Chellie Pingree to offer progressive leadership

May 22, 2008 Portland Press Herald Editorial by Karen Geraghty.

People running for office tell you what they are going to do for you if they win. They have passion, well-written speeches and a list of solutions to pressing problems.

But it takes more than that to deliver on your promises. You need key personal attributes in order to create positive change.

Other policymakers must respect you and want to work with you, even if they don't always agree with you. You must be able to communicate solutions in an effective manner, and bring people along. You must think and act boldly.

In sum, you have to be able to demonstrate effective leadership on every issue, all the time. I've had the opportunity to work with Chellie Pingree for over 10 years. She is all this and more.

Chellie is not only a proven leader, but also one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. She comes from a large family, has a great sense of humor, and easily pokes fun at herself. She's a loving mother and grandmother, and a loyal friend. She shares farming and gardening advice with anyone who will listen, and will let you borrow her pickup truck for a trip to the dump.

If you're worried about the economy, the war, our health-care crisis, or global warming, Chellie has the experience and the right personal attributes to forge progressive solutions.

If elected, she will be our first Democratic congresswoman in Washington. I am proud to vote for her on June 10.

LINK TO EDITORIAL