Pies and politics

"In a town that prides itself on pies and effort, you scored big."
--Michael Shaughnessy, Windham Democratic Committee Chair

I've been to a lot of candidates' forums with Chellie, and although many of the same issues come up at each one -- the economy, the war, healthcare -- no two forums are exactly the same. There is always something unique about each one.

Last night in Windham, for example, it was desserts.

The organizers of the Lake Region Candidates Forum asked each of the Democratic Congressional candidates to make a dessert to auction off. And not just any dessert, but a dessert that represented them, their candidacy, and how they would represent Maine in Congress. I'm not making this up.

We actually brought two pies to Windham. Chellie had started out yesterday making a blueberry/raspberry pie that she claims was a little too well-done (looked fine to me), so she followed that up with a world-class apple pie.

The folks in Windham know a good pie when they see it -- when the desserts were auctioned off Chellie's pies fetched $41 -- nearly double what any other dessert went for. (And I want to point out that Chellie was the only candidate who actually made her own dessert -- all the others had to admit they had to rely on their wives, children, or staff to put a dessert together.)

Why did Chellie choose pie? She said it brings back many fond memories of sitting around the woodstove with her kids at home in North Haven, waiting for the pies to bake as their smell filled the kitchen.

There are a lot of reasons I support Chellie and have chosen to do everything I can to help her get elected to Congress -- her willingness to speak up and take a stand, even if it's unpopular; her leadership on important issues like healthcare and the economy; her down-to-earth Maine values -- and the fact that she bakes an incredible pie is an added bonus.

Sebago house party

The campaign trail can be grueling at times--getting to all 125 towns in the First District is no small task. But there are also those moments that are just about as relaxing as you can imagine. Sunday morning was one of those times, as Chellie made a visit to the Sebago/Bridgton area.

The Commons Restaurant in Bridgton was the first stop, where the good food is accompanied by views of nearby Shawnee Peak.

Then it was on to Peter and Jan Wilk's house in Sebago for a Sunday brunch party. The view was spectacular, the food was delicious, and there was a great group of people who wanted to meet Chellie and hear what she had to say.

The conversation was wide-ranging but with a couple of teachers in attendance, it was natural that education was a topic of discussion -- from funding of public schools to the need to reform No Child Left Behind.

It was a lovely event and a lovely morning. Click to see a slideshow of photos from the party.

Troop Withdrawl Showdown?

That's what NPR's Daniel Schorr says is on the way.  He says the American public has taken their eye off the war in Iraq and the Bush Administration has gotten a pass on getting out of Iraq.  But Schorr says it won't last, and the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq is going to help put the pressure back on.  (Chellie helped develop the plan with Darcy Burner and other Democratic Congressional candidates.)  You can listen to the segment here.

"Candidates Take the Lead on Iraq"

Ron Brownstein was on David Gregory's MSNBC show yesterday and brought up the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq.  He said the plan, which Chellie developed with Darcy Burner and others, puts these candidates out in front of the presidential candidates.  And today, John Nichols from the Nation said:

Twenty-five Democratic candidates for the U.S. House and Senate are doing what the party's presidential contenders should: Proposing a specific plan for exiting the quagmire in Iraq, restoring democracy at home and renewing a Constitutional system where Congress functions as a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch.

Read more.

4,000

When I ran for the US Senate in 2002 opposing the war was an easy decision for me, but not an easy thing to do. Politically, it would have been easier to go along with the sentiment at the time. But it wouldn't have been the right thing to do.

When I picked up the Portland Press Herald this morning I saw the headline that I knew was coming, but it still sent a chill down my back. "Troop Death Toll Hits 4,000."

We spend a lot of time talking about the war--debating how it should end, discussing the effect it has had on our country and our economy. And that is a dialog we need to keep having, because it's one of the most important issues we face right now.

