The Nation Wed May 17, 3:00 PM ET

The Nation -- Since my last post bashed Republican presidential hopeful John McCain, let me indulge in a little Hillary-bashing today. If you're angry at Hillary and all she represents -- i.e., the total non-opposition of the supposed opposition party -- help discredit her with the party's liberal base so that she won't become the Democratic nominee in 2008. I suggest getting involved with Jonathan Tasini's upstart campaign. Tasini -- a longtime labor activist and writer -- is challenging Hillary for the Senate. (Full disclosure: Jonathan and I were debate partners in a smackdown sponsored by The Nation and The Economist magazines, on the question "Is Wal-Mart Good for America?") Jonathan is, by his own admission, unlikely to unseat Hillary. But this is not really about the Senate; it's public education for 2008. Jonathan is calling attention to Hillary's dismal pro-war record, and her failure to stand up for working people (not only has she served on the board of Wal-Mart, she voted for the bankruptcy "reform" bill, paid for -- and authored -- by the credit card industry).

May 15, 2006

Senate hopeful pedals peace

By Alexa James
Times Herald-Record
[email protected]

Woodstock - Jonathan Tasini is biking 600 miles through 16 Empire State cities in just three weeks.

The U.S. Senate hopeful will finish in Buffalo on May 30. He'll arrive bruised, sore and sweaty, but just in time for the state's Democratic Convention.

His opponent for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, won't even break a sweat.

Tasini knows this is not a "race," but his Ride for Peace tour was orchestrated to try to force the former first lady's hand. He wants her to articulate, loud and clear, her position on the Iraq war. Tasini's not shy about his. "I'm a patriot and I'm against the war," says the 49-year-old freelance writer and longtime labor organizer from upper Manhattan. "I don't have to hem and haw about it."

You can listen to a podcast by clicking here.