing in "cliches."  Mr. Wynn has a real handle on this complicated situation, just leave it to him and Harold Ford to capitulate to the President on Iraq (and whatever terrible economic policy he proposes as well).

But hey, this is the real Al Wynn.