Sen. Heitkamp Battles A Creepy Cretin

North Dakota Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp's "no" vote on KavaNut's confirmation was a profile in courage and principle if there ever was one.  Unlike West Virginia's "Democratic" Sen. Joe Manchin, she cast her vote as the right thing to do, and certainly not as a "smart" political vote in her deep red state.

We've had issues with her in the past, but that's more than enough reason to support her in her re- election bid.  Knowing the creepy cretin who's running against her only adds to the urgency that she win.

Representative Kevin Cramer of North Dakota has repeatedly made headlines this year in his race against Senator Heidi Heitkamp because of off-the-cuff comments that range from inflammatory to indelicate. But his latest provocation on sexual misconduct sparked a furious and tearful rejoinder from Ms. Heitkamp on Sunday, one day after she voted to oppose the Supreme Court nomination of Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh.

Asked about Dr. Blasey Ford's testimony and the #MeToo movement, Cramer opined,

“That you’re just supposed to believe somebody because they said it happened,” Mr. Cramer said, alluding to Christine Blasey Ford — who has accused Justice Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers — and, more broadly, women who have come forward to claim that they were sexually abused or assaulted. 

Invoking his wife, daughters, mother and mother-in-law, Mr. Cramer said: “They cannot understand this movement toward victimization. They are pioneers of the prairie. These are tough people whose grandparents were tough and great-grandparents were tough.”  (our emphasis)

Sen. Heitkamp had the right response:

“The better part of my career in public life has been working with victims,” said Ms. Heitkamp, a former state attorney general. “Did you ask him how many victims during this process he actually sat down with, and survivors he sat down with, and visited with personally?” 

Then Ms. Heitkamp’s voice grew thick with emotion. 

“I think it’s wonderful that his wife has never had an experience, and good for her, and it’s wonderful his mom hasn’t,” she said. “My mom did. And I think it affected my mom her whole life. And it didn’t make her less strong.” 

With tears welling in her eyes, Ms. Heitkamp stared intently at a reporter and continued: “And I want you to put this in there, it did not make my mom less strong that she was a victim. She got stronger and she made us strong. And to suggest that this movement doesn’t make women strong and stronger is really unfortunate.”  (our emphasis)

Here's a link to Sen. Heitkamp's interview on "60 Minutes" last Sunday.

It's not the first time dimwit Cramer stepped in it.  Back in September he said Dr. Ford's allegation was "absurd" and that it was "supposedly an attempt or something that never went anywhere."  He dug the hole deeper a few days later, saying "there was no type of intercourse or anything like that" (which, of course, does not mean there wasn't a sexual assault).  Seeing this steaming wad of vicious cluelessness defeated would be one of the highlights of the coming mid- terms.

We've directed our readers to many campaign web sites in the past, but saving someone like Sen. Heitkamp (and the rest of us) from Cramer is now high on our list.  Support her if you can.

Nominal Democrats Manchin, McCaskill and Heitkamp -- "Let Them Lose"

Alex Ruthrauff at Wonkette must be reading our mind:

On Monday, beltway bullshit scorecard POLITICO reported that nominal Democratic senators like Joe Manchin, Claire McCaskill, and Heidi Heitkamp appear eager to help the new Republican majority advance legislation. Manchin even called the idea of not working with Republicans to promote their agenda “bullshit.” They probably think that burnishing their “moderate centrist” credentials in this way will help them keep their jobs when they face the voters in 2018. They are wrong. 

Assuming a Democrat is elected president in 2016, and middle class wages remain stagnant or continue to shrink, here is what will happen to Joe Manchin and Claire McCaskill and Heidi Heitkamp in 2018: They will lose.  [snip] 

Let them lose. Then start running Democrats who are recognizable as Democrats in a blind taste test. Even in places where the conventional wisdom says they won’t play well. These candidates will almost certainly lose too, at first. But at least the party’s resources will be spent on promoting candidates who support the core agenda that rank and file Democrats go out and vote for. 

