Posted by AzBlueMeanie:
I received an e-mail today from Tucson City Councilman Rodney Glassman announcing the formation of the "Rodney Glassman U.S. Senate Exploratory Committee." "Through this committee, we intend to raise funds in order to 'test the waters' for the 2010 U.S. Senate race."
You can check out Glassman's exploratory committee web site at www.rodneyglassman.com. In case you are wondering, an exploratory committee means that Glassman does not have to resign to run under Arizona law, not that anyone is enforcing the law any longer.
It's curious timing. Could it be because the right-wing blog Gila Courier discovered his web site yesterday? Is Glassman going to run for U.S. Senate? | Gila Courier (h/t for the screen shot).
Glassman is personable and likable. A bit ADHD/ADD – impulsive, easily distracted, and hyperactive (excess energy). This may explain his being a "graduate of The University of Arizona five times over" and enlisting to serve as a First Lieutenant in the United States Air Force JAG Reserve while at the same time serving his first term as a councilman from the City of Tucson, all before the ripe age of 30.
I have heard from numerous sources that Glassman quickly bored with his city council duties, barely into his second year of a four year term. That's a shame because he has probably the best staff around.
Glassman was reportedly exploring running for Arizona Secretary of State earlier this year. I guess it just wasn't an impressive enough title to add to his resume.
Likability aside, Glassman rubs me as being a precocious over-achiever made possible by an accident of birth – being born into wealth and privilege. The story that I have been told is that the Glassman family is to commit $2 million to the Arizona Democratic Party for the 2010 election, and another $3 million to his senate campaign in order to run a credible campaign. It's all about the money. There is no expectation that Glassman is capable of defeating John McCain.
| Poll Source | Dates Administered | John McCain (R) | Rodney Glassman (D) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Policy Polling | September 21, 2009 | 55% | 25% |
So why is the Arizona Democratic Party filling Rodney Glassman's head full of sweet nothings when this is a suicide mission for any inexperienced first term city councilman, particularly one from Tucson? Is it really all about Rodney Glassman's connections to wealthy and privileged individuals through his family and his Glassman Foundation? It's a sad state of affairs if "pay to play" is what our politics has been reduced to.
The U.S. Senate is a millionaire boys and girls club. Perhaps that is what is wrong with the U.S. Senate.
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He has plenty of past public antics to be ashamed of, ranging from his being kicked out of Carol West’s office after basically asking for Chicago-style favors, to his involvement in a partially tax-funded “charity”, to his rent-seeking conduct when being considered as a temporary replacement for Grijalva on the Board of Supes, that will come out again if he runs for Senate.
Should we at some point allow that someone has grown beyond these things? Maybe–that Glassman’s were in his mid-to-late 20s and not when he was, say, 19, should be held against him. It’ll take a few more years as a City Councilman for him to prove that he’s not a pissant–and having this stuff dragged up again might not do him any favors, nor would the potential for him to exhibit his arrogance.
He is an extremely energetic person and he is to able to put together a highly organized campaign all Democratic candidates can benefit from. Family money cannot hurt either. I think McCain can be taken down only by an opponent very, very different from him. And if he loses…he has a good excuse: his age, lack of name recognition, etc, nothing to be ashamed of.
I agree on Afghanistan. Also don’t want someone who wants to ‘bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, Iran.’
5 million bucks on a sacrificial Senate campaign? Surely there are better ways for the Glassman family to spend that money? Buy the AZ legislature buildings and lock out the Republicans seems a good place to start…
Two years isn’t enough to prove that he’s still not an overgrown fratboy.
I would have mentioned Jim Deakin and Chris Simcox but neither of them, as far as I can tell from meeting Simcox and reading the Deakin web site, has any different position on the occupation of Afghanistan than John McCain.
I am hoping for a new boss who is different than the old boss, not just change for change sake.
http://www.obamaforchange.com/
http://www.google.com/search?q=The+Change+We've+Been+Looking+For
Did Jim Pederson’s $12 million buy that other U.S. Senate seat? I think he was even better known in Maricopa County than Glassman.
But will McCain be the nominee in 2010? I assume he most likely will be, but there is a chance the primary voters will turn on him. Then it is anyone’s race.
Winning an election for US Senator is by no means easy. The only suicide mission in my opinion is the one where no pro-peace candidate opposes John McCain.
I wasn’t able to find any mention of Iraq or Afghanistan on his web site. I hope that next time I visit the site I can find out if he has a position on the continued occupation.
http://RethinkAfghanistan.com/