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WASHINGTON, May 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today issued the following statement honoring America's fallen war heroes this Memorial Day:
"Memorial Day is always a solemn time of reflection, but never more so than when our armed forces are engaged overseas. This weekend, as we pause to honor those who have given their lives in the line of duty, we pay special tribute to the more than 3,800 brave men and women in uniform we have lost on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Democrats understand that the best way for our civilian leaders to honor the fallen is to keep our commitments to those who serve today. They and their families are making tremendous sacrifices for our country and deserve leaders who support them every step of the way. I am proud that this Memorial Day, America's military men and women are being served by a Democratic-controlled Congress that last week passed the largest ever increase in veteran's medical care and provided funds that will help reduce red tape in the VA system, improve access to critical benefits, and enhance health care services. Supporting our troops also means ending the war in Iraq and bringing them home soon with honor. Together, these steps show that Democrats truly are committed to supporting our armed forces, our veterans, and our military families."
Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee, http://www.democrats.org/. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
Source: Democratic National Committee
Web site: http://www.democrats.org/
Contact: Press Office
802-651-3257
February 10, 2004
Dean for America Announces Results of Wisconsin Ad Run-Off
BURLINGTON--Dean for America today announced that, following 36 hours of voting by supporters, the campaign would begin running two grassroots-produced ads as early as tomorrow. Over 23,000 people submitted ballots between the beginning of the contest on Sunday and midnight Wisconsin Monday, choosing "Mike" and "Max" as the top two of the three "Switch 2 Dean" ads.
"Wisconsin voters have traditionally responded to campaigns that speak to them on a personal level. They don't want glitz or prepackaged politicians; they want to hear from genuine people and honest leaders. The Switch 2 Dean ads are as real as it gets-ordinary Americans talking about how they've been inspired by Governor Dean and his vision for America. I think that the people of Wisconsin will be able to identify with these ads and these people," Wisconsin for Dean State Director Mike Tate explained.
"We heard from so many of supporters who wanted us to be running more than one of these ads, and the balloting between first and second place was so close, that we thought it would be best to take the top two ads," Director of Internet Organizing Zephyr Teachout explained.
The "Switch 2 Dean" series was conceived and filmed by the Dean Media Team over last summer to showcase how Americans from all walks of life were uniting behind Dean's campaign. The Dean Media Team recorded the first set of impromptu videos during the August 2003 Meetups and the rest during a video shoot in September 2003. The series of ads, all of which are available at www.switch2dean.com, focus on uncoached Dean supporters speaking from their hearts about the importance of Governor Dean's vision for America.
The transcript of the two selected ads follows:
"Mike" -- 30 seconds: "Well, I've been a Republican all my life. Bush - I just can't abide. Dean is all for building alliances with Europe and Asia. I like his position on gun control. He was against the war. He's the guy who can beat Bush. How long a list do you want? I'm Michael Reinhardt. I'm a stockbroker and frankly, I'd like to take back my country."
"Max" -- 30 seconds: "When all the other Democrats were laying around like, 'oh, I'm so afraid of Bush I can't do anything at all,' Howard Dean came out and said he was against going to war with Iraq. I've never been involved in a presidential campaign before. I like this guy. I may never be famous, and that's fine, but people are going to know I stood for something. My friends call me Max. I'm a claims adjuster and I'm taking back my country."
The ads are available at www.deanforamerica.com.
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SUPERIOR, WI -- At a town hall meeting in Superior, Wisconsin, Governor Howard Dean, MD discussed the impact of the failed education bill on the nation's education system and the failure of Democrats in Washington to stand up to President Bush when he pushed it through Congress. He also mentioned that the only way to beat George W. Bush and change Washington is to nominate a Democrat who has consistently stood up for what is right, even when it's not popular, as he did when he opposed President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act.
