Sen. Dayton(Minn) endorses Kerry for president

[maddezmom]

Posted on Fri, Feb. 20, 2004





Dayton endorses Kerry for president

Associated Press


WASHINGTON - Sen. Mark Dayton said Friday he is endorsing John Kerry for president, giving Kerry the backing of the state's highest-ranking Democratic officeholder.

"He has a proven record of dedicated public service," Dayton, D-Minn., said in a telephone interview. "He has the seasoning and experience."

Minnesota holds its presidential caucuses on March 2. Kerry and Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., are the two main candidates left.

Dayton said he held off an endorsement until now out of deference to supporters of former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who dropped out of the race this week.

~snip~
more: http://www.duluthsuperior.com/mld/duluthsuperior/news/8002323.htm

[jpgray]

1. Dayton had the right idea on several key votes this Congress (IWR for one)

And being a fellow rich boy, I can see why he'd endorse Kerry. ;-) (nothing against rich boys, they have made good political leaders at times)

[EXE619K]

2. Good for you Mark!

Just get re-elected and I'll be still happy witcha!

[GainesT1958]

3. Well, I'm glad he went ahead and did it...

Figured he would eventually; I guess that just makes me feel better about going into Target to get something! :D

B-)

[Voltaire99]

4. Dayton is no great shakes, unfortunately: a weak Bush accomodationist

I regret voting for him. Consider: his suck-up treatment of arms makers, his acceptance of the post-911 security state, and his mewling support of US war on Iraq. In fact, Dayton was cheerleading US bombing of Iraq almost as soon as he took office. Here he is parroting the official line in 2001, when Iraq was being softened up for invasion:

Based on the information available to me, today's strike by U.S. forces appears to be an appropriate response to the increased threat from the Iraqi air defense system. I fully support President Bush in sending a clear message to Saddam Hussein that the United States will respond quickly and forcefully to any threat to the safety of U.S. troops patrolling the no-fly zones over Iraq.

http://www.senate.gov/~dayton/releases/2001/02/nr021601.html

And here he is last week, in spite of all we know now about the lies that launched this unwarranted invasion, sounding just like Richard Perle or Dick Cheney:

"These Minnesota soldiers are giving up their families, their home lives, and their careers to defend and protect our country at this critical moment in our nation's history," said Dayton.

http://www.senate.gov/~dayton/releases/2004/02/2004213B40.html

All this adds up to yet another rich man making go-along centrist policy in service of the top. He'll squeak up occasionally about big bad corporations, or about the Bush budget. But squeaking isn't enough.

Is this the best we can hope for? With Wellstone dead and Kucinich all but ignored, is the party nearly rid of its pesky reformist wing?