Democrat John Lewis has often been criticized by conservatives and moderates during his 20-year-reign in the U.S. House of Representatives. But in a rare twist, he is being hit from the left.
The liberal “Street Newspaper” the Atlanta Progressive News – whose website says they are, “Sold primarily by homeless people in public places which typically covers issues related to the concerns of working families, often with special attention to the issues of the poor and homeless” – published an article Sunday calling Lewis a liar.
The APN claimed that Lewis lied to them in an interview regarding his involvement in local races this past election season. They said Lewis boasted that he “doesn’t get involved in local races by supporting local candidates,” but his active participation in local campaigns – including the John Eaves debacle – is nothing short of “hypocracy.”
Recently, US Rep. Lewis supported Fulton County Commissioner candidate John Eaves, who won the seat. Lewis’s support was promoted by Eaves and his campaign in campaign materials and in advertisements.
The problem is, Lewis’s spokesperson Brenda Jones told APN that Lewis does not get involved in local races.
That was a couple months ago, when APN contacted Lewis’s office for an explanation as to why he was supporting US Senator Joe Lieberman (erstwhile-D-CT), a centrist Bush-enabling war hawk, and not US Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), a progressive Democrat like Lewis.
Lewis’s support for Lieberman, but not McKinney, seemed strange, given the similarities of Lewis and McKinney’s voting records.
Jones countered at the time that Lewis’s support for Lieberman in a Connecticut race was “apples,
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Take anything that rag, the APN, says with a grain of salt. They represent no one other than themselves.
they must have been pulling hard for mckinney and just have an ax to grind to get caught up in such a minor point–that could be spun quite easily if lewis were so inclined…
Decaturguy,
I certainly understand that they are a rag. I just found it quite interesting that the ALWAYS liberal John Lewis would be attacked by “progressives.”
But I guess the shoe fits when it’s self-serving.
I have this weird feeling that John Lewis might expect the unexpected next go-’round, and actually face a challenger. And the challenger will be a bright young black whippersnapper. Mark my word, you heard it hear first. Well, third maybe, as I left the same bon motes on Peachtree Screed and the (fake) Political Insider. (And FYI, there’s a wee shout-out-flame to you boys here today on SGR.)
Adam, do you suppose Decaturguy will EVER admit that Democrats are just as self-serving as Republicans?
Bill et al, in fairness to Rep. Lewis, it is one thing to get involved in local primaries, it is another thing altogether to support the Democratic nominee for local office.
Had McKinney been the nominee in Georgia’s 4th district, Lewis would have probably supported her in the general election. But he doesn’t want to get involved in local primaries, particularly for someone like McKinney, and he seems to be consistent here.
APN, like Cynthia McKinney herself, is looking to scapegoat and blame everyone for McKinney’s loss…except McKinney. As far as I can tell, Lewis has done nothing wrong, and just like other prominent Georgia Dems he stayed out of primaries here (regardless of what he did in Connecticut or elsewhere) and supported the Democratic nominee in the general election.
Non story.
Save your energies for a real story.
APN is to the Far Left as Ralph Reed is to the Far Right.
Chris summed up APN’s mis-leading story very well. Congressman Lewis said he wasn’t getting into local Georgia primary battles. Unfortunately, APN is too green to know the difference between primary and general battles. They really need someone on their staff that can edit their stories.
APN: This is the Atlanta Progressive News.
MCKINNEY: And I’m Former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney.
CAMPBELL: And I am inmate #234561 Bill Campbell.
APN: On Nov. 7, we faced the most dangerous situation we ever have. You think fighting off dogs and water hoses in the ‘60s was bad. [We] sat idly by, and let the moderate Progressive liberals like John Lewis take control of the United States Congress.
MCKINNEY: The efforts of Karl Marx, Josef Stalin, Malcolm X and many others are in danger of being lost. That’s why we must stand up, and
support candidates more liberal than John Lewis.
CAMPBELL: And especially against John Lewis, who stood idly by and did nothing to prevent Martin Luther King’s assassination. Unless you want them to turn back the clock on equal rights, and human rights and economic opportunity for all of us, tell John Lewis to support…um…what is it we are complaining about guys?
APN: The very small bit of credibility we collectively have may very well depend on it.
HAH! Demonbeck that was the best thing I’ve read all day. And I have had to read my writing!
You just have to know when to use the race card rugby, that’s all.
Very nice Demonbeck.
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