But a headline like the one in the paper this morning reminds us all that the real story is the story of each of those 4,000 men and women who have lost their lives--22 of them from Maine - and their families. The real story is about the 30,000 veterans who have come home seriously wounded and their families. The real story is about the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who have died and the millions who have been forced out of their homes.

The war has been going on for so long that some have lost interest---newspapers have stopped printing the names of those who died and the stories barely make it onto the evening news. But the death of those four soldiers last night in Baghdad was no less of a loss and no less tragic than the deaths of the first four to lose their lives five years ago. And it is a loss that those of us who haven't experienced it can only imagine.


NPR ran a sensitive and thoughtful story on the death of one soldier, and his service at Arlington National Cemetery. If you haven't heard it, I encourage you to give it a listen. (You can listen online here.)

There is hardly a day that goes by that I don't think about the war and all of the costs it carries--but I think this is an especially thoughtful day as we all take time to reflect on what it means for the thousands of families whose lives will never be the same because of what they've lost.

The Responsible Plan Catches On

When my friend Darcy Burner (a Congressional candidate in Washington State) contacted me this winter to say she was developing a plan for ending the war in Iraq I had a feeling she was on to something. Over the next few months the plan took shape with the help of national security and military experts like retired Maj. General John Johns. And this Monday A Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq was presented to the American people.

I was proud to sit on a stage with Darcy and 4 other candidates as former Congressman Tom Andrews moderated our presentation. Tom set the stage with an impassioned criticism of the war and explained why he was there. "We need to elect a new Congress that will stand up and be accountable," he said, "because our survival as a nation is at stake."

The room was filled with reporters, bloggers, a couple of hundred grassroots activists and Rand Beers, one of the most respected national security experts in the country. Beers served on the National Security Council under Presidents Reagan, the first Bush, Clinton and George W. Bush--and then resigned in protest a few days before the US invaded Iraq five years ago. (Having lost a race for the US Senate after opposing the war a few months earlier, I do feel a certain kinship.) Needless to say, Rand Beers' judgment carries a lot of weight. Here's what he said after it was over:

"The Democratic challengers that produced this responsible plan to end the war in Iraq prove that Democrats can successfully and responsibly discuss national security issues of the first order, and discuss them in ways that represent real solutions to the real problems that we face."

The Responsible Plan is a comprehensive plan to end US military involvement in Iraq, rebuild the region economically and politically, and take steps to make sure the US never again becomes mired in an unjustified, irresponsible invasion and occupation. The document calls for an immediate withdrawal from Iraq: "troop draw-downs should begin immediately and continue until no more troops remain in Iraq."

Just ending the war isn't enough: we have to repair the damage five years of war and six years of the Bush Administration have done to our country. We must rebuild our image abroad through a robust diplomatic effort. We must restore our systems of checks and balances and constitutional rights here at home. The plan seeks to do just that.

I'd like to know what you think. Read the Responsible Plan for yourself and let me know your thoughts. Click here to send me an email.

Since Monday our list of Congressional candidates who have committed to the plan has grown rapidly. About 25 House candidates and 2 U.S. Senate candidates are also on board as of this writing. Will you add your name? Just go to "The Latest" here on my website and click on the "Add your endorsement" button.

Responsible Plan Roll Out

(Chellie asked me to post this for her. -Willy)

I'm at the Take Back America conference today where we are set to unveil a Responsible Plan to End the War at 5:30 this afternoon. Like many of you, I've been very frustrated with how little progress there is in Washington to find a way to end this war. In many of my conversations as I travel around the First District--I hear how people are angry and fed up, and want to see a change in Iraq now. That's why I've joined with some of my friends who are also running for Congress, including Donna Edwards from Maryland and Darcy Burner from Washington, to release this plan that commits us to get out of Iraq and get out responsibly.

The Portland Press Herald covered the story this morning, and you can read more about it in my post at Huffington Post. And click here to read the plan for yourself--I'd like to hear what you think.
You can watch a live web stream of our press conference right here, starting at 5:30 p.m.