"When George W. Bush proposed the No Child Left Behind Act I recognized how this program would cripple school budgets and impact communities- particularly hiking property taxes," Dean said. "Only if we send to Washington an outsider, a leader with a real record of results, can we beat George W. Bush, strengthen American values and bring real, positive change. America deserves better, Wisconsin deserves better."
Every Washington Democratic presidential candidate voted for the once popular No Child Left Behind Act, an unfunded mandate that has resulted in higher property taxes and financial strain on schools. U.S. Senator John Kerry said it gave him "great pleasure" to vote for NCLB, what he called at the time "groundbreaking legislation." U.S. Senator John Edwards called NCLB "a quantum leap forward for America's children." Both Kerry and Edwards also skipped the vote to fully fund the unfunded mandate.
"Washington's failed education program that leaves every child behind, every teacher behind, every school board behind and every property tax payer behind," Dean said.
In Wisconsin alone, the implementation NCLB would require an increase of 35 percent or $2,880 per pupil. Governor Dean will continue to take this message to the people of Wisconsin today at a middle school in La Crosse and a rally in Milwaukee this evening.
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BURLINGTON--Since its earliest conception, Dean for America has been a grassroots-powered campaign: It has raised more money in smaller amounts from more people than any other Democratic campaign in history; the campaign's vast grassroots network of the Dean 2004 Meetups grew organically as neighbors talked to neighbors about Governor Dean's message and vision for America; and, time and again, this campaign has drawn upon grassroots supporters in making strategic decisions.
In November, Dean for America asked supporters to vote on whether the campaign should accept public financing. Other innovations have been generated from grassroots supporters and germinated on the campaign's weblog, www.blogforamerica.com: including Dean Visibility Day, and the slogans "People Powered Howard" and "The Tea is in the Harbor," as well as many of the campaign's downloadable flyers and the community service initiative Dean Corps.
Now, as Dean for America enters what could be the most important week of the campaign, Dean Media Advisor Steve McMahon announced that it would once again turn to the grassroots-this time, to help select a grassroots-produced ad to supplement the campaign's paid media in Wisconsin.
"We've always said that we're a people-powered campaign. That support comes from hundreds of thousands of people-so we have the added advantage of drawing upon the wisdom and ideas of all of our supporters. In December, we put up a thread on the campaign weblog, www.blogforamerica.com, and solicited ideas for ads. The ideas were fantastic, and now we've enlisted the ad producers to help us win the all-important February 17th primary in Wisconsin," Dean for America Media Advisor Steve McMahon said.
The "Switch 2 Dean" series was conceived and filmed by the Dean Media Team over last summer to showcase how Americans from all walks of life were uniting behind Dean's campaign. The Dean Media Team recorded the first set of impromptu videos during the August 2003 Meetups and the rest during a video shoot in September 2003. The series of ads, all of which are available at www.switch2dean.com, focus on uncoached Dean supporters speaking from their hearts about the importance of Governor Dean's vision for America.
In a conference call with reporters today, McMahon announced that the campaign has posted three of the ads and will ask supporters to vote on their favorite over the next 36 hours. The chosen ad will then begin airing in Wisconsin media markets later this week.
"Wisconsin voters have traditionally responded to campaigns that speak to them on a personal level. They don't want glitz or prepackaged politicians; they want to hear from genuine people and honest leaders. The Switch 2 Dean ads are as real as it gets-ordinary Americans talking about how they've been inspired by Governor Dean and his vision for America. I think that the people of Wisconsin will be able to identify with these ads and these people," Wisconsin for Dean State Director Mike Tate explained.
The transcript of the three ads follows:
"Mike"
"Well, I've been a Republican all my life. Bush - I just can't abide. Dean is all for building alliances with Europe and Asia. I like his position on gun control. He was against the war. He's the guy who can beat Bush. How long a list do you want? I'm Michael Reinhardt. I'm a stockbroker and frankly, I'd like to take back my country."
