Another Endorsement for Coleen!

[Disclaimer: This post was first published on Coleen Rowley's campaign weblog.]

ECM Publishers, owners of the ThisWeek chain of newspapers the Second District, have endorsed Coleen in her bid to defeat John Kline:

Like many Americans, Rowley is indignant at the country’s direction under President Bush and a Republican Congress. The ex-FBI agent and 9/11 whistleblower is bright, tenacious, a flexible thinker and an able voice of dissent.

In other words, she’s right for these perilous times. The Republican-leaning 2nd District may not be ready to elect a Democrat, but we think Rowley is the most capable and deserving of Kline’s opponents since 2002.

(snip)

[Kline's] uncritical embrace of the Bush team’s Iraqi campaign is troubling, especially for a Marine veteran. His analysis of the challenges faced in Iraq is cogent, his list of solutions short and unsatisfying. Kline is loyal, and determined, and probably correct in stating that an immediate withdrawal from Iraq would bring an even greater terrorist threat. But he has little regard for reasonable criticisms of the war effort voiced by several retired generals. Neither he nor the Bush administration has adequately explained why Iraq is, or had to be, the central front in the war on terror.

Rowley supports a phased troop withdrawal that calls for allowing the Iraqi army and security forces to assume responsibility for the country. The plan, promoted by dissident U.S. Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, would have U.S. troops retreating to the perimeter of the fighting and being hosted by other countries. The plan may have flaws, but it’s a starting point for discussion.

A self-proclaimed former Republican voter, Rowley can’t be dismissed as a liberal tax-and-spender. Her call for repeal of Bush tax cuts to the top 1 to 2 percent of income earners comes at a time when economic forces are conspiring to fatten corporate profits and further enrich the wealthy while leaving the middle class in its place. Rowley says revenue from repealing the tax cuts should be applied only to reduction of the $300 billion national deficit, not new spending.

This is a very strong endorsement indeed, and confirms much of what we've been saying all along. For example, earlier today we pointed out how Kline's "list of solutions is short and unsatisfying". The final sentence says it all:

"A nation thirsting for change will be better served with Coleen Rowley in Congress than with John Kline."

We couldn't have said it better ourselves.