The Portland Press Herald covered the story this morning, and you can read more about it in my post at Huffington Post.

And click here to read the plan for yourself. I'd like to hear what you think.

TUESDAY UPDATE: We had a huge press conference yesterday to release the Responsible Plan document, and got some very positive feedback.

Here's a video of some of my fellow candidates that we made before the roll-out.

A Busy Weekend

What a weekend! I haven't had this much fun in three days in a long time.

Friday night started with a wonderful house party at Dan and Joan Amory's in Portland's West End. Nearly 100 environmental leaders from around Maine had signed on to form the host committee for this event, and many of them were at Dan and Joan's house that evening. Brownie Carson, Jeff Thaler, Michael Stoddard, Joe Payne...I better stop there because if I try to list everyone I'll be bound to forget someone.

Saturday I got to take a little personal time and call it a campaign event: the Maine Products Trade Show. I've spent my share of time at trade shows -- when I started North Island Design I went to dozens of shows as an exhibitor, showing the knitting kits that we were selling all over the country. Now, as a part owner of the Nebo Lodge in North Haven I get to go as a buyer. The truth is I just love looking at all the Maine made products and wandering around seeing old friends. And I swear I was sampling the chocolate for professional reasons.

I met up with Jim Hightower Saturday and we headed down to the Seacoast Democratic Headquarters in York. In a part of the state where Democrats were a bit rare not too long ago, it's gratifying to see that the Seacoast Dems have done such a good job organizing and are prospering. The crowd was happy to see Jim, and together we talked about what it takes to reclaim our country, our constitution and our Democratic values. Jim has seen a lot in his day (he told the story Saturday of being targeted by Karl Rove with the help of a rogue FBI agent.) Despite it all-despite what all of us have been through over the last seven years-the feeling that we can-and must--take back our country is really inspiring.

From York we set out for Cape Elizabeth, but we got a little sidetracked with a quick and very enjoyable stop to see Mort and Barbara Mathers at their beautiful Joshua's Restaurant in Wells. When he was President of MOFGA, I was Secretary---and since Jim Hightower was once Commissioner of Agriculture in Texas, the talk quickly turned to organic farming. We discussed slugs and the merits of mulch while we enjoyed some of Mort's delicious crab cakes.

We couldn't stay as long as we wanted and it was off to Cape Elizabeth, for a lovely dinner at Rob Gips and Karen Harris' house---a couple of dozen people, some great food and drink, and Jim Hightower to entertain us all. (If you're starting to think that a Congressional campaign is really just a series of meals... you might be onto something.)

Sunday morning Jim and I hopped in my pickup and headed up to Waldoboro for a massive house party at Betsy and Ted Wooster's beautiful old home next to the Waldo Theater. (I love old houses like Betsy & Ted's---but owning one myself I can appreciate the work that they take and, especially this winter, how painful it can be to heat them.)

Jim was a star again, and people came from as far away as Ft. Kent to meet him. I could listen to Jim talk all day -- it's not just the accent, it's the great quotes he's full of, like "People who say it can't be done should get out of the way of people who are doing it."

Jim and I went back to Portland tonight, where he was part of some events for Common Cause. It was a great opportunity to catch up with some old friends like Bob Edgar, who took over as president when I left Common Cause to go on an eating tour of the 1st District... I mean, run for Congress.

Tomorrow morning I'm out of the house early to catch a 6am plane for Washington. It's going to be a very exciting couple of days. Monday at 5:30, I'll be at the Take Back America Conference for the roll out of the Responsible Plan to End the War in Iraq. I've gotten together with Darcy Burner (running for Congress in Washington state), Donna Edwards (a candidate in Maryland) and seven other candidates to develop a comprehensive plan to end the war. We had help from people like retired Maj. General John Johns. We'll have a lot more on this plan in the days to come---so watch the website for more info.

A Responsible Plan

(This is an excerpt from a post Chellie has on the HuffingtonPost today.)