"Steve"
"Because I was originally from Massachusetts, I knew a little bit about John Kerry, more than any of the other candidates. Howard Dean and John Kerry. My beliefs, personally, were a little bit more in line with Howard Dean's. Most of the country thinks that it's all the same thing. Howard Dean is not all the same thing. My name's Steve. I just got laid off two weeks ago. I'm taking my country back."
"Max"
"When all the other Democrats were laying around like, 'oh, I'm so afraid of Bush I can't do anything at all,' Howard Dean came out and said he was against going to war with Iraq. I've never been involved in a presidential campaign before. I like this guy. I may never be famous, and that's fine, but people are going to know I stood for something. My friends call me Max. I'm a claims adjuster and I'm taking back my country."
The ads are available at www.deanforamerica.com/choose.
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BURLINGTON--Democratic presidential candidate Governor Howard Dean, M.D., issued the following statement tonight:
"I'm proud of the thousands of supporters in Michigan and Washington who worked tirelessly over the last six months to spread the vision and message of our campaign. One of the key tenets of our campaign remains getting people to reengage in the political process, and it's evident by today's surprisingly large turnout in both states that we continue to cause people to stand up and be counted in this important election.
"The people of Washington State have sent a clear message that they want this race and this debate to continue, and that our campaign is the real alternative to John Kerry. We look forward to tomorrow's Maine caucuses and winning Wisconsin on the 17th."
--30--
BURLINGTON--Democratic presidential candidate Governor Howard Dean, M.D., issued the following statement today:
"We announced last week that our goal is to win Wisconsin and our supporters responded beyond our expectations once again by donating more than $1 million to wage a strong fight in the state.
"We respect President McEntee and we will work hard to earn the support of AFSCME members in Wisconsin next week. With the backing of hundreds of thousands of Americans, SEIU, and IUPAT we plan to win Wisconsin next Tuesday, regain the momentum our campaign needs, and win the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Boston."
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MILWAUKEE, WI -- Democratic presidential candidate Governor Howard Dean, M.D., issued the following statement today on Vietnam's human rights abuses.
"The United States has a special role to play in world affairs as a historic inspiration to those around the world seeking democracy, freedom, and opportunity. Our own fight for independence, democracy, and human rights has allowed us to act as a moral force in world affairs and a guiding light for other nations.
"I am deeply concerned by reports of Vietnam's human rights abuses. Montagnards, Hmong and other highland peoples have been special targets for such abuse and repression. Given the incredible loyalty and bravery displayed by these peoples during the Vietnam War, it is especially shameful that the Administration has not raised its voice in protest. Unfortunately, the abuse doesn't stop there; Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders have documented the harassment and arrest of leaders of the Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam, Catholic priests, reporters, and others who merely practice their faith or peacefully express their opinion.
"It is time for America to take a stand for human rights in Vietnam. We cannot remain silent any longer and must exert our economic and moral influence to insist that the Communist regime in Vietnam respect the human rights of its people. Our President should not meet with the Vietnamese government without, first, demanding protection of human rights.
"As President, I will * Break the official silence observed by the Bush Administration on human rights in Vietnam. * Use America's leverage to persuade the Vietnamese government to improve its human rights record. * Utilize every point of contact with the Vietnamese government to stress the importance we attach to the principles of democracy and human rights. * Enforce the Jackson-Vanik rule to persuade Vietnam to take immediate steps to respect the human rights of its people and allow them to emigrate if they so desire. * Open our doors to stateless Vietnamese refugees languishing in the Philippines and other parts of the world. * Work to pass legislation granting immediate American citizenship to Amerasians who should be treated no differently than other sons and daughters of American fathers."
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MILWAUKEE, WI--Democratic presidential candidate Governor Howard Dean, M.D., issued the following statement in response to President Bush's announcement of a White House commission on intelligence, including Iraq:
"The Bush Administration has lost all credibility on the issue of Iraq and intelligence. George Bush and Dick Cheney continue to cling to the claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, but too many others in the Administration now admit the evidence was not there.
