Shystee Blog

The Greenies Are Coming!

From the San Francisco Examiner:

Campaign strategists for Newsom, a Democrat, immediately hammered away at Gonzalez's Green Party membership, saying they would pressure Democrats to stick with one of their own, a message they say will resonate with Democrats nationwide who still blame the Green Party for diverting enough votes away from former Vice President Al Gore to put President George Bush in office.

What a clown. Only die-hard Democrats in denial still blame the Green Party for losing in 2000. If you want to assign responsibility for the 2000 election on a fledgling grassroots organization instead of the established massive Democratic Party infrastructure, go ahead.

The San Francisco election, with the runoff system, demonstrates third party candidates can participate without damaging other non-conservative ones. Some Tom Ammiano supporters might feel differently, but Matt Gonzalez wasn't just a spoiler, he "won" the "progressive primary" and he has a realistic shot at winning the runoff.

[District One Supervisor Jake] McGoldrick suggested Newsom was "the best person to represent Republican values" in town and said, "In any other town, he would be running as a Republican."

Newsom laughed off the Republican moniker as absurd.

"It's amazing you could be pro-choice, have a strong record on gay lesbian, bisexual, transgender rights, a strong record on affirmative action and civil rights and be considered anything but a Democrat," he said. "In any other town, I'd be considered too liberal."

What a tool. Is that the only difference between Republicans and Democrats? A Democrat will explicitly name their niche constituencies in an interview? Same policies, same principles, with the exception of pandering to different crowds?

The recent flap about Howard Dean mentioning the confederate flag in a speech. Other candidates were quick to rise up and condemn Dean with indignation. But what does that really do for black people? Do public schools in the ghetto get up to par with those in the white burbs? Does black unemployment go down? Do black people and everyone else get universal health care? It's an appeal to the core demographic that costs the Dems nothing.

The SF mayoral runoff is going to be a neck-and-neck contest between the Green Party and the Democratic Party in an Island of Doctor Moreau experimental setting where over 80% of voters are not Republican.

In case you don't think it's serious:

While rumors circulate that the Democratic Party would deploy its big guns to help Newsom, Green Party activist and Global Exchange co-founder Medea Benjamin said summoning party heavyweights would backfire.

"I don't think people would be real excited even about Bill and Hillary coming out here to interfere in our internal affairs," she said.

Posted by Victor at November 8, 2003 04:12 PM