In the five years since the United States invaded Iraq, nearly 4,000 American troops have lost their lives, 27,000 more have been injured and maybe as many as a million Iraqis have died. And we learned last week the cost of the war might exceed $3 trillion.

When I stood up to oppose an invasion of Iraq in 2002 it wasn't a popular thing to do. I was running for the U.S. Senate and the "experts" said it would be easier if I were in favor of the war. "This isn't the time to take a stand," they told me. Going along with the invasion might have been the easy thing to do, but I knew it wasn't the right thing to do. (Read the entire post at the HuffingtonPost.)

And here's a video of General Johns, one of our military advisers, talking about the plan:

Chellie's officially on the ballot!

Late yesterday afternoon, Willy and Missy took a trip to Augusta with a huge stack of petitions filled with signatures from voters in the 1st district. (You can watch the home movie of the trip here.)

There are six counties and 125 towns in the 1st district. Volunteers for our campaign had turned in more than 150 petitions from about 103 towns, with close to 3,500 signatures. Because candidates are allowed to turn in no more than 1,500 signatures, Missy had winnowed the pile down -- making sure, though, that there were towns from every county represented in the final group of petitions submitted for Chellie.

"It's a great feeling," Chellie said, "to finally make it official."

"I'm honored and deeply grateful for all the hard work my supporters put in collecting these signatures, and it only strengthens my commitment to stand up and fight for the people of Maine if I'm fortunate enough to be elected to Congress."

Our campaign office is now 100% wind powered

That may sound like an impressive achievement but, to be honest, it was a snap. It's probably one of the easiest significant changes anyone in Maine can make to fight global climate change. It will take you about 15 minutes at the computer, it's just as reliable as the electricity you're now using, and the additional cost won't be much more than buying your local newspaper.

Join us in supporting clean Maine energy.

First, make the switch by going to:
http://action.chelliepingree.com/CleanPowerSwitch

Second, let us know how it went:
http://action.chelliepingree.com/page/s/MaineCleanPower

One reason, if not the major reason, the U.S. attacked Iraq in 2003 was our dependence on foreign oil. There is a lot that Congress can do to support our transition to clean energy -- like passing a renewable energy standard to require utilities to start getting some of their power from renewable sources and extending the credit to make sure clean energy projects are profitable. But each of us can also do our part by choosing clean energy for our home or business.

Maine has been a leader in so many areas -- from prescription drug pricing to emissions standards for cars and trucks -- now Maine is poised to become a leading wind power state. We have more wind power potential than all other New England states put together, according to a report last month from the governor's wind power task force.1 And there are already wind turbines in Maine, like those pictured above, taking advantage of that potential.

We can show the rest of the country that clean energy is a realistic option. And here in Maine, it's quick and easy to make the switch.

I'm very honored that almost 100 Maine environmental activists have come together to support my campaign in Portland this Friday.2 They know we need members of Congress who will stand up to the oil and gas companies, and who will fight for strong environmental standards. I am proud of my record of working alongside these environmental leaders for positive changes in Maine -- beginning way back in my early years as a student at College of the Atlantic and an organic farmer. With your help, I'll continue to work for the environment as your representative in Congress.

Thanks for joining me in "walking the walk."

Back where I started

It felt like Old Home Day in Camden on Thursday night, as I attended a house party at Patrisha and Don McLean's home, which was hosted by a long list of my Knox County friends and supporters. The party started early enough and the daylight lasted long enough that we were treated to a glimpse of the far-reaching views from the McLeans' house as we arrived.

My political career started in Knox County when I ran for state senate in 1992, and it was great to see lots of people at the McLeans' who had supported me back then -- like Amy Fischer, my first campaign manager. Some of them have gone on to become candidates themselves, like Joan Welsh, who was a volunteer on my first campaign and is now running for a seat in the Maine House, and Roger Moody, Camden's former town manager who's now running for county commissioner. Heather Shields, whom I've know since she was a kid growing up on North Haven, was the very capable event organizer, in her spare time from her job in real estate.