"America would have been better served if Democrats in Washington had asked the hard questions before the war was launched. Instead of coming clean about misleading the American people on Iraq, the President has swept the problem under the political rug by appointing a bipartisan commission but delaying its report until after the 2004 election.
"We need a truly independent commission that will have access to all the information, act with dispatch, and report its findings before the election--so the American people can render their own verdict on the war and on whether the President told the truth."
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BURLINGTON--This Saturday, February 7th, Dean supporters across the country will take action in their communities to go to t
"In 2004, Democrats must decide: Who will stand up for them? And who will stand up against George W. Bush?" Democratic presidential candidate Governor Howard Dean, M.D. said. "As President, I will stand up for ordinary Americans, not fight for the special interests-as a governor and a doctor, I've stood up for health care and equal rights for all Americans. We can stand up for all Americans if we stand together."
At over 900 events nationwide, Americans have already pledged to stand up for Dean and for America this Saturday:
"I will be on a prominent corner in Bradenton, Florida to show my support for the only man who can turn this country around and get it going in the right direction!!" -- Sharion Hardaway, Florida
"Here in Victoria, Texas, many would consider us "behind enemy lines", but the truth is there are many progressives here that yearn for better things. Visibility is the best way right now to say "No, you are not alone!" I will stand for Gov. Dean.." -- Patrick Covington, Texas
"Downtown Birmingham will know that I am Howard Dean's special interest." -- Will Butler, Alabama
"Stand on the corner for Dean in Wisconsin weather? You bet your vote I will." -- Alyssa Brown, Wisconsin
"I will brave the snow and subzero temperatures of Minneapolis for Howard Dean." -- Danielle Hegedus, Minneapolis
To locate, sign up, or start a Visibility Day event, visit www.deanforamerica.com/visibility
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Contact: Press Office
802-651-3257
February 09, 2004
Governor Dean's Remarks: "Real Choice, Real Change"
MADISON--Democratic presidential candidate Governor Howard Dean, M.D., today spoke here about the importance of the next week. The following is his text as prepared for delivery:
Wisconsin, let me get right to the point: Over the next eight days, the power to make this country great again is in your hands.
The media claims this contest is over. They say your voice and your vote don't count. They expect you to rubber stamp the choice of others.
But you don't have to listen to them.
Wisconsin: You have the power to keep this debate alive.
You have the power to choose the strongest candidate to beat George W. Bush.
You have a real choice -- let's hear your voice, for real change in America.
Wisconsin, the home of Robert LaFollette, William Proxmire, and Russ Feingold, knows America needs real progressive change. LaFollette changed this state and the whole nation. He and his allies brought tax reform and industrial reform. He stood for electoral reform, so citizens, and not the party bosses, could choose presidential candidates. He said we needed to fight for the people and against what he called "the selfish interests."
But LaFollette's whole legacy is at stake right now. And Wisconsin knows LaFollette's legacy is worth fighting for.
Wisconsin knows that what is on the line in this primary is the very heart and soul of the Democratic Party - and the very heart and soul of this country.
Wisconsin knows that today working families struggle to make ends meet in the Bush economy. Wisconsin knows we need a president who will truly fight for ordinary Americans.
Why don't we have real health care, or a tax system that's fair for our families? The answer is clear: Special interests in Washington stop real change every time. The process is broken. To change America, we must change Washington.
Make no mistake, in 2005, there will be change in Washington. But what kind of change? If we don't stand up strong to George W. Bush, America will certainly change -- and not for the better.
If we don't choose real change, if we don't stand up strong to George W. Bush, no matter who is President, radical Republicans in Washington will accelerate their agenda. A shift of wealth away from the middle class to the rich and corporations. Crushing national debt. Policies that divide us by race and gender and sexual orientation. A dangerous foreign policy that isolates and weakens America. Losing jobs, losing health care, losing ground.