It doesn't matter if these three turds have a "D" beside their name anymore (and we would add soon-to-lose Mary Landrieu).  They didn't stand behind Harry Reid for Minority Leader.  They don't support core Democratic principles.  Indeed, they're willing to hop in the sack with ethical black hole Sen. Mitch "Missy" McConnell (Money-KY) at the earliest craven opportunity.  God, we're tired of these spineless careerists taking resources away from progressive Democrats.  They're up for re-election in 2018, which is a long time away, but we'll be damned if one cent of ours goes to any of them (three more reasons, if more were needed, not to contribute to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee).  Until then, they should be marginalized by the leadership whenever necessary.

BONUS:  Charles P. Pierce adds his take on the turncoats, with special attention to Landrieu.

Gun Control - The Path Forward

Here's part of E.J. Dionne's analysis of the failure of the Senate to pass even the most watered-down gun purchase background check legislation, and the reaction:

In the past, Democrats who support gun safety had reacted benignly to members of their party from rural states who opposed sensible gun measures for expediency’s sake. Not this time. The response to Democrats who opposed background checks — Sens. Max Baucus, Mark Begich, Heidi Heitkamp and Mark Pryor — was indignation. [snip]

But the vote also demonstrated for all to see a Republican Party walking in lock step behind its commanders in the gun lobby. Only four Republicans bravely defied the NRA’s fanatical opposition to a very mild measure: Toomey and Sens. Mark Kirk, John McCain and Susan Collins.

This should send a message to all who keep looking for new signs of Republican moderation.

Also, go to Dionne's embedded link in the excerpt for a recent op/ed in the once great Washington Post Kaplan Daily by Bill Daley, former White House Chief of Staff and Commerce Secretary.  (Asking for his $2,500 contribution back from Sen. Heidi "Ho" Heitkamp was just his opening line.)   Democrats have to start weeding out the feckless cowards among their elected officials whose sole purpose in life is to get re-elected rather than serve their constituents and stand on principle.  We have a special disdain at this blog for Heitkamp and the execrable Baucus (too many shameful links to note - just type in his name in the Q box above).  But while we withhold support for the feckless, we also need to show support for those Democrats who, as Dionne notes, cast a courageous vote for the background check legislation (Sens. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Kay Hagen of North Carolina, especially).

As 2014 approaches, we would suggest making targeted contributions to individual campaigns (Hagen and Landrieu are up for re-election) rather than providing them to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, where the funds are as likely as not to end up in the pockets of Begich, Pryor and Baucus, who are up for re-election.  Ideally, these worthless DINOs would be primaried by a progressive, but that's not going to happen, so about the only weapon we have is the check.  We need to use it or withhold it on a case-by-case basis.

The New Princess Dumbass of the North

The former Princess Dumbass of the North is gone. All hail the new Princess Dumbass of the North, who unfortunately calls herself a Democrat.

"Permafrosted Joe Lieberman"

As we noted months ago, the newbie junior Senator from North Dakota, Heidi Heitkamp might be something of a DINO wanker. Following her recent appearances on the talk shows, we can confirm our earlier impression was 100 percent accurate. But, we'll defer to budding Heitkamp-watcher and Hackwhackers favorite, Mr. Pierce, to do the honors:

"Watch out for this Heidi Heitkamp person from North Dakota. She'd only been in the Senate for four days and, already, she was sounding like a permafrosted Joe Lieberman. To wit:

We all need to stop talking in ultimatums and say only these — you know, narrowing the debate, put everything on the table, start working together, that's what you do in America in every small town and every business in America. You don't rule out anything until you've actually had a dialogue.

Also, too — ponies! Actually, I do rule some things out. I rule out, for example, voucherizing Medicare, or privatizing Social Security, or declaring war on Iran, or making firearms mandatory for public schoolteachers, to name just three ideas that have no little popularity in the small town that is America. Ever been to a town meeting in a small town? There are always three nuts who believe the government is controlling their minds through fluoridated water. There is no point in having 'a dialogue' with those people..."

The rest of Pierce's gutting is well worth the read, of course. Heitkamp, like Sen. Joe Manchin (WV) and about a half-dozen or so "Democrats" in the Senate, is far more interested in keeping her career in politics going than in standing for the principles for which her party has fought for 75 years. At least when you run with a "D" after your name, try to remember the struggles and victories of those who've been in office for more than 4 days before you head out to the studios to play "Sage of the North."

(Photo: Permafrosted Joe Lieberman)