In what can only be described as a cynical and calculated move to bait Marcy Winograd into entering the CA36 Congressional race and split the progressive vote, Janice Hahn issued a press release today urging Debra Bowen to join her in a pro-Israel pledge.

The problem isn’t the pledge itself – a fairly standard boilerplate declaration that supports Israel’s right to exist, a two-state solution to the Israeli/Palestinian peace process, and enforcing sanctions against Iran – the problem is the timing of the pledge and it’s explicit attack on Winograd.

Hahn’s press release comes on the heels of a Daily Breeze article which stirred up a hornets nest amongst progressives in the district because of this paragraph:

“I did some hard analysis about where I thought I could best serve this country and this state at this moment in history,” Bowen said. The former lawmaker said she plans to focus on improving education and strengthening jobs in the local aerospace industry while also building up the nation’s military.

Marcy Winograd in particular jumped at the quote, and forwarded her concerns to listserves throughout the district.

I thought I’d share concern expressed on the CDP Progressive Caucus list serve about a Daily Breeze report that Debra Bowen, when announcing her candidacy, indicated that she supported a military build-up. …. For me, this is code for more bomb-building, with no emphasis on transitioning aerospace into Green jobs that we desperately need. Last week I asked her if she would join the Out of Afghanistan Caucus, but never received an answer on that issue.

Bowen quickly sent out a letter to supporters in the district saying she was “stunned” to see her interview characterized as it was, and said she had called the reporter to correct the record.

I’m gravely concerned about the cost of war and the number of lives lost. I think we need a safe and rapid exit from Afghanistan, for one example, and said so very specifically in that interview. I would much rather that these resources go towards jump starting our economy, restoring excellence in our schools and providing quality job training, developing energy independence via green alternatives, improving on health care as it is implemented, and addressing the need for care for the increasing number of seniors with dementia and Alzheimer’s and children with autism, diabetes, and other conditions that threaten their independence and quality of life.

Janice Hahn and her campaign manager, Joe Trippi, would love nothing more than to have Winograd run. With a credible Republican challenger now in the race – Redondo Beach City Attorney Mike Webb – a split vote between Bowen and Winograd would likely eliminate both in the first round of voting.

In the new “open primary” system the two top voter-getters would advance to a second round of voting if no one receives %50+1 of the primary vote. And that’s unlikely with a three or four-way ticket.

Cross posted at Veniceforchange.com