This is a guest post by Devilstower, a front-pager at Daily Kos and a leading light of Energize America.
Suppose there was a candidate who was as bright and as capable as Sarah Palin is confused and incompetent.
Someone who had a record of working with environmental groups, and who had a real understanding of the threat posed by our dependence on fossil fuels. Someone with a degree in earth science and the long experience to make the claim of being a genuine energy expert.
Someone who not only knew science, but also had a law degree, and was a graduate of the leadership program at the Kennedy School of Government. Someone who has held positions of honor in state and national commissions. Someone who was well respected for both her intellect and her passion.
Suppose there was a candidate who had been mayor of, not a tiny town, but a medium-sized city. And suppose she took that position as a Democrat in the midst of a heavily Republican district.
Suppose there was someone who was everything that Sarah Palin is not.
Fortunately for us, there’s Debbie Cook.
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Debbie Cook and Sarah Palin do have a few things in common. Both were attractive enough to be in pageants in their teens. Both spent time in the outdoors (though Debbie was busy getting a pilot’s license, climbing mountains and participating in Outward Bound rather than hunting moose). Both were star athletes in their schools.
That’s where any similarity ends. Rather than bounce around from one college to another, Debbie worked her way through college to pick up an earth science degree. Rather than taking a job reading cue cards on the local news, she started her own business (collecting a patent along the way), then she went back to school at 37 to earn a law degree. Rather than turning a town of 7,000 people into her private playground, Debbie took a town of 194,000 people to a place of economic and environmental leadership. She protected public beaches and parkland from sale, lease, or commercialization. She saved coastal habitat and stopped ocean dumping. She took her city to a leadership position in the fight against global warming.
And, yeah, she was president of the local PTA.
Just this part summer, Debbie came down to Austin to participate in Netroots Nation. I was lucky enough to share the stage with her during the energy panel. There was nothing about Mayor Cook that’s not impressive. She not just smart, but knowledgeable, passionate, approachable, and dedicated. She came ready to talk about energy, not by spouting talking points, but by speaking from her own background and experience.
But that’s not the biggest reason that Debbie Cook should be getting your attention today. Here’s the big draw: she’s running against the odious Dana Rohrabacher.
You know, Rohrabacher, the guy who led the drive to put “Prop 107” on the ballot and deny education to the children of immigrants. Rohrabacher, the guy who has consistently campaigned against gay rights. Rohrabacher, the guy who does not believe that global warming is caused by humans. Rohrabacher, the man who put the nut in wingnut.
On the environmental and front, replacing Dana Rohrabacher with Debbie Cook is the equivalent of replacing James Inhofe with Al Gore. It would be a huge victory. Huge. We’re talking replacing someone who thinks global warming is a scam, with a member of the board of directors for the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas. There is no more stark difference in any race, anywhere.
Time is short, but the margin in this race is razor thin. The chance to unseat Rohrabacher in his R+6 district is amazing. Just a week ago, Rohrabacher’s campaign admitted that the race was a “statistical dead heat.” Even a small contribution could make a big difference.