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As Sun columnist Jon Ralston first reported, Arizona Sen. John McCain is up on TV in Nevada.
See the ad here.
McCain says he hates war.
Elliot Anderson, who chairs the state Democrats' veterans' caucus and founding member of a new veterans' volunteer group called Operation Walk the Walk, responded:
"McCain's new ad in Nevada, 'Safe,' glosses over the Bush/McCain war policies that have, by every measure, made Americans less safe at home and abroad."
I founded the Nevada Democratic Veterans & Military Famlies Corps Caucus and mentored Elliot Anderson as a political neophyte. Elliot Anderson was temporarily appointed as the interim acting chair and charged with the responsibility to hold elections and provide full accounting on any and all fund-raising and expenses.
Sadly, this proved to be a terrible mistake as Elliot Anderson quickly became a dictator and refused to provide financial accounting (as he had given his word and promised), he refused to follow our by-laws (claiming he didn't have to follow the rule of our laws), and arrogantly refused (twice) to hold elections.
Every effort was made to try and resolve the Anderson problem quietly. Unfortunately, Anderson's immaturity and refusal to listen and heed the advice of his mentors resulted in Anderson losing our chair and vote on the Nevada State Democratic Party Executive Board. That was the final straw.
Therefore, I had no other reasonable choice or recourse than to withdraw his appointment as chair and relieve him of any official leadership duties - he remains a member of the caucus only!
Anderson's new group "Operation Walk the Walk" has done some good work organizing care packages for our troops - but, in truth, it's all about Elliot Anderson advancing his personal political career on the coat-tails and sympathies for vets - and we don't need this sort of corruption inside the Democratic party or the Nevada Vets Movement!
Consequently, due the the ego of one young man determined to become a political hack (his own words to me), our years of work, our thousands of hours of time and money invested, currently, the Nevada Democratic Veterans & Military Families Corps Caucus is limbo and the midst of reformation and re-organizing.
There is a short time between now and November. It's important to pay attention to all the last two years speeches and what nominees have changed their churches and opinions in efforts to get votes and who has been the same now as they have been.
I was strongly for Senator Clinton. Now that she's not in the race, between Senator Obama and Senator McCain. I am crossing party lines to vote for the best candidate of the two that are running.
It doesn't matter what party I have belonged to for 39 years. It is my responsibility as an American to vote in the best interest of myself, my family and America. I'm proud to be an American.
There is no doubt in my mind that the only choice for my vote is Senator McCain. I cannot vote the "party line" when the party line offends me as an American.
With all due respect to Mr. Abbinett for his military service, his attack on Elliot Anderson is pure fabrication. As Mr. Abbinett is fully aware, the status of the caucus within the Nevada State Democratic party changed because of a vote on bylaw interpretation, not personal reasons.
In fact, Mr. Abbinett himself was removed from chair because he wasn't a rregistered Democrat at the time. He has no authority to relieve anyone of duty in the veteran's caucus. Although Anderson is a great fundraiser, he does not have control of disbursement for the caucus. The suggestion that he has mishandled donations is pure slander.
Elliot is one of many young Nevada Democrats who are rising stars as activists, elected officials or campaign and party staff. It is no shame that he aspires to a career in public service. Last year, he gave the Democratic radio address. Sen. Harry Reid, Speaker Buckley and many other electeds and candidates attended the care package event he organized two weeks ago. He is passionate about the message that we can support the troops without supporting the war.
Although Mr. Abbinett currently claims to be a Democrat, he has a long history of using blogs to launch baseless, vitriolic, hateful attacks on party leaders and any other commenter who disagrees with him. These attacks far exceed the bounds of constructive criticism or spirited argument. Because of this pattern, one blog has permanently barred him from commenting.
I have no intention of "attacking" anyone - I'm just stating the facts - and "Nightingale" is trying to spin the truth, turn the tables and launch a baseless, vitriolic, hateful attack on me for simply speaking the truth!
There is no shame for anyone aspiring to a career in public service - but, people entering the political arena who are not honest, and do not keep their word, and refuse to carry out their duties are not what we need entering the public service or political arena!
The Nevada State Democratic Party vote on how they "re-interpreted" their By-Laws was, in fact, due to problems in some clubs and caucus groups with financial accountability and just following the rule of law!
I was never removed from the position of Chair - that is an out-and-out lie on the part of the anonymous "Nightingale" - in fact, my older brother was struck with cancer and my younger brother had a stroke. These two family emergencies required me to re-prioritize my life and I appointed Anderson temporarily as the Interim Acting Chair for the purpose of holding elections - which he refused to conduct!
Facts are facts! Appointing Anderson proved to be a terrible mistake and I had no other choice but to withdraw his appointment and relieve him of any leadership authority and his duties (though he remains a member of the caucus).
Consequently, the Vets Caucus is in limbo temporarily until we can get a full financial accounting, re-build the membership and move forward with the election of officers in a democratic manner - that is what this issue is about, it is not about Anderson or Abbinett, it IS about the entire membership of the Veterans Caucus supporting progressive candidates that truly support disabled vets and winning on our issues. It is NOT about making Anderson a "rising star" that has been the problem. The Vets Caucus was not meant to be a vehicle where someone could selfishly advance their own career on the sympathies and coat-tails of disabled veterans - we don't need anyone like that in a leadership role!