Like elsewhere in Maine, Knox County is full of people who care deeply about their communities and the entire state of Maine. About 80 of them were gathered at the McLeans' on Thursday. It was great to see them. Like all of the supporter-organized gatherings I attend, there was a wonderful mix of old friends and new people to meet -- and everyone had lots to say!

Campaign Moment: Standing with fishermen

I had a chance to spend some time at the Maine Fishermen's Forum in Rockport last Friday -- one of my favorite weekends of the year. I see so many faces of people I have worked with over the years, and those who I got to know especially while I was on the Marine Resources Committee of the legislature. I am always glad to bump into to the great people who work with the Maine Lobstermen's Association -- we have been through a few battles together (on the same side, usually, of course!). I even convinced David Cousens, president of the board of directors, to pose for a photo with me.

While I know that most fishing issues have no easy answers, I would love to have a chance to work on some of these challenges at a federal level. Living in Penobscot Bay, where lobster fishing is such a big part of the economy and lifestyle, I have been frustrated to see that not all fisheries have been as well managed as this one has -- and even the lobster fishermen worry about the future. The Portland Press Herald had a sobering article recently, Lobster industry suffers decline.

I am no expert about what it is to be on the water everyday making this work, although I did work with Peter MacDonald on his fishing boat for a short time one summer in the 90s, as you can see in this photo.

And, I do think that all too often the voices of local fisherman are lost in the policy-making in Washington, D.C. If I have the opportunity to represent them, I will certainly work hard to include their perspectives in the process. (And, believe me, I would hear about back home it if I didn't!)

Susan Collins discovers healthcare crisis -- again!

It was déjà vu all over again when I picked up the paper this week and read that Senator Susan Collins had recently discovered we have a healthcare crisis in this country and proclaimed, "It is long overdue for us to tackle this issue."

How is she planning to "tackle" the health care crisis? She's drafted a letter to Senate leadership and then she wants to pass a resolution. I bet the insurance and pharmaceutical industries are just quaking in their boots.

Overdue, she says? The last time Sen. Collins felt overcome by the ambition to fix America's broken healthcare system was in 2002. If my math is correct, that was six years ago. You know, when she was up for reelection the last time. And I was her Democratic opponent.

Before running against Sen. Collins, I was the majority leader in the Maine Senate, where I had introduced and successfully passed a prescription drug pricing bill designed to force the pharmaceutical companies to sell drugs in Maine for the same price they were selling them in Canada. It was a tough fight that went all the way to the US Supreme Court but we stuck with it, and in the end we won a version of that plan.

Back then, Senator Collins suddenly (and momentarily) saw the light, and co-sponsored a bill that would...wait for it... allow importation of certain drugs from Canada at prices far below what we were paying in the U.S. After the election, the bill was shoved aside by Republican leaders and hasn't been heard from since.

As USA Today's Walter Shapiro (now at Salon.com) pointed out back then, "me-too" Republicans have been trying to muddy the debate since the days of FDR:

This year [2002], Republicans have been particularly adept at clouding the debate over prescription-drug benefits for Medicare recipients by touting their own plan, which passed the House on virtually a party-line vote. Voters crave stark differences, not complex arguments over rival pieces of legislation.

The Republicans, or at least Sen. Collins, are at it again. But the political climate in 2008 is a lot different than it was in 2002, and this time we won't let them get away with it. 2002 was a tough year for Democrats, with war fever gripping the nation. Even the great hero Max Cleland lost his seat when Republicans accused him of being "unpatriotic." In my own race against Sen. Collins, I spoke out against the war (to the great consternation of more than a few political consultants)--not a politically popular thing to do in those days. We ran a good race but in the end we lost.

This year, my friend Tom Allen is running against Sen. Collins (and, as you know, I'm running for his open seat). As a member of the House, Tom had the courage to stand up and vote against the war. His convictions are not election-year conversions but the life-long principals of a true progressive who has also worked hard in Congress to help our seniors pay a decent price for their prescription drugs.