And if we don't choose real change, if we don't stand up strong to George W. Bush, no matter who is President, special interests will tighten their stranglehold on America, so the powerful control the outcomes and the people have no say.
Only if we send to Washington an outsider, a leader with a real record of results, can we strengthen American values and bring real, positive change. Only then can we restore hope and integrity, strengthen our economy and sense of community at home, and rebuild our strength and moral leadership in the world.
The way to beat George W. Bush is with a candidate who already has stood up to him - when it mattered, on issues that matter -- like health care, investing in our children, the national debt, and the Iraq war. Democrats who watched the popularity polls and cut bad deals with the White House are not the right people to stand up to George Bush this fall.
The way to beat George W. Bush is with a candidate who has truly delivered results, not just rhetoric, for working Americans.
The way to beat George W. Bush, whose White House is wholly owned by special interests, is with a candidate from outside Washington, who is independent and brings new people into the process. We won't represent real change this fall with a Washington fixture who plays the insider game.
* * *
Wisconsin, over the next eight days I want to talk with you, and listen to you, about the issues that affect your lives every day and affect our nation's future.
Let's start with something that matters to all of us. Two generations ago, Harry Truman told it straight: We need health care for every man, woman, and child in America. We still don't have it. President Bush's idea of health care is to take care of corporations in the health industry. And Washington Democrats have gone along.
I know about health care, because my wife Judy and I delivered it, one patient at a time, as family doctors. Judy still does. And I delivered as Governor of Vermont. 99 percent of children, 92 percent of adults in Vermont have health care. We expanded prescription coverage for seniors. I can stand up to George Bush and say, I delivered results. Why haven't you?
George Bush offered an education program called No Child Left Behind -- but it's a program that leaves every child behind, every teacher behind, every school board behind and every property tax payer behind. Washington Democrats went along. I spoke out and said American children deserve better.
I know about children and education, because I've delivered as Governor. We lowered child abuse rates and raised graduation rates. Teen pregnancy went way down; childhood immunization way up. If you make me president, we will invest in our children with affordable child care and better schools and a higher education plan that makes the dream of college a reality.
Mine is a record of getting things done, not just talking about getting things done. And we can do it for all Americans if we stand together. George W. Bush wanted enormous tax giveaways for the richest people and corporations, creating enormous deficits that mortgage our children's future. The Washington Democrats went along. I said America can't afford them -- and that ordinary Americans will end up paying more -- with higher tuitions, higher property taxes, fewer services.
As Governor, I balanced eleven budgets in a row, because I know that getting our fiscal house in order is needed for a strong economy.
America needs tax fairness for the middle class, but first we must roll back George Bush's dangerous policy of borrow and spend. Wisconsin knows the toll of the Bush economy. Manufacturing provides nearly 19% of all Wisconsin jobs, but you're losing jobs here, not gaining - 75,000 manufacturing jobs lost in the past three years, out of 3 million lost jobs nationwide. The unemployment rate in Wisconsin is 28% higher than the day George Bush took office. Our laid off workers need retraining more than ever, and yet George Bush has proposed more than $1.5 billion dollars in cuts to job training.
In Vermont, we cut unemployment in half. As President, I'll start a fund to create at least a million jobs rebuilding America in the first two years. We'll train workers for the new economy, raise the minimum wage to $7, and give people fair overtime pay and unemployment benefits. We'll invest in small businesses, which create 70 percent of our jobs and don't send them out of their communities. And we'll have a tough policy on trade, to keep jobs here and protect labor and environmental standards.
Protecting America's security is our most important task. And yet it's another area where Washington is broken, and we need to fix it. George Bush embarked on a unilateral, preemptive, wrongheaded war in Iraq. He misled us about the facts. Washington Democrats looked at the polls and went along. Without asking the hard questions, they gave George W. Bush a blank check. I stood up and said it was the wrong war at the wrong time.
Now America is paying dearly for Washington's failure of leadership and judgment on Iraq. More than 500 brave Americans killed. Thousands injured. More than $160 billion already committed. Our alliances torn. No exit strategy in sight.
