Ralph Nader has said he will announced by year's end whether or not he will seek the Green Party's nomination for president in the 2008 race. Last Sunday, former Congress member Cynthia McKinney announced she is seeking the nomination.
Sounding like a serious and determined candidate, McKinney doesn't waffle or hedge her statements, "It is time to break the vicious cycle where the poor go to war and veterans come home wounded and ignored."
In her announcement, McKinney declared that "the Republicans have deceived us; the Democrats have failed us. It is time for a new beginning: A time for hope to rise from the ashes of despair."
Is it possible? Who knows, but McKinney is a fighter. That's when her own party (the Democratic Party) actively worked to defeat in her in the 2002 elections. That's why, after winning back her seat in 2004, US House Speaker and Wimp Fancy Nancy Pelosi refused to restore McKinney's seniority. That's why the party went into overdrive to attempt to run her out of the House in 2006. And, if you missed it, all that The Nation offered no defense to McKinney.
Ari Berman, who apparently never met a female candidate he liked, full of pomp and priss, wrote the following on April 5, 2006 ("Cynthia McKinney, Cynthia McKinney," The Notion, The Nation) :
Instead, they can't get enough of Cynthia McKinney, a controversial Democrat from Georgia who last week punched a police officer on Capitol Hill. It's not just Fox News. Wolf Blitzer had her in the Situation Room. Even Jon Stewart last night juxtaposed images of DeLay and McKinney, as if their sins were equal. And McKinney inexplicably keeps the story alive by holding media appearance after media appearance.
The Nation defended McKinney when the right-wing and AIPAC slimed her as an anti-Semite back in 2002. But, as far as I'm concerned, she's on her own now.
Maybe she was racially profiled, as McKinney adamantly claims. But there are 435 members of the House of Representatives. Surely Capitol Police don't always recognize every member, especially when they've just changed their hair style and aren't wearing any identification. It may have been an honest mistake.
So, for the good of the country and your party Ms. McKinney, can we move on?
First off, Berman, "The Nation" didn't defend her. That's like saying "The Nation defended Hillary Clinton." Katha Pollitt, who has penned the closest thing to positive coverage on Hillary for the magazine, was the one who defended Cynthia McKinney. Katha Pollitt, not The Nation.
For the record, the unsigned pieces can be attributed to "The Nation." Signed pieces are not "The Nation" and Katrina vanden Heuvel is damned ready to make that argument whenever someone has a complaint. The policy needs to be put in place in terms of a Nation Style Manual and it especially needs to be put in place when speaking of Katha Pollitt who is her own voice (good or bad) at the magazine and doesn't rush to fall in line. It's real easy to point to her maverick work and grab credit for the magazine but she's the one who earns the praise and the blame, the applause and catcalls in real time and it's dishonest for Berman to strip Pollitt of whatever credit or blame she's earned and hand it over to the magazine. Pollitt defended McKinney in her column. The Nation did not defend McKinney. (If that's still not clear, Berman, let us know and we'll try to work in a tutoring session for both you and Lakshami who also has a problem with grabbing things from Pollitt's work and crediting it to "The Nation.") A style manual could also curb vanden Heuvel (editor and publisher) from repeatedly playing favorites and using such terms as "my colleague" to refer to people who work for her.
It's interesting that, in that post, he, unlike right-wingers from the same period such as Michelle Malkin, didn't even use the word "allegedly" before "punched." But Air Berman's all about the 'swoosh'. He doesn't have time for because racial injustice can always take a back seat to Bare He Is Berman who's all about the electing. 'OMG! We gotta an election coming up! Shut up, Cynthia! Shut up!'
McKinney was not required to wear identification, no member of Congress was. And hair change or not (the extensions did not alter her face and were, in fact, pulled away from her face making her face more visible than it was prior or if she'd been wearing a hat). How many White members of the House have been grabbed? Is Air Berman concerned about the number of African-American members that have been?
With 'friends' like The Thrilla' From Vanilla Big Vomit Ari, McKinney didn't need enemies, but she had them. And she's still standing.
Here's the press release on McKinney's announcement:
Cynthia McKinney Announces she's seeking the Green Party Nomination for President.
Video of her official announcement links below.
