2006.10.31: Prowar Democrats Court Antiwar Voters

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Greens Tackle Democratic Party Hypocrisy: Pro-War Democrats Campaigning for Antiwar Votes

Green Party of the United States
www.gp.org

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@greens.org

According to polls, most Americans agree with Green candidates' call for U.S. troop withdrawal; voters urged to vote Green and send an Election Day message to Congress and the White House: end the war.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party candidates and leaders called on voters to reject Democrats who supported President Bush's invasion and occupation of Iraq but now advertise themselves as the opposition to Republicans on the Iraq war.

"We want voters to beware of warhawk Democrats who are trying to position themselves as the alternative to warhawk Republicans," said Chris Lugo, Tennessee Green candidate for the U.S. Senate <http://www.chris4senate.com>, who is running against Democratic Congressman Harold Ford, Jr., who has consistently voted for the war. Mr. Ford said a year ago that he wanted to win the war in Iraq by sending 500,000 more U.S. troops, which spurred Mr. Lugo to run as a peace candidate.

"Mainstream Democrats joined Republicans in Congress when they jumped on the Iraq war bandwagon and voted in favor of transferring war powers to the White House, for bigger military budgets to fight the war, and against bringing U.S. troops home. The only party that represents the views of most Americans on the war is the Green Party, which calls for immediate withdrawal from Iraq," Mr. Lugo added.

Green congressional candidate Byron De Lear's race against 12-term incumbent Rep. Howard Berman (D) in California's 28th District has emerged as a lively topic on the popular polical blog Daily Kos. In a poll conducted by the pro-Democratic Kos, Mr. De Lear is ahead of Mr. Berman by 11 points, and the normally partisan Kos is now breaking ranks with a Democratic incumbent because of Mr. Berman consistent votes in favor of the Iraq war. As Code Pink member and Progressive Democrat Linda Milazzo posted, "Howard Berman might as well be Republican. He's a war hawk who has helped empower George Bush... I support Byron DeLear. As should anyone who sees the destruction of our Democracy!" <http://www.delearforcongress.org>

Jeff Kravitz, Congress in California's 5th District, is challenging his Democratic competition in radio and TV ads: "Rep. Doris Matsui is no better than a Republican warhawk when it comes to the war in Iraq..." leads the radio spot. "Incumbent Doris Matsui has blood on her hands..." states the TV spot, referring to Ms. Matsui's votes to fund the war, although she claims she opposes the war.
<www.kravitzforcongress.org>

Maryland Green candidate Kevin Zeese is challenging Rep. Ben Cardin (D) and Lt. Gov. Michael Steele (R) for the U.S. Senate seat. Mr. Steele initially supported the war, but now says the U.S. should bring the troops home as soon as possible. Rep. Cardin has voted against every amendment calling for an exit strategy, in favor of 'stay the course' resolutions and for $320 billion in funding for the U.S. occupation. On NBC News' Meet the Press, Rep. Cardin claimed that his goal was to remove the troops in 2007 -- but said that this goal was not a timetable and depended on the circumstances. Mr. Zeese heads the anti-war group DemocracyRising.US <democracyrising.us> and was co-founder of VotersForPeace.US <www.votersforpeace.us>. In addition to favor a rapid and responsible withdrawal of U.S. troops and corporations from Iraq, he favors taking the bombing of Iran off the table, a position neither of his opponents will take.
<www.kevinzeese.com>

Michigan Green candidate David Sole notes that Debbie Stabenow, incumbent Democrat for Senate, has echoed the Bush-Rumsfield line and voted for every appropriation for the war and for the right to torture detainees. Mr. Sole, the only antiwar voice in the Michigan race for U.S. Senate, has faced refusal by most of Michigan media to cover his campaign, although he recently received an endorsement from the Michigan Citizen, Detroit's largest and most progressive African American weekly newspaper.
<www.stopthewarslate.org>

In New York, Green candidate Howie Hawkins is challenging Hillary Clinton for her U.S. Senate seat. Although she has criticized the Bush Administration's military strategy, Ms. Clinton has consistently supported continuing the war. Despite her pro-war position, she will appear on the ballot as the nominee of the antiwar Working Families Party as well as the Democrats. Peace groups like MoveOn.org, Peace Action, and United for Peace and Justice have given her a free ride by choosing not to issue their usual voter guides, which would show the stark contrast between Ms. Clinton and Mr. Hawkins on peace issues.
<www.hawkinsforsenate.org>

Green congressional candidate Mike Miles is facing incumbent Democrat David Obey in Wisconsin's 7th District. "The problem with Dave is that while he is sincerely against the war he keeps paying for it. I was also disappointed to see that over the years he has accepted over $150,000 from AIPAC. It just shows how money has contaminated the whole political process," said Mr. Miles.
<www.milesforcongress.com>

"The 2006 election has more than ever exposed the Democratic Party's lack of backbone and revealed the need for a real opposition party," said Liz Arnone, co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. "A vote for a warhawk candidate, whether Democrat or Republican, is a vote for more war, more U.S troop deaths, and more dead Iraqi civilians. The disconnect between campaign rhetoric and the reality of voting records is a deadly disservice to American voters."

Greens also noted that leading Democrats have claimed to defend working people from corporations while raking in huge corporate contributions ("Democrats Get Late Donations From Business," New York Times, October 28 <http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/us/politics/28hedge.html>) and have preached health care reform while rejecting national health insurance (which Greens support).

"The Green Party's message is this: if you want an end to the war, stop throwing away your vote on candidates who don't agree with you. Vote Green," said Steve Kramer, national Green Party co-chair.

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1711 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

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Greens Tackle Democratic Party Hypocrisy: Pro-War Democrats Campaigning for Antiwar Votes

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