Toggle Menu

What Progressives Can Learn from Arkansas

On The Ed Show, Nation editor Katrina vanden Heuvel says that labor's money wasn't wasted in Arkansas.

Press Room

June 11, 2010

Senator Blanche Lincoln’s narrow victory over Lt. Gov. Bill Halter in the Arkansas primaries has raised questions about the political fallout facing Democrats come November—most notably, a growing tension between labor unions and the White House. On The Ed Show, host Ed Schultz remarks there is “an appearance the White House doesn’t even respect labor." As Nation editor Katrina vanden Heuvel, says, “no question the White House is divided.” But the Arkansas primary revealed a growing progressive movement and the need for progressives to continue building power.

“I think whoever said something about how labor lost—flushed money down the toilet in Arkansas drew all the wrong lessons,” says vanden Heuvel. “I think we saw in a very tight race a pro-corporate incumbent nearly got beat. And she became a kind of born-again populist as part of a movement of labor, of net roots activists, of community groups, of faith groups, of environmental groups.  And that is what we need to focus on.”

—Clarissa León

Press RoomTwitterBig Nation announcements and select interview clips. For media inquiries, booking requests or further information, please contact: Caitlin Graf, VP, Communications, The Nation press [at] thenation.com / 212-209-5400


Latest from the nation