And while George Bush and Dick Cheney continue to cling to the claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, too many others in the Administration now admit the evidence was not there and is not there. There's also no evidence, as they claimed, of ties between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden.
Instead of coming clean, the President has swept the problem under the political rug. He's appointed a commission. But he's delaying its report until after the 2004 election.
The Bush Administration has lost all credibility on this issue, and Americans have a right to be outraged. Washington Democrats now say they're outraged, but where were they when it really mattered?
The next President will face tough choices and challenges in Iraq, in the Middle East, in the world. The stakes are high. We need a president who leads, who sees the importance not only of strengthening our military but also of rebuilding our alliances. We need an Administration that focuses on the real threats -- terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. That is how we can make America stronger.
We need to stand up for what's right for working Americans.
In 2005, when the Radical Republicans demand more tax give-aways for the special interests, and more phony health care schemes that only help HMOs and drug companies, who will stand up for you? Who will stand up for fairness and common sense?
When they push efforts to slice away further at the Bill of Rights, threatening a woman's right to choose, rolling back civil rights, and giving government greater power to search our homes, read our mail, monitor our Internet use, who will stand up for you and for American values?
Our campaign provides a way to change Washington for the better. We are fueled by the small donations of hundreds of thousands of people across this country -- not the maximum contributions of corporate insiders. If you elect me President, I won't be beholden to the special interests. I won't owe anything to anyone but you.
And, as President, I'll extend these principles. I'll bring greater reform to campaign financing, including a cap on campaign donations of $250 per person. So we limit the influence of big money on politics, and the candidate with the record and best ideas can win against the candidate who has made the most promises to the rich and powerful.
I'll take on the big-money lobbying at the heart of the corrupt Washington game -- the means by which the special interests buy access and policy. The reason that Congress writes an energy bill for oil companies and a Medicare drug benefit for pharmaceutical makers. Average Americans have no idea that this is happening because the lobbying disclosure system in this country is a joke.
We need to pull back the curtain and let the American people know what is happening in Washington's corridors of power. We need strong reforms:
Disclosure should be more frequent. Under current law lobbyists register every six months. I think they should register on-line in real time, and there should be a lobbying database on the Internet so ordinary citizens can keep an eye on their democracy.
Disclosure should be more specific. Right now, lobbyists only have to report which chamber of Congress or government agency they lobbied. I think lobbyists should be required to report who they met with, when they met, and what issue they discussed.
Disclosure should be more comprehensive. Lobbyists should report how much they spend on advertisements, national organizing, and of course fundraising activities. Registered lobbyists should not make political contributions at all, but beyond that they should be required to report when they facilitate contributions from others.
We will change the way Washington works. We will take our country back.
Let me tell you about the America I want back. I want an America where mothers can take their children to a family doctor, instead of going to the emergency room every time because there's no health insurance.
I want an America where hard-working Americans don't live in fear of losing their jobs because that means losing their health care too.
Where corporations care as much about the communities that make their products and buy their goods as they do about their profit sheets.
Where CEO's don't make 531 times what workers earn, even as they ship their headquarters to Bermuda and their jobs to China.
I want an America where men and women have the chance to go to college, get good jobs, maybe even start their own businesses -- regardless of their background. Where the kitchen table is a place to share dreams -- not to worry and struggle over paying the credit card bills, the mortgage, the tuition payments.
I want an America where no child left behind is something we pay for and guarantee, not an empty promise sold by Washington politicians to the rest of us. I want a fair America that doesn't let soldiers risk their lives for us and then get told they can't get overtime pay for jobs that use the skills they learned in the military.
I want an America where we are more than cogs in a machine, where there is nourishment for our human souls. Where there is true community, and we recognize and affirm that we are all in this together.
That's the type of America I want us to take back.
So Wisconsin: 8 days to go. You have the power to keep this debate alive.
