Michigan Republican, Milliken, Endorses Kerry

[Sparkly]

Michigan's Milliken Endorses Kerry

5 minutes ago

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - Former Republican Gov. William Milliken of Michigan endorsed Democratic Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) for president on Monday, saying President Bush (news - web sites) has pursued policies "pandering to the extreme right wing."

Milliken, governor from 1969-82, accused the Bush administration of rushing into the Iraq (news - web sites) war, pushing tax cuts that benefit the rich and blocking meaningful stem-cell research.

"I felt so strongly about the direction of this country that in the end, it wasn't a difficult decision to make," Milliken said in an interview Monday with Traverse City Record-Eagle reporters and editors.

Milliken issued a three-page statement of his views about Bush and domestic and international issues.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&ncid=696&e=1&u=/ap/20041018/ap_on_el_pr/kerry_gop_endorsement

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

2. Eisenhower and all the old line Repubs are turning against Bush

he represents an extreme danger even to serious moderates.

[Sick_of_Rethuggery]

3. Sweetest irony

would be 41 endorsing Kerry :)

[NewYorkerfromMass]

5. LOL!

Impossible but a good laugh. I think SNL could do a devestatingly effective sketch.

[WI_DEM]

4. Miliken is a very big get for Kerry

he is well respected in Michigan and was a good friend of Gerald Ford.

[evilqueen]

6. Gotta get Spence Abraham out of office as soon as we can.

Can't stand that guy.

[fujiyama]

10. He'll be gone

as soon as Bush is booted.

We need to get this entire band of criminals out.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

7. A schism in the Republican party?

[shockingelk]

8. link to full statement

http://www.record-eagle.com/2004/oct/18mil2.htm

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.

[Norbert]

9. Will the Milliken endorsement make Michigan a lock for blue?

This sounds good. Milliken sounds like a popular figure in Michigan politics.

[fujiyama]

11. The Bush campaign

has all but written the state off. It's not quite a lock, but it's close. The Bush campaign can't completely write it off so they act like they're seriously campaigning here.

I'd be pleased if they waste money here....less money spent in OH, WI, IA and FL!

[meganmonkey]

12. i was just thinking that

i think it is anyway, but this may clinch it.

wrap up michigan in a bag, john kerry's taking it home!