Chellie Pingree, Democratic candidate for the First Congressional District, recently had a discussion with activist Laurie Dobson on North Haven island, Pingree’s home and Dobson’s summer home.
Willy Ritch, Pingree’s spokesman, said that Dobson had just asked to talk with Pingree.
Pingree was then surprised when an account of the conversation was printed in The Bollard, an alternative monthly publication in Portland. There, Dobson presented the piece as an interview with Pingree.
“She (Pingree) thought this was just a neighborly thing,” Ritch said. “She (Dobson) never said this was an interview, she didn’t have a tape recorder, she wasn’t taking notes and she never in any way indicated that this was an interview.”
In the piece, Dobson accused Pingree of being influenced by the American Isreal Public Affairs Committee by way of Donald Sussman, the hedge fund manager who has donated thousands to her campaign.
Dobson said Sussman was on the board of a lobbying committee for Isreal. Pingree said he is on the Israel Policy Forum, which supports the two-state solution.
She also claims that Pingree said she was “going to be in Congress.” Ritch said Pingree has never made such a statement.
Dobson had launched a U.S. Senate campaign, however she was denied ballot access after the Secretary of State said that she did not have enough signatures. She said she has an appeal pending in Superior Court.
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Interview
Seems Pingree wishes to put space between herself and the pro-Israel community. AIPAC supports a two-state solution as well as the group Sussman is involved with. Although this is an op-ed written by a somewhat unstable person, Chellie does not dispute its content. The Jewish community should take note of a growing dislike for the State of Israel by the left - a political strata that, heretofore, has received the lion's share of its support.
There is nothing unstable
There is nothing unstable about being unhappy with our leaders- and those who purport to be progressives- who then shake out to be little more than aspiring Brahmins and defenders of the status quo.
I told Chellie there were some things I had wanted to talk about, and I was going to write to her. She knew I had things on my mind. She knows I am running for office and we have had years of conversations about politics and priorities.
She knows I am unhappy with her decision to stand by Tom Allen although he has not supported impeachment and he has funded the war for many years while we have drained our own coffers in Maine to keep this war going.
I think that those who intend to lead us should think about the powerful effect that they have, including their ability to influence those others in office, and should keep their priorities clear.
I reported, factually, a talk I had with a public official. My husband stands as a witness, and he verifies my account of the conversation.
The comment above is a a veiled threat to Pingree that her money will dry up if she aligns with 'unstable' types, who oppose Israel's push into Georgia.
I suppose they intend for her to show support for Bush's plan to smack down Russia, and stand by his direct threats to this nuclear-armed country, and to 'allow' him to circumvent Congress, in promising a retaliatation. This is what our 'friend' Israel, is getting us into. Is this kind of dirty money a good thing for our Maine politicians to be associated with?
Chellie knows it is wrong; and if she weren't thinking with her heart instead of her head she would do the right thing and keep free from these unworthy alliances. I hope that she will and I will again openly support her if she does.
Wow
just say it...don't hold back...call our "friend" what you really wat to...
The "article"
is a sad collection of ramblings. I am very surprised that any publication, even the Bollard, would allow this to go to print. It's one thing to draw up attention for the sake of attention (as this has done), but it's another to retain some journalistic integrity.
It's disappointing that they printed this self-serving, horribly written ambush by someone clearly on the fringe.
Laurie Dobson is a kook!
Laurie Dobson is a kook! Never mind unethical in turning a private conversation into an article for that rag The Bollard. What is the obsession with Sussman? It's no one's business. This is a non-issue. Down with the fringe left who always wish to sacrifice the great for the perfect.
The only thing worse...
The only person less reputable than Laurie "WERU" Dobson is Chris "The Drunk Stalker" Busby.
It's really a perfect match, I think.
Israel
Please spell "Israel" right. That's just bad copy-editing, and offensive.
Dobson interview of Chellie Pingree
John McCain speaks with the President of Georgia twice a day. His senior foreign poliy advisor is a lobbyist among whose clients is Georgia. McCain has visited Georgia on average once every two months since 2004.
Georgia attacked S. Ossetia just as they had in 2004 and in 1990-92. Georgia is trying to impose its rule over S. Ossetia in much the same way as Hussein tried to regain Kuwait in 1991. Each time Georgia breaks the cease fire agreement from 1992 it demonstrates a complete lack of judgement. They are hoping to drag the US and EU into a shooting war with Russia.
McCain may be a patsy in Georgia's plans or may be an influential player in instigating a war with Russia. Either way he's dangerously interfering in US foreign policy.
The above is much more likely than that Israel has some interest in Georgia that allows them to direct its affairs. Dobson's an idiot.
Is real Unrael
It's telling that this has turned into a name calling rant by those who are pro-Pingree.
Perhaps this was "ambush journalism", but the writer has a witness and Ms. Pingree herself should be the one doing the denouncing if untruths have been printed.
Insofar as the Georgia/Russia/Israel/US commotion goes, will we ever know truth?
Much is to be accomplished when the eye is taken away from the obvious, by the spector of war.
While everyone is free to
While everyone is free to express their opinion, it's always unfortunate when publications like The Bollsrd give a forum for hate speech.
pingree and me
It's not hate speech at all. I am simply dismayed that a former colleague has decided to align herself in a way which will compromise her campaign. I give her this feedback in the hopes that it will give her pause to reconsider the direction she is taking.
I do it as a friend, whether she can recognize this as such or not. and I do it in the hopes that she does not sink what can be a true legacy of leadership for her family. We all have learning curves and this is one for her. I do not profess to be above her in this either, as this blog has certainly made note of my own imperfections.
I do believe, however, that we must try to be the best candidates possible. That is what people hope for when they put faith in us and that is what we must keep before us. To the extent that we can keep the public's interests before our private interests, we succeed.
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