You have the power to choose the strongest candidate to represent the Democratic Party.
You have the power to make America work again for working Americans.
You have a real choice -- for real change and a better America.
On February 17, you can vote for that better America. I ask for your support.
-- 30 --
* * *
Background Paper: Governor Dean's Proposal On Reforming Lobbying In Washington
At the heart of the corrupt Washington game is high-stakes, big-money lobbying. This is how the special interests purchase access and policy. This is why Congress writes an energy bill for oil companies and a Medicare drug benefit for pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Lobbying is not itself corrupt. It is, after all, the process by which citizens communicate with their elected representatives. But special interest industry lobbyists use a special tool--bundled $2000 campaign contributions--that is corrupting. And worst of all, average Americans have no idea that this is happening because the lobbying disclosure system in this country is a joke.
Governor Dean has previously proposed sweeping campaign finance reforms, including a cap of $250 on political contributions. But at the same time we need to pull back the curtain and let the American people know what is happening in Washington‚s corridors of power. We need real change in the rules for lobbying disclosure:
* Disclosure should be more frequent. Under current law lobbyists register every six months. Governor Dean will press for rules requiring lobbyists to register on-line in real time, no later than 48 hours after making a lobbying contact in Congress or the executive branch. And that lobbying disclosure database should be available on-line so that ordinary citizens can keep an eye on their democracy.
* Disclosure should be more specific. Right now, lobbyists only have to report which chamber of Congress or which executive branch agency they lobbied. Governor Dean will require them to report who they met with, when they met, and the subject of the lobbying contact.
* Disclosure should be more comprehensive. A "lobbying contact" is defined very narrowly in federal law. But there is more than one way to influence a legislator. Lobbyists should be required to report how much they spend on media buys, grass-roots campaigns, and of course fundraising activities. Lobbyists should not be permitted to make political contributions at all, but beyond that they should be required to report when they facilitate contributions from others through bundling or other means.
Citizens in Wisconsin and around America have a real choice in this election--Howard Dean, an outsider candidate committed to real change in the lobbying system, or a Washington candidate who is a creature of the special interest-dominated status quo.
--30--
Contact: Press Office
802-651-3257
February 06, 2004
Salt Lake City Mayor Ross C. "Rocky" Anderson Endorses Dean for President
SALT LAKE CITY--Mayor Ross C. “Rocky” Anderson this afternoon endorsed Democratic presidential candidate Governor Howard Dean, M.D, citing his courage and ability to lead the country, even on difficult, unpopular issues.
"After all," said Mayor Anderson, "leadership entails far more than waiting for the parade to form and then jumping out in front. If we want a president who will really lead this country, there is a candidate in this year's race who has the courage and values to do so. Howard Dean is the candidate who will tell us the truth every time, whether that truth is popular or not."
"I am proud to have a Democratic candidate for President of the United States," Anderson added, "who is not afraid to stand up for true Democratic values, who won't sell out to the establishment just to increase his chances of success, and who won't base his decisions on what is popular at the moment. "
Mayor Anderson is joined in his endorsement by other prominent Utah Democrats, including Salt Lake County Councilman Jim Bardley, Salt Lake County Democratic Party Chair Nichole Adams, Utah State Representative Jackie Biskupski, and Utah State Representative Scott Daniels.
Mayor Anderson took office on January 3, 2000. As mayor, he has signed executive orders requiring a full-fledged affirmative action program in city hiring, and another banning discrimination against city employees on the basis of race, creed, or sexual orientation, has committed the City government to meeting the standards established for the United States by the Kyoto Protocol, and has advocated for increased investment in public transit systems. He has also pushed for better security at the nation’s airports, overseeing Salt Lake City International Airport’s effort to become the first in the nation to screen all checked baggage for explosives.
"I thank Mayor Rocky Anderson for his endorsement. He understands the importance of protecting our country without sacrificing our civil liberties, and I look forward to working with him," Governor Dean said.
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