Our healthcare system is broken, but drafting letters and calling for resolutions isn't going to fix it. A "me-too" senator who is unwilling to fight for what is right won't get us anywhere. We need bold ideas, big solutions, and the courage to stand up to the pharmaceutical and insurance companies that will block our way. I'm running to represent Maine's first congressional district in Congress, and I look forward to continuing my work on this issue. But, obviously, it will take a large majority of us who are willing to stand together against the insurance and pharmaceutical lobbyists and pass real meaningful healthcare reform that will improve people's lives. For that, we'll need people like Tom Allen in the United States Senate.

Will you join me in supporting Tom? http://actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/18023

[Also posted at TurnMaineBlue.com and MyDD.com.]

Hooray for hardy New Gloucester supporters

In spite of nasty weather, a great group of supporters greeted Chellie at the home of Christopher Rheault (also known as "Chrisso") last night in New Gloucester. As one of the guests, Patti Mikkelsen (who snapped the photo below) said to Chrisso in an email, it was "an enjoyable get-together. You had a very good turnout, and everyone appreciated the opportunity to become acquainted with Chellie, who is very impressive."

People did seem pleased to have a chance to talk with Chellie, and were glad she'd made an effort to come to New Gloucester. In the photo below are members of the Host Committee (from left to right): Lindsay Hancock, Debra Smith, Betty Wurtz, Chrisso Rheault, and Chellie. (Missing from the photo is Ellie Fellers.)

Being for or against something isn't enough

It was a beautiful drive west on Rt 25 to Cornish yesterday. The fresh snow -- so much more than there is along the coast -- was piled so high you couldn't see a lot of houses as we drove by. In fact, that part of York County has gotten so much that school was canceled today at Sacopee Valley High School because of concern about the snow load on the roof.

Many of the 1st District Congressional candidates made the trip to the Sacopee Valley Community Forum/Cornish Forum yesterday afternoon. The event was extremely well organized, and it was nice for me to catch up with old friends like Peter Hagerty, who moderated the forum and was there with his wife, Marty Tracy. I hadn't seen them for a few years, but I was thrilled to see them and see that they were still running Peace Fleece -- a wonderful wool/knitting business that they started in the mid-80's. (Check out their web site for the full story www.peacefleece.com.) When I had a mail order catalogue and retail store, we loved selling their products and I still believe in their great mission of bringing people from different cultures together through knitting! And, they are another great example of the hidden potential strength of the rural Maine economy.

The organizers asked us to talk about two fundamental questions -- should we get out of Iraq soon and should we have universal health care? My answers, as you can imagine, were yes and yes.

As we discussed these and other questions from the audience, there was substantial agreement among many of my Democratic counterparts -- we all agree we need to get out of Iraq and fix a broken health care system.

But one distinction I think we need to understand -- and something I talked about yesterday -- is that just being for or against something isn't enough. And just electing Democrats isn't enough. Although most of the bad decisions and misplaced priorities we've seen over the last seven years have come out of the Bush Administration with the cooperation of a Republican Congress, the truth is Democrats have sometimes voted on the wrong side of important issues. We need to send Democrats to Congress who will stand up against the powerful special interests -- Democrats who will fight and won't back down.

We are facing huge problems that we need to start fixing now -- a broken economy, a misguided war and a healthcare system that needs dramatic reform. There will be entrenched interests who will resist the change we need to make, but I'm ready to take them on.

When I proposed a landmark prescription drug pricing program in the Maine Senate, some of my colleagues said we couldn't take on the pharmaceutical industry because we'd lose their campaign contributions. That didn't matter to me: we did take them on and we did lose their contributions, but much more importantly, we won an important victory for Maine people.

There will be many more battles like that ahead, but I'm confident that we can do the right thing -- we can fight for the change we need and we will continue to win.

(Cross posted at www.turnMaineblue.)