Green Party Candidate Cynthia McKinney Names VP

[redstate_democrat]

Cynthia McKinney Names V-P Running Mate
July 9th, 2008

On July 9, the news leaked out that Cynthia McKinney’s choice for the Green Party vice-presidential nomination is Rosa Clemente, 35, of New York. See here for more about her. Zentronix blog says that the McKinney-Clemente ticket would be the first in U.S. history of two women of color. However, in 1992, the New Alliance Party ticket was Lenora Fulani and Maria Elizabeth Munoz. Also in 1996, the Workers World Party ticket was Monica Moorhead and Gloria La Riva.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has this article about the McKinney campaign. Even though it was published on July 9, it doesn’t contain the news about Rosa Clemente. Instead it says the announcement about a vice-presidential candidate will come on July 11.
http://www.ballot-access.org/2008/07/09/cynthia-mckinney-names-v-p-running-mate/

[mikelgb]

1. I hope they will contribute to the debate

[Selatius]

3. More like they will be shut out of the debates. Dems and Repubs don't want Greens in any debate.

As a result, Greens are going after municipal seats and building up local chapters at the grassroots level.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Exactly and there are days I wonder when this country will grow up

[The Magistrate]

12. If they want To Be A Real Party, Sir, that Is What They Ought To Be Doing

Absent a great deal of such spade-work, a Presidential nomination is simply a game of make-believe, beneath the dignity of adults.

[GreenInNC]

59. many states require a presidential candidate

Many states require a presidential candidate on the ticket to retain ballot access for such down ticket races. And there are more that not only require a presidential candidate but that candidate has to poll a certain percentage. Here in North Carolina for a party to retain ballot access, the Presidential candidate must poll 10% of the vote and if they do not, the party must secure +/- 75,000 valid signatures to regain ballot access.

[Selatius]

65. They're unlikely to be a real party unless the Democratic Party imploded and became the next Whigs.

Single-member district plurality (SMDP) as a voting system tends to favor only two parties becoming viable as a general observation except in cases where very strong regional parties are present. Add on top of that the problem of historic gerrymandering, and it becomes even more difficult for anybody but the two parties to gain any real power.

The Greens could build a powerful municipal/local machine that rivals even that of the Democrats but still fail to break into the national scene without the high probability of dividing votes on the left, thus handing victory to the Republicans assuming the Republicans have no equivalent right wing party to deal with.

[blondeatlast]

21. Which I very much applaud. Imagin having the Greens as a presence on school boards--sweet... nt

[tritsofme]

29. If you needed more than two hands to count their supporters, they would be invited.

Any candidate that averages 15% in an aggregate of major national polls is invited to participate.

[Canuckistanian]

40. That's what Nader should have done

Built up a record through municipal, then state, then Congressional seats.

You can't expect to create a third party by going for the pinnacle without a support base.

Sure it may take 20 years, but that's how you do it.

[GreenInNC]

60. Required to run a presidential candidate

Many states require a presidential candidate on the ticket to retain ballot access for such down ticket races. And there are more that not only require a presidential candidate but that candidate has to poll a certain percentage. Here in North Carolina for a party to retain ballot access, the Presidential candidate must poll 10% of the vote and if they do not, the party must secure +/- 75,000 valid signatures to regain ballot access.

[Canuckistanian]

61. You've gotta be kidding

Who made those rul.... never mind. I have a good idea.

[Occam Bandage]

2. Looks like the quadrennial Green Failboat has a co-captain!

[dionysus]

13. failboat... heheheheh, i like that

:)

[redstate_democrat]

17. I don't think th eGreens run with the belief they would actually win the election.

They are trying to build their party, get out their issues, and serve as an alternative for people.

[The Magistrate]

37. Until They Start Fielding Candidates For County Assessor And Municipal Sanitary Commissioner, Ma'am

They are just playing a big game of 'let's pretend', and that is all....

[redstate_democrat]

39. lol

:D

[Lilith Velkor]

56. They started doing that 20 years ago, Mr. Strate

Many have been elected to such offices.

This game is more like 'let's get publicity.'

[Hippo_Tron]

62. Yup, here it is right now

[LostinVA]

4. Good for them (waiting for usual McKinney bashing to start any minute)

I like McKinney. She can be a bit bonkers, but she is smart as a whip, and doesn't kiss ANYONE'S ass, which is why she's been shot down by her supossed allies a few times. Many people don't like "pushy" (read: assertive) woman, espeically women of color.

And no, she didn't hit the CAP. Think the security tape wouldn't have been plastered all over the news if she had? Hell, even the Grand Jury didn't indict her, and as the saying goes, a grand jury will indict a ham sandwich.

Hope they add to the debate!

