BY KATE ROGERS GESSERT
Anyone But Bush
Undercovered #37: Eyeballing the oppostion.
A
s the 2004 Presidential elections
approach, the chorus swells:
“Anyone but Bush.” Which of the
nine Democratic presidential candidates is
most electable?
I brood about this, too. But with six
months until the Oregon primaries, I think the
question is still who we want to elect. I’m
working for Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
I admire his commitment to international co-
operation, hopefulness, and grassroots
power: “We are the change we’ve been wait-
ing for.” He is also realistic: We can’t solve
U.S. domestic woes without reducing the
Pentagon budget.
Many people I’ve talked to agree with
Kucinich, but also with what Molly Ivins said
in Eugene Saturday: “I resist supporting him
because I don’t want to back a loser.”
Kucinich hasn’t raised as much money as
some other candidates, and the media — in-
cluding our local media — rarely mention
him.
war: “On my first day in office I will tear up
the Bush doctrine and rebuild a foreign policy
consistent with American values.” Dean
would cut one-eighth of Star Wars funding,
redirecting it to international threat reduction
programs; and supports Bush administration
policy on Israel.
• Edwards has supported the current
Pentagon budget, war on Iraq, keeping U.S.
troops in Iraq. He received a low score of 20
percent from Peace Action for his 2002 votes
on key war/peace issues.
• Gephardt has supported the current
Pentagon budget, the war on Iraq, keeping
U.S. soldiers in Iraq, and Bush administration
policy on Israel. 2002 Peace Action score: 70
percent.
• Kerry voted for the 2004 Pentagon
budget but against the recent $87 billion addi-
tion. He supported war on Iraq with ambiva-
lence, calling for greater U.N. involvement.
He believes we must keep U.S. troops in Iraq.
Kerry supports the ABM treaty and opposes
About pre-emptive war, Lieberman says,
‘Some policies are best left undeclared.’
Of course! His ideas are the most chal-
lenging to the status quo. And if all the people
who say, “I like Kucinich’s ideas best but I
don’t think he can win” actually vote for him,
he might have a chance.
The problem I’ve struggled with is this:
Kucinich speaks what is in my heart and
mind. But since I’m used to my ideas being
outside the mainstream, I worry that he can’t
be elected. I’ve gradually realized that being
unable to support the candidate I agree with is
a sign of my despair, despair that comes from
many political defeats and disappointments.
Enough despair! I’m working for Dennis.
Whichever candidate each of us decides
to support, we don’t have to settle for second-
best. At least, not yet.
What does each Democratic presidential
candidate think about war/peace issues?
Gleaning this information from mainstream
media, or even Internet sources, isn’t easy.
Trying to be objective, I’ve collected as much
as possible on candidates’ positions. If infor-
mation is missing, that means I haven’t found
it yet.
• Moseley Braun opposed the U.S. war
on Iraq; supports keeping U.S. troops there;
would reduce the Pentagon budget.
• Clark opposed war on Iraq but cheered
as U.S. troops entered Baghdad (April ’03);
says U.S. troops should remain in Iraq. Clark
“won’t tolerate” financial waste in the mili-
tary. Several Internet articles describe
General Clark as a war criminal for bombing
civilians and using depleted uranium
weapons in Kosovo.
• Dean opposes Pentagon cuts and sup-
ports expanding police, intelligence, and spe-
cial forces; opposed the Iraq war but said he
would favor unilateral action if Iraq had
WMD’s (January ’03); and now says U.S.
troops should remain in Iraq. On pre-emptive
www.eugeneweekly.com
development/use of nuclear weapons and
Star Wars missile defense. He backs Bush ad-
ministration policy toward Israel. Kerry led
the fight to study causes of war-related ill-
nesses of 1991 Gulf War veterans, and intro-
duced legislation to regulate U.S. arms trade.
2002 Peace Action score: 40 percent.
• Kucinich voted against the 2004
Pentagon budget and the $87 million. He ad-
vocates cutting the Pentagon budget 15 per-
cent, redirecting the money to domestic
needs, and demanding accountability for $1
trillion in misplaced Pentagon funds. He led
an effort that persuaded almost two-thirds of
House Democrats to vote against war with
Iraq. Kucinich now wants the U.N. in Iraq
and the U.S. out. He opposes pre-emptive
war, use/development of nuclear weapons,
and Star Wars. He introduced House bills to
ban space-based weapons, and to create a
Department of Peace. He supports the ABM
treaty and International Criminal Court. 2002
Peace Action score: 100 percent.
• Lieberman voted for the 2004
Pentagon budget and strongly supported war
on Iraq. About pre-emptive war, he says,
“Some policies are best left undeclared.”
Lieberman supports Star Wars but opposes
development of low-yield nuclear weapons.
He strongly supports Bush administration
policy towards Israel. He supports the
International Criminal Court. 2002 Peace
Action score: 40 percent.
• Sharpton opposed war on Iraq; wants
U.S. troops home now; would reduce the
Pentagon budget.
ew
SOURCES: candidates’ websites, www.vote-
smart.org,www.politics1.com,
www.presidentialcandy.com, moveon.org/pac/cands
(see interviews with candidates), www.peace-
action.org, www.counterpunch.org, Beyond War
2003: Lane Co. Political Action Team (work-in-
progress.)
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EUGENE WEEKLY OCTOBER 30, 2003 7