See Video on Youtube
YouTube
http://youtube.com/watch?v=03cOM9r51Nw
Read here on Cynthia McKinney Campaign Page. You'll also find Windows Media Video and MP3 Audio version here.
http://www.runcynthiarun.org/
Read about supporting the campaign
http://supporters.runcynthiarun.org/supporters.cgi
NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release:
December 16, 2007
Contact: media-requests@runcynthiarun.org
Cynthia McKinney Announces Presidential Campaign
Video News Release Available Today at 6 PM
Cynthia McKinney, a former six-term Congresswoman and an outspoken opponent of the war in Iraq, today officially launched her campaign as a Green Party candidate for President.In a video news release, McKinney says "the Republicans have deceived us; the Democrats have failed us. It is time for a new beginning: A time for hope to rise from the ashes of despair."
McKinney, a former Democrat from Georgia, was one of only three members of Congress to vote "yes" on a House Resolution in 2005 calling for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. One of her last acts in office was introducing Articles of Impeachment naming George Bush, Dick Cheney and Condoleezza Rice.
According to McKinney: "It is time to break the vicious cycle where the poor go to war and veterans come home wounded and ignored."
McKinney supports universal, single-payer health care; fair trade; and has been an unrelenting advocate for Hurricane Katrina survivors. No stranger to controversy and unafraid of speaking truth to power, McKinney has demanded that the Bush Administration tell the American people what the Administration knew about the events leading up to 9/11 and when they knew it.
McKinney's announcement ends months of speculation about her plans. McKinney has been traveling constantly and meeting with Green Party members and other activists across the country who have been encouraging her to seek the Presidency.
More information about McKinney's campaign including a copy of her video statement, are available by linking to: http://www.runcynthiarun.org/.
Members of the media are urged to request a copy of the high resolution version of this VNR, suitable for broadcast and cablecast at:
http://media.runcynthiarun.org/vnr_request.cgi
And, in the 11th Congressional district in Illionis, Green Party member Jason Wallace is running for office:
11th Congressional District Candidate Opposes Proposed Peotone Airport
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Friday, December 21, 2007
Contacts:
Jessica Junis, Press Secretary, 309-287-5144, jessica.junis@electwallace.us
Kara Bavery, Campaign Manager, 309-532-3446, kara.bavery@electwallace.us
Normal, IL -- Citizens of the 11th Congressional District have a candidate that is willing to stand with them in their fight against the proposed South Suburban Airport in Will County. Jason Wallace, Green Party Candidate for the District, is adamantly opposed to the airport proposal that is concerning many constituents in eastern Will County.
His opposition to the airport came from talking with concerned citizens at the Will County fair during the summer.
"I spent a fair amount of time talking with George Ochsenfeld, President of STAND. After hearing that the people who live in Peotone and the surrounding areas are opposed to the airport, I promised I would do whatever I could to support them," said Wallace.
Shut This Airport Nightmare Down or STAND is a non-profit, 5,000-member grassroots member organization opposed to the construction of, and land banking for, the proposed Peotone airport in eastern Will County.
"STAND members are grateful that Green Party candidate Jason Wallace is supporting the position of the vast majority of eastern Will County residents, as well as all others in the district who are concerned about sprawl, environmental degradation, and higher taxes, in opposing the proposed Peotone airport," said Ochsenfeld.
Instead of building an airport, Wallace has said as the district's next Congressman he will push for alternatives to better serve the transportation needs of people in Will County. One such alternative is fast and high-speed trains that connects Midwestern cities.
"A reliable, efficient and sustainable rail system would greatly reduce air-traffic and the impact we have on the environment. This airport is absolutely unnecessary and only serves the interest of Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. as well as the leadership of the Republican and Democratic parties," said Wallace in a prepared statement.
Last week, Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. attached an amendment to the Defense spending bill, which essentially nullified 'Weller's Amendment' to guarantee local control of the proposed airport by the Will County Board.
"The push for this airport comes from a Congressman that doesn't even live in the district. His actions is another reflection the fact that the party leaders do not represent the best interest of the people," said Wallace.
Wallace has stated that government should be for and by the people as stated in the U.S. Constitution and this airport is very clearly not what the people want.
Several municipalities and organizations that would be affected by the airport have voted on or passed resolutions and referendums the South Suburban airport. For more information about this issue visit www.nothirdairport.org, or about Jason Wallace please visit his campaign website at www.electwallace.us.
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Jason Wallace, Candidate
U.S. House of Representatives
Illinois 11th Congressional District
PO Box 708
Bloomington, IL 61702-0708
Office 309.532.3446
Cell 309.826.5290
Fax: 1.866.554.3176
jason@electwallace.us
http://www.electwallace.us
Paid for by the Committee to Elect Jason Wallace