10.18.2004
Kerry Endorsements
Not sure if this is all inclusive, but the Official John Kerry Blog has provided this list of newspapers that have endorsed John Kerry thus far. If I am correct that's 47 publications. Excellent news.
Related to this, helping keep the momentum going in Michigan is former MI governor, and moderate Republican, William G. Milliken. In an op-ed piece Milliken lies out the facts for why he'll be voting Democrat:
[ed: just a snippet, from the end]
My Republican Party is a party that values the pursuit of knowledge. But this president stands in the way of meaningful embryonic stem-cell research that holds so much promise for those who suffer from diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries and other conditions.
My Republican Party is the party of Gerald R. Ford, Michigan's only president, who reached across partisan lines to become a unifying force during a time of great turmoil in our nation's history. This president has pursued policies pandering to the extreme right wing across a wide variety of issues and has exacerbated the polarization and the strident, uncivil tone of much of what passes for political discourse in this country today.
Women's rights, civil liberties, the separation of church and state, the funding of family planning efforts world-wide - all have suffered grievously under this president and his administration.
The truth is that President George W. Bush does not speak for me or for many other moderate Republicans on a very broad cross section of issues.
Sen. John Kerry, on the other hand, has put forth a coherent, responsible platform of progressive initiatives that I believe would serve this country well. He wants to balance the budget, step up environmental protection efforts, rebuild our international relationships, support stem-cell research, protect choice and pursue a number of other progressive initiatives that moderates from both parties can support.
As a result, despite my long record of active involvement in the Republican Party, and my intention still to stay in the Republican Party, when I cast my ballot November 2, I will be voting for John Kerry for President.
Excellent news in a state that was leaning Kerry and should be doubly so after a 14 year Governor files his endorsement.
President Bush did get one important endorsement. Vladimir Putin, former "dicator" of Russia says Iraqi Terrorists are trying to get Bush kicked out of office.
Putin, speaking Central Asian Cooperation Organization summit in Tajikistan Monday, made his most overt comments of support so far for the re-election of Bush for a second term.
"Any unbiased observer understands that attacks of international terrorist organizations in Iraq, especially nowadays, are targeted not only and not so much against the international coalition as against President Bush," Putin said.
"International terrorists have set as their goal inflicting the maximum damage to Bush, to prevent his election to a second term.
"If they succeed in doing that, they will celebrate a victory over America and over the entire anti-terror coalition," Putin said.
"In that case, this would give an additional impulse to international terrorists and to their activities, and could lead to the spread of terrorism to other parts of the world."
Putin noted that American voters will not decide the election just on Iraq.
"Because of this we must take a realistic approach and be prepared for any development of events," he said. "We respect any choice the American people will make."
President Putin made it clear Russia remained opposed to the war in Iraq.
"Today, our views on that differ from the views of President Bush," he said.
So, what he's saying is that while he doesn't agree with the war in Iraq, he thinks if Bush is ousted, worlwide terrorism will somehow get worse than it already is. As good a reason to vote for somebody as I've ever heard.
Related to this, helping keep the momentum going in Michigan is former MI governor, and moderate Republican, William G. Milliken. In an op-ed piece Milliken lies out the facts for why he'll be voting Democrat:
[ed: just a snippet, from the end]
My Republican Party is a party that values the pursuit of knowledge. But this president stands in the way of meaningful embryonic stem-cell research that holds so much promise for those who suffer from diabetes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, spinal cord injuries and other conditions.
My Republican Party is the party of Gerald R. Ford, Michigan's only president, who reached across partisan lines to become a unifying force during a time of great turmoil in our nation's history. This president has pursued policies pandering to the extreme right wing across a wide variety of issues and has exacerbated the polarization and the strident, uncivil tone of much of what passes for political discourse in this country today.
Women's rights, civil liberties, the separation of church and state, the funding of family planning efforts world-wide - all have suffered grievously under this president and his administration.
The truth is that President George W. Bush does not speak for me or for many other moderate Republicans on a very broad cross section of issues.
Sen. John Kerry, on the other hand, has put forth a coherent, responsible platform of progressive initiatives that I believe would serve this country well. He wants to balance the budget, step up environmental protection efforts, rebuild our international relationships, support stem-cell research, protect choice and pursue a number of other progressive initiatives that moderates from both parties can support.
As a result, despite my long record of active involvement in the Republican Party, and my intention still to stay in the Republican Party, when I cast my ballot November 2, I will be voting for John Kerry for President.
Excellent news in a state that was leaning Kerry and should be doubly so after a 14 year Governor files his endorsement.
President Bush did get one important endorsement. Vladimir Putin, former "dicator" of Russia says Iraqi Terrorists are trying to get Bush kicked out of office.
Putin, speaking Central Asian Cooperation Organization summit in Tajikistan Monday, made his most overt comments of support so far for the re-election of Bush for a second term.
"Any unbiased observer understands that attacks of international terrorist organizations in Iraq, especially nowadays, are targeted not only and not so much against the international coalition as against President Bush," Putin said.
"International terrorists have set as their goal inflicting the maximum damage to Bush, to prevent his election to a second term.
"If they succeed in doing that, they will celebrate a victory over America and over the entire anti-terror coalition," Putin said.
"In that case, this would give an additional impulse to international terrorists and to their activities, and could lead to the spread of terrorism to other parts of the world."
Putin noted that American voters will not decide the election just on Iraq.
"Because of this we must take a realistic approach and be prepared for any development of events," he said. "We respect any choice the American people will make."
President Putin made it clear Russia remained opposed to the war in Iraq.
"Today, our views on that differ from the views of President Bush," he said.
So, what he's saying is that while he doesn't agree with the war in Iraq, he thinks if Bush is ousted, worlwide terrorism will somehow get worse than it already is. As good a reason to vote for somebody as I've ever heard.
