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Grayson Conducting Money-Bomb Fundraiser, To Reward 'Congressman With Guts'

Eric Kleefeld | November 2, 2009, 11:50AM

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Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL)

Alan Grayson, FL-08, House '10

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Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL) is conducting a "money-bomb" fundraiser today -- a single day of big fundraising -- in an effort to show that Americans support him as a self-proclaimed "Congressman With Guts."

Grayson had promoted this fundraiser for the last two weeks, and was building up pledges that could then be quickly collected in the morning.

So far, he's at $354,307, closing in on his official goal of $400,000. Let's see how he does for the whole day.

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24 comments

Recommend Recommend (2)

johnmccsf

November 2, 2009 11:59 AM

Stink bomb - New York Times

Alan Grayson, the Liberals’ Problem Child

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/01/weekinreview/01herszenhorn.html

In recent weeks, Mr. Grayson has catapulted himself to national renown for outlandish rhetoric and a pugilistic political style that makes him seem less staid lawmaker than a character on the lam from one of his Orlando district’s theme parks.. Mr. Grayson could be the latest incarnation of what in the American political idiom is known as a wing nut — a loud darling of cable television and talk radio whose remarks are outrageous but often serious enough not to be dismissed entirely. Mr. Grayson is the more notable because he hurls his nuts from the left in a winger world long associated with the right.

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Xantar

November 2, 2009 12:13 PM in reply to johnmccsf

I'm one of the people who thinks Grayson has loved the spotlight a little too much, but let's not get into false equivalence here. Yes, I know that's the NY Times' stock in trade. Still, it's not like Grayson is the left-wing equivalent of Michele Bachmann. Or Michael Steele. Or Sarah Palin. The most controversial thing Grayson has done is called a lobbyist a whore. If that's the worst he does this year, he'll come out way ahead. And I for one hope he makes the $400,000 goal because it seems to be a worthy cause.

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johnmccsf

November 2, 2009 12:14 PM in reply to Xantar

Yes, he has a long way to go but look how far he's come already ;(

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GTFOOH

November 2, 2009 2:03 PM in reply to Xantar

I can't blame him for loving the spotlight. He is a politician. They would all love to get the attention he gets. But most of them don't have the courage to do what it takes to garner that kind of attention.

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lousgirl84

November 2, 2009 3:42 PM in reply to Xantar

I just donated another $50. I like the guy. I am willing to put some money into his coffers. We need more like him.

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Rootman

November 2, 2009 12:14 PM

I should be on this guy's side, but I saw him on TV and he's a fruitcake. Is this the best we can do?

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CVille Dem

November 2, 2009 12:48 PM in reply to Rootman

Watch this and see if you still think he is a fruitcake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKz5ZHM8kFM

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lousgirl84

November 2, 2009 3:43 PM in reply to CVille Dem

Thank you for educating the folks.

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johnmccsf

November 2, 2009 12:23 PM

Poor Bill Owens probably could use a tranche of that 400K right about now

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LuxVeritas

November 2, 2009 1:22 PM

Yeah, I'm with the "Grayson needs to tone it down a bit" crowd. I'm all for people speaking the truth, and more of them should, but I'd rather it be done intelligently and without all the hyperbole, unnecessary name calling, and other theatrics. I felt the same thing about Code PINK. Their stupid antics make us look bad, and I very much dislike that. We are better than that kind of crap, and I'd rather Grayson act more like a serious elected official than feigned outrage fodder for the GOP.

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artgurrl

November 2, 2009 3:23 PM in reply to LuxVeritas

Gee, you're sounding like a conservative.

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gharlane

November 2, 2009 6:33 PM in reply to LuxVeritas

IMHO the person to learn from on this front is Senator Al Franken: takes no prisoners, has the facts, often does it with biting humor, almost always pitch perfect.

And I still love writing "Senator Al Franken."

That said, I'm cutting Alan some slack and willing to pony up some cash for him. There's a reason he's getting more media coverage than Senator Franken, and unfortunately, media coverage (under the heading of There Is No Such Thing As Bad Publicity) is one thing progressives still need a lot more of.

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twindad

November 2, 2009 2:16 PM

Do you know who hears the message if Rep. Grayson 'tones it down a bit?' The choir hears the message, it doesn't get the 15 second sound bite on the for profit media, it doesn't even get more than a mention on talking points memo or raw story. How much coverage did his 'teaching moment' with Rep. Broun get?
So, I am sorry, until all news programming turns into Democracy Now or even the News Hour, Rep. Grayson needs to keep the rhetoric sharp, his language colorful, and the facts out in the open.

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geofu54

November 2, 2009 2:38 PM in reply to twindad

The problem is that the media will jump on the colors of his language, not on his message. And when that happens, the validity of the message itself can effectively be dismissed in the media discourse.

There is this thing "diminishing return," and to do too much (even if well-intended) can be counter-productive beyond some threshold. I'm not sure if Grayson has already reached that point, but if he hasn't, he is surely approaching it.

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JesusQuintana

November 2, 2009 2:30 PM

What a money-grubbing whore this guy is turning out to be. Every one of his rants is followed with a plea for cash. He seems to have figured out that there is a market on the left for the Vince McMahon inspired professional wrestling style politics that dominates the right.

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fsudirectory

November 2, 2009 2:44 PM in reply to JesusQuintana

If that's what it takes to get the message out, in an honest way (sans the whore comment), then so be it.

There hasn't been someone on the left take the sarcastic/knife turning method of shit talking that the right has perfected by using lies, and this guy does it with truths... so whatever.

This is a guy who spent his OWN money to get elected the first Dem in a red district in ages, so what if he would like some of that back, or to support himself for next year?

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JesusQuintana

November 2, 2009 3:04 PM in reply to fsudirectory

Do you really thing Grayson is getting a message out? The only people who listen to him are the hyper-partisans on both sides. Grayson's only real message is to send him money.

I guess some people on the left are jealous that they don't have heroes who don absurd personas and enter the talk show arena screaming beligerent gibberish. It seems to me, though, that we should leave the Vince McMahon inspired childishness to the Republicans and let the Democrats act like adults.

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fsudirectory

November 2, 2009 4:41 PM in reply to JesusQuintana

Well if you think about it like this:

When GOP wingnuts scream shit on TV, they get replay value, which drives a narrative. The insanity becomes the talking point.

The only way to obtain airtime for a viewpoint is to do that, so if done in a way that speaks truth and provides fodder for talk show hosts, its a win win.

Thats what you seem to be missing.

The people who make outlandish claims (true or not) will drive the media narrative and be invited on shows to discuss what they said, causing what you said to amplify and move further than the floor of the House.

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VACommonsense

November 2, 2009 2:43 PM

What Congressman Grayson is saying is not new, it's just that it's been a long time since there was a Democrat who knows how to throw a punch:

"I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell."
Harry S Truman

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AJM

November 2, 2009 4:01 PM in reply to VACommonsense

Eaxactly: Using words which attract attention and which everybody can understand he is point out that the Elephant has no clothes and smell like $hit.

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Pete Bilderback

November 2, 2009 3:06 PM

Hopefully he pulls in enough money to purchase that missing fry for his Happy Meal.

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artgurrl

November 2, 2009 3:25 PM

I love Congressman Grayson. We need more Democrats in the Senate with balls enough to willingly to stand up to corporate B.S and the GOP B.S. While we are at it, we could really us it in the White House too.

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