[redstate_democrat]

5. Yes I'm sure they will add many progressive issues to the debate.

I'm shocked because this is the first time there are two women of color on a ticket of a nationally recognizable party. Interesting. I wonder where she is on the ballot?

[LostinVA]

9. I was wondering the same thing

And, puts the Socialist Party to shame: they have two men this time around. Boo!

[PM7nj]

6. A "bit" bonkers?

Only a bit?

[LostinVA]

8. Just a bit -- she was actually quite an effective legislator

[newmajority]

26. I don't think it was sexism or even racism that got Cynthia robbed of her congressional seat twice.

Not to say those weren't factors - she is from Georgia after all - but her biggest problem in DC was that she refused to drink the Bush Crime Family/PNAC/AIPAC kool aid.

And that's the one thing you DON'T get away with in the current congress, unfortunately. :evilfrown:

[frog92969]

10. Let the Greens live

This is America damnit!

[redstate_democrat]

14. I'm not keeping them from living.

:rofl:

[frog92969]

23. Not you, silly.

I'm just screaming at the innerwebs.
:blush:

[Danger Mouse]

11. Isn't McKinney part of the 'MIHOP' crowd?

[redstate_democrat]

15. I don't know.

I know she she was one of a few asking some hard questions of this administration, though, and her seat was targeted. She was spied on and such, too. After that she kind of got paranoid and went off script. But I don't know if she accused this administration of making 9/11 happen. She is probably of the mindset of LIHOP.

[PM7nj]

18. I think she's a LIHOP-er.

[Danger Mouse]

20. LIHOP i can live with. I still don't like her.

[redstate_democrat]

24. lol

:rofl: Well, you don't bite your tongue, do you?

[Danger Mouse]

47. no need to. there are plenty of reasons not to like mckinney.

[scheming daemons]

16. McKinney is a nut case and I'm glad she's no longer a Democrat

Embarrassment to whatever party she belongs to.

[redstate_democrat]

19. Why do people think she is a nutcase?

I know about the whole capital police thing, but what else did she do?

[Danger Mouse]

22. she accused al gore of being racist and her father made antisemitic remarks back in 2002.

[redstate_democrat]

25. Her father made anti-semetic remarks?

Sooo...that means SHE is crazy? Did she defend it or something? And she called Al Gore racist? :rofl: What the hell for?

But besides that, what else has she done? Has she talked about seeing aliens or something like that?

[Alexander]

27. Yes, her father, who got her into politics and who she chose to put on TV that night.

"On the night before the primary election, McKinney's father stated on Atlanta television that "Jews have bought everybody ... J-E-W-S" in the election, referring to Dekalb County's large Jewish community."

Given that:

-Mel Gibson's father was also anti-Semitic, just as he is

-McKinney's father was a politician and single-handedly got her involved in politics

-She used her father as a surrogate for her campaign until that incident

-McKinney opposes all aid to Israel and supports Palestinian and Arab causes exclusively

-McKinney wrote Prince Alwaleed and offered to take the $10 million previously offered to Giuliani, who rejected it because Prince Alwaleed made some strong anti-Israel comments. "There are a growing number of people in the United States who recognize, like you, that U.S. policy in the Middle East needs serious examination."

-The Council on American-Islamic Relations sent out an E-mail asking people to "support Cynthia McKinney ... Pro-Muslim candidate. Supporter of Palestinian State for over 7 years. Against Secret Evidence. Against Aid to Israel."

-McKinney said the "white, rich Democratic boys club wanted to stay in the back of the bus."

Is it any stretch to imagine that McKinney was aware of her father's views, and agreed with them?

You don't spend your whole life around someone without having some kind of idea as to whether or not they are a bigot. And you don't put that person on TV if you think they're a bigot, unless you happen to agree with them.

[redstate_democrat]

32. Um, ok. I tend to apply blame to people who actually say or do the offending thing, not their

relatives, pastors, or people they know. Now the other stuff, yeah, that is debatable. Perhaps she isn't ant-Jewish, but anti-Likud or Zionist? I don't know. I'm not really deep into the whole Likud/Zionist/Palestinian debate. :shrug:

[Alexander]

34. But she put him on TV, and her actions suggest she doesn't disagree.

Her voting record was 100% pro-Palestine, 0% pro-Israel.

She had to have known his views while growing up, and if she disagreed, she would never have had him go on TV.

[Danger Mouse]

48. Why did she call Gore racist? Who the hell knows?

And she certainly didn't make it seems like she disagreed with her father's antisemitism, either.

[newmajority]

30. Her father wasn't entirely wrong

Saying "the Jews did it" (or whatever his exact wording was) certainly was a broad based overgeneralizing of the matter, but the fact is that AIPAC and other pro-Likud groups and individual right wing Jewish donors contributed a lot of money to her primary opponent, because they didn't like the fact that Cynthia openly advocated for Palestinians rights as well as opposing the Bush/PNAC war agenda.

