[Peace-discuss] Dissolute Dems

[Morton K.Brussel]

Haven't heard from Dennis recently.
The cave-in was not unexpected, but many hoped (which springs eternal) 
they would put up a tougher fight somehow (myself included).
Yes, it's a dismal platform.
MKB


On Jul 14, 2004, at 7:36 AM, C. G. Estabrook wrote:

> [Catching up after vacation I find the final dissolution of the 
> Kucinich
> movement within the Democratic party taking place in the (admittedly
> largely irrelevant) platform discussions.  From the following it's 
> clear
> that the Kerry campaign got what it wanted, e.g.,
>
> 	--no renunciation of the policy of pre-emptive war
> 	--no rejection of the aggressive war against Iraq
> 	--no condemnation of the US prisons around the world
> 	--"support for Israel" more vigorous than the Bush administration
>  	--no willingness to change the polices (Palestinian oppression,
> suppression of democracy in the Gulf, the rape of Iraq) that produce
> sympathy for "terrorism"
> 	--willingness to see terrorism (under the US definition) as
> requiring a "war" and not as a international police matter
> 	--willingness to have the war on terrorism play the role of the
> late, lamented crusade against communism.
>
> "...what has always been John Kerry's position" -- viz., "we shouldn't 
> be
> in Iraq longer than we have to be, but we have to ensure that when we
> leave Iraq, we do it in a way that doesn't leave chaos and catastrophe 
> in
> our wake" -- could have been said by the Nazis about Poland.  --CGE]
>
>
> <http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4297365,00.html>
>
> 	Democrats Avoid Platform Fight Over Iraq
> 	Saturday July 10, 2004 11:31 PM
> 	By KEN THOMAS
> 	Associated Press Writer
>
> HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (AP) - John Kerry's presidential campaign avoided a
> platform fight Saturday by persuading activists to drop virulent 
> language
> about the Iraq war that would have declared the conflict a mistake from
> the beginning.
>
> The Democratic platform committee worked through the day at a 
> beachfront
> resort to put final details on the party's statement of principles for 
> the
> November elections.
>
> The platform will be shaped heavily by national security crises and
> presumptive nominee Kerry's campaign.
>
> First, however, the committee had to avoid demands by a group of 
> activists
> that the document describe the entry into Iraq as a mistake and lay 
> down
> an exit strategy to get American forces out of Iraq. Still, the 
> document
> includes tough language on terrorism and President Bush's handling of 
> the
> war in Iraq.
>
> It will be presented to the Democratic National Convention in Boston 
> for
> its imprimatur at the end of this month.
>
> ``Democrats are stronger than ever on national security issues and are
> going into the election confident of winning the debate on who can keep
> America safe,'' Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe
> said.
>
> The committee adopted language brokered by the Kerry campaign saying 
> that
> as other nations add troops, ``The U.S. will be able to reduce its
> military presence in Iraq, and we intend to do this when appropriate so
> that the military support needed by a sovereign Iraqi government will 
> no
> longer be seen as the direct continuation of an American military
> presence.''
>
> Supporters of presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, still campaigning
> despite Kerry's evident victory, said the language was not what they 
> had
> wanted but called it a victory. They agreed to withdraw amendments to 
> the
> platform on Iraq in exchange for the new language.
>
> ``What we got was a commitment to begin the process to talk about 
> bringing
> the troops home, and the Kerry campaign and the DNC from the outset 
> didn't
> want this language in there,'' Kucinich deputy campaign manager Tim
> Carpenter said.
>
> ``We've moved. They've moved. It's truly unity in that sense,'' 
> Carpenter
> said.
>
> Kerry advisers said the platform reflected the Massachusetts senator's
> long-standing position on Iraq. Kerry has said he would repair 
> America's
> international alliances and build a genuine multinational coalition to
> secure Iraq.
>
> ``We think we've come to an agreement with the Kucinich people on a way
> ahead that we think represents what has always been John Kerry's
> position,'' Kerry adviser Rand Beers said. That, Beers said, ``is we
> shouldn't be in Iraq longer than we have to be, but we have to ensure 
> that
> when we leave Iraq, we do it in a way that doesn't leave chaos and
> catastrophe in our wake.''
>
> ``I think that reflects a general view on the part of Democrats, no 
> matter
> who they supported early on, that it's important that John Kerry be
> elected,'' said former President Clinton's national security adviser,
> Sandy Berger.
>
> Kucinich later thanked supporters by phone, declaring: ``We pushed 
> them on
> this issue. They needed to be pushed on this issue.''
>
> Republican National Committee spokesman David James called the 
> platform an
> ``extreme makeover'' of the Kerry ticket by the DNC.
>
> ``The makeover is designed to hide the fact their platform does not
> mention opposition to funding for our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq,
> which is how both ... Kerry and Edwards voted as part of a tiny, 
> liberal
> minority in the United States Senate,'' James said.
>
> The document contends Bush ``rushed to war'' in Iraq but does not call 
> the
> war a mistake. That, it says, is arguable. It also does not rule out
> pre-emptive military action, if necessary.
>
> ``Platforms are about the future, and it is very clear that America 
> must
> succeed in Iraq. It's got to stay there until the job's done,'' said 
> Iowa
> Gov. Tom Vilsack, the platform committee's co-chairman.
>
> About a dozen activists greeted committee members outside the ballroom
> with signs reading: ``Support Our Troops. Bring Them Home. Peace is
> Patriotic.''
>
> National security clauses comprise half the platform. McAuliffe said 
> about
> 20 percent of previous platforms dealt with security. DNC officials 
> said
> about 200 amendments were filed for consideration at the final drafting
> conference, including those from the Kucinich activists.
>
> The Democratic document offers few departures from party principles on
> social and economic issues and bears a strong resemblance to Kerry's
> campaign agenda.
>
> It supports abortion rights, gay rights short of marriage and 
> affirmative
> action, and it echoes Kerry's support of expanded health care, a
> modernized military, energy independence and middle-class tax cuts.
>
> Committee members removed a reference to 1996 GOP presidential nominee 
> Bob
> Dole in the text but included a mention of former first lady Nancy
> Reagan's support of embryonic stem cell research, which Democrats also
> approve. The Bush administration has restricted the research.
>
> The gathering was in Florida, where Bush narrowly defeated Al Gore in 
> 2000
> after a spate of legal challenges, a 36-day recount and a ruling by the
> U.S. Supreme Court.
>
> Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois said the meeting's location was ``in
> the middle of a crime scene. If I had a big yellow ribbon, I would tie 
> it
> around this entire state.''
>
> --
>
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