U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak (D.,Pa.) has said he has to talk to his family before deciding to run for Senate next year. Apparently is dad is on board with it. Sestak is distributing a fundraising email that quotes his father telling him: "Why not?"
Here's the email:
From: Congressman Joe Sestak [mailto:info@sestakforcongress.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 10:59 AM
To:
Subject: "Absolutely, Why Not"
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 10:59 AM
To:
Subject: "Absolutely, Why Not"
Dear ,
I wanted to relay to you a conversation I recently had with my 88 year-old Dad ... the man I admire most in life and whom I always wanted to be like.
I asked my Dad if I should run for the U.S. Senate and, with a heart-felt smile on his face and in his unassuming way ... as so many members of his "greatest generation" were ... he simply said "absolutely, why not".
You see my Dad is the embodiment of the American Dream, and reflects what is best about America.
Dad had come to America at a young age from then-Czechoslovakia with his father who became a Pennsylvania steelworker. Dad worked hard in high school; graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy; fought in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans during WW II ; rose to be a Captain in the U.S. Navy; married Mom (a Catholic high school math teacher - they'll be celebrating their 63rd wedding anniversary this year) and had eight children; and put all eight through high school and college, while encouraging us that the only limitation in life that could hold us back was ourselves.
We weren't different than any other families of my generation, whose parents instilled in them the same values of hard-work and accountability for our actions, while teaching us that America was a land of meritocracy.
But with recent political events, some have gotten away from that sentiment which is affecting us - and our electoral process - here in Pennsylvania.
The Washington D.C. "establishment" has told us that THEIR standard-bearer for Pennsylvania Democrats should be a 45-year Republican Party member who stood "shoulder-to-shoulder" with George W. Bush on the President's failed policies that we are now suffering from ... and now the D.C. insiders are telling us we are to vote for this Republican, someone who:
I asked my Dad if I should run for the U.S. Senate and, with a heart-felt smile on his face and in his unassuming way ... as so many members of his "greatest generation" were ... he simply said "absolutely, why not".
You see my Dad is the embodiment of the American Dream, and reflects what is best about America.
Dad had come to America at a young age from then-Czechoslovakia with his father who became a Pennsylvania steelworker. Dad worked hard in high school; graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy; fought in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans during WW II ; rose to be a Captain in the U.S. Navy; married Mom (a Catholic high school math teacher - they'll be celebrating their 63rd wedding anniversary this year) and had eight children; and put all eight through high school and college, while encouraging us that the only limitation in life that could hold us back was ourselves.
We weren't different than any other families of my generation, whose parents instilled in them the same values of hard-work and accountability for our actions, while teaching us that America was a land of meritocracy.
But with recent political events, some have gotten away from that sentiment which is affecting us - and our electoral process - here in Pennsylvania.
The Washington D.C. "establishment" has told us that THEIR standard-bearer for Pennsylvania Democrats should be a 45-year Republican Party member who stood "shoulder-to-shoulder" with George W. Bush on the President's failed policies that we are now suffering from ... and now the D.C. insiders are telling us we are to vote for this Republican, someone who:
- four weeks before switching parties emphatically told Pennsylvanians that "to eliminate any doubt, I am a Republican, and I am running for reelection in 2010 as Republican on the Republican ticket";
- who four weeks after making that express commitment, then breached it and switched parties ... not to help Pennsylvanians ... but rather to help himself personally because, as he said, his internal polling showed he could not beat his Republican challenger; and,
- who, after breaking his commitment, then announced to the nation "I did not say that I would be a loyal Democrat ... I did not say that I am a loyal Democrat"!
Is that someone who Pennsylvania Democrats really want as OUR standard-bearer? I just don't think so.
If you believe - like I was raised by my parents to believe - that America is a land of meritocracy and that we are accountable for our actions, then I ask you to join me, and fight! Fight for accountablility, for consistency of purpose, for honest commitment. And to help me do that, I ask you to please immediately contribute $5, $10, $25; $50; $100, $250 ... to my campaign ... a campaign for a choice for someone who is running for Pennsylvania, for Democrats, not for himself.
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE: Contribute
We've set an an ambitious goal of raising $70,000 in 7 days - by midnight, next Tuesday, June 30th, the end of the quarter.
We've got 7 days to raise $70,000! Not only is your financial support needed, but your help in getting others to contribute is critical to reaching our goal. Please forward this e-mail to others, with your own personal note, and ask your family and friends to please make a donation of just $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, $250 ... to support what is shaping up to be "the race"of the election cycle.
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE: Contribute
"Courage, Honor, Commitment" is the Navy's honor code that extends back over 200 years, and which our Dad imparted on us as we grew up and, upon entering the U.S. Naval Academy, I became part of that tradition.
While career politicians often do things for their own political survivability, I just believe that there is still a place for courage, honor and commitment in public office ... and in our elected officials. If you agree, then please make a contribution to my campaign.
You have been, and continue to be, the best grassroots organization in the nation!..
If you believe - like I was raised by my parents to believe - that America is a land of meritocracy and that we are accountable for our actions, then I ask you to join me, and fight! Fight for accountablility, for consistency of purpose, for honest commitment. And to help me do that, I ask you to please immediately contribute $5, $10, $25; $50; $100, $250 ... to my campaign ... a campaign for a choice for someone who is running for Pennsylvania, for Democrats, not for himself.
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE: Contribute
We've set an an ambitious goal of raising $70,000 in 7 days - by midnight, next Tuesday, June 30th, the end of the quarter.
We've got 7 days to raise $70,000! Not only is your financial support needed, but your help in getting others to contribute is critical to reaching our goal. Please forward this e-mail to others, with your own personal note, and ask your family and friends to please make a donation of just $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, $250 ... to support what is shaping up to be "the race"of the election cycle.
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE: Contribute
"Courage, Honor, Commitment" is the Navy's honor code that extends back over 200 years, and which our Dad imparted on us as we grew up and, upon entering the U.S. Naval Academy, I became part of that tradition.
While career politicians often do things for their own political survivability, I just believe that there is still a place for courage, honor and commitment in public office ... and in our elected officials. If you agree, then please make a contribution to my campaign.
You have been, and continue to be, the best grassroots organization in the nation!..
Warmly,
Joe Sestak
Click here for Philly.com's politics page.
Two numbers for you - 30 and 12. Joe Sestak missed 30 votes on Thursday and Friday last week so he could schmooze with Delco party bigwigs back in Pa. Two of thsoe missed votes were appropriations bills -- spending packages for the Department of Commerce, Dept. of State, and Dept of Justice, as well as funding for the entire legislative branch (including Sestak's own office). By the way, minutes before the voting on the Legisaltive Appropriations bill took place, Sestak found time to appear on MSNBC to plaster his face on tvs across the country. So much for having his priorities straight. According to the Washington Post's vote tracker, Sestak has now missed 12 percent of votes already this year, and he hasn't even announced as a candidate yet. That number is only going to rise should he decide to run for statewide office. While Joe Sestak is flirting with the idea of running for Senate, the voters of the 7th are lacking full representation in Congress.— Stosh P
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