However the primary opponent, Denise Majette, was also funded by the DLC, Republicans, and corporations, whose motives had nothing to do with her stand on the Middle East.

So it's more logical to say she was targeted overall by the right wing - Jew, Goyim, corporatist, and fascist alike.

[Danger Mouse]

46. No. His comments were anti-semitic and indefensible...

same as her comments about Gore being racist.

[newmajority]

53. Correct.

He should have made the distinction between "Likud zionist warmongering pieces of shit" and "the Jews", as they are not remotely the same thing.

[Danger Mouse]

55. We both know that's NOT what he meant.

'J-E-W-S'...he's as anti-Semitic as Mel Gibson.

[newmajority]

64. I never met the man, so I can't say what he was thinking.

Mel Gibson asked a cop if he was Jewish when he was pulled over for drunk driving. That's considerably different than Israeli nationals financing a congressional candidate in Georgia.

The cop's Jewishness (or lack thereof) had nothing to do with whether or not Mel Gibson broke the law.

Understand this... I'm not defending what McKinney's father said. But she was targeted by Likudniks, among other right wing interests. I don't believe ANY out of state money should be allowed in congressional races. It should be limited to the constituents of that district.

[CreekDog]

67. her dad gave us good insight to what he was thinking

quit rationalizing. :eyes:

[AllentownJake]

28. Snooze

Why don't I care...oh yeah I'm looking for someone who can win and prevent 4 more years of GOP rule.

[tritsofme]

31. Who cares?

I know I certainly don't.

These people are irrelevant.

[redstate_democrat]

33. They're irrelevant to you. Perhaps the Greens have a different view?

I'm just saying. :shrug: I think it is always good to know who is where doing what in the political arena. Wonder who Barr will choose? That would be relevant, now wouldn't it?

[tritsofme]

35. Barr is innumerably more relevant than McKinney.

Barr could potentially play the role of spoiler.

McKinney will be lucky to get 0.20% of the vote.

[redstate_democrat]

36. Ok. Some Greens aren't particularly happy with this Combo.

Perhaps some of them will vote for Obama this time? No? They are having their convention right now and some folks aren't happy and believe the Green party is being hijacked. They may as well vote for Obama.

[stimbox]

38. I'd LOVE for Cynthia to be in the debates.

Unfortunately, the M$M only allows the corporate party candidates.

[tritsofme]

41. The rules are pretty clear. If you poll 15% support nationwide

in an aggregate of five major polls, you are invited to the debates.

If you are a vanity candidate with no support and no relevance to the national conversation, you are not invited.

[Alexander]

42. Hence why Perot debated the first time and not the second.

[Motown_Johnny]

43. So.... we should be trying to get people to say they support Barr???

[tritsofme]

45. Heh, I never thought of it that way.

But it is probably statistically impossible for a small group of people to alter the polls in such a way.

But if you get a call from a pollster, I guess saying you support Barr wouldn't hurt.

[redstate_democrat]

49. I hope Barr can get into the debates. That would be awesome.

Two against McCain! And Barack gets to look presidential and above the fray. People will have no choice but to recognize what's good.

[stimbox]

51. Actually the rules change arbitrarily as evidenced by the troubles that Gravel and Kucinich had. n/t

[Alexander]

66. Not really. The troubles Gravel and Kucinich had were that they couldn't break 2% of the vote.

Gravel in particular pulled in a whopping 0% in several polls where he was included.

[Fleshdancer]

52. Is that 15% of the population or 15% of registered voters?

I assume it's registered voters, but now I'm curious if that's right or not.

[AZ Criminal JD]

57. You speak of these rules as if they come from God

They just come from a private group, the Presidential Debate Commission, which has no legal authority whatsoever.

[DaDooRonRon]

50. Actually, the corporate parties only allow the corporate party candidates

Both parties are petrified that in an actual debate they'd be forced to answer actual questions and would be called on their bullshit.

The day that the Democratic and Republican parties embrace real challengers is the day the earth rotates backwards.

[Moloch]

44. McKinney was an ineffective campaigner...

She lost her seat, won it back and then lost it again... Her campaign's voice mail even had the wrong date for election day. When she lost, one of the speakers at her concession speech used the word "crackers" and said he was "gonna get your Jewish ass"

and lets not forget her attack on a capital police officer.

No, Obama has nothing to worry about with this flaky woman as the Green Party candidate. She'll get about as much support as Lyndon LaRouche.

[newmajority]

54. The capital security guard (not a police officer, BTW) attacked HER, not the other way around.

Used her "lack of a name tag" as an excuse, though many other congresspeople without nametags entered through the same door, and were not singled out.

[crankychatter]

58. Cynthia is yummy - anyone that hates her is a mean person NT

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

63. Well that changes everything