Snap!

Huh. Babaloo's diary at Calitics, and some of the following comments, explain my feelings about Jerry McNerney quite well.

Actually, I'm pretty darn surprised about McNerney's recent comments and votes. I am never so naive as to think that anyone is going to vote 100% to my liking. I don't expect that. Probably the only perfect candidate by my standards is me, and we're just not going to go there.

Silly me. I liked Paul Hackett for a minute too...until he opened his ignorant mouth about women in the military. Now he makes me shudder. Excuse me while I adjust my expectations yet again.

From the Stockton Record:

McNerney said he will be more likely to listen to those who want more time in Iraq.
"If anything, I'm more willing to participate in a give-and-take with that viewpoint than I was before," he said.

What I did expect was that he'd be another strong voice against the occupation of Iraq. Those of you who've been playing along at home know that a bad war related votes can be a deal breaker for me. Between McNerney's worrisome vote a few weeks back, these recent comments about Iraq, and as icing on the cake, last week's conflation of medical marijuana with meth, I'm starting to get that icky feeling that I've been seduced for a quickie, and am now being unceremoniously dumped.

No, he's not in my district, but I liked what I saw and heard from him, both in person and online and thought it was (and still is) important to get Pombo and his ilk out of office. I disliked Pombo mucho. I wanted another Dem seat mucho. It was the first time I've ever made a donation to someone that wouldn't represent me if elected. I guess I was kind of hoping he would at least sort of represent me. Well, he does...sort of. But apparently not in several important ways. Particularly in the ways that encourage me to give financial support.

"We need to put a timetable out there, it needs to make sense," McNerney added -- a plan to bring the troops home, so that the Iraqi government is compelled to unite and take over the task of securing the country. "I think we can work to find a way forward that would be bipartisan, that would accommodate the achievements they have had in the last four or five months."

Sigh. I'm also weary and wary of "bi-partisan" solutions that are carved out between someone who strikes me as sincere about cooperation, and those who worship at the alter of partisanship. All too often in recent years, that only means the Democrat just goes along to get along.

I'm sure McNerney is a good guy and will cast many satisfying votes in the years to come, but I have limited patience and resources. I'm picky. I don't donate to ANY candidates unless I'm very impressed.

That sound you heard was my wallet snapping shut.

p.s. I do wish that Democrats would quit making me lose the arguments with my friends about why we should still support the Democratic Party.