contest

Keith Ellison stood out as a principled, values-driven progressive when he was a member of the Minnesota legislature. Blue America backed him back then, hoping for more of the same in Washington. And we haven't been disappointed. Co-chair of the Progressive Caucus and Democratic Chief Deputy Whip, Keith is one of the only Democrats on a leadership track who speaks to the interests of ordinary working families. As Raúl Grijalva told us, "Keith, above all, isn't posturing.

"We will always have Paris."by KenFinally I can suggest why I love New Yorker carton editor Bob Mankoff. It's not because he does such a brilliant job as cartoon editor. Probably he does, but how would I know? And even if it's so, that wouldn't give me any strong feeling about him.

As you probably know, Blue America has endorsed Nick Ruiz, a professor, a surfer and a former Green Party candidate running as a progressive Democrat now, against anti-environmental corporate stooge John Mica in a central Florida district next to Alan Grayson's.

Tomorrow afternoon we'll randomly pick the winner of the Neil Young contest. So, it's still not too late to enter. Like we explained last week, it's easy to win the RIAA-certified double platinum award for Neil's classic Harvest Moon.

The first time I spoke with Pennsylvania state Senator Daylin Leach, I was astounded. I asked him if he knows Alan Grayson. At the time they hadn't met. I was asking because I'm always looking for candidates who are something like Alan. No one is more like Alan-- and in so many profound and wonderful ways-- than Daylin. Both are what we would have called in my Brooklyn neighborhood "stand up guys"-- courageous, smart and dedicated to taking on the tough jobs and seeing them through.

My first serious, non-hippie job-- my friend Andy started calling me "corporate Howie"-- was working for Sire Records. At the first label meeting, Seymour Stein assigned me responsibilty for The Ramones, Talking Heads, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Erasure, The Replacements, Echo and the Bunnymen, Ice-T, Aztec Camera, Book of Love, Throwing Muses, the Tom Tom Club, Ofra Haza, Yaz, Seal, k.d. lang, Kid Creole & the Coconuts, My Bloody Valentine, Dinosaur Jr. and The Pretenders.